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The Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 4 April 2014 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Audiobook Shelf Computer Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Business Shelf
Political Science Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Fashion Shelf Art Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Photography Shelf Education Shelf
World History Shelf Social Issues Shelf Women's Studies Shelf
Music Shelf Science Shelf Technology Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Nautical Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Railroading Shelf Military Shelf Native American Studies Shelf
Marriage Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Find Out Anything from Anyone, Anytime
James O. Pyle & Maryann Karinch
Career Press
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632982, $15.99, www.careerpress.com

Find Out Anything from Anyone, Anytime: Secrets of Calculated Questioning from a Veteran Interrogator belongs in self-help, business and reference collections alike, and offers keys to asking the right questions that get the best information. From identifying good questioning techniques and how to avoid the wrong questions to controlling conversations and gaining expertise, this comes from a strategic debriefer who has been training other interrogators and debriefers, and who here offers special skills and focus not commonly addressed. A 'must' for any reference collection!

Game-Changer
David McAdams
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393239676, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

Game-Changer: Game Theory and the Art of Transforming Strategic Situations comes from a university professor who uses the foundations of game theory and explains, for lay audiences, how it works both within and outside the gaming industry. Real-world examples follow the concepts of game-awareness and its wider-ranging applications, while gamers receive clear notes on how game theory is used within the gaming environment. This wider-ranging discussion moves from such a field to military, business, and social applications, considering how gaming strategies work in the real world and how game-awareness changes lives. Any who would understand game theory or strategy will find this a fine starting point for understanding.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Prince of Risk: A Novel
Christopher Reich
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307943552, $45.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

The Prince of Risk: A Novel is narrated by Paul Michael and provides the powerful story of a New York hedge fund manager, Bobby Astor who seeks the truth when his father is murdered. Moments before his death his father sent him a puzzling text message: now it's the only thing Bobby has left - and it's the key to trouble. From his ex-wife to a successful FBI special agent on the trail of terrorists, Bobby finds himself well in over his head, in a world where business connections and hedge fund managers mean nothing. Add a foreign conspiracy and you have a thriller that springs to life in audio under Paul Michael's seasoned voice.


The Computer Shelf

Being Agile
Leslie Ekas and Scott Will
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133375626, $34.99, www.ibmpressbooks.com

Being Agile: Eleven Breakthrough Techniques to Keep You from "Waterfalling Backward" outlines eleven techniques to keep agile teams from falling back into old, non-agile habits, and is a recommendation for software and business collections alike. From building the kinds of teams that engage stakeholders to overcoming multitasking issues and deploying software that is ready to go for the user, chapters cover the basics of using agility structures to move beyond traditional software development strategies. Addressing root causes of common problems is just one of the many themes tackled in a workbook specific to interacting in the agile environment.


The Needlecraft Shelf

SixthandSpring Books
161 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301
NY, NY 10013
www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Nicky Epstein's SIGNATURE SCARVES: DAZZLING DESIGNS TO KNIT (9781936096688, $19.95) uses the author's innovations to present traditional simple scarves with colorful embellishments, and provides some 30 scarves in a range of styles. From felting and Fair Isle to florals and striking patterns, this offers patterns for beginners and advanced knitters alike, and pairs patterns with colorful images throughout. Any knitter looking for creative inspiration for scarves will welcome this coverage! Laura Zander's STITCH MOUNTAIN: 30 WARM KNITS FOR CONQUERING THE COLD (9781936096671, $19.95) pairs lovely color photos by Brad Swonetz with some thirty cold-weather knits inspired by winter garments from celebrities, and is a wonderful survey for any who would choose contemporary knit designs for winter fare. Essays on knitting and winter sports accompany fiber guides, knitting techniques, and special designs geared to the coldest of weather. The result is a fine collection perfect for any knitter looking for something different. Debbie Bliss's CREATIVE CABLES (9781936096589, $24.95) uses yarns from the Debbie Bliss Rialto Yarns collection and designs selected by Bliss from some of the top designers in the field to provide a fine collection based on cabling. Sweaters, pullovers, dresses and more all include step-by-step color photos, a color sidebar of measurements, materials and gauges, a stitch glossary, and more, and provide an excellent workbook of the entire cabling technique. The result is a wonderful collection packed with cable designs and unique, innovative applications perfect for yarn workers looking for something different and specific.

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

Kristin Roylance's CUTE QUILTS FOR KIDS (9781604682564, $22.99) is for any who would make quilts for babies and toddlers, and features nine patterns and projects that create appealing designs kids will love, from colorful butterflies to dinosaurs. There are applique and other techniques imparted in a series of projects beginners can immediately use, and the focus on dimensional quilts that intrigue kids makes for a welcoming collection of new ideas. The result is a project collection that will delight kids as well adult quilters seeking something different. Kay Connors and Karen Earlywine's CANDY STORE AND MORE; 1930S QUILTS MADE NEW (9781604663332, $26.99) provides some 10 new quilt designs based on 1930s classics, using patterns and quilts from old newspapers to provide inspiration for new designs written for today's techniques. From patchwork to embroidery and using rickrack, this offers keys to applying full-sized applique patterns to projects at all skills levels, and creates an outstanding collection perfect for those who want new designs based on old ideas. Karen M. Burns compiles KITCHEN STITCHES: SEWING PROJECTS TO SPICE UP YOUR HOME (9781604684032, $26.99), a fine collection of some 17 designs from various crafters who provide kitchen projects ranging from aprons and towel sets to place mats. The focus on kitchen-oriented, useful designs assures that needleworkers have colorful projects to undertake that add useful items to the home - not knickknacks - and are accompanied by color photos and patterns throughout. Stacey Trock's MODERN BABY CROCHET: PATTERNS FOR DECORATING, PLAYING, AND SNUGGLING (9781604683394, $22.99) is packed with crochet ideas for a baby, and are directed to beginning crocheters who want to complete successful projects for baby boys and girls. Over twenty easy patterns perfect for a baby shower accompany designs ranging from blankets to stuffed animals and mobiles and toys. With its colorful creations, this is a perfect pick for newcomers to crochet who want to enjoy gift-giving ideas. ALL ABOUT KNITTING (9781604684346, $22.99) provides a comprehensive book packed with details on knitting, from the first process of casting on to undertaking an actual project - of which some 20 are featured, here. There's step-by-step coverage using both color photos and written word, there are full page photos of completed projects, and there's plenty of information beginners will relish. Any collection seeking just one basic knitting handbook should look no further than this fine guide.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

To Sail a Darkling Sea
John Ringo
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476736211, $25.00, www.baen.com

To Sail a Darkling Sea is set in a world where survivors of the apocalypse battle zombies - a world where human civilization has been annihilated by a zombie plague and a group of youths and survivors struggle to remain free, human, and alive. Here Wolf Squadron must take on a new challenge: to clear an assault carrier of the infected before its trapped sailors die off. And then there's the battle for humanity itself...Swift action accompanies a satisfying series of confrontations at the end of the world and will involve any interested in apocalyptic or zombie stories.

What Makes This Book So Great?
Jo Walton
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765331939, $26.99, www.tor-forge.com

What Makes This Book So Great comes from a Hugo and Nebula award winner who is one of the most critically acclaimed science fiction and fantasy authors of our times. This book gathers a range of something different: her blogs about the classics she re-read. Her posts have been one of the most popular features of Tor.com, and having them under one cover provides a rich history of the genre and its best works. Some 130 essays offer her thoughts about the past and present of fantasy and science fiction works, and offers critical reflection on everything from series science fiction to individual titles. It doesn't even matter if you've read the books or not: this collection offers plenty of food for thought and lovely description - enough to compel science fiction lovers to expand their boundaries and reading lists!


The Business Shelf

How to Work for an Idiot
John Hoover, PhD
Career Press
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631916, $15.99, www.careerpress.com

How to Work for an Idiot: Survive & Thrive Without Killing Your Boss has been revised and expanded to include more scenarios revolving around 'idiot' personality types who wind up as business leaders, and how to handle them. Any who want to overcome obstacles thrown up by such idiots will find this a powerful survey packed with even more keys to overcoming cluelessness. From malicious leaders to those who genuinely don't have a clue how business or interpersonal relationships operate, this covers all kinds of personalities and offers many real-world strategies for handling them in an exceptional read recommended for any business reader.

Crown Business
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.crownbusiness.com

Alexa Von Tobel, CFP's FINANCIALLY FEARLESS: THE LEARNVEST PROGRAM FOR TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR MONEY (9780385347617, $19.99) provides a fine financial planning guide from the founder and CEO of one of the leading websites for financial planning, and here promotes her LearnVest program for helping people take charge of their finances. It teaches the basics of putting together a personal financial plan through a series of lessons, tips, and user-friendly pages filled with worksheets and tips on everything from consolidating loans to researching funds. The idea is to put the power and purpose of financial planning into the hands not of planners, but of everyone - and chapters devoted to this purpose outline the virtues of a program that is easy to absorb even for those with no prior financial background. Seth Goldman and Barry Nalebuff's MISSION IN A BOTTLE: THE HONEST GUIDE TO DOING BUSINESS DIFFERENTLY - AND SUCCEEDING (9780770437497, $23.00) tells what happens when two outsiders to the beverage industry decide to make an exceptional bottled tea, and uses an unusual graphic novel format to consider the story of the cofounders of Honest Tea. While the idea was simple, its execution and marketing was not: chapters packed with insights for fellow entrepreneurs explain how the authors used economic theory to develop their strategies and product line. Having all this in a most accessible graphic novel format assures that even those with non-business backgrounds will find the information inviting, not daunting.

Game Plan
Kevin D. Freeman
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781621572008, $27.95, www.regnery.com

Game Plan: How to Protect Yourself from the Coming Cyber-Economic Attack is the first 'how to' investment guide to consider the effects of a cyber attack on economic investments, and is a pick for not just business but self-help and social issues collections alike. It addresses common topics of investing - diversifying a portfolio, including gold investments, and decreasing vulnerability - while including concerns about offensive and defensive strategies involved in a global economic war. Economic warfare could introduce a whole new field of conflict, and any who would prepare for this possibility should consider the advice of Game Plan and its winning ideas for overcoming financial terrorism. How can an ordinary investor prepare for such a possibility? Read Game Plan and find out...

Working with Bitches
Meredith Fuller
Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738216584, $14.99, www.dacapopress.com

Working with Bitches: Identify the 8 Types of Office Mean Girls and Rise Above Workplace Nastiness is a pick for any who face passive-aggressive behaviors, exclusion or insults in the workplace from bitchy behavior. It comes from a psychologist and career counselor who uses some thirty years of experience to expose workplace nastiness and strategies for handling it. More than an analysis of behaviors or identification techniques, this more importantly centers on how to successfully handle such individuals, making it a powerful pick for any business collection.


The Political Science Shelf

Dancing with the Devil
Michael Rubin
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York, NY 10003
9781594057238, $27.99, www.encounterbooks.com

DANCING WITH THE DEVIL: THE PERILS OF ENGAGING ROGUE REGIMES is a pick for collections strong in international politics, and considers world interactions with rogue governments and groups outside the diplomatic norm who sponsor terrorism and threaten the U.S. around the world. Chapters offer a strong history of American diplomacy with these rogue states, trace the costs of dealing with them, and consider more challenges to the processes of traditional diplomacy. The result is a powerful analysis recommended for any collection strong in political studies.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Writing God's Obituary
Anthony B. Pinn
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616148447, $18.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

Writing God's Obituary: How a Good Methodist Became a Better Atheist is written by a man who preached his first sermon at age twelve, became one of the youngest ordained ministers in his denomination at age eighteen, and quickly received a PhD in religion from Harvard University -- all the while struggling with his own growing skepticism. His church was unable to address his questions, he viewed it as being ineffectual in meeting the community at large's needs, and in his mid-twenties he decided to leave the ministry and study humanism, becoming as fervent a non-believer as he had been a believer. Writing God's Obituary outlines his search for meaning and considers the basics problems of God and religion: it's a strong pick for any theology or spirituality collection, providing personal and religious perspectives from an unusual viewpoint.


The Cookbook Shelf

Never Too Late to Go Vegan
Carol J. Adams, et.al.
The Experiment Publishing
220 East 23rd Street, Suite 301, NY, NY 10010
9781615190980, $16.95, www.theexperimentpublishing.com

Never Too Late to Go Vegan: The Over-50 Guide to Adopting and Thriving on a Plant-Based Diet is all about creating a vegan diet and lifestyle to help self and planet, and brings over seventy years of vegan experience to this book, which narrows the focus to vegan concerns later in life. From nutritional needs that change with aging to steps for going vegan and involving friends and family, this incorporates advice from dozens of over-50 vegans and is far more than your usual cookbook approach to the transition into a vegan lifestyle. It is an outstanding survey, highly recommended for any who would go vegan later in life.

The Every Other Day Diet
Krista Varady
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401324933, $25.00, www.hyperion.com

The Every Other Day Diet: The Diet That Lets You Eat All You Want (Half the Time) and Keep the Weight Off isn't just a concept, it's a proven, successful program: one dieter lost 41 pounds on this diet, and kept it off. This isn't just a layman's creation, either: it comes from Dr. Krista Varady, an associate professor of nutrition at the University of Illinois who developed this strategy after conducting scientific studies on hundreds of people in search of a unified diet approach that would work for the largest number. Diet Days are alternated with Feast Days so the dieter feels no loss of food enjoyment or cravings that are never satisfied. It's a very simple concept that requires no measuring, no big changes: quite simply, on Diet Day, you limit calories and on Feast Day, you eat anything you want and as much as you want. It's proven to work and it IS that simple. Some 80 recipes round out the fine presentation.


The Fashion Shelf

Color Me Couture
Catherine Mong
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431314, $12.95, www.ulyssespress.com

COLOR ME COUTURE: IMAGINE, CREATE AND SKETCH YOUR OWN FASHION DESIGNS tells fashion students how to create a personal design studio, and teaches the basics about cuts, patterns and fabrics of the world's finest couture dresses and gowns from designers. The workbook approach provides one page of a finished garment along with design and history notes, with a facing page containing a typical style challenge and a blank model to work with. Fashion students will find this filled with insights and fine styles perfect for learning the finer art of fashion design.

Fashion Design Studio
Chris Hart
Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301, New York, NY 10013
9781936096626, $16.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Fashion Design Studio: Learn to Draw Figures, Fashion, Hairstyles & More is for any who would learn how to draw fashion figures, and teaches aspiring fashion designers how to share their designs. From drawing a figure with the right proportions and poses to adding garments, shoes and more, this offers pages of step-by-step instruction and keys to bringing a fashion design to life. While this could have appeared in our Crafts section for illustrators, it's featured here so that no fashion designer misses these specific details geared to translating ideas into examples.


The Art Shelf

Traces
Ana Mendieta
Hayward Publishing
c/o D.A.P., Distributors
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013
9781853323171, $39.95, www.artbook.com

Traces covers the short artistic career of Ana Mendieta, who created a body of work using her own body combined with elemental materials to explore themes of life, death and spirituality. Her art is all about displaced culture, exile, and alienation, and her works varied from including ancient goddess-forms and fiery representations to color and black and white images of elemental natural sculptures. She worked in a wide range of media and here essays by art historians accompany a catalog of the extent of her works, making this a solid recommendation for any modern arts library as well as those interested in representations of displaced cultural heritage.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Heart Health Bible
John M. Kennedy, MD
DaCapo Lifelong
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738217185, $15.99, www.dacapopress.com

The Heart Health Bible: The 5-Step Plan to Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease provides a fine survey of techniques that work for achieving optimal heart health without drugs, and uses some twenty years of experience as a preventative cardiologist to provide a guide to solving common heart health issues, from high blood pressure to high blood sugar and triglycerides. This formula is presented as a series of steps that can be easily blended into a daily routine and makes for chapters that outline not only solutions, but the more important focus on how to blend them into a lifestyle for lasting change. Highly recommended for any self-help health collection.

Integrative Treatment of Hypertension
Joel A. Blush
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781482206098, $129.95, www.crcpress.com

Integrative Treatment of Hypertension: A Clinical and Mechanistic Approach is a 'must' for any alternative medicine holding, and offers an alternative approach to treating hypertension. It analyzes these treatments based clinical research from authoritative medical journals, explaining how blood pressure works, describing common causes of hypertension, and reviewing medications and their side effects, before proceeding to alternate treatments. From diet to natural supplements, this categories different treatment methods suggests ways of implementing an approach to hypertension that works, and is a solid reference for any health care provider.

Healthy Joints for Life
Richard Diana, MD
Harlequin Books
225 Duncan Mill Road
Don Mills, Ontario, Canada, M3B 3K9
9780373892709, $17.95, www.harlequin.com

Dr. Richard Diana is the only orthopedic surgeon to play in a Super Bowl and here uses his professional background combined with the latest joint research to explore how to reduce inflammation without surgery or medication. It's an eight-week program that uses diet, exercise and supplements to relieve pain, and considers what foods are best to reduce inflammation, which supplements help, and how to incorporate gentle exercise into the program. Any interested in alternatives to surgery will find this a solid focus on inflammation's underlying causes and how to reduce issues.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Confessions of a Casting Director
Jen Rudin
It Books
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.harpercollins.com
9780062292094, $19.99, www.youritlist.com

Confessions of a Casting Director: Help Actors Land Any Role with Secrets from Inside the Audition Room comes from an author with over thirty years in show business who here answers basic questions she always hears, from whether an agent is needed for success to how to build a performing arts career. Whether you're in film, television or stage, this covers everything form commercials and voice overs to web series creations and imparts all the basics to those who aspire to an acting career. A 'must' for any who want details on how show business actually works, and how to get ahead in various pursuits.

Anatomy of An Actor: Meryl Streep
Karina Longworth
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780714866697, $45.00, www.phaidon.com

Anatomy of An Actor: Meryl Streep is one of the most famous actors in American and world history, holding the record for the most Academy Award nominations and winning an Oscar for best actress twice. This examination of her works comes from a Los Angeles film critic and writer and provides an in-depth study of Streep's style, its evolution, and why it made her so famous. From film stills and set photos to coverages filled with information, this is a close-up examination which is powerful and specific, and highly recommended for film collections look for more than casual biographical coverage.

The Best Monologues from the Best American Short Plays V. 1
William W. Demastes
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781480331556, $19.99, www.applausebooks.com

The Best Monologues from the Best American Short Plays V. 1 is for actors of all ages, newcomers as well as veterans, and is for any who want new monologue material for actor practice. The monologues here are excerpts from The Best American Short Plays, presents the works of many of the best playwrights today, and provides single-character pieces that explore a range of acting methods, from comedy to dramas. Each monologue includes a reference identifying where to locate the complete play, for those who want to make it a full-length performance. Teachers and aspiring actors will find this a fine collection.


The Photography Shelf

Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.peachpit.com

Nicole S. Young's Canon EOS 70D: From Snapshots to Great Shots covers the Canon 70D (9780133571257, $24.99), which aims to teach this camera's users how to take not good shots, but terrific, semi-professional shots using the camera. Towards this aim, chapters cover all the modes and settings of the Canon 70D with an eye to exploring what each setting produces and how it can be used to best advantage. From basic settings to advanced uses, chapters offer step-by-step coverage of the Canon EOS 70D in a format any level of user can readily absorb. Add plenty of color photos examples at each step and you have a winning guide indeed! Photoshop for Lightroom Users by Scott Kelby (9780321968708, $39.99) is a pick for any who use Adobe Photoshop Lightroom for editing, and is for the advanced Lightroom user who recognizes they need to use Photoshop to put the finishing touches on finished images. It covers the basics of how Photoshop works in the Lightroom environment, teaches all the basics of using it for editing, retouching, and much more. From adding text over image to using Photoshop tools, this will prove a boon to any who edit and compose photos.


The Education Shelf

High-Impact Writing Clinics
Sara Holbrook and Michael Salinger
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452286860, $36.19, www.corwin.com

High-Impact Writing Clinics: 20 Projectable Lessons for Building Literacy Across Content Areas is for modern students and offers 21st century discussions of Common Core State Standards and writing. It provides some 20 lessons for grades 4-8 that uses poetry to teach writing skills in any subject, providing said poems on a DVD with color photos and graphics to inspire activities where students read, write and discuss. From interpreting how words and phrases appear in text to producing clear writing, this fine survey includes discussions of 'why teach this', anchor standards, and pre-lesson preparations to help the entire instructional process. The result is a solid reference, highly recommended for any teacher's reference collection.

The Hybrid Tiger
Quanyu Huang
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616148515, $19.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Hybrid Tiger: Secrets of the Extraordinary success of Asian-American Kids provides a compelling argument that classroom cultural convergence holds many riches, and it considers the special contributions of Asian students in the educational system as an example of the benefits of incorporating diversity into a classroom. At the heart of the questions are why Asian-American students tend to be so successful. This pairs anecdotes and research with insights on American parents, belief systems, educational approaches and underlying attitudes for a multi-faceted survey no education or social issues collection should be without.


The World History Shelf

Hunting Hitler
Jerome R. Corsi
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781626361713, $22.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

HUNTING HITLER: NEW SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE THAT HITLER ESCAPED NAZI GERMANY offers a shocking expose which considers the idea that Hitler survived the end of World War II. This book is very specific, positing that Hitler made his way to Argentina, there to take up residence. New DNA evidence about the body discovered and presumed to be Hitler's refutes this assumption, while other troubling questions continue to thwart physical evidence about Hitler's remains. The result uses autopsy reports, documents from Soviet archives, and many more research and report source materials to support the author's theories about Hitler's escape and ultimate faith, making this a 'must' for any World War II history holding.


The Social Issues Shelf

Outsmart Waste
Tom Szaky
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781626560246, $15.95, www.bkconnection.com

Outsmart Waste: The Vote for a Cleaner, More Natural World is all about garbage and its management; the garbage we create and its environmental and social hazards. Now, garbage has traditionally been seen as a minor annoyance - so why has it become a major issue in this century, especially when it's not an issue in nature? The author says that in order to 'outsmart' waste, we must understand how it's created and what to do with it. His insights into individual influences and power in producing a waste-free world makes for an engrossing survey on recycling and creating new uses for discarded products.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode
Crystal Paine
Thomas Nelson Press
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9781400206469, $22.99, www.thomasnelson.com

Say Goodbye to Survival Mode comes from the creator of MoneySavingMom.com, and offers a key to survival and meaning for women who believe their lives have been taken over by laundry and home. It addresses the common issues of being overwhelmed and overworked, and it provides nine specific strategies to reduce stress and manage time and money better, using the author's own experiences as a wife and mother of three to provide solid keys to better living. The result is a guide that goes beyond your usual money and time management self-help book to explore the lives of women and their link to a more meaningful existence.


The Music Shelf

Chasing Sound
Sussan Schmidt Horning
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421410227, $45.00, www.press.jhu.edu

CHASING SOUND: TECHNOLOGY, CULTURE & THE ART OF STUDIO RECORDING FROM EDISON TO THE LP is for science, technology and music collections alike and provides a history of recording studios in the U.S. It comes from a former performer who uses original oral interviews with major labels and independent recording engineers as well as musicians and others, rounds all this out with memoirs and sound recordings, and offers a fully rounded survey of the relationship between sound engineering and the development of popular music styles. With its rich and multifaceted focus, this is a powerful pick for does more than traverse the technology of sound recordings: it provides a history on the evolution of sound recording, quality, and even popular music movements, and is a 'must' for any music history or music technology library.


The Science Shelf

Neanderthal Man
Svante Paabo
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
97804650208236, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

Neanderthal Man: In Search of Lost Genomes recounts the author's work in the field of ancient DNA, describes how he arranged the first successful effort to sequence the entire Neanderthal genome, and offers some starting revelations about the process and its newfound implications for mankind's origins. It starts with his study of DNA in ancient Egyptian mummies and covers the methods used for extracting DNA from ancient bones. Chapters connect genetic studies and paleontological records with the debate surround the relationships between modern humans and Neanderthals. The result is a lively chronicle suitable for general-interest readers, paleontology and anthropology students, and any with an interest in genomes.


The Technology Shelf

The Second Machine Age
Erik Brynjolfssson and Andrew McAfee
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393239355, $26.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Second Machine Age: Work, Progress, and Prosperity in a Time of Brilliant Technologies comes from co-founders of MIT's Initiative on the Digital Economy and explains how advances in computer power and global information networks together have created a new technological revolution that is changing the world. It identifies the major influences on what they call The Second Machine Age, which relies on digital data and information processing systems, and it considers how cloud computing, 3D printing and more are creating new social and technological trends around the world - and creating new ethical and moral dilemmas in the process. The result is a powerful survey highly recommended for any social issues and technology collection.

Camtasia Studio and Beyond
Stephanie Torta and Stacey Dunbar
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420339, $49.95, www.merclearning.com

Camtasia Studio and Beyond is recommended for any interested in multimedia presentations and the software surrounding Camtasia Studio's present and prior versions, and offers a basic introduction to its use from installation to production, editing and applications for different kinds of multimedia projects. Chapters cover all the skills needed to incorporate this media into any educational setting, and survey everything form PowerPoint recordings to editing using preview windows and timelines, and using Snagit. The accompanying DVD includes some 30 tutorial video clips, all text images in color, and more. With its black and white screen shots and real-world applications, this shouldn't be missed.

Microwave Circulator Design, second edition
Douglas K. Linkhart
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075836, $149.00, www.artechhouse.com

The second updated edition of Microwave Circulator Design represents vast changes in the microwave and electronics industry, especially in the 25 years since publication of the first book, and is thus a recommended replacement for any older copies and a pick for newcomers interested in the latest microwave design systems. Resources discuss the various units used in design computations, theories of operations, and examples on how to apply problem-solving routines using circulators to the latest real-world design challenges. Packed with specific technical detail, this is a 'must' for any electronics reference collection strong in microwave design.


The Language Studies Shelf

Form, Meaning and Focus in American Sign Language
Miako N. P. Rankin
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563685736, $70.00, http://gupress.gallaudet.edu

Form, Meaning and Focus in American Sign Language is recommended for any collection strong in linguistics in general and deaf communication in particular, and provides a new study - the 19th in the Sociolinguistics in Deaf Communication series, to consider specific types of ASL expressions and how it expresses nonagent focus. College-level students will find this assessment of ASL expressions traces patterns, meanings and various forms of focus on the agent, offering keys to understanding the implications of ASL in the teaching world in particular. Any more than lightly concerned about ASL specifics will find this a scholarly, key acquisition.


The Nautical Shelf

As Long as It's Fun
Herb McCormick
Paradise Cay Publicaitons
PO Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518-0029
9781929214983, $18.95, www.paracay.com

Ask any sailor about the names Lin and Larry Pardey and you'll receive instant recognition: they are the couple best known for their sailing exploits, their long list of popular sailing books, and a marriage that has lasted nearly fifty years. Despite all the books and DVDs and recognition, many a sailor might not know the specifics about their lives and choices: enter As Long as It's Fun, a humorous and involving biography that recounts their sailing career using interviews with families, friends and critics. It's an adventure story, it's a love story, and it will prove engaging to any who love stories of the sea.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Standup Guy
Stuart Woods
Putnam
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780399164149, $26.95, www.penguin.com

Standup Guy provides readers with an exciting new Stone Barrington novel, and is a recommendation for prior fans as well as newcomers. Here Stone's newest client, a polite gentleman, comes to him seeking legal advice on a dilemma. Stone sets him right but their encounter doesn't end there: several others are interested in the gentleman and may be pursing him. As Stone becomes involved in a hunt that takes him from Florida to the Northeast, he finds danger at many turns. The result is a fine thriller/mystery that will leave readers guessing right up to its unpredictable conclusion.


The Railroading Shelf

Basic Trackwork for Model Railroaders, second edition
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890249383, $19.99, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Basic Trackwork for Model Railroaders appears in its second edition to provide a narrowed focus on track installation, and is a recommended pick designed to profile the latest products, manufacturers, and techniques for laying flextrack, Handlay track and more. From installing turnouts to using techniques for smooth operations, this is a solid reference model railroaders will find invaluable, packed with large-size step-by-step color photos covering installation methods and leaving nothing to guesswork.


The Military Shelf

Plenty of Time When We Get Home
Kayla Williams
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393239362, $25.95, www.wwnorton.com

Plenty of Time When We Get Home: Love and Recovery in the Aftermath of War tells of author Sergeant Kayla Williams, an Arabic linguist deployed to Iraq whose life is changed by an injured fellow soldier who is predicted to never regain total functional independence again. Despite the grim prognosis a relationship blossomed between the two and overcame all obstacles - including struggling with a military medical snafu which ordered McGough back to base without rehabilitation or addressing the severe mental and physical challenges he faced. As Williams faced her own challenges returning to civilian life as a female veteran, the two found strength to face severe challenges to their happiness and life, eventually moving forward together. Plenty of Time When We Get Home is a powerful testimony to the power of love and the failings of the military to address veteran issues. It should be in every military collection.

Damn Few
Rorke Denver
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401312800, $16.00, www.hyperion.com

Damn Few: Making the Modern SEAL Warrior comes from the former head of basic and Advanced SEAL Training and Ellis Henican, who together examine everything SEALS do, from how they are recruited and trained to their deployment and actions. SEALs are changing the face of warfare and military strategy itself, so it's refreshing to see an account that is more than autobiographical experience, focusing on how Navy SEAL operations are made. From how the program itself has evolved to its underlying psychology and behaviors, this is a solid and in-depth examination that is a 'must' for any serious military collection.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Thomas G. Ivie's ACES OF THE 325TH FIGHTER GROUP (9781780963013, $22.95) covers one of the most successful USAAF fighter groups of World War 2, and focuses on their aviation successes and tours of duty in North Africa and Italy. Over 202 successes from the total 537 aerial victories against the Luftwaffe were credited to these aces, making this in-depth coverage a powerful comprehensive history for aviation and military holdings alike. Chapters consider events and offer first-hand accounts of combat, packing in vintage black and white photos throughout. The result is a solid pick for any military history holding. Paul F. Crickmore's LOCKHEED A-12: THE CIA'S BLACKBIRD AND OTHER VARIANTS (9781472801133, $18.95) traces the struggles of the early years of the Cold War, when reconnaissance flights were the primary method of gaining intelligence, and focuses specifically on the development and deployment of the A-12, the first Blackbird. This aircraft represented a vast departure for both aviation development and intelligence practices, preceding later Blackbird programs and fostering in a new era of intelligence-gathering opportunities. Chapters use declassified A-12 aerial photos and technical analysis to provide the history of the early Blackbirds, making for a top pick for any military history or aviation collection. Alexander Mladenov works with illustrator Adam Tooby in SUKHOI SU-25 FROGFOOT (9781782003595, $18.95), a survey of the first Soviet jet dedicated by design to CAS (Close Air Support). Color illustrations and vintage photos accompany history and coverage of the Soviet Air Force's first mass-produced jet for this purpose, providing plenty of insights into military strategy, aviation history, and wartime operations. Any military collection looking for a clear and in-depth survey of the Frogfoot will find this a 'must have' acquisition. Stephen Bull's BRITISH INFANTRYMAN VERSUS GERMAN INFANTRYMAN: SOMME 1916 (9781782009146, $18.95) centers around the battle of the Somme, a brutal encounter that resulted in tens of thousands of British casualties on its first day alone. This battle - which waged on throughout the autumn of 1916 - pitted Kitchner's volunteers against Hitler's veteran fighters in three separate battles. With its narrow focus on this particular conflict and the realities of front-line combat during World War I, BRITISH INFANTRYMAN VERSUS GERMAN INFANTRYMAN: SOMME 1916 is a strong historical survey recommended for any collection interested in World War I encounters.


The Native American Studies Shelf

The Native American Renaissance
Alan R. Velie, et.al.
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806144023, $29.95, www.oupress.com

The Native American Renaissance: Literary Imagination and Achievement is a recommendation for American literature and Native American collections alike, and provides college-level readers with a new addition to the 'American Indian Literature and Critical Studies' series. Since 1968 and the publication of Scott Momaday's classic Pulitzer Prize-winning House Made of Dawn, there's been a outpouring of such literature, and these scholarly essays consider this wealth and how Native American writers have influenced one another. From considerations of particular genres, such as Native American drama, to discussions of how Native writers have influenced one another, The Native American Renaissance makes suitable reading for any college-level collection looking for in-depth analysis.


The Marriage Shelf

The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages
Shanti Feldhahn
WaterBrook Press
c/o Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group
12265 Oracle Boulevard, Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
9781601421210, $17.99, www.waterbrookmultnomah.com

The Surprising Secrets of Highly Happy Marriages is a recommendation for any who have an intimate relationship or aspires to a happier relationship, and outlines the common habits the most highly happy couples share regardless of any other connections. Small changes can lead to big results, and can be as simple as understanding the different desires men and women have for acknowledgment, why 'going to bed mad' may be a smarter choice than trying to make up, and how to cultivate the habits that lead to greater understanding and joy. Chapters provide specific examples in a book certain to be a winner for any looking for marriage advice based on proven success strategies.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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