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California Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 8 August 2013 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Fiction Shelf Computer Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Art Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Military Shelf Cookbook Shelf Music Shelf
Gardening Shelf Business Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Education Shelf Travel Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Science Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Holocaust Studies Shelf
Political Science Shelf International Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Automotive Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Psychology Shelf Crafts Shelf
Photography Shelf Aviation Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf
American History Shelf Sports Shelf Humor Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Nautical Shelf California Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Resurrectionist
E.B. Hudspeth
Quirk Books
215 Church Street Philadelphia PA 19106
978594746161, $24.95, www.quirkbooks.com

THE RESURRECTIONIST: THE LOST WORK OF DR. SPENCER BLACK is an unusual title that began as anatomical research on an angel's wings and evolved into a novel: while this could have been reviewed in our fiction section, it's a wider-reaching recommendation that will appeal to a range of readers, from novel fans to those interested in anatomy, fantasy, the arts, and more. Cementing all these elements together is a fictional biography of one Dr. Spencer Black, following his childhood, medical training, work in carnivals, and mysterious disappearance. His hypothesis revolved around the idea that mythological beasts such as dragons were in fact evolutionary ancestors of humankind. The second book provides an anatomical reference manual of such beasts. The result is an engaging, unique story that will appeal to any fan of novels and the fantastic: very highly recommended and unparalleled in its originality.

Across the Pond
Terry Eagleton
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393088984, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

ACROSS THE POND: AN ENGLISHMAN'S VIEW OF AMERICA comes from an acclaimed English literary theorist and author who considers the United States and its culture from two vantage points: as a British citizen and as one married to an American. He considers the quirks of American culture whether it be language, politics or attitude, and he analyzes American belief systems and why the English find Americans strange in their approaches to life and issues. Particularly fascinating are the cultural revelations of language, from 'seeking closure' to 'awesome' commentary about life. Any who would better understand the British - and better see the oddities in American attitudes - will find this a revealing, fun read suitable for general-interest libraries and cultural analysis alike.

U Chic, third edition
Christie Garton
Sourcebooks, Inc.
1935 Brookdale Road, #139
Naperville, IL 60563
9781402280313, $14.99, www.sourcebooks.com

U Chic: The College Girl's Guide to Everything should be the gift of choice for any girl heading to college, and covers everything from getting started to sharing a room, staying fit on dorm food and handling sex, considering a sorority, and more. It offers all kinds of approaches to having a fabulous time at college, and is geared to the new college coed who wants to get the most from a college experience. Any women new to the college environment will find this a lively, involving discussion.

The Art of the Party
David Stark with John Morse
Monacelli Press
236 West 27th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10001
9781580932738, $40.00, www.monacellipress.com

The Art of the Party talks about making a party an artwork, and will prove a fine pick for arts, interior design and home and garden collections alike. David Stark discusses all the artistic elements involved in creating an event, offering a celebration of design and decor and sharing fun ideas for everything from elephant holders for place cards to planning a cocktail hour for six hundred attendees. Color photos pack a discussion of incorporating whimsy and fun into the process of party planning, making this a unique and solid reference that will be in arts holdings, but crosses over to appeal to home and garden libraries as well.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Portal
Eric Flint and Ryk E. Spoor
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781451639067, $25.00, www.baen.com

PORTAL tells of one Madeline Fathom, who has landed the crippled exploration ship Nebula Storm on Europa, there to join the stranded crew of the ship Odin - in more ways than one. When the ship is damaged, they all are stuck on a hostile world battered by lethal radiation, ice and conditions no human can survive. Can they make the ship fly again despite both the terrible conditions and dissension in the ranks - and does Europa hold a secret they need to know? Fast-paced action and survival concerns make this a winner!

Earth Afire
Orson Scott-Card and Aaron Johnston
Tor Books
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765329059, $25.99, www.tor-forge.com

EARTH AFIRE: THE FIRST FORMIC WAR is set in a universe a hundred years before Ender's Game and provides the second book in the new series with a focus on the worlds before Ender Wiggin was born. Both military science fiction fans and those with an interest in military ethics and science fiction will find this packed with action and insights. This sequel to Earth Unaware continues Earth's battle for survival against invading Formic aliens, and follows the development of the Battle School which Ender was to rule. Any fan of the Ender Wiggins series will relish these prequels.

Ecko Rising
Danie Ware
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9780857687623, $14.95, www.titanbooks.com

Ecko Rising provides a satisfying blend of science fiction and fantasy, uses elements of cyberpunk and horror, and provides a powerful first story presenting an anti-hero involved in his own fantasy world. Of course there's a quest to save his world - but there's also sarcasm, violence, romance, and a darker underlying layer that blends the genres of fantasy and classic science fiction writing with an intriguing blend of action and intrigue. Any genre reading looking for an original piece that moves outside the box will find Ecko Rising a satisfyingly complex read.

Casino Infernale
Simon R. Green
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451414298, $26.95, www.penguin.com

CASINO INFERNALE is a 'Secret Histories' novel that is the seventh addition to Green's urban fantasy series, and tells of Eddie Drood and his family, who have been protecting ordinary mortals for centuries. But he and his family have parted ways, and Eddie and his love Molly, a witch, are conducting a dangerous investigation for the Department of the Uncanny, investigating the mysterious Shadow Bank which finances global supernatural crimes. Casinos, high stakes action, and supernatural encounters make for an urban fantasy mystery to intrigue a large audience.

Collider
Chris Hejmanowski
Fischer Press
9780985718008, $14.99, www.colliderbook.com

Science, philosophy, religion and science fiction blend in a satisfying, fine thriller that examines life after death in telling of a particle physicist who strives to protect his young daughter from harm, even after he's killed in a car-jacking on his way to Switzerland to investigate breakthroughs at the Large Hadron Collider. Through his will in the after-life he achieves answers to huge mysteries in order to save his daughter, and his journey between worlds will change the nature of reality itself in this engrossing book about love, the human spirit, and a never-ending science investigation.

The Long War
Terry Pratchett and Stephen Baxter
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062067777, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

The Long War follows up the novel The Long Earth and follows the further adventures of Joshua and Lobsang as humankind's expansion through the Long Earth threatens humanity and the universe. Fleets of airships now link the multiple Earths and while humans are influencing the Long Earth, the Long Earth is shaping humanity itself. Encounters with a new America, trolls, and a wave of crises call Joshua from his new life as a husband and father to confront a war that will end everything. A powerful, engrossing saga, this is a 'must' for any fan of The Long Earth, and a top pick for any science fiction shelf.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Night Detectives
Jon Talton
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464201325, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

The Night Detectives provides a satisfying David Mapstone mystery as it tells of former Phoenix deputy David Mapstone and his old friend Sheriff Peralta, who are investigating the death of a young woman from a condo tower. The police say it's a suicide, but their client is sure it's something else. When their client is gunned down next, the two find his real identity is a mystery - and find themselves embroiled in an investigation that will take them to San Diego and a complex web of interconnected lies and dangers. The Night Detectives is a satisfying mystery that any mystery fan will find enjoyable.

Mr. Monk Helps Himself
Hy Conrad
Obsidian Mystery
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451240934, $23.95, www.penguin.com

Mr. Monk Helps Himself is based on the TV series created by Andy Breckman but provides an original mystery novel based on the Monk character. Here Monk and Natalie are in San Francisco again and Natalie is studying for her PI license to become Monk's full partner. But her retreat away from work is disrupted when Monk tracks her down and accuses her spiritual leader of fostering a cult - and when a member calmly jumps off a cliff in front of them. It looks like suicide - but Natalie is sure it's murder, and she can't get Monk involved. Two different investigations take dark turns in this riveting mystery, recommended for any mystery holding.

Close Knit Killer
Maggie Sefton
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425258392, $25.95, www.penguin.com

CLOSE KNIT KILLER pairs recipes and knitting patterns in a new knitting mystery by the author of CAST ON, KILL OFF, and is a pick for any collection that sees enthusiasm for the series. Here Kelly Flynn's good friend seeks to turn an old storage building into classroom space for knitters, but when someone is found dead, one of the shop's knitters becomes the prime suspect in a case that is filled with twists, turns, and intrigue. Can Kelly and her friends save Barbara and find the real killer? An engrossing mystery filled with knitting insights evolves.

The Trojan Colt
Mike Resnick
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781616147891, $15.95, www.seventhstreetbooks.com

Mike Resnick may be best known for his award-winning short science fiction writings, but his debut Eli Paxton story Dog in the Manger proved his prowess in the mystery format as well, and is here followed up by another Paxton mystery, The Trojan Colt. A routine security assignment turns out to be something else for private eye Eli, hired to guard the yearlings of a retired race horse only to find himself involved in an attack on a young groom. The assailants escape and the groom goes missing the next day: assigned to investigate his disappearance, Paxton finds a host of mysteries revolving around the breeding farm and its affairs in this gripping story recommended especially for prior fans of Resnick and Dog in the Manger.

Bad Monkey
Carl Hiaasen
Knopf
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307272591, $26.95, www.aaknopf.com

BAD MONKEY is a top pick for Carl Hiaasen fans and tells of one Andrew - who has a human arm in his freezer. There's a logical explanation for this, but not for where its owner is - and it's up to Yancey to prove a murder case to gain a reputation as an inspector. A series of unpredictable, zany events evolves with Yancy investigating the widow of the arm, a voodoo witch, a real estate speculator, and much more in a series of outrageous and increasingly complex events that add up to a zany story and a convoluted plot. Prior fans will know this is classic Hiaasen at his best, offering up a health dose of mystery, whimsy and fun that are perfect picks for any mystery or novel library.


The Fiction Shelf

Snapper
Brian Kimberling
Pantheon
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307908056, $24.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

SNAPPER offers a fun new fictional voice charting the recollections of a bird researcher in Indiana as he experiences a love affair with the place and people of the region. Nathan studies birds and earns just enough to live on, and he's in love with a mysterious woman. A cast of characters revolves like a whirlwind around Nathan, offering a fun world filled with insights, nature, and reflections on life's ironies and inconsistencies. The result is an outstanding novel highly recommended for any general lending collection strong in vivid, fun fiction.

Angel City
Jon Steele
Blue Rider Press
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780399158759, $27.95, www.blueriderpress.com

Angel City is Part 2 of the 'Angelus Trilogy' and provides a satisfying thriller perfect for any fiction collection. Collections seeing enthusiasm for The Watchers, the first book, will appreciate the ongoing blend of history, metaphysics and a thriller in this second part, which begins three years after the dramatic events that resolved some introductory mysteries in the Swiss city of Lausanne. Two acts of terror some eight hundred years apart link a besieged Crusades fortress with suicide bombers who plan to detonate a nuclear device from a hijacked tourist boat on the Seine in 2013. The connections between these two events will challenge and draw detective Jay Harper, who must work against immortal enemies to save the world. Any general lending library strong in mysteries, thrillers, and metaphysical novels - especially those seeing popularity with The Watcher - will find this a 'must have' addition.

Choke Point
Ridley Pearson
G.P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780399158841, $26.95, www.penguin.com

CHOKE POINT provides a new Risk Agent novel and continues the thriller series, which has been optioned for film to reach new audiences. Freelance American operative John Knox and Chinese forensic accountant Grace Chu join forces again to travel the world as Knox receives a dangerous assignment to help make up for embezzled funds and Grace finds the same assignment challenges her intellect and offers a unique opportunity to prove herself as a computer hacker. Danger, retaliation and international influences converge in a gripping thriller perfect for collections who have fans of the prior thriller.

Flat Water Tuesday
Ron Irwin
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250030030, $24.99, www.stmartins.com

Ron Irwin's debut novel opens with a bang as it tells of one Rob, son of a working-class cabinet maker who enters a fancy boarding school with a scholarship and resentment. A school rowing team, the annual Tuesday afternoon race against the school's biggest rival, and Rob's involvement in a vicious competition that results in tragedy embroils the school in conflict and, fifteen years later, remains a haunting memory. Enter romance and struggles to reconcile past conflicts and you have a revealing, memorable story that's impossible to put down.

Tremble
Tobsha Learner
Plume
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780142180372, $16.00, www.penguin.com

Tremble: Erotic Tales of the Mystical and Sinister combines stories of erotica with elements of the supernatural and will cross genres in appealing to fans of fantasy and romance alike. Sexuality is peppered with horror in stories that range from a Welsh village where a young woman's inheritance awakens her sexuality to the story of a Sidney record producer challenged by trying to satisfy two very different women in his life - who may not prove so different, after all. All are unique, unexpected offerings perfect for any general lending library.

Forever, Interrupted
Taylor Jenkins Reid
Washington Square Press
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781476712833, $15.00, www.simonandschuster.com

What does it take to be the love of someone's life, and what happens if that love ends unexpectedly? Here one woman's sudden romance, elopement, and widowhood leads to all kinds of issues for twenty-six-year old Elsie, who loses her husband Ben just days into their marriage. Their love story had no time to evolve and begin before it was ended. Tangled in all this is a mother who never had time to learn about her daughter-in-law, and a troubled relationship that revolves over a dead son. An engrossing story, Forever, Interrupted discusses bonds, breaks, and the events that tie strangers together in a furiously-paced storm of emotion that will keep readers engrossed to the end.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Neil Gaiman
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062255655, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

The Ocean at the End of the Lane opens with a man's return to the site of his childhood home in Sussex, England where he once knew a mysterious girl named Lettie. His memories of her have long been repressed, but his return home sparks them - and he must face the horrors of childhood revelations against the backdrop of adult insights in this story of magic, nature, and vivid encounters between fantasy and reality. Gaiman's writing and settings are evocative and surreal: "I've been inside you," she said. "So a word to the wise. If you tell anybody anything, they won't believe you. And, because I've been inside you, I'll know. and I can make it so you never say anything I don't want you to say to anybody, not ever again." " Simply enchanting, and recommended for any novel or fantasy collection.


The Computer Shelf

Malware, Rootkits & Botnets
Christopher C. Elisan
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10121-2298
9780071792066, $40.00, www.mfprofessional.com

Malware, Rootkits & Botnets: A Beginner's Guide provides a fine networking guide that teaches managers how to improve an organization's security by defending against common network attacks. It explores the mechanics and dangers of the latest risks, offers a series of 'best practices' for preventing them, and describes the entire threat lifecycle, explaining how cybercriminals create and manage malware. Proven techniques for identifying and disarming these attacks offer templates, checklists and examples in a powerful guide packed with insights into the latest security technology measures: a 'must' for any IT professional or manager seeking to understand network security basics.

Response Design Workflow
Stephen Hay
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321887863, $39.99, www.newriders.com

Response Design Workflow covers the basics of new practices relating to design workflow and teachers designers how to adapt to these new rules, creating more effective sites for the modern web. From handling client expectations and adopting different design techniques to better documentation methods and visualization techniques for incorporating responsive design into the mix, this offers a series of lessons that move away from outdated workflow instruction and teach how to function more efficiently in a multi-platform web environment. No computer collection should be without this!

Cloud Computing
Thomas Erl, et.al.
Prentice Hall
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133387520, $49.99, www.informit.com/ph

CLOUD COMPUTING: CONCEPTS, TECHNOLOGY & ARCHITECTURE is a basic text recommended for any studying cloud computing and for many a college-level course looking for a solid reader on the subject, and provides a comprehensive reference packed with basics any cloud architect needs to know. From cloud delivery models and economics of cloud computing to analysis of how mechanisms on the cloud capture real-world business needs, this includes many charts, diagrams, and discussions of basic terms key to any who would learn to program and use Cloud technology.

Learning jQuery
Ralph Steyer
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321815262, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw

Any collection strong in web programming knows that jQuery is one of the highlights in the genre, with the capability of creating rich web applications while integrating numerous platforms. This guide covers all the basics of using jQuery, jQuery Mobile and jQuery UI in a project, showing how to do everything from adding enhancements to an existing site to building complete Internet apps. Packed with code and examples, this is directed to working web developers who want to get up to speed quickly in applying jQuery to creating animations, slideshows, interactive forms and more. Black and white examples throughout make for a clear, powerful reference.

Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-101
Wendell Odem, CCIE
Cisco
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9781587143731, $39.99, www.ciscopress.com

Cisco CCNA Routing and Switching ICND2 200-101 offers the opportunity to succeed on the exam the first time and is the only self-study resource that comes with Cisco's endorsement. It comes from an expert instructor who shares test-taking strategies and provides a complete study package that includes a test-preparation routine, quizzes, chapter exercises and drills, troubleshooting sections, software for practice and self-tests, and over 60 minutes of video mentoring from the author. Packed with detail and specifics and with a companion DVD, this is a 'must' for any exam-taker.

Wordpress All-in-One For Dummies, second edition
Lisa Sabin-Wilson
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118383346, $34.99, www.dummies.com

Wordpress All-in-One For Dummies is no casual coverage, but an in-depth 'bible' reference packing over eight hundred pages with information on WordPress, from basics to advanced techniques. From blogging basics and understanding WordPress fundamentals to obtaining a web server, using FTP protocols, and using WordPress's personal themes to enhance a blog structure, this covers all the basics then moves to advanced technical information for geeks, from handling plugin base code to running a multisite installation and customizing a WordPress web presence. This second updated edition offers all the latest facts needed to learn WordPress.

GPU Pro 4: Advanced Rendering Techniques
Wolfgang Engel
A.K. Peters
c/o CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781466567436, $79.95, www.akpeters.com

GPU Pro 4: Advanced Rendering Techniques offers a technical coverage for advanced graphics programmers and is a reference recommended for collections catering to serious game programmers. From game engine design and optimization to rendering shadows, creating shadow maps, and techniques that apply to advanced graphics processing units, chapters include charts, diagrams, and discussions of modern graphic processor applications in a variety of gaming environments. CRC Press also holds a web page filled with example programs and source code available for download, offering a satisfying enhancement that pairs the book's structure with online content for additional impact. The result is a recommended pick for any advanced graphics programmer, especially those working in gaming environments.

Absolute OpenBSD, second edition
Michael W. Lucas
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street
San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593274764, $59.95, www.nostarch.com

Absolute OpenBSD: UNIX for the Practical paranoid covers a powerful Unix-like operating system which is totally free and open source, relying on user support and The OpenBSD Foundation for its maintenance and revisions. This updated second edition provides users with a complete guide to the operating system and has been completely revised to cover OpenBSD 5.3 and new coverage of its boot system and advanced networking techniques. It's the definitive guidebook on the topic and covers the entire platform, technical details underlying design decisions, and best practices. Any collection strong in Unix or open source alternatives must have this detailed coverage, unique in its genre.

Python Cookbook, third edition
David Beazley & Brian K. Jones
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449340377, $49.99, www.oreilly.com

The third updated edition of Python Cookbook: Recipes for Mastering Python 3 is a solid pick for any computer collection strong in programming languages, and offers a fine guide to updating from Python 2 code or learning to write programs in Python 3. Recipes have all been tested with Python 3.3 and provide a cookbook for experienced Python programmers who want complete recipes arranged by topic to cover all the basics, from algorithms and file management, to classes, metaprogramming, concurrency and debugging. Each recipe not only contains code samples that can be applied to projects: it discusses why and how the code works. A top recommendation for any using Python!


The Interior Design Shelf

Artful Decoration: Interiors by Fisher Weisman
Andrew Fisher and Jeffrey Weisman
Monacelli Press
236 West 27th Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10001
9781580933582, $55.00, www.monacellipress.com

Artful Decoration: Interiors by Fisher Weisman work together to create artistic, unexpected interior design that blends traditional with exotic ideas, and provide a collection of their interiors that will delight any collection strong in interior design. Color photos pack a presentation of interior designs from the firm, profiling some thirteen residences that range from small to large and opulent, demonstrating how their brand of design can work in a range of spaces. Two hundred color illustrations capture these designs and their underlying humor and attributes, making for an interior design display that is unique and inspiring. Any interior design collection must include this!

Out There
Maria Gabriela Brito
Pointed Leaf Press
136 Baxter Street, New York, NY 10013
9781938461033, $60.00, www.pointedleafpress.com

OUT THERE: DESIGN, ART, TRAVEL, SHOPPING packs in over 250 illustrations in a book from a New York-based interior designer and authority on mixing art with home decor, and is a pick for travel and arts libraries alike. It mixes Brito's personal experiences with insights on developing both a home art collection and an interior design that features them, offering travel discussions, highlights of eight New York City apartment she designed, and color photos by Ellen Warfield throughout. While arts holdings will be the most likely purchasers of this guide, OUT THERE: DESIGN, ART, TRAVEL, SHOPPING holds additional attraction for travelers and those interested in blending cultural and social observation with interior design choices. The result is a 'must' for any interested in incorporating art into a home setting.


The Art Shelf

Bright!
Slanted, Editor
Daab Media
Scheidtweilerstr. 69, 50933 Cologne, Germany
9783942597234, $95.00, www.daab-online.com

BRIGHT!: TYPOGRAPHY BETWEEN ILLUSTRATION AND ART features typography which is loaded with creative expression, and links typographical information to environment, graphic complements, and more. This collection gathers such unique typo-art, discussing cultural heritage and influences, overall typography as an art and a graphic form, and discussing cultural heritage and aesthetics in the process of exploring such works. Over 200 artists are featured in a powerful collection that should be a 'must' for any arts holding strong in typographical art.

Life & Death in Tattoo Flash
Christopher Norrell
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342059, $29.99, www.schifferpublishing.com

Life & Death in Tattoo Flash provides a tattoo art story covering art created over the last three winters at the California Tattoo shop in Savannah Georgia, and represents a period that artist Christopher Norrell used to refine his tattoo art skills during a slow period in business. It's a thematic collection reflecting struggles between life and death and good and evil, using images of death, phoenixes, birds and more in over 230 full-page color images of tattoo flash art. Rendered in full color and exquisite detail, this is a 'must' for any collection strong in tattoo artistry.

The Handy Art History Answer Book
Madelynn Dickerson
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
9781578594177, $21.95, www.visibleinkpress.com

The Handy Art History Answer Book offers a user-friendly history that covers all the major art movements, their key artists, and important art pieces from 35,000 B.C.E. to modern times. Where other books would offer weighty assessments, this focuses on light coverage key to understanding the overall art world, but accessible to non-artist readers. Included in the review are all mediums from sculpture and classic painting to installations and video games, with over a hundred color images accompanying discussion of artistic concepts. Any who would understand the evolution of Western art will find this the perfect, accessible starting point for reference.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The New Testament
Donald A. Hagner
Baker Publishing
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
9780801039317, $49.99, www.bakeracademic.com

THE NEW TESTAMENT: A HISTORICAL AND THEOLOGICAL INTRODUCTION comes from a senior evangelical scholar who provides a study of the New Testament from a historical and theological viewpoint, and belongs in any Christian academic collection. Donald Hagner treats the New Testament as a single body of texts and reviews it as a unified piece as much as a series of connected but independent writings. The focus on understanding their theological context provides students with a focus on the origins of Christianity and its key writings. Review of current and classical thought and research accompany summary tables, diagrams, maps and more, making this a fine collection of powerful insights which should be required reading for any Christian college-level student.

The End of Suffering
Joseph F. Girzone
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781626980259, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The End of Suffering uses stories from the author's own life experiences to describe how Jesus is always present with us, even in suffering, and shares stories of pain and loss that result in spiritual enlightenment. From rehabilitation and renewed involvement in life's processes to how to find happiness in the midst of suffering, this title offers nuggets of spiritual insight wrapped in assessments of the human condition and its link to God. Any spirituality holding will find this a gentle reminder of how to evolve religious insights from hard times.

Live Long and Prosper
Sandra L. Barnes
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823249572, $25.00, www.fordham.edu

Live Long and Prosper: How Black Megachurches Address HIV/AIDS and Poverty in the age of Prosperity Theology considers the question of whether black churches are more strongly focused on prosperity than on social justice or spiritual enlightenment, and is a pick for any spirituality holding appealing to pastors and black readers alike. Sixteen representative black 'megachurches' serve as examples here with analysis including their congregations, motivations, and unique blend of innovation and adaptability that make them powerful examples of godly living, faith, and social change. The dual focus makes this a solid analysis recommended for spirituality and social issues libraries.

Unfinished
Richard Stearns
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9780849948510, $24.99, www.thomasnelson.com

UNFINISHED: BELIEVING IS ONLY THE BEGINNING is a recommendation for Christians who want to pursue God's kingdom, and offer discussions of those in first world counties who live wealthy existences as opposed to others who live in countries where basic food and clean water are scarce. Readers around the world can discover their unique roles in God's Kingdom regardless of where they live, and this book provides a direct connection between the unfinished work of this kingdom and those who feel incomplete in their faith and perspective. Chapters invite readers to pursue spiritual purposes in everything they do, offering case history examples of those who surrendered worldly goods to God and overcame negative messages to achieve greater spiritual awareness. The result is an outstanding, encouraging book perfect for any Christian looking for something bigger and better in faith.

Crucified Again
Raymond Ibrahim
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781621570257, $27.95, www.regnery.com

CRUCIFIED AGAIN: EXPOSING ISLAM'S NEW WAR ON CHRISTIANS provides an expose documenting the sufferings of Christians from Morocco to Indonesia and other Islamic nations of the world, examining the culture of Islam and the truth about abuse Christians undergo daily. From the real source of Muslim violence towards Christians to Muslim persecution of Christians across centuries, this evaluates the idea of Muslim 'tolerance' and Islam's persecution of Christians, offering a detailed story of Muslim oppression in a gripping saga that should be in any Middle East history or Christian holding.

Moses, Jesus, and the Trickster in the Evangelical South
Paul Harvey
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA 30602-4901
9780820334110, $28.95, www.ugapress.org

Moses, Jesus, and the Trickster in the Evangelical South is a fine survey that uses four characters key to religious symbolism in the American South to consider major themes of religion, race and Southern history and culture. The figure of Moses helps show how whites viewed themselves as a chosen people, and how Africans and Afro-Americans changed story lines to suit their experiences and needs. Southern evangelicals succeeded in transforming the figure of Jesus into a symbol of American life, but through the decades this symbol and the notion of religious freedom for slaves and blacks in the South changed. College-level and scholarly holdings strong in spiritual and social analysis will find this an involving analysis.

Prototype
Jonathan Martin
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414373638, $15.99, www.tyndale.com

Jesus is not only the God who came to die, but also the human who showed us how to live: that's the message in Prototype, which takes gospel and re-examines it with a modern flavor and a different perspective. Here Jesus is viewed as a prototype who came to show how Godliness and humanity could co-exist in the same body. We have the potential to not only live as Jesus did, but to be loved by God as deeply as Jesus was. Chapters explore how to become awake to these possibilities - and how to translate this newfound awareness of God into a world-changing paradigm. The result is a powerful account that offers wide-ranging insights perfect for any Christian reader.

It's All True
Jeff Slaughter with Randy Winton
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10018
9781620879337, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

IT'S ALL TRUE: WALKING BY FAITH IN A FUNKY WORLD provides the inspired story of author Jeff Slaughter's life before he was a successful musician and Christian leader. He witnessed his teen niece's tragic death at a family reunion and also describes joyful and fin moments growing up in the Mississippi Delta. Some of his best songs come from the most moving moments of his life, discussed here in a fine title that considers faith, hope, and thriving in an uncertain world. Packed with spiritual insights, it's a top pick for any looking for inspired spiritual autobiographies - which means many a Christian collection as well as any familiar with Jeff Slaughter's music.

The Religion/Spirituality

There is No God and He is Always With You
Brad Warner
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608681839, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Zen monk and bestselling author Brad Warner offers insights into why the "Godless religion" of Zen Buddhism has much to say about God, and stems from the author's travels around the world speaking to people about the Zen experience. Is there a way to be an atheist and still believe in God - and to incorporate the Zen belief system into a basic belief in God? The title comes from a quote from the author's first Zen teacher, passed down through other teachers, and advocates seeing God with different eyes. A fine perspective, this is a pick for new age and Christian libraries alike.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Conversations With the Universe
Simran Singh
Select Books
1 Union Square West, Suite 909
NY, NY 10003
9781590799772, $16.95, www.selectbooks.com

Conversations With the Universe: How the World Speaks to Us is a pick for metaphysical, new age, and spirituality collections alike and shares the basics of receiving messages from the universe and understanding and processing these messages. It comes from a spiritual healer who promotes the idea of expanding awareness of signs from the Universe, and offers chapters discussing symbols, signs, and more. Case histories of those who perceive and follow such signs make for enlightening reading for any spiritual seeker.


The Military Shelf

Between Giants
Prit Buttar
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
9781780961637, $29.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

BETWEEN GIANTS: THE BATTLE FOR THE BALTICS IN WORLD WAR II tells of three countries (Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia) who found themselves trapped between the Soviet Union and Nazi Germany during the war. These three states were repeatedly occupied by different forces, and local individuals and governments were forced to choose sides time and again. After the German invasion they then served as the battleground for key battles in the region: by war's end the Baltic States lost over 20 percent of their total population only to face Soviet occupation. First-hand accounts and original research lends to a vivid survey of their experiences and the battles that shaped the region, making this a pick for Eastern European and military history holdings alike.

Kill Anything That Moves
Nick Turse
Metropolitan Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10010-7725
9780805086911, $30.00, www.henryholt.com

Kill Anything That Moves: The Real American War in Vietnam won the Ridenhour Prize for Reportorial Distinction and combines reporting and research to offer a comprehensive picture of what American forces were doing in Vietnam. This isn't your usual viewpoint on military action: it considers the underlying motivations and experiences that have been hidden by official lies and cover-ups for years, and uses newly released classified information and interviews to consider how atrocities considered to be isolated incidents were in fact the norm. The result is a very different kind of analysis, perfect for any holding strong in military and social analysis in general and Vietnam experience in particular.

Above the Din of War
Peter Eichstaedt
Lawrence Hill Books
c/o Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9781613745151, $26.95, www.chicagoreviewpress.com

ABOVE THE DIN OF WAR: AFGHANS SPEAK ABOUT THEIR LIVES, THEIR COUNTRY, AND THEIR FUTURE - AND WHY AMERICA SHOULD LISTEN gathers Afghan voices and opinions and reveals the people of Afghanistan and how they have lived in a country at war for over 30 years. The author spent 2004 in the country helping to build its first independent news agency, returned to Kabul in 2010, and has worked with journalists to document their history and struggles. His interviews with everyday people probes their culture, peoples in a range of provinces across the country, and pairs opinions with critical analysis of Afghan history, culture and concerns. The result is a focus on human rights issues unparalleled in its impact and coverage, recommended for any military, social issues or regional history collection.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Icecreamists
Matt O'Connor
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845337629, $19.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

THE ICECREAMISTS: BOUTIQUE ICE CREAMS AND OTHER GUILTY PLEASURES TO MAKE AND ENJOY AT HOME is the first book from the London ice cream parlor which made headlines since he launched his brand in 2009, creating boutique ice creams and sundaes. Closely guarded recipes developed by the company are provided here with home cooks in mind, from a Soda Bread and Irish Stout ice cream combination to a unique Elderflower Sorbetto and even an Earl Grey Sorbetto. Any interested in refreshingly different ice cream recipes will find this packed with unique offerings, a 'must' for any ice cream maker's collection.

Off the Eaten Path: Second Helpings
Morgan Murphy
Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095
Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
0848739558, $22.95, www.oxmoorhouse.com

Southern Living's Off the Eaten Path: Second Helpings packs in over 150 recipes to be found from over sixty restaurants and diners in some 16 Southern states, selecting a favorite in each state and including stories about those who made each spot notable. Humor, local and culinary insights abound in a colorful guide that blends food culture with a travelogue including inns and hotels to stay at. Color photos of dishes and people pack a recipe collection that will appeal to any not planning a visit, with such dishes as The Homestead's Famous Granola or Bowens Island Frogmore Stew making for a powerful collection of recipes not to be found in any other Southern cookbook.

Starting Your own Brewery
Dick Cantwell
Brewers Publications
P.O. Box 1679, Boulder, CO 80306
9781938469053, $95.00, www.brewersassociation.org

Starting Your Own Brewery would ordinarily have been featured in our business section; but since so many brewers look at culinary sections for information, it's also featured here to encourage brewers to begin their own brewery. All the basics are here for starting such a venture; from site selection and brewery set-up to regulatory requirements, equipment considerations and more. All come from an industry veteran who owns his own successful brewing company, so information is not only specific to the industry, but imparted by one who has successfully navigated pitfalls and possibilities. Packed with specifics on everything involved, this is simply a 'must' for any home brewer who wants to move to a professional level of production.

Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats from Around the World
Allyson Kramer
Fair Winds
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com
9781592335480, $21.99, www.fairwindspress.com

Great Gluten-Free Vegan Eats from Around the World: Fantastic, Allergy-Free Recipes Full of International Flair teaches how to cook international gluten-free dishes at home, and focuses on how easy it can be to create such dishes without using any animal products or gluten. From making an English Cottage Pie to Sugared Spanish Almonds and Plantain and Potato Soup, this provides recipes from around the world, color photos of finished dishes, and a dual focus on vegan, gluten-free fare that is appealing and easy. Any who want to satisfy both interests but who want to adapt international cuisine will find this the perfect starting place.

Fair Winds Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
www.fairwindspress.com

Andy Husbands & Chris Hart with Andrea Pyenson's WICKED GOOD BURGERS (9781592335589, $22.95) provides the second title in the 'Wicked Good' series and comes from a Boston franchise that changed the world of barbecue with its fare. This focus on burgers incorporates an international flair with such dishes as a Vietnamese Pork Burger and a Scallop and Shrimp Burger, while side dishes are also unique flavor blends that can top or accompany the unique burger offerings. From grilling to smoking and griddling burgers, this packs in flavors and fare that are a vast departure from your traditional hamburger fare, making this a 'must' for any who want variations and innovative new ideas. Kathy Hester's The Great Vegan Bean Book (9781592335497, $19.99) provides vegan dishes which also tend to be soy- and gluten-free and focus on beans as a way of gaining lean proteins in the diet. One might expect beans to appear in primarily main course dishes, but this cookbook offers many surprises, as in a sweet Lemon Coconut Chickpea Muffin recipe, or Blondies made with beans. From purees to sautees, this covers everything from soaking times to bean properties that lend to different kinds of recipes, and is a pick for any vegan or bean cookbook collection!

In A Snap!
Tammy Algood
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9781401604868, $24.99, www.thomasnelson.com

IN A SNAP! TASTY SOUTHERN RECIPES YOU CAN MAKE IN 5, 10, 15, OR 30 MINUTES is organized in chapters of each segment and offers the busiest households homemade meals that can feed a family with literally minutes of preparation. Fresh ingredients blend with convenience foods such as packaged, washed salads for such dishes as Fresh Peach and Turkey Salad, while an apple pie filling from a can forms the foundation for a delicious Upside Down Pie. By using bases of canned ingredients and adding fresh ingredients that require little preparation, any cook can achieve gourmet results that look and taste like everything came from scratch preparations. A wonderful pick for any busy cook!

Paris to Provence
Ethel Brennan and Sara Remington
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449427511, $29.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

PARIS TO PROVENCE: CHILDHOOD MEMORIES OF FOOD & FRANCE presents the shared memories and culinary experiences of authors who explored the same French culinary traditions hundreds of kilometers apart, and provides a satisfying blend of memoir, cookbook and travelogue for any interested in French cuisine. Photos, simple dishes, and fun stories of French experiences combine in a focus that provides some fifty recipes in the course of discussing French culture and traditions. With its vivid, delicious focus it will provide cooks with a fine and spirited discussion of French's best, from bistros to food trucks and restaurant fare.

The Little Paris Kitchen
Rachel Khoo
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452113432, $35.00, www.chroniclebooks.com

The Little Paris Kitchen: 120 Simple But Classic French Recipes pairs full-page color photos of foods and French scenes with discussions of how a French home-cooked meal can be simple yet elegant. Rachel Khoo created a small pop-up restaurant in Paris to test the recipes for this cookbook, which became a best-selling title on Amazon UK and inspired a TV series. Now Americans receive a fine approach to Cordon Bleu dishes - one that was cultivated using only two gas rings and a mini oven. French classics are re-done for this small kitchen approach, with examples ranging from the classic Coq au Vin served on skewers to an unusual Wild Mushroom Terrine a delicious Orange Mousse, this is filled with French-influenced foods any can easily cook at home!

Gluten-Free Girl Every Day
Shauna James Ahern with Daniel Ahern
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9781118115213, $29.99, www.hmhpub.com

Gluten-Free Girl Every Day pairs color photos throughout by Penny De Los Santos with a gluten-free focus organized around different types of dinners, from one-pot dishes to stir fries and buffets. Each recipe includes a sidebar of tips and ideas for creative embellishment or modification of the dish, and includes ideas for make-ahead meals and speeding up the dinner-making process. Basics such as how to cook rice are also included, making this an easy introduction for newcomers. From a Chile-Lime Shrimp Stir-Fry to a Chana Masala stew dish, this shows that gluten-free need not be flavorless fare - nor complicated. The entire family will enjoy these choices, and any collection strong in 'allergy cooking' will find it a fine selection.

Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition
T. Colin Campbell, PhD with Howard Jacobson, PhD
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856243, $26.95, www.benbellabooks.com

Whole: Rethinking the Science of Nutrition picks up where the author's popular The China Study leaves off. The China Study examined what we should eat and provided scientific support for these considerations: Whole considers the 'why' of how a whole-food, plant-based diet provides optimal nutrition. From cellular changes to the entire organism, this provides a scientific basis for a whole-foods diet plan, considering the antioxidants in foods, what happens to the body upon eating foods, and considering how the influences of chemicals affect biology. Many books promote whole foods without backing their contentions with scientific research: this offers explanations of that science and provides readers with a powerful survey of nutrition and its scientific basis. Any health or food collection needs this!

But Mama Always Put Vodka in the Sangria!
Julia Reed
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250019042, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

But Mama Always Put Vodka in the Sangria: Adventures in Eating, Drinking and Making Merry offers a blend of travelogue and culinary adventures from around the world as Reed journeys to Afghanistan to her native Mississippi Delta and back, savoring different foods and entertainment experiences from both home and abroad and sharing them with readers who enjoy armchair culinary journeys and a peppering of recipes throughout. Discussions of drinks, culture, and food and beverage pairings make for a satisfying blend of cookbook and adventure story that pairs experience with recipes such as Suzanne Goin's Pork Burgers and drinks such as a Savannah Planter's Punch. The fun blends of food and beverage picks makes this a fine culinary exploration.

Easy Indian Cooking, second edition
Suneeta Vaswani
Robert Rose
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778804505, $19.95, www.robertrose.ca

Easy Indian Cooking appears in its second updated edition to offer dishes that are easy to create at home, with this new edition featuring 30 new recipes to enhance a gathering of well over a hundred dishes from northern and southern India. All have been adapted for North American kitchens, and all offer tips for simple meals, handling leftovers, and more. Several centerfolds of color photos accompany such dishes as Lamb with Cilantro and Fennel and Savory Indian Bread Pudding. The attention to explaining and exploring how these dishes could be used as sides, leftovers, and for specific meals sets this apart from other Indian cookbooks and makes this a user-friendly introduction particularly accessible to those new to Indian cuisine.

More Peas, Thank You
Sarah Matheny
Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road
Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373892723v, $21.95, www.eHarlequin.com

MORE PEAS, THANK YOU provides over sixty new recipes in a guide designed for dieting cooks who want familiar fare with fresh new takes, and will appeal to any who want a focus on vegetarian dishes with more nutrition. Chapters come from a former meat-eating cook who became determined to make her family appealing meat-free dishes: chapters follow up on her prior best-selling PEAS AND THANK YOU and expand the family-friendly meatless dishes available to busy cooks. The focus on fast preparations makes for a winning collection recommended for any vegetarian cookbook collection; particularly those appealing to families.

The Big Smoker Book
Karsten "Ted" Aschenbrandt & Rudolf Jaeger
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764343285, $34.99, www.schifferpublishing.com

The Big Smoker Book packs in over a hundred color photos with recipes designed to teach the basic techniques of smoking. There are many smokers, and many different ideas on how to use them property: this gathers together experts who provide their keys on using different smoking techniques and seasonings, sauces, and rubs to produce the best meats and fish. Sections organized by type of meat - such as an entire section on brisket - provide a fine arrangement of recipes and coverage of the specifics of smoking and cooking with different cuts and meats. The appealing color photos and in-depth coverage of how to smoke under different conditions for different results makes for a top pick for any cookbook collection!

The Audacity of Hops
Tom Acitelli
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613743881, $19.95, www.ipgbook.com

The Audacity of Hops: the History of America's Craft Beer Revolution covers the birth and growth of small brewing across the U.S. since the 1960s, and will appeal to any food and beverage collection strong in history in general and beer brewing in particular. It tells of how a rebellious crowd of home brewers spread the idea and ideals of craft brewing across the country, creating microbreweries to compete with the likes of Anhouser-Busch and involving all manner of political and private individual in the industry. From the movement's growth to the response of big breweries, this offers a lively social and culinary history perfect for any food and beverage library.

Fresh Happy Tasty
Jane Loxwell
Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062125408, $35.00, www.harpercollins.com

Fresh Happy Tasty: An Adventure in 100 Recipes comes from a personal chef aboard a famous designer's sailing yacht who has traveled around the world collecting recipes that are full of flavor and interest. Some 100 of her light recipes range from Cape Malay Lamb Curry to South African Pickled Fish, Quinoa Risotto, Crab, Tomato and Lemon Spaghetti and more. Color photos accompany each dish, which receives commentary on its healthy properties and origins. Any culinary collection interested in unique recipes from around the world that focus on fresh, healthy fare will find this an inspiring, delicious addition.

Put 'Em Up!
Sherri Brooks Vinton
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612120249, $19.95, www.storey.com

Put 'Em Up! A Preserving Guide & Cookbook provides new methods for putting preserves together: one that involves freezing, drying, and infusing, and is a pick for any looking for new ideas to produce sweet or savory preserves. Also accompanying these recipes are some 80 recipes for using preserved fruits in sweet and savory dishes alike: something most preserve-oriented cookbooks leave out. With its bright color photos and unique recipes for Wine Jelly, Dried Cranberries and Blueberry Vinegar to recipes for using them in dishes such as Butter-Basted Steak with Grape Reduction, this is packed with appealing dishes any can quickly produce - and use! A 'must' for any interested in canning or preserving!

The Cracker Book
Lee E. Cart
Burford Books
101 East State Street, #301, Ithaca, NY 14850
9781580801706, $12.95, www.burfordbooks.com

THE CRACKER BOOK: ARTISANAL CRACKERS FOR EVERY OCCASION packs in recipes for over fifty different crackers, from traditional grahams to those flavored with herbs, spices, and special ingredients. Ingredients also range from traditional wheat flour crackers to gluten-free and oatmeal crackers, with recipes for dips and accompanying spreads rounding out the fine collection of homemade fare. Most cracker recipes are tucked into larger discussions of appetizers or breads; so it's refreshing to view a dedicated title that provides more depth and detail on the finer art of producing a cracker, making this a pick for any culinary library.

Franny's Simple Seasonal Italian
Andrew Feinberg, et.al.
Artisan Books
c/o Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
9781579654641, $35.00, www.artisanbooks.com

Franny's Simple Seasonal Italian packs in some 400 pages with tips for simple Italian recipes stemming from a restaurant run by the authors, and provides Southern Italian cuisine for any who would duplicate Franny's successes at home. Chapters present such unusual dishes as Squid Salad with Chickpeas, Olives, and Preserved Meyer Lemon, Penne with Spicy Cauliflower, and Stewed Zucchini with Mint, Olives and Tomatoes and provide ingredients and directions that sound exotic, but prove a snap to produce at home. Any who would produce Italian fare that's a step away from traditional will relish this exceptional cookbook.


The Music Shelf

Play Me Something Quick and Devilish
Howard Wight Marshall
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219947, www.press.umsystem.edu

Play Me Something Quick and Devilish: Old-Time Fiddlers in Missouri explores traditional fiddle music in Missouri and the place of homespun music in the community from the late 1700s to the early 1920s. During this period the foundation was laid for what we know of today as old-time fiddling, and this chronological history covers the social, political and musical influences on this style of music. Investigations of local community interactions, themes in the development of fiddle traditions, and the contributions of different ethnic groups to the style makes for vivid, important reading for any interested in fiddling in particular and American music evolution in general.

The Music of Silence, new edition
Andrea Bocelli
Amadeus Press
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781574671971, $27.99, www.amadeuspress.com

The Music of Silence appears in a new edition to provide a true-life story that presents the autobiography of musician Andrea Bocelli in a diary-like form written in the third person. Bocelli is a tenor who is familiar to many; but this coverage offers a fine portrait of his life and evolution, from his family and associates to his romances and evolution as a classical singer. It's unusual in that it reads like a novel, but provides all the key background info any will relish on Bocelli's life and times.

Eric Clapton FAQ
David Bowling
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781617134548, $22.99, www.backbeatbooks.com

ERIC CLAPTON FAQ: ALL THAT'S LEFT TO KNOW ABOUT SLOWHAND covers the life and achievements of a rock star who has had many books written about him, but whose life remains a mystery. This book uncovers some of those mysteries and isn't written in traditional biography style, but probes different areas of his career and its evolution. From those who influenced the genre and prepared it for Clapton's unique brand of music to his forty-year long solo career, this pairs rare photos with insights not to be found in prior Clapton coverages, and is a solid pick for any fan of Clapton and rock music heritage in particular.

The Worship Guitar Book
Doug Doppler
Hal Leonard
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781458491206, $19.99, www.halleonardbooks.com

THE WORSHIP GUITAR BOOK: THE GOODS, THE GEAR, AND THE GIFTING FOR THE WORSHIP GUITARIST provides guitar instruction specific to Christian musicians and those who would use music to worship God, and is written in five parts to help the worship team guitarist play better and incorporate spirituality with musical achievement. Chapters impart both music theory and spiritual connections as they discuss everything form learning parts and developing leaders to handling solos and creating a worship experience for the entire church. An accompanying DVD-ROM contains video demonstrations of many techniques and ideas discussed in the book, making this a 'must' for any Christian music holding.


The Gardening Shelf

The New Sunset Western Garden Book
Kathleen Norris Brenzel, Editor
Sunset
c/o Oxmoor House
PO Box 361095
Des Moines, IA 50336-1095
0376039205, $34.95, www.sunsetbooks.com

The New Sunset Western Garden Book has again been completely revised and updated, and continues to live up to its billing as the "ultimate" gardening guide for Western regions. Over 2,000 color photos accompany all the basics on plant selection and care, including a new plant finder, no-fail gardening tips for natives, flowers and vegetables, and an encyclopedia that covers all the plants that grow in the region. With its extensive coverage, there's simply no better gardening guide on the market, and Western libraries will consider this a 'must have' reference.

Western Garden Book: The 20-Minute Gardener
Sunset
Sunset Publishing
c/o Oxmoor House
PO Box 361095
Des Moines, IA 50336-1095
0376030062, $24.95, www.sunsetbooks.com

Western Garden Book: The 20-Minute Gardener provides a quick reference that teaches gardeners how to keep a garden looking lovely with just 20 minutes a day. Typical garden maintenance chores are broken down into segments while discussions of 'quick fixes' and the best plants to grow for the least amount of effort provide busy gardeners with the tools for creating manageable spaces. From techniques for amending soil and planting to using the 16-page Regional Gardening Calendar to provide tips for specific areas, this is a top reference packed with color plant photos and reviewing the basics of designing and maintaining a quick garden.


The Business Shelf

Ultimate Guide to Link Building
Eric Ward & Garrett French
Entrepreneur Press
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, NY, NY 10121-2298
9781599184425, $21.95, www.entrepreneurpress.com

Ultimate Guide to Link Building covers everything from how to build a better link to earning higher search engine credits for links that are built, and is a pick for any who would involve their business in better website design. Programmers working in SEO as well as entrepreneurs who would understand the basics of quality link building will find this a solid guide discussing the basics driving a search engine rank and resulting website traffic. Chapters provide step-by-step keys to building a link, forming a link-building campaign to drive more traffic to a website, and discuss the mechanics of overcoming resistance to cross-posting links, by encouraging 'mentions' or 'sharing' instead. From understanding audience needs to tools involved in the link-building process, this is a solid guide packed with real-world applications for any who would build the better website for their business.

The First 90 Days, expanded edition
Michael D. Watkins
Harvard Business Review Press
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422188613, $29.00, www.hbr.org/books

The First 90 Days: Proven Strategies for getting Up to Speed Faster and Smarter deserves repeated and ongoing mention as a top recommendation for any business collection, and has been expanded and updated to provide new audiences with even more information. It provides proven methods for handling transitions in careers, comes from an expert on the subject who has advised senior leaders in a range of organizations, and provides managers and business leaders with keys to understanding the transition scenario and common pitfalls new leaders encounter. The step-by-step analysis of the entire process allows for a better understanding of the bigger picture: perhaps this is why The First 90 Days has already established itself as an international bestseller - and why this expanded edition promises even more.

Start
Jon Acuff
Lampo Press
1749 Mallory Lane Suite 100
Brentwood TN 37027
9781937077594, $22.99, www.daveramsey.com

START: PUNCH FEAR IN THE FACE, ESCAPE AVERAGE, DO WORK THAT MATTERS teaches how to make effective business changes and how to build a work life that supports a particular lifestyle and its dreams. Chapters advocate moving from 'average' to 'awesome' and offer insights on lifestyle and work changes that are tied to age ranges, with inspirational ideas centering around themes, from learning to editing to harvesting the fruits of one's research and labors. From the problems with an entitlement attitude at different stages of change to first-person experiences of attitudes and approaches that held the author back, and those that furthered his purposes, this is packed with important keys to life changes and business pursuits and deserves a place in not just inspirational collections, but those interested in lifestyle adjustments as well.

Designing B2B Brands
Carlos Martinez Onaindia and Brian Resnick
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118457474, $49.95, www.wiley.com

Designing B2B Brands: Lessons from Deloitte and 195,000 Brand Managers comes from two global brand managers who provide insights on global branding success and a strategy that has created an organization known for its consulting and advisory prowess. Readers receive the benefit of this background with chapters that provide clear road maps for creating and strengthening a brand. Illustrations, examples, and more offer step-by-step analysis of the entire process of building a global identity, using the lessons of Deloitte to help B2B operations deliver better branded experiences. From strategies for maintaining a brand to understanding interactions between designers, marketing teams and vendors, this is packed with business specifics no business library should be without: particularly those strong in global marketing and interactions.

Negotiation
Brian Tracy
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814433188, $9.95, www.amacombooks.org

NEGOTIATION: THE BRIAN TRACY SUCCESS LIBRARY offers years of experience negotiating millions of dollars' worth of contracts for different industries and appears as the second installment in Tracy's 'success library'. It's a pocket-sized book that synthesizes many words of wisdom into a small book packing over twenty ideas for becoming a winning negotiator, presents a chatty, easy style that relies on no lingo, and discusses negotiation fears, challenges, and why everything is negotiable. A top recommendation for any business reference library!


The Audiobook Shelf

Obsessed
Mika Brzezinski
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780385393683, $32.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

OBSESSED: AMERICA'S FOOD ADDICTION - AND MY OWN comes from the cost-host of Morning Joe and the author of several bestselling books, and provides an autobiography of her own food obsession and her lifelong struggle to be thin. It provides a close examination of the foods we choose and our addictions while explaining events that stemmed from a goal to help her close friend drop 75 pounds and break Mika's obsession with staying very thin. Insights from a rang of sources, from singers and writers to those working in business and health, make for a powerful audio survey narrated by the author in a strong pick for any audio collection.

The Ophelia Cut
John Lescroart
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781611064148, $38.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

The Ophelia Cut receives a fine performance by veteran David Colacci, and presents a thriller that begins with the murder of a brutal rapist and a father accused of the crime. Defense Attorney Hardy must defend his brother-in-law and old friend, especially since McGuire's stay in prison could reveal secrets that would destroy Hardy's career. Against overwhelming evidence, hardy focuses on a creating a case that will succeed in not only uncovering the truth, but rocking the legal world. Any who enjoy legal thrillers will find The Ophelia Cut comes to life in audio!

Maya's Notebook
Isabel Allende
Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062121561, $44.99, www.harperaudio.com

Maya's Notebook features a fine performance by Maria Cabezas and tells of teen Maya, who has grown up in Berkeley with her grandparents and who faces changes when her beloved grandfather dies of cancer, leading Maya to turn to drugs and petty crime in a downward spiral of grief. Caught in a web that seems unrelenting, Maya finds eventual hope in the form of Nini, who helps her escape the underworld to a remote island off Chile, where she must unravel her past and come to terms with her life and family. A powerful journey, Maya's Notebook is a winning story that comes to life in audio and is recommended for any collection strong in audio novels.

The Kill Room
Jeffrey Deaver
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781619696365, $39.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

THE KILL ROOM provides a vivid new Lincoln Rhyme mystery, spices it with the paired narrative voices of Jay Snyder, January LaVoy and Edoardo Ballerini, and presents a thriller evolving around a sniper shot delivered from over a mile away against a U.S. citizen, targeted by the U.S. government and assassinated in the Bahamas. It's up to forensics agent and investigator Lincoln Rhyme to look into the victim's past and pursue a sniper situation that evolves to one of Rhyme's more complex investigations. When an assassin begins eliminating all evidence - including all the witnesses - Lincoln's coverage turns into a time-sensitive cat-and-mouse game and a race against time in this gripping narrative which comes to life in audio.

Detroit: An American Autopsy
Charlie LeDuff
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781622312047, $29.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Charlie DeDuff was a staff writer at the New York Times and a reporter at the Detroit News, so he is the perfect choice to write about his broken hometown Detroit, once the richest city and America and today the nation's poorest. He decided to uncover the influences that destroyed his city - and here shares amazing stores of achievement, greed, and decisions that eventually led to the downfall of one of the nation's most successful urban areas. Any with an interest in urban planning in general and Detroit's background in particular will find the audio version a powerfully narrated testimony to the American spirit and its challenges.


The Education Shelf

Brave New Digital Classroom, second edition
Robert J. Blake
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589019768, $26.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Brave New Digital Classroom: Technology and Foreign Language Learning appears in its second updated edition to consider how computer technology affects the foreign language classroom, outlining the high stakes involved in teachers embracing new language learning technologies and considering distance learning, social networking, language games and more. Teachers are admonished to keep up with their students in the technology arena, considers the most effective applications of such technology to language learning routines, and encourages readers to harness the latest technologies properly to help language learners achieve their goals. Any language teacher at all grade levels will find this a powerful reference.

Social Constructions of Deafness
Thomas P. Horejes
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563685415, $70.00, www.gupress.com

Social Constructions of Deafness: Examining Deaf Languacultures in Education focuses on revealing critical knowledge that addresses social justice issues in deaf education, and uses his own experiences of being deaf combined with research on deafness and language. Here he maintains that schools play a powerful role in maintaining social constructions for deaf children, offering a scholarly approach that blends anthropology and social issues studies with educational issues in considering the identities a deaf child forms in the process of education. Analysis of two kindergarten classes for death students - one orally oriented, one using sign language - makes for a powerful collection of research studies offering educators assessment of the special challenges and culture affecting deaf children in schools. A 'must' for any education collection strong in special education concerns.

Starting With Science
Marcia Talhelm Edson
Stenhouse Publishing
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571108074, $19.00, www.stenhouse.com

Starting With Science: Strategies for Introducing Young Children to Inquiry provides a fact-based, hands-on activity approach to teaching science that goes beyond providing projects to spotlight those teaching techniques that help kids deepen their scientific thinking process overall. The idea is to prompt young children to inquiry: chapters use numerous examples from classroom discussions, teacher commentary and children's work samples to provide models for any teacher who would formulate an inquiry-based science project. With its depth and detail, this overview is an important curriculum starting point for teachers seeking something different.

The Multiplier Effect
Liz Wiseman, et.al.
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452271897, $23.95, www.corwin.com

The Multiplier Effect: Tapping the Genius Inside Our Schools suggests that by changing the way an educator leads a school, the results can amplify the abilities of fellow teachers and allow them to face school challenges together. Teachers and administrators will find this focus educational and inspiring as it introduces the idea of 'Multipliers' - leaders who are able to extract genius and exceptional behaviors from others. Educators are inspired to recognize and encourage the talents of those around them for practical benefit - and this book tells how, foregoing the usual admonition that leaders be exceptional beings to show how these same qualities can be fostered in anyone. A 'must' for any who would encourage a more cooperative environment of leadership responsibility and creativity.

Great Habits Great Readers
Paul Bambrick-Santoyo, et.al.
Jossey-Bass
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118143957, $29.95, www.josseybasseducation.com

Great Habits Great Readers: A Practical Guide for K-4 Reading in the Light of Common Core promotes a 'Reading-by-Habit' model that provides concrete guidelines for K-4 literacy instructors who want to encourage students to develop a regular habit of reading. It outlines strategies and lesson types that bring reading to life, considers read-aloud, phonics, guided reading and independent reading lessons, provides tools and resources that range from video clips on an accompanying DVD to workshop scripts, and packs in a wealth of detail on the successful Reading-by-Habit model. Real children and teachers working in classroom settings make for an outstanding survey highly recommended for any teacher concerned with fostering better reading habits.


The Travel Shelf

Road Trip USA, sixth edition
Jamie Jensen
Moon Publications
c/o Avalon Travel
1700 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781598809251, $29.99, www.roadtripusa.com

The sixth updated edition of Road Trip USA covers more than 35,000 miles across the country and offers a flexible series of route combinations, color-coded and cross-referenced for easy road trips. Each comes with mile-by-mile highlights that embrace roadside oddities, parks, and local history and culture, with vintage and color photos throughout and plenty of detailed driving maps. This has been fully updated and includes cross-country journeys and short excursions alike, providing eleven detailed cross-country explorations for any who would celebrate American byways and highways.

Peru Highlights
Alexander Stewart
Bradt Guides
1st Floor IDC House, The Vale
Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, England, SL9 9RZ
9781841624402, $24.99, www.bradtguides.com

PERU HIGHLIGHTS provides a fine overview of Peru's best sights and touring opportunities, comes from an expert on the country, and covers pre-trip planning, itinerary ideas, top wildlife and cultural ideas unique to the country, and more. All the highlights are presented in enough detail that destination-oriented travelers will easily plan a trip. From hours of businesses to important regional information any traveler needs to know, PERU HIGHLIGHTS covers all the places a traveler will want to see, and is a 'must' for any Peru travel planner.

The Last Train to Zona Verde
Paul Theroux
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9780618839339, $27.00, www.hmhpub.com

The Last Train to Zona Verde: My Ultimate Safari provides Theroux's experience of the most remote region of west Africa, beginning with his early experiences as a newly-arrived 22-year-old Peace Corps volunteer in 1953 in Malawi and his return to Africa several times after that. His new exploration was based on his original knowledge of the continent years ago, but his latest journey along the western edge of sub-Saharan Africa from South Africa's Cape Town to Namibia takes him in unexpected directions - and eventually lead him to end his journey early in one of the few times he's ever done so. His discussion of urban forces, wildlife destruction and vast changes are recommended for travel readers and for any with more than a casual interest in the continent's development and direction.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Artful Color Mindful Knits
Lura Militzer Bryant
XRX Books
PO Box 1525, Sioux Falls, SD 57101
9781933064260, $24.95, www.knittinguniverse.com

Artful Color Mindful Knits: The Definitive Guide to Working with hand-Dyed Yarns is a 'must' for any knitter who wants to create intentional patterning for repeated successful results, and teaches the basic of color repeat and stitch count processes. Over 40 designs featured here with full-page color photos and close-up shots feature these techniques and range from easy scarves to complex garments. Strategies for overcoming unwanted pooling or patterning teach the key concepts of working with color for best results, making this a 'must' for any knitter's collection.

Star Trek Craft Book
Angie Pederson
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781476718644, $19.99, www.simonandschuster.com

Star Trek Craft Book gathers over twenty Star Trek-inspired crafts for all kinds of crafter, pairing color photos and step-by-step instructions with a survey that includes everything from pillowcases with Starfleet insignias to sewing a Captain Kirk apron and making Mr. Spock Sock Monkeys. Highly recommended for sewing and crafter's collections alike, this is packed with fun projects that all represent a key Star Trek character or emblem, making it a fine pick for needleworkers who want to make Trek gifts to appeal to Trekkies young and old.

Seasonal Silhouettes
Edyta Sitar for Laundry Basket Quilts
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A
Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726364, $27.95, www.landauerpub.com

Seasonal Silhouettes: 12 Inspirational Quilt Blocks Featuring Raw-Edge Applique offers 12 lovely quilt designs inspired by the changing seasons and uses a 12-block approach to create a 12-month full-size quilt. Each block features a silhouette applique design and provides step-by-step instructions for applying her raw-edge applique technique for maximum results. The inclusion of full-size templates for each block accompanies step-by-step directions for their creation, making this a solid how-to guide for any quilter.

Growing Up Modern
Allison Harris
C&T Publishing
1651 Challenge Drive, Concord, CA 94520-5206
9781607056539, $22.95, www.ctpub.com

Growing Up Modern: 16 Quilt Projects for Babies & Kids is for beginners and expert sewers alike who will enjoy a solid collection of kid-oriented quilts for quilts or small children alike. Seven of the patterns adapt of crib and twin-bed-sized quilts alike, with step-by-step instructions and color photos throughout simplifying the process of producing quilts especially tailored for young people. From time-saving quilting tips for those with kids to keys on making quilts that are welcomed, this is a lovely project book for all quilter levels.

Knits for Dolls
Nicky Epstein
Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301
New York, NY 10013
9781936096541, $19.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Nicky Epstein's KNITS FOR DOLLS offers some twenty-five outfits you can make for 18-inch dolls, offering her original and fun designs and blending fashion with whimsical embellishments. Everything from pants and dresses to coats and gowns come with accessories from hats to socks and purses to complete each doll's apparel. Ideas for making doll-sized jewelry are also included. While any crafts collection will welcome these patterns, it's the knitter looking to make gifts for the young who will find this packed with bright, new ideas.

Back-Basting Applique Step by Step
Barbara J. Eikmeier
Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604682878, $22.99, www.martingale.com

Back-Basting Applique Step by Step By Hand or Machine teaches those with some basic applique skills how to baste shapes in place by working from the wrong side of the fabric to eliminate marks in front. It provides novices and those with experience with new techniques provided in a lesson format with step-by-step photos throughout, and teaches how to work with layered and overlapped appliques, using seven different projects to explore the options. The result is an outstanding needlework book highly recommended for any seeking new techniques and different results from applique work!

Stars 'N Stripes Forever
Carl Hentsch
American Quilters Society Publishing
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600520, $19.95, www.americanquilter.com

Stars 'N Stripes Forever blends two traditional blocks to create a single stars 'n stripes block, and features 10 projects to get you started. This approach allows quilters to vary the number of fabrics or their value placement within a block, with instructions providing two block sizes and variations on the standard design. Beginners will find this an appealing approach offering much variety for a simple variation in theme, while intermediate quilters will relish an approach that offers a simple variation to produce exciting possibilities and combinations.


The Science Shelf

Probably Approximately Correct
Leslie Valiant
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465932716, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

Probably Approximately Correct: Nature's Algorithms for Learning and Prospering in a Complex World comes from a computer scientist who blends insights on learning with those from evolutionary processes to show how individuals prosper in a complex world. Algorithms can be used to understand evolution and the learning process alike, and an algorithmic viewpoint can also be applied to uncovering secrets of nature: the key is "probably approximately correct": algorithmic concepts developed to explain behavior. Any reader interested in a blend of science and education will find this a powerful survey packed with solid keys for using such algorithms to assess all kinds of processes, from human endeavors to nature's changes.

A Cultural History of Physics
Karoly Simonyi
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781568813295, $59.00, www.crcpress.com

A Cultural History of Physics comes from a Hungarian scientist and educator who bridges the gap between humanities and science by describing the experiments and theories that helped created and influence the body of scientific knowledge from ancient to modern times, considering the cultural environment in which it was formed. Plenty of guides survey science's evolution; but few consider this path in light of cultural history and influence. Excerpts from original resources accompany clear discussions of the history of scientific progress, accompanied by love illustrations throughout in a scholarly recommendation for any college-level reader interested in science or the social sciences.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

My Animal, My Self
Marta Williams
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608681693, $15.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

New age and pet and wildlife collections alike will relish the unusual MY ANIMAL, MY SELF: A BREAKTHROUGH WAY TO UNDERSTAND HOW YOU AND YOUR ANIMAL REFLECT EACH OTHER. It focuses on human relationships with animals, considering how animals and people connect on psychological and spiritual levels, how they can reflect the issues and events of our lives, and how animals can serve as a 'mirror' for owner experience. Chapters consider how this mirroring can occur and provides guidance on what to do when a mirroring situation is negative or unbalanced. Any interested in animal/human connections will find this clear and thought-provoking.

Veterinary Techniques for Llamas and Alpacas
David E. Anderson, et.al.
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780813819877, $79.99, www.wiley.com/go/vet

Veterinary Techniques for Llamas and Alpacas presents a complete, well-illustrated manual for veterinary techniques in llamas and alpacas, provides specific and detailed advice on particular procedures, and covers basic to advanced techniques - all with color photos throughout and website-supported information offering videos of many of the procedures. The format lends to at-a-glance reference or full study while the discussions provide keys for vets and any staff members dealing with llamas and alpacas. Highly recommended for any veterinary reference collection, and for vets working with large animals.

The Nine-Banded Armadillo
W.J. Loughry and Colleen McDonough
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806143101, $39.95, www.oupress.com

The Nine-Banded Armadillo: A Natural History offers the first in-depth review of everything known about the armadillo, accompanies the discussion with lovely illustrations, and synthesizes the studies of two biologists who have studied the nine-banded armadillo for more than twenty years. Scientists and general-interest reader will find this a fine discussion that considers the armadillo's anatomy, physiology, and elements of its behavior, ecology and more, with chapters comparing it to related species and considering key elements of armadillo biology. The result is a powerful survey highly recommended for any enthused about the armadillo.


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Story of a Secret State
Jan Karski
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589019836, $26.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Story of a Secret State: My Report to the World comes from a resistance fighter and secret witness to the Holocaust and provides one of the most outstanding memoirs of World War II. Any military, history, and general political studies collection will find this reads like a thriller but packs in all true experiences of Karski's participation in the Polish Underground. His eyewitness of Nazi atrocities and his courage are here documented in an edition that includes a foreword by Madeleine Albright plus ne photos, notes, and an expanded bibliography. Very highly recommended: a 'must' acquisition for any holding interested in Holocaust memoirs.


The Political Science Shelf

Selling Guantanamo
John Hickman
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044552, $24.95, www.upf.com

SELLING GUANTANAMO: EXPLODING THE PROPAGANDA SURROUNDING AMERICA'S MOST NOTORIOUS MILITARY PRISON covers the evolution of a prison camp containing some seven hundred detainees captured during the war in Afghanistan. They were subjected to sophisticated physical and psychological tortures, held indefinitely, and many are still denied usual prisoner rights over a decade later. While few questioned the initial establishment and actions at Guantanamo in light of 9/11, rising questions about the manufactured stories have prompted new assessments, and SELLING GUANTANAMO is one of the best. Here the history and politics of the camp accompany a wider-ranging history of prisoners and custody, making for a close inspection recommended for military and political studies collections alike.

The Wolf and the Watchman
Scott C. Johnson
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393239805, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

THE WOLF AND THE WATCHMAN: A FATHER, A SON, AND THE CIA provides a blend of autobiography and political insights as it discusses the author's life with his father, a CIA operative, and his life. Scott Johnson moved around the world and lived in a CIA training camp in Virginia as a teen, eventually running away from his past and his oppressive father and his secrets. From his discovery in his teens that his father was a spy to the evolution of a broken relationship fractured by lies, this is a powerful survey of how Johnson distanced himself from his father and the CIA, began a career as a war correspondent committed to uncovering the truth and exposing secrets, and how his choices would return him to what he was fleeing. THE WOLF AND THE WATCHMAN: A FATHER, A SON, AND THE CIA is a gripping story recommended for political studies and any general lending library.

The Cuban Connection
William Weyland Turner
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147570, $25.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Cuban Connection: Nixon, Castro and the Mob comes form a former FBI agent and an investigative journalist who examines the meeting between Castro and Nixon and the connections that existed between official Washington, the CIA and organized crime in Cuba. It uses firsthand interviews with many of the people involved in Cuban-American relations of the late 1950s and early 1960s, considering the habits and puzzles of Nixon, who often socialized at Havana casinos with his Cuban friend, and traces the evolution of anti-Communism sentiment in general and American-Cuban relationships in particular. The result is a detailed survey of the underlying relationships that affected political maneuvering and choices and ultimately led to the Cuban Missile Crisis and the JFK assassination. No political studies collection strong in 1950s politics and culture should be without this unique insider's expose.

Dollarocracy
John Nichols and Robert W. McChesney
Nation Books
116 East 16th Street, 8th Floor, NY, NY 10003
9781568587073, $26.99, www.nationbooks.org

DOLLAROCRACY: HOW THE MONEY AND MEDIA ELECTION COMPLEX IS DESTROYING AMERICA provides a hard-hitting look at democracy and the connections between the electoral process and citizen control of leadership. It comes from two leading media experts who consider the forces that are stripping elections of their meaning, offering solid observations of the money/politics connections that are ruining American democratic processes. New research and reporting lend to the conclusion that this must change - and examines the history of wealth, politics, and connections between business and government
institutions. No political studies collection should be without.


The International Studies Shelf

Taiwan: Nation-State or Province?, sixth edition
John F. Copper
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813346922, $36.00, www.westviewpress.com

Taiwan: Nation-State or Province? appears in its sixth updated edition to newly revise and update the ongoing saga of Taiwan's development and history. From discussions of its security policies and politics to its aggressive and successful democratization that suggests it should be independent from China, this new sixth edition offers extra coverage of evolving issues from immigration to China's military rise and America's decline in the region, and the impact of the 2012 presidential election. Any library strong in Asian politics and culture must have this!


The Biography Shelf

Obsessed
Mika Brzezinski
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson Street, 13th floor
New York, NY 10014
9781602661763, $26.00, www.weinsteinbooks.com

OBSESSED: AMERICA'S FOOD ADDICTION - AND MY OWN comes from a talk show host dubbed "the food Nazi" and provides a review of her personal fight against unhealthy eating habits - a battle that resulted in a distorted body image. She invites readers to consider how our country became overweight and how to break food obsession - and she made a deal with a close friend to work together on this book and their goals of helping Diane drop 75 pounds and to break Mika's obsession with staying thin. Insights from health, business and political circles accompany her chronicle of this struggle, including insights from many personalities from all walks of life. The result is a memoir that will appeal to health and autobiography collections alike, pairing personal experience with social and political insights.

Impossible Odds
Jessica Buchanan and Erik Landemalm
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781476725161, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

IMPOSSIBLE ODDS; THE KIDNAPPING OF JESSICA BUCHANAN AND HER DRAMATIC RESCUE BY SEAL TEAM SIX tells of a young American woman trained as a teacher and chosen to work in the humanitarian field in Somalia. She was returning from a training session when she was kidnapped by gunmen with no warning and no provocation by pirates who had moved from sea to kidnapping innocents on land - especially American citizens. IMPOSSIBLE ODDS tells of her abduction, captivity and eventual rescues by Navy SEALs, and makes for a powerful account of survival under impossible conditions. Any general lending library will find this a powerful choice.

I'm No Angel
Kylie Bisutti
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414383095, $19.99, www.tyndale.com

I'M NO ANGEL: FROM VICTORIA'S SECRET MODEL TO ROLE MODEL is a pick for Christian and religious collections, but also for any inspirational library strong in memoirs of enlightenment and conversion, and charts the experiences of a young woman who became a Victoria's Secret Fashion Show model, then left it all behind to become a spiritual wife. She was only nineteen years old when she beat over ten thousand contestants to win the title of Victoria's Secret Runway Angel in a nationally televised competition - but made the decision to walk away from her career because her modeling conflicted with her Christian beliefs. This account follows her decisions and revelations and is a recommendation for Christian and general autobiography collections alike.

Someone Could Get Hurt
Drew Magary
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592408320, $25.00, www.penguin.com

SOMEONE COULD GET HURT: A MEMOIR OF TWENTY-FIRST-CENTURY PARENTHOOD blends humor and parenting insights into a memoir that tells about a father's trials and the fun that comes form being a parent. Magary is a critically acclaimed novelist and columnist and has three children: their many trials and parental challenges makes for an outstanding story of family interactions, fatherly love and bonding with children, providing a memoir that any parent will readily understand. Stories of life with family and its special moments creates a warm and vivid memoir perfect for parenting and general collections alike.

In the Body of the World
Eve Ensler
Metropolitan Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10010-7725
9780805095180, $25.00, www.hholt.com

IN THE BODY OF THE WORLD provides a fine memoir that shares the author' story of her father's sexual abuse and her mother's remoteness. Eve devoted her life to enlightening the world about the female body, but spent much of her life unconnected to her own, until her work in the Congo with victims of rape leads her to a journey away from her own distancing from her body and past - a journey completed when she is diagnosed with uterine cancer. Her story of coming to grips with past, present and future makes for a powerful memoir recommended for any familiar with Eve Ensler's works and any interested in personal awareness memoirs.


The Automotive Shelf

Ford Differentials
Joseph Palazzolo
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781613250389, $24.95, www.cartechbooks.com

Ford Differentials: How to Rebuild the 8.8 and 9 Inch provides step-by-step disassembly and assembly instructions for any auto technician who wants to identify and work with the best differentials for Ford. From high-performance setups and installation specifics to the internal components of different assemblies and tricks and tips of installation, this is a workshop manual highly recommended for any working with Ford differentials who want a series of color step-by-step photos and rebuild specifics for the 8.8 and 9 inch assembly.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted
Jennifer Keishin Armstrong
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781451659207, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Mary and Lou and Rhoda and Ted And All the Brilliant Minds Who Made The Mary Tyler Moore Show a Classic offers a lively history of the popular TV series and is a pick for fans of the show and TV history readers. It's been over thirty years since the show was retired, yet it remains one of the most admired shows of all time, with modern actresses offering tribute to its groundbreaking work. But the show didn't set out to be a groundbreaker, and this book offers keys to its evolution, from how it set out to display a divorced woman with a career - a concept network executives were sure would fail - to how its initial episode was deemed a disaster. How it evolved to become a sensation makes for involving reading.

The Hidden Tools of Comedy
Steve Kaplan
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931408, $20.21, www.mwp.com

THE HIDDEN TOOLS OF COMEDY: THE SERIOUS BUSINESS OF BEING FUNNY is a pick for any performing arts or film collection and gives many tips on the overall art of comedy; from writing to translating the written word into successful commercial scripts. The focus on elements of comedy production and how it translates from page to screen or stage provides chapters from a noted industry expert and uses proven, popular comedy to illustrate different strategies and techniques. From relationships to heroism, positive action to comic explorations, this is a solid pick recommended for any who want to enter the world of performing arts comedy, from screenwriters to actors.


The Social Issues Shelf

Scatter, Adapt, and Remember
Annalee Newitz
Doubleday & Company
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780385535915, $26.95, www.doubleday.com

Scatter, Adapt, and Remember: How Humans Will Survive a Mass Extinction discusses apocalypse and how humans have survived extinction events in the past, and offers discussions of the process by which humans will survive future apocalypse. Study of our planet's past suggests we're overdue for a catastrophic disaster: this explains that while global disaster will surely come, the human race is more likely than ever to survive an event. Science blends with a history of humanity's survival efforts and methods in a powerful survey of the history of human evolution and how three basic survival stages lend to adaptation and recovery. Science and social science collections alike will find this an engrossing discussion.

Men on Strike
Helen Smith, PhD
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York, NY 10003
9781594036750, $23.99, www.encounterbooks.com

MEN ON STRIKE: WHY MEN ARE BOYCOTTING MARRIAGE, FATHERHOOD, AND THE AMERICAN DREAM - AND WHY IT MATTERS documents the rise of anti-male sentiments in American society and the concurrent reactions of men who have decided to go 'on strike' as a result. These men are dropping out of college, work, and marriage and fatherhood, creating a pronounced trend away from responsibility. But men aren't leaving because they are children - they are responding to the lack of incentives society offers for their roles. Chapters explain the issues and offer men some alternatives for increased satisfaction with life.

The Art of Social Enterprise
Carl Frankel and Allen Bromberger
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717305, $21.95, www.newsociety.com

The Art of Social Enterprise: Business As If People Mattered is a pick for business and economics and social issues collections alike: it's reviewed here because no social issues library should be without this investigation of how to create a socially rewarding business model drive by the desire to create positive change in society. This guide provides legal expertise, insights into the pros and cons of this approach to making money, and a survey of the social entrepreneurship field as a whole, from achieving startup to planning for operations that lend to socially responsible business decisions. The result is a solid survey recommended for a wide audience that goes beyond the usual business section.

And the Crooked Places Made Straight, second edition
David Chalmers
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421408224, $27.00, www.press.jhu.edu

And the Crooked Places Made Straight: The Struggle for Social Change in the 1960s appears in its second updated edition to provide a review of the 1960s and how its civil rights movement succeeded in changing the nature and perception of traditional values in this country. This newly updated edition covers the conservative counter-revolution and cultural responses to the 1960s, offering a satisfying survey of the backlash to environmental, consumer and citizen-action movements in this country. No social issues or American history collection should be without!

Told You So
Ralph Nader
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
9781609804740, $29.95, www.sevenstories.com

TOLD YOU SO: THE BIG BOOK OF WEEKLY COLUMNS comes from citizen advocate Nader's analysis of the social issues confronting our society, and uses decades of his experiences to document all kinds of issues, from the threat of global corporate power to attacks on worker and citizen civil rights, the effects of advertising and the media on society, and more. His in-depth weekly columns are gathered together in an impressive collection that charts the efforts of citizens to fight for a just and fair world, and make for a fine contribution to any social issues collection.

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Food Rights
David E. Gumpert
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603584043, $19.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Food Rights: The Escalating Battle Over Who Decides What We Eat considers issues of food management, consumption, and government regulation and tackles the very idea of food freedom in this country. Social and political issues holdings will find it a powerful 'must' as this documents how government regulators are cracking down on farmers, clubs, and private Americans in an effort to control what is eaten, where it's purchased, and whether it's barred or allowed. A growing number of consumers concerned with mass-produced processed foods are supporting more regulation - and journalist David Gumpert shows how this clash between government forces and opposition is fueling the fire of food rights issues at all levels of society. A 'must' for any interested in food issues and social change.

Killer Dads
Mary Papenfuss
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147433, $19.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

KILLER DADS: THE TWISTED DRIVES THAT COMPEL FATHERS TO MURDER THEIR OWN KIDS offers a journalist's exploration of five examples of typical 'father killers' to offer an analysis of American crime and its connection to machismo in economically stressful times. Some fifty interviews of victims' family and friends, consideration of police records, and psychological profiles of the killers make for chapters that consider the causes behind such murders, which have their origins in social strife. Any social issues collection will find this a powerful addition.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Botanical Safety Handbook, second edition
Zoe Gardner and Michael McGuffin, Editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466516946, $119.95, www.crcpress.com

The American Herbal Product Association's Botanical Safety Handbook appears in an updated second edition to revise and present the latest information about herbal products, and is a 'must have' reference for health, science and botanical holdings alike. It reviews the latest traditional and modern research on herbs, discussing botanical safety and covering over 500 species of herbs and their uses. Regulatory agencies, researchers and manufacturers alike will find it packed with valuable advice, with each entry including contraindications, precautions, drug interactions, side effects and special notes on toxicity and pregnancy indicators for usage. The at-a-glance arrangement assures quick and successful reference for any involved in the production, regulation, or health applications of botanicals around the world. Very highly recommended as a definitive reference!

Yogalosophy
Mandy Ingber
Seal Press
1700 - 4th Street, Berkeley, California 94710
9781580054454, $20.00, www.sealpress.com

Yogalosophy: 28 Days to the Ultimate Mid-Body Makeover comes from a popular fitness and wellness advisor in Los Angeles who provides a 28-day program to help readers achieve health. It's a program of tested workouts and eating guidelines designed to work together to tone and strengthen the whole body, and pairs recipes with workouts which combine yoga postures with other exercises. Anecdotes, insights and food for thought accompanies these tested techniques, making Yogasolophy a fine pick for any exercise-oriented collection.

Paleo Fitness
Darryl Edwards
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431659, $16.95, www.ulyssespress.com

PALEO FITNESS: PRIMAL TRAINING AND NUTRITION TO GET LEAN, STRONG AND HEALTHY introduces a Paleo lifestyle that takes the diet and goes a step further, providing the only book to create an in-depth program of primal exercises to accompany a two-week meal plan with recipes. The focus is on building muscle and getting rid of pounds, and this book considers the key elements of the Paleo ancestor's lifestyle and how they can apply to modern physical activity for optimum health results. The result is a fine recommendation for any health and fitness collection; especially those containing Paleo diet cookbooks and seeing popularity in the concept.

Crossing the Healing Zone
Ashok Bedi, MD
Nicholas-Hays
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
665 Third Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9780892542031, $21.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Dr. Bedi is a Jungian psychoanalyist and a certified psychiatrist and lends his dual understanding of psychology and health to CROSSING THE HEALING ZONE; FROM ILLNESS TO WELLNESS. Chapter define the health profession's transition from a focus on treating illness to a focus on overall wellness, discussing emerging trends in integrative medicine and blending Eastern and Western healing traditions that consider mind, body and spirit alike. The overall Jungian focus provides an overlay discussion of archetypes and myths and imagination's influence on physical reality, offering chapters that tell how to work with psychological processes while moving from illness to wellness. Visual guidelines, exercises, and ideas make this a fine survey for any health collection; particularly those interested in blends of Eastern and Western medicine.

Mystic Chemist
Dieter Hagenbach and Lucius Werthmuller
Synergetic Press
1 Bluebird Court Santa Fe, NM 87508
9780907791447, $38.95, www.synergeticpress.com

MYSTIC CHEMIST: THE LIFE OF ALBERT HOFMANN AND HIS DISCOVERY OF LSD could have been featured in our 'Biography and Autobiography' section, but is reviewed here as an important acquisition for any health collection. It's published on the 70th anniversary of LSD's discovery to blend history, science, and health studies along with a biography of Hofmann, and come from close friends of Hofmann who consider his chemistry studies, growth and evolution, philosophy, and the overall impact of his research on health and social issues. The result is a fine history of LSD and Hofmann, recommended for any health collection.

The Philadelphia Chromosome
Jessica Wapner
The Experiment
260 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3 South
New York, NY 10001 - 6408
9781615190676, $25.95, www.theexperimentpublishing.com

The Philadelphia Chromosome: A Mutant Gene and the Quest to Cure Cancer at the Genetic Level offers a fine history of scientific and medical discoveries that brought about the first treatment of a lethal cancer at the genetic level, and begins in 1959 when a chromosomal mutation - "the Philadelphia chromosome" - was discovered in a lab. Over thirty years later this was linked to a particularly deadly form of cancer, and eventually a drug was developed and approved to treat it. Original reporting for this expose includes over thirty interviews with those who played a direct role in these discoveries, making for a powerful oncological history recommended for general and medical collections alike.


The Psychology Shelf

Mad Science
Stuart A. Kirk, et.al.
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412849760, $39.95, www.transactionpub.com

MAD SCIENCE: PSYCHIATRIC COERCION, DIAGNOSIS, AND DRUGS provides college-level readers and professionals with a fine blend of health science and philosophy as it analyzes the evidence surrounding psychiatric science, diagnosis, and treatment. It challenges common perceptions of how society cares for the insane, taking some fifty years of history and providing a scientific analysis of brain diseases, madness, and the coercive practices that are at the heart of psychiatric care. Any studying modern psychiatry will find this a detailed, in-depth and critical survey of the science and its connection to pharmaceutical companies.

Informed Consent to Psychoanalysis
Elyn R. Saks and Shahrokh Golsham
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823249770, $24.00, www.fordham.edu

Informed Consent to Psychoanalysis: The Law, the Theory, and the Data offers a psychoanalytic focus on the idea of 'informed consent', which has changed health service delivery in the U.S., and summarizes writings, legal ramifications and theories of informed consent as it applies to a psychoanalytic practice. Chapters offer technical analysis of available data on the subject, with over sixty analysts revealing how informed consent practices affect their services and systems, while discussions of therapeutic and countertherapeutic impacts makes for insights any practicing therapist can use. A 'must' for any health collection where mental health and ethical issues are of concern.

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child
Mr. Anthony Esolen
Intercollegiate Studies Institute
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
9781610170796, $18.00, www.isi.org/books

Ten Ways to Destroy the Imagination of Your Child discusses trends in child rearing, health, and education and explores important issues in how these changing trends are successfully repressing kids' imagination capabilities at an early age. Chapters consider the links between how imagination develops and choices parents make in directing their kids' play activities, showing how guided lifestyles limit flexibility, imaginative alternatives, and options that encourage kids to dream, think, and explore new avenues of discovery and connection. Solutions to these issues are then offered in a spirited survey that should reach parenting, education and health holdings alike!

Leap of Perception
Penney Peirce
Atria Books/Beyond Words Publishing
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
www.beyondword.com
9781582703909, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Leap of Perception: The Transforming Power of Your Attention is more than a social issues title discussing how the future includes more of an intuitive grasp of the world (though this element is also present): it's an actual discussion of exactly how to hone this intuition, and teaches how to identify and cultivate the skills of empathy, balancing left- and right-brain functions, and how to use the power of attention to help realize better possibilities. Psychology and self-help as well as general health and social issues collections will find this packed with observations, practical exercises, and keys to enhancing intuition via enhanced perception, and will appreciate this books focus and goals.


The Crafts Shelf

Fresh Floral Jewelry
Wendy Andrade, NDSF, AIFD, FBFA
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764344114, $29.99, www.schifferpublishing.com

Fresh Floral Jewelry: Creating Wearable Art provides a fine guide to designing and making floral jewelry and has no other competitor in the jewelry-making field, making this a 'must' reference for any jewelry crafts collection. Beginners to those experienced in floral designs will find this offers full-page color photos, step-by-step photos, and instruction on how to create intricate jewelry with little more than flowers, wire and beads. Different techniques are surveyed in a review that covers foundation jewelry-making techniques and how to blend in florals. The detailed images lend to quick learning in this outstanding guide, highly recommended as a unique contribution for any jewelry maker.

Creative Seed Bead Connections
Teresa Meister
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871164797, $21.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Creative Seed Bead Connections: Using Wire, Jump Rings, and Chain comes from a beadwork designer and teacher who shows how to use seed beads, crystals, pearls and more to create new jewelry styles and designs. Some 13 jewelry sets include bracelets, necklaces and earrings and can be made as a set or mixed and matched. Step-by-step illustrations and photos cover the basic techniques key to wirework and assembly, while the full-page color photos of completed pieces offer exquisite encouragement for newcomers to the art of beading and wirework. The result is an inspirational collection of tested, proven techniques that will help jewelry makers further their skills.


The Photography Shelf

Nikon D5200 for Dummies
Julie Adair King
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118530574, $29.99, www.fordummies.com

Nikon D5200 for Dummies takes a visual approach in its survey of all the photo and movie opportunities afforded by the new Nikon D5200, and is a pick for any who have purchased their first camera, who want better knowledge of its many features. From how to control focus and color and how to shoot movies to sharing results, this provides color screenshots and images throughout as it considers options, techniques, and how to take great pictures and movies automatically and manually. Any who own this camera should consider this book the first place to begin.

Perception and Imaging, fourth edition
Richard D. Zakia
Focal Press
c/o Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann
3251 Riverport Lane
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
9780240824536, $39.95, www.focalpress.com

PERCEPTION AND IMAGING: PHOTOGRAPHY - A WAY OF SEEING appears in its fourth updated edition to provide college-level students with a powerful collection pairing inspirational images from world-renowned photographers with discussions of technical photography. Students will find the blend of history, technique, and visual perception offers more than basic information on how run a camera, honing in on the art of photography itself. New coverage on what perception means for digital photographers, new sections on black and white photos and new additions about the use of negative space and realism in photography makes this a course manual not to be overlooked!

A Photojournalist's Field Guide
Stacy Pearsall
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321896612, $39.99, www.peachpit.com

A Photojournalist's Field Guide comes from a combat photographer who provides a comprehensive survey of the special techniques and approaches needed to succeed in the specific world of photojournalism, and is a 'must' for any who would explore this field over other photography career options. Chapters review the photojournalist's work and use her experience as a combat and domestic photographer to tell how to prepare for assignments, from clothing to gear, and how to live and work in harsh conditions. Hundreds of the author's photographs accompany stories of her experiences in the field, making this a powerful blend of technical assessment and career insights perfect for any who would consider the special requirements of a photojournalist's work.

Direction & Quality of Light
Neil Van Niekerk
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
9781608955701, $29.95, www.amherstmedia.com

Direction & Quality of Light: Your Key to Better Portrait Photography Anywhere narrows the topic of portrait excellence to two points: direction and quality of light, and tells how to master these core concepts to create powerful portraits for virtually any light source and condition. Packed with color photos throughout, this illustrates the basics of positioning, fill light, working with ambient light, creating natural effects, and using flash to mimic the best attributes of natural lighting. The result is a recommended pick for any neo-professional who wants to work more successfully with portraits and with all kinds of lighting.


The Aviation Shelf

Full Upright and Locked Position
Mark Gerchick
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393081107, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

FULL UPRIGHT AND LOCKED POSITION: NOT-SO-COMFORTABLE TRUTHS ABOUT AIR TRAVEL TODAY comes from a former FAA chief counsel and aviation consultant who uses over twenty years of experience to consider the air travel experience and industry changes past, present and future. One wouldn't expect humor to be part of a serious-sounding review, but this includes such wry humor in its observations of behind-the-scenes airline experiences, from mishandled bags and delays to changes the air travel industry has experienced over the past ten years. Any interested in the topic of aviation regulation and management will find this incorporates statistics and data in a reader-friendly manner as it provides a vivid industry portrait.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Journalism
Joe Sacco
Metropolitan Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10010-7725
9780805097931, $22.00, www.hholt.com

Journalism isn't to be confused with a traditional book about journalism: it's a black and white graphic cartoon account packed with insights, and adds to the genre of 'comics journalism' to report from conflict zones around the world. Joe Sacco has been producing such columns for decades; this gathers all his works under one cover, depicting his interactions with people and providing true stories that reveal underlying influences in war reporting. The visual format lends an extra element of realism to a gathering that contains the drama of fiction and the insights of a working war reporter. Military and graphic arts collections alike will find this a unique collection.


The American History Shelf

A Disease in the Public Mind
Thomas Fleming
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306821264, $26.99 c, www.dacapopress.com

A Disease in the Public Mind: A New Understanding of Why We Fought the Civil War considers that the U.S. was the only nation in the world that engaged in a murderous civil war to end slavery (all others ended it through legislation efforts), and examines the passion of Northern and Southern fanatics in the polarization that divided North and South and led to the war. Events began decades earlier than most historians admit: it stemmed from the nation's leaders, who foresaw and struggled to prevent the conflict. This surveys different alternatives to the war, their failures, and the civil sentiments that eventually led to no other alternative than war. A 'must' for American history and military holdings alike!


The Sports Shelf

Marathons of the World
Hugh Jones and Alexander James
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764166099, $24.99, www.barrons.educ.com

Marathons of the World provides the ultimate guide to some 50 of the world's best marathons, and is a pick for marathon novices and long-distance runners alike. These selected marathons are run round the globe on all continents, include city runs and rural mountains, and even include races across polar areas. Each is rated for difficulty, includes a course analysis, and features the sponsoring organization and details any runner can use to participate in the event. Any collection appealing to runners will find this a 'must'.


The Humor Shelf

The Potty Mouth at the Table
Laurie Notaro
Gallery Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781451659399, $16.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The Potty Mouth at the Table provides general-interest collections with a funny collection of light essays exploring the author's misadventures, thoughts, and why she believes most people are insane. From foodies and the latest culture of airport security to considering bathroom boundaries and bodily functions, this provides a wide range of topics and hilarious observations that are perfect for any looking for light yet fun readings. Place it in the humor section and watch it attract a crowd!


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

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

Family Child Care Guide to Visits, Inspections, and Interviews provides child care providers with everything they need to know to handle visits from families, licensors, and others involved in their business, and is a pick to any who would build a professional child care business. Chapters discuss everything from food preparation to building the business and handling young children, pinpointing common areas of concern and providing a coverage that assures family child care establishments know everything about conducting their business. Any considering such an endeavor should consult this guide first.


The Nautical Shelf

The Emerald Mile
Kevin Fedarko
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781439159859, $30.00, www.simonandschuster.com

THE EMERALD MILE: THE EPIC STORY OF THE FASTEST RIDE IN HISTORY THROUGH THE HEART OF THE GRAND CANYON tells of a hidden stretch of the Colorado River known only by river guides, and the decision of three boaters to take advantage of rapids in 1983 formed by the largest flood of the River in a quarter century, which had engineers opening every valve inside the dam to avert disaster. The boaters wanted to create the all-time record for the fastest boat ever propelled down the entire length of the Colorado River in the Canyon: their boat, The Emerald Mile, was slated to carry them through whitewater that only twelve hours later had torn an enormous motorized raft to bits. This powerful, epic adventure is nail-biting and hard to put down, and will thrill any interested in true adventure in general and nautical adventure in particular.


The California Shelf

Eureka
Scott H. Brown
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
9780738596761, $21.99, www.arcadiapublishing.com

EUREKA adds to the 'Then and Now' series offering a fine visual history comparing past to present to trace how the town evolved. Historical images placed side by side with contemporary ones offer important contrasts in scenes and evolving local culture; especially when accompanied by historical notes charting the changes and describing the views and their overall importance. EUREKA offers a fine collection of images and associated history, and is a top recommendation for any California history collection.

William S. Rice: California Block Prints
Roberta Rice Treseder
Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
19018 NE Portal Way, Portland, OR 97230
http://pomegranate.stores.yahoo.net
9780764948039, $24.95, www.amazon.com

William Seltzer Rice (June 23, 1873 - August 27, 1963) was an American woodblock print artist and art educator associated with the Arts and Crafts Movement in California. Now his block prints have been collected and beautifully reproduced in the pages of "William S. Rice: California Block Prints". This 80 page compendium of the work of this master woodblock print artist is enhanced with an informed and informative article 'William S. Rice: Artist, Naturalist, Teacher' by Roberta Rice Treseder. The block plate reproductions that comprise the bulk of this outstanding volume showcase an impressive talent, making "William S. Rice: California Block Prints" a highly desirable and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library American Art History reference collections in general, and the supplemental reading lists of aspiring woodblock artists in particular.


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

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


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