Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / The Bookwatch

The Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 7 July 2011 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Education Shelf Travel Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Reference Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Photography Shelf American History Shelf
Business Shelf Computer Shelf Science Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Art Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Psychology Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Sports Shelf
Women's Studies Shelf Humor Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Music Shelf
Biography Shelf Woodworking Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Political Science Shelf Nautical Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

My Two Chinas
Baiquiao Tang with Damon DiMarco
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616144456, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

MY TWO CHINAS: THE MEMOIR OF A CHINESE COUNTERREVOLUTIONARY tells of a modern dissident whose name became legendary during the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Over the past twenty years he remained on the front lines of the Chinese pro-democracy movement, vowing to keep fighting for a free China. His survey offers insights from one who has become a living legend to millions worldwide, and who new lives in exile in New York City. Any collection strong in Chinese political and social issue needs this!

A Billion Wicked Thoughts
Ogi Ogas and Sai Gaddam
Dutton
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780525952091, $26.95, www.penguin.com

A BILLION WICKED THOUGHTS: WHAT THE WORLD'S LARGEST EXPERIMENT REVEALS ABOUT HUMAN DESIRE presents a project that analyzed a billion web searches, a million web sites, erotic videos, stories, personal ads, and digitized romance novels to provide different insights on the sexual relationships of men and women. Online behavioral data blends with the latest neuroscience findings and combine with social analysis to reveal starting truths about men and women that often defy popular concepts. General, science, and social issues collections alike will relish this survey.

Companionship in Grief
Jeffrey Berman
University of Massachusetts Press
P.O. Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498044, $26.95, www.umass.edu/umpress

Companionship in Grief: Love and Loss in the Memoirs of C.S. Lewis, John Bayley, Donald Hall, Joan Didion, and Calvin Trillin is a pick for health and literary holdings alike, focusing on the effects of the death of a spouse. The authors produced books that explored the nature and experience of spousal bereavement and care giving - and the potentials for falling in love again. All five memoirists' fictional and nonfictional writings serve as the foundation for a fine examination blending grief theory, attachment theory, and literary study in a recommendation for any college-level literary or health collection.

Relativity for the Questioning Mind
Daniel F. Styer
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801897602, $30.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Relativity for the Questioning Mind explains the basic concept of relativity in easy language non-scientists will appreciate, showing how the theory applies to different real-life situations an using diagrams and a classroom-tested teaching method to consider common questions and ways of finding answers. Any general-interest collection as well as many a basic science holding will find this an easy method of understanding the basics of relativity and its importance to understanding daily life.

Destiny Books
c/o Inner Tradition
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.destinybooks.com

Padma and Anaiya Aon Prakasha's WOMB WISDOM: AWAKENING THE CREATIVE AND FORGOTTEN POWERS OF THE FEMININE (9781594773785, $19.95) provides a powerful new age spirituality survey using sacred traditions from India, Tibet, Egypt and beyond to show how women can become aware of the intuitive voice of the womb outside of pregnancy and the moon cycle. Exercises to clear the past, release toxic emotions, and active the sacred sensual self are provided and accompanied by a 45-minute CD including a soundscape to assist in the awakening of these creative forces. New age and women's collections will find this a winning survey! New age collections will welcome Mantak Chia and William U. Wei's COSMIC DETOX: A TAOIST APPROACH TO INTERNAL CLEANSING (9781594773778, $16.95) reveals the detox and rejuvenation practices of the Taoist sages and show how to reactive a body's self-healing abilities by expelling accumulated toxins through diets and cleansing. Chi self-massage and healing sound exercises are accompanied by recipes for herbal tonics and cleansing flushes in this excellent new age guide.


The Education Shelf

Speech to Print Workbook, second edition
Louisa Cook Moats and Bruce L. Rosow
Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598571622, $24.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Speech to Print Workbook packs in teaching methods and tips to using phonics to increase reading skills and has been completely revamped with new exercises in a second updated edition. Teachers learn the basics of how to strengthen critical skills in a title which includes over 80 new or revised exercises not found in the original text, new quizzes to reinforce the basics of language learning keys, a new layout to make the workbook easier to use, and more.

A Medical Teacher's Manual for Success
Helen M. Shields, MD, FACP, AGAF
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801897661, $25.00, www.press.jhu.edu

A Medical Teacher's Manual for Success: Five Simple Steps comes from a clinician-teacher who has spent her career training future doctors, researchers and medical school instructors. This shares her methods for developing and teaching curricula for medical students and reduces her program to five steps which cover preparation, logical presentations, group explorations of topics, reinforcement of concepts and a five-minute summary of points. Her guidelines for teachers provide lists of do's and don't guidelines perfect for any who would follow in her teaching footsteps.

Math Work Stations
Debbie Diller
Pembroke
c/o Stenhouse Publishers
Box 11020, Portland ME 04104-7020
9781571107930, $34.00, www.stenhouse.com

Math Work Stations: Independent Learning You Can Count On, K-2 appears in a spiral-bound workbook format and provides a fine photo-filled key to math work stations that teach kinds conceptual skills and math vocabulary. Key concepts and ideas for modeling and assessment provide a fine pairing of math station ideas with hundreds of color photos showing them at work in classroom settings. Highly recommended for any education library working with the K-2 audience!

The Unscripted Classroom
Susan Stacey
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul MN 55117
9781605540368, $29.95, www.redleafpress.org

The Unscripted Classroom: Emergent Curriculum in Action provides a fine way to use new practices to tie into a child's emerging creativity, offering a flexible set of routines for early childhood educators interested in enlivening the curriculum. From using stories for professional development to handling toddlers and embracing and teaching the unexpected, this packs in invaluable learning tools in a pick for any early childhood professional collection.

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

Rick Auger's THE SCHOOL COUNSELOR'S MENTAL HEALTH SOURCEBOOK: STRATEGIES TO HELP STUDENTS SUCCEED (9781412972734, $31.95) argues that school counselors need to broaden their knowledge on mental health disorders - and provides tools counselors can use to help keep students on track. From addressing autism and anxiety disorders to intervention strategies tested in the field and handling a range of disorders, this provides definitions, approaches, and tested methods that work and is a 'must' for any education collection. Nancy P.Gallavan's NAVIGATING CULTURAL COMPETENCE IN GRADES 6-12: A COMPASS FOR TEACHERS (9781412978484, $31.95) provides a fine survey discussing cultural diversity and provides an eight-point 'cultural compass' for teachers showing how to create an inclusive curriculum. From creating a welcoming school environment to increasing teaching confidence, this demonstrates exactly how to infuse cultural competence into a curriculum. Math teachers working with grades 4-10 will find Leslie Laud's USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT TO DIFFERENTIATE MATHEMATICS INSTRUCTION: SEVEN PRACTICES TO MAXIMIZE LEARNING (9781412995245, $30.95) to be a specific and powerful teaching tool to help support an entire classroom, from struggling learners to high achievers. This book makes it easy to place formative assessment practices into action, from establishing norms and using TRI models to creating tiered lessons and multitasking a differentiated classroom. Highly recommended! Also a top pick is Debbie Zacarian's TRANSFORMING SCHOOLS FOR ENGLISH LEARNERS: A COMPREHENSIVE FRAMEWORK FOR SCHOOL LEADERS (9781412990400, $31.95) provides a fine guide to educating public school ELs. Each chapter focuses on a key elements of English language education programming with the entire school in mind, from selecting a program model for school-wide implementation to using measures of student performance to make decisions. Educators and school principals will find this a fine assessment! THE PRINCIPAL AS LEADER OF CHALLENGING CONVERSATIONS (9781412981156, $25.95) is a pick for educator collections where principals seek a quick reference guide to creating and maintaining positive conversations with staff, parents, students and district leaders alike. From active listening and feedback to assertive communication, this includes scripts, sample dialogues, checklists and more gained from case study examples. Betty J. Alford and Mary Catherine Nino's LEADING ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT FOR ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS: A GUIDE FOR PRINCIPALS (9781412981606, $31.95) offers case studies from school leaders who have created effective chances for ELL learners. From applying instructional strategies for best benefit to understanding resources, this offers professional development tools key for teachers seeking to understand second language acquisition.


The Travel Shelf

France, ninth edition
Nicola Williams, et.al.
Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Berkeley CA 94607
9781741795943, $26.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

The ninth updated edition of LONELY PLANET FRANCE is a 'must' take-along tote for any independent traveler journeying to France, and offers cultural references and travel details alike. 10 months of research in France and 13 authors present over a hundred maps and plenty of practical references to places to see, stay, and things to do throughout the country. Color maps, sidebars of information, and practical, trip-planning details make this a winning - and exhaustive - reference.

Spain
Anthony Ham, et.al.
Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Berkeley CA 94607
9781741795998, $26.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

SPAIN provides an excellent take-along reference for any independent traveler planning a journey to Spain. A pull-out map of Barcelona accompanies listings of large and small towns alike, including places to stay on all budgets, where to eat, cultural attractions, and what to see. Sidebars of special notes, small color maps, and more make this a winning take-along reference.


The Cookbook Shelf

Chocolate Snowball
Letty Halloran Flatt
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762761111, $19.95, www.globepequot.com

CHOCOLATE SNOWBALL AND OTHER FABULOUS PASTRIES FORM DEER VALLEY BAKERY pairs lovely color photos with easy instructions for innovative pastries, and comes from a Utah ski resort renowned for its cuisine. Over a hundred of the resort's favorites for breakfast, breads, cookies and desserts offer step-by-step directions and pointers for success, with recipes rated from Easier to Expert and offering anecdotes about Deer Valley and the bakery's culture. An outstanding survey, this is recommended for any collection strong in regional dessert cookbooks!

Beat This! Cookbook
Ann Hodgman
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9780547437002, $14.95, www.hmhbooks.com

BEAT THIS! COOKBOOK has been revised and updated with over fifty new recipes and provides a funny book about food and its peculiarities. Pair this sense of humor with recipes such as Deep Fried Pickles, Pork Loin With Prunes and Medeira, and classic The Only Chocolate Chip Cookies and you have a winning collection. No color photos, but the easy dishes and lively presentation don't need embellishment.

Southern Biscuits
Nathalie Dupree and Cynthia Graubart
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423621768, $21.99, www.gibbs-smith.com

SOUTHERN BISCUITS pairs lovely color photos by Rick McKee with an outstanding set of biscuit recipes from across the South and which range from beaten biscuit classics to modern innovations on the biscuit recipe. From skillet biscuits and cheese-filled biscuits to sesame seed biscuits and homemade refrigerator biscuit recipes, this is packed with a range of tested winning dishes and is a pick for any general lending library.

Diamond Dishes
Julie Loria
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762769629, $24.95, www.lyonspress.com

DIAMOND DISHES FROM THE KITCHENS OF BASEBALL'S BIGGEST STARS comes from an author with a dual passion for cooking and baseball, and thus is a pick for any general lending library with fans in either sector. She spent two years interviewing some top players in the game, learned their favorite photos, and discovered many of them knew how to cook. DIAMOND DISHES gathers some sixty easy recipes from her encounters with these players, pairs them with color photos, and adds baseball memories, and provides recipes ranging from the super-simple Southern Sweet Tea to Big Batch Meatballs and Sauce.

Oxmoor House
PO Box 11095
Des Moines, Iowa 50336-1095
www.oxmoorhouse.com

Jan Moon's SOUTHERN LIVING BIG BOOK OF CUPCAKES (0848734378, $19.95) is loaded with cupcakes for all seasons and offers tested, foolproof baking recipes created by the author, who owns Dreamcakes Bakery. These cupcakes are above the norm and over 150 recipes for Peaches-and-Cream Cupcakes, Pink Lemonade Cake, Mocha Latte and more provide inspirational, different recipes paired with delicious color photos throughout. Any general lending library will find this a winning attraction! Cooking Light's FRESH FOOD SUPERFAST (0848734335, $24.95) provides nearly three hundred recipes which emphasize fast, healthy cookery and pairs tip boxes for speedy cooking with quick ingredient 'spotlights' and substitution ideas to change dishes. With color photos throughout, this takes the guesswork out of dinner and makes for a top pick!


The Reference Shelf

Index it Right!
Janet Perlman and Enid L. Zafran
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
9781573873963, $32.00, www.infotoday.com

INDEX IT RIGHT! ADVICE FROM THE EXPERTS V. 2 covers everything from locators and indexing for public policy and military books to creating indexes for textbooks, and surveys all the basics of indexing for professional indexers looking for specifics on vocabularies and approaches. Chapters tell how to save indexes to import into Word, how to handle entry density challenges, and more. Highly recommended!

Edited by S.P. Fjestad
Blue Book Publications Inc.
8009 - 34th Ave. S., Suite 175, Minneapolis, MN 55425
www.bluebookinc.com

The ninth updated edition of Dr. Robert D. Beeman & John B. Allen's BLUE BOOK OF AIRGUNS (1936120135, $29.95) provides over six hundred pages in the only resource for the latest prices and values of both modern and vintage airguns. It's co-written by the 'Godfather of the Airgun Industry' And pairs detailed descriptions and the latest values with over 1,200 black and white images identifying the most popular makes and models, pairing history with practical airgun price valuations. Any gun collector or library catering to them will consider this a 'must have' reference! A top pick for the same kind of collection is the third updated edition of S.P. Fjestad's BLUE BOOK OF TACTICAL FIREARMS (9781936120116, $29.95), packing in a complete reference on tactical rifles, airguns and shotguns. This narrowed reference considers only the tactical firearms from the general Blue Book of Gun Values database, devoted solely to this area and excluding sporting guns. Over 400 pages pack in new and older models of tactical guns and offers detailed model descriptions and indexes of manufacturers and suppliers. Any gun reference collection should have this specific, invaluable reference!

How to Write a Historic Structure Report
David Arbogast
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393706147, $26.00, www.wwnorton.com

How to Write a Historic Structure Report is the only step-by-step guide to walk readers through the process of compiling a historic structure report, the document key to all preservation professionals which evaluates a historic building before restoration. From gathering historical data on the property to assessing the entire structure, this covers all the basics of a HSR and is a 'must' reference for any homeowner or architectural arts collection.


The Audiobook Shelf

Satori
Don Winslow
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachettebookgroupusa.com
9781607886921, $29.98, www.amazon.com

SATORI presents a fine novel based on Trevenian's SHIMBUMI, pairs it with a vivid reading by Holter Graham, and provides a fine thriller suitable for any general audio lending library. Here genius and assassin Nicholai Hel returns in a story set in 1951, where Nicholai has spent the last three years in solitary confinement at the hands of Americans. The CIA needs him and offers him freedom: but the price is to undertake a near suicide mission - which Hel accepts. Can he survive ongoing dangers to achieve real freedom? A tense thriller springs to life in audio.

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
www.hachetteaudio.com

Michael Connelly's THE FIFTH WITNESS (9781600247724, $39.98) receives an outstanding narration by Peter Giles, a Los-Angeles based actor with credits in TV and film, and provides a fine action-paced story of one Mickey Haller, a criminal defense lawyer who finds himself again at the center of a case that has attracted massive media attention. His team is working to exonerate Lisa against a mountain of evidence against her - and his investigation reveals a murdered banker's shady, dangerous deals gone wrong in this fast-paced legal thriller, highly recommended for any audio collection. Tiny Fey's BOSSYPANTS (9781609419691, $29.98) is narrated by the author unabridged on 5 CDs, includes a pdf of photos, and provides a fine account of Tina's complete story. From her youthful days as a nerd to her stint on Saturday Night Live and her pursuit of physical beauty, this is a hilarious, revealing and fun memoir that comes to life in audio and is a pick for any collection. David Baldacci's THE SIXTH MAN (9781607885801, $39.98) pairs a fine dual reading by Ron McLarty and Orlagh Cassidy with the thriller revolving around an alleged serial killer who faces almost certain conviction. But is Toy really a killer? It's up to investigative attorneys to uncover the truth in a series of surprising revelations perfect for collections strong in legal thrillers. Bob Greene's 20 YEARS YOUNGER (9781609419813, $29.98) is narrated by the author and provides important keys to living not just longer, but better. A bonus PDF features meal plans, recipes and more while the unabridged CD reviews the latest scientific findings in health and offers the additional advice of health experts Harold A. Lancer MD, Ronald L. Kotler MD, and Diane L. McKay, PhD. Any health-oriented or general nonfiction audio collection will find this a winner. Ron Paul's LIBERTY DEFINED: 50 ESSENTIAL ISSUES THAT AFFECT OUR FREEDOM (9781609419073, $24.98) receives a vivid narration by Bob Craig, whose three decades in radio broadcasting lends a smooth and clear voice to this consideration of liberty and its social issues. How liberty affects our daily lives and how to recognize tyranny disguised as liberty makes for a thought-provoking listen any general or political audio library should have. James Redfield's THE TWELFTH INSIGHT: THE HOUR OF DECISION (9781607888772, $29.98) pairs actor Bruce Thomas' warm and experienced voice and skills with a new novel in the Celestine series: this revolving around another ancient, mysterious manuscript that describes a secret approach to spirituality that is to arrive in the second decade of the 21st century in fragments. Wil and Hero search for the pieces and find powerful religious and political forces stand against enlightenment in this vivid story, perfect for audio listeners! Andrew Breitbart's RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION: EXCUSE ME WHILE I SAVE THE WORLD (9781607886945, $29.98) comes from a free-speech advocate who believes there needs to be more perspectives in our democracy, not mainstream media agreement. His RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION furthers his goal to e that voice, attacking mainstream media perspectives and approaches and showing how Andrew Breitbart moved from a cultural liberal to a conservative culture advocate. Social and political science collections need his vibrant voice, which springs to life in audio. Ted Dekker's THE PRIEST'S GRAVEYARD (9781609419929, $34.98) receives a powerful dual narration between New York actress Rebecca Soler and classically trained actor Henry Leyva, and tells of a priest and a victim whose lives collide. Their search for a powerful, dangerous man will lead them in a deadly hunt in this fine thriller. Chelsea Handler is the star of her own late-night talk show, and her fans will relish this unabridged collection, narrated by a range of readers and gathered from friends and family, in LIES THAT CHELSEA HANDLER TOLD ME (9781609411152, $29.98). Nobody is safe from Chelsea's fake e-mails and phony schemes: this exposes her methods and makes for a vivid, enlightening listen for any Handler fan. Sherrilyn Kenyon's BORN OF SHADOWS (9781607885832, $29.98) receives a fine reading by performer Holter Graham, who has produced many award-winning audio narratives and films and who here enhances and enlivens this story of a soldier of fortune's act of heroism which transforms his life from a street-savvy assassin to a world of wealth and dangerous political games. A woman guarding her queen uncovers a plot to assassinate her and overthrow the country's government: a plot that joins two very different people in a different kind of survival game. Any collection strong in espionage and political fantasy will relish this fast-paced winner! James Patterson & Maxine Paetro's 10TH ANNIVERSARY (9781609410629, $34.98) receives a fine reading by actress Carolyn McCormick, who has many Broadway credits to her name and who spices a tense thriller around a missing newborn, a series of violent attacks, and a women's murder club returned to full gear to solve the crimes. Intrigue and action blends company politics and murder threats in this gripping action-packed survey!

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

Harlan Coben's LIVE WIRE (1441895272, $39.99) receives an outstanding performance by Steven Weber whose voice spices a thrilling story telling of Myron Bolitar, who has always dreamed of helping a femme fatale. The disappearance of a rock star husband and the plight of a pregnant former tennis star spring to life in this outstanding survey, highly recommended for any audio library especially those seeing enthusiasm for Harlan Coben's prior works. Jean M. Auel's THE LAND OF PAINTED CAVES (1441888217, $42.99) receives a fine performance by Sandra Burr, a veteran audio narrator whose fine voice brings to vivid life this conclusion to Auel's ice age Earth's Children series. Prior fans of the series will find this a powerful continuation of the story of Ayla, her love Jondalar, and their infant daughter, now living with a tribe that accepts Ayla as an acolyte and potential spiritual leader. Their challenges and the conclusion to their story makes for a powerful ending to a vivid series and a 'must' for collections seeing interest in the prior stories. Robert Dugoni's BODILY HARM (1423387368, $29.99) receives a fine performance by Dan John Miller, who has won multiple awards for his smooth and vivid audio acting style and who here spices the story of corporate espionage and justice. David Sloane and his new partner have just experienced a big legal win, when a toy designer comes forth to tell them they are wrong. Their follow-up to justice leads to deadly danger in this smooth thriller. Stephen Coonts & William H. Keith's DEEP BLACK: DEATH WAVE (1441885919, $34.99) enjoys veteran narrator Phil Gigante's smooth voice and tells of a top-secret unit of special operatives and a former marine sniper who forms a high-tech team known as Deep Black. Their investigations into assassination and an Islamic plot makes for a gripping audio thriller packed with tension and twists of plot.

Tattoos on the Heart
Gregory Boyle
Highbridge Audio
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611744347, $29.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion provides a vivid account narrated by the author and provides a classic blend of urban insight and modern spirituality from a pastor working in a gang neighborhood in Los Angeles. Gregory Boyle created an organization to provide jobs, training and encouragement to young people in tough situations: TATTOOS ON THE HEART recounts his work and the many lives it's touched, and is inspiring listening for any general lending library!

Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Russell Simmons with Chris Morrow's SUPER RICH: A GUIDE TO HAVING IT ALL (9780142428320, $29.95) receives a fine reading by Black Ice and follows up to Russell Simmons' best-selling DO YOU!, adding more insights about how to align spiritual with financial success strategies. Linking happiness to both wealth and spirituality, this provides real-life examples and success stories from the author's own life and work and is filled with keys for all income levels - perfect for any general audio collection. Geraldine Brooks' CALEB'S CROSSING (9780142429709, $39.95) receives stage and screen actress Jennifer Ehle's award-winning and vivid voice, which brings to life the story of the first Native American graduate of Harvard College and provides a fictional approach to the account. Protagonist Bethia, who grows up amid a small band of pioneering English Puritans, finds allure in Caleb, the young son of a chieftain, and their two very different worlds collide in an absorbing, riveting tale. Betty White's IF YOU ASK ME (AND OF COURSE YOU WON'T) (9780142429365, $25.95) is narrated by the author and presents the author's witty observations of life as she tackles social issues and recounts humorous stories from her seven-decade career. General lending collections will find Betty White's name alone assures its popularity. Stuart Woods' STRATEGIC MOVES (9780142428887, $29.95) receives Tony Roberts' actor's voice and provides a fine new Stone Barrington novel in which Stone is gaining a hold as a possible partner in a prestigious law firm. But a scandal could put his career in jeopardy in this fine story of legal intrigue, perfect for any mystery or legal thriller audio collection. Timothy Keller's KING'S CROSS: THE STORY OF THE WORLD IN THE LIFE OF JESUS (9780142428764, $29.95) receives a fine narration by Lloyd James, who has recorded over 500 audio books in nearly every genre and whose voice captures the drama and history in KING'S CROSS. This explores how Jesus came to be considered 'king', and calls on listeners to explore personal relationships with god. Skeptics and the faithful alike receive a fine analysis of this relationship's definitions and potentials. John Sandford's BURIED PREY (9780142429341, $39.95) receives actor Richard Ferrone's award-winning voice and provides a new Lucas Davenport thriller from the best-selling author. The bodies of two girls are discovered underneath an old house slated for demolition, involving Lucas in the investigation of an old kidnapping that hides not just murder, but a dangerous truth. Any collection strong in murder mysteries and thrillers will relish this! Michael Oher works with Don Yaeger on I BEAT THE ODDS (9780142428863, $29.95), which pairs here with Micahel Boatman's award-winning actor's voice to bring alive this story of a successful offensive tackle who overcame big odds and a Memphis inner-city ghetto world to find opportunity to success in his life. His darker experiences and feelings are explored in a survey that examines how he went form being a homeless child in Memphis to playing in the NFL. An inspirational read, this is a pick for sports and general lending libraries alike.


The Social Issues Shelf

Morality and Global Justice Titles
Michael Boylan
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301
www.westviewpress.com

Two fine college-level surveys on philosophy, ethics and social issues are top picks for any college-level lending library and gathering writings from top international experts who contribute winning essays. THE MORALITY AND GLOBAL JUSTICE READER (9780813344331, $45.00) offers principles and theories applied to world issues from poverty to religion, gender, family and more. Original essays provide a global perspective from a diverse team of scholars and offer chapters that move from founding principles to normative theories and applications. MORALITY AND GLOBAL JUSTICE: JUSTIFICATIONS AND APPLICATIONS (9780813344324, $35.00) offer applied ethics to consider how moral justifications are applied in social and political arenas. The two together provide a powerful set of insights perfect for any college-level social sciences, philosophy or political science holding.

Derelict Paradise
Daniel R. Kerr
University of Massachusetts Press
Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498495, $28.95, www.umass/edu/umpress

DERELICT PARADISE: HOMELESSNESS AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT IN CLEVELAND, OHIO offers a survey of Cleveland's history from the late 19th century through the early 21st century, showing that homelessness has its roots in urban labor changes, social policy, and government development systems or lack thereof. It's a blend of social and political forces shaping the city's trends, and this college-level reader documenting these trends is a special recommendation for any social or urban issues collection.

Supercooperators
Martin A. Nowak with Roger Highfield
Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439100189, $27.00, www.simonandschuster.com

SUPERCOOPERATORS: ALTRUISM, EVOLUTION, AND WHY WE NEED EACH OTHER TO SUCCEED discusses how evolution explains altruism, and offers an accessible book about the power of math and five distinct mechanisms that have fostered cooperative behavior patterns throughout the evolutionary process. From how cooperative behaviors evolved to how reason can be self-destructive in the absence of trust, this focuses on the Prisoner's Dilemma cycle and how cooperative behaviors create better scenarios for everyone. Social issues collections will find this a winner!

The Terrorist Next Door
Erick Stakelbeck
Regnery Publishers
One Massachusetts Avenue NW
Washington DC 20001
9781596981522, $27.95, www.regnery.com

The Terrorist Next Door: How the Government is Deceiving You About the Islamist Threat provides a condemning assessment from an investigative reporter who exposes the truth about our national security's failings. There's enormous terrorist threat growing right herein America - and the author's been inside American radical mosques, visited US-based Islamic enclaves, and interviewed al-Queda-linked terrorists themselves to provide this shocking revelation of how Islamic radicals have established strong footholds here on our soil. A powerful survey!

Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.basicbooks.com

Robert Vamosi's WHEN GADGETS BETRAY US: THE DARK SIDE OF OUR INFATUATION WITH NEW TECHNOLOGIES (9780465019588, $26.99) comes from a technology reporter and analyst who has covered the Internet age for a decade, and who provides insights into the 'dark' side of digital capability and convenience where privacy is lost and identities are stolen. From iPads to BlackBerries, online banking to keyless entry systems, we're inadvertently giving information to electronic gadgets which can be compromised. This fine survey of how that can happen is a pick for any general lending library. Len Fisher's CRASHES, CRISES, AND CALAMITIES (9780465021024, $23.99) is a pick for science and social issues collections as well as many a general lending library, and considers how civilizations and societies collapse and how science can be used to explore potential, unexpected problems. Basic tools that help scientists and engineers forecast issues are explored in a guide to how predictions are made.

World 3.0
Pankaj Ghemawat
Harvard Business Review Press
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163
9781422138649, $29.95, www.hbr.org/books

WORLD 3.0: GLOBAL PROSPERITY AND HOW TO ACHIEVE IT is a pick for business and social issues collections alike, and considers beliefs about markets and globalization. It comes from an award-winning economist who reveals the folly in responses favoring and opposing both globalization and deregulation, calling for a third worldview - one in which regulation and cross-border integration coexist and compliment one another. From common assumptions about globalization to potential gains from further integration and market fears, this uses data to show how increased globalization can alleviate issues. College-level social issues collections need this!


The Photography Shelf

How to Create a High Profit Photography Business in Any Market
James Williams
Amherst Media
P.O. Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781608952663, $34.95, www.amherstmedia.com

How to Create a High Profit Photography Business in Any Market shows how to avoid common pitfalls of the business, and covers all the basics from determining client demographics and how to gain more to selling to a wider audience and understanding the psychology of what happens in a portrait session or photo shoot. From reducing overhead to customizing portraits to market to underlying desires, this is a powerful pick for any photography collection and for photographers seeking to go pro.

Creative Lighting
Harold Davis
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470878231, $29.99, www.wiley.com

CREATIVE LIGHTING: DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS & TECHNIQUES examines the impact of light on exposure settings and field photography, teaching the basics of how to assess light's impact on photos and how to use it to produce extraordinary images. From using shading and low-key lighting to enhancing results with multi-RAW and HDR processing, this covers indoors and outdoors lighting alike and is packed with the author's own color image examples. No photography collection should be without this specific guide!

Get Your Photography on the Web
Rafael RC Concepcion
Peachpit Press
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0321753933, $39.99, www.peachpit.com

Get Your Photography on the Web: the Fastest, Easiest Way to Show & Sell Your Work comes from a curriculum developer for a media group who offers a step-by-step guide to building a professional-looking, polished website from the ground up. From installing WordPress and adding pictures and Flash portfolios without learning any code to selling images online without making prints, this packs in business and photography insights perfect for photographers who want to translate their works to a professional-appearing Web presence.


The American History Shelf

Assault on the Deadwood Stage
Robert K. DeArment
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806141824, $24.95, www.oupress.com

Assault on the Deadwood Stage: Road Agents and Shotgun Messengers recounts the history of Deadwood, a thriving, lawless boomtown of the 1870s, where stagecoach robberies were a regular way of life in Dakota Territory. For the first time the story of those involved in these violent crimes is told, from the road agents who wrecked havoc to the shotgun messengers who battled to protect the stagecoach's passages. Custer, the developing need for transportation between the remote town and railheads in Wyoming and Nebraska, and other historical influences are presented in this vivid, detailed history recommended for any college-level Western collection!


The Business Shelf

YouTube for Business, second edition
Michael Miller
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
078974726X, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

The second updated edition of YouTube for Business is a pick for both computer and business collections, but is reviewed here for its importance to any library strong in social media marketing. It teaches the basics of online video marketing for any business, offering valuable information on how to make YouTube part of an online marketing strategy. This updated second edition covers the basics of editing, shooting, uploading and positioning a YouTube video, teaching how to promote them on the YouTube site. A top pick, this delves into the latest social marketing tools!

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

Susan H. Shearouse's CONFLICT 101: A MANAGER'S GUIDE TO RESOLVING PROBLEMS SO EVERYONE CAN GET BACK TO WORK (0814417116, $17.95) is a fine pick for any business collection catering to managers. It offers many different case history examples of common conflicts between office workers and departments within an organization, showing managers how they can moderate interactions and providing a variety of tools to build compromises and collaborations between coworkers. Any business manager needs this! Also recommended for business managers is Brian Tracy's FULL ENGAGEMENT! INSPIRE, MOTIVATE, AND BRING OUT THE BEST IN YOUR PEOPLE (9780814416891, $22.00). It shows managers how to achieve exceptional financial results for their company by assessing return on energy processes from employees. The secret to creating a great team is making people happy: this offers research in human psychology and motivation and applies them to the work environment, making this a fine survey managers will relish! Any company looking to lean transformation and sustainable approaches to business will appreciate Stephen A. Ruffa's THE GOING LEAN FIELDBOOK (081441558X, $27.95), a survey for business and manufacturing sectors based on lessons of real-life firms from different industries that have successfully used lean methods. It provides practical advice for creating powerful results and builds on the concepts presented in the prior GOING LEAN, making this the perfect companion selection for collections seeing success with the prior guide. Tom Kendrick's 101 PROJECT MANAGEMENT PROBLEMS AND HOW TO SOLVE THEM: PRACTICAL ADVICE FOR HANDLING REAL-WORLD PROJECT CHALLENGES (0814415571, $19.95) provides an excellent pick for project managers interested in solving common project issues. From keeping a project on track through interruptions to managing teams who have little project management experience, this packs in basic practices and tips for success. Also a key reference is Kevin Wilson and Jennifer Wauson's THE AMA HANDBOOK OF BUSINESS DOCUMENTS (9780814417690, $19.95) a business writing reference collection that offers guidelines and examples of dozens of sample documents for written communications ranging from abstracts and memos to proposals, inquiry letters, emails, collection letters and more. Organized for quick reference, this is a top resource for any who would use templates to put the core communication right to work.

The Most Important Thing
Howard Marks
Columbia Business School Publishing
61 West 62nd St., New York NY 10023
9780231153683, $29.95, www.cup.columbia.edu

The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor comes from the chairman and cofounder of Oaktree Capital Management, a business leader of four decades who is sought out by the world's leading value investors. For the first time readers can benefit from his approach to successful investment, and receive a set of guidelines that identify common pitfalls that can destroy capital or ruin a career. College-level business holdings will find this a fine addition!

Little Bets
Peter Sims
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781439170427, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

LITTLE BETS: HOW BREAKTHROUGH IDEAS EMERGE FROM SMALL DISCOVERIES uncovers a basic method used by all kinds of creative achievers to arrive at winning ideas, showing how experimentation is the key to success and how information gained from a series of small steps eventually leads to revelations and breakthroughs. The 'little bets' which launched big, innovative new companies and creations are reviewed in this outstanding, highly recommended survey.

The New Rules of Green Marketing
Jacquelyn A. Ottman
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery St., Suite 650
San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781605098661, $21.95, www.bkconnection.com

The New Rules of Green Marketing: Strategies, Tools, and Inspiration for Sustainable Branding comes from a national expert on green marketing and provides insights into the changing needs of mainstream consumers and how companies have responded to these needs with fresh, 'green' marketing strategies. Today's 'green' products don't just appeal to health food store consumers: they are in big retail markets - and marketers have moved to targeting broader audiences as a result. This argues that emphasizing added value to products is the key to better marketing of 'green' products, and makes for a fine survey for business and general collections alike!

Swimming in the Steno Pool
Lynn Peril
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393338546, $16.95, www.wwnorton.com

SWIMMING IN THE STENO POOL: A RETRO GUIDE TO MAKING IT IN THE OFFICE offers business and social sciences collections alike a fine illustrated social history of the secretary's job. From the evolving history of the business secretary to the changing nature of the office and how women gained wider acceptance in the office, this is packed with social and cultural details perfect for any collection. The array of illustrations run from cartoons to vintage black and white photos and sidebars of fun information and make for an involved, revealing title!

How to Get Your Message Out Fast & Free Using Podcasts
Kevin Walker
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601381200, $24.95, www.atlantic-pub.com

How to Get Your Message Out Fast & Free Using Podcasts: Everything You Need to Know About Podcasting Explained Simply is a 'must' for any collection strong in mastering the art and science behind podcasting. Podcasts can lead to increased website traffic and can increase sales, so any interested in social networking needs to include podcasting in the skills mix. Computer, business and general-interest collections alike will relish this specific guide!

On Managing People
Harvard Business Review
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163
9781422158012, $24.95, www.hbr.org/books

ON MANAGING PEOPLE offers a fine survey for any business collection strong in general management titles, culling hundreds of Harvard Business Review articles to gather the most important keys to successful business management. From what great managers do to teaching smart people how to learn and guiding rookie managers through common pitfalls, this is a 'must' for any business collection.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com

Janessa Castle's YOUR COMPLETE GUIDE TO MAKING MILLIONS WITH YOUR SIMPLE IDEA OR INVENTION: INSIDER SECRETS YOU NEED TO KNOW (9781601381453, $24.95) is for anyone who believes they have a marketable idea for a new product or invention. It provides step-by-step directions to bringing the idea to fruition - and to protecting it from others. Inventors receive keys to saving thousands on legal fees and learn how to conduct a basic patent search and license an idea. THE COMPLETE DICTIONARY OF MORTGAGE & LENDING TERMS EXPLAINED SIMPLY: WHAT SMART INVESTORS NEED TO KNOW (9781601380142, $21.95) covers all the basic of mortgage and lending terms, offering easy definitions in a dictionary covering all types of mortgages, loan agreements, types of insurance, and more. The A-Z format allows for quick lookup and includes any abbreviated terms. Kristie Lorette's HOW TO OPEN & OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL HERB AND HERBAL PLANT BUSINESS (9781601383297, $39.95) is for anyone seeking to run a herb and herbal plant business, whether from home or otherwise. Different business formation options, the realities of the herb industry, what works, and how to create services and events that can boost an herb business all contribute to a specific, involving topic perfect for any herb grower who wants to profit from a herb business venture.

Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com

Daniel C. Esty and P.J. Simmons's THE GREEN TO GOLD BUSINESS PLAYBOOK: HOW TO IMPLEMENT SUSTAINABILITY PRACTICES FOR BOTTOM-LINE RESULTS IN EVERY BUSINESS FUNCTION (9780470590751, $27.95) builds on the best-selling book GREEN TO GOLD which explained why every business needs a sustainable strategy, and spells out how to organize one. Companies of any size in any industry receive tools to building brands, images, and growing revenues by designing and marketing environmentally superior goods and services. Any business interested in sustainable practices and bottom-line profits needs this survey! Alan Weiss, PhD's THE CONSULTING BIBLE: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW TO CREATE AND EXPAND A SEVEN-FIGURE CONSULTING PRACTICE (9780470928080, $19.95) offers a comprehensive career guide to succeeding in solo and boutique consulting and teaches the nine parts of a winning proposal. From creating testimonials and references and learning how to provide various types of coaching to fostering communication skills, this offers a fine guide packed with case history examples from the author's own experiences. From building a proposal to value-based fees, this covers it all! Jay Conrad Levinson and David E. Perry's GUERRILLA MARKETING FOR JOB HUNTERS 3.0 (9781118019092, $21.95) offers career seekers a fine survey of guerrilla marketing, exploring the newest social networking sites and digital tools to cultivating better job-hunting targets. Case studies, cheatsheets, and before-and-after sample resumes and cover letters outline proven alternative strategies for success. Charles R. Nelson's INVESTOR'S GUIDE TO ECONOMIC INDICATORS (0471513296, $17.95) offers a fine guide to reading, interpreting and using economic and financial news reports to make better investment choices, and comes from an economist who uses simple language and charts to show how to spot emerging trends, translate them into investment strategies, and more. From which indicators are worthless and with worth following to how to detect financial early warnings, this comes packed with fine details presented in a manner lay readers can easily read. Jon Radoff's GAME ON: ENERGIZE YOUR BUSINESS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA GAMES (9780470936269, $29.99) provides an outstanding survey of how a business can offer rewards to customers. From understanding social media game business models to creating social rewards, perks, and social communities, this is packed with excellent tips and details perfect for business who want to move beyond advertising product on the Internet.


The Computer Shelf

McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
www.mhprofessional.com

Joli Ballew's DEGUNKING WINDOWS 7 (0071760059, $25.00) tells how to clean and speed up a sluggish PC. Windows PCs can slow due to too many files, temp files, errors and other common build-ups. This book provides a tested 'degunking' 12-step program that teaches the basics of organizing a hard disk, running only programs you need, and restoring a PC's processing powers, and should be on the reference shelves of any computer user - and in any computer or general library. Doug Sahlin's HOW TO DO EVERYTHING ADOBE ACROBAT X (0071752935, $25.00) provides a fine survey based on Adobe Acrobat X Pro, and covers all the keys to using this powerful tool to handle PDF documents. From creating navigation devices and using its Action Wizard to reviewing, editing and manipulating PDF documents, this is a 'must' for any Acrobat user.

Using iTunes 10
Nancy Conner
Que
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0789747871, $21.99, www.quepublishing.com

Using iTunes 10 provides an excellent survey that pairs a book format with online access for updated content and video and audio learning opportunities. The combination is a multimedia winner, offering iTunes 10 users a fine survey of the latest player. From using playback controls and jumping to scenes to optimizing the audio experience and fine-tuning an iPod, iPhone or iPad with iTunes, this is a top pick for any collection strong in computer or music devices.

Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.informit.com/aw

Two fine CMMI technical guides will appeal to any advanced computer library catering to software engineers. Brian P. Gallagher, et.al.'s CMMI FOR ACQUISITION: GUIDELINES FOR IMPROVING THE ACQUISITION OF PRODUCTS AND SERVICES (0321711513, $74.99) describes best practices for the successful acquisition of products and services. It incorporates the growing trend of governments and businesses to outsource products and services, and offers a second updated edition as the definitive guide to CMMI-ACQ Version 1.3, including the latest tips and details for locating and applying CMMI information to acquisition process challenges. An introductory overview of CMMI models leads to more detailed practices and over twenty CMMI-ACQ process descriptions. CMMI FOR DEVELOPMENT (0321711505, $74.99) by Mary Beth Chrissis, Mike Konrad and Sandy Shrum appears in its third updated edition to provide software engineers with a definitive guide to Version 1.3. Four new case studies and five essays offer practical tips for adopting and using CMMI-DEV and provides keys to applied situations for newcomers and readers of prior editions alike. Both are top picks for software engineering collections! Diana Peh, Nola Hague and Jane Tatchell's BIRT: A FIELD GUIDE (0321733584, $54.99) appears in its third updated edition to provide java developers a fine key to BIRT's applications. Programmers learn how to use BIRT to design effective corporate reports, use data from multiple sources, localize reports and more, and will appreciate this newly revised edition which includes updated examples and nearly 1,000 new and replacement screenshots.

Rails Test Prescriptions
Noel Rappin
Pragmatic Programmers
Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356647, $34.95, www.pragprog.com

RAILS TEST PRESCRIPTIONS: KEEPING YOUR APPLICATION HEALTHY provides a comprehensive guide to testing Rails applications, covering Test-Driven Development from a theoretical and applied perspective. Basic Rails 2 and Rails 3 testing procedures and tools are provided in a fine introduction to popular add-ons, with chapters showing how to choose and apply these tools and providing extensive examples of testing Rails models and views. Any developer involved in Rails testing must have this!

SOA Governance
Thomas Erl, Editor
Prentice Hall
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0138156751, $49.99, www.informit.com/ph

SOA GOVERNANCE: GOVERNING SHARED SERVICES ON-PREMISE AND IN THE CLOUD provides an in-depth text on SOA governance key to any college-level software engineering collection. It's the result of a multi-year project to collect proven industry practices for establishing IT government controls relating to the adoption of SOA, offering a vendor-neutral focus and case study examples to show how to define and identify organizational goals. Any software collection strong in SOA standards must have this!

Parallel Programming with Microsoft Visual C++
Colin Campbell and Ade Miller
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9780735651753, $29.99, www.microsoft.com/mspress

Parallel Programming with Microsoft Visual C++: Design Patterns for Decomposition and Coordination on Multicore Architectures tells how to save time and money on software development projects by using parallel programming strategies to go beyond the usual sequential code approach to problem-solving. Parallel programming usually is for experts: this book offers proven design patterns and a guide to the most important, frequently used patterns of parallel programming. Executable code samples for them complete this book's effectiveness and high recommendation for programmer's collections!

WordPress Bible, second edition
Aaron Brazell
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470937815, $49.99, www.wiley.com

The second updated edition of WORDPRESS BIBLE is a 'must' for any library strong in WordPress programming and blogging. It offers a thorough step-by-step reference to WordPress, exploring web servers, keys to enhancing a blog's location with SEO and keywords, discussions of navigation menus and other social media connections, and more. A 'must' for any WordPress user or programmer, this is the only in-depth key needed to make the most of WordPress.

Javascript: The Definitive Guide, sixth edition
David Flanagan
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol CA 95472
9780596805524, $49.99, www.oreilly.com

Javascript: The Definitive Guide is a recommended reference pick for any web programming or Java developer's library. It provides an in-depth reference to JavaScript and appears in a sixth updated edition to cover the latest HTML5 and ECMAScript5. Many chapters have been completely rewritten to reflect the latest ideas on best practices, while new chapters document jQuery and server-side Javascript. A top pick for any definitive Java collection!


The Science Shelf

Periodic Tales
Hugh Aldersey-Williams
Ecco
10 East 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061824722, $29.99, www.eccobooks.com

PERIODIC TALES: A CULTURAL HISTORY OF THE ELEMENTS, FROM ARSENIC TO ZINC offers a lively history of the elements from an author or decided to construct how own periodic table, collecting samples of the elements and revealing stories behind each of them. His exploration of the science, art, history and culture of the elements offers a more personal connection to science than most, and seeks to uncover the myths and realities behind the elements. General and science collections alike will find this a lively, involving approach to a usually-dry topic.

For the Love of Physics
Walter Lewin with Warren Goldstein
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781439108277, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

FOR THE LOVE OF PHYSICS: FROM THE END OF THE RAINBOW TO THE EDGE OF TIME - A JOURNEY THROUGH THE WONDERS OF PHYSICS comes from an accomplished scholar and physicist who has received many awards and who provides new, inventive ways of making physics come alive. From if we may be shorter standing up than lying down to why the colors of a rainbow are always in the same order, this recounts the author's discoveries as a pioneer in X-ray astronomy and provides an outstandingly lively survey of the field perfect for general-interest readers and public libraries.

Powering the Dream
Alexis Madrigal
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306818851, $27.50, www.dacapopress.com

POWERING THE DREAM: THE HISTORY AND PROMISE OF GREEN TECHNOLOGY reflects on a century and a half of American energy innovations. He explains successes and failures in the attempts to create new technology and presents them as learning opportunities for reshaping how we think about energy options. From a history of America's renewable energy innovations to how to assess past developments in natural, renewable sources of energy, this is a fine pick for any general lending library.


The Self-Help Shelf

Falling Into Grace
Adyashanti
Sounds True
Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306
9781604070873, $24.95, www.soundstrue.com

New age and spirituality holdings will welcome FALLING INTO GRACE; INSIGHTS ON THE END OF SUFFERING, which reflects the author's fifteen years as a spiritual leader. Basic insights on the process of spiritual awakening and the development of personal freedom and true autonomy make for a fine survey examining why we suffer and how grace and purpose are achieved.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Survival of the Soul
Lisa Williams
Hay House
Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401928049, $24.95, www.hayhouse.com

The Survival of the Soul comes from a medium/clairvoyant who offers evidence of the Afterlife and who uses different new age channels, from meditation to psychic readings and spirit guides, to address the common questions surrounding this topic. From finding a guiding spirit to why we fear death and seeking answers from beyond, this is a fine addition to any new age collection.

Tarot Diva
Sasha Graham
Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
9780738726045, $18.95, www.llewellyn.com

TAROT DIVA comes from a professional tarot diva who offers a new perspective on the art of card reading. She draws important links between tarot readings and using the cards as a tool for discovering inner strengths and new directions, offering chapters that teach tarot basics and new approaches to exploring each card's energies. From exercises to meditations, spells and fashion tips, this provides a wide-ranging set of perspectives on tarot perfect for any new age collection.

The Shadow's Gift
Robin Robertson, Ph.D.
Weiser
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker st., Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9780892541645, $16.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

THE SHADOW'S GIFT: FIND OUT WHO YOU REALLY ARE talks about the Shadow of darkness and evil in each of us - and why we must embrace and accept it, in order to become whole. Denying the Shadow twists its true meaning - and this book discusses beliefs in the Shadow and uses stories of real people's lives, Biblical and fantasy literature alike to consider the Shadow's presence and importance in our lives. New age collections will find this a winner!


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
www.wileyptnews.com

The fifth updated edition of Katherine A. Houpt's DOMESTIC ANIMAL BEHAVIOR FOR VETERINARIANS & ANIMAL SCIENTISTS (9780813816760, $79.99) represents a fully updated revision of a classic text and consider key behavior issues in different domestic animals. From cats and dogs to farm animals, this expands coverage to include the latest animal research in cognition and genetics, provides the latest details on normal and abnormal behaviors, and considers learning patterns, internal behaviors, and more. Anyone working with animals needs this! Recommended for college-level veterinary reference collections and practicing vets alike is BLACKWELL'S FIVE-MINUTE VETERINARY CONSULT CLINICAL COMPANION: SMALL ANIMAL DERMATOLOGY, 2ND EDITION by Karen Helton Rhodes & Alexander H. Werner (9780813815961, $99.99), a quick reference intended to provide reliable at-a-glance knowledge on small animal dermatology. This second edition represents a completely new gathering to facts, with chapters rewritten, reorganized, and updated to accommodate the latest dermatology research and applications. A bulleted format lends to quick location of details while client handouts for clinical use are on the accompanying CD. Gregg L. Voigt and Shannon L. Swist's HEMATOLOGY TECHNIQUES & CONCEPTS FOR VETERINARY TECHNICIANS (9780813814568, $54.99) appears in a second updated edition in full color to provide a fine update to the basics of handling and preparing hematology samples. Vet reference collections will find this covers all the basics, addresses advances in technology and equipment, and covers techniques and key concepts alike. Vet students will find the new features - including a chapter on automated lab methods and instruments - key to keeping up with the latest methods and results.

Dog Sense
John Bradshaw
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465019441, $25.99, www.basicbooks.com

DOG SENSE: HOW THE NEW SCIENCE OF DOG BEHAVIOR CAN MAKE YOU A BETTER FRIEND TO YOUR PET argues that old science and inaccurate theories have clouded our interpretations of dog behavior and our understanding of how dog minds work, and explains the latest research in canine science. From why the idea of an 'alpha dog' is wrong to ways in which dogs are both smarter and dumber than we think, this provides a fine survey recommended for any pet owner or general lending library.

Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
www.atlantic-pub.com

Carlotta Cooper's THE COMPLETE GUIDE TO RAISING PIGS (9781601383792, $24.95) is a pick for any agricultural, science or general collection and provides all details needed to start raising pigs right away. From picking the breed and handling feeding to raising pigs for different purposes and considering home butchering, this covers the entire pig raising business and includes dozens of interviews with successful pig farmers and scientists. Any agricultural collection will find this specific and useful. Lisa Shiroff's PURR-FECT RECIPES FOR A HEALTHY CAT: 101 NATURAL CAT FOOD & TREAT RECIPES TO MAKE YOUR CAT HAPPY (9781601383983, $24.95) provides a carefully researched guide to providing over 100 healthy recipes that will help a cat live the best possible lifestyle. From recognizing a cat's nutritional needs and health requirements to adjusting diet to breed and changing nutritional needs at different points in life, this interviews dietary experts for pets and cats and provides insights on how to best feed a cat at home. Any general collection including pet coverages will want this! Also recommended is Jackie Sonnenberg's HOW TO RAISE YOUR NEW PUPPY IN A CAT FAMILY (9781601384010, $24.95), a resource for any who would introduce a puppy into a cat family for the first time. From learning how cats approach other species to managing different breed tendencies and multi-pet care, this provides top keys for any animal family's management.


The Art Shelf

Margot Van Voorhies: The Art of Mexican Enamelwork
Penny C. Morrill
Schiffer Books
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764335495, $49.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Margot Van Voorhies: The Art of Mexican Enamelwork comes from an inspired silver jewelry designer who in 1938 traveled from San Francisco to Mexico, where she married a silversmith. Together the two established a workshop where Margot designed most of the jewelry, and in 1947 she created her own business. Her enamel jewelry is profiled here in a series of color photos and jewelry analysis, focusing on her many works and adding introductions to four modern artists working in enameling. Any arts collection strong in jewelry-making history needs this!

The Lure of Painted Poetry
Seunghye Sun
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main St., Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953645, $50.00, www.hudsonhills.com

THE LURE OF PAINTED POETRY: JAPANESE AND KOREAN ART uses works from the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art's holdings and provides a catalog and exhibition concentrating on the classical Chinese poetry that Japanese and Korean artists applied to their own arts. From landscapes to figure paintings, this analyzes themes and provides pages of images to accompany them, making for a fine pick for any ethnic arts or Asian collection.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Cardboard Valise
Ben Katchor
Pantheon Books
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375421143, $25.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

The Cardboard Valise provides a fine graphic novel in black and white and offers the first book from Ben Katchor in over ten years: as such, it's a top pick for any library strong in cartoon and graphic novels. It creates the fantasy story of the nation of Outer Canthus and three people who inhabit its shores, presenting the story in the form of a surrealistic journey. Readers will find it an inviting, detailed fantasy.


The Psychology Shelf

W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com

Monica McGoldrick's THE GENOGRAM JOURNEY: RECONNECTING WITH YOUR FAMILY (9780393706277, $23.95) was first published fifteen years ago and is here fully updated for the first time, explaining how a method of family history-gathering - the genogram or family tree - can help understand and mend family relationships. Ways in which genograms can reveal intergenerational patterns make for chapters that cover family ties, death, relatives, and more in an outstanding tool for analyzing the genogram's applications to psychological analysis. Psychology collections will welcome this update, with the latest research and approaches to family trees and psychology. Suzette Boon, Kathy Steele and Onno Van Der Hart's COPING WITH TRAUMA-RELATED DISSOCIATION (9780393706468, $35.00) is a pick for any college-level psychology or psychotherapy holding, offering the first book to provide structured skills training for those suffering from dissociative disorders as a result of trauma. From short educational pieces and homework sheets to exercises that promote wellbeing, this reviews dissociation, its symptoms, and provides specific management strategies. College-level psychology holdings also will appreciate SELF-AGENCY IN PSYCHOTHERAPY: ATTACHMENT AUTONOMY AND INTIMACY (9780393705591, $35.00), a fine survey from a Jungian psychoanalyst who argues that self-agency is always at the heart of psychological growth. The developmental origins of the sense of self can create fundamental problems for the infant with damaging effects on growth and adulthood: this uses developmental concepts to argue for a more orderly development of self-agency and security and offers therapists guidelines for change.

Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.basicbooks.com

Douglas T. Kenrick's SEX, MURDER AND THE MEANING OF LIFE (9780465020447, $26.99) comes from a psychologist who investigates how evolution, cognition and complexity are changing based on new scientific approaches to observation. Cognitive science, evolutionary psychology and complexity theory here blend to consider the basic principles that govern our lives, arguing that mental mechanisms we inherited from our ancestors ultimately lead to social norms and lives. Psychology and social issues collections - as well as any a general lending library - will appreciate this approach! Simon Baron-Cohen's THE SCIENCE OF EVIL: ON EMPATHY AND THE ORIGINS OF CRUELTY (9780465023530, $25.99) explores the ideas of what allows some people to be in tune with the feelings of others while others can inflict pain with no remorse. Social and environmental factors that can erode empathy - such as parental abuse - are discussed in light of physical and social factors that can affect the 'empathy circuit' in our brains, altering our understanding of evil itself. Totally engrossing, and recommended not just for science but for general interest holdings.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

20 Years Younger
Bob Greene
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316133784, $27.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

TWENTY YEARS YOUNGER: LOOK YOUNGER, FEEL YOUNGER, BE YOUNGER comes from an author who became notable when he coauthored MAKE THE CONNECTION with Oprah in 1996. His combination of advice and a warm approach made him a top exercise physiologist. Here he works with other professionals to provide a science-based guide to anti-aging built around the basics of exercise, diet, skin care and sleep. Chapters provide the latest insights on these areas and provide simple programs to help keep the feel and appearance of youth. A 'must' for any general lending collection interested in health and anti-aging routines.

The Epidemic
David DeKok
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762760084, $22.95, www.LyonsPress.com

THE EPIDEMIC: A COLLISION OF POWER, PRIVILEGE, AND PUBLIC HEALTH offers a fine account of a turn-of-the-twentieth-century struggle against a disease, telling how a vain businessman spread typhoid in 1903 that devastated Cornell University and Ithaca New York. Nearly a hundred people died, while the businessman was protected by influential friends and build a corporation that would eventually be the center of the Three Mile Island nuclear accident in 1979. a fine blend of social and medical history, THE EPIDEMIC is an engrossing, winning title suitable for any college-level medical collection.

Deadly Choices
Paul A. Offit, MD
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465021499, $27.50, www.basicbooks.com

DEADLY CHOICES: HOW THE ANTI-VACCINE MOVEMENT THREATENS US ALL provides a powerful survey of the movement against vaccines, documenting the rise of individuals who claim vaccines are poison and showing why adults are rejecting vaccines for themselves and their families. Infectious-disease expert Paul Offit examines the anti-vaccine movement and tells of how a handful of parents are fighting back against the movement. General lending collections will find this a powerful assessment of the pros and cons of vaccines - and a documentation of the social movement against them.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier Dreadnaught
Jack Campbell
Ace
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780441020379, $25.95, www.penguin.com

The Lost Fleet: Beyond the Frontier Dreadnaught represents the first book in a new saga that continues the story of Captain John Geary from Campbell's best-selling LOST FLEET series originally released in paperback in 2006. Critics applauded the series: this provides a new perspective and tells of the conclusion of the war with the Syndics, where Geary has been promoted to Fleet Admiral with a newly christened First Fleet to command. Drawn into investigating a mysterious race occupying the far side of the known universe, Geary finds himself facing new and deadly challenges in this fine military science fiction piece!

Extremis
Steve White & Chalres E. Gannon
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439134337, $24.00, www.baen.com

Extremis: A Starfire Novel tells of a unified planetary alliance changed by the arrival of a huge fleet of ships fleeing the loss of their home planet when their star goes nova. They've traveled for centuries, they have their eyes on an inhabited world, and death doesn't deter them, as they believe in reincarnation. But the humans offer them more than a planet; they hold the key to technology that could result in a conquest of the entire inhabited region of the galaxy. A powerful, engrossing story, this is a pick for any collection strong in military science fiction.

Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book
Lucy Kee, et.al.
Insight Editions
3160 Kerner Blvd. #108, San Rafael CA 94901
9781608870080, $34.95, www.insighteditions.com

Harry Potter: A Pop-Up Book is a fine collectible pop-up book recommended for any personal library strong in Potter ideas. It packs in original art by Andrew Williamson who was the concept artists for all eight Potter movies, and is packed with unique pop-up designs from Bruce Foster, an award-winning paper engineer. Pop-ups aren't for library lending - but they are for any who like pop-up art productions in general, and for Potter fans in particular.


The Sports Shelf

The Lure of Long Distances
Robin Harvie
Public Affairs
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781610390200, $24.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

The Lure of Long Distances: Why We Run comes from an amateur ultra-distance runner who has never broken a record and never completed a marathon in less than 3 hours 12 minutes - but he can run the distance. His survey of long-distance running spans his year of preparation for a 152-mile, non-stop run, the Spartathlon, and explores running lore and history in a fine bled of memoir and history especially recommended for any sports collection.

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

Thomas W. Rowland, MD's THE ATHLETE'S CLOCK; HOW BIOLOGY AND TIME AFFECT SPORT PERFORMANCE (0736082743, $19.95) uses conclusions from science and experience to show how different aspects of time affect sport performance. Readers will understand how athletes control sport performance, and optimal times of day for training, and receive a series of vignettes and assessments from sports around the world. The focus on how internal rhythms 'sync' with sports requirements makes for a fine focus perfect for any sports or health collection. Brian Sharkey's FITNESS ILLUSTRATED (9780736081580, $21.95) provides a unique guide to how the body changes with increased activity, from how muscles gain strength to the effects of aerobics on the heart. Color illustrations, photos, and advice link fitness to physiological changes and makes this a top pick for any sports or health collection. Jeff Carpenter and Christina Sinclair edit PHYSICAL BEST ACTIVITY GUIDE: MIDDLE AND HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS (0736081186, $29.00), which appears in its third updated edition to present a program developed by physical educators. This new edition offers a chapter blending aerobic fitness, endurance and flexibility activities with a CD-ROM of reproducibles, posters, charts and worksheets and a section on Internet resources.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Bridesmaid on a Budget
Sharon Naylor
Seal Press
1700 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580053372, $14.95, www.sealpress.com

Bridesmaid on a Budget: How to Be a Brilliant Bridesmaid Without Breaking the Bank provides a wedding reference planner perfect for the bridesmaid who wants all the trappings at less cost. It offers tips on how to scale back, how to handle etiquette issues, and how to make the most of bridal traditions. From shoe dye to serving food and drink on a budget, this is packed with solutions to common challenges.

Practical Princess Perfect Wardrobe
Elika Gibs
Ryland Peters & Small
20-21 Jockey's Fields, London WC1R 4BW
lauren.wright@rps.co.uk
9781849751148, $19.95, www.rylandpeters.com

The author's own three-step Practical Princess process covers all the basics of a complete wardrobe makeover, and is a pick for any who want to de-clutter and change a closet. Polly Wreford's color photos throughout provide plenty of illustration of this process, illustrating all the basics from beginning with a wardrobe assessment designed to help hone a wardrobe with intention, to organizing a wardrobe for optimum efficiency. Women's collections and home and garden libraries alike will find this a fine survey!


The Humor Shelf

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Tunes into TV
Bathroom Reader's Institute
Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
1607101815, $18.95, www.bathroomreader.com

Uncle John's Bathroom Reader Tunes into TV is an outstanding humor and trivia reference guide offering keys to TV shows, from cult hits to flops and sitcoms alike. From the COPS story and who invented the Nielsen ratings to the realities behind reality TV shows and how TV can predict the future, this is packed with fun, involving tidbits perfect for quick at-a-glance, lively reading and recommended for general interest collections appealing to TV viewers.

F in Exams
Richard Benson
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811878319, $9.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

F IN EXAMS: THE VERY BEST TOTALLY WRONG TEST ANSWERS gathers hilarious examples of creative ways students tackle challenging test questions, and is a 'must' for any general lending library or collection where student humor is featured. From the answer that 'cats' are the main industry in Persia to the miracle Christians celebrate at Easter ("chocolate!"), this is a hilarious winner!


The Needlecraft Shelf

Dimensional Machine Embroidery
Deborah Jones
Krause Publications
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati OH 45236
1440203970, $34.99, www.mycraftivitystore.com

Dimensional Machine Embroidery offers needlecrafters a fine survey showing how to enhance machine embroidery skills with specialty techniques. From using raw-edge applique and shadows to blending in lace, this offers step-by-step instructions for each technique and includes a bonus DVD hosted by Nancy Zieman showing the techniques. 11 dimensional techniques include recommendations for different fabrics and notions for each project, making this a fine addition to any needlework collection.

Orange Peel
Linda Baxter Lasco, Editor
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326826, $26.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

ORANGE PEEL: NEW QUILTS FROM AN OLD FAVORITE provides nearly twenty quilts gathered from the New Quilts From an Old Favorite contest. Over twenty quiltmaker interpretations of the classic block provides a large range of variations and techniques in a fine survey certain to delight any quilting collection looking for something new. Color photos and patterns make it easy to create these originals and variations.

Couture Sewing Techniques, revised edition
Claire B. Shaeffer
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600853357, $24.95, www.taunton.com

Couture Sewing Techniques appears in a revised, updated edition which completely revamps the original and is a top pick for any needlework or crafting library. It provides a new chapter on designing with special fabrics, packs in photos and step-by-step illustrations, and includes insider tips to couture, tips for interfacings and finishing, marking garments, and more. A 'must' for any needleworker who wants to learn advanced techniques.

Threads Sewing Guide
Carol Fresia, Editor
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600851445, $34.95, www.taunton.com

Threads Sewing Guide packs in tips and shortcuts to better sewing, with color photos and step-by-step illustrations accompanying special sections on sergers and embellishments. Threads magazine is one of the leading sewing publications in the country and this gathers the best advice under one cover, considering everything from basic stitches to couture techniques. Any with more than a casual interest in sewing will find this a winning guide, and libraries will find it a key, popular reference.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Emergent Christ
Ilia Delio
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759086, $22.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The Emergent Christ is a fine Christian theological exploration considering the meaning of Catholic in a changing universe. From exploring shocking core beliefs in Christianity to considering how the Church can evolve and new interpretations of Jesus' role, this provides a powerful pick for any Christian collection strong in spiritual analysis.

True and False Reform in the Church
Yves Congar
Liturgical Press
Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321
9780814656938, $39.95, www.litpress.org

True and False Reform in the Church is translated by Paul Philibert, and provides a thought-provoking assessment of Catholic church reform potentials and a council called upon to update the church's capacity to reach into the modern world. Congar's survey describes real reform that changes doctrines and reaches minds, and is a 'must' classic for any library strong in Catholic church teachings and approaches to ideas of reform past and present.

Unplanned
Abby Johnson with Cindy Lambert
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781414348353, $22.99, www.zondervan.com

UNPLANNED provides an autobiography by a former Planned Parenthood leader who provides a vivid account of her journey from becoming an abortion clinic director to her spiritual awakening and her movement away from the plans of the clinic. From her early understanding of the mission and goals of Planned Parenthood to her insider's perspective of their work and practices, this is more than an autobiography: it's a social history and survey of abortion rights and issues recommended for any spirituality or social issues shelf.

The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church
Charles E. Curran
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect St., NW, Washington DC 20007
9781589017436, $26.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

The Social Mission of the U.S. Catholic Church explains how institutions like the Catholic Church and movements like the Catholic Worker Movement are key to the church's primary mission - but also maintains that all baptized members of the Church actually have more influence as they live out the church's mission daily. The social mission is key to both faith and community involvement, and this presentation identifies and focuses on the Church's main social mission since Vatican II. Any Catholic collection needs this outstanding survey of morality and faith.

From Mounds to Megachurches
David S. Williams
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820331751, $26.95, www.ugapress.org

From Mounds to Megachurches: Georgia's Religious Heritage provides a fine overview of the role religion has played in Georgia's history, from precolonial days to modern times, and provides a fine survey of evolving religious trends in the state. Any collection concerned with representing regional American religious trends will find this packed with stories of key Georgia political and religious figures whose beliefs affected the states and often dictated denominational battles. A lively social and religious survey, this is a pick for any collection strong in regional or Southern American history.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History
Manny Pacheco
Book Publishers Network
Box 2256, Bothell, WA 98041
1935359169, $18.95, www.bookpublishersnetwork.com

Forgotten Hollywood Forgotten History teaches how to experience history through Hollywood films and provides the author's studies of motion pictures to show how history has been represented through Hollywood's images. It focuses on the character actresses and actors who have delivered solid performances and reviews timeless films that have captured American history on screen. Any film library will find this a lively survey.

So, You're a Creative Genius... (Now What?)
Carl King
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111, Studio City CA 91604
9781932907926, $18.95, www.mwp.com

So, You're a Creative Genius... (Now What?) tells how to create a distinct place in media, and will appeal to artists, musicians, web designers and writers alike. It's a special pick for performing arts and film reference collections: packed with tips on the creative career process and marketing a creative company, it's filled with tested, successful recommendations by an author who's collaborated with many creative people. Highly recommended!


The Music Shelf

A Heartbeat and a Guitar
Antonino D'Ambrosio
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568586373, $16.99, www.nationbooks.org

A Heartbeat and a Guitar: Johnny Cash and the Making of Bitter Tears comes from a journalist and filmmaker who tackles the lost history of the collaboration between Johnny cash and folk musician Peter La Farge. Songs written by Cash and La Farge were inspired by the struggles of Native Americans and appear on the Bitter Tears album, which calls for social justice and inspired the Native Peoples' rights movement with its blend of storytelling and social insights. Most country music listeners rejected the album for its folksy style and bold call for action: it's a pleasure to find an in-depth survey of Johnny Cash that adopts such a different perspective!

Rockabilly: The Illustrated History
Edited by Michael Dregni
Voyageur Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760340622, $30.00, www.voyageurpress.com

Rockabilly: The Twang Heard 'Round the World: The Illustrated History provides a fine survey of the story of rockabilly and gives the first illustrated history of the sound, style and attitude inherent in the rockabilly sound. Over 600 rare photos, concert posters and music memorabilia pictures pack a fine collection which gathers interviews and memoirs from rockabilly stars ranging from Brian Setzer and Carl Perkins to Rose Maddox, Ray Campi and more. This makes for a powerful all-embracing history perfect for any rock music history holding.


The Biography Shelf

This Life is in Your Hands
Melissa Coleman
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061958328, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

THIS LIFE IS IN YOUR HANDS: ONE DREAM SIXTY ACRES, AND A FAMILY UNDONE provides a fine memoir telling of one family's pursuit of a counterculture experiment and how their romantic back-to-the-land dream collapsed. A young couple's experiment with a self-sustaining lifestyle with no electricity, running water or phone in a, $680 cabin seemed successful initially, until tragedy struck and tore the family apart, ending the experiment. Now a parent herself, Melissa Coleman revisits the land of her childhood and provides a moving autobiography especially recommended for any counterculture collection as well as many a general lending library.

El Sicario
Molly Molloy and Charles Bowden, Editors
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781568586588, $15.99, www.nationbooks.com

El Sicario: The Autobiography of a Mexican Assassin is translated by Molly Molloy and award-winning journalist Charles Bowden and provides a chilling story based on Bowden's friendship with El Sicario. Trust evolved between the two men and a series of filmed interviews where Molloy was translator led to this autobiography, a powerful true crime and political account perfect for any collection strong in autobiography, politics or Mexican history.


The Woodworking Shelf

The New Traditional Woodworker
Jim Tolpin
Popular Woodworking Books
steve.shanesy@fwpubs.com
1440304289, $26.99, www.popularwoodworking.com

The New Traditional Woodworker: From Tool Set to Skill Set to Mind Set is a 'must have' for any homeowner or crafter interested in working with wood rather than machining it. Expensive tools aren't required here: in fact, the use of power tools is eliminated. Learn to setup a hand-tool woodworking shop, discover toolsets, practice skillsets, and complete a course in hand-tool woodworking in this outstanding guide, loaded with step-by-step color photos and projects and perfect for any general collection catering to wood crafters and home owners alike.


The Interior Design Shelf

Pale & Interesting
Atlanta Bartlett & Dave Coote
Ryland Peters & Small
519 Broadway, 5th Floor, New York NY 10012
9781849751124, $29.95, www.rylandpeters.com

PALE & INTERESTING: DECORATING WITH WHITES, PASTELS AND NEUTRALS FOR A WARM AND WELCOMING HOME comes from a stylist and designer who have a shared passion for decorating with subtle shades. This book is packed with insights into their look, which offers a creative approach to creating a stylish home perfect for easy living. Key elements of shades, texture and form provides suggestions for using both new and recycled, reused materials to decorate and display possessions, with chapters covering the entire home's arrangement. Interior design collections and homeowner's libraries will find this appealing and specific.


The Political Science Shelf

Gangster Government
David Freddoso
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781596986480, $27.95, www.regnery.com

GANGSTER GOVERNMENT: BARACK OBAMA AND THE NEW WASHINGTON THUGOCRACY provides a condemning perspective on Obama's Presidency, pinpointing a Godfather-style reward system which pays those who helped him to get elected. From 'wasteful' stimulus money to government bailouts, this offers a perspective of Obama as a corrupt politician bent on changing America for the worse. Collections strong in political surveys will find this an involving guide.

Town Meeting
Donald L. Robinson
University of Massachusetts Press
P.O. Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498556, $28.95, www.uamass.edu/umpress

TOWN MEETING: PRACTICING DEMOCRACY IN RURAL NEW ENGLAND provides an excellent reference tracing the origins of town-meeting democracy in Ashfield, a town of just under 2,000 people in the foothills of Eastern Massachusetts. Donald Robinson recounts several crises at the town's founding in the 18th century that continue to shape its character today, showing how it's changed and how democratic self-government functions - or not. This candid account of rural democracy in action deserves a place in every political science collection and any library strong in regional American politics.

The Making of International Environmental Treaties
Gerry Nagtzaam
Edward Elgar
9 Dewey Court, Northampton MA 01060
9781848444225, $155.00, www.e-elgar.com

The Making of International Environmental Treaties: Neoliberal and Constructivist Analyses of Normative Evolution offers college-level environmental and political science collections a fine survey on global environmental treaties that seek to preserve and protect some parts of nature from human use. It surveys three environmental norms - preservation, conservation and exploitation - using case studies on whaling, mining in Antarctica and tropical timber and shows how international political battles shape regimes and result in clashes between competing environmental norms. College-level collections will find it a winner!

Alabama Getaway
Allen Tullos
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
0820330493, $24.95, www.ugapress.org

ALABAMA GETAWAY: THE POLITICAL IMAGINARY AND THE HEART OF DIXIE explores the recent history of Alabama, from its political environment to its many social issues, and considers why the state appears to be stuck in uneven development and lapses of social and political judgment. Its ties to religious fundamentalism, militarism and gender issues are analyzed and its key political figures considered in a hard-hitting social survey recommended for any collection strong in American regional politics in general and the South's culture in particular.

Where's the Birth Certificate?
Jerome R. Corsi, Ph.D.
WND Books
marketing@wnd.com
9781936488292, $25.95, www.wnd.com

WHERE'S THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE? THE CASE THAT BARACK OBAMA IS NOT ELIGIBLE TO BE PRESIDENT debates Obama's role as a natural-born citizen of the U.S. - and is published after the presentation of his Hawaii birth certificate. The publisher maintains that Obama's recent release of his birth certificate was actually a preemptive strike against this book's facts - and this book goes beyond the issue of birth certificates to examine Obama's legal eligibility to be president and the fabrications of his life in general. Collections gathering political or anti-Obama material will find this involving.


The Nautical Shelf

Celestial Navigation in the GPS Age, revised edition
John Karl
Paradise Cay Publications
Box 29, Arcata, CA 95518
9780939837755, $24.95, www.paracay.com

Celestial Navigation in the GPS Age appears in a revised, expanded edition tailored for navigation in the GPS age. Its main focus is on using the scientific calculator to chart courses, presenting equations that can be keyed into a calculator and offering a basic understanding of the concepts of celestial navigation. From new ways to plot lines of position to checking a sextant by star sights and telling time from a moon sight, this packs in all the basics on celestial navigation processes in a top pick for any nautical library.

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

Boat owners seeking basic coverage of boat systems will find two new nautical titles by John C. Payne to be intriguing and inviting. UNDERSTANDING BOAT REFRIGERATION AND AIR CONDITIONING SYSTEMS (9781574093001, $16.95) comes from an authority on marine electrical systems and electronics and provides a fine basic survey of refrigeration principles, systems, and typical boat systems from ice makers and air conditioning to heating. UNDERSTANDING BOAT DC ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT (9781574093018, $16.95) covers all types of boat electrical systems, from dc electrical motors and lighting systems to anchors windlasses and propulsion systems. Both are basic easy reference introductions for any boat owner who wants to absorb the basics.

2011-12 Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands
Chris Doyle
Cruising Guide Publications
Box 1017, Dunedin, FL 34697-1017
9780944428900, $29.95, www.cruisingguides.com

The 15th updated edition of Sailor's Guide to the Windward Islands has been revised and updated and features detailed sketch charts based on the author's own surveys, and aerial photos of most anchorages. Navigational details and more cover the islands from Martinique to Grenada and offers fine sections on everything from services to GPS points and local links for weather and more. A 'must' for any sailor planning a trip to the Windwards, this is all presented in lay-flat binding for quick, easy access.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Spider Web
Earlene Fowler
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780425240984, $25.95, www.penguin.com

SPIDER WEB is a special pick for any previously interested in the Benni Harper mystery series, and provides a fifteenth installment continuing the sleuth/museum curator/rancher's latest mystery. Here Benni is in charge of organizing a Memory Festival - but a sniper threatens it, and Benni fears for her loved ones and her family as a result. A new resident with too much information on her police chief husband Gabe's past adds to the mix of danger in this satisfying mystery, recommended for any mystery collection.

Pumped for Murder
Elaine Viets
Obsidian
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780451233202, $23.95, www.penguin.com

Pumped for Murder: A Dead-End Job Mystery offers the tenth installment in a popular series packing in mystery with humor. Here Helen opens her own PI agency with her husband after a series of dead-end jobs - and her first client is a woman who wants them to spy on her unfaithful husband. Helen decides to get a job at the gym the husband works out in - but now she must get back into shape as well as watch out for unfaithful actions and possible murder. A fine blend of humor and mystery evolves.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design