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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 23, Number 2 February 2013 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Cookbook Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Science Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Psychology Shelf
Travel Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Political Science Shelf
Education Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Art Shelf Computer Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Business Shelf
Biography Shelf Hobby Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Military Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Gaming Shelf Sports Shelf Music Shelf
Photography Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Fiction Shelf Poetry Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf Wine/Beer Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Criminology Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Memoir Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Crafts Shelf Humor Shelf Civil War Shelf
Large Print Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Library Science Shelf
Parenting Shelf Language Studies Shelf Fashion Shelf
Divorce Shelf Jobs/Career Shelf Law/Justice Shelf
Gardening Shelf Mathematics Shelf Genealogy Shelf
African-American Studies Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Challenges of Urban Ecological Sanitation
Arno Rosemarin, Jennifer McConville, Amparo Flores, & Zhu Qiang
Practical Action Publishing
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive
Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781853397684, $31.95, www.styluspub.com

People are filthy creatures, and any well planned city should take this into account. "The Challenges of Urban Ecological Sanitation: Lessons from the Erdos Eco-Town Project" discusses urban planning and the role that improving sanitation plays in achieving community harmony. Focusing on the projects of Erdos Eco-Town Project, a city in Inner Mongolia, China, the authors present an educated and insightful lesson on taking improvements and a better example for future projects. "The Challenges of Urban Ecological Sanitation" is a strongly recommended addition to urban planning and social issues collections.

The Declining Importance of Race and Gender in the Labor Market
June E. O'Neill and Dave M. O'Neill
American Enterprise Institute
1150 - 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036
9780844772448 $70.00 www.aei.org

Economics and finance professors June E. O'Neill and Dave M. O'Neill present The Declining Importance of Race and Gender in the Labor Market, a scholarly study analyzing fifty years of wage data concerning America's civil rights and employment policies. They find evidence of historical improvement in the economic position of blacks and women, and strong implications that the greatest disparities are due to differences in skills, education, and work experience, as opposed to racial or gender-based labor discrimination. The meticulous research presentation make The Declining Importance of Race and Gender in the Labor Market an excellent and studious resource. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections, as well as the personal reading lists of government policy professionals.

The Museum Experience Revisited
John H. Falk & Lynn D. Dierking
Left Coast Press, Inc.
1630 North Main Street, #400
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
9781611320459, $29.95, www.LCoastPress.com

A museum should be more than a room filled with old stuff. "The Museum Experience Revisited" the modern purpose of the museum and how it must go to be a place of education and history together, as John H. Falk & Lynn D. Dierking touch on how the museum should seek to be something experienced instead of simply visited. Studying modern museums and changing trends, "The Museum Experience Revisited" is a must read for those with a strong curiosity in museums and life, and those who server as administrators for them.

Impossible to Please
Neil J. Lavender & Alan A. Cavaiola
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781608823482, $69.95, www.newharbinger.com

People can be so difficult to manage in our lives, but they are so vital to us. "Impossible to Please: How to Deal with Perfectionist Coworkers, Controlling Spouses, and Other Incredibly Critical People" is a guide for those who want to shoulder the tough avenue of interpersonal relationships and hold that burden more effectively. Psychologist and counselor team Neil J. Lavender and Alan Cavaiola advise readers to piece together their lives and cope more effectively. "Impossible to Please" is a wise and recommended addition to self-help collections.

The Midwest Farmer's Daughter
Zachary Michael Jack
Purdue University Press
1207 South Campus Courts, Bldg. E
West Lafayette, IN 47907
9781557536198, $21.95, www.thepress.purdue.edu

The Farmer's daughter has come to represent many things. "The Midwest Farmer's Daughter: In Search of an American Icon" explores agrarian women of the Midwest has changed from the sweet innocent girls of the past into a force of its own, as they take over the farm and dominate it for the future, pursuing new careers with the advent of the internet, and sharing their story to the whole world. "The Midwest Farmer's Daughter" is a must for any American cultural study collection, highly recommended.

The Time of The Goats
Luan Starova
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
978029920948, $24.95, uwpress.wisc.edu

Goats were the life blood of many, but when desperate times call for radical changes, it makes the future uncertain. "The Time of The Goats" is a novel set amongst the aftermath of World War II for many Balkan states struggling with the struggles of the era and the pressures of the growing Soviet state looming new them. Skopje, a small Yugoslavian town faces a hunger crisis, and outlaws the keeping of goats, which upsets those who have tended to them for generations. "The Time of the Goats" is the second entry in Luan Starova's Balkan historical novel series, much recommended.

Train Tracks
Michael Savage
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062210645, $21.99, www.harpercollins.com

TRAIN TRACKS: FAMILY STORIES FOR THE HOLIDAYS arrived too late for more timely holiday mention but is recommended for year-round inspirational reading. The premise is that every person story is like a set of train tracks that begins at one's childhood and runs to the present. Such stories chart life courses and choices and are enriched by encounters with others: TRAIN TRACKS holds many such memories, from the author's experiences growing up poor in the Bronx during the 1940s to his development of political awareness thanks to an uncle. Part autobiography memoir and part inspirational reflection, this set of vignettes is recommended for year-round general reading!

The Homebuilt Winery
Steve Hughes
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603427272, $19.95, www.storey.com

THE HOMEBUILT WINERY: 43 PROJECTS FOR BUILDING AND USING WINEMAKING EQUIPMENT pairs step-by-step projects with tips and techniques for making the most of wine-making processes and equipment. From planning and setting up all aspects of wine production to understanding different testing processes, handling equipment ranging from racking to filters, and assembling and applying wine-making devices, this is a pick for any who would make wine or build their own small-scale winery, and belongs in crafts and food and wine collections alike.

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

Mark L. Haas and David W. Lesch's THE ARAB SPRING: CHANGES AND RESISTANCE IN THE MIDDLE EAST (9780813348193, $27.00) provides a fine collection of essays by noted experts on the Arab Spring revolts and their impacts, and will appeal to college-level collections looking for scholarly writings on the event. In late 2010 the Arab Spring inspired ongoing political changes across the region - and this event heralded the lasting impact of Arab changes in the area and upon the world. THE ARAB SPRING is key to understanding these changes, and is a 'must' for any serious Middle East political studies library. Steven M. Cahn and Robert B. Talisse's POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY IN THE 21ST CENTURY: ESSENTIAL ESSAYS (9780813346908, $38.00) covers a range of political philosophy topics from justice and democracy to human rights issues, and provides some fifteen critical, scholarly essays covering modern political philosophy. All cover major issues in the genre, and include section introductions and study questions that lend to this book's use as supplemental reading for any political studies collection. Mark D. Brewer and L. Sandy Maisel's THE PARTIES RESPOND: CHANGES IN AMERICAN PARTIES AND CAMPAIGNS (9780813346007, $36.00) appears in its fifth updated edition to update information on contemporary issues on party politics in this country. Top scholars offer original writings specifically for this volume as they consider state and federal parties, the American party system, and campaign finance in this new political milieu. The result is a scholarly analysis that includes assessment of the Tea Party movement, and makes for an important survey for any college-level holding.


The Cookbook Shelf

Sodium Girl's Limitless Low-Sodium Cookbook
Jessica Goldman Foung, author
Matt Armendariz, photography
Wiley Cookbooks
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9781118123775 $24.99 www.hmhpub.com

Featuring gorgeous full-color, full-page photography, Sodium Girl's Limitless Low-Sodium Cookbook: How to Lose the Salt and Eat the Foods You Love is a treasury of recipes that prove one doesn't have to give up gourmet-quality delights in order to control one's sodium intake! Recipes feature methodical, easy-to-follow instructions, as well as conversational tips, tricks, and techniques indicating how they can be adjusted to please different palates. Delectable low-sodium delights include "Pomegranate Granola Fruit Chunks", "Roasted Pepper & Tomato Salsa", "Tamarind 'Teriyaki' Chicken Skewers", "Rugosa Butternut Squash Ravioli", "Quinoa Chocolate Truffles", and much more. An extensive, user-friendly section filled with a diversity of ways to de-salinate one's daily life (from learning how to read labels carefully to general advice for modifying recipes to sacrifice salt but not flavor) rounds out this "must-have" antidote to today's salt-saturated culinary landscape!

Betty Crocker Healthy Heart Cookbook
Roger S. Blumenthal, M.D.
Juli Hermanson, R. D.
John Wiley & Sons, inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9781118397459 $19.99 www.wiley.com

The "Betty Crocker Healthy Heart Cookbook" starts off with an intriguing, educational chapter on heart health called Eat to Your Heart's Content! This witty introduction packs a lot of heart health facts and figures into a few short pages, making full use of sidebars, helpful graphs and charts, and a card game theme for organizing and presenting basic factors affecting heart health in a fun format, and ending with a series of 6 often asked questions for the Dr. to answer thoughtfully. All this precedes and enhances the basic appealing content of the cookbook, which is "140 easy recipes for a healthy heart!" Recipe chapters are presented in 8 chapters covering, breakfast, snacks and breads, fish, poultry and meat, easy 25-minute dinners, grains, beans and legumes, salads and vegetables, and desserts; all recipes adjusted to be heart healthy and health friendly. Some winner recipes that catch the reader's interest include the following: Flaxseed Morning Glory Muffins, Black Bean Corn Wonton Cups, Guacamole and Chips, Grilled Sea Bass with Citrus-Olive Oil, Grilled Halibut with Tomato-Avocado Salsa, Pork Shops in Country Onion Gravy, Fajita Salad, Bean and Barley Soup, Five-Spice Tofu Stir-Fry, Nutty Greens with Ranch Dressing, Caribbean Crabmeat Pasta Salad, Glazed Baby Carrots and Cranberries with Pecans, Fruit with Caramel Sauce, Mocha Cappuccino Pudding Cake, Molasses Lover's Carrot Raisin Cookies, and countless more. Also helpful is a week's schedule of heart healthy menu plans, a glossary of heart-healthy terms, a Dr's explanation of basic heart tests, a pantry planner for heart health, and a handy metric conversion guide. In all, "Betty Crocker's Healthy Heart Cookbook" offers healthy recipes in standard measurements/ format enhanced by educational extras that add up to a gift to promote informed heart health daily practices in home kitchens and dining rooms. To frost the cake, chapter headings and dividers sport full page color photos of appetizing finished dishes. Who can resist this fabulous package?

Pasta: Classic and Contemporary Pasta, Risotto, Crespelle, and Polenta Recipes
Gianni Scappin, Alberto Vanoli, and Francesco Tonelli
Wiley Cookbooks
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9780470587799 $29.99 www.hmhpub.com

Illustrated throughout with full-color, full-page photography of its mouth-watering delicacies, Pasta: Classic and Contemporary Pasta, Risotto, Crespelle, and Polenta Recipes is a superb, omnibus cookbook of all things pasta. Recipes are grouped by the optimal season in which to prepare and serve them, and include sumptuous dishes such as "Troccoli with Lamb and Pepper Sauce", "Pumpkin Dumplings with Crayfish", "Risotto with Radicchio and Montasio", "Lasagna with Asparagus and Fontina", and much more. Pasta lovers of all culinary skill and experience levels will treasure the sumptuous dishes in this detailed, user-friendly cookbook. Highly recommended especially as a giftbook for creative pasta cooks!

Grill Yourself Skinny
Heidi Skolnik
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way
Saddle River, NJ 07450-2311
9781580115476, $14.95, www.creativehomeowner.com

Grilling is an excellent and healthy way to prepare food and retain its flavor. "Grill Yourself Skinny: 130 Savory, Healthy Recipes" is a cookbook with countless recipes centered around the grill and how to get the maximum nutrition and diet friendliness out of every dish. Broken down into sections, recipes include ideas like Grill-Top Vegetable Frittata, Grilled Crab Cakes, Pork Lettuce Wraps, Grilled Bananas, and much more. "Grill Yourself Skinny" has plenty of recipes from the typical to the creative, all presented in full color with photographs.

Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, Bonus Edition
Weight Watchers editorial staff
Wiley Cookbooks
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9781118476536 $29.99 www.hmhpub.com

"Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, Bonus Edition" will be an instant favorite for weight watchers and health- conscious people everywhere and every age. This new bonus edition contains 40 new slow cooker recipes in addition to fresh and fabulous recipes for breakfasts and brunches, starters and light meals, soups, salads, sides, and main dishes, beef pork and lamb, fish, poultry, vegetarian and vegetable sides, grain and bean dishes, pizzas calzones and sandwiches, breads and muffins, cakes pies and desserts, and fruit, frozen desserts, puddings and sauces; plus more slow-cooker classics. Each recipe lists ingredients in standard measurements first, followed by step by step cooking instructions, with nutritional and point information and the end, followed by hints or tips and a feature called healthy extras; ways to add flavor and interest without adding high points. Studded with full page color photos, "Weight Watchers New Complete Cookbook, Bonus Edition" has something for everyone and is destined to be a kitchen classic. Examples of some of the recipes include Vegetable Barley Soup and Island-Style Pork and Pineapple (slow-cooker), Breakfast Tostadas, Spinach and Cheese Quiche, Nachos Grandes, Radicchio, Cabbage, and Jicama Slaw, African Peanut Soup, Pork Roast with Winter Vegetables, Easy Chicken-Pumpkin Seed Mole, Tempeh and Vegetables Stir-Fry, Roasted Peppers with Orange Zest and Olives, Skillet Asparagus with Pinto Beans and Tomatoes, Mushroom-Spinach Calzones, Holiday Stollen, Sweet Potato Pie, and Coconut Bread Pudding with Chocolate Sauce. There is something to appeal to everyone's taste buds in "Weight Watchers new Complete Cookbook, Bonus Edition," with the added serendipity that while eating delicious, healthful food, you will be progressing towards or maintaining your desired weight goal.

What's Cooking in the Okavango Delta?
Harry Feiersinger, author
Trafford Publishing
1663 Liberty Drive, Bloomington, IN 47403
9781466957602 $90.92 www. trafford.com

"What's Cooking in the Okavango Delta?" is a stunning collection of treasured family recipes collected by a famous chef who credits his mother with inspiring him to excel at creating culinary delights to match hers. Sourced in the Okavango Delta Botswana, where chef Feiersinger developed many of his recipes, "What's Cooking in the Okavango Delta?" presents a great variety of dishes that range from comfort food to homey, hearty soups and stews to frankly fancy pastries and baked goods, ending with an assortment of bright, fresh vegetable and fruit salads and combinations. Recipes are frequently illustrated with a color photo of the finished dish, while ingredients are presented first in metric and second in standard measurements. Simple step by step instructions are briefly explained. The occasional spelling discrepancy does not detract from the total product. Surprisingly, most ingredients are familiar rather than exotic, easily accessible in American supermarkets. Some examples of recipes included are Chicken Croquettes Mousseline, Cheese Couscous Pan, Buttermilk Pawpaw Sauce (something like a fruity, hot salsa), Broccoli and Cauliflower Gratin with Mustard Cheese Crumble, and Blue Cheese Quiche with Mascarpone. Sometimes a dish has surprising ethnic influences, such as Berner Roesti, a grated potato, onion and bacon hot dish from Zurich, or Bean Sprout Spring Roll with Avocado-Pawpaw Dip. Here are many nationalities' influences, Chinese, French, Swiss, Belgian, Indian, (see the Artichoke and Chickpea Tart, p. 11), German and Middle Eastern, plus many more, even Portuguese Sweet and Sour Chicken. Two more examples of recipes with European roots are Sliced Veal, Zurich Style and Sour Rye Bread. There are many baked delicacies requiring a fine touch, such as Creme de Cassis Muffin, Chocolate Eclairs, Apple Pear Tart, and Cream Cheese Harlequin Brownies. Many fresh salads are dazzling, such as the Spinach Mango and Bacon Salad, or the Summer Pepper Salad, with an unusual lemon/orange mustard vinaigrette. The Toffee Short Bread Cookies appear to have English tea time origins, as do other fine concoctions. In all, "What's Cooking in the Okavango Delta?" is a dazzling assortment of unusual recipes adapted for home preparation by a talented and well schooled chef and food artist. A bonus is the beautiful scenic photos of animals and plants in the Okavango Delta, including a rhino, antelope, and a huge snake lovingly held by the author and a friend! For an adventure in multi-nationality-influenced cuisine with top rate taste, and for palate-refreshing inspiration, sample "What's Cooking in the Okavango Delta?" Your taste buds will emerge tantalized and revitalized.

Food Lover's Guide to the World
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781743210208 $39.99 www.lonelyplanet.com

Food Lover's Guide to the World is a 'must' for any inspired by world travels or ethnic cuisines, pairing guides to finding local dishes in cities around the world with cultural tips for food etiquette and recipe contributions by food lovers. Color photos abound in wide-ranging discussions of world food, regional specialties, and local food trends, while dishes are not only packed with flavor and represent the real cultures of their areas, but are easy for any to reproduce at home. The blend of in-depth history and culture and observations of worldwide food specialties and trends makes this a 'must' for culinary and travel holdings alike!

Dutch-Oven
Carsten Bothe
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342189 $29.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Featuring beautiful, full-color photography and high-quality paper throughout, Dutch-Oven: Cast-Iron Cooking Over an Open Fire is a user-friendly, in-depth guide to this popular method of cooking that has become a treasured part of American cuisine since the glory days of the Wild West. Step-by-step instructions on how to select the proper equipment, set the cooking temperature, and even bake over an open flame fill this solid guide, suitable for cooks of all skill and experience levels. The heart of the cookbook is over one hundred mouth-watering recipes, including "Veal Fricassee in a Pot", "Wild Boar and Bean Soup", "Lentils with Noodles", "Dutch Oven Potatoes", "Cowboy Sourdough Rolls" and much more. An absolute "must-have" for anyone who wants to experience cooking Dutch-Oven style! "If you would like to cook on a campfire, we recommend that you produce the heat in a fire and continually remove the embers for cooking... A small coal shovel is handy for this. With a folding spade, you take too much sand, which gets shoveled onto the lid of the pot."

Global Feast
Afife Skafi Harris & Beryl Lee
Otago University Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com
9781877578298, $39.99, www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of culinary experts Afife Skafi Harris, "A Global Feast: Traditional Meals in a New Homeland" is a 176 page illustrated compilation of exotic recipes drawn from nineteen nations from around the world as showcased by individual migrants who brought with them a 'taste of home'. The recipes range from a Lebanese 'Atayif' (Stuffed Dessert Pancakes); to an Afganhi 'Firni' (Cardamon-flavoured Milk Pudding); to a Greek 'Yemista Piperyes' (Stuffed Peppers); to a Japanese 'Nikujaga' (Meat and Potato Stew). Of special note is the section 'An International Pantry' that provides definitions for the culinary terms found in this compilation of international recipes. Offering more than one hundred step-by-step recipes that will satisfy any appetite, please any palate, and prove exotically suitable for any and all dining occasions, "Global Feast" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

Mac & Cheese, Please!
Laura Werlin
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449426460 $16.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Mac & Cheese, Please! 50 Super Cheesy Recipes is an unusual specialty cookbook featuring a medley of delightful ways to turn ordinary macaroni and cheese into gourmet-worthy delights! Plain-terms instructions and full-color photographs reveal how to transform macaroni and cheese plus other common ingredients into such delectable delicacies such as "Zesty Kale Two Ways and Fontina Mac & Cheese", "Sauce-and-Meatballs Mac & Cheese with Burrata", "Huevos Rancheros Mac & Cheese", and much more. An assortment of tips, tricks, and techniques specific to creating inventive twists on mac & cheese - such as which types of cheese melt or just soften, the extra taste of cooking pasta in salted water (not salting it after it's cooked!), and much more. "You can, of course, adapt almost any of the recipes in the book to be gluten-free by substituting the pasta and bread crumbs with gluten-free products, and using cornstarch, amaranth flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the wheat flour." Mac & Cheese, Please! is a "must-have" for anyone who enjoys creative spins on this popular favorite dish!

Relish
Lucy Knisley
First Second
c/o Roaring Brook Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781596436237, $17.99, www.firstsecondbooks.com

Cooking is an adventure which can lead to either great food, or...an experience. "Relish: My Life in the Kitchen" is a blend of graphic novel and cookbook as Lucy Knisley shares her kitchen journeys trying to gain a mastery of how to make the kitchen work for her, the pressures of being the daughter of a chef and the compulsions it brings to succeed. With recipes presented alongside her stories with colorful art, "Relish" is a very different cookbook and very much considering for those who have had their own long journey in the culinary world.

Easy Nutritious Recipes for the Parish Hall or the Family Table
Collected by Members of the Episcopal Church Medical Trust
Morehouse Publishing
445 fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780819227607 $14.00 www.churchpublishing.org

Here at last is a healthy collection of solid church standard recipes, collected from volunteers of the Episcopal Church Medical Trust. Some recipes have been enhanced by expert nutritional tweaking. Categories of recipes include Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Dinner, Desserts, Coffee Hour, and Potluck. Recipes are presented with ingredients in standard measurements, and nutritional information including calories per serving, carbs, fat and protein. Appropriate prayers and graces begin each section, and instructions are simply explained in paragraph form. Some stellar offerings are Mediterranean Wrap, Maple Mustard Salad Dressing, Barley-Apricot Salad with Roasted Hazelnuts, Multi-Grain Pancakes, Barbecued Tofu, Baked Salmon a la Nancy, Native American Pumpkin Bread, and St. timothy's Coffee Cake (lightened with Splenda instead of sugar and fat-free sour cream). A favorite recipe is bound to appeal to the senses with pleasant review and consideration.

Slow Cooking All Year Round
JoAnn & Vickie, co editors
Gooseberry Patch
2500 Farmers Dr., #110, Columbus, OH 43235
9781620930113 $16.95 www.gooseberrypatch.com

"Slow Cooking All Year Round" is another Gooseberry Patch cookbook, this one a collection of over 225 slow cooker recipes and "time saving tips for every season." Divided into four chapters for four seasons, "Slow Cooking All Year Round" begins with Warming Winter Dishes, transitioning into Simply speedy Springtime, then to Slow & Easy Summer, and finally slipping into Hearty Harvest Favorites. Recipes are submitted by readers of the series, tested by Gooseberry Patch staff, and assembled for delightful reading, cooking and consumption. Some examples are Jammin' Jambalaya and Cranberry Meatballs, from winter dishes, Slow Cooker Irish Stew and Penn Dutch Ham Potpie and from spring recipes, Veggie Stuffed Burritos and Summer Berry Cobbler from summer recipes, and Rockin' Ribs and Creamy Butternut Squash Soup from fall favorites recipes. Pull out your hardest working kitchen appliance and put it to work cooking nutritious meals in a pot for your family, while enjoying a surfeit of seasonal produce with "Slow Cooking All Year Round," a plastic spiral bound honey of a home cookbook. Also recommended from Gooseberry Patch is "Weeknight Dinners" (9781620930083, $16.95).

Best Food Writing 2012
Holly Hughes, Editor
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738216034, $16.00, www.dacapopress.com

Best Food Writing 2012 gathers stories and essays from 2012, pairing a wide range of voices and discussions on everything from the case for hunting to the current struggles of the Gulf of Mexico food scene in the aftermath of the hurricane's changes and a variety of pastrami-making methods. Eating habits, culture, and history merge in an essay collection that provides solid insights into food culture and reflections on American culinary history, making this a fine pick for any literary or culinary collection.

Mac & Cheese, Please!
Laura Werlin
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449426460, $16.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Mac & Cheese, Please! 50 Super Cheesy Recipes comes from a cheese fan who applies her expertise to 50 recipes for macaroni and cheese made with different kinds of cheeses and spice combinations, and is a pick for any who love the dish but are interested in variations on a traditional theme. Dishes are arranged by topics from 'Party Time' to 'Breakfast for Dinner' and discuss different cheese options that work with the dish. Vegetables, meats, and spices are also surveyed. Some dishes are easy; others are more complicated than one might expect, or contain unusual flavor combinations: all push the boundaries of the traditional mac 'n cheese!

Simply Satisfying
Jeanne Lemlin
The Experiment, LLC
260 Fifth Avenue, Suite 3 South, NY, NY 10001-6408
9781615190621, $21.95, www.theexperimentpublishing.com

SIMPLY SATISFYING: OVER 200 VEGETARIAN RECIPES YOU'LL WANT TO MAKE AGAIN AND AGAIN promises much - and doesn't disappoint. From its pages of color photos liberally peppered amongst recipes such as Noodle Timbales with Pesto Cream Sauce and Mexican-Style Stuffed Summer Squash, this is packed with vegetarian winners based on seasonally available dishes. Each dish can be part of a weekday meal for the entire family, and accompanies menu suggestions and ideas for entertaining. Any cookbook collection wishing to include a general vegetarian cookbook updated for international influences and modern tastes will find this a winner!

Primal Cuisine
Pauli Halstead
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781594774867, $19.95, www.healingartspress.com

PRIMAL CUISINE: COOKING FOR THE PALEO DIET explains the dietary theory behind Paleo cooking and pairs this explanation with over a hundred budget recipes that are easy to follow, offer courses for all meals of the day, and are free of grains, gluten, sugar, chemicals and hormones. From pecan and cheese Barbecued Chicken Salad to Sweet and Sour Hawaiian Snapper, this promotes wild-caught seafood, grass-fed meat, and a wide array of vegetables. Any who enjoy natural foods and are interested in exploring the Paleo Diet will find this a winner!

Let the Meatballs Rest
Massimo Montanapi
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231157322, $26.50, www.cup.columbia.edu

LET THE MEATBALLS REST AND OTHER STORIES ABOUT FOOD AND CULTURE provides a lively survey of food culture, cooking methods and eating habits over history and provides about a hundred essays in a collection discussing food's evolution. It focuses on the selection, preparation and culinary mythology of food and its discussions are wide-ranging covering everything from changing pantry 'staples' over the centuries to changing approaches to cooking, as well as changing tastes. The result is a powerful survey of food culture recommended for any interested in food and cooking history.

The Golden Book of Pasta
Anne McRae
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764165597, $29.99, www.barronseduc.com

If it's a single volume pasta cookbook you seek packed with some 100 sauces to serve with store-bought pasta varieties, you'll find no better reference than The Golden Book of Pasta. It's an al dente collection of fresh, filled, and baked pasta dishes packed with easy yet fancy-looking fare, each with a facing full-page color photo of the completed dish for quick reference. Add gold gilt edges and an attention to recipes any cook can duplicate and you have an outstanding survey highly recommended for any who seek a lavishly-presented, practical pasta reference filled with new ideas.

Inventing Wine
Paul Lukacs
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393064520, $28.95, www.wwnorton.com

INVENTING WINE: A NE HISTORY OF ONE OF THE WORLD'S MOST ANCIENT PLEASURES provides a fine account of how wine and its appreciation came to be, considering its change from a source of spiritual nourishment to a widely-distributed and valued food. From the prototypes of modern wines and changing public opinion of what to drink when to the history of wine in cultures around the world, this provides a spirited survey of the entire industry and its evolution, and is a 'must' for any serious wine fan.

Savory Pies
Greg Henry
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431062, $16.95, www.ulyssespress.com

SAVORY PIES: DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR SEASONED MEATS, VEGETABLES AND CHEESE BAKED IN PERFECTLY FLAKY CRUSTS is an outstanding recommendation for any collection strong in savory cookery, and represents a fine alternative to pie cookbooks that entirely or largely focus on sweets. Here are recipes for both pies made in tins and loose-edged pies, turnovers, and savory flatbreads that include such dishes as Caramelized Fennel and Onion Passaladiere, Lattice-Topped Mushroom Pie, and Jerk-Spiced Meat Patties with Mango Habanero Hot Sauce. Color-coded bars of ingredients accompany notes on wine pairings in this appealing collection, recommended for any cookbook collection.

Petite Treats
Morgan Greenseth and Christy Beaver
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431116, $14.95, www.ulyssespress.com

PETITE TREATS offers a cookbook dedicated to producing bite-sized desserts which are relatively guilt-free for all occasions, and is a pick for any who would learn how to miniaturize everything from pies and scones to brownies and more. Color photos accompany step-by-step recipes and ideas and offers easy achievement for newcomers to the idea of producing miniature sweets. In an era where many are trying to watch their intake, PETITE TREATS is sure to be a hit.

The 1500 Calorie a Day Cookbook
Betty Crocker
Wiley Cookbooks
c/o Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
www.hmhpub.com
9781118344347, $19.99, www.amazon.com

African Squash and Chickpea Stew, Asian Chicken and Rice, and Beef and Noodle Layered Casserole: these are only a few of the dishes packing an appealing cookbook that tells how to produce tasty, low-calorie main dish meals and sides. Each recipe offers the calories in a colored 'bubble' suitable for at-a-glance menu plans, while start-to-finish prep times and serving sizes makes it a snap to organize dinner. Color photos on most facing pages assure success to the entire endeavor, making this a top pick for any diet cookbook collection.

The Mystic Cookbook
Denise Linn & Meadow Linn
Hay House
PO Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401937225, $19.95, www.hayhouse.com

The Mystic Cookbook: The Secret Alchemy of Food offers a delicious new book by a mother/daughter team who explore the idea of nourishment and spirituality under one cover. Recipes designed to nourish spirit, body and more offer keys to blended success that focus on connections between nourishment and spiritual awakening and provide over 100 color photos to pair with delicious, appealing and different approaches to food. The result is a recommendation for a range of collections, from cookbook holdings to new age and spirituality shelves.

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 provides a key to making some fifty different crackers from traditional grahams to specialty crackers and those seasoned with a range of spices. From traditional wheat flour-based crackers to gluten-free creations, this provides bakers with a wide range of options and flavors and also includes over a dozen recipes for accompanying dips and spreads, making for a fine pick for any general cookbook collection.


The Audiobook Shelf

Barry Lyndon
William Makepeace Thackeray, author
Jonathan Keeble, narrator
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843797081 $67.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Barry Lyndon is the unabridged audiobook rendition of a classic nineteenth century novel featuring a fierce eighteenth-century hero (who has been brought to life on the silver screen in a 1975 Stanley Kubrick movie). After the unfortunate death of an English officer, Barry Lyndon escapes from his home nation of Ireland and tries to create a new life for himself, by pretending to be an aristocrat. A master of double-crossing, plotting, and manipulation, Lyndon claws his way to the peak of high society - but his selfish deeds, matched measure for measure by the greed of the so-called upper crust surrounding him, can only preclude tragedy. A scathing and satirical critique of England's rigid social order, Barry Lyndon captivates the listener from beginning to end, and is highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 11 CDs, 13 hours 15 min.

1775: A Good Year for Revolution
Kevin Phillips, author
Arthur Morey, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781469203140 $34.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

1775: A Good Year for Revolution is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Kevin Phillips' challenge to conventional wisdom regarding American history. Phillips purports that 1775, not 1776, was the most critical year in the formation of the fledgling nation of America. 1775 was when the war for independence began, and the year when America's determination to be free solidified against Britain's imperial onslaught. Drawing upon the rich tapestry of history, and exploring the roles that Native Americans, slaves, mercenaries, the global arms trade, and much more played in the war, 1775: A Good Year for Revolution is an engrossing re-examination of history, and highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 21 CDs, 25 hours 54 min.

The Good House
Ann Leary, author
Mary Beth Hurt, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427228888 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

The Good House: A Novel is the unabridged audioboook adaptation of Ann Leary's humorous novel with just a touch of dark secrets. Hildy Good calls Boston's North Shore home. She is a respectable real estate broker and quite an ordinary person, despite (thoroughly false!) rumors that she has inherited psychic powers from her distant ancestor, an alleged witch of Salem executed by hanging centuries ago. Hildy Good can't conclusively quash the annoying rumors, or even convince her own daughters that she isn't an alcoholic. Sent to rehab, and later in "recovery", she stumbles across an unusually charming individual who may pose a danger to both her sobriety and her reputation. But as she strives to keep her own secrets hidden, she learns more and more about the shadows nestled in the heart of her hometown! Smoothly performed by Broadway and screen actress Mary Beth Hurt, The Good House is at times riotous, at times a glimpse at the seamier side of human nature, and wholly recommended. 8 CDs, 10 hours.

The Icarus Deception
Seth Godin, author and narrator
www.SethGodin.com
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780835366670 $40.00 www.randomhouse.com

The Icarus Deception is a self-help audiobook read by author, business blogger, and founder/CEO of Squidoo.com Seth Godin. Offering a strong message about the willingness to be bold in the face of a changing economy, take risks, and treat one's work as art, The Icarus Deception reveals how always sticking to the safe path can put one on a long-term downward spiral. In the current global economy, meeting ever-rising challenges and reinventing oneself and one's efforts as needed is the norm; to work like an artist means to apply one's creativity and inner resolution to every challenge. Inspirational and challenging, The Icarus Deception encourages the listener to fly higher and farther, the better to make a lasting difference. Highly recommended. 6 CDs, 7 hours.

The Hot Country
Robert Olen Butler, author
Ray Chase, narrator
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611749571 $34.95 www.highbridgeaudio.com

The Hot Country: A Christopher Marlowe Cobb Thriller is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the first crime novel from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Olen Butler. Christopher "Kit" Marlowe Cobb is a war correspondent for an American newspaper; in 1914, he dares to venture into Mexico and report on an unfolding civil war as well as the American invasion of Vera Cruz and the turmoil over the presidency of Victoriano Huerta, The Jackal. While on his dangerous assignment, he falls in love with a stunningly beautiful Mexican woman - but she has her own deep, dark secrets! Ensnared in a web of cross-purpose espionage, Cobb may end up contributing to the news rather than just writing it - whether as a pivotal individual amid a plot that could change the future of two contents, or as yet another casualty of war! Excitement and intrigue abound in this choice pick for public library audiobook collections and enthusiasts of mystery and suspense. 9 CDs, 10 3/4 hours.

The Tin Horse
Janice Steinberg, author
Kate McGregor-Stewart, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780385359474 $45.00 www.randomhouse.com

The Tin Horse is the unabridged audiobook version of an intriguing novel by award-winning journalist Janice Steinberg. In the heady 1930s, two twin sisters feuded, each cherishing wildly different dreams for her own future. Elaine Greenstein dreamed of going to college, while the rambunctuous Barbara longed to become a Hollywood star. In 1939, both girls turned eighteen, and the impulsive Barbara abandoned her family, leaving behind only a note. Sixty years later, Elaine is preparing to move to a retirement community when she comes across a potential clue to Barbara's whereabouts. A powerful story about the connections between sisters, mothers, and daughters, The Tin Horse is empathic, thought-provoking, and highly recommended. 13 CDs, 15 1/2 hours.

Private Berlin
James Patterson & Mark Sullivan, authors
Ari Fliakos and January LaVoy, narrators
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
9781611130485 $34.98 www.HachetteAudio.com

Talented actors Ari Fliakos and January LaVoy bring to life the audiobook adaptation of Private Berlin, an edge-of-one's-seat thriller set amid the dark circles of Berlin. The most talented agent of Berlin's top investigative firm has vanished, and his passionate ex is determined to find him. Her search will lead her to pry into the affairs of three wealthy and potentially dangerous individuals - a billionaire who might have been cheating on his wife, a soccer star alleged to throw games, and a nightclub owner who could be a puppet of the Russian mob! Treachery, secrets, violence and sex saturate this intense, high-octane mystery by Edgar-award winning author James Patterson and Mike Sullivan.

Odd Interlude
Dean Koontz, author
David Aaron Baker, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781469248646 $14.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Formerly serialized as an ebook, Dean Koontz's suspenseful thriller Odd Interlude is now available for the first time as a complete and unabridged audiobook on CD. When Odd Thomas and his friends stay the night at a remote Pacific coast rest stop, featuring the basic amenities of a service station, a diner, and rustic motel rooms, they quickly discover that they're in far over their heads! A secretive yet lethal menace reaches out to claim new victims, in this tautly written adventure, brought to harrowing life by David Aaron Baker's superb performance. A bargain-priced pick for fans of tense mysteries, Odd Interlude is highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 6 hours 38 min.

The Round House
Louise Erdrich, author
Gary Farmer, narrator
Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062273857 $24.99 www.harpercollins.com

Award-winning and Pulitzer-finalist author Louise Erdrich presents The Round House, an unabridged audiobook rendition of her novel about the search for justice in an unjust world. In 1988, a woman living on an Indian reservation in North Dakota suffers a terrible attack. She is so traumatized that she refuses to speak of what happened to the police, her tribal judge husband, or her thirteen-year-old son; crushing depression leaves her unable to even get out of bed. While her husband fights a losing struggle to help her or see justice done, her son tries to understand what happened and what can be done about it. With the help of three friends, the boy comes to the Round House, a sacred location to the Ojibwe, but that is only the first step of their journey. A story of complex realities, both physical and spiritual, The Round House is thought-provoking, and resonates with the universal human drive to discover the truth. Highly recommended.

Collateral Damage
Stuart Woods
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611761405 $29.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

Collateral Damage: A Stone Barrington Novel is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Edgar Award-winning author Stuart Woods' thrilling saga featuring expert investigator Stone Barrington. Brought to life by the superb performance of celebrity stage and film actor Tony Roberts (whose credits include "Serpico" and "Play It Again, Sam"), Collateral Damage tells of how Stone's friend and former lover Holly Barker, now an assistant director at the CIA, gets Stone involved in a morass of international intelligence wars and power grabs, with the explosive (literally!) machinations of a vengeful mastermind lurking beneath it all. A fast-paced thriller from beginning to end, Collateral Damage is a choice pick for hard-boiled mystery fans and public library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 7 1/2 hours.

Grace: A Memoir
Grace Coddington
Random House Audio
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780449808061, $35.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

GRACE: A MEMOIR reviews the life and achievements of Grace Coddington, creative director of Vogue magazine and an international icon, and follows her career and life from her years as a model to becoming a fashion editor in the late 1960s. Her encounters with designers, hairstylists, photographers, models and more makes for a lively survey while her descriptions of family life make this an involving, fun survey recommended for any interested in Grace Coddington in particular or the world of fashion and design in general.

Oliver Twist
Focus on the Family
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781589977136, $39.99, www.tyndale.com

OLIVER TWIST has been done many times over the decades, but this presentation is different: it's a Family Radio Theatre production, has been adapted by author Paul McCusker whose version lends well to the multi-voiced theatre approach, and comes to life for new generations in a production recorded on location in London with a full cast and original music score. Five CDs and a bonus DVD to the package make for an exciting multimedia production highly recommended for any interested in either the classic Oliver or a more modern, accessible take.

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

David Baldacci's THE FORGOTTEN (9781607885771, $39.98) benefits from a dual narration by veteran actor and author Ron McLarty and actress Orlagh Cassidy, a Broadway actress with extensive credits to her name, and tells of Army Special Agent John Puller, a combat veteran with a reputation for investigating the toughest crimes facing the nation. His new case hits too close to home: an aunt is found dead in Paradise, Florida and local police have ruled it an accident. But Puller's father is in receipt of a letter she mailed just before she died, which seems to indicate otherwise. The result is a gripping audio story perfect for any audio novel holding. Ted Dekker's THE SANCTUARY (9781611133998, $34.98) receives a fine dual narration by classically trained actor Henry Leyva and New York actress Rebecca Soler, who join together to bring to life this story of a vigilante priest serving a long prison term for murdering two abusive men. When the woman he loves receives demands from an enemy outside the prison, Danny must find a way to protect her even as she plans to free him. A powerful story of intrigue and danger comes to life in audio! Pete Hamill's THE CHRISTMAS KID AND OTHER BROOKLYN STORIES (9781619698222, $29.98) receives a fine narration by Henry Leyva, a classically trained actor whose smooth voice lends to a fine collection of original stories about Brooklyn. These are inspirational holiday mentions, from a man who returns to town to avenge his brother's death to a famous author who revisits the Brooklyn of his childhood memories. Short fiction unavailable for years is profiled in a lovely listen for any with an affection for New York. Michael Connelly's THE BLACK BOX (9781600247248, $39.98) receives a fine reading by actor and voiceover artist Michael McConnohie, who tells of one Harry Bosch, who in his quest to clear unsolved cases finds something new about the death of a woman shot execution-style during the L.A. riots. His investigation covers some of the most dangerous underworld areas of the city as he fights to understand what happened to her, and what brought her to Los Angeles, in a gripping murder mystery that comes to life in audio.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Birds of Paradise
Tim Laman & Edwin Scholes
National Geographic Society
1145 - 17th Street, NW
Washington, DC 20036-4688
9781426209581, $50.00, www.ngs.org

In the skies above us, beautiful creatures soar. "Birds of Paradise: Revealing the World's Most Extraordinary Birds" is a full color photography collection from Tim Laman & Edwin Scholes as they compile high quality full color photography of many majestic and rare birds from all over the world who captivate viewers with their unique properties, natural beauty, and much more. With text describing the ins and outs of these birds, "Birds of Paradise" is expertly compiled, filled with riveting information the birds, conservation concerns, their native territories, and much more, an absolute must have for bird lovers and those who love coffee table photography books focusing on nature.

Fierce Beauty
Bhagavan "Doc" Antle, author
Tim Flach and Barry Bland, photographers
Earth Aware Editions
c/o Mandala Publishing
PO Box 3088
San Rafael, CA 94912
www.mandalapublishing.com www.earthawareeditions.com
9781601090614 $50.00 www.rarespeciesfund.org

Fierce Beauty: Preserving the World of Wild Cats is a heart-stoppingly beautiful coffee-table book pairing striking photography of big cats with thoroughly accessible writings about human efforts to conserve their populations - from captive breeding programs to wild habitat protection. Occasional classic quotes by the notable authors and public figures about great cats also intersperse the gorgeous images. Photographs of tigers and tiger cubs feature prominently, including images of white tigers; other great cats featured include the liger (a tiger/lion crossbreed), leopard, panther, cheetah, lion, lynx, ocelot and puma. The captivating full-color, full-page photography of these great beasts at rest and in motion truly distinguishes this exceptional showcase, highly recommended especially as a giftbook for anyone who loves great cats, or who wants to learn more about efforts to preserve their numbers for future generations.

Book of Cats
Ralph Steadman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9780547594002, $24.00, www.hmhbooks.com

BOOK OF CATS is a lovely pick for a wide audience, from art-oriented collections looking for contemporary depictions of animals to cat enthusiasts and graphic novel and cartoon holdings. Ralph Steadman provides a series of fun and unique cats capturing whimsical images in full color that range from cats exploding due to baked beans to strange combinations of cats and people such as a Mancat. It's a fun, artistic gathering of cartoon images perfect for any cat lover who also appreciates artistic renderings.

For the Love of Cats
Animal Rescue League of Iowa Inc.
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A
Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726135, $21.95, www.landauercorp.com

FOR THE LOVE OF CATS: A HANDS-ON JOURNEY covers all the basics of cat care and is the perfect primer for the new potential owner. From selecting a cat or kitten and understanding their care to problem-solving and blending a cat or kitten into a home, this comes from the Animal Rescue League of Iowa and covers everything from scratching and nocturnal activities to toys and cat communication processes. A 'must' for any newcomer to cats who would contemplate what's involved in owning one.

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

Jeanne R. Perrone's SMALL ANIMAL DENTAL PROCEDURES FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS AND NURSES (9780813820750, $59.99) provides a fine procedures-based resource for technicians and nurses involved with all aspects of animal dentistry and provides a clinically-oriented training manual packed with step-by-step instructions on the oral exam, cleaning, and more. Basic dental anatomy accompanies keys to everything from anesthesia and radiology to common diseases, and pairs black and white and color photos with charts, diagrams and keys to understanding dentistry in all kinds of animals. Any dental clinic needs this! Michael J. Day and Barbara Kohn edit BSAVA MANUAL OF CANINE AND FELINE HAEMATOLOGY AND TRANSFUSION MEDICINE (9781905319299, $151.99), which appears in its second updated edition to cover the basic principles of hematology, all updated to include the latest new diagnostic procedures and new treatment options. Chapters pack in color photos, there are no chapters on inflammation and anaemia and other advancements in the field, and the powerful survey will provide an outstanding and in-depth discussion suitable for any veterinary student or practicing clinic.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Looking Toward The Priesthood
Msgr. Charles Hugo Doyle
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522-2286
9781934888292, $19.75, www.booksforcatholics.com

There is a critical and chronic shortage of Roman Catholic priests in the United States today. That is why the church is making renewed efforts to assist young men in determining if they have a vocation for the priesthood. Subtitled 'The nature, dignity, necessity and signs of the priestly calling', Msgr. Charles Hugo Doyle draws from his many years of experience and expertise in the priesthood to write "Looking Toward The Priesthood", a 106 page compendium packed cover to cover with cogent and deftly presented information, advice, counsel, example, and insights that will well serve anyone contemplating entering the priesthood to serve God and the membership of the church. Simply stated, "Looking Toward The Priesthood" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone considering the priesthood of the Roman Catholic faith.

Concordia Commentary: 1-3 John
Bruce G. Schuchard
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63118-3968
www.cph.org
9780758614438, $49.99, www.amazon.com

The Concordia Commentary Series: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture is specifically intended to enable pastors and other teachers of Christianity instruct with informed insight, reasoned clarity, and dedicated faithfulness to the divine intent of the biblical text. The newest addition to this outstanding series is "1-3 John" by Bruce G. Schuchard (Professor of Exegetical Theology and Dean of Advanced Studies, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri) and is an 800 page compendium that focuses upon the New Testament writings of John. Analytical, insightful, thoughtful, informed and informative, "1-3 John" is an impressive theological work that is enhanced with the inclusion of a bibliography, as well as indexes of Subjects and Passages, making it especially recommended for both clergy and non-clerical students and study groups of the New Testament.

The Wealth of the Poor
Larry M. James
Abilene Christian University Press
1628 Campus Court, Abilene, TX 79601
9780891123804, $24.99, www.abilenechristianuniversitypress.com

Good sense and practice can bring success to the business world, why not the force of good? "The Wealth of the Poor: How Valuing Every Neighbor Restores Hope in Our Cities" is an inspirational Christian tale of how Minister Larry James took the task of working in the poorest neighborhoods in Dallas, and forming the community needed to bridge and expand a small food pantry to better distribute food to those in need throughout the country. "The Wealth of the Poor" has much to ponder and uplift for those who want to apply the principles to their own efforts of food pantries and charity.

Holy Week
Michelle Verkuilen
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814835551, $6.95, www.litpress.org

Leading up to the holy holiday of Easter, there are dedications and celebrations of faith. "Holy Week: Celebrating the Eucharist" is a collection of scripture presented in both English and Spanish focusing on the scripture surrounding this holiday that brings Lent to an end and entices the following glory of Easter. "Holy Week" is a must for Catholic religious collections for its comprehensive focus on these events, recommended.

The Emotionally Healthy Woman
Geri Scazzero
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310320012, $14.99, www.zondervan.com

There are many things that drain our soul, and remaining with them is not healthy. "The Emotionally Healthy Woman: Eight Things You Have to Quit to Change Your Life" is a Christian inspirational guide as Geri Scazzero advises women to realize the errors in one's life and stop them before they ruin your life. From being true to yourself and others, fixing the things that make you unhappy, and diffusing bad habits, among other issues, "The Emotionally Health Woman" has plenty of sage advice for life and living, a must for self-help and Christian living collections.

Sports & Christianity
Kevin Lixey & Collaborators, editors
Catholic University of America Press
620 Michigan Avenue NE
Washington DC 20064
9780813219936, $24.95, http://cuspress.cua.edu

Play has evolved into a worldwide phenomena of sport. "Sports & Christianity" explores the concept of sport through the eyes of the Catholic faith, and how sports and Christianity have increasingly become intertwined, and how to make the games live up to the standards of the Christian faith more completely. "Sports & Christianity" presents works that Popes and other high Catholics have wrote, making for an insightful and recommended addition to Catholicism and Sports history collections.

Healing the Gospel
Derek Flood
Cascade Books
c/o Wipf & Stock
199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401
9781620321621, $17.00, www.wipfandstock.com

Christianity is a faith of dualities. "Healing the Gospel: A Radical Vision for Grace, Justice, and the Cross" explores the ideas of justice and retribution from a profoundly Christian perspective, as Derek Flood presents an interesting twist of faith, denouncing retribution, and emphasizing the words of Christ that encouraged the love of one's enemies. "Healing the Gospel" is a strong addition to any Christian collection, highly recommended.

Our Daily Bread
Discovery House Publishers
P.O. Box 3566
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
9781572937338, $13.99, www.dhp.org

A bit of dedication to our life and our faith can carry us further. "Our Daily Bread" is a year-long book from Discovery House, touching on many pieces of scripture to help advise readers learn about what they seek out of their lives through faith, and asking the readers to ponder how the scripture impacts their being. "Our Daily Bread" is a must for Christian faith-driven collections, enthusiastically recommended.

Orbis Books
PO Box 308
Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com

Victor M. Parachin's SWAMI VIVEKANAND ESSENTIAL WRITINGS (9781570759963, $22.00) joins others in Orbis' 'Modern Spiritual Masters' series and blends biography with Hindu theology as it tells of a scholar and wandering monk from India who traveled to Chicago in 1893 for the first World Parliament of Religions, won acclaim, and established the first Vedanta centers in the U.S. His yoga philosophy would change the world, and this collection of his essential teachings is key to any Eastern spirituality collection looking to understand his perspective and works. Dermot A. Lane's STEPPING STONES TO OTHER RELIGIONS; A CHRISTIAN THEOLOGY OF INTER-RELIGIOUS DIALOGUE (9781570759918, $40.00) is a pick for Christian and Catholic religions looking for a comparative religion volume conducive to discussion on other faiths. Inter-religious dialogue is now part of what it means to be Catholic in modern times, and this scholarly yet accessible volume considers and summarizes concepts in modern Catholic theology in relation to interreligious dialogue. The result is a powerful survey that any Christian religious collection will find key to advanced debate and interfaith endeavors.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Loving Work
Mike Hayes
Orbis Books
PO Box 308
Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759888, $16.00, www.orbisbooks.com

To love one's daily life is the first key to happiness. "Loving Work: A Spiritual Guide to Finding the Work We Love and Bringing Love to the Work We Do" is a spiritual and faithful read from Mike Hayes, who offers a modern and down to earth read on life and living in today's society. With a driven and faith based inspiration, Mike Hayes encourages people to find their purpose, make sure it brings them joy, so they can spread joy to the world themselves. "Loving Work" is a must for spirituality and reference collections, highly recommended.

Instant Healing
Susan Shumsky, DD
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632395 $15.99 www.newpagebooks.com

Instant Healing offers 243 affirmations and prayers designed to promote emotional and spiritual well-being. The prayers are all non-denominational, and there are simple instructions for using them to soothe turmoil and suffering. Some are designed to help the individual overcome the day-to-day challenges of specific pressing problems, such as overeating or alcoholism. All are filled with love and devotion for God, and encourage reflection on the wonder that is divine grace. For example, "This prayer will help you affirm your freedom as a perfect divine spiritual being. 'I AM not this body. I AM free. / I AM as God created me to be. / I AM free, pure, full, and perfect, / Infinitely loved and loving, whole and complete. / I AM filled and surrounded with divine love. / I AM filled and surrounded with divine light. / Thank you, God, and SO IT IS.'" Highly recommended especially for spiritual self-help collections and reading lists, as well as personal use.

Know Yourself, Forget Yourself
Marc Lesser
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way
Novato, CA 94949
9781608680818, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

The self holds the keys to many of our life's questions, we just need to be able to fully explore ourselves. "Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: Five Truths to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Everyday Life" is a philosophical and spiritual guide from Marc Lesser, who presents parables for readers to consider in their lives, as they find power in themselves and change what they need to find their happiness for themselves and others. "Know Yourself, Forget Yourself" is a must for inspirational and philosophical spirituality collections, highly recommended.

The Four Passages of the Heart
Sara Wiseman
NorlightsPress.com
672 State Road 458
Bedford, IN 47421
9781935254720, $15.95, www.norlightspress.com

The nastiness in our lives shouldn't be left to linger. "The Four Passages of the Heart: 365 Daily Illuminations to Transform Your Life" is a collection of spiritual inspiration from Sara Wiseman as she presents the simple wisdom of life and how to better hold it closer to us with a certain understanding to be applied. Focusing on four progressive openings of pain, compassion, connection, and love, "The Four Passages of the Heart" is a must for those who want to open up their hearts and minds to life's grace.

Divine Intuition
Lynn A. Robinson
Jossey-Bass/Wiley
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9781118131275, $19.95, www.josseybass.com

There is a gift of wisdom in us all and we need to use it well to find success in our lives. "Divine Intuition: Your Inner Guide to Purpose, Peace, and Prosperity" is a guide that encourages readers to tap into their innate intuition, and use it to find their way through life. Drawing on her own experiences with life, with emphasis on learning how to visualize and work toward positive goals, "Divine Intuition" is a powerful and much recommended addition to any inspirational spirituality collection.

America's Blessings
Rodney Stark
Templeton Foundation Press
300 Conshohocken State Road, Suite 670
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
9781599474120, $24.95, www.templetonpress.org

AMERICA'S BLESSINGS: HOW RELIGION BENEFITS EVERYONE, INCLUDING ATHEISTS provides a powerful debate on religion's positives for all and comes from a researcher who considers the lasting impact of faith on American society as a whole. His history focuses on America's religious roots from its founding to modern times, considering the latest research on how religion affects American life and values and analyzing the financial impact of religion. Belief benefits the American economy - this book outlines all the ways belief enhances life in the country, and is a pick for spirituality collections and general American social issues holdings, as well.

Faitheist
Chris Stedman
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807014394, $22.95, www.beacon.org

FAITHEIST: HOW AN ATHEIST FOUND COMMON GROUND WITH THE RELIGIOUS comes from an author who moved from being a true believer to a nonbeliever, and who is the Assistant Humanist Chaplain at Harvard University. His autobiography charts a journey that began from his being a 'born again' Christian to an openly gay atheist, following his struggles to reconcile his religious belief with his life and following how he stopped believing in God and hating religion while at a Christian college. His questions and perceptions make for an outstanding survey of not only his personal evolution, but the life changes affecting spiritual belief, and makes this an important title for general and spiritual holdings alike.

Torn
Justin Lee
Jericho Books
Hachette Publishing Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9781455514311, $21.99, www.jerichobooks.com

TORN: RESCUING THE GOSPEL FROM THE GAYS-VS-CHRISTIANS DEBATE is a powerful pick documenting the cultural and religious wars between gays and Christians, and comes from an author caught between both worlds. Justin Lee was committed to his evangelical faith as a teen - but he also knew he was gay. The events surrounding his coming out to his Christian family and friends and his experiences with the "ex-gay" movement permeate a blend of memoir and spiritual survey recommended for Christians who face their own struggles with gay friends or family members.


The Science Shelf

History of Hydrogeology
Nicholas Howden and John Mather, editors
CRC Press
Suite 300, 6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9780415630627 $119.00 www.crcpress.com

History of Hydrogeology collects the essays from a variety of learned experts in the scientific field of hydrogeology, with particular emphasis on the history and evolution of the discipline. A handful of black-and-white photographs and diagrams illustrate such insightful writings as "Island hydrogeology: Highlights from early experience in the West Indies and Bermuda", "250 years of Russian hydrogeology (1730-1980)", "The progress of hydrogeology in Britain: 1600 to 2000", as well as essays on the history of hydrogeology in Australia, China, the Czech Republic, France, Central Europe & Germany, Hungary, India, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, and the U.S. Each essay is complemented with references. History of Hydrogeology is at times technical, clearly intended for experts and professionals in the field; its wealth of information makes it an ideal choice for college and graduate school libraries, as well as geology reference shelves. "...data form the groundwater quality monitoring networks, added to those of previous desktop studies, rapidly revealed that nitrate concentrations had been steadily increasing since 1955-1960 in most of France's unconfined aquifers. In 1980, the publication of a map of nitrate concentrations of groundwater in France at 1:1,500,000 scale showed their geographic distribution, and proved that there was a direct correlation between high nitrate concentrations, on the one hand, and the major livestock and intensive agricultural regions, on the other hand."

Clandestine Marriage
Theresa M. Kelley
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421405179, $55.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Clandestine Marriage: Botany and Romantic Culture is a pick for college-level collections interested in botany and culture alike, and provides a scholarly assessment of the British romantics' interest in plants. An interdisciplinary approach lends to a discussion of an era when plants and culture were more closely linked then they are now, and blends lovely color period reproductions of botanicals with writings of the times and modern critical reflection on the history and culture of plants in human affairs. Any college-level science holding and many a history collection will appreciate the multi-faceted coverage.

Disaster Deferred
Seth Stein
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231151399, $22.00, www.cup.columbia.edu

Disaster Deferred: A New View of Earthquake Hazards in the New Madrid Seismic Zone tackles the geology and story of the Midwest's New Madrid fault - and argues that estimates of quake risks along this fault have long been exaggerated. From the since involved in geology and earthquake prediction to explanations of how earthquakes work, plate tectonics, and other influences on how and why quakes develop, this is a top recommendation that goes beyond the usual California focus to consider the wider-ranging science of earthquake prediction around the world. Accessible to general readers, this is recommended for community and academic library reference collections and non-specialist general readers with an interest in geology and earthquake phenomena.

Zooplankton of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, second edition
William S. Johnson & Dennis M. Allen
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421406183, $50.00, www.press.jhu.edu

The second updated edition of Zooplankton of the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts: A Guide to Their Identification and Ecology pairs black and white illustrations throughout by Marni Fylling with in-depth coverage of the behavior and natural history of these aquatic animals. The updated second edition includes an updated introduction, descriptions of life cycles, illustrations that identify over three hundred taxa and life stages, discussions of ranges, and more. Teachers, students and professionals in marine biology at the college level will find this a key survey.

Electric System Operations
Subramanian Vadari
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075492, $99.00, www.artechhouse.com

ELECTRONIC SYSTEM OPERATIONS: EVOLVING TO THE MODERN GRID provides a resource packed with business ideas on electric systems operations and is a pick for any serious engineer working on or with electronics systems for utilities. Here is a basic survey of such system operations, identifying various systems that support utility functions of providing reliable power to customers, and examining the types of systems used in modern grid operations. From ensuring safety and reliability in transmission and distribution functions to examining systems that operate outside the control center, this considers DEMS, EMS and OMS and how such systems interact with customers, making for a specific technical reference for any electrical engineering holding.

Handbook of Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Materials at Microwave Frequencies
Vyacheslav V. Komarov
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075294, $99.00, www.artechhouse.com

Handbook of Dielectric and Thermal Properties of Materials at Microwave Frequencies considers microwave energy used for thermal processing of different materials, and provides engineers with a key reference compiling and analyzing data on the dielectric and thermal properties of microwavable materials. The author is a leading expert in the field and presents important data on basic materials and their characteristics relating to microwaves. Calculations and formulas accompany insights on how these properties interact and function in a key acquisition for engineering collections featuring microwave research and applications.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Climate Change And Environmental Ethics
Ved P. Nanda, editor
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
www.transactionpub.com
9781412849678, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Climate change is a significant and lasting change in the statistical distribution of weather patterns over periods ranging from decades to millions of years. It may be a change in average weather conditions, or in the distribution of weather around the average conditions (i.e., more or fewer extreme weather events). Climate change is caused by factors that include oceanic processes (such as oceanic circulation), variations in solar radiation received by Earth, plate tectonics and volcanic eruptions, and human-induced alterations of the natural world; these latter effects are currently causing global warming, and "climate change" is often used to describe human-specific impacts. Once a denied concept by conservative political elements in the United States (which denials were largely funded by polluting corporations with vested financial interests in maintaining the status quo), the concept of climate change is now clearly accepted by the general public. The question now becomes not whether 'Global Warming' is a reality, but what can be done about it that would be possible, responsible, and lawful. That's why "Climate Change and Environmental Ethics", a 262 page compendium compiled and edited by Ved P. Nanda (John Evans Professor, University of Denver and Director of the International Legal Studies Program) is so timely and such an important contribution to our national (and international) dialogue. Comprised of fourteen seminal articles which are deftly organized into five major sections (Philosophy; Governance; International Law and Human Rights; Civil Society; and Case Studies), "Climate Change and Environmental Ethics" is especially recommended for governmental, NGO, and academic library Environmental Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Green Logistics
Alan McKinnon, Michael Browne, Anthony Whiteing
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpageusa.com
9780749466251, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Logistics is the procurement, supply, implementation, and coordination of the details of a business or other operation. Compiled and edited by the team of Alan McKinnon (Head of Logistics, Kuhne Logistics University, Hamburg, Germany), Michael Browne (Professor of Logistics, University of Westminister, London, England), and Anthony Whiteing (Senior Lecturer in the Institute for Transport Studies, University of Leeds, United Kingdom), "Green Logistics: Improving the Environmental Sustainability of Logistics" is now in an updated and expanded second edition and remains an seminally important contribution to academic library Environmental Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Comprised of seventeen major articles organized into five major sections (Assessing the Environmental Effects of Logistics; Strategic Perspective; Operational Perspective; Key Issues; and Public Policy Perspective), this 390 page compendium is enhanced with a comprehensive index and contributor biographies. Touching upon such seminal issues as carbon auditing of supply chains, transferring freight to greener transport modes, reducing the environmental impact of warehousing, improving fuel efficiency in freight transport, making city logistics more environmentally sustainable, reverse logistics for the management of waste, and the role of government in promoting sustainable logistics, "Green Logistics" should be considered mandatory reading by anyone with a governmental authorities, corporate managers having a responsibility for these issues, as well as environmental activists concerned with the impact of new technologies and public policies upon the environmental health of their communities and the world at large.

Environmental Policy in the EU, third edition
Andrew Jordan & Camilla Adelle, editors
Earthscan
c/o Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8
NY, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9781849714693, $53.95, www.amazon.com

Compiled and edited by the team of Andrew Jordan (Professor of Environmental Politics, Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, University of East Anglia, UK) and Camilla Adelle (Senior Research Associate, School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, UK), and now in an updated and expanded third edition, "Environmental Policy in the EU: Actors, Institutions And Processes" is a 424 page compendium comprised of twenty erudite and seminal papers by experts in their fields and focusing upon how the diverse nations comprising the European Union are responding to a variety of environmental issues including biodiversity losses, climate change, energy deficits, water and air pollution. Of special note in this third edition is the emphasis on rapid adaptations to current and anticipated environmental crises of the 21st Century. Informed and informative, "Environmental Policy in the EU: Actors, Institutions And Processes" is highly recommended for governmental, NGO, and academic library Environmental Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. Also very strongly recommended for these same collections is the newly published Earthscan/Routledge edition of "Water And Sanitation Services: Public Policy And Management" (9780415507035, $51.95) by Jose Esteban Castro and Leo Heller

Ecological Restoration, second edition
Andre F. Clewell and James Aronson
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
9781610911689 $30.00 www.islandpress.org

Now in an updated second edition Ecological Restoration: Principles, Values, and Structure of an Emerging Profession is an excellent resource for students and professionals in a wide variety of fields connected to ecological restoration, from those who are responsible for the administration of government permits to scientists studying how to most effectively promote the renewal of damaged ecosystems. Chapters discuss the ecological attributes of restored ecosystems including biosphere support, resilience, and self-sustainability; approaches to restoration; ecological restoration as an emerging career field; and much more. "The more atmospheric carbon dioxide that can be sequestered in biomass, the cooler the Earth's surface becomes. However, a distinction can and must be made between simple reforestation with monocultures of fast-growing tree species and holistic restoration (Clewell and Aronson 2006). Restoration ecologists have yet to collaborate with climatologists, hydrologists, soil scientists, and other specialists to calculate rates and amounts of carbon sequestration by different kinds of restored ecosystems at different latitudes. Nonetheless, we can safely say that ecological restoration contributes to carbon sequestration in living and detrital biomass, which, in turn, cools the biosphere." Highly recommended, especially for college and technical school library collections as well as for professionals in and aspirants to this exciting new scientific field.

Parks, Peace, and Partnership
Michael Quinn, Len Broberg, Wayne Freimund
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
www.uofcpress.com
9781552386422, $44.95, www.amazon.com

Yellowstone was the first wilderness area to be declared a national park. It also provided the precedent and template for the creation of protected areas elsewhere around the country and around the world that currently total more than 3,000 parks and wilderness reserves -- including 'Transboundary Protected Areas', or what has come to be called 'peace parks'. Compiled and edited by the team of Michael Quinn (Professor of Environmental Science and Planning, University of Calgary), Len Broberg (Director of Environmental Studies program, University of Montana), and Wayne Freimund (Director of Wilderness Institute), "Parks, Peace, and Partnership" is a 400 page compendium comprised of nineteen seminal articles focusing upon thematically relevant issues of history, politics, and environmental issues with respect to the conservation, management, and sustainability of ecosystems, species, and communities in 'peace parks' around the globe. These informed and informative contributions are accessibly organized into four major sections: Lessons from the Field; The Southern African Experience; Education and International Peace Parks; and Peace Park Proposals. Of special note is the article 'Under the Penumbra of Waterton-Glacier and Homeland Security: Could a Peace park Appear along the U.S.-Mexican Border?' by Charles C. Chester and Belinda Sifford. The Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park across the United States/Canada border was the first Peace Park in the Americas, formed by the merger of the Waterton Lakes and Glacier National Parks in 1932. In contrast to other peace parks, the primary purpose of the union was to serve as a symbol of friendship and peace between the two countries. The International Peace Garden was also established in 1932, another United States/Canada park with a similar purpose. It lies on the North Dakota/Manitoba border. Another United States/Canada peace park, Peace Arch Park, lies on the British Columbia/Washington border, and is famous for the Peace Arch, a large peace structure straddling the border itself. Efforts are under way for a U.S./Mexico international park with a similar purpose, joining the Big Bend National Park in the United States with the Maderas del Carmen and Ca¤on de Santa Elena protected areas in Mexico, as well as a USA/Russia international park in the Bering Strait, highlighting the shared heritage of Russians and Americans of the area. Enhanced with the inclusion of a comprehensive index, "Parks, Peace, and Partnership", making it a welcome and highly recommended contribution to academic library, NGO, and governmental library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Cowasee Basin
John Cely
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street
Columbia, SC 29208
9780615562599, $34.95, www.sc.edu/uscpress

Through rivers and forests, the natural glory of America lurks where we want to seek it. "Cowasee Basin: The Green Heart of South Carolina" is a collection of photography and text surrounding the beautiful natural history and American history surrounding the Congaree, Wateree, and Santee Rivers, of Cowasee Basin. With full color photography presented in multi-page displays, on nature and the wildlife that call it home. For anyone seeking a beautiful collection of American nature, "Cowasee Basin" is a strongly recommended addition to any coffee table photography book collection, not to be missed.

A Land Between Waters
Christopher R. Boyer, Editor
University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103
Tucson, AZ 85719-6654
9780816502493, $55.00, www.uapress.arizona.edu

A Land Between Waters: Environmental Histories of Modern Mexico explores the relationship between the people and environment in Mexico and arranges a dozen original works of environmental history by experts in Mexican environmental issues on both sides of the border. From a history of Mexico's early independence to modern times, essays consider how humans have interacted with nature in Mexico for over two hundred years in a work widely recommended for college-level readers in social issues, Mexican history and culture, and environmental history alike.

Fields and Streams
Rebecca Lave
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820343921, $22.95, www.ugapress.org

FIELDS AND STREAMS: STREAM RESTORATION, NEOLIBERALISM, AND THE FUTURE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE considers the science of stream restoration and argues that the neoliberal emphasis on the privatization and commercialization of knowledge has changed how science is both funded and conducted in this country. Stream restoration science is one example of this disparity: its most successful expert is a private consultant with little formal scientific background. Many academic and federal agency-based scientists have denounced him as a charlatan - yet his unique approach and classification system are widely accepted, and are now promoted by federal agencies. This focus on Rosgen's success and the evolution of how science receives legitimate analysis makes for a thought-provoking, well researched analysis key to any geography or environmental studies program.

The Whole Story of Climate
E. Kristen Peters
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146726, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

THE WHOLE STORY OF CLIMATE: WHAT SCIENCE REVEALS ABOUT THE NATURE OF ENDLESS CHANGE comes from a geologist who describes the contributions geology has made to our perception of climate change, and considers the evidence of rocks in the evolution of global climate processes. The geologic history of Earth in fact reveals a long succession of climate change patterns and shifts, some very rapid occurring in as little as twenty or thirty years time, and this book reflects the story of how Earth's geological history contributes additional insights into how climate change happens. Readers will find this a powerful addition to any collection discussing natural and manmade effects on climate change patterns.


The Psychology Shelf

Controversy In The Psychology Classroom
Dana S. Dunn, et al.
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433812385, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of the editorial team of academicians Dana S. Dunn (Assistant Dean for Special Projects and Professor of Psychology, Moravian College); Regan A. R. Gurung (Ben J. & Joyce Rosenberg Professor of Human Development and Psychology, University of Wisconsin-Green Bay); Karen Z. Naufel (Georgia Southern University); and Janie H. Wilson (Program Director for the Society for the Teaching of Psychology), "Controversy in the Psychology Classroom: Using Hot Topics to Foster Critical Thinking" is a 280 page compendium fifteen articles by seasoned experts in the field of teaching psychology and which are deftly organized into four major sections: Guiding Frameworks for Teaching About Controversial Issues; Helping Students Arrive at Empirically Based Conclusions; Opening Consideration of Multiple Views; Concluding Thoughts and Going Forward. Of special note is the article 'Spirituality and Religion: How Contexts, Developmental Processes, and Personal Experiences Influence Behavior' by Dean D. VonDras. Informed, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Controversy in the Psychology Classroom: Using Hot Topics to Foster Critical Thinking" is an impressive collection that is highly recommended for professional and academic library General Psychology and Educational Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Fear & Anxiety Solution
Friedemann Schaub
Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
9781604078565, $17.95, www.soundstrue.com

Our own minds stop up from many things alone. "The Fear & Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind" is an inspirational read from Friedemann Schaub, who offers his insights on dealing with the stress and fear that we all face throughout our everyday lives, and how to conquer them for our own ideas for better success, realizing the power of the conscious and subconscious mind in our actions. "The Fear & Anxiety Solution" is wise and much recommended addition to motivational collections, not to be missed.

Beyond Human Nature
Jessie J. Prinz
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393061758, $29.95, www.wwnorton.com

BEYOND HUMAN NATURE: HOW CULTURE AND EXPERIENCE SHAPE THE HUMAN MIND teaches the basics of "nurture" over "nature" and uses research in neuroscience, psychology and anthropology to show how human behavior differs between cultures and changes with experiences. From examining the legacy of inheritance and how language, thinking and emotions evolve and are influenced to the latest research on consciousness and links between intelligence, race and gender, BEYOND HUMAN NATURE is a powerful probe of innate abilities and cultural influences, and is a powerful pick for any health or science holding from general-interest to college-level audiences.

The Ravenous Brain
Daniel Bor
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465020478, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

THE RAVENOUS BRAIN: HOW THE NEW SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS EXPLAINS OUR INSATIABLE SEARCH FOR MEANING provides cutting-edge science from a neuroscientist who considers brain biology and the nature of consciousness, and provides a survey studying consciousness and why humans have it. From what consciousness means for self-perception and mental health to the evolutionary nature of such consciousness and instinct, this proves research on how information is structured in the brain, how man's search for understanding creates patterns, and how evolution-driven emotions result in highly functioning biological computers. Collections strong not only in science but in health, bioethics, and self-help will find this a powerful survey.

How Come They're Happy and I'm Not?
Dr. Peter Bongiorno
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781573245807, $16.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

How Come They're Happy and I'm Not? The Complete natural Program for Healing Depression for Good is for any confused by anti-depressant medications and searching for a natural alternative to drug treatments of depression. It considers natural and pharmaceutical treatments addressing depression, provides a seven-step program for healing, and considers a range of related medical concerns form the relationship between cholesterol and depression to mood-improving supplements and alternatives to medication. A 'must' for any interested in combating depression.


The Travel Shelf

A Guide to London's Classic Cafes and Fish & Chip Shops
Black Dog Publishing
387 Park Ave. S, Fl 12
New York, NY 10016-8810
c/o Perseus Distribution
193 Edwards Drive
Jackson, TN 38301-7716
9781907317699 $14.95 www.blackdogonline.com

Beautifully illustrated with a dazzling array of full-color photography throughout, A Guide to London's Classic Cafes and Fish & Chip Shops is a compact showcase created for both London locals and tourists, featuring the most enduringly beloved of London's casual eateries. The address, telephone number, and a one-page history and featured description of each cafe complements the many striking images of inviting locales and their down-to-earth food. The next best thing to visiting London and enjoying a meal at its venerable cafes in person, A Guide to London's Classic Cafes and Fish & Chip Shops is especially recommended for armchair travelers.

Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street
Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Brett Atkinson's NEW ZEALAND'S SOUTH ISLAND (9781742202129, $21.99) is packed with detailed listings and tips from three authors who have conducted weeks of on-the-road research to assure all information is correct. New Zealand holds a lot of outdoor opportunities and varied environments that lend to outdoor activities. This coverage of the South Island alone is packed with small maps, sidebars of information, tour opportunities and much more, making it an outstanding pick for any travel holding. Karla Zimmerman and Regis St. Louis's WASHINGTON, D.C. (9781741799514, $19.99) profiles clubs, bars, family-oriented attractions, and cultural surveys of Washington, D.C. from free museums to the White House, and outlines a course of sightseeing action for any who would visit the nation's capitol. Color photos and maps throughout pack a survey filled with colorful 'must see' attractions, making this a top pick for any Washington, D.C. travel planner. Any bound for South Africa will want to include James Bainbridge, et.al.'s SOUTH AFRICA, LESOTHO & SWAZILAND (9781741798005, $27.99) on their reading lists: it covers three neighboring countries under one cover, surveys some eleven languages and forty wineries, and packs in information on parks, reserves, and outdoors opportunities in all three areas. Color maps, sidebars of information, and the latest assessments of pros and cons of different areas pack a take-along tote perfect for both advance travel planning and at-destination reference.

Moon Publications
1700 - 4th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
www.moon.com

Kathleen Bryant's FOUR CORNERS (9781598805987, $16.99) is a travel guide that includes Navajo and Hopi Country, Moab and Lake Powell, and packs in over twenty easy maps to be included with sightseeing Indian regions located in the four corners of Arizona, New Mexico, Colorado and Utah. From making the best of this region to understanding its history and taking advantage of backcountry sights and Native cultural interests, this is packed with travel recommendations personally presented from the author's firsthand experience, and is a powerful pick for any planning to visit the area. Joshua Berman's MAYA 2012: A GUIDE TO CELEBRATIONS IN MEXICO, GUATEMALA, BELIZE & HONDURAS (9781612381190, $7.99) is a top pick for any heading to these countries and covers archaeological ruins, Mayan ceremonies, and celebrations specific to 2012. While this was received too late for earlier mention, traveling the Mundo Maya in 2012 helps plan the perfect journey to the region at any time in 2013, and is a top pick for any who would plan either an independent trip or partake of a specialty tour or package. The firsthand experience of author Joshua Berman enhances the entire survey.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Eternal: Zachary's Story
Cynthia Leitich Smith, author
Ming Doyle, illustrator
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, MA 02144
9780763651190 $19.99 www.candlewick.com

A black-and-white graphic novel adaptation of the prose novel "Eternal", Eternal: Zachary's Story is about a guardian angel stripped of his power and forced to walk the earth in human form. Zachary's charge, a young woman he has watched over since infancy, has been seized by the leader of a demonic vampire cult (although they reject the "v-word" - they consider themselves "Eternals" and will feast upon any who would disagree)! Is there any hope to save the soul of a young woman transformed into a blood-drinking monster, or to rescue the innocent people (and occasional lycanthrope) kept like chattel to feed the wealthy and powerful undead? A dark fantasy epic at its finest, Eternal: Zachary's Story is engrossing, thoughtful, and near-impossible to put down. Highly recommended.

Lou Scheimer: Creating the Filmation Generation
Lou Scheimer with Andy Mangels
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490441, $29.95, www.twomorrows.com

Lou Scheimer: Creating the Filmation Generation comes from the co-founder of Filmation Studios, which for over 25 years provided animated TV and film, creating the first DC cartoons with Superman and Aquaman, producing the animated series of Star Trek, and blending special effects into live-action film. Photos, model sheets, storyboards, and more examine Filmation's history and art, surveying its artists and offering behind-the-scenes insights into Filmation as a whole and the art of animated TV and film in particular. The result is a key acquisition for not only cartoon and comics holdings, but for film collections strong in animation history.

Rat Pack - Guns, Guts and Glory V. 1
Carlos Ezquerra & Gerry Finley-Day
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781848560352, $19.95, www.titanbooks.com

Rat Pack - Guns, Guts and Glory V. 1 provides the first in a series collecting the adventures of the Rat Pack in their entirety, returning a classic World War II action comic to popular circles. When Major Taggart breaks four military convicts out of jail they become 'rats' in one of the deadliest missions in the world, living by their own rules to get dirty military jobs done. Any fan of vintage war comics will find this first volume a solid addition to comic history and culture.


The Political Science Shelf

The Progressive Movement
Benjamin Parke DeWitt
Transaction Publishers
Rutgers University
35 Berrue Circle
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
14128496254, $34.95, www.transactionpub.com

Progress always triumphs eventually. "The Progressive Movement: A Non-Partisan Comprehensive Discussion of Current Tendencies in American Politics" analyzes the historical path of the liberal progressive movement in America, analyzing the founders of the movement and their routes and ideas to their view of a better America, he offers a solid reference for those who want to better understand the ideas of progressivism. "The Progressive Movement" is a core addition to any political history collection focusing on American politics.

Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW
Washington, DC 20007
www.press.georgetown.edu

Toshi Yoshihara and James R. Holmes' STRATEGY IN THE SECOND NUCLEAR AGE: POWER, AMBITION, AND THE ULTIMATE WEAPON (9781589019287, $32.95) charts the course of a "second nuclear age" begun in the post-Cold War world, fueled by the expansion of nuclear arsenals and new proliferation in Asia. A group of scholars from different perspectives provide analysis of how the U.S. and its allies need to address this problem with new strategies and approaches. The focus on responses that reinforce deterrence under different, more complicated scenarios makes for a powerful study key to any international studies or security collection, and many a political studies college-level audience. Dall W. Forsythe and Donald J. Boyd's MEMOS TO THE GOVERNOR: AN INTRODUCTION TO STATE BUDGETING (9781589019249, $19.95) appears in its third updated edition to provide a revised, updated consideration of budgeting and its political and economic impact. From developing a multiyear strategic budget plan to how to get budgets adopted by legislatures and understanding business and political influences alike, this is a top pick for any college-level political studies collection and many a business shelf.


The Education Shelf

Disrupting The School-to-Prison Pipeline
Sofia Bahena, et al.
Harvard Education Press
8 Story Street, 1st floor
Cambridge, MA 02138
www.harvardeducationpress.org
9780916690540, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The role of public education is to not only prepare children for gainful employment, but to furnish them with the skills and information they will need for other adult responsibilities both familial and civic. But there is a growing problem with public education -- all too often children are leaving the school system to engage in criminal activity such as those that are a part of street gangs and, ultimately, adult organized criminal associations. The collaborative editorial effort of Sofia Bahena, North Cooc, Rachel Currie-Rubin, Paul Kuttner, and Monica Ng, "Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline" is a 288 page compendium comprised of twenty-one informed and informative articles by a variety of experts in their respective fields on the specific issue of how to prevent children from leaving school for lives of crime. Of special note is Paul Kuttner's article 'Editor's Review; What We Can Learn from Five Recent Books about the School-to-Prison Pipeline'. Enhanced with a list of the editors and contributors credentials and a comprehensive index, "Disrupting the School-to-Prison Pipeline" is a seminal body of scholarship and research that should be considered a mandatory addition to professional, governmental, and academic library Education Studies and Penology Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

No Room for Bullies
Kim Yeutter-Brammer & Collaborators
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford Street
Boys Town, NE 68010
9781934490334, $21.95, www.boystownpress.org

Bullying wreaks havoc on self-esteem - not just the victims, but the bullies as well. "No Room for Bullies: Activities That Address Bullying by Teaching Social Skills and Problem Solving to Students" is a collection of ideas for lessons for teachers to promote better management for bullying situations, realizing bullying may be a problem for many academic problems at a school, and how bullying has spread outside the school with the advances of social media. With advice on training students on dealing with many situations of bullying from name calling to sexual harassment, "No Room for Bullies" is a vital resource for teachers and educational administrators, not to be overlooked.

Differentiated Projects for Gifted Students
Brenda Holt McGee & Debbie Triska Keiser
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813
Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593639679, $29.95, www.prufrock.com

Something different can go far in encouraging academics. "Differentiated Projects for Gifted Students: 150 Ready-to-Use Independent Studies" is a collection of problems and activities aimed at students in the second half of elementary school who are in need of educational challenge, exploring aspects of social studies and sciences, mathematics and history. For any teacher of these gifted and talented students, the resources provided within from teaching writers Brenda Holt McGee & Debbie Triska Keiser are invaluable, making "Differentiated Projects for Gifted Students" a strongly recommended addition to educational and academic reference collections focusing on primary education.

Poetry Mentor Texts
Lynne R. Dorfman & Rose Cappelli
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109491, $21.00, www.stenhouse.com

Poetry can help young people gain a better and more complete mastery of language. "Poetry Mentor Texts: Making Reading and Writing Connections, K-8" is a guide for early language teachers on how to use poetry to teach reading comprehension and critical thinking, with activity ideas on how to teach poetry in the classroom as both a reading and writing exercise. Sage advice for any teacher who wants to enhance their language arts curriculum, "Poetry Mentor Texts" is a worthy addition to any educational or teacher's reference collection.

The Alchemy of Teaching
Jeremiah Conway
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street
Boulder, CO 80302
9781591811817, $15.95, www.sentientpublications.com

Learning helps us realize so much in our lives. "The Alchemy of Teaching" approaches the concepts of teaching in a philosophical sense, touching on the nature of teaching and the exchange of knowledge that comes between teachers and students and the value of education in creating more rounded individuals on many levels. "The Alchemy of Teaching" is well worth considering for education collections with a strong nod to philosophy, highly recommended.

Paying for College Without Going Broke: 2013 Edition
Kalman A. Chany with Geoff Martz
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307945327, $20.00, www.princetonreview.com

Paying for College Without Going Broke: 2013 Edition is the only updated financial guide providing step-by-step strategies for completing the 2013-14 standardized aid application forms to include the federal FAFSA and CSS Profile application, packing samples of the forms with the latest details on pros and cons of financial aid legislation and education tax breaks. From what parents and students should and shouldn't do in the process to what independent students and divorced parents need to know about eligibility, this packs in the latest details in a 'must have' reference for any education collection appealing to high school students college-bound.

Stallcup's Master Electrician's Study Guide 2011
James G. Stallcup and James W. Stallcup
Jones & Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
9781449605773, $51.75, www.jblearning.com

Stallcup's Master Electrician's Study Guide 2011 is based on the NEC and other established industry standards and provides all the formulas, tools and details needed to help ace the Master Electrician exam. From black and white illustrations of motors, compressors, conductors and more to calculations and discussions of their applications in the field, this packs in all kinds of questions, approaches, and technical specs any such electrician must know. It's recommended beyond the exam as a basic reference any serious electrician should have in his library.

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

Janet C. Richards and Cynthia A. Lassonde edit STRATEGIC WRITING MINI-LESSONS FOR ALL STUDENTS, GRADES 4-8 (9781452235011, $38.95), a fine survey covering all four key writing strategies from inventing and drafting to writing and editing, and provides mini-lessons teachers can use in their classrooms to encourage consistent structure and results. From using color-coding techniques for different kinds of learners to applying structured strategies for independent writing and adopting portal writing ideas, this is packed with student strategies and teacher applications. D'Ette Cowan, Stacey Joyner and Shirley Beckwith's GETTING SERIOUS ABOUT THE SYSTEM: A FIELDBOOK FOR DISTRICT AND SCHOOL LEARNERS (9781452205113, $31.95) provides a focused approach to raising student achievement, and focuses on Common Core State Standards applications and linking the overall improvement process to levels, components, and competencies to ensure consistent strategies. Chapters use vignettes to illustrate each phase and link to a companion website with online modules in a fine survey that is recommended for any school leader. Phyllis Hostmeyer's TOOLS STUDENTS NEED TO BE SKILLFUL WRITERS: BUILDING BETTER SENTENCES (9781412989046, $36.95) goes beyond the usual diagram approach to sentence-building to offering a lesson plan for grades 3-8 that provides sentence patterns in logical sequence, exploring their possibilities and providing reinforcement exercises for each. Student activities complete the process while the instructions emphasize the end goals of preparing students to be better writers. Any educator teaching these grades needs this! The second updated edition of Richard D. Sorenson and Lloyd Milton Goldsmith's THE PRINCIPAL'S GUIDE TO SCHOOL BUDGETING (9781455255477, $31.00) provides a fine guide to developing a successful school budget during demanding economic times, and offers over twenty tips for budgeting during an economic turndown. From analyzing school budgets to a case study involving problems and applications and a checklist for administrators, chapters cover budget allocation processes, offer integrated approaches to planning and budgeting, and cover the basics of changing school culture. A fine guide for any school administrator and education libraries catering to them! Robert J. Manley and Richard J. Hawkins' MAKING THE COMMON CORE STANDARDS WORK (9781452258577, $33.00) presents realistic strategies supported by many examples from a range of schools and covers everything from adapting existing curricula to meet math and language goals for different grades to planning for and implementing the new standards. The focus on the entire integration process for all kinds of classrooms provides detailed coverage of systems and how to manage the changes, includes real-world examples, and makes this a top pick for any education holding seeing interest in common store standards development.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Sherlock Holmes vs. Dracula
Loren D. Estleman
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781161425, $11.95, www.titanbooks.com

The Further Adventures of Sherlock Holmes comes from the author of over sixty books and hundreds of short stories and adds to the series presenting more adventures in Conan Doyle's style. This story offers a lively account based on a mysterious ship's crash-landing in England and the subsequent bloodbath of horror unleashed on the London. It's obvious Count Dracula has returned - but can Sherlock Holmes track him down? Fans of Dracula and Holmes alike will find this compelling.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing Skills for Public Relations, fifth edition
John Foster
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749465438, $37.50, www.koganpage.com

Writing Skills for Public Relations: Style and Technique for Mainstream and Social Media provides a completely updated fifth edition for PR students and practitioners alike, and covers grammar and editing skills as it surveys the specifics of developing writing skills for public relations. New examples and advice in the new edition also covers the basics of web development, blogs, and online media relations. Any student of public relations needs this specific reference.

Deeper Writing
Robin W. Holland
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452229942, $31.95, www.corwin.com

DEEPER WRITING: QUICK WRITES AND MENTOR TEXTS TO ILLUMINATE NEW POSSIBILITIES packs in keys to developing fluent writers and while originally intended for teachers encouraging students, is reviewed here as a recommendation for any who would hone their own creative writing pursuits. Tools and strategies cover student writing and provide 45 quick writes in frameworks geared to grade levels, using 'mentor texts' as examples to provide models and inspiration. It provides the basic tools and strategies to refine any creative effort, and is a 'must' of resources showing how to nurture deeper writing efforts. Any creative writer and teacher of such needs this key to deeper writing.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
www.newpagebooks.com

James D. Stein's THE PARANORMAL EQUATION: A NEW SCIENTIFIC PERSPECTIVE ON REMOTE VIEWING AND OTHER INEXPLICABLE PHENOMENA (9781601632289, $16.99) is a top pick for any new age collection strong in paranormal experiences, and provides an argument for the existence of the supernatural based on math and science discoveries of the last century. The argument also uses logic to show how such phenomena must exist if conditions already accepted by many working scientists are present. From how scientists have researched the supernatural to how belief systems evolve and are tested, THE PARANORMAL EQUATION is a recommendation for any new age and many a science collection. Erich von Daniken is back, this time including over 150 color photos in his new book EVIDENCE OF THE GODS: A VISUAL TOUR OF ALIEN INFLUENCE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD (9781601632470, $19.99), and documents many intriguing facts from archaeological findings, from why rock and cave paintings from around the world depict the same forms to how 'flying chariots' came to be described in a world which had no technology. Any fan of von Daniken will find this offers intriguing, supportive information for his ongoing theory. THE UFO SINGULARITY: WHY ARE PAST UNEXPLAINED PHENOMENA CHANGING OUR FUTURE? WHERE WILL TRANSCENDING THE BOUNDS OF CURRENT THINKING LEAD? HOW NEAR IS THE SINGULARITY? (9781601632401, $15.99) comes with a long title and big ideas, comes from a prominent UFO researcher, and offers keys on what can be expected from contact with UFOs. From the latest research on the singularity and how it relates to UFOs to theories about the UFOs being time travelers from our future, and the latest observations about their advanced technology, this is a recommendation for any new age collection where UFOs are of interest. Sahvana Arienta's THE LIGHTWORKER'S SOURCE: AN ENLIGHTENING GUIDE TO AWAKEN THE POWER WITHIN (9781601631886, $15.99) provides a fine key to a magical power that allows the user to both create a more desirable life and fulfill a higher purpose, and explores the role and nature of 'lightworkers' who lend their light energy to counteract negativity in the world. Many such workers have forgotten their divine purpose yet achieve light-lending goals: this book analyzes their gifts, describe their pros and cons, and consider how to work with such gifts. A fine guide for new age and inspirational spirituality holdings alike!


The Art Shelf

Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide
Margaret Moore Booker
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250
Tucson, AZ 85703
9781933855752 $40.00 www.rionuevo.com

Featuring full-color photography of artworks from museums, galleries, and private collections on almost every page, Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide is a one-volume reference of alphabetized entries explaining important terms about the traditional arts of the American Southwest, including native American and Hispano art. For example, the entry for "Navajo Woodcarving" begins with "a folk art tradition established in the early 1960s by pioneering Navajo artist and healer Charlie Willeto (active ca. 1961-1964), who was encouraged and supported in his endeavor by Indian art traders in Arizona, and made hundreds of animal and human figures as artistic expressions intended for sale. Over time, other Navajos began carving and painting wooden figures as well." Each entry spans multiple paragraphs and is quite detailed, yet accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Useful as a reference for art students, historians, or instructors, yet also beautiful to simply page through, Southwest Art Defined: An Illustrated Guide is enthusiastically recommended especially for public and college library art shelves.

Arapaho Women's Quillwork: Motion, Life, and Creativity
Jeffrey D, Anderson, author
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806142838 $39.95 www.oupress.com

"Arapaho Women's Quillwork" is a comprehensive catalog of examples of a little known women's art form expressing Arapaho ritual and traditions. Embellished with over 50 exquisite photographs in color and black and white of daily items lovingly decorated with intricate quillwork, the book explores both the history and religious significance of many traditional quillwork patterns and practices. Examples come from items given or used at many of life's most significant transitions, such as cradles, tipi ornaments and doors, moccasins, pillows, robes, and leanback covers. After many arresting pages of anthropological analysis and reflection on the value and role of Arapaho women's decorative quillwork, the author concludes that this collection is really about understanding traditional Arapaho spiritual traditions as reflected in this female art form. It is about "ways of seeing culture and creativity in motion (p. 167)." This reviewer is respectfully impressed with the author's concluding declaration: "following an Arapaho oratorical tradition, I should also declare that I am sure that I have made some errors in this book, ... but I appeal that they be set aside to see the larger purposes that are in my heart and mind. The ultimate concern here is to move some eyes toward seeing quillwork through the lens of respect for the women whose creations and relations contributed to the life movement of Arapaho religion, history, and people for a very long time. Their quiet work was as much a part of cultural survival in hard times as were the efforts of more visible and public figures, about which quite a bit more has been written, discussed, and displayed (p. 170)." "Arapaho Women's Quillwork" is finished with an appendix of modern Arapaho orthography, extended notes, and extensive references for bibliography purposes. Impeccable scholarship and respectful presentation are the hallmarks of this stunning new work on Arapaho women's quillwork.

The Female Gaze
Robert Cozzolion, editor
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
c/o Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953898, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Although men (historically speaking) have dominated the galleries and the museums of the art world, women artists have contributed truly extraordinary works to the artistic legacy of the world. This has been demonstrated beyond question by Philadelphia-based collector Linda Lee Alter who decided in the 1980s to focus her acquisitions upon art created by women. The result is now a collection housed with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) which showcases almost 500 object crafted and created by the most influential women artists of the past fifty years. "The Female Gaze: Women Artists Making Their World" is a 272 page compendium compiled and edited by Robert Cozzolion (Curator of Modern Art at PAFA) beautifully showcasing full page reproductions of representative art works. Each full color reproduction is accompanied by a description that includes the artist, the title of the piece, year of its creation, type of media (e.g. oil on canvas) used, and size dimensions. Enhanced with informed and informative background articles contributed by Diane Burko, Anna Havemann, Janine Mileaf, Melanie Anne Herzog, Anna Chave, and others, "The Female Gaze" also includes a checklist of the Linda Lee Alter collection, a selected bibliography, a list of the contributors and their credentials, and an art/photography credits roster. A significant and seminal body of work, "The Female Gaze" is an especially recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Ian Wallace: At The Intersection Of Painting And Photography
Kathleen Ritter & Daina Augaitis, editors
Black Dog Publishing
10a Acton Street, London, England, WC1X 9NG
www.blackdogonline.com
9781907317576, $59.95, www.amazon.com

Ian Wallace, (born 1943 in Shoreham, England) is a Canadian artist, living and working in Vancouver, British Columbia. Wallace has been an influential figure in the development of an internationally acknowledged photographic and conceptual art practice in Vancouver since 1965. On December 30th, 2012, the Governor-General of Canada (His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston), announced than Ian Wallace had been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Katheen Ritter and Daina Augaitis, "Ian Wallace: At The Intersection Of Painting And Photography" is a profusely illustrated, 352 page compendium showcasing the work Ian Wallace. Of special note is the 'Ian Wallace: An Annotated Chronology' prepared by Grant Arnold. Enhanced with informed and informative background articles contributed Christine Poggi, Jessica Morgan, and others, "Ian Wallace" also features an extensive bibliography, a 'List of Works', and notes on the contributors. An impressive and seminal introduction to the work of a truly gifted contemporary artist, "Ian Wallace: At The Intersection Of Painting And Photography" is very highly recommended, especially for academic library Contemporary Canadian Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Book Ends
Robert & Donna Seecof
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764341687, $39.99, www.schifferbooks.com

There's a bit of style and fun that can be found even in the simplest of home accessories. "Book Ends: Objects Of Art and Fashion" is a guide to arts and crafts that one can enjoy as book ends. Looking through history, Robert & Donna Seecof compile the history of this simple object and how many craftsman and artists through the years have used it as a way to craft imagery that is classical, religious, historical, and even cues from pop culture. With a price guide and full color photography throughout, "Book Ends" is a must for any collector of arts and crafts, much recommended.

Out of the Wood
Rosemary Kilbourn
The Porcupine's Quill
68 Main Street, PO Box 160
Erin, ON Canada N0B IT0
9780889843462, $27.95, www.porcupinesquill.ca

While wood engraving is not as prominent as it once was, but its classical style is still used to day to create beautiful images. "Out of the Wood" is a collection of art and thought from Rosemary Kilbourn who seeks to capture images with her engravings, focusing on nature and the countryside of her Canadian home. "Out of the Wood" is a much recommended addition to art collections, highly recommended.

The Harold Samuel Collection
Michael Hall with Clare Gifford
Paul Holberton Publishing
89 Borough High Street
London, England SE1 1NL
9781907372414 L15.00 www.paul-holberton.net

The Harold Samuel Collection: A Guide to the Dutch and Flemish Pictures at the Mansion House is a key to a very unique collection of 17th-century paintings from Holland bequeathed to the City of London in 1987 by philanthropist Sir Harold Samuel of Wych Cross, and is published to mark the 25th anniversary of the bequest. Pages of color photos are accompanied by extensive description of each work that includes critical inspection both pro and con. From analysis of painting themes to what makes each piece unique in its place in the collection, this provides a thorough coverage perfect for any arts history holding.


The Computer Shelf

Windows 8
Mike Halsey
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449326647, $9.99, www.oreilly.com

Windows 8 seeks to revolutionize the way people compute. "Windows 8: Out of the Box" is a comprehensive guide on how to get the most out of Microsoft's new operating system which takes notes in the recent advances of user interface and computing on many different levels. From getting the most out of the system's quirks, using the new advances to the fullest, its media capabilities and much more, "Windows 8" out of the box is a must for any technology collection focusing on instructional advice.

Murach's JavaScript and jQuery
Zak Ruvalcaba & Mike Murach
4340 North Knoll Avenue
Fresno, CA 93722
www.murach.com
9781890774707, $54.50, www.amazon.com

jQuery is a free, open-source, that makes using JavaScript programming significantly easier. Indeed, more than 5,000 most-visited web sites utilizes jQuery making it one of the technologies that anyone charged with the responsibility of designing a web site needs to be familiar with. Co-written by JavaScript and jQuery experts Zak Ruvalcaba and Mike Murach, "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" is an ideal, 628 page instruction manual that is as comprehensive as it is 'user friendly'. Beginning with six chapters of instructive introduction to JavaScript essentials, "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" goes on to cover jQuery essentials, jQuery UI essentials; and jQuery Modile essentials. Going methodically through "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" chapter by chapter, even the most novice computer programmer will end with the acquisition of professional competency and skill levels. Simply stated, "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" will prove an invaluable addition to professional and academic library Computer Science reference collections and should be considered mandatory reading for web site designers and JavaScript users.

Autocad 2013
M. Hamad
Mercury Learning and Information
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420407, $39.95, www.internationalpubmarket.com

For construction, exact specification and detail is required. "Autocad 2013: Beginning and Intermediate" is a complete and comprehensive guide behind the popular design and drafting software and how to use it to its fullest, including advice for those who want to teach themselves how to better use the software. With a DVD with additional resources to help teach the program as well as lessons for the novice AutoCAD user, "AutoCAD 2013" is a must for anyone who uses computer assisted drafting and is upgrading to the latest version.

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

Gary A. Donahue's ARISTA WARRIOR: A REAL-WORLD GUIDE TO UNDERSTANDING ARISTA SWITCHES AND EOS (9781449314538, $59.99) is a pick for any computer collection strong on networking in general and the relatively new company of Arista Networks in particular, and comes from a technical consultant who focuses on Arista's hardware lineup and explains why its network switches are effective. Any with CCNA knowledge, from administrators to engineers, will find this offers plenty of technical assessments key to assessing and building an Arista network. The result is an excellent survey perfect for any considering working with Arista hardware and systems. Kurt Demagd, et.al.,'s PRACTICAL COMPUTER VISION WITH SIMPLECV (9781449320362, $24.99) teaches how to build your own computer vision applications using SimpleCV, an open source program written in Python, and uses real-world applications to impart the basics of CV applications for collecting, processing and analyzing digital images. From using detection processes to hone in on the interesting parts of an image to identifying objects that change between two image frames, this is a pick for any who want to learn the basics of SimpleCV. Brett McLaughlin's PHP & MYSQL: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449325572, $34.99) is a pick for any web programmer looking to get up and running with PHP and MySQL, covering the basics from the initial installation to advanced operations relating to building a good database and keeping a site working. From managing content and creating dynamic, changing pages to allocating design time and using tables for storage, this uses a combination of specific code, sidebars of information, and keys to thinking about scripting to create a specific, recommended guide for any web programmer. Mike Halsey's WINDOWS 8: OUT OF THE BOX (9781449326647, $9.99) offers a step-by-step guide to Windows 8, the latest operating system that is so very different from any other Windows product. A little over a hundred pages makes this a top pick for navigating the Windows 8 interface, setting up email and browses, watching movies and listening to music, and editing photos. Keys to using older software and adding on features make this a top pick for any Windows 8 newcomer.


The American History Shelf

Washed Away
Geoff Williams
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605984049 $28.95 www.pegasusbooks.com

Thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, Washed Away: How the Great Flood of 1913, America's Most Widespread Natural Disaster, Terrorized a Nation and Changed it Forever is the gripping, true-life story of the incredible natural disaster that wracked America a century ago. A dozen lethal tornadoes tore through the land, but the true horror came from the seemingly endless freezing rains. People drowned in their attics, on the roads in a desperate attempt to escape, or from raging fires. The flood remains the most widespread in American history, as it destroyed hundreds of thousands of homes across fourteen states: Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nebraska, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky, West Virginia, New York, New Jersey, and Vermont. More than 700 people died from the devastating nightmare, destined to have permanent repercussions. An insert of vintage black-and-white photographic plates and an index complement this carefully researched, striking true account of this extraordinary calamity. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library American History collections.

First Timers and Old Timers
Kenneth L. Untiedt, editor
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574414714, $41.95, www.unt.edu/untpress

As people call an area home, legends build. "First Timers and Old Timers: The Texas Folklore Society Fire Burns On" is about the society that has taken itself to focus on the collection of Texas's history and lore, focusing on the tales that make up the Southwestern United States storied history. From rough beginnings of the territory's early days, to musical legends, to modern reverence of the past, "First Timers and Old Timers" is an insightful addition to any local history and folklore collection, highly recommended.

A Disability History of the United States
Kim E. Nielsen
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807022023, $25.95, www.beacon.org

A Disability History of the United States explores the experiences of people with disabilities and retraces history with this focus in mind, considering such events as slavery, immigration and the evolution of politics and social issues against such a backdrop. Chapters survey the legal, economic, political and social impact of disability in American history, using primary source documents and narrative accounts to reveal experiences ranging from indigenous peoples to early colonizers alike. The result is a wide-ranging analysis of American history and democracy, tracing the evolution of the realization of physical disability's social issues and providing a fine guide any interested in disability's changing perceptions.

Well Met
Rachel Lee Rubin
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10003
9780814771389, $35.00, www.nyupress.org

WELL MET: RENAISSANCE FAIRES & THE AMERICAN COUNTERCULTURE offers college-level readers a social, cultural and political history of the renaissance fair and uses interview material and archival research to show how the faires became pioneering institutions examining family arrangements, consumer goods, and entertainment processes alike. It's at once a history of the faire's performers, crafters, and influence on American culture and considers its contributions to American counterculture. The result is a fine and detailed survey of labor history and cultural institutions and is a pick for any interested in American social change.

1775: A Good Year for Revolution
Kevin Phillips
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670025121, $36.00, www.penguin.com

1775: A Good Year for Revolution comes from a political and economic commentator who was a Pulitzer Prize finalist in history and here analyzes the events of 1775, providing many unique insights into the politics of the times. It focuses on the confrontations of 1775, when Congress presented economic ultimatums to Britain and began the expulsion of British royalty from this country. A series of events offered radical changes in political control processes and established the US Army, navy and Marine Corps. The politics, economics, and evolving military structures of the times are all analyzed in a powerful survey highly recommended for any college-level American history holding.

The Eve of Destruction
James T. Patterson
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465013586, $28.99, www.basicbooks.com

THE EVE OF DESTRUCTION: HOW 1965 TRANSFORMED AMERICA refutes the popular notion that the sixties redefined the nation, and instead argues that 1965 was the true focal point between different American eras, and marked a turning point in history - not the events of 1968, as are popularly presented in other books. This history considers the evolution of cultural and political ideals in America of the times, and narrows the focus to 1965 in particular to consider how American unity was changing and the series of shocks that sent the nation in new directions. Any American history holding must have this lively re-assessment of events.


The World History Shelf

The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti
Barry Kemp
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500051733, $45.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Civilization can rise, and then fall, and disappear for centuries. "The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti: Amarna and Its People" is a study of these ruins recently uncovered in Egypt after over three thousand years undisturbed. This ancient capital of Egypt provides much insight into the culture of the cradle of civilization, focusing on their social standards surrounding the era, the pharaoh Akhenaten, the introduction of worship of Aten, and how the people rebelled and still embraced the old ways. "The City of Akhenaten and Nefertiti" is scholarly and well researched reading from world renown Egyptologist Professor Barry Kemp, complete with complex diagrams and photography all throughout, a vital addition to any ancient and world history collection.

Accidental Inventions
Birgit Krols
Insight Editions
PO Box 3088
San Rafael, CA 94912
9781608870738, $16.99, www.insighteditions.com

Changing the world can happen all too often by accident. "Accidental Inventions: The Chance Discoveries That Changed Our Lives" explores many major inventions throughout history that were stumbled upon through ancient history and modern history alike. From careless actions of ancient Hebrews and Chinese Generals, to heart pills that turn out to be boner pills. "Accidental Inventions" is packed cover to cover with full color photography all throughout with plenty of humor and fascinating facts.

A Secret History of Coffee, Coca & Cola
Ricardo Cortes
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456
New York, NY 10009
9781617751349 $17.95 www.akashicbooks.com

A Secret History of Coffee, Coca & Cola appears at first glance to be a typical children's picturebook, complete with colorful illustrations throughout, but it is actually a serious and measured chronology of the storied history of these human beverages, accessible to readers of all ages. The text explores how caffeine became the most popular stimulant on earth; how the coca plant became the source of both a tremendously powerful addictive drug and a prime ingredient of Coca-Cola, how Coca-Cola reacted to being in the crossroads of a burgeoning drug war over cocaine (today Coca-Cola uses a cocaine-free extract of the coca leaf in its drinks); and much more. A sober, serious, yet eminently readable examination of thorny social issues surrounding everyday beverages, A Secret History of Coffee, Coca & Cola is highly recommended.

Rebels In The Holy Land
Sam Finkel
Feldheim Publishers
208 Airport Executive Park
Nanuet, NY 10954
http://www.feldheim.com
Stuart Schnee PR
9781598268614, $29.99, www.amazon.com

Mazkeret Batya (lit. "Batya Memorial") is a town in the center of Israel located southeast of Rehovot and 25 kilometres (16 mi) from Tel-Aviv. Mazkeret Batya spans an area of 7,440 dunams (7 kmý). In December 2008, it had a population of 9,900. The mayor of Mazkeret Batya is Meir Dahan. Mazkeret Batya was established on November 7, 1883 by 10 pioneers from Russia and 7 local Jews. It was originally called Ekron, the first agricultural settlement of the Hovevei Zion movement. The land was purchased by Baron Rothschild in an early attempt to introduce Jewish farming in Palestine. Rabbi Shmuel Mohilever was instrumental in mobilizing funding and organizing the settlers. Mohilever's remains were later reinterred in the Mazkeret Batya cemetery. In 1887 the name was changed to Mazkeret Batya, in memory of Betty Solomon de Rothschild, mother of Baron Edmond James de Rothschild. "Rebels in the Holy Land: Mazkeret Batya, an Early Battleground for the Soul of Israel" by Sam Finkel is a 460 page compendium that provides a detailed history of this farming community beginning with its inception, and drawn from original sources including historical documents, contemporary newspapers, journals, and research papers. Of special note is that one of Finkel critically important sources are his interviews with descendants of the settlement's founders and other historical persons noted in this history. Enhanced throughout with more than 250 illustrations (including vintage maps, photographs, postcards, coins, letters and documents), ten appendices, extensive end notes, a glossary, and an index, "Rebels in the Holy Land: Mazkeret Batya, an Early Battleground for the Soul of Israel" is an outstanding work of seminal scholarship and an invaluable addition to personal and academic library history Israeli History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Smoke Signals
Jim Poling Sr.
Dundurn Press
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459706408, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Tobacco: any of several plants belonging to the genus Nicotiana, of the nightshade family, especially one of those species, as N. tabacum, whose leaves are prepared for smoking or chewing or as snuff; the prepared leaves, as used in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes; any product or products made from such leaves; any of various similar plants of other genera. Today tobacco is considered by a majority of the American population as a harmfully addictive and potentially lethal substance. The manufactures of tobacco products are considered to be 'merchants of death'. But it was not always so. "Smoke Signals: The Native Takeback of North America's Tobacco Industry" by Jim Poling is a 256 page compendium laying out the history of tobacco from its origins in the Andes mountains of South America, through it introduction to Europe as a medical drug for everything from soothing the nerves to curing cancer, to its function as a revenue source for governments, to the medical research revealing its malignant properties to the human body. Of special note is the information about the use of tobacco in ancient and contemporary Native American cultures and traditions. Informed, informative, superbly researched and deftly written, "Smoke Signals: The Native Takeback of North America's Tobacco Industry" is highly instructive reading and an especially recommended addition to both community and academic library collections.


The Business Shelf

The Professional's Guide to Business Development
Stephen Newton
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749466534, $55.00, www.koganpageusa.com

Getting one's business out there and well known is key to allowing it to flourish. "The Professional's Guide to Business Development" is a guide that focuses on forging the business relationships that attract clients. From building a good foundation for the business, finding how to express the company's value, advertising how you can solve a client's problem more efficiently and effectively. Also including technical advice on creating more solid presentation using the latest updates to Power Point among other critical business advice. "The Professional's Guide to Business Development" is a scholarly and vital addition to business reference and management collections, a core addition for community and college library collections.

Innovation at Work
Richard Brynteson
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814432341, $34.95, www.amacombooks.org

INNOVATION AT WORK: 55 ACTIVITIES TO SPARK YOUR TEAM'S CREATIVITY comes from an innovation coach who provides managers with the methods to encourage team creativity, and provides over fifty tested and proven exercises that help participants unlearn negative concepts and explore alternatives to standard uses of familiar objects or routines. Chapters focus on breakthroughs and how to achieve them by considering the personality, skill sets, and process of innovation, then devising routines that encourage this. From worksheets and discussion questions to lists of required materials and step-by-step 'how to' basics, this is a top recommendation for any business manager seeking to step up employee and team innovation at work.

Enterprise Games
Michael Hugos
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449319564, $24.99, www.oreilly.com

ENTERPRISE GAMES: USING GAME MECHANICS TO BUILD A BETTER BUSINESS is a pick for any business collection concerned with organizational behavior patterns and provides a fine guide to game dynamics, applying virtual worlds and such dynamics to business intelligence and data analytics applications, and more. Games can serve as models for designing better business systems, and Michael Hughes has a strong background working with clients to find solutions to complex business problems. His approach will intrigue any business leader looking for something different.

Changing Business from the Inside Out
Timothy J. Mohin
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609946401, $24.95, www.bkconnection.com

CHANGING BUSINESS FROM THE INSIDE OUT: A TREEHUGGER'S GUIDE TO WORKING IN CORPORATIONS is a strategic winner for any who would enter a corporate structure with the idea of influencing it. It tells how to incorporate the concepts of doing good into a corporate environment at all levels, whether readers are looking to blend responsibility into an existing career or want to change a company's strategy and choices of action. The result is an outstanding survey highly recommended for any business library and for any interested in social change.

Think Twice
Michael J. Mauboussin
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422187388, $16.00, www.hbr.org/books

Think Twice: Harnessing the Power of Counterintuition is a fine pick for any business collection strong in management issues, and addresses some of the predecessors of bad mistakes. The focus on mistakes offers a fine survey that tells of the opportunity stemming from them - and how to reduce mistakes by seeing such opportunity more clearly. From developing situational awareness to overstating the role of the individual in a business structure, this provides an excellent survey highly recommended for any management-oriented business collection.

Understanding Digital Marketing, second edition
Damian Ryan & Calvin Jones
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749464271, $29.95, www.koganpage.com

UNDERSTANDING DIGITAL MARKETING: MARKETING STRATEGIES FOR ENGAGING THE DIGITAL GENERATION appears in its second updated edition to examine the world of digital marketing and its future. This latest edition discusses digital media and how to apply it to business pursuits, from choosing online marketing challenges to building an effective e-mail list, developing on online outreach code of ethics, and more. An excellent 'must have' reference for any business concerned with digital marketing.

Make Your Job a Calling
Bryan Dik, PhD and Ryan Duffy, PhD
Templeton Foundation Press
300 Conshohocken State Road, Suite 670
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
9781599473802, $24.95, www.templetonpress.org

Make Your Job a Calling: How the Psychology of Vocation Can Change Your Life at Work provides a fine survey linking job and vocational purpose to the idea of making a job a 'calling' - one which offers opportunity for hope, joy and meaning. From finding underlying purpose in company products to defining the concept of a business 'calling' and a more purpose-driven work world, this is a fine pick offering insights into vocational purpose and career satisfaction. Any business holding will find it an important, thoughtful guide!


The Biography Shelf

Simon Bolivar: History and Myth
Michael Zeuske
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
www.markuswiener.com
9781558765689, $26.95, www.amazon.com

Simon Jose Antonio de la Santisima Trinidad Bolivar y Palacios Ponte y Blanco (24 July 1783 - 17 December 1830), commonly known as Simon Bolivar, was a Venezuelan military and political leader. Bolivar played a key role in Hispanic America's successful struggle for independence from the Spanish Empire, and is today considered one of the most influential politicians in the history of the Americas. Following the triumph over the Spanish Monarchy, Bolivar participated in the foundation of the first union of independent nations in Hispanic-America, a republic, which was named Gran Colombia, of which he was president from 1819 to 1830. Bolivar remains regarded in Hispanic-America as a hero, visionary, revolutionary, and liberator. During his lifetime, he led Venezuela, Colombia (including Panama at the time), Ecuador, Peru (together with Don Jose de San Martin), and Bolivia to independence, and helped lay the foundations for democratic ideology in much of Latin America. "Simon Bolivar: History and Myth" by Michael Zeuske (Professor of Iberian and Latin American History, University of Cogne, Germany) and expertly translated into English by Steven Randall (Professor Emeritus of the journal 'Comparative Literature') with the assistance of Lisa Neal, is a 150 page biographical history that has a special focus on the myths and legends that evolved out of Bolivar's true life accomplishments and controversies to reveal an historically accurate report of his life and achievements. Enhanced with the inclusion of extensive notes and a 'Select Bibliography of English Texts on Simon Bolivar', This outstanding biographical history is a seminal work of original scholarship which is also available and highly recommended (especially in its hard cover edition (9781558765672, $68.95) for academic library collections.

Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography
Konrad Hammann
Polebridge Press
Willamette University, 900 State Street
Salem, OR 97301
9781598151183 $60.00

Now translated into English for the first time, Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography is a comprehensive study of New Testament scholar and theologian Rudolf Bultmann (1884-1976), well known as an outspoken advocate of Liberal Christianity. "Liberal Christianity" (also known as "liberal theology"), is a phrase that does not refer to any political leanings, but rather the concept of analyzing and translating ancient biblical texts in the same way that a historian would scrutinize any other ancient text. That is to say, Bultmann championed the idea that Church dogma and creedal statements should not influence how one studies and interprets the New Testament; instead, he advocated "demythologizing" biblical language. His views prompted heated debate among Christian theologians all over the world, and remain extremely influential today. Rudolf Bultmann: A Biography examines Bultmann's life in conjunction with his theology, revealing how each influenced the other, as well as shedding light on how his work helped transform the role of religion in Europe's public square. Highly recommended, especially for public and university library collections!

Persona: A Biography of Yukio Mishima
Naoki Inose with Hiroaki Sato
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208
Berkeley, CA 94707
9781611720082 $39.95 www.stonebridge.com

Prize-winning Japanese author and vice governor of Tokyo Naoki Inose presents Persona: A Biography of Yukio Mishima (the pen name of Kimitake Hiraoka, 1925-1970), superbly translated into English by award-winning translator Hiroaki Sato. Yukio Mishima was nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature three times; he is widely considered to be the most influential Japanese author of the twentieth century. Yet his life was punctuated by an infamous attempted coup in conjunction with his close followers, concluding in his suicide through ritual self-disembowelment. Inose draws upon a gigantic wealth of primary source material to scrutinize the whole of Mishima's life, including his ancestry, psychology, war experience, world travels, physical activities, and more. Mishima's stories and plays are known for emphasizing reactionary tradition, to the point of costing one's life; though he venerated "the Emperor" as an abstract principle, he despised Japan's Emperor Hirohito for choose to publicaly renounce his divinity after Japan's defeat in World War II. Evidence suggests that Mishima planned his suicide for at least a year, yet only his closest co-conspirators knew what he intended until he performed it, and to this day his precise motives are the source of controversy. Persona: A Biography of Yukio Mishima blends readability with in-depth detail, and is an absolute "must-have" for public and college library literary biography collections.

Marx: An Intellectual Biography
Rolf Hosfeld
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512
Brooklyn, NY 11201
www.berghahnbooks.com
9780857457424, $29.00, www.amazon.com

Karl Heinrich Marx (5 May 1818 - 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, sociologist, historian, journalist, and revolutionary socialist. His ideas played a significant role in the establishment of the social sciences and the development of the socialist movement. He is also considered one of the most significant economists in history. He published numerous books during his lifetime, the most notable being The Communist Manifesto (1848) and Capital (1867 - 1894). Ably translated into English for an American readership by Bernard Heise, "Karl Marx: An Intellectual Biography" is the work of Rolf Hosfeld (Academic Director of the Potsdam Lepsius House, a research center for genocidal studies). This 200 page compendium is a deftly written biography offering an informed and informative presentation of Marx's turbulent personal and professional life. A seminal work of impressive scholarship, "Marx: An Intellectual Biography" is enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive bibliography making it an especially useful and highly recommended contribution to academic library reference collections and Marxist Studies supplemental reading lists.

John Clarke: Explorer of the Coast Mountains
Lisa Baile
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
9781550175837, $29.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

The modern explorer rushes to see what has not been seen before. "John Clarke: Explorer of the Coast Mountains" is a biography of the man who has claimed an exceeding amount of first mountain climbs throughout the British Columbia region, gaining much renown in mountaineer circles. With a strong passion for life, Lisa Baile, a mountaineering enthusiast in her own right, tells his story from his many journeys until his premature death to cancer. "John Clarke" is a must for anyone who seeks to better understand why mountains are still climbed, with heavy use of black and white photography all throughout.

More Than Birds
Val Shushkewich
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459705586, $27.99, www.amazon.com

"More Than Birds: Adventurous Lives of North American Naturalists" by Val Shushkewich is a 296 page compendium that offers a unique approach to North American natural history by showcasing the life histories, accomplishments, and contributions of twenty-two pivotally important naturalists. Chronologically organized and presented, "More Than Birds" begins with Alexander Wilson (1766-1813); John James Audubon (1785-1851); and Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859); and concludes with Robert Bateman (1930-); Kenn Kaufman (1954-); and David Allen Sibley (1961-). Nicely organized into six major sections (Early North-American Naturalists; The Smithsonian Collections and Classification; For the Love of Birds; Ornithology as a Science and the Need for Protection; Thirst for Knowledge; Conservation and Preservation of Species), "More Than Birds" is enhanced with extensive Notes, a Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index. Expert, erudite, and informative, "More Than Birds" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Natural History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Beverly Garland: Her Life and Career
Deborah Del Vecchio
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780781465019 $40.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com

A smattering of vintage black-and-white photographs intersperse Beverly Garland: Her Life and Career, an eye-opening life story of "Television's First Lady" Beverly Garland (1926-2008). Adored as a star especially in the western and science fiction genres, Garland had starring or recurring roles in such popular shows as "Decoy" (where she played the first policewoman on television), "My Three Sons", and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King". She also made more than 55 feature and made-for-television movies, including enduring niche classics such as "It Conqured the World" and "The Alligator People". A contemporary of legendary stars like Sinatra, Bogart, and Bing Crosby, Beverly Garland was an exceptionally hard worker, who adapted to the long hours her career demanded and always gave her best performance. Beverly Garland: Her Life and Career draws heavily upon interviews, frequently quoting Garland's own words. Television credits, a filmography, a list of made-for-TV credits, and extensive notes round out this "must-read" for fans of this talented woman's stellar work!

The Grand Tour
Mathew Prichard
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062191229, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

THE GRAND TOUR: AROUND THE WORLD WITH THE QUEEN OF MYSTERY offers a fine collection of previously unpublished letters and photos following author Agatha Christie's travels around the British Empire in 1922: a year-long voyage undertaken as part of a promotional trade mission. Agatha explored exotic places, encountered many peoples, and achieved her long-held goals of world travel, maintaining a weekly correspondence with her mother during the process. Here letters and experiences accompany photos taken with her own portable camera and make for a pick recommended for a range of general-interest libraries; from travel holdings to literary and biography collections.

Young Thurgood
Larry S. Gibson
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616145712, $28.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

YOUNG THURGOOD: THE MAKING OF A SUPREME COURT JUSTICE offers a fine biography of the most important American lawyer of our times, covering his efforts to fight for racial justice and his relationships with opponents and all sides. These well-known traits of his were shaped by events in his yearly years, discussed here for the first time in a title that offers new information about his family, youth, and education. From his influences to his law practice struggles and his move up to his position, this is the only Thurgood Marshall biography to be endorsed by his immediate family and provides a fine title for any collection strong in law, civil rights issues, American history and biography alike.


The Hobby Shelf

Detailing Projects for Freight Cars & Locomotives
Pelle K. Soeborg
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890249437, $19.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Realism is a major aspect in getting the most out of a model railroading display. "Detailing Projects for Freight Cars & Locomotives" is a guide to getting the most out of the details in railroad modeling projects by using painting skills. Emulating the decay and rust that all trains have no matter how well they have been maintained, the load trains bear, the look of old paint and much more, "Detailing Projects for Freight Cars & Locomotives" is presented in full color and is a must for any railroading hobbyist, highly recommended.

Modelling Luftwaffe Jets and Wonder Weapons
Brett Green
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781780961606, $39.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

Modelling Luftwaffe Jets and Wonder Weapons is a fine survey of military aircraft developed by the Luftwaffe and is a strong pick for any military aircraft modeler who wants a blend of history and keys to authentic modeling. From painting patterns for different jets to building and finishing the models, this packs in hundreds of color photos, step-by-step instructions, and realistic model displays in a 'must' for any serious modeler and many a military collection interested in Luftwaffe jets and their weaponry.

Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com

Jeff Wilson's GUIDE TO INDUSTRIAL SERIES: LIVESTOCK & MEATPACKING (9780890248676, $19.95) features industry tips and over 100 rare prototype photos - some from the early 1900s - and provides railroad modelers with all the possibilities about the industry that lend to an authentic layout. Railroads were key to the livestock and meatpacking industries for decades: this explains stockyard operations, stock cars, regulations and much more and covers the role railroads played in the industry. No railroad modeler should be without this! Sue Ripsch's CLASSIC CHAIN MAIL JEWELRY (9780871164070, $21.95) updates chain mail jewelry making in a guide that uses over thirty projects for all skills levels to teach the basics. From step-by-step photography and a wide range of styles to keys to integrating crystals and other wires for embellishment, this introduces the basics of chain mail jewelry making skills. Her CLASSIC CHAIN MAIL JEWELRY WITH A TWIST (9780871164834, $21.95) blends tradition weaves for silver with more variations in her second book, which profiles rings made of twisted wire and weaves that are turned and twisted with added bead and crystal embellishments. Nearly thirty projects based on these weaves offer details on making the most of jump rings, with step-by-step instructions and photos lending to easy construction. Jewelry-making collections will find these intriguing variations on the chain mail jewelry theme. Kimberly Sciaraffa Berlin's BUILD YOUR OWN WIRE PENDANTS (9780871164568, $19.95) offers a three-step process to choosing a frame, making a bail, and adding beading embellishments. Each simple project includes a list of supplies, step-by-step instructions, and design options that help customize pendants. Any who would start with the basics of making a wire-based pendant will find this an easy starting point.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Yoga and Fertility
Jill Mahrlig Petigara, E-RYT, MA and Lynn Jensen, E-RYT, RPYT, MBA
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10036
9781936303328 $21.95 www.demoshealth.com

Yoga and Fertility: A Journey to Health and Healing is a guide to the physical fitness practice of yoga written especially for women who are trying to become pregnant. Black-and-white photographs on practically every page demonstrate recommended poses to promote flexibility and improve muscle tone. Routines ideal for the first half of a woman's menstrual cycle, the second half of the cycle, and additional situations such as conscious breathing practice and overall lifestyle changes for fertility support are covered. In addition to careful, detailed setup and movement instructions for each yoga pose, Yoga and Fertility also features a brief "Why Do This?" addendum for each pose. For example, the explanation appended to the guide to the side angle pose is, "Side angle pose tones the pelvic organs and can also help with menstrual problems. It creates length and space in the torso, nourishing the organs and glands." Yoga and Fertility is not a substitute for professional medical treatment for infertility issues, but is highly recommended as a valuable supplementary resource for women trying to conceive (and stay fit)!

Telling Genes
Alexandra Minna Stern
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421406688, $25.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Any collection strong in medicine history will find important TELLING GENES: THE STORY OF GENETIC COUNSELING IN AMERICA. It traces the development of genetic counseling from the eugenics movement of the early twentieth century to modern times, using a combination of archival records, patient files, and oral history to trace the science, health developments and growth of genetic counseling practices. It considers the evolution of genomic medicine and provides an excellent, rich survey for any health collection, surveying not only the development of genetic counseling as a science but considering its ethical and moral evolution as well. Any collection strong in genetic health will find this a winner.

The Evolution of the Human Placenta
Michael L. Power and Jay Schulkin
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421406435, $65.00, www.press.jhu.edu

The Evolution of the Human Placenta begins its history with some of the earliest events that have influenced placental evolution in mammals and progresses to the human placenta, considering modern gestation and why there is an apparent disparity between human placental development and complications of pregnancy. From how the placenta regulates and coordinates the metabolism to its role in producing a fetus from the other's immune system, this reveals the importance of this organ for individuals and the species as a whole, and is recommended for science and health holdings alike.

The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine, revised edition
James Le Fanu, MD
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465058952, $22.00, www.basicbooks.com

The Rise and Fall of Modern Medicine appears in a revised edition and comes from a doctor and historian of science and medicine who considers the medical community's postwar achievements and how modern advancement has stalled. From a history of twelve selected definitive moments in medical history to an ongoing drive to over-extend the influence of medicine, this identifies modern medical challenges and the factors involved in medicine's continuing expansion, and is a pick for social issues and health collections interested in considering the technological and social influences on medical research and discovery.

Addicted Healers
Ethan O. Bryson, MD
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823928, $14.95, www.newhorizon.com

ADDICTED HEALERS: 5 KEY SIGNS YOUR HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONAL MAY BE DRUG IMPAIRED pinpoints a growing problem in the healthcare industry: the addiction of physicians. Stories of such addiction, drug-seeking behaviors, and how patients can identify these activities make for an eye-opening survey that reveals the signs and symptoms of drug abuse among healthcare professionals. True-life stories identify the problem, its results, and how and why healthcare professionals become addicted. Consumers receive a fine survey that tells them how to recognize the warning signs in a guide recommended for any health library.

New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com

Valerie DeLaune's TRIGGER POINT THERAPY FOR REPETITIVE STRAIN INJURY: YOUR SELF-TREATMENT WORKBOOK FOR ELBOW, LOWER ARM, WRIST, AND HAND PAIN (9781608821273, $21.95) provides exercises and approaches for addressing everything from tendonitis and tennis elbow to hand and finger numbness, bursitis and various conditions. From common symptoms and probable causes and perpetuators to black and white photos clearly showing anatomy and providing step-by-step photos for exercises and therapies, this packs in discussions of common trigger points and their solutions, and is a pick for any health collection. William J. Knaus, EdD's THE COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL WORKBOOK FOR DEPRESSION: A STEP-BY-STEP PROGRAM (9781608823802, $24.95) provides a fine, updated second edition to cover the most widely used treatment for depression. It's a program that has helped thousands of readers, may be used alone or in conjunction with therapy, and offers worksheets and exercises helping readers evaluate depression and learn keys to overcoming it. Bonus tips from depression experts streamline the process in a book packed with strategies proven to work. Any collection strong in psychology or self-help must have this revised second edition! Henry Emmons, MD, et.al.'s THE CHEMISTRY OF JOY WORKBOOK: OVERCOMING DEPRESSION USING THE BEST OF BRAIN SCIENCE, NUTRITION, AND THE PSYCHOLOGY OF MINDFULNESS (9781608822256, $21.95) provides a fine self-help workbook for any who would tap into their natural resilience and capacity for joy. From understanding how nutrition affects joy and using ayurvedic medicine to affect this piece to using mindfulness practices to settle the mind and manage emotional upsets, this teaches how to re-build self-acceptance and connections with others - and, ultimately, how to find joy in the overall process.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Courting Murder
Bill Hopkins
Southeast Missouri State University
1 University Plaza, MS 2650
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
9780983050438, $15.00, www.semo.edu

When a ruthless killer is on the loose, one can't idle and wait for someone else to find the answers. "Courting Murder" is a mystery from Bill Hopkins, a judge who uses his vast legal experience to tell the story of Judge Rosswell Carew, who finds two bodies disposed of on a river bank. Turning to unusual sources for answers, the Judge seeks to help the case along lest more lives be unjustly taken. "Courting Murder" is a riveting read that will prove hard to put down, recommended.

The Ragnarok Conspiracy
Erec Stebbins
Seventh Street Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
9781616147129, $15.95, www.seventhstreetbooks.com

Hate begets more hate, as it spreads through the world. "The Ragnarok Conspiracy" is an international thriller following FBI Agent John Savas as he is faced with the rising tensions throughout the world, terrorist acts being carried out between the Western World and the Islamic world. But there may be more to it than some loose cannons causing international instability, something pulling the strings behind the scenes for their own purposes. "The Ragnarok Conspiracy" is an enticing and much recommended addition to thriller collections, much recommended. Also from Seventh Street Books Mystery and thrillers, "Fear of Beauty" (9781616147020, $15.95) surrounding an attack on a young boy and the resolve of his mother to get justice in a war-torn Afghanistan.

Midnight Catch
Norman Gilliland
NEMO Productions
PO Box 260079, Madison, WI 53726-0079
9780971509351, $21.95, www.sandmansions.com

Strange things happen in a small town, and the truth can't be hidden forever. "Midnight Catch" is a mystery set in the woods of Florida, telling of three individuals working their way through the region, all with different intents and goals, but will come together for better or worse in their ultimate goals. Set in the backdrop of 1929 Florida, "Midnight Catch" tells a riveting story that will be hard to put down, highly recommended.

And Then You Die
Monica Ferris
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425252819, $24.95, www.penguin.com

AND THEN YOU DIE provides a fine needlecraft mystery for any who have enjoyed Monica Ferris' past titles. Here Betsy, owner of Crewel World needleshop in Minnesota, discovers one of her clients dead in her home - and becomes immersed in the world of dye - and to more murder threats that hit even closer to home. Needlework and intrigue form a satisfying blend in a mystery replete with twists and turns of plot, making this a top pick for either mystery or needlework collections.

The Sanctity of Hate
Priscilla Royal
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464200182, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

The Sanctity of Hate provides a fine medieval mystery set in the summer of 1276 at Tyndal Priory, where a villager's corpse is discovered in the millpond. The murder, shockingly, occurred on priory grounds, and was a newcomer disliked in Tyndal - but intent on protecting their own, the villages point to a trio of Jewish refugees as the perps, and riots and threats mount as Prioress Eleanor and local Crowner Ralf work to thwart public error and uncover the real source of the killing. A fine medieval-era-steeped mystery makes this a winning tale for any library's historical mystery collection.


The Military Shelf

From Pigeons to Tweets
Lt. Gen. Clarence E. McKnight, Jr. with Hank H. Cox
History Publishing Company, LLC
PO Box 700, 15 Heyhoe Woods Road
Palisades, New York 10964-0700
9781933909233 $28.95 www.historypublishing.com

From Pigeons to Tweets: A General Who Led Dramatic Changes in Military Communications is an inside testimony from Lieutenant General Clarence E. McKnight Jr. (U.S. Army - Ret.), who worked his way up through the ranks to become senior commander of the Signal Corps. The revolutionary changes in the U.S. military's communications, from the carrier pigeons used in the Korean War to the modern-day explosion of digital technology. McKnight gives an eye-opening, personal viewpoint of the transformation, making From Pigeons to Tweets far more than an ordinary military memoir. "It is the nature of the military bureaucracy to conjure up expensive projects, write plans, conduct meetings, exchange memos and leave a host of projects lying around indefinitely like little bombs threatening to go off at the most inconvenient moments. Ogden instructed me to ferret them out, hold them up to the light and - where appropriate - consign them to the dust bin." As engaging as it is enlightening, From Pigeons to Tweets is an absorbing read from cover to cover, highly recommended.

US Guided Missiles
Bill Yenne
Specialty Press
99 Spring Street, 3rd floor
New York, NY 10012
9780859791625, $34.95, www.specialtypress.com

Weapons of power, these devices inspire awe with their potential. "US Guided Missiles: The Definitive Reference Guide" explores these weapons and their various models throughout the past decades where they have become major parts of war, many advances have been made. Chronicling their evolution with full color photography, technical information, times entering service, and much more, "US Guided Missiles" is a must for anyone who is fascinated b the updates in military technology, highly recommended.

The Guerrilla Factory
Tony Schwalm
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451623604, $26.00, www.simonsays.com

Everyone knows the rules of war, and sometimes those rules have to be bent or even broken. "The Guerrilla Factory: The Making of Special Forces Officers, the Green Berets" seeks to explain the US Army's Special Forces unit and the intense selection process that often goes with choosing those who will undertake guerrilla warfare, deep behind enemy lines which calls for intense physical and mental training on many levels. Telling his own story of entering the unit, Tony Schwalm offers insight into the lives of the U.S. Special Forces, highly recommended.

Soul Repair
Rita Nakashima Brock & Gabriella Lettini
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807029077, $24.95, www.beacon.org

SOUL REPAIR: RECOVERING FROM MORAL INJURY AFTER WAR provides a powerful survey from two who grew up on homes affected by ear's aftermath, and explores the idea of moral injury, or the violation of core moral beliefs during conflict. Such injury is a largely unrecognized wound of war, different from PTSD and lasting in its effects. Personal stories from veterans accompany accounts of the recovery process and discusses the impact of modern warfare on soldiers. No military collection - and many a community lending library - should be without this hard-hitting examination.

Thirty Days With My Father
Christal presley
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9760757316463, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

THIRTY DAYS WITH MY FATHER: FINDING PEACE FROM WARTIME PTSD tells of a father drafted to Vietnam, forever changed once he returned. He spent much of her childhood locked in his room, depressed and enraged: at an early age she learned to deflect, avoid, and act out; and when she was eighteen she left him and barely spoke to him for thirteen years. In 2009 she began a healing process that evolved into a "Thirty Days Project": a month's worth of conversations during which she'd ask him difficult questions about Vietnam. Her story of their reconnection offers striking possibilities for any military person suffering from PTSD, and also offers striking insights into its effects on family dynamics. No military holding should be without this memoir.

Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
www.ospreypublishing.com

Mark Stille's USN DESTROYER VS. IJN DESTROYER: THE PACIFIC 1943 (97817849086233, $18.95) provides a fine history of the arena of destroyers in the pacific War during 1943, where night battles were a technological and strategic challenge on both sides. Four key night battles are closely examined in an analysis that documents the evolution of the destroyer fleets on both sides and how these key battles brought an end to the much-feared Japanese destroyer forces. Color maps and vintage black and white photos abound in an exceptional presentation recommended for any naval or military history holding. Ken Ford's THE MARETH LINE 1943: THE END IN AFRICA (9781780960937, $21.95) provides a new study that describes the fighting that took place in the six months between Alamein and the final surrender - a battle that ended Germany's hopes for victory in North Africa and began the inevitable slide to defeat. Packed with color battle scenes and illustrations plus maps and vintage black and white photos, this is a fine pick for any World War II collection strong in battle analysis. Linda Kush's THE RICE PADDY NAVY: U.S. SAILORS UNDERCOVER IN CHINA (9781849088114, $24.95) covers espionage behind Japanese lines in China during World War II and is a specific, detailed account of the birth and operations of the Sino-American Cooperative Organization, which consisted of over 2,500 American servicemen and some 97,000 Chinese guerrillas plus other private groups who worked with the Nationalist Chinese to fight the Japanese occupation of China. This organization and actions of this effective 'rice paddy navy' was one of the best-kept secrets of the war - and here is recounted in detail in a rare survey that's a 'must' for any World War II history holding. There is so much depth and insight here, that it is an unparalleled achievement based on source materials and key to any definitive collection covering events of the times. Louis A. DiMarco's CONCRETE HELL: URBAN WARFARE FROM STALINGRAD TO IRAQ (9781849087926, $24.95) studies modern combat and military operations in an urban environment, using experiences ranging from the Soviet defense of Stalingrad during World War II to the US Army's experiences in Iraq. It comes from a former lieutenant colonel who describes in detail some nine urban conflict scenarios and their strategies around the world from 1942 to as recently as 2007, considering different challenges posed by different urban environments and covering the tactical and strategic considerations of urban warfare. Very highly recommended! Chris McNab's HITLER'S EAGLES; THE LUFTWAFFE 1933-45 (9781780962832, $40.00) provides a weighty coverage surveying the history of the Luftwaffe from its secret origins in defiance of the Versailles Treaty through its destruction, considering how German air power developed and how the Luftwaffe emerged from secrecy to expand under a massive rearmament program under Hitler. Vintage black and white photos pack a survey of its history, combat, and the crews who flew it, packing in over 150 photos and capturing the extent of the Luftwaffee experience. Any military collection interested in World War II experiences must have this! Gregory Fremont-Barnes' THE SOVIET-AFGHAN WAR 1979-89 (9781849088053, $20.95) tells of the historical and military events of the war in 1979-89: one which the Soviets intended as a limited engagement that turned into a long and futile war against Afghan guerrillas fought with modern weapons and unconventional tactics. Pages detail these events and the strategies, offering a close focus on political and tactical maps and arrangements and packing in black and white photos throughout. The result is a winning pick for any modern military analysis. Sean McLachlan's THE LAST RIDE OF THE JAMES-YOUNGER GANG: JESSE JAMES AND THE NORTHFIELD RAID 1876 (9781849085991, $18.95) tells of two ex-Confederate bushwhackers who became the most famous outlaws in the world - and the events that brought their actions to the limelight. The James Gang planned their most daring raid with the Younger brothers, riding literally hundreds of miles from Missouri to rob the First National Bank at Northfield, Minnesota. This chronicles one of their most daring bank jobs, analyzes their strategy, and is an intriguing pick for history and military collections alike. Gordon L. Tottman's US ARMY PARATROOPER IN THE PACIFIC THEATER 1943-45 (9781780961293, $18.95) provides fine surveys of the US Army's paratroopers and their pacific operations during World War II, examining the two major Army units and their background, training and operations. From color battle scenes to maps and other illustrations including vintage photos, this is a 'must' for any serious World War II history collection. Benjamin Lai's THE CHINESE PEOPLE'S LIBERATION ARMY SINCE 1949: GROUND FORCES (9781780960562, $18.95) provides a fine survey of the history and organization of the guerrilla group PLA, known for its 1940s attacks of the Korean War and vastly reformed since with the latest assault weaponry and camouflage outfits. This group has moved from low-tech guerrilla origins to a formidable high-tech force, and this book follows the PLA's ground forces and their evolution, offering a powerful survey packed with color photos throughout. Any military library strong in either Chinese history or world military forces will find this a fine addition.


The Social Issues Shelf

A Place at the Table
Peter Pringle, editor
Public Affairs Books
250 West 57th Street, #1321
New York, NY 10107
9781610391818, $15.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

The idea that people still go hungry in America is so abhorrent most simply choose not to think about it. "A Place at the Table: The Crisis of 49 Million Hungry Americans and How to Solve It" analyzes what many writers within the volume agree that it is a solvable problem. Stating that these millions of people face hunger and malnutrition when there is enough affluence to meet everyone's nutritional needs. Writers from many places come together and offer insight in this companion to the recent documentary film of the same name. "A Place at the Table" is a core addition to any social issues and justice reference collection, highly recommended.

I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did
Lori Andrews
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451651058, $15.99, www.simonsays.com

The world grows smaller and more open by the day. "I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did: Social Networks and the Death of Privacy" discusses privacy in the social media era and touches on the dangers that are often overlooked by such open knowledge of everyone's secrets, from ammo from court cases to high tech scouting of a vacation destination. Advocating stronger legal protection of privacy, she supports adapting laws for the twenty first century and the rights to privacy. "I Know Who You Are and I Saw What You Did" is a strongly recommended addition to social issues and technology collections.

Applications in Recreation & Leisure, fourth edition
Kathleen A. Cordes
Sagamore Publishing Company
1807 North Federal Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
9781571677006, $74.95, www.sagamorepub.com

Leisure is more necessary to the human psyche than most believe. "Applications in Recreation & Leisure: For Today and the Future" explores the purpose of leisure as a human need and its place in our psyche and psychology. Detailing the right to recreation as a fundamental human right, it discusses such a right and how it is observed throughout the world, and the implications of class and society on the topics of leisure. Detailing of the history of leisure through the years, the philosophy behind the idea of its place as a human right, and offering discussion topics for the classroom, "Applications in Recreation and Leisure" is a scholarly and much recommended addition to community and college education and social issues collections, enthusiastically recommended.

The Watchman's Rattle
Rebecca D. Costa
Vanguard Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9781593156862, $15.99, www.vanguardpressbooks.com

Biologically, human beings are the same as they were tens of thousands of years ago. "The Watchman's Rattle: A Radical New Theory of Collapse" looks to the evolutionary roots of many of the world's problems, claiming that we may write off a problem as a social or political one, there may be roots in our genetic coding preventing us from getting over a hump, leading to stagnant progress. Advocating a different approach to the world's many crises, "The Watchman's Rattle" is a must for science and social issues studies collections, enthusiastically recommended.

Far From the Tree
Andrew Solomon
Scribner
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9780743236713, $37.50, www.simonandschuster.com

FAR FROM THE TREE: PARENTS, CHILDREN, AND THE SEARCH FOR IDENTITY comes from ten years of research and some 40,000 pages of interview transcripts from discussions with over 300 families across the country, and considers experiences of children and parents who have been the victims of prejudice. It opens with his own autobiographical account of being the gay son of heterosexual parents and how he evolved his own separate identity apart from the badge of 'illness' that threatened his being, then tells stories of children and parents who have faced challenging conditions. The inspiring stories of parents - and kids - who managed to overcome preconceived fears and change their lives in the face of prejudice offers a powerful saga of identity development and cultural influence, and is a 'must' for any social issues, parenting or cultural issues collection.

Race in a Bottle
Jonathan Kahn
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231162982, $35.00, www.cup.columbia.edu

RACE IN A BOTTLE: THE STORY OF BIDIL AND RACIALIZED MEDICINE IN A POST-GENOMIC AGE provides a powerful saga of the drug BiDil, approved by the FDA in 2005 as the first drug with a race-specific indication on its label, and promoted as an option for black patients facing heart failure. That's its surface saga: underneath is a quagmire of racial issues, politics, and health issues that Jonathan Kahn uncovers as being a process of legal and commercial influences throughout its history. Health, political science and social issues collections alike will find this a powerful saga packed with engrossing twists and turns of plot and filled with food for thought and debate on the politics and health implications of racial perception.


The Native American Studies Shelf

The Peyote Road
Thomas CF. Maroukis
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806143231, $19.95, www.oupress.com

THE PEYOTE ROAD: RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE NATIVE AMERICAN CHURCH provides an updated history of the peyote faith that challenges the federal government's intention to restrict the use of Peyote, and is a pick for any Native American collection. The author has conducted extensive interviews with NAC member and leaders to provide an in-depth history of the church's religious practices and evolution, blending oral histories with legal research and considering its earliest instances to modern times. Any collection strong in either Native American rights or First Amendment legal concerns will find this a unique addition.

A New Deal for Native Art
Jennifer McLerran
University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103
Tucson, AZ 85719-6654
9780816519521, www.uapress.arizona.edu

Any interested in how Native Americans participating in government-sponsored programs used their art to portray the realities of their situation will find this a powerful assessment of these methods. Chapters consider the New Deal romanticization of indigenous arts, how representing the native artist as a pre-modern Other served the goals of the programs, and how all this worked against native elf-sufficiency. The focus is on federal policies of the 1930s and early 40s that tried to create an upscale market for Native arts and crafts, and it provides a survey of native arts evolution, its changes from a commodity status, and concurrent changes in Native social status and arts representations. Any Native American library will find it a top pick!


The Library CD Shelf

Visions
Uwe Gronau
myspace.com/usegronaumusic
Privately Published
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
$12.60 CD / $9.99 MP3 cdbaby.com

Inspired by late summer nights in the city of Paris, Visions is German composer Uwe Gronau's beautiful avant-garde music CD that draws upon elements of multiple genres, from jazz and pop to prog-rock, techno, trance, and more. Acoustic and electronic music combine into a high fusion that reflects the romantic wonder of Paris by starlight. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Night on the Roof" (4:21), "Children in the Park" (3:16), "World in Your Arms" (4:51), "Traffic" (3:18), "Under the Pont Neuf" (4:09), "Through the Backyard Window" (4:02), "A Passion Play" (4:34), "Confirming the Question" (4:01), "Babylon People" (3:21), "Open Windows" (2:16), "Summer in the City" (4:18), "Words You Say" (3:30), "Oasis" (3:18), "Night Visions" (4:13), "Old Man in the Rain" (2:50), "Sensitive Sentence" (4:55), "Summer Days" (4:06), "Centre Pompidou" (4:24), "Ragman Talking" (3:06), and "Jungle" (1:50).

Scorpion Moon
Sora
Produced by Douglas Romanow
Privately Published
www.soramusic.ca
$27.73 CD / $8.99 MP3 ww.amazon.com

Canadian vocalist and songwriter Sora presents Scorpion Moon, an album featuring her mellifluous voice, and emotional lyrics that transcend time and place. A holistic fusion of genres, Scorpion Moon touches upon the wonder and the sorrow of life itself, and evokes an air of inscrutable mystery, akin to the ancient myths and fables it draws inspiration from. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of unique and original musical treasures. The tracks are "Scheherazade (Scorpion Moon)", "Hiraeth", "Hero", "Savage", "Mermaid Song", "City", "The Tower", "Hold", "Piper", "Proof of Life", and "Moving On".

Corazon
Gary Nunez and Plena Libre
Gn Musica
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
$9.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Corazon is an energetic album by Puerto Rican band Plena Libre that draws freely upon musical traditions from both the Caribbean and Latin America. With lively Spanish lyrics, the songs are not only about drive and energy, but also the powerful bonds of community and working together to make the world a better place. Uplifting, vitalizing, and resplendent in their call to bring people together, Corazon is highly recommended especially for international music collections. The tracks are "Algo Contigo", "Bomba Pa'Ti", "A Papa", "Que es la Vida", "Habla Cuembe", "Huracan", "La Verdad", "Tira la Bola", and "Que Bonita Bandera".

To Dust
Alice Russell
www.alicerussell.com
TruThoughts
c/o Press Junkie PR
PO Box 156914, San Francisco, CA 94115
$12.02 www.tru-thoughts.co.uk www.amazon.com

To Dust is the debut solo album from British soul and blues singer Alice Russell. Melodious and heartfelt, To Dust has powerful, moving songs about the immense pain of heartbreak, and resonates with a deep chord of emotion. An unforgettable listening experience, To Dust is enthusiastically recommended especially for connoisseurs of croon. The tracks are "A to Z" (1:31), "Heartbreaker Pt. 2" (3:30), "For a While" (4:52), "Heartbreaker" (3:41), "I Loved You Interlude" (0:34), "Hard and Strong" (4:04), "To Dust" (3:11), "I Loved You" (3:57), "Twin Peaks" (4:30), "Heartbreaker Interlude" (1:16), "Let Go" (3:15), "Drinking Song Interlude" (2:02), "Citizens" (2:45), and "Different" (5:21).

At Peace
Ballake Sissoko
Produced by Vincent Segal
Six Degrees Records
PO Box 411347
San Francisco, CA 94141-1347
c/o Press Junkie PR (publicity)
www.sixdegreesrecords.com
$11.99 CD / $8.91 MP3 www.amazon.com

Kora player Ballake Sissoko and master cellist Vincent Segal present At Peace, a sublime selection of songs composed by Sissoko ("Boubalaka" and "N'Tomikorobougou" are composed by both Sissoko and Badian Diabate) and produced by Vincent Segal. An extraordinary, hauntingly beautiful performance, At Peace showcases the empathy of the kora, especially when matched by the guitar or the cello in a duet. A resonant gift drawn from Mali's cultural roots, At Peace is a memorable pick for international music collections, highly recommended. The tracks are "Maimouna" (3:35), "Boubalaka" (4:41), "Badjourou" (4:00), "Kabou" (4:14), "Nalesonko" (5:51), "Kalata Diata" (5:21), "N'Tomikorobougou" (10:20), "Asa Branca" (3:09), and "Kalanso" (3:15).

Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks
Lula Lounge Records Canada
1585 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, ON Canada M6J-1T9
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$17.72 www.amazon.com

Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks is an anthology Latin dance tracks from a variety of performing artists who recognize Lula Lounge as ground zero of Toronto's breakout Latin music scene. Nigerian salsa queen Lady Son, jazz maestro Luis Mario Ochoa, and Juno-winning Afro-Latin pianist Hilario Duran are just a few of the artists who contribute their energetic tracks to this medley of music history in the making. (A portion of the proceeds from Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks CD sales will also be donated to the Canadian Charity Dancing With Parkinson's; www.dancingwithparkinsons.com is their website.) Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks is a lively treasure that fans who love Latin dance music are sure to enjoy, from the first note to the last! The tracks are "La Crisis" by Roberto Linares Brown, "La Molotera" by Jorge Maza & Tipica Toronto, "Guaguanco" by Changui Habana, "Latinos" by Yani Borrell, "El Sonero Llego" by Cache, "La Fiesta" by Luis Mario Ochoa, "Pa Ti Dj" by Roberto Lineares Brown", "Cantame Sonera" by Lady Son, "Oye Rumberito" by Puentes Brothers, "Aprovechame" by Son Ache, "Cuando Me Toca A Mi" by Hilario Duran, "Ron Con Ron" by Jane Bunnett, "Que Equivocao" by Telmary, "Toronto Tiene Su Cosa" by Alberto Alberto, and "Mi Mambo Pide Campana" by Luisito Orbegoso & Moda Eterna.

One Hundred
DJ Sun
Soular Productions
soulargrooves.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
PO Box 156914
San Francisco, CA 94115
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

One Hundred is a collaborative album between Houston nightlife performer/"Soular Grooves" radio show star DJ Sun and numerous associates, including project engineer and three-time Grammy winner Tim Ruiz. A heady, get-up-and-dance offering that represents a lifetime of enthusiasm for genres ranging from funk and soul to jazz, disco, hip-hop, and even the breakout new style of "trip hop". The result is a strong performance brimming with vivacious energy, highly recommended for its rousing enthusiasm! The tracks are "Tomorrow", "Bus", "Break", "Sensation", "Stinger", "Heart Seed Feat (Leah Alvarez)", "One", "Ten Feat (Jessica Zweback)", "Interlude - Magical", "Monday Drive", "F Train to Church", "Brown Brother Feat Tim Ruiz", "Seconds", "Marksonthekeys Feat (Mark Sound)", "Break Remix Feat (Meghan Hendley)", "Fun", "Dubai", "Life", and bonus track "Heart Seed Feat (Lea Alvarez, Martin Perna)".

Deva Premal's Healing Mantras
Sonam Dorjee, Passang Gyamtso, Gelek Gonpo, and Tenzin Jigme
Sounds True Audio
413 South Arthur Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
www.soundstrue.com
$24.80 CD / $14.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Deva Premal's Healing Mantras is an audio CD recording of seventeen Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist chants, each repeated 108 times in accordance with ancient traditions. German-born musician Deva Premal has selected each chant for incorporation into a daily spiritual practice. Gyuto monks Sonam Dorjee, Passang Gyamtso, Gelek Gonpo, and Tenzin Jigme feature prominently in this soothing, spiritually uplifting chants, designed to foster healing and serenity. Highly recommended especially for those searching for atmospheric background audio created especially to promote peace and compassion. 2 CDs, 2 hours 3 min.


The Library DVD Shelf

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598289107 $49.99 www.acornonline.com

A seven-part miniseries on DVD, adapted from the classic novel by Muriel Spark and originally broadcast on PBS in 1978, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie tells the story of a strong-willed, unconventional teacher of a 1930's school in Scotland. Brodie's efforts to prepare the impressionable young women at the Marcia Blaine School for Girls in Edinburgh reveals the difficulties of the times - though Brodie adores her students and strives to show them the wonders of art, culture, and self-confidence, she crosses the highly conservative Miss Gaunt, exasperates the headmistress... and attracts the amorous intentions of a married art instructor! A complete collection featuring all seven episodes (and not to be confused with the movie adaptation of the same name), The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie is a treasury of wit, unforgettable characters, and zeal for rising to the challenges posed by life itself. Highly recommended, especially for public library DVD collections. 3 DVDs, 366 min., fullscreen, SDH subtitles.

Perennial Vegetable Gardening with Eric Toensmeier
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603583695 $29.95 www.chelseagreen.com

Perennial Vegetable Gardening with Eric Toensmeier is an instructional DVD that works well either stand-alone or as a companion to Toensmeier's book "Perennial Vegetables" (9781931498401, $35.00). A lengthy program teaches gardeners about more than 100 species of lesser-known edible perennial plants, including ground cherry, ramps, air potatoes, and much more. Tending, harvesting, and cooking with perennial vegetables are all covered, and viewers are also invited to tour Toensmeier's beautiful Massachusetts garden! A searchable database of perennial vegetables rounds out this wonderful how-to DVD. Perennial Vegetable Gardening with Eric Toensmeier will bring joy to active gardening enthusiasts and "armchair gardeners" alike, and is highly recommended for both private and public library gardening DVD collections. 143 min.

Natural Beekeeping with Ross Conrad
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603583275 $24.95 www.chelseagreen.com

Natural Beekeeping with Ross Conrad (3 hours 13 min.) is an instructional DVD in which Vermont beekeeper Ross Conrad teaches the viewer about organic and natural means to keep honeybees healthy and free from parasitic mites. Today, the chemicals often used to protect beehives are starting to breed resistance in pests, with the potential to cause increasing harm in the future. Natural Beekeeping offers invaluable alternatives, as well as fundamentals that every beekeeper must learn, such as how hive equipment works, and the basic process of harvesting and processing honey. Natural Beekeeping is a "must-have" for aspiring beekeepers, or anyone simply curious to learn more about the process! Also highly recommended for the bee-curious is Chelsea Green's Top Bar Beekeeping with Les Crowder and Heather Harrell (9781603584807, $14.95, 50 min.), an instructional DVD focusing on the top-bar beehive design, in which bees naturally construct their own wax combs, rather then using the prefabricated, plastic cells of common box-hives. Top-bar hives can also be used to facilitate beekeeping without antibiotics or miticides; New Mexico beekeeper Les Crowder draws upon his 30 years of experience to show just how it's done!

Measuring Methods for Artists
Larry Withers
On Air Video Inc.
8203 Westminster Rd.
Elkins Park, PA 19027
$16.95 www.onairvideo.com

Measuring Methods for Artists is a DVD guide designed to teach artists useful techniques for calculating relative sizes and proportions, the better to draw more realistic images of everything from still lifes and landscapes to poses and figurative art. Expert Larry Withers (who studied at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts) demonstrates comparative, sight-size, and triangulation measuring methods, using common and inexpensive artists' tools (recommended materials to make optimal use of this DVD include drafting tape, a small carpenter's level, a straight edge/ruler, and a weight attached to a string). A solid, easy-to-use resource, Measuring Methods for Artists is enthusiastically recommended for hobbyists and aspiring professional creators alike.

T-Ball Skills & Drills
Marty Schupak
Youth Sports Club
9 Florence Court
Valley Cottage, NY 10989
9780983924258 $24.95 www.YouthSportsClub.com

Veteran youth coach Marty Schupak presents T-Ball Skills & Drills: Tips for T-Ball Coaches & Parents, the latest in an excellent series of DVD resources for youth sports. T-Ball Skills & Drills provides over 30 T-Ball drills ideal for teaching children as young as 5-7 how to improve at the game. Techniques for instructing children in skill such as throwing, catching, hitting, baserunning, and fielding are covered, as are important safety tips. An invaluable resource for coaches and parents, T-Ball Skills & Drills is highly recommended especially for public and school library DVD collections. 36 min.

The Golden Age of Toy Trains 1945-1966
A McComas/Stachler Production
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228
Michigan City, IN 46361
9781936890347 $14.99 www.tmbv.com

The Golden Age of Toy Trains 1945-1966 (65 min.) is a DVD tour of the memorable toy trains created by Lionel and American Flyer (also Marx and Kusan) during the late 40's and 50's. Filled with treasured toy train collections and full-color catalog images, The Golden Age of Toy Trains 1945-1966 evokes nostalgia for when owning these replicas was every boy's birthday dream! Also highly recommended for model railroading enthusiasts is Tinplate Legends in Action 4 (9781936890361, $14.99, 60 min.) an incredible DVD tour of the gigantic model railroading layouts of three devoted hobbyists, featuring both Standard and O gauge miniature trains.

Intro to Yoga
Tamal Dodge
Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver Road, Suite 200
Troy, MI 48084-3304
www.anchorbayentertainment.com
No ISBN DVD, $14.99, www.amazon.com

INTRO TO YOGA offers two yoga programs on one DVD: one teaching the fundamentals and step-by-step basics ad the other moving to an intermediate level. From the basics of yoga breathing and foundation postures to intermediate sequences and programs, this offers a strong survey that moves viewers from very basic introductions to more advanced postures and routines, explaining the core movements and their values at every step of the process. It comes from a long-time yoga instructor raised on the family's yoga ashram in Hawaii, and is a top pick for any interested in beginning yoga.

Merrithew Entertainment
c/o Merrithew Health & Fitness
2200 Yonge Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario M4S 2C6, Canada
www.merrithew.com

Three DVDs pack in descriptions of specific kinds of exercise programs and will prove welcome additions to any DVD exercise holding interested in versatile programs for home or professional studio use. ZEN GA FLOW WITH THE MINI STABILITY BALL ($14.99) teaches the basics of exercising core muscles and challenging balance through the Mini Stability Ball workout program, which promotes Mindful Movement. This workout is lead by instructor Kim Kraushar who specializes in Scott Pilates and Zen Ga. Stott Pilates routines are covered in PILATES TOWEL WORKOUT FOR STRENGTH & MOBILITY ($14.95, lead by instructor Moira Merrithew who teaches using a Conditioning Towel to help create resistance and support movement during exercise. It's a simple routine that can be done anywhere - even in a hotel room when traveling - and this DVD covers the five basic principles and also provides a satisfying workout with music only. TOTAL BODY TONE WITH TUBING: UPPER BODY & CORE ($14.99) is taught by Master Instructor Trainer John Garey, who teaches how to develop core and general upper body tone through using resistance tubing to target specific muscles. Again: workouts with music only follow guidelines of the basic principles and practices, making all these exceptional picks for any exercise library.


The Gaming Shelf

The World of Might & Magic
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781780968643, $24.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

The World of Might & Magic: The Ashan Compendium provides a lovely hardback guide to the world of Ashan, the current setting for Might and Magic games, and will appeal to gamers who want such details as the histories of the nine key factions, abilities, strengths and capabilities. Artwork, legends and facts accompany a timeline of history and more, providing gamers with maps and plenty of colorful detail. A 'must' for any Might & Magic avid gamer and collections catering to them!


The Sports Shelf

Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.humankinetics.com

MEETING PHYSICAL EDUCATION STANDARDS THROUGH MEANINGFUL ASSESSMENT: RESEARCH-BASED STRATEGIES FOR SECONDARY (9781450412711, $35.00) Greg Bert and Lisa Summers's Teachers provides an assessment of the benefits of standards-based assessment, providing six power standards based on the NASPE standards and blending in kid-friendly objectives to help teachers communicate with students. From creating lesson plans that connect students to each power standard to game-based assessments, this provides templates and answer keys to forms and makes for an excellent survey. Mark Klion, MD and Troy Jacobson's TRIATHLON ANATOMY (9781450421386, $21.95) is packed with exercises to help multisports athletes exercise property and profiles over eighty of the best exercises for this group, using color anatomical descriptions and step-by-step directions for profiling muscles and how they work. The focus on this work plus the changes and results of exercise makes for a very specific analysis of triathlon athletics, teaching how to avoid injury, modify exercises for specific areas, and develop a customized training program. Any aspiring to triathlon goals must have this! Bob Schwartz's I RUN, THEREFORE I AM STILL NUTS! (9781450428569, $16.95) provides a fine account from a humorist of fitness and offers a fun assessment of common runner conditions and challenges, from how to handle favorite equipment - such as a shoe - being discontinued to running with a reluctant dog companion. Chapters come with such fun headings as "Runner, Heal Thyself!" and "Woe is Knee!" and supplement zany insights with fun reflections on health, achievement and the world of the runner.


The Music Shelf

Key Words in Church Music, revised edition
Carl Schalk, editor
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue
St. Louis, Missouri 63118
9780758607461 $60.00 www.cph.org

Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, "Key Words in Church Music: Definition Essays on Concepts, Practices, and Movements of Thought in Church Music" is an encyclopedic collection of essays on varieties of subjects in Western Christian church music history. Arranged alphabetically, topics vary from specific areas such as acoustics and church music, to historical synopses of church music history, the Mass and its components, the organ, use in the Mass and Offices, and Chorales. Church Music History is divided into nine chapters or essays, including the Jewish, Medieval, Renaissance or the Latin tradition(s), Reformation- the Lutheran tradition, Reformation the Reformed tradition, Baroque, Classic and Romantic, Twentieth Century, and American, including Protestant and American Lutheran traditions. A separate essay is on contemporary church music by Paul Westermeyer, which defines the "traditional" and "blended" worship service concepts. There are further multiple essays on Hymnody divided by historical ethnicity, including Old Testament, Greek, Latin, German English, Scandinavian, American, American Lutheran, and Slovak Hymnodies. For a condensed thorough background resource on key concepts and terms in church music history, "Key Words in Church Music" is an excellent resource of historical and current definitions and practices for religious professionals and interested lay audiences. Another title for Lutheran and other church music professionals and interested lay staff that is also highly recommended is "A Handbook of Church Music," edited by Carl Halter and Carl Schalk (9780570013167, $35.00).

Play Me Something Quick and Devilish
Howard Wight Marshall
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219947, $29.95, www.umsystem.edu/upress

The fiddle has been a bedrock for much of Southern folk music for the past few centuries. "Play Me Something Quick and Devilish: Old-Time Fiddlers in Missouri" analyzes the history of the fiddle and Missouri music, looking at the culture behind them, the many European and African influences that spurred and altered these disciplines, and how this folk music grew into other genres such as Jazz. A history of music and a history of Missouri, "Play Me Something Quick and Devilish" is a must for music history collections, very much recommended.

Guitar Chord Songbook White Pages
Hal Leonard
PO Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213
9781458417800, $29.99, www.halleonard.com

Guitar Chord Songbook White Pages offers complete guitar chord and lyrics for nearly 400 songs ranging from classics like Sweet Caroline and We Are the World to How Deep is Your Love, La Bamba, and Puff the Magic Dragon. The book format doesn't lend to lay-flat binding as a traditional songbook would do - but does hold three times as many classics. Guitar players interested in classics from the 1960s, 1970s and other eras will find this a solid collection of top winning songs, perfect for reproducing winning music!

The Southern Journey of Alan Lomax
Tom Piazza
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393081077, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

The Southern Journey of Alan Lomax: Words, Photographs, and Music provides a visual log of Alan Lomax's recording trips through the American South of the late 1950s gathering music doomed to be lost otherwise. His father John Lomax was a collector of folk materials also: the two would travel and record together before Alan struck out on his own, covering the south to document nearly-forgotten musical styles and vanishing folk traditions. Some eighty hours of music and conversation were paired with photos: here recreated in a lovely celebration of his achievements and even including a music CD in the back of the book. Very highly recommended for any collection strong in American folk music history and culture.


The Photography Shelf

China: An Intimate Look at the Past and Present
Anthony Paul and Brodie Paul
Earth Aware Editions
c/o Mandala Publishing
PO Box 3088
San Rafael, CA 94912
www.mandalapublishing.com www.earthawareeditions.com
9781608871506 $50.00 www.longmarchbook.com

China: An Intimate Look at the Past and Present is an extraordinarily beautiful, coffee-table photography book, drawing inspiration from China's historic Long March - when the 80,000-strong peasant army, under Mao Zedong's leadership, survived a two-year retreat from the well-trained Nationalist forces amid some of Asia's most hostile terrain. In late 2011, a team of Chinese and international photographers retraced the route of the Long March (from Jiangxi to Gansu and Shaanxi) and captured vivid images of the villages, people, and breathtaking natural landscapes along the way. A written essay describing the history of the Long March and individual captions help thread these captivating photographs into a whole, and a bonus page allows iPad users to unlock additional digital content through a free app (available at www.longmarchbook.com) consisting of a gallery, videos of the survey team's trek, and an audio selection of traditional Long March songs. (The bonus content is activated simply by passing one's iPad over three images on a page - no cumbersome codes or the like are involved!) Simply gorgeous to page through from cover to cover, China: An Intimate Look at the Past and Present is highly recommended especially for public library collections.

New York Then and Now
Pavillion
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9781862059955, $16.95, www.anovabooks.com

New York is a state that has changed much over the past century. "New York Then and Now" attempts to capture the flow of time through photography, presenting photos of sites in the city and the state as they were years ago and how they appear now, offering a unique contrast on how many sites may vastly change, some things remain timeless. "New York Then and Now" is presented in full color for most of the photos, very much recommended reading.

Britten In Pictures
Lucy Walker
Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843837497, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 - 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was one of the central figures of twentieth-century British classical music, and wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera. His best known works include 'Peter Grimes' and 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'. "Britten In Pictures" by Lucy Walker (Director of Learning and Development, Britten-Pears Foundation, Suffolk, England) is a 288 page, chronologically organized, photo album showcasing Britten's life and work. A unique and highly recommended body of captioned images, "Britten In Pictures" will be of special interest to his legions of fans and students of his life and accomplishments. It should also be noted that there is a web site dedicated to the Brittan-Pears Foundation at http://www.brittenpears.org which will also prove to be of value and interest with respect to his musical and cultural legacy.

On Wall Street
David Anderson
George F. Thompson Publishing
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781938086007, $50.00, www.gftbooks.com

An architectural shift left Manhattan with an unusual blend of buildings. "On Wall Street: Architectural Photographs of Lower Manhattan 1980-2000" is a collection of black and white photography from David Anderson, snapping photos on the aftermath of the new construction past the 1970s, offering a snapshot of the twilight of the twentieth century with soulful black and white photography, capturing the details of these buildings. "On Wall Street" is a must for historical and architectural photography collections, highly recommended.

The Digital Zone System
Robert Fisher
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538132, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

A picture's lighting can do much in improving its quality. "The Digital Zone System: Taking Control From Capture to Print" is a photography how-to guide from Robert Fisher as he suggests how best using digital editing software to control the lighting in one's photography, using the titular system to maximize the purposes. With full color screen shots and photography spread all throughout, "The Digital Zone System" is a must for any photographer who wants to make the most out of their photos.

Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images
Jack Watson
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781601389022, $39.95, www.amazon.com

The female form has long been a favored subject for artists and photographers. "Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images: From Nudes to Fashion" showcases the work of award winning photographer Jack Watson in a superbly organized and presented 128 page compendium that includes both black-and-white as well as full color images. Of special note are those images that are presented in both formats so that differences can be readily seen and appreciated. Enhanced with the inclusion of an accompanying CD, "Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images: From Nudes to Fashion" will prove to be especially useful as an instructional guide for those familiar with basic Photoshop software. A seminal work of impressive skills and perceptions, "Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images: From Nudes to Fashion" is a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library American Photography reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Black and White Female Glamour Images from Nudes to Fashion
Jack Watson
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601389022, $39.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

Jack Watson's Complete Guide to creating Black and White Female Glamour Images from Nudes to Fashion bows to the Hollywood stills photographers of the 1920s and 30s in providing a book dedicated to female glamour images created in black and white. This collection shows how to create such glamour images from nearly any color photo, showing how to use a range of techniques from dodging and burning to using software to manipulate images to mimic the look and feel of Hollywood. An accompanying CD provides all the images in the book and can be used to import them into Photoshop for various tasks. All the photos featured here began as color and are provided on disc for free, non-commercial use. Any who would hone their Photoshop abilities in this area will find this a top pick!


The Literary Studies Shelf

The Crocodile
Fyodor Dostoevsky, author
S.D. Cioran, translator
Ardis Publishers
c/o The Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street
New York, NY 10012
9781468301540 $11.95 www.overlookpress.com

Artfully translated into English by S.D. Cioran (Professor Emeritus of Russian literature, McMaster University), The Crocodile is a classic short story by the renowned Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881) that viciously satirizes communism and socialism. The wry "true story" is about a civil servant who is swallowed alive by a crocodile, yet continues tirelessly at his job and preaches socialist theories from within the crocodile's gut. Slightly surreal, at times scatological, darkly funny and thoroughly punishing in its criticism of governmental systems that blindly ignore the proverbial man-eating crocodile in the living room, The Crocodile is a "must-have" for public and college library literature collections. Highly recommended.

The Selected Letters of Elizabeth Stoddard
Jennifer Putzi & Elizabeth Stockton, editors
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, 119 West Park Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609381226 $42.00 www.uiowapress.org

The Selected Letters of Elizabeth Stoddard collects correspondence written by American novelist, poet, short-story author and newspaper correspondent Elizabeth Stoddard (1823-1902) over the course of her life. The letters are thoroughly annotated with clarifications on historical details, events in Stoddard's life, and much more. Stoddard's letters are far more than enumerations of daily routine; her insight and charm shine through, making them literary works worthy of examination in their own right. An excellent pick especially for college library Literary Studies shelves.

In The Black
Althea Prince
Insomniac Press
520 Princess Avenue
London, Ontario, Canada, N6B 2B8
9781554830855, $19.95, www.insomniacpress.com

What is a black Canadian? "In the Black: New African Canadian Literature" is a compilation of fiction, poetry, and other compositions from many of the best modern writers in Canada today, defining the culture and issues that affects them so strongly in the modern world, as well as the issues of history. "In the Black" is a much recommended addition to any Black studies collection, Canadian or international.

Shadowhunters and Downworlders
Cassandra Clare
SmartPop
c/o BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856229, $12.95, www.benbellabooks.com

What causes a novel to gain such a fan following? "Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader" is a literary companion to Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, offering an enticing exploration of the series as many writers bring together their views on the series and what it means to them and their lives. "Shadowhunters and Downworlders" is a must for fans of the series and to those who want to understand what the stories are all about, highly recommended.

Traditional Japanese Literature
Haruo Shirane, Editor
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231157315, $35.00, www.cup.columbia.edu

Traditional Japanese Literature: An Anthology, Beginnings to 1600 is a fine pick for any college-level student of Japanese literature, and offers examples of high and low styles of poetry, drama, prose fiction and essays. This abridged edition of the original title offers excerpts from many Japanese standards of literature, surveying secular and religious as well as classical poems and offer critical commentary on everything form war epics and essays to drama. Texts are bundled together under common themes and provide students of ancient and medieval Japanese culture and history with a fine and scholarly examination recommended for any Japanese literature holding.

Fanpire
Tanya Erzen
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street
Boston, MA 02108-2892
9780807006337, $24.95, www.beacon.org

Fanpire: The Twilight Saga and the Women Who Love it charts the upward swing of the Twilight vampire romance series, its ongoing cult appeal to women of all ages, and the subculture it's created, and is a pick for any collection seeing popularity with the Twilight series. Erzen interviewed dozens of fans online, attends conventions, and joins a tour of Twilight-inspired locales in the course of her research for Fanpire: the result charts the rise of women's obsession for the series, its underlying sources, and the lasting effects of Twilight in popular media.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Quilts
Sandi Fox
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780971918405, $40.00, www.amazon.com

Quilts are one of those utilitarian needlecraft creations that can also have strong artistic and esthetic elements to them. "Quilts: California Bound, California Made, 1840-1940" compiled with descriptive commentary by needlecraft expert Sandi Fox (former Collection Curator of Quilts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art) is a 208 page, beautifully illustrated compendium of quilts, some of which were brought to a pioneer era of California on the backs of mules and horses, in covered wagons, by ship and by train, and those originating in California as memorials to friends and family, in memoriam, to record events, or celebrate their new surroundings. The accompanying commentaries draw for contemporary letters, diaries, and historical records, as well as stories of the women who made these quilt masterpieces. "Quilts: California Bound, California Made, 1840-1940" is a unique and seminal celebration of California quilts that is informed, informative, and highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Needlecraft and Cloth Art reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Log Cabin Quilts
Janet Houts and Jean Ann Wright, authors
Landauer Publishing
3100 101st St., Ste. A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9781935726289 $27.95 www.landauerpub.com

"Log Cabin Quilts: The Basics & Beyond, Classic to Contemporary" is a striking collection of creative ideas and instructions for piecing the basic Log Cabin quilt block, Courthouse block and Half Log Cabin block, to create seven classic Log Cabin quilt variations plus twelve more contemporary Log Cabin block settings. Beautiful color photographs taken in Madison County, Iowa, illustrate step by step instructions plus display beautiful finished quilts. Instructions are furnished for cutting the pieces, making the quilt, block assembly, quilt assembly, quilt assembly, border assembly, and finishing the quilt. Yardage requirements for different quilt projects are listed in handy tables in the chapter titled Building Blocks for Log Cabin Quilts. An introductory chapter gives Log Cabin quilt history, while a concluding chapter encourages the quilter in what is called Log Cabin Block Play. For a beautifully inspiring, practical manual on creative interpretations of the Log Cabin Quilt art form, "Log Cabin Quilts the Basics & Beyond" fills the ticket.

Martingale
19021 Avenue NE
Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Barbara J. Jones's A BATCH OF QUILTSOUP: FUN PATCHWORK AND EASY APPLIQUE PATTERNS (9781604681574, $26.99) teaches quilters the basics of creating applique quilts and is a pick for beginner to intermediate quilters. It's packed with template patterns, color photos, and easy designs all can access, all based on the works from QuiltSoup Pattern Company, and serves up precise cutting and matching patterns to make the entire assembly process a snap. Quilters will find this a winning collection of ideas. Judy Turner and Margaret Rolfe's SUCCESSFUL SCRAP QUILTS FROM SIMPLE RECTANGLES (9781564773669, $26.99) tells how to create scrap quilts with dozens of block designs based on the rectangle, and presents some fifteen patterns based on one-patch designs. Discussions of value, color and printed fabric styles lend to insights on how to blend a fabric collection for variation and repetition, and includes many options for designing with rectangles in mind. Kim Diehl and Laurie Baker's HOMESTYLE QUILTS: SIMPLE PATTERNS AND SAVORY RECIPES (9781604681635, $26.99) teaches the basics of finding easy projects and sewing them, and comes from an author and a quilt designer who provide some thirteen patchwork and applique quilts for bed, lap and home. These are formulas for success and pair color photos and sidebars of information with templates and keys to adding embellishments, borders, and more. Quilters will find this a formula for success! Rebecca Danger's KNIT A MONSTER NURSERY: PRACTICAL AND PLAYFUL KNITTED BABY PATTERNS (9781604681499, $22.99) is a pick for any interested in knitting baby clothes and toys, and provides formulas for everything form sweaters and pillows to decorations that all hold a fun monster motif. Knitters will appreciate step-by-step knitting directions and color photos throughout in a guide that goes beyond your usual children's clothing approach to cover the entire nursery. Melinda Bula's CUTTING-GARDEN QUILTS (9781564777591, $27.95) uses a simple paint-by-number process to create lovely floral quilts, pairing five basic patterns featuring flowers and apples with fusible designs and easy color charts. Readers receive a fine guide to using machine quilting for further details and embellishments, and will appreciate colorful examples of how garden themes can be incorporated into a quilt theme. Any outdoors-oriented quilter will relish this! Martingale's MODERN QUILTS FROM THE BLOGGING UNIVERSE (9781604862113, $26.99) features some 19 unique quilts and considers such techniques as playing with negative space, using different piecing methods, and more. It features bloggers' perceptions of modern quilting and design, their blogs, and their very different techniques and approaches, pairing a sidebar of information about the blogger's quilting background with a selected project. The result is a fine pick from the blogging/quilter world! Rose Hughes' DESIGN, CREATE, AND QUILT: HOW TO DESIGN A QUILT (9781604881741, $26.99) shares the author's techniques for using the five basic design elements of line, shape, texture, color and space, and offers a blend of sketchbook exercises and individual profiles of each design element in quilts. Some ten projects not only illustrate these elements; they encourage creative manipulation of these pieces to achieve different, often striking results. Add color photos and templates to the mix and you have an outstanding quilt designer's guide, perfect for any quilting collection!


The Philosophy Shelf

Atheism and the Case Against Christ
Matthew S. McCormick
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616145811, $19.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

Atheism and the Case Against Christ argues that the central piece of Christianity, the resurrection of Jesus, is false, and here builds a case based on the evidence about Jesus as it's been gathered over the centuries. Philosophy, science and religious perspective blend in an examination that focuses on using modern research about people's belief systems to consider the origins of Christianity and other religions. It examines the nature and possibility of miracles, how Christians who live by faith alone can consider other religions' supernatural events, and why arguments support atheism, creating an absorbing, warm study highly recommended for any spirituality collection.

Ayn Rand Explained
Ronald E. Merrill
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300
Chicago, IL 60601
9780812697988, $19.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

AYN RAND EXPLAINED: FROM TYRANNY TO TEA PARTY provides Volume 10 in the 'Ideas Explained' series and provides a completely revised edition of the 1991 classic THE IDEAS OF AYN RAND. Readers already familiar with her classic books now have a philosophical and literary analysis that covers her ideas and how they evolved from her times and influences. This also considers her later writings on ethics and politics, includes a consideration of her thinking that requires little prior knowledge of her works, and serves as a fine critical introduction especially recommended to college-level audiences intending on embarking upon a survey of her philosophy.


The Fiction Shelf

Earthly Powers
Anthony Burgess
Europa Editions
116 East 16th Street, 12th floor
New York, NY 10003
9781609450847, $19.00, www.europaeditions.com

Power comes in many shapes and varying influence. "Earthly Powers" is a novel from famed "Clockwork Orange" author Anthony Burgess, as he explores the concept of power, telling the dual stories of a man ascending to the papacy and the influence of an infamous novelist, showing how two very different people approach fame and fortune in their lives, "Earthly Powers" is a fine presentation of the famed British author's work, highly recommended.

Augusta's Daughter
Judit Martin
Penfield Books
215 Brown Street, Iowa City, IA 52245-5842
9781932043815, $21.95, www.penfieldbooks.com

The shame of an uncertain family was great. "Augusta's Daughter: Life in Nineteenth Century Sweden" is a historical novel from Judit Martin, telling of the struggles of Elsa-Carolina, whose illegitimate origins are revealed, a damning accusation in Sweden in the 1800s. Fleeing to America in dishonor, she lives her life before returning to her homeland many decades later. "Augusta's Daughter" is an enticing look at history through the lens of drama, recommended.

Ways of Going Home
Alejandro Zambra
Farrar, Straus, and Giroux
18 West 18th Street, New York, 10011
9780374286644, $23.00, www.fsgbooks.com

Home is often not simply a location, but a state of mind. "Ways of Going Home" is a novel from Chilean author Alejandro Zambra, deftly translated by Megan McDowell. Capturing the story of a youth facing natural disaster and calamity, and years later as he copes with the regime of Pinochet. Exploring the Chilean psyche and presenting it to the world at large, "Ways of Going Home" is a must for international fiction collections, not to be overlooked.

Dog Eat Dog
Niq Mhlongo
Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19
Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821419946, $18.95, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to the outstanding 'Modern African Writing Series' from the Ohio University Press, "Dog Eat Dog" by Niq Mhlongo is a 222 page novel set in 1994 and offering insights into Soweto, South Africa's pivotal kwait (the South African hip-hop generation). Dingmanzi Makhedama Njomane is a college student who spends his days partying, avoiding classes, and living in a time of South Africa's first democratic elections, the spread of AIDS. All this is further complicated by personal financial problems that may force him out of school altogether. Deftly written with vividly outlined characters against a dynamically portrayed backdrop of truly turbulent times, "Dog Eat Dog" is a riveting novel from beginning to end and will serve well to introduced American readers to a genuine South African literary talent of the first order.

The Last Season
Roy MacGregor
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459706866, $21.99, www.amazon.com

Growing up in Northerin Ontario, professional hockey seemed like the only way to avoid a life of abject poverty for Felix Batterinski. Playing for the Philadelphia Flyers as an 'enforcer' on the ice, Felix found that success and the money that went with it. But success on the ice doesn't last forever -- not when you are in your 30s with hungry young players coming against game after game after game. The next effort Felix makes is to be a Canadian player-coach for a Finnish team. But still more problems arise to attack his reputation, his status, and his future. "The Last Season" is a superbly crafted 384 page novel that will prove to be a truly riveting read for anyone with an interest in the rise and fall of sports heroes, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library fiction collections.

Make It, Take It
Rus Bradburd
Cinco Puntos Press
701 Texas
El Paso, Texas 79901
9781935955436, $14.95, www.cincopuntos.com

The road to the big leagues is littered with many others on the same road and failing. "Make It, Take It" is a novel set amongst the world of college basketball and the corruption and greed that leis underneath it. Rus Bradburd, a college basketball coach of fourteen seasons uses his extensive experience to dramatically analyze what a player faces in their efforts to get to the top, an effort that often takes more than hard work alone. "Make It, Take It" is a strong pick for literary fiction collections with a focus on the world of sports.

Earplugs
Bram Riddlebarger
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22
Livingston, AL 35470
9781604891041, $16.95, www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

Small town America takes the changes of life and living so very differently than the rest of the world. "Earplugs" is a novel of an Appalachian town facing sweeping changes to the small town and dealing with the quirky ways the people face this shift of history. "Earplugs" is an enticing read with a unique brand of humor that shouldn't be overlooked, highly recommended.

Little Wolves
Thomas Maltman
Soho Press
853 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
9781616951900, $25.00, www.sohopress.com

The nature of a small town is everyone knowing one the other's business. "Little Wolves" is a novel set in a small Minnesota town, and the stories that are intertwining through the town. Crimes are committed, loss is endured, people return to the town they left behind after so many years. Taking elements from lore and legend of Norse mythology for quite the original read, "Little Wolves" is a fine and enticing addition to literary fiction collections, not to be missed.

Choices of the Heart
Laurie Alice Eakes
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287
Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800719869, $14.99, www.bakerbooks.com

Everywhere we turn, violence may be waiting for us. "Choices of the Heart" is a historical romance following Esther Cherrett, a woman of a family of midwives, chased from her home by conflict. But fleeing from one conflict may have sent her into another conflict, and worse still, love may wait on both sides of this deadly family feud. "Choices of the Heart" is a riveting romance of facing the harsh decisions and the consequences of that decision.


The Poetry Shelf

Let Me Clear My Throat
Elena Passarello
Sarabande Books
2234 Dundee Road, Suite 200
Louisville, KY 40205
9781936747450, $15.95, www.sarabandebooks.org

Poetry speaks to us in many ways, we just need to be able to listen. "Let Me Clear My Throat" is a collection of essays discussing the literary elements of poetry that encourages readers to piece together their thoughts on the works of poetry, how words become lyrics, and much to think about on the power of language. "Let Me Clear My Throat" is a powerful and much recommended addition to literary studies and poetry collections.

Incarnadine
Mary Szybist
Graywolf Press
250 Third Avenue North, Suite 600
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781555976354, $15.00, www.graywolfpress.org

We all seek to be closer to divinity, and those efforts are fully human. "Incarnadine" is a collection of poetry from Mary Szybist who presents a story through verse of finding our way through the world for better or for ill. "Incardine" is a worthy pick for many a poetry collection, recommended. "Do Not Desire Me, Imagine Me": As Corpse/Loosened, bare, profusely female,/the pulse in my thigh/unthreaded --//As Hair/Clear of furies, of flowers,/the shade of dry paste//As Skull/Fissured:/an unlit chandelier//As dirt/The ants sift through/and soften//And with no fingertips, imagine//As Dust/You can hang the air on me.

Meme
Susan Wheeler
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House
119 West Park Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609381271, $18.00, www.uiowapress.org

Language has many twists and speaks much about our culture. "Meme" is a collection of poetry from Susan Wheeler who touches on the memory, the essence of life and culture, exploring it with a fresh and twist of knowledge and recollection of recent history. "Meme" is a strong addition to any contemporary poetry collection, very much recommended. A sample: Speaking of your better half,/You can be ugly and stupid as long as your shaft is big./Be date bait for your mate./Fried oysters ain't a euphemism./Just get in there and see what pops up.//Okay, go your merry way./What's her beef?/What?

In the Absence of Clocks
Jacob Shores-Arguello
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809331031, $15.95, www.siupress.com

What may divide us may not be for reasons we fully understand. "In the Absence of Clocks" is a collection of poetry from Jacob Shores-Arguello, a poet of the world who offers his insights to the vast world as we know it and how to bridge those gaps. "In the Absence of Clocks" is a choice pick for modern poetry collections. "Secret Police": Masha has seen them envelop the moon./Do not ask what the crows have done.

Sailing Through Cassiopeia
Dan Gerber
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556594083, $16.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

With much world travel and seven previous volumes, "Sailing Through Cassiopeia" is a collection of poetry from Dan Gerber, who uses his knowledge of the world, its literature, and its practices to craft compelling and insightful verse. "Sailing Through Cassiopeia" is a strong addition to any fine poetry collection looking at modern masters. "Rookies": These two young crows, still/learning to be crows,/don't quite yet know enough to fly away when I come close./They sit on the fence with their/mouths half-open,/making cacks on their way to a caw.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Jewish Identity
Barcuh Litvin, compiler
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306-6316
9781602802131, $27.95, www.ktav.com

The Jewish identity is one not fully understood. "Jewish Identity: Who is a Jew?" is a collection of modern essays on this very Jewish question following a people who through much of their history had no nation of their own and lived parallel to the societies around them. An updated and scholarly reference updated for the nation of Israel, and growing social liberalization in which intermarriage between faiths grow increasingly common. "Jewish Identity" is a much needed addition to this dialogue when it comes to the Jewish nation worldwide.

Broken Fragments
Douglas J. Kohn, editor
URJ Press
633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017-6778
9780807411988, $16.95, www.URJbooksandmusic.com

A mind breaking is a terrifying thing. "Broken Fragments: Jewish Experiences of Alzheimer's Disease" is a discussion of the crippling disease and its influence when taken with the Jewish faith. Douglas J. Kohn uses his expertise as a Rabbi and offers a very Jewish view of those facing the disorder, drawing from scripture and offering empowerment for those who are taking care of those suffering from the disorder. "Broken Fragments" is well worth considering for mental health collections as well as Jewish spirituality collections, highly recommended.

Talking About Intimacy & Sexuality
Dr. Yocheved Debow
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306-6316
9781602802209, $26.95, www.ktav.com

They're going to learn it from somewhere, and it may not be what you want them to hear. "Talking About Intimacy & Sexuality: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Parents" is a parenting guide aiming on the discussion of approaching the topic through the perspective of traditional Jewish faith. Encouraging a sensible approach to the topic that parents of any faith usually seek to stray away from, Dr. Yocheved Debow offers much to ponder on reaching on to your kids. "Talking About Intimacy & Sexuality" is a must for Judaic studies and parenting collections.


The Self-Help Shelf

Rewire Your Brain for Love
Marsha Lucas
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100
Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401931612, $19.95, www.hayhouse.com

Spite and hate are easy traps to fall into. "Rewire Your Brain for Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness" is an inspirational reference from Marsha Lucas as she advises readers to piece together their psyche and push themselves to connect with others around them more effectively. Taking notes from the aspects of neuroscience, Lucas's PhD degree, she takes notes of how we manipulate ourselves for the worse, and suggests how we can do it for the better. "Rewire Your Brain for Love" is an insightful and recommended addition to any motivational or self-help collection.

Archetypes
Caroline Myss
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100
Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401941086, $24.95, www.hayhouse.com

When we understand who we are, finding happiness comes much easier. "Archetypes" is an inspirational read from Caroline Myss, who seeks to help people define themselves, find where they belong and realize that we are not one thing, we are many things making up the many faces of our life as we push ourselves forward. "Archetypes" is a must for inspirational collections, a must for those who want to understand that we are all complex, unique human beings in our own ways.


The Wine/Beer Shelf

The Complete Guide to Brewing Your Own Beer at Home
Richard Helweg
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34471
9781601386014 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Brewing Your Own Beer at Home: Everything you Need to Know Explained Simply lives up to its title with a wealth of user-friendly instructions concerning the art and craft of brewing at home. Written for prospective brewmasters of all skill and experience levels, chapters cover common necessary ingredients and equipment, how to steep grains, adding malt extract and hops, measuring the OG (Original Gravity), pitching the yeast, fermentation, and much more. Additional spotlights on partial mash recipes, and advanced brewing techniques such as all-grain recipes, and lengthy lists of resources round out this absolute "must-have" for anyone eager to get started creating their own signature beers! "You might notice that your beer is clear at room temperature, but when it is chilled, it develops a haze. Proteins and tannins that clump together when beer is chilled cause this haze. In most cases, this haze has no effect at all on the taste of the beer... The best thing you can do to fight chill haze is to boil the beer as hard as possible during the boiling stage and then to chill it as quickly as possible after the boil is complete."

Wineocology
Caitlin Stansbury
Skirt!
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200
Guilford, CT 06437
9780762779017, $18.95, www.globepequot.com

A good wine can bring the best out of an experience. "Wineocology: Uncork The Power of Your Palate With Sensory Secrets From Hollywood's Sommelier" is a guide to better wine appreciation, as Caitlin Stansbury advises readers on how to embrace the test of good wine for anyone, embracing the taste fragrances and so much more that surrounds them. "Wineocology" is a must for anyone who wants to better understand the allure of good wine.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Kum Nye Dancing
Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing
Ratna Ling
35788 Hauser Bridge Road
Cazadero, CA 95421
9780898000061 $25.00 www.dharmapublishing.com

Tarthang Tulku, a Tibetan lama and one of few surviving instructors to have completed formal, traditional training in Tibet prior to 1959, presents Kum Nye Dancing: Introducing the Mind to the Treasures the Body Offers, a step-by-step guide to seventy-six completely new Kum Nye postures and dance movements. Kum Nye Dancing does not show the traditional Kum Nye postures, but rather original, physical choreography based on Tulku's memories of the exercises that lamas used to prepare for sacred ritual movements (commonly known as "lama dancing"). The positions and postures are meant to help the practitioner become more aware of their body's energy, and revitalize the body's consciousness. Each set of movements is explicitly shown on a two page - the left page has a detailed text description, while the right page features multiple, full-color photographs of the movements performed. One does not have to be a practicing Buddhist to benefit from the invigorating activity of Kum Nye Dancing, though the introduction describes at length how the activity can aid mind-body interplay on both physical and spiritual levels. Highly recommended for Buddhist Studies shelves and Dance shelves alike!

A Handful of Quiet
Thich Nhat Hanh
Parallax Press
2236 B Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781937006211, $14.95, www.parallax.org

A bit of introspection can help us at any age. "A Handful of Quiet" is a guide to meditation and thought from Thich Nhat Hanh, who advises parents to help their children learn the arts of meditation and use it for a more harmonious bond between parent and student. With much to consider and colorful illustrations, "A Handful of Quiet" is a sound read about drawing much from a simple pebble.


The Criminology Shelf

Cruel But Not Unusual
Ramona Alaggia & Cathy Vine
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
9781554588275, $52.95, wlupress.wlu.ca

Violence within in the family is a special kind of tragedy. "Cruel, But Not Unusual: Violence in Canadian Families" looks at the problem of domestic violence in Canada, analyzing the causes the prevalence throughout recent history in many Canadian homes. Exploring the changes in society and how it is affecting the balance of power in the homes, and causing issues new to this generation. Analyzing the violence against women, children, the elderly, "Cruel But Not Unusual" is a scholarly addition to Canadian social issues collections and serves as a study in world wide domestic violence studies in general, enthusiastically recommended.

As She Lay Sleeping
Mark Pryor
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669
Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882824284, $24.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Some cruel crimes are almost gotten away with. "As She Lay Sleeping" tells the tragic story of a brutal attack on a woman, shattering her skull and leading her to a slow death over two weeks. With little evidence the crime seemed destined to remain cold, but prosecutor Mark Pryor wanted to find justice even in the face of no evidence. Following the case and how the dots were connected, "As She Lay Sleeping" is a strong addition to any criminology or true crime collection, recommended.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

The Comprehensive Guide to Tracking
Cleve Cheney
Safari Press, Inc.
15621 Chemical Lane, Bldg. B
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
9781571574275, $34.95, www.safaripress.com

If you want to see animals, you have to find them first. "The Comprehensive Guide to Tracking" is a guide for those who want to be able to track down their desired animals using only their wits and being in the area where the animals call home. A full color guide to identifying tracks, droppings, and other indicators of an animals presence, Cleve Cheney uses his vast experience to educate readers. "The Comprehensive Guide to Tracking" is an absolute must for anyone who loves nature and wants to get more out of their personal expeditions.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Investing: The Last Liberal Art, second edition
Robert G. Hagstrom
Columbia Business School Publishing
c/o Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231160100 $27.95 http://cup.columbia.edu

Now in an updated second edition with additional data and a new chapter on mathematics, Investing: The Last Liberal Art evaluates investing concepts from a holistic perspective that draws upon disciplines of study beyond economics, including physics, biology, sociology, psychology, philosophy, and literature. Author Robert G. Hagstrom puts forth a multifaceted argument for why a background in finance alone is insufficient for making wise investment decisions. Chapters reveal the underappreciated value of each discipline, as well as the all-too-hastily dismissed potential of a liberal arts degree itself. "Whether or not they recognize it, virtually all decisions investors make are exercises in probability. To succeed, it is critical that their probability statements combine the historical record with the most recent data available. That is Bayesian analysis in action." Highly recommended as a supplementary resource especially for anyone considering a career in finance, or direct personal management of their own investments.

Pocket Your Dollars
Carrie Rocha
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55438
9780764210877 $13.99 www.bethanyhouse.com

Pocket Your Dollars: 5 Attitude Changes That Will Help You Pay Down Debt, Avoid Financial Stress, & Keep More of What You Make lives up to its title with practical advice and strategies for getting out of debt. Becoming and staying debt-free for life requires more than just budgeting; having the proper psychological mindset is vital to changing one's financial habits for the better. The five harmful attitudes that need to be countered are "if only I had more money", "I deserve a treat" (i.e. shopping as pure gratification), "it won't happen to me" (not planning for sudden expenses, such as car maintenance or dentistry), "I'll fake it 'til I make it" (a.k.a. "keeping up with the Joneses), and "I can't afford it" (self-deprivation to the point of misery does no more good than over-indulgence). One of the valuable positive strategies offered is the "debt snowball plan", in which one makes the minimum required payment on all debts but applies all extra money to the smallest debt first, regardless of interest rate. When the smallest debt is paid off, its minimum payment is added to the minimum payment of the next smallest debt, creating a "snowball" effect. "Psychologists have proven the effectiveness of this debt snowball plan... They discovered that consumers have 'debt account aversion'. That's a fancy name for the sense of being overwhelmed with lots of loans from many different lenders." In these tough economic times, Pocket Your Dollars should be required reading not only for anyone struggling to cope with incurred debt, but also young people starting out on their own, who can benefit from its wisdom and proactive mindsets to guard against emotional pitfalls (especially when student loans are involved). Highly recommended!

Ready for Pretirement
Kris Miller
Morgan James Publishing
4410 E Claiborne Square, Suite 334
Hampton VA 23666-2071
9781614481256, $19.95, www.morganjamespublishing.com

Money to be free of the burden of worry is everyone's dream. "Ready for Pretirement: 3 Secrets for Safe Money and a Fabulous Future" is a guide to planning for one's future and health in the long term, as Kris Miller advises readers to start planning for their future early on and reaping the rewards as that time starts to rapidly approach them in their life. "Ready for Pretirement" is a must for personal finance advisory collections, highly recommended.


The Memoir Shelf

'Til the Streetlights Came On
Daniel J. Porter
Langdon Street Press
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781938296161, $14.95, www.langdonstreetpress.com

In youth, we are always learning from the world around us. "'Til the Streetlights Came On: Lessons Learned From Neighborhood Games" is a memoir reflecting back on the simple nature of childhood and life's lessons that came from playing on those old summer days, and how they impacted and molded us for decades into the future. Enticing and poignant, "'Til the Streetlights Came On" is a strong addition to many a memoir collection, highly recommended.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Make Film History
Robert Gerst
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931224, $29.95, www.mwp.com

There have been many advances in filmmaking on how to get the most out of the medium. "Make Film History: Rewrite, Reshoot, and Recut the World's Greatest Films" analyzes the many advancements in film and how they were used to further the concepts of great filmmakers, educating readers on film history and taking film techniques further in their lives. With black and white stills throughout, concept art, and much more, "Make Film History" is an absolute must for film studies and filmmaking collections, highly recommended.

Western Movies
Michael R. Pitts
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780786463725, $49.95, www.mcfarlandpub.com

The adventure of the wild open range has captivated many throughout the twentieth century. "Western Movies: A Guide to 5,105 Feature Films" seeks to compile over five thousand western-themed films over the past century, touching on the many settings within the genre, the actors who made their stardom on these films, with black and white photography all throughout. For anyone who can't get enough of the western film in its many forms, "Western Movies" is a fine reference they shouldn't overlook, very much recommended reading.

Blood on the Stage
Amnon Kabatchnik
Scarecrow Press
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9780810883543, $125.00, www.rlpgbooks.com

Malice and violence are very real parts of human nature. "Blood on the Stage 1975-2000: Milestone Plays of Crime, Mystery, and Detection" looks at these plays that covered the theatre stage over the past quarter century, throughout the world. Taking plays from many acclaimed writers, sharing their story and acclaim with a comprehensive coverage of their successes and awards, this volume acts as an excellent volume that covers the rise of mystery on the stage in which his previous volume covered the previous 75 years. A complete and comprehensive reference with annotations throughout, "Blood on the Stage 1975-2000" is a strongly recommended addition to any theatre or literary studies collection, not to be overlooked.

The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation
Charles Solomon
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452110912 $45.00 www.chroniclebooks.com

The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials is a wonderful coffee-table book offering a one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes look into the creation of popular animated films based on the beloved Peanuts newspaper comic strip. From the earliest animated specials in the '50s and '60s, the shows each decade thereafter, including ones created after Peanuts comic creator Charles Schulz's passing, The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation offers the inside scoop on the people who worked tireless to remain faithful to Schulz's vision in a whole new medium. For example, one insight behind the show "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown" is "Because Schulz insisted that all the skating moves be animated correctly, the artists worked from live-action footage of three professional skaters, including Schulz's daughter Amy." Above all, The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation lives up to its title with a grand treasure trove of art - rough drawings, storyboards, production cels in full color, vintage studio photographs, and much more, on almost every page. Highly recommended, especially as a giftbook for fans of the classic Peanuts strips and shows.

James Bond FAQ
Tom Demichael
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
9781557838568 $22.99 www.halleonard.com

James Bond FAQ: All That's Left To Know About Everyone's Favorite Superspy lives up to its title as a resource for all things Bond on the silver screen - and the television screen! Each of the actors who has taken turns playing Bond is covered, as are those who played memorable women and villains, directors and producers, musicians, and of course Ian Fleming, the novelist who created a modern Hollywood legend. A handful of black-and-white photographs intersperse this thoroughly accessible reference and resource, which makes a perfect companion to the classic and ongoing movie series!

Farmscape
Mary Swander, editor
Ice Cube Press, LLC
205 N Front Street
North Liberty, Iowa 52317
9781888160680 $16.95 www.IceCubePress.com

A labor of love and collaboration by multiple scriptwriters, Farmscape: The Changing Rural Environment is a realism-centered play about the drastic changes to farming in the Midwest, drawn directly from the life experiences of real people - some who learned to accept the transformations, and others who are resentful about the relentless rise of agribusiness, a goliath with the potential to trample small farmers in its path. Although Farmscape is meant to be performed, it works well as an involving read, complemented by roughly eighty pages of material about how the play came to be, backstory on modern Midwestern agriculture, and true tales from the contributors. Highly recommended. "We make better money sitting on the value of those farms in the bank than we ever could farming them. It just makes sense - which don't make sense. Make good money for doing nothing, but work like hell and be lucky to make a cent."


The Crafts Shelf

Bead One, Pray Too
Kimberly Winston
Morehouse Publishing
c/o Church Publishing Incorporated
1637 Beechwood Ave #1
Louisville KY 40204
9780819222763 $28.00 www.churchpublishing.org

Interspersed with the occasional full-color photograph, Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads describes not only how to craft one's own rosaries and prayer beads, but also how to create heartfelt prayers to use with them. A deeply spiritual guide, Bead One, Pray Too is suitable for novice to intermediate beaders, covering the basics of selecting appropriate beads, easy-to-learn beading knots with black-and-white diagrams, and much more. Equal emphasis is placed upon thinking carefully about how the beads are to be used, whether in personal prayer or as a gift. When planning to give handmade prayer beads to another, Bead One Pray Too encourages the crafter to consider, "...giving someone a set of prayer beads unasked could be taken as rather presumptuous. The intended recipient might think you don't think he or she is devout enough, or has a relationship with God that isn't what it should be. These are judgments no one can or should make - and judgments no one should be on the receiving end of... Of course, there are plenty of people who would love to have prayer beads and would use them unreservedly." Bead One, Pray Too is a thoughtful, practical, and soulful how-to book, highly recommended especially for Christian crafters.


The Humor Shelf

Teddy Bears of the Rich & Famous
Mark Leigh & Barney Leigh
Accent Press
The Old School, Upper High Street
Bedlinog, Mid Glamorgan, CF46 6RY
c/o SCB Distributors
15608 South New Century Drive
Gardena, CA 90248-2129
www.scbdistributors.com
9781907016363 $8.95 www.accentpress.co.uk

Teddy Bears of the Rich & Famous is a small, whimsical book featuring full-color photographs of posed teddy bears evoking pop culture understanding of a wide assortment of well-known individuals. For example, "Steven Spielberg's bear" is pictured drifting above a shark and the word "PAWS" in a hilarious parody of the classic "JAWS" movie poster, and "Hugh Hefner's bear" is dressed up with a black bow-tie and a pair of bunny ears. Even some fictional characters' bears are represented! Teddy Bears of the Rich & Famous is tongue-in-cheek visual fun, and makes a delightful giftbook especially for teddy bear fans and collectors.

Bad Graffiti
Scott Hocking
Publicity Department
Black Dog Publishing
10a Acton Street
London, England, WC1X 9NG
9781907317828 $14.95 www.blackdogonline.com

Bad Graffiti lives up to its title as a full-color, photographic immortalization of some of the most vulgar, coarse, silly, or even obscene spray-painted vandalism to be unceremoniously discovered. There is no commentary other than a single page of introduction; the only text paired with each image is a few words summarizing or transliterating a given piece of graffiti. Bad Graffiti is not for the prudish, and definitely "not safe for work", as the images within include crudely-drawn human genitalia, cursing, and even misogyny. An eye-opening "gag gift" for the graffiti-curious, Bad Graffiti is quite a unique experience, and mostly likely much safer for the reader to page through than he or she would be visiting the streets strewn with horrible graffiti in person!


The Civil War Shelf

The Fishing Creek Confederacy
Richard A. Sauers and Peter Tomasak
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219886 $35.00 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The Fishing Creek Confederacy: A Story of Civil War Draft Resistance is a thoughtful, evenhanded look at the organized resistance to President Lincoln's policies during the Civil War, especially the Union draft, in Pennsylvania's Columbia County. Democratic newspaper editors often called for active resistance to the draft, and occasionally antiwar feelings fueled violent incidents. In July of 1864, a Union lieutenant confronting draft evaders was shot; this prompted a military intervention in the northern townships, and the arrest of more than one hundred men. Ill feelings and bitter fallout over the Union's alleged use of power persisted through the Reconstruction. "The title, 'Fishing Creek Confederacy' was the derogatory term used by Republicans to describe organized draft resistance in Columbia County... the Copperheads of the county did not have pro-Southern sympathies. Rather, they were antiwar Democrats who thought that President Lincoln had gone too far with his assault on civil liberties in the war to preserve the Union. They believed that abolitionists had subverted the war effort and turned it into a crusade against slavery, which was protected by the Constitution... Slavery was legal, they argued, and furthermore, blacks were inferior and were not even citizens. They would not fight to free slaves and they wanted a compromised end to the conflict." The Fishing Creek Confederacy is a seminal work of historical study on an oft-overlooked aspect of the Civil War, and enthusiastically recommended especially for public and college library collections.

Our Storied Civil War
Richard Wheeler
Aperture
547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
9780985002602 $16.99 www.aperture.org

Historian and World War II veteran Richard Wheeler presents Our Storied Civil War, an accessible and thoroughly readable account of the American Civil War that assembles a medley of anecdotes, personal testimonies, and writings from firsthand witnesses into a smoothly flowing whole. "A woman said to Major Nichols: 'It is terrible, sir! All my slaves have left me. My plantation is broken up. I have but little money. I shall have to work or starve.' Unable to feel sympathy for the sufferer, Nichols responded, 'Well, madam, I really wouldn't advise you to starve. What would be the matter with your working?' She replied, 'I have never worked in my entire life!' Another woman who found all of her wealth swept away moaned to the major: 'I really fear, sir that I shall have to submit to the disgrace of giving lessons in music.' Said Nichols: 'I hope so, madam!'" Our Storied Civil War paints and involving, quintessentially human picture of the war that divided America, and is enthusiastically recommended especially for public library history collections.


The Large Print Shelf

The Road Beneath Me
Jessica Blair
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750536318, $35.50, www.amazon.com

When Kate Swan's father demands that she marry a man she despises, she refuses and is cast out of her comfortable home in Whitby. Meanwhile in Shetland, Malcolm McFadden, disagrees with his father's plan to clear the crofters from his land. He proposes to defy convention by marrying crofter's daughter Rowena Murray, but she hesitates and Malcolm leaves Shetland on his own. When he and Kate meet, they are instantly attracted to each other, but while Kate fulfils her obligations to her new employer, Malcolm receives the news he has long dreaded. The Highland Clearances have begun, and old loyalties draw him back to Shetland. "The Road Beneath Me" by Jessica Blair is a deftly written romance that will hold the readers rapt and entertained attention from first page to last. The large print format makes it an ideal and highly recommended addition to community library Large Print fiction collections.

Song For A Butterfly
Margaret Kaine
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750536424, $35.50, www.amazon.com

From a chrysalis to a butterfly... When young paintress Megan Cresswell is left penniless in 1950, her choice is stark - struggle to pay the bills or find a husband. Choosing independence over a mother-in-law from hell, she takes an extra job with the wealthy Celia Bevington and discovers a different world to the one in the pottery factory, one of refinement and snobbery. The mystery of her inherited silver hairbrush reveals a shocking and tragic family secret - then Megan faces a heart-wrenching decision. She has found a deep love that could transform her life, but can she find the courage to follow her heart? "The Road Beneath Me" showcases author Margaret Kaine as a master storyteller in the romance genre whose characters are fully developed and whose literary abilities to engage her readers rapt attention are well defined. The result is an engaging and rewarding read that is whole heartedly recommended for community library Large Print fiction collections and personal reading lists.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Enough is Enough
Rob Dietz & Dan O'Neill
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948054, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

Many economic principles do not take into account that resources do not have bottomless reserves. "Enough is Enough" analyzes the economic systems of a world with the very real threat of scarcity, and building a sustainable future for our world and the people who live on it. Offering unusual insights onto economic practice and theory on many levels, "Enough is Enough" is a wise and much recommended addition to economic studies collections, not to be missed.


The Library Science Shelf

Library Services for Children and Young People
Carolynn Rankin and Avril Brock, editors
Facet Publishing
7 Ridgmount Street, London WC1E 7AE
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9781856047128 $110.00 www.facetpublishing.co.uk

Library Services for Children and Young People: Challenges and Opportunities in the Digital Age lives up to its title with a variety of valuable essays by a diversity of expert authors about how modern libraries can better prepare children and young people for the opportunities of the twenty-first century. Individual writings include "Libraries, literacy and popular culture - what's cool to read?", "Making space for reading - designing library spaces for children in public and school libraries", "The rights of the child and youth advocacy - issues for professional practice in the library setting", and much more. The central focus is upon the value of promoting lifelong literacy in young people - encouraging them to read more, learn more, and have fun doing it. Although written especially for librarians and library directors, Library Services for Children and Young People is eminently accessible, and its essays are each supplemented by a host of valuable references and websites. Highly recommended! "Children need to engage purposefully with texts in order to gain understanding and effective comprehension of their meaning. This is best acquired when combined with direct instruction or guidance from a teacher, librarian, or other adult. Good reading needs to be modeled for children to achieve independence and autonomy."


The Parenting Shelf

Help Your Kids Get Better Grades
Gary H. Howard
Cambridge Learning Skills Publishing
1850 Joseph Drive, Moraga, CA 94556
9780980209112, $11.95, www.amazon.com

A caring parent can be the key to academic success. "Help Your Kids Get Better Grades" is a guide for parents and grandparents who want help their children better succeed in school. With tips on preparing them for tests, learning their educational style, memorization, and how to keep up on your child's progress, "Help Your Kids Get Better Grades" is a strongly recommended addition to any parenting and education collection.


The Language Studies Shelf

An Apuleius Reader
Ellen D. Finkelpearl
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865167148, $19.00, www.amazon.com

Apuleius (c. 125 - c. 180) was a Latin prose writer. A Numidian Berber from Madaurus (now M'Daourouch, Algeria). Apuleius studied Platonist philosophy in Athens; traveled to Italy, Asia Minor and Egypt; and was an initiate in several cults or mysteries. The most famous incident in his life was when he was accused of using magic to gain the attentions (and fortune) of a wealthy widow. He declaimed and then distributed a witty tour de force in his own defense before the proconsul and a court of magistrates convened in Sabratha, near Tripoli. This is known as the Apologia. His most famous work is his bawdy picaresque novel, the Metamorphoses, otherwise known as The Golden Ass. It is the only Latin novel that has survived in its entirety. It relates the ludicrous adventures of one Lucius, who experiments with magic and is accidentally turned into a donkey. "An Apuleius Reader: Selections from the Metamorphoses" by Ellen D. Finkelpearl (Professor of Classics at Scripps College, Claremont, California) is a 160 page compendium comprised of selections of the writings of Apuleius (including 660 unadapted lines from 'Metamorphoses") and specifically designed to aid students in their study of the Latin language by the provision of extensive notations, a vocabulary, a map, and four illustrations. "An Apuleius Reader" is a highly recommended contribution to the growing library of Latin language curriculum instruction materials and an ideal acquisition for personal and academic library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Global Translator's Handbook
Morry Sofer
Taylor Trade Publishing
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781589797598, $29.95, www.rowman.com

Translation is more than turning "perro" into "dog". "The Global Translator's Handbook" analyzes the principles of translation as Morry Sofer advises both current and aspiring translators to help them better understand language between cultures and how to foster that comprehension. With resources and references recommended for further translation understanding, Sofer touches on recent developments in technology and new media, and how translation is best applied to them. "The Global Translator's Handbook" is a must for any linguist who wants to better apply their language skills to translation be it for career or other purpose.


The Fashion Shelf

Figure Poses for Fashion Illustrators
Sha Tahmasebi
Barron's
250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppage, NY 11788
9781438070490 $24.99 www.barronseduc.com

"Figure Poses for Fashion Illustrators" is a book/CD packet crammed with useful, artistically designed fashion figures in a variety of dynamic poses, structured so as to display a full portfolio of fashion designs and creations. In addition the combo pack includes three main chapters on Dynamic Fashion Figures, Basic Garment Blocks, and Rendering Techniques, with examples of 16 different fabrics plus tips for digital rendering. Basic image files of all line artwork shown in the book are included in the accompanying CD for reference material for students and design artists. Throughout the book, black and white sketched figures are contrasted with color photographs of actual fabrics and designs, allowing free rein of the artistic imagination, within acceptable fashion-realistic anatomical figure parameters. "Figure Poses for Fashion Illustrators" is a great portfolio addition and extender, both practical and fun to examine for new ideas for exciting displays of fashion details. Part of Barron's Educational Series, "Figure Poses for Fashion Illustrators" was first conceived, designed and produced by Quarto Publishing plc, The Old Brewery, 6 Blundell Steet, London N7 9BH. This text is sure to be snapped up by fashion illustrators, teachers and students of fashion design illustration.


The Divorce Shelf

Befriending Your Ex After Divorce
Judith Ruskay Rabinor, Ph.D
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781608822775, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

Hate is a terrible thing to live with. "Befriending Your Ex After Divorce: Making Life Better for You, Your Kids, and Yes, Your Ex" is a parenting guide for those who have faced divorce and want to let old sour feelings consume us. Encouraging readers to mend those fences with their former loves and realize that working together you can provide better lives for their children, "Befriending Your Ex After Divorce" is a strong pick for the recently divorced who don't want only rage and hatred be carried with their children during visits, recommended.

Life After Divorce
Sharon Wegscheider-Cruse
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757316678, $12.95, www.hcibooks.com

'Til death do us part...isn't until death anymore. "Life After Divorce: Create a New Beginning" is a guide to those who want to better cope with the sour nature of divorce and move on with one's life, to try to find love again and rebuild the bonds that have may been damaged by a souring marriage. "Life After Divorce" is a powerful read for relationship collections for anyone coping with the pain of divorce, recommended.


The Jobs/Career Shelf

The Encore Career
Marci Alboher
Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street
New York, NY 10014-4381
9780761167624, $15.95, www.workman.com

The second half of life is still life. "The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life" discusses how to deal with the second half of life from a career perspective and facing it head on with a transition for those who seek a second career. With advice to consider if one wants to return to school, build on existing relationships, and maintaining happiness in the pursuit of better health and wealth. "The Encore Career Handbook" is a strong pick for anyone who seeks to change things up the second time around life's block.


The Law/Justice Shelf

Law in Sport
Annie Clement and John Grady
Fitness Information Technology
West Virginia University
262 Coliseum, WVU-PE, PO Box 6116
Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
9781935412410, $65.00, www.fitinfotech.com

The rules of regulations of sports can occasionally lead to lawsuits and that brings a whole new pile of problems. "Law in Sport: Concepts and Cases" is a legal reference guide from Fitness Information Technology which outlines the many legal rules and regulations behind sports and athletics, from arbitrations on negligence, crime issues, sports related goods and much more. It also discusses other issues like hiring, patents, labor laws, and much more. For anyone who wants a comprehensive understanding of the legal issues surrounding modern professional sports, "Law in Sport" sources many cases and draws on much precedent, making a solid and very much recommended addition to legal libraries.


The Gardening Shelf

Starting Seeds
Barbara Ellis
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121055, $8.95, www.storey.com

Starting your garden from the most basic of materials is quite a reward in itself. "Starting Seeds" is a guide from Barbara Ellis on starting that garden more successfully from the basic seeds, managing them more effectively and renewing their seeds for years to come. With plenty practical advice and illustrative black and white drawings all throughout, "Starting Seeds" is a must for any prospective and enthusiastic gardener, highly recommended.


The Mathematics Shelf

Current Developments in Mathematics: 2011
David Jerison, et al.
International Press of Boston
PO Box 43502, Somerville, MA 02143
www.intlpress.com
9781571462398, $48.00, www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of six editors, "Current Developments in Mathematics: 2011" is comprised of three major articles focusing on advanced mathematics: 'The Laplacian on planar graphs and graphs on surfaces' by R. Kenyon; 'Hyperbolicity and stable polynomials in combinatorics and probability' by Robin Permantle; and 'Introduction to KPZ' by Jeremy Quastel. The "Current Developments in Mathematics" is an annual publication that is co-sponsored by Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology under a program called 'Project Eculid' -- you can visit their web site at http://projecteuclid.org. A prestigious and seminal publication in the field of advance mathematics, "Current Developments in Mathematics: 2011" is a critically important acquisition for academic library Advanced Mathematics reference collections in general, and for university level math departments in particular. Also very highly recommended for these same collections from the International Press of Boston and the latest addition to their outstanding series 'Surveys of Modern Mathematics', is Li Guo's 238 page compendium "An Introduction To Rota-Baxter Algebra" (9781571462534, $58.00) which focuses upon an associative algebra together with a linear operator that satisfies an identity abstracted from the integration by part formula in calculus.


The Genealogy Shelf

The Beginner's Guide to Using Tax Lists
Cornelius Carroll
Clearfield Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260
Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806347073 $20.50 www.genealogical.com

The Beginner's Guide to Using Tax Lists is not a guide to paying one's contemporary income taxes, but rather a brief, straightforward manual written especially for prospective researchers in genealogy. In this context, "tax lists" refer to any number of items that delineate taxable personal property, including but not limited to tithables, poll lists, land tax lists, and rent rolls; these documents are often some of the only available references about who lived in given areas during specific time periods. The text provides some background information on tax lists, and reveal how to extract invaluable information from them concerning the racial ancestry, migration, marriages, family units and more of the people on the taxation rolls. Black-and-white reproductions of sample text lists for demonstration purposes round out this excellent basic primer highly recommended especially for novice genealogists.

The Complete Seminole
John E. Ernest
Clearfield Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260
Baltimore, MD 21211
www.genealogical.com
9780806356082, $75.00, www.amazon.com

The Seminole are a Native Americans in the United States people originally of Florida, who now reside primarily there and in Oklahoma. The Seminole nation emerged in a process of ethnogenesis out of groups of Native Americans, most significantly Creek from what is now Georgia and Alabama, who settled in Florida in the early 18th century. The word Seminole is a corruption of cimarron, a Spanish term for "runaway" or "wild one", historically used for certain Native American groups in Florida. The Indians who constituted the nucleus of this Florida group thought of themselves as yat'siminoli or "free people," because for centuries their ancestors had resisted the attempts of the Spaniards to conquer and convert them, as well as the attempts of the English to take their lands and use them as military pawns. "The Complete Seminole" by John E. Ernest is a 588 page compendium of census based genealogical data on the Seminole that begins with an historical framework of 'Thomas Jefferson and the Indian Question', then goes into the source of Seminole data records. Of special note is the chapter providing a location index. Enhanced with seven appendices that includes a bibliography, a brief history of the Allotment, the Town Band System, and more, "The Complete Seminole" is a seminal and comprehensive reference work that will prove invaluable to any and all genealogical research involving the Seminole people.


The African-American Studies Shelf

Edward Wilmot Blyden and the Racial Nationalist Imagination
Teshale Tibebu
University of Rochester Press
668 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14472
www.urpress.com
9781580464284, $90.00, www.amazon.com

Edward Wilmot Blyden (3 August 1832 - 7 February 1912) was an American-Liberian educator, writer, diplomat, and politician primarily in Liberia. He also taught for five years in Sierra Leone, and his writings were influential in both countries. The newest addition to the outstanding University of Rochester Press series 'Rochester Studies in African History and the Diaspora", "Edward Wilmot Blyden and the Racial Nationalist Imagination" by Teshale Tibebu (Professor of History, Temple University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) is a 230 page scholarly study of Blyden's writings on Black Nationalism with all of their 'contradictions, ambiguities, complexities, and paradoxes'. A significant intellectual figure among African Americans of the 19th Century, he has fallen into obscurity, a condition that will now be rectified by Professor Tibebu's superbly researched and seminal study. Enhanced with the inclusion of extensive notations, a bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Edward Wilmot Blyden and the Racial Nationalist Imagination" is strongly recommended for academic library 19th & 20th Century Black Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


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