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The Bookwatch

Volume 4, Number 1 January 2009 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Art Shelf
Architecture Shelf Graphic Novel Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Military Shelf Native American Shelf American History Shelf
Black Studies Shelf Social Issues Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
World History Shelf Photography Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Business Shelf Economics Shelf Biography Shelf
Travel Shelf Computer Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Nautical Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Science Shelf
Calendar Shelf Hobby Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Fiction Shelf Political Science Shelf Literary Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

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

This illustrated history of big-game hunting in the 19th century West pairs a fine narrative using writings of original participants with insights on early sport hunting techniques used among different peoples in the West. From evolving equipment and technology to both solitary hunters and group efforts, HUNTING THE AMERICAN WEST is a fine survey packed with vintage photos and perfect for any library strong in hunting history and sport.

Blunder
Zachary Shore
Bloomsbury USA
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1596912421, $25.00 www.bloomsburyusa.com

BLUNDER: WHY SMART PEOPLE MAKE BAD DECISIONS examines the social, political, and psychological history of bad decision-making, considering how mistakes can both teach and hinder progress. Blunders can have a large impact but rigid thinking can lead to self-defeating processes. Chapters consider these thought patterns and provides important insights perfect for any general-interest lending library.

The Complete Guide to Robert's Rules of Order Made Easy
Rita Cook
Atlantic Publishing Company
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9781601382597, $19.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Robert's Rules of Order is an established code used in political meetings and was adopted as a parliamentary method in the U.S. with most clubs and governments participating. This outlines the traditional rules for quorums, amendments, and debates and can be easily used for conferences, meetings, and seminars, considering how to use the Rules in conjunction with new technology and online environments for maximum effect. An essential key for any business looking for 21st century strategies.

Diners, Drive-Ins, Dives: An All-American Road Trip
Guy Fieri with Ann Volkwein
William Morrow
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
9780061724886, $19.95 www.harpercollins.com

Part lively travelogue and part cookbook, Guy Fieri's culinary history celebrates America's most colorful diners and dives - and accompanies his popular TV show. Recipes blend with black and white photos and memorabilia for a survey packed with fun stories and fine dishes, bringing the Food Network star's experiences and colorful observations to life. Any general lending collection strong in American culture and culinary history needs this.

The Best of Instructables V. 1
Make Magazine Editors
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596519520, $34.99 www.oreilly.com

Learn how to paint with electronic graffiti, create science fiction costumes, and put together bento box lunches through a series of projects from the popular DIY website. The Instructables community includes over 350,000 makers around the world who here share their step-by-step popular project instructions. Articles offer tips on how to make the most of technical projects, are accompanied by color photos and artist comments, and make for a powerful set of fine DIY projects - over 120. Very highly recommended for any general-interest library.

Deadly Decisions
Christopher Burns
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591026600, $26.98 www.prometheusbooks.com

DEADLY DECISIONS: HOW FALSE KNOWLEDGE SANK THE TITANIC, BLEW UP THE SHUTTLE, AND LED AMERICA INTO WAR comes from an author seasoned on information management technology and tells of how group behavior, brain biology and the search for 'virtual truth' collaborate to provide evidence and assumptions about reality which prove dead wrong. Blending history with issues of critical thinking and technology assessment, DEADLY DECISIONS is a top pick for any college-level collection strong in history, social science or psychology.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

A Passion for Sea Glass
C.S. Lambert
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
978892727071, $30.00 www.downeastbooks.com, 1-800-685-7962

Amy A. Wilton provides the stunning photos for A PASSION FOR SEA GLASS, a survey of major sea glass collectors and the workshops of artisans who use the glass to provide everything from sea-glass windows to mosaics, ornaments and more. It compliments Lambert's 2001 coverage SEA GLASS CHRONICLES, which covered collection and identification of such glass, and adds a new dimension of usage and conversion making this a fine guide for any art or photography collection.

Matchbox Toys 1947-2007: 5th Edition
Dana Johnson
Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574325881, $29.95 www.collectorbooks.com

Any library strong in toy collecting guides will find MATCHBOX TOYS a 'must' for their collection. It packs in the latest values with small color photos throughout for clear identification of these toys, offering insights on different patterns and toy markers. It covers a range of years and changes and is a collector's key reference on the topic.

Modern Guns, 17th Edition
Russell and Steve Quertermous
Collector Books
P.O. Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574326031, $19.95 www.collectorbooks.com

The 17th Edition of MODERN GUNS: IDENTIFICATION AND VALUES offers a completely revised version to add value to the hallmark reference that's been a mainstay in the gun collecting world since its first appearance in 1978. It provides the latest detail and current information on all kinds of guns, offering thousands of values and thousand of black and white photos of all kinds of guns from handguns to rifles. Very highly recommended indeed.

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

David Longest's handbook Antique Santa Claus Collectibles (9781574326130, $29.95) arrived too late for Christmas mention but is a year-round reference for any avid collector of Christmas ornaments, figurines, and decorations. The focus is on Santa Claus alone, narrowing the choices and allowing for plenty of color photos paired with the latest identification guides. Any collection offering narrowed specialty focus - particularly holiday references - will find this a key title. Diane McClure Jones & Rosemary Jones' ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COLLECTIBLE CHILDREN'S BOOKS: IDENTIFICATION AND VALUES (9781574325751, $29.95) offers book lists by both author and series, the latest values, and color photos of selected books. The result is a fine survey perfect for any library catering to either general collectors or specializing in children's literature. It packs in the top collectibles and adds a healthy dose of publishing history insights to boot. C. Dianne Zweig's HOT COTTAGE COLLECTIBLES FOR VINTAGE HOME STYLES (9781574326062, $29.95) offers a lovely collector's guide to the furniture and home embellishments of 'cottage style' home decor. From artistic print cards and vanity mirrors to porch and cabin furnishings and needlework embellishments, the range of cottage style collectibles is covered in an outstanding value guide for any specialty collecting collection.


The Art Shelf

The Art of Polymer Clay Millefiori Techniques
Donna Kato
Watson Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003-9535
www.wgpub.com, 1-800-451-1741
0823099180, $19.95 www.watsonguptill.com

In Venetian glassmaking slender rods of molten glass are shaped and cut into patterns, the result called 'millefiori', 'then thousand flowers'. This survey by artist Donna Kato shows how to recreate such designs in polymer clay, providing a survey of dozens of techniques and pairing them with more than fifty millefiori artists' products. Color photos of millefiori and cutting and shaping techniques makes for a title highly recommended for any crafts collection, especially those catering to jewelry artists.

Masters of Bamboo
Melissa Rinne
Asian Art Museum
200 Larkin Street, San Francisco CA 94102
Tuttle Publishing (distributor)
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9780939117406, $25.00 www.tuttlepublishing.com

Bamboo artists are profiled in a fine survey of bamboo art that includes discussions of artist backgrounds, basket-making history, and a major Asian Art Museum exhibition packed with varied examples of masterful bamboo construction items. These illustrate different techniques and provide lively, involving keys to the varied products and results of using bamboo. Highly recommended: a fine survey suitable for both art libraries and those centering on Asian culture and arts.

Renaissance
Christopher Masters
Merrell Publishers Limited
740 Broadway, Suite 1202, New York, NY 10003
1858944481, $49.95 www.merrellpublishers.com

The Renaissance throughout Europe is a fine time of political and social change - and one of the least understood eras, regarded as a 'rebirth' of ancient Roman culture in the world. Christopher Masters' RENAISSANCE isn't just a recap of old material: it's a major new study of the Renaissance throughout northern Europe and explores his the arts reflected influences from a range of cultures from medieval Europe and the Islamic world alike. Gorgeous color illustrations by a range of artists from different eras make RENAISSANCE a powerful presentation.

Ironwork Today 2: Inside & Out
Jeffrey B. Snyder
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764330643, $50.00 www.schifferbooks.com

Hundreds of lovely color photos display iron artwork from modern artist-blacksmiths, contrasting a range of styles and options and adding introductions to the artists and their works. The result is a 'must' for any college-level library strong in ironworking art or modern art in general, offering an unparalleled examination of the latest ironworking results.

The Golden Age of Spain, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture
Joan Sureda, author
The Vendome Press
1334 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021
Harry N. Abrams, Inc. (distributor)
115 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com, 1-800-759-0190
9780865651982, $85.00, pgs. 304, 215 full-color illustrations

Discovering new facts about art, history and the influence of the times enhances our appreciation for the artists, their creations, and the circumstances that shaped, influence, and inspired them. In a time when New World gold and Christianity were to influence the next 200 years of artists and their art after Columbus's discovery of the New World in 1492, one of the most compelling factors were those of wealthy patrons who desired lavish and inspirational works which are now known and appreciated around the world. The collaborative work of Joan Sureda, a Professor of Art History a the University of Barcelona, former Director of the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya, Barcelona, member of the Experts Committee at many museums including the Museo del Prado, "The Golden Age of Spain, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture" is a profusely illustrated, exceptionally informative, and impressively presented art history. Sureda has drawn upon him having previously published many books on art in Spanish to create an enduring and seminal contribution to the history of Spanish artists. Featuring Jose de Ribera's Immaculate Conception, El Greco's Toledo and Diego Velazquez's Las Meninas this truly beautiful collection, brings to art history enthusiasts the first book in English to explore Golden Age painting alongside sculpture and architecture to give a complete portrait of Spain's Golden Age. "The Golden Age of Spain, Painting, Sculpture, Architecture" is strongly recommended for all academic and community library collections, art enthusiasts, students and non-specialist general readers who appreciate the diverse artists contributing to the culture of Spain at its zenith.


The Architecture Shelf

Inspired By Nature: Minerals
Alejandro Bahamon and Patricia Perez
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393732603, $35.00 www.wwnorton.com

Students of architecture and college-level art libraries catering to them will find Inspired By Nature: Minerals to be a powerful discussion of building and geology. It surveys new building designs, major project challenges in blending with cityscapes and construction specs alike, blending color photos of completed projects with drawings and renditions of exteriors and interiors alike. It's an outstanding survey for any involved in architectural design specs.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Charley's War: Return to the Front
Pat Mills and Joe Colquhoun
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781845767969, $19.95 www.titanbooks.com

UK comics writer Pat Mills and artist Joe Colquhoun provide a fine military graphic novel highly recommended for any military library and many a collection specializing in graphic novels. In 1916 one Charley lies about his age to enlist and flight on the battlefields of France. Recovering after battle, Charley has been resting in the UK and returns to the front lines only to find some of his comrades are as dangerous as the Germans they are fighting. Lovely detail makes for an unusually well done, complex story.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Military Wives' Cookbook
Carolyn Quick Tillery
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826722, $22.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

This gathering of recipes, stories and vintage photos considers the history and unique contributions of the wives of America's military families, using a menu format for chapters pairing stories and recipes from different eras of history. From international foods families learned to enjoy around the world to military wives' experiences, THE MILITARY WIVES' COOKBOOK includes everything from Red Velvet Cake to Green Beans with Corn on the Cob, and is a fine basic blend of history and cookbook for any military library and many a public library lending collection.

Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China
Fuchsia Dunlop
W.W. Norton & Company
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393066579, $24.95 www.wwnorton.com

Food writer Fuchsia Dunlop went to live in China as a student in 1994 and decided to eat anything she was offered, no matter how strange or bizarre. This memoir recalls her changing relationship with China and its food, her apprenticeship at China's best Sichuan cooking school where she's the only foreign student in a class of nearly fifty young Chinese men, and her discussions of the Chinese way of eating. Part travelogue and part culinary memoir, Shark's Fin and Sichuan Pepper: A Sweet-Sour Memoir of Eating in China is an outstanding recommendation for any library strong in Chinese culture and cuisine.


The Military Shelf

Shooting the Messenger: Political Impact of War Reporting
Paul L. Moorcraft and Philip M. Taylor
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166-2012
9781574889475, $29.95 www.potomacbooksinc.com

The author is both a veteran war correspondent and a think tank director, and is in the perfect position to discuss the interface between soldiers and civilian reporters covering conflicts in SHOOTING THE MESSENGER. From journalistic obligations and performance under fire to the military's manipulation of journalists and the gap between reality and representation, this will prove an invaluable title for any collection strong in either military history, military issues, or journalism studies.

Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com

First published in 1963, William Glikerson's FROM ROCKS TO ROCKETS: ARMS AND ARMIES THROUGH THE AGES (9781846034237, $14.95) offers an amusing history of armies through the ages for new audiences with a fine set of drawings and a lively tongue-in-cheek historical survey. All ages will appreciate the very simple historical overview paired with hilarious color illustrations, making this a pick for all kinds of libraries. A range of wargaming experts contribute to DECLINE AND FALL: BYZANTIUM AT WAR (9781846034022, $19.95), a gaming companion to 'Field of Glory'. It's Book 7 in the 'Field of Glory' series for historical miniatures and offers the original rulebook with organizational charts for hundreds of troop types, complete with maps and overviews. Steven J. Zaloga's UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES: ROBOTIC AIR WARFARE 1917-2007 (9781846032431, $17.95) offers a detailed survey of the design, development and history of warfare machinery through the ages. From the early development of the technology to how it's changed combat over the years, UNMANNED AERIAL VEHICLES is an excellent addition to military libraries, as is other series titles from Osprey. Some new arrivals include Robert Forsyth's JAGDGESCHWADER 7 'NOWOTNY' (9781846033209, $25.95), a survey of the revolutionary ME 262 jet fighter which proved a shocking challenge to Allied air supremacy for a long time, Pier Paolo Battistelli's PANZER DIVISIONS: THE EASTER FRONT 1941-43 (9781846033384, $25.95), telling of the historic 1941 German attack of the USSR and the Panzer Divisions deployed along the Eastern Front, Gordon L. Rottman's US ARMY LONG-RANGE PATROL SCOUT IN VIETNAM 1965-71 (9781846032509, $18.95), surveying the Long-Range Patrol Scouts who were inserted deep inside hostile territory to report on the VC movements, Dr. Nigel Thomas and Laszlo Pal Szabo's THE ROYAL HUNGARIAN ARMY IN WORLD WAR II (9781846033247, $17.95), telling of a little-known World War II army in Hungary which fought a deadly battle for the capital Budapest, and Gordon L. Rottman and Akira Takizawa's WORLD WAR II JAPANESE TANK TACTICS (9781846032349, $18.95), appears for the first time in the English language, using original Japanese sources to detail the battles and strategies of the Imperial Japanese Army's tank units. Excellent military library picks, all.


The Native American Shelf

Forgotten Fights
Gregory F. Michno and Susan J. Michno
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
0878425497, $28.00 www.mountainpress.com

FORGOTTEN FIGHTS: LITTLE-KNOWN RAIDS AND SKIRMISHES ON THE FRONTIER, 1823 TO 1890 details over three hundred lesser-known but significant conflicts of the western Indian Wars, describing skirmishes between Indians and the U.S. Army and bringing into focus the smaller-scale skirmishes that contributed to the Indian Wars. Vivid accounts provide enlightening stories of the lesser-publicized battles of the Indian Wars in the riveting chronicle.

The Choctaws in Oklahoma
Clara Sue Kidwell
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806140063, $19.99, www.oupress.com

A people displaced, a people whose history has been hard to track. "The Choctaws in Oklahoma: From Tribe to Nation, 1855-1970" attempts to draw the lines connecting the past of this Native American tribe from their wrongful displacement back in the mid nineteenth century to over one hundred years later. A story of how a tribe tries to stay true to its heritage when everything around them tries to change them, "The Choctaws in Oklahoma" is both saddening and intriguing about the cruelty and resolve of human nature.


The American History Shelf

Reconstruction: People and Perspectives
James M. Campbell and Rebecca J. Fraser, Editors
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781598840216, $85.00 www.abc-clio.com

Joining others in the 'Perspectives in American Social History' series is Reconstruction: People and Perspectives, a guide to the history and course of Reconstruction on the former Confederate states. Any high school to college-level library strong in American history will find this an excellent blend of essays and documents charting the experiences of a wide range of ordinary Americans in the South. A top pick for any collection strong in Civil War era history.

Pueblos, Spaniards, and the Kingdom of New Mexico
John L. Kessell
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806139692, $24.95 www.oupress.com 1-800-627-7377

Written by John L. Kessell (Professor Emeritus of History, University of New Mexico) Pueblos, Spaniards, and the Kingdom of New Mexico is a narrative history of the seventeenth century of New Mexico, accurately portraying the tension between the Pueblo Indians and Spanish colonizers. Chronicling history through the relation of linked, lesser-known true stories, Pueblos, Spaniards, and the Kingdom of New Mexico offers its own interpretation and analysis of the Pueblo Revolt of 1680, the Spanish reconquest in the 1690s, and much more. A welcome addition to Native American and New Mexico state history shelves, especially recommended for public library collections.


The Black Studies Shelf

Western Echoes of the Harlem Renaissance
Cynthia Davis and Verner D. Mitchell, Editors
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806139753, $19.95 www.oupress.com

Western Echoes of the Harlem Renaissance: The Life and Writings of Anita Scott Coleman reveals Coleman's life and rise as Afro-American writer living not in New York but mostly in the Southwest and West. Her reflections and writings represent a rare look at Afro-American life in these areas and offers an anthology of her writings far broader than other collections, blending her stories, essays, poems and some rare pieces hardly published since their initial appearance. College-level collections strong in Afro-American history and literature need this.

African Americans in Science
Charles W. Carey, Jr.
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851099986, $195.00 www.abc-clio.com

AFRICAN AMERICANS IN SCIENCE: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF PEOPLE AND PROGRESS is an excellent two-volume reference for either high school or college-level collections covering the essential scientific contributions of blacks from colonial to modern times. From details on over 100 leading scientists, institutions and organizations dedicated to helping Afro-American scientists to issue-centered entries on important topics and the role of historically black colleges in providing opportunities in the sciences, this is an excellent reference for any studying Afro-American contributions in general, or science in particular.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Social Security and Medicare Handbook
V.R. Leonard
Atlantic Publishing Company
1210 S.W. 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9781601381323 , $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Learn how the social security and Medicare systems work with the latest guide to them, which includes provisions of the Social Security Act, regulations issued under the Act, and recent court decisions. The web of services and options are quite complex, but this handbook provides an excellent overview of the system and covers all the basics of how to become insured, how to file a claim, and different parts of Medicare coverage. Libraries will find it an excellent basic reference.

How Globalization Spurs Terrorism
Fathali M. Moghaddam
Praeger Security
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313344800, $44.95 www.praeger.com/psi

Increasing globalization encourages terrorism, and the idea of 'one world' fuels violence: that's the concept in How Globalization Spurs Terrorism, which analyzes modern Islamic terrorism in the context of increasing world connections. Modern terrorism is different and new because of its reliance on new technologies and world links - both of which offer threats to the collective Muslim identity. Chapters analyze this threat, contrasting globalization's realities and threats with its impact on bringing together groups which had no previous history of large-scale contact. College-level libraries strong in global studies will find this a fine acquisition.

Gryphon House
10726 Tucker Street, Beltsville, MD 20705
www.ghbooks.com

Kathy Charner, et.al.'s THE GIANT ENCYCLOPEDIA OF LESSON PLANS FOR CHILDREN 3 TO 6 (9780876590683, $34.95) offers over 250 lesson plans created by teachers for teachers, providing a new addition to the GIANT Encyclopedia series of lesson plans. Each lesson plan comes with learning objectives, a group activity, snack ideas, assessment strategies and play ideas, and is a treasure trove of ideas teachers will relish. Kathy Hastings, Cathy Clemons and April Montgomery's DAILY PRESCHOOL EXPERIENCES FOR LEARNERS AT EVERY LEVEL (9780876590102, $29.95) offers 100 days of plans for learning center activities for preschoolers at all levels. These plans are arranged by theme into 20 units including morning activities, vocabulary words, extension activities, daily reviews, and more. The attention to three developmental levels: beginning, developing and experienced learners makes for a key acquisition. Rebecca Isbell's THE COMPLETE LEARNING CENTER BOOK (9780876590645, $39.95) tells how to use 40 unique and traditional approaches to enrich a learning center environment. This updated edition includes a cd-rom of letters to send home, graphics, and icons for each center, and holds new assessment tools and updated literacy facets as well as nine completely new learning centers in outdoor drama, sign shop, small motor, car wash and more. All are fine picks for learning center teachers and collections catering to them.

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

Bertie Kingore's DEVELOPING PORTFOLIOS FOR AUTHENTIC ASSESSMENT, PREK-3 (9781412954839, $23.95) is written for early childhood educators and provides a handbook on how to use portfolios for assessment, offering techniques for combining portfolios with traditional measurements to design more appropriate instruction for young children. From easy instructions for developing such portfolios to methods for gathering and assessing data, it's a must for any early education library. Eugenia Mora-Flores' WRITING INSTRUCTION FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS: A FOCUS ON GENRE (9781412957298, $28.95) discusses how to expose students to various genres of written text, and is one of the most powerful approaches to guiding development in writing. It combines strategies to foster writing development across genres for English learners in grades 2-8, and is based on the author's extensive experience as a writing instructor. Approaches involve teaching narrative and persuasive writing alike with techniques for using the process writing model to lead students through drafts, revising, and polished results. James Bellanca's 200+ ACTIVE LEARNING STRATEGIES AND PROJECTS FOR ENGAGING STUDENTS' MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES, 2ND EDITION (9781412968850, $40.95) offers an updated edition of ACTIVE LEARNING HANDBOOK FOR THE MULTIPLE INTELLGENCES CLASSROOM with over 200 research-based activities and projects for increasing student motivation and on-task learning in K-12 classrooms. Step-by-step directions for each activity and checklists of tips and procedures lend to an invaluable reference. Michael A. Scaddan's 40 ENGAGING BRAIN-BASED TOOLS FOR THE CLASSROOM (9781412949149, $30.95) provides brain-compatible instruction for K-12 classrooms in a resource advising teachers on how the brain, mind and body function in the learning process. The latest brain research findings are provided in a set of some 40 brain-friendly tools for improving learning and test results. All are top picks education collections will welcome.

Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, Saint Paul MN 55117
www.redleafpress.org

Dave Riley, et.al.'s SOCIAL & EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT: CONNECTING SCIENCE AND PRACTICE IN EARLY CHILDHOOD SETTINGS (9781933653303, $24.95) presents time-tested activities that teachers know help children learn, showing how research studies help teachers identify why and how socialization methods work. From helping children foster interpersonal relationships and develop socially acceptable habits to problem-solving skills, this focus on early childhood development is a fine pick. Lisa Burman's ARE YOU LISTENING? FOSTERING CONVERSATIONS THAT HELP YOUNG CHILDREN LEARN (9781933653464, $27.95) comes from an experienced elementary school teachers and educational consultant and offers child-centered teaching methods based on making conversation a part of a child's daily routine. Examples of dialogues between teachers and children offers focus and information for teachers on how to listen more, direct conversations with kids, and encourage children's group and individual participation. Perfect for early education classroom directors who would promote an interactive classroom environment goal.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Handbook of Veterinary Pharmacology
Walter H. Hsu
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780813828374 www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Any vet school or practicing vet needs Handbook of Veterinary Pharmacology: it's a guide to pharmacology concepts and commonly used veterinary drugs and provides an easy outline format to allow for quick access to drug information. Easy line drawings showing the mechanisms of action and study questions are included at the end of each chapter, with details on drug dosages, drug therapy for different domestic species, and clear diagrams. Perfect for students and practicing vets seeking a quick reference.


The World History Shelf

Siena: City of the Virgin
Titus Burckhardt
World Wisdom Inc.
1501 E. Hillside Drive, Bloomington, IN 47401
9781933316598, $22.95 www.worldwisdom.com

Siena, Italy was home of St. Bernardino and St. Catherine and renowned for its architectural splendor and religious devotion. Titus Burckhardt's history of Siena comes with his own color photos of the city and its countryside: some 28 color and 40 black and white reproductions of medieval and early Renaissance icons, paintings and sculptures capture the spiritual sentiments of its times and makes for a fine collection recommended for either art history or spiritual collections.


The Photography Shelf

Digital Photography from the Ground Up
Juergen Gulbins
Rocky Nook
26 West Mission Street Suite 3, Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2432
9781933952178, $34.95 www.rockynook.com

Digital technology has revitalized interest in photography, and this guide to digital photography will help novices get started with the basics of modern photography and discussions of how imaging occurs in digital cameras. From the basics of composition to image editing and archiving images, this is an in-depth course of basics perfect for any library seeking a course in book form.

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

Tamara Lackey's THE ART OF CHILDREN'S PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584282402, $34.95) provides lighting techniques for studio and location shots alike and shows how to organize a children's photo business and photoshoot and how to produce superior photos. Excellent image examples accompany clear tips for gaining superior results from difficult subjects. William B. Folsom and James P. Goodridge's EVENT PHOTOGRAPHY HANDBOOK (9781584282419, $34.95) tells how to document all sizes of events, from bar mitzvahs to ribbon cuttings, parades to tournaments and sports events. A team of professional photographers reviews the steps needed to obtain money from event photography, and how to establish a thriving business based on documenting events. All are top picks for photography libraries.

The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers
Derrick Story
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596521936, $24.99 www.oreilly.com

Photographers often feel overwhelmed by Photoshop's many options, and The Photoshop CS4 Companion for Photographers helps photographers make basic adjustments, paring down topics to cover just the essentials of common operations, not every possible Photoshop feature. From recipes for retouching portraits and swapping colors to refining images with masking and using Adobe Camera Raw, THE PHOTOSHOP CS4 COMPANION FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS is a top pick for any photography library.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Seams to Me: 24 New Reasons to Love Sewing
Anna Maria Horner
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
9780470259269, $24.99 www.wiley.com

Ten original paper patterns are included a fine collection of unique projects ranging from a sideways squares skirt and a prairie blouse to a child's 'bo peep' skirt and a cup apron. Color photos and vivid designs will appeal to both beginners and veteran sewers with unusual projects and easy step-by-step directions. Libraries strong in original needlework projects will find this a popular pick.

Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
www.fwpublications.com, 1-800-726-9966

A free cd-rom with templates accompanies RaNae Merrill's SIMPLY AMAZING SPIRAL QUILTS (0896896536 , $29.99), a survey of basic techniques for spiral quilting with variations on four types of spirals. From changing direction and choosing colors to complete projects and a colorful display of options, any quilter seeking to learn the author's unique in-spiralling designs will welcome this. Joanie Zeier Poole's JOANNIE'S QUILTING ELEMENTS: 7 SIMPLE STEPS TO NAVIGATE AND STITCH (0896896501, $29.99) tells how to use a free-motion machine to take quilting to a different level. Seven easy steps teach how to navigate and stitch wonderful quilting designs, showing how to begin and end stitches, handle quilts in a machine, and work with either continuous-line, continuous-outline or continuous-object designs. Quilting libraries will find it a unique and popular lend.

More Fabulous Flowers: Mini-Quilts in Dimensional Applique
Sharon K. Baker
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564778192, $26.95 www.martingale-pub.com

Locate 20 new flower designs in a followup to Sharon K. Baker's FABULOUS FLOWERS, telling how to create dimensional flowers in a quilting environment. From adding beads and yarns to making floral arrangements through different combinations, More Fabulous Flowers: Mini-Quilts in Dimensional Applique is a fine blend of patterns, color photos and easy materials and application discussions.


The Audiobook Shelf

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

When he was nearly five years old Cory Friedman woke up with an uncontrollable urge to shake his head - the beginnings of a series of tics and involuntary utterances resulting in thirteen years of medications and treatments. With medical science confused and trying drugs that added more conditions and complications, James Patterson and Hal Friedman's AGAINST MEDICAL ADVICE (1600243657, $34.98) tells of Cory's struggle to survive against all odds, and receives a powerful narration by theater performer Kevin Collins. Kate Atkinson's CASE HISTORIES (1600245005, $24.98) receives speech and drama-trained narrator Susan Jameson's warm and evocative performance as it tells of three cases in which a private detective's investigations uncover some startling connections and impossible answers. It's a riveting, unusual murder mystery with many different and satisfying twists and turns.

Brilliance Audio
c/o Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
www.brillianceaudio.com, 1-800-854-7859
www.brilliance.com

Mel Foster lends a fine acting expertise to his narration of another classic Pern story in Anne McCaffrey's ALL THE WEYRS OF PERN (1423357353, $29.99); this revolving around a long-held dream of totally eradicating Thread from the world of Pern. An ancient colonist's artificial intelligence system holds news and hope for the besieged peoples of Pern in this riveting fantasy novel, especially recommended for prior Pern readers. Halima Bashir's TEARS OF THE DESERT (1423367839, $38.95) receives Rosalyn Landor's fine acting voice and many years of experience in stage and theatre as it tells of Halima, born into a small Sudanese desert tribe with a fine intellect and gift for study. With her love of learning and father's support she studies medicine and becomes her village's first formal doctor - but becomes involved in harrowing politics and social issues when Arab militias savage assault her village. Her courage could change lives - and take her own - in this gritty memoir perfect for any audio collection strong in contemporary global issues. Sam Wyly's 1,000 DOLLARS & AN IDEA (1423366506, $29.95) offers a rags-to-riches story of a business wizard whose work is to create and build companies. Sam Wyley's memoir surveys how he expanded companies in technology, retail and investments over the last forty-five years, surveying how the self-made billionaire's early years prepared him for thriving. Margaret Truman's MURDER INSIDE THE BELTWAY (1423367154, $32.99) receives Patrick Girard Lawler's smooth and classically trained stage voice as it captures the drama of one Rosalie, a Washington DC call girl found bludgeoned to death in her apartment. An investigation during a Presidential re-election involves Washington candidates and a kidnapped daughter in this tense thriller, recommended for any audio library strong in audiobook mysteries.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Reality Overload
Annie Le Brun
Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594772443, $16.95 www.InnerTraditions.com

The basic problems of the modern world result from reality overload, an invasive homogenization of modern life that elevates consumption goals and conformity and creates a situation of too much information. The author links many modern ills to this information overload fact, discussing relationships between ecology, human actions, and the abandonment of the magical realm and dreams in her THE REALITY OVERLOAD: THE MODERN WORLD'S ASSAULT ON THE IMAGINAL REALM, a pick for both new age and philosophy collections.


The Self-Help Shelf

Relationships That Work
David B. Wolf
Mandala Publications
17 Paul Drive, San Rafael, CA 94903
1601090153, $14.95 www.mandala.org

RELATIONSHIPS THAT WORK: THE POWER OF CONSCIOUS LIVING surveys transformative communication efforts and the lessons and wisdom of becoming a better communicator. Its strategies and principles discusses everything from overt and covert agreements between people to the process of making and fostering conscious habits. New age and general self-help/self-improvement library collections will find it an intriguing, hopeful survey.

Seven Strategies for Positive Aging
Robert D. Hill
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393705232, $17.95 www.wwnorton.com

This innovative approach to aging is designed to promote well-being in later life and provides strategies organized into seven chapters on how to learn, discover sources of wisdom, strengthen relationships, and more. The idea is to blend general life paths into keys to staying positive and upbeat during challenging times, and here examples of real people and their different, successful approaches provide role models for inspiration.


The Business Shelf

Secrets of Social Media Marketing
Paul Gillin
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
1884956858, $15.95 www.quilldriverbooks.com

SECRETS OF SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING: HOW TO USE ONLINE CONVERSATIONS AND CUSTOMER COMMUNITIES TO TURBO-CHARGE YOUR BUSINESS! is a powerful, cutting-edge survey for any business library catering to marketers and business owners who wish to learn the new social media method of promoting brands and generating business. It's for newcomers to the topic and offers chapters on everything from podcasting and social networks such as Second Life to using web browsers and identifying on-line sales influencers.

How to Manage People
Michael Armstrong
Kogan Page
525 S. 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749452414, $17.95 www.koganpage.com

HOW TO MANAGE PEOPLE is a new book surveying key ideas on motivating people and teams. It presents author Michael Armstrong's knowledge on how to manage teams and staff members and how to get the best results from people, and offers managers a clear and comprehensive course of action. Any business library catering to managers needs this.

In the Land of Difficult People
Terrence L. Gargiulo and Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D.
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814400299, $19.95 www.amacombooks.org

24 fables taken from around the world illustrate 'best practice' ideas for handling difficult people at work. Unlike the usual Western approach, this book provides analysis of different cultural and social reactions to difficulty, and juxtaposes the folk stories with a brief analysis discussing organizational habits that adversely affect organizations at all levels. A lively, intriguing format, this will be enjoyed by both business and general-interest libraries.

Protecting Your Business in a Pandemic
Geary W. Sikich
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313346026, $44.95 www.praeger.com

PROTECTING YOUR BUSINESS IN A PANDEMIC: PLANS, TOOLS, AND ADVICE FOR MAINTAINING BUSINESS CONTINUITY is for business managers and owners who would understand pandemics and how they disrupt business functions - and how to re-organize a business with safeguards against major disruptions. From local to global reactions to pandemic reports to economic impacts on business, it offers a blend of assessment tools, exercises and applications key to developing a business continuity plan.


The Economics Shelf

Discover Your Inner Economist
Tyler Cowen
Plume
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014-3658
9780452289635, $15.00 www.penguin.com

Plenty of books discuss economic thinking - but how many discuss how to apply such thinking to nontraditional topics? Here one of America's foremost economists examines everyday life and how economic reasoning applies to everyday events. From keys to successful daily interactions to assessing risk, outcome, and financial pros and cons, Discover Your Inner Economist is a powerful pick for both school and general-interest libraries alike.


The Biography Shelf

Short and Sweet
Jerry Maren with Steve Cox
Cumberland House
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581825435, $24.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

Deserving of ongoing mention, SHORT AND SWEET: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE LOLLIPOP MUNCHKIN tells of a midget who represented the Lollipop Guild in the classic Wizard movie, and who opens his archives after 70 years in show business. A wealth of color photos from his achievements accompanies the story of his rise to fame and his encounters with stars from Lucille Ball to the Marx Brothers in this vivid memoir, recommended for any general-interest lending library.


The Travel Shelf

Your First Cruise
T. Brian Chatfield
Atlantic Publishing Company
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9781601381514, $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Set sail on a cruise and discern all the savvy details in advance, from tipping to itineraries, with a book that is based on information from 11 of the largest cruise companies. The book helps consumers understand differences between cruise lines and offered programs, helping readers compare the different cruise lines and understand what will happen on a first cruise. A fine choice for any library strong in travel; especially collections catering to seniors.


The Computer Shelf

PHP and MySQL Web Development, 4th Edition
Luke Welling and Laura Thomson
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com 1-800-428-5331
9780672329166, $49.99 www.informit.com/aw

The 4th updated edition of PHP AND MYSQL WEB DEVELOPMENT is a pick for any advanced developer's library following these open-source technologies. It's a scripting language designed to enable developers to create functional Web applications quickly, and pairing a web database that integrates well with PHP with the tool for added impact. From examples of common tasks to tips on making a shopping cart, generating PDF documents and images, and managing email, PHP and MySQL Web Development is a top pick for any advanced developer's collection - and even includes a CD-ROM of invaluable information.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway South, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

Any web programmer seeking to learn Ajax will find Rebecca M. Riordan's HEAD FIRST AJAX (9780596515782, $44.99) a user-friendly course in interactive web application programming and the many opportunities offered by Ajax. The actual look of the book is different: it uses the latest findings in cognitive science and learning theory to blend cartoons, drawings, charts, and graphic images into the process, making for a far easier learning method. David Sawyer McFarland's JAVASCRIPT (Pogue Press, 9780596515898, $39.99) provides a structured series of programs designed to help Java programmers customize code. From avoiding common errors to saving time with prewritten code, JAVASCRIPT: THE MISSING MANUAL is a winner. Any library strong in web page design will find these popular lends. Brian Jepson, Ernest E. Rothman and Rich Rosen's MAC OSX FOR UNIX GEEKS, 4TH EDITION (9780596520625, $34.99) now covers Leopard and offers a fine survey of the 'geekier' side of Mac OS X. This book bridges Apple's Darwin OS and traditional Unix systems, offering insights on how to perform common Unix tasks in Mac OS X's different environment. Learn how to compile code, install open source software through Fink and MacPorts, and more. Barbara Brundage's PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 7: THE MISSING MANUAL (9780596521332, $44.99) is for any who would get the most out of Photoshop. It offers jargon-free explanations of processes, demonstrates tools the pros use, tells how to back up and share photos online, and surveys organization and display basics. Any library catering to Photoshop users will find this an essential, key acquisition.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Indian Spa
Kim Inglis
Talisman
c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9789810593537, $39.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com

THE INDIAN SPA is the first of its kind to consider the many wellness therapies that originated in India, offering a synthesis and analysis of the country's four major healing systems - Ayurveda, Unani, Siddha and Tibetan traditional medicine, as well as naturopathy, yoga, meditation and more. Essays cover alternative health processes and therapies and provide both history and outlines of treatments, making this an outstanding choice for any new age or health collection.

Moments of Truth in Genetic Medicine
Susan Lindee
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801891019, $25.00 www.press.jhu.edu

Susan Lindee's original study explores the history of ideas and disciplines that interacted to turn genetic medicine from a marginal field in the mid-1950s to the foundations of biomedicine it is today. Moments of Truth in Genetic Medicine offers a fine survey of the work of geneticists, discussing social issues, public doubts and awareness, historic technological breakthroughs, and more. It's a 'must' for any health library concerned with health history, particularly at the college level.

Physiology at a Glance, 2nd Edition
Jeremy Ward & Roger Linden
John Wiley
c/o Blackwell Publishing
2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300
www.blackwellpublishing.com, 1-800-216-2522
9781405177238, $36.95 www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Students studying physiology as a course or for a degree will find PHYSIOLOGY AT A GLANCE, 2ND EDITION to be a fine survey in full color with a new table of normal physiological values and updates in many different areas. Text and diagrams cover all key components of physiology and are key to any student's course of study, making it an important pick for any college-level library strong in health science.

Remembering Yesterday, Caring Today: Reminiscence in Dementia Care
Pam Schweitzer and Errollyn Bruce
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
9781843106494, $45.00 www.jkp.com

Any health library strong in dementia care 'best practice' guides will welcome this focus on the tool of reminiscence and its ability to support people with dementia. From how it works to stimulate communication to how professionals and family members alike can use reminiscence to maximum effectiveness both at the group and individual level, this is a key acquisition for any working with dementia patients - and their loved ones.


The Nautical Shelf

Inshore Navigation
Tom Cunliffe
Wiley Nautical
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780470753897, $29.95 www.wileynautical.com

The second updated edition of Tom Cunliffe's classic is written with the idea of a 'quick start', reviewing the basics of navigation and coverings all the foundations of using charts, GPS, plotting a fix, working out navigation and more. He's one of Britain's leading experts on yacht navigation and is also an instructor examiner and consultant: his jump start and background teaching navigation will delight beginning sailors and collections catering to them.

The Folkboat Story
Dieter Loibner
Sheridan House
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092745, $29.95 www.sheridanhouse.com

The Folkboat's classic elegance has lasted six decades, and here Dieter Loibner describes its history, surveying a classic and old Nordic Folkboat design that produces equally good results whether from wood or fiberglass. Its history and legends make for a lively survey perfect for nautical libraries; especially those seeking in-depth coverage of the construction and operation of unusual boats.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

2009 Writer's Market
Robert Lee Brewer, Editor
Writer's Digest Books
4700 East Galbriath Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
F&W Publications, Inc. (distributor)
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990
www.fwpublications.com, 1-800-726-9966
1582975418, $29.99 www.writersdigest.com/books

Written by writers for writers, this 2009 edition of Writer's Market packs in over 700 new listings plus interviews and provides the latest contact information and submission guidelines for over 3,500 markets from literary magazines and theatres to greeting card companies and book publishers. The latest information and submission guidelines is accompanied by interviews with Amy Silverstein and others, updated pay rate charts for pros, and tabbed pages for quick and easy location of info. Every lending library at the public or high school forward level must have this.

Clean, Well-Lighted Sentences
Janice Bell
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393067712, $21.95 www.wwnorton.com

CLEAN, WELL-LIGHTED SENTENCES: A GUIDE TO AVOIDING THE MOST COMMON ERRORS IN GRAMMAR AND PUNCTUATION is for any who know they want to write, but who aren't confident in the use of grammar and punctuation. The most common errors in American sentences are covered from a teacher who holds over thirty-five years in a variety of university and business teaching settings, and appear in chapters easy to access and understand. Any library catering to ESL students or high school to college-level users will find this a light, accessible read.


The Science Shelf

The Super-Organism
Bert Holldobler and E.O. Wilson
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393067040, $55.00 www.wwnorton.com

In their first major collaboration since THE ANTS, two renowned biologists provide a fine in-depth look at the social evolution of insect societies in THE SUPER-ORGANISM: THE BEAUTY, ELEGANCE, AND STRANGENESS OF INSECT SOCIETIES. Superorganisms are colonies of individuals knit by cooperation and complex communication: they work in tightly knit colonies held together by cooperation and are the nonhuman equivalent of a society. This review of the nature of insect superorganisms and their impact makes for a powerful and in-depth survey recommended for any college-level science and nature library.

Science and Technology in Modern European Life
Guillaume De Syon
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313337680, $49.95 www.greenwood.com

High school to college-level libraries strong in either science and technology or modern European life will find Science and Technology in Modern European Life an excellent history and review of how science and technology affects and changes modern European society today. From urban and rural agriculture and the growth of industrial machines to navigating the world and handling war, chapters provide an excellent historical and social history.

Bretz's Flood
John Soennichsen
Sasquatch Books
119 S. Main St. #400, Seattle, WA 98104
1570615055, $23.95 www.sasquatchbooks.com

BRETZ'S FLOOD: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF A REBEL GEOLOGIST AND THE WORLD'S GREATEST FLOOD provides a biography of one J. Harlen Bertz, a history and geology survey discussing how he devised a revolutionary new geology theory based on little more than observation and hypothesis. Beretz was a former high school science teacher then a professor: he hypothesized that a catastrophic flood had scoured the land, and he provided papers documenting a deluge of proof for this ideas. Any science library strong in geology will find it a winner.


The Calendar Shelf

That Patchwork Place
c/o Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue, NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com, 1-800-426-3126

2009 AWARD-WINNING QUILTS FEATURING QUILTS FROM THE INTERNATIONAL QUILT ASSOCIATION (9781564778994, $12.95) offers 12 months of exceptional winning quilt designs from the International Quilt Association, from geometric patterns to landscapes, flowers and more. Quilters will enjoy a fine wall calendar filled with different, involving quilting designs. QUILT CALENDAR 2009 (9781564778666, $16.95) holds a dozen quilts from recent That Patchwork Place books, each with step-by-step directions in one wall calendar presentation. Quilts from popular designers offer color pullout instruction booklets in a combination of instructional and monthly inspiration. Both are powerful new calendars perfect for avid quilters.


The Hobby Shelf

Designing & Building Multi-Deck Model Railroads
Tony Koester
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com 1-800-533-6644
9780890247419, $19.95 www.KalmbachBooks.com

Featuring more than 185 color illustrations and photographs, Designing & Building Multi-Deck Model Railroads: How to Get More Out of Your Space is an in-depth, step-by-step walkthrough for serious model railroad enthusiasts. The text offers helpful overall advice as well as minutely specific recommendations, stressing that creating an elaborate multi-deck railroad ultimately entails more compromise as compared to a single-deck design. Experienced model railroad builders will welcome the technical detail of this solid how-to manual.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Shifting Definitions of Genre
Lincoln Geraghty and Mark Jancovich
McFarland & Company
Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
9780786434305, $35.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com

THE SHIFTING DEFINITIONS OF GENRE: ESSAYS ON LABELING FILMS, TELEVISION SHOWS AND MEDIA provides a survey of genre meanings and their changes over the years, offering thirteen essays considering genre marketing in different film groups and categories. From specific genres for different types of films to concepts of history and genre identification, this college-level survey is recommended for any library strong in media studies.


The Fiction Shelf

My Fathers' Daughter
Teresa Marotta
Crary Publications
405 Lehman Street, Las Vegas, NV 89110
9780974343884, $15.95 www.CraryPublications.com

Set in South Carolina, "My Fathers' Daughter" is an engaging historical novel that takes place in the late 1800s after the expulsion of Native Americans from the eastern shores of the nation to an inhospitable west, through the end of the American Civil War. It's the story of Amelia, a young woman who upon the death of her father sets out to find a half-sister she had previously been unaware of. Amelia joins with a trapper who is more hindrance than help, mistreating her at every opportunity. Along the way there are heroes -- and the need for one. "My Father's Daughter" is a riveting novel that combines romance with mystery with frontier adventure. The result is solid entertainment from first page to last. "My Father's Daughter" is especially recommended for personal reading lists and community library fiction collections.


The Political Science Shelf

Deleting the State
Aeon J. Skoble
Open Court Publishing
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
081269614X, $29.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

Is the state a necessary evil, or can its problems be overcome? Aeron J. Skoble's philosophical examination DELETING THE STATE: AN ARGUMENT ABOUT GOVERNMENT offers an analysis of various arguments about the state that traces all debates down to the idea that mutual warfare would emerge in the absence of political authority. High school to college-level libraries strong on both philosophy and political debates will find this holds many thought-provoking considerations.

Dumbocracy
Marty Beckerman
The Disinformation Company, Ltd.
163 Third Avenue, Suite 108, New York, NY 10003
9781934708064, $16.95, www.disinfo.com

Sometimes it seems a functional brain isn't needed to become a politician. "Dumbocracy: Adventures with the Loony Left, the Rabid Right, and Other American Idiots" is Marty Beckerman's war on the idiocy that so infests the American political landscape. Pulling no punches, he attacks all the horrendous extremes and calls them out for what they are with the biting humor and satire that the rational reader will love. "Dumbocracy" is a must read for anyone who sees current politics as one elaborate joke.


The Literary Shelf

John Donne: The Reformed Soul
John Stubbs
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393333664, $18.95 www.wwnorton.com

John Donne emerged as one of the world's greatest English poets from his former status as a buccaneer, capturing the paradoxes of his times and offering satirical visions of hell, powerful meditations in verse, and more. His psychological state and literary impact are explored in a striking biography merging social and literary insights: a key acquisition for any college-level library including studies of past poets.

Conrad's Heart of Darkness
Allan Simmons
Continuum
80 Maiden Lane #704, New York NY 10038
9780826489340, $16.95 www.continuum.com

An overview of the novel HEART OF DARKNESS joins others in Continuum's 'Character Studies' series and offers discussions of the narrative structure and narrators key to the text's reading. High school to college-level students of Conrad will find this a powerful exploration of the themes and ideas of this classic text, and a 'must' for comprehensive study.


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


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