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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 20, Number 9 September 2010 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Library Science Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Fiction Shelf Poetry Shelf Library CD Music Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Audiobook Shelf Photography Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf
Biography Shelf Holocaust Studies Shelf Travel Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Architectural Shelf Political Science Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Women's Studies Shelf
American History Shelf Education Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf World History Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Business Shelf Social Issues Shelf Civil War Shelf
Sports Shelf Cookbook Shelf Psychology Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Computer Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Art Shelf Military Shelf Crafts Shelf
Railroading Shelf Nautical Shelf Native American Shelf
Architecture Shelf Literary Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Gardening Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf
Aviation Shelf Gaming Shelf Economics Shelf
Music Shelf Human Sexuality Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Science Shelf Technology Shelf Calendar Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Bridal Flowers
Ginny Parfitt, Bill Murphy, AIFD & Tina Skinner
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764334856 $24.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Bridal Flowers: Bouquets, Boutonnieres, Corsages is a dazzling visual tour of lush floral arrangements for brides, bridesmaids, and other members of the wedding party. Vivid, full color photographs illustrate bouquets for all seasons, featuring a variety of floral palettes in stylish arrangements, while the text offers insights into the significance of different colors, and even practical tips such as how to properly tie a bouquet. Bridal Flowers is especially recommended as an inspirational sourcebook for wedding planners, floral arrangers or even brides-to-be in search of the perfect complement to their big day. A dazzlingly beautiful book, highly recommended.

Rifles
Jim Supica & Doug Wicklund
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Baker & Taylor Publishing Group
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd, Ste 100, San Diego, CA 92121
9781607100959 $19.95 www.thunderbaybooks.com

Featuring striking full-color photography, Rifles is an oversized hardcover volume offering a solid history of the hunting rifle, and a detailed profile of the most popular rifle models from over thirty of the world's best-known firearm manufacturers. The result is a vivid cross-section of rifle models that is captivating to simply page through. Rifles is an inexpensive, accessible, yet surprisingly lavish volume, especially recommended for firearm enthusiasts.

The Great Airship of 1897
J. Allan Danelek
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
9781935487036 $16.95 www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

The Great Airship of 1897: A Provocative Look at the Most Mysterious Aviation Event in History is the story of an amazing phenomenon that beset residents of California near the beginning of the twentieth century - the appearance of an inexplicable "cigar-shaped" bright light that passed over cities and initiated rampant media speculation. A few months later the same craft(?) also appeared over prairie states of the Midwest. Was this apparition a functioning airship, ten years before Von Zeppelin created the first of the crafts that would bear his name? Was it merely a media hoax for money and publicity? Or could it have been evidence of alien visitation? A handful of black-and-white photographs and diagrams illustrate this fascinating expose of a century-old mystery.

Estimating Home Building Costs Revised
W. P. Jackson, author
Revised by Brian E.P. Beeston
Craftsman Book Company
6058 Corte del Cedro, Carlsbad, CA 92009
9781572182059 $38.00 www.craftsman-book.com

Estimating Home Building Costs Revised is more than a manual; the newly updated guide includes digital Excel forms and worksheets that can be used to create accurate and complete estimates. An accompanying CD-ROM featuring all the worksheets as Excel spreadsheets can be loaded on the computer to simplify one's job without overlooking any crucial factors. Chapters cover how to estimate costs for site clearing, floor system materials and labor, walls and ceilings, roofing materials, finishes and trim, concrete for floors, calculating overhead, markup, and profit, and much more. Estimating Home Building Costs Revised is an absolute "must-have" for anyone involved in founding or running a construction business, and an extremely useful tool for
anyone interested in double-checking the estimate they've been given.

Rocky Roads
Michelle Linn-Gust, Ph.D.
Chellehead Works
1711 Solano Drive NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110
9780972331814 $19.95 www.familysuicidegrief.com

American Association of Suicidology President-Elect Michelle Linn-Gust, Ph.D. presents Rocky Roads: The Journeys of Families through Suicide Grief, a helpful guide for families to come to terms with the tremendous grief that comes from suffering the loss of a loved one to suicide. "Families have been described as mobiles. When one member of the family leaves the others (in this case, by death), the entire family is thrown off, just as a mobile is when one piece is removed. The balance no longer exists." Chapters are invaluable as they not only chart a path to navigate through negative emotion, but also offer specific ways to pursue hope and empowerment, such as advocacy and volunteer work. A helpful and meaningful guide written by an expert, Rocky Roads is highly recommended.

Wind Power Basics
Dan Chiras
New Society Publishers
Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC V0R 1X0 Canada
9780865716179, $12.95, www.newsociety.com

WIND POWER BASICS offers homeowners a clean view of wind technology, covering wind energy systems ranging from turbines to batteries, and including site assessment and maintenance of wind power options. Any considering a small-scale wind energy system will find this a satisfying basic introduction.

The Lost Cyclist
David V. Herlihy
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116
9780547195575, $26.00, www.hmhpub.com

THE LOST CYCLIST: THE EPIC TALE OF AN AMERICAN ADVENTURER AND HIS MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE tells of one Frank Lenz of Pittsburgh, a high-wheel racer and long-distance tourist who dreamed of cycling around the world. He championed the 'safety bicycle' with inflatable tires and in 1892 he quit his accounting job and set out west to cover twenty thousand miles over three continents. Two years later, on his approach to Europe, he vanished in eastern Turkey - sparking an international outcry. This previously untold story offers a gripping survey of a bicycle adventurer who braved areas that had never seen a bicycle, and is suitable for any lending library.

Sisters on the Fly
Irene Rawlings
Andrews McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
0740791311, $14.99, www.amiuniversal.com

SISTERS ON THE FLY: CARAVANS, CAMPFIRES, AND TALES FROM THE ROAD offers insights by a group of nearly 1,500 women ranging in age from 25 to 90 who share many active passions, from fly-fishing and poker-playing to camping. The Sisters have been finding and restoring decorated trailers for a long time, and offer adventurous and fun visual and written tribute to lives well lived.

Fully Present
Susan L. Smalley & Diana Winston
DaCapo LifeLong
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge MA 02142
9780738213248, $16.95, www.dacapopress.com

FULLY PRESENT: THE SCIENCE, ART AND PRACTICE OF MINDFULNESS offers general collections a fine book on the art of living in the moment. From reducing stress and easing chronic physical pain to handling negativity and encouraging happiness, this uses the latest brain research and meditative techniques in a satisfying combination that makes it more than a reference for either health or new age collections alone.

Power of Purpose, second edition
Richard J. Leider
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery St., Suite 650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605095233, $17.95, www.bkconnection.com

The second updated edition of POWER OF PURPOSE has been revised and expanded twenty-five years after publication of the first edition, and includes new stories, new practices, and the expansion and elimination of chapters. The result is a dynamic spiritual and personal process for uncovering - and living - life purpose, and a top pick for spiritual and general lending libraries alike!

Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Man Skills
Joshua Piven, David Borgenicht & Ben H. Winters
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811874830, $24.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

Complete Worst-Case Scenario Survival Handbook: Man Skills packs in over 500 pages of manly survival scenarios and new advice for modern perils. From survival times in various degrees of water to how to obtain an emergency reservation or apologize when you haven't done anything wrong, this offers a range of survival skills plus a searchable DVD. The range of scenarios that can be survived makes for a lively addition to many a general library.

Horse-Drawn Days
Jerry Apps
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
www.wisconsinhistory.org
9780870204456, $24.95, www.amazon.com

HORSE-DRAWN DAYS: A CENTURY OF FARMING WITH HORSES is a fine pick for any collection strong in horses or rural history. It captures stories of rural life at a time when horses were key on the farm, and it pairs historic photos, ads, posters, and modern color photos of today's working horses with a lively blend of personal narrative and folk history perfect for any rural library holding!

The Real Man's Guide to Fixin' Stuff
Nick Harper
Sourcebooks
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
9781402230028, $12.99, www.sourcebooks.com

Being able to fix something is a skill lost to many modern men. "The Real Man's Guide to Fixin' Stuff: How to Repair Anything You Need (or Just Want) to Know How to Fix" is a guide to being the handyman of legend, and to become the Mr. Fix It that has been lost to time. With tips on fixing everything from busted high heels to what's really important like television remotes, "The Real Man's Guide to Fixin' Stuff" is a guide that's not to be missed.

Elsie & Mairi Go To War
Diane Atkinson
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, Fifth Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605980942, $26.00, www.pegasus.us

Time is the most valuable resource in saving lives. "Elsie & Mairi Go to War" tells the story of Elsie Knocker and Mairi Chisholm, two women with an unusual for the time love of motorcycles and how they set up their own first aid stations near the front lines, placing their own lives on the line in the process. Gaining fame for their heroism, returning to normal life wasn't easy. "Elsie & Mairi Go to War" is an exciting read of friendship, fame, and living against the grain.

Ripley's Believe It or Not!
Ripley
Ripley Entertainment
7576 Kingspointe Pkway, Suite 188, Orlando, FL 32819
9781893951631, $28.95, www.ripleybooks.com

There are many strange and fascinating things in the world. "Ripley's Believe It or Not!: Enter If You Dare!" is a fascinating collection of facts and notes covering the many strange topics. Everything from the human body being pushed to its very limit, the strange creatures in the world, and unique customs, and new art forms, "Ripley's Believe It or Not!" is a fascinating and highly distracting piece of work that one can get lost in for hours.

Everybody Marries The Wrong Person
Christine Meinecke
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823195, $14.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Nobody is perfect and as soon as one realizes this, the relationship possibilities open wide. "Everybody Marries The Wrong Person: Turning Flawed Into Fulfilling Relationships" is a guide to good relationships in a world where happily ever after is a myth. With tips on finding the fixable flaws in a relationship, having the wisdom to not change the impossible, and keeping a relationship strong through the years, "Everybody Marries the Wrong Person" is a read that should help everyone find their realistic expectations in their soulmate.

Pearl Buying Guide
Renee Newman
International Jewelry Publications
560 W. Main St., Suite C-200, Alhambra, CA 91801
9780929975443, $19.95, www.reneenewman.com

Being a smart shopper makes your purchases all the more beautiful. "Pearl Buying Guide: How to Identify and Evaluate Pearls & Pearl Jewelry" is a guide for the wise shopper with a love for pearls to avoid the many pitfalls that come with pearl shopping, such as fakes, procedures done to pearls, how to turn simple jewelry into something greater, and more, "Pearl Buying Guide" is a must for any pearl lover who wants their jewelry dollar to go further.


The Library Science Shelf

Advocacy, Outreach and the Nation's Academic Libraries
William C. Welburn, Janice Welburn, & Beth McNeil
Association of College & Research Libraries
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838985496, $40.00, www.ala.org

Libraries across the country are in danger. "Advocacy, Outreach and the Nation's Academic Libraries: A Call for Action" discusses the need for advocacy for these libraries and what they need to flourish and survive in today's society where libraries face budget cuts. Twelve chapters discuss public relations, campus libraries, the workplace, and more. "Advocacy, Outreach and the Nation's Academic Libraries" is a strong pick for anyone concerned for the future of America's academic libraries.

A Practical Writing Guide for Academics Librarians
Anne Langley & Jonathan D. Wallace
Chandros Publishing
c/o Neal-Schuman
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038
9781843345329, $99.95, www.amazon.com

If you work with libraries of books and can't write effectively, it reflects poorly on the library. "A Practical Writing Guide for Academic Librarians" is a guide for librarians who want to keep their professional writing short and to the point while still conveying the information needed to be successful. With chapters ranging on such topics of landing the librarian job in the first place, presenting research, and more, Anne Langley and Jonathan Wallace provide an expert guide on the library system and what's expected of the pens of its librarians. Enhanced with many useful indexes, "A Practical Writing Guide for Academic Librarians" is a resource that belongs in every library science collection.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

2011 Writer's Market
Robert Lee Brewer, Editor
Writer's Digest Books
4700 E. Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
9781582979489, $29.99, www.writersmarket.com

Continuing its history of publishing annual, winning references - a 90-year history - this provides over 3,000 updated listings key to any would-be writer's professional success. From book publishers to magazines, literary agents, newspapers and greeting card companies, this covers virtually anyone using a writer's output, juxtaposing listings detailing needs and acceptance routines with interviews and articles on basics such as what to charge for writing and how to produce a professional query letter. No library should be without this key reference!

Telling a Research Story
Christine B. Feak & John M. Swales
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104-3209
9780472033362, $16.00, www.press.umich.edu/esl/

TELLING A RESEARCH STORY: WRITING A LITERATURE REVIEW presents Volume 2 of the revised, expanded edition of ENGLISH IN TODAY'S RESEARCH WORLD, and covers the basics of writing a literature review. It's a revision of a work on writing abstracts that appeared in English in Today's Research World and presents a range of issues particular to the writing of literature reviews. College-level collections will find this a powerful addition!

Inside the TV Writer's Room
Lawrence Meyers, Editor
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110, Syracuse, NY 13244-5290
www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
9780815632412, $24.95, www.amazon.com

INSIDE THE TV WRITER'S ROOM: PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR SUCCEEDING IN TELEVISION collects interviews with some of today's top episodic writers and explores the artists' keys to succeeding in the television writing world. From compromises on creative efforts to how to start writing and find a unique focus, this is packed with clear, winning instructions perfect for an aspiring TV writer or college-level libraries catering to them!

Essentials of Screenwriting
Richard Walter
Plume
c/o Penguin Group, USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780452296275, $16.00, www.penguin.com

ESSENTIALS OF SCREENWRITING: THE ART, CRAFT AND BUSINESS OF FILM AND TELEVISION WRITING offers an updated book with new material blending lessons and principles from Screenwriting with material from Walter's companion book The Whole Picture, which follows the entire process from written word to screen. From writing effective dialogue to revising and obtaining an agent, this covers all the basics any screenwriter must know!

Writing Your Bestseller
L. Perry Wilbury
Piccadilly Books, Ltd.
PO Box 25203, Colorado Springs, CO 80936
www.piccadillybooks.com
9780941599818, $14.95, www.amazon.com

In "Writing Your Bestseller: Everything You Need to Know to Become A Successful Author", L. Perry Wilbur draws upon his personal experience and considerable expertise as the published author of 31 books to date -- especially the highly recommended and instructive titles "How To Write Articles That Sell" (Allworth Press, 9781581150148, $19.95) and "Money In Your Mailbox" (Wiley, 9780471573302, $16.95) which should be standard reference titles for all aspiring authors seeking to establish themselves in successful professional writing careers and including self-publishing -- for his latest instructional reference work "Writing Your Bestseller: Everything You Need to Know to Become A Successful Author". This 163-page compendium is packed cover to cover with cogent addresses to a whole series of germane issues including how to make money writing books, finding ideas to write about, dealing with writer's block, writing resources, improving what you write, the role of a literary agent, evaluating potential publishers, payment arrangements for published works, and the all important topic of marketing your published titles. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Writing Your Bestseller: Everything You Need to Know to Become A Successful Author" is an invaluable and recommended read for the novice, as well as having a great deal to offer by way of a refresher course for even the more experienced author.

The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!
Arlene Miller
Bigwords 101
PO Box 4483, Petaluma, CA 94955
9780984331604, $11.95, www.bigwords101.com

Articulation is an invaluable skill. "The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!: 101 Ways to Impress with Your Writing and Speaking" is a guide to being a better speaker and a better writer by avoiding the common pitfalls of the English language. How one speaks and writes is often the first impression one makes in communication, and "The Best Little Grammar Book Ever!" is a fine tool and a top resource.

Trail Writer's Guide
Cinny Green, author
Maureen Burdock, illustrator
Western Edge Press
126 Candelario St., Santa Fe NM 87501
9781889921501, $16.95, www.westernedgepress.com

A handful of captivating, black-and-white illustrations by Maureen Burdock enhance Trail Writer's Guide, a simple book of tips, trips, and techniques for jotting down one's transitory instants of inspiration while experiencing the wilderness. Whether one is moved to write poetry, dialogue, description of discoveries, or simple journal entries, Trail Writer's Guide is both practical and motivational. Highly recommended. "Step back with pen and paper in hand. First write about being a witness, an observer in a place; step back even more and ascribe a special moment in that place when you became a participant. For example, observe the wind fluttering the tree branches (witness) and then feel it blow your hair back (participant). How have you shared the tree's experience?"

Grammar Essentials for Dummies
Geraldine Woods
Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780470618370, $9.99, www.wiley.com

Written by English teacher Geraldine Woods as part of the excellent "For Dummies" series of instructional books, Grammar Essentials for Dummies is a concise, easy-to-use guide to improving one's grammar whether for schoolwork, college application tests, resumes or business documents, or simply to communicate more effectively with friends, family and co-workers. Chapters explain grammar rules in plain terms, give examples of correct and incorrect usage, offer principles of punctuation, tips for common trouble issues and pitfalls, and more. Once again, the stellar "For Dummies" series goes beyond living up to its title - Grammar Essentials for Dummies is emphatically not just for "dummies", but also for writers of all skill and experience levels, whether they are novices seeking to improve their basic writing skills or professionals trying to apply just a little more polish to their final draft.

The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction
Philip Athans
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
9781440501456, $14.95, www.adamsmedia.com 1-800-872-5627

Featuring an introduction and an illustrative original story by acclaimed and popular fantasy writer R. A. Salvatore, The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is a solid, user-friendly guide to creating vivid, enjoyable novels filled with lifelike characters and immersive worlds. Chapters offer tips, tricks, and techniques for smooth storytelling, constructing characters with internally consistent motives, world-building, overseeing details, narrative tone, and more. Of particular interest is the chapter with advice for those who are considering writing for a living: "If you want to be rich in a hurry, sell insurance... as far as being a novelist is concerned, you'll find that money comes slowly, rarely, and in small doses. Do this for everything but the money. Only if you're writing for the love of the game will you ever end up with a book that people respond to, and pay for." A pull-no-punches combination tutorial and source of inspiration, The Guide to Writing Fantasy and Science Fiction is an absolute "must-have" for any aspiring writer - even those with interest in other genres will find a great deal of valuable advice!

How to Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit
Robert W. Bly with Fred Gleeck
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
9781884995606, $15.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

How to Write & Sell Simple Information for Fun and Profit is a straightforward, career-minded guide to creating and publishing saleable how-to books, articles, reports, seminars, or even online content. Chapters cover how to efficiently and effectively conduct research, build a reputation in one's field, avoid common pitfalls, and earn a solid living. "One of the biggest challenges for the how-to writer running his own membership site is retaining members. There is really only one strategy that can prevent your members from leaving: continually posting fresh content on the site." Making money through the creation of audio CDs, DVDs, and even selling software is also covered, in this hands-on practical guide that absolutely anyone interested in nonfiction writing as a career must have.


The Fiction Shelf

Hunter's Secret: Wreck of the Carol K
J. C. Hager
Greenstone Publishing
7253 Graal Shores, Rapid River, MI 49878
9780979754661 $14.95 www.jchager.com

Hunter's Secret: Wreck of the Carol K is an action-adventure novel following Matt Hunter and Tanya as they discover a shipwreck in Lake Superior. Discovering the ship's log draws them further into a dark and deadly realm of kidnappers, bribery, and corruption. From scuba diving amidst underwater mysteries to a cat-and-mouse game in the northern Michigan wilds, Hunter's Secret is an exciting thriller that engages and entertains up to the very last page. Highly recommended.

Bounty Hunter's Daughter
Phyllis de la Garza
Sagebrush/Isis Publishing Limited
c/o Ulverscroft Publishing
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780753185155, $20.95, www.amazon.com

Vengeance can sometimes come with a payday. "Bounty Hunter's Daughter" is an old western tale of Delphina Estes, daughter of a bounty hunter as her father is killed during an attack on her home. When the outlaws turn their sights on her, Delphina turns the tables and finds that avenging her parents has its advantages, and not all of it is revenge. "Bounty Hunter's Daughter" is an exciting old west novel now available in larger print, a perfect pick for any western lover looking for something that won't tax their eyes.

The Thieves of Manhattan
Adam Langer
Spiegel & Grau
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9781400068913, $15.00, www.adamlanger.com

Getting published is no simple task. "The Thieves of Manhattan" is a novel that spirals into the world of book publishing, as a short story writer joins a scheme to foil the publishing world's own rules and turn it against it. With wit, humor, and excitement, "The Thieves of Manhattan" is a novel that will truly motivate any writer trying to make it, but has plenty for any suspense reader.

Lil' Choo-Choo Johnson Bluesman
Bryan Krull
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 W. 86th Street, Ste. H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
9781608443550, $14.95, www.bryankrull.com

The blues knows no age. "Lil Choo-Choo Johnson Bluesman" tells the story of 10 year old Blues guitarist prodigy who travels the country along with other legends of the Blues, and tells a story of the genre and the genres that spawned all out form it. A fun and educational read, "Lil Choo-Choo Johnson Bluesman" shouldn't be missed.

News From Home
Sefi Atta
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566568036, $15.00, www.interlinkbooks.com

Much of Africa has been slower to join the world in the modern age, but it still blooms none the less. "News from Home" is a collection of short stories from Sefi Atta, a Nigerian writer with much support from her contemporaries. Through her stories, she shows the condition of her people in an emerging society that has recently been granted the freedoms of the world and are stuck between modernization and the traditions of Nigeria. Thoughtful and insightful, "News from Home" is a strong pick for any world fiction collection.

The Tables of the Law
Thomas Mann
Paul Dry Books
1616 Walnut Street, Suite 808, Philadelphia, PA 19103
9781589880573, $12.00, www.pauldrybooks.com

To present the foundation of law for half the world is no simple task. "The Tables of the Law" is a historical title following Moses as he is tasked by God to present the Ten Commandments, providing a human and much different insight on the role of Moses as the Prophet of God. Expertly translated, "The Tables of the Law" is a solid addition to any literary fiction collection.

Acting Up
Ted Staunton
Red Deer Press
195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, ON L3R 4T8
9780889954410, $12.95, www.fitzhenry.ca

Growing up isn't so easy as people would believe. "Acting Up" is a delve into the adulthood or what is soon to be of Sam Foster, faced with antagonistic teachers, crazy girlfriends, and a wild assortment of characters who seem out to make Sam's life hell. "Acting Up" is a fun coming of age read with no shortage of humor and plenty that young readers will relate to.

The Diary of a Drug Fiend
Aleister Crowley
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781578634941 $18.95 www.redwheelweiser.com 1-800-423-7087

The Diary of a Drug Fiend is not just any work of fiction - it is a novel created by legendary scholar and chronicler of Magick Aleister Crowley. Drawing upon Crowley's own life experience, including his involvement with drugs, The Diary of a Drug Fiend tells of the lovers Peter Pendragon and Louise Laleham, who travel through Europe binging on cocaine and heroin. Their drug use brings them visions and prophecies, but it also turns to excruciation once their supply runs dry and the brutal grip of their addiction threatens to consume their lives utterly. With the aid of King Lamus, a master adept, they apply practical Magick as a means to transcend their drug addiction. Originally published in 1922, The Diary of a Drug Fiend was once denounced as "a book for burning"; now, it remains a profound testimony and insight to the forces that inspired, drove, and challenged its legendary author. A choice pick for metaphysical and Magickal studies shelves.

Death is Not an Option
Suzanne Rivecca
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393072563, $23.95, www.wwnorton.com

DEATH IS NOT AN OPTION: STORIES offers a fine debut collection about girls and women in a world where sexuality and worldviews offer changed perceptions. Real-sounding slices of life permeate diverse plot lines that show how women struggle to find truth and meaning in the modern world. Any general lending library must have this!

Comanche Crossing
Harold G. Ross
Harold G. Ross Publishing
2339 Chris Drive, Manhattan, KS 66502
0971544085, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Comanche Crossing is an exciting historical novel following a young man's coming of age in New Orleans during the second half of the nineteenth century. His entanglements with pirates, settlers, Native Americans, lawmen and lawbreakers lead to a rousing adventure, where courage and steadfast friends are the best defense against the endless greed and ruthlessness of one's enemies. A riveting and satisfying read, highly recommended for fans of westerns.

Mesopotamia
Arthur Nersesian
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 10009
9781936070084, $15.95, www.akashicbooks.com

Who cares about a chain of serial killings when we can talk about what the pop star is wearing? "Mesopotamia" tells the story of reporter Sandy Bloomgarten, a serious reporter in a time where reporting isn't being taken seriously. With few other leads, she covers a seemingly superficial story near her hometown of Mesopotamia, Tennessee. What she finds though, is far from superficial, and may yet save her career as a reporter. "Mesopotamia" is a fascinating and fun read, very highly recommended.

Ransomed Dreams
Sally John
Tyndale Fiction
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414327853, $13.99, www.tyndalefiction.com

Even when some truths appear, others remain hidden. "Ransomed Dreams" tells the tale of Sheridan Montgomery and her coping with losing her husband after an assassination attempt- not from becoming a widow but for losing her marriage. Things have a way of constantly changing and Sheridan's status on her marriage may not be as clear cut as she thought. A riveting tale of marriage and what keeps it alive through unusual turns of events, "Ransomed Dreams" is a read that will resonate well with many readers, solidly recommended.

Curse of the Full Moon
James Lowder, editor
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703
9781569757888, $14.95, www.ulyssespress.com

To turn into something more savage and primal has been a fantasy of people for centuries. "Curse of the Full Moon: A Werewolf Anthology" is a collection of werewolf stories from a grand assortment of authors as they all bring their own spin to the Werewolf mythos and new appreciation to why it fascinates us so. With works from authors like George R. R. Martin and Neil Gaiman, "Curse of the Full Moon" is a top pick for any short story enthusiast, especially those who ponder a bit on their own lupine side.

Tales from the Trappers' Trail
Kay Beth Faris Avery
Western Reflections Publishing Company
PO Box 1149, 951 N. Highway 149, Lake City, CO 81235
9781932738841, $16.95

When civilization was less common, the world was a lot more chaotic. "Tales from the Trappers' Trail" is a collection of short stories of the old west in the times where American life in Colorado and New Mexico was just developing. Native American encounters, wars, and more, Kay Beth Faris Avery hopes to give a historically driven tales, with much to bring both history lovers and old west lovers together. "Tales from the Trappers' Trail" is a riveting read that shouldn't be overlooked for short fiction collections.

Running
Jean Echenoz
The New Press
38 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013
9781595584731, $19.95, www.thenewpress.com

The Olympics morphed into something more than an icon of national pride and unity. "Running" is a novel surrounding Emil Zatopek, famed Czech runner in the 1952 Olympics. Telling a unique story of not starting til late in life and how he became entombed in the Communist politics surrounding him. "Running " is fascinating novel that draws on the history of the Cold War well, as well as telling the story of a remarkable athlete.

Ashes to Water
Irene Ziegler
Gale Cengage Learning
Five Star Editorial Dept, 295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901
9781594148606, $25.95, www.cengage.com

It's a strange position to be trying to acquit the very person accused of your father's murder. "Ashes to Water" tells the story of Annie Barlett as she finds herself campaigning to clear the name of the woman accused of murdering her father. Her endeavor is made more challenging as her sister has strong reasons for wanting the guilty verdict to go through. A riveting mystery with original elements, "Ashes to Water" is a fine read and is not to be missed by mystery fans.

Plum Blossoms in Paris
Sarah Hina
Medallion Press
1020 Cedar Lane, No. 2N, St. Charles, IL 60174
9781605421261, $15.95, www.medallionpress.com

Some families suffocate, others leave no air at all. "Plum Blossoms in Paris" tells the story of an American girl in Paris, embracing her adulthood after a sheltered life. When she finds a man who latches onto her fiercely, she finds herself split between exotic love and the family she fled from. "Plum Blossoms in Paris" is a charming romance and coming of age tale, highly recommended.

I Will Not be Silent
April Maley
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 West 86th Street, Suite H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
9781608444335, $13.95, www.iwillnotbesilentbook.com

The vicious cycle is something heard of all too often. "I Will Not Be Silent" is the memoir of April Maley as she copes with her own horrible childhood in retrospect, a childhood filled with abuse leaving her with nothing left to make her feel like she was of any worth. Hoping to warn and inspire others to tell their own tales and find strength to endure all of them. "I Will Not Be Silent" is a powerful message and a very highly recommended one.

Her America
Susan Glaspell
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242
9781587298646, $22.00, www.uiowapress.org

America means many things to different people, but there are factors that are universal. "Her America: "A Jury of Her Peers" and Other Stories" is a collection of short stories from Susan Glaspell as she reflects on the major social issues of today's world through fiction, and tackles these subjects well. Not only a discussion of these important values, she remembers the story as well, making "Her America" an all around excellent read.

With Hearts and Hymns and Voices
Pam Rhodes
Monarch Books
c/o Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
9781854249753, $14.99, www.lionhudson.com

A religious meeting can lead to some very nonreligious relations. "With Hearts and Hymns and Voices" is the story of Clive and his wife Helen as they work with the BBC to do a gospel show from their small village. But when Helen becomes too involved with one of the television team, the small village just may never be the same. "With Hearts and Hymns and Voices" is a fascinating read, highly recommended.

A Deal on a Handshake
Vickie Britton & Loretta Jackson
Whiskey Creek Press
PO Box 51052, Casper, WY 82605-1052
9781603138857, $17.95, www.whiskeycreekpress.com

The Wild West still hasn't been all that tamed. "A Deal on a Handshake" is a mystery following Wyoming Sheriff Jeff McQuede as he presides the law over in rural society. Seven tales puts McQuede into a fun series of adventures certain to give those with a lust for mystery and the west a never ending supply of stories to enjoy. "A Deal on a Handshake" is a riveting collection and a top pick for mystery fans.


The Poetry Shelf

Reliquary Fever
Beckian Fritz Goldberg
Western Michigan University
1903 W. Michigan Ave., Kalamazoo, MI 49008
9781930974944 $18.00 www.wmich.edu

Reliquary Fever: New and Selected Poems collects the work of English professor and award-winning poet Beckian Fritz Goldberg. Most of the poems are brief; they appear in a variety of formats, yet each one is subtly expressive, offering an unforgettable picture of the human experience. Poems from the course of Goldberg's literary lifetime appear; many linger upon the tragedies of love and death, while others muse upon the most mysterious wonders inset within seemingly ordinary, everyday things. The result a treasury for poetry lovers to savor, highly recommended. "List": It was all new. / One day I bought birds-of-paradise. / One day I cleaned the oven. / One day I made a list. / The next // I did the list. / One day I sat out and watched / yellow burrs fall from / the sweet acacias. / I did // all the being you / I could, father, // all the rest / of this life.

Dreams for Breakfast
Susan Millar DuMars
Salmon Poetry
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781907056352, $19.95, www.dufoureditions.com

Facing reality is something you don't want to do until you've at least had your coffee. "Dreams for Breakfast" is a philosophical collection of poetry from Susan Millar DuMars, offering readers a grand collection of poetry and asks them many questions. "Dreams for Breakfast" is a fine collection of poetry which shouldn't be overlooked. "I Dream My Mouth": is a crusted wound/a galaxy in my throat./Stars spill past my lips,/sharp enough to draw my blood/but how they sparkle. Oh, look!

Perfect Blue
Kona Macphee
Bloodaxe Books
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781852248666, $18.95

A different perspective can make anything in the world clearer. "Perfect Blue" is the second collection of poetry from Kona MacPhee as she provides a charming and original view of the many elements of life. Enticing and entertaining reading, "Perfect Blue" is a fine read and shouldn't be missed for poetry collections. "The Gift": Sometimes the recompense arrives/so far ahead of what you'll give/that you will fail to recognize/the reciprocity, the love//that circles in the universe:/this life a grace advanced, its knack/to meet requital with its cause --/the offering up, the giving back.

Complete Physical
Shane Neilson
The Porcupine's Quill
68 Main St, Erin, ON N0B 1T0
9780889843257, $14.95, www.porcupinesquill.ca

When your calling is preserving life, you come with a few unique ways to analyze the matter. "Complete Physical" is a collection of poetry from Shane Neilson, reflecting on his profession as a physician and his entanglements with love and death. "Complete Physical" is an intriguing collection, and a recommended one. "Ten Thoughts Before the Stroke": Failure./The sky in ribbons: and you in rearview,/and I have loved in spurts,/the stars have gone,/receding in disarray,/the stove burner on,/you are closer than you appear,//and much is unlatched,//much I cannot let go;/before.

Fancy Beasts
Alex Lemon
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Avenue South, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55415
9781571314437, $16.00, www.milkweed.org

Pick any year, and you'll find plenty absurd, but 2008 seemed especially special. "Fancy Beasts" is a collection of poems from Alex Lemon, as he brings a focus to this year, with poems attacking everything form commercialism to politics, and so much more. "Fancy Beasts" is a pick that should not be missed, very highly recommended. "All of the Made Roads": Choosing/my life, I drop//quarters in/the slot//& select/the worst//song on/the jukebox//& then sneak/out to//Watch/Through the rain-//streaked glass./O feverish//Praise -- I can/Feel night//Struggle/to Lay//Back in/its own dark.

Sanctuary of the Soul
Alice M. Carleton
Mystic Publishers
850 S. Boulder Hwy., Ste. 436, Henderson, Nevada 89015
9781934051467, $16.98, www.mysticpublishers.com

Sanctuary of the Soul: Poems of Anguish, Healing, Hope, Comfort and Celebration is an anthology of brief poems - most only one page long - that reflect multiple facets of the human condition. From the suffering of poverty, war, and death to treasuring the hope, joy, and togetherness that make life worth living, Sanctuary of the Soul is a beautiful, poignant, and inspirational collection. Highly recommended, whether to linger upon and contemplate a single poem at a time, or to immerse oneself in the verses all at once, cover to cover. "The Hope... The Child": A child of passion and joie de vivre / A child of Eve / I can see potential / In rains torrential / And / The light in the darkest velvet night / In deepest silent Winter / I can see Spring / When all around / Nothing seems as if it will ever sing / We should live as if we are dying / Because / We are.

Absolute Bob
Anne Portugal
Burning Deck
1341 Seventh St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9781936194025, $14.00, www.spdbooks.org

The everyman, the endlessly curious, the always questioning. "Absolute Bob" explores the place of the everyman and how he faces the world through the model of Bob. Deftly translated from French by Jennifer Moxley, told in a rolling style of a long story with poetry "Absolute Bob" is a fine piece of Anne Portugal's work.

I Tulips
Mario Petrucci
Enitharmon
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781904634935, $21.95, www.dufoureditons.com

If you blink, you might miss something. "I Tulips" is a collection of poetry with a scientific slant from Mario Petrucci as he brings readers a fascinating assortment of insight into the world and what it means to see and experience its beauty. "I Tulips" is an intriguing assortment of poetry, very highly recommended. "Behind the Lines": -just as you might never/find some white-worn/tongue of soap//long fluffed/beneath basin -- or/fine marks of particular//weight penned in their/margin near skip-bottom or/one flake/falling deep in a/cwm between sheer-set//neighbors of pine -- or/with morning still dark that//word/barely spoken/to your sleeping ear.

Rabbi Auschwitz
Louis Daniel Drodsky
Time Being Books
10411 Clayton Road, St. Louis, MO 63131
9781568091327, $15.95

Some wounds take long to heal, and some are more vicious about the process than others. "Rabbi Auschwitz: Poems of the Shoah" is a collection of poetry from Louis Daniel Drodsky, going after his own recovery with a good deal of venom about the world, to himself, and what has happened to his people. As poignant and thought provoking as it is entertaining, "Rabbi Auschwitz" is a strong pick for poetry collections. "Bestial Desire": Instinct may hold the only clue/As to how crows, darting toward a flattened possum,/Then back to road's shoulder,/With beakfuls of bloody eye, entrails, or tail,/Avoid obliteration by cars racing along the pavement,/But I'm not sure I trust my instincts/To extrapolate a facile answer/From my observation of the commonplace.//Doubtless, theirs is a practiced act of savagery,/A necessary balancing of symbiotic opposites --/Life rising out of life given up./It's nature insulating itself against decay,/The most common denominator in death's equation./But perhaps these easy explanations/Fail to give the fanatical will to ravage its due./Maybe it has as much to do with bestial desire.

Interruptions in Glass
Tracy Hamon
Coteau Books
2517 Victoria Ave., Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4P 0T2
9781550504262, $16.95, www.coteaubooks.com

Reality can pass you by without you even realizing it. "Interruptions in Glass" is a collection of poems from Tracy Hamon, as she gives readers her take on the world as it should be and as it is. No shortage of thought and wisdom, "Interruptions in Glass" is a volume not to be missed. "In the Absence of Conversation I": Eat rice.//Engrave your name on a grain of rice. Tiny. So small no/one will see it. Wear it around your neck. Engrave your/name on thousands of grains of rice. Save them like/memories, for years. Throw them as confetti into the/face of the one who has left you.


The Library CD Music Shelf

Chocolate Paper Suites
Krista Detor
Airtime Studio
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2, Bloomington, IN 47404
CD, $15.99, www.kristadetor.com

Produced, Recorded & Mixed by David Weber at Airtime Studio, Chocolate Paper Suites is the latest music CD album by genre-defying artist Krista Detor, whose life reached a turning point at age 30, when her birth parents contacted and she discovered the rapture of freely choosing to pursue one's own dreams and live one's life to the fullest. Part of the genesis for the lyrics to the "Oranges Fall Like Rain" suite lies in when she languished in her cubicle-bound job as a real estate broker, looking down at an orange vendor and yearning to abandon her crushing daily grind to try something different. Chocolate Paper Suites brims with the determination to sink her teeth into the fruit of life's offerings, see the lands about her and craft something of wonder from the experience. The result is a captivating and inspirational treasury, highly recommended. The tracks are "Rich Man's Life" (4:04), "Lorca in Barcelona" (2:54), "Recklessness & Rust" (4:27), "Dazzling" (4:51), "All to do with the Moon" (3:25), "Teeter-Totter on a Star" (4:18), "Innuendo" (3:48), "Middle of a Breakdown" (3:35), "Deliver Me" (3:39), "A Hundred Years More" (2:55), "So Goes the Night" (5:07), "Small Things" (5:39), "From Miss Emma Brawley" (4:13), "Clock of the World" (5:35), and "Emma's Lullabye" (2:14).


The Library DVD Shelf

College, Inc.
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608832835, $24.95, www.shopPBS.org

College, Inc. is an episode of the documentary public television Frontline on DVD, examining the dark side of for-profit colleges and universities. Such colleges sell shares to Wall Street investors rather than seeking donations from wealthy alumni, and charge high fees to accept students that the (usually cheaper) nonprofit schools often won't take. But what do those who pay the high tuition costs of for-profit colleges, and take on heavy debt, have to show for their efforts? Can the degrees obtained be reliably used to get a job and earn a living? Frontline examines all sides of the issue, in this thought-provoking documentary about how a new trend in higher education is literally transforming college in America. 60 minutes, widescreen, closed-captioned. Also highly recommended is the Frontline documentary "The Wounded Platoon" (9781608832248, $24.99).

10 Minute Solution Rapid Results Fat Burner
Cat Chiarelli
Anchor Bay Entertainment
2401 West Big Beaver road, Suite 200, Troy, MI 48084-3304
$14.98, www.anchorbayentertainment.com

10 Minute Solution Rapid Results Fat Burner is a fitness DVD perfect for fitting invigorating workouts into a busy schedule. Offering five, ten-minute workouts that can be mixed and matched, or done all at once, 10 Minute Solution Rapid Results Fat Burner is fun, easy-to-use, and a choice pick for a solid cardio workout. Hosted by certified group fitness instructor Cat Chiarelli, the five exercise sessions are "Power Sports Drills", "Extreme Intervals", "Low Impact Fat Blaster", "Rapid Results Kickboxing", and "Cardio Max". An excellent addition to any personal fitness DVD library, highly recommended. 56 minutes, closed-captioned.

The Quantum Activist
Amit Goswami, Ph.D.
Intention Media
contactus@intentionmediainc.com
$24.95, www.quantumactivist.com

The Quantum Activist is a documentary on DVD revealing a tremendous shift in thought outside of the standard materialist perspective of mainstream science. More and more scientists are constructing and evaluating a paradigm grounded in the power and presence of consciousness. Amit Goswami, Ph.D. guides viewers through a tour of what the similarities in the world's major religions and mystical traditions imply for a greater understanding of reality. The Quantum Activist ultimately dares to connect spiritual and practical worldviews, in a breathtaking revelation that contemplates the delicacy of humankind's continued existence on the planet itself, and ways to counter the economic, social, and spiritual menaces that threaten all people. Highly recommended.

Weapons of War
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608832972, $49.99, www.shopPBS.org

Part of the PBS Explorer Collection, Weapons of War collects three documentaries about changes in warfare across human history. "Ground War" evaluates how innovations ranging from the stirrup to the gunner's quadrant have transformed battles on land; "Warplane" chronicles airborne military advances in the century since the Wright brothers opened up the skies; and "Warship" reveals naval military history up to modern-day nuclear aircraft carriers, submarines, and more. A detailed, riveting, and informative documentary, ideal for military history buffs and public library collections. 3 DVDs, 12 hours, widescreen, closed-captioned. Also highly recommended from PBS is the documentary "Unforgettable: The Korean War" (9781608832897, $24.99, 56 min., widescreen).

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers
Athena
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620, Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598284782, $49.99, www.acornmedia.com, www.athenalearning.com

Filmed at George Lucas' Skywalker Ranch and New York's American Museum of Natural History, Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth with Bill Moyers is an extended and enlightening dialogue between scholar and 40-year college teacher Joseph Campbell and distinguished journalist Bill Moyers. In their discussions, the two men portray the pivotal role myths have had upon human lives, history, survival, and society. From the beliefs of world religions to marriage customs to popular culture, The Power of Myth reveals the hidden search for meaning behind the traditions and beliefs that shape our lives. Bonus features of this six-episode series include a never-before-released conversation with Campbell from "Bill Moyers' Journal", parts of Moyer's interview with "Star Wars" creator George Lucas, a twelve-page viewer's guide, and more. ("The Power of Myth" is not rated, but it should be noted that the programs do contain some nudity and violent images.) A choice pick, especially for public library collections. 2 DVDs, 342 min. plus bonus footage, full screen, SDH subtitles. Also highly recommended from Athena/Acorn Media is the extraordinary and captivating two-disc documentary Lost Kingdoms of Africa (9781598284966, $49.99, widescreen, SDH subtitles).

The Age of Stupid
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1594589453, $320.00, www.bullfrogfilms.com

Featuring music from Radiohead and Depeche Mode, The Age of Stupid: Why Didn't We Save Ourselves When We Had the Chance? is a wry yet all-too-close to reality movie set in 2055, where climate change has brought about the end of the world as we know it. Pete Postlethwaite is a sole survivor looking back at old footage of seven people from contemporary times, and asking the question: why didn't they (and the rest of humanity) work to stop climate change and ecological devastation, back when they still could? An award-winning cautionary tale with an overwhelmingly critical message, The Age of Stupid deserves the highest recommendation. This two-disc DVD set offers both an uncensored and a "bleeped" version of the movie; extra features include extended interviews, deleted scenes, a 50-minute "making of" documentary, 8 short climate films, a crew commentary, and more. 89 minutes, 2 DVDs, subtitles in SDH English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Korean, Japanese, Chinese Mandarin, Dutch, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Breakfast Special
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608832941, $24.99, www.shopPBS.org

Originally broadcast on public television, Breakfast Special is a delightful documentary on DVD that blends elements of travelogue and food show to offer a portrait of what it's like to enjoy fine early morning cuisine in America. From savory bacon and eggs to buckwheat pancakes to corned beef hash, grits, gumbo, and more, Breakfast Special tours the corners of America to reveal unique touches on classic favorites. Additional features include a making-of video, formerly unseen footage, and promotional spots. A gourmet's viewing delight, highly recommended. 60 minutes, widescreen, English SDH subtitles.

Dance With Me Cardio Fit
Billy Blanks Jr.
Lionsgate
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$14.98, www.411videoinfo.com

Billy Blanks Jr. and his wife Sharon host Dance With me Cardio Fit, a user-friendly fitness DVD featuring three complete, high-energy dance routines incorporating the vigor and enthusiasm of Hip-Hop, Country, and Bollywood moves. 2-minute cardio bursts embedded within the dance routines help the viewer burn fat and build stamina. Bonus features include a breathing technique tutorial, a custom workout option, and a music-only option. An easy-to-follow workout that practitioners of all ages and fitness backgrounds can get into, Dance With Me Cardio Fit lives up to its title and is highly recommended to spice up any cardio exercise DVD collection. 46 minutes, closed captioned.

Harp Dreams
PBS Home Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
15260 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 1730, Sherman Oaks, CA 91403
9781608832712, $24.99, www.shopPBS.org

Harp Dreams: Inside the USA International Harp Competition is a DVD documentary originally aired on public television, observing 31 of the finest harpists in the world who gathered for the 15-day triennial USA International Harp Competition, one of the most prestigious music competitions worldwide. Careers, fame, and legendary accolade await the winners. Narrated by Blythe Danner, Harp Dreams reveals the pressure, the drive to succeed, and the human drive to be the best one can possibly be. Special features include behind-the-scenes footage of the construction of the prize harp, and a hands-on look at the process of choosing a harp or bringing a harp in for repair. An extraordinary look at the fire of competition burning beneath musical beauty, highly recommended. 90 minutes, widescreen, closed captioned.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Tale of Briar Bank
Susan Wittig Albert, author
Virginia Leishman, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781440773457, $92.75, www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Award-nominated author Susan Wittig Albert presents the fifth episode of the "Cottage Tales of Beatrix Potter" series, The Tale of Briar Bank, a family friendly adventure featuring Beatrix Potter and her woodland friends - now available in unabridged audiobook format! Narrated by Shakespearean performer Virginia Leishman, The Tale of Briar Bank begins with the mysterious death of an unfortunate man who had discovered an unknown treasure last spring. Ms. Potter and her animal friends spend Christmas season investigating the suspicious situation, in this charming and involving adventure that pays worthy homage to the well-known and widely beloved children's author. 8 CDs, 9.75 hours.

Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com

Galaxy Press is a publisher specializing in reprinting the literary works of L. Ron Hubbard, who before he founded the Scientology movement, was one of the more prolific and successful writers of the 'Golden Age' era of pulp magazines. Their reprints of Hubbard's thematically diverse short stories were so successful that Galaxy Press has branched out into unabridged audio book editions of these stories. Four of their new audio book titles, brilliantly showcasing Hubbard's storytelling talents, are "Cattle King For A Day" (9781592123650, $9.95) which was originally published in the March 1937 issue of "All Western Magazine", also includes the backup short 'Come And Get It' a; "All Frontiers Are Jealous" (9781592123384, $9.95), originally published in the June 1937 issue of "Five-Novels Monthly" and is an action/adventure yarn about establishing the Anglo-Egyptian Railroad while rescuing a fair young maiden from evil whites and dangerous native tribesmen; "The Trail Of The Red Diamonds" (9781592123261, $9.95) originally published in the January 1935 issue of "Thrilling Adventures" and which (along with the backup short story 'Hurricane's Roar" is set in China); and "Hurtling Wings" (9781592123032, $9.95) offering an aviation oriented action/adventure in an era of 'wooden planes and iron men'. Each of these of these outstanding audio books are two hour productions characterized by talented multi-cast performances, which are enhanced with impressive special effects and thematic music. Flawless technical recordings, each and every one of these very special audio books provides the listener with a true 'theatre of the mind' experience and is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library audio book collections. Librarians building audio book collections would be very well advised to visit the Galaxy Press website at, www.galaxypress.com for a complete listing of their available audio book titles.

Undead And Unfinished
MaryJanice Davidson
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
C5588, $72.75, www.recordedbooks.com

Vampires are in fashion. One of the major reasons is the vampire adventure series by MaryJanice Davidson that features a host of memorable characters and a decidedly comedic twist centered on Betsy, Queen of the Vampires whose interest in fashion surpasses any interest in ruling the dark world of her fanged followers. "Undead And Unfinished" is the ninth and apparently final title in one of the very best of the vampire genre. Vampire Queen Betsy and her Anti-Christ half-sister Laurie find themselves caught up in a time-traveling series of misadventures courtesy of Betsy's aunt (who happens to be Lucifer Morningstar, ruler of Hell looking for a replacement so she can finally retire). "Undead And Unfinished" ties up several story thread 'lose ends' and in the epilogue, comes to an unexpected finale. This Recorded Books 6-disk audio CD edition has a total running time of 7.75 hours, is deftly narrated by Nancy Wu, and is a highly recommended 'theatre of the mind' experience.

Triumph
Carolyn Jessop with Laura Palmer
Random House Audio
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307715779, $30.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

TRIUMPH: LIFE AFTER THE CULT - A SURVIVOR'S LESSONS receives a fine reading by Ann Marie Lee, whose TV credits and experienced voice lends drama to the story of Carolyn, a member of an extremist Mormon sect who gathered her eight children and escaped to freedom. Her story was told in 2007 in her memoir ESCAPE; TRIUMPH continues the saga, telling the truth behind a state raid on the Mormon sect. Any who enjoyed ESCAPE will find this survey involving.

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

Elin Hilderbrand's THE ISLAND (9781607882404, $34.98) enjoys a fine narration by author Elin Hilderbrand herself and offers a fine novel centering around one Birdie Cousins, who is deeply involved in her daughter's lavish wedding - until her daughter announces she's canceled her engagement. Birdie involves the entire family in recovering from a series of blows in this fine survey! Malcolm Gladwell's THE BOX SET (9781607882077, $79.98) includes a bonus feature, appears unabridged on 22 CDs, and is narrated by Gladwell himself, who does a fine job of narrating THE TIPPING POINT, BLINK, and OUTLIERS. The deluxe box set offers all three books in one easy package and is a 'must' for business and self-help collections already seeing popularity with any of the separate titles. Michael J. Losier's LAW OF ATTRACTION (9781600245824, $17.98) is narrated by the author unabridged on two CDs and provides a fine three-step program showing how to use his techniques for attracting an ideal mate and putting practices into life goals. Discover true callings and bring in more clients and referrals with a fine set of insights into attraction's laws. Katie Crouch's MEN AND DOGS (9781607881834, $29.98) receives a fine reading by Gabra Zackman, who has narrated numerous audiobooks and who lends a fine voice to this story of Hannah, whose father vanished while fishing. Two decades later Hannah is convinced her father is alive somewhere - and her obsession threatens her life and world in this moving story. Carlos Ruiz Zafon's THE PRINCE OF MIST (9781607883722, $24.98) receives a fine narration by Jonathan Davis, a critically-acclaimed reader, and includes original background music by the author as it tells of the Carver family, who discover a mysterious being called the Prince of Mist, who crosses boundaries between life and death. Three friends are caught up in an adventure that will change their lives in this engrossing tale.

Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com

These fine audio picks should be part of any audio lending library, as they pair powerful multivoice presentations with fine collections. P.N. Elrod edits MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL WEDDING (1441834664, $29.99) and MY BIG FAT SUPERNATURAL HONEYMOON (1441834710, $29.99). Both offer satisfying fantasy blends of werewolves, vampires, witches and romance. WEDDING offers satisfying stories of supernatural wedding dilemmas by Jim Butcher, P.N. Elrod, and others; HONEYMOON presents tales by Butcher, Kelley Armstrong, Ronda Thompson and more. Many stories represent inter-fantasy-species romances, such as a romance between a werewolf and a vampire. P.N. Elrod also edits STRANGE BREW (1441834613, $29.99), presenting tales by Butcher, Elrod, Charlaine Harris and others and packing in yet more urban fantasy featuring characters steeped in supernatural alliances. Stephen White's CRITICAL CONDITIONS (1423394615, $36.99) receives a fine reading by veteran Dick Hill as it tells of a teen recovering from a suicide attempt and a family heavily involved in murder. Travis Bradberry and Jean Greaves' EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE 2.0 (1441842233, $19.99) provides a fine audio step-by-step program for increasing emotional intelligence using a step-by-step program. Listeners can help identify their EQ skills, and can use these strengths to pursue life goals. Mary E. Pearson's A ROOM ON LORELEI STREET (1441805222, $24.99) receives a fine performance by Natalie Ross and tells of teen Zoe, trying to cope with an alcoholic mother and a controlling grandmother. She rents a room from an eccentric old lady - and finds new challenges in moving away from her dysfunctional family. Simon Tolkien's THE INHERITANCE (1423390288, $29.99) receives a fine recording by the author himself, grandson of J.R.R. Tolkien, as it provides a fine mystery following the court case of a young man set to hang for his father's murder. A search for the real killer leads to some terrible truths. Robert Sawyer's, www:WATCH (9781441843982, $29.99) provides a fine multivoice cast and brings alive the second volume in a fine trilogy. Owners of the first volume will relish the continuing story of Catlin, born blind and able to see the world thanks to an implant. She can also see webspace, the structure of the World Wide Web - and the consciousness she's inadvertently helped to bring alive in this haunting saga. FIRST THRILLS edited by Lee Child (1441864466, $39.99) provides a fine collection of intense stories profiling many of the Thriller Writers Inc. group's best writings. Works by Stephen Coonts, Jeffrey Deaver, Child, Michael Palmer and more provide many top listens, performed by various narrators. Tess Gerritsen's ICE COLD (1423392051, $36.99) provides a vivid suspense novel set in Wyoming and telling of Boston medical examiner Maura Isles, who finds herself stranded with a group of friends when her SUV stalls on a snowy mountain road. A search for refuge reveals danger and a vanished town this powerful novel of suspense. All are top picks for any audio collection!


The Photography Shelf

Family
Chris Verene
Twin Palms Publishers
PO Box 10229, Santa Fe, NM 87504
9781931885799 $65.00 www.twinpalms.com 1-800-797-0680

Family is a striking coffee-table book of photographs offering a glimpse into everyday life, true dilemmas, and personal stories of photographer Chris Verene's extended family and their neighbors living in Galesburg, Illinois during the past twenty-six years. Galesburg has struggled with tough economic times during the last quarter-century, and it shows. Her are candid, vivid images of ordinary people seeking to make ends meet, living in an abandoned restaurant, a trailer, or a vehicle if need be, and forming bonds of family even in the absence of a husband, or a wife, or despite other social upheaval. There are also photographs of joy, celebration, reminiscing with friends, and the simple pleasures of day-to-day ordinary life. The extremely brief yet illuminating captions (such as "Amber left town with the carnival. She took us on the Ferris wheel to say goodbye.") leave the pictures themselves to tell a thousand words. Unique and poignant, "Family" unquestionably lives up to its title and deserves the highest recommendation.

Black Rock
Peter Goin and Paul F. Starrs
Black Rock Institute Press
c/o Museum of New Mexico Press
PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087
9780984101405 $30.00 www.mnmpress.org 1-800-249-7737

114 color plates, 8 duotones, 21 maps, and 5 figures lavishly illustrate Black Rock, a written and visual tour to the captivating beauty of the Black Rock country of northern Nevada. Though much of this land is desert, it nonetheless brims with life. A few of the images are of the people who live and work there going about their daily routine, but many more are striking landscapes, or glimpses into a hidden yet thriving natural ecology. The text offers a detailed and absorbing history of the mysterious desert landscape. Black Rock is pure joy to browse, and especially recommended for public library collections.

Re:viewing Egypt: Image and Echo
Photography by Xavier Roy
Text by Gamal Al-Ghitani
The American University in Cairo Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9789774162954 $34.95 www.aucpress.com 1-800-758-3756

Re:viewing Egypt: Image and Echo offers more than one hundred black-and-white photographic images of the nation of Egypt and its people. From schoolchildren at their desks to a lone figure riding a horse past one of the legendary pyramids, Re:viewing Egypt: Image and Echo is captivating, haunting, and revealing. The brief text strives to help immerse the reader in the culture and daily life that Re:viewing Egypt faithfully portrays a glimpse into. An absolute treasury, highly recommended especially for photography shelves.

Photography
Chris Dickie
Barron's
250 Wireless Blvd., Happauage, NY 11788
9780764162954, $14.99, www.barronseduc.com

A picture is worth a thousand words, and a powerful picture is worth even more. "Photography: The 50 Most Influential Photographers of All Time" looks at the fifty people who have turned photography from a scientific interest or a hobby to a powerful tool of news and social concern. From art to famous portraits and more, these photographers from around the world are discussed well. "Photography" is a solid entry into Barron's Icons of Culture series, very highly recommended.

The Nile Cruise
Jenny Jobbins & Sherif Sonbol
The American University in Cairo Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9789774163029, $39.95, www.aucpress.com

Perhaps the most famous river in the world, The Nile has much to inspire. "The Nile Cruise: An Illustrated Journey" is a collection of full color photographs from Jenny Jobbins and Sherif Sonbol as they bring readers on an exciting journey through The Nile and Egypt, both rife with history that spans thousands of years. From the time of Cleopatra to the modern beauty, "The Nile Cruise" is a loaded volume, perfect for any photographic history collection or for coffee tables.

Coming Back
Mario Tama
Umbrage
111 Front Street #208, Brooklyn, NY 11201
9781884167027, $45.00, www.umbragebooks.com

The spirit of people isn't easily defeated. "Coming Back: New Orleans Resurgent" tells the tale of people returning to New Orleans after its massive destruction by the events of Hurricane Katrina, which left the city forever changed. But the people wouldn't abandon their home for good, and have returned to continue their lives in spite of the awful events. With plenty of photos, Mario Tama captures the indomitable human spirit.

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

Damon Tucci and Rosena Usmani's THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584289975, $34.95) should be on the shelves of any who would turn their passion for photography into a lucrative business. It covers all the basics, from legally establishing a company and planning for taxes to controlling expenses, setting prices, and handling customers. Photographers starting a business will welcome its tips! Also important is Allison Earnest's DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO LIGHT MODIFIERS: TECHNIQUES FOR SCULPTING WITH LIGHT (9781608952229, $34.95). It covers all the basics of light and how modifiers can help adjust light, showing how to use modifiers to blend light indoors and out and how to create dramatic results from unusual light modifiers.

Photographer's Survival Manual
Edward C. Greenberg, J.D. & Jack Reznicki
Lark Photography
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
9781600594205, $24.95, www.larkbooks.com/digital

PHOTOGRAPHER'S SURVIVAL MANUAL provides a fine survey of legal issues affecting photographers in the digital era, covering everything from basic rights, copyrights and forms to releases, filling out applications, and more. No photographer should be without this: packed with color sidebars of detail, it's an easy read for non-legal photographers who need quick, at-a-glance information.

Photoshop CS5 for Nature Photographers
Ellen Anon & Josh Anon
Sybex
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780470607343, $49.99, www.sybex.com

Photoshop CS5 for Nature Photographers: A Workshop in a Book packs a book with the authors' spectacular photos shot in exotic places around the world along with insights on their field-tested methods and Photoshop techniques. From workflows to new timesaving ways to optimize images and details on Photoshop Elements, this is a 'must' for any library strong in photography in general or nature photography in particular.

Wildlife Photography
Uwe Skrzypczak
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission St., Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2432
9781933952567, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY: ON SAFARI WITH YOUR DSLR: EQUIPMENT, TECHNIQUES, WORKFLOW is a fine survey from a photographer and environmentalist who aims to teach technical and workflow aspects of digital wildlife photography. Any who plan to go to Africa on safari will appreciate the Africa-specific survey based on the author's own experience in the field, and will appreciate literally hundreds of images to accompany facts perfect for beginning wildlife photographers and pros alike.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Other
Karen Kincy
Flux
c/o Llewellyn Worldwide Ltd.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738719191, $9.95, www.fluxnow.com

It's hard to trust what can change its being at will. "Other" is set in a world where society openly mingles with vampires and other creatures of lore, but the shapeshifting, protagonist Gwen Williams' own unique ability, is not regarded well. When murders begin to occur, people close to Gwen start to die and she finds it on her to find the truth. "Other" is original and riveting story telling.

Legacies
Mercedes Lackey & Rosemary Edghill
TOR Books
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780765317612, $9.99, www.tor.com

While this young adult title - first in a Shadowgrail series - is a teen pick, it's reviewed here for its engrossing and complex twists and turns of plot which will appeal into adult audiences, as well. Oakhurst Academy is a blend of school and orphanage in the middle of Montana - and someone is stalking its students. Spirit White learns she's a legacy to magic - and that students with magical powers are vanishing. A riveting, engrossing saga evolves filled with exquisite tension, strong characterization, and the complex twists that will satisfy adult and young adult readers alike.

Sword and Song
Roz Southey
Creme De La Crime
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9780956056627, $14.95

Layers upon layers of intrigue, with nothing to cut through it. "Sword and Song" delves into the into the world of musically inclined detective Charles Patterson, as he looks for those responsible for the death of a young girl. But the man paying for him seems to have him going around in circles, and there seems to be many of those out for his head. "Sword and Song" is a riveting tale of intrigue set in eighteenth England, and a very highly recommended read.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Good News in Bad Times
John P. Lozano
Kairos Missions Press
c/o ACTA Publications
4848 N. Clark Street, Chicago, IL 60647
9780984486809, $14.95, www.kairosmissions.com

When everything is falls apart, that is where faith is most challenged. "Good News in Bad Times: Discovering Spiritual Meaning in the Midst of Crisis and Uncertainty" discusses how to stay positive and keep the faith even in the worst of times. Stating that crisis is a test and opportunity rather a problem to be dreaded, John P. Lozano hopes readers will take the advice well and does much in inspiring readers. "Good News in Bad Times" is a fine pick and a solidly recommended read for Christians.

Transformational Church
Ed Stetzer & Thom S. Rainer
B&H Books
127 Ninth Avenue North, Nashville, TN 37234-0143
9781433669309, $22.99, www.bhpublishinggroup.com

A church is more than a place of faith; it's a community center. "Transformational Church: Creating a New Scorecard for Congregations" discusses a new way to measure the success of a congregation and how to encourage growth for the church and the community. Stating that a more powerful and successful church has positive impacts on the faith of the community, the condition of the community and more, "Transformational Church" is a must for anyone who doesn't understand the importance of Church growth or how to push their own church further.

The Franciscan Tradition
Regis J. Armstrong & Ingrid J. Peterson
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
9780814630303, $16.95

Good people alleviate suffering in the world. Good leaders make an impact that inspires people to do so for generations. "The Franciscan Tradition: Spirituality in History" looks at these great individuals in the order's history and how they all made their impact on making the world a much better place to live. Saint Francis of Assisi, the most famous of friars, as well as women who have made an impact, other brothers, and much more, "The Franciscan Tradition" is an intriguing look the history of this monastic order, highly recommended.

Pilgrimage of a Soul
Phileena Heurtz
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, Illinois 60515-14426
9780830836154, $15.00, www.intervarsitypress.com

Contemplation is the meditation of the soul. "Pilgrimage of a Soul: Contemplative Spirituality for the Active Life" urges contemplation as part of a healthy spirituality, connecting the conscious to the subconscious. With plenty of discussion on faith and thought, "Pilgrimage of a Soul" is an intriguing and intellectual read for any Christian studies collection.

God's Bounty?
Peter Clarke & Tony Claydon
Boydell Press
668 Mt Hope Ave, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9780954680961, $90.00, www.boydellandbrewer.com

There is little nature reverence in Christianity. "God's Bounty?: The Churches and the Natural World" discusses Christianity and its relationship with nature, discussing he role of nature in Christianity, as other thoughts and philosophies emerge, bringing more thought to the table. From the environmental topics of the middle ages, the emergence of naturalism in the ideas of the reformations, and more, this volume brings forth much thought and discussion from many thinkers. A sound, complete and comprehensive scholarly collection of thoughts, "God's Bounty?" is a core addition to any Christian studies collection.

Becoming a Young Woman Who Pleases God
Pat Ennis
New Hope Publishers
PO Box 12065, Birmingham, AL 35202-2065
9781596692404, $14.99, www.newhopepublishers.com

Puberty comes and the task of becoming a young woman can be quite the overbearing one. "Becoming a Young Woman Who Pleases God" is a guide for young Christians on becoming a good Christian while still living a positive and inspired life. With much thought on the modern youth and avoiding its temptations and pitfalls, "Becoming a Young Woman Who Pleases God" is a powerful read and a great gift to any young Christian girl coming of age.

Aidan's Song
Aidan Wilcoxson
Conciliar Press
1550 Birdie Way, Chesterton, IN 46304
9781936270033, $18.95, www.conciliarpress.com

What brings one to the calling of the priesthood. "Aidan's Song: A Year in the Life of a Parish Priest" is a Christian memoir from Aidan Wilcoxson, as he brings his own experiences as an Orthodox Christian, a branch of Christianity that allows its priests to marry. A charming read of the joys and challenges of the priest hood, Wilcoxson does well in giving readers a taste of the priestly life. "Aidan's Song" is a fine addition to any memoir or Christian driven library collection.

Church Programs & Celebrations for All Generations
Rachel Gilmore
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817016425, $18.00, www.judsonpress.com

The Church was once considered a community center, and that status could be recovered. "Church Programs & Celebrations for All Generations" is a guide for making the Church a cultural center for many events throughout the year in regards to certain holidays throughout the year and what the church can do to bring the community together. "Church Programs & Celebrations for All Generations" is a must for any Church leader who also wants to be a community leader.

The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy
Mark Hitchcock
Harvest House
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736926454, $13.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Everything in the Bible has not yet come to pass. "The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy: What You Need to Know in These Uncertain Times" discusses the Bible and what it says about today's environment of an uncertain future and how faith can carry one through it all and remain strong and what to expect from the Bible's prophecies. For those who believe in the Holy Book, "The Amazing Claims of Bible Prophecy" is a top pick.

On Guard
William Lane Craig
David C Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
9781434764881, $16.99, www.davidccook.com

Today is not a world where blind faith is accepted. You need faith with backup. "On Guard: Defending Your Faith with Reason and Precision" is a guide to using reason to defend one's beliefs in today's world to protect one's faith and keep up one spirit when discussing matters of faith and religion. For those who want to talk Christianity with grace and poise, "On Guard" is a highly useful read.

Songs Out of Silence
Jessica Powers
New City Press
202 Comforter Blvd., Hyde Park, NY 12538
9781565482500, $14.95, www.newcitypress.com

Wise words don't need much explanation. "Songs Out of Silence: 99 Sayings" is a collection of proverbs from Jessica Powers, a woman who served as a nun for decades and in that time formed her own connection with God and hoped to help others find that connection as well. In poetic form, "Songs Out of Silence" is simply spiritual and will do well in helping empower the faiths of her readers.

The Mystical Way in Everyday Life
Karl Rahner
Orbis Books
Price Bldg, Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570758676, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The connection with God is required for faith to survive. "The Mystical Way in Everyday Life" is an analysis of modern faith from Karl Rahner, encouraging mysticism for the modern Christians to help them regain that link with God that has been lost through many of people's faiths. With readings for many important Christian events, there is no shortage to help the Christian who wants to strengthen those bonds to God. "The Mystical Way in Everyday Life" is an insightful read for any person of faith.


The Parenting Shelf

Motherhood is Easy...
Rebekah Hunter Scott
Clear View Press
PO Box 353431, Palm Coast, FL 32135-3431
9780979962332, $16.95, www.motherhoodiseasy.com

When you're a mother, your priorities change greatly. "Motherhood is Easy...: As Long As You Have Nothing Else to Do for the Next 50 Years..." is a guide for mothers who are stressed out and overworked by their children and don't know what to do. From the uphill battle of clothing, the failure of ex-ed, why White Trash isn't a bad thing, "Motherhood is Easy" is filled with simple tips peppered throughout the nonstop humor.

Momology
Shelly Radic
Revell
c/o Baker House
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800734497, $13.99, www.revellbooks.com

Every mother wants to be the greatest mother. "Momology: A Mom's Guide to Shaping Great Kids" delves into the skill of mothering, something that to be great at is truly intangible. With a Christian outlook, Shelly Radic comes to mothers with plenty of tips and affirmation that effort is half the battle. "Momology" is a must for any mother feeling overwhelmed by the task that lies before them.

What Not to Say
Sarah MacLaughlin
Bay Island Books
P.O. Box 485, Corte Madera, CA 94976
www.bayislandbooks.com
9780965469425, $12.00, www.amazon.com

"What Not to Say: Tools for Talking with Young Children" is a practical guide for communicating with children. Parents will find the mindful interaction style of intergenerational communication a very helpful model. Dealing with children ages 1-6 can be very challenging and stressful, but there are also rewards for the patient, sensitive, experimental, and determined parent. "What Not to Say for Talking with Young Children" is also laced with humor, an invaluable asset. Topics covered include why wrong things are said, changing language to make it work, use of labels and nicknames, threats or bribes, handling emotions, the inner critic, conveying clear messages about our bodies, and avoiding the temptation to make contests control issues. All information is conveyed in a clear, non-judgmental style, and refreshing hints of lack of perfection abound. Parents and teachers and child caregivers will hail "What Not to Say for Talking with Young Children" as a great resource and fount of ideas for developing good communication skills with children.

Twins and Supertwins
Eve-Marie Arce
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540306, $29.95, www.redleafpress.org

Twins are truly something special, and require special care all their own. "Twins and Supertwins: A Handbook for Early Childhood Professionals" delves into the special needs of twins and supertwins, author Eve-Marie Arce's term for triplets or more. Twins require different care due to their nature of growing up together and the psychological issues that may arise, there is plenty of advice here for any parent or caretaker that applies to them. "Twins and Supertwins" is a read not to be missed for these individuals.


The Biography Shelf

Tales from the Road
Neil Zurcher
Gray & Company
1588 E. 40th St., Cleveland, OH 44103
9781598510645, $14.95, www.grayco.com

Although he never stopped serving Cleveland, Neil Zurcher certainly got around. "Tales from the Road: Memoirs froma Lifetime of Ohio Travel Television, and More" is a memoir of Channel 8 Veteran Neil Zurcher as he tells his stories of forty years working with his local news and the countless experiences he saw, meeting royalty and the people who run our government. With a distinct Cleveland flavor, "Tales from the Road" is a memoir for anyone who wants to peer into the soul of Ohio.

Wild Comfort
Kathleen Dean Moore
Trumpeter
c/o Shambhala Publications
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590307717, $15.95, www.shambhala.com

The serenity of nature has a healing power that can't be matched. "Wild Comfort: The Solace of Nature" is nature memoir from Kathleen Dean Moore, as she reflects on her time looking to nature for comfort after losing many people close to her. From walking among the salmon, desert cuisine, and more, she states that all aspects of nature have something to teach. "Wild Comfort" is a must for anyone who wants to see what nature has to offer as a healer.

North Star
Peter Camejo
Haymarket Books
Box 180165, Chicago IL 606018
9781931859929, $18.00, www.haymarketbooks.org

NORTH STAR: A MEMOIR provides Peter Camejo's autobiography and tells of a man who spoke out against the Vietnam War and for the rights of migrant workers. His long involvement with civil rights, antiwar and socialist movements made him a key speaker on many campaigns, and his description of his life devoted to fighting for justice makes this a top pick for any social issues or biography collection.

Walking Papers
Francesco Clark
Hyperion
114 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10011
9781401323431, $23.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

WALKING PAPERS: THE ACCIDENT THAT CHANGED MY LIFE, AND THE BUSINESS THAT GOT ME BACK ON MY FEET provides the true story of a 24-year-old paralyzed from the neck down by a diving accident. Defying predictions from doctors that he'd never move from his bed, Francesco began a miraculous comeback that involved cutting-edge therapies and much determination. His new career in botanicals evolved from his therapies and led to yet another unexpected - and positive - change in his life in this powerful, inspirational autobiography highly recommended for any general lending library.

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch
Alison Arngrim
It Books
c/o HarperCollins
10 East 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061962141, $25.99, www.youritlist.com

Confessions of a Prairie Bitch tells of Alison, who played a lying, manipulative brat on Little House on the Prairie - and was hated by viewers who disliked her evil character. Here Arngrim describes growing up in Hollywood with eccentric parents, her friendship and childhood pranks with fellow actress Melissa Gilbert, and more, recounting her struggle to overcome abuse and shyness to become a star. A pick for any film or memoir collection.

A Maze of Grace
Trish Ryan
Faith Words
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780446545815, $19.99, www.faithwords.com

The honeymoon is not for very long. "A Maze of Grace: A Memoir of Second Chances" discusses the challenges of a new marriage and how fast the honeymoon truly ends. With faith and spirituality, Trish Ryan comes to readers with much to ponder and think about their marriages and how to remember that God is there for you even when it seems like he isn't. "A Maze of Grace" is full of plenty of thoughtful wisdom for newlyweds, highly recommended.

On Gandhi's Path
Stephanie Mills
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, British Columbia, V0R 1X0, Canada
9780865716155, $16.95, www.newsociety.com

The fight for equality is a fight that is never over. "On Gandhi's Path: Bob's Wann's Work for Peace and Community Economics" looks at the work of Robert Wann, an economist who has been trying to realize the importance of heart and reality in his studies, something that always go well with bottom line thinking. Telling the tales of his battles and his successes, "On Gandhi's Path" is a brightening look at the good side of economics.

Atypical
Jesse A. Saperstein
Perigee
c/o Penguin
375 Hudson Street, NewYork, NY 10014
9780399535727, $14.00, www.penguin.com

A life in awkwardness is a life unique. "Atypical: Life With Asperger's in 20 1/3 Chapters" is a reflection from Jesse A. Saperstein on facing his aspergers and the challenges he has faced in life tied to his disorder. Awkwardness for a longer period, the strange fascinations, the challenges of a sex life, bonding with others, and more, "Atypical" is an intriguing look into the soul of aspergers afflicted individuals, very highly recommended.

Accidental Leadership
Paul Mooney
The Liffrey Press
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781905785674, $32.95, www.theliffeypress.com

No one sets out to be a great leader, it happens naturally. "Accidental Leadership: A Personal Journey" is a leadership memoir from Paul Mooney telling of his own unique path to becoming president of the National College of Ireland. From being a butcher to working for General Electric, international businesses and more, he gives a profound insight on the qualities that ring true in all of them. "Accidental Leadership" is an intriguing memoir with plenty of lessons to be learned.

Families, Lovers, and their Letters
Sonia Cancian
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, R3T 2N2
9780887557156, $34.95, www.umanitoba.ca

America wasn't the only destination for immigrants. "Families, Lovers, and their Letters: Italian Postwar Migration to Canada" looks at immigration to Canada, in particular Italians who came over seas following World War II. Telling these individuals stories through their letters, Sonia Cancian paints a portrait of life and the immigrant experience not always heard about. "Families, Lovers, and their Letters" is a thoughtful and insightful read on immigrants, very highly recommended.

Healing with Words
Diana M. Raab
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
9781615990108, $19.95, www.dianaraab.com

Expression is a powerful healing tool. "Healing with Words: A Writer's Cancer Journey" is the reflections of Diana M. Raab as she faced down two cancers and through her writing, found her power to keep her spirit up and keep up the fight. Through her own determination, she hopes to inspire others to rise up and embrace the same, and gives many important tips, such as the invaluable aspect of early detection. "Healing with Words" is a poignant and powerful piece, very highly recommended.

Letters from a Distant Shore
Marie Lawson Fiala
CavanKerry & press
6 Horizon Road No. 2901, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
9781933880198, $21.00, www.cavankerrypress.org

Hope is something no mother can ever be short of. "Letters from a Distant Shore" is a memoir from a desperate mother as she faces the terror of her own son afflicted with a brain hemorrhage and in a coma. Blended with her own memoir and letters to others and those who supported her, she tells a riveting story of a mother who never gave up and inspires others to do the same. Touching, "Letters from a Distant Shore" is not a read to be missed.


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Who Shall Live
Samuel Oliner & Kathleen Lee
Academy Chicago Publishers
363 West Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60654
9780897336017, $18.95, www.academychicago.com

Survival sometimes becoming what you hate. "Who Shall Live: The Wilhelm Bachner Story" tells the tale of William Bachner, a Jewish Engineer through his own cunning, saved dozens of Polish Jews from the camps by helping them pose as Aryan workers and fought back against Nazi occupation in their own way. Drawing on interviews with Bacner himself and the families of the men he saved, "Who Shall Live" is a fascinating tale of the ingenuity of man in the face of danger.


The Travel Shelf

Unexpected New York
Sandy Miller, author
Juliana Spear, photographer
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566568050 $25.00 www.interlinkbooks.com

Unexpected New York is a wonderful treat for armchair travelers - the full-color photographs on almost every other page and the descriptive text offer a telltale glimpse into the hidden and unanticipated sides of New York City - things that even longtime residents might not be completely aware of. From the sensational acrobatics taught at trapeze school (a sport in which women overwhelmingly dominate), to the Hua Mei Bird Garden where elderly men bring exotic and beautiful caged birds to sing during the morning, to the authentic Key Lime Pies widely considered to be the best in the world, Unexpected New York offers an astounding new look at America's multifaceted city. A fascinating treat to page through, Unexpected New York is a singularly delightful giftbook (or souvenir book)!

Best Places Portland
Elizabeth Lopeman, editor
Sasquatch Books
119 South Main Street, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98104
9781570616242, $19.95, www.sasquatchbooks.com

Many cities share the name Portland, but say it and the first thing that comes to mind is Oregon's favorite city. "Best Places Portland" is a guide to the sights and sounds of this major city in where to find high quality meals, places for the family, places for the couple, places for the single, and much more than that. "Best Places Portland" is an invaluable guide for anyone planning on traveling to this city and want to experience all it has to offer.

Without A Paddle
Warren Richey
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780312630768, $24.99, www.stmartins.com

WITHOUT A PADDLE: RACING TWELVE HUNDRED MILES AROUND FLORIDA BY SEA KAYAK is a pick for any travel, memoir or nautical library, offering a fine survey of the author's discovery of kayaking the Ultimate Florida Challenge. With only 30 days to complete 1,200 miles, Richey found himself recovering from loss and undertaking many challenges. A top pick!

Lonely Planet Romania, fifth edition
Leif Petterson & Mark Baker
Lonely Planet
150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607
9781741048926, $24.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

LONELY PLANET ROMANIA packs in over seventy maps and includes full coverage of Transylvania as it offers itineraries, insights into local culture, tourist suggestions, and more. This fifth edition includes color highlights, dedicated activities in a chapter packed with outdoors options, and a 'green' index to profile ecofriendly choices, making this a 'must' for any destination-oriented traveler and libraries catering to them.

60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland, fourth edition
Paul Gerald
Menasha Ridge Press
Box 43673, Birmingham, Al 35243
9780897328814, $17.95, www.menasharidge.com

The fourth updated edition of 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Portland is a 'must' for northwest collections and any library interested in outdoors opportunities around Portland. It offers hiker many day trip opportunities and all the details on how to get to and experience each trailhead, locating and covering the best hikes within a 60-mile radius of Portland. Highly recommended for any Oregon outdoors collection or travel collection catering to hikers!

Cannabis Trips
Bill Weinberg
Running Press
2300 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-4371
9780762438129, $16.96, www.runningpress.com

Cannabis has been embraced by humans for thousands of years, and a few reactionary laws won't stop that. "Cannabis Trips: A Global Guide that Leaves no Turn Unstoned" discusses Cannabis and marijuana all around the world and how different people fight for their own freedom of use, face even tougher penalties, and how progress has been made around the world. For anyone who wants to travel the world in favor of their personal pastime, "Cannabis Trips" is a fascinating read with plenty of food for thought and need for food afterward.

Green Earth Guide
Dorian Yates
North Atlantic Books
2526 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way, Berkeley, CA 94704
9781556438417, $15.95, www.northatlanticbooks.com

Spain hasn't fallen behind in joining the green movement and environmentally conscious travelers should find much to attract them. "Green Earth Guide: Traveling Naturally in Spain" is a guide to traveling to Spain an keeping one's trip as green friendly as possible. With plenty of destinations in the country and plenty to keep the trip green, "Green Earth Guide" is a must for any environmentally driven person who wants to enjoy the best of Spain without taxing the world.

Shanghai
Stephen Grace
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
9781591810834, $18.95, www.sentientpublications.com

Communism has become a guideline in China, not the rule. "Shanghai: Life, Love, and Infrastructure in China's City of the Future" looks at the development of the city of Shanghai, a bustling city that has become quite the economic center and symbol for change in China. An economic, cultural, and social analysis, Shanghai is an interesting case study for the world. "Shanghai" is a top pick for any international studies collection.


The Interior Design Shelf

Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Flooring, third edition
Creative Publishing International
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
33 Commercial Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
9781589235212 $24.99 www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com 1-800-328-0590

Now in a third edition thoroughly updated with new products and techniques (including tips, tricks, and techniques concerning renewable flooring materials such as bamboo, reclaimed floorboards, and natural stone), Black & Decker The Complete Guide to Flooring is an in-depth, no-nonsense, do-it-yourself guide to flooring. The extensive, step-by-step instructions illustrated with full-color photographs for each and every step simplify home improvement projects for readers of all skill and experience levels. Chapters cover everything from removing existing flooring to installing materials like tiles, seamed rubber roll, or carpet squares, to finishes and surface treatments, to repairing floors and more. An accompanying bonus DVD includes live-action demonstrations of common techniques, how to measure a room and craft a layout grid, and even the entire book in electronic format. A "must-have" for anyone considering undertaking a flooring project, highly recommended.

Interior Design Clients
Thomas L. Williams
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010
9781581156768, $24.95, www.allworth.com

You can be the greatest designer in the world but if you don't understand the business aspect, you aren't going to far. "Interior Design Clients: The Designer's Guide to Building and Keeping a Great Clientele" is a guide to the business end of interior design, giving would be designers the advice they need to get clients and keep them over the years. Good business is always the first step, and Thomas Williams delivers this advice well in "Interior Design Clients".


The Architectural Shelf

Log Home
Roland Sweet
PixyJack Press
PO Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
9780977372478, $22.95, www.pixyjackpress.com

A log cabin is an icon of the serene woodland life. "Log Home: Secrets of Success" is a guide to making one's log home dreams a functional reality. Planning one's log home, finding the right builders, the details to be understood, and more, Roland Sweet gives readers a fine read that will prove to be very useful and invaluable in those trying to get a picture-esque vacation home. "Log Home" is a fine addition to any home planning collection.


The Political Science Shelf

10 Books Every Conservative Must Read
Benjamin Wiker
Regnery
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781596986046, $27.95, www.regnery.com

What is a conservative? It's a message lost in much of today's politics. "10 Books Every Conservative Must Read: Plus our Not to Miss and One Impostor" is a take on literary politics by analyzing the ten books he views as cornerstones for conservative philosophy, as well as books that tell the conservative story. Along with an interesting analysis of treasured conservative book Atlas Shrugged and its place in modern conservative thought, "10 Books Every Conservative Must Read" is a collection to be considered for any conservative trying to find their way back to their own political philosophy.


The Self-Help Shelf

Always Change a Losing Game
David Posen, MD
Key Porter Books
Six Adelaide St East, 10th Floor, Toronto Ontario M5C 1H6 Canada
9781554702251, $18.95, www.keyporter.com

Always Change a Losing Game: Winning Strategies for Work, For Home, and For Your Health is now in its eleventh printing and has been published on four continents with great acclaim. It should be in any general lending library: it covers the basics of how to turn a losing situation into a winning one, showing how to make positive personal changes. A 'must' for self-help and general holdings, it's very specific in its examples and approaches.

A Secret Sadness
Valerie E. Whiffen, Ph.D.
New Harbinger
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572246928, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

A SECRET SADNESS: THE HIDDEN RELATIONSHIP PATTERNS THAT MAKE WOMEN DEPRESSED is a pick for self-help and women's issues collections alike. It reveals hidden relationship influences that make women depressed - and provides strategies to finding happiness. Three case studies from her own practice provide psychologist Valerie Whiffen's perspective on how interpersonal problems can depress women's lives.

Is It Just Me?
Shane Watson
Plume
c/o Penguin Group, USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780452296374, $15.00, www.penguin.com

Journalist author Shane Watson met and married her love in her mid-forties - and assures women that it's never too late to find love. Her insights on everything from women's friendships and mothers to fashion and beauty tips for the over-forty woman make for a wine guide to middle age issues and management, perfect for any general lending library.

Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life
Ian K. Smith, MD
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780312606350, $23.99, www.stmartins.com

Happy: Simple Steps to Get the Most Out of Life defines happiness and discusses what makes people happy, showing the difference between getting something desired and being truly happy. Specific directions, exercises and plans lend to a survey of how to make life a happier one.

Most Good, Least Harm
Beyond Words
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
1582702063, $15.00, www.simonsays.com

MOST GOOD, LEAST HARM: A SIMPLE PRINCIPLE FOR A BETTER WORLD AND MEANINGFUL LIFE provides a fine survey of spirit and how to change a world steeped in materialism and injustice, by taking a personal approach to change and positive directions. It doesn't advocate retreat, but rather practical tools to face global issues and challenges. Highly recommended!

Authoring Your Life
Marcia B. Baxter Magolda
Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Dr, Sterling, VA 20166-2102
9781579222710, $29.95, www.styluspub.com

Authoring Your Life: Developing an Internal Voice to Navigate Life's Challenges provides a fine guide to addressing life's challenges and demands, but goes beyond most self-help guides to offer the stories of over thirty adults who she has followed and interviewed for over twenty years. Their life stories are meant to reflect parallels in reader experiences, offering keys to individual values, identity, and how self-reliance may be developed. Accompanying these stories are exercises and questions designed to further break down barriers to communication. Any lending library needs this!

The Joy of Geocaching
Paul & Dana Gillin
Quill Driver Books
2006 S. Mary St., Fresno, CA 93721
9781884956997, $16.95

The search for something is an entertainment that has been lost. "The Joy of Geocaching: How to Find Health, Happiness, and Creative Energy Through a Worldwide Treasure Hunt" is a guide to Geocaching, a game that encourages GPS use as players use the game to see new sights and sounds in the countryside and even around their own towns. A fine guide to a game that has helped many people with their relationships and life, "The Joy of Geocaching" is a top pick for anyone looking for an introduction to the game.

Fearless
Brenda Shoshanna
Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
9781402770678, $22.95, www.sterlingpublishing.com

Peace of Mind has no price tag. "Fearless: The 7 Principles of Peace of Mind" is a self-help guide to help attain this long lusted after quality and how to attain it for a happier and more fulfilling life. From building courage, knowing when to let go, a safe place, love, and realizing who you are, "Fearless" is a vital and very inspiring and useful read for those on that journey to peace of mind.

Powerful Mind
Cathal O'Brian
O Books
c/o National Book Network
PO Box 62188, Baltimore, MD 21264-2188
9781846942983, $24.95, www.o-books.com

If you're in control of your own mind, you're off to a good start no matter what you're doing. "Powerful Mind: Through Self-Hypnosis" is a discussion of self-hypnosis and how one can use the process to gain a more dominating control over one's own thoughts and help themselves be more focused and eliminate annoying habits in the process. For anyone trying to change their lives starting with themselves, "Powerful Mind" just may be the key to success.

Teen Esteem
Pat Palmer & Melissa Alberti Froehner
Impact Publishers
PO Box 6016, Atascadero, CA 93423-6016
9781886230873, $11.95, www.impactpublishers.com

How can anyone else believe in you when you don't believe in yourself? "Teen Esteem: A Self-Directional Manual for Young Adults" is a guide for teens who want to stay control of their lives during a time of sweeping changes. In a few years, one finds themselves burdened with new responsibilities, fear for the future, sexuality, and the evils of the world. Pat Palmer and Melissa Alberti Froehner give readers assistance in dealing with all of this, and make "Teen Esteem" a powerful tool in this battle.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Prescription or Poison?
Amitava Dasgupta, Ph.D.
Hunter House Publishers
PO Box 2914, Alameda, CA 94501-2914
9780897935500 $18.95 www.hunterhouse.com

Amitava Dasgputa (Professor of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Texas-Houston Medical School) presents Prescription or Poison? The Benefits and Dangers of Herbal Remedies, a cautionary resource that provides a balanced, evenhanded, and practical overview of available alternative remedies. Though Prescription or Poison? adheres strongly to a scientific viewpoint, the emphasis is above all on the safety of remedies - alternative remedies such as supplements, homeopathy, and ayurvedic medicines are not derided or denounced, but rather carefully evaluated with solid recommendations on their proper use. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, "Prescription or Poison?" is an absolute must-have for anyone considering the use of alternative remedies for themselves or loved ones. "[Essential oils] should be kept out of reach of children - in the Western world, essential oils are the fourth-most common agent in childhood poisoning... Five mL of oil of wintergreen is equivalent to 21.7 adult aspirin tablets (325 mg), and its ingestion can cause serious toxicity even in adults."

Type 1 Teens
Korey K. Hood
Magination Press
c/o American Psychological Association
PO Box 92984, Washington, DC 20090-2984
9781433807886, $14.95, www.apa.org

Being different seems like an easy ticket to being an outcast. "Type 1 Teens: A Guide to Managing Your Life with Diabetes" is aimed at teens facing diabetes who want to live their life as any other teen would. Faced with the challenges of teenage life, it can be hard to manage one's disorder well, but Korey K. Hood gives readers a wise collection of advice and wisdom. "Type 1 Teens" is a fine gift for any teen in such a predicament or for any teenage health collection.

Balanced Days Balanced Lives
Prepak Products, Inc.
4055 Oceanside Blvd. Ste. L, Oceanside, CA 92056-5821
9781936292004 $24.00 www.prepakproducts.com 1-800-544-7257

Balanced Days Balanced Lives: Eight Guiding Truths for Lifelong Weight Control and Nutritional Balance collects the true-life testimony of forty-two people who have learned how to control their weight and improve their overall health. Their stories lend hard evidence to the eight guiding principles of weight control and nutritional balance - these eight tenets include "A slow approach to weight loss and change is better than excessive calorie deprivation", "Physical activity is important for both health and effective weight control", "Perfection is a rocky road that leads to failure", and "We cannot manage what we cannot measure". Color photographs and a scattering of recommended and healthful recipes round out this inspirational collection strongly recommended for anyone serious about improving their diet, their health and their life.

Healing Yoga for Neck & Shoulder Pain
Carol Krucoff, E-RYT
New Harbinger
5674 Shattuck Ave, Oakland CA 94609
9781572247123, $17.95, www.newharbinger.com

Healing Yoga for Neck & Shoulder Pain: Easy, Effective Practices for Releasing Tension & Relieving Pain provides readers with simple, yoga-based practices that can be done at home and work to relieve muscle tension. It's a unique self-care program developed by the author herself, so is not to be found in competing collections. Health and general collections where yoga and workplace health are of interest will relish this title.

Harrison's Neurology in Clinical Medicine, second edition
Stephen L. Hauser, Editor
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
0071741038, $79.95, www.mcgraw-hillmedical.com

The second updated edition of Harrison's Neurology in Clinical Medicine is a winning title for any college-level health reference collection, gathering the latest coverage of neurology topics, from clinical manifestations of neurologic disease and nervous system diseases to details on drug dependency and psychological disorders. Over eighty questions and answers and over fifty chapters written by physicians make for a powerful set of references and articles, all updated since the publication of Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine.

Lexi-Comp's Drug Information Handbook with International Trade Names Index, 19th edition
Charles F. Lacy, et.al., Senior Editors
Lexi-Comp
1100 Terex Road, Hudson, OH 44236
9781591952794, $69.95, www.lexi.com

Lexi-Comp's Drug Information Handbook with International Trade Names Index appears in its 19th updated edition for 2010-11 and is a clear 'must have' reference for any serious college-level health collection. It offers nearly fifty new drug monographs, a new introductory section on preventing prescribing errors, new appendix topics, and more, providing updates and including over 100 route-specific monographs. Endorsed by the American Pharmacists Association, this is a clinician's desk reference key to any practice.

The Secret Language of Your Body
Inna Segal
Atria Paperback
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
Boothe Media Group (publicity)
1386 nightshade Road, Carlsbad, CA 92011
9781582702605, $18.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Your body tells you a lot of things, but it can sometimes be hard to understand. "The Secret Language of Your Body: The Essential Guide to Health and Wellness" is a guide to understanding what your body is telling you, and how to interpret it and use it to attain better health. Inna Segal explains these signs and gives practical advice and exercise tips for improving one's general health. Insightful and highly useful, "The Secret Language of Your Body" is a pick that shouldn't be missed for those looking for general health advice.

The Holistic Baby Guide
Randall Neustaedter
New Harbinger Publications
5647 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572246935, $18.95, www.newharbinger.com

A healthy child is the goal of every parent. "The Holistic Baby Guide: Alternative Care for Common Health Problems" is a guide to what alternative medicines can offer to an infant in dealing with the many problems infants face, ranging from the mostly harmless of diaper rash to generally improving a young child's immune system. With plenty of information and ideas, "The Holistic Baby Guide" is not one to be overlooked for the positive and driven parent.

Doctor on Board
J. Hauert
Sheridan House
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092981, $19.95, www.sheridanhouse.com

First aid is essential especially when the nearest has several miles of water between it and the patient. "Doctor on Board: Your Practical Guide to Medical Emergencies at Sea" is a guide for those who want to be prepared for when accidents happen out on the sea, where more intensive care may take hours to reach. From everything from food poising and sprains to life and death situations, "Doctor on Board" is a must for anyone preparing for a trip out to sea.

Stick-to-it-iveness
Addie Johnson
Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244749, $14.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

Just staying with something until it's done is a radical thought in itself sometimes. "Stick-to-it-iveness" is an inspirational read designed to help readers who tend to give up on something easily get back to it and finish what they've done, in a world where discouragement comes so easily. With simple wisdom in easily digestible form on every page, "Stick-to-it-iveness" is a motivating read with the powerful message of persistence.


The Women's Studies Shelf

The Words of Extraordinary Women
Carolyn Warner
Newmarket Press
18 E. 48th Street, new York, NY 10017
9781557048578, $12.95, www.newmarketpress.com

The Woman's intuition isn't something to be overlooked. "The Words of Extraordinary Women" is a collection of profound words from many different women of status throughout history and the world. From literary legends like Emily Dickinson to big players in the world of law like Sandra Day O'Connor, "The Words of Extraordinary Women" is a fine read and one not to be missed.

The Female Vision
Sally Helgesen & Julie Johnson
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576753828, $17.95, www.bk-life.com

A feminine perspective is more than just a saying. "The Female Vision: Women's Real Power at Work" discusses the power of women in the work place, stating the real advantages women can have as thinkers and their perspectives on life that can help them better understand the world around them. With much discussion as well as tips for women to use this natural intuition in the workplace, "The Female Vision" is a must for any woman whose career depends on their thoughts.


The American History Shelf

The Rise of the Biggest Little City
Dwayne Kling
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166, Reno, NV, 89557-0166
9780874178296 $29.95 www.unpress.nevada.edu

The Rise of the Biggest Little City: An Encyclopedic History of Reno Gaming, 1931-1981 is, as its title suggests, an encyclopedia-style history of gambling and gaming institutions of Reno, Nevada. Individual alphabetized entries range from "Ableman, Nick" (one of the pioneers of Nevada gaming) to "Zimba's Casino" (one of Reno's many gambling institutions - this particular one was legally nailed for failure to report income or fully pay its taxes, was eventually put into receivership, and closed). A wealth of history and legacy spelled out through details, The Rise of the Biggest Little City is further enhanced with maps, and a glossary, and an index, and is an excellent choice for anyone seeking an accessible historical reference on the subject.

The World Famous Miles City
Sneed B. Collard III
Bucking House Books
c/o Mountain Press Publishing Company
1301 South Third Street West, PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780984446001, $18.00, www.amazon.com

The thrill of the rodeo is more than the juking and jiving of a horse. "The World Famous Miles City: Bucking Horse Sale" delves into the history of this unique event in Montana, embellishing its tale with full color photographs, anecdotes, and the ongoing history of the event. "The World Famous Miles City" is a must for anyone who wants insight to this special event that is truly unlike any other in the world, and a fine coffee table collection for Western History buffs.

Neither Carpetbaggers Nor Scalawags, fifth edition
Richard Bailey
NewSouth, Inc.
PO Box 1588, Montgomery, AL 36102
9781588381897 $29.95 www.newsouthbooks.com

Now in a revised fifth edition, Neither Carpetbaggers Nor Scalawags: Black Officeholders During the Reconstruction of Alabama, 1867-1878 delves into the rise of African-Americans in Albama politics, following the end of the civil war when free blacks and former slaves had unprecedented opportunity to pursue education, careers, family life, or political opportunity. The notorious corruption of the Reconstruction era has often dominated the stories of the African-Americans who stepped forward and served, playing a role in the formation of Alabama's first Republican party, but the whole of their contribution is far more than the most negative side. Alabama historian Dr. Richard Bailey covers the social origins of black officeholders, violence, fraud, intraparty strife, and elements of redemption in this highly detailed study. A handful black-and-white photographs illustrate this examination of the public words, private deeds, and historical contribution of Alabama's most notable African-American political figures shortly after the Civil War. A superb addition to college library American History shelves.

The New American Revolution Handbook
Theodore P. Savas and J. David Dameron
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781932714937 $14.95 www.savasbeatie.com

The New American Revolution Handbook: Facts and Artwork for Readers of all Ages, 1775-1783 is a straightforward history of the American Revolutionary War. Written to be thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, The New American Revolution Handbook is divided into brief sections that focus especially on the contributions of individual groups or concepts, such as "Native Americans in the American Revolution", "Women of the American Revolution", or "Technology in the American Revolution". A handful of black-and-white maps and diagrams offer a visual dimension to the summaries of how key battles unfolded. The New American Revolution Handbook is an excellent addition to American History shelves, especially recommended for public and college library collections.

Savage Frontier Volume IV 1842-1845
Stephen L. Moore
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574412932 $34.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Savage Frontier Volume IV 1842-1845: Rangers, Riflemen, and Indian Wars in Texas is the fourth and final volume in Stephen L. Moore's captivating history of the Texas Rangers and the frontier warfare of the era when Texas was its own Republic. During this time, legendary Captain John Coffee Hays and his band of Rangers were the only government-authorized frontier fighters charged to protect citizenry. During 1842, they forcibly rebuffed two Mexican intrusions - the Vasquez and Woll invasions. Savage Frontier Volume IV examines the Rangers' battle at Salado Creek, how Dawson's company was defeated, a skirmish that took place at Hondo Creek near San Antonio, and more. Meticulously researched, and presented with a flair for captivating drama as well as an eye for historical accuracy, Savage Frontier Volume IV brings to vivid life the challenges faced and sacrifices made by men determined to protect their home territory and their loved ones. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this invaluable, "must-have" contribution to Texas History shelves, along with Savage Frontier Volumes I, II, and III.

The Quest for Citizenship
Kim Cary Warren
University of North Carolina Press
116 South Boundary Street, Chapel Hill, NC 27514-3808
9780807871379 $24.95 www.uncpress.unc.edu 1-800-848-6224

University of Kansas assistant professor of history Kim Cary Warren presents The Quest for Citizenship: African American and Native American Education in Kansas, 1880-1935, a close study of the educational experience for African Americans and Native Americans in Kansas during the close of the nineteenth and the first third of the twentieth centuries. Kansas has been chosen as a particular focus point partly because it was home to a significant population of Native Americans and former slaves, and partly because it was mired in the middle of the conflict over slavery prior to and during the Civil War. After the Civil War, white reformers created segregated schools that ultimately supported the status quo. The Quest for Citizenship reveals strategies developed by African Americans that encouraged inclusion and integration, while Native Americans adopted tactics that promoted autonomy and bicultural identity. Warren presents a convincing thesis that these efforts formed the parent ideology the civil rights and Indian rights movements. Also available in a hardcover edition (9780807833964, $59.95), The Quest for Citizenship is a thoughtful examination of the educational, philosophical, and developmental history of nonwhite peoples in the United States, highly recommended as a worthy addition to college and public library American History shelves.

Beyond the American Pale: The Irish in the West 1845-1910
David M. Emmons
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806141282 $34.95 www.oupress.com 1-800-627-7377

Beyond the American Pale: The Irish in the West 1845-1910 is a thoughtful, in-depth historical discussion of the role that (overwhelmingly Catholic) Irish Americans played on the Western frontier. Even though Irish-American immigration during the era is best known for being concentrated in the East and Midwest, Catholic Irish-Americans played a critical role out west, particularly when it came to doing the jobs that Protestant settlers often found difficult or dangerous - Irish-Americans contributed to building railroads, digging hard rocks, manning the army posts, and other taxing toil. From surveying patterns of Irish migration to scrutinizing the lasting effects of Protestant cultural suspicion and prejudice against their Catholic neighbors, Beyond the American Pale paints a vivid chronicle and portrait. An excellent addition to American history shelves, Beyond the American Pale is particularly commended to college and public library collections.

Lincoln and Emancipation in the District of Columbia
J. C. Ladenheim
Heritage Books
229 Danagher Court, Holly Springs, NC 27540
9780788450129, $15.50, www.heritagebooks.com

In the war of the states, the status of the not-quite-state was an intriguing one. "Lincoln and Emancipation in the District of Columbia" analyzes the District of Columbia and the avenue of slave holding, with DC in its unique position between later Confederate leaning Virginia and Union retaining Maryland. The Emancipation of DC is thought to be a prototype of the famed Emancipation Proclamation, making "Lincoln and Emancipation in the District of Columbia" a fascinating and important historical read.


The Education Shelf

Learning from Lincoln
Harvey Alvy & Pam Robbins
ASCD
1703 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416610236, $25.95, www.ascd.org

There is little dispute to Abraham Lincoln's importance as president, but what can he teach educational leaders? "Learning from Lincoln: Leadership Practices for School Success" is a discussion of academic leadership as Harvey Alvy & Pam Robbins use the model of our sixteenth president and what his career as president can show as examples of good leadership. From clarity of ideas, staying steadfast and focused, and many more principles, "Learning from Lincoln" is a fine read and a solidly recommended one for educational studies collections.

Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap
Richard DuFour, Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, & Gayle Karhanek
Solution Tree
555 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404
9781935249849, $24.95, www.solution-tree.com

An education is a horrible thing to go through life lacking. "Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap: Whatever It Takes" is a follow-up to the previous volume 'Whatever It Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don't Learn' and brings even more thoughts and research to the debate of how to improve the learning processes in today's schools and how to create a more through and effective learning environment. From finding the children in need the most, establishing a bond with them to help them learn and pushing them further, "Raising the Bar and Closing the Gap" is a choice addition to any collection focusing on education.

The Best 373 Colleges
Robert Franek
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780375429873, $22.99, www.princetonreviewbooks.com

An education isn't something one wants to skimp on. "The Best 373 Colleges" is a guide from the Princeton review on nearly four hundred colleges, outlining what they offer, the experiences of those who work their and attend classes. Everything from food quality, dorm life, quality of professors, and how to get in is discussed, with plenty of quotes from the mouth of attendees. "The Best 373 Colleges" is an excellent resource that shouldn't be missed for anyone shopping around for a college.

Challenging Kids, Challenged Teachers
Leslie E. Packer & Sheryl K. Pruitt
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817
9781890627829, $29.95, www.woodbinehouse.com

A student with a learning disability isn't unteachable, but it can prove difficult. "Challenging Kids, Challenged Teachers: teaching Students with Tourette's, Bipolar Disorder, Executive Dysfunction, OCD, ADHD, and More" is a reference for teachers who are faced with these special students and how to deal with their needs in an educational environment so that they still receive their education to the fullest, without hindering the education of others. Complete with CD-ROM full of resources, "Challenging Kids, Challenged Teachers" is a choice pick for any educational reference collection.

Retool Your School
James Lerman & Ronique Hicks
ISTE
180 West 8th Ave., Suite 300, Eugene, OR 97401
9781564842671, $37.95, www.iste.org

Technology can be a wonderful thing for education if it's used right. "Retool Your School: The Educator's Essential Guide to Google's Free Power Apps" is a guide to embracing the many Google applications to enhance educational experiences. Google Earth as an exploration tool, networking, Google documents, and more, Google has a lot to add to the classroom and "Retool Your School" fully explains these ideas quite well, very highly recommended.

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

Jessica K. Parker's TEACHING TECH-SAVVY KIDS: BRINGING DIGITAL MEDIA INTO THE CLASSROOM, GRADES 5-12 (9781412971508, $33.95) provides powerful tools for engaging students in critical thinking, and is written for middle- to high-school teachers. From using social networking platforms, Wikipedia, and digital music to showing how young people use digital media, this is packed with fine insights, examples, and field-tested strategies, and deserves a place in any teaching collection! Richard A. Villa, et.al.'s COLLABORATING WITH STUDENTS IN INSTRUCTION AND DECISION MAKING: THE UNTAPPED RESOURCE (9781412972178, $35.95) provides an invaluable guide that tells how to use a diverse student population in mixed-ability classrooms to great advantage. Strategies for empowering students are directed to K-12 general and special education teachers and include clear tips on how to make students responsible for decisions in the classroom. Cheryl D. Roddick and Julie Sliva Spitzer's SUCCEEDING AT TEACHING SECONDARY MATHEMATICS YOUR FIRST YEAR (9781412927635, $25.95) comes from authors who focus on NCTM content and offers guidelines for instructing and assessing English language learners and others in math. From focusing on big ideas in math to designing a curriculum that is meaningful and engaging students on various levels, this comes packed with keys to successful secondary math instruction. Roberta L. Sejnost and Sharon M. Thiese's BUILDING CONTENT LITERACY: STRATEGIES FOR THE ADOLESCENT LEARNER (9781412957151, $30.95) tells how to increase adolescent learners' success across the board in learning, offering step-by-step instructions, examples, and student reproducibles to provide a fine approach secondary school teachers can all use. From techniques to help students better comprehend narrative texts to new approaches to helping students integrate reading and writing skills with new knowledge, this is a fine pick for any teacher's reference collection! Also tops is Sheila Alber-Morgan's USING RTI TO TEACH LITERACY TO DIVERSE LEARNERS, K-8: STRATEGIES FOR THE INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM (9781412969529, $28.95), a survey of practical intervention strategies for diverse learners and teachers who use RTI to reach them. Specific strategies for interventions for Tiers 1,2 and 3 provide evidence-based practices, real-world examples, and methods for teaching spelling, keyboarding, writing and more. Janet Alleman, et.al.'s HOMEWORK DONE RIGHT: POWERFUL LEARNING IN REAL-LIFE SITUATIONS (9781412976534, $35.95) provides a key for teachers drawing connections between homework assignments and student lives. Vignettes describe how teachers have changed homework practices and offer tips on helping students use homework assignments to improve social and collaboration skills. Reproducibles offer plenty of specific assignments. Katy Farber's WHY GREAT TEACHERS QUIT AND HOW WE MIGHT STOP THE EXODUS (9781412972451, $28.95) tells why today's best teachers are leaving, and come from 'the horse's mouth' as teachers talk about their challenges, strategies to make sure teaching remains a joy, and how to cope. Real-world suggestions contribute to a top guide any practicing teacher needs to prevent burnout. Randi Stone's MORE BEST PRACTICES FOR HIGH SCHOOL CLASSROOMS: WHAT AWARD-WINNING SECONDARY TEACHERS DO (9781412963442, $30.95) provides field-tested practices for everything from co-teaching and using new technology to teaching science, music and math. The best teachers in the nation contribute to tips on how to reach high school students in this winning survey. Gene Siciliano's FINANCIAL MASTERY FOR THE CAREER TEACHER (9781412975001, $19.95) provides a powerful survey written by a certified financial advisor and speaker. It covers financial concerns of educators, from how to provide for a family on a teacher's salary to investing and tax planning - each discussion specific to teacher history and concerns. No education collection should be without this! Lane Narvaez and Kay Brimijoin's DIFFERENTIATION AT WORK, K-5: PRINCIPLES, LESSONS, AND STRATEGIES (9781412971317, $35.95) offers keys to understanding how to apply differentiated instruction methods to reach a wide range of classroom talents, from struggling students to the gifted. Real classrooms and nine sample lesson plans offer experienced, applied success formulas. BEYOND DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION by Jodi O'Meara (9781412982030, $38.95) provides a 10-step approach to such instruction, offering further and different strategies and management techniques using a step-by-step framework paired with case studies and recommendations. Claude Goldenberg and Rhoda Coleman's PROMOTING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT AMONG ENGLISH LEARNERS: A GUIDE TO THE RESEARCH (9781412955492, $31.95) provides a fine survey exploring academic success among language-minority students. From bilingual education and academic content to facts in bilingual student success, this is an outstanding pick!

Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th Floor, New York NY 10006
www.kaplanpublishing.com

GMAT PREMIER 2011 (9781419549892, $39.99) provides a fine test preparation guide packed with invaluable details, from a practice test and its detailed answer explanations to strategies for raising scores, an extensive online companion, and a CD holding 18 practice tests and four computer-adaptive tests. Expert instructors share their insider tips for top results! The GRE PREMIER 2011 (9781419549915, $34.99) offers a similar format, pairing a book packed with practice questions and strategies with tips for success and an online companion paired with a CD. The MCAT PHYSICS REVIEW (9781607146421, $45.00) packs in practice and advice in a full-color guide packing in three exam-length practice sessions devoted just to MCAT-style physics questions. With dozens of practices and discussions of key physics ideas, this is a 'must' for any MCAT test-taker needing physics-specific help. Kaplan's MCAT GENERAL CHEMISTRY REVIEW (9781607146391, $45.00) achieves the same for students of chemistry taking the exam, offering specific guidelines in three exam-length practice sessions that include only MCAT-style General Chemistry questions. The narrowed focus offers opportunity for a very specific test-taking approach to the MCAT's subjects. 12 PRACTICE TESTS FOR THE SAT (9781607146643, $24.95) appears in its sixth updated edition to pack over 1,000 pages with clear test-taking guidelines. Practice for every type of question on the SAT includes detailed answers and a breakdown of the tests, going far beyond rote memorization! MCAT Biology Review (9781607146438, $45.00) achieves the same for the biology section, offering dozens of practice questions, explanations, test examples, and color illustrations with charts, graphs and diagrams covering the most-tested material from partner Scientific American. MCAT ORGANIC CHEMISTRY REVIEW: COMPREHENSIVE REVIEW, PRACTICE, AND STRATEGIES (9781607146414, $45.00) provides a full-color guide packed with tips from Kaplan's instructors. From 3 exam-length practice sections that include just MCAT-style Organic Chemistry questions to dozens of practice sessions, this packs in charts, graphs and images. These are highly recommended picks for any student taking the advanced placement exams.

Cracking the AP U.S. History Exam, 2010 Edition
Tom Meltzer & Jean Hofheimer Bennett
Princeton Review
2315 Broadway, New York NY 10024
9780375429521, $18.99, www.princetonreview.com

The 2010 edition of Cracking the AP U.S. History Exam offers practical information on the exam's different essay questions, documents, and strategies to crack its multiple-choice section. With its extensive keys to planning and organizing a winning test strategy, this promises to be a winning pick for any student tackling the AP U.S. History Exam.

Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
www.barronseduc.com

The 29th updated edition of PROFILES OF AMERICAN COLLEGES (0764197681, $28.99) provides the latest details on enrollments, tuition and fees, covering campus environment, academics, athletic programs and more. It packs in details organized by state and alphabetized by college name, and includes everything from programs of study and requirements to transfers, visiting options, financial aid and more. Any high school reference library should have this! Any studying for civil service clerical exams need Barron's CIVIL SERVICE CLERICAL EXAMS guide (0764143026, $16.99), which offers the latest review material available in an updated sixth edition. From gathering information and preparing for different clerical exams to requirements for each exam, this covers all the keys to success in an at-home 'classroom in a book' study guide.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Personal Finance for Seniors for Dummies
Eric Tyson and Bob Carlson
Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780470548769 $21.99 www.wiley.com

Part of the exceptional "For Dummies" series of guides written to be accessible to users of all backgrounds, Personal Finance for Seniors for Dummies covers everything that anyone approaching or at retirement age should know. Chapters give advice on when to retire, guidelines for estimating expenses, recommended investments for retirement money, suggestions for adjusting spending as needed, discussions of available social security and healthcare benefits, ways to reduce one's estate taxes, and much more. Personal Finance for Seniors for Dummies takes complicated financial issues and distills them down to plain terms, and is an absolute "must-have" not only for elders, but also for the adult children and grandchildren of the older generation who might need to lend a hand to helping their loved ones in these tough economic times.

What Color Is Your Parachute? For Retirement, second edition
John E. Nelson and Richard N. Bolles
Ten Speed Press
PO Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707
9781580082051 $16.99 www.tenspeed.com 1-800-841-2665

Now in a completely revised and updated second edition, What Color Is Your Parachute? For Retirement: Planning a Prosperous, Healthy, and Happy Future lives up to its title with rock-solid advice on planning not only one's retirement finances, but also other aspects of retirement - social relationships, personal health, big life decisions, and more. Chapters address everything from making sure the neighborhood or community one retires into is suitable for one's tastes, to solid practices for building "biological vitality" and maintaining one's health, to the value of building social relationships in advance, given that social relationships grounded in work are likely to fade when one retires and there is no "automatic relationship generator" in the third phase of one's life. Highly recommended; it is never too soon to start learning from a user-friendly and practical guide such as What Color Is Your Parachute?

How to Keep From Going Broke with a Broker
Richard A. Lewins
Bascom Hill Publishing Group
212 North 3rd Avenue, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781935098249, $19.95, www.bascomhillpublishing.com

Good money management is the key to good wealth. "How to Keep From Going Broke with a Broker: A Guide to Opening, Maintaining and Surviving Your Brokerage Account" is a guide to brokers and how a broker is a powerful tool in keeping one's head afloat in these financial times with so many bad investments waiting around to eat one's money. With plenty of advice on avoiding these pitfalls and keeping a plan for the future, "How to Keep From Going Broke with a Broker" is a top pick.

Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money
Woody Tasch
Chelsea Green Publishing
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603582544, $15.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Getting rich quick is what got us where the economy is today. "Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money: Investing as if Food, Farms, and Fertility Mattered" is a discussion of slow money, a movement encouraging sustainable income for both the economy and the environment. Responsibility and thinking for the future could be the recovery the country needs, and "Inquiries into the Nature of Slow Money" is a thoughtful and much needed look into modern economics.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Amazing Monarch
Windle Turley
BenBella Books
6440 North Central Expressway, Suite 503, Dallas, TX, 75206
9781935251941 $29.95 www.benbellabooks.com

The Amazing Monarch: The Secret Wintering Grounds of an Endangered Butterfly is an absolutely breathtaking, oversized hardcover compendium of full-color, full-page photography revealing the monarch butterfly's life cycle. An informative and educational text section about the monarch butterfly is largely separate from the utterly captivating images. A truly beautiful and unforgettable book, perfect for butterfly lovers, though its sheer size makes it a trifle unwieldy for all but the largest of bookshelves.

Nasty, Brutish, and Short
Pat Senson
McClelland & Stewart
75 Sherbourne St., 5th Floor, Toronto, ON M5A 2P9
9780771079689, $22.99, www.mcclelland.com

It's the first step in the circle of life. "Nasty, Brutish, and Short: The Quirks and Quarks Guide to Animal Sex and Other Weird Behaviour" looks into the unique ways that the animal kingdom has done in the name of getting it on. Along with other bizarre behavior such as the language of headbutts for termites, "Nasty, Brutish, and Short" provides a fascinating read for the curious as well as those pursuing academic study on the more bizarre aspects of mother nature.

Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time
Richard Conniff
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393304572, $15.95, www.wwnorton.com

Swimming with Piranhas at Feeding Time: My Life Doing Dumb Stuff With Animals offers a hilarious natural history and travel memoir alike and comes from an author who charts his world journeys doing outrageous things in the course of being a field naturalist. His journeys make for a fine account perfect for any general lending library!

Last Dog on the Hill
Steve Duno
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
0312600496, $24.99, www.stmartins.com

Last Dog on the Hill: The Extraordinary Life of Lou tells of a dog who began life as the feral offspring of guard dogs on a secret marijuana farm in California. His early life as part of a wild pack changed when author/teacher Steve Duno rescued him. Lou went on to become a hero, moving from a wild feral animal to a beloved pet - and the first real dog Steve ever trained.

Zoo Story
Thomas French
Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401323462, $24.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

ZOO STORY: life in the garden of captives is based on six years of research and follows a handful of animals at Tampa's Lowry Park Zoo - a chimp, a tiger, and a more. Each offers specific animal quirks and also includes discussion of extinction and threats to wildlife, framing animal personalities with wider issues. General lending libraries will find this an outstanding pick.

The World of Wolves
Marco Musiani, Luigi Boitani, & Paul C. Paquet
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2N 1N4
9781552382691, $34.95, www.uofcpress.com

No longer just a predator to be feared. "The World of Wolves: New Perspectives on Ecology, Behavior, and Management" analyzes the role of the gray wolf in today's environment, and the importance of the predator to ecosystems. Wolves have long been feared by humans, and have been seriously threatened over the years, and as such, have been protected and been the objects of fascination at the same time. For anyone who wants to understand the importance of wolves, "The World of Wolves" is a powerful addition to any environmental studies collection.

Forbidden Creatures
Peter Laufer
Lyons Press
c/o Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9781599219264, $19.95, www.lyonspress.com

Why stop at the common house cat when you can have a lynx? "Forbidden Creatures: Inside the World of Animal Smuggling and Exotic Pets" delves into the black market of pets, where all around the world animals are being smuggled for profit all around the world for big profits that compete with drug and weapon money. But it is not just plants and unfeeling weaponry involved, but living creatures, and this trade is threatening their survival. A detailed look at a crisis going ignored, "Forbidden Creatures" is not to be missed.

Minding Your Dog Business
Veronica Boutelle & Rikke Jorgensen
Dogwise
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee, WA 98801
9781929242740, $19.95, www.dogwise.com

Some people love dogs. Some people love dogs so much they turn it into a living. "Minding Your Dog Business: A Practical Guide to Business Success for Dog Professionals" is a guide for those who are trying to get their dog related business off the ground. With business advice as well as how to apply these aspects to dog business and how the dog business can vary from other typical businesses, "Minding Your Dog Business" is a fine resource for anyone trying to turn their dog fancy into profit.


The World History Shelf

Irish Soldiers in Europe 17th-19th Century
George B. Clark
Mercier
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781856356626 $32.95 www.dufoureditions.com 1-800-869-5677

Irish Soldiers in Europe 17th-19th Century is the true story of the Irish soldiers who fought on European battlefields. Many of these men were driven from their native land by religious or political persecution; notable individuals profiled include Peter Lacy of Kileedy, who served as a Field Marshal of Russia in 1736; and Henri J.G. Clarke, who became a Marshal under Napoleon yet later changed his allegiance to the restored French monarchy until his retirement. The fascinating life stories of notable individuals are contrasted alongside the challenges and difficulties of rank-and-file Irish soldiers in this aptly researched and superbly presented account. An excellent addition to military and European history shelves.

Magna Carta and the England of King John
Janet S. Loengard
Boydell Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9781843835486 $105.00 www.boydellandbrewer.com

Magna Carta and the England of King John is an anthology of scholarly essays by a variety of learned authors concerning the era of England between 1199 and 1215 - the time when the Magna Carta was created and marked a resounding transformation in the relationship between ruler and ruled. The primary focus is on elaborating the social, economic, legal, and religious background forces at the time the Magna Carta came into being; also under scrutiny is how those who personally knew King John came to perceive him. Individual essays include "Baronial Paranoia in the Reign of King John", "Justice without Judgment: Criminal Prosecution before Magna Carta", "What Did Magna Carta mean to Widows?" and more. Highly recommended, especially for college library British history and world history collections.

Bronc Busters and Hay Sloops
Ken Mather
Heritage Books
100 Railroad Ave, Suite 104, Westminster, Maryland 21157-4826
9781894974929 $19.95 www.heritagebooks.com 1-800-876-6103

Bronc Busters and Hay Sloops: Ranching in the West in the Early 20th Century is a detailed and highly accessible history of ranching in the Canadian West (particularly British Columbia) from the First World War through 1960. Chapters recount colorful, nigh-legendary figures of the ranching world (such as Ollie Matheson, one of very few women to ride in the Williams Lake Stampede's fearsome Mountain Race", the demands of daily life and work on the ranch, and the changing social and economic forces that shaped those who called such ranches home. Vintage black-and-white photographs pepper this unforgettable history, highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.

The World That Never Was
Alex Butterworth
Pantheon
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375425110, $30.00, www.randomhouse.com

THE WORLD THAT NEVER WAS: A TRUE STORY OF DREAMERS SCHEMERS ANARCHISTS & SECRET AGENTS offers a fine history of the rise of anarchism and is told through the stories of a number of prominent revolutionaries and the agents of secret police who pursued them. Already a hit in the UK, this book reaches American shores and audiences with a fine survey of revolutionary histories and those who tracked them. A fine addition to any history collection!

The Rule of Empires
Timothy H. Parsons
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780195304312, $29.95, www.oup.com

THE RULE OF EMPIRES; THOSE WHO BUILT THEM, THOSE WHO ENDURED THEM, AND WHY THEY ALWAYS FALL comes from a researcher who writes from the viewpoint of a common subject and provides an account of the empire from its origins in ancient Rome to its modern presence. Rome, British world rule, and the Third Reich are all used to consider features common to empires - and why these imperial ideas still are viable in this world.

Highland Martial Culture
Christopher Scott Thompson
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
9781581606928, $13.00, www.paladin-press.com

The pride of traditional Scottish culture is strong, so strong that the potential confusion of accusations of wearing skirts won't deter them. "Highland Martial Culture: The Fighting Heritage of Scotland" looks into the martial history of Scotland. From the actual martial arts used by Scottish warriors, to the legends of men who combined steel and magic, to the diet and life of a Highlander, "Highland Martial Culture" is another snapshot of traditional European warrior culture that anyone with a curiosity will love.

Lost Girls
Nicholas Terpstra
John Hopkins Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801894992, $50.00, press.jhu.edu

With three hundred deaths in little more than a decade, there is more than cause for concern. "Lost Girls: Sex and Death in Renaissance Florence" is a history of the House of Compassion shelter - Casa della Pieta. Founded by women to give orphaned and homeless girls somewhere to stay, over sixty percent of the girls who went to live in this orphanage died premature deaths, sexually exploited by Renaissance Florence. Author Nicholas Terpstra tells this tragic tale and through it, gives readers a look at the dark side of Renaissance Florence and Italy in general. "Lost Girls" is a fine addition to any history collection, especially those with a focus on the Renaissance.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Jewish Theology In Our Time
Elliot J. Cosgrove
Jewish Lights Publishing
Sunset Farm Offices, Route 4, PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
9781580234139, $24.99, www.jewishlights.com

Jewish faith is over five thousand years old, and like anything that old, it has to change with the times. "Jewish Theology in Our Time: A New Generation Explores the Foundations & Future of Jewish Belief" is a discussion of the evolution of Jewish faith through the centuries and the Jewish search for understanding with God in the modern day. Many modern voices of the faith converge and provide an intellectual and scholarly read, making "Jewish Theology in Our Time" an intriguing and very highly recommended addition to any Judaic studies collection.

Toward a Renewed Ethic of Jewish Philanthropy
Yossi Prager
KTAV
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602801370, $30.00, www.ktav.com

Charity is not a Christian value alone; it holds its place in Judaism as well. "Toward a Renewed Ethic of Jewish Philanthropy" discusses the role of philanthropy in Orthodox Judaism and its purpose for Jews of many levels. From philanthropy at home, the community, the history of Jewish philanthropy, economics, dirty money, and more. "Toward a Renewed Ethic of Jewish Philanthropy" is a scholarly and thoughtful read that discusses the good things that can be done with money from a Jewish perspective.


The Business Shelf

Cracking the Double Standard Code
June Werdlow Rogers, Ph.D.
Cable Publishing
14090 E Keinenen Rd, Brule, WI 54820
cablepublishing.com
9781934980453 $24.94 hardcover
9781934980460 $17.95 softcover

Cracking the Double Standard Code: A Guide to Successful Navigation in the Workplace is a self-help guide to women for dealing with the most common social and psychological obstacles from their co-workers and bosses in the workplace (and many other social settings as well). Even in this modern, allegedly enlightened era, women are beset with a host of hard-line attitudes and viewpoints. Chapters warn of the most common pitfalls women can encounter, and recommend tactics to handle them. From warning that one's faults will be scrutinized in high definition just because one is female, to offering helpful advice for dealing with men who use office politics against women, Cracking the Double Standard Code is a solid guide cover to cover. "A terrible strategy is to segregate yourself with other women. Homogeneous thinking will not serve women any better than it serves men. Strength rests in diversity. Besides, you need spies to tell you what you do not know and assist you in thwarting ambushes (and this is how you can really set up the boomerang). Who better to warn you about what men may be up to than those with whom they associate the most." A must-have for any woman in the workplace.

The CEO's Boss
William M. Klepper
Columbia Business School
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023
9780231149884, $29.95, www.cup.columbia.edu

Everyone has a boss, even when you are the boss. "The CEO's Boss: Tough Love in the Boardroom" looks at the pressure and measurement of the performance of the position of CEO, a position that used to never have to answer to anyone. Written by William M. Klepper (Professor of Management, Columbia Business School), The CEO's Boss uses the author's own experience to explain what is expected of the modern CEO and how to work under pressure. "The CEO's Boss" is a solid read for anyone who seeks the highest position in a company.

Fast Track Networking
Lucy Rosen
Career Press
3 Tice Road, PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781601631213, $14.99, www.careerpress.com

It's not what you know; it's who you know. "Fast Track Networking: Turning Conversations Into Contacts" is a guide to establishing those all important contacts in business as Lucy Rosen gives advice to growing one's circle of friends and contacts to help one get their business going, to meet customers and potential partners. From building trust and expanding further, "Fast Track Networking" is a must for any business trying to expand.

Implementing a Critical Approach to Organization Development
Laura L. Bierema
Krieger Publishing Company
1725 Krieger Lane, Melabar, FL 32950-3323
9781575242668 $34.25 www.krieger-publishing.com

Laura L. Bierema (professor of adult education and human resource development, University of Georgia) presents Implementing a Critical Approach to Organization Development, a straightforward introductory text to organization development theory and practice. Intended especially for human resource developers and adult educators, Implementing a Critical Approach to Organization Development covers the evolution of organization development, socially responsible practice, how to implement representative and reflective strategies, and more. "Your goal as a consultant, in addition to making an intervention, is to establish a collaborative relationship with the client, help solve problems permanently, and develop client commitment and ability to maintain the change once the consultancy ends. Consulting is a highly educative and developmental process, and one that adult educators and HRD professionals are perfectly equipped to facilitate." Implementing a Critical Approach to Organization Development is especially recommended for college library collections or self-study by anyone interested in working in human resources.

Marketing in a Web 2.0 World
Peter VanRysdam, CMO
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601383174, $24.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

Marketing in a Web 2.0 World offers small businesses keys to using the latest technologies to market a business. Most require no money to implement but do involve understanding the nature and etiquette of the world of social networking - which is taught herein. From optimizing a web site to reach customer demographics to understanding how the social web can link to business concerns, this is a fine choice for any collection catering to the small business owner.

The Why of Work
Dave Ulrich & Wendy Ulrich
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
0071739351, $27.95, www.mhprofessional.com

THE WHY OF WORK: HOW GREAT LEADERS BUILD ABUNDANT ORGANIZATIONS THAT WIN offers keys to understanding what people really seek in work. It admonishes employers to ask why employees are working - and how they find meaning in work choices, and it uses the model of the abundant organization to show how employers can create meaning - and motivation - in their unique work places. Business libraries need this!

Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers, sixth edition
William G. Droms and Jay O. Wright
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465018499, $22.00, www.basicbooks.com

Finance and Accounting for Nonfinancial Managers: All the Basics You Need to Know appears in its sixth updated edition to provide a definitive guide to the principles of finance and accounting. This edition has been vastly expanded and updated, offering new examples and the latest trends in the economy and finances.

Business Analysis: Microsoft Excel 2010
Conrad Carlberg
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0789743175, $39.99, www.quepublishing.com

Business Analysis: Microsoft Excel 2010 is a 'must' for any business or business-oriented computer library. It goes beyond the usual Excel basics to show how to use Excel 2010 to gain deeper insights into business. Excel expert Conrad Carlberg shows how to use Excel 2010 to perform core financial tasks from analyzing statements and managing sales to creating and using advanced queries. Very highly recommended!

Earth, Inc.
Gregory Unruh
Harvard Business Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422127179, $24.95, www.hbr.com

The financial gravy train will meet the end of the line eventually; it's just a matter of when. "Earth, Inc.: Using Nature's Rules to Build Sustainable Profits" is a guide to environmentally responsible business that works with nature to create a business that works with nature to keep both the environment and nature around them to be renewable and at a constant. Sustainability is the message and Gregory Unruh plays it well. "Earth, Inc." is a choice pick and solidly recommended read that shouldn't be missed for any environmentally conscious business leader.

The International Dictionary of Personal Finance
A. J. Rider
Global Professional Publishing
c/o Stylus Publishing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781906403065, $12.95, www.styluspub.com

The world of personal finance is one that weighs one down with many questions and much language that can prove hard to understand. "The International Dictionary of Personal Finance" is an insightful look at the large array of sometimes confusing terminology that comes along with one's financial troubles and financial success. From abandonment to zero rated, A. J. Rider defines these terms and their differences internationally. "The International Dictionary of Personal Finance" is a wise read for anyone handling money, highly recommended.

The Leaderful Fieldbook
Joseph A. Raelin
Davies-Black
20 Park Plaza, Suite 1115A, Boston, MA 02116
9780891063803, $34.95, www.nicholasbrealey.com

What is needed to be a major leader in business today has vastly changed. "The Leaderful Fieldbook: Strategies and Activities for Developing Leadership in Everyone" is a business guide that realizes that more than one leader is needed for a business to be majorly successful in today's world. The leadership team is important and at all levels of cooperation and management is needed to make a progressive and powerful business. For those who understand that you need more than one leader in today's business, "The Leaderful Fieldbook" is a must have resource.

Successful Networking
Frances Kay
Kogan Page
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749458799, $17.95, www.koganpage.com

Networking is the key to business success. "How to Build New Networks for Career and Company Progression: Successful Networking" is a guide to making those connections and making them strong enough for business relations. With advice on finding the right connections, the right people, using the internet, making the pitch, sharing contacts, and more, "How to Build New Networks for Career and Company Progression" is a must for anyone who wants to get that unbeatable support system for their business.

Capitalism at the Crossroads
Stuart L. Hart
Wharton School Publishing
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780137042326, $19.99, www.whartonsp.com

More than ever, the power of capitalism is in doubt. "Capitalism at the Crossroads: Next Generation Business Strategies for a Post-Crisis World" discusses capitalism in the future where the rules of capitalism will have to be reinvented to deal with the problems that have been created over the past few decades. From focusing on sustainable money, environmental issues, the social applications, and more, "Capitalism at the Crossroads" is a useful and very highly recommended read that shouldn't be overlooked for those concerned about the economic future.


The Social Issues Shelf

Unequal Protection, second edition
Thom Hartmann
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery St., Suite 650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605095592, $19.95, www.bkcurrents.com

The second updated edition of UNEQUAL PROTECTION: HOW CORPORATIONS BECAME "PEOPLE" - AND HOW YOU CAN FIGHT BACK updates and features Hartmann's analysis of two recent Supreme Court cases which tossed out corporate campaign finance limits. While this analysis deserves a spot in any business library, it also is recommended for social issues collections considering the legal and social remedies possible to end corporate 'rights' entitling them to the same rights as human beings. A fine survey suitable for debate.

Al'America
Jonathan Curiel
New Press
38 Greene St., New York NY 10013
9781595584816, $16.95, www.thenewpress.com

Al'America: Travels Through America's Arab and Islamic Roots argues that American suspicion of Muslim and Islamic culture misses the cultural relationships between Arab and American culture, which are a part of our society. From literature and architecture to language and more, Al-America probes the collective history of Arab Americans and Western and Arab culture.

The Citizen Machine
Anna McCarthy
New Press
38 Greene St., New York NY 10013
9781595584984, $28.95, www.thenewpress.com

THE CITIZEN MACHINE: GOVERNING BY TELEVISION IN 1950S AMERICA offers a new history of the ideas that have shaped American television and its viewing, drawing important links between TV media and American citizenship. From the early influence of massive corporations on television content to how modern leaders affect TV sponsorship choices, this comes from a media historian who offers an eye-opening glimpse into the evolution of TV and American democracy.

Born Digital
John Palfrey & Urs Gasser
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465018567, $16.95, www.basicbooks.com

BORN DIGITAL: UNDERSTANDING THE FIRST GENERATION OF DIGITAL NATIVES has been revised with a new afterword and provides sociology collections with a powerful assessment of young people who have been raised in a digital world. From their technological prowess to a range of issues affecting their digital personas, from cyber-bullying to privacy, this is a powerful assessment of the special circumstances affecting those raised in a digital age.

Between the Fences
Tony Hefner
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 10013
9781583229125, $19.95, www.seventstories.com

Guantanamo wasn't unique. "Between the Fences: Before Guantanamo, there was the Port Isabel Service Processing Center" is a story from Tony Hefner telling of one of America's other non-standard prison, where undocumented immigrants were held. His story one is of abuse of many types, and lets his story be known before it's swept up in history. "Between the Fences" is an intriguing read of American trespasses on human rights.


The Civil War Shelf

Columbus Georgia 1865
Charles A. Misulia
University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
9780817316761, $39.95, www.uapress.ua.edu

The Civil War didn't instantly end at Appomattox. "Columbus, Georgia, 1865: The Last True Battle of the Civil War" looks at the battle in this conflict that occurred April 16, 1865, a week after Lee surrendered to Grant. One last battle occurred as the remnants of the Southern forces were not prepared to give up just yet. Analyzing this battle and what it means in the greater picture of the war and Civil War history. "Columbus, Georgia, 1865" is a fine addition to any civil war history section.


The Sports Shelf

Hockey Talk
John Goldner
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
195 Allstate Parkway, Markham, ON L3R 4T8
9781554550920, $14.95, www.fitzhenry.ca

Hockey is a sport that's never been the most popular in America, but don't discount the passion of its fans. "Hockey Talk: The Language of Hockey from A-Z" is a guide to the lingo of hockey so that readers trying to get into the sport can understand the words and lingo of the sport. From aerial to zamboni, "Hockey Talk" is a choice reference for any hockey novice or those who enjoy a bit of humor in their favored sport.

Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
www.hkusa.com

Dennis K. Graver's SCUBA DIVING (0736079009, $24.95) appears in its fourth updated edition to pair lovely photos with clear diving instruction guidelines. Recreational divers, instructors and more receive direction from a famous diving instructor who tells how to select and care for diving equipment, how to use reference charts, and how to prevent or manage underwater emergencies. Highly recommended as an outstanding survey of the sport and technique of scuba diving! Also a top sports library pick is Brian Lopes and Lee McCormack's MASTERING MOUNTAIN BIKE SKILLS (0736083715, $23.95), appearing in its second updated edition to prove technical direction for trail, downhill, racing and other mountain bike riders. Photo sequences and demonstrations show how to handle jumps, do wheelies, and more. Buddy Lee's JUMP ROPE TRAINING (0736081593, $18.95) appears in its second updated edition to provide jump rope workouts and the latest on rehabilitation of sport injuries and optimizing body composition. From a power skier's jump to basic conditioning programs for a range of sports, this is a fine addition for any fitness library.

Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance
Heidi Skolnik, MS, CDN, FACSM
Andrea Chernus, MS, RD, CDE
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736087648, $17.95, www.hkusa.com

Nutrient Timing for Peak Performance: The Right Food, the Right Time, the Right Results provides a fine survey from two sport nutritionists who have worked with top athletes. Their focus on the latest dietetic research offers practical advice and guidelines specific to training and competition, and provides athletes with plenty of inside details on nutrient management throughout the entire training process. Athletic collections will find the tips specific and useful.


The Cookbook Shelf

Best of the Best Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches
Gwen McKee and Barbara Moseley
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
9781934193426 $16.95 www.quailridge.com

Spiral-bound to lay flat for ease of use, Best of the Best Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches is packed with 413 exceptional recipes that span the gamut from easy-to-make to gourmet quality meals. From Quick Chick Navy Bean Soup to Touch of Tuscany Salad to Open-Face Crab English Muffins to Sloppy Joe Phillies and more, the mouth-watering recipes of Fast & Fabulous Soups, Salads and Sandwiches are sure to enliven anyone's meal planner. A handful of color illustrations and sidebars packed with tips round out this thoroughly user-friendly compendium. Also highly recommended is the delightful and beautiful guide, "Easy Parties and Wedding Celebrations" (9781934193303, $32.95).

Desserts 4 Today
Abigail Johnson Dodge
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600852947 $17.95 www.taunton.com 1-800-477-8727

Desserts 4 Today: Flavorful Desserts With Just Four Ingredients lives up to its title with a cornucopia of delectable dessert recipes, each relatively effortless to prepare with only four main ingredients. From Orange "Creamsicle" Rice Pudding (naval orange, whole or 2% milk, long or medium-grain white rice, and granulated sugar) to Mulled Pear Cider Sorbet (pear cider, mulling spices, granulated sugar, pear liqueur) to Banana-Brown Sugar Pie Pockets (banana, brown sugar, pure vanilla extract, premade pie dough) and more, these tasty treats are none the less savory for their simplicity, and many involve creative use of fruit and other healthful ingredients. Full-color photographs of many of the dishes illustrate this excellent choice for dessert lovers.

Suddenly Cooking: Real Food Made Real Easy
Sophie Ruggles
Casera Publications
casera@suddenlycooking.com
c/o Ingram, Baker & Taylor (distribution)
9780980773705 $44.00 www.caserapublications.com

Suddenly Cooking: Real Food Made Real Easy is a user-friendly cookbook written especially for culinary beginners and those who don't have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen. An introductory section walks novice cooks through the basics of setting up one's kitchen - which essential kitchen tools to get and how to use them, a pictorial tutorial of basic knife skills, and a pictorial glossary of common food ingredients. The recipes themselves balance health, ease of creation, and flavor, ranging from breakfast eggs to a variety of salads, meals that can be prepared in less than thirty minutes, soups, hearty meat dinners, delicious desserts, and more. Full color illustrations of every dish enhance this excellent, easy-to-follow recipe book. A superb gift especially for any young person (or older person lacking in kitchen experience!) just starting out on their own.

The Enchanted Garden
Jodi Felice
Ozark Mountain Publishing, Inc.
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
9781886940758 $12.00 www.ozarkmt.com 1-800-935-0045

Spiral-bound for ease of use, The Enchanted Garden: An Innovative Culinary Experience is a cookbook packed with 134 recipes using 57 different herbs, spices, vegetables and fruits that anyone can grow in their own garden. From Roasted Garlic and Spinach Salad to Peppered Steak, Flounder Parmigiana, Chocolate Cherry Pudding, and much more, a smorgasbord of tasty delights are offered - with particular emphasis on dishes that are seasoned to perfection. Color photographs illustrate the simple, easy-to-follow recipes of this delightful cookbook.

Sally's in the Kitchen
Sally Miller
Synergy Press
PO Box 8, Flemington, NJ 08822-0008
0975858165 $25.00 SynergyBookService.com

Sprial-bound for ease of use, Sally's in the Kitchen is the second cookbook by Midwest native Sally Miller, offering tried and true recipes. Sally's in the Kitchen offer's a year's worth of recipes appropriate for the various seasons, with emphasis on using locally grown fruits and vegetables in one's culinary creations. A large number of the recipes are specifically designed for use in creating sizeable quantities, which can be frozen for later meals - ideal for working parents, large families, or anyone else with limited time on their hands for cooking. Also present are many vegetarian and vegan recipes (although Sally's in the Kitchen is not entirely a vegetarian cookbook). From Sauteed Mushrooms and Snow Peas to Cinco de Mayo Salad, Stuffed Zucchini Squash, Pineapple Fried Rice, and much more, Sally's in the Kitchen offers a medley of creative dishes drawing from the author's experience in local and exotic cuisines alike. Food preparation tips and tricks pepper the taste-tested, down-to-earth cooking, in this excellent and highly recommended recipe book.

Substitute Yourself Skinny
Chef Susan Irby
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
9781440503979 $17.95 www.adamsmedia.com 1-800-872-5627

Substitute Yourself Skinny is a healthful cookbook filled with recipes that offer flavorful substitutions for fewer calories. From "Veggies Never Tasted So Good Omelet" which includes cottage cheese for a more creamy texture while cutting calories, to "Monterey Chicken" with turkey bacon, skinless chicken breasts, sugar-free BBQ sauce and reduced-fat cheese, to "Good Bum Brownies" with nonfat powdered milk, each offering saves calories while pleasing palates. A simple nutritional breakdown of the calories per serving, fat, carbohydrates, protein, and sodium of each recipe rounds out this wonderful, user-friendly cookbook, highly recommended for anything seeking to eat lighter fare without sacrificing gourmet-quality taste.

Swirl, Sip & Savor
Carol Frieberg with Andy Perdue
Sasquatch Books
119 South Main Street, Suite 400, Seattle, WA 98104-2555
9781570615627 $21.95 www.sasquatchbooks.com 1-800-775-0817

Full color photography and vignettes about various wines enhance Swirl, Sip & Savor: Northwest Wine and Small Plate Pairings, a treasury of recipes for culinary delicacies from the American Pacific Northwest. Each delicious offering is matched with a recommended wine from the region; the result is a collection of quality dishes worthy of transforming the most humble evening with friends or loved ones into an evening to remember. From Parmesan Wafers with Prosciutto (wine pairing: Terra Blanca Sauvignon Blanc, Yakima Valley) to Rasperry Glazed Pork Bites (wine pairing: Kyera Pinot Noir) to Crab Salad Tower with Mango and Papaya (wine pairing: Daedalus Cellars "Maresh Vineyard" Riesling) and much more, Swirl, Sip & Savor lives up to its title and is enthusiastically recommended especially for any cook who aspires to create offerings worthy of a professional gourmet chef.

Grapes & Wines
Oz Clarke & Margaret Rand
Sterling Epicure
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10016-8810
9781402777301, $24.95, www.sterlingpublishing.com

GRAPES & WINES: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE TO VARIETIES AND FLAVOURS provides a fine survey offering a guide to world wine grapes and wines, describing over 300 varieties in an A-Z format and providing keys to hundreds of recommended producers and good wines to try. Lovely botanical drawings by British artist Lizzie Riches accompanies over 550 photos, maps and works of art in this top pick!

How to Cook Like a Top Chef
Emily Miller, Editor
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811874861, $29.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

How to Cook Like a Top Chef offers a technique primer highly recommended for any general or specialty culinary library. It provides over 80 recipes and techniques demonstrations from some seven seasons of Top Chief Masters, presenting interviews, chef insights, and tips for home chefs. Color sidebars and photo-illustrated recipes throughout make this a top winner!

Cat Cora's Classics With a Twist
Cat Cora & Ann Krueger Spivack
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10003
9780547126036, $30.00, www.hmhbooks.com

Cat Cora is best known to the general public as one of the 'Iron Chefs' on what is perhaps television's most popular cooking shows. Now in Cat Cora's Classics With a Twist, this master chef offers different takes on favorite 'comfort food' dishes, and tells how to present casual fare that looks as if one has spent hours on it. Fast, healthy meals with inspiration were dishes Cat put together after work for her own large family, so they not only look pretty, but appeal to practical cooks.

Cakes to Die For!
Bev Shaffer
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589806917, $26.95, www.pelicanpub.com

CAKES TO DIE FOR! THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR CAKE LOVERS offers nearly two hundred sweet cake recipes for bakers of all skills levels, and offers a tasty survey perfect for any cake collection. It's organized by cake type - layers, cupcakes, coffeecakes and stack cakes and more - and peppers color photos with clear instructions. A lovely collection of many unique offerings, this will reach any library where cake cookbooks are popular!

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen
Yuan Wang, Warren Sheir, Mika Ono
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge MA 02142
9780738213255, $19.95, www.dacapopress.com

Ancient Wisdom, Modern Kitchen shows how easy it is to blend food with East Asian healing ideas. From 'superfoods' such as goji berries and ginger, garlic and mint to over 150 healing recipes for common ailments, this pairs Asian dishes with health concerns and presents relatively easy dishes ranging from Sesame-Mushroom soba Noodles and Sweet Black Rice Pudding to Black Sesame Asparagus.

Fiesta at Rick's
Rick Bayless with Deann Groen Bayless
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393058994, $35.00, www.wwnorton.com

FIESTA AT RICK'S: FABULOUS FOOD FOR GREAT TIMES WITH FRIENDS comes from a celebrity chef at three hot Chicago, who has spent the last thirty years studying Mexican local dishes and adapting them for American home cooks. FIESTA AT RICK'S is an outstanding cookbook which goes beyond the usual recipe to also show how to plan a meal. Menus for parties and dinners can be used either individually or in the course of planning a celebratory meal and offer satisfying adaptations of Mexican cuisine! Any general culinary library will welcome this different approach.

Twain's Feast
Andrew Beahrs
Penguin Press
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9781594202599, $25.95, www.penguin.com

TWAIN'S FEAST: SEARCHING FOR AMERICA'S LOST FOODS IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF SAMUEL CLEMENS blends a food writer's history with a literary survey of Samuel Clemens' food and places. He was an early champion of regional cuisine and composed a fantasy menu of American dishes he missed most when he toured Europe. This blends travel, biography, and literary and culinary history in a lively probe of food history recommended for any general lending library.

Thai Cooking in a Sufi's Kitchen
Alima Ravadi Quinn
Emerald of Siam Publishing
1314 Jadwin Avenue, Richland, WA 99354
9780962878336, $17.95, www.sufichef.com

Good cooking is something that is truly wonderful. "Thai Cooking: In a Sufi's Kitchen" is a cookbook detailing the fine aspects of Thai cooking, with plenty of recipes for all sorts of meals, as well as detailed instructions on making the more complex dishes in the Thai chef's repertoire. For anyone who wants to dive into Thai cooking, "Thai Cooking in a Sufi's Kitchen" is an absolute must.


The Psychology Shelf

Managing Family Meltdown: The Low Arousal Approach and Autism
Linda Woodcock and Andrea Page
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849050098, $18.95, www.jkp.com

Managing Family Meltdown: The Low Arousal Approach and Autism offers a fine survey of the challenging behaviors and outbursts that can strain the entire family of a child diagnosed with autism. It offers a guide to many different strategies to diffuse and resolve common challenging behaviors, using a low arousal approach to behavior modification based on avoiding confrontation and reducing stress. Any family handling an autistic kid needs this.

Freud on Madison Avenue
Lawrence R. Samuel
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4011
9780812242515, $29.95, www.upenn.edu/pennpress

Without even thinking about it, you may be being advertised to. "Freud on Madison Avenue: Motivation Research and Subliminal Advertising in America" discusses psychology and why people shop the way they shop, breaking down these unusual habits in people who claim to be rational. This concept has been researched through years, and author Lawrence R. Samuel gives a thoughtful and scholarly look at this work and provides a very eye opening read. "Freud on Madison Avenue" is a strong pick for anyone who wants to understand consumer psychology, either as a business man or just the endlessly curious.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

The Climate War
Eric Pooley
Hyperion
114 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10011
9781401323264, $27.99, www.hyperionbooks.com

THE CLIMATE WAR: TRUE BELIEVERS, POWER BROKERS, AND THE FIGHT TO SAVE THE EARTH provides a portrait of an American civil war, and considers the hearts and minds the most important players in global warming issues. Why do so many believe global warming isn't happening? The author spent three years with scientists and politicians who either warned or disputed climate science: his is an outstanding survey and a 'must' for both science and social issues libraries concerned with climate change issues.

The Flooded Earth
Peter D. Ward
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465009497, $25.95, www.perseusbooks.com

THE FLOODED EARTH: OUR FUTURE IN A WORLD WITHOUT ICE CAPS comes from a noted earth scientist who argues that conventional estimates on the extent of global warming are too conservative, and that a much greater fluctuation in water levels may be expected. His background lends to a scientific approach to climate change and uses the Earth's past to predict its future. Any interested in the effects of climate change should have this!

Recycle The Essential Guide
Lucy Siegle
Black Dog Publishing
151 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
9781907317026, $29.95, www.blackdogonline.com

Recycling is a good habit, but it isn't always the simplest one. "Recycle: The Essential Guide" is a guide to being a wiser and more adept recycler, outlining how to recycle many things that aren't exactly obvious on how to dispose in an environmentally friendly way. From everything such as old clothes to dangerous materials, Black Dog Publishing provides a very strong resource for the environmentally conscious who want to go further. "Recycle" is a top pick for any environmentally conscious library collection.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Clint Eastwood Icon
David Frangioni
Essays by Thomas Schatz
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781848565883 $29.99 www.titanbooks.com

Clint Eastwood Icon: The Essential Film Art Collection is an extraordinary coffee-table book packed cover to cover with vintage, full-color photographs of art (especially movie flyers and posters) pertaining to Clint Eastwood's legendary Hollywood career. From rugged gunman to dashing, gun-toting mercenary to heartthrob icon, Clint Eastwood and the essence of his advertised films is depicted in timeless, vivid detail. Some of the flyers and posters portrayed are from nations around the world, revealing how Eastwood's movies were advertised and depicted in other nations. Brief essays and descriptive captions accompany the cornucopia of classic imagery, in this absolute "must-have" for dedicated Eastwood fans.

How to Make Animated Films
Tony White
Focal Press
c/o Elsevier/Butterworth Heinemann
30 Corporate Drive, Burlington, MA 01803
www.focalpress.com, www.elsevier.com
9780240810331, $49.95, www.amazon.com

HOW TO MAKE ANIMATED FILMS provides a fine survey of the basics of animation, comes from a renowned animator and lecturer who has worked in the industry for over 30 years, and packs in all kinds of basic s on the principles of animation. This takes the form of an animation complete course, packing in keys to filmmaking basics and animation challenges in particular, and makes for a fine survey for any who would learn animation from a 'course in a book' approach, complete with accompanying disc.

Hollywood Hellraisers
Robert Sellers
Skyhorse Publishing
555 - 8th Avenue, Suite 903, New York NY 10018
9781616080358, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

HOLLYWOOD HELLRAISERS: THE WILD LIVES AND FAST TIMES OF MARLON BRANDO, DENNIS HOPPER, WARREN BEATTY, AND JACK NICHOLSON provides a fine biographical coverage of four of Hollywood's baddest boys, describing the lively adventures of Hollywood celebrities whose misdeeds were legendary. Their personal lives were ribald and dangerous - but in their professional worlds they succeeded in changing acting and how movies were made. Any library strong in Hollywood personalities will find this inviting.

The Real Housewives Get Personal
Martha O'Connor
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco, CA 94107
9780811874168, $24.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

The Real Housewives Get Personal is for any avid fan of the TV series and offers a powerful blend of trivia, actress insights, and color photos packed on every page. Behind-the-scenes truths about the actresses permeate a TV insider's guide that Real Housewives fans must have.

Chords of Strength
David Archuleta
Celebra
c/o Penguin Publishing, USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780451230188, $22.95, www.penguin.com

Chords of Strength: A Memoir of Soul, Song, and the Power of Perseverance comes from a music artist and runner-up on American Idol who was named one of the 'Breakout stars of 2008' by Forbes Magazine. He shares his inspirational story of how he overcame vocal cord paralysis to achieve his dream of becoming a singer, surveying his inspirations of faith and family and discussing self-belief as a motivator for achievement. Any who have enjoyed his TV appearances and singing will welcome this memoir of his struggles and successes.

Filmmaking for Teens
Troy Lanier & Clay Nichols
Michael Wiese Productions
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd. #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781932907681, $20.95, www.mwp.com

Filmamking can be quite the avenue for self-expression. "Filmmaking for Teens: Pulling Off Your Shorts" is a guide to young readers who want to break into the art of filmaking. With tips on getting started, how the advancement of services like YouTube are a boon, pushing the technological envelope, shooting for profit, and much more, "Filmmaking for Teens" is a very useful resource for the Spielbergs and Lucases to be.

The Cult TV
Stacey Abbott
Soft Skull Press
c/o Counterpoint
2117 Fourth Street, Suite D, berkeley, CA 94710
9781593762766, $15.95, www.softskull.com

When a show gets steam, there are people who take it seriously. "The Cult TV Book: From Star Trek to Dexter, New Approaches to TV Outside the Box" delves into the history of TV fandom to where serious fandom of TV shows used to only apply to the fringe of Trekkies, but now has become and enveloped nearly every level of television. With a scholarly eye and plenty to think about with these shows, "The Cult TV Book" is a fascinating look at television and the fans it creates.


The Philosophy Shelf

Apparitions - of Derrida's Other
Kas Saghafi
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823231638 $24.00 www.fordhampress.com

Kas Saghafi (Assistant Professor of Philosophy, University of Memphis) presents Apparitions - of Derrida's Other, a thoughtful and scholarly assessment of Derrida's readings of Husserl, Levinas, Barthes, Blanchot, and Nancy, with particular emphasis on the theme of the relationship between the self and the other. Paying acute attention to the linguistic nuances of translation, Apparitions - of Derrida's Other assesses its central focus point by meticulous point. Apparitions - of Derrida's Other is an excellent analysis for advanced philosophy shelves, or any collection involving Derrida's works an ideas. "No monstrous figure can remain without shape for long, however, for there is a need to give it a form, to cloak it, cover it over, as all thinking of form has to do with wearing or donning an outer garment or veiling a naked core. Yet the nudity of the monstrous, a bareness more nude than nude, is the very undoing of interruption of form as we know it."

Running is Life
Bruce Fleming
University Press of America
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780761851752, $25.00, www.univpress.com

Running is more than vigorous movement. "Running is Life: Transcending the Crisis of Modernity" takes a spin of philosophy surrounding running and presents many insights into the act that many people don't yet understand. From running around the world, the body's movement, and what it means to run and the philosophy of it, "Running is Life" discusses many things, and Bruce Fleming provides much food for thought on today's world, leading to a thoughtful and very highly recommended read.

Commonsense Darwinism
John Lemos
Open Court
315 Fifth Street, PO Box 300, Peru, IL 61353-0300
9780812696325, $29.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Evolution to many conflicts with many preexisting beliefs, or does it really? "Commonsense Darwinism: Evolution, Morality, and the Human Condition" discusses Darwinism and where it conflicts with many existing beliefs such as religion, free will, and other factors. John Lemos proposes that Darwinism does none of those things, and provides many thoughts and reasons why. "Commonsense Darwinism" is a scholarly and philosophical read that shouldn't be missed by those critical of Darwinist beliefs.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Transforming Relations
Franklin T. Harkins, editor
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268030902, $50.00

Christianity and Judaism are two faiths that have lied close to each other throughout both of their existences. "Transforming Relations: Essays on Jews and Christians Throughout History in Honor of Michael A. Signer" is a scholarly look at Christianity and its relationship with its parent faith Judaism. Through the centuries, the faiths have had an unusual unity through both persecution and friendship. In the honor of a renown researcher on the topic, many authors bring their own thought and research through the table on the two thousand years of conflict. "Transforming Relations" is a key addition to any community library religious studies collection.


The Needlecraft Shelf

The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion
Janet Bristow & Victoria A. Cole-Galo
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600852930 $19.95 www.taunton.com 1-800-477-8727

The Crocheted Prayer Shawl Companion: 37 Patterns to Embrace, Inspire & Celebrate Life offers detailed instructions for crocheting singularly beautiful, vibrant, and colorful prayer shawls. Full-color photographs of the finished shawls illustrate this wonderful addition to crochet pattern libraries. Skilled crocheters will enjoy creating these elegant and practical items as gifts to be worn, shared and cherished. Highly recommended.

The Knitter's Year
Debbie Bliss
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05033
Independent Publishers Group (distributor)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9781570764615 $24.95 www.trafalgarbooks.com 1-800-888-4741

A full color photograph illustrates each project of The Knitter's Year: 52 Make-in-a-Week Projects - Quick Gifts and Seasonal Knits, a compendium of practical knitted items perfect for presenting to friends and family. From a striped baby hat, to a pumpkin pincushion, to a pencil case, a festive Christmas stocking, and more, each project has very straightforward instructions that any knitter of intermediate experience will immediately recognize. A useful treasury for anyone who enjoys knitting and wants to share the fruits of their labors of love.

Design It, Knit It
Debbie Bliss
Sixth&Spring Books
233 Spring St., New York NY 10013
9781933027760, $24.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

DESIGN IT, KNIT IT: SECRETS FROM THE DESIGNER'S STUDIO packs in 15 original designer patterns to knit, pairing a design workbook with templates and knitters' graph paper with keys to creating sensational knits. Each chapter offers an in-depth look at one of the most important elements of design: shape, color, texture and details on how to create perfect designs. Any who would design and knit clothes for all ages needs this in-depth coverage.

Crocheted Flowers
Nicky Epstein
Sixth&Spring Books
233 Spring St., New York NY 10013
9781933027951, $19.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

CROCHETED FLOWERS offers crochet projects for layered petal flowers, twisted-technique flowers, felted flowers and more, offering a range of crochet designs for a wide variety of different flowers from calla lilies to roses. A fine pick for any library where small crochet projects are of interest!

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

Kathy Brown's TAKE 5: QUILTS FROM JUST 5 FABRICS (9781564779090, $22.99) tells how to take 5 patterns, stack them, and cut them simultaneously for quick, easy results. Some 15 designs look intricate but are very simple to produce - a lap-sized quilt can be made in one weekend or even a day, for example! Quilters will relish this fine approach. Crocheters at all levels will find appealing A TO Z OF CROCHET; THE ULTIMATE GUIDE FOR THE BEGINNER TO ADVANCED CROCHETER (9781564779984, $18.99). Small step-by-step photos illustrate each piece of the crochet move and the close-up photos do wonders for learning each crochet piece. Any general needlework collection needs this!

Knitting Motifs For Babies And Kids
Lucinda Guy
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05033
www.trafalgarbooks.com
9781570764592, $24.95, www.amazon.com

In "Knitting Motifs for Babies and Kids: A Source Book of 50 Charted Designs", professional knitwear and textile designer Lucinda Guy draws upon her more than twenty years of experience and expertise to compose a 112-page, profusely illustrated instructional compendium showcasing fifty knitting projects and techniques that cover everything from using and combining colors, to yarn choices and sizing when creating customized knitting projects for babies and children. Offering a wealth of motif designs for illustrating every thing from socks and mittens to hats and scarves, "Knitting Motifs For Babies And Kids" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and enhanced throughout with little 'design ideas' suggestions. A cornucopia of needlecraft ideas, "Knitting Motifs For Babies And Kids" is an especially recommended and useful addition to personal and community library needlecraft instructional reference collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Forbidden Fruit
Kerry Greenwood
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Avenue #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590587386, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

FORBIDDEN FRUIT provides a fine thriller centered around one Corinna, owner of a bakery, who hates Christmas in the oppressive season of heat in Australia. Her romantic interest is tracking two runaways - and leads to encounters with a dangerous religious cult in this engrossing thriller, perfect for any mystery library and offering many unusual twists of plot.


The Computer Shelf

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

Steve Johnson's ADOBE FLASH PROFESSIONAL CS5 ON DEMAND (0789744430, $34.99) is a fine pick for any library seeking a visual step-by-step format in full color covering the basics of Flash Professional CS5. With its keys to creating animation, tracking Flash changes, using blend modes and more, this provides keys to fine design and is a top pick for any computer instructional collection. USING FILEMAKER BENTO by Jesse Feiler (0789744481, $24.99) provides a fine survey covering the latest version of FileMaker Bento. From step-by-step video tutorials and audio sidebars delivered through the Free Web Edition to black and white screen shots that clearly cover steps outlined in the text, this is a recommendation for any collection seeking Filemaker Bento-specific instruction. Bill Jelen's POWERPIVOT FOR THE DATA ANALYST: MICROSOFT EXCEL 2010 (0789743159, $34.99) offers keys to data analysis using Microsoft's free PowerPivot add-in for Excel 2010. From adding calculated columns using new DAX functions and creating reports from PowerPivot data to using the data for sales comparisons to multiple tables, this is packed with specific, real-world examples. Paul McFedries' FORMULAS AND FUNCTIONS: MICROSOFT EXCEL 2010 (078974306X, $39.99) comes from an Excel expert who shows how to use Excel 2010's core features to solve problems. From creating powerful formulas and using conditional formatting to understanding data analysis and connections and troubleshooting formulas problems, this is packed with keys to success and is a 'must' for any business or Excel computer collection

Facebook Marketing an Hour a Day
Chris Treadaway & Mari Smith
Sybex, Inc.
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780470569641, $29.99, www.wiley.com

Facebook Marketing an Hour a Day tells how to create an integrated Facebook strategy for an organization using Facebook. From how Facebook fits into a business marketing plan to developing a strategy based on content, Facebook ads, and events, this goes far beyond the usual guide to social media in specifically targeting Facebook's potentials, and is a pick for computer and business libraries alike!

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

Brian Morgan, CCIE, et.al.'s CISCO UNIFIED PRESENCE FUNDAMENTALS (1587140446, $60.00) offers companies and programmers tips on how to improve productivity by building on the move to IP telephony and Cisco Unified Communications environments. From configuring Cisco Unified Presence to sample applications, this will appeal to any network professional interested in the new technology. David Hucaby, Steve McQuerry and Andrew Whitaker's CISCO ROUTER CONFIGURATION HANDBOOK, 2ND EDITION (1587141167, $60.00) provides a fine survey covering router configuration basics, network protocols, packet processing, and more. The second updated edition offers new coverage of IPv6 addressing, multicast routing, and VPNs, and packages related features together for quick reference in a top pick for any advanced programming collection.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

Susan Prosser & Stuart Gripman's FILEMAKER PRO 11: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449382599, $39.99) is an outstanding guidebook explaining the strengths of Filemaker Pro and how to use it to run a business. Non-technical newcomers to Filemaker Pro receive easy explanations on how to get a database started, how to organize data, and more. From beginning instructions to advanced work with charts and more, this offers all the basics key to using FileMaker Pro 11. Robin Nixon's UBUNTU UP AND RUNNING (9780596804848, $44.99) reviews the popular Linux-based program in a manner that readers with little technical background can readily absorb. It includes a DVD with the complete Ubuntu system and several special editions and it offers tips on all the basics, from connecting printers and phones to using cameras, operating in a networked environment, and using WINE to run Windows programs. Peter B. MacIntyre's PHP: THE GOOD PARTS (9780596804374, $29.99) provides an easy introduction perfect for any newcomer and for any library that seeks a basic coverage of the programming language's syntax, variables and more. From using strings and PHP's special functions to understanding how it interacts with databases and hot to prevent security breaches, this includes PHP 5.3 Good Parts and is a winner for any programming collection.

Prentice Hall Professional
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/ph

The fourth updated edition of Evi Nemeth, et.al.'s UNIX AND LINUX SYSTEM ADMINISTRATION HANDBOOK (0131480057, $59.99) provides a winning edition of a classic reference, packing in approaches to Unix and Linux systems for new administrators and experienced pros like. 'Best practices' for all system management needs explore different options in configuration, scripting and virtualization, covering security and IT needs alike. From restoring systems after a failure to new options, this is a pick for any computer library, especially recommended for its easy language and candid approaches to common systems issues. Also recommended for computer libraries is Benjamin Mako Hill, Matthew Helmke and Corey Burger's THE OFFICIAL UBUNTU BOOK (0137081308, $34.99), appealing in a fifth updated edition telling how to customize Ubuntu for home or business applications. Learn how to update the program, troubleshoot problem areas, and how to install Ubuntu on a netbook with a book that includes a DVD with the complete Ubuntu Linux operating system for PCs.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Thin Black Line
Robert L. Bryant, Jr.
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490281 $14.95 www.twomorrows.com 1-919-449-0344

Peppered with black-and-white illustrations of Colletta's ink work (sometimes compared to that of other comic book inkers) The Thin Black Line: Perspectives on Vince Colletta, Comics' Most Controversial Inker is the fascinating biography of a comic book inker well-known for his last-minute efforts upon hundreds of comic books that were about to miss their printing deadline. The controversy comes in reference to Colletta's rush jobs inking the work on widely beloved or even legendary comic artists. Yet it was Colletta's speed that literally saved the rear ends of his fellows in the field. The Thin Black Line includes testimony from comic professionals such as Stan Lee, Roy Thomas, Joe Sinnott, Mike Royer, Carmine Infantino, Mark Evanier and more, offering a captivating glimpse into the daily grind of comic book creators as well as a unique perspective on Colletta's life and work. Highly recommended, especially for comic book fans!

Modern Masters Volume 21: Chris Sprouse
Todd Dezago & Eric Nolen-Weathington
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
160549013X, $14.95, www.twomorrows.com

Modern Masters Volume 21: Chris Sprouse pairs the modern artwork of Chris Sprouse with interviews by Todd Dezago and the author, who explore Sprouse's background and what made him such an influential artist in the comics community. Fine insights reveal his projects, reflections and contributions to the industry.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Numerology
Norman Shine
Connections Book Publishing
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781859062494 $14.95 www.redwheelweiser.com 1-800-423-7087

Numerology: Reveal Your True Character and Destiny is a user-friendly guide to the inquisitive, prophetic, and spiritual practice of numerology. Chapters walk the reader through how to create a name diagram, find which energy lines affect one's character, determine whether changing one's name will have profound repercussions, measure one's compatibility with people who have other names, peer into the future, and more. "I have avoided the esoteric aspects of numerology intentionally, preferring to make the subject accessible to those who wonder whether deductions can be made from a name. Names are mirrors, that is all. Maybe your mirror is a little cloudy. You can clean it, to see your reflection better, or you can get yourself a new mirror." Numerous diagrams help illustrate the step-by-step instructions in this easy-to-follow walkthrough of basic numerology principles.

Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar
Jeffrey Armstrong
Beyond Words
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781582702810, $22.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Spiritual Teachings of the Avatar: Ancient Wisdom for a New World discusses the real meaning of the word Avatar and its modern relevance, using Vedic spiritual traditions from India to discuss cultural and social references to Avatars and their roots. Avatars restore karmic balance and guide humans to higher forms: this provides a key survey recommended for new age and spirituality collections alike, especially those strong in Eastern teachings.


The Art Shelf

Terry Allen
Terry Allen, artwork
Dave Hickey, texts
Marcia Tucker and Michael Ventura, essays
University of Texas Press
PO Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819
9780292722460 $65.00 www.utexaspress.com 1-800-252-3206

Illustrated with striking, full-color photography of Allen's creations, Terry Allen is a coffee-table artbook compendium of Terry Allen's diversity of artistic creations - from painting to sculpture to three-dimensional created scenes and more. The text delves into the story behind Allen's wonders in meticulous detail. A one-of-a-kind collection, Terry Allen is especially recommended to anyone with a keen interest in contemporary art, and is the absolute next best thing to witnessing Allen's evocative and memorable pieces in person.

David Choe
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811869539, $45.00, www.chroniclebooks.com

DAVID CHOE offers a collection of his various arts, which range from graffiti-like embellishments to paintings, cartoons, and startling commentary blending social observation with profanity. Art libraries will easily consider this a key acquisition for any collection profiling modern arts: it displays a range of pieces and accompanying angst and observations by an artist who offers no platitudes or compromises for his subjects and approaches. A fine and involving piece, this will reach any modern arts collection.


The Military Shelf

My New Guinea Diary
Staff Sergeant Pilot Ernest C. Ford
White Stag Press
c/o Publishers Design Group
PO Box 37, Roseville, CA 95678
9780979258398 $17.95 www.publishersdesign.com

My New Guinea Diary: Cannibals, Mosquitos, Alligators, Weather, and the Japanese is the military memoir of Major Ernest C. Ford, who served as one of the 6th Troop Carrier Squadron pilots during World War II. Like all other pilots, he was warned of sharks, alligators, and New Guinea cannibals that would menace him if he were shot down. He earned six Distinguished Flying Crosses and flew 385 combat missions over the course of two wars. My New Guinea Diary portrays both the pulse-pounding, life-or-death moments and the nuances of daily life in a war zone. Ford's faith was crucial to his physical and mental survival in dark times. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this utterly unforgettable testimony.

Life and Death in the Central Highlands
James T. Gillam
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574412925 $27.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Life and Death in the Central Highlands: An American Sergeant in the Vietnam War, 1968-1970 is the military memoir of author James T. Gillam, who was drafted into the Army and distinguished himself by earning the rank of sergeant. In September of 1968, he joined the First Battalion, 22nd Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division in Vietnam. Within a month he learned how to plan and orchestrate deadly jungle ambushes. He often took point, and was also familiar with fighting in tunnels below ground. The brutality of war forced him to be equally brutal to survive, up to his fateful and savage last night in Cambodia. After he left the Army in June of 1970, he strived to rebuild a normal life, and eventually became a university professor. Life and Death in the Central Highlands vividly recounts the struggle to endure under sanity-destroying life-and-death pressure, and paints an unforgettable personal picture of the Vietnam War. Highly recommended, especially for military biography collections.

Search & Destroy
Keith W. Nolan
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760333129, $30.00, www.zenithpress.com

SEARCH & DESTROY: THE STORY OF AN ARMORED CALVARY SQUADRON IN VIET NAM comes from a military historian and author who spent most of 20 years researching and writing about the battles waged by thousands of American troops during the Vietnam War. A year and a half after his death, Keith Nolan's final survey has finally been released, and is a 'must' for any military history library focusing on Vietnam.

Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219, Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
www.ospreypublishing.com

Mark Lardas' ROUGHSHOD THROUGH DIXIE: Grierson's Raid 1863 (9781846039935, $18.95) tells of how Grierson led a force of 1,700 Union cavalrymen across enemy lines into Confederate-held Tennessee, spending 17 days creating havoc in a successful, unparalleled raid. Any Civil War military collection will appreciate this complete coverage of a daring Union raid. Tim Moreman's LONG RANGE DESERT GROUP PATROLMAN: THE WESTERN DESERT 1940-43 (9781846039249, $18.95) tells of a group tasked with strategic reconnaissance and raiding operations during World War II. Their desert operations penetrated deep into enemy territory, and this studies the life of an LRDG patrolman and considers the rigors of desert battle. Gordon L. Rottman's US COMBAT ENGINEER 1941-45 (9781846035791, $18.95) provides a fine survey covering the men who served as combat engineers in the second world war. At one point the U.S. army contained over 700 engineer battalions: this covers the special roles and history of the engineer soldier. DOGFIGHT: WAR IN THE SKIES (9781849081665, $15.00) provides a fine box set featuring artwork by known aviation artists. It's not a book: it's a vivid postcard gift set of some 40 unique scenes of air battle and depicts aircraft in action, from bi- and tri-planes to modern stealth fighters.


The Crafts Shelf

Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com

Anna Elizabeth Draeger's CRYSTAL BRILLIANCE (9780871162953, $21.95) deserves repeated, ongoing recommendation as an outstanding guide to making beaded jewelry. Bracelets and necklaces come in a range of styles and can be paired with earrings and alternating colors on projects that focus on using crystals to create glamorous jewelry. Step-by-step instructions assure success! Also recommended is Peggy Krzyzewski & Christine Hansen's MAKING MIXED MEDIA ART CHARMS & JEWELRY (9780871164018, $21.95) offers a fine survey of mixed-media art charms and tricks for working with all kinds of materials, from wood to resin and glass. Found objects, clay and more are featured in this powerful, top pick for any crafts or jewelry-making collection!


The Railroading Shelf

Eye of the Explorer
Paul D. McDermott, Ronald E. Grim, Philip Mobley
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425600 $50.00 www.mountain-press.com

Eye of the Explorer: Views of the Northern Pacific Railroad Survey, 1853-54 is a compendium of lithographs (and six of the fine prints) originally painted by John Mix Stanley and Gustavus Sohon in 1853-54, as part of a survey led by Major Isaac Stevens in search of a northern transcontinental railroad route. All of the superbly reproduced, color images are strikingly beautiful, revealing glimpses of vast tracts of untamed land. The text of Eye of the Explorer also recounts the story of the expedition - its discoveries, challenges, encounters, and modern evaluations of the expedition's contributions to history and science. A breathtakingly beautiful coffee table book, Eye of the Explorer is a captivatingly original contribution to art, railroad, or natural history shelves, and highly recommended.

The Cars of Pullman
Joe Welsh, Bill Howes, Kevin J. Holland
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760335871, $40.00, www.voyageurpress.com

The Cars of Pullman is a 'must' for any train history collection, covering the Pullman which served the U.S. rail travel industry for more than half a century. Packed with vintage photos and illustrations, this covers the Pullman's evolution and includes rare archival photos, diagrams, and period ads alike. Three Pullman experts contribute the history, making this an authoritative 'must' for any transportation or train library.


The Nautical Shelf

Sheridan House
145 Palisade St., Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
www.sheridanhouse.com

Dr. J. Hauert's DOCTOR ON BOARD (9781574092981, $19.95) provides a powerful survey for mariners who need a quick medical reference. From basic first aid to recognizing the symptoms of common and unusual illnesses and treating them aboard, as well as handling sailing-based injuries, this should be on board any sailing craft as a basic boater's reference whilst at sea. Peter H. Spectre's THE MARINER'S BOOK OF DAYS 2011 (9781574092936, $14.95) provides an outstanding survey blending a nautical desk diary and calendar with tips on charts, sailing, and more. History notes on every calendar block adds historic insights in this lovely gift book for any mariner!


The Native American Shelf

Storytelling Time
Arthur F. Jones & Lucy A. Ganje, Editors
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main St., Manchester, VT 05354
9781555953164, $60.00, www.hudsonhills.com

STORYTELLING TIME: NATIVE NORTH AMERICAN ART FROM THE COLLECTIONS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH DAKOTA is a winning title presenting objects made by native North Americans and examining them in a manner which allows for cultural insights. History notes accompany a variety of full-page Native art works documenting sacred ceremonial objects as well as paintings and other mediums. The result should be added to any holding interested in more then Native art alone.


The Architecture Shelf

Green Living: Architecture and Planning
Rizzoli
300 Park Avenue South, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10010
9780847833108 $45.00 www.rizzoliusa.com 1-800-726-0600

Black-and-white and color photographs enhance Green Living: Architecture and Planning, a surprisingly accessible collection of essays distilling the wisdom of twelve leading experts in the rapidly growing field of environmentally-friendly and sustainable architecture. From "The Road to the Natural House", to "Cultural Sustainability and the Renewal of Tradition", to "Tradition and Innovation in Green Architecture and Urbanism", the essays reflect on both abstract principles and concrete realities necessitated by the process of green building. Green Living is especially recommended for architects and prospective architects, yet the need for positive changes in humanity's building processes is sure to connect with readers of all backgrounds. Highly recommended.


The Literary Shelf

Charles Dickens Four Novels
Charles Dickens
Baker & Taylor Publishing Group
10350 Barnes Canyon Rd., Suite 100, San Diego, CA 92121
9781607100690 $19.98

Charles Dickens Four Novels is a beautiful, surprisingly inexpensive collection and presentation of four of Charles Dickens' great classics: "The Adventures of Oliver Twist", "A Christmas Carol", "A Tale of Two Cities", and "Great Expectations". All four novels are complete and unabridged, and this deluxe hardcover compendium features gold trim on the pages and an inset ribbon for easy bookmarking. An excellent and elegant edition especially recommended for private reading shelves.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

A Grouse Hunter's Almanac
Mark Parman
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
9780299249205 $19.95 www.wisconsinhistory.org

Expert grouse hunter and English and journalism teacher Mark Parman presents A Grouse Hunter's Almanac: The Other Kind of Hunting, an anthology of essays collecting his twenty years of wisdom, experience, and insight distilled from his hunting pastime. From the bond between a hunter and his dogs, to the allure of hunting guns, the exhilarating experience of exploring the Northwoods, and even eye-opening topics such as the positive environmental side to clear-cuts (specifically small, carefully managed clear-cuts that can benefit grouse and other types of wildlife). It should be noted that "A Grouse Hunter's Almanac" is not a specifically organized collection of facts like the traditional Farmer's Almanac, but rather an absorbing, eminently readable anthology, enthusiastically recommended as a giftbook for anyone who loves the joy of the hunt.

Kayak Bass Fishing
Chad Hoover
The Heliconia Press
1576 Beachburg Road, Beachburg, Ontario K0J 1C0 Canada
c/o SCB Distributors
15608 S. New Century Drive, Gardena, CA 90248-2129
9781896980461 $24.95 www.helipress.com www.scbdistributors.com

Expert bass angler Chad Hoover presents Kayak Bass Fishing, an exciting guide to the dual arts of fishing from a kayak, and fishing for all types of bass, including largemouth, smallmouth, and stripers. Chapters cover everything from kayak, gear, and fishing equipment selection to essential safety guidelines, seasonal fishing tips, tactics appropriate for different bass species, and much more. Full color photography on almost every page illustrates this excellent and user-friendly guide, highly recommended for bass fisherman everywhere (even those who prefer not to fish from a kayak)!


The Gardening Shelf

The Essential Garden Design Workbook, second edition
Rosemary Alexander
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204-3527
9780881929751 $34.95 www.timberpress.com 1-800-327-5680

Now in a revised and updated second edition, featuring new eco-design tips, The Essential Garden Design Workbook continues to live up to its title as an in-depth yet user-friendly guide to planning and laying out one's garden. Extensive black-and-white sample diagrams, full-color photographs, and exhaustively detailed text walk the reader through a plethora of design options step by step. The binding of The Essential Garden Design Workbook allows it to lay flat for easy reference while surveying the site or sketching out one's best ideas. An absolute "must-have" for serious gardeners, whether planning to grow a green paradise from scratch or adjusting the purpose or aesthetics of an existing garden.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Wisdom of Imperfection
Rob Preece
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
9781559393492 $18.95 www.SnowLionPub.com 1-800-950-0313

Tibetan Buddhist, psychotherapist, and meditation retreat leader Rob Preece presents The Wisdom of Imperfection: The Challenge of Individuation in Buddhist Life, an exploration of the psychological and inspirational processes that take place on the path of the Bodhisattva, embracing compassion and imperfection. Chapters also warn against tragic obstacles and pitfalls that confront those seeking to cultivate the highest qualities in themselves and others. "The willingness to sacrifice oneself for others may be born out of a deeply damaged sense of self. Sadly, I have seen a number of people, especially some close women friends, enter spiritual communities and work 'selflessly,' sacrificing themselves to circumstances that become increasingly demanding and abusive. The compulsion to neglect self and constantly work for others can easily be supported by spiritual ideals and collective approval. Within this 'selfless' spirituality often lies a deep well of pain, grief, and self-destructive masochism that seldom can be resolved through self-sacrifice." An excellent and worthy addition to Buddhist studies shelves, highly recommended.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Legal Guide for the Visual Artist, fifth edition
Tad Crawford
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, Suite 510, New York, NY 10010
9781581157420 $29.95 www.allworth.com 1-800-491-2808

Attorney Tad Crawford presents Legal Guide for the Visual Artist, a must-have reference and resource for all types of professional visual artists, including photographers, painters, printmakers, designers, sculptors, illustrators, cartoonists, web designers, and more. Now in its fifth updated edition, Legal Guide for the Visual Artist covers what American law has to say about copyright, sales/commissions/rentals of original art, taxes, grants and public support available for the arts, and much more. Written in plain terms to be accessible to artists of all backgrounds, Legal Guide for the Visual Artist is invaluable as a preventative measure for staying on the right side of the law, and also as an excellent brush-up resource to consult prior to visiting an attorney who charges tremendous fees per hour. Highly recommended.


The Aviation Shelf

Building the P-51 Mustang
Michael O'Leary
Specialty Press
99 Spring Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10012
9781580071529 $39.95 www.spibooks.com

Building the P-51 Mustang: The Story of Manufacturing North American's Legendary World War II Fighter in Original Photos is an extraordinary, detailed chronicle of the invention and manufacture of one of the most popularly fascinating World War II aircraft. More than 300 black-and-white vintage photographs chosen from the author's personal archive of official factory and USAAF images, many of which have never before been published, illustrate the meticulous recounting of engineering and technical details concerning each step of the P-51 Mustang's manufacture. An absolute "must-have" for anyone serious about researching the history of World War II aircraft, or modeling the P-51 Mustang, Building the P-51 Mustang is an exhaustively complete resource on its subject. Also highly recommended for aviation and military history buffs is the Specialty Press title "Birds of Prey: Predators, Reapers and America's Newest UAVs in Combat" (9781580071536, $29.95).


The Gaming Shelf

Play the London System
Cyrus Lakdawala
Everyman Chess
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9781857446395 $26.95 www.everymanchess.com 1-800-243-0495

International Chess Master Cyrus Lakdawala presents Play the London System, an excellent guide to both using and defending against the London system. Intermediate to advanced chess players will learn much from the repertoire of responses White has to the London System, ranging from direct attacks to positional strategies. Sample game summaries with critical points to remember further illuminate this excellent guide to bettering one's chess game through mastery of a specific tactic.


The Economics Shelf

Empirical International Trade
Daniel M. Bernhofen, editor
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9781848443013 $345.00 www.e-elgar.com 1-800-390-3149

Volume 242 of the International Library of Critical Writings in Economics, Empirical International Trade gathers a wealth of scholarly essays by learned economists and mathematicians, evaluating the latest theories and discoveries in the economic venue of international trade. The exhaustively detailed essays are categorized into six main sections: "Empirical Studies on the Heckscher-Ohlin Model", "Testing Comparative Advantage and the Gains from Trade", "Monopolistic Competition and the Gains from Product Variety", "Gravity, Borders and the Growth of World Trade", "The Empirics of Firm and Plant Trade", and "Trade, Networks and Institutions". Extensive tables, calculations, and formulas supplement the expert-level resource of technical discussion and theory, highly recommended for college and graduate school economics libraries.


The Music Shelf

For the Parlor & The Concert Stage
Keith Ward
Pendragon Press
PO Box 190, Hillsdale, NY 12529
9781576471883, $48.00, www.amazon.com

The piano is often associated with European composers, but Americans have made their own impact with the instrument. "For the Parlor & The Concert Stage" looks at the history of piano music and its composers in American history. Looking how American piano music began to take form, at historical pieces in the past few hundred ears, the advancement of technique, the people who have composed this music and the people who are composing it today. "For the Parlor & the Concert Stage" is a must for anyone studying the history and relevance of piano music in America, in the past and the present.


The Human Sexuality Shelf

Sex & Love at Midlife
Bernie Zilbergeld
Crown House Publishing
6 Trowbridge Drive, Ste. 5, Bethel, CT 06801
9780982357392, $16.95, www.crownhousepublishing.com

Becoming wiser isn't the only benefit to getting older. "Sex & Love at Midlife: It's Better Than Ever" is a discussion of sex and passion in later life, as Dr. Bernie Zillbergeld affirms readers that as life rolls on, the drive remains, it just changes to a more refined palette and understanding those desires is the key to a life long sexual happiness. "Sex & Love at Midlife" is a thoughtful read that will give much needed encouragement to those approaching midlife.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

A Career With Meaning
Cheryl A. Stevens, et al.
Sagamore Publishing
1807 N. Federal Drive, Urbana, IL 61801-1051
9781571675262, $59.95, www.amazon.com

Feeling what you do actually matters is a major morale boost. The cooperative work of Cheryl A. Stevens, James F. Murphy, Lawrence R. Allen, and Emilyn A. Sheffield, "A Career With Meaning: Recreation, Parks, Sport Management, Hospitality, and Tourism" is a guide to the career possibilities in this various fields and how to use them to find a very fulfilling place in the world. Outlining how to determine if these jobs are for you, what comes with the territories, plenty of resources and discussion of each, the staff behind this volume provide an excellent resource. For any library careers collection or anyone considering a profession in any of the titular fields, "A Career with Meaning: Recreation, Parks, Sport Management, Hospitality, and Tourism" is an invaluable resource.


The Science Shelf

The Descent of Man
Charles Darwin
Dover Publications
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
9780486471648, $9.95, www.doverpublications.com

Some books hold their place in history as legendary for their impact on society. Charles Darwin authored many of these books. "The Descent of Man" is a re-publishing of his work, with abridging and introduction from Michael Ghiselin. A follow up on "On the Origin of Species", Darwin continues to discuss the roots of humanity, sharing ancestors with apes and other primates, a claim which has earned Darwin notoriety and praise alike. "The Descent of Man" is a must for anyone who wants to read Darwin's work themselves, highly recommended.


The Technology Shelf

Autotools
John Calcote
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
9781593272067, $44.95, www.nostarch.com

Autotools may seem as if their automatic, but like anything automatic, you have to point it in the right direction. "Autotools: A Practitioner's Guide to GNU Autoconf, Automake, and Libtool" is a guide to the finer use of the titular tools and how to use it to make more useful and more successful software for greater and more efficient use. The autotools can add polish and help debug scripts, allow greater cross platform use, and how to make your own autoconf macros. "Autotools" is a fine addition to any computer languages and programming collection and is a solid read for anyone who wants to master these tools.


The Calendar Shelf

Tide-Mark
PO Box 20, Windsor, CT 06095-0020
www.tide-mark.com

Calendars are more than just ways of marking off the days, weeks and months of the year. More than just a scheduling resource for recording appointments, memorial occasions like birthdays and anniversaries, trip dates and vacation plans. The best of them are also inexpensive works of art and adornment that can liven up and esthetically elevate even the humblest home or office. One of the premier publishers of calendars has now begun to release their extensive collection of 2011 wall calendars. The photography-based calendars are enduringly impressive. The painting-based calendars are of museum collection quality. Especially recommended are three horticulturally oriented calendars for 2011 featuring superb examples of full color photography: "Celebrating Roses" (9781594906305, $13.95); "Container Gardening" (9781594906749, $13.95); "Fine Gardening Ideas" (9781594906787, $13.95). The painting-based calendars run the gamut from wildlife to classical art, to outer space, to the American Civil War and include "Wolves" (9781594906879, $13.95); "The Hunting Art Of Arthur Shilstone" (9781594906442, $13.95); "Space 2011 Calendar" (9781594906718, $13.95); "Masterpieces Of European Painting: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art" (9781594906596, $13.95); "Masterpieces Of American Painting: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art" (9781594906589, $13.95); "Hudson River Masterpieces: Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art" (9781594906572, $13.95); "Civil War: The Paintings Of Dan Nance" (9781594906152, $13.95). As is customary with Tide-Mark calendars, all twelve monthly images can be seen on the back of the calendars giving a complete perspective of what will be seen as each month progresses throughout the year. The quality of the individual images alone make these calendars truly extraordinary and enthusiastically recommended!


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


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