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The Bookwatch

Volume 5, Number 6 June 2010 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Computer Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Music Shelf Art Shelf Architecture Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Photography Shelf Education Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Science Shelf Automotive Shelf
Sports Shelf Travel Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Psychology Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Literary Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Military Shelf Women's Studies Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Biography Shelf Nautical Shelf Social Issues Shelf
AmericanHistory Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf Business Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Elemental Love Styles
Dr. Craig Martin
Atria
c/o Beyond Words
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781582702568, $14.00 www.simonandschuster.com

Elemental Love Styles: Find Compatibility and Create a Lasting Relationship provides a fine guide to self-discovery and includes many important keys to locating a life partner based on individual love styles. A quiz and examples help identify individual styles of loving and show how enduring relationships can be created.

The Story of Stuff
Annie Leonard
Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439125663, $26.00 www.simonandschuster.com

THE STORY OF STUFF: HOW OUR OBSESSION WITH STUFF IS TRASHING THE PLANET, OUR COMMUNITIES, AND OUR HEALTH - AND A VISION FOR CHANGE examines all the things we use daily and its hidden costs to our health and the lives of millions around the world who work in unhealthy situations to create it. If we don't change our extraction and production systems - we will kill the planet: this is the contention of a fine survey suitable for any general lending library.

Thriving After Divorce
Tonja Everetts Weimer
Atria
c/o Beyond Words
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781582702483, $15.00 www.simonandschuster.com

THRIVING AFTER DIVORCE: TRANSFORMING YOUR LIFE WHEN A RELATIONSHIP ENDS is for any facing a new life after divorce. It comes from a relationship coach who says divorce's potential for overall change reaches from daily habits into personal identity - and her book offers keys to tapping this energy. Readers are guided through emotional meltdown to stability and positive perspective in this top recommendation for any general lending library.

500 Gemstone Jewels
Lark Books
Sterling Publishing Company
67 Broadway, Asheville, SC 28801
9781600593413, $24.95 www.larkbooks.com

500 Gemstone Jewels provides a fine jewelry survey perfect for libraries strong in jewelry and crafts, offering insights and designs by some of today's top designers. Close-up color photos of gemstones used in a range of settings showcase both gems and designs, making for a lush presentation perfect for any crafts and arts collection. The wealth of color photos and discussions of stones and settings is outstanding.

Wacky Packages New New New
Topps Company Inc.
Abrams
115 West 18th St., New York NY 10011
9780810988385, $19.95 www.abramscomicarts.com

Wacky Packages New New New is a follow-up to the popular WACKY PACKAGES first published by Abrams in 2008, and provides all 206 rare Wacky Packs from series 8 through 14, years 1974 and 1975. Fun parodies of common household brands appear in full color spoofing consumer products and marketing, and comes packaged with four limited edition stickers and a wax jacket, making for a fine collector's reference.

Dams
Christine Macy
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393731392, $85.00 www.wwnorton.com

Any college-level collection strong in architecture and engineering will find DAMS a key acquisition. It organizes a range of projects by watershed, profiling over 800 historical and modern photos and providing not only a wide range of visuals from ads, drawings, and photos, but also surveying the structural diversity of dams and their changing role in American society. Designers and students will find this a powerful history with an accompanying CD-ROM offering downloadable TIFF files of all illustrations.


The Computer Shelf

Web 2.0 and Social Networking for the Enterprise
Joey Bernal
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0137004893, $39.99 www.ibmpressbooks.com

Web 2.0 and Social Networking for the Enterprise: Guidelines and Examples for Implementation and Management Within Your Organization provides a winning survey connecting social networking approaches with proven techniques for increasing productivity. New case studies from IBM and many of its social networking sites accompany insights covering different technologies ranging from AJAX and REST to tagging and portals. The result's a fine coverage any social networking computer or business library needs.

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

Bruce Powel Douglass's Real-Time Agility: The Harmony-ESW Method for Real-Time and Embedded Systems Development (0321545494, $54.99) comes from a leading embedded-systems consult who covers model-driven development and agile methods, analyzing plans, requirements, and three levels of agile design processes. Examples pack a survey that can serve as a tutorial as well as a developer's reference guide. B.V. Kumar, Prakash Narajyan and Tony Ng's IMPLEMENTING SOA USING JAVA EE (0321492153, $54.99) is for any library offering Java programmers keys to success, and covers SOA development ranging from messaging and registries to using Java persistence API and implementing SOA at all web and business processes. The result is an outstanding read perfect for any programming collection. Roman Pichler's AGILE PRODUCT MANAGEMENT WITH SCRUM: CREATING PRODUCTS THAT CUSTOMERS LOVE (0321605780, $34.99) offers the first guide to Scrum-based agile product management and comes from a leading Scrum consultant who uses real-world examples to show how product owners can use Scrum to maximum benefit. From understanding the product and planning its release to understanding sprint meetings and ownership issues, this is a fine pick for Agile and project management collections alike. Technical college-level collections strong in advanced computer and business topics will relish Eileen C. Forrester, Brndon L. Buteau and Sandy Shrum's CMMI FOR SERVICES: GUIDELINES FOR SUPERIOR SERVICE (0321635892, $69.99), a fine survey discussing guidelines that can help organizations establish and improve processes for delivering services. From the basic concept of CMMI-SVC to general and specific practices and useful references, it's a survey no library should be without.

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

HEAD FIRST EXCEL by Michael Milton (9780596807696, $34.99) offers a winning survey that uses the latest research in cognitive science and learning theory to provide a content-rich, visual approach to learning Excel. From making basic calculations key to any workflow to handling worksheets and pivot table analysis, this is a brain-friendly guide Excel users will relish. Jonathan Stark's BUILDING IPHONE APPS WITH HTML, CSS, AND JAVASCRIPT (9780596805784, $29.99) offers a fine survey of mobile development tools and open source web technologies that can design and build apps for the iPhone and iPod touch without using Cocoa or Objective-C. Learn how to use various tricks to hook into advanced iPhone features with this fine programmer's guide. Kevlin Henney edits 97 THINGS EVERY PROGRAMMER SHOULD KNOW (9780596809485, $29.99), a fine survey of basic programming 'musts' with contributors from across the board in the industry - from Verity Stob to Michael Feathers and more. All kinds of projects and concerns are addressed, from using code in domain language to keeping the build clean and including tools for static code analysis in a project's framework. Alasdair Allan's LEARNING IPHONE PROGRAMMING (9780596806439, $29.99) offers fine keys to building sample applications using Xcode tools and the Objective-C programming language. From building a data-entry interface and storing data to understanding hoc distribution, this presents a fine key for any iPhone programmer.

Pragmatic Programming
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
www.pragprog.com

Terence Parr's LANGUAGE IMPLEMENTATION PATTERNS: CREATE YOUR OWN DOMAIN-SPECIFIC AND GENERAL PROGRAMMING LANGUAGES (9781934356456, $34.95) tells how to build file readers, data readers, code generators and more - without a strong computer science background. The author offers insights into common design patterns key to development for Java and other programmers, creating a guide that isn't language-specific, but pattern-oriented. Any programmer's library needs this. Also highly recommended is Tim Isted's BEGINNING MAC PROGRAMMING: DEVELOP WITH OBJECTIVE-C AND COCOA (9781934356517, $34.95), which shows beginners how to write software for the iphone, ipod, ipad and Mac applications. A basic knowledge of these systems is required, but no programming background: guides to free software, tools, and more lets developers and basic Mac programmers learn the basics quickly.

Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture
Bradley Cantrell and Wes Michaels
Wiley
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780470403976, $75.00 www.wiley.com

Digital Drawing for Landscape Architecture: Contemporary Techniques and Tools for Digital Representation in Site Design provides architecture and landscape workers with principles of analog representation and how they cross over to digital techniques. From comparisons between analog and digital rendering to computing basics, using hand-drawn linework and perspective drawings, and more, this packs in over 500 color drawings and photos to illustrate proven techniques for architecture and computer collections alike.

Focal Press
30 Corporate Drive Suite 300, Burlington, MA 01803
www.focalpress.com

Wes McDermott's REAL WORLD MODO: IN THE TRENCHES WITH MONDO (9780240811994, $49.95) is a top pick for any college-level graphics library. It explores the 3D tool, offering an artist-friendly survey of Modo's tools and 3D rendering engine and providing clear tips and tricks for its use. Digital artists will find this key to using Modo 401's power and many benefits, with plenty of visuals to reinforce learning. A top pick for any seeking a definitive Modo coverage. Eric Luhta's HOW TO CHEAT IN MAYA 2010: TOOLS AND TECHNIQUES FOR THE MAYA ANIMATOR (9780240811888, $44.95) comes with a companion DVD with animated examples and scene files and is packed with classic animation secrets from pros. From tools to streamline the process to working with Maya to obtain quality results, this documents which circumstances call for specific techniques and is a pick for any Maya user. A similar format is presented in Chris Georgenes' fine HOW TO CHEAT IN ADOBE FLASH CS4 (9780240521312, $39.95), providing an animator's inside tips on how to work from problem to solution in Flash. Secrets used by pros to produce professional results lend to a fine book and CD package teaching a range of tricks.

Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics, second edition
Brian Clifton
Sybex, Inc.
c/o John Wiley & Sons
989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103
9780470562314, $39.99 www.sybex.com

Any who want to learn how to implement and apply advanced web analytics techniques will welcome the second updated edition of Advanced Web Metrics with Google Analytics. It offers a new edition pairing best practices for a web metrics program with insights on how to optimize website performance and learn from AdWords, AdSense, and more. From blending Google Analytics data with third-party systems to using new Google features, Google users will find this a winner.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Transition Now
Lee Carroll, et.al.
Weiser Books
65 Parker St, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781578634743, $18.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

TRANSITION NOW: REDEFINING DUALITY 2012 AND BEYOND is for new age and spiritual readers seeking guidance in understanding the new rules of the future. It offers details on how to celebrate past regimes' downfall while embracing new energies in both spiritual and economic realms, offering a survey of individual transformation processes which is both enlightening and positive. Highly recommended.

Pass the Jelly
Gary Crowley
Sentient
1113 Spruce St., Boulder, CO 80302
9781591810926, $14.95 www.sentientpublications.com

PASS THE JELLY: TALES OF ORDINARY ENLIGHTENMENT explores the Pass the Jelly principle, which teaches about cause, effect and acceptance. The author's formula for quick compassion and how to live a fruitful life makes for a powerful set of admonitions perfect for any new age or spirituality collection.

The Divine Name
Jonathan Goldman
Hay House
Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401926991, $17.95 www.hayhouse.com

The Divine Name: The Sound That Can Change the World includes a free instructional CD and is a top pick for any library strong in spirituality. The Divine Name is a universal sound that can bring harmony and healing not just to ourselves, but to the planet. This sound is the personal name of God - and this book offers a step-by-step survey of vibratory activation for experiencing this power. Any new age or spirituality library needs this.

New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
www.newharbinger.com

An MP3 CD accompanies Bob Stahl, Ph.D. and Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D.'s A MINDFULNESS-BASED STRESS REDUCTION WORKBOOK (9781572247086, $24.95), a fine self-help workbook that covers mindfulness in daily living, from meditation and yoga to walking, breathing, and handling emotions. More than eight hours of guided meditations make this workbook and disc combo a top pick for any new age home library. Mary NurrieStearns, LCSW, RYT and Rick NurrieStearns' YOGA FOR ANXIETY: MEDITATIONS AND PRACTICES FOR CALMING THE BODY AND MIND (9781572246515, $17.95) provides a powerful self-help title surveying regular yoga practice techniques and their ability to calm stress and reduce anxiety. Meditations and self-inquiry exercises are at the heart of a self-help guide offering yoga poses to develop mental clarity.

The Secret History of Vampires
Claude Lecouteux
Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594773259, $16.95 www.innertraditions.com

The Secret History of Vampires: Their Multiple Forms and Hidden Purposes represents the author's research through forgotten records to create a very different portrait of vampires. The ancestors of modern vampires weren't all blood suckers - and one even resulted from masons secretly interring the shadow of a living human being in the wall of a building. Fascinating reading!


The Music Shelf

Making Music with Sonar Home Studio
Craig Anderton
Course Technology
20 Channel Center St., Boston, MA 02210
9781598639735, $34.99 www.courseptr.com

Making Music with Sonar Home Studio is a fine pick showing how to use the Home Studio program as a creative tool. It uses the program's owner's manual as a foundation for explaining how to use the program, from optimizing a recording setup to composing and mixing down a song. Step-by-step details are powerful in customization and options.


The Art Shelf

The Business of Being an Artist, fourth edition
Daniel Grant
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd St. Suite 510, New York NY 10010
9781581156737, $27.50 www.allworth.com

Now in a newly expanded and updated fourth edition, The Business of Being an Artist provides a fine instruction manual on the 'art' of business survival, expanding on Daniel Grant's classic reference for developing a career as a successful artist. New sections on how to market and sell art in a weak economy supplement tips on marketing online, creating a website and blog, and more. A fine pick for any aspiring artist who would go pro, this is filled with art-specific business practices.

Art of the Middle East
Saeb Eigner
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th fl., Nyack, NY 10960
www.merrellpublishers.com
9781858945002, $69.95, www.amazon.com

ART OF THE MIDDLE EAST: MODERN AND CONTEMPORARY ART OF THE ARAB WORLD AND IRAN is packed in history and artistic expression and provides a fine panoramic portrait of art history in the Arab world today. Modern and contemporary art from the mid-1950s to modern times are provided in a powerful survey highly recommended for any college-level arts or Middle East history holding: it's unparalleled in scope and presentation and packs in full color, dramatic images and plenty of detailed history.

Breaking Ground
Barbara Lovenheim, Editor
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main St., Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953546, $55.00 www.hudsonhills.com

BREAKING GROUND: A CENTURY OF CRAFT ART IN WESTERN NEW York is the first book to explore the history of craft art in the region, packing in vintage and modern photos along with a history of the works of early pioneers and modern artists alike. BREAKING GROUND covers the region because in the early 1900s it was a hub of the Arts and Crafts Movement - and key to understanding the evolution of American art as a whole.

Radiant Oils
Arleta Pech
North Light Books
4700 E. Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati OH 45236
1600611761, $29.99 www.artistsnetwork.com

RADIANT OILS: GLAZING TECHNIQUES FOR PAINTINGS THAT GLOW tells painters how to create eye-popping still lifes by using transparent color in oil painting. Her focus on layering over mixing colors offers insights into increasing luminosity and texture and offers step-by-step instruction packed with color photos of every step.


The Architecture Shelf

Green Restoration
Aaron Lubeck
New Society Publishers
Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865716407, $37.95 www.newsociety.com

GREEN RESTORATION: SUSTAINABLE BUILDING AND HISTORIC HOMES offers the author's expertise as a restoration contractor and preservation consultant, providing builders and homeowners alike with a fine guide to restoring historic buildings using green practices. Room-by-room restoration descriptions offer solutions for all kinds of issues from sealing an old crawl space to replacing windows. This will be a key guide for any library strong in home renovations.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Knitting Sweaters from the Top Down
Cathy Carron
Lark Books
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781600595547, $17.95 www.larkbooks.com

Knitting Sweaters from the Top Down provides a fine guide to top-down sweater-knitting and tells how to knit a sweater in one piece, with no seams. Easy techniques allow knitters to adjust a garment as they go, offering over twenty chic projects that can also be used as design templates for further pattern-free work. A fine pick for any knitter's library, this takes a far different approach than most.

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

Doreen L. Marquart's SATURDAY STYLE: CASUAL KNITS FOR WEEKEND WEAR (9781564779182, $26.99) offers a fine selection of casual knit projects that can go with jeans or work clothes alike. From yoke jackets and classy simple summer tees to pullovers and cardigans, full-page color photos accompany fine knitter's guides perfect for any lending library looking for something different. The staff of That Patchwork Place offers A BAKER'S DOZEN: 13 QUILTS FROM JELLY ROLLS, LAYER CAKES, AND MORE (9781564779755, $21.99), a fine quilter's survey focusing on quilting with precut fabrics. Thirteen quilts designed by the staff offers a range of uses for fat quarters, and presents Jelly Rolls, 5" charm squares, and more. Cathy Wierzbicki's GEOMETRIC GEMS: QUILTS FROM DIAMONDS, CIRCLES AND SQUARES (9781564779823, $18.99) offers a fascinating, different perspective on producing new quilt designs using angles. The complex-looking results are actually pleasing to the eye and easier to produce than one would think, pairing large-sized color photos of completed quilts with step-by-step instructions any quilter will enjoy.

Built By Wendy Dresses
Wendy Mullin with Eviana Hartman
PotterCraft
c/o Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780307461339, $27.50 www.pottercraft.com

Built By Wendy Dresses offers a fast, easy way to put together custom-fit dresses offering over twenty patterns and DIY dress designs that are easy to sew and in high style. All the featured dresses are based on three basic dress shapes, and offer full-size patterns along with step-by-step instructions on using them. Not suitable for lending libraries - but beginning sewers must have this!

Adaptable Quilting Designs
Sue Patten
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326673, $24.95 www.americanquilter.com

Adaptable Quilting Designs provides over forty designs adaptable to tricky spaces on quilts, from setting triangles to sashings, using templates formatted for ease of reducing or enlarging. Each pattern is shown with two or more variations and over 100 ideas for both hand and machine quilting, with dozens of color photos creating a powerful pick for any home quilter.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Scars and Stilettos
Harmony Dust
Monarch Books
c/o Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
www.kregelpublications.com
9780825463099, $12.99, www.amazon.com

Scars and Stilettos offers an autobiography of an exotic dancer who at nineteen was trapped by thousands of dollars of debt, a dominating boyfriend, and a descent into a squalid life as an exotic dancer. Her discovery of God and her journey away from her past to become an educated, married woman with a fine family creates an inspirational saga perfect for any spirituality collection.

Uncommon Gratitude
Joan Chittister and Rowan Williams
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814630228, $16.95 www.liturgicalpress.com

UNCOMMON GRATITUDE: ALLELLUIA FOR ALL THAT IS comes from the Archbishop of Canterbury who maintains the proper stance in the Christian world is one of gratitude. This surveys things to be grateful for - and reflects on how singing "alleluia" opens the door to other realities and truths. A fine inspirational reflection any Christian collection will welcome.

Women Food and God
Geneen Roth
Scribner
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781416543077, $24.00 www.simonandschuster.com

Women Food and God: An Unexpected Path to Almost Everything offers insights including spiritual assessments for women who find food is taking over their lives. Geneen Roth has struggled with food nearly all her life: this goes beyond eating guidelines to explore food's relationship to core beliefs and cultural perception and is a special pick for spirituality as well as health collections.

God and His Demons
Michael Parenti
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616141776, $25.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

God and His Demons comes from a noted author and activist who examines the dark side of religion, from the evils committed in the name of God through history to religion's hypocrisies. Unlike most approaches this isn't a condemnation of belief itself, but a focus on how faith is exploited by those in power. Spirituality libraries, therefore, will consider this a fine discussion of how belief and faith can be corrupted.

HarperOne
c/o HarperCollins
353 Sacramento Street, Suite 500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
www.harperone.com

Desmond Tutu and Mpho Tutu's MADE FOR GOODNESS (9780061706592, $25.99) is written by the Archbishop and his daughter, who is also an ordained Episcopal minister, and here argues that humanity is destined for goodness. When we begin to walk in the direction of this goodness, we'll be embraced and encouraged. This message is a 'must' in this uncertain world and spirituality libraries will find it inspirational. Thich Nhat Hanh and Dr. Lilian Cheung's SAVOR: MINDFUL EATING, MINDFUL LIFE (9780061697692, $25.99) comes from two experts in the fields of mindfulness and nutrition who offer a survey linking food to spirituality. A Buddhist and a nutritionist discuss how to apply concepts of mindful teachings to everyday life and eating, blending Buddhism with food insights in a fine discussion. N.T. Wright's AFTER YOU BELIEVE: WHY CHRISTIAN CHARACTER MATTERS (9780061730559, $24.99) examines the key question of how we should live, arguing that people are so preoccupied with how they get into heaven that they forget about the hear and now and how to live daily life on Earth. This survey of Christian virtues in daily living is key to any Christian collection as concerned with the here-and-now as with the future.

Tattoos on the Heart
Gregory Boyle
Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439153024, $25.00 www.simonandschuster.com

TATTOOS ON THE HEART: THE POWER OF BOUNDLESS COMPASSION uses Father Gregory Boyle's achievement - establishing the largest gang intervention program in the country - to present a book of stories and essays detailing his work. Arranged by theme and filled with humor and insights on faith, this discusses how to stay faithful in spite of failure and how to cultivate a loving heart in a harsh world. Highly recommended: an inspirational read for any spirituality collection.

O God
Josh McDowell and Dave Sterrett
WND Books
marketing@wndbooks.com
9781935071174, $14.99 www.wndbooks.com

O GOD: A DIALOGUE ON TRUTH AND OPRAH'S SPIRITUALITY provides a strong Christian response to the teachings of Oprah and her friends, answering some issues raised by her approach. From whether there are different ways to reach God to why one would worship a jealous God, this provides many easy inquiries and debates perfect for spirituality libraries.


The Philosophy Shelf

Exuberant Skepticism
Paul Kurtz, author
John R. Shook, editor
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781591027782, $19.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

Exuberant Skepticism comes from a philosopher who for three decades has been an advocate of skepticism as a philosophical position and way of life. Skepticism is defined as a form of philosophical inquiry that can change the world - and here John Shook has gathered 17 of Paul Kurtz's essays to consider scientific inquiry and methods. A fine survey of the skeptical movement that Kurtz founded, this is a 'must' for any philosophy library.

Zombies, Vampires, and Philosophy
Richard Green & K. Silem Mohammad, Editors
Open Court
70 East Lake St., Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696837, $19.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

Zombies, Vampires, and Philosophy: New Life for the Undead links popular culture and philosophy with a philosophical discussion of vampires and zombies. The connection lies in how they confront us with moral and metaphysical issues of life and death, and this provides over twenty modern thinkers who reflect on the idea and nature of the undead. Any library seeking to blend modern philosophy with popular fantasy needs this.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Geosynchron
David Louis Edelman
PYR Books
c/o Prometheus Press
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591027928, $16.00 www.pyrsf.com

GEOSYNCHRON is Volume 3 of the 'Jump 225' trilogy, concluding a saga and therefore recommended for science fiction collections possessing the prior volumes. It continues the story of a civil war between Len Borda and Magan Kai Lee within the Defense and Wellness Council, and offers a political thriller that takes the contenders around the world and into the sky as they battle for the truth behind a revolt that ended humanity hundreds of years in the past. The tense thriller is brought to gripping conclusion, here.

The Lotus Eaters
Tom Kratman
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
9781439133460, $24.00 www.baen.com

THE LOTUS EATERS provides an excellent blend of military science fiction and action as it tells of Carrera, who has won a war that proves to be only the first in a series. With his only son under fire and an enemy fleet hunting his submarines, he faces many dangers and challenges. A riveting story of military encounters and romance emerges in this fine action-paced read.

TOR Books
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
www.tor-forge.com

George R.R. Martin and Gardner Dozois, Editors's WARRIORS (9780765320483, $27.99) is a fine compendium of new fiction by top names in the science fiction field - Diana Gabaldon, David Weber, Peter S. Beagle, to name just a few. Stories about warriors have been a literary tradition, but these represent works from a dozen different publishers and genres on the theme of a warrior - and each story appears here for the first time, making this an especially notable collection. Norman Spinrad's HE WALKED AMONG US (9780765325846, $27.99) tells of a hack agent who discovers Ralf, who claims to be from the future with an important message. In his future, humanity is barely alive and the planet nearly dead. When a science fiction writer and a New Age guru become involve, Ralf's powerful warning begins to see light in this fine account of past/future connections.


The Photography Shelf

Focal Press
30 Corporate Dr #400, Burlington, MA 01803
www.focalpress.com

The fourth updated edition of Martin Edge's THE UNDERWATER PHOTOGRAPHER (9780240521640, $39.95) offers a fully updated survey that represents a comprehensive revision on everything from basic underwater photo techniques to specialized underwater shooting. It's the only in-depth guide to underwater photography available, packs in over 500 images, and covers everything from underwater composition and close-ups to using the wide angle lens underwater. Any photography library needs this. Also recommended is the second updated edition of Ctein's DIGITAL RESTORATION FROM START TO FINISH (9780240812083, $39.95), an in-depth guide to repairing and restoring old and damaged photos. From scanning faded prints to correcting uneven exposure and fixing color, this is packed with color screen shots and examples throughout.

150 Projects to Strengthen Your Photography Skills
John Easterby
Barrons
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764144707, $21.99 www.barronseduc.com

150 Projects to Strengthen Your Photography Skills offers over a hundred projects that teach how to improve photography skills, with projects covering equipment, shooting details, and technical specifications. From obtaining photography training and building a career to building upon basic skills, this comes from a course leader of photojournalism and is packed with 'how to do it better' advice perfect for college-level photography students.


The Education Shelf

The Child's World, second edition
Jan Horwath, Editor
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market St. #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781843105688, $45.00 www.jkp.com

The second updated edition of THE CHILD'S WORLD provides a new, updated survey on assessing children in need and blend practice, policy and theory to produce a fine guide to the developmental needs of kids. Any practitioner in children's services who use the Framework system needs this resource for assessment.

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

The second updated edition of Mandia Mentis, et. al.'s BRIDGING LEARNING: UNLOCKING COGNITIVE POTENTIAL IN AND OUT OF THE CLASSROOM (9781412969956, $28.95) provides education collections with a winning survey of thinking skills and Instrumental Enrichment programs and approaches. Fourteen core thinking skills discuss cognitive capacity and problem solving, and introduces skills and examples for informal learning. Susan Brooks-Young's TEACHING WITH THE TOOLS KIDS REALLY USE: LEARNING WITH WEB AND MOBILE TECHNOLOGIES (9781412972758, $28.95) is written for educators who wish to integrate mobile technologies into the classroom and covers the ethical use of such technology. From an overview of Web 2.0 tools in K-12 settings to wiki, RSS feeds, microblogging, and more, this is a 'must' for any teacher who would blend the latest technology trends into a teaching effort. Nancy DeVries Guth and Tamie Pratt-Fartro's LITERACY COACHING TO BUILD ADOLESCENT LEARNING (9781412972260, $26.95) tells readers how to work with teachers to improve adolescent literary achievement. School districts are focusing their attention on adolescent literacy skills and using coaches for support: this focuses on five foundations of adolescent literacy and uses field experience to provide guidance on how these literacy coaches work. John F. Eller and Sheila Eller's WORKING WITH AND EVALUATING DIFFICULT SCHOOL EMPLOYEES (9781412958684, $26.95) tells how to manage difficult school employees and is written by administrators well versed in various field techniques and their pros and cons. From templates for developing improvement plans and conversing with employees to strategies for working with all kinds of staff, this is a key reference. Abby Barry Bergman, Judy Powers and Michael L. Pullen's THE SURVIVAL KIT FOR THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL PRINCIPAL (9781412972772, $43.95) packs in forms, letters, checklists and more and is designed for busy administrators considering daily challenges faced by all elementary school principals. From understanding NCLB requirements and new technologies to becoming better leaders and evaluators, this offers tips for diverse settings and school sizes, and is a solid principal's resource. Ron Nash's THE ACTIVE MENTOR: PRACTICAL STRATEGIES FOR SUPPORTING NEW TEACHERS (9781412980500, $28.95) is a top pick and offers an essential key to new teacher retention and satisfaction. It shows how educators can build mentoring programs and cover strategies, real-world applications and case histories, and how professionals can promote teacher effectiveness. It's a fine, solid guide for any education collection. USING THE PARALLEL CURRICULUM MODEL IN URBAN SETTINGS GRADES K-8 by Sandra N. Kaplan, et.al. (9781412972185, $56.95) offers a wonderful introduction to applications of the parallel curriculum model to this grade group, offering lesson plan formats and keys to implementing them and tips on motivating students. Teachers will find this an important, key acquisition. Diane Hodges' SEASON IT WITH FUN! A YEAR OF RECOGNITION, FUN, AND CELEBRATIONS TO ENLIVEN YOUR SCHOOL (9781412969086, $33.95) offers proven techniques designed to revitalize a school community. From producing fantastic assemblies and introducing special celebrations within and outside the classroom to blending new administrators into a school culture, this provides a top pick for any school. Ian Jukes, Ted McCain, and Lee Crockett's UNDERSTANDING THE DIGITAL GENERATION: TEACHING AND LEARNING IN THE NEW DIGITAL LANDSCAPE (9781449585594, $25.95) is a top pick for any collection strong in blending the basics of childhood education with educational processes. New technologies affect nearly every facet of a child's life - and this tells how to shift instructional patterns to incorporate these new teaching tools. Diane Yendol-Hoppey and Nancy Fitchman Dana's POWERFUL PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT: BUILDING EXPERTISE WITHIN THE FOUR WALLS OF YOUR SCHOOL (9781412979757, $31.95) provides an analysis of the critical elements needed for schools to integrate processes that engage teachers and administrators. Professional development takes on a new edge with a resource that shows how collaborative effort can lead to powerful social school environments. Administrators, in particular, will relish this. Paul C. McCable and Steven R. Shaw's PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS: CURRENT TOPICS AND INTERVENTIONS FOR EDUCATORS (9781412968768, $33.95) provides a key go-to reference for psychiatric health topics for school psychologists, counselors and administrators, and offers insights on the most relevant psychiatric health issues for educators. From the use of atypical antipsychotics with autism to the medical management of ADHD, this pairs case studies with strategies educators can use. Karen D. Olsen's WHAT BRAIN RESEARCH CAN TEACH ABOUT CUTTING SCHOOL BUDGETS (9781412980494, $33.95) offers a unique approach in applying brain research to budget analysis. By focusing on analytical thinking over emotion or tradition or even school politics, this provides keys to putting more effective strategies in place, and packs in chapters showing how to develop and direct a more methodical process.

Go Green Rating Scale Handbook
Phil Boise
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117
9781605540078, $29.95 www.redleafpress.org

Go Green Rating Scale Handbook for Early Childhood Settings is a 'must' for any evaluating the environmental health of a program. Use this book to evaluate a site or verify topics addressed in the rating scale, to improve a score, or to inform parents about benefits of a green early childhood program. A powerful key for any early childhood education library.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

The Great Global Warming Blunder
Roy W. Spencer
Encounter Books
900 Broadway #601, New York NY 10005
9781594033735, $23.95 www.encounterbooks.com

The Great Global Warming Blunder: How Mother Nature Fooled the World's Top Climate Scientists offers a simple explanation for why forecasts of a global warming Armageddon represent a major scientific blunder. Climate researchers have mixed up cause and effect in their analysis of cloud behavior - and Dr. Spencer exposes the political and financial biases that have influenced climate research. Any library strong in global warming issues needs this different analysis and approach.

Climategate
Brian Sussman
WND Books
marketing@wndbooks.com
9781935071839, $25.95 www.wndbooks.com

CLIMATEGATE: A VETERAN METEOROLOGIST EXPOSES THE GLOBAL WARMING SCAM comes from a former meteorologist turned talk show host and offers a range of stories to link modern environmental leaders to communists and faulty thinking. From past climate records that show climate was warmer than it is today to the assessment that global warming is a convenient theory allowing companies to reap billions, this offers an attack on the entire global warming concept - and analyzes reasons behind its ideas.


The Science Shelf

The Manga Guide to Molecular Biology
Masaharu Takemura Sakura
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro Street, #250, San Francisco, CO 94107
9781593272029, $19.95 www.nostarch.com

The Manga Guide to Molecular Biology uses black and white comics to explain complex science, making this more accessible to students who would find the traditional approaches challenging. Join characters Ami and Rin as they journey through the body, learning about protein synthesis, cell division, and genetics along the way. The blend of fiction action with science makes this an appealing, fine read especially recommended for any students struggling with traditional molecular biology teachings.

The Biology of Small Mammals
Joseph F. Merritt
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801879507, $60.00 www.press.jhu.edu

The Biology of Small Mammals represents the first college-level exploration of the lives of small mammals in decades, and comes from a mammalogist who provides discussions of a range of small mammals around the world. In discussing behavior and species, this collection outlines how the size difference provides different physiological and ecological challenges than larger mammals. Any college-level natural history library needs this survey.

Decoding Reality
Vlatko Vedral
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016-4314
9780199237692, $29.95 www.oup.com

DECODING REALITY: THE UNIVERSE AS QUANTUM INFORMATION comes from a quantum science researcher who writes about the nature of reality and weightless information. From the nature of information to thoughts about the quantum world's operations, this is an excellent survey for any college-level physics collection.

Einstein's Telescope
Evalyn Gates
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10011
9780393338010, $16.95 www.wwnorton.com

EINSTEIN'S TELESCOPE: THE HUNT FOR DARK MATTER AND DARK ENERGY IN THE UNIVERSE provides a powerful scientific examination of one of Einstein's most intriguing theori4es: that gravitational distortions would allow space to act as a telescope more powerful than humans could build. Cosmologists are using his technique to detect revolutionary realms - and EINSTEIN'S TELESCOPE provides a fine blend of astronomy theory and practice as it tells of the concept and how it's being applied. Both science holdings and general-interest libraries will find this a thorough, lively account.


The Automotive Shelf

Yenko: The Man, The Machines, The Legend
Bob McClurg
CarTech
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781932494853, $39.95 www.cartechbooks.com

Yenko: The Man, The Machines, The Legend follows the legendary cars Yenko designed: projects that began with the Stinger Corvairs and ended with turbocharged Camaros and Vegas, among others. His life and achievements provide a detailed examination of his cars, with facts stemming from interviews with Yenko family members, former employees, and professional co contemporaries. Auto buffs will relish this in-depth survey, packed with color photos throughout.

Collector's Originality Guide: Corvette 1968-1982
Tom Falconer
Motorbooks International
400 1st Avenue North Suite 300, Minneapolis MN 55401
9780760337479, $24.99 www.motorbooks.com

Collector's Originality Guide: Corvette 1968-1982 provides a compendium of parts, finishes, op0tions and trim pieces for all fourth-generation Corvette models, packing in details on restored vehicles from 1968 to 1982 and collectible factors from signature markings to factory identification plates. Recommended not just for auto collections, but for any library catering to collectors overall.


The Sports Shelf

High Heat
Tim Wendell
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306818486, $25.00 www.dacapopress.com

HIGH HEAT: THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE FAST BALL AND THE IMPROBABLE SEARCH FOR THE FASTEST PITCHER OF ALL TIME moves from the records of the National Baseball Hall of Fame in New York to a lab in Alabama, analyzing the nature of the fastball in its scientific form and in the sport of baseball. How can one determine what makes the fastest fast ball? HIGH HEAT interviews Hall of Fame names and baseball greats alike as it surveys pitching stars and their influence on the history and nature of baseball. Any sports library will relish this.

Fifty-Nine in '84
Edward Achorn
Harper
c/o HarperCollins
10 East 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
9780061825866, $25.99 www.harpercollins.com

Fifty-Nine in '84: Old Hoss Radbourn, Barehanded Baseball and the Greatest Season a Pitcher Ever Had comes from a Pulitzer Prize finalist and tells of pitcher Charles Radbourn's 1884 season, when he set a record that would never be broken. His biography blends with a history of baseball in the late 19th century and the culture of ill repute it fostered, with its image as a profession of hard-drinking men who cheated and would maim an opponent to win the game. Any baseball library needs this history.

Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports
John Eric Goff
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801893224, $25.00 www.press.jhu.edu

Gold Medal Physics: The Science of Sports offers a fine, satisfying blend of science and sports perfect for any library strong in athletics. It analyzes the science behind soccer, cycling, skating, diving and many other competitive sports, using key players in the fields to explain the basic physics behind everyday athletic achievement. Sports libraries will find this engrossing.


The Travel Shelf

The Ship Hotel
Brian Butko
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
9780811736312, $19.95 www.stackpolebooks.com

THE SHIP HOTEL: A GRAND VIEW ALONG THE LINCOLN HIGHWAY covers the highway's most famous attraction, blending vintage images with the author's own 'you are there' style narrative to create a lively survey of bygone years. Color illustrations throughout and a handy pocket format makes this a real winner.

Lonely Planet
150 Linden St., Oakland, CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Damien Simonis, et.al.'s ITALY (9781741792294, $25.99) is a take along tote 'must' for any independent traveler planning a trip to the country. It offers history, cultural insights, tips on where to go and how to travel, and keys to Italy's regional attractions and is written by experts who provide a fully updated guide packed with honest, accurate advice. Over 170 maps and full-color illustrations make for the traveler's reference of choice. China Williams, et.al.'s SOUTHEAST ASIA ON A SHOESTRING (9781741792331, $26.99) is also a 'must' take-along for any independent budget-minded traveler planning a trip to Southeast Asia. It covers everything from sightseeing and shopping to current events, provides itineraries for easy travel, and is a top reference packed with maps and specific detail. Similar in format and detail is Ryan Ver Berkmoes' INDONESIA (9781741048308, $31.99), offering the same detailed itineraries, updated information, maps and more on all areas of the vast Indonesian archipelago. Another 'must take-along tote'. USA (9781741792355, $29.99) is a thick guide for a take-along tote, but it packs in road trip coverage and custom itineraries, offers pull-out maps (over 146 maps total), and is filled with tested tips on travel across the country. History, culture and travel specifics make this a top guide.

Moon's Belize
Joshua Berman
Avalon Travel Publishing
c/o Perseus Books Group
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9781598802108, $17.95 www.moon.com

Moon's Belize provides a winning survey of sights, activities, and travel in Belize, packing in over forty detailed maps and offering firsthand experience to document the best of Belize's offerings. Packaged in a book small enough to become a take-along tote, this will appeal to any library strong in South American travel destinations for independent travelers.


The Cookbook Shelf

Absolutely Chocolate
Fine Cooking Editors
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781600851339, $29.95 www.taunton.com

ABSOLUTELY CHOCOLATE: IRRESISTIBLE EXCUSES TO INDULGE packs in over fifty color photos as it provides not just a chocolate-filled recipe guide, but insights on how chocolate is made, how to choose it, when to use cocoa and when chocolate, and much more. Over a hundred recipes accompany the photos and tips making this a winner for any general lending library.

Sri Lankan Cooking
Douglas Bullis and Wendy Hutton
Charles Tuttle
c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
9780804841368, $19.95 www.tuttlepublishing.com

Luca Invernizzi Tettoni's fine full-page color photos compliment this special treatment SRI LANKAN COOKING, a recommendation for any lending library strong in Asian representation. Sri Lankan cooking is often blended into more general India cookbooks, so it's a pleasure to see a volume that stands alone. From Butter Rice and Crispy Dosai Pancakes to Prawns in a Coconut Curry Gravy, this is an excellent pick.

Justin Wilson's Easy Cookin'
Justin Wilson
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster St., Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589807907, $25.00 www.pelicanpub.com

JUSTIN WILSON'S EASY COOKIN' packs in over a hundred recipes for classic home cooking and comes from a chef who was always seeking ways to make his cooking easier, using flavored salts and powers instead of peeling and chopping onions and garlic, and focusing on maximum flavor for minimum effort. His book offers delightful access to any collection catering to would-be cooks.

Slim & Scrumptious
Joy Bauer
Morrow
c/o HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
9780061834776, $24.99 www.harpercollins.com

Color photos pair with low-calorie recipes and mouth-watering flavor in Slim & Scrumptious, a fine survey of new ideas to please even picky eaters. These are quick, versatile dishes intended for the family with many picky eaters and offers low-calorie yet tasty adaptations of classic, rich foods.

Pillsbury Easy As Pie
Pillsbury
Wiley Publishing
c/o John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470485538, $19.95 www.wiley.com

Pies needn't be time-consuming pains - not with Pillsbury Easy As Pie, which pairs lay-flat binding for ease of cooking with tested pie dishes - up to 140 - ranging from basic everyday pies to holiday specialties. Full-page color photos of each finished result accompanies recipes which are very simple, making for a top pick cookbook any general lending library must have.

Chocolate Cakes
Elinor Klivans
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811868723, $22.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

CHOCOLATE CAKES packs in fifty cakes for all occasions with fine color photos by Ann Stratton accompanying tube cakes, rolled cakes, layer cakes and more. The range of cakes and their relative ease of production make this a fine general lending library choice, highly recommended for readers who want a focus on chocolate cakes only!

Complete Guide to Making Your Own Wine At Home
John Peragine
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Ave., Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601383587, $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Complete Guide to Making Your Own Wine At Home is a fine pick for any would-be home winemaker just starting out. From distillation ingredients to producing home wine either on a limited scale for a personal collection or for starting a home winery, this covers all the basics and even provides recipes. Home winemakers will find the specific information to be a great starting point to successful production.

On a Dollar a Day
Christopher Greenslate and Kerri Leonard
Hyperion
114 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10011
9781401310189, $14.99 www.hyperionbooks.com

ON A DOLLAR A DAY: COUPLE'S UNLIKELY ADVENTURES IN EATING IN AMERICA explores what happens when two high school teachers get fed up with giant grocery bills and decide to feed themselves on one dollar each per day. Their discoveries include tips on how to eat on, $4.13 a day (the food stamp allotment) and offer insights on food politics, from how companies 'short size' packages so you pay more for less, and how groceries auction off foods past their 'sell by' dates.

Big Buy Cooking
Editors of Fine Cooking
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600851544, $19.95 www.taunton.com

Good cooks know bulk ingredients save money - but they also pose a problem once the initial recipe is used: how to use up all the bulk? This book offers recipes for common bulk-buy foods, from sun-dried tomatoes to various cheeses, meats, and canned goods. It packs in color photos and appealing dishes and is a top pick for any lending library where cooks frequent bulk-buy stores for top bargains.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Murder, She Wrote: Nashville Noir
Jessica Fletcher & Donald Bain
Obsidian Mysteries
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
9780451229274, $22.95 www.penguin.com

Murder, She Wrote: Nashville Noir is based on the TV series and provides a fine new book in a mystery series. Here music and murder clash when a country music publisher is murdered by a young talent, and Jessica is called upon to help a daughter in trouble. A fine mystery evolves, perfect for any general lending library.


The Psychology Shelf

Zen and Psychotherapy
Joseph Bobbrow
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th, New York NY 10110
9780393705799, $27.50 www.wwnorton.com

Zen and Psychotherapy: Partners in Liberation offers a strong survey on the transformative experience in psychotherapy. While Zen and psychotherapy are quite different paths and approaches, and have even had an adversarial relationship in the past, they share the common qualities of being a journey and process of inquiry, valuing truth and awareness. The dynamics of both are explored in a fine survey of emotional and spiritual development and shows how both can change our lives.

My Brain Made Me Do It
Eliezer J. Sternberg
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616141653, $21.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

My Brain Made Me Do It: The Rise of Neuroscience and the Threat to Moral Responsibility draws important connections between brain science and issues of responsibility and morality, examining how the brain affects the exercise of will, how Parkinson's and other diseases reveal keys about controlling our actions, and how the evolution of brain chemistry has affected choices and actions overall. A top pick for any college-level health, science or social issues collection.

AP Psychology, fourth edition
Allyson J. Weseley, Ed.D and Robert McEntarffer
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764195255, $29.99 www.barronseduc.com

The fourth updated edition of AP Psychology is a 'must' study guide offering the latest practice tests available, study tips, and strategies covering various research methods. Two more practice tests with answers and explanations appear on an accompanying CD-ROM, making for a key student's study guide perfect for any high school collection.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Superbug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA
Maryn McKenna
Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781416557272, $26.00 www.simonandschuster.com

Superbug: The Fatal Menace of MRSA discusses the history and threat of drug-resistant staph, an epidemic that threatens the world. It's not just an occasional occurrence - it's a persistent, planet-wide threat that has grown over fifty years and has spread into the food chain. It kills at least 19,000 Americans yearly - and this examination represents some 200 interviews and research conducted since 2006 on the topic. No health library should be without it!

Drug Abuse Sourcebook, third edition
Joyce Brennfleck Shannon, Editor
Omnigraphics
Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231-1640
9780780810792, $93.00 www.omnigraphics.com

The third updated edition of Drug Abuse Sourcebook is a fine reference for college-level health collections, documenting the abuse of illegal substances and prescription medicines alike. Facts about commonly abused drugs and causes of addiction blend medical with social issues while an invaluable section on strategies that work for prevention make this a top reference.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Simpsons Futurama: Crossover Crisis
Bill Morrison, Editor
Abrams
115 W 18th St., New York NY 10011
9780810988378, $24.95 www.abramsbooks.com

The Simpsons Futurama: Crossover Crisis is a Simpsons comic guide any collector simply must have. It's not just that full-color cartoon drawings pack the book, or that it blends two very different shows - The Simpsons and Futurama - but it provides a fine series of interactions and concludes with a first-edition collectible comic book in the back pocket. Packed in a gorgeous full-color slipcase, it's a collector's winner.

Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist
Jim Amash with Eric Nolen-Weatherington
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Dr., Raleigh, NC 27614
1605490210, $26.95 www.twomorrows.com

Sal Buscema: Comics' Fast & Furious Artist provides a fine review of a Marvel Comics artist who became one of the most recognized artists of the comic world. He created some of Marvel's most memorable storylines and had a ten-year run with The Incredible Hulk: his creations cemented some of the most famous runs of the comic universe and here black and white and color panels compliment many Buscema insights, key to any serious comic collector's shelf.


The Literary Shelf

Writers on the Spectrum
Julie Brown
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
9781843109136, $54.95 www.jkp.com

Writers on the Spectrum is for any college-level library strong in literary analysis. It shows how the writings of some of the world's most celebrated authors indicate signs of autism and Asperger Syndrome, considering structure, content and writing style in its exploration of an autistic perception of life. A range of writers are considered in an analysis identifying signs of autistic perceptions of life and themes of alienation, making this an outstanding presentation for any literary collection.


The Audiobook Shelf

On the Brink
Henry M. Paulson Jr.
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781600249129, $34.98 www.hachetteaudio.com

ON THE BRINK: INSIDE THE RACE TO STOP THE COLLAPSE OF THE GLOBAL FINANCIAL SYSTEM is a top pick pairing a fine reading by Dan Woren with a special conversation with the author. This focus by the former CEO of Goldman Sachs provides an insider's insights into the makings of the current financial crisis, and offers a story of people, politics and economics that ties together many loose strings.

A Dark Matter
Peter Straub
Random House Audio
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780739322413, $45.00 www.randomhouseaudio.com

A DARK MATTER receives a fine reading by Robertson Dean, who adds a smooth and passionate voice to the story of Spencer, who holds a secret ritual for college students only to find death will change the lives of friends who attend. Years later each of the friends flinches from the 'dark matter' they recall - and finds ongoing effects they will have to challenge to stay sane. A gripping thriller evolves.

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

Dan John Miller's performance in Lionel Shriver's SO MUCH FOR THAT (1423360990, $36.99) lends an excellent, spirited reading to this novel about a stressed marriage affected by serious illness. Shep's longtime dream of retreating to an idyllic Third World retirement locale is thwarted by his wife's reluctance to move - and by her illness, which demands he retain his connection to her and put off his retirement to paradise. Against staggering health costs and challenges, can Shep's life retain its value? A fine story evolves! Jandy Nelson's THE SKY IS EVERYWHERE (1441820132, $24.99) receives Julia Whelan's fine acting voice and background as it tells of a teen bookworm and band geek who hides behind her fiery older sister - until she dies suddenly. Now she's struggling to balance her changed life and new role, in this magical story. Linda Howard's STRANGERS IN THE NIGHT (1423363396, $29.99) receives veteran narrator Laurel Merlington's smooth, seasoned voice which captures the tension and thrills of a fine story collection. From Thea, who encounters her love in a world of dreams only to find reality offers dangers on a country lake, to Hope, who offers shelter to a stranger only to suspect he may be a criminal, this provides a fine collection of romance spiced with danger. Jack Vance's EYES OF THE OVERWORLD (1441814612, $29.99) provides another in the 'Tales of Dying Earth' series, with a fine performance by reader Arthur Morey fueling a story about a scoundrel sent by a magician he has wronged to a distant country on a journey. Stealing the secret instead, magic goes awry on a dangerous pilgrimage. Larry Bond and Jim DeFelice's RED DRAGON RISING: SHADOWS OF WAR (1423370090, $39.99) receives Luke Daniels' professional acting voice and skills and offers a fine thriller set in the near future, where massive climate change has affected the world. An American scientist witnesses a clever attempt by the Chinese to make it appear that Vietnam began a dangerous war - and his life becomes an exercise in eluding capture as a result. Gripping audio action evolves. T. Jefferson Parker's THE BLUE HOUR (1423355679, $29.99) receives an outstanding performance by Tavia Gilbert, an award-winning narrator who here brings to life the story of two very different cops who must track down a killer who abducts women from malls. Their relationship may determine success or failure in this riveting mystery. J.T. Ellison's THE COLD ROOM (1441838457, $29.99) receives a fine performance by veteran narrator Joyce Bean as it provides a crime thriller based on a female homicide detective who pursues The Conductor, who traps his victims in a glass coffin, slowly starving her to death. A dangerous game of cat and mouse evolves in this moving story.

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

Danielle Trussoni's ANGELOLOGY (9780143145264, $39.95) benefits from reader Susan Denaker's stage, film and television background which adds spice and zest to this story of Sister Evangeline, who discovers a 1943 correspondence between the later mother superior of a convent and a famous philanthropist that reveals an extensive secret history documenting conflict between the Society of Angelologists and the beautiful descendants of angels and humans, the Nephilim. Her studies will reveal her own role in the ongoing battles in this engrossing listen. Linda Faristein's HELL GATE (9780143145325, $39.95) receives veteran recording artist Barbara Rosenblat's vivid rendition as it tells of political intrigue, scandal, and New York City deals. Here Alex's investigation of a shipwreck with contraband leads to dangerous political insights in a tense, dark thriller of underground New York's powerful participants. Louisa May Alcott's THE LOST SUMMER (9780142427811, $29.95) pairs Emily Janice Card's acting background and smooth voice with the story of twenty-two-year-old Louisa, whose destitute family moves to a generous uncle's empty house for the summer, where Louisa experiences summertime romance. Fact and fiction blend in a satisfying, lovely story. Elizabeth Gilbert's THE LAST AMERICAN MAN (9780142428245, $29.95) pairs actress Patricia Kalember's skills with an engaging true story of one Eustace Conway, who has made his home in the Appalachian Mountains for over thirty years, mastering self-sufficient living. His evolution from an idealistic nature-lover to a seasoned environmentalist makes for a fascinating memoir that comes alive on audio. Stephen King wrote as Richard Bachman when he created THE LONG WALK (9780142427835, $39.95), which here appears in audio with his own name the highlight. Kirby Heyborne, a musician and professional narrator, brings to life a vivid story of a hundred teen boys who meet for an annual 'Long Walk', only to find there can be only one winner in this event: the one who survives. A gripping saga comes to life. Stephen King's FIRESTARTER (9780142427842, $49.95) receives Dennis Boutsikaris' award-winning voice performance as it tells of a top-secret government experiment designed to produce psychic powers. A man and a woman part of the experiment produce a daughter - a daughter who shows signs of a dangerous power. A powerful thriller evolves. Laurel K. Hamilton's OBSIDIAN BUTTERFLY appears both unabridged (9780143144090, $39.95), and abridged (9780143145097, $29.95), and pairs a fine recording by the author as it provides another in the Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter series. Here a hit man who specializes in monsters challenges Anita to a dangerous cat-and-mouse game in this fine thriller.

Clipper Audio
c/o Recorded Books
270 Skipjack Rd., Prince Frederick, MD 20678
www.recordedbooks.com

Patrick Gale's THE WHOLE DAY THROUGH (9781407450360, $39.95) enjoys a fine dual narration by Sandra Duncan and Ed Stoppard as it tells of Parisian Laura Lewis, who relocates to Winchester to care for a sick mother - and encounters a married man in hiding from his marriage. Romance and fine drama evolve. Louise Candlish's I'LL BE THERE FOR YOU (9781407448305, $56.95) receives Julie Maisey's fine voice and tells of Hannah and Juliet Goodwin, close sisters and best friends until Juliet's boyfriend is killed and she begins a downward emotional spiral that threatens their relationship. A fine story of life, death and love emerges.


The Military Shelf

Whirlwind
Barrett Tillman
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781416584407, $28.00 www.simonandschuster.com

WHIRLWIND: THE AIR WAR AGAINST JAPAN 1942-1945 tells for the first time the entire story of the Allied bombardment of Japan, using the words of pilots, flight crews, mechanics, generals and veterans to tell both sides of the experience. His assessment of experiences, strategy, tactics and moral issues provides a vivid story perfect for any military history collection.

Energy Security Challenges for the 21st Century
Gal Luft and Anne Korin, Editors
Praeger
c/o ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9780275999971 $59.95 www.abc-clio.com

Energy Security Challenges for the 21st Century: A Reference Library offers a fine, timely book for any interested in energy and security connections. The best field experts join forces to consider the role of energy in modern life in countries around the world - and how these nations achieve energy security. 20 leading experts review the world's energy systems and vulnerabilities in a fine debate about resource conflicts, control and preservation. This should be a part of any college-level military or social issues collection.

An American Amnesia
Bruce Herschensohn
Beaufort Books
27 West 20th St., Suite 1102, New York NY 10011
9780825306327, $22.00 www.beaufortbooks.com

AN AMERICAN AMNESIA: HOW THE U.S. CONGRESS FORCED THE SURRENDERS OF SOUTH VIETNAM AND CAMBODIA follows the dramatic series of events which in two years caused Vietnam to change from a war zone to a peaceful region. The actions taken by Congress and many American citizens forced South Vietnam's surrender, an event that brought pain upon Southwest Asians. Notes and speeches plus the author's own experiences in Southeast Asia document the process. American history and military libraries need this.

Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, Suite 806, New York, NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com

Barrett Tillman works with Henk van der Lugt in VF-11/111 'SUNDOWNERS' (9781846034848, $25.95), a strong survey of aviation combat history adding to the 'Aviation Elite Units' of the publisher. The Sundowners were established in 1942 and their achievements spanned several wars - including winning the first jet- versus-jet victory over Korea in 1950. This details all the aircraft and deployments of the Sundowners over a 52-year period and is a key reference for any aviation or military shelf. Ken Ford's THE COCKLESHELL RAID; BORDEAUX 1942 (9781846036934, $18.95) offers an authoritative analysis of one of the greatest raids in military history, and thus deserves a place in any military library. It tells of a 1942 operation where five canoes took on the job of destroying merchant ships docked at Bordeaux. Two made it to target - and changed the nature of the war. A riveting saga results. Stephen Turnbull's HATAMOTO: SAMURAI HORSE AND FOOT GUARDS, 1540-1724 (9781846034787, $18.95) receives Richard Hook's fine color illustrations throughout as it explores the hand-picked elite who served under the role of a Japanese feudal lord of the Sengoku period. This analysis is key for not just military and ancient history libraries, but for any Japanese history and culture collection, offering surveys of the hatamoto and their military might. Dave McComb's US DESTROYERS 1942-45 (9781846034442, $17.95) tells of the design, operation and successes of the wartime US Destroyer fleet, acclaimed for their advanced design. From machinery to history, this provides a thorough work including especially commissioned artwork and summaries of losses and decorations. Andrew Thomas' RAF MUSTANG AND THUNDERBOLT ACES (9781846039799, $22.95) covers two of the finest military aircraft flyers of World War II, blending histories of pilots, crafts, and overall military history to create a detailed survey of the ace pilots and the planes they flew. Donald Nijboer's NO 126 WING RCAF (9781846034831, $25.95) offers a fine combat history survey covering the Royal Canadian Air Force's No. 126 Wing. From the wing's exploits to its fighter status and pilots who achieved acclaim, it's an excellent, in-depth survey. Alejandro de Quesada's US COAST GUARD IN WORLD WAR II (9781846039195, $18.95) tells of America's fourth armed service that came to life during World War II and played key roles in important Pacific battles. Wartime photos and uniform plates accompany a fine review of their achievements.

Road of 10,000 Pains
Otto J. Lehrack
Zenith Press
400 First Avenue North #300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760338018, $30.00 www.zenithpress.com

ROAD OF 10,000 PAINS: THE DESTRUCTION OF THE 2ND NVA DIV. BY TH U.S. MARINES, 1967 provides a powerful coverage surveying the Que Son Valley campaign of Vietnam for the first time. Official histories from both American and Vietnamese plus interviews with over 150 Marines and soldiers lends to a riveting story of battles and wartime, offering an authoritative account of a little-known mission. Any military library covering Vietnam must have this.

A History of Air Warfare
John Andreas Olsen, Editor
Potomac Books
Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
9781597974332, $35.00 www.potomacbooksinc.com

Any library strong in military aviation titles will relish A HISTORY OF AIR WARFARE, a fine assembly of papers on air power history and development and a 'bible' packed with information. This captures the changing history of air warfare and analyzes the role air power has played in military conflicts over the last century. These sixteen essays pack a punch and are a 'must' for any serious military history library.

They Fought For Each Other
Kelly Kennedy
St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780312570767, $24.99 www.stmartins.com

Heroism under fire is the topic of THEY FOUGHT FOR EACH OTHER: THE TRIUMPH AND TRAGEDY OF THE HARDEST HIT UNIT IN IRAQ. It comes from a journalist who was embedded with Charlie Company 1-26 for her job - and placed her in the position of observing one of the worst neighborhoods in Baghdad in a unit that lost more men than any single battalion had since Vietnam. Her battlefield experiences create a gripping saga.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Just Don't Call Me Ma'am
Anna Mitchael
Seal Press
1700 - 4th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
9781580053167, $15.95 www.sealpress.com

Just Don't Call Me Ma'am tells of the author, a southern gal who left Texas in search of a new life, and finds life changes in different parts of the country. Her account of being a twenty-something in search of change offers cultural and social insights as well, making for a humorous, honest and moving story.

Where Women Create: Book of Inspiration
Jo Packham and Jenny Doh
Lark Books
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
9781600595646, $24.95 www.larkbooks.com

Where Women Create: Book of Inspiration gathers the stories of over twenty women who reveal the influences on their artistic processes and provide color photos of their work spaces. From painting elements from nature to a textile designer's colors, this packs in lovely surveys of creative environments conducive to change.

Feminist Bioethics
Jackie Leach Scully, Ph.D., et.al.
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801894251, $30.00 www.press.jhu.edu

FEMINIST BIOETHICS: AT THE CENTER, ON THE MARGINS is a powerful college-level consideration of medical ethics perfect for both health and women's studies libraries. It considers the place of feminist bioethics in the international bioethics community, offering an analysis of the current state and trends of feminist bioethics and how different types of feminism can inform and strengthen feminist bioethics. From cancer genetics to rape and prenatal selection, feminist bioethical thought is covered both philosophically and medically.

The Day I Shot Cupid
Jennifer Love Hewitt
Voice
c/o Hyperion Books
77 West 66th Street, New York, NY 10023-6298
9781401341121, $23.99 www.hyperionbooks.com

The Day I Shot Cupid: Hello, My Name is Jennifer Love Hewitt and I'm a Love-aholic offers a funny first book by an actress who explores the modern challenges of dating and provides a host of practical tips, from how to text flirt to how to breakup and recover. Insights on what men and women really want and need accompany the humor and serious examination: perfect for any general or women's studies library.

Work It!
Jesse Garza and Joe Lupo
Chronicle Books
680 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94107
9780811865227, $24.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

WORK IT! VISUAL THERAPY'S GUIDE TO YOUR ULTIMATE CAREER WARDROBE comes from two stylists who have spent years revamping wardrobes and showing women how to look good. This focus is on business attire and covers all the basics, from determining individual work personality to establishing career goals and customizing a wardrobe to meet them. Any business or women's issues library needs this.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Your Money: The Missing Manual
J.D. Roth
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596809409, $21.99 www.oreilly.com

Your Money: The Missing Manual joins others in the 'Missing Manual' references and should be a part of any business or personal finance consumer's library. It covers all the basics, discussing the best ways to get and reach financial goals, how to use credit wisely, how to get the most from investments, and more. The result is a top all-around financial guide any consumer or student will relish.

Obsessive Consumption
Kate Bingaman-Burt
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781568988900, $19.95 www.papress.com

OBSESSIVE CONSUMPTION: WHAT DID YOU BUY TODAY provides a fun selection of three years of the author's ink drawings of daily items accompanied by annotations, mocking her relationship with her purchases and offering insights on mass-produced items. While its likely audience will be art and drawing libraries, it shouldn't be missed by any general consumer collection - and is reviewed here for recommendation to this audience, as well.


The Biography Shelf

Dead End Gene Pool
Wendy Burden
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9781592405268, $26.00 www.penguin.com

DEAD END GENE POOL: A MEMOIR tells of Wendy, ancestor of one Cornelius Vanderbilt who grew up in a family once famous for wealth, but in the midst of decline. Her observations of her flawed family life and her memoir of heartbreak and courage provides a lively vision of a famous family whose fortunes have gone wrong, and is an outstanding pick for any lending library.

The Last Leaf
Stuart Lutz
Prometheus Books
59 John Glen Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616141622, $26.00 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE LAST LEAF: VOICES OF HISTORY'S LAST-KNOWN SURVIVORS tells the personal stories of the last living survivors of events that changed American history. From a 109-year-old who is the last survivor of World War I to the last suffragette and the last living person to fly with Amelia Earhart, no library should be without this.

Imperfect Endings
Zoe Fitzgerald Carter
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
9781439148242, $25.00 www.simonandschuster.com

IMPERFECT ENDINGS: A DAUGHTER'S TALE OF LIFE AND DEATH tells of Zoe's mother, who spent twenty years battling a host of health conditions - and who explored various options for suicide, and her wishes for her children to be with her when she did it. Zoe's eventual acceptance of her mother's wishes and associations with the Hemlock Society make for a poignant, moving memoir highly recommended for any general lending library.


The Nautical Shelf

Seas and Waterways of the World
John Zumerchik and Steven L. Danver, Eds
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851097111, $165.00 www.abc-clio.com

Seas and Waterways of the World: An Encyclopedia of History, Uses and Issues appears in a fine two-volume set packing in over a hundred entries, organized alphabetically with 3 sections and coming from nearly fifty contributors who are experts in water-based commerce and economics. From important events in nautical history to photos, maps and more, this pairs primary source documents with key reference facts in a title perfect for college-level nautical history libraries.

After the Bounty
James Morrison, Edited by Donald A. Maxton
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Dr, Dulles, VA 20166-2012
9781597973717, $29.95 www.potomacbooksinc.com

AFTER THE BOUNTY: A SAILOR'S ACCOUNT OF THE MUTINY AND LIFE IN THE SOUTH SEAS provides a winning survey of the famous Bounty's voyage by fellow mutineer James Morrison, boatswain's mate, and follows his journeys through the South Seas. His stories of adventures after the Bounty mutiny makes for a powerful historical journal packed with nautical adventure and perfect for any nautical history library.

Afloat on the Tide
Nancy Rich and Peter H. Spectre
Sheridan House
145 Palisade St., Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092851, $29.95 www.sheridanhouse.com

AFLOAT ON THE TIDE: WOODEN DINGHIES, PRAMS, SKIFFS AND OTHER ROWBOATS is an outstanding pick for any interested in small boat craftsmanship. The author's been photographing small rowboats of the Atlantic Coast for a decade and here provides a fine collection of color photos reflecting the journey of the small wooden craft. Small boat fans will find this a real winner and a top pick for any nautical history collection.


The Social Issues Shelf

Power Grab
Christopher C. Horner
Regnery
One Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781596985995, $27.95 www.regnery.com

POWER GRAB: HOW OBAMA'S GREEN POLICIES WILL STEAL YOUR FREEDOM AND BANKRUPT AMERICA maintains that the goal of Obama's green policies is to make the cost of energy so high that companies will divert their resources into unprofitable, unreliable green technologies. Chapters maintain that America has the greatest energy reserves in the world - they are just not being exploited - and that Obama's policies are assuring these resources can't be exploited. A different perspective on the issue.

The New Vichy Syndrome
Theodore Dalrymple
Encounter Books
900 Broadway #601, New York NY 10003
9781594033728, $23.95 www.encounterbooks.com

Both college-level history and social issues libraries will find relevant and involving THE NEW VICHY SYNDROME: WHY EUROPEAN INTELLECTUALS SURRENDER TO BARBARISM. It documents a continent daily losing ground to other regions of the world on many levels, traces the overall malaise to the two great conflicts of the last century, and analyzes European beliefs, trends, and the promise of the European Union. Any interested in the future and nature of the EU and Europe must have this discussion.

The Myth of the Shrinking State
Baldev Raj Nayar
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016-4314
0195699394, $59.95 www.oup.com

The Myth of the Shrinking State: Globalization and the State in India considers the impact of globalization on India, challenging the belief that the inevitable result is the erosion of the economic and welfare roles of the state and documenting its actual expansion. College-level audiences studying India's social system and political structure need this: it provides in-depth, scholarly analysis backed by economic and political facts and considers the workings of the state's system and impact.

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

MUSLIM MAFIA: INSIDE THE SECRET UNDERWORLD THAT'S CONSPIRING TO ISLAMIZE AMERICA deserves ongoing recommendation is a powerful survey by a man who worked as an intern in an undercover operation that would reveal a well-funded conspiracy to destroy American society and promote radical Islam. An eye-opening revelation, this should be in every library concerned with Islam and American society.

The Banality of Suicide Terrorism
Nancy Hartevelt Kobrin
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781597975049, $24.95 www.potomacbooksinc.com

The Banality of Suicide Terrorism: The Naked Truth About the Psychology of Islamic Suicide Bombing belongs in any library strong in terrorism issues and science. It explains how the mother-child relationship is key to understanding Islamic suicide terrorism, analyzing the psychology behind terrorist suicide actions. A fine survey for any college-level psychology or social issues library.


The American History Shelf

A Kingdom Strange
James Horn
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9780465004850, $26.00 www.basicbooks.com

A KINGDOM STRANGE: THE BRIEF AND TRAGIC HISTORY OF THE LOST COLONY OF ROANOKE comes from a historian who reconstructs the complete story of the lost colonists and offers new theories on why they left England for America. New original material on the social backgrounds of the colonists provides keys on their religion and a new perspective on what happened.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

You Majored in What?
Katherine Brooks, Ed.D
Plume
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3658
9780452296008, $15.00 www.penguin.com

You Majored in What?: Mapping Your Path from Chaos to Career provides job seekers with a valuable key to moving into a new career, updated for the current recession and covering the basics of what to do with school major. Learn how to do what you really want, regardless of major or college study, through strategies the author presents to help readers blend life experience into education to get the best jobs. General lending libraries will find this a popular pick.


The Business Shelf

10 Steps to Successful Teams
Renie McClay
ASTD Press
c/o Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
1562866753, $19.95 www.bkconnections.com

10 Steps to Successful Teams is a 'must' for any business library catering to project managers! It uses a process-oriented approach to guide readers through building strong teams and includes tools that help identify team roles, track progress, encourage creative brainstorming, and more. No business or manager's library should be without this fine, creative guide honing in on the exact pointers that make up a superior team effort!

Rework
Jason Fried & David Heinemeier Hansson
Crown Business
c/o The Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, #B1, New York, NY 10019-4305
9780307463746, $22.00 www.crownpublishing.com

REWORK tells how to succeed in business through a different path than other business books. It shows how business plans can be harmful, why outside investors aren't always a good idea, and why you need less to start a successful business than you think. It entirely 'reworks' the idea of successful business pursuits, offering an alternative to the usual business guide that builds its foundation on a business plan. An easy-going, inspirational approach makes REWORK a top pick.

Think Big!
Les Pardew and Brant Slade
Course Technology
20 Channel Center St., Boston, MA 02210
1435454758, $19.99 www.courseptr.com

THINK BIG! AN ENTREPRENEUR'S GUIDE TO PARTNERING WITH LARGE COMPANIES offers keys to partnering with large companies to build business. Small business owners interested in growing their business through key partnerships learn all the basics: from approaching a large company for product development or expansion to potential pitfalls. Real-world case histories abound.

Wiley
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Blvd., Indianapolis, IN 46256
www.wiley.com

Vicky Ward is the only person outside Lehman who has the 2002/2003 diaries recorded by the company's senior executives - and thus reveals a rare insider's story of experiences in THE DEVIL'S CASINO: FRIENDSHIP, BETRAYAL, AND THE HIGH STAKES GAMES PLAYED INSIDE LEHMAN BROTHERS (9780470540862, $27.95). Her interviews with many previously off-the-record insiders and dealers offers new information and research to provide a fine survey of Lehman Brothers and its two real leaders - one who brought it to power, the other who dominated the company to its crash and burn. Any business library will find this engrossing. Brian Solis' ENGAGE! THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR BRANDS AND BUSINESSES TO BUILD, CULTIVATE, AND MEASURE SUCCESS IN THE NEW WEB (9780470571095, $24.95) provides a fine survey of social media tools, considering what makes people listen and how to understand the dynamics of true engagement. The focus on creating meaningful conversations makes for a powerful survey perfect for entrepreneurs seeking more effective use of business systems.

Becoming Your Own Business Coach
George W. Watts
Praeger
c/o ABC-CLIO
130 Cremona Dr, Santa Barbara, CA
9780313383618, $34.95 www.abc-clio.com

Becoming Your Own Business Coach is a top pick for any who want readers to become their own instructional agents for change. Its premise is that the better you understand yourself, the more successful an executive you'll become - and this provides clear, practical ways executives can grow through introspection and self-awareness. His book challenges readers to become part of their own professional growth - and offers pointers on the path to this awareness. Any business library needs this.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America, sixth edition
Roger Tory Peterson
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10003
9780547152462, $19.95 www.hmhbooks.com

The sixth expanded and updated edition of Field Guide to Birds of Eastern and Central North America packs in color illustrations, species accounts, and maps along with over three hours of video podcasts online to supplement the guide. With paintings showing birds in idea position and key field identifiers highlighted, this is key to Peterson's identification system success, and makes for an ongoing recommendation for any library covering birder guides to the region.

Urban Carnivores
Stanley D. Gehrt, et.al.
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218
0801893895, $75.00 www.press.jhu.edu

URBAN CARNIVORES: ECOLOGY, CONFLICT AND CONSERVATION provides an outstanding, key survey of human-carnivore interactions in urban areas. This college-level study surveys the field of urban ecology and the roles of carnivores in urban ecosystems, offering chapters covering common urban carnivores and their impact in cities. Conservation and conflict management provide fine keys to understanding.

The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals
Bo Beolens, et.al.
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles St., Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801893046, $65.00 www.press.jhu.edu

The Eponym Dictionary of Mammals is arranged alphabetically with over a thousand entries explaining the origins of over 2,00 mammal species names. Each listing considers the scientific and common-language names of all species named after the person, outlines the individual's contributions to mammalogy and zoology, and includes brief details on the mammal's distribution. A fine, authoritative text results.

Harkness and Wagner's Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents, fifth edition
John E. Harkness, DVM, MS, MeD, DACLAM, et.al.
Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46256
9780813815312, $79.99 www.wiley.com

The fifth updated edition of Harkness and Wagner's Biology and Medicine of Rabbits and Rodents is a 'must' for any library strong in small mammal husbandry and health. From lab animal medicine and pet practice to diagnosis, case studies, and clinical assessments of rabbits, guinea pigs, chinchillas, and more, this reference is a key 'must' for practicing clinicians and vet students alike.

Animal Factory
David Kirby
St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780312380588, $26.99 www.stmartins.com

ANIMAL FACTORY; THE LOOMING THREAT OF INDUSTRIAL PIG, DAIRY, AND POULTRY FARMS TO HUMANS AND THE ENVIRONMENT provides a powerful account of industrial meat production and factory farms, documenting their dangers to human health. It's investigative journalism at its best, with author David Kirby approaching factory farms from a different perspective and considering the lasting costs of their choices. Any library strong in animal rights issues must have this.


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