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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 21, Number 3 March 2011 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Cookbook Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Gardening Shelf Business Shelf Art Shelf
Fashion Shelf Architecture Shelf Education Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Science Shelf Music Shelf Library CD Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Nautical Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Psychology Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Photography Shelf Military Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Audiobook Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Sports Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Fiction Shelf Parenting Shelf Poetry Shelf
Relationship Shelf Political Science Shelf Self-Help Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Archaeology Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Crafts Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Gaming Shelf Agriculture Shelf
Native American Self Genealogy Shelf Library Science Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Civil War Shelf Homeowner's Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Threads of Identity
Widad Kamel Kawar
Rimal Publications
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9789963610419 $50.00 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Threads of Identity: Preserving Palestinian Costume and Heritage is the culmination of years of research and documentation of Arab costumes, textiles, and artifacts that impact Palestinian women's daily lives. Costumes, jewelry, other such artifacts reflect a vital yet rapidly diminishing factor of traditional culture; Threads of Identity examines not only the traditional dresses, textiles, and weavings but also the rural and urban customs, cuisines, and celebrations. Color photographs of textile artifacts on virtually every page and interviews with women who witnessed key events (and terrible traumas) of the twentieth century distinguish this immense, deep, and thought-provoking history. Highly recommended.

Secrets And Practices of The Freemasons
Jean-Louis De Biasi
Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com
9780738723402, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Freemason symbols and rituals have impacted American culture in an impressive variety of ways ranging from the dollar bill to Mormon temple ceremonies. Writer, lecturer, philosopher, and member of several Masonic Grand Lodges in North America, Jean-Louis De Biasi is also a member of the 32nd degree of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry for the Southern Jurisdiction of the United States. Therefore he brings to his 312-page compendium, "Secrets and Practices of the Freemasons: Sacred Mysteries, Rituals and Symbols Revealed" an authenticity, authority, and expertise that is as impressive as it is informed and informative. De Biasi begins with an overview of the masonic tradition, the focuses on ritual symbolisms and practices in a manner that makes them fully accessible and understandable to the non-specialist general reader. Enhanced with appendices that include the Masonic Decalogue, Marcus Vitruvius, The Hermetic Tree of Life, Symbol for the Practice: Knights of the Sun, and Masonic Ciphers, as well as an extensive glossary and a comprehensive index, "Secrets And Practices of The Freemasons" is an ideal and strongly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library reference collections.

Where Discovery Sparks Imagination
John D. Jenkins
American Museum of Radio and Electricity
1312 Bay Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
9780979456909, $34.95, www.amre.us

Through the twentieth century, electricity has revolutionized culture around the world. "Where Discovery Sparks Imagination: A Pictorial History of Radio and Electricity" traces the history of electricity and radio as pioneers of this strange force of electricity and magnetism was slowly understood and utilized. With plenty of photos of the devices developed over history as electricity turned from a scientific curiosity to a commercial juggernaut, "Where Discovery Sparks Imagination" is a fine photographic history book, a fine addition to either history collections or coffee tables.

Take Control Of Your Divorce
Judith Margerum, Jerome A. Price, & James Windell
Impact Publishers
PO Box 6016, Atascadero, CA 93323-6016
9781886230972, $18.95, www.impactpublishers.com

To deny a child a parent is a cruelty that shouldn't be visited unless there is no other choice. "Take Control of Your Divorce: Strategies to Stop Fighting & Start Co-Parenting" is a guide aimed at parents who have chosen divorce and want to pursue a relationship that gives the kids both parents instead of a venom fueled hateful relationship that makes bad impressions on children. With plenty of advice from professionals, "Take Control of Your Divorce" is a strong pick for anyone who doesn't want their relationship to end in hate on all fronts.

An Unconventional Journey
Lisa Paulson
Thistlefield Books
9406 N. 107th Street, Milwaukee, WI 53224
9780981690629, $16.95, www.thistlefieldbooks.com

There has to be a better and more ecological way to live life. "An Unconventional Journey: The Story of High Wind From Vision to Community to Eco-Neighborhood" tells the story of High Wind, a community founded on a better ecological practice, and the challenges that came along with it, both ecological and otherwise. Over nearly three decades of history are unfolded and Lisa Paulson speaks on the story well. "An Unconventional Journey" is a top pick for any ecological memoir collection.

Badass Lego Guns
Martin Hudepohl
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro Street, #250, San Francisco, CO 94107
9781593272845 $29.95 www.nostarch.com

Badass Lego Guns offers a step-by-step instructional book on building weapons entirely from LEGO Technic parts. With rubber bands, some sanding and glue, you can build five functional guns that shoot plastic LEGO bricks or rubber bands. The models move from simple to more complex and provide LEGO builders with hours of fun.

The Onion and Philosophy
Sharon M. Kaye, Editor
Open Court
70 East Lake St. #300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696875 $21.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

The Onion and Philosophy: Fake News Story True, Alleges Indignant Area Professor provides the 54th volume in the Popular Culture and Philosophy series and offers the reflections of over twenty professional philosophers who examine The Onion's unique brand of humor and social commentary. The Onion has different perspectives on religion, sex and more: their writers fill the publication with made-up news that often offer pointed commentary. Any familiar with The Onion will appreciate this survey!

Fate, Time, and Language
David Foster Wallace
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231151573 $19.95 www.cup.columbia.edu

Fate, Time, and Language: An Essay on Free Will offers a fine survey debating philosopher Richard Taylor's contention that human being have no control over the future. His critique of Taylor's work reveals his skepticism of abstract thinking when it serves to thwart reality: his is a philosophical argument that deserves a place in any college-level library interested in modern philosophical debate. A lively, debative tone keeps this accessible to newcomers.

Daring to Trust
David Richo
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston MA 02115
9781590308240 $25.95 www.shambhala.com

DARING TO TRUST: OPENING OURSELVES TO REAL LOVE & INTIMACY explains that most relationship problems are really trust issues in disguise, from fear of commitment to insecurity or jealousy. This offers insights and exercises for exploring such issues, teaching about underlying fears and how to overcome them. Specific keys to cultivating four different levels of trust make this a how-to winner for any general lending library.

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk
David Sedaris
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316038393 $21.99 www.hachettebookgroup.com

Squirrel Seeks Chipmunk: A Modest Bestiary deserves ongoing recommendation and mention for any general lending library strong in humor. It presents 'animal fables' revolving around a cast of creatures all experiencing frustration in their daily lives, offering vignettes packed with humor and mirroring human reflections on daily living and life's ironies. Highly recommended!

La Bella Vita
Aminda Leigh & Pietro Pesce
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
1598699024 $15.95 www.adamsmedia.com

La Bella Vita: Live and Love the Italian Way provides a fine guide to eating, living and loving well, showing how to achieve sensual perfection in all kinds of choices. From finding privacy to locating romantic settings outdoors, this provides a fine toolbox for living life well and will prove a light, appealing read for any general lending library concerned with lifestyle enhancement.

The Art of Invention
Steven J. Paley
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142230 $20.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE ART OF INVENTION; THE CREATIVE PROCESS OF DISCOVERY AND DESIGN explores the artistic process of invention and the three qualities that lead to great inventions: simplicity, elegance, and robustness. From the roots of creative thinking and problem-solving to identifying problems and needs, this offers a fine survey of how great inventions embody these three basic principles and approaches.

365: A Daily Creativity Journal
Noah Scalin
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North, #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760339961 $16.99 www.voyageurpress.com

365: A Daily Creativity Journal isn't a recommendation for lending libraries - but it is a strong pick as a gift choice or for any who want project prompts designed to influence creativity. This journal form teaches how to choose a subject and document work, and includes examples from artists and crafters who teach new techniques to blend into projects. Artists, writers, and any seeking a creative 'push' will find the blend of blank page journal format and inspirational accompaniment to be a fine pairing.

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland
Patton Oswalt
Scribner
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439149089 $24.00 www.simonandschuster.com

Zombie Spaceship Wasteland comes from a creative, funny entertainment commentator whose roles in TV and stage have amused many an audience. His memoir is at once autobiography, social commentary, film and television insider's insights, and much more, offering a range of social and cultural observations. General lending libraries will find it an unusual, fun survey highly recommended for any collection strong in humor and film and television personalities.

Ugly's Electrical References, 2011 edition
George V. hart and Sammie Hart
Jones & Bartlett
40 Tall Pine Dr, Sudbury, MA 01776
9780763790998 $18.95 www.jblearning.com

The 11th updated edition of Ugly's Electrical References is a 'must' for any practicing electrician. Packaged in a paperback-sided, spiral-bound tote for easy carrying and lay-flat consultation on the job, it offers quick at-a-glance reference information for everything from conduit bending specs and electrical safety to alternative energy systems. Chapters on conduit and conductors, general electrical tables, transformer connections and more are packed with the specs needed to get the job done.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com

Kristie Lorette's HOW TO USE THE EQUITY IN YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS TODAY TO INVEST FOR TOMORROW (9781601381392, $24.95) provides a fine guide to increasing a home's equity and making it work. Novices and pros receive a guide to how equity in a home or business may be tapped to create both income and investments. Dan Hardy's THE COMPLETE SPA MANUAL FOR HOMEOWNERS (9781601382634, $24.95) provides a complete step-by-step manual for hot tubs and spas and teaches how to install, clean, and control settings on a tub. From understanding aromatherapy and other hot water therapies to choosing between spa types and understanding water analysis and sanitation, this is an outstanding reference no spa owner should be without. Janet Traken's HOW TO WIN YOUR CASE IN TRAFFIC COURT WITHOUT A LAWYER (9781601383051, $24.95) provides a fine survey of fighting a traffic ticket - without the expense of a lawyer. Steps to take once you get a ticket are broken down into keys to understanding the law to know if a ticket can be fought. Details for every major type of moving violation are included to help readers analyze their chances of success. Jessica Linnell's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO HELPING YOUR BABY SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT SO YOU CAN TOO (9781601383921, $24.95) packs over a hundred tricks parents can use to get a baby to sleep at night. From how babies sleep and why their schedules differ to choosing the right music, food, bedding and attention, this is an excellent guide parents and general libraries must have.

Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
www.chroniclebooks.com

ALLURE (9780811870436 $35.00) represents a work consuming author Diana Vreeland's entire career, offering a survey of the world's great fashion photographers and capturing, in black and white photos, their special creations and interpretations of allure. This returns to print and includes a special foreword from fashion designer Marc Jacobs as it packs in photos and cutouts from magazines that inspired fashion shots. Photography and fashion collections alike will find this reprint alluring. Julia Rothman, Jenny Volvovski and Matt Lamothe's THE EXQUISITE BOOK (9780811870900, $29.95) reinvents the classic surrealist drawing game the Exquisite Corpse, packaging it for new artists. Over a hundred modern indie artists each provide a single page with brand new work - from having only seen the page of the artist immediately prior. What emerges is a collaborative story offering a fine interconnected art form.


The Cookbook Shelf

Comfort Food
Rick Rodgers
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
9780848733049 $34.95 www.oxmoorhouse.com 1-888-859-8056

Award-winning cookbook author Rick Rodgers presents Comfort Food: Warm and Homey, Rich and Hearty, a Williams-Sonoma title that lives up to its claim with detailed, step-by-step recipes for some of America's most widely beloved, sumptuous dishes that evoke the pleasure of hearth and home. Full-color photographs illustrate delicacies ranging from Lobster Rolls to Cheesesteaks, Maple Baked Beans, Devil's Food Layer Cake, and even the occasional healthy main course such as Fish Tacos. Cooking tips, tricks, and techniques pepper this beautiful collection of recipes perfect for family gatherings, special occasions, and holiday celebration. Highly recommended.

Ma Baseema
The Chaldean American Ladies of Charity
Huron River Press
PO Box 7797, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-7797
9781932399257 $35.00 www.huronriverpress.com

The culmination of a concerted effort by the Chaldean American Ladies of Charity to preserve and promote Chaldean culture and heritage, Ma Baseema: Middle Eastern Cooking with Chaldean Flair collects the favored gems of the most extraordinary cooks in the Chaldean community. Dishes reflect a way of life in which hospitality is of paramount value and spices add especial zest; recipes range from Eggplant Dip to Stuffed Grape Leaves, Fried Curry Fish, Vegetarian Spiced Rice, Tahini Sesame Candy and much more. Full color photographs illustrate this sumptuous and welcome addition to any international cookbook collection.

Everyday Raw Desserts
Matthew Kenney
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
www.gibbs-smith.com
9781423605997, $19.99, www.amazon.com

The best of all desserts care not only delicious but nutritious as well! In "Everyday Raw Desserts", Matthew Kenney draws upon his years of experience and expertise as a professional chef, caterer and food writer, to compile a superbly illustrated, 144-page compendium of innovative dessert recipes that showcase both traditional favorites and creatively innovative new ones suited to the palate of raw food enthusiasts. Seventy-five recipes cover all manner of treats ranging from cakes, pies, cookies and puddings, to flans, brownies, candies, and ice cream. Each recipe is thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly', making "Everyday Raw Desserts" a unique and highly prized addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.

Cooking Wild Game
G. Poggenpohl
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764336461 $19.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Full-color, full-page photographs of every dish illustrate Cooking Wild Game: Thirty-Six Hearty Dishes, a cookbook that lives up to its title with recipes such as Roe Venison Saddle en Papillote, Wild Boar Ragout Savoy, Stewed Rabbit Thighs, Duck with Apple Calvados Sauce, Stewed Partridge with Tarragon, Guinea Fowl with Orange Chili Sauce, and much more. The step-by-step instructions lend to ease of use among cooks of all skill and experience levels. Cooking Wild Game is enthusiastically recommended for game hunters (or anyone who cooks for them!) as a wonderful way to turn one's catch into a feast worthy of a five-star restaurant!

The Farmer's Wife Harvest Cookbook
Lela Nagri
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760337998, $14.95, www.voyageurpress.com

Good cooking never goes out of style. "The Farmer's Wife Harvest Cookbook" is a collection of old fashioned recipes from 'The Farmer's Wife' a Minnesotan magazine published for the first four decades of the twentieth century. Packed with recipes aimed at satisfying the hunger that came with the hard work that came with the harvest and an appetite to match, these recipe's range from the sweet and savory but always satisfying style. "The Farmer's Wife Harvest Cookbook" is a fine collection of recipes that will prove simple and excellent.

Cafe Degas Cookbook
Troy Gilbert, Jerry Edgar, & Jacques Soulas
Pelican
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
9781589807662, $24.95, www.pelicanpub.com

A small restaurant in New Orleans has carved it's own little piece of fame. "Cafe Degas Cookbook" is a collection of recipes ripped straight from the menus and provides a wide array of dishes and sauces that both scream New Orleans as well as some not so New Orleans-inspired dishes. Soups, Salads, desserts and much more, all presented in easy to read format and in full color, "Cafe Degas Cookbook" is a fine read that should prove enticing and a very useful resource for anyone who wants more variance in their cooking routine.

Good Food for Life
Maggie Davis
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568, Orleans, MA 02653
9781557256270, $26.99, www.paracletepress.com

Health and taste are things that can live in greater unity than one expects. "Good Food for Life: Planning, Preparing, and Sharing" is a combination nutritional guide and cookbook as Maggie Davis as not only does she present many healthy choices, she discusses how to control ones health through there food, with writings that discuss everything from eating habits to nutritional facts. "Good Food for Life" is a strong pick for anyone considering diet as the key to greater health in their lives.

Flour
Joanne Chang
Chronicle Books & Christie Matheson
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9780811869447 $35.00 www.chroniclebooks.com

The foundation ingredient of all breads, pastries, and baked goods is flour. In "Flour: Spectacular Recipes From Boston's Flour Bakery & Cafe", professional pastry chef Joanne Chang draws upon her years of experience and expertise to present a cornucopia of 'user friendly' recipes for breakfast treats, cookies, cakes, pies, tarts, breads, and other sweets. Of special value for the novice kitchen cook are the initial sections devoted to techniques, equipment, and ingredients. Most notable are chef Chang's '12 Baking Tips'. Enhanced with the inclusion of a 'Table of Equivalents' and an accessible Index, "Flour" is an ideal and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library cookbook collections!

Mix & Match Low-Calorie Cookbook
Cooking Light
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095, Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
9780848734084 $24.95 www.oxmoorhouse.com

Mix & Match Low-Calorie Cookbook tells how to put together three meals plus two snacks to equal 1,500 calories or less per day, offering over 150 recipes and numerous combinations to create balanced, calorie-wise meals. Nutrition and exercise tips accompany color photos of foods, make-ahead tips, and ideas for quick, nutritious meals that any general lending library will find colorful and appealing.

Veganize This!
Jenn Shagrin
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738214023 $19.00 www.dacapopress.com

VEGANIZE THIS! FROM SURF-N-TURF TO ICE CREAM PIE Packs in over 200 recipes for vegans who seeks flavorful, good food - but who miss old standards. The focus is on making food simply that tastes good: secrets for changing everyday meat fare into vegan options offers dishes such as DIY Vegan Doritos, using Beef-Style Seitan and other vegan substitutes, and more. Any collection strong in vegan dishes will delight in this guide.

The Golden Book of Desserts
Various Editors
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764163612 $29.95 www.barronseduc.com

The Golden Book of Desserts provides an outstanding collection suitable for gift-giving or library lending alike, packing in color photos and over 250 great recipes for all kinds of desserts, from ice creams and cakes to crepes and pastries. From a Lemon and Blueberry Trifle to Rhubarb and Sour Cream Tart, each recipe receives a facing page color photo and very easy preparation instructions that don't go over a single page sidebar. Busy cooks seeking showy dessert dishes will find this a virtual bible of information.

Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Loren Cordain, Ph.D. with Nell Stephenson and Lorrie Cordain's The Paleo Diet Cookbook (9780470913048 $19.95) comes from the creator of The Paleo Diet, which has helped millions of people lose weight and keep it off by following the diet of our Paleo ancestors. This cookbook supplements followers of the diet with over 150 new recipes supporting the diet, offering 3 meals a day and snacks and beverages too. Two weeks of meal plans, a special chapter for athletes, and discussions of how to pick superior foods make this a winning diet plan. John Kowalski & Culinary Institute of America's The Art of Charcuterie (9780470197417, $65.00) offers a fine, comprehensive look at the history and evolution of charcuterie, pairing color photos and technical drawings with discussions of finished products and how to make them. Any library catering to professional and neo-pro chefs will find this packed with detail on how to properly cure, brine and smoke meat, and how to use them in sausages, pates and other classic dishes. A highly recommended professional pick!

Wine Appreciation Guild
360 Swift Avenue, South San Francisco CA 94080
www.wineappreciation.com

John Hudelson, Ph.D.'s WINE FAULTS: CAUSES, EFFECTS, CURES (9781934259634, $39.95) is for any library strong in technical winemaking, including many a college-level culinary collection. It covers differences between wine flaws and faults, how flavors develop, and describes every microbial infection in a series of color slides and discussions. Any involved in winery quality control needs this. The second edition of Paul Wagner, Janeen Olsen and Liz Thach's WINE MARKETING & SALES; SUCCESS STRATEGIES FOR A SATURATED MARKET (9781934259252, $75.00) is also a top pick for any professional wine library: it covers all aspects of marketing and selling wine form theory to application of wine-specific sales and marketing, and comes from three industry professionals. This edition adds a hundred pages of new and expanded discussions on importing and exporting, tasting room management, branding and how to generate more sales in the retail market.


The Social Issues Shelf

Addict Nation
Jane Velez-Mitchell
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S. W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
9780757315459, $24.95, www.hcibooks.com

Addiction runs deep in American culture, and it's not just drugs. "Addict Nation: An Intervention for America" is Jane Velez-Mitchell's call for America to fight its addictions, and she's not just talking illegal drugs. Everything from food to pornography to social networking she claims is taking control of our lives and its up to each American to shake the monkey off of their own backs. "Addict Nation" is a fascinating and very solidly recommended pick for anyone concerned about America's overall health.

Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence
Jack David Eller
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142186 $28.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence: Religious Violence Across Culture and History comes from an anthropologist who provides an in-depth study suitable for college libraries on violence connected with religion. From documentation of differing types of religious violence, from sacrifice and self-mortification to religious persecution and wars, to nonviolent societies and their belief systems, Cruel Creeds, Virtuous Violence provides a fine survey of the kinds of religious ideas that lend to and foster world violence. College-level spirituality and social issues shelves will find this a pointed observation!

Alone Together
Sherry Turkle
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465010219 $28.95 www.basicbooks.com

ALONE TOGETHER: WHY WE EXPECT MORE FROM TECHNOLOGY AND LESS FROM EACH OTHER discusses a culture in which we are always connected and available - yet distant in a different way. From kids who play with robotic dolls rather than inventing games with each other to teens who would rather text than telephone, this comes from a MIT-based clinical psychologist who assesses the impact of communication technologies and how they work - or not - to increase connections. Her decades of teaching technology and daily living add authority to her fine survey!

Audience Evolution
Philip M. Napoli
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231150354 $27.50 www.cup.columbia.edu

AUDIENCE EVOLUTION: NEW TECHNOLOGIES AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF MEDIA AUDIENCES documents the current media environment, the overlapping of media technologies that is fragmenting media audiences even as it provides deeper information potentials, and the re-definition of industry-audience relationships. Chapters pack in scholarly analysis of the interactions of media and viewer, considering political, economic and social ramifications alike: no college-level media or sociology collection should be without this.

The Grand Jihad
Andrew C. McCarthy
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York NY 10003
9781594033773 $27.95 www.encounterbooks.com

THE GRAND JIHAD: HOW ISLAM AND THE LEFT SABOTAGE AMERICA maintains that the real threat to American freedoms lies not in terrorism, but in the forces of Islam which have collaborated with the American left to undermine U.S. national security and democracy. This shows how the global Islamist's jihad movement is changing the world - and pinpoints President Obama as a sympathizer. An intriguing viewpoint, this comes from a former federal prosecutor whose prior WILLFUL BLINDNESS: A MEMOIR OF THE JIHAD introduced the topic. Political science collections will find it an intriguing argument.


The Gardening Shelf

From Seed to Skillet
Jimmy Williams and Susan Heeger
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811872218 $30.00 www.chroniclebooks.com

From Seed to Skillet provides an outstanding guide to growing, harvesting and cooking garden bounty and provides home gardeners with keys to producing finished meals from gardening efforts. From planning a garden design if you're a non-planner to keeping edibles productive while fighting off edible-eating bugs, this packs in many keys to gardening success, pairing such with full-page color photos and design examples throughout so that non-gardeners can easily learn gardening tricks.


The Business Shelf

Government Contracting
William Sims Curry
CRC Press
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9781420085655, $69.95, www.crcpress.com

Private businesses are needed to do much of what the government seeks, but it is a minefield of finding the right people for the job. "Government Contracting: Promises and Perils" is a guide for government officials who want to make sure that the deals they seek to secure with private businesses aren't ones that lead to poor decisions and corruption. On the government side, contracts should always defend public interest and avoid wasteful spending while maintaining a level of quality, and William Sims Curry writes on how to avoid the worst of decisions with simple principles and how to avoid being exploited by private industry. "Government Contracting" is a must for any government official.

International Handbook of Maritime Business
Kevin Cullinane
Edward Elgar
William Pratt House, 9 Dewy Court, Northampton, MA 01060
9781847209344, $215.00, www.e-elgar.com

Although air has become the preferred way to move many goods, the ocean is still a billion dollar business. "International Handbook of Maritime Business" is a brain trust of many of today's best economists, scholars, and business people as they converge to discuss what it takes to succeed and succeed well in the maritime industry. Chapters discuss topics such as business models, using ports, analyzing trade routes throughout the world, long distance trade, international law, and countless other topics. Enhanced with indexes other useful tools, "International Handbook of Maritime Business" is a complete and comprehensive guide that should be at hand for any individual or business trying to succeed on the oceans for profit.

Lean Office And Service Simplified
Drew Locher
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781439820315, $39.95, www.amazon.com

In today's fiercely competitive and highly volatile business climate, keeping operational overhead expenses to a productive minimum is essential to both short term profitability and long-term viability. That's why Drew Locher's thoroughly 'user friendly' 194-page compendium, "Lean Office And Service Simplified: The Definitive How-to Guide" is such a valuable and enthusiastically recommended instructional reference for anyone faced with the responsibility of managing a business to its effective maximum performance in both its physical plant and its human resources. "Lean Office And Service Simplified" begins by explaining the key concepts of 'Value Stream', 'Standard Work', 'Flow', 'Level Pull', and 'Visual Management'. Every aspect of a functioning office is covered in accessible detail including sales, marketing, purchasing, accounting, customer service, mentoring, performance measurement, and more. Of special note is the chapters devoted to 'Lean Tools for Office and Services' and 'The Quality Toolbox'. Enhanced with a section of thematically appropriate Forms and a comprehensive Index, "Lean Office And Service Simplified" is informed and informative reading making it highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Business Management reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Getting to Know ESRI
Fred L. Miller
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589482357 $59.95 www.esri.com/esripress

Getting to Know ESRI is a how-to manual especially for small and medium-sized business orders, designed to quickly and efficiently instruct one in the proper usage of geographic information systems (GIS) such as those offered by ESRI, Inc. When properly applied, these systems and software can simplify tasks such as business environment analysis, trade area analysis, customer profiling and site selection with customer data, sales territory management and route optimization, customer profiling and segmentation, and more - chapters walk the reader through how to run the numbers. An accompanying DVD has exercise data, lecture slides, teaching notes and a suggested course syllabus, but exercises in the text do require that the reader have access to ArcGIS Desktop 9.3.1 software, Business Analyst Desktop 9.3.1 software, and the Business Analyst Segmentation 9.3.1 (a 30-day trial premium subscription to Business Analyst Online, required for doing chapter 1's exercises, is available at ESRI's website). Getting to Know ESRI lives up to its title and is a "must-have" for anyone looking to take advantage of ESRI's computational services to simplify and streamline complex tasks.

Good Value
Stephen Green
Grove Press
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780802145253, $14.95, www.groveatlantic.com

Ethics and prosperity seem like conflicting terms in the modern world. "Good Value: Reflections on Money, Morality, and an Uncertain World" is a business book as Stephen Green, ordained minister, as he discusses how good business sense and an ethical nature can exist, as he explains how profit can be a good thing that can help the world in its own way. "Good Value" is a thoughtful and uplifting book in this time of rampant corruption and unhinged greed.

Conquering the Divide
James B. Cornehlsen & Michael J. Carr
Traders Press Inc.
c/o W & A Publishing
PO Box 849, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
9781934354155, $34.95, www.w-apublishing.com

Understanding the economy is the first step to more effectively playing it. "Conquering the Divide: how to use Economic Indicators to Catch Stock Market Trends" is the authors presenting their own unique model for understanding the market with advice on how to use their model effectively to make sure the stocks they pick are winners. Avoiding over-simplification, Cornehlsen & Carr provide a complete and comprehensive guide, and make "Conquering the Divide" a choice collection, highly recommended.

Every Landlord's Tax Deduction Guide, seventh edition
Stephen Fishman, J.D.
Nolo Press
950 Parker, Berkeley, CA 94710
1413312772 $39.99 www.nolo.com

The seventh updated edition of Every Landlord's Tax Deduction Guide is a 'must' for any business collection strong in real estate guides. It teaches landlords how to reduce taxes legally, from identifying repairs, improvements and losses that can be deducted to handling casualty and theft losses and more. Real-world examples pack the latest survey updated with the latest tax laws and numbers in a reference every landlord must have!

The Futures
Emily Lambert
Basic Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9780465018437 $26.95 www.basicbooks.com

THE FUTURES: THE RISE OF THE SPECULATOR AND THE ORIGINS OF THE WORLD'S BIGGEST MARKETS comes from Forbes magazine financial journalist Emily Lambert, who tells the story of commodities trading and trader history. Her survey documents the history and rise of the futures market, analyzes how the market works within the financial system, and provides an unexpectedly lively account of the quirky personalities behind trading. Any library strong in stock market history needs this!

Driving Technical Change
Terrence Ryan
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
sales@pragmaticprogrammer.com
9781934356609 $32.95 www.pragprog.com

DRIVING TECHNICAL CHANGE: WHY PEOPLE ON YOUR TEAM DON'T' ACT ON GOOD IDEAS, AND HOW TO CONVINCE THEM THEY SHOULD discusses resistance patterns that block people from accepting new ideas, and teaches techniques for overcoming team objections to change. By understanding patterns of resistance and using technical skills, a team leader can overcome resistance no matter how illogical or unfounded. DRIVING TECHNICAL CHANGE should be in any business collection; especially those appealing to team leaders.

The Naked Presenter
Garr Reynolds
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321704452 $24.99 www.newriders.com

The Naked Presenter: Delivering Powerful Presentations With or Without Slides provides an excellent resource perfect for business collections covering new ideas on winning presentations. It tells how to develop a message and use key tools to deliver memorable presentations, covering meaningful ways to connect with an audience. It comes from a designer, musician and student of Zen arts who adds a different approach to a usually-dry topic, setting this apart from any other business surveys.

A Random Walk Down Wall Street
Burton G. Malkiel
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393081435 $29.95 www.wwnorton.com

A Random Walk Down Wall Street: The Time-Tested Strategy for Successful Investing comes from an economist who shows how an investor with $100,000 in 2000 would have made $90,000 today following the author's special advice - as opposed to the same money diversified in a total stock market fund. Any interested in stock market investing will want to have this title, which covers his formula for success.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com

Donald Rodrigue with Donna M. Murphy's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL VENDING BUSINESS (9781601382788, $39.95) comes with a companion CD-ROM offering all forms from the book plus an editable business plan in Word format, and offers a fine, comprehensive guide to learning the vending industry from start-up to marketing machines. From how to stock machines to choosing locations, this covers all the basics. Bryan Rose's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS (9781601380180, $39.95) provides a basic survey of successful photography business entrepreneurs and how to make investments that work. It provides a detailed study of running such a business, offering a companion CD-ROM with all forms outlined, and covers everything from methods to include in a marketing plan to building a marketing approach. Eileen Figure Sandlin's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CAR DETAILING BUSINESS (9781601382795, $39.95) comes with a CD-ROM of forms and tells the most efficient ways to start and run a full-time auto detailing business. From computer systems and hiring to meeting legal requirements and training employees, this is packed with important keys to success. Harmony Stalter's EMPLOYEE BODY LANGUAGE REVEALED (9781601381477, $21.95) comes from a body language expert who tells how to interpret typical employee body language. From transmitting messages people want to receive to benefiting everyday work situations, this tells how to predict behavior and take control of results. Cindy Ferraino's THE COMPLETE DICTIONARY OF ACCOUNTING AND BOOKKEEPING TERMS EXPLAINED SIMPLY (9781601383259, $24.95) provides a fine survey of accounting and bookkeeping terms, and is written for small business owners who want a greater understanding of payroll, taxes, and accounting measures. The non-accountant receives an excellent understanding of the terms and methods used by accountants and bookkeepers, and receives a handy, excellent dictionary of terms providing all the knowledge needed to help understand bookkeeping and finances.


The Art Shelf

Ikebana Style
Keiko Kubo
Trumpeter
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-4544
9781590306734 $19.95 www.shambhala.com 1-800-733-3000

Ikebana Style: 20 Portable Flower Arrangements Perfect for Gift Giving lives up to its title with an assortment of superbly beautiful flower stylings worthy of the ancient Japanese artistic practice. Each arrangement is illustrated with stunningly beautiful full-color photographs, and offers step-by-step instructions that any reader can perform after obtaining the requisite flowers and simple containers. A gorgeous introduction to Ikebana, Ikebana Style is enthusiastically recommended for creating centerpieces that visitors or dinner guests are sure to remember.

The Strange Life of Objects
Lelia Amalfitano & Judith Hoos Fox
University of Washington Press
PO box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
9781883015459, $49.00

Art can be expressed in the subtlest of ways. "The Strange Life of Objects: The Art of Annette Lemieux" looks at the work of this unique artist who chose not canvas or sculpting as her medium, but things. Her original approach turned heads for years on the art scene, telling her stories in many creative ways, commonly without words, but simple expressions. Packed cover to cover with photos of her work with color where applicable, as well as insight from Lelia Amalfitano and Judith Hoos Fox into the subtle aspects of the work, "The Strange Life of Objects" is a thoughtful retrospective, very highly recommended.

All About Techniques in Calligraphy
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Happauge, NY 11788
9780764163883, $29.99, www.barronseduc.com

There's more to calligraphy than just fanciful writing. "All About Techniques in Calligraphy: An Indispensable Manual for Artists and Hobbyists" is a guide for those who want to get into the art of calligraphy and better understand how to turn simple words into quite the fantastic art form. Detailing the practice and granting readers a new understanding of it, the guide outlines everything from history to the materials needed, the value of certain inks, paper, and much more. "All About Techniques in Calligraphy" is a top pick for those with an interest in the art.

Jewelry By Artists
Kelly H. L'Ecuyer
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
www.mfa-publications.org
9780878467501, $55.00, www.amazon.com

The Daphne Farago Collection, housed in Boston's Museum of Fine Arts, is one of the finest in the world. In "Jewelry By Artists: In The Studio 1940-2000" the focus is on studio jewelers work by a variety of independent artists in small workshops producing unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that are decorative objects and fine sculpture in their own right over a period of six decades. Showcasing more than 150 bracelets, brooches, necklaces, and rings by some of the best artist-jewelers, including Alexander Calder, Art Smith, Margaret De Patta, Robert Ebendorf, and Gijs Bakker, "Jewelry By Artists" is a superbly illustrated, 312 page compendium that includes informed and informative presentations on the relationship between jewelry and the body, the use of non-traditional materials, and the diverse cultural meanings associated with the creation of these elegant works of decorative art. Enhanced with extensive notes, a chronology of selected jewelry exhibitions, a bibliography, selected jewelry making manuals, and an index of featured artists, "Jewelry By Artists" will prove to be a highly prized addition to professional, academic, community, and personal 20th Century Art History instructional reference collections.

Flying Horses
Peter J. Malia
The Connecticut Press
135 Church Street Monroe, CT 06468
9780982546826, $75.00, www.connecticutpress.com

A simple ride and attraction, the makers of a carousels brought their own expression to their work. "Flying Horses: The Golden Age of American Carousel Art" is a look at the work of these individuals who for nearly fifty years took the simple carnival ride of the carousel and made it a treat for the eyes of horse and art lovers everywhere. Most of these horses were crafted by first generation immigrants and here, Peter J. Malia, shows with an assortment of full color photos the extent of the range of how these horses became an art form all their own. "Flying Horses" is a top pick for anyone who still appreciates this charm of history.

Tiffany Studios' Techniques
Edith Crouch
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764336249, $100.00

Art begets art. "Tiffany Studios' Techniques: Inspiration for Today's Artists" is a guide to taking inspiration form the work of Tiffany Studios, and how one can use their work to inspire them in whatever artistic endeavor they are personally pursuing. Edith Crouch speaks with plenty of thought and ideas on how to put greater thought and quality into ones crafts. With full color photographs of countless Tiffany crafts and other projects, "Tiffany Studios Techniques" is full of inspiration, and also serves excellently as an artistic coffee table book.

Constable
Jonathan Clarkson
Phaidon
180 Varick Street, Fourteenth, NY 10014
9780714842950, $69.96

An artist is rarely measured on their work alone, but instead by their impact as a whole. "Constable" traces the history of renown English Romantic landscape painter John Constable who through his work in the later eighteenth and early nineteenth century shifted the ideals of many European landscape painters at the time. Phaidon press and Jonathan Clarkson present a detailed history of Constable's work, with a study of its impact and plenty of full color reproductions of Constable's work throughout not only in his more known landscape style but several other types as well. "Constable" is an ideal addition to any art studies collection and a choice pick for any looking for an artistic coffee table book selection.

Draw and Paint Realistic Horses
Jeanne Filler Scott
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpublications.com
1600619967 $24.99 www.artistsnetwork.com

Draw and Paint Realistic Horses takes readers step-by-step through how to draw and paint horses, offering 12 start-to-finish projects that cover a range of poses and horses, from foals to race horses. These instructions demonstrate how to depict anatomy and authentic coat colors, reviews basic tools and techniques for pencil or acrylics, and offers tips on everything from taking reference photos to capturing horse action. Any illustration collection will find this a top basic 'how-to' pick!

A History of American Tonalism: 1880-1920
David A. Cleveland
Hudson Hills Press
Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953027 $85.00 www.hudsonhills.com

A History of American Tonalism: 1880-1920 is a weighty reference and the first definitive account of the Tonalist movement that changed American art around the early 1900 era. Over 500 color and black and white illustrations accompanies a chronological narrative and re-evaluation of Tonalist influences and perspectives. Both major and lesser-known Tonalists are covered with traditional and new research lending to a fine story of how Tonalists became the dominant school in American art until the First World War. American art theory libraries should consider this in-depth survey an essential acquisition.

Winning Portfolios for Graphic Designers
Cath Caldwell
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764145053 $21.99 www.barronseduc.com

Winning Portfolios for Graphic Designers tells how to create online and print graphic design portfolios that produce better jobs and more interest in a changing industry. From hw to present projects in memorable portfolio pages to understanding the different approaches and impacts of digital versus print media in making presentations to future employers, this is a 'must' not just for arts collections, but for many a business library as well.

You Can Draw in 30 Days
Mark Kistler
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738212418 $19.00 www.dacapopress.com

You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way to Learn to Draw in One Month or less comes from an author nationally recognized for his drawing lessons on PBC and his website video instructional sessions, and offers readers techniques for mastering 3-D drawing using any medium or style. All that's required is some basic tools and only twenty minutes a day for thirty days. This is a 'course in a book' packing in discussions of basic laws of drawing, and provides readers with a gradual course that includes tools for tracking and improving artistic results.


The Fashion Shelf

Power Dressing
Robb Young
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th floor, Nyack, New York 10960
9781858945156 $29.95 www.merrellpublishers.com

Power Dressing: First Ladies, Women Politicians & Fashion lives up to its title with a panoply of brief, fashion-conscious portraits of more than 50 first ladies and female politicians from over 30 countries around the world. Most of the extraordinary modern women featured have one to four pages to summarize their public career and - the book's focus - describe how they chose to wear what they did, and who their fashion designers were. Full color photographs on every page illustrate this compelling collection, brimming with unspoken rules of the fashion social game at the highest levels of political power.

Scaasi: American Couturier
Pamela Parmal
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9780878467594 $29.95 www.mfa.org/publications

Scaasi: American Couturier offers an outstanding survey of fashion perfect for any college-level arts collection strong in fashion history and culture. Arnold Scassi is one of the most distinguished fashion designers in America: here his contribution of elegance, flamboyance, and fine color and fabrics are captured in an oversized paperback perfect for any fashion collection. Over three dozen outfits are featured in an excellent survey!


The Architecture Shelf

Fifty State Capitals
Jim Stembridge
Coho Publishing
5429 Ballyntyne Cree Lane South, Salem, OR 97302
www.fiftystatecapitols.com
9780983029205, $27.95, www.amazon.com

Every state has one -- a capital building housing the state legislature and serving as the focal point and principle headquarters for state law making. The building's external and internal shape and structure have as their architectural goals both the semblance of authoritative majesty and the facilitation of deliberation and decision-making on the political issues of the day founded on legislative debate, political deliberation, citizen input, and lobbyist argument. Capital buildings serve as icons of American political liberty based upon the classical ideals of democracy and elected representative government. "Fifty State Capitals: The Architecture Of Representative Government by Jim Stembridge is a 128 page descriptive compendium showcasing 276 color photographs covering every state capital in the Union. Enhanced with a glossary, references, and an index, "Fifty State Capitals" is an especially recommended addition to school and community library American History and Architectural Studies instructional reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

New Natural Home
Dominic Bradbury
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500515617, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Beginning with its physical placement and environmental orientation, the architecture of a house is the most critically important aspect of both its aesthetic and practical value. Drawing from illustrated examples from around the world, "New Natural Home: Designs For Sustainable Living" by architectural expert Dominic Bradbury is a 256-page superbly organized and readily accessible publication illustrated with the architectural photography of Richard Powers. Cogently addresses the four principle issues of where and when to create a modern natural home; manipulation of the elements impacting on the building; the use of natural products in construction and ornamentation; and reductions in domestic energy usage through architectural design elements, "New Natural Home" offers a wealth of ideas and 'real world' examples that can be adapted and applied to any architectural home design project. Enhanced with the inclusion of a Director of Architects and a comprehensive Index, "New Natural Homes" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' and a highly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Architectural Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Advanced Architectural Modelmaking
Eva Pascual I Miro, et.al.
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393733389 $40.00 www.wwnorton.com

Advanced Architectural Modelmaking offers keys to building a three-dimensional and reduced-scale representation of a structure. Key techniques in creating and applying architectural models are provided in a step-by-step guide that illustrates the whole process involved in creating five different types of architectural models. A table on adhesives and directions for building stands and shipping cases for models rounds out a fine presentation packed with color photos throughout.

Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory
Daniel Bluestone
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393733181 $47.95 www.wwnorton.com

Buildings, Landscapes, and Memory: Case Studies in Historic Preservation is a top pick for any college-level architecture or urban studies collection. It uses places and structures to examine the broader ideas and values that have made up historic preservation, offering critical thinking paired with a historic survey of movements to preserve and destroy structures. Relationships between tradition and modern design are analyzed in the context of buildings and movements that represent assumptions about history and preservation standards.


The Education Shelf

Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students
Thomas P. Hebert
Prufrock Press
5926 Balcones Drive, Suite 220, Austin, TX 78731
9781593635022, $95.00, www.prufrock.com

When you are told you're smart, and are gifted, there is a certain amount of pressure placed on you to succeed. "Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students" explores the challenges that these students often face. Thomas P. Hebert, Ph.D, has been studying educational psychology for years and states that gifted and talented students run the risk of their talents leading them wrong, and in such, he offers teachers of these students advice to help them live up to their potential without crushing their spirit. With chapters on helping underachievers, cultural challenges that often come with such talents, and the extra challenge that comes with dealing with the gifted among the gifted, "Understanding the Social and Emotional Lives of Gifted Students" is a wise read for any educator who understands education is not all about getting an A.

101 School Success Tools for Smart Kids with Learning Difficulties
Betty Roffman Shevitz, Marisa Stemple, Linda Barnes-Robinson, and Sue Jeweler
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593635336 $19.95 www.prufrock.com 1-800-998-2208

101 School Success Tools for Smart Kids with Learning Difficulties lives up to its title with a wide assortment of useful strategies for parents and teachers to use to improve the instruction of intelligent children with learning disabilities. Reproducibles, checklists, worksheets, and charts enhance this creative and forward-thinking guide. Ideas and suggestions range from encouraging students to engage in journaling, to overseeing an accommodations checklist that ensure's the educational environment is optimal for students with disabilities, to a guide plan to developing higher critical thinking. Opening a lesson with something as simple as the exhortation "This is going to be really hard, but it's going to be really fun!" can potentially help students bolster energy and get in the right mindset to enthusiastically tackle challenging problems. 101 School Success Tools for Smart Kids with Learning Difficulties is an excellent, easy-to-use resource, and even though it is designed especially to benefit a select group of students, its wide-ranging positive strategies will prove useful to instructors of students of all types and backgrounds.

How to Plan Rigorous Instruction
Robyn R. Jackson
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416610939 $22.95 www.ascd.org 1-800-933-2723

Part of the "Mastering the Principles of Great Teaching" series, How to Plan Rigorous Instruction is a guide for teachers of all backgrounds to planning and executing lessons that help students go beyond basic educational standards. The concept of "rigor" in education is defined as "a quality of instruction that requires students to construct meaning and impose structure on situations rather than expect to find them already apparent". The goal of "rigorous instruction" to do more than simply expand students' knowledge and ability; it is also to improve students' understanding and the ways in which they are able to think. Chapters outline strategies for assessing rigor in the classroom; selecting rigorous course material; choosing rigorous instruction strategies; and much more. An excellent educational supplement enhanced with a handful of photocopiable templates, How to Plan Rigorous Instruction is highly recommended.

Quick Hits for Service-Learning
M. A. Cooksey & Kimberly T. Olivares
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
9780253223302, $21.95, www.iupress.indiana.edu

Sometimes the payment for service is education. "Quick Hits for Service-Learning: Successful Strategies by Award-Winning Teachers" is a guide for educators who want to work community service into their curriculum to help their students understand a wide array of concepts, from social activism to the concerns of the future. With plenty of thought and no shortage of examples on how to make the most of the educational experience and how to successfully apply it, "Quick Hits for Service-Learning" is an educational resource that should be at the hand of any teacher who likes to be creative with their lesson plan.

Act Premier 2011
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
9781607144717 $31.99 www.kaplanpublishing.com

Any studying for the ACT exam must have this in-depth key to scoring higher on the test. It pairs a cook and a CD-ROM with online support, packing in six practice tests, detailed answer explanations, and more, and uses proven score-raising strategies to help students take charge of their ACT experience.

Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom
Gill D. Ansell
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849051569 $19.95 www.jkp.com

Working with Asperger Syndrome in the Classroom explore the common themes affecting children with AS and the teachers who work with them, considering how their actions affect the mainstream classroom and school system. Chapters offer practical advice for teaching strategies, DIY resources for visual learners, tools for assessment, and more. Highly recommended as a top pick for any education collection!

Mind, Brain and Education Science
Tracey Tokuhama-Espinosa
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706079 $34.95 www.wwnorton.com

Mind, Brain and Education Science: A Comprehensive Guide to the New Brain-Based Teaching provides educators with an in-depth overview of the latest trends in 'brain-based' education processes, considering what characterizes its parameters and standards and using interviews with over twenty leaders in the field from six different countries to define these new boundaries. Scientific studies are paired with real-world teaching results in a key acquisition for any educator's collection.

Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
www.brookespublishing.com

Paul Wehman's ESSENTIALS OF TRANSITION PLANNING (1598570986 $27.95) provides a fine guidebook collecting all of the basics of transition plans for young people with disabilities and comes from one of the top authorities on helping young people transition to independence. From planning transition at both the individual and community levels to coordinating services, choosing from vocational support service delivery models, and handling family involvement, this covers law, policy, and guidelines and blends in realistic case studies of students with a range of disabilities. Checklists for information and the latest research help teachers understand the entire transition process. Kathleen Curry Sadao and Nancy B. Robinson's ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY FOR YOUNG CHILDREN: CREATING INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS (9781598570915, $39.95) provides a fine guide to recommended AT practice for kids from birth to age 5, offering solutions to common problems and showing how AT tools can make positive changes in development outcomes. From using AT to develop activity-based intervention to supporting language development and play, this provides an excellent review of all tools available.

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

Susan Penny Gray and William A. Streshly's LEADING GOOD SCHOOLS TO GREATNESS: MASTERING WHAT GREAT PRINCIPALS DO WELL (9781412979788 $33.95) is based on the work of Jim Collins and shows how to build relationships and communicate professionally. Case studies provide the actual patterns for communication, with exceptional principals in the field contributing their insights and tips. Any principal seeking details on progressive change will find this invaluable. Teachers of grades 6-12 will find especially important J. Allen Queen and Bob Algozzine's RESPONSIBLE CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT: A SCHOOLWIDE PLAN (9781412974134, $23.95), which presents a schoolwide plan for decreasing discipline problems and directing adolescents toward responsible behavior patterns. From the basics of classroom management and skills teachers need to identify and reinforce these behaviors to tested consequences that promote self-control for students, this offers teacher and administrator resources based on real-world experiences. Marcia L. Tate and Warren G. Phillips' SCIENCE WORKSHEETS DON'T GROW DENDRITES: 20 INSTRUCTIONAL STRATEGIES THAT ENGAGE THE BRAIN (9781412978477, $33.95) provides a brain-friendly guide for students on science activities. This workbook offers teachers solid plans on how to blend national science contest standards into their curriculum and packs in projects for K-12 young scientists. It's a 'must' for science teachers looking for 'applied projects' for basic concepts. Donna Walker Tileston's 10 BEST TEACHING PRACTICES (9781412973939, $30.95) also focuses on brain research and learning styles, linking the latest results to teacher practices in an updated third edition. Teachers receive the latest approaches and use classroom examples applicable to all kinds of teaching methods in a fine survey of how to connect with kids and create a collaborative teaching environment. Amy J. Mazur and Patricia Rice Doran's TEACHING DIVERSE LEARNERS: PRINCIPLES FOR BEST PRACTICE (9781412974981, $35.95) is based on the latest research on best classroom practices and reviews everything teachers need to know to differentiate instruction for students in a diverse classroom. From key cultural issues and setting up a safe classroom for learning to adapting curriculum and assessment to special needs, this belongs in any educator's collection. Educational leaders will find important Jacky Lumby and Fenwick W. English's LEADERSHIP AS LUNACY AND OTHER METAPHORS FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERSHIP (9781412974271, $28.95). It provides an imaginative approach to rethinking leadership using metaphors and ideas to present both historical perspective and ideas on leadership in educational settings. From developing a deeper connection to leadership roles to fostering change, this is packed with ideas. Sally B. Kilgore and Karen J. Reynolds' FROM SILOS TO SYSTEMS: REFRAMING SCHOOLS FOR SUCCESS (9781412973083, $30.95) tells how to transform a school's culture, offering specific steps for engaging a school's staff to pinpoint and solve different causes of common school problems. The latest research on developing a positive school environment offers keys to analyzing the resolving teaching and behavior issues alike, making this a powerful pick for any lending library! Douglas Llewellyn's DIFFERENTIATED SCIENCE INQUIRY (9781412975032, $30.95) offers methods for determining when and how to provide students with more choices and different approaches to studying science. From engaging students to managing the overall science classroom, this is packed with examples and tips on how teachers can modify activities and labs. Catherine Collier's SEVEN STEPS TO SEPARATING DIFFERENCE FROM DISABILITY (9781412971607, $30.95) provides seven key steps to instruction and assessment techniques for limited-English-proficient students and English language learners. The process presented works within an RTI framework and offers case studies, keys to cognitive learning, and effective methods for testing students for special programs. Diane Sweeney's STUDENT-CENTERED COACHING: A GUIDE FOR K-8 COACHES AND PRINCIPALS (9781412980432, $33.95) outlines how school-based coaching can impact student learning. From the critical role of the principal in developing teacher support system to models for implementing coaching, this offers exercises to promote coach and principal collaboration. Michael Barber works with Andy Moffit and Paul Kihn in DELIVEROLOGY 101: A FIELD GUIDE FOR EDUCATIONAL LEADERS (9781412989503, $40.95) focuses on how to reform the educational process, offering a field-tested program that helps students benefit from a higher quality education. Reform cases from over 20 countries are cited in the process of considering how education reforms succeed or fail. Barbara A. Lehman, Evelyn B. Freeman and Patricia L. Scharer's READING GLOBALLY, K-8 (9781412973922, $31.95) tells how global literature can help prepare students for global understanding. From details on how reading global literature guides students to examples of recommended books for grades K-8 and a bibliography of hundreds of titles on a CD-ROM included with the book, this packs in teaching ideas for the curriculum and answers common questions about cultural authenticity and standards. Jim Knight's UNMISTAKABLE IMPACT: A PARTNERSHIP APPROACH FOR DRAMATICALLY IMPROVING INSTRUCTION (9781412994309, $38.95) provides a fine course of instruction for helping a school's transition to becoming an Impact School through professional learning done with teachers, not to them. From using high-leverage practices that achieve dramatic student results to encouraging teacher advancement and staff participation, this offers tools principals, workshop leaders and teachers alike can use to assure student advancement at all levels. The second updated edition of Steffen Saifer, et.al.'s CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE STANDARDS-BASED TEACHING: CLASSROOM TO COMMUNITY AND BACK (9781412987028, $35.95) provides a fine survey of student cultures and how it affects choices in teaching. From teacher options for valuing and honoring student cultures to engaging and motivating students based on cultural habits and recognition patterns, this is a 'must' for any teacher facing today's culturally diverse classroom. Cynthia McCallister's UNISON READING: SOCIALLY INCLUSIVE GROUP INSTRUCTION FOR EQUITY AND ACHIEVEMENT (9781412986649, $33.95) provides a fine breakthrough in reading instruction for all students and maintains that reading is a social activity - and should be taught as such. From organizing learning around a child's own interests to encouraging relationships and collaborations between young readers based on their interests, this offers a fine key to a different way of teaching reading. Rhoda M. Samkoff's IN A CLASS OF YOUR OWN: ESSENTIAL STRATEGIES FOR THE NEW K-6 TEACHER (9781412986670, $19.95) provides a slim but essential survey of a teacher's early years and is based on the author's years of experience working with student teachers and new teachers alike. It defines the early stages of an educator's career and the common challenges experienced during these years, pairing examples from real classrooms with tips from experienced teachers. Checklists for action and fact-filled sections make for quick, at-a-glance reading.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Knitting Over the Edge
Nicky Epstein
Sixth&Spring Books
c/o SoHo Publishing Company
101 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301, New York, NY 10013
9781936096022 $19.95 www.sohopublishing.com

The sequel to "Knitting On the Edge", Knitting Over the Edge: Unique Ribs, Cords, Appliques, Colors, Nouveau is Nicky Epstein's second collection of edgings, now available in paperback. More than 350 new and distinctive edge combinations like ribs, cords, appliques, and more offer an immense variety of stylish designs. A number of signature fashion creations are also included, such as a full-length coat, and a rose-ornamented capelet, but the primary focus is on crafting knitting borders that can add an especially distinctive and delightful touch to any creation. Full-color, close-up photographs and step-by-step instructions make Knitting Over the Edge a user-friendly guide for any knitter eager to take their craft to the next level.

Fearless Fair Isle Knitting
Kathleen Taylor
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600853272 $24.95 www.taunton.com 1-800-477-8727

Fearless Fair Isle Knitting: 30 Gorgeous Original Sweaters, Socks, Mittens, and More lives up to its title with knitting projects for sweaters, socks, dresses, vests, mittens, hats, bags, and more. Each pattern has an estimated difficulty, an extensive and highly specific list of required materials, step-by-step instructions, and meticulous charts that use colored squares to vividly indicate which color of yarn to use for each stitch. Full-color photographs round out this solid, hands-on guide to making beautiful and memorable handcrafted gifts. A highly recommended addition to any knitter's library.

Love Kills Slowly Cross-Stitch
Ed Hardy
Andrews McMeel Universal
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9780740797613, $14.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Flowers, hearts, crosses...kinda boring. "Love Kills Slowly Cross-Stitch" is a different sort of needlepoint book as Ed Hardy presents a wide assortment of ideas for cross stitching that your grandmother may just faint seeing. Bringing the art and craft into the twentieth century, his ideas are inspired by his own ideas in the tattoo industry and this special brand of creativity will certainly be hard to put down. "Love Kills Slowly Cross-Stitch" is a fine assortment of ideas, very highly recommended.

Quilts Around the World
Spike Gillespie
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760337448 $40.00 www.voyageurpress.com

QUILTS AROUND THE WORLD: THE STORY OF QUILTING FROM ALABAMA TO ZIMBABWE includes 20 quilt block patterns and packs in a key for quilt4rs and collectors alike, offering commentary and history by the international quilt community's top experts and presenting over 300 color photos of quilts. The worldwide approach allows for a fine survey of quilting's history and culture in an unusual worldwide critical survey perfect for any serious needlework collection.

American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com

Linda K. Johnson & Jane K. Wells's CUDDLY SNUGGLY QUILTS (9781574326727, $26.95) offers quilters some 18 projects based on quilts they've made for their own kids, and offers a range of easy pieced projects combined with different colors and styles for many options. The easy techniques makes these super-quick to produce, with eye-catching colors kids will love. Any collection catering to quilters who work with projects for kids will relish this! Also recommended is Ann Seely and Joyce Stewart's I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S NOT PIECING! (9781574326697, $24.95), which tells how to create challenging pieced patterns with machine applique. Some ten projects, each shown with an alternate size and color scheme, accompanies a gallery of 9 additional quilts to make for a fine survey of easy machine quilting that mimics piecing. Linda J. Hahn's NEW YORK BEAUTY SIMPLIFIED (9781574326789, $26.95) provides a fine survey of the New York Beauty block pattern and provides a simple paper-piecing technique resulting in perfect New York Beauty blocks. Over twenty projects range from wallhangings and small projects to full quilts in a guide that offers quilting patterns for each project.

Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.martingale-pub.com

Kay Conors and Karen Earlywine's FANCY TO FRUGAL: AUTHENTIC QUILT PATTERNS FROM THE '30s (9781604680003 $26.99) tells how to create heirloom quilts and offers ten patterns from the 1930s, showing how these patterns can be blended into modern projects. A range of techniques teach how to feature reproduction fabrics while step-by-step color photos illustrate how to create blocks, assembly, and more. Tonya Ricucci's WORD PLAY QUILTS: EASY TECHNIQUES FROM THE UNRULY QUILTER (9781604680171, $17.99) provides keys to spelling out messages using no templates, paper piecing, applique or measuring. It was inspired by quiltmaker Gwen Marston and here provides a fine survey for free-pieced letters that promote easy enjoyment over technical expertise. Three practice projects accompany quilt samples in full color. Karla Alexander's STACK THE DECK REVISITED: UPDATED PATTERNS FROM STACK THE DECK! (9781604680317, $18.99) provides a range of patterns remade for modern fabrics, modifying original Stack the Deck designs from Karla Alexander's technique. Eleven projects offer even more potential for her stack-slice-shuffle-and-sew method in a title which is especially recommended for prior enthusiasts of her technique. Janet Rehfeldt and Mary Jane Wood's MORE CROCHETED SOCKS: 16 ALL-NEW DESIGNS (9781604680126, $19.99) provides sixteen patterns for toe-up and cuff-down sock designs, and tells how to create crocheted socks that are as close-woven and intricate as the more traditional knitted approach. This new collection follows up to the popular CROCHETED SOCKS title, and is a 'must' for any crocheter. Marie Osmond's HEARTFELT GIVING: SEW AND QUILT FOR FAMILY AND FRIENDS (9781564779472, $26.99) shares Marie's childhood photos and long-time love of sewing. Photos and step-by-step instructions for over twenty projects present quilts, bags, aprons and gifts for the entire family, and appear in a handy format blending a hardcover with spine lettering for easy filing with lay-flat binding for easy project use. Gretchen Gibbons' PENNIES FROM HEAVEN: CELEBRATED QUILT AND COMPANION PROJECTS (9781604680010, $26.99) tells how to combine cotton and wool to provide colorful new looks to quilting efforts. Patterns for 10 applique blocks and projects such as table mats and wall hangings make for a fine survey using the 'Pennies from Heaven' design in a range of projects. Kim Dolce's DOLCE HANDKNITS: SIMPLE, SOPHISTICATED DESIGNS (9781604680133, $24.99) comes from the owner of a handknit design business and presents sixteen of her to-selling designs for women. A full-page color photo of each knit modeled accompanies stitch guides, pattern notes, shaping and patterns, making for a fine pick for any knitter's library. Rebecca Danger's THE BIG BOOK OF KNITTED MONSTERS: MISCHIEVOUS, LOVABLE TOYS (9781604680096, $18.99) provides some 20 toy knitted monster projects pairing a complete set of instructions with how-to construction photos. Materials lists, step-by-step instructions and color photos makes it easy to whip together a knitted monster. Any needlework collection will find these outstanding.


The Computer Shelf

Using JRuby
Charles O. Nutter, Nick Sieger, Thomas Enebo, Ola Bini, and Ian Dees, authors
Jacquelyn Carter, editor
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356654 $34.95 www.pragprog.com

Using JRuby: Brining Ruby to Java is a structured tutorial and reference to using the Ruby language with Java; JRuby allows for one to run the user-friendly Ruby language on platforms such as Google App Engine and Android. Chapters cover the basics of installing JRuby and driving Java from it, building relational databases and software for deployment with JRuby, testing one's code, and much more. A solid quick reference section allows for those who have gained a working familiarity with JRuby to swiftly identify command-line options, parameter types, return values, etc. with a final reference segment focusing especially on JRuby for sysadmins. A wealth of examples and sample code round out this absolute "must-have" for any programmer with an interest in JRuby.

PKI Uncovered
Andre Karamanian, Srinivas Tenneti, and Francois Dessart
Cisco Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9781587059162 $65.00 www.mcp.com

Three experts in Cisco's systems present PKI Uncovered: Certificate-Based Security Solutions for Next-Generation Networks, a guidebook to help networking professionals plan, design, operate, and troubleshoot a PKI-based identity management security system. In today's modern world where identity theft is one of the fastest-growing forms of crime, the PKI (Public Key Infrastructure) system allows both security and scalability - it not only effective, but adaptable in the long term. PKI Uncovered includes a summary of core PKI concepts and building blocks, design suggestions, handling integration in large-scale site to site as well as remote access VPN solutions, and detailed, illustrative case studies. PKI Uncovered is intended especially for enterprise network security designers, planners, architects, operators, and support personnel, and presupposes basic familiarity with principles of computer science, but its subject material is layered and modular, the better to guide the learning process for advanced issues. A "must-have" reference, resource, and educational for any professional or aspiring worker in the field.

Adobe Acrobat X Classroom in a Book
Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321751256, $54.99, www.adobepress.com

Adobe Acrobat has become one of the most used formats in modern education and industry. "Adobe Acrobat X Classroom in a Book: The Official Training Workbook from Adobe Systems" is a guide to using Adobe Acrobat X to its maximum potential. Arranged as 13 lessons, the people at Adobe will guide readers through to maximize their value and increase efficiency and productivity. Lessons elaborate on the many tools, how to work with PDF files, and elaborating further on how to use the versatile format. Along with a CD-ROM to enhance lessons and much more, "Adobe Acrobat X Classroom in a Book" is a vital addition to any library collection focusing on technology and education.

Microsoft Office 2011 For Mac
Steve Schwartz
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.mcp.com
9780321751263, $29.99, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to the outstanding "Visual QuickStart Guide' series from Peachpit Press, "Microsoft Office 2011 For Mac" by computer expert Steve Schwartz is a 544-page compendium of superbly organized and deftly presented instruction in the use and utilization of Microsoft Office 2011 for the average Mac user. Profusely illustrated with step-by-step instructional pictures outlining the many aspects of the software, "Microsoft Office 2011 For Mac" provides concise steps backed up with accessible explanation that will enable even the most novice Mac user to be up and running quickly and competently. An essential and core reference, "Microsoft Office 2011 For Mac" also has a companion website at www.siliconwasteland.com that will provide the user with even more resources. No Mac user with Microsoft Office 2011 will get the most out of what is available to them without their own personal copy of Steve Schwartz's "Microsoft Office 2011 For Mac".

ActionScript 3.0 Game Programming University
Gary Rosenzweig
Que
800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240
9780789747327, $44.99, www.quepublishing.com

Creating games is a dream of many people who have played one. "ActionScript 3.0: Game Programming University" is a guide for those who want to get start creating their own games and programs. ActionScript 3.0 is a simple programming language that will enable readers to gain the understanding and basics of game design and programming to give them the first steps of pursuing their dream. Packed with plenty of sample source code for both PC and iPhone development, "ActionScript 3.0" is a fine text for any computer collection with a nod to game design.

Software Testing Foundations, third edition
Andreas Spillner, Tilo Linz, Hans Schaefer
Rockynook
26 West Mission Street Ste 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101
9781933952789, $44.95, www.rockynook.com

Quality products need to be tested completely and thoroughly. "Software Testing Foundations: A Study Guide for the Certified Tester Exam" serves as a review guide to understanding everything that is needed to become a certified tester, one with the skills to assure a product works on a high functional level. Explaining the fundamentals of software testing, the authors provide a guide that is compliant with the standards of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board (ISTQB) to help them pass the certification and better land the job they are looking for. "Software Testing Foundations" is a core addition to any technology education collection, very highly recommended.

Step by Step
Ciprian Adrian Rusen
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780735652163, $29.99, www.oreilly.com

A home network can be high convenient and more importantly, help home productivity and efficiency. "Step by Step: Network Your Computer & Devices" is a guide to using Windows 7 to more effectively in the home and created more complex and helpful. Not only for Windows 7 and other Microsoft product running machines, it also discusses how to interconnect with Macintosh, Linux, and other machines. Networks allow a printer to print for multiple machines, and can cut down on clutter and make space more efficiency. "Step by Step" is a very useful resource, and very highly recommended.

Host Your Web Site in the Cloud
Jeff Barr
Sitepoint
9780980576832 $39.95 www.sitepoint.com

Host Your Web Site in the Cloud: Amazon Web Services Made Easy offers specific keys to using Amazon Web Services to launch new servers, distribute data, and store data: all at a fraction of the usual cost. It provides a step-by-step approach to cloud hosting and managing web applications on the cloud, comes from an Amazon Web Services specialist, and offers an easy approach to a web services platform that offers scalable, reliable computing.

Pro Oracle SQL
Karen Morton, et.al.
Apress Inc.
233 Spring Street, New York, NY 10013
9781430232285 $49.99 www.apress.com

PRO ORACLE SQL provides advanced SQL programmers with a solid survey on how to utilize the power of SQL in the Oracle Database. From learning its special language features and analytic functions to grouping syntax and other special SQL features, this is packed with keys to integrating SQL into real-world programming processes, and is endorsed by OakTable network, a group of Oracle technologists known for the scientific approach to Oracle Database performance.

How to Stop E-Mail Spam, Spyware, Malware, Computer Viruses, and Hackers from Ruining Your Computer or Network
Bruce C. Brown
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601383037 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

How to Stop E-Mail Spam, Spyware, Malware, Computer Viruses, and Hackers from Ruining Your Computer or Network will appeal not just to computer collections but is a useful acquisition for any general library. It teaches how to eliminate spam, attack spyware and viruses, and how to use secure e-mail clients and protect personal information, and in this computer age it's a 'must' reference. No computer user should be without this basic manual to preventing attacks.

Ordering Disorder: Grid Principles for Web Design
Khoi Vinh
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321703537 $29.99 www.newriders.com

Ordering Disorder: Grid Principles for Web Design provides a fine, definitive guide to grids and the Web, providing developers with techniques for grid-based design practices. From using design tools for implementing Web-based functions to constructing the grid, aligning elements, and developing logical column patterns, this is packed with many keys to cleaning web design using grid patterns. Plenty of visuals make this accessible to even newcomers to grid construction.

Clout
Colleen Jones
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321733010 $34.99 www.newriders.com

CLOUT: THE ART AND SCIENCE OF INFLUENTIAL WEB CONTENT explains the keys to achieving web influence, applies the idea of 'clout' to web content, and discusses web content and business values. From rhetoric and psychology to applying context to web content, this offers business and computer users alike an excellent survey that tells now just how to build a website, but how to make it a valuable form.

Beginning C++ Through Game Programming, third edition
Michael Dawson
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
www.cengage.com
1435457420 $34.99 www.courseptr.com

The third updated edition of Beginning C++ Through Game Programming uses a game-oriented approach to teaching C++, and is written for newcomers to the program. It assumes no prior programming knowledge and teaches basic skills using step-by-step instructions and easy language. Each chapter covers several topics and at the end of each, you'll learn how to organize work and break down problems and code alike. Game programmers will find this an exceptional method of learning C++.

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

Obie Fernandez, et.al.'s THE RAILS 3 WAY (0321601661 $49.99) is a fine pick for programmers working with Ruby on Rails, and offers a 'bible' of application developments in the only guide to delivering production-quality code using Rails 3. It comes from a Rails expert and his team and covers all the basics of what is different in Rails 3 and how to apply it to increase productivity and understand interactions and program flows. Any collection strong in Ruby and Rails 3 will find this essential. Java developers will find Kim Topley's JAVAFX DEVELOPER'S GUIDE (0321601653, $49.99) is a powerful survey covering the JavaFX platform which can be used in a range of programming applications from cell phones to desktop computers. This surveys the language, its core libraries, and how they are applied using step-by-step discussions of delivering JavaFX applications. Updated for JavaFX 1.3, it's a programmer's key reference. Rails libraries should also include Chad Pytel and Tammer Saleh's RAILS ANTIPATTERNS: BEST PRACTICE RUBY ON RAILS RERFACTORING (0321604814, $44.99). It offers an in-depth guide to identifying, avoiding and fixing common Rails 3 code and design issues, offering step-by-step resolution for problems ranging from domain modeling to scaling and handling third-party code issues. Also key to programming collections is Jennifer Marriott and Elin Waring's THE OFFICIAL JOOMLA! BOOK (0321704215, $44.99). Programmers receive a fine web development key discussing Joomla, learning how to use the program to create effective sites. Prior users learn how to streamline Joomla results, while beginners learn all the basics from installation to templates. Key components of the program are simply explained, making this accessible to any Joomla user. Michael Hartl's RUBY ON RAILS 3 TUTORIAL (0321743121, $39.99) provides developers with a fine set of web applications from a leading Rails developer. Rails 3 is taught here through a sample application's development that teaches best techniques for using Rails. From setting up Rails to building static pages, changing them into dynamic ones, and defining site layouts, this is packed with top applications. Earl Miles and Lynette Miles work with Emma Jane Hogbin and Karen Stevenson on DRUPAL'S BUILDING BLOCKS: QUICKLY BUILDING WEB SITES WITH CCK, VIEWS, AND PANELS (0321591313, $44.99). It's directed to web builder professionals and comes from authors who have spent years creating and supporting Drupal models, and offers plenty of keys you won't find elsewhere. From customizing themes to building powerful Views and optimizing queries, this is packed with keys to success and will appeal to professional web developers and any using Drupal. Jurgen Appelo's MANAGEMENT 3.0: LEADING AGILE DEVELOPERS, DEVELOPING AGILE LEADERS (0321712471, $44.99) is a pick for any library strong in Agile software engineering. It shows how organizations and Agile teams work, uses the author's extensive background as an Agile manager, and identifies the key practices of Agile management. Business and software engineer collections alike will appreciate the focus on growing teams that are autonomous and effective, and will find this a key acquisition.

No Starch Press
38 Ringold St., San Francisco CA 94103
www.nostarch.com

David J. Perdue with Laurens Valk's THE UNOFFICIAL LEGAL MINDSTORMS NXT 2.0 INVENTOR'S GUIDE (9781593272159 $29.95) is a specialty item suitable for any collection where patrons are beginning building robotics. It here appears in a second edition and covers all the basics of building and programming robots with the NXT 2.0 set, pairing practical building techniques with insights into the NXT-G programming language's latest edition. Packed with references, resources, and tips for getting up and running quickly, this is a winning resource. Also winning is the updated second edition of Wallace Wang's MY NEW IPAD: A USER'S GUIDE (9781593272876, $24.95). It offers keys to getting the most from Apple's latest iPad, from using the Maps app and syncing and sharing photos and calendars to using more than one app at once and shopping on iTunes. Any who would get the most from their new iPad needs this tutorial!

O'Reilly Media
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

The second updated edition of Jenifer Tidwell's DESIGNING INTERFACES: PATTERNS FOR EFFECTIVE INTERACTION DESIGN (9781449379704 $49.99) is a recommended pick for any software design collection, offering an updated edition that includes patterns for mobile apps and social media as well as web applications. Each pattern offers color examples and design advice for experienced designers and novices alike, making it a pick for any software engineering library. Robert Faludi's BUILDING WIRELESS SENSOR NETWORKS (9780596807733, $34.99) packs in keys to building wireless networks and offers a range of useful projects, from using the ZigBee toolbox and creating a network to learning power routing and source routing. Any working with wireless systems will find this holds applications beyond the Internet, reaching into radio networking systems, and will find this an invaluable guide. Aaron Reed's LEARNING XNA 4.0 (9781449394622, $39.99) offers a hands-on book to getting started with XNA 4.0 in game programming, with chapters offering lessons, illustrations and examples along with exercises and review questions. The result is a focus on game development that offers a virtual course in a book, recommended for any interested in developing sophisticated games. Chris Grover's OFFICE 2011 FOR MACINTOSH; THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449393359, $34.99) offers a fine guide to getting started with Word, Excel, Powerpoint and the new Outlook for Macs - but it goes beyond most introductions to cover the basics of how to customize documents, use new tools, and get the best results from each. From drawing directly in Word documents and adding spreadsheets to slides to better worksheet formatting, this covers all basics with a difference.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

ROC Books
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
www.penguin.com

Barb & J.C. Hendee's OF TRUTH AND BEASTS (9780451463753 $26.95) is the third book in the Noble Dead series and follows the lives of Wynn Hygeorht and her companions, a vampire and a wolf. Here Wynn and her friends have returned to the Guild of Sagecraft - but she faces danger from her former guild masters who want to keep her from her search for a mysterious device. Her struggles will change not only her life, but affect worlds in this fine fantasy saga, recommended for prior fans of the Noble Dead series. Juliet Marillier's SEER OF SEVENWATERS (9780451463555, $24.95) tells of young seer Sibeal, whose Sight leads her to Felix, a shipwreck survivor with amnesia. They form a bond - but her vocation is her path and as Felix regains his memory, the truth behind his shipwreck sets him on course for a dangerous mission that Sibeal will join. A fine blend of romance and fantasy adventure makes this a real winner!

The Bards of Bone Plain
Patricia A. McKillip
Ace
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441019571 $24.95 www.penguin.com

The Bards of Bone Plain tells of Phelan, eager to graduate from school and to produce his final paper - an easy topic covering a legendary place, Bone Plain. His investigation will take him to another world with strange characters and difficult questions challenging his legacy as a bard in this powerful fantasy, recommended for any fantasy collection and especially for prior fans of Patricia A. McKillip.

Cobra War Book 2: Cobra Guardian
Timothy Zahn
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134061 $24.00 www.baen.com

Cobra War Book 2: Cobra Guardian provides an outstanding saga and tells of generations after a deadly war where Cobra warriors, who had high-tech weaponry implanted in their bodies, won against the alien Troft. Jasmine is a descendant of a legendry Cobra family, and when she fights off a new Troft attack, it's only to find their forces have invaded other Cobra worlds. A fine battle ensues with a new deadly struggle for power in this second Cobra military science fiction novel, especially recommended for collections seeing popularity with the Cobra concept.


The Science Shelf

Quantum Physics for Poets
Leon M. Lederman
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142339, $28.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Quantum Physics is perhaps one of the most difficult topics to grasp well, but even they can be understandable with the right understanding. "Quantum Physics for Poets" aims to present the difficulty of quantum physics in a way that any general reader could understand more effectively. Tracing the history of the science and how it came into the modern day, Leon M. Lederman hoes to give readers something to understand so they can make heads or tails of the science when its presented to them. "Quantum Physics for Poets" is educational and very thoughtful, highly recommended.

The Evolutionary World
Geerat J. Vermeij
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848
9780312591083 $27.99 www.thomasdunnebooks.com

THE EVOLUTIONARY WORLD: HOW ADAPTATION EXPLAINS EVERYTHING FROM SEASHELLS TO CIVILIZATION provides a powerful survey of evolutionary processes and how its consequences creates a meaningful worldview. Evolution as it pertains to species development is explained in the context of an entire framework of interlinked nature and beauty, with chapters exploring connections between genomes and languages, natural economies of islands and continents, and dangers in human systems. A fascinating, scholarly survey evolves perfect for college-level science holdings and many a general interest collection alike.

The 4% Universe
Richard Panek
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 02116
9780618982448 $26.00 www.hmhbooks.com

THE 4% UNIVERSE: DARK MATTER, DARK ENERGY, AND THE RACE TO DISCOVER THE REST OF REALITY offers a fine survey based on the New York Times article that everything we see, touch, hear and can sense is only 4 percent of what is actually in the universe. The scientific quest to discern the nature of the remaining 'reality' is the subject of this title, which examines the theory and its development and the quest to locate 'dark' matter and energy. Both general and college-level astronomy libraries will find this a lively discussion of the history and nature of research into dark matter.

The Genesis of Science
Stephen Bertman
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616142179 $27.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE GENESIS OF SCIENCE: THE STORY OF GREEK IMAGINATION provides a fine college-level historical survey of ancient Greece and how scientific inquiry evolved from the Greek sciences. Why did the Greeks evolve the sciences, and not the older civilizations of Egypt, India and China? Stephen Bertman, a professor emeritus of classics in Canada, has written extensively on Greek history and here produces a fine survey of the Greek emphasis on the sciences and how they evolved from the Greek psyche.

Medical Device Software
David A. Vogel
Artech House
685 Canton St., Norwood, MA 02062
1596934220 $129.00 www.artchhouse.com

Medical Device Software: Verification, Validation, and Compliance offers an outstanding book that pairs a DVD with a college-level text designed specifically to help medical device and software engineers. Professionals learn how to think critically about software validation using a guide that explains the entire validation process, why it's important, and how to apply and evaluate them. Software embedded within medical devices as well as software that act as such a device is explored in a fine technical survey recommended for any advanced medical or software engineer's library.


The Music Shelf

Bridge of Waves
W.A. Mathieu
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590307328 $18.95 www.shambhala.com

BRIDGE OF WAVES: WHAT MUSIC IS AND HOW LISTENING TO IT CHANGES THE WORLD blends philosophy, cultural observation and music theory and history to provide a fine and poetic analysis suitable for musicians and non-musicians alike. From music as a mirror of human experience for reflection purposes to types of motion in music and life, this provides a fine presentation for any interested in music history and culture, and is suitable for both general and music libraries.


The Library CD Shelf

The Natural World of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen
Composed by Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen
Performed by Ars Nova Copenhagen and conductor Paul Hillier
Dacapo
c/o Naxos Audio Books
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
$16.99 www.naxosaudiobooks.com 1-877-629-6723

The Natural World of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen offers six of the greatest choral musical works from the professional career of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen (b. 1932), as performed by Nova Copenhagen and their expert conductor Paul Hillier (who happens to be a longtime personal friend of Gudmundsen-Holmgreen). This production is a "hybrid multichannel" audio CD that can play on all SACD and CD players. The Natural World of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen evokes emotion and wonder, reflecting and lingering upon the listener's soul with its measured, soulful passages. A profound and worthy addition to international music collections, The Natural World of Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen is highly recommended. The tracks are "Examples" [1970] (9:08), "Again" [2006] (17:32), "6 Simple Danish Songs" [2002] (9:05), "Statements" [1969] (6:05), "Three Stages" [2003] (13:04), and "Four Madrigals from the Natural World" [2001] (16:03).

Crush
Telepath
Telepath Music
c/o Flipswitch (publicity)
PO Box 2207, Bloomington, IN 47404-2207
$14.63 www.flipswitchPR.com

Crush is a globe-spanning music album by American producer Michael Christie (recording under the name "Telepath") and featuring a variety of vocalists (each performing different songs), including Elliot Martin and Monsoon, Becky Ribeiro, Pervez Khan, Stephanie Morgan, Sarabjit Kaur Babbu, Kevin Meyame, Maitrayee Patel, and Williamtell. The music ranges from elements of classic East Indian and Arabic themes to an undercoursing of Afrobeat, and even dub-style elements that add a unique flair. The result is an eclectic mix of word-spanning songs that inspire the listener to broaden his or her musical understanding of the world at large. An album that reflects the modern age of exploration, cooperation, harmony, and globalization, Crush is an exceptional listening experience and highly recommended. The tracks are "Intro", "Justify", "In This Time", "Dust", "Crush", "Rohi", "Mama", "Lacuna", "Carry The One", "Down The Block", "Freedom", "The Ancient Ones", "Critical Mass", "Connection X", and "Mirrors".

Room of Wonders
Jayme Stone
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$21.93 www.rockpaperscissors.biz www.jaymestone.com

Room of Wonders is a music album created by banjo player Jayme Stone and inspired by the urge to dance - specifically, the overwhelming yearning to dance that Stone felt when listening to Bach's French Suites. Stone tapped into that primal power as revealed within international folk and acoustic rhythms, to craft an extraordinary vision of energy and vibrancy. Musicians on the banjo fiddle, guitar, bass, nyckelharpa, trumpet, trombone, drums, and accordion blend their talents into this moving, memorable, and lively expression of the joy of life. The tracks are Krasavaska Ruchenitsa; The Reels; Vinicius, Planinsko Horo; Moresca Nuzirle; Andrea Beget; Bach: Allemande from the French Suite No. 6; In Other Rooms, Other Wonders; and Troll Kingdom Polska.


The Library DVD Shelf

Extraordinary Birds
Questar, Inc.
307 North Michigan Avenue, Suite 500, Chicago, IL 60601
9781594646249 $49.99 DVD / $34.99 Blu-ray www.questarentertainment.com

Available as a 6-DVD thinpack set ($49.99) or Blu-ray ($34.99), Extraordinary Birds is an amazing collection of episodes from the long-running public television documentary series "Nature", focusing especially on the glories, trials, and tribulations of birds undergoing their daily struggle to survive. The hour-long episodes range from a feature about hummingbirds - extraordinary, tiny creatures who feed on nectar and insects, and are capable of incredible migratory feats; raptors, predatory birds whose amazing talents for thermal soaring (vultures), high-speed diving (peregrine falcons), or silent flying (owls) have been studied for inspiration to create military aircraft; parrots, the social birds of extraordinary intelligence who can bond with their owners as closely as a dog (but as equals, rather than as the subordinate-master relationship a dog has with its owner) ; and much more. Eight incredible episodes on 6 DVDs make up this enlightening and extraordinary collection, worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public library collections, and also as the perfect gift for bird lovers everywhere. Over 7 hours.

God in America
PBS
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608832910 $34.99 www.ssapr.com

God in America: How Religious Liberty Shaped America is a DVD collection of a series from the award-winning producers of "American Experience" and "Frontline", about the role religion has played in American history and public life. From the complex interplay between religion and democracy, to political arguments about religion, to religious influence in social reform movements, to how America's commitment to religious freedom has allowed a vast diversity of faiths and movements to flourish, God in America is an eye-opening, and informative discourse. Featured historical figures rage from the Pueblo leader Po'pay to abolitionist Frederick Douglass, Presidents Thomas Jefferson and Abraham Lincoln, evangelist Billy Graham, civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr. and many more.

Easy Yoga for Arthritis with Peggy Cappy
Peggy Cappy
PBS
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608832804 $19.99 www.ssapr.com

Easy Yoga for Arthritis with Peggy Cappy is a user-friendly fitness DVD that teaches basic yoga movements and poses meant to strengthen muscles and increase mobility especially for people who are challenged by arthritis, recovering from injury, or coping with the stiffness of advancing age. Instructor Peggy Cappy leads the viewer with three offered modifications for each pose: standing, seated, or using a chair for support. Meditation is also an important part of this stress-relieving workout. A user-friendly workout guide designed to help viewers of all fitness and experience levels look and feel better, Easy Yoga for Arthritis with Peggy Cappy is especially recommended for fitness libraries catering to senior citizens and others with mobility challenges. 110 min.

Upstairs Downstairs Complete Series, 40th anniversary edition
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598285116 $199.99 www.acornonline.com

Now available in a 40th anniversary edition with over 25 hours of new bonus material, Upstairs Downstairs Complete Series gathers all 68 episodes of the widely beloved British drama series following the wealthy, blue-blooded Bellamys (the "upstairs") and their loyal, energetic, and quirky servants (the "downstairs"). The foibles of daily life, the tumultuous impact of social change across the decades, and the pursuit of star-crossed (or star-blessed?) love lend a satisfying richness to this enduring, heartwarming, and memorable series. The great wealth of bonus material includes 24 episode commentaries, interviews with the stars, composer and editor, an alternate pilot episode, an essay by star and cocreator Jean Marsh, and much more. Upstairs Downstairs Complete Series is an absolute "must-have" for British drama fans, and highly recommended for public library collections. 21 discs, 57 hours plus bonus material, SDH subtitles.

Murphy's Law, series 3
Starring James Nesbitt
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
$39.99 www.acornonline.com

As originally seen on BBC, Murphy's Law, series 3 is a two-DVD thinpack boxed set containing all six episodes of the third season of the gripping saga of undercover London cop Murphy. A tense, multifaceted crime drama, Murphy's Law delves deeper into the dark heart of human nature with each episode, as the unfolding story follows Murphy in his assumed identity of a hit man, seeking to bring down a London crime boss and cop killer. Murphy has lost friends, lovers, and his own daughter; now his own identity is in jeopardy in this viciously chilling and suspenseful saga. 352 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.

Tai Chi & Qi Gong Basics with Matthew Cohen
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650, Silver Spring, MD 20910
9781598286120 $19.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

Tai Chi & Qi Gong Basics with Matthew Cohen is a fitness DVD that taps into ancient Chinese martial art of Tai Chi and the centuries old health practice of Qi Gong to provide a fitness regimen that promotes both physical strength and mental calm. Martial arts master of thirty years' experience Matthew Cohen guides the viewer through a Tai Chi program and a Qi Gong program. The Tai Chi program teaches core poses of the art, and demonstrates how to link the postures in a harmonious manner that promotes flexibility and endurance. The Qi Gong program involves slow, repetitive movements intended to foster healing in the body, immune system, and mind. A bonus question and answer session with Matthew Cohen about the positive aspects of Tai Chi and Qi Gong round out this user-friendly DVD. Tai Chi & Qi Gong Basics is a welcome supplement to any DVD health, fitness, and activity library. 70 min, widescreen.

Play Again
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
$295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Play Again is a documentary that questions the consequences of human society's increasing alienation from the natural world. The documentary focuses on six teenagers who, as is common in America, spend five to fifteen hours a day viewing technological screens in one form or another. Each of these young people is brought on a wilderness adventure - no electricity, cell phone coverage, video games or virtual reality. The result is a journey to discover just what is missing in our modern, technology saturated life; how can it be reacquired, and how can an appreciable, healthy balance between natural and digital worlds be found? Play Again is an excellent and thought-provoking evaluation of how to promote a biologically and spiritually sustainable future for the next generation. 80 min., SDH captioned.

Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com 1-815-253-6390

Three exciting DVDs from Adventures Unlimited Press take the viewer on an extraordinary tour through unexplained mysteries and metaphysical wonders. "Ancient Technology in Egypt with David Hatcher Childress and Christopher Dunn" (98 min., $19.95) evaluates British engineer Dunn's theory that there could have been a Giza Power Plant - perhaps the ancient Egyptians could have used power tools such as electric saws and drills. Dunn and Childress travel to the Great Pyramid, Abu Garab, the Serapeum and more places in search of answers to enduring riddles. In "Ancient Technology in Mexico & the Southwest with David Hatcher Childress" (85 min., $19.95) Childress explores northern Mexico and the American Southwest in search of advanced technology hidden within the remains of the distant past. From former cities near the Grand Canyon to concrete canals in central Arizona to the megaliths of the once-great Toltec capital Tula and the interior of the Great Pyramid of Cholula, Ancient Technology in Mexico & the Southwest will leave the viewer with an astounding new impression of bygone civilizations. "Atlantis, Megaliths, Tesla and ET Archaeology: The Incredible Worldwide System of Wireless Power" (108 min., $19.95) explores a broad, interconnected panoply of ancient wonders - opening with the megalithic structures in Peru and Bolivia, then moving on to the accomplishments of the Vimanas and the Hindu Rama Empire, Nikola Tesla's wireless transmissions, the secret inventions of Guglielmo Marconi, the origin of flying saucer and flying wing technology in the 1930s and 40s, and much more. A wondrous survey of astonishing ancient achievements, "Atlantis, Megaliths, Tesla & ET Archaeology" will stun, amaze and delight from beginning to end.

The Nature of Existence DVDs
www.thenatureofexistence.com

Two excellent DVD collections are top picks for general lending libraries looking for discussions of science, spirituality and enlightenment. THE NATURE OF EXISTENCE ($27.00) comes in a special edition, two-DVD set to explore the basics of beliefs in God and perspectives on enlightenment. Humor blends well with a world journey considering different questions ranging from sexuality to mortality and the afterlife. If you like this collection, be sure to also choose the seven-DVD set that enlarges the topics, arranging them on discs suitable for both general and classroom viewing alike. This DVD Companion Series for The Nature of Existence ($119.95) blends philosophy, sociology, psychology and comparative religion alike in a format that lends to quick and easy consideration. Choose the single-disc NATURE OF EXISTENCE first - then pick the entire COMPANION SERIES for more depth and detail. The entire product is outstanding in scope and presentation!

The Booty Barre: Total New Body
Tracey Mallett
ATP Fitness Productions Inc.
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 www.411videoinfo.com

International fitness expert Tracey Mallett presents The Booty Barre: Total New Body, a fitness DVD workout that blends techniques from pilates, dance, calisthenics and yoga. Structured around fat-burning interval training, deep toning isometric conditioning, and elongating techniques of pilates and dance, The Booty Barre is an all-around flexibility and body-strengthening workout requiring only a sturdy chair (or ballet barre) and a set of 3-5 pound dumbbells for equipment. Modifications to tune the workout to properly challenge viewers of all fitness levels are included in this energetic DVD. 60 min.

Dance a Gogo: Sexy Nightclub Workout Ultimate Edition
Andrea Lin
Walking Shadows
9595 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 900, Beverly Hills, CA 90212
$29.95 www.walking-shadows.com

Dance a Gogo: Sexy Nightclub Workout Ultimate Edition is a fitness DVD that makes getting in shape fun and sexy with moves from nightclubs. Choreographer Andrea Lin shows viewers how to exercise their sex appeal as well as their bodies with hip-hop, ballroom, salsa, and Asian dance moves to invigorate and titillate. The program consists of "Music Video Dance Workout" (7 min.), "Latin Groove Dance Workout" (7 min.), "Nightclub Fun" (7 min.), "Back View Dance Along" (20 min.), "Movement Breakdown" (20 min.) and a 10 minute bonus. Dance a Gogo lives up to its title and then some; it's an invigorating workout ultimately about the rush of simply being alive.


The Nautical Shelf

The Book of Wooden Boats V. III
Maynard Bray
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393080117 $60.00 www.wwnorton.com

The Book of Wooden Boats V. III pairs color photos by Benjamin Mendlowitz with informational text by Maynard Bray in an oversized, bright presentation perfect for any nautical collection where the wooden boat is of interest. Benjamin Mendlowitz has spent over three decades traveling the world in pursuit of lovely wooden boats: his images may seem familiar because they've appeared in many a magazine and in numerous books. His famous calendar of Wooden Boats has also made him a name in nautical photography circles. This is another volume presenting some of the finest boat photography in the world - and boat-builder and author Maynard Bray provides the fine and detailed accompanying information key to appreciating this treasure trove.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Breathe, Stretch, Write
Sheree Fitch
Pembroke
c/o Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781551382562 $19.00 www.stenhouse.com 1-800-988-9812

Breathe, Stretch, Write: Learning to Write with Everything You've Got is a guide for writers, teachers, and grade school to college students to incorporating simple breathing techniques, yoga-inspired stretches, and exercise to improve creativity and inspiration while writing. Although designed especially to aid young people in the learning and communicating process, the exercises will prove inordinately helpful to anyone with a writing or desk job, and can easily be adapted for office work. Each page focuses on a different three-step recommendation, beginning with a breathing exercise, followed by a stretching exercise, and culminating in a creative endeavor such as writing a song, evoking an emotion such as panic on the page, or engaging in a brief research project. A handful of black-and-white stick figures demonstrate recommended poses, and the step-by-step instructions are easy to follow. Breathe, Stretch, Write lives up to its title and is highly recommended as a physical-emphasis supplement to any writer's or teacher's bookshelf.

The Complete Guide to Hiring a Literary Agent
Laura Cross
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Ave, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601384034 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Hiring a Literary Agent guides readers through the process of getting an agent to represent a book. From keys to researching a literary agent and what to look for in the right agent to writing query letters to gain attention and lists of top agencies and their genres, this is a 'must' for any writer's reference library.

Characters & Viewpoint
Orson Scott Card
Writer's Digest Books
4700 East Galbriath Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
1599632128 $14.99 www.writersdigest.com/books

Characters & Viewpoint joins others in the 'Elements of Fiction Writing' series to provide a fine writing reference covering the basics of developing vivid characters. From developing individual character styles and choosing viewpoints to help reveal them to exploring major and minor character interactions and deciding on depth, this is a top pick for any writer's how-to collection offering all the nuts and bolts of character development.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Structure In Action
Pat Hastings, et al.
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
www.dogwisepublishing.com
9780967841441, $29.95, www.amazon.com

In "Structure In Action: The Making Of A Durable Dog", canine judge and evaluator Pat Hastings, with the assistance of veterinarian Wendy E. Wallace and author Erin Ann Rouse, has compiled a profusely illustrated, 162-page compendium of information focused specifically on how a dog's physical structure can enhance or inhibit its performance and explains in cogent detail the importance of the animal's physiological design. Dog owners and breeders will learn how to analyze their observations of dogs for the prevention of problems and the improvement of canine behavior; the susceptibility to injury of 'bulging eyes' in lap dogs; that an extreme downward slope of a dog's back can be prone to breakdowns of the front quarters resulting in eroding an ability to run and jump; and so much more. Thoroughly reader friendly, informed and informative, "Structure In Action" is a core addition to professional, personal, academic, and community library instructional reference collections on canine development and health.

Dingo
Brad Purcell
Csiro Publishing
c/o Stylus
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9780643096936, $34.95, www.styluspub.com

Both revered and hated, the Dingo is truly a unique animal in human eyes. "Dingo" is an analysis of the animal, which is revered by native Australian culture but at the same time dismissed as a modern pest. Brad Purcell brings an intriguing analysis of dingos and their status as Australia's native canine species. With plenty of science and analysis, "Dingo" is a fine study, enhanced by many graphs and charts as well as full color photographs.

Dominance in Dogs
Barry Eaton
Dogwise Publishing
403 S Mission St. Wenatchee, WA 98801
9781929242801, $11.95, www.dogwise.com

How far is the dog from the roving packs of wolves in the past? "Dominance in Dogs: Fact or Fiction?" discusses the idea that dogs will try to become alpha males in their families, drawing on their canine instincts. Studying wolves and comparing them to domestic dogs and how the habits differ and are similar, Barry Eaton provides quite the thoughtful study on dogs and their dominance. "Dominance in Dogs" is a thoughtful collection, very highly recommended.

Noble Cows & Hybrid Zebras
Harriet Ritvo
University of Virginia Press
PO Box 400318, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4318
9780813930602 $39.50 www.upress.virginia.edu

Noble Cows & Hybrid Zebras: Essays on Animals & History offers college-level readers an exploration of attitudes towards animals, from cruelty to sentimentality, and considers social, scientific issues, and animal protection issues alike. These essays originally appeared in scholarly journals but also are accessible to the general public interest in science and wildlife issues,
offering key assessments on animals and human impacts upon them.

The Leafcutter Ants
Bert Holldobler and Edward O. Wilson
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393338683 $19.95 www.wwnorton.com

THE LEAFCUTTER ANTS: CIVILIZATION BY INSTINCT offers an outstanding survey of these specialized ants and is inspired by the authors' prior THE SUPERORGANISM. It offers a visual portrait of the species accompanied by text easy enough for general as well as scientific audiences, and comes from two of the world's most renowned biologists. Any general lending library strong in natural history will find this packed with outstanding pictures and details.

Golden Retrievers
Edie MacKenzie
Barron's
250 Wireless, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764197711 $18.99 www.barronseduc.com

Golden Retrievers joins others in the 'Barron's Dog Bibles' series, includes a bonus DVD on training a dog, and outlines everything from what to look for when initially choosing a puppy to understanding the retriever temperament, its health needs, and how to train it. Charts and color photos throughout make the coverage key to any golden retriever owner; especially newcomers to the breed.

Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Kenneth J. Drobatz & Merilee F. Costello's FELINE EMERGENCY & CRITICAL CARE MEDICINE (9780813823119, $94.99) is designed as a quick-access manual for vets responding to feline emergencies, and thus provides a quick outline format packed with enough detail to cover the basic clinical principles of each disease and condition. It's the first to narrow the focus solely to feline-specific emergency care, and provides all the details needed for quick action and treatments. Also recommended is Judith Joyce's NOTES ON SMALL ANIMAL DERMATOLOGY (9781405134972, $68.99), a fine survey joining others in the 'Notes on' series of vet's details. This holds a quick reference format designed to locate details fast, is packed with color photos throughout to aid in diagnosis, and includes diagrams and solutions to common small animal diseases and underlying conditions. Vet students and new practitioners alike will find this essential. Bradley Viner's SUCCESS IN VETERINARY PRACTICE: MAXIMISING CLINICAL OUTCOMES AND PERSONAL WELL-BEING (9781405169509, $51.99) provides a fine survey of success in veterinary practice and what it means. From achieving goals in a vet career and reflecting on work and persona life to developing professional values and improving clinical performance, this packs in chapters linking leadership qualities with positive clinical experiences. No vet's collection should be without these key manuals!

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston MA 02116
www.hmhbooks.com

Nicholas Dodman, NVMS, with Lawrence Lindner, Editors's GOOD OLD DOG: EXPERT ADVICE FOR KEEPING YOUR AGING DOG HAPPY, HEALTHY, AND COMFORTABLE (9780547232829 $26.00) provides dog owners a fine survey of how to handle the older dog's needs to assure healthy aging. This offers the accumulated knowledge of an entire group of board-certified specialists concerned with aging dog care, and covers everything from nutrition and how to evaluate complicated procedures to identifying cognitive decline and managing it. General lending libraries will find this a popular pick and also will want to choose Andrew O'Hagan's THE LIFE AND OPINIONS OF MAF THE DOG, AND OF HIS FRIEND MARILYN MONROE (9780151013722, $24.00). This title blends humor and animal insights with a memoir of Marilyn Monroe's dog Mafia Honey. Maf was with Marilyn the last two years of her life: this blends pop culture, a dog's observations of Hollywood, and elements of the novel in a quirky, fun read for pet owners, Hollywood fans, and any who want a different kind of pop culture observation piece.

Dogwise Publishing
403 S. Mission St., Wenatchee, WI 98801
www.dogwise.com

Pat Miller, CPDT-KA, CDBC's DO OVER DOGS: GIVE YOUR DOG A SECOND CHANCE FOR A FIRST CLASS LIFE (9781929242696, $17.95) provides an excellent survey discussing the 'do-over dog' and comes from a trainer who has spent her life working with shelter and family dogs alike. Here she shares keys to positive dog training processes that give pets a fine life and revises their negative behavior patterns. From using the 'honeymoon period' to advantage for a new pet to handling common problem behaviors, this is packed with strategies for new owners. Similar and equally important for novice trainers is Terry Ryan's THE TOOLBOX FOR BUILDING A GREAT FAMILY DOG (9781929242795, $16.95) provides families with all tools needed to train a dog. The family dog is the focus here - which includes interactions between kids and the dog, the entire family's training skills, and more. James O'Hare's SEPARATION DISTRESS AND DOGS (9780973836950, $23.95) provides a positive workbook for assessing and changing separation distress-related behaviors exhibited by dogs. An easily-followed behavior change program is provided for professional behavior consultants, with chapters covering behavior project management and therapies that work. O'Heare's THE DOG AGGRESSION WORKBOOK (9780973836936, $23.95) provides a fine guide for owners of dogs who act aggressively. The workbook provides a systematic, reinforcement-based approach to changing such behaviors, offering clearly-defined strategies and tools needed to address all kinds of aggression. These are fine recommendations for trainers and general lending libraries alike!


The Biography Shelf

Sojourner Truth: A Biography
Larry G. Murphy
Greenwood Press
c/o ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9780313357282 $35.00 www.abc-clio.com

Sojourner Truth: A Biography is the life story of a remarkable woman, born an illiterate slave, who escaped to freedom, adopted the name Sojourner Truth, and dedicates herself to a lifetime of advocacy for abolition and human dignity. She was a skilled orator who moved hearts and minds across America as she traveled. Sojourner Truth: A Biography is based upon her public pronouncements, her personal correspondence, journalistic accounts of principal historical actors, and frames the events of her life amid the larger happenings of American social and political history. A handful of vintage black-and-white photograph illustrate this exceptional portrait, highly recommended for both public and college biography collections.

The Autobiography of Ba Jin
Ba Jin
University of Indiana Press
1400 East Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227-3697
9780880938693, $16.95, www.uindy.edu

The greatest authors of other countries provide insight like none other into their psyches. "The Autobiography of Ba Jin" looks at the life story of one of China's most famous and celebrated writers, to the point where he received a Nobel Prize nomination in 1975. Expertly translated by May-lee Chai, "The Autobiography of Ba Jin" tells the world much about the man and his works, and proves to be an intriguing study on the international language of literature and the love of story telling.

The Science and Humanism of Stephen Jay Gould
Richard York & Brett Clark
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W, New York, NY 10001
9781583672167, $16.95, www.monthlyreview.org

Evolutionary science, that humanity came from almost nothing, is not against the idea of human potential. "The Science and Humanism of Stephen Jay Gould" analyzes the famed scientist and philosopher's work and opinions on the world to further understand his contributions to evolutionary theory and the understanding of human nature, and where are we going. A thoughtful work that is both biographical and educational, "The Science and Humanism of Stephen Jay Gould" is an excellent pick for anyone who wants to understand the man and his work further.

Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything
Kevin Cook
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393071153 $24.95 www.wwnorton.com

Titanic Thompson: The Man Who Bet on Everything provides a powerful biography of a legendary gambler and con man who was born poor in the Ozarks and became a millionaire on poker and dice games. He married five times, killed five men, and won and lost his millions - and his biography is a powerful survey of a fascinating man operating in frontier America.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Winning Health Promotion Strategies
Anne Marie Ludovici-Connolly
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736079655, $29.00, www.humankinetics.com

Health is something the whole community can get behind. "Winning Health Promotion Strategies" is a guide for government officials at the local level of government promote better health through their people and fight the epidemic of obesity that is washing over our land and causing problems on many levels of our lives. With plenty of advice on staging events and promoting health with creative programs, "Winning Health Promotion Strategies" is a thoughtful guide for anyone who wants to take charge of the health problems the world faces.

Combating Micronutrient Deficiencies
Brian Thompson & Leslie Amoroso
Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
www.styluspub.com www.cobi.org
9781845937140, $180.00, www.amazon.com

More than two billion people suffer from a micronutrient deficiency of trace minerals and vitamins that has debilitating effects on their physical health, mental acuity, learning ability, and economic productivity. The 'cure' for a micronutrient deficiency is to be found in food production, dietary diversification, and food fortification. The global problem of micronutrient deficiencies is of serious concern to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Two of their staff, Brian Thompson and Leslie Amoroso, have collaborated to compile "Combating Micronutrient Deficiencies: Food-Based Approaches", a 256-page compendium of nineteen articles by experts in their fields, that has as its focus thematically appropriate, applicable, sustainable techniques, strategies, and practices to insure the production of safe, good-quality food as a means of successfully ameliorating micronutrient deficiencies anywhere in the world. Enhanced with bibliographic references and a comprehensive and exhaustive index, "Combating Micronutrient Deficiencies" is a significant and invaluable addition to professional and academic library Nutritional Studies reference collections.

How We Age
Marc E. Agronin
Da Capo
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306818530, $25.00, www.dacapopress.com

If you live to be a hundred, you've spent more of your life 'old' than you have being otherwise. "How We Age: A Doctor's Journey Into the Heart of Growing Old" discusses the concept of aging and how many people face their golden years and twilight differently. Marc E. Agronin, a geriatric psychologists, looks to explore the psychology of age with a bit of unique gusto and much food for thought, and how the decline of age is not always a decline. "How We Age" is a thoughtful and insightful look into the mind of age, highly recommended.

The Natural Way
Beth Horn & Jim Rosenthal
Price World Publishing
1300 West Belmont Avenue, Suite 20G, Chicago, IL 60657
Cardinal Publishers Group (distributor)
2402 North Shadeland Avenue, Suite A, Indianapolis, IN 46239
www.PriceWorldPublishing.com www.cardinalpub.com
9781932549669, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Beth Horn is an successful actress, a professional model, personal trainer, nutritional consultant, a national fitness champion, and is probably best known to the general public as 'Venom' from the American Gladiators television series. In "The Natural Way: The Holistic Guide To Total Mind-Body Health & Fitness", Ms. Horn, with the assistance of author Jim Rosenthal, provides a 185 page compendium of information, advice, and instruction on creating and living a health life style, of developing and implementing home-based training programs, and the interconnectedness of the spirit, mind, and body. Informed and informative, "The Natural Way" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and enhanced with numerous and thematically relevant charts, as well as workout instructions and illustrative photography. "The Natural Way" is a strongly recommended, 'user friendly', 'do-it-yourself' manual for anyone of any age seeking to maximize their personal health and general fitness.

Sleep Disorders Sourcebook, third edition
Sandra J. Judd, Editor
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231-1640
9780780810846 $95.00 www.omnigraphics.com

The third updated edition of Sleep Disorders Sourcebook provides general lending libraries and health collections alike with an outstanding reference showing how nearly fifty million Americans suffer from sleep problems. It covers all common sleep disorders and health problems that affect sleep patterns, and holds the latest research on how to prevent and treat sleep disorders. Material collected from government agencies, nonprofits and periodicals alike assure this is a winning presentation.

A Patient's Guide to Heart Rhythm Problems
Todd J. Cohen, MD, FACC, FHRS
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801897757 $16.95 www.press.jhu.edu

A Patient's Guide to Heart Rhythm Problems provides an easy guide recommended for any general lending library's health connection. It provides tips for any with heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias) and covers diagnosis, treatment, and when different kinds of therapies are indicated. Tables highlight key details, patient narratives provide personal insights into tests and decision-making processes, and this book comes from a professor who has many director positions to his name.

Jones & Bartlett
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
www.jbpub.com

Y.H. Hui's MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY BASICS: PROGRAMMED INSTRUCTION (9780763766184, $49.95) offers a key guide to medical terminology designed to help students with little or no formal training in medical language. Chapters are arranged according body system and include review exercises, a step-by-step self-programmed course, and keys to repetitive learning to build on skills. A 'must' for any medical student and any college-level collection catering to them! Also a 'must' is Donald J. Griffin's HOSPITALS: WHAT THEY ARE AND HOW THEY WORK (9780763791094, $72.95) appears in its fourth updated edition to provide college-level health students through the maze of the modern acute-care hospital. From a history of hospitals and health care to roles of staff, physicians, nurses and administration, this offers an analysis of every part of the hospital organization and is key to understanding the health industry's processes and routines.

Prescription Painkillers
Marvin D. Seppala, MD with Mark Rose, MA
Hazelden Foundation
PO Box 11, Center City, MN 55012-0011
9781592859016 $17.95 www.hazelden.org

PRESCRIPTION PAINKILLERS: HISTORY, PHARMACOLOGY, AND TREATMENT provides a fine survey joining others in the 'Library of Addictive Drugs', offering a well-researched book on the impact of painkiller abuse on a personal and social level. From different kinds of prescription drug abuse to brain changes caused by addiction and the marketing of different prescription drugs, this provides an excellent and detailed reference by type of prescription drug for any interested in prescription drug addiction and recovery.


The Psychology Shelf

The Psychology of Prejudice
Lynne M. Jackson
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
9781433809200, $69.95, www.apa.org

Why does humanity hate itself so quickly? "The Psychology of Prejudice: From Attitudes to Social Action" is a scholarly study on the thought behind prejudice throughout history. Lynne M. Jackson provides an educated thesis on the concept, defining prejudice and what seems to fuel it. Staring through history to gain context on why we discriminate and the reality of trying to change it for the future. Chapters discuss differences and how they might trigger prejudice, ideology, children's beliefs, and the politics behind it. Complete with indexes and plenty of useful resources, "The Psychology of Prejudice" is a fascinating and strongly recommended resource for community and college library collections.

The Impact of Attachment
Susan Hart
W. W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706628 $42.50 www.wwnorton.com

The Impact of Attachment is a fine pick for any psychology collection, blending theories of neurobiology, attachment and interpersonal relationships to provide therapist with a lively survey of the latest approaches to working with clients. From new brain/mind and biology research findings to developing an interactive, neurobiological perspective to help clients, this explores the importance of attachment within the therapeutic relationship and offers case stories from the author's own clinical experience. College-level collections strong in psychology need this!


The Christian Studies Shelf

Unto Us
Paul Tate
World Library Publications
3708 River Road, Suite 400, Franklin Park, IL 60131-2158
9781584595007, $17.00, www.wlpmusic.com

Music is the voice of the soul, which makes much religious faith a good peer into the soul. "Unto Us" is an assortment of Christian music from Paul Tate, drawing his inspiration from many elements of Christianity, from Christmas to the rest of this year. Written with devotion and dedicated, "Unto Us" is filled with thirteen original gospel tracks and provides an excellent collection of dedicated musical work.

Of Pigs, Pearls, & Prodigals
John Bytheway
Deseret Books
PO Box 30178, Salt Lake City, UT 84130
9781590388082, $19.99, www.greenwichworkshop.com

Christ's actions spoke as loudly as his words. "Of Pigs, Pearls, & Prodigals" discusses thirty of the parables Christ gave throughout his ministry, their context, what they mean, and how one can apply them to their modern life. With a nod to modern Mormon belief and sensibility, "Of Pigs, Pearls, & Prodigals" is a fine read with plenty to ponder for Christian readers who want to understand Jesus's wisdom in their life.

Creating Life in the Lab
Fazale Rana
Baker Books
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780801072093, $17.99, www.bakerbooks.com

Could the advancement of biology serve to heighten faith? "Creating Life in the Lab: How New Discoveries in Synthetic Biology Make a Case for the Creator" is Fazale Rana, as he argues that man's eventual creation of life in the lab is a strike against evolutionary theory and empowers the idea of an intelligent creator. With science added into the formula, "Creating Life in the Lab" is a thoughtful dissection of biology and its impact on faith.

What is the Mission of the Church?
Roger P. Schroeder
Orbis Books
PO Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0302
9781570758102, $16.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Everything has an ultimate goal, but what is the desired destiny of Catholicism? "What is the Mission of the Church?: A Guide for Catholics" discusses what modern Catholics should be working towards in the world, taking wisdom from the Vatican Council II as well as scripture and recent developments. "What is the Mission of the Church?" is an excellent and fine read with plenty to think about for Catholic readers.

God, I'm Ready to Walk in Faith
Thelma Wells
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736930369, $11.99, www.harvesthousepublishing.com

Life is a journey, and for Christians, it is a journey to become closer to God. "God, I'm Ready to Walk in Faith" is a spiritual and motivational read from Thelma Wells, as she uplifting writes her own thoughts and preaches how to make sure your walk in life keeps your eyes on God and avoids drifting away from him with the many temptations of life. "God, I'm Ready to Walk in Faith" is a choice read for many a Christian.

Global Soccer Mom
Shayne Moore
Zondervan
5300 Patterson Avenue Se, Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310325581, $14.99, www.zondervan.com

The power of one is a power often underestimated. "Global Soccer Mom: Changing the World Is Easier Than You Think" is a motivational read for women who want to make the world a better place for their children in the future. Shayne Moore draws on her own endeavors and drive as she embarks on her own quest to save the world, and encourages other mothers to take their own way to show the world the power of the mother. "Global Soccer Mom" is a must for any concerned mother, highly recommended.

The Apocalypse Explained
H. M. Feret, O.P.
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522-2286
www.booksforcatholics.com
9780912141695, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Originally published in 1958 and titled "The Apocalypse of St. John", H. M. Feret's "The Apocalypse Explained" has been aptly translated into English by Elizabethe Corathiel and provides the reader with a cogent 273-page analysis of the New Testament 'Book of the Apocalypse' beginning with its historical context and literary style. "The Apocalypse Explained" addresses the concepts of the synoptic gospel's 'Kingdom of God' with the 'Kingdom of Christ' referred to in the 'Book of the Apocalypse'; the 'Mystery of Christ'; the apocalyptic Christian view of history; Satan, the Church, and Jerusalem in history; and the 'End of Time'. Enhanced with the inclusion of two appendices ('General Division of Text' and 'The Apocalypse with References', "The Apocalypse Explained" is an erudite, meticulously scriptural, informed and informative, instructional presentation of the major themes with respect to the Christian concept and theology of the Apocalypse which is very highly recommended reading for clergy, seminary studies, and lay readers within the Catholic community.

Stronger
Brian "Head" Welch
HarperOne
c/o Harper San Francisco
353 Sacramento St., Suite 500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061555824 $22.99 www.harperone.com

STRONGER: FORTY DAYS OF METAL AND SPIRITUALITY offers a fine autobiography that tells of the author's life with Christ. It comes from the former lead guitarist for the hard-rock band Korn and shares his spiritual transformation from a drug-addicted rock musician to Christianity. His original story was told in SAVE ME FROM MYSELF: this continuation writes about the scripture that helped him understand God.

Common Prayer
Shane Claiborne, et.al.
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310326199 $24.99 www.zondervan.com

COMMON PRAYER; A LITURGY FOR ORDINARY RADICALS considers how various liturgical traditions pray and offers a survey of prayer that will help the church be one. This universal prayer book approach allows readers to join together to celebrate dates and Christian heroes in church history, offering a unifying set of psalms, quotes and celebrations accessible to a wide audience.

The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails
John W. Loftus, Editor
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616141684 $21.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

The Christian Delusion: Why Faith Fails offers an anthology of recent criticisms aimed at Christian belief and comes from a former evangelical minister and apologist who became an atheist. Here are articles by leading skeptics expanding themes introduced in his prior WHY I BECAME AN ATHEIST, offering a defense of his 'outsider's test of faith' and arguing that believers should test their faith with skeptical standards they often apply to other faiths. Any spirituality library needs this.

Real Presence
Sister Wendy Beckett
Orbis Books
Price Bldg, Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570758980 $25.00 www.orbisbooks.com

REAL PRESENCE: IN SEARCH OF THE EARLIEST ICONS covers the extended journey of Sister Wendy Beckett in search of icons of Jesus and the saints in remote churches and monasteries. These were some of the few to survive the destruction of icons in the early eighth century: black and white and color photos accompany a fine history chronicling Sister Wendy's journey and artistic and spiritual discoveries.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Islam in Europe
Nilufer Gole
Markus Wiener
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
9781558765269, $26.95, www.markuswiener.com

Islam is growing faster in Europe than anywhere else in the world. "Islam in Europe: The Lure of Fundamentalism and the Allure of Cosmopolitanism" looks at the conflicts that have erupted as the Christian-inspired Western culture of Europe has been struck with a rise of Islam throughout the continent. Comparing two worlds, one where Islam faces persecution and where Islam radically lashes back at slights, to one where Muslims embrace their new home in peace and without fear of those around them. The two worlds exist in the same region, and Nilufer Gole's research and study makes "Islam in Europe" a very enticing read that should prove hard to put down.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Mystery of U-33
Nigel Graddon
Adventures Unlimited Press
1 Adventure Place, Kempton, IL 60946
9781935487104, $19.95, www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

The Third Reich had a fascination with the mystical, and they used their vast undersea power to the fullest to investigate this. "The Mystery of U-33: Hitler's Secret Envoy" looks into the U-boat missions that are not often heard about to shed some light to where Germany sent their submarine forces all over the world for obvious purposes and not so obvious purposes. A fascinating read for those taken in my Nazi Germany's flirtation with the metaphysical, "The Mystery of U-33" is a top pick, and very highly recommended.

Beyond Happiness
Ezra Bayda
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590308257 $21.95 www.shambhala.com

BEYOND HAPPINESS: THE ZEN WAY TO TRUE CONTENTMENT comes from a Zen teacher who provides the teachings and practices needed to learn to gain real happiness. Most happiness comes from seeking satisfaction in things external to us: BEYOND HAPPINESS focuses on the internal condition and tells how to look inward to find a deeper satisfaction. New age and general collections alike will relish this!

The Lifeboard
Sue Shifrin-Cassidy, et.al.
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811876384 $22.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

The Lifeboard is a simple concept: by collaging life goals and using visualization techniques, you can help solidify and invite change into your life. This package pairs an illustrated book and journal with a hangable 14x20 inch board, motivational stickers, mini storage envelopes for secret wishes, and storage pocks for photos, clippings and other keys to success. While not appropriate for library lending, it's a top pick for new age readers seeking a guided path for positive self-assessment and change!

The Guru in You
Yogi Cameron Alborzian
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins
353 Sacramento St. #500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
9780061898037 $25.99 www.harperone.com

THE GURU IN YOU: UNLOCK THE POWERS OF HEALTH AND HEALING WITHIN provides a fine program for rejuvenating body and soul, and comes from the first male supermodel in the fashion industry. He decided to leave the demanding world of high fashion with all its values at the height of his popularity and investigated yoga, meditation and Ayurvedic healing. The results changed his life and after years of study he now works with Hollywood celebrities and company executives with the program he presents here. Benefits of each exercise stretch and position accompany notes on safety in a recommendation for new age and general collections alike!


The Photography Shelf

Serial Photography
Harald Mante with Eva Witter-Mante
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission Street, Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93102
9781933952734 $39.95 www.rockynook.com

Freelance photo designer Harald Mante presents Serial Photography: Using Themed Images to Improve Your Photographic Skills lives up to its title with innumerable tips, tricks, and techniques that photographers of all skill and experience levels can use to improve the quality of their work. Full-color photographs on every page illustrate the points, suggestions, and recommendations given by the descriptive and user-friendly text. "The automatic flash units built into many of today's cameras often spoil the atmosphere in a photo by producing 'hard' shadows, so a tripod and long shutter speeds are preferable for shooting at dusk. When street lamps are already lit but the remaining daylight still produces silhouettes, you can use these mixed light sources to produce interesting color images." Highly recommended as a supplementary tool for professional and amateur photographers alike.

The Art of Flower Photography
Lucian Niemeyer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764336331 $34.99 www.schifferbooks.com

While The Art of Flower Photography is specifically written for photographers of all skill and experience levels, its dazzlingly beautiful color images of flowers in bloom on virtually every page make it a worthy addition to the bookshelf of anyone who truly enjoys striking nature photography. Chapters discuss lighting, adjustments in approach for palette, film and digital photography, the care and effective usage of equipment, and more. A truly extraordinary display of 215 color photographs demonstrates visual principles in fine detail, in this user-friendly photography guide that combines straightforward, methodical instructions with heartrending natural beauty.

Bush Of Ghosts
John Liebenberg & Patricia Hayes
Umuzi
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
9781415201008, $33.00, www.amazon.com

"Bush Of Ghosts: Life And War In Namibia 1986-90" is a 304 page compendium of black-and-white photography taken by professional new photographer John Liebenberg during the Namibian conflict that raged between 1986 and 1990 on the African continent. With the assistance of Patricia Hayes (Professor of History at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa), "Bush Of Ghosts" is more than just another book of historical photos, it is an informed and informative collection of images that brings to life the people and places that were involved and struggled to live through a time of brutal conflict. "Bush Of Ghosts" is a highly recommended addition to academic and community library collections, as well as the supplemental reading lists for non-specialist general readers with an interest in 20th Century African history.

Create Great iPhone Photos
Allan Hoffman
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
9781593272852, $29.95, www.nostarch.com

The iPhone isn't as good as a fully fledged professional camera, but in the right hands, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. "Create Great iPhone Photos: Apps, Tips, Tricks, and Effects" is a guide to using the iPhone to its full power as both a camera and a photo editing device for those who want to take great pictures no matter where they are with the device they are sure to keep on hand - their iPhone. With plenty of tips on applications to turn the simple iPhone camera into something more and how to attain that special quality that goes beyond a cell phone, "Create Great iPhone Photos" is an excellent guide that anyone who uses their iPhone as a camera should consider.

The Photoshop Elements 9 Book for Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321741331 $49.99 www.newriders.com

The Photoshop Elements 9 Book for Digital Photographers teaches secrets of how professionals retouch photos, use color correction, handle Camera Raw, and sharpen digital products. This focus on Elements 9 provides fine work-arounds for digital manipulation - and it assumes readers have a prior, solid grounding in the basics. This means that the color screenshots and examples are perfect keys to success for those who want to advance their existing skills, offering insights and specifics tailored to neo-pros who want to refine their photography manipulation skills.

Amherst Media
170 Rano St., Suite 200, Buffalo, NY 14207
www.amherstmedia.com

Doug Box's FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY: ON- AND OFF-CAMERA TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608952588, $34.95) tells how to avoid the common pitfalls of using small light sources, and tells how to control camera flash using sync cords, slaves, and wireless triggers. From understanding differences between automatic and manual flash results to handling metering, exposure, and working with flash in mixed lighting, this is packed with fine keys to photographic success. Bill Hurter's WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHER'S HANDBOOK, 2ND EDITION (9781608952625, $34.95) comes from the editor of Rangefinder and goes behind the scenes with some of the world's top wedding photographers to learn their secrets for success. Images, ideas, and keys to everything from planning a shoot to designing an album makes for a powerful survey of digital workflow techniques that incorporate the latest wedding photography trends and equipment. Digital photographers will find this a 'must'. Also recommended is Michelle Perkins' 500 POSES FOR PHOTOGRAPHING MEN: A VISUAL SOURCEBOOK FOR DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781608952700, $34.95) is packed with images by some of the world's most accomplished portrait photographers and provides a resource for photographers seeking inspiration for their own work. New poses, discussions of how they can be achieved, and numerous color shots on every page capture men in all kinds of poses making for a top recommendation for any neo-professional's collection - and a refreshing change from the typical focus on women.


The Military Shelf

The US Army's First, Last, and Only All-Black Rangers
Edward L. Posey
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611210774 $18.95 www.savasbeatie.com

Master Sergeant (Ret.) Edward L. Posey presents The US Army's First, Last, and Only All-Black Rangers, a military history chronicling the elite, all-volunteer 2D Ranger Infantry Company (Airborne) during the Korean War from 1950-1951. This unit, which existed for ten months (three months of training and seven months of combat deployment) before being deactivated, is notable in that it was the only all-black Ranger unit in the history of the American army. Chapters chronicle the unit's grueling training regimen, the men's struggles with segregation and racism, and the combat actions in Korea that earned accolades and medals. An inset section of vintage black-and-white photographs enhances this methodical, respectful, and invaluable contribution to American military history shelves, particularly those with a focus on African-American issues or the Korean War.

Women in Combat
Rosemarie Skaine
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781598844597 $55.00 www.abc-clio.com

Part of ABC-CLIO's "Contemporary World Issues" series, Women in Combat is a solid, unbiased reference handbook concerning a vital modern-day issue - that of women serving in military combat. Chapters trace the history of women in the military, controversies about their service such as their effects on unit cohesion and readiness, some proposed solutions ranging from all-female platoons to establishing gender-neutral performance-based requirements, the worldwide perspective of women in combat from military roles to female participation in guerilla military and even as suicide bombers, biographical sketches, data and documents, and much more. A sober, clearly and thoughtfully written reference, Women in Combat is highly recommended especially for public and college library military shelves.

"Recce"
P. Matthysen, M. Kalkwarf & M. Huxtable
30 Degrees South Publishers
www.30degreessouth.co.za
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781920143411 $80.00 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

"Recce": A Collector's Guide to the History of the South African Special Forces is a superbly researched and presented close study of the South African Special Forces, who are primarily used in intelligence gathering but sometimes applied to offensive action. Roughly 2,500 color photographs illustrate this in-depth examination of these elite troops' selection and training processes, insignia/kit/equipment, awards, memorabilia, and a thorough history of their uses and actions. A foreword by the late Lt. General F. W. Loots rounds out this absolute "must-have" for any reader interested in learning more about this extraordinary military organization.

This Time We Win
James S. Robbins
Encounter Books
900 Broadway #601, New York NY 10003
9781594032295 $25.95 www.encounterbooks.com

THIS TIME WE WIN: REVISITING THE TET OFFENSIVE provides an outstanding survey analyzing the flawed Tet mythology of the Vietnam era, and re-examines the Tet Offensive. Any military collection strong in Vietnam needs this: it analyzes the battles and their impact using themes of terrorism, war crimes, leadership breakdown and media bias alike, offering an analysis that often vastly differs from popular explorations.

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

Stephen Ransom and Hans-Hermann Cammann's JAGDGESCHWADER 400 (9781846039751 $25.95) provides a military history of an elite group formed for the sole purpose of flying the rocket-powered ME 163. The massive plane had a big psychological impact upon the Allies and influenced the future of jet fighter development around the world. This tells the story of the ME 163 and the German pilots who flew them, offering rare photos, first-hand accounts, and a dramatic history from two experts. Any serious World War II collection must have this! World War I collections will find important Steven J. Zaloga's FRENCH TANKS OF WORLD WAR I (9781846035135, $17.95), an excellent survey that offers insights on the design, construction and history of early French armor developments and designs. This joins others in the New Vanguard histories of military machines and is an outstanding survey. Marco Mattioli's 53 DEGREE STORMO (9781846039775, $25.95) joins others in the Aviation Elite Units series, discussing the Stormo plane and its deployment. The history of the 1936-developed fighter makes for a key set of aviation victory insights of World War II and is illustrated throughout with period photos, plane profiles and full-color illustrations. Recently revealed archival material sets this apart from any other consideration - none of which offer the depth of detail of this survey. Chris Bucholtz's MUSTANG ACES OF THE 357TH FIGHTER GROUP (9781846039850,$22.95) joins others in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series, this covering the Mustangs who produced more aces than any other unit in the USAAF during the second world war. Histories of the aircraft, the pilots who flew them, and the missions they embarked upon make for a fine blend of aircraft and military history, with first-hand accounts and extensive archival photos enhancing the coverage.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

At This Theatre
Robert Viagas & Louis Botto
Hal Leonard
7777 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, Wi 53213
9781557837646, $38.99, www.applausepub.com

Broadway in America is synonymous with theatre. "At This Theatre: 110 Years of Broadway Shows, Stories, and Stars" looks at the long history that the Publication 'Playbill' has had in crafting programs for many of the greatest show in the past century and then some. With an assortment of color photos showing the many important shows of the major theaters from across the country. With plenty of history and discussion of these productions, "At This Theatre" is an ideal pick for any collection focusing on theatre history or for one searching for a coffee table for one who can't get enough of Broadway.

Riding the Alligator
Pen Densham
Michael Wiese Publications
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907841 $24.95 www.mwp.com

RIDING THE ALLIGATOR: STRATEGIES FOR A CAREER IN SCREENPLAY WRITING (AND NOT GETTING EATEN) explores screenwriting techniques and comes from a Hollywood filmmaker who documents the secrets of a successful career that have helped him through 14 feature films and numerous TV series. Ideas on overcoming common challenges to successful writing offers his discoveries plus short essays from other top successful Hollywood screenwriters.


The Audiobook Shelf

Titus Groan
Mervyn Peake, author
Rupert Degas, narrator
Naxos Audio Books
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
9781843795407 $28.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com 1-877-629-6723

Titus Groan is the abridged audiobook adaptation of volume one of the popular Gormenghast trilogy of novels. A dark yet vibrantly charged narrative, Titus Groan tells of Titus, who is born the 77th Earl of Groan and heir to the mysterious rituals that govern the lives and actions of nearly everyone around him. But the wicked and deceitful Steerpike threatens the social order with the willingness to lie, cheat, and even commit premeditated murder. Classical music enhances the reading by veteran audio performer Rupert Degas, who lends his dulcet talents to this captivating saga of intrigue, betrayal, and terrible responsibility. Highly recommended especially for audiobook aficionados and public library collections. 4 CDs, 5 hours 9 min.

What Alice Forgot
Liane Moriarty, author
Caroline Lee, narrator
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd, Jackson, ME 04921
9781742146775 $113.95 www.bolinda.com

What Alice Forgot is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Liane Moriarty's haunting novel of lost memories and surfacing troubles. Ten years have disappeared from Alice Love's recollection of her life. She has three children she doesn't remember giving birth to, and her husband has turned hostile and is in the process of divorcing her. As she searches for what she has lost, she gradually discovers increasingly shocking and difficult truths. Performed by award-winning actress and narrator Caroline Lee, What Alice Forgot is a thoughtful and involving drama, highly recommended especially for public library collections. 13 CDs, 15 hours 43 min.

The Shadow Thief
Alexandra Adornetto
Bolinda Publishing
186 S Long Swamp Rd, Jackson, ME 04921
9781742850023 $63.95 www.bolinda.com

Read by author Alexandra Adornetto, The Shadow Thief: Book One is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of an engaging fantasy adventure set in the all too ordinary town of Drabville. Milli Klompet yearns for adventure, and unexpectedly gains the opportunity when she and others are taken prisoner by the offbeat Mr and Mrs Mayor and a sinister gathering of magicians, led by the ruthless Aldor. Aldor plans to swallow the shadows of every citizen in Drabville, assimilating their skills and talents to make himself into the ultimate power. Milli and her best friend, amateur geologist Ernest Perriclof, must work together to escape the Shadow Keepers and match their wits against the wicked Aldor before Drabville is doomed. The Shadow Thief is a striking, high-spirited quest, especially recommended for public library collections. 5 CDs, 5 hours 31 min.

A Raisin in the Sun
Lorraine Hansberry
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
1580818005 $25.95 www.latw.org 1-800-708-8863

Brought to life with a full cast performance, A Raisin in the Sun is a highly recommended audiobook following a blue-collar African-American family struggling to survive during difficult times. Widow and matriarch Mama Lena has collected insurance money from the untimely loss of her beloved husband; she dreams of using it to move to a better home. But her son wants to buy a liquor store, while her daughter yearns to go to medical school. When resources are strictly limited, can there be any compromise between drastically different family aspirations - and will the family tear itself apart over money? A deeply involving dramatic saga unfolds. 2 CDs 140 min.

The George Bernard Shaw Collection
George Bernard Shaw
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
1580817912 $99.95 www.latw.org 1-800-708-8863

The George Bernard Shaw Collection gathers the full-cast performances of eight of George Bernard Shaw's classic short plays into a single compendium. The featured works are "Mrs. Warren's Profession", "Arms and the Man", "Candida", "The Devil's Disciple", "Major Barbara", "The Doctor's Dilemma", "Misalliance", and "Pygmalion". All are stirringly brought to life with emphatic, passionate strength and heart, making The George Bernard Shaw Collection worthy of the highest recommendation for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 16 CDs, 8 hours 20 min.

Etiquette Scholar: Dining Etiquette
Read by Katherine Valentine King
Yellowstone Publishing, LLC
5335 South Grant Street, Littleton, Colorado 80121
9780980195118 $14.95 www.etiquettescholar.com

Etiquette Scholar: Dining Etiquette is a brief tutorial audiobook discussing the basic social graces of attending a meal, particularly at a restaurant, but also brimming with solid advice for attending a dinner party or respectfully sharing a meal at a friend's house. The six sections are "Introduction", "The Table", "Enjoying the Meal", "Handling the Check", "Special Topics", and "Dining Etiquette Essentials". A concise yet absolutely invaluable resource for learning how to look and act one's best in any social or business interaction based around a meal, Etiquette Scholar: Dining Etiquette is worthy of the highest recommendation. 1 CD, 42 min.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceauido.com

Roger Zelazany's THIS IMMORTAL (1441875018, $29.99) receives a fine performance by Victor Devine, who brings to life the story of Conrad, who has a rich personal history and a new arts commissioner job: to escort an alien ambassador on a guided tour of what remains of Earth. Intrigue adds to the mix and complicates his role in this fine science fiction tale. Christine Feehan's WILD FIRE (1441815295, $29.99) receives an excellent performance by veteran narrator Phil Gigante as it tells of Conner Vega, who retains to the panama rain forest as a lethal member of the shifter tribes. His encounter of a woman who is also a shifter - and who has never forgiven his transgressions - makes for a tense and thrilling account of deadly danger in the gripping audio saga. Three Jack Higgins audios are top picks for any audio collection interested in thrillers: all feature veteran narrator Michael Page's smooth and dramatic voice, which lends both excitement and uniformity to the listener's experience. EYE OF THE STORM (1441838856, $29.99) tells of former IRA allies Sean and Martin, who have chosen opposite paths since their employment. Sean is a terrorist for hire, Martin is one who knows him well. Both are exceptionally skilled in espionage in this riveting saga. THE EAGLE HAS LANDED (1441843604, $29.99) tells of an elite fighter unit gathered to thwart an enemy mission during World War II, and is packed with cat-and-mouse twists and turns of plot throughout as it describes a Nazi plan to kidnap Churchill on British soil. THUNDER POINT (1441838775, $29.99) is also set during the war, when Nazi leader Martin flees South America and terrorist Sean is employed to help the British government retrieve Martin's documents. Jack Higgins' ON DANGEROUS GROUND (1441838937, $29.99) is centered around Hong Kong's uncertain future and tells of a secret document that could delay the Chinese takeover and affect world governments. Michael Page also lends his smooth voice to this espionage thriller. All are highly recommended audio picks!

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

James Patterson & Michael Ledwidge's TICK TOCK (9781607888796 $34.98) receives a fine dual narration by Bobby Cannavale and Scott Sowers and whose combined, powerful voices bring to life the story of a killer's countdown, a detective pulled from his vacation with his ten adopted kids to solve the crimes, and the threat that reaches into his own home life from the 'Tick Tock Killer'. Suspense and twists and turns of plot make for a top pick for any audio library. Also tops is James Patterson and Ned Rust's WITCH & WIZARD: THE GIFT (9781607886747, $22.98), narrated by Peter Giles, Spencer Locke and Elijah Wood whose fine film and TV credits and dramatic acting voices bring to life the story of a dangerous leader of a new order set upon locating and kidnapping Whit and Wisty Allgood, who have unusual abilities that could change the world. An effort to capture and corrupt their Gifts holds implicates for any with gifts in this riveting drama.

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

Two unabridged, multicast-performance audiobook adaptations (with music and sound effects) bring L. Ron Hubbard's classic pulp action-adventure stories to vivid life. Originally published in the May 1940 issue of Five Novels Monthly, "On Blazing Wings" (9781592122325, $9.95, 2 CDs, 2 hours) follows David Duane, a mercenary ace fighter pilot with the soul of an artist. Duane takes a mission that pits him against Russian Communists in Finland, When Duane's plane is shot down, Duane discovers a bizarre, mysterious city distinguished by luxury and ornamented with golden minarets. As Duane struggles to remember his true inner purpose, he finds himself at a perilous crossroads, for he years desperately to save the woman he loves... a woman who serves as a Russian officer. Bob Caso is the lead performer of this thrilling adventure. "The Carnival of Death" (9781592122684, $9.95, 2 CDs, 2 hours) was originally published in the November 1934 issue of Popular Detective; the story centers upon undercover US narcotics agent Bob Clark, who stumbles across the horrific work of a decapitating killer. Are the murders being committed by four tribal headhunters working for Shreve's Mammoth Carnival? Or is someone else wreaking havoc behind the scenes? When Clark becomes the captive of the tribal headhunters, he had better pray that they are not the ones responsible! Jim Meskimen is the lead performer of this suspenseful murder mystery. Both audiobooks are highly recommended especially for fans of the Golden Age.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Poetic License to Kill
K. B. Tobin
Broadhead Books
17850 SW Bryan Way, Beaverton, OR 97007
1930486979, $14.95, www.salvopress.com

Poetry isn't usually a career that invites foul play. "Poetic License to Kill" follows Laura Ryan and her daughter as their love of poetry takes them someplace else entirely as a serial killer who targets poets keeps the city's poetry community under their thumb. Working with the police, their story takes twists and turns that will prove both humorous and tragic. "Poetic License to Kill" is a fine and solidly recommended pick for mystery readers.

Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini
Sue Ann Jaffarian
Midnight Ink
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738713823, $14.95, www.midnightinkbooks.com

It can be hard to move on when no one ever comes to pick you up. "Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini" is another entry into the Ghost of Granny Apples mystery series, following the tale of Tessa North, a young woman who died in her bikini on an island in the 1960s. Having to find Curtis to help her pass on to the next world, Emma and Granny have a lot on their hands. "Ghost in the Polka Dot Bikini" is a fun read that will be hard to put down.

Prey on Patmos: An Aegean Prophecy
Jeffrey Siger
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave Suite 103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590587669 $24.95 www.poisonedpenpress.com

Prey on Patmos: An Aegean Prophecy tells of a Greek Aegean peninsula where twenty monasteries reflect an unchanged way of life. When a monk from the island's monastery is murdered in Patmos' town square during Easter week, it's up to Chief Inspector Andres Kaldis to find the killer - unearthing a dangerous scandal in the process. A powerful story of Greek politics and intrigue emerges, perfect for any mystery collection.

Obsidian
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

The Obsidian imprint offers a wide range of mysteries suitable for any general mystery lending library, and six new releases offer special recommendations. Amanda Lee's STITCH ME DEADLY (9780451232519, $6.99) tells of Marcy, who opens an embroidery specialty shop only to find herself facing a deadly killer. An antique piece of embroidery brings murder to the forefront in this fine thriller. Ellen Byerrum's SHOT THROUGH VELVET (9780451232502, $7.99) provides a fine 'crime of fashion' mystery as it tells of a fashion reporter's survey of death and scandal in a small town. Her investigation of the Velvet Avenger provides a gripping fashion industry mystery. Sofie Kelly's CURIOSITY THRILLED THE CAT (9780451232496, $6.99) tells of a small town librarian and her two new cats, affected by a small town murder that involves them all in investigation of the prime suspect - and brings Kathleen to suspect her cats are truly magical. Mary Kennedy's STAY TUNED FOR MURDER (9780451232359, $6.99) TELLS OF Maggie, a Florida radio talk show psychologist who is still learning about radio and her profession - until a murder involves her in a time capsule's opening. Victoria Laurie's GHOULS, GHOULS, GHOULS (9780451231970, $7.99) provides a satisfying paranormal mystery as it tells of M.J. and the crew of her cable TV show, who explore haunted castle ruins only to find ghostly murder follows the ghostbusters. An excellent paranormal mystery evolves. J.J. Murphy's MURDER YOUR DARLINGS (9780451231994, $6.99) tells of a charming writer who becomes a murder suspect, and Dorothy's detective work to ascertain his innocence. A new series revolving around a nosy investigator adds whimsy and drama to the story. All are top mystery collection additions.

Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Kaye Morgan's CELEBRITY SUDOKU (9780425238271, $6.99) tells of the scenic small Oregon town of Maiden's Bay and Liza's challenging Sudoku puzzles, which compliment her sharp detective's brain and eye for trouble. An earthquake and a missing celebrity add to her issues in this powerful story. Hannah Dennison's THIEVES! (9780425239278, $7.99) tells of silver thefts in a small town and an investigative journalist, Vicky Hill, who must figure out the culprits. Gypsies and murder blend in this fine saga. Toni L.P. Kelner's BLAST FROM THE PAST (9780425239902, $7.99) tells of Tilda, who finds herself chasing after a star during a small town filming. Her privy information on a secret turns dangerous when a murder attempt makes her the only one with inside knowledge. Merline Lovelace's CATCH HER IF YOU CAN (9780425239254, $7.99) tells of Lieutenant Samantha Spade and her team, who are testing a dog robot for military use when it leads them to a gruesome murder with puzzling results. FBI involvement, a reward, and dangerous technology mingle in this powerful mystery. Mary Stanton's ANGEL'S VERDICT (9780425239872, $7.99) tells of a celestial advocate who handles appeals for condemned souls, but who wants to return to practicing law amongst the living. Her role in a small town production leads straight into sabotage and murder in this riveting thriller. Lila Dare's POLISHED OFF (9780425239865, $7.99) includes organic skin-care recipes as it is set in a beauty parlor and tells of Violetta's salon and an opportunity to become a stylist for a pageant. Angry protestors and murder complicate the process. Lorraine Bartlett's A CRAFTY KILLING (9780425239858, $7.99) offers a new series, 'Victoria Square', and tells of Katie, who becomes a business manager only to find her business partner murdered. Her investigation of her partner's murder turns up more dangerous keys and implicates her in crime in this tense thriller. Christy Evans' DRIP DEAD (9780425239896, $6.99) has a female plumber's apprentice involved in a murder where a dead real estate mogul is found under her mother's house. Soon Georgiana's mother is arrested for murder - and it's up to Georgiana to clear her mother's name. All are powerful mysteries any lending library will welcome!


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

A Guide Book of United States Paper Money, third edition
Arthur L. and Ira S. Friedberg
Whitman Publishing
3101 Clairmont Rd Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
9780794832407 $24.95 www.whitmanbooks.com

A GUIDE BOOK OF UNITED STATES PAPER MONEY: COMPLETE SOURCE FOR HISTORY, GRADING, VALUES appears in an updated third edition to pack in all the latest values, and is a top pick for any collector or dealer needing the latest currency series values. Market valuations are compiled from recent sale and auction records and analysis of the paper money field from hobby experts, with hundreds of notes pictured in full color, front and back. Simply invaluable!


The Sports Shelf

The Road Warriors
Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis with Andrew William Wright
Medallion Press, Inc.
1020 Cedar Lane, No. 2N, St. Charles, IL 60174
9781605421421 $24.95 www.medallionpress.com

The Road Warriors: Danger, Death, and the Rush of Wrestling is the eye-opening biography of the Legion of Doom: The Road Warriors, tag-team wrestling group, as told by celebrity member Joe "Animal" Laurinaitis. Chapters give an up-close and personal taste of the intense rush of wrestling in front of a gigantic, cheering crowd; the constant perils of injury, whether from mishaps in the ring or even the risk of a scaffold giving way; the foibles of daily life in a highly competitive industry; and much more. An extraordinary tour de force, enthusiastically recommended to wrestling fans in general and Road Warriors fans in particular.

Undisputed
Chris Jericho
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette
237 Park Avenue, NewYork, NY 10017
9780446538152, $27.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

In his previous memoir, 'A Lion's Tale', Jericho's work was applauded as the best pro wrestling memoir since Mick Foley's first. "Undisputed: How to Become the World Champion in 1,372 Easy Steps" is the follow-up to the previous volume, picking up exactly where 'A Lion's Tale' left off, detailing his first six year run in the WWE. He speaks candidly on the politics of the WWE, and how for the first time in his young life he realized he had other pursuits than pro wrestling. Jericho also details how he and his friends took his band Fozzy from a gimmicky cover group to becoming a decently respected rock group all its own, butting heads and making friends with many of the big names of modern heavy metal and a good deal of those could be called all time metal-legends. Jericho also provides personal commentary on the tragedies that have wracked the pro wrestling industry as a whole. Leaving readers wanting more, "Undisputed" is a strong pick for those who want to understand pro-wrestling from one of its smartest minds.

Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
www.humankinetics.com

The second updated edition of Gil Fred, et.al.'s SPORT FINANCE (0736067701, $70.00) provides students with a fine survey of financial management in sports, and is for any college-level student or physical education teacher involved in sport management and finance. It covers the basics of finance to teach students ethical guidelines, time and money values, and more, offering updated examples, references and case studies. Students new to sport finance concepts receive chapter objectives, tables and summaries in a step-by-step progressive learning course in a book. Instructors receive ancillary materials to make concepts easier for students in this recommendation for any college-level sports education collection. General collections as well as cyclers looking for a basic guide will find editor Andy Clarke's SMART CYCLING: PROMOTING SAFETY, FUN, FITNESS, AND THE ENVIRONMENT (0736087176, $29.00) presents all the information needed to teach new or returning cyclists how to choose a bike, gear, and how to use it. From road safety to repairs and maintenance, this includes a DVD of four videos that can be shown to help reinforce and visualize the skills taught here. Denise L. Smith and Bo Fernhall's ADVANCED CARDIOVASCULAR EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY (0736073922, $69.00) details the effect of chronic exercise training on each part of the cardiovascular system. Intended for in-depth college-level sports and health collections, this provides details on the beneficial results of exercise on the entire system and is intended for trainers and educators who want a thorough understanding of exercise science and its medical impact. Riva L. Rahl's PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND HEALTH GUIDELINES (0736079432, $49.00) provides a fine collection of the latest health recommendations from various leading sources and provides a fine resource packed with specific activity recommendation for people with diabetes, asthma, and more. The individual options in an exercise routine are discussed with a key to integrating physical activity recommendations into a general health program.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist
Jim Amash with Eric Nolen-Weathington
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh NC 27614
1605490210 $26.95 www.twomorrows.com

Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist offers a fine survey essential for any comic history or graphic novel collection. It pairs black and white comic reproductions of Sal Buscema's works with a series of interviews with Sal Buscema discussing his influences, specific sketching choices, and more. Any fan of this Marvel Comics illustrator will find this survey key to understanding his art.

Too Much Crazy
Tom Tomorrow
Soft Skull Press
9781593764104 $14.95 www.softskull.com

Too Much Crazy provides the fine political cartoons of Tom Tomorrow, whose This Modern World has produced some of the funniest commentary on politics in the country. This anthology gathers his work from 2008 to present, adds previously unseen works, and covers the drama of the presidential election and Obama's first year in office.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Hot Jobs
Andrew Morkes
College & Career Press
PO Box 300484, Chicago, IL 60630
9780974525167, $19.95, www.collegeandcareerpress.com

For many, their dream in life is to be comfortable, and finding the best job is the best way to get to that point. "Hot Jobs: More Than 25 Careers with the Highest Pay, Fastest Growth, and Most New Job Openings" is a guide for finding the most rapidly growing job opportunities that should be kept an eye out for those who are trying to plot their future with a good job that has long term prospects. Outlining each of these jobs and what they need to succeed, "Hot Jobs" is a fine pick for anyone with an eye out for their career.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Truths Desired by God
Meir Tamari
Gefen Books
600 Broadway, Lynbrook, NY 11563
c/o Stuart Schnee (publicity)
stu@stuartschnee.com
9789652294517 $29.95 www.gefenpublishing.com 1-800-477-5257

Economist and expert in the field of Jewish ethics Meir Tamari presents Truths Desired by God: An Excursion into the Weekly Haftarah, a thoughtful study of the books of Nevi'im and their invaluable contribution to the message of Judaism. Each haftarah of the books of Nevi'imis examined at length with insights gleaned from commentators throughout Jewish history. Written in plain terms accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Truths Desired by God is an invaluable supplement to Judaic Studies and religious history shelves. "To Moses alone was given the commandment to create and to use silver trumpets, the symbol of kingship and power. Because of his humility, he needed to be shown that a ruler has to have physical, spiritual, and political power. Joshua, however, lacking the merit of Moses, required the shofar, the symbal of humility and the ability to negate oneself before God, in order both to assemble the people and to carry out the first conquest of Jericho."


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

A Cultish Side Of Calvinism
Micah Coate
Privately Published
1101 East Mitchell Street, Tucson, AZ 85719
micah@dakotacom.net
$TBA www.micahcoate.com

John Calvin was a major figure in the Protestant Reformation and his teachings would influence not only key members of his generation, but would continue to wield great authority, provide enduring inspiration, and impact the beliefs for his followers down to the present generation. In "A Cultish Side Of Calvinism", author and Pastor Micah Coate cogently addresses a critically important issue within Calvinist theology and practice -- the necessity of distinguishing the theology of Calvinism from the insidious seductions associated with the establishment of cults, particularly Christian cults, by departing from Scriptural imperatives and investing inappropriately in unreflective compliance with the dictates of mortal men. Soundly based on meticulous scriptural research, Pastor Coate's impressively iconoclastic work with respect to unscriptural doctrines of Calvinist soteriology, "A Cultish Side Of Calvinism" will prove to be as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring examination of Calvinist principles. Exhaustively detailed, yet fully accessible to all members of the Calvinist community, "A Cultish Side Of Calvinism" is especially recommended as thoughtful and thought-provoking reading.


The Fiction Shelf

The Maverick Experiment
Drew Berquist
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709
9781608320905, $14.95, www.themaverickexperiment.com

When your enemy doesn't play by the rules, neither should you. "The Maverick Experiment" is a spy thriller written by former U.S. Intelligence agent Drew Berquist, as he tells a story drawn on his own experiences. Derek Stevens has been tapped to play a role in the Afghan war, a role that sets him against the worst that the Taliban has the offer, but he has been given liberty no typical soldier has - he has no rules to restrain him. "The Maverick Experiment" is an exciting read that will be very hard to put down once picked up.

The Other Life
Ellen Meister
Putnam
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3658
9780399157134, $24.95, www.penguin.com

There are some points in our lives that act as forks, as we choose a path and are only left to wonder what the other path would have held. "The Other Life" tells the story of Quinn Braverman, a woman in a quiet life, content with her life with Lewis. Quinn holds a secret though, that she possesses the ability to see and take the other path of that fork, phasing into a parallel life where she chose a chaotic life of fame with one of her other loves of the past. When her life starts to break down, she soon finds herself split between two worlds and unsure of what to choose. "The Other Life" is an exciting and suspenseful novel of choosing ones path in life, highly recommended.

Invisible River
Helena McEwen
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 300, new York, NY 10010
9781608192663, $15.00, www.bloomsburyusa.com

No one ever said Adulthood was easy. "Invisible River" tells the story of young Evie, who is facing adulthood as she leaves home for art school. In her travels she has the world and all of its characters dumped on her, and she copes with it well. But crisis will always strike and Evie must face what she left behind and everything that comes with it. "Invisible River" is a fascinating read and is very highly recommended.

To Kill the Other
Danuta Hinc
Tate Publishing
127 E. Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064
9781617390197, $18.99, www.tatepublishing.com

No one is born a murderer of thousands. "To Kill the Other" takes a spin on how a terrorist is formed. Telling the story of Taher, a man who is transformed from a simple kid into a ruthless individual joining in on his group's plans of mass murder. A fascinating and well written story, "To Kill the Other" is a highly recommended pick, not to be missed.

The Price of Fame
Carolyne Aarsen
Guideposts
16 East 34th Street, New York, NY 10016
9780824947309, $13.99

Everyone wants to be loved, but the question is, how much? "The Price of Fame" tells the story of small Acorn Hill, where Hollywood has chosen it as the hottest new locale for their next big film. The people of the town, however, are not all welcoming Hollywood with open arms. As the people of the town are lured by their own fame, the decision to fight Hollywood becomes tougher and tougher to make. "The Price of Fame" is an exciting novel that will be hard to put down.


The Parenting Shelf

My Child has Autism, Now What?
Susan Larson Kidd
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849058414, $15.95, www.jkp.com

A diagnosis of autism brings parents terror, as they have no idea what will happen to their child next. "My Child has Autism, Now What?: 10 Steps to Get You Started" is an advisory for parents who have learned of their child's autistic condition and have no idea what to do next, no idea of how this changes things for them. Susan Larson Kidd, a professional who has been dealing with autism for 25 years, offers her vast expertise and comes to readers with plenty of wisdom. "My Child Has Autism" is a must for any parent overwhelmed by the new world they have entered into.


The Poetry Shelf

Being True to Life
David Richo
Shambhala
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590307427, $14.95, www.shambhala.com

Why poetry other over art? Why poetry at all? "Being True to Life: Poetic Paths to Personal Growth" is an examination of poetry and its purpose from therapist David Richo, as he discusses how poetry's style and format lets readers dig deeper into their own thoughts and express those thoughts more clearly to others. He gives lessons on creating soulful work of ones own, and makes a strong case for poetry's healing power. "Being True to Life" is a strong pick for anyone looking to understand and get into poetry.

Collected Poems in English
Arun Kolatkar
Bloodaxe Books
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781852248536, $27.95

Throughout the second half of the twentieth century, Arun Kolatkar proved to be one of the key voices in Indian poetry. "Collected Poems in English" is a collection of the man's work presented in English. A reserved individual, he approached poetry with quality and a certain thoughtful speaking. "Collected Poems in English" is a key addition to any international poetry collection. "The Reservoir": There isn't a drop of water/in the great reservoir the Peshwas built.//There is nothing in it./Except a hundred years of silt.

Derrybeg and Back
John P. McNamee
DuFour
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9780802313485, $24.95

Having worked for decades in service of his community, John McNamee has chosen to let his mind roam free with his volume of poetry "Derrybeg and Back". Drawing vividly on his life experiences, McNamee speaks with clarity and wisdom, and hopes to inspire and motivate as he entertains. "Derrybeg and Back'" is a fine collection, highly recommended. "River View": Trim as a glazier's knife/a small power boat silent in the distance/cuts water still as a mirror//The wake spreads like folds of precious cloth a bridal veil/for the noon nuptials of sun and river.


The Relationship Shelf

Fall in Love Like a Romance Writer
Amelia Grey
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S. W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757315541, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

What drives a romantic situation for one who is paid to think about it? "Fall in Love Like A Romance Writer: Your Favorite Novelists Share Their Secret Keys to a Long and Lasting Love" are musings about love for those who write about love. There stories often diverge from the tales they write, as real love strikes unexpectedly and without warning. Charming and mighty wise, "Fall in Love Like a Romance Writer" is an advice guide for any who realize it's not always a storybook situation.

Do Yourself a Favor: Love Your Wife!
James A. Schaller
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959
9781577332473, $14.95, www.bluedolphinpublishing.com

Your spouse should always be there for you, and you should reciprocate. "Do Yourself a Favor: Love Your Wife: A Guide to Marital Intimacy" is an advisory for husbands and others in their life to fully embrace their spouse and remember the many aspects of married life, and encourages men and women to remember and look out for the many flaws that can emerge throughout all of this. Encouraging openness and sharing of life, "Do Yourself a Favor: Love Your Wife!" is a fine read and very highly recommended.


The Political Science Shelf

Reading Negri
Pierre Lamarche, Max Rosenkrantz, & David Sherman, editors
Open Court
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696554, $39.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

With few states truly subscribing to Communism any longer, where does the philosophy of Marxism stand? "Reading Negri: Marxism in the Age of Empire" analyzes the work of modern Marxist philosopher Antonio Negri and its impact on today's world. Discussing his works completely and comprehensively, the editors and contributors provide a fascinating study of his work in Empire, written in 2000, but still holding much wisdom in today's rapidly changing world. "Reading Negri" is an excellent addition to any community or college library social issues or politics collection.


The Self-Help Shelf

Life Organizer
Nancy Randolph Greenway
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10011
9781599620923, $29.95, www.welcomebooks.com

Your life is a complicated thing and can be quite overwhelming to try to manage all in ones head. "Life Organizer: The Essential Record Keeper & Estate Planner" is an advisory and planner combined to help readers manage the many aspects of their life more effectively. From personal medical choices, problems, and information that needs to be known whether to remind yourself or others if you are incapacitated, information for family, will and testament, and more, "Life Organizer" is a very useful resource that should be highly considered for those who want their life's information written down.

Still Standing
Bucky Sinister
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244763, $14.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Sobriety is a strange and new territory for many. "Still Standing: Addicts Talk About Living Sober" is a collection of interviews from Bucky Sinister, former punk rocker as he interviews various individuals who are on their own way to recovering from their self-destructive lives and shares their story that putting an end to drug abuse is not putting an end to your life. "Still Standing" is a thoughtful and uplifting anthology tales of beating addiction, highly recommended.

The Yin Yang Complex
Brendan Foley
Mercier Press
info@mercierpress.ie
9781856356527, $24.95, www.mercierpress.ie

Balancing life around you is a key to finding that happiness in ones life. "The Yin Yang Complex: Create Success by Understanding the World's Oldest Dynamic Forces" is a spiritual guide in which Brendan Foley advises readers to find their balance in life and create a lifestyle that understands that too much of anything is going down a poor path. Telling how this principle applies to many aspects of life, "The Yin Yang Complex" is an excellent read and is very highly recommended.


The American History Shelf

Slavery on Trial
James M. Campbell
University Press of Florida
University of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813035666 $27.95 www.upf.com 1-800-226-3822

Slavery on Trial: Race, Class and Criminal Justice in Antebellum Richmond, Virginia draws upon more than 7,000 criminal cases recorded between 1830 and 1860 in Virginia before the American Civil War to give a chilling picture of how racism and the institution of slavery had an overwhelming effect on the justice system. Contradictions in the law as applied to slaves, free blacks, poor whites, immigrants, and women are scrutinized at length. Chapters explore how the stigma of being black stymied most hope or opportunity for justice, the logistics of policing a city, the common trends of slave trials, and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs and a wealth of notes enhance this somber, thoughtful, heavily researched and deftly presented examination of historical injustice.

The Epidemic
David DeKok
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762760084 $22.95 www.lyonspress.com 1-800-836-0510

Former award-winning investigative reporter David DeKok presents The Epidemic: A Collision of Power, Privilege, and Public Health, the true story of how a greedy and careless businessman, William T. Morris, who ignored known engineering principles designed to prevent water contamination in his reckless pursuit of profits. The result was an epidemic of typhoid that struck 522 homes in Ithaca, and was especially notorious for killing students of Cornell University. Yet those most responsible for the devastation were never punished, and Morris' legacy - the corporation that started as Associated Gas & Electric Co., and later became known as General Public Utilities Corp. - committed one injustice against the public interest after another, the most notorious of which would be the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979. A haunting and disturbing cautionary tale of unchecked corporate power and incompetence, and the horrifically tragic results, The Epidemic is highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.

Howard L. Bingham's Black Panthers 1968
Howard L. Binghm, Gilbert Moore, et. al.
AMMO Books, LLC
PO Box 412402, Los Angeles, CA 90041
9781934429143 $19.95 www.ammbooks.com

In 1968, LIFE magazine instructed photographer Howard L. Bingham and writer Gilbert Moore to document and report on the Black Panther party, a radical and notorious African-American organization founded to promote self-defense and protect African-American neighborhoods from police brutality. The politics and openly socialist ideals embraced by the party often received less limelight than their militant actions, and their hostility to law enforcement. Bingham and Moore studied the Panthers for months during the heyday of the 1960's counter-culture, earned the movement's trust, and were allowed greater access within its ranks. LIFE magazine disputed the tone of Moore's story and it was ultimately unpublished - until over forty years later, when the photographs are available for an up-close and personal examination of this organization during a critical time in America's history. Bingham's Black Panthers 1968 pairs the images with essays by a variety of authors, culminating in an indispensable reference and resource for anyone seeking to learn more about who the Black Panthers were, and the conditions that shaped and drove them in the late 60's. Highly recommended.

From Chicaza to Chickasaw
Robbie Ethridge
The University of North Carolina Press
116 S. Boundary St., Chapel Hill, NC 27514-3808
9780807834350, $37.50, www.uncpress.unc.edu

With a taste of empire, the European lust for conquest could not be sated. "From Chicaza to Chickasaw: The European Invasion and the Transformation of the Mississippian World, 1550-1714" tells of the period as the Europeans, in their many nations, began their grand conquest of the Americans and left the continent forever changed. Telling the history through periods and regions, Robbie Ethridge provides a scholarly and recommended read, and makes "From Chicaza to Chickasaw" a strong addition for historical collections with a focus on the discovery of the new world.

A Spy's Guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque
E. B. Held
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826349354, $19.95, www.unmpress.com

Santa Fe and Albuquerque are more than famous Southwestern American cities. "A Spy's Guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque" explores the secret espionage side of New Mexico, which has been used for intelligence clashes from many agents around the world, under the eyes of the otherwise unsuspecting citizens. A fascinating look into the history that lies behind it all, "A Spy's Guide to Santa Fe and Albuquerque" is a top pick for those interested in New Mexico or espionage history.


The World History Shelf

Peace in the Making
Harry Hurtwitz
Gefen
600 Broadway, Lynbrook, NY 11563
9789652294562, $24.95, www.gefenpublishing.com

Peace in the middle east seemed impossible before these individuals dared to go against the hostility that surrounded them. "Peace in the Making: The Menachem Begin - Anwar El-Sadat Personal Correspondence" collects the primary sources as these two history makers communicated with each other until an assassin ended Sadat's life in 1981. A fascinating study of how two men can lead their countries towards a more prosperous existence, "Peace in the Making" is a fine read and an excellent addition to any history collection with a focus on the Middle East.

Cradle of Gold
Christopher Heaney
Palgrave Macmillan
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780230611696, $27.00, www.palgrave.com

The native peoples of the Americas were greatly reduced in number when the European conquests began, and there has been debate to whose does the history of these people belong? "Cradle of Gold: The Story of Hiram Bingham, A Real-Life Indiana Jones, and the Search for Machu Picchu" discusses the fate and history of Machu Picchu after the Inca people were dispersed and lost to time. Hiram Bingham is the man credited with rediscovering the sacred site for history, a debate arose between the Yale University that Hiram Bingham hailed from, and Peru, where the site was located. An intriguing study on the ownership of history, "Cradle of Gold" is an excellent addition to any history collection.

How the Cold War Ended
John Prados
Potomac Books, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781597971751, $24.95, www.potomacbooksinc.com

A decade before the new millennium, the Soviet Union fell and Russia returned. "How the Cold War Ended: Debating and Doing History" discusses what truly led to the collapse of the Soviet Union and the shockwaves that came from its fall. John Prados looks at the history, the major figures who spurred the change, and the final days, with a bit of discussion on the lasting impact. "How the Cold War Ended" is a choice addition for any community and college library collection focusing on Cold War history.


The Archaeology Shelf

The Archaeology of American Capitalism
Christopher N. Matthews
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813035246, $69.96, www.upf.com

The United States fully embraced capitalism to spur it forward, and its history intertwines with its finance. "The Archaeology of American Capitalism" uses archeology to study early American capitalism, drawing on trade with Europe, the Native Americans, and much more as they developed America and everything around it. Chapters discuss the basics of Capitalism and why America's colonial and sovereign heritage lent itself so well to capitalistic success. "The Archaeology of American Capitalism" is a scholarly and fascinating study, enhanced with useful indexes, bibliography, and much more, making a core addition to any historical or economic history collections in community and college libraries.


The Philosophy Shelf

Objects and Objections of Ethnography
James T. Siegel
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
9780823232758, $25.00, www.fordhampress.com

A shift in modern anthropology's philosophy may not be the best way to study these ancient cultures. "Objects and Objections of Ethnography" is a study of the shift in anthropological philosophy where it has become the goal to seek out similarities in cultures instead of what is different between all of them. Stating this method has issues, especially referring to author James T. Siegel's current home, "Objects and Objections of Ethnography" proves to be quite insightful into the philosophy of modern anthropology.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

An American Elk Retrospective
Boone and Crockett
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801
9780940864702, $34.95, www.booneandcrockettclub.com

Elk have proven to be a favored game for those who still love the hunt. "An American Elk Retrospective: Vintage Photos and Memorabilia from the Boone and Crockett Club Archives" discusses big game hunting in the past century, looking at the developments in the sport and the most awe inspiring trophies that have been attained. For those with a special love of big game hunting, "An American Elk Retrospective" will prove to be quite the choice for the coffee table.

Oregon Lake Maps & Fishing Guide
Gary Lewis
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82113, Portland, OR 97282
9781571884541, $25.00, www.amatobooks.com

The state of Oregon has plenty to offer the aspiring fisherman. "Oregon Lake Maps & Fishing Guide" is a guide for fishing enthusiasts to show what the state of Oregon has to offer the driven fisher individual. From how to get to its many lakes, using boats, fly fishing, the fish that dwell in the lakes, appropriate gear, and countless other bits of information, "Oregon Lake Maps & Fishing Guide" is a must for anyone who lives in or is planning on venturing to the state for its many fishing offerings.


The Crafts Shelf

Toymaking with Children
Freya Jaffke
Floris Books
15 Harrison Gardins, Edinburgh
c/o Myrick Marketing & Media (publicity)
PMB 248, 455 Sam Ridley Parkway West, Smyrna, TN 37167
9780863157691 $25.00 www.florisbooks.co.uk

Toymaking with Children is a guide to undertaking simple handcrafts to make toys for young children. Many of the suggested crafts can be assembled by a parent and child working together. Black-and-white diagrams and color photographs illustrate the step-by-step instructions for creating playthings from inexpensive materials, such as a flopsy doll, a wooden horse and wagon, knitted kittens, or simple marionettes. All projects are simple enough that parents of all crafting skill and experience levels can learn to do them, though anyone with skills in needlework, knitting, or woodworking will have a slight edge. An introductory essay on the natural stages of play children go through as they mature, and suggestions for how adults can help children play, rounds out this excellent, hands-on how-to guide.

Steel Wire Jewelry
Brenda Schweder
Lark Crafts
c/o Sterling
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
9781600595387, $22.95, www.larkcrafts.com

Steel is known for its durability, but not it's style. "Steel Wire Jewelry: Stylish Designs, Simple Techniques, Artful Inspiration" is a guide to turning steel wire into very fashionable and creative designs. With plenty of creative projects sure to intrigue and entertain readers to the fullest, Brenda Schweder shows readers that steel wire can very much be quite the tool. Enhanced with full color photos throughout demonstrating projects, "Steel Wire Jewelry" is a choice pick for any creative crafts person.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Hidden Hands
Phillip Starr
Blue Snake Books
c/o North Atlantic Books (distribution)
2526 Martin Luther King Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-2607
9781583942437 $17.95 www.northatlanticbooks.com 1-800-788-3123

Hidden Hands: Unlocking the Secrets of Traditional Martial Arts Forms is a guide for martial arts practitioners of all styles and experience levels on how to learn more from forms training. Author and multidisciplinary master Phillip Starr has trained in the martial arts of xingyiquan, baguazhang, taijiquan, northern Shaolin kung fu, Kyokushinkai karate, and Filipino arnis, and even developed his own art, yiliquan (One Principle Boxing), which blinds three of China's classical internal systems with a form of northern kung fu. His diverse and extensive background has taught him how to examine the principles, exercises, and underlying concepts at work behind traditional forms. Black-and-white photographs illustrate the general techniques, observations, insights, and reinforced training that can be gleaned from the classical forms, in this superb supplement highly recommended for martial arts practitioners of all backgrounds. "Are retreating movements defensive? Movements that involve withdrawing from the aggressor's attack don't necessarily imply that you are retreating, although they do imply that you are employing defensive movements. These movements often allow you to control distance while you continue to engage the enemy."

Higher Judo
Moshe Feldenkrais
Blue Snake Books
c/o North Atlantic Books
PO Box 12327, Berkeley, CA 94712
9781556439278, $19.95, www.bluesnakebooks.com

Judo is full of techniques that can prove quite useful, along with a bit of discipline you can't find elsewhere. "Higher Judo: Groundwork" is a guide to the more complex principles of Judo, as Dr. Moshe Feldenkrais presents an intriguing study of higher judo techniques, with many of them illustrated well throughout the book. For those with a strong interest in Judo, "Higher Judo" is an excellent addition to any martial arts studies collection.


The Gaming Shelf

Armageddon Unlimited
Carl Gleba
Palladium Books, Inc.
39074 Webb Court, Westland, MI 48185
9781574571721 $20.95 www.palladiumbooks.com

Armageddon Unlimited: A Sourcebook for the Heroes Unlimited RPG is a gaming sourcebook compatible with the "Heroes Unlimited", "Nightbane", "Rifts", "Phase World", "The Three Galaxies" and most other Palladium Books RPG settings. Armageddon Unlimited is part sourcebook, offering new super abilities, expanded Power Categories, new magic weapons and new ideas applicable to any Heroes Unlimited campaign, and part adventure building resource, describing the terrible fallout when two different planes of Hell (Hades and Dyval) clash in an all-out war that spreads across the Megaverse and threatens to end all life as we know it. Black-and-white illustrations enhance this vivid and inspirational resource brimming with story ideas and scenario suggestions that gamemasters of all backgrounds may want to work into their own campaigns (even if their campaign's gaming rules belong to a completely different system)! A parental advisory warning stresses that since this is gaming guide to crafting adventures about heroes versus demons, parental guidance is strongly advised and Armageddon Unlimited is emphatically not for young fantasy gamers. With that caveat, Armageddon Unlimited is highly recommended for any game master seeking to enliven their campaign!


The Agriculture Shelf

Bioshelter
Darrell Frey
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0
9780865716780, $34.95, www.newsociety.com

Sustainability is something that can be reasonably reached for some, and can do wonders for the environment. "Bioshelter Market Garden: A Permaculture Farm" is a guide to creating an organic market garden that can grow food year round. Darrell Frey discusses principles such as managing pests, being good to the soil, keeping it sustainable, and planning well. A must for anyone with the space, resources, and desire to make a difference, "Bioshelter" is a solid and very highly recommended read, not to be missed.


The Native American Shelf

Great Sioux War Orders Of Battle
Paul L. Hedren
The Arthur H. Clark Company
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.ahclark.com
9780870623974, $39.95, www.amazon.com

The Lakota Sioux and the Northern Cheyenne were some of the finest light mounted calvary fighters of their day. For almost two years (1876-1877) they fought off one third of the United States army in combat scenarios that took place on twenty-seven battlefields that ranged across five western states comprising America's northern plains. By the end of the conflict there were hundreds of casualties, millions of dollars in expenses and destroyed properties, tremendous social upheavals, and a pervasive public view that the army was chronically inept. "Great Sioux War Orders Of Battle: How The United States Army Waged War On The Northern Plains, 1876-1877" by award-winning historian Paul L. Hedren is a 240-page compendium of meticulous and painstaking historical research documenting how the army quickly adapted to fighting what amounted to an unconventional guerrilla style war of hit and run. That the army, while experiencing horrific defeats at Powder River and Little Big Horn, were able to go on and win what was aptly termed the 'Great Sioux War'. The latest addition to the Arthur H. Clark Company's outstanding 'Frontier Military Series', Hedren's informed and informative "Great Sioux War Orders Of Battle" is enhanced with a number of pertinent appendices, an extensive bibliography, and a comprehensive index, making it and exceptional and highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Western History, 19th Century American Military History, and Native American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Sitting Bull Surrender Census
Ephriam D. Dickson III
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501
9780982274972, $49.95, www.sdshspress.com

The wars were over, and the thousands of native Americans now faced something far worse than warfare-bureaucracy. "The Sitting Bull Surrender Census: The Lakotas at Standing Rock Agency, 1881" serves as a historical document looking at the thousands of native Americans of several tribes who submitted to the census for American records. With a bit of history, it sits mostly as an excellent resource for anyone researching their own past, with names of many families, their relatives, their possessions, ages, and more. A fine addition to any genealogical or history resource collection, "The Sitting Bull Surrender Census" is very highly recommended.


The Genealogy Shelf

Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program
Karen Clifford
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Rd., Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211-1953
9780806318752, $39.95, www.genealogical.com

The Internet and technology has brought a whole new way to find out one's roots. "The Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program" is a guide to those who want to create their own family tree and history to better understand their past and how the latest technological developments of the internet have made piecing together family history easier than ever. "The Complete Beginner's Guide to Genealogy, the Internet, and Your Genealogy Computer Program" is a fine pick and very highly recommended.


The Library Science Shelf

Defusing the Angry Patron
Rhea Joyce Rubin
Neal Schuman
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038
9781555707316, $65.00, www.neal-schuman.com

When the people you serve as dissatisfied, something has to be done and quick. "Defusing the Angry Patron" is a guide for librarians who are faced with negativity aimed at their library which can cause untold damage to the library's reputation and hurt its standing in the community. Author Rhea Joyce Rubin draws on her own experience on the topic and applies her thirty years of expertise to help librarians to understand anger, stopping hostile behavior by avoiding things that could invoke it, dealing with this anger in a positive way, avoiding backlash, and making your library better in the face of crisis. Sage and wise, "Defusing the Angry Patron" is a guide that should very much be considered for any library science collection that wants to improve their crisis prevention catalog.

Comic Book Collections for Libraries
Bryan D. Fagan & Jody Condit Fagan
Libraries Unlimited
c/o ABC Clio
130 Cremona Drive, PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781598845112, $45.00, www.abc-clio.com

Comics have become a solid part of modern culture, perhaps even more than the novel. "Comic Book Collections for Libraries" is a guide for librarians who are considering adding comic books to their library and how to go about doing it effectively and efficiently. From finding the right comic books to phase into your collections, working it with other media featured at one's library, and much more, "Comic Book Collections for Libraries" is a highly useful and highly recommended read for any librarian who wants to create greater interest in their facility.

Children's Core Collection, twentieth edition
Anne Price, editor
H.W. Wilson
950 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452
9780824211066 $150.00 www.hwwilson.com 1-800-367-6770

Part of publisher H.W. Wilson's Core Collection Series, the updated twentieth edition of Children's Core Collection continues to serve as a premier listing of quality fiction and nonfiction books for children in preschool through grade six, along with professional materials for children's libraries. More than 11,000 titles are presented in the twentieth edition, to be updated with annual supplements featuring more recently published materials. Each entry includes a one-paragraph summary of the book, as well as a brief and relevant review excerpt. An exhaustive author, title, and subject index allows for quick and easy cross-referencing. As a reference and resource, Children's Core Collection is an indispensable advisory to children's library collection development, worthy of the highest recommendation.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Introduction to Kalachakra Initiation
Alexander Berzin
Snow Lion
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559393737, $18.95, www.snowlionpub.com

The Buddha is not a person, but instead a state of being. "Introduction to the Kalachakra Initiation" is a guide to this specific discipline of Buddhism, focusing on breaking the bonds life has put on the self to find their own way to enlightenment. Spiritual, thoughtful and with a lot to think about for Buddhists and Non-Buddhists alike, "Introduction to Kalachakra Initiation" is a fine addition to any Buddhist studies collection.


The Civil War Shelf

A Civil War Gunboat in Pacific Waters
Hans Konrad Van Tilburg
University Press of Florida
University of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813035161 $69.95 www.upf.com 1-800-226-3822

A Civil War Gunboat in Pacific Waters: Life on Board USS Saginaw is the dramatic true story of the civil war gunboat the USS Saginaw, and her crew. The boat served in Pacific and Asian waters between 1860 and 1870, and sank in one of the word's most remote coral reefs, Kure Atoll. Miraculously, the crew survived a sixty-eight day open-boat voyage and was rescued; the shipwreck itself would not be rediscovered until 130 years later. A classic story of naval disaster brought to vivid life, A Civil War Gunboat in Pacific Waters is painstakingly researched and strikingly retold. Highly recommended especially for military and nautical history shelves.


The Homeowner's Shelf

The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling, third edition
Charlie Wing
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
c/o Craftsman Book Company
6058 Corte del Cedro, Carlsbad, CA 92009
9781600852466 $29.95 www.taunton.com www.craftsman-book.com

Now in an updated third edition, The Visual Handbook of Building and Remodeling: A Comprehensive Guide to Choosing the Right Materials and Systems for Every Part of Your Home is a massive and thorough reference manual that will prove useful to homeowners of all backgrounds. Masonry, sheathing, siding, roofing, plumbing, wiring, heating, cooling, incorporating passive solar power, sustainable building and taking advantage of renewable energies, and much more are covered in this all-encompassing guide featuring a wealth of diagrams and color photographs to illuminate its meticulous guidelines. Those who have no familiarity with the tricks of the home improvement trade can quickly look up the mechanics of what a project entails, and those who have been in the business for years will still find tips, tricks, and techniques galore for every aspect of almost any process. A truly outstanding guidebook, worthy of the highest recommendation to any homeowner or home maintenance professional.


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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