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Library Bookwatch

Volume 2, Number 3 March 2007 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Library DVD Shelf Education Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Music Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Nature Shelf Woodworking Shelf Fiction Shelf
Parenting Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Biography Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Automotive Shelf
Audiobook Shelf World History Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Library Science Shelf Psychology Shelf Poetry Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Philosophy Shelf Political Science Shelf
Military Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf International Studies Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Business Shelf Self-Help Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Science Shelf Woman's Studies Shelf Cookbook Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The British Bulldog Revolver
George Layman
Andrew Mowbray Inc., Publishers
PO Box 460, Lincoln, RI 02865
193146426X, $34.99 www.manatarmsbooks.com 1-800-999-4697

Firearms history authority George Layman draws upon his considerable expertise in "The British Bulldog Revolver: The Forgotten Gun That Really Won The West", to showcase a very special pistol in great detail and documents its importance in the American west and elsewhere. This is a compendium of invaluable information that will be of immense interest to students of western history and firearms. This meticulously researched, superbly presented and profusely illustrated compendium will also prove to be of great value for collectors and dealers with Layman's professional commentary on British Bulldog Revolver variations and rarities (including prices for each type of pistol). "The British Bulldog Revolver" is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to personal, professional and academic library Firearms History reference collections.

Edward Johnston: Master Calligrapher
Peter Holliday
Oak Knoll Press
310 Delaware Street, New Castle, DE 19720-5038
158456198X, $49.95 www.oakknoll.com 1-800-996-2556

Edward Johnston (1872-1944) was a master calligrapher, a typeface designer, and a creator of the lettering and branding for the London Underground. He was also an accomplished man of letters, an educator, and a philosopher. Johnston's work and commentary on lettering and calligraphy were to influence the men and women of his own generation as well as our own. The late Peter Holliday (who died in November 2003) presents a carefully researched and profusely detailed survey of Edward Johnston's life and work in "Edward Johnston: Master Calligrapher" in an impressive book that was finished by his sister and fellow calligrapher Susan Skinner based on the notes, writings and information he left to her along with a charge to finish the work he started on one of the most influential calligraphers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This 416-paged, beautifully illustrated, informative volume is 'must' reading for any dedicated calligrapher and a welcome, prized addition for personal and academic library collections on the history of lettering, calligraphy, and publishing.

Skylines Of The World
James Blakeway, Chris Gjevre, M. Hill Goodspeed
Hugh Lauter Levin Associates
9 Burr Road, Westport, CT 06880
Publishers Group West, dist.
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
0883635291, $75.00 www.HLLA.com www.pgw.com 1-800-788-3123

"Skylines of The World: Yesterday And Today" showcases physical profiles of 49 major cities from around the world – including eight American cities. From the sentinels of ancient Jerusalem, Athens and Rome, to the medieval steeple of Munich and Budapest, to the splendor of Renaissance Florence and Venice, to the metropolitan cities of London, Paris, Stockholm, Hong Kong, Sydney, Singapore, and more, "Skylines Of The World" presents each distinct city in terms of its particular adaptation to the landscape in which it occurs. Offering impressive and memorable images of steel and glass profiles, bird's-eye-views, historical photographs, and maps reflecting each city's distinct character, the photography of James Blakeway and Chris Gjevre is consistently enhanced with the informed and informative text of the historian M. Hill Goodspeed. Also very highly recommended for academic and community library collections is the companion volume, "Skylines: American Cities Yesterday And Today" (Hugh Lauter Levin Associates, 2005).

Halsey's Typhoon
Bob Drury and Tom Clavin
Atlantic Monthly Press
841 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0871139480 $25.00 www.groveatlantic.com

HALSEY'S TYPHOON: THE TRUE STORY OF A FIGHTING ADMIRAL, AN EPIC STORM, AND AN UNTOLD RESCUE is not just a top pick for World War II history holdings, but for general-interest collections strong in wartime adventure stories. It charts the true story of a rescue using previously classified documents and interviews with survivors to tell the story of Typhoon Cobra, which claimed more lives than the Battle of Midway. An extraordinary account of an extraordinary, little-revealed event which provoked extreme heroism under extreme conditions.


The Library DVD Shelf

John Bunyan: Journey Of A Pilgrim
Vision Video
PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540
#501116D, $19.99 www.visionvideo.com 1-800-523-0226

"John Bunyan: Journey Of A Pilgrim is an informative and superbly presented documentary that was filmed at the John Bunyan Museum in Bedford, England and presents a detailed history of this English protestant reformer's life story as chronicled by John Pestell (the author of 'Travel with John Bunyan). Viewers will learn fascinating information about Bunyan's time and his experiences including a mischievous childhood, his nightmares, and those events and influences that shaped his life. Viewer's will also learn that Bunyan, well into adulthood was able to find inner peace by studying the Bible and began preaching illegally which inevitably led to his twelve years of imprisonment – during which he wrote "A Pilgrim's Progress" which was to become a classic of Christian literature. Now in a full-color DVD format and a highly recommended addition to family, church, and community library collections, "John Bunyan: Journey of A Pilgrim" has a total running time of 42 minutes.

Mr. Lincoln: The Life Of Abraham Lincoln
Allen C. Guelzo
The Creative Company
123 South Broad Street, Mankato, MN 56001
Course #8561, $39.95 www.teach12.com 1-800-445-6209

"Mr. Lincoln: The Life Of Abraham Lincoln" is a series of 12 thirty-minute lectures by Allen C. Guelzo (Henry R. Luce Professor of the Civil War Era and Professor of History at Gettysburg College) who draws from his many years of scholarly research and writing about President Lincoln (he has won both the Lincoln Prize and the Abraham Lincoln Institute Prize for his books on Lincoln) to present informed and informative explorations on such themes as Lincoln's understanding and approach to mid-nineteenth century American politics; his opposition to slavery; and his leadership skills and style during the bloody conflicts that comprising the American Civil War. The twelve lectures are organized on the subjects of: 'Young Man Lincoln'; 'Whig Meteor'; 'Lincoln, Law, and Politics'; 'The Mind of Abraham Lincoln'; 'Lincoln and Slavery'; 'The Great Debates'; 'Lincoln and Liberty, Too'; 'The Uncertain President'; 'The Emancipation Moment'; 'Lincoln's Triumph'; 'The President's Sword'; and concludes with 'The Dream of Lincoln'. Professor Guelzo is a gifted speaker who is able to convey enthusiasm along with information in a presentation that is thoughtful, thought-provoking, and completely accessible to both students and non-specialist general viewers alike. Very strongly recommended for highschool honors courses in American History, "Mr. Lincoln: The Life Of Abraham Lincoln" is also a welcome addition to college and university libraries, as well as the DVD collections of community public libraries as well. It should be noted that a printed transcript book of the lectures is also available ($15.00) and that the lectures are also available on an audio CD ($24.95).

Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
www.montereymedia.com 1-800-424-2593

Monterey Media produces DVDs showcasing some of the best theatrical productions directed and enacted by the very best of talented men and women in Broadway and Hollywood. Seven new releases continue to provide personal, academic, and community library collections with simply outstanding plays and readings drawn from creative minds for public enjoyment. These enthusiastically recommended productions (many of which have aired on such television networks as PBS, A&E, BBC America, and Discovery) include among the plays: Raby Bradbury's "Any Friend of Nicholas Nickleby is a Friend of Mine" starring Fred Gwynne; Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.'s "Who Am I This Time? Starring Christopher Walken and Susan Sarandon; F. Scott Fitzgerald's "Under the Biltmore Clock" starring Sean Young; and Shirley Jackson's Along with Me" starring Estelle Parsons and directed by Joanne Woodward. The multicast poetry readings so wonderfully presented include Robert Frost's "New England in Autumn" filmed in an autumnal New England by 'The First Poetry Quartet'; Emily Dickinson's "A Certain Slant of Light" performed by Julie Harris; and "The Glorious Romantics" which showcases the poetry of Lord Byron, John Keats, and Percy Bysshe Shelley as performed by the British actress Jean Marsh with the support of a ensemble of talented actors. Theatrical departments and specialist librarians are especially urged to visit the Monterey Media website for a complete listing of all their available theatrical and poetry reading titles.


The Education Shelf

Improving Your School One Week at a Time
Jeffrey Zoul
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way West, Larchmont, NY 10538
1596670274 $24.95 www.eyeoneducation.com

Written by Jeffrey Zoul, a principal with 20 years of teaching experience in the elementary, middle, and high school levels, Improving Your School One Week at a Time: Building the Foundation for Professional Teaching and Learning is a week-by-week guide to fostering better living, working, and study conditions in any school. Each week recommends addressing a different topic - from school safety to strategies for English as a second language students to test taking considerations, adopting a focus toward homework as small amounts of meaningful work rather than large amounts of busywork, improving communication between teachers and parents, and much more. Improving Your School One Week at a Time is a complete, user-friendly yearlong manual by itself, yet comes with a bonus - those who purchase a copy may enter a code online to download each of the "37 Friday Focus" memos from the publisher's website, and then customize them to apply to the specific needs and context of one's school. An invaluable step-by-step resource.

Early Entrance to College
Michelle C. Muratori, Ph.D.
Prufrock Press
5926 Balcones Drive, Suite 220, Austin, TX 78731
1593631995 $18.95 www.prufrock.com

Written by Michelle C. Muratori, Ph.D., an experienced counselor for gifted young adults who enter college early, Early Entrance to College: A Guide to Success is a straightforward guide for young people and their families to the many challenges and rewards of embarking on a part-time or full-time college career one, two, or even three or more years sooner than usual. Chapters address factors affecting academic, social, and emotional adjustment to college, as well as expert views and opinions on early college entrance. Of especial importance are the chapters that stress why some who gain early entrance to college succeed and some do not, and the do's and don'ts to prepare for the transition and keep one's momentum once enrolled. An absolute "must-have" for anyone considering early college entrance, and packed with valuable information for anyone considering college regardless of age.

Recipe for Great Teaching
Anita Moultrie Turner
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
0761939989 $22.95 www.corwinpress.com

Written by teacher and teacher-trainer Anita Moultrie Turner, Recipe for Great Teaching: 11 Essential Ingredients is an easy-to-comprehend, go-to guide filled with valuable advice especially for grade and high school teachers. Using a cooking motif as metaphor, Recipe for Great Teaching is filled cover to cover with techniques for successful curriculum planning, strategies for creating environments that promote learning, witty classroom stories and quotations, valuable advice for being fair and consistent ("Address undesirable behavior when it first occurs - unchecked misbehavior may result in a greater disruption down the line"), and much more, all served up with a dash of humor for spice. Highly recommended.

Connecting Leadership With Learning
Michael A. Copland & Michael S. Knapp
ASCD
1703 N. Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
1416604049 $27.95 www.ascd.org/books

Written by Michael A. Copland and Michael S. Knapp (assistant professor and professor, respectively, of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies, at the Univ. of Washington), Connecting Leadership with Learning: A Framework for Reflection, Planning, and Action is a guide especially for school leaders to help teachers increase their own knowledge, improve the instructional environment of schools, and ensure learning among all students. Chapters discuss how to establish a focus on equitable learning, the value of building professional communities, organizational skills for acting strategically and delegating leadership, advice for creating a unified leadership vision, and much more. Numerous charts condense the main bullet points of the text into at-a-glance summaries that can be quickly absorbed and put in practice. Describing 23 different leadership "pathways" that have been put into practice, and drawing upon numerous real-life examples of the Leading for Learning Framework in action, Connecting Leadership with Learning is a solid guide enthusiastically recommended for educators everywhere.

Professors' Guide To Getting Good Grades In College
Lynn F. Jacobs & Jeremy S. Hyman
Collins
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
0060879084, $15.95 www.harpercollins.com 1-800-242-7737

The collaborative effort of Lyn F. Jacobs (Associate Professor of Art History, University of Arkansas) and academician Jeremy s. Hyman (who manages 'Professors' Guide' projects), "Professors' Guide To Getting Good Grades In College" shows college and university students on how to pick courses with an eye to good grades; ten tips on effectively taking lecture notes; successful test-preparation and test-taking strategies; strategies and tactics for staying academically motivated; and perhaps most importantly – how to get the most from classroom and seminar professors. Of special note is the section on 'The 4 Hazards of the Last Month of the Semester". Especially recommended for students new to college, as well as university students needing to improve their scholastic performance, "Professors' Guide To Getting Good Grades In College" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and an invaluable self-help manual for securing a successful academic performance.

Non-Fiction Writing Strategies
Marcia S. Freeman
Maupin House
PO Box 90148, Gainesville, FL 32607-0148
0929895371 $19.95 www.maupinhouse.com 1-800-524-0634

Author and internationally known writing-education consultant Marcia S. Freeman presents Non-Fiction Writing Strategies: Using Science Big Books as Models, a resource especially for primary and elementary school teachers (K-5) charged with the responsibility of teaching young people how to write. From basic strategies for instructing children in writing class fundamentals, to an assortment of student examples, practice activities and assessment procedures, to tips, tricks, and techniques for preparing young students to do well on performance-based tests, Non-Fiction Writing Strategies is packed cover to cover with invaluable guidelines, suggestions, and inspirations for teachers of all experience levels. Highly recommended.

The Words Came Down!
Emelie Parker & Tess Pardini
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
1571104143 $20.00 wwww.stenhouse.com 1-800-988-9812

Written by National Board Certified Teachers Emelie Parker & Tess Pardini, "The Words Came Down!" English Language Learners Read, Write and Talk Across the Curriculum K-2 is a resource especially of teachers charged with instructing English language-learning students - usually, students whose parents are functionally illiterate in English. These young people need to learn English-language fluency for their family's sake as well as their own; workshop-structured chapters show teachers tested methodologies to achieve just that. Oral language is emphasized for communication, teacher modeling, and demonstration in The Words Came Down!, but written language instruction is also covered at length. Strategies to aid teachers in learning to adjust to the needs of each individual child, and guidelines for including English-language learning students in all aspects of the day form the heart and soul of this excellent workshop guide, illustrated with black-and-white photographs. Highly recommended for K-2 ELL educators everywhere.

Reading Doesn't Matter Anymore…
David Booth
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3400
1571104925 $15.00 www.stenhouse.com 1-800-988-9812

Professor Emeritus David Booth applies his thirty-plus years of experience in training teachers to use innovative ways of promoting literacy among children of all ages Reading Doesn't Matter Anymore… Shattering the Myths of Literacy. Chapters address how reading has evolved far beyond the traditional Dick and Jane picturebooks and works of classic literature to encompass the internet, comic books, technical manuals, graphic novels, iPods, and much more. Chapters stress how the very use of technology, crucial to keeping up with drastic changes in today's modern world, is a form of literacy; explore how words themselves work; emphasize the importance of focusing on literacy in every subject of the school curriculum; and much more. Part reasoned philosophy, part "how-to" guide for teachers, part celebration of the transformation of reading into an invaluable skill affecting multiple dimensions of modern life, Reading Doesn't Matter Anymore... is enthusiastically recommended for grade school and high school educators everywhere.

I Get By With a Little Help… Colleague Support in Schools
Bill Rogers
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
1412921198 $32.95 www.sagepub.com 1-800-818-7243

Written by teacher and education consultant Bill Rogers, I Get By With a Little Help… Colleague Support in Schools is an honest account of how colleague support can be crucial to fostering well-being, professional esteem, and professional coping with the rigors and challenges of teaching. Chapters draw upon Rogers' experience and highlight the key personal and relational influences of colleague support, and offer recommendations for building such support in one's own school system, the better to foster adaptive unity. I Get By With a Little Help is enthusiastically recommended for educators and school administrators of all types of schools and educational institutions.


The Martial Arts Shelf

The Essential Krav Maga
Christopher Philippe
Blue Snake Books
c/o North Atlantic Books
1435 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
1583941681, $16.95 www.bluesnakebooks.com 1-800-788-3123

'Krav maga' is a martial arts fighting style developed for the Israeli armed forces and is respected for its simplicity, speed, and efficiency. With "The Essential Krav Maga", Christopher Philippe presents the first and very strongly recommended instruction manual that includes self-defense strategies against empty-handed opponents; assailants armed with sticks, knives, handguns, and long guns; how to protect a companion; as well as krav maga strategies against multiple foes. Profusely illustrated throughout, "The Essential Krav Maga" is a core addition to personal and professional marital arts reference collections and supplemental study lists.


The Music Shelf

Remembering Oliver Strunk
Christine Huemer & Pierluigi Petrobelli, editors
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
1576471020, $60 www.pendragonpress.com 1-518-325-6100

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Christine Huemer and Pierluigi Petrobelli, "Remembering Oliver Strunk: Teacher And Scholar" is the twenty-first and strongly recommended title in the Pendragon Press 'Festschrift Series' and focuses upon the life and work of William Oliver Strunk (1901-1980) who served with distinction as a professor of musicology at Princeton University. Comprised of papers presented at a conference at the American Academy in Rome (January 18-19, 2002), as well as including two additional and subsequent contributions, "Remembering Oliver Strunk" is an academically prestigious, thoughtful and thought-provoking, specialized contribution to musicology in general, and Professor Strunk's contributions and work in this academic discipline in particular.


The Social Issues Shelf

Cultural Whiplash
Patrick M. Carry, J.D, Ph.D.
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
1581825692 $20.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

Written by research advisor and law professor Patrick M. Carry, J.D, Ph.D., Cultural Whiplash: The Unforeseen Consequences Of America's Crusade Against Racial Discrimination is a harsh scrutiny of modern American culture, particularly in response to its current overemphasis upon the ills of racism and underemphasis upon other social ills including but not limited to crime, drug use, poverty, out-of-wedlock births, corporate greed and theft, and an overall culture of divisiveness and entitlement. Cultural Whiplash is mindful of the past necessity of affirmative action to break color barriers and anti-racism movements to fight discrimination in recent history, yet simultaneously exposes the harm that modern-day overimplication of such practices causes to blacks especially and to society in general. For example, affirmative action guidelines that allow black students to be admitted to academically demanding private schools or colleges they are not prepared to do well in simply predisposes those students to drop out or flunk out of school. New Orleans black leadership clearly failed its population well before Hurricane Katrina, as any examination of pre-Katrina New Orleans poverty and crime rates can attest, yet that same leadership is not held accountable for its own role in the Katrina disaster and aftermath in the way that national government and FEMA leadership is. Fear of accusations of racism curb any societal impulse to condemn rap lyrics that promote violent crime, let alone gang membership or violent crime itself, yet crime causes an enormous and disproportionate burden of cyclical suffering among African-American communities. Cultural Whiplash emphatically argues the need for stronger, more unified moral values as a universal preventative tonic and deterrent to crime, poverty, unemployment, and the exploding divorce and out-of-wedlock birth rates that correlate to all three social ills. A strongly recommended, serious-minded account that does not downplay the evils of racism, but rather sheds light upon all the other societal evils in need of immediate attention that have been severely neglected in favor of tunnel vision upon the evil of racism.


The Nature Shelf

Dry Borders
Richard Stephen Felger & Bill Broyles, editors
The University of Utah Press
1795 E. South Campus Dr., #101, Salt Lake City, UT 84112-9402
0874808197 $45.00 www.uofupress.com 1-800-773-6672

Edited by natural historian Richard Stephen Felger and research associate Bill Broyles, Dry Borders: Great Natural Reserves of the Sonoran Desert is an in-depth natural history reference and resource of the Sonoran Desert in southwestern Arizona and northwestern Mexico. Chapters examine the Sonoran Desert's geography, geology, flora and fauna, indigenous people, aquatic life of the adjoining gulf, and much more. An inset selection of color plates a geographic dictionary of place names, and an index round out this comprehensive guide accessible to lay readers, natural history enthusiasts and scientists alike.


The Woodworking Shelf

Making Decoys The Century Old Way
Grayson C. Chesser and Curtis J. Badger
Cornell Maritime Press Inc.
101 Water Way, PO Box 456, Centreville, MD 21617
0870335790 $24.95 www.cmptp.com

Written by expert decoy caver Grayson C. Chesser and wildlife art expert Curtis J. Badger, "Making Decoys The Century Old Way" is a step-by-step guide to carving, painting, weighing and rigging, and using lifelike waterfowl decoys. Black-and-white and color photographs illustrate each phase of traditional decoy crafting, including basic carving patterns, and the easy-to-follow text walks woodworkers of all skill and experience levels through the process. This new and expanded edition of "Making Decoys The Century Old Way" is enthusiastically recommended for anyone with an interest in true do-it-yourself waterfowling and decoy woodworking.

The Sports Shelf Sports-Talk Radio in America
John Mark Dempsey, Ph.D., editor
The Haworth Press, Inc.
10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904-1580
0789025906 $17.95 www.haworthpress.com

Edited by John Mark Dempsey, Ph.D., Sports-Talk Radio in America: Its Context and Culture is an anthology of essays by learned authors and field professionals about major, medium, and small-market stations across America with an all-sports format. Each is presented with an eye toward the individual programming strategies and charismatic personalities that made them successful. Written in mostly plain terms (and some sports-specific terminology), Sports-Talk Radio in America is as accessible to the casual sports-talk radio fan as it is to a prospective sports-talk radio station owner or professional. From WFAN and the inception of all-sports radio to WHB Kansas City "World's Happiest Broadcasters", Sports-Talk Radio in America is part history, part tribute, part testimony, and entirely enjoyable. Recommended for anyone with an interest in the field.


The Fiction Shelf

The Weight of Smoke
George Robert Minkoff
McPherson & Company, Publishers
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
0929701801 $24.95 www.mcphersonco.com 1-800-613-8219

Written by antiquarian expert George Robert Minkoff, The Weight of Smoke is the first of a three-volume historical fiction epic, "In the Land of Whispers", set four hundred years ago on the shores of what would one day become the state of Virginia. Young Captain John Smith carried dedication and drive at the colony of Jamestown, yet as one disaster after another beset the colonists: intrigue, avarice, corruption, disease, starvation, and violent war with the indigenous peoples. A prophecy is spoken concerning Captain John Smith: that his acts in this untamed world will be remembered not in terms of immortal glory, but rather in degrees of desperation. And deep inside, he carries a yearning desire for Powhattan's favorite daughter, Pocahontas. The Weight of Smoke reads with the flourish of an odyssey, and the dark reality of grim history. Enthusiastically recommended.

Return to Dar al-Basha
Hassan Nasr, author; William Hutchins, translator
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
0815608780 $22.95 www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu 1-800-365-8929

Written by Tunisian native Hassan Nasr, Return to Dar al-Basha is a semi-autobiographical novel describing a boy's Tunisian childhood during the era of nationalist resistance against French colonial rule. Taken from his mother and raised in his father's home, physically abused and emotionally neglected, he grows up into a perpetual wanderer. Questioning his inability to set roots, he explores the streets of Tunis, recalls his childhood introduction to Islamic mysticism and Sufism, and braces himself to see his father again. An evocative, heartfelt tale, providing an unforgettably vivid impression of Tunisian life through a child's eyes.

100 Words Per Minute
Adina Sara
Regent Press
6020-A Adeline, Oakland, CA 94608
1587900920 $15.00 www.regentpress.net

Part short fiction anthology, part memoir, 100 Words Per Minute: Tales From Behind Law Office Doors is a collection of ultra-brief, wry, witty, sometimes nasty, always insightful short stories by veteran law office worker Adina Sara. From backbiting coworkers to clueless bosses to litigators of all flavors from megalomaniacal to nearly-dead from exhaustion, 100 Words Per Minute offers a wry glimpse into trials and tribulations, and what working within America's legal system is really like. 100 Words Per Minute is a singularly delectable collection, whether the stories are savored a few at a time or all at once.

Gods of the Andes
Jack Zimmerman
New Leaf Books
PO Box 6992, Villa Park, IL 60181
1930076045 $14.95 www.newleafbooks.net

Written by Southwest Chicago native Jack Zimmerman, and set in his home town during the summer of '59, Gods of the Andes is a novel about ordinary, borderline destitute people struggling to get by in their daily lives - and a masterful betting scheme concerning baseball's White Sox, who are poised to seize the American League Pennant. A colorful novel of dreams tantalizingly out-of-reach pervading a neighborhood, and the willingness to risk all in hope of fantastic payoff, Gods of the Andes comes alive with vibrant impressions, boisterous dialogue, and the urgency of desperate hope that threatens when one's life is barely a step away from being penniless on the streets. A one-of-a-kind slice-of-life tale turned grandiose.


The Parenting Shelf

Your Baby Can Read!
Robert Titzer
Smart Kids
c/o Penton Overseas, Inc.
1958 Kellogg Avenue, Carlsbad, CA 92008
1591256674, $79.95 www.YourBabyCan.com 1-877-881-READ

Carefully designed by Robert Titzer (an acclaimed expert in infancy research and an educator for more than 15 years), "Your Baby Can Read!" is a complete system of do-it-yourself activities that parents can easily and naturally use to encourage their infants and toddlers to understand the written word just as they are also learning to use spoken words. This simply outstanding and thoroughly 'user friendly' boxed DVD set system utilizes songs, poems, animals, and children in a multi-sensory, interactive approach that is as effective as it is fun for both children and their parents. Included is a complete overview of the program, an orientation to help parents get started with their children, and a parent's 'how to'. The sliding word and picture cards are specifically designed to be a companion set for the "Your Baby Can Read!" DVDs. The included blank, erasable Learn to Read word card provides parents with the means to teach their children an unlimited amount of new words. "Your Baby Can Read!" is confidently recommended for parents wanting to insure that their children have all the advantages when it comes to cognitive development and learning skills.

There Are No Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter
Laura J. Buddenberg & Kathleen M. McGee
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68010
1889322717 $12.95 www.boystownpress.org 1-800-282-6657

Written by mothers and Girls and Boys Town workshop presenters Laura J. Buddenberg and Kathleen M. McGee, There Are No Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter: Surviving the Pitfalls of Teen Relationships is a "must-read" guide for parents about the teen dating scene - including and especially the dramatic changes that have taken place within it since the rise of email, text messaging, instant messaging, blogging, and other forms of cyber communication. There Are No Simple Rules For Dating My Daughter is a thoroughly comprehensive guide covering everything from how to set limits to ensure children's safety, how to keep the lines of communication open, how to gently and respectfully break up (in a non-abusive relationship - anyone in an abusive relationship owes the other person no explanations when getting out), how to deal with the pain of rejection, how to recognize and terminate physically or emotionally abusive relationships, talking about sex with teens, and much more. A plain-spoken, readily understandable guide, highly recommended for mothers, fathers, and legal guardians of teens everywhere - and also for teens themselves!


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

What Makes You Not a Buddhist
Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse
Shambhala Publications, Inc
Horticultural Hall, 300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
1590304063 $19.95 www.shamhala.com

What Makes You Not a Buddhist is a one-of-a-kind expression of the four basic points of Buddhism written for the sake of the general public, by Tibetan Buddhist master Dzongsar Jamyang Khyentse. What Makes You Not a Buddhist presents the tenets of Buddhism as a set of four challenging questions: Can you accept that all things are impermanent and that there is no essential substance or concept that is permanent? Can you accept that all emotions bring pain and suffering and that there is no emotion that is purely pleasurable? Can you accept that all phenomena are illusory and empty? Can you accept that enlightenment is beyond concepts; that it's not a perfect blissful heaven but instead a release from delusion? If one's answer to these four questions is an unambiguous "yes", then according to Khyentse, one is truly a Buddhist. Written in an amiable tone and primarily in plain terms, What Makes You Not a Buddhist is highly accessible to lay readers and enthusiastically recommended for anyone seriously contemplating Buddhism as the faith of choice for oneself.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The View from a Monastery
Brother Benet Tvedten
Paraclete Press Inc.
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
155725477X $15.95 www.paracletepress.com

The View from a Monastery: The Vowed Life and its Cast of Many Characters is the spiritual memoir of Brother Benet Tvedten, who has been a Benedictine monk for almost fifty years. An inside look at not only the faith and commitment of monastic life, but also the foibles of monks as fallible human beings, Written in kindly, engaging prose, The View from a Monastery reflects on the values of stability and commitment to a humble way of life, and bonds of community. "Benedictines, Hutterites, and Native Americans are subjects of interest because we all live apart from mainstream society. We belong to 'intentional communities'. On a particular day, however, members of each group may be found shopping at Wal-Mart. After all, we are not totally withdrawn from the world." An insightful, true testimony to the ups, downs, and satisfactions of dedicating oneself to a monastic way of life.

Desperate Women of the Bible
Jo Kadlecek
Baker Books
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
0801066182 $12.99 www.bakerbooks.com

Written by journalist, author, and retreat and conference teacher Jo Kadlecek, Desperate Women of the Bible: Lessons on Passion From the Gospels presents the stories of eight nameless women from the Gospels who were driven by passion and desperation to find out who Jesus Christ really was. Desperate Women of the Bible guides the reader in an exploration of the story of these unforgettable women, and the insights revealed as to how emulating Christ's character and teachings can transform even the most desperate of one's desires and passions into a life of greater fullness and purpose. "In-Between Reflections", such as "What are some specific and creative ways you could consciously seek opportunities to give more generously?" and "Digging Deeper" passages between chapters of narrative parable offer the opportunity for self-study, further reflection, and examination. Highly recommended for personal spiritual discovery as well as group study and discussion.

Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes
Katarina Schuth
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
0814618294 $19.95 www.litpress.org 1-800-858-5450

Written by Katarina Schuth (Endowed Chair for the Social Scientific Study of Religion, Saint Paul Seminary School of Divinity, University of St. Thomas), Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes is a serious-minded examination of the recent and growing trend of priests who necessarily take responsibility for serving multiple parishes. Drawn heavily from extensive interviews, Priestly Ministry in Multiple Parishes covers common recurring patterns in such service, repercussions in ministerial responsibilities and levels of satisfaction, recommendations for improving the morale of priests, recommendations for seminaries, diocesan models for multiple parish ministry, and much more. Extensive appendices including summary responses from selected survey questions put to 911 recipients round out this thoughtful, fact-based examination of a changing religious dynamic.

1 and 2 Thessalonians
Ben Witherington III
Wm. B. Eeardmans Publishing Company
255 Jefferson Ave. S.E, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
0802828361 $30.00 www.eerdmans.com

Written by Ben Witherington III (Professor of New Testament at Asbury Theological Seminary), 1 and 2 Thessalonians: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary is a full-scale discussion of Paul's two letters to the Thessalonians, applying a socio-rhetorical approach specifically to examine aspects that might remain hidden using only form criticism, epistolary categories, or traditional criticism. Subjects given an extra-close study include "Holy Wedlock and Unholy Alliances", "A Christian Manual on Manual Labor", "Exercising Restraint: Apocalyptic Answers to Difficult Questions", and more. A heavily researched, scholarly, in-depth examination written for intermediate to advanced students and fellow professors of the New Testament, highly recommended for its thoroughly reasoned interpretations keen attention to detail.

A Feminist Companion to the New Testament Apocrypha
Edited by Amy-Jill Levine with Maria Mayo Robbins
The Continuum International Publishing Group
PO Box 1321, Harrisburg, PA 17105
0826466877 $130.00 www.amazon.com

Edited by Amy-Jill Levine, A Feminist Companion to the New Testament Apocrypha is an anthology of essays by a wide variety of learned authors exploring apocryphal New Testament texts such as the Acts of Paul, the Acts of John, the Acts of Peter, Thecla, the Apocalypse of Peter, and much more, as well as Irish apocrypha and Greek novels, from a feminist perspective. Specific topics discussed include Christian identity, Christian martyrdom, heterodoxy and orthodoxy, conjugal ethics and apostolic homewreckers, asceticism, eroticism, and much more. An extensive bibiography and index of references rounds out this scholarly and at times technical close analysis. Enthusiastically recommended for advanced theology and Biblical literature reference shelves.

Transfiguring Loss
Jane F. Maynard
The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44115
0829816011 $28.00 www.thepilgrimpress.com

Written by Jane F. Maynard, whose service includes time spent in interim ministry, Transfiguring Loss: Julian of Norwich as a Guide for Survivors of Traumatic Grief is an exploration of the works of fifteenth-century mystic Julian of Norwich's theology and spirituality, and modern-day applications of Julian's wisdom to aid and comfort those suffering from terrible grief and loss - such as from large-scale disasters like the September 11th attacks or losing a loved one to AIDS. Chapters discuss the theological and psychological analysis of multiple loss, as well as pastoral praxis for traumatic loss. A gentle, thoughtful search for spiritual insights into appropriate counseling and comfort, written in plain terms for readers of all backgrounds. Especially recommended for church and pastoral libraries, and as supplemental reading for ministers, pastors, and religious counselors.


The Biography Shelf

Continental Liar From the State of Maine
Neil Rolde
Tilbury House Publishers
2 Mechanic Street #3, Gardiner, Maine 04345
0884482863 $20.00 www.tilburyhouse.com

Written by prize-winning historian and former Maine politician Neil Rolde, Continental Liar From the State of Maine: James G. Blaine is the true story of the American presidential campaign of 1884, the so-called "dirtiest campaign in American history", when Republican James G. Blaine came within 1,047 votes of becoming president. Yet his career, as spectacular as any of the "Gilded Age", did not end there; he served twice as U.S. secretary of state, became a Speaker of the House of Congress, and a U.S. senator for his adopted state of Maine. Credited with initiating America's progression down the path to acting like a world power, Blaine's unofficial nicknames ranged from "The Plumed Knight" to "Slippery Jim" to "The Continental Liar from the State of Maine." A singularly fascinating biography of a shrewd, powerful, charismatic politician who dominated the American stage from just before the Civil War to nearly the turn of the century, Continental Liar From the State of Maine is a fascinating read from cover to cover, offering insights into political leadership, scandal, and backdoor dealing that are as applicable today as they were over a hundred years ago.

Behind the Veil
Debra Johanyak
The University of Akron Press
Akron, OH 44325-1703
1931968403 $24.95 www.uakron.edu/uapress

Written by Debra Johanyak, Behind the Veil: An American Woman's Memoir of the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis is an outstanding personal testimony by a wife and mother with dual Iranian and American citizenship. Married to an Iranian man, she lived in Iran and taught English before and after the 1979 revolution, and watched the events of the American embassy hostage crisis with trepidation. Her husband's family embraced her warmly, yet the building pressure from Islamic fundamentalists placed heavy strain on her daily life and her hopes of staying. She also came to terms to her identity as a Christian in an Islamic country, and had to learn to balance acceptance of traditional customs with her own feminist values. Eventually, despite the support and good character of so many fellow individuals, she had to leave Iran due to threat of violence; Behind the Veil chronicles her physical and spiritual pilgrimage, her memories good and bad of the nation's people, and her insights into cultural and historical gulfs. Highly recommended for up-close and personal insight into Iran's dynamic character, as well as for the fascinating story of the author's search for her own path.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Harold Bloom
Bloom's Literary Criticism
c/o Infobase Publishing
132 West 31st Street, 17th floor, New York, NY 10001
079108115X, $35.00 1-800-322-8755

In "Gabriel Garcia Marquez", Harold Bloom (Sterling Professor of the Humanities, Yale University) provides readers with an informed and informative biography of Gabriel Garcia Marques, the South American writer who won the Nobel Prize in Literature and whose most widely known novel for English readers is "One Hundred years of Solitude". "Gabriel Garcia Marquez" features a critical, scholarly, and thought-provoking essay and analysis, supplemented with details about the writer and his life. Also very highly recommended reading for inclusion into highschool, college, and community library Literary Studies collections are Professor Harold Blooms' "James Baldwin" (978-0791085752, $35.00); "Herman Melville" (978-0791085738, $35.00); "William Blake" (978-0791085714); "Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451" (978-0791092941, $30.00); "Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five" (978-0791092958, $30.00); "Franz Kafka's The Metamorphosis" (978-0791092989, $30.00); and "Tennessee Williams's The Glass Menagerie" (978-0791092972, $30.00).

REED in Review
Audrey Douglas & Sally-Beth MacLean, editors
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4Y 2W8
0802038271 $70.00 www.utppublishing.com 1-800-565-9523

REED in Review is a celebration of and tribute to the twenty-fifth anniversary (in 2002) of the Records of Early English Drama project. REED in review presents thirteen essays based on the content of selected contest papers, plus a fourteenth submitted at the editors' invitation. Spanning topics from the effect of REED research on Shakespeare textual editing, Robin Hood, patronage, and Elizabethan theatre studies, to details of recent discoveries in Scottish records, the possibilities that Web technologies have to offer, and much more, REED in review connects the past and future of literary research with scholarly precision, highlighting unexplored depths in human culture and expression across the centuries. Enthusiastically recommended especially for college library and literary studies shelves.

The Perfect Ceremony of Love's Rite
Robert L. Montgomery
Arizona Center for Medieval Studies, Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
086698349X $30.00 www.amazon.com

Written by English and Comparative Literature teacher Robert L. Montgomery, The Perfect Ceremony of Love's Rite: Shakespeare's Sonnets and A Lover's Complaint is a critical reading of Shakespeare's "Sonnets" and its companion volume, "A Lover's Complaint", while scrutinizing their connections to the Petrarchan conventions as well as to the work of contemporary Elizabethan poets such as Sidney, Spenser, and Daniel. Of particular interest to the discussion are the ways by which poetry evokes admiration, passion, guilt, obsessive longing, and preoccupation with time and the decay of youth and beauty. An index rounds out this scholarly and thoughtful close reading of classic poetry.

Transatlantic Stowe
Denise Kohn, Sarah Meer, & Emily B. Todd
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, 119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
1587294737 $39.95 www.uiowapress.org 1-800-621-2736

Edited by English professors Denise Kohn, and Emily B. Todd, and English university lecturer Sarah Meer, Transatlantic Stowe: Harriet Beecher Stowe and European Culture is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors concerning the literary writings of Harriet Beecher Stow, perhaps best known for her novel "Uncle Tom's Cabin". Transatlantic Stowe particularly focuses upon Stowe's personal and literary ventures into Europe, drawing upon source material from London and Paris as well as Stowe's own writings. Essays include "'Uncle Tom's Cabin' and the Irish National Tale", "Stowe, Gaskell, and the Woman Reformer", "Stowe and Religious Iconography", and much more. An extensive list of works cited and an index round out this in-depth intellectual contemplation of the broad-reaching repercussions of Stowe's literature, which was wildly and internationally popular in Stowe's heyday, to the extent of being pirated by publishers. Recommended for college library literary studies shelves.


The Automotive Shelf

Ford Mustang 1964 1/2 - 1973
Pat Covert
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
1580070795, $22.95 www.specialtypress.com 1-800-895-4585

Part of the Specialty Press 'Musclecar Tech' series, "Ford Mustang 1964 1/2 - 1973" by Pat Covert covers the finishes, materials, and parts for each year of the popular Mustang and enables dedicated restorers to bring their Mustang back to authentic, mint condition. Profusely illustrated throughout, "Ford Mustang 1964 1/2 - 1973" provides detailed views of the car body, including the chassis and undercarriage, drivetrain and engine bay, as well as the interior. Straight profile, front and reader views are printed to scale. Informative sidebars include production numbers, performance figures, paint, trim, and interior codes and colors. A work of impressive detail, "Ford Mustang 1964 1/2 - 1973" is a 'must' for car fans in general, and Mustang restorers in particular.


The Audiobook Shelf

Parmenides Publishing
3753 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 200, Las Vegas, NV 89109
www.parmenides.com

Paremnides Publishing has release two complete and unabridged audiobook editions of Homer's "Iliad" (1930972083, $42.00) and "Odyssey" (1930972067, $42.00) based on the print editions published by Hackett Publishing in 1997 and 2000 respectively. Each enthusiastically recommended volume is translated and narrative by Stanley Lombardo (Professor of Classics at the University of Kansas), and features an introduction written by tom Palaima (Raymond F. Dickson Centennial Professor of Classics at the University of Texas), as well as an Introduction and Synopses read by the award winning actress Susan Sarandon. The 12 CD set of the "Iliad" has a total running time of 15 hours, while the 10 CD set of "Odyssey" has a total running time of 12 hours, 30 minutes. Both of these unabridged additions would make a welcome addition to personal, school, and community library collections. For those who are more limited in their time, Parmenides Publishing also offers two superbly recorded and technically flawless abridged audiobook editions: "The Essential Homer" (1930972121, $48.00, 14 CDs, 17.5 hours) and "The Essential Iliad" (1930972105, $20.00, 5 CDs, 6 hours).

Death Before Wicket
Kerry Greenwood
Bolinda Publishing, Inc.
48 Oxford Woods, Falmouth, ME 04105-3401
1740938917, $56.00 www.bolinda.com 1-888-235-2019

Phryne Fisher's plans for her trip to Sydney, Australia unexpectedly go awry when her maid discovers that her thoroughly respectable sister Joan has abandoned her family for the murky and somewhat sleazy nightclub scene. Her trip is again postponed because Phryne can't say no to two youn men who beg for her help in finding their friend innocent of theft. So once again ("Death Before Wicket" is the tenth classic mystery featuring the remarkable Phryne Fisher) she is caught up in a web of blackmail, secrets, lies, and ruthless people who are dangerously dabbling in deep magic. Author Kerry Greenwood once again has created a story that grips the reader's total attention from beginning to end – and will lead those knew to the Phryne Fisher mysteries to seek out all nine of her earlier adventures. This seven CD audiobook edition is superbly narrated by Stephanie Daniel who does full and dramatic justice to Greenwood's brilliant character development and 'cliffhanger' plot.


The World History Shelf

Sternwheelers & Canyon Cats
Jack Boudreau
Caitlin Press
c/o Harbour Publsihing
PO Box 219 Madeira Park, BC V0N 2H0
1894759206 $18.95 www.caitlin-press.com www.harbourpublishing.com

Written by British Columbia native Jack Boudreau, Sternwheelers & Canyon Cats: Whitewater Freighting on the Upper Fraser presents the fascinating true story of the whitewater men who crewed boats along wild rivers and creeks, seeking to bring freight and supplies to northern British Columbia from 1862 to 1921, prior to the completion of the Grand Trunk Railway. The riverboat life was dangerous; taming rough waters might involve such daring tactics as using powder to blow out boulders and logjams, and the Grand Canyon of British Columbia's Fraser River in particular was responsible for the deaths of at least two hundred individuals. Extensively researched, and presented with a smattering of black-and-white photographs, Sternwheelers & Canyon Cats is a welcome addition to nautical history and Canadian history shelves.

They Say There Was a War
Richard David Wissolik, David Wilmes, Eric Greisinger, John DePaul
Saint Vincent College
300 Fraser Purchase Road, Latrobe, PA 15650
1885851510 $30.00 www.stvincent.edu/napp11

They Say There Was a War collects fifty detailed, personal narratives of men and women who served in the United States military in all different services and theaters during World War II. The individuals tapped to tell their stories in their own words range from a survivor of the Bataan Death March to one who worked on building the Thai-Burma Railway. From bloody battles to harrowing conditions of poor hygiene to the threat of starvation and much more, They Say There Was a War gives a vivid impression of precisely what everyday life on all aspects of the battle front was like. Printed on high quality paper and illustrated with occasional black-and-white photographs, They Say There Was a War is an utterly invaluable primary source emphatically recommended for college and library collections.

The Cold War and the New Imperialism
Henry Heller
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, New York, NY 10001
1583671390 $22.95 www.monthlyreview.org

Written by Henry Heller (Professor of History, University of Manitoba in Winnipeg, Canada), The Cold War and the New Imperialism: A Global History, 1945-2005 is a scholarly examination of world history during the sixty years since the end of World War II. From struggles for national liberation that spelled the demise of colonial empires, to revolutions in China, Cuba, and Vietnam, to neoliberalism, intervention, and more, The Cold War and the New Imperialism encapsulates the transformations of history in straightforward prose, with a keen eye for spotting long-term trends. Chapters reveal that the end of the Cold War created as many problems for the United States as it solved, including the erosion of America's political, economic, and financial hegemony, costly military adventures abroad, and increasing inequality and authoritarianism at home. Highly recommended, and a welcome contribution to college and public library world history shelves.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Early Intervention Dictionary, third edition
Jeanine G. Coleman, M. Ed.
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817
1890627631 $ 21.95 www.woodbinehouse.com

Written by Jeanine G. Coleman, M. Ed., The Early Intervention Dictionary: A Multidisciplinary Guide to Terminology is the updated third edition of a straightforward, practical definitive reference for medical professionals and parents alike. Each entry consists of a brief (from one sentence to one full paragraph) definition of a medical or scientific term concerning medical and development issues, features, and abnormalities present in infants and children. The Early Intervention Dictionary is accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and covers everything from "abrachia" (congenital absence of arms) to "Zero Reject" (The principle that no child with a disability should be refused a free, appropriate education if other children the same age are being served). Highly recommended as a user-friendly reference.

Avoiding Miscarriage
Susan Rousselot
Atlas Books
30 Amberwood Parkway, Ashland Parkway, Ashland, OH 44805
0977493318 $19.95 www.atlasbooks.com

Written by Susan Rousselot, a mother who personally undertook extensive research to learn how to minimize the risk of miscarriage after personally suffering one, and featuring a foreword by miscarriage specialist Dr. Mary Stephenson, MD, Avoiding Miscarriage: Everything You Need to Know to Feel More Confident in Pregnancy offers straightforward answers to difficult questions. Debunking common myths about miscarriage, such as "after a miscarriage, I have to wait six months before trying again", "I miscarried because I continued to exercise", or "I miscarried because I once had an abortion", Avoiding Miscarriage acknowledges that a great deal of miscarriages are due to chromosomal problems and other abnormalities beyond the mother's control, but goes on to outline what is under a mother's control and how to effectively reduce risk. Maintaining a reasonably healthy weight (neither obese nor malnourished), receiving immunizations against common diseases that threaten pregnancy, and eliminating (or at least drastically reducing) alcohol, tobacco, and caffeine are among the helpful strategies advised; also of note are Avoiding Miscarriage's recommendations for improving communication with one's partner. Highly recommended, and a "must-read" for any woman seeking to become pregnant.

The Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders
Carol Tarkington & Ruth Anan Ph.D.
Facts On File
132 West 31st Street, new York, NY 10001
0816060029 $75.00 www.factsonfile.com 1-800-322-8755

Medical writer Carol Tarkington and clinical psychologist Ruth Anan Ph.D. present The Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders, a comprehensive reference filled cover to cover with alphabetized entries covering everything from early intervention programs to genes and autism, high-functioning autistic disorders, language delays, safety issues, sensory sensitivity, the role of vitamins, and much more. One hundred and sixty-four pages are devoted to the encyclopedia itself; the entire second half of the book is filled with appendices that list autism-related organizations, helpful web sites, state autism organizations, autism resources by state, collaborative programs of excellence in autism, clinical trials for autistic disorder, and a thorough index. Written in straightforward terms accessible to lay readers and healthcare professionals alike, The Encyclopedia of Autism Spectrum Disorders is enthusiastically recommended for medical institution library, college library, and public library reference shelves, as well as the personal reference collections of anyone living or working with autism spectrum disorder individuals.


The Library Science Shelf

Read the High Country
John Mort
Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
1591581346 $60.00 www.lu.com

Read the High Country: A Guide to Western Books and Films is a no-nonsense book and film selection guide created especially for librarians and anyone else seeking to choose just the right cross-section of novels and movies from the Western genre. Describing approximately 2,000 titles grouped by subgenre and theme, Read the High Country includes the classics by such well-known authors as Max Brand, Louis L'Amour, Zane Grey, Elmer Kelton, as well as contemporary "novels of the West" by author such as Annie Proulx, Louise Erdrich, and Larry McMurtry, and much more. Cover works aimed toward readers in grades 10 and up, Read the High Country is an intuitively organized, easy-to-use media selection guide.

Technology and Copyright Law
Arlene Bielefeld & Lawrence Cheeseman
Neal-Schuman Publishers, Inc,
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
1555705707 $65.00 www.neal-schman.com

Written by legal and library science experts Arlene Bielefeld and Lawrence Cheeseman, the newly updated and expanded second edition Technology and Copyright Law: A Guide for the Library, Research, and Teaching Professions is a straightforward, practical manual for adhering to legal conventions. Chapters spell out the requirements of copyright legislation as affected by current information technology, the future of copyright as technology continues to evolve, what is and is not covered by "fair use", special exemptions for the blind and others with disabilities, international copyright agreements, and much more. Technology and Copyright Law is precisely worded and slightly dry in tone, covering its subject in depth while remaining as accessible as possible to the serious-minded library professional. Recommended as an intermediate to advanced level resource and reference for library personnel.

New On The Job
Ruth Toor & Hilda K. Weisburg
ALA Editions
50 East Hurnon Street, Chicago, IL 60611
0838909248 $38.00 www.alastore.ala.org

Library media consultants Ruth Toor and Hilda K. Weisburg present New on the Job: A School Library Media Specialist's Guide to Success, a compendium of tips, tricks, and techniques drawn from experience, gathered and presented for school librarians in general and school library media specialists in particular. Chapters cover how to secure a job, connecting with students and teachers, dealing with advances in technology, career ethics and standards, and much more. Written in plain terms, with numerous "write your answer in the blank" questions for personal insight (such as, "What is the procedure for opening blocked websites? Who has the authority to do so?" with a blank underneath so one can learn the answer and write it down for quick reference later). A "Key Ideas" summary reinforces the lessons of each chapter, in this enthusiastically recommended supplementary resource for library media specialists, sure to prove useful to veterans in addition to its target audience of career beginners.


The Psychology Shelf

A Long-Shadowed Grief
Harold Ivan Smith
Cowley Publications
4 Brattle Street, Suite 309, Cambridge, MA 02138
1561012815 $14.95 www.cowley.org

Written by former funeral director Harold Ivan Smith, A Long-Shadowed Grief: Suicide and its Aftermath is a compassionate, serious discussion of the grief and suffering that friends and family endure in the wake of a loved one's suicide. From permitting oneself to grieve and survive, how one can learn to live a spiritual life as a survivor, to praying one's grief, surviving the toll suicide takes on one's assumptions and values, and much more, A Long-Shadowed Grief covers in-depth the emotional dimensions of relearning day-to-day living after a loved one has made the choice to die. True stories of suicide and the words of survivors illustrate this comforting, plain-spoken discussion.

Modular Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders
Bruce F. Chorpita, Ph.D.
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1593853637 $35.00 www.guilford.com

Written by professor of clinical psychology Bruce F. Chorpita, Ph.D., Modular Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders is a practical guide for professionals to treating childhood anxiety with proven exposure-based techniques. The modular treatment regimens are expressly designed with flexibility and adaptation to individual needs in mind. Presented from an emphatically "real-world" perspective, Modular Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders can be tailored to deal with motivational problems, disruptive behavior, family issues, and common clinical stumbling blocks. Worksheets, records, and handouts supplement the modules and the in-depth discussion concerning how to apply them and deal with common problems. Highly recommended as a supplementary resource for professionals in the field.


The Poetry Shelf

Hunger for Light
Stephen Browning, poet
Kalani Engles, monotype illustrations
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel, Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
1564744612 $20.00 www.danielpublishing.com 1-800-662-8351

Written by Stephen Browning, whose work has appeared in such distinguished literary magazines as "The Southern Review", "Poetry Northwest", and "The Western Humanities Review", and illustrated with striking black-and-white monotypes by museum-exhibited artist Kalani Engles, Hunger for Light is a sublime blend of free-verse expression and powerful imagery. The brief, free-verse poems touch upon both simple and eternal concepts, celebrating human impressions and emotions awakened by the natural world and especially through the lush grandeur of all types of vegetation. "Yes": Maybe it was a lotus / lifting its head above the mud // set Coleridge wishing that / like Vishnu, dreamer of worlds, // he could float, asleep / on the infinite ocean, // cradled in a lotus flower, / and every few million years // wake for a moment / simply to reaffirm // he could go back to sleep / for a few million more.

The World in a Frame
Emily Dickinson, author
Will Barnet, illustrator
Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
PO Box 808022 Petaluma, CA 94975-8022
0764937197 $30.00 www.pomegranate.com

The World in a Frame is a hardbound, high-quality collection of forty-six classic poems by Emily Dickinson (1830-1886), illustrated with two dozen black-and-white drawings by Will Barnet. Barnet's shaded and often somber art style adds a thoughtful dimension to Dickinson's timeless verse. An introduction by Christopher Benfey rounds out this highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of exquisite literature and emotional art. "The Spider as an Artist / Has never been employed- / Though his surpassing Merit / Is freely certified // By every Broom and Bridget / Throughout a Christian Land- / Neglected Son of Genius / I take thee by the Hand-"


The Environmental Studies Shelf

The Renewable Energy Handbook
William H. Kemp
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, V0R 1X0, Canada
0973323329 $29.95 www.newsociety.com

Consulting electronics and software designer and green technology advocate William H. Kemp presents The Renewable Energy Handbook: A Guide to Rural Energy Independence, Off-Grid and Sustainable Living, a handbook to home improvement via stretching one's energy dollars and supporting environmental concerns through powering one's home with clean, dependable, renewable energy. Especially valuable for homeowners who live far from utility poles and power grids, but useful for all homeowners, The Renewable Energy Handbook covers energy-efficient home design considerations, especially factors that should be taken into account when renovating an older home; tips for appliance selection; an in-depth primer for off-grid living; electrical production through photovoltaic means, wind turbines, micro hydro electricity production, batteries, and fossil fuel backup power sources; how to apply and connect all the different aspects of green power safely; and much more. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this home improvement guide for readers of all backgrounds. The Renewable Energy Handbook is for both energy-conscious do-it-yourselfers and homeowners seeking to educate themselves on what exactly they need to know before they call in a professional. In today's world of oil crises, electrical blackouts, high gas prices and increasing environmental depredations, The Renewable Energy Handbook is a "must-have" for homeowners everywhere.


The Philosophy Shelf

Sentience and Sensibility
Matthew R. Silliman
Parmenides Publishing
3753 Howard Hughes Parkway, Suite 200, Las Vegas 89109
1930972075 $32.00 www.parmenides.com

Written by philosophy professor Matthew R. Silliman, Sentience and Sensibility: A Conversation About Moral Philosophy is a treatise written in the venerable format of philosophical dialogue between individuals, in which characters actively challenge each other to clarify their ideas and defend their reasoning. Eschewing excessive technical language to remain accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Sentience and Sensibility explores both traditional and fresh takes on weighty philosophical issues such as the nature and origin of moral values, the moral status of animals, problems of partiality, racism and moral perfectionism, and much more. A thought-provoking examination of fundamental philosophical morality quandaries affecting humankind from ancient times to the modern day.


The Political Science Shelf

Crashing The Gate
Jerome Armstong & Markos Moulitsas
Chelsea Green Publishing
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
193339241X $12.95 www.chelseagreen.com

Crashing The Gate: Netroots, Grassroots, and the Rise of People-Powered Politics is an unabashedly partisan examination of what needs to be done to transform the Democratic party into a viable opposition force to the Republican party, and therefore wrest the nation away from its currently disastrous neocon leadership. Chapters denounce the harm caused by the neocon Republican party, and describe what needs to be done to promote grass-roots opposition within the Democratic party; the authors are quite realistic about the limits of a two-party system, and offer means to reform the Democratic party as the swiftest and most practical way to improve American government. Topics covered include the importance of campaign finance reform, a trough that both Democrats and Republicans feed off of all too frequently; the unfortunate prevalence of unrealistic visions and "single-issue" obsessives within the Democratic party; the changing landscape of modern media; and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone involved in grassroots politics.


The Military Shelf

Weather Warfare
Jerry E. Smith
Adventures Unlimited Press
303 Main Street, Kempton, IL 60946
1931882606 $18.95 www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

Adventures Unlimited Press primarily publishes metaphysical and paranormal titles, yet Weather Warfare: The Military's Plan to Draft Mother Nature is an in-depth examination of modern military efforts to effectively "draft mother nature" - by applying the latest technology to manipulate weather patterns and possibly even natural disasters for military advantage. Weather Warfare covers both known historical incidents and speculation of unproven theories concerning military efforts. From simple rain-making to the possibility of earthquakes on demand to chemtrails, geoengineering, and much more, Weather Warfare touches upon a broad range of dimensions and demands open to military scrutiny. Though part of Weather Warfare is devoted to exploring unproven conjecture, its evidence of past military escapades and efforts to apply nature as a weapon is quite convincing in its own right. Highly recommended.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Quick Steps To Financial Stability
Alan Lavine & Gail Liberman
Que
800 E 96th St., 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240
0789735083 $16.95 www.quepublishing,com

Written by husband-and-wife syndicated columnists Alan Lavine and Gail Liberman, Quick Steps To Financial Stability: Expert Advice And Practical Techniques To Guide You Where You Want To Be is a straightforward financial guide for readers of all ages and backgrounds. Quick Steps To Financial Stability is plain-spoken, yet does not dumb-down its presentation of the basics in the slightest. Chapters cover how to zero in on and eliminate debt, create a simple investment plan, and improve one's savings plan. Lists of references for more in-depth information, easy-to-use mortgage worksheets, and an index round out this excellent primer for everyone ready to take financial preparedness to the next step beyond balancing the checkbook and paying off credit card debt.

High School Money Book
Don Silver
Adams-Hall Publishing
Box 491002, Los Angeles, CA 90049
0944708749 $19.95 www.adams-hall.com

Written by educational consultant Don Silver, High School Money Book is a practical, no-nonsense guide to basic money management skills - a "Money Smarts 101" for high school students, if you will. Chapters discuss simple, smart ways to think, such as the monetary value of resisting peer pressure or engaging in "voluntary simplicity" to reduce the tendency to fritter one's dollars away; shopping smarts; selecting the right credit card and using it appropriately ("If you take one piece of advice from this book, it's this: avoid credit card debt"); ways to bank, handle paperwork, and grow one's money; money smarts to remember when working at a job; and much more. A first-rate primer not only for teens, but for anyone unfamiliar with simple money matters. Enthusiastically recommended.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Women Shaping Islam
Pieternella Van Doorn-Harder
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6975
0252073177 $27.00 www.press.uillinois.edu 1-800-545-4703

Written by Pieternella Van Doorn-Harder (associate professor of Islam and World Religions, Valparaiso University), Women Shaping Islam: Reading the Qur'an in Indonesia is an exploration of the active role Muslim women have played in the religious culture of Indonesia, the largest majority-Muslim country in the world. Though a large amount of the Muslim world excludes women from religious authority, Indonesia's two leading Muslim organizations have crafted networks led by women who interpret sacred texts and wield notable religious influence. Women Shaping Islam discusses the history, current standing, and future of women in both these organizations (the Muhammadiyah and the Nahdlatul Ulama) with a scholarly eye toward accuracy, meticulous detail, and cultural context. An invaluable insight into the great sphere of influence of female Indonesian religious leaders, and a "must-read" for all students and scholars examining Islam and the Muslim world.

Teaching Islam
Eleanor Abdella Doumato & Gregory Starrett, editors
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th St., Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301-1026
1588264505 $55.00 www.rienner.com

Edited by Eleanor Abdella Doumato (visiting fellow, Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University) and Gregory Starrett (professor of anthropology, University of North Carolina at Charlotte), Teaching Islam: Textbooks and Religion in the Middle East is an anthology of scholarly essays by learned authors concerning the political and social priorities underlying religious education in nine Middle Eastern countries. One essay is devoted to Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, The Palestinian National Authority, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and Turkey; three additional essays examine the role of Islamic textbook creation and the impact of Islamic teaching methods upon the populace of a given nation state. An invaluable close scrutiny, especially in the wake of the September 11th attacks and accusations that textbooks fostering violence have heavily infiltrated Saudi Arabia and the Muslim world. Highly recommended.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Asia Shock
Patrick Galloway
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkeley, CA 94707
1933330120 $19.95 www.stonebridge.com

Written by multinational traveler and lifelong student of Asian film culture and philosophy Patrick Galloway, Asia Shock: Horror and Dark Cinema from Japan, Korea, Hong Kong, and Thailand is a movie buff's guide to the horror and shock cinema of the far east. Asia Shock is not a comprehensive encyclopedia of all films in the genre, but rather a "reviewer's choice" of top shocking picks, some with in-depth reviews and some with capsule reviews, nearly all with extensive notes on unique cultural paradigms, viewing tips, and genre considerations. Focusing on over 50 critical and fan-favorite gory, chilling, and startling Asian horror movies, Asia Shock is the connoisseur's definitive guide to the classics of this pop-culture genre.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

A Grey Moon Over China
Thomas A. Day
Black Heron Press
PO Box 95676, Seattle WA 98145
0930773780 $25.95 www.blackheronpress.com

Winner of the Black Heron Press Award for Social Fiction, A Grey Moon Over China is a dark, apocalyptic tale of a future riven by human greed. In a world-spanning energy war that pits the United States on one side against Japan and California on the other, a disillusioned company of Army engineers steal the plans for an energy device that could end the war and instead extort the resurrection of an abandoned space colonization effort to take them away from the dying planet. But they cannot leave all their evils behind as easily as that; armed colonists pursue them, and the wars follow them to the crushing Black Planet where armies are trained, to impoverished farms , and do the heavily guarded portal leading to a nigh-legendary haven. Following its cast of deeply flawed protagonists - the man driven to escape his past by destroying everything connected to it, the woman whose love is so all-consuming it will surely lead to self-destruction, soulless and merciless warriors male and female, and a failed priest who must ultimately resurrect the last shred of his conscience, A Grey Moon Over China is a compelling chronicle of the dark complexities of human character as surely as it is a star-spanning adventure.


The International Studies Shelf

Endgame in the Balkans
Elizabeth Pond
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC 20036-2188
0815771606 $29.95 www.brooking.edu

Written by German-based veteran journalist Elizabeth Pond, Endgame in the Balkans: Regime Change, European Style is a serious-minded examination of how the appeal of European Union membership is affecting the Balkan nations, and repercussions that developments in the Balkans are having on the EU. Bulgaria, Romania, Kosovo, Croatia, Bosnia, Macedonia, Albania, Serbia, and Montenegro all must confront and carry out difficult reforms to qualify for EU membership, including establishment of democracy, rule of law, and fostering general societal tolerance. At war with these efforts for change and longstanding intergenerational mindsets produced grown from poverty, corruption, and chauvinism. Yet the EU has already achieved sweeping historic changes by forging a historic reconciliation between France and Germany, and helping to consolidate democracy in Portugal, Spain, and Greece. Endgame in the Balkans explores the most difficult societal and nation-building challenge of the EU yet, through the collective information gathered from hundreds of interviews taken all across the Balkan region. A serious-minded and candid inquiry, written for lay readers and students of modern history and politics alike, highly recommended.

Witches, Westerners, and HIV
Alexander Rodlach
Left Coast Press
c/o University of Arizona Press
355 S. Euclid Avenue, #103, Tucson, AZ 85719
1598740342 $29.95 www.lcoastpress.com

Written by anthropologist and former missionary working in Zimbabwe Alexander Rodlach , Witches, Westerners, and HIV: Aids & Cultures of Blame in Africa is a serious-minded examination of cultural and social beliefs that give rise to harmful conspiracy theories and sometimes pose seemingly intractable barriers against attempts to prevent HIV/AIDS in the nation of Zimbabwe. Though Zimbabwe culture is the primary focus, the general insights of Witches, Westerners, and HIV are no doubt applicable to most if not all African nations suffering from the HIV/AIDS pandemic. Witches, Westerners, and HIV dissects cultural misunderstandings at length, from cultural beliefs in sorcery (including the idea that sorcerers use the power to spread HIV/AIDS) that provide an explanation for why the terrible disease afflicts good people; to the history of harm caused by colonialism as motivation for conspiracy theories that Western institutions are withholding a cure for HIV/AIDS or actually spreading HIV/AIDS by "distributing infected condoms" and the like; to the massacres the government carried out against perceived dissidents that have left lingering fear against speaking freely; to the need for receptive listening when interviewing Zimbabweans due to cultural tendencies to speak in metaphorical terms. An absolute "must-read" for any health care or other professionals seeking to learn lessons from tragic failures of the past and better understand how to be effective in African nations in general and Zimbabwe in particular. Highly recommended.


The Social Issues Shelf

Conjugal America
Allan Carlson
Transaction Books
390 Campus Drive, Somerset, NJ 08873
0765803623 $29.95 www.transactionpub.com 1-888-999-6778

Written by Allan Carlson (president of the Howard Center for Family) for readers of all backgrounds, Religion, and Society, Conjugal America: On the Public Purposes of Marriage is a reasoned treatise, written with the precision and rationality, concerning the role of marriage as a human institution in fostering the perpetual stability of society. Conjugal America speaks out against gay marriage and civil unions, no-fault divorce, tax laws with a "marriage penalty", declining fertility rates in industrialized countries such as the United States, and also dismisses claims of the imminent threat of human overpopulation. Conjugal America does not use religious tenets or concepts of "sin" to justify its claims, but rather presents the view that male-female married relationships are the most stable and effective vehicle for producing healthy, well-adjusted children in large quantities - children which are the future of the nation. To this end, Conjugal America argues strongly against practices that favor the single individual over the married couple or large family, welfare payments that support out-of-wedlock births, and any redefinition of marriage that could divert societal, economic, or moral support for male-female family-producing couples. Of especial note is a final section in which Carlson answers questions from a philosophically opposed detractor at length, defending his arguments as thoroughly as possible. On the Public Purposes of Marriage is an absolute "must-read" not for what it says, but rather how it speaks - in a style of reasoned, serious-minded public debate with the greater good in mind, listening openly to opponents and addressing their counterpoints logically without resorting to any kind of personal attacks, morality judgments, or blanket pandering. This is how arguments concerning all social policies should be phrased and presented. Regardless of the reader's personal beliefs about marriage, he or she is sure to gain insights into the modern changes in social fabric from this book and better understand the logical reasoning of his or her own personal views. Highly recommended.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Everything Cat Book, second edition
Karen Leigh Davis
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
1593375778 $14.95 www.everything.com

Now in an updated second edition, The Everything Cat Book: All You Need to Know About Caring for Your favorite Feline Friends is a solid, well-rounded primer for prospective and current cat owners alike. Written by Karen Leigh Davis, a professional member of Cat Writers' Association Inc. whose work has appeared in "CATS Magazine" and "Cat Fancy", The Everything Cat Book covers the pros and cons of adopting a stray versus buying a purebred, how to tell a reputable breeder (one tip is to ask breeders questions about whether their litters are registered and how well their cats do in shows - unscrupulous breeders rarely bother with either, as registration fees cut into their profits), how to prepare for a new kitten, all aspects of feeding, grooming, litterbox cleaning, and dealing with behavior problems, what to expect when breeding cats and raising kittens, first aid and emergency care, showing cats, and much more. The writing is accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and the true value of The Everything Cat Book is its attention to detail - such as a lengthy list of common household plants that are toxic to cats. An absolute "must-read" for cat owners and cat fanciers everywhere.

Watchable Birds of the Black Hills, Badlands, and Northern Great Plains
Jan L. Wassink
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, Montana 59806
0878425268 $22.00 www.mountain-press.com 1-800-234-5308

Written by wildlife management expert and photographer, Jan L. Wassink, Watchable Birds of the Black Hills, Badlands, and Northern Great Plains is a stunning, full-color field guide to the feathered friends known to grace North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, eastern Montana and Wyoming, and the northeast corner of Colorado. Each species of bird has half a page to a page of text devoted to it. 257 beautiful color photographs, a state-by-state guide for birdwatching destinations, hot spots for viewing rare species, tips for distinguishing different species in the field, and much more, Watchable Birds of the Black Hills, Badlands, and Northern Great Plains is an absolute "must" for avid birdwatcher residents and visitors of the region, and a delight to simply page through for birdwatchers everywhere.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

American Born Chinese
Gene Luen Yang
First Second (Roaring Brook Press)
c/o Holtzbrinck Publishing
143 West Street, New Millford, CT 06776
www.roaringbrookpress.com 1-800-462-4703
1596431520 $16.95 www.firstsecondbooks.net

Written by Gene Luen Yang, American Born Chinese is a full color graphic novel that uses a simple, vivid style of color illustration to contrast parallel narratives of Jin Wang, a Chinese-American boy who longs to fit in and date his attractive high school classmate; Danny, a boy plagued by yearly visits from his cousin Chin-Kee who embodies every hateful Chinese stereotype imaginable; and the Monkey King, a mythical character from ancient fables whose pride and stubborn defiance against the will of Creator Tze-Yo-Tzuh resulted in his imprisonment under a mountain for five hundred years. Just as the Monkey King was ashamed of being a monkey and sought to hide or overcome it, young Jin Wang is ashamed of his Chinese heritage and longs to hide it. The three stories come together in a surprising climax, in this candidly told, utterly absorbing modern American fable. Highly recommended.


The Business Shelf

Brand It Yourself
Lynn Altman
Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
322 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1702, New York, NY 10001
1591841062 $21.95 www.us.penguingroup.com 1-800-847-5515

Lynn Altman, cofounder of brand consulting firm Viverito & Altman Inc., presents Brand It Yourself: The Fast, Focused Way to Marketplace Magic, a guide to transforming branding into an energizing, exciting process that captivates consumer imaginations. Teaching the "Brandmaker Express" process as a means for revitalizing and overcoming paralysis in marketing departments, Brand It Yourself covers not only being sufficiently bold to take the market by storm, but also how to avoid common advertising quagmires such as puns, negatives, ads that focus too much on problem areas, wearing one's price tag on one's sleeve, the dangers of branding, and the savvy consumer's modern distrust of "doctor" and expert recommendations for products. "In fact, while this book is not the number-one Doctor Recommended Book on Branding, it is a book endorsed by the Branding Professionals of America (BPA), the New Product Marketing Alliance (NPMA), and the Fast Branders of America (FBA). Well, it would be if any of them really existed." Salacious humor, straight-to-the-point advice, tips, tricks, techniques, and much more backed by a lifetime of experience in the field make Brand It Yourself a "must-read" for anyone responsible for business marketing and advertising.

Taking Minutes of Meetings
Joanna Gutmann
Kogan Page International
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
Stylus Publishing (distributor)
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
0749445599 $17.95 www.koganpage.com 1-800-232-0223

Written by freelance training consultant and secretarial education expert Joanna Gutmann, Taking Minutes of Meetings is a no-nonsense, self-teaching tool instructing the reader in the theory and application of proper forms for taking minutes (records) of a meeting. Chapters cover tips for setting up a meeting, personal preparation recommendations, guidelines for taking notes and constructing minutes, how to record decisions and actions in such a manner that any reader will immediately understand what happened, and much more. Numerous examples and sample formats clearly show the note-taking forms that Gutmann recommends, in this one-of-a-kind quick-study tool that can swiftly transform any willing student into a skilled minute-taker.


The Self-Help Shelf

Change 101
Bill O'Hanlon
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393704963 $23.95 www.wwnorton.com

A very strongly recommended addition to the reading list of anyone who has or is contemplating any form of therapy to improve their lives or help them deal with the their problems, CHANGE 101: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO CREATING CHANGE IN LIFE OR THERAPY tells of the one thing all therapies have in common: they all work with clients to facilitate change. That said, it's surprising that few books on therapy identify this common denominator to treatment – or survey the basic idea of what constitutes helpful change. Bill O'Hanlon provides keys to achieving personal transformation, offering specific methods to encourage change. His background as a licensed marriage and family therapist lends to reality-based discussions in a survey recommended for both psychology collections and general-interest libraries.

Mapping the Memory
Rita Carter
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703
1569755558 $14.95 www.ulyssespress.com 1-800-377-2542

Mapping the Memory: Understanding Your Brain to Improve Your Memory is a one-of-a-kind informational book about improving one's memory through understanding basic neuroscience and skillfully applying tools such as mnemonics (such as "homes" for remembering the Great Lakes - Huron, Ontario, Michigan, Erie, Superior). Chapters discuss the neuroscience of making memories, common memory problems, causes and cures of memory ills, and tips, tricks, and techniques to improve one's memory. A reader-friendly, down-to-earth discussion of the practical realities and benefits gleaned from modern scientific research, Mapping the Memory is especially recommended for students, knowledge-skill professionals, and anyone else whose expertise and success depends heavily on maximizing their memory capacity. Highly recommended, as is author Rita Carter's previous book, "Mapping the Mind".

Hip Tranquil Chick
Kimberly Wilson
Inner Ocean Publishing
PO Box 1239, Makawao, Maui, Hawaii 96768
1930722710 $16.95 www.innerocean.com

Written by Kimberly Wilson, founder of Tranquil Space (voted "DC's Best Yoga Studio"), Hip Tranquil Chick: A Guide to Life On and Off the Yoga Mat is a holistic self-help guide to improving one's health, lifestyle, and mindset Chapters cover yoga sequences to aid personal flexibility and tranquility, tips for consciously creating a solid career path, interior design advice, important things to keep in mind when managing finances, and much more. Written by a woman, for women, in a down-to-earth style accessible lay readers, and illustrated with simple diagrams of yoga poses, Hip Tranquil Chick is especially recommended for women of all ages who are ready to take control and make the most of their destinies.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Way Into Judaism and the Environment
Jeremy Benstein, Ph.D.
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, RT4, Woodstock, VT 05091
158023268X $24.99 www.jewishlights.com

Jeremy Benstein, Ph.D. applies his extensive studies and knowledge of rabbinic literature and environmental ethics in The Way Into Judaism and the Environment, a serious-minded discussion of the role Judaism needs to play in proper stewardship of creation, especially in today's modern era of global warming, climate change, pollution, and extinction. Chapters address everything from the question of global overpopulation to the dangers of overconsumption and the need to strike a balance between what is necessary or healthful with what is extravagant and wasteful, the role of Jewish holidays and observances in replenishing not only faith, but belief in the importance of careful stewardship and personal responsibility, to what different interpretations of the book of Genesis have to say about man's relationship to the environment. Written in plain terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Way Into Judaism and the Environment is thought-provoking material offering invaluable insights to readers of all faiths, even though the specific focus is on the Jewish faith and the obligations its practitioners have to the environment. Highly recommended.


The Science Shelf

Introducing Geology
Graham Park
Dunedin Academic Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services (ISBS)
920 NE 58th Avenue, Suite 3000, Portland, OR 97213-3786
1903765641 $19.99 www.isbs.com

Written by professional geologist Graham Park, Introducing Geology: A Guide to the World of Rocks is a straightforward text for readers of all ages with a budding interest in the science. Introducing Geology does not talk down to its readers in the slightest, yet most scientific terms are typed in boldface and listed in the glossary to aid comprehension. Chapters cover the basics about all rocks and the Earth's crust, from crystals and gemstones to melted rock found near volcanoes to sediment, geological time, earthquakes, fossils, geology and industry, and much more. Diagrams and color photographs throughout illustrate this first-rate primer.

Vital Harmonies
Erwin Fleissner
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
0231131135 $19.00 www.columbia.edu/cy/cup 1-800-944-8648

Written by professor emeritus of biology Erwin Fleissner, Vital Harmonies: Molecular Biology & Our Shared Humanity is an introduction to the amazing mysteries of cell biology and molecular genetics, and landmark discoveries made in the field over the past fifty years. Written for readers of all backgrounds, Vital Harmonies blends memoir-style personal recollections, scientific analysis, and speculation on what the future holds as well as cellular biology-related questions and problems facing humanity today. A glossary, further reading list, and index round out this one-of-a-kind insider's reminiscence of how human enquiry about the basic building blocks all humans are made of changed the world.


The Women's Studies Shelf

The Sum of Our Past
Judy Busk
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
1560851848 $32.95 www.signaturebooks.com 1-800-356-5687

THE SUM OF OUR PAST: REVISITING PIONEER WOMEN is a 'must' for any college-level holding on women's studies, and many a public library strong in either this or pioneer history: it examines how pioneer women handled personal issues ranging from depression and family planning to keeping house, using the author's own ancestors as a starting point for pinpointing daily issues which arose. You could call THE SUM OF OUR PAST a family autobiography but it's so much more, combining blending vintage black and white photos with first-person accounts in a truly powerful presentation.


The Cookbook Shelf

Lebanese Cooking
Dawn, Elaine & Selwa Anthony
Periplus
c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
0794650244 $19.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com

Relatively few cookbooks cover Lebanese cuisine outside of the general Middle East, and those that do often omit color photos. Now there's an inviting revision to Dawn, Elaine and Selway Anthony's "Lebanese Cookbook (a best-selling book and the first ever published outside Lebanon) which pairs over a hundred color photos with classic Lebanese dishes. From basic kibbi to Okra Stew, all the classics Lebanese recipes are here, making it an excellent pick for any library strong in international cooking, and an ideal addition to gourmet club member reference shelves.


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


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