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Library Bookwatch

Volume 5, Number 5 May 2010 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Library Science Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library CD Music Shelf
World History Shelf Journalism Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Criminology Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Fiction Shelf
American History Shelf Biography Shelf Art Shelf
Political Science Shelf Civil War Shelf Native American Shelf
Agricultural Studies Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Military Shelf Poetry Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Humor Shelf Philosophy Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Women's Studies Shelf Marriage Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Education Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Gardening Shelf Sports Shelf Psychology Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Economics Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Business Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

National Parks, fourth edition
Alfred Runte
Taylor Trade
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781589794757, $16.95, www.rlpgtrade.com

National parks are a reminder to the natural wonder of America's natural environment. "National Parks: The American Experience" is the fourth edition of the history of America' parks and how they came to be. Tracing the history from how they first came into need to conservation efforts through the twenty first century and how they will be handled in the future, Alfred Runte gives a comprehensive discussion of America's parks. "National Parks" is a choice and solidly recommended addition to natural history collections.


The Library Science Shelf

Solving The Reading Riddle
Rita Soltan
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781591588443, $40.00, www.amazon.com

One of the primary responsibilities of the librarians (especially in the children's department or school media center) is to assist their young patrons with reading advice and selection compatible with that child's needs for such assistance. It is incumbent upon the librarian to work with parents and teachers in helping children learn to read by providing information and suggestions appropriate to motivating a child to read, as well as materials suitable for that purpose. In "Solving The Reading Riddle: The Librarian's Guide to Reading Instruction", independent library youth services consultant and children's book reviewer Rita Soltan has written a 120-page handbook of information, advice, and instruction on reading instruction theories and practices ranging form early literacy initiatives and read-aloud programs, to parent workshops and data collection. Very nicely organized and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Solving The Reading Riddle" is an ideal Library Science curriculum textbook and a highly recommended addition to academic library Science reference collections and professional reading lists.

Countdown To A New Library, second edition
Jeannette Woodward
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838910122, $75.00, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Countdown to a New Library: Managing the Building Project", in which librarian and author Jeannette Woodward draws upon her many years of experience and expertise, continues to be an indispensable instructional guide for anyone charged with the responsibility of building, remodeling, or expanding a library to meet the growing demands of the community they serve. Taking the reader step-by-step through the entire process from beginning to end, this new edition of Countdown to a New Library: Managing the Building Project" is replete with useful checklists and practical worksheets. Librarians and library board members alike, will appreciate the updated references, standards, materials, and resources; the tips on efficient HVAC systems, as well as the evolving rules for LEED certification. Of special note is the up-to-date information on current technological issues. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Countdown to a New Library: Managing the Building Project" should be considered mandatory reading and an invaluable instructional guide for those charged with building a community library that will be up to code, within budget, and adequate to their community's needs.

Recommended Reference Books, tenth edition
Shannon Graff Hysell, editor
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
www.abc-clio.com
9781598845921, $75.00, www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and significantly expanded tenth edition, "Recommended Reference Books For Small And Medium-Sized Libraries And Media Centers" continues to be a bedrock professional acquisition reference, especially for libraries and library systems service rural and suburban populations with limited budgetary resources. Superbly organized lists are deftly organized into four major sections dedicated to general reference works, the social sciences, the humanities, science and technology. Enhanced with both an Author/Title Index and a Subject Index, this thoroughly 'user friendly', 350-page compendium will prove to be an indispensable reference, making it strongly recommended for both academic and community libraries and library systems.

How To Pay For your Degree In Library & Information Studies 2010-2012
Gail A. Schlachter & R. David Weber
Reference Service Press
5000 Windplay Drive, Suite 4, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
www.rspfunding.com
1588412156, $30.00, www.amazon.com

Becoming a university trained librarian takes years of study and a great deal of money. A very special resource for students aspiring to enroll in a Library Studies course seeking a degree in Library Science, "How to Pay for Your Degree in Library & Information Studies 2010-2012", the collaborative project of Gail A. Schlachter and R. David Weber, is a 266-page compendium of financial resources. Providing thoroughly 'student friendly' information on hundreds of financial aid programs dedicated specifically for students seeking a Library Science degree, "How to Pay for Your Degree in Library & Information Studies 2010-2012" brings together under a single cover detailed descriptions of funding resources made easily accessible through detailed indexes enabling the student to search for funding by degree level, program title, sponsor, funded activity, library specialty, where the student resides, student diversity, and application dates. Unique and invaluable, "How to Pay for Your Degree in Library & Information Studies 2010-2012" is an impressive and highly recommended specialized funding reference and recommended for personal, academic, and community library Jobs/Careers reference collections in general, and Library Science educational funding resource lists in particular.

The Shoestring Library
Sheryl Kindle Fullner
Linworth Books
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781586835200, $30.00, www.amazon.com

From the small town library to urban metropolis library systems, every library building, including its layout, support functions, even its physical plant, will eventually need to be upgraded, re-arranged, augmented, and improved to provide more services for a growing patronage their evolving demands. What is also inevitable is that libraries today are often operating on minimal and shrinking budgets. That's why "The Shoestring Library" by Sheryl Kindle Fullner who draws upon her many years of experience and expertise as a librarian at Corban University, Salem, Oregon, and then as a librarian at the Nooksack Valley Middle School in Everson, Washington, to compile a 137-page compendium of some three hundred specific suggestions and ideas to accomplish a library 'makeover' with a minimum of financial investment. It should be noted that 114 of these practical ideas are especially environmentally friendly. With respect to services, "The Shoestring Library" covers everything from time-management issues, to the utilization of substitutes, to contests, diversity projects. Focusing on the library building, "The Shoestring Library" ranges from painting and the use of color, to increasing seating, to shelving and desks, to lighting, walls, windows, and more. Nicely illustrated throughout, "The Shoestring Library" is as informed and informative as it is practical and 'user friendly', making it an ideal and highly useful addition to both academic library science collections and on-site reading lists for librarians and library policy makers.


The Library DVD Shelf

Careers in Art
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2159, Glenview, IL 60025-6159
9781562906122 $29.95 www.crystalproductions.com 1-800-255-8629

The DVD complement to Crystal Productions' "Careers in Art" poster series, Careers in Art is an educational DVD for students that reveals how modern-day professionals work in the visual arts as careers. Experts speak of their jobs as architects, art educators, fashion designers, framers, gallery owners, graphic designers, painters, photographers, publication designers, urban planners and more. A wealth of insights perfect for starting a discussion about planning a budding artist's future, Careers in Art is an excellent and highly recommended addition to grade school DVD libraries. 29 minutes.

Foyle's War, Set 6
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598284300 $49.99 www.acornmedia.com

Foyle's War, Set 6 is a 3-DVD set collecting three episodes of the compelling British mysteries set in the British coastal town of Hastings, shortly after the devastation of World War II. DCS Christopher Foyle is a police investigator whose yearning for retirement is belayed by unfolding cases of military racism, international conflict, even an accused traitor unwilling to resist the sentence of the gallows. The episodes are "The Russian House", in which the escape of a Russian POW brings calamity and murder, igniting division between Foyle and a former subordinate; "Killing Time" about the prospect of absolute disaster involving African American GIs who want to return home; and "The Hide", a tale about a young woman's murder and an accused traitor who will not defend himself. Superb acting is the hallmark of this captivating series, highly recommended especially for aficionados of British mysteries. 300 minutes, widescreen, SDH subtitles.

The Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha
a film by David Grubin
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608831951 $24.99 www.shopPBS.org

Emmy-award winning filmmaker David Grubin presents The Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha, a two-hour documentary chronicling the life of the holy man of India, who achieved enlightenment - a way to escape the eternal suffering cycle of death and rebirth. Having found this path to Nirvana, he proceeded to teach others, and his wisdom guides all who will listen to the importance of following the Middle Way. Original animation, classic paintings and sculptures, the testimony of modern-day Buddhists including Pulitzer Prize-winning poet WS Merwin and his Holiness the Dalai Lama enhance this extraordinary presentation. The Buddha: The Story of Siddhartha is especially recommended for public library collections, and is a "must-see" for anyone curious about Buddhism or the noble man who founded it. 2 hours, descriptive video available for the visually impaired, subtitles available in English as well as Chinese Mandarin Traditional & Simplified.

RX Nutrition
Dr. Rick Kattouf II
TeamKattouf, Inc.
209 North Main Street #218, Greenville, SC 29601
$49.95 www.teamkattouf.com

RX Nutrition: Eating for Improved Performance in Life, Fitness and Sport is a three-DVD series meant to promote healthier living by changing the way viewers eat and think about food. Dr. Rick Kattouf II applies his expertise in nutrition and sports nutrition, coaching and food psychology, explaining that simply "eating healthy" is not enough - one must "eat right" to promote better personal fitness and improved performance in sports. The result is a helpful program recommending positive lifestyle changes, suitable for both athletes and ordinary people struggling to lose weight. A solid, easy-to-follow presentation of key nutritional principles that readers of all backgrounds need to know in order to improve their dietary habits, RX Nutrition is highly recommended. 3 DVDs, 90 minutes.

The Reluctant Saint
Starring Maximilian Schell, Ricardo Montalban, Lea Padovani, and Akim Tamiroff
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586174576 $19.95 www.ignatius.com 1-800-651-1531

Now available in a new DVD transfer from the original archived master copy, The Reluctant Saint is a classic black-and-white movie about the "flying friar" St. Joseph of Cupertino, a 17th century Franciscan friar who earned sainthood. From his acceptance into the monastery at a young age, to his abiding personal piety, to denouncements by his rival Don Raspi (played by Ricardo Montalban) claiming that his powers came from the Devil, not God - an accusation that would require nothing less than a miracle to disprove - The Reluctant Saint is the amazing dramatization of an extraordinary man's life, seasoned with dashes of wry humor. A 16-page collector's booklet with an essay by film critic Steven Greydanus and a biography of St. Joseph of Cupertino enhances this excellent addition to personal and church library DVD collections. 104 minutes, black-and-white, widescreen, English with optional subtitles in English or Spanish. Also highly recommended from Ignatius Press is the DVD movie "Paul VI: The Pope in the Tempest" (9781586174781, $24.95, 200 minutes).

Body by Bethenny
Bethenny Frankel
Acacia
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598284409 $16.99 www.acornmedia.com

Hosted by the natural food chef, TV star, and bestselling author of "The Skinnygirl Dish" Bethenny Frankel, Body by Bethenny is a yoga fitness program on DVD ideal for cultivating a limber and stronger body. The workout tones the abs, thighs, glutes, and arms while promoting balance, with a strength-training segment to improve one's body. A program designed to work for viewers of all fitness levels, Body by Bethenny requires no expensive equipment - only light hand weights and a mat. Recipes from Bethenny's "The Skinnygirl Dish" round out this excellent, easy-to-use addition to personal fitness DVD libraries. 55 minutes, widescreen.

The Great American West
Jason Robards
Janson Media
88 Semmens Road, Harrington Park, NJ 07640
9781568393504 $19.95 www.janson.com

Originally filmed for release in IMAX theaters, The Great American West is the extraordinary true saga of the settling of America's western frontier. Panoramic Western scenery is combined with a historical chronicle of the major events in the taming of the West - from the Louisiana Purchase to the Census Bureau's determination in 1890 that there was no more frontier to settle. Smoothly narrated by Jason Robards, The Great American West is a captivating tribute to the labor of those who transformed the nation, as well as an exciting glimpse into the highlights of history's wheel turning. The Great American West is a joy for viewers of all ages and backgrounds, and is especially recommended for public library DVD collections. 49 minutes.

What Darwin Never Knew
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608830985 $24.99 www.shopPBS.org

Coinciding with the 150th anniversary of Darwin's publication of "On the Origin of Species", What Darwin Never Knew is an episode of the acclaimed documentary series NOVA on DVD, exploring the latest breakthroughs in the mysteries that Darwin himself could not explain. A new science, playfully nicknamed "evo devo", links the mystery of evolution with the development of the embryo, revealing how closely the two mirror one another. Taking the viewer on a tour to the Galapagos Islands and the Arctic, What Darwin Never Knew shows scientists pursuing research in an effort to unlock genetic secrets and reveal how the extraordinary diversity of life on the planet came to be. An extraordinary revelation of scientific discoveries in the making, What Darwin Never Knew is a choice pick for public library DVD shelves. Also highly recommended is the PBS Home Video DVD "Faces of America with Henry Louis Gates, Jr." (9781608832026, $24.99).

Testament
Athena
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598283792 $59.99 www.acornmedia.com

As originally shown on the Discovery channel, Testament is a seven-part series on DVD revealing what archaeology and the evidence of history can tell us about the Bible, especially the stories of Abraham, the Exodus, and Jesus of Nazareth. Host and expert archaeologist John Romer shows the viewer dig sites at Jericho, Jerusalem, and elsewhere in his quest to unravel the hidden mysteries of scripture. An extraordinary presentation intended for believers and non-believers alike, Testament is highly recommended, especially for public library DVD collections. 3 DVDs, 363 minutes, full screen, SDH subtitles.

Pilates! A Gentle Formula To A Strong Body
Risa Sheppard
The Sheppard Method, Inc.
411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 www.411videoinfo.com

Intended for viewers aged 16 to 96, Pilates! A Gentle Formula To A Strong Body is a mat workout DVD developed by Risa Sheppard (a Pilates teacher of 30 years experience), and hosted by instructors Risa and Gidget. Two thirty-minute workouts are offered, one for Pilates beginners and one for intermediate practitioners. The step-by-step guidance through moves that promote flexibility, strength, and overall health. A challenging routine that nonetheless involves grace and precision, Pilates! A Gentle Formula To A Strong Body lives up to its title and is a welcome and worthy addition to DVD fitness libraries. 60 minutes, 16:9 aspect ratio.

We'll Meet Again
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598283839 $59.99 www.acornmedia.com

As originally seen on PBS, We'll Meet Again collects thirteen episodes of the British drama set four years into World War II, when the sleepy English village of Market Wetherby is rocked to its foundation by the arrival of American troops - who are, in the opinion of many locals, "overpaid, oversexed, and over here." The "Yanks" and villagers quickly take to butting heads over various issues, but not all the relationships formed are those of conflict - local doctor Helen Dereham (played by Oscar nominee Susannah York) and base commander Major James Kylie (played by Michael J. Shannon) find a connection with one another, an event that has repercussions on the whole town. A blend of drama, romance, intrigue, and character foils, succinctly written and superbly acted, We'll Meet Again is a treasure for anyone who loves the best of British drama. 4 DVDs, 679 minutes, 4:3 full screen.

The Brain: Developing Memory in Developing Brains
Learning ZoneXPress
PO Box 1022, Owatonna, MN 55060
1571759506 $49.95 www.learningzoneexpress.com 1-888-455-7003

Intended for viewers in grades 7 and up, as well as adults, The Brain: Developing Memory in Developing Brains Birth to Five Years is an educational DVD designed to help parents and caregivers understand what they can do to facilitate healthy brain development in very young children. Opening with a quick review of the main parts of the brain, as well as the difference between short and long term memory, The Brain: Developing Memory in Developing Brains progresses into practical things parents and caregivers can do to stimulate children's thoughts and learning skills - finger plays, action songs, baby massage, and more. The values of multi-sensory learning, repetition, and encouraging children's self-confidence are also discussed in this invaluable resource, especially recommended for homeroom viewing in public schools and public library DVD collections. 21 minutes, closed captioned.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Tales from the Script
Peter Hanson, director
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com www.talesfromthescript.com

Tales from the Script is an extraordinary documentary about the art, craft, and business of screenwriting, particularly for Hollywood movies. Consisting of the firsthand testimonies from a wealth of minds behind big-budget screenplays - some beloved classics, some icons of pop culture, and some horrendous bombs or flops (the author of the "Bloodrayne" screenplay would like it noted that roughly 20% of her original work survived what Uwe Boll did to it). These men and women recall what it was like trying to break into the business, trying to make enough money to survive while writing professionally, working with directors and actors, honing one's craft, and more. The special features include a twelve-minute segment featuring the wisdom of author/screenwriter William Goldman, and a nine-minute section expressly consisting of advice for novice screenwriters. A candid, forthright, no-nonsense collection, Tales from the Script is an absolute "must-see" for anyone interested in breaking into (or trying to advance their position within) the screenplay business. 105 minutes. Also highly recommended is the First Run Features documentary "The Tiger Next Door" ($24.95, 86 minutes).

Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips For Writers
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
How To Do it Frugally Publishing
HoJoNews@aol.com
www.HowToDoItFrugally.com
9781450507653, $6.95, www.amazon.com

A successful author, editor, writing and publishing consultant, Carolyn Howard-Johnson draws upon her many years of experience and expertise to compile a 56-page compendium of 'user friendly' and immanently practical advice that will enable writers to avoid commonly encountered errors of spelling and thereby making their work, be it a blog, a letter, or the next Great American Novel, to be all that it should. From adapting/adopting to wreak/reek, "Great Little Last-Minute Editing Tips For Writers" is highly recommended reading for anyone preparing to write pretty much anything -- and a fascinating read in its own right for those who appreciate word-play and the occasionally encountered dilemmas of the English language!


The Audiobook Shelf

The True Story of Butterfish
Nick Earls, author
David Tredinnick, narrator
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd, Jackson, ME 04921
9781742146553 $87.95 www.bolinda.com

The True Story of Butterfish is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Nick Earls' thoughtful story of Curtis Holland, who has spent years touring the world with his band Butterfish. Now his extraordinary life on the road is about to be one-upped by two very ordinary woman, a divorced mother Kate and her sixteen-year-old daughter Annaliese. Invited to dinner by Kate, he gradually finds himself drawn into this quite normal yet ultimately extraordinary family - extraordinary in the sense that all human beings have, in their power to draw out meaning and purpose in one another's lives. Superbly performed by David Tredinnick, The True Story of Butterfish is highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9 hours 6 minutes, tracks every 3 minutes for easy bookmarking.

An Iron Rose
Peter Temple, author
Marco Chiappi, narrator
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd, Jackson, ME 04921
9781742146621 $77.95 www.bolinda.com

An Iron Rose is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Peter Temple's suspenseful novel of country blacksmith Mac Faraday, who carries a burden from his life before he adopted a quiet profession in an out-of-the-way locale. When his best friend is found dead from a noose, Mac cannot believe it is the result of suicide. Secrets from his past bubble to the surface, and murder threatens those he considers most dear - to defend his life and the lives of those he cares about, he will have to confront the dangerous life he left behind, and every last vigilant advantage he can extract from it. A gripping story through and through, expertly brought to life by award-winning actor Marco Chiappi, and especially recommended for playing on long car or plane trips. 8 CDs, 7 hours 12 minutes, tracks every three minutes for easy bookmarking.

Pope Joan
Donna Woolfolk Cross, author
Barbara Rosenblat, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781440707971 $123.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Skillfully narrated by award-winning performer Barbara Rosenblat, Pope Joan is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Donna Woolfolk Cross' historical novel set in the harsh Dark Ages. In an era when women are considered to be the origin of sin and evil, Pope Joan tells of a woman who passes herself off as male - assuming her murdered brother's identity of John Anglicus - to join a monastery. Her intelligence makes her a gifted scholar and healer; she makes her way to Rome, hiding her secret amid political intrigue - and even achieves the Papacy. An extraordinarily rich saga grounded in exhaustive historical research and detail, Pope Joan is surprising, challenging, and fascinating to the very end. 17 CDs, 19.5 hours, with tracks every 3 minutes for easy bookmarking.

Happy
Ian K. Smith, M.D., author & narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781427208644 $24.99 www.macmillanaudio.com www.happysimplesteps.com

Read aloud by author and medical/diet expert Ian K. Smith, Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a solid self-help manual to improving the quality of one's life. Happiness, explains Smith, doesn't come from material possessions or status symbols; it comes from within, in molding oneself into the person one wants to be - and therefore, a person that others will also want to be with. Chapters teach the listener that optimism and realism are not opposites; how to free oneself from the endless cycle of pushing oneself to get the money to buy more useless stuff; the value of savoring the simple pleasures of life; lessons in happiness one can learn from the nation of Denmark; and much more. An excellent motivational and insightful self-help guide, Happy lives up to its title. Disc 1 includes a bonus .pdf file of Smith's "Happiness Test" and easy-to-use "Happy Plan". 4 CDs, 5 hours.


The Library CD Music Shelf

Something to Live For
Barbara Carroll trio ith Ken Peplowski
Harbinger Records Ltd.
344 West 49th Street, New York, NY 10019
Miller Wright & Associates, Inc.
1650 Broadway, Suite 1210, New York, NY 10019
$15.98 www.barbaracarrolljazz.com www.millerwright.com

Something to Live For: Live at Dizzy's Club Coca-Cola is a new CD by beloved piano jazz player and vocalist Barbara Carroll, whose storied career began in a 1951 Manhattan nightclub. Jay Leon on bass and Alvin Atkinson on drums, and special guest star Ken Peplowski on tenor saxophone and clarinet lend their talents to this elegant, sweeping, and rapturous collection. Highly recommended, especially for jazz enthusiasts. The tracks are "All I Need Is The Girl" (6:05), "Lonely Town" (7:45), "I Wanna Be Yours" (3:43), "How Could You Do A Thing Like That To Me?" (7:06), "Single Petal Of A Rose" (1:50), "In A Sentimental Mood" (2:40), "Mood Indigo" (3:37), "Things Ain't What They Used To Be" (5:15), "How About You?" (4:13), "Something To Live For" (2:08), "Lotus Blossom" (5:25), and "A Night In Tunisia" (5:48).

Quiet Now
Tutu Puoane
Music & Words
Maanlander 41, 3824MN Amersfoort, the Netherlands
info@musicwords.nl
$18.99 www.musicwords.nl www.tutupuoane.info www.saphrane.com

Award-winning South African vocalist Tutu Puoane presents Quiet Now, an album that focuses more on original repertoire than covers, especially songs written by her partner and pianist Ewout Pierreux and bass player Nicolas Thys. Some songs have lyrics in both English and Sepedi, Tutu's native tongue. At times highly personal and emotional, Quiet Now is an extraordinary work of beauty, highly recommended. The tracks are "You Taught My Heart To Sing" (5:57), "I Know You Know" (6:10), "Quiet Now" (4:53), "Mangakane" (6:46), "Baby, Baby, Baby" (4:53), "Hlompha Bophelo" (6:20), "Old Man River / Perfect Life (7:13), "I Don't Know Where I Stand" (3:07), "Mpho" (8:05), "Love Is The Simple Truth" (6:55), and "Wayne" (3:45).

Hymns for the Rebel Soul
Rocky Dawuni
P&C Aquarian Records
PO Box 1510, Pacific Palisades, CA 90272
Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$9.99 www.rockydawuni.com www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Ghanaian reggae performer Rocky Dawuni presents Hymns for the Rebel Soul, an album that reflects his musical influences from travels around the world. The songs range from "Jerusalem", a song that combines Middle Eastern harmonic sense in its guitar, and Arabic Dumbek rhythm in counterpart to Dawuni's lyrics; to "Take it Slow (Love Love Love)" that was composed during a tour with Finnish pop stars, and involves Scandinavian rhythms and harmonies, even a Finnish folk flute. Hymns for the Rebel Souls reflects the artist's drive to not only create memorable music, but also to spread a message of social justice and the value of working for a better world - his involvement on behalf of African causes such as UNICEF, the Carter Center, and Product (Red) in an effort to combat poverty and the spread of AIDS is well known. An emotional, passionate, and eclectic album, highly recommended. The tracks are "Download the Revolution", "African Reggae Fever", "Extraordinary Woman", "Walls Tumblin Down", "Master Plan", "Road to Destiny", "Freefall", "Jerusalem", "Walk the Talk", "Heads Up High", and "Take It Slow" (Love Love Love).

Bad Reputation
Pierre de Gaillande, singer
Barbes Records
193 18th St., Brooklyn, NY 11215
Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.barbesrecords.com www.rockpaperscissors.biz

In the music CD album Bad Reputation, Paris-born, California-raised singer, musician, composer, and translator Pierre de Gaillande brings the wondrous, vivid, and at times bawdy world of Georges Brassens to English-speaking audiences. Skillfully translated and performed by Gaillande, Bad Reputation sometimes uses off-color language to convey its wicked insights, but is ultimately a celebration of pop culture's on-the-pulse insights into everyday life. Bad Reputation is for mature listeners only - and decidedly worth listening to. The tracks are "The Princess and the Troubadour", "To Die For Your Ideas", "Penelope", "Don Juan", "Song for the Countryman", "Ninety-Five Percent", "I Made Myself Small", "Philistines", "Trumpets of Fortune and Fame", "Public Benches", "Absolutely Nothing", "The Pornographer", and "Bad Reputation".

Woman In Sin
Fishtank Ensemble
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$15.00 www.rockpaperscissors.biz fishtankensemble.com

Fishtank Ensemble, the band best known for their music drawn from folk and gypsy traditions, presents their latest album - Woman In Sin, a medley of diverse and wonderful songs. From "Nadim", a tune inspired by a Kurdish melody, to "Djordje's Rachenitza", a unique spin on a Balkan dance form, to "O Dewel", a musical prayer with lyrics in Romanes (a West European dialect of the Roma language), Woman In Sin brims with extraordinary harmony and deserves to be a crown jewel among international music CD libraries. Highly recommended. The tracks are Woman In Sin, Espagnolette, After You've Gone, Am Furat de la Haidouks, Fever, Djordje's Rachenitza, Pena Andalue, CouCou, Kolo Suite, O Dewel, Opa Opa, and Nedim.

Adje! Adje!
Elikeh
Azalea City Recordings
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

"Adje! Adje!" is a music CD album by the ensemble band Elikeh, who take their name from an African word meaning "rooted-ness". Togolese-born singer, guitarist, composer, and Elikeh's founder Massama Dogo sings in a hybrid dialect used only in Togo's capital, accompanied by guitars, flute, and a music style that blends traditional African and contemporary elements into a polyrhythmic whole. Driving the album is a strong theme of social justice, and how important it is for people to band together against corruption and excessive greed, whether perpetuated by the state itself or private corporations. A powerful, invigorating call to participate in making the world a better place, "Adje! Adje!" is highly recommended. The tracks are "Adje! Adje!", "Oleblemi", "Djalele", "Novi Nye", "Get Ready", "Let's March", "Lonlon", "Aiko", "Jondji", and "Madjo".


The World History Shelf

Germany's Western Front 1915
Mark Osborne Humphries and John Maker, editors
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
9781554580514 $85.00 www.wlupress.wlu.ca

Germany's Western Front 1915 is part of a multi-volume series collecting the first English translation of "Der Weltkrieg", the German official history of the First World War, originally produced between 1925 and 1944 with classified archival records destroyed in the chaos following the Second World War. As an account penned by historians, Germany's Western Front is particularly valuable when studying the war as embedded in the consciousness and perspective of Weimar and Nazi Germany. Germany's Western Front 1915 focuses on the beginning of trench warfare, when poison gas became a war weapon for the first time (used against the French and Canadian troops at Ypres). There was turmoil among the German High Command concerning the direction of the war, and the seeds were laid for a bloodbath at Verdun. A captivating historical account of particularly immense value to any studying the history of those who wrote it, Germany's Western Front 1915 and companion volumes in the series are highly recommended especially for college library world history collections.

Pythagoras
Thomas Stanley
Ibis Press
PO Box 540206, Lake Worth, FL 33454-0206
9780892541607, $24.95, www.ibispress.net

One of the great mathematicians and philosophers, the life of Pythagoras serves as a history of classical thinking. "Pythagoras: His Life and Teachings" looks at the man who is most known for his work in the fields of mathematics and philosophy, but did much in many other intellectuals fields of the time. From religion to nutrition, Pythagoras pursued anything his mind drifted too and much of his discoveries still hold true to this day. "Pythagoras" is a key read and addition to any history or biography collection, highly recommended.

Daughters of Artemis
Richard Almond
Boydell & Brewer
668 Mt. Hope Ave, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9781843842026, $90.00, www.boydellandbrewer.com

Women were never as homebound as history books would leave you to believe. "Daughters of Artemis: The Huntress in the Middle Ages and Renaissance" is a scholarly text that delves into history and looks at the roots of the history of women as hunters and strong independent figures in history, through prehistory and the middle ages where even in spite of a male dominated society. Richard Almond discusses the topic in historical context, the mythology of the huntress, the sexuality behind it, and the frequency of it all in reality. "Daughters of Artemis" is a vital addition to any historical collection focusing on the roles of women in society.

Eden to Armageddon
Roger Ford
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605980911 $35.00 www.pegasusbooks.com

Eden to Armageddon: World War I in the Middle East is a heavily researched chronicle of the history of World War I in the Middle East, from how the Ottoman Empire entered the deadly conflict, to the four-year quagmire and its horrendous toll upon human life for both sides, to how the Ottomans established themselves in the Caucasus after the fall of Imperial Russia, and much more. A precise, scholarly work that is nonetheless accessible to lay historians, Eden to Armageddon is captivating and enlightening reading. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library history shelves.

Icelanders in the Viking Age
William R. Short
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
9780786447275, $35.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

Commonly written off as Barbarians, the people of Iceland were nothing but. "Icelanders in the Viking Age: The People of the Sagas" is a historical look at the people of Iceland during the heights of the Viking age, from about 800 to 1100 where Norwegian sailors found Iceland and claimed it as their own, developing their own version of the Viking culture. A land of art, society, and literature that revered war, "Icelanders in the Viking Age" is a riveting exploration of these peoples, a solid addition to any world history collections focusing on the Middle Ages.


The Journalism Shelf

Capturing the News
Anthony Collings
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826218810 $29.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Capturing the News: Three Decades of Reporting Crisis and Conflict is the true-life memoir of veteran newsman Anthony Collings, and lives up to its title with stories ranging from when Collings was captured by Syrians in Lebanon to when he was "detained" by the KGB in Moscow in 1967, while he was filing news stories about Soviet dissidents. Collins has traveled the globe and confronted life-threatening peril to bring solid reporting to the public; now, he supplements his memoir with perspectives on how to confront modern-day ethical crises affecting the news media. Absolutely compelling from first read to last, Capturing the News is as highly recommended to lay readers as it is to any and all involved in the field of journalism.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Spiritual Partnership
Gary Zukav
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
Goldberg McDuffie Communications, Inc. (publicity)
444 Madison Ave., Suite 3300, New York, NY 10022
9780061458507 $25.99 www.harpercollins.com

Spiritual Partnership: The Journey to Authentic Power is a dynamic guide to spiritual self-improvement through greater connection with and perception of our fellow human beings. Author Gary Zukav contends that spiritual partnerships are not only for married couples; any two human beings who choose to engage as equals with the goal of spiritual development can create them. The key lies within the choice to grow spiritually with interactions defined by experience in multisensory dimensions (not confined to merely the five senses), and the mutual choice to grow spiritually with interactions rather than descent into blame, judgment, and hostility. A life-transforming book, highly recommended.

The Dreamer's Almanac
Sasha Parker
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Advanced Marketing Group
13475 Danielson Street, Suite 140, Poway, CA 92064-8850
9781607100799 $14.95 www.thunderbaybooks.com

Featuring colorful photographs on virtually every page, The Dreamer's Almanac: Understanding the Messages from Your Subconscious lives up to its title by offering the most common meanings associated with hundreds of symbols, items, and encounters common in dreams. One simply looks up the most prominent feature in one's dream by category (categories include "emotions", "people", "places", "archtypes", "abstracts", "actions" and more), and browse the one-page summary of what that feature's presence often suggests. An excellent, easy-to-use resource for anyone interested in better understanding their own dreams. For example, under the category of "weather" is "Avalanches: Because avalanches dislodge masses of ice and snow, a dream in which one thundered its way down an icy mountaintop may have expressed a fear of bearing the brunt of someone's devastating emotional coldness (perhaps a spouse's) and the destruction of the close relationship in the real world. So, if you dreamed that you were engulfed in an avalanche, your unconscious may have been warning you that the foundations of your waking life are in danger of being swept away while you are powerless to stop them."


The Criminology Shelf

Apparent Danger
David Stokes
4876 Mayde Court, Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Bascom Hill Books
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781935456117 $24.95 www.bascomhillpublishing.com

Apparent Danger: The Pastor of America's First Megachurch and the Texas Murder Trial of the Decade in the 1920s is a juxtaposition of the scholarly and the lurid, chronicling the murder trial of Reverend Doctor J. Frank Norris. Norris was a pastor of America's first megachurch, a publisher, and a broadcaster; yet as the Roaring Twenties reached their peak, he sealed his place in infamy by shooting an unarmed critic to death. Apparent Danger draws from more than 6,000 pages of newspaper articles, court records, and other published works to assemble a portrait of what really happened on the day of the crime, and during the subsequent, dramatic trial. The result is an exceptional and worthy contribution to true crime shelves.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Costume Design 101, second edition
Richard La Motte
Michael Wiese Productions
3940 Laurel Canyon Boulevard, #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907698 $24.95 www.mwp.com 1-800-833-5738

Now in a newly updated second edition, Costume Design 101 distills the wisdom of industry professional Richard La Motte, who has worked in the field for forty years. The new second edition adds chapters on personal marketing and breaking into the business of costume design for film and television, all of which is "need-to-know" information for anyone serious about turning their love of costumes into a career. From conducting interviews and making costume presentations, to breaking down scripts for requirements, hiring and running costume departments, working with rental companies, running on-set production, staying within a budget, and much more, Costume Design 101 spells out business basics in plain terms. An absolute "must-have" for aspiring industry professionals, and even veterans in the business are likely to find valuable tips, tricks, techniques, and gems of advice within.


The Fiction Shelf

Following Richard Brautigan
Corey Mesler
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
9781604890471 $16.95 www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

Following Richard Brautigan is a one-of-a-kind novel that ponders, "What if Richard Brautigan's life had not ended prematurely, and he had continued to create passionate, individual, distinctive novels?" Part extrapolation of the kind of works Brautigan might have made had he been granted more time on Earth, part reflective personal inner journey, Following Richard Brautigan carries the charm of eccentric personality on every page. Passages flow like moments of time; the discrete blocks of text encapsulate the emotion of passing instants and move on. An exceptional read brimming with hidden insight, especially recommended as tribute and celebration of Brautigan's genius. Following Richard Brautigan speaks to all whose lives have been touched by Brautigan's classic works.

Ask Alice
D. J. Taylor
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605980867, $24.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

Going from a woman of the world to the social elite is a huge leap. "Ask Alice" tells the story of Alice Keach, a woman who has risen up to prominence in London from her roots traveling across the American heartland. Her tale is an original and intriguing one, one which many women will take comfort and relevance in. "Ask Alice" is a choice pick for general fiction readers, and it shouldn't be missed.

Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders
Goldie Goldbloom
New Issues
c/o Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49008
9781930974883, $26.00, www.wmich.edu/newissues

When you have nothing left to turn to, you find comfort in the strangest of places. "Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders" tells the story of Gin, an albino pianist whose hopes of a greater career are thwarted by fate. Living on a farm in western Australia, facing life in a nontraditional marriage until an Italian gentleman named Antonio arrives, and just may change her life forever. "Toad's Museum of Freaks and Wonders" is a fascinating tale of small town life in Australia and romance, highly recommended.

The Late Work of Margaret Kroftis
Mark Gluth
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 10009
9781933354941, $14.95, www.akashicbooks.com

When you're alone, your thoughts and anxieties seem to take a stronger grasp of your life. "The Late Work of Margaret Kroftis" tells the story of this woman through the pen of Mark Gluth, who paints this individual as a troubled woman coping with her own grief, trying to come to terms with her life. A tale that will resonate with many readers, "The Late Work of Margaret Kroftis" is a fine read that shouldn't be missed.

O'Leary, Kat, and Cary Grant
Audrey McClellan
Amber Skye Publishing
1935 Berkshire Drive, Eagan, MN 55122
9780981986005, $15.95, www.amberskyepublishing.com

Writing the great American novel is nothing simple to do, especially when you have a peculiar cat causing trouble for you. "O'Leary, Kat, and Cary Grant: Adventures with a Paranormal Cat" is the tale of Kat Hannessey and her cat O'Leary, as she copes with O'Leary's unusual psychic nature that leads her through the paranormal in her basement. Dealing with these concerns as well as the introduction of a new bachelor in her life, Kat's life seems to not have time for her to perfect that novel. "O'Leary, Kat, and Cary Grant" is a choice and very highly recommended pick for cat lovers. Also from Amber Skye Publishing is "Up the Green River Without a Paddle" (9780981986029, $15.95), a historical novel from Arvid Lloyd Williams.


The American History Shelf

The Missouri Mormon Experience
Thomas M. Spencer, editor
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826218872 $34.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Thomas M. Spencer (Associate Professor of History, Northwest Missouri State University) lends his editing expertise to The Missouri Mormon Experience, a collection of essays by learned authors discussing the Mormon presence in Missouri during the nineteenth century - and the violence that resulted. Mistrust flared into open conflict, and by 1838, there was a three-month "Mormon War". Governor Lilburn Boggs made the personal decree that the Mormons had to be "exterminated or driven from the state". Reconstructing historical events with a keen eye toward understanding human motives in the context of the time, The Missouri Mormon Experience also reveals that the bloodshed - and subsequent Mormon expulsion - might have been avoided had Joseph Smith chosen the more tolerant Columbia as his new Zion, rather than Jackson County. Extensive notes and an index round out this fascinating historical chronicle of a chapter of strife that pushed the Mormons to ultimately move to Utah - repercussions remain to this modern day and age, for even today many Mormons are suspicious of the state of Missouri. Highly recommended, especially for college library religious studies and American History shelves.

Bloodshed at Little Bighorn
Tim Lehman
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801895012 $19.95 www.press.jhu.edu

Bloodshed at Little Bighorn: Sitting Bull, Custer, and the Destinies of Nations is a historical chronicle of one of the most pivotal - and widely remembered - conflicts between the U.S. military and Native Americans. In 1876, General George Armstrong Custer led the U.S. Army's seventh Calvary into an utterly doomed assault against vastly superior numbers of Sioux and Cheyenne. The lost battle had severe repercussions - it encouraged further rebellion among Native Americans, and in response the U.S. military enacted a series of severe retaliatory strikes. Bloodshed at Little Bighorn carefully examines the unfolding of this crucial battle, in terms accessible to lay readers and historians alike, with a far-reaching eye to the conflict's legacy. Highly recommended.

Upstaging the Cold War
Andrew J. Falk
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558497283 $34.95 www.umass.edu/umpress 1-800-537-5487

Upstaging the Cold War: American Dissent and Cultural Diplomacy, 1940-1960 is a unique look at the American politics of dissent in the years when tensions ran high due to the Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. Popular memory recalls how anti-communist censorship (particularly against public writers, artists, and performers) was taken to dramatic extremes during this period; less studied is how a notable number of artists, writers, and performers successfully expressed dissident viewpoints during this time, via Hollywood movies, Broadway stage, or even the newfangled medium of television. Figures such as Arthur Miller, Rod Serling, Lillian Hellman, and more dared to champion the causes of superpower cooperation, decolonization, nuclear disarmament, and other widely attacked viewpoints. Because of the international appeal of their message, the U.S. foreign policy recognized that such individuals could be a valuable resource to promote American values worldwide and win over "hearts and minds". Carefully researched and logically presented, Upstaging the Cold War is an excellent addition to American History shelves, and particularly recommended for public and college library collections.

Nassau Plantation
James C. Kearney
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574412864 $32.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

The culmination of teacher and historian James C. Kearney's exhaustive research of primary source material (much of which was in German), Nassau Plantation: The Evolution of a Texas German Slave Plantation is the true story of Nassau Plantation, created in the 1840s by the Mainzner Adelsverein (an organization of German noblemen) to settle thousands of German emigrants. Though Nassau Plantation was originally planned with slavery in mind, by 1845 the society had responded to criticism from Germany, declaring its colonies to be "slave free zones". By the 1850s, German immigration to the plantation swelled the population of Fayette and Austin Counties. Nassau Plantation: The Evolution of a Texas German Slave Population is an absorbing historical chronicle, following the notable deeds of prominent individuals and families of the plantation as well as the plantation's impact upon Texas society as a whole. A welcome and worthy addition to Texas and German-American history shelves.

Shadows in the Valley
Alan C. Swedlund
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558497207 $28.95 www.umass.edu/umpress 1-800-537-5487

Alan C. Swedlund (professors emeritus of anthropology, University of Massachusetts Amherst) presents Shadows in the Valley: A Cultural History of Illness, Death, and Loss in New England, 1840-1916 explores the history of the repercussions of mortality, illness, and death in small communities in western Massachusetts during the mid-nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Chapters chronicle how society responded to death among infants, children, men and women of reproductive age, and those who lived to old age. How was disease managed, and how did humans search for meaning when confronted with unbearable loss? A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this scholarly, exhaustively researched and aptly presented account. A welcome contribution to American history and sociology shelves.

The Underground Railroad on the Western Frontier
James Patrick Morgans
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786437917 $55.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187

The Underground Railroad on the Western Frontier: Escapes from Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa and the Territories of Kansas, Nebraska and the Indian Nations, 1840-1865 is an in-depth description of the network of escape routes used by slaves in the decades prior to the American Civil War. Chapters detail lesser known escape routes, including some that went through Mexico and American Indian territory; the use of Mississippi and Missouri river steamboats; the actions of historical figures such as John Brown, James Montgomery, and Dan Anthony; and much more. Meticulously researched and presented, The Underground Railroad on the Western Frontier is a welcome addition to public and college library American History shelves.

The Dragon's Tail
Robert A. Jacobs
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558497276 $24.95 www.umass.edu/umpress 1-800-537-5487

The Dragon's Tail: Americans Face the Atomic Age explores how American culture struggled to come to grips with the destructive reality of nuclear weapons, with particular focus on the period between 1945 (when atomic bombs were dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki) and the banning of above-ground atomic weapons testing in 1963. Author and research assistant professor of the Hiroshima Peace Institute Robert A. Jacobs emphasizes this period partly because atmospheric testing made Americans much more vividly aware of the immediate threat of nuclear holocaust, and also because the radioactive fallout from these tests were themselves a direct threat to public health. A handful of black-and-white illustrations - including relevant cartoons and flyers - emphasize this keen historical accounting and insight.


The Biography Shelf

Giving It All Away
Michael Zitz
Permanent Press
4170 Noyac Road, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
9781579622091 $28.00 www.thepermanentpress.com

Award-winning newspaper reporter and columnist Michael Zitz (who has known Doris Buffett since 1992) presents Giving It All Away: The Doris Buffett Story, the biography of a truly extraordinary millionaire and philanthropist. Doris Buffett faced much misfortune in her life - emotional abuse from her (possibly bipolar) mother, a series of terrible marriages, the near-loss of her home after the 1987 stock market crash, two deadly encounters with cancer, and even estrangement from her own children. Yet the difficulties she faced cultivated her own empathy for others, as evidenced by the $100 million of her own money that she donated - largely to individual people in dire trouble due to no fault of their own. Often she would call people personally, while trying to decide upon the best way to help them. At age 82, she set upon the goal of giving away her entire fortune with purpose and worth to aid those most in need. The true story of a remarkable resilient, noble, and principled woman, Giving It All Away is highly recommended.

"Go to the Worker"
Kimball Baker
Marquette University Press
PO Box 3141, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3141
9780874627497 $30.00 www.marquette.edu/mupress

Historian Kimball Barker presents "Go to the Worker": America's Labor Apostles, an assembly of biographical portraits of priests and laypeople who have served the Catholic social-action movement during the twentieth century. Their efforts, particularly during the economic hardship of the 1930s, advanced the cause of worker's rights in an era when human dignity was all too often subjugated to the interests of the wealthy and powerful. In telling the story of these extraordinary individuals and the movement for social justice that they championed, Baker seeks to inspire continued defense of human rights and reveal a valuable role that the Catholic social-action movement can continue to play in the modern era, marked as it is by the rampant greed and corruption that nearly brought about a second Great Depression. Highly recommended.

Sawdusted
Raymond Goodwin
Terrace Books
c/o University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
9780299235703 $22.95 www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress 1-800-621-2736

Sawdusted: Notes from a Post-Boom Mill is the memoir of author Raymond Goodwin's twenty months working at a Michigan sawdust mill in 1979. Vividly bringing to life the rundown workspace itself, the pranks that nonunion workers played on one another, their colorful personalities, the hardships of manual labor and a vivid picture of day-to-day life in a lumber mill, Sawdusted is an absorbing blue-collar portrait. An engaging story from cover-to-cover, Sawdusted is accessible to readers of all backgrounds but will resonate most strongly from those who have lived ups and downs of the blue-collar working life themselves.

Desperate Hope
Candi Pearson-Shelton
David C. Cook
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
9781434766144, $14.99, www.davidccook.com

When at the brink of death, you begin to see the importance of faith. "Desperate Hope: When Faith in God Overcame My Despair" is a recollection of faith from Candi Pearson-Shelton watched her younger brother fight a losing battle for his life. Even though it ended in tragedy, the experience renewed her faith and she hopes to share her experiences and explain why the worst of things had a silver lining. "Desperate Hope" is a choice and highly recommended read.


The Art Shelf

The Pop! Revolution
Alice Goldfarb Marquis
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9780878467440 $29.95 www.mfa-publications.org 1-800-338-2665

Journalist and historian Alice Goldfarb Marquis presents The Pop! Revolution, a social history of Pop Art. Profiling the 20th century artists and individuals most closely associated with the movement - from Roy Lichtenstein and his "Blam-Pow!" comic-style panels to slightly cartoonish yet down-to-earth wit and stylings of Andy Warhol, to Leo and Ileana Castelli, the infamous collector Robert Scull called "vulgar" by his own dealer, and many more. Extensive notes and an index round out this scholarly yet accessible chronicle detailing how appealing to the mainstream and reflecting the social and cultural climate of the day became an artistic movement. An extraordinary account, worthy of a place of honor among public library and college art history collections.

The Business of Being an Artist, fourth edition
Daniel Grant
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, Suite 510, New York, NY 10010
9781581156737, $27.50, www.allworth.com

The Starving Artist is a cliche that's too close to reality than it needs to be. Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "The Business of Being an Artist" is a guide for the artist who wants to make it more than just being a hobby, but instead wants to make it their path of earning a paycheck and more. Daniel Grant states that you can be a working artist right out of art school, outlining how to find work, grants, fellowships, and building relationships with those who would buy your work. "The Business of Being an Artist" is a must for anyone who wants to work as an independent artist.


The Political Science Shelf

Right Now
Michael Steele
Regnery
1 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781596981089, $27.95, www.regnery.com

Barack Obama has proven to be a highly divisive individual with his policies. "Right Now: A 12-Step Program for Defeating the Obama Agenda" is a political call to arms from Chairman of the Republican National Committee, Michael Steele. He states that modern conservatives need to mobilize against Obama's policies and offers ideas to campaign against many of his positions. A read for conservatives who oppose Obama on almost every level, "Right Now" serves as a model for the modern right.

The Structural Crisis of Capital
Istvan Meszaros
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W, New York, NY 10001
9781583672082 $26.95 www.monthlyreview.org

The Structural Crisis of Capital is a collection of essays and interviews by Marxist philosopher, philosophy professor emeritus of the University of Sussex, and winner of the Libertador Award for Critical Thought for 2008, Istvan Meszaros. Meszaros warns readers that the modern world's economies are in dire straits - unless drastic action is taken, and soon, the oncoming crisis will metastasize into environmental catastrophe, and possibly even societal collapse. The essays are grouped into chapters, including "The Necessity of Social Control", "Radical Politics and Transition to Socialism: Reflections on Marx's Centenary", "Bolivar and Chavez: The Spirit of Radical Determination", and more. A passionate and motivational critique of the evils inherent in the current global economic system, as well as a rousing call to enact drastic change while there is still time, The Structural Crisis of Capital is erudite, persuasive, and a worthy contribution to debates about practical problems and much-needed reforms in the wake of the recent global economic near-collapse.


The Civil War Shelf

Gettysburg Medal of Honor Recipients
Charles Hanna
Bonneville Books
c/o Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
9781599553023 $19.99 www.cedarfort.com

Gettysburg Medal of Honor Recipients collects the true stories of the Gettysburg soldiers who earned the Medal of Honor - the highest award given to military personnel by the United States government, bestowed for courage and leadership beyond the demands of duty. A handful of pages are devoted to presenting a brief biographical sketch of each recipient, along with a black-and-white photograph if one can be found, followed by the Gettysburg battle events that distinguished him as worthy of honor. An anthology of bravery, self-sacrifice, and patriotism, Gettysburg Medal of Honor Recipients is inspirational reading and highly recommended.

The Caning of Charles Sumner
Williamjames Hull Hoffer
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801894695 $19.95 www.press.jhu.edu

The Caning of Charles Sumner: Honor, Idealism, and the Origins of the Civil War is a close study of a violent event in the United States Congress that foreshadowed and exemplified the American Civil War. Charles Sumner, an abolitionist and skilled speaker, was sitting at his Senate desk on May 22, 1856 when Democratic Congressman Preston S. Brookes struck him on the head with a gutta-percha walking stick. Brookes continued to savagely beat Sumner in front of witnesses, who intervened only after Sumner had fallen unconscious and Brookes appeared determined to beat Sumner to death. Sumner had provoked Brookes' ire by speaking vividly about the abhorrence of slavery, an act seen as dishonoring both the South and Brookes' relative, Senator Andrew P. Butler. The shocking violence in America's legislative body - and the subsequent slap on the wrist Brookes received for perpetrating it - has volumes to reveal about the North-South cultural divide and the tense political climate of the era. An extraordinary and valuable study of what these events of history reveal not only about America of the past, but also America of today, The Caning of Charles Sumner is highly recommended especially for college library collections and American Civil War shelves.

The Battlefield Guide
Rodger Martin, author
Chad Gowey, illustrator
Hobblebush
17-A Old Milford Road, Brookline, NH 03033
9780980167245, $16.95, www.hobblebush.com

America has developed its character and history over two centuries of existence. "The Battlefield Guide" is a collection of poems from Rodger Martin, focusing on the major battles of the Civil War. Ideal for Civil War buffs who also happen to like poetry, "The Battlefield Guide" is a solidly recommended read. "The Town": Striated slate foundations squeezes themselves flat/like pages of a national Bible -- the book,/layer upon layer locked in shale stacked from shoal/to ridge top, is the story of ourselves lit by the fire/of gas lamps and determined by the push of the waters,/as much needed, to tame a continent, as desire.

A Chickamauga Memorial
Timothy B. Smith
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
9781572336797, $43.00, www.utpress.org

Honor and memorial are all that can be offered to the dead. "A Chickamauga Memorial: The Establishment of America's First Civil War National Military Park" discusses how the first national military park came into existence. While state and private memorial efforts were done before, Chickamauga was the first federal effort to offer reverence to fallen soldiers. Chickamauga served as memorial to civil war soldiers, but was later expanded for reverence to Spanish American War and World Wars veterans as well. "A Chickamauga Memorial" is a fine history of the park, and a solid addition to any American history collection.


The Native American Shelf

Red was the Blood of Our Forefathers
Brian L. Keefe
Caxton Press
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
9780870044724 $18.95 www.caxtonpress.com 1-800-657-6465

In 1992, Brian Keefe met Joe Medicine Crow, one of the leaders of the Crow tribe, at a Crow Indian gathering. Keefe carefully recorded the war stories that Joe Medicine Crow and other Crow historians told him. The result is Red was the Blood of Our Forefathers: Episodes from Crow Indian Intertribal Warfare, an anthology of true stories describing episodes of intertribal warfare from the perspective of the Crow Indian tribe. Chronicling the struggle between Crow and Sioux, Cheyenne, Blackfeet, and Shoshoni over who would control land and horses, the stories range from simple horse-stealing expeditions to brutal battles in which the losing side was "rubbed out". A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this excellent chronology, accessible to readers of all backgrounds, that brings to vivid life the true story of the Crows at war. Highly recommended, especially for Native American studies and history shelves.


The Agricultural Studies Shelf

The Complete Guide to Small-Scale Farming
Melissa Nelson, D.V.M.
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601383754 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Small-Scale Farming is a complete, no-nonsense, how-to guide to raising beef and dairy cattle, rabbits, ducks, chickens, goats and other small animals for personal or commercial consumption. (Only the raising of farm animals is covered; farming vegetables, grains, or other plants is left to other books). Chapters walk the reader through how to properly care for the different types of animals, preventative measures to ward off disease, what to do if disease or ill health breaks out, how to feed and care for animals, how to breed animals and how to humanely slaughter them when the time has come. Some black-and-white photographs and an index for quick reference round out this excellent starter guide, especially recommended for anyone contemplating raising animals as a well-rounded primer of precisely what one is getting into.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Absence of the Hero
Charles Bukowski, author
David Stephen Calonne, editor
City Lights Publishers
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
9780872865310 $16.95 www.citylights.com

Absence of the Hero: Uncollected Stories and Essays, Volume 2 1946-1992 is a compendium of miscellaneous works by prolific and popular author Charles Bukowski. Many of the essays and stories within were previously uncollected, or even unpublished; they range from "Absence of the Hero", a countercultural examination of contentions during the 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s; chuckle-inducing installments of Bukowski's newspaper column "Notes of a Dirty Old Man"; Bukowski's own "Manifesto"; his evaluations of the writings of colleagues such as Allen Ginsberg, Robert Creeley, LeRoi Jones, and more; as well as a medley of wry, suspenseful, or surprising short tales. An absolute must for fans of Charles Bukowski's work, Absence of the Hero is also a welcome addition to public and college library literary studies shelves.

Adaptation in Contemporary Culture
Rachel Carroll, editor
Continuum
4775 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112
9780826424648, $34.95, www.continuumbooks.com

Originality is nothing more than changing something that already exists. "Adaptation in Contemporary Culture: Textual Infidelities" discusses adaptation and how adaptation has become a powerful tool in modern literature, with writers taking older works, modernizing them, to provide a similar yet updated message. Many literary minds contribute to discuss adaptation and its many platforms and media, across a diversity of genres. A riveting and educational read, "Adaptation in Contemporary Culture" is a must for any literary studies collection.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Where is God?
Joel S. Burnett
Fortress Press
PO Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440
9780800662974, $35.00, www.augsburgfortress.org

God in all of His religions has always been one to delegate His will. "Where is God?: Divine Absence in the Hebrew Bible" discusses God in the Hebrew Bible and how He has shown His will through His indirect actions. Chapters discuss the many names of God, where He shows His hand in the world, and how His will applies to the state of Jerusalem. "Where is God?" is a fascinating read that shouldn't be missed.

Sikh Spiritual Practice
Siri Kirpal Kaur Khalsa
O Books
c/o National Book Network
4270 Boston Way, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781846942891 $24.95 www.nbnbooks.com 1-800-462-6420

Sikh Spiritual Practice: The Sound Way to God is a straightforward explanation of Sikh religious and spiritual beliefs, their connection with Kundalini Yoga, and more. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Sikh Spiritual Practice is an excellent choice for anyone curious to learn more about the Sikh religion, or even those interested in converting to the Sikh way. The section on Kundalini Yoga is particularly valuable since, in addition to covering where Sikh belief and the discipline of Kundalini Yoga overlap (and where they differ), it includes some Kundalini Yoga exercises that anyone can practice. A welcome addition to spirituality shelves, Sikh Spiritual Practice is particularly commended to public libraries for its user-friendly format and presentation.


The Military Shelf

Fire from the Sky
Robert C. Stern
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591142676 $49.95 www.navalinstitute.org

Fire from the Sky: Surviving the Kamikaze Threat is an in-depth historical and military analysis of the tactic of airborne suicide bombing - called "kamikaze" - that Japan used when the Allies sought to invade during the final year of the Second World War. Pilots, accompanied by escort aircraft, flew bomb-laden planes directly into allied warships, with devastating results. Fire from the Sky focuses upon the tactical and military aspect of this dramatic means of assault, with particular emphasis on how the Allies learned to resist and counter the kamikaze pilots. A handful of black-and-white photographs and diagrams illustrate this heavily researched, meticulously presented account which strives to provide an accurate picture of the realities faced by those who served World War II.

A Glorious Way to Die
Russell Spurr
Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York, NY 10017
9781557049131 $16.95 www.newmarketpress.com

Veteran foreign reporter Russell Spurr presents A Glorious Way to Die: The Kamikaze Mission of the Battleship Yamato, which chronicles the true story of Japan's decision to send the Yamato (the largest battleship ever built) to Okinawa in the final year of World War II, without air cover or fuel for a return voyage. Far more than a dry historical record, A Glorious Way to Die is accessible to readers of all backgrounds in its accurate portrayal of not only Japan's desperation tactics, but also the chilling effect they had on Japan's adversaries. One result was the widespread conviction that an invasion of Japan would likely be a bloodbath, that would not end until every last one of their forces were dead. An exhaustively researched and aptly presented account, A Glorious Way to Die is a worthy addition to World War II history shelves.


The Poetry Shelf

That Red Dirt Road
Kay Sanders
Parallel Press
372 Memorial Library, 728 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
9781934795125 $10.00 http://parallelpress.library.wisc.edu

That Red Dirt Road is an original chapbook by award-winning poet Kay Sanders, who employs a wide variety of verse patterns and structure in her introspective collection of memories, moments that transcend time, and even the echoing calls of spirits. A moving, thoughtful reminiscence, That Red Dirt Road is a collecting to be savored at length, as it transports the reader to the warmly bittersweet country of yesteryear. "Let me have that red dirt road that winds through the graveyard / back into the hills, plots of graves lined with low brick walls / where children teeter and learn to balance and listen to their elders / talk of the dead."

The Water Table
Philip Gross
Bloodaxe Books
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781852248529, $20.95, www.dufouredtions.com

Water is forever a metaphor for many things. "The Water Table" is a collection of poems from English poet Philip Gross. Varied and thought provoking work, his newest collection will continue to please his fans. "The Water Table" is a read not to be missed. "Betweenland III": After rain,/the far/shore -- close,/with an almost accusing/acuity,/as if nothing could ever be ignored/again:/every detail/(the tick of a wind -/turbine's vane/against the skyline)/a point it insists on:/no/no no, let me explain.

The Diminishing House
Nicky Beer
Carnegie Mellon University Press
5032 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15289-1021
9780887485169, $15.95

Highly educated and devoted to her craft, "The Diminishing House" is a collection of work from Nicky Beer as she presents a solid collection of wit and wisdom through her writing. Written with education and enlightenment, "The Diminishing House" is a cherishable collection. "Cubital Fossa": Pack mule for packages,/ cradler of gunbutts,/ blackfly cockpit,/ cuffcruncher,/ nonelbow,/ sweat tarn,/ gula,/ bight.

The Essential Kenneth Leslie
Zachariah Wells, editor
The Porcupine's Quill
68 Main St., Erin, Ontario, N0B IT0
9780889843288, $14.95, www.porcupinesquill.ca

Passion is something that can be felt through text. "The Essential Kenneth Leslie" is a collection of the man's work compiled by fellow poet Zachariah Wells. Kenneth Leslie's prime was decades ago, but his work still holds up well today, providing much insight and thought from his time to today. "The Essential Kenneth Leslie" is a treasure trove of poetry, highly recommended. "Success": There was a dream;/he fulfilled it./There was a wish;/it came true./There was a fire;/and he killed it./There was a spark;/and it flew!


The Social Issues Shelf

New Directions in Development Ethics
Charles K. Wilber & Amitava Krishna Dutt, edtiors
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268025984 $60.00 www.undpress.nd.edu

New Directions in Development Ethics: Essays in Honor of Denis Goulet is a scholarly anthology of essays from economists, philosophers, and development experts, all contending with the thorny issues of the moral ramifications of technological and commercial development. Individual essays include "Development Ethics: A Road to Peace", "Technological Nightmares", "Global Poverty: Development Ethics Meets Global Justice", "Mexico's Development Strategy Since 1983: Results and Changes", and many more. Assembled in honor of the life and work of Denis Goulet, who made a pivotal contribution to the practice of ethical guidelines for responsible development, New Directions in Development Ethics is an invaluable contribution to college library shelves and should be required reading for anyone deeply involved in planning development.


The Humor Shelf

Prizewinning Political Cartoons 2010 Edition
Dean P. Turnbloom
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589808294 $19.95 www.pelicanpub.com

Prizewinning Political Cartoons 2010 edition is an anthology of editorial cartoons that were so distinctive, memorable, and hard-hitting in their message that they earned (or were runner-up for) recognition such as the National Headliner Award, the Thomas Nast Award, the Robert F. Kennedy Journalism Award, the Herblock Prize, and others. Many of the cartoons are in full color; others are black-and-white. From the "guard dog" S.E.C. portrayed as a tiny, harmless Chihuahua to America portrayed as flag-diapered infant suckling on a tankard of foreign oil like a bottle, to an extraordinary series of strips that postulates "what would have happened during the 2008 presidential campaign if one day Obama had transformed into a white man, and McCain had transformed into a black man?" Gut-wrenching in not only its hilarity, but also in how close its comics hit to home, Prizewinning Political Cartoons 2010 edition deserves the highest recommendation for political humor collections everywhere.


The Philosophy Shelf

Anime and Philosophy
Josef Steiff and Tristan D. Tamplin, editors
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696707 $19.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

Anime and Philosophy: Wide Eyed Wonder is an anthology of essays by learned philosophers discussing the philosophical implications of the animated movies and television shows of Japanese popular culture. From "'Astro Boy' and the Atomic Age" to "Did Santa Die on the Cross?" to "Everything You Never Wanted to Know about Sex and Were Afraid to Watch", these writings explore meanings beneath the surface of this widely beloved art form, which speaks to people so strongly that it has generated a solid international audience. Anime and Philosophy is a long overdue and enthusiastically welcome contribution to philosophy collections, highly recommended to anime enthusiasts and philosophers alike.


The Self-Help Shelf

Why Normal People Do Some Crazy Things
Kevin Davis, M.A.
Hargrove Press
619 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA 30305
9780981934303 $13.95, www.amazon.com

Why Normal People Do Some Crazy Things: Nine Fundamentals of Human Behavior reveals nine basic, underlying principles that tend to drive human interactions. Identifying and being aware of how these forces work enable the reader to better understand the actions of fellow human beings - and better understand one's own actions. Ultimately, the reader can be more mindful of the pull of these pressures, and better able to make sound and rational decisions despite these natural tendencies. The primary motives that author Kevin Davis has identified include "No one wants you to succeed too well or fail too badly", "Most relationships, and their recurring problems, are based on power dynamics", "Everyone is rushing toward the white picket fence" (specifically, there is a powerful cultural drive to get a steady job, get married, and have kids - even though rushing into marriage and kids too quickly is a recipe for disaster) and more. A shockingly insightful guide, brimming with practical advice to better handle the base psychological drives that can lead to bad decision making in oneself and others, highly recommended.

Happier than God
Neale Donald Walsch
Hampton Roads
c/o Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781571745804, $16.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Happiness is an emotion, and no one is more in charge of one's emotions than themselves. "Happier Than God: Turn Ordinary Life into an Extraordinary Experience" is a guide to becoming a master of one's own spirit to a gain a better grasp over it that can make one's life a more powerful and fulfilling experience that makes life truly worth living. "Happier Than God" is a solid pick for any spirituality reader.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Feminist Frontiers
Yvonne J. Johnson, editor
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781935503026 $29.95 http://tsup.truman.edu

Feminist Frontiers: Women Who Shaped the Midwest is an anthology of eleven biographical essays by learned authors, describing the lives of notable pioneering women and the foundation they laid for the societal reforms of the progressive movement. From Alice Moore French, founder of American War Mothers, to Frances Dana Gage and her work for the causes of women's rights and temperance, to socialist Genoa Dollinger who held firm beliefs about human rights and organized a strike at a General Motors plant, Feminist Frontiers offers an excellent series of character portraits and is an invaluable supplement to college library women's history and women's studies shelves.


The Marriage Shelf

Secrets of Great Marriages
Charlie and Linda Bloom
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577316787, $14.95, www.neworldlibrary.com

How do some people struggle to stay together a year while others stay together a century? "Secrets of Great Marriages: Real Truth from Real Couples About Lasting Love" is a collection of anecdotes about their real relationships and what has worked for them over the years in creating a strong relationship that lasts and keeps its passions strong. "Secrets of Great Marriages" is a treasure trove of sage advice, highly recommended.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Higher Returns from Safe Investments
Marvin Appel
FT Press
1330 Avenue of the Americans, 35th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780137003358, $24.99, www.ftpress.com

You don't have to treat the stock market like a casino to win big. "Higher Returns from Safe Investments: Using Bonds, Stocks, and Options to Generate Lifetime Income" is a guide to making the most out of safer stocks, and how to make the most out of a safe stock for a lifetime. Safe investments typically pay the least, but the high risk options fluctuate too much to be profitable, and Marvin Appel hopes readers will take his wisdom to heart to make their money. "Higher Returns from Safe Investments" is a choice and top pick for the prudent investor.

The Skinny on Credit Cards
Jim Randel
Rand
265 Post Road West, PO Box 2870, Westport, CT 06880
9780981893549, $14.95, www.theskinnyon.com

Credit cards can be a tool to make life easier, or to make it very hard. "The Skinny on Credit Cards: How to Master the Credit Card Game" delves into the world of credit, as the people at Rand publishing create another guide that focusing on brevity and just the straight information on improving one's credit score and avoiding the many pitfalls. With extra info on teaching one's children about good credit and being prepared against fraud, "The Skinny on Credit Cards" is a must for those who want to use this tool wisely and avoid getting burned.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

This Is Why You're Fat
Jackie Warner
Wellness Central
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780446548601, $24.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

Rooting out the cause is the most effective way to solve a problem. "This Is Why You're Fat: And How to Get Thin Forever" is a dietary health guide from Jackie Warner who states that denying and torturing oneself in the name of fitness actually works against your body. Stating that working with your mind is the key to health, she gives insightful tips to dieting and how to lose weight and what really works. "This Is Why You're Fat" is something to consider for those trying to combat their body into what they really want.


The Education Shelf

101 School Success Tools for Students with ADHD
Jacqueline S. Iseman
Prufrock Press
5926 Balcones Drive, Suite 220, Austin, TX 78731
9781593634032, $16.95, www.prufrock.com

ADHD isn't an issue that should prevent a child from learning. "101 School Success Tools for Students with ADHD" is a guide for parents and educators facing children with attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, a common problem among many young students. These tools serve as tips ranging from simply reminding the student to stay on task, rewarding them for good behavior, and helping them when their on the brink of greatness. "101 School Success Tools for Students with ADHD" is a valuable reference for any parent or educator, a core addition to educational collections focusing on ADHD.

Rhodes Scholars
Thomas J. Schaeper & Kathleen Schaeper
Berghahn Books
150 Broadway, Suite 812, New York, NY 10038
9781845457211, $24.95, www.berghahnbooks.com

Perhaps the best and most educated minds on the planet. "Rhodes Scholars: Oxford, and the Creation of an American Elite" discusses the Rhodes Scholarship, a program in place for well over a century now where thirty two Americans from universities are chosen to study in the University of Oxford in England. This program has created an academic elite, with many of the figures who received this honor going far in life as major public figures as entertainers to even the President of the United States. "Rhodes Scholars" is a choice read for those trying to understand the history of the program.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Stockdog Savvy
Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor & Ty Taylor
Alpine Publications
38262 Linman Rd., Crawford, CO 81415
9781577791065, $29.95, www.alpinepub.com

Man's best friend is also man's best farmhand. "Stockdog Savvy" is a guide for livestock keepers who want to use their dogs the best way possible in raising them to help deal with livestock of many types. Special breeding and training techniques, assigning the right type of dog with the right livestock, and more, Jeanne Joy Hartnagle-Taylor and Ty Taylor provide a wise and very comprehensive read. "Stockdog Savvy" is an invaluable farm dog raising and training tool, highly recommended.


The Gardening Shelf

Best of Greenspace
Duane Campbell
BB Mackey Books
PO Box 475, Wayne, PA 19087
9781893443167, $16.95, www.mackeybooks.com

Just because you're dealing with a bunch of garbage doesn't mean you can't have fun with it. "Best of Greenspace: 30 Years of Composted Columns" is a collection of columns from Duane Campbell, who has written a column focusing on composting and its value to gardening over the past three decades. Widely syndicated, thousands across the country have embraced Campbell's column with its own brand of humor and wisdom. "Best of Greenspace" is a top pick for fans of the column or those simply looking for good composting advice.


The Sports Shelf

Coached for Life
Ed Flaherty & Jack Uldrich
Koechel Peterson & Associations
c/o B&B Media Group
109 South Main Street Corsicana, TX 75110
9780615278827, $19.95, www.tbbmedia.com

A good coach doesn't just help you win the game, they help you win at life. "Coached for Life" discusses the impact coaches can have on the life of their players through 1962 state football champions in Montana and the lasting impact they had through their lives since then. Detailing the lives of the players and coaches since then through personal accounts, "Coached for Life" is a remarkable and uplifting detailed account for those who want to understand the importance of coaching.

The Baseball Fan's Bucket List
Robert Santelli & Jenna Santelli
Running Press
2300 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371
9780762438556, $15.95, www.runningpress.com

There are some things a baseball fan must do to be known as a baseball fan. "The Baseball Fan's Bucket List: 162 Things You Must See, Do, Get & Experience Before You Die" discusses the many pilgrimages a baseball fan should undertake in their dedication to the game. The baseball hall of fame, major novels and films, collectibles, the world series, even fantasy camps, Robert Santelli and her daughter Jenna give a read that is sure to motivate any ballgame fan. "The Baseball Fan's Bucket List" is a key addition to any sports collection focusing on America's pastime.


The Psychology Shelf

The Verbally Abusive Relationship, third edition
Patricia Evans
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
9781440504631, $15.95, www.adamsmedia.com

No one likes being constantly talked down to. Now in a newly expanded third edition, "The Verbally Abusive Relationship: How to Recognize It and How to Respond" is a guide for dealing with this form of bullying which affects many aspects of life, both professional and personal. Patricia Evans outlines the levels of abuse that occur, stating from subtle sarcasm to out and out threats. "The Verbally Abusive Relationship" is a strong pick for any who want to be better equipped to dealing with aspect that everyone will encounter at one time or another.

Techniques of Hypnotic Induction
George Gafner
Crown House Publishing
6 Trowbridge Drive, Suite 5, Bethel, CT 06801-2858
9781845902926, $24.95, www.crownhousepublishing.com

Hypnosis is more than a myth, it has true clinical use. "Techniques of Hypnotic Induction" is a scholarly exploration into the uses of hypnotism in modern psychotherapy. But first, one must induce a hypnotic state, and psychotherapist George Gafner hopes to help others of his trade with many techniques he has found quite effective in the matter. Images, confusion, telling stories, and more, "Techniques of Hypnotic Induction" is an insightful and valuable reference, a choice pick for psychology collections.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Happiness at Work
Jessica Pryce-Jones
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148-5020
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
322 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1702, New York, NY 10001
9780470749463, $24.95, www.wiley.com

Dread and unhappiness are the biggest barriers to productivity. "Happiness at Work: Maximizing Your Psychological Capital for Success" is a guide to keeping one's spirits up throughout one's career. With simple and straight forward language, Jessica Pryce-Jones comes at readers with a massive an assortment of tips and tricks, and explains why happiness matters and why doing something you hate for prolonged periods of time is not going to do you any favors. "Happiness at Work" is an intriguing and thoughtful read on workplace morale, a top pick for any career psychology collection.


The Economics Shelf

Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management
Daniel S. Holland & Collaborators
RFF Press
c/o Earthscan
1616 P Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
9781933115740, $ 39.95, www.rffpress.org

Economics often plays a hand in dealing with ecology. "Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management: Applications to Marine and Coastal Environments" discusses the relation for environmental concerns, focusing primarily on ocean ecology, and the importance of economic development alongside it. Human nature, the market, coastal policy, dealing with an uncertain future, and more, "Economic Analysis for Ecosystem-Based Management" is a vital read for those who understand the importance of economy in regards to the environment.


The Christian Studies Shelf

10 Things Every Minister's Wife Needs to Know
Jeana Floyd
New Leaf Press
PO Box 726, Green Forest, AR 72638
9780892216987, $11.99, www.newleafpress.net

The support behind the leader is necessary so the leader doesn't lose his way. "10 Things Every Minister's Wife Needs to Know" is an inspirational guide aimed at minister's and pastor's wives, but the advice carries true for any woman who wants to better understand their husband. Suggesting strong faith in God and learning to understand their husband and the men who look to him for advice, "10 Things Every Minister's Wife Needs to Know" is a choice pick for any newly married Christian woman.


The Business Shelf

How to Write a Business Plan
Brian Finch
Kogan Page
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749460303, $14.95, www.koganpage.com

A good strategy is the best way to get anything done. "How to Write a Business Plan" is a guide to laying out one's business and financial goals to give one's own business, no matter what the size, the direction they need to find their mark and go to it to expand their business and make it truly successful. Covering everything from analyzing the market, making business allies, to the many legal issues, "How to Write a Business Plan" is an advice guide that shouldn't be missed, a key addition to business collections.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Nagash the Unbroken
Mike Lee
Black Library
1525 Hulse Road, Unit 1, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742
9781844167913, $8.99, www.blacklibrary.com

One defeat is not enough to keep the determined from their glory. "Nagash the Unbroken" is a tale set in the Warhammer universe, following the driven and selfish necromancer Nagash as he finds new allies in the skaven, rat people who live out of most of the world's view. With the help of a new artifact, Nagash may just have the tools he needs for his vengeance and to sate his lust for power. "Nagash the Unbroken" is a choice pick for fans of the Warhammer universe.

Song Over Quiet Lake
Sarah Felix Burns
Second Story Press
20 Maud Street, Suite 401, Toronto, ON M5V 2M5
9781897187678, $18.95, www.secondstorypress.ca

Friendship and compassion know no age. "Song Over Quiet Lake" tells the story of college student Sylvia Hardy and elderly woman Lydie Jim. Sylvia faces the remnants of a harsh childhood and finds herself looking to Lydie for guidance, and with her stories, Sylvia learns to have the strength to continue on with life. A touching and uplifting tale, "Song Over Quiet Lake" is a fascinating and fun read, sure to please many a reader.


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
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