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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 24, Number 1 January 2014 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Crafts Shelf Computer Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Education Shelf Business Shelf
International Studies Shelf Cookbook Shelf Music Shelf
Military Shelf Science Shelf Psychology Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Technology Shelf Mathematics Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Native American Studies Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Travel Shelf Art Shelf Fashion Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Sports Shelf
Photography Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Automotive Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Architecture Shelf Self-Help Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Parenting Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Gaming Shelf
American History Shelf Civil War Shelf Fiction Shelf
Memoir Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Literary Studies Shelf
African-American Studies Shelf Nautical Shelf Gardening Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf
Journalism Shelf Calendar Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

The Guide to Greening Cities
Sadhu Aufochs Johnston, Steven S. Nicholas and Julia Parzen
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
9781610913799 $30.00 www.islandpress.org

Sadhu Aufochs Johnston (Deputy City Manager of Vancouver, Canada) Steven S. Nicholas (VP for US Programs at the Institute for Sustainable Communities) and Julia Parzen (founding Network Executive Director of the Urban Sustainability Directors Network) present The Guide to Greening Cities, a practical-minded guide to promoting urban sustainability and greenery. The Guide to Greening Cities particularly speaks to municipal leaders with the goal of creating realistic, cost-effective, green-friendly infrastructure. Chapters discuss "Leading in the Community: Using City Assets, Policy, Partnerships, and Persuasion", "Getting Down to Business: Budgeting, Financing, and Green Economic Development", "Driving Green Progress Using Indicators" and much more. An excellent addition to public and college library environmental and sustainability shelves, The Guide to Greening Cities should be mandatory reading for mayors, city planners, community organizers, and urban leaders everywhere.

The Power of Latino Leadership
Juana Bordas
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
www.bkconnection.com
9781609948870, $19.95, www.amazon.com

The Latino community is the fastest growing minority in America today and is now a genuine political power, not only in national politics but increasingly dominate in such states as Florida, Texas, and California. By 2050, if population projects hold true, Latinos will form one in three Americans. "The Power of Latino Leadership: Culture, Inclusion, and Contribution" by Juana Bordas (President of Mestiza Leadership International) is a 240 page compendium that has a special focus on offering a Latino perspective on a variety of issues ranging from Latino impacts on the broader American culture, leadership characteristics and perspectives, social action and mobilization, and more. Of special note is the chapter on 'Building a Diverse and Humanistic Society'. Enhanced with ten pages of notes, a glossary, and an index, "The Power of Latino Leadership: Culture, Inclusion, and Contribution" is exceptionally well written and highly recommended for personal reading lists, as well as both community and academic library collections. It should be noted that "The Power of Latino Leadership: Culture, Inclusion, and Contribution" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

"Dear Unforgettable Brother"
Compiled and annotated by Jane Torness Rasmussen and John S. Rasmussen
With essays by Edvard Hoem and Betty A. Bergland
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive
Pierre, SC 57501-2217
9780986035562 $19.95 www.sdshspress.com

"Dear Unforgettable Brother": The Stavig Letters from Norway & America, 1881-1937 gathers the correspondence of Lars Stavig, who left his family in Norway to travel and live upon the prairies of Dakota Territory. Though he never crossed paths with his brother again, they wrote one another for more than fifty years; their letters reveal the stark contrast between those who emigrated and those who did not. An award-winning South Dakota Public Broadcasting Corporation film raised awareness of Stavig's letters as an invaluable primary testimony of South Dakota history; now, for the first time, Stavig's letters can be read in print. Extensive annotations, and index, and brief supplementary essays round out this welcome addition to South Dakota state history shelves.

Compromise Cake
Nancy Spiller
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
www.counterpointpress.com
9781619021129, $22.00, www.amazon.com

There was a time when girls learned how to cook by watching and helping their mothers in the kitchen. But as women began entering the workforce and the rising prominence of meals that could be microwaved or brought home as fast food restaurant takeout, a great many young homemakers today lack that culinary background. "Compromise Cake: Lessons Learned From My Mother's Recipe Box" is a singularly impressive culinary memoir in which readers can share in the stories and family recipes from Nancy Spiller's reminiscences and history of her own mother's troubled life while she still taught her daughter the basic kitchen skills she would utilize throughout her life. Candid, engaging, with a sprinkle of wonderful recipes, and an ultimately rewarding literary experience, "Compromise Cake: Lessons Learned From My Mother's Recipe Box" is extraordinary and highly recommended for community library collections and personal reading lists.

This Land Was Made for You and Me (But Mostly Me)
Bruce McCall & David Letterman
Blue Rider Press
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780399163685, $25.95, www.penguin.com

This Land Was Made for You and Me (But Mostly Me): Billionaires in the Wild covers the megabillionaires who provide one percent of their time and money into doing good. The other ninety-nine percent of their activities is what this book is about, with chapters documenting lavish and amazing construction projects, living quarters, and even a replica of the Empire State Building. The book consists of large-format paintings by Bruce McCall, with text explaining the billionaires behind each dream home. The result is a powerful blend of art, satire, and social commentary and is a lovely collection of homes, lodges, ranches and monuments to money's ego. Any general-interest collection will find it compelling.

Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu

Bryan MacKay's A YEAR ACROSS MARYLAND (9781421409399, $24.95) is a nature narrative specific to Maryland's seasons, and is written as an almanac that may be used by natives, visitors, and any with a special interest in regional nature. From watching bald eagles nesting in January to azaleas, the 'crowning glory' of springtime Maryland, this tells the best time and place to view wildflowers, birds, animals and more. Color photos of over seventy species add to an account packed with ideas of where to experience nature and how to understand local seasonal fluctuations, making this a pick for any Maryland collection. Mark Denny's LIGHTS ON! THE SCIENCE OF POWER GENERATION (9781421409962, $29.95) provides readers with a fine science exploration of power generation from its production through transmission and usage, and covers all types of power in different chapters that explore the pros and cons of each. From environmental concerns and the science and engineering involved to estimations for generation, this provides non-technical readers with a solid foundation for understanding energy discussions, and is recommended for general-interest and science holdings alike.


The Crafts Shelf

North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.fwmedia.com/catalog, www.createmixedmedia.com

Mary Beth Shaw's STENCIL GIRL: MIXED-MEDIA TECHNIQUES FOR MAKING AND USING STENCILS (9781440330179, $24.99) provides crafters with an excellent survey of using stencils in an art studio setting, for both background and foreground details. This is much more than the typical stencil book for home decor: it provides 18 projects designed to help artists view stenciling in a different light. Step-by-step instructions include projects for home, gifts, and art and are accompanied by gallery examples from some 20 contributing artists. The full-color, full-page stencils are simply fabulous. Seth Apter's THE MIXED-MEDIA ARTIST: ART TIPS, TRICKS, SECRETS AND DREAMS FROM OVER 40 AMAZING ARTISTS (9781440329333, $24.99) offers the insights of over forty artists who share their perspectives and mixed media creations, and is a recommendation for any arts and crafts collection. It includes tutorials, personal insights on the process and purposes of mixed media, and adds online downloads and links to accompany lovely full-page color pairings of the mixed media production with the artist. 'Things I'm Inspired By' and 'Things on my Studio Table' provide clear explanations of the process of working in mixed media, making for a solid reference for any crafter who wants to enter this world.

Handmade Leather Bags & Accessories
Elean "Birdy Teacher" Ho
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781574217162, $19.99, www.foxchapelpublishing.com

Handmade Leather Bags & Accessories teaches how to make bags using some 28 strategies, and is a pick for any leatherworker who wants new ideas for sophisticated creations. Lovely color photos accompany step-by-step diagrams and instructions designed to help crate purses, totes and bags for any occasion. Accessories include iPad holders, coasters and more. The result is an outstanding survey packed with ideas for a wide range of styles and applications.

Soutache & Bead Embroidery
Amee K. Sweet-McNamara
Kalmbach
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871167507, $21.99, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Soutache & Bead Embroidery teaches new techniques for creating jewelry with soutache and bead embroidery, and gathers earrings, bracelets and more in a collection of fine techniques beginners will appreciate. 18 projects for all levels of stitchers demonstrate new techniques and designs, while a Basics section covers all techniques involved in working with soutache. Crafters with a prior interest in embroidery and jewelry-making will be the best fit for this guide and its projects, which is a top recommendation for crafters looking for something different.


The Computer Shelf

Being Agile
Leslie Ekas & Scott Will
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.mcp.com
9780133375626, $39.99, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of IBM software experts Leslie Ekas and Scott Will, Being Agile: Eleven Breakthrough Techniques to Keep You from "Waterfalling Backward" is a 244 page instruction manual and compendium in using Agile software, including the provision of a thoroughly 'user friendly' review of its key principles, identify corresponding practices, and offer breakthrough approaches for implementing them. Utilizing their techniques, even the most novice user can break typical waterfall patterns and go beyond merely "doing agile" to actually thinking and being agile. Being Agile: Eleven Breakthrough Techniques to Keep You from "Waterfalling Backward" is effectively organized and presented, making it a highly recommended and enduringly useful reference. Also available in a Kindle edition ($15.39), Being Agile: Eleven Breakthrough Techniques to Keep You from "Waterfalling Backward" is highly recommended for personal, professional, corporate, community, and academic library Computer Science collections.

Murach's ASP.NET 4.5 Web Programming with VB 2012, fifth edition
Mary Delamater & Anne Boehm
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 North Knoll Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722
www.murach.com
9781890774769, $57.50, www.amazon.com

ASP.NET is a server-side Web application framework designed for Web development to produce dynamic Web pages. It was developed by Microsoft to allow programmers to build dynamic web sites, web applications and web services. It was first released in January 2002 with version 1.0 of the .NET Framework, and is the successor to Microsoft's Active Server Pages (ASP) technology. ASP.NET is built on the Common Language Runtime (CLR), allowing programmers to write ASP.NET code using any supported .NET language. The ASP.NET SOAP extension framework allows ASP.NET components to process SOAP messages. Now in a completely updated and expanded fifth edition, "Murach's ASP.NET 4.5 Web Programming with VB 2012" is the collaborative work of software computer experts Mary Delamater and Anne Boehm. Exceptionally well written, organized and presented, "Murach's ASP.NET 4.5 Web Programming with VB 2012" is an 824 page instruction manual that is ideal for the novice user to master ASP.NET essentials, competently utilize databases, and more. It should be noted that with "Murach's ASP.NET 4.5 Web Programming with VB 2012", student learners can download the code for the book applications and exercise solutions as they are listed on the last page. Comprehensive, exhaustive, and immanently practical, "Murach's ASP.NET 4.5 Web Programming with VB 2012" is very highly recommended.

Murach's Visual Basic 2012
Anne Boehm
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 North Knoll Avenue, Fresno, CA 93722
www.murach.com
9781890774738, $54.50, www.amazon.com

Visual Basic is a third-generation event-driven programming language and integrated development environment (IDE) from Microsoft for its COM programming model first released in 1991. Microsoft intends Visual Basic to be relatively easy to learn and use. Visual Basic was derived from BASIC (Beginners All Purpose Symbolic Instruction Code). and enables the rapid application development (RAD) of graphical user interface (GUI) applications, access to databases using Data Access Objects, Remote Data Objects, or ActiveX Data Objects, and creation of ActiveX controls and objects. "Murach's Visual Basic 2012" by Visual Basics software expert Anne Boehm is an 842 page compendium offering a complete, comprehensive, deftly written, and superbly well organized instruction manual that will enable even the most novice user to get up and running quickly, handle data with a professional level competency, develop a working skill set with object-oriented programming, and take full advantage of Windows 8 programming. Thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout, "Murach's Visual Basic 2012" is highly recommended for personal, professional, and academic library Computer Science instructional reference collections.

Programming Erlang, second edition
Joe Armstrong
Pragmatic Programmers
2831 Eldorado Parkway, #103-381
Frisco, TX 75033-7438
9781937785536, $42.00, www.pragprog.com

Programming Erlang appears in its second updated edition to provide a fine tool to using Erlang, and comes from the creator of Erlang. From tips on working with sequential and parallel programming to working with the Erlang platform under different applications, this pairs real-world tutorials with tips and tricks and exercises beginners and advanced Erland learners can use to test their knowledge. This second edition has been extensively rewritten and covers the latest release's features, adding seven new chapters. Any programming reference collection needs this fine survey!

HTML5 Unleashed
Simon Sarris
Sams
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780672336270, $44.99, www.informit.com

HTML5 Unleashed comes in full color and offers a detailed guide to the key web components driving the web. Its focus is on using HTML5 to create web apps and its arrangement takes the form of tutorials and references that cover the latest features and requirements of the web. Author Simon Sarris is a web developer using HTML5 Canvas: his resource explains all the new features and shows how to create professional user experiences throughout in a fine pick for any advanced computer user's collection.

HTML5 Canvas and CSS3 Graphics Primer
Oswald Campesato
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420346, $39.95, www.merclearning.com

HTML5 Canvas and CSS3 Graphics Primer covers the two topics in depth and is designed for computer users who have some knowledge of CSS/HTML/JavaScript. It's packed with code samples and illustrations, discussions of different files, animation effects, how to create special charts and more. A companion DVD offers all source code and color graphics from the book. Discussions focus on how to render shapes with gradients, how to apply Canvas transforms to 2D Shapes 8, and more. The very specific discussions and wealth of code throughout makes this a winner for any interested in in-depth coverage of these topics.

O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
www.oreilly.com

Jeff Sheltren, et.al.'s HIGH PERFORMANCE DRUPAL: FAST AND SCALABLE DESIGNS (9781449392611, $39.99) provides a fine focus on how to work with Drupal 7 and 8, and provides programmers with a guide to best practices, examples from real-world scenarios, and explanations for solving common Drupal issues. From applying coding to Drupal applications to handling web servers, this includes charts, graphs, and information presented in easy bits that any readers can quickly absorb, making for a fine guide to tweaking Drupal. Stephen Nelson-Smith's TEST-DRIVEN INFRASTRUCTURE WITH CHEF: BRING BEHAVIOR-DRIVEN DEVELOPMENT TO INFRASTRUCTURE AS CODE (9781449372200, $34.99) first appeared in 2011 when infrastructure testing was just beginning. This revised, expanded edition provides the many and latest changes to the discipline, considering its tools, applications, philosophy and approaches to a test-driven infrastructure. Exercises and models accompany charts, keys to building a sample infrastructure using these examples, and plenty of code throughout. Developers working with infrastructure apps will find plenty to learn from, here! David Pogue's IPHONE: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449362232, $24.99) is a 'must' for any new iPhone owner, and covers al the basics of the latest iPhone 5s. From choosing among the 1,000,000 apps that are available to customize one's phone to doing the basics - listening to radio, making phone calls, creating a shared photo stream, and more - this includes numerous full-color screen shot examples to leave nothing to wonder. With its top-page color-coded sections for quick reference, this is a 'must' for any iPhone user! Bonnie Biafore's QUICKBOOKS 2014: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449341756, $34.99) provides a powerful reference to business and computer users alike, offering the basics of getting started with the latest version of QuickBooks. From setting up accounts and learning its new features to tracking expenses, billable time, and creating invoices, this provides a fine survey of how to use QuickBooks for all kinds of business applications. Black and white screen shots and charts cover everything a user could want! Rachel Schutt and Cathy O'Neill's DOING DATA SCIENCE: STRAIGHT TALK FROM THE FRONTLINE (9781449368655, $39.99) gathers insights from data scientists from major companies and eBay alike, who share new methods and models through case studies and code they've applied to common problems. It's a key pick for any data science student, and covers everything from statistical inference and algorithms to span filters, financial modeling, data visualization processes, and more. The result is a fine introduction to data science that should be in the collections of any appealing to new students of the topic.

Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/aw

Mario Cardinal's EXECUTABLE SPECIFICATIONS WITH SCRUM (9780321784131, $34.99) is recommended for any Agile software engineer's library and teaches how to specify and build software in keeping with Scrum and other agile methods. This guide focuses on the agile environments where prerequisites are unclear and requirements uncertain, comes from an agile coach and enterprise architect, and shows how to create and test executable specifications. Managers and developers will find this a basic core course on blending best practices and techniques and creating more effective Scrum interactions. References and simple explanations make this a fine coverage. Fred Long, et.al.'s JAVA CODING GUIDELINES: 75 RECOMMENDATIONS FOR RELIABLE AND SECURE PROGRAMS (9780321933157, $39.99) is for any Java programmer and is written by a team who provides expert security advice and guidelines. For each guideline, conference requirements are specified and noncompliant and code is paired with compliant solutions to help programmers understand the difference. Updated techniques for preventing attacks and best practices for improving code make this a 'must' for any Java reference collection. Ilan Goldstein's SCRUM SHORTCUTS WITHOUT CUTTING CORNERS: AGILE TACTICS, TOOLS & TIPS (9780321822369, $34.99) is a recommendation for software engineers who want to learn more tips on applying agile techniques and adapting Scrum to projects. Step-by-step techniques are covered to take theory and apply them to actual projects, and come from an expert who helps tackle common Scrum challenges. A range of projects and applications are covered in the course of discussing thirty proven shortcuts for optimization, making this a 'must' for Scrum programmers who want more in-depth information. Paul C. Brown's ARCHITECTING COMPLEX-EVENT PROCESSING SOLUTIONS WITH TIBCO (9780321801982, $39.99) is a pick for any information technology collection and contributes to a set of titles designed for software architects and developers showing how to blend TIBCO components with applications. Programmers receive basic instruction on how to identify opportunities for competitive differentiation, how to select design patterns for constructing complex-event processing, and how to use snapshot queries. Charts, diagrams, and black and white illustration throughout offer a fine set of details and real-world examples for any TIBCO developer.


The Needlecraft Shelf

The Art of Boutis
Kumiko Makayama-Geraerts
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road
Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
9780817712880, $22.95, www.stackpolebooks.com

The Art of Boutis: 20 French Quilting Projects is for any who want to learn a special, classic style of embroidery practiced in southern France since the 18th century, and offers 20 projects featuring boutis designs for everything from home decor to clothing. Step-by-step instructions and a back compartment of full-size patterns for each project accompany keys to creating new designs, with illustrations and color photos throughout completing the process. From transferring boutis patterns to stitching, this leaves nothing to wonder and is a unique acquisition for any needlework library.

Knitting Yarns
Ann Hood, Editor
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393239492, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

KNITTING YARNS: WRITERS ON KNITTING is the perfect gift for the avid knitter, and provides stories of tragedy and love. In each story knitting provides the way of righting wrongs, correcting mistakes, and developing physical closeness. Knitting women who gather for companionship, women who knit for health reasons, and a man who takes up knitting make for encouraging stories that consider both the craft of knitting and its psychological and physical impact on the knitter. It's a lovely celebration knitters will relish as something unique and revealing about the craft!

Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Martingale's SEW GIFTS!: 25 HANDMADE GIFT IDEAS FROM TOP DESIGNERS (9781604683011, $24.95) provides a fine collection of ideas for sewn and quilted items suitable for gift giving: while it arrived too late for holiday mention, it will serve as the perfect year-round guide for any who would make a handmade gift. Projects come from a range of designers from Heather Jones to April Moffatt, include full-page color photos of projects ranging from sketchbooks to a bake shop set for a little girl, and include all the patterns and instructions needed for easy reproduction. A fine pick for any seamstress who wants handmade gift ideas! Gerri Robinson's A CUT ABOVE: TURN CHARM SQUARES, STRIPS, AND MORE INTO BEAUTIFUL PATCHWORK (9781604663578, $24.99) provides a fine set of patterns and projects - some 18 - that use 5" and 10" squares, 2 1/2 inch strips, and fat quarters to create new designs. This guide offers a range of projects using precuts and focuses on home decor, moving beyond the typical quilt focus to incorporate patchwork into all kinds of home designs. The result is a powerful pick for any needleworker's collection. Pat Wys' KNOCKOUT NEUTRALS; 12 SHOWSTOPPING NEUTRAL QUILTS (9781604682496, $24.99) offers 12 quilts for all skill levels and designs that often incorporate applique into the mix, and is a recommendation for quilters looking for new ideas for using neutrals. Here neutrals move beyond background into the center, becoming the whole point of the quilt. Striking patterns are a key to showing off their strengths, and this book is filled with ideas for making geometric patterns 'pop'. Any quilter will find this a different, involving approach! Kathy Brown's STRIP-SMART QUILTS II: MAKE 16 TRIANGLE QUILTS WITH ONE EASY TECHNIQUE (9781604682335, $24.99) is for any quilter but particularly those who enjoyed Brown's previous STRIP-SMART QUILTS title, and provides some 16 quilts based on the same cut from a single ruler. It teaches how to make designs with this ruler that look intricate but can be put together relatively quickly using fat quarters and precut strips, and it packs patterns, color photos, and step-by-step instructions throughout. Quilters will find this loaded with ideas! Elizabeth Dackson's BECOMING A CONFIDENT QUILTER (9781604662311, $26.99) provides a fine step-by-step approach to skill-building and directs her projects and instructions to beginners in particular. Here are the basics of choosing fabrics and tools, cutting, and making different quilts, from strip piecing to using templates and prints. It covers all the basics but doesn't stop at construction: concluding chapters also cover finishing and caring for a quilt. The result is an excellent pick for any would-be quilter who wants a basic primer to getting started.


The Education Shelf

Playful Writing
Rebecca Olien and Laura Woodside
Gryphon House
6848 Leon's Way
Lewisville, NC 27023
9780876594698 $19.95 www.ghbooks.com

Created in full support of Common Core Standards for statewide American instruction, Playful Writing: 150 Open-Ended Explorations in Emergent Literacy is a supplementary resource for instructors of children ages three to eight, filled with ideas to encourage young students to write creatively. Some activities involve inexpensive materials for playtime (such as sidewalk chalk or a basket of simple toy vehicles) to get little ones thinking about something before writing and drawing. Suggestions for "early writers" and "ready writers" refine each activity. For example, after taking children for a walk on a windy day and using provided "Talk About It" questions (such as "What motion do the trees make in the wind?") to get them thinking, children can be encouraged to write messages on streamers that fly in the wind. "...ask Early Writers what kind of messages they might like to send out on a windy day... Encourage the children to write and draw special messages or wishes with markers across the lengths of their streamers... Ready Writers will be able to create longer sentences and experiment with word choice when writing their messages. Messages can also be tied together to form longer messages or streamer poetry." As the ability to effectively read, write, and communicate becomes ever more critical to thriving in the modern, interconnected world, instructional wellsprings such as Playful Writing are absolutely invaluable for today's teachers. Highly recommended.

Teaching Young Children with Disabilities in Natural Environments, second edition
Mary Jo Noonan and Linda McCormick
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624
Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598572568 $59.95 www.brookespublishing.com

Now in an extensively updated second edition incorporating a decade of new developments and research, Teaching Young Children with Disabilities in Natural Environments is an educator's guide for instructing children from birth to age 5. Chapters discuss "Specialized Instructional Strategies", "Teaching Children with Autism", "Challenging Behavior", "Interventions to Promote Peer Interactions", "Environmental Arrangements, Adaptations, and Assistive Technologies", and much more. "Infants and children with severe disabilities... will not always be ready to learn the same activities as their age peers with mild or no disabilities... however, curricular activities should be age appropriate, even when the activities do not correspond to readiness levels... Specific objectives and the way in which children with disabilities participate in activities are individualized to address unique needs. For example, a preschool child with a disability selects a puzzle during morning free play and hands the pieces one at a time to a peer who puts the puzzle together. She has chosen an age-appropriate activity that is also of interest to her friend who does not have a disability." Preschool and kindergarten instructors will find Teaching Young Children with Disabilities in Natural Environments invaluable, and worthy of the highest recommendation.

Eye Movements and the Fundamental Reading Process
Stanford E. Taylor, M.A.
Charles C. Thomas, Publisher
2600 South First Street
Springfield, IL 62704
9780398087531 $33.95 www.ccthomas.com

Eye Movements and the Fundamental Reading Process: How to Evaluate Silent Reading Efficiency explores how professional educators can gauge students' skill level of silent reading. Chapters cover the significance of eye movements during silent reading, how to use the Visagraph (R) Eye Movement Recording System to gather data on individual eye movements, use of the Visagraph in schools or clinics, uses of eye movement recording and reading appraisals, and more. "Words fed into short-term memory are first stored as letter configurations, hopefully instantly recognized as words. Then after one, two, or more fixations, recognition is confirmed as words are fused into phrases and later realized in terms of meaning. Kliegl, Nuthmann, and Engbert (2006) depicted this process as "eye-movement lag." An assortment of black-and-white charts and screenshots as well as an index round out this excellent supplementary resource for educators seeking to refine silent reading ability in their students, especially those who would make use of a Visagraph.

Celebrating Writers
Ruth Ayres with Christi Overman
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109507 $15.00 www.stenhouse.com

Writing teacher Ruth Ayres and second-grade teacher Christi Overman present Celebrating Writers: From Possibilities Through Publication, which reflects on teaching students in grades K- 8 to improve their writing through fostering creative joy. Discussed activities range the gamut of silent study to sharing stories in search of feedback. Emphasis is placed on truly celebrating all aspects of written expression, from dashing down thoughts on the go to concentrated efforts to forge a literary masterpiece. Celebrating Writers is very much in touch with the digital era, and discusses at length the benefits of and precautions that need to be taken before giving student writers Internet access. "Communication with parents about our classroom use of digital tools is critical. It is our responsibility to communicate not only the kinds of digital tools we are using in the classroom but also the purpose of each... it is important to teach Internet safety. Tweens and teens are prime targets for online predators. By beginning conversations in the early grades and continuing these conversations throughout elementary school, we can help students be proactive in protecting themselves." Highly recommended as a supplementary resource for grade school writing teachers everywhere.

Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

Harvey "Smokey" Daniels & Elaine Daniels's THE BEST-KEPT TEACHING SECRET (9781452268637, $29.95) focuses on the finer art of written conversations for K-12 students and teachers, and shows how this one teaching approach holds the power to change students from passive watchers to active learners. It discusses the basics of critical thinking processes, focusing on the elements that make written conversations so powerful and why their engagement provides students and teachers with such revolutionary tools. From different structures and their variations to how writing can be used to encourage better, different communication skills, this is a powerful pick for any educator's reference and consideration. William N. Bender's DIFFERENTIATING MATH INSTRUCTION K-8 (9781452255453, $27.00) appears in its third updated edition to address common core math in the modern classroom, and provides a range of strategies to blend new technology with guidelines for meeting Common Core requirements. Innovations in math instruction are covered in chapters that show teachers how to teach through projects, how to use games in the educational process, and how to use flipped math classes for results. The result is a K-8 manual any math teacher will find essential. Joyce Kaser, et.al.'s LEADING EVERY DAY: ACTIONS FOR EFFECTIVE LEADERSHIP (9781452260938, $36.00) provides a short inspirational ideas for first-hand insights on proven leadership best practices and appears in its third updated edition to cover everything from leading by example and group dynamics to becoming a change leader, conducting self-assessment, and considering professional development. The result is an excellent handbook for all kinds of leaders working in education, business and coaching environments.


The Business Shelf

The Business of Dog Walking
Veronica Boutelle
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street
Wenatchee WA 98801
9781617811289 $19.95 www.dogwisepublishing.com

The Business of Dog Walking: How to Make a Living Doing What You Love is a straightforward guide to earning a living by exercising people's pets. Veronica Boutelle, co- creator of the Dog Walking Academy (a 4-day workshop that gives professional dog walking certification) discusses how to read dog body language, teaching basic obedience to dogs, how to maintain personal and canine safety when dealing with multiple dogs at once, effective business practices, marketing for dog walkers, planning for emergencies, and much more. "Setting your rates is relatively easy. Take a look around at what other dog walkers in your area are charging. You'll likely find a range. Set your rate at the top of the range. You may be tempted to start lower, but this is a mistake... you're looking for good clients - dog lovers who see their dogs as part of the family and want to do right by them. You want people who can easily afford your service and who chose you because they fell you're the best walker for their dog. Do your job well and these people will remain loyal to you for the life of their dog. You don't want the bargain hunters; they'll jump ship as soon as they see another walker charging less." An absolute "must-read" for anyone seeking to walk dogs for money, whether as a hobby with a profit or a full-time job.

Leading from the Emerging Future
Otto Scharmer and Katrin Kaufer
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781605099262, $24.95, www.bkconnection.com

Leading from the Emerging Future: From Ego-System to Eco-System Economies provides an inspirational business guide suitable for any who desire better results from their business, and addresses the challenge of moving from one economic logic system to a new one focused on awareness of greater good. Real-world examples accompany a guide for building this new economic structure that is more flexible and intentional, and discusses everything from shared ownership to a different way of practicing leadership through 'presencing'. The result is a new way of looking at business through social change: a pick for social issues and business holdings alike.

The Project Management Communications Toolkit, second edition
Carl Pritchard
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075453, $99.00, www.artechhouse.com

The Project Management Communications Toolkit appears in its second updated edition to provide project managers with a range of tools for communicating with all levels of senior executives and management, and will appreciate the book and accompanying CD-ROM package that explains how to achieve success by better communication with staff members and management alike. The CD holds documents from reports and forms to templates, while new changes involve new material on social media and discussions of the latest technology. Any business collection strong in project management will find this filled with important keys to success.

The Innovator's Path
Madge M. Meyer
John Wiley & Sons
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118537329, $49.95, www.wiley.com

The Innovator's Path: How Individuals, Teams, and Organizations Can Make Innovation Business-as-Usual provides a fine handbook surveying common barriers to innovation and how to restore it, and is a pick for any company who wants to understand the process of innovation within an organizational structure. It comes from a Chief Innovation Officer who examines ways in which individuals raise their own barriers to innovation and how to surmount them, and it offers specifics to that process that any level of business can employ. From specifics for managing innovation in teams and projects to understanding how ongoing success works, this is a top pick for any interested in the process of business innovation.


The International Studies Shelf

Conceptions of Chinese Democracy
David J. Lorenzo
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421409177, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Conceptions of Chinese Democracy: Reading Sun Yat-Sen, Chiang Kai-Shek, and Chiang Ching-Kuo is recommended for political science and international studies students at the college level who seek an introduction to the thoughts of three influential men who created modern Taiwan. It provides a comparative study format that allows readers to understand democratic ideas and key issues central to Chinese culture, it analyzes their writings on politics, democracy as well as their activism on the mainland, and it provides a survey that includes historical and cultural perspectives to discuss how ideas are influenced and transmitted. The result is a political study unparalleled in scope and presentation, and highly recommended for any college-level student of Chinese history and culture as well as for political science readers.


The Cookbook Shelf

Soup Night
Maggie Stuckey
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612120997 $19.95 www.storey.com

Illustrated with full-color photography throughout, Soup Night: Recipes for Creating Community Around a Pot of Soup is a soup cookbook that encourages families and communities to connect through Soup Night. The idea behind Soup Night is that, once a month, one family makes soup for supper and everyone on the block is invited. The sharing promotes a sense of community, inclusion, and belonging. Of course, the host of Soup Night needs to create a large quantity of a delicious, meal-worthy soup - that's where the Soup Night cookbook comes in! Anyone who has ever enjoyed high-quality soup will appreciate the detailed, user-friendly recipes for classic favorite soups as well as the more adventurous creations of Pumpkin Chicken Chowder, Albondigas (Mexican Meatball Soup with Rice), Edamame (young soybeans) Corn Chowder, Red Pozole, and much more. Whether one wishes to start a new local soup-sharing tradition, or just create delectible soups for personal and family enjoyment, Soup Night is highly recommended.

Extraordinary Vegan
Alan Roettinger
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
www.BookPubCo.com
9781570672965, $19.95, www.amazon.com

In "Extraordinary Vegan", professional chef Alan Roettinger draws upon his more than thirty years of experience and expertise to compile a 192 page compendium superbly showcasing extraordinary recipes for those enjoying a vegan lifestyle. Each recipe is provided with a brief introduction, a complete list of ingredients, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' instructions. The recipes themselves range from Miso Broth with Ginger; Fig Jam with Port; Spicy Minted Slaw; and Arabesque Garbanzo Beans; to Polenta with Peppers; Mustard Greens with Daikon and Golden Beets; Pears in Pomegranate Juice; and Warmed Apricots with Cacao Nbs and Apricot Kernels. The recipes are nicely organized into dedicated sections for Breakfast; Sauces, Dips, and Condiments; Snacks; Soups; Salads; Beans and Lentils; Pasta and Grains; Vegetables; and Desserts. Enhanced with opening chapters on 'Extraordinary Ingredients for Your Everyday Kitchen' and 'Extraordinary Fundamentals', Alan Roettinger's very nicely illustrated "Extraordinary Vegan" will prove to be a highly prized addition for personal and community library Vegan/Vegetarian cookbook collections. It should be noted that "Extraordinary Vegan" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99). Also highly recommended from The Book Publishing Company is Brenda Davis and Vesanto Melina's introduction to culinary veganism "Becoming Vegan: Express Edition" (9781570672958, PB $19.95).

The Secrets of Gluten-Free Baking
Jillayne Clements
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462112669, $18.99, www.amazon.com

With so many people today experiencing allergies that demand gluten-free dishes, even the most novice of kitchen cooks can prepare elegant gluten-free baked goods that will satisfy any appetite and please any palate with the step-by-step recipes comprising "The Secrets of Gluten-Free Baking: Delicious Whole Food Recipes". This 192 page compendium from Jillayne Clements showcases recipes organized into categories that include Yeast Breads; Non-Yeast Breads & Wraps; Pancakes & Cereals; Sweet Breads & Muffins; Cookies; and Crackers; Cakes & Desserts. Of special note are the recipes comprising Crusts & Things. "The Secrets of Gluten-Free Baking: Delicious Whole Food Recipes" concludes with Bonus Recipes. But the recipes are only part of the value in this outstanding cookbook and reference. An informative introduction into what gave rise to the author's interest in gluten-free diets, 'Secrets of Making Gluten-Free products That Taste Like Wheat'; and what the author has (and doesn't have) in her gluten-free pantry will prove to be immensely informative. Not to be missed is the author's 'Tips to Avoid Accidentally Making Bread Crumbs'! Nicely illustrated throughout in full color, "The Secrets of Gluten-Free Baking: Delicious Whole Food Recipes" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal and community library specialty cookbook collections and should be considered a 'must have' for anyone requiring a gluten-free approach to their meals.

Cooking For Crowds, 40th Anniversary Edition
Merry White, author
Edward Koren, illustrator
Princeton University Press
41 William Street, Princeton, NJ 08540
www.pupress.princeton.edu
9780691160368, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Brought back into print for a new generation of appreciative cooks and chefs, Merry White's "Cooking For Crowds" was originally published in 1974 and with this 40th Anniversary Edition is once again available to grace personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. Each featured recipe is presented with instructions on ingredient amounts for making that particular dish for 6, 12, 20, and 50 people. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', "Cooking For Crowds" will prove to be an immensely useful culinary reference and menu planner for participating in providing dishes for such events as Church Pot Lucks, fund raising dinners, annual family clan gatherings, and any manner of celebratory events all while using ordinary home kitchen equipment and resources to prepare these 'super sized' dining occasions. Simply stated, no community library cookbook collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of a copy of Merry White's "Cooking For Crowds". It should be noted that "Cooking For Crowds" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.17).

Power Vegan
Rea Frey
Surrey Books
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
www.agatepublishing.com www.surreybooks.com
9781572841413, $15.95, www.amazon.com

More than just another vegan cookbook (although there are plenty of wonderful vegan recipes), "Power Vegan: Plant-Fueled Nutrition for Maximum Health and Fitness" by nutrition expert, professional sports trainer, and experienced vegan Rea Frey is a 296 page compendium providing a complete instructional guide to a healthy vegan lifestyle. Informed and informative, "Power Vegan: Plant-Fueled Nutrition for Maximum Health and Fitness" also addresses how foods affect the human body, as well as photo illustrated workout ideas for specifically designed programs for thriving on plant-based nutrition. The recipes themselves range from Pineapple Almond Poppers and Pumpkin Pie Smoothies, to Banana-Walnut-Chocolate Bread and Veggie Pizza! Especially recommended reading for anyone considering or newly attempting to live a vegan lifestyle, "Power Vegan: Plant-Fueled Nutrition for Maximum Health and Fitness" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections as well. It should be noted that "Power Vegan: Plant-Fueled Nutrition for Maximum Health and Fitness" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Like Mam Used to Bake
Rosanne Hewitt-Cromwell
Mercier Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7
Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781781171561 $32.95 www.dufoureditions.com

Illustrated with mouth-watering, full-color photography on every other page, Like Mam Used to Bake is a sumptuous cookbook of cakes and baked desserts, including favorites from author Rosanne Hewitt-Cromwel's blog as well as creations from her childhood memories and kitchen creativity. From beloved favorites like Carrot Cake and Coffee Cake, to Summer-Fruit Pudding, Chocolate-Spiced Cupcakes, Fruit Shortcake Biscuits, Malt Loaf and much more, the step-by- step recipes are extremely detailed and easy to follow. A treasury for anyone looking to create unforgettable desserts, particularly ones worthy of holidays, special occasions, and family gatherings!

Bob Warden's Favorite Recipes Cookbook
Bob Warden
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781934193877, $19.95, www.amazon.com

In "Bob Warden's Favorite Recipes Cookbook For Cook's Essentials Cookware", television cooking show host Bob Warden has compiled 208 pages of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes for dishes that range from Mini Citrus Crab Cakes with Herbed Vinaigrette Dipping Sauce; Three Bean Bake with Bacon; Burgundy Braised Beef with Onions and Mushrooms; to Raspberry Orange Sunshine Smoothie; Cookies and Cream Silk Cheesecake; and Tex-Mex Cheesy Green Bean Casserole. Nicely illustrated in full color, "Bob Warden's Favorite Recipes Cookbook for cook's essentials Cookware" will prove to be an extraordinarily popular addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.

Get Cooking!
Rachel Harkham & Doni Zasloff Thomas
Behrman House Inc.
11 Edison Place, Springfield, NJ 07081
www.behrmanhouse.com
9780874419481, $19.95, www.amazon.com

For an observant family, both secular holidays like Thanksgiving and religious holidays like Roash Hashanah require a kosher cuisine. That's why "Get Cooking: A Jewish American Family Cookbook" compiled by Rachel Harkham and Doni Zasloff Thomas will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to family cookbook collections. A coil-bound, hard-cover, 128 page, profusely illustrated collection of more than 80 wonderfully 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes, the dishes comprising "Get Cooking: A Jewish American Family Cookbook" range from Shabbat Winter Stew; Pomegranate Barbecue Chicken; Pizza Fondue; and Lamb Kufte Kebabs; to Garlic-Chive Matzah Balls; Southwestern Pulled Brisket Sukko-Tacos; Mini Sweet Potato Knishes; and Super 3-Bean Chili Bowl. Of special note is the provision of 'Mitzvah menus'. Simply stated, "Get Cooking: A Jewish American Family Cookbook" is a highly recommended collection of fun, easy, nutritious and delicious dishes for Judaic high holy days, American holidays, and family everyday dining alike!

The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook
Wendy Esko
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
9780757003646, $16.95, www.amazon.com

Brown rice is whole grain rice. It has a mild, nutty flavor, and is chewier and more nutritious than white rice, but goes rancid more quickly because the bran and germ - which are removed to make white rice - contain fats that can spoil. Any rice, including long-grain, short-grain, or sticky rice, may be eaten as brown rice. Compiled and presented by macrobotic cooking expert Wendy Esko "The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook" is a 192 page compendium comprised of more than 140 thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes showcasing the culinary versatility of brown rice. Of special note are the culinary wealth of practical cooking tips and guidelines that will enable even the most novice kitchen chef to turn out quality results with recipes that range from Crispy Rice Breakfast Bars; Baked Rice Casserole; and Rice 'n Bread Stuffing; to Quick 'n Easy Brown Rice Risotto; Asparagus-Chickpea-Brown rice Stir-Fry; and Brown Rice Pudding. Of special note is the recipe for Native American Rice. An impressive collection of information, trivia, and recipes, "The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections. It should be noted that "The Big Beautiful Brown Rice Cookbook" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.49).

Cook Taste Savor
Editorial Staff
Sunset Publishing
c/o Oxmoor House
3000 University Center Drive, Tampa, Florida 33612-6408
www.oxmoorhouse.com www.sunset.com
9780376028105, $26.00, www.amazon.com

Drawn from the pages of Sunset Magazine by their editorial staff, "Cook Taste Savor: 16 Inspiring Ingredients for Delicious Dishes Every Day" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 288 page compendium comprised of the recipes for outstanding dishes. Ideal for both family meals and elegant dining occasions, the recipes range from Garlicky Steak Salad with Chickpeas and Artichokes; Tomato and Melon Salad with Scallops and Pink Peppercorns; Camp Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Sausage, and Fontinia; and Brunch Flatbread with Eggs, Bacon, and Frisee; to Spring Vegetable macaroni 'n' Cheese; Crab Salad Cups; Pot Roast with Wild Mushrooms and Fresh Thyme; Nut-Stuffed Delicata Squash; and Cod with Citrus Chili Glaze. Each recipes includes a succinct introduction, notes the number of servings, provides the list of ingredients, and clear step-by-step preparation instructions. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library collections, "Cook Taste Savor: 16 Inspiring Ingredients for Delicious Dishes Every Day" is enthusiastically recommended.

The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup's On!
Mark Reinfeld
Lifelong Books
c/o Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor
Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738216737, $17.99, www.amazon.com

Showcasing more than one hundred succulent soup recipes that are guaranteed to be as kitchen cook friendly as they are nutritious, palate pleasing, and appetite satisfying for vegans, vegetarians, and non-vegetarians alike, "The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup's On!" is a 288 page compendium of recipes that range from Indian Chutney Stew with Tamarind; Cha-Cha Chili with Tempeh; African Peanut Soup; and Mideast Chickpea Soup; to Raw Cream of Tomato Soup; Creamy Parsnip Soup with Smoke Cherry Tomatoes; Polish Vegan Sausage and Sauerkraut Stew; and Grilled Eggplant Soup with Pine Nuts. Of special note is the major section devoted to garnishes and side dishes. A remarkable compilation, "The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup's On!" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library Vegan and Vegetarian cookbook collections! It should be noted that "The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup's On!" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Kate Gosselin's Love Is In The Mix
Kate Gosselin
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
www.hcibooks.com
9780757317644, $22.95, www.amazon.com

"Kate Gosselin's Love Is in the Mix: Making Meals into Memories with Family-Friendly Recipes, Tips and Traditions" is a 304 page, beautifully illustrated compendium comprised of 'kitchen cook friendly' dishes that would grace any meal from daily family fair to celebratory dining occasions. Organized into eight distinctive chapters of thematically appropriate dishes (Delightful 'Do-Able' Dinners; GR8 Meals for Entertaining and Every Day; Splendid Sides; Simply Savory Salads & Sandwiches; Satisfying Soups & Stews; Sunshine Starters; Perfect Endings - Desserts; and Friday Night Fun Foods), the recipes range from Mom's Swiss Steak; Grandma's Stuffed Peppers; Healthy Baked Sweet Potato Fries; and Kate's Health and Delicious Mediterranean Veggie Wrap; to Savory Chicken Corn Soup; Strawberry Pancake Compote; White Chocolate Flag Cake; and Toasted Pita Chips. Of special note is the inclusion of 'Gosselin Family tips and Traditions'. Certain to be an enduringly popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections, it should also be noted that "Kate Gosselin's Love Is in the Mix: Making Meals into Memories with Family-Friendly Recipes, Tips and Traditions" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.99).

The New Cider Maker's Handbook
Claude Jolicoeur
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603584739, $44.95, www.chelseagreenc.om

The New Cider Maker's Handbook covers the basics and comes from an internationally known, award-winning cider maker who here reviews techniques and provides the latest scientific principles on making cider. From recommendations for buying or growing cider apples to juice extraction equipment, directions on their use, and how to change the quality of cider, this is for any serious about the art and provides newcomers and professionals alike with detailed information on all aspects of the process. The result is a revealing and fine handbook that any would-be cider maker needs.

Handmade Bread
Dan Lepard
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845338237, $19.99, www.octopuspublishing.com

HANDMADE BREAD is written and photographed by Dan Lepard and pairs the usual bread recipes with personal photos and stories of a baker's journeys around Europe searching out the best breads and home bakers. It first appeared in 2004: this new rendition covers the author's travels throughout Europe and pairs his stories with some 80 recipes profiling European baker's products. From breads to buns, muffins and cakes, this ranges from very simple to more complex and is a lovely guide for any home baker.

Zuppe
Mona Talbott
The Little Bookroom
435 Hudson St, Suite 300, New York NY 10014
9781892145970, $18.95, www.littlebookroom.com

ZUPPE gathers a collection of soups from the kitchen of the American Academy in Rome and is a fine guide for any either collecting these little, colorful books or for those looking for Italian soups. Arranged by season to make the most of regional ingredients, ZUPPE features such recipes as Spicy Carrot Soup, a Spring Asparagus and Small Pasta Soup, and a Potato and Wild Chard Soup. All are wonderful dishes recommended for any soup maker who wants more inspiration.

Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook, revised edition
Sharon Kramis & Julie Kramis Hearne
Sasquatch Books
1904 Third Ave, Suite 710, Seattle, WA 98101
9781570619052, $19.95, www.sasquatchbooks.com

Cast Iron Skillet Cookbook: Recipes for the Best Pan In Your Kitchen has been revised and expanded in this new edition, and provides cooks with a lovely collection of single-pan recipes for everything from main courses to desserts. Rack of Lamb in a skillet? Sticky Buns? Crispy Lamb Skewers? All these and more receive step-by-step instructions, easy recipes that don't require any special ingredients, and a peppering of color photos throughout. Any who have wanted to use the cast iron skillet for more than just occasional stir-fries will find this packed with different techniques and an approach designed to make the most of cast iron cookery.

Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
www.pelican-pub.com

Joey Allaham and David Kolotkin's THE PRIME GRILL COOKBOOK: REDEFINING THE KOSHER EXPERIENCE (9781455617302, $35.00) provides a fine collection from a chef and an owner who opened the first high-end kosher steakhouse in New York in Manhattan. Their creation delivered some of the most innovative kosher dishes to New York customers, and their cookbook considers the new kosher cooking movement around the world and provides some of the establishment's signature dishes for home cooks. With colorful photos and unique recipes, this is a fine pick for any kosher cook! Tom Bailey's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO NORTHERN GULF SEAFOOD (9781455618484, $29.95) provides recipes for all species of fish and shellfish found from Florida to Mexico, and is a pick for any cook who resides in this area or has access to its fresh seafood. A wide range of northern gulf seafood and preparation tips accompany recipes that range from Broiled Dolphin with Tangy Glaze to Crusty Lobster Turnovers and Baked Stuff Snapper Fillets. As many of the seafood can be found outside this region (California has red snapper fish for example), this cookbook will appeal to any with an interest in easy, innovative fish recipes.

William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com, www.harpercollins.com

Jamie Geller's JOY OF KOSHER: FAST, FRESH FAMILY RECIPES (9780062207821, $30.00) comes from a cook who hasn't always been kosher, and who was raised on take-out food. In her mid-twenties she returned to celebrate the Jewish traditions her family had dropped, and though she was clueless about cooking, she went beyond an effort to learn to cook and founded the Kosher Media Network, among other achievements. JOY OF KOSHER simplifies the effort of keeping a kosher kitchen. No rabbit and no prior culinary experience are needed for success as Geller takes tested family recipes and provides 'dress up' or 'dress down' options for each. It's a cookbook any kosher family and many a general cookbook library will want. Patricia Wells' THE FRENCH KITCHEN COOKBOOK (9780062088918, $35.00) comes from an author who runs a popular cooking school and who has won awards for many of her other cookbooks. Her latest offers a narrowed focus on these cooking schools, focusing on their recipes, lessons, and how the classes evolved. Wells offers a story of how her school began and her experiences cooking French foods from across the country. Her fare is easy for any home cook to reproduce: even those unfamiliar with French cuisine, and should be in any cookbook collection. Ree Drummond's PIONEER WOMAN COOKS A YEAR OF HOLIDAYS: 140 STEP-BY-STEP RECIPES FOR SIMPLE, SCRUMPTIOUS CELEBRATIONS (9780062225221, $29.99) arrived too late for holiday mention but promises to provide home cooks with year-round entertainment ideas as it reveals holiday recipes and classic dishes. Step-by-step color photos accompany recipes the author's presented to family and friends in an excellent collection perfect for entertaining. These are dishes crafted for even busy cooks, designed to look elegant and provide sensational.


The Music Shelf

Hal Leonard
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing
33 Plymouth St, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
www.halleonardbooks.com

Bruce Swedien with Bill Gibson's THE BRUCE SWEDIEN RECORDING METHOD (9781458411198, $39.99) comes from a recording engineer who recorded and mixed some of the most successful albums of modern times, and is a 'must' for any interested in the process of mixing music recordings. Swedien mixed hits from Michael Jackson to jazz. His method of capturing instruments and blending sounds features a host of innovative techniques and features a technical workflow that leads to consistent success. The accompanying DVD-ROM offers new footage of him working through a mix, explaining the logic behind his processes and choices. Any music maker will consider this an exceptional set of insights into the entire process. Hal Leonard's POWER TOOLS FOR STUDIO ONE 2, VOLUME 2 (9781476874685, $39.99) provides the second volume on Studio One 2, adding to the first and creating value in a set which will prove the only in-depth references to Studio One. Much of the material isn't documented anywhere - even in the user manual - while this volume considers advanced applications from working with loops and video to mixing and sharing work. This volume is an indispensible addition to the first and a 'must' as it discusses important features released since the first volume and synthesizes all information in an in-depth reference. Gerald McCauley and Benjamin Bove's DOWN THE RHODES; THE FENDER RHODES STORY (9781480342422, $44.99) provides a fine survey and is the only book to show how Rhodes changed music. Harold Rhodes envisioned his instrument as a rehabilitation tool for soldiers in World War II, creating a piano that represented the new electronic future. Interviews with musicians reveal how this electronic model helped create new music from the 1960s to modern times, and is based on information from artists ranging from George Benson and Stanley Clarke to George Duke, Herbie Hancock, Joe Sample and more. A Blu-ray of the documentary film about the Fender Rhodes Electric Piano is even included with each book, making this a 'must' for any fan of piano history. THE POWER IN CAKEWALK SONAR (9781476806013, $16.99) provides the latest approach to working in SONAR, and shows users how to focus on the music and develop techniques that led to better music. From using SONAR's enhanced Skylight interface to editing MIDI tracks using the Smart Tool and Piano Roll view, this is a solid pick for any interested in better use of Cakewalk Sonar.

Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing
33 Plymouth St, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
www.backbeatbooks.com

Marc Roberty's ERIC CLAPTON, DAY BY DAY: THE LATER YEARS: 1983-2013 (9781617130533, $39.99) follows the first volume and comes from a Clapton expert and music journalist who picks up from where his first book left off, covering Clapton's comeback after years of substance abuse. From the shows he placed and the cream reformation shows of 2005 to reunions with other musicians, this provides a fine survey blending tour dates and recording sessions with quotes from engineers, producers and musicians. Add rare photos and unreleased songs and you have the completion of a 2-volume Clapton tribute that should be in any rock music history holding. Mike Eder's ELVIS MUSIC FAQ (9781617130496, $24.99) details Presley's music career and its evolution, considering his original Sun record label, his concert tours, and reviewing all the music he's released. From Elvis' first albums to the extent of his many different music genres, this covers his works form country and pop ballads to rock, and considers the lasting impact of his sound. Any with an interest in Elvis' various music endeavors will appreciate this analysis, which holds rare images and many insights. Buck Owens writes with Randy Poe to provide an autobiography of his musical heritage in BUCK 'EM! (9781480330641, $29.99), and is a powerful 'must' for any music history collection. Buck Owens was a country musician who played a pivotal role in the genre. Born in Texas and raised in Arizona, he made Bakersfield, California his home and managed to become a smashing success outside of Nashville. His efforts gave rise to a new era in country music, a new sound, and affected Bakersfield's cultural heritage forever. Here Buck recalls his life from his early days to his rise to fame in a winning, vivid saga that should be in any country music collection.


The Military Shelf

Asian Maritime Strategies
Capt. Bernard D. Cole, USN (Ret.)
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591141624 $34.95 www.nip.org

Retired US Navy Captain and instructor at the National War College (Washington, D.C.) presents Asian Maritime Strategies: Navigating Troubled Waters, a critical study of the modern- day maritime strengths and strategies of all nations with a significant presence in the Indo-Pacific region. Although the United States, Japan, China, and India are discussed the most, Canada, Russia, North Korea, South Korea, the Philippines, Brunei, Indonesia, Vietnam, Singapore, Malaysia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Iran, and other, smaller Indian Ocean and Persian Gulf states are also covered. Extensive notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this acute examination of geopolitical naval power, highly recommended especially for military studies and naval strategy shelves.

A Civilian in Lawton's 1899 Philippine Campaign
Michael E. Shay, editor
University Press of Mississippi
3825 Ridgewood Road
Jackson, MS 39211
9780826220080 $40.00 www.upress.state.ms.us

Part of "The American Military Experience Series" dedicated to preserving past and present records and analyses, of American military life, A Civilian in Lawton's 1899 Philippine Campaign: The Letters of Robert D. Carter gathers the correspondence of twenty-two-year-old Robert Dexter Carter, who served in Manila as a civilian quartermaster clerk during the Philippine-American War. Carter was a frequent guest of Major General Henry W. Lawton, a close friend of Carter's father, and often mentions news or rumors about the commander. Editor Michael E. Shay offers notes and commentary to place the correspondence in full context, and does not alter Carter's words in any way - even when they sometimes turn to foul language, or express his personal racism. An invaluable glimpse into the bureaucratic side of a foreign war, A Civilian in Lawton's 1899 Philippine Campaign is a fascinating primary testimony, recommended for military history shelves.

Intelligence And Surprise Attack
Erik J. Dahl
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu
9781589019980, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Of curious note is that most surprise attacks against the United States from the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor in December 7, 1942 to the Islamic terrorist attack against the Pentagon and New York's twin towers on September 11, 2001 took place despite the United States government having advanced notice of such attack possibilities through various intelligence agencies. Why then were so many of these attacks so successful? That is the subject of "Intelligence and Surprise Attack: Failure and Success from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and Beyond" by Erik J. Dahl (Assistant Professor of national Security Affairs and a faculty member of the Center for homeland Defense and Security at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California). After an informed introduction and an informative first chapter (Why Does Intelligence Fail, and How Can It Succeed?), "Intelligence and Surprise Attack: Failure and Success from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and Beyond" is organized into two major sections: 'The Problem of Conventional Attack', and 'The Problem of Terrorist Attack'. Of special note is the appendix entry 'Unsuccessful Plots and Attacks against American Targets, 1987-2012'. Enhanced with extensive Notes, and extended Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "Intelligence and Surprise Attack: Failure and Success from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and Beyond" is a seminal work of original scholarship and should be a part of every community and academic library Security Studies & Intelligence collection. It should also be noted that "Intelligence and Surprise Attack: Failure and Success from Pearl Harbor to 9/11 and Beyond" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.17).

The Ultimate Chief Petty Officer Guidebook
James C. Glass
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.savasbeatie.com
9781611211245, $18.95, www.amazon.com

Chief petty officer is the seventh enlisted rate in the U.S. Navy and U.S. Coast Guard, just above petty officer first class and below senior chief petty officer, and is a senior non-commissioned officer. The grade of chief petty officer was established on April 1, 1893 for the Navy. The United States Congress first authorized the Coast Guard to use the promotion to chief petty officer on 18 May 1920. Unlike petty officer first class and lower rates, advancement to chief petty officer not only carries requirements of time in service, superior evaluation scores, and speciality examinations, but also carries an added requirement of peer review. A chief petty officer can only advance after review by a selection board of serving master chief petty officers, in effect "choosing their own" and conversely not choosing others. In "The Ultimate Chief Petty Officer Guidebook", former Master Chief Petty Officer James Glass draws upon his twenty-two years of experience and expertise to write a 192 page instruction manual for the benefit of any sailor who aspires to the position or who has been newly promoted to it. Enhanced with eleven photos, thirty-three tables and graphs, five appendices, and an index, "The Ultimate Chief Petty Officer Guidebook" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and very highly recommended. It should be noted that "The Ultimate Chief Petty Officer Guidebook" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.99).

Honor and Betrayal
Patrick Robinson
Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
9780306823081, $26.99, www.dacapopress.com

Honor and Betrayal: The Untold Story of the Navy SEALs Who Captured the "Butcher of Fallujah" - and the Shameful Ordeal They Later Endured is for any military reader who wants more details about the Navy SEAL operation in Iraq and what really happened when they captured the terrorist, and explores how three soldiers who risked their lives could be charged with dereliction of duty and prisoner abuse, based on the contentions of a terrorist. It comes from a noted authority on Navy SEAL and special forces operations and provides an insider account told in cooperation with McCabe and Keefe, the two SEALs who are no longer in service and who can therefore speak freely about events. An eye-opening survey for any interested in the military and this SEAL operation in particular.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

David Greentree's BRITISH PARATROOPER VERSES FALLSCHIRMJAGER (9781780969244, $18.95) pairs first-hand accounts and modern photos with maps and new artwork to considering the different experiences of opposing troops who fought in the Mediterranean from 1942-43. From training and equipment to tactics and morale, this considers weaponry and men alike and provides backgrounds to battles to make for full explorations of the encounters experienced on all sides. Details only lightly touched upon in other World War II books come to life in depth in this one, making it a pick for any definitive military history collection. Nick Lipscombe's WELLINGTON'S GUNS: THE UNTOLD STORY OF WELLINGTON AND HIS ARTILLERY IN THE PENINSULA AND AT WATERLOO (9781780961149, $29.95) provides a fine historical survey of the artillery that supported British armies and is a pick for any who wants greater focus on the internal operations of the British military. Chapters offer charts, small black and white maps, and in-depth discussions of operations, strategies and confrontations - yet manage to retain a lively tone - in a fine historical military survey recommended for any military history collection. Si Sheppard's THE JEWISH REVOLT AD 66-74 (9781780961835, $21.95) adds to other early history military titles from Osprey and considers a pan-Jewish revolt against the Romans in AD 66-74. The Romans systematically crushed that revolt and took Jerusalem, and only ended because of mass suicides of the last holdouts. This history considers the political and military strategies that led to this battle, and provides a powerful focus recommended for Jewish and military history collections alike. Black and white and color illustrations by Peter Dennis bring the conflicts and landscape to life. Chris McNab edits HITLER'S ELITE: THE SS 1939-45 (9781782009884, $40.00) provides a fine focus on the SS, from its origins in the 1920s as Hitler's personal bodyguard to how it rapidly grew to an organization employing hundreds of thousands in nearly 40 divisions. This complete history covers the SS at individual, unit and organizational levels and provides a fine survey of its origins and the reasons behind its great growth. Color art and over two hundred photos embellish text that has fine details not available elsewhere.


The Science Shelf

Secret History: The Story of Cryptology
Craig P. Bauer
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466561861, $69.95, www.crcpress.com

There have been plenty of 'light reading' books covering the history and mechanics of cryptology - this isn't one of them. Most focus on light math concepts and/or history - this isn't one of them. Instead, it covers both but provides much more depth and detail, surveying the political side of cryptology's developments, the use of codes in crime, music and literature, and considering how classical cryptology grew from Greek to modern times. It provides close examination of the groundbreaking works of cryptologists and considers specific algorithms and their functions, and it provides charts, graphs and calculations to show exactly how cryptology works. Any with more than a casual interest in the topic will find this a solid reference.


The Psychology Shelf

The Nature of Work
J. Kevin Ford, John R. Hollenbeck, and Ann Marie Ryan, editors
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433815379 $69.95 www.apa.org/books

The Nature of Work: Advances in Psychological Theory, Methods, and Practice is an anthology of essays by learned contributors about work psychology, the origins of work behavior, and how these affect both the individual workers and the organizations that employ them. Writings include "Work Team Motivation: Progress and Perils", "Turmoil or Opportunity? Retirement and Identity-Related Coping", "Two Practitioners' Reflections on the Scientist-Practitioner Divide", "Promoting Productive Collaborations to Advance the Psychology of Work" and much more. A scholarly cross-examination of the latest understandings about work psychology from both a practical and scientific point of view, The Nature of Work is a welcome addition to college and library collections and professional psychology shelves.

Children of Hoarders
Fugen Neziroglu, PhD, ABBP and Katharine Donnelly, PhD
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608824380, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

Children of Hoarders: How to Minimize Conflict, Reduce the Clutter & Improve Your Relationship provides a fine guide on how to grow up in the home of a 'hoarder', and empowers children to help improve their own lives and those of their parents. It comes from a psychologist expert on hoarding behavior and covers interventions and strategies for communicating with a hoarding parent. From acceptance versus change to managing emotions, this is packed with information on a subject that only too rarely receives its own discussion.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com

Robyn Steward's THE INDEPENDENT WOMAN'S HANDBOOK FOR SUPER SAFE LIVING ON THE AUTISTIC SPECTRUM (9781849053990, $19.95) is for any woman who would live a full life on and off the autistic spectrum, and explores common safety issues and risks to personal safety. From strategies for overcoming these threats to handling friendships, sex, alcohol and money issues, this is packed with 'autism alert cards' and references that will prove key to the safety of any woman struggling with autism and independence. Ashley Stanford's TROUBLESHOOTING RELATIONSHIPS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM: A USER'S GUIDE TO RESOLVING RELATIONSHIP PROBLEMS (9781849059510, $19.95) focuses on common problems, solutions, and strategies and scripts that can help those on the autism spectrum handle all kinds of relationship problems, and provides specific tested keys to success recommended for any living with or understanding the mechanics of AS experiences. From identifying co-dependency to troubleshooting complaints, this is an excellent reference for any who would handle the dual challenges of a relationship and autism. Kate E. Reynolds' SEXUALITY AND SEVERE AUTISM: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR PARENTS, CAREGIVERS AND HEALTH EDUCATORS (9781849053273, $24.95) provides a practical handbook to sex and sexuality, showing parents and educators how to impart the basics to even the most severely autistic child. There are specific routines and concerns within the autism spectrum: chapters address these specifics, discussing method for reaching males and females and covering public and private sexual behaviors, school, cross-gender and more. The author worked for eighteen years as a clinical nurse and counselor in the UK: her advice is both specific and tested under real-world conditions. Brenda Boyd's PARENTING A TEEN OR YOUNG ADULT WIRTH ASPERGER SYNDROME: 325 IDEAS, INSIGHTS, TIPS AND STRATEGIES (9781849052925, $19.95) provides a fine survey packed with insights for parents of teens and young adults who have Asperger Syndrome, and packs in over three hundred strategies for handling common parenting issues. From social exchanges and friendships to self-esteem and handling change, this sourcebook offers busy parents a format and solution-based discussion that uses templates and short discussions to narrow in on common issues and how to resolve them. Parents will find this a 'must', packed with ideas and tested solutions. Lisa R. Furman's ETHICS IN ART THERAPY: CHALLENGING TOPICS FOR A COMPLEX MODALITY (9781849059381, $26.95) is for art therapists facing ethical considerations unique to their approach, and goes beyond the usual therapy professional guidelines to address 'gray areas' involved in art therapy practices. Case examples pair with the latest ethical theory to provide illustration of instances of ethical dilemma - such as accepting client art as a gift, or the electronic transmission of confidential artwork. From sexuality in this environment to cognitive impairments, this covers all kinds of common challenges and is recommended for any practicing art therapist and reference collections catering to them.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Hepatitis C Treatment One Step at a Time
Lucinda K. Porter, RN
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10036
9781936303526 $16.95 www.demoshealth.com

Hepatitis C (HCV) is currently the most common blood-borne infection in the United States; over 3.2 million Americans live with it, most of them unaware that they have it. This ignorance has led to more American deaths from HCV than from HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Registered nurse Lucinda K. Porter, herself a Hepatitis C patient who has undergone three rounds of HCV antiviral therapy, shares her experience and knowledge in Hepatitis C Treatment One Step at a Time: Inspirational and Practical Tips for Successful Treatment. Speaking especially to fellow HCV patients, Porter provides invaluable advice, tips grounded in personal experience, and readings to help cope with each day of treatment. "HCV treatment is dehydrating. Certain side effects such as fatigue and dryness are easier to manage with adequate water intake. The Institute of Medicine advises that men drink about 13 cups and women consume about 9 cups of liquid daily. If your urine is dark yellow, drink more. It is possible to drink too much water, so don't overdo it. If you can't leave the house because you need to be near a bathroom, then you may be drinking too much." A "must-have" for anyone embarking on an HCV treatment regimen, Hepatitis C Treatment One Step at a Time is also highly recommended for public library health and medicine shelves.

Memory & Communication Aids For People With Dementia
Michelle S. Bourgeois
Health Professions Press
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.healthpropress.com
9781938870064, $38.95, www.amazon.com

Dementia is a serious loss of global cognitive ability in a previously unimpaired person, beyond what might be expected from normal aging. It may be static, the result of a unique global brain injury, or progressive, resulting in long-term decline due to damage or disease in the body. Although dementia is far more common in the geriatric population (about 5% of those over 65 are said to be involved), it can occur before the age of 65, in which case it is termed "early onset dementia". Impaired memory is a key symptom of dementia and the subject of "Memory and Communication Aids for People With Dementia", a 224 page compendium by Professor Michelle S. Bourgeois (Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders, University of South Florida) offering exercises and information on utilizing memory aids with respect to treating dementia impaired abilities ranging from conversation, orientation, communication, social interaction, assisted living skills, home care, and/or assisted living facility based care. Informed and informative, "Memory and Communication Aids for People With Dementia" is highly recommended for both professional and non-specialist general readers dealing with anyone with dementia based memory and communication needs. Also very highly recommended from Health Professions Press is "The End-Of-Life Namaste Care program For People With Dementia" (9781938870026, $34.95) by Joyce Simard.

Living with Itch
Gil Yosipovitch, MD and Shawn G. Kwatra, MD
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421412447, $16.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Living with Itch: A Patient's Guide provides a powerful coverage and comes from itch researchers and clinicians who consider the physiological events that cause itch. From different kinds of skin diseases to different treatment options, this blends patient narratives with keys on how people cope with itch and what remedies are available. It's refreshing to see an entire book on the topic: too often 'itch' is not given proper attention, and having one book covering different kinds of itches will help any who need specific help.

Better Health Through Natural Healing, third edition
Ross Trattler, ND, DO and Shea Trattler
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
9781583946671, $24.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

Better Health Through Natural Healing: How to Get Well Without Drugs or Surgery appears in its third updated edition to expand and update a detailed reference on healing common problems with natural resources. This book first appeared in 1985 as a guide to both traditional and alternative therapies: this third edition has been completely revised and updated to reflect recent research and applications in the holistic healing world, and explains all the basics of natural medicine philosophy as well as the treatment of over a hundred common diseases. Any natural health collection will find this a winner!


The Technology Shelf

Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
www.artechhouse.com

Suzanne Costello and Marc P. Y. Desmulliez's HERMETICITY TESTING OF MEMS AND MICROELECTRONIC PACKAGES (9781608075270, $139.00) considers the step change in package requirements that came with the new MEMS system, and provides engineers with a solid reference on test methods for hermetic packaging for the MEMS and microelectronics as a whole. Both traditional and new testing methods are considered in a text focused on modern package types, with history and critical analysis of limitations included in chapters loaded with black and white photos, charts and diagrams. Any collection strong in electronic engineering needs this up-to-date reference. Phillip Weicker's A SYSTEMS APPROACH TO LITHIUM-ION BATTERY MANAGEMENT (9781608076598, $139.00) provides a fine guide to battery management system technology for large format battery packs, and discusses everything from their management, storage and energy systems to the latest BMS technology, software, hardware and safety. From architectures including power supplies to model implementation, hazard management, and more, this provides engineers with a wide-ranging analysis of battery management systems in a variety of real-world scenarios.


The Mathematics Shelf

In Pursuit of the Unknown
Ian Stewart
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465085989, $16.99, www.basicbooks.com

In Pursuit of the Unknown: 17 Equations That Changed the World is a pick for any general interest or mathematics collection and comes from a mathematician who here reveals the foundations of mathematical statements and why equations are a big part of our lives. Seventeen key equations that reflect concurrent discoveries in the world are revealed in a lively survey that links math directly to human experience - and makes this a top survey for mathematicians and general readers alike!


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Insider's Guide To Book Publishing Success
Eric Kampmann & Margot Atwell
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, NY, NY 10011
www.beaufortbooks.com
9780825306877, $12.95, www.amazon.com

Every author, once their manuscript is finished, must address the question of how to go about getting published. Drawing upon their many years of experience and expertise in the publishing industry, Eric Kampmann and Margot Atwell have effectively collaborated to produce "The Insider's Guide To Book Publishing Success", a succinct, 160 page instruction manual covering critical issues ranging from selecting a publishing strategy, the editorial process, designing and printing, to the fundamentals of book sales and distribution. Of special note is the commentary on marketing and publicity. Offering four illustrative success stories, "The Insider's Guide To Book Publishing Success" is informed, informative, thoroughly 'user friendly', and especially recommended as an practical, experience-based guide for novice authors seeking a successful (and profitable!) publication of their work. It should be noted that "The Insider's Guide To Book Publishing Success" is also available in a Kindle edition ($1.99).

Nonfiction Notebooks
Aimee Buckner
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
www.stenhouse.com
9781571109521, $18.50, www.amazon.com

"Nonfiction Notebooks: Strategies for Informational Writing" by educator and author Aimee Buckner is a 128 page instruction guide specifically designed for aspiring writers of non-fiction. This thoroughly 'user friendly' manual is organized into six succinct chapters; Writers Notebooks: An Informational Twist; Strategies to Explore Topics; Strategies to Gather Information; Predrafting Strategies; Strategies to Craft Informational Pieces; and Assessment. Informed, informative, exceptionally well organized and presented, "Nonfiction Notebooks: Strategies for Informational Writing" is an ideal reference for students tasked with writing papers, as well as novice authors wanting to write non-fiction pieces and books for publication. Highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Writing/Publishing instructional reference collections, it should also be noted that "Nonfiction Notebooks: Strategies for Informational Writing" is available in a Kindle edition ($10.49) as well.

A Self Made Of Words
Carl H. Klaus
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
www.uiowapress.org
9781609381943, $18.00, www.amazon.com

In "A Self Made of Words", Carl H. Klaus draws upon his many years of experience and expertise as the founder of Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program and author of numerous published non-fiction titles to write a succinct, 98 page compendium comprised of an informed and informative essay and guide on how novice writers (and even more experienced authors) can adapt themselves to the dictums of non-fiction writing through his proffered exercises for creating engaging commentary and text that is hallmarked by a distinctive 'voice' or persona. A masterful, thoroughly 'user friendly', and highly recommended instructional guide for writers, it should be noted that "A Self Made of Words" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Handbook of Indexing Techniques, fifth edition
Linda K. Fetters
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573874618, $28.00, www.infotoday.com

Handbook of Indexing Techniques: A Guide for Beginning Indexers appears in its fifth updated edition to provide clear explanations of indexing techniques and examples of how to index different documents. From the new electronic documents and their requirements to imbedded indexing, ebook indexing, web indexing and more, this reference includes information on indexing seminars as well, and will especially interest occasional indexers who need more specifics on the process.

Rewrite
Paul Chitlik
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931576, $22.95, www.mwp.com

REWRITE: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE TO STRENGTHEN STRUCTURE, CHARACTERS, AND DRAMA IN YOUR SCREENPLAY is a recommendation for performing arts and film screenwriters who want keys to producing great scripts, and narrows the focus to the rewrite process. This new edition provides more tools for effective rewriting, offering keys to page reduction, sample rewrites, strategies for handling difficult challenges during the process, and insights on how a more effective screenplay can work. Any script writer will find this a 'must' guide to better writing!

Writing to Wake the Soul
Karen Hering
Beyond Words Publishing
20827 NW Cornell Road, Suite 500
Hillsboro, OR 97124
9781582704128, $24.00, www.beyondword.com

Writing to Wake the Soul: Opening the Sacred Conversation Within is a book about words and spiritual links, and offers insights that address memory and imagination, literary writings, world mythology and more. It includes prompts and meditations, stories, and encouragements for readers to connect language with spiritual reflection, and it considers such diverse topics as using prayer to listen, writing about love and hope, and considering the issues in redemption. While spirituality shelves will be the most likely patrons of this book, any collection strong in writer's guides shouldn't leave it out: it's an inspirational winner.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Taos: A Topical History
Corina A. Santistevan and Julia Moore, editors
Museum of New Mexico Press
PO Box 2087
Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087
9780890135822 $34.95 www.mnmpress.org

Taos: A Topical History is a thoughtful anthology of essays by diverse authors about the history of the Taos Valley region of New Mexico, a land where the legacy of three settler cultures (Tiwa, Spanish, and Anglo) remains. Individual writings include "Taos' Early Trade Economy", "Taos Pueblo, Past and Recent", "Taos Art Colony and the Taos Arts Community", and much more. Extensive notes and an index round out this fascinating collection insights, chronicles, and revelations about a land, its peoples, and the conflicts that embroiled them. Highly recommended, especially for American history or Native American Studies shelves.

The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo
Kent Nerburn
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608680153, $15.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

The Girl Who Sang to the Buffalo: A Child, an Elder & the Light from an Ancient Sky is a haunting narrative about Native American worlds where dreams have meaning and animals are powerful. This world is translated through the eyes of a little girl, and provides a satisfying blend of history, mystery, and most of all - spiritual journey. It's a story of a mentor and a four-year-old girl who bears a powerful resemblance to a missing sister, and it considers the boundaries between mental illness and spirituality when her special abilities are called into question. Any seeking a literary, revealing story of Native American worlds will find this a winner!


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Mrs. Jeffries and the Merry Gentlemen
Emily Brightwell
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425268087, $25.95, www.penguin.com

While Mrs. Jeffries and the Merry Gentlemen arrived just a little too late for holiday mention, this adds to the author's fine Victorian Mystery collection and will delight fans year-round. Stockbroker Orlando has made a fortune and invites three influential investors to join his latest financial winner. When he's found murdered, it's up to Witherspoon and Mrs. Jeffries to investigate - even though the holidays are upon them and it's the worst season to add mystery into the mix. A fine holiday theme returns old protagonists to the fold and creates a powerful saga perfect for any mystery collection!

Dust
Patricia Cornwell
Putnam Adult
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780399157578, $28.95, www.penguin.com

DUST provides a new Scarpetta novel by Patricia Cornwell, represents the twenty-first installment to the Kay Scarpetta investigator series, and opens with an exhausted Kay who has just finished working on one of the worst mass killings in U.S. history in Connecticut. Recovering from the flu, he's taped to investigate a dead grad student - and uncovers immediate connections to recent odd homicides in Washington, D.C. Her further investigations involve her family in a series of complex encounters that are packed with unexpected twists and challenges to Scarpetta's family and life in this engrossing mystery.

Hard Case Crime
www.hardcasecrime.com

Hard Case Crime features a fine set of paperback suspense novels produced by a very young Michael Crichton (writing as John Lange) before he became famous with his Jurassic Park series, and is a recommendation for any crime or mystery collection. Crichton invented the secret pen name John Lange and wrote eight books between 1955 and 1972. They went out of print and were unavailable for decades - until now. Michael Crichton chose Hard Case Crime to bring this set back, even re-editing two of the Lange books and writing new chapters for one of them. His death in 2008 from cancer halted the project but this set lives on. BINARY (9781783291250, $9.95) tells of a political radical who is plotting terrorism long before it became today's news - and federal agent John Graves is trying to stop him. A powerful confrontation between hackers and government forces evolves. SCRATCH ONE (9781783291199, $9.95) tells of a terrorist group which has been targeting politicians for assassination - and when the U.S. sends in an agent who is delayed in transit, it's up to a lawyer mistaken for him to enter the fray. DRUG OF CHOICE (9781783291236, $9.95) tells of bioengineers who have created the ultimate vacation resort - until a doctor's investigation reveals a dangerous secret and the involvement of a company that could change the world. GRAVE DESCEND (9781783291243, $9.95) goes underwater into the world of diver James McGregor, who investigates a mysterious wreck and its even more mysterious cargo, while ZERO COOL (9781783291212, $9.95) tells of an American radiologist whose vacation is ruined when a beautiful woman places him in the middle of gang rivalries and a treasure. THE VENOM BUSINESS (9781783291229, $9.95) tells of a snake handler and smuggler who finds a side job as a bodyguard - and who discovers an inherent danger in the position that will change his life, while EASY GO (9781783291205, $9.95) tells of buried treasure in Egypt and a professor's plan to plunder a burial site. Add smugglers and thieves and you have a powerful plot. All read like noir mysteries but include technological advancements and, quite often, an air of Indiana Jones adventure that will keep crime and mystery readers on edge with the classic Crichton brand of suspense.


The Travel Shelf

Lonely Planet Publishing
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Carolyn McCarthy's PANAMA (9781742200125, $24.99) is the perfect guidebook of choice for any independent traveler who would locate off-the-beaten-track destinations within the country. The entire book has been researched and updated, with color sidebars of at-a-glance information, small maps, and tips for what to see and how to get around making this the perfect pocket tote for destination-bound visitors. Panama is usually included in larger-ranging books on Central America, so it's pleasing to see an approach that offers far more detail without adding countries visitors may have no intention of seeing. Sarina Singh, et.al.'s INDIA (9781742204123, $34.99) achieves the same for India but its weighty stance (over 1,000 pages) makes it more of an at-home travel planner than a pocket tote. That said, the information here is indispensible: from advice for women travelers on safety in the country to an illustrated temple feature and candid assessments of the pros and cons of each area, INDIA is one of the best books on the market for researching the entire country's offerings. Carolyn McCarthy, et.al.'s CENTRAL AMERICA ON A SHOESTRING (9781742200101, $29.99) provides new itineraries, illustrated maps, and a thorough review of all activities possible in different Central American nations. All of this is covered with the independent traveler on a budget in mind: chapters feature sidebars of information and everything has been researched and updated. These should be required reading for any independent, destination-bound traveler. Chris Rowthorn, et.al.'s Japan (9781742204147, $29.99) is a weighty travel guide packed with advice for independent travelers to Japan, and includes a pull-out map of Tokyo and information that's been researched and updated to reflect the latest changes in the country. From national parks to nightlife and entertainment, this covers everything from connections to the airport to popular and offbeat sights and sounds. A 'must' for any heading to Japan! Brendan Sainsbury's CUBA (978174220422, $24.99) provides a fine guide to Cuba complete with a pull-out map and new updates to local and tourist destinations, and is a fine pick for any interested in visiting the country. Sidebars of at-a-glance information accompanies all the historical, cultural and social references visitor could want, along with specifics of where to go and what to see. The result is an excellent take-along tote for any traveler bound for Cuba!


The Art Shelf

The Art Deco Poster
William W. Crouse
The Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
www.vendomepress.com
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (dist.)
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com
9780865653085, $65,00, www.amazon.com

Art Deco is an influential visual arts design style which first appeared in France after World War I, flourishing internationally in the 1930s and 1940s before its popularity waned after World War II. It is an eclectic style that combines traditional craft motifs with Machine Age imagery and materials. The style is often characterized by rich colors, bold geometric shapes, and lavish ornamentation. Art Deco emerged from the Interwar period when rapid industrialization was transforming culture. One of its major attributes is an embrace of technology. This distinguishes Deco from the organic motifs favored by its predecessor Art Nouveau. Compiled with commentary by 20th Century Poster expert William W. Crouse "The Art Deco Posters: Rare and Iconic" is a beautifully illustrated, 296 page compendium showcasing art deco wall posters. With an informative introduction by Alastair Duncan (an expert consultant on the decorative arts of the 19th and 20th centuries), the poster art comprising "The Art Deco Posters: Rare and Iconic" is nicely organized into alphabetically themed sections: Aviation; Automobiles & Motorcycles; Consumer & Industrial Products; Leisure; Motor Racing; Food, Beverage & Tobacco; Ocean Liners; Railways; Travel & Tourism. Enhanced with a useful bibliography and index, "The Art Deco Posters: Rare and Iconic" is especially recommended for academic library 20th Century Popular Art reference collections and would make an enduringly popular selection as a community library Memorial Fund acquisition.

The Art Deco Poster
William W. Crouse
Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (dist.)
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com
9780865653085, $65.00, www.vendomepress.com

The Art Deco Poster provides an oversized and very fine collection of posters profiling some three hundred different examples of the poster art create between World Wars I and II, and is a 'must' for fans and any collection strong in poster art and history. This collection is arranged thematically into subject categories and gathers international poster designs from well-known to rare examples by a range of artists. Each poster is digitally photographed for this collection and accompanied by an explanation of its economic, political and social meaning. It's a powerful achievement in and of itself, representing the best in graphic design portraits and art deco history alike.

Warhol's Queens
Henriete Dedichen, Editor
Hatje Cantz
c/o Distributed Art Publishers
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
9783775735452, $60.00, www.artbook.com

Warhol's Queens isn't your usual Warhol catalog: it narrows the focus to Andy Warhol's portraits of both royal queens and drag queens, offering a fine collection of images that will challenge readers to re-define women's images, realities, and fashion. Essays by Hubertus Butin and others compliment many eye-opening, startling works and provide historical and artistic precedent for Warhol's approach and perspective. While the blend of royalty with drag queens may prove startling to some, the result is a powerful volume highly recommended as a basic addition to any Warhol collection and any an arts holding looking for different approaches to his art.

Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Martin Gayford's MAN WITH A BLUE SCARF: ON SITTING FOR A PORTRAIT BY LUCIAN FREUD (9780500289716, $21.95) comes from an art critic who spent seven months sitting for a portrait done by Lucian Freud, one of the finest figure painters of modern times. His unique position resulted in a series of encounters and insights into Freud's work that incorporates artistic and psychological perspectives, from a deeper understanding of what goes into an artist's portrait to the underlying purposes and motivations of Freud. It's not a biography, but a series of vignettes about the artist at work, and is a solid pick for any arts holding seeing popularity in Lucian Freud's paintings. Stanislav Grof's BOOKS OF THE DEAD (9780500810583, $14.95) comes from a psychiatrist who is founder of the field of transpersonal psychology, and provides a fine survey of artistic representations of the dead and their relationship to psychology. Visions of dying and research on human consciousness blend in a thought-provoking classic which is now back in print in a new format, and available to new audiences and collections. ANGELS by Peter Lamborn Wilson (9780500810583, $14.95) also adds to the 'Art & Imagination' series, this documenting the figure of angels in art, folklore and literature and providing a satisfying synthesis of religious and artistic representations of angels from various traditions, from Jewish and Christian to Buddhist, Hindu and more. Over 120 illustrations (over 30 in color) add to a survey filled with eye-catching insights, making this a top pick for any artistic collection.


The Fashion Shelf

Fifty Fashion Looks That Changed the 1980s
Design Museum, Paula Reed
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781840916263, $20.00, www.octopuspublishing.com

Fifty Fashion Looks That Changed the 1980s adds to the Design Museum's series and profiles outfits from influential fashion designers and icons of the times, from Anna Wintour to Annie Lennox and Princess Diana. Chapters provide colorful examples of outfits and trends while Paula Reed's accompanying text provides history and artistic insights into the fashion design world. Any interested in fashion history must have this addition to the series.


The Interior Design Shelf

Home
Orla Kiely
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781840916188, $34.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Home comes from an internationally famous designer who uses original graphics and motifs in a home decor style that has won her fans around the world. Her first book Pattern displayed her approach; Home features her own house and furthers the discussion of her ideas on using patterns and color to turn a house into a home as well as a stylish work of art. Lovely discussions of architecture, interiors, and themes in furniture and arrangements make for chapters that use Orla's own home choices as the example for innovative thinking. Any home and garden or interior design collection needs this approach.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Interpreting The Gospel Of John
Gary M. Burge
Baker Academic
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9780801048845, $21.99, www.amazon.com

The Gospel According to John, commonly referred to as the Gospel of John or simply John, is an anonymous account of the public ministry of Jesus. It begins with the witness and affirmation of John the Baptist and concludes with the death, burial, resurrection, and post-resurrection appearances of Jesus. This account is fourth of the canonical gospels, after the synoptics (Matthew, Mark and Luke), and is often referred to in New Testament scholarship as the Fourth Gospel. "Interpreting the Gospel of John: A Practical Guide" by Gary M. Burge (Professor of new Testament, Wheaton college) is a 240 page compendium providing students and general readers with an informed and informative introduction that begins with a history of interpretations and addresses the questions of who authored the Gospel of John, how the Gospel of John is constructed, and describes the 'Johannine Style'. The remaining chapters are deftly organized into two other main sections that include 'Strategies for Interpretation'; and 'Preaching and Teaching from the Fourth Gospel'. Of special note is that each individual chapter has its own bibliography. Superbly organized and presented, "Interpreting the Gospel of John: A Practical Guide" truly lives up to the promise of its title and is highly recommended as a seminary or Sunday School curriculum textbook and for personal, church, and community library Christian Studies collections. It should be noted that "Interpreting the Gospel of John: A Practical Guide" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.49).

The Road to Assisi
Paul Sabatier
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612614632, $15.99, www.amazon.com

St. Francis of Assisi (1181/1182 - October 3, 1226) was an Italian Catholic friar and preacher. He founded the men's Order of Friars Minor, the women's Order of St. Clare, and the Third Order of Saint Francis for men and women not able to live the lives of itinerant preachers followed by the early members of the Order of Friars Minor or the monastic lives of the Poor Clares. Though he was never ordained to the Catholic priesthood, Francis is one of the most venerated religious figures in history. A Protestant pastor in Strasbourg, Paul Sabatier (1858-1928) wrote "The Road to Assisi" which was published in French in 1894 and was accounted the first modern biography of St. Francis. Now with an introduction and annotation by Jon M. Sweeney, "The Road to Assisi" is brought back into print in a 120th anniversary edition for the benefit of a new generation of appreciative readers. "The Road to Assisi: The Essential Biography of St. Francis" is ideal for the non-specialist general reader and would make a popular addition to seminary and community library Christian Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.

The First New Testament
Jason D. BeDuhn
Polebridge Press
900 State Street, Salem, Oregon 97301-3922
www.polebridgepress.com
9781598151312, $29.00, www.amazon.com

Marcion of Sinope (c. 85 - c. 160) was a prominent bishop in early Christian movement. His approach to Christian theology completely rejected the existence of deity described in the Jewish Scriptures and in distinction affirmed the Father of Christ to be the true God. He was denounced by the Church Fathers and he chose to separate himself from the Imperial Church. He is often considered to have held a pivotal role in the development of the New Testament canon. "The First New Testament: Marcion's Scriptural Canon" by Jason D. BeDuhn (Professor of the Comparative Study of Religions, Northern Arizona University) is a comprehensive and impressively documented scholarly study of Marcion's original compilation of sacred scriptures which differs significantly from what was eventually canonized by the fourth century Nicene Council at the behest of the Roman Emperor Constantine. Of special note is Professor BeDuhn's commentary on the 'two-source' theory and the Q hypothesis. A work of seminal scholarship and enhanced with the inclusion of extensive Chapter Notes, a Bibliography, and an Index, "The First New Testament: Marcion's Scriptural Canon" is an essential contribution to personal and academic library Christian Studies collections.

Joseph and the Gospel of Many Colors
Voddie Baucham Jr.
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
9781433523731, $15.99, www.crossway.org

Joseph and the Gospel of Many Colors isn't just about the story of Joseph, who was sold into slavery by his own brothers before he came into his powers, but surveys the real story which centers around the lasting impact Joseph made in his world. Even Christians who have read and studied this story will find this an exceptional analysis injecting accounts of the Savior and God's purpose into the overall story of Joseph's life. From how faith is tested to Biblical passages that offer parallels between Joseph and other figures of history, this is a powerful scholarly examination that will appeal to many spiritual Christian students.

Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com

Amy Hereford, CSJ'S RELIGIOUS LIFE AT THE CROSSROADS: A SCHOOL FOR MYSTICS AND PROPHETS (9781626980488, $20.00) is for any Catholic or Christian collection and considers the major movements in religious life today. It provides both a history of religious life and ideas about the reinvention of religious life today, and reviews the idea that community life leads to religious evolution. Chapters provide fine keys to understanding the growth and change of successful religious structures and communities and make for an exceptional survey for any spirituality collection. Mary Doak and Anita Houck edit TRANSLATING RELIGION (9781626980181, $35.00), a Christian survey of Catholicism and theology gathered in a peer-reviewed collection of original essays covering how faith and traditions are affected by translations of language, cultural context and social issues. Chapters cover specific methods of this translation process, considering how spirituality is represented and changed. From liturgy and its applications to justice and different theologies, this is a scholarly consideration suitable for any studious Christian collection.


The Sports Shelf

Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.humankinetics.com

Steve Cotter's KETTLEBELL TRAINING (9781450430111, $19.95) provides athletes with a basic guide to setting goals and selecting exercises using the inexpensive kettlebell, and pairs step-by-step directions with photo sequences and training ideas for nearly a hundred exercises that can be done with kettlebells in the gym or at home. It comes from an expert who has trained elite athletes as well as military members, and provides a series of programs and routines that will appeal across the board to a range of athletes. All that's required for success is access to kettlebells and this guide! Nancy Clark's SPORTS NUTRITION GUIDEBOOK (9781450459938, $19.95) teaches how to make the right choices, whether at home or on the road, and is a recommendation for athletes who are eating for an active lifestyle. From what to eat before and during exercise to optimal recovery eating and how to incorporate these requirements into family-friendly menus and dishes, this takes the latest research and blends in practical applications. With its wider-ranging focus on a nutrition plan that fits not only sports but one's overall lifestyle, this stands out from other titles on the topic. The third updated edition of Suzanne Girard Eberle, MS, RDN, CSSD's ENDURANCE SPORTS NUTRITION (9781450432153, $23.95) provides readers with a powerful guide to selecting foods and supplements to train more quickly and achieve optimum performance, and comes fro ma sports dietitian and former elite runner who incorporates all this information into a winning sports program. This updated edition covers recommendations for vegetarian athletes and those with food intolerances and includes profiles and advice from other endurance athletes, making this a solid reference for any sports holding.


The Photography Shelf

Firmament: A Meditation on Place in Three Parts
Andrew Beckham
George F Thompson Publishing
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
09781938086137, $50.00, www.amazon.com

"Firmament: A Meditation on Place in Three Parts" is a 112 page compendium showcasing the black-and-white photography of Andrew Beckham. This coffee table art book offers an impressive series of images that lead to contemplation and imaginative interpretation as the reader browses each 'picture portrait' photograph of nature's forms from the small and complex to the sweeping and expansive. "Firmament: A Meditation on Place in Three Parts" documents Andrew Beckham as a photographer with an artist's eye for form. Highly recommended, especially for students of the photographic arts, "Firmament: A Meditation on Place in Three Parts" would make an especially welcome and impressive community library Memorial Fund acquisition.

Peace, Love and Pepper Spray
Amber Lyon
Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive, Florence, Alabama, 35630
www.whitman.com
9780794838034, $29.95, www.amazon.com

"Peace, Love and Pepper Spray" is an impressive. 120 page compendium comprised of full color photographs taken by photojournalist Amber Lyon and showcases incidents where American citizens came together to protest the actions of the government, corporations, street violence, and other social ills and evils of our day. Of special note are the chapters dedicated to 'Online Protest' and 'Death of the Free Press. With contributions by journalists Dell Cameron and Nicole Powers, photojournalist James Fassinger, and political cartoonist Carlos Latuff, and with informative captioning and commentary by Amber Lyon of the images displayed, "Peace, Love and Pepper Spray" is a remarkable documentation of American's in protest, making it highly recommended for both community and academic library Photographic Studies and American History collections.

Texas: Portrait Of A State
Laurence Parent
Graphic Arts Books
PO Box 56118, Portland, OR 97238-6118
www.graphicartsbooks.com
9780882409153, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Texas is the second most populous (after California) and the second-largest of the 50 states (after Alaska) in the United States of America, and the largest state in the 48 contiguous United States. Geographically located in the South Central part of the country, Texas shares an international border with the Mexican states of Chihuahua, Coahuila, Nuevo Le¢n, and Tamaulipas to the south and borders the U.S. states of New Mexico to the west, Oklahoma to the north, Arkansas to the northeast, and Louisiana to the east. Texas has an area of 268,820 square miles (696,200 km2) and a growing population of 26.1 million residents. "Texas: Portrait Of A State" is a 112 page compendium showcasing Laurence Parent's beautiful, full color photographic images displaying breathtakingly lovely features of the Texas landscapes and people. Of special note are the informative captions that accompany each photograph. An impressive tribute to the Lone Star State, "Texas: Portrait Of A State" is highly recommended for photography enthusiasts and should be considered a 'must' for Texas community library collections. It should be noted that "Texas: Portrait Of A State" is also available in a Kindle format ($9.99).

Humans of New York
Brandon Stanton
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250038814, $29.99, www.stmartins.com

Humans of New York tells of the author's project to create a photographic census of New York City, and follows the journey of a bonds trader who became a photographer and began crossing the city on foot to document ordinary New Yorkers at challenging moments of their lives. He's only been photographing for three and a half years, but his interactions with these city residents were unique and inspirational and are here represented along with four hundred color photos and new stories. Any interested in New York City culture, scenes, and people will find this a compelling examination of the personalities and challenges that make up the Big Apple. General-interest as well as photography and arts holdings - and, of course, those interested in New York - will find this an exceptional presentation.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Cougar
Paula Wild
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5T 4S7
9781771620024 $34.95 www.douglas-mcintyre.com

Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Cougar: Beautiful, Wild and Dangerous is a fascinating, fact-filled book about cougars, big cats also known as "pumas" or "mountain lions". From myths about cougars, to cougars in captivity, to the natural role of the cougar in wild ecology, and perhaps most crucial of all, how to defend oneself in case of a cougar attack, The Cougar is a "must-read" for anyone who wants to know about this captivating yet potentially deadly beasts - or for anyone who plans to visit, work, or live in cougar country! "...never turn your back on a cougar, even if it appears not to see you. Make eye contact immediately and don't break it; if you're wearing sunglasses, remove them. Staring at an animal is a powerful form of aggression that informs it you are the dominant one. It's also important to remember that eye contact between people and bears is totally different than eye contact between people and cougars. Most bear attacks are defensive and eye contact should be avoided; the majority of cougar attacks are predatory and eye contact is vital." Extensive cougar safety tips distinguish this in-depth portrait of these fascinating animals, illustrated with a handful of vivid color photographs. Highly recommended!

The Dog Trainer's Resource 3
Adrienne Hovey, editor
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
www.dogwisepublishing.com
9781617811326, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by Adrienne Hovey (owner of Fresh Start Dog Training, Philadelphia, PA) is a 351 page compendium comprised of informed and informative articles drawn from the award winning publication - 'The APDT Chronicle of the Dog'. The expert articles cover a variety of pertinent issues ranging from canine emotions, running a dog training business, dealing with aggressive dogs, evaluating statistical data on dog behavior, the use of professional dog training protocols, and so much more. Informed, informative, practical, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "The Dog Trainer's Resource 3" is highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library instructional reference collections in canine care.

Complete Guide to Dog Grooming
Eve Adamson & Sandy Roth
T.F.H. Publications
1 TFH Plaza, Third & Union Avenue
Neptune City, NJ 07753
www.tfh.com
9780793837144, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Grooming is to clean and maintain the appearance of an animal. "Complete Guide to Dog Grooming: Skills, Techniques, and Instructions for the Home Groomer" by dog care expert Eve Adamson, and with the assistance of dog grooming shop owner Sandy Roth, is a profusely illustrated, 255 page compendium covering every aspect of grooming dogs whatever their breed may be. Organized into five distinctive sections (The Importance of Good Grooming; Grooming Basics; Coat-Specific Grooming Guide; Grooming for Special Needs; and Getting Started in Professional Grooming), "Complete Guide to Dog Grooming: Skills" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and perfect for the non-specialist general reader wanting to learn how to take care of their pet canine grooming themselves as well as anyone considering starting up their own dog grooming service. Enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary, a list of resources, and an index, "Complete Guide to Dog Grooming: Skills" is very strongly recommended for dog owners and community library Pets/Wildlife instructional resource collections. It should be noted that "Complete Guide to Dog Grooming" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.09).

Animal Earth
Ross Piper
Thames and Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500516966, $45.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

ANIMAL EARTH: THE AMAZING DIVERSITY OF LIVING CREATURES examines the largely undiscovered world of the living creatures who share the earth, and discusses the many different evolutionary relationships between species and how they fit into the world. Animal diversity, ecosystems, and interactions between all are covered in a title packed with over five hundred color illustrations and details about the planet. The result is a powerful consideration that will interest a range of collections; from those appealing to science and nature readers to general-interest holdings where the book's colorful illustrations will attract attention.

Flying Blind
Don Mitchell
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603585200, $24.95, www.chelseagreen.com

FLYING BLIND: ONE MAN'S ADVENTURES BATTLING BUCKTHORN, MAKING PEACE WITH AUTHORITY, AND CREATING A HOME FOR ENDANGERED BATS comes from a college professor and novelist who was approached by a biologist to track endangered Indiana bats on his 150-acre Vermont farm. At the time his relationship with both bats and government entities was dubious, but as he came to learn more about the species and threats to their lives, he became more immersed in the 'flying rats', their dilemma, and how he could change his land to invite them in. There are relatively few bat books on the market and none with this perspective, charting the changes experienced by one man who changed from disliking them to protecting them. Any with an interest in bats will thus find this a rare, exceptional read!


The Biography Shelf

Andrew Jackson, Southerner
Mark R. Cheathem
Louisiana State University Press
3990 W. Lakeshore Drive, Baton Rouge, LA 70808
http://lsupress.org
978080715086-6, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Andrew Jackson (March 15, 1767 - June 8, 1845) was the seventh President of the United States (1829 - 1837). Based in frontier Tennessee, Jackson was a politician and army general who defeated the Creek Indians at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend (1814), and the British at the Battle of New Orleans (1815). A polarizing figure who dominated the Second Party System in the 1820s and 1830s, as president he dismantled the Second Bank of the United States and initiated forced relocation and resettlement of Native American tribes from the Southeast to west of the Mississippi River. His enthusiastic followers created the modern Democratic Party. The 1830 - 1850 period later became known as the era of Jacksonian democracy. The newest edition to the outstanding Louisiana State University Press 'Southern Biography' series, "Andrew Jackson, Southerner" by Mark R. Cheathem (Associate Professor of History, Cumberland University, Lebanon, Tennessee) is a superbly researched and deftly written 306 page scholarly biography that sheds new light on long held impressions of a remarkable man who impacted the lives of those around him and the future of a fledgling democracy. Informed and informative, "Andrew Jackson, Southerner" is enhanced with extensive notations, an impressive bibliography, and a comprehensive index. Very highly recommended for Jacksonian Studies reading lists and community library American Biography collections, it should also be noted that "Andrew Jackson, Southerner" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Tennyson: To Strive, To Seek, To Find
John Batchelor
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781605984902, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson, FRS (6 August 1809 - 6 October 1892) was Poet Laureate of Great Britain and Ireland during much of Queen Victoria's reign and remains one of the most popular British poets. Tennyson excelled at penning short lyrics, such as "Break, Break, Break", "The Charge of the Light Brigade", "Tears, Idle Tears" and "Crossing the Bar". Much of his verse was based on classical mythological themes, such as Ulysses, although In Memoriam A.H.H. was written to commemorate his best friend Arthur Hallam, a fellow poet and fellow student at Trinity College, Cambridge, who was engaged to Tennyson's sister, but died from a brain haemorrhage before they could marry. Tennyson also wrote some notable blank verse including Idylls of the King, "Ulysses", and "Tithonus". During his career, Tennyson attempted drama, but his plays enjoyed little success. A number of phrases from Tennyson's work have become commonplaces of the English language, including "Nature, red in tooth and claw", "'Tis better to have loved and lost / Than never to have loved at all", "Theirs not to reason why, / Theirs but to do and die", "My strength is as the strength of ten, / Because my heart is pure", "To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield", "Knowledge comes, but Wisdom lingers", and "The old order changeth, yielding place to new". He is the ninth most frequently quoted writer in The Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. "Tennyson: To Strive, To Seek, To Find" by academician John Batchelor (Emeritus Professor, University of Newcastle) is a 448 page biography that is informed, informative, and will admirable serve students of Tennyson's work, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in Tennyson's colorful life and impressive accomplishments. Enhanced with 41 illustrations, an Epilogue (The poety and the pageant, 1892), an extensive bibliography, extensive notes, and a comprehensive index, "Tennyson: To Strive, To Seek, To Find" is highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library 19th Century Biography collections. It should be noted that "Tennyson: To Strive, To Seek, To Find" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).

Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage
Susan Shillinglaw
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
www.unpress.nevada.edu
9780874179309, $34.95, www.amazon.com

John Ernst Steinbeck, Jr. (February 27, 1902 - December 20, 1968) was an American writer. He is widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Grapes of Wrath (1939), East of Eden (1952) and the novella Of Mice and Men (1937). As the author of twenty-seven books, including sixteen novels, six non-fiction books, and five collections of short stories, Steinbeck received the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1962. Carol Janella Henning Steinbeck was his first wife. Their time together during the 1930s saw the launch of what would be his award winning literary career. "Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage" is essentially a biography of their time together from their first meeting in 1929, to their marrying in 1931, until their divorce in 1941. Informed and informative, "Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage" is a masterpiece of biographical research by an author whose is clearly a seasoned expert in John Steinbeck's life and work. Enhanced with the inclusion of illustrations, notes, a selected bibliography, and an index, "Carol and John Steinbeck: Portrait of a Marriage" is a strongly recommended addition to community and academic library collections.

The Last Monk Of Tibhirine
Freddy Derwahl
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
www.paracletepress.com
9781612613741, $21.99, www.amazon.com

"The Last Monk of Tibhirine: A True Story of Martyrdom, Faith, and Survival" by German journalist and author Freddy Derwahl is the true story of the Cirstercian monk Jean-Pierre Schumacher, the last surviving member of a Trappist monastic community, which was kidnapped and killed in Algeria in March of 1996. An impressively informative, 224 page biography, "The Last Monk of Tibhirine: A True Story of Martyrdom, Faith, and Survival" is a compelling read and very strongly recommended reading for Christians of all denominational affiliations. Of special note are the sections of full color photography and the brief two page addendum 'About the Trappists'. It should be noted that "The Last Monk of Tibhirine: A True Story of Martyrdom, Faith, and Survival" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.95).

Eilean Giblin: A Feminist Between the Wars
Patricia Clarke
Monash University Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
9781921867842 $34.95 www.isbs.com

Eilean Giblin: A Feminist Between the Wars is the biography of a twentieth-century woman who championed equal rights for both genders, as well as other humanitarian causes. A war bride who traveled from England to Australia in 1919, she was a prominent figure in Australia's sufferage movement, left-wing politics, the crusade for "equal citizenship", and a Melbourne committe dedicated to creating a non-denominational women's college. During World War II, she was an outspoken member of a minority concerned about the fate of enemy aliens, many of them Jewish, deported form Britain on the ship Dunera; she personally embarked on a solo 500 kilometer voyage to witness their internment camp conditions for herself. An incredible true story of one woman's persistence and determination to leave the world a better place than she found it, Eilean Giblin is highly recommended especially for high school, college, and public library collections.

Brigadier General John Adams, CSA
Leslie R. Tucker
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786474844, $35.00, www.amazon.com

John Adams (July 1, 1825 - November 30, 1864) was an officer in the United States Army. With the onset of the American Civil War, he resigned his commission and joined the Confederate States Army, rising to the rank of brigadier general before being killed in action. "Brigadier General John Adams, CSA" by Leslie R. Tucker is a 148 page biography that showcases the life and Civil War accomplishments of one of the south's most effective general officers. Detailed, documented, impressively well written, featuring chapter notes and an extensive bibliography, "Brigadier General John Adams, CSA" is informed, informative, and a highly recommended addition to academic library Civil War Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Remembering Bulldog Turner
Michael Barr
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
www.ttupress.org
9780896728271, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Clyde Douglas "Bulldog" Turner (March 10, 1919 - October 30, 1998) was a professional football player for the Chicago Bears. Turner, coming out of Hardin-Simmons University, was the Bears first round draft pick in the 1940 draft. But, at first at least, Turner didn't want to be on the Bears. It turned out that the Detroit Lions' owner paid him $200 to "get his teeth fixed" and turn down other teams proposals. The Detroit Lions were fined $5000 for tampering, and the Chicago Bears got a great two-way player. Clyde "Bulldog" Turner was big for his day (6-2, 235); however, he was smart and very fast. A six time all-pro center, and a steady linebacker, Turner intercepted 4 passes in 5 NFL title games. In 1942, he led the league in interceptions. He said that he studied all 11 assignments for all plays, which came in handy when some players were ejected for fighting one game in '43. Teammate George Musso once said of Bulldog, "Who knows what kind of player he would have been if he ever got to rest during a game?" Turner served as head coach for the 1962 season of the New York Titans (now the New York Jets) of the American Football League. Under his leadership, the team finished last in the Eastern Conference with a 5-9 record. "Remembering Bulldog Turner: Unsung Monster of the Midway" by Michael Barr is a superbly researched and written 240 page biography of this remarkable athlete. Informed and informative, "Remembering Bulldog Turner: Unsung Monster of the Midway" is highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in football history and would make a welcome addition to community library collections. It should be noted that "Remembering Bulldog Turner: Unsung Monster of the Midway" is also available in a Kindle edition ($18.59).

Machiavelli: A Renaissance Life
Joseph Markulin
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616148058, $21.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

Machiavelli: A Renaissance Life provides a fine survey of Machiavelli's life, bringing to life the adventure story and all its nuances and telling about a man who associated with some of the Renaissance era's greatest political figures, and who was imprisoned and eventually abandoned - but, in turn, did not abandon his campaign against tyranny and corruption. Florentine Renaissance era politics comes alive in this gripping saga that recreates not just Machiavelli's life, but his entire world. A 'must' for history as well as biography holdings.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com, www.applausebooks.com

John Kenneth Muir's HORROR FILMS FAQ: ALL THAT'S LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT SLASHERS, VAMPIRES, ZOMBIES, ALIENS, AND MORE (9781557839503, $22.99) provides a fine guide to different categories and eras of horror film making and is a fine combination of history and reviews of these films. From women's liberation horrors of the 1970s to serial killers and human terrors, this covers various subgenres of horror film and probes what these formats mean. Chapters discuss films that are part of these subgenres and focus on many films that have not received much previous attention by movie critics. Any interested in the horror genre will find this a fine analysis. J.V. Mercanti's IN PERFORMANCE (9781480331570, $18.99) is a pick for any collection strong in acting and auditioning, and comes from a working teacher and director who provides young people new to auditioning with a review of the process. It provides a set of monologs designed to improve acting skills as well as serve as material for auditions. From matching the best monolog to the best acting style to understanding the dynamics of performance, this is a fine choice for any aspiring young actor looking for monologs to practice.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Squared Away
G. B. Trudeau
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449430580 $25.00 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Squared Away: A Doonesbury Book by G.B. Trudeau is the latest anthology of political satire and slice-of-life comic strips from the decades old newspaper comic series. All strips are presented in full color, even the many weekday strips, and they touch upon mundane to bizarre to all-too-unfortunately-real modern events. Trudeau is especially mindful of the ongoing sacrifice of America's soldiers in Afghanistan, as exemplified by one strip featuring the questionably ethical Roland Hedley, working as a Fox News reporter in a war zone: "'Not getting what I need... Think, man! What would Geraldo do?' 'Hey... are you that reporter who was tweeting on patrol?' 'Why, yes. Yes, I am, son.' 'What were you thinking, dude? A cell gives away position! You could have gotten the whole team blown up! You're like freakin' Geraldo, man!' 'Oh... thanks.'" Other topics covered mentioned include a disturbing breakdown of the harrowing statistics about sexual harassment and assault of female military members, the dismally low graduation rates of for-profit colleges, the return of "Jimmy Crow" (a disturbingly anthropomorphic crow who symbolizes the resurgence of laws reminiscent of the racist Jim Crow era) in the form of voter registration laws projected to depress African-American turnout at the polls, and more. The centerpiece of the "soap opera" side of the comic story is the marriage of Alex Doonesbury to war veteran Leo "Toggle" DeLuca. Squared Away can be sentimental when it's not delivering hard-hitting insights into the dark sides of war and politics, yet always maintains Trudeau's characteristic wry twist when chronicling the most serious of issues. Highly recommended for both personal and public library collections!


The Audiobook Shelf

Great Men and Women in the History of Medicine
David Angus, author
Benjamin Soames, narrator
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843796909 $17.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Part of Naxos' "Junior Classics" series of unabridged audiobooks accessible to listeners of all ages, Great Men and Women in the History of Medicine tells the eye-opening true stories of trailblazers who advanced the science of healing the sick and injured. From Hippocrates of Ancient Greece, whose principled oath remains an integral part of medical practice to this day, to medieval abbess Hildegard of Bingen, Arabs Ibn Sina and Al-Razi, Renaissance scholar of anatomy Andreas Vesalius, Edward Jenner (known as "the father of immunology" for his inventions of inoculation and the smallpox vaccine) and many more, Great Men and Women in the History of Medicine examines a wide array of dedicated individuals whose work has saved countless lives through the centuries. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections. 2 CDs, 2 hours 38 min.

The Butler: A Witness to History
Wil Haygood, author
Read by David Oyelowo, Forest Whitaker & Oprah Winfrey
Audioworks
c/o Simon & Schuster Audio
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 12th floor
New York, NY 10020
9781442368958 $14.99 http://audio.simonandschuster.com

A true story that has inspired a major motion picture (one can learn more at ButlerMovie.com), The Butler: A Witness to History is an unabridged, nonfiction audiobook about Eugene Allen, a butler who has dutifully served eight presidents from Harry Truman to Ronald Reagan. Washington Post writer Wil Haygood deliberately tracked Allen down and interviewed him on the cusp of President Obama's electoral victory in 2008. Twenty-first century America has changed so dramatically that the election of a black president, once unthinkable, has become reality; only a few generations ago, widespread segregation and discrimination would have made Obama's historic victory impossible. The Butler explores the insights of a man who lived and worked near the center of power for decades, and watched history in the making even as he served tea and supervised buffets. A foreword by Academy Award-nominated director Lee Daniels and an essay by Wil Haygood about the history of black people in film and Hollywood, read by David Oyelowo and Oprah Winfrey, round out this highly recommended selection for for public and college library audiobook shelves. 2 CDs, 2 1/2 hours.

Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy
Eri Hotta, author
Laural Merlington, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781452616773 $39.99 www.tantor.com

Japan 1941: Countdown to Infamy is the unabridged audiobook rendition of international relations expert Eri Hotta's heavily researched and detailed answer to a critical World War II question. Why did Japan bomb Pearl Harbor, knowing that it would rouse the American "sleeping dragon", and start a war that Japan lacked the manpower and resources to win? Japan 1941 is more about Japan's internal politics than its military campaigns, as it reveals a culture in which those preferred peace - in fact, those who were rightfully convinced that war with America would bring disaster - could not or would not speak up, whether out of fear of reprisal, social pressures to save face, or nationalistic pride. Incompetence and a vacuum of political will fed into a situation where the most zealous of deluded war hawks had the final say. Extensive notes round out this heavily researched, throughly fascinating, and highly recommended look into how a nation's own military and political polices can ultimately turn self-destructive. 11 CDs, 13.5 hours.

18 Hours
Sandra Lee, author
Michael Carmen, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781743180839 $54.97 www.brillianceaudio.com

18 Hours is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of SAS war hero Jock Wallace's true-life struggle to survive in Afghanistan. At the beginning of the American-led Operation Anaconda, a US-led military outing to drive al Qaeda and the Taliban from the Shahi Kot Valley in Afghanistan, Jock and his company drew far heavier fire than intelligence reports led them to believe the enemy capable of. For eighteen hours, Jock and his men stretched every resource they had to survive - fighting off the enemy, rescuing the wounded, calling in air support, and keeping their base informed no matter how dire the situation. A gripping tale of bravery, will, and duty, 18 hours is highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 9 CDs, 9 hours 35 min.

A Palace of Strangers Is No City
Stephen Frech, poetry
Leos Janacek, piano compositions
Chung-Ha Kim, piano performance
Privately Published
www.stephenfrech.com
$9.99 CD-RP / $9.99 download www.cdbaby.com

A Palace of Strangers Is No City is a unique audiobook on CD, which alternates between the narrative of a prose poem and piano performances of excerpts from Czech composer Leos Janacek's "On An Overgrown Path". The poetic story follows two lovers separated by the severity of an occupied city; the fiance has barely escaped an oppressive, random arrest, and winds his way amid the jumble of Old Town streets on the way to his true love's home, ever fearful of sudden betrayal or capture. Dreamlike yet suspenseful, and heightened by the powerful musical interludes superbly performed by Chung-Ha Kim, A Palace of Strangers Is No City is an eclectic, unforgettable fusion. Highly recommended.

The Silvered
Tanya Huff, author
Dee Macaluso, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480569126 $19.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

The Silvered is the unabridged audiobook rendition of renowned fantasy author Tanya Huff's epic saga of war, magic, and werewolves. A dire prophecy about an unborn child linked to the fate of empires has induced Emperor Leopold to invade the kingdom of Aydori, a land ruled two packs of werewolves - one skilled at hunting, the other at the six disciplines of magic. The empire has brought its own powerful magic and deadly weapons to capture five high-ranking pregnant women of the Mage-pack, including the wife of the Pack Leader. Their desperate search for a sixth led them to seize Mirian Maylin, who was rejected from the mages' university for being a jack of all magecrafts (and master of none). With the aid of the Pack Leader's younger brother Tomas Hagen, Mirian escapes, but what hope do the werewolf survivors have against an army supported by hot air balloons, long range rockets, and guns that shoot lethal silver bullets? Breathtaking in scope, The Silvered is highly recommended especially for fans of high fantasy. 17 CDs, 20 hours 39 min.

Scissors: A Novel
Stephane Michaka, author
John Cullen, translator
Read by Lloyd James, Kathe Mazur, Scott Brick, and Hillary Huber
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969
Ashland, OR 97520
9781482914696 $24.95 www.BlackstoneAudio.com

Superbly translated from the original French, Scissors: A Novel is an unabridged audiobook based on legendary short story author Raymond Carver's final ten years. Raymond's life has been rollicking range of ups and downs; his first marriage was charged, intense, and ultimately a disaster. His second marriage to the poet Joanne seems to fare better. But Raymond is locked in a battle of wills with his editor Douglas; Raymond wants to see his stories published as written, while Douglas demands that they be released only in heavily edited form. Joanne finally takes a stand for her husband, confronting Douglas in a most unforgettable manner! Wry, vivid, and insightful, Scissors is a truly unique portrayal of the ups and downs of creativity. 5 CDs, 5 1/2 hours.

Darkness Everlasting
Alexandra Ivey
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
9781452615059, $39.99, www.amazon.com

The third title in Alexandra Ivey's outstanding 'Guardians of Eternity' series and is the story of Darcy Smith's strange genetic legacy, a handsome vampire king called Styx, a handsome werewolf king called Salvatore Giuliani, and a roster of memorable characters ranging from an insubordinate gargoyle, a congenial goddess, a practical vampire second-in-command, and a werewolf mother that not even her daughter could love. Superbly narrated by Arika Rapson, "Darkness Everlasting" is a complete, unabridged, 9 CD audio book that provides 10.5 hours of true 'theatre of the mind' listening pleasure. Highly recommended for community library audio book collections, "Darkness Everlasting" will motivate appreciative listeners to seek out the other audio book editions of the 'Guardians of Eternity' series from Tantor Media including: "Embrace The Darkness"; "Beyond The Darkness"; "Bound By Darkness"; "Darkness Revealed"; "Darkness Unleashed"; "Devoured By Darkness"; "Fear The Darkness"; and the first title in this wonderfully crafted series, "When Darkness Comes".

Even Vampires Get The Blues
Katie Macalister, author
Carrington MacDuffie,narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781452615943, $39.99, www.tantor.com

In "Even Vampires Get The Blues", author Katie Macaliter creates a roster of truly memorable characters that includes vampires, ghosts, poltergeists, seers, demons, Chinese gods, an immortal flower eating fairy that insists the she's not a fairy but a lingerie model, and a heroine that is half human, half elf. With great humor and occasional erotic encounters, "Even Vampires Get The Blues" is superbly narrated by Carrington MacDuffie who transforms Katie Macalister's original novel into a true 'theatre of the mind' experience for the listener. Wonderfully entertaining from beginning to end, "Even Vampires Get The Blues" is a complete, unabridged, 8 CD, 9 hour, flawlessly produced audio book that will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

The Lonely Silver Rain
John D. MacDonald, author
Robert Petkoff, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480532717 $14.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

The Lonely Silver Rain is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a dark and violent thriller about a Florida boat salvager in way over his head. Travis McGee is very much in need of money when he accepts an offer to locate a $700,000 custom cruiser. But the yacht he finds turns out to be a killing zone! Caught in the center of an international cocaine ring, McGee is in desperate straits; can he survive drug runners, boatjackers, and the mysterious machinations of a tycoon's manipulative wife? Exciting to the end, The Lonely Silver Rain will appeal to connoisseurs of mystery, suspense, and white-hot action.

Sleepyhead
Mark Billingham, author
Simon Prebble, narrator
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781622312870 $34.95 www.highbridgeaudio.com

Sleepyhead: A Tom Thorne Novel is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a harrowing thriller by widely popular British crime novelist Mark Billingham. Detective Inspector Tom Thorne is pitted against a killer capable of inducing a stroke in human beings by manipulating pressure points on the neck. His latest victim is a woman who can see, hear, and feel, but cannot move or communicate. How is he to find a ruthless monster, when the one person who knows the fiend can neither speak nor write? Intense to the very end, Sleepyhead will captivate fans of the genre! 9 CDs, 10 1/2 hours.

Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200
Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com

Pulp magazines (often referred to as "the pulps") are inexpensive fiction magazines published from 1896 through the 1950s. The typical pulp magazine was 7 inches (18 cm) wide by 10 inches (25 cm) high, 0.5 inches (1.3 cm) thick, and 128 pages long. Pulps were printed on cheap paper with ragged, untrimmed edges. The term pulp derives from the cheap wood pulp paper on which the magazines were printed. Magazines printed on higher quality paper were called "glossies" or "slicks". In their first decades, pulps were most often priced at ten cents per magazine, while competing slicks were 25 cents apiece. Pulps were the successor to the penny dreadfuls, dime novels, and short fiction magazines of the 19th century. Although many respected writers wrote for pulps, the magazines are best remembered for their lurid and exploitative stories and sensational cover art. Modern superhero comic books are sometimes considered descendants of "hero pulps"; pulp magazines often featured illustrated novel-length stories of heroic characters, such as The Shadow, Doc Savage and The Phantom Detective. Today we can get a vivid sense of what pulp fiction was all about through the superbly performed and produced audio book from Galaxy Press and showcasing the pulp fiction writing of L. Ron Hubbard. Three particularly outstanding examples are "The Sky-Crasher" (9781592123672, $9.95) which also features an additional short story 'Boomerang Bomber'; "Destiny's Drum" (9781592122936, $9.95); and "The Trail Of The Red Diamonds" (9781592123261, $9.95) which also includes the short story 'Hurricane's Roar". The hallmark of all Galaxy Press audio book is the employment of a talented multicast performance deftly augmented with sound effects and music. The result is the creation of a true, pulp fiction, theater of the mind experience of high adventure and non-stop action. Highly recommended for both personal and community library audio book collections, for a complete listing of Galaxy Press audio book titles visit their web site at www.galaxypress.com

Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
www.highbridgeaudio.com

Philip Caputo's THE LONGEST ROAD: OVERLAND IN SEARCH OF AMERICA, FROM KEY WEST TO THE ARCTICE OCEAN (9781622311958, $36.95) offers a journey across America with an Airstream in tow, asking ordinary Americans what forces unite or divide the nation. The result moves from the Alaskan coast to Key West, surveys cultures ranging from Eskimo to Cuban, and considers the melting pot of the nation. His journey, narrated by Pete Larkin, comes to life in a fine audio highly recommended for any who love either travel narratives or stories about America. Garrison Keillor's LAKE WOBEGON FAMILY REUNION: SELECTED STORIES (9781622312931, $29.95) provides a fine selection of 19 monologues picked from over 15 previously released collections and 40 years of the radio drama show, and is a fine pick recommended especially for newcomers to Prairie Home Companion. From patriotic observations to comments on family relationships, country living, and cultural ironies, this is packed with whimsical and revealing observations, perfect for any who want a solid introduction to the variety and comedy of Prairie Home Companion's radio monologues.

I Am Malala
Malala Yousafzai with Christina Lamb
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781478979784, $30.00, www.hachetteaudio.com

I AM MALALA: THE GIRL WHO STOOD UP FOR EDUCATION AND WAS SHOT BY THE TALIBAN is a powerful account narrated by Emmy award-winning reader Archie Panjabi, who brings to life this story of a young girl's experience, a family changed by global terrorism and the battle for girls' education, and how Malala came to become the figurehead for evolving battles. With its inspirational and vivid account of her activism, shooting and recovery process, this is an inspirational listen that comes to life in a vivid audio saga highly recommended for any general audio collection.


The Library CD Shelf

Mearra - Selkie from the Sea
Linda Marie Smith
Privately Published
c/o Waldmania!
130 Maywood Drive
San Francisco, CA 94127
$15.00 www.lindamsmith.com

Mearra - Selkie from the Sea is an original music album with a powerful underlying story. The chronicle follows Mearra, a young Selkie maiden who falls in love with a lonely human fisherman. They marry, start a family, and enjoy a happy life together - but a Selkie can only remain on land for seven years. When time is up, the sea calls Mearra back to its watery embrace. Haunting and heartrending, Mearra - Selkie from the Sea is highly recommended. The tracks are "Ian's Song", "Mearra", "All This and More", "Water Green ~ Blue Sky", "Heaven Knows", "Seals of Silver and Gold", "Surrender to the Sea", "I Would Lose You", "One More Kiss", "Come with Me", and "To Be With You".

Gipsy Manifesto
Boban & Marko Markovic Orchestra
www.boban-and-marko-markovic.com
Piranha Musik Berlin
www.piranha.de
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$9.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Globally recognized, award-winning father-and-son trumpet duo Boban and Marko Markovic present Gipsy Manifesto, their latest studio album of Balkan brass music. In addition to horns and marching drums, Gipsy Manifesto draws upon guitar, accordion, piano, and drum kit to enrich its already enthusiastic, march-to-the-beat music. An absolute "must-hear" for anyone with an interest in Balkan brass! The tracks are "Beautiful Girl", "Turbo Diesel", "Balkan Caravan", "Boom Bang", "Disco Mayhem", "Chocolate", "Gipsy Life", "Wild Horse", "Trumpet and Man", "Gipsy House", "Whistle", "From Han to Cannes", "Funky Girl", "African Pepper", "Boban's Fairytale" and "Remix (Radio Edit)".

Portal
Akasa
www.akasasound.com
Sky Children Media, LLC
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

New age/world fusion singer and songwriter Akasa (with contributions from Morris Hayes, Nick Michaels, Aaron Stern & Shenkar) presents Portal, a music album of far-reaching beauty, performed with nigh-mystic gentleness. Lyrics range from English to Native American to Arabic and Latin; translations are provided on the inner CD case. Forgiveness, healing, and love permeate this uplifting collection, highly recommended for connoisseurs of the genre. The tracks are "Return to Our Innocence" (4:25), "Ameno Amen" (4:23), "Sahara Rising" (4:33), "Diamond Core" (4:29), "Hero's Journey" (3:57), "Sky Children" (4:56), "Alba Rosa" (5:52), "Paradise Reborn" (4:11), "Let Us Be" (4:13), "Memory of My Star" (4:28), "Ave Maria" (5:24), and "Magic of Your Love" (4:37).

Spark: A Burning Man Story Day + Night
Produced by Catherine Enny
Privately Published
c/o Magnum PR
7 E. 35th Street, Suite 2G
New York, NY 10016
SparkPictures.com
$18.98 www.amazon.com

Created by a broad diversity of performers, Spark: A Burning Man Story Day + Night is a 2-CD album of music from and inspired by the film "Spark", about the week-long Burning Man annual event in the Nevada desert. Named after its symbolic fiery effigy, the Burning Man event celebrates art, community, self-expression, and self-reliance, and passion for life. Spark: A Burning Man Story embodies the essence of this extraordinary gathering in its bold, striking songs that inspire the listener to reach out, create, and communicate. Highly recommended! The tracks are "Feel The Love" (3:40), "Heroes" (3:53), "Coastal Brake" (5:34), "The Event" (2:08), "Dubstep Dark" (2:24), "Let It Go", (3:42), "We Ride" (3:09), "Man On Fire" (4:16), "Wave" (3:31), "Going To The Desert" (8:09), "In My Mind" (4:14), and "Quietly Happy" (1:40) on disc 1, Day; "Flutes (Sasha Remix)" (9:34), "Running" (9:01), "Let It Go (Stanton Warriors Remix)" (5:00), "Time" (8:10), "Summit" (7:45), "Express Yourself" (4:40), "One Type Of Dark (Ta-Ku Remix)" (3:03), "Man On Fire (Adam Freeland Remix)" (8:04), "Principles" (6:58), "Scorpion Frog" (7:59), "Clubbing" (5:50), and "Promised Land" (3:38) on disc 2, Night.

Back to the Woods
Uri Sharlin and the DogCat Ensemble
Folk Dune Records
c/o Naxos of America, Inc. (distribution)
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$16.98 CD / $8.91 MP3 www.amazon.com

The debut music CD of Tel Aviv native Uri Sharlin and the DogCat Ensemble, Back to the Woods features guitar, accordion, percussion, and woodwind in a grand soiree, featuring mostly original works plus DogCat Ensemble's unique performance of Brazilian composer Hermeto Pascoal's "Dia #342". Memories of Brazil permeate this bold, vibrant performance, enthusiastically recommended to connoisseurs of unique and distinctive music. The tracks are "Night Swim", "Monte Verde", "One for Frankie", "Dia #342", "The Real Dogcat", "Mundau by Day", "Mundau by Night", "Don Quixote", and "Baiao".

Dreaming Time
Forrest Smithson
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$12.97 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com

Dreaming Time is an instrumental, new age album divided into four grand compositions, crafted with synthesizers to emulate the rich interplay of an orchestra. Each track is complex and resonates on multiple levels, yet the effect of the whole aids the listener is reaching a meditative sense of wonder. Evocative in its beautiful explorations, Dreaming Time is a treasure that deserves to be experienced, especially as an uplifting antidote to the pressures of daily life. The tracks are "Dreaming Time I" (24:58), "Dreaming Time II" (18:24), "Dreaming Time III" (15:12) and "Dreaming Time IV" (17:24).

Soundtrack to Life
Cosmo Frequency
cosmofrequency.com
Good Moves Music
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$12.99 CD-RP / $9.99 download www.cdbaby.com

Keyboardists and tech-specialists Paul Martinson and Brent Vincent, along with vocalist Lisa Wegener, craft their unique style of new age music as "Cosmo Frequency" in their album Soundtrack to Life. Instruments ranging from the Native American flute to drums, bass, electric guitars, piano, and percussion complement one another in this audio search for quintessential understanding of one's own place in the cosmic scheme of things. Strong, pulsing rhythms underscore Soundtrack to Life, an album that reflects the beautiful, fascinating, and inspirational qualities of life itself. The tracks are "Within the Veil" (2:17), "The Gift" (4:39), "Apollo Skies" (4:34), "Classic Story (Light Years Away)" (6:30), "Chillaxin" ( 6:09), "Canyon Chant" (3:54), "World of Light" (5:53), "Eventide" (3:36), "Winter Solstice" (4:29), "Mt. Emotion (Part 1)" (3:27), "Mt. Emotion (Part 2)" (2:02), and "Horizon" (5:03).

Gypsy Runaway Train
The Roys
www.TheRoysOnline.com
Rural Rhythm Records
P.O. Box 750, Mount Juliet, TN 37121
c/o So Much Moore Media
$15.70 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Three-time "Bluegrass Artist of the Year" award-winning brother/sister duo Elaine and Lee Roy ("The Roys") present Gypsy Runaway Train, their third music album with a strong slice-of-life theme. Collaborating with veteran songwriters including Steve Dean, Morry Trent, Arlis Albritton and Josh Thompson, The Roys put their heart and soul into each song, adding an emotional touch to the nostalgic bluegrass. Fans of the genre should not pass this one up - it's a treasure from some of the best in the business. The tracks are "You Can Count On My Love" (2:28), "Blue Moon of Kentucky" (2:36), "Another Minute" (3:30), "Born With A Hammer In My Hand" (2:38), "I Wonder Where You Are Tonight" (4:28), "He Took Your Place" (3:10), "Workin' On It" (2:55), "Enough For Me" (3:31), "Ramblin' Fever" (3:54), "What Gives You The Right" (2:52), "Those Memories of You" (4:36), "Half of Me" (3:52) and "Gypsy Runaway Train" (2:52).

We Are Not Alone
David Haas
GIA Publications, Inc.
7404 South Mason Avenue
Chicago, IL 60638
$16.95 www.giamusic.com

We Are Not Alone: Hymns, Psalms and Songs for Eucharist and the Hours is an album of Christian music especially for Eucharist and the Liturgy of the Hours. The soulful music calls listeners to praise God, and give thanks for Jesus Christ's gift of salvation to all humanity. Emotionally moving and quietly reverent, We Are Not Alone encourages the listener to immerse oneself in gratitude for all that God provides. The tracks are "Call to Worship" (2:55), "We Are Not Alone" (4:37), "By His Wounds We Were Healed" (3:33), "I Will Wake Up the Dawn" (2:03), "Come, Follow Me" (3:59), "Hail, Holy Mary, Queen of Peace" (3:17), "God's Mountain" (3:17), "Let's Sing for Justice" (1:35), "When I Call" (4:15), "Sing a New World into Being" (2:57), "I Pray to You" (3:49), "Join the Gospel Song" (3:44), "I Have Come to Believe" (3:05), "All Creation, Sing Praise" (3:16), and "God, Who Made the Earth and Heaven" (3:03).

Where Here Meets There
Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica Quartet
Privately Published
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$14.99 CD / $10.99 download orchestrotica.com

Where Here Meets There is a music CD fusion of the old and the new, combining elements from 1950's and 60's experiments with an appreciation for the modern "world music" movement. American-based Mr. Ho's Orchestrotica travels through time, showcasing their talents on everything from bass flute to a balance between classical and global percussion to extraordinary piano and even scratched vinyl. Where Here Meets There is a unique listening adventure! The tracks are "Chisling Music" (5:41), "Sansaz" (4:46), "Maracatune for Calco" (7:34), "Would You Like Bongos With That Fugue?" (5:05), "Ritual Mallet Dance" (6:53), "Prelude for Piano I" (3:10), "Prelude for Pianto II (Feat. The Siamese Cat Song)" (6:14), "Prelude for Piano III" (2:43), and "Black Orchid" (5:12).

Vines
Passafire
Easy Star Records
PO Box 1069, Cooper Station, NY, NY 10276
Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
$12.00 http://smarturl.it/v82oum

Also digitally available on iTunes, Vines is the fifth studio album by reggae/rock hybrid band Passafire, known for their Savannah roots. The title of Vines alludes to how the band members have grown closer over the years, their music melding sometimes in a tangle, but always brimming with heart and soul. An exuberant and moving creation of artistry, Vines is especially recommended for fans of both reggae and rock genres who enjoy bold experiments. The tracks are "Earthquake", "Right Thing", "Souvenir", "Go", "Phony Impostor", "All In Our Minds", "Same Old Story", "Steam Rises", "Invisible", "Stowaway", "Black Dog", "Night Comes Easy", and "Man of Wishes".

Cold Dead Hand
Andy Ross
www.andyross.com
Privately Published
c/o Entertainment Evolution (publicity)
$9.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Outdoorsman, hunter, "Maximum Archery" program star (look for it on the "Sportsman Channel") and musician Andy Ross presents Cold Dead Hand, his second album of no-holds- barred country music. Ross doesn't hesitate to speak openly about hot topics, from the Second Amendment to corruption within the music industry to his personal passion for hunting. Celebrating the pioneer spirit of the self-made man, Cold Dead Hand is a choice pick for country fans. The tracks are "Rebel", "Cold Dead Hand", "Country Girls Got Game", "Hunt Me Down", "Blood Trail on a Whitetail", "What We Do For Fun Around Here", "Deadl with the Devil", "Buck of a Lifetime", "You Ain't Seen Crazy Yet", "Outlaw Women and Whiskey", and "Three Legged Dog".

Feathers Too Bright
Juakali
www.juakalimusic.com
Privately Published
Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin TX 78748
$11.99 download, www.beatport.com

Trinidadian-American recording artist and emcee Juakali presents Feathers Too Bright, an electronic hip-hop album about the will to survive and thrive despite all oppressions. Driven lyrics carry the strong, nigh-hypnotic rhythms in this "must-hear" for fans of the genre. The tracks are "Bad Mofo", "Half Man Half Machine", "Life of da Party", "Black Magik", "Bodega/Real Ting", "Light My Way", "Fireworks", "Take Off", "Rootz", "Bring Me Home", and "Fittest of the Fittest".

Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$14.98 each www.canyonrecords.com

Canyon Records continues its proud practice of bringing authentic Native American music to the public at an affordable price with the release of four new albums. "Native Son" (48:15) gathers original and traditional songs for solo Native American flute, performed by award-winning musician and World Championship Hoop Dancer Tony Duncan. "Infinite Passion" (62:04) offers the Round Dance stylings of singer, composer, and Pow-Wow performer Wayne Silas, Jr. as well as many of his friends. "Akameyimoh Baby Boy" (56:35) is championship Pow Wow group Young Spirit's open celebration of Plains Cree culture. "Fight for Survival" (51:41) is a medley of acoustic and electric guitar rock supporting the soulful call of the Native American flute, ingeniously brought to life by the performance group Injunuity. All are excellent additions to Native American and multicultural music collections, highly recommended.


The Library DVD Shelf

Life Apps
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
$595.00 (5-DVD set), www.bullfrogfilms.com

Life Apps is a five-DVD set about young adults who work to make the world a better place - by creating smartphone apps that can quickly share timely information that will help the poorest and most vulnerable populations. In "Silicon Savannah", a Life App can potentially improve the yields of Kenyan farmers; in "Favela Farm" a Life App shares information to aid urban farms and gardens in Rio's shanty towns; in "Mobile Harvest" a Life App can deliver East India farmers (who have lately been plagued by debt and rising suicide rates) critical information about weather patterns, forthcoming rainfall, or seed and fertilizer prices; in "Once a Nomad" a Life App can warn the Himba population of Namibia about elephants, or help track their cattle; and in "World of Apps" mobile phones can give information to aid reproductive health care in South Africa, or help London's minority young adults, who are subject to "stop and search". Eye-opening, educational, and encouraging viewers to think of ways to make the world a better place, Life Apps is highly recommended for public and school library DVD collections, as well as homeroom viewing. 27 min. each.

The Suzuki Diaries: Future City
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772780 $250.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Licensed for public performance, The Suzuki Diaries: Future City is a documentary suitable for high school and adult viewers, which explores how city living can become more efficient without sacrificing quality of life. As an increasing global human population puts greater pressures on the needs for food, land, and energy, how can cities best adapt? David Suzuki and his daughter Sarika journey across Canada in an "off the grid" Airstream trailor to explore possible solutions. From pending revolutions in the production and distribution of urban food in Montreal, to efforts to include the "natural world" in the growing city of Toronto, to the world-leader efforts of the Edmonton Waste Management Centre to transform waste into biofuel, The Suzuki Diaries is an eye-opening glimpse into dedicated efforts to rise to the challenges of the twenty-first century. Highly recommended. 45 minutes, closed captioned.

Men At Lunch
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com

Men At Lunch is a documentary about an iconic black-and-white photograph of eleven workmen taking their lunch break on a steel girder, 850 feet above the Rockefeller Plaza sidewalk. In 1932 New York City, the Great Depression caused widespread suffering - but there was still need to construct new buildings, a job that could be difficult and dangerous. This photographs reveals workmen accepting the risk of fall in their day-to-day job (they doubtless considered themselves lucky to have any job) with casual aplomb, and also captures their spirit of relaxed, mutual camaraderie. For eighty years, the identities of the eleven men and their photographer has been a mystery, that is only now beginning to be revealed! Highly recommended, especially for public library documentary collections. 67 min., color.

Corrie ten Boom: A Faith Undefeated
Vision Video
P.O. Box 540
Worcester, PA 19490
$14.99 www.visionvideo.com

Corrie ten Boom: A Faith Undefeated is a documentary about Corrie ten Boom and her family in Holland, who risked their lives to save others. When the Nazis invaded Holland in 1940 Corrie, her sister Betsie, and their elderly father built a secret, hidden room in their home to hide Jews from the Holocaust death squads. A Gestapo raid sent Corrie and Betsie to the Ravensbruck concentration camp. Betsie died in the camp, but Corrie was released due to clerical error. She spent the rest of her life caring for other death camp survivors and sharing her story; in the seventies she published a book, "The Hiding Place", in which she spoke of the importance of maintaining faith and forgiveness even when confronting implacable evil. Scenes filmed in the ten Boom house in Holland, as well as interview with Pam Rosewell More (Corrie's former assistant) enhance this excellent, informative, and accessible true story of incredible courage. 55 min., English & Spanish language & subtitles.

Here's Edie
Starring Edie Adams
MVD Entertainment Group
203 Windsor Road
Pottstown, PA 19464
$49.95 mvdb2b.com

Here's Edie is a DVD collection of all 21, black-and-white episodes of Edie Adams' 1962-1964 variety show. Now available to the public for the first time since their initial broadcast, these comedy trailblazers showcase Edie's award-winning talents in music, mirth, and pure style. Live performances from legendary notables such as Duke Ellington, Sammy Davis Jr., Bob Hope, Peter Falk and more pepper individual episodes. Bonus material includes extra footage of Edie's music plus a sixteen-page booklet with rare photographs and program notes. A treasury for connoisseurs of classic television, Here's Edie is enthusiastically recommended for memorable gift-giving, as well as public library DVD collections. 4 DVDs, 720 min.

Bomb It 2
Jon Reiss
MVD Entertainment Group
203 Windsor Road
Pottstown, PA 19464
$19.95 www.MVDb2b.com

John Reiss follows up his extraordinary documentary street art documentary "Bomb It" with Bomb It 2, a search to understand graffiti scenes worldwide. Reiss ventures to Asia, Australia, the Middle East, and more places to investigate graffiti scenes and converse with local artists. An incredible number of high-profile graffiti artists speak their minds, including Ash Keating, Ayed, Darbotz, Killer Gerbil, Stormie Mills, Victor Ash, and many more. An extraordinary glimpse into multinational countercultures, Bomb It 2 is eye-opening, vibrant, and highly recommended. 73 min., Region 0.

Tae Kwon Do Black Belt: Koryo and Original Koryo
Richard Chun and Doug Cook
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480
Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594392733 $29.95 www.ymaa.com

Companion to the book "Tae Kwon Do Black Belt Poomsae Original Koryo and Koryo", the DVD Tae Kwon Do Black Belt: Koryo and Original Koryo is an demonstration-intensive instructional video created especially for level 1 and level 2 black belt students of the kick- intensive Tae Kwon Do martial art, specifically its most worldwide popular form of Original Koryo and Koryo. Though all level 1 black belts are required to learn Poomsae Koryo, the more ancient forms of Original Koryo are not as widely taught. Grandmaster Richard Chun (9th dan) and Master Doug Cook (6th dan) guide the viewers to the technical and historic aspects of the Original Koryo and Koryo movements, as well as how they can be applied to and integrated with martial arts. The result is a "must-have" for any dedicated Tae Kown Do black belt seeking to improve and refine their understanding their discipline! 87 min.

Doc Martin Series 6
Starring Martin Clunes
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621721451 $39.99 www.acornonline.com

Doc Martin Series 6 continues the British comedy-drama adventures of a cantankerous doctor, his struggling family, and his ornery patients. Dr. Martin Ellingham (superbly played by Martin Clunes) and his wife Louisa (Caroline Catz) are gradually recovering from a disastrous honeymoon. Together they must work out how to live together and raise a child - a trying task for Martin, who is unaccustomed to the clutter and bedlam of family life. Martin's patients range from a hypochondriac, to a constable who keeps accidentally injuring himself, to elderly body art experts. When the doctor's paralyzing blood phobia resurges, and his fearsome mother (Claire Bloom) arrives for a sudden visit, Martin desperately turns to his aunt Ruth (Emmy winner Eileen Atkins) for advice - but could any words of wisdom possibly salvage the day? Alternately uproarious and thoughtful, Doc Martin Series 6 is a treat for fans of quality British television! Bonus material includes behind-the-scenes segments and a photo gallery. 8 episodes on 2 DVDs, 384 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles. Contains graphic medical scenes.

Tinplate Legends in Action 5
A McComas/Stachler Production
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228
Michigan City, IN 46361
$14.99 www.tmbv.com

Shot entirely in widescreen and high definition, Tinplate Legends in Action 5 is a DVD showcase of two extraordinary model railroads. Presented are Russ McFall's collections, including the oldest operating toy train layout in America (Carlisle & Finch, from the late 1800's) and over 200 pressed-steel toys; as well as Jim Hall's assembly of rare, exotic, and treasured trains, from ones made by Lionel or McCoy to little-known, independent brands. A treat for hobbyists, Tinplate Legends in Action 5 is the next best thing to spending thousands of dollars (or more) on one's own grandiose collection! 60 min.

Pentrex
2652 East Walnut St.
Pasadena, CA 91107
$29.95 each www.pentrex.com

Three of Pentrex's DVDs are sure to delight trainspotters, model railroad hobbyists, or anyone who enjoys learning more about locomotives past and present. Each DVD is in full color, with quality Hi-Fi sound and informative narration. "LTV Mining Railroad" (60 min.) reveals early 1990s footage of the last intact EMD-delivered F-Units that serve what was once known as the Erie Mining Railroad in the state of Minnesota. Footage shows these specialized, hardworking trains in action amid a gigantic mining complex, topped off with a view of Minnesota's beautiful, remote woods from the cab of an F-9. Filmed in 1995, "Double Stacks Over Tehachapi" (40 min.) teaches viewers about the work performed to prepare the famous Tehachapi loop to accommodate doublestack trains. Locomotives travel amid beautiful California scenery, including hillsides covered in green from a record rainfall. "Sierra Pacific Lines: Pasadena Model Railroad" (60 min.) records a 1990 visit to one of the finest HO scale model railroads, the "Sierra Pacific Lines" created by the Pasadena (California) Model Railroad Club. A gigantic project spanning a 5000-square-foot room, and requiring twenty-seven people to properly operate, the Sierra Pacific Lines is a so detailed and complex that it's easy to mistake for the real thing! All three DVDs are excellent gifts for train lovers everywhere, highly recommended.

U.F.I.T. series
Cindy Whitmarsh
www.cindywhitmarshfitness.com
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
$14.95 each / $39.95 3-DVD set

Fitness and sports nutrition expert (certified by the American Council on Exercise and national Association of Sports Nutrition) Cindy Whitmarsh has created Ultra Focused Interval Training (U.F.I.T.), a user-friendly, six-week weight loss program focusing on both diet and exercises. The complete, downloadable U.F.I.T. package ($39.95) includes a meal plan and a workout calendar. Three U.F.I.T. fitness videos on DVD ($14.95 each / $39.95 set) work great either with the overall plan, or incorporated into any other personal health regimen; each DVD has two 20- minute workouts. "Ultra Burn" has the "Calorie Crusher" workout that alternates one minute of high intensity cardio with one minute of lower-intensity cardio, and "Stretch & Sculpt" which promotes whole-body flexibility and toning. "Ultra Lean" has "Upper Body Bliss", focused on the shoulders, biceps, and triceps, as well as "Lower Body Blast" for giving one's posterior and legs a thorough workout. "Ultra Tight" has "Hard Body", that alternates between one minutes of intense cardio followed by two-minutes of strength training for "trouble spots", and "6-Pack Abs", a cardio ab workout that alternates a minute of cardio with a minute of emphasis on the abdominal muscles. Workouts on all three DVDs can be mixed and matched to personal preference. Whether used by themselves or in conjunction with the larger U.F.I.T. fitness-and- nutrition program, the U.F.I.T. DVDs are an excellent way to improve one's body and just plain feel great! 40 min. each.

Weight Watchers series
Jennifer Cohen, instructor
Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 200
Troy, MI 48084-3304
$14.98 each www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Two Weight Watchers fitness DVDs feature solid, body-toning workouts, each featuring three people simultaneously demonstrating beginner, intermediate, and advanced level techniques. "Ultimate Belly Series" (62 min. widescreen) offers three separate abdominal workouts - 10- minute, 20-minute, and 30-minute regimens that can be mixed or matched to suit personal needs. "15-Minute Boot Camp Series" (65 min., widescreen) has four different 15-minute workouts that emphasize the upper body, lower body, core, and cardio, which can be followed in any order to work out at one's own pace. Energetic instruction and snappy music enliven these excellent, user- friendly fitness DVDs, highly recommended especially for squeezing a solid workout into a busy day.

Power Boxing Workout
Marlen Esparza
Acacia
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
9781621720683 $16.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

Marlen Esparza demonstrates her skill and talent as an American Boxing Champion in Power Boxing Workout, a fitness DVD that draws upon boxing moves to provide a full-body fitness experience, from throwing punches to using one's legs for fighting power and strengthening one's core. Inexpensive light weights and a mat are the only recommended equipment to follow this energetic conditioning regimen, enhanced with bonus Boxing 101 Tutorial and "Box with Marlen" segments. Stressing the value of proper form and technique, Power Boxing Workout is an excellent, high-energy way to go all-in on fitness! 56 min. plus bonus, widescreen.

R.I.P.P.E.D. Total Body Challenge
Acacia
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
9781621720027 $16.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

R.I.P.P.E.D. Total Body Challenge is a fitness DVD that lives up to its title with a high-intensity workout that can potentially burn 700 or more calories in an hour! Divided into segments focusing on different R.I.P.P.E.D. principles (Resistance, intervals, power, plyometrics, endurance, diet, and nutrition), the Total Body Challenge is fueled with fast-paced original music, and offers a thorough cardiovascular workout balanced with plenty of toning and strength training. A five-minute bonus abs workout rounds out this excellent exercise program. 48 min. plus bonus, widescreen.

Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 200
Troy, MI 48084-3304
www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Jennifer Galardi provides a fine hip hop workout in DANCE OFF THE INCHES: CARDIO HIP HOP PARTY (013132607542, $14.98), which uses a dance fitness routine developed by Galardi to blend old school tunes with modern movements. Even those without dance experience or ability will find it easy to absorb and follow these dance workouts, which break moves down and add steps in a progressive learning routine before approaching combinations. The ability to use these at home makes for an especially powerful routine perfect for any fan of hip hop. Leslie Sansone's WALK TO THE HITS: PARTY SONGS (013132607917, $14.98) comes from a fitness instructor and walking expert who provides a walk-oriented fitness routine pairing great classic music with movements for 30-second intervals. Pace alternates from quick to steady, 'mile markers' lets viewers choose two- and three-mile options and track when each has been completed, and warm-up and cool-down preparations make for easy fitness routines any can follow at home. Both are top picks for home exercisers seeking specific routines and flexible lessons.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Value of Violence
Benjamin Ginsberg
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616148317, $24.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Value of Violence comes from a political scientist who discusses ways in which violence is indispensable and valuable, and shows how violence manifested in society in many ways actually serves to preserve social order. It can be used for social change, and even those who promote nonviolent tactics rely on the violent reactions of opponents to achieve their points. The result is a social and cultural study which pinpoints the inherent value in violence and how it can be used for effective, positive change.


The Automotive Shelf

Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit, revised edition
Chester Dawson
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470828045, $19.95, www.wiley.com

Lexus: The Relentless Pursuit appears in a revised, updated edition and offers inside examination of the creation of the Lexus brand and its risks and achievements. From its early incarnation and marketing to how it evolved to becoming the top luxury car in the U.S., this highlights the car and the people who brought it to center stage in this country, showing how the vehicle was designed, manufactured, and - most importantly - branded to become a best-seller. No other book provides the focus and insights of this, which belongs not only in transportation collections, but many a business holding.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Fred Harvey Jewelry 1900-1955
Dennis June
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764344480, $39.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Fred Harvey Jewelry 1900-1955 provides a fine focus on vintage souvenir bracelets from private collections that were studied and photographed, and tells of a particular company that ran retail shops for tourists along Santa Fe Railway routes to help build Southwest jewelry styles and popularity. It's a powerful survey of Southwest jewelry-making traditions in general and Harvey Company in particular, outlining their marketing, the jewelry styles that evolved from the times, and the birth, growth and demise of the Harvey era. The result is a powerful account highly recommended for any fan of Southwest history and culture or American jewelry-making traditions.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Trade Secret
Sharon Lee & Steve Miller
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781451639292, $25.00, www.baen.com

TRADE SECRET provides a new Liaden Universe story and is especially recommended for prior readers of the series, who will find this new story centers around novice trader Jethri, adopted by a Liaden clan and settled into his new life. His experiences with the Liaden Festival forces him to realize his adoption has caused even more problems than a Terran blood feud. Jethri will have to confront these problems and re-defend his honor in order to have nay hopes of a good life with his new clan. Liaden Universe readers will find this yet another fast-paced action story about trade, honor, and fitting in.


The Architecture Shelf

The English Country House
James Peill
The Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
www.vendomepress.com
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (dist.)
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com
9780865653061, $55.00, www.amazon.com

An English country house is a large house or mansion in the English countryside. Such houses were often owned by individuals who also owned a town house. This allowed them to spend time in the country and in the city - hence, for these people, the term distinguished between town and country. However, the term also encompasses houses that were, and often still are, the full-time residence for the landed gentry. These people were central to the squirearchy that ruled rural Britain until the Reform Act of 1832. Frequently, the formal business of the counties was transacted in these country houses. With large numbers of indoor and outdoor staff, country houses were important as places of employment for many rural communities. In turn, until the agricultural depressions of 1870s, the estates, of which country houses were the hub, provided their owners with incomes. However, the late 19th and early 20th centuries were the swan song of the traditional English country house lifestyle. Increased taxation and the effects of World War I led to the demolition of hundreds of houses; those that remained had to adapt to survive. Compiled by James Peill (curator of Goodwood House in West Sussex, England) "The English Country House" is a 224 page compendium showcasing the elegant range of surviving English country houses. Profusely and beautifully illustrated with informed and informative commentary throughout, "The English Country House" will prove to be a fascinating read for the legions of fans of popular television series ranging from "Upstairs, Downstairs" to "Downton Abby". An elegant, aristocratic, cultivated and cultured era is magnificently presented, making "The English Country House" certain to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library collections.

Compact Houses
Gerald Rowan
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121024, $19.95, www.storey.com

COMPACT HOUSES: GOOD DESIGN TRUMPS SQUARE FOOTAGE is written by an architectural history professor who shows homeowners who to achieve more with less square footage, and provides some fifty floor plans for home designs ranging from 800 to 1,400 square feet. It features one- and two-store design options, discusses how to make creative use of outdoor space, and considers the techniques that benefit small-home living and style. The result is a fine pick for any collection strong in home and architectural guides.


The Self-Help Shelf

Lonely Planet Calm
Johanna Ashby, et al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781743218457, $14.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

LONELY PLANET CALM: SECRETS TO SERENITY FROM THE CULTURES OF THE WORLD provides a fine survey on how to cultivate calmness in the face of daily stress, and offers fifty cultural secrets and methods for applying calming techniques at home. From focusing on a single target to letting music heal and using exercise to work out frustrations, this is packed with simple keys anyone can use to introduce a calmer atmosphere into their lives, and is a pick for any new age, health, self-help or general-interest collection.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Church History: Apostolic Times to Today
Gloria Shahin with Joanna Dailey
Saint Mary's Press
702 Terrace Heights
Winona, MN 55987-1318
9781599821481 $25.95 www.smp.org

Church History: Apostolic Times to Today is an overview of the history of the Christian church, with emphasis on the Catholic church. Equally suitable for classroom use or self-study, Church History is detailed yet thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Color illustrations every few pages, review questions, a glossary, and an index round out excellent educational resource, ideal for high school, college, public or church library collections. "After [WW II] a movement called Pax Christi ('Peace of Christ') was established in Europe. Its first goal was to reconcile European Christians who had supported opposite sides during the war. It still exists today, having spread to over fifty countries and five continents, and is a voice of prayer and action for peace and reconciliation all over the world."

Heavenly Bodies
Paul Koudounaris
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500251959, $29.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

HEAVENLY BODIES: CULT TREASURES & SPECTACULAR SAINTS FROM THE CATACOMBS is recommended for religious, arts, and archaeological collections alike and provides the history of a labyrinth of underground burials discovered in Rome in 1578 that held the remains of thousands of individuals deemed early Christian martyrs. These bones were sent to Catholic churches to replace holy relics that had been destroyed, and were reassembled by artisans and dressed in colorful costumes. For nearly three centuries these ornate bodies were deemed miracle-workers in their communities before they became an embarrassment to the Church and were largely destroyed. HEAVENLY BODIES discusses these saints and their images: the author was given rare access to photograph them in some of their secret hideaways, and this book thus represents a 'first' in their in-depth coverage. Packed with photos, it's a top pick for any arts, religious, or history holding.


The Parenting Shelf

Get Your Kids Hiking
Jeff Alt
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, NY, NY 10011
www.beaufortbooks.com
9780825306914, $13.95, www.amazon.com

If a parent is seeking to instill a love of nature and the outdoors into their children as an antidote for today's sedentary, electronic gaming, overweight youth culture, then there is no better or more effective strategy than taking those children for a hike in the wild. "Get Your Kids Hiking: How to Start Them Young and Keep it Fun!" by hiking expert Jeff Alt is a handy, 240 page instruction manual for parents that provides age-appropriate ways to include a child in all aspects of the hike, provides checklists of what to pack for any type of hike, even offering 'kid friendly' menus of what to eat when out on a hike in the wilderness. Of special note is the practical and experienced-based advice and commentary on hiking with a special needs child. Thoroughly 'user friendly' and exceptionally well written and organized, "Get Your Kids Hiking: How to Start Them Young and Keep it Fun!" is very highly recommended for family and community library collections. It should be noted that "Get Your Kids Hiking: How to Start Them Young and Keep it Fun!" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.59).


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

To Walk A Pagan Path
Alaric Albertsson
Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738737249, $15.99, www.amazon.com

Pagan refers to a group of historical polytheistic religious traditions - primarily those of cultures known to the classical world. In a wider sense, it has also been understood to include any non-Abrahamic, folk, or ethnic religion. The term pagan was historically used as one of several pejorative Christian expressions comparable to "infidel" or "heretic". Modern ethnologists often avoid this broad usage in favor of more specific and less potentially offensive terms such as polytheism, shamanism, pantheism, or animism when referring to traditional or historical faiths. Modern paganism, also known as contemporary paganism, and neopaganism, is a group of contemporary religious movements influenced by or claiming to be derived from the various historical pagan beliefs of pre-modern Europe. Although they do share commonalities, contemporary Pagan religious movements are diverse and no single set of beliefs, practices, or texts are shared by them all. Since the 20th century, "Paganism" (or "Neopaganism") has become the identifier for a collection of new religious movements attempting to continue, revive, or reconstruct historical pre-Abrahamic religion. "To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day" by Alaric Albertsson (a practicing pagan and member of the Druidic organization ar nDraiocht Fein) is a 288 page instructional guide to living in adherence to basic pagan spiritual principles in daily life including following a sacred calendar, enacting quick and easy rituals, connect with the earth by producing some of the food to be eaten, and engage in such craft projects as candles, scrying mirrors, solar wreaths, and more. Informed, informative, and thoroughly 'user friendly' in text and presentation, "To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day" is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library Metaphysical Studies collections. It should be noted that "To Walk a Pagan Path: Practical Spirituality for Every Day" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Gaming Shelf

How To Win At Gambling
Avery Cardoza
Cardoza Publishing
5473 South Eastern Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89119
9781580422628, $18.95, www.cardozapub.com

Avery Cardoza is a successful professional gambler and leading publisher of books on all manner of casino games. Cardoza is also the owner of the Las Vegas-based Gambler's Book Club. In "How to Win at Gambling", Cardoza draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to provide the novice gamer with a 400 page compendium comprised of practical, insightful, and comprehensive instruction manual on playing (and winning) at more that fifty major games offered by casinos. Beginning with an informative introduction and concluding with a brief 'Winning Word', "How to Win at Gambling" is deftly organized into chapters specific to the games themselves and range from Blackjack, Baccarat, and Routlette, to Horseracing, Slots, and Poker. Of special note is the chapter on Money Management (which should be carefully read by anyone contemplating a professional career in gambling). enhanced with an extensive glossary, "How to Win at Gambling" is especially recommended to the attention of novice players and will prove to be an enduringly valuable reference resource for experienced players and professionals alike.


The American History Shelf

American Spies
Michael J. Sulick
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
9781626160088 $26.95 hc
9781626160095 $26.95 ebook www.press.georgetown.edu

American Spies: Espionage Against the United States from the Cold War to the Present is a methodical, well-researched, and utterly fascinating analysis of spies who discovered and sold American secrets to foreign powers, from 1950 onward. Notable spy cases are spotlighted, including famous spies for the Soviets such as John Walker and Edward Lee Howard; the spy for China, Larry Wu-tai Chin; the spy for Israel, Jonathan Pollard; and many more. "[Pollard's] espionage was a fatal cocktail of every major motive that has impelled human beings to spy for centuries. He was in financial straits. He was fascinated with the thrill of spying. He was a mediocre man with a grossly inflated ego and yearning for praise and acceptance. He was ideologically sympathetic to a foreign, and this sympathy provided the final motive that would drive him into espionage: revenge." Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, American Spies makes real-life spy history come alive, and is highly recommended especially for public and college library American History shelves.

The Ozarks in Missouri History
Lynn Morrow, editor
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826220066 $25.00 www.umsystem.edu/upress

The Ozarks in Missouri History: Discoveries in an American Region is an anthology of scholarly essays by a diversity learned authors about the unique history, culture, and geography of the beautiful Ozarks region of Missouri. Writings include "Slave Labor at the Maramec Iron Works, 1828-1850", "The Ozark Short Line Railroad: A Failed Dream", "Agricultural Change in the Western Ozarks", "The Origin and Development of the Ozark National Scenic Riverways Project", and more. A handful of black-and-white photographs and an index round out this enlightening collection, especially recommended for college library and Missouri state history shelves.

The Greatest Speech, Ever
James L. Cotton Jr.
History Publishing Company, LLC
PO Box 700, 15 Heyhoe Woods Road
Palisades, New York 10964-0700
9781933909929 $18.95 www.historypublishing.com

The Greatest Speech, Ever: The Remarkable Story of Abraham Lincoln and His Gettysburg Address is an in-depth history of President Lincoln's immortal speech, famously made after one of the bloodiest battles in the Civil War. Author James L. Cotton Jr. (adjunct faculty of Roane State Community College) is open in his admiration for Lincoln's gift notable and crucial words, which embodied the collective effort to save the fractured Union. "Lincoln composed and delivered the Gettysburg Address in a style radically different from the great orators of his day. Lincoln's oratorical skills had been forged along the way in his climb from the bottom rung of his social and economic world, up to the highest office in the land, a process of beating down, bending and hammering out the steel in a man which would produce a speaking style that was real and authentic. It was a style that would pull the public to him like a lodestone." A handful of black-and-white photographs and an index round out this glowing chronicle, which carefully places events and perspectives of the speech on context, as well as weighing in on debates that continue to this day about Lincoln's psychology and motives. Highly recommended.


The Civil War Shelf

Stuart's Finest Hour
John J. Fox III
Angle Valley Press
PO Box 4098
Winchester, VA 22604
9780971195059 $31.95 www.AngleValleyPress.com

Stuart's Finest Hour: The Ride Around McClellan June 1862 is an in-depth study about Brigadier General Jeb Stuart's Great Chickahominy Raid, during the American Civil War. At the time, Union General McClellan's army was on the verge of seizing the Confederate capital of Richmond, Virginia. Newly appointed Confederate army leader Robert E. Lee had a plan to go on offense, but he needed military intelligence. It was Stuart who dared to stage a 110-mile, three-day cavalry reaid around the entire Army of the Potomac, a mission he pulled off with consummate skill (and the mistakes of the Union Army didn't help). The information Stuart brough Lee aided a counteroffensive that would push the McClellan's army away from Richmond; it would be another three years before the Union would have another opportunity. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this heavily researched, vivaciously presented chronicle, which brings Stuart's death-defying tactical raid to vivid life. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library Civil War shelves.


The Fiction Shelf

Sunland
Don Waters
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166
Reno, NV, 89557-0166
9780874179217 $25.95 www.unpress.nevada.edu

The debut novel of Iowa Short Fiction Award winning author Don Waters, Sunland follows the adventures of a working class man on the margins. Sid Dulaney is struggling between jobs, and looks after his beloved grandmother in Tucson. Her prescriptions are so expensive that to make ends meet, he smuggles medicine over the Mexican border. One haphazard problem spirals into another, as he runs into trouble with an attractive former babysitter, receives midnight voice mails from his frazzles ex-girlfriends, and even attracts the deadly attention of a Mexican gang (as well as a significantly less deadly giraffe). Solid characterization drives this slice-of-life turned rollicking adventure of quirky characters and unforgettable moments. Highly recommended.

In Pursuit
Sharman Burson Ramsey
sharmanbursonramsey.com
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue
Macon, GA 31207-0001
9780881464542 $20.00 www.mupress.org

The sequel to "Swimming with Serpents", In Pursuit is a historical novel of romance and danger. Creek half-breed and survivor of the Creek Indian War Joie Kincaid is kidnapped from a tea room in London - as is the enemy she personally saved from death. Joie awakens afflicted with amnesia, in the hold of a ship headed for pirate waters. Nearby is scholar and fellow abduction victim Godfrey Lewis Winkel. Godfrey and Joie must work together to resist pirates, disease, fallout from the Seminole War, and more threats in this exciting page-turner... even as love begins to stir and bloom between them. In Pursuit makes human history come alive as the backdrop to its exciting tale, and is highly recommended.


The Memoir Shelf

The Crusade Years 1933-1955
Herbert Hoover, author
George H. Nash, editor
Hoover Press
c/o Hoover Institution
434 Galvez Mall, Stanford, CA 94305
9780817916749 $39.95 www.stanford.edu

Herbert Hoover is the American president most famous for his efforts to cope with the Great Depression. By the end of his office in 1933, the American public was furious with him for not doing enough to alleviate the widespread suffering, and turned to FDR's New Deal - even though Hoover had gone further in his efforts to bring economic relief than any previous president. Hoover never abandoned his conservative or ideological distrust of excessive government intervention, and remained a vocal call for restraint during the next thirty-plus years. The Crusade Years 1933-1955: Herbert Hoover's Lost Memoir of the New Deal Era and Its Aftermath gathers Hoover's copious writings about political philosophy, his visions of America's potential as a haven for liberty, and perhaps most intriguing, his private life after his presidency, from his enthusiasm for fishing to his membership in the Bohemian Club. Historian, Hoover biographer, and prize-winning scholar George H. Nash has edited this extraordinarily insightful volume with notes and an index. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library memoir or American History shelves.

Morning Comes to Elk Mountain
Gary Lantz
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415391 $18.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Illustrated with an inset section of 20 memorable color photographs, Morning Comes to Elk Mountain: Dispatches from the Wichita Mountains Wildlife Refuge is a fine balance of memoir, natural history, Native American history, and geology, reflecting upon one of the first wildlife refuges established by legendary President Theodore Roosevelt. An inspirational virtual tour of the bountiful natural land that the Kiowa and Comanche Indians call home, Morning Comes to Elk Mountain is the next best thing to visiting the rolling natural landscape in person. Highly recommended.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Globalizing Central Asia
Marlene Laruelle and Sebastien Peyrouse
M.E. Sharpe, Inc.
80 Business Park Drive
Armonk, NY 10504
9780765635044 hc, $104.95
9780765635051 pbk, $32.95 www.mesharpe.com

Globalizing Central Asia: Geopolitics and the Challenges of Economic Development is a scholarly analysis of the global and regional economic forces at work in central Asia. Chapters discuss how Russia, China, the U.S. ("The Too Distant, but Unavoidable Partner"), the European Union, and Middle Eastern and Gulf countries affect the political and economic dynamics of central Asia. From the challenges facing central Asia's agricultural sector, to the difficulties of transportation when landlocked, to structural weaknesses in central Asia's industrial base and the future of its service sector, Globalizing Central Asia is a learned, critical, and thorough exploration of crucial issues affection central Asia's present and future. Highly recommended, especially for college library economic studies shelves.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Milton And The Poetics Of Freedom
Susanne Woods
Duquesne University Press
600 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15282
www.dupress.duq.edu
9780820704661, $58.00, www.amazon.com

John Milton (9 December 1608 - 8 November 1674) was an English poet, polemicist, man of letters, and a civil servant for the Commonwealth of England under Oliver Cromwell. He wrote at a time of religious flux and political upheaval, and is best known for his epic poem Paradise Lost (1667), written in blank verse. Milton's poetry and prose reflect deep personal convictions, a passion for freedom and self-determination, and the urgent issues and political turbulence of his day. Writing in English, Latin, and Italian, he achieved international renown within his lifetime, and his celebrated Areopagitica (1644) - written in condemnation of pre-publication censorship - is among history's most influential and impassioned defenses of free speech and freedom of the press. "Milton and the Poetics of Freedom" by Susanne Woods (Emerita Professor of English, Wheaton College, Massachusetts) is a 289 page compendium comprising a comprehensive critique of Milton's works with respect the philosophical concept of freedom as framed within his legendary poetry and prose. Enhanced with extensive notes, and extended bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Milton and the Poetics of Freedom" is a work of seminal scholarship and a highly recommended addition to academic library Milton Studies and Medieval/Renaissance Literary Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The African-American Studies Shelf

Handy African-American History Answer Book
Jessie Carney Smith
Visible Ink Press
4331 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
www.visibleinkpress.com
9781578594528, $12.95, www.amazon.com

Informed and informative, the "Handy African-American History Answer Book" by Jessie Carney Smith is a 400 page encyclopedic compilation of historical facts showcasing African American contributions and achievements in the arts, entertainment, business, civil rights, education, government, military, journalism, religion, science, sports, music, popular culture, politics, and more. From the Ringling Brother's first black woman clown, to the impact of Joe Louis on boxing, to the importance of barbecue in African-American communities, "Handy African-American History Answer Book" will prove a fascinating browse for non-specialist general readers, as well as an ideal reference for student research. Very highly recommended for school and community library Black Studies and American History collections, it should be noted that "Handy African-American History Answer Book" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).


The Nautical Shelf

British Ship Building 1500-2010
Anthony Slaven
Crucible Books
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781905472161, $31.95, www.amazon.com

England is a seafaring nation and depended upon her naval forces to fend off hostile European powers. "British Shipbuilding, 1500 - 2010: A History" by academician Anthony Slaven (formerly a Professor of Business History at the University of Glasgow) is a 352 page compendium that provides a comprehensive and documented five hundred year historical overview of both the construction of wooden ships and then their metal successors. Chronologically organized and presented, "British Ship Building 1500-2010" is a work of seminal scholarship that is enhanced with the inclusion of an appendix (Measures of Ships Tonnage), extensive notes and references, a select bibliography, and a comprehensive index. Unique, informed and informative, "British Ship Building 1500-2010" is strongly recommended for academic library Naval History and British History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Gardening Shelf

Western Garden Book
Kathleen Norris Brenzel, editor
Sunset Publishing
c/o Oxmoor House
3000 University Center Drive
Tampa, Florida 33612-6408
www.oxmoorhouse.com www.sunset.com
9780376030061, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Wonderfully illustrated in full color throughout, "Western Garden Book: The 20-Minute Gardener: Projects, Plants and Designs for Quick & Easy Gardening" is an ideal instruction manual for homeowners with limited time for pursuing gardening projects to beautify their property. But with this thoroughly 'user friendly', 288 page manual, anyone can learn how to successfully garden in just twenty minutes a day by breaking down gardening activities into manageable portions. Exceptionally well written and presented, "The 20-Minute Gardener" offers quick fixes for turning ordinary gardens into outdoor showrooms; turn problem areas into superbly fashioned gardening projects; profiles 160 outstanding plants for family gardens; offers step-by-step instructions for amending soil, making compost, planting, and watering. Of special note is being able to identify a particular region in the 16-page Regional Gardening Calendars and the practical advice for what to do in a garden within a given month of that calendar. "The 20-Minute Gardener" is an extraordinary gardening guide and manual that is very highly recommended for the novice gardening and has much of enduring value for even the more experienced gardener.


The Language Studies Shelf

Reading the Gospel of St. Matthew in Greek: A Beginning
Norbert H. O. Duckwitz
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865168176, 19.00, www.amazon.colm

One of the principle benefits of being able to read New Testament scriptures in their original Greek is the avoidance of the interpretative errors that are present in past English translations such as the King James editions. "Reading the Gospel of St. Matthew in Greek: A Beginning" by Norbert H. O. Duckwitz (Professor Emeritus of Classics, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah) is a 517 page compendium that presents the entire Greek text of St. Matthew's Gospel; features text, vocabulary, and notes on each page; includes a Greek to English glossary; provides an introduction to the Greek alphabet, pronunciation, tenses, and moods; and is enhanced with a grammatical appendix. An impressive work of impeccable scholarship, "Reading the Gospel of St. Matthew in Greek: A Beginning" is very strongly recommended for personal and academic library Greek Language Studies and Christian Studies instructional reference collections.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Environmental Anthropology Engaging Ecotopia
Joshua Lockyer & James R. Veteto, editors
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9780857458797, $110.00, www.amazon.com

Environmental anthropology is a sub-specialty within the field of anthropology that takes an active role in examining the relationships between humans and their environment across space and time. 'Ecotopia' is a society in which humans live in full environmental harmony. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by the team of Joshua Lockyer (Assistant Professor of Anthropology, Arkansas Tech university) and James R. Veteto (Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of North Texas), "Environmental Anthropology Engaging Ecotopia: Bioregionalism, Permaculture, and Ecovillages" is a 320 page compendium comprising sixteen thematically erudite and scholarly articles. Of special note are the list of 'Further Readers' at the end of the three major sections: Bioregionalism; Permaclture; and Ecovillages. Enhanced with an informative introduction by the editors, "Environmental Anthropology Engaging Ecotopia" is enhanced with occasional illustrations, tables, and maps, as well as a comprehensive index. A major and seminal contribution, "Environmental Anthropology Engaging Ecotopia" is a very strongly recommended addition to academic library Environmental, Anthropology, and Ethnobiology reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Political Science Shelf

Evolving Iran
Barbara Ann Rieffer-Flanagan
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
9781589019782 $26.95 pbk.
9781589019799 $26.95 ebook www.press.georgetown.edu

Also available as an ebook, Evolving Iran: An Introduction to Politics and Problems in the Islamic Republic is a detailed, thoughtful, and thorough scrutiny of politics in Iran. A scholarly and well-researched work that is nonetheless accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Evolving Iran discusses elections in Iran, economic policies amid ideological infighting, pressures on the Islamic Republic to improve human rights, and much more. Notes and an index round out this "must-read" to better understand Iran today, highly recommended especially for public library Political Science or International Studies shelves.

Democracy And Political Ignorance
Ilya Somin
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
www.sup.org
9780804786614, $27.95, www.amazon.com

The core necessity for a healthy representative democracy is that the people comprising that democracy have accurate and informative information on which to base their political decisions. Otherwise people can and will fall prey to demagogs, charlatans, the corrupt, the incompetent, and worse -- resulting the ultimate loss of democracy to autocracy, theocracy, and other varieties of dictatorship. "Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter" by Ilya Somin (Professor Law, George Mason University School of Law) is a 280 page compendium aptly presenting the argument that by decentralizing and limiting government, people will be less prone to lapse into the kind of apathy and ignorance that fosters the political manipulation of the masses by a privileged and corrupt minority seeking domination and control over the population. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter" is a timely treatise as we enter a new age of Robber Baron Capitalism with its financially-based political corruption and an ever expanding federal intrusion into the non-federal affairs of private citizens under the cloak of serving social and national defense needs. Enhanced with an appendix, notes, and an index, "Democracy and Political Ignorance: Why Smaller Government Is Smarter" is a highly recommended addition to community and academic library Political Science reference collections. It should be noted that "Democracy And Political Ignorance" is also available in hardcover (9780804786089, $90.00) and Kindle ($15.37) editions.


The Journalism Shelf

The Best American Magazine Writing 2013
Sid Holt, editor
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231162258 $17.95 http://cup.columbia.edu

The Best American Magazine Writing 2013 is an anthology of the most critical and relevant magazine pieces of 2013, including public interest, reporting, feature writing, fiction. These National Magazine Award-winning works touch on topics including the arrest of Kim Dotcom for alleged money laundering and copyright infringement in his gigantic file-sharing website megaupload.com, modern combat in the war zone of Afghanistan, reflections on Barrack Obama's efforts and the legacy of Mitt Romney's candidacy. An award-winning short-story from Stephen King, "Batman and Robin Have an Altercation", rounds out this eclectic and insightful collection, highly recommended especially for public library collections and anyone seeking to educate themselves about critical contemporary events.


The Calendar Shelf

Stop Making Everything I Say Sound Stupid!
Scott Adams
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449430399, $14.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Stop Making Everything I Say Sound Stupid provides single panels of Dilbert comics in full color and accompanies these selections with the original black and white strips across the top of the month and date boxes. This allows for colorful, eye-catching months paired with the original full text of the comic. Dilbert will find its place not just in homes, but in offices where cubicle humor is appreciated. It's filled with workplace ironies and inconsistencies and is the working man's answer to management.

Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Andrews McMeel Publishing produces some outstanding wall calendars for the season and it's hard to pick just a few from the lot; but if only a handful were chosen, these two should be among the top contenders for one's wall for 2014. Scott Hilburn's THE ARGYLE SWEATER (9781449430610, $14.99) provides monthly one-panel humor cartoons reminiscent of Gary Larson. The joy of this comic is that the humor is complete in one panel, which lends particularly well to a wall calendar replete with full-color comics accompanied by a practical calendar format with good-sized date boxes for write-ins. Stephan Pastis' PEARLS BEFORE SWINE: IT'S MY WORLD AND I'LL DOMINATE IF I WANT TO (9781449431068, $15.99) selects single panels from its comic strip, then includes the rest of the strip in a smaller line or two above the date boxes. This approach allows readers to see the original context as well as the single panel, and makes for a fine segue between comic strip and wall calendar. Both are good-sized presentations that represent the perfect marriage between calendar format and comic.


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