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California Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Virtual Billions
Eric Geissinger
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781633881440, $25.00, www.amazon.com
Virtual Billions: The Genius, the Drug Lord, and the Ivy League Twins Behind the Rise of
Bitcoin discusses something many may know little about: the rise of digital currency, introduced
in 2009, which is worth $14 billion today, less than a decade later. More than just a story about
Bitcoin, it's a saga of the entire world of cyber currency and those who have crafted and
advocated it, taking a round-the-world tour of personalities, processes, strategies, and more.
Issues such as hacking services, counterfeit money, murder, and financial subterfuge are all
covered in a lively text that requires no prior familiarity with banking, international currency, or
computers in order to prove both accessible and enlightening.
Whatever Happened to the Metric System?
John Bemelmans Marciano
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
www.bloomsbury.com
9781608199402, $17.00, www.amazon.com
Whatever Happened to the Metric System? How America Kept its Feet provides a powerful
history about the metric system used by the rest of the world, and why the U.S. never adopted it.
Some may recall that in the 1970s there was actually a push for change and the U.S. finally
appeared ready to switch from its system - but the reasons why it never happened are covered in
detail here. The result is a powerful story of politics, math, international and domestic struggle
and more - an eye-opening read that is lively enough to appeal to general interest readers whether
or not they have any affinity for math.
101 Magic Tricks Any Time, Any Place
Bryan Miles
Quarry
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631590726, $19.99, www.amazon.com
101 Magic Tricks Any Time, Any Place may sound like another ordinary how-to title for novices
looking to make magic, but it offers something different: an ability to work tricks based on
existing skill levels, color photos which clarify the motions and results defining the trick, profiles
of famous magicians, and clear requirements and routines for successful showmanship. Add all
these together for a wider-ranging set of contemporary magic tricks than most, highly
recommended as a colorful encouraging guide that novices, especially, can appreciate.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
The second updated edition of Gail A. Cresci's Nutrition Support for the Critically Ill Patient: A
Guide to Practice (9781439879993, $139.95) has been completely revised and updated and
provides college-level nutrition readers and professionals alike with a very specific critical
examination of nutrition guidelines for the chronically ill or critically ill patient. Chapters survey
fluid, electrolyte and enteral feeding challenges, gathering together literature, studies, and
research from a variety of sources and providing expert references, tables and charts, statistics,
and much supporting information. From different nutrition therapy approaches to organ failures
and other complications, this offers a wide-ranging, important reference to any who face the
special challenges of feeding a critically ill patient. Taylor C. Wallace edits Dietary Supplements
in Health Promotion (9781482210347, $99.95) is recommended for any health collection strong
in nutrition, and covers dietary supplements - a market that is experiencing rapid growth and
changes. This book discusses how supplements work to support health and provides information
on nutrients, common gaps, and benefits of various forms of supplements from vitamins and
probiotics to flavonoids. The latest health research on supplements explores their applications
and use, provides the latest research, and summarizes studies and findings for an industry that is
often replete with myths and misinformation. Charts, graphs, studies and conclusions contribute
to a powerful survey recommended for any college-level or clinical health reference library;
especially those strong in nutritional studies. Diane Kraft and Ara DerMarderosian's The A-Z
Guide to Food as Medicine (9781498735230, $69.95) is a solid, in-depth reference for any health
collection strong in nutrition, and provides a dictionary aimed at health care professionals which
indexes over two hundred foods, nutrients, food groups, and more. At-a-glance reference
information offers the latest scientific discoveries and new guidelines on food and physiological
effects of diet, providing a guide based on the latest scientific investigations and offering
descriptions of tests and review processes. For an authoritative and concise reference, this can't
be beat.
The LGBT Studies Shelf
Lesbian Love Addiction
Lauren D. Costine, PhD
Rowman & Littlefield
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781442248083, $35.00, www.rowman.com
Lesbian Love Addiction: Understanding the Urge to Merge and How to Heal When Things Go
Wrong discusses the phenomenon of love addiction that many lesbians suffer from, discussing
the kinds of behaviors that lead to constant failed relationships and how the drive to merge with
another at the cost of one's identity results in dysfunctional relationships. It's a common adage
that lesbians meet, fall in love, and move in with one another in very short time frames; but
Lesbian Love Addiction analyzes why, and provides important insights not just into behaviors,
but how to modify them for greater success. The result is highly recommended for any
psychology or women's issues collection.
The Needlecraft Shelf
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.americanquilter.com
Linda J. Hahn's Rock That Quilt Block Hourglass (9781604604030, $24.95) offers quilters a
step-by-step specific guide to creating the hourglass quilt block and demonstrates how just four
hourglass blocks can be used to create a number of quilt designs. From a 'Time Travel' design in
a virtual rainbow of colors to a 'Sunrise/Sunset' motif, quilters should expect designs that can be
made using precut approaches that stitch together color blocks and contrast them with different
backgrounds. The result is an appealing and eye-catching set of designs that provide new ways of
piecing and using quilt blocks. Julie Sefton's Build-a-Barn: No Pattern Construction
(9781604604115, $24.95) teaches how to translate the barn image into barn blocks that can be
pieced into a sampler or quilting project. While one might think that this subject would be
limited, in fact there are many options available using the barn motif, as Sefton demonstrates
with pages of free piecing construction techniques centered around the barn theme. Packed with
step-by-step color photos and instructions, Build-A-Barn is a perfect pick for quilters seeking
something different.
Martingale & Company
19021 - 120th Avenue NE, Suite 102, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com
Jeanne Large and Shelley Wicks' Here Comes Spring: Fresh and Fun Quilted Projects for Your
Home (9781604687231, $26.99) offers a range of projects, including throws, appliques, table
runners, bags, pillows, and more home-oriented projects that provide simple piecing applique
and a seasonal flavor to celebrate Spring. From fat quarter quilts and fat eighths spring colors to
reminders in quilt form to enjoy the outdoors, this is a fun and inspiring guide for any who would
hone their quilting skills with seasonal projects. Karen M. Burns compiles Terrific T-Shirt Quilts
(9781604667033, $18.99) in a compilation that teaches how to transform a favorite set of tee
shirts into a quilt. Lest readers think that they need a closet full of tees to do so, it should be
advised that infant to adult clothing, from tees to jerseys and dance wear, can be used; while
motifs can be mixed up and combined to make the most of all kinds of materials - even disparate
ones not usually combined together, which can be overcome by using zigzag seaming and other
techniques.
The Computer Shelf
Murach's C# 2015
Anne Boehm and Joel Murach
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 N. Knoll, Fresno, CA 93722
9781890774943, $57.50, www.murach.com
Murach's C# 2015 is a 'must' guide for any who would learn C# through a self-paced,
object-oriented book that teaches the basics while applying them to common issues in business
circles. While plenty of books promise to achieve the same thing, the difference here lies in pages
of screen boxes, discussions of methods and approaches that result in errors or special
challenges, pages of instruction on how to create classes, understand database programming
basics, and how to work with different files and data streams, and more. With its combination of
clear 'how to' directions for all levels of users, its ability to impart directions using step-by-step
descriptions and visuals, and its connections to common business applications, it's no wonder the
Murach brand name in general and this book in particular are so successful.
AutoCAD 2016 Beginning and Intermediate
M. Hamad
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781942270461, $59.95, www.mercurylearning.com
AutoCAD 2016 Beginning and Intermediate offers an in-depth reference to 2-D drafting basics
for the latest version of AutoCAD, and uses both metric and imperial units as it presents drawing
and editing tools and their applications. An accompanying CD of exercises and projects supports
over a hundred small projects that are used to help AutoCAD learners apply theory to real-world
applications. If only one basic book were desired that illustrates its concepts with drawing
exercises and solutions, which can carry learners from beginnings basics through intermediate
steps, it should be AutoCAD 2016 Beginning and Intermediate, with its numerous charts,
drawings, and illustrations.
Getting to Know ArcGIS Pro
Michael Law and Amy Collins
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589484573, $84.99, www.esri.com/press
Getting to Know ArcGIS Pro may look like a text for those with prior knowledge of the program,
but it's directed for both newcomers and those with some background, and provides a dual focus
on information supplementing classroom material as well as text supporting independent studies.
Chapters focus on how to visualize and work with data in either 2D or 3D environments, using
the latest version of the GIS mapping program, ARcGIS Pro. Those familiar with older versions
will find this offers plenty of coverage of the program's basic operations and applications, while
newcomers receive data, exercises, and trial software which may be downloaded from the ESRI
site. Other pluses to this coverage include large-size color screen shots and illustrations and
"remind me how" sidebars of information that make it a snap to learn the basics of the GIS
mapping system and its real-world applications.
The Gardening Shelf
Farrow & Ball: How to Decorate
Joa Studholme & Charlotte Cosby
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781784720872, $39.99, www.amazon.com
Farrow & Ball: How to Decorate is published to coincide with the 70th anniversary of the interior
decoration company and packs in homes from around the world, photographed just for this book
by James Merrell to pair with specific directions on home decor, color, design, and the effects of
different kinds of paint and paper. The full-page color examples offer a wide range of styles and
designs, reinforcing a theme of what works and what doesn't under different conditions. From
how to create and understand the concept of 'flow' in a home's design to creating balance, this is a
solid coverage of basic decoration techniques and approaches that no interior design collection
should be without.
The Education Shelf
Lisa Murphy on Play
Lisa Murphy
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
www.redleafpress.org
9781605544410, $24.95, www.redleafpress.org
Lisa Murphy on Play: The Foundation of Children's Learning comes from a 'play advocate' and
early childhood education expert who has a clear understanding of the importance and role of
play in the early education process, and who provides a fun primer directed to adults (teachers
and parents alike) who want to incorporate more learning opportunities through play experiences.
Chapters reduce this concept to seven basic routines that can easily be done with children on a
daily basis, teaching how to make these seven methods a part of daily activities and how to
connect them to basic concepts kids will learn from. From making time to move and grow to
cultivating creativity and a sense of touch, this is a solid guide any adult can easily use with all
children.
MCAT Subject Review Complete Test, second edition
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.PrincetonReview.com
9780451487155, $215.00, www.princetonreview.com
The second updated edition of the slipcased seven-book set MCAT Subject Review Complete
Test is something special, and is a top recommendation for any serious collection or individual
studying for the MCAT. Its package of seven books covers all different parts of the exam, from
biochemistry and math to psychology and analytical skills, and each book provides detailed
coverage on each subject. There are thousands of review sections and practice tests, color
illustrations throughout, and an attention to detail that includes summaries and reviews for quick
consultation as well as in-depth coverage for students who would move slower, cover-to-cover,
before beginning the quicker review and testing process. Detailed glossaries, a discussion of
test-taking methods and successful approaches to the MCAT, and online support with practice
tests designed to enhance and expand the books by providing full-length exams online leave
nothing to guess and create a format that is inviting and easy to use.
Are You Smart Enough?
Alexander W. Astin
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781620364482, $22.50, www.styluspub.com
Are You Smart Enough? How Colleges' Obsession with Smartness Shortchanges Students is a
call to action by an author who asks his colleagues in higher education to focus on real student
development; not assessments of intelligence and proof of its existence. Chapters consider the
real process of learning with an eye to considering how learning is measured, how students are
leaving college without the necessary foundations in academic growth, and how educational
equality is being pre-empted by an attention to measuring achievement using the wrong focus.
Any higher education leader will find this an excellent discussion offering much food for
thought.
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwinpress.com
Maurice J. Elias, Joseph J. Ferrito and Dominic C. Moceri's The Other Side of the Report Card
(9781483386676, $30.00) pairs research with guided exercises for analyzing report cards for
contents and information, and shows how to use report cards to blend different systems for a
better overall view of the whole child's progress. Chapters suggest new and improved designs,
offer keys to using reports to better communications with parents, and offer case history
examples of how these cards are implemented. The result is a powerful presentation offering new
insights on report card meaning. Margo Gottlieb's Assessing English Language Learners: Bridges
to Educational Equity (9781483381060, $35.00) offers a completely revised, updated edition of a
classic that first appeared ten years ago, and offers more tools and ideas for handling and putting
into place the concepts of instructional assessment. From cultural responses and academic
language to the languages of content areas, discussions of oral language and literacy, Spanish
language arts and assessment, and defining common instructional products, this is a powerful
guide. Beverley Holden Johns' 15 Positive Behavior Strategies to Increase Academic Success
(9781483349978, $25.00) uses some forty years of experience with challenging students as the
foundation for developing a set of fifteen intervention techniques. It's more than based on
experience: research and case studies support these behavioral interventions with chapters
discussing student misbehaviors, common approaches and alternatives to common approaches.
John F. Barell's second edition of Why Are School Buses Always Yellow? Teaching for Inquiry
K-8 (9781506323657, $28.00) continues the drive to encourage kids to inquiry, updating its
approach based on the latest inquiry-based teaching research and methods and adding new
examples for K-8 teachers that display different applications of the inquiry process. Questions
that lead to higher-level thinking and better teacher-initiated experiences make for a powerful
survey that can be used in a range of diverse classroom settings. Margo Gottlieb's Assessing
English Language Learners: Bridges to Educational Equity (9781483361060, $40.95) appears in
its second edition to discuss academic language proficiency and the tools and approaches that can
lend to better instructional assessment processes. It's designed as a compliment to focus on lesson
content and emphasizes linguistics and cultural inclusion as it reviews assessment policies,
discusses the role of students in self- and peer-assessment procedures, considers ELLs and
language proficiency standards, and more. Trudy T. Arriaga and Randall B. Lindsey's Opening
Doors: An Implementation Template for Cultural Proficiency (9781483388793, $31.95) tells of
what happens when the Ventura Unified School District successfully implements a new program
for cultural proficiency for students who were on the edge of failure, and it offers lessons for
others who would follow its three-year implementation plan for making a school culturally
proficient. Templates and forms supporting this process are available on a complimentary
website, while discussions about the process of 'deconstructing' learning for a better approach
and model, and understanding systemic changes makes for many revealing insights. Nancy
Boyles' Lessons and Units for Closer Reading, Grades K-2: Ready-to-Go Resources and
Assessment Tools Galore (9781506326467, $34.95) offers an easy-access spiral-bound format
for lay-flat reading and lesson plans and represents the author's research through hundreds of
standards and assessments to pinpoint the twelve key skills that are central to success in the K-2
grade levels. Here are twelve reproducible sets of Active Reader Cards, step-by-step how-to
instructions for both introductory lessons and follow-up assignments, and lessons arranged into 5
units of study for an easy curriculum matching standards-based teaching. The result is a powerful
survey, highly recommended for any K-2 teacher.
The Photography Shelf
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200, Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
www.amherstmedia.com
Thom Rouse's After the Camera: Digital Transformations for Conceptual Nude & Portrait
Photography (9781682030042, $29.95) comes from a photography artist who crafts images that
are embedded with fine art, using portraits of his clients and additions from other photos to blend
background and form toe crate something new. Portrait photographers who seek innovative new
approaches to their subject will relish discussions which tell how to take image concepts and
translate them into visual art forms. Chapters offer step-by-step color photos that shows how
images are selected and combined for the final full-page color portrait result, while
accompanying text covers the specifics involved in decision making and rendering. Mark Chen's
Mastering Composition for Photographers: Create Images with Impact (9781608959815, $37.95)
tells how to design images for striking, eye-popping results and teaches a blend of basic
composition approaches with new ideas. From using repetition and negative space to
understanding dominators and cropping results, this is packed with visual and verbal insights that
do a terrific job of exploring how photography composition works.
The Architecture Shelf
American Architecture: A History, second edition
Leland M. Roth and Amanda C. Roth Clark
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.westviewpress.com
9780813349688, $85.00, www.amazon.com
American Architecture: A History appears in its second updated edition some fifteen years after
its first appearance to provide a completely revised guide to the history of architecture in this
country, and is a college-level read that features a chronological arrangement discussing the
various artistic, social and political forces that have influenced architectural style in this country.
This edition adds a new chapter on green architecture and trends in the 21st century, but it doesn't
stop there: readers receive the latest research and discussions of trends in revised chapters that
include coverage of changing architectural training, women in architecture, arts programs, and
more. With over six hundred black and white images and sixty color photos, American
Architecture: A History is one of the best introductions to the topic that a student could hope
for.
The Architect in Practice, 11th edition
David Chappell and Michael Dunn
Wiley Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/go/construction
9781118907733, $65.00, www.amazon.com
The 11th updated edition of The Architect in Practice represents yet another rendition of a classic
textbook on the subject, bringing the book up to date by including the new RIBA Plan of Work
2013, presenting changes to standard contract forms, and changing the book's structure so that
the content more accurately follows the latest architectural practices and plans of work. From
feasibility studies and technical design drawings, specs, and building regulations to contractors
and construction, team management, and concept design, this covers legal, business, and artistic
practices alike and is an important key to understanding the extent and best practices of the
architectural firm.
The Philosophy Shelf
Husserl's Missing Technologies
Don Ihde
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823269617, $24.00, www.amazon.com
Husserl's Missing Technologies is recommended for college-level collections strong in
philosophy in general and continental philosophy in particular, and examines the works and
writings of Edmund Husserl and his comments on technology and science. While the subject may
seem fairly specific and narrow, Ihde's overall approach includes a history of science,
philosophical development, and discussion of the evolution of two disciplines, presenting a
radical argument that philosophies should be accompanied by use-lives.
The Audiobook Shelf
Private Paris
James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781476928061, $35.00, www.hachetteaudio.com
Private Paris is narrated by Jay Snyder, Dion Graham and Jean Brassard and is presented as an
unabridged thriller that begins with a bang and is hard to stop listening to. Jack Morgan, founder
of a global security agency, is anticipating a leisurely stopover in Paris to visit his office; but
when a call from a client asks him to track down a girl fleeing a drug dealer, his mission quickly
becomes more complicated, involving the murders of elite French society members and a puzzle
that evolves into an intriguing mystery. Enthusiasts of the thriller format will relish this riveting
story, which comes alive in audio.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Blood Orange
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.us.penguingroup.com
9780425280003, $27.00, www.amazon.com
Blood Orange returns China Bayles to new adventure as it tells of China's turbulent life as she
struggles with her part ownership of a brewing company and her new tenant hospice nurse's
suspicions about a possible murder victim. When her tenant is critically injured and China is her
only advocate, the story really begins to heat up as China must determine who, out of a cast of
possibilities, cared enough about Kelly's discoveries to want her dead. Friendship and survival
skills are put to the test as China finds the disparate threads in her life becoming tangled in a
dangerous truth which murder mystery readers will find a compelling adventure read.
The Fiction Shelf
The Service of the Dead
Candace Robb
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781681771274, $25.95, www.amazon.com
The Service of the Dead is a historical novel that deftly captures politics and interactions between
different social interests in late medieval Europe as it features Kate Clifford, who lives in York,
England in the fourteenth century. Kate is only twenty, but she's struggling with the debt her late
husband left as her legacy, and is determined to be wealthy and secure outside of another
marriage - so she turns one of her properties into a guest house for eminent visitors and wealthy
merchants, there to face a guest's murder and the threats of war and revolution alike. Against the
backdrop of social pressures and military actions, Kate's character and world shine and draw
readers into her choices and challenges.
Murder, She Wrote: Design for Murder
Jessica Fletcher, Donald Bain, Renee Paley-Bain
Obsidian Mystery
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com
9780451477811, $25.00, www.amazon.com
Murder, She Wrote: Design for Murder is based on the Universal television series and adds yet
another book to a best-selling, rapidly-expanding series. This time Jessica's in Manhattan
attending a new designer's debut when a young model collapses and dies on the runway. Seems
like natural causes, but when another is found dead, it seems like more than coincidence. As
Jessica investigates the models' demise, she comes to find an insidious plot is involved that's far
more complex than anyone could have predicted. Another outstanding mystery in this winning
series!
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
www.simonandschuster.com
Chris Cleave's Everyone Brave is Forgiven (9781501124372, $26.99) is set in 1939 in London,
where war has been declared and Mary is one of the first to sign up to help, certain she will make
a great spy. Instead, she's assigned the role of a teacher - and finds her skills put to the test when
her students aren't what she expected. Alastair also has enlisted, to find his perceptions of the war
effort aren't exactly what he'd envisioned, either. When the two meet, love erupts - but war's
shadowing everything in their worlds and survival is anything but certain. Readers seeking a
romance forged on the battlefields of change will relish the vivid characters and scenes of
Everyone Brave is Forgiven. Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni's Before We Visit the Goddess
(9781476792002, $25.00) tells of Sabitri, the daughter of a poor sweet-maker in rural Bengal
who wants an education. Her family's poverty seems to doom her to something far less desirable,
until an influential woman temporarily takes an interest in her, then drops her. Years later
Sabitri's daughter flees to America with her lover to make different choices based on freedom -
only to find that this, too, is an illusion. As different generations struggle with breaking free of
their heritages, Before We Visit the Goddess follows their processes, from their dreams and
realities to how these dreams are changed and challenged by class, circumstances, and sometimes
poor choices. A vivid novel of three generations of Indian women creates a compelling story
that's hard to put down.
The Cookbook Shelf
The Total Grilling Manual
Lisa Atwood, Editor
Weldon Owen
415 Jackson Street, San Francisco, CA 94111
9781681880471, $29.00, www.weldonowen.com
The Total Grilling Manual: 264 Essentials for Cooking with Fire provides a fine collection of
skills and recipes which give novices everything they need to know to successfully grill or smoke
all kinds of meats. From different charcoals and woods to different cooking methods for gas to
campfire, chapters cover all kinds of techniques for field or home, gather hints from grillers
around the world, and wrap these suggestions into recipes that are packed with color photos and
sidebars of information on every page. With little left to wonder and the collected expertise of a
range of approaches and grillers, The Total Grilling Manual is recommended for any who want
only one grilling cookbook on hand.
Cooking, Blokes & Artichokes
Brendan Collins
Kyle
192 - 198 Vauxhall Bridge Road, London, England, SW1V 1DX
www.kylebooks.com
National Book Network (distributor)
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781909487338, $29.95, www.amazon.com
Cooking, Blokes & Artichokes: A Modern Man's Kitchen Handbook is directed to men seeking a
basic guide to good cooking and pairs stories and recipes in the process of discussing how to
produce food from scratch with foolproof results. From a basic introduction on kitchen tools and
how to use them to a recipe collection designed to impress yet which excels in simplicity,
Cooking, Blokes & Artichokes includes such dishes as Roasted Duck Breast with Figs and Farro,
Pigs in Blankets, Octopus Salad, and more. User-friendly introductions to each dish makes for a
cookbook which will appeal to men who look for cookbooks that presume no prior knowledge
but don't 'dumb down' their ingredients or their advice for novices. The result is an excellent
blend of innovative and fancy-sounding fare that men will relish.
Basque: Spanish Recipes from San Sebastian & Beyond
Jose Pizarro
Hardie Grant
c/o Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
www.rizzoliusa.com
9781784880262, $39.95, www.amazon.com
Basque: Spanish Recipes from San Sebastian & Beyond presents recipes from a London
restaurateur who worked in some of the city's finest Spanish restaurants, and provides home
cooks with dishes that make the most of the Basque recipe tradition. From Bonito Belly with
Garlic or Chestnut Flan to Baked Crab and Cherry and Almond Soup, the collection pairs color
photos of finished dishes with shots of the Basque people and countryside, and introduces each
recipe with insights on Basque culture and culinary traditions. The result is a fine cookbook,
highly recommended for any who would focus on the varied delights of Spanish Basque
cuisine.
Patisserie
William & Suzue Curley
Jacqui Small / Aurum Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781909342217, $60.00, www.amazon.com
Patisserie is one of those rare dessert cookbooks to offer something truly innovative and
appealing, and will win attention from any who have seen one too many cookbooks with a
similar title covering the same things. William Curley's dedication is for taking these classic
dishes and adding modern embellishments you won't find elsewhere: thus such productions as
Chocolate and Cherry Linzer Tarts departs from the usual Austrian filling of raspberries or red
currants, while Passion Fruit & Pink Grapefruit Tart represents a departure from the usual focus
on lemons. The result is an appealing and mouth-watering gathering of innovations
recommended not so much for novice dessert cooks as for those who have the basics down and
are seeking a collection of innovations.
Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen
Francine Bryson with Ann Volkwein
Clarkson Potter Publishers
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.clarksonpotter.com
9780553448450, $22.00, www.amazon.com
Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen is an unusual production that comes from a national
pie champion who here focuses on Southern fare: dishes that she and her fellow Southerners go
to when company comes. These range from Southern Fried Catfish and Corn Pudding to
Creamed Corn, Bourbon and Coke Wings, and Bacon BBQed Baked Beans, with each dish
offering a blend of simplicity and hearty Southern home cooking. Simple, direct and appealing,
Country Cooking from a Redneck Kitchen celebrates the taste of country.
Baconish
Leinana Two Moons
Vegan Heritage Press
P.O. Box 628, Woodstock, VA 22664-0628
http://veganheritagepress.com/contact-us
9781941252246, $21.95, www.veganheritagepress.com
Baconish offers something different in a vegan cookbook that focuses on bacon flavor and
plant-based ingredients, and will appeal to any who miss some of the flavor but don't want to
compromise their health vegan focus. A blend of spices, textured vegetable protein, and flavors
that help vegan dishes 'pop' with color and flavor lend to such dishes as Bacon-Apple Fritters
(made with Tempah Bacon), Pasta with Zucchini, Corn and Vegan Bacon, and a Mexican-style
chorizo made with TVP crumbles that can be used in Mexican dishes or for sloppy Joes. The
result is a delicious compilation of dishes packed with flavor that stay true to vegan
lifestyles.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor
Ward Farnsworth
David R. Godine, Publisher
Fifteen Court Square, Suite 320, Boston, MA 02108-2536
www.godine.com
9781567925467, $27.95, www.amazon.com
Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor comes from a dean at the Texas University School of
Law, and examines how metaphor is used to simplify and clarify language and daily speech.
Numerous examples of metaphor are organized under general topics that range from using nature
to describe inner states to applications in institutions and organizations, differing circumstances,
and adding in similes. Under a different hand it would be difficult to retain the balance of
scholarship and lively, contemporary applications of classic English; but the pleasure in
Farnsworth's Classical English Metaphor lies in its delicate tightrope walk which succeeds in
making the discussions and historical references accessible to English majors and general interest
literature readers alike.
The Mathematics Shelf
Foundations of Mathematics
Philip Brown
Mercury Learning
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781942270751, $49.95, www.merclearning.com
Foundations of Mathematics: Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Calculus joins others in the
"Essentials of Mathematics" series and provides basic demonstrations, instructions, and resources
for mastering these basics or refreshing one's knowledge of the topics. College-level mathematics
students will find it a basic pre-calculus primer that pairs definitions and explanations with plenty
of examples, illustrations, formulas, and keys to problem-solving. Equations and definitions are
explored in a foundational text that is highly recommended as a basic reference for any student of
pre-calculus or who seeks a refresher course.
The Gun Shelf
Blue Book of Gun Values, 37th edition
S.P. Fjestad
Blue Book Publications
8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55425
9781936120758, $54.95, www.bluebookofgunvalues.com
The 37th edition of a fine reference packs in over two thousand pages of the latest information
and values for both antique and modern firearms, offering a detailed reference to nearly two
thousand manufacturers and almost twenty-three thousand models. The alphabetical arrangement
of this book makes it easy to use as an at-a-glance reference, while the color photo percentage
grading system has been substantially revised and serialization charts have been expanded to
include more manufacturing years. The result is a reference that no gun collector should be
without.
The Crafts Shelf
Birds from Bricks
Thomas Poulsom
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartoknows.com
9781631590795, $24.99, www.amazon.com
Birds from Bricks: Amazing Lego designs That Take Flight is for any Lego builder and fan who
wants to produce something other than structures using Lego materials. The focus here is on
birds, and the projects are bird-specific, so penguins, cardinals, Northern lapwings, and more are
included. Expect a blend of basic bird facts, full-page color images of the bird in Lego materials,
and a sidebar color parts key that accompanies step-by-step written instructions and color
photos.
Reverie: A Coloring Retreat
Mysha Denson
Cedar Fort Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462118397, $12.99, www.amazon.com
Reverie: A Coloring Retreat joins others on the bandwagon of adult coloring books in offering
Church-themed illustrations from Biblical references. Christian colorers receive the garden of
Eden, LDS symbols and sayings, Christmas images, and more in a coloring book of black and
white images just ready to fill in and use. Many coloring books are available for whimsical and
fantasy themes: the appearance of a religious-themed book will attract those who want to
contemplate as they color.
The Sports Shelf
Building Muscle and Performance
Nick Tumminello
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.HumanKinetics.com
9781492512707, $23.95, www.amazon.com
Building Muscle and Performance: A Program for Size, Strength, & Speed combines different
exercises and approaches to strength building under one cover, and comes from a trainer whose
experience has succeeded in producing a workout designed for high-octane muscle-building
results. Under his hand, there are no limitations on the kind of sports goal involved, and no prior
familiarity required with sports routines or training programs. Nearly three hundred exercises and
over seventy programs are accompanied by step-by-step black and white photo sequences that
leave nothing to guess, while equipment tips, safety, and variation options provide maximum
flexibility and information. The result is a powerful survey, highly recommended for any who
would adopt a program applicable to a range of exercise goals.
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Freak Show of the Gods
Robert W. Bly
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610352635, $16.95, www.amazon.com
Freak Show of the Gods is a short story collection especially recommended for Twilight Zone
enthusiasts, and offers a range of stories that adopt satisfyingly diverse approaches, from the
urban fantasy of a vampire hunter's final battlefield as he faces the ravages of profiting from his
trade to what happens when a professional superhero can't get social security in his old age.
Delightful in tone and scope, Freak Show of the Gods excels in a sense of the odd, the
unexpected, presenting a series of tantalizingly diverse scenarios.
The Road to Hell
David Weber
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
www.baen.com
9781476780672, $28.00, www.amazon.com
The Road to Hell follows the war between magic and special abilities as it tells of a dragon
assault across five universes, sacrifices in a royal house caught in the middle of war, and the
lasting impact of these events on individuals set to inherit war and peace. Andrin can catch
glimpses of the future, and she knows it involves more sacrifices if peace is ever to be attained;
but both sides face nearly insurmountable obstacles in the efforts to arrive at a better world. Fans
of military sci-fi and those involving powerful heritages will find The Road to Hell an absorbing,
compelling production.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Angel Prayers
Joanne Brocas
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
12 Parish Drive, Wayne, NJ 07470
www.newpagebooks.com
9781632650399, $15.99, www.amazon.com
Angel Prayers: Communing with Angels to Help Restore Health, Love, Prosperity, Joy, and
Enlightenment comes from an angel expert and teacher who here gathers divine angel prayers
and inspirational messages, and who helps readers understand how prayers result in harmonic
resonance and newfound connections with God. From amplifying love to receiving divine
guidance and understanding the power and approach of prayer, Joanne Brocas creates an A-Z
guide to enlightenment perfect for new age and Christian readers alike.
The Universe Loves a Happy Ending
Hans Andeweg
Hunter House
c/o Turner Publishing Company
200 - 4th Avenue North, Suite 950, Nashville, TN 37219
www.turnerpublishing.com
9781681626505, $39.95, www.amazon.com
The Universe Loves a Happy Ending: Becoming Energy Healers for the Planet, Organizations
and Ourselves will appeal to new age and spirituality readers that blends the author's own
experiences of self-discovery with discussions of the science of quantum mechanics, near-death
experiences, and the impact of energetic healing processes. Expect a more scientific perspective
than the typical new age book presents, with a survey of energy's qualities and connections and
what it translates to in the spiritual realm. New connections between quantum science and
spiritual tools and insights are revealed in a book which offers ten Principles of Energetic
Guardianship and applies them to guiding life and ecosystems alike. Also expect a number of
color illustrations and a surprisingly user-friendly format and approach for a subject which
initially sounds like a scientifically complex for non-scientist readers. This audience will be
delighted to find all the basic ideas are very easy to access and the unusual connections are
stimulating and thought-provoking.
The California Shelf
American Arcadia: California and the Classical Tradition
Peter J. Holliday
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016-4314
www.oup.com/us
9780190256517, $45.00, www.amazon.com
American Arcadia: California and the Classical Tradition offers college-level readers a lively and
different kind of historical approach to California, surveying how the state was touted as a new
opportunity for cultural change that embedded some of the classical traditions of ancient Greek
and Roman cultures. The approach comes from an art historian who uses not just discussions of
architectural, artistic, and interior design models but surveys of landscapers, developers, and
early visions of how the California landscape could be re-formed and honed to incorporate
classical style and ideas. Discussions of the evolution of healthy eating concepts, architectural
and landscape designs with classical roots, the evolution and interconnected interests of idealists
and wealthy patrons, and economic forces provides a synthesis of approaches and insights perfect
for any who would study California's growth and history from a more artistic and social
integrative approach than is usually presented. Very highly recommended!
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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