We'll Always Have Paris
John Baxter
HarperPerennial
10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10022-5299
0060832886 $13.95 www.harperperennial.com
Paris has lured many a visitor, pilgrim, and seeker to its world with promises of the good life and culture: here to chart it all is WE'LL ALWAYS HAVE PARIS: SEX AND LOVE IN THE CITY OF LIGHT. It offers a behind-the-scenes review of Paris, blending the author's own memoir of falling in love in the romantic city with a review of its many lures: literary cafes, music clubs, art gatherings and more. Add a healthy dose of humor and you have a fun, affectionate survey which should not be missed.
What Happens After Mugabe?
Geoff Hill
Zebra Press
PO Box 1144, Cape Town, SA 8000
1770071024 $10.00 www.zebrapress.co.za www.amazon.com
President Mugabe has entrenched himself in power, but his time may be coming to an end. South African resident Geoff Hill envisions a future without him in WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MUGABE? CAN ZIMBABWE RISE FROM THE ASHES? From how an incoming leader will handle a nation rife with unemployment and poor social standards to how outgoing tyrants will be punished, WHAT HAPPENS AFTER MUGABE is a pick for any who would understand the politics and changes of Zimbabwe.
Black Farmers in America
John Francis Ficara & Juan Williams
University Press of Kentucky
663 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
0813123992 $49.95 www.kentuckypress.com
In 1920 black Americans made up 14 percent of all farmers in the nation: they owned and worked millions of acres. Today they are less than 1 percent of the nation's farmers and less than 3 million acres are cultivated under their hand. BLACK FARMERS IN AMERICA provides a photo documentary of their lives, providing some 100 duotone photos with chapters hardship and farming life. Juan Williams provides the historical background for the photos as he charts racism and struggles as they affected black farming efforts in this nation. A 'must' for any college-level collection strong in Afro-American history and studies.
Conspiracies and Secret Societies
Brad and Sherry Steiger
Visible Ink/Omnigraphics
615 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI 48226
0780809211 $58.00 www.omnigraphics.com
Plenty of books have been written individually about select secret societies: now here's a handy A-Z reference which covers them all under one cover, providing over five hundred pages reviewing 300 individuals, organizations, and events which have puzzled modern times. From contemporary issues such as satellite snooping to historical background on societies such as the Freemasons, entries provide plenty of coverage and describe major events and secret societies with relevance to today's world. CONSPIRACIES AND SECRET SOCIETIES: THE COMPLETE DOSSIER is a must for any collection strong in investigative inquiry.
The Human Factor
Kim Vicente
Routledge
270 Madison, New York NY 10016
0415978912 $24.95 www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com
Plenty of books are written about new technology and its impact on civilization: but few actually relate such technology to changes in the way people life not until THE HUMAN FACTOR, that is. Here's a wide-ranging discussion of how we might better manage workplaces, daily lives and communities in the face of changing technologies, showing how the systems we all live with from hospitals to planes and power plants are moving ahead so fast that management efforts often fail at the personal and business level alike. THE HUMAN FACTOR addresses these problems and offers solutions.
Race Relations in America
Thomas J. Davis
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0313311153 $75.00 www.greenwood.com
Any college-level collection strong in American history and social studies must have RACE RELATIONS IN AMERICA: A REFERENCE GUIDE WITH PRIMARY DOCUMENTS. It covers all kinds of racial interactions from the early days of the Republic to modern times, pairing historical events with the evolution of ideas, trends, and treaties alike. From Indian Wars which prompted pro/con ideas on the reservation system to the issues revolving around Negro justice. Source material passages some several pages in length accompanied by an annotated research guide of books and web sites makes for a winning presentation certain to have long-lasting lending value.
Mavericks of the Sky
Barry Rosenberg & Catherine Macaulay
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
0060529490 $25.95 1-800-242-7737 www.harpercollins.com
Any interested in the mail service and its origins must pursue MAVERICKS OF THE SKY: THE FIRST DARING PILOTS OF THE U.S. AIR MAIL: it highlights a nearly-forgotten piece of history in covering the aces who both pioneered flight and linked the airplane to the US Air Mail Service, from the inaugural New York to Washington DC flight in 1918 to the night flight which would make airmail a mainstay. These pilots were World War 1 aces who returned as heroes but wanted to translate their flying skills to civilian life: MAVERICKS OF THE SKY charts their course and their impact on today's mail services.
The Inner Structure of Tai Chi
Mantak Chia and Juan Li
Destiny Books/Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
1594770581 $18.00 www.innertraditions.com
A Taoist master reveals the deep internal practices needed to become one with the Tao through movement exercises practiced by millions. Tai Chi was originally less a martial arts form and more an expression of spirituality: THE INNER STRUCTURE OF TAI CHI: MASTERING THE CLASSIC FORMS OF TAI CHI CHI KUNG covers both movements and their links to the spiritual forces in life, covering both physical and psychological aspects of tai chi in a revealing manual.
Spirit of Islamic Law
Bernard G. Weiss
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Athens, GA, 30602-4901
0820328278 $22.95 1-800-266-5842 www.ugapres.org
Muslim legal science is a science connected to yet separate from Islamic faith, and THE SPIRIT OF ISLAMIC LAW delves into these connections and differences, examining the main features of Muslim jurisdiction and law, divine texts which are used as legal foundations, interpretations in the attempt to capture the devine as it relates to legal matters, and more. Author Bernard Weiss is a professor of Arabic and Islamic studies at the University of Utah: his treatise is both detailed yet accessible to college-level readers studying Islamic traditions. The history of how such laws were formulated makes for an involving read.
From Enslavement to Environmentalism
David Mcdermott Hughes
University of Washington Press
PO Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145
0295985909 $50.00 www.washington.edu/uwpress
Ecodevelopment on the Zimbabwe-Mozambique border area takes on social, political and cultural challenges and David Hughes argues here that European colonization in Southern Africa has attempted to reshape the area into another Western entity, changing culture and politics in its efforts, which continue to modern day. Using a natural experiment in the region as an example, Hughes chronicles evolving politics in the region in an area where tourism firms were allowed to claim peasant farmlands: chapters delve into anthropology, development policy and cultural challenges in the course of exploring causes and effects.
Encyclopedia of World Geography
R.W. McColl
Facts on File
132 W. 31st St., 17th Floor, New York NY 10001
0816057869 $250.00 www.factsonfile.com
Grades 9 and up including well into college grades and of course public libraries will appreciate this fine 3-volume reference which offers a comprehensive guide to the history and practice of geography. Over seven hundred entries describe pioneers in geography and mapmaking, regions, tools, and terminology of cartography, including hundreds of maps and photos. No singular effort, this: some 100 scholars and experts in geography contribute entries to a reference which provides definitions, data, and lengthy entries rather than short pieces. An excellent reference which promises both wide accessibility and lasting, relevant information in a highly readable set.
Honor: A History
James Bowman
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 400, New York NY 10003-1239
1594031428 $25.95 ww.encounterbooks.com
HONOR could've been featured in our History Shelf area, but is reviewed here for its broader interest to not just history buffs but fans of philosophy and social science. James Bowman, who's written for Wall Street Journal and is currently a resident scholar at the Ethics and Public Policy Institute, describes how the Western honor system is manifested in our society, how it always differed from concepts in other parts of the world, and where its roots lie. From early records of civilization and ideas of honor to hoe the ideal evolved through the centuries up to modern times, Bowman's document covers the evolution of values and its tests in modern times.
Gas Turbine Handbook, 3rd Edition
Tony Giampaolom MSME, PE
Fairmont Press/Taylor & Francis
6000 Broken Sound Parkway, #300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
0849390567 $109.95 www.crcpress.com
The updated third edition of GAS TURBINE HANDBOOK: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES provides all the fundamental mechanical details any need to understand the operation and application of all kinds of gas turbines. Hardware, typical applications, parameters, controls, troubleshooting it's all covered in an edition which sports a new chapter on microturbines and new case studies. The author has over thirty years of experience in installing, operating and maintaining equipment and controls for both on- and off-shore environments, is a registered engineers in different states, and has written many articles for technical journals. You just can't get more authoritative or any clearer than this.
Pulse
Robert Frenay
Farrar Straus Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York NY 10003
0374113270 $30.00 www.fsgbooks.com
Can genes challenge machines? Author Robert Frenay is a former contributing editor of Audubon magazine and in PULSE: THE COMING OF AGE OF SYSTEMS AND MACHINES INSPIRED BY LIVING THINGS, he charts the shift from machines to biology bolstered by computers: a type of 'new biology' in which human systems and machines meld to form new possibilities. From robotics to materials science he considers industrial ecosystems in which waste products from manufacturing become the new materials for another endeavor, considering the changing relationships between mechanism and biology in the process. Supporting these observations and contentions is a history of such relationships and their changes, areas in which biology can be seen at work, interviews with scientists and researchers, and observations of mechanisms actually produced which support his positive visions of future industrial endeavors. His single idea comes from a researcher's perspective and reflects on the cultural philosophy and pressures shaping technological change.
Developing Thinking in Statistics
Alan Graham
Open University/Sage Publications
12455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks CA 91320
1412911672 $35.95 www.sagepublications.com
College-level students of statistics will appreciate this guide for both teachers and students alike, which is aimed to both, exploring key themes in statistics using approaches cultivated by the Open University's Centre for Mathematics education. From themes of measurement and uncertainty to reinforcing tasks relating to common usage, DEVELOPING THINKING IN STATISTICS comes packed with examples, tasks, diagrams, charts and more.
The Reagan Imprint
John Arquilla
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted Street, Chicago, IL 60622-2694
1566636787 $26.00 www.ivanrdee.com
The common view of Reagan is that he did little thinking about major policy issues: not so, maintains professor of defense analysis John Arquilla in THE REAGAN IMPRINT: IDEAS IN AMERICAN FOREIGN POLICY FROM THE COLLAPSE OF COMMUNISM TO THE WAR ON TERROR. In fact, President Reagan saw the existing effort to contain the Soviet expansion as too defensive in nature, and replaced it with a program that helped others free themselves from Soviet rule. His ideas and approach contributed to the collapse of Communism: THE REAGAN IMPRINT charts this changing political policy and its wide-ranging impact today.
Does Measurement Measure Up?
John M. Henshaw
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
080188375X $26.95 www.press.jhu.edu
DOES MEASUREMENT MEASURE UP? HOW NUMBERS REVEAL & CONCEAL THE TRUTH should be required reading for any serious high school to college-level course in math or statistics: it discusses different forms of measurement, how they're translated in society, and where they fail. From intelligence measuring to measurement of environment hazards and sports, chapters discuss yesterday's records, today's measurement systems, and areas for foggy interpretation of results.
The Computer Shelf
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com
More and more computer users are learning about Flickr, the online storage and sharing site for photos: to make the most of it, though, you need FLICKR HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR SHARING PHOTOS ONLINE by Paul Bausch & Jim Bumgardner (0596102453, $24.99). Don't expect a basic primer on just how to upload and store photo files: learn advanced techniques here, from posting photos from blog from cameraphone to creating custom mosaics with personal and public images, backing up a Flickr library to a desktop, and downloading photo lists. A 'must' reference for any Flickr user. Randal L. Schwartz, et.al.'s INTERMEDIATE PERL (0596102062, $39.99) tells how to become a Perl programmer by using it was a programming language, not just for its scripting abilities. Perl is used in a range of environments, but this book provides an introduction to its intermediate programming applications, picking up from where the authors' LEARNING PERL left off to continue the education on writing and using Perl code and modules. To make it easy, each chapter of the book is short enough to be read over in an hour or two, ends with reinforcing exercises, and uses LEARNING PERL as its foundation. A top pick for any serious about Perl's advanced capabilities. Stephanie Faroult's THE ART OF SQL (0596008945, $44.99) provides not your usual theory but an applications-oriented survey which tackles real-life problems database pros are likely to encounter. By looking at database design as a preparation for a military campaign, program design as strategy, and database access as tactile engagement of the enemy, an unusual hands-on scenario is created and nurtured to help users think beyond SQL statements and issues. A wonderful guide designers will most appreciate. Sarah Milstein's second edition of GOOGLE: THE MISSING MANUAL (0596100191, $24.99) covers all the latest search techniques, tricks, new Google tools, little-known areas of Goggle which are often missed, and more. From Gmail's free services to webmastering with Google, installing toolbars and more, GOOGLE: THE MISSING MANUAL is packed with all the basics. Bruce W. Perry's AJAX HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR CREATING RESPONSIVE WEB SITES (0596101694, $29.99) is for those with some Ajax under their belts, who want to enhance a web site with more features. Ajax is built on established technology and advocates a Windows-type design look. You'll learn how to enhance HTML forms with it, customize them, incorporate Google maps and create applications. Or try Brett McLaughlin's HEAD RUSH AJAX (0596102259, $39.99) for a rich set of insights into the Ajax environment. The 'Head Rush' books are designed to use plenty of visuals linked to how the brain perceives: chapters packed with black and white photos, screen shots, and charts emphasize the dynamic possibilities and how to achieve them with Ajax, avoiding clunky web applications in favor of a responsive desktop-like environment. The 4th updated edition of J.D. Biersdorfer's IPOD & ITUNES: THE MISSING MANUAL (059652675X, $24.99) is edited by David Pogue and teaches how to make the most of the multimedia capabilities of iPod and iTunes environments. Use iPod as a video player, as a photo column, and even as a PalmPilot, or play songs across a network with iTunes. If you own either program, you can't be without this latest edition which covers all the basics of tweaking and fine-tuning. E.A. Vandeer Veer's FLASH 8: THE MISSING MANUAL (0596101376, $34.99) covers a program which is complicated and potentially easy to misuse. This title truly should've been in the box: it simplifies explanations on Flash interfaces, tools and panels, it covers the basics of concepts behind its animation options, and it provides tips on using templates and reusable elements to streamline repeated operations. You can't go wrong here.
John Wiley & Sons
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
www.wiley.com
Catherine Jamieson's CREATE YOUR OWN PHOTO BLOG (0471767743, $24.99) finally provides a general title to sharing photos, rather than a program-oriented focus. From evaluating web hosting options, pros and cons to designing a blog to incorporate photos, selecting photos which work best on the web, and creating a site to public photos from a group or organization, any interested in photo sharing online will quickly consider CREATE YOUR OWN PHOTO BLOG an essential reference. Michael S. Toot and Derek Torres' THE UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO WINDOWS XP (0471763209, $18.99) is for any who want a blend of expert advice and tips on how to get the most out of Windows XP Service Pack 2 and XP as a whole. From customizing the desktop and managing files to avoiding common Windows quirks and problems, enjoy a title packed with sidebars of information, tables, illustrations and flagged topics. Alanna Spence's UNOFFICIAL GUIDE TO PHOTOSHOP CS2 (0471763225, $18.99) is also a wonderful recommendation for those who want more than the official guide. Get the best quality from images, use paths, layers and masks to embellish, and understand how to change the viewing percentage and increase productivity. Black and white photo examples, screen shots throughout, and clear instructions on how to resize, adjust, and manipulate images makes for a winning reference. Any owner or would-be owner of Max8 will want 3DS MAX 8 BIBLE by Kelly Murdock (0471786187, $49.99): and a bible it is, holding some 1,200 plus pages packed with coverage, from introductory chapters which include a Quick Start tutorial to instructions detailing how to create complex characters with Max's new biped features, using the expanded Edit Poly option to work with Edge Ring, making textures with the new Pelt method and much more. A bonus DVD packs in a selection of 3D models and textures, plus more Max files and examples. If there's anything to be learned from Max 8, you'll find it here! Kevin D. Mitnick and William L. Simon's THE ART OF INTRUSION (0471782661, $16.95) tells stories of true computer crimes, presenting both information on such times and entertainment. From the great Texas Prison Hack to bank security issues, penetrating testing, hacking a hotel system and more, THE ART OF INTRUSION: THE REAL STORIES BEHIND THE EXPLOITS OF HACKERS, INTRUDERS & DECEIVERS shouldn't be missed. Joe Merlino's LINUX SOLUTIONS (0471777692, $29.99) comes with added value: the PC Magazine tag, which is a respected figure of authority in the computer world. Buy this book and you get details on the differences in various Linux distributions, installation instructions for novices, tips on its unique terminal and desktop options, tips on backing up data and adding and removing software, security concerns and more. Yes, the disc comes with it. Yes, you can't be without this. The third updated edition of CREATING WEB PAGES WITH HTML SIMPLIFIED (0471786470, $24.99) is the novice HTML user's dream: its purpose is to simplify the process of understanding HTML, avoiding weighty references and programmer-oriented lingo in favor of color screen shot examples and even a friendly color 'cartoon' character who explains how to translate easy objectives into HTML. If only one beginner's guide on the topic were to be chosen, it should be this powerful, color visual approach.
Apress
2560 9th Street, #219, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.apress.com
If you're looking at a programming career, consider the second updated edition of Christopher Duncan's THE CAREER PROGRAMMER (1590596242, $29.99): it tells how to manage such a career, from understanding how corporate rules influence programming decisions to the uncertainties of the global marketplace. Quality in software production and job success aren't mutually exclusive goals: THE CAREER PROGRAMMER: GUERILLA TACTICS FOR AN IMPERFECT WORLD shows how to master the non-coding skills which will further the programmer's career objectives. Debra Dalgleish's EXCEL PIVOT TABLES RECIPE BOOK: A PROBLEM-SOLUTION APPROACH (1590596293, $34.99) provides a complete guide to pivot tables in Excel which helps users hone skills. A basic understanding of Pivot Tables is assumed in a recipe book which uses problems and solutions as the format for summarizing and manipulating data. From extracting data from a pivot table to use in a worksheet to printing a copy of the table for each item in the page field or using multiple workbooks, here is the item of choice for any advanced Excel user who seeks recipes for pivot table success. Keir Thomas' BEGINNING UBUNTU LINUX: FROM NOVICE TO PROFESSIONAL (1590596277, $39.99) covers Ubuntu, responsible for producing user-friendly versions of Linux even newcomers can readily absorb. Ubuntu is a fine desktop tool which can be use to configure audios, videos, and images. It can be used to streamline Linux operations and settings, and BEGINNING UBUNTU LINUX assumes no prior knowledge of Linux as it tells how. Elke Phelps and Paul Jackson's ORACLE APPLICATIONS DBA FIELD GUIDE (1590596447, $34.99) provides Oracle professionals with an guide to effectively managing Oracle Applications through a deeper understanding of its structure and purpose. Daily tasks are treated to time-proven tips for best practices, providing info culled from years of work in the field and covering Oracle's latest release. Administrators and managers as well as more advanced users will find plenty of hard facts for administering Oracle Applications in a work environment, but it's also quite portable and not the weighty tome you'd expect from such a survey, making ORACLE APPLICATIONS DBA FIELD GUIDE the perfect desktop reference.
The Future of Memories
Dane M. Howard
Peachpit Press
1249 8th Street, Berkeley, VA 94710
0321383990 $34.99 www.peachpit.com
THE FUTURE OF MEMORIES: SHARING MOMENTS WITH PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS AND DIGITAL CAMERAS is for anyone with a passion for digital photography and a willingness to learn Photoshop Elements. Acknowledging that great images don't necessarily equal to great stories. Dane Howard uses his years of professional experience to show how new technology can bring these photos to life. It's the story which should dictate the process, not the image: THE FUTURE OF MEMORIES tells how to pair both, how to organize images to tell the tale, set up shots, and more. Examples and coverage of all modern photo-sharing media, from photoblogs to mobile devices, set FUTURE OF MEMORIES apart from others.
Syngress Publishing
800 Hingham St., Rockland, MA 02370
www.syngress.com
Advanced network managers and programmers alike will find these excellent guides. James C. Foster & Vincent Liu's WRITING SECURITY TOOLS AND EXPLOITS (1597499978, $49.95) teaches how to write security tools where other books focus on how to use them. Code designers receive a weighty and clear set of instructions which not only includes tips on how exploits were developed and how code becomes vulnerable, but how to write to anticipate and plug the next perceived vulnerability. From understanding and writing shellcode to using format strings, Nessus code and more, WRITING SECURITY TOOLS AND EXPLOITS is a guide no code programmer can live without. Jacob Babbin, et. al.'s SECURITY LOG MANAGEMENT: IDENTIFYING PATTERNS IN THE CHAOS (1597470423, $49.95) tells how to cruise the log of network traffic to gain the information buried under the mound of useless entries. (Log files are cumbersome and difficult, but IDS reporting, firewall reporting, network device reporting and even ESM deployments can be understood and easily manipulated once patterns are understood. SECURITY LOG MANAGEMENT is all about understanding these patterns. PERFECT PASSWORDS: SELECTION, PROTECTION, AUTHENTICATION by Mark Burnett and Dave Kleiman (1597490415, $24.95) tells how to create more secure password policies which baffle bad guys but not users. It's the job of administrators to secure networks but the reality is that users can lose passwords, or admins face hackers trying to crack them. PERFECT PASSWORDS comes from one who has accumulated and analyzed more than 4 million user passwords, discovering in the process what works, what doesn't, and what's too obvious.
Cisco Systems
800 E. 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
www.ciscopress.com
Advanced network students will find plenty of technical reinforcement for studies with Wendell Odom & Tom Knott's NETWORKING BASICS: CCNA 1 COMPANION GUIDE (1587131641) . It's the only authorized companion for the Cisco Networking Academy Program and so will be used as a classroom resource, supplementing the textbook on the course and rewriting the Companion Guide's original with new material to meld with the online course content. All course topics are covered with more examples and alternative approaches on the topics. From updated key terms and glossary references to new questions and activities similar to the CCNA exam questions for extra practice, this is the item of choice for any tackling the overall course. Silvano da Ros' CONTENT NETWORKING FUNDAMENTALS (1587052407, $55.00) covers content networking, the technology used to enhance network and application performance. End users have demanded richer content and lowered response times: this has led to a huge expansion of the field. CONTENT NETWORK FUNDAMENTALS reviews protocols, offers lessons in interconnection layering, uses examples from real-life situations to illustrate advanced concepts, and provides a valuable set of lessons. At the conclusion, readers will have learned how to effectively design and work with content networks.
Pragmatic
www.pragmaticprogrammers.com
Use James Edward Gray II's Best of Ruby Quiz (0976694077 $29.95) to hone software development skills with a practice book geared to the author's popular Ruby Talk mailing list. Over twenty of the best challenges from the first year have been expanded in the book form BEST OF RUBY QUIZ, offering problem statements and worked solutions which teach the basics of development as applied to real-world concerns. Each problem receives code analysis for strengths and weaknesses, and insights on how to produce better code using Ruby. From optimization choice pros and cons to troubleshooting, BEST OF RUBY QUIZ provides outstanding insights. Venkat Subramanian and Andy Hunt's PRACTICES OF AN AGILE DEVELOPER (097451408X, $29.95) covers the basics of adapting software to real-world applications. More than your usual developer's guide, it gathers the personal habits, ideas and approaches of successful agile software developers and condenses them into short digests of information, making it easy to quickly browse for ideas or answers. Each practice also receives insights on shortcuts that don't work showing common failures and why they happen. This alone would make PRACTICES OF AN AGILE DEVELOPER worth any price the digests are packed with insight.
Logic Pro Tips and Tricks
Stephen Bennett
PC Publishing
11005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472
1870775333 $14.95 www.pc-publishing.com
Logic 7 Pro and Express users will find an excellent companion to the program in LOGIC PRO TIPS AND TRICKS, a guide to the powerful Apple Logic program which can be difficult at best. The tips and tricks address these frustrations, showing how to get the most from recording, editing and mixing using the program and no prior knowledge is assumed. Chapters begin with the basics of successful software setup and optimization and move to workflow management, typical tasks, and the program's hidden functions.
Blogs, Wikis, Podcasts and Other Powerful Web Tools For Classrooms
Will Richardson
Corwin Press
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
1412927676 $27.95 www.corwinpress.com
Blogs are easily created updateable websites, a wiki is a collaborative web space where all can add and edit content, and podcasts are another publishing tool that offers rich access to further content. Learn how to integrate these and others into classroom work in a rare guide, BLOGS, WIKIS, PODCASTS, AND OTHER POWERFUL WEB TOOLS FOR CLASSROOMS, which demonstrates how these lend to new learning opportunities. From feeding specific content from web to classroom to social bookmarking, archiving web addresses and using online photo galleries, teachers need little specialized knowledge to make classroom technology work when they use this guide.
Sybex
c/o Wiley
989 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
1-800-227-2346 www.sybex.com
Photographers know how important and frustrating it can be to manage color property and to get the most accurate or desired colors from shots. The new edition of Tim Grey's Color Confidence (0471786160 $39.99), the first practical guide on color management, shows digital photographers how to get the desired results every time; from understanding how color works across camera settings, monitors and printers to using the latest edition of Photoshop and calibration to adjusting levels and solving common saturation issues. A 'must' for any photographer serious about color management. Michael McKinley's THE GAME ARTIST'S GUIDE TO MAYA (0782143768, $39.99) is for professional game writers who want discussions and tutorials geared to learning all aspects of modeling, texturing, rigging and special effects. Learn how to create models using a concept image, take it through the development process, and practice techniques for animation and special effects with a step-by-step book and cd featuring a fully functioning version of the Maya Personal Learning Edition 6. A top pick for aspiring pros.
Thomson Delmar Learning
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
www.charlesriver.com
Game programmers will want these fine titles if they're to enjoy successful programming. For the basics, choose Nanu Swamy and Naveena Swamy's BASIC GAME DESIGN AND CREATION FOR FUN & LEARNING (1584504463, $39.95), which amazingly requires no prior programming skills to prove inviting. If you're a game player who wants to try making a game, a teacher who wants to encourage kids to learn, or a novice of any time BASIC GAME DESIGN AND CREATION FOR FUN AND LEARNING is for you: it pairs routines to real-life examples to explain both beginning and advanced concepts, it uses an easy step-by-step format to get up to speed quickly, and covers 2D games using the popular game development software Game Maker 6.1. Next, go for Michael Dickheiser's GAME PROGRAMMING GEMS 6 (1584504501, $69.95): it's the sixth volume of the game Programming Gems' series and covers the latest generation of game resources and provides a volume packed with new articles some 50 in all written by experts in game technology from over twenty countries. From introductory topics for novices to advanced scripting and data-driven systems, articles provide formulas, technical discussions, and specifics on the latest game development programs, techniques, and trends. Steve Rabin edits A1 GAME PROGRAMMING WISDOM 3 (1584504579, $69.95), an advanced gamer's look at the latest AI technology used by industry pros in the most popular games on the market. Over fifty contributors provide articles which are packed with tips, insights on pitfalls, algorithms, and more, offering programmers more ideas for expanding AI functions in the gaming environment. Some of the more advanced discussions by experts are unparalleled in the industry. Adam Watkins' INTRODUCTION TO 3D GRAPHICS & ANIMATION USING MAYA (1584504854, $49.95) is written for designers and modelers and newcomers to 3D graphics alike, offering a set of tutorials on the techniques and theory behind modeling. Information is imparted through a series of hands-on tutorials which demonstrate the ideas of 3D graphics and show how they differ in the Maya environment. The introduction is an easy survey of how Maya's power translates to animation effects. Ashley Shepherd's PLUG-IN POWER! THE COMPREHENSIVE DSP GUIDE (1592009530, $34.99) is for any who would understand how to work with audio plug-ins and how to expand upon them. In-depth details on the plug-ins used daily in audio software, digital consoles and digital processors will especially appeal to intermediate music technology users who work with basic plug-ins but want to learn more. From tweaking for optimum sounds for hard rock mixes and more to understanding underlying theory and real-world applications, PLUG IN POWER is toted for beginner-advanced users but requires some basic background for optimum ease of use. Marc Schonbrun's DIGITAL GUITAR POWER: THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE (1592009328, $34.99) covers digital guitar for beginning to advanced audiences, but will prove especially accessible to musicians who already have computer knowledge at hand on digital options and use. Plug-ins for music can now emulate popular amplifiers and effects, and musicians can access synthesizer and other special effects directly from the guitar using MIDI technology and this book. Learn how to use it effectively with DIGITAL GUITAR POWER's chapters on all the options and pros and cons of picks. Matt Donner's PRO TOOLS 7 OVERDRIVE! EXPECT QUICK TIPS (1598630083, $39.99) is for experienced Pro Tools users who want to go to the next level. Advanced tips and screenshots outline the advanced Pro Tools functions possible, from plug-in tweaking and creating higher-quality mixes to using surround mixes and more. Author Donner has been using Pro Tools since before Digidesign owned it, using it on both records and films. He's one of the only Certified Pro Tools instructors in San Francisco, too: his book packs in tips you won't find anyplace else. Colin MacQueen and Steve Albanese's PRO TOOLS 7 POWER! THE COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE (1598630067, $39.99) compares well with and compliments PRO TOOLS 7 OVERDRIVE: intermediate to advanced users will get the most out of the program with its keyboard shortcut discussions, surveys on setting up a system to edit, mix, and use MIDI, and more. A companion CD-ROM includes over 60 minutes of interactive movie tutorials covering key concepts and the new features of Pro Tools 7. Racid Manseur's ROBOT MODELING AND KINEMATICS (1584508515, $49.95) teaches the basics of robotics using visualization software and computer tools to illustrate. College-level courses or serious young robotics students will find here a study of the mathematical descriptions, equations describing motion, and robotic arm modeling essential to robot manipulations. A highly recommended college-level coursebook results. These are all outstanding guides.
Visual Basic 2005 Express: Now Playing
Wallace Wang
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro, #250, San Francisco CA 94107
1593270593 $29.95 www.nostarch.com
VISUAL BASIC 2005 EXPRESS isn't just for advanced programmers: it's designed to make Windows programming easy for both novices and software developers, providing a primer on general principles behind programming and explaining how to use the Visual Basic Express program. All the basics are presented in a fine package which includes code examples to use and modify and movies that demonstrate the tasks, plus a full version of MS Visual Basic 2005 Express. Little else is needed to learn the program!
New Riders
1249 8th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.newriders.com
David Conger's CREATING GAMES IN C++: A STEP BY STEP GUIDE (0735714347, $29.99) is for any who love video games and wants to create something special. Contrary to common belief, you don't need to be a math whiz or programming genius; you just need this book and its accompanying cd-rom. From the most basic concepts of creating a game with C++ to understanding game structure and blending in sound, music and special effects, sample programs and source code paves the road to learning. Adam Greenfield's EVERYWARE: THE DAWNING AGE OF UBIQUITOUS COMPUTING (0321384016, $29.99) covers smart buildings, smart furniture, smart clothing and more: items which use RFID tags embedded in everything. All these are parts of the 'ubiquitous computing' new world, which is here explained. 'Everyware' is quietly changing our very lives, so it's important to learn all its facets, its effects on communities and its wide-ranging possibilities. Since few other coverages go into such detail, EVERYWARE stands alone as the first real in-depth coverage of a growing facet of everyday life.
Blogwild!
Andy Wibbels
Portfolio/Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014-3657
1591841178 $19.95 www.penguin.com
BLOGWILD! A GUIDE FOR SMALL BUSINESS BLOGGING could easily have been featured in our Business Books section, but is reviewed here for its wonderfully simple directions to blogging for newcomers as well. Andy Wibbels is an award-winning blogger who has helped hundreds of companies use blogging for business advantage: from understanding what differentiates a blog from a discussion group to creating and growing a blog online from roots on up, BLOGWILD reaches out to any who want to learn about the blog world.
The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Giant Lizards from Another Star
Ken MacLeod
Nesfa Press
PO Box 809, Framingham, MA 01701
1886778620 $25.00 www.nesfaparess.com
Ken MacLeod's a powerful hard science fiction writer who applied the techniques of Hal Clement to cyperpunk ideas: GIANT LIZARDS FROM ANOTHER STAR gathers his well known novellas 'Cyndonia' and 'The Human Front' under one cover and adds four short stories, poems convention reports, essays and more shorter pieces to round out the presentation. While many of these have been published in smaller magazines, most will be new even to MacLeod fans, and provide a comprehensive representation of his many talented works under one cover. A 'must' for any MacLeod fan or hard science fiction fan.
The Empire of Ice Cream
Jeffrey Ford
Golden Gryphon
3002 Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802
1930846398 $24.95 www.goldengryphon.com
In 2002 Jeffrey Ford's first science fiction collection received much critical acclaim; here's his second, THE EMPIRE OF ICE CREAM, to provide a wonderful set of short stories diverse in subject and nearly surreal in description. Indeed, it's Ford's lovely turns of phrase which keep images solid in mind and lend to his whimsical, detailed story of very different lives, from the boatman of Hell who decides to go on vacation to the story of a young boy's coming of age in a town trying to live with perceived violence.
Baen Books
PO Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
www.baen.com
John Ringo's KILDAR (1416520643, $26.00) tells of Mark Harmon, who always wanted to be a SEAL but having angered every terrorist on Earth, decides to buy a farm in a third world country. His time-traveling adventures aren't over with home ownership however: His attempt to drag some Keldara peasants into the 21st century before the Chechen put them back in the 6th is complicated by romance, danger, and good beer. A fun, fast-paced adventure typical of John Ringo's forte evolves. Eric Flint's BOUNDARY is co-written with Ryk E. Spoor (1416509321, $26.00) and combines dinosaurs, time travel and deep space in a wonderful blend of fun and intrigue. A teen's find of a 'funny fossil' nobody's seen before in the Montana badlands lends to high drama and a paleontologist's journey to Mars for answers in this vivid drama combining past and future. Eric Flint's GRANTVILLE GAZETTE II (1416520511, $25.00) provides sequels to Flint's sensational 1632, edited and created by Flint. From the story of the town's journey from 20th century West Virginia to 18th century Europe during the middle of the Thirty years War to a tale of Indian future rulers who send an ambassador to Grantville, and a new government's medical school despite resistance from all manners of time traveler, short stories and novels contributed by a range of writers receive Flint's leadership and build on his fine alternate history theme.
River of Gods
Ian McDonald
Pyr
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591024366 $25.00 www.pyrsf.com
It's 2047 the hundredth birthday of India and six very different people, from a gangster and copy to a set designer, a scientist and a dropout, will find their lives entwined in a country set to see its greatest change yet. Social issues blend with futuristic concerns in a weighty novel which uses India's culture and past to build an engrossing story of a nation's uncertain future in a techo world facing extreme shock and changes.
Anansi Boys
Neil Gaiman
William Morrow
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
006051518X $26.95 www.harpercollins.com
Charlie Nancy can't shake the name 'Fat Charlie', which his departed father bestowed upon him nor his other unwelcome gifts: a good-looking stranger who might be his brother, and the discovery his father was really Anansi, a trickster god embodying the spirit of rebellion. Taking up where AMERICAN GODS left off, Gaiman returns a new novel of intrigue, fantasy and a light touch of humor to provide a read both adults and young adults will find compelling and vivid.
The Thirteenth House
Sharon Shinn
Ace/Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
0441013686 $24.95 www.penguin.com
The first book of the "Twelve Houses' introduced the land of Gillengaria: readers familiar with that novel and its warm yet troubled country will relish a return to the scene in THE THIRTEENTH HOUSE, a story in which Kirra returns to her home to learn her half sister has been proclaimed heir to the land and refuses to assume many of the duties associated with her new role. When Kirra attempts to use her shape-shifting talents to take her sister's place to keep up appearances, she unexpectedly connects with old companions and faces new dangers in her new guise and falls in love.
Futureshocks
Lou Anders, Editor
ROC/NAL/Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
0451460650 $14.95 www.penguin.com
Lou Anders oversaw the fine anthology LIVE WITHOUT A NET: his latest compilation, FUTURESHOCKS, gathers new science fiction and horror stories which have roots in biological, technological and sociological change and feature works by seasoned authors, from Paul Di Fillipo and Mike Resnick to Harry Turtledove and Louise Marley. Any who enjoy speculating about the future's dangers will relish a collection which gathers engrossing stories of future dangers.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Dana Press
745 5th Avenue, #900, New York, NY 10151
www.dana.org
Dana's focus is on brain health, and two very important surveys on the topic are recommended picks for any concerned with neuroscience, psychology and brain matters. Nancy C, Andreasen, MD, Ph.D.'s THE CREATING BRAIN: THE NEUROSCIENCE OF GENIUS (1932594078, $23.95) considers the roots of creativity, drawing important links between creativity and the brain. Andreasen is a professor of psychiatry and winner of the National Medal of Science, but her book is most accessible to lay readers, exploring just how the brain achieves creative breakthroughs, whether it be in art, music or science, and adding insights into the role of genetics, environment, and mental health. An intriguing survey. Michael S. Gazzaniga's THE ETHICAL BRAIN (1932594019, $25) discusses normal brain aging, longevity, genetic intervention and other medical processes which challenge ethics on both the individual and social levels. Neuroscience's findings are presenting increasing ethical dilemmas for physicians and consumers alike: Dr. Gazzaniga examines different issues and challenges which complicate matters of science and health: essential reading, especially for college-level medical students.
Engaging Autism
Stanley Greenspan MD & Srena Wieder, Ph.D.
DaCapo Press/Perseus Publishing Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0738210285 $26.95 www.dacapopress.com
The Floortime approach is the foundation of understanding how kids relate and communicate -and the basis for engaging all types of ASD, from Asperger's Syndrome to autistic kids. The approach is Dr. Greenspan's unique creation so there's no better expert on the subject as he offers parents and pros an option for using the Floortime program to realize a child's complete potential regardless of symptoms. The latest brain research supports his program, which shows that kids of all ages can achieve against previously-held odds against them.
My Office is Killing Me!
Jeffrey C. May
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
0801883423 $18.95 www.press.jhu.edu
Bacteria and mold may lurk in office carpets, the heating system, and other places causing allergy and asthma symptoms, while vapors emitted by furniture and equipment add other symptoms. Other books focus on the home; finally here's a book to focus on the place adults spend most of their daily lives, the office. From ventilation systems or the lack thereof to breeding grounds for germs, MY OFFICE IS KILLING ME! THE SICK BUILDING SURVIVAL GUIDE doesn't just help identify problems; it tells what to do about them.
China Syndrome
Karl Taro Greenfeld
HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10022-5299
0060587229 $25.95 www.harpercollins.com
It will begin slowly and move quickly, and it holds the potential for changing world powers, politics, and lives in an instant. The subject is the source and warning signs of the next pandemic, and the methodology of its spread is the focus of CHINA SYNDROME: THE TRUE STORY OF THE 21ST CENTURY'S FIRST GREAT EPIDEMIC. Greenfeld was living and working in Hong Kong during the SARS outbreak: his projections uses the SARS experience show how modern societies are likely to react to an infectious disease, offering a blueprint for how an epidemic starts in a frightening survey of future health concerns.
New Genetics
J.S. Kidd & Renee A. Kidd
Chelsea House
132 W. 31st Street, New York NY 10001
0816056048 $35.00 www.chelseahouse.com
The revised edition of the 1999 classic NEW GENETICS: THE STUDY OF LIFELINES adds to the 'Science and Society' series and could have been featured in our children's issue under young adult books; but is featured here because many a public library or adult collection will want it, too. NEW GENETICS provides a fine review of the impact modern genetic research and molecular biology have on society, blending a history of the evolution of genetics as a part of biological science to its stand-alone importance today. From recent genetic discoveries which offer many promising avenues to how recent discoveries improve society, NEW GENETICS is a pick for any serious health or science library.
Biomedicalization of Alcohol Studies
Lorraine T. Midanik
Transaction Books
390 Campus Drive, Somerset, NJ 08873
0202308359 $39.95 www.transactionpub.com
College-level health holdings will welcome BIOMEDICALIZATION OF ALCOHOL STUDIES: IDEOLOGICAL SHIFTS AND INSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGES. It covers the science and assumptions of risk assessment and treatment, covering the controversial issues surrounding the biomedicalization of alcohol studies and describing, critiquing and assessing its influence as a social trend in the health field. Casual holdings will find it too technical but dedicated health and psychology collection will find it just the ticket, covering in detail a most controversial new discipline.
W.W. Norton
500 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
Any involved in the mental health industry will find useful and inspiring Dr. Robert Hill's POSITIVE AGING: A GUIDE FOR MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONALS AND CONSUMERS (039370453X $27.95). Aging has changed as the Boomers age: what used to be considered inevitable side-effects, from senility to pain and disability, are certain no longer. Psychologist and geriatric care researcher Robert Hill here offers a new set of thoughts with which to understand the nature of aging, focusing on a positive mind-set and new trends in aging management. Even lay readers will find this holds much hope for an aging population. Robert Scaer's THE TRAUMA SPECTRUM: HIDDEN WOUNDS AND HUMAN RESILIENCY (0393704661, $32.00) comes from a neurologist who's written a book fundamental to understanding the nature of posttraumatic stress and its nature. The author has over 30 years experience working with car accident victims: his practice goes beyond just discussing medical treatments, showing how trauma both singular and recurring provides a continuum of negative life events which accumulate to shape and reshape human reaction and values themselves. His connections to brain-mind-body functioning and the scars of trauma shows how even common events can have a traumatic effect in that they are life-altering. A powerful documentation of the wider-reaching nature of trauma than medical science would usually posit.
Yellow Fever
James I. Dickerson
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591023998 $25.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
YELLOW FEVER: A DEADLY DISEASE POISED TO KILL AGAIN poses a wake-up call in providing not just a history of a bygone threat, but discussion of how it's a prime candidate for use as a biological weapon and prime for re-emergence in the face of global warming. These two threats alone make YELLOW FEVER more than just a survey of the past, providing it an immediacy and importance which justifies the author's focus. A vivid narrative traces its emergence and impact from the late 18th to the early 20th century, describing attempts to contain and eliminate the disease and adding important chapters which consider how it can be used by terrorists today and how it might come back on its own. A 'must' for any serious public or school library health collection.
Johns Hopkins Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4319
www.press.jhu.edu
Over 100,000 copies have been sold of Francis Mark Mondimore, MD's BIPOLAR DISORDER (0801883148 $18.85): so what sets it apart from the many books on the market covering the disorder? For one, it's directed to patients and families alike and offers many coping tips. Much has changed since the book's original publication since 1999 and the second revised edition of BIPOLAR DISORDER has been thoroughly updated to reflect these changes, from new research results and medical treatments to new options for diagnosis and bipolar's genetic implications. From seasonal fluctuations to problems in diagnosis and stability, BIPOLAR DISORDER: A GUIDE FOR PATIENTS AND FAMILIES always keeps the human element of patient and family interactions at its center and that's what makes it special. Patrice Bourdelais' EPIDEMICS LAID LOW: A HISTORY OF WHAT HAPPENED IN RICH COUNTRIES (080188294X, $42.00) charts the history and progress of diseases which have devastated mankind from the Middle Ages to modern times. From the economics of plague treatments and differences in class and social experience to reform movements sparked by epidemics, EPIDEMICS LAID LOW traces the battles, concepts, and theories which influenced treatment courses and who survived. Their social consequences have lasting effects into modern times, making this an important acquisition for college-level social science collections as well as health collections.
Ginseng Dreams
Kristin Johannsen
University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
0813123844 $24.95 www.kentuckypress.com
The use and influence of ginseng in the lives of seven who have invested their lives and money in its promise is documented in a history which blends botany and economics under one cover. Ginseng is consumed by hundreds of millions in Asia daily and commands a hefty price, but despite its high selling price, the future of American ginseng is uncertain threatened by environmental problems. Seven personal stories are used to illustrate ginseng's problems and potentials.
Your Inner Pharmacy
Dr. Robert Blaich
Beyond Words
20827 N.W. Cornell, Suite 500, Hillsboro, OR 97124
1582701458 $19.95 www.beyondwords.com
YOUR INNER PHARMACY: TAKING BACK OUR WELLNESS focuses its attention on the rise of chronic disease, fostered by how we live and how we perceive and treat illness and disorders. YOUR INNER PHARMACY provides a simple message: invest time in learning better habits and simple ways of adjusting routines for maximum health. From learning how food can be a better medicine than prescriptions to creating a healthy plan to stay healthy at sixty-five, seventy-five and beyond, holistic healthcare is applied to daily life and routines for maximum impact.
Crossing Into Medicine Country
David Carson
Arcade Publishing
141 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010
1559707712 $26.00 1-800-759-0190 www.arcadepub.com
David Carson is of Choctaw descent and has studied Native American spirituality since growing up in Oklahoma Indian country, but his latest CROSSING INTO MEDICINE COUNTRY is something more than spiritual reflection. Here he pursues initiation as a ceremonial healer with Choctaw medicine woman Mary Gardener, studying plant and animal forces and human energy manipulation for three years. Health and spirituality blend in a survey of Native teachings and health insights which blends a memoir with a set of special reflections.
A Special Education
Dana Buchman
Da Capo Press/Perseus Publishing Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0738210331 $21.95 www.dacapopress.com
Any family who has struggled with learning disability will readily recognize the issues presented in A SPECIAL EDUCATION: ONE FAMILY'S JOURNEY THROUGH THE MAZE OF LEARNING DISABILITIES. Designer Dana Buchman knew nearly nothing about learning differences when her older daughter Charlotte was diagnosed with a range of disabilities as a toddler. Her struggle to understand the diagnosis, her long journey to aid in Charlotte's development, and Buchman's own struggles with guilt and anxiety make A SPECIAL EDUCATION an intensely personal journey of courage and a closely developing relationship between mother and daughter.
Countdown to Love
David & Tatiana Hinds
Foulsham
Bennetts Close, Chippingham, Slaugh, Berkshire SL1 5AP, UK
0572031491 $18.95 www.foulsham.com www.countdowntolove.com
Why do some relationships work well while others fail? If you wish to prepare in advance to build a loving relationship, COUNTDOWN TO LOVE is the place to begin. Chapters cover the basics of finding an ideal partner for a permanent relationship, from handling guilt, the drive to succeed, and the baggage brought along by others or the past, to learning how to let go of anger and expectations. A fine guide offers guideposts every step of the way.
Medical Marvels
Eugene W. Straus, MD & Alex Straus
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591023734 $28.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
A doctor and a journalist team up to provide a fine survey of the history of medicine, highlighting over a hundred greatest medical advances and emphasizing how committed individuals made advancements happen. There are many names you may not recognize here; from Galen who related the structure of organs to functions to Gertrude Elion's discovery of treatments for leukemia. Were it not for their efforts, we wouldn't have today's medical achievements: MEDICAL MARVELS personalizes the commitment of individuals in an era when medicine is seen as a series of technological breakthroughs alone.
Desk Reference to Nature's Medicine
Steven Foster & Rebecca Johnson
National Geographic Press
1145 17th Street NW, Washington, DC 20036-4688
0792236661 $40.00 www.ngs.org
There are so many herbal books on the market today that one could wonder about the need for yet another, even with the National Geographic branding attached to it promising quality but DESK REFERENCE TO NATURE'S MEDICINE offers something different. It's put together not by a single person but by leading experts in the herbal medicine field, it packs in over 200 color photos, 150 botanical drawings and over 150 maps, and its alphabetical arrangement of therapeutical plants covers not just physical appearance and medicinal properties but geographic distribution, how it's harvested in used, and more. Nine essays provide an overview to world healing traditions while handy sidebars of detail pack in the history and cultural insights, making for a practical manual which is also a superb history.
The MS Workbook
Robert Fraser, Ph.D., et.al.
New Harbinger
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
1572243902 $19.95 www.newbarbinger.com
If you've got multiple sclerosis, you must have this workbook which offers an important set of practical tips for caring for physical and mental health and more. From accommodations in the workplace and handling health insurance issues to spiritual concerns and government and private resources, THE MS WORKBOOK: LIVING FULLY WITH MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS comes from a team of Ph.Ds and a doctor and offers a range of practical tips for all facets of daily living.
101 Tips on Foot Care for People with Diabetes, 2nd Edition
Jessie H. Ahori, Ph.D, et.al.
American Diabetes Association
1701 N. Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
1580402496 $14.95 www.diabetes.org
Any with type 1 or 2 diabetes are prone to poor circulation, nerve damage, and wounds which won't heal in the foot and which could lead to ulcers and even amputation. That's why everyone with either type should read 101 TIPS ON FOOT CARE FOR PEOPLE WITH DIABETES: it tells how to prevent problems, how to recognize the early signs of infection, and how to understand neuropathy and its effects. A question-and-answer format lends to easy understanding of basic problems and issues in this top pick any diabetic's home library should include.
Natural Medicine, Optimal Wellness
Jonathan V. Wright, MD & Alan R. Gaby, MD
Vital Health Publishing
PO Box 152, Ridgefield, CT 06877
1890612502 $21.95 www.vitalhealthbooks.com
If you want a one-stop holistic handbook for diagnosis and treatment, NATURAL MEDICINE, OPTIMAL WELLNESS: THE PATIENT'S GUIDE TO HEALTH AND HEALING is for you: two doctors discuss all the real-world questions and concerns about common conditions, from menopause and illness to hypertension, multiple sclerosis and ear infections. It's these dialogues which make for such a unique presentation, surveying drug interactions, differences between holistic and traditional medical treatments, and adding case histories to liven up the topic and relate it to common patient experiences. An excellent guide: appealing and easy to understand.
There Are No Mistakes
Eleanor Wiley & Caroline Pincus
Red Wheel Wiser
76 Parker, #7, Newburyport, MA 01950
1573242624 $17.95 www.redwheelweiser.com
There are no mistakes; only choices: that's the message of THERE ARE NO MISTAKES: a treatise based on the author's 25 years as a sobriety mediator, artist and teacher. Personal stories of whom the author has encountered and how they have come to accept their paths in life result in eleven fundamental truths which Wiley teaches here truths which don't rely on perfection, total happiness or enlightenment to be achieved.
The Warrior Mind
Jim Pritchard with Sharon Lindenberger
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814473032 $14.95 www.amacombooks.org
Martial arts are about much more than self-defense, and thus THE WARRIOR MIND: ANCIENT WISDOM FROM THE MARTIAL ARTS FOR LIVING A MORE POWERFUL LIFE is about more than martial arts as a sport or science. These ancient arts help build mental discipline for all kinds of challenges, and THE WARRIOR MIND builds upon this concept whether or not you practice the physical aspects of martial art. Jim Pritchard, a disciple of Ninjitsu and Tajitsu masters, describes how principles of martial arts translate into basic principles of mental strength. Six fundamental principles of such a disciplined mind are illustrated with applied principles and inspiring stories to make for a motivational self-help primer for business and lay readers alike.
The Devil's Doctor
Philip Ball
Farrar Straus Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York NY 10003
0374229791 $27.00 www.fsgbooks.com
Paracelsus as a 16th century figure famous as a doctor of alchemy medicine, who gained a reputation in his times as both miracle worker and a fake. THE DEVIL'S DOCTOR: PARACELSUS AND THE WORLD OF RENAISSANCE MAGIC AND SCIENCE draws together all known about Paracelsus to provide an in-depth and detailed biography of not only his theories and importance, but the controversies surrounding his life and the Medieval world in general. A fine recommendation for students of Medieval studies and early medical history alike.
Health Reference Series additions
Omnigraphics
615 Griswold Street, Detroit, MI 48226
$78 Each www.omnigraphics.com
The consumer-oriented Health Reference Series is distinctive: bright red edging and quality hardcovers mark an ever-expanding, ever-revised set of books for answering common consumer questions on health, and two new updated editions are special picks. Sandra J. Judd edits GASTROINTESTINAL DISEASES AND DISORDERS SOURCEBOOK (0780807987), which covers all details related to digestion from mouth to organs. The latest health information and findings on the causes, symptoms and treatment of diseases and disorders describes how the gastrointestinal tract works and what happens when things go wrong. Basic anatomy is taught as well as basic medical treatments and options, surgical procedures, and more. Joyce Brennenfleck Shannon edits the third updated edition of DIET AND NUTRITION SOURCEBOOK (0780808002) to include the many new details and statistics on food choice's long-term relationship to health. From different recommended eating habits to reduce disease and common ailments to nutrition advice for those with specific conditions, DIET AND NUTRITION SOURCEBOOK is especially important because so much is changing in this area, and so rapidly.
The Business Shelf
Greed, Inc.
Wade Rowland
Arcade Publishing
141 Fifth Avenue, 8th Floor, New York, NY 10010
1559707941 $26.00 1-800-759-0190 www.arcadepub.com
GREED, INC: WHY CORPORATIONS RULE OUR WORLD asks some hard questions about major corporations and ethical direction, considering how information is falsified and how the modern corporation seems to often rest on laurels of greed. But it wasn't always so: Wade Rowland traces the origins of such greed to Rationalism which decreed nature something untamed, to be controlled. His survey of virtue, morality and ethics in the modern workplace examines ideas of money's connections to evil and greed's connections to corporate strategy.
The Professional Caterer's Handbook
Lora Arduser and Douglas Robert Brown
Atlantic Publishing Company
1210 SW 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
0910627606 $79.95 www.atlantic-pub.com
If you want to enter the catering business, there are plenty of lighter guides on the topic on the market but if you're really serious about professionally entering the business, you can't be without THE PROFESSIONAL CATERER'S HANDBOOK: HOW TO OPEN AND OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CATERING BUSINESS. A cd-rom supplements the weighty exploration which is actually a detailed manual of step-by-step instruction on all the basics. From bookkeeping and handling profits and loss to considering the pros and cons of professional equipment, there's no better guide on the market. College-level culinary schools in particular must have this reference.
High Impact Quotations
Richard W. Pound
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
121 Harvard Avenue, #2, Allston, MA 02134
1550418505 $23.95 www.fitzhenry.ca
If you need to give a presentation and seek superior quotes for the project, HIGH IMPACT QUOTATIONS is the book for you. It culls the words of presidents, politicians, and more to use ordinary language to provide high-impact results. An A-Z subject organization makes it quick and easy to locate the kinds of quotes common to a speech, from references to myths and wages to statesmanship and lessons of life.
Global Business Etiquette
Jeanette S. Martin & Lillian Chaney
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275988155 $34.95 www/praeger.com
If you're involved in international business, you already know etiquette varies from country to country: the speed of expanding international sales is requiring a new type of executive and manager be able to understand cross-cultural communication to avoid misunderstandings. GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE: A GUIDE TO INTERNATIONAL COMMUNICATION AND CUSTOMS is the place to start. It uses years of research and training in the field to cover both verbal and nonverbal gestures, dress, customs and more, adding examples and tips in their guide to interpreting around the world From dress to conversational customs, GLOBAL BUSINESS ETIQUETTE covers all the common pitfalls and customs.
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org
Learn how to identify a top-selling ebay item, where to find ebay products, and develop wholesaler and drop-shipper relationships to increase business without increasing workload with Joseph T. Sinclair & Jeremy Hanks's EBAY INVENTORY THE SMART WAY (0814473598 $19.95), which covers all the basics of acquiring and handling eBay merchandise. From pros and cons of various inventorying software including some just coming out as this book went to print to locating closeouts and buying wholesale, EBAY INVENTORY THE SMART WAY is the item of choice for any who wish to move beyond penny marketing or charity bargain finds. William Pelfrey's BILLY, ALFRED AND GENERAL MOTORS: THE STORY OF TWO UNIQUE MEN, A LEGENDARY COMPANY, AND A REMARKABLE TIME IN AMERICAN HISTORY (0814408699, $27.95) tells of two unique, very different men: one a salesman and wheeler-dealer, the other an educated intellectual and business strategy expert who would join forces in the early 20th century to build the successful General Motors company. From how their very different approaches to business were able to merge to forge a revolutionary business model to how the model affected the corporate world as a whole, insights on the auto legends blend with the focus on two leaders who made it happen. A 'must' for any who would understand today's auto industry.
Currency Doubleday
c/o Doubleday & Company
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
1-800-726-0600 www.currencybooks.com
Plenty of books discuss the importance of business innovation and how to create an atmosphere conducive to it: Subir Chowdhury's THE ICE CREAM MAKER: AN INSPIRING TALE ABOUT MAKING QUALITY THE KEY INGREDIENT IN EVERYTHING YOU DO (0385514786 $16.95) offers up a simple story of a struggling regional ice cream manufacturer determined to sell to a flourishing national grocery chain. The story helps clearly illustrate what businesses must do to instill, promote and guarantee quality in its products to turn them into desirable cultural and social commodities. Suzanne Berger's HOW WE COMPETE: WHAT COMPANIES AROUND THE WORLD ARE DOING TO MAKE IT IN TODAY'S GLOBAL ECONOMY (9385513593, $27.50) is based on the MIT Industrial Performance Center's five-year study of 500 international companies, and packs in details on how these companies are succeeding in the modern global market, how some are failing and why. Instead of fearing the effects of globalization, HOW WE COMPETE attempts to understand the new market forces at work: Berger and a group of MIT researchers visited workplaces and factories around the world to find the answers, which will fascinate workers and managers alike, here.
Organic Inc.
Samuel Fromartz
Harcourt Books
15 East 26th Street, 15th floor, New York, NY 10010
0151011303 $25.00 1-800-543-1918 www.harcourtbooks.com
Organic food has grown at a rate of 20 percent yearly in a sluggish food industry, yet many still can't define what makes food organic, why it's better, and how it fits into the food industry. Here to answer these and more questions is ORGANIC INC: NATURAL FOODS AND HOW THEY GREW. Samuel Fromartz is a business journalist: his reporting delves into the heart of the organic food industry and concept, tracing changing consumer choices, educational processes, organic food's anti-industrial roots over a century ago, and those who fostered new approaches on food production. A fine business exploration of the entire industry; not just one company.
Berrett-Koehler
235 Montgomery, #650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
www.bkconnection.com
If you're stuck in a dead-end position, whether it be in business, in a relationship, or in life, then Dan Sullivan & Catherine Nomur's THE LAWS OF LIFETIME GROWTH: ALWAYS MAKE YOUR FUTURE BIGGER THAN YOUR PAST (1576753352 $16.95) is the book for you. It comes from two coaches who combine their collective thirty years of working with how-powered leaders with a program which supports entrepreneurs in growing businesses. Chapters show how to use past experiences to project and build towards a better future, bringing new meaning to the phrase 'seeing the bigger picture'. From being sure contributions are bigger than successes to pairing success with real enjoyment of life, THE LAWS OF LIFETIME GROWTH challenges readers to think of, and achieve, larger goals in life. Dennis S. Reina, Ph.D. and Michelle Reina, Ph.D.'s TRUST AND BETRAYAL IN THE WORKPLACE: BUILDING EFFECTIVE RELATIONSHIPS IN YOUR ORGANIZATION (1576753778, $16.95) appears in its second revised, expanded edition to cover the need for trust in the workplace. From how to build and realize workplace trust to what to do when it's lost and how to engage people, chapters provide organization leaders with case histories, practical applications, and application exercises to help teach how trust is built. A fine, practical hands-on manual.
Two fine business guides are top picks for managers and professionals. Catherine Kaputa's U R A BRAND! HOW SMART PEOPLE BRAND THEMSELVES FOR BUSINESS SUCCESS (0891062130, $24.95) advocates the idea of 'self-branding' as a method of helping corporations understand your personal skills and strengths. There are hidden business paths and rules for creating a unique brand and image: U R A BRAND covers these and comes from a 'brand strategy expert' with over twenty years of Madison Avenue to Wall Street branding experience and strategies behind her. From top ten tactics and strategies to understanding markets and where power lies, U R A BRAND charts the course through complicated branding waters. Rod Napier and Rich McDaniel's MEASURING WHAT MATTERS: SIMPLIFIED TOOLS FOR ALIGNING TEAMS AND THEIR STAKEHOLDERS (0891062114, $39.95) addresses the issue of how to keep score in business. There are many strategies for so doing: Six Sigma, scorecards and the like but still business pros search for easier ways to bring numbers and figures to work teams. Metrics are here demystified, with chapters covering feedback, group management questionnaires, dialogues, stakeholder expectations, and more. From team values and expectations to measuring how teams and stakeholders interact more effectively to meet metrics objectives, MEASURING WHAT MATTERS covers everything from measuring customer satisfaction to evaluating employee performance.
Prentice Hall
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.prnhallprofessional.com www.pdssinc.com
If you're a marketing professional you must take a look at Clyde M. Creveling, et.al.'s SIX SIGMA FOR MARKETING PROCESSES: AN OVERVIEW FOR MARKETING EXECUTIVES, LEADERS, AND MANAGERS (013199008X $29.99): part of Prentice's 'Innovation and Growth' series of titles, it presents a methodology which nearly half of the top one hundred Fortune 500 companies use in some part of their business. Six Sigma methodology involves developing more efficient workflow designed for growth, enhancing marketing arenas identifying indicators for growth and incorporating them into the business plan, and integrating cycles of risk management into the process. No beginner's guide, this handbook is meant for the seasoned pro who would streamline and blend in basic Six Sigma concepts to maximum effect. Yiannis Mostrous, Elliott Gue and Ivan Martchev's THE SILK ROAD TO RICHES: HOW YOU CAN PROFIT BY INVESTING IN ASIA'S NEWFOUND PROSPERITY (0131869728, $25.99) covers trading, investing and profiting in Asia. Serious analysis of the Asian markets, how they are emerging, and how investors can adjust strategy to make money. This is no general admonition however: chapters teach how to leverage Asia's fast-paced integration into the world economy, how to profit from its internal changes, and how to anticipate the future needs of Asian consumers in industries the West is well situated to provide. Past myths and future truths about the region are also confronted in up-front chapters investors will appreciate. Harry Domash's FIRE YOUR STOCK ANALYST! ANALYZING STOCKS ON YOUR OWN (0132260387, $16.99) encourages what every small investor has thought at one time but has, until now, not had the knowledge in hand to carry out. Basic accounting and analytical skills are taught in the course of showing how investors can analyze their own stock performance, offering step-by-step strategies based on industry analysis tools and solid financial skills. Novices and experts will find much here; from financial fitness evaluators and profitability indexes to setting target prices for buy and sell ratios.
Everybody Wants Your Money
David W. Latko
Collins/HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd Street, New York NY 10022-5299
0060851155 $22.95 www.harpercollins.com
Most books talk about how to earn wealth, not how to protect what you've already got: enter EVERYBODY WANTS YOUR MONEY: THE STRAIGHT-TALKING GUIDE TO PROTECTING (AND GROWING) THE WEALTH YOU WORKED SO HARD TO EARN. Now, here's a winning guide which tells how to stay in touch with what you've already got. Chapters come from a self-made multimillionaire who came from a lower-middle-class family and today manages over $100 million in client assets. They speak of how brokers, financial advisors and others get their hands on your money, how to avoid scams and pick pros you can trust, how to manage divorce and wills to keep money options in the best possible places, and more. From common scams and con games to understanding how financial predators work, EVERYBODY WANTS YOUR MONEY doesn't require a million in the bank: even small-scale investors will learn from Latko's wisdom.
More Build It Big
Direct Women's Selling Alliance
Kaplan Publishing
30 South Wacker Drive, Suite 2500, Chicago IL 60606
1419520032 $17.95 www.kaplanpublishing.com 1-800-223-2336
If you own a home-based business, MORE BUILD IT BIG: 101 INSIDER SECRETS FROM TOP DIRECT SELLING EXPERTS is for you: it covers all the basics of such a business and advocates a relationship-building strategy to build more business. Some of the directions are common to other small business books, such as how to set up a home office and how to get organized. Other tips such as integrating home and business life and teaching kids the value of money and integrating personal with business values -are somewhat unique topics and add to the effectiveness of the programs touted in MORE BUILD IT BIG.
Workforce Crisis
Ken Dychtwald, et.al.
Harvard Business School Press
300 N. Beacon Street, Watertown, MA 02472
1591395216 $29.95 www.harvardbusinessonline.org
WORKFORCE CRISIS: HOW TO BEAT THE COMING SHORTAGE OF SKILLS AND TALENT predicts a crisis in the workplace as the huge boomer generation requires and leaves less experience holding the bag in the workplace. Companies must rethink their workforce management and attract and retain works of all ages, as a result. Decades of research have culled these strategies for reorganization in WORKFORCE CRISIS, which will prove an inspirational vision for any manager looking at the long-term picture.
The Islamic Studies Shelf
While Europe Slept
Bruce Bawer
Doubleday
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0385514727 $23.95 www.amazon.com
While the French riots may have been a surprise to many, they weren't to author Bruce Bawer, who has long witnessed the collapse of European liberalism when faced with threats fundamentalist Islam. WHILE EUROPE SLEPT: HOW RADICAL ISLAM IS DESTROYING THE WEST FROM WITHIN comes from an American who has lived in Europe since 1998, observing how the European political and media establishments have long sold out the democratic principles it used to foster. Any who dared criticize Muslim extremists and speak up for liberal values were labeled as fascist bigots. Chapters survey the state of Europe before and after 9/11, offering pointed observations of the powder kegs of violence existing in Europe's Muslim communities. A 'must' for understanding the roots and incarnation of present European and world events.
The Just War and Jihad
R. Joseph Hoffmann, Ed
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591023718 $29.00 www.prometheusbooks.com
Since 9/11 sociologists, religious historians and scholars from many disciplines have considered the roots of religious violence in new ways and THE JUST WAR AND JIHAD: VIOLENCE IN JUDAISM, CHRISTIANITY & ISLAM reflects this new thinking and scholarship, offering papers gathered from the November 2004 Committee for the Scientific Examination of Religion. This could have been featured in our Religious Shelf section, but is reviewed here for its special connections between violence and religion in general, and for its theories on 'just war' and 'jihad' in particular.
Insurgent Iraq
Loretta Napoleoni
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Avenue, New York NY 10013
1583227059 $15.95 www.sevenstories.com
A 'must' for any seeking to understand the roots of terrorist activities is INSURGENT IRAQ: AL ZARQAWI AND THE NEW GENERATION. It examines Iraqi insurgency and the forces which contribute to it, documenting the regrouping and strengthening of terror networks and the development of an Iraqi resistance since the invasion over two years ago. Most of all, it tells of al Zarqawi and his history and involvement in Iraq, providing a blend of history and social inspection throughout.
The Social Issues Shelf
Whatever it Takes
J.D. Hayworth with Joseph J. Eule
Regnery
1 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20001
089526028X $27.95 www.regnery.com
Arizona Congressman J.D. Hayworth surveys illegal immigration harshly in WHATEVER IT TAKES: ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION, BRODER SECURITY, AND THE WAR ON TERROR, in a hard-hitting assessment which compares the problem to an invasion. It's overwhelmed our borders, devastated communities, and is growing violent, Hayworth maintains: chapters confront the controversies surrounding illegal immigration in this country and charts a course for stemming the invasion.
We Are All Suspects Now
Tram Nguyen
Beacon Press
25 Beacon Street, Boston, MA 02108-2892
0807004618 $14.99 www.beacon.org
WE ARE ALL SUSPECTS NOW: UNTOLD STORIES FROM IMMIGRANT COMMUNITIES AFTER 9/11 is essential reading for any who would understand the changed lives of immigrants in the U.S. after the event. It gathers the personal stories of communities affected by post-9/11 tension and threats to civil liberties, examining immigration, asylum and criminal policies and how these have affected thousands of immigrants past and present. Changes to these policies reflect a shift to the right and a shift in how immigrant communities are surveyed and managed.
The True Adventure Shelf
The Way Out
Craigt Childs
Back Bay Books
Little/Brown
1271 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
0316107034 $14.95 www.twbg.com
A two-weep trip through the American Southwest with a good friends turns into a challenge which will test friendship and survival skills in THE WAY OUT: A TRUE STORY OF RUIN AND SURVIVAL. Any with a special affection for the Southwest will find vivid descriptions of its terrain and desolation as they enjoy this memoir of survival, a hit in hardcover and newly available in paperback to provide a hard-hitting account of discovery.
The Ice Museum
Joanna Kavenna
Viking Press
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
0670034738 $24.95 www.penguin.com
To the ancients Thule was considered a lost icy Eden of strange beauty, fueling the imagination of poets, explorers and now writer Joanna Kavenna, whose journey in search of the legendary Thule is documented in THE ICE MUSEUM: IN SEARCH OF THE LOST LAND OF THULE. Kavenna's journey brought her in touch with others under the same spell, from past evidence of prior seekers to contemporaries. Her journey also uncovered a host of frozen relics of the cold war and it reads with all the 'you are there' drama of a diary and an investigative research piece. Any interested in true adventure will find her odyssey hard to put down.
Innocents in the Arctic
Colin Bull
University of Alaska Press
PO Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
1889963739 $34.95 www.uaf.edu.uapress
Bull's is a funny, personal narrative rather than the scholarly or historical review you'd expect from a title like INNOCENTS IN THE ARCTIC: THE 1951 SPITSBERGEN EXPEDITION: the perfect choice for any who want to absorb high drama and history without the dryness of your usual Arctic narrative. Chapters read like a novel with action and insights into expedition personalities of which the author was a part and goals. The result's a rare 'you are there' atmosphere adventure readers will relish.
The Environmental Shelf
Losing it All to Sprawl
Bill Belleville
University Press of Florida
15 NW 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
0813029287 $24.95 www.upf.com
Bill Belleville is a documentary filmmaker and author specializing in conservation: how work has appeared extensively in magazines, has been anthologized in collections, and he's written many books, but LOSING IT ALL TO SPRAWL: HOW PROGRESS ATE MY CRACKER LANDSCAPE hits closer to home than many of his other books. Bill Belleville writes of his historic Cracker farmhouse and old neighborhood of central Florida even as it's being wiped out: any who have visited the area in the last few years will readily acknowledge the truths and observations in LOSING IT ALL TO SPRAWL. In addition to documenting the underlying social, political and economic forces at work in promoting sprawl, Belleville offers Floridians and others hope for appreciating nature.
The Swamp
Michael Gunwald
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
0743251059 $27.00 www.simonsays.com
Any interested in Florida politics in general or Florida environmental concerns in particular must read THE SWAMP: THE EVERGLADES, FLORIDA, AND THE POLITICS OF PARADISE. Once seen as a resource to be drained and used, the Everglades is now considered a national treasure, prompting a great environmental project to try to save it. THE SWAMP tells of its destruction and possible resurrection, but begins not with human intervention but with prehistory, from Ice Age to modern times. From interactions between the Army Corps of Engineers and natural disasters to how the Everglades deteriorated, Grunwald traces the visions, perspectives, and changing politics influencing the swamp's development and use.
Lost Mountain
Erik Reece
Riverhead Books/Berkley Publishing Group
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
1594489084 $24.95 www.riverheadbooks.com
LOST MOUNTAIN: A YEAR IN THE VANISHING WILDERNESS isn't a travelogue or adventure story so much as a search for truth in the mountains of Appalachia, home to one of the last great forests in the world and also threatened by the mother lode of strip mining which has been the backbone of living for so many Appalachian families. Author Reece spent a year witnessing the decimation of a single mountain - Lost Mountain and surveys strip mining as not just a local concern but as a icon for a mainstream crisis involving businesses, government and the environment alike. At once literary, reflective, personal and observation, LOST MOUNTAIN reflects on all that is lost.
Field Notes from a Catastrophe
Elizabeth Kolbert
Bloomsbury USA
175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1596911255 $22.95 www.bloomsburyusa.com
Plenty of books have been written on climate change: so many that an initial glance at FIELD NOTES FROM A CATASTROPHE: MAN, NATURE NAD CLIMATE CHANGE might lead to the question of the need for another. Journalist Elizabeth Kolbert's environmental consideration is more than a rehash of ideas, however: she traveled to the Arctic, interviewed researchers and environmentalists alike, and here explains the science, studies, and links between climate change and vanished civilizations of the past. From politics and personal studies to those watching their worlds vanish due to these changes, FIELD NOTES FROM A CATASTROPHE grew out of a three-part series for the New Yorker and brings home the importance of planetary changes.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
The Great Transformation
Karen Armstrong
Alfred A. Knopf
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
0375413170 $30.00 1-800-726-0600 www.aaknopf.com
In the 9th century BCE the peoples of four separate regions of the world created the basic religious and philosophical traditions that have continued to modern times: Confucianism in China, Hinduism and Buddhism in India, monotheism in Israel and philosophical rationalism in Greece. Today these four remain the foundations of all religious thinking, and are surveyed as such in THE GREAT TRANSFORMATION: THE BEGINNING OF OUR RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS. These spiritualities are continuing to challenge how we express religious beliefs today, so it's important to consider their roots. Armstrong's survey provides a history of the development of the Axial Age, the contributions of major religious figures from all four foundations of thought, and areas in which they agree and differ. Connections between concepts of universal love, tolerance, and warfare and peace times are all drawn with the four-point foundation in mind. A powerful study for any religious thinker.
Eat This Book
Eugene H. Peterson
William B. Eerdmans
255 Jefferson Avenue SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503
0802829481 $20.00, www.eerdmans.com
The way we read the Bible as nearly as important as that it's read: that's professor Eugene Peterson's message in EAT THIS BOOK: A CONVERSATION IN THE ART OF SPIRITUAL READING. His is more than a set of reflections: it's the second in a five-volume work on spiritual theology and maintains the Scriptures should be read and lived as God's word. From the nature of language and the practice of scripture translations to an account of his own popular Bible translation THE MESSAGE, EAT THIS BOOK invites a broader perspective on Biblical study than those which advocate using the Bible for self-serving purposes.
The New Testament and Literature
Stephen Cox
Open Court Publishing
PO Box 300, Peru, IL 61354-0300
0812605917 $36.95 www.opencourtbooks.com
The New Testament has had a huge impact on religious beliefs; but surprisingly little has been written about its impact as literature: that's where THE NEW TESTAMENT AND LITERATURE: A GUIDE TO LITERARY PATTERNS comes in. We could have featured this in our Literary Shelf section but prefer to feature here for its wide-ranging importance to both literature and religious studies. Professor Cox identifies the origin and nature of the New Testament, labels key literary genres and patterns, and connects its ideas with literary techniques. Students of the bible and English literature will find it a unique, satisfying blend of literary insights.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
World Wisdom
PO Box 2682, Bloomington, IN 47402-2682
www.worldwisdom.com
World Wisdom's books on Sufism and ancient worlds provides many classic studies and insights on Oriental religion, providing surveys of world religions which should prove mainstays of any serious religious library holding. These aren't your usual cursory New Age presentations, but in-depth and often scholarly offerings, too. Take Frithjof Schuon's LIGHT ON THE ANCIENT WORLDS: A NEW TRANSLATION WITH SELECTED LETTERS (0941532720, $18.95), for example: it's a new edition of a classic work by the philosopher and Perennialist thinker and returns to the principles that sustained the ancient civilizations of mankind. These guiding lights were basic to both ancient and modern developments and this revised, expanded edition not only revisits the original but adds a new preface, an appendix of previously unpublished writings, and a glossary. Jean-Lous Michon and Roger Gaetani's SUFISM LOVE & WISDOM (0941532755, $24.95) packs in a collection of fifteen essays from American and European Sufism scholars, offering new contributions from new interpreters of the discipline. The diversity of scholarly backgrounds and the fine themes and new translations discuss everything from prophetic models in Islam to spiritual needs of Western man and Sufi connections. Patrick Laude edits PRAY WITHOUT CEASING: THE WAY OF THE INVOCATION IN WORLD RELIGIONS (0933316144, $19.95), an anthology covering invocatory prayer and its fundamentals across religions. Centering prayer has been a long traditional practice of invocatory prayer, but rarely has received the depth and insight it deserves. Scholars provide analysis of key texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, pairing these classic writings with contemporary texts and insights. From the symbolism in Christian communion to historical inconsistencies in analysis and interpretation of the texts, PRAY WITHOUT CEASING holds wisdom from Gandhi, Gao Xingjian, Ramakrishna and more. Seyyed Hossein Nasr and Katherine O'Brien edit THE ESSENTIAL SOPHIA: THE JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL STUDIES (1933316191, $26.95) and if you think it will be a standard magazine, you're mistaken. This is actually an anthology of articles representative of Sophia, the journal, and celebrates the journal's 10-year anniversary through chapters that provide articles representative of Sophia's works. Biblical interpretations, religious and anthropological arguments, Christian meanings: all are debated, contrasted and represented in THE ESSENTIAL SOPHIA: THE JOURNAL OF TRADITIONAL STUDIES. Reza Shah-Kazemi's PATHS TO TRANSCENDENCE ACCORDING TO SHANKARA, IBN ARBI AND MEISTER ECKHART (0941532976, $26.95) provides a study of three historical sages, comparing beliefs, spirituality, concepts, and premises. Representing each system is Shankara for Hinduism, Ibnm Arabi for Islam and Meister Eckhart for Christianity, providing a detailed analysis of works, contrasting insights, and providing an approach to comparative mysticism which is hard to find elsewhere: at least, under one cover. Rama P. Coomaraswamy's DESTRUCTION OF THE CHRISTIAN TRADITION (0941532984, $28.95) has been updated and revised, features a foreword by Bishop Robert F. McKenna, O.P., and provides a definitive study of the differences between traditional Catholic Church interpretations and those from the Second Vatican Council. Catholics will find the contrast scholarly, thorough, and well detailed. All are excellent studies and are especially recommended picks for any religious collection seeking strong scholarly representation.
The Everything Freemasons Book
John K. Young & Barb Karg
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
1598690590 $14.95 www.adamsmedia.com
For thousands of years the Freemasons were rumored to control nations, with their secret society dating back to early times. Most of the great thinkers of the human race have been said to have joined the Society, from Mozart to George Washington and Charles Darwin: THE EVERYTHING FREEMASONS BOOK: UNLOCK THE SECRETS OF THIS ANCIENT AND MYSTERIOUS SOCIETY reveals all that's known about it, from covering myths and realities to considering its symbols and guarded secrets. Readers need know nothing about the freemasons: it's all here.
Pair a tarot deck of Da Vinci details with a book written by a tarot expert and you have a winning combination which provides a lovely deck of cards for divination in time for release of the film THE DA VINCI CODE this spring. Mark McElroy's deck THE DAVINCI TAROT (0738708941 $21.95) takes Da Vinci's art and its subjects and keys it to tarot specs, providing seventy-eight cards featuring his illustrations and sketches. A top pick for seekers of new inspirational materials. Thea Sabin's WICCA FOR BEGINNERS: FUNDAMENTALS OF PHILOSOPHY & PRACTICE (0738707511, $12.95) provides novices with an easy introduction to Wicca. Since it's one of the fastest-growing religions today, many titles assume prior knowledge: not so WICCA FOR BEGINNERS, which covers history, tradition, and also practices, beliefs, and skills from spell casting to creating rituals.
Beyond Words
20827 NW Cornell Road, Suite 500, Hillsboro, OR 97124
www.beyondword.com
How much control do you have over your future, and what is fate and destiny? Any who would understand their future should consider the messages of Carmen Harra, Ph.D.'s DECODING YOUR DESTINY (1582701431 $16.95), which combines psychology and metaphysics to consider how destiny is predicted. From numerical charts which uniquely identify a person's purpose in life to Harra's own predictions of the future, DECODING YOUR DESTINY is New Age at its best. Kazuo Murakami, Ph.D.'s THE DIVINE CODE OF LIFE: AWAKEN YOUR GENES & DISCOVER HIDDEN TALENTS (158270144X, $18.95) is a fascinating blend of spirituality and science, surveying the connections between genes, environment and consciousness with an eye to showing how humans can activate good dormant genes and switch off negative ones using mental factors alone. New ideas of control are inherent in Dr. Murakami's idea of 'genetic thinking', or living with a positive outlook. Whatever you wish to call it, he offers evidence that the genetic code not only demonstrates a greater power in the universe, but a greater degree of human control in destiny.
Destiny Books/Park Street Press, Bear & Company/Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.InnerTraditions.com
Stan Gooch's THE DREAM CULTURE OF THE NEANDERTHALS: GUARDIANS OF THE ANCIENT WISDOM (159477093X, $16.95) blends spirituality, anthropology and ancient history in a book hard to neatly categorize, but most likely to appeal to New Age readers who want to move beyond the box. Many current beliefs and superstitions common in world cultures stem from those which dominated the lives of our ancient ancestors, from the origins of Jewish kosher laws to positive and negative influences. There's even evidence that direct descendants of the moon-worshipping Neanderthal race are still living in Central Asia today making DREAM CULTURE OF THE NEANDERTHALS even more relevant to modern times. Jean-Yves Lelouop's THE SACRED EMBRACE OF JESUS AND MARY (1594771014, $14.95) provides an unusual addition to Christian studies: one which draws on canonical and apocryphal gospels, Hebrew tradition of more to show that Jesus came not just to save humanity for the flesh, but to save the flesh so it could be a transforming experience. Questions of God's image, Christ's human sexuality and its part in humanity's spirituality, and more draw important connections between gospel and daily living. Dan Carpenter's A PSYCHONAUT'S GUIDE TO THE INVISIBLE LANDSCAPE (1594770905, $12.95) journeys into the realm of psychology as it reveals the author's use of the psychedelic DXM and its ability to transform the meaning and perception of everyday life and landmarks. Carpenter took thirteen high-dose, closed-eye trips using DXM between January 2003 and July 2004, documenting his experiences here. Robert Hieronimus, Ph.D. works with Laura Cortner on FOUNDING FATHERS, SECRET SOCIETIES: FREEMASONS, ILLUMINATI, ROSICRUCIANS, AND THE DECODING OF THE GREAT SEAL (1594770875, $16.95), a wide-ranging survey of the role, perception and actions of secret societies throughout history. Connections between famous historical leaders and secret societies are investigated, as well as how their influence translates into modern society. Symbols, meanings, and myths are all considered. Stephen Harrod Buhner's SACRED PLANT MEDICINE (1591430585, $16.00) offers not just another herbal, but the first in-depth analysis of how the Native Americans communicated with the plant world to heal human ailments. Another plus: rather than coming from an outside perspective, the author himself 'talks' with plants as Native Americans have done; so he's in the perfect position to examine the relationship between indigenous peoples and plants, and how they communicate. THE BALTIC ORIGINS OF HOMER'S EPIC TALES: THE ILIAD, THE ODYSSEY, AND THE MIGRATION OF MYTH by Felice Vinci (1594770522, $22.95) blends history and classical studies with geographical analysis and spiritual insights as it provides evidence linking Homer's tales to northern European, not Mediterranean, origins. From how heroic memories were preserved and locales changed to the origins of civilization itself, THE BALTIC ORIGINS OF HOMER'S EPIC TALES will reach beyond into many disciplines with its well-studied explanations linking text to facts of the times. Bradford Keeney's SHAMANIC CHRISTIANITY: THE DIRECT EXPERIENCE OF MYSTICAL COMMUNION (1594770867, $14.95) links shamanic practices of Christianity to the real world, offering a tradition of contemplative practice which presents different forms of devotions and explains their origins and traditions. The Scholar Bradford Keeney adds parables of his own visionary experiences, blends in a good amount of religious history and background, and uses the four devotional forms of Jesus, Mary, and the saints to link divine mysteries to modern times. Ken Eagle Feather's ON THE TOLETC PATH: A PRACTICAL GUIDE TO THE TEACHINGS OF DON JUAN MATUS, CARLOS CASTANEDA, AND OTHER TOLTEC SEERS (1591430496, $18.00) celebrates the 10th anniversary of the original TOLTEC PATH title, providing an overview of the theory and practice of the Toltec Way philosophy fostered by the popular Indian seer don Juan Matus. While the works of Carlos Castaneda are the first primary resource for the study of the Toltec Way, any who want to learn this path must wade through his narrative, making this celebration a much better route for actual followers. Matus' own thirty-plus years experience and observations guide readers to a practical application of the Toltec road. Edward F. Malkowski's BEFORE THE PHARAOHS: EGYPT'S MYSTERIOUS PREHISTORY (1591430488, $18.00) blends history with a survey of astronomical star maps and other knowledge used as evidence for building insights on ancient Egypt. Mythic narratives are based on actual events and a sophisticated civilization did once exist before those of Egypt and Sumer: BEFORE THE PHARAOHS charts this prehistory and uses science from various fields as well as sacred texts to build an excellent, solid prehistoric image.
Discover Your Destiny
Robin Sharma
Harper SanFrancisco
353 Sacramento Street, #500, San Francisco, CA 94111-3653
0060833017 $12.95 www.harpercollins.com
DISCOVER YOUR DESTINY: BIG IDEAS TO LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE comes from an international best-selling author and is a sequel to THE MONK WHO SOLD HIS FERRARI, so it already has a guaranteed audience of prior fans. Here the focus is on one Dar Sanderson, a 40-something HR manager who has it all in the job and home departments -but is deeply unhappy and wants an even better life. An encounter with a monk sends him on a six-month journey to reclaim life's values and spiritual promises. It's a fable, but it's also a lesson on life's values which will reach into many hearts.
New Page Books
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
www.newpagebooks.com
Over 25,000 copies were sold of the original edition of Lady Sabrina's EXPLORING WICCA: THE BELIEFS, RITES, AND RITUALS OF THE WICCAN RELIGION (156414884X, $12.99): this updated edition will appeal to both beginners and seasoned witches alike, reviewing how Witchcraft is practiced today, how to cast spells, and how to connect with nature. The hands-on focus covers both history and principles and mixes in practical directions such as how to use the cauldron and other common tools of the trade. More advanced is Vernon Zell's COMPANION FOR THE APPRENTICE WIZARD (1564148351, $18.99) goes beyond his first GRIMOIRE FOR THE APPRENTICE WIZARD, which focuses on basic lessons needed to become a Wizard: it's a continuation which goes to the next level by applying these lessons to hands-on magickal training and so familiarity with GRIMOIRE is recommended. Step-by-step instructions for using a firebow, making a pocket sundial and more provide both applied magic and includes diagrams of magickal objects to copy, cut out and assemble. Kerri Connor's POCKET GUIDE TO RITUALS: MAGICKAL REFERENCES AT YOUR FINGERTIPS (1564148629, $9.99) helps create common daily rituals to celebrate special occasions, from birth and marriage to death and celebrations of the seasons. In its small pocket-sized tote, it will appeal to a wide audience.
The Hawaiian Oracle
Rima A. Morrell, Ph.D.
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
157731526X $22.95 www.newworldlibrary.com
This is the first time an oracle depicting the animal spirit guides of Hawaii have been used in a spiritual guide: any with a special affection for Hawaii will thus find THE HAWAIIAN ORACLE: ANIMAL SPIRIT GUIDES FROM THE LAND OF LIGHT a unique presentation, pairing a 36-card divination deck with a 144-page guidebook. Hawaiian mythology is replete with gods and goddesses and animal life of the islands, so the cards and book are perfect for any who would infuse spirituality with the grace of aloha.
Red Wheel Weiser
65 Parker, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
www.redwheelweiser.com
These excellent titles provide source materials for major premises on magic. Adam McLean edits A TREATISE ON ANGEL MAGIC: MAGNUM OPUS HERMETIC SOURCEWORKS (1578633753, $18.95) is a scholarly text transcribing a rare 17th century volume on Angel Magic so you won't see imitations elsewhere. It provides important links between John Dee and the late 19th century schools of occult such as Golden Dawn and Crowley's O.T.O., providing not only translation but embracing the wealth of opinions and ideas on the topic. Its charts, diagrams, and research makes it a unique offering which highlights one of the rarest and most important occult manuscripts residing in the British Library. James Wasserman edits ALEISTER CROWLEY AND THE PRACTICE OF THE MAGICAL DIARY (1578633729, $19.95): if it sounds familiar, that's because it appears in a revised, expanded edition which offers a set of instructions for journaling the magical path. Texts first published by Crowley are used as source material for such instruction, documenting how to keep a Magical Diary and juxtaposing Crowley's works with the diary of magician Charles Stansfeld Jones (aka Frater Achad). Students and adepts alike will find the details on how to keep such writings to be specific and packed with examples from the masters themselves.
The Military Shelf
Another Bloody Century
Colin S. Gray
Weidenfeld & Nicholson
Orion Publishing House, 5 Upper St. Martin's Lane, London WC2H 9EA UK
0297846272 $35.00 www.amazon.com www.orionbooks.co.uk
ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY: FUTURE WARFARE explores the idea that while war is ever changing, its basics remain the same: it'll always be with us, it has an unchanging nature and character, it's driven by politics, and it embraces strategic surprises. That said, ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY narrows the focus to strategic prediction's problems, the fallacies inherent in the idea of a foreseeable future when warfare is involved, and futuristic types of warfare mechanisms which argues that in practice war is a controlled process. Any who would understand warfare's evolution and future must consider the basic tenants observed in ANOTHER BLOODY CENTURY: FUTURE WARFARE, which looks under the hype for the realities.
Armed Forces and Society In Europe
Anthony Forster
Palgrave Macmillan
175 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1403903654 $32.95 www.palgrave.com
Since the Cold War military armies around the world have been adjusting their organization, strategies, financing and ultimately their place in the world, often challenging long-standing relations between armed forces and society in the process. ARMED FORCES AND SOCIETY IN EUROPE considers these challenges, building a framework to evaluate such interactions and documenting the nature and intensity of the changes. Major issues involving modern civil-military relations are brought to light in a college-level reader from a professor of politics and international relations based in the UK.
The invasion of Sicily was the first step in a campaign by the Allies to win the war but the many facets and international interactions of the generals involved created problems from the start. While the outcome was ultimately successful, the Sicily campaign illustrated major military conflicts within the ranks and provided lessons which proved invaluable to the struggle ahead. Charles Whiting's SLAUGHTER OVER SICILY (1884153428 $22.68) charts these lessons and blends military with strategic insights and history. Brian Best and Katie Stossel's SISTER JANET: NURSE & HEROINE OF THE ANGLO-ZULU WAR 1879 (1844154254, $ ) tells of an eighteen-year-old decorated for her nursing service to the Russians in the 1878 Balkan War, who then became the only nurse to serve at the Front in the Anglo-Zulu War. Her many achievements before she was 20 earned her big awards and earns this book a big recommendation as a gripping blend of nursing and military history.
The Craft of Intelligence
Allen W. Dulles
The Lyons Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1592282970 $16.95 www.LyonsPress.com
If you seek a single source reference to the history of modern espionage, it should be THE CRAFT OF INTELLIGENCE: AMERICA'S LEGENDARY SPY MASTER ON THE FUNDAMENTALS OF INTELLIGENCE GATHERING FOR A FREE WORLD. Details on how intelligence is collected and processed, and how it contributes to the formation of national policy, makes for a thorough and fine review of the craft and policies of military intelligence efforts, surveying how information is gathered, processed, and used in the formation of national policy. While others could've presented the facts, it's his insider position peppered with personal anecdotes from his intelligence career he was a high-ranking officer of the CIA's predecessor and served eight years when the CIA was created which makes CRAFT OF INTELLIGENCE unique.
Military Transition to Civilian Success
Mary T. Hay, et.al.
Impact Publications
9104-N Manassas Drive, Manassas Park, VA 20111-5211
1570232555 $21.95 www.impactpublications.com
Each year hundreds of thousands of military personnel and families leave the service to either retire or pursue new civilian careers. While changing jobs would be hard enough, many are unprepared for the realities of civilian world job-seeking or entrepreneurship: enter MILITARY TRANSITION TO CIVILIAN SUCCESS: THE COMPLETE GUIDE FOR VETERANS AND THEIR FAMILIES which covers all the basics. Some of the information you'll readily find in general job-hunt books, such as writing resumes and letters, dressing well, and conducting a multi-faceted job search but all info is tailored with the military background in mind. It's the details on skill sets transferable to civilian skills, best jobs for transitioning military, and exercises and tests which make this stand out from the more general job-hunter's manuals on the market.
The Man and His Wings
William Wellman Jr.
Praeger
P.O. Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0275985415 $49.95 www.praeger.com
The first Academy Awards announced in 1929 went to William Wellman's 1927 anti-war epic WINGS, the film which invented many techniques still used to film aerial battle scenes: Wellman went on to direct other films and stars, but WINGS remained his opus. THE MAN AND HIS WINGS: ROBERT A. WELLMAN AND THE MAKING OF THE FIRST BEST PICTURE could've been reviewed in our film section, but is featured here for its inclusion of family documents, mementos and personal correspondence from his father's World War I background to reveal the military influences of a director who would change Hollywood forever. A fine behind the scenes look at both Wellman and World War I experiences.
Cassell's Battlefields of Britain & Ireland
Richard Brooks
Weidenfeld & Nicholson
c/o Casemate
2114 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
0304363332 $49.95 www.casematepublishing.com
Any in-depth study of British and Irish military actions wouldn't be complete without inspection of CASSELL'S BATTLEFIELDS OF BRITAIN & IRELAND: A UNIQUELY COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF MILITARY ACTIONS FOUGHT ON BRITISH AND IRISH SOIL. Nearly four hundred battles are detailed between Roman times to the mid-20th century, from Caesar's invading forces to the air battles fought by England in 1940. Eight chronological divisions provide chapters which focus on key changes affecting military might; from sword and javelin battle to the coming of the longbow, the pike and drum, and guns. Each section reviews the political, strategic and technological developments of the period followed by a series of battle descriptions which covers forces, tactics, and the consequences of battle.
Witnesses of War
Nicholas Stargardt
Knopf
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
1400040884 $30.00 www.aaknopf.com
WITNESSES OF WAR: CHILDREN'S LIVES UNDER THE NAZIS is a riveting, involving survey which uses original material from children's schoolwork, diaries, letters from evacuation camps and more to recreate the child perception and experience during the war. Many of these children had to take over when parents couldn't: their stories provide a different perspective on the effects of life under the Nazis, and should be added to the chronicles of any serious Holocaust representation.
Shaping U.S. Military Forces
D. Robert Worley
Praeger
P.O. Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0275990311 $49.95 www.praeger.com
Dr. Robert Worley is a Fellow with John Hopkins and has held many prestigious academic positions, also serving as a defense policy analyst at the National Security and Army research Divisions and Rand and others; so his analysis of U.S. military force strengths and weaknesses provides a past, present and future assessment competing books miss. For over forty years there was consensus about the size and approach of U.S. military forces; since 1985 many changes have been made in the name of reforms. Worley argues the uniformed services as a whole is not a different force ten years after the fall of the Berlin Wall: historical events explain belief systems, underlying influences, and more. A 'must' for any who would comprehend military makeup, history, and influences on change.
Why Air Forces Fail
Robin Higham and Stephen J. Harris, Eds
University of Kentucky Press
663 S. Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
0813123747 $39.95 www.kentuckypress.com
WHY AIR FORCES FAIL: THE ANATOMY OF DEFEAT examines the reasons for catastrophic failures of the air forces not just of this country, but other nations. Air forces are divided into three categories here: forces what never had a chance, forces that began with victory but ultimately were defeated, and those which were defeated early on but rose to win. In making WHY AIR FORCES FAIL a global examination, focusing on major wars, contributors provide a range of analysis on the causes of defeat of all kinds of strategies and differing air force scenarios in a sweeping set of insights essential to understanding air force approaches.
The Dream of Civilized Warfare
Linda R. Robertson
University of Minnesota Press
111 3rd Avenue South, #290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
0816642710 $22.95 www.upress.umn.edu
During World War 1 air combat came to reflect American innovations and teamwork: today Linda R. Robertson, a professor and directory of Media and Society Study at Hobart and William smith Colleges, provides a survey which tells how the first American air force was created and promoted. From symbols of the 'gentleman fighter' which offered a more seasoned, well-mannered view of the bloody business of battle to accounts and debates of civilian encounters with the U.S. air force during world War 1, THE DREAM OF CIVILIZED WARFARE: WORLD WAR I FLYING ACES AND THE AMERICAN IMAGINATION is important for any who would consider how American forces began.
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com
Osprey's military history titles are top recommendations for college-level collections, offering details and depth suitable for college study and these new arrivals are no exception. Carl Benn & Daniel Marston's LIBERTY OR DEATH: WARS THAT FORGED A NATION (1846030226, $24.95) combines three outstanding histories into one title: THE FRENCH-INDIAN WAR, THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION, and THE WAR OF 1812. In having all three in one volume, a smooth transition between events is achieved yet the sum result in no way makes for too weighty a gathering, as these were relatively short presentations individually. The wars they cover are seldom treated together: here their close connections can be properly examined. Christopher Gravett and David Nicolle's THE NORMANS: WARRIOR KNIGHTS AND THEIR CASTLES (1846030889, $24.95) tells how the Norman knight became the most dangerous warrior in Western Europe. From all the military strongholds and battles they fought to how their reputation spread above others of their times, THE NORMANS provides a beautifully illustrated examination of the Normans and their world, with paintings and drawings in full color bringing the Norman way to life. Ruth Sheppard edits EMPIRES COLLIDE: THE FRENCH AND INDIAN WAR 1754-63 (1846030897, $24.95) it surveys the man and diverse types of warfare used during the French and Indian War, considering the wider-ranging impact of the conflict around the world, and the individual war campaigns. The color maps and illustrations with pack EMPIRES COLLIDE provide pleasing visual touches to an in-depth survey that discusses the strategies and impacts of these revolutionary campaigns. Aaron Sheehan-Dean edits STRUGGLE FOR A VAST FUTURE: THE AMERICAN CIVIL WAR (1846030110, $29.95), offering not one study but the contributions of twelve historians who consider the origins and lasting impact of the war. Each chapter takes a key Civil War theme and builds upon it, discussing everything from leader personality and impact upon battle to politics and influences of the times. John Sadler's FLODDEN 1513: SCOTLANDS GREATEST DEFEAT (1841769592, $18.95) is a very narrow focus which will reach specialty military collections with its survey of Flodden field, the site of one of Scotland's most famous battles, leading to major defeat. Here is where a strong Scottish army trained in new tactics from the Swiss doctrine faced an English Army which preferred traditional techniques so it was as much a battle of emerging technology as it involved strategic decision-making. Weaponry and strategy alike is reviewed in a survey packed with black and white and color illustration.
The Art Shelf
DAAB
Friesentr. 50, d-50670 Cologne
$18.95 Each www.daab-online.de www.amazon.com
Collectors of erotic art or college-level art libraries strong in erotic art must have three powerful new collections by modern photographers. Jochen Arndt's MASAKO (393771829X) features both black and white and color photos of women both half-clothed and nude. The interplay between whimsical, fun shots and serious artistic photos makes for a diverse, eye-catching collection. Pierre Thomas Karkau's COLOROTIC (3937718311) provides a colorful set of erotic shots with more interplays between male and female subjects. While there are mostly individual shots, some group photos add diversity and interest. Christian Crisbasan's DIGITAL SESSIONS (3937718303) provides black and white and yellow-tinted artistic shots of semi-dressed women and individual models. Very different women in all three presentations; very different approaches to capturing the female nude. Get all three for the maximum effect contrasting artist approach to the nude subject.
Seeing Things
Jim Woodring
Fantagraphics
7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
1560976489 $22.95 www.fantagraphics.com
Jim Woodring's charcoal drawings are images that come from his interest in hidden worlds and lucid art and SEEING THINGS gathers some of the most intriguing, arranging them in sections by topic: Visible World, Lazy Robinson, Frogs and Color. 'Color' by far seems the most exciting, dramatizing the drawings and providing eye-catching involvement in the symbolism of the unseen while the black and white charcoal drawings might appeal most to artists who find color distracting. With its blends of surrealism and irony, SEEING THINGS invites viewers to observe in a different light.
Designing and Printing Textiles
June Fish
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, N. Pomfret, VT 05053
1861267762 $50.00 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
From ideas to finished, polished products, DESIGNING AND PRINT TEXTILES is for any textile artist who would understand how to hone a range of images and then translate them to textile form. Don't expect just a progressive 'how to' here, though instructions are such when necessary: also included as background history of surface-pattern design, analysis of pattern structures, tips on using experimental methods of working from paper onto fabric, and details on equipment and techniques for different dying and printing processes. June Fish is the senior dye tech at London's St. Martins College for Art and Design, so her insights and resources come from a practicing professional.
Feng Shui: A Practical Guide For Architects & Designers
Vincent M. Smith & Barbara Lyons, AIA
Kaplan Publishing
30 S. Wacker Drive, #2500, Chicago, IL 60606
1419535706 $39.95 www.kaplanpublishing.com
Feng Shui expert Vincent M. Smith works with architect Barbara Lyons Stewart to produce the first book written for design pros interested in practical applications of Feng Shui. Here are basic principles tailored not for the new age consumer but for the practicing architect who wants to build them and hard-wire them into structures. From learning which designs reduce stress and increase productivity to using feng shui concepts for selecting initial building sites for homes or businesses, FENG SHUI: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR ARCHITECTS AND DESIGNERS is not to be missed.
Art by Committee
Charna Halpern
Meriwether Publishing
PO Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-3557
1566081122 $22.95 www.meriwether.com
Author Charna Halpern's work with co-creator of long-form improvisation with partner Del Close changed the nature of improvisational comedy, so her ART BY COMMITTEE: A GUIDE TO ADVANCED IMPROVISATION comes from the horse's mouth, with a tone of authority few others could equal. While written with young adults in mind, ART BY COMMITTEE is featured here for tips any aspiring actor would welcome; from staying in character and understanding the visual nature of improv to moving from improv to writing. Halpern's experiences with Del Close and other industry visionaries lends to a blend of advice and insight accompanied by a DVD of performances by improv groups and interviews with leading industry artists.
The Paris Opera Ballet
Ivor Guest
Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Hightstown NJ 08520-0831
1852731095 $39.95 www.dancehorizons.com
The Paris Opera ballet is well known as the cradle of ballet, but few may realize it began as a theatre art form in 1669. THE PARIS OPERA BALLET traces three centuries of dance, presenting the author's some 60 years of research. Chapters could easily have been dry and imposing with such a past to cover, but instead blend avid scholarship with a light tone and numerous black and white photos and vintage drawings on many pages. From its promotion strategies to decades of change, THE PARIS OPERA BALLET details ballet's response as an art form to social and political pressures and changes.
Journey With Art Afar
Master Au-Ho-Nien; Phylis Lan Lin, Editor
University of Indianapolis
1400 E. Hanna Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46227
0880938587 $35.00 www.uindy.edu/universitypress
The University of Indianapolis and its Asian Programs established the Au Ho-Nien Museum in 2004, and JOURNEY WITH ART FROM AFAR represents both a catalog of holdings and a highlight of the artwork of Master Au Ho-Nien indeed, it's the theme for the museum and its holdings. The delicate, lovely Chinese paintings by Master Au reflects Chinese scenes and traditions in a series of watercolors which are treated here with full-page, gorgeous representation. Any fan of Chinese nature art must have this catalog.
Mark Batty Publishers
6050 Boulevard East #2H, West New York, NJ 07093]
www.markbattypublisher.com
Where else can you find over 200 examples of Arabic typography than in Mourad Boutros' ARABIC FOR DESIGNERS (0976224550, $24.95), an illustrated primer for any designer who needs to know how to work with the Arabic character set for graphic design results. 'Esoteric' you might think? Not so: as the business world moves into a global position, the Arab world so enters the spotlight, requiring a thorough knowledge of Arabic sets and blends of Western and Arabic designs. ARABIC FOR DESIGNERS will prove the working 'bible' for any involved in business design. Rez
