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

The Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 4 April 2013 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fiction Shelf Computer Shelf
Gaming Shelf Architecture Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Biography Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Education Shelf Photography Shelf Automotive Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Mathematics Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Health/Medical Shelf Technology Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Military Shelf Audiobook Shelf Business Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Language Studies Shelf Nautical Shelf
Literary Studies Shelf International Studies Shelf Music Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Sketchnote Handbook, Video Edition
Mike Rohde
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321885111, $39.99, www.peachpit.com

The Sketchnote Handbook, Video Edition: The Illustrated Guide to Visual Note Taking offers a lovely guide to taking notes through pictures, pairing pictures and words together for maximum impact. The process of note-taking is transformed through a process that is partially art, part writing: this book and video step offers a step-by-step introduction to the art of sketchnotes, teaching how to draw people, faces, and even ideas - even if you're not an artist. Pages packed with visual examples offer the best way to get up and running using the sketchnote process, making this a recommended for students, business people and any interested in streamlining and enlivening their note-taking abilities.

The Secrets of Happy Families
Bruce Feiler
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061778735, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

The Secrets of Happy Families: Improve Your Mornings, Rethink Family Dinner, Fight Smarter, Go Out and Play, and Much More comes from an author who used his expertise as an investigative reporter to seek information on how modern families come together in light of digital media's preoccupations, surveying what cutting-edge techniques a variety of professionals used with their own families. Then Bruce Feiler took these ideas home and tried them out on his own wife and kids. Humor and wit blends with over 200 tested methods for making family life more meaningful and fun - and because they come from real-world experiences, these secrets easily translate to experiences any can enjoy. From the right way to have family dinner to handling financial challenges from kids, this provides a wealth of lively insights perfect for any general library catering to families.

Tattoo Bible Book 3
Superior Tattoo
Artkulture
c/o Wolfgang Publications
P.O. Box 223, Stillwater, MN 55082
9781935828754, $27.95, www.wolfpub.com

Book Three of the popular Superior Tattoo Bible series offers yet more examples of the best tattoo artwork on the market, but differs from its predecessors in gathering designs from both old and new schools of design thought. Over 350 images in black and white and color pack a survey designed for a range of readers, from tattoo fans seeking art to create a design to those looking at new trends and new talents in the tattoo art world. The result is packed with color and examples of a range of styles, and will add to any collection where large-size, contemporary tattoo art examples are of interest.


The Fiction Shelf

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

Before he became famous as the founder of Scientology, L. Ron Hubbard was a master storyteller during the age of Pulp Magazines. He wrote memorable, timeless yarns in just about every literary genre the pulps had to offer. Two of his 'time lost' stories from the pulp magazine era are now reprinted (with original cover art) and available for an appreciative new generation of readers. "Gun Boss of Tumbleweed" (9781592122745, $9.95) is a superbly written western originally published in the April 1949 issue of 'Thrilling Western'. "Twenty Fathoms Down" (9781592122516, $9.95) is a riveting yarn of undersea salvage and was published in the September 1934 issue of 'Five Novels'. An outstanding feature of the Galaxy Press 'Stories from the Golden Age' series showcasing Hubbard's literary accomplishments is the inclusion in each title a Glossary and two articles: 'L. Ron Hubbard in the golden Age of Pulp Fiction' and 'The Stories from the Golden Age'. Anyone who enjoys these 'time lost classics' Hubbard stories from the pulp magazine era should visit the Galaxy Press web site at www.galaxypress.com for a complete listing of their available titles.


The Computer Shelf

OpenGL Insights
Patrick Cozzi & Christophe Riccio, Editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781439893760, $79.95, www.crcpress.com

OpenGL Insights: OpenGL, OpenGL ES, and WebGL community experiences gathers writings from developers, researchers and educators and provides techniques for intermediate and advanced Open GL development. The latest techniques for the Open GL APIs provides a blend of best practices and problem-solving techniques, considering functions from performance to profiling and framework design. An enclosed poster details the OpenGL pipeline while source code and demos are supporting details on an accompanying website, making Open GL Insights a fine compendium of tested approaches and facts perfect for technical programmer computer reference libraries.

CompTIA Security+ Rapid Review (Exam SY0-301)
Michael Gregg
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9780735666856, $29.99, www.microsoftpress.com

CompTIA Security+ Rapid Review (Exam SY0-301) covers the exam's objective and approach, and provides a 'rapid review' format that lends to quick self-testing and easy absorption of basic exam questions. From network security and vulnerabilities to compliance and identity management, this compliments more in-depth coverages by providing a quicker format for easy self-testing. The author is an expert on cyber security and networking, and here provides an exceptional format and approach to acing the CompTIA Security test.

CSS3: The Missing Manual, third edition
David Sawyer McFarland
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449325947, $34.99, www.oreilly.com

CSS3: The Missing Manual has been fully revised and now appears in its third updated edition to cover HTML5. It teaches all the basics and the latest best practices to web designers working with CSS3, applying real-world tested design practices, showing how to create lively pages and layouts, and teaching the basics of putting together websites for mobile, desktop or tablet uses alike. It's quite simply a 'must' for any CSS3 user.

Database Administration, second edition
Craig S. Mullins
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321822949, $59.99, www.awprofessional.com

The second updated edition of Database Administration: The Complete Guide to DBA Practices and Procedures is a pick for any advanced holding strong in database management, and is packed with best practices and solutions for any database platform. The latest best practices and techniques apply to all administration efforts, from creating database environments to data integrity and compliance. It also adds new coverage of "Big Data", cloud computing, and NoSQL. From individuals learning database administration basics to managers running DBA groups, this packs in best practices and the latest tips for handling data breaches and issues, and continues to be a 'must' for any collection.

Learn You Some Erlang for Great Good!
Fred Hebert
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street
San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593274351, $49.95, www.nostarchpress.com

Learn You Some Erlang for Great Good! A Beginner's Guide tackles the complexities and challenges of Erlang and pairs fun illustrations and a casual approach with foundation techniques for building applications, common data structures, and more. Erlang offers concurrence, plus a unique approach to fault tolerance and provides programmers with many benefits - let surprisingly few guides teach the basics of this language and how to put it into action. Chapters cover everything from testing applications and storing data to understanding Erlang's unorthodox structure and programming techniques. Programmers with foundation skills new to the Erlang environment will find this the perfect starting place!


The Gaming Shelf

Bolt Action: Armies of the United States
Massimo Torriani
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781780960876, $24.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

Bolt Action: Armies of the United States provides a fine supplement to Bolt Action for players of the war game and provides all the information needed on the military forces of the U.S. Players can choose from different troop types from tanks to Marine raiders and can build a US force to fight in virtually any war scenario using this all-encompassing guide. Army lists and theatre selectors accompany color photos, detailed rules, and team specifics, making this a powerful wargamer's reference.


The Architecture Shelf

Actar-D
151 Grand Street, 5th floor
New York, NY 10013
www.actar-d.com

Hanif Kara and Andreas Georgoulias are the editors of INTERDISCIPLINARY DESIGN: NEW LESSONS FROM ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING (9788415391081, $34.95) presents research and discussions surrounding the perception of architects and engineers as designers, and the approaches used to support this vision. Technology has changed both approaches and disciplines - and this analysis explores an experimental survey of interdisciplinary design led by a course at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Chapters consider overlaps in processes, gaps between disciplines of architecture and engineering, and how changing technology is affecting the relationship between both. Highly recommended for any advanced architectural holding. Also highly recommended is Craig Ward's POPULAR LIES ABOUT GRAPHIC DESIGN (9788415391357, $16.95), which comes from an award-winning designer who identifies and refutes popular lies in the field of graphic design. Ten years of industry experience lend to discussions of everything from the validity of design education to client relationships and the changing world of graphic design as a whole. Students and working graphic designers alike will find it informative and revealing, challenging popular assumptions in the industry. THE SNIPER'S LOG: AN ARCHITECTURAL PERSPECTIVE OF GENERATION-X (9788492861224, $39.95) by Alejandro Zaera-Polo gathers texts written by Zaera-Polo since 1986, and blends biographical insights with considerations of the processes that influence an architect's direction. The notes take the form of a log of events written for the purpose of accumulating experience to influence future endeavors, and provides a fine blending of experience and observation perfect for architectural insights.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

How to Raise & Keep a Dragon
John Topsell
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764165757, $18.99, www.barronseduc.com

How to Raise & Keep a Dragon comes in a new enlarged edition with a poster inside and makes for a fine gift for any who appreciate dragon artwork, themes, and characters. It comes from dragon scholar John Topsell, and offers all the whimsical and colorful fantasy instruction on how to select and acquire an available dragon, from hatching a dragon egg and training and riding to showing a dragon in competition. With its many lively, colorful illustrations, this makes for a lovely gift for any age reader fascinated by dragons and the culture surrounding them.


The Biography Shelf

The Inventor and the Tycoon
Edward Ball
Doubleday
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780385525756, $29.95, www.doubleday.com

THE INVENTOR AND THE TYCOON: A GILDED AGE MURDER AND THE BIRTH OF MOVING PICTURES provides a powerful historical biography centering on the relationship between a murderer who invented the movies - one Eadweard Muybridge - and a robber baron who built the railroad - tycoon Leland Stanford. Both were obsessed by different goals - and over a hundred and thirty years ago both experienced personal disasters. Muybridge turned into a killer when he discovered the child borne by his young wife was not his, and his patron financed a dream that would change the face of the American West. THE INVENTOR AND THE TYCOON reads like fiction but holds all the drama and tension of nonfiction, making it a top pick for history, biography and general lending collections alike.

Coolidge
Amity Shlaes
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061967553, $35.00, www.harpercollins.com

COOLIDGE follows the life and times of one Calvin Coolidge, who served as president from 1923-1929 and never rated highly in the polls. History recalls his service as preceding the Great Depression: this biography considers the era which marked Coolidge's tenure, considering social and political events which led to our modern way of life, from the rise of American cars to the era when the federal deficit was replaced with a surplus. Coolidge's choices involved some of the most controversial issues of his era, from reigning in public-sector unions and uncontrolled government spending practices to tackling new special interest forces. The blend of personal and political insights makes this a favored pick for American history and biography collections alike.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Faith and Struggle on Smokey Mountain
Benigno P. Beltran
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759758, $25.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Faith and Struggle on Smokey Mountain: Hope for a Planet in Peril belongs in any Christian inspirational collection and considers Smokey Mountain, a garbage dump in Manila which has long served as an emblem for a planet choking on waste. Friar Beltran served for thirty years as a chaplain to the scavengers who survive off the garbage heap: his account blends social perspectives on Third World nations and survivors with spiritual insights on God's will in the face of poverty, waste, and corruption. From learning new ways of thinking in the process of interacting with his parish to considering the visual patterning of experience, this is a powerful blend of philosophy, spirituality and social insight!

Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com

Barry G. Webb's THE BOOK OF JUDGES (9780802826282, $50.00) commentary on Judges in a narrative that considers both the stories in Judges and their implications. Biblical text highlights some issues and subdues others: Webb's analysis considers both highlights and background issues in Judges, offering footnotes, research, and bibliography essential for interpreting the Old Testament work. More than just a reiteration of themes, this offers analysis and perspective on how Judges is presented, and is a pick for any scholarly Christian library. David P. Gushee's THE SACREDNESS OF HUMAN LIFE: WHY AN ANCIENT BIBLICAL VISION IS KEY TO THE WORLD'S FUTURE (9780802844200, $35.00) offers an all-encompassing volume on biblical roots, historical cases, and modern ethics, and is a fine survey arguing that perceiving human life as inherently sacred is one of the most basic legacies of biblical faith - and one the church has often failed to perceive. A historical survey documenting this faith accompanies coverage of the ethical challenges accompanying the challenges to human life, from biotechnology and abortion to human rights and the concept of just warfare. The result is a powerful spiritual account highly recommended for any college-level Christian collection.

Beyond Belief
Jenna Miscavige Hill with Lisa Pulitzer
Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062248473, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

BEYOND BELIEF: MY SECRET LIFE INSIDE SCIENTOLOGY AND MY HARROWING ESCAPE provides a powerful account of growing up inside the Church of Scientology, one of the most secretive, controversial organizations in the world, and comes from a woman born into it as the niece of its leader. The firsthand account blends autobiography with insights from a third generation Scientologist separated from her parents for most of her childhood as she trained to become a member of the church's elite Sea Org. Following orders was her life, questioning rules was punished - and thus it's doubly amazing Jenna was able to leave the structure and write this revealing expose. A powerful survey, this is recommended for spirituality and general lending libraries alike.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Dying Echo
Judy Clemens
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464200212, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

DYING ECHO provides a fine Grim Reaper mystery which revolves around investigator Casey, who returns to her hometown to get her brother out of jail and prove his innocence. Casey and her companion Death set out to investigate Alicia's murder, only to find Alicia is harboring a secret past and many questions revolve around her demise and life. As it becomes obvious that Casey is walking into the same trap Alicia uncovered, Death and Casey must work closely to prevent chaos in this different, satisfying murder story, highly recommended for any mystery holding.


The Education Shelf

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

D'Ette Cowan, et.al.'s A TEACHER'S GUIDE FOR GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT THE SYSTEM (9781452205120, $16.95) offers keys to change involving teachers and administrators working together, and provides a companion to the title A FIELDBOOK FOR DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEADERS. This outlines a systematic approach, Working Systematically, which focuses on building professional development and innovation. Chapters outline a five-phase process for implementing this tested improvement plan at the district, school and classroom level alike, offering teachers a serious guide to school involvement. Highly recommended for any educator looking to incorporate tested routines for change. Candi B. McKay's YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE BAD TO GET BETTER: A LEADER'S GUIDE TO IMPROVING TEACHER QUALITY (9781452240879, $27.95) is for any collection strong in instructional leadership and shows how staff can be encouraged to create breakthrough scores. This focus on teacher evaluation systems provides a focus on professional growth and systems that encourage this, showing readers how to think about and assess current practices for positive changes. Leaders will find this a fine key to effectively assessing and communicating with teachers. SCHOOLS CAN CHANGE: A STEP-BY-STEP CHANGE CREATION SYSTEM FOR BUILDING INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS AND INCREASING STUDENT LEARNING by Martin Pearson (9781412998741, $38.95) is a guide for teachers and principals who want to encourage a school-wide system for improved student learning, and includes online references in the course of its discussions on how to identify and implement such a system. Chapters focus on The Change Creation System and provide resources that update the traditional Whole Faculty Study Group model for modern times in a specific guide recommended for any leader dedicated to system-wide change. Debbie Zacarian's MASTERING ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPORTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT (9781452255439, $36.95) offers a step-by-step research-based approach to academic language for K-12 instructors reaching students who don't have the literacy skills needed in school. From case studies about their experiences to family involvement and teacher approach to building a foundation of academic language skills, this is a fine survey that includes sidebars of 'reflection prompts' for professionals to enter their observations during the process. Teachers will find this the perfect choice for identifying and building academic language skills. Gabe Simon's BUILDING STUDENT RESILIENCE: STRATEGIES TO OVERCOME RISK AND ADVERSITY K-8 (9781452258676, $27.95) comes from a teacher and principal of a Title 1 school who provides teachers and support team specialists with keys to understanding links between resiliency and academic achievement. From creating schoolwide teams to engaging students in the classroom and encouraging better peer relationships, BUILDING STUDENT RESILIENCE is packed with tips on how a caring adult can support students throughout the academic process. Proven strategies for achieving this success abound in this fine guide. Leslie S. Kaplan and William A. Owings' CULTURE RE-BOOT: REINVIGORATING SCHOOL CULTURE TO IMPROVE STUDENT OUTCOMES (9781452217321, $39.95) offers a fine plan for establishing a student-centered learning culture based on student outcomes, and focuses on identifying and defining that student culture for maximum achievement. From involving parents and community in the process to engaging teachers in a culture-focused leadership effort, this is packed with 're-boot' activities to help leaders take better advantage of a school's cultural system. Highly recommended for any school leader!

Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org

Julienne M. Olson's 200 ESSENTIAL PRESCHOOL ACTIVITIES (9781605541044, $19.95) provides classroom teachers with a range of learning activities for enhancing curriculums, teaching kids to be creative and learn new skills as well as encouraging teachers to link lessons to children's natural learning encounters. Early education teachers will relish these activities, which are simple, clearly outlined, and require a minimum of equipment or special acquisitions to prove successful. It's the link between the preschool play and teaching objectives which is so important, here. Carol Garhart Mooney's THEORIES OF CHILDHOOD (9781605541389, $24.95) appears in its second updated edition to offer a resource on foundational theories of major early childhood experts, from Jean Piaget to Erik Erikson. Each chapter profiles a theorist's work and how theory impacts teaching young children, with discussion questions helping solidify best practices and applied theory. New understandings of how these early childhood experts view education processes and how this all works in the 21st century makes for a fine guide, highly recommended for any early education collection.

Math Sense
Christine Moynihan
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109422, $19.00, www.stenhouse.com

MATH SENSE: THE LOOK, SOUND AND FEEL OF EFFECTIVE INSTRUCTION is a fine recommendation that helps teachers identify practices that encourage vibrant math in the classroom. It shows teachers how to build a stronger math classroom environment, providing a series of self-assessment rubrics to help build such a community, and it helps teachers evaluate the strengths and approaches of their methods. From providing and using written feedback to resources for engaging all students, MATH SENSE provides a fine formula for success and is a pick for any educator's reference collection.


The Photography Shelf

The Iconic Photographs
Steve McCurry
Phaidon
180 Varick Street, 14th floor
NY, NY 10014
9780714865133, $59.95, www.phaidon.com

The Iconic Photographs is offered in an oversized format and charts the career of a photographer whose images have captivated many over a thirty-year period. His photojournal work may be best known by his photo of a green-eyed Afghan girl, but his fame doesn't stop there: photographs here represent striking full-color images from his journeys around the world and capture other cultures and people leading everyday lives in unique conditions. While this collection will of course excite any library strong in art and photography, it's also a top pick for any library seeing interest in images of international travel, packing a powerful punch which proves especially accessible in a large-size presentation capturing full pages packed with startling color and culture.

Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
www.amherstmedia.com

Photographers who want to produce better group portraits will find Michelle Perkins's 500 POSES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING GROUP PORTRAITS: A VISUAL SOURCE BOOK FOR DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS (978160855527, $39.95) a key reference perfect for modifying group shots to create inviting, absorbing scenes. Color photos throughout provide a wide range of group portrait shot scenarios and represent images from some of the world's best wedding, portrait, fashion and editorial photographers. The result is a powerful set of images perfect for any photographer who wants inspiration for more creative group shot poses. Eric Curry's PAINTING WITH LIGHT: LIGHTING & PHOTOGRAPHY TECHNIQUES FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608955046, $29.95) provides a collection of all the skills you need to change everyday scenes into works of art. From planning incredible photo results using only basic equipment to choosing the right camera, gear, light sources and more, this offers all the technical information needed to work with light sources and add extraordinary results to ordinary scenes. The result is a highly recommended pick for any photographer who would move beyond simple lighting to more advanced results.

Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
www.rockynook.com

James Johnson's CANON EOS 5D MARK III: THE GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING AND USING YOUR CAMERA (9781937538156, $39.95) is a recommended pick for Canon EOS 5D Mark III owners and represents the latest in a series of Canon EOS 5D DSLR cameras. It offers many advanced controls and explores the many features of the 5D Mark III, packing in color images of the camera's controls and photos taken using the camera's many special features. From step-by-step setting adjustments to advanced options, this explores how to get the most from this camera, and is a 'must' reference for any Canon EOS 5D Mark III owner. Rico Pfirstinger's MASTERING THE FUJIFILM X-PRO1 (9781937538149, $29.95) packs in experience-based information and insights for any owner of the new X-Pro1 camera, which represents Fujifilm's first mirrorless camera with an APS-C sensor. It combines the latest digital camera technology and design with an interchangeable-lens camera using Fujifilm X-Pro1's minimalist design, and offers a manual for getting the most from the camera's superior imagery and programming capabilities. The result is a specific how-to guide perfect for any owner of the Fujifilm X-Pro1.


The Automotive Shelf

The Dawn of Pro Stock
Steve Reyes
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781613250402, $29.95, www.cartechbooks.com

The Dawn of Pro Stock: Drag Racing's Fastest Doorslamers 1970-79 comes from photographer Steve Reyes, who was on the scene of drag racing when it entered its Pro Stock class, and documented the legends and history of the racing series which proceeded Stock and Super Stock drag racing classes. This coverage documents the rise of the Pro Stock series, offering a fine collection of stories of the cars and drivers and supplementing all with vintage black and white and color shots throughout. The result is a powerful survey of the early heroes of muscle cars and a 'must' for any drag racing fan.

Rare Finds: Mustangs & Fords
Jerry Heasley
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781613250341, $24.95, www.cartechbooks.com

Rare Finds: Mustangs & Fords: The Hunt for the Ultimate Ford Muscle Cars comes from an automotive buff who has been tracking down stories of rare Mustangs and Fords for years, and who provides the most intriguing stories of his rare finds in a collection of recovered high-performance cars. From how car hunters research and locate classic muscle cars to their restoration, Rare Finds is packed with color photos of adventures in the old car world, and will prove a top pick for any automotive history holding as well as many a collection strong in antiques collection.


The Cookbook Shelf

Breakfast for Dinner
Lindsay Landis and Taylor Hackbarth
Quirk Books
215 Church Street Philadelphia PA 19106
978594746130, $19.95, www.quirkbooks.com

Breakfast for Dinner: Recipes for Frittata Florentine, Huevos Rancheros, Sunny-Side-Up Burgers, and More turns classic breakfast foods into dinner meals and provides a range of main dishes, sides and desserts that offer new ideas for traditional breakfast-type themes. From an Italian-Style French Toast and the new popular rave Chicken and Biscuit Waffles to Bacon Old-Fashioneds, this modifies pancakes, savory dishes and more and comes from a comfort food cook and her food blogger husband, and just goes to show that a wealth of breakfast styles can be easily adapted to dinner fare. Any general cookbook collection will find this a winner!

Slow Cooker Desserts
Jonnie Downing
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431246, $14.95, www.ulyssespress.com

SLOW COOKER DESSERTS provides color photos and recipes for slow cookers and includes fruit desserts, puddings, brownies and more. All the recipes for the slow cooker have been tested and adapted, and all offer both traditional dishes with a twist and a focus that emphasis the strengths of the slow cooker. The result is a fine collection of dessert dishes packed with flavor and inviting color - and perfect for the busy cook who wants to use the slow cooker to maximum advantage.

The Naked Foods Cookbook
Margaret Floyd and James Barry
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608823185, $21.95, www.newharbingerpublications.com

The Naked Foods Cookbook: The Whole-Foods, Healthy-Fats, Gluten-Free Guide to Losing Weight & Feeling Great tells how to create delicious meals from fresh, natural foods and tells how to eat "naked" foods which are nutrient-dense and additive-free. Over 150 gluten-free recipes for simple dishes offer a range of surprising dishes, from noodle-less lasagna and nutty pesto chicken to a Florentine Omelet made with nutrient-rich kale versus the over-used and less healthy spinach. The result is packed with flavor, innovations on traditional themes, and an approach that lends to better, healthier cooking and eating.

The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook
Diane Phillips
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452103006, $24.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

The Mediterranean Slow Cooker Cookbook pairs fine photos by Tara Donne with an emphasis on Mediterranean dishes adapted for the slow cooker from throughout Spain, Portugal, France and Greece, and the Middle East coast, and is a pick for any collection strong in slow cooker international cuisines. Many Mediterranean dishes already rely on slow-cooked methods, making the slow cooker an especially agreeable addition to a Mediterranean cook's collection. From Moroccan Style Beef to Greek Pastitsio, this is packed with highly spiced, seasoned delights that rely on ingredients found in any supermarket. Any international cookery collection will welcome this!

How to Boil An Egg
Rose Carrarini
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor
NY, NY 10014
9780714862415, $35.00, www.phaidon.com

HOW TO BOIL AN EGG provides a fine sequel to 'Breakfast, Lunch and Tea' and represents the experiences of author Rose Carrarini, who opened Rose Bakery with her husband in Paris. The little restaurant and bakery featured fresh organic ingredients and quickly attracted fans: this cookbook provides eighty signature dishes from the bakery, profiles Rose's methods of cooking eggs and baked goods, and follows in her popular first cookbook. These new dishes range from Italian Egg Soup and Courgette and Tomato Gratin to Popovers. Most all of the dishes feature eggs in this inviting cookbook recommended for any general culinary collection.


The Mathematics Shelf

Visions of Infinity
Ian Stewart
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465022403, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

VISIONS OF INFINITY: THE GREAT MATHEMATICAL PROBLEMS considers fourteen of the biggest math problems in history, which have each taken the field in new directions. Each problem receives a historical and math analysis, considers why they are important, and - for those still without solutions - what it could mean to the world to find proven answers. From how mathematicians solve problems and gain insights and inspiration from the field to why they spend much time trying to disprove their own ideas, this provides not just a history of math or even a history of unsolved problems, but a window into the very processes mathematicians use in the field. Any collection strong in math and science will find this a lively discussion perfect for any with an affinity for math.

Matrix Computations, fourth edition
Gene H. Golub and Charles F. Van Loan
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421407944, $70.00, www.press.jhu.edu

The fourth updated edition of the college-level Matrix Computations adds to the Johns Hopkins Studies in the Mathematical Sciences series with a volume that provides computational scientists and engineers with solutions to matrix problems. Chapters provide a complete revision and expansion of the third edition and includes many completely new chapters covering tensor computations, pseudospectra, large-scale SVD methods, and much more. Problems, solutions, and discussions of the formulas, methods and literature surrounding matrix computations make for a reference that is specific and well detailed: perfect for any college-level math collection appealing to engineers.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Martingale
19021 Avenue NE
Bothell, WA 98011
www.martingale-pub.com

Sandy Turner's BIG-PRINT PATCHWORK: QUILT PATTERNS FOR LARGE-SCALE PRINTS (9781604681826, $24.99) comes from a quilting teacher who here shares her secrets for putting novelty and pictorial prints to use, and is a recommendation for any quilter looking to work with big prints in patchwork. Seven projects illustrate different approaches and offer plenty of ideas, while keys to what to look for in large-scale prints and how to enhance a theme accompany blocks and instructions easy to reproduce in a variety of sizes. The result will appeal to any learning to work with patchwork. Amy Ellis' MODERN BASICS II: 14 EASY PATCHWORK QUILT PATTERNS (9781604682021, $24.99) teaches shortcuts and patterns and offers some fourteen projects featuring original quilt blocks in a fun book written by a popular quilting blogger. Helpful tips for newer quilters accompany color photos, patterns, and tips on cutting and assembly. The easy patchwork quilt patterns offer immediate gratification as they assure professional-looking results from simple efforts. Newcomers to quilting will find this the perfect place to begin, pairing basic instruction with keys to success. TWICE AS NICE: QUILTS WITH SCRAP-SAVING BONUS PROJECTS by Kari M. Carr (9781604681765, $22.99) provides six lovely quilts along with a bonus project for each that teach the basics of techniques designed to use up quilting scraps. What is ultimately created is more than just a quilt: it's a system for using up pieces of scrap fabric by producing accompanying wall hangings, pin cushions or more as a means of concluding the project. A fine guide, this is a pick for any quilter who wants to use up scraps.

Scrap Quilts Fit for a Queen
Sally Schneider
Martingale
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604681789, $26.99, www.martingale-pub.com

Scrap Quilts Fit for a Queen Or a King, Twin, or Lap comes from a quilting expert who offers 10 scrappy quilts, each in multiple sizes to appeal to a wide audience who wants to have different quilt options. All the specs are included, from yardage and cutting to calculating the number of blocks for each size, while chapters covering basic techniques for strip piecing, using square triangles, and making folded corners offer embellishments and professional, polished techniques. The result is a highly recommended pick for any quilter who wants size options without extra math.

New York Beauty Diversified
Linda J. Hahn
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600582, $24.95, www.americanquilter.com

New York Beauty Diversified offers keys to paper-piecing for precise results, and showcases some fourteen projects and several gallery quilts to illustrate design possibilities for all levels of quilter and needleworkers. From flowers and sunbursts to the pairing of traditional quilt blocks to New York Beauty blocks, this teaches the basics of paper piecing methods and offers many pages packed with color illustrations and photos of completed projects. The result is a fine gathering of projects and ideas perfect for any quilter's collection.

A Stitch in Time: Heirloom Knitting Skills
Rita Taylor
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438001951, $18.99, www.barronseduc.com

A Stitch in Time: Heirloom Knitting Skills packs in a treasury of traditional knitting stitches and offers clear directions on how to work with over 150 stitch patterns, linking knitting patterns with projects holding step-by-step instruction with all the skills needed to produce polished results. From a raspberry beret and a soft cowl to using lace, cable, twisted or raised stitches, this offers a range of approaches to producing classic heirloom creations and is a solid pick for any needlework collection.


The Health/Medical Shelf

Broken Hearts
David S. Jones
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421408019, $34.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Broken Hearts: The Tangled History of Cardiac Care presents debates over what causes heart attacks and complications of cardiac surgery such as mental fog and depression, and considers why doctors and patients overestimate the dangers of medical interventions. Accompanying this discussion is a history of cardiology and cardiac surgery in this country that considers the entire medical decision making process, based on reviews of medical history and community perspectives alike. Any health collection strong in cardiac care will find this a winning presentation perfect for general health or specialty collections alike.


The Technology Shelf

GPS/GNSS Antennas
B. Rama Rao, et.al.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781596931503, $139.00, www.artechhouse.com

GPS/GNSS Antennas offers a practical resource covering the latest GPS/GNSS antenna systems and covers key applications of these antennas for professionals who need to know in-depth details on antenna characteristics, operations, and more. Engineers will appreciate the coverage of adaptive arrays, signal processing techniques, and more which cover basics requirements for both dual-band and tri-band antennas, and will appreciate chapters packed with information on antenna design and substrates materials. It's the first comprehensive book presenting designs for compact GNSS antennas for personal handheld devices and cars, and is a highly recommended pick for any technical engineering collection.

Handbook of RF, Microwave, and Millimeter-Wave Components
Leonid A. Belov, et.al.
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608072095, $165.00, www.artechhouse.com

Handbook of RF, Microwave, and Millimeter-Wave Components provides a comprehensive reference on the basic operations and characteristics of active and passive RF, microwave, and millimeter-wave components, covering linear and nonlinear components and including descriptions and examples of all the materials and best practices in the field. Engineering collections will find this a fine reference that covers all kinds of applications, from analyzing noisy signals and understanding frequency synthesizer structures to microelectricalmechanical switches and oscillation sources and ranges. The result is a powerful, specific reference packed with charts, graphs and details perfect for any engineering reference collection.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel V. 3
Robert Jordan
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9780765331632, $24.99, www.tor.com

The Eye of the World: The Graphic Novel V. 3 takes Robert Jordan's classic 'Wheel of Time' series and turns it into a fine graphic adaptation perfect for Jordan fans and readers of graphic novel science fiction alike. This gathers issues thirteen to eighteen, is scripted by Chuck Dixon, and packs in color art by Marcio Fiorito and Francis Nuguit, following the ongoing adventures of Rand and his friends, who split into three groups trying to escape pursuit by Mashadar. Deadly strangers, dangerous sea passages, and dramatic adventures with many twists and turns are finely adapted in a lovely presentation especially recommended for fans suffering from the Wheel of Time's conclusion this winter.

Johnny Red: Angels Over Stalingrad V. 3
Tom Tully and Joe Colquhoun
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781848564381, $19.95, www.titanbooks.com

Johnny Red: Angels Over Stalingrad V. 3 is the third volume in the series, reprinting the classic story by Tom Tully and Joe Colquhoun to provide military graphic novel enthusiasts with one of Britain's best-loved combat comics, Battle. This lovely hardback pairs information about aerial warfare and Stalingrad with a vivid colorful account of one Johnny Redburn, discharged from the RAF for killing an officer and fighting against Germans from afar. A nostalgic reissue, this is a pick for any collection strong in British historical comic writing.


The Military Shelf

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

Vincent W. Rospond's POLISH ARMIES OF THE PARTITIONS 1770-94 (97817849088558, $17.95) is illustrated by Raffaele Ruggeri and offers a fine survey of the Polish-Lithuanian armies of the late 18th century. From their organization and their distinctions to historic battles and confrontations, this history is illustrated with a combination of rare early images and colorful artwork which brings to life the uniforms, equipment and statistics of the Polish armies. Highly recommended! David R. Higgins' MARK IV VS. A7V VILLERS-BRETONNEAUX 1918 (9781780960050, $18.95) offers military collections a fine account of the first deployment of the Germans' own design, and is a fine recommendation for any military history holding interested in the machines of conflict. The clash at Villers-Bretonneaux showcased two competing designs, the Mark IV and the A7V, and details how they were deployed in battle. The result is a fine recommendation for military libraries strong in not only history, but equipment analysis. Stuart Reid's Cumberland's CULLODEN ARMY 1745-46 (9781849088466, $17.95) packs in color artwork by illustrator Gerry Embleton as it covers the history and strategies of a 1700s army lead by one Duke of Cumberland, who assembled an army to defeat a Jacobite rebellion that threatened to restore the Stuarts to rule. Details include not just uniforms but a full chronology of military events and encounters, along with analysis that includes specific units' actions and battles through the campaign that ended at Culloden. Military history holdings specializing in U.K. early history will find this a fine addition. THE M60 MACHINE GUN by Kevin Dockery (9781849088442, $18.95) receives fine illustrations by mark Stacey and tells of the development and deployment of a machine gun known as "the Pig" after World War II. It came from two revolutionary German designs and saw action during the Vietnam War: chapters consider how it changed infantry tactics, how it appealed to special ops troops, and how its development affected military choices during the decades following Vietnam. Any military or firearms collection strong in equipment history will find this an intriguing history. James Miller's ALBATROS D.I-D.II (9781780965994, $18.95) tells of the 1916 development and design of the Albatros as German fighter pilots sought to create an aircraft that would complete against more successful Allied forces. Two Albatros craft were developed simultaneously, and allowed Germany to regain control of the skies by fall of 1916. This history of the two provides a powerful assessment of how the designs changed German aerial combat abilities in a pick for any World War I collection. Peter E. Davies' US MARINE CORPS F-4 PHANTOM II UNITS OF THE VIETNAM WAR (9781849087513, $22.95) provides a survey of the missions and achievements of the F-4 Phantom II units of Vietnam, and is a pick for any military collection strong in aviation history or Vietnam War units in particular. This coverage considers the F-4's performance in missions and uses the experience of aircrew who flew them to add to the comprehensive history of the craft. Pages packed with color and black and white photos enhance documentation of major battles and interactions between officers and pilots. The result is a vivid recreation of the F-4's achievements, perfect for any military aviation or Vietnam War history collection! Bill Yenne's THE WHITE ROSE OF STALINGRAD: THE REAL-LIFE ADVENTURE OF LIDIYA VLADIMIROVNA LITVYAK, THE HIGHEST SCORING FEMALE AIR ACE OF ALL TIME (9781849088107, $27.95) offers the true story of "Lilya" Litvyak, who became the highest scoring woman air ace of all time. Despite her achievements, very little has been written about her: perhaps because of her evolution as a unique Soviet fighter pilot during World War II. This account not only covers Litvyak's life and achievement, but offers many further insights into Soviet operations during the war, making it of interest to collections ranging from aviation and military to women's history and Soviet history holdings.


The Audiobook Shelf

Car Talk: 25 Years of Lousy Car Advice
Ray Magliozzi
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781622311200, $22.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Car Talk: 25 Years of Lousy Car Advice comes from the popular NPR radio show ad gathers some of the best episodes of 'Car Talk' for any newcomer or old-time fine. In 1987 Ray and Tom Magliozzi transitioned from local radio to a national NPR program, 'Car Talk', that proved entertaining and popular. 25 years of wit on the maintaining of cars gathers the best of hilarious car reflections and moments in a presentation perfect for any audio library.

Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
www.wandomhouseaudio.com

Lawrence Wright's GOING CLEAR: SCIENTOLOGY, HOLLYWOOD & THE PRISON OF BELIEF (9780385393041, $58.00) is narrated by Morton Sellers with an introduction read by the author, and is based on over two hundred personal interviews and years or archival research into the inner workings of the Church of Scientology. From its origins in the science fiction works of L. Ron Hubbard to its struggles to be accepted as a legitimate religion, this uncovers its entire evolution and premise, teaching not only about scientology, but what makes a religion a religion and not something else. Is Scientology deserving of constitutional protections achieved in its victory over the IRS? This offers much food for thought. Jonathan Kellerman's GUILT (9789739369166, $45.00) receives a fine narration by John Rubinstein, a Broadway and TV actor whose smooth voice lends high drama and tension to this fine story of Los Angeles murder and investigations. Homicide detective Milo Sturgis finds two recently uncovered bodies offer links to events six decades ago involving a wealthy doctor and a lovely nurse. Add celebrity interactions and Los Angeles culture into the mix and you have an outstanding survey, highly recommended. Alan Bradley's SPEAKING FROM AMONG THE BONES: A FLAVIA DE LUCE NOVEL (9780307879493, $35.00) pairs reader Jayne Entwhistle's smooth voice with the story of pre-teen amateur detective and chemist Flavia de Luce, who is hot on the trail of her latest investigation into the murder of a church organist in the English hamlet she calls home. Who would kill the organist, then hide his body in a sacred place? Flavia's investigations lead to a series of satisfying complexities in this latest addition to her sleuthing successes.

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachetteaudio.com

James Patterson and Jill Dembowski's WITCH & WIZARD: THE KISS (9781619693746, $22.98) receives a fine narration by Spencer Locke and Justin Long with Cassandra Morris, which lends an almost radio-style dramatic touch to the story of a witch and wizard with unusual abilities who face a magical stranger and powerful entwined sibling magic abilities. When Wizard King threatens war, Wisty must choose between romance and world-saving in a fantasy saga filled with romance and unexpected supernatural twists and turns. Fantasy and mystery audio collections alike will find this a satisfyingly complex saga. Ed Whitacre and Lesley Cauley's AMERICAN TURNAROUND: REINVENTING AT&T AND GM AND THE WAY WE DO BUSINESS IN THE USA (9781611134964, $29.98) receives a fine reading by author Ed himself, and provides a candid discussion about his success in the corporate world as the CEO of two major American corporations. He built AT&T into a telecommunications giant and then in 2009 he was tapped to turn around General Motors. His discussions of key managerial shake-ups at GM and his business-building corporate strategy at AT&T makes for an outstanding discussion that comes to life in audio, where he narrates his stories of inner business workings. The result is an outstanding survey filled with progressive management tips for any business collection.

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

L. Ron Hubbard was a master storyteller and one of the most prolific and successful writers during the 'Golden Age' of pulp magazines. Galaxy Press has devoted itself to bringing Hubbard's stories vividly to life in complete, unabridged, multi-voice audio book recordings. The most two recent titles feature Hubbard's gift for action-adventure yarns are "The Red Dragon" (9781592122288, $12.95) and "Trick Soldier" (9781592123186, $12.95). In "The Red Dragon", Michael Stuart is stranded in China making his living anyway he can -- and that includes helping a young woman who is targeted by nefarious forces when she seeks to recover something her archaeologist father had found deep in the interior before he died. The result is non-stop, cliff-hanger action and a gratifying surprise ending. "The Trick Soldier" is comprised of three pulp magazine stories: He Walked To War; Machine Gun 21,000; and the title piece 'Trick Soldier'. All three stories feature American marines. "The Red Dragon" (originally published in the February 1935 issue of 'Five Novels') and "Trick Soldier" (found in the January 1936 issue of 'Top-Notch') are 2 CD, 2 hour, flawlessly enhanced with sound effects and music productions and very highly recommended offering a memorable 'theatre of the mind' listening experience.


The Business Shelf

The Graphic Designer's Business Survival Guide
Lawrence J. Daniels
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814432419, $24.95, www.amacombooks.org

The Graphic Designer's Business Survival Guide comes from a gifted graphic designer who covers all the basics from moving from a freelancer to a consultant and independent graphic designer. Decades of experience in running his own design firm lend to a coverage of the overall design business and its culture, considering its business and artistic challenges, how to develop business skills for launching and promoting a successful design business, and more. Designers learn basic business skills tailored to their art, from defining a market niche to developing a workable system for promoting one's unique design offerings. The result pairs insider insights and practical applications with sample documents and keys to success for any designer who wants independence paired with entrepreneurial achievement.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

TV On Strike
Cynthia Littleton
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110
Syracuse, NY 13244-5290
www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
9780815610083, $29.95, www.amazon.com

TV ON STRIKE: WHY HOLLYWOOD WENT TO WAR OVER THE INTERNET considers the 2007 upheaval in the industry which began when writers went on strike for a hundred days, resulting in a crippling of Hollywood. The strike provided a newfound focus on new media distribution platforms and how they have changed the entertainment industry as a whole, and the history of this strike focuses on everything from changing media to transitioning profits and the social issues involved. Key players on both sides of the table are presented in this evolving survey of the Writers Guild of America and their revolutionary strike, making this a 'must' for any college-level media collection concerned with connections between media studies and social issues.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Forensic Speak
Jennifer Dornbush
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931316, $29.95, www.mwp.com

Forensic Speak: How to Write Realistic Crime Dramas comes from the author's real-life experiences growing up around death investigation, and covers the forensic science key to writing a crime drama for film or television audiences. Chapters pack in some 100 film and TV examples and provide keys to understanding the underlying forensics that make crime dramas more believable, offering screen writers a host of approaches that can be incorporated into writing. Writers must know the latest information on death investigation that will lend credibility to their crime drama, and Forensic Speak covers all the possibilities and basics, both for locating present-day resources and for adopting research patterns useful to future changes in crime investigation techniques. Any crime writer must consult this reference to create successful, believable dramas.

The Writer's Journey, third edition
Christopher Vogler
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907360, $26.95, www.mwp.com

THE WRITER'S JOURNEY: MYTHIC STRUCTURE FOR WRITERS appears in its third updated edition to provide writers and screenwriters with an analysis of the powerful relationship between mythology and storytelling. Step-by-step instructions on how to create plot and characters are based on the work of Joseph Campbell and this edition provides new observations from Vogler's ongoing research into mythology's influence on stories and movies. New material for this edition includes a revised chapter analyzing six feature films, new diagrams that better pinpoint mythic principles underlying writing and screenwriting efforts, and a new final chapter linking self-discovery with writing. The result is a fine survey highly recommended for screenwriters or general creative writers alike.


The Library DVD Shelf

The Parker Videos
NACSW
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
9781617811104, $19.95, www.dogwisepublishing.com

The Parker Videos offers an outstanding survey of a K9 dog team in the making and features K9 dog Parker and handler Christy, who demonstrate the skills used at a K9 Nose Work workshop presented by professional detection handlers. Christy videotaped some eight months of training: this video provides a fine survey of the process, includes voice-over commentary and observations by Ron Gaunt, a co-founder of the sport, and teaches interested viewers how to get started in their own K9 Nose Work training. A vivid, informational and fun video, this is a pick for any interested in dog training in general and K9 Nose Work in particular.

Nosework - Search Games
Anne Lill Kvam and Turid Rugaas
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
9781617811081, $29.95, www.dogwise.com

Nosework - Search Games comes trainers who have longtime skills working with dogs, and teaches viewers how to use the nosework activity to help a dog use his natural abilities in a manner beneficial to dog and human alike. Dogs so trained can find a variety of things, from anti-man mines to hidden dangers: this video focuses on search games that promote nosework, and provides an easy, logical introduction dog owners can readily use to test the nosework concept.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Aztec Diet
Dr. Bob Arnot
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062124050, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

THE AZTEC DIET: CHIA POWER; THE SUPERFOOD THAT GETS YOU SKINNY AND KEEPS YOU HEALTHY teaches readers how to lose weight and increase energy levels by relying on the health foods that nourished the ancient Aztecs. Aztec foods include legumes, fish and vegetables, fruits, and healthier grain choices such as bulgar and quinoa. This diet's foods have no refined sugars, little or no wheat, and foods high in protein. From Hummus in Pita Quinoa and Black Bean Salad and Lemon Pine Nut Crusted Salmon, this is packed with delightful recipes, discussions of healthy eating, and menu plans that any home cook can readily follow.

Be a Free Range Human
Marianne Cantwell
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749466107, $19.95, www.koganpage.com

Be a Free Range Human: Escape the 9 to 5, Create a Life You Love and Still Pay the Bills provides a fine inspirational survey that tells how to create an amazing lifestyle doing what you love. Case histories from those who have taken the plunge and tailored their work to better match their lives makes for a powerful survey of 'how to' gain time, freedom, and still make as much income. Chapters provide a plan for getting started in 90 days for less than, $100 in a guide that makes for a powerful recommendation for business and inspirational lending libraries alike.


The Language Studies Shelf

Urban Dictionary, new edition
Aaron Peckham
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
1449409906, $12.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

The new edition of Urban Dictionary offers a colorful update of street language and slang and defines words that commonly appear on the web and in social circles. It's based on entries from Peckham's urbandictionary.com website, which attracts some 22 million readers daily who in turn provide their own new terms to keep the definitions fresh. Any interested in modern slang and its definitions and use will find the compendium of terms packed with humor and insight: perfect for any who would keep current on the latest slang and jargon.


The Nautical Shelf

2013-2014 Sailor Guide to the Windward Islands
Chris Doyle
Chris Doyle Publications
9780944428948, $32.95, www.doyleguides.com

2013-2014 Sailor Guide to the Windward Islands appears in its 16th updated edition to provide cruisers and professional yachts all the information needed to cruise the islands from Martinique to Grenada, and is a recommended reference for any boater who would spend time in the region. It comes with lay-flat spiral binding and no spine lettering - which could make for a shelving location challenge, but is perfect for boat use for cruisers who need lay-flat, at-a-glance details. The updated edition provides all the revised information needed to discern the latest anchorages, water conditions, and local culture.

Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago, fourth edition
Chris Doyle
Chris Doyle Publications
9780944428962, $27.95, www.doyleguides.com

Cruising Guide to Trinidad and Tobago Plus Barbados and Guyana packs in all the specifics needed to plan a long-term cruising trip to these regions, and is a 'must' for any nautical or destination-oriented travel holding. Author Chris Doyle has personally explored these areas, extensively; so his knowledge comes from the latest first-hand experiences - reflected in this updated fourth edition - rather than from others. Color photos pack navigation charts and advice on GPS coordinates, making for a powerful cruising guide packaged in a handy lay-flat spiral binding format perfect for consultation on land or sea alike.


The Literary Studies Shelf

The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things
Paula Byrne
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062270047, $15.99, www.harpercollins.com

The Real Jane Austen: A Life in Small Things is published to coincide with the bicentenary publication of Pride and Prejudice, and comes from a biographer who focuses on the key moments, scenes and influences on writer Jane Austen's life and how they were interpreted in her novels. Each chapter presents an object that represents such a key theme in her life and work, then draws connections between her literary approach and her world. It's a satisfying blend of biographical coverage and literary analysis that draws important connections between the two, lending depth and accessibility to her life and works. The result goes beyond the confines of either biography or literary analysis and is a recommended pick for any Jane Austen reader.

Practical Classics
Kevin Smokler
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146566, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Practical Classics: 50 Reasons to Reread 50 Books You Haven't Touched Since High School talks about rereading the classics, either for the first time or for the first time since high school, and is a fine guide for any adult reader who would return to the classics with a different perspective in mind. Chapters offer suggestions on how to newly approach the classics, and how to find newfound delight in rereading old assignments as an adult.


The International Studies Shelf

Panama and the United States: The End of the Alliance, third edition
Michael L. Conniff
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA, 30602-4901
978082034344140, $24.95, www.ugapress.org

The third updated edition of Panama and the United States: The End of the Alliance describes Panama's experience as owner-operator of the canal, the U.S.'s adjustment to its smaller role in the process, and the history of how Panama has handled the canal. It's packed with information on the social and political interactions between Panama and the U.S., with chapters using a range of source materials to analyze the forces that have both brought the countries together and divided them. The result is a fine documentary of Panama's history and politics, and is a recommended pick for any college-level political studies holding strong in international U.S. actions or Panama history.


The Music Shelf

The Soundtrack of My Life
Clive Davis with Anthony DeCurtis
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781416714783, $30.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The Soundtrack of My Life recounts the life of music legend Clive Davis who holds five decades in the business and who has worked with some of the great musicians of our times, from Paul Simon to Whitney Houston. He overcame an impoverished childhood to graduate from Harvard Law School, there to become a general counsel at Columbia Records, where he became president of the company. His ability to spot talent and foster hit records made Columbia and Arista highly successful companies - and lead Davis to discover and develop more unique artists than anyone in the industry's history. This memoir recounts his life, his work, and his many encounters with some of the greatest names in music history, and is key for any collection strong in popular music history and culture.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design