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California Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 5 May 2008 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Donovan's Picks Computer Shelf World History Shelf
Education Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Business Shelf Gaming Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Dance Shelf Art Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Crafts Shelf Library DVD Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Military Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Gardening Shelf Photography Shelf
Real Estate Shelf California Shelf  


Donovan's Picks

Damned to Eternity
Adam Pitluk
DaCapo Press
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306815273, $24.95 www.dacapopress.com

DAMNED TO ETERNITY: THE STORY OF THE MAN WHO THEY SAID CAUSED THE FLOOD tells of a young volunteer twenty-four-year-old who tried to help protect a small town's levee during flooding - and was charged with causing the break intentionally when it failed. His conviction resulted in farmers collecting from insurance when otherwise they wouldn't - and resulted in a life sentence despite the fact no one died during the flood. His story is eye-opening and revealing - and he proclaims his innocence to this day.

Cartographic Relief Presentation
Eduard Imhof
ESRI
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589480261, $59.95 www.esri.com

A new edition of Swiss cartographer Eduard Imhof's classic provides new audience with a title last published 25 years ago and long out of print. It first provides a historical overview of cartographic relief, discussing early symbols of mapping, teaching techniques in symbology and drawing, and discussing relief features. The 1982 edition was expensive to produce and thus limited: this new volume is affordable and true to its original edition, editing text for clarity and making only minor changes. Any college-level library strong in cartography must have this.


The Computer Shelf

Adobe InDesign CS3 One-on-One
Deke McClelland
Deke Press/O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596529767, $54.99 www.oreilly.com

Read the lesson then watch the video in a blend of exercise book and video package in Adobe InDesign CS3 One-on-One. It's the perfect lesson approach for any learning Adobe either on their own or via on online class: Step-by-step text lessons pair with the DVD video demonstrations and projects keyed to real-world experience. With over 900 color images, diagrams, and over three hours of video instruction, these 12 self-paced tutorials will prove invaluable keys to any who seek a progressive lesson plan.

Groovy Recipes: Greasing the Wheels of Java
Scott Davis
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325, Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
0978739299, $34.95 www.pragprog.com

Computer libraries catering to busy Java professionals will find GROOVY RECIPES a winner, offering quick, at-a-glance solutions to everyday, common Java issues. Each 'recipe' begins with a quick-start code example followed by a clear and easy explanation. The idea is to get up to speed quickly, not become bogged down in theory and detail. Arrays, Maps, Grails and more applications receive quick, easy referencing under Scott Davis hand, making GROOVY RECIPES a top pick for any Java library.

Wicked Cool PHP
William Steimetz with Brian Ward
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro Street Suite 250, San Francisco CA 94107
9781593271732, $29.95 www.nostarch.com

PHP is an easy scripting language for creating web features, but like any software it has its quirks. That's where WICKED COOL PHP: REAL-WORLD SCRIPTS THAT SOLVE DIFFICULT PROBLEMS comes into play. It's for those who have some experience with the scripting program but need more specifics to tweak applications. From scripts to process credit cards, template HTML and serve dynamic images to tracking visitors with cookies and editing images and text, WICKED COOL PHP is packed with tips and comes from two experienced PHP developers: perfect for any computer collection catering to PHP users.

Photoshop CS3 RAW
Mikkel Aaland
O'Reilly Publishers
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596510527, $34.99 www.oreilly.com

How do professional photographers turn RAW data into fine polished results? Photoshop CS3 RAW: Transform your RAW Images into Works of Art explains how to use the Photoshop CS2 tool, surveying the basics of optimizing RAW images and deciding when to shoot RAW, how to organize and automate their processing, how to tweak the images with professional techniques, and more. Neo-pros need this - and any computer or photography library strong in Photoshop techniques will find it popular.


The World History Shelf

Placing History
Anne Kelly Knowles, Editor
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92373-8100
9781589480131, $49.95 www.esripress.com

PLACING HISTORY: HOW MAPS, SPATIAL DATA AND GIS ARE CHANGING HISTORICAL SCHOLARSHIP challenges historians and historical geographers to use information science wisely, as it vastly affects historical scholarship and historical revision processes. College-level holdings strong in GIS analysis, use, and historical analysis alike will find PLACING HISTORY an invaluable link between cartography, geographic assessment and history. Case studies and regional analysis blend in an excellent set of examples on how GIS interpretations and usage affects history.

Great Quotations That Shaped the Western World
Carl H. Middleton
Paragon House
1925 Oakcrest Ave, Suite 7, St. Paul, MN 55113
9781557788641, $29.95, www.paragonhouse.com

The words and the great people who say it - "Great Quotations That Shaped The Western World" is a near 800 page tome filled with the wisdom of the ages. From the words of Moses, Aristotle, King Henry VII, to many quotes in the modern era, this is a secular but no holds barred look at the entirety of western history and how each and every one of these quotes impacted society and changed it. "Great Quotations That Shaped the Western World" is a highly recommended reference for community library history collections.

Holy Fathers, Secular Sons
Laurie Manchester
Northern Illinois University Press
2280 Bethany Road, De Kalb, IL 60115-2854
9780875803807, $43.00, www.niupress.niu.edu

Not following in the footsteps of ones father is not an entirely new concept, says "Holy Fathers, Secular Sons: Clergy, Intelligentsia, and the Modern Self in Revolutionary Russia". Around 1860, the sons of clergymen were allowed to leave the strict caste of the clergy to pursue their own interests if they so pleased. What followed was an interesting endeavor where the sons began to push social reform throughout the country, and interestingly enough, did so by retaining the values of the Russian Orthodox Church. "Holy Fathers, Secular Sons: Clergy, Intelligentsia, and the Modern Self in Russia" is a must have for community library collections on history for tackling an event that's so under covered by most libraries.


The Education Shelf

Teaching Nineteenth-Century American Poetry
Paula Bernat Bennett, Karen L. Kilcup, & Philipp Schweighauser (editors)
Modern Language Association of America
26 Broadway, New York, New York 10004-1789
9780873528221, $22.00, www.mla.org

Walt Whitman, Emily Dickinson, Edgar Allan Poe - the entirety of common knowledge for Americans of their nineteenth century poets. "Teaching Nineteenth-Century American Poetry" is here to help teachers correct this practice by opening students' range from three to the dozens of other notable poets from that century. A broad look at these 'forgotten' poets, their poetry, their philosophy and ideas, it's a comprehensive guide on this era of the art and a makes "Teaching Nineteenth-Century American Poetry" a must have for any educator in charge of teaching the subject and for community library education collections.

After School Success
Anne Bouie
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
9780807747452, $33.95, www.tcpress.com

The value of after-school programs is criminally underrated and they are sadly one of the first things cut when it comes to yearly budgeting. "After-School Success: Academic Enrichment Strategies with Urban Youth" outlines how these programs, with a focus on urban settings, can help students become the most they can be, get the most they can get out of their school career, and help them stay off the street and away from street gangs. After School programs are invaluable to building a stronger community speaks Author Anne Bouie. "After School Success: Academic Enrichment Strategies with Urban Youth" is highly recommended for community library education collections and for any educator in charge of these programs.

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

Response to Intervention, or RTI, has fostered dramatic changes in elementary and middle school readers, and the handbook Implementing Response to Intervention by Susan Hall (9781412955072, $28.95) provides a key to what RTI looks like in practice, showing how educators can use it to help students acquire and stay on course with reading skills. A step-by-step plan for implementing the entire process provides tips on designing a development plan for training staff, teachers, and using data in parent and teacher encounters. College-level education collections and principals need this. Sharon Adelman Reyes and Trina Lynn Vallone's CONSTRUCTIVIST STRATEGIES FOR TEACHING ENGLISH LANGUAGE LEARNERS (9781412936873, $33.95) packs in details on culturally sensitive instruction methods geared to encourage educational equity. ESL learners grow and educators need new strategies to address their special needs - which they will find here, which blends classroom examples and grade-level connections with ideas on second language acquisition and learning. Mary E. Dietz's JOURNALS AS FRAMEWORKS FOR PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITIES, 2ND EDITION (9781412959919, $33.95) comes from an international consultant who demonstrates five types of structured journals tailored to professional learning community environments. Each follows a documented four-step process promoting collaboration and continuous learning, providing step-by-step directions, clear illustrations and case studies, and more. Teachers and administrators will find it an invaluable pick. Dietz's DESIGNING THE SCHOOL LEADER'S PORTFOLIO, 2ND EDITION (9781412948968, $31.95) also comes with a cd-ro9m and offers educational leaders keys to developing action plans and documenting achievements in a professional community learning session. From linking leadership goals with community and school improvement projects to fostering collaboration among staff, DESIGNING THE SCHOOL LEADER'S PORTFOLIO is an invaluable reference.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Expressive Arts Activity Book
Suzanne Darley and Wende Heath
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, #400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781843108610, $35.77 www.jkp.com

THE EXPRESSIVE ARTS ACTIVITY BOOK: A RESOURCE FOR PROFESSIONALS compiles a set of tested activities for use with people in a range of care settings, to help them explore experiences, physical and emotional issues, interpersonal problems and more. It goes far beyond most psychology and educational guides to offer a set of creative ideas and exercises hospital workers, schools and other caregivers can use in the daily course of their interactions - and it also provides variations and assessment pointers. It's an invaluable workbook that health collections will find important.

Miraculous Health
Dr. Rick Levy with Lou Aronica
Beyond Words Publishing
c/o Atria Books
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
1582701792, $24.00 www.beyondword.com

MIRACULOUS HEALTH: HOW TO HEAL YOUR BODY BY UNLEASHING THE HIDDEN POWER OF YOUR MIND isn't just an admonition of what should happen - it offers a concrete blueprint for achieving good health, guiding readers through a program to heal physical illness or injury and offering healing techniques blending the latest mind-body research. It's this specific program which makes MIRACULOUS HEALTH so different from competitors: backed by a psychologist working at the forefront of mind-body medicine since 1976, it offers up expert advice.

Action Plan for Allergies
William Briner, MD
Human Kinetics
P.O. Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736062794, $17.95, www.humankinetics.com

It comes every year, twice or more for some. For others, it just may mean avoiding some of life's pleasures entirely. But they can be worked around - Allergies. "Action Plan for Allergies: Your Guide to Managing Exercise and Medication to relieve symptoms" is a thoroughly researched book of remedies to help Allergy sufferers not suffer so much from their ailments, also covering related reactions such as hay fever and asthma. Written and developed alongside doctors in the largest sports medicine and exercise organization in the world, "Action Plan for Allergies: Your Guide to Managing Exercise and Medication to Relieve Symptoms" will teach readers to take control of their health and reduce or flat out eliminate the need for medication with proper diet and exercise. "Action Plan for Allergies: Your Guide to Managing Exercise and Medication to Relieve Symptoms" is a must have for allergy sufferers and community library health collections.

Mired in the Health Care Morass
Neil Davis
Ester Republic Press
c/o Alaska-Yukon Press
P.O. Box 24, Ester, AK, 99725
9780974922140, $18.00, www.esterrepublic.com

A shocking note Americans don't know about medical bills: They don't reflect the costs of the medicine itself. "Mired in the Health Care Morass: An Alaskan Takes On America's Dysfunctional Medical System for his Uninsured Daughter" is the tale of accomplished author and geophysicist Neil Davis's fight against the American Health care system and how it is extorting Americans when they are at their most vulnerable - when they are ill themselves or deathly concerned for the well being of their loved ones. With advice to fight these corrupt practices and get the more correct and proper hospital bill, "Mired in the Health Care Morass: An Alaskan Takes on America's Dysfunctional Medical System for his Uninsured Daughter" is highly recommended for anyone who has been scorned by the American health care system and for community library social issues shelves everywhere.


The Audiobook Shelf

Get Real Get Rich
Farrah Gray
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1423351509, $29.95 www.brillianceaudio.com

The author became a millionaire as a early teenager, made his second million by sixteen, and defied his background raised by a single parent in the impoverished south side of Chicago as the youngest of five children. His success was tied to attitude, tenacity and a rejection of the common lies about money and success - and GET REAL, GET RICH identifies seven lies and tells how to overcome them in real-world situations. It's an inspirational game plan for success that any general lending audio library needs.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Kentucky Derby Glasses Price Guide
Judy Marchman
Eclipse Press
c/o Blood-Horse Publications
3101 Beaumont Centre Circle, Lexington, KY 40591-9003
9781581501834, $16.95 www.eclipsepress.com

Among the legions of racing fans that frequent such thoroughbred races as the Preakness, Belmont, and the Breeder's Cup, are those for whom their enthusiasm for the sport leads them to collect various kinds and categories of racing memorabilia. Now in an expanded and updated fourth edition, the "Kentucky Derby Glasses Price Guide", compiled by Judy Marchman is a unique and superbly illustrated compendium focusing on all of the Kentucky Derby glasses and shot glasses, as well as other rare and valuable glasses associated with professional horse racing. Organized chronologically by year, each color illustrated example also cites its price as a collectible. Ideal for novice collectors just starting out, and an informed reference for dealers and established collectors, "Kentucky Derby Glasses Price Guide" is an ideal and prized addition to personal, professional, and community library Antiques & Collectibles collections.

Classic Wristwatches: The Price Guide for Vintage Watch Collectors
Stefan Muser and Michael Horlbeck
Abbeville Press
137 Varick Street, New York NY 10013
0789209357, $35.00 www.abbeville.com

The 2008-2009 edition of CLASSIC WRISTWATCHES packs in features of over 1300 models, including good-sized color photos of each watch, descriptions of manufacture, case and appearance, and company histories. This blend of price guide, identification guide and watch history is outstanding for any collecting watches, and is a highly recommended pick for any library catering to collectors.

Madame Alexander 2008 Price Guide
Linda Crowsey
Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574325874, $14.95 www.collectorbooks.com

The 2008 price guide to Madame Alexander dolls updates information with the latest values, offering the information along with small color photos and an organization by type of doll, then maker name. While casual readers may find it doesn't hold the photo-packed identification value of other Madame Alexander doll books, it's not intended for identification but as a reference providing the latest values, which do change immensely: any serious doll collector's library needs this.


The Business Shelf

Why Smart Companies Do Dumb Things
Calvin L. Hodock
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781591025689, $25.95 www.prometheusbooks.com

WHY SMART COMPANIES DO DUMB THINGS: AVOIDING EIGHT COMMON MISTAKES IN NEW PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT: LESSONS LEARNED FROM INNOVATION BLUNDERS uses a case history approach to consider eight typical innovation blunders that doom new product development. From misinterpreting market needs and timing to overbearing marketing strategies, these snafus are analyzed for their business lessons and provide essential tips on what makes for successful development and marketing. Essential for all business libraries and many a general-interest public library collection.

The Antitrust Religion
Edwin S. Rockefeller
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington DC 20001
9781933995090, $16.95 www.cato.org

Author Edwin Rockefeller has long been chairman of the Antitrust & Trade Regulation Report Advisory Board, so his analysis of competition law and business is an essential component of any college-level survey of antitrust law and business pursuits. College-level libraries strong in American history, business or law receive an in-depth case for the First Law of Government and the economic impact of antitrust actions.

Go Google
Greg Holden
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814480594, $19.95 www.amacombooks.org

Thousands of people use Google to search for information, so it makes sense to think of it as a business tool - especially when Google has invested time and effort into concrete tools to further this end. GO GOOGLE offers a guide to its applications, from Google Spreadsheets and Page Creator to Google Talk and more. From advertising a small business to getting it organized and calculating its hits and worth, GO GOOGLE covers all the basics with a focus on tailoring business needs to Google's many business offerings. An invaluable pick any computer or business library needs.

Crucibles of Leadership
Robert J. Thomas
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781591391371, $29.95 www.HBSPress.org

CRUCIBLES OF LEADERSHIP: HOW TO LEARN FROM EXPERIENCE TO BECOME A GREAT LEADER provides keys to understanding leadership qualities and practices, through finding meaning in adversity and using such experiences to improve and change performance. The techniques and achievements of successful leaders around the world are profiled in stories of leadership ranging from the business world to political and religious circles. An outstanding survey.

The Complete Guide to Google Advertising
Bruce C. Brown
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781601380456, $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Google is much more than another search engine - it's created numerous marketing tools for business, from AdSense and AdWords to the Google APIs, and this handbook to all these tools gives small business owners the power and technique for fine-tuning Google for profitable results. From advertising to marketing, all the basics are here.


The Gaming Shelf

Bridge's Endplays for Everyone
David Bird
Master Point Press
331 Douglas Avenue, Toronto Ontario Canada M5M 1H2
9781897106365, $19.95 www.masterpointpress.com

Bridge players and libraries catering to them won't want to miss BRIDGE'S ENDPLAYS FOR EVERYONE: YES, EVEN YOU! It surveys the complex endplays of bridge, examines basic principles that make such plays far easier for intermediate and advanced players to comprehend, and is loaded with examples and a chatty style to make the details quick and easy to absorb. Bridge players will relish the concrete step-by-step, illustrated tips throughout.

The Lone Wolf
Bobby Wolff
Master Point Press
331 Douglas Avenue, Toronto Ontario Canada M5M 1H2
9781897106372, $24.95 www.masterpointpress.com

THE LONE WOLF: AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A BRIDGE MAVERICK covers the author's long-time fascination for bridge and his life and career as a multiple world champion and former president of two major bridge associations. More than just a personal survey of his life in bridge, it provides industry and insider insights and observations, from players cheating at top levels to sponsorship, professional players, and more bridge issues most coverages won't touch. It's a revealing glimpse of a little-covered world of big-time bridge players.

Monopoly: The World's Most Famous Game and How It Got That Way
Philip E. Orbanes
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306815745, $14.95 www.dacapopress.com

Monopoly is the world's most famous proprietary game: but why has it proven such an outstanding success over competitors? Monopoly, game fans and public libraries alike will find engrossing MONOPOLY: THE WORLD'S MOST FAMOUS GAME, which offers insight into the history and developers of the game. Chapters describe the game's creation, marketing, evolution, and attractions and include many insights on how the Internet and technological advancements have changed the game.


The Cookbook Shelf

Betty Crocker Cookbook: Heart Health Edition
Wiley Publishing
John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
9780470171639, $29.95 www.wiley.com

The familiar red hard cover with lay-flat binding and spine lettering is still here, but differentiating this from past Betty Crocker cookbooks is the focus on over 1,400 recipes and variations for low-fat, fast and special heart-healthy recipes. From setting up a healthy buffet and serving a crowd to modifying favorite dishes to be more heart-health, BETTY CROCKER COOKBOOK HEART HEALTH EDITION PACKS IN the latest guidelines for basic health-conscious cooking for beginners, making it especially recommended as a basic beginning cook's library addition.

The New Vegetarian Grill
Andrea Chessman
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
National Book Network (distributor)
4270 Boston Way, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781558323629, $16.95 www.nbnbooks.com www.harvardcommonpress.com 1-888-657-3755

Public awareness of the health benefits of a vegetarian diet are wide spread and increasingly commonplace. Now in an updated addition with 50 new recipes, The New Vegetarian Grill offers 250 different ways to grill tasty vegetarian fare. From Pistachio Quesadillas to Marinated Roasted Pepper, Spinach-Feta-Pizza, Wok-Grilled Vegetable Lo Mein, Tandoori-Style Vegetable Kabobs and much more, The New Vegetarian Grill proves that grillers don't have to be carnivores! A welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to vegetarian cookbook shelves, especially as the summer grilling season fast approaches.

Best Of The Best From Bell's Best Cookbook
TelecomPioneers of Mississippi
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
9781893062931, $16.95 www.quailridge.com 1-800-343-1583

The TelecomPioneers of Mississippi have published a series of four volumes of cookbook recipes, beginning with "Bell's Best" in 1981, followed by "Bell's Best 2"; "Savory Classics"; and "Bell's Best IV". The accumulative total of these four previously published cookbooks adds up to more than six thousand recipes! Now available from Quail Ridge Press is their fifth cookbook volume, "Best Of The Best From Bell's Best Cookbook" which is a distillation and compilation of 429 recipes taken from the previous four volumes of the 'Bell's Best Cookbook' series and presented along with informative and fascinating historical facts and illustrations showing the development of the telephone over the years from its inception with Alexander Graham Bell's initial transmission over a telephone line to his assistant Thomas Watson, down to the touch tone and cell phones present day. This outstanding compendium include recipes for beverages and appetizers; breads and breakfasts; soups, stews and chilies; salads; pastas and rice dishes; meats; poultry; seafood; cakes; cookies and candies; as well as pies and other desserts. Of special note is the chapter devoted to equivalents and substitutions. From an Almond-Bacon Cheese Dip; to Chicken Tortilla Soup; to Fruit Salad with Apricot Dressing; to a Sausage Rice Casserole; to Barbequed Shrimp; to Crushed Pineapple Cream Cake; to Old-Fashioned Chocolate Fudge, these are dishes that would grace any dining occasion, please any palate, and satisfy any appetite. "Best Of The Best From Bell's Best Cookbook" is a welcome and recommended addition to both personal and community library cookbook collections!


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Orbis Books
Walsh Building, Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545
www.orbisbooks.com

The little spirituality handbook EASTERN WISDOM FOR WESTERN MINDS by Victor M. Parachin (9781570757389, $16.00) is a rich assembly of insights on Eastern principles which are universal and easily applied to everyday Christian life. Author Victor Parachin is an ordained minister in the Christian Church: his handbook offers an A-Z reference to the benefits of Eastern spirituality and should be a consideration for any spirituality or public library holding. Susan E. Smith's WOMEN IN MISSION: FROM THE NEW TESTAMENT TO TODAY (9781570757372, $25.00) focuses on the missionary work of women in the history of Christianity, focusing on their roles as missionaries in the Catholic church and providing a solid blend of women's history and spiritual review. From women's changing roles as co-workers, homemakers, and spiritual leaders to a century-by-century review of women's impact on missionary work, this is a fine survey any Christian collection and Catholic library will find important.

Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions
Yudit Kornberg Greenberg, Editor
ABC-CLIO
Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851099801, $265.00/set www.abc-clio.com

The 2-volume set Encyclopedia of Love in World Religions is a top pick for any high school to college-level collection strong in world religious studies. It packs in an A-Z listing of articles on sociology, religious studies, and philosophy, surveying various religious traditions, beliefs, mind/body/spirit connections and philosophies, and more. Each article comes with a bibliography for further reading, perfect for supplemental religious studies review, and important as introductions to world religious beliefs on love.

The Secular Conscience
Austin Dacey
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781591026044, $24.95 www.prometheusbooks.com

THE SECULAR CONSCIENCE: WHY BELIEF BELONGS IN PUBLIC LIFE comes from a philosopher who calls for a rethinking of the nature of conscience and its role in public life. Philosophers and secularism issues can be traced to Spinoza and early hallmarks of rigid thought patterns: this book creates a dialogue useful for college-level students of philosophy, ethics, spiritual studies and social issues alike.

The New Atheists
Tina Beattie
Orbis Books
Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570757822, $20.00 www.orbisbooks.com

THE NEW ATHEISTS: THE TWILIGHT OF REASON & THE WAR ON RELIGION comes from an English Catholic feminist theologian who accepts some of the contentions of atheism while redefining the type of God rejected by these atheists and fostered by some religions. Instead she displays a historical and cultural acknowledgment of the foundations of these 'new atheist' beliefs, and examines the symbolism and underlying meanings of a different form of spiritual belief. Perfect for any religious holding.

Family Bible
Melissa J. Delbridge
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242
1587296519, $23.95 www.uiowapress.org

Southern culture and religion blend in FAMILY BIBLE, a survey of personal history and growing up Southern that examines sex, religion and family connections in 1960s Tuscaloosa. It's especially recommended for general-interest collections strong in either Southern culture or regional religion and autobiography, blending elements of all three in a chatty, folksy and intriguing story easy to read and thoughtful in presentation.


The Social Issues Shelf

Just Call Me Mike
Mike Farrell
Akashic Books
P.O. Box 1436, New York NY 10019
9781933354484, $16.95 www.akashicbooks.com

Mike Farrell is best known for his eight years on MASH and five seasons on Providence - here is yet another set of insights on his career as a writer, director, producer, and mostly importantly, as a human rights and peace activist. His journey to become all is charted in chapters which will appeal to many different collection objectives: from libraries strong in social issues and activism to those wishing to include autobiographies of actors and directors.

Academic Freedom At The Dawn Of A New Century
Evan Gerstmann & Matthew J. Streb (editors)
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
0804754446, $24.95, www.sup.org

What had the horrific acts of September 11th, 2001 meant to one of the most fundamental freedoms the United States hold dear? "Academic Freedom At The Dawn Of a New Century: How Terrorism, Governments, and Culture Wars Impact Free Speech" tackles this issue, explaining how those atrocities affected free speech. Also, how does it affect freedom of inquiry at Universities? How does it affect the culture wars that rouse controversy on campuses? How does our freedom now compare to that of other nations? "Academic Freedom At The Dawn of a New Century: How Terrorism, Governments, and Culture Wars Impact Free Speech" answers all these questions in a scholarly manner, making it highly recommended to social issues community library shelves.

When The Press Fails
W. Lance Bennet, Regina G. Lawrence, Steven Livingston
The University of Chicago Press
11030 S Langley Avenue, Chicago, IL 60628-3830
9780226042848, $22.50, www.press.uchicago.edu

Freedom of the Press is one of the most fundamental freedoms in the American constitution. Then we have presidential scandals - and sadly watch as the media does exactly what the government intends for them to do. "When the Press Fails: Political Power and the News Media From Iraq to Katrina" is an examination of today's media and a criticism of their over-reliance on official sources. It also acts as a call to start questioning the mainstream press, and for the press itself to cover conflicting viewpoints against what the government's official sources want them to report. Failure to do so could lead to further disasters due to the blind spot of the public - who need this information to act as they should in our system of government. "When the Press Fails: Political Power and the News Media From Iraq to Katrina" has the highest recommendation to community library shelves, and for anyone who wants a harsh critique of today's press & media.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Bear & Company/Park Street Press
c/o Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.parkstreetpress.com

Richard Hawley, Ph.D.'s BEYOND THE ICARUS FACTOR: RELEASING THE FREE SPIRIT OF BOYS (9781594772283, $14.95) advocates celebrating the 'dangerous pursuits' which are part of a boy's nature and creativity. His years as headmaster of a boy's school have led to a series of insights about the special spirit a boy's nature entails - and flaws in how parents and educators try to direct male energy. His advocating of a different approach uses Western theology and philosophy to consider how to celebrate and bring out the special nature of boys. J. Douglas Kenyon edits FORBIDDEN SCIENCE: FROM ANCIENT TECHNOLOGIES TO FREE ENERGY (97811591430827, $18.00), a survey of some forty-two essays by nineteen researchers from his bimonthly journal Atlantis Rising. Science and technology suppressed by the orthodox scientific community include Velikovsky's astronomical sightings, free energy from space, cold fusion and more in a review recommended for any serious new age library.

Lucifer's Court
Otto Rahn
Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594771972, $16.95 www.innertraditions.com

The author's lifelong search for the Grail brought him to the attention of SS leader Himmler, who shared his interests: thus Rahn became the chief investigator of the occult for the Nazis, pursuing leads to the Grail. LUCIFER'S COURT is the travel diary he kept during these pursuits, and brings to life his beliefs, encounters, and world-wide journeys. New age collections will find it intriguing and packed with adventure.

The Thread of Ariadne
George Sopasakis
Llumina Press
7915 W. McNab Road, Tamarac, FL 33321
9781595268266, $26.95 www.llumina.com

The wonder of discovering something for the first time is a strange, yet great feeling indeed. "The Thread of Ariadne: The Sword of Consciousness" pushes people to ponder those timeless existential questions, to stretch their limits of mind and reason to just think harder than you've ever thought before. To help you along, "The Thread of Ariadne: The Sword of Consciousness" places out some big questions and gives you many thought provoking and intriguing answers to all of them, then challenges you to answer them yourself- while pondering the hidden riddle among it out, to challenge your mind with a more difficult question than it could handle- just to push it to its limits. Highly recommended to metaphysical studies shelves and to anyone who wants to get their mind to do some heavy lifting.


The Dance Shelf

Long After Midnight at the Nino Bien
Brian Winter
PublicAffairs
250 West 57th Street, Suite 1321, New York NY 10107
9781586483708, $24.95 www.publicaffairsbooks.com

LONG AFTER MIDNIGHT AT THE NINO BIEN: A YANQUI'S MISSTEPS IN ARGENTINA tells of an American who decides on a whim to move to Argentina and learn to tango - his quest to shine in the tango hall with a group of elderly men who move like Enrique Iglesias and his quest to understand the tango leads to a deeper cultural appreciation of Argentina as a whole: an appreciation which comes to life in a book highly recommended for a range of collections: those surveying international dance in general, tango in particular, or Latin American or Argentinean culture as a whole.


The Art Shelf

A Legacy of Art
National Arts Club members
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05294
9780615154992, $60.00 www.hudsonhills.com

Since 1906 the National Arts Club has been housed in a 1840s modified building which is replete with black walnut woodwork, stained glass and period furnishings. The effect of the interior setting compliments the works of art which adorn the clubhouse - brought to life here in a catalog which focuses on the assembly of pictures on display everywhere. Viewers with access to the Club will find this an excellent keepsake catalog, those who live elsewhere will also treasure its extensive notes and history. Art libraries with in-depth collections need it.

Frida Kahlo: The Still Lifes
Salomon Grimberg
Merrell Publishers Limited
740 Broadway, Suite 1202, New York, NY 10003
9781858944371, $45.00, www.merrellpublishers.com 1-212-529-2270

A Mexican painter and a woman in a male dominated culture, Frida Kahlo's life was as colorful, complex, and unconventional as her art. In "Frida Kahlo: The Still Lifes", psychoanalytic art historian Salomon Grimberg showcases with commentary forty of Kahlo's still life paintings in a seminal study of a portion of her work which reveals new perspectives and understandings of her personal and creative processes as an artist. Each work of art is beautifully reproduced in full color. The informed and informative text is enhanced with p0ersonal photographs. The result is a seminal contribution to the study of Kahlo's art that is a very strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Art History reference collections. Also very highly recommended for scholars and admirers of Frida Kahlo's iconoclastic life and art are two previously published works by Salomon Grimberg: "Frida Kahlo: Das Gesamtwerk (1988) and "I Will Never Fort You: Frida Kahlo To Nikolas Muray (2004).


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Complete Idiot's Guide to The World of Harry Potter
Tere Stouffer
Alpha
c/o Penguin Publishing
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
9781592575992, $16.95 www.idiotsguides.com

Any collection including Harry Potter fans - and all public lending libraries will qualify - will find plenty of interest in this guide to THE WORLD OF HARRY POTTER, a survey of the history, mythology and science of all seven Potter novels. Here's a inspired guide which covers everything from herbs and plants to magic, 'the King's English', and meanings of British and mythology terminology - all under one cover. Perfect for keeping the Potter magic alive!

Complete Idiot's Guide to The World of Narnia
James S. Bell Jr. and Cheryl Dunlop
Alpha
c/o Penguin Publishing
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
$16.95 9781592576173 www.idiotsguides.com

Libraries carrying the Narnia series by C.S. Lewis, whether they be school libraries or public lending libraries, will find THE WORLD OF NARNIA a perfect reader's guide to the settings, characters, and social and religious concepts of Narnia. From the mythos and history behind C.S. Lewis' creating to insights specific to each book in the series, this reader's guide offers up plenty of food for thought which students in particular will find engrossing and insightful.


The Crafts Shelf

Easy Birthstone Jewelry
BeadStyle
Kalmbach Publishing
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780871162557, $21.95 www.beadandcraftbooks.com

Birthstones can easily be used to create personalized jewelry, and this provides a 12-chapter, 12-month approach to projects, with each chapter including two projects for traditional birthstones, one for secondary stones, and details on each stone's history and lore. Only a few easy techniques are required to create the jewelry in this book, and the step-by-step color photos and clear directions make them a snap to reproduce.


The Library DVD Shelf

Flock of Dodos
Randy Olson
Docuramafilms
902 Broadway, FL 9, New York, NY 10010
0767098196, $26.95 www.docurama.com

A humor survey of cultural controversies in the evolution vs. intelligent design debate, A FLOCK OF DODOS comes from a filmmaker and evolutionary biologist who makes fun of jargon, science, and religion alike. Viewers who can appreciate a quirky, different view of evolutionary theory will find this outrageously funny - and will pick it as an item of choice in any film lending library handling either science or humor titles at the general interest viewing level.

Respect Yo' Mama
Larry Lee
Garbage In...Films
14618 Tyler Foote Crossing Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
DVD, $14.95, www.respectyomama.com 1-800-673-0310

RESPECT YO MAMA offers a fine basic survey of recycling and is a recommended pick for elementary-level collections and general-interest libraries seeking very basic introductions to recycling ideas. From 'why recycle' to how to, this conservation dvd is an excellent introduction recommended especially for classrooms and school collections.

Kanon
ADV Films
9781413915679, $29.98 www.advfilms.com

Yuichi Aizawa used to visit his cousin all the time when younger - but now he hardly recalls these visits. A fine anime drama surrounds Yuichi's attempts to regain lost memories, and the discoveries he makes when he does. This is a special pick for libraries and individuals interested in quality anime Japanese films: it's Volume 1 in a projected series.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Tonoharu
Lars Martinson
Pliant Press
c/o Top Shelf Productions (distributor)
P.O. Box 1282, Marietta, GA 30061-1282
9780980102321, $19.95, www.pliantpress.com

A serious minority - Daniel Wells is the only American in a rural Japanese Village, where he serves as an assistant junior high school teacher. "Tonoharu: Part One" is the start of his story as Daniel must deal with everything coming with his new job - language barriers, culture shock, it's a lonely existence. His only relief comes from the pursuit, although not effective, of an American girl who resides in a town not far from his own. His adventures often turn offbeat and intriguing, making "Tonoharu: Part One" highly recommended for community library graphic novel collections.

All-Star Companion V. 3
Roy Thomas
TwoMorrows Publishing
1047 Bedfordtown Drive, Raleigh, NC 27614
9781893905801, $26.95 www.twomorrows.com

Followers of the Justice League of America, Black Bart, Super Squad and other All-Star Comics will relish this third collection providing insider insights into issues and series. Each listing comes with a synopsis, review of characters, and sidebars of notes and information. No color - the illustrations from comics are all in black and white - but the comic cover reproductions and data are invaluable for collectors and comic fans, and a top pick for any collection catering to them.

Fantasy Classics
Tom Pomplun, editor
Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Road, Mount Horeb, WI 53572
9780978791933, $11.95 www.graphicclassics.com

Volume fifteen in the Graphic Classics series, Fantasy Classics is an anthology of black-and-white comic adaptations of timeless fantasy (and horror) stories by great literary authors. Each adaptation is illustrated by a different artist with a fiercely individual style. The adapted literature selections are "After the Fire" by Lord Dunsany, "Fantasmagoriana" (a prologue to Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, telling of a creative exchange of ghost stories Shelly once had with fellow writers), "Frankenstein" by Mary Shelley, "Rappaccini's Daughter" by Nathaniel Hawthorne, "The Glass Dog" by L. Frank Baum, "The Dream-Bridge" by Clark Ashton Smith, and "The Dream Quest of Unknown Kadath" by H.P. Lovecraft. The resulting compilation is highly recommended as an invaluable introduction to the worlds of fantasy, wizardry, and dreaming that took root in humanity's collective psyche well before "The Lord of the Rings" established certain tropes as mainstream. Due to mature and often tragic themes, Fantasy Classics is recommended for readers who are at least twelve years of age.

Rex Libris: I, Librarian
James Turner
Slave Labor Graphics Publishing
PO Box 26427, San Jose, CA 95159
9781593620622, $14.95 www.slgcomic.com

Rex Libris: I, Librarian is a black-and-white graphic novel collection of the time-and-space spanning adventures of Rex Libris, librarian extraordinaire. Originally a librarian of ancient Rome, Rex has devoted himself to protecting books throughout millennia; his present-day librarian duties include preventing patrons from straying to their deaths amid nigh-endless bookshelves, stopping demon-possessed samurai from taking books without a library card, and reclaiming overdue books held by mad galactic overlords. Aided by a telekinetic songbird with a thirst for world conquest, Rex's latest challenge begins by accidentally teleporting into freefall and only gets harder! The over-the-top two-fisted action combined with fiendishly overwrought narration and tongue-in-cheek lampshading of comic genre conventions make for an exhilaratingly funny read cover to cover. Highly recommended.

The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame, author
Adapted by Michel Plessix
Papercutz
40 Exchange Place, Suite 1308, New York, NY 10005
9781597070966, $13.95 www.papercutz.com 1-800-886-1223

The Wind in the Willows is a full-color graphic novel adaptation of Kenneth Grahame's classic anthropomorphic fable following the adventures of the humble Mole, the river-loving Water Rat, the gruff yet wise Badger, and the fabulously wealthy yet all-too-easily worked-up Toad. Toad has many foibles, some more endearing than others, but perhaps the most troublesome is his sudden obsession automobiles - a trait that prompts his downfall when he commits a sudden infraction of grand theft auto out of his pure love for reckless driving! Though Wind of the Willows is set in a quasi turn-of-the-century motif, with subtle issues of class and social station, The Wind in the Willows has a timeless grace that makes it a joy to read for adults and children alike. The caricatures of the story's many creatures, as drawn by Michel Plessix, perfectly capture the quirks and enthusiasm of the many woodland denizens. Perhaps most awe-inspiring, though, is Badger's prediction that rings as true today as it ever did: "If this contraption [the automobile] keeps on, people will invade all the beautiful places! You'll have to build roads to go there and buildings to house them, thereby destroying what they came looking for in the first place... And then you'll have to park the cars somewhere. They'll hog the sidewalks and the squares. Children will no longer be able to play in the streets, and the people strolling will disappear because it will become necessary that everything go as fast as that machine. Since people will spend all their time in this rolling cage, they'll lose the habit of speaking to one another and will no longer understand one another. Then they'll hate each other." Highly recommended for readers of all ages.

Dominatrix: You Want Me
Gene Simmons
IDW Publishing
580 Santa Fe Street, San Diego, CA 92109
9781600101571, $19.99 www.idwpublishing.com

Gene Simmons is more than just a tongue and a pretty face for the legendary rock group Kiss. He's also a gifted creator of a fiction/fantasy genre as evidenced by his coming up with the idea of Dominique Stern, a young woman with no family, few friends, a past, and makes a profitable (albeit unusual) career in the sex industry as a professional dominatrix. A woman who inflicts pain and humiliation on her clients at their request -- and expense! It's while servicing a client that Dominique finds herself having to become a superhero and dealing with government arrogance, a diabolical cabal, and dangers to herself, her friends, and her country! Engagingly written by Sean Taylor, superbly illustrated by the team of Flavio Hoffe and Esteve Polls, colored by Debora Carita, and with a superb staff of cover artists, letterers, and editors, "Dominatrix: You Want Me" first appeared as a mini-series of individual comics from IDW Publishing that has now been collected together into a magnificent graphic novel format that is highly recommended for mature readers.


The Military Shelf

Who Dares Wins: Special Forces Heroes of the SAS
Pete Scholey
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, Suite 806, New York NY 10016
9781846033117, $24.95 www.ospreypublishing.com

The history of Britain's SAS provides fine stories in a new memoir of a 20-year SAS veteran who served in some of the world's most dangerous areas from 1963-83. His memory recounts remarkable soldiers, missions, and many names of those who have died in obscurity, unheralded for their bravery and achievements. Any military history library will find this survey of SAS heroes to be both inviting and absorbing.

PSI Spies
Jim Marrs
New Page Books
Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1564149609, $15.99 www.newpagebooks.com

PSI SPIES; THE TRUE STORY OF AMERICA'S PSYCHIC WARFARE PROGRAM provides a gripping account of military psychic soldiers - the Army's formerly top-secret remote viewing unit which has been used as a tool and a weapon. This unit was developed in the 1970s as a spy adjunct of the Army: these psychic spies gained knowledge on a range of topics, including a Soviet plot to kill President Ronald Reagan. Included in the expose are tips on how to 'remote view' on your own, making this a pick not just for military collections, but for general-interest lending libraries.

Steeds of Steel
Harry Yeide
Zenith Books
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 Fist Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760333600, $27.95 www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com

STEEDS OF STEEL: A HISTORY OF AMERICAN MECHANIZED CAVALRY IN WORLD WAR II provides an in-depth review of the 1941 new 'mechanized cavalrymen' whose role would change the modern battlefield's approach. Such cavalrymen fought in tanks, armored cars and jeeps: after-action reports, combat records, personal recollections and more are compiled to reveal how these troops operated and why their actions were revolutionary.

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

Christopher Gravett's KNIGHT: NOBLE WARRIOR OF ENGLAND 1200-1600 (9781846033421, $25.95) examines the figure and actions of the knight in medieval times, surveying his development, social standing, training and battles in great details. While any library strong in college-level medieval history needs this, it's also the military history collection that will benefit from its thorough review, accompanied by original color art and modern photography of armor . Very highly recommended indeed. New additions to Osprey's 'Campaign' series are excellent picks for military libraries, each offering surveys of selected early battles. David Smith's NEW YORK 1776: THE CONTINENTALS' FIRST BATTLE (9781846032851, $19.95) details the strategies, tactics and battle experiences of opposing forces during the 1776 campaign, Steven J. Zaloga's LIBERATION OF PARIS 1944: PATTON'S RACE FOR THE SEINE (9781846032462, $19.95) recounts the Operation Cobra battle that sent the Allies across France with plans to liberate the notoriously difficult Paris, and Ian Castle's LONDON 19147-17: THE ZEPPELIN MENACE (9781846032455, $19.95) reveals the Zeppelin raids on London which fostered a new kind of warfare and German successes. Two additions to the 'Fortress' series are Stephen Turnbull's JAPANESE CASTLES AD 250-1540 (9782846032530, $18.95) surveying ancient Japanese fortifications which produced distinctive styles of architecture, and Nic Fields' THE WALLS OF ROME (9781846031984, $18.95), surveying the design and development of ancient Rome. Both perfect for early military and architectural history holdings. Two new 'Duel' additions include Jon Guttman's SOPWITH CAMEL VS. FOKKER DR 1: WESTERN FRONT 1917-18 (9781846032936, $17.95), contrasting two aircraft during World War I noted for their dogfight capabilities, and Carl Molesworth's P-40 WARHAWK VS. KI-43 OSCAR: CHINA 1944-45 (9781846032950, $17.95), following the evolution of the World War II fighters, from their design to their new fighting strategies. New 'Warrior' series titles are Gregory Fremont-Barnes' AMERICAN BOMBER CREWMAN 1941-45 (9782846031250, $18.95), covering the lives and achievements of the American Bomber Crewmen of the USAF and the physical and psychological requirements for their duty, and Ed Gilbert's NATIVE AMERICAN CODE TALKER IN WORLD WAR II (9781846032691, $18.95), using personal interviews with veteran code talkers to tell of their use during World Wars 1 and II. Paddy Griffith's WORLD WAR II DESERT TACTICS (9781846032905, $18.95) explains the tactical challenges faced by Allied and Axes forces battling in North Africa's deserts. From strengths to weaknesses and special challenges on both sides, it packs in plenty of military insights on battle strategy. Gordon L. Rottman's THE US ARMY IN THE VIETNAM WAR 1965-73 (9781846032394, $25.95) provides details on how US Army units operated during the war and comes from a Special Forces veteran who focuses on infantry strategies and units which supported them. Andrew Thomas' GRIFFON SPITFIRE ACES (9781846032981, $22.95) follows the Spitfire's various upgrades and developments and its subsequent effects on aerial battles and strategies, while Oleg Rostrenin's II-2 SHTURMOVIK GUARDS UNITS OF WORLD WAR 2 (9781846032967, $22.95) follows a plane commonly considered the 'best attack aircraft of World War 2. All are picks military libraries will find comprehensive and detailed.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Knit One, Stripe Too
Candace Eisner Strick
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue N.E., Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564777553, $24.95 www.martingale-pub.com

KNIT ONE, STRIPE TOO: MAKING THE MOST OF SELF-STRIPING YARNS promotes the new colors and combination opportunities of such yarns, using nearly thirty projects designed especially for self-striping yarns and including socks, slippers, scarves, bags and more; many most accessible to beginners. Full-page colorful photos of finished products accompany knitting directions, materials lists and notes on project attributes. Any library including knitting project guides will welcome this.

Contemporary Machine-Embroidered Accessories
Eileen Roche
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
9780896894914, $29.99, www.fwpublications.com 1-800-726-9966

It's a commonly accepted dictum in the fashion world that accessories can enhance any outfit. This is especially true for needlecraft projects ranging from purses and bags, to shoes and scarves. Through the deft use of a sewing machine, embroidery can transform everyday commonplace accessories into one-of-a-kind designer originals. That's the message of embroidery expert and needlecraft veteran Eileen Roche in "Contemporary Machine-Embroidered Accessories" showcases illustrated, step-by-step instructions for twenty-four embroidery designs in machine formats for eighteen different do-it-yourself projects suitable for even the most novice needlecrafter. Enhanced with complementary outfit ideas and alternate color suggestions for each project, "Contemporary Machine-Embroidered Accessories" comes with an accompanying CD-Rom with the embroidery designs. "Contemporary Machine-Embroidered Accessories" is an elegant and highly recommended addition for personal and community library fashion and needlecraft collections in general, and embroider instructional reference collections in particular.

Crochet Designs For Kids
Lucinda Gay
Trafalgar Square Publishing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053
Independent Publishers Group (distributor)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9781570763878, $22.95, www.trafalgarbooks.com 1-800-888-4741

The needlecraft art of crochet is for so much more than the making of doilies! A clothing designer specializing in children's knitwear, Lucinda Gay draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in "Crochet Designs For Kids" to showcase twenty illustrated, step-by-step, do-it-yourself projects for creating crochet masterpieces for children that range from tops, dresses, jackets and hats, to bags, blankets, and toy animals. The full color illustrations by Francois Hall, and the full color photographs of finished items, perfectly compliment each individual project's detailed information that includes sizes and measurements for different age ranges of children; yarn, hook, gauge, abbreviations, and the methodical, detailed, and thoroughly 'user friendly' instructions. "Crochet Designs For Kids" is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to personal and community library needlecraft reference collections in general, and crochet enthusiasts in particular.

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

Ana Paula Rimoli's AMIGURUMI WORLD: SERIOUSLY CUTE CROCHET (9781584778475, $18.95) shows how to crochet the creatures from the Amigurumi crochet world using only basic crochet skills and small amounts of yarn. From hedgehogs and penguins to cupcakes, this easy crochet guide will appeal to any collection catering to needleworkers or those working projects for the young. Donna Druchunas' KITTY KNITS: PROJECTS FOR CATS AND THEIR PEOPLE (9781564778383, $19.95) features over 20 projects for cats and their homes, from toys and bedding material to home cat themes. Color photos of completed projects accompany patterns and written directions for a complete review. Eleanor Levie edits SKINNY QUILTS & TABLE RUNNERS FROM TODAY'S TOP DESIGNERS (9781564777300, $24.95), a book packed with stylish 'skinny' quilts perfect for display. 15 projects are included from a range of quilters and include wall quilts, table runners, scarves and more. Linda Lunn DeBono's SEW SENTIMENTAL: EASY SCRAPBOOKING TECHNIQUES (9781564777751, $19.95) provides a fine collection of some 70 designs that use sewing techniques for both paper and fabric. From creating pages and pillows to greeting cards and hangings, this gathering of expanded scrapbooking ideas will be welcomed by sewers who want more than the usual project ideas. Cyndi Hershey's NINE BY NINE: 9-PATCH QUILTS, 9 WAYS (9781564777362, $26.95) features nine new ways to use blocks in 14 projects. From set-stitch and on-point to splitting blocks and using them in borders and patterns, All are excellent home embellishments.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Ask Your Animal
Marta Williams
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781577316091, $14.95 www.newworldlibrary.com

Any who would use spiritual connection to relate better to animals will find ASK YOUR ANIMAL an outstanding set of step-by-step instructions, true stories, and practice exercises designed to improve animal/human interactions. From helping injured or sick animals to handling an animal's death and influencing undesirable behavior patterns, ASK YOUR ANIMAL: RESOLVING BEHAVIORAL ISSUES THROUGH INTUITIVE COMMUNICATION is a pick any general-interest library strong in pet references will appreciate.

Puppy Chow is Better Than Prozac
Bruce Goldstein
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge MA 02142
9781568583846, $25.00 www.dacapopress.com

Author Bruce Goldstein was recently dumped by his girlfriend, unemployed, diagnosed with manic depression - and on a downward spiral when he came across a puppy in a hurricane who changed his life. Ozzy taught Bruce many lessons - about survival, self-perception, and love - and this story of healing will offer inspiration to any who love pets or suffer from mental illness, making PUPPY CHOW IS BETTER THAN PROZAC an outstanding recommendation for any general-interest lending library.

Handbook of Veterinary Clinical Research
Mark Holmes and Peter Cockcroft
Blackwell Publishing
111 River Street, 4th Floor, Hoboken, NJ 07030
140514551X, $59.99 www.blackwellpublishing.com

Any college-level collection strong in veterinary science needs a handbook which details how to carry out veterinary clinical research - and Handbook of Veterinary Clinical Research fits that bill, offering a guide to all the core research methods as well as those unique to veterinary medicine. From conducting studies to using their results and considering the ethical issues surrounding them, HANDBOOK OF VETERINARY CLINICAL RESEARCH is an outstanding survey suitable for any college-level collection including vet studies programs.


The Gardening Shelf

Timber Press Pocket Guide to Palms
Robert Lee Riffle
Timber Press
133 S.W. Second Ave. Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3527
9780881927764, $19.95 www.timberpress.com

200 species and hybrids and over 300 photos pepper POCKET GUIDE TO PALMS, a guide highly recommended for any library strong in horticultural references, whether at the advanced level for a college library of horticultural studies, or at the public lending library level for gardeners seeking to include palms in a landscape plan. Each listing receives a small color photo, distribution range and growth habits, water needs and more. Any who regularly work with palms must have this reference.

The Informed Gardener
Linda Chalker Scott
University of Washington Press
P.O. Box 50096, Seattle, Washington, 98145-5096
9780295987903, $18.95, www.washington.edu/uwpress

Gardening can be something that's very therapeutic for some, but also can produce useful plants and herbs for its gardener. "The Informed Gardener" is a comprehensive and complete guide for gardeners about the odds and ends of gardening, the myths and misconceptions, while touching on the ideas of native plants in sustainable landscaping, fabric vs. mulch in weed control, and how to differentiate good gardening advice from bad gardening advice. Seeking to debunk other falsehoods that may ultimately damage gardens and the soil their planted in, "The Informed Gardener" is a through, well-written guide and is highly recommended to any gardening enthusiast.

Hardy Succulents
Gwen Moore Kelaidis
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781580177009, $19.95 www.storey.com 1-800-827-8673

Cacti and other succulents plants once thought isolated to dessert conditions can now be found in every horticultural zone bringing a very special beauty and versatility to even the most novice of gardener's efforts. "Hardy Succulents: Tough Plants For Every Climate" by Gwenn Moore Kelaidis (one of the foremost experts on Rock gardening, co-owner of the mail-order nursery Rocky Mountain Rare Plants, and who also operates a Denver-based garden design and installation company) is a beautifully illustrated instructional guide that is replete with step-by-step growing instructions, practical care tips, creative ideas and resources for the inclusion of these easy-to-grow plants within the context of virtually any garden design be it urban, suburban, or rural. Whether as ground covers, container plants, embedded with perennials, or used in emulation of shrubs, "Hardy Succulents" covers all these areas, as well as providing practical information that includes Reference Maps; a Glossary, Resources, and an Index. "Hardy Succulents" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' and prized addition to any personal, professional, or community library Gardening & Horticultural reference collection.

The Flower Farmer
Lynn Byczynski
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
PO Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001-0428
9781933392653, $35.00 www.chelseagreen.com 1-800-639-4099

When they think of farming, most folk conjure up images of grains, vegetables, and livestock. One very active and lucrative area of specialized farming is the growing and harvesting of flowers -- mostly for the ubiquitous flower shops that are to be found in very town and village. Now in a newly revised and significantly expanded edition, "The Flower Farmer: An Organic Grower's Guide To Raising And Selling Cut Flowers" by Lynn Byczynski (who draws upon her considerable experience and expertise as the publisher and editor of the monthly industry newsletter 'Growing for Market' and her operation of the Wild Onion Farm in Lawrence Kansas) is the ideal instruction manual and guide for novice and experienced gardeners and farmers alike who wish to take full advantage of new techniques for prolonging their harvests, utilizing greenhouses, selecting flower cultivars, and post-harvest handling for growers throughout North American supplying commercial markets with their flowers. Enhanced with a resource directory, complete with sources for seeds, plants, supplies, and expert information on organic production under the guidelines and standards of the National Organic Program, "The Flower Farmer" will prove to be as valuable as it is indispensable whether growing flowers for fun, family and friends in the back garden, or for commercial profit on the acres of a farm.

Planning And Creating Your First Garden
Paul Power
How To Books
c/o Parkwest Publications
PO Box 310251, Miami, FL 33231-0251
9781845281878, $22.00 www.parkwestpubs.com

While landscape gardening does indeed enhance both the esthetic and the financial value of any property, novice gardeners can find it an intimidating aspiration. Practicing gardening and landscaping expert Paul Power wrote "Planning And Creating Your First Garden: a Step-by-Step Guide To Designing Your Garden -- Whatever Your Experience Or Knowledge" for just that reason. This superbly organized and comprehensive instruction manual begins with a detailed discussion of everything that must be considered in design a garden, takes the reader through the initial steps of the garden design process, points out gardening potentials and opportunities, lists and discusses the basic principles of creative garden designing, comments on developing a garden style and finalizing a garden design plan. "Planning And Creating Your First Garden" then moves on to crating and working with planting plans, positioning plants and everything from bird baths and benches to sheds and seating areas, to home garden offices and barbecues. Practical do-it-yourself advice on budges, positioning hard and soft features, working with contractors, lawns, fruit trees, hedges, ponds, seasonal calendars, and so much more make "Planning And Creating Your First Garden" a valued, highly recommended, and 'user friendly' instructional and reference resource that can help even the most modest beginning create and maintain a beautifully landscaped garden whether it be on a back lot or a palatial estate.


The Photography Shelf

Take Your Photography to the Next Level
George Barr
Rocky Nook
26 W. Mission Street #3, Santa Barbara CA 93101
1933952210, $39.95 www.oreilly.com

TAKE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY TO THE NEXT LEVEL: FROM INSPIRATION TO IMAGE is for the photographer who wants to achieve a higher level of results in their work, and provides a series of essays representing a 'course in a book' and which were originally featured on the Luminous Landscape web site. These website writings have been expanded and updated for book format, new ones added, and discussions range from making stronger images and handling failure and setbacks to assessing a level for improvement, learning from other successful images, and identifying where to improve. An outstanding pick for any general-interest library catering to photographers at all levels and for art libraries as well.

Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com 1-800-622-3278

Lou Jacobs Jr's PROFESSIONAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584282207, $34.95) offers the tips of ten professional photographers who create polished portraits for a living. From choosing the right equipment and setting up successful shots to posing and communicating with clients, this book covers all the basics - including marketing and pricing - to encourage novice photographers seeking to make a living from portrait photography. Bill Hurter's EXISTING LIGHT (9781584282280, $34.95) tells how to use light - both natural and window - to enhance and create natural images. From redirecting sunlight and window light and adding flash and supplementing lighting to studio production lighting equipment, any neo-pro and any library catering to them needs this book - and Jacob Jr's title as well: both highly recommended, polished picks packed with color examples throughout.

Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com 1-800-622-3278

Barbara A. Lynch-Johnt and Michelle Perkins' ILLUSTRATED DICTIONARY OF PHOTOGRAPHY (9781584282228, $39.95) provides professional photographers with an in-depth desk reference packing in nearly five thousand entries and reviews, from digital editing processes, filters, lenses and light modifiers to terms and concepts used in professional circles. Terms relating to cameras, accessories, and artistry alike are all covered with small color photo examples throughout. Cliff Hollenbeck's BIG BUCKS SELLING YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY: A COMPLETE BUSINESS PACKAGE FOR ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS (9781584282167, $34.95) provides an in-depth, detailed package recommended not just for photography libraries, but for general-interest public libraries and business book collections alike. The business aspects of a photography venture are all covered, from developing a business plan and choosing a lawyer to business ethics, profit planning, understanding records and insurance, and more.


The Real Estate Shelf

The Home Mortgage Book
Dale Mayer
Atlantic Publishing Company
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9780910627849, $21.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

Finding and understanding the best mortgage for a dream home can be a confusing experience; but with this book the process will be easy, making it a fine beginner's pick for public libraries and collections where introductory real estate investing is a hot topic. Modern strategies for financing and closing on a house tell how to uncover unknown assets, enhance credit ratings, understand lender requirements and timelines, and more. Other books of course give some of this information, but this title's expansive subjects and approaches make it a top recommendation.

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

Jasmaine Burrell's THE REAL ESTATE MATH HANDBOOK: SIMPLIFIED SOLUTIONS FOR THE REAL ESTATE INVESTOR (9780910627078, $24.95) covers basic math calculations any real estate investor can use - and provides them in a format easy transferred to an Excel spreadsheet. From calculations on property value and monthly payments to projected cash flows, rates of return, and payoffs over time periods, THE REAL ESTATE MATH HANDBOOK doesn't just provide formulas: it includes discussions intrinsic to understanding their applications in the real estate world, making this a top pick for any general interest library where real estate investments are of interest. Tina Musial's HOW TO OPEN AND OPERATE A FINANCIALLY SUCCESSFUL CHILD CARE SERVICE (9781601381156, $39.96) comes with a cd-rom packed with the forms used in the book plus a business plan in Word format as it surveys the specifics of small day care operations. From opening and promoting a business to insurance considerations and children's care policies, chapters pack in details specific to the business, making for a recommended pick for any small business library.


The California Shelf

This Day in California History
Carl Palm
Northcross Books
PO Box 66772, Austin, TX 78766
9780975483220, $19.95

Fourth-generation Californian and state history enthusiast Carl Palm presents This Day in California History, a day-by-day survey of remarkable events in California's rich and varied history. Each day is allotted approximately one page to discuss its most remarkable happenings, from the births, deaths, and achievements of famous Californians, to the attack on Pearl Harbor (which would forever change California as it transformed into a natural point of departure for troops en route to the Pacific Theater) to the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge and much more. A highly enjoyable collection of landmark events and their repercussions, fun to simply browse through and especially recommended reading while on one's way to a California vacation!


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

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


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