How to Hop-Up and Customize Your Harley-Davidson Softail
Timothy Remus
Wolfgang Publications
217 2nd Street North, Stillwater, MN 44082
1929133227 $24.95 www.wolfpub.com
If you're a Harley bike owner with a Softail to customize, look no further for instruction than HOW TO HOP-UP AND CUSTOMIZE YOUR HARLEY-DAVIDSON SOFTAIL: it teaches how to install budget kits, add tires, lower the bike, and more advanced ideas as well, including interviews with pros and step-by-step color photos and charts throughout. Add sources for all specialty and listed items and you have an extraordinary guide to fine-tuning and customizing your Softail model.
This Old Tractor
Michael Dregni, Editor
Voyageur Press
P.O. Box 338, Stillwater, MN 55082
0896586022 $16.95 www.voyageurpress.com
If you're a fan of vintage tractors, a farmer, or a collector, THIS OLD TRACTOR: A TREASURY OF VINTAGE TRACTORS AND FAMILY FARM MEMORIES is for you. Plenty of black and white and color photos throughout keep the vintage and modern tractor shots captivating for browsing or study, while recollections by farmers and tractor workers bring back memories of activities and concerns surrounding them. Celebrations of generations of farmers provide essays ranging from a husband's efforts to get more tractors on his farm under his wife's very nose to the experience of threshing day.
Three Cups of Tea
Greg Mortenson & David Oliver Relin
Viking Press
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0670034827 $25.95 www.penguin.com
In 1993 author Greg Mortenson was broken in body and spirit having failed to climb K2, the world's deadliest mountain. The people of a poor Pakistan village nursed him back to health and he vowed to return to help them: a promise he kept even though he was then a homeless ''bum" living out of his car in California. He told his possessions and launched one of the most successful humanitarian campaigns of modern times: THREE CUPS OF TEA traces his ten year struggle to build schools in a repressive region,
National Geographic Books
1145 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688
www.ngs.org
Two recent publications are ongoing recommended picks are representing National Geographic' best talents: an attention to bright, eye-capturing color photos and topics which are geared to general-interest audiences. CAVES: EXPLORING HIDDEN REALMS by Michael Ray Taylor (0792279042, $35.00) provides some outstanding cave shots from caving experiences around the world. The book accompanies a new film 'Journey Into Amazing Caves' which was released in March 2001: many of the hundred-plus photos are from the film and highlight places no large-format camera has gone before. Luc Jacquet's MARCH OF THE PENGUINS (0792261828, $30.00) was a surprise movie hit, attracting many audiences who didn't particularly care about penguins or nature films. Narration written by Jordan Roberts accompanies vivid color photos by Jerome Maison in a movie companion book filled with full-page vivid color. Both are top picks for general-interest libraries.
Men of Salt
Michael Benanav
The Lyons Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1592287727 $23.95 www.LyonsPress.com
MEN OF SALT: CROSSING THE SAHARA ON THE CARAVAN OF WHITE GOLD recounts the experiences of an author who joined what is known as the Caravan of White Gold on its mission into the heart of the Sahara to haul back slabs of salt for sale. He lived for weeks among the camel drivers, experienced their daily hardships and journey, and learned all about how to care for and ride camels and how to approach the desert world. His story is true-life adventure at its best, and provides insights into the culture and experiences of a world few outsiders get to see.
Sage Handbook of Performance Studies
D. Soyini Madison & Judith Hamera, Eds.
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
0761929312 $99.00 www.sagepublications.com
College-level reference holdings will appreciate this single-volume set of surveys of the major research in performance studies: the only comprehensive gathering to analyze and pose the theories, methods, politics and practices of performance as it relates to life and culture. Here is a meeting point for history, theory, and literature which uses the foundations of performance theory and methods to help readers understand how it's applied across the board between disciplines.
One Hand Jerking
Paul Krassner
Seven Stories
140 Watts Street, New York, NY 100013
1583226966 $16.95 www.stevenstories.com
Paul Krassner is an American satirist whose observations have won him awards from as unlikely a contrasting set of resources as Playboy and the Feminist Party Media Workshop. His controversial satirical observations have won him acclaim and condemnation around the world, and he's been described by the FBI as a 'raving nut'. ONE HAND JERKING: REPORTS FROM AN INVESTIGATIVE SATIRIST offers up the best of his sometimes-indecent exposures, tackling subjects from international politics to social concerns with a deadly eye for irony and an occasional Lenny-Bruce-style shocker. Highly recommended for any tired of the usual boring social commentary.
Walk for Your Life!
Marie Demers, Ph.D.
Vital Health Publishing
PO Box 152, Ridgefield, CT 06877
1890612499 $16.95 www.vitalhealthbooks.com
Street and subways in urban areas are increasingly inhospitable to walkers even as health publications advocate more walking for health: that's why the message in WALK FOR YOUR LIFE: RESTORING NEIGHBORHOOD WALKWAYS TO ENHANCE COMMUNITY LIFE, IMPROVE STREET SAFETY AND REDUCE OBESITY is so essential. Author Marie Demers, Ph.D. has been a health researcher for the past twenty-five years: her background of psychology, biology and anthropology lend to a survey of urban environments and what creates and encourages a 'walkable' environment to bring back both health and community sense. An excellent call for better urban planning reinforcing the health benefits of walking.
Most books on the outdoors include details on how to read a map and a compass; but here global survival expert Greg Davenport (who is considered one of the best in the world) offers both basics and advanced techniques, covering not just maps and compasses but charts, finding cardinal directions, using the stars to navigate, and much more. Chapters tell how to hike under all kinds of conditions, how to maintain safety under snow, rain, or rock climbing conditions, and how to pair navigation skills with basic wilderness survival savvy.
How to Survive A Robot Uprising
Daniel H. Wilson
Bloomsbury
175 5th Avenue, #300, New York NY 10010
1582345929 $12.95 www.bloomsburyusa.com
Part humor, part social commentary, and full answer to the popular movie I, ROBOT is Daniel H. Wilson's HOW TO SURVIVE A ROBOT UPRISING: TIPS ON DEFENDING YORUSELF AGAINST THE COMING REBELLION. This doesn't come from a comedian: Dr. Wilson is a robotics expert whose PH.D. hasn't dulled his sense of irony and humor: this 'survival guide' comes packed with all possible doomsday scenarios, interviews with scientists working on robotics, and more. A 'must' for any interested in robotics, science fiction, or solid humor spiced with a bit of fact.
African Elegance
Ettagale Blauer
Nedbank/New Holland Publishers
Garfield House, 86-88 Eedgeware Road, W2 2EA, London, UK
185368970X $19.98 www.newhollandpublishers.com
The price tag of AFRICAN ELEGANCE represents a bargain for an oversized feature loaded with full-page color photos throughout: any university art library and quite a few community library general lending collections will find it an outstanding addition to any African cultures section. Author Etagale Blauer's years of travel in Africa lends to his feature and interpretation of the masks and ritual objects which re a part of African cultural beliefs and values. Displays link cultural traditions to materials, adaptations, and choices in artistic rendering. Highly recommended: a top value and a top pick.
Borderland Books
c/o Ivan R. Dee, Publisher
1332 North Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60622-2694
$24.00 Each www.ivanrdee.com
Two gorgeous literary journals and reflections by Richard Quinney are top picks for nature collections aspiring to include both literary and observational chronicles. WHERE YET THE SWEET BIRDS SING (0976878100, $24.00) provides a essay and celebration of the passing seasons of the author's family farm in Walworth County, Wisconsin. It outlines his struggle with chronic leukemia, reflects on immortality and the passing of the seasons on the farm, and provides a month-by-month first-person set of reflections on nature and life. ONCE AGAIN THE WONDER (0976878119, $24.00) also records closely the events of daily living: here in a prairie town in northern Illinois near the above farm the author recounts seasons, meditates on life and nature, and comments on mankind, nature and connections. Perhaps these could have been featured in our 'Spirituality' section for their inspirational reflections but their connections to the earth are too close to be ignored, and any interested in nature will find these fine essays.
Unnatural Phenomena
Jerome Clark
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
1567074307 $85.00 www.abc-clio.com
North America has seen some of the strangest natural phenomena in the world: some accounts yet to be proven and possibly fantasy; others well researched, documented science. UNNATURAL PHENOMENA: A GUIDE TO THE BIZARRE WONDERS OF NORTH AMERICA is a compendium of the former of these eyewitness accounts, gathering findings and events from the last 200 years that keep defying rational explanations, from strange lights and sky battles to sea monsters and huge flying starfish ghosts. Each documented sighting includes a description and a dated source reference. This could've been reviewed under 'New Age' but many a science student will find it fascinating, and not to be missed.
Get Back in the Box
Douglas Rushkoff
Collins
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022-5299
0060758694 $23.95 www.harpercollins.com
Businesses often compete effectively by shifting focus and ineffectively by shifting too often or moving into an area which minimizes their strengths. GET BACK IN THE BOX: INNOVATION FROM THE INSIDE OUT surveys how expertise evolves and grows, how real innovation succeeds, and how companies can innovate by getting back into their production and sales units where their product is actually made and sold. Chapters offer both historical examples and the author's own business insights based on his background as a commentator and speaker on society, business and change.
Life Shift
Aleta St. James
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
0743276922 $24.00 www.simonsays.com
The author gave birth to twins days before her 57th birthday and filled her life dream of becoming a mother: LIFE SHIFT: LET GO AND LIVE YOUR DREAM reveals the emotional healer/life coach's personal formula for reconnecting women with their feminine strengths of intuition and magnetism, offering methods for breaking through emotional blocks. Her system blends primal therapy, religious insights and various philosophies to provide a Life-Shift Tool Kit of methods for helping physical, emotional and spiritual sides alike. In inviting rather than pursuing success, LIFE SHIFT uses a focus on bodily energy centers as its point of reference.
The Place You Love Is Gone
Melissa Holbrook Pierson
W.W. Norton
500 5th Ave., New York NY 10110
0393057399 $24.95 www.wwnorton.com
THE PLACE YOU LOVE IS GONE: PROGRESS HITS HOME hit particularly hard for author Melissa Holbrook Pierson, who tells of three special placesi n her life which have been radically changed. From her birthplace Akron, Ohio which shaped her soul to her move to Hoboken, New Jersey which was a backwater to New York until its transformation during the eighties, special places which have been transformed by growth and progress are considered for their sense of place, purpose, and changes over time. A compelling blend of memoir and survey of growth planning and change.
Cult of Alien Gods
Jason Colavito
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591023521 $19.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Fans of fantasy/horror writer H.P. Lovecraft must add THE CULT OF ALIEN GODS: H.P. LOVECRAFT AND EXTRATERRESTRIAL POP CULTURE to their reading lists: it traces the origins of the belief to Lovecraft's writings in the late 1800s, surveying fifty years of pop culture and including the works of Von Daniken and other alien speculators as it documents Lovecraft's influence on these theories. Jason Colavito is a freelance writer who has written for Skeptic Magazine and others: his study reveals some important connections.
Collins Press,
c/o Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
www.dufoureditions.com
Two fine, very detailed titles are recommended picks for any interested in specific Irish topics. Nicholas Ryan's STONE UPON STONE: THE USE OF STONE IN IRISH BUILDING (1903464919, $29.95) provides an engineer's study of stone building in Ireland over a 6,000-year period. From very early building efforts to modern times, stone has influenced the whole of rich history, culture and folklore and was a readily available resource which played an important role in Irish building and development. No in-depth understanding of Ireland's culture and evolution would be complete without STONE UPON STONE. Mary McGrath and Joan C. Griffith's THE IRISH DRAUGHT HORSE: A HISTORY (190346482X, $39.95) provides an important survey of a horse which is an Irish icon: the Irish draught horse pulled the farmer's plow, helped him hunt, and even pulled field artillery; yet in 1950 over 24,000 were exported for slaughter. THE IRISH DRAUGHT HORSE: A HISTORY celebrates their uses and important in the Irish landscape. While today it's a vanishing working horse, this history assures it won't completely be forgotten.
John Wiley
111 River St., 4th fl., Hoboken, NJ 07030
www.wiley.com/go/wethepeopleforms www.wiley.com/compbooks
If you wish a divorce which is easier than most, try Ira Distenfield & Linda Distenfield's WE THE PEOPLE'S GUIDE TO DIVORCE: A DO-IT-YOURSELF GUIDE TO REACHING AN AGREEMENT WITH YOUR SPOUSE AND GETTING A HASSLE-FREE DIVORCE (0471730459 $19.95). Don't waste money on legal fees if you can obtain an amicable agreement: all the forms needed are here and you can download legal forms upon purchase of WE THE PEOPLE'S GUIDE TO DIVORCE which covers everything from grounds to handling alimony, custody, healthcare benefits and more. The perfect solution for those who wish to work out their own problems sans lawyer fees. David D. Busch's NIKON D50 DIGITAL FIELD GUIDE (0471787469, $19.99) is an outstanding camera user's guide to the D50 model: it's the manual which should accompany any Nikon D50 purchase, covering all the basics from its seven DVP modes and ISO settings to exposure, lenses, and how to compose photos. Packed with color examples and screen shots, NIKON D50 DIGITAL FIELD GUIDE is an excellent reference.
The California Shelf
Haslam's Valley
Gerald Haslam
Great Valley/Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
159714018X $18.95 www.heydaybooks.com
Stories and essays blend observations of California history and culture with humor as his focus on Kern County, California reveals some of folklore, history and experiences from Haslam's eye. From issues of racism and environmental problems to accounts of fights and encounters with darker community forces, HASLAM'S VALLEY provides first-person observational reporting at its local best.
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Boulevard, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
$19.99 Each www.arcadiapublishing.com
Arcadia's holdings aren't just limited to one area of the U.S.: there are offices across the country and specialty lists for all areas, and these top picks are some recent arrivals profiling lesser-covered topics and areas of Northern California and Southwest Florida highly recommended, wonderful presentations enhancing the 'Images of America' series. California's SAN FRANCISCO'S VISITACION VALLEY (0738530417) comes from the Visitacion Valley history Project and provides a fine collection of images and stories from generations who have worked and lived in San Francisco's Visitacion Valley area. The History Project has produced an outstanding reference; especially as most San Francisco books gloss over or include little on the area. John V. Robinson's AL ZAMPA AND THE BAY AREA BRIDGES (0738529966) commemorates the Alfred Zampa Memorial Bridge, named after an ironworker whose work fostered the creation of all the Bay Area bridges. Author John Robinson himself is a former ironworker, and uses vintage and contemporary images to document Zampa's contributions in general and the growth and making of Bay Area bridges in particular. Marcia Bishop Sanderson and Maureen Garcia Carpenter's LAKE COUNTY (0738530301) provides a lovely survey of Lake County, which holds the state's oldest lake and yet receives much less notice than Lake Tahoe (perhaps because there is no skiing!) A writer and an archaeologist have teamed up here to cull images from the county's photo archives and private collections alike, blending the two in a history of the towns and neighborhoods across Lake County. COTATI by Prudence and Lloyd Draper (0738528730) surveys the Sonoma County town, which was once a Miwok village and then a ranch. The authors are local historians and Cotati residents for over half a century: here are images from private and public collections ranging from libraries to museums to gather Cotati's changing history and image. Southwest Florida's seen many changes over the decades and no books illustrate these vast changes so redily and deftly as the Image of America Florida series. Gregg M. Turner's VENICE IN THE 1920s (0738505676, $18.99), for example, provides images of quite a different town, with historic images showcasing the city's changes during the height of the state's expansion. Ads of the times blend with vintage photos and images of artifacts to bring a bygone Venice to life. Bonnie Wilpon's SARASOTA AND BRADENTON FLORIDA (0738500534, $18.99) is actually a part of the 'Postcard History Series' using the postcard as a documentary collection to portray the area from the 1890s to the 1920s. From historic old buildings to the circus which made the town its home, these vintage images capture a much older town than we see today. Amy A. Elder's SARASOTA (0738515469) offers up over two hundred pages from the mid-1800s to the 1930s: while there's an overlap in the era covered in the postcard book, there's very little overlap in images since these are culled from archives public and private across the county. Elder is a freelance writer, librarian and Sarasota resident: her contribution brings the community's many changes to life. For a continuation of the town's story to modern times, her SARASOTA 1940-2005 (0738518379) brings things up to date with more images of churches, public buildings, schools, and more. There have been many changes to the landscape during this period more than in the early volumes and so SARASOTA 1940-2005 is key to documenting how the town got to be where it is today. All are outstanding references: highly recommended picks for local and regional library holdings and wonderful, unique gifts for residents.
Making a Better World
Don Parson
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
0816643709 $22.95 www.upress.umn.edu
During the 1990s Los Angeles began tearing down public housing projects which represented failed urban policies but such housing was a popular New Deal program and viewed as a force for positive social change, and we're reminded of the different directions it takes in MAKING A BETTER WORLD: PUBLIC HOUSING, THE RED SCARE, AND THE DIRECTION OF MODERN LOS ANGELES. By narrowing the focus to one major urban area's recent history, the changing sentiments of forces structuring and organizing urban growth and direction receive far more depth and detail than most, especially in its focus on low-cost housing politics.
Judgment of Paris
George M. Taber
Scribner
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
0743247515 $26.00 www.simonandschuster.com
JUDGEMENT OF PARIS: CALIFORNIA VS. FRANCE AND THE HISTORIC 1976 PARIS TASTING THAT REVOLUTIONIZED WINE provides a story told by the only reporter present at the legendary Paris tasting of 1976 a blind tasting where French judges chose unknown California wines over their own best. Tabor surveys the event, its history, and its effects on the wine industry on both continents, providing a lively, captivating account wine fans will relish. Very highly recommended for any interested in wine assessment standards.
Slow Food Guide to San Francisco and Bay Area
Sylvan Brackett, et.al.
Chelsea Green Publishing
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
193149875X $20.00 www.chelseagreen.com
'Slow food' has been a term utilized for crock pot cookbooks, so it's a little surprising to find it in the title of a culinary exploration of Bay Area restaurants. Rest assured, however: these authors aren't talking about crock pot restaurants but are referring to an international movement committed to sustainable agriculture and local food use: two elements fueling THE SLOW FOOD GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO AND THE BAY AREA: RESTAURANTS, MARKETS, BARS. This is third in a series of Slow Food City Guides and here provides outstanding surveys of multi-ethnic restaurants from all cultures, markets, and bars not only in the City but around the entire Bay Area. If only one traveler's guide were taken as a tote, it should be SLOW FOOD GUIDE TO SAN FRANCISCO AND THE BAY AREA: many unique, high quality small establishments receive in-depth description, including background and culinary insights.
The Music Shelf
Keith Richards
Kris Needs
Plexus Publishing Ltd.
25 Mallinson Road, London, SW11 1BW, UK
0859653447 $19.95 www.plexus.demon.co.uk
Interviews with rock musician Keith Richards himself rounds out a fine biography of the man in the unusual KEITH RICHARDS: BEFORE THEY MAKE ME RUN. Needs first met Richards at a drug trial in 1977 so has years of exclusive interviews to draw upon in his survey of a changing, eventful life. These interviews contribute vastly to an upbeat coverage which traces Keith's love of music: the core of his being.
Love
Michael Stuart-Ware
Helter Skelter Publishing
4 Denmark Street, London WC2H 8LL UK
1900924595 $19.95 www.helterskelterbooks.com
Michael Stuart-Ware is drummer on two of Love's albums and here shares his insights on the rock group in a coverage of the band's recording and performing career. Love's frontman Arthur Lee has enjoyed much limelight but the group was far more than just his backup group: there were many incarnations and powerful musicians in the band, which Stuart-Ware explores in chapters packed with 'you are there' first-person experiences. LOVE: BEHIND THE SCENES ON THE PEGESUS CAROUSEL WITH THE LEGENDARY ROCK GROUP LOVE is a lively survey of a long-lasting, popular rock group which has played for decades.
Greenwood Press
PO Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
www.greenwood.com
College-level collections strong in ethnomusicology or music history will appreciate these fine studies. David V. Moskowitz's CARIBBEAN POPULAR MUSIC: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OF REGGAE, MENTO, SKA, ROCK STEADY AND DANCEHALL (0313331588, $85.00) is perfect for college studies: while plenty of references have been written on the topic, none have embraced the full extent of Caribbean music history with an overall scholarly approach, providing annotations on figures ranging from Bob Marley to the drum and bass movement and the Flying Cymbal drumming technique. While most listings consist of capsule biographies of individuals and companies, CARIBBEAN POPULAR MUSIC includes all the background history necessary to fuel any report on the topic. Greenwood's ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ROCK HISTORY by Lisa Scrivani-Tidd (0313329370, $499.95) provides specialty college-level music collections with a powerful 6-volume history covering the extent of rock music from its roots in the 1950s to modern times. This isn't just an A-Z listing, but a gathering of full articles on rock music history covering emerging new music trends and traditions, key musicians who influenced major changes, music label history, music legends and more. From the economic and political influences on the business of rock music to the key players in front of and behind the scenes, GREENWOOD ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ROCK HISTORY is not to be missed: no other reference on the topic comes even close to the detailed articles it provides.
We All Want to Change the World
John Wyse Jackson
Haus Books
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
www.hauspublishing.co.uk
190495037X $24.95 www.amazon.com
Fans of the Beatles who can't get enough in the way of biographical coverages won't want to miss WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD: THE LIFE OF JOHN LENNON. Lennon explored his personality through his music from childhood on, using drugs, meditation and psychotherapy for further insights. This biography is published to commemorate the 25th anniversary of his death and discusses his Irish roots for the first time, packing vintage black and white and color photos into a survey of the music and the man. From influences of promoters and fellow musicians to works created in collaboration, WE ALL WANT TO CHANGE THE WORLD is a fine, lively survey hard to put down highly recommended.
The World of Jazz Trumpet
Scotty Barnhart
Hal Leonard
PO Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213
0634095277 $24.95 www.halleonard.com
Finally: a single volume devoted entirely to the art and players of jazz trumpet, rather than having it hide in the more generalized chronicles of jazz history! Internationally acclaimed jazz trumpeter and composer Scotty Barnhart is the perfect author for his definitive guide: he's the featured soloist with the Count Basie Orchestra and has performed with many greats over the decades. This isn't just a history of the instrument's development: it's a survey of its musical, social, political and economic heritage charting its evolution through major contributors, blending in the insights and perceptions of fellow jazz trumpeters who share their stories and philosophies. Any interested in jazz in general or jazz trumpet in particular must have THE WORLD OF JAZZ TRUMPET: A COMPREHENSIVE HISTORY & PRACTICAL PHILOSOPHY.
Da Capo Press
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.dacapopress.com
Two outstanding new chronicles are top picks for rock music readers. John Harris' THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON: THE MAKING OF THE PINK FLOYD MASTERPIECE (03068913424, $24.95) is a must for any Pink Floyd fan; even those already well aware of the power of the album. The album remained on the Billboard charts for over seven hundred weeks and has sold some thirty million copies around the world and continues to sell thousands yearly. Here journalist John Harris reveals the album's underlying foundations, the band's stormy history, and uses original interviews with band bassist and lyricist Roger Waters, guitarist Nick Mason and more to add authoritative insights. Just as you wouldn't be without DARK SIDE OF THE MOON you shouldn't be without this survey of the making of the masterpiece itself. Rock fans also will relish Douglas R. Gilbert and Dave Marsh's FOREVER YOUNG: PHOTOGRAPHS OF BOB DYLAN (0306814811, $29.95): over seventy candid photos of a very young-looking Bob Dylan are the focus, taken by an also-young photographer Dan Gilbert back in 1964 on assignment for Look magazine. Gilbert photographed a surprisingly open young Dylan relaxed among fellow musicians at his home, following him from Greenwich Village to the Newport Folk Festival and catching him before he underwent a striking set of changes and made himself inaccessible to media. A unique portrait makes this a real, rare winner and a treat for Dylan fans used to very studied photos.
Great Pretenders
Karen Schoemer
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York, NY 10020
0743272463 $25.00 www.simonsays.com
Any interested in 50s pop music must read GREAT PRETENDERS: MY STRANGE LOVE AFFAIR WITH '50S POP MUSIC: it tells of the mid-1960s-born author who fosters an interest in the genre as her parents' marriage mirrors the ups and downs of the 50s musical movement and finally fails. As an adult Schoemer is a pop music critic still trying to figure out what happened to both her parents' marriage and 1950s music: GREAT PRETENDERS examines both, charting her search through the decades to probe the former pop idols of the late 1950s. A 'must' for any who would understand the rise and fall of rock music overall and 1950s culture in particular.
The Business Shelf
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
Learn how to develop a strategy program which works for a lifetime of financial fitness in Susan Feitelberg's THE NET WORTH WORKOUT (0814473156 $21.95), which provides a program for earning, saving and investing habits which slims down spending and creates defined goals. The author gives his seminar to JPMorgan Chase financial advisors and their clients each year: now it's in a handy book form to help readers understand the foundations of sensible spending, saving, and earning management. There are a number of books on project management on the market; but if only one comprehensive text were to be selected, it should be Paul C. Dinsmore and Jeannette Cabanis-Brewin's AMA HANDBOOK OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT (0814472710, $79.95) - it's been a recommended pick before and its expanded second edition updates with new material for both experienced and new project managers. This edition offers new material on the growing profession of project management, portfolio management, and team work, showing managers how to set and achieve goals, design flexible, effective teams, move from project concept to finished product, and much more. A highly recommended, definitive reference. THE JOB SEARCH SOLUTION: THE ULTIMATE SYSTEM FOR FINDING A GREAT JOB NOW! By Tony Beshara (0814473326, $16.95) is also a winner: it provides a powerful step-by-step program to fine-tuning the job search effort, pairing real job search stories with interactive exercises to reinforce the basics of conducting a successful search. From understanding what really influences hiring choices to managing special problems such as age and long-term unemployment, THE JOB SEARCH SOLUTION advocates a proactive approach to the search. Robert Wendover & Terrence Gargiulo's ON CLOUD NINE: AN INSPIRING TALE (0814408788 $19.95) reads like fiction but provides an involving vignette about age-related differences in the workplace which hold great meaning for modern workforces. From young people who think they know it all because they have more energy to elders who are more xperienced but resist change, and customers who see their satisfaction with the results eroding, ON CLOUD NINE makes a fable out of the first part and leads into real tips on how to improve communication and foster teamwork in a multigenerational workplace. Whether you're a workforce manager or a worker, ON CLOUD NINE offers many coping tips. Robert M. Tomasko's BIGGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER: THE NEW MINDSET FOR BUSINESS GROWTH (0814408664, $24.95) draws some important distinctions between growth and expansion. While increased size is desirable, too often companies grow too quickly and many may ultimately see their demise in their very growth-oriented goals. Real growth lines in progress and knowing how to link success to strategic plans and logical organizational changes the types of changes BIGGER ISN'T ALWAYS BETTER covers in chapters which probe growth cycles, judgement calls, and knowing how to access opportunity for its real-world applications.
Irresistible!
George bailey & Hagen Wenzek
IBM/Prentice Hall Press
1 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
0131987585 $24.99 www.ibmpressbooks.com/irresistible
IRRESISTIBLE! MARKETS, MODELS, AND META-VALUE IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS charts some vast changes in the consumer electronics industry, showing how many CE companies must radically change to survive. Two industry consultants here examine the many issues affecting the industry, from online games and sales to telehealthcare and new devices and services, providing in-depth tips on how to make better decisions, change cost structures to support quick growth and changes, how to sell overseas into new markets, and much more. Industry managers receive many insights and specifics which will prove a 'must' for any operating a business in this rapidly changing industry.
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
www.HBSPress.org
Even the most successful business eventually hits a growth ceiling which can lead to stagnation and new industry emergence: but most businesses can use their profitable platform to make changes with a little extra innovation, which is explored in Vijay Govindarajan & Chris Trimble's TEN RULES FOR STRATEGIC INNOVATORS: FROM IDEA TO EXECUTION (1591397588 $29.95). Start a new business structure inside a large, established company structure with the rules here: they are accompanied by industry profiles of companies which have successful made such changes, and provides ideas managers can't afford not to consider. Jeremy Hope's REINVENTING THE CFO: HOW FINANCIAL MANAGERS CAN TRANSFORM THEIR ROLES AND ADD GREATER VALUE (1591399459, $29.95) tells how CFOs are moving beyond managing numbers and reports: now companies except them to provide strategic support and leadership to enhance manager performance and bottom line alike on top of their jobs of budgeting and processing transactions. Jeremy Hope has co-founded the Beyond Budgeting Round Table, a nonprofit collaborative helping organizations improve performance management and REINVENTING THE CFO tackles the nuts and bolts, outlining seven roles CFOs must embrace to change their company's finance operations. An excellent set of reflections on the changing CFO role and how to achieve the most from it. Fred Reichheld's THE ULTIMATE QUESTION: DRIVING GOOD PROFITS AND TRUE GROWTH (1591397839, $24.95) tells why many ambitious growth strategies don't work. Bad profits are at the heart of such problems: profits which show impressive short-term earnings but burn out employees and alienate customers, resulting in poor long-term prospects. Loyalty expert Fred Reichheld shows how to turn customers into promoters who foster long-term growth, proposing a radical change in how companies manage and perceive customer relationships. It's firmly rooted in research statistics, too! Rob Goffee and Gareth Jones' WHY SHOULD ANYONE BE LED BY YOU? WHAT IT TAKES TO BE AN AUTHENTIC LEADER (578519713, $26.95) tells why simply copying leadership strategies isn't a guarantee of success and how authentic leadership resides in individuals who display their authenticity to others. Examples throughout illustrate over twenty-five years of joint experience between the authors who use their research, consulting experience and leadership skills to argue for the merits of authentic leadership and how to achieve it.
ADHD Secrets of Success
Thom Hartmann
SelectBooks
1 Union Square West #909, New York NY 10003
1590790170 $19.95 www.selectbooks.com
The update to Thom Hartmann's FOCUS ON YOUR ENERGY has been on the market a while now but deserves ongoing mention as still one of the few specific guides to address problems of ADHD in the workplace. ADHD SECRETS OF SUCCESS: COACHING YOURSELF TO FULFILLMENT IN THE BUSINESS WORLD tells how these behaviors can be adapted to successful, creative business solutions. Here he tells how adults who grew up with ADHD became successful in the business world and chapters chart not just how, but pitfalls along the way.
Beyond Reason
Roger Fisher and Daniel Shapiro
Viking Press
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
0670034509 $25.95 www.uspenguingroup.com
For a fine treatise on effective negotiation, consult BEYOND REASON: USING EMOTIONS AS YOU NEGOTIATE: it maintains that emotions DO matter, especially when negotiating with an angry person in turn, and then shows how to fine-tune these passions into outlets which motivate people. Use his analysis of 'core concerns' to understand and generate desired, helpful emotions in self and others and understand how the emotional tone of the discussion often sets negotiation possibilities in a title which clarifies professional responses and how to employ emotions to turn conflicts into opportunity.
Billions
Tom Doctoroff
Palgrave Macmillan
175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1403971692 $27.95 www.palgrave.com
BILLIONS: SELLING TO THE NEW CHINESE CONSUMER comes from a CEO with direct experience selling into the Chinese market, and discusses the code of marketing as it relates to modern China. Many companies come to China with ideas on how to apply Western thinking to their very different marketplace: thus BILLIONS' tips are a necessary set of instructions for any who would break into the Chinese marketplace. From cultural influences in buying patterns to investment challenges and multinational lessons on winning and losing in China, BILLIONS is a recommended pick for any company who would consider entering this new, large market.
Generation Debt
Anya Kamenetz
Riverhead Books/Penguin
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
1594489076 $23.95 www.penguin.com
GENERATION DEBT: WHY NOW IS A TERRIBLE TIME TO BE YOUNG offers the young author's hard questions about twenty-somethings who leave school heavily in debt, can't manage credit cards, and who face condemnation for their actions. Kamenetz is one of the youngest columnists to write for The Village Voice, and here rejects the notion that her generation is solely to blame: it's economic reasons which are influencing the lives and actions of today's young people, she maintains; and her conversations with economists and professionals provide fuel to support her arguments in GENERATION DEBT. Kamenetz met with young people across the country as well as industry professionals: GENERATION DEBT tells their stories.
Makers
Bob Parks
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596101880 $24.95 www.oreilly.com
Around the world there's an underground of citizen engineers hard at work making their own cameras, weapons, medical equipment, computers, and more in their garages, backyards, and homes and their worlds come to life in both interviews and color photos in MAKERS: ALL KINDS OF PEOPLE MAKING AMAZING THINGS IN GARAGES, BASEMENTS AND BACKYARDS. From a farmer in Montana who modified a hay baler to break up derelict homes on his property to a Seattle apprentice electrician who has developed a fascinating Tesla washtub coil, these are lively portraits of inventors at work.
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
www.bkconnections.com
Plenty of employment-related discrimination issues are before the federal courts yearly a dilemma which all too easily could have been avoided, in most cases. Learn how to avoid the possibility in your own management position with Jathan Janove, Esq's MANAGING TO STAY OUT OF COURT: HOW TO AVOID THE 8 DEADLY SINS OF MISMANAGEMENT (1576753182 $22.95). Chapters based on employment law and legal findings present eight common management principles and a set of workplace problems associated with them which often lead to court, pairing these principles with real-life examples and exercises to help readers identify pitfalls in their own operations. Quite simply: any who would avoid legal problems in business management must read this book. Dana Gaines and James C. Robinson's STRATEGIC BUSINESS PARTNER: ALIGNING PEOPLE STRATEGIES WITH BUSINESS GOALS (1576752838, $34.95) is the first book to consider the human resource professional's importance in the business partner role. Major SBP responsibilities elevate the HR person to that of strategic partner, re-defining the role and adding an extra dimension of accountability into the mix. Chapters explore and explain the partnership concept, its role and applicability in the workplace, and how the HR position can become strategic. Henry Mintzberg's MANAGERS NOT MBAS: A HARD LOOK AT THE SOFT PRACTICE OF MANAGING AND MANAGEMENT DEVELOPMENT (1576753514, $19.95) comes from a professor of management studies at McGill University in Canada and takes a broad look at how managers are educated and how they practice management principles, applying them to workforce realities. From management education's possible alternatives to making management a more engaging science, MANAGERS NOT MBAs surveys the pitfalls of management education processes and hwo to overcome it. Alan G. Robinson and Dean M. Schroeder's IDEAS ARE FREE (1576753743, $15.95) is for employers who would tap into the riches of employee ideas and insights. Employees are quite opt to recognize both problems and opportunitiestheir managers pass by but most organizations don't encourage sharing such insights, much less reward them. IDEAS ARE FREE: HOW THE IDEA REVOLUTION IS LIBERATING PEOPLE AND TRANSFORMING ORGANIZATIONS shows how to tap this hidden wealth.
HarperCollins
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
www.harpercollins.com
Michael Gerber's E-MYTH REVISITED was a big bestseller, so if the name sounds familiar or if you're already familiar with his style, be prepared for further solid insights in his E-MYTH MASTERY: THE SEVEN ESSENTIAL DISCIPLINES FOR BUILDING A WORLD CLASS COMPANY (0060723181 $24.95): it builds upon the predecessor and offers a real-world, applied program which can be applied to working businesses. Gerber's is no simple idea: it's a solid game plan developed from over decades of work with thousands of successful business clients. Most businesses fail due to misdirected activity and ideas: E-MYTH MASTERY shows how to develop workable ideas and directions using seven essential disciplines: leadership, marketing, management and more. What more? Read E-MYTH MASTERY and find out just what and how. Dr. Henry Cloud's INTEGRITY: THE COURAGE TO MEET THE DEMANDS OF REALITY (0060849681, $24.95) may sound like a philosophy title or one on social issues but it's firmly rooted in the business world, covering the six qualities of integrity which lend to business success. Chapters draw upon the clinical psychologist author's own experiences working with Fortune 500 companies and leaders to draw some important connections between successful businesses and the character trait known as integrity, defining the trait and showing how good character can be fostered for maximum results.
Let's Buy A Company
H. Lee Rust
Career Press
PO Box 687, Franklin lakes, NJ 07417
1564148459 $18.99 www.careerpress.com
Small companies can most readily expand through mergers and acquisition processes - but most smaller operations don't have any understanding of how that's done. LET'S BUY A COMPANY: HOW TO ACCELERATE GROWTH THROUGH ACQUISITIONS covers all the basics for companies of all sizes, from purchase price negotiations and due diligence research to understanding legal reorganization structures and debt management. From initial queries and exchanges of information to understanding common pitfalls, LET'S BUY A COMPANY covers all aspects of the acquisition process using language and insights newcomers to the process can appreciate and readily understand.
The Design of Things to Come
Craig M. Vogel, et.al.
Wharton School of Publishing
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96h Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
0131860828 $26.95 1-800-428-5331 www.mcp.com
Many successful products represent a revolution in product design which is driven by customer need and self-image, and there's a new generation of inventors out there who are using this inspiration and vision to create new products. THE DESIGN OF THINGS TO COME: HOW ORDINARY PEOPLE CREATE EXTRAORDINARY PRODUCTS charts their efforts, discussing trends, innovations, fantasy designs, and more. Particular products are featured throughout along with case history examples of their inventors' unique routes. An intriguing, inspiring survey examines the roots of trend-setting products.
Kogan Page
525 South 4th Street, #201, Philadelphia, PA 19147
www.kogan-page.co.uk
Three excellent new titles are top picks for business managers and owners alike. Enzo Frigenti and Dennis Comninos' THE PRACTICE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT: A GUIDE TO THE BUSINESS-FOCUSED APPROACH (074944536X, $45.00) illustrates just why a different project management approach is needed to blend project management into part of the business. From helping organizations make changes to blending project management into a broader business perspective, this isn't your usual project management guide, but more a bible on how to blend project management objectives into overall business structures for added effectiveness. From project organization to workshop models and results, THE PRACTICE OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT will also make a fine classroom text for business courses. Alan Calder's A BUSINESS GUIDE TO INFORMATION SECURITY: HOW TO PROTECT YOUR COMPANY'S IT ASSETS, REDUCE RISKS AND UNDERSTAND THE LAW (0749443952, $35.00) comes web-enabled with updates on the latest content available with a special ID provided herein. Data has a huge value to individuals and businesses alike: unfortunately, it's equally attractive to thieves. Chapters explain the myriad of protection issues, form handling hacking attempts and spyware to viruses and more, providing easy explanations and strategies to strengthen a company's data holdings. Dick Stroud's THE 50-PLUS MARKET (0749442581, $39.95) shows that the typical marketer's rush to reach young consumers is ignoring a potentially lucrative market: that of older consumers ages 50 and older. However as the Boomer generation ages this market can no longer be ignored: THE 50-PLUS MARKET provides a new approach to how companies interact with older customers, advocating age-neutral marketing strategies to ensure the growing numbers of affluent over-50 consumers aren't overlooked. All are excellent guides that blend research with real-life corporate structure for maximum impact.
Sexual Harassment in the Workplace
Mary l. Boland, Attorney
Sphinx Publishing/Sourcebooks
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
1572485272 $18.95 www.sourcebooks.com www.sphinxlegal.com
Sexual harassment in the workplace may not be as easily identified as leering moves on the parts of supervisors and co-workers: it's also a power play and individuals need help to get back in control. That's why SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE is so important: it defines and outlines different forms of such harassment, tells how to prevent it and how to file an effective complaint, and how to work with a lawyer and an employer. From compiling the initial report to escalating the complaint, SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE WORKPLACE walks you through every move. An essential guide to making the right moves and understanding the law.
The Biography Shelf
C.S. Lewis: Images of His World
Douglas Gilbert & Clyde S. Kilby
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
255 Jefferson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
0802828000 $24.00 1-800-253-7521 www.eerdmans.com
If C.S. LEWIS: IMAGES OF HIS WORLD sounds familiar to avid scholars of Lewis, it's because this is a reissue of a classic which probes the people and places which inspired the religious author. Photos and text much of which are Lewis's own words survey his friendships, beloved places, friends, family and colleagues in a fine survey of his life and faith. Lewis was captivated by the myths and legends of the North as a young child: his interest served as both a starting point for his involvement in religion and as a starting point for his literary creations. Any who would understand Lewis will find this a visual treat and a powerful starting point for understanding his vast wellspring.
Chasing Daylight
Eugene O'Kelly
McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, New York NY 10121-2298
0071471723 $19.95 www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
In mid-2005 author Eugene O'Kelly had his life planned with projects and pursuits: six days after seeing his doctor he'd resign as a CEO and make plans based on a 100-day time frame. CHASING DAYLIGHT is the memoir he wrote in the months between his diagnosis with brain cancer and his death short months later: it hones in on the real joys in life, how he quickly defined them, and how he led his last days. A hard-hitting memoir of a breakneck CEO forced to live with his approaching death and make the most of what time was left.
Michael Jackson: The Man Behind the Mask
Bob Jones & Stacy Brown
Select Books
1 Union Square West, Suite 909, New York City, NY 10003
1590790723 $21.95 www.SelectBooks.com
Author Bob Jones was a fixture at Motown Records and was the man who dubbed Jackson the 'King of Pop': for over thirty years he was the public relations force behind the star, and so there's no better writer to explore the 'real' Jackson. Michael Jackson fans and even those who know music well but don't particularly like Jackson will find this a gripping read which exposes many truths behind the mask; from his affection for children to his endless plastic surgeries. From his hatred of blacks to his many musical and social challenges, you really get a close inspection of Jackson's life and motivations in MICHAEL JACKSON: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK.
The Computer Shelf
O'Reilly Publishers
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.o'reilly.com
Lorraine Faith Cranor & Simson Garfinkel's SECURITY AND USABILITY: DESIGNING SECURE SYSTEMS THAT PEOPLE CAN USE (0596008279, $44.95) examines the future of computer security with an eye to consider not only the factors which make a system secure, but how privacy design pitfalls, web bugs, and other issues can affect security choices and effectiveness. Most security titles advocate complex systems which are hard to use, but the authors maintain this belief to be wrong, and provide insights into the future of security which presents over thirty essays from leading security experts around the world. Steven Feuerstein and Bill Pribyl's ORACLE PL/SQL (0596009771, $64.95) is a major reference for any already programming: it provides references to syntax, codes, and forms for developers and database administrators, adds new content to extend coverage for the latest Oracle Database 10g Release 2, and adds new chapters covering security encryption, email, and globalization. This isn't just an A-Z coverage: it provides questions, application issue analysis, details on whether usage is appropriate or worth the effort, and how to avoid common coding problems such as hardcoding literals. Craig Hunt and Roberta Bragg's WINDOWS SERVER 2003 NETWORK ADMINISTRATION: BUILDING AND MAINTAINING PROBLEM-FREE WINDOWS NETWORKS (0596008007, $49.95) is also a recommended reference for programmers: it's been revised and expanded to address the numerous networks supported by windows Server 2003 and to address common security issues, and includes chapters on protocol, firewalls and network security, TCP/IP troubleshooting, and much more. Serious programmers working in the Windows Server 2003 environment will find it should be close at hand to explain tools and techniques basic to administration issues. Chris Sells and Ian Griffiths' PROGRAMMING WINDOWS PRESENTATION FOUNDATION (0596101139, $39.95) is for programmers new to WPF as well as those with some experience. Get up to speed quickly writing WPF applications, then use the examples and disussions of the new programming features to understand how its complex features work. WPF will streamline both web and Windows applications programming. All are excellent guides promising lasting references.
Thomson/Charles River Media
10 Downer Avenue, Hingham, MA 02043
www.charlesriver.com
Advanced programmers and college-level users will welcome Thomson/Delmar's many and varied technical computer titles, which lend particularly well to classroom or supplemental classroom applications. Dennis Silage's DIGITAL COMMUNICATION SYSTEMS USING SYSTEMVUE (1584508507, $49.95), for example, would be a fine college text with its comprehensive survey of the Agilent SystemVue simulation environment. Advanced users of the communications simulator will find here plenty of analysis and insights on DSP processors and applications, offering pros and advanced digital communications users an introduction to the SystemVue environment using plenty of examples and results. Thom Robbins' PROGRAMMING MICROSOFT INFOPATH: A DEVELOPER'S GUIDE (1584504536, $45.95) appears in its updated second edition to cover the latest InfoPath solutions in the MS Office system. It updates the former book to cover all new features and options as they work with Service Pack 1, provides updated examples and insights, and will reach practicing developers with the latest forms and options which can be customized to meet user needs. Denise Tyler and Audre Vysniauskas' PRACTICAL POSER 6 (1584504439, $49.95) comes from an avid Poser user and author of several other books on the subject, and provides advanced Poser users with the latest set of options for the program. An introductory overview and review opens chapters which quickly move to more advanced features of working with interfaces and building scenes with the Poser library. Black and white screen shots offer plenty of applied examples while a centerfold of color polishes results. Erik Yuzwa's GAME PROGRAMMING IN C++: START TO FINISH (1584504323, $49.95) will lend particularly well to prior C++ programmers and users who want to learn game programming. Chapters use current game programming information and take a lesson plan graded learning approach to building an entire course in C++ game programming, from the basics to creating a complete game. Also consider Heather Chandler's THE GAME PRODUTION HANDBOOK (1584504161, $44.95), which adds to others in the 'Game Production' series and offers a range of methods and tips for producing more organized games. From voice over sessions and submission processes to brainstorming, developing concepts, and marketing them with publishers, THE GAME PRODUCTION HANDBOOK covers it all. Penny Baillie-De Byl's ARTIFICIAL LIFE POSSIBILITIES: A STAR TREK PERSPECTIVE (1584504145, $29.95) examines what the future might bring in creating exceptional artificial environments such as Star Trek has featured. Using Star Trek's innovative concepts as a foundation, artificial intelligence researcher Dr. Penmny Baillie-De Byl considers artificial life forms depicted in the TV series and the state of current technology to consider the potentials behind creating advanced AI systems. Mark R. Hinkle's WINDOWS TO LINUX BUSINESS DESKTOP MIGRATION (1584504226, $44.95) compares the potentials of Linux as a desktop operating system, contrasting the more common MS Windows operating environment and exploring how Linux holds advantages as a desktop program as well. Readers learn how a migration between the two is achieved and how IT managers can customize and devise strategies for strategic management of critical information, and receive discussions which focus on how Windows users would implement the Linux operating system. Larry Mitchell's C4D 9.5: REAL-WORLD 3D ANIMATION PRODUCTION (1584504374, $39.95) teaches how to produce professional 3D animation results using Cinema 4D. 3D animation pros and advanced students with some prior knowledge will find the software-integrated approach provides a powerful survey of real-world applications and polished results. While beginners will appreciate the descriptions of the entire process, it's the advanced users who will most readily absorb the actual applications. Eric Hunley's USING OPEN SOURCE WEB SOFTWARE WITH WINDOWS (1584504307, $39.95) addresses some common issues with open source documentation, from Linux/UNIX focuses not easily accessible to Widows users to adapting these focuses to Windows environments. Chapters tell exactly how to adapt open source software to Windows environments, using four of the most popular Internet programs as examples. The focus on how to reduce costs in the process is also a welcome one.
Paraglyph Press
1238 East Cambridge Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85006
www.paraglyphpress.com
These excellent guides are top picks for advanced users. Patrick O'Luanaigh's GAME DESIGN COMPLETE (1933097000, $39.99) would do well as a college text for game designers and would-be developers; especially those with some basic skills who seek to expand their opportunities. Chapters come from a master game designer who probes the field from concept to polished product, discussing real-world financial and space constraints influencing the development strategy and using lessons from other game design masters to reinforce options which take these constraints into account. The third updated edition of Jesse M. Torres' WINDOWS ADMIN SCRIPTING LITTLE BLACK BOOK (1933097108, $34.99) provides administrators with a guide to scripting Windows tasks and is a must for any who seek shortcuts to administrating Windows systems. Updated for the latest versions of Windows XP and Service Pack 2, WINDOWS ADMIN SCRIPTING LITTLE BLACK BOOK packs in script examples on all key topics, tools, and languages. The sixth updated edition of Roger C. Parker's LOOKING GOOD IN PRINT (193309706X, $29.99) tops fifteen years in print with another edition addressing the latest potentials of desktop design. From creating professional-quality letterhead and business cards to learning how to print Internet documents, advice for desktop publishers assume no special program or experience but survey different design pitfalls, how to work with large documents, and how to create designs which 'wow'. Design tips apply to either PC or MAC users alike and are packed with techniques and tips that avoid the common pitfalls.
Sitepoint
424 Smith St. Collingwood, VIC, Australia, 3066
www.sitepoint.com
Any seeking a step-by-step answer guide to adapting your own Apache web server running on a Linux system based on Fedora will find a surprisingly simple 'must' in Stuart Langridge & Tony Steidler-Dennison's RUN YOUR OWN WEB SERVER USING LINUX & APACHE (0975240226 $39.95). From basic initial installation for Linux, Apache and MySQL 4 to daily usage and advanced administration jobs such as customizing and configuring, users will find plenty of tips on performance and mastering common server admin tasks. Any working with Flash MX 2004 should also work with Steven Grosvenor's THE FLASH ANTHOLOGY: COOL EFFECTS & PRACTICAL ACTIONSCRIPT (095792187X, $39.95): it compiles the best solutions to common Flash problems, showing how to link ActionScript to these solutions to obtain better results. Here are over sixty such solutions, with chapters covering everything from modification routines to designing and setting scenes and using sound effects and special clips. Both are excellent programmer's references.
Addison-Wesley
1 Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07548
www.awprofesional.com
Software architects seeking advanced applications development guides should take a look at Clifford J. Berg's HIGH-ASSURANCE DESIGN: ARCHITECTING SECURE AND RELIABLE ENTERPRISE APPLICATIONS (0321375777 $54.99). Many enterprises rely on software which is insecure or fragile and which requires expensive maintenance: here software architect Clifford Berg shows designers that high-assurance applications with proven reliability can be easily built using the same design principles as the less reliable models. Chapters identify key problems in unreliable software, show how to improve it, and tell how to obtain the requirements and systems which meet the goal of reliable design. A powerful pick indeed. Kevin Tate's SUSTAINABLE SOFTWARE DEVELOPMENT: AN AGILE PERSPECTIVE (0321286081, $39.99) blends basic software-building ideas and practices as they relate to the business environment, showing how to maintain a consistent pace, keep code base in readiness between releases, and prevent defects rather than doing damage control after. Chapters advocate flexibility, using ready tools for analysis, and understanding routines and approaches which encourage backlogs and poor releases. Jeff McAffer and Jean-Michel Lemieux's ECLIPSE RICH CLIENT PLATFORM: DESIGNING, CODING AND PACKAGING JAVA APPLICATIONS (0321334612, $49.99) focuses on Eclipse's plug-ins which can translate to desktop operations ranging from chats to customization of views and editors. Advanced engineers of Eclipse RSP who want to develop Java applications using the native GUIs and Eclipse must have this reference: it integrates Java and RCP plug-in developments and provides coding and design specifics advanced programmers will welcome. The fourth volume in the classic ART OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING: GENERATING ALL TREES: HISTORY OF COMBINATORIAL GENERATION (0321335708, $19.99) add to and expands upon a multi-volume work on the analysis of algorithms in classical programming, updating sections of the set using a series of small fascicle books. This covers the generatio of all trees, a topic covered in the first three volumes of ART OF COMPUTER PROGRAMMING, and provides over a hundred new exercises to programmers. A technical, revealing survey advanced users and owners of the volumes will appreciate. Jean Tabaka's COLLABORATION EXPLAINED: FACILITATION SKILLS FOR SOFTWARE PROJECT LEADERS (0321268776, $44.99) tells how to build an agile project which fosters techniques for ensuring effective collaboration. Jean Tabaka has been studying and using agile environments since its early days: her guidelines and templates for project events cover all areas and aspects of methodology and application, applying concepts to business practices and special circumstances project managers face with their development teams. A recommended, real-world project pick.
Photoshop Elements 4 Solutions
Mikkel Aaland
Sybex
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
0782144462 $29.99 www.sybex.com
Digital photographers find digital editing software an essential key to producing professional-quality photos, and Photoshop has emerged as the program of choice for such editing routines. The original Photoshop was cumbersome and expensive, however, so Photoshop Elements, at a fraction of the price, is of more appeal to general users, and PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 4 SOLUTIONS: THE ART OF DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY is an excellent starting point for photographers who would get the most from the program. From sharing photos via TV to producing high-quality slide shows, using Photomerge for panoramic scenes, and new templates for advanced organization, PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS 4 SOLUTIONS is a top pick.
Photography and Your Digital World
Peter Cope
Thunder Bay Press
5880 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121-4794
1592235468 $24.95 www.thunderbaybooks.com
Digital technology has many facets to offer photographers and many methods to play with photos, and covering it all is PHOTOGRAPHY AND YOUR DIGITAL WORLD: THE ULTIMATE GUIDE TO DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY by an author who has spent most of his life investigating technology's cutting edge. Chapters cover all kinds of digital devices, from PDAs and phones to photos and interactive DVDs, surveying image transmission in all its forms and considering how it's captured, edited, and converted. Color images and step-by-step instructions tell how to use techniques regardless of camera or equipment models and makes, focussing on the basics which make it all work. An invaluable guide for those who would understanding underlying concepts in digital photography.
The Internet: A Historical Encyclopedia Chronology
Hilary Poole & Christos J.P. Moschovitis, Eds
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
1851096590 $285.00 www.abc-clio.com
The 3-volume encyclopedia THE INTERNET blends history, technology and issues surrounding internet use, making it an excellent library reference for high school to college-level collections. Even public libraries strong in internet and computer references will find it invaluable: articles and references cover everything from cyber-terrorism and data mining to email, open source materials, and more. The second volume provides biographical sketches of major figures in the Internet world, from Amazon creator Jeff Bezos to Bill Gates, linking each to important, major advancements. A final chronology volume rounds up the information, providing articles in chronological order of Internet events which discuss network development, internet advancements, and social impact. Unlikely to be outdated anytime soon, THE INTERNET is an excellent review and a 'must' for any solid computer reference collection.
McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, New York, NY 10121-2298
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
The first step to building a solid eBay business is to get the right product at the right price to make a profit and this is the point where so many competing eBay seller's guides fail, focussing on how to sell rather than what to sell and how best to locate and buy it. Chris Malta & Lisa Suttora's WHAT TO SELL ON EBAY AND WHERE TO GET IT: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO PRODUCT SOURCING FOR EBAY AND BEYOND (0072262788 $27.95) tells how to find products and use proven strategies to sell them. Chapters explain how to identify trends and hotspots, develop niche markets and ideas for selling to them, research products to determine resale markups and profits, and more. With chapters emphasizing niche marketing strategies and evaluation procedures, WHAT TO SELL ON EBAY AND WHERE TO GET IT comes packed with flexible plans and ideas. Very highly recommended. Dave Prochnow's PSP HACKS, MODS, AND EXPANSIONS (0071469087, $24.95) comes filled with tricks, tweaks and upgrades to make PSP users transform the Sony hand-held playstation into the perfect reference tool. From downloading movies and audio functions for the device to streamlining hardware and software to work more smoothly and quickly, PSP HACKS, MODS AND EXPANSIONS is the computer geek's dream.
Prentice Hall
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.prenhallprofessional.com
These outstanding computer books are top picks for serious computer collections seeking lasting lending value. James Faure Walker's PAINTING THE DIGITAL RIVER (0131739026, $24.99) is also a top pick for art libraries, coming from an artist's viewpoint and exploring James walker's personal journey from traditional to digital painting. Walker learned to paint with the computer only after overcoming software problems and misunderstandings: he's now both an artist and a computer enthusiast and here provides both a memoir of his transition to the digital realm and back and a survey of tools, models, and designs. His outstanding coverage will appeal to both artists and computer users who would blend art with digital processing. Mark G. Sobell and Peter Seebach's A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO UNIX FOR MAC OX S USERS (0131863339, $39.99) is a reference the UNIX/Mac user simply must have at hand: nearly a thousand pages of reference material on everything from basic and advanced shell programming to Mac's OS X filesystem and utilities modules make this the best reference on the market for users who seek either a step-by-step tutorial or a basic browser's reference for problem-solving. Exercises to test knowledge boxed highlights of information make it easy to either refer to for at-a-glance troubleshooting or sit down and study for step-by-step methodology. The second edition of Ed Skoudis and Tom Liston's COUNTER HACK RELOADED (0131481045, $49.99) returns a primary system administrator's resource to new levels, continuing the attack on destructive hacks with a counter-hack guide which remains useful because over half the material in this edition has been revamped and updated to reflect the latest hacker techniques. Typical hacker methods and tools are surveyed, new 'anatomy of an attack' analyses are detailed, and even a new section on wireless hacking appears. COUNTER HACK RELOADED: A STEP-BY-STEP GUIDE TO COMPUTER ATTACKS AND EFFECTIVE DEFENSES is one of the best on the market and a most for any network administrator facing tday's many security challenges. Bruce Eckle's THINKING IN JAVA: THE DEFINITIVE INTRODUCTION TO OBJECT-ORIENTED PROGRAMMING IN THE LANGUAGE OF THE WORLD WIDE WEB (0131872486, $59.99) is one-stop referencing at its best: over 1,400 pages packed with programming details running from the most basic insights into the Java program's syntax and usage to its most advanced functions. Fully updated for Java SE5/6, chapters cover design patterns with plenty of examples, files rewritten for this book, and even a web site to the reference which includes all source code and a solution guide. If only one definitive introduction was chosen among the many on the market, this should surely be in the running, if not the top pick: its extensive coverage combined with web support can't be beat.
Confessions of the Game Doctor
Bill Kunkel
Rolenta
Box 1365, Springfield, NJ 07081
0964384892 $21.00 www.rolentapress.com
The author and a co-editor are the founders of 'Electronic Games Magazine', the first devoted to plugged-in electronic game entertainment of all kinds: now three years later it's still one of the best game magazines. Here founder Kunkel reveals the makings of the publication and the industry as a whole, blending his personal memoirs with insights on the blossoming electronic game industry. Chapters make for lively insights and reads discussing the marketing of early electronic games, trends affecting the growing gaming industry, and more. A 'must' for any who would learn how electronic gaming began and was fostered.
Cisco Press
800 East 96th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240
www.ciscopress.com
Advanced network administrators and programmers alike will welcome to technical reference Ciprian Popoviciu, et.al.'s DEPLOYING IPV6 NETWORKS (1587052105 $55.00), which discusses large deployment serve implementation in existing Ipv4 environments. Concepts are connected to real networks and IP service issues and cover everything from design objectives around the world and different ISP customer needs and profiles to getting information from routers and switches, defining MIBs for supporting Ipv6 information and different deployment plans and strategies. A 'must' reference for advanced technical network engineers. Chris Lewis and Steve Pickavance's SELECTING MPLS VPN SERVICES: A GUIDE TO USING AND DEFINING VPM SERVICES (1587051915, $65.00) is also a winner for Cisco network techs working on routing networks. Professionals will appreciate the chapters which review technical issues involved in IP addressing, routing and convergence and will also appreciate the pro/con analysis of various systems and options, the description of how to executive a network migration to an IP VPN relay system, and how to make the right moves. Chris Lewis has over 18 years experience in networking in general and Cisco in particular and currently works as a projects systems engineer in the Cisco Worldwide group: his back lends perfectly to a technical survey network engineers will find specific enough to serve as a foundation guideline.
Remote Sensing For GIS Managers
Stan Aronoff
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373-8100
1589480813 $69.95 www.esri.com/esripress
Remote sensing technology is changing not just government pursuits, but our daily lives and REMOTE SENSING FOR GIS MANAGERS surveys the uses and applications of GIS using color images and illustrations to explore such diverse fields as agriculture, business, urban planning and more. Little prior information is assumed here: chapters start with the basics such as the characteristics of GIS data and moves to more advanced topics on managing and storing such data. From digital and video cameras to wavelength processing and active sensors, REMOTE SENSING FOR GIS MANAGERS is easy to access, yet packed with technical information. Very highly recommended.
The Audiobook Shelf
The Window at the White Cat
Mary Roberts Rinehart
Tantor Media, Inc.
114 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
1400101654 $29.99 1-877-782-6867 www.tantor.com
A girl's father vanishes leading her to seek the help of an attorney just as her aunt too disappears. Murder is the likely problem and the search leads to the White Cat, crooked politicians, and too many suspects to count in this tense mystery fueled by a passionate reading by Rebecca Burns. A highly recommended pick for any mystery fan.
Naxos Audiobooks
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
1-877-629-6723 www.naxosaudiobooks.com
Two outstanding classics come to life in memorable audio cd productions recommended for a range of readers; from high school student assignments to adults seeking to recapture the magic of the printed word brought to life under audio treatment. Daphne Du Maurier's THE HOUSE ON THE STRAND (9626343419, $28.98) receives a powerful reading by narrator Michael Maloney perhaps influenced by his many Shakespeare roles on the London stage as it tells of an experiment which transports one Dick to 14th century Cornwall where he becomes involved with medieval murder and intrigue. But the question remains: is he really moving through time, or is it all a dream? Herman Melville's MOBY-DICK (0626343583, $93.00) receives professional William Hotkin's lively, vivacious narrative style which lends well to a weighty 19-cd read capturing the full drama and flavor of the high seas. MOBY-DICK is said to be the penultimate American novel: any who struggled with the dry written word should give it another chance here in audio format, where the full flavor of Melville's talents come to life.
Random House Audio
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com/audio
Random House's latest selection of audios pairs bestsellers with notable readers for maximum leisure excitement, and are highly recommended audio picks. Jill Conner Browne's SWEET POTATO QUEENS' WEDDING PLANNER/DIVORCE PLANNER (0739321412, $16.95) is read by the author herself as it provides a candid and funny assessment on surviving divorce and wedding alike. Today he's Mr. Right, tomorrow he's Mr. Wrong: found out how and why in this candid, fun assessment. Gail Sheehy's SEX AND THE SEASONED WOMAN: PURSUING THE PASSIONATE LIFE (0739322044, $27.95) also enjoys a reading by the author as it surveys women's love and sex lives after 50. Boomer women in midlife are still open to sex, love and marriage changes: Sheehy describes how, using interviews and research to fuel her insights. And author Deborah Tannen narrates her own YOU'RE WEARING THAT? UNDERSTANDING MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS IN CONVERSATION (07393137811, $27.95): a hilarious investigation of how mothers and daughters misunderstand one another. Why do daughters feel their mothers criticize while mothers think daughters shut them out? Many insights are to be gained here. If you think that Kaye Gibbons' THE LIFE ALL AROUND ME BY ELLEN FOSTER (0739321900, $29.95) is a novel for teens, you're sadly mistaken: Ellen Foster, the narrator and heroine in this novel, may be a teen but she's precocious and her witty and pointed observations of life and how to live it offer fresh, rewarding observations. Her movement from a difficult childhood in foster homes to an adulthood facing college and change continues to promise engrossing action in this unabridged presentation. Lisa Gardner's GONE (0739321528, $29.95) receives an excellent narration by voice-over artist/singer Kirsten Kairos whose melodic and moving voice accents the story of an ex-FBI profiler who faces his worst nightmare on an abandoned Oregon highway. Kimberly's search for answers evolves into a race against time in this compelling thriller. Dana Stabenow's BLINDFOLD GAME (0739325205, $27.95) receives Broaday actress Beth McDonald's smooth and dramatic style as it tells of an international smuggling scheme, a CIA analyst's involvement in the black market, and an estranged wife at the heart of international intrigue. A tense thriller evolves. Two new Star Wars titles continue to reach out to old fans with new plots. Timothy Zahn's OUTBOUND FLIGHT (0739303244, $29.95) receives Jonathan Davis' extensive background both in New York theater and in previous Star Wars readings as he narrates an exciting science fiction action story set before the Clone Wars. Six Jedi Masters and twelve Jedi Knights set out on a mission to contact intelligent life, with unexpected results. Troy Denning's THE SWARM WAR: DARK NEST III (073932036X, $29.95) receives Jonathan Davis' fine voice also, lending a satisfying, dramatic uniformity to the Star Wars listening experience overall. Here a border war threatens to engulf the galaxy, unless the Jedi can end bloodshed and combat the evil spread by the Dark Nest and its hidden queen. Leia's new Jedi skills will be the difference between life and death in this confrontation.
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1-800-854-7859 www.brillianceaudio.com
Dave Barry is always good for laughs, whether it's in a newspaper column, a book, or in audio but it's in audio that he really shines; particularly when paired with a veteran narrator like Dick Hill, whose outstanding style and reading skills bring out the subtle underlying innuendoes and humor in Barry's works. Barry's latest MONEY SECRETS: LIKE WHY IS THERE A GIANT EYEBALL ON THE DOLLAR? (1597371653, $26.95) presents a number of astute observations on finances, from how the U.S. economy really works and how to minimize taxes legally by cheating. A fun set of observations about the entire financial system comes to life. Norah Roberts writes as J.D. Robb in MEMORY IN DEATH (142330473X, $26.95), with veteran narrator Susan Ericksen providing a strong reading which brings tension and high drama to the story of cop Eve Dallas, who faces the specter of a difficult childhood when Trudy comes back to haunt her life. Trudy's subsequent murder involves Eve in more than bad childhood recollections. John Lescroart's THE HUNT CLUB (1596008806, $26.95) receives Guerin Barry's warm and quietly dramatic style as it tells of a federal judge's murder, a crime wave in San Francisco, and the disappearance of others who have a connection to the judge. A beautiful woman becomes the suspect until she vanishes too, involving Wyatt in the chase of his life. Dee Henderson's THE WITNESS (1597379131, $21.95) receives an excellent and smooth reading by Lynn Brooks who brings to life a family secret which drives Amanda out of town. It's her loved ones who bring her back and it's up to a homicide detective to protect the three endangered Griffin women in this involving thriller. All are excellent leisure listen choices.
Audio Editions/Partners
Auburn, CA 95604
www.audiopartners.com
From classics to modern mysteries and contemporary nonfiction, Audio Editions produces wonderful listens that lend to hours of pleasure. Beverly Kaye and Sharon Jordan-Evans' LOVE 'EM OR LOSE 'EM: GETTING GOOD PEOPLE TO STAY (1572705078, $25.95), for example, pairs actor and teacher David Drummond's dramatic voice work with the account of how to keep the best employees in an A-Z guide employers can use to address employee concerns. Learn how these strategies work in actual business environments in a guide packed with real-world examples. If you're interested in the classics on tape, Audio Editions is bringing the outstanding Arkangel productions to tape with fully dramatized recordings of Shakespeare's works. The latest editions to the expanding collection are HENRY VIII (1932219153, $24.95) and TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (1932219374, $19.95): each enjoys liner notes with a complete cast list and plot synopsis and a guide to CD track marks, along with a powerful dramatization with all the flair of a radio show. Daphne Du Maurier's REBECCA (1572705027, $47.95) comes to life through Cambridge actress Anna Massey's extensive experience on stage and screen: her vivid, haunting performance of one of du Maurier's most loved and darkest works tells of a timid bride facing a hostile household and a possible ghost of a wife past. Agatha Christie's mystery THE LISTERDALE MYSTERY AND ELEVEN OTHER STORIES (1572704977, $29.95) once again enjoys veteran Hugh Fraser's long-time audio experience bringing Christie's many mysteries to life. Here twelve very different mysteries range from a cottage murder to a missing emerald, with all Christie's patented talent for high drama packed into the short mystery format. Rex Stout's THE SECOND CONFESSION (1572705019, $29.95) also receives a fine uninterrupted continuation by pairing Los Angeles actor Michael Prichard with another fine Nero Wolfe mystery: this revolving around a warning shot to Wolfe from a gangland boss. His investigation of a lawyer boyfriend of a millionaire's daughter ma be placing his own life in jeopardy. Bill Pronzini's MOURNERS (1572705086, $29.95) receives Broadway acting veteran Nick Sullivan's experienced way with drama to spice another 'Nameless Detective' novel of intrigue. Here troubles at home with his wife lead to more troubles at the office, where he sees too much death and attends too many funerals. His sudden revelation that his problems may be interconnected brings with it uncertain knowledge that he may indeed know the killer. All are excellent leisure and study choices. Douglas Adams' THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: QUANDARY PHASE (1572704888, $24.95) provides 4 episodes on 2 cds as it returns with a new, full-cast dramatization of SO LONG AND THANKS FOR ALL THE FISH, the fourth book in Adams' 'trilogy in five parts'. The Earth has reappeared, Arthur Dent has found it, and all seems well until he falls in love. You can't go wrong backed with a full-cast performance from the BBC. Agathe Christie's MURDER IS EASY (157270490X, $27.95) receives a seasoned recording by veteran Hugh Fraser, who narrates a series of unrelated, fatal accidents which involve a retired policeman in the puzzle of his life. A dramatic and twisting mystery evolves. Rex Stout's AND BE A VILLAIN (1572704985, $29.95) receives Michael Prichard's uninterrupted narration, as he's done for most all of the Nero Wolfe tales, which will delight listeners who enjoy uniformity of quality and sound in their interrelated narrations. A radio talk show guest dies at the mike and Wolfe agrees to take on a case which seems to hold too many liars. Twists and turns keep him guessing as to the perp in this engrossing tale of discovery. All are excellent leisure listens. Classics come to life under good audio treatment, as Irene Sutcliffe demonstrates by reading Jane Austen's PRIDE AND PREJUDICE (1572705000, $37.95) with passion and style. This is the best known of her novels, and some of Austen's less accessible descriptions spring to life under the voice of Irene Sutcliffe, who has worked extensively n the theatre. Sarah Graves' NAIL BITER (1572705035, $34.95) features veteran audio narrator Lindsay Ellison's suave and moving voice which captures the underlying tension in the story of one Jacobia Tiptree, who faces a coven of witches renting her house and a preacher's murder. Stephen Frey's THE PROTΙGΙ (1572705043, $37.95) receives audio and stage actor Holter Graham's extensive background in the film and acting world as it brings to life the story of a financial chairman who finds a deal gone wrong and tough perhaps dangerous - choices evolving in a business transaction gone awry. Rex Stout's A FAMILY AFFAIR (1572704942, $27.95) enjoys veteran actor/audio narrator Michael Prichard's compelling voice as a new Nero Wolfe mystery evolves. Here a waiter's death in Nero's own home involves him in a murder disguised as a personal attack. A FAMILY AFFAIR is the last novel published before Stout's death and provides what might be the best of all. Dorothy L. Sayers' GAUDY NIGHT (15727704993, $47.95) benefits from Ian Carmichael's pointed production: his BBC background lending accent and tension to the story of an Oxford reunion which involves mystery writer Harriet in a case of ghostly murder. Tension evolves quickly as murder turns to mayhem in this thriller. Veteran Hercule Pirot mystery reader Hugh Fraser once again lends his smooth and clear voice to another Agatha Christie mystery, CARDS ON THE TABLE (1572704926, $27.95). Dinner and bridge turns into a murder investigation for Hercule, whose host has suddenly died. Three other detectives at the table also investigate, so plenty of expertise abounds here. All are wonderful listens.
The Library Video/DVD Shelf
Improved Flexible Weapons
Scott Homschek
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
IFWDVD $49.95 www.paladin-press.com
IMPROVISED FLEXIBLE WEAPONS: A VIDEO GUIDE TO USING WHIPS, ROPES, AND OTHER FLEXIBLE WEAPONS FOR SELF-DEFENSE offers visually what no book could achieve: a primer by master martial artist Homschek which shows how to make effective weapons from everyday items. Two hours of video clear visual instruction help fighters learn all the basics of defense in a comprehensive instruction course on DVD.
411 Video Production
Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
Plenty of DVD titles offer workouts but none perhaps as compelling as Vanessa Isaac's presentation BRAZILIAN DANCE WORKOUT WITH VANESSA ISAAC (1595521798, $14.95, Brazilian Dance Workout). An outdoor setting with live drummers captures the intense rhythms and beats of Brazilian dance in a workout for all fitness levels. No single Brazilian dance is the focus: samba, reggae, axe and more are combined in a fun routine. Three Pilates system videos address different needs at different experience levels and are solid picks ($9.95 Each). Beginners should start with RAEL PILATES SYSTEM 7 (1595520937, $19.98, Razor Digital Entertainment), a survey of the seven basic Pilates positions essential for training. Intermediate Pilates students will appreciate RAEL PILATES SYSTEM 17, which covers 17 poses for strength and flexibility. Ten additional poses are added to the basics: leg circles, cat stretch and more. Then move to the advanced RAEL PILATES SYSTEM 27 (1595520953, $9.99, Razor Digital Entertainment), which continues Rael's exploration of the movement. Lest you think these Pilates moves are easy Rael is one of the few who can perform the entire repertoire). More modern postures blend with coaching tips to build upon the basics for more advanced students, while new poses from corkscrews to double leg kicks are added.
ADV Films
www.advfilms.com
No ISBN DVD $29.98
MISAKI CHRONICLES V. 1: SECOND CHANGES, the sequel to Japanese manga classic DIVERGENCE EVE, is finally out, presenting characters designed by Toshinari Yamashita and blending science fiction drama with the fast-faced story of survivors who tackle the mystery of a changed universe and a seemingly unchanged earth. From a ghost to questions a survivor holds, SECOND CHANGES is a fine sequel to DIVERGENCE EVE and a recommended pick for prior fans. KALEIDO STAR: NEW WINGS (1578139244) is a fun show following Sora's journey to becoming a Kaleido Star. This comes from Season 2, Volume 1 of ECLIPSE OF THE STAR and holds five episodes surrounding Sora's sometimes-misguided eagerness, with strong animation by GDH-Hal in a zany, fun adventure even newcomers will enjoy. The new Mythical Detective addition LOKI RAGNAROK V. 2 (1413912478) tells of Loki, who remains exiled on Earth in a child's body as his sworn enemy recruits new gods to destroy him. When an orphan named Reiya enters the detective agency seeking help, options begin to open up in this second volume of Mythical Detective. YUMERIA: TOSSING AND TURNING (1413911447) comes from the broadcast series and provides the second volume in the tale of a girl-crazy loser who tries to save the world despite the siren lures of his tempting roommates. SAMURAI GUN (1413914616) presents a classic battle for justice against the Shogunate. Lord Kozan has increased his power, making the Anti- Samurai Gun Unit even deadlier. The samurai Gun warriors can't afford to lose their advantage, even if it means transporting a deadly secret through enemy territory. The first volume of HAKUGEI-LEGEND OF THE MOBY DICK AHAB AWAITS (141391182X) is set in 4699, where a young adventurer sets off to find Captain Ahab and his crew of outlaw whale hunters. This is no sea-going venture, for Ahab is battling a beast known through out the universe and he himself is elusive. Volume 5 of MADLAX: CONVERGENCE (1413911307) contains episodes 17-20 of the series, telling of holy words and a detective's nvestigation of a murder which draws him into the world of a controlled hub, Enfant, which controls the world's data. Danger blends with intrigue in a fast-paced set of episodes. GHOST STORIES SEMESTER 2: SOPHOMORE SCARES (1413912591) is anime at its best: humor blends with intrigue and zany plots as a little brother is beat up again and Satsuki decides to toughen him up by helping him outrun the ghost who likes to chop off runners' feet. MACROSS VOLUME 1: UPON THE SHOULDERS OF GIANTS (1413913024) tells of the stars as a battleground for aliens who find humans have turned their wreck into a space battleship. Anime moves into space big time in this riveting story of tension and conflict, presented in 5.1 surround sound remastered video. THE FUCCONS (1413913148) provides a Japanese filmmaker's view of the American family and it's a hilarious portrait, indeed. The family next door invades Japan and goes crazy in this fun story of zany encounters.
The Nautical Shelf
Fernhurst Books
Duke's Path/High St., Arundel, W. Sussex, BN18 9AJ, UK
Bluewater Books, Dist.
www.bluewaterweb.com www.fernhurstbooks.co.uk
Small boat owners have plenty of nautical 'how-to' titles to choose from, but three new arrivals are outstanding picks. Felix marks' JIB TRIMMING: AN ILLUSTRATED GUIDE (1904475221) demystifies the art of jib trimming and focuses instead on a visual approach which uses diagrams and black and white photos throughout to explore the mechanics of jib trimming. From cleats and winches to concepts of tacking and footing, JIB TRIMMING clearly illustrates a potentially confusing topic. Tim Bartlett's A SMALL BOAT GUIDE TO ELECTRONICS AFLOAT (0906754720) covers all kinds of boat navigation systems, from GPS and chart plotters to depth sounders, autopilots, and performance computers. Author Barlett is a navigation instructor and an ex-officer in the Royal Navy: his background as an ex-naval officer and as a teacher lends to a broad range of experience with all kinds of navigation systems. Pat Manley's SIMPLE BOAT MAINTENANCE (1904475027, $39.95) presents reviews of almost seventy common boat maintenance jobs, from tuning engines and maintaining electrical systems to repairing cracks in fiberglass. These overviews come from solid experience: avid sailor Manley has handled all these jobs himself, is part of a team of experts on Practical Boat Owner Magazine, and has written several other systems-specific boating guides. Especially vibrant color photos throughout lend well to the explanations some 751 color photos in all; outstanding for a decent-sized title which invites quick consultation.
The Automotive Shelf
Edelbrock
Tom Madigan
Motorbooks International
729 Prospect Avenue, Osceola, WI 54020
MBI Publishing Company
Galtier Plaza, Suite 200, 380 Jackson Street, St. Paul, MN 55101-3885
0760322023 $40.00 1-800-826-6600 www.motorbooks.com www.mbipublishing.com
EDELBROCK: MADE IN THE USA may seem like the singular history of one car company; but it's more: it tells of a consortium of hot rodders, racers and car buffs who got together under the leadership of one Vic Edelbrock Sr, whose innovations fueled the early days of the auto industry and racing circuits. His hot rods were to revolutionize American auto sports, change the face of auto racing, and set new goals and standards in midget, drag racing and other competitions. Black and white and plenty of color photos from pro racing circuits, vintage racing series, and Edelbrock's shops trace his increasing involvement in the world of vintage auto racing. Such racing built the Edelbrock name and made classic cars a part of American culture. EDELBROCK: MADE IN THE USA is much more than one man's biography and much more than the history of his company: it traces the influences and changes through decades of auto production and auto sports and is a 'must' for any who would understand classic autos and their foundations.
KP Books/F&W Publications
700 E. State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
Two outstanding references cover the history of hot rods and model A autos and are highly recommended specialty picks for any comprehensive auto collection. Keith Harmon's GREAT AMERICAN HOT RODS: A FULL THROTTLE CHRONICLE OF CUSTOM CARS FROM THE STREET, SHOW, AND STRIP (0896892263, $29.99) packs over seven hundred pages with color photos and history covering over three hundred cars from the streets and shows of the nation. Only pre-1949 cars are featured here; but that still makes for plenty of pages of detail and a narrowed focus which will appeal to hot rodders of both 'hardcore' and traditional rods. Chapters present both amateur and professional works, rebuilt and original rods, and histories which include color sidebars of at-a-glance information on make, year, body style, engine, and builder. Color shots of each rod accompany the histories. The second, all-color updated edition of Peter Winnewisser's THE LEGENDARY MODEL A FORD: THE ULTIMATE HISTORY OF ONE OF AMERICA'S GREAT AUTOMOBILES (089689231X, $39.99) provides fans of Henry Ford with a close inspection of the history of his 1920s masterpiece the Model A. Period literature, color photos, dealer material, and anecdotes blend in a lively story which picks up where his first edition left off, providing some of the best photos of the last surviving Model As on the road, complimented by stories of the people who built and drove them. Nearly two hundred color photos blend with source material and references culled from the auto industry to make for an extraordinary keepsake.
The Energy Studies Shelf
Power with Nature
Rex A. Ewing
PixyJack Press
PO Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
0965809897 $25.00 www.pixyjackpress.com
Plenty of energy guides for homeowners advocate getting off the grid; but few do such a good job of explaining just how to go about it as does POWER WITH NATURE: ALTERNATIVE ENERGY SOLUTIONS FOR HOMEOWNERS now in its updated second edition. From off-grid solar, wind and hydro systems to grid tie in options, systems which can be customized, and appliances which lend to running on solar, chapters offer the latest facts plus maps, resources, worksheets and more. The chapter on putting different systems together is particularly notable for its focus on protecting the systems and people from energy spill problems and damage, while that on pumping rainwater, water for fire protection, and using cisterns offers methods other books usually gloss over: essential for rural homeowners. An outstanding, highly recommended guide.
Chasing the Sun
Neville Williams
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island BC, V0R 1XO, Canada
0865715378 $18.95 www.newsociety.com
Solar energy is viewed as a largely experimental idea in North America but 50,000 families in eleven counties around the world use solar power successfully. CHASING THE SUN: SOLAR ADVENTURES AROUND THE WORLD illustrates their experiences, telling of individuals actively involved in such endeavors and the author's own involvements in various solar projects in the 1990s. Part autobiography and part social history packed with colorful anecdotes, CHASING THE SUN demonstrates it can happen here.
Dictionary of Energy
Cutler Cleveland & Christopher Morris
Elsevier
11820 Westline Industrial Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146
0080445780 $85.00 www.elsevier.com
College-level audiences with an interest in energy resources, environmental impacts and energy policies around the world should look no further than DICTIONARY OF ENERGY for their explanations of the latest energy issues. Here are over 8,000 key words with 10,000 entries total covering some 40 scientific disciplines and topics, along with essays by scientists, biographical entries on key individuals working in the field, and historical quotes on energy matters. Add well over a hundred black and white photos and illustrations throughout and color-coded sidebars of detail and you have an outstanding reference resource.
Building the Ultimate Dam
Donald C. Jackson
University of Oklahoma Press
4100 28th Avenue, NW, Norman, OK 73069
0806137339 $19.95 1-800-627-7377 www.oupress.com
Most water control projects in this country rely on big gravity damns, but in the early 20th century one John S. Eastwood designed dams which minimized the amount of concrete involved. While his designs were less expensive, he faced much opposition from engineers and politicians alike who believed their more fragile appearance would damage public confidence in their durability. Donald Jackson provide insights into dam building history and describes how in this case the illusion of stability strengthened by concrete won over Eastwood's innovative design plans. A 'must' for any collection strong in engineering, conservation, and energy generating issues.
The Economics Shelf
Encyclopedia of the Global Economy
David E. O'Connor
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road, West, Westport, CT 06881
0313335850 $250.00 www.greenwood.com
David E. O'Connor's 2-volume ENCYCLOPEDIA OF THE GLOBAL ECONOMY: A GUIDE FOR STUDENTS AND RESEARCHERS is recommended not just for college-level collections strong in economics, but for high school collections which include basic business books. Volume 1 holds over a hundred alphabetical entries which blend definitions and descriptions with photos and references incorporating the most current data with contemporary issues. Volume 2 uses primary documents on statistics and economic trends to explain context, related articles, and studies on issues of global economy. Add an index and extensive cross-referencing and you have a winning, lasting reference.
The Literary Book Of Economics
Michael Watts, Editor
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road, Wilmington, DE 19807
1932236023 $28.00 www.isibooks.org
College-level collections strong on either literature or economics will welcome a blend of the two by an economist whose purpose is to blend economic education with literacy. Economics are best absorbed when blended with other disciplines, studies show: and Watts shows how to achieve this, using over seventy selections from classic and modern writings to link over twenty major economic concepts to themes and modern times. A unique, cross-disciplinary approach.
Confessions of a Wall Street Analyst
Dan and Jennifer Reingold
Collins
10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
0060747692 $25.95 www.harpercollins.com
If you want a hair-raising saga of stock market activity and illegal behaviors, pick up a copy of CONFESSIONS OF A WALL STREET ANALYST: A TRUE STORY OF INSIDE INFORMATION AND CORRUPTION IN THE STOCK MARKET. It's the true autobiographical account of a top Wall Street player's experiences learning about and playing the insider game, and provides a memoir which tells how the author's initial enthusiasm for the job changed to dismay as he kept uncovering more instances of Wall Street corruption. From his initial uncovering of leaks and secret deals to his experiences of pressures from fellow bankers and deal-makers, corporate CEOs and others. He identifies people, companies, and alarming truths throughout in a book highly recommended for any businessman or Wall Street investor.
The Money/Finance Shelf
Weekend Millionaire Real Estate FAQ
Mike Summey & Roger Dawson
McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, New York NY 10021
0071463090 $18.95 www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
The authors' national best-seller WEEKEND MILLIONAIRE'S SECRETS TO INVESTING IN REAL ESTATE has prompted a host of questions on investing and thus the need for the sequel WEEKEND MILLIONAIRE REAL ESTATE FAQ: ANSWERS ALL YOUR QUESTIONS ABOUT MAKING A FORTUNE IN REAL ESTATE. Students' feedback and questions led to a collection of their most frequently asked questions: such covering everything from valuing different types of properties to the pros and cons of buying and managing property long-distance. Any avid investor must read through this: the questions and answers link to real-life scenarios and reasoning is easy to follow.
Your Roadmap to Retirement Riches
Steven Yamshon, CFS, CFMC
Literary Press/Seven Locks Press
PO Box 25689, Santa Ana, CA 927909
097169589X $17.95 www.sevenlockspublishing.com www.literarypress.com
Plenty of books advocate saving early for retirement but few explain so clearly as YOUR ROADMAP TO RETIREMENT RICHES (SO YOU DON'T HAVE TO WORK IN YOUR OLD AGE). It covers much more than just understanding options and formulas: it reviews all aspects of retirement approaches, from choosing the best investment advisor and planning estates to beating inflation, locating good model portfolios, and more. An excellent, clearly-written guide beginners, especially, will find most approachable.
The Frugal Senior
Rich Gray
Quill Driver Books
1254 Commerce Avenue, Sanger, CA 93657
1884956491 $12.95 www.quilldriverbooks.com
THE FRUGAL SENIOR: HUNDREDS OF CREATIVE WAYS TO STRETCH A DOLLAR covers everything from handling rising energy costs to recycling old clothing, simplifying garden maintenance, reducing the costs of gift-giving, and more. All the common expenses of daily living are dealt with here, with solutions to throwaway habits and rising costs focussing on re-use and refinement. An excellent, basic guide consumers will welcome.
Not Buying It
Judith Levine
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
0743269357 $25.00 www.simonsays.com
Can you imagine not buying anything for a year, from clothing to dinners or birthday gifts? NOT BUYING IT: MY YEAR WITHOUT SHOPPING's Judith Levine achieved just this, accomplishing an entire year without shopping. Levine wasn't alone in her endeavor: disguised with consumerism, she enlisted her partner Paul in the experiment, which left them free to pursue careers, relationships and more. How could they survive without buying goods? NOT BUYING IT doesn't come from a new age perspective: Levine was an avid consumer and fan of brand names and fine foods and goods: hers is an eye-opening expose of the many changes their decision brought to their world.
The Jobs/Careers Shelf
Working for Yourself, 5th Editon
Attorney Stephen Fishman
Nolo Press
950 Parker, Berkeley, CA 94710
141330088X $39.99 www.nolo.com
Plenty of books impart the basics of how to work independently but too few include all the legal tips, tricks and traps involved. WORKING FOR YOURSELF: LAW & TAXES FOR INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS, FREELANCERS & CONSULTANTS covers everything from setting appropriate fees and understanding how and when taxes are paid to limiting liability and getting paid. Record-keeping processes are simplified with sample logs and entry advice, chapters on how the IRS defines an independent contractor versus a paid employee are essential keys to keeping independent status, and advice on pricing and insurance offer key strategy-oriented tips and approaches. A 'must' for any who would work independently.
50 Jobs Worse Than Yours
Justin Racz
Bloomsbury
175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1582344922 $14.95 www.bloomsburyusa.com
Think your job's bad? Try being a nursing home entertainer, a domino setter-upper, or a B-list celebrity assistant. Satirist Racz has searched the world for fifty such 'worse' jobs, pairs them with color photos, and ultimately gives you a laugh and makes the reader feel grateful for whatever job they have. This is an exceptional gift-giving guide to help that job hunter know he's not alone.
How to Start and Operate A Freelance Notary Signing Agent
Victoria Ring
Graphico Publishing
1601 West 5th Avenue, #123, Columbus, OH 43212-2303
0976159104 $29.99 www.graphicopublishing.com
Surprisingly this is the first definitive book on the topic of becoming a Loan signing Agent, offering the author's own insights, background and tips as an Ohio notary and certified paralegal along the way. From marketing effectively via email and setting up a notary office to gaining assignments from title companies and other sources to handling requests for backdating and other illegal notary functions, HOW TO START AND OPERATE A FREELANCE NOTARY SIGNING AGENT is simply a 'must' for any planning to operate in the business.
Power Mentoring
Ellen Ensher & Susan Murphy
Jossey-Bass, Inc.
989 Market Street, 5th floor, San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
078797952X $27.95 1-800-225-5945 www.josseybass.com
Ellen Ensher is Associate Professor at the College of Management at Loyola Marymount, and Susan Murphy Associate Professor at Claremont McKenna College: each has written and consulted both together and independently and here produces a powerful collaboration on mentoring and its lasting benefits to both mentor and protιgι. Mentoring has a powerful influence on successful people: that's been proven; but traditional models of mentoring haven't kept up with business programs that have different emphasis today than in past. POWER MENTORING covers these changes in approach and offer new strategies for locating and creating 'power mentoring' relationships. Interviews with 50 top leaders and their proteges in technology, politics and media reinforce these concepts and approaches.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Michael Wiese Productions
11288 Ventura Boulevard. #621, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
Two outstanding new titles are especially recommended picks for working directors and Hollywood professionals, providing plenty of detail and insider's tips and techniques. Charles Wilkinson's THE WORKING DIRECTOR: HOW TO ARRIVE, THRIVE & SURVIVE IN THE DIRECTOR'S CHAIR (1932907025, $22.95) covers everything to know about actively directing a production, from the first phone call creating the job to research, production basics, and polished results. From techniques to make a good first impression on the star of the show to earning the trust of the writer to foster more effective script changes down the line and developing a shooting style and space which fits the script, THE WORKING DIRECTOR comes from a working director himself who has directed numerous films and TV shows and who therefore knows all the ins and outs of industry challenges. Christopher Riley's THE HOLLYWOOD STANDARD: THE COMPLETE & AUTHORITATIVE GUIDE TO SCRIPT FORMAT AND STYLE (1932907017, $18.95) reveals that poor script formatting is the major cause of not getting fair consideration and then tells how to overcome this obstacle by following simple format rules to be found here and which can be learned quickly, in an hour. Christopher Riley ran the script processing department at Warner Brothers and was in charge of applying industry standard formatting rules, so his advice is authoritative and definitive and all any script writer needs to do it right.
Lillian Hellman
Deborah Martinson
Counterpoint Press
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
1582433151 $27.95 www.counterpointpress.com
LILLIAN HELLMAN: A LIFE WITH FOXES AND SCOUNDRELS provides new insights into the many controversies which have surrounded her life, but it's even more special because it's the first to write about Hellman with full cooperation of Hellman's literary executors and others who tell the truth about the robust woman's life. Hellman's sharp wit and comments often made for a radical approach to the stage: her affairs with high profile men and her volatile professional and personal relationships generated many myths and inconsistent images about her life. Fans of Hellman will relish a biography which brings reality back into the picture -from the mouths and memories of those who knew her best.
Theaters
Craig Morrison
W.W. Norton
500 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393731081 $75.00 www.wwnorton.com
THEATERS could've been reviewed in our 'Arts' section for its powerful architectural focus, but it'd be a shame to limit its attraction to architects alone; any with an interest in the stage and theater productions will find this a comprehensive, fascinating survey of the changing history and styles of theaters from early playhouses to modern movie houses. It's the first comprehensive study of American theaters and uses holdings from the Library of Congress to profile a range of styles and settings across the U.S. Blend these archival photos with architectural plans and drawings by artists and you have a powerful visual reference recommended for any serious theater enthusiast.
Ethel Merman
Geoffrey Mark
Barricade Books
185 Bridge Plaza North, #308A, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
1569802939 $24.95 www.barricadebooks.com
Ethel Merman's stardom came from her fame in the Broadway musical; yet it's surprising to note that there aren't a large number of books on the market covering her life and career as it relates to the concurrent rise of Broadway shows. That's why ETHEL MERMAN: THE BIGGEST STAR ON BROADWAY is an important survey of not only her life but the Broadway scene as a whole: she worked with some of the biggest names of her time and their stories blend with hers in a fine biographical survey. Very highly recommended indeed.
Power of Movies
Colin McGinn
Pantheon
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0375423176 $24.00 www.pantheonbooks.com
Fans of movies and movie history will appreciate this college-level discussion by a philosophy professor who takes a different look at the entertainment industry and its appeal. His analysis considers how movies affect the mind, fire the imagination, and cause viewers to relate to events on screen. Considerations of how screen images pair with emotional reactions and how dreams and narrative work together to create atmosphere create an intriguing blend of philosophical and psychological reflection.
Shooting the Truth
James McEnteer
Praeger
PO Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0275987604 $39.95 www.praeger.com
Political documentaries are popular now as never before yet behind this popularity has been a wealth of effort to bring them to public attention: an effort documented in SHOOTING THE TRUTH: THE RISE OF AMERICAN POLITICAL DOCUMENTARIES. Author James McEnteer analyzes the politics of a range of documentaries of recent decades, providing chapters which evaluate four artists in depth and use their approaches and works as a foundation for revealing political documentary contents, approaches and growing popularity. While the analysis is particular to these artists as far as selected films used as examples, its implications hold many insights on the documentary film as a whole. College-level audiences of film studies in particular will want to read this.
Rebels & Chicks
Stephen Tropiano
Back Stage Books/Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0823097013 $19.95 www.wgpub.com
Teens represented in movies have for decades influenced American teens in their actions, but until now no book has provided a survey of the Hollywood teen movie image. REBELS & CHICKS: A HISTORY OF THE HOLLYWOOD TEEN MOVIE examines the genre and how it's changed over the decades, using some of Hollywood's most important teen films to consider changing trends. From nostalgia films of the 50s to horror films of modern times, REBELS & CHICKS documents the image and actions of those who represented teen behavior and draws some fine connections between movie image and changing U.S. teen patterns as a result.
How to Stage a Play
Charles Marowitz
Limelight Editions/Hal Leonard Corporation
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
0879103221 $12.95 1-800-637-2852 www.halleonard.com www.limelighteditions.com
Based on author Charles Marowitz's personal experiences, HOW TO STAGE A PLAY, MAKE A FORTUNE, WIN A TONY AND BECOME A THEATRICAL ICON is for any who would direct a play from beginning to opening night. Here are all the nuances of stage production, from rehearsals and actor-audience psychology to forming an acting group with shared goals and vision. An actor "never forgets sins of omission", Marowitz maintains: learn how to avoid common pitfalls with HOW TO STAGE A PLAY's simple advise and insights based on a typical play's progress.
Second Act Trouble
Steven Suskin
Applause Books/Hal Leonard Corporation
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201, New York, NY 10010
1557836310 $27.95 1-800-637-2852 www.halleonard.com www.applausepub.com
Theatre buffs will quickly come to find SECOND ACT TROUBLE: BEHIND THE SCENES AT BROADWAY'S BIG MUSICAL BOMBS an essential guide to which shows have failed and why. Veteran theatrical manager and producer Suskin analyzes over twenty Broadway musical flops from the 1930s to the 1990s, using accounts by those directly involved and articles from respected critics of the times to consider financial failures across the board, from famous productions by well-known artists to lesser-known Broadway shows. Adding his own notes, Suskin provides well-rounded analysis of failures and their influences.
Memoirs of a Geisha
Peggy Mulloy & David James
Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York NY 10017
1557046832 $40.00 www.newmarketpress.com
Director Bob Marshall brought Arthur Golden's literary classic to the screen; now Peggy Mulloy's text and David James' gorgeous accompanying color photos bring MEMOIRS OF A GEISHA: A PORTRAIT OF THE FILM to the wide audience of book readers and film fans, probing behind the scenes to uncover how the filmmaker and his team re-created the geisha of Japan of the 1930s and 40s. Insights into geisha culture and screening of the movie accompany a 84-page presentation of visuals from the film in an outstanding keepsake memoir of Japanese history and culture.
Frankly, My Dear
Shelley Klein
Barron's
250 Wireless Road, Hauppage, NY 11788
0764159577 $14.99 www.barronseduc.com
Fans of Hollywood will relish FRANKLY, MY DEAR: QUIPS AND QUOTES FROM HOLLYWOOD. It's a light-hearted look at the Hollywood language which has steeped past the screen and into everyday life. Reflections by George Burns, Ingrid Bergman, Michael Caine and more involved in Hollywood productions make for a fun gathering of some of the most insulting, scathing and hilarious descriptions and observations on screen. Quotes from all eras and all walks of Hollywood life, from actors to directors and observers, make for a lively collection.
The Photography Shelf
One People Many Journeys
Lonely Planet
150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607
1741046009 $40.00 www.lonelyplanet.com
Other visual treats of the 'we are the world' variety have appeared in print; but ONE PEOPLE MANY JOURNEYS is the first in over a decade or more to pack a beautiful gathering of color photos of world peoples with essays on the current state of the human experience. Peoples from all stages of life, under all emotions, and of all nationalities are represented in a blend of full-page color photos and accompanying identifier of country, photographer, and description of photo contents.
Nazar
Wim Melis, et.al.
Aperture Foundation
547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor, New York, NY 10001
1931788855 $40.00 www.aperture.org
NAZAR: PHOTOGRAPHS FROM THE ARAB WORLD is a stunning gathering pairing essays by seven international writers with the largest and most diverse collection of Arab photos ever seen in the West. While NAZAR accompanies a traveling exhibition, it also stands solidly and well on its on, providing three sections of images contrasting vintage images from the Arab world with Western perceptions of the cultural and aesthetic forces which have shaped Arab presentations. Black and white and color images alike make NAZAR a study in contrasts and ideas, making for powerful presentations unparalleled in either the photography or Arab culture library. Highly recommended: a 'must have' pick.
Twin Palms Publishers
PO Box 10229, Santa Fe, NM 87504
www.twinpalms.com
Two outstanding artistic color presentations display contemporary artists at their best. Lise Sarfati's THE NEW LIFE (1931885451, $ ) uses a long oblong size to profile full-page color photos of her extraordinary photography of people and faces who defy the ability to neatly attach definitions and narratives to subjects. The medium IS the message in this case: a message of expression, everyday, and unique situations. STUDIES OF THE FEMALE NUDE by Andre Dienes (1931885397) is published in a limited first edition of 4,000 casebound copies; so run, don't walk, to get yours especially if you're a college-level art library. Black and white artistic shots of the female nude are presented on oversized pages for maximum effect, have a strong nature-background orientation, and play with composition as well as presentation: from marbled and venetian-blind foregrounds to studies in contrast. The artistic displays go far beyond most nude photography gatherings, providing the works of a master best known for his Marilyn Monroe photos but capable, as STUDIES OF THE FEMALE NUDE displays, of so very much more. Both are top recommendations.
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, #200, Buffalo, NY 14207
www.amherstmedia.com
These powerful new titles provide professionals and aspiring pros with digital techniques for two very different genres. Bill Lemon's PROFESSIONAL TECHNIQUES FOR NUDE & GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY (1584281782, $34.95) goes beyond the scenes to survey the successes of nude and glamour photographers, using professional images as examples of how to adapt the author's own techniques. From tailoring a pose to enhance nude assets to working with both black and white and color and selecting unique locations for added impact, any photographer will find this an outstanding professional survey of special tips. Ernst Wildi's MASTER COMPOSITION GUIDE FOR DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHERS (1584281790, $34.95) reviews a wide range of composition techniques for landscapes, still lifes, people and nature photography. From developing compositional elements and learning how to use lines effectively to understanding elements of distortion, distracting colors, and composition, here are many of the master techniques which help differentiate the professional's eye from the amateur's attempts. Two new 'Digital Quick Guide' titles are also top picks. Bill Hurter's DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY 101 (1584281774, $14.95) offers quick lessons from a long-time master, covering all the basics of solving common portrait problems, posing, disguising flaws, and more. Make the most of digital opportunities to make the most of portrait subjects in this quick guide filled with professional insights. Michelle Perkins' DIGITAL CAMERA TRICKS AND SPECIAL EFFECTS 101 (1584281766, $14.95) tells how to use basic image-editing software to create polished results. From using a strobe light to create stop-action images to warping and blending digital images, Perkins' focus is on shooting and image editing techniques which require no single program or camera type to achieve.
Tropical Blend
Poinsard
Daab inc.
11 Elm Place, Rye, NY 10580
3937718443 $49.95 www.daab-online.de
TROPICAL BLEND is a recommended pick for any college-level art library holding: each page is packed with color photos of women in tropical environments and varying stages of undress each balanced against beautiful ocean and background settings for added impact. These are outstanding shots close-ups, unique angles and artistic presentations filled with unexpected moments: the artistry and color surprises and delights here.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Knitting to Go
Kris Percival
Chronicle Books
85 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94105
0811846784 $16.95 www.chroniclebooks.com
Kris Percival puts together over twenty easy knitting patterns in KNITTING TO GO: 25 CHIC AND EASY PATTERNS but there's more to this than the usual book format: KNITTING TO GO holds the patterns on cards which feature easy step-by-step instructions in English rather than the usual knitter's abbreviations. This serves two purposes: it's a snap to select a card/project and use it on the fly, and it is much more inviting to newcomers to knitting. Add a lovely color photo of finished results on each card and you have a truly unique, appealing set.
Martingale Company
20205 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com
Three lovely new titles continue to expand Martingale's wonderful gathering of quilting and sewing guides. Eva Wiechmann's PURSENALITY PLUS: 20 NEW FELTED BAGS (1564776530, $19.95) shows how to knit and few felt bags. There are over ten styles encouraging a range of looks and materials plus patterns for add-ons such as a cell phone holder or eyeglass
