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California Bookwatch

Volume 5, Number 3 March 2010 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Botany Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Homeowner's Shelf Gardening Shelf Architecture Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Education Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Cookbook Shelf Travel Shelf
Sports Shelf Nautical Shelf Business Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Computer Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Photography Shelf Music Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Science Shelf World History Shelf
Hobbies/Crafts Shelf Art Shelf Native American Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Transportation Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Poetry Shelf Parenting Shelf
Judicial Studies Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Black Powder Long Arms & Pistols
Dennis Adler
Blue Book Publications Inc.
8009 - 34th Ave South Suite 175, Minneapolis, MN 55425
188676896X, $34.95 www.bluebookinc.com

Black Powder Long Arms & Pistols: Reproductions & Replicas is the only reference to cover the range of reproductions since 1959, and offers a sister publication to the 2008 BLACK POWDER REVOLVERS. Hundreds of color photos pack a showcase of recently manufactured makes and models and is a recommended pick for any gun collector or library catering to them.

Wind Energy Pocket Reference
Niels I. Meyer, Peter Hjuler Jensen, Niels Gylling Mortensen, and Flemming Oster
Earthscan
c/o Stylus Publishing
Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781844075393, $19.95 www.earthscan.co.uk

The pocket-sized WIND ENERGY POCKET REFERENCE contains specific scientific insights packing data, equations, and wind technology facts into a small pocket guide gathered from published literature and supplemented by personal information from experts in energy agencies, utilities, universities and research. The result is a reference for any interested in wind power systems, providing clear and at-a-glance details accompanied by charts and graphics - even in color!

Barbed Wire
Joanne S. Liu
Mountain Press
P.O. Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425570, $14.00 www.mountain-press.com

BARBED WIRE: THE FENCE THAT CHANGED THE WEST offers a fine history of a fence that helped shape the American West. In a wild country where settlers found herds and their owners came first - barbed wire made it possible to fence of millions of acres - and created further conflicts even as it defined and disputed boundaries. Any library strong in American western history needs this.

A Good Talk
Daniel Menaker
Twelve
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780446540025, $20.00 www.TwelveBooks.com

A GOOD TALK: THE STORY AND SKILL OF CONVERSATION offers a witty discourse on conversation, telling how it's in decline and providing funny but pointed prose on how it may be revived. Tips on how to make conversation meaningful discusses the origins of language, social talk, and offers a hilarious take on first encounters and exchanges, pinpointing conversations to four stages and addressing underlying concerns.

The Happiness Project
Gretchen Rubin
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061583254, $25.99 www.harpercollins.com

The Happiness Project Or, Why I Spent a Year Trying to Sing in the Morning, Clean My Closets, Fight Right, Read Aristotle, and Generally Have More Fun tells of the author's year-long journey to study happiness to see what lessons she could apply to her own life. Her quest to become happier didn't involve changing her entire life - it involved improving her life as it existed. Each month she tackled a new set of resolutions - and her discoveries and blog about her experiences led to others' insights and changes as well. This inspirational memoir is a top pick for any general lending library.

Good Karma Divorce
Judge Michele Lowrance
HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins
353 Sacramento St. #500, San Francisco CA 94111
9780061840692, $25.99 www.harperone.com

THE GOOD KARMA DIVORCE: AVOID LITIGATION, TURN NEGATIVE EMOTIONS INTO POSITIVE ACTIONS, AND GET ON WITH THE REST OF YOUR LIFE is based on the author's decade of experience as a family court judge and former divorce attorney and provides a fine survey of how to create a moral game plan to harness negative emotions and present collateral damage during divorce. From understanding constructive confrontation to understanding common destructive paths and their alternatives, this is a 'must' for any general lending library.


The Botany Shelf

A Rare Botanical Legacy
Rick Bennett & Susan Calla, editors
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
www.heydaybooks.com
9781597141161, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Del Norte County, California, is home to one of the state's most botanically diverse regions. Enhanced with an informed and informative essay by David Rains Wallace providing context and background, "Rare Botanical Legacy: The Contributions of Ruby and Arthur Van Deventer" is a beautifully produced, 160-page compendium of 128 full color illustrations collected by Ruby Van Deventer and superbly drawn by Arthur Van Deventer representing more than 120 botanical plants of California's North Coast area. The result is an outstanding reference that should be considered an essential addition to academic and community library Botanical Studies reference collections in general, and the supplemental reading lists for non-specialist general readers with an interest in California's more exotic flora.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Educating Nurses
Patricia Benner, et.al.
Jossey-Bass
989 Market Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
www.josseybass.com
9780470457962, $40.00 www.josseybass.com

EDUCATING NURSES: A CALL FOR RADICAL TRANSFORMATION is a call for change and modification for any program teaching nursing. It offers specific steps to create new systems to improve nursing and patient care, demonstrating how and why nursing professions need to change and recommending four controversial yet key changes to change nursing education. Any college-level library needs this.

Massage Anatomy: A Comprehensive Guide
Dr. Abby Ellsworth and Peggy Altman
Thunder Bay Press
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd, San Diego, CA 92121
1607100142, $19.95 www.thunderbaybooks.com

Massage Anatomy: A Comprehensive Guide includes a poster and is packed with photos and illustrations offering clear guidance into how target muscles are worked and manipulated. Step-by-step instructions show how to combine strokes and movements and offer keys to the basic massage strokes for every part of the body, making this a 'must' health library or new age collection reference.

Genetic Disorders Sourcebook, fourth edition
Sandra J. Judd, Editor
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231-1640
9780780810761, $93.00 www.,omnigraphics.com

The fourth updated edition of Genetic Disorders Sourcebook provides a winning survey offering details on how genes work and the latest research and applications of genetic science. From the latest breakthroughs in the causes and treatments of gene disorders to offering guidance to parents of kids with genetic disorders, this provides a top pick for any general lending library or health collection.

Your Inner Skinny
Joy Bauer
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061665752, $16.99 www.harpercollins.com

YOUR INNER SKINNY: FOUR STEPS TO THIN FOREVER tells how to lose up to 7 lbs in a week and focuses on listening to the 'inner voice' rather than a diet. Joy Bauer is a nutrition and health expert who tells how to channel that inner knowledge into four productive steps for releasing negative eating patterns and reprogramming appetite. Her tips will especially appeal to readers tired of 'yo-yo' diet plans, and make this a solid pick for any general lending library.

Gluten-Free, Hassle Free
Marlisa Brown, RD, CDE
Demos Publishing
11 W. 42nd St., 15th Floor, New York NY 10036
9781932603798, $19.95 www.demoshealth.com

Gluten-Free, Hassle Free offers a dietitian-approved program for healthy eating, with the focus on making gluten-free eating a simple choice. From quick and easy substitutions to reading and understanding nutritional labels and recipes for chili and other gluten-free dishes, this is a top pick for any health collection, especially as gluten allergies are becoming more familiar to the general public.

Tarascon Pharmacopoeia 2010 Professional Desk Reference Edition
Richard J. Hamilton, Editor
Jones & Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Dr, Sudbury, MA 01776-9848
9780763777692, $39.95 www.jbpub.com

Tarascon Pharmacopoeia 2010 Professional Desk Reference Edition offers all the vital drug information from the Classic Shirt-Pocket Edition, offering additional information on drugs and dosages, drug interactions, adverse effects and more. A free online subscription is included for updates to this outstanding professional drug reference, a pick for physician reference collections and health libraries alike.

When the Diagnosis is Multiple Sclerosis
Kym Orsetti Furney, MD
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
0801893925, $17.95 www.press.jhu.edu

When the Diagnosis is Multiple Sclerosis: Help, Hope and Insights from an Affected Physician comes from a 34-year-old physician enjoying an exciting career and life when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis. Information, treatment and support offered her the ability to continue her work and life despite the challenges of MS, and her book offers hope to others coping with such a diagnosis. Any general lending library or health collection needs her insights.

Autism Frontiers
Bruce K. Shapiro MD & Pasquale J. Accardo, MD
Paul H. Brookes Publishing
P.O. Box 10624, Baltimore MD 21285-0624
1557669570, $49.95 www.brookespublishing.com

AUTISM FRONTIERS: CLINICAL ISSUES AND INNOVATIONS joins some of the biggest names in autism research to consider the most important medical and clinical issues related to the disorder. From early intervention strategies and diagnosis and complimentary medicine and overlap with other disorders, this packs in tables, clinical tools, a screening protocol and more in a top pick for any autism health library.


The Homeowner's Shelf

Good Green Homes
Jennifer Roberts
Gibbs Smith
Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
1586851799, $39.95 www.gibbs-smith.com

GOOD GREEN HOMES: CREATING BETTER HOMES FOR A HEALTHIER PLANET pairs striking color photos with profiles of homes that are 'green' in energy consumption. From an eco-friendly addition to a historic home to cottages, vacation resorts, and even a neighborhood of green homes, this is packed with plans for any who would remodel, move into a new home, or build a new one. Tips to creating a green home covers all kinds of architectural styles and winning plans, perfect for any homeowner's library.

Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet
Ann V. Edminster
Green Building Press
Box 6397, San Rafael, CA 94903
9780976491132, $25.00 www.greenbuildingpress.com

Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet offers a fine builder's guide to the design and construction of net-zero energy homes, surveying decisions that lead to an energy-free residential project. From minimizing a building's energy requirements to creating an integrated design team to work together, Energy Free: Homes for a Small Planet is an excellent addition to any homeowner's or builder's library.


The Gardening Shelf

What's Wrong With My Plant?
David Deardorff and Kathryn Wadsworth
Timber Press
133 SW 2nd Ave, Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
9780881929614, $24.95 www.timberpress.com

What's Wrong With My Plant? (AND HOW DO I FIX IT?) offers a visual guide to easy diagnosis and organic solutions to common plant problems, telling how to identify and cure ailments for houseplants, flowers, fruits, bulbs, shrubs, trees, lawns and more. Illustrated flow charts in the first section organized by plant part on which symptoms appear lead to easy solutions - you don't even need to know the plant name to use this, which places it far above competing plant handbooks and makes it perfect for the general-interest home and garden lending library.


The Architecture Shelf

Self-Fab House
IAAC
Actar
C/Pujades 102 baixos, Poble Nou, Barcelona 08005, Spain
www.iaac.net www.amazon.com
9788496954748, $34.95 info@iaacat.com

SELF-FAB HOUSE: 2ND ADVANCED ARCHITECTURE CONTEST comes from the results of the 2nd Advanced Architecture Contest organized by the IAAC and provides color photos of more than 100 projects for new ideas and making houses, organized by 6 categories including Do It Yourself and Materials & Constitution. College-level architecture as well as general homeowner libraries will welcome this.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Just Enough
Azby Brown
Kodansha America Inc.
451 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9784770030740, $24.95 www.kodanshaamerica.com

JUST ENOUGH: LESSONS IN LIVING GREEN FROM TRADITIONAL JAPAN shares personal stories and observations from early Edo Japan to show how we can live happier, more sustainable lives. The early Japanese confronted the same issues our society now faces - and found ways to resolve these issues using 'just enough' from the world to lead meaningful lives. This book surveys systems of household management and living that achieve superior satisfaction.


The Christian Studies Shelf

60 Seconds to Greatness
Eddie L. Long & Cecil Murphey
Berkeley Publishing
375 Hudson St. New, York NY 10014
9780425221617, $24.95 www.penguin.com

60 Seconds to Greatness: Seize the Moment and Plan for Success tells of a bishop who served as a pastor to Atlanta's New Birth Missionary Baptist Church - and grew it from 300 to over 25,000 members. He shows readers how to live a life of God-filled greatness and experience spiritual, personal and financial success - with its roots in just 60 second increments. Readers can create a blueprint for success in all aspects of life by taking cues from Biblical figures to guide progress. Both spirituality and general collections will find this a winner.


The Audiobook Shelf

When the Game Was Ours
Larry Bird, Earvin Magic Johnson, & Jackie MacMullan
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1441836403, $29.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

When the Game Was Ours receives a fine reading by veteran narrator Dick Hill and offers a compelling history of basketball in general and two legendary player across three decades of the sport's history. Their competitive relationship came to symbolize different approaches and styles of basketball playing, and this audio provides details of the two players' devotion to winning through different styles and objectives.

Fire
Kristin Cashore
Penguin Audio
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780143145110, $39.95 www.penguin.com

Xanthe Elbrick has appeared on Broadway and TV and is a powerful actress: here she lends a powerful narrative voice to FIRE, the story of Fire, the last remaining human monster who lives in mountains and forests and is hated and adored by many. Her ability to control minds is a close secret - but when a price brings her to a city to help uncover the plot against the king, per power will be a key to the struggle. Fantasy libraries will find this involving.

Martin Luther King Jr.: Essential Box Set
Clayborne Carson, et.al., Editors
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781600248504, $49.98 www.hachetteaudio.com

Martin Luther King Jr.: Essential Box Set collects all the key speeches and sermons of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., offering for the first time over twenty original recordings from his speeches and sermons. Each is accompanied by an introduction by other famous theologians and civil right leaders, making this a powerful pairing of firsthand testimony and King's own, powerful words. Any collection strong in civil rights history MUST have this!


The Education Shelf

Other Duties as Assigned
Jan Burgess
ASCD
1703 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416608868, $26.95, www.ascd.org

A leader of teachers is not just that, he also sets the future of the school and its students. "Other Duties As Assigned: Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Expert Teacher Leadership" is a guide for teachers who want to lead their peers to more organized and successful school. With chapters on working with your fellow educator constructively, professionalism, and how to understand how your group is going and how to fix those problems. For any leader of teachers, "Other Duties as Assigned" is a solid and very highly recommended read, composed by two educational experts.

The Power of One
Gail L. Thompson
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412976763, $31.95 www.corwinpress.com

The Power of One: How You Can Help or Harm African American Students should be required reading for any teacher. It offers a workbook packed with stories, data, case histories and the latest research for educators interested in educational opportunities for Afro-American students. Clear writing outlines the specifics of differences between African-American student educational experiences and other ethnic groups - and provides specific keys to successful strategies.

Skilled Dialogue
Isaura Barrera, Robert Corso and Dianne Macpherson
Paul Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
1557666377, $34.95 www.brookespublishing.com

SKILLED DIALOGUE: STRATEGIES FOR RESPONDING TO CULTURAL DIVERSITY IN EARLY CHILDHOOD offers keys to successful interactions with youngsters and families, and is recommended for any college-level education collection strong in early childhood. From understanding cultural diversity's effects on communications and family structure to discovering specific methods of applying Skilled Dialogue to the entire process, this is a pick for any education library.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Deeper Than the Dead
Tami Hoag
Dutton
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780525951308, $26.95 www.penguin.com

Deeper Than the Dead offers a satisfying thriller that comes after a two-year hiatus by a powerful novelist and tells of four children who s6tumble upon a female body. Their teacher, who also makes the discovery, decides to help them through this trauma - and finds herself over her head in involvement with the children, their parents, the community and a special FBI investigator's case. Libraries strong in thriller writing will find this a very popular lend.

The Bone Chamber
Robin Burcell
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E First Ave #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590583753, $24.95 www.poisonedpenpress.com

THE BONE CHAMBER offers a fine Sydney Fitzpatrick mystery as it tells of a brutally murdered young woman and the death of forensic investigators who attempt to unravel clues about her case. Sydney's investigation leads to political challenges in this international quest for justice, perfect for any mystery collection.


The Fiction Shelf

The Lost Christ
Mike Difeo
Ambrian House
c/o Sterling House
3468 Babcock Boulevard, Pittsburgh, PA 15237
1563154633, $14.95, www.thechristtriology.com

Religions have been lost to history, and it is possible Christianity could meet the same fate. "The Lost Christ: The New Beginning" is a tale set off in the far flung future, with a devastated world not looking anything like it is today. The world is ruled by several world governments, control the populace through sanitized couplings with no traditional or religious backing. But when a time capsule is uncovered from the twenty first century containing a Torah and a New Testament Bible, the world may be changed once more by Christianity. "The Lost Christ" is a fascinating and original story, highly recommended.

Roses
Leila Meacham
Grand Central Publishing
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780446550000, $24.99 www.hbgusa.com

ROSES tells of the powerful founding families of Howbutker, Texas, and how their histories are intertwined over three generations. This sweeping epic of love, sacrifice and struggle reads like GONE WITH THE WIND with all the passions and family politics of the South. Any general lending library strong in epic family sagas will find this a fine pick.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Starbound
Joe Haldeman
Ace
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9780441018178, $24.95 www.penguin.com

STARBOUND tells of the aftermath of the first encounter between humans and aliens on Mars and tells of Carmen and her husband, who have volunteered to spend six years traveling through deep space aboard a tiny craft with five other humans and two Martians to a distant solar system to visit a possibly immortal race of beings who have humanity's future in their hands. Their surprising discoveries of the similar evolutionary patterns between the Others and their own world make for eye-opening revelations.

The Sorceress of Karres
Eric Flint and Dave Freer
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439133071, $24.00 www.baen.com

The Sorceress of Karres returns readers to the world of Karres begin in WIZARD OF KARRES and tells of Captain Pausert, who again finds himself facing danger when the Empress sends him on a secret mission to stop the nanite plague and save the galaxy. Politics and danger meld in a riveting story perfect for science fiction and fantasy collections.

Channeling the Future
Lincoln Geraghty, Editor
Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780810866751, $45.00 www.scarecrowpress.com

CHANNELING THE FUTURE: ESSAYS ON SCIENCE FICTION AND FANTASY TELEVISION is a pick for any college-level collection strong in science fiction and fantasy television. It considers special effects, props, set design, and different visions of past, present and future offered by science fiction television, and provides scholarly essays analyzing everything from the role of the female scientist to technology's role in creating the future. College-level libraries strong in science fiction and film analysis need this!


The Cookbook Shelf

You Made That Dessert?
Beth Lipton
Globe Pequot Press
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762750085, $19.95 www.globepequot.com

You Made That Dessert? offers insights into how the non-cook can create showy, fabulous desserts even with virtually NO kitchen experience. It packs in over a hundred sophisticated yet easy desserts for those non-domestic cooks and provides dishes that require virtually no special equipment or knowledge. Full-color photos pack recipes for cookies, cakes, puddings, candies and even emergency quick desserts.

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Family Favorites
Beth Hensperger
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118
9781558324091, $14.95 www.harvardcommonpress.com

Not Your Mother's Slow Cooker Family Favorites teaches how to create wholesome, creative kid-friendly fare that is economical and appealing to busy adults. Plenty of slow cooker dishes are on the market - but none offering the variety of this, which offers recipes such as Cheese and Green Chile Fondue with Potato Dippers, Turkey Taco Salad, Smoky Hand-Pulled Pork on a Bun, and more. A top pick for any general library looking for a different kind of crockpot cookbook.

10 Things You Need to Eat
Dave Lieberman and Anahad O'Connor
Morrow Cookbooks
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061780271, $19.99 www.harpercollins.com

10 THINGS YOU NEED TO EAT AND MORE THAN 100 EASY AND DELICIOUS WAYS TO PREPARE THEM tells how to eat smarter and get healthy by learning creative recipes for using healthier foods. A former Network TV host and chef provides recipes for nuts, fish, berries, lentils and more, and creates approachable, easy dishes for any who want to spice their diets with variety and interest. From a sweet Beef and Beat Stew to Sauteed Sesame Spinch, this is an outstanding pick.


The Travel Shelf

California Beaches
Alan Bisbort & Parke Puterbaugh
Moon Handbooks
1700 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9781566916141, $21.95 www.moon.com

CALIFORNIA BEACHES is for any who would plan a trip to any coastal community along California's 1,200-mile coastline. It tells how to plan a stress-free trip with information on entrance and parking fees, hours, facilities and more. Arranged by county for quick and easy access, this is packed with key information for both California libraries and California-bound beach enthusiasts.

The Barefoot Sisters Walking Home
Lucy and Susan Letcher
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
9780811735292, $21.95 www.stackpolebooks.com

The Barefoot Sisters Walking Home is a pick for any library strong in hiking and adventure travel, and tells of sisters who hiked the Appalachian Trail from Maine to Georgia barefoot - and decide to hike back again. Their return trip offered new challenges and adventures at a different season than their outbound journey and this memoir captures the entire experience of encounters with the wildlife and people of the Appalachian Trail.


The Sports Shelf

The Story of My Life
Hank Greenberg with Ira Berkow
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60642-2694
9781566638371, $16.95 www.ivanrdee.com

Hank Greenberg was the first Jewish player elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame and his autobiography appears for the first time in affordable paperback to provide audiences with insights into his coming of age and evolution as a baseball giant. Both Judaic studies collections and libraries strong in baseball history will find this a revealing, inspiring pick.

NASCAR Pop-Up: A Guide to the Sport
Sally Blakemore
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
1423604911, $30.00 www.gibbs-smith.com

NASCAR Pop-Up: A Guide to the Sport is illustrated by Doug Chezem and provides over 65 pop-ups and pull tabs and a 12-second sound chip to accompany a vivid history of the race car in general and NASCAR in particular. While unsuitable for a lending library, this is the perfect gift for that hard-to-shop-for NASCAR fan of any age!

The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies
Ray Didinger & Glen Macnow
Running Press
2300 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
9780762435487, $19.95 www.runningpress.com

The Ultimate Book of Sports Movies features 100 sports films deemed the greatest of all time and adds in fun features, facts, and original contributions from over 100 superstars. The result is a survey that offers not just the top 100 films with movies from every sport in the field to synopsis and sidebars of information. Very highly recommended for any sports or movie general-interest library.

Swimming Anatomy
Ian McLeod
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736075712, $21.95 www.hkusa.com

SWIMMING ANATOMY is for any library catering to swimmers, and offers a set of color exercises and drills based on the muscles needed to strengthen a swimming style. From being on the block to water movements, this includes 74 of the most effective swimming exercises with step-by-step descriptions.

Hunting Booger Bottom
Michael Waddell with Mike Schoby
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061733536, $24.99 www.harpercollins.com

Hunting Booger Bottom: Life Lessons from the Field comes from a self-professed redneck hunter who has traveled the world in search of game, and who retains affection and affinity for the tiny Georgia hamlet of Booger Bottom. The lessons he's learned from hunting translate to life in Hunting Booger Bottom, a blend of hunting, philosophy, and memoir of growing up in rural Georgia.


The Nautical Shelf

Storms and Wild Water
Dag Pike
Sheridan House
145 Palisade St. Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092899, $24.95 www.sheridanhouse.com

Storms and Wild Water explores the worst weather of sea waters, discussing the effects storms have on boats and ships caught in them and providing accounts of narrow escapes, rescues, and storm science. Any library strong in nautical guides will find this an involving, moving survey.


The Business Shelf

Economics for the Rest of Us
Moshe Adler
New Press
38 Greene St., New York NY 10013
9781595581013, $24.95 www.thenewpress.com

Economics for the Rest of Us: Debunking the Science That Makes Life Dismal explains how the global economic crisis has come to pass, debunking two core tenants of economics that make it the 'science of the rich' and cause economics to be used to justify cruel and illegal policies. Economics can be used to justify divisions between rich and poor, and to support ideas of 'economic good' - this book shows how it's done and is key for any business or general library.

Futuretainment
Mike Walsh
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780714848754, $29.95 www.phaidon.com

FUTURETAINMENT: YESTERDAY THE WORLD CHANGED NOW IT'S YOUR TURN comes from an experienced media commentator and trend analyst specializing in consumer behavior changes. Its difference is evident right away in its die-cut cover panel designed by Vince Frost which offers 23 insights with original photos, graphs and data visualizations setting this apart form the usual business book. Companies learn how they can use digital innovations to their advantage - and explore the consumer's connections with digital media in a visually stunning guide recommended for business and arts collections alike.

Federal Acquisition: Key Issues and Guidance
Paula B. Compton
Management Concepts
8230 Leesburg Pike Suite 800, Vienna, VA 22182
9781567262483, $59.00 www.managementconcepts.com

Federal Acquisition: Key Issues and Guidance offers a basic guide to understanding and working with federal government contracting. Explanations of the major phrases and tasks in contracting offer a focus on deficiencies, failures, violations, and inadequate price or cost analysis - common issues - and provide newcomers to government acquisition processes with keys to strong federal acquisition processes. No business collection should be without this!

Becoming the Evidence-Based Manager
Gary P. Latham
Davies-Black
20 Park Plaza Suite 1115A, Boston, MA 02116
9780891062608, $27.95 www.nicholasbrealey.com

Becoming the Evidence-Based Manager: Making the Science of Management Work for You offers a fine guide to research and data to prepare managers and teams for the global marketplace. Examples from around the world offer a toolkit to show managers how to put research into daily practice, from inspiring employees and coaching them to become high performers to creating more effective teams. An outstanding survey evolves.

The Training Design Manual, second edition
Tony Bray
Kogan Page USA
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749456252, $49.95 www.koganpageusa.com

The second edition of THE TRAINING DESIGN MANUAL offers theory and exercises on design processes and methods of creating successful training programs. From developing a proposal to measuring changes following learning and considering different learning styles, this provides an excellent guide to developing effective training programs.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Making More Needle-Felting Magic
Margo Duke
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564779199, $18.99 www.martingale-pub.com

Making More Needle-Felting Magic offers new techniques and projects for needle-felting, offering techniques combining machine needle felting, free-motion quilting, and wet-felting and providing projects and step-by-step directions conducive to beginner efforts. Eight projects range from a wrap to a tea cozy and are perfect for either beginners or those moving to the next level.

Stylish Sweatjackets
Fran Morgan
American Quilters Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329957, $24.95 www.AmericanQuilter.com

Stylish Sweatjackets tells how to change a plain sweatshirt into a stylish garment, presenting some 10 stunning adult jacket designs along with step-by-step illustrated instructions making the process easy. From designer looks to assuring a good fit from each pattern, STYLISH SWEATJACKETS offers many fine, appealing projects.

Magnificent Mittens and Socks
Anna Zilboorg
XRX
Box 965, Sioux Falls, SD 57101
9781933064161, $24.95 www.knittinguniverse.com/mms

Magnificent Mittens and Socks: The Beauty of Warm Hands & Feet offers step-by-step instructions for 2-color knitting and details over forty mittens and 7embellishments. Dye recipes for the author's mitten colors and charts to design one's own mittens. Knitter libraries will welcome this unique addition that teaches customization.

Northwoods Flannel Quilts & Projects
Debbie Field for Granola Girl Designs
Landauer Publishing
3100 NW 10th St., Suite A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9780981804002, $24.95 www.landauercorp.com

Northwoods Flannel Quilts & Projects offers some 12 cool-night quilts and home decor projects packed with over a hundred color photos and illustrations providing favorite wildlife and forest images. From a wildlife quilt sampler and traditional Bear Paw snuggler to a log cabin design with a wildlife panel center, this is packed with color and ideas perfect for any needlework collection.

Hattitude
Cathy Carron
Sixth&Spring Books
233 Spring St., New York NY 10013
9781933027852, $19.95 www.sixthandspringbooks.com

HATTITUDE: KNITS FOR EVERY MOOD offers keys to knitting some 40 stylish caps, berets, tams, fedoras and more. It packs in the perfect hat to knit for every outfit and mood, features the author's own collection of 40 unique designs and techniques, and provides a powerful survey perfect for any general knitting library.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Ophthalmic Disease in Veterinary Medicine
Charles L. Martin
Manson Publishing
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9781840761184, $84.99 www.wiley-blackwell.com

Ophthalmic Disease in Veterinary Medicine is issued in softcover to provide a more affordable textbook offering key updates to the original vet's reference. Veterinary students and libraries catering to them will find this surveys dogs and cats with a bow to the horse and cow and offers a survey of basic ophthalmic science. Common conditions, diagnosis, therapies and problem solving are included in a key resource for practitioners and students alike.

The Complete Idiot's Saltwater Aquariums
Mark W. Martin and Ret Talbot
Alpha
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9781592578269, $18.95 www.idiotsguides.com

The Complete Idiot's Saltwater Aquariums offers a fine guide to saltwater aquariums and packs in details on filters, pumps, and selecting creatures for the aquarium. From which species to consider when stocking a tank to building a healthy eco-system and treating diseases, The Complete Idiot's Saltwater Aquariums is a winning guide for aquarium owners and any pet library.


The Computer Shelf

The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook, third edition
Randolph Hock
CyberAge Books
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9780910965842, $24.95, www.infotoday.com

Finding things on the massive database known as the internet can be quite the daunting task. Now in an updated and expanded third edition, "The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook: A Guide for the Serious Searcher" serves as a complete and comprehensive guide to using the internet to its fullest extent to help one find what they want the quickest way possible. Google and Yahoo are not the last line for finding things, and Randolph Hock hopes to help readers use more advanced techniques to make for quicker, more efficient searches. "The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook" is a treasure trove of information that belongs in any community library technology collection.

Cubase 5 Power!
Robert Guerin and Michael Miller
Course Technology
20 Channel Center St., Boston, MA 02210
1435455118, $39.99 www.courseptr.com

Any user of the digital audio production software Cubase 5 will find Cubase 5 Power! A fine survey on using its features in a recording project. From using vocal editing and pitch correction to playing the virtual MIDI keyboard, this tells how to create projects, work with tools, and mix effectively and well. A top pick for any user of Cubase 5 and libraries catering to musicians and computer users involved in music.

Refactoring Ruby Edition
Jay Fields, et.al.
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321603508, $49.99 www.informit.com

Refactoring Ruby Edition offers college-level programming collections a definitive refactoring guide revamped for Ruby, and is a must for any Ruby programming collection. From building tests to make sure refactorings work properly to organizing data to make it easier to work with and creating logical interfaces, any advanced Ruby programmer needs this.

Grails: A Quick-Start Guide
Dave Klein
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356463, $32.95 www.pragprog.com

Grails: A Quick-Start Guide offers a survey of Java web development and Grails dynamics, showing how to use Grails to build a unique application. The project-oriented approach assures programmer readers gain access to Grails' many possibilities and the concluding result - a real, functioning website - teaches all the basics about domain classes, controllers, and how to use Grails to work within powerful online frameworks.

Sams Teach Yourself HTML and CSS in 24 Hours, eighth edition
Julie C. Meloni and Michael Morrison
SAMS
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0672330970, $34.99 www.informit.com/sams

Sams Teach Yourself HTML and CSS in 24 Hours appears in its eighth updated edition to offer 24 lessons of one hour or less explaining how to use HTML and CSS to create a wine web site. Lessons build systematically and survey all the basics using full-color pictures and step-by-step directions, concluding with quizzes and examples. A top self-starter learning tool for any studying HTML and CSS.

The Book of Xen
Chris Takemura and Luke S. Crawford
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro #250, San Francisco CA 94107
9781593271862, $49.95 www.nostarch.com

THE BOOK OF XEN covers the open source virtualization tool and explains everything needed to use Xen, from its installation and customization to virtual storage. Learn how to use Xen and Linux tools to take snapshot backups, manage multiple guests, and learn how to migrate systems to Xen with a guide written by an expert.

The Business of IT
Robert Ryan and Tim Raducha-Grace
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0137000618, $39.99 www.ibmpressbooks.com

THE BUSINESS OF IT: HOW TO IMPROVE SERVICE AND LOWER COSTS tells how to bridge the gap between IT and business leadership, using the authors' personal experience consulting with IT professionals to examine four specific areas of business practices related to improving IT service management and costs. Both business and computer collections need this specific examination.

Microformats Made Simple
Emily P. Lewis
New Riders
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0321660773, $39.99 www.newriders.com

Microformats Made Simple tells of HTML-based design patterns that can help add meaning to web content, and are used by some of the most visible sites on the web. The authors and designers behind these microformats are considered in a guide that offers easily-understood markup examples for a range of web content that any web designer can readily use. A 'must' for any computer library appealing to web designers.


The Social Issues Shelf

American Privacy
Frederick S. Lane
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2982
9780807044414, $29.95, www.beacon.org

You may not be a terrorist, but you don't want people to know about that thing you do on the internet none the less. It's private. "American Privacy: The 400-Year History of Our Most Contested Right" discusses privacy throughout American history, from colonial times to the actions of George W. Bush, which have brought the topic to the lime light once more. With the rise of technology allowing for subtle spying on just about anyone, laws to protect people from the prying eyes of other people and their government seem more necessary than ever. "American Privacy" is a fascinating look into the raging privacy debate and it makes for informative and educational reading for community and college social issues collections.

American Raj
Eric S. Margolis
Key Porter Books
Six Adelaide St. East, 10th Floor, Toronto Ontario M5C 1H6, Canada
1554702216, $22.95 www.keyporter.com

AMERICAN RAJ: AMERICA AND THE MUSLIM WORLD comes from a journalist who brings a lifetime of insight into the way the Muslim world really operates, and is the culmination of the author's years of reporting and analysis in the Middle East and Asia. Experience and insights blend in a survey that covers basic Muslim worldviews and conflicts with the West.

Sonic Boom: Globalization at Mach Speed
Gregg Easterbrook
Random House
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9781400063956, $26.00 www.randomhouse.com

Sonic Boom: Globalization at Mach Speed is a business book important for its social issues ramifications, and thus recommended for both business and social issues collections. It provides three basic ideas: that globalization has barely begun, that the next wave of global change will be positive, and that it's going to happen at light speed. Examples of world cities reflecting this fast-paced globalization trend are provided in a survey explaining how the next phrase of global change will challenge us all.

Crazy Like Us
Ethan Watters
Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781416587088, $26.00 www.simonandschuster.com

CRAZY LIKE US: THE GLOBALIZATION OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHE examines the worldwide spread of American culture and how this spread of the American psyche has damaged local beliefs and different cultures. American interventions have worked to spread American beliefs at a fast pace, at the cost of indigenous beliefs - and mental illness has been unleashed in its path. CRAZY LIKE US documents the lasting impact of American psychological domination in the world.

Muslim Mafia
P. David Gaubatz and Paul Sperry
WND Books
www.wndbooks.com
9781935071105, $25.95 marketing@wndbooks.com

MUSLIM MAFIA: INSIDE THE SECRET UNDERWORLD THAT'S CONSPIRING TO ISLAMIZE AMERICA comes from a former agent in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations who works with an author to make many allegations on member of the Council in American-Islamic Relations have planted spies inside key law enforcement agencies and made secret ingredients to undermine America. It's an ongoing recommendation for any library concerned about Muslim influences in American processes.


The Photography Shelf

Capturing Mood, Ambience & Dramatic Effects
Joseph Meehan
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781600595776, $29.95 www.larkbooks.com

Capturing Mood, Ambience & Dramatic Effects: The Dynamic Language of Digital Photography offers plenty of new interpretive potentials for a digital camera and shows how to use camera and computer to refine and interpret images. From honing artistic vision to understanding perspective and the influence of accessories, this packs in keys to optimizing the digital photo's potential.

Senior Portrait Photography
Jeff Smith
Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781584282679, $34.95 www.amherstmedia.com

Senior Portrait Photography: A Guide for Professional Digital Photographers provides all the basics on designing products to please teens and their parents. From optimizing results with both pictures and clients to developing flexibility and using lighting in studio or on location for consistent results, this packs in keys to superior results.

Adobe Photoshop Elements for Photographers
Philip Andrews
Focal Press
30 Corporate Drive #400, Burlington, MA 01803
9780240521893, $49.95 www.focalpress.com

Adobe Photoshop Elements for Photographers is a top pick for any Photoshop collection. It provides online links to accompanying materials - video tutorials and a gallery site - and comes from an official Adobe Ambassador and expert who packs in tips and tricks and easy step-by-step instructions. Create great photos using Elements and learn basic techniques up to more complex projects such as scrapbooking and making panoramas in a solid photographer's guide.

Practical Digital Photomicrography
Dr. Brian Matsumoto
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission Street, Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93102
9781933952079, $69.95 www.rockynook.com

Practical Digital Photomicrography: Photography Through the Microscope for the Life Sciences provides a fine introduction to digital photography through the microscope covering three camera types used in photomicrography and how each operates. The pros and cons discussions offer strong insights including specifics of attaching cameras to the microscope and acquiring and tweaking images. Science and photography libraries alike will find this packed with color examples and photo specifics.


The Music Shelf

Elvis 1956
Alfred Wertheimer
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY, 10011
9781599620732, $29.95 www.welcomebooks.com

ELVIS 1956 offers black and white photos by Alfred Wertheimer taken during the year Elvis turned 21, and offer a fine visual record of a defining time for rock and roll. It was the year Elvis released his first record, made his first TV appearance, and more -and it offers a definitive visual portrait unavailable elsewhere. Any music library strong in rock n roll history needs this, which pairs Alfred Wertheimer's photos with essays by E. Warren Perry Jr. and Amy Henderson.

100 Best Beatles Songs
Stephen J. Spignesi and Michael Lewis
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 W. 19th St., New York NY 10011
9781579128425, $14.95 www.blackdogandleventhal.com

100 Best Beatles Songs: A Passionate Fan's Guide selects the top 100 Beatles songs and ranks them in order from 1 to 100. What results is this guide: a definitive guide to the Beatles 100 best tunes based on merit, songwriting, musicianship and other standards. Any fan of the Beatles will find this packed with history, facts, research and quotes from band members.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

An Illustrated Guide to the Lost Symbol
John Weber, Editor
Pocket Books
9781416523666, $19.99 www.simonandschuster.com

An Illustrated Guide to the Lost Symbol: The Unauthorized Companion to the Bestselling Novel, and to the Revealing Connection Between the Freemasons and Our Nation's Capital is a fine survey for fans of The Lost Symbol, offering plenty of insights and packing in world history, politics, and insights into rituals and symbols from Freemason origins. Color photos throughout pack a guide perfect for libraries already seeing popular lending of The Lost Symbol.

Contactees
Nick Redfern
New Page
Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781601630964, $15.99 www.careerpress.com

CONTACTEES: A HISTORY OF ALIEN-HUMAN INTERACTION provides a powerful account of UFOs and the paranormal, interviewing contactees who are still telling their tales of personal alien encounters more than half a century after their encounters. But this is more than another collection of narratives: it juxtaposes their experiences with how media and government reported and handled it. Their stories come to life in a presentation recommended for any collection where UFOs are of interest.


The Science Shelf

Negotiating Environment and Science
Richard J. Smith
RFF
1616 P Street NW, Washington DC 20036-1400
9781933115702, $27.50 www.rffpress.org

Negotiating Environment and Science: An Insider's View of International Agreements, from Driftnets to the Space Station, provides a fine survey by an author who spent nine years as principal deputy assistant secretary in the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs. In-depth accounts of some eight agreements in which Richard Smith was directly involved provide a fine survey detailing how international scientific cooperation is achieved, detailing diplomatic focus and changing security issues. Science and political studies libraries will welcome this.


The World History Shelf

The Muckrakers and the Progressive Era
Laurie Collier Hillstrom
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231-1640
9780780810938, $49.00 www.omnigraphics.com

Defining Moments: The Muckrakers and the Progressive Era joins others in the 'Defining Moments' series on American history and provides users with a fine overview of the journalistic movement that exposed social and political problems in this country. From a factual account of the muckraking movement in American journalism to the changes that occurred as a result of industrialization and their efforts, this is a fine choice for both high school and college collections.

Crisis and Command
John Yoo
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
9781607145554, $29.95 www.kaplan.com

CRISIS AND COMMAND: A HISTORY OF EXECUTIVE POWER FROM GEORGE WASHINGTON TO GEORGE W. BUSH explores the history of presidential power from the Founding of the Republic to modern debates on the war on terror. His approach considers political science, history and law to examine how the Presidency was created and run over the decades, and chooses five great Presidents who served during times of war to consider changing presidency routines and issues. Yoo presents a case for a link between executive power and how it expands with each crisis and emergency.

The Lady in the Tower
Alison Weir
Ballantine Books
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780345453211, $28.00 www.ballantinebooks.com

The Lady in the Tower: The Fall of Anne Boleyn comes from a historian and author who offers new research in the first book to examine in depth the story of Anne Boleyn's final days. From her love affair with Henry VIII to her swift downfall, this reads as much like a mystery novel as nonfiction and will provide general audiences with a gripping, true biography.


The Hobbies/Crafts Shelf

Tadelakt
Michael Johannes Ochs
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393732955, $24.95 www.wwnorton.com

TADELAKT: AN OLD MOROCCAN PLASTER TECHNIQUE NEWLY DISCOVERED is a top pick for serious architecture and crafts libraries alike, offering a survey of an ancient Moroccan plaster technique. Michael Johannes Ochs is an expert in the technique, and here describes its history, uses, and how to use the plastering technique in all kinds of settings. Color photos abound and offer ample illustration.

Acrylic Painting Step-by-Step
Wendy Jelbert, et.al.
Search Press USA
1388 Ross St., Petaluma, CA 94954
9781844484119, $19.95 www.SearchPressUSA.com

Any would-be artist enthused about acrylics will find this a fine comprehensive guide to painting with them. Three loved artists offer directions on how to paint landscapes, buildings, and flowers and how to use additives texture, and more. Over 200 step-by-step photos offer a reference for all levels of expertise in a top pick for any crafts or general library.


The Art Shelf

Art Nouveau & Art Deco Fashion Postcards
Edith Weber
Schiffer Publications
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764332708, $29.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Art Nouveau & Art Deco Fashion Postcards offers large-sized two- and four-postcard to a page color shots and explores the history and values of Art Nouveau and Art Deco Fashion postcard designs over the decades. The identification keys will be central to any collector and the title also will appeal to any arts library with its strong insights on fashion postcard history and production.

Art of the Samurai
Morihiro Ogawa, Editor
Metropolitan Museum of Art
1000 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10028-0198
9780300142051, $65.00 www.metmuseum.org

ART OF THE SAMURAI: Japanese ARMS AND ARMOR, 1156-1868 is a 'must' for any collection strong in Japanese arts. It provides an extensively illustrated catalog published to accompany the first comprehensive exhibition of the samurai, and uses works from public and private collections in Japan, along with 34 officially designated National Treasures and 64 Important Cultural Properties, packing in black and white and color drawings alike. College-level arts collections or holdings strong in Japanese history and culture MUST have this!

Universal Principles of Design
William Lidwell, Kritina Holden & Jill Butler
Rockport Publishers
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 - 1st Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com
9781592535873, $30.00 www.amazon.com

Universal Principles of Design packs in over a hundred ways to influence perception, enhance usability, and increase appeal through better design choices, and is a top pick for any architecture or design library. Chapters review the basics of design then show how basics may be expanded into advanced concepts, offering a wealth of visual examples from all disciplines from graphic design to architecture and user-interface design. Highly recommended!


The Native American Shelf

The Munsee Indians
Robert S. Grumet
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806140629, $45.00 www.oupress.com

THE MUNSEE INDIANS: A HISTORY tells of the Indian sale of Manhattan by the Munsee, whose ancestral lands lay between the lower Hudson and upper Delaware river valleys. Any library strong in college-level Native American histories will find this packs in a blend of archaeological, anthropological and archival source material to re-create their lost history, providing for the first time an essential and complete history perfect for any college-level library.


The Money/Finance Shelf

The New Frugality
Chris Farrell
Bloomsbury Press
175 - 5th Avenue #300, New York NY 10010
9781596916609, $24.00 www.bloomsburyusa.com

THE NEW FRUGALITY: HOW TO CONSUME LESS, SAVE MORE, AND LIVE BETTER comes from a personal finance expert who advocates a new sense of frugality in consuming to help cope with the current state of affairs. The focus is not only on what is affordable, but what is sustainable in the long term - and even more important, offers important distinctions between being cheap and being frugal. Any consumer collection will find this perfect for the new year.


The Transportation Shelf

Alco Locomotives
Brian Solomon
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760333389, $40.00 www.voyageurpress.com

ALCO LOCOMOTIVES is a pick for any library strong in railroad and transportation history. It's the first comprehensive, illustrated history of the Alco and follows its development from its founding company in 1848 to its evolution through 1969. Packed with color locomotive photos and history, this survey of both contemporary and vintage locomotives is a 'must' for any avid rail buff.

Gridlock
Randal O'Toole
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20001
9781935308232, $24.95 www.cato.org

GRIDLOCK: WHY WE'RE STUCK IN TRAFFIC AND WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT analyzes the common urban problem of traffic congestion and makes a case for reducing congestion by improving methods of transportation that will increase everyone's mobility and pay for themselves. A range of ideas and policy recommendations on how to change the transportation system makes this a powerful pick for any college-level library strong in urban transportation challenges.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Movie Yearbook 2010
Roger Ebert
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
0740785362, $29.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

For nearly 25 years movie critic Roger Ebert's expertise has pinpointed the pros and cons of movies and set the standard for full-length critical movie reviews. Now his MOVIE YEARBOOK 2010 compiles the best of his works written between January 2007 and July 2009, offering its 0-4 star scale for over 600 motion pictures and packing in essays and new entries to the Little Movie Glossary, new questions and answers from his column, and more. A 'must' for any general library strong in film criticism.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Connecting to the Power of Nature
Joe H. Slate
Llewellyn Worldwide
2143 Wooddale Drive, Dept., Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738715667, $14.95, www.llewellyn.com

A little bit of nature in one's life can mean the world in finding temporary peace. "Connecting to the Power of Nature" encourages readers to embrace nature even momentarily in their lives when there seems to be no peace to be found elsewhere. Even a moment of silence in one's own backyard can bring a good deal of rest and take pressure off in one's life, and embracing it can lead to much spiritual growth in life. "Connecting to the Power of Nature" is a must read for those who want to add more of nature's serenity into their lives.


The Poetry Shelf

Cipango
Daniel Shapiro
Associated University Presses
2010 Eastpark Boulevard, Cranbury, NJ 08512
9780838757345, $44.95, www.bucknell.edu

Who knows what you would find going west off the coast of Portugal? "Cipango" is a collection of poems from Tomas Harris, a Chilean poet. This volume was initially published in 1992, but now is presented in English alongside the original Spanish. The poems spin on the idea of Columbus reaching Japan, as well as poems on other historical figures and figures of popular culture. "Cipango" is an original and intriguing work of poetry, highly recommended. "Ocean of Storms": No eyes ever saw the sea so high, so furious, so covered with foam./The wind didn't let us advance/or tack toward some cape./I lingered on that sea made of blood,/seething like a cauldron on a mighty fire.

Approaching Ice
Elizabeth Bradfield
Persea Books
853 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780892553556, $15.00, www.perseabooks.com

The arctic has more to it than just huge glaciers. "Approaching Ice" is a collection of poetry from Elizabeth Bradfield, as she focuses on her trip to the arctic circle, serving as a crew's naturalist and what she gathered from her trip. Drawing on her own interests in polar literature, "Approaching Ice" is a fine choice and recommended read for poetry lovers looking for something with a different flavor. "On the Longing of Early Explorers": Before satellites eyed the earth's whole surface/through the peephole of orbit, before/we all were tracked by numbers trailing from us/like a comet's tail -- O if only,/they'd say in quaint accents and obscure/sentence structures -- if only the unsullied/could be discovered, if only, once found,/it could speak its own nobility and let us empathize. Poignant, the despair that itched/beneath their powdered wigs, their longing to touch/the unspoiled, their sense that the world was already ruined.


The Parenting Shelf

Skills for Families, Skills for Life
Amy Simpson & Collaborators
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford Street, Boys Town, NE 68010
9781834489136, $19.95, www.boystownpress.org

A family working together is how things should be. "Skills for Families, Skills for Life: How to Help Parents and Caregivers Meet the Challenges of Everyday Living" is a guide to the many challenges families face, when dealing with the problems of the family faces on many levels. From dealing with financial problems and housing, to the tragic instances of abuse and its many types, "Skills for Families, Skills for Life" is an ideal reference for families who need advice on dealing with the day to day problems that need solving but are not always so obvious.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Rights, Liberties, and Social Justice
John W. Sweely
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8, Nevada City, CA 95959
9781577332060, $29.95, www.bluedolphin.com

Morality is the basis of law, but has America lost its way in morality? "Rights, Liberties, and Social Justice: How America Lost Its Moral Authority" is an analysis of morality and the law from John W. Sweely. Criticizing the religious right for clouding the morality of law, stating that the separation between church and state is as thin as it has ever been. He discusses intelligent design, biblical beliefs against science and their effects on civil liberties, especially when it comes to gay rights and women's rights. "Rights, Liberties, and Social Justice" is a fascinating and enlightening read, highly recommended.


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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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