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California Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 6 June 2011 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Business Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Science Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Military Shelf American History Shelf
Aviation Shelf Social Issues Shelf International Studies Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Gardening Shelf Agricultural Shelf
Architectural Studies Shelf Travel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf Art Shelf
Education Shelf Music Shelf Library CD helf
Sports Shelf Automotive Shelf Computer Shelf
Photography Shelf Genealogy Shelf Library Reference Shelf
Judicial Studies Shelf Library Science Shelf World History Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Literary Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Philosophy Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf California Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

In the Basement of the Ivory Tower
Professor X
Viking
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780670022564, $25.95, www.penguin.com

In the Basement of the Ivory Tower: Confessions of an Accidental Academic tells of an over-educated, under-employed father of three who worked as an English teacher at a college - and here provides a thought-provoking expose of the American drive to gain a college education. Is college really worth the debt and effort? Professor X thinks the time and money could be put to better use - and he provides a fine account of our failing schools and his frustration with the education system as a whole.

Most Good, Least Harm
Zoe Weil
Atria Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
1582702063, $15.00, www.beyondword.com

Most Good, Least Harm: A Simple Principle for a Better World and Meaningful Life offers an approach to living a MOGO - or 'most good' lifestyle, revealing practical tools to face global issues in life. From simple ways to become more involved in the community to making better choices as consumers, this offers discussion of challenges and a new way to empower individual change. A top pick for any new age collection!

The Man Cave Book
Mike Yost and Jeff Walker
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780062003928, $14.99, www.harpercollins.com

What is a 'man cave'? A 'man cave' is a man-friendly environment: from a lounger hair or a home theater setting to a music studio or a garage refuge. Photos of man caves and analysis accompany interviews with 'cave' owners and keys to what makes such a refuge great, providing a social and cultural history of male refuges in America and how to make a man cave on a budget. Any general-interest collection will find this a fun, intriguing leisure read.

A Place of Yes
Bethenny Frankel
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781439186909, $24.99, www.simonandschuster.com

A PLACE OF YES: 10 RULES FOR GETTING EVERYTHING YOU WANT OUT OF LIFE tells of the author's obstacles and the success she's enjoyed discovering how to approach life from a better direction. From failed relationships to struggles with money, Bethenny developed ten rules for pursuing her goals, from creating an authentic master plan to acting on it. Each rule comes with some fine examples of success in this winning blend of inspirational method and autobiography, perfect for any general-interest collection.

How I Planned Your Wedding
Susan Wiggs and Elizabeth Wiggs Maas
Harlequin
233 Broadway, Suite 1001, New York NY 10279
9780373892273, $21.95, www.eharlequin.com

How I Planned Your Wedding: The All-True Story of a Mother and Daughter Surviving the Happiest Day of Their Lives comes from a bestselling novelist who discusses the tests of a near-perfect mother-daughter bond as they planned the big day. It guides reader through the process in a blend of memoir and wedding planner, comes from a notable romance novelist, and will find its place in any general lending library.

His Needs, Her Needs
Willard F. Harley Jr., revised edition
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287
Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
www.bakerbooks.com
9780800719388, $19.99, www.revellbooks.com

HIS NEEDS, HER NEEDS: BUILDING AN AFFAIR-PROOF MARRIAGE appears in a revised, expanded edition and identifies the ten most vital needs of men and women and how spouses can satisfy these needs in their mates. From loving more creatively to identifying problems that often lead to extramarital affairs, this includes new writing delving into the changing emotional needs of couples in a marriage, and is especially recommended for Christian collections with its strong focus on emotional and spiritual unity.

The Little Book of Life
Natasha Tabori Fried, Editor
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY, 10011
9781599620992, $24.95, www.welcomebooks.com

Spiritual, self-help and general collections alike will welcome The Little Book of Life, a fine collection of some 20 essays and graduation speeches, letters of advice, songs, comedy excerpts and more - all of which are intended to serve as inspiration for graduations, birthdays, or any life-changing event. This anthology offers a range of writings on values and celebrations, and will make the perfect gift or inspirational read for a wide audience.

The Ragged Edge of Silence
John Francis
National Geographic Books
1145 - 17th St. NW, Washington DC 20036-4688
9781426207235, $26.00, www.ngs.org

On his 27th birthday author John Francis decided to give up talking for the day - a choice that would lead to 17 years of silence that would take him on a journey of learning to listen better. At the same time he gave up motorized transportation in a favor of walking and spent over two decades walking across America to raise environmental consciousness. This book surveys the discoveries he made during his silent journey - and ways in which silence is interpreted and mistaken. General libraries will find this an unusual, compelling read.

Catastrophes!
Donald R. Prothero
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
0801896924, $30.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Just as his book was to be released author Donald Prothero awoke to the news of Japan's devastating earthquake and tsunami. His title ties in strongly with ongoing repercussions from these events, surveying natural disasters and how they have changed human history. A survey of major natural disasters affecting human endeavors offers clear explanations of the forces that caused these disasters, and provides moving accounts of geologic history perfect for both general-interest and science collections.

Starman
Jamie Doran and Piers Bizony
Walker & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780802779502, $16.00, www.walkerbooks.com

STARMAN: THE TRUTH BEHIND THE LEGEND OF YURI GAGARIN is a 'must' for any collection strong in space history, and for many a general interest library. It tells how Russian Yuri Gagarin became the first person in history to leave the Earth's atmosphere in a flight that lasted only 108 minutes, following his personal journey from peasant to international icon and his untimely death in a mysterious air crash after he objected to his government's actions. A gripping account, this fills in many gaps in the hitherto-scanty knowledge about Yuri and his life.


The Business Shelf

Win
Dr. Frank I. Luntz
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401323998, $25.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

WIN: THE KEY PRINCIPLES TO TAKE YOUR BUSINESS FROM ORDINARY TO EXTRAORDINARY shares, for the first time, the list of his 'secret' keywords and phrases that he's used for presidents, CEOs and any executive in the spotlight. These words and phrases convey 'power messages' ranging from 'the simple truth' to 'let's get to work', and holds value in supercharging speeches and motivating listeners. Dr. Luntz pairs linguistic content analysis with surveys of the fifteen attributes of winners and presents a powerful formula for business success in this recommendation for any business library.

Punching Out
Paul Clemens
Doubleday
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780385521154, $25.95, www.doubleday.com

PUNCHING OUT: ONE YEAR IN A CLOSING AUTO PLANT provides a fine look at the final stages of closing a car company and comes from a Detroit native who spent two years researching the closing of the Budd Company auto stamping plant, from first reports to final dismantling of machinery. From interviews with workers helping tear down their former job to the changing state of American industry as a whole, PUNCHING OUT is a fine pick for any collection!

The Ultimate Money Guide for Bubbles, Bursts, Recession and Depression
Martin D. Weiss
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118011348, $27.99, www.wiley.com

The Ultimate Money Guide for Bubbles, Bursts, Recession and Depression provides a fine guide to personal survival even in a global economic meltdown, and advocates common sense and easy tools to protect assets and boost income. This is an updated, expanded edition of Martin Weiss's bestselling title and combines analysis and advice with the latest coverage of financial events changing world markets. It exposes scams of banks, insurance companies and brokers and it provides consumers with important, updated survival keys. General lending libraries will find this attractive.

CMMI For Services, second edition
Eileen C. Forrester, Brandon L. Buteau, Sandy Shrum
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321711521, $74.99, www.informit.com/aw

The second updated edition of CMMI For Services: Guidelines for Superior Services thoroughly explains CMMI-SVC, a model that clarifies management processes for high-level managers and software engineers alike. Computer and serious business collections receive a fine survey of CMMI modeling in a book that explains its basic concepts, service ideas, and how to use CMMI-SVC in a business structure to achieve success. An outstanding technical survey for any business library!

With Respect to the Japanese, second edition
John C. Condon and Tomoko Masumoto
Intercultural Press
c/o Nicholas Brealey Publishing
20 Park Plaza, Suite 1115A
Boston, MA 02116
www.nicholasbrealey.com
9780984247127, $24.95, www.interculturalpress.com

The second updated edition of With Respect to the Japanese: Going to Work in Japan comes from authors who explain to Westerners how to make the most of living and working in Japan. While this would be a practical pick for any lending library, it's a special recommendation for those focusing on international business relationships, offering a revised, expanded second edition that uses real-lie scenarios to examine the cultural and societal differences that impact intercultural communication. Chapters consider how Westerners can understand the Japanese psyche in this fine guide!

Selling to the New Elite
Jim Taylor, Stephen Kraus & Doug Harrison
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814416535, $27.95, www.amacombooks.org

Selling to the New Elite: Discover the Secret to Winning Over Your Wealthiest Prospects reveal how passionate salespeople sell more effectively when they connect with a similar passion in their customers. The focus on top-of-the-line items uses studies from top companies and interviews with successful salespeople to show how these connections are made. From moving beyond ordinary brand recognition to understanding the basics of luxury item sales, this offers a fine key to sales for any interested in superior selling strategies.

Tell to Win
Peter Guber
Crown Business
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307587954, $26.00, www.crownbusiness.com

TELL TO WIN: CONNECT, PERSUADE, AND TRIUMPH WITH THE HIDDEN POWER OF STORY reveals how purposeful stories is the key to moving people to act. His guide covers the basics of how to create a moving story to win sales, sharing successes, showing how soulless facts and information led to many of his setbacks, and telling how he became a master storyteller, in the process discovering how humans are hardwired to hear and love stories. Perfect for any business collection catering to salespeople.

Running QuickBooks in Nonprofits, second edition
Kathy Ivens
CPA911 Publishing
admin@cpa911publishing.com
9781932925302, $36.95 http://www.cpa911publishing.com

The second updated edition of Running QuickBooks in Nonprofits provides the only book to show how to make QuickBooks work for nonprofits. From handling donors and tracking revenue and expenses to managing funds, getting reports for funding agencies, and customizing standard QuickBooks forms to apply to nonprofit concerns, this is a 'must' that goes beyond your usual basic business approach to apply the power of QuickBooks accounting methods to any nonprofit group's pursuit.

Social Location Marketing
Simon Salt
QUE
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 East 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
0789747219, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

Social Location Marketing: Outshining Your Competitors on Foursquare, Gowalla, Yelp & Other Location Sharing Sites offers powerful new ways to promote nearly any service or venue. Here a range of apps are presented, each with the ability to build a cost-effective marketing program. Examples teach how to reach a key audience and avoid costly mistakes, and cover all the basics of how social location marketing works and how to build effective marketing plans.

The Art of Convening
Craig and Patricia Neal with Cynthia Wold
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery St. #650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605096681, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

The Art of Convening: Authentic Engagement in Meetings, Gatherings, and Conversations offers a nine-step Convening Wheel which helps promote the power of authentic engagement in business and personal encounters. It's a model the authors developed to bring engagement to their acclaimed leadership gatherings, and provide here all the details to developing superior leadership skills in all of life.

Do More Than Give
Leslie R. Crutchfield, et.al.
Jossey-Bass
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9780470891445, $29.95, www.josseybass.com

DO MORE THAN GIVE: THE SIX PRACTICES OF DONORS WHO CHANGE THE WORLD comes from three philanthropy experts who show how to make donations that solve pressing social or environmental problems. The survey of a mixed package of foundations, corporations, and individuals collect inspirational stories of success on applied donations and their best benefits, and offer a framework for more than casual philanthropy. It's a powerful pick for business collections especially: but general lending libraries will also find it a winner.

Managing Conflict at Work
Clive Johnson and Jackie Keddy
Kogan Page
525 S. 4th St. #241, Philadelphia PA 19147
9780749459529, $39.95, www.koganpage.com

Managing Conflict at Work provides a fine set of keys for understanding and resolving conflict, and comes from an experienced mediator and investigator and a coach who join forces to present keys to business and personal conflict management strategies. From contracting with disputing parties to make basic agreements for debate and discussion to handling an escalating dispute situation, this tells how to build rapport, listen to language cues, and more. Business collections need this!

The Encyclopedia of Small Business Forms and Agreements
Martha Maeda
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW - 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601382481, $29.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

The Encyclopedia of Small Business Forms and Agreements is a complete kit of business checklists, worksheets, forms, contracts and HR documents, comes with a companion CD-ROM of bonus forms, and contains all the different types of forms a small business owner may encounter. Any small business owner will find this includes all necessary checklists and forms under one cover - including contracts - and adds a solid organization for easy step-by-step coverage. An invaluable reference kit for any small business owner.

On Managing Yourself
Harvard Business Review
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston Ma 02163
9781422157992, $24.95, www.hbr.org/books

On Managing Yourself gathers a powerful collection of definitive articles in paperback, providing top business advice and ideas for new and experienced business managers alike. This join other 'Must Read' business titles from the Harvard Business Review, offering articles on key business practices and synthesizing hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles on how to stay engaged and motivated throughout a work life. From balancing work and home life to using an organization to foster positive change, this draws important links between managing yourself and effecting positive change. Business collections will find this a key acquisition!


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Drug Information Handbook, 20th edition
Charles Lacy, Lora Armstrong, et.al.
Lexicomp
1100 Terex Road, Hudson, OH 44236
9781591952916, $66.95, www.lexi.com

The 20th updated edition of Drug Information Handbook is a 'must' for any serious health reference holding. Updates to this edition include over thirty new drug monologs, a collection of new appendix topics and updates, and continued attention to a dictionary-like format that presents drug products arranged in charts, tables, and alphabetically cross-referenced by U.S. and Canadian brand names and terms. Over 1,400 drug monographs pack in key details in a reference endorsed by the American Pharmacists Association.

The Future of Nursing
Institute of Medicine
National Academies Press
Box 741500, Atlanta, GA 30374-1500
0309158230, $49.95, www.nap.edu

The Future of Nursing: Leading Change, Advancing Health explores the changing role of nursing and responsibilities in the health world, showing how education can be changed to meet changing health needs of an aging, diverse population. Nurses need to become engaged with other health professionals and need to assume leadership roles in changing the nature of health care in this country, and this book recommends specific actions for nurses working on the cutting edge of change. Any college-level health career collection must have this!

Exploring Body-Mind Centering
Gill Wright Miller, et.al., Editors
North Atlantic Books
Box 12327, Berkeley, CA 94712
9781556439681, $24.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

Health collections interested in situations in which mind-body centering produces life-changing results will find this collection key to understanding the process. Over thirty essays document situations in which body-mind centering produces changes, recounting real-life experiences, exercises, and case stories alike. Body therapists and any interested in the movement will find this an excellent introductory reader to the topic.

Doctor in the House
Michael C. Burgess, MD
WND Books
2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW, #351
Washington, DC 20006
9781936488254, $25.95, www.wndbooks.com

DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE: A PHYSICIAN-TURNED-CONGRESSMAN OFFERS HIS PRESCRIPTION FOR SCRAPPING OBAMACARE... AND SAVING AMERICA'S MEDICAL SYSTEM is quite clear and hard-hitting in its contention that Obama's health care bill was pushed through despite widespread public opposition, and he offers an alternative plan for free-market health-care reforms that identify fixes based on his three decades of experience as a doctor. Links between politics, medicine and healthcare practices are explored in an intriguing discussion.

The Myth of Autism
Dr. Michael J. Goldberg with Elyse Goldberg
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th St., 11th Floor, New York NY 10018
9781616081713, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

THE MYTH OF AUTISM: HOW A MISUNDERSTOOD EPIDEMIC IS DESTROYING OUR CHILDREN comes from the president of the Neuro-Immune Deficiency Medical Advisory Board, and his colleagues, illustrate why autism must be a symptom of a neurological disease that attacks the brain's immune system. And since they maintain it's not something developmental, but a disease - it can and should be treated therapeutically. Dr. Goldberg's personal anecdotes, case studies and original research lend to a survey of what autism is and how physicians have a real chance of curing and preventing autism.

Love and War in Intimate Relationships
Marion Solomon and Stan Tatkin
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393705751, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

Love and War in Intimate Relationships: Connection, Disconnection, and Mutual Regulation in Couple Therapy is for practicing psychotherapists who use the latest neurobiological and attachment research to examine ways the brain and mind affect attachment. They explain how key moments of emotional disconnection can spark negative cycles that intervene in communication processes and ultimate destroy relationships - and show where psychobiological approaches can aid couples who feel 'stuck'. College-level collections strong in psychotherapy need this.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Spirit of Vatican II
Colleen McDannell
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465044801, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

The Spirit of Vatican II: A History of Catholic Reform in America is a key acquisition for any Catholic collection and spirituality shelf. The anniversary of the 50th Vatican Council is approaching and while many surveys consider the events happening in Rome, THE SPIRIT OF VATICAN II examines its impact in America, offering a fine social history of American Catholicism and revealing the council's impact on modern spiritual thinking. This history for modern Catholics offers important insights into Vatican II's changes and lasting impact and is a 'must' for any Catholic collection.

Unlocking the Last Days
Jeff Lasseigne
Baker Books
Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780801013539, $17.99, www.bakerbooks.com

UNLOCKING THE LAST DAYS: A GUIDE TO THE BOOK OF REVELATION & THE END TIMES offers a verse-by-verse analysis of the entire book of Revelation, discussing God's warnings and promises to the world. Chapters link these predictions to modern experiences and analyze why the world is changing, whether it's changing for the better, and where to find hope in the book of Revelation's admonitions. Christian collections strong in Biblical analysis will find this revealing.

Made to Crave
Lysa TerKeurst
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49530
97803106652786, $31.99, www.zondervan.com

MADE TO CRAVE: SATISFYING YOUR DEEPEST DESIRE WITH GOD, NOT FOOD pairs a six-session DVD with a study book directed to any who have unhealthy eating habits and who want to use a new relationship with God to break bad cycles. From discovering the blessing in weight loss struggles to adopting empowering scripts that lead to victory over unhealthy habits, this offers discussions of triggers, guilt, and how to blend spirituality with dietary goals. Christian collections will consider this a winning survey!

What Jesus Demands from the World
John Piper
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
1433520575, $17.99, www.crossway.org

What Jesus Demands from the World assumes the four Gospels are true and unified - and that Jesus makes demands of us, and has authority over all. Chapters come from a pastor who discusses how to worship God in truth and spirit, how to understand and live Jesus' prayers and desires for mankind, and how to love enemies. Christian collections need this!

Christianity and Chinese Culture
Miika Roukanen and Paulos Huang, Editors
William B. Eerdmans Publishing
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802865564, $35.00, www.eerdmans.com

Christianity and Chinese Culture provides a fine survey of the Chinese Protestant Church and its special challenges to adapt to Chinese culture. This book surveys ways in which the church in China is responding to cultural and social - as well as spiritual - issues in that country. Essays consider the potential and challenges of advocating Protestant Christianity in China and make for an outstanding presentation.

Allah: A Christian Response
Miroslav Volf
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061927072, $25.99, www.harperone.com

Allah: A Christian Response provides a fine survey offering a controversial proposal: that Muslims and Christians have similarities in their one-god worship beliefs, and that they only conflict because they understand this worship in different ways. It comes from a Christian perspective in dialogue with leading Muslim scholars and leaders around the world and examines points of intersection and overlap between the two faith's traditions and approaches to God.

The Emergent Christ
Ilia Delio
Orbis Books
Price Bldg, Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570759086, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The Emergent Christ: Exploring the Meaning of Catholic in an Evolutionary Universe argues that evolutionary theory rather than Aristotelian-Thomistic metaphysics has become the platform for articulating modern Christian theology - and argues her point using a blend of philosophy and religious perspective. College-level Christian collections strong in such analysis will find this blends science and faith, offering an unusual and solid survey perfect for analysis and debate.

How to Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul) CALBW
Ted Baehr
WND Books
2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW, #351
Washington, DC 20006
9781936488278, $15.95, www.wndbooks.com

How to Succeed in Hollywood (Without Losing Your Soul) provides an unusual focus for Christian screenwriters, actors, producers and others and discusses how faith and family values have changed Hollywood. Author Ted Baehr is a longtime entertainment industry professional who tells how people of faith can use their faith to change its culture. Any interested in maintaining faith and values while pursing a film career must have this!


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Divinity of Doubt
Vincent Bugliosi
Vanguard Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9781593156299, $26.99, www.vanguardpressbooks.com

DIVINITY OF DOUBT: THE GOD QUESTION provides a moving survey from the nation's foremost prosecutor and makes a case for agnosticism. Theists will find this offers a range of logical arguments supporting his contention, adding wit to spice an analysis that establishes that Jesus was not born of a virgin and hence was not the son of God. No matter what your beliefs, this argument is a compelling addition to any spirituality collection.

Religious Internationalism
Matthew Lon Weaver
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Aven, Macon GA 31207
9780881461886, $35.00, www.mupress.org

Religious Internationalism assembles, for the first time, articles of war and peace issues in the writings of Pal Tillich. It traces Tillich's ideals from his military services, analyzing his theological roots and his sermons and examining his postwar philosophy and spirituality. Any college-level spiritual holding strong in Tillich will relish this survey!

The Rise and Fall of the Bible
Timothy Beal
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 02116
9780151013586, $25.00, www.hmhbooks.com

The Rise and Fall of the Bible comes from a religion scholar and former evangelical Christian who questions the Bible's infallibility, and who makes a case for the fact that there "is no such thing as the Bible - and never has been". What he means is that no book is the one and only Bible: instead, it's a compilation of scrolls, books, digital media and more - and the original is in question, too. Any general lending or spirituality collection will find this thought-provoking and controversial.


The Science Shelf

The Philosophical Breakfast Club
Laura J. Snyder
Broadway Books
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780767930482, $27.00, www.broadwaybooks.com

The Philosophical Breakfast Club: Four Remarkable Friends Who Transformed Science and Changed the World blends history, biography and science in a lively survey of Victorian history and shows how a small group of men working in the early 19th century made discoveries that brought about a revolution in scientific thinking. While Charles Babbage, John Herschel, William Whewell and Richard Jones are relatively unknown today, their discussions should not go unnoted and this book tells their story and how their friendship influenced world changes.

Condensed Matter Physics, second edition
Michael P. Marder
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470617984, $125.00, www.wiley.com

The second updated edition of Condensed Matter Physics is built on the foundation of the successful first edition yet updates and ads many recent discoveries to keep the text current for college-level physics students. It covers topics ranging from band theory and semiconductor physics to quantum dots, Berry phases, and more, and offers insights into both theory and experiment. Ending chapter questions and problems provide students with exercises testing comprehension in a classroom text packing in over 370 figures and 1,000 recent and significant references.

Darwin's Pious Idea
Conor Cunningham
Wm B. Eerdmans Publishing
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802848383, $34.99, www.eerdmans.com

Darwin's Pious Idea: Why the Ultra-Darwinists and Creationists Both Get It Wrong comes from a British scholar and Christian who argues that both sides are wrong. Cunningham is a believer in the theory of evolution - and here makes a case for both creation and evolution co-existing in the same belief system. Philosophy, theology, history and science support arguments in a fine discourse recommended for science and spirituality collections alike.

Arc Hydro Groundwater: GIS for Hydrogeology
Gil Strassberg, et.al.
ESRI Press
380 New York St., Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589481985, $64.95, www.esri.com

College-level collections strong in water resource management and geology will find this a solid reference offering information on a new geographic data model for groundwater. It packs in descriptions on the use of GIS to support groundwater modeling applications, providing simulation models, 3D subsurface representation and models, and more, and offers the data with the book in a downloadable format. Students will find this a top pick for applying GIS concepts to hydrogeology concerns.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Here On Earth
Tim Flannery
Atlantic Monthly Press
841 Broadway, New York NY 10003
9780802119766, $25.00, www.groveatlantic.com

HERE ON EARTH: A NATURAL HISTORY OF THE PLANET provides an outstanding survey offering a natural history of the Earth and the creatures that inhabit it. It starts with the big bang that created the solar system and follows Earth's growth from early signs of life - which go back further than the formation of our planet - to the evolution of the Earth's crust and atmosphere through the evolution of our own species. Concepts of co-evolution and the development of superorganisms lend to this fine survey of the planet's development of life, recommended for any general lending library or science holding.

Unearthed
Kenneth M. Sayre
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
0268041369, $40.00, www.undpress.nd.edu

UNEARTHED: THE ECONOMIC ROOTS OF OUR ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS considers the origins of the ecological crisis and how industrial societies need to re-consider the laws of ecology to make necessary changes key to our survival. Any interested in sustainable living need this science-oriented survey blending thermodynamics and ethics: it argues that the only way to resolve our current environmental crisis is to reduce our energy consumption vastly based on the biosphere's ability to dispose of byproducts. No other title combines economics, ecology and science so deftly!

Like a Tree
Jean Shinoda Bolen
Red Wheel Weiser
65 Parker St., Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244886, $23.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

LIKE A TREE: HOW TREES, WOMEN, AND TREE PEOPLE CAN SAVE THE PLANET tells of a large tree that is cut down and leads to the author's examination of trees and their symbolism and meaning to mankind. It surveys organizations and 'tree people' trying to save our forests and the planet, calls upon humans to renew these connections with forests and trees, and adds in a call to save women and girls who are as oppressed as trees. Her reports on organizations working to stop violence against women and nature makes for a find blend of social issues, ecology concerns, and women's issues and is a passionate voice for renewal sure to reach any general or new age lending library.

Deep Future
Curt Stager
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780312614621, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

DEEP FUTURE: THE NEXT 100,000 YEARS OF LIFE ON EARTH considers how our actions today will decide the planet's future, charting events likely to happen tomorrow if the events of today stay on course. From shipping lanes in an acidified, ice-free Arctic to an ice age's threat to mankind, these are a few of the events likely to befall human civilization in the next 100,000 years that will be affected by modern-day choices. Powerful and thought-provoking!


The Military Shelf

Battle for the City of the Dead
Col. Dick Camp
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760340066, $30.00, www.zenithpress.com

Battle for the City of the Dead: In the Shadow of the Golden Dome, Najaf, August 2004 tells of the summer of 2004, when Iraq was torn by dissent and ordinary Iraqis pitted sects against one another. The military struggles which ensured set the stage for a political power grab and an intense, bloody battle for the holy city of Najaf which is recounted here in the voices of men who fought among the streets and mosques of the country. Any military collection concerned with modern-day combat in the Middle East will find this compelling.

How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare
Walter J. Boyne
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589807006, $29.95, www.pelicanpub.com

How the Helicopter Changed Modern Warfare is a 'must' for any serious military collection, exploring how the helicopter evolved from a means of transport to part of the Special Operations Force. It highlights strides the helicopter has made, analyzes its design and how it's suffered from military focus on other arms and technology, and comes from an author who is one of the world's foremost authorities on aviation history. Any military or aviation history holding needs this!

B-24 Liberator Units of the CBI
Edward M. Young
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781849083416, $22.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

B-24 Liberator Units of the CBI provides a powerful survey covering the B-24 Liberator, the mainstay of the USAAF's strategic bombing effort in 1942. Joining others in Osprey's 'Combat Aircraft' series, this survey packs in vintage black and white photos and a lively coverage that surveys the B-24's successes and influence on the outcome of the war, and is a powerful survey for any serious military or aviation collection.

The Age of Airpower
Martin van Creveld
Public Affairs
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781586489816, $35.00, www.publicaffairsboks.com

The Age of Airpower comes from a military historian who documents the rise of the plane as a tool of war, documenting the advancement of bombers, fighters, and air carriers who fought in various battles over the decades and arguing that the end of airpower's age is drawing near. His survey asserts that airpower, despite its importance, has never been very effective against terrorists and guerrillas - and that satellites, cruise missiles and drones will be replacing airpower in a new military arena. No military collection should be without this!


The American History Shelf

The Mormon Rebellion
David L. Bigler and Will Bagley
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806141350, $34.95, www.oupress.com

The Mormon Rebellion: America's First Civil War 1857-1858 provides the entire story of a conflict overshadowed by the Civil War and follows the battles, strategies, and conflicts of a war that revolved around the Mormon leadership's concern with establishing an independent Kingdom of God nation in the West. Chapters provide eye-opening - and rarely discussed - accounts of the rebellion that presaged the Civil War and provides a fine reinterpretation of events usually limited to Mormon accounts, making this an exceptional pick for any Civil War or American history collection.

Civil Rights History From the Ground Up
Emilye Crosby, Editor
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
0820338658, $26.95, www.ugapress.org

Civil Rights History From the Ground Up provides a compelling survey of civil rights struggles that began in the South and spread across the nation, offering college-level readers a collection of scholarly debates and examples discussing the central issues of the movement. Teachers and advanced students of civil rights receive a fine movement history that clarifies the extent of debates surrounding the issues.

Halloween Nation
Lesley Pratt Bannatyne
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589806801, $19.95, www.pelicanpub.com

Halloween Nation: Behind the Scenes of America's Fright Night took two years of intensive work for its production, and involved the author's travels across the country, where she visited and talked with Halloween fans, mediums, psychologists, and enthusiasts. Through the course of her research Bannatyne attended a seance for Houdini, a World Zombie Day event, and attended the Haunted Attraction National tradeshow and Convention. Her discoveries create a lively survey of not just Halloween history, but the culture surrounding it.


The Aviation Shelf

Colorful Aircraft
Norbert Andrup
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764336560, $45.00, www.schifferbooks.com

COLORFUL AIRCRAFT: UNIQUE PAINT SCHEMES ON THE WORLD'S PASSENGER AIRLINERS provides a fine collection of color photos perfect for any aviation or general-interest collection. From 'Snoopy' paint motifs on Nippon Airways planes to 'Hello Kitty' on a Taiwanese airline, this provides color pictures and history notes on a range of unusual plane color schemes, profiling cargo and passenger planes from around the world. A fine, fun pick for any lending library!


The Social Issues Shelf

The Information
James Gleick
Pantheon
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780375423727, $29.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

The Information: A History, a Theory, a Flood offers a fine chronicle that shows how information has become this century's defining quality of our world's values. It's a survey of how information became a commodity and covers the entire story of information technologies that changed the nature of human consciousness, providing portraits of key figures that have contributed to the development of our modern understanding of information in our society. Any interested in social issues and change will find this a fine, intriguing study!

Schools for Misrule
Walter Olson
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York NY 10003-1239
9781594032332, $25.95, www.encounterbooks.com

SCHOOLS FOR MISRULE; LEGAL ACADEMIA AND AN OVERLAWYERED AMERICA examines the modern graduates and leaders emerging from the nation's top law schools - and the ideas these schools are promoting, which are bad for America. From class action lawsuits to court orders and court takeovers of funding, these bad ideas provide more power for law school graduates - and less power for Americans as a whole. Any interested in the impact and politics of American law schools will find this an important consideration.

Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us!
Ralph Nader
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York NY 10013
9781583229231, $17.95, www.sevenstories.com

Only the Super-Rich Can Save Us is a pick for any current affairs collection, whether at the college or high school level or integrated with a general-interest library. It packs in a survey of social justice and economics that analyzes political institutions, corporate bosses, and how Washington has bowed to the pressure of big business. Ralph Nader documents dozens of citizens groups and their work toward bettering daily lives, and here offers keys to success and how they may be applied to ideals and ethics. A thought-provoking title, this is especially recommended for classroom discussion in social studies classes.

Poor Economics
Abhijit V. Banerjee and Esther Duflo
Public Affairs Books
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781586487980, $26.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

POOR ECONOMICS: A RADICAL RETHINKING OF THE WAY TO FIGHT GLOBAL POVERTY comes from authors who have worked with the poor in dozens of countries spanning five continents for over fifteen years. Their rethinking of the economics of poverty shows why the poor end up with different lives - and why the anti-poverty policy has failed because of an inadequate understanding of the roots of that poverty. A top pick for any college-level social issues library!

Clio Wired
Roy Rosenzweig
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231150859, $27.50 www.cup.columbia.edu

CLIO WIRED; THE FUTURE OF THE PAST IN THE DIGITAL AGE provides a fine collection of essays discussing the impact of new media on teaching, researching and understanding history. It balances internet enthusiasm with digital skeptics who are concerned about challenges to traditional humanistic scholarship, reviewing the practices and profession of academic historians and charting a course of increased opportunities and new voices thanks to the structure of the Internet. A top pick for any college-level collection strong in digital impact analysis.

The Whole-Brain Path to Peace
James Olson
Origin Press
Box 151117, San Rafael, CA 94915
9781579830557, $21.95, www.thewholebrainpath.com

The Whole-Brain Path to Peace: The Role of Left- and Right-Brain Dominance in the Polarization and Reunification of America combines scientific insights with social issues as it draws connections between right brain research and thinking and managing issues of peace and conflict in America. From the role of the brain in creating conflict and war to reasons for America's drug war and why government programs don't work, this discusses social and spiritual shifts in thinking and makes for a powerful addition to health and social issues collections as well as new age libraries!

Climate Coup
Patrick J. Michaels, Editor
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001
9781935308447, $24.95, www.cato.org

CLIMATE COUP: GLOBAL WARMING'S INVASION OF OUR GOVERNMENT AND OUR LIVES is edited by a leading climatologist who offers documentation from a team of experts on the influence of global warming exaggerations on health, education, law, trade and other industries. Children receive apocalyptic ideas in schools, poor nations are too concerned with 'climate justice' issues, and lawmakers try to impose tariffs on nations that don't agree with their environmental ideas. This reveals the impact of global warming and alarms about the environment, providing eight chapters from different authors with different areas of expertise.

Getting Better
Charles Kenny
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465020157, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

GETTING BETTER: WHY GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT IS SUCCEEDING - AND HOW WE CAN IMPROVE THE WORLD EVEN MORE applies decades of research and experience in third world development to explore how our global situation isn't so bad. The past fifty years have indicated positive changes gained from development investments around the world, slowly elevating the quality of life for the global poor. Chapters survey criteria of global success or failure - and how it shouldn't be based on economic development alone. Life IS getting better for large segments of the global poor - and this explains how, in a fine survey recommended for any social issues collection.

Human Security in a Borderless World
Derek S. Reveron and Kathleen A. Mahoney-Norris
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813344850, $32.00, www.westviewpress.com

Human Security in a Borderless World comes from authors who both teach at senior military institutes, and who explain modern security threats ranging from diseases and narcotics trafficking to piracy and attacks on information systems. College-level readers receive an excellent survey showing how to move beyond traditional focus on major national powers and big wars to include issues such as globalization and handling failing states, making this an excellent survey for any studying international relations.

Ethics for a Brave New World, second edition
John S. Feinberg and Paul D. Feinberg
Crossway Publishing
1300 Crescent St., Wheaton, IL 60187
158134712X, $35.00, www.crossway.org

Ethics for a Brave New World appears in its second updated, expanded edition to include the latest research and new material on stem cell research, and has been updated to include ethical insights on homosexuality and genetic engineering. It draws together a wealth of key information to discuss key issues of our times, adds a spiritual focus to ethical debates, and delves into social issues discussed by philosophers and social scientists alike. College-level collections - especially those with a spiritual edge - will find this a powerful compendium of ethical insights.

The Great Disruption
Paul Gilding
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781608192236, $25.00, www.bloomsburypress.com

The Great Disruption provides a powerful assessment of why the climate crisis will bring a new and radically different focus to the human race, and it should be on the shelves of any general-interest or college-level social issues collection. Unlike similar books on climate change, this offers an optimistic view of these changes and all their possibilities, considering how the end of economic growth as we know it - and a world system based upon consumption and waste - will foster a new era of change and growth. The coming decades will see loss and conflict and economic crisis - but they may also see innovation and a newfound adaptability - and, ultimately, a greater good. Highly recommended as a well-rounded, hard-hitting survey!


The International Studies Shelf

The Dead Yard
Ian Thomson
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568586564, $16.99, www.nationbooks.org

The Dead Yard: A Story of Modern Jamaica provides a fine travel account documenting the social milieu of Jamaica and considering the island's different social structures. Thomson investigates poverty, gangs, and police violence - and interviews residents trying to change the island's trends and social challenges. A powerful social survey evolves!

The Persian Gulf and Pacific Asia
Christopher Davidson
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231702164, $60.00, www.cup.columbia.edu

The Persian Gulf and Pacific Asia: From Indifference to Interdependence blends economical, cultural and political concerns in a strong analysis and history from an acclaimed expert on the Middle East, and is a pick for any college-level collection. It surveys Asian influences in the Gulf region, considering the complex exchanges between the two and showing how similarities between the two regions strengthen their future possibilities. Chapters offer graphs and analysis perfect for any political science student of either the Gulf or Asia.

The Fear
Peter Godwin
Little, Brown
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780316051736, $26.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

THE FEAR: ROBERT MUGABE AND THE MARTYRDOM OF ZIMBABWE is a stunning survey of a dictator's determination to destroy his people - and his people's battle for freedom. Author Peter Godwin is one of those people - and his memoir records the conflicts and struggles in a powerful survey by a journalist who secretly returned to his native Zimbabwe after its notorious leader lost an election. Godwin visited the torture bases, burning villages, last white farmers and more: his is a vivid account of nation-wide fear and struggles for liberty, and is a 'must' for any collection strong in political considerations or African issues.

Ireland Unhinged
David Monagan
Council Oak Books
2 W. 6th St., Ste. 262, Tulsa, OK 74119
9781571782526, $28.00, www.counciloakbooks.com

IRELAND UNHINGED; ENCOUNTERS WITH A WILDLY CHANGING COUNTRY tells of the collapse suffered by Ireland and comes from a Connecticut-born author who explores his adopted country and its volatile nature. His encounters with famous men and his search for Irish identity makes for a compelling blend of memoir, travelogue, and social commentary perfect for any general-interest collection where modern Ireland's culture is of interest.

Pakistan: A Hard Country
Anatol Lieven
Public Affairs Books
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781610390217, $35.00, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

Pakistan: A Hard Country discusses Islamic extremism and the Taliban's rise in the area, but also provides a strong social history of Pakistan, considering the forces that hold the nation together. The history of Pakistan and its conflicts makes for a compelling portrait of the nation, its challenges, and the forces that dictate its progress. Chapters survey the current state of Pakistan and its issues and provide a narrowed, solid focus on the nation's social and political progress. Any library strong on the region's history will relish this in-depth analysis.


The Cookbook Shelf

Simply Great Breads
Daniel Leader with Lauren Chattman
Taunton Press
Box 5507, Newtown, CT 06470-5507
9781600852978, $22.00, www.taunton.com

Simply Great Breads: Sweet and Savory Yeasted Treats from America's Premier Artisan Baker packs in color photos and original recipes from artisan baker Daniel Leader who works with cookbook author Lauren Chattman to produce a fine collection for bakers of all levels. Tips from Leader tell how to make simple baking adjustments for natural ingredients and exceptional results, making for a fine survey of basic breads that include variations on themes. Any cookbook collection will find this a winner!

Modern Batch Cookery
Victor Gielisse, CMC and Ron DeSantis, CMC
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470290484, $65.00, www.wiley.com

Modern Batch Cookery provides a fine, complete guide to volume cooking and is packed with color photos to appeal to diners seeking global flavors. It's not a recommendation for casual cooks, but is a solid pick for the college-level culinary collection catering to hospitality arts students, and for would-be chefs who want to learn more about presentation and batch cooking for fifty or more. Color photos abound, and directions are easy and well-done.

Fun & Original Character Cakes
Maisie Parrish
David & Charles
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpublications.com
0715330055, $22.99, www.mycraftivity.com

Fun & Original Character Cakes offer eight entertaining cake designs that include over 30 characters so you can use Maisie Parrish's step-by-step approach to create entire scenes or individual characters on cakes. The author excels at crafting in sugar, and this packs in clear step-by-step color photos that make the creation and assembly process a snap for bakers at any level of expertise!

Fine Cooking in Season
Fine Cooking Editors
Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600853036, $22.95, www.taunton.com

Fine Cooking in Season: Your Guide to Choosing & Preparing the Season's Best pairs color photos by Matthew Benson with a fine survey of new flavors tied to seasonal ingredients and is a pick for any library strong in seasonal cookbooks. Arranged by the seasons, this offers introductory keys to picking the best produce, keeping it fresh, and using it to best advantage. Recipes connected to each fresh ingredient produce flavor-filled dishes ranging from Carrot and Coriander Soup to Grilled Chicken Breasts with Green Olive Relish.

I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook
Cherie Mercer Twohy
Ulysses Press
Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703
9781569757925, $17.95, www.ulyssespress.com

I Love Trader Joe's Party Cookbook offers a fine survey of drinks and foods based on Trader Joe's house products, and is a fine collection for any who would cook and entertain using Trader Joe's products. Plans for over twenty celebrations focus on simple preparations and eye-catching color photos and cover everything from Martini Chicken Skewers to smoked bacon-enhanced BBQ Black Beans with Bacon. Any consumer with access to Trader Joe's will find this an outstanding collection.

Berried in Chocolate
Shari Fitzpatrick
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589808812, $23.00, www.pelicanpub.com

BERRIED IN CHOCOLATE: HOW I BUILT A MULTIMILLION-DOLLAR BUSINESS BY DOING WHAT I LOVE TO DO AND HOW YOU CAN TOO could have been featured in our 'Business Shelf' section, but appears here for its additional interest to anyone who wants to make a business out of a love of food. The author had only, $1500 when at age twenty-five, with no business education or experience, she started a home-based business making chocolate-dipped strawberries. Today she owns a multimillion-dollar company and her story comes to life, adds a healthy dose of spiritual faith into the mix, and shares her ups and downs based on her personal experience. And just for a special treat, 'secret recipes' are included for each chapter.

100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know
Cindi Leive and Editors of Glamour
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401324063, $24.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

100 Recipes Every Woman Should Know: Engagement Chicken and 99 Other Fabulous Dishes to Get You Everything You Want in Life comes from Glamour editor-in-chief Cindi Leive and her fellow editors and includes the now-famous chicken dish responsible for over seventy engagements, plus more. Newcomers and seasoned chefs alike will relish the variety, which offers breakfast, lunch and dinner choices for busy women from Glamour magazine's pages. From juicer burgers to a sexy, Classic Manhattan cocktail, this is the cookbook all brides should own!

Salad as a Meal
Patricia Wells
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780061238833, $34.99, www.harpercollins.com

Salad as a Meal: Healthy Main-Dish Salads for Every Season offers chapters that include appetizers, sides, soups and more and provide seasonal access to ingredients. From a fennel spring salad to salads blending in fish, chicken and other ingredients, these are main-dish creations not to be found in competing titles. With an entire chapter devoted to dressings and sauces, this is packed with fresh ideas and innovations that will lead to healthier main dish choices. Color photos pepper the presentation!

Maida Heatter's Cakes
Maida Heatter
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449401146, $19.99, www.andrewscmeel.com

Maida Heatter's Cakes is an outstanding collection for any library seeing interest in classic dessert cookbooks. It comes from a long-time cook who has made a name for herself in the dessert world, and tells how to produce fancy cakes, layer cakes, cakes with fruits or vegetables, and much more. No color photos - but this is a book for cooks who have the basics down and don't need color to produce the polished results.

Cooking Down East
Marjorie Standish
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9780892729135, $27.95, www.downeast.com

Author and cook Marjorie Standish taught generations of Maine residents to cook with a successful column that appeared in the Sunday Telegram and which was compiled into a book in 1969. This anthology pairs Standish's foods with local Maine chef Melissa Kelly's efforts, producing a newly revised guide that takes the deceased author's creations a step further for new audiences. From Lobster Stew to Maine Baked Beans and Rhubarb Coffee Cake, Melissa Kelly assures Standish's classics will reach and teach new generations in a pick recommended for any general lending library (not just Maine collections!).

Vegan Diner
Julie Hasson
Running Press
2300 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
9780762437849, $19.95, www.runningpress.com

VEGAN DINER: CLASSIC COMFORT FOOD FOR THE BODY & SOUL puts a vegan twist on classic diner choices, showing vegans how they can adapt diner dishes to vegan meatless, dairy-free delights. From Jambalaya and Cinnamon Orange Roles to Very Sloppy Joes and Double Chocolate Strawberry Pie, these are delicious dishes any vegan cook will relish, and are accompanied by mouth-watering color photos for added attraction.


The Gardening Shelf

Attracting Native Pollinators
Eric Mader, et.al.
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781603426954, $29.95, www.storey.com

Attracting Native Pollinators: Protecting North America's Bees and Butterflies offers keys to attracting pollinators through better farm and garden choices, and comes from the Xerces Society which offers an action plan for providing optimum flowering habitats and nesting sites. The society protects insects through advocacy and education: their handbook is packed with insights on what beneficial insects need ad how gardeners and growers can beautify their landscapes with habitats that lend to native pollinator health. Gardening collections won't want to miss this!

Permaculture
Sepp Holzer
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
PO Box 428
White River Junction, VT 05001-0428
9781603583701, $29.95, www.chelseagreen.com

PERMACULTURE: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO SMALL-SCALE, INTEGRATIVE FARMING AND GARDENING comes from an author who farms over 100 acres on steep mountains in Austria, 5,000 feet above sea level. His farm consists of terraces, raised beds, ponds, waterway and more - and is applauded as a solid example of permaculture. His account tells others how to set up a permaculture system even in high altitudes, and tells how to use waterways and ponds to increase solar gain in the garden. Any collection strong in permaculture applications will find this a key, 'must have' acquisition packed with insights into how it all works.


The Agricultural Shelf

Keeping Bees
Ashley English
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781600596261, $19.95, www.larkbooks.com

HOMEMADE LIVING: KEEPING BEES WITH ASHLEY ENGLISH covers all the basics of bee-keeping, from tending hives and harvesting honey to cooking with honey and assuring a healthy hive. From swarms and packages to reversing hive bodies and replacing frames, color photos accompany specific, step-by-step hive maintenance details in a top pick for any bee-keeping endeavor.

Keeping Chickens
Ashley English
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781600594908, $19.95, www.larkbooks.com

Keeping Chickens shares the basic information needed to start and maintain a flock of chickens, from choosing breeds suitable for different needs to feeding, housing and caring for various chickens. From nesting boxes to egg recipes, this is packed with keys to simple home chicken rearing and assumes no prior knowledge of chickens. Color diagrams and black and white photos abound in a primer perfect for first-time flock owners.


The Architectural Studies Shelf

Small Scale: Creative Solutions for Better Living
Keith Moskow & Robert Linn
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781568989754, $34.95, www.papress.com

Small Scale: Creative Solutions for Better Living tells how to design small and is a recommendation for any college-level architectural collection catering to urban interests. It promotes small-scale public design projects and advocates projects that address problems specific to urban life. Some fifty examples here range from a bridge that curls up into itself when not in use to a stacked rental car dispenser and a vivarium that attempts to replicate a forest. Color photos abound in a striking survey.

OAB
Carlos Ferrater & Partners
ActarD
575 Prospect St., Suite 301, Lakewood NJ 08701
9788492861231, $59.95, www.actar.com

OAB: Office of Architecture in Barcelona analyzes the career of architect Carlos Ferrater since the creation of his new studio called OAB. It covers the firm's most relevant projects, packing in color photos and black and white illustrations of galleries, sketches of plans, and coverage of their latest projects ranging from the Beach Promenade in Benidorm, the Mandarin Hotel, and the Zaragoza-Delicias Station. Plans, drawings and QR codes round out a presentation recommended for any architectural library.


The Travel Shelf

100 Countries 500 Ideas
National Geographic Books
1145 - 17th St. N.W., Washington DC 20036-4668
9781426207587, $26.95, www.nationalgeographic.com/books

100 Countries 500 Ideas is packed with thousands of travel ideas and is the title of choice for any who would read about top destinations around the world. Over two hundred color images accompany maps, charts and keys to travel planning while advice discusses lifestyle and how to tailor a journey to personal requirements. Packed with ideas for major cities and rural areas alike, countries are arranged alphabetically and described in detail. General collections will find this a winner!

Turkey, 12th edition
James Bainbridge, et.al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781741797244, $25.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

TURKEY comes with a fold-out color map, updated comprehensive listings, and all the detail an independent destination-bound traveler needs to make the journey successful, and appears in its 12th updated edition to assure all the listings and recommendations are the latest. The candid reviews on places to stay, eat, and tour represent the best of Lonely Planet contributor experiences: some six authors worked on this guide alone, making it a top recommendation for any would-be visitor to Turkey!

Summers in France
Kathryn M. Ireland
Gibbs Smith
Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423606727, $35.00, www.gibbs-smith.com

SUMMERS IN FRANCE offers a fine pictorial survey of France's bohemian style, towns and marketplaces, and the author's experience of living in France for a summer. From what to buy in markets to interior design styles and even French recipes she gathered, Kathryn M. Ireland provides a vivid, engrossing survey perfect for any general lending library, packed with collages, photos, and hand-written and typed notes on every page.


The Audiobook Shelf

Toys
James Patterson & Neil McMahon
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9781607884606, $34.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

TOYS receives a fine reading by Matthew Bomer, who has starred as Neal Caffrey on USA's White Collar show and who here adds drama to the story of Hays Baker and his wife, who are talented and endowed with the best - and who face changes when Hays Baker is forced to flee his perfect family life to become a hunted fugitive. An outstanding thriller evolves.

The Jungle
Clive Cussler with Jack Du Brul
Penguin Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9780142428900, $39.95, www.penguin.com

THE JUNGLE is narrated by Jason Culp, a veteran reader who adds a fine and candid acting voice with high drama to this unabridged thriller revolving around Juan and the crew of the Oregon, whose latest adventure takes place in a jungle. A new weapon unleashed in 13th century China, a rescue in the mountains, a missing woman in the jungles of Thailand and more come together to form a modern threat against the U.S. which comes packed with unexpected twists and turns of plot. For an abbreviated thriller version also narrated by Jason Culp, choose the abridged THE JUNGLE (9780142428894).

Storm from the Shadows
David Weber
Brilliance Audio
1704 Eaton Dr, Grand Haven MI 49417
1423391586, $49.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Jay Snyder provides a powerful reading based on his Broadway acting abilities and adds drama and tension to the story of Gloria Henke, who has been a lot of people with a lot of responsibilities, in her past lives. When she finds herself in command of a squadron of battle cruisers and becomes a prison of war, she faces a different set of challenges - including being in the eye of a political and military storm - in this fine military saga that comes to life in a vivid audio presentation.

Mystery
Jonathan Kellerman
Random House Audio Books
1745 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780739369081, $45.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

MYSTERY provides a fine Alex Delaware novel, a powerful reading by veteran audio narrator John Rubinstein, and creates a compelling story in following the closing of a romantic hotel in Beverly Hills and an investigator called upon to look into a beautiful woman's grisly murder. Alex's victim has no DNA match and is mysterious - prompting a race against time to uncover both her identity and the circumstances surrounding her murder. A tense, engrossing thriller, this is a pick for any mystery-oriented audio collection!

Onward
Howard Schultze with Joanne Gordon
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611744910, $34.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

ONWARD: HOW STARBUCKS FOUGHT FOR ITS LIFE WITHOUT LOSING ITS SOUL comes from the president of Starbucks, and tells how he made the unprecedented decision to return as CEO eight years after he stepped down from the position. Concerned that the company had lost its way, Howard Schultze was determined to help it return to its core values, and in ONWARD he shares the story of the company's ongoing transformation under his leadership. Business and audio collections alike will relish this!


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

River Monsters
Jeremy Wade
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306819544, $26.00, www.dacapopress.com

RIVER MONSTERS: TRUE STORIES OF THE ONES THAT DIDN'T GET AWAY tells of a biologist and fisherman who visited some of the world's remotest rivers and lakes in search of monster-sized fish. Based on animal Planet's hit TV series, RIVER MONSTERS reveals the author's techniques of tracking down such creates, tells of off-camera experiences and highlights, and provides vivid accounts of hunting underwater predators. General-interest and science collections alike will find this engrossing and dramatic.

Small Animal Bandaging, Casting, and Splinting Techniques
Steven F. Swaim, Walter C. Renberg, Kathy M. Shike
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780813819624, $49.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Small Animal Bandaging, Casting, and Splinting Techniques provides a fine illustrated how-to manual covering common bandaging methods, providing vets and vet students with step-by-step photos and instructions on how to apply a range of bandages, casts and splits for many different conditions. Indications and potential complications are covered in a visual display packed with color and perfect for any vet library collection.

Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America
Jonathan Alderfer and Paul Hess
National Geographic Books
1145 - 17th St. N.W., Washington DC 20036-4688
9781426207204, $18.95, www.nationalgeographic.com

Backyard Guide to the Birds of North America is a recommended pick for any of the 62 million Americans who watch and feed birds in their backyards. From basic guidelines to observing and identifying birds with tips on attracting and feeding them to bird-friendly landscaping, this offers chapters covering core species in two-page spreads with images and sidebars of facts. General libraries and avid birder collections will relish this!

Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding
Kenn Kaufman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 02116
9780547248325, $21.00, www.hmhbooks.com

Kaufman Field Guide to Advanced Birding explores the basics and framework for learning about groups of birds and how to identify them, using a different approach that takes the confusion out of bird identification basics. Easy principles are explained while ten chapters on specific bird groups show how these ideas can be applied in the field. This isn't for the professional birder, but for those who want to cover the basics and further their field skills. Beginning birders and libraries catering to them will find this a top pick!

The Bond
Wayne Pacelle
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780061969782, $26.99, www.harpercollins.com

THE BOND: OUR KINSHIP WITH ANIMALS, OUR CALL TO DEFEND THEM explores human bonds with animals and considers the needs of millions of creatures in a call to action by the president of the Humane Society of the United States. Wayne Pacelle probes the underlying links between animals and humans and how those links have been systematically eroded through cruelty. The biological and historical roots of this human-animal bond are considered in a fine survey documenting bond-breaking processes across the country. No animal rights collection should be without this, and many a general public lending library will find it engrossing.


The Biography Shelf

Life, On the Line
Grant Achatz and Nick Kokonas
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781592406012, $27.50, www.penguin.com

LIFE, ON THE LINE: A CHEF'S STORY OF CHASING GREATNESS, FACING DEATH, AND REDEFINING THE WAY WE EAT tells of a chef who at the age of 32 was at the top of his profession, when his Chicago restaurant was named the #1 in America by Gourmet Magazine. Months later he would learn he had Stage IV tongue cancer: at least he would lose his tongue and the ability to talk and taste, but would perhaps live a few more years. This tells how Grant Achatz preserved his life and all its quality - and his business. Within a year he was cancer-free and still winning awards as an outstanding chef: this documents his amazing story and offers eye-opening insights into the culinary business, offering many insights into how to build a great restaurant. Any culinary or professional collection must have this!

And I Shall Have Some Peace There
Margaret Roach
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780446556095, $25.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

And I Shall Have Some Peace There: Trading in the Fast Lane for My Own Dirt Road tells of an editorial director of a company she'd been with for fifteen years who decided to walk away from her corporate life to discover a new identity in the country. She became a rural gardener, wrote a classic gardening book, and now has a popular gardening blog: her memory documents this journey away from the corporate business world and will intrigue any who have visions of doing the same.

Empire State of Mind
Zack O'Malley Greenburg
Portfolio
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
9781591843818, $25.95, www.penguin.com

EMPIRE STATE OF MIND: HOW JAY-Z WENT FROM STREET CORNER TO CORNER OFFICE charts jay-Z's rise to the top and how he leveraged his personal brand into multimillion-dollar companies. His lucrative career in music and business alike is presented in a fine autobiography which pairs interviews with recording industry executives, NBA stars and more with conversations with Jay-Z that reveal his history and unique business philosophy. Business and general lending collections alike will find this a winning survey!

Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother
Xinran
Scribner
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781451610895, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Message from an Unknown Chinese Mother: Stories of Loss and Love comes from the author of THE GOOD WOMEN OF CHINA and collects the stories of Chinese women forced to give up their baby girls. This offers keys to understanding adoption and women's issues in China, gathering diverse stories of Chinese women who range from students and businesswomen to peasants - and who gave up daughters for adoption or were forced to abandon them due to the single-child policy, economic necessity or more. Any collection strong in Chinese cultural issues and women's issues needs this!

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning
Laurie Lee
David Godine
9 Hamilton Place, Boston, MA 02108
9781567923926, $15.95, www.godine.com

As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning offers a new edition of Laurie Lee's classic account of involvement in the Spanish Civil War, offering an unexpected blend of humor, coming of age, and social observation. It's a sequel to his Cider with Rosie but stands well alone as a fine memoir observing Europe on the brink of World War II, and is a top recommendation for both its social observation and its lyrical, literary prose.

Born Wild
Tony Fitzjohn
Crown
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307716033, $25.00, www.crownpublishing.com

BORN WILD: THE EXTRAORDINARY STORY OF ONE MAN'S PASSION FOR AFRICA comes from a missionary and renowned conservationist who is one of the leading field experts on African wildlife. He spent eighteen years helping Born Free's George Adamson rehabilitate animals and has devoted his life to animals. This memoir of his life documents his lifelong passion to save Africa's wild animals, and is a pick for any general lending library seeing interest in autobiographies of naturalists.


The Art Shelf

Irving Ramsay Wiles, N.A.
Geoffrey K. Fleming
Hudson Hills Press
Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911
9781555953591, $50.00, www.hudsonhillspress.com

Irving Ramsay Wiles, N.A 1861-1948: Portraits and Pictures, 1899-1948 explores the career of Irving Wiles and allows for an in-depth examination of his life and work through his personal record book, which packs in hundreds of entries documenting subjects, wealthy patrons, and more. Any collection already strong in Irving Ramsay Wiles will find this a treasure trove which lists and organized some four hundred works by date, size and subject, documenting his paintings and achievements. It's the perfect research accompaniment to any collection of his art achievements.

Maguey Journey
Kathryn Rousso
University of Arizona Press
355 S. Euclid Avenue, Suite 103, Tucson, AZ 85719
9780816526987, $35.00, www.uapress.arizona.edu

Maguey Journey: Discovering Textiles in Guatemala comes from a textile artist who looks at the state of maguey culture and trade in Guatemala. Maguey refers to various forms of the agave and furcraea genus, also called the century plant, and fibers from these plants are used to create many classic Guatemalan textiles. The author has spent years traveling in Guatemala and here blends history with art insight to describe the product and the textile arts it produces.

How to Paint Living Portraits
Roberta Carter Clark
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpublications.com
9781440303937, $24.99, www.artistsnetwork.com

How to Paint Living Portraits comes from an artist who shares her techniques for adding life to portraits. Since its original publication this has become a best-seller: it's back in print and has been updated to help modern artists with hands-on instruction offering a practical approach to creating successful portraits, with 23 exercises accompanying instruction for painting different body pieces. Any arts and crafts collection will relish this!

Zoe Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference
Jo Ann Ridley
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
9781564745057, $15.95, www.danielpublishing.com

Zoe Dusanne: An Art Dealer Who Made a Difference tells of a respected Afro-American woman whose pioneering Dusanne Gallery affected the mid-fifties art world of the Pacific Northwest. She profiled contemporary art and Northwest artists in her gallery and thanks to her, Pacific Northwest art achieved recognition and acknowledgement in the world art community. Her biography of this woman blends in art world history and is a solid pick for any arts library.

The History of American Graffiti
Roger Gastman & Caleb Neelon
HarperDesign
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061698781, $40.00, www.harperdesignbooks.com

The History of American Graffiti provides a definitive history, analysis and set of examples of American graffiti from its birth to its urban explosion, and is a pick for any college-level arts or social issues library. It follows the movement's trends, interviews more than five hundred key artists, is packed with over a thousand photos, and also is a unique compilation of art from urban artists not previously featured in any graffiti collection. A 'must' for any collection strong in American urban history and culture, too!


The Education Shelf

Jumpstart RTI
Susan L. Hall
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412981729, $28.95, www.corwin.com

JUMPSTART RTI: USING RTI IN YOUR ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RIGHT NOW offers research-based strategies for teachers to implement RTI practices that result in at least 95 percent of students reading at benchmark levels. Case studies, delivery models, reproducibles, and forms teach the basics of implementing RTI in reading for all students, and covers everything from determining who teaches in intervention groups to establishing basic RTI structures. Elementary school educators and principals alike will find this an easy key to building an effective RTI environment.

A Guide to Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Services
Laurie A. Dinnebeil and William F. McInerney
Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore MD 21285-0624
1557669651, $39.95, www.brookespublishing.com

A Guide to Itinerant Early Childhood Special Education Services offers forms, resources, and discussions to early childhood educators and presents a series of keys to changing classroom structures to help inclusion. It outlines five roles that ensure better outcomes for young children, showing teachers how to enlist parents and other teaches as consultants and coaches and how to assess and support the child in a different classroom environment. This provides a step-by-step model to providing itinerant services, pairs it with case studies and samples, and makes for an outstanding presentation recommended for any early childhood collection.

The Passionate Mind
Wendy Lawson
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849051217, $24.95, www.jkp.com

THE PASSIONATE MIND: HOW PEOPLE WITH AUTISM LEARN provides a powerful, accessible coverage of SAACA, an approach that explains autism and how individuals learn. She shows that those with autism tend to focus on a single theme at any one time, leading to intense attention that can be powerful in its own right. Any educator working with special needs kids - and any with a personal interest in autistic learners - needs this specific focus!

One, Two, What Can I Do?
Connie Bergstein Dow
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul MN 55117-1065
9781605540405, $39.95, www.redleafpress.org

One, Two, What Can I Do is for any early childhood education teacher interested in developing movement and dance activities for kids. It offers a spiral bound workbook packed with movement activities based on early childhood curriculum themes, and provides ideas for dance and music presentations for families and friends. No previous dance experience is needed to teach these age-appropriate movements, which come with step-by-step directions and keys to help readers guide kids. Two DVDs with music complete the package.

Object Lessons
Caren Holtzman and Lynn Susholtz
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571107961, $25.00, www.stenhouse.com

OBJECT LESSONS: TEACHING MATH THROUGH THE VISUAL ARTS, K-5 uses everyday objects to create hands-on activities that address key math concepts. Each lesson provides an introduction to a featured object and how it connects to a math idea, discusses art styles involved, reviews basic materials to prepare each lesson, and provides teachers with resources and keys to classroom applications. An accompanying CD offers a gallery of art photos, student work, and links to art education images and makes for a key bridge between math and art for educators and collections catering to their needs.


The Music Shelf

A Geometry of Music
Dmitri Tymoczko
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016
9780195336672, $39.95, www.oup.com

A GEOMETRY OF MUSIC: HARMONY AND COUNTERPOINT IN THE EXTENDED COMMON PRACTICE describes a new framework for thinking about music that emphasizes the connections between styles form medieval polyphony to modern rock, and is a scholarly analysis and pick for any serious college-level music library. It introduces the author's unique geometrical approach to music theory and shows how to build simple diagrams representing relationships between chords and scales - and it uses this foundation to retell the history of Western music from the 11th century to modern times. Libraries will find this a fine survey, recommended for music history and theory holdings alike!

Recording Tips for Engineers, third edition
Tim Crich
Focal Press
300 Corporate Drive, Burlington, MA 01803
9780240521763, $34.95, www.focalpress.com

RECORDING TIPS FOR ENGINEERS FOR CLEANER, BRIGHTER TRACKS stems from years of experience working with big-name rock stars and shares the author's expertise in short cuts and approaches to recording. New to this third, updated edition are expanded sections on documentation, sound and more information on studio acoustics and signal flow, offering tricks for all kinds of recording engineers from beginners to experienced veterans.

The Book of Audacity
Carla Schroder
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco CA 94103
9781593272708, $34.95, www.nostarch.com

The Book of Audacity could also have been featured in our 'Computer Shelf' section, but is presented here as the definitive guide to Audacity, a cross-platform audio editor that transforms any computer system into a recording studio. Bands on a budget or any artist who wants to learn more about digital audio will find this covers a range of useful Audacity projects that teach the basics, from recording podcasts and live performances to editing multitrack recordings and creating surround-sound recordings. Learn how to also choose digital audio hardware to finish the process!


The Library CD Shelf

Dig It
The Artifacts
www.area707.com
No ISBN CD $12.97 www.cdbaby.com

As their name implies, The Artifacts specializes in digging up tunes from American musics past, along with a couple of clever new tunes. The main emphasis is on jazz vocals with a blend of swing, thirties blues (both country and urban) as well as 1950s rhythm and blues techniques not always applied where you would expect them to be. This is sophisticated music, yet not pretentious or boring. All three members of this swinging trip sing as well as play beautifully understated music. Both Karen Tamborski and Dorian Bartley sing like very experienced jazz chanteuses. Steve Tamborski, the token male in the group, has a controversial vocal style. Some will love it for its bold innovative style; others may find it off-putting. I can only think of one other jazz singer who puts a bit of a yodel in his vocals: Leon Thomas, who shocked many back in the 1960s and 70s. One thing not controversial about Mr. Tamborski's musical ability is his guitar playing: it's simply outstanding: a blend of jazz guitar influences of the 1940s and 50s with the slide guitar stylings of aces like Robert Johnson, Elmore James and Greg Allman. Although having virtuoso technique, Mr. Tamborski keeps his solos short and to the point. The song and the sound of the group as a whole is of prime importance to all three members. Steve also plays mandolin in a style reminiscent of bluesman Yank Rachel. Dorian Bartley plays a fine, sophisticated acoustic bass and Karen Tamborski (Steve's wife) plays drums (a snare plus congas) and other percussion instruments. I have seen this group live several times over the years and have been very impressed by their musicianship and vocal prowess: especially their sophisticated and clever harmonies. Few tunes are done exactly like their originals: take a tune famously accompanied by slide guitar, play mandolin or mandola instead, add doo-wop style harmonies to a late 1930s vocal sound and you have old-fashioned but with a new twist at the same time. Vocally two sexy angels plus a jazz yodel; instrumentally subtle, smooth, sophisticated and exciting all at once. Too bad there aren't more groups like this on the national music market!

Rumba, Mambo, Cha-Cha-Cha
Various Artists
Putumayo World Music
28 W. 25th Street, 5th floor, New York, NY 10010
No ISBN CD, $14.98, www.putumayo.com

Although all three dance/music styles originated in Cuba, these percussive horn-flavored rhythms are the basis of "the Latin sound" heard around the world and now seen on T.V. dance competitions. Of course, some bands like to put their own local twist to the music: leave it to Putumayo to dig up some easy-to-love, very danceable sounds from some expected and unexpected places like 'Salsa Celtica', Celtic-flavored 'Esperanza" or Rus Tres Muchachos & Companeros' version of 'Pa Mantener Tradicion (Latin music from Russia?). My favorite has to be 'Fruko y Sus Tesos' revival of Perez Prado's classic 'Mambo #5': if this doesn't make you want to get up and shake your booty, you're probably already dead. Danzon, an important style predating both chachacha and mambo, is not forgotten either: listn to Orquesta La Modern Tradicion. Although the groups on this recording are from all over the planet, Cuba is represented by musicians as well as by songs and styles. Listen to the Havana-based group 'Asere' doing 'Oriente', a tribute to the province of Cuba from within which so many styles have sprung. Orente lies closest to Haiti and immigrants from Haiti have contributed much to the Cuban sound for hundreds of years, but that's a story for another recording, perhaps. Overall, a great introduction to a major music phenomenon and a terrific dance CD: put it on, get up, and move!


The Sports Shelf

27th Big Game Awards 2007-2009
Boone & Crockett Club
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801-2753
9780940864719, $29.95, www.booneandcrockettclub.com

27th Big Game Awards 2007-2009 joins a book series that spans over half a century and packs in listings for over 4,900 trophies in 32 categories of North American big game taken between 2007 and 2009. Listings include scores, location and date of kill, hunter and owner, and pack in over 60 color and hundreds of black and white field photos. Any sports library interested in hunting and big game will find this a 'must' reference.

Gaming the Game
Sean Patrick Griffin
Barricade Books
185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 309, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
1569804443, $24.95, www.barricadebooks.com

GAMING THE GAME: THE STORY BEHIND THE NBA BETTING SCANDAL AND THE GAMBLER WHO MADE IT HAPPEN is a pick for true crime and sports collections alike, covering the true story of illegal gambling within the NBA arena. Dozens of interviews, court documents, betting records and even witness statements contribute to an outstanding story of a scandal that exposed mob extortion, offshore sports betting operations, and more. General and sports libraries will find this an engrossing winner.

The Fragrance of Grass
Guy de la Valdene
Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762764143, $24.95, www.lyonspress.com

The author was eight years old, growing up on his family's estate in Normandy, when he begged his father for a shotgun, which would arrive on his tenth birthday along with many rules. His first weapon would kill a mouse, rat or front - and began his lifelong passion with hunting. Chapters blend natural history and history along with hunting traditions and insights, and will appeal to any interested in the sport of hunting and its various attractions.

Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks
Marc de Remaeker and Roy Faige
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive
North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9780804841221, $34.95, www.tuttlepublishing.com

Essential Book of Martial Arts Kicks provides an outstanding and unique encyclopedia reference of the range of basic martial arts kicks, pairing detailed diagrams with color photos and an accompanying DVD illustrating each kick. Any martial artist interested in kicking skills will find this comes from pros: Marc De Bremaeker has been a top martial arts kicker for over forty-five years and Roy Raige is head of the Shi Heun style founded by his late father. This is a unique, 'not to be missed' acquisition!

The Life of Senna
Tom Rubython
BusinessF1 Books
7 Mallow St., London UK EC1Y 8RQ
tomrubython@themyrtlepress.com
http://www.themyrtlepress.com
0954685733, $6.00, www.amazon.com

The Life of Senna is a 'must' for any motorsports collection: while it could have been featured in our more general 'biography' section, it's reviewed here for its specific interest to racecar fans. It's no light coverage: it's an in-depth, 600-page definitive biography intended for the avid motorsports fan, and it provides in-depth details on not only Senna but the many races he won. Race car fans will find this a definitive 'must have' offering extensive keys to his life and times.


The Automotive Shelf

How to Make Your Muscle Car Handle
Mark Savitske
CarTech
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 53056
9781934709078, $24.95, www.cartechbooks.com

The American muscle cars of the 1960s and 70s weren't lacking in horsepower but their handling wasn't up to par. Any auto buff interested in correcting this problem will find many practical applications featured in How to Make Your Muscle Car Handle, which explains suspension, engineering, and tells how to make classic cars handle like new cars. Makes and designs are specified in chapters that explain myths, realities, and tips on adjusting car handling.

CarTech
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 53056
www.cartechbooks.com

Pat Ganahl's LOST HOT RODS: REMARKABLE STORIES OF HOW THEY WERE FOUND (9781934709221, $29.95) deserves ongoing mention and recommendation as a top pick not just for car collector's libraries, but for any general lending library. It offers tales about hot rods, custom cars and more that pair color photos with documentation about how the lost classics were discovered in barns, fields and back room across the country. Intriguing writing! Pat Ganahl's ED "BIG DADDY" ROTH: HIS LIFE, TIMES, CARS AND ART (9781934709672, $29.95) is also a top recommendation, discussing a counter-culture renaissance man who built creative custom cars in the 1950s and 1960s. Car buffs during these eras readily knew who 'Rat Fink' was - and author Pat Ganahl met him in the mid-70s and associated with his partners, relatives and friends. Nearly 300 photos - many never before published - illustrate his life and car art alike.

Fast Car Physics
Chuck Edmonson
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801898234, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

FAST CAR PHYSICS could have been reviewed as easily in our 'Science' section but is featured here for its special attraction to car racing enthusiasts who want to know more about the actual physics involved in speed. Math theories apply to real-world racing and include such applicable calculations as 0-60 and why quarter-mile times are important. A fine pick for any science or racing fan's collection!

Art Deco and British Car Design
Barrie Down
Veloce Publishing
Veloce House, Parkway Farm Business Park
Middle Farm Way, Poundbury
Dorchester, DT1 3AR, England
9781845842529, $44.95, www.veloce.co.uk

Art Deco and British Car Design: The Airline Cars of the 1930s provides a fine account of British streamline styling trends and offers a focus on the influence Art Deco had on auto design. Biographies of 1930s British designers are gathered here for the first time, along with color photos of the cars they fostered. The production cars were made between 1933 and 1936: pages offer rare color photos of surviving cars as well as a history of a radical era in car concepts, and makes this a 'must have' for any serious car history collection.


The Computer Shelf

Facebook: The Missing Manual
E.A. Vander Veer
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9781449397418, $19.99, www.oreilly.com

Facebook: The Missing Manual offers important keys to getting started and connected with Facebook. It's easy to sign up - but managing the network of friends and associates can require more skill. Learn how to add apps with mini-programs, protect privacy, and further a business pursuit through Facebook's many options. Any newcomer to Facebook will find this how-to manual a key guide!

Sonar XI Power! The Comprehensive Guide
Scott R. Garrigus
Course Technology
20 Channel Center Street, Boston MA 02210
1435458508, $49.99, www.courseptr.com

Sonar XI Power! The Comprehensive Guide tells how to get the most from Sonar X1 with a manual that picks up where the instructions leave off, offering step-by-step examples and exercises on how to customize and streamline the program and its workflow. From customizing Sonar X1 to creating a mix, this teaches musician computer users how to compose and record more efficiently, how to understand the application of audio and MIDI effects in offline and real-time situations, and how to mix music via software. From using the new global Smart Tools to the Control Bar tool set, this is packed with real-world applications and examples.

GPU Pro: Advanced Rendering Techniques
Wolfgang Engel, Editor
A.K. Peters
5 Commonwealth Road, #2C, Natick, MA 01760
9781568814728, $79.95, www.akpeters.com

GPU Pro: Advanced Rendering Techniques offers professional programmers keys to advanced engine design and rendering techniques, includes related math techniques and discusses the game world in relation to handheld programming and graphics on mobile devices. Any programmer working with game structures will find this covers the latest iPhone and iPod touch systems, and covers topics ranging from displacement mapping with high blending to optimization strategies. Recommended for collections catering to advanced gaming programmers.

Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010
Olga Londer and Penelope Coventry
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9780735627260, $29.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

Microsoft SharePoint Foundation 2010 teaches the basics of SharePoint Foundation 2010, teaching how to collaborate with a team to get the most from SharePoint Foundation 2010. Follow the numbered steps and use screenshots to check work in this fine survey of how to apply SharePoint's powers to organizing content, using blogs and wikis, and more.

Mastering XPages
Martin Donnelly, Mark Wallace, Tony McGuckin
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 East 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
0132486318, $64.99, www.ibmpressbooks.com

Mastering XPages: A Step-by-Step Guide to XPages Application Development and the XSP Language is a 'must' for any computer collection strong in application development. It offers a fine overview of XPages: why it works, how to install it, and how to use the code examples to apply keys to using real-world XPages applications. From getting started to managing Domino view and data and reading and writing XPage source, this is a powerful pick!

Computer Incident Response and Product Security
Damir Rajnovic
Cisco Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 East 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
1587052644, $49.99, www.ciscopress.com

Computer Incident Response and Product Security offers a fine guide to building and running incident response and product security teams, and covers the basics of hwy and how to organize such a team. From locating and building a team from an existing organization to understanding security concerns and how to coordinate responses, this is packed with many key insights perfect for security managers and computer administrators alike.

iPad & iPhone Administrator's Guide
Guy Hart-Davis
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10121-2298
0071759069, $40.00, www.mhprofessional.com

iPad & iPhone Administrator's Guide teaches administrators how to integrate iPads and iPhones into a company's IT system, and shows how to use and manage them as business devices. Apple's own enterprise tools offer keys to helping an organization organize a wireless network and how to use more produce apps in the workplace: chapters do a fine job of covering utilities and all the basics of interest in a business environment. Recommended for business IT administrators and computer libraries alike.

Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 Unleashed
Paul McFedries
Sams
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 East 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
0672335409, $49.99, www.informit.com/sams

Microsoft Windows Home Server 2011 Unleashed is a top pick for any who would use Home Server 2011 to set up networks, manage all storage centrally, and more. Appearing in its third updated edition to reflect the latest tips and practices, this uncovers Server's business applications and offers step-by-step instructions on configuring its basics and customizing it to business needs. It offers security fixes for Windows computers and tells how to remotely access content, and is a powerful pick for any user!

Computer Structure and Logic
Pearson Certification Team
Pearson
c/o Pearson Technology Group
800 East 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
0789747936, $73.33, www.informit.com

Computer Structure and Logic is a pick for any seeking to begin a computer career, and teaches the basics of modern computers and networks. Chapters survey operations, hardware such as motherboards, operating systems and applications and use highlighted 'tidbits' of detail to outline the basics. Black and white screen shots and diagrams throughout illustrate concepts, while step-by-step bulleted instructions for installations and routines are accompanied by chapter reviews lending to student applications. Any beginning computer student will find this a fine study guide!

My iPad 2
Gary Rosenzweig
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0789741164, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

My iPad 2 covers IOS 4.3 and pairs step-by-step written instruction with screen example photos that teach how to handle common iPad 2 limitations and how to get the most from an iPad 2. Color illustrations walk you through everything from video chat with friends and surfing the web to downloading the most useful apps and creating documents. From play to work, this covers all the basics and comes packed with customization options iPad 2 owners will relish.


The Photography Shelf

The Digital Photographer's Guide to Natural-Light Family Portraits
Jennifer George
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200, Buffalo, NY 14207
9781608952861, $34.95, www.amherstmedia.com

The Digital Photographer's Guide to Natural-Light Family Portraits covers natural lighting for the studio and shows how to make good choices about location, time of day, and style of portrait a client desires. Jennifer George is an award-winning portrait photographer and studio owner: her experience contributes to a fine survey packed with color photo examples throughout and step-by-step instruction on making the most of natural lighting to produce superior results.

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2
Brian Matsumoto and Carol F. Roullard
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission St. Suite 3, Santa Barbara CA 93101
9781933952772, $29.95, www.rockynook.com

The Panasonic Lumix DMC-G2: The Unofficial Quintessential Guide provides a wealth of details and professional insights for owners of the HD camera. From its ability to use nearly any manufacturer's manual focus, legacy lens to its small, lightweight attributes, this is a powerful guide exploring and explaining the features of the G2 camera in detail. Owners of the Lumix DMC-G2 need this fine survey!

Sony SLT-A55/A33 Guide to Digital Photography
David Busch
Course Technology
20 Channel Center St., Boston MA 02210
143545944X, $29.99, www.courseptr.com

Sony SLT-A55/A33 Guide to Digital Photography covers the features of one of the most innovative entry-level cameras Sony has made. Owners of this camera will find this a powerful introduction covering all the basics, from selecting the best autofocus mode and troubleshooting tips to keep your camera running smoothly to using its many advanced features. Highly recommended as a fine owner's manual for any using the camera!

Light Matters!
Vicki Goldberg
Aperture
547 West 27th St., New York NY 10001
9781597111652, $19.95, www.aperture.org

Light Matters! Writings on Photography comes from one of the leading voices in photography criticism whose writings have widely appeared in publications ranging from American Photo and Vanity fair to the New York Times. This is her first collection of essays and criticism, comes from over twenty-five years of publishing, and offers critical insights into photography's changing choices and impact on society. College-level collections strong in photography will find this a key acquisition!

The Practice of Contemplative Photography
Andy Karr and Michael Wood
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Ave., Boston MA 02115
9781590307793, $26.95, www.shambhala.com

New age and photography collections alike will relish The Practice of Contemplative Photography, a fine survey of how to use photography as a tool for learning how to view daily experience. Exercises and photographic assignments offer not just techniques for working with texture, light and color, but provides a system of training that uses Buddhist mindfulness practices blended with photography insights for a range of insights. New age and photography libraries alike will appreciate the different approach!

Publish Your Photography Book
Darius D. Himes & Mary Virginia Swanson
Princeton Architectural Press
37 E. 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781568988832, $29.95, www.papress.com

Publish Your Photography Book offers a fine guide to the photography-publishing industry with a title that covers the entire publishing process and contributes in-depth detail on the subject of publishing a photobook. It offers plenty of examples from notable figures in the industry, pairing color photos with industry voices and professional keys to success. Photographers seeking to publish a photobook need this specific guide, packed with examples and insights.


The Genealogy Shelf

Social Networking for Genealogists
Drew Smith
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Rd, Suite 260
Baltimore MD 21211-1953
9780806317953, $18.95, www.genealogical.com

Social Networking for Genealogists could also have been featured in our 'Computer Shelf' section, but is reviewed here for its fine guide to applying social network services to genealogical searching. It describes the social networks available on line, considers how they can be used by genealogists, and tells how to share information, photos and videos with family and friends. From blogs and wikis to Facebook, this shows how to use these social networking tools for family history research and is a key acquisition for any genealogist's collection!


The Library Reference Shelf

GIS Tutorial for Humanitarian Assistance
Firoz Verjee
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589482135, $79.95, www.esri.com/esripress

GIS TUTORIAL FOR HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE offers a fine reference illustrating how the ArcGIS, a geographic information system technology, can be used to improve awareness during humanitarian emergency situations. This workbook teaches how to apply complex analysis skills to real-world problems around the world, demonstrating a wider range of GIS applications than other books would present. Notes for instructors include sample course outlines while chapters cover route optimization, overlay analysis, managing hazardous operations, generating spatial data during emergencies, and more. Any college-level collection including GIS applications needs this reference.

NASA Space Shuttle
Dr. David Baker
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 - 1st Avenue North, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760340769, $28.00, www.zenithpress.com

NASA Space Shuttle: Owner's Workshop Manual covers all models and operations of the NASA shuttle, providing technical details on its design, construction and history and use. This manual focus on its power and mechanical systems, packing in over 250 photos and technical illustrations, and is a top specific reference for any space technology or astronomy collection.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Thinking Like a Lawyer
Kenneth J. Vandevelde
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301
9780813344645, $24.99, www.westviewpress.com

Thinking Like a Lawyer is a top pick for business collections, offering sections on the legislative and judicial process, writing opinions and making determinations, feminist legal theory, and more. This is the first post-realist look at legal reasoning and its management, offering a survey of lawyer judgments and how they are achieved. The second edition discusses analytical cases, strategy, and developing consistent policies and is a top reference for any college-level legal library.

Point Made
Ross Guberman
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780195394870, $19.95, www.oup.com/us

POINT MADE: HOW TO WRITE LIKE THE NATION'S TOP ADVOCATES brings together some fifty techniques every attorney needs to know and uses writings from out nations fifty most prominent living lawyers to demonstrate brilliant prose and how it's produced. His step-by-step guide for writing every type of motion or brief comes packed with checklists, examples and advice and is a top pick for any legal or writer's library.


The Library Science Shelf

Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Guide, second edition
Michael P. Sauers
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573873994, $35.00, www.infotoday.com

Blogging and RSS: A Librarian's Guide appears in a fully updated second edition to update how blogging and RSS technology can be successfully used by librarians. Examples from librarian bloggers accompany directions for creating, publishing and syndicating a bog using free web-based services and RSS feeds, with this updated new edition covering new blogging tools and services useful to library blogs in particular. Any reference collection catering to librarians need this!


The World History Shelf

Dancing in the Glory of Monsters
Jason K. Stearns
Public Affairs Books
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781586489298, $28.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

Dancing in the Glory of Monsters: The Collapse of the Congo and the Great War of Africa comes from a veteran human rights activist who examines Africa's Great War and how the conflict evolved. He explores why stability in the Congo has been so difficult, considering the origins of the battle, its victims, and how soldiers participated in conflicts that bordered on genocide. Discussions with commanders, refugees, soldiers and civilians who survived the conflict make for an important document key to any study of African culture and history.

Horrible Shipwreck!
Andrew C.A. Jampoler
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21492
9781591144113, $34.95, www.nip.org

HORRIBLE SHIPWRECK offers a true drama based on the loss of the 1833 British convict ship Amphitrite which went down holding 108 female convicts, 12 children and 13 seamen - in full sight of hundreds of onlookers. The captain had refused offers of aid from the shore - and this documents the social and political milieu of his times and the events that led to the horrible shipwreck. A fine survey for any nautical or history holding - and for many a general interest collection where dramatic true history is of interest.

Jerusalem, Jerusalem
James Carroll
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9780547195612, $28.00, www.hmhbooks.com

JERUSALEM, JERUSALEM: HOW THE ANCIENT CITY IGNITED OUR MODERN WORLD uncovers ways in which the ancient city becomes a fantasy that ignites religious fervor. This passion dominates American and Middle East history alike, past and present, and follows the rise of Jerusalem's mystique from ancient to modern times. Any history collection and many a spirituality library will find this focus important and essential.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

A Guide Book of Gold Dollars, second edition
Q. David Bowers
Whitman Publishing
3101 Clairmont Rd Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
9780794832414, $19.95, www.whitmanbooks.com

A Guide Book of Gold Dollars appears in its second updated edition to update and share tips for smart coin collecting and evaluation. From understanding influences on coin value to the changing market and how to make the best coin buys, details on each issue include mintages, field populations, grading, market values and more, and makes for a reference 'must' for any coin collector.

A Guide Book of United States Coins 2012
R.S. Yeoman
Whitman Publishing
3101 Clairmont Rd Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
9780794833373, $16.95, www.whitmanbooks.com

A Guide Book of United States Coins appears in its 65th updated edition for 2012, offering new data, more photos, and more updates to create nearly two thousand color photos in a new edition. The latest valuations reflect the general state of the market and offer collectors invaluable information perfect for any collection catering to serious coin enthusiasts.


The Fiction Shelf

We, The Drowned
Carsten Jensen
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10003
9780151013777, $28.00, www.hmhbooks.com

WE, THE DROWNED offers a weighty epic novel by a Scandinavian storyteller which spans 100 years and tells of the adventurers of Marstal, Denmark whose longing for distant voyages becomes a reality. Interviews, town meetings, and extensive research at local archives all contribute to the author's re-creation of village life in Marstal and the lands his characters visit, and make for a powerful story already critically applauded throughout Europe and ready for an equally-strong U.S. debut!

Deathless
Catherynne M. Valente
Tor Book
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780765326300, $24.99, www.tor-forge.com

DEATHLESS covers Russian mythology and places her story line in Stalinist Russia, telling of young Marya Morevna, taken from her family's home to become the wicked Koschei's bride. His changes will affect her personality and bring her closer to the edge of evil - until she meets Ivan, and finds new meaning in life. Add a touch of magic in elves, secrecy and quests and you have a riveting saga!

Live Wire
Harlan Coben
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, 3rd floor, NY, NY 10014-3657
9780525952060, $27.95, www.penguin.com

LIVE WIRE returns another Myron Bolitar thriller to print: this revolving around a former tennis star and a rock star husband who face danger when questioned about their child's paternity. Myron's involvement in the case changes from a paternity issue and vanished husband to a darker danger filled with family connections and lies. Coben fans and followers of the Myron Bolitar thrillers will find this compelling!


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Mourning Gloria
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780425239131, $25.95, www.penguin.com

MOURNING GLORIA adds another China Bayles story to the mystery series: this revolving around herbalist investigator China's involvement in an arson homicide. When her young friend is assigned to cover the crime for the local paper, Jessica becomes involved in a desperate search for a vanished friend in danger and a crime spree takes a new and deadly twist in this powerful survey, recommended for any general lending collection strong in mysteries.

Murder, She Write: Skating on Thin Ice
Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain
Obsidian
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9780451232342, $22.95, www.penguin.com

Murder, She Write: Skating on Thin Ice is the latest addition to the series and tells of Christine, who has long dreamed of competing in pairs figure skating. But when it comes true, her life is endangered by a series of questionable accidents - and when one of her coaches is murdered, it's up to her to locate the killer or become his next victim in this riveting story, perfect for any murder mystery collection!


The Literary Shelf

With a Little Help
Cory Doctorow
Craphound
9780557943050, $14.50 http://craphound.com/walh/

Cory Doctorow's WITH A LITTLE HELP features a DIY short fiction experiment and represents his third short story collection published under his own imprint. It's a print-on-demand paperback with four different covers (also available as an audiobook) and offers 11 reprinted stories and one story commissioned for this volume by tech entrepreneur mark Shuttleworth. Fans of Doctorow will find this a fine collection of powerful reprints from a range of magazines, and deserves a place on the shelf of any definitive Doctorow collection.

The Pun Also Rises
John Pollack
Gotham
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9781592406234, $22.50, www.penguin.com

THE PUN ALSO RISES: HOW THE HUMBLE PUN REVOLUTIONIZED LANGUAGE, CHANGED HISTORY, AND MADE WORDPLAY MORE THAN SOME ANTICS argues that the pun changed language and fostered progress in modern society as a result. Puns can make you smarter, and while they've met with resistance in the past, they are seeing a newfound renaissance. From Spoonerisms to how the brain gains meaning from sound, this is packed with fine revelations perfect for literary and general collections alike!


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

My Story Can Beat Up Your Story!
Jeffrey Alan Schechter
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907933, $19.95, www.mwp.com

My Story Can Beat Up Your Story provides performing arts and film collections with a powerful system that industry insiders have used to generate millions in script sales and assignments. Screenplay writers receive specifics on 'quickpitch formula' work, creating opposite characters that work together in a plot, developing powerful thematic arguments, and more. From crafting a villain and fine-tuning a hero's response to superior characters that support the entire story, this is a fine pick for any film writer's collection!


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Bite Club
Rachel Caine
NAL
c/o New American Library
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9780451233189, $17.99, www.penguin.com

BITE CLUB offers another Morganville Vampire series addition, and is recommended for general-interest collections seeing popularity with the prior books. Here Claire and her friends have learned to survive in Morganville - despite its large vampire population. In BITE CLUB Claire learns of a new extreme sport in Texas pitting vampires against each other and humans - a sport which seems to be targeted to Morganville, threatening its secrets. It's up to Claire and her friends to investigate - and to face down a threat to their vampire friends.

Wolfsangel
M.D. Lachlan
Pyr
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616143572, $16.00, www.pyrsf.com

WOLFSANGEL opens a projected multi-volume fantasy epic about a werewolf who moves from his beginnings as heir to a brutal Viking king through the ages as he searches for his lost love. His battles with Loki and more will affect and translate into human as well as werewolf history, presenting a very different side to the werewolf legend in this outstanding saga, recommended for any science fiction or fantasy collection!

WWW: Wonder
Robert J. Sawyer
Ace
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441019762, $25.95, www.penguin.com

WWW : WONDER continues the story begun in the series presenting the connection between a once-blind girl, new technology, and the awakening of webmind - a vast consciousness that emerges from the world wide web and changes the world. Webmind seems a blessing - but Colonel Hume, a Pentagon expert on artificial intelligence, believes otherwise, and enlists a hacker underground to bring it down - until they begin to disappear. A gripping saga of an unusual friendship - and an unusual war - evolves!

1636: The Saxon Uprising
Eric Flint
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134252, $25.00, www.baen.com

1636: The Saxon Uprising tells of generals who become dragged into conflict in 17th century Europe in a setting where a 20th century town has been torn from time and hurled into the past. Joining others in the 1636 saga, this latest follows political conflict and struggles between Swedish officials and German aristocrats, and creates a weaving, involving story line any science fiction collection - particularly those interested in alternate history or seeing success with the prior 1636 novels - will appreciate.

Betrayer
C.J. Cherryh
DAW Books Inc.
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780756406547, $25.95, www.dawbooks.com

BETRAYER provides fans of Cherryh's 'Foreigner' universe with a new novel telling of the conclusion of a civil war among the alien Artevi and the ongoing presence of rebels who want to shake the newly formed peace. A human diplomat finds himself trapped inside an armed fortress - and surrounded by enemies. Bren's political involvements and efforts will bring him into conflict with clan factions in this ongoing saga, recommended for any science fiction collection seeing popularity with the previous Foreigner titles.

Sati
Christopher Pike
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765331373, $9.99, www.tor-forge.com

SATI is a winning, moving account of a girl who changes everything - who thinks she is blessed yet doesn't expect to be worshipped. Is she a miracle - or is she an ordinary girl with a different worldview and opinion? SATI is a moving story hard to put down, and is a top pick for any science fiction collection.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Sensational Bead Embroidery
Sherry Serafini
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781600596728, $24.95, www.larkcrafts.com

Sensational Bead Embroidery comes from a jewelry designer who has produced astonishing, rich bead jewelry and who here shares the basics of her art with over twenty projects from which to learn the basics. Full-page color photos accompany other illustrations and step-by-step discussions of these basic techniques, with supplies lists, patterns, and more lending to a fine collection suitable for any needlework or jewelry-making collection.

Vogue Knitting: Knitopedia
Vogue
Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10013
9781933027616, $34.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Vogue Knitting: Knitopedia is a fine A to Z 'bible' of knitting offering a key reference for any interested in knitting techniques, ethnic traditions, history, design, and more. Maps, photos, technical drawings, tables and more accompany essays written by top names in the knitting world. This is no casual piece but an in-depth reference designed for serious needlework libraries - yet accessible to general-interest collections as well!

Built By Wendy Coats & Jackets
Wendy Mullin
Potter Craft
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, NY, NY 10019
9780307461346, $27.50, www.pottercraft.com

Built By Wendy Coats & Jackets uses lay-flat hardcover spiral binding to create a guide lending to sewing use and bookshelf filing alike, and is a recommendation for needleworkers who want toe basics on how to tackle a coat or jacket larger project. Three patterns use a fitted jacket, a basic jacket and a straight coat to offer dozens of variations, and add easy step-by-step directions and shortcuts for producing them. Patterns and diagrams throughout enhance a fine presentation for any sewer who already has the basics down.

Purses Bags and More
Pearl Louise Krush
House of White Birches
c/o DRG
306 East Parr Road, Berne, IN 46711-1138
9781592173167, $9.95, www.drgnetwork.com

Purses Bags and More provides fine designs by Pearl Louise Krush in a pamphlet-sized survey of ten projects for bags. Learn to stitch a designer bag for every season with step-by-step instructions to make the bags easy. Any needleworker looking for step-by-step easy bag assembly directions will appreciate this!

Knitting Vintage
Claire Montgomerie
Barron's
250 Wireless, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764146626, $16.99, www.barronseduc.com

KNITTING VINTAGE: 30 KNITTING PROJECTS INSPIRED BY PERIOD FASHIONS presents some 30 retro-inspired knitting patterns that reflect modern fashion trends. Each chapter offers a different decade's fashion and provides projects of various skills levels from a 1920s flapper top to a 1980s leg warmer. Historical background on each decade's fashion themes accompanies illustrations, photos and more in a fine pick for any knitter's library!

501 Quilting Motifs
Quiltmaker Magazine
Martingale & Company
19201 - 120th Ave NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011-9511
9781604680546, $24.99, www.martingale-pub.com

501 QUILTING MOTIFS: DESIGNS FOR HAND OR MACHINE QUILTING packs in over five hundred motifs selected from nearly thirty years of Quiltmaker Magazine. Indexes cross-reference the designs by size and style, while patterns are accompanied by keys to transferring motifs and come arranged by category for easy access. Any quilter's library should include this, which comes with lay-flat hardcover binding for both easy shelf location and hands-on use.

Creating Sketchbooks for Embroiderers and Textile Artists
Kay Greenlees
Batsford
c/o Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10015-8810
9780713489576, $24.95, www.anovabooks.com

Any involved in handicrafts or needlework know that a sketchbook is an invaluable companion, and here it's translated to the embroiderer and textile artist. Glimpses into the sketchbooks of some of the world's leading textile artists are provided along with introductory keeps on how to keep a sketchbook and how to make it effective, making this a pick for needlework and crafts collections alike!

Your Machine's Decorative Stitches
Karen Linduska
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326451, $24.95, www.americanquilter.com

Your Machine's Decorative Stitches tells how to create 12 small stitching projects using an easy step-by-step method, and is a winning guide for any beginner who would learn their sewing machine's decorative stitching. Learn how to alter decorative stitches, use the easy tables to lay out colors and stitch settings, and learn how to add texture with netting and more. Illustrations accompany the projects and make this a top pick for any collection!


The Philosophy Shelf

Discourse on a New Method
Mary Domski and Michael Dickson, Editors
Open Court Books
70 East Lake St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696622, $89.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Discourse on a New Method: Reinvigorating the Marriage of History and the Philosophy of Science offers philosophy collections a weighty volume with contributions from over twenty scholars who debate history and the philosophy of science by examining the work of Michael Friedman, whose writings on Kant, Newton and others have melded issues common to the two disciplines. The latest thinking offers pertinent, analytical essays recommended for any serious college-level library strong in philosophy and science alike.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Genes, Giants, Monsters and Men
Joseph P. Farrell
Feral House
PO Box 39910, Los Angeles, CA 90039
9781936239085, $19.95, www.feralhouse.com

Genes, Giants, Monsters and Men: The Surviving Elites of the Cosmic War and Their Hidden Agenda provides a fine survey that blends alternative history with science, and considers that mankind has ignored crucial evidence that religious 'myths' may in fact be the foundation for truth. It postulates that mankind's understanding of its place in creation may hide the reality of a planet occupied with tyrannical giants and an elite race bent on genetic mutation, and it offers a theory of a hidden history of mankind based on biblical 'tales' that contain truth. Alternative history and new age collections will consider this a winner!

Active Dreaming
Robert Moss
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato CA 94949
9781577319641, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

ACTIVE DREAMING: JOURNEYING BEYOND SELF-LIMITATION TO A LIFE OF WILD FREEDOM offers an unusual perspective: that dreaming isn't just about what happens during sleep: it's about how dreams are processed after waking up. Moss advocates a process of 'active dreaming' whereby dreamers re-enter dreams, explore their meaning, and direct the subconscious to solve problems. It's based on decades of research and teaching and offers techniques to any who would more actively learn from their dreams.

The Bowl of Light
Hank Wesselman, PhD
Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
9781604074307, $16.95, www.soundstrue.com

THE BOWL OF LIGHT: ANCESTRAL WISDOM FROM A HAWAIIAN SHAMAN comes from a paleoanthropologist who provides a survey of teachings passed down to him from elder Hale Makua. This shaman granted Dr. Wesselman permission to share sacred spiritual knowledge - including the concept of the divine 'bowl of light' and three directions of the spiritual warrior. Rare descriptions of rituals used by elder Makua make this a 'must' for any spiritual new age collection!


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

40: A Doonesbury Retrospective
Gary Trudeau
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9780740797354, $100.00, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

40: A Doonesbury Retrospective is a weighty, top pick for that Doonesbury fan who must have everything related to the comic. In an oversized, slipcased hardcover lies a treasure trove of black and white and color cartoon panels capturing how it felt to live the last four decades in America. The evolution of the strip from a campus one-off to the syndicated states-wide attraction it is today is traced in these pages, offering fans a rare glimpse of Doonesbury's evolution and ongoing reflection of political and social trends in America. A 'must' for any definitive Doonesbury collection!

Jeff Smith
Eric Nolen-Weathington
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490243, $15.95, www.twomorrows.com

JEFF SMITH adds to the 'Modern Masters' series, offering a series of insightful interviews with the creator of Bone who became an overnight success in the graphic novel world. Black and white offerings from his many graphic novel displays accompany a fine survey of his influences, achievements, and experiences and explores the extent of his career and art, making for a top pick for any collection interested in graphic novels in general or Bone in particular.


The California Shelf

With Anza to California
Alan K. Brown, Editor/Translator
The Arthur H. Clark Company
c/o University of Oklahoma Press
www.oupress.com
9780870623752, $55.00, www.ahclark.com

With Anza to California 1775-1776: The Journal of Pedro Font, O.F.M. provides a fine survey of Juan Bautista de Anza, who led the Spanish colonizing expedition that opened the roads from Arizona to California and established a presidio at San Francisco Bay. Franciscan missionary Fray Pedro Font accompanied Anza and kept a journal: this new edition includes his recently discovered field journal with the notes he wrote on the trail, previously published only in Spanish, and is a key to any serious college-level California history shelf!

Jack London's Radical Lives
Jeanne Campbell Reesman
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
9780820327891, $34.95, www.ugapress.com

Jack London's Radical Lives: A Critical Biography provides a fine scholarly study arguing that London's attitudes toward the race issue in his public statements and fiction make for some of the most controversial aspects of his personality. This study points out his divisions on race issues and how they affected his writings, and offers college-level literary students and California readers alike a fine analysis suitable for reports and re-interpretations of London's perspective.

Cityscapes
John King
Heyday Books
Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
9781597141543, $14.95, www.heydaybooks.com

CITYSCAPES is a fine look at some fifty buildings that present a slice of San Francisco history and architectural style, and is a top pick for architecture, urban and California history collections alike. Color photos accompany a history and guide to these buildings, offering works both famous and overlooked, and come from a weekly 'Cityscape' column that appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle newspaper in 2009.

Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com

Kevin W. Hecteman's SACRAMENTO'S SOUTHERN PACIFIC SHOPS (073858052X, $21.99) joins others in Arcadia's specialty 'Images of Rail' collection, offering a fine survey of the building of Sacramento shops designed to support the Central Pacific Railroad endeavor. For more than a century this huge complex kept the Central and Southern pacific lines running smoothly, and were the largest employer in the Sacramento region. The complex closed in 1999, and his collection honors it, telling its story and using archival photos to capture the rail work. Any northern California collection needs this! Lawrence Tom, et.al.'s SACRAMENTO'S CHINATOWN (073858066X, $21.99) comes from a career executive appointee for the State of California, and offers a fine survey of the early Chinese pioneers who created Sacramento's Chinatown, and of the 1960s push towards redevelopment that tore down a good bit of the neighborhood. Chinese history blends with vintage images celebrating the history of Sacramento's Chinatown in a collection key to any California or Chinese regional history collection. THEN & NOW: RUSSIAN RIVER (073858195X, $21.99) by John C. Shubert and Valerie A. Munthe is a powerful visual survey of how California's Russian River region has changed from a lumber area to a recreation and retirement hub, with photos of the region's resort towns offering fine vintage and modern 'then and now' comparisons. It comes from an author who has lived in the river for 55 years and one who has lived there 20 years: their focus provides a fine visual account for any California history collection.



James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive, Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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