Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / Internet Bookwatch

Internet Bookwatch

Volume 17, Number 11 November 2007 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fiction Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Travel Shelf Science Shelf Military Shelf
Business Shelf Cookbook Shelf Railroading Shelf
Art Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Gardening Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Archaeology Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Music Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf
International Studies Shelf Education Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Parenting Shelf Biography Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Nautical Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Woodworking Shelf Self-Help Shelf Sports Shelf
Genealogy Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Psychology Shelf Journalism Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Library Science Shelf Library DVD Shelf Aviation Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Political Science Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Gaming Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Library CD Music Shelf
Architecture Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Animal Husbandry Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Native American Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Great Tradition
Richard M. Gamble, editor
ISI Books
PO Box 4431, Wilmington, DE 19807-0431
9781933859255, $30.00 www.isibooks.org 1-800-526-7022

Historian Richard M. Gamble edits The Great Tradition: Classic Readings on What It Means to be an Educated Human Being is an anthology of essays written by great figures throughout history concerning what it truly means to be educated. Since ancient times, the Great Tradition has described education as the hard work the human soul undergoes in order to better understand itself and its maker. Individual writings quote Plato, Aristotle, Cicero, Thomas Aquinas, Martin Luther, John Calvin, C.S. Lewis, T.S. Eliot, and many other historical, literary, religious, and scientific figures concerning the goals and true value of education. Each selection is prefaced by a brief yet insightful commentary about the author's life and identity, as well as comments about the selection itself and why it was chosen. The result is a cohesive picture offering much-needed insights into the ever-evolving education system, its purpose and its needs, particularly in today's era of debate concerning public schools and the rise of homeschooling. Highly recommended, especially for public and college libraries.

A Great Day to Fight Fire: Mann Gulch, 1949
Mark Matthews
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806138572, $24.95 www.oupress.com

Mark Matthews has written about the Mann Gulch fire before, and avid readers of firefighting literature may readily recognize both his style and the events. But what makes A GREAT DAY TO FIGHT FIRE memorable is its different focus on the people who fought the fire, rather than just strategies and events. Chapters in A GREAT DAY TO FIGHT FIRE focuses on the victim's families and the personal impact of the fire upon firefighters, family members, survivors, and community members: as such it's an essential piece of information key to any collection strong in firefighting literature - and any general-interest library interested in true-life heroism.

Memory and Myth
David B. Sachsman, S. Kittrell Rushing, and Roy Morris Jr.
Purdue University Press
1207 South Campus Courts, Bldg. E, West Lafayette, IN 47907
9781557534408, $29.95 www.thepress.purdue.edu 1-800-933-9637

Memory and Myth: The Civil War in Fiction and Film from Uncle Tom's Cabin to Cold Mountain is an anthology of essays concerning fiction and cinema created about the American Civil War and events leading up to it, as well as the issue of human slavery. Writings include "Beyond 'Uncle Tom's Cabin'", "Of Saints and Sinners: Religion and the Civil War and Reconstruction Novel", "Hollywood Themes and Southern Myths: An Analysis of 'Gone with the Wind'", "Alex Haley's Roots: The Fiction of Fact" and much more. An index rounds out this scholarly and well-researched compilation, especially recommended for the insight it provides into the distortions that American popular culture impose upon history.

Kitchen Literacy
Ann Vileisis
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009-1148
9781597261449, $26.95 www.islandpress.org 1-800-828-1302

Award-winning historian Ann Vileisis presents Kitchen Literacy: How We Lost Knowledge of Where Food Comes from and Why We Need to Get It Back lives up to its title as a journey through the history of the simple act of making dinner. From eighteenth-century gardens and historic cookbooks to the rise of calculated advertising campaigns and the modern supermarket. As the distance between the creation of food and the table at which it was eaten grew, modern preparers gradually lost their understanding food's origins in exchange for believing advertiser's claims and government assurances. Today, most foods travel fifteen hundred miles before they are eaten. In this modern era of pesticide-drenched fruits, and meat from feedlots of fifty thousand animals, foodborne pathogens and water pollution loom as threats. A movement toward locally grown or raised food and organic fare offers a counterbalance, but now more than ever we need to know the basics about where food comes from in order to ensure optimal health for ourselves and our environment. A "must-read" for modern-day consumers in the post-family farm era.

No Bed Of Roses
Chris Kennedy
Tails Books
c/o Big Earth Publishing
145 North Commercial Street, Suite 100, Neenah, WI 54956
9781931599993, $18.95 www.bigearthpublishing.com 1-800-258-5830

"No Bed Of Roses: My Sideline View Of The Wisconsin Badgers' Return To Greatness" is the extraordinary memoir of Chris Kennedy, whose four years with the University of Wisconsin Badgers football team saw the evolution from mediocrity to Rose Bowl glory under the legendary college football coach Barry Alvarez. Kennedy candidly shares his behind-the-scenes accounts of his thrills and frustrations as a college athlete. A unique and fascinating perspective rarely available to Badger team fans, "No Bed Of Roses" is as informative as it is entertaining -- and very highly recommended for personal reading lists and every Wisconsin community library collection.

Game Day: Wisconsin Football
Athlon Sports
Triumph Books
542 South Dearborn Street, Suite 750, Chicago, IL 60605
9781600780158, $24.95 www.triumphbooks.com

Drawing from the photos and writings of award-winning authors and photographs at Athlon Sports, "Game Day: Wisconsin Football" showcases University of Wisconsin football teams in general, and what it means to be a Badger football fan in particular. Packed from cover to cover with entertaining and informative anecdotes of past and current players, the stories behind Wisconsin football rivalries and traditions, detailed histories of some of the greats players, coaches, teams, and moments in Wisconsin's collegiate football, lists of the most successful seasons, recaps of the most exciting games every played, as well as year-by-year team performance statistics. Profusely illustrated throughout in full color, "Game Day: Wisconsin Football" will be read with interest and appreciation by the legions of Badger fans -- and should be considered 'a must' for all Wisconsin school and community library collections.

Creating Family Harmony Through Tanka
Katsumi Okabe, Ph.D.
Noble House
c/o American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
9781561679768, $19.95 www.americanliterarypress.com 1-800-873-2003

Professor Katsumi Okabe, Ph.D. presents Creating Family Harmony Through Tanka: An Appeal for Educational Reform in the 21st Century, an introduction to the "whole-personality" approach of ideas and methods designed to serve the individual, organization, or society as a whole. Offered as a means to reform and improve education, the "whole-personality" approach can be applied through tanka, a short form of Japanese poetry with five lines, that can be applied as a form of therapy as well as creative expression. Creating family harmony is a cornerstone of personal and cultural happiness, and Creating Family Harmony Through Tanka offers an invaluable methodology to improving human quality of life, as well as numerous sample tanka poems. "Guest": I put out / some cherry flowers / for the child who / invited a foreigner / over for sukiyaki // seeing / my child discuss / things / with a foreigner / reminds me of busy times.


The Fiction Shelf

The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel
Amy Hempel
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9780743291637, $15.00 www.simonsays.com 1-800-223-2336

The Collected Stories of Amy Hempel is an award-winning anthology of Amy Hempel's complete work - an amalgamation of four previous collections of her stories ("Reasons to Live", "At the Gates of the Animal Kingdom", "Tumble Home", and "The Dog of the Marriage"), covering everything from marriage to minor disasters to moments of epiphany. A thought-provoking body of literature, offering tales that hinge upon heavily weighted choices and the uphill battle that is the human experience. Highly recommended. "In the Animal Shelter": Every time you see a beautiful woman, someone is tired of her, so the men say. And I know where they go, these women, with their tired beauty that someone doesn't want - these women who must live like the high Sierra white pine, there since before the birth of Christ, fed somehow by the alpine wind. They reach out to the animals, day after day smoothing fur inside a cage, saying, "How is Mama's baby? Is Mama's baby lonesome?"

Darkness Falls
Kyle Mills
Vanguard Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
Meryl L. Moss Media Relations (publicity)
155 Post Road East, Suite 8, Westport, CT 06880
9781593154592, $24.95 www.amazon.com

"Darkness Falls" is a riveting suspense novel by Kyle Mills with all the elements of a story that could have been ripped from today's newspaper headlines. Erin Neal is an expert in the use of genetically engineered bacteria for use in the cleanup of toxic spills. But the unexpected death of his girlfriend derailed him professionally and he took refuge in the isolation of the Arizona desert. Then Homeland Security came and found him. A catastrophic bioterrorist attack using a strain of crude-petroleum eating bacteria on Saudi Arabia's largest oil reserve threatens disaster for the world's fuel supplies. Tracking down the origins of this bacteria leads to Erin's confrontation with a homicidal environmentalist he had thought long gone. Clearly, nothing less that the destiny and fate of the industrialized world hangs in the balance as Erin seeks to halt the spread of this bioterrorist attack. Very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library contemporary fiction collections, "Darkness Falls" is a superbly crafted thriller played out against a backdrop of energy dependence and the possible consequences should every oil well in the world suddenly going dry.

The Floor Of The Sky
Pamela Carter Joern
Bison Books
c/o University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0255
9780803276314, $16.95 www.nebraskapress.unl.edu 1-800-755-1105

Toby Jenkins is an aging widow on the verge of losing her family's ranch in Pamela Carter Joern's superbly crafted novel, "The Floor Of The Sky". When in the midst of her crises Toby's 16-year-old granddaughter Lila shows up for the summer pregnant, painful decisions about the future must be dealt with as Lila uncovers festering secrets about her grandmother's past. Discoveries that compel Toby to reconsider the ambiguous ties she holds to her embittered sister Gettie, her loyal ranch hand George, her not-so-sympathetic daughter Nola Jean, and to herself. "The Floor Of The Sky" is a true gem of the storyteller's art, written with great compassion, wit and wisdom about the human condition, family secrets, and the sweeping changes in a contemporary rural America. "The Floor Of The Sky" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Hurricane Moon
Alexis Glynn Latner
Pyr
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591025450, $15.00 www.pyrsf.com

In the late 21st century an Earth affected by a series of crises launches a starship to find a new world - a ship containing a scientist, an astronaut, and a molecular biologist, each with his own agenda for discovery. But the starship's programming discovers not one but two worlds locked around each other - and a millennium of suspended animation takes its toll which requires an untrustworthy maverick to help save humanity in the face of an impossible romance and mystery. Fast-paced action lends an outstanding, gripping drama to this intense story.

Invasion of the Sea
Jules Verne
Wesleyan University Press
215 Long Lane, Middletown, CT 06459
9780819565587, $17.95 www.wesleyan.edu/wespress 1-800-421-1561

Invasion of the Sea is a science fiction literary classic by the famous author Jules Verne (1828-1905), perhaps best known for "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea". Now available for the very first time in complete English translation, Invasion of the Sea is illustrated with the black-and-white woodcut prints that graced its original French printing, Invasion of the Sea chronicles a hypothetical French plan to construct a canal that would bring water to the Sahara Desert. Yet the local peoples resist such a plan, as such radical change would alter their way of life - Tuareg nomads and Islamic tribes initiate a war, and only a cataclysmic natural event can bring an end to the suffering. A vivid and exciting cautionary tale that has weathered the test of time, and stands as virtually prophetic in its description of tenaciously fierce militant Islam. Highly recommended as a worthy addition to literature and library collections.

The Ancient Treils
C.L. Dague
American Book Publishing
PO Box 65624, Salt Lake City, UT 84165
9781589824102, $22.00

The debut novel of Cindy L. Dague, The Ancient Treils is a fantastic saga in which the natural balance of life teeters dangerously. Winafir is thrust into the crossroads of destiny, guided by the Elements in a quest to return The Light Energy to Treil Forest before all is lost. His search will take him across kingdoms and even below the deathly Shadow Mountain. A sweeping, majestic saga about the effort to fight back against madness and decay, for the sake of survival, honor, and love. Highly recommended.

Dancing With Werewolves
Carole Nelson Douglas
Juno Books
c/o Wildside Press
9710 Traville Gateway Drive, #234, Rockville, MD 20850
9780809572038, $6.99 www.juno-books.com

There came the day when the world learned that such creatures as werewolves, vampires, witches, and other supernaturals were not the stuff of legend and folklore -- they were real! Thirteen years after that realization took place, television reporter Delilah Street (who used to cover the small-town bogeyman back in Kansas) is now working in fabulous Las Vegas -- a gaming mecca that is run be a werewolf mob. Delilah finds herself with a very hot guy, a big bad wolfhound, and holding back the very gates of Hell in "Dancing With Werewolves". This is a smartly written, plot driven, original novel that deftly combines the elements of fantasy, mystery, and romance to the well sated delight of the reader. "Dancing With Werewolves" is enthusiastically recommended and a welcome addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.


The Travel Shelf

Asia's Legendary Hotels: The Romance of Travel
William Warren and Jill Gocher
Periplus
c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
079460174X, $44.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com

Any art library strong in commercial architecture and design needs ASIA'S LEGENDARY HOTELS, a focus on the histories and presentations of some of Asia's most famous hotels, from Raffles in Singapore to the Ananda in the Himalayas. From the building of the structures to the famous people who occupied the buildings over the decades, ASIA'S LEGENDARY HOTELS also makes a fine coffee table addition for any who enjoy travel, and may even be considered for public libraries strong in travel pieces mixed with visual displays of structures.

Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
202 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601
www.peterpauper.com

Founded in 1928, Peter Pauper press is a family-owned publishing that has a well earned reputation for producing high quality books for an appreciative readership. Of special note is their line of pocket sized (4-4? wide x 5-3/4" high) travel guides called 'Little Black Travel Books'. Two of the newest additions to this remarkable series are "The Little Black Book of San Francisco" (9781593598679, $12.95) by Marlene Goldman, and "The Little Black Book of London" (9781593598860, $12.95) by Vesna Neskow. Both of these information packed travel guides feature illustrations by Kerren Barbas Steckler, and cartography by David Linroth. Both titles include full-color fold-out neighborhood maps, while featuring landmarks, museums, entertainments, hotels, transportation resources, and 'things to do'. If you are planning a visit to San Francisco, or preparing for a trip to London, begin with acquiring your own personal copy of "The Little Black Book Of San Francisco", or "The Little Black Book of London" respectively. Going somewhere else? Then visit the Peter Pauper Press website at www.peterpauper.com for a complete listing of their 'Little Black Travel Book' titles -- in terms of getting the most out of your trip, you'll be glad you did!

Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly
Rita Tregellas Pope
Hunter Publishing
130 Campus Drive, Edison, NJ 08818
9781843063100, $18.99 1-800-255-0343

Written by Cornish Bard and tapestry artist Rita Tregellas Pope, Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly is a high-quality guide for travelers and tourists seeking to experience the best of the best amid Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly (located in Britain, also known as "The Land of King Arthur"). From the finest-tasting local foods and beverages, to recommendations of walks and car tours, suggestions for rainy days, "must-see" landmarks, annual events, and much more, Cornwall & the Isles of Scilly is an excellent guide for singles, couples, and families. Color photography on almost every page enhances this easy-to-use travel guide.

From The Vine
Sharon Kegerreis & Lorri Hathaway
Ann Arbor Media Group
2500 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
9781587264603, $34.95 www.AnnArborMediaGroup.com 1-877-722-2264

When people think about trips to the 'wine country', Michigan does not readily come to mind. All that will change with "From The Vine: Exploring Michigan Wineries", a collaborative travel guide by Sharon Kegerries and Lorri hathaway who showcase fifty-one wine country destinations throughout the upper-Midwest state of Michigan. Organized by four designated 'wine trails' and 'beyond the trails', "From The Vine" includes anecdotal stories, features on artisans who handcraft chocolate and cheese, Old World grape stomping, cherry mead, hard cider, ice wine, and more. Profusely and beautiful illustrated throughout, "From The Vine" is enhanced with a useful glossary and a bibliography that travelers through Michigan's wine country will find of immense interest. Informed and informative, "From The Vine" is an entertaining and very highly recommended addition to personal reading lists for anyone traveling through Michigan whether as a day trip or part of an extended vacation. Needless to say, no Michigan college or community library should be without at least one copy of "From The Vine" in their collection!

Rain Shadow
Tom Domek
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SC 57501-2217
9780974919553, $9.95 www.sdshspress.com

Tom Domek, the author of numerous books and articles on grasslands and state parks, presents Rain Shadow: A Traveler's Guide to the Buffalo Gap National Grassland, an easy-to-use resource for hikers, bikers, off-road vehicle users, rock hounds, canoeists, campers, and more to discovering the natural wonders of Buffalo Gap National Grassland. Black-and-white maps and photographs, as well as a short inset section of color plates, illustrate this tour of sites of interest, peppered with fascinating historical information, and guidelines for responsible recreation. The warm, in-depth description makes Rain Shadow ideal for armchair travelers as well as outdoorsmen. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone interested in seeing all Buffalo Gap National Grassland has to offer.

Rail-Trails: New England
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy
Wilderness Press
1200 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1306
9780899974491, $15.95 www.wildernesspress.com 1-800-443-7227

There are now more than 13,00 miles of open rail-trails across the country. The Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is an organization of more than 100,000 members and a leading advocate for trail and greenway 'recycling' of obsolete railroad corridors and rights of way. The official guidebook of the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, "Rail-Trails: New England" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide to railroad related trails in Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. Profusely illustrated with maps, as well as black-and-white photographs, "Rail-Trails: New England" is the perfect planning guide for biking or hiking along pathways created from unused railroad corridors that have been converted to recreational use by the public. some rail-trails are paved and run through scenic parts of New England townships, others are unpaved paths through scenic countrysides. Enhanced with detailed maps for every rail-trail (plus driving directions to trailheads), "Rail-Trails: New England" also features icons indicating each trail's use, along with succinct descriptions written by truly knowledgeable and articulate rail-trail experts. If you are planning to avail yourself of the recreational and exercise opportunities of rail-trails anywhere in the New England region, then begin with a careful browse through the pages of "Rail-Trails: New England"!

After You Mr. Lear
Maldwin Drummond
Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092554, $24.95 www.sheridanhouse.com 1-888-743-7425

Maldwin Drummond is a sailor and a farmer who got an idea. He cruised under sail with the specific goal of following in the wake of artist and nonsense poetry writer Edward Lear (1812-1888) The result is "After You Mr. Lear: In The Wake Of Edward Lear In Italy" which relates Maldwin Drummond's nautical and land-based adventures as a result of his unusual quest. Profusely illustrated with cartoons, paintings, photos, and maps, "After You Mr. Lear" is an intrinsically interested account of a modern-day cruise which was embarked upon as a voyage of discovery to the appreciation of armchair travelers and land-bound sailors. Drummond's deftly written accounts of leaving from the Isle of Wight aboard his yacht 'Gang Warily" and crossing the English Channel, then navigating the rivers and canals of France all the way to the Mediterranean, then sailing down the coast of Italy from the Rivera to Naples, then going inland to Campania, Basilicata, Sicily, and Calabria, will hold the reader's rapt attention from first page to last. "After You Mr. Lear" is a highly recommended addition to personal reading lists and community library collections.


The Science Shelf

The New Time Travelers
David Toomey
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393060133, $25.95 www.wwnorton.com

THE NEW TIME TRAVELERS: A JOURNEY TO THE FRONTIERS OF PHYSICS straddles the line between science fiction and science fact, offering both college-level science libraries and general-interest public lending libraries a lively survey of scientific inquiry based on a group of theoretical physicists at the California Institute of Technology who undertook a serious investigation of the possibilities of pastward time travel and its possibilities. Their inquiry tried to determine the viability of time travel: their results blends science and philosophy in a lively survey perfect for either casual reading or classroom debate.

Closer To Truth
Robert Lawrence Kuhn
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275993892, $49.95 www.praeger.com

CLOSER TO TRUTH: SCIENCE, MEANING AND THE FUTURE explores the latest scientific research, philosophical thinking and considerations of the challenges facing mankind in the future, and is based on the PBS TV show of the same name. Specialists debate a range of social scientific and ethical questions, from how alternative medicine may be validated to how science supports political and social interests. In offering up a blend of debate and dialogue, CLOSER TO TRUTH supercedes similar titles and provides both college-level science holdings and general-interest collections with a powerful survey.

Biomechanics
Donald R. Peterson & Joseph D. Bronzino
CRC Press
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
0849385342, $89.95 www.crcpress.com 1-800-272-7737

Compiled and co-edited by Donald R. Peterson (University of Connecticut Health Center, Biodynamics Laboratory, farming, Connecticut) and Joseph D. Bronzino (recipient of the Millennium Award from IEEE/EMBS in 2000 and the Gaddard Award from Worcester Polytechnic Institute for Professional Achievement in June 2004), "Biomechanics: Principles And Applications" is a collection of twenty informed and informative articles on various aspects of, and researches into, the science of biomechanics. The contributors address everything from applications on system-level aspects of the human body (the musculoskeletal system, auditory system, lymphatic system, the cardiovascular system), to biological sub-systems (tissues, cells, molecules). Drawn from the third edition of the "Biomedical Engineering Handbook", these seminal articles introduce current methods and strategies for modeling cellular mechanices, present topics in biofluid mechanics, feature more than 140 illustrations and 60 tables, and provide a number of useful equations to assist in modeling biomechanical behaviors. A volume of truly impressive scholarship, "Biomechanics: Principles And Applications" should be a core acquisition selection for every academic library reference collection on the subject, as well as on the supplemental reading lists for students of Biomechanical Engineering.


The Military Shelf

Men of Fire
Jack Hurst
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
0465031846, $27.95 www.basicbooks.com

MEN OF FIRE: GRANT, FORREST, AND THE CAMPAIGN THAT DECIDED THE CIVIL WAR is a 'must' for any detailed Civil War library: it surveys the two-week campaign which Grant led against four flawed Confederate generals and their subordinate Forrest, showing why this campaign changed the Civil War and how military interactions affect campaigns. MEN OF FIRE is packed with source material quotes and insights on battle strategies, problems, and issues, and it provides a top-notch read for any interested in Civil War history and underlying influences.

Rebel and the Rose
Wesley Millett and Gerald White
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581825831, $24.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

In April 1865 the Civil War was over for most - but even after the Confederate government dissolved, one Jefferson Davis felt compelled to carry on the struggle, journeying best entrusted with all the remaining gold in the Confederate treasury: some, $86,000 in coins and bullion. It and its carriers disappeared - and their fate is revealed in THE REBEL AND THE ROSE: JAMES A. SEMPLE, JULIA GARDINER TYLER, AND THE LOST CONFEDERATE GOLD, which follows Davis' journeys and considers what happened to the gold. Both military and general-interest libraries will find it engrossing.

Armoured Operations of the Second World War
Juan Vazquez Garcia
AF Editions
C/Cromo P. 18-20 - Poligono Industrial San Cristobal
47012 Vallidad, Spain
9788496016729, $49.95 www.libromedia.com www.amazon.com

Specialty military libraries, especially those with a focus on World War II, need ARMOURED OPERATIONS: it charts all the major armored engagements of the war, offering color side panels of biographical information of leaders along with insights on different forces' strategies, attack plans, and events. It's an survey not to be missed: color photos, charts, and details provide all the depth and detail lacking in more general overviews of World War II battles, making its specific information perfect for a detailed World War II report.

Intelligence and National Security
J. Ransom Clark
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780275992989, $55.00 www.praeger.com

Joining others in the 'Contemporary Military, Strategic, and Security Issues' series is the excellent Intelligence and National Security: A Reference Handbook, which provides college-level and military collections with an excellent survey and analysis of what intelligence is and how it functions under the umbrella of American national security. From the initial creation of intelligence services and divisions within the US to the ways information is gathered and analyzed, INTELLIGENCE AND NATIONAL SECURITY packs in a blend of history and military and social analysis, making it an excellent starting point for any discussion on the topic.

Reaping the Whirlwind
Nigel Cawthorne
David & Charles
c/o F&W Publications, Inc.
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990
9780715327449, $16.99 www.fwpublications.com 1-800-726-9966

Reaping the Whirlwind: The German and Japanese Experience of World War II offers insight into the experience of war from the perspective of German and Japanese soldiers and civilians. Drawn from diaries, letters, interrogation reports, interviews and personal memoirs, Reaping the Whirlwind speaks with the authentic voices of those who followed delusional and power-hungry leaders to their nations' ruin. A vividly unforgettable anthology of primary sources, recommended for World War II scholars and lay readers alike.

Cinderella Army
Terry Copp
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
9780802039255, $45.00 www.utppublishing.com 1-800-565-9523

Department of History professor emeritus Terry Copp presents Cinderella Army: The Canadians in Northwest Europe 1944-1945, the follow-up to "Fields of Fire" and an in-depth examination of the operations carried out by the First Canadian Army during the last nine months of World War II. Continuing the argument in "Fields of Fire" that the achievement of Allied and Canadian armies has been underrated while the effectiveness of the German army has been decidedly exaggerated, Cinderella Army supports its proposal with research garnered from trips to the battlefields of France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. With evidence of the battlefield terrain including maps and air photos, Cinderella Army reveals the challenging defensive positions that the Canadian soldiers had to overcome and illustrate just how impressive their achievements truly were. A welcome addition to Canadian military history shelves, along with the highly recommended "Fields of Fire".

Inferno
Joseph A. Springer
Zenith Books
c/o MBI Publishing Company
Galtier Plaza, Suite 200, 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
9780760329825, $24.95 www.mbipublishing.com 1-800-458-0454

Retired Aircraft Weapons Specialist of the United States Air Force Joseph A. Springer presents Inferno: The Epic Life and Death Struggle of the USS Franklin in World War II, the true story of the aircraft carrier USS Franklin (CV-13), known throughout the fleet as "Big Ben". One of twenty-four Essex-class fast carriers built during World War II and formed the backbone of the U.S. Navy during the war against Japan, Big Ben participated in island campaigns of the central and western Pacific, the Battle for Leyte Gulf in the Philippines, and strikes against Honshu and Kobe Harbor. Big Ben suffered casualties from the dreaded Japanese kamikaze, and was nearly sunk by a 250-kilogram bomb that set off a chain reaction of exploding aviation fuel and ordnance. Though Big Ben appeared mortally wounded and endured severe loss of life - a loss that would have been even greater if not for the heroism of the remaining crewmembers and the efforts of the USS Santa Fe to take the wounded to safety. A gripping true story of bravery and sacrifice, featuring the words of men who served aboard "Big Ben" as well as a handful of black-and-white photographs. A welcome addition to naval and World War II history shelves.

Charge!
Congressman Steve Israel, editor
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591143994, $32.95 www.navalinstitute.org 1-800-233-8764

U.S. Congressman Steve Israel has gathered together a collection of the most inspiring and influential military speeches in Charge! History's Greatest Military Speeches. From Moses' instructions to his people to march without him in Biblical times, to Queen Elizabeth I's support for her troops against the Spanish Armada, to Patrick Henry's "Liberty or Death" speech to Josef's Stalin call to "Defend Every Inch" in World War II to George W. Bush's rally of Americans after 9/11, each speech touches upon pivotal moments in history. Though a preponderance of the speeches are by Americans, an assortment of historic words from leaders of a variety of other origins including Napoleon Bonaparte, Pericles of Athens, and Giuseppe Garibaldi of Italy. A truly soul-stirring anthology, illustrated with black-and-white photographs of the notable speakers.

The Forgotten 500
Gregory A. Freeman
New American Library
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3658
9780451222121, $23.95 www.penguin.com 1-800-847-5515

Award-winning writer and experienced journalist Gregory A. Freeman presents The Forgotten 500: The Untold Story of the Men Who Risked All for the Greatest Rescue Mission in World War II, the story of Operation Halyard - a mission to rescue American airmen who were shot down in Nazi-occupied Yugoslavia, and sheltered by Serbian villagers who risked their lives. To pull off Operation Halyard, the starving Americans in Yugoslavia had to construct a landing strip large enough for C-47 cargo planes without tools, without alerting the Germans, and without endangering the villagers. And the cargo planes that came to their rescue would have to traverse enemy airspace without being shot down. Extensively researched, The Forgotten 500 brings the daring true saga to life with compelling detail. A welcome addition to World War II shelves, sure to intrigue laymen and military historians alike.

PSI Spies
Jim Marrs
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
Warwick Associates (publicity)
18340 Sonoma Highway, Sonoma, CA 95476
9781564149602, $15.99 www.newpagebooks.com 1-800-227-3371

'Remote Viewing' is the term used to describe a psychic or paranormal ability to see places and events far removed from the normal line of physical sight. This would such psychically gifted men and women the perfect reconnaissance and information gatherers on an enemy's operations. In short, it would make them the perfect spy. What is not generally known is that the Russians during the height of the Cold War tried to develop a remote viewing program. When the American military discovered this, they embarked on a similar program. Award-winning journalist Jim Marrs lays out the entire story of this little known aspect to the Cold War confrontation between the Russians and the Americans in "Psi Spies: The True Story Of America's Psychic Warfare Program". He reveals how the U.S. Army trained men and women to try to psychically access secrets of Soviet command centers, missile complexes, biological warfare centers -- even the Kremlin itself. Also included are the stories of how skilled remote viewers learned about the fate of the Mars Observer that was 'lost' as it entered orbit around Mars; gained knowledge of a series of mysteries (the most prominent of which was the assassination of President John F. Kennedy); and even applying remote viewing to the legendary Loch Ness Monster. Of special note are the tips on how the reader can develop remote viewing abilities themselves! "Psi Spies" is a deftly written, thoroughly fascinating, informed and informative reading recommended for anyone with an interest in Metaphysical Studies and 20th Century American Military History.


The Business Shelf

The Truth About Hiring The Best
Cathy Fyock
FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780132381864, $18.99 www.fitpress.com

"The Truth About Hiring The Best" by employment strategist and consultant Cathy Fyock is organized into major sections dedicated to instructing human resource personnel and business managers on how to identify the best and most qualified candidates for hire; how to go about recruiting such employees; how to conduct the job interview; detailing the selection process in filling a vacancy; the use (and limitations) of panels, multiple interviews, background checks, tests, and other 'tools of the trade' in screening applicants and recruits; evaluating candidates and making effective offers of employment Showcasing fifty-three proven hiring principles, as well as numerous 'user friendly' techniques for recruiting the best employees as possible, "The Truth About Hiring The Best" should be considered as essential reading for anyone charged with the responsibility of recruiting and hiring employees for any local, regional, national, or international business.

Global Ambitions And Local Identities
Galit Ailon
Berghahn Books
150 Broadway, Suite 812, New York, NY 10038
1845451945, $60.00 www.berghahnbooks.com 1-800-540-8663

"Global Ambitions And Local Identities: An Israeli-American High-Tech Merger" by academician and organizational studies expert Galit Ailon (Lecturer at the Department of Sociology and Anthropology at Bar-Ilan University) is an articulate and informative study of a successful Israeli high-tech company's merger with an American competitor. Professor Ailon's research is based upon her considerable and in-depth fieldwork as she lays out the corporate realities underlying the statistics, balance sheets, and managerial prescriptions of the merger process. Of special note is the detailed account of everyday work life for those involved, and the debunking of myths often employed as arguments for (and against) globalization. The result is a superbly written descriptive analysis that is very strongly recommended, both as an acquisition to academic library collections in the fields of economics, business, politics, and anthropology, and also as an addition to the supplemental reading lists for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the process of contemporary multi-national corporate mergers.

Organization Change
W. Warner Burke
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781412926706, $46.95 www.sagepub.com 1-800-818-7243

Now in a completely updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Organization Change: Theory And Practice" by W. Warner Burke (Edward Lee Thorndike Professor of Psychology and Education at Teachers College, Columbia University, where he also serves as the Chair of the Department of Organization and Leadership) continues to be esteemed and recommended as a graduate school level text for university course work in the disciplines of industrial psychology, business administration, and organizational behavior. An invaluable resource for understanding and analyzing organizations be they corporate, governmental, or academic, this edition of "Organizational Change" is enhanced with a new chapter on 'Transformational Leadership' covering the fundamentals of leadership compared with management, transformational leadership, and the roles/responsibilities of the change leader. Also of note is the illuminating discussion on theories for understanding organization and change; as well as the evolutionary and revolutionary aspects of organization change. Professor Burke analytically discusses the nature of change and how organizational change is initiated by changing behavior, but not (as is commonly supposed) changes in mental sets or attributes. Enhanced with the inclusion of theoretical and illustrative models, as well as a model of meticulous and articulate scholarship, "Organizational Change" should be a part of every academic library reference collection and is especially recommended reading for students of the role of leadership in organizational evolution.

All The Tea In China
Jeremy Haft
Portfolio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
SJ Miller Communications (publicity)
10 Turning Mill Lane, Randolph, MA 02368
9781591841593, $25.95 www.us.penguingroup.com 1-800-847-5515

There is a growing clamor for regulation (if not downright protectionism) with respect to goods bearing the 'Made in China' label. Each week that goes by sees more Chinese products from food to toys to tires being recalled from the American market. Things have gotten so bad that the Chinese government has threatened economic retaliation against the US for this embarrassing state of affairs. That's why Jeremy Haft's "All The Tea In China: How To Buy, Sell, And Make Money On The Mainland" is so timely. Haft (founder of Schinab Inc., a firm that helps American companies buy and sell goods on the mainland of china by leveraging a platform of over 8,000 Chinese factories) offers American businesses seven specific steps to manage a smooth and profitable import chain that consists of doing 'due diligence'; reaching out to a customs broker; setting up financing; setting up commercial, engineering and regulatory terms (in writing!; obtaining as many buying commitments as possible before importing; monitoring documentation, cash, and time flows; and shipping in a correct and timely manner. Simply stated, "All The Tea In China" should be considered mandatory reading for any corporate executive seeking to do business with China -- as well as government agency employees tasked with regulation and quality control of Chinese products.

Manager's Desktop Consultant
Louellen N. Essex & Mitchell E. Kusy
Davies-Black Publishing
1055 Joaquin Road, #200, Mountain View, CA 94043-1243
C.S. Lewis Company (publicity)
196 Van Dale Road, Woodstock, NY 12498
9780891062332, $18.95 www.daviesblack.com 1-800-624-1765

The collaborative work of Louellen N. Essex (a Fellow of the Carlson School of Management's Executive Education Center at the University of Minnesota) and Mitchell E. Kusy (a Fulbright Scholar for International Organization Development and distinguished visiting professor at the University of Auckland, New Zealand), "Manager's Desktop Consultant: Just-in-Time Solutions To The Top People Problems That Keep You Up At Night" focuses on the problem of how to deal effectively with peers who aren't 'team players'; what to do when staff members resist change; managing difficult bosses, and dealing with organizational politics. An effective 'real-world' instruction guide replete with proven strategies, applicable techniques, and practical tools for managing intra-corporate conflict, and drawing upon illustrative scenarios, the "Manager's Desktop Consultant" describes problem situations commonly encountered and then lays out the key action strategies whose application will result in conflict resolution and management success. A very strongly recommended addition to business management reading lists and reference shelves, "Manager's Desktop Consultant" is enhanced with an epilogue (Our Final Words of Advice), references for further reading, and an index.

The Future Of Management
Gary Hamel & Bill Breen
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422102503, $26.95 www.HBSPress.org 1-800-668-6780

A very strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Business & Management reference collections, "The Future Of Management" by Gary Hamel (Visiting Professor of Strategic and International Management at the London Business School) was written with the assistance of Bill Breen (founding senior editor and senior projects editor of the business magazine 'Fast Company'), focuses on answering a set of questions tied to changing corporate agendas through management innovation. Through a process of analyzing management assumptions, traditions, processes and resources, corporate officers and institutional leaders can more readily adapt to changing market conditions, best utilize their company's human resources and talents, and create viable competitive advantages in volatile and technologically evolving industries. "The Future Of Management" uses real-world examples of such innovative and successful management innovators as Google, W. L. Gore, and Whole Foods. The core message, and one that should be carefully studied by MBA students and corporate officers alike, is that future corporate success will necessitate the creation of organizations that are as adaptable and innovative as possible -- and that, in turn, will require managers to utilize their company's human talent pool to help create those innovations and adaptations.


The Cookbook Shelf

Extreme Barbecue
Dan Huntley and Lisa Grace Leonicer
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94107
0811853187, $18.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

EXTREME BARBECUE: SMOKIN' RIGS AND REAL GOOD RECIPES is a fun blend of unusual barbecue recipes and a visual focus on unusual or 'extreme' barbecue rigs, from a rig composed of sawhorses and a tin roof to a homemade cob oven. Whether you choose the rig route or the plain ole Weber, any library catering to patrons who 'que will love EXTREME BARBECUE: the blend of vignettes and notes from such adventurers melds well with recipes such as Caribbean Meat Loaf or Oysters in Thick Cream, creating a memorable, fine and unique 'que cookbook.

Yum!
Jeffrey Spear & Dara Bunjon
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826166, $28.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com 1-888-439-2665

An impressive collection of kitchen cook friendly, gourmet quality, nutritious and delicious recipes suitable for all dining occasions, "Yum!: Tasty Recipes From Culinary Greats" offers more than 100 dishes contributed by sixty of the best professional chefs in the culinary world who donated their recipes to food author Dara Bunjon and gourmet chef Jeffery Spear as a contribution to the American Kidney Foundation -- who receives the proceeds from the sales of this outstanding cookbook. Beautifully illustrated with color photography showing off not only the finished dishes but the chefs who created them (along with their brief biographies), "Yum!" truly lives up to its title with such offerings as: 'Nora Poullon's Carpaccio with Arugula, Shaved Parmesan & Mustard-Caper Sauce'; Caprial and John Pence's 'Pan-Fried Oysters with Ginger Creme Fraiche and Peppers'; Nick Malgieri's 'Gruyere and Bacton Tart'; Charlie Trotter's 'Cold-Poached Salmon with Hearts of Palm and Tamarind'; and Jennifer Bushman's 'Grilled Salmon Fillets with Lime Ginger Butter', just to name a few! If you only have room enough on your kitchen cookbook shelf for one more, make it "Yum!".

Recipe Of The Week: Cookies
Sally Sampson
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
9780471921905, $16.95 www.wiley.com 1-800-225-5945

A senior writer for 'Cooks Illustrated Magazine', Sally Sampson is the author of seven previous cookbooks and the co-author of six more. Now she has added another culinary title to her impressive list: "Recipe Of The Week: Cookies" showcasing fifty-two quick and easy recipes for turning out delicious cookies on a weekly basis all year long. Superbly illustrated with full color photography, this highly recommended and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' collection of recipes ranges from Gingersnaps; Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies; Espresso Shortbread; and Orange Almond Cookies; to Jenny deBell's Snickerdoodles; Annie Fischel's Meringues; Coco Toffee Chunk Cookies; and Almond Coconut Macaroons. Especially recommended for dedicated cookie enthusiasts, "Recipe Of The Week: Cookies" will prove to be an especially popular addition to family and community library cookbook collections!

The Vegetarian Passport Cookbook
Linda Woolven
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
311 Washington Street, Brighton, MA 02135-3303
1550413317, $24.95 www.fitzhenry.ca

Canadian master herbalist, certified acupuncturist, and expert in the field of natural health, Linda Woolven has compiled the recipes and instructions for more than 350 superb vegetarian dishes that are healthy, delicious, easy to prepare, gourmet quality, and healthy. Drawn from more than fifteen different countries and regions around the world, the recipes range from snacks and breads, to dips and desserts, to salads and stews, to desserts and beverages. Of special note is the grain and bean chart, and the tips on fats. From Chinese White Bean Pate (Asia); Chilled Cucumber Soup (Morocco); Ziti Pasta (Italy); and Chickpea Loaf (North America); to Spicy Beans (Portugal); Double Stuffed Peppers (Peru); Cheese Souffle (France); and Scalloped Potato with Kale (England), "The Vegetarian Passport Cookbook: Simple Dishes From Around The World" is an impressive and recommended addition to the vegetarian cookbook shelf -- and ethnic regional cuisine collections as well.

The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook
Nancy S. Hughes
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
9781580402781, $16.95 www.diabetes.org 1-800-342-2383

In "The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook" cookbook author, food consultant, and nutritionist Nancy S. Hughes has compiled simple and delicious recipes for entrees, side dishes and desserts using four ingredients (or less) that are especially suitable and suited to the dietary needs of diabetics. Quick and easy to prepare, the recipes range from Pineapple-Apricot Fizz; Lemony Asparagus Spear Salad; Peach Barbecued Chicken; and Chili Stuffed Potatoes; to Taco-Spiced Rice; Skillet Roasted Veggies; Zesty Beef Patties with Grilled Onions; and Frozen Chocolate Peanut Butter Layered Pie. Of special note are the 'Cook's Tips' that accompany each of the recipes. "The 4-Ingredient Diabetes Cookbook" is a welcome and very highly recommended addition to diabetes relevant cookbook collections.

Southern Living Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites
Elizabeth Taliaferro
Oxmoor House
c/o Leisure Arts Inc.
5701 Ranch Drive, Little Rock, AR 72223-9633
9780848731281, $24.95 www.leisurearts.com 1-800-643-8030

In "Southern Living Busy Moms Weeknight Favorites", Elizabeth Taliaferro has compiled 130 suppers suitable for family dinners. Each of these dinners is complete with a menu, a grocery list, nutrition information, and dependable, 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes. These easy-to-prepare dinners are especially notable for how quickly they can be put together making them ideal for time-stressed wives and mothers. Beautifully illustrated throughout with full-color photographs, the dishes range from Monte Cristo Sandwiches (Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 12 minutes); to Hearty Brunswick Stew (preparation time 5 minutes, cooking time 25 minutes); to Tuscan Pork Chops (preparation time 6 minutes, cooking time 11 minutes); to Bacon-Wrapped Chicken Thighs (preparation time 20 minutes, cooking time 60 minutes). Each one of these 130 suppers present palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, gourmet quality dishes that will grace any family table any night of the week.

Western National Parks' Lodges Cookbook
Kathleen Bryant
Northland Publishing
PO Box 1389, Flagstaff, AZ 86002
9780873589000, $24.95 www.northlandpub.com 1-800-346-3257

The national parks of the American west have had lodges and camping facilities in service to visitors from the very beginning of the national park movement. Some of these lodges are as memorable for their cuisine as they are for their scenery. Travel writer and food connoisseur Kathleen Brant has created a showcase compendium featuring some of the best of these lodges and what they have to offer the discerning gourmet in a collection of authentic recipes that are beautifully illustrated, simple to follow, and result in quality dishes that would grace any family dining occasion. Of special note are the anecdotal stories and histories of the lodges from which these recipes derive. From Roasted Granny Apple Bisque with Apple-Ginger Compote and Curry Creme Fraiche; Wassail Punch; Tuscan Pancetta Soup; and Grilled Artichokes; to Bourbon Buffalo Meatloaf; Watermelon, Tomato, and Feta Salad; Cinnamon-Dusted Pork Tenderloin with Raspberry Balsamic Sauce; and Salmon Rucko; "Western National Parks' Lodges Cookbook" offers unique dishes, making it a worth and recommended addition to any family or community library cookbook collection!

Sweety Pies
Patty Pinner
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781561588480, $23.00 www.taunton.com 1-800-477-8727

Mouth-wateringly illustrated with showcase quality color photography, "Sweety Pies: an Uncommon Collection Of Womanish Observations, With Pie" is a compendium that combines outstanding recipes for a variety of impressive pies with anecdotal commentaries by Patty Pinner about the women with whom many of these recipes are associated. The recipes are arranged in chapters for Berry Pies; Cereal Pies; Cream & Custard Pies; Fruit Pies; Nut & Sweet Vegetable Pies; and Meringue Pies. Of special note is the beginning chapter dedicated to the culinary subject pie crusts. From Dexarae Triplett's Mixed Berry Pie; Carlean's Sweet Potato-Coconut Custard Pie; Sister Chestermae Hayes's Apple Butter Pie; and Benita's Any Flavor Cobbler; to Mayor Ham's Brown Sugar Peach Pie; Alberta Beasley's Decadent Pecan Pie; Mamma's Zucchini Cobbler; and Daddy's Mother's Blueberry Meringue Pie, "Sweety Pies" is a thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' and very highly recommended addition to any family or community library cookbook collection.

A Finnish Christmas Cookbook
Sargit Warringer & Liisa Krumsieg
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
0878391339, $14.95 www.northstarpress.com 1-888-820-1636

In "A Finnish Christmas Cookbook: Recipes And Traditions From The Old Country", long-time Wisconsin residents Sargit Warriner and Liisa Krumsieg have collaborated to compile and organize the recipes for a series of time-honored and Christmas season appropriate dishes from the culinary heritage of Finland that would grace any family meal or celebratory occasion. Also featured along with the ethnic cuisine, are the Christmas traditions of Finland. From Kotikalja (Homemade Beer); Suolattu lohi (Salted Salmon); Imelletetty perunalaatikko (Sweetened Potao Casserole); and Luumukiisseli (Prune Pudding); to Karinin voirinkilat (Karin's Butter Rings); Jouhatortut (Christmas Tarts); Sekahedelmakeitto (Mixed Fruit Soup); and Kola karamellit (Kola Candies), "A Finnish Christmas Cookbook" is a simply wonderful compendium of kitchen cook friendly recipes that even the most novice of family chefs can accomplish with ease. Of special note are the traditional menus described and offered, as well as a handy Recipe Index. "A Finnish Christmas Cookbook" is especially recommended for family and community multi-ethnic cookbook collections.

12 Steps to Raw Foods
Victoria Boutenko
North Atlantic Books
1435 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781556436512, $16.95 1-800-788-3123

Though 12 Steps to Raw Foods: How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Food features plenty of recipes, its purpose is to be the antithesis of "cookbooks" per se - author and raw-food diet teacher Victoria Boutenko extols the benefits of raw foods and the disadvantages of cooked foods (notably that cooking often destroys nutrients) to the extent of describing a diet of cooked foods as a "dependency". Now in a revised and expanded edition, 12 Steps to Raw Foods is also a vegan food preparation book, eschewing all meat, milk, egg-based foods. The preponderance of 12 Steps to Raw Foods is devoted not to recipes, but to convincing the reader to switch to an entirely raw-food vegan diet, as well as tips, tricks, techniques for making the transition. The main segments are "Why Raw Food?", "Human Dependency on Cooked Food", "How to End Your Dependency on Cooked Food" and "Recipes". The first three segments are filled with tips, tricks, and techniques for dealing with cravings for cooked food, and the recipes range from raw green smoothies to gazpacho to nut or seed cheese, non-cooked vegan burgers, non-cooked vegan pizza, and much more. A "must" for anyone interested in exploring the health benefits of a raw-food vegan diet.


The Railroading Shelf

Railroads Across North America
Claude Wiatrowski
Voyageur Press
380 Jackson Street, Suite 200, St. Paul, MN 55101
9780760329764, $29.95 www.mbipublishing.com 1-800-458-0454

Train travel enthusiast and photographer Claude Wiatrowski is a member of the Colorado Midland Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society; the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society; The Colorado Railroad Museum; The Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad; Friends of the East Broad Top; the Nevada Northern Railway Museum; the Pikes Peak Historical Street Railway Foundation; and the Lexington Group in Transportation History. He is therefore in a particularly knowledgeable position to create a profusely illustrated history of American railroads, and has done so with "Railroads Across North America: An Illustrated History", an amazingly informed and informative 256-page compendium of information and images ranges from the first steam-powered locomotives of the 1800s down to the high-speed commuter trains of today. Enhanced with a descriptive listing of historical societies and other railroad organizations, as well as a section devoted to preserved railways, museums and historic sites, ""Railroads Across North America" also includes a bibliography and a comprehensive index, making it an ideal and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library railroading reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Art Shelf

Piero Lissoni
Daab Books, Editors
Daab Publishers
9783866540279, $24.95 www.daab-online.com www.amazon.com

Piero Lissoni could be one of the most prolific, yet understated, designers in Italy - his works abound there, but scarcely receive media attention. Yet his impact on international design is evident everywhere, making PIERO LISSONI an essential acquisition for any library strong in architectural design and modern architecture history - especially European architecture. Lissoni is both a designer and a graphic artist: his title is packed with color photos of the extent of his works, making it a key acquisition for any serious college-level art and architecture collection.

The Society Portrait From David To Warhol
Gabriel Badea-Paun
The Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
9780865651838, $75.00 www.amazon.com

Featuring two hundred full color photographic reproductions, "The Society Portrait From David To Warhol" by art historian Gabriel Badea-Paun showcases society portraits of the nineteenth and early twentieth century in terms of their images and iconography. An impressively diverse yet representative gallery of portraits dating from the early 1800s to the post-World War II era, many of these works of art were painted society portraits by artists for whom portraiture was a full-time occupation. The artist range from Jacque-Louis Davide (considered a master of Classicism); to Andy Warhol (the acknowledge and legendary guru of Pop Art); to Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingress 9known for his linear and rigorous portraits); to John Singer Sargent (who depicted the nobility and plutocracy associated with the Gilded Age); to Giovanni Boldini (noted for his renderings of literary and theatrical personalities). An impressive and seminal work, "The Society Portrait From David To Warhol" is a critically important and essential addition for personal, professional, and academic library History of Art reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Informed and informative, it is also very highly recommended and quite appropriate as a community library Memorial Fund acquisition.

Walter Baumhofer
John Gunnison
Adventure House
914 Laredo Road, Silver Spring, MD 20901
188693794X, $20.00 www.adventurehouse.com

In "Walter Baumhofer: Pulp Art Masters", John Gunnison showcases the pulp magazine artist who produced the first images for Doc Savage Magazine and a host of other publications in the 1920s and 1930s. His range of cover art included dramatic images for virtually all pulp magazine genres including gangsters, airmen, cowboys, soldiers, villains, and adventures. He is best remembered for his iconic characters such as Doc Save, The Man of Bronze. From his beginning work with the publishing firm of Street & Smith, to his last works done for Popular Publications, he raised the level of this specialized and commercial form of popular art to the level of fine art through his use of unified designs, color, and visual drama. This compendium of cover art images (each of which is noted as to its publication source and date) will prove to be a prized possession for pulp magazine art enthusiasts and a highly recommended addition to both academic and community library 20th Century American Art History reference collections.

Poussin
Christopher Wright
Chaucer Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781904449584, $60.00 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Considered to be the founder of seventeenth century French classical painting, Nicholas Poussin is esteemed as one of the most influential artists of his time. "Poussin" by art historian Christopher Wright is the analytical biography of this great artist's life and work. Superbly illustrated throughout in full color, Poussin's stylistic development from his experimental early pictures in Rome through the uncompromising works of his later years is laid out beautifully in chronological order. From his birth in 1594 to his death in 1665, "Poussin" is a truly definitive work, the result of years of meticulous and original research translated for the non-specialist general reader by a master historian. Simply stated, no academic or community library Art History collection can be considered definitive or comprehensive without the inclusion of Christopher Wright's "Poussin".

The Impressionists At Leisure
Pamela Todd
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500238394, $40.00 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com 1-800-233-4830

"The Impressionists At Leisure" by art historian Pamela Todd not only showcases a series of Impressionist paintings ranging from Renoir's picknickers in the countryside, to Degas' elegant race goers, to Morisot's opera enthusiasts, it also includes a broad and original selections of lesser known works, as well as excerpts from diaries and letters revealing the artist's own interests, passions, pleasers, and attitudes about their work and the subjects they chose to paint. From the bars and restaurants of Paris, to tranquil days on the river, to ice rinks, gardens, and seaside holidays, the images have become some of the most respected works in 19th and 20th century art history. Pamela Todd's articulate and informative text clearly documents the zest for life that characterized the Impressionist era painters. "The Impressionists At Leisure" is a seminal work that should be a part of every personal and academic Art History reference collection -- and would make an excellent choice as a community library Memorial Fund acquisition selection.

Mountains Of The Heart
Kameda Bosai
George Braziller, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, Suite 1105, New York, NY 10016
9780807615874, $20.00 www.georgebraziller.com 1-800-233-4830

Kameda Bosai is a Japanese poet and master of the 'ehon' (art-book) literary and artistic tradition of his country. The poetry and paintings of Kameda Bosai as compiled in the pages of this superbly presented edition of "Mountains of The Heart" elegantly portray the relationship between human beings and their environment. This poet/artist depicts homes lost in the mists of immense foothills, small figures wandering through rolling valleys, the transience of roads and buildings with the permanence of their natural surroundings. This is a book to be browsed through with an inevitable appreciation for a master storyteller and keen observer whose ability to inspire through a brush stroke and inform through an image both verbal and visually is enduringly impressive. "Mountains Of The Heart" is strongly recommended for personal, academic, and community library Japanese Culture & Art collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Empowered: Volume 2
Adam Warren
Dark Horse Comics, Inc.
10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222
9781593078164, $14.95 www.darkhorse.com

The second volume starring the barely clad exploits of an aspiring but less than impressive super heroine who calls herself 'Empowered', writer/artist Adam Warren continues to demonstrate a superb sense of wit, whimsey, and humor that ranges from slapstick to gallows. "Empowered" is a compilation of short (some very short) individual stories of our plucky gal whose powers depend on her skin-tight body suit, a garment that is easily torn (read shredded) resulting in the loss of her superpowers. The result is her almost inevitable capture and bondage by the bad guys (and gals). Humiliation is the result -- and not just from the bad guys! Her boy friend and ninja girlfriend are solidly behind her. Her super team mates somewhat less so. Readers who appreciate a manga style artwork, a wickedly clever short story, a lovely semi-clad female form of the buxom variety, and a rollicking fun read will not only enjoy this second volume of "Empowered", but will avidly seek out Volume 1, and line up at their favorite comic book shop awaiting the arrival of Volume 3!

The Best Of Mutts
Patrick McDonnell
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
9780740768446, $24.95 www.andrewsmcmeel.com 1-800-851-8923

Patrick McDonnell's legendary comic strip showcasing the adventures and observations of Earl the dog and Mooch the cat entertained readers throughout its 300+ strip history. These two unlikely buddies were supported by a cast of memorable characters that included Shtinky Puddin', Sourpuss, and Guard Dog. Deftly embedded in this popular newspaper cartoon series were lessons on love, friendship, animal advocacy, and pet ownership. Now Andrews & McMeel have meticulously published "The Best Of Mutts" featuring McDonnel's own hand-picked favorites from the dailies and the Sunday strips over the past ten years. the cartoons are arranged into ten chapters, each of which is enhanced with an introduction by McDonnell. A welcome addition to any personal or community library collection, "The Best Of Mutts" will well serve to introduce a whole new generation to a superbly crafted series that is as popular today as when it first appeared so many years ago.

Kurohime 1
Masanori Ookamigumi Katakura
Viz Communications Inc.
295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
9781421513669, $7.99 www.viz.com 1-800-394-3042

Kurohime volume 1 is the debut collection of a brand-new shonen (intended especially for boys and action-fans) manga by Japanese creator Masanori Ookamigumi Katakura. In his own words, Katakura has crammed Kurohime cover to cover with everything he loves, and it's all here: sexy women, blazing guns, gigantic summoned monsters, villains, heroes, and everything in between. Kurohime herself is a master of "witch bullets" with the power to call slavering fantastic beasts; her arrogance led her to confront the gods themselves, and they punished her with a curse that traps her in a near-powerless preteen body! Only by experiencing love can she break the curse - but love is a foreign emotion to the self-centered Kurohime. But when she crosses paths with a teenaged gunslinger she once rescued from death and inspired to pursue justice, her fleeting feelings of affection have the power to overcome the curse, if only momentarily! An episodic adventure blending fantasy and wild west themes, with a clean, smooth art style and excitement leaping off every page.

The Complete Peanuts 1965 to 1966
Charles Schulz
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
9781560977247, $28.95 www.fantagraphics.com 1-800-657-1100

The Complete Peanuts 1965 to 1966 continues Fantagraphics Books' laudable project of collecting and publishing all of Charles Schulz's "Peanuts" comic strips. This definitive edition features an introduction by Hal Hartley, and chronicles Charlie Brown's visit to summer camp, where he makes a new friend named Roy - who in turn introduces him to the audacious, enthusiastic, sandle-wearing young girl Peppermint Patty! Other sagas include Snoopy's exploits fighting the Red Baron, Charlie Brown's promotion to school safety patrol, and the Van Pelt family's move (as well as the surprising effect the impending loss of Lucy has on young Schroeder!) A true treasure, enjoyable cover to cover and a "must-have" for Peanuts collectors.


The Gardening Shelf

Fall Scaping
Nancy J. Ondra & Stephanie Cohen
Storey Books
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781580176804, $22.95 www.storeybooks.com 1-800-827-8673

It past years, the fall season was considered as one of harvesting and getting flower beds and gardens cleaned up and ready for the winter. However the autumn of the year with its rainbow of foliage colors, visually attractive fruits, berries, and seedheads, and mild climatic conditions have changed the thinking of dedicated gardeners and landscapers as to what can be accomplished before the setting in of winter snows. This new concept of continuing to garden and brighten late-season landscapes is called 'fall scaping'. Now there is an illustrated instruction manual called "Fall Scaping: Extending Your Garden Season Into Autumn" which is a collaboration by horticultural experts Nancy J. Ondra and Stephanie Cohen featuring ten complete garden plans that combine flowers, trees, shrubs, ground covers, and grasses that are not only visually impressive in the fall, but designed to provide three-season appeal over a wide range of post-summer growing conditions. Of special note is a 'Fall Garden Care Primer' offers tips and techniques on planting, transplanting, staking, pruning, and maintaining gardens all year long. There is also cogent counsel on preparing plants for winter, as well as properly cleaning and storing gardening hand tools and power equipment. Thoroughly 'user friendly' and profusely illustrated by the full color photography of Rob Cardillo, "Fall Scaping" is very strongly recommended for any gardener with an interest in continuing to maximize their gardens during September, October, and November.

Complete Roses
Field Roebuck
Creative Homeowner
PO Box 38, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458-0038
9781580113724, $16.95 www.creativehomeowner.com 1-800-631-7795

A beautifully illustrated 175-page compendium of information, instructions, and examples, Field Roebuck's "Complete Roses features one hundred gardener friendly species of roses that even the most novice horticulturalist can successfully grow by following the expert, step-by-step process for choosing, planting, and caring for the most popular flower in the country. Each rose is provided with a complete description of type, classification, and growing habits. Of special note are the tips for propagation and container planting, safe methods for pets and disease control, and best types of soil and fertilizers. With more than 280 color photos and illustrations, "Complete Roses" is a superbly organized and "user friendly" introduction, making it a particularly welcome addition for personal and community library gardening reference collections.

Mountain Wildflowers Of The Southern Rockies
Carolyn Dodson & William W. Dunmire
University of New Mexico Press
MSC04 2820
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826342447, $17.95 www.unmpress.com 1-800-249-7737

Mountain Wildflowers Of The Southern Rockies: Revealing Their Natural History" is the work of retired academician Carolyn Dodson (University of New Mexico General Library) and William W. Dunmire (Associate in Biology at the University of New Mexico). The result of this impressive collaboration is a superbly illustrated and enthusiastically recommended field guide to the principle wildflowers most commonly associated with Southern Rocky Mountain landscapes during the high country seasons ranging spring through to the end of fall. This mountain range runs from Taos, New Mexico to Casper Wyoming, and from Colorado Springs to Boulder on the east and west, to Grand Junction. Featuring 201 color photos, 58 line drawings, and a map, "Mountain Wildflowers Of The Southern Rockies" offers 192 pages of informed and informative information including each featured plant's physical description as a wildflower, the plants individual roles in human history, their relationship with birds and insects, their origins and family characteristics, as well as their evolutionary details. From western wallflower, columbine, larkspur, shooting star, and lupine, to water hemlock, primrose, flax, scarlet penstemon, and bluebells, the flowers showcased in this very highly recommended reference include the individual flower's Latin name. Featuring a glossary, suggested references, a selected bibliography, and an index, "Mountain Wildflowers Of The Southern Rockies" could well serve as a template for similar field guides for wildflowers in other sections of the country.

Complete Roses
Field Roebuck
Creative Homeowner
PO Box 38, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458-0038
9781580113724, $16.95 www.creativehomeowner.com 1-800-631-7795

A beautifully illustrated 175-page compendium of information, instructions, and examples, Field Roebuck's "Complete Roses features one hundred gardener friendly species of roses that even the most novice horticulturalist can successfully grow by following the expert, step-by-step process for choosing, planting, and caring for the most popular flower in the country. Each rose is provided with a complete description of type, classification, and growing habits. Of special note are the tips for propagation and container planting, safe methods for pets and disease control, and best types of soil and fertilizers. With more than 280 color photos and illustrations, "Complete Roses" is a superbly organized and "user friendly" introduction, making it a particularly welcome addition for personal and community library gardening reference collections.


The Philosophy Shelf

101 Ethical Dilemmas, 2nd Edition
Martin Cohen
Routledge
270 Madison, New York NY 10016
9780415404006, $19.95 www.routledge.com

The second updated edition of the classic 101 Ethical Dilemmas provides both high school and college-level audiences an engaging discussion offering eleven new ethical dilemmas for consideration. The examples offer a range of dilemmas from a variety of fields, from business and legal conflicts to medical worlds, and consider issues of justice, ethics, and good practice. An important and easy, lively introduction to the field of ethics will prove solid classroom debate material and accessible to a range of newcomers to the topic, and lay readers.

Psyche: Inventions of the Other Volume 1
Jacques Derrida, author
Peggy Kamuf and Elizabeth Rottenberg, editors
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804747998, $24.95 www.sup.org

Psyche: Inventions of the Other Volume 1 is the first English-language publication of the essay collection that Professor of Humanities Jacques Derrida (1930-2004) originally published in two volumes in 1998 and 2003. The assembly of essays present Derrida's thinking on a wide assortment of topics including psychoanalysis, theater, translation, literature, representation, racism, and nuclear war. Also present are Derrida's engagement with the ideas of well-known thinkers and writers such as Barthes, Benjamin, de Man, Flaubert, Freud, Heidegger, Lacoue-Labarthe, Levinas, and Ponge. "Deliberate self-limitation gives psychoanalysis its only chance as a science. It isolates a context into which external randomness no longer penetrates. Biogenetics is not devoid of randomness and neither is the psyche, but the orders or the random sequences must not communicate or cross over within the same set, at least if one wants to distinguish between orders of calculable necessity. There must be no bastardizing or hybridization, no accidental grafts between these two generalities, genres, or genealogies. But one might ask the author of 'Leonardo,' how is one to eliminate the dice throws of bastardy? Is not the concept of sublimation, like that of the drive, precisely the concept of bastardy?" A highly analytical and thoughtful compendium of meticulous reasoning, and a welcome addition to philosophy shelves and college libraries.

Image And Paradigm In Plato's Sophist
David Ambuel
Parmenides Publishing
3753 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 200, Las Vegas, NV 89109
University of Chicago Press, distributor
1427 East 60th Street, Chicago, IL 60637
9781930972049, $32.00 www.parmenides.com 1-800-621-2736

"Image And Paradigm In Plato's Sophist" by David Ambuel (Associate Professor of Philosophy and the Kurt F. Leidecker Chair of Asian Studies at Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia) provides contemporary students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the writings of Plato with a new translation of Plato's dialogue, the 'Sophist', along with a comprehensive and articulate commentary that quite reverse dominant trends in mainstream philosophical theories. Professor Ambuel demonstrates and documents that this late dialogue presented with his own unconventional, yet thoughtful and thought-provoking interpretation is a defense of Plato's metaphysics and not a radical departure from them. Lucid, insightful, reasoned, and iconoclastic, "Image And Paradigm In Plato's Sophist" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to academic library Philosophy reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Archaeology Shelf

Archaeology
Timothy Insoll
Duckworth
c/o International Publishers Marketing (IPM)
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9780715634578, $22.00 www.ducknet.co.uk 1-800-758-3756

Part of the 'Duckworth Debates In Archaeology' series, "Archaeology: The Conceptual Challenge" by Timothy Insoll (Professor of Archaeology at the University of Manchester, England) addresses the central question as to whether or not the primary purpose of archaeology is to 'reconstruct a past in our own image, chained solely to our own unacknowledged emotional, intellectual, and philosophical traditions?'. Professor Insoll brings new insights and reasoned argument to fundamental concepts and assumptions ranging from the global to the local, including notions of time, age, and experience; textual, oral, visual, and digital culture; as well as nature, animals and the wild. Of special note is the chapter 'Conclusion' in which Professor Insoll deftly brings together his arguments and observations on the questions and issues that he has raised throughout this accessible written text that is recommended reading for both academics and non-specialist general readers with an interest in archaeological issues. Also very highly recommended and part of this same "Duckworth Debates In Archaeology' series is Tadhg O'Keeffe's "Archaeology and the Pan-European Romanesque" (9780715634349, $22.00).


The American History Shelf

Days On The Family Farm
Carrie A. Meyer
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
9780816650330, $17.95 www.upress.umn.edu

"Days On The Family Farm: From The Golden Age Through The Great Depression" by Carrie A. Meyer (who grew up on an Illinois farm and went on to teach economics at George Mason University) is a memoir based history of life on a Midwestern farm from the beginning of the twentieth century to World War II as recorded in a daily chronicle kept by farm wife May Lyford Davis. The result is an entertaining and informative 'window into time' through which is revealed an American yesteryear when May and her husband Elmo experienced life on a farm through two decades of prosperity, the bleak years of the Great Depression, and the impact of two World Wars upon their Midwestern farming community of friends and neighbors. Articulate, detailed, personable, "Days On The Family Farm" is the story of a farmer's life marked by description of what was bought and sold, the evolution of farming practices and technologies from horse drawn plows to tractors, what was planted and harvested, temperatures and rainfall, births an deaths, even the impact of wind on the work of farming. Simply stated, "Days On The Family Farm" is an engaging and articulate read and a highly recommended addition to any personal or community library collection.

Creating Minnesota
Annette Atkins
Minnesota Historical Society Press
345 Kellogg Boulevard, West, St. Paul, MN 55102-1906
9780873515962, $27.95 www.mnhs.org/mhspress 1-800-647-7827

"Creating Minnesota: A History From The Inside Out" by Annette Atkins (Professor of History at Saint John's University and the College of Saint Benedict) is a superbly written history of how Minnesota evolved from a wilderness territory into a modern American state. In a model of accessible scholarship, Professor Atkins lays out Minnesota's achievement of statehood amidst the competing interests of indigenous natives, traders, farmers, townsmen, and politicians. There are illustrative and fascinating stories such as the family in St. Paul who managed to celebrate Christmas in 1898 with fruit that originated some 1,500 miles from their home. Professor Atkins also includes a photo essay of Minnesota communities as recorded by the cameras of local and itinerant photographers; the role of the railroads; even such culinary traditions as pan-fried walleye and walleye quesadillas. Very strongly recommended for personal, school, and community library American History collections in general, and Minnesota History shelves in particular, "Creating Minnesota" is an entertaining a read as it is informed and informative.

The End Of The Innocence
Lawrence R. Samuel
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
081560890X, $29.95 www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu 1-800-365-8929

With extensive footnotes, an extended bibliography, and occasionally illustrated with historic black-and-white photography, "The End Of The Innocence: The 1964-1965 New York World's Fair" by Lawrence R. Samuel is a descriptive analysis of the New York World's Fair that ran from April 1964 to October 1965 and was attended by approximately fifty-two million people. A seminal event of its decade, and reflective of the cultural climate in which it occurred, this World's Fair had a powerful and enduring impact on the nation which was, for the overwhelming majority of its visitors, was consistently positive, often inspirational, and occasionally transcendent. Held just five months after President John F. Kennedy's assassination, the World Fair was held in a time of turbulence that included American participation in the Vietnam War and an emerging counter-culture among the youth. But the Fair showcased the postwar American dream of an optimistic future. A work of meticulous scholarship combined with Samuel's narrative skill as a writer, "The End Of The Innocence" is especially recommended to the attention of students of American popular culture, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in 20th Century American history.

Popular Ideologies
Susan Smulyan
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4112
9780812240207, $35.00 www.upenn.edu/pennpress 1-800-537-5487

In "Popular Ideologies: Mass Culture At Mid-Century" by Susan Smulyan (Associate Professor of American Civilization at Brown University) provides an extended, comprehensive, and documented argument that American popular culture provided more than just escapism from the traumas of the 20th century that ranged from economic depression and racism, to cultural conflicts and global wars, it served as a way where the producers of the various and diverse elements of that popular culture sought to impose ideas of race, class, gender, and nationhood upon the consuming public -- and their responses to those efforts. From minstrel skits performed on vaudeville stages to women encountering new products like nylon stockings, to the Hollywood film industry, to disaffected Madison Avenue men writing best-selling novels, the various elements comprising and creating American popular culture, including leisure activities, were forms of mass communication shaping the dominant culture -- with these influences often having their social and political origins in American subcultures. And how, throughout the decades of the 20th century, these influences evolved from being the results of audience input to the expression of increasingly powerful institutions. The result is that in the beginning decade of the 21st century, disaffected individuals are turning to marginal forms ranging from Japanese anime to campus cultural shows to emancipate themselves from contemporary mass media, corporate America mainstream culture in ways similar to those experienced by earlier generations of "amateur minstrels, stocking buyers, movie-goers, as well as the authors and readers of popular novels. Informative and intrinsically fascinating reading, "Popular Ideologies" is an impressive work of seminal and meticulous scholarship that should be a part of every academic and community library 20th Century American History and American Popular Culture reference collection and supplemental reading list..


The World History Shelf

Death in the Pot
Morton Satin
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591025146, $24.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

DEATH IN THE POT: THE IMPACT OF FOOD POISONING ON HISTORY is an intriguing college-level survey of how food poisoning has affected history, whether the poisoning was intentional or unintentional. From an early 5th century Athens plague probably caused by contaminated cereals which led to their defeat in the Peloponnesian War to efforts to make modern food safer, this is a fine history packed with footnoted references and perfect for both college-level history and health collections alike.

The Corporation That Changed the World
Nick Robins
Pluto Press
c/o University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
0745325238, $24.95 www.plutobooks.com

The British East India Company is one of the world's most famous: founded in 1600, it began as an Asian spice trading company and ended up running Britain's Indian empire. Given its importance it's amazing to consider that The Corporation That Changed the World: How the East India Company Shaped the Modern Multinational is actually the first coverage of the company to reveal its history and social record. College-level libraries strong in either world history or business will find this an intriguing discussion.

William F. Cody's Wyoming Empire
Robert E. Bonner
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK
9780806138299, $32.95 www.oupress.com

Old West showman William 'Buffalo Bill' Cody was more than just a notorious outlaw: he was a land developer, town promoter, and showman. WILLIAM F. CODY'S WYOMING EMPIRE: THE BUFFALO BILL NOBODY KNOWS is a blend of history and biography especially suitable for college-level American history collections focusing on frontier times: it surveys his life, offers over twenty photos, and considers the reality behind the character. An engrossing, different portrait stands out from the crowd of books on Cody's life and career.

The Papers of Joseph Henry: January 1866 - May 1878
Marc Rothenberg, Editor
Science History Publications
c/o Watson Publishing
Box 1240, Sagamore Beach, MA 02562-1240
0881353906, $110.00 www.shpusa.com

The eleventh volume of this weighty college-level scholarly collection covers the years 1866 to 1878, when Henry emerged as a leader of American science and guided his creation, the Smithsonian Institution, in recovering from the Civil War. He also guided the newfound National Academy of Sciences and worked to convince his contemporary philanthropists to emulate James Smithson and fund original research. His papers reflect all of his efforts and are a key part of American history. The series has recently won the Eugene Ferguson Prize; volume twelve, a cumulative index, is forthcoming.

The World Map 1300-1492
Evelyn Edson
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
0801885892, $50.00 www.press.jhu.edu

THE WORLD MAP 1300-1492: THE PERSISTENCE OF TRADITION AND TRANSFORMATION is an excellent choice for any college-level collection strong in cartographic or world history: it investigates the state of maps before Columbus, beginning with a 1436 atlas of ten maps produced by Bianco and using maps of the 14th and 15th centuries to consider how missionaries and merchants changed the state and presentation of the world. Makers and users of maps struggled with both technological change and changing world views brought on by discover, and mapmakers often blended old and new worlds to reconcile tensions between opposing viewpoints. The result is a fine, unusual perspective of world history and cartographic influences.

The Roman Army
Pat Southern
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
9780195328783, $24.95 www.oup.com 1-800-451-7556

Now available in an affordable paperback edition published by Oxford University Press, The Roman Army: A Social & Institutional History remains a vivid, scholarly, and astute portrayal of one of history's most famous fighting forces. Written by Roman history expert Pat Southern, The Roman Army covers types of units, organization of infantry and cavalry, recruitment of soldiers and officers, terms of service, discharge and pensions for veterans, military law, the employment of the army in peacetime and wartime, and particularly examines the day-to-day life of the common soldier in Rome's ranks. A handful of black-and-white photographs and illustrations are interspersed within this top-notch reference sure to fascinate historians, students, and lay readers alike.

Diamonds, Gold, and War
Martin Meredith
Public Affairs
250 West 57th Street, #1321, New York, NY 10107
9781586484736, $35.00 www.publicaffairsbooks.com 1-877-782-1234

Journalist, biographer, and historian Martin Meredith presents Diamonds, Gold, and War: The British, the Boers, and the Making of South Africa, a thorough history of the Cape Colony in southern Africa from when the British took possession of it in 1806 to the founding of modern South Africa in 1910. The chronicle heats up in 1871, when diamonds were discovered in southern Africa - in tremendous quantities. A massive struggle between the British and the Boers for control of the region erupted. Meredith's narrative is heavily researched yet comes alive with colorful portrayals of personalities ranging from rakish prospector Cecil Rhodes (founder of the DeBeers company) who absconded with a fortune manipulating diamond and gold markets, to nationalists like Paul Kruger who fought tirelessly for their land and people, to native kings like Lobengula who were trapped amid the Europeans' struggle. A gripping chronicle of greed and destruction unleashed, and the repercussions for the nation of South Africa for the century to come, highly recommended for world history shelves.

The Medieval Marriage Scene
Sherry Roush and Cristelle L. Baskins, editors
Arizona Center for Medieval & Renaissance Studies
Arizona State University, P.O. Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
9780866983433, $40.00 www.asu.edu/clas/acmrs 1-480-965-5900

The Medieval Marriage Scene: Prudence, Passion, Policy is an anthology of scholarly essays by twelve learned contributors discussing the fictive, artistic, legal, ethical, and economic aspects of the institution of marriage in Europe from roughly 500 to 1550. Individual writings include "Medieval Jewish Models of Marriage", "The Many Loves of Philip Augustus", "The Dilemma of the Widow of Property for Late Medieval London", and more concerning definitions of marriage, sexuality, and legislation of property and propriety alike. An index rounds out this thoughtful, well-researched and solidly presented compilation of insights into the historical context of marriage - a timely volume indeed even as the institution of marriage becomes an increasingly hot topic in the modern day.

Religion In The Age Of Shakespeare
Christopher Baker
Greenwood Publishing Group
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313336362, $75.00 www.greenwood.com 1-800-225-5800

Very highly recommended reading for both academics and non-specialist general readers, "Religion In The Age Of Shakespeare" by academician and historian Christopher Baker (Professor of English at Armstrong Atlantic State University) provides the reader with an informed and informative historical overview and analysis of the major religious contexts and themes as they are found in the mid-17th to early 18th century and reflected in the works of William Shakespeare. Profusely footnoted, the five chapters comprising this deftly written compendium include 'Background'; 'Religion in Shakespeare's World'; 'Religion in Shakespeare's Works'; 'Religion in Performance'; Scholarship & Criticism'. Enhanced with extensive pages of primary documents, an extended glossary, a four page bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Religion In The Age Of Shakespeare" is a much appreciated contribution to the growing library of analytical research and history regarding 17th century in general, and the works of William Shakespeare in particular.

Corregidor in Peace and War
Charles M. Hubbard & Collis H. Davis, Jr.
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826217127, $39.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894

Corregidor in Peace and War is the remarkable true history of Corregidor, a beautiful island located at the entrance of Manila Bay, and best known for its crucial role in the defense of the Philippines during World War II. Chronicling Corregidor's story from when Ferdinand Magellan claimed the Philippines for Spain to modern developments after World War II, Corregidor in Peace and War is peppered throughout with more than 150 illustrations, including an amazing gallery of black-and-white and color photography. Written to appeal to readers of all backgrounds, Corregidor in Peace and War is an absorbing contribution to Filipino history and deserves recognition for telling the oft-overlooked side of Corregidor's story.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Philip Roth: Zuckerman Bound 1979-1985
Philip Roth
The Library of America
14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022
9781598530117, $35.00 www.loa.org

Philip Roth: Zuckerman Bound 1979-1985 is the Library of America's fourth volume of Philip Roth's collected works. Presenting "The Ghost Writer", "Zuckerman Unbound", "The Anatomy Lesson", "The Prague Orgy", and "The Prague Orgy: A Television Adaptation" by Philip Roth, along with a chronology and extensive notes that help illuminate context and nuances of the text, Philip Roth: Zuckerman Bound 1979-1985 is the ideal edition for literature students, libraries, and casual readers alike. The particularly memorable title story, Zuckerman Bound, is set at the close of the sensational 60's and follows popular writer Zuckerman as he struggles to cope with the aftershock of literary celebrity. Highly recommended.

Multicultural and Ethnic Children's Literature in the United States
Donna L. Gilton
Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Boulevard., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780810856721, $45.00 www.scarecrowpress.com 1-800-462-6420

Donna L. Gilton (Associate Professor of library and information studies, University of Rhode Island) presents Multicultural and Ethnic Children's Literature in the United States, an analysis of the history and characteristics of ethnic and multicultural children's literature in America, and associate materials published elsewhere. Specific cultures children's literature explored in depth include Pan-African, Latino/a, Native American, and Asian American children's literature. The story of multicultural children's literature from before 1940 to the modern day, and an astute observation of general trends in the field including mainstream responses to multiculturalism contribute to the heart and core of this thoughtful discussion.

The Realist Short Story Of The Powerful Glimpse
Kerry McSweeney
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208
9781570036958, $29.95 www.sc.edu/uscpress 1-800-768-2500

"The Realist Short Story Of The Powerful Glimpse: Chekhov To Carver" by Kerry McSweeny (Molson Professor of English at McGill University, Montreal, Canada) focuses the professor's analytical commentary on the published writings of five acknowledged masters of the short story format: Anton Chekov, James Joyce, Ernest Hemingway, Flannery O'Connor, and Raymond Carver. Professor McSweeny deftly argues the idea that realist short stories provide a tightly focused and dramatically powerful form that requires the author to a precisely crafted realism though distinctive literary strategies that transcend the writer's various generational, national, and cultural backgrounds. Professor McSweeney persuasively defends the effective short story has integrating three specific components: the entertainment value of the story; reader response to the story's emotional content; and the reader's reflective reaction to the conceptual or cognitive elements. Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "The Realist Short Story Of The Powerful Glimpse" is a seminal work of superb scholarship, and a welcome contribution to the literary analysis of the short story format in general, and the application of short story principles to the works of five gifted masters of this distinctive literary form in particular.

Sir Hugh Walpole and the United States
Elizabeth Steele
The Edwin Mellen Press
PO Box 450, Lewiston, NY 14092-0450
9780773455320, $109.95 www.edwinmellenpress.com 1-716-754-2788

Written by Dr. Elizabeth Steele (Professor Emerita of English, University of Toledo), Sir Hugh Walpole and the United States: A Novelist's View of 1919-1936 America is a scholarly examination of the themes and works of knighted English novelist Sir Hugh Seymour Walpole (1884-1941). Drawing upon Walpole's lectures, and especially focusing upon Walpole's view of America in the roaring twenties and the Great Depression, Sir Hugh Walpole and the United States features meticulous documentation in its analysis of Walpole's insights, and especially his visit to Hollywood. Appendices include two of Walpole's short stories, "The Tiger" and "The Exile", and two of Walpole's essays, "An Englishman's View of Modern America" and "Nobody Is Safe in Hollywood." A welcome addition to library and college literary studies shelves, offering a balanced insight into the workings of American society from the point of a view of an outsider who nevertheless formed a bond with the culture of a distant soil.


The Social Issues Shelf

World Population
Geoffrey Gilbert
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
1851099271, $55.00 www.abc-clio.com

The second updated edition of WORLD POPULATION adds to the 'Contemporary World Issues' and also stands well alone, packing in details on world population statistics, issues, and debates about changing populations, aging populations, and offering biographical sketches of scholars and researchers on the topic. Both high school and college-level collections strong in world social issues will find this an invaluable reference key to understanding and discussing some of the major issues associated with population trends and changes.

Energy Use Worldwide
Jaina L. Moan and Zachary A. Smith
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851098903, $55.00 www.abc-clio.com

Part of the 'Contemporary World Issues' series but standing well on its own is a discussion of worldwide energy use and issues which is perfect for college-level collections and even some high school holdings strong in the science and social issues surrounding resource management. From historical surveys of major events and key issues and chronological charts to tables of statistics and supporting documents - even a listing of environmental agencies around the world - this is a key acquisition for any serious environmental studies program.

The Phenomenon of Torture
William F. Schulz, editor
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4112
9780812219821, $34.95 www.upenn.edu/pennpress 1-800-537-5487

The Phenomenon of Torture: Readings and Commentary is an anthology of essays by learned authors discussing the widespread human rights crime that is torture, practiced in more than one hundred countries - now including the United States. Why is something so cruel and brutal so entrenched? Can anyone become a torturer? Are certain societies more prone to use torture? Are there any circumstances under which torture is justified? How can torture be stopped, or at least reduced? The readings seek to better understand this hot-button issue, and cover the history, experience, and dynamics of torture, who the torturers are, and what experience has shown ultimately can bring an end to torture and healing to victims. A sober, astutely assembled compilation and a much-needed contribution to modern-day discussions of government policy.

Negotiating Identities in Modern Latin America
Hendrik Kraay
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
9781552382295, $39.95 www.uofcpress.com 1-800-565-3770

Negotiating Identities in Modern Latin America is an anthology of essays by learned historians and anthropologists concerning the ways in which people define their membership in groups and the collective identity, as well as the obstacles posed by the difficulties involved in defining and maintaining that identity. Individual essays include "Playing with National Identity: Brazil in International Football, 1900-1925", "(Re)turning Home: Narratives of Bolivian Transnational Migrants", "Creating Identity Out of Place: An Indigenous Community in Argentina", and many more. A handful of black-and-white illustrations, notes for each essay, and an index round out this educated and scholarly assessment of Latin American social identity, recommended for anthropology and college library shelves.

Our Day to End Poverty
Shannon Daley-Harris and Jeffrey Keenan with Karen Speerstra
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576754467, $14.95 www.bkconnection.com 1-800-929-2929

Our Day to End Poverty: 24 Ways You Can Make a Difference is a guide for readers of all walks of life to making a difference for the better at home and around the world. Using the 24-hour day as a framework, Our Day to End Poverty discusses 24 common daily activities and, in context, the things ordinary people can do to alleviate poverty during the course of their normal lives. From guidelines for charitable giving, to expanding access to the enormously successful microfinance programs, to "volunteer vacations" that enable one to travel with a purpose, to speaking up for social justice through writing letters to elected officials, Our Day to End Poverty offers a wealth of experience-tested strategies that truly make the world a better place to live in. Highly recommended.

How to Live a Low-Carbon Life
Chris Goodall
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781844074266, $24.95 www.styluspub.com 1-800-232-0223

Chris Goodall (Telecommunications chair of software company Dynmark International) presents How to Live a Low-Carbon Life: The Individual's Guide to Stopping Climate Change, a guide for the socially responsible to reducing one's carbon emissions and therefore aid in preventing global catastrophe. Chapters cover how to calculate one's carbon dioxide emissions and reduce them to 3 tonnes a year or less, the amount that the Earth can sustainably absorb per person. From home heating to lighting, appliances, car travel, air travel, means of cancelling out emissions, and much more, How to Live a Low-Carbon Life is thoroughly easy to use. "Anyone looking for energy efficiency should concentrate the search on the smaller fridge freezers. Going from a 300 litre capacity machine to a 400 litre will typically add about 60kWh/year to electricity consumption, so it makes sense to try to buy a moderately sized appliance." Highly recommended.


The Music Shelf

Rock N Roll Wisdom
Barry A. Farber
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275991644, $44.95 www.praeger.com

Rock N Roll Wisdom: What Psychologically Astute Lyrics Teach About Life and Love considers rock and roll lyrics and their influences from and unusual vantage point: that of a psychologist who considers the interplays between lyrics and society. Rock lyrics here are used to understand the human psyche, with chapters drawing intriguing connections between Freud and rock star perspectives. College-level collections strong in either music or psychology will find this an intriguing, scholarly interplay between music and psychology.

Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales And Arpeggios
William Bay
Mel Bay Publications
PO Box 66, Pacific, MO 63069
MB94792, $22.95 www.melbay.com 1-800-863-5229

Expertly compiled, organized, and presents by William Bay, "Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales And Arpeggios" is a 298-page compendium of diagrams showing the aspiring guitar player how to produce just the right sounds from their instruments whether in practice or in performance. Each major and minor scale is presented in position on the guitar fingerboard with all scales being shown in diagram form, notation, and tablature. Of special not is the section on blues and rock scales. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Mel Bay's Complete Book of Guitar Chords, Scales And Arpeggios" is provides an ideal text for self-instruction, and is very highly recommended as a curriculum supplement for mastering classic, rock, blues, and other forms of guitar music.

East Coast Books
PO Box 13142, Hauppauge, NY 11788
$10.95 each www.amazon.com

'Easy Classics' is an impressive series of inexpensive instructional sheet music books designed to teach piano students and performers to play classics created by some of the most recognizable composers of the 19th and 20th centuries. This five volume series is ably compiled and edited by Erika Feuchtner Macris and includes "Easy Classics: Beethoven for the Piano" (#77765); "Easy Classics: Mozart for the Piano" (#77775); "Easy Classics: Chopin for the Piano" (#77770); "Easy Classics: Bach for the Piano" (#77760); and a compilation volume, "Easy Classics: Piano Masters" (#77780) featuring works for the piano by Beethoven, Bach, Chopin, Handel, Mozart, and Schubert. The series is ideal and recommended for self-instruction, as well as for school music department curriculums.

Morrissey
Johnny Rogan
Music Sales Corporation
445 Bellvale Road, PO Box 572,Chester, NY 10918
9780952954057, $19.95 www.musicsales.com

Johnny Rogan, author of the best-selling biography "Morrissey & Marr: The Severed Alliance" presents Morrissey: The Albums, an in-depth study of Morrissey's musical work with the Smiths up through 2006 and "Ringleader of the Tormentors". Each of Smiths' and Morrissey's albums is discussed at length; Rogan explores the themes and context of the lyrics, the pathos of the music, references to each piece's performance and relative success, and much more. An in-depth analytical account especially ideal for music scholars and Morrissey connoisseurs.

Riot On Sunset Strip
Domenic Priore
Jawbone Press
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781906002046, $29.95 www.jawbonepress.com

In 1965 and 1966, the city of Los Angeles saw a sudden burst of rock groups playing in venues on the fabled Sunset Strip. These were bands that included such legendary outfits as The Byrds, The Doors, Love, The Seeds, The Turtles, The Mammas and the Papas, The Standells, and so many others. They appeared with the unexpected suddenness of a comet, then vanished just as swiftly. In "Riot On Sunset Strip: Rock 'n' Rolls Last Stand In Hollywood" writer, television producer, music and pop culture historian Domenic Priore provides an illustrated history of that remarkable time that saw a unique musical scene come into existence and the fall apart at the Monterey Pop festival as a kind of tragic finale to the fabled Summer of Love. Profusely illustrated, "Riot On Sunset Strip" is a fascinating read that is informed and informative, making it an ideal addition to personal, academic, and community library 20th Century American Music History reference collections and supplemental reading lists..

Down to the River
Sandra Louise Dyas
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, 119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9780877459972, $29.95 www.uiowapress.org 1-800-621-2736

Photographer Sandra Dyas has been documenting Iowa City's music scene since 1987. Down to the River: Portraits of Iowa Musicians features sixty of her black-and-white photographs of musicians in and around the city, at live music venues and elsewhere. A brief forward by Chris Offutt and a very small amount of text by the photographer complement this gallery, but the pages are primarily devoted to the pictures themselves, capturing the intensity of music and performance in the moment. A companion audio CD with eighteen tracks of Iowa's greatest singers and songwriters (including Dave Moore, Greg Brown, Bo Ramsey, David Zollo, and Pieta Brown) is included in this stunning visual presentation.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Fat Proof Your Family
J. Ron Eaker, M.D.
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South, Minneapolis, MN 55438
9780764204135, $14.99 www.bethanyhouse.com 1-800-328-6109

Practicing ob-gyn J. Ron Eaker, M.D. presents Fat Proof Your Family: God's Way to forming Healthy Habits for Life, a guide especially for Christians to maintaining not only one's own health, but also teaching positive eating habits to the whole family. Fat Proof Your Family is not a "quick-fix" book, but rather emphasizes the importance of making lifelong changes for the better. From the basics of nutrition, to the importance of setting an example for one's children through one's actions ("Do as I say... and as I do!") to the value of exercise and what the Bible has to say about healthy eating, Fat Proof Your Family features both sound medical and spiritual backing. "No fad diet, miracle drug, exercise machine, or surgical procedure can be as comprehensive a solution to fat-proofing your family as God's Owner's Manual... Bible study is one cog in the wheel of the healing triad of mind, body, and spirit. It addresses specific spiritual needs that are frequently ignored in the healing process." Highly recommended.

Old Testament Survey, 2nd edition
Paul R. House and Eric Mitchell
B&H Publishing Group
127 Ninth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37234-0143
9780805440362, $39.99 www.bhpublishinggroup.com 1-800-251-3225

Now in a revised and updated second edition, Old Testament Survey is a textbook designed for Bible students. Written by professor of divinity Paul R. House and assistant professor of Old Testament and archaeology Eric Mitchell, Old Testament Survey focuses upon the literature and narrative of the Old Testament in its methodical overview, which walks the reader through the biblical stories as well as the motives and reactions of principle characters. Charts, illustrations, sixteen full-color maps, and an index round out this excellent Bible reading companion.

Light in the Dark Ages
Jon M. Sweeney
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
9781557254764, $16.95 www.paracletepress.com

Light in the Dark Ages: The Friendship of Francis of Francis and Clare of Assisi is a spiritual biography of Francis and Clare of Assisi, written especially to help guide and enlighten fellow Christians in the modern day. Light in the Dark Ages reveals that the Middle Ages themselves were not necessarily innately dark - "dark ages" come whenever humanity forgets the ideals of the Sermon on the Mount. Light in the Dark Ages tells of Francis' calling by God, and how Clare joined him despite the vehement and violent objections of her family. Exploring the realities of the day, including the treatment of lepers in medieval society and corruption in the Church, Light in the Dark Ages follows the example of two deeply spiritual figures to the end of their lives, and asks profound questions: how should one view a young person who rejects family for spiritual reasons? Can men and women share a deep yet purely platonic friendship? Is their value in an intentional vow of poverty? Does placing absolute value on family ignore the words of Jesus Christ? A thought-provoking examination of what it truly meant for Francis and Clare to be followers of Jesus Christ, and what that means for followers of Christ today.

The Benedictine Tradition
Laura Swan, editor; Phyllis Zagano, series editor
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814619148, $15.95 www.litpress.org 1-800-858-5450

St. Benedict wrote his "little rule for beginners" in the sixth century, unwittingly becoming the genesis of a religious order of prayer, humility, and service that continues into the modern day. Across the centuries, Benedictines have dedicated themselves to God, practiced the Liturgy of the Hours and monastic life, and made contributions to chant, theology, and the preservation of spiritual works and scholarship. The Benedictine Tradition: Spirituality in History compiles writings of notable Benedictines throughout history; the essays reflect the power of faith and individual dedication to service, profound aspects that speak to the reader as strongly today as they did when first written. Highly recommended.

The Mass Is Never Ended
Gregory F. Ausustine Pierce
Ave Maria Press
PO Box 428, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9781594710698, $10.95 www.avemariapress.com 1-800-282-1865

Very highly recommended reading, especially for young adults seeking a meaningful reason to become active in their Catholic church and those older Catholics fearing that the Church has diminished commitments to social justice, "The Mass Is Never Ended: Rediscovering Our Mission To Transform The World" by Gregory F. Augustine Pierce (an experienced book editor, as well as the president and co-publisher of ACTA Publications), examines the Roman Catholic Mass with respect to its connection to the remaining 167 hours of the week. The purpose of this beautifully written and spiritually inspiring book is to encourage the reader to renew a dedication to the Christian mission of community and spirituality in the home, in the workplace, and in the community, thereby creating a continuing connection to God resulting in their enjoying richer and more fulfilling personal and professional lives.

44 Ways to Strengthen Your Marriage
Jerry Drace
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589805057, $12.95 www.pelicanpub.com 1-800-843-1724

Written by Jerry Drace, who co-founded of Jerry Drace Evangelistic Association Inc. with his wife Becky, 44 Ways to Strengthen Your Marriage is a straightforward collection of insights toward building and maintaining a strong, healthy relationship with one's spouse. Though written expressly from a Christian perspective, 44 Ways to Strengthen Your Marriage offers advice useful to readers of all faiths, such as "Never Compare Your Spouse to Others", "Avoid Irritating Comments", "Be Responsible with Your Finances", and "Learn the Difference between Fact and Feeling". 44 Ways to Strengthen Your Marriage is also a consumable book, offering blank lines for the reader to write down his or her thoughts every few pages. Highly recommended.

And God Created Human
Jana Tether
Pleasant Word
c/o Winepress Publishing Group
PO Box 428, Enumclaw, WA 98022
9781414108520, $19.99 www.winepressgroup.com

Actress and cable show writer Jana Tether presents And God Created Human: A Collection of Scenes and Monologues, an anthology of brief theater-style scenes suitable for reading or performance that bring to life God's message of love, hope, and support in daily life. The subjects of these creative dramas range from insecurity and temptation to spiritual warfare, fear, and the joy of worship. Scripture verses and thought-provoking questions designed to stimulate discussions on how God's Word applies to the here and now round out this welcome resource for church libraries and Christian community theater.

Biotechnology and the Human Good
C. Ben Mitchell, Edmund D. Pellegrino, Jean Bethke Elshtain, John F. Kilner, & Scott B. Rae
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589011380, $24.95 www.press.georgetown.edu 1-800-246-9606

Written by a team of five scientists and ethicists, Biotechnology and the Human Good is a discussion grounded in Judeo-Christian theism concerning modern leaps and bounds in biotechnology. While medical advances such as antibiotics, transfusions, and pacemakers have improved people's lives, the dark side of biotechnical advances reflects a reckless disdain for human life in the wake of greed. Though from a Christian perspective, Biotechnology and the Human Good is emphatically not antiscience, anti-industry, or anti-progress; instead, it questions how collective human good can most effectively be promoted without violating moral principles. Highly recommended.


The Poetry Shelf

In Line for the Exterminator
Jim Daniels
Wayne State University Press
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814333815, $17.95 http://wsupress.wayne.edu 1-800-978-7323

Award-winning poet and Professor of English Jim Daniels presents In Line for the Exterminator, an anthology of free-verse poetry that looks at postindustrial Detriot through weathered eyes. Daniels grew up near the Eight Mile Road boundary between Detriot and suburban Warren, Michigan; the poems of In Line for the Exterminator explores how ordinary citizens sustain human dignity in spite of economic and social upheaval, as well as the triple threat of drugs, guns, and crime. The character of Digger, portrayed in his search for a new future after retiring from his factory job, offers a personal viewpoint to the unfolding anthology, though other heroes from professional wrestler the Sheik to modern rapper Eminem also appear. A profound testimony to the spirit of an urban community. "Sunday Morning": A goldfinch bobs on a sunflower's head / picking out seeds behind Uncle Jimmy's Bar / where some guy got killed in a fight Friday night // before the Chinese restaurant next door / burned down. Investigations are taking place. / Details are sketched in chalk, erased by rain. / Graffiti codes indecipherable. // The sunflower, a volunteer from winter seeds, / gracefully allows itself to be picked apart, / gold blending into gold. Even the sparrows / are stunned by this yellow light.

Elegy
Mary Jo Bang
Graywolf Press
2402 University Avenue, Suite 203, Saint Paul, MN 55114
9781555974831, $20.00 www.graywolfpress.org 1-651-641-0077

The fifth collection of poetry by Professor of English Mary Jo Bang, Elegy uses free verse to communicate the loss of an only child in the prime of life. Eschewing self-pity, false comfort, or blame, Elegy burns with the power of heartbreak and the timelessness of memory. Highly recommended. "How Beautiful": A personal lens: glass bending rays / That gave one that day's news / Saying each and every day, // Just remember you are standing / On a planet that's evolving. / How beautiful, she thought, what distance does // For water, the view from above or afar. / In last night's dream, they were back again / At the beginning. She was a child // And he was a child. / A plane lit down and left her there. / Cold whitening the white sky whiter. // Then a scalpel cut her open for all the world / To be a sea.

Far Beyond Triage
Sarah Lantz
CALYX Books
PO Box B, Corvallis, OR 97339
9780934971911, $14.95 www.calyxpress.org 1-888-336-2665

CALYX is a non-profit press specializing in the publication of fine art and literature. Since its founding in 1976, CALYX has published the work of over 3,600 women authors and artists. Their latest book of poetry is "Far Beyond Triage" which admirably showcases the consistently impressive work of Sarah Lantz. This very highly recommended anthology of profoundly spiritual verse takes as its collective theme the penetrable boundary between the living world and the ethereal. Articulate, complex, thoughtful and thought-provoking, the poetry of Sarah Lantz arises from her own biographical experiences, as well as those of her family -- including some who were killed in the holocaust. It is through her free verse poetry that she seeks to understand the present. 'Moving Out': It's not like you think./More like//sitting up suddenly/in the night.//no mistaking/the sound of metal on metal.//A crash somewhere close,/which direction you can't tell.//Your heart slows a bit,/the children are okay,//you say to yourself,/in fact they're grown,//you say to yourself./At the windows, in your socks, you strain//to hear the sirens before they arrive./Surely someone has called an ambulance.

The Pure Inconstancy of Grace
Richard St. John
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781931112499, $14.95 http://tsup.truman.edu 1-800-916-6802

Written by Richard St. John, The Pure Inconstancy of Grace is a compilation of free-verse poetry distinguished by the naturally elegant patterning of words and concepts. Both mundane and spiritual topics are touched upon, in the course of bemusing life's greatest mysteries. Highly recommended. "Heidegger's Pear": Imagine a pear. First, its freckled, golden / surface, then the freckles softening / to oozy spots of brown. The pear's dissolution / not a thing that happens to a pear, but one / with its very being, with it from the first / green node upon the stem. But, unlike man, / the pear cannot imagine / what its death might mean: not just / a world without the fragrance of this one pear - gone. Not just / a world without the fizzy orchards / leafing out in spring. The possibility- / the shock - of a not-a-world-at-all, / and no one to imagine one again. / The possibility that signifies "the measureless / impossibility" of anything - the absent / dark, dark soil, from which / these fragile blossoms grow.

Bellini in Istanbul
Lillias Bever
Tupelo Press
PO Box 539, Dorset, VT 05251
9781932195262, $16.95 www.tupelopress.org 1-800-283-3572

Winner of the Tupelo Press Judge's Prize, Bellini in Istanbul is a compilation of free-verse poetry featuring absorbing descriptions of Italian scenes, Turkish fish markets, and other exotic locales as well as deeply personal difficulties. The end of a relationship turned sour in a foreign land, followed by the creation of a new one; the pain and wonder of bringing a child into the world; and the eternal search for meaning in life make for an unforgettable poetic experience. "Ezan": In Bebek, a famous tenor calls / the ezan from Kemalettin's elegant, dove-grey mosque, // his voice spilling like noon light over the park. / It's Friday. The devout are washing // off the morning's dust, their shoes lined up / neatly at the lip of the public fountains.


The International Studies Shelf

Suicide Bombers in Iraq
Mohammed M. Hafez
United States Institute of Peace
1200 17th Street, NW Washington, DC 20036-3011
9781601270047, $17.50 www.usip.com

Professor of political science Mohammed M. Hafez presents Suicide Bombers in Iraq: The Strategy and Ideology of Martyrdom, a scholarly evaluation of the all-too-real cruelty and tragedy of suicide bombing in Iraq. Suicide bombings in Iraq appear to be perpetrated largely by non-Iraqi volunteers from Saudi Arabia, Europe, Syria, Kuwait, Jordan, and North Africa, and the targets are generally either Iraqi security forces and Shia civilians rather than coalition forces. Suicide Bombers in Iraq meticulously dissects and deconstructs the methodologies used to justify suicide bombing and the sectarian equivalent of ethnic cleansing, and adds to the search for means to stem the tide of such attacks. In addition to current strategies, Professor Hafez also recommends a drive to delegitimize suicide bombings, directly attacking the ideological, theological, and other justifications that the masterminds of suicide bombings rely upon to recruit volunteers. Suicide Bombers in Iraq is entirely free of illusions - whether positive or negative - about the Iraq occupation, absolute "must-read" for anyone concerned about the future of Iraq.


The Education Shelf

Curriculum Connections For Tree House Travelers For Grades K-4
Jane Berner, et al.
Linworth Publishing
3650 Olentangy River Road, Suite 250, Columbus, OH 43214
1586832816, $39.95 www.linworth.com

The collaborative work of academicians and teachers Jane Berner, Sabrina Minser, and Hellen Burkart Presser, "Curriculum Connections For Tree House Travelers For Grades K-4" provides unites of study that will enable students to enhance and apply their academic skills while learning about dinosaurs, knights, castles, Eygptian mummies, pyramids, pirates, buried treasure, and more. Literature-based, the units are specifically designed as hands-on activities for elementary students (but are also adaptable to interest middle school students as well), and feature high-interest topics that librarians and teachers can use all during the school year, and in summer reading programs as well. By using both fiction and non-fiction source material, students will engage in expository reading skills based on sound pedagogical practices. Profusely illustrated and drawing from the popular 'Magic Tree House' series by Mary Pope Osborne, "Curriculum Connections For Tree House Travelers For Grades K-4" is an ideal reading skills development curriculum supplement -- and is highly recommended for use by home schooling parents as well.

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

Diane L. Ronis' CLUSTERING STANDARDS IN INTEGRATED UNITS, 2ND EDITION (9781412955577, $27.95) utilizes a student-oriented approach to designing interdisciplinary units which combine content areas and address standards alike. From sample rubrics and reproducibles for planning to understanding how to meet individual student learning needs - and how to empower them to choose the right paths - CLUSTERING STANDARDS is an excellent choice for either experienced or new teaches who want to encourage collaborative student learning styles. Richard W. Strong, Harvey F. Silver and Matthew J. Perini's READING FOR ACADEMIC SUCCESS, GRADES 2-6 (9781412941761, $37.95) is for teachers of grades 2-6 who want to develop strategies for struggling, average and advanced readers alike. The strategies presented here are based on research and shows teachers how to reach and challenge all levels of readers, helping each become top readers who can not only comprehend but analyze and summarize different kinds of texts. The applications can also cross content areas and genres and reach students with special needs. Jodi Peine's THE EDUCATOR'S PROFESSIONAL GROWTH PLAN: A PROCESS FOR DEVELOPING STAFF AND IMPROVING INSTRUCTION, 2ND EDITION (9781412949323, $34.95) provides teachers with methods for building professional collaborations to benefit students. Administrators and staff developers receive step-by-step instruction of designing such a growth plan. Anne Turnbaugh Lockwood's THE PRINCIPAL'S GUIDE TO AFTERSCHOOL PROGRAMS K-8: EXTENDING STUDENT LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES (9781412904421, $25.95) is based on a AASA/Mott Foundation study and provides a step-by-step guide to help principals and administrators develop an excellent, viable afterschool program. Curriculum and profiles of programs proven to work in the field make for an excellent staff developer's survey which even includes tips on getting funding, hiring staff, and evaluating program results. All titles are top picks for college-level libraries with strong educational development sections.

Amusement Park Math
Michael Cain
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593632915, $19.95 www.prufrock.com 1-800-998-2208

Ably written and nicely illustrated with line drawings by academician and mathematician Michael Cain, "Amusement Park Math: A Ten-Minute Daily Math Adventure" offers students in grades 4 through 6 more than 120 challenging math lessons within the context of an entertaining and on-going storyline featuring such characters as Minerva, General Thumb, Flying Freda, Dr. Chin, Farmer Harrison, and others. The result is the acquisition by the student of the kinds of problem solving skills that will ensure success in basic mathematics. The range of math concepts the ten-minute exercises include addition, subtraction, multiplication, division, multiple operations, fractions, decimals, and word problems. "Amusement Park Math" is highly recommended as a grade school level math curriculum supplement, and is especially appropriate for homeschooling math curriculums as well.

What Should I Read Aloud?
Nancy A. Anderson
International Reading Association
PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139
9780872076792, $29.95 www.reading.org 1-800-336-7323

A thoroughly 'user friendly' guide to two hundred of the most popular children's picture books, "What Should I Read Aloud? is knowledgeably compiled and expertly presented by academician Nancy A. Anderson (University of South Florida - Tampa) for use by parents and teachers seeking to preschool second grade level children with entertaining story-telling and the joys of reading. Of special value are the first two chapters devoted to providing advice on how to best share books with young children and how to help children to develop and practice their own reading skills while doing so. Chapters 3 through 6 are organized by suggested age levels and featuring picture books for children from birth through age 8. Chapter seven advises on supplementing bestsellers with multicultural literature, nonfiction, magazines, and websites. Of special note are the comprehensive indexes for locating subjects, as well as authors, illustrators, and titles. Enhanced with a glossary for quick reference to literacy terms, "What Should I Read Aloud?" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to parental, preschool center, elementary school and community library reference collections.

Straight Talk About Schools Today 101 Q&As for Parents
Judy Molland
Free Spirit Publishing
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
9781575422190, $15.95 www.freespirit.com 1-866-703-7322

Award-winning teacher and writer Judy Molland presents Straight Talk About Schools Today 101 Q&As for Parents: Understand the System and Help Your Child Succeed, a question-and-answer format guide discussing what modern parents most need to know. Chapters cover what No Child Left Behind is and how it affects one's child, what charter schools are and how they work, what to do if one's child has a learning disability or disorder, steps one can take if one's child is being bullied at school, good ways to discuss grades and report cards with one's children, and much more. Contact information for a wealth of helpful organizations round out this extremely practical and accessible guide.

Evidence-Based School Counseling
Carey Dimmitt, John C. Carey, & Trish Hatch
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781412948906, $32.95 www.corwinpress.com 1-800-818-7243

Evidence-Based School Counseling: Making a Difference With Data-Driven Practices is a guide especially for school counselors, who now more than ever before are pressured to document their worth with data and the production of quantitative accountability reports. Chapters train the reader in a practical process for using evidence to determine the most crucial issues in school counseling: what needs to be done, which interventions should be implemented, and whether or not the interventions are effective. An utterly invaluable guide to measuring qualities and situations that would seem at first glance to deny quantification, highly recommended for aspiring and working professionals in the field.

Unsmiling Faces, second edition
Lesley Koplow, editor
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
9780807748039, $25.95 www.tcpress.com 1-800-575-6566

Now in a newly updated second edition, Unsmiling Faces: How Preschools Can Heal is a guide especially for professional educators concerning quality intervention and prevention programs for the sake of emotionally fragile and developing young children. Essays by a variety of expert authors discuss subjects ranging from "Developmental Reality and the Reality of Experience" to "Play Therapy as Early Intervention", "Lesson Plans for Emotional Life", "Why Homeless Children Can't Sit Still", and much more, all written with a keen eye toward methodologies for improving the quality of life as well as the education of children. An invaluable asset for any professional preschool educator.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Zero Debt for College Grads
Lynnette Khalfani
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
9781427754646, $14.95 www.kaplanpublishing.com 1-800-223-2336

Personal finance expert and television personality Lynnette Khalfani presents Zero Debt for College Grads: From Student Loans to Financial Freedom, a guide that lives up to its title. Written in plain terms for readers of all backgrounds, Zero Debt for College Grads covers money management lessons not taught in school, how to negotiate with a lender for better terms on a loan (or with an employer for help with loan repayment), determine what to do if immediately paying off a loan is not possible, clear up defaulted loans, establish a good credit rating, and much more. The tips range from cutting housing, transportation, and clothing costs to earning extra money at home (sell extra stuff, get a roommate or tenant, and itemize your deductions) to the pros and cons of loan consolidation to how to wipe out the plague of credit card debt. A "must-have" for anyone about to graduate from college.

100 Ways to Create Wealth
Steve Chandler and Sam Beckford
Robert D. Reed Publishers
PO Box 1992, 1380 Face Rock Drive, Bandon, OR 97411
9781931741781, $24.95 www.rdrpublishers.com

Business consultant Steve Chandler and self-made millionaire Sam Beckford present 100 Ways to Create Wealth, a self-improvement guide to mastering the emotional and personal aspects of earning a respectable living. 100 Ways to Create Wealth lives up to its title by offering valuable tips, tricks, techniques, and attitudes to adopt; all suggestions are quite general and applicable to individuals enacting any business plan or enterprise. The recommendations, each of which is spared a few pages of discussion, include "Don't be a Wealth Wannabe", a warning against getting sucked into false moneymaking schemes such as pyramid scandals or dubious popular real estate trends; "Know Your Customer Better", an encouragement to focus on what the customer needs and stay in a positive mindframe rather than focus on one's own shortcomings; and "Open an Easy-Earned Money Account", which suggests creating a bank account solely for the money one didn't have to sweat bullets to obtain, and use that money to pay for guilt-free luxuries. An excellent supplemental guide for anyone going into business for themselves or otherwise looking to get ahead, without leaving principles or quality of life behind.


The Parenting Shelf

Don't Call Me Shy
Laurie Adelman, B.S.N.
Langmarc Publishing
PO Box 90488, Austin, TX 78709-0488
9781880292327, $14.95 www.booksails.com

Health education expert and former shy child Laurie Adelman presents Don't Call Me Shy: Preparing Shy Children for a Lifetime of Social Success, a guide for parents and educators to helping shy children develop to their fullest social potential. Chapters warn about the harmful effects that too much negative reinforcement have, and emphasize the value of positive reinforcement. Don't Call Me Shy guides the reader to create a mind-set geared toward social comfort in young children, and includes sample lesson plans for teachers, encouragement for shy adults, recommendations for supplemental reading, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone responsible for shy or introverted children.

From Crib to Kindergarten
Dorothy A. Drago, MPH
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801885709, $15.00 www.press.jhu.edu 1-800-537-5487

Author Dorothy A. Drago, MPH shares her decades of experience in the field of safety as a U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and a private safety consultant in From Crib to Kindergarten: The Essential Child Safety Guide. Written for parents and child care providers of all backgrounds, From Crib to Kindergarten covers how to reduce the risk of injury at home and beyond for children from birth to age five, a time when they are at the most vulnerable. Chapters discuss sleep safety, why infants should never sleep in an adult bed (an infant becoming wedged between an adult bed and the wall is the leading cause of infant suffocation death), preventing falls while changing diapers (caregivers should keep one hand on an infant or toddler at all times when changing the child on an elevated surface), hazardous clothing (buttons, snaps and shoelace accessories can come off and be choking hazards; drawstrings, ribbons and hoods can be strangling hazards), basic fire prevention, tips for preventing backyard drownings, and much more. Literally a lifesaver, From Crib to Kindergarten is a must-read not for parents, teachers, and child care professionals, and should be an absolutely mandatory study text for first-time babysitters.


The Biography Shelf

The Original Knickerbocker: The Life of Washington Irving
Andrew Burstein
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Publishing Group
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9780465008537, $27.50 www.basicbooks.com

Any public library strong in biography or school library strong in literature surrounding Washington Irving will find THE ORIGINAL KNICKERBOCKER a 'must have' acquisition: Irving was author, ambassador and an international icon whose legacy lasts into today and set many trends beyond his literary legacy. THE ORIGINAL KNICKERBOCKER traces all his achievements, adding background history of his times to help emphasize his life and importance. It's a lively yet scholarly presentation perfect for all kinds of collections.

If I Should Die Before I Wake
John B. Lyttle
Vantage Press Inc.
419 Park Avenue South, 18th floor, New York, NY 10016
9780533154821, $11.95 www.vantagepress.com 1-212-736-1767

If I Should Die Before I Wake: One Marine's Experience on Iwo Jima is the memoir of veteran John B. Lyttle, offering an insider's view of wartime Iwo Jima as only a Marine can tell it. A powerful tribute to the men who served alongside Lyttle amid horrific trials, If I Should Die Before I Wake describes the threat and bloodshed of war with stark clarity. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this vivid portrayal of heroic sacrifice amid overwhelming pressure.

In Service of Emergent India
Jaswant Singh
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
9780253349361, $29.95 www.iupress.indiana.edu 1-800-842-6796

In Service of Emergent India: A Call to Honor is the true-life memoir of Jaswant Singh, whose service as Minister of External Affairs, Defense, and Finance in the Bharatiya Janata Party-led East Indian governments of 1996 and 1998-2004 made him the main foreign policy spokesman during the 1998 nuclear tests by India and Pakistan, the hijacking of Indian Airlines flight IC 814 to Afghanistan, the Kargil conflict between India and Pakistan, and other major events in modern history. Blending Singh's memories with analysis of India's history and future prospects, In Service of Emergent India offers reflections upon the end of India's colonial period, tells the story of Singh's childhood, schooling, and military training, and speaks of Indian Independence as well as the unimaginably bloody Partition of India and Pakistan. In Service of Emergent India goes on to discuss ongoing modern tensions between India and Pakistan, Sino-Indian relations, and post-September 11th relations between America and India. Highly recommended as a primary source of Indian history as well as the vivid life experiences of a seasoned leader.

Cogito, Ergo Sum
Richard Watson
David R. Godine, Publisher
PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
9781567923353, $21.95 www.godine.com 1-800-344-4771

Cogito, Ergo Sum: The Life of Rene Descartes is an in-depth biography of the "Father of Modern Philosophy", mathematician and architect Rene Descartes (1596-1650). From his childhood and schooling, to his contributions to science such as the invention of analytic geometry and his methods for testing hypotheses that formed the foundation of experimental science, to his piety as a Christian and much more, Cogito, Ergo Sum closely follows Descartes' life. A biography first and foremost, written for lay readers and scholars alike, Cogito, Ergo Sum brings alive the history of a truly remarkable and forward-thinking man. Highly recommended for biography and library shelves.

Forgotten Patriot
J. Lee Thompson
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
The Gatehouse M010C, 285 Madison Avenue, Madison, NJ 07940
Associated University Presses (distributor)
2010 Eastpark Boulevard., Cranbury, NJ 08512
0838641210, $75.00 www.fdu.edu/newspubs/fdupress.html

Written by J. Lee Thompson (Associate Professor of History, Lamar University), Forgotten Patriot: A Life of Alfred, Viscount Milner of St. James's and Cape Town, 1854-1925 is the biography of a man who was singularly dedicated to duty, principle, and the British Empire. From middle-class origins, Alfred Milner earned the rank of South African High Commissioner, and after spending a decade amid the wilderness, became the right-hand man of David Lloyd George in the five-man War Cabinet of 1916-1918. Milner believed absolutely that any measures he took to further the imperial cause were fully justified, a self-righteousness that blinded him to the practical and political realities of the major events surrounding him. A scholarly and heavily researched account that paints an unforgettable portrait of an incomparably principled and unyielding man.

The Wet Collection
Joni Tevis
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Avenue South, #300, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1246
9781571313034, $20.00 1-800-520-6455 www.milkweed.org

The Wet Collection is a memoir anthology of essays drawn from the life experience of author Joni Tevis, and combined with her thoughts on natural history, ancient texts, folk heroes, and found objects. Part memoir, part literature, part measured opinion, and part research, The Wet Collection touches upon Tevis' adventures ranging from her summer spent working as a cemetery salesman to having to dress up as a beaver while serving the duty of a park ranger to the simple hardship of coping with homesickness. An atmospheric and deeply introspective tour of life, thought, and womanhood. "Maybe scraps are all we've ever had; threads of mycelium working through forest duff, a woman made from a crumb of clay. These fragments I have shared, these pieces I have squirreled away. I have wished for sharper ears to hear the rasp of wasp chewing wood into paper, to hear water pumping through the arteries of thin-barked beech trees. Have wished for a body more sensitive, to feel the slow swelling of yeasty lava that lifts the mountain a little more every day. Sometimes I swear I can feel the earth rising, bearing me up."


The Audiobook Shelf

Clipper Audio
c/o Recorded Books
270 Skipjack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com

Jon McGregor's SO MANY WAYS TO BEGIN (9781846321801, $102.75) receives Graham Padden's excellent, solid and smooth narrative style as it tells of a museum curator in Britain who wishes his wife would be more ambitious and his life more exciting - until a careless revelation shows him his life has been constructed around a myth. An intriguing story of world-shaping changes makes for a smooth and engrossing tale. Mark Haddon's THE TALKING HORSE AND THE SAD GIRL AND THE VILLAGE UNDER THE SEA (9781428109957, $15.95) benefits from multiple narrators as it combines lyrics and a love story with new versions of Horace and a blend of lullabies and an entire John Buchan novel - all five page of it. An excellent, invigorating interpretation of modern literature evolves for any listener who likes modern literary insights. Jilly Cooper's ANIMALS IN WAR (9781846324673, $56.76) receives Patricia Gallimore's excellent and inviting reading voice as it tells of brave animals who have participated in human war; from pigeons carrying messages through the city during the Siege of Paris to horses who served at the front during World War I. Military collections, in particular, will find this an intriguing audio listen.

Penguin Audio
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Penguin provides a wide range of excellent nonfiction and some new arrivals are top picks. Alan Greenspan's AGE OF TURBULENCE: ADVENTUR4ES IN A NEW WORLD comes either abridged on 9 cds (9780143142607, $34.95) or unabridged on 16 cds (9780143142591, $44.95), and receives Robertson Dean's excellent Broadway acting background which lends clear, evocative emphasis to the story of global economic management and changes. Greenspan's observations and explanations of morals, ethics and values during the process are an invaluable part of any collection seeking a thorough understanding of his management practices. Steven Pinker's THE STUFF OF THOUGHT: LANGUAGE AS A WINDOW INTO HUMAN NATURE (9780143142584, $39.95) receives Dean Olsher's excellent radio speaking background which here shows as an attention to quiet drama and detail as he reads professor Pinker's exploration of human emotions and language. Human thoughts are built around core ideas: Pinker examines how these ideas develop from childhood on, how they are applied to the world, and what happens when they are misapplied. John W. Dean's BROKEN GOVERNMENT: HOW REPUBLICAN RULE DESTROYED THE LEGISLATIVE, EXECUTIVE AND JUDICIAL BRANCHES (9780143142560, $39.95) enjoys Paul Michael's extensive onstage and film and TV expertise which lends a fine polish to this concluding volume of a trilogy which began with WORSE THAN WATERGATE and CONSERVATIVES WITHOUT CONSCIENCE. Familiarity with and possession of these predecessors will provide listeners with a unified listening experience key to understanding and enjoyment. Dave Barry's HISTORY OF THE MILLENNIUM (SO FAR) (9780143142423, $25.95) blends facts and commentary of the millennium's greatest highs and lows with fun insights textured with Barry's pointed humor. Add Patrick Frederic's fun voice and you have a 'history' which is side-splitting as much as it's factual. All are excellent audio library acquisitions.

Brilliance Corporation
Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com

Linwood Barclay's NO TIME FOR GOODBYE (1423341082, $38.95) receives seasoned audio reader Christopher Lane's excellent voice as it tells of a teen who wakens to find her entire family vanished overnight. Over twenty years later she's still seeking answers - and learns the truth in a single shocking revelation. Ally Carter's CROSS MY HEART AND HOPE TO SPY (1423340329, $29.95) enjoys veteran audio narrator Renee Raudman's excellent acting background which lends a personal and seasoned audio style to this story of Cammie, who wants a peaceful semester at school - despite the fact she's attending the premier school in the world for spies Carly Phillips' SEALED WITH A KISS (1597371998, $29.95) receives Marie Caliendo's background in commercial and industrial voiceover as it tells of one Molly, who has a hot career and boyfriend, but longs for a real family to call her own. When she discovers her real father she packs her bags for what turns out to be an illusion. David Rollins' DEATH TRUST (142333244X, $38.95) tells of a sniper's bullet and betrayal of trust at the White House when a decorated general's strange death leads to inquiry - right up to the nation's most feared vice president. Political intrigue pairs with espionage to create an impassioned thriller. Andrew Vachss' TERMINAL (1423340574, $34.95) receives David Joe Wirth's cool and leading narrative style which brings well to life the story of Burke, forced to keep a commitment to a prison brother, and to avenge the rape and murder of a teen. His honoring of his commitment will lead to a terminally-ill ex-con and a major cash outlay for a cure in this gripping story of death on the edge. Stephen Hunter's THE SAMURAI (1423306783, $38.95) enjoys Buck Schirner's veteran voice and smooth, prolific reading style which brings to life the story of Bob Lee Swagger and Philip Yano, bound by fathers who are two brave fighters on opposite sides of World War II. Sixty years later a sword leads Yano on a search to Idaho where Lee's restless retirement is shattered by a quest that will uncover a dangerous, powerful artifact. Steve Hamilton's NIGHT WORK (1423307216, $29.95) enjoys Dick Hill's long-time seasoned audio voice as it tells of Joe, a blend of cop and social worker working with high-risk urban youth who finds himself on his first blind date since his fiancee's brutal murder. He's terrified - both of Marlene's beauty and a new nightmare she introduces into his life. All are exceptional, recommended audio listens.

Anna Karenina
Leo Tolstoy
Highbridge Audio
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
1598870807, $19.95 www.penguin.com

If it's an abridged version of the classic you seek, look no further than Alfred Molina's strong narration of the love story ANNA KARENINA. Libraries seeking strong abridged presentations on 3 cds will find it brims with emotion and history, capturing well the story of the strong-willed Anna and the romance which drives her life and the history of Russia itself.

Still Following the Trail of Breadcrumbs to Journal Your Way Back Home
Terry Marotta
Ravenscroft Press
PO Box 270, Winchester, MA 01890
9780963860347, $29.95

Still Following the Trail of Breadcrumbs to Journal Your Way Back Home is an unusual audiobook, as its entire text is on the two audio CDs that come with it. Author and syndicated columnist Terry Marotta recommends listening to the inspirational stories, anecdotes, and insights on the CDs before reading their transcripts in the book. Though Still Following the Trail of Breadcrumbs does not have any blank lines for the listener or reader to practice journaling, it is designed specifically to inspire one to take a blank journal and jot down thoughts or express creativity in response to the notes of wisdom. "In everything I have just described you will find writing that does what many a journal entry ends up doing. It starts in one place in other words and then cartwheels to another by associations that are themselves connected step by step in the writer's mind." An absorbing tool ideal for cultivating free-association writing and journaling skills.

Power to the People
Laura Ingraham
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781428166219, $102.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Power to the People is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the manifesto of nationally syndicated talk radio host Laura Ingraham, calling for Americans who embrace traditional values to reclaim control from politicians and pop culture icons. Firmly advocating a strong, patriotic, family oriented, and Christian nation, Laura Ingraham rebuts Hollywood celebrities and grasping politicians with an unapologetic, tell-it-like-it-is style laced with a dash of caustic humor. As entertaining as it is passionate, Power to the People is perhaps most valuable for its core message about the importance of staying true to one's values and reclaiming social mores from the dictates of strangers. Highly recommended.

I Am America (And So Can You!)
Stephen Colbert
Hachette Audio
1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781600240362, $24.98 www.hbgusa.com

I Am America (And So Can You!) is the audiobook version of irrepressible comedian Stephen Colbert's new, opinionated, cover-to-cover hilarious book. Spoken entirely in character (specifically, the caricature of an over-the-top right-wing pundit that Stephen Colbert plays in his daily "Colbert Report" TV show), I Am America (And So Can You!) features the loud, forceful, and utterly bombastic voice of Colbert himself, though the voices of a number of additional celebrities also appear, including Jon Stewart of "The Daily Show", Amy Sedaris, Paul Dinello, and others. The politicized laughs range from an alleged glimpse into Stephen's childhood and family life (if his children don't listen to him they risk being deported), to his thunderous denouncements of America's pop culture ills (baby carrots are trying to turn him gay), to his views of other demographics (children are to be feared because they're here to replace us, and old people aren't dying fast enough). Highly recommended, and a top-notch gift for any friend or family member in need of a Colbert-inspired smile. 3 CDs.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Finding Your Smile Again
Jeff A. Johnson
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781929610938, $14.95 www.redleafpress.org 1-800-423-8309

Written by a child care professional Jeff A. Johnson especially for other child care professionals, Finding Your Smile Again: A Child Care Professional's Guide to Reducing Stress and Avoiding Burnout is filled with dozens of experience-proven techniques for coping with stressful situations and preventing burnout, in a field where an estimated 30 to 40 percent of practitioners quit. From recognizing the signs of burnout in oneself and others ("I can't smile at the kids anymore") to taking positive action to bigger issues such as seeking one's Ultimate Purpose, Finding Your Smile Again is utterly invaluable. An absolute "must-have" for anyone working in or considering the field of professional child care.

Hire Me, Inc.
Roy J. Blitzer
Entrepreneur Press
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
9781599180830, $19.95 www.entrepreneurpress.com 1-877-833-5524

Roy Blitzer is an executive coach and management consulting who has worked for more than thirty years as a human resources and business management professional. He therefore brings a very special and knowledgeable expertise to "Hire Me, Inc.: Resumes And Cover Letters That Get Results". Blitzer covers the various resume formats (Skills/Functional Resume; Chronological Resume; Combined Resume) as well as the Curriculum Vitae and resume alternatives. Then he goes on to lay out the components of the basic resume format; questions to think about in recording experience; education and professional development; tips and techniques in shaping the resume; and the cover letter and other complementary tools to the resume. Of special note is the chapter devoted to internet tips, hints, and polishing points. Sample resumes are provided for both for-profit and not-for-profit applicants. Simply stated, "Hire Me, Inc." will prove to be an invaluable, indispensable instruction guide for anyone seeking a job or career advancement and using their resume to do so.


The Nautical Shelf

Cruising Guide to Costal South Carolina and Georgia
Claiborne S. Young
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
9780895873439, $26.95 www.blairpub.com 1-800-222-9796

Now in a revised sixth edition, Cruising Guide to Costal South Carolina and Georgia is an in-depth guide to every last marina, anchorage, creek, nook, and cranny along the South Carolina and Georgia coastline. Author Clairborne Young has applied his years of experience boating in sailcraft and powerboats and personally visited every body of water referenced in this local's-eye-view guide. Maps and black-and-white photographs add a visual touch to the richly detailed descriptions sure to appeal to armchair travelers as well as boat travelers. Cruising Guide to Coastal South Carolina and Georgia is a travel guide, not a how-to guide; the reader's familiarity with principles of nautical operation and safety is presumed, and the main focus is upon the marvelous sights, sounds, and history of the South Carolina and Georgia coast. Enthusiastically recommended for area boaters, whether residents or vacationers.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Way of the Horse
Linda Kohanov
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1577315138, $29.95 www.newworldlibrary.com

Equine artist Kim McElroy joins forces with spiritual writer Linda Kohanov, who wrote THE TAO OF EQUUS, to produce a fine book-and-card kit for exploring spiritual connections with horses. The book is paired with forty cards in a divination deck helping readers to understand equine wisdom, creating an excellent, highly-recommended pick for any individual with an interest in horses and new age spirituality.

Yoga Psychology and the Transformation of Consciousness
Don Salmon and Jan Maslow
Paragon House
1925 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 7, St. Paul, MN 55113
9781557788351, $19.95 www.paragonhouse.com

Clinical psychologist Dr. Don Salmon and educator Jan Maslow present Yoga Psychology and the Transformation of Consciousness: Seeing Through the Eyes of Infinity, a guide to embracing the psychological benefits of yoga. Chapters explore how to prepare for the expansions of one's mental state, awakening to vital consciousness, the transformation of one's mind, being aware of karma, and much more. An accompanying audio CD walks the reader through simple meditation techniques. An excellent "get-started" guide to yoga for self-transformation.

The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick
Judith Hawkins-Tillirson, author
Nancy Wasserman, editor
Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781578634118, $12.95 www.redwheelweiser.com 1-800-423-7087

Herbalist and occultist Judith Hawkins-Tillirson offers both lore and practical instructions in the magickal use of plants in The Weiser Concise Guide to Herbal Magick, an easy-to-follow manual examining the mystic properties of plants ranging from mugwort, mandrake, and nightshade to olive, coconut, tiger lily, orchids, palm, and more. Chapters align different plants with corresponding planets of the solar system, and offer useful advice on preparing herbs for magick, gardening, and tips, tricks, and techniques for the successful performance of magick. "For magicians and astrologers alike, Water is the passive, receptive, magnetic element. Water acts as a physical Akashic record; it receives and holds all the energies exposed to it. This natural receptivity is the source of the psychic ability so often found in Water folk, and also of their infamous moodiness - those tides that Dion Fortune described are always moving." An excellent resource for anyone interested in exploring the wonders and benefits of herbal magick.

The Whimsic Alley Book of Spells
George Beahm & Stan Goldin, editors
Tim Kirk, illustrator
Hampton Roads Publishing Company
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
9781571745354, $14.95 1-800-766-8009 www.hrpub.com

The Whimsic Alley Book of Spells: Mythical Incantations for Wizards of All Ages is a compilation of spells created by contributors the world over, in a modern contest sponsored by Goldin's Whimsic Alley store of wizarding wares. Offered spells include "Liber cardiacamo" to free someone from pining over unrequited love, "Excito articulus singularis" to never sleep late again, "Elountous saetu" to temporarily change the weather, and much more. From recommendations for a wizarding wardrobe to practical-use spells to the mystery of where wands come from, The Whimsic Alley Book of Spells is sure to delight anyone intrigued by the wonder of mystic powers.

Monster Spotter's Guide to North America
Scott Francis, author
Ben Patrick, illustrator
F + W Publications, Inc.
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
9781581809299, $14.99 www.fwpublications.com

Monster Spotter's Guide to North America is an exciting field guide to more than one hundred mythical (or are they?) and folklore monsters reputed to roam the North American continent, from the Sasquatch of the Pacific Northwest to the hideous Mexican goatsucker called El Chupacabra. Penned with a witty edge by monster enthusiast Scott Francis, and illustrated with black-and-white sketches by artist Ben Patrick, Monster Spotter's Guide to North America is sure to delight anyone with a keen interest in bizarre or even macabre beasts of legend. Quick-reference boxes for identification of key monster traits, a glossary of cryptozoology terms, a remedial course in common monster knowledge, case studies, and more fill this fantastic reference.


The Woodworking Shelf

The Art of Whittling
Walter L. Faurot
Linden Publishing
2006 S. Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
9781933502076, $9.95 www.lindenpub.com

First published in 1930, The Art of Whittling is a classic introduction to the hobby of woodcrafting through whittling. Linden Publishing offers an unabridged edition of the original guide, offering over a dozen woodworking projects including continuous wooden chains, working wooden scissors and pliers, balls in cages, entwined hearts, fans, and even ships inside bottles. Black-and-white illustrations and diagrams round out this time-tested primer.


The Self-Help Shelf

You Can Do It! But Why Bother?
Jeff St. John, Ph.D.
Airleaf Publishing
35 Industrial Drive, Martinsville, IN 46151
9780595416554, $13.95 www.airleaf.com 1-800-342-6068

Self-help and relationship expert Jeff St. John, Ph.D. presents You Can Do It! But Why Bother?: 101 Excuses for Bad Behavior & Stalling Personal Growth, a self-help book peppered with humor. Each page features a brief first-person statement of a "justified" bad behavior, illustrated with a cartoony caricature drawing. "Today, I will delegate my workload onto unsuspecting people who have a hard time saying no. It's almost like they ask for it." A uniquely delightful spoof on a wealth of different ways people bring negativity into their own lives and the lives of their friends, co-workers, family, and children.

Dwelling
Mary Beth Lagerborg
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800732073, $12.99 www.revellbooks.com

Media director Mary Beth Lagerborg presents Dwelling: Living Fully from the Space You Call Home, which is not an interior decorating guide in the traditional sense - rather, Dwelling emphasizes that creating a comfortable home is intimately tied to cultivating the relationships within it. Chapters discuss how to cope with tastes for decorating or cleanliness that are at odds with one another, how to make working from home successful, transforming the atmosphere of one's home into an inviting place for guests, and much more. A wondrous guide to orchestrating a living space to serve the deeper needs of the soul, rather than just the simple aesthetic demands of the eye.


The Sports Shelf

Minnesota North Stars
Bob Showers
Beaver's Pond Press
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 216, Edina, MN 55439
9781592981977, $34.99 www.BeaversPondPress.com 1-952-829-8818

When the 1992-93 National Hockey League season ended, the Minnesota North Stars franchise was moved from Bloomington, Minnesota to Dallas, Texas. The word 'North' was dropped from the team's name. Shortly afterwards, the Met Center (previously home base for the old Minnesota North Stars hockey team was demolished -- ending twenty-six years of Minnesota professional hockey. "Minnesota North Stars: History And Memories With Lou Nanne" by long time fan Bob Showers is an inherently fascinating history of those many years laced with anecdotal stories combined with vintage photographs, and official team stats, all graced with the personable narrative style of Lou Nanne. The result is informed and informative reading that is a 'must' for the legions of fans who remember the glory days of professional Minnesota ice hockey.

Women Who Win
Lisa Taggart
Seal Press
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
245 West 17th Street, 11th floor, New York, NY 10011-5300
9781580052009, $14.95 www.sealpress.com 1-800-788-3123

Women Who Win: Female Athletes on Being the Best is an anthology of portraits of champion ten female athletes. A black-and-white photograph of each woman introduces her section, peppered with snippets of interviews, tales of training regimens, and stories of the raw struggle required to become the best of the best. The women covered are big-wave surfer Jamilah Star, jockey Julie Krone, soccer player Julie Foudy, runner Deena Kastor, gymnast Wendy Hilliard, volleyball player Misty May-Treanor, swimmer Lynne Cox, basketball player Tamika Catchings, triathlete Karen Smyers, and rock climber Lynn Hill. An amazing true account of what it takes to reach the top of one's game, and an especially inspirational read for women of all ages.


The Genealogy Shelf

Searching For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors
Josef J. Goethals & Karel Denys
Clearfield Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
0806353422, $19.95 www.genealogical.com 1-800-296-6687

Genealogist Josef J. Goethals, in collaboration with ordained priest Karel Denys (who is also the editor of the "Gazette van Detroit" considered to be the only Belgian newspaper in America), "Searching For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors" is an invaluable introduction to doing genealogical research involving Flemish (today known as Belgian) ancestors and family lines. Beginning with a brief history of Flanders and Belgium, "Searching For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors" goes on to identify American sources of Belgian information; civil records in Flanders from 1796; parish records; and other sources of the 'Old Regime'. Enhanced with five appendices including 'Flemish Surnames and First Names'; 'State Archives in Flanders'; 'The Flemish Association for Family History'; 'Currency and Land Measurements'; and a Glossary of Flemish, French and Latin Terms, ; as well as a Bibliography, "Searching For Flemish (Belgian) Ancestors is a thoroughly 'user friendly' and invaluable resource recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Genealogical Studies reference collections.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

A Whitetail Retrospective
Boone and Crockett Club
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801
9780940864566, $34.95 www.booneandcrockettclub.com

For more than one hundred years the Boone and Crockett Club (named after fabled frontiersmen and hunters Daniel Boone and David Crockett) has been an organized of hunters who sought out the big-game animals of North America. Now the organizations century-old history has been illustrated and documented in "A Whitetail Retrospective Vintage Photos And Memorabilia From The Boone And Crockett Club Archives", a 340-page compendium of letters, memos, maps, articles, photos, and records showcasing the activities and accomplishments of its membership. Organized by decades in their chronological order, the club's history is presented from its earliest days in 1830 through 1979. Here are the most significant whitetail deer trophies ever recorded, including the Breen Buck, Mel Johnson's archery Worlds Record, James Jordan's legendary typical from Wisconsin, and so much more. "A Whitetail Retrospective" is informative and engaging reading which is especially recommended to contemporary deer hunters, and will provide an excellent introduction to the sport as faithfully recorded in the archives of the fabled Boone and Crockett Club.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest
William Neill
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, Montana 59806
9780878425372, $18.00 www.mountain-press.com 1-800-234-5308

Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest is a field guide beautifully illustrated with color photography throughout. Covering 118 of the most commonly encountered butterflies in Washington, Oregon, and parts of California, Nevada, Idaho, and Canada, Butterflies of the Pacific Northwest offers a quick summary of facts as well as an unmistakable color image of each species featured - many species also have a photograph of the butterfly in caterpillar or cocoon form as well. An easy-to-use guide for learning where and when to observe butterflies, and how to identify male and female adults as well as caterpillars, pupae, and eggs. Enthusiastically recommended for amateur butterfly enthusiasts and field professionals alike.

Fifty Uncommon Birds Of The Upper Midwest
Nancy Overcott & Dana Gardner
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
1587295903, $34.95 www.uiowapress.org 1-800-621-2736

Superbly executed, museum quality watercolors by gifted artist Nancy Overcott showcasing fifty different species of hard-to-find birds associated with the upper Midwestern habitats are enhanced with an informed and informative narrative text by columnist and author Dana Gardner in "Fifty Uncommon Birds Of The Upper Midwest". Each selected bird is a relatively rare and difficult to find specimen of birdlife ranging from the Surf Scoter, to the Whooping Crane, to the Acadian Flycatcher, to the Evening Grosbeck. Enhanced with an annotated bibliography (including online information about national and international organizations that focus on birds and bird related conservation issues), "Fifty Uncommon Birds Of The Upper Midwest" is an important and popular addition to academic library reference collections, and most especially to community library Pets & Wildlife shelves across the American Midwest. Also very highly recommended are Overcott and Gardner's previously published companion title, "Fifty Common Birds Of The Upper Midwest (University of Iowa Press, 2006).


The Psychology Shelf

Understanding Personality Disorders
Duane L. Dobbert
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275989607, $39.95 www.praeger.com

Personality disorders appear everywhere: in the workplace, shopping centers, and even the home - that's why it's important for more than just the professional therapist to understand and recognize them. UNDERSTANDING PERSONALITY DISORDERS isn't for the usual professional audience, but for lay readers - making it the perfect choice for general-interest health holdings. It provides an introduction geared to those who live and work around personality-disordered people, presenting common signs of troubles and how they can be handled. An excellent survey highly recommended as an authoritative introduction for all walks of life.

Human Behavior, Learning, and the Developing Brain
Donna Coch, Geraldine Dawson, and Kurt W. Fischer, editors
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
9781593851378, $50.00 www.guilford.com 1-800-365-7006

Human Behavior, Learning, and the Developing Brain: Atypical Development is an anthology of essays by experts in the field concerning the latest research on brain-behavior connections in atypically developing children. Covering brain development in children with autism, Williams syndrome, learning and language disabilities, ADHD, and cognitive deficits (in the case of infants of mothers with diabetes), Human Behavior, Learning, and the Developing Brain addresses the molecular and genetic bases of brain development, as well as neural structure and function, behavioral manifestations, and sociocultural contexts. Applied tools range from genetic markers and functional brain imaging to classroom evaluations. The practical use of this congregated wisdom can facilitate the prediction, early identification, and professional intervention to the benefit of children with atypical brain development. An ideal text for graduate-level psychology students and college library shelves.

Childhood Mental Health Disorders
Ronald T. Brown, et al.
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433801709, $59.95 www.apa.org/books 1-800-368-5777

Ten distinguished academicians and clinicians in this very specialized are of psychology have contributed to "Childhood Mental Health Disorders: Evidence Base And Contextual Factors For Psychosocial, Psychopharmacological, And Combined Interventions", a review of the professional literature focused on evidence-based practice pertaining to psychopharmacology and psychotherapy for a variety of mental health disorders in children. This seminal volume covers currently available information on the effective use of treatment modalities, sequencing, comparative risks and benefits, the integration of psychotropic medications, as well as psychosocial interventions for children and adolescents. Among the conditions or disorders addressed are those that are internalized (anxiety, depression), and those that are externalized (hyperactivity, conduct, oppositional defiance, attention deficits). An impressively informed and informative body of analytical commentary, "Childhood Mental Health Disorders" should be considered an essential acquisition for professional, clinical, and academic library Child Psychology/Child Psychiatric reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Journalism Shelf

Porcupine, Picayune & Post
Jim Bernhard
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826217486, $34.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894

"Porcupine, Picayune & Post: How Newspapers Get Their Names" is a fascinating and analytical history of how many of America's newspapers came to carry distinctive, even whimsical, names like 'Jimplecute', 'Acantha', 'Zephry', 'Gondolier', 'Iconoclast' or 'Bazzo'. Author and word sleuth Jim Bernhard also reveals why there are so many newspapers around the country that carry the words 'Herald', 'Journal', 'Post', and 'Tribune' in their titles. Sometimes the names had their roots in politics, sometimes they were personal, sometimes they were meant to represent a philosophy or mission. "Porcupine, Picayune & Post" is wonderfully informative read that is as entertaining as it is instructional. "Porcupine, Picayune & Post" is a well deserved and popular addition to both academic and community library Journalism and American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists. A work of seminal scholarship, "Porcupine, Picayune & Post" is also very highly recommended to non-specialist general readers curious about the origin stories behind their own favorite newspapers.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Grammar Sucks
Joanne Kimes 7 Gary Robert Muschla
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
9781593376260, $12.95 www.adamsmedia.com 1-800-872-5627

One of the things that will pretty much guarantee a book's rejection by a reviewer is that it is poorly written. Flawed writing comes in the form of typos and errors of grammar. Written with both wit and wisdom, "Grammar Sucks: What To Do To Make Your Writing Much More Better" is the collaborative work of Joanne Kimes (writer for a number of children's and comedy television shows, as well as coauthor of "Pregnancy Sucks" and "Pregnancy Sucks For Men") and Gary Robert Muschla (an expert and published author of several titles on writing, grammar, and reading instruction). This thoroughly 'reader friendly' compendium of instruction, advice, tips, and basic information, will prove to be invaluable for any writer who pretty much ignored all of those highschool English classes, and now wishes they'd paid attention to all that stuff about dangling modifiers, proper sentence structure, and run-on paragraphs. A truly enjoyable and practical read, "Grammar Sucks" is especially recommended for the novice writer and self-published author who keep wondering why their manuscripts are rejected and/or their books are refused a positive review -- or any review at all.

Writing Across Distances & Disciplines
Joyce Magnotto Neff & Carl Whithuas
Lawrence Erlbaum Associates
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
0805858571, $30.00 www.routledge.com

The collaborative work of Joyce Magnotto Neff and Carl Whithuas, "Writing Across Distances & Disciplines: Research And Pedagogy In Distributed Learning" addresses questions that arise from the onsite, hybrid, and distributed learning environments, including places of higher education and the workplace; and between 'distance education' and 'composition pedagogy'. A slender (186-page) volume, "Writing Across Distances & Disciplines" informatively raises critical issues, clarifies key terms, reviews relevant history and theory, analyzes current research, reconsiders pedagogy, explores specific applications of WAC and WID in distributed environments, and considers what business and education might teach one another about writing and learning. "Writing Across Distances & Disciplines" is a seminal work that, while especially recommended to educators and administrators with respect to written communications, will prove of interest to non-specialist general readers, scholars, students, and professional writers with an interest in the technological future of writing and learning in higher education.

Wannabe A Writer?
Jane Wenham-Jones
Accent Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781905170814, GBP 7.99 www.dufoureditions.com 1-800-869-5677

Writer professionally is a daunting task for the uninitiated. In a single and comprehensive volume, 'Writing Magazine' columnist Jane Wenham-Jones uses solid information liberally laced with humor to help aspiring writers figure out where they need to start, how they are to finish, and that eternal question besetting all ambitious authors: 'Will anyone ever publish it when you have?' in "Wannabe A Writer?". This thoroughly 'reader friendly' instruction manual is as informed and informative as it is entertainingly demystifying. "Wannabe A Writer?" features a wealth of practical tips and insights on writing and getting published from a number of successful authors, professional literary agents, and commercial publishers. Of special note is the section 'Novels Are Not The Only Fruit' which examines writing as therapy, writing as revenge, words of warning, memoirs and life stories, other non-fiction, and a great deal more. Practical, accessible, written with flair and humor, Jane Wenham-Jones' "Wannabe A Writer?" is confidently and enthusiastically recommended to the attention of anyone who aspires to a professional career as a writer -- or simply can't help themselves from expressing thoughts on paper where other folk can read them!

The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book
Patricia L. Fry
Matilija Press
323 East Matilija Street, Suite 110, Ojai, CA 93023
9780977357628, $19.95 www.matilijapress.com

Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book: Your Complete Guide To Successful Authorship" by Patricia L. Fry continues to be an ideal, single-volume introduction to writing and getting published whether your literary project is fiction or non-fiction. Aspiring authors will learn how to write with clarity; actually incorporate promotion into their book; locate and evaluate an appropriate publisher (including the option of self-publishing); selecting an effective agent; write saleable book proposals and professional quality query letters; establish a platform, choose an editor; upon publication get their books into bookstores; obtain valid reviews; promote and sell their book; work with distributors, wholesalers, retailers, and internet book selling websites. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is twice referred to and recommended as a book review resource for small presses and self-published authors. If you are an aspiring author, no matter what your genre or project, you need to give Patricia Fry's "The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book" a very careful reading. It will demystify the process of publication; alleviate anxiety through instruction, recommendation, and reference; and serve as a continuing informational resource at ever step of the process of going from manuscript to published book, and every aspect of book promotion and marketing, the responsibility for which, in today's highly competitive marketplace, will inevitable falls upon the author to perform. Also very highly recommended from Patricia Fry is "The Author's Workbook: Your Guide To Developing A Publishing And Marketing Plan", a spiral bound workbook specifically designed to accompany "The Right Way To Write, Publish And Sell Your Book" ($12.95) and is available directly from the Matilija Press website at www.matilijapress.com, as are her other truly exceptionally writer instruction titles: "How To Write A Successful Book Proposal In 8 Days Or Less" ($12.95); "The Successful Writer's Handbook" ($15.95); "Over 75 Good Ideas For Promoting Your Book" ($6.50); and "A Writer's Guide To Magazine Articles" ($6.50)

The Writer Behind the Words
Dara Girard
Ilori Press
PO Box 10332, Silver Spring, MD 20914
9780977019151, $12.95 www.iloripress.com

Award-winning author Dara Girard presents The Writer Behind the Words: Steps to Success in the Writing Life, a handy guide for aspiring and professional writers alike to achieving success and an honest living in the field. Chapters cover the seven traits of successful writers; how to make one's writing output more prolific; dealing with doubt, depression, and writer's block; forming a sensible strategy for success; and much more. A highly motivational resource for developing a writer's work ethic.

How I Got Published
Ray White & Duane Lindsay, editors
Writer's Digest Books
c/ o F&W Publications, Inc.
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990
9781582975108, $16.99 www.fwpublications.com 1-800-726-9966

How I Got Published: Famous Authors Tell You in Their Own Words is an anthology of true anecdotes from a wide variety of successful authors telling how they managed to break into the business and launch a successful writing career, all in their own words. Editors Ray White and Duane Lindsay have also peppered How I Got Published with general tips, tricks, and techniques for would-be authors, including ten "absolute" rules to follow for publishing success. From the importance of sheer bloody-minded stubbornness, to making connections with literary agents and editors, to the value of joining a critique group, how to not take rejections personally, and much more, How I Got Published is both an inspirational text and a handy guidebook to how breaking into the publishing world really works.

Carmack's Guide To Copyright & Contracts
Sharon DeBartolo Carmack, CG
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806317588, $15.95 www.genealogical.com 1-800-296-6687

A Certified Genealogist, Sharon DeBartolo Carmack is also an editor and one of the field's most prolific writers with sixteen books and hundreds of published articles to her credit. Therefore she brings a very special expertise to "Carmack's Guide To Copyright & Contracts: A Primer For Genealogists, Writers & Researchers". With a thoroughly 'reader friendly' conversational style of writing, Carmack clearly and accurately explains the basics of copyright, other rights, contracts, and how these all apply to the work of genealogists, writers, and researchers in genealogy or any other form of information gathering. "Carmack's Guide To Copyright & Contracts" addresses such questions as to whether or not permission is required to use something found on the Internet; can newspaper obituaries be reproduced without permission; how to determine when something is in the public domain; who owns the copyright to the client report; if an ancestor's diary can be published without permission; and whether lectures or lessons can be copyrighted. Of special note is what Carmack has to say about who owns the copyright to something written for a genealogical society by a volunteer. "Carmack's Guide To Copyright & Contracts" should be considered to be a highly recommended and indispensable reference for the professional and amateur genealogists, genealogical society volunteers and staff, instructors, writers, librarians, speakers, and anyone else wanting to clarify the copyright status of any material be it their own or another's.

Crafting The Travel Guidebook
Barbara Hudgins
The Woodmont Press
PO Box 16, Liberty Corner, NJ 07938
9780960776207, $17.95 www.woodmontpress.com

Travel writing in general, and the writing of travel guides in particular, is a very specialized genre for aspiring authors and is perhaps one of the most complicated areas in which to seek publication. Therefore it is especially satisfying to read travel writing expert Barbara Hudgins' practical, real-world, comprehensive compendium of sound advice and information on writing guidebooks, directories, travelogues, travel memoirs, in "Crafting The Travel Guidebook: How To Write, Publishing & Sell Your Travel Book". In addition to providing a wealth of useable information on traditional publishing, self-publishing, POD publishing, and subsidy publishing as it applies to travel oriented books, there are invaluable travel writing tips, advice on writing the book proposal, key information concerning publicity and promotion, and a list of publishers who specialize in producing travel books. More specifically to the advantage of the novice author seeking to write a travel guide or a travelogue is what "Crafting The Travel Guidebook" has to offer about finding a category to write about, creating a format, constructing the framework of the guidebook, finding an audience, and finding a 'voice' that will stand out from all the other travel books in competition for the traveler's attention. Simply indispensable reading for any beginning travel author, whether they are writing annotated directories, road guides, memoirs, outdoor recreation guides, destination and regional guidebooks, restaurant and winter guides, specialized audience guides, luxury or budget travel guides, guidebooks for the business traveler, or for the vacationer, "Crafting The Travel Guidebook" is also very highly recommended to seasoned travel journalists seeking to compile their magazine or newspaper travel columns into a travel book.

For Those About To Write
Dave Bidini
Tundra Books
75 Sherbourne Street, 5th floor, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5A 2P9
9780887767692, $9.95 www.tundrabooks.com 1-800-788-1074

Very strongly recommended for both school and community library collections, "For Those About To Write: How I Learned to Love Books And Why I Had To Write Them" is the personal story of rock musician and sports enthusiast Dave Bidini's efforts as a writer whose first book, 'On a Cold Road' was published in 1998 and was about what it was like to tour Canada as part of a popular rock 'n' roll band called the 'Rheostatics'. Dave went on to write more books including 'Trop of Hockey' (2001) and 'Baseballissimo' (2004). Dave's anecdotal history of himself as a reader and a writer will admirably serve to introduce children ages 10 and older to what it is like to be a writer, how they can become writers themselves, and the values writing has both as a pastime and as a profession. Although specifically written to interest young readers in the world of writing and publishing, "For Those About To Write" will also prove to be a quick, interesting, and relevant read for adults of all ages who are themselves considering the writing of a book.

Why, When, Where, & How To Write, Publish, Market, & Sell Your Book
Bill Thurwanger
Ripples On The Water
4750 East Union Hills, #1105, Phoenix, AZ 85050
978097968803, $17.95 www.ripplesonthewater2.com

Bill Thurwanger draws upon his real-world experiences as the author of five books to write "Why, When, Where, & How To Write, Publish, Market, & Sell Your Book", an instruction manual designed to provide aspiring authors yearning to become published with some useful strategies and effective tactics to achieve their goal. Some common problems that neophyte authors have to deal with are presented along with sage and practical advice for resolving or avoiding them. The eight succinct chapters comprising this spiral bound, 99-page reference, deal with such issues as a writer's qualifications and the kind of book to be written; the timing of when to write a book; how to write a book in terms of set-up, forms and formats, composition and substance; general information about copyrights, ISBN numbers, cover design, ordering page, book pricing, determining an appropriate publisher, book brokers, and more; pre-marketing a book through book reviews, press releases, contests, etc.; the role of an internet website and e-commerce; what to do with a book once it is published including the role of reviewers, media mail, book fairs, agents, book signings, and more; and selling the book through online book sellers, book stores, selling to major publishers, and the creation of proposals. "Why, When, Where, & How To Write, Publish, Market, & Sell Your Book" is instructive and recommended -- especially for authors who haven't got a clue about how to write, publish, and sell in today's highly volatile and competitive publishing industry. It won't be found in bookstores. The only way to obtain a copy is directly from the author through the website www.ripplesonthewater2.com -- but it is well worth the effort and the investment.

How To Publish Your Nonfiction Book
Rudy Shur
Square One Publishing
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
9780757000003, $16.95 www.squareonepublishing.com

Publishing books is always a highly competitive and volatile business. Fortunately, when it comes to aspiring authors of nonfiction, there is an excellent and thoroughly 'user friendly' how-to guide on how to get published. "How To Publish Your Nonfiction Book: A Complete Guide To Making The Right Publisher Say Yes" is that highly recommended instruction manual expertly written by Rudy Shur (co-founder of the Avery Publishing Group where he was responsible for the acquisition of more than one thousand nonfiction titles). Aspiring writers of nonfiction (regardless of its subject matter or category) seeking to be published will benefit from a true insider's perspective; learn just how they can create an effective submission package, write cover letters that will receive a serious reading; avoid common mistakes; utilize an easy-to-use, eight-step system for manuscript submission; read and understand a basic publishing contract; minimize time and cost while maximizing results; access and utilize up-to-date resources; and even some new ways to hone writing skills. Simply stated, if you are the author of a nonfiction book and are seeking publication, you need to read Rudy Shur's "How To Publish Your Nonfiction Book".


The Library Science Shelf

Academic Librarianship By Design
Steven J. Bell & John D. Shank
ALA Editions
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838909393, $50.00 www.alastore.ala.org 1-866-746-7252

"Academic Librarianship By Design: A Blended Librarian's Guide to The Tools And Techniques" is ably and informatively co-authored by Steven J. Bell (Associate University Librarians for Research and Instructional Services at Temple University) and John D. Shank (Instructional Design Librarian and Director of the Center for Learning Technologies for Pennsylvania State University's Berks Campus). Designed specifically for library staff members working in an academic setting, "Academic Librarianship By Design" features the authors' modified 'ADDIE Model' in improving librarian collaboration with faculty, researchers, and students in becoming an instructional partner; connecting with learners through applying design thinking to develop and enhance library services; provide effective and innovative tools for sahring information literacy and research process insights; and carry out a leadership level responsibility with respect to integrating the academic library and librarian into the teaching and learning process. "Academic Librarianship By Design" utilizes scenarios, case studies, and profiles to illustrate the successes that 'blended librarians' are having on academic campuses. Practical, applicable, and 'user friendly', "Academic Librarianship By Design" is especially recommended to the attention of academic librarians at all educational levels as an instruction manual, a reference on information literacy, and as a key addition to university level Library Science curriculums for library and information science students.

Institutions of Reading
Thomas Augst and Kenneth Carpenter, editors
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558495913, $28.95 www.umpress.usmass.edu 1-800-537-5487

Institutions of Reading: The Social Life of Libraries in the United States is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning the evolution of the modern institution of the library, from the late eighteenth century to the modern digital era. Individual essays include "Subscription Libraries and Commercial Circulating Libraries in Colonial Philadelphia and New York", "Faith in Reading: Public Libraries, Liberalism, and the Civil Religion", "Women Writers and Their Libraries in the 1920s", "Scarcity or Abundance? Preserving the Past in a Digital Era", and many more. An astute and scholarly exploration of what composes a library and how libraries have affected modern culture, and a welcome addition to library history and library science shelves.

The Academic Library Manager's Forms, Policies, And Procedures Handbook With CD-ROM
Rebecca Brumley
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555705978, $149.95 www.neal-schuman.com 1-866-672-6657

An essential, complete and comprehensive, single volume reference, "The Academic Library manager's Forms, Policies, And Procedures Handbook With CD-ROM" by experienced professional librarian Rebecca Brumley (currently with the Navarro College Library at the Waxahachie and Midlothian campuses in Texas, and a consultant to small libraries and communities on policy and procedure manuals) is specifically designed and intended to meet the needs of academic librarians select the best policies and procedures in over 300 different areas of library science and practice. Featuring examples of forms, policies and procedures ranging from mission and vision statements, to staff standards, to behavior guidelines, to special use rooms, to library incident forms, to collection and purchasing guidelines, and a great deal more, "The Academic Library manager's Forms, Policies, And Procedures Handbook With CD-ROM" should be considered an essential reference guide for library staff members and managers working in two-year colleges, four-year liberal arts schools, public and private universities and colleges, as well as research universities. Of special value is the accompanying CD-ROM with all of the forms readily available for customizing and reproduction.


The Library DVD Shelf

The Other Conquest
Union Station Media
ZDV72168, $29.97, www.unionsationmedia.com

Topiltzin is an Aztec survivor of the Spanish invasion of 1502 where his people and culture have been ruthlessly destroyed at the hands of Hernando Cortes and his Conquistadores in the name of Christianity. Topiltzin is the murdered Moctezuma's illegitimate son. Refusing to surrender to the Spanish, he struggles to preserve the cult of Tonantzin and adapt to a hostile new order imposed by raging battles and ruthless suppression. In the end, he is alone, depressed, and gravely ill. As fever-born hallucinations merge Christian and Aztec imagery together in the mind of Topiltzin, the viewers come to understand the complex and ambiguous origins of a new hybrid Latino culture that would come to be called "Mestizo', and which would still be a part of Mexican culture some five centuries later. Beautifully produced and very highly recommended for personal viewing and community library DVD collections, "The Other Conquest" is filmed in Spanish and Nahuatl (with English subtitles), and has a total running time of 105 minutes. The DVD format allows for the addition of special features including a featurette with cast and crew interviews, deleted scenes from the theatrical release, and a director's commentary.

Healthy Aging
Rene Burton
DC Entertainment Production
3807 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 335, Los Angeles, CA 90010
DVD, $19.95 each, www.dcefilms.com

Rene Burton is a senior citizen whose personal mission is to change popular misconceptions about aging. In her exercise DVD trilogy, "Healthy Aging: It's Never Too Late" which is specifically designed for use by seniors age 55 and over, she seeks to redefine what seniors are and what seniors can be called upon to do. The first DVD is Level 1 (DCE3001) and intended for beginners. Level 2 (DCE3002) is for seniors at the intermediate level of exercise ability. Level 3 (DCE3003) features an advanced level exercise regime. Each of these exercise DVDs will improve the physical agility, mobility, strength, posture, muscle tone, eye-hand coordination, and over-all well-being of seniors safely and methodically. The exercises employ standing and chair routines, the use of resistance bands and hand-held weights. Each program includes warm-ups and cool-downs, as well as stretching and breathing to relax. Thoroughly 'user friendly' and strongly recommended for personal workouts, the "Healthy Aging: It's Never Too Late" trilogy can be acquired as separate DVD volumes, but community center and community library exercise DVD collections should acquire the complete trilogy for the benefit of their patrons.

Agatha Christie's Marple: Volume 3
Acorn Media Group
801 Roeder Road, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD 20910
AMP-9780, $59.95 www.acornmedia.com

Simply stated, the BBC production of the Miss Marple mysteries based on the novels of Agatha Christie comprise some of the best theatrical productions ever to run on the PBS channel's "Mystery!" series. Now available are the four complete stories comprising the third volume of this outstanding DVD series available for personal and community library collections from Acorn Media. The four Agatha Christie novels featured in "Agatha Christie's Marple: Volume 3" are brilliantly scripted, superbly enacted (Geraldine McEwan is the consummate Miss Marple!), and impressively produced (right down to the set designs and costuming!) are 'Towards Zero'; "Nemesis'; 'At Bertram's Hotel', and 'Ordeal By Innocence'. As with all Agatha Christie 'whoddunit' mysteries, the plots are complex, the characters well fleshed out, and the clues there for the discerning viewer to pick up -- if they can! With a complete running time of 372 minutes, each of these expertly done British mysteries are in full color and are enhanced with photo galleries, an Agatha Christie biography, and cast member filmographies. But be warned, viewers for whom volume three of the 'Marple" mysteries is their first encounter will be compelled to obtain and view the previous two DVD volumes in this simply outstanding and enthusiastically recommended series from Acorn Media!


The Aviation Shelf

50 Aircraft That Changed The World
Ron Dick & Dan Patterson
Boston Mills Press
c/o Firefly Books Ltd.
66 Leek Crescent, Richmond Hills, ON, Canada, L4B 1H1
9781550464658, $39.95 www.fireflybooks.com 1-800-387-5085

The collaborative work of aviation historians Ron Dick and Dan Patterson, "50 Aircraft That Changed The World" is a profusely illustrated, 208-page compendium providing an informed and informative survey of fifty of the most influential aircraft in the history of aviation to date. Beginning with the Wright Brothers' 1905 Flyer, then addressing and illustrating the strides in aircraft and aircraft production spurred on by the demands of World War I, then noting the trail-blazer aircraft of the inter-war years (including the first passenger flights and the great flying boats), to classic World War II era aircraft such as the Bf 109, the Spitfire, and the Mustang, to the coming of age of the jet aircraft in the Korean and Vietnam wars, to modern commercial carries, private jets, experimental aviation designs, and concluding with the new generation of combat fighters featuring Stealth technology. An impressive and encyclopedic history of influential aircraft, "50 Aircraft That Changed The World" truly lives up to its title and should be a part of every personal, professional, academic, and community library's Aviation History reference collection. Also very highly recommended for such library reference collections is Ron Dick and Dan Patterson's five volume 'Aviation Century Series'.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood
Tom Lisanti
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786431724, $39.95 www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187

Contributing writer for "Cinema Retro" magazine Tom Lisanti presents Glamour Girls of Sixties Hollywood: Seventy-Five Profiles, an homage to seventy-five different models, Playboy centerfolds, beauty queens, and Las Vegas showgirls of the 1960s who moved on to become "decorative actresses" who showed off their scantily clad skin on film and television. Black-and-white photographs illustrate the profiles, each only a few pages long, which include a physical description of the actress in her prime, notes on which movies or shows the casual browser may remember her from, a list of her 60's credits, the "beginning" or origin of the woman's career in show business, and how she fared in the 70's and beyond. Sometimes the actress herself offers in-her-own-words interview concerning the highlights of her career. Interviewed women include Victoria Carroll, Melodie Johnson, Vicki London, Lee Meredith, Anne Randall, and more. A lightheartedly sexy treasury sure to delight 60's pop culture fans and cinema buffs.

T

The Political Science Shelf

In Praise of Barbarians
Mike Davis
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781931859424, $15.00 www.haymarketbooks.org 1-773-583-7884

Historian and socialist activist Mike Davis presents In Praise of Barbarians: Essays Against Empire, a caustic collection of radical essays hurling blistering attacks on perceived yearnings for empire and other potentially fatal flaws within modern-day America. Chapters discuss social ills ranging from California's increasingly crowded prison system (due to the "Three Strikes" laws that add an ever-growing number lifetime convicts who committed nonviolent offenses), to a commemoration of "anarchist avengers" of the 1890s, to a stinging condemnation of the Pentagon as "Global Slumlord" and much more. Passionate, unapologetic, and relentless in calling out the ruthless side of industrial capitalism, In Praise of Barbarians deserves to be carefully considered as a compelling warning of worsening social ills, regardless of whether the reader agrees with the author's political ideology.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

The Great Arab Conquests
Hugh Kennedy
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306815850, $27.95 www.perseusbooks.com 1-800-242-7737

Arabic history expert Hugh Kennedy presents The Great Arab Conquests: How the Spread of Islam Changed the World We Live In, the true story of Islam's expansion in the immediate centuries after the Prophet Mohammed's death, and the cultural and linguistic reverberations of Islam's spread which remain to the modern day. By the mid-eighth century, Arab armies had subjugated the Persian Empire, drastically reduced the size of the Byzantine Empire, and eliminated the Visigoth kingdom of Spain. The Great Arab Conquests illustrates how the Arab armies were able to obtain the upper hand, and offers insights into the distinctive governance Islam wielded over subjugated peoples, as well as how vast populations became converted to Islam. Told with a vividness that will appeal to lay readers and scholars alike, The Great Arab Conquests is a welcome addition to Islamic studies and history shelves.


The Gaming Shelf

The Survival Guide to Competitive Chess
John Emms
Everyman Chess
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9781857444124, $24.95 www.everymanchess.com 1-800-243-0495

Grandmaster and experienced tournament player John Emms reveals how to unlock one's full chess potential in The Survival Guide to Competitive Chess, a guide covering all aspects of practical play. Chapters cover maintaining concentration, behaviour at the chessboard, when and how to play for a win versus a draw, how to save a difficult position as well as how to win from a good position, dealing with time trouble, avoiding blunders, understanding one's own strengths and weaknesses, assembling an opening repertoire, using chess computers and software, and much more. Diagrams and sample games illustrate the points covered in this solid, hard-hitting guide, invaluable for prospective tournament chess players and highly recommended for anyone seeking to improve their skills.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Treasury of Knowledge: Frameworks of Buddhist Philosophy
Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye, author
Elizabeth M. Callahan, translator
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559392778, $34.95 www.SnowLionPub.com 1-800-950-0313

The Treasury of Knowledge: Frameworks of Buddhist Philosophy is the fourth of ten volumes of the classic "Treasury of Knowledge" series compiling the entire range of Buddhist teachings as they were preserved in Tibet. Written by nonsectarian Buddhist teacher Jamgon Kongtrul Lodro Taye (1813-1900) and skillfully translated into English by expert and practicing Buddhist Elizabeth M. Callahan, The Treasury of Knowledge: Frameworks of Buddhist Philosophy explores the broad themes and subtle points brought to light in Buddhist philosophical writings over the past fifteen hundred years. Offering an overview of the key points of each of Buddhism's four philosophical systems, The Treasury of Knowledge: Frameworks of Buddhist Philosophy is an undeniable classic ideal for scholars and practitioners of Buddhism seeking to apply analytical inquiry to their understanding. Highly recommended for Buddhist studies shelves.


The Library CD Music Shelf

The Roots of Chicha
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$15.98 www.rockpaperscissors.biz

The Roots of Chicha: Psychedelic Cumbias from Peru is an album of "cumbias amazonicas", a fusion of Peru's indigenous melodies, Colombia's cumbia rhythm, rock and roll organ-playing, and surf rock wah-wah pedals. The resulting music has become an audible symbol for the indigenous population's transition to urban living, and resonates with a vibrant originality. The Roots of Chicha showcases tracks by six different bands: Los Mirlos, Juaneco y Su Combo, Los Hijos del Sol, Los Destellos, Los Diablos Rojos, and Eusebio y Su Banjo. The thriving beat of the album, reminiscent of Jamaican Ska or Congolese Soukous, is sure to capture the pulse and spirit of the listener. The tracks are Sonido Amazonico (2:35), Linda Nena (3:45), Carinito (4:05), A Patricia (3:14), Sacalo Sacalo (3:04), Ya se ha muerto mi Abuelo (4:09), El Milagro Verde (2:43), Para Elisa (2:46), Linda Munequita (4:44), Muchachita del Oriente (3:19), Elsa (3:38), Vacilando con Ayahuesca (3:31), El Guapo (3:23), Mi Morena Rebelde (3:21), Si Me Quieres (3:09), Me Robaron mi Runa Mula (3:07), and La Danza de Los Mirlos (2:49). Highly recommended for public library and ethnic music collections.


The Architecture Shelf

The Timber Framing Book
Stewart Elliott & Eugenie Wallas
Alan C. Hood & Company
PO Box 775, Chambersburg, PA 17201
9780911469325, $30.00 www.hoodbooks.com

Profusely illustrated with diagrams by Linda Foss and photos by Jeremy Foss and Randy Hillner, "The Timber Framing Book" is a superbly written and organized 169-page instruction manual co-authored by timber framing experts Stewart Elliott and Eugenie Walls. Beginning with a historical and commentary on timber framing, individual chapters focus on 'Getting Started', 'The Frame', and then go on to the technical details of framing calculations and measurements, joinery, laying out and cutting joints, laying out and cutting braces, rafters, traditional decorative treatments of timbers, 'Raisin' Day', frame design and timber orders, then conclude with a chapter dedicated to building a 12' by 16' shed. Enhanced with the inclusion of a three page bibliography, a glossary of specialized terms, and an appendix of line-drawn illustrations, "The Timber Framing Book" is an exceptionally 'user friendly' introduction to the basics of timber framing and a very strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Architecture and Woodworking reference collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Designing Clothes
Veronica Manlow
Transaction Books
35 Beurre Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
0765803984, $34.95 www.transactionpub.com

DESIGNING CLOTHES: CULTURE AND ORGANIZATION OF THE FASHION INDUSTRY is a top pick for college-level collections strong in fashion history and design. It considers how fashion operates in society and how it works in an organizational context, considering how fashion firms operate, how they market more than just clothing, and how they actually sell bigger concepts than the latest style choices. Not only art collections but business libraries as well will find it an important survey of how the presentation of fashion is influenced by social change. From fashion industry trends and leadership to the efforts of the fashion designer, DESIGNING CLOTHES is an excellent, in-depth survey.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Encyclopedia of American Jewish History
Stephen H. Norwood and Eunice G. Pollack, Editors
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851096381, $245.00 www.abc-clio.com

The extensive 2-volume reference Encyclopedia of American Jewish History adds to the 'American Ethnic Experience' library and deserves a home on the shelf of any Jewish or American history collection from high school through college levels. Discussions organized by theme for handy, quick reference include immigration and early settlement patterns, an overview of Judaic communities in America, demographics, chapters of law and social movements issues, and much more. From historical patterns and interactions between Judaic and other ethnic groups to key patterns and sociological concerns, ENCYCLOPEDIA OF AMERICAN JEWISH HISTORY provides not just reference listings but in-depth article discussions essential for any student of Judaic history, especially those seeking a solid introductory reference.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The 'I Hate to Exercise' Book, 2nd Edition
Charlotte Hayes, MMSc, MS, RD, CDE
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
1580402534, $14.95 www.diabetes.org

Exercise plans are only as effective as they are used, and in this revised, expanded second edition of a popular classic author Charlotte Hayes offers more easy ways of building exercise into a daily routine. From easy from couch to exercise program to building exercise into a busy routine and creating a low-impact walking program, the The 'I Hate to Exercise' Book provides a minimum of structure and a lot of flexibility to encourage exercise. New exercises, new tips and more make for an outstanding presentation public library collections will find inviting and easy to recommend.

The Estrogen Elixir
Elizabeth Siegel Watkins
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801886023, $45.00 www.press.jhu.edu

Any library seeking a comprehensive coverage of hormone replacement therapy needs THE ESTROGEN ELIXIR: A HISTORY OF HORMONE REPLACEMENT THERAPY IN AMERICA. It describes both the medical and sociological spread of HRT theory and practices in this country, exploring how science and society shaped the idea and distribution of HRT and how medical discoveries on women's health and aging changed initial ideas. From pharmaceutical manufacturers and government regulators to feminist health activists and the media, chapters offer wide-ranging surveys of influences and changes which are key to understanding the science, history and promotion of HRT in this country.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Vital Signs 2007-2008
WorldWatch Institute
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393331295, $18.95 www.wwnorton.com

World energy consumption is consistently breaking records and undermining climate and life on the planet, and the 44 trends tracked here in the annually-updated VITAL SIGNS are keys to understanding these trends and their sources. The largest polluter is the U.S.: the recommendation here is that Europe should be pressuring the US to join in international climate negotiations to head off catastrophic climate changes. High school, college and general-interest libraries alike will welcome this survey of facts which will provide both grounds for classroom discussion and food for thought.


The Animal Husbandry Shelf

Blackwell Publishing
Box 570, Ames, IA 50010-0570
www.blackwellprofessional.com

Melinda D. Merck, DVM's VETERINARY FORENSICS: ANIMAL CRUELTY INVESTIGATIONS (9780813815015) becomes especially important for any college-level library containing veterinary science references and for any vet's personal collection, considering the rise of mandatory reporting requirements for vets in the prosecution of animal cruelty. It offers vets and investigators a set of background references and keys to handling forensic pathology findings, plus producing evaluations suitable for court proceedings, and includes not job insights on examination processes but keys to report writing, body condition scoring, and web resources like. The author is a leading vet expert in vet forensics and has produced an outstanding, winning guide here. Danny W. Scott's COLOR ATLAS OF FARM ANIMAL DERMATOLOGY (9780813805160) provides an important reference for veterinary dermatologists and students and is another top pick for specialty college-level veterinary science collections. Over 300 color photos pack a reference focused on diagnosis of common livestock skin problems, with the atlas divided into species-specific sections for quick reference. From clinical features to diagnostics for each disease, it's a winning title that will enhance any veterinary science reference section. A 'must' for any serious college-level vet collection is Heide Schatten and Gheorghe M. Constantinescu's COMPARATIVE REPRODUCTIVE BIOLOGY (9780813815541, $129.99), also recommended as a basic classroom text for any college-level course on animal reproductive physiology and biology. Scientists noted in their fields provide discussions of domestic spies and provide both specific and broad knowledge reflecting recent advancements and studies, from cellular and molecular biology to animal cloning. Visual reinforcement pairs with authoritative text to make for a well-rounded presentation key to understanding domestic animal reproductive systems.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Barbie Doll Around the World
J. Michael Augustyniak
Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574325300, $29.95 www.collectorbooks.com

Barbie Doll Around the World: Identification & Values 1964-2007 is a top pick for any specialty Barbie collection or for lending libraries seeking to go beyond the general antiques and collectibles guides to get specific about the most collectible items. Barbie dolls are among the most highly collected types of dolls, so if you're a public lending library seeking a popular collectible guide, make it BARBIE DOLL AROUND THE WORLD: it covers all kinds of Barbie collectibles, not just USA issues.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Figures of Speech or Figures of Thought?
Ananda K. Coomaraswamy
World Wisdom
Box 2682, Bloomington, IN 47402-2682
9781933316345, $24.95 www.worldwisdom.com

This new edition of Coomaraswamy's classic work is a top pick for new age-oriented art and religious libraries: it holds all the definitive revisions he later intended to ad to the book and offers, for the first time, translations of the Greek, Latin, French, German and Italian terms he used. Extensive footnoted references provide solid documentation and bibliographic reference in a fine revised edition certain to prove a winning acquisition for any in-depth, detailed library covering Eastern spirituality and thinking.


The Native American Shelf

Encyclopedia of American Indian History
Bruce E. Johansen and Barry M. Pritzker, Editors
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851098170, $395/Set www.abc-clio.com

If only one definitive high school or college-level reference on American Indians were to be purchased for a library, it should be the multivolumed reference Encyclopedia of American Indian History. This is simply an outstanding keepsake reference for any collection where patrons regularly review Native history and culture: contributors come from university, museum and scholarly circles alike and provide important details on historical demographic, political, legal, and cultural facts. Articles are extensive and peppered with source material quotes and footnoted references for further reading, while maps and black and white illustrations abound. An exceptional, well detailed reference, this is a 'must have' for any collection serious about Native American history.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 East First Avenue #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

Mark deCastrique's FINAL UNDERTAKING (1590582292, $24.95) provides the fourth in the Undertaking series, but requires little prior familiarity with other titles to prove easily accessible and enjoyable. This Barry Clayton mystery tells of a sheriff friend gunned down by an old man at a summer street dance, making Barry a sudden appointed stand-in who finds himself facing a stalker and a tangled web of cross-country intrigue. Kerry Greenwood's BLOOD AND CIRCUSES (1590582357, $24.95) presents a Phryne Fisher mystery in telling of a bored woman who turns into an undercover detective who must abandon her entire life to investigate strange happenings at a local circus where animals have been poisoned and acts threatened. And Ruth Dudley Edwards' MURDERING AMERICANS (1590584139, $24.95) tells of one Baroness Troutbeck, who leaps at the opportunity to become a visiting dignitary on an American campus, only to find murder and danger abroad. Lively plots and different, strong characterization make these involving, inviting recommendations for any public library with a strong mystery section.

Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Fran Rizer's A TISKET, A TASKET, A FANCY STOLEN CASKET (9780425218006, $6.99) tells of mortuary cosmetologist Callie, who likes to end her day with a Moon Pie and a mystery novel. When a body turns up to have evidence of murder on it, Callie realizes someone out there has a vested interest in burying the crime evidence at the mortuary - and her investigation changes her life. Jeffrey Cohen's SOME LIKE IT HOT-BUTTERED (9780425217993, $6.99) tells of Elliot, who likes to make people die laughing until his comedy is taken too literally. Elliot is a recovering writer whose savings are tied up in the Comedy Tonight movie theatre - which becomes a crime scene threatening his income unless he can solve some mysteries. Both are light, fun leisure choices libraries will appreciate.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design