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California Bookwatch

Volume 4, Number 1 January 2009 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Donovan's Picks Criminology Shelf Parenting Shelf
Fashion Shelf Art Shelf Military Shelf
World History Shelf Business Shelf Education Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Fiction Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Music Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Photography Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Homeowner's Shelf
Sports Shelf Gaming Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Travel Shelf
Computer Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Science Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Psychology Shelf  


Donovan's Picks

The Hidden Treasures of Timbuktu
John O. Hunwick and Alida Jay Boye
Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780500514214, $50.00 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

THE HIDDEN TREASURES OF TIMBUKTU: REDISCOVERING AFRICA'S LITERARY CULTURE is a fine guide for any college-level library specializing in either art or African cultural history. For centuries Timbuktu was a major center of Islamic literary and artistic culture: this gathers reproductions of the visual manuscripts of early scholars, offering lovely decorated graphics and in-depth historical notes. Any library strong in African literary history and traditions, also, will appreciate this gathering of Timbuktu treasures and history.

You: Being Beautiful
Michael F. Roizen MD & Mehmet C. Oz, MD
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
1416572341, $26.99 www.simonandschuster.com

Most people believe beauty revolves around beauty products or clothes - but there are purposeful scientific standards for measuring beauty and there are also many stereotypes surrounding beauty and its definition. Here two doctors provide an assessment of three levels of beauty and how these levels work together to create a unique person. Looking, feeling and being beautiful covers outside, scientific and inner beauty alike and offers a breakdown of the mechanics of beauty, showing readers techniques for self-analysis. General-interest collections will find it a winning survey.

Mad Dinner
MAD
Actar Dsitribution
158 Lafayette Street, 5th Floor, New York NY 10013
8496954218, $49.95 www.amazon.com

Any collection strong in Chinese culture, art, and architecture will love MAD DINNER. Its structure, focus and contents are very different from your usual art or cultural exploration, juxtaposing art and architectural images with dialogues by ordinary individuals and designers on how the work or piece affected their lives and reflects Chinese cultural patterns and perceptions. From winning designs for studios and differences in design permits and processes to how architectural ideas are conveyed, MAD DINNER is a unique, outstanding contribution to the study of world design and architecture and is a top pick for either art or Chinese cultural studies libraries.

Don't Sleep, There Are Snakes
Daniel L. Everett
Pantheon Books
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780375425028, $26.95 www.pantheonbooks.com

Linguist Daniel Everett lived with a small tribe of Amazonian Indians in central Brazil and was a Christian missionary when he arrived in 1977 with his family, intending to convert them. When he found they used a language that defied all existing linguistic theories and concepts, his intentions moved from conversion to study - and he spent over seven years exploring their language history. Highly recommended for both public lending libraries strong in travel and social history accounts, and for college-level collections strong in linguistics.

Obama: The Historic Campaign in Photographs
Deborah Willis and Kevin Merida
Amistad
c/o HarperCollins
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
9780061733093, $26.95 www.amidstadbooks.com

Deborah Willis is a photo historian and photographer who is chair of New York University's tech school of arts: she combines forces with Kevin Merida, associate editor at the Washington Post, to gather a gorgeous photo memoir of the historical campaign of Obama this year. Any seeking a keepsake edition of the highs and lows of the 2008 campaign trail needs this: it pairs color photos with commentary on Obama's progress, and is an outstanding survey perfect for personal reflection and public library acquisition alike.


The Criminology Shelf

Crime Victim's Guide to Justice, 3rd Edition
Mary L. Boland, Attorney at Law
Sphinx Legal
c/o Sourcebooks
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
1572486554, $22.95 www.sphinxlegal.com

If you've been a crime victim you have many rights and obligations within the criminal justice system as well as outside of it - and CRIME VICTIM'S GUIDE TO JUSTICE explains everything needed to get such justice. From how to report a crime and seek medical and psychological help to testifying effectively and locating resources within and outside the criminal justice system, this third updated edition offers all the latest insights and is a 'must' for any general interest public lending library strong in consumer's rights.


The Parenting Shelf

Confident Parents Remarkable Kids
Bonnie Harris, M.S.Ed
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
1598694715, $12.95 www.adamsmedia.com

Parents seeking a better way of improving a child's behavior will find this an excellent book discussing parental needs, kids' reactions to discipline and guidance, and how to break the cycle of defeat on both sides. Children want to succeed, behavior is a parent's cue, and this book tells how to create successful routines. Any library catering to parents will find this a fine guide.


The Fashion Shelf

A Year in Fashion
Pascal Morche
Prestel
900 Broadway Suite 603, New York NY 10003
9783791339467, $29.95 www.prestel-usa.com

Over seven hundred pages pack in nearly four hundred color illustrations in A YEAR IN FASHION, a lovely gift book formatted as a year's worth of two-page full photo spreads in both black and white and color. Each day features a photo facing a detailed caption, short text, quote, and room to note birthdays and important dates. This just missed Christmas mention but for anyone with holiday money to spend and an affection for fashion - it's an unusual 'must have'.

Fashion Inside Out
Daniel Vosovic
Watson-Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9535
www.wgpub.com, 1-800-451-1741
9780823032174, $29.95 www.watsonguptill.com

FASHION INSIDE OUT: DANIEL V'S GUIDE TO HOW STYLE HAPPENS FROM INSPIRATION TO RUNWAY AND BEYOND surveys the roots of where fashion sense begins, how it translates in the fashion and design worlds, and what happens from the act of creating a garment to its marketing and acceptance. Color photos abound in an outstanding fashion design guide art collections will find important.

Influence
Mary-Kate Olsen and Ashley Olsen
Razorbill
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
345 Hudson Avenue, New York NY 10014
9781595142108, $35.00 www.razorbillbooks.com

Two actresses and designers provide a powerful blend of interviews with creative contemporary fashion visionaries with stunning black and white photos of same in INFLUENCE, charting the dreams and insights of such modern artists as Peter Beard, Francisco Costa, Lauren Hutton, and more. From artists promoting new brand name fashion lines to different approaches to fashion marketing challenges, INFLUENCE is a fine pick for any college-level fashion library or any fashion designer seeking creative insight.

Building Patterns
Suzy Furrer
Apparel Arts
2325 Third St. #406, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781424343539, $80.00 www.apparel-arts.com

Building Patterns: The Architecture of Women's Clothing is a step-by-step guide to the craft of patternmaking for women's apparel. Written especially for students aspiring to become industry-proficient in the profession, Building Patterns covers how to use the wide assortment of patternmaker's tools, and in-depth guidelines to creating patterns for everything from skirts to necklines, collars, sleeves, pockets, pants, and much more. Black-and-white diagrams on virtually every page illustrate the principles taught in Building Patterns with crystal clarity, and sample exercises allow students to broaden their skills. Highly recommended especially for vocational college library shelves.


The Art Shelf

China Style
Sharon Leece
Periplus Editions
c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
0794605532, $39.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com

Chinese art, architecture and design has a long history and blends many elements from a tradition of wooden courtyard structures, evolving to blend different styles. Modern Chinese interiors are here presented with full-page color photos - many documenting eclectic mixes of old and new styles, while descriptions document choices and discuss how these different choices blended in. It's a gorgeous visual display for any library strong in either interior design or Chinese art and architecture, holding a wide range of contemporary examples.

Brilliant Strokes
Ka Bo Tsang
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta, Edmonton AB Canada T6G 2E1
1551952165, $29.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca

BRILLIANT STROKES: CHINESE PAINTINGS FROM THE MACTAGGART ART COLLECTION covers 'baimiao', 'gongbi', 'mogu' and other painting techniques used by Chinese artists. While it covers an exhibition created by the University of Alberta Museums and makes for an excellent catalog, it also stands well alone as a survey highly recommended for college-level art libraries and for collections in Chinese arts and culture.

Sentimental Journey: The Art of Alfred Jacob Miller
Lisa Strong
Amon Carter Museum
c/o University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780883601051, $45.00 www.oupress.com

Alfred Jacob Miller was the first artist to journey into the Rocky Mountains as the commissioned artist for William Drummond Stewart, and produced over a hundred watercolors and pen-and-ink drawings documenting the course of the expedition and the sights seen there. SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY captures his historic observations and art, and is a top pick for both art libraries specializing in American artists and for American history holdings seeking colorful, graphic examples of early American explorations.

The Art of Frank Howell
Michael French
Doubleday & Company
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
9780385322348, $35.00 www.randomhouse.com

Frank Howell died in 1997, shortly after this book was originally published, but his paintings continue to offer gorgeous images and colors and remains a fine example of Southwest art as a whole. This gathering of Howell's Southwest peoples will prove familiar to many fans of Southwest art: his paintings have long been reproduced and graced many buildings, and so any art library strong in Southwest artistry needs THE ART OF FRANK HOWELL. Full-page color images are accompanied by in-depth text reviewing Howell's life and art.

Black Velvet Masterpieces
Carl Baldwin and Caren Anderson
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94107
9780811862073, $24.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

Deserving of ongoing mention is this stunning gathering of black velvet paintings chronicling the history of the works and highlights from Portland's Velveteria Museum, home to over 1,200 crying Elvises, clowns, and more. Beautiful full-page images pack displays from the museum with insights into the art and creation of black velvet as a whole. Art libraries as well as many a general interest lending collection will find it an eye-catching, popular pick.

Handmade Nation
Faythe Levine and Cortney Heimerl
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th Street, New York NY 10003
9781568987873, $24.95 www.papress.com

Today's craft world is now a linked culture of punk, artistic technique, and DIY philosophy, and HANDMADE NATION traces the new wave of craft sentiments that incorporate community connections and ideas in its process. From logs and galleries to craft fairs and teachers, over twenty artists from across the country discuss their lives, works, and community connections. HANDMADE NATION: THE RISE, DIY, ART, CRAFT AND DESIGN is a key acquisition for any art collection as well as for general-interest libraries specializing in crafts history and culture.

Faberge's Eggs
Toby Faber
Random House
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com, 1-800-726-0600
9781400065509, $30.00 www.atrandom.com

The Faberge imperial eggs were Easter gifts which Russia's last two czars gave to their czarinas, and are the biggest symbols of old Russia's artistic craftsmen. FABERGE'S EGGS is the first book to tell the story of these eggs, considering their design, their origins, the surprises hidden inside the eggs, and the evolution of a gift tradition that would end with an empire and with vanished eggs in the revolution. Any interested in either Russian history or art will find this an involving and unique history.

Confident Color
Nita Leland
North Light Books
c/o F&W Publications
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
9781600610127, $29.99 www.fwpublications.com

CONFIDENT COLOR: AN ARTIST'S GUIDE TO HARMONY, CONTRAST AND UNITY uses artwork from over 50 artists to illustrate personal approaches to color. From 85 example activities reinforcing ideas on colors and their combinations to how to break old patterns and experiment with new colors, CONFIDENT COLOR provides artists with a range of tips for gaining the best contrasts and most original color schemes, and will prove a fine art lesson package for any library catering to artists.


The Military Shelf

Seals: The U.S. Navy's Elite Fighting Force
Mir Bahmanyar with Chris Osman
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781846032264, $29.95 www.ospreypublishing.com

In their 25 years of existence the U.S. Navy SEALs have become famous for unconventional tactics, daring missions, and crucial battles around the world - and have developed world-famous training techniques. This celebrates their strategies, chronicles their missions, and uses first-hand accounts of Seals experiences along with over 200 previously unpublished photos. Any military or naval library must have this celebration.


The World History Shelf

Medieval Knights: The Age of Chivalry
Jose Sanchez Toledo
Casemate
1016 Warrior Road Suite C, Drexel Hill, PA 19026-4818
9788496527898, $45.95, www.casemate.com

Author Jose Toledo is an analyst and expert on Classical Antiquity and the Medieval Age and here focuses on the human factors of Medieval knights and their lives, from historical figures and biographical reviews to general daily life and times in the Age of Chivalry. His in-depth survey will find a place not just in military history collections, but in any library strong in in-depth surveys of Medieval times and lives.

The Long Descent
John Michael Greer
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1XO Canada
9780865716094, $18.95 www.newsociety.com

Is our present industrial society on the same downward spiral path as those of civilizations past, which have risen and fallen? John Michael Greer provides a vision of the aftermath of the age of oil, using past studies of civilizations in decline to fuel discussions of global energy challenges, offering suggestions on how to handle an inevitable descent and change from an oil-based society. The discussion is perfect for high school to college-level libraries strong in environmental issues and social change alike.


The Business Shelf

The Clean Tech Revolution
Ron Pernick and Clint Wilder
Collins Business
c/o Harper Collins
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
9780060896249, $15.95 www.harpercollins.com

From top trends in clean technology to companies heavily involved in it who bear watching, THE CLEAN TECH REVOLUTION has been newly revised and updated to reflect the latest trends. Business libraries and those featuring social issues pieces will welcome this survey of economics, politics, and major clean-tech sectors in alternative energies and building. A powerful survey helps readers identify which sectors to watch, and which trends are likely for future.

Built to Last: Successful Habits of Visionary Companies
Jim Collins and Jerry L. Porras
HarperBusiness
c/o Harper Collins
10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10010
9780060566104, $27.50 www.harpercollins.com

Now, more than ever, is a business book needed such as BUILT TO LAST, dedicated to analyzing and presenting connections between business visionary practice and success. It's not your usual book about charismatic leaders or solutions - it's about COMPANIES who practice visionary ideals on a corporate scale. Chapters provide tips on what to do - and what not to do - in a survey packed with strong ideas.

Everything I Know About Business I Learned at McDonald's
Paul Facella with Adina Genn
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com, 1-877-833-5524
0071601414, $24.95 www.mhprofessional.com

McDonald's has produced more millionaires from within its ranks than any company in history, and has long-term loyalty of its franchisees, vendors and customers. How does it garner such lasting admiration and success? Paul Facella is a company insider who began working for McDonald's at age sixteen and grew up in the company to become regional vice president. His personal examination of a company that continues to thrive makes for a compelling, revealing business title recommended for business collections and public lending libraries alike.

The Principles of Project Management
Meri Williams
Sitepoint
48 Cambridge Street Collingwood VIC Australia 3066
9780980285864, $39.95 www.sitepoint.com

Project managers new to the business receive an excellent primer on running projects on time and on budget, using a step-by-step project management primer from manager Meri Williams. From learning how to manage a diverse range of projects and mastering special needs to keeping control of them and identifying project warning signals which can derail time frames and purpose, The Principles of Project Management is a fine basic introduction recommended for any business collection catering to project managers.

The Secrets to Succeeding in Network Marketing
Jonathan Street
Atlantic Publishing Company
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9781601380197, $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

THE SECRETS TO SUCCEEDING IN NETWORK MARKETING: HOW TO ACHIEVE FINANCIAL SUCCESS SELLING NETWORK MARKETING PRODUCTS & SERVICES tells how to create and promote a non-traditional distribution method, with products moving from manufacturer to salespeople instead of going through a wholesaler to consumer. The Internet offers other distribution channels that allow workers to use their home computers in the sales process, and this book's focus on network marketing makes the most of different network marketing techniques in a survey perfect for libraries focusing on at-home work opportunities.

Future Savvy
Adam Gordon
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814409121, $24.95 www.amacombooks.org

Why do some business predictions come true while others miss the mark entirely? What do companies need to clearly assess their pros, cons, and changing trends? FUTURE SAVVY holds keys to evaluating business, technology, and more, offering a methodology for researching and analyzing trends and data. More than just another business structure guide, it's a key to applying a range of critical tests to business purposes, and is a fine pick for any business collection.


The Education Shelf

Themes for Inclusive Classrooms: Lesson Plans for Every Learner
Laverne Warner, et.al.
Gryphon House
10726 Tucker Street, Beltsville, MD 20705
9780876590041, $29.95 www.ghbooks.com

Teachers who have developing young children as well as special needs kids in their classes receive a powerful collection of lesson plans complete with materials lists, group activity objectives, assessment strategies, and modifications to make the lesson plans accessible for all children, including those with special needs. Teachers can use these plans to meet state and national needs in a fine survey balancing child-initiated with teacher-directed activities. Very highly recommended as a keystone acquisition for any early education library.

Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings from Theory to Practice
Susan Stacey
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, Saint Paul MN 55117
9781933653419, $29.95 www.redleafpress.org

College-level teaching libraries as well as teachers using activity resources will find Emergent Curriculum in Early Childhood Settings from Theory to Practice an important acquisition, exploring concepts of emergent curriculum and how its theory and basics can improve the educational culture in an early childhood program. Educators learn how to identify and nurture children's enthusiasm for learning using a guide to observation, reflective practice, and children's growth keyed to curriculum needs.

Assessing Critical Skills
Jon Mueller
Linworth Books
3650 Olentangy River Road Suite 250, Columbus, OH 43214
1586832824, $44.95 www.linworth.com

Library media specialists learn the process and value of designing assessments that match critical skills in ASSESSING CRITICAL SKILLS, a definitive work on assessment designed for educators and librarians alike. Chapters discuss matching assessment to curriculum needs, provides guidelines and examples, and offer step-by-step rubics and checking processes. Any educator's library needs this.

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

Jill A. Lindberg, Michele Flasch Ziegler and Lisa Barczyk's COMMON-SENSE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: TECHNIQUES FOR WORKING WITH STUDENTS WITH SIGNIFICANT DISABILITIES (9781412958196, $29.95) is a powerful resource offering tools special education teachers can use to each all learners in a classroom. From organizing students and the classroom to fill all needs to preparing for transitions and working with support staff, COMMON-SENSE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: TECHNIQUES is a powerful tool highly recommended for any education library strong in special education or general education strategies. Catherine A. Franklin's CIVIC LITERACY THROUGH CURRICULUM DRAMA GRADES 6-12 (9781412939294, $28.95) shows educators how to provide innovative opportunities for students to experience social studies through mock trails to political campaigns. There's no better way of reinforcing civic ideas than through experience - and this packs step-by-step guidelines for creating curriculum dramas based on historical cases and current events. Matthew Jennings' BEFORE THE SPECIAL EDUCATION REFERRAL: LEADING INTERVENTION TEAMS (9781412966917, $23.95) tells how to improve academic achievement for struggling students by providing instructional interventions and support before special education evaluations come into play. Tips on how to create intervention teams and how to support the Response to Intervention process make for an invaluable resource. Jon Wiles' LEADING CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT (9781412961417, $33.95) tells how to use curriculum development to define activities and make decisions, offering a resource to leaders of school teams and teachers. Any involved in school administration will find it packed with case studies and planning sheets essential to curriculum development. Christine Finnan's THE UPPER ELEMENTARY YEARS: ENSURING SUCCESS IN GRADES 3-6 (9781412940993, $33.95) is written by an advocate for upper elementary studies and provides detailed tips about child development and paired teaching practices. From discussions of diversity issues to case studies from students and teachers alike, it's an outstanding guide. Michael H. Dickmann and Nancy Stanford-Blair's MINDFUL LEADERSHIP: A BRAIN-BASED FRAMEWORK, 2ND EDITION (9781412964104, $36.95) provides an updated edition of CONNECTING LEADERSHIP TO THE BRAIN, offering school leaders a visionary framework for understanding how mindful leadership impacts educational systems. From supporting the mind/body connection to cultivating productive dispositions, it's a powerful read for any administrator or school leader.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Not Fit for a Dog!
Michael W. Fox, B.Vet.Med., Ph.D., D.Sc., M.R.C.V.S., et.al.
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
1884956831, $25.00 www.quilldriverbooks.com

NOT FIT FOR A DOG! THE TRUTH ABOUT MANUFACTURED DOG AND CAT FOOD covers the massive recall of over 1,000 different varieties of cat and dog food - and serious issues about quality control and safety in pet food manufacture overall. A team of vets offer an expose and examination of the industry as a whole - and how to safely feed a pet.

What Philosophy Can Tell You About Your Cat
Steven D. Hales, Editor
Open Court
PO Box 300, Peru, IL 61354
0812696522 , $14.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

Libraries strong in either popular philosophy applications or pets will find What Philosophy Can Tell You About Your Cat a winner: it analyzes the deep emotional impact on our lives cats can hold, offering vignettes ranging from insights on cat health care routines and issues to definitions of cruelty, cats in the afterlife, and more. A series of chatty yet insightful articles lets non-philosophers move easily from feline ownership to the world of philosophical reflection.

Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals
Murray Fowler
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
0813814324 , $120.00 www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

The third updated edition of Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is a 'must' for any college-level collection strong in veterinary sciences as well as for practicing vets. It offers an introduction to the basics of animal restraint and reviews techniques for both wild and domestic animals. This new edition provides the latest research and focuses on techniques and safety for both handlers and animals.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Healing the Rift
Leo Kim
Cambridge House Press
115 West 29th Street, New York NY 10001
9780978721329, $24.95 www.camhousepress.com

Most U.S. people believe in a spiritual dimension - yet most also believe in science, and there's a gap between scientific and spiritual belief. HEALING THE RIFT seeks to close this gap, offering a scientific journey that explores the nature of reality using metaphors, examples, and anecdotes. From the nature of life to the healing mind, HEALING THE RIFT blends the author's personal insights and reflections with those of science and spiritual realms.

Prophet's Daughter
Erin Prophet
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
www.lyonspress.com, 1-800-836-0510
9781599214252, $24.95 www.globepequot.com

In early 1990 in response to the apocalyptic prophecies of her mother Elizabeth Clare Prophet, daughter Erin Prophet went to live underground in Montana along with members of her mother's New Age sect, anticipating the end of the world. When she emerged to find it whole, Erin was forced to reassess everything she had been taught about church and family. PROPHET'S DAUGHTER provides an insider's view of the cult, its beliefs, and its values, and is an essential acquisition for any spirituality or new age library as well as many a general-interest lending library.

Feminine Mysteries in the Bible
Ruth Rusca
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781591430889, $15.00 www.bearandcompanybooks.com

Feminine Mysteries in the Bible: The Soul Teachings of the Daughters of the Goddess is a pick for either religious study or women's issues libraries: it offers a survey drawing on over 30 years of research exploring four archetypal women in the Bible - sacred prostitutes - who represent the feminine life force and wisdom of the Goddess. Women's studies collections will find it an excellent pick.

Modern Spiritual Masters
Robert Ellsberg, Editor
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com, 1-800-258-5838
9781570757884, $18.00 www.maryknoll.org

Any spiritual library needs Robert Ellsberg's MODERN SPIRITUAL MASTERS: WRITINGS ON CONTEMPLATION AND COMPASSION. It offers a synthesis of thought on contemplation and compassion through biographical reflections and selected writings, highlighting the teachings of a dozen spiritual masters from Dorothy Day and Thomas Merton to Howard Thurman. Biography blends with teachings in an outstanding survey of compassion and spiritual reflection perfect for both spiritual and general-interest libraries.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Jesus and the Feminists: Who Do They Say That He Is?
Margaret Elizabeth Kostenberger
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
1581349599, $19.99 www.crossway.org

The scholarly work of feminists on the person of Jesus Christ is examined by Doctor Margaret Kostenberger, who holds degrees in theology, is an adjunct professor of women's studies, and here examines how feminist scholarship relates to Jesus. From assessments of feminism as a liberation movement and discussions of believers and priests to the history of feminist critiques of Jesus, JESUS AND THE FEMINISTS makes for a powerful presentation recommended for college-level spirituality and women's studies libraries alike.


The Fiction Shelf

Aurora Crossing
Karl H. Schlesier
Texas Tech University Press
Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726369, $27.95 www.ttup.ttu.edu

This novel of the Nez Perces tells of one Seton who has been reared first in an Anglo township in Idaho, then on the reservation, and finally on the Salmon River with the Lamtama band. His struggle to determine whether Old Man Coyote's spirit message is a gift or a trick offers the blended true story of an eyewitness account to the Nez Perce march of 1877 with the coming of age tale of a young man.

Just After Sunset
Stephen King
Scribner
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
1416584080, $28.00 www.simonandshcuster.com

13 short stories represent the latest and greatest of Stephen King, offering up his first short story collection in six years and reflecting a renewed interest prompted by being guest editor of the 2007 best-selling series BEST AMERICAN SHORT STORIES. King's stories are hard-hitting and packed with powerful characterization, from the story of a young fiancée's disappearance which turns out to be something other than cold feet to a wounded runner's ability to fight off a stalker, and a man grappling with survivor's guilt after 9/11. Powerful, hard-hitting short stories with unexpected twists represent King at his best and are a 'must' for any lending library.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Where Serpents Sleep
C.S. Harris
Obsidian
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9780451225122, $23.95 www.penguin.com

This new Sebastian St. Cyr mystery is set in 1812 London and revolves around the slaying of 8 young prostitutes. There's only one survivor and when she decides to launch an investigation of her own, Sebastian is drawn into despite his struggles over the recent loss of his lover and his family problems. A fine mystery loaded with powerful characterizations and subplots evolves in a title highly recommended for libraries strong in historical mysteries.

Green Monster
Rick Shefchik
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. 1st Avenue #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590585245, $24.95 www.poisonedpenpress.com

After winning a second World Championship the Boston Red Sox have finally buried the famous Curse of the Bambino - so team owner Louis is stymied when he receives an extortion demand claiming the Series was fixed - which could end his legacy and his business. It's up to former cop Sam Skarda to probe the roots of the demand in this hard-hitting mystery.


The Music Shelf

Notable Moments of Women in Music
Jay Warner
Hal Leonard Books
7777 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee WI 53213
9781423429517, $19.95 www.halleonard.com

'Pioneering' and 'innovative' are just two words describing women who shaped modern popular music in a book tracing the evolution of these women from early vaudeville to blues saloons and American idol star shows. Chapters assume a chronological arrangement as they survey the evolution and influence of major female artists in rock, pop and jazz alike, with a daily listing charting highlights.

The Spirit of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar
Various Artists
Daniel Ho Productions
914 Westwood Blvd. #813, Los Angeles, CA 90024
No ISBN, $15.00, www.danielho.com

If you like Hawaiian slack key guitar and or mellow vocals, you need to check out the series of live performance anthologies put out by Daniel Ho Productions. Volume IV, 'The Spirit of Hawaiian Slack Key Guitar', is out now and is as good as it gets. Living legends like George Kahumoku Jr, Dennis Kamakahi, Sonny Lim and female triple threat Owana Salazar appear - and of course, nothing says 'Hawaii' more than Bobby Ingano, who gives a great rendition of Sol Ho'oppi's 'Moana Chimes'. Guest artists and jamming abound: how about harmonica ace Norton Buffalo dueting with George Kahumoku Jr? The liner notes give us the scoop on the various tunings: in case you ever wondered, there are many different slack key tunings. This is one big reason so many acoustic guitarists in Hawaii can sound so different from each other. Some tunes feature as many as four performers. A fave for me is 'La Cancion de Los Panilos', a tribute to the Mexican cowboys who brought the guitar tradition to Hawaii featuring guitars, ukulele, and steel guitar. Sweet.

American Folk Songs: A Regional Encyclopedia
Norm Cohen
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313340482, $149.95 www.greenwood.com

AMERICAN FOLK SONGS is a 'must' for any library: it provides a range of lyrics to regional folk songs across the country, discussing the influence of immigrants, social and political events, ballad and song history, and more. 2 volumes of information divided by region offer song history and analysis alike, making for a powerful musical and social history survey highly recommended for high school to college-level collections strong in American music history.

John Lennon: The Life
Philip Norman
Ecco
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
9780060754013, $34.95 www.eccobooks.com

For over a quarter century Philip Norman's bestselling SHOUT! has been considered the definitive survey of the Beatles: this provides a narrowed focus on one Beatle - John Lennon - using previously untapped resources and new approaches to old material alike. It's an in-depth examination of Lennon's life, from his songs to new information about his upbringing, his school days, and the evolution of The Beatles. Any music library or general lending library needs this!

Re-Make/Re-Model: Becoming Roxy Music
Michael Bracewell
DaCapo Press
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306814006, $17.95 www.dacapopress.com

The story of how Bryan Ferry invented the rock band Roxy Music makes for an involving study written for the first time by all band members involved, who chart how a combination of social change and music transformation led to the band's rise and fall. It's a key exploration of a volatile era in rock music focusing on music trends, artistic development, and including anecdotes on some of the artistic 'giants' of the times: any collection strong in rock music history will find it a 'must'.


The Cookbook Shelf

How to Cook Everything
Mark Bittman
John Wiley & Sons
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780764578656, $35.00 www.howtocookeverything.com

How do you update a title long considered a home cook's classic 'Bible'? The author began from scratch, going recipe by recipe and blending the original publication with new recipes and the latest information in culinary research, making for a new classic adding hundreds of new dishes and revamping nearly every recipe. Its core of quick, simple dishes and easy explanations makes this a 'must' for any library catering to home cooks at any level. Very highly recommended: packed with detail, charts, recipes, and lively writing.

Martha Stewart's Cooking School
Martha Stewart
Clarkson Potter Publishers
c/o The Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, #B1, New York, NY 10019-4305
www.randomhouse.com, 1-800-726-0600
9780307396440, $45.00 www.clarksonpotter.com

Beginners to experts will find this an important set of 200 recipes and essential techniques covering everything from how to make an omelet or grill a steak to poaching eggs, stir-frying vegetables, baking a pie, and more. Lessons and recipes for home cooks pack in not only color photos of finished dishes but charts, step-by-step color photos of processes, recipes, and easy tips. All public lending libraries need this.

Everything But the Squeal
John Barlow
Farrar, Straus & Giroux
18 West 18th Street, New York NY 10011
0374150109, $25.00 www.fsgbooks.com

EVERYTHING BUT THE SQUEAL: EATING THE WHOLE HOG IN NORTHERN SPAIN tells of John Barlow's culinary exploration of Northern Spain, where he searches out all the rural corners of the country in search of the best, rarest or most outrageous meals he can find. From an heirloom breed of hog that miraculously recovered from the brink of extinction to a thousand-year ant-throwing festival and making pig-bladder puddings for Carnival, his search for the ultimate pork and its unique Spanish connections makes for a powerful presentation indeed. Any library strong in international culinary explorations or travelogues needs this.

Under Pressure
Thomas Keller
Artisan
225 Varick Street, New York NY 10014-4381
9781579653514, $75.00 www.artisanbooks.com

UNDER PRESSURE: COOKING SOUS VIDE introduces American cooks to a fine foolproof cooking method of packing food into airtight plastic bags and cooking at low heat to provide outstanding results. Chapters come from chef Thomas Keller and a crew of chefs who illustrate how precision heating works, discuss which kinds of foods will benefit from it and which won't, and packs recipes with full-page, gorgeous color photos. It's an outstanding presentation worthy of any serious culinary collection's acquisition and promises to be both an eye-catching browser's choice as well as a neo-professional cook's pick.

Cooking in the South With Johnnie Gabriel
Johnnie Gabriel
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9781401604059, $24.99 www.thomasnelson.com

Cooking in the South With Johnnie Gabriel is an outstanding survey from Paula Deen's cousin, who provides over a hundred Southern dishes from her restaurant Gabriel's Desserts. In 1989 she began baking cakes from home to earn extra money, seven years later opening a dessert bakery that evolved into a full-service restaurant specializing in Southern vegetables and desserts. Tips for achieving perfect results compliment many key dishes perfect for any library interested in a foolproof Southern cookery book.

I Like You
Amy Sedaris
Grand Central Publishing
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
0446696773, $15.99 www.HachetteBookGroupUSA.com

I LIKE YOU: HOSPITALITY UNDER THE INFLUENCE covers everything from the moderate use of drugs in a party setting to lumberjack lunches and children's parties. It blends recipes with whimsical and pointed observations about food and hospitality in the modern era, conveying the author's lively passion for entertaining. Any general-interest lending library will find it a fine acquisition: even those with any prior familiarity with New York Times best-selling author Amy Sedaris will find the visual approach captivating.

One-Dish Vegetarian Meals
Robin Robertson
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
9781558323704, $14.95 www.harvardcommonpress.com

Over a hundred stews, soups and casseroles for the author's favorite vegetarian meals makes One-Dish Vegetarian Meals a top pick. This combined with international influences - as in a Lebanese Fattush or a Vegetable Biryani - makes for a fine collection of simple main-course dishes perfect for any vegetarian needing a solid collection of main course dishes not 'fluffed' by lots of carbo side dishes. Highly recommended.

Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
9781933615332, $35.00 www.americastestkitchen.com

If you want a cookbook so foolproof that it recipes have been tested time and again to assure consistent quality, paired with high-quality color photos, then you can't go wrong with Best of America's Test Kitchen 2009, a gathering of recipes both unique and traditional, simple great comfort food. BEST OF AMERICA'S TEST KITCHEN 2009 offers a diverse collection, from dishes suitable for entertaining to quick weekday fare for working cooks.

BakeWise
Shirley O. Corriher
Scribner
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
1416560785, $40.00 www.simonandschuster.com

BAKEWISE: THE HOWS AND WHYS OF SUCCESSFUL BAKING is a highly recommended pick for home cooks who like to bake, would-be bakers, and libraries catering to them; especially at the public lending library level. Chapters come from the author's years of experience as a cook and describe techniques ranging from how to make puff pastry easier to work with to recipes that include discussions on how to nearly guarantee professional baking results. The centerfold holds color photos but the rest of the book pairs recipes with tips and hints on obtaining great results.

Anything But Chardonnay
Laura Holmes Haddad
Stewart, Tabori & Chang
115 West 18th St, New York NY 10011
9781584796619, $19.95 www.stcbooks.com

If you're a wine drinker who believes wine falls into either the 'chardonnay or cabernet' areas - ANYTHING BUT CHARDONNAY - A GUIDE TO THE OTHER GRAPES is for you. It comes from a wine and food journalist who explores both well-known and obscure varieties, pairing discussions of red and white blends with recipes of recommended international foods to be served with them. It's an outstanding introduction for any new to wines, and a recommended pick for any general-interest library strong in food and wine guides.

The Best Slow & Easy Recipes
Editors of Cook's Illustrated
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02445
9781933615240, $35.00 www.cooksillustrated.com

The editors of Cook's Illustrated magazine have created a book entirely devoted to slow-cooked dishes, testing each in their test kitchens and producing everything from pit pies to roasts and chops in the classic oven. From tips on how to get smoky food flavors indoors from using tea leaves in place of wood chips to using crock pots more effectively to bring out flavors, The Best Slow & Easy Recipes packs in recipes for a huge range of foods, from the classic Coq Au Vin to Osso Buco and oven-baked creamy Polenta. Over 250 foolproof dishes offer maximum flavors and minimum efforts.

Spain: A Culinary Road Trip
Mario Batali with Gwyneth Paltrow
Ecco Press
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
9780061560934, $34.95 www.harpercollins.com

This companion to the online PBS series needs no TV introduction to make for an excellent stand-alone volume on the history and food of Spain. Two food-obsessed friends searched for the food and wine unique to the country in a blend of travelogue and culinary history - and SPAIN: A CULINARY ROAD TRIP takes a journey across Spain and reveals recipes, extraordinary chefs, culinary history, and local cuisines. Packed with color photos of peoples, countryside and finished dishes, it holds maximum visual appeal both for cooks and for armchair travelers, and is an outstanding pick for any general-interest library strong in either cookbooks or travel guides.


The Photography Shelf

Digital Infrared Photography
Cyrill Harnischmacher
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission Street Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2432
9781933952352, $24.95 www.rockynook.com

As far back as the 1960s photographers have experimented with analog infrared photography; but digital cameras and techniques have introduced new options for infrared photographers and thus Digital Infrared Photography is key for any who would understand how to capture such images. From theory to details on cameras, filters, and shooting in infrared, this is an item of choice for photography libraries strong in special techniques and options.

Visions of Paradise
National Geographic Books
1145 - 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688
9781426203381, $35.00 www.ngs.org

What is 'heaven on Earth'? National Geographic photographer answers came back varied and surprising with a set of stunning visual portraits of what areas they regarded as spellbinding - and make VISIONS OF PARADISE an outstanding presentation. From remote locales to urban environments, underwater locales to other countries, VISIONS OF PARADISE is a winning coffee table or travel addition.

Posing Techniques for Glamour Photography
Rolando Gomez
Amherst Media
PO Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781584282389, $34.95 www.amherstmedia.com

Learn how to design flattering poses suitable to each subject and personality through this powerful guide to posing for headshots, three-quarter-length and full-length images. From using lighting and props to selecting clothing, Posing Techniques for Glamour Photography is a top recommendation for practicing neo-pro photographers seeking specifics for improving glamour photography shots.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Country Garden Quilts
Kaffe Fassett
Taunton Press
PO Box 5506, Newton, CT 06470-5506
9781600850486, $24.95 www.taunton.com

20 new quilts are profiled in Kaffe Fassett's latest collection which represents a ten-year partnership between Kaffe and Rowan. Floral designs pack a set of quilt displays which includes materials, construction techniques, and color photos not just of finished quilts but of piecing. The tips and insights throughout make for a fine 'how to' survey. Quilt libraries will find it a unique, welcome addition.

Vintage Knitwear for Modern Knitters
Lise-Lotte Lystrup
Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780500287569, $19.95 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Vintage knitting patterns from the 1930s, 40s and 50s offer women designs far easier to duplicate. This modern survey provides yarns now readily available, and designs converted for modern proportions. Over twenty period designs have been updated for the modern knitter in fine patterns celebrating vintage style. Both vintage and contemporary photos abound.

Bodacious Applique a La Carte
Margie Engel
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329629, $26.95 www.americanquilter.com

Set a tropical mood with flowers and animals, enhancing quilting projects with colored pencils, markers, and applique using four methods of interfaced and fused techniques in Bodacious Applique a La Carte, a fine recommendation for any needlework collection. Methods are suitable for both machine and hand quilting and offer more than 80 designs.

Sugar Sack Quilts
Glenna Hailey
KP Publications
c/o F&W Publications, Inc.
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990
www.fwpublications.com, 1-800-726-9966
0896895211, $22.99 www.fwpublications.com

Between the 1930s and 1960s colorful textile feedsacks offered an affordable way for women to brighten their lives, with home sewers turning them into dresses, quilts and household ware. Here are both old patterns and original designs with 12 projects featuring a range of feedsack fabrics. Designs run from beginner to advanced quilter projects and each project offers a comprehensive list of patterns, step-by-step piecing instructions, and more. A perfect, different pick for any library offering needlework ideas and history.

Quilting for Joy
Barbara Brandeburg and Teri Christopherson
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564778499 , $26.95 www.martingale-pub.com

Today's quilters don't quilt because they need to: they quilt from pure pleasure. Quilt-designing sisters Barbara and Teri provide here a fine gathering of projects that express their love of quilting, blending traditional with trendy fabrics and colors in 14 projects that focus on piecing and fusible applique. Instructions come complete with tips on assembly, and hold full-color photos for fine embellishments. Any needlework library will find this an asset.


The Audiobook Shelf

Dewey
Vicki Myron with Bret Witter
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
1600243827, $22.98 www.hachetteaudio.com

DEWEY: THE SMALL-TOWN LIBRARY CAT WHO TOUCHED THE WORLD receives a spirited narration by Suzanne Toren, who has much on- and off-Broadway experience, as it tells of an Iowa library cat who is stuffed into a library mail slot, adopted by a librarian who has faced her share of loss, and then for 19 years proceeded to earn a reputation for his enthusiasm, affection, and 6th sense about those who needed him. A heart-warming story, DEWEY will find its place in any general audio lending library.

Salvation in Death
J.D. Robb
Brilliance Audio
c/o Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com, 1-800-854-7859
1423337573, $38.99 www.brilliance.com

Susan Ericksen narrates a powerful thriller set in the year 2060, when investigative tools can help catch a killer but not prevent a murder. Father Miguel Flores' sudden demise is a shock, and it's up to Detective Eve Dallas to find out the truth behind this and a second murder in this fast-paced audio thriller.

Star Wars: The Force Unleashed
Sean Williams
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com, 1-800-726-0600
9780739358085, $29.95 www.randomhouseaudio.com

Jonathan Davis produces an outstanding theater performance certain to captivate audio listeners with Star Wars: The Force Unleashed: a fine survey of how the Republic's overthrow is complete and the Jedi Council nearly decimated, with the Order in shambles. Darth Sidious rules - but pockets of resistance must still be located and crushed, and it's up to Darth Vader to find these pockets - he and a lethal secret apprentice. Any Star Wars fan will relish this fast-paced listen.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Shadowline: the Art of Iain McCaig
Ian McCaig
Insight Editions
17 Paul Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903
1933784245, $65.00 www.insighteditions.com

Iain McCaig is a master artist best known for his work as principal designer on three Star Wars prequels - and his art is seen in many a film. SHADOWLINE provides a stunning oversized display of over two decades of his concept designs and cover art, as well as his private sketchbooks and personal paintings. Any collection strong in science fiction art will find this a powerful presentation with full-color oversize illustrations. Very highly recommended indeed.

Battlestar Galactica and Philosophy
Josef Steiff and Tristan D. Tamplin, Editors
Open Court
PO Box 300, Peru, IL 61354-3000
0812696433, $18.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

BATTLESTAR GALACTICA AND PHILOSOPHY: MISSION ACCOMPLISHED OR MISSION FRAKKED UP? Joins others in the publisher's 'Popular Culture and Philosophy' titles, offering an in-depth analysis of some of the philosophical issues of the series - including what counts as human, if killing an intelligent species is morally correct, and how a 21st century system can survive corruption and challenges to the concept of humanity itself: issues affecting our times as well. Any high school to college-level collection strong in philosophy or science fiction needs this.

Stalking the Vampire
Mike Resnick
Pyr
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591026495, $25.00 www.pyrsf.com

While, technically, Stalking the Vampire is a mystery, it's reviewed here for its interest to any horror or fantasy fans as well, as it's set in the imaginary Manhattan of Mike Resnick's John Justin Mallory series and tells of a detective who must stalk the vampire who has threatened his assistant and killed her nephew. His hunt takes him to a creepy mortuary, to a Zombies' ball, and to the lairs of the undead in this fine novel of intrigue.

Claws That Catch
John Ringo & Travis S. Taylor
Baen Books
PO Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
1416555870, $25.00 www.baen.com

It's up to humans to take the lead and devise a weapon capable of checking the Dreen from the galaxy - and after a couple of cruises the ship Blade is on a mission to investigate rumors of a powerful civilization that may have been the creators of the technology that drives humanity's only space ship. Their search for technology leads to a dangerous alien infestation and involves Captain William Weaver in a dangerous situation in this fast-paced science fiction thriller, perfect for any science fiction collection.


The Homeowner's Shelf

Flanagan's Smart Home
Barbara Flanagan
Workman Publishing
225 Varick Street, New York NY 10014
9780761144601, $12.95 www.workman.com

Some thirty essential kitchen tools and 9 cleaning and fixing products are all that's needed to make a home a haven. From award-winning designs and fresh takes on old appliances to ratings of towels, bath mats, and 'essentials', the goal here is to 'purge clutter' by obtaining a few high-quality, lasting items for the home and jettisoning the rest. A 'must' for any consumer library.


The Sports Shelf

The Year That Changed the Game
Jonathan Rand
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166-2012
9781597972154, $27.95 www.potomacbooksinc.com

THE YEAR THAT CHANGED THE GAME: THE MEMORABLE MONTHS THAT SHAPED PRO FOOTBALL reviews thirteen months when professional football set the stage for its modern popularity, focusing on one key game viewed even 50 years later as the 'greatest ever played'. NFL football history comes to life in a survey any sports library will relish.


The Gaming Shelf

The Setting Trick
Ian McCance
Master Point Press
331 Douglas Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5M 1H2
9781897106419, $18.95 www.masterpointpress.com

THE SETTING TRICK: PRACTICAL PROBLEMS IN BRIDGE DEFENSE offers a book of problems in defensive cardplay based on real events. The idea here is players aren't up against a perfect declarer - and these differences can allow for taking advantage of the declarer's mistakes. Bridge players seeking better defense strategies will find this a fine pick.

Philosophy Looks at Chess
Benjamin Hale, Editor
Open Court Publishing
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
0812696336, $19.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

Philosophy professor Benjamin Hale offers a gathering of modern essays that explore philosophical themes in chess ranging from analysis of the overall nature of the game to how it serves as a metaphor for life. Philosophers who contribute to this all have an expertise in chess, offering a fine intellectual pairing perfect for high school and college-level libraries catering to players.


The Social Issues Shelf

Falling Off the Edge
Alex Perry
Bloomsbury Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1596915269, $26.00 www.bloomsburypress.com

The planet's most dangerous political and social hot spots are reviewed by an award-winning correspondent who travels from China to Afghanistan to consider the effects of globalization on the ordinary person. His journeys around the world consider culture, politics, and the far-reaching effects of globalization strategies and influences on the common man, and makes for a blend of travelogue and social observation key not just for general-interest libraries strong in travel, but for college-level collections considering the social effects of globalization.

Stealth Jihad
Robert Spencer
Regnery Publishing
One Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001
9781596985568, $27.95 www.regnery.com

Does America face a jihadist threat bigger than terrorism, coming from within? STEALTH JIHAD says 'yes' - and tells of a long-term plot by Islamic jihadists to undermine the U.S. by gradually Islamizing America. The ultimate goal is the adaptation of Islamic law in the U.S. - and chapters here document the efforts of an Islamic fundamentalist organization behind such an effort. From a systematic strategy to accommodate Islamic cultural and religious practices in America to how Islamic influences affect U.S. policies overseas, any library strong in modern terrorism and social issues needs this as debate material.

Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television and Politics
Gordon B. Arnold
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780275994624, $44.95 www.praeger.com

Conspiracy Theory in Film, Television and Politics provides a strong historical overview of conspiracy theory offering examples and explanations of how conspiracy theory explanations have penetrated mainstream American thought. From the evolution of social and political events nurturing popular ideas of various conspiracy theories to how conspiracies were interpreted in film, TV and politics, this is an excellent in-depth survey suitable for any college-level library strong in social issues.

Will Terrorists Go Nuclear?
Brian Michael Jenkins
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591026563, $26.95 www.prometheusbooks.com

British intelligence reports al Qaeda is planning a large-scale nuclear attack - but are they capable of such? Author Brian Michael Jenkins is one of the world's foremost experts on terrorism, has been advising governments on the escalation of terrorist activity around the world, and here analyzes what terrorists care capable of in the nuclear arena. From political to psychological impact, this offers a reasoned analysis based on known facts and will prove key to any military library.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Dressage in the Fourth Dimension
Sherry Ackerman, Ph.D.
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577316237, $17.95 www.newworldlibrary.com

Philosophy professor and dressage instructor Sherry Ackerman views dressage as an avenue for reflection and self-exploration. Her consideration of the philosophical aspects of a horse-related activity makes this a fine choice for either new age or horse collections, discussing how readers can use the riding experience to leave behind the analytic mind and enter into a realm of introspection.

The Complete Yoga of Emotional-Sexual Life
Avatar Adi Da Samraj
Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594772580, $14.95 www.innertraditions.com

The Complete Yoga of Emotional-Sexual Life: The Way Beyond Ego-Based Sexuality offers some strong connections between sexuality and religion, focusing on the importance of transcending the ego and body balance to achieve balance in the emotional-sexual life. Chapters discuss bipolar integrity and its achievement in a fine survey new age collections will appreciate.

Hedge Witch
Silver RavenWolf
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738714233, $18.95 www.llewellyn.com

Wicca and witchcraft for the new age library comes to life in HEDGE WITCH, a fourteen-lesson, hands-on guide for initiates into Wicca who would understand aspects of connection with nature. Magick for love, health and beauty along with recipes and tips make Silver RavenWolf's latest title an outstanding recommendation for new age collections specializing in introductory Wiccan nature spells.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Defying Gravity
Carol de Giere
Applause
c/o Hal Leonard Company
7777 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213
9781557837455, $24.95 www.applausepub.com

When 23-year-old Stephen Schwartz wrote the score for Godspell in 1971 he began a career in musical theatre and film that included Pippen, Wicked, Disney movies, and more. Eighty hours of interviews with the songwriter and his colleagues offers insights not just into his life, but the collaboration issues and decisions that lead to musical theatre hits and flops alike. Any library strong in theatre history and biography will find DEFYING GRAVITY: THE CREATIVE CAREER OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ FROM GODSPELL TO WICKED a moving, involving account.


The Travel Shelf

Don't Go There!
Peter Greenberg
Rodale Press
733 - 3rd Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781605299945, $17.95 www.rodale.com

Most travel books focus on 'best' and recommended places, so it's refreshingly different - and fun - to find one of 'unrecommended' places in DON'T GO THERE! THE TRAVEL DETECTIVE'S ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO THE MUST-MISS PLACES OF THE WORLD. It follows the best-selling COMPLETE TRAVEL DETECTIVE BIBLE and shares the author's experiences of where not to go. From worst airports and hotels to hazardous highways, DON'T GO THERE is specific and essential. Any public lending library will welcome it.


The Computer Shelf

Photoshop Elements 7 for Windows
Jeff Carlson
Peachpit Press
1249 - 8th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
0321565967, $29.99 www.peachpit.com

Photoshop Elements 7 for Windows is an outstanding 'quickstart' visual guide to Photoshop Elements which covers easy steps and explanations. Jeff Carlson works for a design company and writes for top-level computer magazines, and is a technology columnist for the Seattle Times: his backgrounds lends well to a guide packed with black and white and color examples throughout, reinforcing instructions on the basics for Photoshop Elements 7 for Windows.

Game Programming for Teens, 3rd Edition
Maneesh Sethi
Thomson Course Technology
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
1598635182, $29.99 www.courseptr.com

If you enjoy playing video games and want to learn how to create them, then the third updated edition of GAME PROGRAMMING FOR TEENS is for you. It shows how to design and develop a complete video game from start to finish without any prior programming knowledge needed, showing the basics of BlitzMax, an easy game programming language good for Windows or Mac users alike. An accompanying cd-rom offers source code from examples in the book, art and music libraries, and a free 30-day trial version of Corel Paint Shop Pro and the Blitz circle of products. Any who would program games for teens will find this involving.

Web Security Testing Cookbook
Paco Hope & Ben Walther
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596514839, $39.99 www.oreilly.com

The WEB SECURITY TESTING COOKBOOK is a winning set of recipe tests to be performed on web applications to assure security standards are met, and cover the basics from observing messages between clients and servers to building original tests pinpointed at Ajax functions. Learn how to obtain, install and use free security testing tools and how to choose from many different methods in a guide packed with scripts and insights.

Desktop GIS: Mapping the Planet with Open Source Tools
Gary E. Sherman
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356067, $34.95 www.pragprog.com/catalog

From Google Maps to iPhones and geographic systems at all levels, DESKTOP GIS shows how to create and utilize an open source GIS toolkit using strategies for choosing platforms, blending with other tools, and more. Chapters cover a range of GIS options, from using GDAL and OGR and analysis tools to PostGIS and other systems. Any collection strong in GIS systems in general and open source tools in particular needs
this.

Designing the Digital Experience
David Lee King
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike Road, Medford NJ 08055
9780910965835, $24.95 www.infotoday.com

Learn how to use experience design tools to build more user-friendly websites with Designing the Digital Experience, a guide certain to appeal to marketers and site designers alike. Visitors who enjoy positive digital experiences will find the sites much more useful, appealing, and worthy of recommendation to others: this is a fine survey focusing on community-building and actively user-friendly sites, and is recommended especially for college-level librarians seeking to understand the latest in website assessment and information technology.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Stronger After Stroke
Peter G. Levine
Demos Medical Publishing
386 Park Avenue South Suite 301, New York NY 10016
1932603743, $19.95 www.demoshealth.com

Stroke survivors and their families have a fine guide to recovery in STRONGER AFTER STROKE, an excellent survey of basic concepts of the process of recovery after a stroke. From special challenges at different stages of recovery to basic concepts of setting goals and passing hurdles, STRONGER AFTER STROKE provides a powerful roadmap to recovery and is a top pick for any general-interest or health collection.

Diary of an Exercise Addict
Peach Friedman
GPP Life
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06487
9780762748969, $21.95 www.globepequot.com

Peach Friedman's memoir of living with exercise bulimia is the most detailed account of how this condition can begin and evolve that is in print. Her survey of the emotional, physical and mental effects of the disorder provides a vivid memoir paired with journal entries and is a top pick for both public lending libraries and health collections from high school to college levels. Her candid self-assessments and review of her life is pointed and well detailed.

Integrated Team Working
Karen Twyford and Tessa Watson
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781843105572, $39.95 www.jkp.com

The development of the music therapist's role within the multidisciplinary team and partnerships between UK music therapists and other types of occupational therapists are surveyed in a fine selection of case studies from a range of clinical settings showing different approaches used in music therapy. INTEGRATED TEAM WORKING: MUSIC THERAPY AS PART OF TRANSDISCIPLINARY AND COLLABORATIVE APPROACHES is an in-depth guide for music therapy students and pros who want to consider collaborative approaches, and is a recommendation for any college-level psychology collection.


The Science Shelf

The Sun and the Moon
Matthew Goodman
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com, 1-800-242-7737
9780465002573, $26.00 www.basicbooks.com

In 1835 a newspaper called the Sun brought to New York first accounts of remarkable lunar discoveries in a series of six articles telling of life on the moon - including unicorns and four-foot-tall flying man-bats. The series become big news and the Sun became one of the most widely read newspapers in the world. THE SUN AND THE MOON details events that propelled the paper to fame, capturing 1830s New York City life and offering a lively history indeed. Both science libraries and (especially) public lending libraries will relish this lively history.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Cream of Tank Girl
Jamie Hewlett & Alan Martin
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781845769420, $29.95 www.titanbooks.com www.amazon.com

The Cream of Tank Girl comes from a cult icon and celebrates the 20th anniversary of her appearance with the release of a fine new book, THE CREAM OF TANK GIRL. 8 monthly comics, 6 graphic novels and more have appeared from the Tank Girl icon - and this hardback coffee-table art book presents some of the finest - and many unseen - art from her creation. A winning, involving pick any graphic novel library will appreciate.


The Psychology Shelf

Understanding and Treating Depression
Rudy Nydegger
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780275998561, $39.95 www.praeger.com

Rudy Nydegger's UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING DEPRESSION: WAYS TO FIND HOPE AND HELP explores the history, treatments, culture, and influences on depression, opening chapters with vignettes and interviews to illustrate the topic and main points. From the latest and emerging research to different types of depression and life cycle issues, UNDERSTANDING AND TREATING DEPRESSION is a powerful key to understanding.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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