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California Bookwatch

Volume 4, Number 4 April 2009 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Political Science Shelf Parenting Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Computer Shelf Art Shelf Photography Shelf
Architecture Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Crafts Shelf
Military Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf California Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Business Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf Education Shelf
Native American Shelf Music Shelf Sports Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Teachers Have Class... Just Ask the Kids!
Suzanne Zenkel
Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
202 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601
9781593598334, $9.95 www.peterpauper.com

Teachers Have Class... Just Ask the Kids! is a compilation of one-sentence quotes written by a diverse group of children age five to eleven, in answer to questions about their teachers. Color photographs abound in this funny and delightful book, perfect for introducing first-time elementary or middle school students to the idea that teachers are people too, and they're there to help. As an example, one answer to the question "What's the most important thing you've learned from your teacher?" by a ten-year-old student is "The most important thing that I learned from my teacher is to be your own best friend."

Naga Identities
Michael Oppitz, et.al.
Snoeck Publications
c/o Snoeck-Ducaji & Zoon
Zurich
9789053496794, $285.00 www.amazon.com

NAGA IDENTITIES is both a work of anthropology and a work of art, and thus is a recommended pick for college-level libraries strong in either subject. The history, culture and mythology of the Nagas of Burma is explored in a powerful and weighty depiction of scenes of social life and history presented in both black and white and color, and accompanied by extensive anthropological and social history and analysis. A 'must' for any serious library catering to advanced students of Asian history and culture, as well as for arts collections.

The Wizard of Oz and Philosophy
Randall E. Auxier and Phillip S. Seng, Editors
Open Court
Box 300, Peru, IL 61354-3000
0812696573, $18.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

Adding to the 'Popular Culture and Philosophy' series is a fine presentation suitable for both high school and college-level libraries assessing the impact of THE WIZARD OF OZ on language and culture. Philosophical and scientific inquiry on the plot makes for a set of reflections on good, evil, and the nature of courage. Any school introducing philosophy will find this a key to linking philosophical concepts to modern cultural concerns, elevating it beyond the 'dry' stage and into everyday life.

The Leopard Tree
Tim Merriman
Heartfelt Publications
1105 Harris Dr., Fort Collins, CO 80524
9780979393303, $15.00, www.amazon.com

"The Leopard Tree" by Tim Merriman" is the gripping story of three orphans (one of whom is a blind amputee, another who is HIV positive, and the third who became mute since seeing her family slaughtered before her eyes) living in the abject poverty of Kenya determine to travel to America in order to meet the Secretary General of the United Nations in New York City and give him a message they hope will result in helping the millions of homeless and hurting children in Africa. Their guidebook is a copy of "The Wizard of Oz". Their encounters, their adventures, and their determination form the core of a gripping novel specifically and expertly written to engage the attention and interest of young adults -- as well as drawing their attention to the real-world, real-life plight of so many damaged young lives to the atrocities arising from the wars, diseases, and environmental changes that chronically afflict the peoples of Africa. A deftly written and award-winning novel, "The Leopard Tree" is a very strongly recommended addition to school and community library YA fiction collections.

'Teen Topics
Pegge Parker
Concierge Publishing
13518 'L' Street, Omaha, NE 68137
www.conciergemarketing.com
9780981903415, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Before Ann Landers there was Pegge Parker. She was the original advice columnist who began writing an advice column when she was a 21-year-old high school graduate for Pennsylvania's 'Harrisburg Telegraph' and "'Teen Topics" is a collection of her newspaper personal advice columns published from 1940 through 1942 dealing with subjects of particular interest to her teenage readers. What is remarkable is how although fashions in music, clothing, and other cultural elements have changed, the basic concerns, interests, relationship problems, ethical concerns and moral judgments have remained constant. It's remarkable how these more than 60 year old advice columns dealing with issues of grammar, dating, etiquette, grooming, travel, cooking, etc. still hold up and would be of enduring value to today's new generation of adolescents trying to transition into adulthood. "'Teen Topics" is as entertaining and informative today as it was when originally written and highly recommended for personal and community library collections.

Relations That Suck
Marilyn Yu
Art & Lenny
640 - 5th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94118
9780615254715, $35.00, artandlenny@gmail.com

A kind of picture book for grownups, "Relations That Suck: The Story of Eva And Dries" by Marilyn Yu tells the story of a vampire and her relationship with a man who is drawn to her. What makes "Relations That Suck" unique in the vampire genre is that it is composed of 30 striking photographs with an almost poetic storyline provided in the form of extended captions. A strikingly visual, thoroughly engaging, and quite original, "Relations That Suck" is enthusiastically recommended to fans of the vampire genre, as well as anyone with an interest in the not-so-simple art of visual storytelling.


The Political Science Shelf

Family of Secrets
Russ Baker
Bloomsbury Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1596915579, $30.00 www.bloomsburypress.com

FAMILY OF SECRETS: THE BUSH DYNASTY, THE POWERFUL FORCES THAT PUT IT IN THE WHITE HOUSE, AND WHAT THEIR INFLUENCE MEANS FOR AMERICA reveals how the underlying forces that put the Bush-Cheney ticket into office are still at work in the system, exhorting influence and dominance over who is in the White House regardless of their politics. It comes from an investigative journalist who details how a network of financiers, oilmen and operatives shaped the politics of two presidents of Bush - and the payoffs involved. Any library strong in political insights needs this.

The Man Who Sold the World
William Kleinknecht
Nation Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
387 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10016
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9781568584102, $26.95 www.nationbooks.org

THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD: RONALD REAGAN AND THE BETRAYAL OF MAIN STREET AMERICA comes from an award-winning journalist who offers an analysis of the Reagan legacy - which has been devastating for the country. So much modern woe can be directly traced to Reagan's policies - and THE MAN WHO SOLD THE WORLD identifies these, offering a survey of his pioneering and ultimately dangerous policies. A 'must' for a range of libraries, from general-interest collections to those strong in political science and American history.


The Parenting Shelf

Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger's Syndrome
Nancy J. Patrick
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781843108764, $19.95 www.jkp.com

Teens and adults with Asperger's Syndrome can struggle with relationships. "Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger's Syndrome" is written to provide them with a survival kit for daily living, offering tips on problems ranging from visits to medical advisors, job searches, public situations and more. Case histories, explanations, and solutions to common problems with plenty of concrete examples make "Social Skills for Teenagers and Adults with Asperger's Syndrome" perfect for Asperger's individuals trying to get through life.

Why Do I Have To?
B. Annye Rothenberg, Ph.D., author
David T. Wenzel, illustrator
Perfecting Parenting Press
35 Ash Drive, Kimball, MI 48074
9780979042010, $9.95 www.perfectingparentingpress.com

Written by child/parent psychologist B. Annye Rothenberg, Why Do I Have To? is more than a children's picturebook - it is also a straightforward guide for parents to achieving cooperation with their preschool-age child. The story follows a young girl who learns about simple rules of good behavior from her parents - as well as why these rules are important. "When Mommy hung up the phone, she said, 'Sophie, what's the rule when I'm on the phone?' 'I'm not supposed to interrupt you unless it's an emergency,' I said, 'because you can only hear one person at a time.' 'That's exactly right,' said Mommy. 'But, Mommy,' I said, 'when you're on the phone, I still need you.' 'I know it's hard to wait, Honey,' said Mommy. 'I have an idea. Let's find something special for you to do when I'm on the phone.'" The parenting guide at the close of the book spans thirteen pages, and covers a broad gamut of age-appropriate strategies parents need to learn and remember, from using redirection to encouraging empathy, helping children understand their feelings, and developing a repertoire of effective consequences (such as time-out or removal of privileges - though consequences should emphatically not be humiliating, physical, or frightening). An absolute must-have for parents, and highly recommended for public library collections as well.

Turbo-Mom's Guide
Kristin Delfau
Aji Publishing
PO Box 2207, Chapel Hill, NC, 27215-2207
9780979478130, $24.95, www.ajibooks.com

The job of Mother is an ever increasingly busy one. "Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time" is a guide for the time-stricken mothers who want to squeeze the most value into their day. Written in a simple and straight to the point fashion, "Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time" gives readers tips to shave minutes off activities; soon they find that these minutes turn into hours and more. "Turbo-Mom's Guide to Saving Money Without Wasting Time" is a fine choice for the time and money cautious mother.

Labor Pains and Birth Stories
Jessica Powers, editor
Catalyst Books Press
709 Masson Ave., Apt. A San Bruno, CA 94066
9780980208115, $18.00, www.catalystbookpress.com

Maternity is more than putting on a little weight and having a baby show up nine months later. "Labor Pains and Birth Stories" is a collection of anecdotes covering the adventure and misadventure that is oncoming motherhood - as well as oncoming fatherhood. Maternity is a nine month span of joy and worry; joy because of the arrival of a new soul to the world, and worry that every little thing you do during this time could screw them up for life. "Labor Pains and Birth Stories" is a fine choice for future mothers, and should not be ignored by future fathers either.


The Audiobook Shelf

Twilight Eyes
Dean Koontz
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781423339540, $46.95 www.brillianceaudio.com

Malcolm Hillgartner's acting voice and talents lend high drama and intrigue to TWILIGHT EYES, a story of supernatural intrigue telling of watchful eyes in the dark. A strange carnival ala Ray Bradbury leads to twisted plots against the human race in this thriller about dangerous otherworldly watchers in the dark: a thriller any audio library will relish.

Divine Justice
David Baldacci
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
1600244289, $44.98 www.hachetteaudio.com

Ron McLarty's an author and actor with extensive experience in high drama: a perfect pairing for DIVINE JUSTICE, a hard-hitting thriller telling of the Camel Club, the most wanted man in America, and government-condoned assassinations. Danger is part of his life and intrigue his mainstay of experience in this hard-hitting thriller, recommended for any audio library catering to general-interest listeners.

The Law of Success
Napoleon Hill, author
Joel Fotinos, narrator
Penguin Audio
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
9780143144199, $29.95 www.penguin.com

Joel Fotinos provides a clear and solid reading of the fifteen principles to winning, written by a motivational leader who builds a lesson plan for achievement. 'The Laws of Success' is an outstanding work stimulating the mind and offering a path for achievement for all kinds of people: while business listeners will be the mostly likely audience, it's a pick for any listener interested in getting ahead and overcoming barriers to achievement.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Healthful Foods from Back to Eden
Jethro Kloss
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Advanced Marketing Group
13475 Danielson Street, Suite 140, Poway, CA 92064-8850
1592238696, $22.95 www.thunderbaybooks.com

Jethro Kloss devoted half of his book BACK TO EDEN to healthy foods and eating. HEALTHFUL FOODS FROM BACK TO EDEN presents the text from his original book in an illustrated form more accessible to modern readers, offering tips on good nutrition, healthful foods to eat, and the effects of enrichment on food quality. The result is a powerful survey for modern audiences reinforcing the notion of what makes for healthy foods and healthy eating concepts, perfect for any library strong in nutritional and dietary concepts.

Deep Brain Stimulation
Jamie Talan
Dana Press
900 - 15th Street NW, Washington DC 20005
193259437X, $25.00 www.dana.org

DEEP BRAIN STIMULATION: A NEW TREATMENT SHOWS PROMISE IN THE MOST DIFFICULT CASES is a pick for any medical collection: it discusses a new technology of electrodes implanted in the brain and attached to a battery that alleviates suffering. Over 40,000 patients around the world have undergone this - both successes and cautions are detailed in a survey of experiments using DBS to treat various disorders.

Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook, 4th Edition
Nancy Clark, MS, RD
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736074155, $19.95 www.humankinetics.com

If a library were to obtain just one nutrition guidebook for a sports section, it should be this 'bible' of the industry, Nancy Clark's Sports Nutrition Guidebook. The 4th updated edition provides the latest details on making the right food choices and preparing for sports, including the latest research on hydration, vitamins, energy drinks, organic foods and more.

Age-Defying Fitness
Marilyn Moffat, PT, PhD, FAPTA and Carole Lewis, PT, PhD, FAPTA
Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
1700 Chattahoochee Ave, Atlanta, GA 30318
1561453331, $19.95 www.peachtree-online.com

The trade edition of this book contains a 'thera-band' designed for exercise and offers a fine health fitness guide for by two physical therapists who show how to exercise AND how to assess and measure results. Based on these results, readers create a personalized program to meet needs. AGE-DEFYING FITNESS: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR BODY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. An outstanding recommendation for any who wish to take charge of a personal, lifetime exercise routine.

Total Reflexology
Martine Faure-Alderson, D.O.
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
Box 388, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594772474, $19.95 www.healingartspress.com

TOTAL REFLEXOLOGY: THE REFLEX POINTS FOR PHYSICAL, EMOTIONAL, AND PSYCHOLOGICAL HEALING offers the first complete book to blend osteopathy, cranisacral therapy and the chakra system into a complete book of pressure points. 30 colored diagrams outline these points while discussion integrates various holistic healing disciplines and uses the foot as a map of the body and all its systems. A 'must' for any library strong in holistic healing processes.

The Joyful Journey
Cathy D. Slaght
695 Central Avenue, Suite 150 B, St. Petersburg, FL 33702
JimSam Inc.
PO Box 3363, Riverview, FL 33568
9780982058725, $14.95, www.bethinwithin.com

Gaining or losing weight is easy, what people really ought to shoot for is complete control. "The Joyful Journey: Three Transformative Steps to Permanent Weight Control" is author Cathy Slaght's memoir of finally gaining control of her body's weight issues. Losing it to the increasing stress of simply being a career woman, she tells how one can learn their body's nature and do what one can to control its weight. "The Joyful Journey" is an intriguing method for those trying to lose weight, highly recommended.

Herbal Medicine
Charles W. Kane
Lincoln Town Press
PO Box 5472, Oracle, AZ 85623
www.lincolntownpress.com
9780977133321, $24.95, www.amazon.com

The use of plants for health problems arising from injuries and illnesses is as old as the human race. The modern pharmaceutical industry continues to send its researchers out into the jungles and forests of the world in search of plants that can be applied to our medical benefit. Now Charles W. Kane has written "Herbal Medicine: Trends And Traditions", a 327 page compendium detailing essential and core information with respect to herbal medicine, including one hundred of the most popular herbal medicines utilized today. With each entry organized alphabetically, the featured plants include their preparation technique, including tinctures, fluid extracts, ointments, salves, syrups, and more. Nicely illustrated with the inclusion of more than fifty photographs in full color, "Herbal Medicine" is enhanced for the reader with the inclusion of four informative appendices, an extensive bibliography, a glossary, and a comprehensive index. Also available in a hard cover edition (9780977133338, $79.95), "Herbal Medicine" is a core addition to any personal, professional, community, and academic library Health & Medicine reference collection. Also very highly recommended is Charles Kane's previous publication "Herbal Medicine Of The American Southwest" (9780977133307, $29.95).

Before the Scalpel
Panchali Dhar, M.D.
Tell Me Press
98 Mansfield St., New Haven, CT 06511
9780981645308, $24.95, www.tellmepress.com

Surgery is no laughing matter. "Before the Scalpel: What Everyone Should Know About Anesthesia" is an informative reference on the absolutely vital knowledge one must have before facing any type of surgery involving anesthesia, which is used in most types of serious surgery, from delivering children to plastic surgery to dental work. Seeking to adequately prepare potential patients or friends and family of patients, "Before the Scalpel" should strongly be considered.

Wash Your Hands!
Frederic Saldmann
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson Street, 13th Floor, New York, NY 10014
9781602860490, $12.95, www.weinsteinbooks.com

Germs are everywhere, but how much paranoia is enough? "Wash Your Hands! The Dirty Truth About Germs, Viruses, and Epidemics - and the Simple Ways to Protect Yourself in a Dangerous World" is a straightforward and practical guide to dealing with a world that's out to get you with the countless viruses and illnesses that are on everyone and everything - even in the air. But it's not something to live in total paranoia of, author Dr. Saldmann explains, as he offers many tips for staying healthy in an unhealthy environment. "Wash Your Hands!" is a must for anyone concerned with health who wants to be informed.

A Christian Woman's Journal to Weight Loss
Patricia Thomas
Elevator Group
PO Box 207, Paoli, PA 19301
9780982038406, $15.95, www.theelevatorgroup.com

Many people ignore God as they seek better health, but for author Patricia Thomas, it wasn't an option. "A Christian Woman's Journal to Weight Loss: A 52-Week Guide to Losing Weight with the World" is about one woman's mission to lose weight and how blending in a spiritual workout helped her mission. With fifty two scriptures and reflections, Thomas urges readers to follow her example, and "A Christian Woman's Journal to Weight Loss" is fine reading for those who want their spirit to get in shape with their bodies.

Prevent Cancer
Vijaya Nair
Safe Goods Publishing
561 Shunpike Rd., Sheffield, MA 01257
9781884820922, $11.95, www.safegoodspub.com

The best way to fight cancer is to never get it. "Prevent Cancer: Strokes, Heart Attacks, and Other Deadly Killers" is Vijaya Nair's guide to cancer prevention, claiming that these ailments are caused by a constant inflammation of the body. Persistent exposure to this leads to many major ailments that many fear as they go through life, and Nair seeks to explain her theory as well as offering tips on avoiding inflammation in everyday life. "Prevent Cancer" is a new approach to health and prevention of cancer, highly recommended.

Living Agelessly
Linda Altoonian
DiaMedica
150 East 61st Street, New York, NY 10065
9780979356445, $16.95, www.diamedicapub.com

Just because you're getting gray doesn't mean you have to take up a fascination with "Matlock". "Living Agelessly: Creating a Lifestyle for Midlife and Beyond" is a guide to aging gracefully and dealing the challenges that come with age. Health, controlling one's life as strongly as ever, and confronting those who would take advantage of one at advanced age are all subjects covered with tact and wisdom by author Linda Altoonian. "Living Agelessly" is a must for anyone who doesn't want their age to be their label.

Size 2 for Life
Ashley Marriott and Marc L. Paulsen
Stance Media & Publications
4510 Seashore Drive, #A, Newport Beach, CA 92663
9780982104743, $21.99

Being healthy physically is essential to being healthy emotionally. "Size 2 for Life" is a health and fitness program aimed at a happier and healthier life through exercise. Promoting that a good body and good health will improve one's life in so many ways on top of looking good and finally fitting into those clothes one couldn't wear since high school. Keeping in mind that some women won't be able fit certain body types, "Size 2 for Life" is a solid and highly recommended read for women who want to get in shape but don't want to go off the end to another extreme.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Small Blocks, Stunning Quilts
Mary Elizabeth Kinch and Biz Storms
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564778291, $26.95 www.martingale-pub.com

SMALL BLOCKS, STUNNING QUILTS comes from antique quilt lovers who celebrate traditional masterpieces that have not been widely seen. Learn how to create some 10 bed-sized projects or use blocks in smaller quilts in a survey of batch work and assembly that includes color photos throughout. Quilting libraries will find it an excellent addition.

The Essential Guide to Color Knitting Techniques
Margaret Radcliffe
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MOCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781603420402, $29.95 www.storey.com

From using multicolor yarns and texture to double knitting techniques and shadow knitting, this packs in details on different options for blending colors and patterns, offers over 150 color patterns, and all the techniques needed for color knitting. Libraries strong in knitting are sure to relish this easy-to-use guide.

Faux Applique
Helen Stubbings
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329711, $26.95 www.americanquilter.com

Use colored pencils to recreate the look of applique in FAUX APPLIQUE, a guide to designs that can translate to a range of quilting projects from small-scale table runners to full quilts. Patterns and color photos abound in an excellent survey of faux applique projects perfect for newcomers and libraries catering to needleworkers and crafters.

Big-Print Quilts
Karen Snyder
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
0896894819, $22.99 www.krausebooks.com

Big, lovely prints can be used for much more than just borders and backs, and quilter Karen Snyder here shows how to blend large fabrics into many lovely quilts, both large and small. Fifteen such projects include table runners and bed quilts and show how to show off big prints to best advantage, with full-page color photos accompanying step-by-step instructions. A fine pick for any serious quilter's library.


The Computer Shelf

Head First Web Design
Ethan Watrall & Jeff Siarto
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9780596520304, $49.99 www.oreilly.com

Is it possible to learn real web design from a book format? HEAD FIRST WEB DESIGN is the key to designing user-friendly sites, from customer requirements to hand-drawn storyboards to online sites that work well. What sets this apart from other 'how to build a web site' books is that it uses the latest research in cognitive science and learning to provide a visual learning experience rich in images and designed for how the brain works and learns best. The result is a powerful tribute to web design basics that any general-interest computer library will find an important key to success.

Build Your Own Web Site the Right Way Using HTML & CSS, second edition
Ian Lloyd
Sitepoint
48 Cambridge Street, Collingwood, VIC, Australia 3066
www.sitepoint.com
9780980455274, $29.95 www.amazon.com

The second updated edition of Build Your Own Web Site the Right Way Using HTML & CSS includes all source code available for download in a step-by-step guide to building one's first web site using professional tools rather than lighter newcomer interfaces. From controlling style and text layout with CSS to tracking visitors with Google Analytics and optimizing web presentation, this second edition is packed with keys to best practices.

The Manga Guide to Databases
Mana Takahashi, Shoko Azuma and Trend-Pro Co, Ltd.
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro #250, San Francisco CA 94107
9781593271909, $19.95 www.nostarch.com

Princess Ruruna and Cain have a problem: their fruit-selling empire holds conflicting, duplicated data and sorting is causing difficulties. A relational database is needed - but how can they build one? Computer libraries catering to new learners will find this an easy introduction to databases, from using sets and applying relationships models to controlling permissions and using locks. Black and white cartoons blend with clear directions for a user-friendly guide.

OpenProj
Lisa A. Bucki
Course Technology
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
1598638173, $24.99 www.courseptr.com

OPENPROJ: THE OPEN SOURCE SOLUTION FOR MANAGING YOUR PROJECTS provides project managers with free, open source desktop applications designed to help build project plans and calculate costs. From tracking information to chapters built around classroom studies - including review concepts and hands-on projects to supplement information - this is a key acquisition not to be missed.

Introduction to AutoCad 2009 Essentials
M. Hamad
Infinity Science press
11 Leavitt Street, Hingham, MA 02043
9781934015285, $49.95 www.infinitysciencepress.com

Most AutoCad guides are weighty all-in-one bibles packed with information, so it's refreshing to see a guide covering only the basics, using 'mixed units' to illustrate drawing and editing tools and reinforcing the basics with a DVD of exercises and projects in full color. Novice users of AutoCad 2009 will find "Introduction to AutoCad 2009 Essentials" a very useful supplement to a course, offering 'teach yourself' modules and projects. Perfect for students learning AutoCad.

EMF: Eclipse Modeling Framework
Erich Gamma, et.al., Editors
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com
9780321331885, $49.99 www.informit.com

Libraries catering to Java and Eclipse programmers will find this second updated edition of "EMF: Eclipse Modeling Framework" a fine survey of how to define models and solve real-world problems using EMF and software quality improvement. From understanding and customizing code to using the latest EMF features and understanding the validation process, EMF is a key guide users will find accessible and enlightening, with project developers offering expertise and insights.


The Art Shelf

Turner to Cezanne
Oliver Fairclough and Bryony Dawkes
Hudson Hills Press
Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911
1555952992, $60.00 www.hudsonhills.com

Between the 19th and early 20th centuries the art world experienced a revolution in style and approach: TURNER TO CEZANNE: MASTERPIECES FROM THE DAVIES COLLECTION, NATIONAL MUSEUM WALES uses the collection to celebrate the influence of two local Welsh pioneers of change. While this was published to accompany a traveling exhibition, it stands well alone as a powerful presentation and analysis of art trends.

Live Forever
Elizabeth Peyton
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, New York NY 10014
9780714848860, $59.95 www.phaidon.com

American artist Elizabeth Peyton specializes in gripping portraiture techniques in watercolor, oil and drawings. "Live Forever" blends influences from the fashion and arts worlds alike, providing stunning techniques. Ideal for any college-level art library strong in modern painters.

Behind the Paint
Ken O'Neil
Stone Corral Press
University of New Mexico Press
1312 Basehart Rd. SE, Albuquerque NM 87106-4363
9780981620206, $50.00 www.unmpress.com

Ken O'Neil left his secure engineering job and life to pursue the career of a painter and writer. From written notes in his journal from over forty years in world travel, Ken O'Neil built a fine portfolio of powerful reflections that make for a vivid statement when paired with his abstract art pieces. College-level libraries strong in modern painting won't want to miss "Behind the Paint."

Splendor and Elegance
Horace Wood Brock, et.al.
MFA Publications
c/o Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
D.A.P. Distributed Art Publishers, Inc. (distributor)
155 Sixth Avenue, 2nd Floor, New York, NY 10013
9780878467389, $55.00 www.mfa.org/publications

Essays by Horace Wood Brock, Martin P. Levy and Clifford S. Ackley provide fine essays spanning the decorative arts, and focusing on the drawings and paintings of the golden age of 1675-1820. Art history libraries strong in this era will find the writings embrace aesthetics, game theory, and more, reflecting Brock's theory of beauty-in-design: a concept elegantly illuminated here for any college-level art library.


The Photography Shelf

500 Poses for Photographing Women
Michelle Perkins
Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781584282495, $34.95 www.amherstmedia.com

Filled with images of women in striking poses, this book for photographers seeking inspiration provides a fine collection of ideas for both studio and location shots, from head shots to full body, and offers many different poses of all kinds of beautiful women. Portrait photographers and libraries catering to them will find this packed with visual references key to composing a great photo.

Faces of Africa
Carol Beckwith & Angela Fisher
National Geographic Society
1145 - 17th Street NW, Washington DC 20036-4688
9781426204241, $16.95 www.ngs.org

FACES OF AFRICA provides a fine collection of portraits of people across Africa by two photographers - over 120 of them, drawn from over 30 years of work. Traditional dress, culture and arts are displayed in a gorgeous small collection of images perfect for general-interest collections strong in the arts, photography or African culture as a whole.

Counterpoint
Robert & Shana ParkeHarrison
Twin Palms Publishers
Box 10229, Santa Fe, NM 87504
9781931885775, $65.00 www.twinpalms.com

Oversized color photos juxtapose human figures and faces in counterpoint to nature and seasonal change in this striking contemporary survey of human relationships to the elements. These wordless pictures need no embellishment other than their statement, and deserve a place in any college-level collection strong in modern art.


The Architecture Shelf

Earth Architecture
Ronald Rael
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th Street, New York NY 10003
9781568987675, $45.00 www.papress.com

The world's first skyscrapers were built of mud brick and many famous Americans lived in earth houses at different points in their lives: this said, there have been few books on the contemporary architecture of earth houses, making EARTH ARCHITECTURE a real winner for any college-level arts collection. It surveys over forty projects and profiles the beauty of earth architecture, offering chapters covering new, creative uses of earth in buildings. Color photos throughout display projects and emphasize earth architecture achievement.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Popeye: Let's You and Him Fight!
E.C. Seger
Fantagraphics Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
9781560979623, $29.95 www.fantagraphics.com

Including the never-before-reprinted 1933 'Popeye, Wimpy, and Olive at the Chicago World's Fair' storyline, the third Popeye volume 'Let's You and Him Fight!' presents a winning complete reprint of Seger's Popeye strips and represents the halfway point in the Popeye saga with this volume. Mostly black and white with a few color panels make for an excellent oversized presentation of strips perfect for in-depth graphic novel or comics collection in general, and for Popeye fans in particular.


The Crafts Shelf

Beaded Chain Mail Jewelry
Dylon Whyte
Lark Books/Sterling
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781600592201, $24.95 www.larkbooks.com

Chain mail jewelry is lovely but when beads are added it becomes spectacular. Learn techniques for threading beads onto chain mail, and eight weave patterns - then produce nearly thirty completed projects from anklets to necklaces with a fine pairing of 'how to' photos and instructions. Any crafts library strong in jewelry-making will find this outstanding in its features.

Wrapped in Gems
Mai Sato-Flores with Jesse Flores
Potter Craft
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, NY, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780307408464, $22.95 www.pottercraft.com

WRAPPED IN GEMS: 40 ELEGANT DESIGNS FOR WIRE-WRAPPED GEMSTONE JEWELRY is a winner, offering jewelry makers an outstanding survey inspired by nature. A guide to gemstones accompanies instructions on wire wrapping and color photos of everything from rings to earrings in a presentation packed with delightful project options. Any library strong in jewelry crafting will find it an excellent acquisition offering something different in the way of project options.


The Military Shelf

Voices of the Buffalo Soldier
Frank N. Schubert
University of New Mexico Press
1312 Basehart Road SE, Albuquerque NM 87106-4363
9780826323101, $21.95 www.unmpress.com

Any military or black studies library strong in early American military history will find VOICES OF THE BUFFALO SOLDIER to be an excellent survey of the black military experience on the plains frontier. Records and reports provide source material of such service, with vintage black and white illustration adding visuals to the historic presentation.

Ideas as Weapons
G.J. David Jr. and T.R. McKeldin III, editors
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Dr, Dulles, VA 20166
9781597972611, $29.95 www.potomacbooksinc.com

IDEAS AS WEAPONS: INFLUENCE AND PERCEPTION IN MODERN WARFARE is a 'must' for both military and college-level political science collections: it offers insights and analysis on strategic, operational and tactical ideas key to military conflicts, using worldwide combat scenarios as a guide to understanding how modern warfare is conducted. Any military library and any college-level political discussion collection needs this.

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

Gordon Rottman's NORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY SOLDIER 1958-75 (9781846033711, $18.95) provides specialty military collections with an in-depth focus on the NVA, a politicized, professional force with strict organizational concepts. From their training to combat routines, chapters survey uniforms, equipment, and strategies alike. Steven J. Zaloga's T-80 STANDARD TANK: THE SOVIET ARMY'S LAST ARMORED CHAMPION (9781846032448, $17.95) offers a narrowed focus for specialty military collections focusing on military equipment. The T-80 was the last tank fielded before the collapse of the Soviet Union - and the most controversial. Its history is revealed with photos and discussion.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Bear-Ology
Sylvia Dolson
PixyJack Press
Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
9780977372454, $18.00 www.pixyjackpress.com

BEAR-OLOGY: FASCINATING BEAR FACTS, TALES & TRIVIA offers an excellent, entertaining and fact-filled book about bears for any interested in them. Black and white photos and sidebars of information accompany a lively, revealing text perfect for any general-interest collection.

The Backyard Horseman, 2nd Edition
Ron Rude
Mountain Press
Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
0878425489, $18.00 www.mountain-press.com

Any library catering to horse riders and owners will welcome this updated edition for newcomers to horses: a compendium of basic advice from how to buy a horse to raising and caring for them on a small scale and with limited budget. Ron Rude is a long-time 'backyard horseman' who covers everything from trailer maintenance to horse psychology, making this a 'must' for any would-be first-time horse owner.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Early American Pattern Glass Cake Stands & Serving Pieces
Bettye S. James & Jane M. O'Brien
Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574325966, $29.95 www.collectorbooks.com

Any library strong in glassware collecting and interested in early American pattern glass will find Early American Pattern Glass Cake Stands & Serving Pieces a winning display of items, offering good-sized color photos of collectibles paired with excellent descriptions and prices. Specialty libraries will relish the clear display of picks and choices and will find this popular lend.


The Cookbook Shelf

Bottega Favorita
Frank Stitt
Artisan Books
225 Varick Street, New York NY 10014-4381
9781579653026, $40.00 www.artisanbooks.com

BOTTEGA FAVORITA: A SOUTHERN CHEF'S LOVE AFFAIR WITH ITALIAN FOOD offers connections between Italian cuisine and the American South, celebrating Italian cuisine with rustic Italian dishes ranging from Summer Minestrone to Spring Vegetable Lasagne and Ravioli with Pumpkin and Sage Butter. Bright color photos by Christopher Hirsheimer lend to a fine presentation.

Cooking in the South
Johnnie Gabriel
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9781401604059, $24.99 www.thomasnelson.com

Deserving of ongoing mention is Cooking in the South, an excellent survey of Southern dishes which offers new recipes from the author and other Southern cooks. From She Crab Soup and Tom's Crab Cakes to Black Bean Soup and Hot Potato Salad, an outstanding collection is presented, perfect for any library interested in representing Southern cuisine.

Wild, Wild East
Bobby Chinn
Barrons
250 Wireless, Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764161490, $29.99 www.barronseduc.com

Bobby Chinn is a big fan of Vietnamese food - and considers it light, healthy and diverse. His own fusion-style recipes make WILD, WILD EAST much more than just another Vietnamese cookbook: it pairs color photos by Jason Lowe and stories by Bobby about all dishes along with recipes home chefs will relish, from Duck a la Banana to Carmelized Prawns. An outstanding presentation recommended for collections catering to neo-professional home cooks.

Beef and Other Bovine Matters
John Torode
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown CT 06470-5506
9781600851261, $34.95 www.taunton.com

Jason Lowe's lovely color photos of completed dishes embellish BEEF AND OTHER BOVINE MATTERS, a meaty presentation from a chef and restaurateurs who provides not just a cookbook of beef dishes, but insights on the history and importance of beef cattle breeds and usage. From roasts and steaks to unusual dishes such as 'T-Bone Steak with Turnip and Mustard Gratin', this is a winning presentation for any cookbook collection.

Chocolate - a Healthy Passion
Shara Aaron and Monica Bearden
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2107
9781591026532, $19.95 www.prometheusbooks.com

There are numerous chocolate cookbooks on the market - but this one identifies elements of savoring chocolate to gain the full chocolate flavor and explore chocolate experience, supplementing a lively history of chocolate uses and places with insights on world chocolate specialties, science, and even some recipes. It's a well-rounded discussion no cookbook collection will want to miss.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The ESP Enigma
Diane Hennacy Powell, MD
Walker & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
0802716067, $25.00 www.walkerbooks.com

THE ESP ENIGMA: THE SCIENTIFIC CASE FOR PSYCHIC PHENOMENA could also have been featured in our 'science' section but is reviewed here for its interest to new age libraries as well. There's been much documentation of telepathic interconnection and clairvoyance, and Powell's title constructs a new theory of consciousness based on these experiments, shedding new insights on the nature and science of ESP phenomenon. General-interest collections, as well, will find it involving.

The Therapeutic Yoga Kit
Cheri Clampett and Biff Mithoeffer
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781594772511, $29.95 www.healingartspress.com

Yoga and exercise blend well in a kit including a book, 16 color cards and a 75-minute CD on therapeutic yoga poses and applications. Each pose represents an adapted posture held for 10 minutes or more in a fully supported state, along with transitional yoga movements and stretches. Not suitable for library lending, this makes a fine gift choice or pick for any individual interested in furthering yoga techniques and applying them to healing.

Consciousness from Zombies to Angels
Christian De Quincey
Park Street Press
Box 388, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594772535, $18.95 www.parkstpress.com

Dr. Christian De Quincey is a professor of philosophy and here presents a step-by-step guide to the mind blending philosophy, science, and spirituality. From seven easy steps to understanding consciousness to the integration of mind and body, Consciousness from Zombies to Angels is an excellent pick for psychology and spirituality collections alike.

Tarot for Writers
Corrine Kenner
Llewellyn Publications
2143 Wooddale Drive,Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738714578, $19.95 www.llewellyn.com

TAROT FOR WRITERS tells how to interpret signals and myths, use classic tarot layouts to structure a story line, and how to link the creative writing process to tarot. From overcoming writer's block to using tarot methods to tap into sources of inspiration, TAROT FOR WRITERS links the cards to myths, legends, and keywords leading to wellsprings of thought. Any library catering to either new age readers or creative writers will find it involving.


The California Shelf

Global California
Abraham F. Lowenthal
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94304
9780804762274, $21.95, www.sup.org

Performing a kind of 'canary in the coal mine' function, the state of California has often been a forerunner of cultural and economic developments that have gone on to influence and shape the cultural , political, and economic conditions of the nation (and even the world) as a whole -- and vice versa. "Global California: Rising To The Cosmopolitan Challenge" by Abraham F. Lowenthal (Professor of International Relations, University of Southern California) surveys the many ways in which California (a state with the demographics and economics that rival a great many countries) has been affected by international trends and how Californians can 'identify and promote' their own collective interests is a world that is in constant cultural, political, and economic flux. As the world grows ever more complex and intertwined, Professor Lowenthal advances ideas for how the residents, corporate and political authorities of California can emancipate themselves from leaving decision on how they relate to the broader world to such authorities as the federal government or East Coast Think Tank 'experts' for whom the best interest of California might be secondary to some other agenda. Deftly written , "Global California" is as informed and informative as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Also very highly recommended for California Studies reference collections and reading lists from Stanford University Press is "Smile Southern California, You're The Center Of The Universe: The Economy & People Of A Global Region" (9780804756259, $27.95) by journalist James Flanigan.

Tahoe Rim Trail
Tim Hauserman
Wilderness Press
1345 - 8th Street, Berkeley CA 94710
9780899974729, $17.95 www.wildernesspress.com

The Tahoe Rim Trail is some 165 miles of trailheads, striking views, and lovely scenery. This new edition of a classic take-along hiker's tote covers all the details, including updated maps, historical points of interest, and detailed sections covering the entire trail. Any California library specializing in outdoors hikers' guides will find it essential.

Sending Flowers to America
Peggi Ridgway and Jan Works
Los Angeles Flower Market History Project
Box 129, Buena Park, CA 90621-0129
9780979828508, $64.95 www.flowermarkethistory.com

While at first glance this would seem a specialty acquisition narrowed to California and horticultural collections alone, in reality Sending Flowers to America is about much more than documenting the Los Angeles flower market. It surveys the entire structure and fostering of the American floral industry as a whole, using a focus on Southern California's evolution as a microcosm of experience. This focus offers over 60 stories based on interviews with descendants of the European immigrant families who formed the early Los Angeles flower market, and comes packed with over 350 photos. A gorgeous cultural history, highly recommended especially for California collections as a 'must' examination of the evolution of an industry.

Alameda
Greta Dutcher and Stephen Rowland
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
0738559539, $21.99 www.arcadiapublishing.com

Alameda has remained a relatively small, charming town in the face of substantial Bay Area growth and ALAMEDA documents this town's history using vintage photos to show how a 1818 San Francisco bedroom community on an island evolved. From its heyday as the 'Coney Island of the West' to modern times, this draws on the photo collections of author Greta Dutcher and of Edmund Clausen to pack in over 180 photos, postcards and paperwork documenting Alameda's history. A 'must' for any San Francisco Bay Area library and any cataloging California regional history.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Vorkosigan Companion
Lillian Stewart Carl and John Helfers, Editors
Baen Books
Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
1416556036, $24.00 www.baen.com

The Vorkosigan Companion: The Universe of Lois McMaster Bujold is a 'must' for any prior reader of her Vorkosigan books: it is packed with essays, articles, and even a new interview with Bujold and discusses the sociology, science and psychology of her themes and novels. The Vorkosigan universe is complex: chapters delve into underlying meanings, influences, and more and provide a satisfying companion reader highly recommended for any prior avid fan of Bujold's books.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

ESV Study Bible
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
1433502410, $49.99 www.crossway.org

Any who would study the Bible will find the ESV Study Bible an outstanding, in-depth collection offering nearly three thousand pages of explanation, maps, articles, and Bible text. Some 200 new color maps, 40 new illustrations, 200 charts, and over 50 articles on topics ranging from ethics to biblical interpretations make for a Christian collection addition not to be missed. Scholarly, specific, and packed with Biblical insights.

Paradoxology: Spirituality in a Quantum Universe
Miriam Therese Winter
Orbis Books
Box 308, Maryknoll NY 10545
9781570758171, $20.00 www.orbisbooks.com

Any library strong in spirituality will relish PARADOXOLOGY: SPIRITUALITY IN A QUANTUM UNIVERSE. It comes from a Medical Mission Sister and professor who considers how the 'quantum spirit' is manifested, and how it fits into a Christian belief system about God. Spirituality libraries strong in philosophy will find it a revealing survey.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Seder Night: An Exalted Evening
Rabbi Joseph B. Soloveitchik
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9781602801189, $25.00 www.ktav.com

The Passover Haggadah is revealed with a commentary based on the teachings of Rabbi Joseph Soloveitchik, edited by Rabbi Menachem Genack and includes excerpts from his public lectures as well as published works and unpublished tapes. Jewish collections strong in scholarly studies will find it a fine blend of spirituality and philosophical reflection, perfect for advanced Jewish studies.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Obsidian Mystery
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
www.penguingroup.com www.amazon.com

Karen E. Olson's SHOT GIRL (9780451225498, $6.99) tells of New Haven police reporter Annie Seymour, who finds her coworker's bachelorette party has turned into a crime scene complete with a dead bar manager who happens to be Annie's ex-husband. Intrigue and danger draw Annie into a plot over her head. Kate Collins' EVIL IN CARNATIONS (9780451226235, $6.99) tells of one Abby, determined to help her single roommate by encouraging speed dating. When murder strikes the date, it's up to Abby to get to the bottom of the crime. Both titles will lend well to a general-interest library's paperback mystery section.

Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Roberta Isleib's ASKING FOR MURDER (9780425223314, $6.99) tells of Rebecca's friend and fellow therapist who is found beaten and left for dead - and follows Rebecca's search for the truth and a dangerous killer on the loose. Drama and intrigue follow her sleuthing activities in this thriller. Maureen Ash's A PLAGUE OF POISON (97804252267733, $7.99) presents another 'Templar Knight' mystery and is a fine pick for historical mystery holdings as it follows a dead scribe and a castellan who enlists in Bascot's help to solve the murder. A Victorian mystery is provided by Emily Brightwell in MRS. JEFFRIES HOLDS THE TRUMP (9780425222089, $6.99), providing a satisfying new Mrs. Jeffries saga perfect for prior enthusiasts. Here Mrs. Jeffries, housekeeper for Inspector Witherspoon, becomes involved in a quiet business owner's mysterious death. Mrs. Jeffries also features her talents in MRS. JEFFRIES IN THE NICK OF TIME (9780425226780, $6.99), telling of the housekeeper's ability to use her common sense to solve an upstairs murder mystery. Hannah Dennison's SCOOP! (9780425226438, $6.99) provides a Vicky Hill story and tells of the obituary writer's ability to spot fishy circumstances in death. A hedge cutter's electrocution is the perfect investigation point in this riveting thriller. Charlaine Harris' THE JULIUS HOUSE (9780425222034, $7.99) provides a fine Aurora Teagarden mystery revolving around an amateur sleuth's survey of a house's infamous history and present-day dangers. Peg Marberg's FATAL FLIP (9780425226797, $7.99) provides a different setting - an 'interior design' mystery revolving around one Jean, recruited by Seville's Fast Flippers house sales staff to revamp an old Victorian mansion - including its penchant for holding a murder mystery. Melinda Wells' DEATH TAKES THE CAKE (9780425226421, $7.99) introduces one Della, owner of a California cooking school, star of a new cooking show, and involved in murder when she finds a body in a mixing bowl full of cake batter. All are outstanding mysteries highly recommended for any general-interest lending library catering to mystery readers.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Here's The Story
Maureen McCormick
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780061490149, $25.95 www.harpercollins.com

Brady Bunch fans will relish the inside story of Marcia Brady in her autobiography HERE'S THE STORY: SURVIVING MARCIA BRADY AND FINDING MY TRUE VOICE. It goes behind the scenes of the TV show, probing friendships, the illusion of the TV family, and how Maureen became caught up in Hollywood's drug culture. It's a powerful story, hard to put down and a top pick for any prior fan of the Brady Bunch TV series.

Milk: The Shooting Script
Dustin Lance Black
Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York NY 10017
9781557048271, $19.95 www.newmarketpress.com

Harvey Milk's activism for gay rights extended into San Francisco politics before the gay movement in the city really took root. This shooting script is for any who have seen and loved the movie, and includes an introduction by director Gus Van Sant, the complete shooting script, a color photos collection, and scene notes by the author. Film libraries and individuals seeking a keepsake of the movie will find it an excellent acquisition.


The Business Shelf

Instant Appeal
Vicki Kunkel
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814409466, $24.00 www.amacombooks.org

Business collections strong in marketing strategies will find INSTANT APPEAL: THE 8 PRIMAL REASONS THAT CREATE BLOCKBUSTER SUCCESS to be a winner. The elements dictating mass appeal and consumer reaction are analyzed in a survey of eight strategies that trigger appeal responses at the cellular level. From why Scrabble went from a flop to a hit to how moral factors are used in marketing, INSTANT APPEAL is a 'must' for any business library strong in marketing psychology.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

An Everglades Providence
Jack E. Davis
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA 30602-4901
082033071X, $34.95 www.ugapress.org

AN EVERGLADES PROVIDENCE: MARJORY STONEMAN DOUGLAS AND THE AMERICAN ENVIRONMENTAL CENTURY is a 'must' for any library strong in social or environmental history. It offers a detailed, lengthy analysis of a woman who was dedicated to environmental awareness, offering much more than a biography of her life and achievements. The entire early movement of environmental consciousness and history is traced here, making for a powerful and important survey.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

In the Name of Justice
Timothy Lynch, Editor
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave NW, Washington DC 20001
9781933995229, $19.95 www.cato.org

Leading experts consider the classic article 'The Aims of the Criminal Law' in a collection highly recommended for any college-level library strong in criminal justice and social issues. It's packed with important analysis of a treatise published over a generation ago by a Harvard law professor Henry Hart Jr, and debates and analyzes some of the most basic principles of criminal law in a free society. Quite simply, a 'must'.


The Education Shelf

Becoming a Legendary Teacher
William Freeman and David Scheidecker
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
9781412954815, $38.95 www.corwinpress.com

Becoming a Legendary Teacher: To Instruct and Inspire is a powerful survey of how educators can meet student and administration expectations, motivating students to excel and improving communications while remaining passionate about their work. Key characteristics of outstanding instructors are analyzed to provide inspirational resources and techniques all teachers can use, making for an invaluable addition to any education library.


The Native American Shelf

Native American Language Ideologies
Paul Kroskrity and Margaret Field, Editors
University of Arizona Press
355 S. Eucvlid Ave Suite 103, Tucson, AZ 85719
9780816527199, $49.95 www.uapress.arizona.edu

NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGE IDEOLOGIES: BELIEFS, PRACTICES, AND STRUGGLES IN INDIAN COUNTRY considers the languages of a range of Native American communities from Canada to Guatemala, considering their evolving role in changing cultures and offering detailed, scholarly studies examining active issues in changing languages and Native perceptions. From socialization and identity to choices in language renewal, topics are wide-ranging and survey how modern language issues relate to cultural changes. Perfect for both Native American and linguistics libraries.


The Music Shelf

Ballad of Blind Tom
Deirdre O'Connell
Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street, New York NY 10012
9781590201435, $24.95 www.overlookpress.com

Both black history and music libraries will find compelling this true story of a black musical savant in slavery times, THE BALLAD OF BLIND TOM: AMERICA'S LOST MUSICAL GENIUS. Tom was born into slavery but was an international celebrity in New York when he died in 1908. His rise to fame and transition from a blind slave to a musical prodigy makes for a compelling story suitable for any music history collection.

Smart Blonde: Dolly Parton
Stephen Miller
Omnibus Press
c/o Music Sales Corp
257 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10010
9781846097607, $19.95 www.omnibuspress.com

The first major new biography of Dolly to appear in over 15 years makes for a fine detailed survey of her life in times, backed by interviews with her family members, musicians and producers. Miller traces her life and details how a poor East Tennessee woman rose to fame in a male-dominated world of 1960s country music. A spirited coverage, this will attract any fan of Dolly's achievements - and any music library catering to country music listeners and readers.


The Sports Shelf

Coaching the Beginning Pitcher
Daniel Keller
Lifeletics
16702 Burke Lane, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
9780981889528, $15.95, www.coachingthebeginningpithcer.com

Pitching is arguably the most pressure-heavy position in the game of baseball. "Coaching the Beginning Pitcher: How to Teach Pitching Safely and Effectively" is a guide for coaches to best teach their students what they need to know about the art of pitching. Aimed at younger players, it is not entirely devoid of useful info for older rookies. With a special focus on avoiding the dangers of throwing a heavy leather ball towards people, "Coaching the Beginning Pitcher" is a must for coaches who want safety-conscious and knowledgeable pitchers.

The Brothers Rodriguez
Carlos Eduardo Jalife-Villalon
David Bull Publishers
4250 E. Camelback Rd, Suite K150, Phoenix, AZ 85018
1893618897, $149.95 www.bullpublishing.com

Any sports library specializing in race car history beyond the casual photo display must have the weighty, impressive BROTHERS RODRIGUEZ. It's oversized, has been exhaustively detailed and packed with color illustrations - some 4,000 photos in all - and provides the complete story of Pedro and Ricardo's track careers and personal lives. Libraries also strong in Mexican history and biography will appreciate the blends of biography and social and cultural history. It's an impressive 'must' for any auto sports collection seeking detailed, definitive coverages.


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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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