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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 23, Number 6 June 2013 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Philosophy Shelf Folktale/Fairytale Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Science Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Self-Help Shelf Business Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Biography Shelf
Poetry Shelf Civil War Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Memoir Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Travel Shelf Sports Shelf
Psychology Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf Jobs/Career Shelf
Humor Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Railroading Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Photography Shelf Computer Shelf Automotive Shelf
Fashion Shelf Technology Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Woodworking Shelf Homeowner's Shelf
Gardening Shelf Art Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Education Shelf International Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf
Military Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Music Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Large Print Shelf
Holocaust Studies Shelf Aviation Shelf Mathematics Shelf
Library Science Shelf Autism Shelf Native American Studies Shelf
Wisconsin Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Cyberethics, fifth edition
Richard A. Spinello
Jones & Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
www.jbpub.com
9781449688417, $101.95, www.amazon.com

The rapid advances in computer technology and the now dominate influence of the internet on almost every aspect of the modern economy and popular culture have also introduced a whole new slew of problems ranging from the illegal, to the immoral, to the ethically controversial. Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded fifth edition, "Cyberethics: Morality And Law In Cyberspace" by Richard A. Spinello is a 246 page compendium that is methodically organized and presented in six major chapters: The Internet and Ethical Values; Regulating and Governing the Internet; Free Speech and Content Controls in Cyberspace; Intellectual Property in Cyberspace; Regulating Internet Privacy; and Securing the Frontier. Each informed and informative chapter is concluded with a list of thematically appropriate references and additional resources available to the reader. Enhanced with the inclusion of a glossary, a roster of cited legal cases, and a comprehensive index, "Cyberethics: Morality And Law In Cyberspace" is essential reading and should be considered a high priority addition to personal, professional, corporate, government, community, and academic library Contemporary Ethics reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Pharmacy on a Bicycle
Eric G. Bing
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609947897, $29.95, www.bkconnection.com

In the developed world, child mortality is hardly a blip on the radar. "Pharmacy on a Bicycle: Innovative Solutions for Global Health and Poverty" seeks to analyze how to bring these developed world successes to the countries who have not yet mastered such technology and medicine, an dhow to reach these struggling communities and encourage them to adapt these new methods, and encouraging many others things to help fight the poverty of the world. "Pharmacy on a Bicycle" is a strong addition to international issues collections, not to be missed.

American Short Story Masterpieces
Clarence C. Strowbridge, editor
Dover Publications, Inc.
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
www.doverpublications.com
9780486499130, $3.50, www.amazon.com

A short story is a brief work of literature, usually written in narrative prose. Emerging from earlier oral storytelling traditions in the 17th century, the short story has grown to encompass a body of work so diverse as to defy easy characterization. At its most prototypical the short story features a small cast of named characters, and focuses on a self-contained incident with the intent of evoking a "single effect" or mood. In so doing, short stories make use of plot, resonance, and other dynamic components to a far greater degree than is typical of an anecdote, yet to a far lesser degree than a novel. While the short story is largely distinct from the novel, authors of both generally draw from a common pool of literary techniques. Short stories have no set length. In terms of word count there is no official demarcation between an anecdote, a short story, and a novel. Rather, the form's parameters are given by the rhetorical and practical context in which a given story is produced and considered, so that what constitutes a short story may differ between genres, countries, eras, and commentators. Knowledgeably selected and deftly compiled by Clarence c. Strowbridge, "American Short Story Masterpieces" is a 256 page paperback compendium comprised of fourteen chronologically arranged short stories by accomplished American authors and ranges from Nathaniel Hawthorne's 'Rappaccini's Daughter' and Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Fall of the House of Usher', to Eudora Welty's 'A Worn Path' and John Cheever's 'The Enormous Radio'. An inexpensive literary treasure house of classic short stories, "American Short Story Masterpieces" clearly lives up to the promise of its title and is very highly recommended for personal, school, and community library American Literature collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Planning Game
Alexander Garvin
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393733440, $59.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Planning Game: Lessons from Great Cities is for city planners and any who would improve a neighborhood or city, offering a review of how planning works, adding over two hundred color photos, diagrams and maps created for planning and management. Communities, planners and those involved in creating activities that involve a community will find this a solid reference, offering experiences from four cities and introducing the idea of planning, rules of the game, and how cities and neighborhoods are transformed.

Alligators in B-Flat
Jeff Klinkenberg
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044507, $24.95, www.upf.com

Alligators in B-Flat: Improbable Tales from the Files of Real Florida considers the swamps of Florida and the animals and people who inhabit one of the last natural refuges of the state, offering hilarious and absorbing stories from a journalist who holds a fondness for his state. His descriptions of the processes that endanger Florida's swamps and challenge the ways of traditional peoples and nature alike make for a powerful survey packed with involving natural history and social history facts. While this could have been reviewed under our social issues section, its many insights on nature and threats to the environment makes this a special recommendation for both Florida history collections and any strong in Florida natural history.

Florida Wildflowers
Walter Kingsley Taylor
University of Florida Press
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044255, $29.95, www.upf.com

FLORIDA WILDFLOWERS: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE provides an expanded update provides an in-depth primer to identifying wildflowers - and presents information in a user-friendly format perfect for any who want an easy field guide. It comes from one of Florida's experts on the state's wildflowers and how to find them, and offers species descriptions linked to chapters arranged by their natural habitat. This makes for easy at-a-glance location of plants whether one is strolling through forest or on the beach. Vastly expanded with new taxonomy, over 450 species are covered in a solid photo-packed reference recommended for any who want a detailed field guide.

Victoria the Seductress
Tomasz Anisko
Longwood Gardens
P.O. Box 501, Kennett Square, PA 19348
9781935442226, $69.99, www.longwoodgardens.org

It's not every day that an innovative garden and leading horticultural innovator publishers a book, let alone a 468-page, lavishly illustrated coverage charting the history of the Amazonian Victoria water lilies and their cultivation around the world. Victoria has no equal among world plants, is elusive and challenging, and entered conservatories across Europe and America over 150 years ago. Since then there have been few works published on the topic, let alone any with this degree of depth and illustration. Any library strong in horticultural topics will find VICTORIA THE SEDUCTRESS outstanding and as rare as the plant, packed with information for any gardener interested in natural and cultural history of the plant's evolution. It comes from an international plant explorer and curator at Longwood, and is packed with many outstanding details based on his original research and expeditions to South America. No horticultural collection should be without this sumptuous and vivid exploration, very highly recommended as one of the top botany books to appear in print in the last five years.

We Wanted A Farm
M.G. Kains
Dover Publications, Inc.
31 East 2nd Street
Mineola, NY 11501
9780486497754 $12.95 www.doverpublications.com

We Wanted A Farm is the republication of M.G. Kains' memoir (first published in 1941) about engaging in the family dream of establishing and maintaining their own small farm. From working with stubborn clay soil, to tending neglected fruit trees, to installing heating/water/sewage systems, battling pests and weeds, even experimenting with chickens, We Wanted A Farm explores the triumphs and travails of transitioning to daily life on a small working farm. We Wanted A Farm is more of a down-to-earth, tell-it-like-it-is story than a by-the-numbers instructional, yet urban homesteaders, gardeners, and would-be farmers will find a wealth of invaluable tips, tricks, and techniques of the trade. Highly recommended, as is Kains' previous book brimming with insight about living off the land, "Five Acres and Independence".

The Constructed Mennonite
Hans Werner
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College
Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887557415, $31.95, www.uofmpress.ca

For survival, we take on many roles, and fight battles that aren't our own. "The Constructed Mennonite: History, Memory, and the Second World War" tells the story of the author's father, John Werner, who born in Mennonite Siberia, found himself swept up throughout World War II, carrying the flag for many countries to get by and live his life... and in peace, found his way to Canada. Telling the story of a man who saw much of the world and was impacted by all of it, "The Constructed Mennonite" is a strong addition to general history and biography collections focused on immigrants.

Saving the Farm
James T. Powers
Homebound Publications
PO Box 1442
Pawcatuck, CT 06379
9781938846069, $17.95, www.homeboundpublications.com

The dominance of agriculture in American life is very much fading. "Saving the Farm: A Journey Through Time, Place, and Redemption" discusses the true-life history of the Dudley Farmhouse in New England, and how it has become a museum of the one-time lifestyle of rural Americans. The Dudley Farmhouse is a milestone preserved to remind future generations may remember the past... and its place in the progression of history. "Saving the Farm" is a must for those curious about the relics of the nineteenth century, very much highly recommended.


The Philosophy Shelf

Planet of the Apes and Philosophy
John Huss, editor
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60601
9780812698220, $17.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

There's more to Planet of the Apes then monkeys doing human things. "Planet of the Apes and Philosophy: Great Apes Think Alike" discusses the elements and concepts explored throughout the film series. From what it means to be human, concepts on what the stories explore, taking notes with a fun and pop culture philosophy way, "Planet of the Apes and Philosophy" is a choice and highly recommended addition to contemporary philosophy collections.


The Folktale/Fairytale Shelf

Grandma's Santo on Its Head
Nasario Garcia
University of New Mexico Press
1312 Basehart Road SE
Albuquerque NM 87106-4363
9780826353283, $24.95, www.unmpress.com

Stories make up much of our culture and tell the whole story of our lives. "Grandma's Santo on Its Head: Stories of Days Gone By in Hispanic Villages of New Mexico" is a bilingual collection of folklore and history from Nasario Garcia, who draws upon the rich cultural legacy of his own homeland, the Rio Puerco Valley. "Grandma's Santo on Its Head" is a must for cultural fiction and studies collections, highly recommended.

Michigan Legends
Sheryl James
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street
Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
9780472051748, $18.95, www.press.umich.edu

Lakes attract civilization, and the Great Lakes have long, long history. "Michigan Legends: Folktales and Lore from the Great Lakes State" explores the literary history of the region and lakes, touching on the deep native culture of the state leading up to more modern legends like Paul Bunyan, and everything in between. Insightful and fascinating reading, "Michigan Legends" is a must for any collection focusing on folklore and Michigan state history.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Chakras
C. W. Leadbeater
Quest Books
c/o The Theosophical Publishing House
PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60189-0270
www.questbooks.net
9780835609128, $16.95, www.amazon.com

Chakras, in Hindu metaphysical tradition and other belief systems, are centers of Pra a, life force, or vital energy. Chakras correspond to vital points in the physical body i.e. major plexuses of arteries, veins and nerves. Texts and teachings present different numbers of chakras. Their name derives from the Sanskrit word for "wheel" or "turning". The concept of chakra features in tantric and yogic traditions of Hinduism and Buddhism. "The Chakras" by C. W. Leadbeater was first published in 1927 and to this day continues to be the fundamental reference work on chakras for a Western readership. Of special note is the inclusion of a section of color photographs. Now made available to a whole new generation of appreciative readers, this Quest Books edition is enhanced with an informative foreword by Anodea Judith and features annotations by Kurt Leland. Also available in a Kindle edition ($10.59), this 180 page paperback compendium is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and academic library Metaphysical Studies reference collections.

The Qabalah Workbook for Magicians
Anita Kraft
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
665 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.redwheelweiser.com
9781578635351, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Hermetic Qabalah (From the Hebrew word meaning "reception" or "accounting") is a Western esoteric, occult and mystical tradition. It is the underlying philosophy and framework for magical societies such as the Golden Dawn, Thelemic orders, mystical-religious societies such as the Builders of the Adytum and the Fellowship of the Rosy Cross, and is a precursor to the Neopagan, Wiccan and New Age movements. The Hermetic Qabalah is the basis for Qliphothic Qabala as studied by left hand path orders, such as the Typhonian Order. In "The Qabalah Workbook for Magicians: A Guide to the Sephiroth", author Anita Kraft draws upon her more than 20 years of practice and research as a Qabalist, Magician, Bishop in the Ecclessia Gnostica Catholica, and Initiate of the ordo Templi Orientis to produce a 176 page compendium of information and instruction on the practice of Qabalah utilizing tools that range from tarot cards plants and stones, to perfumes, the zodiac, and other magical sources. Enhanced with the inclusion of two appendices offering additional exercises and Crowley's 777 Chart, "The Qabalah Workbook for Magicians: A Guide to the Sephiroth" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended reading for students of the Qabalah and academic library Metaphysical Studies reference collections.

The Alien Abduction Files
Kathleen Marden & Denise Stoner
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632715, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com

Something has to be out there... and is it contacting us? "The Alien Abduction Files: The Most Startling Cases of Human-Alien Contact Ever Reported" analyzes the potential of alien abductions and other extraterrestrial contact. Authors Kathleen Marden & Denise Stoner strive to understand to the purpose of these events, and what life can be like while facing them. "The Alien Abduction Files" is a worthwhile addition to metaphysical studies collections, highly recommended.

Wild Mind
Bill Plotkin
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608681785, $17.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

WILD MIND: A FIELD GUIDE TO THE HUMAN PSYCHE comes from a cultural visionary and wilderness guide who considers how to change our understanding of what it means to be human - and how to incorporate this understanding into modern cultural interactions. The key to future survival is a re-visioning and reshaping of human consciousness: WILD MIND uses four directions to describe the four facets of human self and personalities, and shows how to cultivate wholeness through reconciliation. Psychology, new age and self-help holdings alike will find this a solid reference.

Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.bearandcompanybooks.com

Nicholas E. Brink's THE POWER OF ECSTATIC TRANS: PRACTICES FOR HEALING SPIRITUAL GROWTH AND ACCESSING THE UNIVERSAL MIND (9781591431527, $18.00) is a review and description of the nature and process of ecstatic trance, and explores both the psychology and physiology of such trance in a combination of historical review and practical insights. Trance journeying has been around for many decades, and though it was traditionally viewed as a vehicle for shamans, it also is a skill any can cultivate. Psychologist Nicholas Brink examines postures for such trance journeying, offering keys to understanding for audiences both experienced and inexperienced with such journeys. From discussions of the collective unconscious to reclaiming extrasensory abilities, this offers a full-faceted coverage especially recommended for new age holdings. Susan B. Martinez, Ph.D.'s THE LOST HISTORY OF THE LITTLE PEOPLE (9781591431459, $20.00) combines an exploration of ancient mysteries and mythology to present an examination of stories surrounding the First People, the "Old Ones" of prehistory who survived the Great Food and bright the first sacred traditions. It considers how the lost race of the Great Little People evolved, how they lived on the continent of Pan (or Lemusria) during the Great Food, and how their activities birthed legends, holy symbols and religious experience. Using worldwide evidence of pygmy tunnels, dwarf villages and tiny coffins, this reveals the little people as one of prehistory's missing links, and provides a satisfying coverage perfect for any new age collection.


The Fiction Shelf

Little Joe
Michael E. Glasscock
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869
Austin, TX 78709
9781608325665, $18.95, www.greenleafbookgroup.com

When tragedy steals everything, finding it again can seem impossible. "Little Joe" is a novel from Michael E. Glasscock, who tells the story of Little Joe, a young man coping with the sudden loss of his parents and his move to the country under his grandparents. As he finds new friends, and the love of his family again, he grows and sees the cruelty and injustice around him. The first book of Glasscock's Round Rock Series, "Little Joe" is a riveting read of growing up in 1940s America, highly recommended.

The Fall of Ireland
Dermot Bolger
New Island
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7
Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781848401877, $23.95, www.dufoureditions.com

Nations can fall, and the process can be captivating. "The Fall of Ireland" is a novel from Dermot Bolger, following a civil servant during the floundering of the nation of Ireland under the weight of its financial debt and the high end confusing world of politics all around it. An exciting read full of intrigue, twists and turns that will keep eyes glued to the page all the way through, "The Fall of Ireland" is a must for literary international fiction collections.

Take a Chance on Me
Susan May Warren
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414378411, $13.99, www.tyndale.com

Take a Chance on Me comes from an award-winning author who returns to her Deep Haven, Minnesota setting to introduce a new six-book series, and is recommended for any interested in family interactions and romance. Here bachelor Darek struggles with pain after the tragic death of his wife, facing the possibility of romance with Ivy, the county attorney who masterminded the plea bargain that kept his wife's murderer out of prison. Fueling passion are closely kept secrets and dangers that could destroy the Christiansen family and Derek's Deep Haven resort alike. The result is a powerful account of passion, politics and social encounters that will enhance any novel collection.

Risk of Ruin
Arnold Snyder
Vegas Lit
c/o Huntington Press
3665 South Procyon Avenue
Las Vegas, NV 89103
1935396609 $11.95 pbk. / $2.99 ebook www.huntingtonpress.com

The debut novel of gambling expert Arnold Snyder, Risk of Ruin is the suspenseful tale of two societal outcasts on the run. Bart is a professional gambler who drifts from place to place on his chopped Harley, and pushes people away. But Stacy is different - she's a young woman on the run; the very definition of trouble, yet he can't get her out of his head. Together they scam casinos, but when they kill a cop, their odds of survival on the lam go from bad to worse. "If I stay with you, I'm going down. The only reason I'm sticking with you is that I know life itself is a negative expectation bet. Trying to beat death is like trying to use a system to beat craps. If you stay in the game, you'll go broke." Gritty and dark, Risk of Ruin is fascinating to the very last page.

Beyond the Valley
Rita Gerlach
Abingdon Press
PO Box 801
Nashville, TN 37202
9781426714160 $14.99 www.abingdonpress.com

The third novel in the "Daughters of the Potomac" series, Beyond the Valley follows the hardships of Sarah Carr, a young woman from 1800's Cornwall. When her young husband drowns, leaving her pregnant and alone, she tries to get help from her husband's family - only to be betrayed and sold into indentured servitude across the seas. Life in the Maryland colonies is hard; being sold at a slave auction is degrading, and her situation worsens when she is captured by a cruel Indian tribe. Yet even at her darkest moments, her faith in God sustains her, and she is not the only good person left in the world; and her heart willfully falls for a new love, a kind man who would risk everything to protect her. Beyond the Valley is a sweeping odyssey of trying times, lit by the slightest the guttering flame of hope. Highly recommended.

Alligator Alley
Rick Robinson
Publisher Page
c/o Headline Books
PO Box 52, Terra Alta, WV 26764
9780938467656, $16.95, www.publisherpage.com

Our calling in life may change and be revised often throughout our lifetimes. "Alligator Alley" follows James Conrad as the fifty year old pieces together his life and tries to gain a more complete understanding of his life and lost childhood as he takes up his life in the Everglades. With plenty of insight and takes on the changing nature of life, "Alligator Alley" is a must for literary fiction collections.

Baxter's Friends
Ned Randle
Coffeetown Press
PO Box 70515
Seattle, WA 98127
9781603811620, $13.95, www.camelpress.com

Middle age is where we wonder if there's more to life than what we've seen. "Baxter's Friends" tells the story of Jerry Baxter and his associates, as they struggle with the burden of entering the second half of their lives, dealing with their families, how they've treated others, and what awaits them in the uncertain decades to come, as well as what they can change. "Baxter's Friends" is a riveting look into the crisis of midlife, so very much recommended reading.

The Execution of Richard Sturgis
Tony Rogers
Southeast Missouri State University Press
1 University Plaza, MS 2650
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
9780988310315, $19.00, www6.semo.edu/universitypress

Facing the deep shame of family always proves so hard. "The Execution of Richard Sturgis: As Told By His Son, Colin" is a novel following Colin Sturgis, as he faces the accusation of his father for the murder of a college student all those years ago. Focusing on the pain of coping with a father accused, finding peace within the family, and a little bit of the truth, "The Execution of Richard Sturgis" is a strong addition to literary fiction collections, very much recommended.

Life Form
Amelie Nothomb
Europa Editions
214 West 29th Street, Suite 1003
New York, N.Y. 10001
www.europaeditions.com
9781609450885, $15.00 print / $9.99 Kindle, www.amazon.com

Even when there doesn't seem to be an immense amount in common, there can be something to be learned. "Life Form" is a novel that seeks to explore the bonds of life over the years as he writes of a friendship between a famous author and morbidly obese fan, who create a penpal situation... and the lessons learned between them and the changes they both undertake through friendship. "Life Form" is a strong pick for those seeking a novel of change and humanity, recommended.

The Boy Who Said No
Patti Sheehy
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G
Longboat Key, FL 34228
9781608090808, $26.95, www.oceanviewpub.com

To pursue what he seek out of life often requires daunting risks. "The Boy Who Said No: An Escape to Freedom" is a novel from Patti Sheehy, following Cuban soldier Frank Mederos who fed up with Castro's Cuba, seeks to defect to America... but such things are easier said than done, with people who would turn him in for his treasonous intent all around. "The Boy Who Said No" is a riveting thriller of the twentieth century politics and Cuba, recommended.

Journey of Promise
Vickie Hall
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South
Springville, Utah 84663
9781462111169, $17.99, www.cedarfort.com

A world's journey is a heavy burden, but for some, it is a worthy endeavor. "Journey of Promise" is a Christian historical novel from Vickie Hall. Richard and Leah Kenyon seek to heed the call of Zion, to travel to the American West. But from Ireland, the task is more daunting than usual. With the faith of God beside them, they embark on their journey, and face the heavy tests that lie ahead of them. "Journey of Promise" is a driven and inspired read, not to be missed by fans of Christian inspirational novels.


The Science Shelf

Scottish Fossils
Nigel H. Trewin
Dunedin Academic Press Ltd.
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com
9781780460192, $55.00, www.amazon.com

Fossil hunting is a popular pastime for amateur enthusiasts and a professional necessity for professional paleontologists. While they occur virtually everywhere on earth, Nigel Trewin (Department of Geology and Petroleum Geology, University of Aberdeen, Scotland) draws upon his more than fifty years with fossils to write "Scottish Fossils", a 128 page, superbly illustrated book covering a wide spectrum of fossils to be found in Scotland. These include fossils of bacteria, algae, plants, sponge, corals, worms, bryoza, brachiopods, mollusca (including cephalopods, bivalves, and gastropods), echinodermata, graptolites, arthropods, fish, amphibians, reptiles, and mammals. Of special note is the section devoted to 'Trace Fossils'. Informed and informative, "Scottish Fossils" would make an excellent addition to academic and personal Paleontology reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Storm Kings
Lee Sandlin
Pantheon
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307378521, $26.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

Storm Kings: the Untold History of America's First Tornado Chasers explores America's fascination with tornadoes and provides a history of this study, from Ben Franklin's early experiments to some of the most devastating storms in American history. Memoirs, letters, eyewitness accounts and more provide a fine history of the early Midwest and how different generations have studied, and lived with, tornadoes. Any science collection as well as many a general-interest holding will find this an accessible, involving study linking storm history to human attempts to understand, manage and live with tornadoes.

Paleofantasy
Marlene Zuk
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393081374, $27.95, www.wwnorton.com

PALEOFANTASY: WHAT EVOLUTION REALLY TELLS US ABOUT SEX, DIET, AND HOW WE LIVE contests the belief that cavemen ate better and were healthier for it, debunking the 'paleofantasy' based on pseudoscience and considering the evolution of diet and human adaptation. Evolution can be fast, slow or in between - and some traits last generations, even if they aren't positive. PALEOFANTASY considers human developments and dietary evolution and points out the fallacies involved in idealizing the diets and actions of primitive peoples. With its healthy analysis of lifestyles and changing, evolving habits, this is a top recommendation for not just science holdings, but collections strong in culinary history and evolution.

God and the Atom
Victor J. Stenger
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147532, $25.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

GOD AND THE ATOM; FROM DEMOCRITUS TO THE HIGGS BOSON: THE STORY OF A TRIUMPHANT IDEA provides a fine history of atomism and comes from a physicist who details how the scientific hypotheses evolved. The concept of the atom originated separately in ancient Greece and India but until the 20th century, no direct evidence for the hypothesis existed. This story of the atom's ideas, evolution, and final scientific proof makes for a powerful survey of not only its process, but the concurrent evolution of belief and atheistic and religious implications surrounding it. While science holdings will be the likely audience for this survey, many a spirituality collection interested in scholarly histories of science and concurrent effects upon belief systems will also find this an intriguing history.

Roadside Geology of New Jersey
David P. Harper
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399
Missoula, MT 59806
9780878426003, $24.00, www.mountain-press.com

The natural side of New Jersey tells an intriguing history that often goes untold. "Roadside Geology of New Jersey" discusses this history and geology, in plain terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds as they travel through the state. Also discussing climate change, the impact of Hurricane Sandy, and much more, "Roadside Geology of New Jersey" is insightful and very much recommended reading for science and environmental collections focusing on the Mid-Atlantic.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

A Man of Indeterminate Value
Ron Felber
Barricade Books, Inc.
185 Bridge Plaza North, Suite 308-A
Fort Lee, NJ 07024
9781569804902, $16.95, www.barricadebooks.com

The world can often seem to crush us in a vice as it closes in around us. "A Man of Indeterminate Value" is a thriller following Jack Madson, a man who is struggling to be free of the weights in his life. With a fake of his own death, he plunges into the corrupt world of business and the world of crime and danger with plenty of exciting twists and turns along the way. "A Man of Indeterminate Value" is a fine novel for thriller fans everywhere, much recommended.

The Name of the Game is Death & One Endless Hour
Dan J. Marlowe
Stark House Press
1315 H Street
Eureka, CA 95501
9781933586441, $19.95, www.starkhousepress.com

The gritty and unforgiving noir world so often intrigues us. "The Name of the Game is Death & One Endless Hour" is a two in one noir-themed pack of books from author Dan J. Marlowe looking into the seedy underworld of crime and the men who were tasked at battling it it. Riveting writing from an ward winning author of the twentieth century, "The Name of the Game is Death & One Endless Hour" is a must for fans of the genre seeking classics lost to the sands of time.

The Crypt Thief
Mark Pryor
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, NY 14228
9781616147853, $15.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

How do you catch a killer who leaves no trail? "The Crypt Thief" is a mystery following Hugo Marston, a security man for the US Embassy in Paris who's out to figure out the motives of murders near celebrities graves, and has a strange tendency to indulge in grave robbing, leaving no trail of ever being there. When the mystery comes together, Hugo may only end up more stumped. "The Crypt Thief" is a strong addition to contemporary mystery collections, highly recommended.

Dead, Without a Stone to Tell It
Jen J. Danna with Ann Vanderlaan
Gale
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902
9781432826956 $26.95 www.cengage.com

Dead, Without a Stone to Tell It is a gripping mystery novel about the hunt to find a vicious serial killer. Homicide detective Leigh Abbott and forensic anthropologist Matt Lowell must uncover the identity of a murderer, when their only evidence is a single bone. Their discovery of a macabre burial ground of unidentified corpses quickly raises the stakes - and the ire of the killer, who targets them to be the next victims! Horrifyingly intense to the end, Dead, Without a Stone to Tell It is a choice pick for fans of the genre.

Fatal Descent
Beth Groundwater
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive
Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738734828, $14.99, www.midnightinkbooks.com

Out in the hostile world of nature, one hopes not have to worry about the fear of mankind too. "Fatal Descent" is a novel from Beth Groundwater, following Mandy Tanner and her fiance as they go on a long rafting and climbing trip deep into Utah, leading an expedition as guides... but when her fiance turns up dead, Mandy quickly figures it may have not been natural causes, but instead the work of the foulest of creatures, mankind. "Fatal Descent" is a riveting mystery and thriller, highly recommended.

Pocket-47
Jude Hardin
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G
Longboat Key, FL 34228
9781608090853, $15.00, www.oceanviewpub.com

To save a lost girl, a man must endure even more hardship in an already wounded life. "Pocket-47" is a mystery thriller from Jude Hardin, following private investigator Nicholas Colt, who struggles to put together his life again. Hired to pursue a runaway fifteen year old girl, Colt has to track down sadistic criminals. "Pocket-47" is a fine pick that should prove so very hard to put down, recommended.


The Self-Help Shelf

Give Yourself a Pep Talk
Joan Marie Galat
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455617852, $16.95, www.pelicanpub.com

If you need to motivate one person, it should be yourself first and foremost. "Give Yourself a Pep Talk" is a self-motivational read from Joan Marie Galat who offers 100 motivational pep talks aimed at trying to empower ourselves to face down our lives, and giving us the little kicker we need to get what we seek out of life. Inspired and driven reading, "Give Yourself a Pep Talk" is a vital addition to any self-help collection, recommended.

30 Days to Taming Your Anger
Deborah Smith Pegues
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North
Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736945745, $6.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Anger is not something that should be allowed to dominate our lives. "30 Days to Taming Your Anger: How to Find Peace: When Irritated, Frustrated, or Infuriated" is a guide to better managing the heavy burden of one's anger, realizing what makes one angry, finding your calm point, and spreading that calm... and learning when to shrug and not sweat it. "30 Days to Taming Your Anger" is a powerful read for those whose anger has cost them, highly recommended.

Crossing the Healing Zone
Ashok Bedi, M.D.
Nicholas-Hays, Inc.
PO Box 540206, Lake Worth, FL 33454-0206
9780892542031, $21.95, www.nicholashays.com

The mind plays a bigger role in general health than we know. "Crossing the Healing Zone: From Illness to Wellness" is a guide to psychological health and well being from Ashok Bedi, M.D., who offers his insights onto finding a healthier life and how wellness is the core to life and health that can stick with us for years to come. "Crossing the Healing Zone" is recommended for those seeking a spiritual approach to greater overall health.

Eaten by the Tiger
Emile Allen
Ascot Media Group
P.O. Box 133032
The Woodlands, TX 77393
9780988753303, $21.99, www.ascotmedia.com

Many often deal with life living under the thumb of fear. "Eaten by the Tiger: Surrendering to an Empowered Life" is an inspirational memoir from Emile Allen as he tells of his near death experience as a surgeon shows how he realized this fear in his life, accepted it, and used it to power himself forward and realize his goals and what his purpose of life. "Eaten by the Tiger" is a powerful and much recommended addition to self-help and empowerment collections.

Soul Recovery
Ester Nicholson
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100
Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401943110, $15.95, www.hayhouse.com

Addiction can wreak havoc with our lives, and combating it can prove so very difficult. "Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addiction" is a guide to fighting addictions of many sorts with a spiritual and faith oriented aim from Ester Nicholson who shares this route and how to better make their way through life, and potentially find that salvation we all seek out of the world. "Soul Recovery" is a must for self-help and spirituality collections, highly recommended.


The Business Shelf

Enhancing Entrepreneurial Excellence
Robert A. Baron
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781781952085, $110.00, www.amazon.com

The cornerstone of a capitalist economic system is the role played by entrepreneurs, those men and women who attempt to translate an idea of a service or a product into a successful commercial venture. "Enhancing Entrepreneurial Excellence: Tools for Making the Possible Real" by Robert A. Baron (Spears Chair of Entrepreneurship, Spears School of Business, Oklahoma State University) is a 208 page compendium addressing the complex factors undergirding entrepreneurial success and failure. After an insightful preface ('Changing the world, one idea at a time'), Baron proceeds to reveal the nature and importance of entrepreneurship; entrepreneurial motivation; the role of human cognition in entrepreneurial endeavors; social aspects of entrepreneurship; decision making; dealing with adversity, and concludes with a model of the effective entrepreneur. Thoughtful, thought-provoking, analytically detailed, deftly written, organized and presented, "Enhancing Entrepreneurial Excellence: Tools for Making the Possible Real: is an impressive work that is very highly recommended for personal, professional, and academic library Contemporary Business Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Workforce Asset Management Book of Knowledge
Lisa Disselkamp, Editor
John Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118367575, $95.00, www.wiley.com

Workforce Asset Management Book of Knowledge: Official Guide for Workforce Asset Management Certification is for any candidate preparing for professional certification in workforce management, and features contributions from industry experts in all areas of regulations, technologies, and workforce management systems. Any studying for the exam will find this tests the ability to understand workplace issues and apply solutions to common problems, covering everything from financial planning and fatigue management to data collection and analysis processes and mobile resource management. The result is a powerful key to success in workforce management, highly recommended for exam-takers and HR managers alike.

Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
www.bkconnection.com

Jonathan Rowe's OUR COMMON WEALTH: THE HIDDEN ECONOMY THAT MAKES EVERYTHING ELSE WORK (9781609948337, $16.95) provides a fine discussion of the value of the commons, a term that denotes everything shared as opposed to private ownership. The commons can include public places, the Internet, our technologies and more: they are jointly held and used. This book unifies all kinds of social, business and management perspectives surrounding 'the commons' of economy, considering its relationship with the rest of the economy and the growing movement to preserve and defend it. The result is a powerful assessment of 'the commons', recommended for any interested in economic cooperation. Jennifer B. Kahnweiler, PhD's QUIET INFLUENCE: THE INTROVERT'S GUIDE TO MAKING A DIFFERENCE (9781609945626, $17.95) identifies six unique strengths of introverts and offers a quiz to measure how well you're using these strengths in business and interactions, offering a key to how those who are quiet can get more done. Introverts who want to use their skills to enhance workplace effectiveness will find this packed with keys to harnessing the powers of their psyche and will find it an outstanding guide to making the most of an existing condition.

Outsource It!
Nick Krym
Pragmatic Publishers
P.O. Box 293325
Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781937785055, $35.00, www.pragprog.com

Outsource It!: A No-Holds-Barred Look at the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly of Offshoring Tech Projects comes from computer publishers and might ordinarily be reviewed in our computer section, but is featured here for its wider-ranging interest to any business interested in understanding the process and purposes of outsourcing. From defining selection criteria tables for outsourcing technology projects to adjusting resources to include an overseas team, examples are specific to the computer industry but at many points translate into the general business environment. Because there are relatively few business books discussing the specifics of outsourcing, this is a top recommendation for computer, technology and business holdings alike.

Balance
James A. Cusumano
SelectBooks, Inc.
1 Union Square West
Suite 909
New York City, NY 10003
9781590799604, $16.95, www.selectbooks.com

One cannot live life with all work and no play. "Balance: The Business - Life Connection" is an inspirational read from James A. Cusumano who offers his own insight on the importance of finding balance in our professional and personal lives and using this balance for greater productivity and success in both halves of our lives. Insightful and spiritual reading, "Balance" is a must for self-help and inspirational career collections, highly recommended.

Leading Out Loud
Terry Pearce
Jossey-Bass/Wiley
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470907696, $34.95, www.josseybass.com

A leader should set an example, a clear one to follow. "Leading Out Loud: A Guide for Engaging Others in Creating the Future" a business and management leadership from Terry Pearce who shares his expertise and updates the guide, originally published in 1995 for recent years. Focusing on strong communication and working with others more effectively, building trust, and much more, "Leading Out Loud" comes with plenty of sage advice for business and keeping it growing and moving forward.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Concordia's Complete Bible Handbook
Edward A. Engelbrecht, general edition
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63118-3968
www.cph.org
9780758643575, $24.99, www.amazon.com

"Concordia's Complete Bible Handbook" is a 688 page compendium that presents an informed and informative commentary on all sixty-six books comprising the Christian bible, as well as providing an historical context for the period of time between the books of the Old Testament and those comprising the New Testament. "Concordia's Complete Bible Handbook" is comprised of erudite articles, a Bible Dictionary, charts, diagrams, genealogies, illustrations, maps, outlines, overviews, timelines, a detailed table of contents, and a comprehensive index. Thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Concordia's Complete Bible Handbook" is a now in an updated and expanded second edition making it an ideal and highly recommended guide for individual studies, group studies, academic and community library Biblical Studies reference collections.

Pope Francis in His Own Words
Julie Schietert Collazo and Lisa Rogak
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way
Novato, CA 94949
9781608682485, $12.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Pope Francis called for a new papacy when taking over for his predecessor. "Pope Francis in His Own Words" is a collection of quotes from the recently elected pope, speaking much on the place of those in power, the place of Christ in our lives, and the importance of kindness and forgiveness in making all the difference in the world. "Pope Francis in His Own Words" is a must for those who seek a more complete understanding of the new papacy.

A Slaughtered Lamb
Gregory Stevenson
Abilene Christian University Press
1626 Campus Court, Abilene, TX 79601
9780891124245, $19.99, www.acupressbooks.com

Suffering is the leading cause in questioning God. "A Slaughtered Lamb: Revelation and the Apocalyptic Response to Evil and Suffering" discusses the book of Revelation the answers it offers on the concept of suffering and cruelty within the world, and how to face the question of evil as a Christian with faith. With much to ponder and consider for Biblical students, "A Slaughtered Lamb" is a strong addition to Christian studies collections.

Holy War in the Bible
Heath A. Thomas, Jeremy Evans, & Paul Copan, editors
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 605151426
9780830839957, $26.00, www.ivpress.com

The wrathful God of the old testament doesn't play well with the message of peace and love from Jesus Christ. "Holy War in the Bible: Christian Morality and an Old Testament Problem" analyzes the words and stories of the old testament and its impact on Christian history and the teachings of the new testament. With many writers coming together to offer a scholarly and insightful discussion of the bible and what it means for Christianity now and in the future, "Holy War in the Bible" is a scholarly and fascinating read for both history and Christian studies collections.

Francis of Assisi: The Essential Writings in His Own Words
Jon M. Sweeney
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568
Orleans, MA 02653
9781612610696, $14.99, www.paracletepress.com

St. Francis of Assisi is widely revered throughout Catholicism and the world of religion in general. "Francis of Assisi: The Essential Writings in His Own Words" presents Francis's words translated for the twenty first century and offers readers much thought and insight on how to better find their faith and lift their spirits for the future. "Francis of Assisi" is a powerful and enlightening read, not to be missed for religious text collections.

Wycliffite Spirituality
J. Patrick Hornbeck II, Stephen E. Lahey, & Fiona Somerset, editors
Paulist Press
997 MacArthur Boulevard
Mahwah, NJ 07430
9780809147656, $29.95, www.paulistpress.com

One of the great spiritual thinkers of history, Wyclif gained many followers and detractors. "Wycliffite Spirituality" discusses the works of Wyclif, the fourteenth century spiritual scholar who wrote much on the relationship of man, prayer, and God. Wyclif lived up to the calling of the virtuous, and challenged the traditions of the era. This volume tells his story, shares his writings, and the impact of his heresy trials and the resistance he faced from the church. "Wycliffite Spirituality" is a solid addition to Paulist Press's The Classics of Western Spirituality series, highly recommended. Also from Paulist Press is "Our Father, Who Art on Earth: The Lord's Prayer for Believers and Unbelievers" (9780809147984, $14.95) offering insight on the power of the Lord's prayer for people of all works of life, highly recommended.

Thriving
Nancy Grisham
Baker Publishing Group
6030 E Fulton
Ada, MI 49301
9780801015434, $13.99, www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

No one wants a wasted life... especially not Christ. "Thriving: Trusting God for Life to the Fullest" is an inspirational read from Nancy Grisham as she advises how to use one's faith and belief in Christ to empower themselves to go further and carry out their lives even the face of towering adversity. Powerful reading on the importance of faith, "Thriving" is a must for Christian inspirational collections, highly recommended.

In Quest of the Jewish Mary
Mary C. Athans
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781626980044, $19.00, www.orbisbooks.com

In Quest of the Jewish Mary: The Mother of Jesus in History, Theology, and Spirituality offers a different approach to the study of Jesus' mother, and uses the latest historical research combined with a feminist perspective and modern spiritual analysis to consider Mary as a source of courage, strength and prayer. The focus is not only on an alternative history of Mary, but upon the applications of her meaning to modern life: chapters provide a fine survey of her Jewish identity and the meaning of her presence, and synthesize scholarly information in a non-scholarly approach any Christian reader can readily access, making this a pick for any general Christian collection.

Mommy Time
Sarah Arthur
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414374758, $14.99, www.tyndalehouse.com

MOMMY TIME offers devotionals designed to connect God's truth with encouragement for new mothers, and is a pick for Christian parenting and general spiritual collections alike. Moms can feel overwhelmed and the purpose of this title is to remind them that God is in control, and can be found in every facet of life - even in the chaotic aftermath of caring for a new child. The author is a new mother herself and speaks of craving for Mommy Time - quality time-out away from struggle, demands and chaos. This book offers spiritual encouragement for daily tasks of living and provides some ninety devotions to help new mothers feel God's presence in their daily lives. Highly recommended!

Quest Books
c/o The Theosophical Publishing House
PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60189-0270
www.questbooks.net

Spirituality collections strong in accounts of Christian growth and development will find these strong additions to any collection. Margaret Placentra Johnston's FAITH BEYOND BELIEF: STORIES OF GOOD PEOPLE WHO LEFT THEIR CHURCH BEHIND (9780835609050, $17.95) offers personal stories of ten people who searched for spiritual growth and found answers outside of their churches. These people rejected their own church but are still engaged in spiritual questions and searches. First-person life stories take the form of reviews of motivations, impulses towards change, and overcoming obstacles and make for a fine collection of spiritual growth insights and reflections. John R. Mabry's GROWING INTO GOD: A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO CHRISTIAN MYSTICISM (9780835609012, $17.95) considers Christian mystical experience and offers theological discussions paired with first-person insights on the idea and experiences of Christian mysticism. Chapters discuss the process of obtaining insights into this mysticism, considering light, darkness, and the rituals and figureheads of Christianity which translate into deeper spiritual meaning. Any scholarly Christian holding will find this filled with important connections between mysticism and Christian belief.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Crisis of Zionism
Peter Beinart
Picador USA
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 1800
New York, NY 10010
9781250026736, $16.00, www.picadorusa.com

Judaism is in crisis, but not the crisis many would have you believe. "The Crisis of Zionism" discusses the current issues of Zionism and how the crisis with Palestine and the West Bank is challenging many young Jews in America, and how the failure for peace and instead fierce nationalism is driving the wedge deeper... and what can be done to mend the wounds all around, before Jewish democracy is truly lost. "The Crisis of Zionism" is a strongly recommended pick for social issues and Judaic studies collections, highly recommended.

The Magic of Hebrew Chant
Rabbi Shefa Gold
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237
Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580236713, $24.99, www.jewishlights.com

Music and rhythm do things to us. "The Magic of Hebrew Chant: Healing the Spirit, Transforming the Mind, Deepening Love" explores the mystic and spiritual elements of chanting, its roots, and how to use it as a modern transformative spiritual practice. Complete with musical notations to help readers understand and perhaps embark on the practice themselves, "The Magic of Hebrew Chant" is a strong addition to spirituality collections.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Close To The Ground
Geri Larkin
Rodmell Press
2147 Blake Street, Berkeley, CA 94704-2715
9781930485341, $14.95, www.rodmellpress.com

Enlightenment doesn't have to be something impossible to attain. "Close to the Ground" is a series of insight into the realms of bliss in the Buddhist tradition, as founder of the Still Point Zen Buddhist temple of Detroit offers her own insights into the pursuit of enlightenment, and how we can try to find it everyday events through out life. "Close to the Ground" is a powerful and wise read for anyone looking for knowledge of life, be they Buddhist or otherwise.

Walking the Way
Robert Meikyo Rosenbaum
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
9781614290254, $17.95, www.wisdompubs.org

A bit of peace brings us so very far. "Walking the Way: 81 Zen Encounters with The Tao Te Ching" is a collection of Buddhist and Taoist knowledge, creating zen spiritual knowledge and insights on anything surrounding. With essays, knowledge, and study from a longtime student of zen over the period of decades, "Walking the Way" is a wise and inspirational addition to Buddhist and spirituality collections, highly recommended.


The American History Shelf

Riding Lucifer's Line
Bob Alexander
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574414998 $29.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Riding Lucifer's Line: Ranger Deaths along the Texas-Mexico Border is a true-life history of twenty-five Texas Rangers who made the ultimate sacrifice during their service enforcing the law along the Texas-Mexico borderlands, from 1874 to 1921. Each man's exploits are profiled in detail, bringing history to vivid life; sixty vintage black-and-white photographs provide illustration. An immense wealth of endnotes reflects the exhaustive research, especially drawing upon archived Texas Ranger documents, that forms the foundation of this gripping saga, sure to prove fascinating to lay readers and historians alike. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History collections.

Mountain Voices
Doug Mayer & Rebecca Oreskes
Appalachian Mountain Club Books
Five Joy Street
Boston, MA 02108-1490
9781934028803, $18.95, www.outdoors.org

Up high in the mountains it takes a certain type of person to get by. "Mountain Voices: Stories of Life and Adventure in the White Mountains and Beyond" delves into the wild and remote North Country, the White Mountains, and the people of New Hampshire who call this rocky terrain home. Interviews with the people of the region as well as looks into the storied history and the major figures to come out of the region, "Mountain Voices" is a must for American history collections.


The World History Shelf

The History Of Civilization In Europe
Francois Guizot
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail
Indianapolis, IN 46250
www.libertyfund.org
9780865978379, $14.50, www.amazon.com

Fran‡ois Pierre Guillaume Guizot (1787 - 1874) was a French historian, orator, and statesman. Guizot was a dominant figure in French politics prior to the Revolution of 1848, a conservative liberal who opposed the attempt by King Charles X to usurp legislative power, and worked to sustain a constitutional monarchy following the July Revolution of 1830. He then served the "citizen king" Louis Philippe, as Minister of Education, 1832 - 37, ambassador to London, Foreign Minister 1840 - 1847, and finally Prime Minister of France from 19 September 1847 to 23 February 1848. Guizot's influence was critical in expanding public education, which under his ministry saw the creation of primary schools in every French commune. But as a leader of the "Doctrinaires", committed to supporting the policies of Louis Phillipe and limitations on further expansion of the political franchise, he earned the hatred of more left-leaning liberals and republicans through his unswerving support for restricting suffrage to propertied men, advising those who wanted the vote to "enrich yourselves" (enrichissez-vous) through hard work and thrift. As Prime Minister, it was Guizot's ban on the political meetings (called the Paris Banquets, which celebrated the birthday of George Washington) of an increasingly vigorous opposition in January 1848 that catalyzed the revolution that toppled Louis Philippe in February and saw the establishment of the French Second Republic. "The History of Civilization in Europe" is a 320 page compendium comprised of an 1828 series of lectures delivered at the Sorbonne, France by Francois Guizots and explores the decentralization of power that characterized feudalism, the centralization of power after the fifteenth century, and finally the rebuilding of local autonomy necessary for representative and free government. With its influential upon succeeding generations, Liberty Fund is to be complemented on bringing back into print a true classic which is highly recommended for community and academic library World History reference collections.

The Norman Conquest
Marc Morris
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Fl., NY, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781605984513, $32.00, www.amazon.com

The Norman conquest of England was the 11th-century invasion and occupation of England by an army of Normans, Bretons and French soldiers led by Duke William II of Normandy, later William the Conqueror. William, who defeated the Anglo-Saxon King Harold II of England at the Battle of Hastings on 14 October 1066, was crowned king in London on Christmas Day, 1066. He then consolidated his control and settled many of his followers in England, introducing a number of governmental and societal changes. "The Norman Conquest: The Battle of Hastings and the Fall of Anglo-Saxon England" by historian Marc Morris is a 464 page compendium providing a detailed chronological account of this signature event in the history of England. A singularly impressive work of impeccable scholarship, "The Norman Conquest" is enhanced with the inclusion of maps, English and European family trees, background information on names, very nicely reproduced illustrations, a list of abbreviations, extensive notations, a lengthy bibliography, and a comprehensive index, making it an important and highly recommended acquisition for community and academic library British History reference collections in general, and an enthusiastically endorsed suggestion for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the Norman conquest of England in particular.

Conspiracy of One
Peter Rand
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane
Guilford, CT 06437
www.globepequot.com
9780762786961 $26.95 www.lyonspress.com

Conspiracy of One is the true story of how one pro-isolationist man's espionage nearly undermined FDR's re-election bid and harmed Britain's war effort against the Nazis. Tyler Kent was a handsome and charismatic, skilled with languages and from a privileged background. He also had close ties to anti-Roosevelt, anti-New Deal, and anti-Semitic interests. His job involved encoding and transmitting sensitive diplomatic cables, including top-secret cables in which Prime Minister Churchill sought President Roosevelt's aid in World War II. He illegally kept and distributed copies of these cables, with plans to distribute them to FDR's isolationist enemies in Congress and sabotage FDR's re-election campaign. When the espionage was discovered, Ambassador Joseph Kennedy waived Kent's diplomatic immunity; a raid apprehended Kent and seized roughly 2,000 classified, illegally copied documents. How much of Kent's treachery was prompted by his greed and lust for power, and how much by his questionable love affairs? A vivid, meticulously detailed and historically accurate chronicle of Kent's scandal, trail, and imprisonment, Conspiracy of One is a fascinating addition to world history shelves.

History and Hope
Kevin M. Cahill
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823251971, $26.00, www.fordhampress.com

The goodwill of mankind has had its place all throughout history. "History and Hope: The International Humanitarian Reader" discusses humanitarianism and recent history. With essays and writings from many authors all compiled under one cover by editor Kevin M. Cahill who collects thoughts on disaster relief, indigenous people concerns, peacekeeping concerns, the return of barbarianism, protection of children, and so much more. "History and Hope" is a must for general history collections, highly recommended for history and international issues collections.

The Transatlantic World of Higher Education
Anja Werner
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512
Brooklyn, NY 11201
9780857457820, $120.00, www.berghahnbooks.com

Academia always benefits from international cooperation. "The Transatlantic World of Higher Education: Americans At German Universities, 1776-1914" delves into these international relationship between America and Europe. Discussing the long period between the establishment of the United States and the start of World War I, Anja Werner compiles a fascinating study of the countless Americans who traveled to Germany to embark on the journey of learning, and what this level of travel can teach people about the world and this worldly education's applications. Scholarly and insightful to this old school way of learning that still lives on, "The Transatlantic World of Higher Education" is a scholarly addition to history collections focusing on academia and education.

The Year Without Without Summer: 1816
William K. Kingaman and Nicholas P. Kingaman
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780312676452, $27.99, www.stmartins.com

The Year Without Without Summer: 1816 And the Volcano That Darkened the World and Changed History provides a powerful assessment of an 1815 Indonesian volcano explosion that disrupted world weather patterns and produced worldwide food shortages, religious revivals, and massive migrations. The change in climate changed the world order, deposed rulers, and was likely responsible for Shelley's Frankenstein, works of art, and other changes. The result is a powerful survey packed with links between climate change and history and social revolution: a powerful account highly recommended for any history collection and for those seeking links between environmental change and political, artistic and social movements.

Voices from the Plain of Jars
Fred Branfman, editor
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
9780299292249, $19.95, www.uwpress.wisc.edu

To live in fear of death from above is a truly terrifying way to live. "Voices from the Plain of Jars: Life Under an Air War" tells the unsung story of the secret air war in Laos that happened concurrently through the conflict in Vietnam. Fred Branfman seeks to tell their story of the survivors of this conflict who lived in constant fear, taking their expressions, and updates the story for a new millennium, the original story published in 1972. "Voices from the Plain of Jars" is a solid addition to history collections about a very important side story to Vietnam.


The Biography Shelf

The American Civil War, second edition
Ian Frederick Finseth, editor
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8
New York, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9780415537070, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and thoroughly revised second edition, "The American Civil War: A Literary and Historical Anthology" is a 368 page compendium expertly compiled and deftly edited by Ian Frederick Finseth (Associate Professor of English, University of North Texas) and offers student and interested nonspecialist general readers with an impressive spectrum of Civil War and Reconstruction era writings, including short fiction, poetry, public addresses, diary entrees, and essays. Of special note is the inclusion of concise introductions and explanatory notations helping to provide a useful historical context. This new edition features more women writers, solider's testimonies, a broader diversity of perspectives, and a more equitable balance between Northern and Southern sources materials. Additionally, Professor Finseth has created an accompanying web site at www.routledge.com/cw/finseth providing additional primary sources (including photographs, sheet music, and literary texts). "The American Civil War: A Literary and Historical Anthology" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Civil War Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Calamity at Chancellorsville
Mathew W. Lively
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611211382, $27.50, www.savasbeatie.com

A brilliant tactical move lead to the incident that spelled his death. "Calamity at Chancellorsville: The Wounding and Death of Confederate General Stonewall Jackson" seeks to explore the questionable death of the legendary Confederate General. After a successful ambush gave him a major victory, he continued to attack until dusk. Upon his return to camp, he was mistaken for the enemy and hit by friendly fire in the arm, necessitating an amputation; he died of complications from pneumonia a week later. Author Mathew W. Lively hopes to give a new perspective on Stonewall Jackson's death and its impact on the war. "Calamity at Chancellorsville" is well worth considering for American History collections focusing on the Civil War.

Civil War General and Indian Fighter James M. Williams
Robert W. Lull
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415025 $24.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Civil War General and Indian Fighter James M. Williams: Leader of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry and the 8th U.S. Cavalry is a detailed biography of talented and driven military commander known for his service in the American Civil War, as well as during the Indian Wars. Bolstered by his principles, and his previous experience as a Jayhawker (a private anti-slavery guerilla militiaman), he took charge of the 1st Kansas Colored Volunteer Infantry Regiment - the first organization of black soldiers to engage Confederate forces, and the first to emerge victorious. Though his regiment achieved multiple victories in Missouri, Indian Territory (Oklahoma), and Arkansas, they also suffered more casualties than any other Kansas regiment. After the Civil War, Williams gained a commission in the Regular Army's 8th Cavalry Regiment, and he earned decisive victories over the Indians in Arizona and New Mexico. Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this fascinating life story of fierce, talented, resolute, and often successful military leader. Highly recommended.

J. R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend
Colin Duriez
Lion Books
c/o Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
www.lionhudson.com
9780745955148 $16.95 www.kregelpublications.com

J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend is a thoroughly accessible biography of the author of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, internationally beloved classics that redefined the public perception of and enthusiasm for the high fantasy genre. Tolkien's did not have an easy life in his early years - orphaned, poverty-stricken, forbidden communication with the woman he fell in love with, and a survivor of the immense tragedies and horrors of the first World War. The genius behind his epic works included his personal love of and aptitude for scholarship; he possessed an academic's intense knowledge of early northern European history, which inspired him to craft a detailed and internally coherent mythology for Middle-Earth, including extensive development of fictional languages. An immensely involving and readable life story, J.R.R. Tolkien: The Making of a Legend is enhanced with notes, a select bibliography, an index, and a handful of color photographs of locations that had a profound influence on Tolkien's life. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library biography collections.

Nazim Hikmet
Mutlu Konuk Blasing
Persea Books
277 Broadway, Suite 708
New York, NY 10007
9780892554171, $27.95, www.perseabooks.com

The first half of the twentieth century was not a safe place to come of age in. "Nazim Hikmet: The Life and Times of Turkey's World Poet" is an enticing exploration of the life of this world traveled poet from Turkey, offering personal insight into the changing times of the period, the rise of communist ideals and revolution throughout Turkey, and how his upbringing turned him on to such ideas. "Nazim Hikmet" is a core addition to any international biography collection focusing on thinkers and poets, highly recommended.

Paramhansa Yogananda
Swami Kriyananda
Crystal Clarity Publishers
14618 Tyler Foote Road
Nevada City, CA 95959
www.crystalclarity.com
9781565892644, $16.95, www.amazon.com

Paramahansa Yogananda (January 5, 1893 - March 7, 1952), born Mukunda Lal Ghosh, was an Indian yogi and guru who introduced many westerners to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his book "Autobiography of a Yogi". One of the last surviving personal disciples of these great teacher, Swami Kriyananda's "Paramhansa Yogananda: A Biography with Personal Reflections and Reminiscences" is a 344 page compendium that provides a great many stories that will be new to western devotees of Paramhansa Yogananda philosophy and teachings. "Paramhansa Yogananda" combines the guru's teachings with a candid biography to provide a whole new generation of readers with a perfect introduction to one of India's great spiritual icons of the 20th Century.

Silas Deane: Revolutionary War Diplomat and Politician
Milton C. Van Vlack
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780786472529 $40.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com

Silas Deane: Revolutionary War Diplomat and Politician is a biography of an American Revolutionary War era diplomat who tends to be remembered as a traitor like his boyhood friend Benedict Arnold, when he is remembered at all. But are such harsh characterizations truly justified, or appropriate? Deane was politically active, capable, and charismatic; his success earned him the ire, resentment, and slander of envious enemies. In 1776, Congress appointed him as America's first secret agent to obtain military supplies from France for Washington's army. Though Deane faltered in his mission, which was ultimately undercut by his inability to properly manage and keep track of his expenses, and though Deane himself has been recorded as privately doubting that the United States would succeed as a nation, his positive contributions to the fledgling country do not deserve to be overlooked by history. Silas Deane: Revolutionary War Diplomat and Politician does not try to minimize the contributions of other figures of the American Revolution, notably Benjamin Franklin, but does strive to set the record straight about a man who, after his toil on behalf of America, lived out the rest of his days reviled and impoverished, finally dying under mysterious circumstances (there is speculation to this day that he was poisoned). Highly recommended, especially for public library biography collections.

Cowboy Stuntman
Dean Smith
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037
Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896727892, $29.95, www.ttupress.org

Stunts are dangerous, and the thousand pound horse doesn't help things. "Cowboy Stuntman: From Olympic Gold to the Silver Screen" is the memoir of Hollywood stuntman Dean Smith as he shares his intriguing life and history, using his unique talent with a horse for many films, working with many actors, and not being above tossing on a wig to get the job done. "Cowboy Stuntman" is a wonderful pick for fans of those old school western movies who want to learn just how those films came together, recommended.


The Poetry Shelf

The Complete Poems of James Dickey
James Dickey, poet
Ward Briggs, editor
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208
www.sc.edu/uscpress
9781611170979, $85.00, www.amazon.com

James Lafayette Dickey (February 2, 1923 - January 19, 1997) was an accomplished American poet and talented novelist. He had the honor of being appointed the eighteenth Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress in 1966. Ably compiled and deftly edited by Ward Brigs (Carolina Distinguished Professor of Classics Emeritus and Louis Fry Scudder Professor of Humanities Emeritus, University of South Carolina), "The Complete Poems of James Dickey" is a massive, 960 page compendium containing the complete poetic writings of James Dickey. Enhanced with an informative Foreword by Richard Howard, and an informed introduction by Professor Briggs, "The Complete Poems of James Dickey" is nicely organized chronologically (1947-1960; 1961-1967; 1968-1973; 1977-1997), followed by a section of poems that could not be chronologically dated. Of special note is the concluding section entitled Poems for Children featuring 'Tucky the Hunter' and 'Bronwen, the Traw, and the Shape-Shifter'. Enhanced with an 'Apparatus Criticus', as well as indexes by titles, first lines, and names in the Apparatus Criticus, "The Complete Poems of James Dickey" is a true cultural legacy from a truly gifted poet and highly recommended for personal, academic, and community library 20th Century American Poetry reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Looking Out, Looking In
William Luis
Arte Publico Press
University of Houston
4902 Gulf Fwy, Bldg 19, Rm 100
Houston, TX 77204-2004
9781558857612, $27.95, www.artepublicopress.com

What is Hispanic culture? What does it mean to be Latino, or Latina? "Looking Out, Looking In: Anthology of Latino Poetry" is a compilation of poetry from many Hispanic poets who come together and offer their perspectives on Latino identity, as established and emerging authors all come together and offer an informed and wise opinion about life and heritage. "Looking Out, Looking In" is a brilliant collection of insightful verse and wisdom from all over, a treasure for contemporary poetry collections and also collections focusing on Latino issues.

The Earth is Not Flat
Katharine Coles
Red Hen Press
PO Box 3537
Granada Hills, CA 91394
139781597097109, $17.95, www.redhen.org

Even among the frozen landscape, there is much to see. "The Earth is Not Flat" is a collection of poetry from Katharine Coles who shares her experiences with Antarctica and offers a wide painting of poetry on top of it all. With humor and insight, "The Earth is Not Flat" is a worthy addition to contemporary poetry collections, recommended. "No Wonder": even penguins/Are afraid of the dark, little//Adelies escaping fast//As they can into summer/Wherever it is. North,//South. Invent something//Probable. Think how/They feel, swimming//Just ahead of the night,//Which, someday, even they/Will not be able to outrun.

Schtick
Kevin Coval
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165
Chicago, IL 60618
9781608462704, $16.00, www.haymarketbooks.org

Humor explores society... as does poetry, a natural marriage. "Schtick" is a collection of humor driven poetry from Kevin Coval, who with a strong Jewish influence in his style in his assault of anything and everything that concerns him. "Schtick" is an excellent addition to contemporary poetry collections, not to be missed. "See, for Me, the bigger the nose the better": the darker, the sweeter, the stanky-er/the funky-er, the less lite, the less white/the more original, more crooked and less/straight, the fresher, the flamboyant, the protruding/the rude-er, the rude-boy, the ravishing/the nose in everybody's bizness, the hook and jab, the jew nose and smush-faced/and mush-mouthed and slang schtick/something Other than the same shit.

Straights & Narrows
Sidney Wade
Persea Books
277 Broadway, Suite 708
New York, NY 10007
9780892554256, $19.95, www.perseabooks.com

The world around us can be reflected on in many ways. "Straights & Narrows" is a collection of poetry from Sidney Wade who takes a reflection on nature and applies it to the entire world as it stands all around us with insight and wisdom along the way. "Straights & Narrows" is a choice pick for poetry enthusiasts, very much recommended. "O": Mountainous appetite!/how flat/we'd find//the view/without you!


The Civil War Shelf

Illinois's War
Mark Hubbard, editor
Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19
Athens, OH 45701
9780821420102, $18.65, www.ohioswallow.com

Illinois proved a lightning rod for conflict during America's internal war. "Illinois's War: The Civil War in Documents" chronicles the state's role in the war, showing its many contributions through the battles themselves to the wave of politics that raged through the state and the people sent to Washington, as well its long lasting impact on the years following. "Illinois's War" is an insightful and strongly recommended addition to American history and Civil War collections.

A Confederate Englishman
Henry Wemyss Feilden
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street
Columbia, SC 29208
9781611171358, $29.95, www.sc.edu/uscpress

To take up a rebel cause for another country is certainly a curious position to take. "A Confederate Englishman: The Civil War Letters of Henry Wemyss Feilden" seeks to explore the story of Henry Wemyss Feilden, an Englishman who supported the Confederate cause personally, supporting South Carolina in 1863 and forward to the end of the war. Presenting his correspondence to offer his story in his own words, the volume is compiled expertly by W. Eric Emerson and Karen Stokes. "A Confederate Englishman" is a worthy addition to any history collection focusing on the American Civil War.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Journey of Your Soul
Shepherd Hoodwin
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way
Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
9781583945490, $19.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

We re on a constant journey, even when still. "Journey of Your Soul: A Channel Explores the Michael Teachings" is a spiritual read from Shepherd Hoodwin who discusses the Michael teaching, the Tao, and the role of our soul, and how it determines our place in our lives. Hoping to present channeling and clear up misconceptions of the practice, "Journey of Your Soul" is a must for spiritual readers looking for another way to understand themselves.

The Subconscious, The Divine, and Me
Joseph D. Drumheller
Pine Winds Press
c/o Idyll Arbor, Inc.
39129 264th Ave SE, Enumclaw, WA 98022
9780937663240, $16.00, www.josephdrumheller.com

Just surviving the gauntlet of life is not enough. "The Subconscious, The Divine, and Me: A Spiritual Guide for the Day-to-Day Pilgrim" encourages readers to explore inward as well as outward, in their search for healing and spirituality. "The Subconscious, The Divine, and Me" is a thought-provoking and insightful read, highly recommended.


The Memoir Shelf

Diary of a Country Mother
Cynthia A. Montanaro
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781934888339, $17.95, www.booksforcatholics.com

The most terrifying thing for a mother is to lose a loved one. "Diary of a Country Mother: A Year Remembering Tim" is a memoir from Cynthia A. Montanaro, who shares her experiences with losing her son Tim, and the heartbreak of the memories that can come with tragedy, and trying to remember the warmth and life that can come with the story of a young life. "Diary of a Country Mother" is strongly recommended for memoir collections, highly recommended.

Lies About My Family
Amy Hoffman
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429
Amherst, MA 01004
9781625340030, $22.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

To the outside world, there may be happiness... within, turmoil. "Lies About My Family" is a memoir from Amy Hoffman, as she seeks to tell the story of her family, a Jewish family in a sea of Catholicism in Jersey, and her conflicts with her family about her orientation and her questions about the place of Zionism in her life. Of how she came to terms with her conflicts and found life, "Lies About My Family" is an enticing breakdown on the impact of family on our lives.

Lemons Into Limoncello
Raeleen D'Agostino Mautner
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757317347, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

When all seems lost we can often pick it up and make more than we ever thought possible. "Lemons Into Limoncello: From Loss to Personal Renaissance with the Zest of Italy" is a motivational memoir from Raeleen D'Agostino who shares her experiences with facing down loss, and piecing her life back together after it all. With grief, she draws on her Italian heritage and its philosophy to piece together much wisdom, and makes "Lemons into Limoncello" a choice read of uplifting spirituality, very much recommended reading.

Two Small Footprints in Wet Sand
Anne-Daphine Julliand
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd.
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
9781611458244, $23.95, www.arcadiapublishing.com

Life is precious, and there's no price tag too much to save it. "Two Small Footprints in Wet Sand" is a memoir from French mother Anne-Dauphine Julliand, as she tells the story of her daughter with a crippling genetic disease that would cut her life so very short, and finds that her third child may well be born with the disorder... and when she is, she does everything she can to fight its progression with the head start. A dedicated journey of a mother trying to save her children as long as she can, "Two Small Footprints in Wet Sand" is expertly translated from French by Adriana Hunter, a choice pick for those seeking parenting trauma memoirs.

We Gambled Everything
Arne Nielsen
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
9780888645982, $29.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

The oil industry is a tumultuous one, one that often calls for risk. "We Gambled Everything: The Life and Times of an Oilman" is a memoir from Arne Nielsen who offers his insights onto the oil industry from a Canadian perspective, and how politics consumed his life so fully. Offering his life story that tells the story of how one rises to such a prominent position in the oil industry, "We Gambled Everything" is a fascinating tale of what it takes to get through the world of oil.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Climate Change and International Trade
Rafael Leal-Arcas
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com
9781781956083, $175.00, www.amazon.com

From rising sea levels threatening coastal communities, to expanding deserts, to negative impacts on regional agricultural production, to international trade relations, climate change is a global threat of immense proportion and must be dealt with if we are to avoid world wide catastrophes both economic and political. "Climate Change and International Trade" by Rafael Leal-Arcas (Senior Lecturer in Law, Queen Mary University of London, UK) is a 544 page compendium focusing on the problem of developing a post-2012 global climate change mitigating international trade agreement and the utilization of such an agreement as a basis for a global climate treaty. A seminal work of impressive scholarship, "Climate Change and International Trade" is enhanced with an extensive bibliography, figures and charts, and a comprehensive index, making it an invaluable and highly recommended addition to professional, governmental, and academic library Environmental Studies and International Business reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Living within a Fair Share Ecological Footprint
Robert Vale & Brenda Vale, editors
Earthscan
c/o Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Fl. 8
NY, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9780415507233, $53.95, www.amazon.com

With respect to science, the argument over humanity's contributions to global climate change is over. Only ultraconservative politicians and their supporters continue to resist facing up to this fact. Now the national and international conversation is turning to dealing with what is happening. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly co-edited by Robert and Brenda Vale, "Living within a Fair Share Ecological Footprint" is a 344 page compendium comprised of twenty germane articles by experts in their fields on how to equitably share the burden of dealing with humanity's ecological footprint on the planet. Informed, informative, scholarly, insightful, thoughtful, and thought-provoking, the emphasis is on what can be done, both individually and collectively, to improve humanity's ecological impact around the world, making "Living within a Fair Share Ecological Footprint" a vitally necessary addition to professional, academic, corporate, and governmental library Environmental Studies reference collections.

Combating Climate Change
Manjit S. Kang & Surinder S. Banga, editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781466566705, $99.95, www.amazon.com

One of the most pressing issues that the human race must deal with is that of climate change. Our very survival as a species depends upon it. Knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by the team of Manjit S. Kang (Adjunct Professor, Department of Plant Pathology, Kansas Sttate University) and Surinder S. Banga (Professor of plant cytogenetics, crop biotechnology, and intellectual property, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana, India), "Combating Climate Change: An Agricultural Perspective" is a 384 page compendium comprised of seventeen seminal articles by experts in the field of climate change and its ecological impact on plant life. Of special note is William D. Dar and C. L. Laximpathi Gowda's 'Declining Agricultural Productivity and Global Food Security'; Prem s. Bindraban's 'Agroecological Intelligence needed to Prepare Agriculture for Climate Change'; Yigal Elad and Haria Pertot's 'Climate Change Impact on Plant Pathogens and Plant Diseases'; and Hari C. Sharma's 'Climate Change Effects on Insects: Implications for Crop Protection and Food Security'. A seminal body of impeccable scholarship, "Combating Climate Change: An Agricultural Perspective" is a critically important contribution for professional, governmental, and academic library Environmental Studies reference collections in general, and Climate Change Impact supplemental reading lists in particular.

Conservation Planning: Shaping the Future
F. Lance Craighead and Charles L. Convis Jr., Editors
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589482630, $119.95, www.esripress.com

Conservation Planning: Shaping the Future provides a powerful reference for any college-level library strong in conservation planning, and shows how working scientists develop such plans using an integration of data, technology, and scientific methods. It's a pick for science and land management reference sections alike, showing how planners create sustainable, ecologically sensitive human developments and how they preserve healthy ecosystems for native wildlife, protecting habitat for key species. The result is a powerful discussion on everything from aquatic to terrestrial habitats, conservation concerns, population viability, site selection and management, changing trends for long-term conservation planning, and much more.

Cows Save the Planet
Judith D. Schwartz
Chelsea House Publishers
c/o Infobase Publishing
132 West 31st Street, 17th Floor
New York, NY 10001
9781603584326, $17.95, www.chelseahouse.com

Methane factories blamed for the environmental damage... also, saviors of said environment. "Cows Save the Planet: And Other Improbable Ways of Restoring Soil to Heal the Earth" is an offbeat approach to discussing how to combat the environment's many problems created by humans, as Judith D. Schwartz states many creative methods for saving the planet using methods that aren't traditionally discussed in normal environmental circles. "Cows Save the Planet" is a strong addition to environmental studies looking for something different.


The Parenting Shelf

Parenting Your Emerging Adult
Dr. Varda Konstam
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669
Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882824321, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Kids are staying with their parents longer than past generations. "Parenting Your Emerging Adult: Launching Kids from 18 to 29" is a parenting guide aimed at parents who may have their adult children kept close by throughout their twenties, and dealing with the inevitable clash of authority that comes with the situation, and how to manage it to keep the family strong. "Parenting Your Emerging Adult" is a strong addition to parenting and family collections.

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child
Anthony Esolen
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
1610170792, $18.00, www.isibooks.org

Imagination is a wonderful thing, it must be eradicated. "Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child" analyzes the war against imagination in the modern world, criticizing modern educational practices and where it has encouraged like-minded thinking instead of the critical and creative in many elements of education along the way. Wise with insight on what can be done to restore the importance of the arts and imagination in our world, "Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child" is a must for educational studies and parenting reference collections, highly recommended.

Mom's The Word
Allen Klein
Viva Editions
2246 Sixth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710-2219
9781936740420, $14.95, www.vivaeditions.com

Motherhood revolutionizes our life. "Mom's The Word: The Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder of Motherhood" discusses the power of motherhood in our lives, of being one, of being the foundation of the family. Aimed at those who want to appreciate their motherhood or those who want to do a little tribute to the important woman in their lives. "Mom's the Word: The Wit, Wisdom, and Wonder of Motherhood" is a strong pick for parenting collections everywhere.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Eating Expectantly, fourth edition
Bridget Swinney, MS, RD
Healthy Food Zone Media
c/o KSB Promotions
55 Honey Creek Ave NE
Ada, MI 49301-9768
www.ksblinks.com
9780963291707, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Now in a significantly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Eating Expectantly: Practical Advice for Healthy Eating Before, During and After Pregnancy" by prenatal and child nutrition expert Bridget Swinney is a 458 page compendium providing expectant mothers comprehensive, practical, and accessible information on how to provide themselves and their unborn child with the best possible nutrition for the best possible health. Covering every dietary aspect from preconception through postpartum, "Eating Expectantly: Practical Advice for Healthy Eating Before, During and After Pregnancy" provides a solid foundation for improving fertility and enhancing the odds for the successful delivery of a health infant. Of special note are the chapters on 'Vegetarian Eating'; 'High-Risk Pregnancy'; 'Considering Breastfeeding'; and 'Eating In, Eating Out'. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Eating Expectantly: Practical Advice for Healthy Eating Before, During and After Pregnancy" is very strongly recommended for personal and community library Health/Medicine reference collections in general, and the personal reading lists of women considering or experiencing pregnancy in particular.

The Wild Medicine Solution
Guido Mase
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781620550847, $18.95, www.healingartspress.com

The Wild Medicine Solution: Healing with Aromatic, Bitter, and Tonic Plants provides a fine survey blending traditional herbal medicine with clinical practice, recent findings in physiology and biochemistry, and comes from an herbalist who explores three classes of plants that help the healthy functioning of our minds and bodies. Chapters feature examples of ancient and modern uses of wild plants in each of these classes, and offers a new framework for considering wild plants in our diets and as an adjunct to health and spiritual development alike. A fine guide for any health and spirituality library.

Gulp
Mary Roach
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393081572, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

GULP: ADVENTURES ON THE ALIMENTARY CANAL belongs in any collection strong in health and culinary collections, and considers such basic questions as why we choose to enjoy the foods we do, and how different cultures exist on and pursue different kinds of foods. Mary Roach searched for answers to such questions as food preferences and how food is linked to survival patterns, consuming food around the world and analyzing the human digestive process involved. GULP documents these journeys and discoveries, blending anatomy insights with keys to food enjoyment. The result is a focus on the psychology and physiology of food that will reach beyond culinary circles into general and health collections.

On Target Living
Chris Johnson
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118435298, $22.00, www.wiley.com

ON TARGET LIVING: YOUR GUIDE TO A LIFE OF BALANCE, ENERGY, AND VITALITY comes from a nationally recognized health and wellness speaker who here reveals that decreasing company spending and enhancing employee productivity can be achieved through blends of exercise, rest and nutrition to benefit individual and business environment alike. Chapters show how to balance lifestyle choices to attain maximum health, and offer a range of case histories and practical applications to achieving this better balance. The result is an attention to wellness that goes beyond individual self-care and moves into corporate structures and choices in a pick for business and health holdings alike.

Ayurveda For Dummies
Angela Hope-Murray
Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9781118306703, $19.99, www.amazon.com

Ayurveda or ayurvedic medicine is a system of traditional medicine native to the Indian subcontinent and a form of alternative medicine. Drawing upon her more than thirty years of experience and expertise, "Ayurveda For Dummies" by ayurvedic practitioner Angela Hope-Murray is a 282 page compendium providing a perfect and detailed introduction to ayurvedic medicine that is especially accessible for the non-specialist general reader. "Ayurveda For Dummies" features a wealth of questionnaires, checklists, and other practical approaches to identify body type and health status. "Ayurveda For Dummies" addresses respiratory, digestive, cardiovascular, and musculoskeletal systems, as well as the treatment of common illnesses and major diseases. Of special note is the ayurvedic approach to diet and nutrition, as well as the importance of inner harmony and stress relief. "Ayurveda For Dummies" is very highly recommended for personal and community library Alternative Medicine reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Tao of Bipolar
C. Alexander Simpkins, PhD & Annellen M. Simpskins, PhD
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781608822928, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

Bipolar disorder can lead to quite the life chaotic. "The Tao of Bipolar: Using Meditation & Mindfulness to Find Balance & Peace" is a motivational read discussing how the principles of the Tao can resonate with those with bipolar disorder, aiding in the control of mood swings. With much to consider about the value of meditation in everyday life, "The Tao of Bipolar" is a strong addition to mental health and self-help collections, not to be missed.

Voices of Food Revolution
John Robbins & Ocean Robbins
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781573246248, $18.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Good diet is the foundation of better health. "Voices of Food Revolution" is a guide to crafting a diet for better health, both physical and spiritual. John & Ocean Robbins offer conversations they have carried with any thinkers on the environment and diet on how what we eat can impact ourselves and the world around us. "Voices of the Food Revolution" is for those who want to make a difference starting at the kitchen table, highly recommended.


The Travel Shelf

Quiet Paris
Siobhan Wall
Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com
9780711233430, $19.95, www.franceslincoln.com

Paris is more than the brightly colored tourist destination. "Quiet Paris" is a combination travel and photography guide from Siobhan Wall as she walks readers through these unsung destinations that lurk within the city, shops, restaurants, museums, and much more that one can see a quiet voice of the city that still must be heard out for years to come. "Quiet Paris" is a treasure and should be strongly considered for anyone traveling to the city and wanting something different, highly recommended. Also from Quayside for those seeking offbeat travel guides is "Criminal London: A Sightseer's Guide to the Capital of Crime" (9781845137786, $19.95), touching on London's...landmarks of a more unsavory nature.

A Journey Through Tudor England
Suzannah Lipscomb
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605984605, $26.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

The Tudor period of English often presents much romance and appeal. "A Journey Through Tudor England" is an analysis of over fifty Tudor sites and exploring the true to life stories that surround these wonderful sites and offer much intrigue for those who can't get enough of this period of history, homes and castles of major figures of the time from the widely known to the more obscure facts that make up the story of the period. "A Journey Through Tudor England" is a wise and recommended addition to history collections focusing on England and the United Kingdom.

New England's Best Trips
Maria Vorhees, et.al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781741798111, $22.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

New England's Best Trips: 32 Amazing Road Trips provides a fine survey that details all kinds of back road itineraries throughout New England from exploring lesser-known beaches on Cape Cod to touring small towns and historic areas. Packed with color photos, line maps, and details on where to eat, stay, and tour, this is a specific and in-depth guide highly recommended for any planning to see New England, who want to get off the beaten paths.

Top Trails Shenandoah National Park
Johnny Molloy
Wilderness Press
2204 - 1st Avenue South, Suite 102
Birmingham, AL, 35233-2321
9780899976792 $18.95 www.wildernesspress.com

Part of the award-winning "Top Trails" series known for its trail-feature charts and user-friendly wealth of information, Top Trails Shenandoah National Park: Must-Do Hikes for Everyone offers detailed descriptions of both the most popular venues and lesser known wonderful sites, outlining fifty exceptional hikes for all skill and experience levels. Suggested trails range in length to a family-friendly stroll, to a seven-mile journey to the park's tallest falls, to a 13-mile overnight hike. Key features are emphasized in every route, including "don't get lost" milestones and trail commentaries. Multiple black-and-white maps intersperse this excellent resource, especially valuable for families due to its tips about child-friendly trails. Additional asides about beautiful wildflowers, notable vistas, natural history, flora, fauna and more round out this "must-have" trail guide for anyone and everyone looking to experience Shenandoah National Park for themselves!

20 Day Trips
Larry P. and Donna J. Mahan
Shawnee Books
c/o Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809332557, $19.95, www.siupress.com

Illinois has much to offer the nature and hiking enthusiast. "20 Day Trips: In and Around the Shawnee National Forest" is hiking and outdoors guide from Larry P. and Donna J. Mahan as they offer how to best experience the Shawnee National Forest, a vast space of hundreds of thousands of aches spanning throughout Southern Illinois and embracing what it has for outdoorsmanship and fun along the way. "20 Day Trips" is a must for those with a love of the outdoors and life's adventure, highly recommended.


The Sports Shelf

Tumbling Basics
Kathleen M. Ortiz
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781450432061, $29.00, www.amazon.com

"Tumbling Basics" is a 184 page instruction manual by Kathleen M. Ortiz (Physical Education Instructor, Boston University) providing 48 tumbling exercises ranging from forward and backward rolls, to front and back handsprings, to combinations of rolls and cartwheels. Of special note are the chapters on 'Preparing to Teach Tumbling' and 'Combinations of All Skills'. Featuring an appendix (Rubrics), as well as a list of references and resources, "Tumbling Basics" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended as a Physical Education curriculum instructional reference.

Bicycle! A Repair & Maintenance Manifesto, second edition
Sam Tracy
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781604866407, $20.00, www.pmpress.org

Now in an updated second edition, Bicycle! A Repair & Maintenance Manifesto is written by a bicycle mechanic who here offers everything you need to know to care for your bicycle. Description of all maintenance tasks, repairs, and possibilities receive photos and drawings as illustration, which appears in an updated second edition to expand information, resources, and its index. Five years of additional mechanic experience includes low-cost and no-cost repair solutions the author developed while in the Peace Corps, making for a powerful assessment of tools, techniques, and common problems of bicycles. A top pick for any bicycle owner!

Fitness Cycling
Shannon Sovndal
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450529306, $18.95, www.HumanKinetics.com

Biking is a great activity for health and well being. "Fitness Cycling: 56 Workouts Proven to Improve Strength, Speed, and Stamina" is a guide for those who want to attain improved fitness and health with their bicycling. With tips and activities designed to attain this greater health and fitness through their bicycle, with varying levels of intensity and full color photography all throughout, "Fitness Cycling" is a strong addition to sports, health and fitness collections, highly recommended.


The Psychology Shelf

Purpose And Meaning In The Workplace
Bryan J. Dik, et al.
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433813146, $69.95, www.amazon.com

Collaboratively compiled and deftly edited by the team of Bryan J. Dik (Associate professor of Psychology, Colorado State University), Zinta S. Byrne (Associate Professor of Psychology, Colorado State University), Michael F. Steger (Associate Professor of Counseling Psychology and Applied Social Psychology, Coloardo State University), "Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace" is a 240 page compendium comprised of ten informed and informative papers by experts in their field and thematically organized into three major sections: Cultivating a Meaningful Career; Meaning Making on the Job; and Leading a Meaningful Organization. Of special note are Blake E. Ashforth and Glen E. Kreiner's 'Profane or Profound?: Finding Meaning in Dirty Work' and Robert W. Lent's 'Promoting Meaning and Purpose at Work: A Social-Cognitive Perspective'. Altogether, "Purpose and Meaning in the Workplace" is a seminal body of work and a highly recommended contribution to professional, corporate, governmental, and academic library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Craving
Omar Manejwala
Hazelden Foundation
PO Box 11
Center City, MN 55012-0011
9781616492625, $14.95, www.hazelden.org

More and more is how many of us are driven through our lives. "Craving: Why We Can't Seem to Get Enough" is a self-help guide focused on addiction in its many forms as Omar Manejwala discusses how our thoughts drive us towards our addictions and how to better control them and take control of what we seek, and the importance of accountability in overcoming our disorders. "Craving" is an insightful and recommend addition to self-help collections, not to be missed.

The Psychology of Dictatorship
Fathali M. Moghaddam
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433812989, $69.95, www.apa.org/books

Dictatorship seems to be the most basic form of government, and what chaos often spills out to towards. "The Psychology of Dictatorship" is an intriguing psychological perspective on the dictator. From what leads to one person gathering so much power, to what maintains it... and what leads to their often downfall. Professor of Psychology Fathali M. Moghaddam offers scholarly insight on explaining the concepts of springboarding, communities, coercion, conformity, and what does the constant threat of dictatorship mean to the ideas of democracy. "The Psychology of Dictatorship" is a must for psychological studies collections that seek to place psychology as an understanding of worldwide issues.

The Self Beyond Itself
Heidi M. Ravven
The New Press
38 Green Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10013
9781595585370, $31.95, www.thenewpress.com

The brain is a complicated organ, and interpreting it has always been quite the endeavor. "The Self Beyond Itself: An Alternative History of Ethics, the New Brain Sciences, and the Myth of Free Will" discusses new thoughts in psychology and the study of the brain, as Heidi M. Ravven offers her own studies and intellectual insight into these sciences, which she holds that can tie together philosophy psychology, and everything else together under one banner, trying to offer a more comprehensive collection of thoughts on how the mind works. "The Self Beyond Itself" is a remarkable and very much recommended addition to psychology, philosophy, and reference collections, not to be missed.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class
Tony Lee Moral
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931378, $26.95, www.mwp.com

When a new medium is introduced, masters of using it appear. "Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class" discusses the filmmaking skills of the legendary Hitchcock and how modern filmmakers can learn much from his practices with his films of suspense. A student of Hitchcock himself, Tony Lee Moral offers much of his own expertise of understanding the art of filmmaking. "Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class" is a must for filmmaking collections and studies, highly recommended.

Monster Loyalty
Jackie Huba
The Penguin Press
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9781591846505, $24.95, www.penguin.com

Being a fan is one thing, but does one go beyond that? "Monster Loyalty: How Lady Gaga Turns Followers Into Fanatics" explores the cult of personality that Lady Gaga has cultivated, and what can be learned from her messages to her fans. From focusing on the fans who will evangelize others for her, building lifetime fanbases, a good message that resonates with people, and the power of provocation and meat dresses, "Monster Loyalty" is a fascinating study of Lady Gaga and the power of the people in a celebrity's career.

If You like True Blood...
Dave Thompson
Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing
33 Plymouth St, Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042
978879108113, $16.99, www.halleonardbooks.com

A little bit of the paranormal can make it all the more enticing. "If You Like True Blood...: Here Are Over 200 Films, TV Shows, and Other Oddities That You Will Love" is a guide for pop culture junkies with a love for the show True Blood, pointing out the vampires that all ultimately led to the incarnation that viewers have grown to love over the era. "If You Like True Blood..." is a choice pick for pop culture junkies everywhere, highly recommended.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Kicking In The Wall
Barbara Abercrombie
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608681563, $15.95, www.amazon.com

Sooner or later any serious author will encounter that most dreaded of all literary dilemmas -- writer's block. Starring at a blank sheet of paper or computer screen and not being able to think of anything to put down on it. That's why "Kicking In the Wall: A Year of Writing Exercises, Prompts, and Quotes to Help You Break Through Your Blocks and Reach Your Writing Goals" by Barbara Abercrombie (author of "A Year of Writing Dangerously") will prove to be such an invaluable resource and reference for anyone having to write for their living. This 248 page paperback compendium is packed from cover to cover with practical, applicable, and thoroughly 'user friendly' tools for overcoming writer's block. Expertly organized into a major section offering specific 'things to do', "Kicking In The Wall" also include a section called 'What They Wrote' which offers real world examples by writers on having overcome this particular obstacle. If you can only afford a single 'how to' writer's reference book for your personal resource shelf, then make it Barbara Abercrombie's "Kicking In The Wall"!

A Quick Guide to Screenwriting
Ray Morton
Limelight Editions
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, NY, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9780879108045, $12.99, www.amazon.com

Screenwriting is a very specialized form of writing in that it must combine story telling with cinematic technologies and techniques. Screen writing comes with its own 'tips, tricks & techniques' that must be mastered by the aspiring screenwriter. That's why "A Quick Guide to Screenwriting" by screenplay analyst and script consultant Ray Morton will prove to be an invaluable introduction to the craft. This 120 page compendium provides a succinct history of screenwriting; delineates between commercial and personal writing; and explains the three basic types of screenplays and the seven basic steps to writing a screenplay. "A Quick Guide to Screenwriting" offers ways to develop ideas, structure a story, screen play styles and formatting. Of special note is what "A Quick Guide to Screenwriting" reveals about the techniques of cinematic storytelling, screenwriting 'do's & don'ts' and getting useable feedback to improve a screenplay. Very well organized and thoroughly 'user friendly', "A Quick Guide to Screenwriting" should be considered mandatory reading by anyone considering creating a screenplay and would prove an enduringly valued addition to professional screenwriting instructional guide reference collections.

The Science Writer's Handbook
Thomas Hayden & Michelle Nijhuis
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738216560, $17.50, www.perseusbooksgroup.com

Science writing requires a certain hand of talent to make it work for people. "The Science Writer's Handbook: Everything You Need to Know to Pitch, Publish, and Prosper in the Digital Age" is an invaluable reference for those who seek to succeed and prosper with their writing skills in the world of science, the importance of selling your ideas with narratives, finding contracts, making what your worth, coping with rejection, and the power of networking. "The Science Writer's Handbook" is an invaluable tool for writers in the field of science, highly recommended.

Boom! Manufacturing Memoir for the Popular Market
Julie Rak
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
9781554589395, $29.99, wlupress.wlu.ca

How does one make the story of life so enticing and riveting? "Boom! Manufacturing Memoir for the Popular Market" analyzes the memoir as a product that is produced like any other work, Julie Rak dissects many popular memoirs and tries to gain a more comprehensive understanding of why some memoirs capture the imagination of the public when their stories often aren't that unlike our own. "Boom!" is a fine bit of analysis for those who want to understand the memoir whether for creating one's own story or simply a fascination with the trends.

Writing the Science Fiction Film
Robert Grant
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931361, $26.95, www.mwp.com

Any collection strong in screenwriting, performing arts and film will find this a solid addition, offering insights into how to write science fiction for the genre. Classic and cult science fiction films from Star Wars to Aliens are used to show how the genre has changed, what makes it compelling to modern viewers, and how writers can adjust their science fiction writing to lend to a film production. From changing a cliche plot to turn it into something fresh and different to handling new technology and its jargon in the film environment, Writing the Science Fiction Film is packed with insights perfect for aspiring genre writers and film producers alike, and is a pick for film and literary collections.

Forty-One False Starts
Janet Malcolm
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
18 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
9780374157692, $27.00, www.fsgbooks.com

The ignition to a tale can often not be what we expect. "Forty-One False Starts: Essays on Artists and Writers" discusses the figures behind the artist, the creative mind, as Janet Malcolm presents her serious of writings on these abstract thinkers. Discussing a wide array of figures such as Salinger, Stein, and countless others, Malcolm offers some very real wisdom about the world and shouldn't be overlooked. "Forty-One False Starts" is a must for collections studying artists and writers in the past hundred years.


The Cookbook Shelf

Cooking with Herbs
Lynn Alley, author
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106
9781449427696, $16.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

"Cooking with Herbs: 50 Simple Recipes for Fresh Flavor" is an inspired collection of dressed up basic comfort food recipes that attain their final glory through tasty additions of fresh garden herbs. More than an imaginative cookbook, "Cooking with Herbs" includes a delightful chapter about the herb garden that gives tips and techniques for growing fresh herbs either in containers or other garden areas. Further chapters offer recipes for Soups and Salads, Main Dishes, Breads and Spreads, and Small Indulgences, presenting a delicate tea-style dessert assortment. The typical beginning recipe of each chapter is a simple, unembellished version; then the following pages offer many different ways and ideas for dressing up the basic recipe. Some wonderful examples include: Tabbouleh-Style Rice Salad with Tomatoes, Cucumber, and Parsley-Mint Vinaigrette, Portuguese White Bean Soup with Cilantro, Coriander, and Mint, Garnet Yam Rosti with Indian Flavors, Blue Cheese, Artichoke Heart, and Tarragon Mac, Hazelnut, Dried Cherry, and Sage Round, Sunday Scones with Dried Strawberries and Rosemary, and Lemon-Rosemary Cheesecakes. Freshness is desirable and standard measurements and easy instructions make
basic preparations easy to tackle. Occasional color photos add spice and interest, while added comments, tips, and experimentation suggestions can inspire cooks of all abilities and experiences. A table of metric conversions and equivalents is helpful, and the dainty package of 50+ fresh herb recipes is most appealing to those interested in healthful, delicious cuisine.

Cookies for Kids' Cancer
Gretchen Holt-Witt, author
Lucy Schaeffer, photographer
Houghton Miflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9781118329528, $19.99, www.hmhbooks.com

"Cookies for Kids' Cancer: All the Good Cookies" is a collection of over 60 delicious cookie recipes that have been tested and used successfully for fundraising for pediatric cancer research. In addition to delicious cookie recipes, this collection contains over 40 inspirational true stories about fundraising events across the nation to help raise awareness of the need for pediatric cancer research. Created by a mother of a very special boy named Liam, "Cookies for Kids' Cancer: All the Good Cookies" is both a push towards a great project and an inspirational batch of creative cookie recipes. Suggested ways to hold bake sales and organize fundraising projects are incorporated with mouthwatering recipes such as Cranberry-Pistachio Biscotti, Chai Stars, Checkerboard Slices, Prune Hamantashalas, and Deep Chocolate Cherry Cashew Cookies, just to mention a few. "Cookies for Kids Cancer: All the Good Cookies" uses standard measurements and easily available ingredients to whip up batches of goodness in support of a very worthy cause.

Cooking for Two, fifth edition
America's Test Kitchen
9781936493432, $35.00, www.americastestkitchen.com

COOKING FOR TWO: THE YEAR'S BEST RECIPES CUT DOWN TO SIZE is a top pick for couples who are usually faced with cookbooks and recipes that assume family-size portions and participation. This fifth edition of a popular annual series adapts the best recipes of the year (some 157) to sizes two people can easily enjoy, scaling down dishes such as lasagna, chili and pie and providing recipes for a wide range of winning dishes, from easy skillet suppers and pasta dinners to sides and desserts. There are many surprises here too - such as a prime rib dish that can be made for two. From slow cooker to one-dish meals, this is an outstanding collection highly recommended for any couple and collections catering to them.

Hand-Crafted Candy Bars
Susie Norris and Susan Heeger
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452109657, $24.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Hand-Crafted Candy Bars: From-Scratch, All-Natural, Gloriously Grown-Up Confections offers basic recipes for dishes ranging from fudge and nougat to caramel, and is a pick for any dessert enthusiast and collection catering to them. It comes from an artisan chocolatier and pastry chef whose award-winning chocolate business has received much publicity, and offers a satisfying blend of basic, foundation candy recipes and modern innovations, such as adding pepper or tarragon to the candy mix. The result is a title packed with color photos and easy directions any newcomer to candy-making will find sensational.

Hollyhock
Moreka Jolar, et.al.
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717275, $24.95, www.newsociety.com

HOLLYHOCK: GARDEN TO TABLE is both a cookbook and a gardening title, offering a synthesis of some thirty years of growing and cooking with natural foods, and is a special recommendation for cookery collections strong in gourmet uses for unusual garden produce. From Baby Lima Beans with Asparagus and Flowering Arugula to Prune and Cardamom Naan and an unusual Raw Avocado Chocolate Pudding, this focuses on natural sweeteners and sustainable foods from the garden, and is a recommendation for any natural foods collection looking for uniquely different dishes.

RawEssence
David Cote and Mathieu Gallant
Robert Rose Publishers
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778804468, $24.95, www.robertrose.ca

RawEssence: 180 Delicious Recipes for Raw Living is a raw food cookbook part of a growing movement, and offers flexible recipes for any ready to sample raw fare. Full color photos accompany inspirations for meals for all occasions, recipes that require a minimum of 'exotic' ingredients to prepare, and tasty creations perfect for summertime. From Meatless Meatballs to Madras Salad and Carrot Cake, this focuses on fresh ingredients and raw preparations perfect for any home kitchen and for busy cooks as well as families. The result is an exceptionally inviting introduction to the topic.

Pick Fresh Cookbook
Cooking Light
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
9780848739157, $21.95, www.oxmoorhouse.com

Keys to buying, growing and cooking garden-grown vegetables and herbs offer a fine link to home-grown produce and is a seasonal cookbook recommended for gardeners and cooks alike. Color photos pack a cookbook loaded with fresh and new ideas, from Corn Pancakes with Smoked Salmon and Lemon-Chive Cream to Grilled Vegetable and Fontina Pizza and Lamb Chops and Cilantro Relish. The result is a fine collection of recommended new ideas for putting together a garden's bounty: a top pick for any gardener looking to make the most of the fruits (and vegetables) of labor.

The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast
Caleb Warnock & Melissa Richardson
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South
Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462110483, $18.99, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of baking experts Caleb Warnock and Melissa Richardson "The Art of Baking with Natural Yeast: Breads, Pancakes, Waffles, Cinnamon Rolls and Muffins" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 176 page instructional compendium methodically organized into ten specific sections: Natural Yeast: Baking for Health; Getting Started: Housing, Feeding and Using Natural Yeast; Getting Your Bread Geek On: Time to Bake!; The Basic Six: Recipes for Everything Baking; Dressing Up Your Loaves: Fruits, Nuts, Seeds, and Sprouts; Quick and Easy Pancakes, Waffles, and Crepes; Sweet Things: Muffins, Cakes, and Cinnamon Rolls; Artisan Breads: tips & Techniques for Savory Sourdough; Shaping tutorials: How to Shape Your Dough; and Bonus Recipes: Scones, Breadsticks, and Pizza Dough. Of special note are the recipes for No-Knead Bread; Banana Buckwheat Pancakes; Blueberry Cream Muffins; and Roasted Red Bell Pepper and Asiaco Sourdough. A delight simply to browse through, "Caleb Warnock & Melissa Richardson" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual that will enable even the most novice to become expert bakers utilizing natural yeast recipes!

The Sexy Vegan's Happy Hour At Home
Brian L. Patton
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
www.newworldlibrary.com
9781608682348, $15.95, www.amazon.com

Veganism is the practice of abstaining from the use of animal products, particularly in diet, as well as an associated philosophy that rejects the commodity status of sentient animals. A follower of veganism is known as a vegan. Expertly and imaginatively compiled by Brian L. Patton, "The Sexy Vegan's Happy Hour at Home: Small Plates, Big Flavors, and Potent Cocktails" is a 240 page compendium of simply outstanding vegan recipes that are as 'kitchen cook friendly' as they are nutritious and delicious. Featuring twenty vegan menus whose dishes range from a Fresh Corn and Jalapeno Salad; to a Loaded Baked Potato Flatbread; to a Tempeh Satay with Peanut Sauce; to Maple-Chipotle Roasted Veggies, "The Sexy Vegan's Happy Hour at Home: Small Plates, Big Flavors, and Potent Cocktails" offers an amazing variety of dishes guaranteed to please the palate and satisfy the appetite of any diner be they vegan or non-vegan. Of special note are the several vegan drink recipes, making "The Sexy Vegan's Happy Hour at Home: Small Plates, Big Flavors, and Potent Cocktails" a highly prized addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Cocktails
Eliq Maranik
H. F. Ullmann
c/o 60 Cycle Media Relations LLC
38 High Avenue, Nyack NY 10960
www.ullmann-publishing.com
9783848002849, $19.99, www.amazon.com

The cocktail party has been an American cultural institution from the 1920s down to the present day. "Cocktails: Fancy & Delicious Recipes For All Tastes" is a superbly illustrated, 160 page compendium of 124 cocktail recipes compiled and presented by Eliq Maranik. Enhanced with tips on cocktail presentation, suggestions for adapting cocktail recipes, and informative appendix of spirits and cocktails, and even an overview chart of the 58 most important liquors, their ingredients, and flavors, "Cocktails: Fancy & Delicious Recipes For All Tastes" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and will enable even the most novice of cocktail party hosts in offering a successful cocktail party based social occasion for friends, co-workers, and family!


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s
Keith Dallas
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive
Raleigh, NC 27614
www.twomorrows.com
9781605490465, $41.95, www.amazon.com

TwoMorrows Publishing is the premier publisher of books on and about comics and graphic novels. One of their signature series is a chronicle of American comics decade by decade beginning with the 1940s. The latest addition to this outstanding full color, hard cover series is "American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s" compiled and written by Keith Dallas. In this volume is a year-by-year account of the most significant publications, notable creators, and comic book publishing industry background including: The career ups and downs of Jim Shooter at Marvel Comics; Frank Miller work on Daredevil, Ronin and The Dark Knight; DC Comics renaissance with Crisis on Infinite Earths and its importation of British invasion of talent like Alan Moore, Grant Morrison, and Neil Gaiman! Of special note is the emergence of Direct Market-exclusive publishers like Eclipse Comics, Pacific Comics, First Comics, Comico, Dark Horse Comics and others! Profusely illustrated throughout, informed and informative, "American Comic Book Chronicles: The 1980s" is an indispensable and highly recommended reference and resource for comic book enthusiasts.

Big Nate: Game On!
Lincoln Peirce
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449427771 $9.99 www.gocomics.com

Big Nate: Game On! is a full-color anthology of sports-themed comic strips featuring sixth-grader Nate Wright, his teammate friends, his long-suffering coach, and occasional appearances by a guest coach who seems to enjoy making kids suffer! The comics follow Nate's adventures in basketball (where the only thing weaker than Nate's dribble is his smack-talk), baseball (if he can stay awake in right field), and soccer (where his best talent as goalie appears to be blocking goals with his face, concussions optional). A bonus fold-out color poster enhances this highly recommended comic collection that readers of all ages will enjoy. "'Everyone knows you can predict somebody's level of athletic skill by watching the way he gets dressed beforehand!' '...Said the goalie with his shorts on backward.'"

World of Warcraft: Dark Riders
Mike Costa, author
Neil Googe, artist
DC Entertainment
1700 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.worldofwarcraft.com
9781401230272 $24.99 dccomics.com

World of Warcraft: Dark Riders is a full-color graphic novel that enriches the lore of the "World of Warcraft" massively multiplayer online role-playing computer game. The aloof mage Karlain and the irascible (to put it mildly) priest Revil are both on the trail dangerous artifacts coveted by the mysterious and murderous Dark Riders, who operate out of the haunted, time-twisted nightmare castle that is Karazhan. The situation turns even deadlier when Karlain's hotheaded son is falsely accused of murder, and targeted by a dangerous wolf cult! Heroes and villains clash fiercely in this sword-and-sorcery adventure, sure to appeal to fans of the genre as well as the game.


The Audiobook Shelf

Stravinsky: Discoveries and Memories
Robert Craft
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosusa.com
9781843797531, $34.98, www.amazon.com

Igor Fyodorovich Stravinsky (17 June 1882 - 6 April 1971) was a Russian, and later French and American composer, pianist and conductor. He is widely considered to be one of the most important and influential composers of the 20th century. Stravinsky's compositional career was notable for its stylistic diversity. "Stravinsky: Discoveries and Memories" by Robert Craft (who was an assistant, companion and confidant to Igor Stravinsky for the last two decades of the composer's life) is a 400 page, informed and informative biography of the man and his music. Of special note is the lengthy inclusion of Stravinsky's friends and acquaintances ranging from Giacomo Puccini, Benito Mussolini, and Aaron Copeland, to Thomas Mann, Pablo Picasso, and Aldous Huxley. Enhanced with an accompany music CD, "Stravinsky: Discoveries and Memories" perfectly showcases an extraordinary man and his extraordinary accomplishments in extraordinary times. This is an outstanding and unique biography that is highly recommended for community and academic library Biography collections in general, and the personal reading lists for Stravinsky enthusiasts in particular.

The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise
Dante, author
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9789626343159, $81.98, www.amazon.com

Durante degli Alighieri, simply referred to as Dante (c. 1265 - 1321), was a major Italian poet of the Middle Ages. His Divine Comedy, originally called Commedia and later called Divina by Boccaccio, is widely considered the greatest literary work composed in the Italian language and a masterpiece of world literature. Featuring a superb narration by Heathcote, the complete and unabridged audio book edition of Dante's "The Divine Comedy: Inferno - Purgatory - Paradise" offers the listeners more than 14 hours of this classic work set out on thirteen compact discs. Of special note is the inclusion of an informed and informative biography of Dante by Benedict Flynn. With flawless production values, this memorable audio book edition is strongly recommended for personal, academic, and community library collections.

Tom Jones
Henry Fielding
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843796954, $152.98, www.amazon.com

Henry Fielding's massive novel "Tom Jones" is widely considered to be a true classic of English literature. It is the story of a young man of limited means and his flawed courtship of a series of beautiful women for his own ulterior motives. Naxos is a premier publisher of audio books and their new edition of "Tom Jones" is superbly and dramatically narrated by Shakespearean theater trained Bill Homewood. With impeccable production values, this complete and unabridged audio book edition is comprised of 29 compact discs and has a total running time of 37 hours, 51 minutes, 35 seconds. This Naxos edition of "Tom Jones" is very strongly recommended as an enduringly valued acquisition for both school and community library audio book collections.

Wagner: His Life And Music
Stephen Johnson
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843797517, $47.98, www.amazon.com

Wilhelm Richard Wagner (22 May 1813 - 13 February 1883) was a German composer, theatre director, polemicist, and conductor primarily known for his operas. His compositions, particularly those of his later period, are notable for their complex textures, rich harmonies and orchestration, and the elaborate use of leitmotifs - musical phrases associated with individual characters, places, ideas or plot elements. His advances in musical language, such as extreme chromaticism and quickly shifting tonal centres, greatly influenced the development of classical music; his Tristan und Isolde is sometimes described as marking the start of modern music. "Wagner: His Life And Music" by Stephen Johnson is an impressive and detailed account of Wagner personal as well as professional life and provides a comprehensive overview of a most remarkable life. With flawless production values, this 7 CD unabridged audio book edition is narrated by the author with a total running time of 8 hours, 57 minutes. Informed and informative, "Wagner: His Life And Music" is highly recommended for personal, academic, and community audio book library collections.

Cyrano
Geraldine McCaughrean
www.geraldinemccaughrean.co.uk
Full Cast Audio
PO Box 6110
Syracuse, NY 13217
9781936223152 $34.00 www.fullcastaudio.com

Full Cast Audio continues its glorious tradition of bringing audiobooks to life with dramatic performances by multiple talented actors and actresses - a different one for every character! - in Cyrano, a wonderful presentation of the classic tale about the lovelorn, large-nosed Cyrano de Bergerac. Original music enhances this unabridged, family-friendly reading based on Edmond Rostand's popular play. The result is a joy to listen to, during car trips, everyday activity, or simply the joy of savoring a timeless saga of heartbreak and adventure. Cyrano is worthy of the highest recommendation for high school, college, and public library collections. 3 CDs, 2 1/2 hours.

Waiting to Be Heard
Amanda Knox
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062237613 $39.99 www.harpercollins.com

Read by author Amanda Knox, Waiting to Be Heard: A Memoir is Knox's unabridged audiobook testimony of criminal injustice. In November of 2007, Knox was studying abroad in Perugia, Italy; her friend and roommate Meredith Kercher was cruelly murdered. The Italian police immediately seized upon her as a suspect; she could barely communicate with them due to her limited knowledge of Italian. Her sensationalized trial ended in a 2009 conviction for murder, later overturned in 2011; as of March 2013, her acquittal has been reversed by the Italian Supreme Court, pending a retrial. The nonprofit and independent Idaho Innocence Project's investigation concluded in 2011 that, based on its review and DNA samples taken from the crime scene, Knox and her then-boyfriend Rafaele Sollecito were innocent, and that African drifter Rudy Guede was the most likely culprit. In Waiting to Be Heard, Knox presents her own point of view of the nightmarish interrogation, custody, and trial proceedings, as well as her time in jail, which included seemingly endless sexual harassment. A haunting and harrowing true crime story, Waiting to Be Heard is an invaluable cautionary tale about a miscarriage of justice almost as horrific as murder itself. 10 CDs, 11 1/2 hours.

The Entertainer And The Dybbuk
Sid Fleischman
Full Cast Audio
PO Box 6110, Syracuse, NY 13217
www.fullcastaudio.com
9781934180389, $29.00, www.amazon.com

When World War II finally comes to an end, discharged sergeant Freddie T. Birch once again takes up his civilian job as a ventriloquist and tours a recovering Europe as 'The Great Freddie'. That when he becomes possessed by the spirit of Avrom Amos, a twelve-year-old Jewish boy who was murdered by the Nazis as part of their pogrom of extermination. Birth and Amos join forces to track down the man who murdered the youth. This Full Cast Audio edition "The Entertainer And The Dybbuk" is enhanced with music and superbly performed by Banna Rubinow and full cast of audio actors. The production values are flawless. With a total running time of 1 hour, 45 minutes, "The Entertainer And The Dybbuk" is highly recommended listening and would prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library audio book collections.

Red Moon
Benjamin Percy
Read by the author
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
9781478952091 $29.98 www.HachetteAudio.com

Red Moon is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a suspenseful "what-if" novel about vicious war between shape-changing "lycans" and human beings. Humans have oppressed the lycans with laws and drugs, forcing them to live in a state approaching slavery; the unrest of the lycans is about to explode, sparking a nightmarish war with the fate of two species at stake. The coming red moon might just mark the dawn of apocalypse for not only humans and lycans, but also civilization as a whole! Exciting and sometimes brutal, Red Moon is not a story of clear-cut heroes and villains, but rather of survivors and shades of grey. Highly recommended. 18 CDs, 22 hours.

Blood Meridian
Cormac McCarthy
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
NA699412, $34.98, www.amazon.com

Cormac McCarthy's western novel "Blood Meridian" is true-to-history epic presented as only a master storyteller can accomplish. A teenage runaway known only as the kid takes up with the brutal Glanton Gang. "Blood Meridian" is the engaging and violent story tracing decent into outlawry that ultimately finds the kids confronted by a hard and heartless Judge Holden. This Naxos completed and unabridged audio book edition is superbly narrated by Robert G. Slade. With a total running time of 7 hours, 2 minutes, on six compact discs, "Blood Merdian" is flawlessly produced and offers an engaging and entertaining 'theatre-of-the-mind' listening experience. Simply stated, "Blood Meridian" is a superb choice for community library audio book collections and highly recommended listening for those who appreciate an extraordinarily well crafted western novel.

Ladies' Night
Mary Kay Andrews, author
Kathleen McInerney, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427230812 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Ladies' Night is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Mary Kay Andrews' novel about a woman recovering from a disaster of a failed marriage. When lifestyle blogger Grace Stanton catches her husband cheating, she vents her wrath on his expensive (and arguably innocent) sports car, jettisoning it into their swimming pool. Her bitter divorce strips her of the money and leisure she has grown accustomed to - she's even locked out of her blog. She has no option but to move in with her mother, plus she's required by the courts to attend weekly "divorce recovery" therapy sessions. But when she and the three other women notice suspicious behavior in their "divorce coach", they decide to seek closure in a much more unorthodox style! Tongue-in-cheek humor, wit, and sophistication are the hallmarks of this eyebrow-raising life adventure, sure to prove a popular pick for public library audiobook collections. 14 CDs, 17.5 hours.

Behind the Candelabra
Scott Thorson with Alex Thorleifson, authors
Peter Berkrot, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781452611914 $34.99 www.tantor.com

Now featuring a new afterword and a bonus interview with author Scott Thorson, Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace is the unabridged, autobiographical audiobook in which Thorson tells all about his lifelong relationship with the famous Liberace. Thorson was Liberace's lover in an era when Liberace was closely closeted. Behind the Candelabra covers the good, the bad, and the ugly of Liberace's life, from the overbearing mother who all but forced him into a concert career, to his entanglements with the Mafia in Las Vegas, to his personal narcissism and lavish taste for excess (Liberace once sent Thorson to a plastic surgeon to have Thorson's face remade in Liberace's image), to his luxury homes, fleet of house dogs, and extensive list of lovers. A glimpse of Liberace's final days when he was dying of AIDS, and his deathbed reconciliation with Thorson, rounds out this fascinating portrait, which forms the basis of a new Steven Soderbergh film starring Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. Highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9 1/2 hours, unabridged.

Whiskey Beach
Nora Roberts, author
Peter Berkrot, narrator
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480506855 $39.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Whiskey Beach is a novel about an unsolved murder, rekindled passion, and the corrosive effects of rumors and gossip. Boston lawyer Eli Landon has retreated to shorehouse vacation residence Bluff House in Whiskey Beach, after being falsely implicated, scrutinized, and nearly arrested for the murder of his soon-to-be ex-wife. Dependent upon the Bluff House caretaker Abra Walsh for cooking and cleaning, he begins to see her in a different light, as her own style of nurturing (thought by some to be just a little on the fiercely overbearing side) helps him recover from trauma and refocus on learning the truth about the murder. But someone is out to destroy Eli's name at any cost - someone who likely won't hesitate to kill again! Whiskey Beach is an involving work of romantic suspense to the very last page, highly recommended especially for fans of the genre. 13 CDs, 15 hours 33 min.

Looking for Me
Beth Hoffman, author
Jenna Lamia, narrator
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611761702 $39.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

Looking for Me is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Beth Hoffman's novel about Teddi Overman, a Southern woman who channels her love of furniture into a successful antique and restoration business. The life that she makes for herself is populated by folk as quirky and unpredictable as she is at heart, but she receives surprising news when she discovers that her long-lost brother, missing since he was seventeen, could still be alive. Teddi is gifted at mending objects, but is there any hope to heal the threadbare bonds of her estranged family? Looking for Me is emotional and moving to the very end. Also highly recommended is Hoffman's previous novel, "Saving Ceecee Honeycutt". 10 CDs, 12 hours.

The As If Principle
Richard Wiseman
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781469266718, $29.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

The As If Principle offers a new approach to changing life goals, is narrated by Ralph Lister, who adds a smooth and clear voice to this self-help inspirational pick, and details how to apply the principle in our daily lives, from becoming happier through smiling to acting as if one already has a desired quality. The result is a powerful survey that offers real solutions to achieving daily goals and mastering emotions: a set of exercises that hold important keys to creating happier, better lives.

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

Amy Stewart's THE DRUNKEN BOTANIST: THE PLANTS THAT CREATE THE WORLD'S GREAT DRINKS (9781622311392, $34.95) receives a spirited reading by Coleen Marlo, whose voice brings to life the nonfiction account of the relationships between botany and booze. It's a history of the herbs, flowers, fruits and fungi that humans have used to make alcohol over the centuries, tracing how obscure plants were distilled and how each changed cooking traditions. The result is a fine listen that brings to life the world of botany by connecting plants with human dietary choices and the evolution of liquor. LAUGHTER THERAPY: A COMEDY COLLECTION FOR THE CHRONICALLY SERIOUS (9781622310388, $22.95) provides some two hours of collected humor hosted by NPR's Peter Sagal and providing fun humorous reflections by such notables as Mel Brooks, Drew Carey, Joan Rivers, Martin Mull and many others. This is a fun listen that thwarts seriousness with hilarious reflections in a fine comedy collection highly recommended for NPR listeners and fans of audio comedy alike.

Decisive
Chip Heath & Dan Heath
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780449011119, $40.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

Decisive: How to Make Better Choices in Life and Work is narrated by Kaleo Griffith, who lends a polished voice to the discussion thanks to extensive background in film and television, and who brings to life this study of decision-making processes. From a rock star's original decision-making trick to how a single question can resolve complicated personal decision-making processes, this is packed with keys to human behaviors and influences on decisions, and makes for a powerful survey of politics and social pressures associated with decision-making at all levels of society. A fine recommendation for business and psychology audio holdings alike.

Making Good Habits, Breaking Good Habits
Joyce Meyer
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9781611132601, $24.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

Making Good Habits, Breaking Good Habits: 14 New Behaviors That will Energize Your Life receives a spirited reading by Sandra McCollom, who is the youngest daughter of the author. Her smooth voice brings her mother's words and ideals to life as Joyce Meyer explains how to develop good habits, break bad ones, and end the stress draining one's life. The result is a fine survey, highly recommended for any self-help and inspirational audiobook collection interested in identifying and putting into place shifting habits.


The Library CD Shelf

Quarter to Six
Idan Raichel
Cumbancha, LLC
413 Carpenter Road
Charlotte, VT 05445
www.cumbancha.com
$14.99 www.amazon.com

Israeli keyboardist and composer Idan Raichel, whose performance venues include a Nobel Peace Prize awards ceremony and the ceremony inaugurating the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial in Washington DC, presents Quarter to Six, an album with Hebrew (and some Portuguese) lyrics that reflect upon moments of transition - including the transition that takes place at the end of life. Quarter to Six maintains a positive outlook upon the natural cycle of life and death, celebrating the beauty and wonder of being alive, even as it ponders what lies beyond. The result is a haunting, unforgettably atmospheric treasury. The tracks are "Yored Ha'Erev" (2:20), "Achshav Karov" (3:43), "Rak Oto" (2:36), "Ba'Layla" (4:06), "Sabe Deus" (4:25), "Ana Ana wa Enta Enta" (2:42), "Ad She'Ein Yoter Le'an" (5:05), "Ha'Ru'ach Ha'Zo" (2:54), "Mon Amour" (2:56), "Chaim Pshutim" (3:10), "Olam Shalem" (3:14), "Detras De Mi Alma" (3:15), "Be'Karov" (3:02), "Im Ha'ita Ro'eh" (3:46), "In Stiller Nacht" (3:49), and "Or Ka'ze" (3:57). Also highly recommended are Idan Raichel's popular album "Within My Walls", and his acclaimed "Tel Aviv Session" album with Malian guitarist Vieux Farka Toure.

Mon Pays
Vieux Farka Toure
Six Degrees Records
PO Box 411347, San Francisco, CA 94141-1347
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
$14.48 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Mon Pays is a new album in which performer Vieux Farka Toure uses music to reflect upon the war that has afflicted his home nation of Mali, which has been savaged by territorial conflict between Tuareg rebels, Islamic rebels, and the government since the beginning of 2012. Mon Pays tribute to the cultural legacy of Mali, and kindles a flame of hope, reminding listeners of how his homeland has the potential to be transformed into a beacon of tolerance and peace. Denouncing the ban on music and the resurgence of slavery that has plagued his homeland, Mon Pays warns against foreign invaders that seek to plunder not only Mali's people, but also its very heritage. The reverberating guitar strains and vocals blend perfectly with a variety of other instruments, from spike fiddle and piano to calabash, djembe, and percussion on everything from shakers to bamboo and turtle shells. Highly recommended, especially for international music CD collections. The tracks are "Diack So" (4:58), "Safare" (4:39), "Doni Doni" (4:14), "Yer Gando" (4:24), "Nouhoume Maiga" (4:05), "Kele Magni" (4:34), "Future" (4:47), "Allah Wawi" (4:50), "Peace" (4:40), and "Ay Bakoy" (6:41).

Kachupada
Carmen Souza
Produced by Theo Pas'cal and Carmen Souza
Galileo Music Communication
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane
Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
$14.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Kachupada is the latest studio album by Cape Verdean music artist Carmen Souza, along with band members on the piano, percussion, bongos, accordion, guitar, and saxophone. An enticing, mellifluous jazz experience, Kachupada is beautifully seductive, and soulfully enriching. Highly recommended, especially for fans of independent jazz! The tracks are "Manha 1 de Dezembro" (4:34), "Donna Lee" (2:57), "Luta" (4:15), "My Favourite Things" (5:25), "Ivanira" (3:41), "Xinxiroti" (3:55), "Terra Sab" (4:09), "Origem" (0:49), "6 on na Tarrafal" (3:17), "Vida facil" (3:48), "Tchega" (2:36), "Koladjazz" (4:20), and "Novo dia" (4:04).

King of Me
Chris Berry
Kanaga System Krush
www.systemkrush.com
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$TBA www.rockpaperscissors.biz

King of Me is an original album steeped in southern African musical culture. Performer Chris Berry spent eight years in Zimbabwe, became fluent in the language, mastered the mbira (thumb piano), befriending the Bayaka (pygmy) people, and immersing himself in the musical scene. His Zimbabwe band was immensely popular; Chris eventually had to flee the country for using the band's music to speak out against the heavy-handed Mugabe Regime. The polyrhythmic quality of the mbira shines through in this rich and beautiful celebration of the greatness of African music. The tracks are "Leave It", "Sister River", "U", "Our Time", "Shadow of a Whip", "Many Have Not", "King of Me", "Aquarius", "Samauhay", "The Other Ones", "Sekai", and "Mudzimu We".

La Si Dah
Cas Haley
Easy Star Records
PO Box 1069, Cooper Station
New York, NY 10276
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
www.easystar.com
$12.99 www.amazon.com

Singer and songwriter Cas Haley's third album, La Si Dah, an independent album with a reggae soul, fused with elements drawn from styles such rhythm & blues, classic rock, salsa, and Ethiopian jazz. Cas' music draws heavily from the background of his life, from his strained relationship with his father to a love song for his wife to his personal efforts to strive for musical perfection. His clear, strong voice forms the core of an unforgettable performance. The tracks are "Jackson" (2:08), "La Dah" (3:32), "Nana" (4:10), "Wait for Me" (4:47), "Crazy Good Woman" (4:15), "Capricorn" (3:37), "Let Her Go" (5:11), "I've Got My Mojo Working" (3:32), "Trash Day" (3:20), "Slow Down" (4:44), "How Soon Is Now?" (3:40), "Tally Tally" (3:36), and "Start This Over" (3:04).

One True Thing
Tylan Greenstein
www.tylanmusic.com
Wild Awake Music
c/o Effective Immediately (publicity)
14 E. 4th Street, Suite 406
New York, NY 10012
$25.00 www.ei-PR.com

One True Thing is the solo debut album of Tylan, a.k.a. Tylan Greenstein of the folk-pop quartet Girlyman, which stopped touring in 2011 after founding member Doris Muramatsu was diagnosed with leukemia. Bereft of the steady employment and financial security provided by her band, Tylan opted to follow the calling of music on her own. Elements of Americana and folk shape the winding songs of One True Thing, distinguished by Tylan's strong-hearted lyrics, and backed by a harmonious chorus. One True Thing embodies hope, love, loss, independence, and transformation. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Over the Rhine" (3:15), "Vigil" (3:00), "St. Stephen" (3:09), "Earthquakes" (3:54), "Fool Me Again" (3:41), "Already Fine" (3:46), "Bitter Glass" (2:16), "Love Them" (3:42), "Lying in my Grave" (3:54), "Wild Awake" (3:43), "Kali" (3:20), and "One True Thing" (3:32).

Dragonfly
Terra Guitarra
www.terraguitarra.com
Earthsign Records
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$20.08 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Dragonfly is the fourth acoustic guitar album from the Terra Guitarra duo, known for their original, nuevo-flamenco compositions. The duo's musical concordance extends to involving a variety of other instruments as well, including bass, keyboards, djembe, congas, and percussion. Dragonfly itself evokes the uplifting and transformational powers of the journey, and the edification of the spirit. A wonderful experience that reaches out to listeners of all cultures, Dragonfly is highly recommended. The tracks are "Janvier", "The Swan", "You Only Live Twice", "Troubadors", "The Story", "Amarantha", "Danu", "Kairos", "Alchemist", "Discovery", "Kokopelli", "Elements", and "Anastasia".

In Between Times
Gaudi
Six Degrees Records
PO Box 411347
San Francisco, CA 94141-1347
www.sixdegreesrecords.com
$11.99 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

In Between Times is an eclectic album from touring reggae artist Gaudi, blending heartfelt vocal tracks and soaring instrumentals into a vibrant whole. A diversity of guest artists contribute to the experience, including Black Uhuru frontman Michael Rose, reggae singer Jahmai, and psychedelic trance music maestro Raja Ram. In Between Times surrounds and uplifts in a bubbling, sensational outpouring; highly recommended especially for fans of reggae with a strong theme of spiritual exploration. The tracks are "Put your guns down (feat. Michael Rose)" (4:57), "Tamino and the temple of dub" (5:48), "Life (feat. Jahmai)" (3:43), "Why u wanna run (feat. Danny Lawda)" (4:50), "Hurriya (feat. Tahar Momoproject)" (5:43), "I start to pray (feat. Le Scratch Perry and The Orb)" (4:59), "Spiritual orphans" (6:35), "Planet x" (4:40), "Crucial data" (5:13), "Subtle obscurity" (5:53), "Babylon is fallin (feat. Deadly Hunta)" (5:15), and "Unlimited possibilities (featuring Danny Ladwa)" (4:53).


The Library DVD Shelf

The First Churchills
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598286267 $59.99 www.acornonline.com

First aired in 1969, "The First Churchills" (12 episodes on 3 DVDs, 532 min., SDH subtitles) is the classic miniseries that established Masterpiece Theatre as a venue for quality British drama, now available in a complete collection on DVD. Based upon Sir Winston Churchill's historical biography of his ancestors, the story follows the first Duke and Duchess of Marlborough amidst the political power machinations of 17th and 18th century England. John Churchill was a military genius; Sarah Jennings was the close friend of a queen; the two of them married for love rather than power or money, an unorthodox practice among the upper class of the era. Their efforts to adjust to the reigns of King Charles II and five Stuart monarchs is as much a story of survival as one of history, romance, and intrigue. Bonus material includes an exclusive 19-minute interview with actress Susan Hampshire, and a 10-page insert offering samples of the Churchills' actual love letters, a glossary, and a House of Stuart family tree. "The First Churchills" is a choice pick for public library collections. Also highly recommended especially for fans of British drama is the dark contemporary series "Springhill Season One" ($59.99, 26 episodes on 4 DVDs, 624 min., SDH subtitles), about a bustling Liverpool family of five thrown into chaos by the ruthless and vengeful actions of a manipulative woman with a gift for prying loose the deepest of secrets.

The Waiting Room
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772497 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Winner of the Audience Award and Golden Gate Award at the San Francisco International Film Festival, and shortlisted for an Academy Award, The Waiting Room is a harrowing documentary about a typical day at the emergency room of an American public hospital desperately trying to care for poor and uninsured inner-city patients. 241 patients must wait for an average of 6 hours in this up-close and personal glimpse of just how dysfunctional the current U.S. health care system is. A hardworking nurse, an anxiety-ridden father, and impoverished individuals with nowhere else to go for the care they need are the real-life figures in this vividly unforgettable production. The Waiting Room is highly recommended, even though (or because!) it is sadly disturbing. 82 min. and 62 min. versions both available on 1 DVD, SDH captions.

Bidder 70
Produced & Directed by Beth Gage & George Gage
Edited by Ryan Suffern
Songs from Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772470 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Earning no fewer than 17 festival awards, Bidder 70 is a documentary about an economics student whose steadfast principles and nonviolent civil disobedience helped focus public attention on illegal governmental land leases. For his efforts, he received a felony conviction and two years of jail time. Activist Tim DeChristopher observed the fraudulent Bureau of Land Management Oil and Gas Lease Auction in 2008; to obstruct it, he bid $1.8 million upon 22,000 acres, with no intent to pay the money or drill the land. The auction was halted; Barack Obama became president one month later; and the entire auction was invalidated on February 4, 2009. Yet DeChristopher was indicted for two federal felonies, with a potential sentence of ten years in prison and $750,000 in fines - even though multiple prior instances existed of individuals and energy companies who reneged on their bids for land. DeChristopher remained committed to his environmental activism through two years and nine trial postponements, the trial itself, and his two-year sentence, and his denied appeal. As of April 21, 2013, DeChristopher has finished his prison sentence and been released, but the ongoing global struggle over environmental and climate change problems versus monied corporate interests. 77 min., SDH captions.

The New Green Giants
A film by Ted Remerowski
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772489 $250.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

The New Green Giants is a thought-provoking documentary about the modern evolution of the organic food movement, especially as it transitions to mainstream commerce. Once, all the food humanity grew and ate was organic; pesticides, hormones, and genetic modification are all recent developments that revolutionized agriculture. Now, earning the right to label one's food "organic" (which incidentally, still legally allows the use of pesticides, as long as they're ones found in nature) is a global business. Small organic food companies have been quietly bought up by larger food conglomerates which may or (more often) may not live up to the organic company's original ideals. Meanwhile, non-organic food producers label their products as "natural", a word with no legal meaning in reference to comestibles. The New Green Giants explores the world's largest producer of organic food in a distant corner of China, why notoriously fragile strawberries are considered one of the "dirty dozen" grown foods with the highest use of pesticides, and challenges the assertion that it is impossible to feed the world with organic produce... since unlike conventional farming, organic farming has been documented to improve rather than deplete the soil it uses. The New Green Giants is a fascinating exploration of changing times, highly recommended especially for high school, college, and public library DVD collections. 47 min., SDH captions.

Nothing Like Chocolate
A film by Kum-Kum Bhavnani
Narrated by Susan Sarandon
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772462 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Narrated by Academy Award recipient Susan Sarandon, Nothing Like Chocolate is an award-winning, independent documentary about the Grenada Chocolate Company, a solar-powered farmers' and chocolate-makers' cooperative founded by Matt Green, that produces organic chocolate and prides itself on its ethics and fair trade principles. The chocolate industry is currently plagued by horrendous exploitation, especially in the Ivory Coast; impoverished parents sell their children into modern-day slavery, where they are forced to harvest cocoa beans under degrading conditions. Empty pledges from the big chocolate corporations have yet to have a demonstrable effect on this and other exploitative practices. The Grenada Chocolate Company offers a different way - focus on producing not only a quality fair-trade product, but also a sustainable community, and a viable commercial model. Bonus interviews with Michael Pollan (author of "The Omnivore's Dilemma" and "Cooked") and physicist/environmental activist Vandana Shiva are also included. Highly recommended, especially for public, high school, and college library educational DVD collections. 55 and 68 min. versions both available on one DVD, subtitled, SDH captions.

The Great Gatsby: Midnight in Manhattan
BBC America
7475 Wisconsin Avenue, Suite #1100
Bethesda, MD 20814
$14.98 www.bbcamericashop.com

The Great Gatsby: Midnight in Manhattan is a DVD documentary about F. Scott Fitzgerald, author of the classic American novel "The Great Gatsby" (which has been adapted to the silver screen multiple times, most recently in 2013). Fitzgerald and his wife Zelda are remembered as glamorous icons of the roaring twenties, yet trouble brewed beneath the surface of their relationship. Alcoholism marked Fitzgerald's life and likely contributed to his premature death; his marriage was tempestuous; and the couple's hyped and lavish lifestyle was difficult to sustain, forcing Fitzgerald to focus on churning out saleable short stories rather than novels. Also included is the bonus feature "Private Affairs", a play about the lives of F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda, and Ernest Hemingway (who was a friend of Scott, but shared a mutual animosity with Zelda) in 1925 Paris. The Great Gatsby: Midnight in Manhattan is a choice pick for any viewer curious to learn more about this flawed yet brilliant American author, highly recommended especially for public library DVD collections. 49 min. plus bonus, subtitles.

Understanding Art: Hidden Lives of Masterpieces
Athena Learning
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598289350 $49.99 www.acornonline.com

Understanding Art: Hidden Lives of Masterpieces is a five-episode documentary about an extraordinary event at the historic Louvre museum. The museum's works by five of its greatest artists - Raphael, Rembrandt, Poussin, Watteau, and Leonardo - were removed from their frames and placed on easels, reconstituting the look of an artist's studio. Curators, art historians, restorers, and scientists from around the world were invited to experience and discuss these classic artworks in complete freedom. The result is an extraordinary reappraisal of the meaning, culture, and legacy of the works themselves. Understanding Art introduces the viewer to technical terms and problems in the world of art restoration, from how to distinguish a hesitant retouch from the artist himself from additions painted on later comers, and the pitfalls involved in resizing a work or transferring it from one medium (such as an insect-infested piece of wood) to another (such as not-so-permanent canvas). The history of many of the individual pieces, even speculation about their secret mysteries (just who was Raphael's friend who consented to be painted with Raphael in a portrait?) blends with a diversity of often conflicting perspectives, in this absolute "must-have" for art enthusiasts. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library DVD shelves, Understanding Art also comes with a bonus 16-page booklet of articles about the tools used to analyze paintings, controversies in the world of art restoration, and more. 2 DVDs, 259 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Maigret Set 7 & Maigret Set 8
Starring Bruno Cremer
MHz Networks
8101A Lee Highway
Falls Church, VA. 22042
$59.95 each www.mhznetworks.org

Maigret Box Set 7 (6 DVDs, 541 min.) and Maigret Box Set 8 (6 DVDs, 533 min.) are two box sets showcasing episodes of the French film series featuring Parisian Inspector Maigret, superbly played by actor Bruno Cremer. These dark, complex murder mysteries set in 1950's Paris and the French countryside evoke the intrigue-laden mystique of the detective story, with more than a hint of noir. Any fan of movie or television murder mysteries, from Agatha Christie's classics to Columbo, simply must experience this series, featuring an unhurried yet relentlessly dogged investigator. Highly recommended, especially as gifts for mystery lovers! Box Set 7 features the "Maigret and the Wine Merchant", "Maigret and the Minister", "Maigret and the Madman of Saint Clothilde", "Maigret Goes to School", "Felicie's House", and "Maigret and the Princess". Box Set 8 features "To Any Lengths", "Maigret's Failure", "Maigret's Boyhood Friend", "Maigret Has Scruples", "Little Pigs Without a Tail", and "Maigret and the Tramp". French language with English subtitles, 16:9 Anamorphic.

Commissario Brunetti Episodes 15 & 16
MHz Networks
8101A Lee Highway
Falls Church, VA. 22042
$29.95 www.mhznetworks.org

Based on the internationally popular crime novels penned by Donna Leon, Commissario Brunetti Episodes 15 & 16 (2 DVDs, 177 min.) continues the detective adventures of the Commissario Brunetti, who uses his razor-edged mind to cut through endless webs of lies. Set in beautiful Venice, a land of high cuisine and travel via canal rather than car, these mysteries delve into the seedy problems of corruption and even police incompetence as well as ruthless crime. Fortunately Brunetti has friends and loved ones to buoy his sometimes melancholic spirits - his adoring wife Paola, a university literature professor, and his teenaged children Raffi and Chiara. Episode 15 "Through a Glass Darkly" follows the investigation of a murdered glass factory, and the deadly arsenic polluting his factory; episode 16 "Suffer the Little Children" is about he vile world of child trafficking, which especially preys upon the most vulnerable in the population, including an illegal Albanian immigrant who is falsely told that her child has died shortly after she gives birth. Previous Commissario Brunetti episodes are also available on DVD, as are "Episodes 17 & 18" (2 DVDs, 177 min.), which features the episodes "The Girl of His Dreams" and "Looks Are Deceiving". Highly recommended, especially for fans of multilayered mysteries. German language with English subtitles, 16:9 Anamorphic.

For the Glory
Vision Video
P.O. Box 540
Worcester, PA 19490
$19.99 www.visionvideo.com

Based on the true story of Olympic soccer player Kurt Kuykendall, For the Glory is a movie about a young man adrift at a crossroads in his life. Kurt's older brother has just died; his mother suffers from severe alcoholism; his father is a demanding perfectionist; and he is unable to do well as a college basketball player. Yet when one of Kurt's friends urges him to try out for the fraternity soccer team, Kurt discovers his hidden talent - even though he's never played soccer before in his life! Kurt's girlfriends and other friends help him improve his goalkeeping skills, in a journey that will bring him to represent the US at the Olympics. A story of how the divine grace of God can transform one's life and reveal one's destined path, For the Glory is as spiritually uplifting as it is entertaining, and highly recommended. 106 min., English subtitles, coded for all regions.

The Lesser Blessed
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
9781569943694 $26.95 www.montereymedia.com

Based on Richard Van Camp's critically praised novel, The Lesser Blessed is a movie about Larry Sole, a Native-American teenager coming of age in a small rural town. He makes the most unlikely friends, but his world is shrouded by tension between people of different races, and the fallout from an unknown but tragic event in his past. A profound and emotionally moving drama about summoning the courage to confront both the past and the future, The Lesser Blessed is highly recommended. 86 min., rated R, available on DVD, digital download and VOD.


The Jobs/Career Shelf

Key Skills For Professionals
Alan Pannett, Shalini Sequeira, Andrew Dines, & Andrew Day
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749468729, $39.95, www.koganpageusa.com

Professionalism often brings a context of competition. "Key Skills for Professionals: How to Succeed in Professional Services" discusses professional skills and what it means to be professional in the context of the business world and how to live up to the standards, reading the professionalism of others, being aggressive yet not too aggressive, complete with insight from four highly experienced professionals in their own right. "Key Skills for Professionals" is a strong addition to business practices and skills collections, enthusiastically recommended.

Family Child Care Guide to Visits, Inspections, and Interviews
Donna C. Hurley and Sharon Woodward
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605541266 $17.95 www.redleafpress.org

Professional child care instructors Donna C. Hurley and Sharon Woodward present Family Child Care Guide to Visits, Inspections, and Interviews, a detailed, no-nonsense, and highly accessible guide written expressly to aid family child care providers. Though the emphasis is on what to expect and how to prepare for visits from families, licensors, food program representatives, coaches, and others involved in regulation of child care businesses, there are an abundance of general tips, tricks, and techniques of the trade as well. "You need to be aware that, for the most part, information obtained during a visit [from any inspector] is public. Even if you live in a state that does not currently post licensing registration online, you can reasonably assume that a parent calling your regulatory authority receives all of your pertinent licensing history, including citations." Family Child Care Guide to Visits, Inspections, and Interviews is an absolute "must-have" for anyone interested in starting a child care business, and will prove useful as a reference handbook even for veteran child care professionals with years of experience. Highly recommended.


The Humor Shelf

My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places
Mary Roach
Reader's Digest Trade Publishing
44 South Broadway
White Plains, NY 10601
9781621450719 $14.99 www.rdtradepublishing.com

Now available as a complete collection of the Reader's Digest column "My Planet" for the first time, My Planet: Finding Humor in the Oddest Places is an anthology of lighthearted, gently humorous essays by Mary Roach, well known for her accessible science writing in "Stiff, Spook, Bonk" and "Packing for Mars". "My Planet" is more focused on the mirth to be found in mundane life, from her marriage to "the man I call Ed" to customer service wrangles (automated or not), and much more. "'You don't have the Windows Setup CD, ma'am, because you don't need it,' he explained cheerfully. 'Windows came preinstalled on your computer!' 'But I do need it.' 'Yes, but you don't have it.' We went on like this for a while. Finally, he offered to walk me through the use of a different CD, one that would erase my entire system... It was like offering to drop a safe on my head to cure my headache... 'And it's not covered by the warranty!' The safe began to seem like a good idea, provided it was full." Fresh, funny, and insightful, My Planet is highly recommended.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The ABC Field Guide to Faeries
Susanne Alexander-Heaton, author
Chantal T. Gabriell, artist
Motivated by Nature
www.motivatedbynature.com
9780981304809, $19.99, www.amazon.com

"The ABC Field Guide To Faeries: Inspiring Reminders of Respect for Ourselves, Each Other, and the Environment" is a creative alphabet book about exotic names of faeries of nature. Filled with stunning, multi media artwork and illustrations, "The ABC Field Guide to Faeries" is intensely appealing to both young and old audiences, and has won several awards for its very special impact of creativity and raising awareness. Every letter of the alphabet is represented by a beautifully illustrated faery whose special task is communicated in verse that displays pleasure and respect for the natural environment and for others. Filled with fun and play, each letter's faery vision has a special message of compassionate awareness of the universe to display. The creative, haunting illustrations combine or blend aspects of the real (butterflies, tree trunks, children's faces and hands,) and the magical or fantastic. This conveys an attitude of mystical serenity and calm, inviting a meditative state. The ABC faeries seem very much in tune with transcendental meditation techniques and tenets. For example: "T is for Transparianthus...who can manifest all of our dreams,/ Can be found floating around magnificent pine trees./ He wants all of your wildest drams to come true,/ So believe this in your heart and in all that you do. ..Transparianthus says: 'If you have a special dream, then request it from me,/ If it is for your highest good, it'll surely come to be. While you wait patiently for your dream to come true,/ Take positive action and see what happens to you.'" "The ABC Field Guide to Faeries" is an imaginative literary and artistic journey for the expanding soul.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future: Vol. 29
Dave Wolverton, editor
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Boulevard, Suite 200
Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com
9781619862005, $7.99, www.amazon.com

One of the annual highlights of the science fiction community is the issuance of a prestigious SciFi anthology dedicated to the late L. Ron Hubbard who was one of the icons of the Golden Age of pulp magazine science fiction. Galaxy Press has now published the 29th volume in this illustrious series. Ably compiled and edited by Dave Wolverton, "L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future: Volume XXIX" is a 586 page, paperback compendium comprised of sixteen outstanding SciFi tales ranging from Brian Trent's 'War Hero', to Marilyn Guttridge's 'The Ghost Wife of Arlington', to Andrea Stewart's 'Dreameater'. Of special note is that each of these sixteen masterpieces of storytelling is enhanced with the inclusion of an original illustration by sixteen talented artists. "L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future: Vol. 29" is highly recommended for personal and community library Science Fiction collections.

Shape Shifter
Tony Simpson
Dorrance Publishing Company
701 Smithfield Street, 3rd floor
Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3906
9781434930095 $19.00 www.dorrancepublishing.com

Shape Shifter is a hardcover sci-fi novella set upon a post-apocalyptic Earth where aliens have begun to infiltrate humanity. Some aliens are good, and some are ruthless fiends bent on conquering the Earth, but the deadliest ones of all are the shape-shifters. Jon is a shape-shifter alien working for humans, whose duty is to ferret out and fight against alien attacks. A truth serum devised by the brilliant scientist Dylan Rogers will reveal all the military plans and weapons from a captured shape-shifter. Dylan's and Jon's lives are regularly in peril, yet they fight bravely to protect humankind from extinction, in this brief yet thoroughly engrossing story.


The Language Studies Shelf

Arabic Language and Linguistics
Reem Bassiouney and E. graham Katz, Editors
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589018853, $44.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Arabic Language and Linguistics is a recommendation for any linguistics collection, especially those strong in Arabic and Middle Eastern studies, and provides a thorough coverage from an associate professor of Arabic linguistics at Georgetown University, and an assistant professor in linguistics. From usage to verbs, compositional implications of Arabic language, and social issues such as women and politeness in Egyptian talk shows and issues of wh-questions in Egyptian Arabic, this provides a powerful and scholarly analysis that delves beyond usage into the sociology and politics of the Arabic language. Very highly recommended.

The Insult Dictionary
Julie Tibbott
Reader's Digest Trade Publishing
44 South Broadway, White Plains, NY 10601
Goodman Media International, Inc. (publicity)
750 Seventh Ave., 28th Floor, New York, NY 10019
www.goodmanmedia.com
9781621450665 $14.99 www.rdtradepublishing.com

The Insult Dictionary: History's Best Slights, Street Talk, and Slang lives up to its title as a repository of some of the most outrageous insults throughout history, including dialect and slang. The definitions are in plain terms, accessible to readers of all backgrounds, and anyone who loves a good laugh is sure to thrill to learning such verbal assaults as "bran-faced" (freckled), "moll tooler" (female pickpocket), or "scalp doily" (toupee). Head-turning words and phrases once used in the Middle Ages, the Victorian Age, the Wild West, the Cold War and more also intersperse this one-of-a-kind language primer, as do occasional anecdotes behind particularly standout sayings or brief biographies of legendary insulters like Oscar Wilde. Whether as a resource for writers looking to add color and flavor to their period piece dialogue, casual bathroom literature, or simple browsing fun, The Insult Dictionary is highly recommended. Just don't try these insults at home!


The Needlecraft Shelf

Quilted Artwork Frames
Sherry Fourez
American Quilters Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600933, $12.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

QUILTED ARTWORK FRAMES provides a short primer teaching the basics of how to frame artwork using striped quilt fabrics, and covers a technique that requires no special tools, no skill levels, and very basic applications. Use one stripe or several to make the perfect frame for a project, with full-page color photo step-by-step examples leaving nothing to question. Highly recommended for any quilter who wants a new idea for finishing an art piece.

Applique Garden
Eula Mae Long
American Quilters Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600728, $12.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

Applique Garden: Easy Floral Applique Patterns offers five simple projects to teach readers the basics of applique, offering introductory blocks that can either stand alone or become part of a bigger quilt. The easy step-by-step instructions, attention to detail and patterns, and color photos makes for a slim yet specific primer on the process, perfect for any newcomer to applique who wants to learn the basics through a series of easy projects.

That Patchwork Place
c/o Martingale Publishers
19021 Avenue NE
Bothell, WA 98011
www.martingale-pub.com

Kim Brackett's SCRAP-BASKET BEAUTIES: QUILTING WITH SCRAPS, STRIPS, AND JELLY ROLLS (9781604681963, $24.99) offers a fine key to using precut strips and stashes to create new quilts, and is a top pick for any quilter who would gain new ideas about how to use strips in a range of projects. Novices and advanced quilters alike will find a range of styles and applications for using up scraps and strips, and will find this a fine addition to any quilter's reference collection, packed with fresh, new ideas! Victoria L. Eapen's LARGE-BLOCK QUILTS: 16 QUICK AND EASY QUILT PATTERNS (9781604682007, $24.99) provides 16 designs featuring large and easy blocks made oversized for quick results, and offers keys to combining prints, solids, and matching colors for best results. The idea is to put together quick quilts that are easy to construct: this is achieved through the larger-sized blocks and keys to matching patterns and colors, making this very accessible for quilting novices.

The Joy of Sox
Linda Kopp, author
Lynne Harty, photographer
Orrin Lundgren, illustrator
Lark Crafts
c/o Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
9781600592850, $14.95, www.larkcrafts.com

"The Joy of Sox: 30+ Must-Knit Designs" is a fantastic collection of fun sox knitting project patterns with complete instructions, numbered "soxpert" secrets, patterns, lists of materials needed, grid patterns, measurements, and additional useful information for completing a great pair of home-knitted sox. Color photos add to the appeal and the inspiration. A difficulty estimate is given at the beginning. There are many additional tips and techniques for successful sox knitters, and fun comments in sidebars labeled "Socktalk." Here are patterns and instructions for 32 specially designed sock projects, one (or more) of which is sure to have lasting appeal. Grid patterns are clear and easy to read, while the witty narrative invites the novice would-be sock knitter to join a fab fun crafts group that contains many of its own rewards and perks. Sock patterns are presented by 28 talented designers, so the creative variety of patterns and projects is very high. "The Joy of Sox" is a pick-me-up for the confirmed craft knitter and an added impulse for the tempted beginner. All this plus it is a very fun, relaxing book to read.

Seasonal Silhouettes
Edyta Sitar, author
Landauer
3100 101st St., Ste. A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9781935726364, $27.95, www.landauerpub.com

"Seasonal Silhouettes: 12 Inspirational Quilt Blocks Featuring Raw-Edge Applique" is a beautiful bouquet of 12 stunning quilt blocks with raw edge applique, designed to reflect the beauty, color and drama of the changing seasons. Each block can be made as a separate project (there are five setting ideas), or they can be combined into a 12-block full size quilt. Beautiful color photographs of finished blocks, projects and quilts enhance this lovely book. The craft of silhouette applique designing is perfectly illustrated in these artistic block patterns. Along with step by step instructions for raw-edge applique technique, full size templates for each block are included, no enlarging needed. Background quilting and binding techniques are also explained, and complete supply lists and fabric requirements for each block are stated clearly. The color photos of the completed blocks are stunning. As a measure of the author's artistry, for example, the pattern for June includes the following: "Pink painted daisies, mouth-watering watermelon and unexpected guests are the perfect trio for a summertime picnic." When the reader looks closely a tiny black ant, created with fabric marker, crawls along the luscious slice of watermelon. Thus nature is the inspiration for each seasonal silhouette's pattern and design and color palate. These shimmering quilted blocks are subtly magnificent, inspiring quitters everywhere to new heights of creativity.

Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit
Mille Lacs Indian Museum
Minnesota Historical Society Press
345 Kellogg Boulevard, West
St. Paul, MN 55102-1906
www.mnhs.org/mhspress
9780873518253, $18.95, www.amazon.com

The joint project of the Mille Lacs Indian Museum and the Minnesota Historical Society Press, the "Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit" includes all the materials required for making two elaborately beaded shoulder or 'bandolier' bags that members of the Ojibwe tribe used to carry their tobaddo or personal items. The "Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit" features two preprinted bags, crayons, glitter glue, a 24 page instructional guidebook describing Ojibwe traditions and art. Of special note is the accompanying four-video DVD presenting step-by-step instructions, an interview with contemporary bead artist Cheryl Minnema, and more. Thoroughly 'user friendly', the "Ojibwe Shoulder Bag Kit" is very highly recommended for needlecrafters, especially those with an interest in Native American cultures.

Simply Sensational Square-agonals Quilts
Sandi Blackwell
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A
Urbandale, Iowa 50322
www.landauercorp.com
9781935726357, $24.95, www.amazon.com

A superbly and profusely illustrated instruction manual, "Simply Sensational Square-agonals Quilts: No Math! No Cutting or Setting Triangles! Turn Easy-Stitched Blocks into Stunning Diagonal Designs" by quilting expert Sandi Blackwell is a 96 page do-it-yourself guide offering twelve creative and original projects including table toppers, wall hangings, and table runners. Of special note are the numerous sewing tips provided. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Simply Sensational Square-agonals Quilts" will readily enable even the most novice of quilting enthusiasts to turn out quality quilts that will be true family treasures!


The Railroading Shelf

Railroads For Michigan
Graydon M. Meints
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
www.msupress.msu.edu
9781611860856, $49.95, www.amazon.com

The railroad was an integral part of Michigan's history and development. "Railroads For Michigan" by state historian Graydon M. Meints is an impressive 640 page detailed history of Michigan's railroads. Nicely illustrated with black/white photographs, "Railroads For Michigan" is enhanced with the inclusion of extensive notations, references, and an index. Informed and informative, Of special note are the succinct biographies of key people involved with the development of the railroad in Michigan, as well as the information about the post-WWI collapse of major Michigan railroad lines and the creation of Amtrack and Conrail in Michigan. "Railroads For Michigan" is superbly organized and presented, making it an extraordinary accomplishment and a very highly recommended addition to community and academic library Michigan State History reference collections, as well as the personal reading lists of railroad enthusiasts.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Blue Book of Gun Values, 34th edition
S.P. Fjestad
Blue Book Publications
8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55425
9781936120314, $49.95, www.bluebookofgunvalues.com

The updated 34th edition of Blue Book of Gun Values is a massive reference guide packing in over 2,000 pages of values and information for antique and modern firearms alike. This updated edition includes several significant new features, from updates on gun values reflecting changing supply and demand in the market to listings of nearly 1,500 manufacturers and trademarks, almost 20,000 gun model descriptions, a revised 80-page Photo grading System, and more. The result is a solid desk reference that any gun collector should keep readily at hand!

Ammo Encyclopedia, fourth edition
Michael Bussard
Blue Book Publications
8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 250
Minneapolis, MN 55425
9781936120222, $34.95, www.bluebookofgunvalues.com

The fourth updated edition of AMMO ENCYCLOPEDIA is a 'must' for any avid gun collector and is Blue Book's second most-popular publication. Expect expanded coverage (now at 972 pages) and in-depth ballistic charts for most popular rimfire and centerfire cartridges, and also expect additions of the industry's newer cartridges. All sections have been gone over and many updated with charts, images and more reference information. With its extensive rewrite and details, edited by John B. Allen, David Kosowski and Charles F. Priore Jr., this remains a solid reference, highly recommended for any gun collector working with ammo specs.

2013 US/BNA Postage Stamp Catalog
H. E. Harris & Company
c/o Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive
Florence, Alabama, 35630
www.whitman.com
9780794841324, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Collecting postage stamps continues to be a popular and widespread hobby. A hard cover, spiral-bound, 364 page compendium, "2013 US/BNA Postage Stamp Catalog" is an indispensable price guide for to postage stamps of the United States, the United Nations, and British North America. Profusely illustrated on every page, the spiral binding allows the book to be laid down flat on a desk or table. Reliable contemporary market prices are given for stamps in all formats ranging from singles, plat blocks, line pairs, and booklet panes, to first day covers, postal stationery, and more. Each stamp is a beautifully reproduced image accompanied with descriptions of identifying features. Of special note is the explanation of design varieties, production methods, collecting formats, postal markings, quality and condition criteria. Authoritative, "2013 US/BNA Postage Stamp Catalog" is a quality reference guide and strongly recommended for personal and community library collections.


The Photography Shelf

The Digital Photography Book, second edition
Scott Kelby
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.peachpit.com
9780321934949, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Digital camera technology has continue to progress to the point where even the most novice of camera buffs can utilize them to take professional quality pictures -- especially if they have the advantage of reading through Scott Kelby's "The Digital Photography Book". Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, "The Digital Photography Book" is a profusely illustrated, 264 page compendium offering step-by-step 'tips and techniques' for producing professional quality images. Of special note are the chapters 'Ten Things I Wish Someone Had Told Me' and 'Photo Recipes To Help You Get The Shot', "The Digital Photography Book" is the ideal handbook for anyone wanting to take truly great pictures of social events like weddings, graduations, sports events, or travel destinations. Simply stated, "The Digital Photography Book" is highly recommended for personal and community library Photography reference collections.

Mastering the Nikon D600
Darrell Young
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538194, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

Mastering the Nikon D600 packs in information for any owner of the new D600 camera, helping users navigate past confusion and into the arena of using professional techniques and camera settings for optimum results. Chapters consider all the camera's features but use an easy step-by-step format for building expertise and skills. All buttons, dials and menus are explored with ideas for set-up and alternatives to various shooting styles. The result is a powerful survey that blends a basic photography course into specifics about the camera, far surpassing the technical, cumbersome owner's manual and packing in color screen shots and photos throughout.

The iPad For Photographers
Jeff Carlson
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.peachpit.com
9780321907479, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Now in a completely updated and significantly expanded second edition, "The iPad for Photographers: Master the Newest Tool in your Camera Bag" is an illustrated 240 page instruction manual that is ideal for the novice iPad user and recommended for even experienced iPad users wanting to get the most our of this versatile photographic capable device from Apple. Superbly organized and presented, "The iPad For Photographers" will enable iPad users to easily import photos from a camera or memory card using; transfer photos wirelessly while shooting; organize and rate images with assigned keyword tags in the field; edit photos; and use portfolio software to create effective presentations. Of special note are the step-by-step instructions on backing up photos in the field and tracking outdoor light conditions. If you are a photographer (or would like to become one) and own an iPad or an iPad mini table, then "The iPad For Photographers" will prove to be an invaluable reference and resource!


The Computer Shelf

The Essence of Software Engineering
Ivar Jacobson, et.al.
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321885951, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw

The Essence of Software Engineering: Applying the SEMAT Kernel is a pick for software engineering collections and covers an international initiative designed to identify a universal standard for software engineering. It introduces this kernel and tells how to apply it when developing software, and is written for software professionals who lead teams and who need to evaluate the best practices for their work. A range of methods involving SEMAT are surveyed in chapters that discuss everything from building the skinny system to understanding logical progressions in team development efforts. The result is a recommendation for software engineering reference collections; particularly for those leading or developing teams.

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

Vaughn Vernon's IMPLEMENTING DOMAIN-DRIVEN DESIGN (9780321834577, $49.99) is a pick for software engineering collections and provides an approach to understanding domain-driven design to link strategic patterns to programming applications. This blends implementation with the latest software architectures, focusing on business and technical applications and teaching how to leverage DDD's strategic design patterns, maps, and language. The result is a fine guide to building more flexible software linked to business goals and presentations, and is a top pick for any IT professional working with business solutions. The fourth updated edition of Matt Weisfeld's THE OBJECT-ORIENTED THOUGHT PROCESS (9780321861276, $44.99) covers the basics of object orientation and development and teaches the process of object-oriented thinking. It's written by a developer for developers who want to move into this process, offering a solutions approach to object-oriented programming and teaching the proper uses of inheritance and composition, interfaces and implementations, and much more. This revised edition provides a focus on interoperability across programming technologies, and makes for a top pick for any interested in object-oriented programming approaches. The fifth updated edition of THE JAVA TUTORIAL: A SHORT COURSE ON THE BASICS by Sharon Biocca Zakhour, et.al. (9780132761697, $49.99) is based on Release 7 of the Java Platform Standard Edition and provides a revised, updated edition discussing the new features and codes. The deployment coverage has been expanded with new chapters, new information on handling more than one type of exception with a single exception handler, and better code is included in a title also helpful for any studying for the Java SE 7 certification exams. All the material has been updated, reviewed by a professional committee of Oracle Java engineers, and reflects the latest techniques and best practices. A fine recommendation, this is a solid reference for any Java student or professional!

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

The third updated edition of John Walkenbach's MICROSOFT EXCEL VBA PROGRAMMING FOR DUMMIES (9781118490372, $29.99) explores VBA programming and customizing aspects of Excel, and provides a coverage of programming concepts and steps to using macros, Excel add-ins, and more. Programmers looking to go beyond Excel basics will find this packed with advice on how to manage programming, communication, and user-oriented applications that work with other Office applications, and receive a fine guide that makes all the advanced applications easy to manage. Don Cowan's HTML5 CANVAS FOR DUMMIES (9781118385357, $29.99) teaches how to work with Canvas, a program that blends art with technology in its integration of motion graphics with browsers for animating websites without writing server-side code. The step-by-step process of achieving polished sites is covered in colorful chapters that blend sidebars of information with screen shots and color examples throughout, teaching the basics of using color, instilling lifelike movement, embedding audio or video, and creating interactive drawings. A 'must' for any considering using HTML5 Canvas!

Data Points
Nathan Yau
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118462195, $39.99, www.wiley.com

Data Points: Visualization That Means Something explores the process of creating unique and meaningful visualizations using data, and teaches the basics of exploring data, finding the story, and illustrating it. Various tools that lend to this process are discussed in a guide packed with color visual cues and insights on using spatial data, understanding visualization components, and linking data streams to what information is needed to display. The result is a powerful survey packed with written and visual examples linking different kinds of data to display options: a powerful pick for any who work with data to refine, interpret and visually present it.

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

Preston Gralla's NOOK HD: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449359539, $19.99) covers Nook HD and Nook HD+, packing in full color illustrations, explanations of the tablet, and advice from a technology expert that covers everything from basic set-up and gaining Web access to watching movies, playing games and reading ebooks. From solving common wifi connection issues at home and on the road to using Netflix, zooming in on images, and more, this is a guide to both basic and advanced set-up and usage which places all the power of the Nook ND and Nook ND+ directly in the user's hands. Matt Neuburg's PROGRAMMING iOS6, third edition (9781449365769, $49.99) packs in over 1,000 pages of reference information in a 'bible' that includes all the details on iOS6, from its various features and language advances to understanding Cocoa concepts, layers and views, controllers, and all basic interfaces. From the latest, new iOS6 features to business applications, this covers the latest iOS6.1 and Xcode 4.6 and is a top pick for any reference collection used by iOS programmers.

OCA Java SE7 Programmer I Certification Guide
Mala Gupta
Manning Publications Company
20 Baldwin Road, Shelter Island, NY 11963
9781617291043, $49.99, www.manning.com

OCA Java SE7 Programmer I Certification Guide offers an in-depth guide to the IZ0-803 exam process, offering questions, exercises and explanations that are usually faced in the course of the test and outlining key Java topics. Each chapter opens with a list of exam objectives, providing these sample questions and exercises that not only test knowledge, but reinforce the learning process. Diagrams, flowcharts, and code are included along with coding exercises and discussions of common pitfalls. The result is a key acquisition for any student aiming to take the exam.

IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Lab Manual
Cisco Networking Academy
Cisco Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9781587133107, $45.00, www.ciscopress.com

IT Essentials: PC Hardware and Software Lab Manual provides students with the only Cisco-authorized lab manual for students in the Cisco Networking Academy, and provides keys geared to taking the CompTIA + 220-801 and 220-802 exams. Hands-on labs and worksheets pack a manual that provides coverage and practice of all Windows 7, Windows Vista, and Windows XP variations covered in the CompTIA exam objectives. With its numerous worksheets, exercises, and explanations, this lab manual will prove a 'must' for any enrolled in the course.

Microsoft Office 2010
Jean Kotsiovos, et al.
Jones & Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
www.jbpub.com
9781449698218, $156.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Microsoft Office experts Jean Kotsiovos, Varoylne Faddis, and Loralyn Duley, "Microsoft Office 2010: Productivity Strategies For Today And Tomorrow" is a 612 page compendium. This thoroughly comprehensive instruction manual will enable the non-specialist general readers to become rapidly proficient in the use and application of Microsoft Office 2010 software. "Microsoft Office 2010: Productivity Strategies For Today And Tomorrow" offers thoroughly 'user friendly' instructions for each featured project and task; offers practical learning exercises after each instruction; features screenshots to accompany hands-on exercises; has its text laid out in an accessible magazine-style format, and a great deal more. Ideal for use as a classroom textbook or for independent on-the-job training, "Microsoft Office 2010: Productivity Strategies For Today And Tomorrow" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone seeking to take full advantage of what Microsoft Office 2010 has to offer in the workplace.

Multimedia Web Design And Development
Theodore Richardson & Charles Thies
Mercury Learning & Information, LLC
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
9781936420384, $54.95, www.amazon.com

The internet has matured to the point that anyone involved with a business, social concern, or political cause, or cultural issue has a web site. The technology has grown to where effective web sites must be multimedia in their design and accessibility. "Multimedia Web Design: Using Languages to Build Dynamic Web Pages" by web design experts Theodore Richardson and Charles Thies is a 350 page compendium providing comprehensive and methodical instruction on designing and developing a multimedia web site. Enhanced with the inclusion of an accompanying DVD, "Multimedia Web Design: Using Languages to Build Dynamic Web Pages" is a complete guide using a variety of computer languages to insure efficient and effective web site pages. Of special note is that the text of this thoroughly 'user friendly' manual includes language examples for self-study and challenging activities for expanding design and development, making it highly recommended for independent personal use, as well as an ideal classroom textbook.


The Automotive Shelf

Picture Perfect
Peter S. Linney
Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive
Florence, Alabama, 35630
www.whitman.com
9780794837969, $21.95, www.amazon.com

"Picture Perfect: The Best of America's Custom Cars" is a 128 page compendium showcases the photography of automotive journalist Peter S. Linney. Beautifully reproduced images illustrate twenty of Linney's favorite custom cars ranging from a 1932 Ford Roadster highboy; to a 19o37 Packard; to a 1970 Dodge Charger. More than just a collection of outstanding full color photographs, "Picture Perfect: The Best of America's Custom Cars" provides the historical context behind each selected vehicle and insights into a car collector's hobby that only a few can afford. Informed, informative, and a wonder to simply browse through, 'Picture Perfect: The Best of America's Custom Cars" is very highly recommended for academic and community library Automotive History reference collections in general, and the personal reading lists of extraordinary car enthusiasts in particular.


The Fashion Shelf

Dressing Modern Maternity
Kay Goldman, author
Texas Tech University Press
Box 41037, Lubbock, Texas 74909
9780896727991 $39.95 www.ttupress.org

"Dressing Modern Maternity" is a fascinating history and showcase of a postwar company selling innovative, practical maternity fashions in Dallas, Texas. Begun in 1938 by Elsie Frankfurt and Edna Frankfurt Ravkind, Page Boy Maternity Clothing broke new ground in maternity fashion by combining "engineering, business, and PR genius" to create comfortable stylish and practical maternity wear for the modern woman. The life of page Boy Maternity Clothing spanned decades, from 1939 to 1994. Here is the intricate understory of two courageous, astute Jewish businesswomen who had what it takes to succeed in a new fashion field. Flawless research, careful editing, and anecdotal detail help make "Dressing Modern Maternity" a page-turning fashion hit, along with over 47 pages of black and white illustrations and 16 pages of full color plate illustrations. Winner of the inaugural Lou Halsell Rodenberger Prize in History and Literature, "Dressing Modern Maternity" is a signature publication, amply fulfilling the requirements of "best manuscript on or by a woman whose writing illuminates Texas history, culture and letters...".


The Technology Shelf

Lining Up Data in ArcGIS, second edition
Margaret M. Maher
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
www.esripress.com
9781589483422, $24.95 pbk. / $13.72 Kindle www.amazon.com

Lining Up Data in ArcGIS: A Guide to Map Projections appears in its second updated edition to provide a basic troubleshooting reference for any GIS user facing the problem of data misalignment. Full-color maps and diagrams accompany concrete tips on how to identify data projections, create custom projections, and resolve issues behind common warnings. The result is a solid reference compatible with ArcGIS 10.1 that holds new sections on aligning CAD data and using the web Mercator projection. A 'must' for any GIS reference collection, its pairing of real-world applications and techniques can't be beat.

Radar Equations for Modern Radar
David K. Barton
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075218, $149.00, www.artechhouse.com

Radar Equations for Modern Radar comes from a leading expert and is based on the classic Radar Range-Performance Analysis from 1980. Any who considered the prior book a classic will find this measurably better, offering new research and details that link radar equations to the design of modern radar systems. From detection ranges to equations and data designed to improve range calculations, this offers practitioners detailed technical information and formulas and discusses everything from range calculation in different environments to propagation effects. Calculations include over four hundred equations and nearly 200 illustrations and the book includes a DVD combining these equations with further analysis tools. Any technical engineering collection will find this a winner.

Getting to Know ArcGIS for Desktop, third edition
Michael Law and Amy Collins
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589483088, $84.95, www.esripress.com

Getting to Know ArcGIS for Desktop is a detailed workbook that introduces the principles of GIS using exercises to accompany software tools provided with the book, and is a pick for any studying ArcGIS. This updated third edition sees extensive reorganization and includes new topics, from exploring online resources and raster data to utilizing data manipulation with new exercises and learning tools. Classrooms and independent study students alike will find this a powerful tool, which includes access to a 180-day trial of ArcGIS 10.1 for Desktop. With its many updates, revised exercises and clear color screenshots and examples, this is a top pick for any studying the latest ArcGIS program.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Dialectics of Citizenship
Bernd Reiter
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9781611860658, $29.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

Citizenship is technically a legal entity, but it is also so much more than that. "The Dialectics of Citizenship: Exploring Privilege, Exclusion, and Racialization" looks to discuss the concept of citizenship all throughout history, as Bernd Reiter, an Associate Professor of Comparative Politics analyzes the place of the citizen all throughout history, from the times of ancient Greece to the modern conflicts of American citizenship, and examples all throughout history, how the definition has changed and how people have always fought that change. Scholarly analysis of the rights of the citizen and the status that comes with it, "The Dialectics of Citizenship" is a must for social issues and historical political science collections.

Leisure Education
Rodney B. Dieser
Sagamore Publishing Company
1807 North Federal Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
9781571677143, $69.95, www.sagamorepub.com

Leisure has more value than many people truly know. "Leisure Education: A Person-Centered, System-Directed, Social Policy Perspective" discusses the social issues surrounding the place of leisure as should be considered in today's social and domestic policy and how evaluating leisure's importance can be a core segment in solving many problems throughout society. Chapters discuss public policy's role, psychological theories, education, and much more relating to policy development. "Leisure Education" is a must for political studies and social issues collections, scholarly reading and highly recommended.

Fear Itself
Ira Katznelson
Liveright Publishing
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780871404503, $29.95, www.wwnorton.com

Fear Itself: The New Deal and the Origins of Our Time provides a blend of history and social insights in documenting the concepts of the New Deal, the boundaries and effects of fear, and the forces that placed the U.S. republic in danger. The passing of New Deal legislation was a radical move - and the author's study of nearly ever piece of House and Senate legislation over a twenty-year period provides keys to understanding the fears that led to its enactment. Social and political atmosphere is analyzed in a powerful analysis of Congress, Jim Crow laws, and American policymaking changes that will prove essential to understanding the times and their lasting impact on American society today.

Towards Collective Liberation
Chris Crass
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
978160486544, $20.00, www.pmpress.org

TOWARDS COLLECTIVE LIBERATION: ANTI-RACIST ORGANIZING, FEMINIST PRAXIS, AND MOVEMENT BUILDING STRATEGY is recommended for activists and collections catering to them, and answers questions on how to create and support movements for visionary change. It's a fine collection pairing essays with interviews to provide keys to making transformative organizing changes, offering experiences of those involved in various communities and providing solid game plans for success and change. The specifics, gained from experience, will delight any interested in collective organizing for political and social change.

Communism on Tomorrow Street
Steven E. Harris
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421405667, $60.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Communism on Tomorrow Street: Mass Housing and Everyday Life After Stalin provides a fine study and history considering how a generation of Soviet citizens moved from overcrowded communal dwellings of the Stalin era to modern apartments. Author Steven E. Harris focuses on how participants eager to benefit from the new way of life presented by this move and associated consumer goods found new national and local political interests, with cooperative housing serving as the beginning of urban planning efforts and the transition from Soviet mass housing to alternatives resolving the housing issues in that nation. The rest is a fine post-Stalin analysis highly recommended for any collection strong in Soviet Union social history, urban planning, and world social issues surrounding housing choices.

The Efficiency Trap
Steve Hallett
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147259, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

THE EFFICIENCY TRAP: FINDING A BETTER WAY TO ACHIEVE A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE comes from an environmentalist who argues that energy efficiency actually leads to more consumption, faster depletion of resources, and more stress on the planet. Energy efficiency encourages more consumption, not less - and encourages driving and bigger, better products. How do we avoid the pitfalls of energy efficient appliances and actions? Hallett suggests that focusing on protecting natural resources rather than using then is the key to developing more resilient social systems and networks that decentralize energy delivery services and promote more sustainable lifestyle systems. Food for thought, recommended for any social issues, home or science collection!


The Martial Arts Shelf

Dirty Ground
Kris Wilder & Lawrence A. Kane
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594392115, $18.95, www.amazon.com

"Dirty Ground: The Tricky Space Between Sport and Combat" by martial arts experts Kris Wilder and Lawrence A. Kane is a 176 page compendium specifically focused on the use of martial arts to control opponents without inflicting serious injuries upon them. "Dirty Ground" surveys thirty fundamental martial arts combat moves (strikes, kicks, and locks), as well as twelve common sports competition forms. Nicely illustrated with black & white photography, "Dirty Ground" is a thoroughly 'user friendly', specialized martial arts instruction manual that is very highly recommended for personal, professional, dojo, and community library Martial Arts reference collections.

Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu
Nicholas C. Yang
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594392313, $69.95, www.ymaa.com

Shaolin Long Fist Kung Fu: Advanced Sequences, Part 2 comes from one who has won over three dozen awards for barehand and weapons forms in international and national competitions, and who is President of YMAA International. This DVD packs in 8 hours of in-depth kung fu instruction, teaching two more traditional Long Fist advanced sequences in detail, outlining training exercises and martial applications, and considering the practice of these sequences. Advanced yoga students will consider this an authoritative display of techniques perfect for supplementing instruction.

Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts
David A. Hall
Kodansha America, Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
9781568364100, $60.00, www.kodansha-usa.com

Encyclopedia of Japanese Martial Arts packs in details about Japanese martial arts in an A-Z encyclopedia format packed with over 4,000 entries. From details on classical martial arts schools and lineages to over 300 combative systems and the roles played by different religions in the development of various martial arts pursuits, this includes charts, photos, illustrations, rare documentation and examples of poses, and more, offering indices in kanji, Chinese, Sanskrit and English and covering all traditional East Asian systems and arts from ancient to modern times. If it's a definite reference that is needed, one can't go wrong with this wide-ranging Encyclopedia.


The Woodworking Shelf

Fresh Designs for Woodworking
Thomas Haapapuro
Fox Chapel Publishing
1970 Broad Street N., East Petersburg, PA 17520
9781565235373, $19.99, www.foxchapelpublishing.com

Fresh Designs for Woodworking is packed with patterns, color photos and step-by-step directions for making any of the 21 included projects, moving from woodworking basics to more advanced cuts and teaching how to use the scroll saw to create unusual designs. Any who would use this tool to work with wood will find the artistic projects lend to decoration and practical home design alike, and will find this an easy listing of tools and materials, creation processes, and keys to creating lovely home decorations. Woodworker and crafter collections will benefit from adding this gathering of unique projects!

Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N.
East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com

Six titles in 'The Missing Shop Manual' series offer the basics of handling woodworking and home repair equipment and should be considered a 'must' for any home handyman's reference collection. CIRCULAR SAWS AND JIG SAWS (9781565234697, $9.95) covers the safety and set-up of such saws, then moves on to discuss how to use the saws properly, from extending edge guides to changing blades, using different cuts, and ripping planks. TABLE SAW (9781565234710, $9.95) shows how to use repeat crosscuts, work supports, and how to use the table saw to make grooves, cut jigs, and more. ROUTER (9781565234895, $12.95) discusses how to make cuts on a router table, use jigs, and how to feed stock and cut grooves. DRILLS AND DRILL PRESSES (9781565324727, $12.95) covers set-up, safety and use of presses and drills, GLUE AND CLAMPS (9781565234680, $9.95) reveals blocks, vises and frames and clamping methods, and LATHE (9781565234703, $12.95) covers everything from tool shapes to sharpening, building a tool rack, and selecting wood. All are fine picks for any home hobbyist or handyman looking for clear illustrations and insights on how to set up and use the equipment.


The Homeowner's Shelf

Power with Nature, third edition
Rex A. Ewing
PixyJack Press
PO Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
9780977372492, $24.00, www.pixyjackpress.com

Power with Nature appears in its updated third edition to cover self-reliance for homeowners on many scales; from using solar, wind, geothermal and more to options either off-grid or grid-tied. All kinds of methods for conserving energy and getting the most from a self-reliant system are covered in a title that offers cost-effective solutions for either existing or new systems. Many homeowner guides talk about getting off the grid: this is one of the few to translate talk to action, discussing costs, pros and cons of different systems, and how to look at energy usage and conservation tactics. The latest information makes this updated edition a 'must' for any conservation or homeowner's collection.


The Gardening Shelf

America's Romance with the English Garden
Thomas J. Mickey
Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19
Athens, OH 45701
9780821420355, $26.95, www.ohioswallow.com

The fabulous garden that surrounds us is an English invention. "America's Romance with the English Garden" explores the English garden and its introduction to the American mind in the late nineteenth century. When mass produced advertising swept the country, the vision of the gardens took control of the psyche of American elegance and led to a fascination with creating these gardens at home. "America's Romance with the English Garden" is a must for gardening history collections, highly recommended.

Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast
Tom Cox and John M. Ruter
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813042480, $29.95, www.upf.com

Landscaping with Conifers and Ginkgo for the Southeast is a pick for any gardening collection strong in Southern or Southeast gardening basics, and narrows the focus to specific conifer species adaptable to southern gardens, as well as Ginkgo biloba cultivars. Growing tips, keys to pruning and preventing diseases, and discussions of cultivation make for a key guide covering all the basics on what to buy, where to plant, and how to tend it. Years of research and horticultural experience lend to a solid reference packed with color photos throughout.

Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques
American Horticultural Society
Mitchell Beasley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845337704, $29.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

Encyclopedia of Gardening Techniques: A Step-by-Step Guide to Basic Skills Every Gardener Needs offers a paperback, affordable version of a noteworthy 'bible' and is a pick for any collection strong in basic gardening techniques. It's a comprehensive reference packed with color and using over 2,000 step-by-step color illustrations and 200 color photos to outline key skills and ideas gardeners need to be successful. From building herb gardens and flower beds to handling wildlife and container gardening objectives, this teaches all the basics of planting and caring for a garden, and is packed with tips and techniques on everything from tools to digging techniques.


The Art Shelf

Grayson Perry
Jacky Klein
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500290804, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Grayson Perry (born 24 March 1960) is an English artist, known mainly for his ceramic vases and cross-dressing. Perry's vases have classical forms and are decorated in bright colors, depicting subjects at odds with their attractive appearance. There is a strong autobiographical element in his work, in which images of Perry as "Claire", his female alter-ego, often appear. He was awarded the Turner Prize in 2003. Compiled with knowledgeable commentary by Jackie Klein, this newly updated and significantly expanded edition of "Grayson Perry" is a 288 page compendium showcasing Perry work with 356 color photographs and 16 black/white images. This outstanding monograph with its beautifully reproduced pieces accompanied by informative captions is very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Contemporary Art History reference collections.

History of 18th-Century German Porcelain
Christina Nelson & Letitia Roberts
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street
Manchester, VT 05254
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953881, $95.00, www.amazon.com

Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between 1,200 degrees C (2,192 degrees F) and 1,400 degrees C (2,552 degrees F). The toughness, strength, and translucence of porcelain arise mainly from the formation of glass and the mineral mullite within the fired body at these high temperatures. Porcelain derives its present name from old Italian porcellana (cowrie shell) because of its resemblance to the translucent surface of the shell. Porcelain can informally be referred to as "china" or "fine china" in some English-speaking countries, as China was the birthplace of porcelain making. Properties associated with porcelain include low permeability and elasticity; considerable strength, hardness, toughness, whiteness, translucency and resonance; and a high resistance to chemical attack and thermal shock. "History of 18th-Century German Porcelain: The Warda Stevens Stout Collection" by ceramic experts Christina Nelson and Letitia Roberts is a massive, 568 page, compendium of beautifully photographed examples of 18th Century pieces produced in Germany and which are a part of the Warda Stevens Stout collection. The superb pieces of German porcelain are organized by cities ranging from Meissen, Berlin, and Frankenthal to Fulda, Hochst, and Ludwigsburg. Of special note is the chapter on 'The Factories of Thuringia'. Enhanced with background information on Warda Stevens Stout as a collector of fine porcelain, as well as a 'History of Eighteenth-Century German Porcelain'; a complete listing of the Stout porcelain collection pieces, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "History of 18th-Century German Porcelain" is very highly recommended for personal and academic library reference collections, and would make an appropriate and popular 'Memorial Fund' acquisition selection for community libraries.

Jersey Shore Impressionists
Roy Pedersen
Down the Shore Publishing
PO Box 100, West Creek, NJ 08092
www.down-the-shore.com
9781593220730, $36.00, www.amazon.com

The Atlantic shoreline of New Jersey has long been a favorite subject matter for American artists. In "Jersey Shore Impressionists: The Fascination of Sun and Sea 1880-1940", New Jersey art dealer and historian Roy Pedersen has expertly compiled with informed and informative commentary a beautifully reproduced, 127 page compendium showcasing the work of 19th and 20th century artists who sought to capture timeless images with paint and canvas. Of special note are the occasional photographs of some of these artists. A unique history and fitting tribute to the men and women of undeniable artistic accomplishment, "Jersey Shore Impressionists: The Fascination of Sun and Sea 1880-1940" is highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing
Editorial Staff
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor
NY, NY 10014
www.phaidon.com
9780714865287, $69.00, www.amazon.com

Compiled by the editorial staff of Phaidon Press, "Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing" is a superbly produced, 352 page, coffee table book showcasing the artwork of 115 artists drawn from every corner of the world providing the reader with a global perspective of contemporary drawing styles. Featuring more than 500 beautifully reproduced images accompanied by informative commentary on the artists that made them, "Vitamin D2: New Perspectives in Drawing" is a seminal body of work and a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Contemporary Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Body Art 4
Joe Plimmer, et.al.
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9780857689153, $16.95, www.titanbooks.com

BODY ART 4 provides a range of bizarre and amazing body art that goes far beyond your usual focus on tattoos to cover facial cutting, sewn-up skin, and more. New content provides full-page and often full-body photos of heavily made up skin art while each model explains inspiration sources, how transitions were made into body art displays, and how they are linked to identity. These are alternative decoration styles; many of which involve piercings and seemingly radical displays: any collection strong in overall alternative body art should consider this latest issue an important addition.

Alchemy
Stanislas Klossowski de Rola
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500810552, $14.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

ALCHEMY joins others in the 'Art & Imagination' series, and offers a primer introducing the history and goals of alchemy over the centuries. The images, symbolism, and process of alchemy and its art is explored in a title packed with nearly two hundred illustrations and a survey that needs no prior introduction to prove educational. Whether a formula for transforming metal into gold or an art collection of symbols, ALCHEMY provides a fine introduction to achievements, ideals and possibilities alike.


The Interior Design Shelf

The Design Cookbook
Kelly Edwards
Medallion Press, Inc.
100 South River Street, Aurora, IL 60506
www.medallionpress.com
9781605425320, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Our homes are, for most of us, our most important physical possession. "The Design Cookbook: Recipes for a Stylish Home" by Kelly Edwards is an impressive, profusely illustrated, 256 page compendium of interior design concepts and ideas that can be applied and adapted by even the most novice of do-it-yourself homeowners and interior design enthusiasts. Beginning with informed and informative commentary on defining one's style, determining a project budget, selecting colors, as well as furniture and space planning, readers are also treated to a 'Recipe for 5-Minute Decorating' and a 'Recipe for Designing like a Celebrity'. Every room in a home is covered including the dining room, kitchen, kid's room, living room, bathroom, bedroom, and even the home office. Practical, insightful, inspiring, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "The Design Cookbook: Recipes for a Stylish Home" is very highly recommended for personal and community library Interior Design instructional reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Simply Imperfect
Robyn Griggs Lawrence
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865716919, $22.95, www.newsociety.com

SIMPLY IMPERFECT: REVISITING THE WABI-SABI HOUSE is a pick for any collection strong in sustainable living, alternative housing and more, and discusses meaningful living and the wabi-sabi concept. It's a revised, updated edition of the original THE WABI-SABI HOUSE and considers ways to clear clutter, increase feng shui, and blend in salvaged and recycled materials into a house structure. The result integrates home decor with sustainable living ideals and makes for an inspirational presentation highly recommended for any home and garden or new age collection.


The Education Shelf

Real Classroom Makeovers
Rebecca Isbell & Pamela Evanshen
Gryphon House
6848 Leon's Way, Lewisville, NC 27023
www.ghbooks.com
9780876593783, $26.95, www.amazon.com

A classroom environment is critically important in foster a child's learning experience. All too often public education funding cuts and aging infrastructures make the physical classroom less than it should be. The collaborative work of childhood learning experts Rebecca Isbell and Pamela Evanshen, "Real Classroom Makeovers: Practical Ideas for Early Childhood Classrooms" is a profusely illustrated, 160 page compendium of practical examples of what can be done to upgrade a preschool or kindergarten classroom's physical environment on a limited budget. Of special note are the 'before & after' photos in the examples provided. Informed, informative, inspired and inspiring, "Real Classroom Makeovers: Practical Ideas for Early Childhood Classrooms" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and highly recommended for both private and public schools and classroom teachers wanting to upgrade and improve their preschool and kindergarten classroom facilities -- especially if funding those improvements is limited.

Body Talk
Pat Crissey
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Road
Bethesda, MD 20817
www.woodbinehouse.com
9781606131756, $29.95, www.amazon.com

One of the hallmarks of autism is an impaired ability to communicate -- including nonverbal body language cues. In "Body Talk: Teaching Students with Disabilities about Body Language", author Pat Crissey draws upon her more than twenty years of experience as a special education teacher and autism consultant to create a 218 page compendium of one hundred thoroughly 'user friendly', instructive activities on teaching communication impaired children how to perceive and interpret nonverbal body language including facial expressions, posture, body orientation, eye gaze, personal space, touching, and gestures. Instructional approaches include role playing, games, art activities, watching video clips, and worksheets. Enhanced with the inclusion of a CD-ROM of activities, quizzes, games, worksheets, and more, "Body Talk: Teaching Students with Disabilities about Body Language" is an ideal and highly recommended addition to Special Education curriculum materials.

Applying Implementation Science in Early Childhood Programs and Systems
Brookes Publishing Company
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com
9781598572827, $49.95, www.amazon.com

There is a constant advancement and expansion in understanding educational processes and the creation of educational tools and ideas. The problem has been how to take these findings and effectively apply them in the classroom. "Applying Implementation Science in Early Childhood Programs and Systems" by the editorial team of Allison Metz (Senior Research Scientist and Codirector of Early Childhood Research at Child Trends, Bethesda, Maryland), Allison Metz (Scientist and Associate Director of the National Implementation Research Network, Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, University of north Carolina at Chapel Hill), and Ivelisse Martinez-Beck (Senior Social Scientist and Team Leader for Child Care Research in the division of Child and Family Development, Office of Planning, Research and Evaluation, Washington, D.C.) is 360 page compendium comprised of fifteen seminal articles by experts in the field of childhood education and organized into four main sections: 'Implementation Science Defining the New Frontier';'Alining Stage-Appropriate Evaluation with the Stages of Implementation: Formative Evaluation and Fidelity'; 'Aligning Stage-Appropriate Evaluation with the Stages of implementation: Ongoing Monitoring and Scale-Up/Replication'; and 'Implementation Science at the Systems Level". An impressive body of collective scholarship, "Applying Implementation Science in Early Childhood Programs and Systems" is a very highly recommended addition to University Education Department and academic library Education Science reference collections.

Anytime, Anywhere
Rebecca E. Wolfe, et al.
Harvard Education Press
8 Story Street, 1st floor
Cambridge, MA 02138
www.harvardeducationpress.org
9781612505695, $29.95, www.amazon.com

New technologies resulting in a continued expansion of information on how the human brain works, how different environments impact children's learning patterns and abilities, the significance of digital tools with respect to children's abilities to communicate and create, combine to validate the bedrock belief undergirded 'child centered learning', that children learn best when their interest can be tapped into when presenting new knowledge to them. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by the team of education specialists Rebecca E. Wolfe, Adria Steinberg, and Nancy Hoffman, "Anytime, Anywhere: Student-Centered Learning for Schools and Teachers" is a 232 page compendium comprised of seven seminal studies by experts in the field of education and deftly organized into three major sections: The Starting Point; Next Steps; and The Future of Student-Centered Learning. Of special note are the seminal studies 'Making Assessment Student Centered' by Heidi Andrade, Kristen Huff, and Georgia Brooke; 'Using Digital Media to Design Student-Centered Curricula' by David H. Rose and Jenna W. Gravel; and 'Applying the Science of How We Learn' by Christina Hinton, Kurt W. Fischer, and Catherine Glennon. Enhanced with extension notations and a comprehensive index, "Anytime, Anywhere: Student-Centered Learning for Schools and Teachers" is an informed and informative work that should be a core addition to college education department and academic library reference collections, and classroom teacher supplemental reading lists.

Your First Year as Principal
Tena Green
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34471
9781601386243, $24.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

Schools are hectic things, and being given the reins to control it is often being tossed into the deep end. "Your First Year as Principal: Everything You Need to Know That They Don't Teach You in School" is an education administrator's guide for those who have assumed the rule of their school... and all the chaos that can come with it. Advising principals on the many tasks and jobs that come with the title and much more, "Your First Year as Principal" is an invaluable reference, not to be missed for education collections.

When Writing With Technology Matters
Carol Bedard & Charles Fuhrken
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109378, $20.00, www.stenhouse.com

Essays can't be handed in at one hundred forty characters or less. "When Writing with Technology Matters" analyzes how to help modern students, who may be fully technologically literate, gain literacy in the standard English way and adapt to writing worthy of a classroom. Aimed at teachers who want to promote critical thinking collaboration, and much more, "When Writing with Technology Matters" is filled with practical advice for teachers, a must for educational and administrative reference collections focused on student literacy.

A Creature of Our Own Making
Gary A. Olson
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza
Albany, NY 12246-0001
9781438445786, $24.95, www.sunypress.edu

The American education system has many, many flaws. "A Creature of Our Own Making: Reflections on Contemporary Academic Life" is a discussion of the academic problems of America as Professor of English, Gary A. Olson, offers his long experience with the system as he tries to understand how the problem came together, who is to blame, and if there's ultimately any solution to the problems of academia. "A Creature of Our Own Making" is a much recommended addition to educational studies collections.

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

Greg Conderman, et.al.'s STRATEGY INSTRUCTION FOR MIDDLE AND SECONDARY STUDENTS WITH MILD DISABILITIES (9781412996327, $34.00) offers a research-backed strategy for teaching students how to learn, documenting the best instructional methods and IEP goals and providing descriptions of the content areas and skills and case studies linking learning goals and teaching choices. From activities with questions and suggested responses to written language informal assessments, study skill methods, and self-regulation strategies, this is packed with a wealth of important information any teacher needs. Deborah Zacarain's MASTERING ACADEMIC LANGUAGE: A FRAMEWORK FOR SUPPORTING STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT (9781452255439, $36.95) is recommended for any educator interested in applying the Common Core standards, and provides teachers with a step-by-step approach for teaching the basics of academic language. A history of academic language development and usage accompanies classroom strategies and how academic language is applied, offering keys to mastering the language, common stumbling blocks, and applied teaching methods. The result is a powerful framework any teacher can use to impart the basics of academic language requirements. John Hollingsworth and Silvia Ybarra's EXPLICIT DIRECT INSTRUCTION FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS (9781412988414, $31.00) provides an excellent survey for any seeking to boost their English students struggling with the language, offering keys to building language skills while teaching new content. It combines educational theory with brain research and data analysis to provide a proven method for creating and delivering lessons to help students in all grades and subjects, providing keys to better lesson plans, checks for comprehension through each lesson, and more. Sample lessons, classroom examples and toolkits for speaking, reading and writing English in every classroom makes this a winner!


The International Studies Shelf

Life As Politics, second edition
Asef Bayat
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804783279 $22.95 print / $9.99 Kindle www.sup.org

Now in an updated second edition with three new chapters on the Arab Spring and Iran's Green Movement, Life As Politics: How Ordinary People Change the Middle East is a scholarly examination of how ordinary people in the Muslim world are bringing about significant changes, simply by how they live their day-to-day lives. Refuting the popular perception of the Muslim Middle East as static and unchanging, Life As Politics reveals how everyday actions can and do support feminism, cosmopolitanism, or sustainability movements. Additional scrutinies of street politics and the potential for revolution, and in particular a caution that radical Islam movements do not necessarily move in lockstep with impoverished populations, fill this thought-provoking, carefully researched and meticulously presented study. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library shelves concerning Middle Eastern politics and culture.

Towers of Stone
Wojciech Jagielski, author
Soren A. Gauger, translator
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street
New York, NY 10013
www.sevenstories.com
9781583229002, $19.95 print / $9.99 Kindle, www.amazon.com

The might and influence of Russia is overwhelming. "Towers of Stone: The Battle of Wills in Chechnya" analyzes the current struggles of the Chechnyan people, many of whom still fight against the overwhelming influence of the neighbor Russia. Wojciech Jagielski, a Polish reporter outside looking in, offers insight into this people and the crisis they all face so very much around them. "Towers of Stone" is a must for anyone who seeks to understand Chechnya and its recent history, highly recommended.

Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue
Boulder, CO 80301
www.westviewpress.com

The 7th updated edition of John M. Thompson's RUSSIA AND THE SOVIET UNION: A HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION FROM THE KIEVAN STATE TO THE PRESENT (9780813346960, $48.00) provides college-level readers with a powerful and balanced survey of Russian history covering Russia from the first Kievan states to modern times, and provides students with a historical overview that has been updated throughout to include many revisions and a new chapter covering the Putin era up to 212. Maps, photos and bibliographies accompany chapters packed with political and social analysis, making this a fine pick for college-level classroom assignment and discussion. The 6th updated edition of Robert Dayley's SOUTHEAST ASIA IN THE NEW INTERNATIONAL ERA (9780813347547, $42.00) provides a strong introduction to eleven modern nations in Southeast Asia, offering attention to political development and foreign policies alike. From country-by-country coverages to the development of institutions and foreign policy in each nation, this includes the latest explanations of each country's evolution, analyzing foreign policies and regional interactions alike. Both are fine recommendations for any college-level political studies collection.


The Political Science Shelf

Congress: A Performance Appraisal
Andrew J. Taylor
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue
Boulder, CO 80301
9780813345727, $37.00, www.westviewpress.com

Congress is eternally deadlocked, doing nothing along the way. "Congress: A Performance Appraisal", by professor of political science Andrew J. Taylor, presents a critical evaluation of the U.S. Congress' failings. With suggestions about what can be done to make Congress a functioning legislative body again, instead of the political song and dance it is now, "Congress: A Performance Appraisal" brings new ideas and perspectives on how to better understand the American political landscape. Highly recommended!

Simpler: The Future of Government
Cass R. Sunstein
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781476726595, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Simpler: The Future of Government comes from one who served as the Administrator of the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs, and blends behavioral psychology and economics to consider his contributions to governmental regulatory change over his years at OIRA. He fostered new regulatory rules to protect clean air, highways and food, he focused on social benefits legislation, and he created low-cost policies that preserved freedom of choice in the process of bettering government. The result is a fine survey of how initiatives helped change government structure for the better - a solid pick for any political studies collection.

The Ultimate Obama Survival Guide
Wayne Allyn Root
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781621570912, $27.95, www.regnery.com

The Ultimate Obama Survival Guide covers Obama's policies on taxation, regulation, litigation and more, documenting how the administration has enacted changes and policies in all these areas, then providing strategies individuals can use to protect themselves and understand these policies. From tax hikes and entitlements to attacks on the middle class, this book is concerned with identify Obama and his administration as the root of most modern evils - and shows how to thrive despite it all. The arguments are intriguing and any anti-Obama collection will find this a more action-oriented approach than most.


The Military Shelf

Nightfighter: Radar Intercept Killer
Mark A. Magruder
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455615315 $24.95 www.pelicanpub.com

Nightfighter: Radar Intercept Killer is the harrowing true story of brave and daring Americans who learned and practiced the techniques of airborne radar intercept night fighting, particularly during World War II. In practice, this meant that the pilot was alone in a single-engine plane, completely unable to see, and entirely dependent upon his instruments and radio link to support personnel for survival. Electrical or engine failure often meant death. Becoming a Night Fighter required extreme specialized training, including but not limited to the ability to identify the cockpit environment entirely by sound, smell, and touch. Lt. Col. Marion Milton "Black Mac" Magruder's high classified training program was instrumental in teaching brave men how to adapt to harrowing conditions and the omnipresent risk of a lonely death. Yet these marines of VMF(N)533, also colloquially known as "Black Mac's Killers", earned the record for all radar-intercept kills during their service at Okinawa and Engebi. Vintage black-and-white photographs and an index bring this astonishing true story of marines who achieved the near-impossible. Highly recommended.

Trident K9 Warriors
Mike Ritland with Gary Brozek
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250024978, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

Trident K9 Warriors: My Tale from the Training Ground to the Battlefield with Elite Navy SEAL Canines comes from a decorated SEAL Team 3 member who observed a military working dog in action and decided to help train these animals once his active duty was over. The process of locating exceptional dogs, training them to develop a devotion to duty, and finding dogs with the courage to endure battle makes for a powerful blend of military and animal psychology and endurance training routines, offering insights into how MWDs are trained, how they handle their work in the most challenging of environments, and how they blend with team members and work with a platoon. The accounts of fieldwork and battles are specific and extraordinary, making this a pick for any military collection.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Leigh Neville's TAKUR GHAR; THE SEALS AND RANGERS ON ROBERTS RIDGE, AFGHANISTAN 2002 (9781780961989, $18.95) provides a fine account of a 2002 raid by a team of US Navy Seals in Afghanistan, and is a pick for any military collection looking for specific accounts of battles. Seven US servicemen died on Takur Ghar before the peak was secured: this offers an in-depth analysis of the battle process and the lessons learned there, and is packed with color photos throughout. Any collection strong in SEAL and Ranger accounts will find this a powerful addition. Jake Thornton's BOLT ACTION: ARMIES OF GREAT BRITAIN (9781780960890, $24.95) provides a new supplement for Bolt Action and all the tools for Bolt Action players to build an army for Great Britain. From early campaigns in Europe to Far East jungles, British forces faced threats - and this provides army lists, documents the actions of elite units, and all the details any player needs to put together a realistic and involving battle scenario. Chris McNab's GERMAN AUTOMATIC RIFLES 1941-45 (97817809643853, $18.95) documents the years of German firearm designers during World War II, offering insights into production problems, advanced designs, and machine gun developments that had a major influence on arms development overall. From assault rifles to new weaponry, this studies German wartime weaponry and is a pick for military history and weapons collections alike. Mark Stille's IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY DESTROYERS 1919-45 (1) (9781849089845, $17.95) provides a fine survey of the Fubuki-class destroyers of the imperial Japanese Navy, one of the most powerful in the world, and provides a fine survey of battles and three classes of the destroyers. The strength and weaknesses of the designs are analyzed along with their operational history, with illustrations by Paul Wright accompanying vintage black and white photos throughout. The result is a detailed, in-depth survey highly recommended for any military collection strong in equipment analysis. Also recommended is Kenneth W. Estes' M103 HEAVY TANK 1950-74 (9781849089814, $17.95), a fine survey that considers the M103 heavy tank as an example of the design trends of the post-World War II Army. The M103 saw years of service and though it was not at the top of the Army's list of equipment, it was the only weapon system that could face the Soviet heavy tanks. Eventually the Army realized this, and the M103 saw plenty of action in which it performed in outstanding battles documented here. Any collection strong in World War II military equipment will find this a winner! Rene Chartrand's TALAVERA 1809: WELLINGTON'S LIGHTNING STRIKE INTO SPAIN (9781780961804, $16.00) charts the battle of Talavera, one of the major battles of the Peninsular War and Wellesley's first victory in Spain. Wellesley led his army into Spain to join up with other forces: the British and their Spanish allies fought off French attacks until they won decisive battles. Tactics, strategies, and battle experiences make this a powerful survey, packed with color illustrations by Graham Turner that help recreate events. Andrew Thomas' SPITFIRE ACES OF BURMA AND THE PACIFIC (9781846034220, $22.95) narrates the evolution of the Spitfire, the most iconic British fighter of World War II, and details its evolution, participation in military campaigns, and how it helped the Allies maintain air superiority over efforts in Burma. From late 1943 the RAF and RAAF squadrons were equipped with Spitfire VIIIs: this details their campaigns and evolution in a title recommended for aviation and military history holdings.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson
Anna Faktorovich
Anaphora Literary Press
5755 East River Road, #2201, Tucson, AZ 85750
c/o McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com www.anaphoraliterary.com
9780786471492, $45.00, www.amazon.com

British history is one of steadily intermittent conflicts hallmarked by rebellions against authority. This cultural legacy of warfare was reflected by three of Britain's most revered authors: Sir Walter Scott, Charles Dickens, and Robert Louis Stevenson. Each of these three literary icons wrote two novels each with a historical rebellion as their them or context. "Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson" by Anna Faktorovich is a 264 page compendium comprised examining literary aspects of their work. Beginning with an informed and informative overview and commentary on rebellions and reforms in Britain, "Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson" continues with chapters on Genre Theory and the Rebellion Novel; Criteria for Selecting Rebellion Novels; Readers of Rebellion Novels; Censorship, the Publishing Business, and Subversive Literary Warfare; and The Elements of Rebellion Novels. "Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson" then proceeds to lay out in three major sections: Sir Walter Scott and the Invention of the Rebellion Genre; Charles Dickens: The Radical Socialist; and Robert Louis Stevenson: Patronage and Rebellion. Insightful, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Rebellion as Genre in the Novels of Scott, Dickens and Stevenson" is a seminal body of impeccable scholarship, and a highly recommended contribution for academic library Literary Studies reference collections in general, and supplemental reading lists for students studying the lives and works of Scott, dickens and Stevenson.

Wm & H'ry
J.C. Hallman
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609381516, $21.00, www.uiowa.edu/uiowapress

Wm & H'ry: Literature, Love, and the Letters Between William and Henry James covers the relationship and writings between two famous James brothers: one an author, the other a psychology and religion scholar. The brothers wrote over eight hundred letter to each other, and in this book author Hallman uses them to paint a portrait of their literary and family relationship. Their dialogues helped shape the literary and intellectual world, shaping philosophy and science for decades to come: any holding strong in either James brother will find this a revealing, rich collection of insights into their attitudes, opinions and interactions.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Two fine new additions to Osprey's 'Myths and Legends' series retells and explores legendary stories, adding color illustrations throughout and enhancing initial story lines with in-depth analysis and insights. Joseph A. McCullough's DRAGONSLAYERS FROM BEOWULF TO ST. GEORGE (9781780967301, $17.95) considers legendary dragonslayers from Hercules to Beowulf and St. George. Writings from Greece, Russia, and Western sources explore the evolution of dragons and dragonslayer myths and realities, making for an outstanding synthesis of all the legends surrounding them. Neil Smith's JASON AND THE ARGONAUTS (9781780967226, $17.95) considers the voyage of Jason and his Argonauts and their hunt for the Golden Fleece, documenting epic battles and sacrifices and considering the evolution of the legend's structure over time. Both are outstanding visual, literary coverages that do more than retell a legend: they place it in perspective of overall themes and influences, making them picks for all kinds of collections.


The Music Shelf

Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com, www.backbeatbooks.com

Daryl Easlea and Eddi Fiegel's CHER: ALL I REALLY WANT TO DO (978161734524, $19.99) explores the music and personas Cher has embraced over decades of experience, from her years as part of Sonny & Cher to her latest musical and personal explorations. It's an autobiography which considers the evolution of the Cher persona over the decades, form her roots as a poor California girl to her achievement of stardom and her musical evolution. Any interested in Cher's entire life will find this a fine in-depth, inspirational story. Gary J. Jucha's JIMI HENDRIX FAQ: ALL THAT'S LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT THE VOODOO CHILD (9781617130953, $22.99) provides a fine biography of Hendrix and his music and considers everything from his neglected childhood to his veteran experiences and his short burst upon the music world before his untimely death. Chapters consider his life, his lyrics, his films and unheard music, and much more, presenting Hendrix fans with a satisfying in-depth survey. The result is a thorough coverage perfect for any rock music collection.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Essential Readings in Wildlife Management and Conservation
Paul R. Krausman and Bruce D. Leopold, Editors
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421408187, $50.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Essential Readings in Wildlife Management and Conservation comes from two leading experts in the field of wildlife biology who gather some of the best articles in the field that wildlife students should read. Each piece is introduced with commentary that places its importance in the field of wildlife conservation, accompanying brief listings of the papers that were inspired by the classic. Designed to be used as a textbook, this compilation pairs practical with conceptual topics in wildlife management, from ethics to conservation applications, and considers biology, habitat, human ethics and management concerns alike. Classic writings by a range of professionals active in the field make this a solid reference, highly recommended for any college-level collection strong in wildlife management.

Practical Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nursing
Paul Aldridge and Louise O'Dwyer
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780470656815, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Practical Emergency and Critical Care Veterinary Nursing provides a fine, step-by-step guide to key emergency procedures and nursing care and teaches how to handle injuries and therapies associated with critical care. Color photos of real life cases accompany step-by-step discussions of procedures and skills needed, offering a valuable reference written by a veterinary nurse and a veterinary surgeon who here work together to explore the most common care scenarios and special needs. This is a solid, real-world reference any veterinary collection must have.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Competition and Entrepreneurship
Peter J. Boettke & Frederic Sautet, editors
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail
Indianapolis, IN 46250
www.libertyfund.org
9780865978461, $27.00, www.amazon.com

Israel Meir Kirzner (born February 13, 1930) is a leading economist in the Austrian School. Kirzner's major work is in the economics of knowledge and entrepreneurship and the ethics of markets. He is emeritus professor of economics at New York University, and he is a leading authority on Ludwig von Mises' thinking and methodology in economics. Kirzner's research on entrepreneurship economics is also widely recognized. In 2006, Kirzner received the Global Award for Entrepreneurship Research " for developing the economic theory emphasizing the importance of the entrepreneur for economic growth and the functioning of the capitalist process.". Due to his contribution to Economic theory, Universidad Francisco Marroquin granted him an Honorary Doctorate Degree. UFM also named its Kirzner Entrepreneurship Center in his honor. In "Competition and Entrepreneurship", the editorial team of Peter J. Boettke (Professor of Economics and Philosophy, George Mason University) and Frederic Sautet (Visiting Associate Professor of Economics, Catholic University of America) have compiled a 224 page compendium showcasing and examining the economic theories of Professor Kirzner. Of special note is the concluding chapter on 'Competition, Welfare, and Coordination'. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Competition and Entrepreneurship" should be considered a 'must read' for students of contemporary economic theory and a critically important addition to university library Economic Studies reference collections.


The Large Print Shelf

The Turkeyfeather Riders: A Western Quintet
Louis L'Amour, author
Jon Tuska, editor
Sagebrush
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780753191248, $29.99, www.amazon.com

Louis Dearborn L'Amour (March 22, 1908 - June 10, 1988) was an American author. His books consisted primarily of Western novels. Many of his stories were made into movies. L'Amour's books remain popular and most have gone through multiple printings. At the time of his death some of his 105 existing works were in print (89 novels, 14 short-story collections, and two full-length works of nonfiction) and he was considered "one of the world's most popular writers". Now Sagebrush has published a large print anthology of five Louis L'amour short stories in the western genre. "The Turkeyfeather Riders: A Western Quintet" is a 176 page compendium comprised of West is Where the Heart Is; Fork Your Own Broncs; Riding for the Brand; Four-Card Draw; and the title piece, The Turkeyfeather Riders. This is L'Amour at his very best, making "The Turkeyfeather Riders: A Western Quintet" a 'must read' for the legions of Louis L'Amour fans, as well as an enduringly popular addition to community library Large Print fiction collections.

The Wrong Side of Happiness
Tania Crosse
Magna
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780750537070, $35.50, www.ulverscroftusa.com

Against the pressures of poverty, there is always drive to succeed and survive. "The Wrong Side of Happiness" is a novel from Tania Crosse. A laborer takes his daughter to the bustle of the city, struggling to survive along the way. Tresca, trying to make a new life for herself, but finds it difficult when her father is fired and blame is unclear, giving her a test of a lifetime. "The Wrong Side of Happiness" is a must for fans of historical fiction, highly recommended.


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Branded By the Pink Triangle
Ken Setterington
Second Story Press
20 Maud Street, Suite 401
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 2M5
9781926920962, $15.95, www.secondstorypress.on.ca

A mark of persecution became a symbol of power. "Branded By the Pink Triangle" speaks of the plight homosexual men faced in the Holocaust, when the Third Reich accused them of weakening Germany - and condemned them to the death camps along with the handicapped, the Roma, Jews, political dissidents, and others. Telling the stories of the men who faced this persecution, the long road back to acceptance, and the story of the pink triangle, "Branded By the Pink Triangle" is a strong addition to gay studies and history collections, as well as Holocaust studies collections.

Country of Ash
Edward Reiche
Bellevue Literary Press
c/o Dept. of Medicine
NYU School of Medicine
550 First Ave., OBV 612
New York, NY 10016
9781934137451, $14.95, http://blpress.org

A doctor's plight is a tough one, especially at war. "Country of Ash: A Jewish Doctor in Poland, 1939-1945" is a memoir from Edward Reiche who shares his own experiences and struggles to survive the Holocaust throughout the period, using disguise and cunning to evade arrest and protect his family in many curious ways. "Country of Ash" is a riveting account of the will to survive and the extent to which one can go.


The Aviation Shelf

Airship
John Swinfield
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road
Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591140344, $45.95, www.navalinstitute.org

The Zeppelin was the first way mankind took its domain to the sky. "Airship: Design, Development, and Disaster" analyzes the history of the airship, and other lighter than air craft that captured the imagination of the world throughout the nineteenth century until it was fully replaced by more mechanical craft. A study of the designs of the craft, their use for commercial and military use, John Swinfield presents a scholarly and in-depth following of the history, taking many notes from primary sources and design documents. "Airship" is a must for anyone with a curiosity of these first aircraft, highly recommended.


The Mathematics Shelf

Wearing Gauss's Jersey
Dean Hathout
CRC Press
Suite 300
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466508644, $24.95, www.crcpress.com

The science of numbers seeks to find the answers in the most quick and efficient way possible. "Wearing Gauss's Jersey" is a mathematics guide focusing on Gauss problems, problems that would take quite some time when approached from the traditional methods of figuring out solutions. Discussing mathematical insight, the laws of mathematics, number theory, crossing disciplines of math, and much more, "Wearing Gauss's Jersey" is a vital addition to any mathematician's reference and teaching idea collection, highly recommended.


The Library Science Shelf

Handbook of Indexing Techniques, fifth edition
Linda K. Fetters
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike
Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573874618, $28.00, www.infotoday.com

Organizing information grows ever more important as the quantity around us seems insurmountable. "Handbook of Indexing Techniques: A Guide for Beginning Indexers" explores the ins and out of indexing and how to master the most essential techniques in managing the modern swathes of technology, from dealing with old school paper to the complicated database programs of the future. "Handbook of Indexing Techniques" is an invaluable addition to reference and library science collections, highly recommended.


The Autism Shelf

Raising Cubby
John Elder Robison
Crown Trade Paperbacks
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780307884848, $26.00, www.crownpublishing.com

A bond between father and son is strong, no matter what may be between them. "Raising Cubby: A Father and Son's Adventures with Asperger's, Trains, Tractors, and High Explosives" is a memoir from father John Elder Robison as he draws on his experiences of raising his son who has Asperger's syndrome. Writing as a father who had to gradually learn about his son's more peculiar behavior and coping with the unique bond they had to build, "Raising Cubby" is a charming and inspirational read that should be considered by anyone who is faced with raising an autistic child themselves or for parenting collections in general.


The Native American Studies Shelf

The Black Seminoles
Kenneth W. Porter, author
Revised and edited by Alcione M. Amos & Thomas P. Senter
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044880 $19.95 www.upf.com

The culmination of a lifetime of research by Kenneth W. Porter (professor of history, University of Oregon), The Black Seminoles: History of a Freedom-Seeking People explores the true story of escaped African-American slaves who joined the Seminole Indians of Florida in the early 1800's. Originally published in 1996 (fifteen years after Porter's passing), The Black Seminoles has been revised and edited, and remains the authoritative scholarly chronicle of a people who battled fiercely to remain free. The Black Seminoles fought alongside the Seminole Indians in the Second Seminole War, and were forcibly removed with them to Indian Territory. They showed their bravery against other hostile Native American tribes as well, and even earned America's highest military honors... a tribute that ultimately helped them little. Their leader John Horse ultimately brought many of the group to Mexico, in order to prevent their re-enslavement, where their descendants survive to this day. A bibliography and an index round out this excellent history, highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.


The Wisconsin Shelf

Sweet and Sour Bits As I Traveled Through Life
Sy Kaster
Biographical Publishing Company
95 Sycamore Drive
Prospect, CT 06712-1493
9781929882830 $13.95 www.amazon.com

Sweet and Sour Bits As I Traveled Through Life is a brief yet event-filled memoir by Sy Kaster (1917-2006), a Wisconsin native who worked for the Civil Conservation Corps during the Great Depression, got married, joined the Army Air Force during World War II, and served the dangerous position of ball turret gunner on the B-17 Flying Fortress. After the war's end, he worked as a managing partner of real estate brokerage, and raised eight children with his beloved wife. An enthusiast of hunting, fishing, golfing, and bowling, Sy was a beloved pillar of the community, as these tales of the eyebrow-raising highlights of his life reveal. Black-and-white vintage photographs illustrate this warm, down-to-earth memoir about the fruits and foibles of life itself.

Best Tent Camping Wisconsin, third edition
Kevin Revolinski
Menasha Ridge Press
2204 - 1st Avenue South, Suite 102
Birmingham, AL 35233
9780897329989 $15.95 www.menasharidge.com

Now in an updated third edition, Best Tent Camping Wisconsin is an excellent resource for vacationers looking to experience Wisconsin's breathtaking natural beauty and splendor close-up. Packed with maps of 50 campgroups in four different Wisconsin regions; information about camp site fees, restrictions (including those concerning pets), dates of operation, and facilities; driving directions to campgrounds; coordinates for GPS users; a multifaceted ratings guide evaluating everything from spaciousness to quiet to security and cleanliness, and much more, Best Tent Camping Wisconsin is a "must-have" for trip planning! An introductory section with tips, tricks, and techniques for campers of all skill and experience levels rounds out this superb guide. "Standing dead trees and storm-damaged living trees can pose a real hazard to tent campers. These trees may have loose or broken limbs that could fall at any time. When choosing a backcountry campsite or a spot to rest, look up." Highly recommended.


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


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