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Volume 18, Number 11 November 2008 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Photography Shelf Biography Shelf
American History Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Architecture Shelf
Art Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Psychology Shelf
Fiction Shelf Native American Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Political Science Shelf Genealogy Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Travel Shelf Language Studies Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Gaming Shelf Poetry Shelf
Social Work Shelf Economics Shelf Education Shelf
World History Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Business Shelf
Islamic Studies Shelf Computer Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Botany Shelf
Military Shelf Literary Shelf Martial Arts Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Black Studies Shelf Anthropology Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf
Library Science Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Library CD Music Shelf Music Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Women's Studies Shelf Sports Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Science Shelf Hobby Shelf
Gardening Shelf Parenting Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

By A Maine River: A Year of Looking Closely
Thomas Mark Szelog & Leeman Szelog
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9780892727803, $24.95 www.downeast.com

Blend regional Americana, a nature tribute to a local area, and wildlife photography and you have a catalog of a year a la Walden Pond. The author's mission was to find and photography within the confines of a typical 70-acre Maine property everything interesting, surprising or beautiful for every week for an entire year. BY A MAINE RIVER presents these surprises to any collection strong in either regional Maine history or natural history in general.

Road Bike Maintenance
Guy Andrews
Falcon Guides
c/o Globe Pequot Press
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762747467, $19.95 www.falcon.com

Any who ride a bike, whether experienced racers or newcomers to a bike, will find ROAD BIKE MAINTENANCE a fine DIY guide. Lay-flat spiral binding in a durable cover made for the road offers the latest tips on the latest bikes and technology, and provides a manual perfect for the workshop. From a basic introduction to how a road bike works to tips on maintenance and problem-solving, it's a key acquisition for bike owners and libraries alike.

Wine Appreciation Guild
360 Swift Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080
www.wineappreciation.com

Photographer Esmeralda Wood's GOOD WINE BAD LANGUAGE GREAT WINEYARDS: WINE CHARACTERS OF AUSTRALIA (0977514706, L12.00 UK) and GOOD WINE BAD LANGUAGE GREAT VINEYARDS: WINE CHARACTERS OF NEW ZEALAND (9780977514724, L12.00 UK) are outstanding and fun surveys, not like your usual wine book. It provides a fine examination of the wine industry, surveying the language, manners and characters of each country's wine industry. In providing a biographical focus on winemakers, these lively interview books offer fun stories and regional insights not to be found elsewhere. Deserving of ongoing mention is John and Erica Platter's AFRICA UNCORKED: TRAVELS IN EXTREME WINE TERRITORY (1891267523), which surveys the authors' travels off the beaten track to wine-growing countries from Algeria and Egypt to Reunion and Tanzania. All are highly recommended for any in-depth wine history collection.

Living Will
M. Dianne Godkin
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta
Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2EI
0888644949, $24.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

No one is immortal, and the best way to deal with the unfortunate is preparation. "Living Will, Living Well" is a guide to responsibly dealing with the event of death. Aimed at those in their later years, the book speaks of the importance of a living will and how the document isn't enough. "Living Will" offers advice on encouraging communication with loved ones and friends, assistance in dealing with the legal paperwork of wills and other complications that arise, and dealing with oneself after a loved one has passed on. "Living Will" is a solid compendium of knowledge on one's own death, and should be highly considered by those who don't want complications for themselves or their loved ones.

East of the Storm
Hanna Davidson Pankowsky
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726277, $19.95, www.ttup.ttu.edu

Expecting social justice and sanctuary in Stalinist Russia ranged from simple, desperate naivete to a deliberately self-inflicted delusion but some unfortunate souls did just that, only to find their very lives at risk. "East of the Storm: Outrunning the Holocaust in Russia" is the true story of the Pankowsky family's ordeal of escaping their homeland for an uncertain fate in the Soviet Union. Poland quickly fell to Nazi Germany, and was subject to its antisemitic practices almost the same instant. Hanna and her family saw hope in making it to the Soviet-occupied portion of Poland, and took their chances going for it. "East of the Storm" is a tale of bravery and risking it all for just the chance to survive.

So Why Have You Never Been Married?
Carl Weisman
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931-0669
9780882823263, $14.95, www.newhorizonbookspress.com

Pressure into marriage is common in society, but why would some take their time or even refuse? "So Why Have You Never Been Married? 10 Insights Into Why He Hasn't Wed" is a look at the eternal bachelor, the man who has been married. Talking to many men who have yet to tie to knot, he gets a wide range of answers from those who would simply like to continue playing the field, to those who believe monogamy is a sham, to those who simply haven't found the right one. "So Why Have You Never Been Married?" is a look into the male psyche and will provide many answers to a woman who's wondering just why their desired man has yet to pop the question.

Projected History Volume One 1929-1930
Phillip W. Stewart, editor
PMS Press
PO Box 1496, Crestview, FL 32536
9780979324383, $26.95 www.pmspress.com

Projected History: A Catalog of the U.S. National Stories Released by Universal Newsreel Volume One 1929-1930 lists over 1275 nationally released newsreel titles, covering the first two years of what was once known as the Universal Newspaper Newsreel. The reference to each individual news story is no more than a title and one or a handful of sentences encapsulating the story, such as "Runaway Train Plunges Down Mountain: New Castle, PA - 210,000 tons of coal spilled, 32 cars wrecked, but nobody is hurt. Some of the derailed cars hung on the edge of a steep embankment." A solid archive of history's highlights, compiled into an easy-to-use resource for quick reference, and enhanced with an exhaustive title index.

Brett Favre: A Packer Fan's Tribute
Tom Kertscher
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826838, $24.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

As Brett Favre's era comes to an end at Green Bay this third edition, THE FINAL SEASON, concludes a tribute to his many accomplishments. Favre fans will appreciate nearly a hundred photos from the Packers Team photographer Jim Biever to accompany era-by-era reviews of Favre's achievements and winning ways. Any collection front in Packers history or sports biographies in general will find this a popular lend.

Wisconsin Quilts
Ellen Kort, author
Revised by Maggi McCormick Gordon
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
9780896895928, $34.99, www.fwpublications.com, 1-800-726-9966

Needlecrafts in general, and quilting in particular, were essential aspects of pioneer life in Wisconsin. Original produced for utilitarian purposes, the skills of the women who made them elevated quilting into an art. Now in an expanded second edition with revision by Maggi McCormick Gordon, "Wisconsin Quilts: History In The Stitches" by Ellen Kort features eight exclusive patterns and instructions for blocks inspired by historical quilts and which will allow today's quilters to create heirloom quality quilts for themselves and their families. Published in partnership with the Wisconsin Quilt History Project, "Wisconsin Quilts" is a combination quilting history and user friendly 'how to' guide for aspiring needlecrafters and an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, community, and local historical society library Needlecraft reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Say It Like Obama
Shel Leanne
The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
9780071615891, $21.95, 1-877-833-5524

It was his speech at the Democratic Convention in 2004 that catapulted Barack Obama into the national spotlight. It has been his gift for oratory both in style and in substance that has propelled him into becoming the first African-American presidential candidate of a major national political party. Now leadership expert Shel Leanne explains, using Obama has a living example, how to combine oratory, body language, and the fine art of persuasion into a seamless presentation that builds trust and stimulates action in "Say It Like Obama: The Power Of Speaking With Purpose And Vision". A thoroughly 'user friendly' instructional manual on the art and craft of public speaking, "Say It Like Obama" should be read and studied by anyone who will be called upon to speak in public whether it be in church, in the board room, or from a convention platform. "Say It Like Obama" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library Self-Help/Self-Improvement and Leadership/Management reference collections.

The Old Farmer's 2009 Almanac
Robert B. Thomas
The Old Farmer's Almanac
1121 Main Street, Dublin, NH 03444
9781571984531, $6.95, www.almanac.com

The farmer's almanac has been an American tradition since the days of Benjamin Franklin. "The Old Farmer's 2009 Almanac" is the latest edition of the yearly work, started in 1792. With predictions for sixteen different regions throughout the country, it gives readers a rough idea of what to expect in coming year. Enhanced with articles on health, livestock, gardening, and more, "The Old Farmer's 2009 Almanac" again proves to be agriculture's best friend.

Variety Is The Spice Of Life
Ernest A. Seemann
Elderberry Press
1393 Old Homestead, 2nd floor, Oakland, OR 97462
9781934956014, $19.95, www.elderberrypress.com

For more than a millennium, the German language and culture has given rise to memorable epigrams and aphorisms. Selected, compiled, organized, and translated by Ernest A. Seemann (a multi-lingual native of Germany and retired Florida attorney expert in German poetry, epigrams and aphorisms), "Variety Is The Spice Of Life: 445 German Epigrams and Aphorisms from the 11th to the 20th Centuries in German and English" is a 134-page bi-lingual compendium drawing from the writings of 131 authors. The citations reflect everyday life experiences including love, politics, relationships, ethics, and morality. An ideal browse for those interested in this form of popular wisdom, "Variety Is The Spice Of Life" is a seminal work that is very strongly recommended for academic library reference collections and to the attention of German language students.

On Tarzan
Alex Vernon
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820332055, $22.95, www.ugapress.org, 1-800-266-5842

Only Superman and Batman have had a stronger and more enduring impact on 20th century American popular culture than Edgar Rice Burroughs' literary creation of "Tarzan". The orphaned son of an English couple marooned on the shores of Africa and raised by apes captured popular attention from his first introduction in 1912 in the novel "Tarzan of the Apes". Since then the character has appeared in dozens of books (both authorized and unauthorized), been the subject of dozens of films (both American and foreign), appeared as several television series, been the mainstay of comic books, graphic novels, radio plays, and given rise to innumerable toys, fanzines, and other products. In his seminal work "On Tarzan", Alex Vernon (Associate Professor of English, Hendrix College) lays out the mythical, even archetypal status of this fictional character, the differences between Tarzan of the novels and Tarzan of the films, the 'Walt Disneyfictation' phenomenon, and so much more. Of special note is the analysis of racism in the Tarzan mythos and literature. A work of seminal and impressive scholarship, "On Tarzan" is strongly recommended for academic and community library Literary Studies and American Popular Culture reference collections, as well as a singularly important contribution to the reading lists for all dedicated Tarzan fans.

Braided Lives
June Bingham
Straus Historical Society
c/o Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
9780980125023, $24.95, 1-800-365-8929

Marriage is a partnership, and so often it is neglected as such. "Braided Lives: A 20th Century Pursuit of Happiness" tells of author June Bingham and Jonathan Bingham's moving story of how marriage should be done. Taking the equality of their marriage as it should be intended, it's a wade through New York Jewish high society as June fights for women's rights and Johnathan serves as a long term congressman, with both supporting each other on each step of the way. "Braided Lives" is intriguing due to its people and its depiction of marriage; recommended.

The Jews and American Comics
Paul Buhle
The New Press
38 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013
9781595583314, $29.95, 208 pp., www.thenewpress.com

Comic strip history and the Jewish influence on comic strip writers and artists are the subject of "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form". In a collection knowledgeably compiled and deftly edited by Paul Buhle, "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form" is comprised of more than two hundred examples of the work of Jewish comic artists dating back a century. Paul Buhle informs readers on just how the 'People of the Book' became the 'People of the Comic Book'. Enhanced with three information packed essays written by Buhle, and with the cited comics arranged by Jewish themes and Jewish related content, readers will explore the history and discover the parallels of the comic book format with the history of Yiddish literacy culture. Readers will learn beyond the fact that many to the great talents of the comic trade who happen to be Jewish, but that the Jewish role is part of the full history of this comic (artistic) tradition. Interesting in fact, history and comics "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form" is a fascinating exploration of the influences and traditions of comics. Recommended for public libraries and universities who teach comic book design, "Jews and American Comics: An Illustrated History of an American Art Form" will prove a fascinating read for anyone who grew up reading comics as a kid.


The Photography Shelf

Night Vision: Art of Urban Exploration
Troy Paiva
Chronicle Books
680 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94107
9780811863384, $24.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

Urban Exploration is the art of sneaking into abandoned or off-limits factors, aviation ' boneyards', and other derelict ex-military or industrial centers to photograph abandoned holdings, and NIGHT VISION captures these Urban Exploration results, comes from one of the foremost photographers of the phenomenon, and offers a blend of night photos and special lighting effects. A powerful art guide highly recommended for any contemporary art collection.

Historic Photos of Theodore Roosevelt
Stacy A. Cordery
Turner Publishing Company
200 4th Avenue North, Suite 950, Nashville, TN 37219
(615) 255-2665, www.turnerpublishing.com
9781596523364, $39.95, 206 pp.

For American history buffs this Turner Publishing Company edition of "Historic Photos of Theodore Roosevelt" is a 'must see' addition historic photography collections. "Historic Photos of Theodore Roosevelt" features an informative captions by Stacy A. Cordery to enhance our appreciation of this thoughtful collection of black-and-white photos of TR, many of which are rare and will be relatively unknown. Journey through the early years, 1858-1888, the years of preparation, the presidency (1901-1909) and the post presidential years 1910-1919. Interesting text alongside the photos describe the life and work, interests and loves of Theodore Roosevelt's life. Well researched and creatively presented Historic Photos of Theodore Roosevelt will intrigue any reader interested in American icon. Recommended for all personal, community, and academic library Photography, American Biography, and Theodore Roosevelt reference collections.

Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com

Damon Tucci's STEP-BY-STEP WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: TECHNIQUES FOR PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781584282372, $34.95) covers all the basics of assuring wedding shots are given meaningful, poignant preparations, from how to embark on a great consultation plan to tips on anticipating photo ops and learning what to look for during the ceremony and at the reception. From the usual lighting and posing techniques to documenting all the emotions involved in a wedding, this offers many keys to success. Lou Jacobs Jr.'s PROFESSIONAL WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY: TECHNIQUES AND IMAGES FROM MASTER PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781584282396, $34.95) covers all the basics, from choosing the right camera equipment and planning the day's coverage to working on location, marketing for new clients, and pricing more effectively. Allison Earnest's SCULPTING WITH LIGHT (9781584282365, $34.95) provides portrait photographers with essential keys to using studio lighting for optimum results. The focus on using such lighting to 'sculpt' results in a flattering way makes all the difference between professional and amateur results, with the book covering not just lighting basics, but common face shapes and how each should be lit for maximum effect. Bill Hurter's EXISTING LIGHT TECHNIQUES FOR WEDDING AND PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584282280, $34.95) tells how to modify and supplement existing light to make for more natural images. As weddings have moved from studio lighting to other more natural conditions, this provides a key analysis of how to redirect and use sunlight, window light and more to maximum professional advantage. These are key acquisitions for practicing wedding photographers and for any collection catering to them.

The Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xsi/450d Companion
Ben Long
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596520861, $24.99 www.oreilly.com

Unlike other camera guides to the Canon, The Canon EOS Digital Rebel Xsi/450d Companion provides a portable class on digital photography for those who use this particular model and shows how to use its special features to take superior photos. Technical savvy blends with specialty photography tips in a survey important for any Canon DOS Digital Rebel camera owner.

Historic Photos of Ronald Reagan
Turner Publishing Company
200 4th Avenue North, Suite 950, Nashville, TN 37219
9781596524361, $39.95, 197 pages, www.turnerpublishing.com

Some leaders are memorialized by their actions, popularity, or discoveries. Ronald Reagan became a beloved president to many and is still widely referenced today as a great leader of his time. In this tasteful account of Ronald Reagan's life with text and captions by Jay Stephen Whitney, readers will discover the intimate details of one man's transformational journey from citizen and actor, to governor of California and a two-term president of the United States. Historic photos of Ronald Reagan's life from infancy until the time he left the oval office, this illustrated biographical overview is embellished with the memorable rhetoric of an influential political leader. A core addition for academic and community library 20th Century American History collections, "Historic Photos of Ronald Reagan" is very highly recommended reading -- especially for those who remember his presidency and the influence this one-time Hollywood actor had upon the nation and upon the world.

Damanhur: Temples Of Humankind
Silvia Buffagni
CoSM Press
542 West 27th Street, NY, NY, 10001
North Atlantic Books (distributor)
1435 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.northatlanticbooks.com, 1-800-788-3123
9781556435775, $50.00, www.cosm.org

Temples are places of metaphysical symbolism, mystery and magic, icons and imagery, ancient places of hallowed traditions, and so much more. Enhanced with the poetry of Oberto Airaudi, deftly edited by Allyson Grey, and provided with an informative foreword by Alex Grey and an introduction by Rob Calef, "Damanhur: Temples Of Humankind" is a compilation of beautifully reproduced photographs embellished with a text by Esperide Ananas and showcases the diversity of temple structures which served the needs of men and women to worship their gods. Beginning with the brief two paragraph commentary 'Temples of Humankind', "Damanhur" is divided into twelve sections of images and text that range from 'The Birth of the Temples'; 'The Battle for the Temples'; 'The Secret Doors' and 'The Blue Temple'; to 'The Hall of Water'; 'The Hall of the Earth'; 'The Hall of Metals'; 'The Labyrinth'; 'The Hall of Spheres'; 'The Future of the Temples'; and 'Federation of Damanhur: Sharing the Magic, an Invitation'. Enhanced with an extensive appendix, Informed and informative, "Damanhur: Temples Of Humankind" is a beautiful work that would grace any personal, academic, or community library Religion & Spirituality reference collection or Metaphysical Studies supplemental reading list.

Best of the Widener Collection
John C. Hemment, photographer
Eclipse Press
3101 Beaumont Centre Circle, Lexington, KY 40591-9003
9781581501940, $24.95 www.eclipsepress.com 1-800-866-2361

Best of the Widener Collection is an eye-catching collection of never-before-published, black-and-white photography from the golden age of horse racing. Taken in the years from the late nineteenth century to the inception of World War I, Best of the Widener Collection shows 200 of the most splendid photographs from the nearly 1,000 that were in a collection given to "The Blood-Horse" by Joseph E. Widener. Taken by one of the earliest and greatest names in racetrack photography, John C. Hemment, the subjects range from renowned African-American jockey Isaac Murphy to images of nigh-unbeaten racing horses such as Sysonby at work or at rest, to portraits of distinguished trainers of the day such as Frank McCabe, and more. A glorious window into the excitement-packed days of horse racing's yesteryear.


The Biography Shelf

Natalie Scott: A Magnificent Life
John W. Scott
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589805804, $25.00 www.pelicanpub.com

Natalie Scott was one of the best newspaperwomen in America and spearheaded a colony of intellectuals who gathered in New Orleans' French Quarter during the 1920s. She also was a war nurse, awarded France's highest medal for bravery after rescuing patients from a bombed medical building, as well as a celebrated journalist and socialite. Any collection strong in New Orleans history or women's biography will find this an excellent survey of the vivid life and accomplishments of Natalie Scott.

Father Flanagan of Boys Town
Hugh Reilly & Kevin Warneke
Boys Town Press
14100 Crawford St., Boys Town, NE 68010
9781889322995, $14.95, www.boystownpress.org

Too often children are left to fend for themselves, and it takes a noble soul to defend them. "Father Flanagan of Boys Town: A Man of Vision" tells of a man who looked after hundreds of orphan boys in Nebraska. He founded Boy's Town, following his faith, looking after children of any race or creed, supporting them to adulthood. Fighting his own poor health, his story is a moving one, making "Father Flanagan of Boys Town" a solid read.

The Billionaire Who Wasn't
Conor O'Clery
Public Affairs
250 West 57th Street, Suite 1321, New York, NY 10107
9781586486426, $15.95, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

So often the rich seek to only get richer, getting more money to pad their wallets than they need to survive. Is there any honor among the greedy? "The Billionaire Who Wasn't: How Chuck Feeney Secretly Made and Gave Away a Fortune" is about a different kind of entrepreneur. Chuck Feeney made billions with his company Duty Free Shippers, but never pursued the fame and did very little pursuit of the fortune, instead becoming one of America's greatest reclusive philanthropists. "The Billionaire Who Wasn't" is highly recommended reading for anyone who has had a soured view on the wealthy.

Dream Homes
Joyce Zonana
The Feminist Press
365 Fifth Avenue, Suite 5406, New York, NY 10016
9781558615731, $15.95, www.feministpress.org

What is home, really? "Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina, An Exile's Journey" tells of the author's history of being expunged from her beloved home twice. Once from his native land due to intolerance of her people, and once by Mother Nature's fury in the form of the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Enhanced with photographs and family recipes and tales of and from her mother, Zonana paints a picture of a two-time exile who learns what home really is. "Dream Homes: From Cairo to Katrina" is a top pick for academic and community library Women's Studies and American Biography collections, as well as a 'must read' for anyone who is also struggling with questions of who they are and what they aspire to.

Santiago's Children
Steve Reifenberg
University of Texas Press
2100 Comal Street, Austin, TX 78722
9780292717428, $24.95, www.utexaspress.com

The lessons of life are never laid out as if they were in a book. "Santiago's Children: What I Learned About Life at an Orphanage in Chile" is one man's reflection of one of his great times of learning in life. Santiago, Chile was where he went and fought a language barrier armed with only his own good will. He met many children, each different from the next who gave him a crash course in the harsh realities of life. "Santiago's Children" is poignant and inspiring, highly recommended reading.

Mary's Voyage
Mary Caldwell & Matthew M. Douglas
Sheridan House
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092677, $19.95, www.sheridanhouse.com

Circling around the world is a feat in itself, doing it with your entire family is an adventure. "Mary's Voyage: The Adventures of John and Mary Caldwell" tells of the Caldwell family and how they began their long journey around the globe. Starting in California, Mary pregnant, one of their own was born during the trip to join their toddler and infant son to their crew. Facing the long sailing trip and the wrath of nature, "Mary's Voyage" is a true life adventure sure to please fans of unusual feats by common people.

Steamboat Springs
Marcellus Samuel Merrill, author
David Merrill Primus, editor
Western Reflections Publishing Company
PO Box 1149, Lake City, CO 81235
9781932738643, $14.95 www.westernreflectionspub.com 970-994-0110

David Merrill Primus transcribes the best of the stories his grandfather (Marcellus Samuel Merrill) has told him in Steamboat Springs: Memories of a Young Colorado Pioneer. The tales bring to life Marcellus' days in the colorful Colorado town of Steamboat Springs, which has since become a popular place for skiing. Told in the colloquial English of Marcellus' era, these turn-of the-century tales call back the heady pioneer days of the early 1900's. Enhanced with never previously published historical photographs, sketches, and maps, Steamboat Springs is a treat for anyone curious about what life in a Colorado pioneer town really was like over a hundred years ago.

Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman
Alan H. Levy
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786439508, $35.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187

Written by history professor Alan H. Levy, Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman is the first complete biography of African-American boxer and former heavyweight champion Floyd Patterson (1935-2006), whom Muhammad Ali once referred to as the most skillful fighter he ever faced. Yet there was far more to Patterson than strength and skill in the ring; he defied poverty and prejudice to become the youngest world heavyweight champion in history, and he was the first man to regain the crown after losing it. Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman also pays close attention to Patterson's public and personal life outside the sport, including his work as a civil rights activist and celebrity icon of the movement in the 1960s. Accessible to scholarly and lay readers alike, Floyd Patterson: A Boxer and a Gentleman is a welcome addition to African-American biography shelves.

Mary Elizabeth Garrett: Society and Philanthropy in the Gilded Age
Kathleen Waters Sander
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801888700, $45.00, www.press.jhu.edu 1-800-537-5487

Mary Elizabeth Garrett: Society and Philanthropy in the Gilded Age is the biography of a truly remarkable female philanthropist and activist, whose life and work spanned the Civil War, the difficult Reconstruction, the heady Gilded Age, and the Progressive Era of the early twentieth century. An intelligent and strong-willed woman barred by social custom from following in the footsteps of her railroad mogul father, she worked tirelessly to promote women's rights, applying her wealth and status to advance her egalitarian vision. She contributed endowments to the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine on two unprecedented conditions: that women by admitted on the same terms as men, and that the school be graduate level. A champion of advanced education for girls, and a supporter of women's suffrage, Mary Elizabeth Garrett was a genuine force for change and worthy of serving as an inspiration to girls women a century later. Highly recommended.

Thomas Ewing Jr. Frontier Lawyer and Civil War General
Ronald D. Smith
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826218063, $44.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894

Thomas Ewing Jr. Frontier Lawyer and Civil War General is a scholarly biography of former Whig senator and cabinet member destined to gain a commission in the Union Army, along with his brothers. He raised a regiment that encountered action in Arkansas and Missouri, and after William Quantrill's raid on Lawrence, Kansas, he issued the General Order No. 11 that forcibly removed residents from sections of western Missouri. A confidant of Abraham Lincoln, Ewing dared to defend three of the assassination conspirators, and even lobbied a key vote to prevent the impeachment of Andrew Johnson. Exhaustively researched, Thomas Ewing Jr. Frontier Lawyer and Civil War General presents an in-depth, crystal clear portrait of not only one Civil War general's life, but also the antebellum South in which he lived. Highly recommended for Civil War enthusiasts of all backgrounds.


The American History Shelf

Death of Raymond Yellow Thunder
Stew Magnuson
Texas Tech University Press
Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79109-1037
9780896726345, $29.95 www.ttup/ttu.edu

THE DEATH OF RAYMOND YELLOW THUNDER AND OTHER TRUE STORIES FROM THE NEBRASKA-PINE RIDGE BORDER TOWNS is a top pick not just for Texas collections, but for any library strong in regional American history in general and border town politics and stories in particular. From the long history of racial unrest in these downs to community efforts to overcome internal violence and strife, THE DEATH OF RAYMOND YELLOW THUNDER is packed with powerful blends of history and cross-cultural conflict and interactions.

Quelch's Gold
Clifford Beal
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781597972338, $16.95, www.potomacbooksinc.com

A victim of something he didn't understand, a sad fate indeed. "Quelch's Gold: Piracy, Greed, and Betrayal in Colonial New England" is the tragic story of John Quelch. With a massively valuable haul in his ship coming to the American colonies in 1704, Quelch finds himself charged with piracy against ally Portugal. Baffled at the accusation, Quelch stood powerless as his fate was decided. A history of a Massachusetts legend and look at the law of the early eighteenth century, "Quelch's Gold" is a worthwhile acquisition for history buffs.

Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman
Michael J. Devine, Robert P. Watson, & Robert J. Wolz
Truman State University
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9781931112802, $28.95, tsup.truman.edu

One of the first government heads to recognize the existence of Israel, Harry Truman is a vital figure in the history of modern Israel. "Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman" tells of the man and his involvement and inner conflict in his role in establishing the Jewish homeland. Alongside the objective history are the voices of many who knew him and worked with him, from Israeli ambassadors, scholars, representatives to aides. An impressive work of meticulous scholarship throughout, "Israel and the Legacy of Harry S. Truman" is welcome addition to academic library 20th Century American History collections, as well as a recommended and informative read for any who are studying Harry Truman's contribution to the establishment of the modern state of Israel.

Copts in Michigan
Eliot Dickinson
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25 Manly Miles Building, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
9780870138249, $12.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

There are many people and many cultures making up our country. "Copts in Michigan" is a look at the ethno-religious group known as the Copts, Egyptian Christians. They have made their home in and around Detroit, and Eliot Dickinson brings a focus on how these people came to America and how they are making their place in society. An educating and enlightening picture of a people, "Copts in Michigan" is high recommended.

For Members Only
Lisa Holton
Lake Claremont Press
PO Box 711, Chicago, IL 60690
9781893121287, $18.95, www.lakeclaremont.com

One could walk down a Chicago street and pass many of them, never knowing they passed an important part of Chicago's history. Knowledgeably compiled and expertly written by Lisa Holton, "For Members Only: A History and Guide to Chicago's Oldest Private Clubs" looks at over a century of secrecy and how it is not always a bad thing. Identifying these clubs and their contributions, examining how they were formed, and revealing how they exist in the modern world which frowns on exclusionary practices, "For Members Only" a solidly informative and educational study. Highly recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in American History in general, and the city of Chicago in particular, "For Members Only" is a great piece of history and a welcome addition to library reference collections.

Stagecoaches Across the American West 1850 to 1920
John A. Sells
Hancock House Publishers
1431 Harrison Avenue, Blaine, WA 98230-5005
9780888396051, $ 44.95, 336 pp., www.hancockhouse.com

The stagecoach is an iconic symbol of the American west. History buffs and Wild West enthusiasts will delight "Stagecoaches Across the American West 1850 to 1920", and impressively detailed and beautifully illustrated history of the stagecoach. Western history buff John A. Sells presents a well crafted, meticulously researched and deftly written treatise on the importance and impact of stagecoaches with respect to the westward expansion in the United States. A seminal work of American history, "Stagecoaches Across the American West 1850 to 1920" provides readers with a comprehensive look at stagecoach culture, the business and industries impacted by stagecoaches and the all important rules of stagecoach travel -- which could often mean the difference between life and death for its passengers, drivers and guards. A journey in time when the pony express and express mail were new, "Stagecoaches Across the American West 1850 to 1920" is replete photos and maps, making it enthusiastically recommended for personal, community, and academic library American Western Frontier History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Hunting The American West
Richard C. Rattenbury
Boone and Crockett Club
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801-2753
9780940864603, $49.95, www.booneandcrockettclub.com

During the 1800s, the American West was a magnet for men who hunted for survival, pleasure, and profit. Beautifully illustrated with period black-and-white images and full color artwork and photography, "Hunting The American West" by Richard C. Rattenbury (Curator of History, National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum) is an impressive work of meticulous scholarship that provides a comprehensive historical overview drawn from the personal accounts and journal entries of participants and observers ranging from aboriginal hunters and 'Mountain Men', to European adventurers and big game market hunters. "Hunting The American West" addresses such issues as big-game species, subsistence hunting, commercial hunting, and sport hunting; the variety of methods used from 1800 to 1900; the evolution of weaponry used in hunting; language associated with hunting in the American West; and the rise of the hunter-conservation movement -- which lead directly to the founding of the Boone and Crockett Club. Informed and informative, "Hunting The American West" is a unique and valued contribution to the growing library of historical literature with respect to frontier experiences of the west and a core addition to personal, academic, and community library collections.

Oklahoma: A History
W. David Baird and Danney Goble
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806139104, $24.95, www.oupress.com 1-800-627-7377

Historians and college professors W. David Baird and Danney Goble present Oklahoma: A History, an in-depth, narrative history of America's 46th state. From the geological and tectonic creation of Oklahoma's landscape to both well-known and oft-overlooked historical events, Oklahoma: A History narrates in a down-to-earth style accessible to historians and lay readers alike. "The collapse of the Socialist Party and the end of World War I brought no tranquility... High among the reasons for this political turmoil was the bitterness felt by former Socialists. Their party had not survived the war, but neither had the high farm prices that the war produced... On top of that, the former Socialists carried a bitter grudge against the Democrats, whom they blamed for destroying their party. Unable to vote Socialist and unwilling to vote Democratic, their first recourse was to vote for the one remaining alternative, the Republicans." A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this excellent addition to Oklahoma and American history collections, highly recommended especially for public libraries.

Yankees in Michigan
Brian C. Wilson
Michigan State University Press
Manly Miles Building, Suite 25
1405 South Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823-5245
9780870138256, $12.95, www.msupress.msu.edu

Part of the "Discovering the Peoples of Michigan" series, Yankees in Michigan is a fascinating examination of the impact "Yankees" (as defined by their shared culture and sense of identity) had on the state of Michigan. As the ethnic label "Yankee" fell into disuse, the children of Yankees adapted the appellation "Midwesterner" instead. Chapters especially discuss the effect that Yankee immigration had on the Michigan frontier, and the industrialization of Michigan, among other subjects. Thoughtfully researched and engagingly presented by professor Brian C. Wilson, Yankees in Michigan is an excellent and worthy contribution to Michigan state history shelves.

The Birth of American Tourism
Richard H. Gassan
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558496651, $29.95 www.umpress.usmass.edu 1-800-537-5487

The Birth of American Tourism: New York, the Hudson Valley, and American Culture, 1790-1830 is a scholarly look at how travel for leisure first became a widespread American practice. Once, tourism was so expensive and potentially hazardous that only wealthy Americans could engage in this aristocratic luxury. Only in the 1820's could middle class tourists begin to follow the pastimes of the wealthy, by making trips up the Hudson River valley north of New York City. By 1830, tourist trips through the area had become wildly popular, signifying a major change in American culture. The Birth of American Tourism explores not only the historical accidents that initiated tourism, but also the many side developments that intersected with it, from the rise of hotels to accommodate tourists to the creation of transportation networks to carry them, to the invention of cultural attractions designed to infuse their experience with meaning. A welcome addition to American history and cultural studies collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Martingale & Company
20205 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com

Learn how to work with curves to produce circle quilts, and absorb the latest tricks for cutting and sewing circles using eight example projects ranging from small wall hangings to twin quilts. Leigh E. McDonald's ADVENTURES IN CIRCLES (9781564778024, $26.95 ) gets the quilter started on the circle concept, covers machine applique and embellishments, and offers a variety of patterns paired with color photos and step-by-step directions. Cyndi Walker's SPOTLIGHT ON SCRAPS: 10 PRETTY QUILTS (9781564777799, $24.95) tells how to mix hues, values and prints to give a scrap quilt extra sparkle. The focus on bright, bold colors and beginner's lessons on color schemes makes for a fun introduction. Tammy Kelly's QUILTASTIC CURVES (9781564777836, $26.95) provides a sampling of template shapes which can be used to create a wide range of quilts. Step-by-step instructions cover the basics of producing perfect curves using the author's easy cutting and sewing techniques, with a dozen quilt projects providing reinforcement to learning. That Patchwork Place's CREATIVE QUILT COLLECTION V. 3 (9781564778550, $27.95) features 19 special designs, from traditional to modern, which illustrate a range of quilt-making tips. From simple piecing to hand applique, the variety is an exceptional range of ideas for all levels of quilter. Catherine Tough's SIMPLE GIFTS FOR DOG LOVERS (9781564778710, $18.95) provides quick, easy projects ranging from dog coats to matching scarves for dog and owner. Dogs and owners alike receive fun dog-theme gift ideas with easy sewing construction for all. Highly recommended for any needleworker's collection.

Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.watsonguptill.com

Anyone can learn to crochet, as the Chicks With Sticks Nancy Queen & Mary Ellen O'Connell show in Chicks with Sticks Guide to Crochet (082300676X, $17.95), an introduction consisting of detailed lessons and a review of tools, materials, and crochet abbreviations. The Chicks offer up projects broken down by lesson, patterns with schematic diagrams, and photos of finished results: a perfect addition to any library seeking user-friendly introductions paired with contemporary, appealing design projects. Their GUIDE TO KNITTING (0823006751, $17.95) offers a similar guide for beginning knitters, covering all the basic terminology, instructions and providing guides to basic patterns through thirty simple, contemporary fashion projects. Diagrams, assembly instructions and more make for a compelling read.

Ribbon Treasures from Celia's Garden
Faye Labanaris
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329582, $26.95 www.americanquilter.com

Learn how to create three-dimensional blossoms working with ribbons with Ribbon Treasures from Celia's Garden, a guide to decorative flowers which can be created to enhance quilts, hats, home decor and more. Step-by-step full-color directions make it easy to follow specifics on creating flowers from ribbons, with enticing and inspirational finished results presented. Any quilting or needlework library needs this.

The Prayer Shawl Companion
Janet Bristow & Victoria A. Cole-Galo
The Taunton Press
P.O. Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600850035, $19.95, 172 pp., www.taunton.com

Have you received, given or heard of a prayer shawl? Would you like to know how to make one and understand the meanings behind them? Needlecraft authors and founders of the Prayer Shawl Ministry, Janet Bristow and Victoria A. Cole-Galo have collaborated to bring aspiring knitters thirty-eight distinctive and lovely prayer shawl patterns to knitters of all skill levels in the pages of "The Prayer Shawl Companion: 38 Knitted Designs To Embrace, Inspire & Celebrate Life". Beautiful pictures, easy to follow patterns, and anecdotal personal stories make "The Prayer Shawl Companion" so much more than just another book of patterns. Readers will learn the meaning and traditions behind many kinds of shawls showcased, as well as the importance of these shawls to those who make them and/or receive them. These wraps are made for anyone and for nearly any occasion. The individual and 'user friendly' patterns include designs for celebrations as well as times of solace and remembrance. Readers can find more information, stories and patterns on www.shawlministry.com. Thoughtful, inspiring, and educational knitters will enjoy selecting the right color, yarn and stitch for their project, each with its own meaning. A welcome addition to personal, professional, and community library Needlecraft instructional reference collections, "The Prayer Shawl Companion" is enthusiastically recommended for knitters of every level of ability and proficiency.

Sew Fabulous Fabric
Alice Butcher & Ginny Farquhar, authors
David & Charles
c/o F&W Publications
4700 Gallbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
9780715328583, $22.99, 128 pp., www.mycraftivity.com

Not so crafty when it comes to sewing projects? For many of people sewing and creating homemade projects can be a nightmare! That's why needlecraft authors and experts Alice Butcher and Ginny Farquhar have collaborated in putting together "Sew Fabulous Fabric". Their aim, at which they have so wonderfully succeeded, is to take the worry out of making personal fabric-based gifts, items for the home, and so much more. Profusely illustrated throughout, ""Sew Fabulous Fabric" is a beautiful instructional 'how to' book enhanced with clear directions and pictures. Environmentally friendly with great ideas for using every scrap of fabric, "Sew Fabulous Fabric" is especially appropriate for aspiring needleworkers looking for new ways to use their skills, as it is for the fabric crafter learning how to sew, embroider, do patchwork, and applique. Go vintage, or retro, which every way you choose "Sew Fabulous Fabric" will provide the aspiring needlecrafter with a unique collection of irresistible and memorable projects that have a homespun feel. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Sew Fabulous Fabric" is enthusiastically recommended for anyone wanting to learn to make extraordinarily creative home projects and gifts with the deft use of ordinary fabrics.

Beyond the Block
Linda K. Johnson & Jane K. Wells
American Quilter's Society
P.O. Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
(800) 626.5420, www.AmericanQuilter.com
9781574329599, $26.95, 96 pp., www.amazon.com

Quilting is an enduringly popular pastime and the source of many a family legacy quilt to be handed down from generation to generation. In "Beyond the Block", quilting experts Linda K. Johnson and Jane K. Wells collaborative to present a series of new patterns and ideas for quilting projects with difficulty levels that range from the confident beginner all the way to the more experienced needlecrafter. Enhanced with tips from the 'Crafty Ol' Broads' about the basics, "Beyond the Block" then dives right in to the patterns themselves. Beautiful color photos clearly illustrate the instructions and piecing techniques for maximum comprehension and design. Techniques and resources are included. Easy to follow, great color pictures and ideas, "Beyond the Block" is enthusiastically recommended for quilters of all levels of proficiency.

Knitting 200 Q&A
Rita Taylor
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764161377, $18.99, www.barronseduc.com

Knitting continues to be one of the most widespread and popular of the needlecraft pastimes. Designed for the novice but containing of wealth of practical information of interest and value to even the more experienced knitter, Rita Taylor's "Knitting 200 Q&A" is a compendium of definitive answers to some two hundred practical questions about every aspect of the knitting process from 'What is a three-needle bindoff?' to 'What is double knitting?', to 'Why do some pattern instructions contain an asterisk?'. The sturdy spiral binding will allow this unique instruction manual to lie flat upon the table for accessible study while hands are otherwise engaged with needles and yarns. Profusely illustrated with examples and step-by-step instructions throughout, "Knitting 200 Q&A" is a relatively compact and thoroughly 'user friendly' reference that is enthusiastically recommended for personal and academic library Needlecraft reference collections.


The Architecture Shelf

Expanding Architecture Design as Activism
Bryan Bell and Katie Wakeford, authors
Metropolis Books
c/o Distributed Art Publishers (distributor)
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd floor, New York, NY 10013-1507
9781933045788, $34.95 www.artbook.com 1-800-338-2665

Expanding Architecture Design as Activism collects thirty in-depth essays about the concept of "public-interest architecture", that is, building designs created explicitly with the benefit of the public in mind. Illustrated with full-color photography on virtually every page, individual essays discuss examples ranging from building housing or water systems to best serve the needs of a refugee population, to participatory planning in a Taiwanese mountain village that transforms an abandoned creek into swimming ponds for the village's future, to exploring different ways to create strong designs with minimal environmental impact, all at a reasonable profit. Enthusiastically recommended to anyone with a serious interest in expanding the humanitarian role of modern architecture, from professionals in the field to any concerned citizen voting on city planning projects.

Roots of Home
Russell Versaci
The Tauton Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781561588671, $45.00, 265 pp.

Interior designers and their clients explore the interior and exterior housing design styles for ideas they can adapt to their own visions of an ideal living space. Explore this fascinating world of new home designs based on old world styles and traditions in the profusely illustrated pages of "Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House". Author and professional architect Russell Versaci, brings part architecture and part history to tell the story of the French, Spanish, English and Continental customs that shaped regional house styles around the country. Included are more than 300 old maps, drawings and photographs of both historic house and new houses in historic styles. Roots of Home presents a rich, captivating portrait of the evolution of American homes and the movement of bring to life in new homes the rich tradition and influences of the past. Beautifully displayed in text and photographs by architectural photographer Erik Kvalsvik, "Roots of Home: Our Journey to a New Old House" is an impressive and recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academic architecture, design, history and homes reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Building New Brunswick
John Leroux
Goose Lane Editions
500 Beverbrook Court, Suite 330, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 5X4
9780864925046, $50.00, www.gooselane.com, 1-800-565-9523

It is the architecture of a city that makes it distinctively recognizable. "Building New Brunswick: An Architectural History" by John Leroux (a professional architect and a native of New Brunswick) is a richly enhanced and visual history embellished with photographs, drawings, architectural renderings and engravings that portray the history of the buildings and other structures that give the Canadian city of New Brunswick its particular shape, style, and appearance to day. Leroux draws upon his interviews with many of the original architects of New Brunswick's structures created in a post-1945 era, including first-person accounts of particular buildings and working conditions at the time of their construction. An informed and informative work of meticulous research, "Building New Brunswick" is a superbly written and presented account that is strongly recommended for academic library Architectural Studies reference collections, as well as architectural student supplemental reading lists.

ACE Guide To Construction Costs: 2009 Edition
Craftsman Book Company
6058 Corte del Cedro, Carlsbad, CA 92009
9781588550927, $55.95, www.craftsman-book.com, 1-800-829-8123

Creating a profitable bid and coming in at or under budget require an expertise in figuring out reliable construction costs. This process of economic evaluation is one that all architects, contractors, and engineers must master as a fundamental aspect of their professions. The newly published 2009 Edition of the "ACE Guide To Construction Costs" is based upon the most accurate and current data for material and installation costs, labor and equipment rates, and adjusted allowances for overhead and profit margins. Thoroughly 'user friendly', this instruction manual break down unit and summary costs for all categories of structures and is organized in accordance with the 16 category CSI Masterformate ranging from general requirements and site work to furnishings and equipment, and which is the American construction industry standard. Very strongly recommended as an essential, core reference for architects, contractors, and engineers, the "ACE Guide To Construction Costs" will enable them to develop budgets, calculate change orders, prepare formal bids, draw up estimates, and be assured that every aspect and element of the process is covered.

The Guardian Building
James W. Tottis
Wayne State University Press
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814333853, $50.00, http://wsupress.wayne.edu

A building can be as much of a work of art as any painting or sculpture. In the years between the end of World War I and the economic collapse in 1929 that would give rise to the Great Depression, Detroit Michigan experienced the greatest building boom in its municipal history. That was the era when the Union Trust Building (now known as the Guardian Building) was designed by Wirt C. Rowland and build by the firm of smith, Hinchman and Grylls. With its distinctive Gothic-inspired elements, orange brick facade, brightly colored ceramic accents, extravagantly detailed interior (the lobby ceiling was made entirely of multicolored tiles), with walls and floors accented by exotic marbles, platinum-color Monel metal elevator doors, gates and handrails, the Guardian was an representative example of architectural elegance and artistry. "The Guardian Building" by James W. Tottis (Associate Curator of American Art at the Detroit Institute of Arts and an Adjunct Professor in the Humanities Department of Wayne State University) provides a beautifully illustrated history and visual tour of the Guardian Building that will have special appeal to today's students of architecture. A work of seminal scholarship which is enhanced with color plates, notes, a bibliography and an index, "The Guardian Building" is confidently recommended as an informed and informative addition to professional and academic Architectural Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Art Shelf

Edge of the Sublime
Jamie Bennett
Hudson Hills Press
Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555952846, $50.00 www.hudsonhills.com

Any authoritative jewelry art library needs EDGE OF THE SUBLIME, a collection of enamels by American enamel artist Jamie Bennett. His reputation grew to international acclaim through his revolutionary techniques, and EDGE OF THE SUBLIME offers a fine survey of the results, accompanying a retrospective exhibition catalog paired with three essays covering his fine art. A gorgeous presentation results.

All Art is Propaganda: Critical Essays
George Orwell, author
George Packer, compiler
Harcourt Books
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9780151013555, $25.00 www.harcourtbooks.com

George Orwell was a fine essayist and successful critic, discussing art and literature with equal ability and ALL ART IS PROPAGANDA: CRITICAL ESSAYS is a key recommendation for all kinds of libraries, from college-level collections strong in literature and social observation to collection also strong in art criticism. It's the latter that should especially consider ALL ART IS PROPAGANDA: it provides Orwell's reflections on a range of critical topics from literature to art. Very highly recommended.

China: 3,000 Years of Art & Literature
Jason Steuber, Editor
Welcome Books
6 West 18 Street, New York, NY 10011
9781599620305, $60.00 www.welcomebooks.com

Any library strong in Chinese art or literature, especially those seeking a lavishly illustrated coffee-table-type survey of its culture and arts, will welcome the oversized and colorful China: 3,000 Years of Art & Literature. Literary selections from various masterpieces and pieces over the centuries pair well with unique drawings, paintings, and art capturing a range of voices from Chinese history and culture and cover all kinds of influences from food and drink to history, politics, family and other topics. Simply a gorgeous, outstanding presentation.

In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein
Peter H. Hassrick and Elizabeth J. Cunningham
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806139487, $34.95 www.oupress.com, 1-800-627-7377

Any collection strong in modern Western American art will welcome In Contemporary Rhythm: The Art of Ernest L. Blumenschein. It provides a definitive look at Ernest L. Blumenschein's life and works, drawing on archival sources to explore his life and place in American history and considering an artistic career which spanned over sixty years. The text draws on Blumenschein's papers and archival sources to explore his life and place in American history and culture, while contributions by art historians round out the presentation and supplement well the full-page, full-color reproductions of his art.

The Printed Picture
Richard Benson
The Museum of Modern Art
11 W. 53 Street, New York, New York 10019
(212) 708-9449, www.moma.org
9780870707216, $60.00, 308 pages, 326 color illustrations

The technological evolution of distributing identical copies of a single picture has dramatically impacted upon and made practical the phenomena of mass culture. Author Richard Benson presents an informed and informative perspective and presentation of just how far the photographic printing processes have come. Beginning with the early years of relief printing which includes woodcuts, and moveable metal type, to today's digital processes. "The Printed Picture" aptly guides the reader through these subsequent and evolving processes while discussing the significance and roles each individual process has played. In this textbook each photograph is presented with a history of its impact on the processes of the time, as well as the importance of it role into the developing further techniques and processes. Displayed with an style that simplifies a complex process, the information of processes and effects is presented factually and with a sense of humor, "The Printed Picture" is especially recommended for university classroom use. All personal, professional, academic, and community libraries would find "The Printed Picture" to be a core addition to their Art, Photography, and Technological History reference collections.

Painting at the Edge of the World
Tony Foster
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
Goldberg McDuffie Communications (publicity)
444 Madison Avenue, Suite 3300, New York, NY 10022
9780295988177, $75.00 www.washington.edu/uwpress 1-206-543-4050

Painting at the Edge of the World: The Watercolours of Tony Foster is a gorgeous, coffee table artbook of artist Tony Foster's breathtaking watercolor landscapes, and even volcanoes, which were often created with a keen appreciation for the topography of their inspirational scenery. Though the art is frequently permitted to speak for itself, the text of Painting at the Edge of the World often recounts the day-by-day journal of Foster's sojourn into nature to create. The resulting paintings appear deceptively simple yet draw upon hidden depths of talent to come alive in almost iconic relief. Highly recommended, and a welcome addition to landscape artbook collections.

Paris: City Of Art
Jean-Marie Perouse de Montclos
The Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (distributor)
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
9780865651951, $95.00, www.abramsbooks.com, 1-800-759-0190

Paris is not only 'The City of Lights', it is also a city of some of the world's most fabulous art museums, galleries, and other architectural displays of memorable artists, architects, artisans and their works ranging from gothic cathedrals to public airports. A superbly produced 714-page compendium enriched with 850 beautifully reproduced color illustrations, "Paris: City Of Art" by curator and art historian Jean-Marie Perouse de Montelos was originally published in 2003 and now a newly revised, expanded, and updated edition of this informed and informative work is available to both academia and the general public. Along with the more well known Parisian venues for fine art and memorable architecture, this new edition also features Henri Graudin's renovation of the Guimet Museum, Jean Nouvel's Quai Branly Museum, Mario Botta's Cathedral of the Resurrection at Evry, Paul Andreu's Charles de Gaulle Airport, the Simone de Beauvoir footbridge connecting the 12th and 13th arroundissements, and a great deal more! "Paris: City Of Art" is a seminal addition to academic library reference collections, and very highly recommended for community library as a Memorial Fund acquisition selection.

Courbet
Segolene Le Men
Abbeville Press
137 Varick Street, Suite 504, New York, NY 10019-1105
9780789209771, $135.00, www.abbeville.com, 1-800-343-4499

The nineteenth century French realist painter Gustave Courbet (1819-1877) is by any standard one of Europe's most accomplished artists of his time and a man whose work is enduringly popular as a subject for today's aspiring artists. Newly published by Abbeville Press, "Courbet" is a profusely illustrated monograph by Segolene Le Men (Professor of Art History, University of Zparis X-Nanterre and an instructor at the Ecole du Louvre) is a seminal work that provides an informed and informative context for this master artist's work showing how his paintings were influenced by his life experiences and cultural surroundings. Five chapters are dedicated to successive phases of Courbet's artistic career and thereby presents a complex and comprehensive context that includes his travels, friends, politics, as well as the literature and music of his time. As an artist monograph "Courbet" is a superbly written and gorgeously illustrated biography. As a slip-cased coffee table art book "Courbet" is a beautifully produced volume that would grace any personal, academic, or community library collection.

1-2-3 Draw Dogs
Freddie Levin
Peel Productions
9415 NE Woodridge Street, Vancouver, WA 98664
9780939217649, $8.99, www.peelbooks.com

Tons of books tackle drawing of the human form, but few tackle man's best friend. "1-2-3 Draw Dogs: A Step-By-Step Guide" is the twenty third title in the 1-2-3 Draw series, focusing on the wide range of dog breeds from the smallest to the ones which make some humans feel small. Simple enough for even the most novice of beginning artists to grasp, "1-2-3 Draw Dogs" is a must for any aspiring artist and dog lover.

Mexican Silver Jewelry Details
Leslie Pina
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764330810, $89.99, www.schifferbooks.com

There is far more to Mexican silver artifacts than belt buckles and bracelets. "Mexican Silver Jewelry Details" is an impressive compilation showcasing the diversity, beauty and sophistication of Mexican silver jewelry revealing them to be works of exquisite art from pre-Columbian examples down to modern pieces. The individual pieces are organized into three distinctive categories: Top Designer Pieces (hallmarked and representing technical virtuosity and artistic achievement); Popular Silver Jewelry (having artistic merit, often hallmarked, but created by relatively unknown or lesser-known artists); Tourist Trinkets (anonymously made and mass produced). Illustrated with 1150 color photos, each piece is provided with identifying information and value ranges making it an ideal reference for collectors and dealers. Enhanced with the inclusion of a bibliography, index, an illustrated glossary, and an illustrated section on hallmarks, "Mexican Silver Jewelry Details" is a seminal work of impressive expertise and a strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Antique/Collectibles reference collections.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Final Cut Pro for Avid Editors, 3rd Edition
Diana Weynand
Peachpit Press
1249 8th Street, Berkeley CA 94710
0321515390, $49.99 www.peachpit.com

Part of the Apple-certified training series, Final Cut Pro for Avid Editors is for film editors and professional video editors who already use Avid, but who want to move these skills to Final Cut Pro as quickly as possible. Chapters blend feature comparisons and conversion tips with charts, lesson goals and plans, chapter reviews, and more, making this an excellent guide for either classroom or self-study. It's a self-paced learning handbook highly recommended for any film pro involved in training and applications.

Something in the Darkness
Stephen James Walker
Telos
david@telos.co.uk
9781845830243, $25.95, www.telos.co.uk

Doctor Who has been a wildly popular series, so it's no surprise Torchwood has carried much of that same fan base. "Something in the Darkness: The Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to Torchwood Series Two" is a complete and comprehensive guidebook to the second season called series in the United Kingdom to the popular show. Discussing the concepts of the show and what lays ahead from the hints layed out in the thirteen episodes, "Something in the Darkness" is a solid gift for fans of the series.

Exits and Entrances
Athol Fugard
Theatre Communications Group
520 Eighth Avenue 24th Floor, New York, NY 10018-4156
9781559363198, $13.95, www.tcg.org

Recording one's memoirs does not always have to be in book form. "Exits and Entrances" is Athol Fugard's memoirs in the form of his preferred method, the theater. Set in the dressing rooms during his early career, he offers an inner look at how he got started and how the mind of the South African playwright works in his own avenue. "Exits and Entrances" is a unique and highly recommended piece of theater literature for its original approach to an autobiography.

The Cisco Kid
Francis M. Nevins & Gary D. Keller
Bilingual Review Press
Hispanic Research Center, Arizona State University
PO Box 875303, Tempe, AZ 85287-5303
9781931010498, $35.00, brp@asu.edu, 1-866-965-3867

Among the cowboy heroes of American popular culture, the Cisco Kid and Zorro were the only Hispanic examples of the genre to star in novels, films, movie serials, comic books, and television series. The collaborative work of Francis M. Nevins (Professor Emeritus, St. Louis University School of Law) and Gary D. Keller (Regents' Professor, Arizona State University), "The Cisco Kid: American Hero, Hispanic Roots" provides readers with an historical overview and analytical insights into the development of fictional character first penned by O. Henry and went on to capture the popular imaginations as the embodiment of an Hispanic hero of the Old West set in a mainstream American culture. Profusely and beautifully illustrated throughout with film stills, lobby cards, poster, and television images, "The Cisco Kid" is a unique examination of this specific character within the context of iconic cowboy Hollywood heroism, other Hispanic characters, and the actors who played them so well. Also available in a hardcover edition (9781931010481, $50.00), "The Cisco Kid" is highly recommended for academic and community library collections, and will prove an informed and informative read for anyone who has ever thrilled to the adventures of the Cisco Kid and his faithful companion Pancho!


The Psychology Shelf

Madness in Buenos Aires
Jonathan D. Ablard
Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, The Ridges, Athens, OH 45701
University of Calgary Press (distributor)
MLB 19, 2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB Canada T2N 1N4
9780896802599, $34.95, www.ohioswallow.com

The mentally ill have been treated in different attitudes throughout history, ranging from compassion and tolerance to persecution and institutionalization. "Madness in Buenos Aires: Patients, Psychiatrists, and the Argentine State, 1880-1983" by Jonathan D. Ablard carefully examines the history of Argentina and how that country dealt with its mentally unstable for over a century. Going over the history of the practices and what they did right and what they did wrong, "Madness in Buenos Aires" presents a vivid and detailed picture of how a non-American country dealt with its psychological health problems. A work of seminal scholarship, "Madness in Buenos Aires" is a study worth reading for historians and non-specialist general readers with an interest in mental health issues and history.

Dream Power
Mary Jo Davis-Grant
Sterling House
7436 Washington Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15218
1585010952, $17.95, www.sterlinghousepublisher.com

Some cultures believed that dreams were prophecies, visions of the future. "Dream Power: Can Our Dreams Make Us Well?" is a look at the role of dreams and the subconscious in the healing of the body. The power of the mind is high when it comes to healing, and dreams are unadulterated pictures of one's mind. With thrilling advice on manipulating one's mind and dreams to help one heal, "Dream Power" is a solid read for those looking for all tips on healing from their injury.

Freud at 150
Joseph P. Merlino & collaborators, editors
Jason Aronson
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishers Inc.
4501 Forbes, Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780765705471, $29.95, www.rowmanlittlefield.com

If Sigmund Freud was still alive today, how would he be viewed? Compiled and principle edited by Joseph P. Merlino, "Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius" is the impressively informed and informative work arising from contributions by many psychotherapy professionals who collectively offer a modern outlook on the works of one of the most influential and controversial founding figures of their profession. Offering a new light and new thoughts on his work, "Freud at 150" is an inspiring, gripping, insightful, and educational look at one of the great minds of the past. No college or university Freudian Studies reference collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of "Freud at 150: 21st Century Essays on a Man of Genius".

Cognitive-Behavior Therapy For Severe Mental Illness
Jesse H. Wright, et al.
American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc.
1000 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 1825
Arlington, VA 22209-3901
9781585623211, $65.00, www.appi.org, 1-800-368-5777

Even with the impressive advances of medications for chronic mental illness disorders, 'talk therapy' and behavioral conditioning play immensely relevant and critically important aspects of treatment programs. "Cognitive-Behavior Therapy For Severe Mental Illness: An Illustrated Guide" by the team of mental health professionals Jesse H. Wright, Douglas Turkington, David G. Kingdon, and Monica Ramirez Basco provides students and practitioners with a compendium of practical, illustrated information and applicable, illustrative insights into CBT techniques when working with schizophrenic, bipolar, and treatment-resistant depression cases. Enhanced with an accompanying DVD, and a core addition to academic library Psychiatry/Psychology collections, "Cognitive-Behavior Therapy For Severe Mental Illness" is an ideal and highly recommended instructional reference for psychiatrists, clinical psychologists, and others in the mental health field.

The Advertised Mind
Erik Du Plessis
Kogan Page
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749450243, $35.00, www.koganpage.com

It says something about the mind when the most easily remembered things are advertising jingles. "The Advertised Mind: Groundbreaking Insights Into How Our Brains Respond to Advertising" is a psychological look at advertising and how people deal with them. An effective advertisement is one that stays with the viewer, and creating an advertisement that does such a thing requires understanding the mind. A scientific and psychological approach to the world of advertising, "The Advertised Mind" is required reading for psychology students and business majors.


The Fiction Shelf

Case File: Union Pacific
Paul Colt
Durban House Press
7502 Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
9780970006783, $15.95, www.durbanhouse.com

The expansion westward for America was filled with opportunities, with some countries rushing for them more ruthlessly than the next. "Case File: Union Pacific" is the tale of US Marshal Chance and his job to prevent a conspiracy of a business which seems to want to take the competition out of the free market by monopolizing the railroad industry and the land around it. A fast paced thriller of the Old West, "Case File: Union Pacific" is a must for those who love themselves a tale of the frontier that used to be.

Rebels of Mindanao
Tom Anthony
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th Street, Suite 1102, New York, NY 10011
9780825305146, $24.95, www.beaufortbooks.com

Retirement is sometimes too much to ask for. "Rebels of Mindanao" tells the story of Thomas Thornton, a retired covert operative, or so he thought. Urged to pull one last mission, he agrees, and must somehow push a group of tribesmen to stop a bloody civil war on the island of Mindanao, which could lead to harm to all of the island's citizens. "Rebels of Mindanao" is a gripping thriller, sure to keep the reader glued from first page to last.

Out Loud
Anthony Varallo
University of Pittsburgh Press
3400 Forbes Avenue, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
9780822943563, $24.95, www.upress.putt.edu

Fiction is a window to the culture. "Out Loud" is an anthology of insightful short fiction from award winning author Anthony Varallo. Touching on the loneliness of some, the exclusion and shunning of others yet the desire to be included by oneself, the stories told within are a vivid picture of the inner conflict that consumes many Americans daily. "Out Loud" is good, solid literature, something to be considered for short fiction enthusiasts.

Glamour
Brandi Barnett
Hawk Publishing Group
7107 South Yale Avenue #345, Tulsa, OK 74136
9781930709683, $19.95, www.hawkpub.com

To look fabulous to be beautiful, how far are some willing to go to attain this? "Glamour" is the story of Blaezi, a fairy who is wondering why her kind are simply vanishing. She soon finds that the culprit is a high school student known as Kat. Kat's been using the magic known to fairies as glamour something a human can only use by exploiting fairies. It's between Blaezi and the lust for beauty of a popular teenager in the future of her people. A fantasy that critiques the high emphasis of appearance in today's world, "Glamour" is original and highly recommended.

Far North & Other Dark Tales
Sara Maitland
The Maia Press Limited
c/o Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781904559276, $19.95, www.dufoureditions.com

Sometimes traditional folk stories are better understood when they're put in the context of modernity. "Far North & Other Dark Tales" is a collection of short stories from Sara Maitland, an accomplished author with over twelve books to her name. Her stories are loosely based on an ancient Inuit myth, and draw inspiration from many other subjects. Sibling Rivalry, the wife of Abraham, are just two of the subjects tackled, making "Far North & Other Dark Tales" an entertaining and thought-provoking piece.

Seven Cities of Mud
Florence B. Weinberg
Twilight Times Books
PO Box 3340, Kingsport, TN 37664
9781933353463, $16.95, www.florenceweinberg.com

When two radically different cultures collide, conflict is inevitable. "Seven Cities of Mud" tells of one of the great historic examples of this, the Spanish arriving in the Americas. Telling of the 16th century meeting of the Pueblo tribe of Native Americans and the Spanish, it follows Franciscan Fray Augustin and Poli, a Pueblo Widow. At first, the meeting is amicable, but the military steps in and things start to go south quickly. "Seven Cities of Mud" is a riveting and saddening tale of Culture Clash, a read to be considered for fans of historical fiction.

The Fugitive
Menno Simons
Herald Press
619 Walnut Avenue, Scottdale, PA 15683-1999
9780836194098, $14.99, www.heraldpress.com, 1-800-759-4447

Heretic was a label that wasn't hard to earn in 1544 and one that would get you imprisoned, tortured, and killed. Although "The Fugitive: Menno Simons" by Menno Simmons is a work of historical fiction, yet the story rings true with historical accuracy in describing the times and what really happened to those branded as heretics. Menno, disillusioned with the Catholic church, seeks to form his own free church, but in a time where the Pope was not only the head of the dominant religion but the most powerful political figure in the world, any dissent was heresy. Menno becomes a heretic and flees his former church for the sake of his beliefs. "The Fugitive" is a vivid picture of the time of the reformation and highly recommended reading.

A Pretty Face
Rafael Reig
Serpent's Tail
c/o Meryl Zegarek Public Relations
255 West 108th Street, Suite 901, New York, NY 10025
9781852429225, $14.95, http://www.serpentstail.com/

Deftly translated from the original Spanish by Paul Hammond, "A Pretty Face" is an original metaphysical mystery by Rafael Reig set in a kind of alternate universe where in the city of Madrid in 1999 the oil mines have been drained dry, the Spanish Communist party has succumbed to an American army coup making Spain a part of the USA and Anglo the official language. The rich reside in the safety of gated communities, the poor survive where ever and how ever they can. Drug addicts live in fear of genetic engineers who are testing a neuroprotein called K666 which they think might even put an end to death. The story is narrated by Maria Dolores Equibar's tormented ghost after she is murdered. The daughter of the doctor who discovered K666, and with the help of an imaginary sidekick Benito (a randy, one-eyed teenage hero from her series of successful kids novels), Maria's ghost slowly unravels the tangle of events which led to her own violent demise. "A Pretty Face" is a superbly written blend of fantasy, mystery, and unconventional conventions making it a fast paced, unexpectedly conflated, terrifically entertaining read. Also very highly recommended is Rafael Reig's previous sci- fi/detective/western/literary romance/comically detailed novel "Blood On The Saddle".


The Native American Shelf

The Cherokee Trail of Tears
Duane King, author
David G. Fitzgerald, photography
Graphic Arts Books
PO Box 10306, Portland, OR 97296-0306
9780882407524, $19.95 www.gacpc.com 1-800-452-3032

Author and museum director Duane King presents The Cherokee Trail of Tears, a close examination of the true story behind the catastrophe that the American government inflicted on the Cherokee people. In 1838, fifteen thousand Cherokees were imprisoned in preparation for forced transport to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. Fifteen hundred died before the long, hard march started. The Cherokee Trail of Tears draws heavily upon historical records ranging from eyewitness diaries to newspaper accounts, nineteenth-century maps, oral traditions and more to recreate the painful journey. Illustrated with inset sections of full-color photographic plates taken by award-winning photographer David G. Fitzgerald, The Cherokee Trail of Tears is an indispensable addition to high school, college, and public library Native American history shelves.

Power Struggles
Thibault Martin and Steven M. Hoffman, editors
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba R3T 2M5, Canada
9780887557057, $34.95, www.umanitoba.ca/uofmpress

All too often governmental and corporate concepts of progress and those of the aboriginal people of Canadian lands have a history of conflict. "Power Struggles: Hydro Development and First Nations in Manitoba and Quebec" is an informed and informative history of the growing areas of dispute between the aboriginal peoples of Canada and the hydro corporations. A conflict growing since the 1970s, it is symptomatic of Canada's relations with its indigenous people in general. A work of seminal scholarship and recommended for academic library Native American Studies and Contemporary Social Issues reference collections, "Power Struggles" is a solid read for anyone who wants to fully understand the conflicts Canada faces with a group of its own Native Americans whom they call the 'First Nation'.

The Drum Calls Softly
David Bouchard, Shelley Willier, et al.
Red Deer Press
311 Washington Street, Brighton, MA 02135
9780889954212, $24.95, www.fitzhenry.ca, 1-800-387-9776

An elegant addition to any personal, academic, or community library Native American Studies collection, "The Drum Calls Softly" is an impressively presented picturebook co-authored by David Bouchard and Shelley Willier and superbly illustrated with beautiful paintings by Jim Poitras. The theme drawn from the drumming ceremonies of the Northern Cree and enhanced with the inclusion of an audio CD featuring singing and drumming by Cree performers. The lyrical text is bilingual and features both the original Cree and an English language translation. "The Drums Calls Softly" is a unique and thoroughly impressive work that will appeal to readers of all ages.

Taku Wadaka He? (What Do You See?)
Joanne Zacharias & Steven Smith
Beaver's Pond Press
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 101, Edina, MN 55439
9781592982264, $20.00, www.BeaversPondPress.com

A unique and notable contribution to the growing library of Native American titles, ""Taku Wadaka He? (What Do You See?)" is a bilingual picturebook deftly written by Joanne Zacharias (a member of the Shakopee Mdewakaton Sioux Community and a certified Dakota language teacher) and superbly illustrated by Steven Smith. Each original illustration is captioned with a one sentence storyline with the English language translation under that of the Dakota inscription. Each illustration is a full page image with the one on the odd pages being a kind of 'find the image' puzzle as part of the teepee icon. Superbly published, "Taku Wadaka He? (What Do You See?)" is highly recommended for children's picture book collections in school and community libraries, and will have a great deal of interest for bilingual Native American Studies reference collections as well.

Native American Playing Cards: Set One
U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902
9781572816190, $12.00, http://www.usgamesinc.com

Playing cards can be as educational as they are recreational. Newly created by U.S. Games Systems, "Native American Playing Cards: Set One" is a complete deck of 52 cards, each of which features a beautifully painted image of a Native American taken from the McKenney and Hall collection of 19th century Native American portraits created when the Native Americans served as delegates of their respective tribes at a national gathering. Enhanced with an accompanying 124-page booklet of biographical essays on each featured Native American, "Native American Playing Cards" are a standard four suite, 13 cards series making them appropriate for any 52 card deck game, as well as ideal as a Native American Studies curriculum supplement for children. Also very highly recommended is the U.S. Games System companion series, "Native American Playing Cards: Set Two" (9781572816206, $12.00).

Sounds of Indian Summer
Smithsonian Institution
PO Box 37012, Washington, DC 20013-7012
Burnside Distribution Corporation (distributor)
CD, $14.99, www.AmericanIndian.si.edu www.bdcdistribution.com

Sounds of Indian Summer: Contemporary Native Music from the National Museum of the American Indian is a CD of live music by a variety of Native American creators representing the best of the National Museum of the American Indian's annual summer music series. Individual performers blend modern instruments such as electric guitars, drum sets, synthesizers and more with traditional instruments (such as the South American quena, sicus and charango) and vocal techniques. Some of the songs have been handed down through the generations; others reflect an original flair, or borrow elements of reggae, blues, or rock 'n' roll. The resulting medley embodies the theme of the many diverse facets Native American identity, and cultural survival amidst an ever-changing and absorptive world. Highly recommended. 79 min 10 sec.

Making Peace with Cochise
Edwin R. Sweeney, editor
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806139784, $19.95, www.oupress.com

Over a decade of bloody war makes trust difficult. "Making Peace with Conchise: The 1872 Journal of Captain Joseph Alton Sladen" is a transcript of the Captain's journal of their efforts to make peace with the chief of the Chiricahua Apache chief known as Conchise. A first person source of the white man's dealing with the red man, "Making Peace with Conchise" is a riveting and enlightening piece of history, enthusiastically recommended.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Stalking the Vampire: A Fable of Tonight
Mike Resnick
PYR
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591026495, $25.98, www.prometheusbooks.com 1-800-421-0351

Freelance detective John Justin Mallory returns in Stalking the Vampire: A Fable of Tonight, the long-awaited sequel to veteran fantasy and sci-fi author Mike Resnick's Stalking the Unicorn. Mallory has now had ample time to become familiar with his new home of an alternate-universe Manhattan, where goblins are always trying to hawk useless wares, the street directions change if you look at them the wrong way, undead horrors are people too, and a demon responsible for most of the suffering in the world considers Mallory the next best thing to a personal friend (the view is not exactly mutual). Now, a vampire - a vicious, murdering vampire, not one of the more laid-back, five-to-nine working stiffs - has targeted Mallory's partner's nephew, and Mallory has to find and stop the fiend before All Hallows' Eve comes to a close! Aided by the morally ambiguous catgirl Felina, the short and selfish vampire Bats McGuire, and wannabe best-selling mystery writer dragon Nathan ("Scaly Jim" to no one but himself), Mallory must pit his brain against undead brawn that's at least seventeen times stronger than human brawn! Written in a flippantly humorous style perfect for bringing to life a city filled with thousands of fantastic distractions, Stalking the Vampire: A Fable of Tonight is enthusiastically recommended to fans of fantasy, humor, and mystery. Also highly recommended is Mallory's mystery debut, Stalking the Unicorn: A Fable of Tonight (9781591026488, $15.98), now back in print after twenty years.

Crosstime
Andre Norton
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
1416555293, $23.00 www.baen.com

Orphan Blake Walker's unusual intuition has always set him apart from those who raised him and all he's known he prevented a murder based on one of these insights, for example. But his discovery of what revolved around the murder attempt and the other worlds it opened makes for an engrossing account in a reprint which blends to prior novels: CROSSROADS OF TIME and QUEST CROSSTIME. As any collection still owning Norton likely has aging paperbacks, this all-in-one package is a satisfying pick for new generations.


The Political Science Shelf

The Wicked Wine of Democracy
Joseph S. Miller
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA, 98145-5096
9780295988016, $27.95, www.washington.edu/uwpress

Politics haven't changed much in the thousands of years it has existed. "The Wicked Wine of Democracy" is the memoir of Joe Miller, a man who acted as a media relations professional for the Democratic party for much of the twentieth century. A simple explanation on his belief on how politicians get elected, and how to put the correct spin on the man you're fighting for, and the wrong spin on the man you're fighting against, "The Wicked Wine of Democracy" is intriguing, entertaining, and educational, despite its shady undertone. "The Wicked Wine of Democracy" is an insider's look at a darker side of politics, recommended reading for those who don't think American democracy is as pure as it can be.

The Big Book of Campaign Cartoons 2008
Daryl Cagle and Brian Fairrington, editors
Que Publishing
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780789738097, $16.99, www.quepublishing.com 1-800-428-5331

Consisting of the most side-splitting black-and-white presidential election cartoons chosen by two expert cartoonists, The Big Book of Campaign Cartoons 2008 reveals the mirthful side of the long and arduous process by which the Republican and Democrat parties chose their nominees, as well as the clash of ideas and personalities between prospective presidents McCain and Obama, right up to the moment when McCain stunned the nation by selecting "hockey mom" Palin as his running mate. These cartoons by a wide variety of artists range from sophisticated insights to hearty jabs to exposures of public figure hypocrisy. "'As my stockbroker, can you tell me ANYTHING encouraging?' 'Be glad you're not Mitt Romney investing in his own campaign.'" No right or left wing political figure is too sacred a cow to tip! The brief introductions to each chapter place the political cartoons in the context of what was happening at the time, in this highly accessible and laugh-out-loud collection. Highly recommended.

The Almanac of the Unelected Staff of the U.S. Congress 2008
Lisa Friedman, editor
Bernan Press
4611-F Assembly Drive, Lanham, MD 20706-4391
9781598881844, $289.00, www.bernanpress.com 1-800-865-3457

Now in an up-to-date 21st edition for 2008, The Almanac of the Unelected Staff of the U.S. Congress 2008 remains the ultimate reference of in-depth profiles of more than 600 senior Congressional committee staff members, as well as new members from law firms, government agencies, and the private sector. Unelected staff of the U.S. Senate are also discussed at length. All have been appointed, hired, or otherwise chosen for their task without invoking the popular vote. Each one-page entry lists a black-and-white photograph of the individual, a quick summary of their educational and professional background, and several paragraphs describing the individual's current duties, projects, and philosophies at length, including direct quotes from the person where possible. The entries are organized by committee, with a name index available for quick and easy look up. An absolute must-have for politically involved corporations, lobbyists, or any American citizen who keeps close track of their government, The Almanac of the Unelected Staff of the U.S. Congress 2008 is highly recommended as a superb, easy-to-use resource.

Indiana Political Heroes
Geoff Paddock
Indiana Historical Society Press
450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202-3269
9780871952684, $12.95, www.indianahistory.org

For nearly 100 years, Indiana had one of its own running for the White House. "Indiana Political Heroes" takes a look at the major political figures the state has produced throughout its history. A look at Hoosier politics through the years and the major figures, each with essays with scholarly opinions on each of the figures. "Indiana Political Heroes" tells a story about a highly political state and the men who have came out of it.


The Genealogy Shelf

Grandduchy of Baden
Kevan M. Hansen
Family Roots Publishing Company
P.O. Box 830, Bountiful, Utah 84011-0830
801-949-7259, www.familyrootspublishing.com
9780975354322, $34.95, 290 pp.

Spending countless hours searching for family records of births, marriages, or celebrated special religious milestones? In this revised and updated second edition and part of the Family Roots Publishing Company's 'Map Guide to German Parish Registers ' series, "Grandduchy of Baden" is a remarkably 'user friendly' guide genealogists will find fascinating information and resources to continue the search for ancestral information. Author Kevan Hansen, presents a wealth of valuable information. Compiled by expert genealogist Kevan M. Hansen, "Gradduchy of Baden" takes the hard work and guessing out of obtaining information housed in German parishes. This comprehensive and dedicated reference work allows genealogical researchers to identify the parish where an ancestor worshiped based on where they lived, provides the FHL microfilm number for the family's parish records, identifies almost every city, town, and place that included residents. In addition, this book visually identifies church parishes for Lutherans & Catholics in each district. Aids are included which help to determine distance and proximity of one area to another in the event your ancestor attended a neighboring parish and an aid in identify the locations of minority religions, plus much more. An impressively informative resource guide which is also available in a hardcover edition (9780975354339, $65.00), the "Grandduchy of Baden" is an essential reference and a seminal addition to any personal or community genealogical library collection.

Known Military Dead During War of 1812
Ex-Lieut. Clarence Stewart Peterson, M.A., compiler
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
9780806345260, $14.50, www.genealogical.com 1-800-296-6687

Known Military Dead During War of 1812 is a reference sure to be of use to amateur and professional genealogists alike. Although the first couple pages consist of letters written to the original compiler concerning this reference's creation circa 1955, as well as brief "acknowledgments and bibliography", the bulk of Known Military Dead During the War of 1812 simply lists the names of American soldiers in alphabetical order, along with each person's rank, division, date of death, place of death if known to have perished in a prison, and whether they simply "died" or were "killed". A no-nonsense resource that remains as valuable to researchers today as it was half a century ago.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Cosmic War
Joseph P. Farrell
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com
9781931882750, $18.95, www.wexclub.com

From ancient astronauts to extraterrestrial artifacts, there are significant reasons to question traditional and mainstream explanations as to how our solar system in general, and the Earth in particular, have evolved -- along with their effects upon the development of the human race. "The Cosmic War" by Joseph P. Farrell focuses upon the cataclysmic and catastrophic events for which we have evidence of occurring within our solar system including the explosion of a planet as the creative cause of the asteroid belt and the speculation that the destruction of that long ago planet was the consequence of unimaginable warfare. Farrell provides fascinating iconoclastic propositions based upon texts of ancient myths, the discovering of extraterrestrial artifacts, seminal concepts in contemporary physics, the role of plasma cosmology, plasma physics, and scalar physics. Informed and informative, "The Cosmic War" is a valued and recommended addition to personal reading lists for students of alternative archaeology, paleocomology, antiquarian history, and the metaphysical sciences. Also very highly recommended reading are Farrell's earlier works: "The Giza Death Star"; "The Giza Death Star Deployed"; "The Giza Death Star Destroyed"; "Reich of the Black Sun"; and "SS Brotherhood of the Bell", all of which are available from Adventures Unlimited Press.


The Travel Shelf

Goode's World Atlas, 21st Edition
Howard Veregin, Editor
Rand McNally & Company
8255 North Central Park, Skokie, IL 60076
www.randmcnally.com
9780528853395, $49.95, 371 pp., 1-800-678-7263

Rand McNally is a premiere publishers of useful resources providing reliable maps and atlases of information, instruction and general interest for the traveler. "Goode's World Atlas: 21st Edition" under the expert editorship of Howard Veregin is an visually pleasing and easy to follow world atlas. Featured in this new edition are world, continental and regional population density maps that have been recreated using LandScan, a digital population database, several new world thematic maps including HIV Infection, Military Power, Women's Right and Food Aid. A global telecommunications map showing the submarine fiber-optic network, worldwide internet and telephone usage. Cartograms are easier to read, expanded maps provide additional coverage of key census variable and additions of graphs to maps showing important statistical information, trends over time and relationships between variables. Easy to read, with quick reference material, this 21st Edition of "Goode's World Atlas" is an essential acquisition for college and public libraries, and very highly recommended for personal and family reference shelves.

Cafe Life Venice
Joe Wolff
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566567183, $20.00, www.interlinkbooks.com

One of the true pleasures of vacationing in another country is the sampling of their cafes, restaurants, and coffee houses. Nowhere is this truer than with the street cafes of Venice. Enhanced throughout with both color and black/white photography by Roger Paperno, "Cafe Life Venice: A Guidebook to the Cafes and Bacari of Le Serenissima" is an informed and informative guide to the cafes by Joe Wolff who offers illustrative and descriptive anecdotal commentaries and interviews showcasing and highlighting the best that Venice has to offer the tourist, traveler, or native resident. "Cafe Life Venice" is an ideal reference and guide for anyone finding themselves in Venice whether it be for an long weekend or an extended vacation anytime of the year. Also very highly recommended from the Interlink Publishing Group are Joe Wolff's two earlier travel guides "Cafe Life Rome: A Guidebook to the Cafes and Bars of the Eternal City" (9781566564229, $20.00) and "Cafe Life Florence: A Guidebook to The Cafes & Bars Of The Renaissance Treasure" (9781566565622, $20.00).

Exploring the BC Coast By Car
Diane Eaton and Allison Eaton
Harbour Publishing
Box 219, Madeira Park, BC Canada V0N 2H0
1550174150, $24.95 www.harbourpublishing.com

With its beaches and little picturesque villages along with lots of nature, the BC coast has fine access to the outdoors and little-known options. Any planning a road trip to Canada's Western region will welcome Exploring the BC Coast By Car, a newly revised, updated guide to all kinds of travel opportunities. From local flora and fauna to maps and black and white photos throughout, it comes packed with wonderful insights perfect for destination-oriented travelers.

Living in China
Lin Wang & Xiaohua Wei
Pro Lingua Associates
c/o Alan C. Hood & Company, Inc.
PO Box 1348, Brattleboro, VT 05302
9780866472678, $12.50, www.hoodbooks.com

When you do more than visit, mixing into the culture is vital. "Living in China: How to Feel at Home, Make Friends, and Enjoy Everyday Life" is a complete and comprehensive manual for readers to better understand what it means to take up residency in the nation of China. With tips on dealing with currency, help from Chinese neighbors, Eating customs, manners, day to day life, embassies, and much more. If one is contemplating a move to the country, "Living in China" is as vital as a plane ticket.

Lourdes for Today and Tomorrow
Jacques Perrier
New City Press
202 Cardinal Rd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
9781565483057, $14.95, www.newcitypress.com

Lourdes has become a religious center of the world for Catholicism, and "Lourdes for Today and Tomorrow" takes a look at the city, a prime choice for pilgrimage. Around a century and a half ago, the Virgin Mary appeared as an apparition to Bernadette Soubirous, an event which has given Lourdes its status. Jacques Perrier tells of Lourdes and its many missions which embark on the idea to help humanity as a whole, making "Lourdes for Today and Tomorrow" a scholarly look at Lourdes and why it has become and stayed a major religious city.

Ireland
Fionn Davenport, et al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781741046960, $22.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

Ireland is a land of beauty, diversity, history, adventure, and opportunity. Packed with detailed information from cover to cover, "Ireland" includes not only comprehensive yet succinct descriptions of where to go, what to see, and ideas for things to do, it also includes interviews with celebrity chefs, mural artists, musicians, suggestions for getting started, tips for itineraries, notations about the environment, regional maps, notes on language, and a glossary. Organized by counties, the cities, towns and villages are all accessible for the casual tourist or the purpose oriented business traveler. This compact, easily portable, 764-page compendium of superbly organized, readily accessible, 'user friendly' information makes "Ireland" a first-class choice for planning day trips, extended weekends, summer vacations, and more!

The Little Black Book Of Chicago
Margaret Littman
Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
202 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601
9781593598129, $12.95, www.peterpauper.com

When traveling to another city it's always a good idea to have a compact and easily portable travel guide to help plan out the daily itinerary and provide background information on what is available to be seen and/or experienced. That's where the Peter Pauper Press 'Little Black Travel Book' series comes in handy. The newest addition to this outstanding travel guide series is "The Little black Book Of Chicago" which includes eleven fold-out maps and is packed from cover to cover with information on the sights and resources available when enjoying what the Windy City has to offer. Of special note are all the 'Insider Tips' making this a thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of advice and descriptive information on everything from neighborhoods, to restaurants, parks, shops, and lodgings. "The Little Black Book Of Chicago" is especially recommended for Chicago bound visitors and has a great deal to offer even the native born Chicagoan! Also highly recommended for the 'Vegas bound' is Lark Ellen Gould's "The Little Black Book Of Las Vegas" (9781593598259, $12.95) from Peter Pauper Press.


The Language Studies Shelf

Dirty French
Adrien Clautrier & Henry Rowe
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781569756584, $10.00, www.ulyssespress.com, 1-800-377-2542

There are few things more satisfying in the heat of the moment that being able to cuss somebody or something out in another language. The problem is that they just don't teach you those kinds of words or expressions in a highschool or college foreign language class. That's where "Dirty French: Everyday Slang From 'What's Up?' to 'F*%# Off!' comes in handy. Co-authored by Adrien Clautrier (a self-employed mechanic born and raised in Marseille, France) and Henry Rowe (a current resident of Paris) who bring their own particular expertise in the subject, "Dirty French" is a slim paperback instruction book that is packed from cover to cover with choice expressions that will serve to punctuate conversation in French like someone native born. "Dirty French" is especially recommended to the attention of travelers to France for either business or pleasure. There will be ample occasions that warrant what "Dirty French" has to teach you!


The Cookbook Shelf

EatingWell Seasonal Recipes
Pomegranate Communications, Inc.
P.O. Box 808022, Petaluma CA 94975-8022
http://pomegranate.stores.yahoo.net
9780764944406, $15.99, 1-800-227-1428

Combining a cookbook with a 2009 calendar, "EatingWell Seasonal Recipes" is a unique approach to menu planning by busy families and time-stressed kitchen cooks. The fifty-four featured recipes were specifically chosen for easy and speed of preparation. Utilizing a format that features month-by-month recipe groupings and perforated recipe pages easily detachable from the spiral binding, each showcased recipe is enhanced with analysis notes and nutrition bonus information. The 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes themselves range from Roasted halibut with Banana-Orange Relish; Chicken & Asparagus with Melted Gruyere; Warm Arugula Bread Salad; and Flank Steak Pinwheels; to Five-Spice Turkey & Lettuce Wraps; Tomato & Fennel Salad; Blueberry-Lime Margaritas; and Savory Bread Pudding with Spinach & Mushrooms. Offering a uniquely useful format, "EatingWell Seasonal Recipes" is a very special and highly recommended addition to personal and family cookbook (and calendar!) collections.

Local Bounty
Devra Gartenstein
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
www.thefarm.org/businesses/bpc.html
9781570672194, $17.95, 1-800-695-2241

Whether from one's own garden or from a farmer's market featuring locally grown fruits and vegetables, season produce is an ecologically responsible way to buy food -- and the most effective and economical way to create palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, nutritious dishes for every meal of the day. Drawing upon her more than twenty years in the food business, Devra Gartenstein has compiled an impressive collection of recipes in "Local Bounty: Season Vegan Recipes" using the kinds of seasonal ingredients a good farmer's market will offer to a discriminating customer. Other benefits include the fact that ripe produce is at its best flavor and highest nutritional value, transportation from farm to consumer requires the least amount of fossil fuel, small-scale farmers often use fewer pesticides than the larger corporate farms, foods in season are more economical to purchase than imported foods out of our local seasons, buying locally helps the local economy and are the best way ordinary families have of avoiding the problems crated by the globalization of the food industry. The recipes in "Local Bounty" range from Sorrel with Spring Onions; Summer Stuffed Cabbage; White Beans with Garlic Scapes; and Brazilian Collard Greens; to Chard and Chanterelles in Wine Sauce; Chai-Spiced Mulled Cider; Leek and Parsnip Saute; and Seitan Shepherd's Pie. A welcome addition to both vegetarian and non-vegetarian cookbook collections, "Local Bounty" is an enthusiastically recommended selection for personal, family, and community library cookbook shelves.

Wine Mondays
Frank McClelland & Christie Matheson
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street , Boston, MA 02118
www.harvardcommonpress.com
9781558323773, $24.95, 1-888-657-3755

A good wine can make a meal. Conversely, an inappropriate wine can detract from one. That's why "Winde Mondays: Simple Wine Pairings With Seasonal Menus" is so important for any menu planning from ordinary family meals to special celebratory dinners. With the assistance of food writer Christie Matheson, the award-winning proprietor of L'Espalier and Sel de La Terre restaurants, Frank McClelland showcases sixteen of his favorite menus (one for each of the four seasons of the year) with recommended wine pairings for each dish. "Wine Mondays) is enhanced with wine pairing notes, helpful tips and information about wine varieties and regions, and advice for shopping at local markets using fresh, in-season ingredients for best result. "Wine Mondays" is an elegant, practical, 'user friendly' addition to any family or community library cookbook collection.

The Blue Heron Ranch
Nadia Natali
North Atlantic Books
1435 Fourth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.northatlanticbooks.com
9781556437175, $21.95, 1-800-788-3123

Specialty cookbooks from unique restaurants are always popular additions to personal and community library reference collections. Just such a one is Nadia Natali's "The Blue Heron Ranch: Recipes And Stories From A Zen Retreat Center". Featuring charming color illustrations by Marica Natali Thompson, the featured 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for healthy and tasty dishes range from Sauteed Vegetables with Rice; Miso Pine Salmon; Blue Heron Chicken Stew; and Blue Heron Salad Dressing; to Home-Baked Granola; Persian Mulberry Peach Pie; Carob Coconut Brownies; and Teepee Hot Cider. An invaluable source of inspiring and unique menu ideas, "The Blue Heron Ranch Cookbook" is a prize addition for any cookbook shelf!

108 Recipes
Jolanta Kusa
Nyingma Institute
c/o Dharma Publishing
35788 Hauser Bridge Road, Cazadero, CA 95421
www.dharmapublishing.com
9780963913005, $15.00, 1-800-873-4276

A vegetarian diet can be complex, diverse, palate pleasing and appetite satisfying -- if you have access to the kinds of recipes that are featured in "108 Recipes: Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking Form Nyingma Institute". Compiled by Jolanta Kusa and in full compliance with Buddhist traditions of food and nutrition, the featured recipes are organized into appetizers, soups, salads, entrees, grains, side dishes, dips and spreads, desserts, breakfasts and breads. Ranging from a Clear Cauliflower Soup; to an Exotic Black Bean and Fruit Salad; to a Mushroom and Chevre Tart; to a Chocolate Port Cake; to Potato Pancakes with Blue Cheese, "108 Recipes: Gourmet Vegetarian Cooking Form Nyingma Institute" truly lives up to the promise of its title and is a welcome addition to personal, family, and community library vegetarian cookbook collections.

The Amish Cook at Home
Lovina Eicher with Kevin Williams
Andrews McMeel Publishing
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111-7701
(816) 932.6700, www.amishcookonline.com
9780740773723, $29.99, 224 pp.

Looking for a rich traditional cook book with beautiful photos and information as well as fabulous recipes? "The Amish Cook at Home: Simple Pleasure of Food, Family and Faith" by Lovina Eicher (a national syndicate newspaper columnist of the Amish Cook) and her co-author Kevin Williams is sure to please. Superbly illustrated throughout, "The Amish Cook at Home" is a beautifully displayed cookbook that follows the seasons with traditional Amish recipes, information notes and sidebars about Amish history, culture and stories of Old Order days and glimpses into events including weddings, funerals and tax time! Superb full-color photos and engaging anecdotal stories from Lovina's family and from Kevin Williams brings an extra personal touch. "The Amish Cook at Home" is a great book to spend time with in the kitchen with your family as you make tasty home cooked dishes, while at the same time learning about a culture rich in culinary and community tradition. The 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes are easy to follow. A great addition to any families cookbook collection whether it be your first or your 50th, "The Amish Cook at Home" is highly recommended for all personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Recipe of the Week: Ice Cream
Sally Sampson
Wiley
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470169452, $16.95 www.wiley.com

Ice cream, sorbet, and gelato are all featured in this survey of how to add sweet sauces to common ice creams for added impact. Here are 52 recipes for year-round enjoyment, packing in lovely photos and inviting dishes. Libraries seeking slim, easy ice cream guides with strong visual impact will find this an excellent pick.

The Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook
Michelle Ann Anderson
Cumberland House
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211-3160
9781581826593, $16.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

Home cooks who work on limited time will find attractive both the color photos and the ease of preparation in The Rotisserie Chicken Cookbook: all that's needed is a rotisserie setup to produce a range of dishes from appetizers to entrees, including soups, casseroles, sandwiches and more. Quick steps and common ingredients make for an appealing presentation perfect for general lending libraries.

Food Festivals of Italy
Leonardo Curti & James O. Fraioli
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423603320, $35.00 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439

Illustrated with color (or sometimes black-and-white) photography on virtually every page, Food Festivals of Italy: Celebrated Recipes from 50 Food Fairs is an amazingly beautiful recipe and coffee table book. Interspersing its easy-to-follow instructions to create celebratory Italian cuisine with extensive images of the mouth-watering delicacies at each stage of preparation, from raw ingredients to the people who devote themselves to culinary art to the finished feast, Food Festivals of Italy is intended more for connoisseurs who love to linger over lavishly illustrated cookbooks than for practical kitchen use (its sheer size makes it slightly difficult to fit on a kitchen countertop while one cooks, though it enables the reader to see every last detail in the captivating photos). A worthy centerpiece for upscale cookbook collections.

Home Grown Indiana
Christine Barbour & Scott Hutcheson
Indiana University Press
601 N. Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9780253220196, $16.95, www.iupress.indiana.edu

If one resides in the Hoosier state, you don't have to travel far to get great food. "Home Grown Indiana: A Food Lover's Guide to Good Eating in the Hoosier State" takes a look at the finest food one can find in the state of Indiana. With an examination of how the best food starts with the best livestock and best plants, it takes a farm to plate approach to good eating. With many ideas presented as well in cookbook form, "Home Grown Indiana" offers much to read for even those who live outside of Indiana.

Football Food
Kellie Lawless & Maili Brocke
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813032443, $24.95, www.upf.com, 1-800-226-3822

Food is an integral part of the football experience whether it comes as part of a stadium parking lot tail-gate event, accompanies a home gathering to watch the big game, or smuggled in to be enjoyed with fans in the bleacher seats. Co-authored by cooking instructor, food writer, and Certified Kansas City Barbecue Judge Kellie Lawless and football enthusiast Mali Brocke (who is an Executive Chef and owner of a Santa Barbara-based catering company and has been cooking for gridiron events for decades), "Football Food is a handy little portable cookbook packed from cover to cover with 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes ranging from Rib Eye Steaks with Salsa; Fish Tacos; Philly Cheese Steak Sandwiches; and Beer Can Chicken; to Onion-Cheddar Corn Bread; Chili Chaser Soup; Tailgate Toffee; and Spiked Hot Chocolate. Enhanced with menu ideas for before the game and during half-time breaks, "Football Food" is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library cookbook collections in general, and football fans in particular.

The Art & Soul Of Baking
Cindy Mushet
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main Street, Kansas City, MO 64111
9780740773341, $40.00, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

From the selection of a recipe, to the gathering of ingredients, to the preparation of the kitchen, through the process of preparing the dish, to the aromas emanating from the stove, to the presentation of the finished work of culinary artistry, there are few things more likely to ensure total satisfaction than a baker's efforts placed before a hungry and grateful family. Drawn from the kitchen of Sur La Table, and a well deserved selection of the Gourmet Cook Book Club, this superbly illustrated and 'kitchen cook friendly' compendium of recipes and instructions compiled by professional pastry chef and baking instructor Cindy Mushet is a welcome addition to any personal, professional, or community library cookbook collection. The recipes range from yeast read and rolls, layered pastries, quick breads, and tarts, to pies, turnovers, dumplings, fruit desserts, cookies, brownies, cakes, custards, souffles and more. Of special note are the initial chapters on 'The Baker's Kitchen' and 'The Baker's Pantry', and the concluding chapter on 'Basic Recipes and Finishing Techniques. "The Art & Soul Of Baking" is one cookbook collection that truly lives up to its title!


The Self-Help Shelf

Overpower Pain
Mitchell T. Yass
Sentient Publications
1113 Liability Company, Boulder, CO 80302
KSB Promotions (publicity)
55 Honey Creek NE, Ada, MI 49301-9768
9781591810759, $15.95, www.sentientpublications.com

No one enjoys being in pain, but it doesn't have to be the focus of one's life. "Overpower Pain: The Strength-Training Program that Stops Pain without Drugs or Surgery" is a guide to building strength to dull the nagging pain, be it from age, injury, or whatever the circumstance. Chronic pain can be overcome by working the affected muscle through the pain and therefore decreasing the pain in everyday life. "Overpower Pain" is something to be strongly considered for those facing daily, persistent pain.

On the Road to Emmaus
Myrlene Hamilton Hess
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015336, $15.00, www.judsonpress.com

Inevitably, one will lose one close to them. What matters is how one deals with it. "On the Road to Emmaus: A Travel Guide for Grief" is a Christian's guide to dealing with the harsh reality of life, the time of grief. Drawing upon the Bible and Hess's own personal experiences, "On the Road to Emmaus" offers much for small group discussion. "On the Road to Emmaus" is a good gift to a friend who is recently faced with the problems of loss.

How to Be A Success
Paramhansa Yogananda
Crystal Clarity Publishers
14618 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
9781565892316, $11.95, www.crystalclarity.com

A spiritual awakening doesn't require weeks meditating upon Mount Everest. "How to Be a Success: The Wisdom of Yogananda, Volume 4" is from one of the leading spiritual teachers of the modern era, Paramhansa Yogananda. He seeks to teach readers to find the meaning of their life, develop good habits, make the most of one's time, and even includes his original writing 'The Attributes of Success' in its entirety. "How to Be a Success" is worth reading for those whose minds are open to spiritual solutions.


The Gaming Shelf

The Game Production Handbook, 2nd Edition
Heather Maxwell Chandler
Infinity Science Press
11 Leavitt Street, Hingham, MA 02043
9781934015407, $54.95 www.infinitysciencepress.com

The second edition of THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK provides information producers, managers and others need to successfully develop a game. Additional information on project personnel, forms, and large multiplayer online games incorporates new interviews with industry experts and real-world examples of what works and common issues in game development. An included cd-rom offers templates and supporting forms. The result is an outstanding handbook highly recommended for any collection strong in game development.

More Hold'Em Wisdom for All Players
Daniel Negreanu
Cardoza Publishing
5473 S. Eastern Avenue, Las Vegas, NV 89119
1580422241, $14.95, www.cardozabooks.com

Daniel Negreanu (aka 'Kid Poker) is one of the most well known professional poker players working the big cash games and the poker tournaments today. Known as a game that can be learned in minutes but only mastered with a life time of play, and the single most popular poker game today, Texas Hold'Em is a poker game with a veritable laundry list of skills to master. Whether amateurs or professionals, the players are looking for anything they can to give them an edge on their opponents and the prospect of winning their money. "More Hold'Em Wisdom for All Players" is a second compilation of invaluable advice and insightful tips on this popular poker game from a four time champion and 2004 player of the year in Daniel Negreanu. Fifty lessons with explanations on why they work and how to use them are packed within its pages and certain to improve anyone's poker game by a good margin. "More Hold'Em Wisdom for All Players" would be worthy reading for any poker enthusiast and an essential addition to the personal reference library for anyone sitting down to a game of Texas Hold'Em.

Gary Brown's Learn to Play Bridge
Gary Brown
Master Point Press
331 Douglas Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5M 1H2 , Canada
9781897106396, $17.95, 119 pp., www.amazon.com

Know how to play Bridge or always wanted to learn? The you can easily learn some of the finer points of game from a true bridge master with "Gary Brown's Learn to Play Bridge: A Modern Approach To Standard Bidding With 5-Card Majors". This thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual provides the reader with the basic and techniques to playing bridge. "Gary Brown's Learn to Play Bridge" takes a no assumption approach to provide readers with the most effective information, explanations and visuals. Exercises and tips are also included. Readers can then continue expanding their knowledge by logging on to www.masterbridge.com. Designed to 'teach teachers' the tools to promote bridge to new players, as well as giving newcomers to the game the tools to get enthusiastic about Bridge, "Gary Brown's Learn to Play Bridge" is easy to follow and offers a wealth of practical and applicable information. Highly recommended for personal and community library reference collections, this winner of the American Bridge Teachers' Association 2007 Book of the Year award is sure to please anyone dedicated to learning and/or improving their play.


The Poetry Shelf

Anna, Washing
Ted Genoways
The University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
9780820332062, $16.95, www.ugapress.org

With the emergence of Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin, America's interest in Alaska is higher than ever. "Anna, Washing" is an anthology of poetry set in the great northern state of Alaska, telling the story of Anna and Abe Malm, two immigrants who came to the state from Finland. Poignant and entertaining, Genoways' poetry makes "Anna, Washing" a recommended read. "Wash-Day Song": This machine now is her only solace / machine whose wooden handle is polished//by years of use, grooves that mirror her grip./Machine she chose, warranted not to rip//your fineries but to wash tough clothes clean./Machine she fills with scalding water, steam//fogging the window glass, and packs with shirts./Machine she hates so much her stomach hurts.//Year she has given to route and routine,/machine washwoman and washing machine.// Sud with lye, rinse, then dry twelve times, each day./Machine that kept their debtors away,//machine Abe dubbed Anna's golden goose,/machine she cranked til it rocked like a sluice.

Alpha Zulu
Gary Copeland Lilley
Ausable Press
1026 Hurricane Road, Keene, NY 12942
9781931337380, $14.00, www.ausablepress.org

"Alpha Zulu" is the fourth book from Gary Copeland Lilley, a native of North Carolina and artist of many types. His poems tackle the basics of the daily life many black Americans face each day, and how it isn't much different from the lives of the people in some parts of America. Philosophical and enlightening, "Alpha Zulu" is intriguing and recommended. "Three of Cups Reversed": In the parking lot she's washing her car, bending down to wipe the rims. Wide butt and showing waistline, always some man wanting to wax her trunk./Sitting on my back porch in a lounger/that's chained to the cast iron railing/I turn obstacles into stepping stones./Dispel the negative and focus/On the self that hangs off my bones./Beneath a ragged flag, the bare trees/in the departing winter, ashtray half full,/fresh pack of cigarettes, and three cans of beer/sweating beside me on the table.

This Dirty Little Heart
B.T. Shaw
Eastern Washington University Press
534 E. Spokane Falls Blvd, Suite 203, Spokane, WA 99202
9781597660402, $14.95, www.ewupress.ewu.edu

Prolific published poet B.T. Shaw brings poetry readers her debut anthology of poetry in "This Dirty Little Heart". Holding nothing back, her verse is moving and inspiring to readers and offers fresh prose. As a sign of things to come, "This Dirty Little Heart" leaves readers wanting more. "The Invisible Woman vs. Mr. Fantastic": Honey, she said, it is not your fault./I saw everything in you except myself.

Cage
Astrid Cabral
Host Publications
277 Broadway, Suite 210, New York, NY 10007
9780924047442, $12.00, www.hostpublications.com

One of Brazil's most famous poets, Astrid Cabral knows shows. In this new edition of "Cage" from Host Publications, she demonstrates to English readers just why she deserves her well earned literary fame. Bilingual, "Cage" contains both the original Portuguese and the deftly translated English translation by Alexis Levitin. The poetry comprising "Cage" brings the reader an unusual and exotic picture of Brazil, a picture that contains both the massive Amazon rain forests and a piece of western civilization. Introducing a major Brazilian literary talent o American poetry readers, "Cage" is worth reading for its tales of Brazil alone. "Gecko": Blessed be the morning/of childhood when/I found myself/sister to the gecko/acrobat./On the wall of the room/utterly at ease/just like me/tumbler/ on the edge of the planet.

Reality Check
Dennis O'Driscoll
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271, Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556592805, $15.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

Stereotypes are offensive because they assume, and Dennis O'Driscoll seeks to combat the Irish stereotypes with "Reality Check". Writing about Ireland in a world of Globalization and what it has done to his homeland, both positive and negative, his poetry is entertaining as it enlightening about a modern people. "Reality Check" is a solid choice for poetry readers with an interest in Irish culture. "Diversions": Lean on the green recycle bin/in the yard where roses run amok, scent intensified by last night's rain.//Life your eyes to the sunlit hills, hedge/ perforated fields are first day issues/tweezered askew in your childhood album.//Rest on the laurels of your elbows./Consent to mind and body going/their ways amicably, a trial separation.

Dissipated Assets
David Zimmerman
Boian Books
121 E. Van Buren 4B, Eureka Springs, AR 72632
9780978601416, $14.95, www.boianbooks.com

To both love and hate something just another aspect of life, really. "Dissipated Assets" are the musings of an everyday man with an appreciation for history, as he looks back on the history of the world and his own life as he picks out what has antagonized him over the years, and what has made it bearable. Witticisms from an antique dealer and historian, "Dissipated Assets" is a fine and original volume of poetry. "71": Indulge yourself in letting go,//Establishing a pace whereby/You will arrive quite naked at the end.

Kinnickinnic
Thomas R. Smith
Parallel Press
372 Memorial Library
728 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
http://parallelpress.library.wisc.edu
9781934795033, $10.00, 1-800-636-0071

Poetry can be elegantly complex or accessible simple. The best of the poets are able to articulate their thoughts and emotions, their insights and feelings within whatever degree of sophistication is necessary to successfully accomplish their expressions. Such a poet is Thomas R. Smith whose anthology "Kinnickinnic" provides examples of his own distinctive style and features several pieces showcasing outdoor themes and rural places. To Summer: I sleepwalk through your heated noons and midnights./You demand my complete allegiance,/so disloyally I slip away./Your birth a thousand fields of white clover,/to scathe them down in a single day./To your intense spendthrift sun I bring/only a mister's hoarded match-flame. You/lay your burning hands all over my body,/but I can only reach to touch your face.

Dancing Fire
Marjorie Sparkman Jackson
Fithian Press
c/o Daniel Publishing
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
9781564744753, $14.00, www.danielpublishing.com

Widely published poet Marjorie Sparkman Jackson brings readers "Dancing Fire". Focusing on the human spirit through a perspective of ancient and classical literature and mythology, ranging from Zeus to Adam and Ever, the scope proves effective, and leads to moving verse. Solid work all around, "Dancing Fire" is worth thinking about for poetry readers. "Immortality": Feathered wonder, prey of kings,/In flight eternally, bring/a new horizon as you wing your way/To where the angels sing.

A Necklace of Bees
Dannye Romine Powell
The University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
1557288798, $16.00, www.uapress.com, 1-800-626-0090

Award winning poet Dannye Romine Powell brings readers her third anthology of poetry in "A Necklace of Bees". Focused around the potential tragedy of losing her beloved son to the poisons of alcohol, Powell's poetry contemplates the helplessness and anticipation of watching someone you love destroy themselves, making "A Necklace of Bees" worth reading for poetry fans who feel they are in a similar situation. "When He Told Her": and she knew from the beginning/he must/one day tell her,/she thought of that banyan tree he would remember/the one-- and how over the long years/it had fastened itself to the earth and the earth beneath/the earth, its long roots once suspended/in air now anchoring an orphanage of limbs, the leaves/beneath the leaves marshaling the dark, as if to say, Come,/I will hold you, you and your tears, so dense/was its shade, so bold the branches, so ferociously attached.


The Social Work Shelf

Foundations of Social Work Practice
Mark A. Mattaini & Christine T. Lowery
NASW Press
750 First Street, NE, Suite 700, Washington, DC 20002-4241
9780871013743, $54.99, www.naswpress.org

Social work exists to help people, but if done improperly, it can do just as much damage as it can prevent. "Foundations of Social Work Practice" is now in a newly expanded and updated fourth edition, and still ably serves as an ideal textbook for social work students and interested non-specialist general readers seeking to understand the basic premises, techniques, and theories of social work practice. Granting the knowledge needed to fully understand the concept of social work and the huge range of problems a counselor or other type of social worker might face in the course of the career and the right way to react, it's the training students need. Enhanced with appendixes containing a code of ethics, a universal declaration of human rights, and exercises for students, "Foundations of Social Work Practice" is a text best added to any college library or considered as curriculum.


The Economics Shelf

Global Tax Revolution
Chris Edwards and Daniel J. Mitchell
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20001
9781933995182, $21.95 www.cato.org

International tax competition is only one aspect of globalization: as mobility and capital change, individuals and businesses alike are investing in nations with lower take rate pressuring their own governments to cut taxes at home or see a loss in revenue. Such tax competition is generating intense political opposition but the authors argue against such opposition, showing that such competition is actually helping to advance prosperity and expand human rights. College-level libraries strong in both business, economics, and social issues will find this an excellent source for discussion.

The Green Bubble
Robert Bell
Editions Scali
80 Rue de flb Saint-Denis, 75010 Paris France
presse@scali.net, www.scali.net
9780789209559, $35.00 www.amazon.com

THE GREEN BUBBLE: WASTE INTO WEALTH: THE NEW ENERGY REVOLUTION offers up a business-oriented guide to the next four years which the professor author maintains will be a 'gigantic stock market bubble' in renewable energy investments. This 'new energy revolution' will have wide-reaching impact around the world and will result in energy that will have virtually no monetary value. An eye-opening book, THE GREEN BUBBLE is key reading for any concerned about the environment and its economic impact.

Economics Sanctions Reconsidered
Gary Clyde Hufbauer & collaborators
Peterson Institute
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1903
9780881324082, $49.95, www.petersoninstitute.org

Military might is not the only way to fight a war, but there are downsides to alternative methods to armed conventional conflict as well. "Economic Sanctions Reconsidered" looks at the downside of using economic sanctions to persuade other nations to work with the United States. Filled with countless studies, freshly updated for the new edition, it looks at some sanctions failing to have the desired effect for the country, and how the end of the Cold War means the United States actually has less power than it used to. "Economic Sanctions Reconsidered" is worth reading for anyone who wants to understand the US Foreign Policies when it comes to economics.

The World Bank and the Gods of Lending
Steve Berkman
Kumarian Press
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
9781565492592, $24.95, www.kpbooks.com

Globalization has lead to the formation of a World Bank but how has such a venture turned out? "The World Bank and the Gods of Lending" is a thorough and scholarly examination of the acts of the World Bank. Looking at its history of loans and how it has spent its money, Berkman shows a story that tells of the corruption and mismanagement of this goliath of economics. Drawn from actual world bank reports and his own experience as a bank employee, the tale is quite shocking and saddening. "The World Bank and the Gods of Lending" is a look at how bad mismanagement can be.

New Frontiers in Free Trade
Razeen Sally
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781933995212, $18.95, www.cato.org

With nearly half the world's population, it's no surprise Asia is a massive juggernaut in today's global economy. "New Frontiers in Free Trade: Globalization's Future and Asia's Rising Role" is a look at globalization and its true effect on the world's economy as a whole. Telling how Asia is slowly becoming the leading economic power in the world, a title once held by North America and Europe, Sally also discusses how the World Trade Organization has succeeded and failed in its job, and the effects of such. "New Frontiers in Free Trade" is a must for a solid understanding of today's world economy.


The Education Shelf

Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children
Barbara Jackson Gilman
Great Potential Press
PO Box 5057, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
9780910707886, $26.95, www.giftedbooks.com

One could have all the intelligence in the world but it means nothing if it's not nurtured. "Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children: A Parent's Complete Guide" is aimed at parents at gifted children who want cut through the piles of bureaucratic red tape and give their child the education they need to make the most of their gifted skill in the field of academics. Covering everything from other parents experiences with gifted children, the definition of the subject, testing, classes, what to do about under achievement and much more, "Academic Advocacy for Gifted Children" is a solid and recommended guide for parents, a must for those who suspect their child is more than just the average student.

Schoolwide Prevention Models
Charles R. Greenwood, Thomas R. Kratochwill, & Melissa Clements, editors
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
9781593858391, $40.00, www.guilford.com

The best way to solve a problem is to prevent it from ever happening. "Schoolwide Prevention Models: Lessons Learned in Elementary Schools" is a collection of models for school administrators for preventing discipline problems through observation, discipline, and other tactics for making schools more harmonious. With ideas from psychologists, school administrators, teachers, and more, "Schoolwide Prevention Models" is a brain trust and reference principals can't be without.

Promising Practices for Partnering with Families in the Early Years
Mary M. Cornish, editor
Information Age Publishing
11600 North Community House Road, Suite 250, Charlotte, NC 28277
9781593119461, $45.99, www.infoagepub.com

It's not just a school's job to teach children, parents too must take a dedicated effort. "Promising Practices for Partnering with Families in the Early Years" is a guide for parents who want to ensure their child gets the best education possible. Advocating strong bonds between students, parents, teachers and others to best communicate a child's needs and making the best decisions possible, it's a different and effective approach to education which seems obvious but is so often overlooked. "Promising Practices for Partnership with Families in the Early Years" is a strong choice for any parent or enthusiastic educator.

Effective School Interventions
Natalie Rathvon
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring Street , New York, NY 10012
9781572309678, $46.00, www.guilford.com

No one contests the premise that education is the bedrock upon which the economic future of the American nation is founded. What varies among contesting views on education are what strategies and approaches are best to maximize student academic performance. Now in an newly expanded and updated second edition, "Effective School Interventions: Evidence-Based Strategies For Improving Student Outcomes" by Natalie Rathvon (Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychology at The George Washington University) is a comprehensive and scholarly study organized into two major sections: 'The Intervention Assistance Approach To Improving Student Outcomes' and 'Evidence-Based School Interventions'. This new edition has been expanded to include new features and resources including additional guidance on legal issues and ethics for practitioners who are part of team-based intervention assistance programs; a 'cross-reference box' to help readers locate strategies in other sections or chapters with similar components but different targets; 'Special topics sections' highlighting key concepts, critical issues, and best practices; an an appendix for each of the four intervention chapters helping readers in quickly locating appropriate strategies and comparing strategies within the same domains. Exhaustive, comprehensive, superbly organized and presented, this new edition of "Effective School Interventions" is a core and seminal addition to professional and academic library Educational Studies & Practices reference collections and reading lists.

The Handbook for Enhancing Professional Practice
Charlotte Danielson
ASCD
c/o Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416607090, $27.95, 177 pages, www.ascd.org

To be a successful educator is to commit to the concept of life long learning. For conscientious classroom teachers dedicated to improving procedures and mechanisms in their teaching practice, a newly published guide offers a practical approach and framework that emphasizes two key goals: quality assurance and professional learning. Loaded with advice, step-by-step procedures and practical tools for teachers and education administrators, this instruction manual provides a distinctive set of tools to enhance classroom instruction skills and performance. Since the original publication of Enhancing Professional Practice: A Framework for Teaching in 1996, author Charlotte Danielson, has built upon those experiences and presents a comprehensive framework in The Handbook for Enhancing Professional Practice: Using the Framework for Teaching in Your School. Teachers, administrators and other who seek to use the framework to improve their programs and practice will be delighted with the clarity and easy to use style of this guide. Practical application of this framework includes teacher preparation, teacher recruitment and hiring, mentoring and peer coaching, self-directed professional inquiry, professional development and teacher evaluation. "The Handbook for Enhancing Professional Practice" is strongly recommended for professional and academic library Education Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Real Education
Charles Murray
Crown Forum
c/o American Enterprise Institute
1150 Seventeenth Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20036
9780307405388, $24.95, www.aei.org

Education for all is one of the few things that most agree on, but to what extent? "Real Education: Four Simple Truths for Bringing America's Schools Back to Reality" is a call to revamping how America educates its children. Going on four principles that are bold enough to say that not everyone is going to be capable of becoming a rocket scientist or the next president, it calls for an education which is on level with the people who need it the most, America's academically gifted. "Real Education" may seem radical in its approach, but its ideas are definitely worth considering.

Teaching the Brain to Read
Judy Willis
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416606888, $23.95, www.ascd.org/books

Mostly everyone who is reading this review is taking something for granted the simple ability to read this review. "Teaching the Brain to Read: Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension" is a guide for the educators of young people and in general who want to promote reading and writing as the absolutely fundamental skills they are to reality. Taking a neuroscience approach to the topic, it offers a solid and proven method of teaching people to read. "Teaching the Brain to Read" is a high recommendation to any primary educator.

Involving Parents in Their Children's Reading Development
Bruce Johnson
Treasure Bay, Inc.
40 Sir Francis Drake Boulevard, San Anselmo, CA 94960
www.readingplace.org
9781601152008, $19.95, 108 pp., CD included.

Teachers who want to involve parents in their children's reading development are key. Effective tools for success can be difficult. Author Bruce Johnson, with foreword by Nancy Livingston presents a guide for teachers seeking greater and more effective parenting involvement with respect to their child's literacy education. "Involving Parents in Their Children's Reading Development: A Guide for Teachers" is packed from cover to cover with resources and ideas for teachers ranging from preschool to middle school aged students. All the materials included are thoroughly field tested and ready to be customized to meet the specific needs of particular students and parents. With its clear format and content friendly text, "Involving Parents in Their Children's Reading Development: A Guide for Teachers" is an exceptionally practical and 'user friendly' guide. Teachers will find this instructional book easy to follow as practical guide which is enhanced to include games parents can use to engage their young reader, as well as maintain their child's reading skills over the summer. An invaluable resource for classroom teachers and including an accompanying CD of resource materials, "Involving Parents in Their Children's Reading Development: A Guide for Teachers" is highly recommended for teaching professionals early childhood to intermediate and a core addition to academic library Education Studies reference collections.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwinpress.com

Maryln Applebaum's HOW TO HANDLE THE HARD-TO-HANDLE STUDENT, K-5 (9781412964395, $25.95) is packed with over 100 strategies for a range of behavioral challenges, teaching how to assess children's strengths and challenges, how to handle student and teacher emotions alike, and how to develop problem-solving skills. Susan E. Israel's VOCABULARY LISTS AND ACTIVITIES FOR THE PREK-2 CLASSROOM (9781412953511, $28.95) surveys word lists, literature selections and teaching strategies for building young learner vocabulary and comprehension skills. From journal activities to read-aloud ideas, it's packed with plans. Clarissa Willis' CREATING INCLUSIVE LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS FOR YOUNG CHILDREN (9781412957199, $30.95) offers a host of research-based techniques for helping kids thrive in early childhood settings, from targeted strategies and activities to building relationships with peers. Preschool and kindergarten teachers receive all the tools needed to work with a range of disabilities from autism and vision loss to sensory disorders. Shari Y. Ehly's THE LEARNING-CENTERED KINDERGARTEN: 10 KEYS TO SUCCESS FOR STANDARDS-BASED CLASSROOMS (9781412955478, $25.95) provides a new resource to show novice and experienced kindergarten teachers alike how to improve their practices. From implementing the 10 key strategies to lesson plans, forms, and more resources based on real-world success, this is a treasure trove of kindergarten insights educators will appreciate. Steve Breakstone, Michael Dreiblatt and Karen Dreiblatt's HOW TO STOP BULLYING AND SOCIAL AGGRESSION (9781412958110, $30.95) teaches elementary grades lessons and activities for reinforcing empathy and friendship. Teaches in grades K-6 as well as school administrators receive tips on interactive lessons and activities that support student safety, with details centering around issues of respect and fostering such behaviors. Lawrence A. Machi and Brenda T. McEvoy's THE LITERATURE REVIEW (9781412961356, $25.95) offers master's and doctoral-level students in education and social science a powerful guide to developing and writing a literature review for a research project or thesis. A six-step developmental model offers exercises, graphics, and charts. Lee Brattland Nielsen's BRIEF REFERENCE OF STUDENT DISABILITIES WITH STRATEGIES FOR THE CLASSROOM (9781412966337, $31.98) appears in a 2nd updated edition to provide educators with a desktop reference for specific disabilities and how they affect classroom setup, education choices, and classroom inclusiveness. Included here are ADHD and bipolar disorder, along with legal explanations, health information, web site references, and educational strategies. Frank Crowther works with Margaret Ferguson and Leonne Hann in DEVELOPING TEACHER LEADERS, 2nd Edition (9781412963749, $72.95), a fine survey of how teachers can assume a leadership role for overall school success. Chapters cover tips on revitalizing teaching in the schools and offer administrators and principals opportunities for encouraging and changing teacher participation. The second edition of Linda Campbell and Bruce Campbell's MINDFUL LEARNING (9781412966931, $33.95) packs in over a hundred field-tested strategies for student/teacher interactions. From insuring gender-fair instruction and instigating active learning exercises at different grade levels to teaching diverse students, MINDFUL LEARNING is packed with concrete applications. Carrol Moran, et.al.'s third updated edition KEYS TO THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM (9781412963695, $35.95) is an essential reference for new teachers and should be required educator reading for the first month of teaching a class. A detailed week-by-week account includes assessment of routines, procedures, activities and common challenges in managing the elementary classroom. Barbara P. Benson's HOW TO MEET STANDARDS, MOTIVATE STUDENTS, AND STILL ENJOY TEACHING! 2ND EDITION (9781412963671, $35.95) focuses on four basic practices proven to improve student learning. From fostering a group of learners who are self-directed to following standards- based curriculum while adding content and streamlining process, it offers many tools for stimulating growth within the familiar teaching structure. The second edition of Jeffrey A. Kottler and Ellen Kottler's STUDENTS WHO DRIVE YOU CRAZY: SUCCEEDING WITH RESISTANT, UNMOTIVATED, AND OTHERWISE DIFFICULT YOUNG PEOPLE (9781412965286, $56.95) is for any teacher at a loss on how to deal with student behaviors. Chapters show how to handle difficult kids, suggest new responses and approaches to misbehaviors, and offers charts of characteristics and accompanying guidelines for handling them. Laura Lipton and Deborah Hubble's MORE THAN 100 WAYS TO LEARNER-CENTERED LITERACY, 2ND EDITION (9781412957847, $62.95) packs in keys to building on student experiences to learn language. Chapters document these common experiences, link them to language lessons, and provide educators with exercises and materials. Judy M. Brunner and Dennis K. Lewis' SAFE & SECURE SCHOOLS: 27 STRATEGIES FOR PREVENTION AND INTERVENTION (9781412962995, $28.95) offers keys for early intervention and prevention, documenting issues in school safety and how they can be resolved by astute, perceptive administrators. Richard A. Schmuck edits PRACTICAL ACTION RESEARCH, 2ND EDITION (9781412962872, $28.95), a collection of articles that create alternative ways for enhancing classroom practices. Articles by experts include seven new contributions to this edition and pair well with case studies demonstrating theory. Marcia L. Tate's MATHEMATICS WORKSHEETS DON'T GROW DENDRITES 20 (9781412953337, $33.95) provides numeracy strategies for grades Pre-K to 8, offering creative methods for blending visual, auditory and tactile modalities and fostering achievement in math. Brain-compatible math activities and lessons have been submitted by practicing teachers across the country. David Hyerle's VISUAL TOOLS FOR TRANSFORMING INFORMATION INTO KNOWLEDGE (9781412924276, $33.95) appears in its second updated edition and describes three types of visual tools: brainstorming webs, graphic organizers and concept maps. Each expands teacher skills and tools offering applied concepts fostering critical thinking, based on the latest brain research insights. Templates, exercises and over 70 keys to classroom applications are built in. Dorothy A. Sisk's MAKING GREAT KIDS GREATER; EASING THE BURDEN OF BEING GIFTED (9781412958721, $28.95) is written by a gifted education expert who analyzes the techniques, strategies and lessons to help gifted students link their cognitive abilities with their social skills. From real stories of gifted students to suggested activities, teacher voices and experiences, and reading lists and web sites, MAKING GREAT KIDS GREATER is essential for any education collection. Frederick A. Lindley's THE PORTABLE MENTOR, 2ND EDITION (9781412949019, $33.95) offers entry-level principals and mentors a fine resource guide based on 40 years experience as an educator, principal and mentor. It's organized around the nine-month school years and blends in the revised 2008 ISLLC standards as it covers the ten basic strategies for improving student achievement. The second updated edition of Cornelius L. Barker and Claudette J. Searchwell's WRITING YEAR-END TEACHER IMPROVEMENT PLANS RIGHT NOW! (9781412953732, $28.95) is also for principals and provides a key reference to teacher improvement plans, covering revised proficiency categories, offering new case studies, and including a new comprehensive annual performance form package with diagnostics and guidelines for drafting improvement plans. Margaret J. McLaughlin's WHAT EVERY PRINCIPAL NEEDS TO KNOW ABOUT SPECIAL EDUCATION (9781412964166, $26.95) appears in its second updated edition to provide a review of special education programs for principals. From fulfilling the latest legal and education requirements to understanding federal laws and supporting eligibility decisions, this is 'must' for any educator's library. Also key is Sharon Kruse and Karen Seashore Louis' BUILDING STRONG SCHOOL CULTURES: A GUIDE TO LEADING CHANGE (9781412951821, $31.95), a survey of how to develop and foster an integrated school culture that engages educators with colleagues and communities alike. Principals will welcome the call to create a viable, sustainable school culture using organizational learning methods. Eric Jensen's SUPER TEACHING (9781412963329, $35.95) packs in over 1,000 strategies for teachers, considering how students learn and also how instruction changes a student's brain and thinking. From using assessment as part of instruction to handling special needs kids, SUPER TEACHING is packed with powerful opportunities. All are key picks for education libraries.


The World History Shelf

Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora
Carole Boyce Davies, Editor
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851097005, $295.00 www.abc-clio.com

This 3-volume set Encyclopedia of the African Diaspora is a pick for any high school to college-level collection strong in African history and culture. It explores the origins and experiences of the African Diaspora, surveying history, providing biographies, and offering information perfect for applying to research papers. An encyclopedic A-Z format lends well to quick look-ups, but the information is detailed enough to provide powerful introductory information backed by bibliographic references, make it both an all-in-one choice and an introduction for further research. Highly recommended.

Civilization
Roger Osbourne
Pegasus Books
45 Wall Street, Suite 1021, New York, NY 10005
9781933648767, $16.95

Western civilization is something that most Americans cherish. But is it really something to be admired without analysis, criticism, or perspective? "Civilization: A New History of the Western World" by Roger Osbourne tries to take a full on scholarly approach to western civilization in its entirety. Pulling no punches, it discusses Hitler as much as it does the cure for Polio, and spans from the early Greek states to the events leading up to the 2003 invasion of Iraq. An original work of seminal scholarship, "Civilization" is educational and interesting in its content, making it a 'must' for history buffs and a welcome addition to both academic and community library World History reference collections.

The Irish Civil War 1922-23
Peter Cottrell
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781846032707, $17.95 www.ospreypublishing.com

This sequel to the author's acclaimed THE ANGLO-IRISH WAR is a pick for any library strong in military titles or Irish history: it explores the early conflict that tore Ireland apart and considers the politics as well as the military strategies applied on all sides, focusing on the short battles that demonstrated different leadership styles and combat operations by the IRA and National Army. It's an outstanding survey perfect for Irish history and military collections alike.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Great Commission
Timothy E. Byerley
Paulist Press
997 Macarthur Blvd. Mahwah, N.J. 07430
800-218-1903, www.paulistpress.com
978809145584, $18.95, 176 pp.

An exploration of traditional practices can breath new life into a withering view. In "The Great Commission: Models of Evangelization in American Catholicism", author Timothy E. Byerley (who is a priest of the Diocese of Camden and the pastor of St. John Vianney Church in Deptford, new Jersey), cogently explains that from the moment Jesus commissioned His disciples to go into the world and proclaim the good news, this divine message has taken shape in many different forms. "The Great Commission" proposes six standard patterns that emerged throughout the course of Church history, (all of which were derived from the New Testament) and then evaluates these models for reflection, comparison and considerations. Clearly formatted with each model followed by a definition, example, evaluation, the model as it is today and then considerations for Christian education, "The Great Commission" is an informed and informative as it is inspired and 'reader friendly'. Thoughtfully written and very well researched, "The Great Commission" is a superbly organized and presented resource for religious readers and educators to promote thought provoking discussions. "The Great Commission" is especially recommended for seminary, parish, and church school Catholic Theology reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

No Atheists in Foxholes
Patrick McLaughlin
Thomas Nelson
565 Royal Parkway, Nashville, TN 37214
9780849919985, $19.99, www.thomasnelson.com

Chaplains are pastors who risk their lives to give soldiers a spiritual shoulder to lean on in the crisis-filled area of the battle field. "No Atheists in Foxholes: Prayers and Reflections from the Front" is a collection of thoughts and reflections on the importance of religion in the Iraq conflict that rages on to this day. Telling stories of his times and offering poignant prayers, Chaplain McLaughlin tells a moving story of his times with his marines unit. "No Atheists in Foxholes" is a must for anyone who wishes to read about God in the Iraq conflict.

Angels and Wonders
Joan Wester Anderson
Loyola Press
3441 N. Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
9780829427332, $14.95, www.loyolapress.com

Strange, unforeseen events that give people just what they need to get by, it's what referred to as miracles. "Angels and Wonders: True Stories of Heaven on Earth" is a collection of more than thirty true stories telling of God's servants and their presence on Earth. These stories tell of people in need and how when they needed help most, they believe there's no one who went to bat for them there except Angels. Touching stories of overcoming adversity and making it through tough times, "Angels and Wonders" is inspiring and faithful reading, a great gift book for Christians.

The Last Four Visions of Daniel
Thomas A. Daniels
Tate Publishing & Enterprising
127 E. Trade Center Terrace, Mustang, OK 73064-4421
159886775X, $22.99, www.tatepublishing.com

The Book of Daniel has some intriguing insights into our world indeed. "The Last Four Visions of Daniel: Some Startling Revelations" is Thomas A. Daniel's scholarly examination of the book of Daniel. Speaking of the 'seventy weeks' prophecy of the book and what it means to the world, it is a work of top notch biblical scholarship. A strong choice for anyone who finds study of the Bible enthralling, "The Last Four Visions of Daniel" is a choice that you can't go wrong with.

The Master Carpenter
Hugh Poland
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015299, $15.00, www.judsonpress.com

Whenever anyone creates anything by hand, heart and soul are poured into their creation. "The Master Carpenter: Devotions for Woodworkers" is a look at the spiritual side of wood working, containing much spiritual information to inspire readers to put their souls into what they craft. Combining the wisdom of Christianity with the meditation of woodworking, "The Master Carpenter" is a solid choice for any Christian who takes after the craft of Jesus Christ.

The Purity Code
Jim Burns
Bethany House
11400 Hampshire Ave., S., Bloomington, MN 55438
9780764202094, $11.99, www.bethanyhouse.com

The world is filled with things that may change how you are. "The Purity Code: God's Plan for Sex and Your Body" is a heavily Christian influenced guide aimed at preteens and young teenagers about the conflicts with faith that spring up around that age. Encouraging children to find their faith and retain their faith toward the many 'impure' influences of the world, "The Purity Code" is a consideration for Christian parents who want to keep their children to their values as they age.

The Visible and the Revealed
Jean-Luc Marion
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave, Bronx, NY 10458
9780823228843, $30.00, www.fordhampress.com

Philosophy and religion have a lot in common. "The Visible and the Revealed" is one French scholar's ideas about Christianity and the philosophy that comes along with it. Published before, this new edition contains two chapters unreleased in the English language before this, expertly translated by Christina M. Gschwandtner. "The Visible and the Revealed" asks many questions and presents many answers, solidly recommended reading.

When God Goes to Starbucks
Paul Copan
Baker Books
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780801067433, $14.99, www.bakerbooks.com

Being Christian in an intellectual, secular world, comes with its own challenges. "When God Goes to Starbucks: A Guide to Everyday Apologetics" is a guide for Christians who want to deal with the pressing questions of their faith, that puts heavy guilt on their belief, such as homosexuality, religious zealots and their wars, and the acts of some more horrible individuals that claimed to be Christians. Aimed at a conservative Christian audience who wants to argue for their beliefs, "When God Goes to Starbucks" is worth for their consideration.

Unplugging from Religion
Greg Albrecht
Plain Truth Ministries
c/o Veritas Communications
PO Box 2075, Canon City, CO 81215
9781889973081, $14.99, www.veritasincorporated.com

Church is not required, but "Unplugging from Religion: Connecting with God" is not a book advocating Atheism. Instead encouraging alternative church and methods, Greg Albrecht promotes alternative solutions to worship, telling people that belief in God and his principles are what's important, not where one spends their Sunday mornings. With a checklist on staying true to Christianity without the weekly church visit, "Unplugging from Religion" is a fresh taste of a newer, more real world friendly Christianity.

The Anatomy of Grace
Peter W. Marty
Augsburg Fortress
PO Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
9780806680453, $12.99, www.augsburgfortress.org

Life changes, so religion must change with it. "The Anatomy of Grace" is a collection of reflections from Peter W. Marty, a senior pastor of a Lutheran Church in the American Midwest about the changing nature of religion in this modern and rapidly changing age. Offering poignant and intelligent ideas for readers, he urges that the congregation should still be an important aspect of daily life. "The Anatomy of Grace" is current and wise, worth reading for religious readers.

Generation Hex
Dillon Burroughs & Marla Alupoaicei
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736924016, $9.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

The Occult, normally regarded as nonsense, but some become devoted to it in spite of popular opinion. Co-authored by Dillon Burroughs and Marla Alupoaicei, "Generation Hex: Understanding the Subtle Dangers of Wicca" is a devout Christian's parenting guidebook to facing the growing cultural acceptance of Wicca and metaphysical new age witchcraft. Outlining just what Wicca is, and what a true Christian should do when confronted with them, "Generation Hex" offers parents practical and applicable information on dealing with this current cultural trend. Informed and informative, "Generation Hex" is especially recommended for anyone having to deal with New Age influences with respect to friends or family members.


The Business Shelf

The Handbook of International Trade and Finance
Anders Grath
Kogan Page
525 S. 4th Street #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749453206, $49.95 www.kogan-page.co.uk

Any college-level business library strong in international sales or administration as well as business administrators operating overseas needs THE HANDBOOK OF INTERNATIONAL TRADE AND FINANCE, a survey covering trade risks, payments, currency risk, trade finance and more. All businesses no matter what size or type will benefit from a title covering the entire negotiating process on both buyer and seller parts. Anders Grath has over 25 years experience in international trade and finance, so this makes for an invaluable coverage no business library should be without.

Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
www.amacombooks.org

Millions are making money running an eBay business, and any who aspire to do the same will find all the answers in Cliff Ennico's The eBay Business Answer Book (0814400450, $19.95), covering everything from locating inventory and setting up a store to handling bidders, taxes, payments, shipping and more. A highly recommended pick for both business and general-interest lending libraries. Brian Cole Miller's QUICK MEETING OPENERS FOR BUSY MANAGERS (0814409334, $17.95) offers tools and suggestions to managers for creating effective, productive meetings. From easing into introductions and warming up the group atmosphere to encouraging open dialogue and idea-sharing, chapters offer activities that work. Business libraries catering to administrators and managers at all levels will find it a popular acquisition.

Slide:Ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations
Nancy Duarte
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596522346, $34.99 www.oreilly.com

No business library should be without SLIDE:OLOGY, a guide to using presentation software for maximum effectiveness and eye-popping presentations. Skillful visual presentations can make or break a report or business; here, the Principal of Duarte Design offers concrete approaches to visual story development, blending conceptual thinking with case studies from leading brands. From creating graphics to help listeners visualize more effectively to turning ideas into graphics and using diagramming techniques, this book challenges conventional approaches to using slides and teaches the foundations of visual thinking.

How to Open & Operate a Financially Successful Florist and Floral Business Both Online and Off
Stephanie Beener
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601381408, $39.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Florist shop owners do more than sell plants: they create displays and atmosphere and this book displays and creates an atmosphere of success as it tells everything needed for running such a business, from arranging flowers to bookkeeping, business set-up, customer acquisition and retention, and more. A companion CD-ROM enhances this fine reference, perfect for business collections.

Make Meetings Matter
Charlie Hawkins
Career Press
3 Tice Road, PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
Connect Influential Public Relations (publicity)
24 Main Street, Warwick, NY 10990
9781601630155, $14.99, www.careerpress.com

People dread their business meetings . . . why? The answer is simple, most of the time, they could skip it and not miss a thing. "Make Meetings Matter: Ban Boredom, Control Confusion, and Terminate Time Wasting" is a guide for business leaders to make their corporate meetings actually mean something, by keeping meetings as something that makes things get done instead of simply being lip service to company unity. "Make Meetings Matter" is vital to those who want their company rolling at maximum efficiency, and would be an excellent addition to community library business collections.

Deduct It!
Stephen Fishman
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781413307191, $34.99, www.nolo.com, 1-800-955-4775

We hear a lot about corporate taxes during this current political season. The average federal and state tax rate of small businesses is around 35%. But what is not generally known is that through the advantages of legal tax deductions most companies do not pay anywhere near that amount of tax assessment on their general revenues. Where it was once necessary to employ a top flight tax attorney, now anyone starting up an entrepreneurial venture in the form of a small business can take full and lawful advantage of all their tax deductions associates with start-up expenses, operating expenses, health and medical related expenditures, retirement commitments, as well as costs associated with entertainment, meals, travel, inventory, equipment, operating a home office, and so much more. They key to all this is "Deduct It!: Lower Your Small Business Taxes" by tax attorney and specialist Stephen Fishman. Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Deduct It!" should be considered a thoroughly user friendly and instructive 'Tax Bible' for every small business owner wanting to steer clear of the IRS while taking full and legal advantage of every appropriate (and profitable) tax deduction allowed by law. Also highly recommended for home-based entrepreneurs and also available from Nolo Press is Stephen Fishman's "Home Business Tax Deductions: 5th Edition" (9781413309072, $34.99).

A Sense of Urgency
John P. Kotter
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422179710, $22.00, www.harvardbusiness.org/press

Speed is an underrated and powerful aspect of business that oft goes ignored. "A Sense of Urgency" is a guide to business urgency and keeping the sense of it going to increase productivity and efficiency. Urgency brings speed, speed brings changes, and changes bring opportunities, and opportunities bring profit. A must for improving one's business while not stressing employees out, "A Sense of Urgency" is a solid read for any business manager.

Copywriting
Rob Bowdery
Ava
c/o Watson-Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9782940373680, $29.95

You could have the greatest product in the world, but if no one knows about it, no one is going to buy it. "Basics Advertising: Copywriting" is a simple crash course in basic fundamental skill of advertising one's product. With ideas both combining the art of words and visual components when creating an effective advertisement, it contains many examples to gain inspiration from many established and successful marketing agencies. For anyone who wants to best understand the art of copywriting, "Basics Advertising: Copywriting" is strongly recommended reading.

Engagement is Not Enough
Keith E. Ayers
Elevate
c/o Advantage Media Group
PO Box 272, Charleston, SC 29402
9781599320113, $24.99, www.engagementisnotenough.com

Cruise control is not the way to go through the world of business. "Engagement Is Not Enough: You Need Passionate Employees to Achieve Your Dream" is a guide focusing on motivating one's employees to work for one's desire with enthusiasm, instead of just coasting toward an easy paycheck. Advising employers to give their employees what they need to feel respected, feel like part of a team, love their job, and do what they can to improve the company because they care as much as the owner. "Engagement is Not Enough" is solid reading about the value of being motivated for one's job.

Positive Leadership
Kim Cameron
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576756027, $14.00, www.bkconnection.com

A good leader can make mediocre workers good and good workers great. "Positive Leadership: Strategies for Extraordinary Performance" is a leadership manual encouraging managers to inspire and motivate their workers to new levels using the advice and tips contained within. With four principle strategies, he goes over their implementation and also gives advice on motivating oneself along with their employees. "Positive Leadership" is solid and recommended reading for anyone in charge of the productivity of others.

The Star Profile
Jathan Janove
Davies-Black Publishing
1055 Joaquin Road, 2nd Floor, Mountain View, CA 94043
9780891062202, $22.95, www.daviesblack.com

Words have power, but it doesn't take a lot of words to push that power. "The Star Profile: A Management Tool to Unleash Employee Potential" is a guide to crafting communication tools that cut straight to the point, don't waste the reader's or listener's time, yet remain highly effective. Solid speaking involves a charisma that can be learned, and "The Star Profile" seeks to train speakers to have that star power they need to make themselves and their companies succeed.

Finding the Sweet Spot
Dave Pollard
Chelsea Green Publishing
85 North Main Street, Ste. 120, White River Junction, VT 05001
Caroline O'Connel Communications (publicity)
11275 La Maida Street, Suite 200, No. Hollywood, CA 91601-4514
9781933392905, $17.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Industry and Environmentalism do not have to be exclusive concepts. "Finding the Sweet Spot: The Natural Entrepreneur's Guide to Responsible, Sustainable, Joyful Work" tells readers that respecting the environment while making one's fortune is dually possible. Advice on starting these responsible businesses, finding people with similar views, sustaining when others ignore it, and many other aspects, it's good reading to establish the bases needed for a successful business. "Finding the Sweet Spot" is worth reading for any established or aspiring entrepreneur.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Islam
Bernard Lewis
Wharton School Publishing
801 East 96h Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780132230858, $21.99, www.whartonsp.com

An understanding of Islam is key to understanding the world. "Islam: The Religion and the People" is an unabashed textbook on the religion to help western Christian readers better understand the third Abrahamic religion, and the culture that follow it. Speaking on Islam's views of several social issues important to the west, its customs and holidays, and what it means to America, "Islam" is an absolute must for any who want to best understand why the world is the way it is.


The Computer Shelf

Teach Yourself TCP/IP in 24 Hours
Joe Casad
SAMS
800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240
0672329964, $29.99 www.informit.com/sams

In just 24 hour lessons of an hour or less you can discover the workings of TCP/IP in this step-by-step lesson plan which builds a stepping stone of achievement. Instructions guide through many common tasks while the introductions to TCP/IP protocols are precise, well organized and key to understanding the shortcuts and solutions that streamline operations and avoid common problems. Computer libraries catering to advanced learners need this.

Dojo: Using the Dojo JavaScript Library to Build Ajax Applications
James E. Harmon
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com, 1-800-428-5331
0132358042, $39.99 www.informit.com/aw

Dojo offers web developers and designers a fine JavaScript tool for developing Ajax applications, and here's a developer's technical guide to Dojo and its growing applications. Chapters come from an expert Web designer and focus on tweaking existing applications and pages using Dojo, adding Ajax features and Dojo's user interface, and showing how to use its components effectively. The result is a powerful tool packed with shortcuts and special methods for handling JavaScript problems, making for a powerful reference recommended for any applications library.

Designing for the Social Web
Joshua Porter
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0321534921, $40.00 www.newriders.com

Social interaction occurs no matter what kind of web site or application one builds: it happens when a group of people use it and interact not only with each other but with their friends. Here are examples from real-world interfaces along with tips on how to overcome common people-oriented problems, from reluctance to learn or use new systems to what to do when a web application is launched and nobody wants to try it. Web designers and libraries catering to them will find it an excellent guide.

Intellectual Property and Open Source
Van Lindberg
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596517960, $34.99 www.oreilly.com

Any outside the field of IT who want to understand how to handle the legal system will find Intellectual Property and Open Source is perfect for understanding how law views intellectual property rights for programmers. The author's an attorney who is also a programmer, so chapters address concerns of all sides, from pursuing ideas while working for another to reverse engineering a project, handling trade secrets, and more. Both computer and legal libraries strong in technology need this.

Voice Over IP Security
Patrick Park
Cisco Press
800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240
1587054698, $55.00 www.ciscopress.com

VoIP security issues are becoming more and more serious as voice networks grow and intelligence attacks and fraud become more sophisticated, so any library strong in programmer's references including extensive VoIP networking needs VOICE OVER IP SECURITY, an analysis of cryptographic algorithms, threats, and survey of how security issues on networks can be addressed. From configuring firewalls to implementing lawful interception into VoIP services, this provides all the analysis and tools necessary for understanding VoIP threats and system protection.

Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2 How-Tos
Chris Orwig
Adobe
c/o Peachpit Press
1249 8th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
0321526376, $24.99 www.adobepress.com

Build Lightroom expertise the easy way, with a step-by-step coverage of Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 2. Everything is covered, from the basics of understanding file formats and applying images to other settings to changing appearances, applying saved settings to other images, and covering to grayscale or reducing redeye. Chris Orwig is a professional photographer and teacher, so his tips come from an expert and make this invaluable for computer and photography libraries for all levels of user.

Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com, 1-800-428-5331, www.informit/com/aw

Once a hidden topic, discussions of how systems utilize users' time are now key to designing a solid web application, and nearly 40 years of human computer interaction research prompts Dr. Steven Seow to present a discussion of best practices for reflecting users' subjective perceptions of time in hardware and software alike. DESIGNING AND ENGINEERING TIME: PSYCHOLOGY OF TIME PERCEPTION IN SOFTWARE PSYCHOLOGY AND SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT (0321509188, $39.95 ) is an excellent title for any library strong in software development or psychology. Elliotte Rusty Harold's REFACTORING HTML: IMPROVING THE DESIGN OF EXISTING WEB APPLICATIONS (0321503635, $39.99) is also a pick for any library strong in web programming: it explains how to use refactoring to improve a web site or application and is written for all levels of programmers, offering a range of tips on how to modernize existing layouts, update old Web applications, and work with existing code and structure. Raffael Marty's APPLIED SECURITY VISUALIZATION (0321510100, $49.99) comes from a leading network security visualization expert who reviews all the concepts, techniques and tools needed to use visualization in network processes. From understanding data sources and choosing between graphs and techniques for IT data to auditing results and comparing tools, this is a fine recommendation for an advanced computer collection strong in security and includes a live CD Data Analysis and Visualization Linux tool, as well.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastapol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

Years ago an optimized website loaded quickly and worked on most browsers: today optimization includes a site's ability to attract, interact with and persuade customers. Any collection strong in web authorizing and design needs Andrew B. King's WEBSITE OPTIMIZATION (9780596515089, $39.99), a key to all the elements that differentiate a superior website to a less effectual one. From strategies and techniques to maximize leads and sales to tuning performance with Ajax and other add-ons, WEBSITE OPTIMIZATION is key for any working to enhance web functioning. John Ferguson Smart's JAVA POWER TOOLS (9780596527938, $59.99) is a key foundation pick for any library strong in Java programming. It offers some 30 open source tools designed to improve Java practices and developer routines, from metrics tools and those used to generate good documentation to issue management tools and web interfaces. Lead developers receive a range of specific tips important for optimum Java management, making this a basic library choice. Nancy Conner's GOOGLE APPS: THE MISSING MANUAL (9780596515799, $39.99) offers a free alternative to Microsoft Office, covering all of Google Apps' downloadable files, step-by-step coverage of Gmail, Docs, and Calendar, and tips on producing in Google anything you can do with Office: spreadsheets, slideshows, and word processing. Move the files back and forth between Google Apps and Office and learn how to create a Wiki website with this outstanding guide. John Ferguson Smart's JAVA POWER TOOLS (9780596527938, $59.99) deserves ongoing mention as a recommended pick for any library catering to Java developers. It provides short sections about individual tools and offers tips on the overall Java development process that get Java programmers up and running with the most efficient tools and methods. It also discusses automating routines, using metrics and issues management tools, and much more. A 'must' for any collection serious about Java development.

A.K. Peters ltd.
888 Worcester Street Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
www.akpeters.com

These fine advanced computer and software engineering titles are top picks for advanced college-level collections, offering excellent technical discussions and packing in details. Ming C. Lin and Miguel A. Otaduy edit HAPATIC RENDERING: FOUNDATIONS, ALGORITHMS AND APPLICATIONS (9781568813325, $64.00), a powerful detailed survey of Hapatic interfaces which are becoming popular in both electronics and computing worlds. Articles consider different techniques for designing touch-enabled interfaces for many applications from models to medical training, considering their growing importance. Tomas Akenine-Moller, Eric Haines and Naty Hoffman's REAL-TIME RENDERING, 3RD EDITION (9781568814247, $89.00) has been completely revised and revamped for its updated third edition, which focuses on modern techniques used to generate three-dimensional images in a fraction of the time old processes took. From practical rendering for games to math and details for better interactive applications, it's not to be missed. Erick Reinhard, et.al.'s COLOR IMAGING: FUNDAMENTALS AND APPLICATIONS (9781568813448, $125.00) covers a range of color theory concerns for any involved in computer graphics, vision, image processing and photography. Thus this book is a pick not just for college-level computer collections, but for advanced photography libraries as well. Chapters cover the basics of color's physics and chemistry, offering plenty of theory perfect for understanding how images are captured, altered, and presented. An accompanying DVD holds most of the color photos in the book in high dynamic range format including source code for several algorithms and provides readers with an essential key for understanding at an advanced level.

The Complete Guide to Torque X for XNA
John Kanalakis
GG Press
c/o AK Peters
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
9781568814216, $59.00, www.akpeters.com

The Xbox 360 is one of the major players in today's console gaming market, and many people leap at the chance to develop for it. "The Complete Guide to Torque X for XNA" is a guide to using the Torque X framework for creating games for the powerful home console. A framework with many powerful and flexible tools for developers, mastering them is key to making an excellent game for Microsoft's video game juggernaut. With samples of code and finished work, "The Complete Guide to Torque X for XNA" is a must for any would be Xbox 360 programmer.

Autocad 2009 Essentials
Munir Hamad
Infinity Science Press
11 Leavitt Street, Hingham, MA 02043
9781934015285, $49.95, www.infinitysciencepress.com

Drafting is an exact science, and little is more exact that AutoCAD 2009. "AutoCAD 2009 Essentials" is the manual that should have come with the program that offers readers everything they need to know to fully understand the program and most efficiently use it for their career and to make their jobs easier. An accompanying DVD-ROM includes trial software for the program, and many examples to get drafters started. Both Imperial and metric examples are used for maximum compatibility, making "AutoCAD 2009 Essentials" a must for anyone just getting started with the program.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Sanctuary
Michael Tobias & Jane Gray Morrison
Council Oak Books Ltd.
2105 East 15th Street, Suite B, Tulsa, OK 74104
9781571782144, $60.00, www.counciloakbooks.com, 1-800-247-8850

An awareness of environmental issues is now universal throughout first world and third world countries around the globe. That awareness of the diversity, beauty, and utility of what we humans must rescue, preserve and protect has now been beautifully and dramatically illustrated through the publication of "Sanctuary: Global Oases Of Innocence". The collaborative work of Michael Tobias (President of the Dancing Star Foundation, a nonprofit organization to global diversity conservation, animal protection, and environmental education) and Jane Gray Morrison (the Executive Vice President of the Dancing Star Foundation), "Sanctuary" is a 338-page compendium of full color photography showcasing twenty-four sanctuaries located throughout twenty different countries. Some of them are in private hands, others are public preserves, all of them are presented with an informed and informative text of description and explanation. Along with stunningly beautiful images of the flora and fauna. "Sanctuary" is a seminal and superbly produced volume of work that is enthusiastically recommended for personal, academic, and community library Environmental Studies and Photographic Studies collections and supplemental reading lists.

Trees & Forests Of America
Tim Palmer
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
115 West 18th Street, 6th floor, New York, NY 10011
9780810972940, $40.00, www.abramsbooks.com, 1-800-759-0190

The forests of America are as geographically diverse as the flora and fauna they shelter. In "Trees & Forests Of America" author and photographer Tim Palmer showcases that diversity from the towering redwoods on the edge of the Pacific Ocean to the magnificent oaks seen inland along Atlantic coast. All the forest regions are magnificently represented including the Northern, Central Hardwoods and Appalachians, South, Drylands/Grasslands, Rocky Mountains, Drylands/Desert/Steppe; Sierra Nevada and Southern California; and the Northwest areas. An informed and informative text is enhanced with a profusion of full color photographic images providing illustration and example of the lives of the trees, the ecological workings of the forests, as well as the challenges confronting our woodlands and the people who are working to preserve and protect them for the sake of future generations. "Trees & Forests Of America" is a superbly produced and instructive work that should be a part of every academic and community library Environmental Studies reference collection and supplemental reading list. Also very highly recommended for those same collections is Tim Palmer's earlier work, "Rivers Of America" which is also published by Harry N. Abrams.

Gila Libre!
M.H. Salmon
University of New Mexico Press
MSC04 2820, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826340825, $19.95 www.unmpress.com 1-800-249-7737

Written by New Mexico resident and novelist M.H. Salmon, Gila Libre! New Mexico's Last Wild River is the true story of a river that has been part of New Mexico's history since ancient times. Prehistoric Native American art, believed to be produced by the Mogollon culture, has been found along the Gila river; since then, Apaches and a wide assortment of mountain men and other rugged characters have considered the headwaters of the Gila to be their home. The Gila region includes the largest national forest in the forty-eight contiguous states, and the only undammed main-stem river currently left within New Mexico. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful survey of the Gila's past, present, and potential future - including the threat of a major state and federal water project. Highly recommended.

Green Up Your Cleanup
Jill Potvin Schoff
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
9781580113953, $16.95, www.creativehomeowner.com

Revamping and cleaning one's home can take a toll on the environment, but it doesn't need to. "Green Up Your Cleanup" is something for the environmentalist who wants to keep their humble abode in good condition while keeping their carbon footprint small. With tips and advice good for the wallet as well as the Earth, even non-green freaks may find some useful information within. "Green Up Your Cleanup" is chock-full of ideas, and the very book itself is eco-friendly, spiral bound and made of recyclable materials for extra appeal to the inner environmentalist in us all.

Otero Mesa: Preserving America's Widest Grassland
Gregory McNamee
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 27131-0001
(505)-277-2346, www.unmpress.com
9780826343970, $24.95, 92 pp., 41 color photos

Grasslands continue to disappear throughout the U.S. to the determine of the ecosystems and habitats where they are an essential part of a healthy and self-sustaining environment. "Otero Mesa: Preserving America's Widest Grassland" focuses upon one specific grassland with an impressively informative text by Gregory McNamee, an enlightening foreword by Governor Bill Richardson, and impressive photographs by Stephen Strom and Stephen Capra. This seminal work of meticulous scholarship brings to light the vast beauty of Otero Mesa and its alarming present day reality. Otero Mesa is in danger of becoming a drilling haven to one hundred new oil wells which will pollute the environment, decimate and contaminate groundwater and endanger the wildlife. Presented in four compelling chapters: The View from an Aplomado; The View from a Missile; Oil and Otero Mesa; and the Fate of the Land, "Otero Mesa" is certain to enlighten the non-specialist general reader and environmental activist who recognizes the value of wide open spaces and the habitat that occupies it, and clean water so necessary to plant, animal, and human life. The fate of Otero Mesa is still unknown as the case fighting to preserve it rests in the federal courts awaiting a decision. A clarion call, "Otero Mesa" is urgently recommended for all personal, community, and academic library Environmental Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Going Away to Think
Scott Slovic
University of Nevada Press
Morill Hall, MS 0166, Reno, NV 89557-0166
9780874177565, $24.95, www.unpress.nevada.edu

Personal indulgence and being environmentally friendly are often mutual exclusive. "Going Away to Think: Engagement, Retreat, and Ecocritical Responsibility" by Scott Slovic is one dedicated environmentalist's insightful ponderings about the world around him and how so often personal and societal indulgence leads to environmental turmoil, such as the high amount of jet fuel that airliners require and the damage this does to the ozone layer. A series of articulate essays pondering the importance of balance and the environment, "Going Away to Think" is informed and informative recommended reading for all environmental activists and non-specialist general readers with an interest in environmental issues.


The Social Issues Shelf

When the Center Is on Fire
Diane Harriford and Becky Thompson
University of Texas Press
Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819
9780292717763, $24.95 www.utexaspress.com

Two feminist public sociologists turn to classical philosophers and social scientists to analyze a series of 21st century social traumas, from the massacre at Columbine and 9/11 to Hurricane Katrina. Each analysis is presented in context of classical social theory applications, with chapters offering social and political analysis perfect for classroom study and debate. High school to college-level collections will find it a fine pick.

Public Health Business Planning
Stephen N. Orton, Anne. J. Menkens, & Pamela Santos
Jones and Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
9780763746216, $66.95, www.jbpub.com

Taking the approach of business to many things can bring many benefits. "Public Health Business Planning: A Practical Guide" offers much advice on the topic of planning through public health issues with the tact and skill of a successful entrepreneur. Topics such as working with non-profit status, the government, partnerships, risks, the advice is backed up with solid and educational examples to fully illustrate the models laid out within. Enhanced with an index, "Public Health Business Planning" is from a collection of scholarly minds, and very much recommended to anyone who is faced with the issue of public health.

Street-Level Bureaucracy
Michael Lipsky
Russel Sage Foundation
112 East 64 Street, New York, NY 10021
9780871545268, $14.95

In public service, there's one part of the chain that matters a great deal the ones who deal with the public. "Street-Level Bureaucracy: Dilemmas of the Individual in Public Services" is a study from 1980, praised for its content on what the street level public servants face when dealing with the people and their higher ups. Worth reading for any curious or those on higher rungs of the public service ladder who want to change it for the better, "Street-Level Bureaucracy" rings true almost three decades later.

The Black White Divide in America ...Still
Marlin Foxworth & Ralph Gordon
Regent Press
2747 Regent Street, Berkeley, CA 94705
9781587901423, $25.00, www.regentpress.com

State sponsored segregation has been ended, but it doesn't means segregation vanished. "The Black White Divide in America ...Still" takes an examination to the strong division that America still faces racially. Race still plays a huge role in America, despite having potentially the first black president in roughly a few weeks. A scholarly discussion on the subject and how the country could move on to what many, but not enough, have dismissed as a petty issue, "The Black White Divide in America" is solid and recommended reading for discussion on this touchy social issue.

Life Sentences
Zohreh Bayatrizi
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON M4Y 2W8
9780802097552, $45.00, www.utpublishing.com

Death can be a complicated thing. "Life Sentences: The Modern Ordering of Mortality" takes a look at the west attitude's on death, and more importantly the value of life. Looking at the importance of the terminally ill, the vegetables, and the push for legalized euthanasia against the willingness to let easily preventable diseases take otherwise healthy children, it offers much food for thought for readers in pondering how much value they put on life themselves. "Life Sentences" is an ideal choice for any social issues discussion group to bring much pondering to the table.

Courageous Journey
Ayuel Leek Deng, Beny Ngor Chol, & Barbara Youree
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823348, $24.95, www.newhorizonspressbooks.com

The violence of Africa, despite being under reported in American news, is all too real. "Courageous Journey: Walking the Lost Boys' Path from The Sudan to America" is two young men's unwillingness to give up. Ayuel Leek Deng and Beny Ngor Chol have been through many things many times that many Americans never hope to encounter once. The violence over race, oil, money, all occurs as these two try to live their lives. A true story, "Courageous Journey" is eye opening and thought provoking, a telling of what really matters.

Refugee Rights
David Hollenbach
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20007
158901202X, $26.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

Displaced from their homeland, the last thing they need is to be treated like garbage. "Refugee Rights: Ethics, Advocacy, and Africa" advocates the human rights for these displaced people, taking a stance that ignores race, creed, or nationality to give people the basic rights they deserve. Focusing on Africa and its laundry list of problems, "Refugee Rights" is of interest to anyone who thinks basic human rights should not be a nation to nation thing, but rather something to be respected worldwide.

Sex, Science, and Stem Cells
Diana DeGette
The Lyons Press
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9781599214313, $27.50, www.lyonspress.com

Stem Cell research can bring many benefits to humanity, but many stand against it for religious reasons, including the Bush Administration. "Sex, Science, and Stem Cells: Inside the Right Wing Assault on Reason" is an argument that the right wing of American Politics is blinded by religion and is therefore preventing reason and medical science's advance through lack of support and wrongful bans. DeGette has been involved in Congress for more than fifteen years, and makes her case and tells her story of frustration. "Sex, Science, Stem Cells" is a great read for those who seek to best understand the Bush Administration's religious policies.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Forgotten Horses
Tony Stromberg
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577316152, $45.00 www.newworldlibrary.com

Rescue organizations and horse sanctuaries give new life to unwanted horses and the horses featured here were abused, neglected, abandoned, and have health issues. THE FORGOTTEN HORSES features photos by Tony Stromberg exploring the wild horse. Sanctuaries across North America served as the source for his fine close-ups of working-class horses, a top pick for any library interested in coffee-table-type nature guides.

The Backyard Birdsong Guide
Donald Kroodsma
Chronicle Books
680 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94107
9780811863421, $24.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

The Eastern and Central North America guide of The Backyard Birdsong Guide provides an audio field guide perfect for newcomers to birdsong and identification. Over seventy unique birds from Eastern and Central North America are presented in a blend of digital audio and descriptions of songs and behaviors, making for a special recommendation for home libraries and beginning birders in the Eastern and Central North America regions.

Dress Up Your Dog
Annette Howard, author
Thunder Bay Press
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd., Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92121
9781592238767, $9.95, 96 pp., www.btol.com

Dogs are naturally sociable, they love attention for their owners, other humans -- and course other dogs! Now you can make them the center of attention in style by following the advice in "In Dress Up Your Dog: 18 Costumes To Create For the Ultimate In Doggy Style" by author and dog-lover Annette Howard. Here presented are "user friendly" patterns to make adorable costumes for your dog, no matter what their shape, size, or breed. Worried you can't sew? "Dress Up Your Dog" is filled with step-by-step photographs, patterns and comprehensive instructions, making these specialized needlecraft projects eminently suitable for dog owners of all skill levels. Before you get started, check out the help hints and an invaluable tips to make your experience at creating the various doggie costumes a smooth and successful process. Delightful in concept, easy to follow, and unique in its presentation, "Dress Up Your Dog" is recommended for any dedicated dog lover wanting to show their canine companion off in style during any and every season of the year!

Blackwell Publishing
2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014
www.blackwellprofessional.com

Gwendolyn L. Carroll edits SMALL ANIMAL ANESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA (9780813802305, $70.00), a top pick for any vet library or college-level collection. It packs in tables, references, and technical information to accompany essays on everything from induction agents and drugs to premedicants, making it a key acquisition for any serious vet library. A more specialized, but equally important, reference for such collections is the second updated edition of Kirk N. Gelatt's ESSENTIALS OF VETERINARY OPHTHALMOLOGY (9780781785594, $100.00), a reader covering the diagnosis and clinical management of eye diseases of domestic animals. It draws on clinical experience to provide a quick reference format, making it a fine pick for busy vets seeking a rapid consultation and diagnosis device. More images, a more convenient layout, and a reference to dosage, side effects and more make this reference more practical than ever. Candyce M. Jack, LVT and Patricia M. Watson, LVT's VETERINARY TECHNICIAN'S DAILY REFERENCE GUIDE: CANINE AND FELINE, 2ND EDITION (0813812046, $50.00) is a top pick for practicing veterinary technicians in practice and training in the field. It's been fully revised and updated with a better layout for quicker reference access, packs in charts and tables synthesizing information, and covers all the basics of veterinary care for dogs and cats. With its lay-flat spiral hardcover binding, it's perfect for the practice and everyday work, and makes an excellent student supplement to textbooks as well. A 'must' for any serious college-level collection catering to student vets, and for those already working in the field as is Lowell Ackerman's invaluable FIVE-MINUTE VETERINARY PRACTICE MANAGEMENT CONSULT (9780781759847, $99.99), a powerful one-step reference on all management issues for consult practices, from understanding the marketplace in which vets practice to hospital finances, budgeting, marketing services to a vet practice, and practicing safety. From legal issues to planning, this structured guide offers a focus on practical assessments and solutions key to the vet practice. Robert S. Goldstein edits INTEGRATING COMPLEMENTARY MEDICINE INTO VETERINARY PRACTICE (0813820200, $160.00), an in-depth reference recommended for college-level veterinary library holdings and for practicing vets and clients. It covers complementary treatment options from Chinese herbal medicine and acupuncture to therapeutic nutrition, and takes a systems-based approach to familiarizing vets with terminology and processes of these alternative options. From key diseases to behavior issues and all the common physical problems of animals, a range of detail on key integrative treatment options from experts in herbal medicine, acupuncture and therapeutic nutrition provide an essential, key reference to any studying or working in the veterinary science field.

Damselfishes and Anemonefishes
Scott W. Michael
T.F.H. Publications
1 TFH Plaza, 3rd and Union Streets, Neptune City NJ 07753
9781890087975, $44.95 www.tfh.com

Any collection strong in aquarium building and marine systems moving beyond the very basic need Damselfishes and Anemonefishes, a definitive reference covering nearly seventy families and thousands of species. Divers, amateur reef naturalists and other neo-pros will find Damselfishes and Anemonefishes packed with specific details and plenty of tips on how to successfully keep healthy aquariums. Bright color photos throughout supplement the many technical and practical details.

Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals
Murray Fowler
Wiley-Blackwell
c/o John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
9780813814322, $120.00 www.wiley.com 1-800-225-5945

Now in an updated third edition, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is an in-depth resource of scientific and practical information concerning the most effective ways to handle, hold, and restrain all sorts of animals from dogs and cats to mice, chickens, cattle, snakes, and even exotic creatures like tigers or elephants. Featuring meticulous descriptions and crystal-clear photography on virtually every page, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is an utterly invaluable resource for veterinarians, farmers, zookeepers, and any scientist or researcher who works with animals. Worthy of the absolute highest recommendation for its depth of professional experience and its highly accessible instructional style, Restraint and Handling of Wild and Domestic Animals is an absolute must-have particularly for vocational college libraries and the personal reference of any professional who interacts with animals on a regular basis.

Wild Horses: Endangered Beauty
Traer Scott
Merrell Publishers Limited
740 Broadway, Suite 1202, New York, NY 10003
60 Cycle Media (publicity)
38 High Avenue, Suite1, Nyack, NY 10960
www.merrellpublishers.com
9781858944630, $24.95,144 pp., 1-212-529-2270

Every since their introduction to the Americas by the Spanish some 500 hears ago, wild horses have been a part of the western American landscape. In three powerful chapters, including an introduction, wild horses, rescue and conservation groups, author Traer Scott brings brilliant light to a darkening issue in "Wild Horses: Endangered Beauty". These are horses endanger of capture and development. From author Scott, " I want every animal lover...to know that these animals do not just exist in legends and children's stories, they are very real; they are living, breathing American history, and they are in danger." Stunning black and white photographs reveal the very nature and life of these unique animals. Enhanced with the inclusion of anecdotal stories of their daily lives, rescue and rehabilitation, "Wild Horses: Endangered Beauty" will appeal to anyone interested in horses and the welfare of wild animals. The documented plight of these gracious creatures fighting for survival, and the individuals and groups working to protect them, make "Wild Horses: Endangered Beauty" a strongly recommended addition for all personal, community, and academic library Pets & Wildlife reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Botany Shelf

International Poisonous Plants Checklist
D. Jesse Wagstaff
CRC Press
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781420062526, $149.95, www.crcpress.com, 1-800-272-7737

Poisonous plants are to be found in every climate zone that can grow vegetation. With its descriptive entries arranged alphabetically, the "International Poisonous Plants Checklist: An Evidence-Based Reference" compiled and arranged by plant toxicologist D. Jesse Wagstaff is a 443-page compendium that defines the known set of toxic vascular plants according to accepted botanic names, as well as drawing upon a taxonomy founded upon common ancestry and genetic connections. This comprehensive reference features referenced citations, toxicity, symptoms and circumstances of toxic exposure, dosage and potency, chemical analysis, botany, pharmacology, mechanism, metabolism, and control for each cited plant. "International Poisonous Plants Checklist" also cross-references selected synonyms and common names for these toxic plans, as well as including all their common animal feed plants, human food plants, and plants utilized as herbal products, dietary supplements, tonics, and therapeutic agents. A seminal work of meticulous scholarship, "International Poisonous Plants Checklist" is a core addition to professional and academic Botany reference collections.


The Military Shelf

Leathernecks
Merrill L. Bartlett & Jack Sweetman
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591140207, $60.00, www.navalinstitute.org, 1-800-233-8764

There have been histories of the U.S. Marine Corp before. But "Leathernecks: An Illustrated History Of The United States Marine Corps" is particularly outstanding because of its thoroughly 'reader friendly' narrative style and enhancements with historic black/white photographs, maps, and full color artwork illustrations. Deftly co-authored by Merrill L. Bartlett (a Marine officer for twenty years) and military historian Jack Sweetman, "Leathernecks" provides an especially informed and informative historical overview of the Marines from their origins, to their establishment as part of America's colonial fighting forces, through the 19th and 20th century American conflicts, down to the present day. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography for further studies on and about Marine Corp history, as well as a comprehensive index, "Leathernecks" is a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library American Military History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects
Bill Norton
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Ave., North Branch, MN 55056
800-895-4585, www.specialtypress.com
9781580071093, $44.95, 264 pp.

Military aviation has advanced with a rapidity known to very few other technological areas. But those advances have taken a great many experimental trials, some of which ended with tragic consequences, and others which led to America's preeminent position as a world superpower. "U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945" explores American fighter projects during the years of WWII that never reached combat forces or did so only in a very limited manner. Author Bill Norton presents a fascinating look at the overall development of American fighter aircraft with an emphasis on the little-known projects that matured to the point of significant design development. These projects significantly advance the science and technology of fighter aeronautics, propulsion, systems, avionic and ordnance carriage. Includes photos, glossary, acronym list and much more. Aircraft enthusiasts will love the history of the secret projects that never made it to combat to the designs that contributed to successful aircrafts used in WWII. Informed and informative, enhanced with remarkable illustrations throughout, "U.S. Experimental & Prototype Aircraft Projects: Fighters 1939-1945", is an especially recommended addition to academic and community Military Aviation History reference collections, and as an addition to the supplemental reading lists of all military aircraft buffs.


The Literary Shelf

The Chinese Written Character as a Medium for Poetry
Ernest Fenollosa and Ezra Pound authors
Fordham University Press
University Box l, 2546 Belmont Ave. Bronx, NY 10458
9780823228683, $25.00, 216 pp., www.fordhampress.com

Influences on the foundation American poetics have long quoted Ernest Fenollosa's essay on the Chinese written language which was first published in 1919 by the legendary Ezra Pound. "The Chinese Written Character as a Medium for Poetry" newly re-edited by the team of Haun Saussy, Jonathan Stalling and Lucas Klein presents Pound's own edited version of Fenollosa's essay including notes and plates. This edition showcases two obscured but important views: Fenollosa's encounter with Tendai Buddhism and Buddhist ontology, and his concern with the dimension of sound in Chinese poetry. This technical style book, enhanced with the inclusion of photos, explanations, notes and discussion, includes the first full publication of Fenollosa's essay as he wrote it. A scholarly review of Fenollosa's essay as edited and originally presented is a especially recommended to the attention of scholars and poets. Also highly recommended for academic and private reference library collections on the multiple sources of American Modernist poetry, "The Chinese Written Character as a Medium for Poetry" is an impressive work of scholarship and an informative work commended to non-specialist general readers with an interest in the subject of Chinese writings and poetry.

The Incarnation Of Language
Michael O'Sullivan
The Continuum International Publishing Group
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
9781847060471, $120.00, www.continuumbooks.com

The books, articles and essays of Joyce and Proust continue to hold a special interest for new generations of students of literature, philosophy, and theology. "The Incarnation Of Language: Joyce, Proust And A Philosophy Of The Flesh" by Michael O'Sullivan (Assistant Professor in English at Nagoya University of Commerce and Business, Japan) is an elegant and scholarly study of the concept of incarnation has these towering figures of western literature employed it within their writings. Considering how notions of the phenomena of incarnation are found embedded in their themes provides modern readers with fresh, fascinating, and informative insights into nuances of these two men's works hitherto overlooked. A work of meticulous and seminal scholarship of the highest order, "The Incarnation Of Language" must be considered as a critically essential contribution for academic library reference collections and an important addition to the supplemental reading lists for students of the works of both Joyce and Proust.

The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe
John W. Ostrom, et al.
The Gordian Press
37 Crescent Avenue, Staten Island NY 103301
Vol. I, 9780877522478, Vol. II, 9780877522485,
Boxed Set, $100.00, xlvii + 1325 pp., roger.texier@verizon.net

One of America's preeminent and influential 19th Century authors, the short stories and poems by Edgar Allan Poe have intrigued the literary world and continue to be enjoyed by each new generation of readers. Now those readers can enjoy the revised and expanded biographical works of information available on this great author, which go beyond his literary works to give readers a view of Poe as an original thinker and major figure in American literary history. The knowledgeable and expert collaborative work of Burton R. Pollin and Jeffrey A. Savoye, "The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe" have brought today's readers new and corrected information using the best available research drawn from the last four decades of Poe scholarship. Included in these handsomely designed, sturdy, and reformatted volumes are new letters, updated notes and a generous subject index with over 2,000 entries. More than double the original edition these boxed set two volumes contain 422 letters by Poe, with a number of fragments. A bonus for readers are 74 illustrations and a comprehensive check list of Poe's correspondence, also updated, to include over 1,000 entries! A core addition to academic and community library collections, "The Collected Letters of Edgar Allan Poe" is strongly recommended as an essential reference for scholars and any reader wishing to gain a better understanding of Poe.

Chaucer's The Knight's Tale And The Limits of Human Order In The Pagan World
Carl C. Curtis III, editor
The Edwin Mellen Press
415 Ridge Street , Lewiston, NY 14092
9780773450592, $109.95, www.mellenpress.com

It is as much through their literature as it is with their art and architecture that we can best understand and appreciate the nuances of other civilizations and cultures older than our own. "Chaucer's The Knight's Tale And The Limits of Human Order In The Pagan World: Athenian Order, Theban Love, Christian Cosmos", by Carl C. Curtis III (Associate Professor of English at Liberty University, Lynchburg, Virginia) is a seminal work of impressively articulate scholarship that begins with a Medieval critique of paganism in general and of modern critics to Chaucer's 'The Knight's Tale' in particular, then proceeds to explore the themes of the Heroic Ideal and the Heroic Life; the allegories of Rule and Love; the constitution of ancient Athens with respect to mercy, fortune, theater as a vehicle for life lessons; and concludes with the ultimate failure and eventual re-founding of Athens. Enhanced with copious footnotes, an eight-page bibliography, and a comprehensive index, "Chaucer's The Knight's Tale And The Limits of Human Order In The Pagan World" is a particularly recommended addition to academic library Chaucerian Studies and Literary Studies reference collections and graduate school level supplemental reading lists.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Yang Style Traditional Long Form T'ai Chi Ch'uan
Gordon Muir, author
Blue Snakes Books
c/o North Atlantic Books
P.O. Box 12327, Berkeley, CA 94712
www.bluesnakebooks.com
9781583942215, $16.95, 225 pages, (800) 733-3000

Long form of Yang T'ai Chi is not as well known as the more traditional short forms of T'ai Chi taught in this country today. In this descriptive teaching of traditional long form Yang T'ai Chi expert and author Gordon Muir provides the non-specialist general reader with an illustrated, step by step, 'beginner friendly' approach to learning the style and form which distinguishes it from other forms to T'ai Chi. Robust with illustrative content "Yang Style Traditional Long Form T'ai Chi Ch'uan As Taught by Master T.T. Liang" includes all 150 postures of the traditional Yang style long from, hand and arm positions, and moving and powering instructions. Clearly formatted with an easy reference to take the reader to each individual posture, this is a must have for those wishing to learn the technique, style and understanding of Yang Style Traditional Long Form T'ai Chi Ch'uan. Abundant with photographs and detailed descriptions providing concise and methodical explanations concerning the movements of traditional long style Yang T'ai Chi, "Yang Style Traditional Long Form T'ai Chi Ch'uan As Taught by Master T.T. Liang" is enthusiastically recommended for anyone wishing to learn and master long form T'ai Chi, as well as a core addition to both academic and community library Martial Arts and Health/Exercise reference collections.


The Interior Design Shelf

The Sustainable Home
Cathy Strongman
Merrell Publishers Limited
740 Broadway, Suite 1202, New York, NY 10003
60 Cycle Media (publicity)
38 High Avenue, #1, Nyack, NY 10960
9781858944302, $34.95, www.merrellpublishers.com

Interior design is not restricted to considerations of decorative aesthetics, it also involves being environmentally responsible and utilizing appropriate materials as part of the conceptual process being realized with respect to wall coverings, furniture selections, lighting, appliances, and floor surfaces. Renewable energy and energy efficient appliances for both kitchen and bathroom (and any other room of the home or office) is also a fundamental aspect of modern interior design work. A veritable compendium of ideas, concepts, examples and illustrations, "The Sustainable Home: The Essential Guide To Eco building, Renovation And Decoration" by Cathy Strongman (former Eco Editor at 'Insideout' magazine and a contributor of articles to such publications as 'Architects' Journal', 'Grand Designs Magazines', and 'House & Garden') is a welcome addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library collections, as well as an informed and informative, superbly illustrated reference for non-specialist general readers with an interest in doing renovation and interior design within their own home setting. Also recommended for Interior Design supplemental reading lists are three other excellent titles from Merrell Publishers: "Dream Homes: 100 Inspirational Interiors" (9781858943497, $29.95); "More Dream Homes: 100 Inspirational Interiors" (9781858943770, $39.95); and "Vacation Homes And Perfect Weekend Hideaways" (9781858943695, $49.95).

Barry Dixon Interiors
Brian D. Coleman
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423601890, $40.00, www.gibbs-smith.com, 1-800-748-5439

Interior designs range from casual to formal, from eclectic to historic, from traditional to avant garde. Barry Dixon's interior design style is especially noted for his international approach incorporating classical architecture and traditional themes with elements of modern and contemporary designs. The results were elegant and individualized interior creations ranging from a Caribbean mountaintop villa, to an 18th century Virginia farmhouse, to an open-plan Manhattan loft, and so much more. Profusely illustrated with full color photography by Edward Addeo, "Barry Dixon Interiors" by historic house restoration enthusiast Brian D. Coleman is a compendium of the best of Dixon's designs and a pure pleasure to simply browse through for inspirations and examples of what can be done. Simply stated, "Barry Dixon Interiors" is an enthusiastically recommended and seminal addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Interior Design reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Natural Style
Janet Sobesky
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com
9781580114110, $19.95, 206 pp. incl. Glossary and Index

Designing a home for maximum style, comfort which is earth friendly is an esthetically pleasing and effective way of 'going green'. Former home design and lifestyle editor of 'Woman's Day' magazine, Janet Sobesky presents "Natural Style: Decorating With An Earth-Friendly Point Of View", an impressive compendium of ideas, suggestions, recommendations, and examples for every room of the home and household. Enhanced thoroughly with the full color photography of Karyn Millet, this presentation of decorative ideas with an earth friendly tone is sure to please. Recommended for all academic interior design reference collections, community library collections, and personal reading lists for do-it-yourself homeowners, "Natural Style" is thought provoking, inspirational, and a simply beautiful source for practical ideas to live more efficiently and with greater esthetic enhancement.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Bad Vibrations
Dan Anderson
Murder, Mayhem, & Malice Press
PO Box 616869, Orlando, FL 328616869
9781601455437, $14.95, www.murdermayhemmalice.com

Murder isn't funny, but someone is obsessed with making it so. "Bad Vibrations" is about a serial killer who only targets women and does so in a way most would deem . . . strange at best. Chauncey McFadden is charged with hunting down the monster, but must cut through a strange and entertaining cast of characters on both sides of the law. Hilarious and gripping, "Bad Vibrations" is a solid and unique mystery, recommended.

Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Diane A.S. Stuckart's THE QUEEN'S GAMBIT (9780425219232, $23.95) opens a limited new mystery series featuring Leonardo da Vinci and his young apprentice, who take on the role of sleuths. A living chess game is to be engineered by da Vinci but when one of the 'pieces' is stabbed to death, it's up to him to uncover the murderer in this excellent historical mystery. Margaret Coel's BLOOD MEMORY (9780425223451, $24.95) tells of one Catherine McLeod, an investigative reporter for the Denver Journal whose coverage of tribes filing to reclaim millions of acres has made her an assassination target. She flees from town to escape death only to find her ongoing pursuit of her land-claim story is uncovering an underlying conspiracy that will threaten her life. The powerful, vivid thriller proves hard to put down: any mystery collection will find it a popular lend. Laura Childs' DEATH SWATCH (9780425224786, $23.95) will also prove a popular pick, blending scrapbooking crafts, Louisiana recipes, and New Orleans intrigue under one cover. Scrapbook shop owner Carmela Bertrand fears for her own life on a wild night which includes murder, especially as theories to the murder are wild. Throw in a stalking and a handsome detective's investigation of odd clues and you have a fast-paced mystery indeed.

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Avenue #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

In the summer of 1273 Prioress Eleanor finds herself involved in the poisoning of one Martin the Cooper, a mystery which holds too many suspects and a killer who could be any one of them. Eleanor's investigation causes her more problems and leads to more murders in Priscilla Royal's FORSAKEN SOUL (9781590585214, $24.95), a challenging medieval mystery for any library strong in historical novels or mysteries. Mary Anna Evans' FINDINGS (9781590584835, $24.95) tells of Faye Longchamp, restoring the family plantation in Florida and doing archaeological work for pay at the same time. When thieves break into the home of her mentor and kill him, ignoring his valuables, Fay finds herself on a puzzling, dangerous search for the truth. Martin Edwards' WATERLOO SUNSET (9781590584415, $24.95) tells of a puzzling obituary notice that predates a death and involves one Harry Devlin in his own possible murder investigation just as young women are being murdered in his own home town. Finding himself both a suspect and a possible future victim, Harry must work doubly hard to save his reputation and his life. Murder mystery fans will relish this novel's many twists and turns.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Best of Inquiring Mind
Barbara Gates & Wes Nisker, editors
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
9780861715510, $17.95, www.wisdompubs.org

Buddhism has never been the traditional religion, and has brought many different types of people and many different minds to it. "The Best of Inquiring Mind: 25 Years of Dharma, Drama, and Uncommon Insights" is an anthology of essays and writings from the Buddhist publication known as 'Inquiring Mind'. A large range of writings from dozens of authors, "The Best of Inquiring Mind" is a must for any Buddhist who seeks food for thought about their philosophy and faith.


The Philosophy Shelf

Star Trek and Philosophy
Jason T. Eberl & Kevin S. Decker, editors
Open Court
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696493, $18.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Does something besides entertainment lie in the famed Star Trek series? "Star Trek and Philosophy: The Wrath of Kant" takes an educated view of the show and puts it under the microscope of twenty-one different professionals who offer readers a dissection of the show's topics and ideas. Star Trek, like much science fiction, commonly used present and past events and presented them in a new perspective, giving much food for thought. "Star Trek and Philosophy" is educational reading, a must for any Trekker and armchair philosopher.

Revelations
Harold W.G. Allen
Perspective Books
PO Box 6123, Spring Hill, FL, 34611
9780962455571, $24.95, www.cosmicperspective.com

The very question which has pounded at the psyche of mankind since he began to think why are we here? "Revelations: A Scientific Quest to Comprehend Life and the Universe" is Harold Allen's long and complex thoughts on the nature of the universe that surrounds us. Taking a religious approach by saying that all scientific research may ultimately come back to the concept of God, he explains his views with precision and tact. He then examines the Bible, and draws many conclusions from that as well, and uses the ideas presented in his first two sets to turn to the world itself, and how a world society may be humanity's best hope. Enlightening and intelligent, "Revelations" is a solid read for those seek food for thought.

Godless
Dan Barker
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703
9781569756775, $14.95, www.ulyssespress.com

From spreading the word of god as an ordained minister to speaking out against his existence as an atheist -- how does this happen? "Godless: How An Evangelical Preacher Became One of America's Leading Atheists" tells the personal story of Dan Barker, who was once a respected preacher and highly supportive of the Christian religion. With an unwavering candor, Dan tells his story of how he began to doubt his faith and why he thinks so many continue Christians to believe. An iconoclastic and intriguing criticism of faith, "Godless" is worth consideration for both those who want a better understanding of religion as well as those once dedicated Christians who also are feeling doubt about their faith.

Atheism Explained
David Ramsay Steele
Open Court Publishing Company
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696370, $17.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

The biggest debate of today's philosophical minds, the existence or lack thereof a supreme being. "Atheism Explained: From Folly to Philosophy" takes an examination of the debate and seeks to fully understand what rages on between secular atheists and devout Christians, Muslims, Jews, and other religious types around the world. Criticizing with scholarly knowledge and tact, he offers his own opinion on the matter and addresses the many arguments on both sides. "Atheism Explained" is solid reading for anyone who enjoys debating philosophy and religion.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Placebo Response and the Power of Unconscious Healing
Richard Kradin
Routledge
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
270 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016
0415956188, $40.00 www.taylorandfrancis.com

Placebo responses are automatic and unconscious and represent a complicated set of interactions between brain and body. "The Placebo Response and the Power of Unconscious Healing" by Richard Kradin informatively considers how the various elements involved in evoking placebo responses overlap with interpersonal dynamics, considering the effects caregivers can have on placebo response patterns. College-level libraries strong in social and health issues will find it an absorbing, revealing study.

Living Long & Loving It
Irvin M. Korr PhD & Rene J. McGovern, PhD
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591025726, $18.95 www.prometheusbooks.com

LIVING LONG AND LOVING IT: ACHIEVING A HEALTHY AND ACTIVE LIFESTYLE is not just another admonition to eat right and get exercise: it follows the author's own personal journey towards health, adds science and tips, and offers also a deeper spiritual reflection on the nature of health and fitness than most. The focus on health rather than illness provides an inspirational and positive spin recommended for both general-interest and health collections.

The Biogenealogy Sourcebook
Christian Fleche
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester VT 05767
9781594772061, $19.95 www.healingartspress.com

Biogenealogy is a new vision of health that takes the usual mind-body connection idea step further, addressing emotional shocks that lead to physical disorders. Illness symptoms pair with analysis of body reactions in a survey of major body organs and conditions and types of emotional conflicts that stress these areas. While new age libraries will likely be the first to try it, many a general interest lending library or health collection will find it an intriguing, interesting approach to disease management and health issues.

Asthma-Free Naturally
Patrick McKeown
Conari Press
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573243728, $14.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Asthma doesn't need a barrage of chemicals to be dealt with. "Asthma-Free Naturally: Everything You Need to Know to Take Control of Your Asthma" is a manual for asthma sufferers to take a stand against their chronic ailment to help them overcome it. The tips are natural and make use of suggestions that alter one's lifestyle to fight against complications. Diet, exercise, and enough sleep are all basic factors, and "Asthma-Free Naturally" gives all the necessary advice, a must for asthmatics or parents of asthmatic children.

Discharge Planning Handbook for Healthcare
Ali Birjandi & Lisa M. Bragg
CRC Press
600 Broken Sound Parkway, NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781563273926, $60.00, www.crcpress.com

Hospitals need money to continue to run, and increasing revenue is a way to keep the money flowing. "Discharge Planning Handbook for Healthcare: Top 10 Secrets to Unlocking a New Revenue Pipeline" is a guide for hospitals to channel new ways to increase their funds to more efficiently run and provide care to those in need. A cold, business-like approach to health care, it tells hospital administrators to revamp their discharge plans with several new ideas and frameworks as presented in the book, backed up by a heavily researched study on the methods. "Discharge Planning Handbook for Healthcare" is a top consideration for hospital administrators.

La Clinica
David P. Sklar
University of New Mexico Press
1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
9780826345240, $26.95, www.unmpress.com

The call of the healer what David Sklar heard when he left his New Mexico home to cross the border. "La Clinica: A Doctor's Journey Across Borders" is his story. With nothing left to lose in his hometown, he answers a letter to volunteer in a run down medical clinic in Sierra Madre in Mexico. His stories tell a tale of a man driven to heal, and who heals in an area with a totally different culture and a language he lacks a mastery in. A moving and inspiring story, "La Clinica" is worth reading for any.

Brain Injury Survival Kit
Cheryle Sullivan
Demos Health
386 Park Avenue South, Suite 301, New York, NY 10016
9781932603736, $16.95, www.demoshealth.com

The brain is the most important organ of the human body, and dealing with damage to it is a feat in itself. "Brain Injury Survival Kit: 365 Tips, Tools, & Tricks to Deal with Cognitive Function Loss" is a guide for those who are afflicted and those who are family to them. Touching on the many sorts of brain injury and the effects of each, it tackles subjects such as communication, struggling with memory, medication, and dealing with day to day life when it's an epic challenge to do so. "Brain Injury Survival Kit" is a must to have on hand when you or a family member is faced with this unfortunate injury.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Reasonable Use of Force by Police
David A. May & James E. Headley
Peter Lang AG
29 Broadway, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10006
9780820469348, $29.95, www.peterlang.com

Force is necessary, as not everyone is willing to talk when the law is involved. "Reasonable Use of Force by Police: Seizures, Firearms, and High-Speed Chases" is a look at the work of the police and their use of force, and the constitutional issues that spill out from the police using this force. Using a number of examples, drawn from both the realms of hypothetical and reality, it goes over either and discusses how much force from an officer of the law is just. A text to be considered for curriculums for police academies, "Reasonable Use of Force by Police" is worth reading for nonspecialist general readers for its dissection of the justice of force.


The Money/Finance Shelf

The Mortgage Answer Book
John J. Talamo, J.D., author
Sphinx Publishing, An Imprint of Sourcebooks, Inc.
P.O. Box 4410, Naperville, Illinois 60567-4410
1-630-961-3900, www.sourcebooks.com
9781572486805, $16.95, 280 pp., glossary, index, and appendix

Understanding mortgages can be a complex issue, most certainly now more than ever in this current economic crisis, ordinary citizens, home buyers, and home owners need to be as informed as real estate agents and bank managers with respect to housing mortgages. Now in an updated and expanded second edition, "The Mortgage Answer Book" provides the non-specialist general reader with practical answers to more than 150 of commonly encountered mortgage and loan questions. Understanding what types of mortgages are available to you and how they may help or harm you in the long run is something every buyer needs to understand before they purchase their home. An experienced real estate attorney, author John Talamo clearly sets forth the information and provides vital explanations that every homeowner needs to understand, including how to avoid foreclosure. Written in an easy to read, question and answer format, "The Mortgage Answer Book" is essential reading for anyone wanting or needing to understand mortgages, as well as how to successfully finance a home. Recommended for anyone seeking to purchase a home or wishing to understand mortgages, loans, impact of inflation, "The Mortgage Answer Books" is a core addition to community library reference collections.

Buying Annuities
Steve Weisman
FT Press
800 E. 96th St., 3rd Floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240
9780132353083, $18.99, www.ftpress.com

Retirement is expensive, and making the right decisions is incredibly important. "The Truth About Buying Annuities" is a guide to avoiding bad choices in finances when planning one's retirement. With cogent advice on minimizing risk when investing in annuities, avoiding the hazards embedded in the fine print, identifying and utilizing new options that are emerging in the modern market, and so much more, "The Truth About Buying Annuities" is solid and recommended reading for anyone planning the finances of their retirement. An ideal addition to the growing library of financial and money management literature, "Buying Annuities" is an important acquisition for personal, professional, and community library instructional reference collections.

Get Rich, Stay Rich, Pass It On
Catherine S. McBreen & George H. Walper Jr.
Portfolio
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781591841753, $25.95, www.penguin.com

Wealth is nothing if one cannot sustain it. "Get Rich, Stay Rich, Pass It On: The Wealth-Accumulation Secrets of America's Richest Families" is a guide to obtaining wealth and keeping it, something most help books on finance seem to forget to address. Sensible and wise, the ideas presented within are backed up with examples and anecdotes of how the American elite used such tips to get their own piece of the financial pie. "Get Rich, Stay Rich, Pass It On" is worth reading for anyone who wants to make sound financial decisions in their life and move up to the next tax bracket.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust
Robert G. Weisbord & Wallace P. Sillanpoa
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
1412807913, $29.95, www.transactionpub.com

The Catholic Church has declined in power over the centuries, but their presence is still strong. "The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust: An Era in Vatican-Jewish Relations" is the story of how the Catholic Church related with the Jewish people during the tragic years of the Holocaust. The Catholic Church's efforts to stave the Holocaust were not the best, yet for some reason, Israele Zolli, the chief rabbi of Rome's Jewish community, praised their acts so much to convert to Catholicism, a decision which causes uproar to this day. A picture of a strange time and strange action with intellectual explanation, "The Chief Rabbi, the Pope, and the Holocaust" is solid reading for religious students.

Rav Chesed
Rafael Medoff
KTAV
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602800434, $18.95, www.ktav.com

In the twentieth century, there have been many defenders of Judaism, and Rabbi Haskel Lookstein has always been on the front line. "Rav Chesed: The Life and Times of Rabbi Haskel Lookstein" is a biography of this champion of Israel, whose main efforts were to protect the rights of Soviet Jews. Telling of his life, deeds, and his philosophies, anyone of the Jewish faith looking for a role model need to look no further. A superbly researched and written biography by Rafael Medoff, "Rav Chesed" is a story of a great man, highly recommended reading, and an core addition to personal, academic, and community library Judaic Studies and Judaic Biography collections.

The Jewish Bible
JPS Guide
The Jewish Publication Society
2100 Arch Street, 2nd Floor, PA 19103
9780827608511, $22.00, www.jewishpub.org

Judaism is a culture with a long history and a belief system that has endured millennia of oppression, evolution, and influence. "The Jewish Bible" is a complete and comprehensive guide to anyone who wants to learn about the Torah and the Talmud. With summaries of each of the Bible's individual books, a glossary of terms, important diagrams and maps, along with scholarly commentary from some of today's most influential Judaic scholars, "The Jewish Bible" is a highly educational piece and essential reading for scholars, students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Judaism. No personal, community, or academic library's Judaic Studies reference collections would be complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of The Jewish Publication Society's edition of "The Jewish Bible".

Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth
Dov Peretz Elkins
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Sunset Farm Offices, Rt. 4, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580233637, $16.99, www.jewishlights.com

The body needs food to live, the soul needs food to believe. "Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul" is a collection of stories from figures who speak on the Jewish soul to inspire and give readers something to believe in. The stories tackle the values that are invariably important to Jewish readers, making "Jewish Stories from Heaven and Earth: Inspiring Tales to Nourish the Heart and Soul" a highly recommended collection for Jewish readers.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Ancestral Grace
Diarmuid O'Murchu
Orbis Books
Walsh Building, PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570757945, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

We have the records that Humanity has been around for much more than six thousand years, contrary to the literal interpretation of the Bible. "Ancestral Grace: Meeting God in Our Human Story" comes with a different perspective on God which blends the beliefs of many religions with what humanity knows as a science. Thought provoking, well researched, and with a new approach, "Ancestral Grace" is surely worth reading for those trying to balance their faith with logic.

Finding Faith, Losing Faith
Scot McKnight & Hauna Ondrey
Baylor University
c/o B&B Media Group
109 South Main Street, Corsicana, TX 75110
9781602581623, $19.95, www.baylorpress.com

For some, faith is not life long. "Finding Faith, Losing Faith: Stories of Conversion and Apostasy" is a scholarly look at conversion, evangelism, and those who change their faith and those who encourage them. Saying that most conversion is the result of a crisis and people responding to it, it is an explanation of the whole process, which will enlighten readers about their faith and those who convert and try to convert others. "Finding Faith, Losing Faith" is educational reading, a solid choice for religious collections.


The Black Studies Shelf

Race and Remembrance
Arthur L. Johnson
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814333709, $24.95, www.wsupress.wayne.edu

Civil rights weren't always a given for black Americans. "Race and Remembrance" tells of Arthur L. Johnson, a man who fought for civil rights during its toughest battle during the sixties, and has spent much of his life since fighting those battles. A peer to Martin Luther King Jr., it's a look into an old man's life and struggles through rough and turbulent times faced with such a harsh struggle to make the progress that has been made today. "Race and Remembrance" is a top pick for anyone who wants to read about the life of a civil rights warrior.

The Black Citizen Soldiers of Kansas 1864-1901
Roger D. Cunningham
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826218070, $34.95, www.press.umsystem.edu

The right to defend one's country isn't something that wasn't always permitted black Americans. In "The Black Citizens Soldiers of Kansas 1864-1901" Roger D. Cunningham tells the story of black Americans during the second half of the nineteenth century and the segregated military units that many of these black soldiers proudly served in. Even for those who fought, bled, and died gallantly in military service to their country, it took a long time for the American Government to make up for its folly of having originally disallowed their service at all. A work of impressively detailed and original scholarship, Cunningham brings his research to bear in describing the lives and efforts of these valiant soldiers who fought for a country that hated them -- only because it was their own. "The Black Citizen Soldiers of Kansas 1864-1901" is a fine read and a recommended addition for academic library Military History, American History, and Civil Rights Studies collections.


The Anthropology Shelf

Island Folk
Peter Oikarinen
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780816653362, $16.95, www.umn.edu

What's life like on a tiny island? "Island Folk: The People of Isle Royale" is a complete history and examination of the people of Isle Royale. Covering the endeavors these people face daily, the adventures of procuring food and fishing, tales of tourists, and a way of life that's fading over the years. "Island Folk" is a snapshot of a people, and a strong recommendation for any who enjoy reading about how other people live.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Inukami! Volume 1
Mamizu Arisawa, author
Mari Matsuzawa, artist
Seven Seas
c/o Tor Books
1403 Flatiron Building, 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765321466, $9.99 www.tor-forge.com 1-888-330-8477

Volume one of Inukami! is the debut graphic novel of a new manga (Japanese comic) series about the unique relationship between a boy and a powerful spirit. Though their names would suggest a canine connection, the only visibly doglike aspect of inukami spirits is their bushy tails. Young Keita Kawahira is the scion of a long family line with a tradition of partnering with inukami to fight against evil spirits. But Keita's selfish personality repulses all available inukami except one - Yoko, an equally selfish outcast among her own kind, isolated for most of her young life, who sees this supposed "partnership" as a golden opportunity to escape and explore the human world! It's a raucous clash of personalities as boy and girl-dog-spirit vie for dominance, but in the process, could it be that they just might learn to respect and care for one another? (Perhaps, but not before she takes many an opportunity to punish Keita for real or perceived infractions by stealing his clothes!) The relationship gets further confused when another inukami comes to temporarily serve Keita, ostensibly to teach Yoko basic housekeeping skills, but unwittingly sparking her jealous ire! An action-packed comedy, recommended for older teens and adults (age 16 and up) due to raunchy humor and mature themes, Inukami! is great fun to read from cover to cover. Highly recommended.

The Lindbergh Child
Rick Greary
ComicsLit
c/o NBM Publishing
40 Exchange Pl., Ste., 1308, New York, NY 10005
9781561635290, $15.95, www.nbmpublishing.com

There can often be a dark side to fame. "The Lindbergh Child: America's Hero and the Crime of the Century" tells of the fateful tragedy of the kidnapping of Charles Lindbergh's baby. Lindbergh is famous in the annals of aviation history for being the first man to fly across the Atlantic in an airplane. "The Lindbergh Child" tells the entire story from the kidnapping to the following investigation to the tragic conclusion in the form of a highly accessible graphic novel. "The Lindbergh Child" is a uniquely entertaining way to learn history and highly recommended. for personal, school, and community library American History collections.

Rosario + Vampire, Volume 1
Akihisa Ikeda
Viz Communications Inc.
295 Bay Street, San Francisco, CA 94133
9781421519036, $7.99 www.viz.com 1-800-394-3042

Part of Viz's "Shonen Jump Advanced" series collecting popular, action-packed manga (Japanese comic) stories, volume one of Rosario + Vampire is the brainchild of unabashed monster fan Akihisa Ikeda, and it shows! Ordinary fifteen-year-old boy Tsukune Aono is average at everything, exceptional at nothing, and his straight C grades combined with horrible test performance have denied him the chance to continue his schooling. In a stroke of "luck", he comes across the one high school that will take students without rigorous examinations; it's Yokai Academy, where every student is a monster in human disguise, studying how to peacefully blend into the human world! The first Yokai Academy student Tsukune meets it the beautiful and friendly vampire Moka, who finds his human blood simply irresistible. Moka is usually gentle and charming, but only because her full vampire powers are held in check by the rosario around her throat; when it's removed, the terrifying alternate personality of her vampire self emerges! Survival is a haphazard endeavor at best for Tsukune, as he must evade the machinations of his monstrous classmates - the beastly boys are jealous of his close relationship with the attractive Moka, while some of the fiendish girls want him for themselves. Moka's ruthless vampire personality has the power to defend Tsukune in (im)mortal combat, but at what price? More humor than horror, Rosario + Vampire is a howling good read cover to cover, enthusiastically recommended for monster fans everywhere. Rosario + Vampire is unflipped (it's read right-to-left, just as it was originally drawn), and rated T+ for older teen due to violence and the occasional panty shot.


The Library Science Shelf

Pop Goes the Library
Sophie Brookover and Elizabeth Burns
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573873369, $39.50 www.informationtoday.com

Librarians who wish to connect with their users in new and vibrant ways will love POP GOES THE LIBRARY: USING POP CULTURE TO CONNECT WITH YOUR WHOLE COMMUNITY. It offers up strategies for blending the pop culture passions of a library's users into collection development and program strategies, offering a blend of marketing ideas and technology tools easy to blend into an existing library structure. From program plans to tested field strategies, POP GOES THE LIBRARY is an outstanding pick for any collection strong in library science.

POP Goes the Library
Sophie Brookover and Elizabeth Burns
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573873369, $39.50, www.infotoday.com

Libraries are viewed as antiques . . . I mean, who wants to read books? "POP Goes the Library: Using Pop Culture to Connect With Your Whole Community" is a guide for librarians who want to revitalize their library and making it valuable to society in at time where books are viewed as geeky and the love of trivial things rules all. With plenty of fresh ideas for librarians to encourage reading by using pop culture to advertise them, using information technology, and much more, "POP Goes the Library" is solid and recommended reading for any librarian.

Even More Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends
Sally Gardner Reed & Beth Nawalinski
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555706388, $69.95, www.neal-schuman.com

Every community library benefits from its 'Friends of the Library' support group. Not just in fund raising, but in raising community awareness of what modern libraries have to offer everyone in their service area from children's services to InterLibrary Loan Services. But for libraries to maximize their usefulness to the community and to expand community support, every librarian will need a range of ideas and 'best practices' specifically designed and implemented to build enduring good relations between library staffs and the surrounding community. That's why Sally Gardner Reed and Beth Nawalinski have collaborated in "Even More Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends", a compendium of practical and 'user friendly' strategies, tactics, and events designed to accomplish a number of specific goals ranging from raising money, developing community appropriate services and outreach programs, creating and enhancing public awareness in support of the library, building and maintaining active membership in their 'Friends' group, as well as recruiting and utilizing volunteers. Enhanced throughout with samples and examples, "Even More Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends" should be considered an essential addition to all community library staff resource reference collections. Also very highly recommended is the companion title published by Neal-Schuman, "101+ Great Ideas For Libraries And Friends".


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

A Book Inside
Carol Denbow
Plain & Simple Books
PO Box 1506, North Bend, OR 97459
www.BooksByDenbow.Weebly.com
9780615199245, $18.95, www.amazon.com

It seems that every season there are more and more 'how to' books being published for aspiring writers yearning to be published. One of the latest is also one of the best. "A Book Inside: How To Write, Publish, And Sell Your Story" is a succinct 104-page compendium packed from cover to cover with practical, real-world information, strategies and techniques dealing with the necessity for completing a saleable manuscript, compiling its pages into book form, identifying and selecting an appropriate publishing option, selling the book in traditional and non-traditional markets, and publicizing, promoting, and marketing the book without significant capital expense. Carol Denbow writes with a particular, experienced-based expertise as the author of three books and the editor of nine websites including 'A Book Inside' online. Especially appropriate for, and recommended to, the novice author needing to master the 'learning curve' for become a successfully published author in today's highly competitive marketplace, "A Book Inside" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal and professional Writing/Publishing reference shelves.

Writer's Block Busters
Velina Hasu Houston
Smith & Kraus, Inc.
PO Box 127, Lyme NH 03768
9781575255972, $17.95, www.smithandkraus.com

'Writer's Block' is the term used to describe the condition of being unable to come up with any ideas -- and well articulated ideas are the core source of any professional writer's livelihood! Drawing upon her many years of experience and expertise, Velina Hasu Houston (author of more than 20 plays, and who is the Professor of Theatre, Director of Dramatic Writing, Resident Playwright, and Associate Dean of Faculty at the University of Southern California School of Theatre) offers "Writer's Block Busters: 101 Exercises To Clear The Deadwood And Make Room For Flights Of Fancy". This compendium of succinct 'things to do' will break through this often encountered author's nemesis and trigger the flow of creative ideas. Superbly organized and thoroughly 'user friendly' in form and format, "Writer's Block Busters" should be considered a high priority addition to the reference shelf of anyone seeking to make their living through the written word.

Time To Write
Frank Milligan
Quill Driver Books
1254 Commerce Avenue, Sanger, CA 93657
9781884956768, $16.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

As we grow older, one of the best ways to create an enduring legacy for future generations is to record in writing our own life stories, our experiences, observations, values, the products of our imaginations and our perspectives. Frank Milligan draws upon his experience and expertise in publishing fiction and nonfiction, as well as teaching creative writing and business writing in "Time To Write: Discovering The Writer Within After 50", a comprehensive and 'user friendly' instruction guide that will take aspiring older writers with an initial concept or idea and walk them through each stage to crating a finished, ready-to-publish manuscript. "Time To Write" is a 304-page compendium of practical tips, techniques, insights and shortcuts that will enable the reader's writing, talent, desire and drive to crate a written document with a minimum of distraction. Although specifically intended for older readers, "Time To Write" has a great deal of value for younger writers seeking to put their own ideas and stories down in a publishable form.

Success
Maralyn D. Hill & Brenda C. Hill
Infinity Publishing.com
1094 New Dehaven Street, #100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2713
0741448483, $14.95, www.BooksByHills.com

It isn't necessary reinvent any wheels when it comes to the writing and publishing of books. Not when there are so many experts in the field who have produced so many notable, practical, informative, reality-based instructional guides for aspiring authors seeking to be published, and novice publishers seeking to produce commercially viable works in the highly competitive marketplace. Expertly co-authored by Maralyn and Brenda Hill "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" is a combination seminary and do-it-yourself workshop that covers cogent information on writing, marketing, and publishing. Of special note setting "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" apart from other instruction manuals are the sections concerning journaling, writing in tandem, and understanding target markets with respect to book sales. The section focusing specifically on publishing covers agents, traditional publishing, print-on-demand options, ebooks, and the 'vanity presses'. Enhanced for beginners with additional material dealing with contact information and experience based tips by Maralyn and Brenda, "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" features workbook pages for notes and notations by the reader. "Success: Your Path To A Successful Book" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' and strongly recommended addition to personal and community library Writing/Publishing reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Autobiographer's Handbook
Jennifer Traig
Holt Paperbacks
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780805087130, $15.00, www.henryholt.com

It has been said that everyone has one good book in them. "The Autobiographer's Handbook: The 826 National Guide to Writing Your Memoir" is a collection of tips and advice from masterful writers on putting down one's life story onto paper, and in a format that would be appealing to read for your audiences. A basic writing course with a focus on memoirs, "The Autobiographer's Handbook" is a must for someone who wants the world to read their story.

The Art of The Personal Letter
Margaret Shepherd
Broadway Books
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780767928274, $16.00, www.randomhouse.com

The personal letter is a lost art in this day of quick e-mails and instant messaging. "The Art of the Personal Letter: A Guide to the Connecting Through the Written Word" is a guide to bringing back this lost skill and putting it to its best use, and doing what the internet can't do, provide personality and feeling through the words. With advice and tips to making one's letter something to be cherished and loved, "The Art of the Personal Letter" shows that snail mail isn't dead yet and still has quite the value in the world of fast communication.


The Audiobook Shelf

Relieving Your Holiday Stress
Ronald G. Nathan, Ph.D.
UpwardPress.com
Publisher@UpwardPress.com
CD, $19.00 www.upwardpress.com

Practicing psychologist and award-winning teacher Ronald G. Nathan presents Relieving Your Holiday Stress and Achieving Your New Year's Resolutions, a brief audiobook on CD discussing the often unacknowledged stress of the holiday season, and ways to stay relaxed and focused while enabling transformative change. In "Better Holidays & Resolutions", Nathan examines research results and teaches therapeutic techniques such as counter-conditioning substitutions to rise above tension caused by giving holiday gifts, carefully watching one's budget, jostling competitive shopping crowds, and other stressors. "Holiday Relaxation" and "Mastering Resolutions" are guided relaxation tracks ideal to prepare one against the fight-or-flight response, reduce sensitivity to the ghosts of holidays past, and remain committed to one's New Year's Resolutions. Accompanied by the gentle sound of a harp, Nathan speaks to the reader in quiet tones conducive to easing the inevitable stress caused by the frantic rush of life. Highly recommended, whether for one's own use or as a gift to the most stressed person in one's life. 59 minutes 31 sec.

The Decline And Fall Of Rome
Thomas F. Madden
The Modern Scholar
c/o Recorded Books
270 Skipjack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
UX125, $99.99, www.modernscholar.com, 1-800-636-3399

The empire of Rome was such a dominating phenomena that it continues to be a subject of interest and study for modern students of history and politics today. Thomas F. Madden is a Professor of History and Director of the Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies at Saint Louis University. The author of a great many scholarly publications, in "The Decline And Fall Of Rome" he has created a complete fourteen lecture series that presents, explores, and interprets how the Roman Empire broke apart, overthrown, and ultimately supplanted. Beginning with the problem of defining what is meant by 'Roman Empire', the transformation of a Republic into an imperial state, the 'Augustan Revolution, the Julio-Claudian emperors, the eras of instability and war, the restoration of order as exemplified by 'The Five Good Emperors (A.D. 96-180), the emergence of military dictatorships, the decades of anarchy (A.D. 235-284), 'Diocletian and the Reform of Empire', the Emperor Constantine and the legitimizing of Christianity, the impact of heresy upon state stability, Theodosius and his successors, 'The Fall of Rome', and concluding with a lecture on 'Rome after Rome', this superbly presented and produced lecture series is an outstanding contribution and highly recommended for academic and community library World History reference collections in general, and Roman History Studies curriculums in particular. This flawlessly recorded 7 disk CD audio book collection is particularly recommended for non-specialist general listeners with an interest in Roman history.

Lavinia
Ursula K. Le Guin, author
Alyssa Bresnahan, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781436157025, $92.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Lavinia is an unabridged audiobook adaptation of beloved author Ursula K. Le Guin's story about a girl from Vergil's famous epic, "The Aeneid". Set in ancient times, when Rome was little more than village, and the lands of what will one day be Italy are hostile and dangerous terrain, Lavinia grows up as the daughter of King Latinus and Queen Amata. As she reaches the appropriate age for marriage, she learns that prophets have predicted she will cause a horrendous war. Events are set irrevocably into motion when she meets a man from Troy. A sweeping, historical fantasy epic narrated by talented actress Alyssa Bresnahan, Lavinia is an excellent addition to public library and private audiobook collections alike, and highly recommended. 10 CDs, 11.75 hours.

Undead And Unworthy
Mary Janice Davidson
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
C4706, $72.75, www.recordedbooks.com, 1-800-638-1304

The vampire genre has come a long way since the days of Bram Stoker and 'Dracula'. But it took the storytelling talent and eccentric imagination of Mary Janice Davidson to create Betsy -- the reluctant vampire Queen of the Dead. "Undead And Unworthy" is her latest adventure among the ranks of the undead in which we find that she has become the target of the 'fiends' -- vampires who have been brutalized by their original master into near mindless killing machines. The problem is that when Betsy had defeated their original master and granted the fiends a safe (and supervised) haven, they seem to see her benevolence as tyranny and mean to tear her limb from undead limb. To complicate things even more, Betsy has to deal with her well-meaning but rather high-handed vampire consort, a bothersome family ghost, and her usual assortment of all-to-loyal friends -- plus one very hostile anti-vampire cop. Superbly narrated by Nancy Wu who makes Betsy and the rest of her crew 'come alive'. "Undead And Unworthy" is an unabridged, flawlessly recorded CD, rollicking and hysterically funny tale that is a must for her legions of fans and a popular addition to any and all community library audio book collections.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com, 1-800-854-7859

Karen Robards' GUILTY (1423328337, $38.95) receives long-time veteran narrator Joyce Bean's smooth and compelling voice as it tells of female attorney Kat, whose dark past returns when she encounters a prisoner who was one of her companions when she held up a store in her youth. He's facing a long sentence and needs her help, entwining her in a series of dangerous encounters. Mary Roach's BONK: THE CURIOUS COUPLING OF SCIENCE AND SEX (1423316681, $34.95) receives Sandra Burr's voiceover expertise and is a pick for nonfiction fans, providing an alluring study of sexual physiology and surprising humor. Such collections will also appreciate Karen Sobel Lojeski and Richard R. Reilly's UNITING THE VIRTUAL WORKFORCE (1423360222, $29.95), with Joyce Bean's powerful voice enhancing a business guide to workplace adjustments to virtual workers. It's a powerful guide businesses need. Also powerful is Bob Rice's THREE MOVES AHEAD: WHAT CHESS CAN TEACH YOU ABOUT BUSINESS (142336015X, $29.95) receives Mel Foster's acting background as it tells of how chess moves can apply to business objectives. Learn how to crack new markets with a fine collection of chess strategies honed from competition. Marcia Ann Gillespie's MAYA ANGELOU: A GLORIOUS CELEBRATION (1423364843, $26.95) receives Dion Graham's acting skills as it provides a moving biography of poet Maya Angelou, examining her life created by those who knew her. M. William Phelps' LETHAL GUARDIAN (1423349334, $38.95) receives J. Charles smooth and warm voice as it tells of a real estate lawyer who wants guardianship of her niece. Her obsession will lead to murder in this tense thriller. Stephen White's DEAD TIME (1423328884, $38.95) enjoys veteran Dick Hill's smooth narrative style as it tells of a Colorado psychologist struggling to handle his newly adopted son and a shaky marriage. When he also becomes involved in a mystery that goes back years to a Grand Canyon camping trip and a woman's disappearance, he finds the help of friend detective Sam Purdy welcome until danger appears to close in on them both. M. William Phelps' I'LL BE WATCHING YOU (1423361849, $38.95) receives J. Charles' 40 years of professional theater, radio and film work as he reads about a missing mother of four and a killer's mistake, which leads to past cases and a shocking revelation. An attorney's struggles to uncover the truth make for a gripping thriller. Ridley Pearson's STEEL TRAPP (142333857X, $26.95) receives William Dufris' powerful audiobook career background as it provides a crime novel of a man with a photographic memory which proves to be a blessing and a curse. Good Samaritan Steven 'Steel' finds his good intentions involve him in a dangerous plot that might have links to terrorist intentions in this vivid thriller. Kevin J. Anderson's THE ASHES OF WORLDS (1423357515, $39.95) pairs David Colacci's seasoned and dramatic voice with the concluding volume in Anderson's 'Saga of Seven Suns' science fiction series. Listeners of previous volumes will find it an outstanding epic story that continues to foster unexpected twists and turns right up to its exciting conclusion. Karen Marie Moning's THE IMMORTAL HIGHLANDER (1423341619, $29.95) enjoys Phil Gignte's directing experience and fine voice as it tells of cross-time traveler and lethal seductor Adam Black, who pursues his desires until a curse ends his immortality and makes him invisible. His only hope is the one woman who can actually see past the spell in this gripping saga. Elizabeth Strout's OLIVE KITTERIDGE (1423350030, $36.95) receives Sandra Burr's moving and experienced voiceover skills as it tells of a retired schoolteacher who hates change but doesn't always recognize changes in those who make up her life. From her marriage to her students, Olive will find the world holds surprising undercurrents in this story of transformation. Karen Marie Moning's THE DARK HIGHLANDER (1423341546, $29.95) receives veteran Phil Gigante's evocative, smooth voice which lends to a fine thriller adding to the Highlander series. Here Dageus, a 16th century Scot tapped in time, is fighting a losing battle with the thirteen Druids who own his soul in a tense story of sexual conquest and old property.

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

Ben Karlin edits THINGS I'VE LEARNED FROM WOMEN WHO'VE DUMPED ME (1594838828, $24.98), a powerful survey narrated by Stephen Colbert, Will Forte and numerous others who provide humorous and lively accounts of hard lessons learned from hard women. It's a powerful collection. Elin Hilderbrand's BAREFOOT (1600242340, $19.98) tells of three women who arrive at Nantucket with different dilemmas. Each has come to escape and enjoy the sun and in the rented summer house of these women comes Josh, to change each of their lives. Katie Hale's narration brings the drama to life. Robert Ludlum's THE BOURNE SANCTION is actually a new novel by Eric Van Lustbader using Ludlum's scenarios (1600242944, $29.98), and receives actor Jeremy Davidson's inspired, passionate voice as it tells of Jason's return to Georgetown University in hopes of peace only to find his alternate life as a linguistics professor is boring. A murder investigation of a former student catches his attention and soon involves him in an undercover operation that will prove his most challenging yet. If unabridged is preferred, it's available too (1600242960, $49.98). Anne Rivers Siddons' OFF SEASON (1600241700, $39.98) pairs Jane Alexander's smooth and distinguished voice with the story of happily married couple Cam and Lilly, who have the ideal life, love and family until tragedy strikes. Lilly takes a lone road trip after Cam's death to his favorite spot in Maine there to examine both their lives in this warm story of love, loss and renewal. Katie Crouch's GIRLS IN TRUCKS (9781600242724, $29.98) provides a vivid reading by the author as it tells of a Charleston debutante with strange manners and a penchant for bad ideas. Sarah's brilliant older sister is a dropout and her mother lectures her on good etiquette even while in an alcoholic haze, so Sara finds it hard to be good when she leaves home for a larger world. Two fine nonfiction listens are also recommended picks. Jordan E. Goodman's FAST PROFITS IN HARD TIMES (9781600244971, $22.98) is narrated by the author, a former Money Magazine journalist, and provides a survey of ten secret strategies that will produce returns beyond that of CEOs or money market funds. Garrett Sutton's OWN YOUR OWN CORPORATION (9781600242878, $24.98) joins others in the 'Rich Dads' series and provides newcomers to business start-up with all the explanations and tools needed to form a personal strategy and take advantage of corporate structures. Nicholas Sparks' NIGHTS IN RODANTHE (160024291X, $17.98) receives JoBeth Williams' fine narrative style as it provides a novel of heartache and new love. After her husband abandons her for a younger woman, Adrienne flees to the small coastal town of Rodanthe in North Carolina to tend a friend's inn there to find a major storm and a mid-aged man change her life. Their weekend together will make a big difference in this warm romance of love between very different people. All are outstanding audio acquisitions.

Penguin Audio
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Jane Green's THE BEACH HOUSE (9780143143277, $39.95) enjoys actress Cassandra Campbell's extensive theatre skills and voice as it tells of sixty-five-year-old Nan who lives in a rambling house alone and decides to take in renters when she views her crumbling finances. Each new tenant will change and affect her life and build a different kind of family in this saga of discovery. David Stone's THE ORPHEUS DECEPTION (9780143143024, $39.95) receives Erik Davies' winning TV voice style as it tells of an assassination attempt that sets CIA agent Micah on the trail of a Serbian warlord. Fans of the prior Echelon Vendetta will find this a similar, fine thriller. John Sandford's PHANTOM PREY (9780143143116, $39.95) enjoys veteran narrator Richard Ferrone's acting skills and award-winning voice as it tells of one Lucas, who becomes involved in a shocking new case when a widow comes how to her large house only to find blood on the walls, no body, and her daughter missing. A powerful story springs to life in audio format. Robin Cook's FOREIGN BODY (9780143143147, $39.95) receives veteran narrator George Guidall's smooth voice as it tells of a series of unexplained deaths in foreign hospitals that send an idealistic medical student on a dangerous investigation. When Jennifer searches for answers to the mystery, her queries land her in dangerous territory in a riveting story perfect for audio libraries strong in thrillers and medical mystery fiction. Jim Nantz works with Eli Spielman in ALWAYS BY MY SIDE: A FATHER'S GRACE AND A SPORTS JOURNEY UNLIKE ANY OTHER (9780143143314, $29.95). Narrated by the author, this tells a dual story of some of his behind-the-scenes encounters in the sports world in his role as three-time National Sportscaster of the Year, and also tells of his father, who inspired him in the broadcasting world and became an Alzheimer's sufferer. A moving, spirited sports account. Elizabeth Brundage's SOMEBODY ELSE'S MOTHER (9780143143468, $39.95) receives a fine dual narration by Bernadette Dunne and Mark Bramhill and tells of two young drifters living in San Francisco who are forced to give up their infant daughter. Seventeen years later Nate becomes his daughter's teacher in a warm account of two very different fathers and their connections to an independent young woman on her own search for the meaning of life and family. Gloria Copeland's GOD'S MASTER PLAN FOR YOUR LIFE (9780143143204, $29.95) comes from a minister whose teaching is known throughout the world. Her contention is that everyone is following a 'master plan' from God even those with no relationship with God. Her survey of these plans is inspirational listening.


The Library DVD Shelf

Stay Rich Forever & Ever with Ed Slott
WGBH Boston Video
SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781593758844, $24.95 www.ssapr.com

Stay Rich Forever & Ever with Ed Slott is a special edition DVD based on the popular, public television show hosted by CPA Ed Slott. In today's era, corporate pensions are going the way of the dinosaur, social security is troubled, and the baby boomer generation is reaching retirement. How is one to protect one's retirement savings, especially when Uncle Sam is eager to take up to 70% of them for himself? Ed Slott walks to the viewer through how to protect one's money from excess taxation, how to take advantage of laws enacted to protect one's tax-deferred savings, and more. The special edition includes an overwhelming amount of bonus content, such as ten questions to ask one's financial advisor, ten potential fiscal disasters to avoid, question-and-answer sessions, and much more. An absolute must-see for all Americans, especially in today's economic climate! 54 minutes plus 2 hours of bonus material.

Bayview Entertainment
pr@bayviewent.com
411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com www.bayviewentertainment.com

Two cardio kickboxing DVDs hosted by ACE certified fitness expert and black belt martial artist Lynn Hahn make for a vigorous addition to workout DVD libraries. Punch & Firm: Cardio Kickboxing ($19.99, 62 min.) is filled with user-friendly, martial arts stances designed especially to build upper body strength, overall agility, and fitness. Two user-friendly workouts that can be done individually or together comprise Punch and Firm, which can be enjoyed by any fitness enthusiast regardless of personal familiarity with the art of kickboxing. In Kick: Cardio Kickboxing ($19.99, 61 min.) the two workouts one can follow consist of kicking drills and original combinations designed to keep one moving. Applying traditional methods in a format designed to be challenging, but presented with the help of a monitor for anyone who needs the intensity toned down a bit, Kick: Cardio Kickboxing is a high-impact experience sure to put fitness buffs in high spirits!

Yoga to Have Fun
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com www.yogatohavefun.com

Two DVDs introduce people of all ages and experience levels to the joy and health benefits of Yoga. In Yoga for Families ($19.95, 31 min.), Yoga to the Stars instructors Ingrid Von Burg and Tom Morley host a family-friendly instructional video suitable for viewers of all ages from four to one hundred and four. Filled with laughing, jumping, dancing, and singing, Yoga for Families offers a choice of music in its dynamic sections: relaxing/meditative or high energy/silly. Shot in hi-definition in Cancun, Mexico, Yoga for Families consists of a warm-up routine, a "karate warrior" dynamic, a "cookie jar crunch" dynamic, breathing and relaxation sections, and namaste (closing poses). A great way to spend family time together engaged in healthy activity. In Yoga for Grandparents ($19.95, 40 min.) Ingrid Von Burg and Yves Vacheresse walk viewers through a yoga routine designed especially to cultivate flexbility, fitness, and calm in seniors. The dynamic track sections have a choice of music between contemplative/meditative or instructional/traditional. Filmed in hi-definition overlooking the majestic Santa Monica Mountains, Yoga for Grandparents includes the section for warming up, dynamic, a focus on breathing and relaxation, and namaste (closing poses). A wonderful, easy-to-follow introduction that is deliberately gentle on one's body and bones, Yoga for Grandparents is the perfect gift for elderly relatives who enjoy the benefits of physical activity. Both DVDs are excellent additions to public library or family fitness collections.

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years
MVD Entertainment Group
H-840 North Circle Drive, Oaks, PA 19456
DVD, $14.95 www.MVDb2b.com

Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years is a DVD offering an inside perspective of how Bob Dylan, a Jewish folk singer from the Midwest, came to embrace Jesus Christ and Christianity. Passionate for his new faith, Dylan made three Gospel albums, and won a Grammy for "Gotta Serve Somebody". Yet the Christian direction of his music alienated fans and sparked the ire of critics, especially when he preached apocalyptic passages from the "Book of Revelation." Telling the story of Bob Dylan's transformation through interviews with notable figures ranging from "Slow Train Coming" producer Jerry Wexler to background singer Regina McCrary to San Francisco Chronicle rock reporter Joel Selven and many more, Inside Bob Dylan's Jesus Years includes rare photos, exclusive live concert footage from 1978-1981, and an interview from 1981 in which Bob Dylan himself speaks of the impact Jesus Christ had on his art and soul. Bonus features include full soundtrack MP3s! Highly recommended especially for Bob Dylan fans who wish to better understand and appreciate this turning point in his life's work. 120 minutes.

Lascaux: A New Look
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2159, Glenview, IL 60025-6159
9781562905507 $29.95 www.crystalproductions.com 1-800-255-8629

Lascaux: A New Look is a DVD visit to the ancient Lascaux cave hosting paintings that are evidence of the emergence of Home sapiens sapiens, modern man, roughly 35,000 years ago. Breaking away from familiar interpretations of these early artworks, Lascaux: A New Look examines four pivotal questions about the cave paintings: What precisely do we see? What do we believe in our minds that we see? What do we truly know, as determined by evidence? What do we believe we know, supported by conjecture as well as evidence? A stunning presentation of the amazing experience shared only by those few permitted to enter the cave, Lascaux: A New Look is a top-quality presentation, highly recommended especially for public and school library collections, as well as for any individual curious about the earliest known history of art. 53 minutes, color.

Breaking the Maya Code
David Lebrun
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
DVD, $24.95, www.firstrunfeatures.com

Breaking the Maya Code: The 200-Year Quest to Decipher the Hieroglyphs of the Ancient Maya is a DVD documentary about the scientific and linguistic quest to rediscover the literary heritage of an entire civilization. In the 16th century, Spanish invaders burned Mayan books and remorselessly exterminated their hieroglyphic literacy. For two hundred years, scientists and linguists have worked to relearn the knowledge once lost, and uncover the mysteries and heritage of an ancient civilization. Though scholars from around the world applied their brainpower to the puzzle, the final breakthrough came from an 18-year-old boy who had been immersed in the glyphs since his early childhood. Revealed, the ancient hieroglyphs tell of an astonishing cosmic mythology, held by a people who burned their blood to invoke the Vision Serpent, that interleaves the deeds of mythical heroes with the cycles of planets and stars. Recounting a treasury of cultural heritage not only for history and archaeology, but also for the six million Maya living today, Breaking the Maya Code is highly recommended especially for public library DVD collections.

Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com 1-800-345-4447

British-trained designer and furniture maker Ian Kirby hosts two excellent DVDs about woodworking. "Sharpening Planes & Chisels with Ian Kirby: A Sharp Edge in 60 Seconds" (9781933502212, $21.95, 65 min.) is an in-depth, how-to DVD for woodworkers of all skill and experience levels to sharpening and adjusting one's planes and chisels for maximum success. Grinding equipment, how to grind the blade, sharpening with waterstones, setting up a sharpening table, back sharpening, and more are all discussed at length in this quality reference. In "Using a Hand Plane with Ian Kirby: Tuning, Setting the Blade, and Planing Techniques" (9781933502229, $21.95, 68 min.) the viewer learns step-by-step how to plane parts and turn the plane, use the plane against a bench step, cross grain planing, edge and end planing, preparation of stock, and more, culminating in an overall demonstration of techniques in the creation of a kitchen cutting board. Both DVDs are the perfect gift for woodworking enthusiasts everywhere!

Anchor Bay Entertainment
1699 Stutz Drive, Troy, MI 48084
www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Two new fitness DVDs in the Crunch series are sure to add vigor, spice, and spirit to one's daily exercise regimen! In "Crunch Yoga Body Sculpt: Perfect Yoga Poses to Tone & Sculpt Your Entire Body" ($14.98, 41 min.), instructor Bethany Lyons guides the viewer through yoga poses designed to promote not only relaxation, but also strengthen the body and core resulting in a firmer belly, as well as buns and thighs. No equipment is necessary, although a suitable yoga mat is recommended. Suitable for yoga practitioners of all ages and experience levels, "Crunch Yoga Body Sculpt" is an excellent addition to personal fitness DVD libraries. In "Crunch Latin Rhythms: Fat Blasting Dance" ($14.98, 38 min.), professional dancer and certified group fitness instructor Jennifer Galardi demonstrates a zesty Latin dance cardio workout that blends excitement and fun with sheer calorie burning. Moves from the mambo, cha cha, merengue, samba, and more are incorporated into this enthusiastic celebration of the joy of movement. A wonderfully fun high-energy workout, highly recommended.

The Minotaur's Island
Bettany Hughes
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
DVD, $24.99 www.acornmedia.com

Hosted by historian Bettany Hughes, The Minotaur's Island is an amazing documentary on DVD about Europe's first civilization, Crete. The Minoans had a thriving culture nearly five thousand years ago, more than two millennia before Homer created "The Iliad". Then their civilization died, leaving behind little record. Archaeologists continue to discover new wonders that bring insight into Minoan culture - magnificent palaces, hinged doors, flush toilets, painted designs of acrobatic individuals leaping over bulls, and much more. Did Minoan society meet its doom from natural disasters, foreign invaders, religious strife, or a perfect storm combination of factors? The Minotaur's Island explore the many clues to the daily life and final end of this amazing ancient civilization. Highly recommended. 98 minutes, color, full screen.

Inspector Lewis Series I
WGBH Boston Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730
Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
WG42609, $29.95, www.ShopPBS.org, www.ssapr.com

A spin off from the enormously popular Inspector Morse BBC mystery series, "Inspector Lewis Series I" chronicles the adventures of British police inspector Robert Lewis (flawlessly portrayed by Keven Whately) and his new partner Detective Sergeant James Hathaway (Laurence Fox) where they confront complicated and devious crimes from the streets of Cambridge to the halls of Oxford University in three new mysteries. With sophisticated plots, populated with memorable characters, and characterized by superb attention to set designs and backgrounds, the three featured mysteries include 'Whom The Gods Would Destroy'; 'Old School Ties'; and 'Expiation'. The DVD format allows for the additional features of scene selection, closed captions, and access to the Masterpiece Theatre website. "Inspector Lewis Series I" will make a popular addition to any community library DVD collection, and should be considered a 'must see' by the legions of Inspector Morse fans.

The Real McCain
Robert Greenwald, et al.
The Disinformation Company
220 East 23rd Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10010
DIS049, 9781934708132, $9.95, www.disinfo.com

All too often in the course of American political history, good and descent men have sacrificed their own honor on the altar of presidential ambition. John McCain is simply the latest to do so. "The Real McCain: Less Jobs, More Wars" is a one hour documentary DVD comprised of ten shorts enhanced with commentary that include 'John McCain vs John McCain'; 'Less Jobs, More War', 'Why Won't McCain Support the G.I. Bill?'; 'John McCain Sings Bomb Iran'; 'Big Oil Fuels the Straight Talk Express'; 'McCain's Spiritual Guide Wants American to Destroy Islam'; 'John McBush 2008'; Leaked - ABC's Stephanopoulos Interviews McCain'; 'Why Do Women Give McCain a Zero?'; and 'McCain's Youtube Problem Just became a Nightmare. It's somewhat ironic that the McCain campaign's descent into character assassination politics against his Democratic opponent Barack Obama should come from a man who himself was the smear campaign target in the Republican presidential primaries of 2008 from the team of George Bush, Dick Cheney, and Karl Rove.


The Library CD Music Shelf

The Decider
Benn Clatworthy, Chris Colangelo, and Ryan Doyle
No-Sound Studios
c/o Mixed Media Promotion (publicity)
20 Lockmere Rd., Cranston, RI 02910
$16.98 www.mixedmediapromo.com

The Decider is an exciting new jazz CD featuring Benn Clatworthy on soprano and tenor saxophone as well as flute, Chris Colangelo playing bass, and Ryan Doyle's drum performance. Clatworthy re-examines popular jazz classics, liberally applying his own music into the melodies for a remixed twist on old favorites. A catchy collection that will have the listener tapping out rhythms in no time, highly recommended. The tracks are "Afternoon in Paris" (8:37), "Pannonica" (6:39), "Patterns" (6:56), "Off Minor" (6:01), "Tango Sentimental" (5:08), "The Deicder" (3:44), "I Get a Kick Out of You" (5:36), "Bossa Mia" (5:32), "Sister Sarah" (5:58), "This is New" (5:22) and "Short Story" 2:26). 62 minutes, 24 seconds.

Sound of the World Presents: Beyond the Horizon
Selected by BBC DJ Charlie Gillett
Warner Classics & Jazz
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
CD, $49.98, www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Sound of the World Presents: Beyond the Horizon is a two full-length CD music album of the best contemporary international music by 34 artists from 28 countries worldwide. Chosen by BBC DJ Charlie Gillett, who is responsible for music in the globally syndicated BBC World Service (which also consists of talk radio and news), these pieces range from remote Russian folk songs to Argentinean pop to a unique blend of guitar and trumpet from New Zealand. Beyond the Horizon is not only the perfect gift album for international music lovers with a taste for the heady spice of variety, but also a "must-have" for library music CD collections everywhere.

Economy Class
Frigg
Northside
PO Box 7367, Minneapolis, MN 55407
Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
$11.98 noside.com www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Economy Class is the latest music CD album by power-string band Frigg, which blends elements of traditional Finnish and Norwegian string music with no-holds-barred enthusiasm worthy of rock stars, spiced with the unpredictable rhythms or even missing beats. The fiddle is the core instrument featured, but Economy class draws upon a wide variety of acoustic instruments from the mandolin and cittern to a Finnish bagpipe, a jaw harp, and even a dobro. A wonderful collection of original tunes grown from the fusion of individual creativity and the eclectic inspiration of jam sessions, Economy Class is a welcome addition to both personal and public library music CD shelves. The tracks are"Jalla jalla", "Norrsken", "Polka International de Louisiane", "When the time comes I'll be ready", "Viinalaulu", "Kind of Polka", "Kisapolska", "Economy class", "Northern lights", and "Lars Lenkelifot". 35 minutes, 53 seconds.

Cinematic
Spencer Brewer
The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
$25.49 www.SpencerBrewer.com

Composer, pianist, and producer Spencer Brewer expresses his love for movie music in Cinematic, a two-CD album celebrating classic film scores. The first CD, "Black & White", has Brewer playing solo piano, with the inclusion of a guitar and a flute on the last track. The second CD, "Technicolor", includes instrumental compositions by a diversity of artists led by Brewer on piano, synthesizers, Hammond B-3, and a pump organ created in 1888. A wondrous medley ranging from Brewer's own popular compositions to new material and some music that has already been used in cinema, Cinematic is an emotionally rousing listening experience, enthusiastically recommended to movie and music buffs everywhere. The tracks are "Quintessence" (3:33), "Say What?!" (3:39), "Ode for Patricia" (3:54), "Fellini's Carousel" (3:09), "Into the Mirror" (3:43), "Blueberry Street" (3:28), "Last Chance for Eden" (3:33), "Morning Glory" (4:02), "Caravanserai" (4:41), "Lupin Swing" (2:36), "Satie's Forgotten Dream" (3:56), "Walls that Move" (5:54), and "Heartwood" (4:25) on the first CD, and "Quintessence" (3:57), "Morning Glory" (4:00), "Blueberry Street" (3:33), "Ode for Patricia" (4:01), "Fellini's Carousel" (3:32), "Say What?!" (3:43), "Outer Limits" (5:24), "Trip to Glory" (4:24), "Cinematic" (6:43), "Lupin Swing" (2:37), "Last Chance for Eden" (3:37), "Dreamgift" (3:43), "Satie's Forgotten Dream (4:01), and "Heartwood" (5:35).

Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar
Gabriel Ayala
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
$15.98 www.canyonrecords.com 1-800-268-1141

Gabriel Ayala, a member of the Yaqui people of southern Arizona, presents Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar, an album revealing his prodigious talent and expertise playing classical and popular guitar compositions. Ranging in flavor from widely beloved Spanish songs to folk ballads to Bach, Portraits: Music for Classical Guitar is an absolute "must-have" for guitar music enthusiasts. The tracks are "Asturias - 'Leyenda'" (6:13), "Gymnopedie No. 1" (2:56), "Go from my window" (1:53), "Julia Florida" (4:17), "Evocacion" (1:53), "Introduction and Variations on a Theme from 'The Magic Flute' by Mozart" (8:10), "Melancholy Galliard" (2:34), "Wild Mountain Thyme" (2:10), "Fantasia Original" (5:25), "Toccata & Fugue in D minor" (9:00), and "Farewell Stromness" (4:39). 50 minutes, 16 seconds.

From the Moon to the Sun
Kip Winger
MVD Audio
PO Box 280, Oaks, PA 19456
$14.95 www.MVDb2b.com 1-800-888-0486

Musician Kip Winger presents his latest album From the Moon to the Sun, a vibrant collection of original pop/rock songs with Middle Eastern influences. Percussion teacher Rod Morgenstein and guitarist Andy Timmons also contribute their talent to several tracks. The pulsing, almost hypnotic rhythms captivate the listener in this unique and original album, enthusiastically recommended for anyone eager to listen to something new. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Every Story Told", "Nothing", "Where Will You Go", "Pages and Pages", "Ghosts", "In Your Eyes Another Life", "Runaway", "California", "What We Are", "One Big Game", "Why", "Reason to Believe", and "Holy Man". 53 minutes.


The Music Shelf

How to Be a Record Producer in the Digital Era
Megan Perry
Billboard Books
c/o Watson-Guptil Publications
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0823009066, $18.95 www.watsonguptill.com

Aspiring record producers will find this a lovely title offering a primer on basic record production and how to build a career in the shaky music industry. From changing roles of record producers to legal issues of contracts, working with record labels, and creating a personal studio, this is the item of choice not just for music libraries, but for business collections strong in career titles.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

The International Art Markets
James Goodwin
Kogan Page USA
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749448356, $99.00, www.koganpage.com, 1-800-232-0223

The current Wall Street economic melt down underscores the value of investing in art as an alternative to stocks and bonds. James Goodwin draws upon his many years of experience and expertise in "The International Art Markets: The Essential Guide For Collectors And Investors", a project for which he serves as the consultant editor and compiling informed and informative contributions by fifty-eight of the finest minds working in the field today. Each alphabetically arranged chapter showcases the international art markets of different countries and areas around the world from Sub-Saharan Africa, Argentina, and Australia, to The United Kingdom, The United States, and Venezuela. Included are the art shows and fairs, galleries and museums, auctions and art market histories of the various nations. Packed with relevant and useful information, "The International Art Markets" is strongly recommended reading for anyone seeking to engage in the buying and/or selling of art internationally, as an invaluable reference for art dealers, art collectors, and art investors, as well as a core and seminal addition to academic and community library reference collections.

A Guide Book of United States Tokens and Medals
Katherine Jaeger
Whitman Publishers
3101 Clairmont Road, Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
0794820603, $19.95 www.whitmanbooks.com

Any library strong in either coin collecting or U.S. history will welcome A Guide Book of United States Tokens and Medals, offering both values and historical background on collectible tokens. Images from the American Numismatic Society's collection accompany the latest values in different conditions, while histories of the token or medal's manufacture are revealing.

Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
www.collectorbooks.com

Libraries catering to either archaeologists or amateur Indian collectors and historians will relish Jim Bennett's collector's guide ANCIENT INDIAN ARTIFACTS VOLUME 1: INTRODUCTION TO COLLECTING (9781574325850, $29.95). It provides a fine survey of Indian artifacts, including Rowe's glossary of artifact terms, and covers artifacts ranging from pottery to arrowheads, drills, weights and more. More than just a valuation guide, it offers plenty of historical background on how the Indian artifacts were used, where they can be located, how they are identified and arranged into a collection, and other topics key to artifact collecting. David J. Chorey's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF UNIVERSAL POTTERIES (9781574325911, $29.95) provides a fine reference to Universal Potteries product lines, pairing fine clear color photos throughout with values, company history, patterns, descriptions and background. Any library strong in pottery collecting will find this a large, popular line and thus the ENCYCLOPEDIA will have an especially high lending interest level. Also key to collections strong in glassware collecting is Mary Frank Gaston's ENGLISH CHINA: PATTERNS & PIECES (9781574325812, $29.95), a collector's handbook pairing lovely color photos of pieces and sets with an arrangement by type of English chinaware for quick reference. From cow creamers to egg stands and pitchers, makers and values are quick to locate, identify and make for a fine collector's reference.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Seeing Through the Lies
Vonda Skelton
Regal Books
1957 Eastman Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003
Kathy Cartlon Willis Communications (publicity)
1324 S. 10th Street Raymondville, TX 78580
9780830745012, $12.99, www.regalbooks.com

Old Wive's Tale, a term given to myths that are passed around, but totally false. "Seeing Through the Lies: Unmasking the Myths Women Believe" is a guide to the myths and urban legends that many Christian women are led to believe, but are totally false. A look at all things female and how the Bible plays into it with quotes straight from scripture, "Seeing Through the Lies" is a must for any Christian who also happens to be a woman.


The Sports Shelf

Climbing
Clyde Soles
The Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134
9781594850981, $18.95, www.mountaineersbooks.org

The thrill of conquering nature's toughest challenges, the high a mountain climber pursues. Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition, "Climbing: Training for Peak Performance" is a guide for mountain climbers to best train themselves for their ultimate goal of conquering the mountain of their choice. A fitness guide to maximizing one's health and conditioning for the harsh demands of the mountain climbing challenge, from exercise to eating right and taking supplements, the advice is applicable to living well even if one is just looking to get in shape. "Climbing" is a must for any climbing enthusiast.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

How to Land a Top-Paying Federal Job
Lily Whiteman
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814401724, $24.95 www.amacombooks.org

From internships and resumes to application essays, interviews, promotions and salary ranges, HOW TO LAND A TOP-PAYING FEDERAL JOB explores common myths about government salaries and connections, using interviews with over a hundred hiring managers to provide the basics of how the federal government hires and promotes within its ranks. From lesser-known ways of finding openings to negotiating salary and getting quickly promoted, this is an outstanding guide recommended for any library strong in job opportunities and career guidance.

The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching
Katy Piotrowski
Jist Works
7321 Shadeland Station, Suite 200, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9781593573928, $19.95, www.jist.com

Security, the one thing hat will keep someone in a job that they despise with all of their being. "The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching: Sensible Strategies for Overcoming Job Search Fears" is a guide designed for those in such a situation who want to move on with their careers without the insane risk usually associated with such methods. Encouraging and insightful, it's an ideal manual for the timid to get the courage they need, making "The Career Coward's Guide to Job Searching" an essential addition.


The Science Shelf

Principles of Physical Optics
C.A. Bennett
Wiley
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470122129, $108.60 www.wiley.com

College-level advanced collections strong in optics physics instruction will find Principles of Physical Optics appropriate for both library reference and classroom text use. It ties into the STEM curriculum with chapters geared to undergrad optics courses covering topics ranging from multiple-beam interfaces and Gaussian beams to scattering properties and rainbows. An outstanding technical instructional packed with charts, formulas and graphs.

The Carbon Age
Eric Roston
Walker & Company
175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
0802715575, $25.99 www.walkerbooks.com

This discussion of the basic element carbon and its journey from prehistory to modern times surveys the science of carbon, its impact on the civilized world, and the ways mankind has used carbon over the centuries. Modern science blends with original research into history and technology to create an involving survey of one of the basic building blocks of life, a recommended pick for school science and general-interest libraries alike.

Earth Science Decade by Decade
Christina Reed
Facts on File
132 West 31st Street, 17th Floor, New York NY 10001
9780816055333, $49.50 www.factsonfile.com

Each chapter in EARTH SCIENCE offers a survey of significant events in earth science blending sidebars of facts and an essay that focuses on a notable individual or event with photos, drawings, and assessments of the impacts of earth science research and discoveries. A bibliography for further reading concludes chapters packed with science and history, making this a top pick for high school to college-level libraries strong in earth science.

The Crime of Reason
Robert B. Laughlin
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
2300 Chestnut Number 200, Philadelphia, PA 19103
9780465005079, $25.95 www.basicbooks.com

THE CRIME OF REASON AND THE CLOSING OF THE SCIENTIFIC MIND comes from a Nobel prize-winning professor of physics and discusses scientific delusions that science is being affected by volumes of advertising and little really valuable information, which is increasingly classified as private property. How can scientific inquiry continue when research is viewed as a threat to national security or patent infringement? Illegalities in scientific inquiry are analyzed for their far-reaching effects on science conduct, making this a key acquisition for any library strong in science and social issues alike.


The Hobby Shelf

Airbrushing and Finishing Scale Models
Brett Green
Osprey
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781846031991, $39.95 www.ospreypublishing.com

Joining others in Osprey's 'Masterclass' series from professional modelers who share their experiences, this survey is perfect for any working with models, and provides a in-depth guide to creating a realistic, solid paint finish for any kind of model from military to civilian crafts. The basics of airbrush use are explored from fundamentals to advanced techniques, freehand, and masking. A lay-flat spiral bound hardcover with spine lettering makes it particularly valuable to practicing home modelers.


The Gardening Shelf

3 Step Vegetable Gardening
Steve Mercer
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com
9781580114073, $19.95, 223 pp.

First time gardener or expertise. In either event, learning to sow, grow and harvest vegetables and fruits can be a frustrating task if you aren't receiving the results you want or don't know the best way to grow your fruits and vegetables. In "3 Step Vegetable Gardening", aspiring gardeners will learn how to grow and harvest dozen of popular vegetables and fruits. Step by step photographs show important gardening tasks and green tips tell you how to help the planet while watching your garden grow. Author Steve Mercer, with the assistance of Sally Roth, U.S. Consultant, provide a beautifully rich text with step by step instructions, frequently asked questions, gardening tips, and hundreds of photos, making "3 Step Vegetable Gardening" an essential 'how to' guide for horticultural efforts ranging from small gardens in pots to large gardens in a landscape. Easy to read and thoroughly 'user friendly', readers will follow their green thumbs each step of the way with instructions on sowing, growing and harvesting. A must have for anyone wishing to grow vegetables and fruits, "3 Step Vegetable Gardening" is confidently recommended for personal and community library Gardening/Horticulture reference collections.


The Parenting Shelf

How to Really Love Your Grandchild... in an Ever-Changing World
D. Ross Campbell, M.D.
Gospel Light/Regal Books
1957 Eastman Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003
9780830746668, $19.99, 234 pp., www.regalbooks.com, 1-800-235-3415

In this rapidly evolving, volatile, and complex world, our children are growing up today having to experience and deal with different pressures, ways of amusement, music and technologies that many grandparents may not be accustomed to. Dr. Ross Campbell draws upon his more than thirty years as a clinical psychiatrist and parent/child relationship expert in writing "How to Really Love Your Grandchild... in an Ever-Changing World", a thoughtful, down-to-earth parenting guide specifically for grandparents who are involved in the lives of their grandchildren. Those grandparents will delight in the stories and benefit from the advice that is presented through an "I'm-in-this-with-you" approach by Dr. Campbell. Encouraging and thoughtful "How to Really Love Your Grandchild... in an Ever-Changing World" provides useful and practical insights to grandparents on just how to go about providing the extra love and emotional support that only a grandparent can give a grandchild. If there is friction between the grandparent and their grandchild's parents, or if a grandparent hasn't kept up with a grandchild's interest the way they would have liked to, no matter what the situation that arises in the relationship, "How to Really Love Your Grandchild... in an Ever-Changing World" offers sound, accessible, 'user friendly' advice on bridging the gap so a grandparent can be there for their grandchild. "How to Really Love Your Grandchild... in an Ever-Changing World" is especially recommended for community library Parenting Studies reference collections and reading lists.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

The Complete Illustrated Directory Of Salmon & Steelhead Flies
Chris Mann
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
9781571884381, $99.95, www.amatobooks.com

A well crafted fishing lure is an intrinsic work of art that is both esthetic and practical. "The Complete Illustrated Directory Of Salmon & Steelhead Flies" is a showcase compendium featuring more than 1800 salmon and steelhead flies, each one superbly illustrated in full color with full dressing provided. Aptly considered the single most definitive and exhaustive encyclopedia of its kind, Chris Mann's beautifully presented and minutely accurate illustrations will appeal to anyone who has ever taken rod and reel in hand for salmon or steelhead. A succinct and descriptive introduction is provided for each individual fly, its creator (when known), and its reputation among the fishing community. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography and three 'user friendly' indexes, "The Complete Illustrated Directory Of Salmon & Steelhead Flies" is the perfect and ideal addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections. Also newly published and very highly recommended from Frank Amato Publications (the premiere publisher of reference works for anglers) for such reference collections is the 50th Anniversary Edition of Bob Wethern's "The Creek: North Umpqua Edition" (9781571884435, $59.95).


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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