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The Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 5 May 2014 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Education Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Technology Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf
Political Science Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Science Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Nautical Shelf Computer Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Crafts Shelf Sports Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf American History Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Love Illuminated
Daniel Jones
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.harpercollins.com
9780062211163, $25.99, www.williammorrow.com

LOVE ILLUMINATED: EXPLORING LIFE'S MOST MYSTIFYING SUBJECT (WITH THE HELP OF 50,000 STRANGERS) provides a fine survey from the long-time editor of the New York Times popular Modern Love column, and here provides a survey on the meaning of love. From how to find love and whether it's achieved through hard work or destiny to how online and in-person relationships function, the concept of 'true love' even when trust is broken, and how loyalty influences romance, this is a powerful survey that considers love's different forms and social encounters, and is recommended for any general-interest collection.

Extreme Bricks
Sarah Herman
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781626362123, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

EXTREME BRICKS: SPECTACULAR, RECORD-BREAKING AND ASTOUNDING LEGO PROJECTS FROM AROUND THE WORLD charts the ruse of adult fans of LEGO and the complex modeling, and details the rise of large-scale projects in a fine survey that documents some of the finest LEGO constructions in the world. Some two hundred color photos of these achievements accompanies a powerful survey highly recommended for any fan of LEGO building and adult LEGO achievement.

After Effects Apprentice, third edition
Trish & Chris Meyer
Focal Press
c/o Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann
3251 Riverport Lane, Maryland Heights, MO 63043
www.elsevier.com
9780240817361, $24.95, www.focalpress.com

After Effects Apprentice: Real-World Skills for the Aspiring Motion Graphics Artist appears in its third updated edition to cover CS6/5.5/5, and is for novice to intermediate users of the digital video program. Some eleven basic lessons accompany a final project that combines all the lessons in a title newly updated to cover all the new features in the latest After Effects program. Digital video users can use this either as a basic primer, a classroom-in-a-book, or as a reference to animating, handling footage, using new environments with shots, and more. The step-by-step instructions cover all features and explain why some techniques may be used over others. The result is an outstanding survey, recommended for any multimedia or digital video collection.

Sex After
Iris Krasnow
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592408276, $26.00, www.penguin.com

SEX AFTER...WOMEN SHARE HOW INTIMACY CHANGES AS LIFE CHANGES shares true stories of women's intimate relationships and considers, decade by decade, the typical patterns that women take in the course of their lives. From senior women who date to young love, this is all about intimate connections at all phases of life, after health struggles, menopause, and other typical life challenges. Stories here address social and health changes, pair with medical advice from experts and healthcare professionals, and provide wide-reading perspectives on modern sexual health and intimacy - all this couched in a lively, readable account you simply wont' find elsewhere.


The Education Shelf

Cracking the AP Chemistry Exam 2014
Paul Foglino, et.al.
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780804124750, $18.99, www.princetonreviewbooks.com

Cracking the AP Chemistry Exam 2014 offers two full-length practice tests with proven techniques to help you score higher, and is recommended for any high school collection strong in college prep materials. It has been revised and updated for the new exam and adapts all of its drills, tests and strategies to the latest materials, including the new test topics and practices for blending the new multiple choice and constructed response question types. Formulas, explanations and insights make for a powerful, highly recommended study for any AP Chemistry student.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Mindful Living with Asperger's Syndrome
Chris Mitchell
Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849054348, $19.95, www.jkp.com

Mindful Living with Asperger's Syndrome: Everyday Mindfulness Practices to Help You Tune in to the Present Moment is based on the author's own life experiences, travels and meditations and considers how mindfulness can help with typical AS problems, from sensory issues to social situations. Step-by-step mindfulness practices that can easily blend into any lifestyle are suggested, from yoga stretches to breathing routines, and teach the basics of how to live mindfully in the moment.

Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics, second edition
Susan J. Westrick
Jones & Bartlett Learning
5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
9781284030204, $92.95, www.jblearning.com

Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics appears in its second updated edition to explain and explore legal aspects of nursing, and will make an excellent college-level text for any involved in the nursing profession. It provides scholarly chapters that cover everything from patient safety and rights to organ donation and the use of social media by nurses, it reviews ethical issues, and it updates legal and ethical issues. New discussions of staffing, professional boundaries and more make this a 'must' for any studying nursing.

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

Healthy Joints for Life isn't about surgery, even though it comes from an orthopedic surgeon: instead, it's his proven plan to reduce inflammation to avoid surgery and comes from his decades of clinical experience and the latest research on molecular NFkBs which play a role in inflammation. It's actually a program that focuses on what foods reduce inflammation, which supplements help, and how to incorporate movement into a routine designed to heal joints and keep them healthy. As the author has been a consultant to several collegiate athletic programs and has extensive background in an approach that works, his is a top recommendation for any who would consider an alternative approach to the usual surgery advice currently given for many joint conditions.

Heimlich's Maneuvers
Henry J. Heimlich, MD
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616148508, $19.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

Heimlich's Maneuvers: My Seventy Years of Lifesaving Innovation is medical biography writing at its best and provides a survey of his years in medicine and the many other life-saving inventions he developed, from the Heimlich Chest Drain Valve to the MicroTrach which provides a better way for people to take oxygen. In the past decade he's done extensive research on cancer and HIV: this too is described in an account that considers medical breakthroughs, research approaches, and the controversies his new ideas have sparked in the medical community. The result is a powerful survey any medical collection should have.

The Low-Carb Fraud
T. Colin Campbell, PhD with Howard Jacobson, PhD
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, STE 400, Dallas, TX 75204
9781940363097, $16.95, www.benbellabooks.com

The Low-Carb Fraud comes from a leader in nutritional science who outlines how the popular proponents of a low-carb diet are failing, and provides a critical assessment of the belief that carbohydrates are bad. All carbs, indeed, aren't equal and to consider them as such holds dangerous ramifications for health. Any who are considering a low-carb approach to nutrition should start here: it provides insights on nutrition and food management and is a 'must' for any who would go beyond diet promises to understand the nutritional foundations for healthy versus unhealthy diets.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Story Telling God
Jared C. Wilson
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
9781433536687, $14.99, www.crossway.org

The Story Telling God focuses on Christ's parables and discusses how each is designed to bring listeners to Jesus, and is the perfect book for any who would understand how Jesus used parables to illustrate the ways of God. Humor and analysis blend in a survey that considers the beginning, message and conclusion of each parable and how it relates to spiritual insights. From points of common parables that are often missed to significant characters, The Story Telling God examines how stories serve as instructional plans for understanding spiritual goals, and provide any Christian readers with many specific details perfect for furthering understanding.

True and Holy
Leo D. Leffebure
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781626980532, $30.00, www.orbisbooks.com

True and Holy: Christian Scripture and Other Religions provides a fine survey of how Christians view other religions and considers traditional Christian involvements with Judaism, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism, documenting a shift in each from an atmosphere of hostility to one of respect. Theologians receive a detailed and scholarly investigation that documents the history of Christian interactions with other religions to provide a strong contrast of modern-day perspectives and changes. From Christian interpretations of Muslim and other religious beliefs to new approaches to biblical interpretation, this pairs analysis with quotes from source materials and is a pick for any scholarly Christian collection!


The Technology Shelf

Remote Sensing of Natural Resources
Guangxing Wang and Qihao Weng, Editors
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466556928, $129.95, www.crcpress.com

Remote Sensing of Natural Resources joins others in the Taylor & Francis Series in Remote Sensing Applications, and is recommended for college-level collections strong in environmental science. It highlights new technologies and explores these remote sensing systems and algorithms for image processing and data applications, discussing how this is used for evaluating natural resources from sampling to land management issues and modeling. Chapters include case studies of recent developments and changes to classic methods and techniques as a result of these technologies, and covers a wide range of remote sensing systems and options. With plenty of bibliographical references and black and white illustrations, charts, tables and specifics, this is a 'must' for any serious environmental reference collection.

Filter Synthesis Using Genesys S/Filter
Randall W. Rhea
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608078028, $129.00, www.artechhouse.com

Filter Synthesis Using Genesys S/Filter provides a practical guide to Genesys software for filter design and is a recommendation for any engineering collection strong in microwave and RF filter mechanics. The focus is on solving common filter problems with lumped element and distributed filters, and chapters accomplish this through diagrams, charts, mathematical expressions, and discussions of everything from Ikeno transforms to piezoelectric devices. Resistance sources, power matches, poor return loss and bandwidth, and many other issues are surveyed in the course of a discussion engineers will find both specific and applicable to real-world issues. The result is a 'must' for any working with filters.


The Cookbook Shelf

In a While, Crocodile
Patrice Keller Kononchek and Lauren Malone Keller
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455618422, $21.95, www.pelicanpub.com

In a While, Crocodile: New Orleans Slow Cooker Recipes is a satisfying change from your usual slow cooker general collection, narrowing the focus to classic New Orleans gumbos, meatballs and more and accompanying recipes with lively anecdotes. Color photos of such dishes as Muffuletta Mambo Pasta - an innovation on the classic sandwich - and Flambeaux Gumbo (packed with sausage, chicken, and spices) make for a lovely collection of dishes that take classics, add innovative twists, then adapt them to the slow cooker's strengths. The result is a wonderful collection highly recommended for any New Orleans or slow cooker fan.

125 Best Casseroles and One-Pot Meals
Rose Murray
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778800552, $19.95, www.robertrosa.ca

125 Best Casseroles and One-Pot Meals provides a fine collection of meals suitable for busy people who want homemade food with a minimum of fuss, and features a variety of make-ahead meals. These aren't complex dishes but recipes perfect for beginning cooks who don't want to stock a pantry of exotic ingredients, and provide foods elegant enough for entertaining and portable, quick weeknight dinners alike. Add in several centerfolds of color photos and you have a winner!

Harvest
Max Watman
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393063028, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

HARVEST: FIELD NOTES FROM A FAR-FLUNG PURSUIT OF REAL FOOD comes from an author who resolved to hunt, fish, bake, preserve and handle his own food. He buys a thousand-pound steer, raises chickens, and gardens and here in his memoir records his experiences as he tries to become more connected to food sources. There are successes and failures, trials and errors, and challenges such as making his own cheese. His accounts are lively journeys of discovery both in food circles and of his own strengths, and make for a powerful account highly recommended for any interested in real food discoveries and sustainable small-scale food production.

Almonds Every Which Way
Brooke McLay
Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738217383, $18.99, www.dacapopress.com

Almonds Every Which Way packs in over 150 almond milk, flour and butter recipes and provides fine alternatives to wheat-based dishes, making this cookbook accessible to gluten-free and vegan readers alike. Basic recipes for almond milks, butters and flours accompany keys for storing and using these ingredients in the recipes that follow, with chapters using almond milk in creamy soups, flour in pizza crusts, and butter in roasted cinnamon squash, to name just a few of the recipes within. A centerfold of color photos provides attraction for any interested in using almonds to their best advantage.


The Audiobook Shelf

Ask Deepak About Love & Relationships
Deepak Chopra
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480535077, $14.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Ask Deepak About Love & Relationships is performed by Chopra and Joyce Bean and provides an inspirational collection of reflections and advice from a spiritual philosopher whose writings have seen much success. Having his reflections in audio provides a winning format for a series designed to encourage people to live better lives with more spiritual and social awareness. The result is a recommendation for any spiritual thinker.

Mandela: An Audio History
Desmond Tutu, Host
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220, Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781622314331, $16.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Mandela: An Audio History provides an introduction by Mandela, a foreword by Joe Richman, and over an hour's history recounting Mandela's struggle against apartheid, and is hosted by Desmond Tutu in a documentary from Radio Diaries that features first-person accounts from those who fought with Mandela. This commemorative audio includes expanded interviews with Mandela and others and Richman's new foreword, along with a 32-page booklet of historic photos and a program transcript, making it a 'must' for any interested in Mandela.

On the Edge
Alison Levine
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781478925224, $30.00, www.hachetteaudio.com

ON THE EDGE; THE ART OF HIGH-IMPACT LEADERSHIP is narrated by the author in an unabridged audio that makes the case that leadership principles that work in the world of adventure also apply to business. The audio pairs the two seemingly different worlds and Levine narrates her own stories of life-or-death struggles and how they held lessons for business and survival in all areas of life. The result is a powerful program highly recommended for any business or self-improvement audio listener.

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

James Patterson & Mark Sullivan's PRIVATE L.A. (9781611130454, $35.00) appears in an unabridged audio pairing the solid, involving narrative skills of Jay Snyder with all of his Broadway theater and television experience with another gripping Patterson saga. Who would you kill to keep a secret? In Los Angeles two well-loved celebrities vanish - and Jack Morgan and Justine Smith embark on a secret investigation to find not just a killer, but the truth behind a much-loved couple's facade. As events coalesce to a surprising conclusion, thriller readers receive an audio listen that is gripping and hard to stop. An engrossing pick for any audio listener! Kevin Myers and John C. Maxwell's HOME RUN: LEARN GOD'S GAME PLAN FOR LIFE AND LEADERSHIP (9781478952367, $25.00) provides a powerful message and comes from a Christian leader who struggled for five years before God pointed out a biblical way of living that changed his life and ministry. Using a baseball diamond as an analogy, Myers and Maxwell discuss a better path involving prioritizing, developing a better connection with God, and more. The result is a series of lessons and applications that will prove a key to success in this work-driven world, offering a foundation of belief and a method for tapping its strengths. Annie Jacobsen's OPERATION PAPERCLIP: THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT NAZI SCIENTISTS TO AMERICA (9781619691537, $35.00) is narrated by the author, a journalist who provides a passionate and smooth reading to this expose of America's secret post-World War II science programs, and is a pick for any who enjoy true accounts of war crimes and political intrigue. Exclusive interviews with dozens of Paperclip family members and interrogators contribute to a powerful survey of a decades-long covert project to bring Hitler's scientists and their families to the U.S...all of which springs exquisitely to life in audio. Mark Hyman, MD's THE BLOOD SUGAR SOLUTION 10-DAY DETOX DIET (9781619696051, $30.00) is more than just another diet guide: it presents a clinically proven program by an MD who shows how to achieve fast, sustained weight loss that solves common ailments and revolves around eliminating an addiction to sugar and carbs. The 'detox' diet approach advocates breaking this addiction and substituting healthy foods, and provides steps to stopping food cravings, balancing sugar levels, and burning calories whether awake or asleep. The result is a fine set of detailed instructions that come alive in audio! Chelsea Handler's CHELSEA CHELSEA BANG BANG (9781478925644, $25.00) is narrated by Chelsea herself and is packed with the humor that has made her name synonymous with comedy. This essay collection provides a funny view of her bad behaviors and her outrageous life, and packs in a wide variety of crazy encounters of the Chelsea kind. The fact that it's narrated by Chelsea herself gives this the branding it needs to prove an exceptional listen. Scott McEwen and Richard Miniter's EYES ON TARGET (9781478952404, $30.00) comes from the eyes of current and former Navy SEAL members and provides an insider's account of their deadliest missions. It describes some major SEAL operations from the birth of SEAL Team Six to Afghanistan, it discusses the changing nature of terrorism and anti-terrorist responses, and it reveals the results of interviews to those who live by different rules and instincts. All this is paired with Holter Graham's fine performances and audiobook expertise to bring the account to life in fine pick for military and general collections alike.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Steeped in Evil
Laura Childs
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425252956, $25.95, www.penguin.com

STEEPED IN EVIL includes recipes and tea dishes in a new Tea Shop mystery centered around a dead body found in a wine barrel at an upscale winery. Theodosia is called upon to investigate, and she finds that everyone at the winery seems to be lying. Now, investigating a wine-based murder may seem out of character for a tea shop owner, but Theodosia is involved simply because of the invitation to a fancy wine-tasting party where the body was discovered. And it's proprietor Jordan who turns to her when the police are stymied. Add an investigation packed with too many suspects and you have a vivid, memorable read perfect for prior fans of Theodosia and newcomers alike!

Private L.A.
James Patterson and Mark Sullivan
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316211123, $28.00, www.littlebrown.com

Private L.A. provides a tense thriller revolving around a vanished popular Hollywood couple and an investigation that strikes at the heart of long-held Hollywood illusions, and is a pick for any mystery or thriller reader. The Harlows are celebrities who seem to have the perfect life - they're movie stars with a dream family and philanthropic perspective on life, so when they suddenly disappear, P.I.s Jack Morgan and Justine Smith are secretly flown in to investigate. What they discover will rock the foundations of Hollywood in this tense saga of discovery and danger.

Stone Cold
C.J. Box
G. P. Putnam's Sons
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780399160769, $26.95, www.penguin.com

STONE COLD provides a fine Joe Pickett novel and is a recommendation for any who like thrillers replete with sudden disappearances, rich strangers, a secretive Wyoming ranch, and murder. Joe Pickett is a game warden, who is assigned to get at the root of all these problems until he discovers that all of the evidence is merely the tip of the iceberg. When his rooting around uncovers a dangerous killer who takes a dislike to Joe, this only proves to be one of his evolving problems in a case that assumes a life of its own. Intrigue, mystery, and detective work blend in an engrossing saga filled with satisfying twists and turns of plot.


The Fiction Shelf

Moth and Spark
Anne Leonard
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670015702, $27.95, www.penguin.com

Moth and Spark is set in the country of Caithen, which has been at peace for centuries, and revolves around a price who discovers there are gaps in his memory after he returns home from the north. Add more than a dash of romance when a girl invited to court as a guest falls under the prince's eye and you have a story of an evolving, forbidden relationship between a commoner and royalty with the threat of unheard-of war looming over everything. While the introduction of dragons would make this accessible to fantasy readers as well, Moth and Spark is actually a vivid story of conflict, change and confrontation and will immerse any historical novel reader in a fantasy setting all too real.


The Political Science Shelf

Thermonuclear Monarchy
Elaine Scarry
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
9780393080087, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

Thermonuclear Monarchy: Choosing Between Democracy and Doom provides a powerful argument that the idea that one political leader can 'press the button' and use nuclear lives violates our constitutional rights and is at odds with basic premises of our nation, and examines the U.S. nuclear arsenal and who controls its deployment. The President has ultimate control over nuclear use, and Scarry argues that given the expansion of nuclear weapons and limited congressional powers, this has created a highly charged social and political scenario in which nuclear weapons can never be controlled. Her assessment is striking and packed with examples of near-misses and wider political assessments of who should remain that close to the trigger.

Hoover's FBI and the Fourth Estate
Matthew Cecil
University Press of Kansas
2501 West 15th Street, Lawrence, KS 66049
9780700619467, $34.95, www.kansaspress.ku.edu

Hoover's FBI and the Fourth Estate isn't a recap of Hoover politics and history, but represents the author's research into new evidence about the purpose, nature and approach of the propaganda used by Hoover to intimidate America's media into exaggerating FBI actions: as such, it's a probe of the institution's criminal activities and a powerful survey of the degradation of civil liberties of its times. Chapters consider the FBI legend and realities with a look at exactly how Hoover's FBI evolved, and provide a powerful analysis and assessment highly recommended for any college-level political studies shelf.


The Needlecraft Shelf

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

Quiltmaker Magazine's 501 QUILTING MOTIFS: DESIGNS FOR HAND OR MACHINE QUILTING (9781604684384, $19.99) comes from the editors of Quiltmaker Magazine and provides a collection packed with motifs gathered from over 26 years of the magazine. Indexes cross-reference each motif by size and style, while guidelines for selecting and transferring each accompany categories that make it easy to locate by themes. The result is a lively pattern book that quilters will find a solid reference. Stephanie Dunphy's UNCOMMONLY CORDUROY (9781604683998, $27.99) features some 17 fun projects from quilts to bags and scarves - all made using corduroy either alone or in combination with traditional quilting cottons or other fabrics. Projects are aimed at all skills levels from beginners to experienced needleworkers and provide bright color photos, patterns, and clear explanations. Any who want a focus on corduroy will find this an exceptional guide! Carol Rasmussen Noble and Cheryl Potter's LAVISH LACE: KNITTING WITH HAND-PAINTED YARNS (9781564775481, $24.99) tells how to create over a dozen scarves and shawls with no shaping requirements, and teaches how to work with different fibers and colors for maximum results. Techniques include tips on using patterns, will appeal to beginners as well as advanced knitters, and provide a range of lace projects that only assume knitters know how to read classic knitting directions. Full-page color photos and a host of colorful ideas make this a winning selection. Deborah M. Poole's YOU CAN QUILT IT! STUNNING FREE-MOTION QUILTING DESIGNS MADE EASY (9781604682953, $27.99) is a pick for any who would venture into the world of machine quilting, and teaches the basics in a series of step-by-step instructions on how to make feathers, cross-hatching and quilt border designs. Examples of thread paths and freehand design processes accompany large-size patterns, color photo examples, and keys to using stencils and machines to achieve optimum results. The result is an excellent survey of the entire process of free-motion quilting and designing that will prove a perfect introduction to any machine quilter!


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Soul Healing Miracles
Dr. & Master Zhi Gang Sha
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400, Dallas, TX 75204
9781940363073, $24.95, www.benbellabooks.com

Soul Healing Miracles maintains that millions of people suffer from spiritual and mental sickness as well as physical ailments, and that there's a program for those with limited or no access to healthcare. The book is this program, offering Master Sha's teachings on 'soul healing miracles' that discuss sacred wisdom and techniques that enable individuals to create their own 'soul healing'. It represents the first time that The Source Ling Guang (Soul Light) Calligraphy is offered in a book form - calligraphies that carry matter, energy and soul of The Source. Enlightening, involving chapters provide a vivid survey new age and spirituality collections will find specific and important.

The Hero's Journey
Joseph Campbell
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608681891, $19.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

The Hero's Journey: Joseph Campbell on His Life and Work is a fine blend of psychology and religion and recommended for any new age collection seeing popularity with Campbell's writings. It provides a series of dialogues with Campbell and fills in the blanks regarding his life, gathering conversations between Campbell and the contemporaries he inspired. From the origins of myth and its function in society to artistry and its representation in society, The Hero's Journey is a fine pick to accompany any collection strong in Campbell's more philosophical and spiritual works.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Native Memoirs from the War of 1812
Carl Benn
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421412191, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Native Memoirs from the War of 1812 documents how native peoples played major roles in the War of 1812 as allies of both the U.S. and Great Britain. Few wrote about their experiences, but two recorded their stories: British-allied chief Black Hawk and American soldier William Apess, a Christian convert who lived on a reservation in Connecticut. Their autobiographies here provide important, contrasting scenarios about decisions to take up arms, fight, and the consequences of engagement on both sides. Any collection strong in college-level analysis of this war and Native roles in American history will find this a powerful survey based on source references.


The Science Shelf

Consciousness and the Brain
Stanislas Dehaene
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670025435, $27.95, www.penguin.com

Consciousness and the Brain: Deciphering How the Brain Codes Our Thoughts offers a scientific survey of the human brain and how it understands the world, with the idea of helping define the realm of human consciousness itself. Groundbreaking research shows how subjective and personal experiences can lend to research and serves as the foundation for an examination by a cognitive neuroscientist who writes about all the disciplines involved in the science of consciousness. Descriptions of philosophy, ethics and more explain this emerging field and provide a fine account suitable for health, psychology and science holdings as well as general-interest readers.

Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum
Leonard Susskind & Art Friedman
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465038677, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

Quantum Mechanics: The Theoretical Minimum: What You Need to Know to Start Doing Physics comes from a renowned theoretical physicist who here provides lay readers with a concise introduction to the math and science of quantum physics. Readers who have wanted to understand quantum mechanics should ideally have a basic knowledge of calculus and linear algebra, but not necessarily physics. Chapters directed to this audience covers basic physics ideas and links them to math, offering a fine foundation for any interested in furthering their physics understanding.

Computing with Quantum Cats
John Gribbin
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616149215, $28.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

Computing with Quantum Cats From Colossus to Qubits studies the latest in the computer world: quantum computers, which rely on particles or atoms existing in two states at the same time. John Gribbin uses quantum physics to argue for a universe of 'many parallel worlds' and explains how quantum theory led to quantum computing work theory and its eventual applications. Chapters explore the potential applications of such computers and technology, moving from the world of PCs to smartphones and other devices, and they consider the evolution of a communications system that could supersede light. The result is an engrossing, lively physics discussion that any general reader will find accessible.

Worlds Without End
Mary-Jane Rubenstein
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231156622, $28.95, www.cup.columbia.edu

WORLDS WITHOUT END: THE MANY LIVES OF THE MULTIVERSE talks about the 'multiverse' cosmologies which consider that our universe may be just one of a vast number of others. Now, this is not a new concept: literature and religion has posited such for centuries. What is new is a modern approach which considers it as a scientific hypothesis with different supportive models stemming from cosmology and other physics approaches. This history of this approach begins with ancient philosophies and works forward to consider the evolution of the multiverse concept and its various incarnations and research, and is a 'must' for any who would understand the science and physics of the concept.

Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field
Nancy Forbes and Basil Mahon
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616149420, $25.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

Faraday, Maxwell, and the Electromagnetic Field: How Two Men Revolutionized Physics provides a fine blend of science and biography, and is a pick for any serious science collection. Faraday overcame class prejudice and a lack of math training to achieve fame, Maxwell was an educated philosopher and physicist who made many discoveries, and the two collaborated on works that were to challenge and transform field theory. Here two science writers explore their interactions, their physics and engineering achievements, and their lives, blending perspectives to create a focus that illuminates both men and their backgrounds and achievements. The result is a lively survey that science and general-interest collections alike will relish.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Notes on Feline Internal Medicine, second edition
Kit Sturgess
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780470671177, $59.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Notes on Feline Internal Medicine appears in its second updated edition and joins a series designed in a note-based style for vets and students who want quick diagnostic insights, and is recommended for any veterinary reference library. It covers key areas of feline medicine, approaches to common presenting signs and diagnosis, and covers diseases and more, with a focus on initial testing for a disease and results. Students will find the format more accessible than most and will welcome this fine survey!

The Dog Trainer's Resource 3
Adrienne Hovey, Editor
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
9781617811326, $24.95, www.dogwise.com

The Dog Trainer's Resource 3: The APDRT Chronicle of the Dog Collection is all about the business and technique of training dogs, and offers some of the best articles gathered from the APDT Chronicle of the Dog to date. It covers developing training skills in areas many trainers lack, it reflects the latest insights in dog behavior, and it also includes a healthy dose of tips on running a training business, from establishing a business to marketing it and dealing with different kinds of dogs. From defining a dog's traits and changes in how these traits are perceived and worked with to models for working with shelter or rescue dogs and general concepts on behavior modification processes, remedies for common problems such as excessive barking, this is a definitive reference any aspiring dog trainer will need.


The Nautical Shelf

Sail and Motor Boats: Easy Solutions to Onboard Problems
Hans Muhlbauer
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764344251, $29.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Sail and Motor Boats: Easy Solutions to Onboard Problems offers a fine solution-based survey from a seasoned sailor who uses his years of experience to consider safety and sailboat challenges, from rigging to lights, anchors, electronics and waste systems. It's a handbook that covers the basics of sailing systems, adds tips and packs in color photos on every page, and provides quick at-a-glance solutions to typical boat problems. All that's needed is an interest in sailboats, making this a recommended pick for any nautical and many a general-interest collection.

The Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands, 13th edition
Chris Doyle
Cruising Guide Publications
1130 Pinehurst Road, Suite B, Dunedin, FL 34698
9780944428979, $34.95, www.cruisingguides.com

The Cruising Guide to the Leeward Islands appears in its 13th updated edition to cover the island history and navigation of the Leeward Islands from Anguilla through Dominica, and is a destination-oriented nautical reference for any who want the latest details on the area. Updated information to this edition includes new information on navigation, new customs and immigration regulations, weather, communications to include WiFi availability, marinas, and more. In addition to the tips on new regulations and processes, readers will find photos of the best anchorages and keys to onshore amenities, along with an island-arranged directory that includes services along with addresses, phones, websites and emails. Simply packed with practical cruising information, this is not to be missed!


The Computer Shelf

R for Everyone
Jared P. Lander
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321888037, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw

R for Everyone: Advanced Analytics and Graphics joins others in Addison Wesley's 'Data & Analytics Series' and will reach programmers interested in exploring the potentials and applications of the open source R language. It shows how to build statistical models but is tailored for non-statistician audiences, assume no prior statistics knowledge as it teaches the basics of statistical programming objectives. The focus isn't on everything R can do; it's on the common routines and functions necessary to know to achieve 80 percent of modern data tasks. From bare-bones basics backed by practice and sample code to improving program efficiency and build linear and nonlinear models, this covers nearly everything the newcomer programmer needs to know about R.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

2014 North American Coins & Prices, 23rd edition
David C. Harper, Editor
Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.krausebooks.com
97814402437997, $21.99, www.shopnumismaster.com

The 23rd updated edition of 2014 North American Coins & Prices features nearly 50,000 individual coin listings and updated prices for the U.S., Canada and Mexico and provides a fine guide for coin collectors, dealers and any interested in coin values. All this information is accompanied by coin-sized black and white photos throughout of the various coins, accompanying a coverage that includes history about the coins starting from early Colonial times forward. The photo-grading guide is of particular interest in helping novices make informed decisions on condition for accurate pricing, while graphs that track price performances of selected coins give good indication on where the values are going in a 'must have' recommendation for any avid coin collector and reference holdings catering to them.

Buffalo Coins: America's Favorite
Q. David Bowers
Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive, Florence, Alabama, 35630
9780794837983, $14.95, www.whitman.com

Buffalo Coins: America's Favorite considers the American bison on US coins, tokens and medals and provides a slim but lovely new book telling the history of this image in numismatics and popular culture alike. Chapters pair resources for coin collectors - to include good-sized color photos of coins and visuals about their history - with insights on the American bison in American folklore and culture, and considers the prevalence of the bison in branding and design choices over the decades. The result is a lively survey blending coin collecting with wider cultural insights: perfect for any general collection strong in American pop culture as well as specialty coin collecting references.


The Crafts Shelf

Enameling Made Easy
Anat Silvera
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871167705, $24.99, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Enameling Made Easy: Torch-Firing Workshop for Beginners & Beyond includes a bonus 25-minute DVD offering close-up visuals on firing stages and production to accompany a clear, step-by-step book on using an inexpensive handheld torch in creating metal jewelry. All the basics are presented in a jewelry guide that assumes little prior experience with either torch work or jewelry making, and which covers traditional enameling techniques from stenciling to cloisonne. A simple butane torch and some basic jewelry-making supplies is all that's needed to get started: these, and a book packed with color photos and step-by-step directions throughout!


The Sports Shelf

The Athlete's Cookbook
Corey Irwin and Brett Stewart
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612432304, $15.95, www.ulyssespress.com

The Athlete's Cookbook: A Nutritional Program to Fuel the Body for Peak Performance and Rapid Recovery belongs not just in cookbook collections, but especially in any aspiring athlete's reference library, and shows how to combine its nutrition plan with personal training and conditioning objectives. Over a hundred recipes are identified for their body-building specialties, from offering maximum protein to desserts with healthy fats and low-fat qualities. Introductions explain why each recipe offers more nutritional value than standard fare - such as a 'Crispy Southern Un-Fried Chicken', which uses yogurt instead of oil to keep the chicken moist and the coating crunchy while it's baked, instead of fried. The result's an outstanding survey recommended for any athlete looking for better food and preparation choices to support their program.


The Social Issues Shelf

A Trust Betrayed
Mike Magner
Da Capo Press
44 Farnsworth Street, 3rd Floor, Boston, MA 02210
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306822575, $27.50, www.dacapopress.com

A TRUST BETRAYED: THE UNTOLD STORY OF CAMP LEJEUNE AND THE POISONING OF GENERATIONS OF MARINES AND THEIR FAMILIES provides a powerful expose of one of the most lethal drinking water contaminations in U.S. history - and how it was covered up by the U.S. Marines themselves. This account blends personal stories with science and information on the contamination issues on US military bases around the world. But to limit its audience to military readers alone would be to deny its relevance to a wider audience of any concerned about contamination and its lasting impact. One might expect cover-ups from big businesses but A TRUST BETRAYED shows how even big government has a hand in denial, making this a pick for any social issues collection.

Degrees of Inequality
Suzanne Mettler
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465044962, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

Degrees of Inequality: How the Politics of Higher Education Sabotaged the American Dream documents the increasing failure of colleges and the de-evolution of American society as one of the best-educated to one dominated by a caste system where students are unequal from start to finish. Since 1980 progress in education has stalled and the rate of college dropouts has increased, a statistic directly related to their socioeconomic class. Political scientist Suzanne Mettler explains what has gone awry and considers how political influence has changed America's commitment to equality in higher education processes. Chapters cover everything from school marketing and monetary influences from big business to partisan polarization processes that have stymied educational objectives. All this takes the form of a historical, economic and political survey that documents the past, present and future of higher education to pinpoint exactly what has gone wrong, when, where, and why in a 'must' for any social issues or education collection.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Undead Pool
Kim Harrison
Harper Voyageur
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061957932, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

The Undead Pool adds to Kim Harrison's "The Hollows" urban fantasy series and returns Rachel Morgan to reader attention. Prior fans will find this a smooth addition and what promises to be the next-to-last novel in the series, and once again Rachel is investigating something supernaturally wrong in the world - something that seems rooted in her ley line. Strange magic is happening, spells are backfiring, the undead are revolting, and even the master vampires seem to be completely sleeping. A gripping series of events lends to an urban fantasy/detective story that is engrossing and packed with action and unexpected twists and turns, especially recommended for prior fans of Harrison's Rachel Morgan series.

The Barrow
Mark Smylie
Pyr
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781616148911, $18.00, www.pyrsf.com

THE BARROW deftly combines epic fantasy with a novel of action and horror and is set in the world of the Artesia comic books - but prior knowledge of this world isn't needed for a thorough appreciation of this fantasy, which revolves around a suspected murderer, a young woman hiding under the guise of a man, and others in a ragtag group of disparate individuals brought to low levels by scandal and strife. A quest unites these unlikely characters from all walks of life and leads them on a mission certain to gain them glory - or greet them with death. Interactions are constantly changing and graphically realistic, protagonists are complex but well-drawn, and the story succeeds in immersing readers in a fantasy universe packed with action.

Zombies: A Hunter's Guide
Joseph A. Mccullough
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
9781472803382, $19.95, www.ospreyadventures.com

Osprey is a military book publisher, producing quite a few technical blends of history, military analysis and strategy surveys; so at first glance the subject of zombies - usually regulated to science fiction readers - would seem uncharacteristic for their focus. Think again: Zombies: A Hunter's Guide isn't entirely your usual fantasy survey, and takes a military-oriented look at the idea of the zombie and its various incarnations, and what the military response could be. Zombies are broken down into chapters by 'type', from Nazis and 'virals' to 'voodoo zombies' and 'atomic zombies'. Within each chapter lies discussions of their origins, best methods of permanent elimination, and ideas on prevention. Yes, it's fantasy thinking - but with far more strategic insight than most, making this a pick for military and science fiction readers alike!


The American History Shelf

Operation Paperclip
Annie Jacobsen
Little, Brown
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780316221047, $30.00, www.littlebrown.com

OPERATION PAPERCLIP: THE SECRET INTELLIGENCE PROGRAM THAT BROUGHT NAZI SCIENTISTS TO AMERICA provides a powerful historical expose that reveals new truths about how Nazi scientists were brought to this country secretly by the American government. It explores the nature of national security of the times, considers the evolution and results of a postwar U.S. intelligence program that relied on secret military contracts, and profiles some twenty-one men, eight of whom worked side by side with Hitler's highest officers at some point. Interviews with dozens of Paperclip family members and colleagues and access to German archival documents lend to a powerful historical expose that belongs in any World War II collection.

Chronicling the West for Harper's
Claudine Chalmers
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9781806143767, $45.00, www.oupress.com

Chronicling the West for Harper's: Coast to Coast with Frenzeny & Tavernier in 1873-1874 profiles some hundred illustrations produced for Harper's Magazine by two French artists in the course of their cross-country assignment in 1873 and 1874, and is a pick for history and arts holdings alike. The duo documented new territories and their inhabitants, with historian Chalmers including plenty of biographical background on the two artist adventurers. The inclusion of vintage black and white and color illustrations throughout lend to a treatment that captures the evolving far west and how it was initially depicted, using the chronology of the artists' sketches to produce examples of subjects of interest and discussions of choices in depicting the culture and discoveries of early frontier America. The result is an excellent survey recommended for American history and arts holdings alike!


The Language Studies Shelf

Chineasy: The New Way to Read Chinese
ShaoLan
HarperDesign
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062332097, $24.99, www.harpercollins.com

Chinese is typically one of the hardest languages a Westerner can learn, but China's growing influence in the world often requires entrepreneurs and students to master at least some of the language against all odds - and that's where CHINEASY comes in. It creates an easy system for learning Chinese characters and understanding the written language's basics, building a foundation of key characters and using this foundation to uncover new words and phrases. It's only 200 pages but the strategy will help newcomers to Chinese to understand menus, road signs, and even basic Chinese articles in newspapers. Any who need a starting point for this complex language will find this the perfect place to begin.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Between the Scenes
Jeffrey Michael Bays
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931699, $26.95, www.mwp.com

Between the Scenes: What Every Film Director, Writer, and Editor Should Know About Scene Translations offers a specific approach to film directing and screenwriting and should be on the shelves of any involved in the industry. It tells how to connect scenes and sequences to each other, how to move beyond cinematic convention, and how to create powerful scene transition points that tie the entire production together. From scenery and scale to conveying emotion, chapters use black and white shots from films to accompany written description of common issues and how to resolve them, making this a top, winning pick for any film library.

Coppola
Peter Cowie
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
9781480355576, $24.99, www.applausebooks.com

COPPOLA is an excellent biography that chronicles the life and achievements of a director who has produced such notable films as The Godfather, The Conversation, Apocalypse Now, and many more. He almost single-handled introduced some of the world's major actors to the stage, and most of the best screen actors have produced their most notable efforts under his direction. This biography examines Coppola's film industry influences, his persona life, and more, and is a 'must' for any film collection. It offers critical assessments of his works and it reviews his many options in bringing his best works to screen. The result is a treatment that offers many insights into Coppola's strategies and achievements in an survey that should be in any film library.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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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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