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Volume 17, Number 7 July 2007 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Photography Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Business Shelf
Military Shelf Computer Shelf Real Estate Shelf
Psychology Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Art Shelf Hobby Shelf Biography Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Music Shelf Social Issues Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Poetry Shelf Education Shelf
Railroading Shelf Library DVD Shelf Economics Shelf
Science Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf
American History Shelf Parenting Shelf Civil War Shelf
Travel Shelf Gaming Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
International Studies Shelf Philosophy Shelf Fiction Shelf
Women's Studies Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Crafts Shelf
Gardening Shelf Black Studies Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Woodworking Shelf Homeowner's Shelf
Architecture Shelf Library Science Shelf Sports Shelf
Egyptology Shelf World History Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Aviation Shelf Literary Shelf Native American Shelf
Mechanical Engineering Shelf Genealogy Shelf Library CD Music Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Historical Dictionary of Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations: 2nd Edition
Robert F. Gorman and Edward S. Mihalkanin
Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780810855489, $85.00 www.scarecrowpress.com 1-800-462-6420

Political Science Professor Robert F. Gorman and Assistant Political Science Professor Edward S. Mihalkanin present Historical Dictionary of Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations, now in a complete revised and updated second edition. Historical Dictionary of Human Rights and Humanitarian Organizations is a comprehensive reference of alphabetically arranged, cross-referenced entries describing private, governmental, national, and international human rights organizations; significant people and events in the history of human rights movements; critical treaties in history; and much more. A chronology, appendices, black-and-white photographs, and a bibliography round out this ideal reference for college library shelves and students of human rights and international politics.

Apocalypse 2012
Lawrence E. Joseph
Morgan Road Books
1745 Broadway, 22-2, New York NY 10019
9780767924474, $23.95 www.morganroadbooks.com

From earthquakes and tsunamis to an increase in category 5 hurricanes, the indications are there to support predictions of how the world will end – and that the end could be near. APOCALYPSE 2012: A SCIENTIFIC INVESTIGATION INTO CIVILIZATION'S END comes from a journalist who pinpoints 2012 as the year of ultimate doom for the human race – based on a blend of ancient records, including a Mayan calendar which ceases its forecasts in 2012, and Eastern and Western religions which point to this year as the end of time. Add scientific insights into the data, including NASA data which shows 2012 as marking a maximum in cyclic sunspot activity – and you have a survey hard to ignore.

'The World's Greatest' Poster Book titles
Voyageur Press
Galtier Plaza,, Suite 300, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
$9.95 Each www.voyageurpress.com

All ages will appreciate these poster books, which offer a blend of full-page color photos and a back page of facts. HORSE POSTER BOOK (0760330158) covers over forty horses, from Arabians and Morgans to Appaloosas. JOHN DEERE TRACTOR POSTER BOOK (0760330166) features over forty posters of various models from early to modern. All are bright and pull out easily: while these won't be recommended for the rigors of library lending, they will make perfect gift choices for any specialty enthusiast of either horses of tractors.

The Thriving Library
Marylaine Block
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573872775, $39.50 www.infotoday.com

Public librarians seeking a tried-and-tested guide to strategies used to gain community support and funding will find THE THRIVING LIBRARY: SUCCESSFUL STRATEGIES FOR CHALLENGING TIMES an important pick. Any collection catering to library administrators will find plenty of rich detail here, from strategies for promoting youth services and community partnership projects to marketing approaches, web blogs and sites, and more. Projects are described in the practitioners' own words and use examples from annual reports, programs, and more. Any collection catering to librarians will want this – as will the libraries considering it for both lending and institutional reference.

Merrell Publishers Limited
49 West 24th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010
www.merrellpublishers.com

Susan Davidson edits ART IN AMERICA: 300 YEARS OF INNOVATION (1858943949, $69.95), a fine survey of the major movements in America art which will be a top pick not just for college-level art libraries, but for any collection strong in American art history, even down to the high school range. From pop art to expressionism and landscape artists, here are works – some 250 – reproduced in full color by a range of artists. The historical division into six major periods from colonial times to modern times offers a far wider range than most American art titles, and makes for a fine, definitive catalog. Robert Elwall's EVOCATIONS OF PLACE: THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF EDWIN SMITH (1858943736, $75.00) surveys one of Britain's finest photographers: while his name is lesser known here, it's the first major study of Smith's work in over twenty years, making it a recommendation for any specialty college-level art library strong in world photographers. Smith emphasized historic architecture, landscapes and gardens and died in 1971: nearly two hundred illustrations here include rarely seen images plus previously unpublished correspondence, making for a fitting tribute to the photographer's talents.

A Thousand Names for Joy
Byron Katie with Stephen Mitchell
Harmony Books
c/o Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307339232, $24.95 www.randomhouse.com

A THOUSAND NAMES FOR JOY: LIVING IN HARMONY WITH THE WAY THINGS ARE encourages a discovery of freedom and comes from an author expert in questioning the underlying roots of suffering who works with Stephen Mitchell, the translator of the Tao Te Ching, who uses excerpts from that text as a stimulus to talk about issues of life and death and fulfillment. An undercurrent of joy runs through A THOUSAND NAMES FOR JOY, which offers up descriptions of a self-realized, 'awakened mind' and the paths for achieving this. First-person vignettes blend with spiritual and social insights for a fine survey.

The Culture Of Al Jazeera
Mohamed Zayani & Sofiane Sahraoui
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786429615, $35.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187

"The Culture Of Al Jazeera: Inside An Arab Media Giant" by Mohamed Zayani (Associate Professor of Critical Theory, American University of Sharjah, UAE) and Sofiane Sahraoui (Associate professor of Management Information Systems, American University of Sharjah, UAE) is the history of what has emerged as a significant television news source for the Islamic world. Al Jazeera is a satellite news channel that began in the mid-1990s when the emir of Qatar conceived the idea of using a television station to project a progressive image for his small Arabian/Persian gulf state. Coincidentally at the time a short-lived partnership between the BBC and a Saudi company had left a group of BBC-trained Arab journalists and broadcasters unemployed and available. The outcome of this confluence was the creation and emergence of Al Jazeera which would quickly evolve from an obscure regional news broadcaster to a multi-channel, multi-lingual, multi-service global enterprise with a dominant influence in the Mideast. More than a simple history, "The Culture Of Al Jazeera" also provides an in-depth examination of the culture, workings, and challenges of a unique media organization and addresses the question as to whether Al Jazeera is simple a transitory fad benefitting from a rising aspiration for free speech in the Middle East, or a new medium who success can be sustained by its organizational culture and model. A work of seminal scholarship, "The Culture Of Al Jazeera" is particularly and confidently recommended for academic library reference collections in the areas of International Studies, Journalism, Middle East Studies, and Media Studies.

Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
www.daab-online.com 1-800-338-2665

JEAN-MARIE MASSAUD (9783937718880, $32.95) is a pick for any contemporary arts collection strong in modern interior design artists. JEAN-MARIE MASSAUD explores the striking, unique forms, functions and inspirations of the urban architect, juxtaposing color photos of structures with cut-away drawings of interiors. The approach allows for a full appreciation of Massaud's approaches and logic. MATALI CRASSET (9783937718897, $32.95) is even more striking, blending full-page photos of interiors with several selected angle shots per page, and accompanying this colorful expose with five-language one-paragraph summaries of the structure and its unique attributes. These are perfect choices for art libraries specializing in modern architectural interior design.

Merrell Publishing
49 West 24th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010
www.merrellpublishers.com

Francine Prose's WOMEN WHO WRITE (1858943752, $24.95) gathers images and profiles of many important women writers from the Middle Ages to modern times. These are some of the major figures in women's literature: Mary Wollstonecraft, George Sand and even Toni Morrison – all of whom created ground-breaking works that affected genres. Biography and literary criticism blend with black and white and color images throughout which range from photos of each author to reproductions of covers and illustrative artwork, making for a fine catalog inviting general-interest attention to a topic more commonly given too much detail and regulated to college-level collections alone. Joe Houston's OPTIC NERVE: PERCEPTUAL ART OF THE 1960s (1858943892, $49.95) covers 'Op Art' or the fine art of perceptual abstraction, and is published to accompany the first major exhibition of Op Art in over twenty years. More than just a catalog of some 250 works by key Op Artists in the field, though – packing in color images on nearly every page – OPTIC NERVE also provides a critical and biographical foundation for reference, making it a pick art libraries will want. Hilary Ballon and Kenneth T. Jackson edit ROBERT MOSES AND THE MODERN CITY: THE TRANSFORMATION OF NEW YORK (0393732061, $50.00), which offers a new look at legendary architect Robert Moses, who reshaped the skyline of New York City. Readers familiar with New York will readily recognize some of his major contributions from the Lincoln Center to the Cross Bronx Expressway – so it's surprising to note this is the first major publication since the 1974 biography THE POWER BROKER appeared – and ROBERT MOSES AND THE MODERN CITY: THE TRANSFORMATION OF NEW YORK comes packed with photos that his biography doesn't provide. Far from hastening the demise of New York, this book shows how his works strengthened the central city and brought it into modern times, altering road systems and creating an urban design plan to foster changes. Plenty of detailed history surround the photos and descriptions of each project's special challenges, making this a top pick not just for New York libraries, but for any college-level art or urban planning collection.

Evaluating the Science and Ethics of Research on Humans
Dennis J. Mazur, MD, Ph.D.
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
0801885124, $23.00 www.press.jhu.edu

Biomedical research on humans is key to medical discovery, but when health and lives are at risk, ethical practice becomes the top priority. That's why committees are formed to oversee and regulate such research – IRBs, institutional review boards – and this guide is for new and veteran members or IRBs to help review the major points and issues. College-level holdings strong in medical and research issues or medical ethics will want this review, which surveys scientific protocols, informed consent, and offers both summaries and checklists throughout, based on the author's thirty years of research experience.

Parks Directory Of The United States
Darren L. Smith & Kay Gill, editors
Omnigraphics, Inc.
615 Griswold, Suite 1400, Detroit, MI 48226
9780780809321, $195.00 www.omnigraphics.com 1-800-234-1340

Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded fifth edition, the Omnigraphics' "Parks Directory Of The United States" has been collaboratively compiled, organized and co-edited by Darren L. Smith and Kay Gill. Covering more than five thousand national and state parks, the "Parks Directory Of The United States" also includes a wealth of other designated recreational, scenic and historic areas in both the United States and Canada. Also included such recreational areas, historic sites, battlefields, monuments, forests, preserves, memorials, seashores, trails, urban parks, and other miscellaneous recreational areas which are administered by federal land agencies and state park departments. Additionally, more than three hundred park and conservation organizations are listed with descriptive information. Of special interest are the identification of job and career opportunities with the National Park Service, the Forest Service, and the Fish & Wildlife Service; volunteer opportunities at national parks and federally protected lands; national park and protected lands entrance pass programs; the National Scenic Byways Program which covers all ninety-nine National Scenic Byways and the twenty-seven All-American Roads. The entries provide website addresses, each park's general location and directions from the nearest highway, and fifty state maps with parks located. A massive, informative, and superbly organized, 'user friendly', 1,100 page specialized reference, "Parks Directory Of The United States" should be a standard addition to every college, university, and community library reference collection in the country.


The Photography Shelf

The National Road
Clarence Carvell
Noble House
c/o American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
9781561679522, $19.95 www.americanliterarypress.com 1-800-873-2003

"The National Road.. a photographic journey" is a compilation of photographs with captions by master printmaker, academician and lecturer Clarence Carvell. "The National Road" offers a visual celebration of what is to be found along U.S. Route 40 by the traveler. The black-and-white photography showcases the sights and sites of towns and villages revealing very special perspectives of American history and an American yesteryear that is all but forgotten by the advancing decades. This 104-page hardcover photographic study is especially recommended for academic and community library American Photography and American History reference collections and would well serve as a template for similar historic studies of other regional American road systems.

Picturing The Past
Jay D. Vogt, Stephen C. Rogers, Scott Myers
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SC 57501-2217
0974919578, $29.95 www.sdshspress.com

The third volume of the South Dakota State Historical Press 'Historical Preservation' series, "Picturing The Past" is a compilation of seventy-eight vividly dramatic, black-and-white photographs of various buildings and places taken by professional photographer Scott Myers and which are provided with historical context by Jay D. Vogt and Stephen C. Rogers. Showcasing the architecture and scenes tangible associated with life on the Great Plains, "Picturing The Past" is a welcome memorial and tribute to an American yesteryear of hard work, high hopes, and pioneering history. Indeed, "Picturing The Past" is so well done that it could readily serve as a template for similar photographic studies for other American regional history projects.

Welcome to Oz
Vincent Versace
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
1249 – 8th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
0735714002, $44.99 www.newriders.com

WELCOME TO OZ: A CINEMATIC APPROACH TO DIGITAL STILL PHOTOGRAPHY WITH PHOTOSHOP comes from a master fine art photographer who spent his career teaching perception and how to translate it into exceptional images. WELCOME TO OZ tells how to adapt workflow to the image, offering tips on how to locate such images, harvest them for maximum results, and how to create black and white prints without leaving the RGB color space. Any collection strong in Photoshop or photography books must have this: it creates a different perspective and approach to using Photoshop which relies as much on perceiving image potentials as on manipulating them.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Devil Who Tamed Her
Johanna Lindsey, author
Laural Merlington, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781423327790, $36.95 www.brillianceaudio.com 1-800-854-7859

Bestselling author Johanna Lindsey presents The Devil Who Tamed Her, now in audiobook form. The sharp-tongued beauty Ophelia Reid has a cruel talent for starting and spreading rumors; in order to escape marriage to a future marquis, she applies her skill at scandal to sabotage him. The marquis' friend, Raphael Locke dares to meet the marquis in a bet to tame the wild beauty and turn her into a suitable match. Given the go-ahead by Ophelia's parents, he commandeers her coach and takes her (chaperoned, naturally) to the countryside, where he strives to teach her the wrong of her ways. Yet as he learns more about her, and considers her side of the story, he begins to question himself, questions that turn to pangs of the heart when Ophelia re-enters society looking to marry. Read aloud by professional theater and voice work actress Lural Merlington, The Devil Who Tamed Her is a sweeping romance novel of strong wills, tempestuous passions and forceful personalities, sure to please fans of Lindsey's prior works. 8 CDs, approximately 9 hours.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl
Harriet Jacobs, author
Nikki Giovanni, narrator
MasterBuy Audiobooks
20 Vesey Street, Suite 401, New York, NY 10007
9780974208824, $59.95 1-212-217-0977

As poignant and powerful today as it was when originally published in 1851, Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is the unabridged audiobook autobiography of author Harriet Ann Jacobs (who used the pseudonym Linda Brent), who was born an African-American slave in 1813 and willed as property to the infant daughter of Dr. Flint, a man determined to sexually possess her. As his cruelty and brutality mounted, threatening her children, she took flight with help from the white and black friends of her free grandmother. She hid in the uninsulated attic crawl space of her grandmother's house for seven years before the opportunity to escape to freedom came; but even in the North, the threat of being kidnapped or recaptured remained. A stark, true portrait of life as a slave, in her own words, compellingly narrated by celebrated poet Nikki Giovanni. 8 CDs, approximately 10 hours.

The Alibi Club
Francine Mathes
Tantor Media, Inc.
114 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
1400133131, $69.99 www.tantor.com 1-877-782-6867

In a notorious after-hours joint called the Alibi Club a man named Philip Stilwell dies in a sex game gone wrong. His murder is part of a web of lies, passions, and espionage -- all connected to a desperate attempt to keep a new and deadly atomic weapon out of the hands of the Germans during the early years of World War II. Four women find themselves trying to smuggle a brilliant scientist and his nuclear research away from the Nazis. Superbly narrated by Ellen Archer, "The Alibi Club" by Francine Mathews is a deftly written historical espionage thriller that combines fiction and facts arising from an obscure but real-life incident from the war. Enthusiastically recommended listening for mystery/suspense fans, "The Alibi Club" is a complete and unabridged nine hour audiobook in a library edition that makes it an ideal acquisition for community library collections. "The Alibi Club" is also available in a trade edition (1400103134, $34.99, 8 CDs) and an MP3 format (1400153130, $24.99, 1 CD).

Blooding at Great Meadows
Alan Axelrod, author
David Drummond, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
9780786168668, $72.00 www.BlackstoneAudio.com 1-800-729-2665

Written by historian and creative consultant to television documentaries David Drummond, Blooding at Great Meadows is the unabridged audiobook version of the true story of George Washington long before he was the leader of the American Revolution and father of our country. Blooding at Great Meadows examines George Washington as a twenty-two year-old lieutenant colonel, who led four hundred American militiamen against a larger, more experienced French army and paid a steep price for the effort. Washington lost a third of his men, and the Battle of Great Meadows ignited the French and Indian War. In the crucible, Washington forged his intellect, his tactical skill, and his spirituality, all of which would be put to test in the future. Read by David Drummond, Blooding at Great Meadows is an amazing scrutiny of life-shaping events in a legendary national leader, highly recommended. 7 CDs, 9 hours.

The Good Guy
Dean Koontz, author
Richard Ferrone, narrator
Books On Tape, Inc.
400 Hahn, Westminister, MD 21157
9781415936351, $110.00 www.booksontape.com 1-800-541-5525

The Good Guy is an unabridged audiobook of Dean Koontz's suspenseful novel. When ordinary bar patron Timothy Carrier is mistaken for the wrong person - a hired killer - he is given ten thousand dollars and the photography of a woman marked for death. Shortly thereafter the assassin he was mistaken for sits next to him, mistaking him for the client, and Tim thinks on his feet, saying "I've had a change of heart. You get ten thousand - for doing nothing. Call it a no-kill fee." Following the apparent assassin out of the tavern, Tim discovers that the assassin is a cop! The relentless intrigue deepen in this extraordinary mystery, and the race to protect an innocent life from a ruthless murderer is on. Tim must discover his inner resources and the quality that can transform an ordinary man into a hero - into The Good Guy. Chillingly read by Richard Ferrone, The Good Guy is an audiobook to keep the listener on the edge of their seat to the very end. 8 CDs, 9 hours 18 minutes.

Never Better
Garrison Keillor
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220, Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781598870947, $24.95 www.highbridgeaudio.com 1-800-755-8532

Never Better: Stories from Lake Wobegon is a compilation of ten new stories from live radio broadcasts of "A Prairie Home Companion", the popular, gently humorous show by Garrison Keillor. From the mighty effort of the girls' volleyball team to the migration of turtles to a reflection upon 2006 Christmas and how the most hardcore of traditionalists seem to be children, listening to Never Better is a truly heartwarming experience, sure to stir up fond memories of home and hearth. Highly recommended. 2 CDs, 2 1/4 hours.

Play Dead: A Novel
David Rosenfelt, author
Grover Gardner, narrator
Listen & Live Audio
PO Box 817, Roseland, NJ 07068
9781593160975, $29.95 www.listenandlive.com 1-800-653-9400

Novel and screenplay author David Rosenfelt presents Play Dead: A Novel, now in a complete and unabridged audiobook version narrated by award-winning voice actor Grover Gardner. Attorney Andy Carpenter is a golden retriever's best friend, and when he dares to appeal a golden retriever's death sentence, he discovers that the gentle dog is a key witness to a murder from five years ago. Andy must put his legal knowledge and persuasive oratory to the test in order to convince a disbelieving judge to accept canine testimony and free an innocent man from jail. At the root of the mystery is a threat to both dog and man, in this sensationally suspenseful audiobook especially recommended for golden retriever aficionados. 6 CDs, 8 hours.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com 1-800-854-7859

Nora Roberts' BORN IN SHAME (1423332741, $29.95) and BORN IN ICE (1423332725, $29.95) are powerful components of the 'Born in' trilogy: both receive the fine voice of Irish narrator Faicre Douglas. BORN IN ICE is the second book, telling of one Brianna Concannon who runs a bed and breakfast and hides her heart from the world – until mystery writer Grayson Thane form America arrives to break her self-imposed isolation. BORN IN SHAME tells of Shannon Bodine, a graphic artist whose live revolves around a prestigious New York City job. She, too, has no time for romance – but when she learns the identity of her real father, she journeys back to Ireland, there to meet both a new family and a possible romance. These are fine romance novels perfect for any audio collection where patrons choose romances. Emma McLaughlin and Nicola Kraus' DEDICATION (142334023X, $34.95) receives Ashley West's fine background as a New York actress starring in off-Broadway fame, with a voice which lends passion and excitement to this story of Kate, whose ex-boyfriend is a famous musician – famous for his songs about Kate. Their reunion will lead Kate to confront her past at last. Paula Wall's THE WILDE WOMEN (1596000848, $34.95) receives veteran Susan Ericksen's smooth voice and stage and screen background as it tells of sisters who have a taste for mischief and bad men. When one sister cheats with another's man, trouble begins which will lead to changes and danger. Eric Jerome's DICKEY (1596000139, $36.95) receives veteran actor Dion Graham's experienced and lively voice as it tells of one Gideon, part of a jet-setter world dominated by women, money and danger. Revenge and contract killing are part of a world motivated by women – until two mysterious strangers lead him to face his destiny. Steven Callahan's ADRIFT: 76 DAYS LOST AT SEA (1423336429, $29.95) is narrated in the author's own voice which lends a gripping high drama to the true story of a shipwreck and survival at sea. ADRIFT was an astonishing memoir in book form: in audio it brings to life every chilling moment of experience in a harrowing, gripping tale.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com 1-800-854-7859

Sandra Brown's BEST KEPT SECRETS (1423324838, $38.95) receives veteran Dick Hill's skilled narrative style which pairs well with the vivid story of Alexandra, an attorney who sets out to avenge her mother's scandalous death. She's narrowed the suspects to one of three powerful men – each charming and reclusive about his past. Her investigations will probe at the heart of not only their lives, but her own past and her mother's realities which all come to life in a dramatic audio account. Elizabeth Lowell's FORGET ME NOT (1423323912, $34.95) receives veteran Laural Merlington's strong professional acting voice and background as it tells of Alana Reeves, whose amnesia masks a terrible tragedy in her past. A man has now appeared to shake loose those memories – he's arrived to make Alana see truths and heal – and she finds herself compelled to follow him to the darkest corners of her heart in this warm romance. Book eight of the 'Pilgrims of Rayne' series by D.J. MacHale, PENDRAGON (1597372935, $29.95) receives William Dufris' long-time background as a London audio narrator, lending a strong voice and personality to the ongoing saga of Bobby Pendragon, recommended for prior series fans and audio listeners. Here Bobby arrives on a tropical paradise world to uncover clues about the world's happy nature – until he discovers that happiness actually hides oblivion. The leaders are keeping a terrible secret from their people – and a healthy dose of subplots and action keeps PENDRAGON moving quickly to satisfying twists and turns of plot. Kate White's LETHALLY BLOND (1423334493, $34.95) receives Renee Raudman's fine acting voice and background performing on film, television, radio and stage as it tells of sleuth Bailey Weggins, crime journalist who finds herself involved in a dangerous search for a vanished actor. Her probe will take her in the middle of a dangerous story where she finds herself also in danger – just as she's struggling with a crush. Deepak Chopra's BUDDHA: A STORY OF ENLIGHTENMENT (1423312260, $34.95) is read by the charismatic author and new age leader himself and provides a biography of a young prince who abandoned his inheritance to discover his spiritual nature. Buddha is seen today as an icon of peace, but his life story was filled with conflict – and comes to life here, in a vivid listen. Ken Follett's EYE OF THE NEEDLE (1423328612, $38.95) receives a lively full cast reading with all the life of a radio show, and tells of an enemy spy who holds the key to the ultimate Nazi victory. Only an isolated Englishwoman's love stands in his way in this vivid story of war, romance and drama. Debbie Macomber's BACK ON BLOSSOM STREET (1423305116, $36.95) tells of a new flower shop packed not only with blossoms, but romances gone awry, friendships between women, and more. It's at Lydia's knitting class that solutions evolve – and veteran Laural Merlington's professional background spices these vivid accounts. David Morrell's SCAVENGER (1423329872, $34.95) receives veteran classically trained stage actor Patrick G. Lawlor's vivid reading style, which brings to life the high-tech hunt for a 100-year-old time capsule – a hunt spiced by fear and danger. Any interested in audio stories of high intrigue and danger will love the drama here. Dale Brown's STRIKE FORCE (1423324277, $39.95) benefits from Christopher Lane's extensive experience narrating over a hundred audiobooks, which lends a high drama and action to this story of the battle for control of Iran – which begins in space. With the setting of an Iranian civil war affected by top-secret U.S. space plans, military and political tensions escalate in a vivid story of a Middle East on fire. All these are excellent leisure listening audio picks.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Mosaic Applique
Lorraine Carthew
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329155, $22.95 www.americanquilter.com

Ten patterns for mosaics ranging from a cat to a dragonfly or a flower come with three pull-out pattern sheets, fabric tips, and details on applique techniques, fused borders and more. MOSAIC APPLIQUE is a fine choice for quilters who want to add applique designs to quilting projects: it comes from an Australian quilters who has designed her own fashions and who here provides easy steps to unique creations. Quilters seeking an introduction to mosaic techniques will find this an easy, eye-catching pick.

Quilting a Patchwork Garden
Lynette Jensen
Landauer Books
3100 NW 101st Street, Urbandale, IA 50322
9781890621629, $27.95 www.landauercorp.com

Sixteen quilts, pillows and interior embellishments presented in the project guide QUILTING A PATCHWORK GARDEN are inspired by garden settings and provide all levels of quilters with easy step-by-step instructions, color photos, and inspiring new ideas designed by the author for Thimbleberries. From full-sized patterns and familiar blocks to innovations on seasonal themes, QUILTING A PATCHWORK GARDEN is a top pick.

Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue, NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale.com 1-800-426-3126

Jenny Wilding Cardon's The Little Box of Baby Quilts (9781564776990, $22.95 ) is a set of project cards that can be used to produce inspirational and quick designs for boys and girls. These are portable cards in a box, each holding step-by-step directions, a color photo and templates, and even an introduction to basic techniques for beginners. The quilts use a blend of quick piecing and easy applique techniques. While not appropriate for library lending, they are perfect for the quilter who wants a quick, take-along inspirational project card. Knitters seeking to move to the next level of experience will welcome Rebecca Lennox's KNITTING BEYOND THE BASICS (9781564777416, $27.95), a set of skill-building lessons linked to contemporary projects. Some seventeen projects build upon foundation knowledge and pair patterns and color photos with step-by-step directions for quick and easy learning. Cheryl Potter's SPECIAL LITTLE KNITS FROM JUST ONE SKEIN (9781564777195, $29.95) holds a range of ideas which can be made with just one skein of yarn – from scarves to shrugs, cover-ups, ponchettes and more. Color photos accompany step-by-step instructions and with the focus on temporary styling, knitters will find a range of ideas perfect for not just gift-giving, but for using up leftovers and small stashes of yarn.

Basic Quilting
Sherrye Landrum, editor
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
9780811733489, $19.95 www.stackpolebooks.com 1-800-732-3669

Compiled, edited and arranged by quilting expert Sherrye Landrum, "Basic Quilting: All The Skills And Tools You Need To Get Started" is a fundamental introduction and instruction manual on quilting specifically designed for the novice beginner. Aspiring quilters are provided with expert and seasoned advice on choosing fabrics, batting, backing, thread, and quilt designs. Complete, illustrated, and methodical instructions are given for specific 'novice friendly' projects such as creating a pot holder, making a tote bag, quilting a table runner, and more. With expert contributions by Charlene Atkinson and photographs by Alan Wycheck, "Basic Quilting" is an ideal, spiral bound, instructional manual for anyone aspiring to acquire the basics of quilting that launch them into the creative and valued needlecraft hobby of quilting.

Martingale Company
20205 – 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com

Jennifer Rounds and Catherine Comyns' A DOZEN ROSES: BEAUTIFUL QUILTS AND PILLOWS (9781564776891, $26.95) offers a range of quilt project ideas based on roses, from a sampler or a baby quilt to entire coverlets and matching pillows. Full-page patterns color photos of finished projects, and rose lore embellish a step-by-step guide to materials, cutting, and assembly. Volume 2 of CREATIVE QUILT COLLECTION FROM THAT PATCHWORK PLACE (9781564777737, $24.95) offers eighteen designs culled from the latest That Patchwork Place books to create a synthesis of new and old techniques and styles. From wall displays to lap quilts, strip piecing to applique, and specialty weaves and finishing techniques, here's a primer packed with variety and ideas. Sherrill Kahn's CREATIVE EMBELLISHMENTS FOR PAPER, JEWELRY, FABRIC AND MORE (9781564776167, $27.95) tells how to identify and use dozens of embellishments made from paper, fabric, plastic, clay and more to blend into crafts projects. These can be used for quilts, clothing, journals and a range of crafts ideas, even down to small wall hangings and greeting cards, and offer excellent, easy step-by-step instructions paired with color photos throughout. All are top picks any needlework library will want.

American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.aqsquilt.com

Marie Monteith Sturmer's PAINT A QUILT PATTERNS (9781574329209, $22.95) focuses on stencils and how they can be adapted for applique, embroidery, scrapbooking and other projects. Over sixty stencil patterns are shown in nearly thirty quilt and home decoration projects, can be scaled up or down as needed for size, and are accompanied by full-page color photos of application results. The result will delight any who have wanted to incorporate stencils into a quilting project. Janet Jones Worley's QUILTS FOR ICE CREAM LOVERS (9781574329254, $21.95) provides patterns and ideas for ten quilts based on the author's love of ice cream, making for a fun companion to her prior chocolate theme. From party hats to fat quarter sundaes, QUILTS FOR ICE CREAM LOVERS is packed with innovative designs easy to piece or applique, and celebrates color and patterns. Pam Clarke's QUILTING INSIDE THE LINES: MACHINE & FRAME QUILTING (9781574329223, $24.95) provides insider tips and tricks for using different quilting machines for markless quilting projects. From practicing basic shapes such as swirl, leaf, loop and feather to free-motion quilting, this blend of workbook and sketchpad uses arrows and simple dots to teach how to create and fill blocks and borders with minimal marking. Over a hundred great ideas invites the quilter to try new ideas. Pepper Cory's QUILTING PATTERN COLLECTION (9781574329285, $24.95) is actually a collection of best-selling patterns from QUILTING DESIGNS FROM THE AMISH and QUILTING DESIGNS FROM ANTIQUE QUILTS, completely redrawn and compiled into this new collection. Over six dozen such designs have been resized to make for easier enlargements, reductions and scanning, while tips on how to blend these patterns into continuous lines, using stencils, and more offer both hand and machine quilters a range of options and ideas – and some twenty new designs, too. These are all top choices for any serious quilter or quilting collection.

The Art of Landscape Quilting
Nancy Zieman and Natalie Sewell
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
9780896893146, $24.99 www.fwpublications.com

Landscape quilting techniques have their own demands and special tricks, and here to bring them all to light is The Art of Landscape Quilting, a guide to choosing fabrics, designing, cutting, and painting fabric. Over fifty quilts from the authors' own collections are used to provide directions on producing landscape designs, from ten simple scenes to get started to how-to directions on adding structural elements and customizing results. Color photos throughout make it easy to produce notable polished results with this book as a guideline.

Knit & Crochet Combined: Best of Both Worlds
Monette Lassiter Satterfield
Kalmbach Publishing Company
P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
9780871162403, $19.95 www.kalmbach.com

There are plenty of books on knitting and crochet on the market and seldom do the two meet: except in Knit & Crochet Combined: Best of Both Worlds. Here are some 15 patterns which combine the two methods to produce unique clothing and accessories, offering step-by-step instructions, color photos, and tips which lend to both beginner and advanced users. From a 'basics' guide to materials and stitches to step-by-step directions for blending crochet and knitting styles, KNIT & CROCHET COMBINED is packed with original, new ideas for blending both and any needlework collection will find it a unique, popular pick.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

The Drama Teacher's Survival Guide
Margaret F. Johnson
Meriwether Publishing
Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7710
1566081416, $19.95 www.meriwether.com

Both experienced and beginning drama directors have easy, experience-backed tips on directing from THE DRAMA TEACHER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE: A COMPLETE TOOL KIT FOR THEATRE ARTS. When this book says 'complete' it means it: collections strong in drama will appreciate the range of tips from instructions on organizing tryouts – complete with tryout sheets – to blocking out rehearsals, technical aspects of scene set-up, tips on locating costumes, and more. It's a 'must' for any library which caters to actors or drama teachers.

The Comedy Group Book
Diz White
Smith & Kraus Publishers
76 Ayer Road, North Stratford, NH 03590
9781575254524, $15.95 1-800-895-4331

Award-winning playwright and actress Diz White presents The Comedy Group Book, a practical, step-by-step guide to getting a comedy group off the ground and running. Chapters discuss not only how to perform comedy with panache and charisma, but also how to make money at it - from staying on a tight budget to the power of effective publicity to forming a legal business and obtaining start-up funding and more. Featuring a foreword by Ian Abercrombie (a.k.a. Mr. Pitt of television's "Seinfeld"), The Comedy Group Book is an absolute "must-have" for anyone seeking to professionalize their laugh-getting routine. "Avoid elaborate plots and too much exposition in the story structure of your shows. Don't lose the audience in the first ten minutes because of this. Set up the premise, the characters, and their goal as economically as possible. Do this in as visual a way as you can, and use minimal dialogue. Then cut to the chase and bring on the comedy business as quickly as you can."

The Art of Video Production
Leonard Shyles
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412916752, $64.95 www.sagepublications.com

College-level libraries strong in video production techniques and teachings will find The Art of Video Production serves two purposes: as a classroom text it will offer a thorough grounding in the principles and skills of video production, and as a library reference it teaches not only how to make superior television programs, but how to juxtapose content and values and how to understand what makes for a superior production. Interviews with industry professionals offer analysis and concepts which can be used in all phases of production.


The Business Shelf

High Performance Business Strategy
Ap Eigenhuis & Rob van Dijk
Kogan Page USA
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749450137, $70.00 www.koganpage.com 1-800-232-0223

Specifically co-written and designed as an instruction guide for senior management on identifying and analyzing weak points in their business operations and addressing problems associated with staff and business performance by Ap Eigenhuis (a former Senio Vice President of Human Resources at Unilever and founder of Applico HR Consultancy) and managerial consultant Rober van Dik, "High Performance Business Strategy: Inspiring Success Through Effective Human Resource Management" offers guidance on creating individualized programs employing proven managements strategies and techniques to enhance productivity and performance. Based on illustrative real0-world examples, corporate business managers will learn how to create higher levels of employee engagement and commitment, build effective work teams, compelling communicate their vision and values; coach for improved management and team performance; and create a corporate climate conducive to organizational achievement and success. "High Performance Business Strategy" is very strongly recommended reading for MBA students in general, and corporate managers seeking to improve their company's performance in particular.

Fun Works
Leslie Yerkes
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery St,, Suite 650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
1576754081, $19.95 www.bkconnection.com

FUN WORKS: CREATING PLACES WERE PEOPLE LOVE TO WORK appears in its second updated, expanded edition to explore connections between work and fun. The original book detailed how eleven different companies blended fun into the course of business for improved results: this revised second edition includes follow-up interviews with all the companies in the first edition to see how they have maintained a fun environment in the face of recession, 911, and natural disaster alike. All the original eleven companies featured have continued to thrive – largely because of their 'fun and work' atmosphere – and business libraries will appreciate a book which documents a series of real-life success stories.

Your Gut is Still Not Smarter Than Your Head
Kevin Clancy and Peter Krieg
John Wiley Publishers
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780471979937, $29.95 www.wiley.com

YOUR GUT IS STILL NOT SMARTER THAN YOUR HEAD: HOW DISCIPLINED, FACT-BASED MARKETING CAN DRIVE EXTRAORDINARY GROWTH AND PROFITS considers and refutes one of the basics of marketing: the idea of the 'gut instinct' driving innovation. Marketing consultants Kevin Clancy and Peter Krieg here explain how to consider more disciplined, accountable marketing approaches that quantify the 'gut instinct' with measurable facts and analytical tools. Case studies and real-world data blend in a survey of how disciplined marketing beats gut-only thinking and planning, making this a pick for any collection catering to managers.

The Myths of Innovation
Scott Berkun
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596527055, $24.99 www.oreilly.com

How do you know whether a hot new technology will succeed or fail? How does a new technology or commodity enter the mainstream? These and other questions essential to producing thoughtful marketing decisions and approaches are considered in The Myths of Innovation, a history of innovations and how they became successful. Examples come from the history of technology, business and the arts and tell how knowledge converts to commodities. Business managers will find this an important key to understanding and business libraries will find it a popular contemporary approach and pick.

Creative Careers in Photography
Michael Heron
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, Suite 510, New York NY 10010
1581154690, $19.95 www.allworth.com

From fine art photographer to stock agent, architectural photography and more, here's a guide for any photographer who would make a career out of their pleasure. From teaching to becoming a technician or even an equipment retailers, chapters in Creative Careers in Photography: Making a Living With or Without a Camera discuss all the pros and cons of career choices within and alongside the photography industry. Photo tips are also included for further hands-on detail, making this a reference pick for any collection strong in photography and careers choices.

Bullying Bosses: A Survivor's Guide
Robert Mueller, JD
Bullying Bosses.Com
Box 410238, San Francisco CA 94141-0238
9780976829300, $17.50 www.bullyingbosses.com

Plenty of books offer up analysis of managers' bullying behavior and a few include tips on overcoming such individuals – but BULLYING BOSSES: A SURVIVOR'S GUIDE goes step further, discussing underlying politics, political strategy and actions which can help protect against bullying bosses who challenge employees. From building a case to make management see the problem to gathering forces and eliminating isolationist tactics at work, BULLYING BOSSES tells how to overcome a bad situation and is a recommended pick for any serious business book collection.

Lower Your Taxes – Big Time!
Sandy Botkin, CPA, Esq.
McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, New York NY 10121
007147868X, $18.95 www.mhprofessional.com

The 2007-08 edition of LOWER YOUR TAXES-BIG TIME! Has been named one of the best tax guides for small businesses, so any library catering to small business owners seeking only a few select guides must have this reference. It comes from a CPA and former IRS attorney, has been updated to include the latest tax laws and changes, and covers everything from travel and home business expenses to taking advantage of fringe benefits and 'IRS bulletproofing' them to survive any auditor's eye. From income shifting and car expenses to considering the best corporate structure for a business, LOWER YOUR TAXES-BIG TIME is easy to understand and structured to take full, legal advantage of deductions often missed by small business owners.

Coolhunting
Peter Gloor & Scott Cooper
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814473865, $24.95 www.amacombooks.org

COOLHUNTING: CHASING DOWN THE NEXT BIG THING is a key to identifying and capitalizing on trends, and is a reference any serious business library will find contemporary and important in its topic and approach. What is cool? Businesses receives tips on identifying what is presently cool and what desires will evolve from present trends. Chapters show how to identify new ideas which will spark new trends, from identifying people responsible for such ideas to anticipating and building a business model around it. Businesses seeking to capitalize on 'cool' ideas will want this.

Make Your Contacts Count
Anne Baber and Lynne Wayman
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814474020, $14.95 www.amacombooks.org

Meeting and keeping a network of contacts to further a career is a basic tip for any upward-bound businessperson – but few titles spell out exactly how to achieve this goal. MAKE YOUR CONTACTS COUNT: NETWORKING KNOW-HOW FOR BUSINESS AND CAREER SUCCESS offers business libraries and upward-bound career seekers step-by-step tips for creating, cultivating and using networking opportunities. From professional memberships and networking events to checklists and questionnaires for fine tuning, this updated edition offers new case studies and expanded advice on how to use business networks. A 'must' for any library catering to business readers.

122 Ways to Build Teams, 2nd Edition
Carol Searce
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412944595, $29.95 www.corwinpress.com

While the second updated edition of 122 Ways to Build Teams is written with schools in mind, it's reviewed here in our 'Business Books' area for its wealth of information suitable for any team-building endeavor. From designing an initial agenda and creating productive team-building conferencing to codes of conduct, unearthing leaders within teams, and using processes in classroom and teaching settings, 122 WAYS TO BUILD TEAMS is a 'must' for not just schools, but for any serious business pursuit.

The Complete Guide to Securing Your Own U.S. Patent
Jamaine Burrell
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9780910627054, $29.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Any law or business library needs The Complete Guide to Securing Your Own U.S. Patent: A Step-by-Step Road Map to Protect Your Ideas and Inventions. It comes with a companion cd-rom and packs in details on patenting inventions, translates law to layman's terms, and is written for inventors who want to save on legal fees by following the process themselves. From establishing copyright and doing a search of records to applying for the patent and protecting it, this is a top, easy reference which public, law and business libraries alike will find important.

Don't Take the Last Donut
Judith Bowman
Career Press
Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1564149293, $19.99 www.careerpress.com

DON'T TAKE THE LAST DONUT: NEW RULES OF BUSINESS ETIQUETTE is an important pick for any who would understand the protocols of business, from making a proper business introduction and creating a good first impression to handling small talk, conferences, and email. It's an important pick for any business library and also for any college-level library where students are entering the work world for the first time, covering all the latest basics of business etiquette and standards.

Private Label Strategy
Nirmalya Kumar and Jan-Benedict E.M. Steenkamp
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
1422101673, $35.00 www.HBSPress.org 1-800-668-6780

Marketing professors Nirmalya Kumar and Jan-Benedict E.M. Private Label Strategy: How to Meet the Store Brand Challenge, a tell-it-like-it-is expose of how the old days of packaging generic brands in white wrapping and black lettering have passed. Today, the once-powerful brand manufacturers find themselves in direct competition for shelf space with the chains that are their biggest customers, like Tesco and Wal-Mart. Too many companies are still building their strategies around outdated myths that Private Label Strategy debunks. Chapters of Private Label Strategy cover how to compete on price with private labels, how to compete on quality with premium store brands, how to use private labels to maximize retailer profitability, how to cultivate innovation, and much more. "The financial community, of course, presses companies to be specific on the anticipated numbers because it makes the work of the analysts easier. But it may not be wise to play along with this game. For example, Nestle has a policy of not promising specific financial targets but instead articulating its strategy and letting analysts do the work of computing the expected numbers." An absolute "must-read" for anyone involved in branding responsibilities or branding strategy.

The Taboos of Leadership
Anthony F. Smith
Jossey-Bass, Inc.
989 Market Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
978-0-7879-9582-9, $24.95 www.josseybass.com 1-800-225-5945

"The Taboos Of Leadership: The 10 Secrets No One Will Tell Your About Leaders And What They Really Think" by Anthony F. Smith (co-founder and managing director of the Leadership Research Institute -- one of the nation's leading management consulting firms specializing in leadership development and assessment) identifies three principle areas of leadership skills and behaviors that are not usually open to discussion. These are 'taboos' of persuasion, position, person and range from the double standards of leaders, leadership by charisma, the political aspects of leadership, the leadership qualities of women, the existence of favoritism and nepotism with respect to leadership, manipulation by leadership, and the role of credibility in establishing and maintaining leadership. Articulate, informative, superbly organized and presented, "The Taboos Of Leadership" is very strongly recommended reading for anyone holding or being considered for a leadership role in an organization, agency, or business whether in the private or the public sector.

Competing on Analytics
Thomas H. Davenport
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422103326, $29.95 www.HBSPress.org

Business information can and should be used to outthink rivals, and there's no better way to outthink them than by using analytics to make decisions. COMPETING ON ANALYTICS: THE NEW SCIENCE OF WINNING argues that leading companies do more than just gather data – they are building company strategies around it by using analytics – sophisticated statistical analysis and predictive modeling supported by information technology. This book covers all the basics of using analytics to foster business and is a pick for any serious business library.

Manager's Guide to Improving Workplace Performance
Roger Chevalier
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814474187, $19.95 www.amacombooks.org

What separates good managers from ordinary ones is their ability to work with employees to fix problems and boost productivity, and Manager's Guide to Improving Workplace Performance is right up the alley of any who would move to this higher next level in management, creating a step-by-step approach to handling employees for optimum results. From using coaching tools and applying the Situational Leadership Model to team members to handling individuals, Manager's Guide to Improving Workplace Performance helps managers identify problems and pair them with tested solutions, making this a pick for both practicing managers and any business library catering to them.

Brandjam
Marc Gobe
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, Suite 510, New York NY 10010
1581154682, $24.95 www.allworth.com

Brands today must shift from commodity status to associations with emotion and inspiration – thus 'brandjamming', a metaphor Marc Gobe uses to support the idea that brands which succeed best connect with culture and emotions. Chapters tell how to encourage collaboration, innovation and intuition to support 'brandjamming', drawing on the author's vast experience as CEO of one of the world's top ten brand image creation firms. College-level students of business will find this real-world perspective goes beyond theory to create a foundation of standards and basics essential to re-vamping the brand association process, making BRANDJAM: HUMANIZING BRANDS THROUGH EMOTIONAL DESIGN a top pick.

Nolo's Quick LLC, 4th Edition
Attorney Anthony Mancuso
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
1413305652, $29.99 www.nolo.com

Most in business have learned the term 'limited liability company' – but few know what this means, let alone how to tailor a business as a LLC and to understand if and when such a structure would apply. NOLO'S QUICK LLC, 4TH EDITION provides all the basics to operating an LLC, from choosing different structures and understanding differences between a LLC and a corporation to handling legal and tax paperwork. The result is an excellent manual
essential not only to business owners, but to business libraries seeking an easy yet comprehensive reference.


The Military Shelf

The General and His Daughter
Barbara Gavin Fauntleroy
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823226870, $27.95 www.fordhampress.com 1-800-247-6553

THE GENERAL AND HIS DAUGHTER: THE WARTIME LETTERS OF GENERAL JAMES M. GAVIN TO HIS DAUGHTER BARBARA provides an excellent portrait of the American experience in World War II, telling of a commander who at the age of 37 became the 82nd Parachute Infantry's commanding general, and the youngest to become a major general since the Civil War. His letters were written from the field to his nine-year-old daughter Barbara and provide plenty of 'you are there' insights into the realities of combat. It's a 'must' for any serious, in-depth World War II collection, especially libraries specializing in memoirs and writings from participants.

Sinking the Rising Sun
William E. Davis
Zenith Press
c/o MBI Publishing Company
380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
076032946X, $25.95 www.mbipublishing.com 1-800-458-0454

SINKING THE RISING SUN: DOG FIGHTING AND DIVE BOMBING IN WORLD WAR II comes from a Navy fighter pilot and is a pick recommended for any World War II specialty library specializing in memoirs and first-person experiences. Bombing experiences over the Pacific are recounted by one whose squadron shot down nearly two hundred enemy planes while losing only two of their on in aerial combat. A gripping memoir.

The Day of Islam
Paul L. Williams
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, New York NY 14228-2197
9781591025085, $25.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE DAY OF ISLAM: THE ANNIHILATION OF AMERICA AND THE WESTERN WORLD comes from an investigative reporter whose prior books on Bin Laden and Al Qaeda have probed the foundations of terrorism. This broader, wider-ranging survey reveals the potential for nuclear terrorism on US soil and connections between Al Qaeda and organized crime and illegal immigrants, providing new insights on terrorism in Pakistan and other countries and probing the radical Muslim dream of seeing the Western world collapse as part of Allah's plan. An eye-opening, frightening survey evolves which is a recommended pick for any library strong in terrorist investigations.

Gatekeeper: Memoirs of a CIA Polygraph Examiner
John F. Sullivan
Potomac Books Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166-2012
9781597970457, $27.95 www.potomacbooksinc.com 1-800-775-2518

Author John Sullivan was a polygraph examiner for over thirty years, conducting more such tests than anyone in the history of the CIA's program. What makes his story exceptional is his explanations of how lie detectors are used to identify unsuitable applicants, possible foreign agents, and others guilty of misconduct from harming the Agency. His methods, the psychology behind polygraph testing and results, and the tests which enabled Sullivan to uncover double agents, applicants with criminal backgrounds, and more makes for exciting case histories and also offers military libraries insights into the CIA's internal workings and quality control measures. An intriguing, unusual survey which moves beyond 'memoir' status to examine the foundations of CIA quality and strengths.

Amongst Immortals Raging: Gettysburg's Third Day Begins
Marshall Conyers
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
9781589804685, $19.95 www.pelicanpub.com

AMONGST IMMORTALS isn't your usual military history, but a collection of prose poems written to capture the third day of Gettysburg. All poems are written in the first person in the midst of battle, using impressions of the minds of leaders and soldiers to bring the Gettysburg experience home. A unique approach and recommendation for any Civil War library.

Combating Proliferation
Jason D. Ellis & Geoffrey D. Kiefer
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801886260, $25.00 www.press.jhu.edu 1-800-537-5487

Many social and political challenges are involved in combating proliferation of weapons, from analyzing intelligence data for accuracy to understanding how technology transfers and how security policies are directed and implemented. COMBATING PROLIFERATION: STRATEGIC INTELLIGENCE & SECURITY POLICY comes from two specialists who analyze trends in the collection and applications of intelligence data, providing hard-hitting chapters questioning the accuracy of both data and methods used to compile and scrutinize it. Both college-level military and political science holdings will find this a key addition promoting understanding, debate, and classroom discussions.

Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, Suite 806, New York NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com

Gordon L. Rottman's SOVIET FIELD FORTIFICATIONS 1941-45 (9781846031168, $16.95) tells of one of the largest Soviet defensive operations in history, which embraced fortifications in forests, swamps and cities alike. From trenches and bunkers to weaponry positions, SOVIET FIELD FORTIFICATIONS is a pick for any serious, in depth military collection. David Fletcher's BRITISH MARK IV TANK (9781846030826, $15.95) tells of the Mark IV tank which worked against the Germans from 1917 to the end of World War I. It charts the first tank-versus-tank actions against the Germans, British technology, and displays rare footage of the Mark IVs used against the Allies. An excellent addition to any serious, in-depth World War I collection. Gregory Foremont-Barnes' THE INDIAN MUTINY 1857-58 (9781846032097, $14.95) adds to the 'Essential Histories' multi-volume history of war which focuses on war as seen from political, cultural and individual perspectives alike. In the mid-19th century India was the focus of Britain's international and commercial power – its most important colony – but in 1857 there was open rebellion. First-hand source material and the latest research explains why the armies rose up against Britain, strategies used on both sides, and more. D. Nicolle, J. Haldon and S. Turnbull's THE FALL OF CONSTANTINOPLE: THE OTTOMAN CONQUEST OF BYZANTIUM (9781846032004, $24.95) is a pick for any collection strong in early history, particular of the Roman Empire era. It follows the fall of the Roman Empire in general and Byzantium's eight-century struggle for survival. Constantine's powerful central city and its amazing wall system fell to the Turks during a massive siege train against the city, which held out for four months until Turkish artillery succeeded in destroying it. It's a powerful survey not to be missed. SHERMAN'S MARCH TO THE SEA 1864: ATLANTIC TO SAVANNAH by David Smith (9781846030352, $18.95) tells of a grueling march – nearly three hundred miles – in which the army lived off the land and destroyed all war-making capabilities of the enemy. Photos, maps, and art examines the major participants, strategies, and campaigns of the last months of the Civil War, making for a top pick for any military collection strong in Civil War history.

Field Marshal Von Manstein: The Janus Head/A Portrait
Marcel Stein
Helion & Company Ltd.
26 Willow Road, Solihull, West Midlands B91 1UE
1906033021, $59.95 www.helion.co.uk www.amazon.com

Military libraries strong in World War II history, particularly in profiling German military personalities, probably already have casual coverage and mention of von Manstein, largely considered the most outstanding German high commander of the war – but no complete biography of him has appeared in print until now, making Field Marshal Von Manstein: The Janus Head/A Portrait an unparalleled 'must' for any serious military holding. From his political and military achievements to his inhumane policies in Russia and active participation in Jewish slaughters, this book outlines the contradictions in Manstein's psyche and analyzes both his military and philosophical might. A 'must' for any collection going beyond casual World War II analysis.

Navy: An Illustrated History
Chester G. Hearn
Zenith Press
c/o MBI Publishing Company
380 Jackson Street, Saint Paul, MN 55101-3885
0760329729, $29.95 www.mbipublishing.com

In 1775 a new Congress formed what would evolve into one of the world's greatest military organizations: the US Navy – and NAVY: AN ILLUSTRATED HISTORY celebrates this, using paintings, photos, and maps to trace the evolution of the Navy during the wars it fought. Both black and white and color illustrations, from photos to artistic representations, make NAVY an excellent survey – and it comes from a military historian who has already written several Navy history books. It's an excellent choice for any military library and for any general-interest collection seeking an accessible, lively format documenting Navy strengths and evolution.

America's Fighting Admirals
William Tuohy
Zenith Press
c/o MBI Publishing Company
Galtier Plaza, Suite 200, 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
0760329850, $25.95 www.zenithpress.com 1-800-458-0454

The American naval actions of the second world war were some of the most dramatic in the history of sea warfare, taking place over the Atlantic and Pacific oceans alike with an admiral overseeing each action and battle. The battles are here described from the perspective of American admirals who fought them and comes from a World War II navy veteran who not only covers all major campaigns and admiral leaders, but analyzes strategy and decision-making challenges during battle. Serious World War II military collections, particularly those with strong naval history sections, need AMERICA'S FIGHTING ADMIRALS: WINNING THE WAR AT SEA IN WORLD WAR II.

Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South Suite 806, New York NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com

US AIRBORNE DIVISIONS IN THE ETO 1944-45 (9781846031182, $23.95) joins others in the 'Battle Orders' series, discussing the mechanics and operations involved in delivering entire divisions to battlefields behind enemy lines via parachute and glider. Chapters survey the organization and operational history of these units throughout the war from 1944-45, charting their missions, details of their deployment and equipment, and military strategies alike. Two new to the 'Elite' series surveying elite forces and units are Richard Doherty's THE BRITISH RECONNAISSANCE CORPS IN WORLD WAR II (9781846031229, $17.95) and Gordon L. Rottman's VIETNAM AIRMOBILE WARFARE TACTICS (9781846031366, $17.95). BRITISH RECONNAISSANCE provides a history of the combat service and organizational structure of the 'Recce' Corps whose units provided mobile support to the British infantry divisions during the war. They were the forerunners of the battle, locating enemies, screening flanks, and engaging in early battle: chapters survey their strategies and battles and include rare photos from private collections. VIETNAM AIRMOBILE WARFARE TACTICS comes from an Army veteran of Vietnam and explores the equipment and capabilities of the US Army and Marine Corps helicopter and air units during the war. The narrowed focus allows for a thorough exploration of the machinery and methods used in Vietnam and is essential for any serious history covering the Vietnam War. The 'Osprey Aircraft of the Aces' series expands with John Weal's MORE BF 109 ACES OF THE RUSSIAN FRONT (9781846031779, $20.95) which considers the achievements of individual pilots of the BF 109: some 120 of them. The majority of these pilots have been largely forgotten as individuals: MORE BF 109 ACES OF THE RUSSIAN FRONT chronicles their achievements and returns their many amazing victories to the public eye. Douglas C. Dildy's DENMARK AND NORWAY 1940: HITLER'S BOLDEST OPERATION (9781846031175, $18.95) tells of an assault which represented the first joint air-land-and-sea campaign in the history of warfare, and thus marked a turning point not just in one battle, but in military strategy as a whole. The campaign led to Winston Churchill's appointment as British Prime Minister and was a key event beyond the ordinary: as such this history needs a place in any serious World War II or general military bookshelf. New to the 'Men-at-Arms' series is Ron Field's US INFANTRY IN THE INDIAN WARS 1865-91 (9781841769059, $15.95), a survey of the US infantry on the frontier, differing from the usual focus on the US Cavalry. From their daily lives and challenges to key battles, US INFANTRY IN THE INDIAN WARS follows not just strategy or biographies, but the uniforms, equipment and organization of the Infantry forces as a whole. The Fortress imprint title MEDIEVAL RUSSIAN FORTRESSES AD 862-1480 by Konstantin S. Nossov (9781846030932, $16.95) covers a myriad of Russian fortifications which revolutionized fortification-building strategies. From the history of medieval Russian fortresses from their first appearance to their evolution through the 14th century both in Russia and abroad, MEDIEVAL RUSSIAN FORTRESSES will enhance any military or Russian history collection. Dr. Kaveh Farrokh's SHADOWS IN THE DESERT: ANCIENT PERSIA AT WAR (9781846031083, $29.95) will please specialty collections strong in early Persian history or military history. It is unique in that it comes not from a Western perspective but from an academic of Iranian descent who has produced a nonpolitical, complete history of pre-Islamic Iran. Photos display artifacts, weapons and sites while military reconstructions blend in Islamic history and cultural heritage to make for one of the most authoritative histories of the Persian empires to see recent print: a 'must' for any serious college-level collection. Warren Thompson's F-117 STEALTH FIGHTER UNITS OF OPERATION DESERT STORM (9781846031823, $20.95) provides a fine survey of the F-117, developed by Lockheed with Stealth technology to take place as a key component of Operation Desert Shield. Military collections strong on aviation and recent military history will find this a fine blend of pilot experiences and memoirs and technical information juxtaposed by color photos throughout. Nic Fields' ANCIENT GREEK WARSHIP 500-322 BC (9781846030741, $15.95) is for any holding strong in early Greek or military history: it follows the design, development and history of warfare in ancient Greece with a focus analyzing the most potent battleship of its time. Color photos of artifacts and landscape enhance and capture the history. Brett Green's MODELING THE MESSERSCHMITT BF 109F AND EARLY G SERIES (9781846031137, $18.95) adds to Osprey's 'Modelling' series, this focusing on modeling one of the most recognizable fighter aircraft in history. Five different builds across the scales provide material for both beginning and expert modelers and is a 'must' for collections specializing in World War II models.


The Computer Shelf

Designing BSD Rootkits
Joseph Kong
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro #250, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781593271428, $29.95 www.nostarch.com

Collections strong in web design and programmer's guides know that rootkits have a negative image – but DESIGNING BSD ROOTKITS provides all the information on how to overcome any bad image and problems to develop effective rootkits under the FreeBSD operating system. This instructional is actually a tutorial, so it may also be used in programming classes: it explains how to maintain root access and how to hack Free BSD, using many examples which assume no prior kernel-hacking knowledge. Code is described, analyzed, and linked to real-world scenarios for maximum understanding, making for a perfect programmer's guide.

SOA Using Java Web Servers
Mark D. Hansen
Prentice Hall
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
0130449687, $49.99 www.prenhallprofessional.com

College-level and professional collections strong in Java web programming will find SOA Using Java Web Servers an important reference: it's for advanced users and offers a hands-on guide to complementing web services and Service Oriented Architecture. Chapters cover best-practice design ideas and the latest code samples, explaining mapping strategies and SOA integration processes, surveying packaging and deploying web services components, and including code solutions for common development issues. No SOA collection should be without it!

Addison Wesley
75 Arlington Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
www.awprofessional.com 1-800-428-5331

Tim Boudreau, Jaroslav Tulach, and Geertjan Wielenga's RICH CLIENT PROGRAMMING: PLUGGING INTO THE NETBEANS PLATFORM (0132354802, $49.99 )covers the open-source NetBeans Platform, which can be used to build rich client applications – and it's the first guide for NetBeans IDE 5.0, so no serious Java programming collection should be without it. Java developers receive a guide to advanced NetBeans module development, using proven real-world ideas for building reliable desktop software. From how to create complete rich client applications using the platform to handling plugins, no serious developer's library should be without RICH CLIENT PROGRAMMING. Paul C. Brown's SUCCEEDING WITH SOA: REALIZING BUSINESS VALUE THROUGH TOTAL ARCHITECTURE (0321508912, $32.50) is for any information technology library beyond the beginner's level. Both business and computer collections receive a definitive guide to service-oriented architectures and how they may be understood and implemented. With an emphasis on reasons for common failures, the author draws important connections business managers and IT architects need to know for optimum results. Perfect for setting realistic goals in the business/IT environment.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

XML programmers and database users will find Priscilla Walmsley's XQUERY (0596006349, $49.99 ) a specific, valuable reference which is based on the Xquery 1.0 standards and which offers a basic tutorial on specifications and programming with the query language base. Query writers should have some knowledge of XML basics to use this, and can quickly progress into the 'advanced' category using an overview and tour of Xquery which includes guidelines for working with different types of data and an A-Z reference to the program's functions. Sasha Pachev's UNDERSTANDING MYSQL INTERNALS: DISCOVERING AND IMPROVING A GREAT DATABASE (0596009577, $49.99) provides clear insights into one of the most popular open source codes on the market. It comes from a former member of the MySQL development team, so offers the author's own insights into the program's creation and use, covering everything from communication protocols between client and server to the parser and optimizer that execute SQL commands, advantages and disadvantages of using threads, and more technical insights. Chris Grover, Matthew MacDonald and E.A. Vander Veer's Office 2007: The Missing Manual (0596514220, $34.99) covers the latest, extensive upgrade to the Microsoft Office, Suite: an extensive revamp which makes this 0FFICE 2007: THE MISSING MANUAL a 'must' even for owners of previous Office editions. The basics of Word, Exel, PowerPoint and Access are covered, from the beginnings of navigation using new tools to the basics of working with Word document layouts, Excel spreadsheets, presentations using PowerPoint, and Access' enhanced database capabilities. Serious computer libraries will find these valuable references.

Illustrated Windows Vista Guided Tour
Maran Graphics
Thomson Course Technology
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
1598633201, $24.99 www.courseptr.com

From learning how to use Vista's basic programs such as Photo Gallery and Media Player to working on a network and customizing components, Illustrated Windows Vista Guided Tour offers up an intensely visual style to simplify instructions. This means full color on every page, plenty of screen shots and examples, and a step-by-step tutorial which can't be beat. Any general computer library seeking solid, eye-catching Vista references needs this.

Jboss Seam: Simplicity and Power Beyond Java EE
Michael Yuan and Thomas Heute
Prentice Hall
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
0131347969, $39.99 www.prenhallprofessional.com

Jboss Seam blends EJB 3.0 and JSF components under one framework: for Java developers this means an easier tool for taking full advantage of Java EE web development routines – and for libraries catering to professional Java programmers, it means a top pick which goes further than the Java EE platform itself. From integrating web and data components and pages to creating AJAX and custom UI components and optimizing Jboss Seam, Jboss Seam: Simplicity and Power Beyond Java EE is the item of choice for any serious Java EE programmer.

Simple Computer Transfer and Backup
CA, with Eric Geier and Jim Geier
Wiley Publishing
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780470068533, $24.99 www.wiley.com

Transfer to a new PC without using passwords, preferences or even photos with this book/software packages which can help link an old PC's information directly to a new one. A free copy of the CA Desktop DNA Migrator is included along with instructions on transferring data and a Wizard interface which makes such instructions a snap. From migrating data to backing up files, troubleshooting, and handling a network system, SIMPLE COMPUTER TRANSFER AND BACKUP is a manual no computer user should be without.

Ajax on Java
Steven Douglas Olson
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596101872, $29.99 www.oreilly.com

Web programmers working with Java will appreciate this guide, which tells how to make a Java web application more responsive and dynamic by incorporating new Ajaxian features, from suggestion lists and drag-and-drop modes to producing third-party tag libraries and using Ajax with Struts. The idea is to streamline operations and use Java developer backgrounds to understand Ajax's strengths: AJAX ON JAVA is the place to begin the process, and is a pick for any library strong in web programming topics in general and Java in particular.

Hot-Wiring Your Creative Process
Curt Cloninger
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321350243, $40.00 www.newriders.com 1-800-428-5331

HOT-WIRING YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS: STRATEGIES FOR PRINT AND NEW MEDIA DESIGNERS tells how to recognize and believe in creativity, using inspiration past and present to evaluate work, develop new experimental applications for standard tasks, and more. Any designer who would streamline creativity and develop more efficient work habits will find HOT-WIRING YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS comes packed with tips on how to put into practice an array of creative techniques.

Scaling Software Agility
Dean Leffingwell
Addison-Wesley
75 Arlington Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
0321458192, $42.99 www.awprofessional.com 1-800-428-5331

Agile development practices involving bringing products to market quicker, making it easier to adapt to the rapid changes consumers bring to the software environment, and SCALING SOFTWARE AGILITY: BEST PRACTICES FOR LARGE ENTERPRISES is a key to understanding effective agile methods and how they translate in a business environment. Developers, testers and QA personnel, including managers, will find this an excellent survey of best practices which will prove advanced software libraries with a foundation for understanding the methods and importance of agile routines.

Murach's Java SE 6
Joel Murach & Andrea Steelman
Mike Murach & Associates
3484 West Gettysburg, Suite 101, Fresno, CA 93722
9781890774424, $52.50 www.murach.com 1-800-221-5528

A complete and 'user friendly' instruction manual, "Murach's Java SE 6" is a core textbook that allows the reader to learn the kinds of real-world Java skills they will need in their daily job, and master these skills at their own pace. An 'object-oriented' instructional, "Murach's Java SE 6" will teach the Java student the practical use of business classes, inheritance, and interfaces. As a GUI programming manual, "Murach's Java SE 6" explains how to develop graphical user interfaces which will efficiently handle events and validate data. In the area of data-access, "Murach's Java SE 6" takes the Java student through a step-by-step process on how to develop 3-tier, object-oriented, database applications on a professional level. An illustrated, methodical, comprehensive instruction manual that will prove invaluable for the novice and experienced Java user alike, "Murach's Java SE 6" is a substantial and very strongly recommended student instructional manual and professional reference guide for the Java user.


The Real Estate Shelf

How to Become a Million Dollar Real Estate Agent in Your First Year
Susan Smith Alvis
Atlantic Publishing Group Inc.
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9781601380418, $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Real estate agents who are newly licensed can't afford to miss this guide, which surveys the successful strategies of top seller and creates a business plan from these strategies. Any who want to learn how to begin a real estate business will find plenty of material from agents' personal experiences, paired with lessons from the author's own viewpoint. From handling competition and gaining referrals to setting up Internet marketing and keeping clients close by mailing out reminder cards, any business library catering to real estate agent clientele needs this.

Real Estate Disasters
Tammy Frosch Esponge
Adaly Publishing
1615 Ellerslie Ave., LaPlace, LA 70068
9780978917814, $15.99

Written by New Orleans resident and certified apartment manager Tammy Frosch Esponge, Real Estate Disasters: A Post Katrina Survival Guide for Housing, Property and Insurance Catastrophes is a vivid window of insight into the bureaucratic screw-ups, hurdles, and other problems plaguing New Orleans housing, property, and insurance owners after Hurricane Katrina - and also a spotlight on the positive efforts individuals and communities have infused in an attempt to rebuild what was lost. At times rueful, at times practical, and always informative, Real Estate Disasters examines problems from the viewpoints of both apartment owners and apartment tenants, and searches for solutions as well as pointing out problems. "Jefferson Parish Councilman Chris Roberts proposed that landlords be obliged to hire around-the-clock security if they were accepting federal housing subsidies... apart from the obvious issue that his proposal would tend to stigmatize all people on welfare as criminals, it seemed to us that there was every likelihood that the demands the councilman was making on landlords would just encourage those landlords to stop accepting federal vouchers." An absolute "must-read" for anyone dealing with housing, property, or insurance issues in today's New Orleans, and an insightful resource when preparing or coping with the fallout from property disaster anywhere else in America.

Renting Your Recreational Property for Profit
Heather Bayer
Self-Counsel Press Inc.
1704 North State Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
9781551807331, $15.95 www.self-counsel.com 1-800-663-3007

Written by Heather Bayer (CEO of CottageLINK Rental Management, a cottage rental agency based in Ontario, Canada) Renting Your Recreational Property for Profit is a practical guide to generating income through renting one's vacation home. Accessible to all readers regardless of their individual familiarity with real estate, Renting Your Recreational Property for Profit covers how to market one's vacation home, how to manage property oneself, rental management agencies, a guest guide, and much more. "Once you have a website up and running, you may receive unsolicited calls from a newspaper's advertising department offering highly discounted rates for a series of ads. Before being tempted, figure out how many weeks' rental you would have to sell in order to pay for that advertising - that is, what it takes to recoup the money." An accompanying Windows-compatible CD-ROM filled with templates, worksheets, checklists, and spreadsheets rounds out this handy and useful resource.


The Psychology Shelf

Freud's Wizard
Brenda Maddox
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Groups
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306815559, $26.00 www.dacapopress.com

FREUD'S WIZARD: ERNEST JONES AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF PSYCHOANALYSIS discusses Freud's disciple and colleague who brought the international psychoanalytic movement to London and fostered its spread to the U.S. With so many books considering both Freud's life and theory, it's satisfying to find an adjunct which details a contemporary who had a dramatic impact both on Freud's personal life and in the promotion of his theories. FREUD'S WIZARD is essential for any college-level or general-interest collection that already houses biographies and discussions of Freud: it considers the history and evolution of early psychoanalysis and the man who vastly contributed to Freud's theory's promotion.

Almost Human
Lee Gutkind
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393058670, $25.95 www.wwnorton.com

At the cutting edge of science and technology are discussions over what constitutes a human being, and what elements of humanity may translate into robot functions. ALMOST HUMAN: MAKING ROBOTS THINK is part of this discussion, reflecting the author's investigation into the realm of robotic developments and science and its concurrent search for a language to talk to machines and enable machine/human communications. While ALMOST HUMAN could also have been reviewed in our science section, it's featured here for its challenging insights into the thinking process and how it differs between machine and human.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

10 Steps To Better Living With Diabetes
Ginger Kanzer-Lewis
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
9781580402590, $16.95 www.diabetes.org 1-800-342-2383

A past president of the American Diabetes Association, Ginger Kanzer-Lewis draws upon her more than twenty-five years of experience instructing health care professionals how to teach their patients how to control their condition of diabetes while continuing to enjoy their lives in writing "10 Steps To Better Living With Diabetes". Diabetics must monitor their blood sugar levels, exercise every day, eat healthy, and take their medications properly if they are to enjoy a high quality of life despite their disability which, if left ignored and untreated, could prove life threatening. "10 Steps To Better Living With Diabetes" is characterized by offering solid information in a jargon-free text that makes it ideal for the non-specialist general reader seeking to help themselves and/or a loved one to get the most out of what life has to offer by taking proper care of their diabetic condition. Also very highly recommended for personal and community library Health & Medicine reference collections is "The Diabetes Dictionary: What Every Personal With Diabetes Needs To Know" (9781580402521, $5.95) from the American Diabetes Association providing succinct definitions for more than five hundred terms and concepts (including common abbreviations and acronyms) associated with diabetes.

Cerebrum 2007
The Dana Foundation
Dana Press
900 – 15th Street N.W., Washington DC 20005
9781932594249, $14.95 www.dana.org

Both science and health collections at the college level will benefit highly from The Dana Foundation's CEREBRUM: EMERGING IDEAS IN BRAIN SCIENCE, a compendium of brain research in a yearly anthology representing how prominent neuroscientists and others react to new discoveries about the brain. It's drawn from Cerebrum's Web edition and brings together experts who use lay language to discuss biology, ethics, science, and contemporary issues ranging from hidden memories to issues of understanding 'sin'. An excellent survey, CEREBRUM 2007 will find a place on the shelves of any serious college-level health or science collection.

Ethical Issues in Dementia Care
Julian C. Hughes and Clive Baldwin
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1843103575, $29.95 www.jkp.com

ETHICAL ISSUES IN DEMENTIA CARE: MAKING DIFFICULT DECISIONS is a recommendation for any college-level collection specializing in nursing or health care. It considers the various decisions that are common to caretakers and family members, telling how to handle different perspectives and situations and covering both conscience and patterns of professional ethics and practices. An excellent survey which uses real-life scenarios to analyze the heart of ethical issues in dementia care.

The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome
Tony Attwood
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
1843104954, $35.00 www.jkp.com

Usually books on Asperger's Syndrome address the diagnosis and options for children: The Complete Guide to Asperger's Syndrome broadens the field, using case studies and personal accounts from the author's own clinical experience to cover both adults and children, and all symptoms of the syndrome. From causes and diagnosis to differences in social interactions, perception, and mental health issues, The Complete Guide goes far beyond the usual Asperger's approach and is a 'must' for any serious health reference collection.

The New Rules of Posture
Mary Bond
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
1594771243, $18.95 www.healingartspress.com

THE NEW RULES OF POSTURE: HOW TO SIT, STAND, AND MOVE IN THE MODERN WORLD addresses a common health problem: poor posture. New to Mary Bond's approach is a focus on postural changes combined with attitude realization: it comes from her background as a dancer and a Structural Integration practitioner who teaches movement, and it draws on over thirty years of experience to show how habit and emotional factors contribute to unhealthy posture. Both new age and general-interest public lending libraries will find the focus on health, exercise and ergonomics to be a fine coverage.

The Sun Farmer
Michael McCarthy
Ivan R. Dee
1332 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60622-2694
1566637007, $24.95 www.ivanrdee.com

THE SUN FARMER: THE TORY OF A SHOCKING ACCIDENT, A MEDICAL MIRACLE, AND A FAMILY'S LIFE-AND-DEATH DECISION tells of an Illinois farmer so badly burned in a tractor accident that only his feet were untouched – a tragedy which brought his wife a difficult decision: to allow him to die, or allow doctors to enshroud him in a cocoon of artificial skin. Included in this memoir are insights on the world's first artificial skin, its applications in trauma cases, and the short- and long-term consequences of the accident. THE SUN FARMER charts one family's decisions, course of action, and efforts to survive disaster and is a moving survey any general-interest lending library will want.

Sugar Shock
Connie Bennett, CHHC, with Stephen T. Sinatra, MD
Berkeley Books
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9780425213575, $14.95 www.penguin.com

Eating sugars and carbs can bring on obesity and diabetes – but these are only two problems associated with sugars and carbs: others include heart disease, fatigue, and even mood swings. Author Connie Bennett is a former sugar addict who learned of sugar's other dangers the hard way – and who has been free of her addiction to sweets and simple carbs since 1998. Her journalist background blends with a doctor'' insights to chart all the dangers in SUGAR SHOCK! HOW SWEETS AND SIMPLE CARBS CAN DERAIL YOUR LIFE – AND HOW YOU CAN GET BACK ON TRACK. A fine addition not just for health libraries, but for any general-interest collection.

Guillain-Barre Syndrome
Gareth J. Parry, MB, CHB, FRACP and Joel Steinberg, MD, PhD
Demos
386 Park Avenue South, Suite 301, New York NY 10016
1932603565, $19.95 www.demosmedpub.com

Guillain-Barre Syndrome is a condition in which the body's immune system attacks part of the nervous system, resulting in symptoms ranging from tingling and weakness to paralysis. GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME: FROM DIAGNOSIS TO RECOVERY is co-authored by a survivor of the condition and covers everything from early symptoms and treatment options to diagnostic methods and prognosis. From rehabilitation to acute care and coming home again, GUILLAIN-BARRE SYNDROME is a 'must' for any serious health library.

Cause of Death
Stephen D. Cohle, MD and Tobin T. Buhk
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591024477, $26.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

CAUSE OF DEATH: FORENSIC FILES OF A MEDICAL EXAMINER isn't just for college-level students of forensic medicine: it's a pick for any interested in forensic investigations, which will include many a legal reference collection as well as public library patrons. Chapters from a veteran medical examiner and forensic pathologist document the case histories and real-life challenges of autopsies, pairing detailed autopsy notes with insights on victims, murder methods and more. Perfect not only for health libraries but for law libraries and general-interest collections.

Encyclopedia Of Healing & Aging
Kyriakos S. Markides, editor
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
97814129909495, $125.00 www.sagepub.com 1-800-818-7243

The aging of the baby-boomer generation has propelled geriatric medicine to a priority as 'old age' issues become dominate in terms of personal and national priorities. Compiled, organized and edited by Kyriakos S. Markides (University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston, Texas), "Encyclopedia Of Healing & Aging" is a single 650-page volume of alphabetically presented resources and information covering researches and data on health and aging. More than 230 entries cover the biological, psychological, social, and even economic aspects of health and aging, including their impact upon and within the health care system. Of special emphasis is the focus on geriatrics with respect to syndromes and common diseases associated with the aging process. "Encyclopedia Of Healing & Aging" is an up-to-date reference on a spectrum of aging issues ranging from acute illness, Alzheimers, bereavement, and economic dependency, to health care costs, health promotions, hospice care, long-term care, medications, public policy, quality of live, and widowhood. Included are discussions on landmark studies in aging, as well as such key programs as Social Security, Meals on Wheels, and Medicaid/Medicare. All of the relevant disciplines are represented along with their contributions in gerontology, epidemiology, sociology, medicine, and public policy. International in scope, "Encyclopedia Of Healing & Aging" surveys health and aging issues from Mexico and Canada, as well as Europe, Latin America, Asia, Africa, Australia, and New Zealand. A comprehensive and comprehensive work of impressive scholarship, "Encyclopedia Of Healing & Aging" is as accessible to the non-specialized general reader with an interest in health and aging issues, as it is invaluable for students and professionals working in these fields. "Encyclopedia Of Healing & Aging" is an important and core addition to professional, academic, governmental, and community library Health & Aging reference collections.

Omnigraphics
615 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI 48226
www.omnigraphics.com

Sooner or later most consumers will have foot problems, and to explain the latest research into podiatry health is Ivy L. Alexander, Editor's Podiatry Sourcebook, 2nd Edition (9780780809444, $78.00), a revised sourcebook perfect for both health libraries and general-interest lending collections. The bones, joints, and muscles of the foot are surveyed in easily-accessed chapters which covering everything from conditions relating to growth to foot deformities, neuromuscular diseases, swelling of the joints, and more. Joyce Brennenfleck Shannon's EATING DISORDERS SOURCEBOOK (9780780809482) appears in its second updated edition to cover the basics of eating disorders and their treatment. From bulimia and binge eating to anorexia, EATING DISORDERS SOURCEBOOK outlines the problem, therapies, physical and psychological effects – and includes chapters on healthy ways of controlling weight. These are basic health references any health or general library needs.

Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.healingartspress.com

Robert J. Green Jr.'s NATURAL THERAPIES FOR EMPHYSEMA AND COPD: RELIEF AND HEALING FOR CHRONIC PULMONARY DISORDERS (1594771634, $14.95) shows that alternative holistic therapies from herbs to homeopathy offer relief in coping with COPD's symptoms – and can be blended into the author's comprehensive treatment program, presented here. From dietary changes and nutritional supplements to exercises from aerobics to yoga, a range of alternative therapies are brought into play in a survey alternative health libraries will want. David Winston and Steven Maimes' ADAPTOGENS: HERBS FOR STRENGTH, STAMINA AND STRESS RELIEF (1594771588, $18.95) will appeal into the general interest public library realm with a fine general guide to health, nutrition, and the potentials of nontoxic herbs to help the body 'adapt' to influences which causes fatigue and stress-related disorders. From a historical survey of the uses of these herbs around the world to medical explanations of why and how they work, ADAPTOGENS is a guide many a general lending library needs.


The Interior Design Shelf

The Pantry
Catherine Seiberling Pond
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423600046, $16.95 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439

"The Pantry: Its History And Modern Uses" by author, architectural historian, and former house museum manager Catherine Seiberling Pond is a beautifully illustrated history of how the nature of the 19th century pantry began to change and evolve in the 20th and 21st centuries as American homemakers began to cook more, bake more, buy more, and stockpile more just as architects were designing and building homes that did not have pantries. The result was that 'big-box' items that once would have been stored in a pantry were now regulated to the garage. "The Pantry" offers cogent and persuasive arguments why the pantry should be restored to the contemporary American home as both a functional and an esthetic design element in keeping with the socio-economic and design changes that have affected and shaped the American home which ranges in style from Victorian to 20th Century, and from the great estate to the modern dwelling. While the use of the pantry has evolved, it continues to be an interesting, utilitarian space the combines nostalgia with cutting edge modern ideas for the family kitchen. "The Pantry" also covers what to put in one, food storage solutions, the selections of materials, design and layout, display, decor tips, and more. Of special note is the chapter dedicated to 'Pantries Open to the Public'. Informed and informative reading, "The Pantry" is particularly recommended to the attention of architects, home remodelers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the developmental history of the American home.

Taunton Press
Box 5507, Newton, CT 06470-5507
www.taunton.com

Russell Versaci's CREATING A NEW OLD HOUSE: YESTERDAY'S CHARACTER FOR TODAY'S HOME (9781561587926, $24.95 ) is for any who want the best of both worlds: the conveniences of modern styling with the look of yesterday. Interior and exterior shots of example houses accompany in-depth discussions of particular projects, remodeling challenges, pros and cons, how conversions were scaled and designed, and more. From diagrams of proportions and interior layout to surveys of construction options, CREATING A NEW OLD HOUSE will add to any lending collection already strong in home renovation, remodeling, and options. Marc Vassallo's THE BAREFOOT HOME (1561588075, $30.00) features over twenty house styles which reflect the modern inclination to go barefoot in the house and to live an informal lifestyle. These are homes connected to the outdoors, filled with light, and which make casual living easy: from making a house smaller to heat it more efficiently to considering what style elements lend to a feeling of 'casual', THE BAREFOOT HOME: DRESSED-DOWN DESIGN FOR CASUAL LIVING is packed with ideas. Sarah Nettleton's THE SIMPLE HOME: THE LUXURY OF ENOUGH (9781561588312, $40.00) defines the concept of a 'simple home' and offers interior design tips to achieving satisfaction from a basic home design. This involves eliminating non-essentials and practicing restraint: six avenues to achieving a 'greener' lifestyle from this approach blends full-page color photos with comments on designs which refine and simplify the home – perfect for new students of interior design and homeowners contemplating reconstruction.


The Art Shelf

The Uffizi Gallery Museum
Alexandra Bonfante-Warren
Hugh Lauter Levin Associates
9 Burr Road, Westport, CT 06880
0883635127, $75.00 1-203-227-6422

The Uffizi Gallery is Europe's first and oldest museum founded in 1546 when Cosimo I, the Medici due of Tuscany, envisioned bringing Florence's administrative and judicial entities and most powerful guilds under a single roof. The Uffizi Gallery houses two outstanding collections: The Galleria with masterpiece paintings dating from the 13th to the 19th century (as well as great works of sculpture from classical antiquity); and the Gabinetto Disegni e Stampe, a collection comprised of almost 120,000 drawings and prints. "The Uffizi Gallery Museum" is the story of these impressive collections and is superbly illustrated with more than 300 full-color illustrations combined with an informed and informative text. This is a showcase of the Renaissance that took place in Florence, Italy and has proved to be influential as a resource and example for every generation of artists from its inception down to the present day. No serious academic or community library Art History collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of a copy of "The Uffizi Gallery Museum" by Alexandra Bonfante-Warren.

The Art And Architecture Of Persia
Giovanni Curatola & Gianroberto Scarcia
Abbeville Press
137 Varick Street, Suite 504, New York, NY 10019-1105
9780789209207, $95.00 www.abbeville.com 1-800-343-4499

The collaborative work of Giovanni Curatola (Professor of Islamic Archeology and Art History at the University of Undine) and Gianroberto Scarcia (Professor of Arabic-Islamic Culture History at the University of Venice), "The Art And Architecture Of Persia" is a comprehensive and superbly presented introduction that is as informed and informative as it is visual enhanced with the inclusion of 217 illustrations (188 of which are in full color). Covering both pre- and post-Islamic Persian art, this thoroughly 'reader friendly' coffee table art book traces the artistic develop of ancient Persia and its influence throughout the Middle East and Central Asia. "The Art And Architecture Of Persia" commences with the Achaemenids and the Sasanian (who dominated pre-Islamic Persia) and proceeds down through the centuries covering each successive phase of Persia's traditional traditions. From the needlecraft arts, to metalurgy, to pottery, to monuments, memorials, temples, mosques, and palaces, "The Art And Architecture Of Persia" offers a stunningly beautiful tour of an incredible complex and extended culture. Also very highly recommended for both academic and community library collections is a related title edited by Giovanni Curatola, "The Art And Architecture of Mesopotamia" (9780-7892-0921-4, $95.00, Abbeville Press).

Shine Hanga
Barryh Till
Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
PO Box 808022, Petaluma, CA 94975-8022
9788764940392, $24.95 www.pomegranate.com 1-800-227-1428

from the late 19th through mid-twentieth century, the 'shin hanga' or new print movement flourished in Japan under the influence of Watanabe Shozaburo (1885-1962). This novel and distinctive art form employed a traditional production system that combined the efforts of artists with those of carvers, printers, and publishers who came together to form 'studio teams' to create wood block prints that often included Kabuki actor portraits, landscapes, birds, flowers, and other natural themes familiar to the Japanese. "Shin Hanga: the New Print Movement Of Japan" is a superbly illustrated history of the 'shin hanga' movement while showcasing works by its principal artists. Featuring more than one hundred full color images combined with an impressively informed and informative text, "Shin Hanga" by Barry Till (Curator of Asian Art at the Art Gallery of Greater Victoria, British Columbia, Canada) is a seminal work and very strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Art History and Japanese Popular Culture reference collections.

Michael Taylor: A Geometry Of Meaning
Robert C. Morgan, et al.
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, 74-2 Union Street, Manchester, VT 05254
National Books Network (distributor)
4270 Boston Way, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
1555952623, $60.00 www.hudsonhills.com www.nbnbooks.com 1-800-462-6420

With an informed and informative text provided by art critic Robert C. Morgan (Adjunct Professor of Fine Arts at Pratt Institute in New York City), Tina Oldknow (Curator of Modern Glass at the Corning Museum of Glass in Corning, New York, and William Warmus (former curator of the Corning Museum of Glass and a past editor of 'Glass' magazine), "Michael Taylor: A Geometry Of Meaning" showcases the work and creativity of one of American's true pioneers in glass art. Known for both his technical skills in a demanding artistic medium and his ability to imbue his objects with a kind of metaphysical geometry, this superbly illustrated coffee-table art book covers a body of work that spans 35 years of artistic creativity and excellence. Combining stunningly visual color plates with incisive essays, along with a detailed discussion with Taylor about his prodigious accomplishments (all carried out while he also had an impressive academic career as Professor and Chair of the Glass Department in the School for American Crafts at the Rochester Institute of Technology), "Michael Taylor: A Geometry Of Meaning" is a fitting and highly deserved addition to the American Art History reference collections of academic libraries in general, and the supplemental reading lists for students of Glass Art Studies in particular.

The Silk Road And Beyond
Karen Manchester, editor
The Art Institute Of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603-6110
Yale University Press
PO Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040
9780300124286, $30.00 www.yalebooks.com 1-800-987-7323 1-312-443-3600

A collaborative project of The Art Institute of Chicago and the Yale University Press, "The Silk Road And Beyond: Travel, Trad, and Transformation" is expertly edited by Karen Manchester and features a two-page colored map illustrating the land and sea routes between Europe and Asia from 200 BCE to 1500 CE. Of special note are the icon symbols identifying the locations of ancient cities and archaeological sites of interest. An informed and informative essay by Milo C. Beach introduces readers to the history of the Silk Road and the way in which is fostered a two-way flow of goods, styles, and ideas between East and West. Also featured in "The Silk Road And Beyond" is a conversation between Chicago Art Institute present and director James Cuno and renowned cellist Yo-Yo Mar as they discuss the Silk Road as a metaphor for the circulation of ideas, motifs, and techniques both visual and musical. An extended and beautifully illustrated catalogue section features fascinating entries on forty objects in the Art Institute's collection ranging from ancient Chinese tomb figures to the works of contemporary artists including Lalla Essaydi. "The Silk Road And Beyond" is a beautifully crafted and presented history that would make a fine addition to personal, academic, and community library Art and History reference collections.

Art Office 2nd Edition
Constance Smith & Sue Viders
ArtNetwork
Box 1360, Nevada City, CA 95959
9780940899285, $14.95 www.artmarketing.com

The second updated edition of ART OFFICE packs in some eighty business forms, charts, sample letters and legal documents relating to either established or upcoming artists, helping them get organized and helping to reduce the paperwork involved in an art business. ART OFFICE packs in all the resources needed, from marketing plans and show planners to pricing worksheets, bills of sale, competition records and target market charts. An excellent study recommended for practicing artists at all levels.

Sticker City: Paper Graffiti Art
Claudia Walde
Thames & Hudson
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
050028668X, $24.95 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Graffiti has its poster board roots on city walls, typically – but this worldwide survey documents a new trend: paper works glued to city surfaces. The author is a graffiti artist who traveled around the world surveying street art: some eighty artists' works are profiled in over 7,000 examples of this new 'paper art graffiti, providing both a historical survey and insights into the special demands of the new 'adhesive art' medium. Any art library holding will find this an excellent and unique acquisition.


The Hobby Shelf

Detailing Freight Cars
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890246917, $19.95 www.kalmbachbooks.com 1-800-533-6644

The Kalmbach Publishing Company is a premier publisher of books for model railroading enthusiasts. The newest addition to their 'Model Railroader' series of 'how to' guides is Jeff Wilson's "Detailing Freight Cars". Enhanced with more than two hundred color photographs and informative diagrams, this instruction manual will prove indispensable to hobbyists wanting to add realism and character to their model railroading layouts. With clear and profusely illustrated step-by-step instructions, model railroaders will learn how to add break and underbody details to their freight cars, upgrade couplers and trucks, weathering and painting their freight cars, use accurate decals for placards and markings, replace running boards and body details, and even make realistic freight loads. The techniques featured apply to model railroad layouts in all scales. "Detailing Freight Cars" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to any dedicated model railroad buffs personal reference collection.


The Biography Shelf

When Grownups Play at War
Ilona Flutsztejn-Gruda, author
Sarah Cummins, translator
Sumach Press
1415 Bathurst Street, Suite 202, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5R 3H8
9781894549431, $9.95 www.sumachpress.com

When Grownups Play at War is the true-life childhood memoir of author Ilona Flutsztejn-Gruda, a survivor of World War II in Europe. She was nine years old, a Jew living in Poland, when the German planes began to drop their bombs. Her experiences of terrible horror, desperation, surviving on little, witnessing both the kindness and the murderousness of strangers, have been fluently translated into English by Sarah Cummins. She survived in part by escaping to the Soviet Union with her family, only to witness Communist cruelty and paranoia replace Nazi genocide after the close of the war - even prisoners of war liberated from German concentration camps were at risk for being sent to prison camps in Siberia. A telling story of hardship and coming of age amid ruthlessly trying times, highly recommended.

Inside Intermarriage
Jim Keen
URJ Press
633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017-6778
9780807409664, $15.95 www.urjpress.com 1-888-489-8242

Written by Jim Keen, a Christian father committed to helping his Jewish wife raise Jewish children, Inside Intermarriage: A Christian Partner's Perspective on Raising a Jewish Family is a one-of-a-kind testimony about the unique dynamics of interfaith love, matrimony, and child-rearing. "A friend of mine recently asked me how I decided to give this 'gift' [the decision to raise the children Jewish] to my wife. She wanted to know what were the factors that made this the right choice. I had a hard time answering that one. I finally said that, technically speaking, there wasn't one thing per se that did it. Nothing forced us to decide one way or the other. The only criterion that we had was that we both had to be happy with the resolution. There is no right or wrong answer." Chapters address the author's experience as an outsider to his wife's culture, well-treated but still a "non-Jew", learning to make family connections at the Jewish Community Center, difficult choices during family celebrations of the holidays, particularly in the ubiquitously marketed Christmas season, and much more. "Fortunately, Bonnie's stepmother offered us a refreshing bit of wisdom. She said, 'One day out of the year isn't going to make or break their Jewish identity. It's how you raise your kids as Jews the other 364 days that counts." A fascinating testimony in its own right, and enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone contemplating interfaith marriage or especially interfaith parenting.

Facing the Night
Ned Rorem
Shoemaker & Hoard, Publishers
1400 65th Street, Suite 250, Emeryville, CA 94608
9781593760885, $25.00 www.shoemakerhoard.com

Written by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ned Rorem, Facing the Night: A Diary (1999-2005) and Musical Writings is the latest installment of Rorem's musings on his life in his own words. An eclectic anthology of musings day by day, Facing the covers how Rorem, a gay man, had to cope with the terrible loss of Jim Holmes, his companion of thirty-two years. Overwhelmed with grief, he searched for the path to continue in an ever-turning world, even has his eightieth birthday was celebrated nationwide with concerts and programs as is often done for celebrities. Facing the Night's topics range from the profound matters of life itself, to discussions of nuances in efforts to translate works, to reflections on the myriad dimensions of music and much more. "Music has nothing to do with intelligence, or even with culture - or how do you account for so many educated intellectuals, including major creative writers and painters like Kafka and Picasso, being tone-deaf? Nor does music improve us so much as make us more of what we already are - or how do you account for Nero fiddling while Rome burns, or Nazis playing Beethoven quartets to drown the prisoners' screams? Music is not morality, and many a miraculous musician, starting with Wagner, is no better than he should be. To use music as therapy is to belittle the composer." Highly recommended and eminently readable, a few vignettes at a time or all at once.

Elena Poniatowska: An Intimate Biography
Michael K. Schuessler
University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103, Tucson, AZ 85719-6654
9780816525010, $19.95 www.uapress.arizona.edu 1-800-426-3797

Elena Poniatowska: An Intimate Biography is an amazing window into the life and work of socially conscious writer Elena Poniatowska, a descendant of the last king of Poland, whose voice is best known in Mexico but deserves to be known everywhere else. Written by Poniatowska's friend of fifteen years Michael K. Schuessler, Elena Poniatowska: An Intimate Biography draws upon numerous interviews to reveal a multiplicity of perspectives - from fellow writers, literary critics, her nanny, her mother, and herself - upon Poniatowska's remarkable life and works. 40 black-and-white photographs, an annotated bibliography of Poniatowska's writings including those translated into English and those yet to be translated, and an index round out this "must-have" companion to any college library or literature shelf featuring Poniatowska's work.

Adorno in America
David Jenemann
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
9780816648092, $22.95 www.upress.umn.edu

Written by David Jenemann (assistant professor of English, University of Vermont) Adorno in America is a biography of German philosopher and cultural critic Theodor W. Adorno (1903-1969), who lived in exile in the United States from 1938 to 1953. Drawing upon Adorno's theories and archival materials ranging from Adorno's unpublished writings to FBI files, Jenemann reveals Adorno's experiences in New York and Los Angeles, and proffers not only the Adorno's story, but an evolving perspective on the rise of mass culture and consumerism. An exalting portrait of Adorno as a defender of intellectual democracy, as well as an intriguing portrait of mid-twentieth century cultural shifts, Adorno in America is highly recommended for philosophy and cultural criticism shelves as well as biography shelves.

Distinguished Service
Thomas C. Reeves
Marquette University Press
PO Box 3141, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141
9780874620177, $45.00 www.marquette.edu/mupress

Written by retired history teacher Thomas C. Reeves, Distinguished Service: The Life of Wisconsin Governor Walter J. Kohler, Jr. is an in-depth, studious biography of Walter J. Kohler, Jr. (1904-76) who served as Wisconsin's governor during the mid-twentieth century. Distinguished Service spares no detail, from its recounting of Kohler's genealogy to the meticulous analysis of his life and gubernatorial service to its contemplation of his legacy. An inset section of black-and-white photographic plates and an index complement this scholarly account, especially recommended for public library and biography shelves.

William Randolph Hearst
Ben Protecter
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780195325348, $30.00 www.oup.com

WILLIAM RANDOLPH HEARST: THE LATER YEARS, 1911-1951 presents the second volume in a biography series which follows Hearst's life, and is a pick for college-level holdings which already have the first volume, as well as for college-level collections strong in media or journalism history. It surveys how Hearst built an empire of newspapers in nineteen of the largest cities in the U.S., and how his final forty years strengthened his hold. Previously unavailable letters and manuscripts, along with Hearst's own powerful political editorials, make for a powerful testimony not just to Hearst's life, but to the evolution of the newspaper as a whole, and its political impact on American lives.

The Immortal Marilyn
John DeVito and Frank Tropea
Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Boulevard #200, Lanham, MD 20706
0810858665, $35.00 www.scarecrowpress.com

Marilyn Monroe appeared in barely thirty movies but quickly became a silver screen star: so many books have been written about her life and times it would seem overkill to have yet another – but what makes THE IMMORTAL MARILYN: THE DEPICTION OF AN ICON unique is a focus on her various representations in the performing arts from the 1950s to modern times. Four different modes are identified: each is explored in a series of individual works which reflect her persona, history and image and consider how that image has been supported through fact and fiction. Don't expect your usual light treatment for general-interest audiences: this is scholarly, college-level material perfect for college-level drama and acting collections, especially those with history holdings.

Laughing in the Dark
Chonda Pierce
Howard Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781582296418, $17.99 www.howardpublishing.com

Laughing in the Dark: A Comedian's Journey Through Depression is the true story of comedian, Christian, and depression survivor Chonda Pierce, in her own words. Pierce recovered with help from close friends, therapy, and a Zoloft prescription; she candidly shares her story as affirmation that "depression" is neither shameful nor a sign of faltering faith. Though the author's abiding faith in God is quite evident, Laughing in the Dark is intended for readers of all belief systems. "When your mind has been captivated by the dark for a long time and you finally experience some healing - whether instantaneously through an act of God or gradually through the gift of medicine - you feel liberated... But there's more work to be done. It's like having any other serious, debilitating injury. You're excited when you make it through all the surgeries, but you still have to battle through rehabilitation in order to learn to walk, talk, and feed yourself again." Highly recommended, especially for the personal shelves and reading lists of anyone suffering depression or their friends and families.

Placing the Academy
Jennifer Sinor & Rona Kaufman, editors
Utah State University Press
7800 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-7800
9780874216578, $34.95 www.usu.edu/usupress

Placing the Academy: Essays on Landscape, Work, and Identity is an anthology of memoir essays by a diversity of learned authors reflecting upon their experiences as teachers, students, and young adults experiencing the rites of passage. Essays include "On Frogs, Poems and Teaching at a Rural Community College", "The Blind Teaching the Blind: The Academic as Naturalist, or Not", "Levittown Breeds Anarchists! Film at 11" and much more. At times broadly insightful, at times intensely personal, these vignettes offer a unique, soul-satisfying glimpse of the universal quest to pass on human knowledge, and all the myriad ways in which dedicating one's career to that quest can touch one's life.

Stolen Beauty
Amy Madden
Syren Book Company
5120 Cedar Lake Road, Minneapolis, MN 55416
9780929636740, $14.95 www.syrenbooks.com

Stolen Beauty: Healing the Scars of Child Abuse is the true-life memoir of Amy Madden, a survivor of childhood sexual abuse inflicted on her by her stepfather. Growing up with the shame, hurt, and vulnerability, feeling that the abuse she suffered was her fault, she retreated into a depressed, mistrustful state of despair. The road to recovery was a long and involved process of therapy, study, prayer, and developing strong faith in her own inner strength and spirit - the qualities she once possessed as a child so long ago. An invaluable testimony especially recommended as the experience of a kindred spirit for anyone seeking understanding during their own long journey to recovery from the trauma of abuse.

The True Story of Johnny Appleseed
Ophia D. Smith
Swedenborg Foundation Publishers
320 North Church Street, West Chester, PA 19380
9780877853237, $8.95 www.swedenborg.com

The True Story of Johnny Appleseed is a reprint Ophia D. Smith's classic biographical essay of real-life American man behind the legend. John "Appleseed" Chapman (1774-1845) was known for living in harmony with the wilderness, at peace with Native American tribes, and attuned to the animal kingdom. He was also a shrewd if unconventional businessman, who sold apple tree seedlings and apples to pioneers, and his great passion was for Emanuel Swedenborg's works about heaven, which he cherished so highly that he sought to circulate copies of Swedenborg's writings among pioneers, at his own expense. Small historical-style black-and-white illustrations on virtually every page and endnote updates by William Ellery Jones round out this thirty-nine page excursion into the lifetime achievements of gentle American hero.

Frank, Sammy, Marlon & Me
Eddie Sherman
Watermark Publishing
1088 Bishop Street, Suite 310, Honolulu, Hawaii 96813
0977914380, $22.95 www.bookshawaii.net

Written by longtime showbiz columnist Eddie Sherman, Frank, Sammy, Marlon & Me: Adventures in Paradise with the Celebrity Set is a unique memoir of hobnobbing in Hawaii with the celebrity scene - from the day Frank Sinatra almost drowned in the surf, to a fake brawl that Burgess Meredith staged in a Waikiki nightclub, to good times shared with Elvis, Lenny Bruce, Bette Midler, Muhammad Ali, and many more. Amusing "fast facts" about famous celebrities pepper this collection of good times and behind-the-scenes glimpses into the lives of Hollywood elites. A treasury of amusing anecdotes for celebrity-philes everywhere.

Standing Eight
Adam Pitluk
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306815354, $14.95 www.dacapopress.com

Fans of boxing will find the biography of boxer Jesus 'El Matdor' Chavez inspiring: he grew up impoverished in Mexico, became an illegal worker in Chicago, and learned both English and the boxing skills which would make him a three-time Gold Glove champion in years ahead, eventually arising to win the Lightweight Championship in 2005. His struggles and achievements come to life in an outstanding survey of boxing challenges and immigrant issues alike.


The Cookbook Shelf

Living In The Raw Desserts
Rose Lee Calabro
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
9781570672019, $16.95 www.bookpubco.com 1-800-695-2241

In "Living In The Raw Desserts" culinary expert Rose Lee Calabro has assembled a series of gourmet quality recipes showcasing delicious desserts that avoid the use of wheat, sugar, dairy and eggs, while showcasing such rich sources of healthy eating as organic nuts and fruit. Designed specifically for the growing numbers of people who suffer from food allergies, the easy-to-prepare recipes range from German Mock Chocolate Cake; Heavenly Apricot Torte; Persimmon Candy; and Hazelnut Spice Cookies; to Pistachio Nut Bread; Mango Sorbet; Carob Mousse; Heavenly Rice Pudding; and Pina Colada Pie. Featuring "kitchen cook friendly" instructions, and nicely illustrated with occasional full color photographs, "Living In The Raw Desserts" is a superbly presented cookbook, especially recommended for personal and community library 'kitchen cook friendly' cookbook collections.

Classic Vegetarian Cooking
Habeeb Salloum
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566563987, $19.95 www.interlinkbooks.com

A superbly organized and presented compendium of recipes reflecting vegetarian cuisines from the countries and cultures of the Middle East and North Africa, "Classic Vegetarian Cooking" offers a cornucopia of wonderful dishes showcasing the use of pungent herbs and diverse spices, aromatic stews and soups, falafels and breads, couscous, stuffed grape leaves, greens and vegetables, hummus, pizzas, pies, omelets, pastries and sweets, yogurt drinks and amazing coffees. Many of the recipes have their origins with the peasantry who could not afford meat as a part of their daily diet. In "Classic Vegetarian Cooking" author and culinary expert Habeeb Salloum presents 330 distinctive, gourmet quality recipes that have stood the test of time and taste. To put it simply, any kitchen chef or community library wanting to add elegance to their vegetarian cookbook collection would be well advised to add a copy of Habeeb Salloum's "Classic Vegetarian Cooking From The Middle East And North Africa"!

New Grilling Book
Better Homes & Gardens
Meredith Books
1716 Locust Street, Des Moines, IA 50309-3023
0696228866, $19.95 www.meredithbooks.com

Plastic spiral binding with spine lettering lends to both lay-flat handy use and easy location in a cookbook collection, enhancing the appeal of a new 2nd, updated edition packing in over 800 recipes and well over a hundred color photos to support them. This combination makes NEW GRILLING BOOK exceptional – as does the attention to different types of grills and methods, from charcoal and gas to smokers and indoor grills. From Lamb with Spinach Pesto or Gingered Tuna Kebabs to Raspberry-Sesame TriTip Roast, NEW GRILLING BOOK is a top pick any home griller must have – especially audiences seeking new recipes and innovative ideas.

Black Forest Cuisine
Walter Staib with Jennifer Lindner McGlinn
Running Press
125 South 22nd Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4399
0762421355, $35.00 www.runningpress.com

BLACK FOREST CUISINE: THE CLASSIC BLENDING OF EUROPEAN FLAVORS offers something different to cookbook fans: a focus on German regional traditions and customs, pairing full-page color photos with recipes. From Apple-Walnut Cakes to Meatballs in Caper Sauce, these are appealing, different dishes which blend especially well with the author's own familiarity of German regional cuisine. Any cookbook collection strong in modern European innovations will welcome this.

Easy & Healthy Japanese Food For The American Kitchen
Keiko O. Aoki
Quill Driver Books
1254 Commerce Avenue, Sanger, CA 93657
188495667X, $24.95 www.quilldriverbooks.com 1-800-497-4909

Time-constrained gourmets who appreciate Japanese cuisine while having to eat as healthy as they can will appreciate "Easy & Healthy Japanese Food For The American Kitchen" by Japanese-American Keiko Aoki for the its savory recipes which are as easy to prepare as they are delicious to consume. From Keilo's Miso Soup; to Keiko's Easy Sushi Rolls; to Keiko's Everyday Miso Cod; to Keiko's Original Oven-Baked Chicken Yakitori; to Keiko's Original Healthy Lean Tofu Hamburger, each recipe is nicely organized and presented -- complete with a mouth-watering, full-page, color photograph of the finished dish. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', "Easy & Healthy Japanese Food For The American Kitchen" is an enthusiastically recommended and elegant addition to any personal or community library cookbook collection!

Wild About Turkey
National Wild Turkey Federation
Tradery House
c/o The Wimmer Companies, Inc.
4650 Shelby Air Drive, Memphis, TN 38118
1879958309, $19.95 www.wimmerco.com 1-800-548-2537

Drawn from friends, members, and supporters of The National Wild Turkey Federation, "Wild About Turkey" is spiral-bound hardcover compendium of more than three hundred recipes for preparing and serving the turkey. Once primarily relegated to Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday fare, the consumption of turkey per person in the United States during the last decade has increases some 63%. Now presented is an impressive spectrum of recipes for both wild and domesticated turkeys that will well serve any dining occasion from appetizers, salads, side dishes, and soups, to stir-fries, casseroles, chilies, and main course entrees that roasted, fried, smoked, or grilled. There are even recipes for delicious and memorable deserts! Of special note is the chapter dedicated to 'Hunting the Basics on Turkey' which covers regional turkey species, skinning, thawing, stuffing, roasting, carving, and storing turkey. "Wild About Turkey" is completely 'kitchen cook friendly' and a welcome, recommended addition to any family or community library cookbook collection

INNcredible Cookin'
Editorial Staff
Guest Cottage
PO Box 774, St. Germain, WI 54558
9781930596665, $15.95 www.theguestcottage.com 1-800-333-8122

The newest addition to the outstanding and very highly recommended 'Bed & Breakfast' cookbook series from the Wisconsin-based regional publisher Guest Cottage, "INNcredible Cookin': Favorite Recipes From Louisiana's Best Bed & Breakfast Innes, Cottages & Guesthouses" is a culinary celebration of the best that Louisiana has to offer the informal traveler and vacationer. Beginning with a listing of the participating inns and where in this outstanding compilation they are to be individually found, the reader is also provided with a state map of Louisiana with the location of these inns pinpointed. This is followed by a city-by-city guide to their locations as well. Then the reader is treated to succinct descriptions of Cajun history and cuisine, instructions on 'How to Make a Roux', and an impressive roster of Louisiana's many festivals. The rest of "INNcredible Cookin'" is taken up with a brief description of a particular inn and the step-by-step recipes for one or two of their signature dishes. From White Cream Gravy (Susan's Cottages); to Shrimp Maison Reve (Maison Reve Farm); to Louisiana Redneck Potatoes (Log Cabin on Cane River Guest House); to Cheese Grits (Bayou Saint John Bed & Breakfast); to Raisin Bread Strata with Sausage and Plums (Sully Mansion); to Spinach Madeline (Green Springs Inn and Cottages); to Mardi Gras Vegetable Jambalaya (Nottoway Plantation Restaurant and Inn), "INNcredible Cookin'" offers authentic gourmet quality dishes that are as easy to prepare as they are palate pleasing and appetite satisfying.

Southern Scrumptious
Betty Sims
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0965905306, $19.95 www.frpbooks.com 1-800-269-6839

Opening with 'Tips and Guidelines for Catering Your Own Party', "Southern Scrumptious" by Betty Sims draws upon her more than 30 years of expertise and expertise in cooking, catering, baking, and restaurant ownership to compose what is an ideal combination of instruction manual and cookbook for planning parties and menus for any occasion. Aspiring hostesses are provided with a year's worth of complete menus; invaluable tips for hosts and hostesses; recipes for time-stressed party givers; as well as culinary ideas for spring luncheons, summer picnics, and holiday dining. From Sour Cream Cornbread; Wilted Spinach and Bacon Salad; Baked Ham with Sugar Glaze; and Red Onion Marmalade; to Wisconsin Cheddar Cheese Soup; Chicken Supreme Casserole; Garlic Pickles; and Lemon Poppy Seed Shortbread Bars, "Southern Scrumptious" provides recipes that are elegant, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, gourmet quality, thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly'. Certain to become a favorite menu planning reference, "Southern Scrumptious" is a very highly recommended addition to both personal and community library cookbook collections.

Rick Black's Cabin Cookin'
Rick Black
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
9780811733854, $16.95 www.stackpolebooks.com

Rick Black's Cabin Cookin': The Very Best Recipes for Beef, Pork, Poultry, Seafood, and Wild Game for Dutch Ovens, Skillets, and Grills lives up to its title with step-by-step instructions for outdoor taste sensations. From "Skillet Sloppy Joes" to "Birds Be A-Chirpin' Chili Mac", "Caribbean Cabin Kebabs", "Sunday Morning Spice Cake" and much more, Rick Black's Cabin Cookin' is ideal for campers and outdoorsmen with a taste for seafood, domestic and wild game, all types of vegetables, and anything that can be prepared in heavy foil. A brief introduction and an index round out this compendium, which largely lets its mouth-watering recipes speak for themselves.

Western National Parks' Lodges Cookbook
Kathleen Bryant
North Atlantic Books
1435 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9780873589000, $24.95 www.northatlanticbooks.com 1-800-337-2665

The recipes compiled, organized and presented in "Western National Parks' Lodges Cookbook" by food expert and travel writer Kathleen Bryant are drawn from the menus of fifteen Great Lodges located in ten national parks located throughout the American West. Superbly presented with full-color photography and historical notations about the lodges themselves, the recipes range from Pan-Seared Salmon Tostatas (El Tovar, Grand Canyon National Park); to Navajo Eggplant (Zion Park Lodge, Zion National Park); to Strawberry-Poppy Seed Shortcake with Grand Marnier Whipped Cream (The Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite National Park); to Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad with White Balsamic Vinegar (Timberline Lodge, Mt. Hood National Forest). Each featured and gourmet quality recipe is methodically organized and thoroughly 'kitchen cook' friendly. A fascinating and informative read for anyone interested in America's national park system, "Western National Parks' Lodges Cookbook" is an elegant cookbook that will enhance any family or community library cookbook collection.

Farms & Foods Of Ohio
Marilou K. Suszko
Hippocrene Books, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780781811729, $24.95 www.hippocrenebooks.com 1-212-685-4371

With an informative and inherently interesting background on Ohio farming personalities, including their barns, fields, and vineyards, "Farms & Foods Of Ohio" author and culinary instructor Marilou K. Suszko accompanies her compilation of delicious recipes with stories about the people and places that made them possible. Along with a map of Ohio farms and succinct series of farm histories, the recipes are arranged into categories: Eggs, Milk, & Cheese; Meats & Poultry; Fish & Seafood; Fruits & Vegetables. Of special interest are the chapters on 'Finding a Niche; Vineyards 7 Wineries; Ohio Chefs & Farmers; and 'Save a Farm'. The recipes range from Buttery Shortbreads; Roasted heritage Turkey; Shrimp and Shiitake Mushroom Angel Hair Pasta; and Raspberry Tart in Nut Crust; to a Basil Pesto and Basil Pesto Dipping Sauce; Autumn Salad with Maple Vinaigrette; Markko vineyard Rice Pilaf; and Roasted Root Vegetables. Enhanced with the inclusion of a resource list, a bibliography, recipe credits, and a recipe index, "Farms & Foods Of Ohio" is a welcome and certain to be popular addition to any personal or community library cookbook collection.

500 Appetizers
Susannah Blake
Ronnie Sellers Productions
81 West Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
9781569069769, $14.95 www.makefun.com 1-800-625-3386

Compiled and organized by London-based food writer and editor Susannah Blake, "500 Recipes: The Only Appetizer Compendium You'll Ever Need" truly lives up to its title with a culinary wealth of easy-to-prepare recipes for delicious, palate-pleasing, appetite teasing, offerings that would grace any formal or informal dining occasion. Profusely illustrated with more than 200 photographs, this compact, 288-page cookbook features tips on how to select the right ingredients and how to make each individual appetizer look perfect in its presentation. There is a comprehensive introductory section on preparation and cooking essentials, techniques, equipment, ingredients, conversions, and troubleshooting. Variations for each recipes are also provided. From Mozzarella and Basil Quesadilla Wedges; Garlic Mushrooms; Chili Cheese Straws; and Spiced Carrot Salad; to Caramelized Onion and Anchovy Squares; Chicken Satay with Spicy Peanut Sauce; Roasted Bell Pepper Salad with Mint and Pumpkin Seeds; and Sticky Glazed Pork Ribs, each recipe is gourmet quality, kitchen-cook friendly, and mouth-wateringly delicious. Of special note are the appetizers that are healthy, low-fat and low-sugar snacks ideal for evening soirees. "500 Appetizers" is a welcome addition to any family cookbook collection, but especially recommended for anyone who does a great deal of entertaining in their home.

Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook
Fuchsia Dunlop
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393062228, $29.95 www.wwnorton.com

The tastes and influence of the Hunan region of China are fully explored in Fuchsia Dunlop's Revolutionary Chinese Cookbook, which provides over a hundred dishes easy to make and accompanied by color photos and stories from the province. Dishes come with historical introduction, many a cultural insight, and the author's own experiences discovering and cooking the dish: all these factors make for a fine and well-rounded cookbook which goes far beyond the usual light Hunan coverage to probe the depth of Chinese culture and cuisine, making it a 'must' for any serious collection offering Chinese cookbooks beyond one or two basics.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Stargate SG-1: The Ultimate Visual Guide
Kathleen Ritter
DK Publishing
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014-3658
0756623618, $24.99 www.dk.com

A 'visual guide' DVD is included with a fine survey of Stargate SG-1's popular television science fiction world, from discussions of characters, technologies, and stories to 600 color images from the series. This would make the perfect gift for any avid Stargate SG-1 fan: it packs in trivia and information about the series and the bonus DVD includes interviews, a gallery of original artwork by James C.D. Robbins, and even a trivia game.

Baen Books
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
www.baen.com

Poul Anderson's TO OUTLIVE ETERNITY AND OTHER STORIES (1416521135, $14.00) paints a number of evolutionary scenarios, from a world after World War III inherited by robots to starships carrying humans to other destinies. This collection also holds the complete novel AFTER DOOMSDAY, and thus binds all drama and themes together in a hard-hitting, fast-paced collection perfect for any library that holds some of Anderson's works and wants a hard-hitting short story collection to add to the mix. Barry N. Malzberg's BREAKFAST IN THE RUINS (1416521178, $14.00) is a nonfiction series of essays offering hard-hitting assessments of the evolution of cutting-edge science fiction over the decades. It's a pick for any avid science fiction or fantasy fan and offers some uniquely compelling viewpoints of science fiction's influence and progress as a genre.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

How to Raise Cattle
Philip Hasheider
Voyageur Press
380 Jackson #200, Saint Paul, MN 55101-3885
0760328021, $19.95 www.voyageurpress.com

Whether your goal is to raise one cow or a larger herd of dairy or beef cattle, HOW TO RAISE CATTLE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW offers easy directions for any who would house, feed, choose breeds and raise cattle and calves. From basic health issues to showing cattle at fairs, over 200 color photos accompanies basic details any would-be cattle owners will find invaluable. Rural library holdings or college-level collections strong in agricultural sciences will find it a top primer introducing the topic.


The Music Shelf

Inside the Music of Brian Wilson
Philip Lambert
Continuum
80 Maiden Lane, New York NY 10038
0826418775, $26.95 www.continuumbooks.com

INSIDE THE MUSIC OF BRIAN WILSON: THE SONGS, SOUNDS, AND INFLUENCES OF THE BEACH BOYS' FOUNDING GENIUS is a pick any Beach Boys fan needs: while Brian Wilson's life has received extensive documentation in other biographies, here the focus is solely on his music, not his life – and what a welcome change that is, for fans of his sound. New stories cover the birth and evolution of Wilson's musical ideas using the history of his songwriting and production to explore his evolution. Rock music collections will find it an invaluable exploration.

Faking It: The Quest for Authenticity in Popular Music
Hugh Barker and Yuval Taylor
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393060780, $25.95 www.wwnorton.com

FAKING IT comes from two music critics who here examine a range of genres, from blues to rock, in the quest to answer issues of authenticity and cultural reality in music. Popular music's impact is wide-ranging and its ability to effect cultural and social changes has been documented – but is music's authenticity another pop image, born of marketing – or does it reflect real change and underground sentiment? FAKING IT offers a blend of history and cultural criticism and is a pick for any collection strong in popular music history and culture.

Lennon and McCartney: Together Alone
John Blaney
Jawbone Press
1700 – Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781906002022, $27.95 www.jawbonepress.com

The songwriting partnership of Lennon/McCartney is one of the most popular of all time and formed the foundation of the Beatles' sound and evolution: but this focus is on their independent songwriting after they broke up, and offers important assessments of their work both within and outside the Beatles. Collectors will appreciate the facts on release dates, catalogue numbers, composer credits and technical recording information, while Blaney's critical analysis and lively style peppers quotes from the songwriters along with insights. Sidebars of information accompany in-depth analysis of songs and the individual artists. A 'must' for any collection serious about a full representation of the Beatles' works.

Grand Illusion
Chuck Panozzo with Michele Skettino
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814409164, $24.95 www.amacombooks.org

Fans of the rock group Styx won't want to miss GRAND ILLUSION: LOVE, LIES, AND MY LIFE WITH STYX. It can't get more authoritative than this: author Church Panozzo is also one of the group's founding members and provides a full view of the birth of the band in Chicago, their growth as a huge rock group, their experiences on the road, and more. All the highs and lows of the group are charted in a blend of memoir and rock chronicle essential for any fan of the group. Perfect for any library catering to rock music readers.

Classical Destinations
Matt Wills nd Paul Burrows
Amadeus Press
c/o Hal Leonard Corporation
512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
1574671588, $30.00 www.amadeuspress.com

CLASSICAL DESTINATIONS: AN ARMCHAIR GUIDE TO CLASSICAL MUSIC considers the history and geography of classical music in Europe's greatest cities, blending over 200 color photos in a new title tied to the TV series and national PBS special of the same name. It's more than a biography, though it does consider the lives of the great world composers – it blends in a travelogue to the places they lived and created in, it shows how their works were influenced by the cities they lived in, and it blends travel with classical music insights in a delightful visual and written treat recommended for any library collection strong in classical music history and culture.

Santorella Publications, Ltd.
13 Pleasant Avenue, Danvers, MA 01923
www.santorellapublication.com 1-877-600-0049

Santorella Publications is a respected publisher of inexpensive, professional quality, 'user friendly' music instruction materials for a wide spectrum of musical instruments. Among their latest titles for music students are "How To Play The Autoharp" (TS261, $9.95) in which autoharp expert Larry McCabe offers illustrated instructions and sheet music examples for playing this fascinating instrument. Larry also includes an accompanying CD with his instruction books on "How To Play Dulcimer" (TS256, $14.95), "How To Play Mandolin" (TS257, $14.95), "How To Play Ukulele" (TS260, $14.95), "How To Play Fiddle" (TS263, $14.95); and "How To Play Banjo" (TS262, $14.95). "How To Play Recorder" (TS134, $12.95) by Margaret Brandman shows beginners how to enjoy playing a recorder while learning the fundamentals of music. "How To Play The Harmonica: Method & Songbook For Diatonic Harmonicas" (TS136CD, $14.95) also includes a Performance CD to help the student master the harmonica. All of the Santorella instruction books feature clear, informative, methodical instructions and practice oriented sheet music that will enable the novice musician to master their instrument quickly and expertly. Each of these outstanding titles are very highly recommended for personal, school music department, and community library music instruction reference collections.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Diagnosis & Treatment of Medicare
Andrew J. Rettenmaier and Thomas R. Saving
American Enterprise Institute
1150 - 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
9780844742519, $20.00 www.aei.org

Written by Andrew J. Rettenmaier (executive director of the Private Enterprise Research Center, Texas A&M University) and Thomas R. Saving (professor of economics, Texas A&M University), The Diagnosis & Treatment of Medicare is a timely scrutiny of the woes of Medicare, which has seen its expenses balloon from, $200 billion to, $450 billion over the past decade. As the Baby Boom generation approaches 65, Medicare's demands on the Federal Reserve climb, and threaten to overshadow other policy priorities. The Diagnosis & Treatment of Medicare is more than a catalogue of Medicare's woes; it proposes workable solutions, and offers meticulous ratings and scorings of different reform ideas from controlling first-dollar coverage to means-tested Medicare and more. Of especial interest is the idea of making a transition to prepaid retirement health insurance and how such a move can be accomplished. A desperately needed, scholarly and practical analysis of a looming governmental problem in dire need of solutions

Apathy and the Media
Kenneth Quade
Vantage Press, Inc
419 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9780533154814, $11.95 1-212-736-1767

Written by Wisconsin resident and concerned citizen Kenneth Quade, Apathy and the Media: You Give People What They Want To Know, Not What They Ought To Know is a severe indictment of the improprieties of modern-day media, including newspaper, television, and other venues of delivering "news". Apathy and the Media reveals how the media had access to information pointing toward an oil shortage and an energy crisis for decades prior to today's modern debacle; how the media has recklessly urged Americans to spend and consume without worrying about the consequences of neglecting recycling or planned obsolescence; and how vital information the public needs to know is either not reported at all or buried amid ridiculous trivia and meaningless pop culture stories. Quade speaks of his own experience trying to write letters, create and deliver presentations, and get the word out. He struggled to raise awareness about excessive gas guzzling and inefficient vehicle mileage; the deleterious effects of the Alaskan oil pipeline; and biotechnological efforts to genetically modify human beings, or even enable artificial human reproduction without pregnancy. Access to abortion and information about the gender of a fetus has already started to skew the male/female population ratio in other nations; how long before America is directly affected? Above all, Apathy and the Media warns readers not to trust the media to tell them all they need to know, and encourages them to search for solutions to the stranglehold that commercial empires have on the disbursement of information - a message vital to the survival of a democratic state.

City on the Edge: Buffalo, New York
Mark Goldman
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591024576, $19.99 www.prometheusbooks.com

At first glance CITY ON THE EDGE would seem to be a title New York collections alone could appreciate – but look again: it's a story of urban dysfunction which holds strong social and urban planning messages for any American city. Chapters survey the history of Buffalo, New York: from its initial promising heyday to its decline, its many social issues, and the role of the arts in community life. Of particular note – and recommended for college-level holdings strong in urban planning – are discussions of how urban politics and city planning affected the development and outcome of Buffalo. People, places and events alike are surveyed.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Jewish Spiritual Direction
Rabbi Howard A. Addison & Barbara E. Breitman
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580232302, $30.00 www.jewishlights.com 1-800-962-4544

Compiled and co-edited by Rabbi Howard A. Addison (G. G. Scholem Professor of Jewish Spirituality at the Graduate Theological Foundation and a faculty member at Temple University) and psychotherapist, teacher and writer Barbara Eve Breitman, "Jewish Spiritual Direction: An Innovate Guide From Traditional & Contemporary Sources' draws upon both Judaic traditions and classical foundations of spiritual direction to provide readers with an informed and insightful approach to Jewish spirituality. "Jewish Spiritual Direction" comprehensive covers diverse elements and issues of spirituality including theology, practice, rituals, meditations, companionship, group work, social justice, and 'embodied spirituality'. Representative and knowledgeable contributors are drawn from all four contemporary Jewish movements. "Jewish Spiritual Direction" is a welcome and very highly recommended addition to personal, synagogue, academic, and community library Judaic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Spies of the Bible
Rose Mary Sheldon
Greenhill Books
c/o MBI, Distributors
380 Jackson Street #200, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
9781853676369, $39.95 www.greenhillbooks.com www.mbipublishing.com

The Near East has been contested by various parties for thousands of years, but much fighting has been conducted with smaller guerrilla operations: the Jews fought as guerrillas when in the desert, and they fought three wars of liberation against the Greeks and Romans. SPIES OF THE BIBLE comes from an intelligence expert who considers the role of espionage and intelligence in these early guerrilla efforts, draws on Biblical passages and references to highlight the importance of espionage and intelligence, and is a recommended item of choice for any college-level spirituality holding, particularly those strong in Biblical and Jewish history.

Faith and Doubt: Studies in Traditional Jewish Thought, 3rd Edition
Norman Lamm
KTAV Publishing House Inc.
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
0881259527, $35.00 www.ktav.com

FAITH AND DOUBT discusses religious faith and comes from a former President of Yeshiva University identified with modern Orthodox Judaism – but this book shouldn't be limited to such an audience. It discusses everything from comparative law and metaphysics to natural science and updates all topics discussed in the prior edition. For college-level in-depth Judaic philosophy and spirituality holdings, it is a top pick.

JPS Guide To American Jewish History
Norman H. Finkelstein
Jewish Publication Society
2100 Arch Street, 2nd floor, Philadelphia PA 19103-1399
9780827608108, $18.00 www.jewishpub.org 1-800-234-3151

Nicely illustrated with more than 70 occasional black-and-white historical photographs, maps, and charts, and laced throughout with informative sidebars, the "JPS Guide To American Jewish History" by Norman H. Finkelstein (series editor of the JPS Guides) is the story of Jewish communities and personalities in the 350-year history of North American and the 200+ history United States. From the earliest Jewish settlers on American shores, to the integration and success of Jews in American business, politics, arts, culture, entertainment, science, and more. Enhanced with the inclusion of concise biographies, timelines, notes, a bibliography, and an index, "American Jewish History is the perfect introductory survey of American Jewish history and a core addition to personal, academic, and community library Judaic Studies and American History reference collections. Also very highly recommended for the Judaic Studies reference shelf and supplemental reading lists are three other titles in the outstanding 'JPS Guides" series from the Jewish Publication Society: "JPS Guide To Jewish Traditions"; "JPS Guide To Jewish Women"; and the "JPS Dictionary Of Jewish Words".

Discovering Jewish Music
Marsha Bryan Edelman
Jewish Publication Society
P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
0827608578, $28.00 www.jewishpub.org

DISCOVERING JEWISH MUSIC could have been featured in our 'Judaic Shelf' area, but is reviewed here for its excellent survey of key genres and important people in some three thousand years of Jewish music from the Bible to modern times. An accompanying cd reinforces the history and survey of key Jewish genres, which blends in Jewish history, culture and philosophy to trace not only the evolution of Jewish music, but the underlying ethics and principles differentiating it from other music. Libraries strong in Judaic studies as well as general-interest music history collections music have this.


The Self-Help Shelf

Rejuvenation
Ken Counts, Ph.D.
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
9781577331575, $17.95 www.bluedolphinpublishing.com 1-800-643-0765

Written by practicing psychologist Ken Counts, Ph.D., Rejuvenation or, "My Birthday-Suit Doesn't Fit Me Any More!" is a self-help guide to improved quality of physical and emotional health through good nutrition, exercise, and a positive attitude. Chapters address how to modify your grocery list and eating behavior for healthier living, balancing cardiovascular, resistance, and flexibility training, the basics of stress management and keeping a healthy attitude, and much more. "I have a very simple truth for you. Forgiveness is a good thing. Grudges are a bad thing. No question about it. I have witnessed this truth many times. When you hold a grudge, and you are angry with someone, you basically end up punishing yourself. Why would you want to do that?" Black-and-white photographs illustrating descriptions of specific exercises and day-by-day meal plans and recipes round out this holistic guide to feeling young again.

Life on Purpose
Dr. Brad Swift
Elite Books
1600700233, $24.95 www.elitebooksonline.com

LIFE ON PURPOSE; SIX PASSAGES TO AN INSPIRED LIFE is the first how-to book on how to clarify life's questions to life an inspired, fulfilling life. While this could've been featured in our Spirituality Shelf area, it's reviewed here for its overall visionary qualities and attention to generally living and perceiving a more enlightened lifestyle. Perfect for the general lending, new age or spirituality collection alike.

Fusion of the Five Elements
Mantak Chia
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
1594771030, $14.95 www.destinybooks.com

FUSION OF THE FIVE ELEMENTS: MEDITATIONS FOR TRANSFORMING NEGATIVE EMOTIONS offers the first step in Taoist practice of Inner Alchemy, which involves controlling the flow of emotional and mental energies in the body to rid it of negative energy. From understanding the five elements and the major organs of the body to using advanced Fusion exercises to channel energies in positive directions, new age and self-help collections will find this a powerful resource.

Life's 2% Solution
Marica Hughes
Nicholas Brealey Publishing
100 City Hall Plaza, Suite 501, Boston, MA 02108
9781857883657, $19.95 www.nicholasbrealey.com

Written by consultant and certified Bar-On EQ measurement tool trainer, Marcia Hughes, Life's 2% Solution: Simple Steps to Achieve Happiness and Balance is a straightforward guide to personal fulfillment through balancing and taking control of one's life. Chapters present a ten-step action plan designed to help the reader achieve short or long-term goals, true stories about real people who turned their lives around, and solid guidelines for applying the 2% solution - intentionally investing 2% of one's time in what one truly loves - to daily life. A motivational, easy-to-use guide to overcoming fear, sloth, and personal shortcomings in just 30 minutes a day.

Ancient Secrets Of Facial Rejuvenation
Victoria J. Mogilner, C.A.
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1577315529, $14.95 www.newworldlibrary.com 1-800-972-6657

Drawing upon her more than thirty years of experience and expertise, "Ancient Secrets Of Facial Rejuvenation: A Holistic, Nonsurgical Approach to Youth & Well-Being" by Victoria J. Mogilner (a certified acupuncturist, Chinese medicine practitioner, aesthetician, and tai chi instructor) presents a holistic alternative to caring for the skin without the use of chemical and surgical procedures. Advocating the use of facial acupuncture to counteract the signs of aging and which takes only a few minutes each day in the form of an 'Acupuncture Facelift' process that involves lightly pressing certain points on the face, "Ancient Secrets Of Facial Rejuvenation" also features strategies for attaining outer beauty and inner beauty through health nutrition, essential oils and aromatherapy, tai chi, qigong, and self-massage. A welcome addition to Alternative Medicine reference collections, "Ancient Secrets Of Facial Rejuvenation" is especially recommended reading for anyone concerned with rejuvenating their facial skin without resorting to plastic surgery.


The Poetry Shelf

Wild Mercy
Elizabeth Cunningham
Creatrix Books
PO Box 366, Cottage Grove, WI 53527
9780976060451, $12.95 www.creatrixbooks.com

An impressive and enthusiastically recommended compilation of tarot inspired poetry, the free verse poetry of Elizabeth Cunningham is unique with its metaphysical and Wiccan implications of image and mysticism. Inspired and inspiring, thoughtful and thought-provoking, this is a body of distinctive and imaginative verse that will resonate, line by line, image by image, and poem by poem in the mind and mind's eye of the reader. 'Failed Gods': All parents are failed gods./They do not keep the world safe./They do not deliver happiness.//They throw their children out of Eden/to cover their own shame.//They grow old and frail./Sometimes they are forgiven.

The Clearing
Philip White
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726055, $18.95 www.ttup.ttu.edu 1-800-832-4042

Written by Shakespeare and early English literature teacher Philip White, The Clearing is an anthology of brief, free-verse poems gravitating upon the somber topics of the deaths of White's parents and first wife. Ranging in emotion from detached solemnity to grief-stricken, The Clearing probes the inescapable twining of love and the sadness of loss, with a haunting yet ultimately captivating melodic tone. "Why Orpheus Looked Back": Even her voice is soundless now. She moves / like the damselflies in honeysuckle leaves / along the stream, their torsos iridescing, / wings so black they seem fluttering rents / in the tangible scene: so much silence / fringing every word, so much dark around / each wavering gleam. But what else could I / have asked of absence? I had seen its world, / the blank, evacuated gaze that wants nothing / yet embraces all we do. It was the world / I saw before me, coming back. I sang then / not for it but her, fainter though she'd grown / than air. I looked back because I knew / whichever way I looked it would be there."

Land Dreaming: Prose Poems
Kelwyn Sole
University of KwaZulul-Natal Press
Private Bag X01, Scottsville 3209, South Africa
c/o International Specialized Book Services (ISBS)
920 NE 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781869140786, $21.95 www.ukznpress.co.za www.isbs.com 1-800-944-6190

Written by Kelwyn Sole (Professor of English, University of Cape Town), Land Dreaming: Prose Poems is an anthology of poetic landscapes - flowing waves of descriptive language evoking the visceral sense of character, place, and time. Most poems are brief; all have a uniquely vivid quality that alights the imagination. An ideal read to experience amid the wonder of the outdoors, perhaps during a rest stop while hiking. "Kommetjie": A deserted moon plumbing down its well of brightness to clot / the ocean surface with light // also wefts the clouds that spume and melt, spume and melt, / over and over, hiding the mountain's summit. // The wind stays steady from the south-east. // On the beach two sets of footprints are a broken necklace flung / behind to be slowly scrubbed away. // He stops: wants to know why her face - when she looks at / him - becomes shipwrecked between emotions // and she speaks quietly. If we have nothing more to say to one / another, whose voice is it that cries out // from inside our silence?

Rebirth of Wonder
David M. Johnson
University of New Mexico Press
MSC04 2820, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826339751, $21.95 www.unmpress.com 1-800-249-7737

Written By David M. Johnson (professor emeritus of English and creative writing, University of New Mexico) Rebirth of Wonder: Poems of Wonder is an anthology of prose and poetry drawn from Johnson's life experiences in adventures across the world, from Minnesota to Mexico, Spain, and Greece. Each prose segment or free-verse poem is brief, yet at times wryly contemplative of the characteristics of diverse locales, as well as the foibles of human nature. "Epiphany": There's not a day / I'm not amazed / by God's excess. // Yesterday / birds filled every branch / of our apple tree. / Today / a young friend / had her womb removed." From the well-meaning hubris of family members to the gentle wonder of nature to the miracle of human birth itself, Rebirth of Wonder strikes a balance between dry humor, contemplative insight, and breathtaking amazement.

Wisdom Of The Body
Judith Roche
Black Heron Press
PO Box 95676, Seattle, WA 98145
9780930773816, $14.95 www.blackheronpress.com

The poetry of Judith Roche takes such themes as sex, living, dying, and the inevitable changes the human body and the human experience are heir to. The poems comprising "Wisdom Of The Body" address a variety of issues and circumstances from Down Syndrome to open-heart surgery, from flower gardens to dealing with sorrow. This 96-page volume of superbly crafted free verse is thoughtful, thought-provoking, and whole-heartedly recommended reading. 'Wisdom of the Body': Because the gut is the center/it fills and empties, empties and fills./The core of us receives all we take in/of the world -- absorbs the gold,/discards the dross./Whole colonies of cooperating communities,/within our deepest twists and turns,/kindly labor together for our benefit./We mean Will when we say/someone has guts,/closely related to courage,/by coeur, heart,/cannot be other than true.//Once we get there,/though so many other agendas/can tangle the way./the mouth knows the taste of its own tongue,/hungers for savor, makes meaning/of sound, trying to name truth.//Or not, depending on the mind/The gut knows the difference/between shit and substance.//Keeps us honest.

In A Dybbuk's Raincoat
Bert Meyers, author
Morton Marcus & Daniel Meyers, editors
University of New Mexico Press
MSC04 2820, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-001
9780826337870, $24.95 www.unmpress.com

In a Dybbuk's Raincoat is a hardcover anthology of collected poetry by California lyricist and poetry teacher Bert Meyers (1928-1979). Most of the free-verse poems are brief; their eclectic diversity shines with polished, original flair and range in subject from gentle reflections on aging to a blunt summary of the good, the bad, and the ugly of Los Angeles. Some of the collected poems were previously published in literary reviews or journal entries; others were previously unpublished. A smattering of prose works round out this outstanding anthology of lifetime achievement. "By the Sea": Across that loud scroll of water / fishermen still sail out / to earn a living, / a boat leaves for Peru... // And always, a multitude / unpacks a paradise / of Sundays on the sand / to celebrate the passage of its blood.

Teeth
Aracelis Girmay
Curbstone Press
321 Jackson Street, Willimantic, CT 06226
9781931896368, $13.00 www.curbstone.org

A writer, poet and educator, Aracelis Girmay brings a distinctive and creative voice to her free verse lyrics. Her poetry is energetic, original, and celebratory. She is also not afraid to express through her poetry views of the world and the human experience that are as thoughtful as they are thought-provoking. Very highly recommended to the attention of poetry enthusiasts who appreciate skill and imagination, "Teeth" is a compilation of Girmay's poetry that also reflects her Eritrean, Puerto Rican, and African American heritage. 'Limay, Nicaragua, April 1998': Mountains/tangled with bones,/fields, roads,/rivers jangled,/volcanoes jangled/with bones/on their backs,/into the earth/nevermind merengue/nevermind the cooking/nevermind the quiquiriqui/of roosters/singing Rise.

The Book Of Jobs
Kathryn Maris
Four Way Books
PO Box 535, Village Station, New York, NY 10014
University Press of New England, distributor
1 Court Street, Suite 250, Lebanon, NH 03766-1358
1884800718, $14.95 www.fourwaybooks.com www.upne.com 1-800-421-1561

The free verse poetry of Kathryn Maris offers a distinctive, original, passionate, 'word skilled' voice that will engage both the mind and the imagination. The profusely imaged poetry comprising "The Book Of Jobs" will well serve to introduce Kathryn's poetic wit and lyrical wisdom to an appreciative readership and is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Contemporary Poetry collections. 'The Heart that Works': In my abdomen there is a heart that works./For how long will it work? Will it work/if the heart in my chest is tethered or skewed?//Will it work in the artificial light, in the soup/of the Day, or when a song becomes a feint?/Will it work? Will it work?//O swift, regular beats on the incommensurate screen,/is a heart that works a heart that lurks behind the world?/You inside me, I envy you your working heart.//But will it work in the morning? Will it work insofar/as I haven't erred by bringing it to earth?/Will it work in the icy absence of others of its kind?

The Weather Of Dreams
J. E. Pitts
David Robert Books
PO Box 541106, Cincinnati, OH 45254-1106
978-1-933456-57-7, $17.00 www.davidrobertbooks.com

"The Weather of Dreams" offers appreciative readers the debut compilation of the free verse poetry of writer and visual artist J. E. Pitts. An accomplished wordsmith with an ear for the rhythmic cadence of words, Pitts' poetry is especially recommended to those who appreciate the hard work that goes into (and is essential for) the intelligible written word. 'In The Field': the orb, that summer sun,/swings over us like a/sickle shaving young wheat./Bringing out the rows,/going down the line,/coming back to double-check./Snapping and pulling,/checking for spots,/taking the good,/the manageable,/leaving the seconds and the poor./Filling the baskets and buckets to/go into the pantry for winter,/gearing up for the time/when it will all go bad.


The Education Shelf

Crystal Art Display Cards
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2159, Glenview, IL 60025-6159
CP-1823-1, $15.95 www.crystalproductions.com 1-800-255-8629

The new Crystal Art Display Cards series from Crystal Productions is comprised of fourteen cards, each of which reinforces basic art concepts and provide an instant visual reference for art students. The concepts include Line, Shape, Color, Value, Form, Texture, Space, Balance, Contrast, Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, rhythm, and Unity. The individual cards can be easily displayed in a school classroom or an art room and materially aid students in the process of learning the various elements of art and principles of design. Very highly recommended for gradeschool and middle school art education resource collections, "Crystal Art Display Cards" would also prove invaluable supplements to homeschooling art instruction curriculums as well.

The Historian's Toolbox, second edition
Robert C. Williams
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive, Armonk, NY 10504
9780765620262, $55.95 www.mesharpe.com 1-800-541-6563

Written by Robert C. Williams (Vail Professor of History and Dean of Faculty Emeritus, Davidson College) The Historian's Toolbox: A Student's Guide to the Theory and Craft of History is a reader-friendly guide for aspiring historians of all skill and experience levels. Now in an updated second edition with five new chapters, The Historian's Toolbox covers everything from how to choose a good history topic and write a solid paper, to evaluating primary, secondary, and tertiary historical sources, to format guidelines for credits and acknowledgments, to historical narrative as compared to interpretation or speculation, to even the potentials and abuses of the user-modified website Wikipedia. A "must-have" guide for history majors and a useful quick-check resource for professional historians, highly recommended.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwinpress.com

Elaine K. McGwan's 40 WAYS TO SUPPORT STRUGGLING READERS IN CONTENT CLASSROOMS, GRADES 6-12 (9781412952064, $30.95) is a key ingredient for success for any teacher who would help students using tested classroom techniques. From quotes and definitions to capture attention to descriptions of methods and how they may be integrated into a mixed classroom, chapters teach 'chunking', how to assign oral-assisted repeated reading, cooperative games and activities, and more. Diane Hodges' LOOKING FORWARD TO MORE MONDAY MORNINGS: HOW TO DRIVE YOUR COLLEAGUES HAPPY! (9781412942195, $32.95) provides a sequel to the popular LOOKING FORWARD TO MONDAY MORNING and comes from a former human resources director and school administrator who shares here low-cost staff appreciation and recognition activities. School leaders will welcome a range of options and tips for year-round, from starters and year-end treats to recognition for both groups and individuals, volunteers, and more. Ann Maccagnano's IDENTIFYING & ENHANCING THE STRENGTHS OF GIFTED LEARNERS K-8 (9781412942539, $27.95) provides teachers and student teachers with easy activities and lesson plans to be integrated into any school curriculum. From word play and interpersonal analysis to techniques to help students with cognitive thinking, these exercises are accompanied by sidebars of case history examples for further emphasis and are especially recommended for student teachers. Toby J. Karten's MORE INCLUSION STRATEGIES THAT WORK! ALIGNING STUDENT STRENGTHS WITH STANDARDS (9781412941167, $39.95) provides a sequel and expansion to the first INCLUSION STRATEGIES THAT WORK book, showing how to supplement content-specific curriculum with teaching strategies which take the entire classroom's need into account. The focus is on meeting the requirements of Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004 in a general classroom setting: from lessons organized by age an ability to diagnosis and testing methods, MORE INCLUSION STRATEGIES THAT WORK is packed with practical, applied recommendations and ideas. These titles are picks for any educator's library and for college-level collections specializing in education.

Schools Where Everyone Belongs
Stan Davis with Julia Davis
Research Press
2612 North Mattis Avenue, Champaign, IL 61822
9780878225842, $24.95 www.researchpress.com

Written by family and child therapist and school counselor Stan Davis, Where Everyone Belongs: Practical Strategies for Reducing Bullying is a highly practical guide written especially for schoolteachers and other educational professionals, yet invaluable for anyone who oversees groups of children. Now in an updated second edition, Schools Where Everyone Belongs demystifies what bullying it is and common myths about its effects, what doesn't work to combat it, and most importantly of all, classroom-tested methods that do work to stop bullying and reverse its harmful effects. "When there are inconsistent consequences for bullying, young people are likely to continue. When we have to customize a consequence for each incident, the process of discipline becomes impossibly time-consuming. Planned, rubric-based consequences take much less time to administer and thus can be used more consistently. When consequences are predictable and based on a clear rubric, young people can learn from each other's misdeeds." An absolute "must-have" for grade school teachers and principals everywhere.

Reading the Media
Renee Hobbs
International Reading Association
800 Barksdale Road, Newark, DE 19714-8139
0807747386, $23.95 www.reading.org

Written by Renee Hobbs (Associate Professor of Communication, Temple University, Philadelphia), Reading the Media: Media Literacy in High School English is a sourcebook of empirical evidence of the effect media literacy has on the academic achievement of adolescents. Examining how high school teachers prepared their students to apply critical thinking to contemporary media culture through developing an innovative curriculum, and the measurable effect that this education had on the students, Reading the Media is a shining beacon of how modern students need to be educated to better comprehend, analyze, and evaluate eternally vociferous media messages. Though not an explicit "how-to" book per se, Reading the Media is an excellent source for devising one's own media literacy curriculum, and why media literacy matters. "Making informed choices, questioning texts, composing and sharing ideas using various symbol systems, tools, and technologies, and fully engaging in the practices of citizenship - these are key dimensions of literacy in an information age... This book has used compelling quantitative and qualitative evidence to show that there are specific ways in which young people can be prepared for the demands of life in a technologically sophisticated and communication-rich cultural environment." Highly recommended especially for high school educators.

Indoctrination U.
David Horowitz
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 400, New York NY 10003-1239
1594031908, $21.95 www.encounterbooks.com

In 2003 the author began a campaign to promote intellectual diversity and a return to academic excellence in American universities, devising an 'Academic Bill of Rights' and launching a nation-wide student movement to support it. INDOCTRINATION U: THE LEFT'S WAR AGAINST ACADEMIC FREEDOM presents a case for the intellectual corruption of American universities by faculty activists who have turned classrooms into political causes. Such academic radicals have no real interest in intellectual discourse deserving of university status, Horowitz maintains: INDOCTRINATION U provides an eye-opening argument.

Enhancing Professional Practice, 2nd edition
Charlotte Danielson
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
1416605177, $27.95 www.ascd.org 1-800-933-2723

Now in a revised and updated second edition, Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching presents a framework for K-12 educators that is based on Praxis III: Classroom Performance Assessment criteria as developed by Educational Testing Service, compatible with INTASC standards. Chapters cover the four domains of teaching responsibility (planning & preparation, the classroom environment, instruction, and professional responsibilities), methodologies for maintaining a professional attitude, specific concerns for specialist positions, a tutorial on how to use frameworks & charts to maximum effect, and much more. The framework system, along with sample logs and unit plans, is highly organized, and easy-to-use in this solid all-around guidance and structure tool.


The Railroading Shelf

Regional Railroads Of The Midwest
Steve Glischinski
Voyageur Press
380 Jackson Street, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55101
9780760323519, $36.95 www.mbipublishing.com 1-800-458-0454

The railroad was key to the development of the American Midwest as a means of East and West Coast communications and transport, as well as the settlement midwestern communities and the exploitation of the agriculture, mineral, and timber industries of the midwestern states. The latest addition to the outstanding 'MBI Railroad Color History' series, "Regional Railroads Of The Midwest" by railroading enthusiast Steve Glischinski is a superbly organized, illustrated, and presented historical overview of the twelve principle railroad systems , companies, and trains that are especially associated with the midwest including: Chicago Central & Pacific; Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern; Escanaba & Lake Superior; Indiana Rail Road; Kyle Railroad; Iowa, Chicago & Eastern; Iowa Interstate Railroad; Red River Valley & Western; Toledo, Peoria & Western; Twin Cities & Western; Wisconsin Central; and Wisconsin & Southern. Combining a knowledgeable text based on his own archives and studies, with Glischinski has very nicely integrated photographs in his accounts of each railroad's history, motive power, and operation. Enhanced with the inclusion of system maps, a bibliography, and an index, "Regional Railroads Of The Midwest" is an enthusiastically recommended core addition to personal, community, and academic library Railroading History reference collections.


The Library DVD Shelf

The Chambermaid
MTI Video
14216 SW 136th Street, Miami, FL 33186
DVD, $24.95 www.mtivideo.com

Michael runs a hotel while his overbearing and domineering mother runs Michael's life. But it's when Michael hires the young and beautiful Julia to be a housemaid that the real problems begin. Julia is on probation and trying to support herself while paying for her boyfriend Istvan's nasty habits. The result is that eternal triangle -- complicated by a mother's hatred, blackmail, manipulation, and double-crosses. Starring Fiona Horsey, Paul Conway, and William Rowsey, "The Chambermaid" was shot on location in Northern England. This enthusiastically recommended DVD edition of a suspense thriller movie experience also features a photo gallery, interactive menus, scene selection, trailers, and the option for Spanish subtitles. Full color, 94 minutes.

Grace Kelly
Janson Media
88 Semmens Road, harrington Park, NJ 07640
#20340, $24.95 www.janson.com

Born to a wealthy and competitive Philadelphia family, Grace Kelly was a lovely and talented woman who went from model, to stage and television actress, to movie star, to becoming the Princess of Monaco. Ably narrated by Richard Kiley, "Grace Kelly: The American Princess" is part of the Janson Media 'The Hollywood Collection' DVD series and presents the life and death of one of America's most beloved celebrities. This one-hour biography is enhanced further with the inclusion of a Grace Kelly Photo Gallery; an interview with filmmaker Gene Feldman about Grace Kelly which aired on the television show 'Good Morning America'; and a 'Meet the Producers' segment. "Grace Kelly: The American Princess" is a 'must' for the legions of Grace Kelly fans and would make a popular addition to community library DVD collections.

Journey Into The Unknown
Vision Video
PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540
#501169D, $19.99 www.visionvideo.com 1-800-523-0226

Hanneke van Dam worked as a child psychologist at the courthouse in Amersterdam, Holland, when she heard God's voice asking her to give up her job and move to Mongolia, leaving behind everything she had and everyone she knew. When she experienced this request Hanneke didn't even know where Mongolia was on a map. But she felt obliged to carry out God's mandate for her and went. When she got to Mongolia (an adventure in itself) she found herself in one of the coldest countries on earth where the majority of men were alcoholics, fueling violent behavior and disruptions of family life. "Journey Into The Unknown: The Inspiring Story Of Hanneke van Dam" is a 52 minute, full color, DVD documentary of a most remarkable woman who know lives in Mongolia, giving of herself to those who need the Christian message. We learn of successes and failures as she works with the struggles and broken lives men, women, and children. Very strongly recommended viewing for adolescent and adult members of the Christian community, "Journey Into The Unknown" is a testament to the power of faith and the willingness to obey God's calling into service as a stranger in a strange land.

Drills & Techniques for Catchers
Marty Schupak
Youth Sports Club
9 Florence Court, Valley Cottage, NY 10989
9780978945121, $24.95 1-800-511-2101

Physical education expert and baseball coach of 18 years' experience Marty Schupak Drills & Techniques for Catchers is a DVD offering creative drills and techniques for training young adults for the responsibilities of the catching position. Topics include blocking techniques, agility drills, throwing techniques, set-up and positioning, framing, snap throws, equipment overview, and fun games to play while honing one's strengths. A user-friendly DVD with easy-to-follow demonstrations of all exercises, Drills & Techniques for Catchers is especially recommended for baseball coaches, and also aspiring and practicing catchers interested in learning a few new tricks.

Into the Fire: American Women in the Spanish Civil War
Julia Newman
First Run Features
The Film Center Building, 630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, NY, NY 10036
FRF 912631D, $24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Into the Fire: American Women in the Spanish Civil War is an award-winning DVD documentary about the brave and idealistic American nurses who volunteered, in defiance of the US Government, to serve the Spanish government in defiance of the right-wing Fascists led by General Franco during the Spanish Civil war. Of the eighty women who volunteered, sixteen share their stories of their commitment to the cause, and reveals a uniquely female side to the terrible, horrifically bloody war fought by men. An unforgettable viewing experience. 58 minutes, b&w and color.

Carol Argo's The Anti Aging Method
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
DVD, $18.00 www.411videoinfo.com

Carol Argo's The Anti Aging Method is a total body workout DVD that blends elements of Yoga, Tai Chi, Pilates, and dance into an energetic whole. Featuring three different workout options - a comprehensive total workout (50 minutes), a brief energize & dance workout (20 minutes), an all-floor Yoga & Pilates session (27 minutes) and bonus Chair Yoga one can do anytime (6 minutes), The Anti Aging Method is sure to mesh with fitness-conscious viewers on all kinds of schedules. Hosted by the limber and genial Carol Argo herself, who has traveled worldwide to train instructors and teach east/west fusion workouts, The Anti Aging Method is enthusiastically recommended for personal fitness DVD libraries everywhere.

Pilates for Sex Volume 1
Pilates in the City
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
DVD, $24.95 www.411videoinfo.com

Pilates for Sex Volume 1 is a one-of-a-kind Pilates workout DVD, designed especially to help women strengthen the pelvic floor (sex muscles), transverse abdominis (deepest abdominal muscles), and the multifidis group (back muscles that support the spine) - also known as "the Core" in Pilates lingo. These exercises, particularly those that improve the pelvic floor, are useful for heightening vaginal sensation for stronger orgasms. Kegel exercises, created by a gynecologist to help women recover from childbirth, are a crucial key to Pilates for Sex Volume 1, and to improving the quality of one's sex life. A viewer-friendly, easy-to-follow exercise video enthusiastically recommended for women everywhere.

Warlords
Acorn Media Group
801 Roeder Road, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD 20910
AMP-9292, $39.99 www.acornmedia.com

Warlords is a four-part documentary on DVD examining World War II from the perspective of mind games played by its principal historical figures. Taking a viewer on a tour of the psychological duels waged - Hitler v. Stalin, Churchill v. Roosevelt, Churchill v. Stalin, and Roosevelt v. Stalin - Warlords traces evidence of mutual suspicion, false promises, hidden motives, and conflicting ideologies. Why did Stalin sign a pact with Hitler? How did Roosevelt bolster Churchill's resolve early in the war without committing troops? Why did Roosevelt trust Stalin more than Churchill? These questions and many more are explored at fascinating length in this must-see documentary offering not just the big picture, but the biggest picture possible of World War II. 200 minutes, full screen, b&w and color, 2 DVDs.

Solar Energy: Saved by the Sun
WGBH
c/o SSA Public Relations
148 Madison Avenue, 16th floor PH-1, New York, NY 10016
9781593757212, $19.95 1-877-807-2622

Solar Energy: Saved by the Sun is a DVD episode of the acclaimed public television documentary series that seeks to answer the question: can solar power help save the Earth from the depredations of global warming? Caught amid rising oil prices and turbulence in the Middle East, the possibilities for making solar power more efficient and affordable range from individuals adding solar panels to their roofs to industrial-scale projects in the Mojave desert using massive arrays of mirrors. Germany is the world's leading developer of solar power, seeking to provide 30 percent of its electricity from renewable resources by 2020. Nanotechnology advances could further enhance solar power's potential in the future. A captivating, enlightening, and ultimately hopeful viewing experience, highly recommended. 56 minutes, color.

Fluid Yoga-Tai-Lates Workout with Katharine McLarty
Future Waves Fitness, Inc.
c/o Brickman Marketing (publicity)
395 Del Monte Center, Suite 250, Monterey, CA 93940
0973954604, $19.95 www.futurewavefitness.com

Fluid Yoga-Tai-Lates Workout with Katharine McLarty is a wonderful DVD guide to yoga exercises that can be performed in the pool, in order to isolate and strengthen muscles, improving one's posture and flexibility. Using shallow water, a noodle and five-foot resistance band, these replications of land exercises done on mats, barrels and chairs allow for a broader range of muscular challenge in all planes of movement. Over 75 exercises total are presented; each exercise has at least two different progressions demonstrated. An accompanying 60-minute audio CD offers music and coaching, and is meant for exercisers to take with them to the pool. A wonderful way to get into yoga training, especially for people whose joints and bodies are sensitive to the stresses, gravity and stiffness of land-based practice. 60 minutes, color.

Last National?
Marty Schupak
Nersesian/Zuzolo Productions
c/o Youth Sports Club (distributor)
9 Florence Court, Valley Cottage, NY 10989
DVD, $24.95 www.lastnationalmovie.com 1-800-511-2101

Last National?: What Is the Future of the American Enduro? is a DVD documentary about the history and future of American National Enduros, an off-road motorcycle race. Opening at the 2006 Delaware National, the last race to use the traditional timekeeping concept, and closing at the 2007 Longhorn National in Texas, the first race to embark upon a controversial new format, Last National? offers poignant insights into what these drastic changes mean for participants and fans alike of off-road motorcycle races. Policy makers, top factory-supported riders, and "weekend warriors" all speak their minds about the new format's impact on Enduro racing. A "must-have" for all fans of the sport. 65 minutes, color.

Stuntblasters Workout
Sandy Gimpel
Razor Digital Entertainment
12031 Ventura Blvd. Suite 3, Studio City, CA 91406
159552374X, $14.99 www.razordigitalent.com

This low impact cardio workout by a Hollywood stunt woman comes from a woman in her late 60s who stunt doubles for stars young enough to be her children, so the insights are particularly revealing. Stretches and kicks blend aerobics, yoga and ballet and a bonus segment includes clips of several of her stunts. Her regimens are fun and easy to duplicate for all ages and fitness levels, making STUNTBLASTERS WORKOUT a top pick for any serious exercise DVD collection.

The Goebbels Experiment
Kenneth Branagh, narrator
Lutz Hachmeister & Michael Kloft, filmmakers
First Run Features
FRF 912112D, $29.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

"The Goebbels Experiment" is a 107 minute historical documentary focused upon the life and work of Joseph Goebbels, one of the key figures in the Nazi movement that took control of Germany in the late 1930s and was in charge of Hitler's propaganda machine throughout World War II until he took his life rather than fall into the hands of the Russians with the fall of the Third Reich in 1945. Drawing upon rare footage from the archives of German film and television, and interweaving quotations from Goebbels diaries (which he kept from 1924 to 1945) and his recorded speeches, the filmmakers Lutz Hachmeister and Michael Kloft decided not to interject commentary but let Goebbels words and recorded images speak for themselves. The German language is ably narrated in English by Kenneth Branagh. "The Goebbels Experiment" is a superbly produced documentary whose DVD format allows for the addition of Film Notes, Filmmaker Biographies, and a World War II Film Collection Preview. With its underlying message of the danger to a free and democratic society from a monolithic governmental control of the means of communication, "The Goebbels Experiment" is very strongly recommended viewing and a welcome addition to both school and community library video collections.

Stuntblasters Low Impact Cardio Workout
Sandy Gimpel
Razor Digital Entertainment
12031 Ventura Blvd., Suite #3, Studio City, Ca 91406
159552374X, $14.99 www.razorfitness.com

Hollywood stuntwoman Sandy Gimpel, 67 years young, shares her fitness secrets in Stuntblasters Low Impact Cardio Workout, a DVD exercise video that's easy-to-follow and suitable for all ages. Designed to build up endurance and cardio health while improving balance, Stuntblasters Low Impact Cardio Workout energizes the body with stretches, and kicks that blend Gimpel's own signature moves with techniques from aerobics, yoga and ballet. A bonus segment includes clips of a few of Gimpel's own camera stunts! A fun and engaging way to build up one's fitness or even warm up for a longer or higher-intensity workout. 35 minutes, color.


The Economics Shelf

The Economics Of Public Private Partnerships
Darrin Grimsey & Mervyn K. Lewis
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
1843762498, $255.00 www.e-elgar.com 1-800-390-3149

Part of 'The International Library of Critical Writings in Economics' series fro Edward Elgar Publishing, "The Economics Of Public Private Partnerships" is the collaborative work of Darrin Grimsey (Partner, Ernst & Young, Melbourne, and Fellow, Australian Centre for Public Infrastructure, University of Melbourne) and Mervyn K. Lewis (Professor of Banking and Finance, University of South Australia, Australia, and Fellow, Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia), who have compiled, organized and edited thirty six knowledgeable contributions by economists and academics on the subject of public/private partnerships. The contributions are organized around six major themes: The Changing Market for Public Services; The Private Financing Model; Organizations of PPPs; The UK Experience; Experience Elsewhere; and Risk Management. A seminal body of work, "The Economics Of Public Private Partnerships" is a welcome addition to the growing body of international economic literature and a core addition to professional and academic library Economics Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Bureaucracy
Ludwig von Mises, author; Bettina Bien Greaves, editor
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1684
9780865976641, $10.00 www.libertyfund.org 1-800-955-8335

Written by professor former Vienna Chamber of Commerce economist Ludwig von Mises (1881-1973), Bureaucracy is a classic economic treatise, first published in 1944, about how the efficient aspects of private ownership and control of public good production ultimately produces superior results compared to the mishmash of publically administrated plans laced with codes of "officialdom", government incompetence, unforeseen legal wranglings, graft, and other ills. "Bureaucracy in itself is neither good nor bad," Mises states; rather, bureaucracy is a valuable resource for managing certain spheres of human activity, such as policing and courts of law, yet ultimately a failure or even harmful when applied to private enterprise, simply because forced obedience to strict rules hobbles entrepreneurial managers' room to maneuver amid fluctuating market situations, and stifles their innovation in response to evolving consumer wants. "Under socialism... the beginner must please the already settled. They do not like too efficient newcomers. (Neither do old-established entrepreneurs like such men; but, under the supremacy of the consumers, they cannot prevent their competition.) In the bureaucratic machine of socialism the way toward promotion is not achievement but the favor of the superiors... The rising generation is at the mercy of the aged." As timely and insightful now as it was over half a century ago, Bureaucracy is highly recommended especially for college library and economic studies shelves.


The Science Shelf

The Sacrifice
Lynda Birke, Arnold Arluke, and Mike Michael
Purdue University Press
1207 South Campus Courts, Bldg. E, West Lafayette, IN 47907
9781557534323, $32.95 www.thepress.purdue.edu 1-800-933-9637

The Sacrifice: How Scientific Experiments Transform Animals and People is a scholarly examination of the sociological aspect to animal experimentation. Historical material, media reports, professional debates, interviews with scientists and animal technicians, ethnographic data from laboratory settings, and more comprise the raw source material from which The Sacrifice distills its analytical observations. Chapters discuss the dynamics of political animal rights activism, the animal model as applied in modern-day scientific practice, the division of emotional labor in the laboratory, and much more. "In becoming part of the research community, scientists must learn to take many things for granted. As part of the wider culture, they have inherited a highly complex but also highly ambivalent set of attitudes and beliefs about animals that tell them that they should respect animals and at the same time be able to use them." An excellent, unbiased and impartial contribution to college library and sociological studies shelves.

Deep Alberta
John Acorn
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2EI
9780888644817, $26.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca

Written by broadcaster and biologist John Acorn, Deep Alberta: Fossil Facts and Dinosaur Digs is an amazing glimpse into the dinosaur fossil legacy resting beneath the surface of Alberta, Canada. Based on the CKUA radio series "Deep Alberta", and prepared in collaboration with palaeontologists from the Royal Tyrrell Museum and elsewhere, Deep Alberta combines lively text with eye-catching full color photography on virtually every other page, from panoramic scenes of where fossils are found to unearthed bones and imagined reconstructions of prehistoric creatures. Deep Alberta is arranged more or less alphabetically, with each two-page spread devoted to the story behind a different geographic location, notable figure, or prehistoric species from "Basilemys, A Very Large Turtle" to "The Sternberg Family", a thumbnail biography of Canada's most famous dinosaur hunters. A lavishly gorgeous and inspirational treat for dinosaur and fossil lovers of all walks of life to page through.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Beautiful Ache
Leigh McLeroy
Revell
c/o Baker Book House
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
DeChant Hughes & Associates, Inc. (publicity)
1440 N. Kingsbury, Chicago, IL 60622
9780800731410, $12.99 www.bakerbooks.com

Former ghostwriter and creator of the "Wednesday Words" email devotional Leigh McLeroy presents The Beautiful Ache: Finding the God Who Satisfies When Life Does Not, a collection of inspirational writings reaching out to fellow Christians who feel unsatisfied despite the adventures of life, marriage, and career. From the ache to belong and hear God, to the aches of memory, labor, grief, and the ache to worship and feast with God, The Beautiful Ache poignantly illuminates Christian emotions and devotion. "How good is it to have a God who's made promises - wild ones! - and kept them? Who is keeping them still? How sweet to fall asleep to the lullaby of longing that he sings and wake up every morning searching for brand-new evidence of his arrival. And what a shame to deny that you're dying to do just that - not once a year but over and over until time cannot be counted anymore." The Beautiful Ache is deeply spiritual, and highly recommended for devout Christians of all walks of life.

Four Times Peter
Richard J. Cassidy
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814651780, $15.95 www.litpress.org 1-800-858-5450

Written by Professor of Sacred Scripture Richard J. Cassidy, Four Times Peter: Portrayals of Peter in the Four Gospels and at Philippi is a scholarly text studying the role of Peter in the Gospels of Mark, Luke, Matthew, and John. Chapters discuss aspects of narrative criticism in the four Gospels, Peter during the time of Jesus' public ministry, Peter and the risen Jesus, the reception of the four Gospels at Philippi, and much more. [Regarding 16:1-8] "Within the dynamic of Mark's narrative the fearful astonishment that the women of the tomb initially manifest is not a sufficient obstacle to prevent the promised reunion from being accomplished. Jesus and the heavenly messenger have both predicted a future for Peter and the disciples in Galilee, and the consistency of Mark's narrative regarding the fulfillment of Jesus' internal predictions argues that this external prediction will also soon come to pass." An excellent text for intermediate to advanced courses on the Gospels and parish study programs.

Catholic Q & A
Fr. John J. Dietzen
The Crossroad Publishing Company
30 Marin Street, Cumberland, RI 02864
9780824523091, $17.95 1-800-395-0690

Now in a newly updated edition, Catholic Q & A: Answers to the Most Common Questions About Catholicism by Fr. John J. Dietzen is an award-winning repository of Catholic belief, practice, worship, and viewpoints. Written in plain terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Catholic Q & A covers ubiquitous questions about how Catholics view the Bible, the Church, Mass, Holy Communion, baptism and confirmation, marriage and family living, divorce/annulment/remarriage, penance, devotions, saints, burial practices, and more. "Marriage vows are meant to be kept. But if the spouse is brutally and destructively abusive, part of keeping those vows is to do whatever is possible to end the circumstances that make the abuse possible. If removing herself and the children is the only way to take one's spouse out of an atmosphere that is destroying him and everyone else, the other spouse is being faithful, not unfaithful, to his or her marriage vows by following this course." An excellent introduction to modern-day Catholicism especially recommended for friends or would-be spouses of Catholics as well as lay Catholics themselves.

I'm OK - You're Not
John Shore
Navpress
PO Box 35001, Colorado Springs, CO 80935
9781600060571, $12.99 www.navpress.com

Humorist and Christian writer John Shore presents I'm OK - You're Not: The Message We're Sending Nonbelievers and Why We Should Stop, a frank discussion of a crucial flaw in modern evangelical movements - that they have come to resemble sales calls made during dinnertime, and as such are just as unlikely to achieve results. Emphasizing the concept that letter others experience God's love is far more potent than simply telling them about it, I'm OK - You're Not emphasizes the importance of listening to the Great Commandment above all. The Great Commandment referred to is as spoken by Jesus Christ and recorded in the Bible: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these." Penned with gentle charm, Christian humor, love, and understanding, I'm OK - You're Not deserves to be required reading for any Christian considering embarking upon an evangelical mission or career.

Overlook Much Correct a Little
Hans-Peter Rothlin, editor
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
9781565482616, $14.95 www.newcitypress.com

Part of the 99 Words To Live By series, Overlook Much Correct Little: 99 Sayings by John XXIII is a giftbook collection of memorable quotes by Angelo Roncalli, known to the world as Pope John XXIII (1881-1963). Charm, piety, and down-to-earth good humor distinguish these words and their gentle trust in the providence of God. "The believer is never fearful. He or she is not a pessimist. Faith is the serenity that comes from God." A warm and inspirational collection reflecting the spirit of the "Good Pope John".


The Political Science Shelf

Metropolitan Governing
Eran Razin & Patrick J. Smith, editors
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada T6G 2EI
9789654932851, $34.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca

Edited by Eran Razin (Associate Professor at the Department of Geography, Hebrew University of Jerusalem) and Patrick J. Smith (Professor at the Department of Political Science, Simon Fraser University), Metropolitan Governing: Canadian Cases, Comparative Lessons is an anthology of scholarly writings by learned authors concerning the numerous and large-scale metropolitan reforms implemented in Canada and the precedents they are setting. Offering comparative insights from other countries, Metropolitan Governing especially scrutinizes the strengths and weaknesses of "old regionalism" territorial reforms versus "new regionalism" horizontal networks of governance; while old regionalism is best for effectively sharing fiscal burdens, new regionalism approaches can be notably more effective in development. Individual essays include "Urban Governance Reform in Toronto: A Preliminary Assessment of changes made in the late 1990s" and "Initiatives to Reform Metropolitan Government in Israel: A Sisyphean Task?" in this highly recommended collection for college political studies shelves.

The End of Government…As We Know It
Elaine C. Kamarck
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301
9781588264947, $19.95 www.rienner.com

Written by Elaine C. Kamarck, a former senior policy advisor to the Clinton administration, The End of Government…As We Know It: Making Public Policy Work is a nonpartisan examination of the failings of bureaucratic government models with newer, leaner, and more creative approaches in keeping with the fast-paced and ever-changing information age. Chapters address the problem of homeland security and why bureaucratic thinking has failed to solve it, tools for reinventing the public sector such as waivers, applying the reinvention of government to the problem of welfare dependence (one such positive example is the use of an electronic benefit card to supplant food stamps - since food stamps can be used like cash and are thus more susceptible to corruption) and much more. A plain-spoken, serious-minded plethora of twenty-first century solutions to problems compounded by bureaucratic quagmires left over from the twentieth century. Highly recommended, especially for anyone active in local, state, or federal government.

Mugged by Reality
John Agresto
Encounter Books
900 Broadway Suite 400, New York NY 10003
1594031878, $25.95 www.encounterbooks.com

MUGGED BY REALITY: THE LIBERATION OF IRAQ AND THE FAILURE OF GOOD INTENTIONS comes from an author who spent more than nine months in Iraq, helping to rebuild its system of colleges and vocational schools. While it's a memoir of the time he spent in Iraq and his encounters with the people there, MUGGED BY REALITY is also a testimony to the successes and failures after liberation and the struggles to promote a democracy within a world occupied by fanatics. Any who would understand the culture and problems of the Middle East will want to read this – and any library collection considering itself comprehensive in Iraq culture and experience must have it.


The American History Shelf

True Tales of the Prairies & Plains
David Dary
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66049
9780700615186, $24.95 www.kansaspress.ku.edu 1-785-864-4154

Award-winning historian David Dary presents True Tales of the Prairies & Plains, an anthology of true stories of the Old West gathered from newspaper accounts and little-known published sources. From the legend behind the origin of the word "rawhide", to legends of buried treasure, to the unmitigated roughness of an era when women were scarce and buffalo roamed the plains. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this exciting tell-it-like-it-is collection, enthusiastically recommended for Western buffs.

Dear Medora
Sydney Stevens
WSU Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874222920, $24.95 www.wsupress.wsu.edu 1-800-354-7360

Medora Espy was the eldest daughter of Washinton State senator and dairy farmer Harry Albert Espy. She grew up in the quaint, somewhat remote, coastal village of Oysterville. "Dear Medora: Child Of Oysterville's Forgotten Years" is a collection of letters Medora wrote and received from 1902 to 1916 (as well as personal diary entrees) -- until a devastating tragedy occurred soon after her 17th birthday. Compiled and organized by Sydney Stevens (the daughter of Medora's youngest sister, Dale), "Dear Medora" is profusely illustrated with historical photographs and illustrations. This body of lively correspondence opens a 'window' into an American yesteryear through the life and observations of a sensitive young woman. "Dear Medora" is fascinating, rewarding, highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to American Regional History & Biography reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

California: A History
Kevin Starr
Modern Library
c/o Random House, Inc.
280 Park Avenue, 8th floor, New York, NY 10017
9780812977530, $14.95 www.randomhouse.com 1-800-726-0600

"California: A History" by the award winning historian Kevin Starr (Professor of History, University of Southern California - Los Angeles) is a comprehensive and thoroughly 'reader friendly' history of the state of California beginning with the Spanish Conquest in the early sixteenth century, through the achievement of statehood, to the impact of the gold rush of 1848, to the advent of the railroads, to the San Francisco earthquake of 1906, to the emergence of Hollywood as the entertainment capital of the world, to the rise of Silicon Valley in the age of the computer. Professor Starr covers the role of labor (both unionized and migrant), key industries including agriculture and aerospace, California's contributions to the politics, economics, and culture of the nation. Superbly researched, written, and organized, "California: A History" is a model of regional history, an enthusiastic recommendation for school and community libraries, and could well serve as a template for other state and regional histories.

Washington State
Robert E. Ficken
WSU Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874222883, $21.95 www.wsupress.wsu.edu 1-800-354-7360

The sequel to Washington State University Press regional history series that began with "Washington Territory", "Washington State: The Inaugural Decade, 1889-1899" by respected historian Robert E. Ficken covers the first decade after the state of Washington had formally entered the Union. This was a decade that saw the development of a new railroad system, a population explosion, systematic development of the vast natural resources, the expansion of agriculture made possible by irrigation, and significant financial investment by outside capitalists. It was also a decade marred by political corruption and incompetence, labor disputes, the rise of criminal activity, municipal budget crises, and a bitter controversy over the tidelands. This was also the decade in which Washington State was severely effected by the 1893 economic collapse resulting in the second worse depression in the history of America that took four years to reverse beginning with the railroads and the Klondike gold rush. A model of regional history, "Washington State: The Inaugural Decade, 1889-1899" is an informed and informative work of super scholarship and painstaking research which is of significant value for academia and recommended to the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Washington state history.

Lincoln Emancipated
Brian R. Dirck, editor
Northern Illinois University Press
2280 Bethany Rd., DeKalb, IL 60115-2854
9780875803593, $32.00 www.niupress.niu.edu 1-815-753-9905

Edited by Assistant Professor of History and Political Science Brian R. Dirck, Lincoln Emancipated: the President and the Politics of Race is an anthology of seven essays by learned authors examining the basic question: Did President Abraham Lincoln truly deserve to be remembered as the "Great Emancipator"? Though attributed with seeing America through the Civil War, Lincoln's stated top priority was not to end slavery, but rather to preserve the Union. Individual essays examine Lincoln's personal beliefs concerning blacks and whites, insofar as they can be pinned down, the ways in which America has opted to remember Lincoln's legacy, the historical context of Lincoln's views, statements, and actions, and much more. A thoughtful study that seeks to delve behind the propaganda and into the heart of a noble albeit imperfect (and therefore utterly human) President.

John Brown - The Cost of Freedom
Louis A. DeCaro Jr.
International Publishers
239 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011
9780717807420, $14.00 www.amazon.com

John Brown - The Cost of Freedom: Selections From His Life & Letters is a biography of religious leader and notorious abolitionist John Brown, the first white man to publically advocate and attempt violent revolution to end the American practice of slavery. His raid on Harper's Ferry, in hope of instigating a spreading slave rebellion, failed in its immediate goal and brought about his death when the state of Virginia hanged him for treason, yet ultimate brought the nation one step closer to the Civil War. John Brown - The Cost of Freedom not only recounts Brown's life, the shaping of his views, and the mettle of his deeds, but also presents numerous documents, correspondence, black-and-white photographs, and other primary sources of the life he lived and gave up on the gallows. To this day, Brown remains a divisive historical figure, praised as a martyr by some and reviled as a killer by others. John Brown - The Cost of Freedom offers a balanced historical perspective of John Brown, along with particular attention paid to his deep religious convictions and morals. Highly recommended especially for school library and public library American history shelves.


The Parenting Shelf

Moving with Kids
Lori Collins Burgan
The Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
9781558323438, $9.95 www.harvardcommonpress.com 1-888-657-3755

Written by social worker and mother of three Lori Collins Burgan, Moving with Kids: 25 Ways to Ease Your Family's Transition to a New Home is a no-nonsense practical guide to minimizing stress on the family, helping one's kids keep old friends and make new ones, create a sense of belonging in one's new community, and much more. Chapters cover basic precepts parents should internalize before, during, and after a move, from "Don't be afraid to throw your own goodbye party" to "Take deliberate steps to ease the transition to a new school" to "Keep in touch with old friends" and "Don't forget to take care of yourself." "When your children are feeling down before or after a move, find something to laugh about. Rent a funny video. Pull out the baby pictures. Take turns doing impressions of your favorite lines from movies or songs. When our family needs a good laugh, we often pull out the journal I keep of the cute things the kids have said." An absolute must-have for any family embarking upon the transition of a move.

School Success for Kids with Asperger's Syndrome
Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D. & Rich Weinfeld
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593632151, $16.95 www.prufrock.com 1-800-998-2208

Child/adolescent psychologist Stephan M. Silverman, Ph.D. and educational advocate for gifted children with learning difficulties Rich Weinfeld pool their talents in School Success for Kids with Asperger's Syndrome, a no-nonsense guide for parents and teachers to helping children with Asperger's Syndrome, or AS (a mild form of autism spectrum disorder that affects language and social skills) rise to their full potential. Chapters discuss how to recognize and diagnose AS, effective classroom strategies, ideal practices for parenting with AS, preparing young people with AS for college, work, and independent living, and much more. "Children with AS frequently feel affection but do not know how to appropriately express those feelings. They need to have guidelines as to who is an appropriate recipient of affection and under which conditions. They need to know when someone is a friend or an acquaintance and when intimacy is appropriate." A reader-friendly, tell-it-like-it-is guide enthusiastically recommended for parents, caretakers and educators responsible for young people with AS.

What Dads Need to Know about Daughters, What Moms Need to Know About Sons
John & Helen Burns
Howard Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781582296265, $13.99 www.howardpublishingdealer.com 1-800-223-2336

Written by co-pastors and proud parents John and Helen Burns, What Dads Need to Know about Daughters, What Moms Need to Know About Sons is a simple, sensible guide to raising children that pays especial attention to what children need to have and learn from their opposite-gender parent. John Burns carefully explains what mothers need to know about their sons, and Helen Burns gives the inside scoop on what fathers need to know about their daughters. Though written from a Christian perspective, What Dads Need to Know about Daughters, What Moms Need to Know About Sons is overall a solid and sensible parenting guide for readers of all backgrounds. "It's good for a dad to encourage his daughter to use her talents and develop her skills to the best of her ability. But many parents have a tendency to only notice what is lacking in their children's performances and point out those deficiencies. A dad, with his natural sense of competitiveness, can be especially critical of a daughter's performance in competition. In a little girl's mind, this criticism often translates into a sense of inadequacy and an unhealthy pressure to become 'what Daddy wants,' rather than the unique and special woman God intends her to be." Highly recommended.


The Civil War Shelf

Army of the Potomac, Volume III
Russel H. Beatie
Savas Beatie LLC
521 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3400, New York, NY 10175
9781932714258, $45.00 www.savasbeatie.com

Written by former army lieutenant Russel H. "Cap" Beatie, Army of the Potomac: McClellan's First Campaign March-May 1862, Volume III is the latest in a series of in-depth, extensively researched and thoroughly footnoted civil war military histories, as told primarily through the eyes of high ranking officers, staff officers, and politicians. Drawing upon Beatie's laborious firsthand research, Army of the Potomac, Volume III scrutinizes "Little Mac" McClelland's efforts to force his way up the Virginia peninsula and capture Richmond in a daring campaign. Army of the Potomac examines the factors working against McClelland's venture, and reveals how President Abraham Lincoln interfered both politically and militarily, worsening McClelland's odds of success. Illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs and maps, Army of the Potomac, Volume III is a captivating, solid, and seminal contribution to civil war military history shelves.

The Words Of War
Donagh Bracken
History Publishing Company
PO Box 700, Palisades, NY 10964-0700
9781933909325, $24.95 www.historypublishingco.com

Beginning with the firing on Fort Sumpter and concluding with the Appomattox surrender of General Lee to General Grant four years later, "The Words Of War" is a unique and seminal contribution to the American Civil War literature. What author and Civil War historian Donagh Bracken has done is to compile and organize in chronological sequence the reports by newspaper correspondents from both the North and the South with respect to how the journalists wrote about the war for their newspapers back home. Specifically, the reporters for 'The New York Times' like Franc Wilkie, L.L. Crounse and others who were embedded with the northern Armies of Grant, Sherman, McClellan, and other officers and admirals in the Eastern and Western Theatres; and the reporters for such southern newspapers like the 'Charleston Mercury' like Robert Barnwell Rhett Sr. & Jr. and George William Bagy (under the pen name of Hermes). The northern and southern newspaper accounts are placed in juxtaposition with each other making for an inherently fascinating, impressively informative, enthusiastically recommended contribution to personal, academic, and community library Civil War Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Portraits Of Conflict
Richard B. McCaslin
The University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
9781557288318, $59.95 www.uapress.com 1-800-626-0090

More than 20,000 Union and Confederate troops died at the Battle of Murfressboro in Tennessee. To commemorate this bloody episode of the American Civil War, "Portraits Of Conflict: A Photographic History Of Tennessee In The Civil War" by Richard M. McCaslin (Associate Professor of History at the University of North Texas) is a 430-page compendium of historic portraiture photographs of participants accompanied by their individual stories of men (and some women) who fought and lost their lives in defense of what they believed in. Among these 250 stories is that of a widow who worked as a Union spy to support herself and her children. A father emerged from his house to find his Confederate soldier son dying at his feet. The nine-year-old boy who attached himself to a Union regiment after his mother died. Historian Richard McCaslin drew upon recovered letters and diaries, as well as other sources of information to make this volume of the 'Portraits Of Conflict' series (of which this volume is the eighth) of immense interest to Civil War historians, students, and enthusiasts, and a necessary addition to academic and community library Civil War Studies and American Photography reference collections. This outstanding series includes two other titles by Professor McCaslin: "Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of South Carolina in the Civil War" (9781557283634) and "Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of North Carolina in the Civil War" (9781557284549), as well as "Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Georgia in the Civile War (9781557284211) by Anne J. Bailey and Walter J. Fraser Jr.; and three volumes by the team of by Bobby Roberts and Carl Moneyhon: "Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Mississippi in the Civil War (9781557282606) ; "Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Louisiana in the Civil War" (9781557281593); and "Portraits of Conflict: A Photographic History of Texas in the Civil War". Also very highly recommended by Professor McCaslin are two of his earlier histories: "Lee in the Shadow of Washington" and "Tainted Breeze: The Great Hanging at Gainesville, Texas".

Historic Photos Of Gettysburg
John S. Salmon
Turner Publishing Company
200 - 4th Avenue, Suite 950, Nashville, TN 37219
9781596523234, $39.95 www.turnerpublishing.com

A former archivist at the Library of Virginia and retired from a career as a staff historian with the Virginia Department of Historic Resources, John S. Salmon draws upon the photographic archives of the Library of Congress, the Pennsylvania State Archives, and the Gettysburg National Military Park Library to compiled "Historic Photos Of Gettysburg". The result is an impress 216-page compendium of historic and period photographs visually documenting the American Civil War conflict known as the Battle of Gettysburg and fought out between the Army of the Potomac (Union forces led by Major General George G. Mead) and the Army of Northern Virginia (Confederate forces led by General Robert E. Lee) from July 1 to July 3, 1863 in and around the town of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. This three-day engagement is considered by Civil War historians to have been the bloodiest battle of the entire four year conflict. The battle was a turning point in the Civil War and stopped Lee's invasion of the North. With captions and text by historian John Salmon, "Historic Photos Of Gettysburg" features some two hundred black-and-white photographs (many of them published here for the first time), making this unique volume a critically important addition to community and academic library American Civil War Studies reference collections, and a 'must read' title for all Civil War enthusiasts and students.


The Travel Shelf

The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos, 4th edition
Blair Howard & Renate Siekmann
Hunter Publishing
130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818
9781588435897, $19.99 www.hunterpublishing.com 1-800-255-0343

Now in an updated fourth edition, The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos is a travel guide covering the 700+ islands of the Bahamas as well as the Turks and Caicos. Fabulously illustrated with full color photographs on virtually every page, The Bahamas and Turks & Caicos lists the best hotels in different price ranges, restaurants, dive sites, dive operators, tours, fishing guides, historic forts and pirate hideouts, where one can walk through tropical forests or play with dolphins, find duty-free shops with bargains, and much more. An easy-to-use, reader-friendly field guide printed on durable, high-quality paper ideal for withstanding the rigors of travel. Highly recommended for tourists and business travelers alike.

Chasing The Rain
Taylor F. Lockwood
Privately Published
PO Box 1412, Mendocino, CA 95460
Baker & Taylor (distributor)
9780970944924, $29.95 www.KingdomofFungi.com

A very special blend of travelogue and horticultural study, "Chasing The Rain: My Treasure Hunt For The World's Most Beautiful Mushroom" by Taylor F. Lockwood is beautifully illustrated throughout with the author's simply gorgeous, full-color photography of an astonishing variety of mushroom plants. The text offers fascinating and informative anecdotes about everything from having to doge deadly snakes in China, to warding off swarms of mosquitoes in Borneo, to outsmarting a band of monkeys in Bali, to hunting for mushrooms at 14,000 feet in Tibet's thin air, to the difficulties of finding mushrooms in drought-stricken Europe. The culmination (to date) of his passionate appreciation for fungi and mushrooms, "Chasing The Rain" is also an account of the connection felt by people who, like esthetic mycologist Taylor Lockwood, hunt the mushrooms of the world. A joy to page through and a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library collections, "Chasing The Rain" is as entertaining as it is informative.

San Juan
Edgardo Rodriguez Julia
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
0299203743, $19.95 www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress 1-800-621-2736

Ably translated into English by Peter Grandbois (Assistant professor of English at California State University, Sacramento) and provided with an informative Foreword by Antonio Skarmeta, "San Juan: Memoir Of A City" by Edgardo Rodriguez Julia is a combination travel guide and memoir of Puerto Rico's capital city. More than just a guidebook for tourists, "San Juan" presents a personalized perspective on the city's history and culture by a gifted author who has created a unique work of literary merit as he describes everything the city has to offer from cockfighting clubs and smoke-filled bars, to cabarets and street traffic. The reader is vividly introduced to a living city conflicted with its colonial past juxtaposed with aspirations for a 'commercial future'. Also available in a hardcover edition (9780299203702, $45.00), "San Juan" is rewarding and highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in this fascinating, complex, colorful, and sometimes contradictory city.

Lonely Planet Eastern Europe
Tom Masters et. al
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781741044768, $28.99 www.lonelyplante.com 1-800-275-8555

Eastern Europe is Lonely Planet's comprehensive travel guide compiled by thirteen authors who spent 4732 combined hours of on-the-road research, covering the nations of Albania, Belarus, Bosnia & Hercegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Macedonia, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine. Each nation's section features maps, festivals and events, specific dangers and annoyances for travelers, a concise mini-history, recommended places to sleep, eat, and see, and much more. "Bulgarians shake their head 'yes' and nod their head 'no'... If in doubt, ask 'da ili ne?' (yes or no?)." At nearly one thousand pages in length, Eastern Europe strives to squeeze in everything a world tourist absolutely needs to know about a staggering diversity of nations, cultures, and customs, and is a top quality guide for business and pleasure travelers alike.


The Gaming Shelf

The Great Mahjong Book
Jelte Rep
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9780804837194, $19.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com

Written by globe-trotting mahjong enthusiast Jelte Rep, The Great Mahjong Book: History, Lore, and Play is a thorough guide to the history and play of mahjong world wide - illustrated throughout in full color, which is particularly helpful when it displays sample mahjong tile groups. The straightforward text covers both basic and advanced mahjong rules for gamers of all skill and experience levels, and an index allows for quick and easy reference. Anyone seeking to learn mahjong, improve their skills, or especially, play the game while visiting another nation, is enthusiastically recommended to immediately add a copy of The Great Mahjong Book to their personal library.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Science and Religion... and Culture in the Jesuit Tradition
Jose Mario Francisco SJ & Roman Miguel de Jesus, editors
ATF Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781920691356, $21.00 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Edited by Jose Mario Francisco SJ (associate professor, Loyola School of Theology) and philosopher Roman Miguel de Jesus, Science and Religion... and Culture in the Jesuit Tradition: Perspectives from East Asia is an anthology of essays by learned authors in the context of a Jesuit mission in the Philippines. Individual essays are bound by the common theme of finding the proper balance between science and religion, from "Genetically Modified Crops: An Assessment from a Christian Ethical Perspective" to "A Critique of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines Statement on the Environment" and much more. The scholarly essays frequently offer helpful suggestions and steps Christians can take, both individually and collectively. "...every religion has similar potential, based on different sets of belief. It is the religious ethicist's task to unlock that potential as the human family faces the brave new world of bio-technology. Theology, religious ethics and people of faith are not the opponents of science. They are both its humanisers and its potential beneficiaries." In today's era of cutting-edge technological advances, Science and Religion... is invaluable for its precepts that apply far beyond the Philippines, indeed to the world as a whole.

Core Christianity
Elmer Towns
AMG Publishers
6815 Shallowford Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
9780899571096, $12.99 www.amazon.com

Written by Elmer Towns, who co-founded Liberty University with Jerry Falwell, Core Christianity: What is Christianity All About? rejects the postmodern way of thinking that eschews the miraculous and the supernatural aspects of Christian faith. Core Christianity accepts the Bible at face value, beginning with the central tenet that Christianity is central to the person of Jesus Christ. Chapters unambiguously stress that Christianity is an exclusive salvation, a disciplined lifestyle, a movement that transforms culture, a global directive to follow God's plan to evangelize the world, and the ultimate hope. "It is impossible to convince the mind through reason alone that the Bible is God's book. Salvation involves all aspects of a person's personality. You must know (with your mind) the facts of your lost condition and that Jesus died for you. Second, you must feel (with your emotions) sorrow for sinning against God, as well as love for Him because of what Christ has done for you. Third, you must choose (with your will) to put your trust in Christ to save you from sin." A solid, highly accessible guide to fundamentalist evangelical Christian belief, as penned by a true believer.

The Quick-Start Beginner's Guide to the Bible
J. Stephen Lang
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736919388, $11.99 www.harvesthousepublishers.com 1-800-547-8979

Bestselling author J. Stephen Lang puts his religion degree to the test in The Quick-Start Beginner's Guide to the Bible, a no-nonsense, easy-to-understand resource for readers of all backgrounds who need to swiftly familiarize themselves with the basics of what the Bible is about, where it came from, and why it is relevant today. Chapters cover the history of the Bible's creation and the "authority problem" of interpretation, learning how to pray with the Bible, and much more. All the books of the Bible are summarized very succinctly in one chapter; The Quick-Start Beginner's Guide to the Bible spends the majority of its emphasis on facts about the Bible and guidance for Christian readers seeking to enrich their prayers. An excellent guide especially for Bible study groups and Christians who are relative novices to the Bible.

12 Steps to Congregational Transformation
David C. Laubach
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015022, $12.00 www.judsonpress.com 1-800-458-3766

Written by Reverend Dr. David Laubach, 12 Steps to Congregational Transformation: A Practical Guide for Leaders is a guide especially for pastors and church leaders to helping one's church survive and thrive. Grounded in the author's years of experience in helping churches transform, chapters give practical tools, tips, tricks, techniques and advice for revitalizing one's congregation and community. Biblical text commentary, questions for reflection and action, and the occasional black-and-white cartoon enhance this handy and motivational guide. "I am amazed when I ask church leaders who have a vision statement to recite it and they stumble. If you fall into that category, you may want to begin the visioning process afresh. A statement drafted by the pastor or crafted by a committee may contain wonderful sentiments and cause heads to nod in assent, but it will not be emotionally owned by the entire congregation." An invaluable resource for church leaders of all denominations.

Worship Without Words, expanded edition
Patricia S. Klein
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
9781557255044, $19.95 www.paracletepress.com

Now in an expanded second edition, Worship Without Words: The Signs and Symbols of Our Faith is a solid quick-reference guide to terms, symbols, clothing, titles, and more used in Christian liturgical worship. From dictionary-like sections that spell out definitions with visual aid from simple black-and-white pictures, to the cycles and holidays of the liturgical year, to lessons and books of worship, the concept of the body of Christ, vestments, and more, Worship Without Words is an excellent primer for anyone new to liturgical worship whether through conversion or rediscovery. A reader-friendly, highly accessible resource. Also highly recommended is author Patricia S. Klein's "A Year With C.S. Lewis".

The Magdalene Moment
Joanna Manning
Raincoast Books
9050 Shaughnessy Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6P 6E5
9781551928739, $29.95 www.raincoast.com

The Magdalene Moment: A Vision for a New Christianity is a thoughtful discussion of Christian spirituality and problems inherent in the Catholic church, as written by former nun Joanna Manning. Chapters discuss the difficulties Manning endured to become a nun, how she left the convent to get married, the shock of learning about scandals involving priests committing sexual abuse of children, how her efforts to speak out against such unforgivable betrayals of trust was the final straw that broke apart her marriage, and much more. The Magdalene Moment is at its heart a spiritual book with elements of memoir, rather than a memoir with elements of spirituality, and its core precept is an effort to draw upon Mary Magdalene as an inspirational model of "justice from the heart" as well as a call for women everywhere to take part in religious leadership. The Magdalene Moment seeks to reconcile and integrate sexuality with spirituality, rather than reject sexuality in the name of spirituality; to exalt the virtue of respect for religious pluralism into worship; and to reconcile the wonder of Biblical Creation with empirical truths revealed by modern science. A thoughtful, honest, and loving testament to worship in today's changing modern era and myriad social problems, enthusiastically recommended for Christians of all denominations.

Swedenborg Oetinger Kant
Wouter J. Hanegraaff
Swedenborg Publishers
320 North Church Street, West Chester, PA 19380
9780877853213, $19.95 www.swedenborg.com 1-800-355-3222

Wouter J. Hanegraaff (Professor of History of Hermetic Philosophy and Related Currents, University of Amsterdam) presents Swedenborg Oetinger Kant: Three Perspectives on the Secrets of Heaven is both a close scrutiny of spiritual philosopher Emanuel Swedenborg's "Secrets of Heaven", and an examination of how philosophers Friedrich Christoph Oetinger and Immanuel Kant responded to Swedenborg's ideas, including Oetinger's transition from qualified acceptance to unqualified rejection, and Kant's reviews and later lectures on metaphysics. Number 18 in the Swedenborg Studies Series, Swedenborg Oetinger Kant is a scholarly, intellectual discussion of the intersection of three quintessentially notable thinkers of their era. Especially recommended as a companion study volume to Swedenborg's "Secrets of Heaven" itself.

Statements of the LDS First Presidency
Gary James Bergera, compiler
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
9781560851950, $34.95 www.signaturebooks.com 1-800-356-5687

Compiled by acclaimed Mormon studies scholar Gary James Bergera, Statements of the LDS First Presidency: A Topical Compendium is an amalgamation of writings by the First Presidency, that is, the President of the Church and his counselors. These communications, as issues by the men of the First Presidency over many decades, represent the authority to speak for God to Mormon believers. Statements of the LDS First Presidency arranges fundamental precepts on every aspect of life by topic, encyclopedia-style. Topics range from abortion (deemed sinful except in cases of rape, incest, a threat to the mother's life or health, or severe defects that ensure the child cannot survive beyond birth) to Judaism ("We have a message for the Jews. We shall be most happy to give it to them if they will listen.") to welfare ("History, of course, is replete with the downfall of nations who, instead of assuming their own responsibility for their religious and economic welfare, mistakenly attempted to shift their individual responsibility to the government.") and much more. All statements are referenced so that readers may consult the original documents or publications. Though not directly a publication of the Latter-Day Saints Church, Statements of the LDS First Presidency is a seminal listing the unequivocal positions of the Church and strongly recommended for religious reference shelves.

Finding Grace When You Can't Even Find Clean Underwear
Lisa Earle McLeod
Jefferson Press
790 Thompson Road, Saluda, NC 28773
9780977808632, $22.95, www.forgetperfect.com

If divine laughter paired with spiritual insights is needed for a collection strong in spirituality, then Finding Grace When You Can't Even Find Clean Underwear is the perfect item of choice. It discusses what's important and what's not in the scheme of realizing spirituality in everyday living, and it chapters are as zany as 'Are Corporate Witches Getting a Bum Rap?' to 'Can you Blackberry Your Way to Happiness?' For a blend of everyday living advice, humor, and spiritual insights, this can't be beat and its title alone will have any general-interest public library lending collection excited.

Integrity at Work
Norman L. Geisler and Randy Douglass
Baker Books
Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
0801067715, $15.99 www.bakerbooks.com

INTEGRITY AT WORK: FINDING YOUR ETHICAL COMPASS IN A POST-ENRON WORLD is a top pick for any business library interested in ethical decision-making processes. It comes from a dean of Southern Evangelical Seminary and a founder of Workplace PEACE and provides a spiritual emphasis and focus – which will make this a top choice for Christian business college holdings, but also accessible to business collections as a whole.

Noah's Other Son
Brian Arthur Brown
Continuum International Publishing
80 Maiden Lane, New York NY 10038
0826427979, $21.95 www.continuumbooks.com

NOAH'S OTHER SON: BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN THE BIBLE AND THE QUR'AN examines over twenty figures who plan major roles in both the Old and New Bible Testaments and the Qur'an. Author Brian Brown is a Canadian minister ministering in communities where Christian majorities interact with Muslim and Jewish minorities: his purpose in NOAH'S OTHER SON is to bridge gaps between Islam and the West through considering common religious experiences and images. Even readers well versed in Christianity may be surprised to learn that women who are nameless in the Bible have their records in the Qur'an, and that Noah had a rebellious other son who refused to get on board the ark and thus drowned. A top pick for any serious spirituality collection.

An Emergent Manifesto of Hope
Doug Pagitt and Tony Jones, Editors
Baker Books
Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
080106807X, $19.99 www.bakerbooks.com

The idea of the 'emerging church' has received many labels – as a movement, a conversation, and even perhaps a scandal – but AN EMERGENT MANIFESTO OF HOPE assembles a range of voices and writings on the topic under one cover, providing the insights of over twenty contributors who reflect on everything from social justice to the church's involvement in sex and evangelism. Christians receive a survey of major church issues of modern times, the latest thinking on faith and leadership, and will find thought-provoking and insightful the insights on an 'emergent church' tied into major community changes.

One
Jerry Katz
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
9781591810537, $15.95 www.sentientpublications.com

Edited by nonduality instructor Jerry Katz, One: Essential Writings on Nonduality is a sourcebook anthology of writings crucial to the spiritual perspective of universal reality, and the mystical integration of the self within the universal. Exploring nonduality as understood within Sufism, Judaism, Taoism, Christianity, Buddhism, Native American traditions, and the Advaita Vedanta, One, as well as nonduality as experienced in psychotherapy, education, art, and even the pop culture movie "The Matrix", One is an integral primer to a powerfully transcendent concept. "The practical expression of the spiritual realization that life is interconnected is expressed in the forms we create, the work in progress of that understanding. Even a learning center that embodies freedom and responsibility is not complete until it seamlessly interfaces with the community of families, businesses, and institutions that surround it, as well as the world at large. Learning may finally be deinstitutionalized and returned to its natural state: curiosity-driven, lifelong, and incorporating every dimension of the human being." Highly recommended for religious and spiritual philosophy shelves.

Superconscious Meditation
Dr. Justin O'Brien (Swami Jaidev Bharati)
Yes International Publishers
1317 Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN 55105-2602
9780936663425, $15.95 www.yespublishers.com

Written by philosopher, theologian, and American Swami (Swami Jaidev Bharati) Justin O'Brien, Superconscious Meditiation is a straightforward how-to guide to learning how to meditate. Accessible to novices and practiced meditators alike, Superconscious Meditation avoids excessive technical language in its step-by-step guidelines for progressive relaxation, breathing techniques, clearing the mind, and applying meditation as a gateway to spirituality and higher consciousness. "Don't try to fight with your mind; don't try to stop your thoughts! Your job in meditation is just to note what's going on and do nothing about it. Keep no engagement with ideas or images. Instead, you are to maintain the stance of being aloof... Remaining a witness is your sole occupation." Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning meditation for its practical or spiritual benefits.


The International Studies Shelf

Live from Jordan
Benjamin Orbach
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814474276, $22.00 www.amacombooks.org

Any collection strong in modern Middle East issues and studies, whether it be at the college level for sociology courses or in public library holdings, will find LIVE FROM JORDAN: LETTERS HOME FROM MY JOURNEY THROUGH THE MIDDLE EAST to be a winner. On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq the Pittsburgh native and grad student Benjamin Orbach traveled to Amman, Jordan to finish a degree in Middle Eastern studies. He had no place to live, little money, and no friends in the region – and through his 13-month series of journeys he discovered a land and people not ordinarily presented through media reporter's eyes. Any who would really learn about the Middle East must have LIVE FROM JORDAN: its approach and presentation are winning.

Saudi Arabia & Ethiopia
Haggai Erlich
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Boulder, CO 80301
9781588264930, $49.95 www.rienner.com

Written by Haggai Erlich (professor emeritus of Middle East and African history, Tel Aviv University), Saudi Arabia & Ethiopia: Islam, Christianity & Politics Entwined is an informative scrutiny of the history of Saudi-Ethiopian relations from 1930s to the present day. Chapters examine the conundrums that both Christian and Muslim Ethiopians face, the modern tensions between Ethiopia's apolitical Islam and Wahhabi fundamentalism, the global implications of an evolving Saudi-Ethiopian relationship, and much more. A scholarly, detailed assessment ideal for historians and anyone in search of a solid understanding of how Saudi-Ethiopian politics came to be where they are today, recommended for world history and international studies shelves.


The Philosophy Shelf

The Chomsky-Foucault Debate On Human Nature
Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault
The New Press
38 Green Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10013
9781595581341, $14.95 www.thenewpress.com 1-800-233-4830

The Chomsky-Foucault Debate On Human Nature collects and presents an integral debate held between two of the world's top intellectuals, Noam Chomsky and Michel Foucault, held in 1971 (during the height of the Vietnam War) to wrestle with the ancient question: Is there such a thing as "innate" human nature independent of our experiences and external influences? In addition to reproducing the debate verbatim, The Chomsky-Foucault Debate On Human Nature includes later writings by each speaker: "Politics" (1976) and "A Philosophy of Language" (1976) by Noam Chomsky, and "Truth and Power" (1976), "Omnes et Singulatim: Toward a Critique of Political Rason" (1978) and "Confronting Government: Human Rights" (1984) by Michel Foucault. "The concept of legality and the concept of justice are not identical; they're not entirely distinct either. Insofar as legality incorporates justice in this sense of better justice, referring to a better society, then we should follow and obey the law... Of course, in those areas where the legal system happens to represent not better justice, but rather the techniques of oppression that have been codified in a particular autocratic system, well, then a reasonable human being should disregard and oppose them, at least in principle; he may not, for some reason, do it in fact." Highly recommended, and a welcome contribution to library philosophy shelves.

Culture Counts
Roger Scruton
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 400, New York, NY 10003
9781594031946 $20.00 www.encounterbooks.com 1-800-786-3839

Written by Roger Scruton (Research Professor, Institute for the Psychological Sciences in Arlington, Virginia), Culture Counts: Faith and Feeling in a World Besieged declares that rumors of the demise of Western culture are greatly exaggerated. Countering academic, external, and internal critics of Western Culture, such as dismissive attitudes toward the legacy of "dead white European males", Culture Counts reveals Western cultural contributions to moral education, defends traditional architecture and figurative painting, and urges renewed respect for the positive achievements of Western civilization. "We should see culture as Schiller and other Enlightenment thinkers saw it: the repository of emotional knowledge, through which we can come to understand the meaning of life as an end in itself. Culture inherits from religion the 'knowledge of the heart' whose essence is sympathy. But it can be passed on and enhanced, even when the religion that first engendered it has died. Indeed, in these circumstances, it is all the more important that culture be passed on, since it has become the sole communicable testimony to the higher life of mankind." A highly recommended, thought-provoking philosophical treatise.

A Thoughtful Life
Dr. Ian Weeks & Dr. Duncan Reid, editors
ATF Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing, Inc.
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781920691653, $18.00 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Edited by Philosophy of Religion instructor Ian Weeks and Anglican priest Duncan Reid, A Thoughtful Life: Essays in Philosophical Theology is an anthology of articles written by a diversity learned friends, students, and colleagues of philosophical theology professor Harry Wardlaw, known for his openness and the intense focus and scrutiny he applied to any question presented to him. The essays include "On the Difficulty of Talking about God", "A Jewish Experience of Jesus", "In Defiance of Fig Leaves: A Tangential Reflection on the Sexuality Debate in the UCA", and many more. Written with scholarly precision, these essays combine thought-provoking insight with respectful tribute for Wardlaw's rigorous search for theological, philosophical, and spiritual truth. "I vividly recall Harry Wardlaw posing to me the question, 'What is wrong with me when I talk about God?' He was not suggesting that 'God-talk,' as it came to be short-handedly referred to, was some sort of symptom of a pathological state, but rather to the general absurdity of an attempt to talk sense about so great a mystery." Highly recommended.


The Fiction Shelf

Reality [The Novel]
Jeff Havens
Academy Chicago Publishers
363 West Erie Street, 7th floor East, Chicago, IL 60610
9780897335485, $15.95 www.academychicago.com

Written by stand-up comedian and former English teacher Jeff Havens, Reality [The Novel] is an off-the-wall hilarious satire following Trent Tucker, a man who hates reality TV yet whose job it is to create new reality shows that go beyond the limits of outrageous. Flanked by co-workers as flamboyant, frosty, ill-tempered, conniving, or vapid as any reality show cast, Tucker is sucked in with them on increasingly surreal adventures, from being stranded on a deserted island to a murder plot, all of which cast eerie echoes on the fantasy lives he's try to put on television. A tongue-in-cheek hysterical parody.

The Woman in the Woods
Ann Joslin Williams
EWU Press
705 West First Avenue., Spokane, WA 99201-3909
9781597660198, $14.95 1-800-508-9095

Winner of the 2005 Spokane Prize for Short Fiction, The Woman in the Woods is an anthology of linked short stories set in New Hampshire's mountain country, by author and teacher Ann Joslin Williams. Dramatic and personal, dwelling on relationships between man and woman, wilderness and humanity, The Woman in the Woods is a riveting portrayal of forces both within the self and larger than oneself, as well as the sheer beauty of the natural world. "The woman takes a different trail down. It's a sharp descent over sheer granite, until the trail hits a straightaway through dwarf spruce, and meanders along the easy ridge to Firescrew. Up close, the white braids of quartz woven into the granite are tinged with rust-colored veins. The plateau has more growth than she remembered. Yellow grasses, fine and tall with delicate feathery seeds; junipers and low blueberry bushes everywhere." Highly recommended.


The Women's Studies Shelf

She's Such a Geek!
Annalee Newitz & Charles Anders
Seal Press
1400 65th Street, Suite 250, Emeryville, CA 94608
9781580051903, $14.95 www.sealpress.com

Edited by syndicated technology columnist Annalee Newitz and award-winning author Charles Anders, She's Such a Geek!: Women Write About Science, Technology & Other Nerdy Stuff is an anthology of writings by stereotype-defying women who love science, computers, gadgets, genomics, video games, Dungeons & Dragons, and other "nerdy" pastimes. From geekdom in a lab or on the job to a computer scientist member of a video game creation team questioning the purpose perhaps even the morality of topless-girl-on-bikes game (called "BMX XXX") she was working on, to a biologist's view of the dating world, She's Such a Geek! is a one-of-a-kind tour of techno-savvy career culture and popular culture from the oft-overlooked feminine perspective. "During my first year of graduate school, three female classmates who frequented the clubs of Boston hit a serious snag in their search for boyfriends. Time after time, guys approached them - only to walk away the minute the women mentioned their occupation. So my friends started lying. They claimed to be flight attendants, yoga instructors, or kindergarten teachers. And the dating pool magically widened." Highly recommended.

Invincible Spirits
Felicity Leng, Compiler
William B. Eerdmans
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
0802824536, $15.00 www.eerdmans.com

INVINCIBLE SPIRITS: A THOUSAND YEARS OF WOMEN'S SPIRITUAL WRITINGS provides words from women who have been some of the most vocal spiritualists of their times. Both forgotten and common voices come to life in this gathering of their words, from a 9th-century mother in France writing a spiritual self-help book to Teresa of Avila, Emily Dickinson and even Dorothy Day. Any collection strong in spiritual or inspirational gatherings will want this survey – and many a general-interest public library will find it a popular lend as well, moving behind religious borders to embrace the wider concepts of spiritual thinking.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Broadsword And Singlestick
R. C. Allanson-Winn & C. Phillipps Wolley
Paladin Press
Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
9781581605129, $16.00 www.paladin-press.com 1-800-392-2400

Co-authored by weapons experts R. C. Allanson-Winn and C. Phillipps Wolley who originally published this unique self-defense instruction guide in England in 1890, "Broadsword And Singlestick" is one of the earliest books available to the general public on the use of everyday items as weapons of self-defense. Featuring chapters on the use of the quarter staff, bayonets, cudgels, shillalahs, walking-sticks, umbrellas, and other miscellaneous but common objects, "Broadsword And Singlestick" also contains useful insights into armed combat training and how such training relates to real-world self-defense considerations and issues which still has relevance and value for men and women today. A classic work with resonate value for martial arts students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in self-defense today, "Broadsword And Singlestick" is a very highly recommended, thoroughly 'user friendly' reading, and appreciatively welcome addition to the growing library of self-defense and martial arts literature.

Training Women in the Martial Arts
Jennifer Lawler & Laura Kamienski
Wish Publishing
PO Box 10337, Terre Haute, IN 47801
9781930546844, $16.95 www.wishpublishing.com

Written by martial arts instructors Jennifer Lawler and Laura Kamienski, Training Women in the Martial Arts: A Special Journey is a practical guide especially for male and female martial arts instructors. Addressing the unique challenge of training women to defend themselves in a male-dominated culture constantly bombarding them with messages of submission. Chapters address why women join the ranks of white belts at roughly even numbers as men yet only a small fraction earn black belts; common personality traits in fellow students or instructors that impede women (such as the "bully" or "rescuer" personas), the importance of teaching women to be aware of incursions on personal space and potential dangers from acquaintances and friends as well as from the proverbial stranger in the parking lot, and much more. "Combative classes reinforce the notion that it is best to retaliate only when there is no doubt a threat exists... it is only okay to fight when very clear-cut lines are drawn and a victim is sure there is going to be a physical confrontation, or after the physical assault has begun - too late to prevent it. But sexual assault is overrun with ambiguity and attempts to confuse the victim... These types of scenarios reject learning to rely on one's own sense of endangerment." Enthusiastically recommended for all martial arts instructors regardless of the type of martial art or self-defense training they specialize in.


The Crafts Shelf

The Beaded Dollhouse
Nobuyo Chiba
Japan Publications
c/o Kodansha America, Inc.
575 Lexington Avenue, 23rd Floor, New York, NY 10022
9784889962123, $17.95 www.kodanshaamercia.com 1-800-451-7556

Offering meticulous, methodical, 'reader friendly', fully illustrated, step-by-step instructions, internationally-renowned bead artist Nobuyo Chica shows anyone how they can create charming miniature furniture and accessories out of beads in "the Beaded Dollhouse: Miniature Furniture And Accessories Made With Beads. Directions are provided for creating six complete rooms (four living rooms arranged by season and two different styles of bedrooms) that include couches, floor lamps, chairs, tables, beds, bureaus, mirrors, fireplaces, chandeliers, potted plants, and even a Christmas tree. All the items are on a ration of 1/24 in actual size. Of special note is the extensive and illustrated equipment list for the beading enthusiast. "The Beaded Dollhouse" is the perfect instruction guide and a very strongly recommended 'how to' manual for the novice seeking to make dollhouse furnishings out of beads.


The Gardening Shelf

Design Your Natural Midwest Garden
Patricia Hill
Trails Books
c/o Big Earth Publishing
923 Williamson Street, Madison, WI 53703
9781931599818, $29.95 www.bigearthpublishing.com 1-800-258-5830

Patricia Hill is a professional landscape designer who specializes in designs featuring only native species. Her work has been featured in a variety of regional and national gardening and landscaping publications. She won 'Best of Show for an exhibit garden she designed for the 2000 Chicago Flower and Garden Show. In "Design Your Natural Midwest Garden", Patricia Hill draws upon her more than twenty-five years of experience and expertise to present both experts and non-specialist general readers alike with an easy-to-follow and beautifully illustrated instructional guide to gardening with native species. The results are gardens that are low-maintenance and good for the environment while simply lovely in appearance and perfect for upper Midwestern soils and climates. The designs are organized around Entrance Gardens; Patios and Terraces; Specialty Gardens (including the very popular Butterfly Garden); Borders; Hillsides; Woodlands; and Water Gardens. Of special note is the concluding chapter dedicated to planning a Prairie Garden. "Design Your Natural Midwest Garden" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Gardening & Landscaping instructional reference collections.

Dream Gardens: 100 Inspirational Gardens
Tania Compton and Andrew Lawson
Merrell Publishers
49 West 24th Street, 8th floor, New York, NY 10010
185894368X, $39.95 www.merrellpublishers.com

Libraries seeking a sourcebook of modern inspirational gardens designs will want to include DREAM GARDENS in their collection: it gathers modern gardens from around the world of all styles, and provides a range of lovely locations from large complex gardens to small, minimalist city gardens. The variety and scope is represented in a series of gorgeous color photos supplemented by discussions of key features and construction insights, including notes on how the garden matches to the house and environment around it. Any seeking an inspirational gardening guide will find DREAM GARDENS a welcome pick.

Growing Green
Jenny Hall and Iain Tolhurst
Chelsea Green Publishing
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
9781933392493, $35.00 www.chelseagreen.com

The foundation of GROWING GREEN: ANIMAL-FREE ORGANIC TECHNIQUES is the concept of stockfree organic growing which includes nothing from animals – and the concurrent idea that when growers abandon the use of manures, chemicals and genetic modifications, only then will they see healthier crops and fewer problems. GROWING GREEN also shows that anyone can make a living growing such organics, providing chapters packed with guidelines on how to follow organic practices at different scales of vegetable production. From assessing and improving soil fertility and understanding composting procedures to rotating crops and considering environment impact, GROWING GREEN is especially recommended for college-level agricultural holdings.

Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest
George Oxford Miller
Voyageur Press
380 Jackson Street #200, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
0760329680, $24.95 www.voyageurpress.com

Any residing or gardening in the southwest will find Landscaping with Native Plants of the Southwest an invaluable reference, as will libraries catering to Southwest residents. It covers not just domestic plants but wildflowers, trees, and cacti, offering a compendium of 'top picks' chosen and rated for their best ornamental and growth qualities and including maps and charts as guidelines for planting, maintenance and landscape design. Over 350 native plant species, subspecies and varieties are detailed and as interest in xeriscaping arises, any area interested in low-water planting will find it of interest.

Chasing Wildflowers
Scott Calhoun
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
9781887896986, $16.95 www.rionuevo.com

In "Chasing Wildflowers: A Mad Search For Wild Gardens", author and horticulture enthusiast Scott Calhoun celebrates the beauty of wildflowers in natural settings that range from Utah, Colorado, Texas, and New Mexico, to Arizona, California, and Sonora, Mexico. Profusely illustrated throughout with 69 color photographs, "Chasing Wildflowers" is part travelogue and part nature study, all presented with the author heading each chapter with the date of that particular trip, its destination, the total trip time, the vehicle use, the round-trip distance from his home-base of Tucson, his traveling companion, and even the music enjoyed along the way. Unique, unusual, and superbly written, "Chasing Wildflowers" is highly entertaining, informative, and recommended for personal and community library collections -- and the next best thing to traveling to these various destinations in person!


The Black Studies Shelf

African American Foodways
Anne L. Bower, editor
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6975
9780252031854, $35.00 www.press.uillinois.edu 1-800-545-4703

"African American Foodways: Explorations Of History And Culture" compiled, organized and edited by academician and food history expert Anne L. Bower covers African American cuisines ranging from West African fare, to Caribbean influences, to South American traditions, to contemporary fusion dishes using 'soul food' ingredients that had their origins in American slavery. The seven knowledgeable contributors draw from history, literature, sociology, anthropology, and African-American studies to illustrate and demonstrate how food's material and symbolic values have contributed to African American cultural identities for almost five hundred years. Of special note is Anne Bower's own contribution, 'Recipes for History: the National Council of Negro Women's Five Historical Cookbooks'. "African American Foodways" is a model of modern and seminal sociological scholarship, as well as a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic and community library American History, Culinary History, Popular Culture, and African-American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Cygnus Mystery
Andrew Collins
Sterling Publishing Co., Inc.
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781842932025, $24.95 1-800-805-5489

Written by Andrew Collins, organizer of the Questing Conference (Great Britain's premier event on alternative history, forbidden archaeology, and ancient wisdom), The Cygnus Mystery: Unlocking the Ancient Secret of Life's Origins in the Cosmos is an examination of the origins of life - not in the strict Darwinian sense, but in the sense of humanity's earliest ancestors' awareness of life and death, as connected to a cosmic source. Exploring what astronomic lore has to say about 15,000 BC, in the Paleolithic era when Deneb, the brightest star in Cygnus, was the Pole Star, The Cygnus Mystery probes the roots of the amazing physical and neurological transformation in humanity from beasts to fully conscious and complex psychological beings, a metamorphosis that happened almost overnight in geological terms. The Cygnus Mystery proposes that the cause of this sudden shift lay in a sudden spike in the cosmic rays reaching Earth, offering evidence that the rays, which have left behind subatomic traces in deep caves, emanated from the binary star system Cygnus X-3. A handful of color photographic plates illustrate this blend of archaeo-astronomy, scientific revolution and spiritual wisdom.

Spagyrics
Manfred M. Junius
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
1594771790, $18.95 www.HealingArtsPress.com

SPAGYRICS: THE ALCHEMICAL PREPARATION OF MEDIEVAL ESSENCES, TINCTURES ND ELIXIRS discusses the practice and applications of spagyrics, a method which 'opens' medicinal plants completely to draw on their more powerful healing properties. Ancient source materials and images compliment discussions which describe step-by-step methods for preparing plant remedies alchemically, blending history and science with new age beliefs and methods in a classic resource perfect for any new age collection strong in hermetic art or natural healing.

Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com

Fans of ghost stories in general and particularly 'true hauntings' accounts, as well as libraries in the East Coast region, will want to include four fine new lively titles in their collections. Renee Mallett's MANCHESTER GHOSTS: NEW HAMPSHIRE'S HAUNTED CITY (9780654326509, $14.95) is a wide-ranging survey of everything ghostly about New Hampshire, from legends of early Native Americans to settler experiences and accounts of current Manchester hauntings. From an interview with a modern-day ghost hunter to accounts of modern haunted buildings, any with an interest in Manchester, New Hampshire will be pleased by the lively survey here. Thomas D'Agostino's HAUNTED NEW HAMPSHIRE (0764325736, $14.95), in contrast, covers the entire state, surveying small towns and haunted establishments from restaurants and taverns to even a dead pirate or an island banshee. Tourists hoping to catch a ghostly glimpse are treated to clear directions to each place, while small black and white photos accompany each description of a ghostly experience. Both ghost enthusiasts in general and New Hampshire local history collections will relish these. Thomas D'Agostino's HAUNTED MASSACHUSETTS (9780764326622, $12.95) investigates haunted mansions and taverns, ghost towns and even a haunted quarry, offering up some forty towns and cities where ghosts are said to walk. D.P. Roseberry's GHOSTS OF VALLEY FORGE AND PHOENIXVILLE (9780764326332, $14.95) covers two areas which hold ghostly visitations in unlikely places, from a bed and breakfast to a public library. These will all delight fans of the ghost story – and all are culled from real circumstances.

Everyday Herbs In Spiritual Life
Michael J. Caduto
Skylight Paths Publishing
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781594731747, $16.99 www.skylightpaths.com 1-800-962-4544

"Everyday Herbs In Spiritual Life: A Guide To Many Practices" by author, ecologist, educator and storyteller Michael Caduto is a practical and informative guide to incorporating herbs into a spiritual life through the use of rituals and ceremonies. "Everyday Herbs In Spiritual Life" provides descriptions of the herbs and their applications across many cultural traditions. Of special note is the advice on how to utilize these herbs for personal spiritual growth. For example, creating herbal art inspired by faith and the beauty of nature; crafting herbal wreaths, sachets, garlands, pillows and soaps; preparing herbal teas, infused oils and meals; making potpourri and candles infused with herbs; celebrating holidays, births, weddings, and memorials with herbs; designing a simple herb garden of plants chosen from among different spiritual traditions; even how to construct spaces in which to use herbs for reflection and mediation. All this and more make "Everyday Herbs In Spiritual Life" an invaluable and very strongly recommended addition to personal and community library Metaphysical Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Gothic Classics
Ann Radcliffe, et al.
Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Road, Mount Horeb, WI 53572
9780978791902, $11.95 www.graphicclassics.com

The newest addition to the fourteen volume 'Graphic Classics' series from Eureka Productions, "Gothic Classics" is the third multi-author anthology and wonderfully showcases the short story in graphic novel format. Comprising this outstanding compilation is Ann Radcliffe's archetypal gothic novel 'The Mysteries of Udopho' adapted by the collaborative work of Antonella Caputo and Carlo Vegara; the adaption of Jane Austen's gothic parody 'Northanger Abbey' by Trina Robbins and Anne Timmons; Edgar Allen Poe's 'The Oval Portrait' as illustrated by Malaysian illustrator Leon Wan Kok; Myla Jo Closser's canine ghost story 'At the Gate' which is illustrated by Shary Flenniken; and J. Sheridan Le Fanu's famous vampire tale 'Carmilla' as presented by the team of Rod Lott and Lisa K. Weber. "Gothic Classics" is very strongly recommended to illustrated graphic novel enthusiasts, as well as fans of Radcliffe, Austen, Poe, Closser, and Le Fanu. Readers, community librarians, and graphic novel collectors should visit the Eureka Productions website for a complete listing of all the titles in their continuing and highly accomplished 'Graphic Classics' series.

Our Gang
Walt Kelly
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
9781560978503, $12.95 www.fantagraphics.com 1-800-657-1100

The late cartoonist and political satirist Walt Kelly was best known and remembered for his 'Pogo' newspaper comic strip. What is not so well known is that from beginning in October of 1942 he wrote and drew another comic strip called 'Our Gang' which is now in the process of being rescued from an undeserved obscurity by Fantagraphics Books. The second and latest volume (which includes a new and informative introduction by Steve Thompson) is a compilation of the strip as it appeared in 1994 and 1945. The kids once again find themselves on a movie set as invited guests, but events transpire to launch them into another series of colorful adventures -- this time aboard a sailing ship, a Japanese held island, and a submarine. After this thrilling adventure comes another one closer to home for the kids where they must deal with saboteurs and spies. Reflecting a war-time America, this superb, full-color reproduction is impressively meticulous and a 'must read' for all Walt Kelly fans. Visit the Fantagraphics Books website to see all the currently available volumes of this outstanding and highly recommended series, as well as the many other professionally reproduced 'yesteryear' comics and graphic novels they have available for readers and collectors.


The Woodworking Shelf

Jigs & Fixtures For the Table Saw & Router
Woodworker's Journal editors
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781565233256, $17.95 www.foxchapelpublishing.com

Nearly thirty projects and instructions on how to make jigs and fixtures for safer and faster woodworking are packed into Jigs & Fixtures For the Table Saw & Router, a guide which uses the experience of the editors of Woodworker's Journal for a range of innovative projects. From technical drawings and easy step-by-step instructions complete with materials lists to color photos throughout, homeowners who have a woodshop will find this an excellent – and essential – guide, as will libraries catering to home crafters and do-it-yourself patrons.

Chairmaking & Design, 2nd Edition
Jeff Miller
Linden Publishing
2006 S. Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
19333502061, $22.95 www.lindenpub.com

Chairmaking is considered to be one of the more difficult home crafter's arts, but by relying on expert patterns and easy tips, seven elegant chair projects are used to clearly demonstrate all the foundation keys to making chairs. This new, revised edition of a winning guide is a pick for home decor crafters who want to use their existing skills to build well-crafted chairs. Chapters are packed with black and white step-by-step construction photos and build on fundamental basics to explore chairmaking choices. Any library catering to home handy people will find it a fine addition.

Woodturning Tips & Techniques
Carol Rix
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street, East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781565233300, $19.95 www.foxchapelpublishing.com

Both new and experienced woodturners will appreciate this guide to woodturning, which covers everything from using a lathe and wood-making tools to planning designs. Carol Rix is a woodturning expert: her years of experience enhance a discussion which covers everything from setting up a workshop and choosing and maintaining tools to basic turning techniques and projects – all packed with color photos throughout to illustrate each step. Any newcomer to woodturning, as well as crafts-oriented libraries, will want this.


The Homeowner's Shelf

52 Weekend Makeovers
Taunton Press Editors
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newton, CT 06470-5506
9781561588633, $24.95 www.taunton.com

Home makeovers are increasingly seen as 'DYI' projects, and allowing handy homeowners to achieve much in a weekend is 52 WEEKEND MAKEOVERS: EASY PROJECTS TO TRANSFORM YOUR HOME INSIDE AND OUT. From installing organizing shelving and upgrading sinks and faucets to handling an old floor or building a mantelpiece, homeowners who have a basic workshop will find 52 WEEKEND MAKEOVERS perfect for inspiration, packing in step-by-step color photos to make the process easy – and any library catering to homeowners will find it a welcomed reference.

Sunset Books
c/o Leisure Arts Inc.
5701 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223-9633
www.sunsetbooks.com 1-800-643-8030

Joanne Liebeler's DO IT HERSELF: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO FIX, MAINTAIN, AND IMPROVE YOUR HOME (0376018089, $24.95) is written by women for women and offers step-by-step directions for a range of easy fixes, from tightening loose hinges and stopping a running toilet to unclogging sink drains and installing a GFCI receptacle. Each tip comes with good-sized color step-by-step photos and accompanying directions for installations and repairs, including a 'time and talent' sidebar defining job complexity. Perfect for women who want to develop basic home repair skills. BIG IDEAS FOR SMALL GARDENS features Dave Egbert's Garden Notebook and tells how to create a small garden to showcase plants and setting alike. From easy design basics to make the most of a small space to picking the right, small plants for such a venture, color photos with arrowed notes accompany design and landscape insights perfect for small garden growers. Both titles promise to be popular library lending choices.


The Architecture Shelf

International Beach Houses
Louisa Wattson
Harry Abrams
115 West 18th Street, New York NY 10011
9780810992962, $35.00 www.abramsbooks.com

The contemporary beach house designs featured in International Beach Houses comes from top architectural structures around the world – a little over twenty – and includes structures from the U.S., Europe, Asia, South Africa and South America. Books which focus on style often focus on interiors, but this shows floor plans, views and interiors alike, discussing local terrain, culture, and describing the unique architectural approaches of each creation. Art libraries strong in contemporary architecture will find it a fine survey of options and creative responses to differing coastal environments.


The Library Science Shelf

Library Contests
Kathleen R.T. Imhoff & Ruthie Maslin
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555705596, $55.00 www.neal-schuman.com 1-866-672-6657

Contests are an excellent way to engage their communities, schools, and patrons with what libraries have to offer by way of services and facilities. A superbly organized and presented instruction guidebook, "Library Contests: A How-To-Do-It Manual" provides school and community librarians with step-by-step instructions through all the stages of planning, promoting, budgeting, and running a contest. The essential steps for contest development begin with the selection of a contest planner and choosing a judge, to promoting the contest, defining its theme, defining eligibility criteria for contest participants, and evaluating contest success. Offering a wealth of practical advice, tips, tricks and techniques for mounting an effective contest, librarians are provided with four real-world examples: Earth Day Coloring Contest; Guess the Number of Bricks in the New Library Contest; Create a Clothing Accessory from Duct Tape Contest; and One Book, One City Essay Contest. A very highly recommended reference for Library Science collections, "Library Contests" is an impressive compilation of novel and tested ideas for every category of library whether their contest is to be local, regional, statewide, or even national in scope.

Library 2.0: A Guide to Participatory Library Service
Michael E. Casey and Laura C. Savastinuk
Information Today Inc.
145 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573872973, $29.50 www.infotoday.com

Strategies and projects which have helped over a hundred public libraries gain community support and funding are outlined in a reference highly recommended for both libraries at all levels, from school to community, to educators who want to gain insights into what makes up a set of winning programs and services reaching out to the community. From building youth services and interest to making marketing and economic partnerships, LIBRARY 2.0 is a key to developing lasting libraries and collections which reach out to community needs.


The Sports Shelf

Sid!
Sid Hartman with Patrick Reusse
Voyageur Press
380 Jackson Street #200, Saint Paul MN 55101
0760331901, $16.95 www.voyageurpress.com

SID! THE SPORTS LEGENDS, THE INSIDE SCOOPS, AND THE CLOSE PERSONAL FRIENDS surveys one who has seen many changes to Minnesota sports for over sixty years. His memoir originally appeared in 1997: this newly update edition includes a new epilogue about the past 10 years in Minnesota sports and presents new audiences with sports commentary and insights which are a 'must' for any fan of Minnesota sports history and any collection catering to sports enthusiasts.


The Egyptology Shelf

Imagining Egypt
Mark Millmore
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
9781579125479, $24.95 www.bdlev.com 1-800-722-7202

In "Imagining Egypt: A Living Portrait Of The Time Of The Pharaohs", artist and author Mark Millmore provides the reader with a beautifully illustrated historical survey and account of the society, customs, rituals, beliefs, architecture, government, monuments, and daily life of ancient Egypt. Of special interest is Millmore's pairing of color photographs of sites and structures as they appear today along side beautifully executed computer recreations of how those same sites and structures appeared in their own time and place. Readers will learn how hieroglyphs how decoded, how the pyramids were built, and the religious beliefs and theologies that made Egypt so distinctive among the nations and empires of antiquity. Superbly organized and presented, "Imagining Egypt" is ideal for the non-specialist general reader and would make a popular addition to school and community library World History and Ancient History collections.

Tehuti Research Foundation
PO Box 39406, Greensboro, NC 27438-9406
www.egypt-tehuti.org 1-336-855-8111

Author and Egyptologist Moustafa Gadalla has published two more titles in his impressive series of independent researches into the history, culture, impact, and legacy of ancient Egypt. In "The Ancient Egyptian Culture Revealed" (9781931446273, $19.95) Gadalla relates many hitherto obscure aspects of a 36,000-year-old Egyptian civilization including their societal/political system as the source of Greek philosophy as exemplified by Plato's 'Ideal Republic and Laws', as well as Hellenic knowledge and practices with respect to medicine, music, science, manufacturing, industries, trade policies, and so much more that has been recognized by traditional scholarship. Additionally readers will be introduced to the simplicity, coherence and beauty of the religion of Ancient Egypt; and their ability to determine the sex of an unborn child; their population migration, settlements and influences throughout the ancient world. In "The Ancient Egyptian Roots Of Christianity" (9781931446297, $12.95), Gadalla connects certain historical and spiritual aspects of Christianity to their roots in Ancient Egypt including the prominent ancestors (Moses, David, and Solomon)of the historical Jesus, Christian tenants of the early church; the names Christ, Mary, Lazarus, and others; the creation story as set down in the Book of Genesis; and such Christian concepts as Christmas, epiphany, Last Supper; Easter, transfiguration, and more. Both of these two new volumes of discovery and interpretation are welcome and iconoclastic additions to the growing body of alternative archaeology and Egyptology. Both of these informed and informative volumes are especially recommended to the attention of students in Egyptology, Christianity, Metaphysics, and Archaeology. Readers with an interest in Egyptology would do very well to visit the Tehuti Research Foundation website at www.egypt-tehuti.org for a complete listing of all their available titles on the subject.


The World History Shelf

The Present State of Germany
Samuel Pufendorf, author
Michael J. Seidler, editor
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1684
9780865974937, $12.00 www.libertyfund.org 1-800-955-8335

Originally published in 1667 by Sweden's and Brandenburg's official state historian Samuel Pufendorf (1632-1694), The Present State of Germany is a classic volume that sparked incendiary debate in its time due to its controversial and utterly unapologetic deconstruction of mainstream German constitutional law. This edition has been meticulously assembled by comparing its 1696 translation by Edmund Bohun with Pufendorf's 1667 Latin original and Gundling's 1706 edition. The original prefaces to the two Latin editions have been translated into English for the first time, and an introduction by editor Michael J. Seidler offers historical and philosophical setting and context. An index rounds out this informative and instructive volume which is very highly recommended for classic history text reference collections.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Lefty Kreh's Longer Fly Casting
Lefty Kreh
The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9781599210872, $14.95 www.globepequot.com 1-800-243-0495

Lefty Kreh is an internationally renowned and acknowledged master of the art and science of fly fishing. Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, "Lefty Kreh's Longer Fly Casting: The Compact, Practical Handbook That Will Add Ten Feet -- Or More -- To Your Casts" is certain to improve the fly casting performance of any angler. This 98-page, profusely illustrated instruction manual analyses the basic forward cast, explains its different parts and dynamics, and then builds on that to fully illustrate the essential fly casting technique for targeting fish at the arm's maximum range known as the 'double haul'. Of special note is the cogent explanation of properly using a shooting head and overcoming many common obstacles to successful fly casting including wind factors, trees, casting from boats, and more. "Lefty Kreh's Longer Fly Casting" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone seeking to improve their fly cast fishing performance. Also very highly recommend are Lefty Kreh's other fly fishing instruction manuals and guides: "Presenting The Fly"; "Fly Fishing in Salt Water"; "Saltwater Fly Patterns"; "Practical Fishing Knots"; "Solving Casting Problems", and "101 Fly-Fishing Tips".

Tying & Fishing Soft-Hackled Nymphs
Allen McGee
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
9781571884039, $24.95 www.amatobooks.com

A preferred food source by trout, underwater aquatic insects make an effective lure for those who know how to create them. Typical lures are in the form of the size, shape, and color of the natural insect. but soft-hackled nymphs also imitate the insect's movement and behavior -- thereby enhancing their ability to lure a trout to attack. In "Tying & Fishing soft-Hackled Nymphs", fly fishing expert Allen McGee clearly and methodically explains how to imitate sub-surface aquatic insects using both traditional and modern soft-hackled nymphs along with their most effective presentation techniques. When combining thread and translucent fur body material, these flies take on truly life-like properties that, when fished throughout the water column from the stream bottom, imitate immature nymphal forms. The result is a more successful fly fishing experience and catching more trout! A welcome and specialized addition to fly fishing instructional reference collections, "Tying & Fishing Soft-Hackled Nymphs" is especially recommended reading for novice anglers and will prove to be an invaluable instructional reference for every the more experienced fly fisherman.


The Aviation Shelf

Return-To-Flight
Dennis R. Jenkins & Jorge R. Frank
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
158007104X, $16.95 www.specialtypress.com 1-800-895-4585

The collaborative work of Dennis R. Jenkins (a thirty year veteran engineer and manager on the Space Shuttle Program and other space-related programs and currently the Verville Fellow at the Smithsonian Institutions' national Air and Space Museum) and Jorge R. Frank (an aerospace engineer with eighteen years' experience on the Space Shuttle Program), "Return-To-Flight: Space Shuttle Discovery Photo Scrapbook" is the illustrated story of how NASA grounded the entire Space Shuttle fleet after the Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003, in order to find out what had gone wrong and fix it. After thirty months of hard work, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Program's Return-to-Flight (STS-114) using the space craft Discovery. This was the most photographed flight in Space Shuttle history (including images taken from inside the cockpit and from a camera mounted on a long, robotic arm used to examine almost every inch of the Orbiter) and the foundation for this informed and informative history of this cutting edge aviation program. Superbly illustrated with 350 full color mission photos and an informative text, "Return-To-Flight is a seminal work and a core addition to personal, academic, and community library Aviation & Space Exploration History collections.


The Literary Shelf

Masterpieces Of Beat Literature
Michael J. Dittman
Greenwood Publishing Group
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313332838, $49.95 www.greenwood.com 1-800-225-5800

"Masterpieces Of Beat Literature" by Michael J. Dittman (Instructor of Humanities and Social Sciences at Butler County Community College) provides students with literary survey and analysis of that body of 20th Century counter-culture literature from what has become known as the 'Beat' generation. This was a body of literature that included novels, poetry, essays, and commentaries written during the chaos and changes of an America coping with the threat of nuclear war, the rise of anti-Communist hysteria, and the pressures to conform to social conventions. From Alan Ginsburg's 'Howl' to Jack Kerouac's 'On The Road', these were writers of the 1950s who were to influence an entire generation and laid the ground work for the counter-culture and anti-war movements of the 60s and 70s, and whose writings still have relevance for the protest movements of today. "Masterpieces Of Beat Literature" is a superb body of scholarship that is strongly recommended for inclusion into academic and community library American Literary History reference collections and college level supplemental reading lists.

Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyere
Harold Bloom, editor
Bloom's Literary Criticism
c/o Chelsea House Publishers
132 West 31st Street, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10001
9780791093627, $30.00 www.chelseahouse.com 1-800-678-3633

'Bloom's Guides' is a series of reading and study guides designed use by students and adults seeking to gain a more sophisticated and erudite understanding of major works of literature. Written by Charlotte Bronte and published in 1847, 'Jane Eyre' is the story of a governess who, despite her plainness, catches the eye of her employer, a man named Edward Rochester. Considered a classic of Gothic and Victorian literature, 'Jane Eyre' has been popular among readers (and adapted to stage, film, and television productions) from its beginning. "Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre" offers concise critical excerpts that provide a scholarly overview of the novel, a 'Story Behind the Storey' commentary detailing the conditions under which the Bronte wrote her book, a biographical sketch of Bronte, a descriptive list of characters in the novel, an extensive summary and analysis of the work, as well as an annotated bibliography for further study. Offering insights into the literary themes and motives of a masterpiece of 19th century literature, "Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyere" is a welcome addition to school and community library Literary Criticism reference collections. Other very highly recommended titles in the 'Bloom's Literary Criticism' series for highschool and college library collections include "Mary Shelley's Frankenstein" (9780791093580, $30.pp); "Geoffrey Chaucer: Undated Edition" (9780791094389, $45.00); and "Stephen Crane: Updated Edition" (9780791094297, $45.00);

Dreams of Departure
Naguib Mahfouz, author
Raymond Stock, translator
The American University in Cairo Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9789774160677, $19.95 www.aucpress.com 1-800-758-3756

Written by Naguib Mahfouz (1911-2006), winner of the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1988, and skillfully translated into English by biographer Raymond Stock, Dreams of Departure: The Last Dreams Published in the Nobel Laureate's Lifetime is the second collection Mahfouz's writings drawn from his own dreams, as serialized in a Cairo magazine in the time shortly before his death. Over two hundred dreams are presented; each one is brief, rarely more than a few paragraphs. An afterword by the translator rounds out this beautiful, prideful, and memorable collection. "Dream 118: I was in Ramle Station, always bustling with people, when at one end I caught sight of the man whose slogans the masses love to repeat, wooing a stunning woman. 'If you're doing something scandalous,' I whispered in his ear, 'then you should be discreet.' But he answered me bluntly, 'Is there anything more discreet than this?'" Highly recommended.


The Native American Shelf

The Essential Charles Eastman (Ohiyesa)
Michael Oren Fitzgerald, editor
World Wisdom
1501 East Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
9781933316338, $19.95 www.worldwisdom.com

The first native American author (eleven books published from 1902 until 1918) to live simultaneously in both the traditional world of the Santee Sioux (where his name was Ohiyesa) and the modern civilization of the white man, Charles Eastman was an intelligent, thoughtful man who sought to explain the philosophy and moral code of the Plains Indian to the dominant white culture. Eastman attended the injured at the infamous Battle of Wounded Knee, and knew first hand the plight of Native Americans seeking a spiritual way for themselves while having to live in a once nomadic society that was becoming increasingly dominated by materialism and industrial technology. He received his medical degree from Boston College and became the government physician on the Pine ridge Sioux reservation in South Dakota. He was presented a special medal honoring the most distinguished achievements by an American Indian. "The Essential Charles Eastman" is enhanced with an informative Foreword by Raymond Wilson, an excellent introduction by Janine Pease, ten sepia photographs illustrating Eastman's life, biographical notes, a bibliography of his works, and a useful index. "The Essential Charles Eastman" is an important and seminal addition to academic and community library Native American Studies reference collections and especially recommended reading for students of Native American metaphysics, philosophy, and spirituality.


The Mechanical Engineering Shelf

Practical Plant Failure Analysis
Neville W. Sachs, P.E.
CRC Press
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
0849333768, $99.95 www.crcpress.com 1-800-272-7737

"Practical Plant Failure Analysis: A Guide To Understanding Machinery Deterioration And Improving Equipment Reliability" provides students of mechanical engineering with an interdisciplinary approach to the concept that component failures result from a combination of factors that involve materials science, mechanics, thermodynamics, corrosion, and tribology. Author Neville W. Sachs draws upon his more than thirty years of experience and expertise to provide the reader with a practical, informative, guide to improving machinery maintenance and reliability. "Practical Plant Failure Analysis" presents practical guidance on failure mechanism, including what leads to these failures and how to avoid them, as well as featuring 'user friendly' charts to logically diagnose a failure and take the appropriate correction action. "Practical Plant Failure Analysis" offers a clear and detailed explanation of the differences between through- and case-hardened gear teeth, while its informed and informative text is enhanced with more than 300 photographs and illustrations to develop competence and confidence in visually diagnosing machinery failures. An essential reference and comprehensive instructional guide to diagnosing and dealing with machinery failure, "Practical Plant Failure Analysis" is a core addition to academic, trade school, and professional reference library collections.


The Genealogy Shelf

Ancestral Trails
Mark Herber
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
080631771X, $34.95 www.genealogical.com 1-800-296-6687

Now in a completely updated and substantially revised second edition, "Ancestral Trails: The Complete Guide To British Genealogy And Family History by Mark Herber continues to be an invaluable and indispensable genealogical reference guide for novice and experienced genealogists alike whose researches require them to access the voluminous British archives of records and other published resources. Originally published in 1997 in association with the Society of Genealogists based in London, this new and expanded edition of "Ancestral Trails" provides an informed and informative guide to what records and published sources are available, how to access them, how to analyze what they archive; how to use the divers 'finding-aids' and indexes. "Ancestral Trails" also shows how to obtain and process information from living relatives, how to construct family trees, how to utilize the preserved records of birth, marriage, death, and other census data. Also covered are such sources as wills, parish records, civil and ecclesiastical court records, poll books, and property records. "Ancestral Trails" is a core addition to any professional genealogy library reference collection and a 'must' for aspiring genealogists having to deal with British source material.

Searching For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors
Joseph J. Goethals & Karel Denys
Clearfield Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
0806353422, $19.50 www.genealogical.com 1-800-296-6687

"Searching For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors" by Joseph J. Goethals (co-founder of the Genealogical Society of Flemish Americans) with the assistance of genealogist Karel Denys provides an informed and informative introduction for aspiring genealogical researchers to Flemish records and the methodology to access them. This thoroughly 'user friendly' guide is deftly organized to provide accessible information with respect to Belgian genealogical sources in the U.S.A.; the civil records in Flanders from 1796; parish records; and other sources of the Old Regime including tax lists and estate inventories. Enhanced with the inclusion of five appendices (Flemish Surnames and First Names; State Archives in Flanders; The Flemish Association for Family History; Currency and Land Measurements; Glossary of Flemish, French and Latin Terms), "Search For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors is a welcome and highly recommended addition to Genealogy Library Resource and Reference collections in general, and genealogists needing to research Flemish/Belgian records in particular.


The Library CD Music Shelf

Esta Tierra Es Tuya
Sones de Mexico
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
216 West Allen Street, Suite 137, Bloomington, IN 47403
SM-0407, $16.00 www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Esta Tierra Es Tuya (translation: This Land Is Your Land) is the latest music CD release by Sones de Mexico, and a listening experience that draws upon rock, folk, and Western classical elements as well as Mexican culture. Created entirely with acoustics - no synthesizers at all! - Esta Tierra Es Tuya includes both traditional and original songs: Yo Vendo Unos Ojos Negros (5:17), Esta Tierra Es Tuya (3:27), La Presumida (5:00), Tabasco Suite (4:11), Brandenburg Concerto No. 3 in G major (5:07), La Rabia (4:31), Inchapikua (Danza de las Mariposas) (4:30), Eres Bella Flor (2:54), Jarabe Planeco (4:07), La Llorona (4:42), Four Sticks (4:32), Los Panaderos (6:29), four interludes, and an epilogue. A lively, experimental, and toe-tapping album that reclaims the vibrancy of Mexican music, especially acoustic guitar and mariachi music, from the negative stereotypes of American popular culture. Highly recommended.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Mystery Writing In A Nutshell
John McAleer & Andrew McAleer
James A. Rock & Company, Publishers
9710 Traville Gateway Drive, #305, Rockville, MD 20850
9781596635050, $9.95 www.rockpublishing.com 1-800-411-2230

John McAleer taught crime fiction at Boston College for almost forty years and is an Edgar Allan Poe Award winner, a Pulitzer Prize nominee, and best-selling author in the mystery and suspense genre. Now, in collaboration with his son Andrew McAleer (who is also a Professor of Crime Fiction at Boston College), John McAleer draws upon his extensive expertise and experience to provide aspiring writers with a succinct manual of instruction with "Mystery Writing In A Nutshell: The World's Most Concise Guide To Mystery And Suspense Writing". Comprised of seven densely packed chapters that focus on 'Creating Suspense and Action'; 'The Story & The Hook'; 'Fodder for Writing (Ideas for Getting Ideas)'; 'Voice, Voice, Voice'; 'Clues & Making Tracks'; 'Character Development'; and 'Plot Pourri', "Mystery Writing In A Nutshell" also features a 'Final Word', 'Final Tips', and 'Notes'. Of special interest is the concluding section (Miscellaneous) featuring important addresses for mystery writers, conversations about writers and writing, questions for William G. Tapply, Robert B. Parker, Margaret McLean, 'The Writer in Us', and a short essay on 'Writers Influencing Writers'. Thoroughly reader friendly, informed and informative in presentation, "Mystery Writing In A Nutshell" is superbly organized and very highly recommended as being one of the best introductory guides to writing commercially successful mysteries available to aspiring writers and novice authors today.

How To Do Local History
Gavin McLean
University of Otago Press
International Specialized Book Services (ISBS)
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
9781877372414, $24.95 www.isbs.com 1-800-944-6190

Written by Gavin McLean (senior historian at the Ministry for Culture and Heritage) and illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, How To Do Local History is a step-by-step guide for would-be local history writers. From how to handle "difficult" or touchy issues in local history, to formulating the right questions to ask while doing research, to investigating both online and offline historical resources, and considerations to keep in mind when publishing - whether just publishing on a website or printing up a book - How To Do Local History is a seminal primer ideal for genealogists, church and institutional historians, thesis writers, and the people who commission them. "Develop an economical writing style in which you 1) tell the main story and ignore most of the historical sidetracks; and 2) cut the waffle. Compression requires self-discipline and hard work, but the results are worth it. Use your computer's word-counting tool... Rewriting is the key to successful writing. And the key to rewriting is reduction." Though written especially with a New Zealand audience in mind, How To Do Local History is packed cover-to-cover with practical tips, tricks, and techniques sure to prove useful regardless of the reader's background.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

When Your Parents Sign The Paychecks
Greg McCann
JIST Publishing
8902 Otis Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033
9781593573232, $19.95 www.jist.com 1-800-648-5478

Most family businesses don't survive the next generation of family members. "When Your Parents Sign The Paychecks: Finding Career Success Inside Or Outside The Family Business" by Greg McCann (Founder of the Family Business Center, Stetson University and the family business consulting firm of McCann & Associates ) offers a comprehensive and superbly organized guide to having a career within or without the family business. Professor McCann teaches the reader how to create and evaluate an education and career plan where decisions are made for the right reason instead of by default; develop 'marketability' for themselves instead of merely feeling entitled to a position through nepotism; build a career portfolio, obtain work experience outside their family business, and recruit objective mentors for themselves. Of special note is what Professor McCann has to say about preserving relationships while dealing with family expectations with respect to entering the family business; the importance of attitude and communication styles; and avoiding the downside of undeserved pay and benefits arising from participation in a family business. Using examples of three young people with family businesses, "When Your Parents Sign The Paychecks" deals with 'the amateur', 'the semipro', and 'the professional'. If you have a family business that you'd like to see your children take on, of if you are the child of a parent with a family business expecting you to take over, you need to give Professor McCann's "When Your Parents Sign The Paychecks" a close and careful reading. This is a unique and seminal work that should be a part of every college and community library's Jobs & Careers reference collection.

The On-The-Job-Training Handbook
Douglas Cox Landa & Henry C. Landa
The Film Instruction Company of America
5928 West Michigan Street, Wauwatosa, WI 53213-4248
0931974283, $56.95 www.politicalbookreviws.com/ojthandbook.htm ficoa@milwpc.com

"The On-The-Job-Training Handbook" is the collaborative effort of Douglas and Henry Landa, a father-and-son team who between them have drawn upon their more than seventy years of experience and expertise in training and educating others to provide a unique and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional manual and guidebook for anyone charged with the managerial assignment of training someone else in an on-the-job function or task. It is also ideal for those who are seeking to improve their own job-related skills or advance themselves in their chosen career. "The On-The-Job-Training Handbook" methodically lays out the basics of the learning process; presents an organized curriculum of 'how to' instruction with respect to on-site training; covers exams and testing to insure the trainee has mastered the required skills or information content required; and so much more. Of special note is the section devoted to the conveyance of information which could contain company trade secrets with the resultant need for security considerations as part of the on-site training program. Enhanced with an appendix featuring a range of twenty short articles on topics of practical utility for mangers, trainers, and dedicated employees, "The On-The-Job-Training Handbook" also includes a glossary of specialized terms and a comprehensive index. Also available in a soft cover edition (0931974259, $34.95), "The On-The-Job-Training Handbook" is very highly recommended and seminal addition to state and municipal job center, academic, and community library reference collections.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Compassionate Action
Chatral Rinpoche, author
Zach Larson, editor
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559392716, $14.95 www.SnowLionPub.com 1-800-950-0313

Compassionate Action is the first English-language book of Himalayan yogi Chatral Rinpoche, who has influenced Western Buddhist consciousness for decades and was dubbed "the greatest man I ever met" by Father Thomas Merton in 1968. Presenting Chatral Rinpoche's biography and autobiography, six of his essays, five prayers that he wrote, an exclusive interview, and color photographs from the different phases of his life, Compassionate Action is a "must-read" for anyone seeking to learn from this quintessential wise and holy man. "Conscious abstention from hunting and killing living beings, besides inspiring others to do the same, are actions behooving the kind-hearted and pious. For instance, the milk of human kindness requires us to not harm migratory birds in any way, such as casting stones or nets or shooting them while they are resting for brief moments in the course of their long journey from one country or continent to another. On the contrary, we should provide help to them in all possible ways before they reach their final destination." Highly recommended especially for students and practitioners of Buddhism.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Financial Armageddon
Michael J. Panzer
Kaplan Publishing
888 Seventh Avenue, 22nd floor, New York, NY 10106
9781419596087, $25.00 www.kaplanpublishing.com 1-800-223-2336

Written by New York Institute of Finance faculty member Michael J. Panzer, Financial Armageddon: Protecting Your Future From Four Impending Catastrophes is a dire warning of the four most severe financial risks confronting Americans today. Private and public debt has been climbing to record levels; the aging population is putting so much pressure on Social Security that eventually retirement will be simply a hopeless mirage; systemic overindulgence in "hedge funds" and other house-of-cards derivatives that depend on assets losing their value to make a profit place negative pressures on the economy. Financial Armageddon does not pull punches in its warnings of doom and gloom, and what raw economic realities can potentially inflict upon Americans everywhere, yet its greatest asset is its solidly practical advice for preparing for the worst. From the importance of prioritizing maintenance investitures over acquisitional investitures (skipping the regular tune-up of a car is more likely to cause more expense further down the line) to knowing when to spend and when to hold off (it's valuable to buy up tangible and practical commodities such as nonperishable food when the threat of hyperinflation reigns, but not when prices are falling), to the singularly invaluable sentiment of "Trust but verify" - the importance of utilizing the internet to thoroughly check out the credentials and track records of any individual or institution with whom one is considering a financial relationship. Written in plain terms, and notable for its painstakingly clear definitions of terms like "derivatives" that cause many a lay reader's eyes to glaze over, "Financial Armageddon" is a must-read for anyone in the unfortunate modern era of ballooning fiscal irresponsibility, not to mention outright swindles. Highly recommended.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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


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