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Library Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 8 August 2011 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Social Issues Shelf Journalism Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Fiction Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Computer Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Sports Shelf Education Shelf Library Science Shelf
Homeowner's Shelf Nautical Shelf Art Shelf
Military Shelf Economic Studies Shelf Psychology Shelf
Parenting Shelf Civil War Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Photography Shelf Science Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Gaming Shelf Biography Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Law/Justice Shelf Poetry Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Criminology Shelf Philosophy Shelf International Studies Shelf
Native American Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Architecture Shelf Business Shelf Music Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Literary Shelf Aviation Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

The Internet Book of Life
Irene E. McDermott
Cyber Age Books
c/o Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9780910965897, $19.95, www.infotoday.com

The internet has quickly absorbed itself into much of our lives. "The Internet Book of Life: Use the Web to Grow Richer, Smarter, Healthier, and Happier" is a guide from Irene E. Dermott about the power of the internet to empower our lives. Through it all and with much in the way of wise study, we can read about improving our diet, staying in touch, good advice for finances, and achieve that greater happiness in spite of it all. "The Internet Book of Life" is an excellent and very much recommended pick for anyone with an internet connection and drive for self-improvement.

How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone
Rosie Garthwaite
Bloomsbury
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 300
New York, NY 10010
9781608195855, $16.00, www.bloomsbury.com

So many ways to die makes you appreciate life quickly. In "How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone: The Essential Survival Guide for Dangerous Places", journalist Rosie Garthwaithe offers the fundamentals of surviving harsh conditions of both nature and mankind. From basest survival to getting through hostile cities to just common sense, there is no shortage of advice for dealing with the worst situations that life throws your way. "How to Avoid Being Killed in a War Zone" is worth considering for anyone who wants to avoid death from lack of information.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Patient
Kimberly R. Myers & Harold Schweizer, editor
Bucknell University Press
c/o Associated University Presses
2010 Eastpark Boulevard
Cranbury, NJ 08512
9781611483468, $25.00, www.bucknell.edu/universitypress

Suffering is something that is fought, but all too often faces strong resistance. "The Patient" is a collection of essays discussing suffering, and the patients who face it. Included within are contributions from many writers as they discuss illness, analyze current literary texts, and the view of illness and patienthood throughout history. An intriguing study of illness and perceptions of those fighting sickness and suffering, "The Patient" is an excellent addition to any collection with a focus on the history of medicine and social issues.


The Journalism Shelf

After the Czars and Commissars
Eric Freedman & Richard Shaffer, editor
Michigan State University Press
1405 S. Harrison Rd., Ste. 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9781611860054, $29.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

Freedom of the press is a new thing to Russia and many Asian countries after the fall of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. "After the Czars and Commissars: Journalism in Authoritarian Post-Soviet Central Asia" looks at the development of the press in these nations as they adapt to a more free version of the press, and their handling of many major issues throughout the region, the effects of international press, libel, and much more. Many thinkers and scholars from all over the world come to this analysis, and makes "After the Czars and Commissars" a core addition to any scholarly discussion of international issues, especially on the media on a world stage.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Complete Guide to Dog Care
Diane Morgan
TFH
Third and Union Avenues
Neptune City, NJ 07753
9780793837120, $24.95, www.tfh.com

A dog can become like a child, with its master superior wanting what's best for it. "Complete Guide to Dog Care" is a guide from Diane Morgan and Animal Planet to walk them through the details of training and helping their dog reach their peak health and maintain it for years to come. From choosing a dog to adoption to basic dietary requirements, training one's dog, dealing with problematic behavior, and much more, "Complete Guide to Dog Care" is a fine pick for anyone who wants to give their dog everything they need to have a happy and healthy life for their dog with a happy and healthy relationship with owner.


The Fiction Shelf

In Vain
Barbara Reichmuth Geisler
Lost Coast
155 Cypress St., For Bragg, CA 95437
9781935448051, $16.95, www.barbarageisler.com

The greed and lust for power of people is something that has never changed. "In Vain: A Prequel to the Averillan Chronicles" is a novel of twists and intrigue throughout the twelfth century. As the construction of a massive Gothic church is taking place, the Abbey of the Virgin is spinning out of control as the nobility comes into focus, having to dig through the corruption and greed to find something good underneath it all. With plenty to enjoy for historical fiction readers and lovers of good intrigue, "In Vain" is a top pick, very much recommended.

Little America
Diane Simmons
Ohio State University Press
180 Pressey Hall, 1070 Carmack Rd
Columbus, OH 43210
9780814251782, $24.95, www.ohiostatepress.org

As day to day life grinds our souls, we dream about what lies beyond it. "Little America" is a collection of short stories from Diane Simmons as she presents many stories of those who go far beyond their comfort zone for something new and something different, and they receive something they would have never expected through it all. "Little America" is an excellent pick, very much recommended for community and library short fiction collections.

Double Take
Melody Carlson
Revell
c/o Baker
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800719647, $9.99, www.revellbooks.com

The greenness of the grass is always subjective. "Double Take" tells about a clash of societies, as look-a-likes in Madison and Anna choose to switch their identities to get a taste of each other's life. One is a girl from a standard upbringing about to be sent off to college; another is a girl from an Amish community. Each believes there is something better on the other side; both learn much, wise up to the world's challenges, and grasp that no one's lot is as simple as it seems. "Double Take" is an excellent coming of age novel, highly recommended.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Cracking the New Job Market
R. William Holland
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814417348, $17.95, www.amacombooks.org

In today's world, no job is guaranteed, which makes the ability of landing the job perhaps one of the most useful. "Cracking the New Job Market: The 7 Rules for Getting Hired in Any Economy" is a guide to being an expert at landing jobs. From creating a good resume to knowing where to look for jobs with one's skill set, to fully embracing the power of social media, "Cracking the New Job Market" is a vital read to finding the way to always be gainfully employed when it's seemingly becoming a more and more temporary idea.

The Essential Phone Interview Handbook
Paul J. Bailo
Career Press
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631541, $13.99, www.careerpress.com

Even on the phone, there are many signals unspoken that are sent. "The Essential Phone Interview Handbook" is a guide from Paul J. Bailo as he walks readers through the phone interview and the pitfalls that lurk all around it. Being prepared is incredibly important, as being at home during the interview does not excuse laziness, and being professional is something that can be read by voice and word. "The Essential Phone Interview Handbook" is a fine read for anyone who wants to land that job without the strength of eye contact and firm handshake, very much recommended reading for job hunters.

Career Mapping
Ginny Clarke & Echo Garrett
Morgan - James
5 Penn Plaza, 23rd Floor
New York City, NY 10001
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
322 Eighth Avenue,
Suite 1702, New York, NY 10001
9781600379901, $17.95, www.morganjamespublishing.com

The world of employment is changing. "Career Mapping: Charting Your Course in the New World of Work" is a discussion of planning one's career in today's highly competitive job market. Planning more than ever comes to ahead, as climbing that career ladder is a long and arduous process that can take years, and no one wants to make too many wrong turns, wasting precious time. For those who want to plan their future wisely and realistically, Ginny Clarke & Echo Garrett provide an excellent walk through. "Career Mapping" is an excellent addition to any jobs & career collection.


The American History Shelf

Southern Society and Its Transformations 1790-1860
Susanna Delfino, Michele Gillespie, and Louis M. Kyriakoudes, editors
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219183 $40.00 www.umsystem.edu/upress

Southern Society and Its Transformations 1790-1860 is an anthology of nine scholarly essays by learned authors who question the viewpoint that the pre-Civil War South was economically stifled compared to the North. Chapters closely examine the economic lives of three all-too-often overlooked groups of antebellum southerners: the working poor, non-slaveholding whites, and middle-class property owners such as small planters, professionals, and entrepreneurs. Individual essays include "The Lynching of Slaves: Race, Law, and the White Community in the Antebellum South", "Professionalization and the Southern Middle Class", "Corporate Entrepreneurship in the Antebellum South", and "'In Pursuit of Their Livelihood': Credit and Debt Relations Among Natchez Planters in the 1820s". An excellent, astutely written and presented collection, Southern Society and Its Transformations 1790-1860 is especially recommended for college library American History shelves.

Deadly Indifference
Michael D. Brown & Ted Schwarz
Taylor Trade
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781589794856, $24.95, www.rlpgtrade.com

Nature's wrath is something to be feared, but political incompetence is also quite frightening. "Deadly Indifference: The Perfect (Political) Storm: Hurricane Katrina, The Bush White House, and Beyond" discusses Katrina and the response of the Bush White House. Former Under Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Brown recalls the widely held belief that New Orleans was more than prepared for any devastating hurricane. But bureaucracy and other incompetence on many levels exacerbated a serious disaster. "Deadly Indifference" is an excellent additional perspective on the disaster of Katrina, and a critical examination of bungled disaster management.

The French and Indian War
Bud Hannings
McFarland
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
9780786449064, $125.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

A vicious clash of European powers fought by people who were growing less European. "The French and Indian War: A Complete Chronology" tells of the fulmination of centuries of British and French conflict. The two great powers conflict spilled into their colonies. Bud Hannings presents a complete and comprehensive telling of the North American theatre of the conflict from 1748 to 1766, touching on every skirmish and major conflict throughout the war. From the near certainty of French victory to the perseverance of the British with many links to the American revolution, "The French and Indian War" is a strongly recommended addition to any history collection for its highly detailed history of this critical conflict.

Made in Hanford
Hill Williams
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910
Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874223071, $22.95, www.wsupress.wsu.edu

The secrecy was so intense many did not have the slightest clue what they were building. "Made in Hanford: The Bomb that Changed the World" follows the story of the construction of Fat Man, and how Hanford, Washington, a small farming community quickly became the world's first plutonium factory. Through their own curiosity and the research that went on behind the scenes and how it ranged all the way up to the president, and how even after the war, Hanford was an important source of plutonium. "Made in Hanford" is a fascinating study of how the atomic bomb warped one American community for good.

From Sun Cities to the Villages
Judith Ann Trolander
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813036045, $69.95, www.upf.com

Sometimes being away from bratty youngsters can be a piece of paradise. "From Sun Cities to the Villages: A History of Active Adult, Age-Restricted Communities" discusses the rise of age-restricted communities, starting with the ironically named Youngtown, Arizona, opening in 1954 and restricting permanent residents below the age of 65. Since then, these communities have risen across the country and have been havens for many aging people to find their active lives once more, as Judith Ann Trolander presents an intriguing discussion and defense of these communities. "From Sun Cities to the Villages" is an excellent addition to any modern social history community library collection, recommended.


The World History Shelf

Robin Hood
J.C. Holt
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500289358 $24.95 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Robin Hood is an extraordinary historical analysis that strives to separate historical fact from myth in the legend of Robin Hood. Examining all the major characters of the folktale, medieval historian reconstructs the origins of the legend, with respect to the imaginative spark that perpetuated it throughout the generations. Engaging and accessible, Robin Hood is an absolute "must-have" for medieval history collections, and should be required reading for anyone interested in writing their own take on the classic Robin Hood story!

Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent
Hans Sauer, et. al.
Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies
c/o ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
9780866984423, $75.00, www.amazon.com

The third volume in the outstanding ACMRS 'Essays in Anglo-Saxon Studies' series, "Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent" is the collaborative editorial work of Hans Sauer, Joanna Story, and Gaby Waxenberger. Comprised of seventeen seminal works of scholarship, "Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent" begins with an informed and informative introduction by Hans Sauer and Joanna Story. Written by a group noteworthy international scholars, the articles range from 'Anglo-Saon Studies: Past, Present, and Future' by Helmut Gneuss (University of Munich) to 'On the Danish Origins of the Beowulf Story' by John D. Niles (University of Wisconsin - Madison); to Amiatinus in Italy: The Afterlife of an Anglo-Saxon Book' by Richard Marsden (University of Nittingham), to From York to Paris: Reinterpreting Alcuin's Virtual Tour of the Continent' by Lucia Sinisi (University of Bari). Enhanced with a list of abbreviations, a list of illustrations, a general index, and an index of manuscripts and inscriptions, "Anglo-Saxon England And The Continent" is an anthology of seminal scholarship making it a very highly recommended contribution to the field of Anglo-Saxon studies and a core addition to personal reading lists and academic library reference collections.

From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia
Jeffery R. Webber
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608461066, $19.00, www.haymarket.org

The push for a better life can take many stages for some countries to truly realize. "From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia: Class Struggle, Indigenous Liberation, and the Politics of Evo Morales" discusses the turbulent times of the past ten years of Bolivia. In 2000, the past government was overthrown and with a new regime quickly came corruption. With reforms coming in just the past few years, Jeffrey R. Webber provides a studious break down of the dynamics the country has faced and where it is going. "From Rebellion to Reform in Bolivia" is a strong addition to any modern issues and social issues community library collections.

One Frenchman, Four Revolutions
Fernando Pico
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street
Princeton, NJ 08542
9781558765405, $24.95, www.markuswiener.com

When the Americans successfully rebelled against the British, other peoples followed suit. "One Frenchman, Four Revolutions: General Ferand and The People of the Peoples of the Caribbean" tells the story of Marie-Louis Ferrand, a veteran of many revolutions of the period. A pirate during the American revolution, an officer of the French revolution, served Napoleon, and fought against all odds for France. "One Frenchman, Four Revolutions" tells of a man who lived extraordinarily in extraordinary times, an excellent addition to any historical biography collection.

The Campaign in Alsace
J. P. Du Cane
Helion & Company
c/o Casemate
908 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
9781874622345, $39.95, www.helion.co.uk

France and Germany have rarely ever gotten along throughout their history. "The Campaign in Alsace: August 1870" is another chapter in the two states tumultuous history. J. P. Du Cane covers the entire conflict in full from a military perspective, the major battles of the campaign til the end. For anyone who is seeking an in-depth coverage of this campaign from both sides complete with maps and much more, "The Campaign in Alsace" is an excellent pick, one that would do well in any military history collection.

The Margins of Empire
Janet Klein
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804775700, $55.00, www.sup.org

The many ways minorities have been attempted to have been dealt with throughout history. "The Margins of Empire: Kurdish Militias in the Ottoman Tribal Zone" discusses the relationship of the Ottoman Empire and the Kurdish people in their region at the turn of the twentieth century, and how it interacted with the Armenian revolutionaries of the time. Trying to get the Kurds to fight the Armenians in an efforts to cancel each other out, the Ottomans faced failure as the Kurds gained power and took the relationship with the Empire in another direction. "The Margins of Empire" is a fascinating study of history and the interactions of many peoples with one another.

Andes
Michael Jacobs
Counterpoint
1919 Fifth Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
9781582437378, $24.95, www.counterpointpress.com

Ever since humanity has set foot on it, it has been looked at in awe by mankind. "Andes" is a look at the history of this mountain range, the longest in the world, and almost the tallest in the world. For thousands of years, the vastness has been hard to comprehend. Michael Jacobs travels through the many countries the mountain range extends into, looks at the effects the mountain range has had on evolution, history, literature, and everything else. "Andes" is an excellent addition to anyone intrigued in South American history, or potentially planning a tour of the mountains themselves.


The Language Studies Shelf

Primary Movement in Sign Languages
Donna Jo Napoli, Nicholas Gaw, & Mark Mai
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563684913, $70.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

Sign language, like verbal language, has many diversions of culture and of dialect. "Primary Movement in Sign Languages" is a scholarly study of the roots of language and study from Donna Jo Napoli, Nicholas Gaw, and Mark Mai. Even within cultures bound by the spoken English language, American, British, and Australian sign languages have differing gestures. Looking for the root movements of sign language to understand a basis of the many types of signing, and comparing how they take hold in newly emerging versions of sign language, "Primary Movement in Sign Languages" proves to be an intriguing study of the linguistics of signing.


The Computer Shelf

Using Facebook
Kent Joshi & Patrice-Anne Rutledge
Que Publishing
c/o Pearson
800 East 96th Street
Indianapolis, IN 46240
9780789745248, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

Facebook has become a media and social juggernaut, and not using it is a serious mistake. "Using Facebook" is a guide from Kent Joshi & Patrice-Anne Rutledge to use Facebook as a behemoth of a social networking tool, with plenty of tools and tricks along the way to make a winning Facebook page that will win over friends and family. With a DVD that has plenty of files to guide readers through, "Using Facebook" is strongly recommended for anyone who wants to dive in and make their Facebook page something special.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds
Ronald J. Glasser
History Publishing Company
PO Box 700
Palisades, NY 10964-0700
9781933909479, $17.95, www.historypublishingco.com

The cost of war is not in bullets and property damage alone. "Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds: A Medical Odyssey From Vietnam to Afghanistan" discusses the advancing and changing nature of warfare and its effects on the physical and psychological damage that troops face. Serious concussions have been rising in prevalence, and leaving troops impaired for life, in very serious degrees. Touching on the severity of concussions in general, "Broken Bodies, Shattered Minds" is a very much needed discussion of head injuries and how they can be more crippling than many are willing to admit.

Diet Myths Busted
Ann A. Rosenstein
Idyll Arbor
39129 264th Ave SE
Enumclaw, WA 98022
9781882883837, $18.00, www.dietfitnessdiva.com

Weight loss is a difficult endeavor, mainly for trying to wade through the oceans of misinformation. "Diet Myths Busted: Food Facts Not Nutrition Fiction" is a health guide from Ann A. Rosenstein as she tries to speak on much conventional wisdom and offers her facts to conquer them and discuss their impact on our health. From the hidden story behind diet soda to why frozen seafood is just as good as any other, "Diet Myths Busted" is well worth considering for those who are trying to craft their own health plan.

No-Risk Abs
Blandine Calais-Germain
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
1 Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594773891, $19.95, www.healingartspress.com

Abs are the holy grail of fitness. "No-Risk Abs: A Safe Workout Program for Core Strength" is a guide for those in search of abs for greater health in their lives. A lower risk plan that still gets results, the author walks readers through seven warm ups and 16 exercises to tone and work the abdominal region to leave it looking excellent, built on his six principles. For those who want abs but have a fear of injury and misleading information, "No-Risk Abs" is a fine pick for anyone who wants greater success in their pursuit of health.


The Cookbook Shelf

More Fast & Fabulous Five Star 5-Ingredient (or less!) Recipes
Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
www.quailridge.com
9781934193433, $19.95, www.amazon.com

The family cook of today is often hard pressed for time yet wanting provide an appetite satisfying, palate pleasing meal for family, friends, and self. Enter "More Fast & Fabulous Five Star 5-Ingredient (or less!) Recipes", an outstanding compendium of some 580 recipes that are guaranteed to be kitchen cook friendly. The work of experienced cooks Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley, the recipes offer a full range of delicious dishes ranging from Cran-Raspberry Iced Tea; Blender Apple Pancakes; Curry Chicken Salad on Pineapple; and Enchilada Express; to Grilled Marinated Honey Pork Chops; Tilapia Fillets on a Bed of Smothered Onions; Biscuit Chicken Pot Pie; and Chocolate Peanut Butter Crispies. The recipes are nicely organized twelve thematically appropriate categories. Of special note is the 'Extra Help' section offering a glossary of culinary cooking techniques, a succinct primer on seasonings, and an explanation of what is meant by Low Fat, Light or Lite, Low Calorie, and Low Sodium. Simply stated, "More Fast & Fabulous Five Star 5-Ingredient (or less!) Recipes" truly lives up to its title and is enthusiastically recommended for the family cookbook collection!

Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies
Connie Sarros
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9780470942918, $16.99, www.amazon.com

Vegetarianism is a lifestyle choice that is increasingly popular with young adults. That's what makes Connie Sarros' "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" such a timely and useful introduction to making vegetarian meals on a student's budget. A compendium of 179 quick, easy, 'user friendly' recipes, the "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" also provides an introduction to the various categories of vegetarianism; provides a lists of kitchen tools, appliances, and serving pieces for making vegetarian meals; presents useful ideas for making the most out of limited kitchen space; and gives the novice kitchen cook invaluable tips for substituting vegetarian ingredients, as well as techniques for making left-overs palatable. Of special note and value is the advice for how to save money, understand food labels, what ingredients to avoid, and what vegetarian staples to stock up on. From Mock Sausage Gravy; Open-faced Pseudo Turkey Sandwich; and Garlic Pasta with Peas; to Undercover Veggie Pie; Raisin Bread Pudding; and Decadent Peanut Butter Squares, the recipes included in "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" are palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, and completely nutritious, making "Student's Vegetarian Cookbook For Dummies" a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, family, and community library vegetarian cookbook collections.

Vegan Family Meals
Ann Gentry
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106
9781449402372, $25.00, www.realfood.com

At first thought, vegan cooking might make it harder to reach out to some tastes. "Vegan Family Meals: Real Food for Everyone" is a guide to reaching out to the many tastes while staying true to the vegan principles. Even reaching out the most bloody of carnivores with vegetarian based dishes. From genuine articles to meat emulations, to sweet desserts and much more, "Vegan Family Meals" has easy to follow directions, full color photographs, and much more on top of that, making it an ideal pick for those who want to make an all inclusive meal for their families and introduce them to veganism on a good foot.

365 Vegetarian Meals
Better Homes & Gardens
c/o Wiley
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780470886601, $19.95, www.wiley.com

You can have something special everyday without being redundant. "365 Vegetarian Meals: Inspiring Meals for Every Day of the Year" is a collection of vegetarian recipes of many sorts and types. Soups, sandwiches, pasta dishes, and countless others, it also includes variations that allow one to turn their vegetarian meal into a purely vegan dish, free of animal products. A straightforward guide with simple ingredients lists and easy to follow instructions, for those who want to embrace a vegetarian diet, "365 Vegetarian Meals" is a key to embracing it.

From the Olive Grove
Helen Koutalianos & Anastasia Koutalianos
Arsenal Pulp Press
#101-211 East Georgia St.
Vancouver, BC Canada, V6A 1Z6
9781551523675, $21.95, www.arsenalpulp.com

Olive oil has proven a healthful tool for cooking, embraced by the Mediterranean peoples for centuries. "From the Olive Grove: Mediterranean Cooking with Olive Oil" is a cookbook focusing on olive oil as a central theme for many dishes drawn through the traditional dishes of the region. Soups, meats, vegetables, cheese, and much more are drawn together to form these recipes, many accompanied by a full color photograph. For any fan of Greek-style cooking and olive oil, "From the Olive Grove" is filled with useful dishes to pursue.

Favorite Recipes Press
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
www.frpbooks.com

Favorite Recipes Press is a premier publisher of community and organizational cookbooks. Now they have launched an impressive five volume set of cookbooks that will provide an informed and informative core to any personal, professional, or community library culinary reference and meal planning collection. Brought back into print after more than a decade, each one of the specialized volumes features two thousand family favorite and 'real world' tested recipes recruited from Home Economic Teachers from every state in the country. The individual volumes comprising this simply outstanding series includes "Salads" (9780871978462, $19.95); "Vegetables" (9780871978455, $19.95); "Casseroles" (9780871978424, $19.95); "Meats" (9780871978431, $19.95); and "Desserts" (9780871978448, $19.95). Whether planning a picnic, a church supper, a daily family meal, or a high event celebration, this superbly organized, extraordinarily comprehensive, and superlatively presented series is especially recommended for highschool Home Economics curriculums, as well as the kitchen cookbook reference shelve for newly weds.


The Sports Shelf

Right Off the Bat
Evander Lomke & Martin Rowe
Paul Dry Books
1616 Walnut Street, Suite 808
Philadelphia, PA 19103
9781589880696, $16.95, www.pauldrybooks.com

There's more in common between the sports than swinging sticks at balls. "Right Off the Bat!: Baseball, Cricket, Literature, & Life" is an explanation book designed to bridge the American and British cousins, so that this sister sports may be better be understood by each other. Looking over the legends and stars of both sports, explaining the rules, complete with glossary, "Right Off the Bat!" is a fine assortment of knowledge, very much recommended for any curious sports fan or community library sports collection.

Distance Cycling
John Hughes & Dan Kehlenbach
Human Kinetics
1607 N. Market Street
PO Box 5067, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736089241, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

Exercise, embracing nature, and testing yourself. "Distance Cycling: Your Complete Guide for Long-Distance Rides" is a guide for those who want to challenge themselves for a long bike ride and how to prepare oneself for these endurance challenges. With advice on training, preparing oneself mentally and physically for it, and being prepared for when your body breaks and help could be hours away. "Distance Cycling" is a strongly recommended pick for anyone who wants to embrace one of the ultimate challenges for the cyclist on many fronts.


The Education Shelf

The American Academic Profession
Joseph C. Hermanowicz
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801899782, $25.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Academia finds itself in constant question of identity. "The American Academic Profession: Transformation in Contemporary Higher Education" discusses the development and future of the academic profession. The changes in culture leads to changes in attitudes and policy, and academia may find its future threatened by underfunding and what is needed to succeed in the worlds of today and tomorrow. A scholarly dissection of the future of learning and its crucial importance, "The American Academic Profession" is very highly recommended.

From Brain to Mind
James E. Zull
Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive
Sterling, VA 20166-2102
9781579224622, $24.95, www.styluspub.com

To better teach the mind, one should understand the brain. "From Brain to Mind: Using Neuroscience to Guide Change in Education" discusses a more scientific approach to education from James E. Zull as he discusses how the brain receives information and how to better understand cognitive development of mind as an educator. Stating that developing learning skills are more important than ever in today's world that you may see multiple jobs throughout, "From Brain to Mind" is an excellent pick for anyone who wants to understand a more a scientific approach to education. Also from Stylus Publishing about Education is "Teachers as Mentors: Models for Promoting Achievement with Disadvantaged and Underrepresented Students by Creating Community" (9781579223113, $24.95), by Aram Ayalon who describes the importance of teachers to be role models and leaders where they are needed most.

Well Spoken
Erik Palmer
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571108814, $16.00, www.stenhouse.com

The spoken word has become a more powerful medium than ever. "Well Spoken: Teaching Speaking to All Students" is a guide for teachers on how to embrace teaching public speaking to their students, beyond the spoken presentation. Erik Palmer offers a crash course in the basics of teaching public speaking to allow the skill to grow, from vocalization to hand gestures to the content of the words. "Well Spoken" is a must for any educator who values public speaking and wants to impart that value on to their students.

Communicating & Connecting with Social Media
William M. Ferriter, Jason T. Ramsden, and Eric C. Sheninger
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
9781935249542, $19.95, www.solution-tree.com

We learn a lot from other people who aren't intended to be teachers, so there are massive educational opportunities with social media. "Communicating & Connecting with Social Media" is a guide for embracing social media and its communication properties to improve educational experience for kids by talking to staff, educators, parents, and even the students themselves. With plenty of ideas on implementing this well for one's school, "Communicating & Connecting with Social Media" is a fine read, and very much recommended resource for educators and administrators.


The Library Science Shelf

Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook, third edition
Cherie L. Weible & Karen L. Janke
American Library Association
50 E. Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838910818, $85.00, www.alastore.ala.org

Interlibrary loan can increases resources for all libraries involved in a time where space is at a premium. "Interlibrary Loan Practices Handbook" is the third edition of the guide for librarians who want to better embrace the interlibrary loan system for libraries. The system allows libraries to combine their resources to serve their patrons more effectively. Covered are the general practices and courtesies of the system, as well as the legal elements that may come into play. A complete and comprehensive resource for any librarian trying to understand the details or implement such a relationship themselves with neighboring libraries, "Interlibrary Loan Practices" is an excellent resource that should not be overlooked for any librarian's own study.


The Homeowner's Shelf

The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy
Dan Chiras
New Society Press
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island
British Columbia, Canada V0R 1X0
9780865716865, $28.95, www.newsociety.com

Being good to the environment has benefits beyond just caring. "The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy: Achieving Energy Independence Through Solar, Wind, Biomass, and Hydropower" is a guide from Dan Chiras on how to push one's home to fully embracing renewable energy and resources for their own home, in a do-it-yourself manner. Although it takes some effort and money now, such an endeavor will easily pay for itself in the long run, in both money and karma. "The Homeowner's Guide to Renewable Energy" is an excellent pick, a strong resource for anyone who wants to turn their home green.


The Nautical Shelf

Desolation Sound & The Discovery Islands
Anne & Laurence Yeadon-Jones
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC Canada V0N 2H0
9781550175240, $49.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

The waters that lie between the United States and Canada provide a great deal of appeal. "Desolation Sound & The Discovery Islands" is a guide to sailing off the coasts of British Columbia and taking in the strong natural beauty that lies between it all. A guide to many islands and sights to behold all throughout the region, each article comes with photography, maps, drawings, and much more to blend together for a nature-loving sailor's delight. "Desolation Sound & The Discovery Islands" is a fine pick and very much recommended reading.


The Art Shelf

The Kress Collection
Angelica Daneo
Denver Art Museum
c/o University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780914738695, $25.00, www.oupress.com

The rapid evolution of art through the Renaissance has always been why it has been central to study. "The Kress Collection" focuses on the gifts to the Denver Art Museum by Samuel H. Kress, who presented the museum with many late Middle Age to early Enlightenment pieces of art in 1961. Presented in full color with a biography of the artists behind the works, a bit of history and with references, "The Kress Collection" is a fine compilation of art for study, or for perusal of anyone with a strong interest in the methods of the Renaissance.

Black Ice
David Blackwood
Douglas & McIntyre
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201
Vancouver, BC Canada V5T 487
9781553647798, $40.00, www.douglas-mcintrye.com

Newfoundland is a place many don't hear of. "Black Ice" is a collection of art based on this Canadian province from a man who knows it very well in David Blackwood. Compiling traditions and superstition tied to the region that is unlike any other in Canada, the artwork seeks to capture the soul of Newfoundland in full color. Moving and exciting work drawn from galleries all over the world, "Black Ice" would do well in any cultural collection that wishes to touch on Newfoundland, as an excellent coffee table art book.

Thai & Southeast Asian Painting
James Emanuel Bogle
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764337390, $49.99, www.schifferbooks.com

A blend of Buddhism and folk tradition, the art of Thailand and its neighbors is truly unique when looking towards the classical art of the world. "Thai & Southeast Asian Painting: 18th through 20th Century" is a study and presentation of the advancements of these art styles in their many formats, fully reproduced in color. The Buddhist influence is very strong as long time fan and student of Southeast Asian art James Emanuel Bogle explains the meaning behind much of the work's symbolism. For those in search of a historical art coffee table book or are simply fascinated with the history and culture of Thailand, "Thai & Southeast Asian Painting" is a compilation that should not be missed.

Remembering Forward
Museum Ludwig
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096
Seattle, WA 98145-5096
9781907372148, $50.00, www.washington.edu/uwpress

The simplest of designs can mean the world. "Remembering Forward: Australian Aboriginal Painting Since 1960" is a full color presentation of the artwork of Aboriginal Australia in recent years. A unique style that emphasizes the symbolism of color, the artists and scholars of Museum Ludwig present this volume to help readers gain a greater understanding of the style, what it means, and how it came to be. A choice coffee table art book for anyone who emphasizes world and folk art, "Remembering Forward" is an excellent addition to any art collection, providing a taste of an aboriginal culture not often seen outside Australia.


The Military Shelf

Command Culture
Jorg Muth
University of North Texas Press
1155 Union Circle, #311336
Denton, TX 76203-5017
9781574413038, $29.95, www.unt.edu

A leader of men who is uneducated isn't much of a leader at all. "Command Culture: Officer Education in the U.S. Army and the German Armed Forces, 1901-1940, and the Consequences for World War II" analyzes how the US and German armies educated their officers and how the two compare, and what this meant on the battlefield. German officers, while in a controlled society, received a vast education while it could be argued that American officers received the polar opposite of an open society and a dated and limited military education. These comparisons make for a very different and intriguing way to look at the battles of the war, making "Command Culture" an excellent addition to military history collections.


The Economic Studies Shelf

The Global Outlook for Government Debt over the Next 25 Years
Joseph E. Gagnon
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036-1903
9780881326215, $10.95, www.piie.com

Debt seems to be something unavoidable at the federal level. "The Global Outlook for Government Debt over the Next 25 Years: Implications for the Economy and Public Policy" is a brief and scholarly look at the debt crisis that faces many countries, including the United States and how it will shape international policy the coming quarter century. Arguing that reform needs to happen now to balance the world's checkbooks on many fronts, "The Global Outlook for Government Debt over the Next 25 Years" is a fine pick, very much recommended for those concerned about the future of the national debt.

Revolt and Crisis in Greece
Antonis Vradis & Dimitris Dalakoglou, editors
AK Press
674-A 23rd Street
Oakland, CA 94612
9780983059714, $18.00, www.akpress.org

Crisis occurs when problems can no longer be put off, but instead must be faced head on. "Revolt and Crisis in Greece: Between a Present Yet to Pass and a Future Still to Come" analyzes the serious economic crisis that has hit Greece in recent years. A combined social and economic issue stew, it provides a study for many cases throughout the world and what it means for other problems around the world, compiled by Antonis Vradis and Dimitris Dalakoglou. For anyone who wants many different perspectives on the problems Greece faces and what it means for the arguments of world power, "Revolt and Crisis in Greece" is a fine read, very much recommended.

Economics Unmasked
Philip B. Smith & Manfred Max-Neef
Green Books
c/o Chelsea Green
PO Box 428
White River Junction, VT 05001-0428
9781900322706, $21.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Poverty is not sustainable. "Economics Unmasked: From Power and Greed to Compassion and the Common Good" discusses the global ecosystem and the dominating system that focuses entirely on the value of the material and nothing else, that views acquiring money and getting even more money as the only goal. Stating that such a system is destined for collapse, Philip Smith & Manfred Max-Neef offer an economic system that values human dignity and justice over the bottom line, and how an economic system that puts values on such things is one that can persist for years to come. "Economics Unmasked" is very much worth considering for those who want to understand why pure greed cannot stand for so long.


The Psychology Shelf

Shame In The Therapy Hour
Ronda L. Daring & June Price Tangney
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
www.apa.org/books
9781433809675, $69.95, www.amazon.com

Psychotherapy routinely involves dealing with a patients poor psychological adjustment, interpersonal difficulties, and problematic life functioning both in general and specifically. Often this means dealing with feelings of shame if treatment is to resolve presented emotional and cognitive problems. The collaborative editorial work of clinical psychologists Ronda L. Daring (clinical researcher at the Research Institute on Addictions, University at Buffalo) and June Price Tangney (Professor of Psychology, Psychology Department, George Mason University), "Shame In The Therapy Hour" is a 408-page compendium of sixteen scholarly articles that range from Andrew P. Morrison's 'The Psychodynamics of Shame'; to 'Therapy with Shame-Prone Alcoholic and Drug-Dependent Cleitns' by Roand T. Potter-Efron; to 'Therapist Shame: Implications for Therapy and Supervision' by Nicholas Ladany, Rebeca Klinger, and Lauren Kulp; to 'Shame in Psychotherapy and the Role of Compassion Focused Therapy' by Paul Gilbert. Enhanced with an informed and informative introduction ('Putting Shame in Context' by Ronda L. Daring and June Price Tagney), a list of contributors, and a comprehensive index, "Shame In The Therapy Hour" is a seminal work of impeccable scholarship and a very highly recommended addition to professional and academic library Psychology and Psychiatry studies reference collections.

Bursts
Albert-Laszlo Barabasi
Plume
c/o Penguin
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780452297180, $16.00, www.penguin.com

What is the science behind our will? "Bursts: The Hidden Patterns Behind Everything We Do, Form Your E-Mail to Bloody Crusades" discusses the science behind human nature. Albert-Laszlo Barabasi argues that human nature is bursty, where we spend a good time doing nothing, then surging with a wide arrays of things, and understanding these bursts reveals much in the predictability of human nature. "Bursts" is a fine addition to any science and psychology collection, highly recommended.

Career Counseling
Mark L. Savickas
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002
9781433809804, $24.95, www.apa.org

The path of the career is one easy to get lost on. "Career Counseling" is a guide to career counseling and therapy for the twenty first century where changing careers is not unusual and is widely accepted all around. Helping patients through a career crisis may be vital to finding the root of an issue. With plenty of sound advice and study for more effective approaches, "Career Counseling" is a vital and core addition to any career counseling collection, strongly recommended for community and college library collections.

Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder
Elizabeth F. Howell
Routledge
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780415994972, $35.95, www.psychoanalysisarena.com

Dissociative personality disorder can make you feel an alien in your own world. "Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder: A Relational Approach" explores dissociative identity disorder through the work of psychoanalyst who specializes in trauma and the effects that the disorder can wreak on lives. Drawing on examples that many cases are facing, the connection to trauma, understanding the disconnection, trying to understand it, and fighting the suicidal tendencies in it all. "Understanding and Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder" is a must for any psychologist looking for deeper study of this serious and life changing disorder and how it affects their patients.


The Parenting Shelf

Common Sense Parenting of Toddlers and Preschoolers
Bridget A. Barnes & Steven M. York
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford St.
Boys Town, NE 68010
9781889322414, $14.95, www.boystownpress.org

Good parenting is intuition, but a little advice on the side can't be overlooked. "Common Sense Parenting of Toddlers and Preschoolers" is a guide to being a good parent through these early childhood years. Bridget Barnes & Steven York advise parents what to expect form young children, correcting bad behavior, the importance of carting, and making good plans for these years. "Common Sense Parenting" is thoughtful and very highly recommended reading, a choice pick for parents of a child entering very important and formative years.


The Civil War Shelf

The Civil War in the East
Brooks D. Simpson
Praeger
c/o ABC CLIO
130 Cremona Drive
Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9780275991616, $34.95, www.abc-clio.com

The District of Columbia and Richmond were not far from one another, and it led to quite the tactical showdown. "The Civil War in the East: Struggle, Stalemate, and Victory" focuses on the deadlock of a struggle between the Union and Confederacy on the East coast in the Chesapeake region where both sides put forth their best game to prevent their capitals from falling. Focusing on this particularly grueling struggle where politics often entwined with the military, "The Civil War in the East" provides a lesser discussed focus on the Washington-Richmond front of the conflict, and goes into great detail between them. An excellent addition to any American or general history collection.


The Christian Studies Shelf

John Knox and the Reformation
D. M. Lloyd-Jones & Iain H. Murray
The Banner of Truth Trust
PO Box 521, Carlisle, PA, 17013
9781848711143, $11.00, www.banneroftruth.co.uk

Blessed are the teachers of faith and life. "John Knox and the Reformation" discusses the role of one John Knox, who brought the faith and teachings to many in Scotland and helped them through some very dark times. In tribute to five hundred years after his birth, D. M. Lloyd-Jones & Iain H. Murray pay tribute to this man of faith and tell his story of teachings. "John Knox and the Reformation" is a strongly recommended addition to any Christian history collection.

Orthodox Christianity
Metropolitan Hilarion Alfeyev
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
575 Scarsdale Rd., Yonkers, NY 10707
9780881418781, $24.00, www.svspress.com

Christianity has been split into many sects, but perhaps the last understood is the Eastern Orthodox Church. "Orthodox Christianity: The History and Canonical Structure of the Orthodox Church" delves into the history and workings of the Eastern Orthodox Church, the traditional Christian church of Russia and its neighboring countries, as well as a decent following throughout the rest of the world. The faith has gained a very unique approach to the faith in scripture, theology, faith, architecture, and a very unique relationship with the world, including the non-Christian religions. "Orthodox Christianity" is a strongly recommended addition to any Christian Studies collection with a focus on Orthodox Christianity.


The Photography Shelf

From the Observatory
Julio Cortazar
Archipelago Books
232 Third Street, #A111
Brooklyn, NY 11215
9781935744061, $18.00, www.cbsd.org

What drives people to look deep into where they will never go? "From the Observatory" is a blend of artistic photography and discussion of an observatory in Jaipur by an Indian prince. Julio Cortazar's discussion and pondering provide an intriguing blend of the structure he sees and the history that lies behind it. An intriguing work that is deftly translated from the original Spanish by Anne McLean, "From the Observatory" defies genre with its art, photography, and unique wisdom.

War Remnants of the Khmer Rouge
Maureen Lambray
Umbrage
111 Front Street #208
Brooklyn, NY 11201
9781884167317, $60.00, www.umbragebooks.com

The memory of atrocity does not fade so easily. "War Remnants of the Khmer Rouge" is a work of history and black and white photography as Maureen Lambray walks readers through the tragic history of what is left behind by the cruel iron fist of Pol Pot, the scarred and tattered legacy of this sinister chapter in Cambodian history, that left almost two million dead. Through it all, the wounds of this terror still shine strong, showing real people coping with the dismemberment and horrors of war. "War Remnants of the Khmer Rouge" is a depressing yet necessary look of what remains after brutality.


The Science Shelf

Introduction to Space, fourth edition
Thomas D. Damon
Krieger Publishing Company
1725 Krieger Drive
Malabar, FL 32950
9780894640681, $68.25, www.krieger-publishing.com

How much of a reality are our views of exploring the deepness of space? "Introduction to Space: The Science of Spaceflight" is the fourth edition of Krieger Publishing's discussion of Space and humanity's future in it. Speaking on many topics including the principle of science that fuel much of NASA and other organization's study of our potential to soar into the stars. From physics to technology to what awaits us in other worlds, Thomas D. Damon attempts to ease readers into the harder science behind it all. "Introductions to Space" is a core addition to any community library science collection, especially those lacking in study of astronomy.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

A Spark of Death
Bernadette Pajer
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave, Ste. 103
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590589076, $14.95, www.Bernadettepajer.com

Science is hard enough without murderers running about. "A Spark of Death" follows Professor Benjamin Bradshaw as he finds a man he hates dead. But his hatred makes him prime suspect and he must act quick, discover who was aiming for his rival's head, discover who's aiming for his head, all while dealing with the law and the arrival of one of his best friend's nieces into his life. "A Spark of Death" is an excellent and very much recommended mystery set in the turn of the twentieth century.


The Gaming Shelf

All In
Jerry Yang
Medallion Press
1020 Cedar Ave., Suite 216
Saint Charles, IL 60174
9781605421889, $24.95, www.medallionpress.com

With no experience, he became a champion in merely a few years. "All In" is a memoir of Poker Champion Jerry Yang, who fleeing the cruelty if his homeland Southeast Asia, came to America and earned a psychology degree and a little bit of the American dream. First encountering poker in 2005, he came to quickly dominate the sport, winning his first WSOP Championship merely two years later. "All In" is a fascinating story of a man determined to improve himself, and improving his world along the way, very much recommended.


The Biography Shelf

Gandhi
Jad Adams
Pegasus
80 Broad Street, Fifth Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605981710, $26.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

Gandhi was one of the most important figures of the 20th century, but his role as a politician is often downplayed. "Gandhi: The True Man Behind Modern India" seeks to go past the sainthood assigned to him to gain a more complete understanding of the man and his ideas. Jad Adams argues that Gandhi's views for India were very different than it turned out, and hopes to understand the changes in his life, the contradictions he may have practiced and much more. A riveting dissection to perhaps one of the most misunderstood figures of the 20th century, "Gandhi: The True Man Behind Modern India" is an excellent addition to any history or biographical collection.

Down the Highway The Life of Bob Dylan
Howard Sounes
Grove Press
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780802145529, $16.95, www.groveatlantic.com

Perhaps one of the most brilliant songwriters of the twentieth century, Bob Dylan's influence cannot be overstated. "Down the Highway: The Life of Bob Dylan" chronicles the life of this musician and this force behind music. Known for his own unique voice which has its critics, the real genius of Dylan lies in his song writing and Howard Sounes discusses how he came to become the artist that he is and how he has become a legend of folk music as well as Rock and Roll. "Down the Highway" is a strongly recommended musical biography, a core addition to community library biography collections.

Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy
Patrick J. Kelly
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street
Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
9780253355935 $45.00 www.iupress.indiana.edu

Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy is the first English-language in-depth study of Grand Admiral Alfred Von Tirpitz (1849-1930), the driving force behind the German Imperial Navy before World War I. Tirpitz had immense influence upon the German defense policy; though he took a restrained view of the U-boat, he threw his full support behind a torpedo boat branch of the navy, and initiated far-reaching building programs for battleships and battle cruisers. Historian Patrick J. Kelly contests the prevailing opinion that Tirpitz planned to use his navy to stabilize the monarchy or reduce the importance of the Imperial Reichstag, pointing out how effectively Tirpitz cooperated with them instead. An invaluable addition to military biography shelves, Tirpitz and the Imperial German Navy is especially recommended for college library collections.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Star-Crossed Saga
Braxton A. Cosby
Firefly Publishing & Entertainment
PO Box 1346
Snellville, GA 30078
9780984642816, $25.00, www.firelypublishingent.com

Even an eternity of travel may fall to emotion. "The Star-Crossed Saga" is a blend of science fiction and romance as an intergalactic bounty hunter comes to Earth with young Sydney Elaine in his sights. But the two meet and Hunter William Derry's mission becomes clouded, as he quickly finds himself torn by honor and love. "The Star-Crossed Saga" is a unique spin of the doomed love, very much recommended.


The Law/Justice Shelf

Destination Tent City, AZ
Mark Feuerer
Coffee Town Press
PO Box 70515
Seattle, WA 98127
9781603811095, $15.95, www.coffeetownpress.com

Drinking and driving can be a serious offense. But there is such a thing as over-punishment. "Destination Tent City, AZ" is the chronicle of one woman, as Mark Feuerer tells her tale of being made an example and being sent to serve among all other walks of criminal, being drained of her life by imprisonment, legal fees, and overzealous legal systems. At both cautionary and a critique of Arizona's justice system, "Destination Tent City, AZ" is a fascinating and informative read, very much recommended.


The Poetry Shelf

Beautiful Words
John Elvis Smelcer
Truman State University press
100 East Normal Street
Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781935503927, $16.95, www.tsup.truman.edu

Much of a culture is learned through its language. "Beautiful Words: The Complete Ahtna Poems" is a poetry book looking to present a written record of the Ahtna language, one of the twenty indigenous languages throughout Alaska, only gaining a written form in the past few decades. Blending both English and Ahtna, "Beautiful Words" is an introduction of culture and language, highly recommended. "The End of Christmas": A hunter saw a herd of migrating reindeer./He shot at the herd and killed a small bull.//The reindeer had a bright red nose.//Guiltily, the hunter hid the evidence.

Journal of American Foreign Policy
Jeff Hoffman
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Ave.
Kalamazoo, MI 49008
9781930974975, $15.00, www.wmich.edu

The way America looks at the rest of the world speaks many volumes through it all. "Journal of American Foreign Policy" is a collection of poetry from highly educated Pennsylvania native in Jeff Hoffman. Trying to understand America and its weird stance on the world, "Journal of American Foreign Policy" is not to be overlooked by those looking for a more lyrical take on international affairs. "The Lump": We tussle through the night/to the erotic of bombs./In the morning we order infantry thumbs/and the peppered brains of an admiral.//We lounge for days and nibble/through the gruesome of the Sunday paper.//When the bellhop finds us, our bodies/have fatted into taffy, and our parents,/unaffected, scoop from our formless forms/the shape of a child. And though we were/no longer capable of witness, the story/we have been told seems plausible enough://The child's hands, muddy with life,/began to move...


The Islamic Studies Shelf

This is Islam
Jamal J. Elias
Berkshire Publishing Group
120-122 Castle Street
Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
9781933782812, $14.95, www.berkshirepublishing.com

To understand Islam is to have a more complete understanding of the world. "This is Islam: From Muhammad and the Community of Believers to Islam in the Global Community" is an introductory to Islam as Jamal J. Elias seeks to help readers gain a better understanding of the faith, its culture and customs, and much more. Showing the history of its faith, the meaning of its law, and how it has split within itself much like Christianity, "This is Islam" is a must for anyone who wants a more complete understanding of the faith.


The Criminology Shelf

People Wasn't Made to Burn
Joe Allen
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165
Chicago, IL 60618
9781608461264 $22.95 www.haymarketbooks.org

People Wasn't Made to Burn: A True Story of Race, Murder and Justice in Chicago is a true-crime narrative of the events prior and following James Hickman's 1947 murder of the slum landlord he believed responsible for the fire that killed four of his children on Chicago's West Side. In court, Hickman was fortunate enough to have a strong defense campaign that revealed the entrenched poverty and racism that led to Hickman's crime. The result is a devastating revelation of human efforts to expose and denounce racial segregation well before the modern civil rights movement - and the lessons to be learned are even more relevant in today's era of foreclosures and the collapse of the housing market. Highly recommended for both public and college library history and true crime shelves.


The Philosophy Shelf

Faith in Life
Donald J. Morse
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave.
Bronx, NY 10458
9780823234707, $55.00, www.fordhampress.com

Philosophy is the search for the understanding of anything and everything, and how they connect into our world. "Faith in Life: John Dewey's Early Philosophy" is a discussion of the philosophy of John Dewey, broken down by Associate Professor of Philosophy Donald Morse. Focusing on his early work, Dewey's philosophy contained a certain optimism and idealism and sought to challenge traditional pessimist philosophy. He also compares the divergence of European and American philosophy and many unique interpretations of many famed and studied philosophers. "Faith in Life" is a core addition to any modern philosophical discussion, very much recommended.


The International Studies Shelf

America's Challenge
Michael D. Swaine
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
1779 Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20036
9780870032578, $19.95, www.carnegieendowment.org

China has come out from its Communist shadow and has become quite the capitalist powerhouse. "America's Challenge: Engaging a Rising China in the Twenty First Century" discusses the clash of power and culture. The future of the world will still lean on the United States, but China's influence cannot be denied. Through economics, politics, and military, the clashes of America and China will be vital and Michael D. Swaine hopes to give readers a more comprehensive understanding of what is to come. "America's Challenge" is a vital and topical addition to any community or college collection focusing on international politics and economics.


The Native American Shelf

Visualities
Denise K. Cummings, editor
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25
East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9780870139994, $29.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

"Visualities: Perspectives on Contemporary American Indian Film and Art" is an incisive collection of essays on indigenous film practice and unusual contemporary American Indian art. Essays on film works and creative practices of Sherman Alexie, the virtual reservation, Native Latin American representations in film, Haudenosaunee visuality, and videographic sovereignty challenge the reader to reanalyze assumptions about indigenous vs. dominant culture trends and developments. Essays on contemporary American Indian art include "Indigenous Semiotics and Shared Modernity" by Dean Rader, "Seeing Memory, Storying Memory: Printup Hope, Rickard, Gansworth," by Susan Bernardin, "Aboriginal Beauty and Self-Determination: Hulleah Tsinhnahjinnie's Photographic Projects" by Cynthia Fowler, and "Text-Messaging Prayers: George Longfish and His Art of Communication, by Molly McGlennen. Each of these excellent essays contain many examples of a masterful use of irony and complex understatement in art, accompanied by black and white print illustrations of examples. "Visualities" is a magnificent addition to contemporary Native American art analysis. A fitting quotation is re-selected in closing: "The Indian with a camera announces the twilight of Eurocentric America (Leslie Marmon Silko)."

Spider Woman's Gift, Nineteenth-Century Dine Textiles
Shelby J. Tisdale, editor
Joyce Begay-Foss and Marian E. Rodee, authors
Museum of New Mexico Press
P.O. Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504
9780890135310, $24.95 renee.tambeau@state.nm.us

"Spider Woman's Gift" is a beautiful color-photo illustrated text of fine examples of Dine textile and basketry weavings taken from the collection of the Santa Fe Museum of Indian Arts and Culture created between the 1850's and 1890's. Two learned women provide insights and perspectives on many of these beautiful textile works. The first, Joyce Begay-Foss presents information on the oral history of Spider Woman and the traditional Dine weaver's background and practices during the period from 1850-1890 and the second, Marian Rodee provides an anthropological viewpoint of the same period and similar works. All color photos of weavings and basketry are stunningly and meticulously presented. Much interesting information about the Dine weaving process using the vertical upright loom is carefully presented, along with historical black and white photos of Dine women weaving, carding spinning and in other activities. It is truly amazing to trace the influence of Spider Woman from the early examples of woven baskets to the later evidence of handweaving and dyes which developed after the Dine acquired and tended sheep and wool. An interesting note on the gift of Spider Woman is presented Joyce Begay-Foss: "Dine oral history does not credit the Spanish with introducing sheep to the Southwest in the early 1500s, as scholars propose. Instead, the Dine believe that sheep were also a gift from Spider Woman, and from Changing Woman (Asdzaa Nadleehe) (p. 23)." "Spider Woman's Gift" opens and closes with English translations of some of their traditional songs/poetry/chants about weaving and beauty. "Spider Woman's Gift" is a fine, respectful presentation of priceless textile art works that have been carefully presented and preserved from a rich and colorful history.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Greening of American Orthodox Judaism
Benny Kraut
The Hebrew Union College Press
c/o Wayne State University Press (distribution)
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780878204656 $35.00 http://wsupress.wayne.edu

The Greening of American Orthodox Judaism: Yavneh in the 1960s is the in-depth history of the rise and fall of a Jewish collegiate organization called Yavneh: The National Jewish Religious Students Association. Founded in 1960, Yavneh engaged in surprising education innovations, ran into difficulties adapting to inter-Jewish pluralism, and ultimately met its end in the early 1980s. But while it existed, Yavneh and its members played a significant role in the modern Orthodox revitalization. An extensively researched account documented with careful notes, an index, and even some reproductions of certain primary source documents, The Greening of American Orthodox Judaism is an excellent contribution to modern Judaic history shelves and highly recommended.

Shulchan Oruch Choshen Mishpat: Volume 1
Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi
Kehot Publication Society
c/o Markos Publications
291 Kingston Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11213
www.kehot.com
9780826601254, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Perhaps more than any other major religion, Judaism is a faith founded upon and bounded by laws governing personal conduct in every aspect of daily life. "Shulchan Oruch Choshen Mishpat: Volume 1" by Rabbi Shneur Zalman of Liadi has now been ably translated into English by Rabbi Eliyahu Touger and is a 292-page compendium of commentary on Jewish laws that are an integral and integrated part of everyday life for the observant Jew. This superbly presented edition is bilingual with the original Hebrew on the right hand page and the English translation on the left hand page. Replete with extensive footnotes and featuring a useful satin ribbon marker the Jewish laws addressed include the ones concerning loans, legal documents, sales, guardians, weights, measures, pricing of goods, found objects, and more. "Shulchan Oruch Choshen Mishpat: Volume 1" is a core addition to personal, academic, and synagogue Judaic Studies instructional reference book collections.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Write Your Book Now!
Gene Perret
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.quilldriverbooks.com
9781610350068, $15.95, www.amazon.com

Writing a book, whether it be a personal memoir or the next 'Great American Novel', is some of the hardest work anyone can ever take a hand in. But there are some 'tips, tricks & techniques' to help the novice author out and they are to be found in a 144-page compendium of commentary, instruction, and 'real world' advice by professional comedy writer Gene Perret in "Write Your Book Now!: A Proven System to Start and FINISH the Book You've Always Wanted to Write". Drawing upon his many years of experience and expertise, Perret shows the aspiring writer how to break a book project down into small sequential tasks; establish a workable, productive, realistic writing schedule; deal with the inevitable writer blocks, life distractions and delays; and keeping up motivation until the manuscript is finished and ready for publication. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Write Your Book Now!" is an ideal instruction manual and especially recommended to beginning writers aspiring to a professional and successful career as a published author.


The Architecture Shelf

Egypt Visual Sourcebook
Jim Hewitt
American University in Cairo Press
420 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10018-2729
www.aucpress.com
9789774164330, $59.50, www.amazon.com

The "Egypt Visual Sourcebook" by Jim Hewitt is an impressive and profusely illustrated 392-page compendium offering a thoroughly 'user friendly' reference to Egypt's architectural heritage from antiquity to the modern era. From Egyptian monuments, temples and tombs, to marketplaces, residences, and commercial buildings, to specific architectural elements such as windows, doorways, arches, balconies, wall finishes, and floorings. Superbly organized and cross-referenced, the "Egypt Visual Sourcebook" offers a wealth of informed and informative commentary that will prove of immense value to anyone seeking to replicate elements and set designs utilizing Egyptian architectural styles and elements, making it a core and highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library Architectural Studies reference collections.


The Business Shelf

Government Contracting
William Sims Curry
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
www.crcpress.com
9781420085655, $69.95, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to the outstanding CRC Press 'American Society for Public Administration' series, "Government Contracting: Promises and Perils" by William Sims Curry draws upon his many years of experience and expertise as an Air Force systems procurement officer, contracting and purchasing responsibilities for the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center on the Positron Electron Project, and private-sector corporations in the aerospace and defense fields to write a comprehensive 312-page compendium covering ever aspect (positive and negative) of doing business with the federal government. Of special note are is chapter on 'Contracting during Emergencies'. Covering everything from the basic processes and issues involved in governmental contracts, to competing for contracts, to evaluating and presenting contract proposals, to the auditing process governmental contracts are subject to, "Government Contracting" should be considered essential and instructive reading for any company ranging from a small business to a multi-national conglomerate seeking to be awarded governmental contracts of any and all kinds. A seminal and 'reader friendly' work, "Government Contracting" is an especially recommended addition to academic library Public Administration reference collections.

Swan, Swine, And Swindlers
Can M. Alpaslan & Ian Il Mitroff
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
www.sup.org
9780804771375, $35.00, www.amazon.com

With the recent near financial collapse of the international economy in general and the United States in particular, the problems inherent in national and global crisis is very much a part of our world today. Often these fiscal crisis are at their heart the result of unethical and all-to-often illegal activities by unscrupulous men and range from the pyramid scheme of Bernie Madoff, to chronic corporate incompetence, to the political ineptness and cronyism of government officials. In "Swan, Swine, And Swindlers: Coping with the Growing Threat of Mega-Crises and Mega-Messes", Can M. Alpasian (Associate Professor, College of Business and Economics, California State University, Northridge) has effectively collaborative with Ian I. Mitroff (Professor Emeritus, Annenberg School for Communication and the Marshall School of Business, Univesity of Southern California) to present a 232-page compendium divided into three major sections: 'Uncovering Assumptions'; Managing Assumptions; and 'Applications'. More than just a scholarly litany of massive crises, they offer informed and informative insights into universal aspects of national calamities such as the 2008 economic collapse, the definitions of crisis, dealing with denial and fear-based crisis management responses, and the necessities of trust, transparency, and reliability in dealing with (and preventing future) crisis. Enhanced with extensive notes and a comprehensive index, "Swan, Swine, And Swindlers" is a work of impeccable scholarship and highly recommended for personal reading lists and academic library Business/Economic studies collections.


The Music Shelf

Musical Functionalism
Magnar Breivik
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
9781576471708, $42.00, www.pendragonpress.com

A work of impressively detailed and comprehensive scholarship by Magnar Breivik (Professor of Musicology, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway), "Musical Functionalism: The Musical Thoughts of Arnold Schoenberg and Paul Hindemith" is a 416-page compendium nicely organized into four major sections: Musical Functionalism: Perspectives in Early 20th Century Art; The Musical Material; Hindemith: From Vision to Form; Musical Function; Hindemith: Active Performance and Musical Recognition. Of special note is the concluding ten page analysis 'Coda: Schoenberg and Hindemith in the Context of Functionalism'. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive bibliography, a list of illustrations, and an index of names, "Musical Functionalism" is an extraordinary and very highly recommended contribution to personal and academic library Musicology Studies reference collections and reading lists.


The Audiobook Shelf

Dragon's Oath
P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, authors
Caitlin Davies, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427213907 $14.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Dragon's Oath is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a novella set in the dark fantasy world of the authors' House of Night vampire series. In the 1830's, the teenaged Bryan Lankford has been banished to America; he is Marked on the docks and given the choice of the London House of Night and a dragon-prowed ship to America. He chooses to become the Dragon, and his skill with a sword is destined to be the genesis of legend. When the shadow of menace falls upon both him and Anastasia, the young Professor of Spells and Rituals at the Tower Grove House of Night, he must muster all his fighting skill and intellect to survive and protect her. Superbly performed by Caitlin Davies, Dragon's Oath is a captivating listening experience and highly recommended. 3 CDs, 3.5 hours.

Burnt Mountain
Anne Rivers Siddons, author
Kate Reading, narrator
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
9781607882497 $34.98 www.hachettebookgroupusa.com

Burnt Mountain is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a dramatic novel about love and lifetime changes. As a young tomboy, Thayer Wentworth loved the summer camp in the North Carolina mountains; it was the place where she met her first love - an experience that ended in heartbreak. Years later, she married the Irish professor Aengus. Their life together was a happy one, but when Aengus is invited to tell Irish tales to young campers on Burnt Mountain - the place where Thayer's father unexpectedly died in a terrible car accident - everything begins to change. As Aengus spends less time at home and more time away at camp, Thayer must examine the dark secrets of her past and present. A rewarding performance by Kate Reading brings this introspective novel to vivid life. Highly recommended, especially for public library audiobook collections. 8 CDs, 9 hours.

White Night
Jim Butcher
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
DF118, $125.75, www.recordedbooks.com

The latest addition to Recorded Books outstanding series of fantasy author Jim Butchers superbly crafted novels featuring Chicago based detective and wizard Harry Dresden, "White Night" engages the readers rapt attention with a true 'theatre of the mind' experience. Superbly narrated by James Marsters, this complete and unabridged edition offers 12 technically flawless compact discs providing comprising 14.25 hours of dramatic entertainment involving 'who done it' homicide detective work involving vampires, ghouls, witches, wizards, fairies, and more. There is a storytelling roller coaster of plot twists and dire perils that fully engage the listener from beginning to end. Highly recommended for personal and library audio book collections, those new to the adventures of Harry Dresden will want to visit the Recorded Books web site for a complete roster of Jim Butcher's series showcasing this wizard detective!


The Library CD Shelf

Eastern Wind, Northern Lights
James Stephenson
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.60 www.canyonrecords.com

Eastern Wind, Northern Lights (56 min. 47 sec.) is an album of songs inspired by and faithful to the tradition of the Round Dance. Composer and performer James Stephenson draws upon his own Lumbee heritage and his familiarity with Plains Cree Round Dance music, in this vibrant and captivating album especially recommended for Native American music collections. The tracks are "Hip Burner" (3:18), "Never Hurt Again" (3:23), "Just the Other Day" (4:40), "Wakulla Bound" (4:14), "Feels Good" (2:58), "The Cruiser" (3:34), "Anytime You Feel Alone" (4:06), "Monster Mash" (3:25), "Blinded By Love" (4:50), "Fry Bread Queen" (4:49), "Regrets" (4:38), "Love at First Sight" (3:14), "My Destiny" (4:30) and "My Old Lady" (4:11).

Warriors in the Mist
Tha Tribe
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.60 www.canyonrecords.com

Tha Tribe performs Warriors in the Mist (41 min. 12 sec.), an album of pow-wow songs recorded live in Coushatta. Brimming with immense energy and fervor, Warriors of the Mist hearkens to the strength of spirit in the peoples who first settled North America, and offers original stylings on an ancient and worthy musical tradition. Highly recommended for Native American music collections. The tracks are "Intertribal" (3:13), "Intertribal" (2:52), "Intertribal" (2:40), "Fancy Trick Song" (3:23), "Get It" (3:13), "Grass Dance" (3:47), "Foot Slide" (2:00), "Cool Breeze" (2:51), "Grand Entry" (4:33), "Intertribal" (2:33), "Old Necklace Breaker" (1:48), "Contest Song" (3:19), "Intertribal" (3:32), and "Foot Slide" (2:04).

In the Lite of Things
Eddie Gip Noble
Sonida Noble Records
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$18.99 eddiegipnoble.com

In the Lite of Things is the latest album by jazz-blues artist Eddie Gip Noble. The songs are all great hits from R&B, pop, rock, jazz, and country transformed into instrumental smooth jazz. The result is a smooth, pleasing audio experience that can be enjoyed for its own sake or as an invigorating background to driving or any daily task. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Linus and Lucy" (3:40), "Run" (4:16), "Streets of Philadelphia" (4:43), "Blackbird" (4:13), "The Girl Is Mine" (4:44), "Thousand Miles" (3:40), "Red Rain" (4:03), "Don't Want To Be Alone Tonight" (3:27), "Behind Closed Doors" (3:27), "Desert Rose" (4:46), "Let It All Out (Shout)" (5:15), and "Save the Best for Last" (3:56).


The Library DVD Shelf

The Battle for Marjah
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598286830 $34.99 www.acornonline.com

Award-winning journalist Ben Anderson hosts the true story of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 6th marines, and its commander Captain Ryan Sparks in the recent Afghanistan war in The Battle for Marjah, a stunning DVD/Blu-ray combo pack documentary. A twelve-page viewer's guide is included along with a DVD and Blu-ray discs of this vivid documentary of the many challenges facing American Marines: vanquish the Taliban, hold the territory claimed, build infrastructure and a working government, and transfer control to Afghan security forces. Due to the violent reality of the war, The Battle for Marjah contains strong language, violence, and disturbing images. Highly recommended, especially for public library DVD and Blu-ray collections. 1 DVD and 1 Blu-ray disc, 84 min., widescreen.

Vera
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598285765 $59.99 www.acornonline.com

Vera is a 4-DVD collection based on the bestselling British mystery series by Ann Cleeves. Two-time Oscar nominee Brenda Blethyn plays the titular role of Vera Stanhope, an obsessive, short-tempered, and sometimes thoughtless investigator. In addition to tolerating her borderline misanthropic personality, her faithful associates help her solve seemingly unthinkable crimes in this captivating and character-centric drama. Highly recommended, especially for fans of top-notch British television. 4 episodes, 355 min., widescreen, SDH subtitles.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Dreamland Japan, collector's edition
Frederik L. Schodt
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208
Berkeley, CA 94707
9781933330952 $29.95 www.stonebridge.com

Originally published in 1996 as the successor to "Manga! Manga! The World of Japanese Comics", Dreamland Japan is an in-depth study of manga now available in a new collector's edition with all the original content plus invaluable updates on recent changes in the manga industry. New topics covered include the thorny issues of piracy and censorship, internationalization, and changing fan demographics (especially as Japan's population continues to decline in number and its average/median age advances). Spotlights on a number of Japan's notable manga creators including Akira Narita, Hinako Sugiura, Shigery Mizuki, and especially manga's legendary godfather Osamu Tezuka, round out this scholarly yet highly accessible resource ideal for anyone interested in learning more about the cultural history and evolution of Japanese comics.


The Literary Shelf

A Trip to the Country
Henriette-Julie de Castelnau, Comtesse de Murat
Wayne State University Press
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814335031 $21.95 http://wsupress.wayne.edu

A Trip to the Country is the English rendition of a late seventeenth-century experimental novel, originally popular among the French aristocracy. The Countess de Murat created a work constructed around the framing narrative of a trip to a country estate by seven Parisian aristocrats. The literary format ranges from ghost stories to autobiographical anecdotes to a literary fairy tale, a rondeau, even poems and love letters. Superbly translated with a strong effort to preserve the syntax and word choice of the original, and enhanced with extensive footnotes to shed light on historical definitions, contextual social issues, and much more, A Trip to the Country is worthy of the highest recommendation for literature shelves.


The Aviation Shelf

Finish Forty and Home
Phil Scearce
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574413168 $29.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Finish Forty and Home: The Untold World War II Story of B-24s in the Pacific is the mesmerizing true story of the American airmen who flew B-24s in the Pacific theatre of World War II. Japanese fighters and anti-aircraft threatened them, and they often had to fly over thousands of miles of water with no alternative landing sites. The 42nd squadron's 1943 losses were horrifying; 50 of 110 airmen did not survive. Finish Forty and Home draws upon exhaustive research to bring both the rigors of the mission and the deadly shock of battle to life. Highly recommended, especially for military aviation shelves.


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


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