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Volume 21, Number 10 October 2011 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Business Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Poetry Shelf Memoir Shelf
Computer Shelf Criminology Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf World History Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Parenting Shelf Science Shelf Humor Shelf
Biography Shelf Cookbook Shelf Wine Shelf
Environmental Shelf Education Shelf Art Shelf
Woodworking Shelf Gaming Shelf Jewelry Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf Large Print Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Holiday Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Sports Shelf Travel Shelf Political Science Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Music Shelf Native American Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Nautical Shelf American History Shelf Anthropology Shelf
Library Science Shelf Military Self Philosophy Shelf
International Studies Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Photography Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf Autism Shelf Fashion Shelf
Civil War Shelf Psychology Shelf Archaeology Shelf
Gardening Shelf Crafts Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Martial Arts Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

The Pirates of Somalia
Jay Bahadur
Pantheon Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307379061, $26.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

The Pirates of Somalia: Inside Their Hidden World offers the first close-up look at the pirates of Somalia, has been featured on the Colbert Report, and is a top pick for not just social issues collections, but any general lending library. Lively discussion exposes for the first time the identities, lives, and purposes of the forces that created piracy in Somalia, considering everything from how they treat hostages to how they spend the ransom money. Regional politics, Somalia history and culture, and the evolution of piracy in the region makes for a gripping story that's simply riveting!

The Interrogator: An Education
Glenn L. Carle
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568586731, $26.99, www.nationbooks.org

The Interrogator: An Education provides an autobiographical piece from a CIA case officer who was a spy for over two decades. It focuses on his mission to interrogate a high-level al-Qaida terrorist at the height of the Global War on terror, telling how he led the interrogation of a high-level terrorist for months before coming to believe they had the wrong man. His assignment challenged one of the top cases in the war on terror and this inside story of a high-level interrogation process makes for vivid, engrossing reading.

Making Healthy Places
Andrew L. Dannenberg, et al.
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300
Washington, DC 20009-1148
www.islandpress.org
9781597267274, $40.00, www.amazon.com

There is a growing movement in the field of Urban Planning deliberately seeking to make our towns and cities healthier places in which to live. "Making Healthy Places: Designing and Building for Health, Well-being, and Sustainability" is a 440-page compendium comprised of twenty-four articles by experts in their fields and selected for inclusion by the editorial team of Andrew L. Dannenberg, Howard Frumkin, and Richard J. Jackson. Beginning with 'An Introduction to Healthy Places' by Robin Fran Abrams and Emil Malizia, the essays and articles comprising this outstanding urban planning collection is organized into specific sections focused on The Impact of Community Design on Health; Diagnosing and Healing Our Built Environments; Strategies for Health Places: A Toolbox; and Looking Outward, Looking Ahead. Enhanced with an extensive glossary, a listing of the contributors, and a comprehensive index, "Making Healthy Places" is ideal for use as an Urban Planning curriculum textbook, as a seminal addition to academic library Urban Planning Studies reference collections, and supplemental reading lists for governmental policy makers, professional urban planners and developers, environmentalists, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in promoting a healthy urban environment for themselves and their families.

Refighting the Pacific War
Jim Bresnahan, editor
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591140795 $29.95 www.navalinstitute.org

Refighting the Pacific War: An Alternative History of World War II is an extraordinary round table of essays by learned authors, each of which imagines and supports theories of what could have happened if events in the Pacific Theater had turned out differently. It should be stressed that Refighting the Pacific War is not intended to be fiction, but rather a meticulously researched and well-reasoned estimation of how history could have been different than it is. Contributors respond to questions concerning each phase of the war in round robin format, in this thoughtful and extraordinary extended hypothesis.

Just Trust Me
G. Randy Kasten
Quest Books
306 West Geneva Road, PO Box 270
Wheaton, IL 60187-0270
9780835608893, $16.95, www.questbooks.net

Today's media seems to be found on lies and deception more than anything else. "Just Trust Me: Finding the Truth in a World of Spin" is a discussion of today's world of illusions and spin from all sides and from all sources, G. Randy Kasten offers advice to cutting to the heart of the matter and how to get a leg up on understanding today's confusing world. "Just Trust Me" is filled with sage advice and very much recommended reading.

Winter Carnival in a Western Town
Lisa Gabbert
Utah State University
3078 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322-3078
9780874218299, $26.95, www.usupress.org

An annual tradition can tell you much about of how a culture has formed. "Winter Carnival in a Western Town" studies the McCall Winter Carnival in Idaho, a festival that has had quite strong ground over the years. The community surrounding the carnival is unique, done entirely by volunteer work, yet author Lisa Gabbert states there is something deeper to the festival, stating it as a unique look at the community, that brings business as well as unity. "Winter Carnival in a Western Town" is a fascinating look at a piece of Americana, highly recommended.

The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions, fourth edition
John J. Donnelly & Judy Donnelly
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th St, 11th Floor, New York NY 10018
9781616082383, $29.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

The fourth updated edition of The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions is a pick for sports and reference holdings alike and is available for the first time since 2003 to offer handloader all the tips, tools, and techniques needed to convert materials into over a thousand different rifle and pistol cartridge cases. From making rare cartridges from modern materials to handling odd diameter projectiles, this revised edition offers over a hundred photos and drawings, recommended starting loads, an index of hundreds of cartridges, and much more.


The Business Shelf

The 30 Day MBA, second edition
Colin Barrow
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpageusa.com
9780749463311, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Now in a completely updated and expanded second edition, Colin Barrow's "The 30 Day MBA: Your Fast Track Guide to Business Success" is a 312-page instruction manual based upon twelve fundamental disciplines that provide the foundation for modern MBA programs. The focus is upon identifying and explaining key tools and concepts for assessing business situations and decisions. Enhanced with references for online resources, "The 30 Day MBA: Your Fast Track Guide to Business Success" will enable the reader to create their own personalized 'Management Information Resource Centre' for accessing business information on markets and competitors, as well as pertinent research data and informative case studies. It will also help prepare the reader for MBA exams. Of special note is the chapter on 'Ethics and Social Responsibility'. Superbly organized and presented, "The 30 Day MBA: Your Fast Track Guide to Business Success" fully lives up to the promise of its title and is strongly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Business Studies instructional reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Grow Global
Jan Yager
Hannacroix Creek Books
1127 High Ridge Road, #110
Stamford, CT 06905
www.hannacroixcreekbooks.com
9781889262215, $31.95, www.amazon.com

An expert and authority whose thirty instructional business books have been translated into twenty-four languages, Jan Yager draws upon her many years of experience and expertise as a business consultant and writer in "Grow Global: Using International Protocol to Expand Your Business Worldwide", a 200-page compendium of 'real world' information, commentary, and insights into expanding local or nationally based business into the global marketplace with particular attention to the impact of business etiquette and protocol. To be successful in recruiting contacts, resources, clients, and customers there are vital considerations of proper protocols that need to be adhered to. That's why "Grow Global" focuses upon fifteen key international protocol concerns, building a global relationships from individuals to corporations, tips on foreign business travel, developing an effectively global web site, and common embarrassments of conduct and presentation to be avoided. Such pertinent issues as negotiating styles, negotiating contracts, arranging payments, gift-giving, and ethics in a global frame of reference are also addressed. Of special note is the chapter devoted to 'Doing Business Globally Without Leaving Home'. Enhanced with the inclusion of a ten-page appendix, a glossary, a bibliography, and extensive resource lists of organizations and individuals in the field of international protocols business etiquette consultations, "Grow Global" is informed, informative, 'reader friendly', and should be considered mandatory reading for any business owner or corporate manager seeking to expand into the ever evolving and highly competitive global marketplace. Also very highly recommended reading is Jan Yager's early work and now in a second updated and expanded edition, "Business Protocol: How To Survive & Succeed In Business" (1889262145, $21.95).

The Pocket Guru
Guy Browning & Janet Brown
Pearson
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780273755197, $14.99, www.pearson.com

Keeping one's head above water in a rocky business world often proves all too difficult. "The Pocket Guru: Priceless Nuggets of Business Wisdom" is filled with solid and to the point of the business world from the incredibly difficult task of communications to the rewarding joy of actually getting paid. With plenty to absorb in simple and easy to read method, "The Pocket Guru" is a must for any who want to be better equipped for business's twists and turns.

Work Positive in a Negative World
Joey Faucette
Entrepreneur Press
2445 McCabe Way, Suite 400, Irvine, CA 92614-6244
9781599184203, $19.95, www.entrepreneurpress.com

When everything breaks down, it can be hard to stay positive and happy. "Work Positive in a Negative World: Redefine Your Reality and Achieve Your Business Dreams" is a guide to keeping positive in today's times where success is a rare thing. Dr. Joey Faucette, a professional at finding the bright side to every dire situation, advises readers and ambitious business people on how to make the most out of their difficult situations. "Work Positive in a Negative World" is a top pick for anyone who realizes that it's only failure if no knowledge or opportunity is gained.

Making Government Great Again
John Baranzelli
Quality Press
600 N. Plankinton Avenue
Milwaukee, WI 53203
9780873897792, $50.00, www.asq.org

Could the flaw in modern government be structure instead of strategy? "Making Government Great Again: Mapping the Road to Success with ISO 9001:2008" discusses applying the management principles of ISO 9001 to government policy. Using the example of the system's application to the Illinois Department of Transportation, author John D. Baranzelli speaks on experience and education, and how to further apply this to government, as well as to other private and public sector businesses. "Making Government Great Again" is a strong and core addition to community and college library business, politics, and social issues collections.

Launch
Michael A. Stelzner
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118027233, $24.95, www.wiley.com

LAUNCH: HOW TO QUICKLY PROPEL YOUR BUSINESS BEYOND THE COMPETITION provides a fine formula for attracting people and opportunities with rich business content. It tells how to create such content then leverage it for maximum impact in any given industry, and provides a step-by-step formula for creating a product-enhancing, growth-oriented mindset throughout the business launch process. Any business collection will find this an involving survey.

Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Vipin Mayar and Geoff Ramsey's DIGITAL IMPACT: THE TWO SECRETS TO ONLINE MARKETING SUCCESS (9780470905722, $24.95) covers the challenges online marketers face in connecting with customers digitally. New methods of making connections and assessing their effectiveness are outlined here, with an attention to creating content that pulls the right customers to the offer. From the seven most important digital marketing metrics to calculating returns on investments and positioning online business, this is packed with real-world experiences. Adam Pash and Gina Trapani's LIFEHACKER: THE GUIDE TO WORKING SMARTER, FASTER, AND BETTER (9781118018378, $29.99) appears in its third updated edition to explore how to use technology to spend less time working and more time living. From 'future-proofing' an email address and making Google Search results automatically come to you to running a home web server and using voice on a phone, this is packed with options for getting more out of technology without sacrificing personal time. Over 100 shortcuts make this a 'must have' title on streamlining your life!

Rip Off Your Necktie and Dance
Leen Zevenbergen
Global Professional Publishing
c/o Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781906403690, $25.00, www.styluspub.com

Rip Off Your Necktie and Dance asks businesses to consider empowering their employees by encouraging staff to be innovative and creative, and draws important connections between these qualities and business environments. Chapters consider how to encourage employees who feel more comfortable following rules than generating creative results, providing concepts in color and in easy-to-digest chapters that lend to quick browsing as much as cover-to-cover study. The author has run three large multinational companies and started about 20 new businesses: his background lends practical experience to the keys on fostering innovation in a business environment. Any business library should have this.

What to Ask the Person in the Mirror
Robert Steven Kaplan
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422170014, $26.95, www.hbr.org/books

What to Ask the Person in the Mirror: Critical Questions for Becoming a More Effective Leader and Reaching Your Potential offers a survey of successful leaders who reach their potential and how they evolve through periods of struggle and personal challenge. Chapters are designed to help business executives improve their leadership skills, and offer a series of critical questions to help such leaders analyze their organizations, actions, attitudes and approaches to controversy and change. Business collections will find this a top pick.

Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpage.com

Shaun Smith & Andy Milligan's BOLD: HOW TO BE BRAVE IN BUSINESS AND WIN (9780749463441, $26.95) is about 14 businesses brave enough to challenge industry norms, that operate ethically and go beyond what customers expect. Interviews with key executives of these companies offer insights on each brand's story and shows how the brands share traits that make them unique. The founders discuss growth and growing a small business and provide a wealth of tips key to any business seeking to grow a superior product. Jonathan Passmore edits EXCELLENCE IN COACHING: THE INDUSTRY GUIDE (9780749456672, $39.95), a fine survey that offers cutting-edge thinking in workplace coaching. This second edition has been updated to reflect many changes in the profession, adding new chapters on different coaching objectives and developments and considering the entire process, from evaluation and intercultural coaching to behavioral coaching and NLP coaching. 28 BUSINESS THINKERS WHO CHANGED THE WORLD: THE MANAGEMENT GURUS AND MAVERICKS WHO CHANGE THE WAY WE THINK ABOUT BUSINESS (9780749462390, $22.50) comes from Rhymer Rigby, who provides compelling reading on the key world players who fostered business innovations. A very lively writing style lends to biographies and business insights that even non-business readers will appreciate, with chapters offering assessments of each leader's innovations, the business climate of his times, and their unique 'rules' for building innovative approaches. Business and general collections will find this a top pick!


The Fiction Shelf

The Chamomile
Susan F. Craft
Ingalls Publishing Group
PO Box 2500, Banner Elk, NC 28604
9781932158946, $15.95, www.ingallspublishinggroup.com

For family, one will go to any length. "The Chamomile" follows Lilyan as she tries to rebel against the British Occupation of Charlestown, South Carolina in the name of her brother. But in her journey for rescue, she finds it grows all the more complicated with love and makes it so it's not just her family she wants to worry about. A historical novel of adventure and romance, "The Chamomile" is a fine story that shouldn't be overlooked.

Favorite Sons
Robin Yocum
Arcade Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781611450040, $24.95, www.arcadepub.com

When someone else takes the fall, it can be hard to face the truth. "Favorite Sons" is a novel from Robin Yocum as he tells the story of a group of friends in their late teens. When one of their own faces an accidental death, the blame of the crime is caught by a local ex-criminal who quickly takes the blame without question. But decades later, Hutch Van Buren fears the truth coming out, and must reconnect with his lost friends to deal with the situation lest the truth come out in all directions. "Favorite Sons" is a riveting read, very much read for literary fiction collections.

Wings of Promise
Bonnie Leon
Revell
c/o Baker
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800733605, $14.99, www.revellbooks.com

In choosing your route through life, you soon find out you don't have forever. "Wings of Promise" follows Kate Evans as the pilot tries to get control of her life. As tragedy strikes, she soon finds that procrastination gets her nowhere and may have lost her more joy than she knows. "Wings of Promise" is profound and entertaining reading, very much recommended for lovers of romance novels with a historical twist.

Green Gospel
L. C. Fiore
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama
Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
9781604890730, $18.95, www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

To do what you believe is right, you often pay for it with interest. "Green Gospel" follows a young woman running from her past. While she finds people who are willing to help her, she finds letting others help her with her burden won't come easy, concerned about problems of their own. "Green Gospel" is a fine read of ecological concerns and what drives people to take up the cause.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Analyst
P. T. Dawkins
Llumina Press
7101 W. Commercial Blvd., Ste. 4E
Tamarac, FL 33319
9781605947235, $18.95, www.llumina.com

When money is on the table, people can get vicious. "The Analyst" is a thriller set along wall street and the cut throat business acumen that goes down between it all. David, trying to help his family overcome rough financial times, dives head first into Wall Street and quickly understands the cutthroat world and is faced with a clash of illegal trading and joining those who would do it, or be the target of those who would do it. "The Analyst" is a riveting read of Wall Street intrigue, highly recommended.

Dead Dolls Don't Talk, Hunt the Killer, & Too Hot to Hold
Day Keene
Stark House
4720 Herron Road, Eureka, CA 95503
9781933586335, $23.95, www.starkhousepress.com

Mystery and thrillers never spoil with age. "Dead Dolls Don't Talk, Hunt the Killer, & Too Hot to Hold" is three novels under one cover, all of noir mystery and of a famed writer of the time in Day Keene, who choose writing to let his storytelling imagination run wild in a time where everyone was rushing towards film. Branching into mainstream writing later on, his early work is a testament to the excitement of the genre. "Dead Dolls Don't Talk, Hunt the Killer, & Too Hot to Hold" is a must for anyone who wants a heaping helping of noir reading.

Plugged
Eoin Colfer
Overlook
141 Wooster Street, New York, NY 10012
9781590204634, $24.95, www.overlookpress.com

Hair plugs can lead to many unusual problems. "Plugged" follows recent hair plug recipient and nightclub bouncer Daniel as he tries to cope with the sudden string of deaths around him. With the most unusual of allies, he has to evade everyone who is fingering him as the link in all these deaths in order to find the truth, something that becomes much stranger than fiction every day. "Plugged" is a fine pick and very much recommended reading for anyone looking for a mystery that has a strong dose of humor blended in.

Paris to Die For
Maxine Kenneth
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780446567411, $13.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

The history of Jacqueline Kennedy isn't as clear as we think. "Paris to Die For" spins history and takes it somewhere else, casting the former first lady before she met the future president as an agent of the CIA. In a cold war assignment surrounding the potential defection of a Russian official, it quickly turns bloody and she must be fast on her feet to survive and get the job done. "Paris to Die For" is a unique and humorous spin of spy thriller, highly recommended.


The Christian Studies Shelf

God is Subversive
Lee Griffith
William B. Eerdmans
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802865021, $20.00, www.eerdmans.com

GOD IS SUBVERSIVE: TALKING PEACE IN A TIME OF EMPIRE comes from a veteran anti-war activist who has been arrested many times for his pro-peace demonstrations - and who offers a biblical argument for uncompromising nonviolence. This could also have been featured in our 'social issues' section but is reviewed here for its broader importance to spirituality collections who would enjoy ideas and connections between God and everyday people's concerns.

Studying the Life of Saint Francis of Assisi
William R. Hugo
New City Press
202 Comforter Blvd, Hyde Park, NY 12538
9781565483972, $19.95, www.newcitypress.com

A man of the faith can inspire generations with his devotion. "Studying the Life of Saint Francis of Assisi" is an analysis of the man of faith who has been a major figure in Catholicism. A workbook that combines lessons with activities to help readers understand the man and his impact. For any dedicated student of Catholicism or for religious teachers who want to incorporate a lesson of the man into their curriculum, "Studying the Life of Saint Francis of Assisi" is an excellent and recommended pick for any Catholic studies collection.

Is There a Doctor In the House?
Ben Witherington III
Zondervan
554 Ridge Drive, Medina, OH 44256
9780310493020, $18.99, www.zondervan.com

There is much to be studied from the Bible. "Is There a Doctor in the House? An Insider's Story and Advice on Becoming a Bible Scholar" is an exploration of what it takes to be a biblical scholar. Calling on a love of knowledge, history, archeology, and understanding literature and ancient fables, as well as forming a greater understanding of philosophy, "Is There a Doctor in the House?" is a fascinating breakdown of what is required to be a Biblical scholar in today's Christian academic environment.

How Do We Know the Bible is True?
Ken Ham & Bodie Hodge
Master Books
c/o New Leaf Publishing Group
PO Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638
9780890516331, $14.99, www.masterbooks.net

Faith is powerful, but there are always doubts. "How Do We Know the Bible is True?" discusses the reality of the stories of the bible as Ken Ham & Bodie Hodge offer faith reaffirming discussions of many of the many more unbelievable aspects within the Bible. Offering answers to many questions that many Christians with doubt often ask, "How Do We Know the Bible is True?" is a powerful and quite recommended read for any Christian who wants to ponder their faith intellectually.

Playing Hurt
Brian Goins
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
9780825426735, $11.99, www.kregel.com

The perfect marriage is a lie. "Playing Hurt" is a Christian marriage guide that encourages men to keep their heads up and living the good life even as their relationship hits a rough spot in the road. With a strong sports analogy, "Playing Hurt" has a powerful message that should definitely be considered for the Christian man who wants to stand through the worst of their relationships.

Too Blessed to be Stressed
Debora M. Coty
Barbour
PO Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
9781616263461, $9.99, www.barbourbooks.com

With so much stress in life it becomes all too easy to lose sight of it all. "Too Blessed to Be Stressed" is a Christian devotional guide from Debora M. Coty as she uses faith to advise readers through strenuous times to flourish and succeed in their lives. "Too Blessed to be Stressed" has unique and thoughtful humor, not to be overlooked for self-help collections.

Revelation to Transformation
Paul White
Westbow Press
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
9781449719012, $13.95, www.westbowpress.com

A bit of faith can make all the difference to some. "Revelation to Transformation: How Seeing Jesus Will Change Your Life" is a powerful read from Paul White as he advises readers on how to embrace God's will in their life and use him to find their path through life and find that light in the darkness of our lives. "Revelation to Transformation" is a fine read for anyone seeking more motivation to their faith and life.

Prayers for My Baby Boy
Angela Thomas
Harvest House
990 Owen Loop North
Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736945660, $12.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

As your pride and joy enters the world, you want only the best and will go for any extent for them. "Prayers for My Baby Boy" is a dedicated Christian gift book. Angela Thomas and photographer Julie Johnson provide a collection of prayers and dedications to the newborns in their lives and that they mean to their lives. Presented in full color, "Prayers for my Baby Boy" is a choice gift for any Christian mother who has recently been blessed with a new child in her life.

Who is Jesus Christ?
Robert Feduccia Jr. & Maura Thompson Hagarty
Saint Mary's Press
702 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987-1320
9781599821269, $31.37, www.smp.org

Who is Jesus of Nazareth and what did he stand for? "Who is Jesus Christ?: A Primary Source Reader" discusses the many purposes and notes of the Christian faith as the writings of many major thinkers of today and history are compiled to grant a more complete view of the figure of Christ and what it should mean to his followers. Figures include Mother Theresa, Pope John Paul II and Benedict XVI, classical thinkers, and much more. An insightful and scholarly religious discussion, "Who is Jesus Christ?" is a top pick, very much recommended reading.

The World of Saint Paul
Joseph M. Callewaert
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339
Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586174125, $16.95, www.ignatius.com

One of the first people to preach Christianity as a religion, "The World of Saint Paul" analyzes the highly controversial figure of St. Paul, who is credited by some as the inventor of Christianity who changed what much of the faith stood for in clash with the original teachings of crisis. Joseph M. Callewaert a long time student of faith and historian provides a comprehensive story surrounding this figure. "The World of Saint Paul" is a strongly recommended pick for anyone who wants to understand this enigmatic figure of religion and history.

Dimensions of Faith
Stephen C. Taysom
Signature Books
564 West 400 North
Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
9781560852124, $28.95, www.signaturebooks.com

As time passes and people spread, a once uniform series of beliefs warps into something else entirely. "Dimensions of Faith: A Mormon Studies Reader" discusses the development of beliefs throughout the Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints. Fifteen essays compile this book are present an intriguing study of the evolution of Mormonism, written both by the faithful and students of religion throughout the world. "Dimensions of Faith" presents a highly intriguing study on how much a faith can splinter even with a history of only one hundred and fifty years.

The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue, East
Cleveland, OH 44115-1100
www.pilgrimpress.com

The Christian life is one of trials, struggle, striving, dealing with successes and with failures, and above everything else, relationships -- with God, with family, with friends, with strangers, and with yourself. 'Your Life, Better' is remarkable series of superbly illustrated booklets filled with twenty succinct suggestions to consider, to contemplate, and to apply. Small compendiums of wit, wisdom, observation, and insight, the booklets comprising the 'Your Life, Better' include: 20 Lessons Learned From Cooking (9780829818895, $6.95); 20 Habits Of Happy People (9780829818901, $6.95); 20 Life Lessons Learned While Shopping (9780829818918, $6.95); Ways To Keep Sabbath (9780829818925, $6.95); 20 Ways To Add More Prayer To Your Life (9780829818796, $6.95); 20 Spiritual Practices That Yard Work Can Teach You (9780829818802, $6.95); 20 Life Lessons That Walking Your Dog Can Teach You (9780829818819, $6.95); 20 Ways To Live Through Anxious Times (9780829818826, $6.95). Inspired and inspiring, thoughtful and thought-provoking, the 'Your Life, Better' serious are highly recommended reading for anyone and everyone seeking to improve the quality of their ordinary lives in extraordinary times.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Morality for Muggles
Moshe Rosenberg
KTAV Publishing House
888 Newark Avenue, Suite 119, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602801837, $12.95, www.ktav.com

The battle of good and evil sits strong in many works of fiction. "Morality for Muggles: Ethics in the Bible and the World of Harry Potter" is a discussion of the moral and ethical representation throughout the Harry Potter series as Rabbi Moshe Rosenberg discusses its relation to Jewish values and how popular literature such as Harry Potter can be used to teach good values for the real world and for a life time. "Morality for Muggles" is a choice read for community library literary and religious collections.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

A New Harmony
J. Philip Newell
Jossey-Bass
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9780470554678, $19.95, www.jossey-bass.com

A NEW HARMONY: THE SPIRIT, THE EARTH AND THE HUMAN SOUL is a fine companion continuing the scholarly discussion begun in CHRIST OF THE CELTS, and is a special recommendation for any who have enjoyed its predecessor. His analysis of ancient harmony and modern discord incorporates a spiritual, Christian perspective with a survey of changes in how we understand concepts of self and spirituality. In exploring possibilities of a new harmony in life, we have vast potential for effecting positive changes: A NEW HARMONY shows how, and is a pick for any spirituality library.

God, Justice, Love, Beauty: Four Little Dialogues
Jean-Luc Nancy, Translated by Sarah Clift
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave.
Bronx NY 10458
9780823234264, $18.00, www.fordhampress.com

God, Justice, Love, Beauty: Four Little Dialogues is a top pick for art, religion and philosophy collections at the college level and offers an intellectual discourse on issues of God, justice, love and beauty. A fine philosophical dialogue relates everyday life to its underlying meaning and provides a fine survey particularly recommended for college-level discussion and debate.

Ancient Mesopotamian Religion
Tammi J. Schneider
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802829597, $18.00, www.eerdmans.com

Religion is as old as man itself. "An Introduction to Ancient Mesopotamian Religion" discusses ancient Middle Eastern faith and its place in the history of the world in the cradle of civilization. From the buildings constructed in the name of faith, the people who led the faith, the Gods themselves and the doctrines constructed around them, Tammi J. Schneider, professor of religion does well in giving readers a comprehensive look at the connection of mankind and its faiths. "An Introduction to Ancient Mesopotamian Religion" is an excellent addition to any collection studying ancient faiths.

Abraham Joshua Heschel: Essential Writings
Abraham Joshua Heschel
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759192, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Through the atrocities in much of the twentieth century, spirituality helped get through it all. "Abraham Joshua Heschel: Essential Writings" is a collection of writings of this individual who was in his academic prime during the worst of the atrocities during World War II. Challenging the Catholic church and its long history of anti-Semitism and discussing philosophy with Martin Luther King and much more, "Abraham Joshua Heschel: Essential Writings" is an excellent collection from a major mind of the twentieth century, with an introduction by his daughter, Susannah Heschel.

Harmony and the Bhagavad-Gita
Visakha
Torchlight Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 52, Badger, CA 93603
9780981727356, $14.95, www.torchlight.com

To return to nature is something many ponder doing, but few ever truly act on. "Harmony and the Bhagavad-Gita: Lessons from a Life-Changing Move to the Wilderness" in which the author and family abandoned their life in Los Angeles, California for instead life in a remote area in British Columbia in Canada. Drawn on the inspiration of Henry David Thoreau and the spiritual writings of the Bhagavad-Gita, "Harmony and Bhagavad-Gita" is a truly unique read of bonding with the wilderness.


The Poetry Shelf

This City
Jennifer Compton
Otago University Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781877578106, $30.00, www.isbs.com

Every city in the world carries its unique flavor, and best experienced personally. "This City" is a collection of poetry from Jennifer Compton as she provides her own experience and though through the world. As she experiences Italy and other cities, she reflects poignancy of it the buildings and their people. "This City" is a fine addition to any international poetry collection, highly recommended. "Gleaners": I find buttons on the street, she finds playing cards/if she won't pick one up/the wind blows it to/the next bus stop./Soon she will have a full pack./I have a crick in my neck/from looking down for/the next-self-shank or flat./I think of people/with their clothes agape.

Echo
Blair Mathews, poetry
Bruce Murray, painting
Parallel Press
372 Memorial Library, 728 State Street
Madison, WI 53575
9781934795347 $TBA http://parallelpress.library.wisc.edu

Echo: Unspoken Floating World is a beautiful combination of poetry and art. Blair Mathews presents original Japanese Waku-style poems paired with colorful paintings by Bruce Murray, crafted in the inspired tradition of Hiroshige and western landscapes. The result is a moving, sparsely worded yet deeply thought-provoking contemplation of basic, vital concepts. Echo is a stirring mental and visual experience, meant to be mulled at length, and highly recommended. "Cycle": Youthful vigor, / Heading out, / Now aged, / Heading home, / Carried home. Also highly recommended for poetry lovers is the stirring poetry chapbook "Tricks of Light" by Jeanie Tomasko (9781934795279, $10.00).

Happy Life
David Budbill
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556593741, $16.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

Happiness comes in many strange brands. "Happy Life" is a collection of poetry from David Budbill as he waxes both philosophical and plainly spoken about life and everything else. With a certain charm and wisdom throughout that takes the world with grace and sharing what he's learned, "Happy Life" is a fine compilation, very much recommended for poetry lovers. "The Heart of Evening": Day over. Wind gone./No sound but/an owl far away.//Let my careworn heart/take refuge/in the heart of evening.

Distant Melodies
Shadab Vajdi
Ibex Publishers
PO Box 30087, Bethesda, MD 20824
9781588140784, $14.00, www.ibexpublishers.com

The languages of the world are simply different colors of paint to paint with. "Distant Melodies" is a collection of translated Persian poetry from London based poet Shadab Vajdi. Thoughtful and intriguing with her work, she speaks well and translator Lotfali Khonji works in maintaining the spirit of the work. "Distant Melodies" is a fine compilation of work for world poetry collections, highly recommended. "The End": All the poems of my life/are flowing/in the tiny, blue veins of your hands./All the poems of my life/have ended/in you.//Why should I be worried/about fading and withering?/Why should I be worried/about the boredom of the days/that end/in the vacuum of repetition?//No, I am not worried./It is a long time since/I ended in you.

Anew
Louis Zukofsky
New Directions
80 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
9780811218726, $18.95, www.ndpublishing.com

Poetry and music have always been closely intertwined. "Anew: Complete Shorter Poetry" is a compilation of work from famed poet and writer Louis Zukofsky, seeking to present the shorter volumes of his lyrical poetry, offering a small taste of the man's critically acclaimed work. "Anew" is an enticing and core addition to major poetry collections. "Wire": Wire cage flues/on/the roofs://Paper ash -- whole sheets/in gusts --//Flawed by winds/fly/like doves.

Bringing the Shovel Down
Ross Gay
University of Pittsburgh Press
3400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
9780822961352, $14.95, www.upress.pitt.edu

A love of language is a love to turn it into something beautiful. "Bringing the Shovel Down" is a collection of poetry from Assistant Professor Ross Gay, as he presents a down to earth poetry that asks questions of our world that we all feel slightly disconnected to. "Bringing the Shovel Down" is a thoughtful and very much recommended compilation of verse, recommended. "From My Car on Broad Street": The child's mother pulled him/and he trotted to keep up. She looked straight ahead/and probably did not see/the woman in her shroud of filth/tucked beneath some newspapers and a fraying blanket/on the church steps. Did not see her boy/waving to the lady or the broken/lady lifting her hand to him either.

Clean
Kate Northrop
Persea Books
277 Broadway, Suite 708, New York, NY 10007
9780892553679, $15.00, www.perseabooks.com

The essence of what makes humans human is ever so hard to spot. "Clean" is a collection of poetry from accomplished poet Kate Northrop as she spins the nature of the world and what's natural and offers many unique viewpoints. "Clean" is a fine volume of work, not to be overlooked. "Limes": An e-mail Mary sent: Like all aligned//If only therefore one person//To an over-all black translucency//She said, the better to, the better to//Once inside the dark theater//Effervescent, this mountain light//I wanted to remain vision only//Be careful with that match!


The Memoir Shelf

One Day I Will Write About This Place
Binyavanga Wainaina
Graywolf Press
250 Third Avenue N, Suite 600
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781555975913, $24.00, www.graywolfpress.org

Modern Africa is without understanding in Modern America. "One Day I Will Write About This Place" is an award winning and critically acclaimed memoir from Binyavanga Wainaina as he writes of his middle class childhood in Kenya. Speaking on the modern culture of Kenya which has more connections to America than most believe, he tells of his failed pursuits of education and his travels throughout the rest of the continent. "One Day I Will Write About This Place" is profound and insightful, a must for anyone who wants a personal insight about the state of Kenya and the African continent.

Deep Trails in the Old West
Frank Clifford, author
Frederick Nolan, editor
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780806141862 $29.95 www.oupress.com

First written in 1940, Deep Trails in the Old West: A Frontier Memoir is the recollections of Frank Clifford, an adventurous man in frontier America. He roamed America's most lawless lands in the 1870s and 1880s especially, often changing his name (perhaps to keep one step ahead of the law) and even encountering such prominent and dangerous figures as Clay Allison and Billy the Kid. Clifford's story also vividly illustrates the day-to-day demands on the lives of ranchers and ordinary people in America's wilder lands and days. Frederick Nolan has provided a wealth of helpful annotations to Clifford's own worlds, enhancing Deep Trails in the Old West as an invaluable primary testimony of what everyday frontier life was like over a hundred years ago. Highly recommended.

Thirteen Months
Don Brobst
Westbow Press
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
9781449713102, $27.95, www.westbowpress.com

Crisis makes you realize just how strong love can truly be. "Thirteen Months: The True Story of One Couple's Journey of Passion, Life, and Undying Love" is a memoir from Don Brobst as he reflects on the pain as a physician he faced as he watched his wife struggle to cling to life, and realize the love that he was losing. With romance and dedication, "Thirteen Months" is a devotional to love with a strong message that one needs to remember such a love daily, for God's plan may soon take it away from you.

The Choosing
Andrea Myers
Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
9780813549576, $19.95, www.rutgerspress.rutgers.edu

What is a Jew becomes all the foggier when someone fully embraces the faith as an adult. "The Choosing: A Rabbi's Journey From Silent Nights to High Holy Days" is a memoir of Andrea Myers, a Lutheran girl who fails in her aspirations to be a doctor. But as that dream fails, she finds a unique calling and finding that where her life takes her was nothing that she ever thought, as she comes out as a lesbian, converts to Judaism, and becomes a Rabbi and a parent. "The Choosing" is a devotion of faith and what leads to someone to convert to Judaism in later life.

Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs
Heather Lende
Algonquin Books
c/o Workman Publishing
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014
9781616200510, $14.95, www.algonquin.com

It's a brush with death to understand the value of it all. "Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs: A True Story of Bad Breaks and Small Miracles" is a memoir of Alaska native Heather Lende. When a bicycle accident almost takes her life, she comes to term with everything surrounding it and picks up some good wisdom about life and what we should remember while facing it. "Take Good Care of the Garden and the Dogs" is a simple yet profound read, not to be overlooked.

Come Into the Water
Merlyn Janet Magner
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501
9780984504114, $18.95, www.sdshspress.com

With a thread of life, one survivor is only left with questions of why as they escape their fate. "Come Into the Water: A Survivor's Story" tells the story of Merlyn Janet Magner as she copes with surviving the surging floods of Rapid City, South Dakota in 1972, which left hundreds dead, including her entire family. Struggling with her loss, she tried to piece it together and come to understanding her own path as the survivor. "Come Into the Water" is a moving memoir of facing the dread of tragedy and trying to find what comes after.

Embrace the Angel
Patti DiMiceli
Tobias & Company
PO Box 4475, Annapolis, MD 21403
9780983180388, $20.00, www.embracetheangel.com

Cancer often leads to a journey to the other side. "Embrace the Angel" is a memoir from Patti DiMiceli as she discusses her bond with her daughter, and her daughter's battle with cancer, and the spiritual nature that she gained from understanding it all together. With drive and inspiration, "Embrace the Angel" is a thoughtful read that will speak well to many a reader who are in their own long standing conflict with cancer, for themselves or for their loved ones.


The Computer Shelf

The Book of Ruby
Huw Collingbourne
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
9781593272944, $39.95, www.nostarch.com

Even the easiest of programming languages require wisdom to master. "The Book of Ruby: A Hands-On Guide for the Adventurous" is a guide to mastering the language of Ruby, known for its simple to learn and hard to master status among programming languages. Huw Collingbourne, a man who works with the development of the language for decades, provides much knowledge in creating efficiency and make ruby work for you as a programming language. "The Book of Ruby" is a must for anyone who wants to use the language to its fullest.

Designed for Use
Lukas Mathis
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325
Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356753, $35.00, www.pragprog.com

An accessible interface is vital to get the most out of a program. "Designed for Use: Create Usable Interfaces for Applications and the Web" is a guide for software designers to help them in their war against frustration. Lukas Mathis offers a grand slew of thought and wisdom for creating an accessible interface that doesn't overwhelm the user with options while allowing such options. "Designed for Use" is an excellent read that should be strongly considered for anyone who is in charge of creating accessible applications for use by the masses.

Crafting Rails Applications
Jose Valim
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356739, $33.00, www.pragprog.com

Crafting Rails Applications: Expert Practices for Everyday Rails Development comes from a Rails core developer who here uses seven specific tutorials to guide readers through the new Rails extensions and applications that solve specific problems. Developers will receive keys to understanding Rails 3's template handlers, routers, and more, and will benefit from applied examples of all Rails concepts. Challenges are paired with code for optimum emphasis of techniques in a pick for any developer's collection.

CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit, third edition
Emmett Dulaney, et.al.
Sybex
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46256
9781118061152, $99.97, www.sybex.com

The third updated edition of CompTIA Security+ Certification Kit packs in everything needed to study, practice and succeed in the exam, pairing three in-depth study guides in a slipcased package that includes electronic flashcards, hundreds of sample questions and hands-on exercises, and an interactive CD package of two full practice exams and other perks. In-depth coverage of all exam questions cover objectives, key information arranged by daily tasks, and reviews of key information. No student of the exam can afford to be without this intense, comprehensive study package!

ITIL Capacity Management
Larry Klosterboer
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0137065922, $39.99, www.ibmpressbooks.com

ITIL Capacity Management provides a fine guide to using ITIL capacity management processes to gain more value from existing investments, offering a best-practice guide from an ITIL expert. Chapters cover all the business and IT concerns in capacity management, offering keys to ITIL terminology, systems, linking between systems and processes, and more. It uses the author's in-depth ITIL experience to consider all facets for any IT manager or computer or business manager.

Practical Packet Analysis, second edition
Chris Sanders
No Starch Press
38 Ringold St., San Francisco CA 94103
9781593272661, $49.95, www.nostarch.com

The second updated edition of Practical Packet Analysis provides programmers with keys to capturing packets using Wireshock, and is a fine discussion of network protocols and using packets for optimum information and decisions. Over forty new scenarios are included in an extensively revised second edition, with new sections on troubleshooting slow networks and packet analysis for security. A top pick for any network administrator's collection!

Adobe Flex 4.5 Fundamentals
Michael Labriola, et.al.
Adobe Press
1249 - 8th St. Berkeley CA 94710
0321777123, $49.99, www.adobepress.com

Adobe Flex 4.5 Fundamentals: Training from the Source teaches how to use MXML language to lay out applications, create custom user interfaces, and build dynamic applications using Flex 4.5. It offers step-by-step scenarios and applications building knowledge in a course approach that will appeal to self-learners and classroom students alike, and is written by authors who have real-world experience using and customizing Flex 4.5. Any computer collection strong in Adobe Flex needs this.

A Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux, sixth edition
Mark G. Sobell
Prentice-Hall
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0132757273, $59.99, www.prentice-hall.com

The sixth updated edition of A Practical Guide to Fedora and Red Hat Enterprise Linux offers the latest updated coverage of Fedora 15 and RHEL 6 and covers all the basics of the major changes - yet assumes no prior Linux knowledge, starting at the beginning and working into advanced applications. Chapters provide step-by-step keys from installation to configuring Linux using a DVD in the book, and cover applications for desktops and networks alike. The DVD holds the fill version of Fedora 15. Especially recommended for newcomers to the Fedora environment and to classrooms teaching Linux and Fedora.

XNA Game Studio 4.0 for Xbox 360 Developers
Jonathan S. Harbour
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
9781584505372, $49.99, www.courseptr.com

XNA Game Studio 4.0 for Xbox 360 Developers tells how to use Game Studio 4.0 to create challenging games, and offers a review of the entire XNA framework and its applications. Game programmers receive in-depth coverage of the basics, from playing audio to creating graphics, and receive step-by-step instructions that build a foundation of skills and culminate in a game project that takes full advantage of XNA's abilities. The perfect place for developers to start, to learn all of XNA Game Studio 4.0's capabilities!

Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Barry Burd, PhD's JAVA FOR DUMMIES (9780470371732, $29.99) appears in its fifth updated edition and provides all the basics of working with Java, from combining several smaller programs to create a bigger one to reusing existing code, using arrays and collections to juggle values, writing Java Aplets, and more. All the basics are packed into step-by-step instructions that also include highlights of common questions and obstacles, making this a clear survey perfect for any Java beginner. VISUALIZE THIS: THE FLOWINGDATA GUIDE TO DESIGN, VISUALIZATION AND STATISTICS (9780470944882, $39.99) by Nathan Yau provides a unique new approach to approaching data representation, using a visual key to creating statistical graphs, geographical maps, and other representations of data. It uses the author's own FlowingData approach and creation to explore how data is perceived and absorbed, discusses tools that can help in the data visualization process, and teaches the basics of how to represent data visually. A fine pick for any computer collection!

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

The second updated edition of Dan Holme, et.al.'s MCTS EXAM 70-640: CONFIGURING WINDOWS SERVER 2008 ACTIVE DIRECTORY (9780735651937, $69.99) provides a fine training kit for the exam and has been completely updated for Windows Server 2008 R2. A series of lessons and reviews cover each exam objective and reinforce real-world case scenarios and knowledge to pair them with practical practice exercises. Students will find this allows them depth and insights on all the processes, from managing authentication to planning Active Directory replication. A 'must have' for any student taking the exam! Mark Russinovich and Aaron Margosis' WINDOWS SYSINTERNALS ADMINISTRATOR'S REFERENCE (9780735656727, $49.99) tells users how to master the Sysinternals tools to keep systems running smoothly. From analyzing reports of CPU spikes and system problems to learning how to generate memory dumps for application troubleshooting and analyzing file digital signatures and security, this is packed with all kinds of references Sysinternals administrators will find essential! Stephanie Krieger's DOCUMENTS, PRESENTATIONS, AND WORKBOOKS USING MICROSOFT OFFICE TO CREATE CONTENT THAT GETS NOTICED (9780735651999, $54.99) is a fine key to using Microsoft office to create eye-popping documents, and is a 'must' for any collection strong in Office processes. From creating custom office themes to using tables and professional graphics, this covers everything from advanced PivotTables and PowerPoint to automating documents using Visual Basic for Applications and Office Open XL. Simply a 'must' bible for any Office collection! Maria Langer's MICROSOFT OUTLOOK FOR MAC 2011 STEP BY STEP (9780735651890, $29.99) focuses on building Outlook skills on a Mac system and provides a step-by-step approach reinforced by a searchable online edition of the book paired with online video tutorials. The entire package allows Mac users to manage all email accounts using Outlook, and provides keys to customization. Mac users will find this an exceptional reference! The third updated edition of Cliff Atkinson's BEYOND BULLET POINTS (9780735627352, $29.99) tells how to think beyond bullet points and provides a step-by-step guide to applying classic storytelling and presentation techniques to enhance the PowerPoint presentation experiences. From locating and enhancing an emotional connection to storyboarding ideas and creating inspirational, motivational lectures, this tells how to translate traditional storyboarding to computer and visual lecture environments for maximum impact in a pick recommended for business and computer holdings alike.

AK Peters
c/o CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Pkwy, NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton FL 33487
www.crcpress.com

Jason Zink, Matt Paettineo, and Jack Hoxley's PRACTICAL RENDERING & COMPUTATION WITH DIRECT 3D 11 (9781568817200, $69.95) packs in documentation and in-depth coverage of basic and high-level concepts related to using Direct 3D 11 and is a top pick for any serious programming collection. It reviews rendering and hardware, considering algorithms and features of Direct 3D 11, and it includes sample algorithms and analysis. Concepts, applications, and overall philosophy contribute to a complex survey of high and low level concepts perfect for a wide range of users. Any interested in computation and multicore models will find this packed with examples and technical applications. Noriko Kurachi's THE MAGIC OF COMPUTER GRAPHICS (9781568815770, $49.95) is edited by Michael Stark and focuses on CG effects and their applications. Chapters survey rendering in computer graphics, providing students and computer graphics users with specifics on image-based rendering and offering chapters packed with discussions of environmental maps, BRF synthesis, BSSRDF models, and much more. Technical college-level collections strong in computer graphics models will find this a popular reference.

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

The second updated edition of Jason Ouellette's DEVELOPMENT WITH THE FORCE.COM PLATFORM: BUILDING BUSINESS APPLICATIONS IN THE CLOUD (9780321767356, $49.99) is a top pick for developers working with Cloud business applications. It tells how to use Force.com to build enterprise applications, and comes from the author's experience building three of the world's top ten Force.com applications. Chapters discuss the database's unique features, how to build intuitive data interfaces, adding social media applications with Chatter's new tools, and more. A 'must' for any who would work with Force.com applications! Aaftab Munshi, et.al.'s OPENCL PROGRAMMING GUIDE (0321749642, $54.99) is a pick for graphics programming collections strong in OpenCL, and teaches the basics of writing applications using the Open Computing Language standard. It's written by five OpenCL experts who cover all the basics using case studies and downloadable code examples throughout, offering a basic understanding of terminology, goals, and more. From supporting devices from cellphones to computers to understanding image and signal processing, filters and more, this moves from basic to complex goals in the OpenCL environment. Ken Collier's AGILE ANALYTICS: A VALUE-DRIVEN APPROACH TO BUSINESS INTELLIGENCE AND DATA WAREHOUSING (032150481X, $49.99) is a recommended pick for business and computer collections alike, offering keys to Agile project management techniques, team coordination, test-driven DW development, and more. Any involved in IT management or database administration and development interested in applied Agile will find this packed with platform-driven solutions to blending different systems of commercial and custom code. Examples show how to manage teams with very different approaches to development.

ESRI Publishers
380 New York St., Redlands, CA 92373-8100
www.esri.com

Christian Harder, et.al.'s UNDERSTANDING GIS: AN ARCGIS PROJECT WORKBOOK (9781589482425, $79.95) explains and explores the methods and processes needed to apply GIS analysis to a spatial problem. Readers receive a hypothetical project of selecting a suitable location for a park near the Los Angeles River, along with self-paced tutorials and step-by-step directions for linking the (included) ArcGIS Desktop 10 software to project applications. A top pick for any GIS library! Also highly recommended is Kathryn Keranen and Robert Kolvoord's MAKING SPATIAL DECISIONS USING GIS: A WORKBOOK (9781589482807, $69.95) appears in its second updated edition offering students scenario-based lessons to develop GIS skills. Students use organized workflows, spatial analysis and visualization to make decisions rooted in real-world applications in a title designed for a college curriculum. An accompanying DVD contains data for the exercises, along with a 180-day trial of ArcGIS Desktop 10. Any GIS student will find this a solid workbook packed with practical, real-world applications.

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

The sixth updated edition of Randal L. Schwartz, Brian D. Foy & Tom Phoenix's LEARNING PERL (9781449303587, $39.99) covers Perl 5.14 and offers fine keys to getting started with Perl. Programmers, systems administrators and others receive a detailed survey of all Perl's basics from subroutines and expressions to lists, sorting, and smart tools. It's a classic text for any Perl programmer and should be in any serious computer library interested in a guide that uses basic modern applications to teach the program. Fan Pilone and Tracey Pilone's HEAD FIRST IPHONE & IPAD DEVELOPMENT, 2ND EDITION (9781449387822, $49.99) uses the latest research in cognitive learning theory to provide a visually rich format designed for how the brain learns, and is an optimal way of learning iPhone and iPad applications. From using iOS SDK tools and mastering Objective-C programming basics to creating best-selling apps and using the iPhone's GPS and camera, this offers a fine survey covering iOS 4 SDK and Xcode 4 and is a 'must' for any developer working with the iPhone and iPad environments!


The Criminology Shelf

John Wayne Gacy
Sam L. Amirante & Danny Broderick
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
9781616082482, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Every man is entitled to a genuine legal defense, even if all evidence points to the contrary. "John Wayne Gacy: Defending a Monster" tells the story of Sam Amirante, who took the impossible task of creating a defense for Gacy's heinous serial murders, to which he confessed. Amirante states he pushed his defense hardcore because of his belief in the sixth amendment, the right to fair trial. "John Wayne Gacy" provides an intriguing alternative angle to the case of a brutal serial murderer.


The Social Issues Shelf

Narratives of Citizenship
Aloys N. M. Fleischmann, Nancy Van Styvendale, & Cody McCarroll, editors
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton
Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
9780888645180, $39.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

The right to call the nation you stand on as your own is too often taken for granted. "Narratives of Citizenship: Indigenous and Diasporic Peoples Unsettle the Nation-State" is a collection of essays from many writers people of the first nation face in Canada, a constant war within the self and within the communication that both embraces and fiercely resists assimilation with the European originating peoples. A discussion of art and culture, "Narratives of Citizenship" is a riveting read of what all too many face in today's mixed cultures.

Comfortably Unaware
Richard A. Oppenlander
Langdon Street Press
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781936183944, $22.95, www.langdonstreetpress.com

A vegan based has another force pushing it behind health and ethical reasons - the environment. "Comfortably Unaware: Global Depletion and Food Responsibility... What You Choose to Eat is Killing Our Planet" is Richard Oppenlander states that many people who indulge in the common western world diet are causing untold damage to the world, stating that the damage done extends past climate change concerns. "Comfortably Unaware" is worth considering for those concerned about the effects their breakfast can have on the world.

Arab Detroit 9/11
Nabeel Abraham, Sally Howell, & Andrew Shryock
Great Lakes Books Series
c/o Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814335000, $24.95, www.wsupress.wayne.edu

The eye of racism was focused on those of Middle Eastern descent in the past decade. "Arab Detroit 9/11: Life in the Terror Decade" is a collection of essays from many writers of social issues both Arabic and of other heritage who offer their perspectives of what Middle Eastern people have been facing within the past decade in the city and area surrounding Detroit, as well as the bigger picture of the country. "Arab Detroit 9/11" is a fascinating study of racial issues, highly recommended.

A Plague of Prisons
Ernest Drucker
The New Press
38 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013
9781595584977, $26.95, www.thenewpress.com

Prisons, some argue, are archaic. Ernest Drucker argues that they are a plague upon the world. "A Plague of Prisons: The Epidemiology of Mass Incarceration in America" discusses America's incarceration problem and uses his metaphor well to argue his point quite well. From what has led to this growing problem, he discusses a future for retribution for crimes in our society that moves past an archaic and problematic structure. "A Plague of Prisons" is intriguing and will stir the thoughts of many readers, an excellent addition to community and college social issues collections.

Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture
Karen Sternheimer
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813344171, $34.00, www.westviewpress.com

Connecting Social Problems and Popular Culture provides a fine, in-depth guide to myths perpetuated by politicians, advocacy groups and the media alike, considering inconsistencies and urban myths such as the notion that violence is perpetuated by violence in video games, or that popular culture promotes teen sex. Popular culture is not the culprit - there are underlying forces affecting such social problems, and they involve poverty, abuse and unequal public education more than cultural influences. College-level classes in pop culture will find this an absorbing survey.

Haymarket
PO Box 180165,Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org

David Fasenfest is the editor of ENGAGING SOCIAL JUSTICE: CRITICAL STUDIES OF 21ST CENTURY SOCIAL TRANSFORMATION (9781608461240, $28.00), which offers college-level collections a fine interpretation of social movements and their connections to global economics. Various contributors provide articles discussing the need for a progressive pedagogy, examining different forms of resistance to capitalism and exploring new types of struggles against capitalism by peoples around the world. A top pick for any college-level collection strong in capitalism, socialism, and economics. The Young Lords Party consists of Puerto Rican activists who organized in Latino communities in New York and took their cues from the Black Panthers, and PALANTE: VOICES AND PHOTOGRAPHS OF THE YOUNG LORDS, 1969-1971 (9781608461295, $24.95) pairs photos by Michael Abramson with a survey of the history and evolution of the Young Lords. PALANTE has long been out of print: its republication with a new foreword by a leading Young Lords member assures the group's history and purposes will not be forgotten. Any collection strong in Latino issues must have this!


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Old World Witchcraft
Raven Grimassi
Weiser Books
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781578635054 $19.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

Old World Witchcraft: Ancient Ways for Modern Days is a practical guide to a magical system ("The Ash, Bark, and Willow") that traces its ancestry to the teachings of Old World witchcraft. Neo-Pagan scholar and award-winning author Raven Grimassi seeks to reconnect aspiring witches with an understanding of the origins of their practice, and the roots of their spiritual bond with the earth. History, herbal lore, and the most fundamental tools for basic practice are emphasized, in this witchcraft study that places especial focus on the role of plants life in spellcasting. "When we think of the witch as one of the plant people, there is no tool more pertinent to the witches' craft than the mortar and pestle. Through this tool the witch literally gathers, prepares, refines, and blends the substance of magic." Old World Witchcraft is an excellent choice for any metaphysical or magical studies shelf.

Love by the Numbers
Glynis McCants
Sourcebooks Casablanca
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
9781402244629, $16.95, www.sourcebooks.com

Through the numbers, one can understand what makes a relationship work. "Love by the Numbers: How to Find Great Love or Reignite the Love Your Have Through the Power of Numerology" is a relationship guide from Glynis McCants as she uses numbers to spin advice on how to find Mr. or Ms. Right or make one's current relationship work for them better. "Love by the Numbers" is an excellent pick for anyone struggling with relationships and wants greater advice to make it work for them.

Ghosts, Spirits, & Hauntings
Michael Pye & Kirsten Dalley, editors
New Page
c/o Career Press
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631749, $15.99, www.newpagebooks.com

The supernatural brings a unique combination of the afterlife and there being something more to our world. "Ghosts, Spirits, & Hauntings: Am I Being Haunted?" is a collection of essays from a great assortment of writers who offer their own ideas on the existence of the beyond, what it mans, our cultural relation, spirituality, faith, and much more. For those with a strong interest in ghosts and the paranormal, "Ghosts, Spirits, & Hauntings" is an excellent and fascinating read, not to be missed.

Dark Star
Henry Stevens
Adventures Unlimited Press
One Adventure Place, Kempton, IL 60946
9781935487401, $19.95, www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

Nazi Germany's contributions to science didn't end with Hitler's suicide. "Dark Star: The Hidden History of German Secret Bases, Flying Disks, & U-Boats" discusses the potential of a continued existence of a third Reich following Nazi Germany's fall, and how their science continued to be introduced to the world, very much different between the superpowers of America and the Soviet Union. An intriguing look at unknown developments, "Dark Star" is a fine pick for those who those who follow metaphysical history.


The World History Shelf

Egypt: Yesterday And Today
Fabio Bourbon & Antonio Attini
American University in Cairo Press
420 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10018-2729
www.aucpress.com
9789774164101, $39.95, www.amazon.com

One of the great 19th century contributions to Egyptology was the work of David Roberts who in 1838 visited a series of important sites and used his considerable skills to create outstanding lithographs which continue to be admired to this very day. In "Egypt: Yesterday And Today", author Fabio Bourbon and photographer Antonio Attini collaborate to bring Roberts' work to the attention of a whole new generation of appreciative readers in this 287 page compendium showcasing his beautifully rendered lithographs along side Roberts' journal entries. The result is simply outstanding, making "Egypt: Yesterday And Today" a welcome and highly recommended core addition to personal, professional, and academic library Egyptology reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Also very highly recommended from the American University in Cairo Press are three other oversized portfolio volumes showcasing ten of David Roberts' Egyptian lithographs (suitable for framing). They are "The Pyramids Portfolio" (9789774164293, $19.95); "The Cairo Portfolio" (9789774164286, $19.95); and "The Luxor Portfolio" (9789774164309, $19.95).

American Doctors in Canton
Guangqiu Xu
Transaction Publishers
300 McGaw Drive, Edison, NJ 08837
9781412818292, $59.95, www.transactionpub.com

A meeting of knowledge is a great advancement of knowledge. "American Doctors in Canton: Modernization in China, 1835-1935" discusses the meeting of medicinal philosophies as China welcomed western physicians and brought about massive amount of change in China in the avenue of not just being medicine, but various other parts of society as well. Canton served as the center of this revolution, and discusses its movements through history. From the forming of the first Cantonese hospital in the early nineteenth century, the rise of medicinal education, social change, and much more. "American Doctors in Canton" is a unique and very much recommended read, a core addition to any collection focusing on world history, with a stronger focus on Chinese and medicinal history as well.

Polar Imperative
Shelagh D. Grant
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC Canada V5T 4S7
9781553658061, $27.95, www.douglas-mcintyre.com

Who owns the polar ice caps? "Polar Imperative: A History of Arctic Sovereignty in North America" discusses the politics surrounding the arctic and claims made for both territory and science surrounding these far north, uninhabitable by humans regions. With claims from North America, Asia, Europe, and much more being staked upon it, the nature of the North Pole will gain much attention in coming years. "Polar Imperative" is a valuable and important read for history and science collections, highly recommended.

Promoters, Planters, and Pioneers
Cornelius J. Jaenen
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, NW
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
9781552382585, $34.95, www.uofcpress.com

When opportunity calls, people will go anywhere. "Promoters, Planters, and Pioneers: The Course and Context of Belgian Settlement in Western Canada" discusses the Belgian immigration to Western Canada. Belgian settlers seemed to defy tradition among European immigrants choosing to integrate with other groups freely, and this open minded nature and resourcefulness led to prosperity for their people. A fine read and study of a unique people, "Promoters, Planters, and Pioneers" is an excellent addition to any Canadian history collection.

English Military News Pamphlets 1513-1637
David Randall, editor
ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
9780866984270, $60.00, http://acmrs.org

Thanks to the innovation of the printing press, the European militaries on both sides of the many wars and conflicts of the 16th and early 17th centuries utilized pamphlets as a way of advancing their respective causes through the written word given over to the general public. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by David Randall, "English Military News Pamphlets 1513-1637" is a 187-page compendium comprised of fourteen reproduced historical examples accompanied by copious academic footnotes. The representatively selected pamphlets range from 'Hereafter ensue the trew encountre' (1513), to 'A True Relaton of the Late Battel fought in New England' (1637). An invaluable and seminal resource, "English Military News Pamphlets 1513-1637" is informed and informative, a work of superbly presented scholarship, and an especially well recommended addition to academic library collections with respect to European Military History reference collections and Renaissance Studies supplemental reading lists.

The Master Game
Graham Hancock & Robert Bauval
The Disinformation Company
111 East 14th Street, Suite 108
New York, NY 10003
9781934708750, $24.95, www.disinfo.com

The fate of the world has always been in the hands of a few powerful people. "The Master Game: Unmasking the Secret Rulers of the World" muses about a potential of figures who have crafted the status of the Western and Middle Eastern world throughout history, shifting the nature of the world throughout the world, and how it may be affecting the modern picture as two paths clash in a globalized world with a very different view of where the planet is going. "The Master Game" is an enticing spin on how we came where we are and the future of it all.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Fish Tales
Ron Gower
North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc.
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302
9780878394265, $14.95, www.northstarpress.com

The serenity of fishing is quite an allure to many. "Fish Tales: An Autobiography of a Life Growing Up Fishing in Minnesota, and an Instruction Manual, With Some Good Stories Along the Way" is a fishing memoir from Ron Gower as he reflects on the loves of fishing and what we experience out on the water, whatever our preferred discipline is. For anyone who enjoys a good fishing story, "Fish Tales" is a choice pick, highly recommended.


The Parenting Shelf

If I Have to Tell You One More Time...
Amy McCready
Tarcher
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9781585428649, $24.95, www.penguin.com

IF I HAVE TO TELL YOU ONE MORE TIME... THE REVOLUTIONARY PROGRAM THAT GETS YOUR KID TO LISTEN WITHOUT NAGGING, REMINDING OR YELLING provides parents with a fine guide to empowering a child to end attention-seeking behavior patterns. The author's studies in Adlerian psychology lend well to her tips for achieving more positive results, offering examples of common misbehavior and how to identify unconscious parenting habits that thwart the parenting process as a whole. It's a program filled with tools parents need to raise respectful, well-behaved kids and deserves a place in any parenting library.

Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid
Marybeth Hicks
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781596981515, $24.95, www.regnery.com

Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid: Confronting the Left's Assault on Our Families, Faith, and Freedom contends that the left has embarked on a campaign to create a generation of socialists - and, that it's worked. It discusses how a new generation of Americans who believe they are entitled to a lifetime of government care have come of age, and shows how this socialist worldview will destroy ambition, work ethics, faith and more. An intriguing survey for any interested in right-wing perceptions of liberal intent in modern America.

Help! There's a Toddler in the House
Thomas M. Reimers
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68010
9781934490198, $14.95, www.boystownpress.org

When your child develops a will of its own, parenting gets more interesting. "Help! There's a Toddler in the House: Proven Strategies to Survive and Thrive Through the Mischief, Mayhem, and Meltdowns" is an advisory guide for parents who want to deal with children in this vital developmental time and want to work with it more effectively, and how to deal with them being uncooperative as they try to understand what is expected of them. For parents who find themselves overwhelmed with the slew of problems that can develop, "Help! There's a Toddler in the House" is a finely recommended read that shouldn't be overlooked.

10 Things Not to Say to Your Gifted Child
Heilbronner Family
Great Potential Press
7025 E. 1st Avenue, Suite 5, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781935067030, $18.95, www.giftedbooks.com

Natural talent needs to be nurtured to reach its full potential. "10 Things Not to Say to Your Gifted Child: One Family's Perspective" is a parenting guide from the Heilbronner family as they advise other parents with their own experiences in how to nurture a child's talents. With a powerful reminder that gifted and talented children are still children, the wisdom within offers much advice and solutions to dealing with the conflicts unique to talented children. "10 Things Not to Say to Your Gifted Child" is a top pick for any parent who wants the best out of their children.

Hey, Back Off!
Jennie Withers
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823652, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Harassment leads to toxic environments where few can succeed. "Hey, Back Off!: tips for Stopping Teen Harassment" is a guide to combating teenage harassment during these stressful times where a child becomes an adult and their whole world changes, and bullying can lead to serious issues and concerns of suicide. With sage advice on what an educator or parent can do to combat the problem, "Hey, Back Off!" is a strong addition to any collection of someone who wants to make a difference in young lives.

How to Raise Your Adult Children
Gail Parent & Susan Ende
Plume Book
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780452297203, $16.00, www.penguin.com

The comfort zone under one's parents is hard to abandon. "How to Raise Your Adult Children: Real-Life Advice for When Your Kids Don't Want to Grow Up" is a parenting guide that focuses on the relationship when your children are legally your equal, dealing with how to help with money yet avoiding becoming a financial crutch, dealing with undesirable introductions to the family, and the role of the grandparent. "How to Raise Your Adult Children" is a fine read for anyone who wants to be a mentor in life to their kids more effectively.


The Science Shelf

Smoking Ears and Screaming Teeth
Trevor Norton
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605982540, $24.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

Using small furry animals as test subjects has become a bit of a cultural faux pas, so Trevor Norton and other bold individuals has turned to themselves as test subjects. "Smoking Ears and Screaming Teeth: A Celebration of Scientific Eccentricity and Self-Experimentation" is an educational, but humorous, but mostly educational exploration into the world of science as Norton shares many stories of science focusing on those who dared to advance science at the risk to self. With a unique and conversational writing tone, "Smoking Ears and Screaming Teeth" is a remarkable and enthusiastically recommended read about daring men of science.

The Human Body Coloring Book
DK Publishing
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780756682347, $21.95, www.dk.com

The human body is a truly fascinating thing. It is also very complicated. "The Human Body Coloring Book: The Ultimate Anatomy Study Guide" is a guide to understanding the ins and outs of what goes on in the human body, acting doubly as a work book along with a study guide. For those who want to understand the many twists and turns surrounding our bodies and what to do with it, "The Human Body Coloring Book" is a strong pick and gift for anyone with a strong interest in anatomy.


The Humor Shelf

The Bachelor Slob in the Kitchen
Robert MacGregor Shaw
Beaver's Pond Press
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 101, Edina, MN 55439-2129
9781592984152, $15.00, www.beaverspondpress.com

On your own devices, just enough is more than enough. "The Bachelor Slob in the Kitchen" is a humorous exploration of bachelor life from Robert MacGregor Shaw as he advocates a lifestyle that begrudgingly does anything besides breathing. With truly unique wisdom on cooking, cleaning, hygiene, and a bit of dating, "The Bachelor Slob in the Kitchen" is a read that shouldn't be overlooked, highly recommended.

The PLC at Work Cartoon Book
Martha F. Campbell
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9781935543091, $19.95, www.solution-tree.com

When you're paid to learn, you learn that learning isn't easy. "The PLC at Work Cartoon Book" is a grand assortment of cartoons from Martha F. Campbell as they discuss the lighter side of professional learning communities and the absurdities of many pursuits with in it all. With plenty of relevant humor for any style of PLC and with a little practical wisdom worked in, "The PLC at Work Cartoon Book" is a fine pick for any leader of a PLC who isn't afraid of a little humor with business.


The Biography Shelf

Call Me Tom
James N. Giglio
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219404 $34.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Call Me Tom: The Life of Thomas F. Eagleton is the first book-length biography of one of Missouri's most successful senators. In thirty years of public service, Eagleton never lost an election; he began as St. Louis Circuit Attorney in 1956 at the young age of 27, became attorney general in 1960, lieutenant governor in 1964, and was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1968, an office he held until 1987. The breaking story of his mental health issues, especially the shock treatments he received for depression, forced him to resign as the Democratic vice-presidential nominee in 1972. Eagleton's Senatorial career remains marked by significant achievements, especially in his contributions to environmental and social legislation, his defense of Congressional authority, and his involvement in U.S. military disengagement from Southeast Asia in 1973. Notes, a bibliography, and an index enhance this in-depth study of both the professional career and the personal life of a dedicated representative an extraordinary human being. Call Me Tom is highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.

The Captain Who Burned His Ships
Gordon S. Brown
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781612510446 $28.95 www.navalinstitute.org

The Captain Who Burned His Ships: Captain Thomas Tingey, USN, 1750-1829 is the first full-length biography of Captain Thomas Tingey, a crucially important individual involved in the formation of the U.S. Navy who significantly influenced American naval victories in the War of 1812. Tingey's accomplishments include essentially creating a shipyard (The Washington Navy Yard) from scratch, as well as his establishment of shipyard procedures and practices. Of special note is the terrible events of 1814, in which Tingey was forced to burn his own ships to keep them from being taken by the British. The Captain Who Burned His Ships is both an excellent biography and work of American naval history, highly recommended especially for college library collections.

George Crook
Paul Magid
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806142074, $39.95, www.oupress.com

When locked against opponents in enmity for an extended, you can quickly gain respect for them as worthy opponents. "George Crook: From the Redwoods to Appomattox" is a biography of General George Crook, a man known for being the leader of America's forces during its many conflicts throughout the nineteenth century. With a strong focus on his role during the civil war where the views of his heroism are mixed, it also covers his advocacy for the native peoples as the Indian wars came to a close. "George Crook: From the Redwoods to Appomattox" tells of a driven man who was one of the best at his position.

Rank and Gravity
William W. Betts
Heritage Books
229 Danagher Court, Holly Springs, NC 27540
9780788452734, $50.00, www.heritagebooks.com

One of the great heroes of Pennsylvania history, the story of John Armstrong is not spoken of too often. "Rank and Gravity" tells the story of the hero of Kittanning and a major military figure for America during the American revolution. Serving as General of Pennsylvania's militia forces and in public services following the nation's independence, John Armstrong worked in representing the interests of the Quaker state in the later eighteenth century. A comprehensive biography of a man of faith and pride, "Rank and Gravity" serves to be an excellent and choice read for American biography and history collections.

Eminent Pittsburghers
William S. Dietrich
Taylor Trade
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
PO Box 62193, Baltimore, MD 21264-2193
9781589796072, $24.95, www.rlpgtrade.com

When settling off a revolution, it takes a few enterprising individuals who dare to risk it all. "Eminent Pittsburghers: Profiles of the City's Founding Industrialists" is a collection of biographical essays following the many vital figures throughout Pittsburgh's history where a few daring business men dared to make their mark on Pittsburgh. Figures cover include George Westinghouse, Charles Schwab, A. W. Mellon, among others. "Eminent Pittsburghers" is a vital history of one of America's oldest and most storied cities.


The Cookbook Shelf

Student's Vegetarian Cookbook for Dummies
Connie Sarros
Wiley Publishing
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470942918, $16.99, www.wiley.com

Learn how to eat vegetarian on campus with a student's friendly guide to nearly two hundred quick recipes and meal ideas for sticking to a vegetarian diet on campus. From chapters covering different types of vegetarianism to tips geared to dorms and limited kitchen spaces, this offers no-cook, quick-cook and other recipes for snacks and baked goods.

Fire It Up
Andrew Schloss & David Joachim
Chronicle Books
650 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811865050, $24.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Fire It Up: 400 Recipes for Grilling Everything advertises it has recipes for everyone - and it's refreshing to see that this is, indeed, really the case. It holds not only chapters packed with the usual chicken, pork and beef dishes, but surprisingly extensive sections for seafood and grilled veggies. Side dishes are also included, with all brought to life in vivid color photos. From rubs and brines to how to grill different cuts of meat or side dishes, this is packed with plenty of ideas for year-round enjoyment!

Great Chefs Cook Vegan
Linda Long, editor
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
www.gibbs-smith.com
9781423623274, $24.99, www.amazon.com

"Great Chefs Cook Vegan" is a 272-page compendium of great menus and outstanding recipes contributed by twenty-five gifted and experienced professional chefs. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Linda Long, the recipes are organized by chef and begin with a photograph and one-page biographical description of the contributing chef. Then follows four recommended and beautifully illustrated vegan dishes complete with listed ingredients and preparatory instructions. These elegant dishes range from Cantaloupe Truffle Bar with Soy Caramel and Spearmint Ice; Curried Cauliflower with Currants and Pine Nuts; Vegetable Carousel Torte with Pomme Souffes filled with Peas; and Gratin of Berries with Tahitian Vanilla Bean and Dark Rum; to Charred Corn Ravioli, Cherry Tomato Salad and Basil Fondue; Avocado Cotton Candy; Eggplant and Vanilla Puree, Chinese Broccoli, and Fried Tofu Cutlet; Stuffed Squash Blossoms with Mint and Fava Bean Puree. With outstanding dishes guaranteed to turn any ordinary dining occasion into an extraordinary culinary event, "Great Chefs Cook Vegan" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Fresh From The Farmer's Market Cookbook
Gwen McKee, Terresa Ray, Barbara Moseley
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781934193716, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Farmer's Markets, a designated place now to be found in most communities at a particular location on a particular day of the week, are growing in popularity as a place where those who produce the vegetables, fruits, meats, jams, breads, and flowers, sell them directly to the general public -- often with an emphasis on what they sell as being organically grown or prepared. That's why "Fresh From The Farmer's Market Cookbook", a cooperative project by the editorial team of Gwen McKee, Terresa Ray, and Barbara Moseley is so timely and so welcome. Utilizing ingredients that are seasonally and typically featured in local farmer's markets, their are recipes nicely organized into chapters dedicated to Beverages & Appetizers; Breads & Breakfast; Soups, Stews & Chilies; Salads; Vegetables; Pasta, Rice, Etc.; Poultry; Seafood; Meats; Cakes; Cookies & Candies; Pies & Other Deserts. These are outstanding recipes gathered together from a wide variety of other cookbooks as being the 'Best of the Best'. Of special note is 'Extra Help', a chapter offering cogent advice on selecting fruits and vegetables and a seasonally organized listing of produce. From Strawberry Cheesecake French Toast; to Potato Chip Taco Salad; to Sausage-Squash-Pecan Casserole; to Banana Pudding, "Fresh From The Farmer's Market Cookbook" offers a cornucopia of great dishes guaranteed to please any palate and satisfy any appetite!

Quick-Fix Gluten Free
Robert M. Landolphi
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449402938, $16.99, www.amazon.com

Now anyone with a gluten-based food allergy can enjoy foods like breads and pastas (and a whole lot more!) in dishes that are as tasty as they are nutritious. That's the promise and performance of professional chef Robert M. Landolphi's "Quick-Fix Gluten Free, a compendium wonderful dishes that range from Maple-Drizzed Fruit Salad with Toasted Coconut; Golden Walnut Baked Stuffed Shrimp; Broccoli and Chicken Alfredo; and Pork and Beef Bolgnese with Tagliatelle; to Molasses Flax Sandwich Bread; Jalapeno-Cheddar Buttermilk Biscuits; Mississippi Sweet Potato Pie; and Bittersweet Bean Brownies. Of special note are the informed and informative sections on 'Understanding Gluten-Free Flours, Doughs, and Batters'; 'The Gluten-Free Pantry'; 'Substitutions'; and 'Techniques for Adding Flavors'. Simply stated, "Quick-Fix Gluten Free" is a thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' and absolute kitchen cookbook shelf 'must' for anyone having to deal with a gluten-based food allergy.

The Cooking of Emilia-Romagna
Giovanna Bellia la Marca
Hippocrene Books
171 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016
9780781812566, $24.95, www.hippocrenebooks.com

The tomato is a recent addition to Italian cooking, and the North part of Italy embraces a more ancient tradition without it. "The Cooking of Emilia-Romagna: Culinary Treasures from Northern Italy" is a collection of recipes dedicated to this longstanding tradition that is still celebrated throughout the world. Recipes throughout favor fresh ingredients, subtle flavors, pasta, and much more, with dishes available for any occasion. From simple ingredient sauces to complex dishes, "The Cooking of Emilia-Romagna" is a vital pick for any chef who wants to expand their perception of Italian cooking beyond the South.

Notes From A Maine Kitchen
Kathy Gunst
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
www.downeastbooks.com
9780892729173, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Kathy Gunst is a veteran cookbook author with fourteen titles to her credit. "Notes From A Main Kitchen: Seasonally Inspired Recipes" is her latest work. This 196-page compendium is organized into chapters by calendar (January through December) with recipes reflecting major ingredients that are seasonal to that particular month. Of special note is a concluding chapter dedicated to presenting complete menus for special occasions ranging from 'Dinner by the Fire', to 'Snow-Day Dinner', to Valentine's dinner or Dinner for Two Anytime', and more! Enhanced with the inclusion of a month-by-month listing of resources, each individual recipe showcased is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', making "Notes From A Maine Kitchen" very highly recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

Cucina Povera
Pamela Sheldon Johns
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449402389, $21.99, www.amazon.com

Cooking instructor, cookbook author, and culinary expert Pamela Sheldon Johns spend twenty years on Tuscany collecting recipes from a variety of sources. The result is found in Cucina Povera: Tuscan Peasant Cooking, a 192-page compendium showcasing the best of Tuscan cuisine superbly illustrated and presented for the modern kitchen. Showcasing the joy of preparing outstanding meals, this collection of more than sixty authentic Tuscan dishes ranges from Pinzimonio (Crudites with Olive Oil), to Pici all' Aglione (Pasta with Garlic-Tomato Sauce), to Peposo di Guanciale (Stewed Peppery Beef Cheeks), to Pane Sciocco Toscano (Unsalted Tuscan Bread), "Cucina Povera" offers a wealth of dishes that are as delicious as they are nutritious. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', "Cucina Povera" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library ethnic cookbook collections!

Piece of Cake! One Bowl, No-Fuss, From-Scratch Cakes
Camilla V. Saulsbury
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada M4P 1E2
9780778802778 $29.95 www.robertrose.ca

"Piece of Cake!" is the new spiral bound bible of creative, delicious recipes for homemade from scratch star cakes. Recipes are presented with dual equivalent measurements, metric and standard, with simple, clear, step-by step instructions. The easy approach to homemade cake preparation includes timesaving shortcuts such as one-bowl prep, elimination of complicated procedures such as separate creaming of fat, separation of eggs, alternate adding of ingredients while mixing, use of regular all purpose flour instead of cake flour, and elimination of the use of a heavy-duty stand mixer. No sacrifice in flavor or finished baked product is allowed despite these easy approach modifications to cake creation. An interesting chapter on Homemade All-Natural Cake Mixes includes such gems as a traditional yellow cake mix, a vegan yellow cake mix, a gluten-free yellow cake mix and a gluten-free chocolate cake mix. The mixes can be prepared and stored for several months, ready for quick final preparation and inspiration. In addition there are chapters on loaf cakes (or single-decker cakes), sheet cakes, bundt cakes, layer cakes, pound cakes, and frostings, icings, and glazes. Beautiful full color photographs of finished cakes stud the pages. Confections such as Orange Olive Oil Cake with Blackberry Compote dazzle the imagination and tempt the palate. What about Fig Cake with Buttermilk Glaze? Or there's the classic Pumpkin Bundt with Cream Cheese Drippy Icing. "Piece of Cake!" is full of delectable and nutritious cake treats for every occasion and every palate, and can safely be predicted to put a sizeable dent in the traditional cake mix sales market. "Piece of Cake!" belongs on every cake baker's cookbook shelf today.

101 Desserts To Eat Before You Die(t)
Anneka Manning
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Baker & Taylor Publishing Group
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd, Ste 100
San Diego, CA 92121
www.thunderbaybooks.com
9781607102144, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Desserts are not just an after dinner treat anymore. Not when you get your hands on Anneka Manning's "101 Desserts To Eat Before You Die(t)"! This 224-page, superbly illustrated, and thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' compendium of recipes offers indulgences that boarder on culinary nirvana! From classics like Crepes Suzette; Baked Alaska; and the Chocolate Sundae, to such mouth-watering avant garde creations such as Self-Saucing Chocolate Pudding; Banoffee Pie; and Portuguese Custard Tarts, "101 Desserts To Eat Before You Die(t)" will quickly become one of the favorite 'go to' guides for special deserts for special occasions, as well as a source of private satisfaction for personal indulgences. "101 Desserts To Eat Before You Die(t)" is a unique and enthusiastically recommended addition to any and all personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

The Hour That Matters Most
Les & Leslie Parrott
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414337449, $15.99, www.tyndale.com

The value of family has faded in recent years. "The Hour That Matters Most: The Surprising Power of the Family Meal" presents a combination of how to bring back the power of family using dinnertime as a centerpiece. Combining recipes with good advice for families and plenty of color photographs, as well as advice for sparking conversation and more, "The Hour That Matters Most" is a top pick for those who want the bonds of family to remain strong within theirs.

Dress Your Gingerbread: Bake Them! Dress Them! Eat Them!
Joanna Farrow, author
Spruce/Octopus Books
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781846013690 $14.99 www.octopusbooks.co.uk

"Dress Your Gingerbread" is a fun collection of over 100 different ways to dress your gingerbread cutout cookies. Beginning pages give recipes for gingerbread and buttercream frosting, as well as decorating hints and techniques. Specific color pictures of each cookie show the finished "dressed" cookie, and template cutout patterns for costume details are included for reproduction. Equipment and ingredients are listed by each portrait, and step by step decorating instructions are provided. Metric conversions are listed in the beginning chapter, and all the entertainment that is needed for a fun day of baking and decorating a gingerbread project is guaranteed. Kids age 10 and up who are interested in these cookies will do better with some hands on adult supervision.

Perfect Pops
Charity Ferreira
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452101927, $16.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

There's nothing like a cold and sweet treat on a hot day. "Perfect Pops: The 50 Best Classic & Cool Treats" is a full color and easy to follow guide to many unique Popsicle inspired creations. From fruit juiced creations to chocolate and vanilla creations to even some vegetable and other unique ingredients blended into it all, "Perfect Pops" is an excellent and very much recommended pick for those who love frozen treats and want to add some do it yourself taste into it all.

Better Homes and Gardens Very Merry Cookies, 16 Dozen Best Recipes to Bake and Share
Jan Miller, editor
John Wiley & Sons
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
9781118016039 $19.99 201-748-6379

"Very Merry Cookies" is a fabulous BH&G collection of preferred holiday cookies in 13 scrumptious chapters of color photo illustrated recipes. Ingredients are listed on the left, with standard measurements, and paragraph step by step instructions are succinctly presented. Who knew there were so many ways to experience Christmas in cookie flavors? Categorized by flavor dominance, recipes for sugar, nutty, coconut, peanut butter, chocolate, coffee, caramel, fruity, citrusy, pumpkin, spiced, and more types of holiday cookie confections are paraded. Little symbols of green and red elf hats titled Santa's Little Helper identify recipes just right for kids to make. An iced tree labeled Quickie Cookie identifies a recipe that starts with a ready-made dough or cookie mix. Helpful metric conversion information is provided at the end. To summarize, nothing should keep determined holiday bakers from experimenting with this wonderful cookie recipe collection this coming holiday season. There is sure to be a new taste sensation that will prove irresistible to tired palates.

Aunt Barb's Bread Book: Yesterday's Breads for Today's Kitchens
Barbara Swell
Native Ground Books & Music
Historic American Music & Cooking
109 Bell Rd., Asheville, NC 28805
9781883206628 $5.95 www.nativeground.com

"Aunt Barb's Bread Book" is a fond collection of historic American breads, adapted into modern recipes, with copious artistic notes and illustrations about adapting old fashioned hearth and wood stove breads to modern kitchens. Fascinating breads such as wild yeast bread, honey cornmeal bread, Boston brown bread, popovers, buttermilk rolls, and thirded breads (made of graham wheat, cornmeal, and rye) and other mixed grain breads are profiled and supplied in full recipes with footnotes and nostalgic embellishment illustrations. To learn all about the vast variety of historic breads baked by American pioneers, and to jumpstart an effort to recreate some of the tastier, healthful eating habits of past times, read "Aunt Barb's Bread Book" and choose a favorite recipe to try.


The Wine Shelf

Wine
Andre Domine, et al.
H. F. Ullmann
c/o 60 Cycle Media Relations LLC
38 High Avenue, 4th floor office
Nyack, New York 10960
www.ullmann-publishing.com
9783833146145, $49.95, www.amazon.com

Wine has been a part of the human experience stretching back to when man discovered agriculture. It is a part of every major culture in a myriad of categories and classifications. An impressive 928-page compendium, "Wine" offers an encyclopedic comprehensive approach to its complex subject matter beginning with an overview of the history and pleasures of wine; the characteristics of wine including its taste, aroma and color; the handling of wine; as well as the impact and implications of wine in entertaining. Lengthy sections are devoted to the vineyard and the winery. Of special note are wines of the world as grouped by country. Enhanced with a glossary; a listing of vintages; a bibliography; indexes according to subject, place, people, estates and wine producers, "Wine" is the ultimate reference work and the collaborative effort of seventeen accomplished contributors under the editorship of Andre Domine. Superbly illustrated throughout with the photography of Armin Faber and Thomas Pothmann, "Wine" is enthusiastically recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections and to non-specialist general readers with an interest in learning about the wines of the world.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

The Invention of Ecocide
David Zierier
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
0820338273, $24.95, www.ugapress.org

The Invention of Ecocide: Agent Orange, Vietnam, and the Scientists Who Changed the Way We Think About the Environment provides a rich blend of military and scientific history packaged in a lively narrative and is a pick for science and military holdings alike. It traces the movement banning 'ecocide' which began in the 1940s when weed killer was developed for agriculture and its military applications were studied, tracing developments to modern times when scientists confirmed major ecological disaster occurred from herbicide use in war. Interviews, archives, and recently declassified national security documents examine the movement to ban ecocide in this hard-hitting survey.

Leadership for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services
Christopher R. Edginton, & Collaborators
Sagamore Publishing
1807 N. Federal Drive, Urbana, IL 61801-1051
9781571676382, $74.95, www.sagamorepub.com

For a group to truly succeed in its purpose, it needs a worthy leader. "Leadership for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services" is a guide for leaders of such organizations who want to encourage a more complete understanding of how to successfully manage a park to serve the community and promote a healthy relationship with the environment through their park. With tips on what is called for in a leader in a non-profit situation, working with the staff and groups within one's own park as well as the leadership of other parks. For anyone taking to task leadership for a park, "Leadership for Recreation, Parks, and Leisure Services" proves to be a wise and very much recommended read for community administration and management collections, highly recommended.

A Field Guide To Edible Mushrooms Of The Pacific Northwest
Daniel Winkler
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
www.harbourpublishing.com
9781550175424, $7.95, www.amazon.com

Mushrooms can be great eating if you get the right ones -- or physically deadly if you inadvertently select the wrongs ones. A glossy, waterproof, multicolored, pocket-sized, fold-out pamphlet, "A Field Guide To Edible Mushrooms Of The Pacific Northwest" is an indispensable and 'user friendly' identification aid for amateurs and professionals seeking edible mushrooms in the forests and meadows of the Pacific Northwest. Beginning with a succinct description of the mushroom and offering a 'Symbol Legend' easily identifying the nutritional worth of a given edible mushroom (as well as with the particularly poisonous ones), "A Field Guide To Edible Mushrooms Of The Pacific Northwest" goes on to offering a full color photograph illustration of fifty-one mushrooms along with descriptive information for each featured mushroom. Author Daniel Winkler is a mycologist and environmental consultant who drew upon his many years of experience and expertise in the creation of this handy mushroom identification chart, making it very highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections.


The Education Shelf

How To Study In College, tenth edition
Walter Pauk & Ross J. Q. Owens
Wadsworth
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengage.com
9781439084465, $105.95, www.amazon.com

The college classroom and curriculum demands often come as a shock to students fresh out of high school. That's why "How To Study In College" (now in a newly updated and expanded tenth edition) is such a relevant and useful instruction manual for beginning freshmen and any other student struggling with the need to make good grades in their university studies. "How To Study In College" is the collaborative effort of academicians Walter Pauk & Ross J. Q. Owens and deftly organized into for major sections: Building a Foundation (goal-setting, organizing time and space, concentration); Retaining Information (memorizing, taking notes and converting them into knowledge); Explaining Information (tests and quizzes, class discussions, writing assignments). Of special note is that each individual chapter concludes with 'Final Words', 'Chapter Checkup', and 'Vocabulary in Action' to insure mastery of that particular chapter's contents. "How To Study In College" is thoroughly 'student friendly' in presentation and is also highly recommended for high school student seniors anticipating moving on to college or university students upon graduation, as well as any college or university student finding themselves on academic probation because of low or incomplete grades.

More Than A Smart Goal
Anne E. Conzemius & Terry Morganti-Fisher
Solution Tree
304 West Kirkwood Avenue
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.solution-tree.com
9781935543244, $24.95, www.amazon.com

The education of our children is both a local concern and a national issue. "More Than A Smart Goal: Staying Focused On Student Learning" by Anne E. Conzemius (Cofounder and President of QLD Learning, Madison, Wisconsin) and Terry Morganti-Fisher (an educational reformer and currently Vice President of client services for QLD Learning, Austin, Texas), is a 160-page compendium focused on the tools, techniques, and methodologies for improving school system practices, policies, and curriculums for engaging students in the learning process. Addressing a range of pertinent issues from asking the right questions and what to do when an educational system cannot be improved or repaired, to creating supportive structures and schedules, to models of evaluation, 'More Than A Smart Goal' is solidly based on statistical research and 'real world' classroom experience. Of special note is the final chapter devoted to 'Engaging the Mind, Body, and Spirit'. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography (references) and a comprehensive index, "More Than A Smart Goal" is informed and informative throughout, making it highly recommended for professional and academic library Educational Studies reference collections and the supplemental reading lists of classroom teachers, school administrators, and education policy makers.

The Pre-K Debates
Edward Zigler, Walter S. Gilliam, & W. Steven Barnett
Paul H Brookes
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598571837, $36.95, www.brookspublishing.com

The role of Pre-Kindergarten is one that is not universally agreed on. "The Pre-K Debates: Current Controversies & Issues" discusses the importance of this level of education, the role of the teachers, and the universal level that children should face when attending such a class, how long, about every part of the process is under debate from experts on early childhood education. To gain a greater understanding of all angles, "The Pre-K Debates" is an excellent read and an excellent addition to community and college education library collections.

A Student's Guide to European Universities
Lena Krichewsky, Oliver Milhaud, Laura Pettinaroli, & Marie Scot, editors
Barbara Budrich Publishers
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9783866494428, $89.95, www.barabra-budrich.net

To learn in another country is to get a new view of the world. "A Student's Guide to European Universities: Sociology, Political Science, Geography, and History" is a guide from many professionals of European education as they bring to light the aspects of attending the universities within Spain, France, Germany, Italy, Czech Republic and Great Britain. Each section contains elaborate information on the sociology, politics, history, among other ideas that are vital for considering one's academic future. For anyone who is contemplating going to Europe for higher education, "A Student's Guide to European Universities" should not be overlooked, and is a core addition to community and college library education collections.

162 Keys to School Success
Franklin P. Schargel
Eye on Education
6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538
9781596671560, $29.95, www.eyeoneducation.com

Making your school successful can often prove far more daunting than one thinks. "162 Keys to School Success: Be the Best, Hire the Best, Train, Inspire, and Retain the Best" is a book packed cover to cover with solid wisdom on making the most out of one's school by getting the best people and keeping them happy and under the school's banner for years to come. From keeping integrity to making a good place to work at that works for the students and faculty, "162 Keys to School Success" is a strong pick for any school or educational administrator.

Moving the Classroom Outdoors
Herbert W. Broda
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571107916, $22.50, www.stenhouse.com

The outdoors, even right outside the school, have plenty of lessons to teach. "Moving the Classroom Outdoors: Schoolyard-Enhanced Learning in Action" is a discussion of the value and effects of outdoor learning as professor of education Herb Roda and Matthew Broda provide practical advice in making lessons work outside and what can be taught. For any teacher with a love of the outdoors who wants to encourage that love in their students, "Moving the Classroom Outdoors" is a fine read, very much recommended.

Two Way Teaching And Learning
Nola Purdie, Gina Milgate, & Hannah Rachel Bell
Australian Council for Educational Research
sales@acer.edu.au
International Specialized Book Services (distributor)
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781742860183, $49.94, www.isbs.com

Good education isn't one size fits all. "Two Way Teaching and Learning: Toward Culturally Reflective and Relevant Education" is an Australian educational studies book that focuses on the understanding of Aboriginal and other unique educational situations that face many Australian educators in today's educational situations. Stating that educators must also learn their students to understand each other and tailor the educational experience well to lead to greater academic success. Additionally, the authors cover the recent policy changes at the political level that play a role in cross-cultural understanding. "Two Way Teaching and Learning" is a strong pick for educators and educational administrators who want to ensure their aboriginal and Torres Strait students get the best opportunity at education possible.

Nature Sparks
Aerial Cross
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540412, $29.95, www.redleafpress.com

Understanding the natural world is a great kick off to understanding everything else. "Nature Sparks: Connecting Children's Learning to the Natural World" is a guide for child educators and parents who want to nurture a child's natural curiosity in the world. Aerial Cross presents many activities that are developmentally appropriate, encouraging play and hands on learning. "Nature Sparks" is a fine read with plenty of wise wisdom for nurturing a love of learning.

You, Your Child, and "Special" Education
Barbara Coyne Cutler, et.al.
Brookes Publishing Co.
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598571233, $24.95, www.brookespublishing.com

You, Your Child, and "Special" Education: A Guide to Dealing with the System is a key acquisition for any parent working with the school system to educate a special needs child. It deserves ongoing recommendation as a 'must have' acquisition that teaches parents how to work within the school system to advocate educational benefits for their child. Step-by-step, real-world guidance makes this an ongoing top reference.

Crossing the Vocabulary Bridge
Socorro G. Herrera, et.al.
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York NY 10027
9780807752173, $27.95, www.tcpress.com

CROSSING THE VOCABULARY BRIDGE: DIFFERENTIATED STRATEGIES FOR DIVERSE SECONDARY CLASSROOMS is packed with lessons and activities that have been created by the authors and used successfully in their own educational processes, and offers teachers and students step-by-step instructional routines for forming a cooperative learning community. Student input is welcomed in such a framework for learning, with chapters providing a set of strategies that work equally well across all content areas for diverse classrooms. A fine pick for any education collection!

Useful Research
Susan Alberts Mohrman, Edward E. Lawler III and Associates
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781605096001, $49.95, www.bkconnection.com

USEFUL RESEARCH: ADVANCING THEORY AND PRACTICE offers a fine survey of successful researchers who describe their approach to research and discuss how it advances theory and practice. From how academic knowledge translates to business and professional practice and changes to how to do useful research in traditional academic settings and publish it in appropriate journals for peer analysis, this provides a top survey useful for a range of disciplines, from business and education to academic research collections.

The Best 376 Colleges, 2012 edition
Robert Franek, et.al.
Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375428395, $22.99, www.princetonreview.com

The Best 376 Colleges appears in its updated 2012 edition to discuss that makes a college great - and how to understand popularity of a college among students. Direct quotes from students provide insights into college atmosphere, course, teachers, and financial aid, while in-depth admissions details offer keys to applying, deadlines, graduation rates and more. The blend of statistics and ratings by students makes for a fine 'must have' acquisition by any high school or general lending library.

The Innovative University
Clayton M. Christensen and Henry J. Eyrinbg
Jossey-Bass
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9781118063484, $22.95, www.josseybass.com

The Innovative University: Changing the DNA of Higher Education from the Inside Out provides a thorough assessment of disruptive technologies at work in higher education, surveying how traditional universities face intense competition from online sources and for-profit entities, and showing educators how traditional colleges can combat these advantages. It analyzes the traditional university and explains how they must change to compete effectively with new technology's approaches to education. Any college-level collection strong in education history must have this!

The Multiplayer Classroom
Lee Sheldon
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
1435458443, $34.99, www.courseptr.com

The Multiplayer Classroom: Designing Coursework as a Game shows teachers how to engage students by designing a structured learning experience as a game. It's written for educators who want the principles and tools involved in creating such an environment, providing tools learned in the development of popular video games and applying them to classrooms or even boardrooms. No prior gaming experience is needed for educators to make successful use of all the tips here!

Requirements Engineering Fundamentals
Klaus Pohl & Chris Rupp
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission Street, Suite 3
Santa Barbara, CA 93102
9781933952819, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING FUNDAMENTALS: A STUDY GUIDE FOR THE CERTIFIED PROFESSIONAL FOR REQUIREMENTS ENGINEERING EXAM FOUNDATION LEVEL/IREB COMPLIANT is designed for self-study and covers all the requirements for the exam as defined by the IREB. It's the official textbook based on the curriculum, so will find its place not only with self-study achievers but as classroom assigned reading for coursework, making this a top pick for any exam-taker!

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

Ruth Swinney and Patricia Velasco's CONNECTING CONTENT AND ACADEMIC LANGUAGE FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS AND STRUGGLING STUDENTS GRADES 2-6 (9781412988438, $36.95) provides educators with fine unit plans for EL students and focus on developing language that integrates with content. The attention to helping students advance from social to academic language and planning language arts, social studies and science lessons that connect content with language makes for a fine set of lesson plans, concepts and tools suitable for any teacher working with bilingual and struggling students seeking academic advancement. Jackie Acree Walsh and Beth Dankert Sattes' THINKING THROUGH QUALITY QUESTIONING: DEEPENING STUDENT ENGAGEMENT (9781412989022, $33.95) is based on research and provides a collection of instructions for creating an engaged classroom. It focuses on establishing new norms for student awareness, responsibility and critical assessment skills and shows teachers how to establish guidelines for cognitive assessment, using formative feedback more effectively, and much more. Renee Hobbs' DIGITAL AND MEDIA LITERACY: CONNECTING CULTURE AND CLASSROOM (9781412981583, $36.95) shows teachers how to foster students' critical thinking and collaboration skills, teaching how to blend media literacy into all subjects. From texts appropriate for a general classroom to keys to helping students develop critical thinking around popular culture, this is packed with tools teachers in grades 6-12 will appreciate, coupled with case history, real-world examples of their applications. David A. Sousa's HOW THE BRAIN LEARNS, 4TH EDITION (9781412997973, $44.95) provides a fine survey of how the latest research in brain learning styles translates to new classroom strategies and activities. New information on memory and how technology affects the brain results in new educational approaches, and this surveys the latest findings, revises sections on hemispheric specialization processes, and expands resources to link with this new research. Charts, exercises and discussions make this a key teaching tool.


The Art Shelf

Storied Past
Cheryl K. Snay
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953560, $65.00, www.hudsonhills.com

STORIED PAST: FOUR CENTURIES OF FRENCH DRAWINGS FROM THE BLANTON MUSEUM OF ART tells of the museum's lesser-known holdings of French drawings. The Blanton is renowned for its old master drawings from the Italian renaissance and baroque eras. This catalog accompanies an exhibition profiling the French drawings of its holdings - many presented here for the first time. This represents a re-identification of sources, new research on dates and subjects, and even presents a work thought lost. Essays provide a satisfying alternative analysis to traditional French drawing consideration and make this a top pick for any art library interested in European or French art historical research.

Art Saves
Jenny Doh
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
144030906X, $24.99, www.createmixedmedia.com

Art Saves: Stories, Inspiration and Prompts Sharing the Power of Art provides a survey of the experiences of over twenty artists who show how art literally gives them purpose for living. From projects and mixed media techniques to ideas that help readers learn lessons from working artists, this is a pick not just for crafts collections, but for any library strong in a workbook covering both the meaning of art and the purpose and techniques of its production.

Classic Flash 2
Jeromey "Tilt" McCulloch
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764338670, $25.00, www.schifferbooks.com

When the skin is your easel, you better do something good with it. "Classic Flash 2" is a compilation of designs for making magnificent tattoo art using the five bold colors of black, red, yellow, green, and brown as Jeromey "Tilt" McCulloch walks readers through how to make a wide array of designs of many styles, traditions, and making something that is truly worthy of being worn on the sleeve. "Classic Flash 2" is a choice pick for any fan of tattoo art.

Plains Indian Art
Jane Ewers Robinson, editor
Candace S. Greene, preface
Evan M. Maurer, introduction
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, Oklahoma 73069
9780806130613 $39.95 www.oupress.com

"Plains Indian Art: The Pioneering Work of John C. Ewers" is a magnificent color-print illustrated collection of cultural and historical essay studies by famed Ethnologist Emeritus and former director of the Smithsonian, John C. Ewers (1909-97). Edited by his daughter and presented complete with all originally selected illustrations and photographs and prints, "Plains Indian Art" encompasses the imagery history of the Plains native nations from rock pictographs to modern art creations, including carved pipes, skin paintings, wood carvings, specific parts of native costumes, and more. There is a chapter on Blackfeet picture writing, a special chapter on pipes for the presidents, and also a chapter on Assiniboin antelope-horn headdresses, with detailed color and black and white photos. Many art works by native artisans are presented and discussed, both living and extant. 140 illustrations embellish the pages of native American Plains peoples' ethnohistory analysis and illumination. "Plains Indian Art" is far more than a quality coffee table native American art book; it is a definitive offering of a life's work of striving to enlarge understanding of Plains Indians' culture and history through pictorial art.

The Eugene B. Adkins Collection, Selected Works
Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art
Philbrook Museum of Art
Jane Ford Aebersold, et al.
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806141008 $29.95 www.oupress.com

A collaborative effort of Jane Ford Aebersold, Christina E. Burke, James Peck, B. Byron Price, W. Jackson Rushing III, Mary Jo Watson, and Mark A. White, "The Eugene B. Adkins Collection" edition of selected works is a visually stunning presentation of exquisite color photographs of 170-plus artworks of Native American and American Southwestern origin. Including paintings, photographs, jewelry, baskets, textiles, ceramics, and more, "The Eugene B. Adkins Collection" is timed to coincide with the opening of a new gallery level of the Fred Jones Jr. Museum of Art to showcase selected works from the extensive Adkins Collection, working in collaboration with the Philbrook Museum of Art in Tulsa. The collection of both Native and non-Native Southwestern art was acquired by connoisseur Tulsa resident Eugene B. Adkins (1920-2006) over a period of four decades. In addition to stunning full color photographs of seminal artworks and pieces, "The Eugene B. Adkins Collection" offers arts essays on related topics by an array of knowledgeable experts on Art of the American Southwest and Native American Art. Photos of the amazing artworks speak for themselves in this extraordinary collection. Not coincidentally, the University of Oklahoma School of Art and Art History has created a new Ph.D. program in Native American art history and art of the American West, effective in 2008. "The Eugene B. Adkins Collection" features works of the highest quality, with excellent documentation and references, plus access to the Philbrook's collection of Native American art, together representing "one of the finest surveys of twentieth-century Native American art anywhere (p. ix)." A stunning, spectacular art book, "The Eugene B. Adkins Collection" edition of selected works is a treasury of Native American and American art history and culture.


The Woodworking Shelf

How to Build Shaker Furniture
Thos Moser
Popular Woodworking Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
9781440313042, $24.99, www.popularwoodworking.com

Classic furniture is called classic for a reason. "How to Build Shaker Furniture: The Completely Updated and Improved Classic" discusses the master craftsmanship of the Shaker society and how to emulate it for one's own home. Thos Moser walks readers through the tools used to attain the craft, and step by step instructions to making this work that is elegant in its simplicity. Presented in full color, "The Completely Updated and Improved Classic" is a fine read and very much recommended reading.


The Gaming Shelf

Gaming Matters
Judd Ethan Ruggill & Ken S. McAllister
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380
Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
9780817317379 $35.00 www.uapress.ua.edu

Written by the co-directors of the Learning Games Initiative, a transdisciplinary research group that has been studying, collecting, teaching and building computer games since 1999, Gaming Matters: Art, Science, Magic and the Computer Game Medium is a scholarly treatise on the medium of computer and video games, focusing especially on the question of: what defines the medium of games? Chapters focus on individual underpinnings that distinguish computer games as a medium - they are irreconcilable (sufficiently complex that players and scholars have contradictory descriptions for them), anachronistic (combining aged tropes with the latest technological innovations), laborious (often repetitive to the point where they approach labor rather than play), and more. A gameography, extensive notes, list of works cited, and more round out this measured assessment of one of the most popular modern sources of creative works. Highly recommended, especially for college library collections.

Vampire Kingdoms
Kevin Siembieda
Palladium Books Inc
39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185-7606
9781574571868, $24.95, www.palladiumbooks.com

The touch of humanity is what makes vampires all the more terrifying over traditional undead. "Vampire Kingdoms" is a game source book for the Rifts role playing game system, offering a whole slew of source information for the cruel nature of these intelligent undead and their minions. With options for players, game masters, and much more, "Vampire Kingdoms" is a must for group who wants to bring a new kind of evil into their sessions.


The Jewelry Shelf

Jewelry Designs from Nature
Heather Powers
Kalmbach Stores
21027 Crossroads Circle, PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
9780871164285, $19.95, www.kalmbachstore.com

The earliest crafters of jewelry took their notes from nature, and sometimes the classics are all you need. "Jewelry Designs from Nature: Woodlands, Gardens, Sea" is a guide from Heather Powers as she advises readers and do it yourself jewelry enthusiasts to take notes for nature and incorporate it into their designs using many materials such as clay, metal, and glass. With plenty of walked through projects, "Jewelry Designs from Nature" proves an inspiration to both novice and experienced jewelry makers in getting in touch with the power of nature.

Rachel Nelson-Smith's Bead Riffs
Rachel Nelson-Smith
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781600597831, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Profusely illustrated in full color, "Rachel Nelson-Smith's Bead Riffs: Jewelry Projects in Peyote & Right Angle Weave " is a 128-page compendium showcasing twenty-three jazz-inspired beaded jewelry projects. Each project is presented with clear and 'user friendly' instructions. After an informed and informative beginning chapter on setting up and supplies for the projects from threads, tools, techniques, terminology, to stitches, weaves, and bead caps, "Rachel Nelson-Smith's Bead Riffs: Jewelry Projects in Peyote & Right Angle Weave" has organized the projects according to Necklaces and Pendants; Rings and Earrings; and Bracelets. Enhanced with a stunning visual gallery of finished pieces, "Rachel Nelson-Smith's Bead Riffs: Jewelry Projects in Peyote & Right Angle Weave" is strongly recommended for personal, professional, and community library Jewelry Making & Crafts references collections.

Ring a Day
Marthe Le Van
Lark Crafts
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
9781600598241, $22.95, www.larkcrafts.com

If you're thinking of rings as only bands of gold and silver, you're lacking creativity. "Ring a Day: 700 Photos From a 365 Day Jewelry Challenge" is a guide to the full potential of inspiration for the many aspects finger ornamentation. The pages are brimming with countless new material ideas and colors from those who dared to create something new every day for a year. "Ring a Day" is a must for anyone who wants to broaden their jewelry horizons.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Post-Traumatic Insomnia Workbook
Karin Elorriaga Thompson, PhD and C. Laurel Franklin, Ph.D
New Harbinger
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland CA 94609
9781572248939, $21.95, www.newharbinger.com

The Post-Traumatic Insomnia Workbook tells how to sleep better and recover from traumatic life experiences that affect how we sleep, and is a workbook highly recommended for general collections and health libraries alike. It's based on cognitive behavioral therapy research and provides easy tips and techniques for self-healing, helping readers understand what affects sleep, how to de-stress a bedroom and how to absorb relaxation techniques for calming body and mind before bedtime. Highly recommended!

Health Care Comes Home
National Research Council
Publicity Department
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
www.nap.edu
9780309212366, $35.00, www.amazon.com

The United States is home to an increasingly aging population, which in turn is steadily cranking up the need for health care services for every growing numbers of older people with chronic conditions and diseases. Compounding this trend is the introduction of a degrading environmental factors in food, water, air quality, and living conditions (both urban and rural) that expose the general population to the need for medical services. The National Research Council has produced "Health Care Comes Home: The Human Factors", a 200-page compendium of research laying a sound foundation for addressing health care factors involved with the development and deployment of medical devices, technologies, and practices for ameliorating the health care with the individual home, as a less expensive and sometimes more practical alternative to the institutional care provided for by hospitals and nursing facilities. Offering a wealth of data-based information, "Health Care Comes Home: The Human Factors" should be considered mandatory reading for health care providers, health care policy makers, and interested non-specialist general readers with an interest in contemporary health care issues.

At the Interface of Culture and Medicine
Earle H. Waugh, Olga Szafran, & Rodney A. Crutcher
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2E1
9780888645326, $49.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

While environmental factors are well known to impact on the health of a population, what is less well appreciated is that the effects of a culture can also have such an impact for good or ill. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by the team of Earle H. Waugh (Professor Emeritus and Director of the Centre for the Cross-Cultural Study of health and Healing), Olga Szafran (Associated Director of Research in the Department of Family Medicine), and Rodney A. Crutcher (Professor, Department of Family Medicine, University of Calgary), "At the Interface of Culture and Medicine" is a compilation of informed and informative essays experts and scholars in the field of culture and medicine. Organized into four major sections (Culture and End-of-Life Care; Culture and Alberta's International Medical Graduates; Cultural Competence and Language in Medical Practice; Cultural and Ethnic Diversity in Health Care), "At the Interface of Culture and Medicine" is fascinating and seminal contribution to the field. Recommended reading for health care professionals, academicians, policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in the influence of cultural factors on the practice of medicine, "At the Interface of Culture and Medicine" is especially recommended for professional and academic library reference collections.

Complete Guide to Fitness & Health
Barbara Bushman, editor
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736093378, $21.95, www.humankinetics.com

Good nutrition knows no age. "Complete Guide to Fitness & Health: Physical Activity and Nutrition Guidelines for Every Age" is a health reference from Barbara Bushman as she compiles a wide array of common sense and knowledge in order to select one's most effective path of health through their life and how to attain that health and keep it. With practical wisdom on exercise, diet, dealing with disorders such as diabetes, cholesterol, and much more, "Complete Guide to Fitness & Health" is a choice pick for any personal and family health reference collection.

The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes
Amy Stockwell Mercer
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036
9781936303137, $16.95, www.demoshealth.com

Diabetes is far from a death sentence when dealt with sensibly. "The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes: Authentic Advice on Everything from Eating to Dating and Motherhood" is a guide from Amy Stockwell Mercer who provides a heaping dose of wisdom for dealing with diabetes on any front of one's life and living well through it all. Dealing with the many potential complications of life with grace and wisdom, "The Smart Woman's Guide to Diabetes" is a thoughtful and useful read for anyone making the most of their life in spite of diabetes.

Sleeping Better Together
Gerhard Klosch
Hunter House Publishers
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9780897935678, $15.95, www.hunterhouse.com

As years go by, sharing a bed can lose the joy it once had. "Sleeping Better Together: How Both of You Can Get a Better Night's Rest" is a guide to keeping bed sharing a pleasant experience for years to come. Discussing the biology of aging and how it can change things that once worked, the aspects of finding a good bed, allowing others into the bed, health issues, and more, "Sleeping Better Together" has plenty of practical wisdom for keeping tradition alive for years to come.

The 10 Secrets of 100% Healthy People
Patrick Holford
Piatkus
c/o Trafalgar Square Publishing
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9780749929114, $17.95, www.piatkus.co.uk

How do you stay healthy when everything is out to destroy your health? "The 10 Secrets of 100% Healthy People: Some People Never Get Sick and Are Always Full of Energy - Find Out How!" is a simple guide from Patrick Holford as he presents wisdom of general health and how to maintain it. With plenty of supportive anecdotes on how to plan one's life, tips for feeling great, and much more, "The 10 Secrets of 100% Healthy People" is a solidly recommended pick for anyone who wants to get healthy and stay that way.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Breaking into the Game Industry
Brenda Brathwaite and Ian Schreiber
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
1435458044, $34.99, www.courseptr.com

Breaking into the Game Industry: Advice for a Successful Career from Those Who Have Done It provides specific keys for game developers who want to develop better portfolios, make industry contacts, and make a career out of the industry. It provides a solid sense of what the game industry is and how game developers operate in it, offering a range of tips from experienced pros. From what NOT to do when communicating with developers to assessing a salary offering, this is packed with specifics key to any would-be gaming professional.

Insurance Restoration Contracting
Paul Bianchina
Craftsman Book Company
6058 Corte del Cedro, PO Box 6500,
Carlsbad, CA 92018
9781572182394, $69.00, www.craftsman-book.com

When disaster strikes, all you can do is rebuild. "Insurance Restoration Contracting: Startup to Success" is a guide for construction contractors who want to expand their area of expertise into damage restoration and recovery. A nearly recession proof industry, Paul Bianchina walks readers through everything they need to know to get the work and do it right, while offering solid additional services from your company. With advice on how to deal with restoration jobs from flood to man made damage like vandalism, "Insurance Restoration Contracting" is a strong pick for any contracting business who understands the importance of repairing damage quickly.


The Large Print Shelf

Return of the Gunmen
Jim Bowden
Dales
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781842628201, $23.99, www.ulverscroftusa.com

Vengeance and Justice have more in common than some would like. "Return of the Gunmen" is a western drama set around the town of Pine Bluffs. Cap Millet, sheriff of the town, departs when he doesn't get the support needed to take out bandit leader Clayton Foster. Hoping to washing his hands of it, when his former deputy is killed, Cap realizes that he cannot walk away so easily and that both vengeance and justice must be his. "Return of the Gunmen" is a fine and very much recommended read for many a western fiction fan, another entry into Dales and Ulverscroft large print Western collections.


The Self-Help Shelf

Dignity
Donna Hicks
Yale University Press
PO Box 209040
New Haven, CT 06520-9040
Newman Communications (publicity)
125 Walnut St, Suite 205, Watertown, MA 02472
9780300163926, $27.50, http://yalepress.yale.edu

No one likes feeling belittled. "Dignity: The Essential Role It Plays in Resolving Conflict" is a straight forward conflict management guide as Donna Hicks presents an intriguing presentation on the power of dignity in achieving and keeping a certain degree of peace in our lives. Stating that good conflict resolution respects and repairs dignity of all figures involved, anyone who understands the importance of personal feelings and their fuel for conflict should consider "Dignity" as a powerful advisory and motivational guide.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Dragon's Time
Anne McCaffrey and Todd McCaffrey
DelRey
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780345500892, $26.00, www.delreybooks.com

DRAGON'S TIME joins others in the classic 'Dragonriders of Pern' series, offering a new presentation for the first time in more than three years by a mother and son who add a new story to the series. Here the ongoing effect of a plague that was killing the dragons of Pern continues: there are no longer enough dragons to fight the deadly Thread. It's up to Lorana to take drastic steps in the search for help: steps that will affect the future of Pern itself. Prior fans and newcomers alike will find this a moving, satisfying fantasy.

Evolve Two
Nancy Kilpatrick
EDGE Science Fiction and Fantasy
PO Box 1714
Calgary, Alberta, T2P 2L7, Canada
9781894063623, $14.95, www.edgewebsite.com

Nothing can survive without adaptation. "Evolve Two" is a collection of twenty two vampire tales, stepping into the future of the mysterious predators of humanity. Twisting the future of man by telling the stories of these beloved monsters, Nancy Kilpatrick does well in compiling a fine blend of horror and fantasy, making "Evolve Two" a top pick for fantasy and science fiction collections.

Outside the Bones
Lyn Di Iorio
Arte Publico Press
452 Cullen Performance Hall
Houston, TX 77204-2004
9781558857032, $16.95, www.artepublicopress.com

Even when you can bend the spirits of the world to your will, people are still people. "Outside the Bones" follows Fina, a bruja in Manhattan, as she accidentally puts a spell on a Chico, a man who gets hit with the full brunt of pressures of two women reentering his life. A story of witchcraft, voodoo, race, greed, and power, "Outside the Bones" blends them all into a very unique and highly entertaining brew that will be hard to put down.


The Holiday Shelf

Songs of the Darkness
Lawrence Sail
Enitharmon Press
c/o Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781904634980, $22.95, www.enitharmon.co.uk

The winter is a long, cold, dark time, with Christmas as the only light in it all. "Songs of the Darkness: Poems for Christmas" is a collection of poetry from Lawrence Sail, compiled over thirty Christmases and winters, dedicated to the topic. With charming frankness, "Songs of the Darkness" is a fine assortment, highly recommended. "Chickweed": Simple as any wish --/to take on into winter/such modesty, recalled/from the already dark/verges of summer:/those stars, sparse/and profuse, unparticular/yet keeping measure,/scintilla of the spirit,/white sparks that fly/upward to join/the very idea of spring.


The Audiobook Shelf

Death of a Salesman
Arthur Miller
Starring Stacy Keach and Jane Kaczmarek
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard
Venice, CA 90291
9781580818308 $25.95 www.latw.org

Death of a Salesman is the full-cast audio production of Arthur Miller's classic 1949 play about the severe toll that fixation upon material wealth can take on individuals. Willy Loman is the titular traveling salesman who yearns for greatness and social acceptance, even as he rests on the brink of losing his job. His two sons drift trying to figure out what they will do with their lives, while the success of another man's family eats away at Willy, threatening to destroy the illusions he has held so close for so long. A stunning, memorable work brought vividly to life, Death of a Salesman is more than a timeless classic - it brilliantly predicted the modern American future where finding employment, purpose, and material wealth are more challenging than ever, with a critically relevant cautionary message against dangerous obsession. Highly recommended. 2 CDs, 136 min.

Carte Blanche
Jeffery Deaver, author
Toby Stephens, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781456119157 $123.75 www.recordedbooks.com

Carte Blanche is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a brand-new novel by Jeffery Deaver, starring Ian Fleming's iconic agent James Bond in the post-9/11 world. A veteran of the Afghan War, Bond has been recruited into a new organization, and when an impending terrorist attack threatens to massacre thousands, Bond is given carte blanche to do whatever he must to stop it. An exciting saga of adventure, danger, and high stakes, Carte Blanche brings to life the vivid excitement of the Bond legacy and is sure to prove a popular addition to public library audiobook collections. 11 CDs, 13.5 hours.

The Race: An Isaac Bell Adventure
Clive Cussler and Justin Scott, authors
Scott Brick, narrator
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611760170 $39.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

Clive Cussler's real-life adventures include teaming up with volunteers to discover long-lost ships of historical importance, and his popular fiction brims with even more excitement. He collaborated with Justin Scott to write The Race: An Isaac Bell Adventure, a high-energy thriller set in 1910, when airplanes were just beginning to impact the world. A newspaper offers a staggering $50,000 prize to the first aviator to cross America in less than fifty days. Female pilot Josephine Frost yearns to rise to the challenge, but her ruthless, wealthy, and jealous husband Harry Frost is determined to see her dead. The intrepid Isaac Bell has clashed with Harry Frost before, but when he signs up to protect Josephine and her sponsor, he just might be in for the shock of his life - a shock that might well prove fatal. Scott Brick smoothly brings to life this unabridged audiobook adaptation, sure to prove a choice pick for fans of high adventure. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

The Girl in the Blue Beret
Bobbie Ann Mason, author
Fred Sullivan, narrator
AudioGo
42 Whitecap Drive
North Kingstown, RI 02852-7445
9781609983413 $29.95 www.audiogo.com

Drawn from the real-life experiences of her departed father-in-law, award-winning author Bobbie Ann Mason presents The Girl in the Blue Beret, a gripping historical novel about the struggles of an American World War II pilot shot down in Occupied Europe. Now available in unabridged audiobook format, The Girl in the Blue Beret is superbly performed by award-winning veteran actor Fred Sullivan. The Girl in the Blue Beret is the story of a man saved by the kindness and courage of ordinary people, amidst the horrors of war, including one remarkable woman who dared to guide him through Paris; many years later, he returns to the Belgian field where his plane went down in hope of finding her again. The truths he discovers are profound, heartbreaking, and ultimately shocking, in this captivating novel of human struggle for redemption as well as survival. 9 CDs, 10 hours 30 min.

Healing Hearts
Beth Wiseman, author
Christian Taylor and Brooke Sanford, narrators
Oasis Audio
289 Main Place
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781598599732 $32.99 www.oasisaudio.com

Healing Hearts is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of three Amish novellas about using a second chance to rebuild, the value of forgiveness, and the wisdom of listening to one's heart. The stories themselves are quite memorable. "Healing Hearts" tells of a married couple whose children have grown and left; after a year's separation, can the two of them rediscover the love that first brought them together? "A Change of Heart" follows Leah, a writer in a community that discourages such efforts, pushing her to pursue the cooking, cleaning, quilting, and gardening skills of an Amish housewife; though the demands of her responsibilities seem to stifle her, a young man captivated by her dares to make her the offer of a lifetime. "A Choice to Forgive" is the story of Lydia, whose first love Daniel disappeared long ago to experience the outside world; she married his brother Elam instead, but when Elam passes away, her heart is broken. Then Daniel reappears in her life, saying he wants to return to the Order; can she look past the hurt she once felt to move forward into the future? A truly heartwarming audiobook collection, Healing Hearts is a choice pick for public library audiobook shelves. 10 CDs.

The Council Of Justice
Edgar Wallace
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843794578, $28.98, www.naxosaudiobooks.com

The sequel to "The Four Just Men" (NA0029, $28.98), Edgar Wallace's "The Council Of Justice" continues the story of four very unusual men that have banded together to bring justice to those special cases that ordinary laws are unable to deal with. The penalty for such miscreants is death. In "The Council Of Justice" these four self-appointed vigilantes take on an international anarchist terrorist organization called 'The Read Hundred' and are able to stop a campaign of both selected and mass killings before they can be carried out. In the aftermath however, one of the leaders of 'The Red Hand' betrays the secret identity of the leader of 'The Four Just Men' leading to his capture by the British police. How can his comrades free him from the condemned man's cell inside a fortress prison guarded by divisions of police? As with "The Four Just Men", the plot of "The Council Of Justice" is simply fascinating and engage's the listener's rapt attention from beginning to end. Superbly narrated by Bill Homewood who does full and complete justice to Edgar Wallace's imaginative and suspenseful story, complete and unabridged, technologically flawless in production values, "The Council Of Justice" is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library audio book collections.

Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues
Michael Brandman, author
James Naughton, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780739384893 $32.00 www.randomhouse.com

Robert B. Parker's Killing the Blues is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of an adventure featuring the tough-as-nails chief of police Jesse Stone, a character originally created by American crime fiction master Robert B. Parker. Award-winning producer Michael Brandman, who collaborated with Parker for years on the Jesse Stone TV movies starring Tom Selleck, lends his talents as the author of this exciting new Jesse Stone story about a darkness from his past catching up with him. Memories of his struggles as a former L.A. cop plague him, and an unknown, shadowy figure stalks nearby, bent on revenge. Tony award-winning performer James Naughton applies his vocal talents to this captivating mystery, sure to prove a popular lend to public library audiobook collections. 4 CDs, 4 1/2 hours.

Composing Amelia
Alison Strobel, author
Ann Richardson, narrator
Oasis Audio
289 Main Place
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781598599671 $29.99 www.oasisaudio.com

Composing Amelia is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a deeply spiritual novel. Amelia and Marcus have recently graduated from college and married one another; Marcus is trying to earn a pastoral position at a large multicultural city church, while Amelia yearns to become a professional piano player. When a small church gives Marcus a job, they must question the dedication they have to their paths and their faith in each other - accepting the job forces Marcus to compromise his goals, and Amelia to all but abandon hers with her departure from the city. Sacrificing her dreams leads Amelia to the brink of a breakdown, while Marcus re-examines the plans he had for his own life. Can the two of them work out a way to save their marriage, and perhaps even resume pursuit of their respective dreams? An emotional work of faith and love, Composing Amelia is highly recommended. 8 CDs.

Happy Accidents
Jane Lynch, author and narrator
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street
New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401326135 $29.99 www.hyperionbooks.com

Carol Burnett reads the forward of Happy Accidents: A Memoir, the audiobook rendition of Jane Lynch's memoir. Lynch herself narrates her story of growing up in Chicago's South Side, the destructive path her early life led, and how she turned her self around at thirty-one - acknowledging her sexuality, coming out to her parents, and abandoning her harmful dependence on alcohol. A chance meeting led to her big break in film, and she was cast in the movies "Best in Show" and "The 40-Year-Old Virgin"; additional coincidences led to her role of Sue Sylvester in the series "Glee". Wry humor, insightful wisdom, and no-holds-barred straight talk distinguish this audiobook, especially recommended for anyone with an interest in LGBT memoirs. 6 CDs, 7 hours.

Son of Stone
Stuart Woods, author
Tony Roberts, narrator
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611760163 $29.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

Son of Stone is the audiobook rendition of the continuing suspenseful saga of lifelong bachelor Stone Barrington. Barrington hopes to make money off of his partnership at Woodman & Weld; his skills in both underworld circles and the heights of high society stand to serve him well. But his smoldering former love, Arrington Calder, has a hidden agenda, and her manipulations are about to turn Barrington's life upside down. An exciting intrigue, masterfully performed by skilled actor Tony Roberts, Son of Stone is an excellent pick for public library audiobook fiction collections.

Abuse of Power
Michael Savage, author
Peter Larkin, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427213747 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Abuse of Power is the exciting, unabridged audiobook adaptation of a thriller following Jack Hatfield, a war correspondent turned freelance news producer and crime journalist. During a seemingly standard ride-along with the SFPD bomb squad, Hatfield witnesses a deadly carjacking in which military-grade explosives are seized. When the FBI pressures Hatfield to stay away, he responds by latching onto a dark trail from San Francisco to Tel Aviv, London and Paris, cooperating with a Yemeni intelligence agent and a veteran Green Beret to reveal the workings of a terrorist group calling itself the Hand of Allah. A plot with a death toll potentially surpassing the tragedy of 9/11 is in the works, fueling a high-octane confrontation in this suspenseful saga. 9 CDs, 11 hours.

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

Alafair Burke's LONG GONE (9781611744316, $34.95) provides a fine novel of suspense by a powerful new young crime writer, and offers action brought to life by the audio format. Here Alice arrives at work to find everything in the new art gallery gone overnight - stripped bare of belongings, with the dead body of her boss on the floor. Her dream job turns into a nightmare as she finds herself at the heart of an investigation that draws chilling ties between the death and a missing girl - all of which point to Alice. Her search for the real truth leads her on a dangerous, involved path in this fine thriller. Camilla Lackberg's THE PREACHER (9781615735488, $39.95) provides a fine thriller that springs to life in audio and tells of a series of sadistic murders spanning two generations in a small fishing village. A local detective charged with resolving an old case becomes immersed in a feuding clan and a family's dangerous secrets in this involving thriller.

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

Anne Rivers Siddons's BURNT MOUNTAIN (9781607882497, $34.98) receives an outstanding reading by Kate Reading, who spices an exceptional unabridged narration about a tomboy who marries an unconventional Irish professor and moves into her deceased grandmother's home in Atlanta to lead a quiet life. Her husband's involvement in a camp on Burnt Mountain telling Irish tales to campers makes for a powerful story of love and secrets, perfect for any general lending collection. Nonfiction audio collections will find CHANGE ANYTHING by Kerry Patterson, et.al. (9781609419875, $29.98) a top pick. It discusses the science of personal success, discussing the mechanics of change and how to understand the underlying influences on personal choices. Studies of thousands of changers reveal the methods of positive change and make for an exceptional survey perfect for any self-help or self-improvement audio collection.

Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Harry Dolan's VERY BAD MEN (9780142429372, $39.95) receives a fine narration by actor Erik Davies, who appeared on film, TV and stage in many popular shows. His narration of VERY BAD MEN spices a fine narrative telling of a notorious crime, a man behind bars, and a vendetta of murder. Two people are drawn into a murderer's world when a crazy theory comes to life in this riveting novel that comes to life in audio. John Steinbeck's classic THE GRAPES OF WRATH comes alive under the fine audio reading by Dylan Baker (9780143145158, $39.95), who spices a dramatic and involving story set in the Great Depression and centering around the changes affecting an entire nation during the Dust Bowl migration of the 1930s. A farm family's struggles come to life in this vivid account, recommended for any audio collection strong in the classics. Steinbeck's TRAVELS WITH CHARLEY IN SEARCH OF AMERICA (9780142429198, $29.95) receives a fine reading by Gary Sinise, who spices and embellishes a vivid story of the author and his poodle Charley, who journey across America. Steinbeck's observations of his world during the trip form a compelling portrait of 1960s America that springs to life in audio. Manning Marable's MALCOLM X: A LIFE OF REINVENTION (9780142428443, $39.95) receives a fine reading by actor G. Valmont Thomas, who brings to life all the drama and controversies surrounding the life of the man known as Malcolm X. From his early years in Boston to his conversion to Islam and his rise as a militant, his entire life springs to vivid action in an unabridged audio that is recommended for any lending library. Amor Towles' RULES OF CIVILITY (9780142429273, $39.95) provides a fine novel spiced by Rebecca Lowman's vivid reading (she has appeared in numerous TV series) and is set in 1937, where a chance encounter between a banker and a jazz club attendee leads Katey on a journey from being a Wall Street secretary to entering New York society. Her newfound experiences with wealth will change her life and bring new opportunities in this fine story of New York high life and personal transitions, recommended for any audio collection strong in novels. Jim Butcher's GHOST STORY (9780142429068, $49.95) receives a fine narrative by Broadway actor John Glover, who played Lionel Luther on Smallville among many other credits, and comes to life in audio. Harry Dresden is Chicago's only professional wizard, the host for the spirit of a fallen angel, and more. But here he's been murdered and is trapped between life and death - only to find he's on a mission to bring his murderer to justice to save his friends. An intriguing, different kind of ghost story evolves!


The Library CD Shelf

Glide
Damjan Krajacic
www.damjanmusic.com
FlipSwitch (publicity)
PO Box 2207
Bloomington, IN 47404-2207
$TBA www.flipswitchPR.com

Glide is a sumptuous, instrumental music CD album featuring Zagreb-born, L.A.-based performer Damjan Krajacic on the flute. With the smooth flute notes as a highlight, Glide drifts through a variety of Brazilian, Cuban, and jazz rhythms, while never losing sight of Krajacic's classical and Balkan roots. Cresting with energy, Glide transitions between style variants with exceptional elegance, and is a choice pick especially for anyone who loves original takes on international music. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Glide" (4:40), "Come Play" (6:29), "Lara" (5:00), "About Time" (5:57), "Morning Smile" (2:54), "Inspire" (6:07), "Heartbeat" (5:48), "Resemblance" (6:23), "In Life" (5:56), and "Goodbye" (5:58).

Sing for Your Lives!
Vagabond Opera
www.vagabondopera.com
Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$16.09 www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Sing for Your Lives! is the latest album by Vagabond Opera, a cabaret troup that delights in blending elements of Eastern European folk with the latest trends in klezmer, elements of grandiose classical opera, and even the upbeat cheer of showtune musicals. The result is a wildly carefree, exotic, holistic fusion of styles, lifting the listener in a sweeping tide of passionate joy. The tracks are "Red Balloon", "Tough Mazel", "Beard & Moustache", "Coimbra", "Penny", "King of the Gypsies", "Spirit Dances Evermore", "Lullaby", "Hanumonsoon", "The Last Dance", and "Sing for Your Lives". Also highly recommended for international music collections are Sevara Nazarkhan's "Tortadur" and Vlada Tomova's "Balkan Tales".

Ayah Ye! Moving Train
KG Omulo
www.kgomulo.com
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Native Kenyan performer KG Omulo regularly packs American dance floors full to capacity whenever he performs with his rich, moving baritone and his rhythmic Afrofunk style. His new album Ayah Ye! Moving Train continues his efforts to shake up the status quo in politics by speaking up and singing out. Omulo believes strongly in the role that faith has to play as well the drive to shape the world for the better. Elements of rock and reggae interweave into his unique Afrofunk to create an album that speaks directly to the heart and soul. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Intervention" (3:44), "Moving Train" (3:53), "Cleary Boulevard" (3:36), "Ready To Love" (3:00), "It's a Relief" (3:01), "Quality Women" (3:38), "Walkway" (3:03), "No Means No" (3:00), "Ayah Ye!" (3:23), "Stop Me Now" (2:55), and "Do You Feel?" (3:24).

Carried Away
Janice Faber
janicefaberpiano.com
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$11.48 thecreativeservicecompany.com

Carried Away is a beautiful album of original, solo piano music by dedicated pianist Janice Faber. Drawing upon her intense study of classical music, as well as her decades of experience performing at church services, weddings, and community events, Faber has crafted a soulful, sweeping experience that transports the listener's imagination to thoughts of peace and joy. Carried Away is a truly wonderful listening experience, highly recommended especially for public library music collections. The tracks are "Looking Forward", "Gift of Joy", "Morning Prayer", "Imagining", "Carried Away", "Nocturne", "Steadfast", "Passing Through", "Gracious Gift", "Peace Be Still", "Hero", "Tomorrow's Hope", "Gentle Soul", "Neverending", "Strand of Three Chords", and "Night Music".

Fab Fan Memories: The Beatles Bond
Louise Harrison, host
WannaBeats Records
c/o Dennis Scott Productions
$14.95 www.thewannabeatles.com

Fab Fan Memories: The Beatles Bond isn't just a Beatles music album - it's a tribute to one of the greatest bands of all time, by fans, for fans. Louise Harrison hosts interviews, stories, and extended discussion of fond memories of the Beatles, which are the primary focus above and beyond the Beatles song performances by The Liverpool Legends. The result is a nostalgic and satisfying reminiscence, as well as the perfect gift for any long-standing Beatles aficionado. Highly recommended.

Hi Fly
John Stein, et. al.
Whaling City Sound
Mixed Media
20 Lockmere Road
Cranston, RI 02910
$15.27 www.mixedmediapromo.com

Hi Fly is guitarist John Stein's third recording with bassist John Lockwood and drummer Ze Eduardo Nazario. Keyboard player Jake Sherman adds his own flair to the band's arrangements, creating a soaring musical experience that expands on elements of jazz with a strong vibe of pure joy. Hi Fly is a pleasure to experience, brimming with energy to recharge the listener after a long day, and highly recommended. The tracks are "Speak Low" (6:13), "Skippin'" (5:11), "Hi Fly" (5:46), "Lazy Afternoon" (4:46), "Laura" (5:52), "Threesome" (6:42), "Plum Stone" (5:00), "Sea Smoke" (7:05), "Love Letters" (5:39), and "Funkin' It Up" (5:23).

Eclectic Eve
Christopher Lapina
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
http://thecreativeservicecompany.com
$24.32 CDbaby.com

Composer and keyboardist Christopher Lapina presents Eclectic Eve, a holistic album of new age, neo-classical, jazz, solo piano, shifting-time-signatures, and much more - some parts are percussion-only or swinging choral, while others are ensemble pieces with guitars, bass and sax. The melodic pastiche fuses into the story of a woman's journey through life as she strives to become more creative, wiser, and grounded in the course of her life. The title of "Eclectic Eve" encapsulates its journey, message, and variety, resulting in a listening experience to remember and treasure. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Highland Return" (4:20), "Hand in Glove" (5:20), "Rolling Blue" (6:01), "This Time" (7:16), "Highland Variation #9" (3:14), "Before You" (4:04), "My Darling Esmerelda" (5:36), "Lucy Turns Eclectic" (4:21), "Highland Variation #1" (2:54), "Moon and Spoon" (4:42), "String Theory" (4:54) and "She's Often Here" (1:57).

Songs of Saints and Scholars
Steven C. Warner, Director
Karen Schneider Kirner, Associate Director
World Library Publications
3708 River Road, Suite 400
Franklin Park, IL 60131-2158
9781584594260 $17.00 www.wlpmusic.com

Songs of Saints and Scholars: A Celtic Pilgrimage with the University of Notre Dame Folk Choir is a hauntingly beautiful album of deeply spiritual music. The songs evoke Celtic heritage as well as Christian reverence, resulting in an emotionally uplifting experience from beginning to end. The tracks are "The Lorica of Ballyloughlin" (2:20), "Cead Mile Failte" (2:55), "A Walking Prayer" (2:48), "Bi Iosa Im Chroise" (4:09), "Psalm 23: Se An Tiarna M'Aoire (The Lord Is My Shepherd)" (5:18), "Bless the Corners of This House" (2:06), "A Iosa, Mhic Mhuire (To Jesus, Son of Mary)" (4:31), "A Circle Blessing" (2:45), "Rian Phadraig (Song of Patrick)" (3:16), "Those Who Love and Those Who Labor" (4:11), "From East to West" (4:06), "Deus Meus, Adiuva Me" (4:04), "Each Step of the Journey" (3:03), and "To Christ, the Seed" (2:20). Also highly recommended for Christian music lovers is the album "Touch Jesus" (9781584594222, $17.00) by W. Clifford Petty.

It's a Love/Hate Thing
Dearly and Denny
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.63 www.canyonrecords.com

It's a Love/Hate Thing is the latest music album of Round Dance jam songs by the reputable singing duo of Dearly and Denny. Their songs blend real life emotions of heartbreak, healing, and wonder into the rhythmic drum score. It's a Love/Hate Thing is a powerful and motivational work, and a choice pick especially for Native American music collections. The tracks are "Straight Cruisin'" (4:12), "Pouring My Love" (3:54), "Hickey Snaggin'" (4:46), "Court Date" (4:43), "The Classroom Blues" (4:32), "All My Babies' Mamas" (3:00), "Love Hurts, Dude Part II" (4:22), "S2o" (4:17), "All Apologies" (5:21), "Hickey Engagement" (4:51), "Wisconsin Sky II" (3:26), and "When You're All Alone" (4:18).


The Library DVD Shelf

Art of the Western World
Athena
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
$59.99 www.acornonline.com

Art of the Western World is an extraordinary, three-DVD documentary originally broadcast in nine episodes on PBS, offering an incredible tour of Western art across 2,500 years of civilization. Covering painting, sculpture, and architecture from ancient Greece to the modern day, Art of the Western World features eye-opening filmography of great works in over 150 locations among eight countries. A 20-page viewer's guide with brief biographies of major artists rounds out this exceptional set, highly recommended for public library DVD collections and the perfect gift for art connoisseurs. 3 DVDs, 513 minutes, SDH subtitles.

Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598286915 $49.99 www.acornonline.com

Based on the book by John le Carre, Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy collects six episodes of the tense British drama set during the height of the Cold War. A mole has infiltrated the British Secret Intelligence Service, and it must be one of the four men operating at the highest level. When sidelined agent George Smiley is called to ferret out the mole, it marks the beginning of a masterful predator-and-prey game through the double-blind environment of Cold War espionage. An exclusive interview with John le Carre, production notes, and more bonus features round out this extraordinary and masterful series, highly recommended. 6 episodes on 3 DVDs, 324 minutes, closed captioned.

Feasts Of The Bible
Sam Nadler
Rose Publishing
4733 Torrance Blvd., #259
Torrance, CA 90503
9781596364653, $29.99, www.amazon.com

From Biblical times down to the present day, shared meals or feasts were and are hallmark of the Judeo-Christian religious culture and continues with us today ranging from High Holy Day celebrations (Passover, Pentecost, Rosh HaShanah, Yom Kippur, Tabernacles) to Church potluck dinners. "Feasts Of The Bible" is a Bible study DVD featuring six thirty minute lessons. The lessons or sessions address how Messiah Jesus is the fulfillment of the feasts and holidays; the Jewish roots of Christianity; the history and symbolism of the Old Testament; the Lord's provision, love and care for those who worship him, the worship of God, and a glorious future with the Messiah. Highly recommended for Bible study groups or personal biblical studies, this impressive DVD also features a PDF leader guide that can be printed out and PDF files for promotional posters, fliers, handouts, bulletin inserts, and banners. Also very highly recommended is the companion study guide "Feasts Of The Bible" (9781596364677, $3.99).

Shiva Rea More Daily Energy
Acacia
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650
Silver Spring, MD 20910
$19.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

Shiva Rea More Daily Energy: Vinyasa Flow Yoga is an exceptional fitness DVD packed with seven twenty-minute mix-and-match yoga practices (well over two hours total!) that can be rearranged into a regimen designed to meet one's personal needs in flexibility, balance, and strength. The segments include three beginner (lunar) and four intermediate (solar) sequences, hosted by expert professional instructor Shiva Rea. A superb addition to DVD fitness shelves, Shiva Rea More Daily Energy offers an unprecedented level of variety and customizability, highly recommended. 158 minutes, widescreen. Also highly recommended for fitness enthusiasts looking for a little more cardio is "Ageless with Kathy Smith" (60 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles), a solid strength and calorie burn workout designed to refresh the body and remove stress.


The Sports Shelf

Gibson's Last Stand
Doug Feldmann
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219503 $29.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Doug Feldman (Associate Professor in the College of Education, Northern Kentucky University, and part-time scout for the Cincinnati Reds) presents Gibson's Last Stand: The Rise, Fall, and Near Misses of the St. Louis Cardinals, 1969-1975, an in-depth biography on one of the Cardinal's most successful pitchers. Yet Gibson's Last Stand is more than just the life story of an athlete; it tells of an era when dramatic changes were happening to baseball - the strike zone shrank, the pitcher's mound lowered, and even the traditional animosity between hitter and pitcher became softened. The Cardinals themselves endured one change after another, as owner August A. Busch Jr. and manager Albert "Red Schoendienst searched for new players to improve its performance; Gibson was the only constant in a changing team eventually destined to face off against the Detroit Tigers in the 1968 World Series. The influence of significant events in American history is also discussed in this excellent cross-section of one man struggling to pitch his very best amid a popular sport in flux. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Gibson's Last Stand is highly recommended especially for sports biography collections and Cardinals fans.

Fighting the Current
Lisa Bier
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780786440283 $40.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com

In 1926, Gertrude Ederle became the first woman to swim the English Channel, and broke the existing speed record in the process; though her pioneer efforts in women's swimming were legendary, she was only part of a long legacy. Fighting the Current: The Rise of American Women's Swimming, 1870-1926 details the true story of early women's competitive swimming during the fifty years before Ederle's historic plunge. Women and girls faced severe challenges to swimming for spot, including negative social beliefs about female physical ability, access to safe and clean places to swim, bathing suits that restricted movement and became heavy in water, and the disapproval of existing sports organizations. Fighting the Current lives up to its title as the saga of how women swimmers battled against all of these obstacles, and is an excellent addition to women's sports history collections.


The Travel Shelf

Montana Waterfalls
Larry Johnson and Nathan Johnson
Riverbend Publishing
PO Box 5833
Helena, MT 59604
9781606390337 $19.95 www.riverbendpublishing.com

Printed on glossy paper and illustrated with beautiful, full-color photographs of each waterfall, Montana Waterfalls: A Guide for Sightseers, Hikers & Waterfall Enthusiasts is a stunning guide to more than 50 grand waterfalls in the state of Montana. Brief descriptions, access routes, nearby campgrounds, latitude and longitude, and more information about each waterfall make Montana Waterfalls an excellent choice for back-to-nature Montana sightseers, and the wonderful photography is a treat for armchair travelers. Highly recommended.

Monumental New York
Chuck D'Imperio
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110
Syracuse, NY 13244-5290
9780815609629 $19.95 www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu

Illustrated with black-and-white photographs throughout, Monumental New York! A Guide to 30 Iconic Memorials in Upstate New York spotlights thirty of the most distinctive historical statues and memorials in Upstate New York, some of which are little-known. From tributes to great men such as John Brown, FDR, and Carl Sagan to the cite of Upstate New York's prison camp of the Civil War, to a tribute to a woman who played a role similar to Paul Revere in America's early history, Monumental New York is an eye-opening guide ideal for both New York tourists and armchair travelers. Highly recommended.

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

Sarina Singh, et.al.'s INDIA (9781741791518, $29.99) holds over 1,200 pages so as a take-along tote it may at first seem too weighty a production - but it's packed with regional information, extensive descriptions of where to eat and stay, and offers bonus chapters covering everything from a camel trek to sports and yoga, so it's worth the extra space to take it along on any extended independent trip to India. Chapters are packed with photos and maps and leave nothing to wonder about. Simply a 'must have' trip planner for any heading to India! Regis St. Louis' QUEENSLAND & THE GREAT BARRIER REEF (9781741794632, $23.99) is also a top pick for any heading to Australia. Where other books attempt to cover the entire continent, this smaller regional guide offers more specifics about Queensland and the reef, packing in maps and everything needed to know to plan an independent trip to Queensland. LONELY PLANET DISCOVER CANADA by Karla Zimmerman, et.al. (9781742202846, $24.99) offers a fine overview of Canada's best places, adds itineraries and local attractions, and uses local experts to pinpoint 'must see' opportunities. With its pull-out maps, specifics on lodging and eating, and the latest country-wide travel specifics, this is a top pick for any travel collection.


The Political Science Shelf

After the Fall
Nicole Gelinas
Encounter Books
900 Broadway #601, New York NY 10003
9781594032615, $25.95, www.encounterbooks.com

AFTER THE FALL: SAVING CAPITALISM FROM WALL STREET - AND WASHINGTON discusses how Washington policymakers in 2008 replaced private risk-takers in the financial system with government capital so that credit flows wouldn't stop - fostering a depression and economic turmoil that continues to this day. Interactions between government and Wall Street purposes are closely analyzed in AFTER THE FALL, which provides a history of government bailouts and actions that continue, to America's detriment, to this day. A fine source of debate for any economic or political history collection.

Global Warming and Political Intimidation
Raymond S. Bradley
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498693, $19.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

Global Warming and Political Intimidation: How Politicians Cracked Down on Scientists as the Earth Heated Up comes from a respected climate scientist who provides the inside story of how politics prevented the author and his colleagues from scientific research. Tactics used by those in power to suppress scientific information make for pointed chapters that both expose the global warming issues and the underlying politics affecting information development. Any college level political issues collection should have this!

Political Consultants and Campaigns
Jason Johnson
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301
9780813344881, $35.00, www.westviewpress.com

Political Consultants and Campaigns provides college-level audiences with a fine theoretical analysis of political consultants and how they affect electoral processes. Different political theories contrast with what political consultants are doing in the field, with data from over 300 active consultants, campaign managers and professional campaign schools contrasting theory with field practices. A strong 'must have' for any college-level political studies shelf.

Catching Our Flag
James E. Rogan
WND Books
2020 Pennsylvania Ave NW, #351
Washington, DC 20006
9781935071327, $25.95, www.wndbooks.com

CATCHING OUR FLAG: BEHIND THE SCENES OF A PRESIDENTIAL IMPEACHMENT offers an insider's guide of the events leading to the impeachment of popular president Bill Clinton, and comes from the notes James Rogan kept during the entire process. His intent is to clarify historical record and provide an accurate historical chronicle of events, with chapters written by one of the House Managers in the impeachment trial of Clinton. Any American political history collection focusing on Presidential politics will appreciate this.

Religious Free Exercise And Contemporary American Politics
Jerold L. Waltman
Continuum International Publishing Group
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, NY, NY 10038
www.continuumbooks.com
9781441122032, $32.95, www.amazon.com

Religion and politics have been an integral part of American politics from the founding of the Colonies down to the present day. Often adhering to the theoretical concept of 'Separation of Church and State', politicians on the federal level have occasionally passed some rather questionable legislation that seeming blurs the principle. Such is the case with respect to the statute passed and named the 'Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act' (RLUIPA) which showcased an involved, complex, elaborate, and somewhat devious machinations on the part of congressional proponents and opponents. In "Religious Free Exercise and Contemporary American Politics: The Saga of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000", Jerold L. Waltman (R.W. Morrison Professor of Constitutional Studies, Department of Political Science, Baylor University) provides a detailed, informed history and informative analysis of this legislation. A seminal study of impressive scholarship, "Religious Free Exercise and Contemporary American Politics: The Saga of the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic library American Political Science reference collections and American Church/State Studies supplemental reading lists.

Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid
Marybeth Hicks
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781596981515 $24.95 www.regnery.com

Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid: Confronting the Left's Assault on Our Families, Faith, and Freedom is a severe, critical attack on left-wing political philosophies, especially their impact on the next generation. Author and columnist Marybeth Hicks takes the perspective of a concerned parent, criticizing liberal trends to de-emphasize the importance of God or traditional marriage, to stress diversity over assimilation, and trumpet ecologically-driven fear over the serious problem of inadequate science education in the classroom, and perhaps worst of all, to downplay the importance of independence, self-discipline, and self-reliance. "Putnam's findings refuted two popular ideas about the impact of diversity - 'contact' and 'conflict' - that is, that people in highly diverse communities will naturally form bonds with people from other races and cultures because of frequent contact, or that living in diverse communities will create racial and ethnic conflict. Apparently neither one actually tends to happen. Instead, Putnam discovered that in conditions of 'diversity' people become 'turtles,' retreating into their shells. Not exactly a recipe for civic engagement." Though the reader may disagree with the broad, sweeping characterization of the entire Left as an institution that uniformly pushes "socialism", among other accusations, Don't Let the Kids Drink the Kool-Aid still offers invaluable insight into coping with modern cultural problems affecting parents of all political spectrums. Practical courses of action, such as petitioning cable companies to allow individual channel choice instead of forcing channel bundles, teaching children to incorporate social media into their lives in a manner that is balanced and healthy, and instilling positive virtues such as forbearance, humility, honor, and independence, round out this thought-provoking read.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Encyclopedia Of Dog Breeds
T.F.H. Publications
1 TFH Plaza, Third & Union Avenue
Neptune City, NJ 07753
9780793812776, $29.95, www.tfh.com

Compiled by the editorial staff of T.F.H. Publications, "The Encyclopedia Of Dog Breeds" is a 480-page, illustrated compendium covering 231 breeds and varieties of canine companions. Organized alphabetically, each breed features a full-colored photograph and description beginning with country of origin, physical descriptions, history and personality information, as well as data on their exercise, grooming, training, and health. This single volume reference is ideal for personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections and is a thoroughly reliable and 'user friendly' identification guide for pet owners and those seeking a canine companion of their own.

Behavior Adjustment Training
Grisha Stewart
Dogwise
403 S Mission St. Wenatchee, WA 98801
9781617810503, $17.95, www.dogwise.com

Dogs, just like humans, have anxiety around others. "Behavior Adjustment Training: BAT for Fear, Frustration, and Aggression in Dogs" is a guide to working with dogs as a trainer and an owner and encourage dogs to behave appropriately in situations that inspire aggression and anxiety throughout their lives. Placing the focus on what triggers the behavior and how to calm a dog through it, and the importance of starting young, "Behavior Adjustment Training" is an insightful and much recommend dive into dog psychology for community library pets collections.

Frogs and Toads
Devin Edmonds
T.F.H. Publications
1 TFH Plaza, Third & Union Avenue
Neptune City, NJ 07753
9780793828623, $14.95, www.tfh.com

The classification of amphibian is perhaps the least understood classification in the kingdom. "Frogs and Toads: A Complete Guide to Fire-Bellied Toads, Horned Frogs, and 40 Other Species" is a guide to these very common creatures near lakes and forests, with special advice on the details on keeping these unique creatures as pets. Presented in full color with wisdom and classification on all of them, "Frogs ad Toads" is an excellent read for anyone with an interest in these misunderstood creatures.

Shelter Puppies
Michael Kloth
Merrell Publishers
c/o 60 Cycle Media
30 High Ave #1 Nyack, NY 10960
9781858945606, $19.95, www.merrellpublishers.com

Turned away by tragedy and neglectful owners, some dogs wait for a second chance to come to them. "Shelter Puppies" is a collection of full color photographs focusing on many puppies of countless breeds who were rescued into shelters. For any lover of dogs and especially cute puppies, they will be delighted by this assortment of photographs with a generous donation to the ASPCA for each book sold. "Shelter Puppies" is a fine addition to pets and photography collections.

The Cat Selector
David Alderton
Publicity Department
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764164248 $24.99 www.barronseduc.com

Illustrated with vivid color photography from cover to cover, The Cat Selector: How to Choose the Right Cat for You is an in-depth guide to the traits of various cat breeds (from rare hairless cats and other exotic pedigrees to common tabby and calico cats), as well as recommendations as to what will suit one's needs when looking for a feline pet. The general personality, behavior tendencies, grooming needs, common health issues, and much more are discussed at length, in terms accessible to cat lovers of all backgrounds. The beautiful color photography of cats and kittens speaks for itself of course, and makes The Cat Selector a captivating book for ailurophiles to simply page through, even if they already have all the furry companions their house can hold. Some general cat care tips and an at-a-glance cat selector that rates different breeds according to "active nature", "grooming needs", "suitable for older owners", and "suitable for families" rounds out this excellent guide. Highly recommended.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Quilting-on-the-Go
Carolyn Forster
Landauer Publishing
3100 NW 101st St., Suite A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9781935726050 $24.95 www.landauercorp.com

"Quilting-on-the-Go" is a manual for active quilters who crave how-to's on creating quilt designs in small, manageable sections, hand or machine quilted in pieced blocks or segments of multiple blocks. Divided into two main sections on Basics and Projects, the thrust of "Quilting-on-the-Go" is to provide projects and instructions for quilters who need to work in a variety of settings with no special bulky quilting equipment (like the large wooden traditional frames) needed. Patterns, designs and instructions for 15 beautiful quilts are included, along with inspiring color photos of finished quilts. Step by step instructions with specific descriptions, organized lists of supplies needed for each project, and templates are included. In all, "Quilting-on-the-Go" is an invaluable, inspirational tool for the modern quilter who seeks to preserve something of past fabric arts using modern conveniences and do-able workbytes for a model.

Give & Take: Fabric Applique
Daphne Greig & Susan Purney Mark
American Quilter's Society
P.O. Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002
9781604600056 $24.95 www.AmericanQuilter.com

"Give & Take: Fabric Applique" is a sampler quilter's workbook about using a new technique called Give And Take Applique. Using fusible web and a Teflon applique pressing sheet, along with an assortment of preferred fabrics, the quilter is taken step by step through the process of choosing design and fabrics, cutting pressing and stitching. The first two chapters deal with fabric fundamentals and tools and technique. Then the quilter is ready to tackle the New York Beauty Table Runner in Chapter 3. Complete patterns for tracing appliques are enclosed for a variety of beautiful applique projects. The first 3 chapters are recommended to be read and followed in sequence, for more effective learning, while the remaining 5 chapters, containing a plethora of creative applique quilted projects, can be tackled at the reader's choice or discretion. An additional page of resources lists names of experts to contact as well as suppliers for fabrics, thread, and quilting services. Stunning full color photos of completed projects are both inspirational and instructional. Clear, concise, complete step by step instructions make the most difficult project accessible to the aspiring, determined quilter. "Give & Take: Fabric Applique" is a beautiful how-to book that belongs in every serious quilter's library. Also recommended from the same publisher on the subject of applique is "Beautiful Wild Flower Applique," by Zena Thorpe (9781604600032, $26.95). This book shows stunning examples of appliqued flowers native to the English countryside, complete with a one page beautiful wildflower index. This book is a treat to read.

The Knitter's Life List: To Do. To Know. To Explore. To Make
Gwen W. Steege
Storey Publishing
210 MASS MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603429962 $24.95 www.storey.com

"The Knitter's Life List" is an amazing bucket list collection of varied exotic knitter's projects. Apparently the joy of knitting is so vast and varied that knitters dream passionately of discovering and experiencing new fibers, projects, techniques, ideas, and approaches. If this describes you, 'The Knitter's Life List" is the book for you. Containing 1001 inspirations for every knitter, 122 techniques and tips to learn, 69 styles and traditions to explore, 64 personalities to meet, and 33 yarn fibers to try, "The Knitter's Life List" is a serious attempt to enlarge the experience of all committed or curious knitters, and maybe even entice a few novices along the way. Describing knitting as a voyage or journey, the book divides projects into 11 chapters partly by project, including the yarn, the know-how, the sweaters, the socks, the scarves and shawls, hats, gloves and mittens, bags, kids, home decorating, and fiber-lover's life lists. Containing many thumbnail sketches of famous knitter personalities throughout the book, "The Knitter's Life List" also has a Who's Who chapter on the community of knitting experts, with over 50 brief sketches of famous current knitters and creative consultants. In addition a full appendix lists multiple additional resources as quoted chapter by chapter. Beautiful color photographs of finished projects and steps of instructions are featured throughout the book. In addition special illustrated sidebars contain intriguing bits of knitter's tidbits such as "Kay Gardiner on Rhinebeck (New York Sheep and Wool Festival," (p. 44). Another interesting sidebar is titled Did You Know What Do Knitting and Gardening Have In Common?" (p. 152). "The Knitter's Life List" is a difficult book to resist or to put down, even for a non, or novice knitter. Finally, it features a Knitter's Life List Sweepstakes, which includes a grand prize of a trip for two to an exclusive knitting retreat weekend, a $200 yarn shopping spree, 20 books from Storey's craft library and more. surely "The Knitter's Life List" belongs on every knitter's bookshelf or coffee table as well as in every craft library resource and domestic arts showcase. It offers multiple vibrant glimpses of both the history and current practices of knitting, appealing to both the beginner and the experienced knitter.

Knits To Give
Debbie Bliss
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road
North Pomfret, VT 05033
www.trafalgarbooks.com
9781570764912, $24.95, www.amazon.com

A handmade, homemade gift offers something bought from a store can never provide -- the knowledge that someone cared enough to invest their thought, time, and talent into the making of the gift. That's why "Knits to Give: 30 Knitted Gifts Made with Love" by needlecraft expert Debbie Bliss is such a welcome addition to the growing library of instructional knitting guides. This 160-page compendium is comprised of thirty outstanding knitting projects very well organized into five specific sections: For Her; For Him; For Baby; For Kids; and For The Home. From a beaded clutch bag, to a baby shawl, to a cabled vest, to seed stitch table mats, "Knits To Give" offers a wealth of knitting gifts suitable for any and all gift giving occasions. With an informed and informative introduction bolstered with information on yarn types and gift-wrapping ideas, as well as concluding with a helpful list of yarn distributors, the very nicely illustrated text provides thoroughly 'user friendly', step-by-step instructions that will enable even the most novice knitter to turn out quality work. "Knits to Give: 30 Knitted Gifts Made with Love" will prove to be a welcome and popular addition to personal and community library Needlecraft reference collections.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Buffyverse Catalog
Don Macnaughtan
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786446032, $45.00, www.amazon.com

Although the vampire was a stock figure in horror movies, it was the campy version of the genre starring a valley girl as the protagonist in Buffy The Vampire Slayer (1992) that launched what was to become one of the most successful entertainment franchises in modern history. This landmark film was the inspiration for the television series of the same name that ran from 1997 to 2003, which in turn gave rise to the successful spin-off "Angel" which ran from 1998 to 2004. The success of these two long running television series in turn gave rise to a series of comic books, novels, games, fan websites, fan productions, and a wealth of secondary Buffy and Angel themed materials that continue in popularity and popular culture to this very day. In "The Buffyverse Catalog: A Complete Guide to Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Angel in Print, Film, Television, Comics, Games and Other Media, 1992-2010", Don Macnaughton has created a 326-page encyclopedic compendium of all things Buffy and Buffy related. Divided into Licensed (Primary) Materials and Unlicensed (Secondary) Materials, what is provided is a wealth of information that will prove indispensable for popular culture researchers in general, and Buffy fans in particular. Of special note are the two concluding sections featuring a list of thematically relevant websites and an extensive bibliography. ""The Buffyverse Catalog" will prove to be a popular addition to personal, academic, and community library American Popular Culture reference collections.


The Music Shelf

Groove Interrupted
Keith Spera
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780312552251, $26.99, www.stmartins.com

GROOVE INTERRUPTED: LOSS, RENEWAL, AND THE MUSIC OF NEW ORLEANS provides contemporary narratives centered around New Orleans, and comes from the music writer at the New Orleans Times-Picayune who writes vividly about the city and its music. Musicians who return to New Orleans post-Katrina provide insights on the city's changes, reflections on its past, present and future, and the jazz traditions that have built the city's reputation. An outstanding survey, this is a pick for any jazz music collection.

Bluegrass Jamming On Mandolin: Tips, Tunes & Techniques (book and audio CD)
Wayne Erbsen
Native Ground Books & Music, Inc.
109 Bell Road, Asheville, NC 28805
9781883206611 $22.95 www.nativeground.com

"Bluegrass Jamming on Mandolin" is a handy, comprehensive Bluegrass mandolin textbook with audio CD for further instructions, examples and even Word files with tune lyrics for the songs covered in the book. The CD has 81 cuts with slow tempo illustrations of all the tunes and licks described in the text. Corresponding coded gramophone numbers allow the reader to match up songs and tips in the book to the tracks on the CD. Both mandolin and rhythm guitar parts are recorded, and either part can be turned up or down in volume. Written in a "folksy" style, "Bluegrass Jamming On Mandolin" contains both traditional notation for songs and tablature for common guitar chords. A friendly, hands on approach encourages beginning pickers to take on the challenge of learning the style of bluegrass jamming. Even the qualifications for a jammer are listed in the early invitation to the jam circle on page 4. "There's only two things you'll need to know: 1) Your alphabet from A to G, and, 2) How to count from 1 to 7." Music for 31 songs in keys of G, A C and D Major is included grouped by the key. The scales for these four major keys are also included, plus mandolin rhythms in 2/4 and 3/4 time, as well as chords to popular bluegrass songs, fiddle tunes, and simple mandolin chords. A glossary and a song index complete the attractive set. What is especially appealing about "Bluegrass Jamming on Mandolin" is its excellent background information, even including bluegrass jamming manners. "Bluegrass Jamming On Mandolin" is a great textbook for beginners and intermediate performers.

Glee, the Music, Season Two, Volume 4
Hal Leonard
7777 W. Bluemound Road
P.O. Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213
9781617805813 $16.99 www.halleonard.com

"Glee" the popular high school glee club music T.V. series has continued to educate upcoming generations in a vast array of popular songs. "Glee, the Music, Season Two, Volume 4" contains full piano-vocal arrangements of such songs as "Me Against the Music," "Toxic," "I Want to Hold Your Hand," River Deep - Mountain High," "Sway (Quien Sera)," "Just the Way You Are," and "I've Had the Time of My Life," as well as many more. Music notation and text is clear and well spaced and arrangements are complete and authentic. "Glee, the Music Season Two, Volume 4" is certain to be a hot seller in the area of pop vocal music.


The Native American Shelf

Pueblo Dancing
Nancy Hunter Warren & Jill Drayson Sweet
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764338601 $39.99 www.schifferbooks.com

"Pueblo Dancing" is an exquisite collection of black and white photographs of Pueblo dances taken by Nancy Hunter Warren between 1970 and 1990, accompanied by four illuminating chapter essays about the history and significance of Pueblo dancing by eminent anthropologist and Pueblo dance expert Jill Drayson Sweet. The photographs are striking and expressive, compositions in reverent movement, light and shadow. The chapters and essays are on the nature of Pueblo dance, beauty and humor in Pueblo dance, tourism and non-Indian visitors at the dances, and continuity, change and meaning. Great care is taken to instruct the reader in the proper courtesies and appropriate behavior for tourists and non-Pueblo observers of the dances. Also, there are very interesting discussions of the role and behavior of the sacred clowns(sometimes called Kossa or Koshare), all of whom are never photographed because permission of the Pueblo elders is withheld, due to the sacred nature of the role of the clown dancer. All photographs were taken with express permission of the designated Pueblo elder(s). It is a grave discourtesy to attempt any type of photo recording of the dance without obtaining full permission first. Even cell phones may be banned at dances. To quote a description of the observation of the Pueblo dances, note the following: "For these (tourist) visitors the dances are colorful performances that promise some good tales to tell back home. For other non-Indian visitors, however, the dances are like a text that can be read to learn something about a culture that is simultaneously archaic and contemporary, mystical and mundane, agrarian and post-industrial (p.39)." Photographs of Buffalo, Corn, Game Animal, Matachine, Comanche, and other dances are included. some of these photos are certainly of immense historic as well as aesthetic cultural value. The essay closes with a poetic description of the end of a good day of dancing, with a gathering of many different invited guests in the private home of an old Pueblo woman, for a happy feast. An added bibliography provides further resources for the avid student of Pueblo dancing.

Life Stages and Native Women
Kim Anderson
foreword by Maria Campbell
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College
Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887557262 $27.95 www.uofmpress.ca

Drawn from materials of the oral histories of the Metis, Cree, Anishinaabek, or Ojibway and Saulteaux elders, "Life Stages and Native Women: Memory, Teachings, and Story Medicine" is presented as the result of digging up the medicines, or the teachings. The medicines contained are offered as "a contribution to the healing process we call decolonization...to encourage dialogue about the role that gender can play in that process (p. 3)." The book is based on northern Algonquian stories, the tradition of the author's cultural background. But many familiar themes and characters from other native traditions will be recognized. The life cycle of women is divided into roughly four chapters according to Anishinaabe tradition: The Life Cycle Begins, The "Good Life" and the Fast Life": Childhood and Youth, Adult Years, and Grandmothers and Elders. Stories and traditions and sayings are woven into these chapters within the earlier explained context of the use of the oral tradition to preserve knowledge and wisdom. Most compelling of all is the conclusion chapter, Bundling the Layers: Building on the Strengths of the Past to Take Us into the Future. The author explains her intent as follows: "My hope is that as I launch this book into Indian country and the world beyond, it will work like an arrow, piercing the injustices of our past and slicing open more avenues for change. I encourage each reader to dig out the medicines that suit his or her particular needs, and continue to dig, as there is so much more to learn (p. 161)." She then proceeds to list four layers to the bundling process: the Power of Women and Girls (Layer One), Connecting the Stories to Life Stage Theory (Layer Two), Contributions to the Health and Well-Being of native Communities (Layer Three), and applying Story Medicine Today and into the Future (Layer Four). Although the history is indeed clouded with pain and oppression, the message for today is one of hope and rebuilding, along with the empowerment of native people, particularly women, to rebuild the circle of indigenous communities of greater Turtle Island.

American Indians in Milwaukee, Images of America series
Antonio J. Doxtator and Renee J. Zakhar, authors
Arcadia Publishing
Charleston, South Carolina
9780738582580 $21.99 www.arcadiapublishing.com

"American Indians in Milwaukee" is an amazing collections of black and white photographs or prints of different American Indians associated with the Milwaukee area over a timespan of two hundred and thirty-plus years. Native American history notes are provided in each chapter and beneath each print or photo, and a gradual unfolding of a limited overview is sequentially implied. Beginning in the 1700's, the area now known as Milwaukee was populated by Potawatomi, Ho-Chunk, Menominee, Ottawa, Ojibwa, and Sauk Native American settlements. Other First Nations sent later representatives, such as the Oneida from the Northeast. A complex intermingling of cultures has characterized American Indians in Milwaukee and elsewhere, but also individual tribal customs, histories, and legacies have been sometimes rediscovered, reinterpreted; and hopefully preserved for the future. Beginning with paintings (representing appearances after 8125) of Josette Juneau, the founding mother of Milwaukee, of mixed European and Native American descent, the photo-essay journey through time continues with many group photos in ceremonial costume, and other performance or cultural display-oriented groupings from 1925 and earlier to the present (2009). Reflecting both the ebb and flow of Native American dwellers of the area, "American Indians in Milwaukee" compresses the reality of many trends and movements of history into succeeding documented photographs with illuminating text by each photo. Seven chapters, titled the Gathering place, Indians Return to the City, Powwow Era, Friends, Mascots and Sports, Red Power Movement, Emerging Presence, and Onward. The Native Americans quest for restored sovereignty and autonomy led to demonstrations supporting these concepts rather than inclusion and equality in the 60's, 70's and later. A miraculous cultural exchange type of reversal or trend may be identified in these carefully displayed photographs. While the initial thrust of European contact with the Native Americans was characterized by a lack of respect for Native traditions and heritage, even an attempt to obliterate all evidence of Native cultural influences, this is beginning to be rebalanced by a renaissance of studies, group supports, and celebration and display of many special Native American traditions unique to each tribal group. In fact, the Indians are doing their best to educate the dominant culture, while celebrating and rediscovering their unique heritage. True it is a complex process and very much in the works, but "American Indians in Milwaukee" provides the images to prove it is happening and has been happening for some time in the area of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Carve Out Your Niche
Terry Sprouse
Planeta Books
PO Box 41223, Tucson, AZ 85717
9780979856624, $15.00, www.amazon.com

In the highly competitive and constantly evolving world of writing, publishing, and book selling, creating a specialized or particular niche for your work is often the key to being financially successful and reaching your specifically intended readership. That's why "Carve Out Your Niche: How to Live Your Passion, Write Your Book, & Help Others Change Their World" by Terry Sprouse is such a valued addition to the growing library of instructional books on writing and publishing. Basically, "Carve Out Your Niche" breaks down the process into three main stages: Inspiration; Creation; and Promotion. Accessible written and thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Carve Out Your Niche" first addresses finding something passionate within your life that will propel you to write. Then the rest of this very nicely organized 150-page compendium is packed with specifics on not only writing a book, but also the possibility and practicality of self-publishing and marketing what you've written. Of special note is the chapters devoted to tips for marketing a book on Amazon; utilizing the internet for publicity and promotion; as well as the use of seminars, newspapers, and book contests to market your title. "Carve Out Your Niche" will prove to be invaluable for anyone seeking to successfully write, publish, and market their own work.

How To Get Your Book Published Free In Minutes And Marketed Worldwide In Days
Gordon Burgett
Communications Unlimited
PO Box 845, Novato, CA 94948
www.ancillarypublishing.com
9780982663516, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Before the advent of computers and desktop publishing software, it would take from several weeks to many months in order turn a manuscript into a book and then make that book available to the reading public. Now with the advent of computers and desktop publishing software it takes only minutes to turn a manuscript into a purchasable item -- at least in a digitally published form such as Kindle, and not so very much longer for turning that manuscript into a traditional print edition through self-publishing, either directly under the authors own imprint, or indirectly through a POD (publish on demand) company. That is the particular value underscoring Gordon Burgett's new 'how to' instruction manual "How to Get Your Book Published Free in Minutes and Marketed Worldwide in Days: A step-by-step guide for new or veteran publishers". Burgett draws upon his personal and professional experience and expertise (he has 39 books in print and has sold over 1700 freelance articles), to provide sound, superbly organized information on digitally or POD publishing a book that will enable even the most novice of authors to be in the market and successfully pitching their purchasable title in less than a week. A 168-page compendium of sound 'real world' information and instruction, "How to Get Your Book Published Free in Minutes and Marketed Worldwide in Days" is especially recommended reading for anyone wanting to publish their own work and expose it to the widest possible readership in the least amount of time.

The 90-Day Novel
Alan Watt
Privately Published
c/o SJ Miller Communications (publicity)
10 Turning Mill Lane, Randolph, MA 02368
9780983141204, $16.95, www.the90daynovel.com

Everyone has a story; getting it down is what matters. "The 90-Day Novel: Unlock the Story Within" is an advisory guide from Alan Watt as he encourages readers to embrace their inner novel and get their story down. Telling people to find their literary voice, creating a memorable plot and characters, and declaring war on writer's block, "The 90-Day Novel" is a strong pick for anyone who wants to pick up a pen and get started right away.

Memo from the Story Dept.
Christopher Vogler & David McKenna
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907971, $26.95, www.mwp.com

Good characters make movies memorable. "Memo From the Story Dept.: Secrets of Structure and Character" is a script writing guide from Christopher Vogler & David McKenna as they bring their expertise in film and character to bring notes on how to make characters truly memorable, stating their advice is applicable to any medium, be it film, novel, or video game. For those who want the best quality out of their work, "Memo from the Story Dept." is a choice and very much recommended read, not to be overlooked.


The Nautical Shelf

Reeds Knot Handbook
Jim Whippy
Paradise Cay Publications
PO Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518-0029
9780939837939, $9.95, www.paracay.com

When your out at sea, knowing a good knot is useful for far more than just tying your shoes. "Reeds Knot Handbook: A Pocket Guide to Knots, Hitches, and Bends" is a guide to knowing the many types of knots that will hold true for one's needs at sea, leading to much smoother sea faring journeys. For those who want to learn the value of these many types of knots and how to effectively make them and use them, "Reeds Knot Handbook" is a choice read for beginners or for more experienced sailors looking for reference.

West Coast Wrecks
Rick James
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Madeira Park, BC Canada V0N 2H0
9781550175455, $24.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

Disaster on the seas is all too common, but it only seems to add to the enticement with the sea many have. "West Coast Wrecks & Other Maritime Tales" is a collection of real life stories of many sea time events throughout history as historian and photographer Rick James walks readers through many events throughout history, with black and white photography throughout. Featuring many wrecks throughout the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, "West Coast Wrecks & Other Maritime Tales" is an excellent pick for anyone with a love of the sea.


The American History Shelf

Killing Lincoln
Bill O'Reilly & Martin Dugard
Henry Holt & Company
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10010-7725
9780805093070 $28.00 www.henryholt.com

Bill O'Reilly (the esteemed anchor of the extraordinarily popular talk show "The O'Reilly Factor") and historian Martin Dugard present Killing Lincoln: The Shocking Assassination that Changed America Forever. Killing Lincoln is a straightforward history of the assassination of the beloved American President responsible for seeing the nation through the Civil War, as well as the stories of assassin John Wilkes Booth, the co-conspirators who assisted him, and the lawmen who toiled for justice. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographs illustrate this account of a chilling time in American history, written to be accessible to readers of all backgrounds. In addition to an index for quick and easy reference, Killing Lincoln also offers an appendix offers a re-creation of the April 29, 1865 issue of "Harper's Weekly", which was entirely devoted to covering the assassination and death of President Abraham Lincoln. Killing Lincoln is an excellent choice for public library American history shelves, and highly recommended.

American Food By the Decades
Sherri Liberman, editor
ABC-CLIO
130 Cremona Drive, Box 1911
Santa Barbara, CA 93116
9780313376986 $85.00 www.abc-clio.com

"American Food By the Decades" is a fascinating glimpse into history through American dietary commercial preferences. Starting with the foods selected and newly available in the 1900's, ten chapters encompass the evolution of popular American foods up until the 1990's. Many tidbits of American dietary history are presented in amazing detail. For example, who knew that the Hershey bar, canned tuna, the muffuleta, Jell-o, and cotton candy all originated in the first decade of the twentieth century? How about the Betty Crocker cake mix, originating in the 1940's, along with McDonald's and the popular fast-food chain restaurants? Along with foods is the importance of their availability in supermarkets, which actually are traced as beginning in the 1920's, when chain stores became commonplace. Famous historical allusions are reflected in specially created recipes such as the famous Watergate cake, (made of pistachio pudding mix, white cake mix, pineapple, nuts, and whipped cream or Cool Whip) created in the 1970's to commemorate President Nixon's Waterloo. Further items of interest and study include the crock-pot and associated recipes, TV dinners, and counterculture foods. "American Food By the Decade" is a fascinating examination of cultural history through food availability, customs, and consumption that belongs on every devoted foodie's bookshelf.

The Rockets' Red Glare
Donald R. Hickey & Connie D. Clark
The John Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421401553, $39.95, www.press.jhu.edu

The War of 1812 was a conflict that almost erased America, yet it never receives quite the attention such a thing would be. "The Rockets' Red Glare: An Illustrated History of the War of 1812" covers the history of this vital yet underscored conflict in which America once more went to war with the British and faced almost certain destruction when Washington, D.C. Fell. Focusing on American politics of the era as well as the causes leading up the conflict with a liberal use of portraits, sketches, and maps of the era to add a graphical touch, "The Rockets' Red Glare" is an excellent history of this vital and important conflict, highly recommended.

Unburdened by Conscience
Anthony W. Neal
University Press of America
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780761854920, $26.95, www.univpress.com

When cruelty is normal, there is little to challenge the contrary. "Unburdened by Conscience: A Black People's Collective Account of America's Antebellum South and the Aftermath" discusses the views of slavery before the Civil War in the American south. Anthony Neal looks through history to try to gain accounts from blacks throughout the south telling of what life as a slave endured, and the normalcy it was viewed with. "Unburdened by Conscience" is a riveting and complete account on this dark shadow of American history.


The Anthropology Shelf

Weaponizing Anthropology
David H. Price
AK Press
3500 Parkdale Ave., Building 1, Suite 3
Baltimore, MD 21211
9781849350631, $15.95, www.akpress.org

The study of people has more use to the war machine than one would know. "Weaponizing Anthropology: Social Science in Service of the Militarized State" discusses the use of anthropological knowledge in warfare. David Price speaks on collaborations of war and the study of people, he states the power of cultural knowledge in the many states of today's attempts to spread democracy. "Weaponizing Anthropology" is an intriguing read about an often unspoken angle of warfare.


The Library Science Shelf

Make Mine A Mystery II
Gary Warren Niebuhr
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781598845891, $55.00, www.amazon.com

The second volume in an impressive series by librarian Gary Warren Niebuhr, "Make Mine A Mystery II: A Reader's Guide To Mystery and Detective Fiction" is a 250-page compendium that focuses on the works by established authors of the genre that includes authors not included in the first volume. About 700 mystery titles are organized into categories: Amateur, public, and private detective. Subcategories include the type of protagonist: classic eccentric, lone wolf, police, lawyer, etc. Author pseudonyms are identified, author titles listed, and succinct synopsis of titles are provided. Along with the first volume, "Make Mine A Mystery: A Reader's Guide To Mystery and Detective Fiction (9781563087844, $65.00) mystery and detective fiction vans will find a literary wealth of genre authors and titles that can be utilized to create terrific reading lists for themselves. Superbly organized and presented, "Make Mine A Mystery II" is an ideal and highly recommended addition to academic and community library reference collections.

Convergence of Libraries and Technology Organizations
Christopher D. Barth
Chandros Publishing
c/o Neal Schuman
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038
9781843346166, $80.00, www.chandrospublishing.com

As technology grows more and more complex, knowledge becomes more and more vital. "Convergence of Libraries and Technology Organizations" looks at the meeting of the two groups and how the fields meeting can lead to great things for both sides of the development. Discussing the potential clash of professional cultures, organizational concerns, staffing, and the paths of specialization and generalization, as well as the evolution of information technologies in coming years. For any business that deals heavily in formation and for any library who wants to reach out to meet them, "Convergence of Libraries and Technology Organizations" is full of wise wisdom for making the most of it all, a core addition for library science, technology, and business collections.


The Military Shelf

The US Intelligence Community, sixth edition
Jeffrey T. Richelson
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
2300 Chestnut Street, Suite 200
Philadelphia, PA 19103
9780813345116, $49.00, www.westviewpress.com

Today's wars still need soldiers, but intelligence does much of the heavy lifting. "The US Intelligence Community, sixth edition" discusses the importance and role of today's intelligence community and just how enveloping it is over today's society. Discussing the countless jobs and pieces that make it up from the traditional spy to the satellites thousands of mils above the planet, "The US Intelligence Community" is an intriguing study of this vital yet often misunderstood branch of military and national security.

The Politics of Space Security, second edition
James Clay Moltz
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804778589, $35.00, www.sup.org

With the advancement of technology, more fronts of warfare have been created. "The Politics of Space Security: Strategic Restraint and the Pursuit of National Interests" discusses the threat of space-based attacks and warfare and how space complicates terrestrial politics. With the rise of many other powers into the stars, and the Obama administration's stance on space exploration, "The Politics of Space Security" provides serious concern for America's future in science and the world as a whole.

Mauser Military Rifles of the World, fifth edition
Robert W.D. Ball
Gun Digest Books
700 E. State St., Iowa, WI 54990-0001
9781440215445, $49.99, www.gundigeststore.com

The fifth updated edition of Mauser Military Rifles of the World comes from a world-renowned authority on Mauser military rifles and offers the latest results of his research into the rifle. Full color photos accompany new chapters offering coverage of experimental weapons and prototypes, previously unknown variations on the Mauser, and histories, models, and new photos of the rifles. Any collector or historian concerned with the Mauser simply MUST have this invaluable reference!

Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
www.ospreypublishing.com

Richard Brooks's WALCHEREN 1944: STORMING HITLER'S ISLAND FORTRESS tells of 1944 (9781849082372, $19.95) when the Allies captured the port city of Antwerp. In order to have access to the city they needed to clear German outposts, including the island of Walcheren, the most fortified stretch of coastline in the world. This reveals the history of one of the last major amphibious operations of the war, offering insights into strategies, challenges, and statistics of the conflicts. Ben Hughes' THEY SHALL NOT PASS! THE BRITISH BATTALION AT JARAMA - THE SPANISH CIVIL WAR (9781849085496, $25.95) tells of how in 1937 a group of idealistic British volunteers sailed from England to battle the Spanish. They achieved the first victory against Franco's army in a battle which proved the must important of the 20th century - and which is nearly forgotten today. That's why military history collections must have THEY SHALL NOT PASS, an outstanding and detailed account of a little-known conflict. Gordon L. Rottman's VIETNAM INFANTRY TACTICS (9781849085052, $18.95) comes from an infantry veteran of Vietnam and provides a fine survey of small-unit tactics of the conflict. Photos and color diagrams illustrate coverage of the solutions adopted by the U.S. armed forces during Vietnam and makes for a fine in-depth coverage for any Vietnam history collection. ENDURING FREEDOM: AFGHANISTAN 2001-2010 (9781849085328, $24.95) offers a fine companion volume for FORCE ON FORCE, where players have all the in-depth details needed to recreate the battles in specific areas of the world. From scenarios and mission objectives to combat in Afghanistan and background information, this is intended for military Force on Force players who want the details necessary to re-create actual military scenarios. Highly recommended!


The Philosophy Shelf

The End of Christianity
John W. Loftus
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst NY 14228
9781616144135, $21.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

THE END OF CHRISTIANITY provides a companion volume to John W. Loftus' previous The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails and comes from a former minister who is now a passionate atheist. More scholars continue the critical discussion begun in The Christian Delusion, documenting the improbable nature of Christian beliefs, analyzing more influences on the creation of the Bible, and critiquing Christian doctrines of hell, atonement and the resurrection. A fine scholarly guide for any serious Philosophy collection!

Classical Indian Philosophy
Deepak Sarma
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231133999, $29.50, http://cup.columbia.edu

India has proved a unique clash of Western, Eastern, and Middle Eastern philosophies for much of its existence. "Classical Indian Philosophy" provides a study of the classical philosophers and their writings throughout India's traditional history and how it has warped through its exposure to its neighbors, and the many faiths which can call it home, in Hindu, Islam, and Buddhism. "Classical Indian Philosophy" is a strongly recommended and core addition to any religious and philosophical studies collection that wants to include traditional philosophies from around the world.


The International Studies Shelf

Water
Brahma Chellaney
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589017719, $29.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Water is life, and it is not infinite. "Water: Asia's New Battleground" investigates this growing conflict which Brahma Chellaney, a strategist and analyst, views will be the most important conflict of the twentieth century. As population grows and international tensions rise, the contested waters which flow through international borders become a growing focus. As treaties fail to be reached, the resource of water could be muddied in the future with blood. "Water: Asia's New Battleground" is a much needed read for anyone who wants to understand this important issue in Asia today.

Revolutionary Doctors
Steve Brouwer
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W
New York, NY 10001
9781583672396, $18.95, www.monthlyreview.org

The future of health care may come from Cuba, of all places. "Revolutionary Doctors: How Venezuela and Cuba are Changing the World's Conception of Health Care" studies the new ideas these nations and many like them are changing health care in the Latin American world and how they could spread elsewhere. Using a metaphor of revolution and the combat against it throughout the world, especially in regards to the United States, "Revolutionary Doctors" is an intriguing look at health care on an international scale.

A Promise in Haiti
Mark Curnutte
Vanderbilt University Press
PO Box 351813, Nashville, TN 37235
9780826517838, $25.00, www.vanderbuiltuniversitypress.com

Living on the brink of death is no way to live at all. "A Promise in Haiti: A Reporter's Notes on Families and Daily Lives" is a study of Haitian life from Mark Curnutte, who blends together his study of the Haitian people and their culture for the past decade. A nation under constant struggle, he reminds people that these struggles continue even when the media turns its head away. A fascinating pick for anyone who want to better understand the people of Haiti, "A Promise in Haiti" is an excellent addition to any world cultural studies community library collection.


The Economic Studies Shelf

The Economics and Financing of Media Companies, second edition
Robert G. Picard
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave
Bronx, NY 10458
9780823232574, $24.00, www.fordhampress.com

Media is truly a unique business that has its place embedded in society. "The Economics and Financing of Media Companies" analyzes the economic aspects of the media and how money pushes their ideas and how the media. The concept of media is constantly shifting and changing, which leads to a business model that must constantly evolve with the times to stay ahead of their competitors. A fascinating breakdown of mass media, its marketing and economics, and its unique nature in the business world, "The Economics and Financing of Media Companies" is a strong addition to any economics, business, or media studies library collection.


The Photography Shelf

Dark Beauty
Jack Parsons
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, 3556 Main Street
Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953706, $60.00, www.hudsonhills.com

Through natural beauty and the spirit of the old west, "Dark Beauty: Photographs of New Mexico" is a collection of photography surrounding the state and its unique status in American culture, between its American roots and the strong influence from its namesake in Mexico, as well as the unique in the form of Roswell and other oddities. Presented in a glossy full color, photographer Jack Parsons captures the spirit well and offers a vivid snapshot of people and the environment that they shaped, as well as the environment that shapes them. "Dark Beauty" is a vital addition for any scenic photography collection and an excellent choice for coffee table book selection.

Food Photography
Nicole S, Young
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321784117, $24.99, www.peachpit.com

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: FROM SNAPSHOTS TO GREAT SHOTS teaches the best way to compose pictures and id s 'must' for any who would use their camera to master composition and arrangement of food. All the basics of photography are discussed with a specific eye to food photographs and cover everything from lighting to using Photoshop to improve results. The entire process of food photos is covered with a chapter packed with start-to-finish examples making for an outstanding survey recommended for photography and culinary collections alike!

Canon EOS Rebel T3/1100D
David D. Busch
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
143546026X, $29.99, www.courseptr.com

Canon EOS Rebel T3/1100D is a fine recommendation for any owner of the Canon entry-level camera, showing how, when and why to use its many neo-professional features to take optimum photos. Color images illustrate the buttons and dials and accompany specifics on how to get the most from all the settings and their possible combinations!

Rocky Nook
26 West Mission St., Suite A
Santa Barbara CA 93111-2432
www.rockynook.com

Darrell Young's MASTERING THE NIKON D7000 (9781933952802, $34.95) is packed with color photos and screen shots to accompany a wealth of details for the new D7000 camera, and explores the features of the D7000 in a way that goes far beyond its accompanying user's manual. It offers a step-by-step guide to adjusting settings and choosing options, discusses shooting style options, and offers an easy approach to technical camera and photography options that will appeal across the board to professionals and amateurs alike. JanLeonardo Woellert and Joerg Miedza's PAINTING WITH LIGHT: LIGHT ART PERFORMANCE PHOTOGRAPHY (9781933952741, $39.95) provides a powerful survey of LAPP, a form of art that was developed by the authors of this book. LAPP requires photographers to create and capture new subjects constructed entirely of light: LAPP pieces are usually shot at night and involve connections between background and the light used to produce individual image elements. Full-page color photos pack in fine images for highlight. Highly recommended!

Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com

Tracy Dorr's ENGAGEMENT PORTRAITURE: MASTER TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608952274, $34.95) teaches how to design fine engagement portraits and is a 'must' for any professional photography collection. It specifies the importance of the engagement session and teaches how to create a personalized session for different couples, both formal and informal. Photographers receive specifics on such sessions and will find the keys to tailoring engagement photos to be particularly useful. Rod and Robin Deutschmann's PAINTING WITH A LENS (9781608952373, $34.95) tells how to master shooting and lighting skills needed to capture artistic images and shows how to find artistic potential in ordinary scenes. From using manual camera controls more creatively to making artistic decisions on how scenes should relate to each other, this is filled with many artistic insights. Don Giannatti's LIGHTING ESSENTIALS: A SUBJECT-CENTRIC APPROACH FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608952328, $34.95) provides a fine survey telling how to previsualize images and take control of exposures, lighting both natural and in studio, and how to control balance of light and shadow for optimum results. Techniques cover previsualization and honing the light to achieve such images, and offer sample assignments for achieving goals. Pros and amateur photographers alike will find this specific and packed with tested options. Bill Hurter's SMALL FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY (9781608952823, $34.95) tells how to get big results from small flash units and covers all the basics of using grids, snoots, and bounce-flash techniques. From directing and adjusting light to saturating the background and understanding flash synchronization, this tells photographers how to get the most from a small flash. Mark Chen's FLASH AND AMBIENT LIGHTING FOR DIGITAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY (9781608953066, $34.95) focuses on lighting specific to photography, where a fine portrait is all about light and background. Techniques covered embrace natural light and flash individually as well as together, offering keys to obtaining the best results indoors and outdoors. From still lifes to hand blocking, this is filled with fine directions. Christie Mumm's FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHY: THE DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO BUILDING A BUSINESS ON RELATIONSHIPS (9781608953028, $34.95) teaches how to use photography to capture and enhance family relationships. From using social networks and blogging to getting to know clients and designing a plan to document children's lives, this is packed with fine details. The second updated edition of Jeff Smith's POSING FOR PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY: A HEAD-TO-TOE GUIDE FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608953141, $34.95) teaches basic methods for designing flattering portraits that will sell to clients. From posing the entire body to creating custom images and correcting common figure problems, this goes far beyond the usual tips on how to capture shot and surveys the basics of pose styles and overcoming common problems.


The Literary Studies Shelf

The Vulgar Question Of Money
Elsie B. Michie
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
www.press.jhu.edu
9781421401867, $70.00, www.amazon.com

A commonly encountered theme of 19th Century English novelists was the imposition of a romantic dilemma upon the protagonist: the necessity to choose between love on the one hand, and wealth/social status on the other. In "The Vulgar Question of Money: Heiresses, Materialism, and the Novel of Manners from Jane Austen to Henry James", Elsie B. Michie (Associate Professor of English, Louisiana State University) draws upon her considerable expertise with respect to the Victorian Era, to create a 320-page compendium exploring how British novelists dealt with the cultural conflicts associated with the growing development of a commercial, capitalism-based society upon the lives and romantic aspirations of their characters -- and their readers! Addressing these issues in the works of Jane Austen, Henry James, Anthony Trollope, and others, Professor Michie's "The Vulgar Question of Money: Heiresses, Materialism, and the Novel of Manners from Jane Austen to Henry James" is a seminal body of outstanding scholarship and a very highly recommended addition to academic library English Literature reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Tolkien and the Study of His Sources
Jason Fisher, editor
McFarland
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
9780786464821, $40.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

The father of the modern heroic fantasy, one has to wonder where Tolkien drew his own inspiration. "Tolkien and the Study of His Sources: Critical Essays" discuss the sources of Tolkien's work and how he blended them all together to create the much beloved, and in recent times, much criticized Lord of the Rings series among other works. Discussing many other works which bring a literary analysis of his work and what has been descended from it, "Tolkien and the Study of His Sources" is an intriguing work that provides another angle on one of the most influential writers of the twentieth century.

Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Reading Revolution
Barbara Hochman
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498945, $28.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

A work of fiction can change the world. "Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Reading Revolution: Race, Literacy, Childhood, and Fiction: 1851-1911" delves into this important book and the power it had on the American culture, slowly coming to terms with the horrors of slavery. Beyond the civil war, the book became a cornerstone of popular culture, with people who have not reading it themselves knowing its words, and its value in encouraging mass literacy. "Uncle Tom's Cabin and the Reading Revolution" is a fine study of this book and the role of literature in nineteenth century America.


The Autism Shelf

Managing Anxiety in People with Autism
Anne M. Chalfant
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817
9781606130049, $19.95, www.woodbinehouse.com

Anxiety is a problem in many people, but autism often adds another layer of problem. "Managing Anxiety in People with Autism: A Treatment Guide for Parents, Teachers, and Mental Health Professionals" discusses the complexity of dealing with anxiety in those with autism, and how best to combat it so that the individual may better function more effectively in their life. With plenty of practical and professional information, "Managing Anxiety in People with Autism" is a solid pick for parents and educators who deal with chronically anxious autistic in their everyday life.


The Fashion Shelf

Fashion Designers at the Opera
Helena Matheopoulos
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780500515761, $60.00, www.thamesandhudson.com

The stage lets fashion designers run wild without having to deal with crazy ideas like practicality or subtlety. "Fashion Designers at the Opera" is a full color photography book from Helna Matheopoulos as she brings readers through the creative world of Opera and theatre fashion as designers touch on period pieces and the realms of fantasy, leading to some unique and thoughtful designs. An ideal coffee table book for any lover of unique fashion or just fashion in general, "Fashion Designers at the Opera" belongs in any fashion, theatre, or photography collection.


The Civil War Shelf

Breaking the Heartland
John D. Fowler & David B. Parker, Editors
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon GA 31207
9780881462401, $29.00, www.mupress.org

BREAKING THE HEARTLAND: THE CIVIL WAR IN GEORGIA offers a fine survey of the impact of the war's outcome on Georgia, which provide over 120,000 soldiers for the Confederacy and thousands for the union cause. Georgia was vital to the Confederate war effort and critical to the Southern infrastructure as a whole: BREAKING THE HEARTLAND covers Georgia's unique experiences of the war and provide college-level essays exploring its impact. College-level collections strong in civil liberties and civil rights or Southern history need this.

The Civil War Confiscation Acts
John Syrett
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823224906 $25.00 www.fordhampress.com

The Civil War Confiscation Acts: Failing to Reconstruct the South is a close, scholarly examination of two important but little-studied laws passed during the American Civil War. The Confiscation Acts (1861-1862) authorized the federal government to claim rebel properties, including land, and grant freedom to slaves who fought with or worked for the Confederate military. President Abraham Lincoln had open reservations about the Confiscation Acts, as he feared they might prompt border states, especially Missouri and Kentucky, to secede; yet eventually the Emancipation Proclamation and the Thirteenth Amendment made the Confiscation Acts largely irrelevant. The Civil War Confiscation Acts scrutinizes the political context of these controversial laws, the debate about them, and how their ultimate failure heralded the problems and shortcomings that would afflict the Reconstruction after the war. Highly recommended, especially for college library Civil War reference shelves.

The Civil War in New Mexico
F. Stanley
Sunstone Press
PO Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321
9780865348158 $34.95 www.sunstonepress.com

Originally published in 1960, The Civil War in New Mexico has been released in a new edition (with a new foreword by Marc Simmons) as part of the "Southwest Heritage Series" published by Sunstone Press. Meticulously constructed from nineteen years of research, The Civil War in New Mexico is the story of the American Civil War as the Volunteers of New Mexico experienced it. Chapters cover a much wider scope than the war years, exploring Texas' aggressive glaim to all the area of New Mexico bordering the Rio Grande, and a near war with the United States over Santa Fe County, Texas. The final chapter offers an alphabetical list of New Mexico Volunteers drawn from the records of the War Department, in order to aid relatives in tracing the war records of the valiant men who fought. An index and bibliography round out this excellent and highly recommended contribution to Civil War and American History shelves.

Every Day Of The Civil War
Bud Hannings
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786444649, $125.00, www.amazon.com

Bud Hannings is an expert in U.S. military history with several major textbooks to his credit, including 'American Revolutions War leaders: A Biographical Dictionary"; "Chronology of the American Revolution: Military and Political Actions Day by Day"; "The Korean War: An Exhaustive Chronology"; and "Forts of the United States: An Historical Dictionary 16th through 19th Centuries". In "Every Day Of The Civil War: A Chronology Encyclopedia" Hannings has created a 637-page compendium that begins on June 3-12, 1850 with the initiation of conditions that led up the American Civil War, and concludes with January 8 (Monday) 1866 when as the last act of the war the Union Army abolished the XXV Corps. A superbly presented, informed and informative daily chronology that is enhanced with the inclusion of 498 photos, 31 maps, several appendices, a lengthy bibliography, and a very comprehensive index, "Every Day Of The Civil War" is an indispensable core addition to personal, academic, and community library American Civil War reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Psychology Shelf

Sibling Relationships In Childhood And Adolescence
Avidan Milevsky
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
http://cup.columbia.edu
9780231157094, $29.50, www.amazon.com

Among all forms of human relationships, that between siblings is one of the longest lasting and most influential. In "Sibling Relationships In Childhood And Adolescence: Predictors And Outcomes", Avidan Milevsky (Associate Professor, Department of Psychology, Kutztown University, Pennsylvania) presents a descriptive analysis of direct and indirect variables impacting upon a sibling relationship including family structure and parenting influences. Of special note is the chapter devoted to 'Sibling Deidentification'. Enhanced with the inclusion of a lengthy section of references and a comprehensive index, "Sibling Relationships In Childhood And Adolescence" is an informed and informative body of exceptional well presented and seminal scholarship, making it an important addition to academic library Psychological Studies reference collections in general, and sibling relationship studies supplemental reading lists in particular.

Engaging Men In Couples Therapy
David S. Shepard & Michele Harway, editors
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
www.routledge.com
9780415875882, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Partly because of the way the male brain is wired neurologically, and partly because of gender-oriented cultural conditioning, men can have a more difficult time 'opening up' and communicating freely in a couples counseling session than their female companions. The newest edition to the outstanding "The Routledge Series on Counseling and Psychotherapy with Boys and Men' series, "Engaging Men in Couples Therapy" is a 348-page compendium of informed and informative articles from seasoned experts and seminal researchers that have been knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by the team of David S. Shepard (Associate Professor of Counseling, California State University) and clinical psychologist Michele Harway (Founding Chair of the Clinical Psychology Doctoral Program, Antioch University). Beginning with the editors' informed and informative introduction, the contributed articles are organized into three major sections: Foundations of Male-Sensitive Couples Therapy; Theoretical Models; Special Populations and Issues. Of special note is Steven M. Kadin and Don-David Lusterman's article on 'Male-Sensitive Couples therapy With Unfaithful Men'. The use of in-depth case examples throughout help immeasurably to illustrate both theoretical concepts and practical applications, making "Engaging Men In Couples Therapy" essential reading for practitioners in the field, students in the classroom, and a core addition to professional and academic Psychology & Counseling instructional reference collections.


The Archaeology Shelf

The Archaeology Of Forts And Battlefields
David R. Starbuck
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
www.upf.com
9780813036892, $69.95, www.amazon.com

The history of the world can be viewed as a history of wars. As with most other human activities, the battles, military encampments, and military fortresses leave behind remnants and artifacts that are the stuff of archaeology. In "The Archaeology Of Forts And Battlefields", David R. Starbuck (Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology, Plymouth State University, New Hampshire) has written an historical and archaeologically based overview of detailed case studies focused on sites from each of the major wars fought out on American soil: The French and Indian War; The American Revolution; The Civil War; and The Indian Wars of the West. Professor Starbuck explains the modern techniques and tools archaeologists utilize in their work on such sites. Of special note is the discussion of problems encountered with respect to human remains in these archaeological excavations. Also explained is the use of forensic anthropology in identifying human remains and the protection afforded by archaeology to the preservation of these sites. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography and a comprehensive index, "The Archaeology Of Forts And Battlefields" is a seminal contribution to the growing body of archaeological literature and very highly recommended for professional, academic, and community library Archaeological Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Gardening Shelf

Futurescapes
Tim Richardson
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500515778, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Global climate change is clearly impacting the flora and fauna of the world. From large scale agriculture, to small scale gardening, changing climatic conditions are altering what thrives and what struggles in heretofore traditional landscapes. In "Futurescapes: Designers For Tomorrow's Outdoor Spaces", established landscape critic Tim Richardson has created a profusely illustrated, 352-page compendium profiling the work of fifty international landscape design studios working for private and corporate clients in the creation of outdoor landscapes including photographically illustrated contemporary projects and plans. Of special note are the five informed and informative essays identifying and explaining a range of particularly germane issues such as creating new landforms and urban landscape trends. Essential reading for professional landscape designers, "Futurescapes" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and therefore also very highly recommended to the attention of amateur gardeners and urban policymakers, making it very highly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library Landscaping & Gardening reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Crafts Shelf

Gracing the Table
Compiled by Dawn Anderson
Martingale & Company
20215 - 144th Avenue NE
Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
1584773744, $21.95, www.martingale-pub.com

GRACING THE TABLE: MORE THAN 20 HANDCRAFTED PROJECTS provides a fine set of home decorating projects for any who would focus on tableware and kitchen accessories. Even crafters who have no prior knowledge of needlework or painting will find it quick and easy to produce the home accent projects featured here. Most require only a few hours to complete and pair easy techniques with polished results in excellent step-by-step projects. Any crafts or home and garden collection needs this!

Chains Chains Chains
Joanna Gollberg and Nathalie Mornu
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781600595981, $24.95, www.larkcrafts.com

Chains Chains Chains: 25 Necklaces, Bracelets & Earrings provides jewelry-making collections with a strong focus on unconventional chain projects. The focus on non-traditional chain options offers projects that feature the chain as a piece of art in itself, without needing pendants or charms to enhance the result. Chainwork here is made of silver, gold, copper, steel, brass and more and provides a satisfying range of finishes perfect for any jewelry crafter or library catering to them!

The Fleece & Fiber Sourcebook
Carol Ekarius & Deborah Robson
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603427111, $35.00, www.storey.com

The Fleece and Fiber Sourcebook: More Than 200 Fibers, from Animal to Spun Yarn is a top recommendation for any crafter working with fiber. It covers over 200 fibers and animal breeds, tells how to use fiber washed and unwashed and how to prepare it for any project, and provides spinners and knitters with a sourcebook packed with keys to using fiber products. It's also a photographic display that covers nearly every sheep breed in the world: as a reference for crafters, it's a 'must have' reference!

Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com

BeadStyle Magazine's MAKING ELEGANT JEWELRY FOR SPECIAL OCCASIONS (9780871164254, $17.95) offers a fine array of jewelry projects featuring simple designs, lovely blends of pearls, crystals and wire, and pieces suitable for elegant outfits. Each project pairs a color photo and step-by-step instructions with details on tools and techniques accessible to learners at all levels, making for an outstanding jewelry-making guide. Bead & Button Magazine's CREATIVE BEADING V. 6 (9780871164193, $29.95) packs in a year's worth of beaded jewelry projects tested by the magazine's top editors, and offers popular stitches, wirework and chain mail techniques, crochet, and a Basics section for required knots and wireworking skills. Projects come in a range of jewelry styles and offers a powerful set of inspirational directions and vivid color photos key to any jewelry-making collection. Paulette Baron, Amy Katz and Sherry Serafini's BEADING ACROSS AMERICA: JEWELRY INSPIRATIONS FROM COAST TO COAST (9780871164001, $21.95) represents a collaborative effort by artists from across the U.S. and provides a unique volume of beadwork introducing new beading styles at all skill levels. Beadweaving, embroidery, and more are surveyed with thirty projects from necklaces and bracelets to earrings and rings. Beaders will find this a fine pick!


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Angel Omnibus
Jess Whedon, et.al.
Dark Horse Books
10956 SE Main St., Milwaukee, OR 97222
9781595827067, $24.99, www.darkhorse.com

ANGEL OMNIBUS gathers all of Dark Horse Comic's ANGEL comics to date under one volume and features the entire miniseries under one cover. Any fan of the Angel television series will relish having them all - and the full-color graphic novel format here, which offers high drama and vivid images. The Angel television series has been a hit: ANGEL OMNIBUS gathers all under one cover and is a powerful presentation for any enthusiast and for libraries featuring comics and graphic novels.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Solve Your Money Troubles
Robin Leonard, JD & Attorney Margaret Reiter
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
141331421X, $24.99, www.nolo.com

Solve Your Money Troubles: Debt, Credit & Bankruptcy offers keys to understanding the latest bankruptcy laws and options, providing legal and financial advice for any worried about bills. From stopping aggressive collection practices to creating a realistic budget, this is a 'must' for any who would understand debt and money management, and is a highly recommended reference for any general lending library.


The Martial Arts Shelf

The Little Black Book of Violence
Lawrence A. Kane and Kris Wilder
YMAA
Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
1594391297, $24.95, www.ymaa.com

The Little Black Book of Violence belongs in any martial arts or reference collection and is written for men ages 15 to 35. It discusses street survival methods and explains avoidance and de-escalation processes, considering how martial arts plays into scenarios of violence and its prevention. Learning strategies and techniques are geared to street conflict in this fine explanation of the aftermath of a violent encounter, from physical and psychological issues to legal concerns. General and martial arts collections alike will find this a key acquisition.


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


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