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The Bookwatch

Volume 4, Number 4 April 2009 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Audiobook Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf Dance Shelf
Art Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
The Cookbook Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Social Issues Shelf International Studies Shelf
Homeowner's Shelf Music Shelf Parenting Shelf
Photography Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Poetry Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Economics Shelf
Education Shelf Political Science Shelf Literary Shelf
Business Shelf Women's Studies Shelf American History Shelf
Sports Shelf Military Shelf Astronomy Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Travel Shelf Native American Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Bazaars of Istanbul
Isabel Bocking, et al.
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500514474 $60.00 1-800-233-4830

Illustrated with stunning, full-color photography on almost every page, The Bazaars of Istanbul by Isabel Bocking, Laura Salm-Reifferscheidt, and Moritz Stipsicz is a coffee-table book offering a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the vibrant, chaotic, and exciting world of Istanbul's bazaar quarter. From works of traditional craftsmanship to venues of mass production, from vegetable gardens to bookstores, the bazaar quarter is filled with cultural influences of the east and west. The extensive text combined with the vivid photography is so thorough it's the next best thing to visiting a Turkish bazaar in person! Thirty traditional Turkish recipes round out this wondrous showcase especially recommended for armchair travelers.

Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes 3, second edition
Fred Beckey
The Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134
9781594851360, $34.95, www.mountaineersbooks.org

Going through the Cascade Alpine mountains can be the adventure of a lifetime. "Cascade Alpine Guide, Climbing and High Routes 3: Rainy Pass to Fraser River" is the second edition of this trusted manual, covering the trip from the Rainy Pass to the Fraser River. With over one hundred black and white photographs, and a good deal of maps both topographical and traditional, "Cascade Alpine Guide" is a must for those who want to hike through this mountain range between the United States and Canada.

Taming the Anarchy: Groundwater Governance in South Asia
Tushaar Shah
RFF Press
1616 P Street NW, Washington DC 20036-1400
9781933115603, $49.95 www.rffpress.org

College-level libraries strong in Asian social issues and history will find this a specialty item key to understanding resource management in the entire region. South Asia's irrigation system has become a chaotic landscape of individually owned wells and government management is desperately needed. The social and ecological issues at stake has stymied both scientists and policymakers: Tushaar Shah investigates the history and changes affecting South Asian irrigation patterns and considers its social and ecological impact alike in a text key for understanding the region's evolving issues.

Impermanence: Embracing Change
David Hodge & Hi-Jin Kang Hodge
Snow Lion Publications
Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559393072, $29.95 www.snowlionpub.com

What does constant change mean, and how do people confront ideas of death and change? The authors are multimedia artists asked to contribute to an exhibit featuring the works of the Dalai Lama: they interviewed over a hundred people on the idea of impermanence and change in their lives and offers a book and DVD combination of interviews paired with black and white photos. Arts and social sciences libraries will find it a fine documentary of the modern condition.


The Audiobook Shelf

Testimony
Anita Shreve
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
1600244025, $22.98 www.hachetteaudio.com

Robert Perkoff and a cast of others narrate TESTIMONY, a powerful story of a dangerous, charged videotape containing the sexual acts of very young students which unleashes shame and dismay through a small community. Questions and danger arise in this tense dramatic story, perfect for audio libraries.

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

Susan Spain lends an impassioned, smooth reading reflecting her extensive career in voiceovers, stage and TV in Eric Jerome's sizzling novel Dickey (1423345585, $38.95), telling of Nia, a woman who has it all - and wants more. When her logical methodical side battles with her passion, she becomes sexually adventurous and finds her life vastly changed. Libraries strong in dramatic accounts will find it a moving title. Christian Lander's THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO STUFF WHITE PEOPLE LIKE: THE UNIQUE TASTE OF MILLIONS (142337701X, $19.95) tells of white people who like the new York Times, NPR, indie music, and more - and who are anything but unique, as they feel. Victor Bevine lends a seasoned voice to this hilarious yet pointed observational of white peoples' lives and oddities. Ted Bell's TSAR (142337486X, $36.95) is narrated by John Shea and provides a fine conspiracy story centered around a powerful Russian whose identity is a mystery - and who becomes a larger threat when the Russians gain control of European fuel potentials. Tense intrigue is captured perfectly by narrator Shea in this thriller.

Penguin Audio
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

A fugitive's return, a would-be return president's coming campaign, and a threat from abroad presents a host of worries over the coming election, taxing the President's resources in Stuart Woods's fast-paced thriller Mounting Fears (9780143144113, $29.95), narrated by recording artist Carrington McDuffie and presenting a gripping, evolving plot with many twists and turns. Stephen King's THE BODY (9780143143925, $29.95) pairs veteran narrator Frank Mueller with the powerful novella about one Gordie and three friends, who learn about life and death in their own backyard Maine woods. THE BODY served as the basis for King's film STAND BY ME and is one of four novellas brought to audio life from the bestseller DIFFERENT SEASONS: any library strong in Stephen King fans should consider this indispensable. Just as indispensable is Stephen King's audio of THE SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION (9780143143956, $19.95), a another novella brought to audio life from DIFFERENT SEASONS. Here Frank Muller narrates the story of a murderer in a prison run by a sadistic warden and a con who can pull strings.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Brain Power Cookbook
Dr. Frank Lawlis & Dr. Maggie Greenwood-Robinson
Plume Books
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
9780452290136, $16.00 www.penguin.com

THE BRAIN POWER COOKBOOK could have been featured in our 'cookbook' section but is reviewed here because it's much more important to libraries with strong health and self-help sections. A psychologist and a nutritionist team up to offer brain-boosting recipes that heal the mind in a guide to building brain power and expanding memory through improving one's diet. Each chapter pairs a mental challenge with types of food and adds recipes that blend these foods. Health libraries will find it an easy read.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Finishing Techniques for Crochet
Pauline Turner
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05033
c/o Independent Publishers Group (distributor)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9781570764240 $22.95 www.trafalgarbooks.com 1-800-888-4741

Finishing Techniques for Crochet: Give Your Crochet that Professional Look is a guide intended for intermediate to advanced crocheters to applying finishing techniques that distinguish one's creations as work worthy of a professional. Chapters cover cuffs, bands, edgings, and pockets; the appealing use of color; eye-pleasing patterns; and much more. Sample projects for applying one's techniques, complete with in-depth instructions (like the "Hug-Me-Tight Vest" or the "Aran Cardigan" round out this hands-on manual. Written by the Pauline Turner, founder of the International Diploma in Crochet course, Finishing Techniques for Crochet is enthusiastically recommended for anyone looking to take their crochet skills to the next level.

Quilt This!
Lynda Smith
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329674, $24.95 www.americanquilter.com

QUILT THIS! PRACTICAL PATTERNS FOR EVERYDAY QUILTING offers a collection of quilting motifs suitable for both machine and hand quilting. Over 80 designs offer whimsical to elegant quilting options in a pattern book elongated for easy full-page pattern keys. Libraries catering to quilters will find it a popular choice.

Mason-Dixon Knitting Outside the Lines
Kay Gardiner & Ann Shane
Potter Craft
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, NY, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780307381705, $29.95 www.pottercraft.com

Knitting patterns, stories from knitters, tips on tricky knitting points, Fair Isle knitting and complex techniques simplified permeate a lively knitter's guide which is something more than a project collection. Knitters will find here an inspirational survey filled with sidebars of information, plus yes some knitting projects and many color photos. It's a colorful, chatty and fun knitting guide offering insights on the culture of knitters as well as seasonal and gift projects fun to reproduce, making it a fine pick for any general-interest or needleworker's collection.

Batik Gems
Laurie Shifrin
C&T Publishers
Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
9781571205605, $27.95 www.ctpub.com

29 quilt projects offer both step-by-step techniques and a rainbow of colors and ideas for working with batik patterns. From learning the basics of batiks and how to work with them to tips on fabrics and tools, this is an excellent project guide for any quilter wishing to expand to batik projects.

Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com

Carol Doak's EASY REVERSIBLE VESTS (9781564778536, $26.95) comes in a fine revised edition to cover new block designs and piecing options for producing reversible vests. From choosing appropriate colors and scales to full-sized pullout vest patterns, this is especially recommended for home quilters and sewers who want something different in the way of vest projects. Norma Rapko Vargas' EMBELLISHED MEMORIES: DECORATING MATS AND FRAMES (9781564778741, $18.95) provides tips on setting up creative spaces to create frame masterpieces for photos and pictures. From layering and antiquing to decoupage and embellishments, color photos permeate plenty of projects in a crafts guide suitable for crafters and libraries catering to them.


The Computer Shelf

Pogue Press
c/o O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

Any beginning digital photographer and any general-interest library catering to them needs David Pogue's Digital Photography: The Missing Manual (9780596154035, $24.99), a fun yet specific guide to digital photography quirks and tricks. From composing a shoot to working with thumbnails and fixing shots of wildlife and people alike, color photos pair well with clear directions to create excitement and emphasize 'how to' fixes. Susan Prosser and Geoff Coffey's FileMaker Pro 10: The Missing Manual (9780596154233, $39.99) tells how to get a database up and running with FileMaker Pro. From publishing polished reports and managing a mailing list to using built-in formulas, its blend of black and white screen shots and clear directions tied to daily functions makes for an essential 'how to' manual computer libraries need.

Hello, Android
Ed Burnette
The Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
1934356174, $32.95 www.pragprog.com

HELLO, ANDROID: INTRODUCING GOOGLE'S MOBILE DEVELOPMENT PLATFORM covers all the basics of creating working applications using Android, which blends cell phones, open source software, and Google and other Open Alliance members. It's a mobile platform packed with options and applications, from building location- based services such as GPS to adding 2D and 3D graphics and networking with web services. Computer libraries will find it a top pick.

Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com www.informit.com

College-level computer and business libraries holding titles on protocols for acquisition of products and services will find Brian P. Gallagher, et.al.'s CMMI-ACQ Guidelines for Improving the Acquisition of Products & Services (0321580354, $69.99) a key title for CMMI modeling. Chapters survey CMMI processes and models and describe goals and practices, giving plenty of examples for best practices. Sidebars of tips and boxed examples make for a surprisingly easy survey most accessible to college-level courses and students of product and services management. Anil Gurnani's WEB DEVELOPMENT WITH TIBCO GENERAL INTERFACE: BUILDING AJAX CLIENTS FOR ENTERPRISE SOA (0321563298, $39.99) offers developers' libraries a powerful tool for Ajax web development. From integrating XML and XSL with TIBCO's utilities to blending in databases, portals, and other applications, this is a fine review of the basics concepts and technologies needed to build a powerful framework. Anders Hejlsberg, et.al.'s THE C# PROGRAMMING LANGUAGE, 3RD EDITION (0321562992, $44.99) is a top pick for both classroom textbook use and library reference, is written by the language's architect and his colleagues, and offers the new feature of numerous annotations as it covers powerful concepts of the C# language and surveys how it is used. An excellent technical pick for any collection seeking an in-depth guide. Greg Conti's GOOGLING SECURITY (0321518667, $49.99) offers a fine guide to Google hacking and covers information disclosed to Google when using all of its top applications - not just its search engine. From informational 'keys' left behind when you use Google search to how Gmail can track personal networks, this provides an eye-opening survey of internet security and loopholes that any computer library will wish to have.


The Dance Shelf

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

Sherry B. Shapiro, Editor's Dance in a World of Change: Reflections on Globalization and Cultural Difference (0736069437, $34.00) offers discussions on the body, performance, and dance and cultural links around the world. Writers come from all over the world and range from choreographers and critics to scholars who address a range of social issues and communication challenges within the spectrum of dance. Dance libraries will find it a winner. Janice Pomer's DANCE COMPOSITION: AN INTERRELATED ARTS APPROACH (0736067906, $39.00) pairs an original music CD by Barry Prophet and access to a companion web site with 28 exercises to help students gain perspective on links between dance projects. From 30 interview and arts connections that represent a range of cultures to discussions of visual and music arts, DANCE COMPOSITION is an integrated presentation perfect for any library strong in dance history.


The Art Shelf

99 Fears
Nedko Solakov
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, New York NY 10014
9780714848884, $29.95 www.phaidon.com

99 real and imagined anxieties of modern life receive black and white embellishment with humor from the pen of Bulgarian artist Nedko Solakov. Line drawings, cartoons and dark humor survey the roots of fear and make light of it, offering hilarious art collection worthy of inclusion in any college-level library of contemporary illustration and humor.

West of the Imagination, 2nd Edition
William H. Goetzmann and William N. Goetzmann
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069-8216
9780806135335, $65.00 www.oupress.com

The second edition of a landmark publication on western American art has been thoroughly revised to expand on the original, packing in nearly five hundred images in color and black and white, including over 150 new ones. Using these illustrations the authors discuss the changing myth of the West, from values to art, using art as a medium for discussing the West's evolving image. It will appeal not just to art history holdings at the college level, but to any collection strong in American history and Western history in particular.

Twin Palms Publishers
Box 10229, Santa Fe, NM 87504
www.twinpalms.com

Anthony Goicolea's DRAWINGS (1931885400, $50.00) provides delicate blends of black and white and color renditions, using graphite, ink, acrylic, mylar, plexi and more to create unusual, striking drawings that stand out from the crowd. Contemporary art libraries will find this a strong pick for any artist working in multimedia presentations. Jonathan Hollingsworth's EVERYBODY I EVER MET IN L.A. (9780615239224, $35.00) provides a survey of the author's former home of Los Angeles and the pop culture and stereotypes defining it, with color photos of selected zany individuals making for excellent and unique portraits. Hand-drawn observations accompany this set of images, perfect for California collections in particular. Peter Young's PAINTINGS 1963-1980 (9781931885683, $60.00) ranges from very simple geometric and line forms to abstract paintings and more complex explorations of imagination. Another pick for any serious college-level art collection.

The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King
Insight Editions
17 Paul Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903
c/o Palace Publishing Group
3160 Kerner Blvd., Unit 108, San Rafael, CA 94901
www.insighteditions.com
9781933784816 $29.95 www.palacepress.com

The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King is an astounding, full-color panorama of the painted, pencil-and-paper, and digitally created cinematic art of "Wrath of the Lich King", the latest expansion to the wildly popular high fantasy massively multiplayer online role-playing game World of Warcraft. From the design behind the game's title sequence of the nefarious Lich King raising the dragon Sindragosa from her icy grave as an undead horror, to sweeping landscapes of the new continent of Northrend, to character designs for new undead enemies (and Death Knight player characters!) to a behind-the-scenes glimpse of how rigging, rendering, and other processes bring art to life, The Cinematic Art of World of Warcraft: Wrath of the Lich King unquestionably lives up to its title. Two removable special cells - one a portrait of the Lich King in battle armor, another picturing Sindragosa in flight - further enhance this dramatic artbook, enthusiastically recommended not just for World of Warcraft fans, but also any collector of epic high fantasy art.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
www.collectorbooks.com

Collections strong in Native American artifacts in general and archaeology in particular as well as those catering to collectors will find Lar Hothem and James R. Bennett's Indian Bannerstones & Related Artifacts (9781574325867, $29.95) a unique, important identification and value guide packing in color photos with the latest values. Specific, yes - but key and essential to any specialty collector of Indian artifacts. Francesca Fisher's RUMRILL POTTERY: THE OHIO YEARS (9781574325904, $29.95) is an excellent specialty acquisition for any library strong in identification and values guides for RumRill pottery styles. Catalogs provide color photos and resources key to identifying RumRill styles. The 7th updated edition of Cathy & Gene Florence's KITCHEN GLASSWARE OF THE DEPRESSION YEARS makes for another fine specialty acquisition for libraries catering to collectors. Glassware here is arranged by both color and type, making it easy to quickly access and identify pieces - and color photos are clear and good-sized. Book IV of Jim and Susan Harran's COLLECTIBLE CUPS & SAUCERS IDENTIFICATION & VALUES (9781574325997, $29.95) features two more new chapters and pairs updated descriptions of cups and saucers with fine history and clear color photos throughout. These are top picks for any library catering to collectors.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training
Gail Tamases Fisher
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
9781929242627 $24.95 www.dogwisepublishing.com 1-800-776-2665

Written by Gail Tamases Fisher, a professional dog trainer of over thirty years' experience, The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training is a guide to using clicker training to develop a "thinking dog" who offers behaviors in anticipation of a reward, rather than a passive dog trained simply to wait for its owner's commands. Someone new to clicker training may find it difficult to break out of familiar routines; The Thinking Dog: Crossover to Clicker Training teaches one how to surpass one's own ingrained habits while learning the nuts and bolts of operant conditioning. "By definition, LLW [loose-leash walking] means there is no tension in the leash. This rule is absolute: Your dog may not pull and be successful. Any time your dog pulls and gets to move forward, pulling is reinforced. So from the moment you start training LLW, any time your dog is on leash, you are either in training, or using equipment that prevents pulling, such as a front-connection harness or head halter. Do not use a Flexi- or bungi-lead as they reward pulling." An excellent, easy-to-use manual for amateur and professional dog trainers alike, handily illustrated with black-and-white photographs.

How to Raise Goats
Carol A. Amundson
Voyageur Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760331576 $19.95 www.voyageurpress.com 1-800-458-0454

How to Raise Goats: Everything You Need to Know is a no-nonsense, how-to manual that lives up to its title. Full color photography and straightforward text accessible to readers of all backgrounds make How to Raise Goats an absolute "must-have" for anyone considering goat ownership - whether as pets, show goats, or sources of meat, milk, or fiber (such as Angora). "Goats are herd animals. A solitary goat becomes lonely without constant companionship. Usually, this means the goat owner should keep at least two goats. However, a goat will bond with almost any species of stall mate, including a horse, sheep, or cow." An easy-to-follow primer of (almost) everything one needs to know about keeping goats, from care and feeding to breeding to what to do in case of sickness or medical emergencies (it should be noted that different states have specific laws about the care or transportation of goats - detailed state-by-state legal information is left to other reference books). A list of associations, clubs, and registries rounds out this "must-have" manual.

Veterinary Hematology, 2nd Edition
William J. Reagan, et.al., Editors
Wiley-Blackwell
2121 State Street, Ames, IA 50014-8300
9780813828091 www.wiley.com-wiley-blackwell

VETERINARY HEMATOLOGY: ATLAS OF COMMON DOMESTIC AND NON-DOMESTIC SPECIES is a college-level vet collection pick recommended for libraries strong in veterinary biology. From normal white blood cell morphology to variations, parasites and disorders, VETERINARY HEMATOLOGY provides a powerful round-up of detailed medical information perfect for vet library holdings.

A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling
Marta Felber
LifeWords Publishing
419 Salem Vista Court, Winston-Salem, NC 27101
9780979921414 $14.95 www.LifeWords.com

Written (or perhaps co-written with feline assistance) by a cat lover, for cat lovers, A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling with Gentle Self-Help for All Ages is a narrative from the first-person (first-feline?) perspective of a beloved household pet. Sterling the self-assured grey cat tells his story, including the ups and downs of daily life, adapting to a new "intruder" cat adopted by the family, the how-to of the thoroughly relaxing Cat Nap, and much more. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, and sprinkled with kitty tips and tricks of learning to unwind and take it easy even amid the most hectic lifestyle, A Cat's Eye View of Life and Love by Sterling is a heartwarming read cover to cover. "'I don't have time to nap,' you may think... Only cats know otherwise. To prove my point, let's do an experiment. Close your eyes and relax your entire body, every muscle, from top of head to bottom of feet, or the other way around, if that feels better. Check that you are totally relaxed. Only then will you close your eyes and float away, into a world of nothing. If it helps, float on clouds, into a sunset. Float, stay a very short time, and come back to me. Congratulations! You have just taken a Cat Nap, a cat's number-one secret."


The Cookbook Shelf

The Freshwater Fish Cookbook
A.D. Livingston
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9781599213866 $19.95 www.lyonspress.com 1-800-836-0510

Written by "Gray's Sporting Journal" food columnist A.D. Livingston, The Freshwater Fish Cookbook: More Than 200 Ways To Cook Your Catch is lives up to its title with gusto. Full-color photography enhances this collection of more than 200 recipes for freshwater fish ranging from trout, salmon, and black bass to pike, walleye, stripers, eels, and even supposed "trash" fish such as suckers and carp. An easy-to-use cookbook vital for any serious angler's dinner table, highly recommended.

The Vineyard Cookbook
Barbara Scott-Goodman
Welcome Books
6 West 18 Street, New York, NY 10011
9781599620640 $24.95 www.welcomebooks.com 1-800-733-3000

Featuring full color photography of not only the finished dishes, but also the beautiful vineyards from which they came, The Vineyard Cookbook: Seasonal Recipes & Wine Pairings Inspired by America's Vineyards is a recipe collection sure to appeal to connoisseurs. Offering a tour of thirty-two outstanding American vineyards as well as sixty delectable recipes for all seasons, The Vineyard Cookbook is a treasury ideal for any wine lover. Sample recipes include "Oyster, Scallion & Watercress Soup", "Ricotta & Prosciutto Crostini", "Pan-Seared Duck Breasts with Red-Wine Sauce", and much more. Highly recommended.

Autumn Gatherings
Rick Rodgers
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780061438844, $19.95 www.harpercollins.com

Cooking instructor Rick Rodgers provides 'down home' and family cooking at their best, from Leg of Lamb with Roasted Ratatouille to Pumpkin Sticky Toffee Pudding and Ziti with Chicken, Broccoli and Rosemary. The result is an outstanding collection of different embellishments on traditional 'comfort food' perfect for general-interest lending libraries.

Putting Up
Stephen Palmer Dowdney
Gibbs Smith
Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
1423602803, $19.99 www.gibbs-smith.com

PUTTING UP: A YEAR-ROUND GUIDE TO CANNING IN THE SOUTHERN TRADITION offers a step-by-step survey of canning, from basic procedures and equipment to seasonal recipes for fruits and vegetables alike. From a Green Tomato Relish and Artichoke Pickles to Red Tomato Relish and Charleston Gumbo, these are preserves often not found in the typical beginner's canning cookbook, and come with color photo accents throughout.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Wisdom's Journey
John Herlihy
World Wisdom
1501 E. Hillside, Bloomington, IN 47401
9781933316642, $19.95 www.worldwisdom.com

WISDOM'S JOURNEY: LIVING THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM IN THE MODERN WORLD comes from an American convert to Muslim thinking and pairs a spiritual autobiography with a review of Islam's importance and meaning in his life. From mystery and faith to the nature of Islamic prayer routines, WISDOM'S JOURNEY is a pick for any spirituality library focusing on various religious paths.

Urban Soul Warriors
Lalania Simone
Soft Skull Press
2117 Fourth Street, Suite D, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781593762124, $15.95, www.softskull.com

The deep inner city is not known to be among the most spiritual places on the planet. "Urban Soul Warriors: Self-Mastery in the Midst of the Metropolis" is Lalania Simone's guide to finding inner peace in an area most known for violent crimes and selfish attitudes. Chronicling her own journey to self-enlightenment in an inner city neighborhood, she offers tips and advice for others in such harsh environments. "Urban Soul Warriors" is a must for the spiritual city dweller.


The Fiction Shelf

The Moon in Deep Winter
Lee Polevoi
Casagrande Press
3119 Carleton Street, Unit 4, San Diego, CA 92106
9780976951650, $23.95, www.casagrandepress.com

Sometimes one would prefer the mad dog killer types of the criminal underworld to one's own family. "The Moon in Deep Winter" is the story of Parker Sloane. Seeking to return to his family after a spell as something in no way legal, he finds his homesickness unfounded as his insane family with its nonstop dysfunction is harder to handle than the organized crime syndicates he used to work with. Religion, incest, and other unseemly elements permeate "The Moon in Deep Winter". A read that will keep readers glued to the pages.

Johnny One-Eye
Jerome Charyn
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393333954, $14.95 www.wwnorton.com

"Johnny One-Eye" is the story of one-eyed spy John Stocking, who must fight to survive in wartime Manhattan during the Revolution. He lives through events from the torching of Manhattan in 1776 to famous battles. "Johnny One-Eye" is one of the most moving Revolutionary War novels to appear in recent times; general-interest lending libraries will find it a fine acquisition.

Operation Snowshoe
Thomas F. Erickson
Durban House Press
5001 LBJ Freeway, Suite 700, Dallas, TX 75244
9780981848600, $15.95, www.durbanhouse.com

The truth is sometimes hard to find. "Operation Snowshoe" follows Patricia Shaver as she's faced with finding out how four people from very different backgrounds came together, why one of them is dead, and their true intentions. Finding something more sinister than a forming family, something that may shake the world as it's known, "Operation Snowshoe" is a fascinating thriller that will keep the reader guessing.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Old Battle-Axe & Dark Power
Elisabeth Sanxay Holding
Stark House Books
2200 O Street, Eureka, CA 95501
9781933586168, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Good things come to those who wait. "The Old Battle Axe & Dark Power" is a doubling up of two mystery novels from Elisabeth Sanxay Holding. Set in the early twentieth century, their elements carry over well through the decades and into the new millennium. Exquisitely written, "The Old Battle Axe & Dark Power" is a compendium of two stories worth the pride of admission alone, but together, it is a must-get for mystery fans.

Obsidian Mystery
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguingroup.com www.amazon.com

Kate Carlisle's HOMICIDE IN HARDCOVER (9780451226150, $6.99) is first in a projected new series and tells of one Brooklyn Wainwright, a skilled surgeon who discovers her mentor murdered with only a cryptic message to point the way to a solution. Her investigation will take her into the world of books and bibliophiles in this satisfying mystery. Judi McCoy's HOUNDING THE PAVEMENT (9780451226310, $6.99) provides another fine Dog Walker mystery: here Ellie holds a dream job - until she stumbles upon a dead client and becomes the prime suspect in a murder investigation. And now the killer is after Ellie. Both are fine mysteries holding many twists and turns for mystery fans.

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

Lorna Barrett's BOOKMARKED FOR DEATH (9780425226144, $6.99) provides a fine book-oriented mystery including recipes as it tells of a bookstore author signing gone awry when the author is murdered. It's up to Tricia to investigate in this thriller. Jessica Conant-Park and Susan Conant's TURN UP THE HEAT (9780425226636, $7.99) also includes recipes as it provides a new 'gourmet girl' mystery in which restaurant staff enjoy pulling pranks on each other - until a non-humorous waitress is found dead. Michele Scott's CORKED BY CABERNET (9780425226445, $7.99) includes recipes and wine pairings alike and is a perfect pick for wine lovers who also relish mystery. Nikki's new life at a vineyard hotel home with her boyfriend is threatened by a guru and his followers when one of them goes missing and is discovered dead in the wine storage car. Jimmie Ruth Evans' LEFTOVER DEAD (9780425225608, $7.99) includes country recipes and provides a 'trailer park mystery' as it tells of Wanda's new husband and newlyweds who face the rise of a long-unsolved murder. The characterization is a powerful plus to this thrilling story. Annette Blair's A VEILED DECEPTION (9780425226407, $6.99) provides a 'vintage magic' mystery revolving around fashion and intrigue alike. Maddie's sister's nemesis has been strangled with the bride-to-be's own veil and leads to her involvement in a dangerous plot. Margaret Grace's MALICE IN MINIATURE (9780425222585, $7.99) offers another 'miniature mystery', in which Geraldine's craft leads to more intrigue. When Zoe is arrested for the murder of her boyfriend, Geraldine finds her quiet home threatened when she investigates. Amanda Matetsky's DIAL ME FOR MURDER (9780425220504, $6.99) provides a fine Paige Turner mystery as it tells of a crime reporter and mystery novelist who finds her job hitting too close to home when a young secretary is murdered. Emilie Richards' A LIE FOR A LIE (9780425226643, $7.99) tells of actor and singer Grady Barber who has returned to his hometown to judge a talent show - but is murdered instead. He's made many enemies - and Aggie finds too many easy suspects in the course of her probe. Cleo Coyle writes as Alice Kimberly with THE GHOST AND THE HAUNTED MANSION (9780425224601, $7.99), a 'haunted bookshop' mystery revolving around a bookshop owner who not only believes in her P.I. ghost, but enlists in his help when the mailman gets into trouble. All are excellent choices for general-interest mystery collections.


The Social Issues Shelf

Perspectives on Sustainable Resources in America
Roger A. Sedjo, editor
RFF Press
1616 P Street NW, Washington DC 20036-1400
9781933115634, $38.95 www.rffpress.org

Both general-interest collections and those catering to college-level audiences strong in natural resources management issues will find Perspectives on Sustainable Resources in America a winning guide, drawing together assessments from some of America's top scholars in natural resource economics and politics. Chapters survey wildlife and sustainability issues alike, documenting rising problems in human and wildlife needs and points where they intersect. College-level libraries in particular will find the documentation outstanding and the discussions lend well to classroom debate.


The International Studies Shelf

Freeing Tibet
John B. Roberts II and Elizabeth Roberts
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814409830, $24.00 www.amacombooks.org

FREEING TIBET: 50 YEARS OF STRUGGLE, RESILIENCE, AND HOPE provides an inside story of how the 'free Tibet' movement was born and why it has lasted. Interviews with former CIA officers, government executives, and others provides new details on all aspects of Tibet's struggles, offering unusual insights into a movement maintained by millions around the world. A 'must' for any library strong in global issues and world politics.

The Israel Palestine Puzzle
Joseph Heller
Regent Press
2747 Regent Street, Berkeley, CA 94705
9781587901553, $18.00, www.regentpress.net

The Palestine/Israeli conflict can be likened to a hundred sided Rubik's cube - almost impossible, maybe outright, to solve. "The Israel Palestine Puzzle" is a collection of two essays discussing the touchy subject of the Israel-Palestine conflict. The two essays are 'The Ben-Gurion Magnes Debate, Jewish State or Binational State' and 'Israel's Borders in Historical Perspective: The Security-Demography Dilemma'. The two essays are from Joseph Heller, an internationally educated Jewish man who has won awards with his ideas, making "The Israel Palestine Puzzle" an excellent and educational read.


The Homeowner's Shelf

The Carbon Buster's Home Energy Handbook
Godo Stoyke
New Society Publishers
Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1XO Canada
0865715696, $12.95 www.newsociety.com

Home owners and renters alike can slow climate change and save money with the first book to provide a detailed carbon accounting of a typical family's carbon emissions. From contrasting and assessing the value of solar panels vs. hybrid cars to what home devices to invest in, this offers a fine survey any general-interest library will find popular.

Pavers 101: Patios and Other Projects You Can Do
Tina Skinner
Schiffer Publishinbg
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen., PA 19310
9780764330537, $19.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Home owners interested in constructing a patio will find PAVERS 101 key to understanding how to do it. It covers everything from choosing pavers to different patterns, laying payers, edging, and professional tips of laying a fine paving surface, including color photos to accent the step-by-step process. Any library strong in homeowner how-tos will relish this.


The Music Shelf

Mods, Rockers, and the Music of the British Invasion
James E. Perone
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780275998608 $49.95 www.praeger.com

The development of British invasion rock music is chronicled from the 1960s to modern times, documenting tensions between two very different resort communities - the Mods and the Rockers. Each group claimed its own culture and style - but it was the Rockers that entered America with the Beatles in 1964, leading a generation of vast musical change fueled by British influences. Any library strong in rock music history needs this.


The Parenting Shelf

Anxiety-Free Kids
Bonnie Zucker
Prufrock Press
5926 Balconies Drive, Suite 220, Austin, TX 78731
9781593633431, $19.95, www.prufrock.com

Anxiety does not have to be a constant state. "Anxiety-Free Kids: An Interactive Guide for Parents and Children" is a parent's guide to dealing with their child's anxieties and phobias, so that they can face them now before they develop into lifelong problems. Doubling as an advice guide for parents and an activity book for younger readers in dealing with their fears, "Anxiety-Free Kids" is a unique approach to childhood phobia, highly recommended.


The Photography Shelf

Australasian Nature Photography
Stuart Miller, editor
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9780643095694 $35.00 www.styluspub.com www.anzangnature.com 1-800-232-0223

Australasian Nature Photography: Anzang Fifth Collection showcases the best of the best in the fifth annual ANZANG nature photography contest. Most of the images are in stunning full color, except for one selection specifically for black-and-white contest entries. The pictures range from a threatened New Zealand falcon warming her chick in the nest, to ants communicating, to seal pups taking a break during play, marine life, dazzling landscapes, and even sad photos of the devastating consequences of mankind's impact on the natural world and its creatures. Each breathtaking image is accompanied by a brief caption by the photographer who captured it, often telling of the requisite hours, days, or more setup time invested just to get close enough to photograph the often (but not always) reclusive wild creatures at the perfect moment. Highly recommended especially for nature and wildlife photography collections.

Wildflowers of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island
William K. Chapman & Collaborators
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13244-5160
0815609264, $24.95, www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu

New England, covered with forests, has much more than trees to bring to its natural beauty. "Wildflowers of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island" is a collection of full color photographs of some of the most gorgeous flowers that can be found in the reason with high resolution full color photographs, alongside scientific information and descriptions of each flower covered. With more than four hundred entries, "Wildflowers of Massachusetts, Connecticut, and Rhode Island" is a must for any flower lover, especially one visiting the region soon.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Living in the Face of Death
Glenn H. Mullin
Snow Lion Publications
605 West State Street, PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14850
9781559393102, $16.95, www.snowlionpub.com

Death is a part of life, but so many live their lives denying its very existence. "Living in the Face of Death: The Tibetan Tradition" explores the Tibetan cultural view on death, and how their embracement of their impending doom has improved their lives. Taking examples of their poetry, literature, and more, "Living in the Face of Death" draws from important Tibetan texts. "Living in the Face of Death" is intriguing reading for those looking towards death with honesty, and could do much to improve one's life.


The Biography Shelf

Over the River... Life of Lydia Maria Child
Constance L. Jackson
Permanent Productions Inc.
904 Silver Spur Rd., #510, Rolling Hills Estates, CA 90274-3800
9780981820408 $18.95 www.permproductions.com

Over the River... Life of Lydia Maria Child, Abolitionist for Freedom is a companion book to the documentary of the same title about children's literature author and anti-slavery activist Lydia Maria Child. When she published "An Appeal in Favor of that Class of Americans Called Africans", her books were burned. She was a voice for humanity, during the turbulent 1800's, unafraid to speak out for American principles of freedom and equality. A handful of black-and-white photographs and illustrations enhance this enjoyable biographical portrait, worth reading on its own or in conjunction with viewing the documentary it complements.

Chasing Moonlight
Brett Friedlander and Robert Reising
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
9780895873699 $19.95 www.blairpub.com 1-800-222-9796

Chasing Moonlight: The True Story of Field of Dreams' Doc Graham is the biography of the American baseball legend and doctor Archibald W. "Moonlight" Graham, the real-life inspiration for the novel "Shoeless Joe" and its movie adaptation "Field of Dreams". Unlike his portrayal in the movie, the real-life Moonlight Graham had a remarkable career in professional baseball, all the while pursuing medical residencies. Just as in the movie though, Graham eventually quit baseball to pursue medicine. In the course of his life and career, he treated patients of epidemics, wrote a study on blood pressure that became required reading worldwide at medical schools, and served a remote community. A well-rounded portrayal of a truly remarkable man of both sports and medicine, Chasing Moonlight is highly recommended.

North Korea Kidnapped My Daughter
Sake Yokota
Vertical
1185 Ave of th Americas 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036
9781934287446, $16.95, www.vertical-inc.com

Throughout its split from its southern half, North Korea has not been a country of virtue. "North Korea Kidnapped My Daughter" is the heart wrenching tale of a Japanese mother who lost her thirteen-year-old daughter to Communist North Korea. Sakie Yokota tells her story of her most unusual tragedy, and how she coped with the events . . . A story of anguish and the kindness of others, "North Korea Kidnapped My Daughter" is intriguing and a riveting read of one woman's saga.


The Poetry Shelf

Mistaken for Song
Tara Bray
Persea Books
853 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780892553471, $14.00, www.perseabooks.com

Award winning and prolific poet Tara Bray brings a delightful blend of storytelling and poetry in "Mistaken for Song". Using the misconceptions that birds sing but instead are simply communicating with one another, she explores both human and animal concepts in a beautiful blend of verse. "Mistaken for Song" is a choice book of poetry, sure to please. "Blackberry": Dew-licked,/teetering & ripe,//crypts plumped up/with bright drizzle,//this purple-witted seed-star,/earth-lodged & lonesome,//old prophet once pleasure-shy,/now aching in thornlight,//sway, roothold, desire//whipped fast with impulse,//hands reaching, ripping, riddling - all/to bring the old sweet trinket home.

The Skeleton of the Crow
Seido Ray Ronci
Ausable Press
1026 Hurricane Road, Keene, NY 12942
9781931337434, $16.00, www.ausablepress.org

Seido Ray Ronci brings poetry fans nearly two hundred pages of elegant verse. "The Skeleton of the Crow" is a collection of poems that tell a story. Channeling his soul and putting it in a flowing, stream of consciousness style throughout his book, he tells a story like no other. "The Skeleton of the Crow" is unique and recommended reading, indeed. "Music": Especially in the cold!//I sat in the Luxembourg Gardens,/formal children in their dress wools,/sticks and sailboats; I sat/all bundled up in my arms, collar raised,/whole orchestras in my head, symphonies/lifting to the ceiling and going/out! And up! And up!/Through centuries!//Just like that.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Mark in the Lectionary
Gerald Caron
Paulist Press
997 Macarthur Blvd., Mahwah, NH 07430
9780809145911, $19.95, www.paulistpress.com

Some books require a more intensive study. "Mark in the Lectionary: An Ecumenical Guide to the Sunday Gospels" is a fresh and original approach to interpreting the important Gospel of Mark. Serving as a study guide, "Mark in the Lectionary" covers how to teach the Gosepel of Mark to others, through lecturing or preaching. "Mark in the Lectionary" is a must for preachers and those who simply want to understand the Gospel of Mark.

The Fly in the Ointment
J. Russell Crabtree
Church Publishing
445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780898696066, $18.00, www.churchpublishing.org

Church attendance has been falling in recent years. "The Fly in the Ointment: Why Denominations Aren't Helping Their Congregations . . . and How They Can" is a guide discussing church attendance, congregations, and denominations and how the three interact, outlining what churches must do to restore themselves to prominence in the community. Churches were once centers of a community, and author J. Russell Crabtree says that's something they must strive for again. "The Fly in the Ointment" is a must-get for modern church leaders.


The Economics Shelf

Free Market Madness
Peter A. Ubel
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422126097, $26.95, www.harvardbusiness.org/press

Could capitalism's greatest opponent be human nature itself? "Free Market Madness: Why Human Nature Is At Odds With Economics - And Why It Matters" is a look into a problem with the Free Market, namely, the irrationality of mankind. Humanity as a whole does not always do what's best for itself, while the free market always assumes this is the case. An intriguing and utterly fascinating blend of economics and psychology, "Free Market Madness" is a very strong choice for both psychology and economics collections.

Dow Theory Unplugged
Charles Dow, et al.
W&A Publishing
PO Box 849, Cedar Falls, IA 50613
9781934354094 $39.95 www.w-apublishing.com

In today's turbulent economic times, the need to re-examine market theory from the ground up is more critical than ever. Dow Theory Unplugged: Charles Dow's Original Editorials & Their Relevance Today is the most complete collection of the writings of Charles Dow (co-founder of the "Wall Street Journal" and the Dow Jones Indexes, who developed the basic means for monitoring markets that have been in use for a century), economic pioneer and genius of his era. Organized by topic around the six modern tenets of Dow Theory, Charles Dow's editorials remain relevant for twenty-first century traders, market analysts, and economists. Additional analysis from a modern perspective by expert contributors Richard Russell, Charles Carlson, and Paul Shread round out this "must-have" for college libraries and dedicated market theorists.


The Education Shelf

Adventures in Graphica
Terry Thompson
Stenhouse Publishers
PO Box 11020, Portland, ME 04104-7020
9781571107121, $18.50, www.stenhouse.com

Comic books, once decried as the defouler of America's youth, can be an invaluable tool of literacy. "Adventures in Graphica: Using Comics and Graphic Novels to Teach Comprehension, 2-6" is a look at using graphica - a term used to cover comic books and graphic novels - to inspire children to become better readers. Research has shown that people are more likely to embrace other forms of literature if they are exposed to some form as children. "Adventures in Graphica" is a unique and effective approach to promoting literacy, enthusiastically recommended.

Teaching Band and Chorus in the 21st Century
Steve Raybould & Kriston Feldpausch
BNC Education
10223 Lakent Lane, Richmond, VA 23236
9781438278407 $21.95 www.bnceducation.com

Written by two expert music teachers, Teaching Band and Chorus in the 21st Century: A Director's Guide is a no-nonsense manual to running a band and chorus program. Accessible to beginning band and chorus teachers, yet filled with suggestions that even veteran teachers are sure to find useful, Teaching Band and Chorus in the 21st Century covers such topics ranging from how to successfully raise funds to assessment and grading ("No matter how clear you make your grading scale, you will have parents and students who question your methods and reasoning. You will not ever please all of your students and their parents all of the time. Don't let it bother you.") to successful recruiting strategies ("...the greatest drop off is when students move from middle or junior high into the high school. This will likely be your primary area of focus, but you cannot afford to neglect the ends either. The high school and the elementary school are just as important to the recruiting cycle.") Highly recommended for any music instructor responsible for a program that teaches school-age children, young adults, and/or teenagers.


The Political Science Shelf

Rhetoric & Democracy
Todd F. McDorman & David M. Timmerman, editors
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
9780870138355, $59.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

Could democracy be relying too much on rhetoric? "Rhetoric & Democracy" is a collection of essays arguing this debate, discussing the rise of the use of rhetoric in the past century, and how the roots were planted long ago in the Declaration of Independence. Many scholars gather and debate the topic well, offering for utterly fascinating reading for the non-specialist general reader. "Rhetoric & Democracy" is an excellent contribution to college or community library political science collections. Enthusiastically recommended.


The Literary Shelf

Shakespeare's World/World Shakespeares
Richard Fotheringham, Christa Jansohn, and R.S. White
University of Delaware Press
c/o Associated University Presses
2010 Eastpark Boulevard, Cranbury, NJ 08512
9780874139891, $69.50, 1-609-655-4770

Shakespeare has long ago left England as the home of his plays. "Shakespeare's World/World Shakespeares: The Selected Proceedings of the International Shakespeare Association World Congress of Brisbane, 2006" is a look at how Shakespeare's work has spread across the globe and have been vastly adapted in many new and different ways. Investigating how his work has been spun throughout human history for political and societal gain, it's an utterly fascinating account of how one man's literary work could have such a major impact on the world four hundred years later. A fascinating, complete and comprehensive collection for anyone in love with the Bard's work.


The Business Shelf

Making Room for Leadership
MaryKate Morse
IVP Books
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL, 60515-1426
9780830834488, $17.00, www.books.ivpress.com

Body language can speak louder than words could ever dream of. "Making Room for Leadership: Power, Space, and Influence" is a Christian book trying to blend the power and methods of Christ in inspiring today's businesses. Saying that leadership is a universal trait that anyone can use, MaryKate Morse hopes to push today's business leaders to embrace God, grow closer to Him, and to their co-workers as well. "Making Room for Leadership" is a unique and impressive dive into the mix of religion and business.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Sisters, Schoolgirls, and Sleuths
Carolyn Carpan
Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
0810857561, $35.00 www.scarecrowpress.com

Series books for girls have been popular since the early 1840s, and this social history of girls' series fiction covers works published in America from the mid-nineteenth century through the early 21st century. From popular genres and characters to changing themes, such as career girls during World War II, this makes an excellent reference for any library strong in young adult fiction or women's studies.

Women Making America
Heidi Hemming and Julie Hemming Savage
Clotho Press
1914 Grace Church Road, Silver Spring, MD 20910
9780982127100 $28.95 www.womenmakingamerica.com

Filled with vintage black-and-white as well as color photographic images throughout, Women Making America is history of women's contributions to the United States from the 1770s to the modern day. From Mary Walker, who earned a Medal of Honor serving as military surgeon for the Union during the Civil War, to Dorothy Harrison Eustis, founder of the first American seeing-eye-dog school in 1930, to Shirley Chisholm, the first black woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1968, Women Making America touches upon the lives of extraordinary individuals as well as covering the broad societal transitions and issues affecting America in general and its women in particular as the nation evolved. "In rural households, women and men had their own, specific jobs. Women cared for cows and chickens, made butter and cheese, gathered eggs, grew vegetables and herbs, hauled water, and gathered wood. Men cleared land, plowed and planted corn, butchered animals, and maintained tools and buildings. If they had an orchard, they maintained it together. Men's work followed the cycle of the seasons, with stretches of intense physical exertion followed by periods of rest. Women's work, no matter the season, had no end." An excellent, reader-friendly textbook for high school students or adults of all backgrounds.


The American History Shelf

The Gathering Place
John S. McCormick
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
1560851325 $39.95 www.signaturebooks.com 1-800-356-5687

Written by John S. McCormick (Professor of History, Salt Lake Community College), The Gathering Place: An Illustrated History of Salt Lake City lives up to its title with studious yet accessible text and a wealth of vintage black-and-white photography. Chapters cover the population decline of Utah's native peoples, how the Mormons' desire for independence from the United States brought an army to their doorstep (causing the Mormons to abandon their capital city until a negotiated peace permitted their return), Salt Lake City's role in the American Civil War, the rise of self-interest over communal purpose in Salt Lake City during the twentieth century, the dramatic changes brought about by the 1960s counterculture, the 1990s controversy over sexual orientation, and much more. An excellent resource highly recommended for any library covering Utah's remarkable historic saga.


The Sports Shelf

The Bill James Gold Mine 2009
Bill James
ACTA Sports
5559 West Howard Street, Skokie, IL 60077
9780879463694 $23.95 www.actapublications.com 1-800-397-2282

The Bill James Gold Mine 2009 is a massive compendium of statistical information about 2009's baseball teams, enhanced with comments, clarifications, and musings by expert baseball analyst Bill James. The data collected includes pitch type analysis, baserunning analysis, pitcher's record of opposing batters, performance by starting pitcher, productivity by batting order position, and fielding bible plus/minus data. James' additional essays and inquiries include "A What-If Fantasy", "Whoppers", "Triple Crowns", "96 Families of Hitters" and much more. A "must-have" for any truly dedicated baseball fan, and the perfect resource for fantasy baseball leagues!

Women's Baseball
John M. Kovach
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
0738533807 $19.99 www.arcadiapublishing.com 1-888-313-2665

Written by the first man to be honored by the National Women's Baseball Hall of Fame (as Manager of the Year in 2002), Women's Baseball is part history, part photographic record, part enthralling journey of the course of this sport from the just after the end of the Civil War to the beginning of the twenty-first century. A wealth of vintage black-and-white photographs and illustrations spanning almost a century and a half fill Women's Baseball cover to cover; each image has a brief caption explaining its history and significance. There is almost no narrative text outside of the photo captions and brief introductory sections to each group of period illustrations; Women's Baseball is primarily a visual tour de force. A "must-have" for women's baseball fans intrigued by the history and evolution of the sport.


The Military Shelf

The Whole Damned World
Dean Daniel B. Jett, author
Martha Shipman Andrews, editor
Rio Grande Books
925 Salamanca NW, Los Ranchos de ABQ, NM 87107-5647
9781890689384 $35.95 www.nmsantos.com

The Whole Damned World: New Mexico Aggies at War: 1941-1945 collects the World War II written correspondence between Daniel B. Jett, the Dean of Engineering at the New Mexico College of Agriculture and Mechanic Arts (later NMSU) from 1938 to 1947, and hundreds of his former students serving the nation overseas and stateside during the war effort. Daniel "Dad" Jett composed class newsletters in addition to writing scores of letters; his enthusiasm helped raise morale among soldiers and nurses, as well as those helping the school during difficult times. Many of the letters reveal nostalgia for college days, and hope for returning to the school after the close of the war. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this revealing and emotionally moving correspondence collection.


The Astronomy Shelf

Stargazing Basics
Paul E. Kinzer
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
9780521728591 $19.99 www.cambridge.org 1-800-872-7423

Amateur astronomer and educator Paul Kinzer presents Stargazing Basics: Getting Started in Recreational Astronomy, a highly accessible guide to readers of all ages and backgrounds. From where to find affordable binoculars, telescopes, and accessories; to how and why the visible images in the night sky change over time; to getting started in astrophotography, Stargazing Basics is an excellent and easy-to-follow primer. Black-and-white astronomical photographs taken by the writer illustrate this handy reference.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Otomen Volume 1
Aya Kanno
Viz Communications Inc.
295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
9781421521862 $8.99 www.viz.com 1-800-394-3042

Part of Viz's "Shojo Beat" line of manga (Japanese comics) aimed at girls and women, volume 1 of Otomen introduces readers to an unlikely teenage trio. Asuka Masamune is a decidedly heterosexual guy who loves girly things, from sewing and knitting to making stuffed animals and reading girls' manga; he has a severe crush on Ryo Miyakozuka, a girl who can't sew or bake at all, and who likes guy things such as martial arts. Their mutual friend is a playboy who secretly uses them both as inspiration to create his own best-selling shojo manga! Trapped in a culture that values men who act manly, how can Asuka learn to accept his own "otomen" (i.e. guy who likes girl stuff) nature, when almost no one else will accept it - not even his own mother or Ryo's father? Otomen is a lighthearted romantic comedy with a serious underlying message - that it's okay to be secure in one's gender and sexuality without conforming absolutely to rigid gender roles. Highly recommended to shojo manga fans.


The Travel Shelf

Up the Rouge! Paddling Detroit's Hidden River
Joel Thurtell, author
Patricia Beck, photographer
Wayne State University Press
The Leonard N. Simons Building, 4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814334256 $34.95 http://wsupress.wayne.edu 1-800-978-7323

Illustrated with full-color photography on almost every two-page spread, Up the Rouge! Paddling Detroit's Hidden River is a true-life travelogue of a quest to paddle his way up a sadly over-polluted and abused tributary to the Great Lakes. From dealing with logjams to glimpses of water birds to close encounters with the horrific stench of sewer grates, Up the Rouge! is an unflinchingly honest look at what the proximity of a city does to a river, as well an eye-opening journey. Told in brief passages dated by day and hour, Up the Rouge! Paddling Detroit's Hidden River is truly an up-close and personal picture of what it's like to paddle up the Rouge... not that the authors particularly recommend doing so (at least, not without a thorough set of inoculations against disease).


The Native American Shelf

The Sea Woman
Frederic Laugrand and Jarich Oosten
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
9781602230262 $49.95 www.uaf.edu/uapress 1-888-252-6657

Illustrated with full-color photography, particularly of Inuit carvings and sculptures of Sedna, The Sea Woman: Sedna in Inuit Shamanism and Art in the Eastern Arctic is an in-depth artistic and cultural study of the mythical Inuit figure of Sedna, the sea woman, believed to be the caretaker of animals' souls and avengers of transgressions against them (such as wanton or wasteful killing, as opposed to respectful killing and thorough use of their bodies). A recurring presence in artistic sculpture, legends, shamanism, and customs of proper behavior, Sedna the Sea Woman is a fascinating paragon worthy of the scholarly analysis that authors and anthropology professors Frederic Laugrand and Jarich Oosten provide. Highly recommended as a worthy addition to Native American cultural studies shelves.


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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