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Volume 16, Number 4 April 2006 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Art Shelf Military Shelf
World History Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Psychology Shelf
Civil War Shelf Cookbook Shelf Library Science Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf Sports Shelf
Education Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
American History Shelf Music Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Woodworking Shelf Parenting Shelf
Computer Shelf Business Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Hobby Shelf Travel Shelf Fiction Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Interior Design Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Genealogy Shelf Science Shelf
Library Video/DVD Shelf Architecture Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Literary Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Political Science Shelf
Nautical Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Gardening Shelf
International Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf Native American Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Biography Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Defensive Use Of Firearms
Stephen P. Wenger
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Cir., Boulder, CO 80301
1581604696 $20.00 paladin-press.com

Defensive Use Of Firearms: A Common Sense Guide To Awareness, Mental Preparedness, Tactics, Skills And Equipment by firearms enthusiast Stephen P. Wenger is the ultimate guide to self protection with a firearm. Defensive Use Of Firearms methodically carries the reader through the step-by-step lessons of an easy-to-follow self-defense system applicable to any manner of personal firearm in any kind of situation likely to be encountered. Hallmarked with a common sense approach easily understood by the non-specialist general reader (even those with no previous firearms experience), Defensive Use Of Firearms is confidently recommended reading and a "must" for those who are unaccustomed to handguns and rifles and the possibilities of lethal force in self defense.

Windows On Nature
Stephen Christopher Quinn
Abrams
115 West 18th St, New York, NY 10011
0810959402 $40.00 abramsbooks.com

A work as visually impressive as it is informative, Windows On Nature: The Great Habitat Dioramas Of The American Museum Of Natural History is drawn from the studies of Stephen Christopher Quinn and presents a simply outstanding collection of the artistic creation of the animal and nature oriented displays since the museum's founding in 1869. Bringing together, for the first time in one superbly organized and unique collection, the artistic contributions of this New York based museum of natural history, Windows On Nature gives readers a chance to see the many inspiring (and sometimes incongruous) works of contributors to the great historical museum diorama displays. Windows On Nature is especially recommend-ed for academic and community library collections, as well as American Museum Of Natural History visitors and those engaged in study of nature-oriented art.

Thin Places
Mary Treacy O'Keefe
Beaver's Pond Press
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 261, Edina, MN 55439-2129
www.beaverspondpress.com
1592981127 $17.00 1-952-829-8818

Brilliantly authored by Mary Traecy O'Keefe, Thin Places: Where Faith Is Affirmed And Hope Dwells is a conceptual review of the author's grief for her parents' death and how she found with ease the "thin places" between her parents in heaven and herself in the midst of the everyday. Inspired and inspiring, Thin Places is very highly recommended reading, especially for those grieving the a passing of a loved one and seeking closure.

Self-Made Man
Norah Vincent
Viking Press
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
0670034665 $24.95 www.penguin.com

Author Norah Vincent wanted to know what life was really like for men, so for 18 months she became one, using a makeup artist, a trainer, and a Juilliard voice coach to help her infiltrate places women never see. Self-Made Man: One Woman's Journey Into Manhood And Back Again covers her discoveries under her alter-ego Ned, where she experiences male camaraderie, a high-pressure sales career, dates with women, and more. The underlying codes and messages of masculinity come to light under Vincent's touch – and make for fascinating reading.

Forgiveness And Child Abuse
Lois J. Einhorn
Robert D. Reed Publishers
PO Box 1992, Bandon, OR 97411
1931741697 $22.95 rdrpublishers.com

Impressively compiled and deftly edited by Lois Einhorn (Professor Of Communication), Forgiveness And Child Abuse: Would You Forgive? is an intimate and searchingly memorable collection of many touching and informative stories from the lives of many abused peoples wishing to let known their perspective of the abuse they once encountered and their accounts of forgiveness. Covering more then just the subject of child abuse, Forgiveness And Child Abuse enlightens the reader of why one might forgive another for their inflicted pains, as well as what might more suitably be sought as an understandable pursuit for each individual. Forgiveness And Child Abuse is very strongly recommended to all readers with a desire to understand the many various perspectives toward how we should relate to perpetrators of injury, abuse, crime, and even death.

Alligators, Old Mink & New Money
Alison Houtte & Melissa Houtte
William Morrow
10 E. 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022
0060786671 $23.95 harpercollins.com

Fashion lovers already know that flea markets and secondhand shops often hold the best in fashions of yesterday: now fashion and collector hounds have something different to pursue in former fashion model Alison Houtte's Alligators, Old Mink And New Money, which celebrates clothing styles, collections, vintage finds and more. The stories behind classic vintage clothing come to life in a discussion which considers both collectibility and the bonds clothing brings. A fine survey of hunting vintage clothing at estate sales and auctions and embarking on a first-person treasure hunt.

The Book of Tea
Kakuzo Okakura
Kodansha America, Inc.
575 Lexington Av, 23rd fl , NY NY 10022
www.kodansha-intl.com
4770030142 $19.95 1-800-451-7556

Originally written a century ago, by the son of a samurai family who became an assistant curator to the Chinese and Japanese Department of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, The Book Of Tea is more than an introduction to the Japanese art and practice of the tea ceremony - it has served as a seminal bridge to Asian life and thought in English and a work of cultural bridge-building. The Book Of Tea was in fact written in English, in order to prove accessible to English-speakers, and presents chanoyu (literally "the way of tea") as a spiritual culture and a ritual that interlaces with the "Art of Life" itself. A handful of black-and-white illustrations intersperse the methodical, philosophical, and spiritual discussions of all aspects of the tea ceremony. The Book Of Tea is very highly recommended especially for students of Japanese culture and arts.

Super Crafty
Susan Beal, et.al.
Sasquatch Books
119 S. Main St., #400, Seattle, WA 98104
1570614504 $18.95 sasquatchbooks.com

Create something new in a modern style with this collection of craft project selections, Super Crafty: Over 75 Amazing How-to Projects. Do-it-yourself projects range from sewing and knitting to gluing: Super Crafty is the perfect place for newcomers to start, telling how to use recycled and re-purposed crafts to produce simple fun items from pet collars and luggage tags to magnets.

Famous Wisconsin
Hanna Heidi Levy & Brian G. Borton
Badger Books Inc.
PO Box 192, Oregon, WI 53575
1932542280 $16.95 famouswisconsin.com

Famous Wisconsin: Ghosts And Hunters deftly co-authored by the team of writer and publicist Hanna Heidi Levy and Brian G. Borton and is an especially well written documentation of many of the peculiar metaphysical manifestations associated with the state of Wisconsin's strange and inexplicable phenomena. Famous Wisconsin introduces the reader to an in-depth and unknown Wisconsin that features great detail and outstanding account of where, what, and possibilities to why these ghosts and spirits exist still. From the Wausau Paranormal Reserch Society, to Animal Encounters with the Paranormal, this is very highly recommended reading for its easy-to-read format and extensively studied content. Famous Wisconsin is the perfect addition to any and all explorers of Wisconsin's unexplained hidden half.

Milwaukee County Street Names, Street Games
Pat Pollworth
Worthy Tomes
PO Box 510553, Milwaukee, WI 53203
0976359901 $21.95 worthy-tomes.com

Milwaukee County Street Names, Street Games by life long Milwaukee resident Pat Pollworth is a unique and entertaining introduction to the history and geography of the Milwaukee area. Providing a fun and interesting guide and reference to this great Wisconsin city, Milwaukee County Street Names, Street Games educates its readers on hundreds of places to easily find fun as well as places marking historical events and times. Very strongly recommended to all library and school library collections of the Milwaukee area, as well to all children living in the Milwaukee area, Milwaukee County Street Names, Street Games is a perfect learning tool for children wishing to know more about their city -- and would well serve as a template for other Wisconsin communities to do the same.

Irish!
T. B. Edwards
Irish Books And Media
1433 Franklin Avenue E, Minneapolis, MN 55404-2135
1856354202 $19.95 www.irishbook.com

Irish!: A Dictionary Of Phrases, Terms And Epithets Beginning With The Word 'Irish' by T. B. Edwards is an inherently fascinating collective introduction of societies perception of the Irish in phrasing and labeling. Readers will discover the many detailed and individual sayings with pertinence to the Irish culture with phrases like Irish Boomerang, Irish sprits measure, and 'Irish' Maffia. Irish! gives its readers a feel for Irish cultural and societal tendencies or cliches and is very highly recommended to the enthusiast of the Irish culture, as well as students of worldly inter-cultural relations and understandings.

Ethics Of Spying
Jan Goldman
The Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
0810856409 $45.00 scarecrowpress.com

Ethics Of Spying: A Reader For The Intelligence Professional, deftly edited by Jan Goldman (ethics and intelligence teacher at the Joint Military Intelligence College in Washington, D.C.) is a knowledgeably written collection of literature and military espionage that creates what may be understood as the ultimate guideline to ethical spying. Ethics Of Spying may act as an informative reference for identifying the proper tactics necessary to go about assessing a particular situation, aside from being an incredibly elaborate and intriguing read. Ethics Of Spying is very strongly recommended to all policy makers, managers, supervisors, and employees involved in intelligence operations as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in espionage and spy history, ethics and tactics.

Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks
Wisconsin Historical Society
c/o University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.wisconsinhistory.org
0870203711 $19.95 1-800-621-2736

Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks is an interactive multimedia CD-ROM for Windows, that takes the user on an immersive voyage to the depths of Wisconsin's Great Lakes. Suitable for all ages, Wisconsin's Great Lakes Shipwrecks is highly educational, and instructs the user about the role schooners and steamers played in Wisconsin's development, the men and women who once sailed aboard proud vessels, and the means by which divers today unlock and discover the secrets of sunken ships. A fascinating introduction to underwater archaeology. System requirements: Windows 98SE, 2000, or XP CPU, Pentium III, 400 MHz, 128MB System RAM, Sound Card, monitor capable of displaying 1024 x 768, QuickTime 6.5 or later.

Permeable Border
John J. Bukowczyk, et al.
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4
1552382168 $34.95 www.uofcpress.com

The perfectly unified co-authorship of John J. Bukowczyk (Professor of History and Director of the Canadian Studies Program at Wayne State University in Detroit), Nora Faires (Associate Professor of History and Women's Studies at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo), David R. Smith (History Instructor and Academic Advisor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor), and Randy Williams Widdis (Professor of Geography at the University of Regina) presents an well informed and accessibly informative history of the Great Lakes significance in America's modern trade in the Permeable Border: The Great Lakes Basin As Transnational Region, 1650-1990. A work of impeccable scholarship and painstaking research, Preamble Border is a seminal benchmark reference for the significant activity on the Great Lakes for trade between its most active years of 1650 and 1990. A work of impressive originality and very strongly recommended to any reader with an interest in the history of the Great Lakes region, Permeable Border is an excellent documentation of the Great Lakes trading patterns and influences.


The Art Shelf

One-Hundred Artists Of The Southwest
Douglas Bullis
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
0764324144 $39.95 schifferbooks.com

One-Hundred Artists Of The Southwest by Douglas Bullis is an informative and seminal collection of succinct biographical descriptions and vividly authored portraits of the one hundred most important artists living and working in New Mexico and Arizona today. Providing the reader with representative samples of their photography, paintings, drawings, sculptures, pottery, weaving, and jewelry, One-Hundred Artists Of The Southwest deftly explores the lives of these artists ranging from Native American contemporary and ancestral visionaries to Hispanic updated representative presentations of religious icons. One-Hundred Artists Of The Southwest is very strongly recommended for personal, academic, and community library collections for its in-depth and informative content, enhanced with over four-hundred full-color illustrations stimulating an appreciation for southwestern-American artistic culture. Also highly recommended as a companion volume is Douglas Bullis', 100 Artists Of The West Coast (0764-319310, $39.95)

Exploring Colored Pencil
Sandra McFall Angelo
Discover Art
PO Box 420551, San Diego, CA 92142
www.discoverartwithsandra.com
0871923157 $28.95 1-619-795-2348

Exploring Colored Pencil by Sandra McFall Angelo by Sandra McFall Angelo is a thoroughly "user-friendly" instructional guide to creating the most intricate, vivid and realistic visual art with colored pencils. Introducing the reader to experienced techniques with step-by-step demonstrations, methods for creating realistic textures, combining colored pencils with a range of media, exercises for beginner, intermediate, and advanced art students, colorful works illustrating diverse styles and applications, drawings by professionals and students of all ages, and many suggestions that will help the reader develop their own style, Exploring Colored Pencil is an excellent guide for all aspiring art students with a particular preference to colored pencils as their medium of expression.

Gary Bukovnik: Watercolors
Clare Henry
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, 74-2 Union Street, Manchester, VT 05254
1555952585 $50.00 hudsonhills.com

Gary Bukovnik: Watercolors is a splendidly beautiful full-color collection of watercolor plates, of flowers by contemporary artist Gary Bukovnik. In Gary Bukovnik: Watercolors, the art literally speaks for itself; the only text is a brief caption for each plate describing its size, materials, and the collection that houses the original. A selected bibliography rounds out this art and flower lover's treasury of skillfully and soulfully painted images.

North Light Books/F&W
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.fwpubs.com

A fun, light reading style provides a very approachable guide to beaders with Margot Potter's The Impatient Beader: Easy Jewelry Projects For The Busy Beginner (1581807627, $19.99) ! If author Margot Potter's name sounds familiar, it's because she's a QVC on-air presenter and featured artist on PBS TV's 'Beads, Baubles and Jewels' show, and here provides a collection of master techniques and tools for making necklaces, bracelets, earrings and more. Color photos present not only the usual finished product, but close-ups of beading in process for an unusual step-by-step approach which leaves nothing to the imagination alone. Dorothy Dent's Painting Landscapes Filled With Light (158-1807368, $24.99) provides ten step-by-step projects for both beginners and advanced painters who want to paint light-filled landscapes depicting different seasons and times. Color values are surveyed in landscape projects which show how to capture sunsets and sunrises, autumn foliage, moonshine on water, and more. More than just an exercise book, each project includes diagrams showing light direction and color tonal values and a commentary on how experts fine-tune paintings such professional finishing touches.

The Art Of Arthur And Lucia Mathews
Harvey L. Jones et al
Pomegranate
775A Southpoint Boulevard, Petaluma, CA 94954
0764936441 $40.00 pomegranate.com

The collective and profusely illustrated study of Harvey L. Jones (Senior Curator of the art at the Oakland Museum of California since 1971), Kenneth R. Trapp (independent curator and writer), and Kevin Starr (Professor of History at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles), The Art Of Arthur And Lucia Mathews is provides the reader with an intricate detailing of the collective works of the two truly great artists. Providing art students and scholars with an in-depth understanding of the history and comprehensive production of their eclectic and contemporary artistry, Arthur Mathews and Lucia Mathews are presented as artists who were progressive for their time, and this 272-page compendium of their work righteously and validly expresses the entirety of what truths, beauties and gentle intricacies they strove for. The Art Of Arthur And Lucia Mathews is very highly recommended for academic library Art History collections, as well as students of modern, contemporary, progressive art.


The Military Shelf

The Sky Suspended
Jim Bailey
Thorne
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
1846171709 $32.50 1-800-955-9659

The Sky Suspended: A Fighter Pilot's Story is the remarkable and memorable autobiography of Jim Bailey, who in the summer of 1939 while a 19-year old student at Oxford University felt strongly that war between England and Germany was inevitable. That was when he signed up to become a fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force. Baily flew British fighter planes in aerial combat missions that ranged from the Battle of Britain, through the action at Gibraltar, and the Anzio beach-heads, to the landing in the South of France. One of the true heroes for which Winston Churchill was to acknowledge with his famous declaration that never had "so many owed so much to so few", The Sky Suspended is the true life story of heroism, survival against the odds, and a remembering of so many that did not make it through -- but to whom so much is owed to that generation of young men by all of the generations that follow. This special large printed edition of The Sky Suspended is a great read, and a welcome addition to the growing library of World War II memoirs and biographies.

American Spartans
James A. Warren
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of Americas, NY NY 10020
0684872846 $26.00 www.simonsays.com

Students of World War II will want to read a different view in American Spartans: The U.S. Marines: A Combat History From Iwo Jima To Iraq. It's the first modern battle history of the Marines in a generation and examines how they performed in key conflicts from World War II to modern times – and how they've changed. The evolution of their strategies and tactics have really undergone transformation over six decades, and American Spartans traces these changes using dozens of interviews, hundreds of print sources, and firsthand observation of modern Marine exercises.

Flying Through Midnight
John T. Halliday
Scribner
1230 Ave. of Americas, NY, NY 10020
0743274881 $27.50 www.simonsays.com

Military history readers seeking true adventure accounts of Vietnam won't want to miss Flying Through Midnight: A Pilot's Dramatic Story Of His Secret Missions Over Laos During The Vietnam War. It reads with the drama of a novel but provides a combat memoir following the author's Vietnam tour of duty, where he's stationed in a no-man's land area and flues without ID or rank. His expose on the horrors of war provides fine images and a 'you are there' feel to the story of military bureaucracy and Vietnam combat experience.

Casemate Publishers
2114 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
1-610-853-9131 www.casemate.com

Two excellent military guides a specific and important coverages. For those entering the Army don't miss Sgt. Michael Volkin's The Ultimate Basic Training Guidebook: Tips, Tricks, And Tactics For Surviving Boot Camp (1932714111, $18.95): it covers the 'new world' of the military – new to novices entering the forces, that is – and covers everything from exercises and acronyms to what to take along to basic training. With The Ultimate Basic Training Handbook in hand, you'll know everything possible about the gas chamber, locker inspections, meals, schedules and more. Eric Micheletti's Warriors From The Deep: The Extraordinary History Of The Combat Swimmers (2913903843, $44.95) profiles three combat swimmer units: the Italian Arditi Incursori, the descendants of the 'torpedo men', the German Kampfschwimmer, and the French combat swimmers who fought in Indonesia and Algeria. These swimmers have kept alive the skills needed to carry out underwater military operations, from espionage to attacks such as fitting explosive charges to the hulls of enemy ships: chapters take a visual approach to the history in packing color photos in multiples on every page, along with color illustrations of weaponry, discussions of tactics and achievements, and history. Both books are 'must' references for any serious military library reference collection.


The World History Shelf

The Meaning Of History
Nikolai Berdyaev
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854
www.transactionpub.com
1412804973 $29.95 1-888-999-6778

Now with a new introduction by Professor of Russian Maria Nemcova Banerjee, The Meaning Of History is a philosophical treatise by intellectual Nikolai Berdyaev, witness to two world wars, who survived arrest for political suspicion first by Czarist and then by Bolshevik police, who died in exile in France in 1948 doggedly pursuing his studies and analysis to the end. Observing the philosophy of history as a field that formed the foundations of Russian national consciousness, Berdyaev discusses celestial and metaphysical as well as mundane history, the role of Judaism and Jews in Russian history ("Semitism has been grafted on to the Christian spirit and is indispensable to its destiny. The theme of dualistic messianism, which first appears in Jewish history, has become that of universal history"), the Renaissance and Humanism, and much more. A well-reasoned and superbly translated discussion of complex societal and religious issues of history in general, and Russian history in particular.

Dreams Of Freedom
Ricardo Flores Magon, author
Chaz Bufe & Mitchell Cowen Verter, eds.
AK Press
674-A 23rd St., Oakland, CA 94612-1163
1904859240 $19.95 www.akpress.org

Dreams Of Freedom: A Ricardo Flores Magon Reader presents a selection of the revolutionary journalist and agitator Ricardo Flores Magon. Born in Mexico in 1874, Magon dared to criticize the injustices of the Diaz military dictatorship that ruled Mexico, in his widely read newspaper Regeneracion. Exiled to the United States, Magon remained an influential agitator behind the Mexican Revolution, earning the wrath of both governments. He was finally murdered in Leavenworth Penitentiary in 1922. Dreams Of Freedom presents Magon's determined and vibrant revolutionary writings in English for the first time, along with a lengthy biographical sketch to place his words in historical context, a chronology, bibliography, and an introduction by Benjamin Maldonado. Most of the individual writings are brief yet passionate and sharply to the point. Highly recommended particularly for students of political science and Mexican history.

Africa: A Short History
Robert O. Collins
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
1558763732 $22.95 markuswiener.com

Africa: A Short History by Robert O. Collins (University of California) is an informative and interesting collection of stories and historical happenings of Africa since the "year of African independence" in 1960. As a very well documented description and detailed history of Africa and a lot of the hardships it has experienced in the recent centuries, Africa: A Short History exposes the reader to many unknown or disavowed pieces of the country's past. Africa: A Short History is very strongly recommended to all non-specialist general readers with an interest in inter-cultural studies, as well as students of historical Africa and colonial rule.

Formation Of The Modern State
Rifa'at 'Ali Abou-El-Haj
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210
SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu
0815630859 $19.95 1-800-365-8929

Now in an updated second edition with extensive new material, Formation Of The Modern State: The Ottoman Empire, Sixteenth To Eighteenth Centuries is a history classic by Rifa'at 'Ali Abou-El-Haj, professor of modern Near East and European history. Based strongly on primary sources and written with a conscious slant toward theorizing, Formation Of The Modern State challenges readers to rethink their most common assumptions about the Ottoman Empire and its lasting contribution to world history. In particular, Formation Of The Modern State questions long-held status quo beliefs of the Ottoman Empire as a society in decay, pointing to evidence of modernity and vitality in the Empire and contrasting such evidence with corresponding European and Asian governments of the day. A scholarly re-examination, highly recommended for students of world history.

Captors and Captives
Evan Haffeli & Kevin Sweeney
University of Massachusetts Press
P.O. Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
1558495037 $15.61 umpress.umass.edu

Any collection strong in Native American or early American history should make Captors And Captives: The 1704 French And Indian Raid On Deerfield a collection acquisition: explores the raid from different viewpoints of the raiders, both French-Canadian and Native American, and the Deerfield villages alike, showing the confrontational and friendly relationships between diverse groups of the times. In using the individual experience to provide history and social and cultural insights, Captors And Captives provides an outstanding social coverage.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Alaska Fishing
Rene Limeres & Gunnar Pedersen
Publishers Design Group
c/o Biblio Distribution/NBN (dist.)
4270 Boston Way, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
1929170114 $34.95 1-800-462-6420

Now in a deluxe, updated third edition, Alaska Fishing: The Ultimate Angler's Guide is a thoroughly comprehensive tour of Alaskan fishing by the state's top fishing experts. Featuring full color photography throughout, Alaska Fishing covers all seventeen Alaska sport species (including both fresh and salt water fish), all fishing methods (fly, spin, and bait), and all six regions of the state, with in-depth details on over 300 of the most productive fishing locations. Tips on regional climate and conditions, run timing, visitor service costs, trophy and record fishes, USGS map references, fishing regulations, flies for Alaskan fish, a cross-referenced index and more make Alaska Fishing as friendly to novice fishers as it is valuable to seasoned experts. An absolute "must-have" for anyone intrigued by the Alaskan fishing experience.


The Psychology Shelf

Freud
Jacques Sedat
Other Press
307 Seventh Avenue, Suite 1807, New York, NY 10001
1590510062 $23.00 www.otherpress.com

Freud by Jacques Sedat (General Secretary of the International Association for the History of Psychoanalysis), and knowledgeable translated into English by Susan Fairfield is an introduction and compelling in-depth analysis of the life of the founder of psychiatry -- Sigmund Freud. As a study of this philosopher and ground breaking scientist, Freud educates its readers of his ideals, notions, and 'discoveries' and observations. As modern psychology has been greatly advanced from the struggles and strive of many founding fathers in the discipline that Freud pioneered, Freud describes the life of the leading and most recognized today. Freud is very strongly recommended to all students new to the field of psychology seeking a solid education on its fundamentals and history.

Ethical Practice In Small Communities
Janet A. Schank & Thomas M. Skovholt
American Psychological Association
750 First St, NE, Washington, DC 20002
1591473462 $49.95 www.apa.org

Very strongly recommended reader for both students and practitioners, Ethical Practice In Small Communities by psychology authors Janet A. Schank (independent psychologist, and Chair Member of the Minnesota Psychological Association Ethics Committee) and Thomas M. Skovholt (Professor of Educational Psychology at the University of Minnesota and part-time practitioner) is a knowledgeable and informative study of the psycho-therapeutical ethics in practice of a smaller community practices. Ethical Practice In Small Communities analysis the practical and proper dimensions of the dilemmas and advantages to setting up a practice in a small town for prevention of intrinsic or intrusive acceptance of clientele as well as productive and constructive practice through the learning of individuals and collective communal acquaintances without ethical degradation. Ethical Practice In Small Communities is an excellent and very encouraged read for the dedicated psychologist, psychotherapist, psychiatrist, and counselor as an introduction to small-town ethical practices and issues.

Treating Explosive Kids
Ross W. Greene & J. Stuart Ablon
Guilford Publications
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1593852037 $32.00 www.guilford.com

Deftly co-authored by Ross W. Greene (Director of the Collaborative Problem Solving Institute in the Department of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital and Associate Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School) and J. Stuart Ablon Associate Director of the Collaborative Problem Solving Institute and Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, Harvard medical School), Treating Explosive Kids: The Collaborative Problem-Solving Approach is an invaluable reference to all parents, and is highly recommended reading regarding children who are struggling to find a comfortable level of self, and who may express themselves through aggressive, defiant, or erratic physical or verbal display. Treating Explosive Kids is painstakingly researched and offers an indispensable guide to taking proper care of an uncooperative or argumentative child, and takes a very deep exploration into the reasoning and psychological aide which one might take as probable course for action. A work of seminal scholarship, Treating Explosive Kids is an excellent addition to the library reference collection of any teacher, parent, or child psychotherapist.

Functional Behavior Assessment For People With Autism
Beth A. Glasberg
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethseda, MD 20817
1890627585 $17.95 woodbinehouse.com

Functional Behavior Assessment For People With Autism: Making Sense Of Seemingly Senseless Behavior by Beth A. Glasberg (Consultant for Douglass Outreach at the Douglass Developmental Disabilities Center at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey) is an informed and informative analysis of the behavior tendencies and habitual pursuits of children with autism. As many sufferers of autism engage in certain behavior which might be cause to others' discrimination of them. Thoroughly accessible for non-specialist general readers with an interest in autism, Functional Behavior Assessment For People With Autism is an extensively informative and exceptionally detailed explanation of the conditions autism might cause, as well as a productive examination of valid and helpful solutions for which it should be given high praise, and is recommended very strongly to teachers and parents of autistic children.

Interventions Following Mass Violence And Disasters
Elspeth Cameron Ritchie, et al.
Guilford Publications
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1593852568 $48.00 www.guilford.com

Knowledgeably co-edited and authored by the professional team of Elspeth Cameron Ritchie (Psychiatry Consultant to the U.S. Army Surgeon General), Patricia J. Watson (National Center For Posttraumatic Stress Disorder) and Matthew J. Friedman (Executive Director of the National Center for PTSD) Interventions Following Mass Violence And Disasters is a work of seminal, in-depth scholarship focused upon understanding and studying mental health oriented responses following large-scale traumatic events. Granting the reader a complete understanding of psychological discoveries and breakthroughs in the study of aiding those affective by extensive and damaging traumatic experiences, Interventions Following Mass Violence And Disasters informs the reader of every necessity to competently help a patient recover their emotional stability and well-being. An important and core addition to professional and academic library reference collections on Psychology and Psychiatry, Interventions Following Mass Violence And Disasters is very strongly recommended as an excellent reference for all practicing psychotherapists, psychologists, psychiatrist, counselors, nurses, "first responders" and trauma victims.

Essentials of Clinical Hypnosis
Steven Jay Lynn & Irving Kirsch
American Psychological Association
750 First St., NE, Washington, DC 20002
www.apa.org/books
1591473446 $69.95 1-800-368-5777

Co-written by former president of the American Psychological Association Division 30 (Society of Psychological Hypnosis) Steven Jay Lynn and hypnosis and suggestion expert Irving Kirsch, Essentials Of Clinical Hypnosis: An Evidence-Based Approach is a textbook written to bridge the gap between research and practice and help bring hypnosis into mainstream, evidence-based clinical psychotherapy. Written for students of all levels of experience in hypnosis, Essentials Of Clinical Hypnosis offers basic instruction to help novices understand and practice hypnosis, suggestive methods, up-to-date literature reviews, a no-holds-barred scrutiny of the difficult issues involved in using hypnosis for memory recovery, and much more. Methods for incorporating hypnotic methods for treating pain, smoking, eating disorders, post-traumatic stress disorder, anxiety, depression and more are discussed at length. A superb reference and training resource for both students and practicing psychologists.


The Civil War Shelf

The Confederate Hospitals And Their Patients
Jack D.Welsh
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207
www.mupress.org
0865549710 $35.00 1-800-634-2378

The Confederate Hospitals And Their Patients: Atlanta To Opelika is a remarkable primary source of information concerning the medical care of the Confederacy during the American Civil War. The bulk of The Confederate Hospitals And Their Patients presents individual patient records of two hospitals, both of which originated in Atlanta in 1862 and moved to Vineville, Georgia before Atlanta fell, eventually closing in Opelika, Alabama. Since the gathered data is from various primary sources and some incomplete records, the precise methods of data collection and collation are described. The Confederate Hospitals And Their Patients largely focuses on the data itself, with minimal exposition, though some clarification and conclusions are included. An enthusiastically recommended reference and resource for college libraries and anyone researching Civil War medical care.

The Battle of Perryville
Robert P. Broadwater
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
078642303X $39.95 1-800-253-2187

The Battle Of Perryville: Culmination Of The Failed Kentucky Campaign is a historic study of the South's ill-fated campaign to bring the fence-sitting border state of Kentucky into the Confederacy. The many mistakes of the campaign convinced Kentuckians that the Confederacy was incapable of defending them against the Union; among the severe losses for the South was the brutal battle of Perryville. Inexperience on both sides and the South's failure to act as a whole turned what could have been a victory into a retreat, and consigned Confederate General Braxton Bragg to be forever remembered as mediocre. The Battle Of Perryville draws upon letters, diaries, and regimental histories to relate the whole story, with black-and-white photographs, maps, and illustrations. An index allows for easy reference in this captivatingly written historical account.


The Cookbook Shelf

DiscCookery
Jurgen Gothe
Whitecap Books
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
1552857565 $19.95 www.whitecap.ca

DiscCookery: The DiscDrive 20th Anniversary Cookbook by Jurgen Gothe is the collective production of the great chef's most successful and favored plates in an easy-to-use format perfectly designed for home-use. Readers will grasp a complete understanding of Gothe's cooking tactics and be introduced to recipes for making many of the his tasty and delightfully decorative dishes. From Ziti with Lamb, Ham & Greens; Crepes Singhiozzando; and Butter Sauce with a Rumour of Tomatoes; to Taine of Beef with Prunes & Almonds; Half-Sweet Cocoa; and Cherry Chocolate Elk, DiscCookery is very highly recommended to all fans of the highly renowned and praised cook Jurgen Gothe as well as the general cook looking for a more interesting approach to their culinary practices.

Simply Vegetarian!
Nancy Mair
Crystal Clarity, Publishers
14618 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
www.crystalclarity.com
0916124533 $11.95 1-800-424-1055

Compiled and written by cooking instructor, professional caterer Nancy Mair, Simply Vegetarian! Easy-To-Prepare Recipes For The Vegetarian Gourmet is a collection of vegetarian recipes which all have in common a reasonably brief preparation time (15 to 50 minutes usually), except for a few cases that have a longer cooking time but that allow the chef to accomplish other tasks while the dish is in the oven. From Summer Rice Salad to Stuffed Zucchini, Maple Walnut Pie, Hungarian Noodles and so much more, the dishes offer a wide range of delights and the one-page recipes are laid out in such a manner that ingredients are not listed all at the beginning, but rather each ingredient is listed at the point in preparation in which it is added to the dish, the better to prevent mistakes. A sumptuous and enthusiastically recommended cookbook for busy vegetarians. Also highly recommended is Nancy Mair's previous cookbook, The Intimate Vegetarian.

Brownies To Die For!
Bev Shaffer
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster St, Gretna, LS 70053
1589803825 $24.95 pelicanpub.com

Brownies To Die For! is an amazing collection of the most tasteful and delightful brownie recipes drawn from her years of experience by Bev Shaffer. From Brownie Parfaits; Orange Brownies; and Chocolate Brownies, to Chocolate Carmel Sauce; Brownie Pudding Layer Cake; and White Chocolate Round Brownies, Brownies To Die For! covers every imaginable type of the scrumptious and soft sweet treats. Brownies To Die For! is enthusiastically highly recommended to all readers with a taste for these tasty chocolate treats!

Sunday Suppers At Lucques
Suzanne Goin with Teri Gelber
Alfred Knopf
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
1400042151 $35.00 aaknopf.com/cooking

Sunday Suppers At Lucques: Seasonal Recipes From Market To Table provides an outstanding set of recipes from a Los Angeles restaurateur whose cooking has won her accolades since 1998. Here are over a hundred of her recipes, arranged into three-course menus organized by season. Lest you worry they are geared for professionals or restaurant owners – they've been edited for home use and are divided into step-by-step preparation tips for quick and easy reproduction, and paired with color photos to encourage polished results. Be ready to use some exotic ingredients, though: Chilled Red Pepper Soup with Sumac, Basil and Lemon Yogurt and Spiced Pork Stew with Polenta, Root Vegetables and Gremolata provides plenty of flavor and require access to fennel, sumac and other spices and vegetables peculiar to more urban markets.

Hidden Kitchens
Nikki Silva & Davia Nelson
Rodale Press, Inc.
400 South Tenth St., Emmaus, PA 18098
159486313X $27.50 www.rodale.com

Recipes pepper Hidden Kitchens: Stories, Recipes, and More from NPR's The Kitchen Sisters, but Hidden Kitchens is more than just the chronicle of the beloved National Public Radio Morning Edition series. As part of the Hidden Kitchen project, two women called The Kitchen Sisters put forth an NPR hotline and asked listeners, "What food traditions are disappearing from your life? Who glues your community together through food? What should be captured and documented before it disappears or changes beyond recognition?" The response came like an avalanche. Hundreds of humorous, profound, wistful, and heart-rending true stories were submitted; the best of them are presented in Hidden Kitchens, along with recipes, color photographs, and illustrations. From food in the galleys of Great Lakes ships to a secret civil rights kitchen in Montgomery, Alabama, the stories Hidden Kitchens all have in common the zest to create great food, and through taste, help human beings connect with one another. Highly recommended.

America's Great Delis
Sheryll Bellman
Collectors Press
PO Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281
1933112077 $35.00 collectorspress.com

For an outstanding blend of history and recipes you won't want to miss America's Great Delis: Recipes And Traditions From Coast To Coast, deserving of ongoing mention as standing out from the crowd of recipes-only deli cookbooks to add an extra dash of history and vintage photos to the mix. Both black and white and color photos embellish discussions of the origins of classic deli foods around the world, from Matzo Ball Soup to Potato Latkes. A powerful visual treat blends with culinary history and some fine deli standard recipes.

The Open-Hearth Cookbook
Suzanne Goldenson with Doris Simpson
Alan C. Hood & Company, Inc.
Box 775, Chambersburg, PA 17201-0775
0911469265 $15.00 1-888-844-9433

Now in a revised edition with substantial new information since its initial publication in 1982, The Open-Hearth Cookbook is a guidebook to the classic art of cooking food in a fireplace. Chapters discuss at length how to keep the hearth clean and the cook safe, demonstrating effective techniques used in centuries past as well as today. Restaurant critic Suzanne Goldenson and former chef Doris Simpson combine their talents in relating techniques for open-hearth baking, roasting, boiling, and frying, sample recipes including soups, main dishes, scones and cakes, strategies for preparing a fireplace feast, and more. Black-and-white illustrations and a list of resources round out this superb guidebook for the adventurous chef.

Evangel Publishing House
2000 Evangel Way, Nappanee, IN 46550
1-800-253-9315 evangelpublishing.com

The Amish Country Cookbook series is sure to delight connoisseurs of homestyle traditional food made from scratch. Each volume is filled with taste-tested recipes for delicious soups, salads, breads, cakes, snacks, pies, beverages, jellies, and more. Recipes are often packed two or three to a page, ensuring a sizeable number of dishes to prepare in each volume. Retailing for $16.95 apiece, the series consists of Volume 1 (1928915205) and Volume 2 (1928915213), edited by Bob and Sue Miller, who grew up in Ohio's Amish country; Volume 3 (1928915221), edited by Bob and Sue Miller with Anita Yoder; and Volume 4 (1928915361), edited by Anita Yoder with Bob and Sue Miller. All four volumes have an individual index, as well as a brief introductory essay titled "Who Are The Amish?" that informs readers about the people, faith, and culture that engendered these wonderful recipes. A superb series certain to help the reader discover the succulent taste of country life.

Real Women Eat Chiles
Jane Butel
Northland Publishing
PO Box 1389, Flagstaff, AZ 86002
www.northlandpub.com
0873588975 $21.95 1-800-346-3257

World famous culinary author Jane Butel presents Real Women Eat Chiles, a cookbook of more than 120 chile-based recipes, with a sprinkling of profiles of women who engage in the healthy habit of eating chiles. Some were born into cultures that embrace chile; others acquired a taste for chiles while traveling abroad. Deliciously spicy dishes range from Grilled Veggie Bites with Spring Salsa to Beef Enchilada Bake, Tamale-Style Catfish, Shrimp Salad Burrito, and Spicy Hot Chocolate Mousse. Easy-to-follow instructions, cooking tips, color photographs, and nutritional information of the calories, protein, carbohydrates, fiber, fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, and sodium per serving of each recipe round out this "must-have" guide for anyone interested in cooking with chile peppers.

John Wiley & Sons
111 River St., 4th fl., Hoboken, NJ 07030
www.wiley.com/culinaryandhospitality

The latest updated new edition of Betty Crocker Cookbook: Everything You Need To Know To Cook Today (0764568779, $29.95) is a winner: it packs in over 1,000 easy recipes, enhances them with 300 color photos, includes new chapters on casseroles and quick dishes, and further flags fast recipes which can be completed in less than 20 minutes. Attention to low-fat dishes and explanations of common problems and how to solve them round out a basic primer which should be the first item of choice for any beginning cook – and many an advanced home cook too! Tony Hill's The Spice Lover's Guide To Herbs & Spices (0764597396, $19.95) is an IACP Cookbook Award finalist and goes way beyond similar-named herb and spice guides. Tony Hill owns Seattle's World Merchants Spice, Herb & Teahouse: here his expertise lends to a survey of the spices based on his world travels and in-depth knowledge of culinary history and lore. Definitions of spice characteristics, color photos of spices and herbs, and recipes provide plenty of explanation on spice or herb characteristics and why they work in particular dishes. It's these extensive explanations which set Spice Lover's Guide To Herbs & Spices apart from all others.

Recipes From Wine Country
Tony De Luca
Whitecap Books
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
www.whitecap.ca
1552856054 $39.95 1-888-980-9852

Chef Tony de Luca's Recipes From Wine Country showcases his culinary approach through demonstrating the simplicity of creating a perfectly synchronic beauty in combination of wine and food for a true gourmet appreciation granted during a meal. Featuring 108 color pictures, Recipes From Wine Country successfully projects the great beauty that author Tony de Luca uses as a focal point, blending these wonderful pictures to grant the recipe each preceding recipe. Recipes From Win Country is a welcome contribution to kitchen cookbook collections and one which is very strongly recommended for wine connoisseurs, as well as the aspiring chef or restauranteur.


The Library Science Shelf

Books Every Child Should Know
Nancy Polette
Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
1591583543 $35.00 www.lu.com

Books Every Child Should Know: A Literary Quiz Book by educator Nancy Polette is an ably written and thoroughly entertaining collection of games, quizzes, cryptograms, word searches, scavenger hunts, plays and more, drawing their inspiration from classic children's books. As an interesting approach to many landmarks in children's literature, Books Every Child Should Know informs its young readers of more in-depth and observational intricacies of their favorite stories in a fun and active way. Books Every Child Should Know is very highly recommended to all classroom teachers and homeschooling parents as a curriculum supplement, as well as to public library children's book collections for its engaging format for use with children of all ages.

Demonstrating Results
Rhea Joyce Rubin
ALA Editions
PO Box 932501, Atlanta, GA 31193-2501
0838935605 $45.00 www.alastore.ala.org

Demonstrating Results: Using Outcome Measurement In Your Library by independent library consultant Rhea Joyce Rubin has as its primary focus library evaluations through outcome measurement. Demonstrating Results covers such issues as enhancing library programs using evaluation techniques; the use and customization of fourteen step-by-step work forms addressing the unique needs of library systems; gathering and interpreting statistically accurate data for the purpose of demonstrating outcomes; measuring, evaluating, and presenting of outcomes for fund raising purposes. Demonstrating Results utilizing case examples and is enhanced with a "Toolkit" that includes tips on creating evaluations, coding data, and selecting samples. Demonstrating Results is a welcome and informative addition to Library Science reference collections.

The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide
Rachel Singer Gordon
Information Today
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
1573872563 $29.50 www.infotoday.com

The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide by Rachel Singer Gordon (former Head of Computer Services at the Franklin Park Public Library and currently Consulting Editor to the Book Publishing Division of Information Today, Inc.) is an informed and informative introduction to the coming of Generation-X professionals to community and academic library career positions, as well as an in-depth reference creating stability in such library staff positions. Providing aspiring librarians an easy-to-follow structure, The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide follows a format consisting of chapters dedicated to Next Generation Librarianship; Surviving Library School; Surviving the Job Hunt; Surviving Entry-Level Positions; Moving Forward; Image, Stereotypes, and Diversity; Connections; Work/Life Balance; Transforming the Profession; and a conclusive Note to Library Administration. A welcome and seminal addition to professional and academic Library Science collections, The NextGen Librarian's Survival Guide is a well-crafted reference-guide enabling an expert understanding of the library field of study and career positioning.

The Virtual Reference Desk
R. David Lankes, et al.
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William St., #2004, NY, NY 10038
1555705553 $75.00 neal-schuman.com

Collaboratively edited by team of R. David Lankes (Director of the Information Institute of Syracuse), Eileen G. Abels (Associate Professor at the College of Information Studies), Marilyn Domas White (College of Information Studies, University of Maryland); and Saira N. Haque (Doctoral Student, School of Information Studies, Syracuse University), The Virtual Reference Desk is a wide-ranging and comprehensive introduction and survey of digital services that have grown to be an integral part of academic and community library systems. Among the issues included are teens and chat reference, interpersonal communication, staff training for Web service, establishing performance targets, managing services on a round the clock and daily basis, online communities and forums, professional resources, and more. The Virtual Reference Desk is indispensable for librarians and library systems offering online services to their patrons.

The Librarian's Guide To Developing Christian Fiction Collections For Young Adults
Barbara J. Walker
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
1555705456 $55.00 neal-schuman.com

The Librarian's Guide To Developing Christian Fiction Collections For Young Adults by Barbara J. Walker (Library Manager, Nancy Carson Library, North Augusta, South Carolina) among the most well written and "user-friendly" works guiding the reader through a complete and thorough process enabling better subject matter, greater satisfaction and an overall education for future independence on making important decisions for library choices. The Librarian's Guide To Developing Christian Fiction Collections For Young Adults is the perfect addition to a librarians personal or professional book collection and is also highly recommended for university Library School reference collections.

The Librarian's Internet Survival Guide Irene E. McDermott
Information Today
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
1573872350 $29.50 www.infotoday.com

Compiled from her "Internet Express" column for Searcher magazine, The Librarian's Internet Survival Guide: Strategies For The High-Tech Reference Desk by Irene E. McDermott is an informed and informative introduction to the modern internet and the spectrum of resources which it offers contemporary librarians. Introducing readers to tactics and strategies collected and developed over the years by McDermott, The Librarian's Internet Survival Guide insightfully informs librarians of the invaluable particulars which only years of experience may bring to light in integrating and utilizing a high-tech reference resource. Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, The Librarian's Internet Survival Guide is very highly recommended to all librarians and library science students wanting a greater grasp on the limitless possibilities of internet usage in the course of library operations and services.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Skinny Streets And Green Neighborhoods
Cynthia Girling & Ronald Kellett
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009
1559633379 $35.00 www.islandpress.org

Expertly and knowledgeably co-authored by Cynthia Girling (Director and Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of British Columbia) and Ronald Kellett (Professor of Landscape Architecture and Director of the Neighborhoods LAB in the Design Centre for Sustainability at the University of British Columbia) Skinny Streets And Green Neighborhoods: Design For Environment And Community is an innovative modern introduction and study of urban planning and ecology that deftly provides the reader with an exceptional selection of proven methods for solving generally difficult problems for community landscapes in urban areas. Inclusive of in-depth analysis with years of experience in the urban planning, with an excellent selection of design strategies for opportune placement of plant life for the essential betterment of the environment. An outstanding contribution to Environmental Studies and Urban Studies reference collections, Skinny Streets And Green Neighborhoods is very strongly recommended for all students of ecological design within the context of an urban environment.

Magpies And Mayflies
Derek Madden et al
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
1597140031 $16.95 heydaybooks.com

Very highly recommended, Magpies And Mayflies: An Introduction To Plants And Animals Of The Central Valley And Sierra Foothills is knowledgeably co-authored by Derek Madden, Ken Charters and Cathy Snyder. An invaluable resource for ecological explorers of (and casual visitors to) the central valley and Sierra Foothills. Magpies And Mayflies is a perfectly "user friendly", informed and informative guide to flora and fauna of the fields and hills of the beautiful and endless Sierra area.

Evolution Of The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
Lee Botts & Paul Muldoon
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
0870137522 $34.95 msupress.msu.edu

Written by the founder of the Lake Michigan Federation and the Executive Director at the Canadian Environmental Law Association, Evolution Of The Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement is a scholarly discussion of the Canadian- American partnership regarding the Great Lakes, the negotiation behind the Great Lakes Agreement and its evolution, the transformation of the Great Lakes Regime, and more. In addition to the detailed and heavily researched survey of history that forms the main text, the entire Great Lakes Agreement of 1972 and its 1978 revision, along with copious notes, round out this down-to-earth environmental history. An excellent reference, as accessible to lay readers as well as students and professionals in environmental studies.


The Poetry Shelf

Beyond
John Niemirovich
American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
www.americanliterarypress.com
1561679054 $14.95 1-800-873-2003

To be truly memorable, poetry must speak to the spirit as well as the mind's eye of the reader. Beyond is a lyrical collection of intimate poetry from the mathematical mind of John Niemirovich. A Dream Dissolving: The biosphere with seething life doth teem;/The stars are burst and formed anew to gleam/Within the cold and limitless expanse/While fragile man bestirs within his dream.

Left Out In The Rain
Gary Snyder
Shoemaker & Hoard Publishers
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
245 W 17th St, 11th fl, NY, NY 10011
www.shoemakerhoard.com
1593760906 $15.00 1-800-788-3123

Left Out in the Rain is a free-verse poetry collection by Gary Snyder, winner of the Pulitzer Prize among other awards. In his twenties, he labored as a forester and logger; one of his experienced co-workers told him, "If you're gonna work these woods, don't want nothing that can't be left out in the rain." That phrase became the title and binding theme of Left Out In The Rain, which examines human experiences in relation to the environment that encompasses them. The diversity of the often brief verses makes each one linger in the mind as bright flicker of momentary insight, in this compilation highly recommended for poetry enthusiasts. The Taste: I don't know where it went / Or recall how it worked / What one did / What the steps were / Was it hands? / Or the words and the tune? / All that's left / Is a flavor / That stays

Battles And Lullabies
Richard Michelson
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak St, Champaign, IL 61820
www.rmichelson.com
0252073037 $18.95 www.uillinois.com

Battles And Lullabies is an eclectic anthology of intuitive poetry from the children's book author Richard Michelson. Readers will be delighted by Michelson's vivid descriptions and situational indications. Where I Sat What I Ate: I sat between/Bubbeh/and Aunt Bet/I Never had a prayer//Bubbeh fingered/her forearm/the five numbers/burnt there/and//that's how I learned/to count/Aunt Bet//told lies about boys/who had loved her/when she was/a young coquette/I sat//like the silence/between train whistles/and dreamt//of the first woman/who taught me to dance/She was so beautiful/I never had a chance//Her skin was/ as smooth as/her silence/I sat//like a boy mid-bath/between curiosity and/my own nakedness/I sat//between Bubbeh/and Aunt Bet/Between spoonfuls of regret/I ate//from this you shouldn't know/and/may you never forget.

The Sleep Accusations
Randall Watson
Eastern Washington University Press
705 West First Ave, Spokane, WA 99201
1597660035 $15.95 www.amazon.com

Winner of the 2004 Blue Lynx Prize for Poetry, The Sleep Accusations is an eclectic, intimate, and highly recommended collection of the greatest poetry from the intriguing and intuitive works by Randall Watson. A Dog's Life: I love the morning rain./I am like a dog in the street/with my ears up./It's as if I've been out all night/and I am hungry./I can hear the one who feeds me/calling me home.

The Portable Famine
Rane Arroyo
University of Missouri-Kansas City
5101 Rockhill Road, Kansas City, MS 64110
1886157537 $13.95 www.umkc.com

The Portable Famine is an eclectic collection of the great poet Rane Arroyo's most astute and memorable work. Among other great poets of modern day, Arroyo depicts an incredible perspective of the human condition, American mentality, and his intimate encounters with life itself. Mayberry, RFD: Not even one illegal Mexican/in the body shop? No Guatemalan/maid at One Hour Motel? Not//a Puertorriquena owning/a Tex-Mex restaurant? How/white is white? Poor Opie,//taught to fear jalapeños./Even in imaginary America,/America has to be imagined.

Riverfall
Simmons B. Buntin
Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA, 19425
1903392470 $19.95 dufoureditions.com

Simmons B. Buntin diligently presents Riverfall as a showcase of his poetic skills, and his true appreciation of the beauty in nature that is always surrounding him. Readers will feel contentment while reading Riverfall, as Buntin poetically gives back to nature a beautiful thanks for its beautiful being. A highly recommended read for poets and students of nature alike, Riverfall is sure to delight its readers no matter which genre preference they might have. If A Spider Can: She spills her golden silk against the wind:/miles of drifting line//are free until, latching the broken reeds,/she is anchored. Perhaps the delicate//spider will catch a black fly, or a moth./Perhaps midge or brown darter.//But in that chaotic beauty of web, the light/geometry of thread and wind,//there is more. she eyes the red-winged/blackbird. Her silver orbs focus on belted//kingfisher. She dances madly/on thoughts of gallinule.//Beyond the sawgrass a boy leans/against the wind as his kite climbs://if the golden twine is long enough/perhaps he can tangle a gull.//Perhaps he'll snare the arcing jest.

Lampblack & Ash
Simone Muench
Sarabande Books
2234 Dundee Road, Suite 200, Louisville, KY 40205
193251127X $13.95 sarabandebooks.org

Lampblack & Ash is an emotionally engaging collection of metaphorically intense poetry by Simone Muench delving deep into the intricacies of the poet's ever resplendent mind. As Lampblack & Ash progresses, readers will find their minds entranced by the poise, flow and infecting linguistics of Muench. Elegy For The Unsaid (after Neruda): In this mouth I gather darkness, an aria,/rosewater tongue, tympanic bone,/a poem more quiet than quietness,/a bronze song, something undone, salvia,/a crushed butterfly./It is the blood on a light bulb, the seventh sadness,/a fluctuation that closes oceans and eyes./The vermilion and solitary luminary/shimmies and singes the feathers of the aviary.//Moon, the clock's word, dear country, ruin, rain.


The Sports Shelf

The Best Of Baseball Digest
John Kuenster, editor
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622
1566636558 $29.95 www.ivanrdee.com

Baseball fans who have a literary love of the sports will appreciate over sixty years of classic baseball stories by the game's leading writers and players in The Best Of Baseball Digest. This is no light treatment: over a hundred articles gathered from issues from the 1940s to modern times appear here, along with over eighty photos: many of them rare. Relive the major plays, players and events of the baseball world in a powerful 'you are there' account; one of the best baseball collections available.


The Education Shelf

First Time Up
Brock Dethier
Utah State University Press
7800 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
0874216206 $22.95 www.usu.edu/usupress

First Time Up: An Insider's Guide For Composition Teachers by Brock Dethier (Coordinator of Advanced Composition at Utah State University) is an in-depth and instructive presentation reflecting the values which may be placed on effectively teaching composition in the classroom for first-time writing instructors. Tactfully written in an encouraging, humorous, yet appropriately informative manner, First Time Up documents the often difficult experience of teaching contemporary college students and recommends what processes would be most appropriate in dealing with student maturity and academic preparedness issues. As a truly well written, experienced based, and "user friendly" guide First Time Up is to be given high praise and is very strongly recommended reading -- especially for novice English teachers and professors of college level students.

60 Strategies For Improving Reading Comprehension In Grades K-8
Kathleen Feeney Jonson
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
0761988386 $34.95 corwinpress.com

60 Strategies For Improving Reading Comprehension In Grades K-8 by literary expert Kathleen Feeney Jonson is an inclusive and easy-to-use reference of sixty distinctive and "kid friendly" classroom instruction strategies which enable the teaching of what is the most difficult piece of the process of teaching reading comprehension. Providing the classroom teachers with grade-level recommendations, goals for each strategy, step-by-step instructions, graphics and examples of student work, and directions for modifying strategies for different grade levels, 60 Strategies For Improving Reading Comprehension In Grades K-8 is very strongly recommended -- especially to all teachers of lower-level and elementary students looking for a an adaptable reference and guidebook for the easiest and most effective approaches to teaching reading comprehension at the primary school level.

Building A Knowledge Base In Reading
Jane Braunger & Jan Patricia Lewis
International Reading Association
PO Box 8139, Newark, DE 19714-8139
0872075753 $22.95 www.reading.org

Now in an expanded and updated second edition, Building A Knowledge Base In Reading is knowledgeably compiled and effectively co-authored by Jane Braunger (Senior Research Associate at the Strategic Literacy Initiative/WestEd in Oakland, CA) and Jan Patricia Lewis (the School of Education at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, WA). This completely "user-friendly" exploration is a highly researched study of children's comprehension and understanding of the curriculum and general education they receive. Introducing the reader to the implications granted to all students at every level, teacher resources for the translation of particulars into the classroom practice and summaries of the research presented in each chapter to help with putting together the ideas, Building A Knowledge Base In Reading acts a not only an outstanding guide and curriculum development resource, but a truly indispensable companion recommended to all novice classroom teachers struggling with addressing their students literacy needs and how best to approach the teaching process with respect to reading instruction.

Bravo! Teacher
Sandra Harris
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way West Larchmont, NY 10538
1596670126 $29.95 eyeoneducation.com

Bravo! Teacher: Building Relationships With Actions That Value Others by Sandra Harris is an informed and informative instructional guide to reinforce the constructive teacher mentality that helps to create a positive and securing teacher-to-student relationship. After an excellent introduction ("Make the Most of a Moment"), Bravo! Teacher is organized into chapters that include "Actions that Uphold High Standards--Point to the Stars"; "Actions that re Empower-Less is More"; ("Actions that Demonstrate Respect for All--Every Individual is Important"; "Actions that Support All Students--Rekindle the Inner Spirit"; "Actions that Challenge the Imagination--Participate in Discovery"; Actions that Demonstrate Culturally Responsive Teaching--The Mosaic of Moral Purpose"; "Actions that are Courageous--Fragile Blossoms in the Snow"; and concludes with "Relationships: The True Thread. Enhanced with a special section on "References", this is an impressive collection of helpful "user-friendly" reference material. Bravo! Teacher assists the reader to gain the knowledge and feel for students as many well-experienced teachers took years to obtain. Also highly recommended for those entering the teaching profession from Eye on Education are What Great Teachers Do Differently: 14 Things That Matter Most by Todd Whitaker; Classroom Motivation From A To Z: How To Engage Your Students In Learning by Barbara R. Blackbum; and Great Quotes For Great Educators by Todd Whitaker and Dale Lumpa.

Teaching On Solid Ground
Dominic Belmonte
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 1320-2218
www.corwinpress.com
1412924634 $24.95 1-800-818-7243

Teaching On Solid Ground: Nuance, Challenge, And Technique For The Emerging Teacher by classroom educational expert Dominic Belmonte (Director of Teacher Preparation for the Golden Apple Foundation for Excellence in Teaching) is an informed and informative guide to creating an ultimate comfort-zone for teachers not content with their empowering position. As an introduction to the teaching in general, Teaching On Solid Ground includes a "user-friendly " basis that consists of fifteen ways to master classroom pacing, tone, undertone, and behavior, five sample lessons using Socratic Seminar, inquiry sciences, and Magic Math Box, reflective approaches to important challenges, including high-stakes tests, bridging the achievement gap, and helping students deal with tragedy. Teaching On Solid Ground really is an overall "reader friendly" reference and guide for becoming an ideal and appropriate teacher, very strongly recommended to all teachers, new and experienced, for its exclusive ability to relate to its readers and its deeply accurate reasoning for taking its recommended approaches.

The Educator's Guide To Preventing And Solving Discipline Problems
Mark Boynton & Christine Boynton
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
1416602372 $23.95 www.ascd.org

The Educator's Guide To Preventing And Solving Discipline Problems by former principles and teachers and current educational consultants Mark and Christine Boynton is a remarkable exploration of the many issues that educators are faced with in their everyday questioning of disciplinary action, and which steps may be more or less appropriate than others. Expertly written, The Educators Guide To Preventing And Solving Discipline Problems offers an excellent analysis of child psychology. The Educators Guide To Preventing And Solving Discipline Problems is very strongly recommended for all teachers or elementary level educators for its informative and easy-to-follow instructional content.

The Development Of Political Attitudes In Children
Robert D. Hess & Judith V. Torney
Transaction Publishers
390 Campus Drive, Somerset, NJ 08873
0202308324 $29.00 transactionpub.com

The Development Of Political Attitudes In Children knowledgeable co-written by Robert D. Hess (Lee L. Jacks Professor Emeritus of Child Education at Stanford University) and Jaan Valsiner (Professor and Chair of the Department of Human Development, University of Maryland) is an outstanding study based upon a study done with 12,000 elementary schoolchildren to determine the children's political development based upon the general theory of socialization, considering the factors of social class, intelligence, teacher attitude, and religious membership. As an intellectual and highly informative analysis of what causes one's political standing later in life, The Development Of Political Attitudes In Children helps to enlighten the reader of the many constructs of child psychology, what a child's greatest influences are, and how well certain constructs might more easily be retained throughout life. The Development Of Political Attitudes In Children is very strongly recommended to all elementary level teacher reference collections, as well to the reference libraries of child counselors and psychologists.

Active Learning
Pat Hollingsworth & Gina Lewis
Crown House Publishing
4 Berkely Street, Norwalk, CT 06850
1904424597 $27.95 www.chpus.com

Deftly co-authored by Pat Hollingsworth (Director of University School at the University of Tulsa) and Gina Lewis (third grade teacher at the University school at the University of Tulsa) Active Learning: Increasing Flow In The Classroom is an innovative and easy-to-apply guide for teachers to enriching their classroom's learning. Filled with interesting and creative ideas intended to give the classroom a more at-ease feel with an eager desire to learn from the children. Active Learning is very strongly recommended to all public and private school classroom teachers for grades preschool through twelfth grade.

Tough Love For Schools
Frederick M. Hess
The AEI Press
1150 17th Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20036
0844742112 $25.00 www.aei.org

Tough Love For Schools: Essays On Competition, Accountability, And Excellence by Frederick M. Hess (Director, Educational Policy Studies, American Enterprise Institute) is an engaging and thought-provoking collection of essays analyzing the actualities and radical ideals of what might possibly fuel a public school's productivity. Using such theoretical tactics or concepts as that which indicts greatest profit as the most positive reinforcement for K-12 faculty and many other rather conceptual strategies for creating a more enthusiastic and effective atmosphere for learning and teaching. Tough Love For Schools is an outstanding theoretic workbook/reference very strongly recommended reading for all K-12 public school teachers searching for a new, more innovative concepts with which they might apply in their classrooms and curriculums.

The Story Road To Literacy
Rita Roth
Teacher Ideas Press
c/o Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
1591583233 $30.00 www.lu.com

Drawing upon her more than 40 years of professional classroom experience, Rita Roth offers an new and insightful exploration of the most efficient and effective teaching form for children in The Story Road To Literacy. Informing the reader on how best to teach a child reading, writing, speaking, listening and thinking, The Story Road To Literacy acts as an informed and informative instructional guide filled from cover to cover with diverse and practical strategies, as well as proven tactics to properly educate students and children for such fundamental academic skills. The Story Road To Literacy is a very strongly recommended addition to the library reference collections of all elementary K-5 teachers, as well to new parents and homeschooling parents, wanting for a "head-start" on their child's educational performance.

Pivotal Response Treatments For Autism
Robert L. Koegel & Lynn Kern Koegel
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285
www.brookespublishing.com
1557668191 $39.95 www.amazon.com

Knowledgeably co-authored by Robert L. Koegel (Director of the Koegel Autism Center, University of California, Santa Barbara) and Lynn Kern Koegel (Director of Clinical Services at the Koegel Autism Center) Pivotal Response Treatments For Autism: Communication, Social, And Academic Development is an informed and informative study of the tactics and strategies employed to improve the learning and comprehensive cognitive understanding of autistic children. Exploring ways to improve children's academic performance, advance children's communication and language skills, foster social interactions and friendships with typically developing peers, reduce disruptive behaviors, aid early identification and intervention, and reduce ritualistic behaviors and broaden children's interests, Pivotal Response Treatments For Autism is highly informative and very strongly recommended to all parents, teachers, and counselors of autistic children.

Getting Choice Right
Julian R. Betts & Tom Loveless
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036
0815753322 $19.95 www.brookings.com

Deftly co-edited by Julian R. Betts (Professor in the Department of Economics at the University of California, San Diego) and Tom Loveless (Senior Fellow in Governance Studies and Director of the Brown Center on Education Policy at the Brookings Institution), Getting Choice Right: Ensuring Equity And Efficiency In Education Policy is an informed and scholarly study the includes numerous and knowledgeable contributors regarding the involvement of political education on racism, ethnicity, religious segregation, and judgement for the K-12 levels of education. Exploring the "no child left behind" act and everything it is meant to accomplish, Getting Choice Right enlightens the reader on how choice works to reflect community interest in the potential benefits of new school options and how to obtain them while avoiding choice's potential harm. Getting Choice Right is very strongly recommended to all non-specialist general readers with an interest in educational reforms, as well as K-12 faculty members and education policy makers.

Future-Focused Leadership
Gary Marx
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
1416602194 $26.95 www.ascd.org

Future-Focused Leadership: Preparing Schools, Students, And Communities For Tomorrow's Realities by Gary Marx (President, Center for Public Outreach, Vienna, Virginia) is an intricate and detailed study and philosophical outlook on various strategies and understandings of organizing schooling facilities, students and environmentally involved citizens for a greatly potential driven future for not only youth, but as well the general community. Exploring the realities of social direction as varying trends and outside influences take a community through differing involvements and activities, Future-Focused Leadership informs both educators and community leaders of what best may suit the pursuit and education of their potential future leaders. Future-Focused Leadership is very strongly recommended to educators, school counselors, and building principles and school board members.

The Instructional Leader's Guide To Informal Classroom Observations
Sally J. Zepeda
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way W, Larchmont, NY 10538
159667010X $29.95 eyeoneducation.com

The Instructional Leader's Guide To Informal Classroom Observations by Sally J. Zepeda (Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator in the Department of Lifelong Education, Administration, and Policy in the University of Georgia) is an uncommonly useful and informative study of principals, chairs, teacher leaders, and other instructional leaders intended as a tool for helping those leaders (and anyone who aspires to a leadership post within an educational facility or institution) succeed in classroom visitations and other informal classroom observations. As an in-depth study of classroom innovation and exploration, The Instructional Leader's Guide To Informal Classroom Observations educates the reader on the most efficient and effective tactics for observational and educational observations, and how one might take the most from such an experience. The Instructional Leader's Guide To Informal Classroom Observations is very strongly recommended to all public or private education executives, school board members, building principles, student-teacher supervisors, and community selected individuals required to make classroom observations on the quality of the teaching taking place.

Ten Thousand Democracies
Michael B. Berkman & Eric Plutzer
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street NW, Washington, DC 20007
1589010760 $26.95 www.georgetown.edu

Knowledgeably co-authored by Michael B. Berkman (Associate Professor at the Department of Political Science at the Pennsylvania State University) and Eric Plutzer (Professor in the Department of Political Science at the Pennsylvania State University) Ten Thousand Democracies: Politics And Public Opinion In America's School Districts is an intricate revelation of the truths behind the power of special interest groups ranging from trade unions to senior citizen organizations in contemporary American education in general, and public school districts in particular. As many people are unaware of what correlations belong to race, age, and homeowner status and the amount of support given to academic accomplishments or facilities, Ten Thousand Democracies will open the reader's eyes to the many intricate facts regarding which groups have what potential, interests, facets, finances etc. A groundbreaking study of impeccable scholarship, Ten Thousand Democracies is very highly recommended reading for both educators, education policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in their community's public education system, and will serve as an excellent reference for research and information for students of contemporary American political science and public education.

Teaching Adult English Language Learners
Richard A. Orem
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
www.krieger-publishing.com
1575242192 $23.75 1-800-724-0025

Part of Krieger's "Professional Practices Series in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning" and specifically intended for faculty and students in adult education graduate programs and other "Teachers of English to Speakers of Other Languages" preparational programs at the undergraduate and graduate levels targeting mature learners, Teaching Adult English Language Learners by ESL educator Richard A. Orem presents core information about policy, second language acquisition theory and research, methods and materials for teaching adult English Language learners, program design, and cross-cultural issues that effect learning in adult ESL classes. Teaching Adult English Language Learners also addresses the context within which adult ESOL teachers to work and in which adult ESOL programs function. Teaching Adult English Language Learners is a substantive and strongly recommended addition to professional and academic library Adult Education and ESL reference and resource collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

On Talking Terms With Dogs
Turid Rugaas
Dogwise Publishing
PO Box 2778, Wenatchee, WA 98801
1929242360 $12.95 www.dogwise.com

On Talking Terms With Dogs: Calming Signals by international dog trainer and behaviorist Turid Rugaas is a truly "user-friendly" guide to understanding and communicating with your dog. Introducing its readers to many conceptual tactics and subtle tendencies which might imply the dog's desires, On Talking Terms With Dogs is an invaluable reference for dog owners who truly wish to help their friend to an ultimate happiness. On Talking Terms With Dogs is very strongly recommended to all dog owners, especially those highly devoted and owners of multiple canine companions.

Understanding Sharks
Erich Ritter
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
www.krieger-publishing.com
1575242699 $59.50 1-321-724-9542

Understanding Sharks: The Fascinating Behavior Of A Threatened Hunter by shark behavior expert Erich Ritter (and which is competently translated into English by Valerie Haecky), provides an in-depth documentation of expert observations and documented understanding of the shark's behavioral engagements in their natural aquatic habitats. One of the world's leading shark experts, Erich Ritter. introduces the reader to biological, behavioral, habitual and instinctual concepts which modern zoological science has come to grasp in terms of this remarkable sea-creature. Understanding Sharks has invaluable commentary regarding what may be situationally appropriate when in a confrontation with a shark. Understanding Sharks is very strongly recommended to all students of aquatic biology, shark behavior, as well as non-specialist general readers who frequent coastal areas where there are sharks in the water.

Shock To The System
Catherine O'Driscoll
Dogwise Publishing
PO Box 2778 701B Poplar, Wenatchee, WA 98807
www.dogwisepublishing.com
1929242298 $21.95 1-800-776-2665

Catherine O'Driscoll presents Shock To The System: The Facts About Animal Vaccination, Pet Food And How To Keep Your Pets Healthy as an informed and informative study of the truths of stress and vaccinations and how such things may actually be the cause of illness in our pets. Readers will be enlightened as Shock To The System is one of the greatest analysis of modern realizations in pertinence to animal health. Shock To The System is very strongly recommended reading to all pet owners for its informational and "user friendly" information on all the elements of basic pet care.

Woof
Elliott Erwitt
Chronicle Books
85 – 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94105
0811851125 $22.95 chroniclebooks.com

Elliott Erwitt loves to take photos of dogs – all kinds of dogs doing all kinds of things – and Woof is a reflection of his passion for the animal, providing black and white shots of dogs in or near water, on land, on display, at play, and more. An outstanding, artistic celebration of the canine which dog and art lovers will find a satisfying blend of diverse images.

Amphibians And Reptiles Of Pakistan
Muhammad Sharif Khan
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
0894649523 $145.00 1-800-724-0025

Illustrated with full color photography throughout, Amphibians And Reptiles Of Pakistan is an extensive compendium of nearly 40 years of research. Intended especially for reptile keepers, zoos, and natural history travelers in Pakistan, Amphibians And Reptiles Of Pakistan offers basic locality, identification details, natural history, and distribution information with maps; the natural history includes compiled notes on each species' feeding habits and life cycle. The stunning photography and meticulous guides to the different families, including a step-by-step key to simplify the identification process, makes determining the species of a reptile of Pakistan as straightforward as possible. A superb scientific reference, unmatched in quality concerning its subject of expertise.

Horse Housekeeping
Margaret & Michel Korda
Collins/HarperCollins
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022-5299
0060573082 $26.95 harpercollins.com

Understand what you're getting into by owning a horse before it ever hits your pasture with Horse Housekeeping: Everything You Need To Know To Keep A Horse At Home. From setting up the barn and checking fencing to understanding feeding requirements, common health issues, and even how weather affects the horse, the authors provide a thorough, basic coverage for newcomers to the horse world. Adding interest to the practical information are stories about horses which offer case histories and often funny reflections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

You Don't Look Sick!
Joy H. Selak & Steven S. Overman
The Haworth Medical Press
10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904
0789024489 $29.95 haworthpress.com

You Don't Look Sick!: Living Well With Invisible Chronic Illness by Joy H. Selak and Steven Overman (Director of Musculoskeletal Planning in Seattle, Washington, as well as Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine at the University of Washington Medical School) is a professional by accessible guide to the being diagnosed with a chronic illness. Enhanced with an easy-to-use structure, You Don't Look Sick! follows the guidelines of: Part I: Getting Sick; Time To Cry; Three Strikes; Snake in the Mist; Still Time; The Stuck Car: Dr. Overman on Getting Sick; Part II: Being Sick; Disabled, but Not Invalid; Pain; The Squeaky Wheel; The Ladies Who Lunch; The Athlete and the Coach: Dr. Overman on Being Sick; Part III: Living Well; Stepping Out of the Box; Joy's Top Ten List for Living Well, Even While Sick, A Gift of Grace; Natural High; Weaving the Web of Wellness: Dr. Overman on Living Well; Epilogue. Chronic Illness Care: Is There a Cure? Dr. Overman on Chronic Illness Care; concluding thereafter with a resourceful appendix including Discussion Questions for Book Clubs or Support Groups followed up with resources and a kind word of reflection from each author. You Don't Look Sick! is very highly recommended to anyone with a chronic illness, support groups for the chronically ill, as well as family members and the medical personnel treating a diagnoses of chronic illness.

Beyond The Hippocratic Oath
John B. Dossetor
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada, T6G 2E1
0888644531 $39.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca

Beyond The Hippocratic Oath: A Memoir On The Rise Of Modern Medical Ethics by John B. Dossetor (Professor Emeritus in Medicine at the University of Alberta) is an engaging and knowledgeably written documentation of one man’s career, marked by many medical innovations in the western world over the last few decades. The author has experienced a perpetually interesting life of discovery and breakthrough, and Dossetor presents this as an engaging story of medical progress. Beyond The Hippocratic Oath explores little-known ethical debates that accompanied the positive medical advances, and created dilemmas for many scientists in the 1980's, as well as many other intriguing occurrences in which he played a significant role. Very strongly recommended, Beyond The Hippocratic Oath is a highly encouraged read for students of medicine, ethics, and medical history, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in any of these topics.

Epilepsy And Pregnancy
Stacey Chillemi & Blanca Vazquez
Demos Medical Publishing
386 Park Avenue South, NY, NY 10016
1932603158 $16.95 demosmedpub.com

Expertly co-authored by Stacey Chillemi (H.O.P.E. Mentor for the Epilepsy Foundation and epileptic mother) and Blanca Vazquez (Director of Clinical Trials and Outpatient Services at the Comprehensive Epilepsy Center at New York University) Epilepsy And Pregnancy: What Every Woman With Epilepsy Should Know is an informed and easily accessible reference for all women who have epilepsy and are any of one of the stages of their pregnancy. Epilepsy And Pregnancy provides an superb presentation for everything epileptic women must know about having children, including fertility, pregnancy risks to mother and fetus, nutrition and keeping fit, expectations during pregnancy, fetal development, and labor and delivery. An invaluable addition to personal and community library Health & Medicine collect-ions, Epilepsy And Pregnancy is truly an invaluable reference for all women wishing for more information on the risks of childbirth and care with epilepsy.

Strength In Caring
Mark Matloff
Outskirts Press
10940 S Parker Rd, 515, Parker CO 80134
1598001620 $18.95 outskirtspress.com

Strength In Caring: Giving Power Back To The Alzheimer's Caregiver by experienced psychologist Mark Maltoff is an informed and informative guide to understanding the nature and condition of Alzheimer's disease. With Strength In Caring the reader will learn of ways to cope with the situation of discovering a loved one's diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, including how to prevent self-blame, self-pity, depression, hopelessness, anger, anxiety and guilt. Strongly recommended reading, Strength In Caring is the perfect addition to any practicing psychologist's reference library, as well as the reading lists for members of a family with a loved one who is diagnosed with Alzheimers.

Walk For Your Life!
Marie Dmers
Vital Health Publishing
PO Box 152, Ridgefield, CT 06877
www.vitalhealthbooks.com
1890612499 $16.95 1-877-848-2665

In Walk For Your Life!: Restoring Neighborhood Walkways To Enhance Community Life, Improve Street Safety And Reduce Obesity, author Marie Demers draws upon her more than twenty-five years experience as a health researcher, an epidemiology, as well as her background in psychology, biology, and anthropology, and worldwide travels to create a comprehensive and utterly persuasive argument in favor of creating safe, health inducing, walkways in urban and suburban locales so that men and women of all ages and health conditions can obtain the undeniably benefits of regular exercise through the simple means of walking. Indeed, Demers lays out a clear and convincing case for the restoration of a "walkable" environment that would have the additional social benefits of enhancing community life while addressing the current obesity epidemic. Walk For Your Life! is "must" reading for anyone seeking to establish the opportunity for more mobile, healthy inducing, pleasurable opportunities and conditions in their community allowing them to walk their way into a better physical, mental, and emotional condition.


The American History Shelf

Shapers Of The Great Debate At The Constitutional Convention Of 1787
Joseph C. Morton
Greenwood Press
PO Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0313330212 $75.00 www.greenwood.com

The US Constitution has been under nearly constant attack since its inception, so it's important that modern readers understand not only its contents, but the debates which raged during its creation. Shapers Of The Great Debate At The Constitutional Convention Of 1787: A Biography Dictionary joins others in the 'Shapers of the Great American Debates' series by Greenwood, providing an unusual series of over fifty biographies for each delegate involved in the Convention. This approach uses biography to consider the backgrounds, underlying influences, and political and social pressures of the shapers of the Constitution, providing invaluable information on its underlying influences.

High Drama
Daniel & Beth R Barrett
Western Reflections Publishing
219 Main Street, Montrose, CO 81401
www.weternreflectionspub.com
1932738185 $19.95 1-800-993-4490

High Drama: Colorado's Historic Theatres expertly co-authored by Daniel and Beth R Barrett is an intriguing historical survey and account of the Colorado mining revolution including fledgling "boomtown" communities, and the awkward confluence of miners, their demand for diversion, and the appearance of theaters. High Drama details the significance of entertainment to America's western pioneers in the youth of the country, as well as an accurate background story of many of the principle theaters and the acting talents they showcased. Strongly recommended as a unique contribution to Colorado history, as well as being of particular interest for student of the theatrical arts and history in the frontier west, High Drama is an excellent and recommended general read.

Permeable Border
John J. Bukowczyk, et al.
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, AB, Canada, T2N 1N4
1552382168 $34.95 www.uofcpress.com

A perfectly unified co-authorship of John J. Bukowczyk (Professor of History and Director of the Canadian Studies Program at Wayne State University in Detroit), Nora Faires (Associate Professor of History and Women's Studies at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo), David R. Smith (History Instructor and Academic Advisor at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor) and Randy Williams Widdis (Professor of Geography at the University of Regina) who have expertly collaborated to present an informed and informative history of the Great Lakes significance in America's modern trade in the Preamble Border: The Great Lakes Basin As Transnational Region, 1650-1990. A work of impeccable scholarship and painstaking research, Preamble Border is a seminal benchmark reference for the significant activity on the Great Lakes for trade between its most active years of 1650 and 1990. A work of impressive originality and very strongly recommended to any reader with an interest in the history of the Great Lakes region, Permeable Border is an excellent documentation of the Great Lakes trading patterns and influences.


The Music Shelf

A Change Is Gonna Come
Craig Werner
University of Michigan Press
839 Greene St, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
0472031473 $22.95 press.umich.com

A newly revised, expanded, and updated edition, A Change Is Gonna Come: Music, Race, And The Soul Of America by Craig Werner (Professor of Afro-American Studies at the University of Wisconsin) is an informative and "reader friendly" survey of forty years worth of music and events in African-American history which played such an influential role in shaping the path of the American popular culture. Professor Werner manages to present an engaging and knowledgeable perspective of Afro-American music's intimate connection with its composers, performers, and audiences, while carving a vivid picture of the political credit it deserves. Very strongly recommended for Black Studies, Music History, and American Popular Culture library collections, A Change Is Gonna Come is both the perfect scholarly reference and an ideal nostalgic documentation of the history of African-American influence upon their own ethnic musical traditions.

Opera: The Basics
Denise Gallo
Routledge
270 Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016
0415970725 $16.95 taylorandfrancis.com

Opera: The Basics by Denise Gallo (Senior Music Specialist at The Library of Congress and Adjunct Professor, Music History Division, The Catholic University of America) is an 207-page introductory reference for all performers, music, styles and performances of the generationally popular musical genre of opera. As a detailed and "user friendly" guide through the intricacies of opera, Opera: The Basics is divided into two easy-to-follow sections: Terms and Topics, and Genres, Styles and Scores. An ideal addition to academic and community library Music Studies collections, Opera: The Basics is very strongly recommended to all newcomers of the opera scene, as well as long term fans of the opera, as any reader is sure to take from this book.

The Way Of Taiko
Heidi Varian
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkely, CA 94707
188065699X $18.95 stonebridge.com

The Way Of Taiko by Heidi Varian is the translation of information that will enable American readers to understand and enjoy (even participate in) the sacred art and practice of ethnic Japanese drum music known as "Taiko". Providing a wealth of general information documenting "Taiko", The Way Of Taiko engagingly informs the reader of many of the great intricacies in this specialized music, and is inclusive of many expressive and artistic pictures to give the reader an accurate idea of what "Taiko" truly is. The Way Of Taiko is very highly recommended to all enthusiasts of the eastern philosophies and arts, especially those musically inclined, as well as students of Japanese culture.

Music And Ideas
Claude V. Palisca
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak St, Champaign, IL 61820
www.press.uillinois.edu
0252031563 $35.00 1-800-545-4703

Written in an engaging and comfortable style for the non-specialist reader, Music And Ideas In The Sixteenth And Seventeenth Centuries is a fascinating history of how musicians and musicologists were caught up amid warring ideas about religion, science, education, economy, and government in the era of the Reformation. Chapters discuss "Humanist Reaction to Polyphony", "Music and Scientific Discovery", "Ancient and Modern: Styles and Genres", and much more. Researched at length, with an eye toward the musical revelations that transformed human understanding, Music And Ideas In The Sixteenth And Seventeenth Centuries is a perfect balance of scholarly expertise, historical scrutiny, and wry human interest.

Singing In The Saddle
Douglas B. Green
Vanderbilt University Press
VU Stn. B 351813, Nashville, TN 37235
www.vanderbiltuniversitypress.com
0826515061 $25.95 1-615-343-2446

A seminal work of detailed scholarship, Singing In The Saddle: The History Of The Singing Cowboy by music historian and performer Douglas B. Green is an informative and inherently interesting history of a specialized segment of American popular culture. Enhanced with photographic and liturgical documentation of western music from the early days of vaudeville and radio to its modern revival in film, television, and country music venues. Providing an historical basis of appreciation for this distinctive cultural music genre, Singing In The Saddle provides a plethora of engaging and endlessly fun information and is very highly recommended for all readers with an interest in western cowboy culture, music, movies, and literature.

Concept And Study For The Violinist
Mikhail Lobko
Mel Bay
PO Box 66, Pacific, MO 63069
0786673451 $14.95 www.melbay.com

Concept And Study For The Violinist: The Lobko Method by academician and master violinist Mihail Lobko is an informed and informative introductory study mapping out the technical and intricate understandings of Lobko violin methodology. Expanding the knowledge and instructively teaching the reader of effective and easy-to-follow techniques for the violin, Concept And Study For The Violinist is an exclusive perspective of the art of violin playing. Concept And Study For The Violinist is very highly recommended for its rare and invaluable concept of the art to all aspiring and performing violinists searching for a effective approach to learning and performing with the violin.

Classic American Popular Song
David Jenness & Don Velsey
Routledge
270 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016
0415970563 $34.95 www.routledge-ny.com

Classic American Popular Song: The Second Half-Century, 1950-2000 is a college-level survey of what happened to American popular music post 1950: it continues the story of classic songwriters from Porter and Rodgers to Johnny Mercer and Fred Kander, exploring the ongoing (and sometimes surprising) popularity of their works over the decades and considering both the quality of pop song after 1950 and the efforts of writers who worked in an established yet fading musical style. From traditions maintained in popular song to the evolution of American song styles, colleges will find this a fine addition.

Young People's Concerts
Leonard Bernstein
Amadeus Press
512 Newark Pomton Turnpike, Pomton Plains, NJ 07444
1574671022 $22.95 amadeuspress.com

Young People's Concerts by composer and conductor Leonard Bernstein is an outstanding and much-appreciated reprint of the author's definitive description of his inspirational appreciation and joy for music. Presented in an expansive and highly descriptive context, Young People's Concerts offers an easy to understand perspective of all forms and categories of music, instilling a similar construct into the readers enjoyment of diverse musical traditions and presentations. Very strongly recommended as informed and informative read, Young People's Concerts is the perfect addition to every personal, academic, and community library music appreciation reference collection and reading list.

Mastering The Art Of Performance
Stewart Gordon
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016
www.oup.com
0195177436 $24.95 1-800-451-7556

Master music teacher Stewart Gordon presents Mastering The Art Of Performance: A Primer For Musicians, an in-depth guide for musicians to striving for unparalleled excellence in their performances. Mastering The Art Of Performance does far more than simply identify and describe problems associated with performance; it offers a wealth of practical solutions. From easy-to- follow self-test and warmup exercises, to how to accurately conceptualize and schedule reasonable goals, to tips for managing stage fright, dealing with repetition and drill, and much more, Mastering The Art Of Performance is a personable problem-solving guide drawn directly from the author's years of experience. Enthusiastically recommended for amateur and professional musical performers from all walks of life.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Whispers From The Woods
Sandra Kynes
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com
0738707813 $17.95 1-800-843-6666

Whispers From The Woods: The Lore & Magic Of Trees is an informed and informative guide to the spiritual, mystical, and metaphysical aspect of trees. Chapters discuss the basics of Celtic Ogham and tree calendars, the role of trees in ritual and spellwork, how to incorporate trees in one's meditative practice, and much more. The second half of Whispers From The Woods is an alphabetical catalog of dozens of common tree species, from Alder, Elm, and Hickory to Oak, Spruce, and Yew. Each entry discusses how the species is perceived in folklore, ritual, and pagan beliefs, and a list assigns each species special connections to specific zodiac signs, gods and goddesses of world mythology, celestial bodies, and the like. An in-depth guide like no other for wiccans, pagans, and students of metaphysics.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

My Job Went To India
Chad Fowler
Pragmatic Bookshelf
9650 Strickland Road, Suite 103-255, Raleigh, NC 27615
www.pragmatic.programmer.com
0976694018 $19.95 1-800-699-7764

Any working in the computer industry knows outsourcing overseas is a big trend – and My Job Went To India (And All I Got Was This Lousy Book): 52 Ways To Save Your Job is a vital survey of how an employed computer person's active job can vanish overseas tomorrow. The company changes, technology changes, economy changes – and ways a computer professional can add value to his job has also changed. If you haven't adapted – My Job Went To India is for you: it's about making choices in skills levels which add value to a job which can't easily be duplicated for less, overseas – and it talks about both skills and marketing services. A top-rated pick, My Job Went To India is recommended beyond the computer industry for any observing the outsourcing trend in corporate American businesses.

The Graphic Design Business Book
Tad Crawford
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd St., Suite 510, NY NY 10110
1581154305 $24.95 www.allworth.com

Design pros face many special obstacles in setting up a business, from locating and managing the right studio to developing an effective, specialized portfolio, using a web site's special marketing powers, and bringing in clients. Learn how to set up and run a successful design business using leading experts in the field with The Graphic Design Business Book, which teaches graphic artists all the basics for promoting their talents. Chapters are business-oriented in general scope but also provide many specifics unique to the graphic design venture.


The Woodworking Shelf

The Deck Book
Melissa Cardona
Schiffer Publications
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
0764322842 $19.95 schifferbooks.com

Other deck books show how to design or maintain a deck: The Deck Book: Inspiration Design Ideas by Melissa Cardona and Hickory Dickory Decks goes beyond most in covering literally hundreds of custom-built decks; not just a few designs. Over 300 color photos show wood and composite decks from small to huge; from traditional to innovative, and plain decks versus those with built-ins and railings, gazebos and more. Plenty of homeowners consider adding a deck to enhance a home: few books provide a range of design and material options as does The Deck Book.

Furniture You Can Build
Joe Hurst-Wajszczuk
The Taunton Press
PO Box 5506, Newton, CT 06470-550
1561587966 $19.95 www.amazon.com[

Furniture You Can Build: Projects That Hone Your Skills by expert carpentry and craftsman Joe Hurst-Wajszczuk provides a definitive understanding of woodworking and craftsmanship of particular pieces collectively compiled to assist one the novice carpenter in bettering and furthering their skills as a woodworker. Introducing readers to simple, yet beautiful and impressive pieces, Furniture You Can Build deftly showcases and provides step-by-step instructions for creating desks, bookcases, beds, blanket boxes and more. Furniture You Can Build is very highly recommended to all so-it-yourself weekend enthusiasts and hobbyists looking for woodworking projects that will easily enable them to follow and produce the pristine pieces they see laid out in the pages of this impressive "how to" guide.

Custom Wooden Music Boxes For The Scroll Saw
Rick Longabaugh & Karen Longabaugh
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street North, East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.FoxChapelPublishing.com
1565233018 $19.95 1-800-457-9112

Custom Wooden Music Boxes For The Scroll Saw is a pattern guide for intermediate to advanced woodworkers seeking to create intricate and beautiful wooden music boxes. A brief "getting started" section walks the reader through such woodworking and scroll saw techniques as cutting the frame, assembling turntable projects, applying the proper finish, and more. The bulk of Custom Wooden Music Boxes For The Scroll Saw is devoted to full-size patterns ideal for creating over 45 music box projects. Sample themes from the patterns include angels, horses, kids' music boxes, holiday music boxes, romantic music boxes, and Victorian music boxes. Each pattern has numerous notes, clarifying tips, and assembly suggestions. An excellent project manual for creating heartfelt keepsakes.


The Parenting Shelf

Awesome Foods For Active Kids
Anita Bean
Hunter House Publishers
PO Box 2914, Alameda, CA 94501-0914
089793475X $16.95 hunterhouse.com

Awesome Foods For Active Kids: The ABC's Of Eating For Energy And Health by Anita Bean is an amazing, "kitchen cook friendly" introduction into the world of good eating for kids when they need it the most. As Awesome Foods For Active Kids introduces its readers to many fun and healthy tips to eating right for kids between five and sixteen, it also gives over a hundred recipes and weight management tips sure to help your child stay fit. Awesome Foods For Active Kids is very strongly recommended for all kids under 16 as well as parents looking for a good reference for their children's involvement in an active and healthy dietary plan that they will enjoy both in flavor and in play.

Family Writes
Joel & Peggy Epstein
Capital Books
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
1933102063 $15.95 capital-books.com

Family Writes: Parenting With Pens, Pencils, And PCs by Joel Epstein (Professor at the Missouri Institute of Mental Health, a division of the University of Missouri's School of Medicine) and Peggy Epstein (English schoolteacher and freelance writer) is an informed and informative guide for parents on how to effectively and actively make a difference in their children's education. As mother and son present the ideals of a child's general education, as well as the interests of a child, they also educate the reader on how to create a constructive and intimate bond between child and self. Family Writes is very highly recommended to all parents and mentor figures building an understanding of their role in the child's life, and how to be a positive influence for the child.

Babies By The Bay
Michelle L Keene & Stephanie S Lamarre
Wildcat Canyon Press
c/o Council Oak Books
2105 E 15th St, Suite B, Tulsa, OK 74104
1885171862 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Expertly co-authored by Michelle L. Keene (Executive with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency) and Stephanie S. Lamarre (Active member in various North Bay parenting groups) Babies By The Bay: The Insiders Guide To Everything From Doctors And Diapers To Playgrounds And Preschools In The San Francisco Bay Area is a thoroughly "user friendly" reference to everything necessary to know for San Francisco, San Mateo, Marin, Contra Costa, Santa Clara, and Alameda with additional information on the counties Napa, Sonoma and Santa Cruz. A "must-have" for any parent of the Bay area, Babies By The Bay really covers every given ground for having a child and taking proper care with cost efficient and intelligible techniques and reference to every imaginable necessity. Babies By The Bay is very strongly recommended to all mothers of the Bay area.

Help For Worried Kids
Cyntia G. Last
The Guilford Press
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1572308583 $14.95 www.guilford.com

Help For Worried Kids: How Your Child Can Conquer Anxiety And Fear by clinical psychologist Cynthia G. Last is an informed and informative instructional documentation for parents with troubled children, seeking valid aide in their children's lives with out the immediate help of professionals. As the ideal reference for struggling parents, Help For Worried Kids enlightens readers on many of the helpful tactics for solving frequent issues that children have with anxieties and fears. Very highly recommended for its informative introduction and in-depth analysis of all the information a worried parent needs, Help For Worried Kids is the ideal addition for all child and family psychologists and parents alike.

Same Homework: New Plan
Sally G. Hoyle
Child & Family Press
440 First Street, Third Floor, Washington, D.C. 20001-2085
1587600730 $11.95 www.cwla.org

Same Homework: New Plan by Sally G. Hoyle (licensed psychologist for Clinic Psychology from The Ohio State University) is the ultimate guidance for parents and young students struggling children trying to make the grade. As an introduction and exploration of what tactics and other strategies might best work for each individual, Same Homework: New Plan provides a well-researched and highly informative mapping of how to establish a homework routine that is tailored to the reader's child's learning style and family's needs, how to help a child manage and overcome organizational problems, how to make friends of teachers, how to utilize inexpensive office supplies, high-tech gadgets, and easy-to-follow activities to boost self-confidence and independent learning skills, and how to implement personal organizational planning. Same Homework: New Plan is very strongly recommended to all parents, regardless of their child's educational grade status.

The Healthy Lunchbox
Marie McClendon & Christy Shauck
Small Steps
c/o American Diabetes Association
1701 N. Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
http://store.diabetes.org
1580402402 $12.95 smallstepspress.com

Fast foods are a part of today's modern busy world – but they are leading to obesity and diabetes in kids and adults alike. Still, they serve their purpose in being fast – can healthier foods compete? Parents receive new ways to keep their child's lunchbox healthy in The Healthy Lunchbox: How To Plan, Prepare & Pack Stress-Free Meals Kids Will Love. Work with new ideas and modify old favorites with chapters that also involve kids in the process, from a food interview to supermarket selections. The second section provides recipes for creating healthy lunches and snacks, including special diet accommodations. Exchange and nutrition info for all recipes completes this planner.

Penton Overseas, Inc.
1958 Kellogg Ave., Carlsbad, CA 92008
1-800-748-5804 pentonoverseas.com

New from Penton Overseas, Inc. presents four new thirty-minute audio CDs in their "Teach Your Baby" series: Teach Your Baby French (1591256615, $9.95); Teach Your Baby German (1591256623, $9.95); Teach Your Baby Italian (1591256631, $9.95); and Teach Your Baby Spanish (1591256-64X, $9.95). These CDs are each designed to assist your baby, ages three and under, in the process of learning an alternative language during the most opportune time in their new life by using key strategies for simple, effective, and proven methods for linguistic education. Teaching counting, colors, body parts, animals, clothes and more, these superbly produced "Teach Your Baby" language instruction CDs thoroughly cover many aspects of concepts, objects, and other comprehensive studies such as time and greetings. These "Teach Your Baby" CDs are very highly recommended for all new parents, and is are an especially encouraged buy for those wishing to expand their child's potential communication and linguistic skills as a gate to their overall future potential and intelligence.


The Computer Shelf

Murach's ASP.NET 2.0 Programming With VB 2005
Anne Boehm & Doug Lowe
Mike Murach & Associates
3484 West Gettysburg, Suite 101, Fresno, CA 93722
1890774324 $52.50 www.murach.com

Murach's ASP.NET 2.0 Programming With VB 2005 deftly co-authored by computer experts Anne Boehm and Doug Lowe provides a expansive reference and guide for the 2.0 version of ASP.NET programming software. Presented in an easy-to-use format, Murach's ASP.NET 2.0 Programming With VB 2005 educates readers with paired pages so developers may set their own pace when reading, complete applications and their interacting components, teaches the development of the way modern programmers should be using Visual Studio, and consists of an exclusive five chapter section on database programming. Murach's ASP.NET 2.0 Programming With VB 2005 is very highly recommended for all users of any full edition of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 or the Visual Web Developer Express Edition or for any aspiring web designer/programmer searching for a greater understanding of the software before purchase.

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

Preston Gralla's PC Pest Control: Protect Your Computers From Malicious Internet Invaders (0596009267, $24.95) covers all kinds of PC pests, from adware to viruses, Torjans, and pop-ups. This not only identifies the characteristics of common invaders – it tells how to prevent attacks. From locating and installing free anti-spyware programs to customizing cookie handling and dealing with worms, this assumes no prior knowledge and comes packed with preventative tips which are simple and inexpensive to employ. The color edition of David Pogue's Garageband 2: The Missing Manual (0596100-353, $24.95) provides in color a best-selling reference to GarageBand 2 from Apple. True to the other 'missing manual' guides are the surveys of GarageBand's plug-ins, its newest features, its Mac operations, and its enhancements. Such a book surely should have come with GarageBand 2 – so make this your program 'bible'. Jessica Mantaro's FrontPage 2003: The Missing Manual (059600950X, $29.95) is also an important key to understanding: FrontPage 2003 is a powerful web-building program with many features and facets, but nobody claims it's intuitive, and the learning curve can be great. From nesting layers and layout tables to assigning pages and categories, FrontPage 2003: The Missing Manual is particularly strong in addressing advanced functions and streamlining capabilities. Alan Beaulieu's informative Learning SQL (05960-07272, $34.95) is a primer to SQL's language, from using tables and working with sets of data to handling conditional logic statements with CASE and understanding string generation. Eric T. Peterson's Web Site Measurement Hacks: Tips & Tools To Help Optimize Your Online Business (0596009887, $24.95) is designed with website operators in mind, providing the insights on how to use measurement and analysis software to assess a website. From banner ad and email campaign results to using data to guide design decisions and using retail analytics to track performance, a range of web tools are surveyed in a fine guide recommended for all web site owners. O'Reilly's new 'Theory in Practice' titles are certain to become computer course picks: they provide basic keys to understanding and are perfect for courses as well as for practicing industry professionals seeking to hone their skills. Matthew Doar's Practical Development Environments (0596007965, $39.95) presents advice on development environments for small to medium projects and groups. From building and testing tools to packaging releases and documentation, Practical Development Environments discusses platform-dependent issues, system testing, tool integration and more.

Prentice Hall
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River NJ 07458
www.prenhallprofessional.com

OpenOffice.org 2.0 may be free, but it's anything but substandard: Robin Roblimo Miller's Point & Click Openoffice.org! (0131879928 $29.99) explores the features of this powerful program and shows how to use existing skills to make the most of it. From creating Flash slide shows for the web to using sophisticated database structures and using Firefox, the instructions also come with OpenOffice 2.0 for Windows and Linux systems alike plus the latest Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email software for easy installation and tasks. An easy, outstanding guide to an easy, outstanding program. The weighty C# For Programmers by Harvey M. Dietel and Paul J. Dietel (013-1345915, $59.99) appears in its updated second edition to provide a powerful and comprehensive guide – over 1,300 pages worth – for any programming in C#. You must be a programmer with a solid background in C++, Java, or other high-level languages: this handbook applies the Dietel signature live-code approach to teaching programming and explores the C# language and its new options. Use it to understand the Dietels' approach to object-oriented programming, then build next-generation windows and web applications. Michael Jang's Linus Patch Management: Keeping Linux Systems Up To Date (0132366754, $44.99) provides Linux users with complete patches for all kinds of environments: a feature Linux administrators will find essential. Here are patching solutions for Fedora, Debian and other distributions, covering all kinds of tools and applications. Whether you're updating networks and configuring clients or working with apt commands, if you're a Linux administrator, you must have this patch reference on hand.

How To Backup Your Windows Computer
Thomas Sinclair, Director
Shaun Snapp, Producer
IntroAnalytic
1400 Oak Creek Road #207, Palo Alto, CA 94304
DVD $58.00 www.introanalytic.com

Very strongly recommended to all owners and users of Windows based computer processors, How To Backup Your Windows Computer is an instructional DVD guide to the intricate and extensive process of windows backup, presented in a "user-friendly" approach and application. This three-hour "how to" for a proper assessment of each computer application and program in an easy-to-use format, from comparison of various strategies to web based backup services and Mirra: a new backup concept is impressive and recommended for its conceptual and innovative instructional contribution and exclusive information.

Pro SQL Server 2005 Assemblies
Robin Dewson & Julian Skinner
Apress
2560 – 9th St., #219, Berkeley, CA 94710
1590595661 $49.99 www.apress.com

The ability to run .NET code within the database makes SQL Server even more valuable – and the need for Pro SQL Server 2005 Assemblies even more obvious. Here's a guide to building each type of SQL Server assembly, packed with examples geared to common business problems and solutions, and tips on accessing external data sources and web services. Code projects in C# and Visual Basic are available from the Apress web site, making this expert's guide even more useful.

Peachpit Press
1249 – 8th Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.peachpit.com

David Blatner and Conrad Chavez's Photoshop CS/CS2 Breakthroughs (0321334-108, $24.99) provides practical solutions to common Photoshop obstacles and problems, using the experience of two Photoshop experts and teachers to relate their experiences and uncommon solutions to common problems. Understand how to organize and conquer multiple layers, use marks with professional touches, understand and manipulate resolutions, and enhance file organization strategies with this top pick help book. Even more detailed, in-depth and heftier is Bruce Fraser and David Blatner's Photoshop CS2 Industrial Strength Production Techniques (032-1334116, $49.99). From profile mismatch warning boxes and tonal correction tools to tolerance, channels, noise reduction and managing digital workflow, this course in a book is for the CS2 user who would survey the entirety of the program's special assets and use the book as a course-in-a-book for thorough exploration.


The Business Shelf

The Path To Profitable Measures
Mark W. Morgan
American Society For Quality Press
600 North Plankinton Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203
0873896491 $28.00 www.asq.org

The Path To Profitable Measures: Ten Steps To Feedback That Fuels Performance by Mark W. Morgan (President of Momentum Performance Group) is an informed and informative guide to the designing, tailoring, and using unique sets of indicators to provide a clear picture of progress toward important business goals. As a thoroughly "user-friendly" reference for any business executive trying to create a more synchronized environment between his/her employees, as well as a better idea of how to invest time, what to invest it into, and what to focus on for an overall better team efficiency. Very highly recommended to all corporate executives, business managers, and management-consultants, The Path To Profitable Measures is an ideal read to help a team become maximally effective.

Starting A Small Restaurant
Daniel Miller
The Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
www.harvardcommonpress.com
1558322876 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a new and substantially revised edition, Starting A Small Restaurant: How To Make Your Dream A Reality by Daniel Miller (co-founder of the Grey Fox Inn, a successful small restaurant in Cambria, California) is an encouraging, informative, and practical guide to opening a successful small restaurant. Informing the reader of many necessities, tactics and strategies involved in opening, maintaining, and publicizing a restaurant, Starting A Small Restaurant is an easy-to-use and comprehensive reference replete with every "must-know" detail of opening and operating a new restaurant business. Starting A Small Restaurant is very strongly recommended for anyone anticipating beginning their own restaurant business no matter their degree of previous experience or expertise.

Ideas Are Free
Alan G. Robinson & Dean M. Schroeder
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
1576753743 $15.95 bkconnection.com

Ideas Are Free: How The Idea Of Revolution Is Liberating People And Transforming Organizations by Alan G. Robinson (Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts) and Dean M. Schroeder (Associate Dean and Director of Graduate Programs in Management at the College of Business Administrations at Valparaiso University) is an innovative guide to saving money, effort, time and also provides an informative introduction to entirely new ways of doing business with front-line employees, making the most out of opportunities and maximizing the benefits of sound, effective management. Robinson and Schroeder aptly examine the intricacies of the business life and include an analysis of a more prosperous, ease-filled advancement for opportunities granted to all, and situational manipulation for a more competently finalized project. Ideas Are Free is very highly recommended reading for all business consultants, corporate executives and departmental managers.

Mastering The Universe
Roger Sweet & David Wecker
Emmis Books
1700 Madison Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45206
1578602238 $16.99 emmisbooks.com

If you're an industry outsider who believes the children's toy industry must be a satisfying place to work, take a look at the office politics and conflicts revealed behind the scenes in Mastering The Universe: He-Man And The Rise And Fall Of A Billion-Dollar Idea. The rise and fall of the 'He-Man and Masters of Universe' toy line is revealed by the creator himself, Roger Sweet, who tells how the idea and concept translated to the toy market. Any involved in the toy industry or its marketing, or in inventing new products, will be fascinated by the history and drama of Mastering The Universe.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Creative Writing MFA Handbook
Tom Kealey
Continuum
15 East 26th St, New York, NY 10010
0826418171 $14.95 continuum-books.com

The Creative Writing MFA Handbook by Tom Kealey (currently a teacher of fiction writing at Stanford University nd winner of the Joseph Henry Jackson Award for his own short story collection "Coyotes") is provides and expert and knowledgeable introduction to creative writing. With an outstanding grasp on the mechanics of creative writing and the competition for publication, Kealey informs the reader of profiles of fifty creative writing programs, offers sage advice for future students for making the most of their graduate program, an presents a genuine insider's look at accessible residency programs. Enhanced with interviews with program directors, college professors, and creative writing students, advice, as well as an invaluable checklist for the application process, advice sections about workshops, teaching assistants, and publishing in literary magazines, a comprehensive list of all graduate writing programs within and outside of the U.S., and hallmarks for excellence in a graduate writing program, The Creative Writing MFA Handbook is confidently recommended to all writers be they aspiring novelists, novice journalists, essayists, or considering entering a graduate writing program to hone their craft.

About Writing
Samuel R. Delany
Wesleyan University Press
215 Long Lane, Middletown, CT 06459
0819567167 $24.95 www.wesleyan.edu

About Writing: Seven Essays, Four Letters, And Five Interviews by literary critic, writers workshop teacher, and world renowned science fiction author Samuel R Delany (Professor of English and Creative Writing, Temple University, Philadelphia) is an informed and informative study of the expertise necessary for a writer in any genre to become more organized, more knowledgeable, and more effective with the ultimate goal of profitable publication. As an analysis of modern and contemporary writing styles, About Writing informs the aspiring author of the ins and outs of technique, ideals, and styles for the most effective writing. About Writing is very strongly recommended to all literature enthusiasts, readers, writers, and students.

Weinberg On Writing
Gerald M. Weinberg
Dorset House Publishing
353 West St, New York, NY 10014
093263365X $24.95 dorsethouse.com

Weinberg On Writing: The Fieldstone Method by experienced and published author Gerald M. Weinberg is an informed and informative instructional reference to the process and skill of effective writing. Weinberg introduces the reader to forty-four exercises and offers many insightful tactics. Weinberg On Writing is an excellent detailing of all the necessary steps to be taken amidst the attempts and struggles of writing a book. Weinberg enlightens the readers to many original and particular strategies rarely recognized or pursued. Weinberg On Writing is very strongly recommended to all aspiring authors particularly oriented or favoring the presence of nature in their writing.

Refiguring Prose Style
T.R. Johnson & Tom Pace
Utah State University Press
7800 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
0874216214 $26.95 usu.edu/usupress

Deftly edited by T.R. Johnson and Tom Pace, Refiguring Prose Style: Possibilities For Writing Pedagogy is an intuitive modern interpretation and theoretical perspective of the writing prose. As an individualistic and unique style of writing, debates and ordinances involving prose have determined an indefinite place for the writing style in essence of college level teachings, let alone recognition. A welcome contribution to the art and science of English composition and a valued addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library reference collections, Refiguring Prose Style is a defence and pursuit of rekindling the praise and societal acceptance the intimate, subversive, and vivid writing style prose.

Writer's Digest Books/F&W
47000 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.writersdigest.com

Become the funniest person in print with this basic comedy writing handbook for humor writers, Mel Helitzer & Mark Schatz's Comedy Writing Secrets, 2nd Edition (1582973571, $17.99) which offers up exercises, details on differences between different types of comedy writing, and tips for writing for specific markets, from sitcom and television to greeting cards and T-shirts. Tips are blocked in sidebars of at-a-glance information, discussions are filled with comedy quotes throughout, and insights on what makes something funny offers up a fine pairing of exercises and insights on humor. Miles Westley's Bibliophile's Dictionary (1582-973563, $16.99) is another winner for aspiring writers; this offering a book of words and phrases which gather unusual phrases organized into specific categories such as myths and household objects. If you're seeking an atypical collection of words to amaze and puzzle – and to sprinkle liberally into tired writing to give it some spice – Bibliophile's Dictionary is for you, encouraging both browsing and reference.


The Hobby Shelf

Building And Detailing Scale Model Cars
Pat Covert
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Ave, No. Branch MN 55056
www.specialtypress.com
1580070906 $24.95 1-800-895-4585

Featuring over 300 color photographs, Building And Detailing Scale Model Cars is a guide written especially for hobby enthusiasts. Chapters offer meticulous advice about all aspects of building model cars from preparing parts to painting, achieving a mirror finish, creating realistic wheels and tires, the art of weathering, and much more. Written by an authority on car modeling, Building And Detailing Scale Model Cars is a first-rate guide especially for hobbyists who love working with their hands, and is filled cover to cover with extensive detail and tips that come from years of experience.


The Travel Shelf

A Traveller's Companion To Prague
Jan Kaplan
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby St., Northampton, MA 01060
1566565901 $16.95 interlinkbooks.com

A Traveller's Companion To Prague, deftly introduced and expertly edited by Jan Kaplan, is an outstanding and knowledgeable collection of the many intricacies of this principle city of the Czech Republic. In A Traveller's Companion To Prague, the reader will learn of the city's great history, including in-depth studies and introductions into the lives of many worldly idols who've come from, visited, or merely appreciated the city for its many enticing beauties. Highly recommended, A Traveller's Companion To Prague is a truly informative reference for general travelers, and also offers students of European history with and informative treatise on the timeless city of Prague.

Bed & Breakfast France 2006
Thomas Cook
The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1841575089 $22.95 thomascook.com

Bed & Breakfast France 2006 by Thomas Cook is an informed and informative presentation of the every nook and cranny of the French B & B scene. Introducing the reader to a "user-friendly" reference of location, capacity, price, contact information, a brief but detailed description and more for each of nearly 750 selected bed and breakfast's nationwide, Bed & Breakfast France 2006 informs the reader as well of the nearest, most suitable, most convenient, and most affordable recreational facilities throughout the great country. Bed & Breakfast France 2006 is very strongly recommended to all travelers of France for its outstanding reference usability, as well as the key points which might be found as more than useful amidst one's travels.

The Indochina Chronicles
Phil Karber
Graphic Arts Center Publishing
PO Box 10306, Portland, OR 97296-0306
www.marshallcavendish.com/genref
9812610367 $16.95 1-503-226-2402

The Indochina Chronicles: Travels In Laos, Cambodia And Vietnam is the intimate and intriguing memoir to the Cambodian, Laos, and Vietnam travels of esteemed travel author and globe trotting adventure Phil Karber. Exploring the pieces and intricacies of the country's histories which may only be observed by a native, student, or true professional traveler, The Indochina Chronicles delves deeply into the exotic worlds of three interesting far eastern countries. Perfect reading for the armchair traveler, The Indochina Chronicles is very strongly recommended to as an informative and intriguing collection of stories, histories, happenings, and travelogue explorations of generally unknown countries, all tactfully and engagingly written from beginning to end.

Best Of Eastern Europe 2006
Rick Steves
Avalon Publishing Group
1400 65th St, Emerryville, CA 94608
1566917859 $21.95 www.ricksteves.com

Best Of Eastern Europe 2006 by famed travel expert Rick Steves is an informed and informative instructional guide ideal for the explorative mapping of an itinerary any Eastern-Europe traveler's next vacation. Enlightening the reader of hundreds of locations, sights, tours, restaurants, hotels, entertainment, shopping, and other useful tips and tourist information for any experienced or novice traveler of the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Hungary, Slovania, and Croatian with the gateway city of Vienna. Best Of Eastern Europe 2006 is very highly recommended as an ultimate guide and reference for all aspiring tourists to the Eastern-European area. No Eastern European traveler should be without a copy of this highly portable, user friendly, 784-page compendium of travel information and resources.

Carolina Journeys
Tom Fowler
Parkway Publishers
PO Box 3678, Boone, NC 28607
www.parkwaypublishers.com
1887905863 $14.95 1-828-265-3993

Tom Fowler's Carolina Journeys: Exploring The Trails Of The Carolinas Both Real And Imagined is an engaging and rather unique compilation of commentaries on locations and landmarks of the Carolinas as observed by a Carolina expert with years of little-known knowledge enhancing the book as a greater map of the Carolinas then any other standard travel guide. Carolina Journeys informs the reader of such occurrences and places as the tales of Tom Dooley, Hernando de Soto, the shad fish, the Great Indian Trading Path, and grand old trees and rock carvings that still dot the Carolina landscape. Carolina Journeys is very strongly recommended to all visitors, residents, natives and aspiring visitors of the Carolina area, as it is a fun and eclectic collection of Carolinas' most intriguing stories and locations. If you are traveling the Carolina's for fun or business, don't leave home without your own personal copy of Carolina Journeys!

Don't Let The World Pass You By!
Sara Benson et al
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 4607
www.longelyplanet.com
1740595785 $10.00 1-800-275-8555

Author Sara Benson has compiled all of the reasons for choosing to travel abroad in Don't Let The World Pass You By!: 52 Reasons To Have A Passport in a manner meant to inspire the reader to finally take the initiative to travel, as always they have had the desire to do. Readers will have their eyes opened as stories from numerous authors present multiple reasoning to validate your travels. Inclusive recommendations from expert travelers, Don't Let The World Pass You By! informs the reader of ways in which they might escape the daily routine, feel the thrills of tenacious travel., and make new friends. Handily portable and highly recommended for aspiring travelers, especially those unsure of how they might survive as victims of worldly explorative capabilities.

Disney On A Dime
Chris & Kristal Carlson
The Intrepid Traveler
PO Box 531, Branford, CT 06405
1887140573 $12.95 intrepidtraveler.com

Disney On A Dime: Money-Saving Secrets For Your Walt Disney World Vacation by Chris and Kristal Carlson is the ultimate guide for Disney vacationers, guaranteeing to save the reader $200 on their next Walt Disney World Vacation. Written with a very "user-friendly" setup, Disney On A Dime will guide its readers through an affordable and fun vacation. Enhanced with strategies on money saving, 101 free things to do in and around the parks, the"secret" option which Disney won't tell you about, and many more helpful and informative guidelines, strongly recommended to all Walt Disney World vacationers.


The Fiction Shelf

Charles The Throwback
Ted Owen
Lost Coast Press
155 Cypress St, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
1882897897 $13.95 cypresshouse.com

Charles The Throwback by Ted Own is an inspired and intuitively humorous tale of a genetically flawed calf and his mother as their escape from slaughter brings them far greater adventure then expected. Engaging readers with such a unique and catching storytelling style, Charles The Throwback introduces the reader to the thought process of a cow and the very same everyday tediums which humans and cows alike endure. Charles The Throwback is recommended to all general fiction readers, particularly those enjoy farming related stories.

The Best Horror Stories Of Arthur Conan Doyle
Arthur Conan Doyle
Academy Chicago Publishers
363 West Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60610
0897332652 $17.95 academychicago.com

The Best Horror Stories Of Arthur Conan Doyle, is expertly edited and compiled by the team of Frank D. McSherry, Martin H. Greenberg, and Charles G. Waugh is an anthology of some of the twentieth century's most chilling horror tales from by the man most well known for his great Sherlock Holmes stories. Comprised of such stories as: The Captain of the Polestar, The Case of Lady Sannox, The Fiend of the Cooperage, The Horror of the Heights, J. Habakuk Jephson's Statement, John Barrington Cowles, The Leather Funnel, The Lift, Lot No. 249, The New Catacomb, The Silver Hatcher, The Striped Chest, and The Terror of Blue John Gap, The Best Horror Stories Of Arthur Conan Doyle is an outstanding compendium of horrific tales guaranteed to haunt the dreams and imaginations of even the most stout of heart. The Best Horror Stories Of Arthur Conan Doyle is very strongly recommended to all Sir Arthur Conan Doyle fans, but most especially to enthusiasts of horror stories, thriller tales, and mysterious deceptions.

A Piece Of The Sky
Michelle Buckman
Cook Communication Ministries
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
1589190505 $13.99 www.amazon.com

A Piece Of The Sky by Michelle Buckman is a fast-paced tale of an intimate relationship between main characters, Carla and Simon, gone terribly wrong when Clara's urge to become a mother deems her willing to disregard the importance of her marriage. Readers will follow Clara through her merciless quest for conception (discerning Simon's acceptance of their imperfect conditions for fertility) as she breaks the promise of an important and irreplaceable bond. Very highly recommended reading for all general fiction lovers, especially those who may appreciate a contemporary tale of confused and determined Christian woman.

The Sultan's Seal
Jenny White
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
0393060993 $24.95 wwnorton.com

In 1886 the Ottoman Empire rules Istanbul and the sultan's power is obsolete: in his city one Kamil hears of a strange unsolved murder of a British woman whose one identifying mark is a pendant engraved with the sultan's seal. His commitment to pursuing her murderer will lead him to the very chambers of the sultan himself in a dangerous search for the truth. Excellent historical flavor and details permeate a fast-paced historical suspense novel.

Sand Of The Arena
James Duffy
McBooks Press
520 North Meadow St., Ithica, NY 14850
www.gladiatorsoftheempire.com
1590131118 $23.95 1-888-266-5711

A "Gladiators Of The Empire" novel by James Duffy, Sand Of The Arena is the exhilarating tale of Quintus Honorius in the year of 63 AD. As son to one of the richest men in Rome, Quintus lives in a life of ease and luxury until an impostor steals both his name, family and social status, rendering Quintus disposable to the slave trade. Readers will become enthralled as they follow Quintus through his journey of gladiatorial training and learn of the true brutality rejoiced in the everyday living of the later Roman age. An extraordinarily work of historical fiction, Sand Of The Arena is highly recommended reading, especially for intrigued by the Roman Empire.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Knitting With Ribbon Yarn
Tracy Chapman
Trafalgar Square Publishing
Trafalgar Square, No. Pomfret, VT 05053
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
1570763275 $29.95 1-802-457-1911

Superbly illustrated throughout, Knitting With Ribbon Yarn: 28 Beautiful Projects Using Vibrant Luxury Yarns by needlecraft expert Tracy Chapman is an informed and informative collection of do-it-yourself projects working with ribbon yarn to knit high-quality garments in short time. Inclusive of instructions for summer-weight sweaters, vests, wraps, bags, silken camisoles, and halters, Knitting With Ribbon Yarn covers many fun and inventive aspects of self-knit clothing. Knitting With Ribbon Yarn is very strongly recommended to all women who knit as a hobby, as well as those anticipating a new innovative and exciting wardrobe as product of their own easy labors.

Making Welsh Quilts
Mary Jenkins & Clare Claridge
KP Books
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990
0896892549 $24.99 www.krause.com

Make your own Welsh quilts using traditional patterns of heritage quilts with Making Welsh Quilts: The Textile Tradition That Inspired The Amish? Paragraphs of information on inspirational sources for different kinds of featured quilts accompany full-page color photos and tips on choosing fabrics, requirements, and instructions for making each quilt. Tips including finishing techniques such as building classy borders. An excellent addition to any quilter's stash.


The Interior Design Shelf

Choosing Blue
Stephanie Hoppen
Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
0823006697 $35.00 watsonguptill.com

Choosing Blue: Color You Can Live With discusses how to decorate with blue and complimentary combinations to create distinct home styles without experimenting. Success is guaranteed with an approach which pairs design tips with overall insights on mixing and matching complimentary colors. Organized by shades of blue, Choosing Blue provides color photos throughout and plenty of lovely decoration ideas for incorporating blue into an overall home scheme.

The French Connection
Betty Lou Phillips
Gibbs Smith
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
1586855298 $39.95 gibbs-smith.com

Author Betty Lou Phillips is fascinated with all things French – and her French Connection hones her interests and focuses on the changing styles of French furnishings over the decades. Any involved in French style and interior design must have French Connection: it surveys distinctive interiors which blend French with other international elements, providing a survey of French designers and patrons of the arts and dual pursuits of glamour and ease in home tastes. Her history of Parisian and French flair and how it translated to home interiors makes for an outstanding introduction.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Laughing Buddha Of Tofukuji
Ishwar C. Harris
World Wisdom
PO Box 2682, Bloomington, IN 47402
0941532623 $16.95 worldwisdom.com

The Laughing Buddha Of Tofukuji: The Life Of Zen Master Keido Fukushima by Ishwar C. Harris (Synod Professor of Religious Studies at the College of Wooster) is an enlightening insight into the inspirational life and practices of Keido Fukushima. As a biographical documentation as well as an intuitive balance of humor and Zen teachings, The Laughing Buddha Of Tofukuji is an informed and informative look into one of the most influential and progressive spiritual masters of his time. Very strongly recommended for the non-specialist general reader with a interest in Eastern Philosophy in general, and students of the Zen and Buddhist practices in particular, The Laughing Buddha Of Tofukuji is a truly memorable read.

The True Dharma Eye
Zen Master Dogen,
John Daido Loori, commentary and verse
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Av, Boston MA 02115
www.shambhala.com
1590302427 $39.95 1-800-733-3000

The True Dharma Eye: Zen Master Dogen's Three Hundred Koans is a compilation of koans by the thirteenth-century Zen Buddhism master Eihei Dogen. First published in Japan in 1766, this new version features extensive commentary and interpretation for each koan by the abbot of Zen Mountain Monastery of Mount Tremper, New York, John Daido Loori Roshi. For example, one koan's main case is "Longya was once asked by a monastic, 'What is the meaning of the Ancestor's [Bodhidharma's] coming from India?' Longya said, 'I will tell you when the stone tortoise speaks." The commentary examines this response, and similar responses that appear at first glance to be a refusal to answer, in various lights - that perhaps the meaning of the Ancestor's coming is as inconceivable as the existence of a speaking stone tortoise, or perhaps by hearing the voice of the stone tortoise one can truly begin to understand. Each koan has a capping verse; in the previous case, it is "East Mountain moves over water; / the stone woman gives birth to a child in the night. / Outstanding, awesome - / the teachings of the insentient. / If you listen with the ear, you will never get it; / when you hear with the eye, everything is clear and undisguised." Cross- references, lineage charts, and biographical notes round out this excellent and highly accessible primary source for students, practitioners, and scholars of Zen Buddhism.

The Moon Of Wisdom
Chandrakirti
Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
www.SnowLionPub.com
1559392312 $24.95 1-800-950-0313

The Moon Of Wisdom: Chapter Six Of Chandrakirti's Entering The Middle Way is a rational explanation of Nagarjuna's seminal and classic work "The Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way", which summarized the teachings of the Buddha and used logical reasoning to demonstrate their validity. The five sections presented are "The Refutation of Arising from the Four Extremes - Section A", "The Refutation of the Proponents of Perception", "The Refutation of Arising from the Four Extremes - Section B", "The Absence of Personal Self", and "The Sixteen Types of Emptiness". Each section is divided into numerous short statements, observations, and passages, each of which is presented in their original language on the one page and skillfully translated into English by the team of Ari Goldfield, Jules Levinson, Jim Scott, & Birgit Scott on the opposite page. Commentary from the Eighth Karmapa Mikyo Dorje's "Chariot of the Dagpo Kagyu Siddhas" is included, as are a wealth of notes. A highly accessible means for Buddhist students and practitioners of all experience levels to learn from an ancient source that helped preserve and propagate the Buddha's teachings for well over a thousand years.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Born Jewish
Marcel Liebman
Verso
180 Varick Street, NY, NY 10014-4606
1844670392 $25.00 versobooks.com

Born Jewish: A Childhood In Occupied Europe by graphically authored by Marcel Liebman and deftly translated by Liz Heron is a vivid memoir of one man's childhood tale of Nazi control, familial struggle, and the betrayal he faced from more powerful Jews in times already hard. As a revealing and historically important biographical account of international history during the second world war, Born Jewish is an invaluable documentation which is very highly recommended for historians and laymen alike, as each and all may take some interest and understanding in this book. Born Jewish is a compelling and valued addition to the growing library of Holocaust literature so fundamentally necessary if the world is never again to experience genocide on such a massive and methodical scale.

Understanding The Hebrew Bible
Elliott Rabin
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newmark Ave., Jersey City, NJ 07306
0881258717 $18.95 www.ktav.com

Very highly recommended and informative reading, Understanding The Hebrew Bible: A Reader's Guide by Elliott Rabin is an easy-to-follow reference for any practitioner or teacher of the Judaic faith and scriptures. As an informed and informative reference to many of the teachings and a significant portion of the intended meanings behind what is stated in the Old Testament, Understanding The Hebrew Bible is works to bring ease to the struggling jew's mind when studying the holy scriptures. Understanding The Hebrew Bible offers and excellent guide to what may usually require a far greater research, meaning far more time spent on the subject, allowing for an ease in the readers scheduling.

Gateway To Judaism
Rabbi Mordecahai Becher
Shar Press
c/o Mesorah Publications, Ltd.
4401 Second Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11232
1422600300 $29.99 www.artscroll.com

Gateway To Judaism: The What, How, And Why Of Jewish Life by Rabbi Mordechai Becher is an informed and informative introduction offering the reader a well written and in-depth analysis of the contemporary lifestyles and practices of the Jewish people. As a superbly organized and presented study of the many varying intricacies of the Jewish life, Gateway To Judaism focuses upon the modern Jewry, relating him to the jews of ancient or earlier times, and cogently investigates the acceptable new traits, practices etc, as well as defines the line to be drawn when exploring your own practices. Gateway To Judaism is a very strongly recommended read for the traditional practitioner of the Judaic faith, especially those more subversive or explorative.

Dispersing The Ghetto
Jack Glazier
Michigan State University Press
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
0870137476 $24.95 msuoress.msu.edu

Dispersing The Ghetto: The Relocation Of Jewish Immigrants Across America by Jack Glazier (Professor and Chairman of the Department of Anthropology at Oberlin College) is the intimate and compressive history of the massive immigration of eastern European Jews to American coastal cities in the years prior to World War I Readers will follow the increasingly hostile and restrictive discriminations of Jews in their native homeland, through the depressive and seemingly trite struggles for control taken by German-American Jews in America to exploit their co-religionists' naivete regarding their new homes as their departure from the ghettos of major American portal cities made room for more immigrants, presenting a greater threat to more prosperous, financially secure, preexisting communities of the Jewish middle and upper classes. Dispersing The Ghetto is an informed and scholarly depiction of the Jewish struggle with one-another in times already hard for all, and is very strongly recommended to students of American Urban History, and of Judaic Studies in particular.

Being For Myself Alone
Marcus Moseley
Stanford University
1450 Page Mill Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94304
0804751579 $70.00 www.sup.org

Being For Myself Alone: Origins Of A Jewish Autobiography, deftly written by Marcus Moseley (Hebrew and Yiddish Literature teacher at New York University, Harvard University, and Johns Hopkins University) is an invaluable compendium of studies and analysis of the origins of Jewish autobiographical writing from the early modern period to the early twentieth century. Expertly and professionally authored, Being For Myself Alone offers readers an in-depth education on a great order of untranslated Hebrew and Yiddish texts, as well as an extensive understanding of historical literature and documentation from the works of Jewish societal constructs, authors, groups and iconoclastic figures. Being For Myself Alone is very strongly recommended to all students of Judaic Studies for its seminal understanding and compilation of greatly unrecognized and lost information on the intricate and damaged past of the Jewish culture.

Awakening To Kabbalah
Rav Michael Laitman
LongHill Partners
c/o Jewish Lights
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
1580232647 $21.99 jewishlights.com

Awakening To Kabbalah: The Guiding Light Of Spiritual Fulfillment by Rav Laitman is an outstanding documentation of the author's observations on spiritual enlightenment, metaphysical awareness, and fulfillment that through the years as a spiritualist and scientist has come to understand. Insightfully progressive, Awakening To Kabbalah introduces the reader to many historical figures of Kabbalah since Abrahamic times, as well as informs of an intricate and enabling path to ultimate contentment. Awakening To Kabbalah is very strongly recommended to non-specialist general readers with an interest in Jewish Mysticism in general, and Metaphysical Studies in particular.

Shanghai Remembered
Berl Falbaum
Momentum Books LLC
2145 Crooks Rd, #209, Troy, MI 48084
www.momentumbooks.com
1879094738 $27.95 www.amazon.com

In the 1930s anti-Semitism was spreading rapidly throughout Europe and though countries met to discuss the Jews' dilemma, most did not open their doors for escape. Jews discovered their own road to freedom in Shanghai, which was an open port requiring no visas or passports to enter: about 20,000 refugees made the decision to flee their homes for Shanghai, and Shanghai Remembered: Stories Of Jews Who Escaped To Shanghai From Nazi Europe are provided in their original first-person accounts to provide a riveting and rare glimpse of their experiences.

Shalom In My Heart, Salaam On My Lips
Gloria Becker Marchick
Micah Publications
255 Humphrey Street, Marblehead, MA 01945-1645
091628848X $15.00 micahbooks.com

An empowering and highly recommended contribution to Judaic Studies and Jewish Biography, Shalom In My Heart, Salaam On My Lips: A Jewish Woman In Modern Morocco by Gloria Becker Marchick is the story of a Jewish woman who takes a job in Morocco within two weeks of the second Intifada break out. Giving an interesting perspective of the whole situation, Shalom In My Heart, Salaam On My Lips is both humorous and sorrowful, giving an inspirational feel for the attitude of a Jewish woman in an Islamic culture.


The Genealogy Shelf

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Genealogy
Christine Rose & Kay Germain Ingalls
Alpha Books
375 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014
1592574300 $18.95 idiotsguides.com

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Genealogy by professional genealogists Christine Rose and Kay Germain Ingalls is an informed and informative reference for discovering the genealogical history of one's family. Inclusive and enhanced with resources and advice for modern advancements in genealogical tracing, DNA studies, facts for libraries, cemeteries, courthouses, and common abbreviations and acronyms that genealogy frequently involves, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Genealogy acts as an ideal guide for the novice genealogist. Thoroughly "user friendly", The Complete Idiot's Guide To Genealogy is very strongly recommended to all students of genealogy, as well as to those wishing to more thoroughly understand and trace their familial heritage and history.

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors
John Grenham
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Baltimore, MD 21211
www.genealogical.com
0806316179 $19.95 1-800-296-6687

Tracing Your Irish Ancestors by professional Irish genealogist John Grenham is specifically written and designed to be used by researchers at all levels of experience, from the novice beginning to the seasoned professional. Organized into three major sections, Part 1 surveys the most basic genealogical sources for researching Irish ancestry; Part 2 provides a more advanced application of genealogical research project tools and resources; Part 3 is a reference guide to a comprehensive range of materials that include county source lists and church records. Also very highly recommended as a reference work for Irish-oriented genealogical researchers is the second edition of Brian Mitchell's A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland (080-6316845, $20.00).

New England Court Records
Diane Rapaport
Quill Pen Press
35 Corporate Drive, 4th Floor, Burlington, MA 01803
1933623071 $29.95 quillpenpress.com

Very highly recommended to all genealogy researchers, whether novice or expert, New England Court Records: A Research Guide For Genealogists And Historians by Diane Rapaport (former trial lawyer with a B.A. in History and a J.D. degree in Law) is an in-depth 470-page collective study of the locations and contributions of New England's facilities and resources which would historians and genealogical researchers to better understand the history and citizenship of New England. Introducing the reader to a detailed description of each facility, along with contact and location information, and employing an easy-to-use format exploring a state, county, and city/township locator reference ideal. A major work that could well serve as a template for other regions of the country, New England Court Records is a thoroughly "user friendly" reference ideal for the purposes of genealogists and local historians researching the New England area.


The Science Shelf

Robots Unlimited
David Levy
A K Peters
888 Worchester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
1568812396 $34.95 www.akpeters.com

Robots Unlimited: Life In A Virtual Age by David Levy (leader of the winning team of the Loebner Prize Competition in 1997) is a highly researched and historically impressive documentation devoted to the past fifty years of research and development in Artificial Intelligence and Robotics. As an informative and superbly written study, Robots Unlimited offers readers an outstanding historical survey and a seminal reference to the many intricacies of an ever-escalating modern science in these specialized fields, as well as knowledgeable and intuitive predictions of what the future may bring for robotic and artificial intelligence breakthroughs. Very strongly recommended to all students of Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and relevant technological advancements, Robots Unlimited gives its readers a complete and expert analysis and collection of such a popular and innovative science.

Journeys To The Edge
Peter M. Gardner
The University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Blvd, Columbia, MO 65201
082621634X $19.95 www.umsystem.edu

Journeys To The Edge: In The Footsteps Of An Anthropologist by Peter M. Gardner (Emeritus Professor of Anthropology at the University of Missouri-Columbia) is the story of the author's years of field trip based anthropological researches in his chosen field of study. Readers will learn of the collective findings and studies of Gardner in his endeavors involving medical and travel emergencies, magical fights, natural dangers, playful friends, and scientific discoveries as he focuses his research whence among the many hunter-gatherer tribes of Canada's Northwest Territories, Japan, India, and many more. Journeys To The Edge is a scholarly and informative collective observational studies of anthropological explorations, enhanced with intimate personal content. Very strongly recommended reading for all students of indigenous peoples of the world, anthropology, Taoism, nature, homeopathic or natural medication, and travel for its vivid and intriguing stories and observations. Journeys To The Edge is appropriate for both aspiring students of anthropology as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in this particular area of scientific advances and discoveries.

Gene Flow From GM Plants
Guy M. Poppy & Michael J. Wilkinson
Blackwell Publishing
2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300
www.blackwellplantsci.com
1405122374 $199.99 1-800-862-6657

An informed and informative guide for non-specialist general readers as well as member of the scientific community to genetically modified plant genealogy, Gene Flow From GM Plants is an ideal introductory reference. Gene Flow From GM Plants intelligibly explores the possibility of transgenic DNA with respect to the wild and domestic relatives of GM plants/ Insightfully teaching the reader of the possibilities and dangers of free gene flow from GM plants, Confidentially recommended reading, Gene Flow From GM Plants is to be given especially high praise as an in-depth study of the critically important issue of gene flow between genetically modified plants.


The Library Video/DVD Shelf

StepSational
Christi Taylor
Bayview Entertainment
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.99 www.bayviewentertainment.com

StepSational is a fitness DVD that emphasizes step-based cardiovascular choreography - with a twist. Physical fitness expert Christi Taylor presents a workout that transitions from a warm-up and a standard vigorous step- based experience to an innovative "upside down" segment in which all combinations begin at the top of the step! An upbeat, fast-paced, and fun workout, benefitting highly from its exuberant host. Also highly recommended are Christi Taylor's previous fitness DVDs, "Solid Gold Cardio" and "Solid Gold Step". 47 min, color.

The Great War 1918
WGBH Boston Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
148 Madison Avenue, 16th Floor PH-1, New York, NY 10016
www.shop.wgbh.org
1593754736 $19.95 1-800-949-8670

The Great War 1918 is a DVD presentation of the recollection of ambulance drivers, infantrymen, a junior officer, and journalist George Seldes, offering a crystal clear portrait of the horrors of World War I, also known as The Great War. World War I shattered 19th-century notions about the glory of dying for one's country, as poison gas, machine guns, and long-range explosives generated previously unimaginable carnage, and the grim reality of trench warfare permanently transformed life and death on the battlefield. A vivid blend of archival footage, interviews, and photography render a crystal clear picture of history itself. 56 minutes, color.

Great Battles Of The Ancient World
Garrett G. Gagan
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
www.TEACH12.com
1598030507 $TBA 1-800-832-2412

Great Battles Of The Ancient World is a brilliantly presented twenty-four lecture series by Garret G. Fagan (Associate Professor in Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies and History, Pennsylvania State University) in a four disc, two set, DVD format accompanied by a two volume paperback set providing the written text of Professor Fagan's superbly presented lectures. Incorporating illustrations, maps, bullet points, and more, the 30 minute lectures begin with addressing the basic definition of war and the value of studying battles that took place in antiquity. From Sumer, Akkad, and the early Mesopotamian city states, to the wars of Egypt, Assyria, Babylonia, the Greeks, and the Trojans, Professor Fagan also covers the battles that took place in the ancient kingdoms of Israel and Judah, the Hoplite warfare of the Macedonians, Greek naval warfare, the Athenian expedition to Sicily, Alexander's conquest of the Persian empire, the legions and battles of Rome, and more. This outstanding series then concludes with "Reflections on Warfare in the Ancient World". Informed and informative, thoughtful and thought provoking, Great Battles Of The Ancient World is a university level course that would be completely accessible to non-specialist general viewers with an interest in ancient history, as well as an invaluable addition to Honors Level highschool curriculums in Ancient History and Military History. Strongly recommended for highschool, college, university, and community library collections.

The Catherine Cookson Collection
Catherine Cookson
Acorn Media
801 Roeder Road, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD 20910
AMP-8563 $59.99 www.acornmedia.com

Presented in dramatic and superbly crafted productions, The Catherine Cookson Collection: Set One is a four disc DVD collection of film adaptations from Cookson's four powerful novels: The Wingless Bird which is an interesting tale of three eccentric families during a period in which war is nearing, all intertwined with the daughter of a shopkeeper who is hard set on making for herself a better life. The Moth, based in 1913 about a carpenter who leaves his home for work in a small village where his encounter with a peculiar young girl changes his life and understandings. The Rag Nymph is the engaging story of a prostitute's daughter being taken into the home of the main character, a rag and bone lady living in the slums of Victorian Newcastle. The Fifteen Streets depicts a rugged dockworker's love for a wealthy local shipbuilder's daughter and the struggle between the social contrast they share. A welcome and popular addition to community library Video/DVD collections, The Catherine Cookson Collection is very highly recommended to fans of the work of Catherine Cookson, as well those with a particular interest in British drama.

MPI
16101 South 108th Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60467
$9.98 each www.mpimedia.com

Fans of Lifetime television or true story miniseries movies on TV will find appealing and engrossing the 'True Stories' collection movies, which are based on true events and dramatized for film. Faith Ford and Kyle Secor star in Her Desperate Choice (0788606859), telling of a woman's fight against the legal system, which acquits her husband of sexual abuse against their daughter and awards him custody. Mother Jody is forced to flee to protect her daughter and in the course of being a fugitive, finds love. Mercedes Ruehl stars in Guilt By Association (0788606-875), telling of a single mother raising two children who discovers her new boyfriend is a drug dealer. When her house is raided and she's charged as a co-conspirator in his drug ring, Susan finds herself facing 20 years in jail with no recourse. Choices Of The Heart: The Margaret Sanger Story (0788606840) features Dana Delany, Rod Steiger and Henry Czerny in a tripping account set in 1914 in New York, when moral crusaders against obscenity confront a nurse working in New York's poorest neighborhoods. Meredith Baxter and Jamey Sheridan star in My Breast (0788606867), telling of a middle-aged woman who discovers a malignant lump and must make a difficult decision while her selfish boyfriend runs away. All are absorbing, moving dramas any fan of true life passion and drama will find impossible to stop watching.


The Architecture Shelf

Build Your Own Low-Cost Log Home
Roger Hard
Storey Publications
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
www.storeybooks.com
0882663992 $19.95 1-800-827-8673

Now in an updated and expanded new edition, Build Your Own Low-Cost Log Home is a solid, in-depth guide to a venerable and neglected art. Chapters cover log preparation, needed tools, site and cost considerations, sample designs, accomodating heating systems and other utilities, the differences between manufacturer's kit homes, maintenance of one's log home, and much more. Black-and-white diagrams and photographs illustrate this methodical, easy-to- follow instructional. Build Your Own Low-Cost Log Home is a practical-minded resource for creating a livable modern home, packed cover to cover with tips from firsthand experience.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Understanding Arabs
Margaret K. Nydell
Nicholas Brealey Publishing Company
100 City Hall Plaza, Suite 501, Boston, MA 02108
1931930252 $19.95 nicholasbrealey.com

Understanding Arabs: A Guide For Modern Times by Margaret K. Nydell is an impressive, articulate, and thoroughly "reader friendly" study of the culture, national perspectives, and understandings of the Arab and Muslim collective ideals and truths. Enlightening the reader of actualities that reveal both the truths and misconceptions on the part of many Europeans and North Americans, Understanding Arabs presents an accurate and overall understanding of what Arab and Muslim life really is like for millions of men and women. Understanding Arabs is very strongly recommended reading to all westerners for its definitive description of the Arab culture and debunking of the cultural misconceptions held by so many Americans which has resulted such mistrust of a greatly misunderstood and underappreciated Islamic culture.

House Of Tears
Dr. John Hughes, editor
The Lyons Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1592287999 $22.95 LyonsPress.com

House Of Tears: Westerners' Adventures In Islamic Lands gathers and presents narratives about the Islamic world from the last several decades – but it's more than a travel or true adventure collection, even though elements of these two genres are present. House Of Tears is, above all, a survey of cultural encounters which collects and presents the stories of Westerns who traveled to Islamic nations during the 18th to 20th centuries. From an encounter with a homicidal sultan to harsh journeys over 'blasted land', House Of Tears is literary, vivid, and provides powerful social and cultural insights draped in the guise of adventure.

Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com

'Civilization' is a term used to describe superior accomplishments of certain nations': in fact it's a term which needs taming and modification, Arthur Blech maintains: Toward A New Civilization: Why We Must Tame Our Instincts To Save Our World (1591023505 $26.00) tells why. Chapters survey human causes of hazards such as overpopulation, toxic substances, and the creation of economies that demand more than the planet can afford. Chapters survey natural order, self-preservation, and why capitalistic growth needs taming. David Selbourne's The Losing Battle With Islam (1591023629, $28) is an essential key to understanding the modern Islamic revival from 1947 to the present, and how the rise of Muslim fundamentalism in many countries is partially due to an uncomprehending response in Western society. Information from numerous sources seeks a median course in examining how the West has reacted to Islam, the role of media and reporting in these reactions, and how many of the issues of Islam have been missed. His argument is that no matter how you look at it, the economic, social and religious rise of Islam is motivated by a sense of Muslim determination to free their world from Western subordination: a determination which could hold wide-ranging impact for the West. Lorenzo Vidino's Al Qaeda In Europe: The New Battleground Of International Jihad (1591024331, $27.00) provides an excellent companion piece, considering how Europe has become a key battleground on the War on Terror. This is the first book in English to examine Islamic roots and terrorism in Europe, comes from a Deputy Director of The Investigative Project, and examines exactly how terrorists raise money, communicate, and operate through hidden cells across the continent. Original documentation from a dozen nations accompanies transcripts of Al Qaeda conversations and chapters which examine particular plots. Both are essential reading for any definitive collection on terrorism or Middle East politics.


The Audiobook Shelf

A Brief Chapter In My Impossible Life
Dana Reinhardt
Listening Library
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
030728395X $35.00 listeninglibrary.com

A Brief Chapter In My Impossible Life, definitively read by actress Mandy Siegfried, and brilliantly authored by Dana Reinhardt, is the engaging story of sixteen year old Simone. With nothing too special or unique about her, Simone is aware of her being adopted, yet it comes as a very peculiar shock when she receives a phone call one day to discover who her mother was, causing great concern and introspection for Simone, and interesting all engaged readers/listeners. A Brief Chapter In My Impossible Life is a flawless recorded, 5 hour, 30 minute, five disc, very highly recommended addition to personal and community library audiobook collections.

Encountering The Wisdom Jesus
Cynthia Bourgeault
Sounds True
PO Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306
1591792932 $69.95 www.soundstrue.com

Encountering The Wisdom Jesus: Quickening The Kingdom Of Heaven Within (Sounds True Audio Learning Course-6 CDs) by Cynthia Bourgeault (Principal Teacher and Advisor to the Contemplative Society in Victoria, British Columbia and founding director of the Aspen Wisdom School in Aspen, Colorado) provides an informed and informative introduction into a gnostic understanding of Jesus Christ, the man who was foremost seeking to radically alter the consciousness of those who would follow Him. Teaching the reader of Christ's many variable concepts, and how to retain an enlightened perception of Him, Encountering The Wisdom Jesus progressively educates listener with an intuitive enlightenment into what Christ's true teachings were intended to convey, and a sound knowledge of early Christianity and the evolution of the Church. Encountering The Wisdom Jesus is very highly recommended for all who are seeking a greater and more complete understanding of their Savior and Lord, and a more informed perspective of the Christian religion. (6 CDs, 6 hours and 45 minutes)

Books on Tape
400 Hahn, Westminister, MD 21157
1-800-733-3000 library.booksontape.com

Books on Tape is a premier publisher of unabridged audiobooks in both cassette and CD formats. Both fiction and non-fiction are well represented in their latest releases including James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's The Fifth Horseman (1415925755, $45.00, 5 cassette & 14159-25763, $63.00, 7 CDs) a riveting mystery set in the San Francisco Medical Center; Truman Capote's Summer Crossing (141-5929394, $24.00, 2 cassettes & 1415929-408, $28.00, 3 CDs) about a young and carefree socialite coming of age in the summer of 1945 in New York City; Edward Rutherfurd's The Rebels Of Ireland (1415926883, $129.00, 20 cassettes & 1415926891, $149.00, 25 CDs), is the sequel to "The Princes of Ireland" and carrying on the story of the appearance of Protestantism in Ireland after the disastrous Irish revolt of 1535 and the beginning of the English "Plantation" based exploitation of their conquest of Ireland. For these and many hundreds of other superbly recorded, deftly narrated, and "library shelf life designed" complete and unabridged audiobook titles, librarians and the general public are urged to visit the completely user friendly Books on Tape website at www.library.booksontape.com.

The Million Dollar Wound
Max Allan Collins
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
0786176830 $90.00 blackstoneaudio.com

The Million Dollar Wound by Max Allan Collins, and featuring the outstanding narration of voice actor Yuri Rasovsky, is an intricate literary piece describing the mystery fictitious account of the famed Barney Ross and his great friend and private detective Nate Heller as he becomes involved in the gangland wars of Chicago upon return from the Pacific warfront of Guadalcanal. Expertly read and deftly authored, The Million Dollar Wound is an outstanding production and recommended listening for any and all mystery buffs for its keen understanding and exclusive grasp of the life and occurrences of one of recent history's great detectives who finds himself pitted against the Chicago crime syndicate.

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

P.T. Deutermann's The Cat Dancers (15-96000694, $26.95) receives veteran Dick Hill's engrossing narrative style as it presents a thriller revolving around two gas station robber/murderers who are arrested and then set free. It's up to Sheriff Bobby Lee Baggett and Lieutenant Cam Richter to gather more evidence and handle a vigilante intent on his own form of justice in this riveting drama. Romance listeners will find Book 3 of the 'In the Garden Trilogy' title Red Lily (1593-556225) provides a fine story of love, fueled by Susie Breck's gentle style and telling of a mansion where a ghostly Harper Bride haunts a Memphis mansion. Haley seeks a new start and a job; but she soon finds new best friends and even romance, threatened only by flashes of the past. Both are excellent, dramatic listens. Catherine Coulter's The Hellion Bride (159737797X, $26.95) enjoys Anne Flosnik's moving voice as it provides another romance and mystery blend. Here a fun-loving rake's investigation of the supernatural in Jamaica unearths a beautiful controlling young girl who finds in Ryan someone she just can't control. Fern Michaels has two excellent audio romances for fans: Payback (159737542X, $26.95) receives veteran narrator Laural Merlington's warm and moving voice as it tells of seven friends who embark on another mission of revenge for one of their own. A career senator who has abused his wife's charm to advance his career before abandoning her finds serious payback adversaries in her friends in this winning story. Vendetta (1597375527, $29.95) also enjoys Merlington's fine voice and begins the story of the seven friends who vow to change their lives, empower themselves, and support each other. These two audios go together as a moving story and should be listened to back to back for ultimate satisfaction. Jayne Ann Krentz's All Night Long (159-6002603, $26.95) receives an exciting dual narration by Kathy Garver and David Colacci as it tells of a small town, scandal, and best friends whose friendship ends after a murder. Romance an intrigue blend in an outstanding, gripping drama.

Tantor Media, Inc.
114 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
1-877-782-6867 www.tantor.com

Frans de Waal's Our Inner Ape (140010-1921, $34.99) excels in audio, presenting an excellent exploration by a leading primatologist who explains why we are who we are. Alan Sklar's reading is vivid and evocative, providing plenty of social insights into ape and human behavior patterns and providing important connections between ape and human reactions. Lt. Col. Will Irwin (Ret)'s The Jedburghs: The Secret History Of The Allied Special Forces, France 1944 (1400101832, $34.99) represents the first full history of the Special Forces units of World War II and receives a dramatic narration by Ptrick Lawlor as it tells of their unconventional warfare, supporting the French Resistance in guerrilla stacks. They operated against all odds but in the end were effective heroes who survived underground battles with Germans and Gestapo for months while awaiting the arrival of Allied ground forces: The Jedburghs in audio is especially adept at bringing all this to life. Wynonna Judd's Coming Home To Myself (1400101875, $34.99) receives Ellen Archer's powerful narrative style and provides a lively, personal touch to the story of a country musician who was fueled by her mother's passion for music and her own powerful voice to become a country music star. Wynonna faced many rough years along the way, from family feuds to struggles with addiction: Coming Home To Myself charts her journey to independence.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Altruism In World Religions
Jacob Neusner & Bruce Chilton
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, CT 20007
1589010655 $26.95 www.georgetown.edu

Altruism In World Religions, knowledgeably co-edited by Jacob Neusner (Professor of Theology and Senior Fellow at the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College) and Bruce Chilton (Bernard Iddings Bell Professor of Religion and Director of the Institute of Advanced Theology at Bard College), is an insightful documentation of philosophical and religious thought, deftly exploring a great range of historical views, inclusive of Greco-Roman "philia", Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Hinduism, Buddhism, and the religions of China and Japan. Defining and capturing a vivid impression of Altruism, Altruism In World Religions is very strongly recommended to all students of philosophy, religion, and the historical value of either and a seminal contribution to multicultural religious students reference collections.

Spirituality And Health
Augustine Meier et al
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
75 University Avenue West, Waterloom ON, N2L 3C5
0889204772 $38.95 www.press@wlu.ca

Spirituality And Health: Multidisciplinary Explorations, deftly co-edited and complied by Augustine Meier (Emeritus Professor in the Faculty of Health Sciences at Saint Paul University, Ottawa, Ontario), Thomas St. James O'Connor (Delton J. Glebe Chair, Pastoral Counseling and Director of Pastoral Counseling Programs at Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario), and Peter L. VanKatwyk (Waterloo Lutheran Seminary, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario) is an in-depth collective study of the connection between a healthy well-being and a spiritually attuned existence. Acting as an exclusive documentation of the history and modern comprehensive understanding of the influential attributions one may have for the other, Spirituality And Health presents an invaluable reference for all readers seeking an understanding of their spiritual-self's contribution to their physical wellness.


The Literary Shelf

Henry James Novels 1901-1902
Henry James
The Library of America
14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022
193108288X $35.00 www.loa.org

Henry James Novels 1901-1902 is the fifth volume of the Library of America edition of the complete novels of Henry James, collecting "The Sacred Fount" and "The Wings of the Dove" into one compact and affordable hardbound volume with an inset ribbon bookmark. In "The Sacred Fount", the only one of James' novels written in first person, the narrator's is hyperfocused on tapping into the "sacred fount" of another person, to the risk of calamity; in "The Wings of the Dove", a mortally ill American heiress is entangled in a scheme of love and betrayal between an English adventuress and her journalist lover. A stately addition to library and classical literature shelves.

Another Future
Alan Gilbert
Wesleyan University Press
215 Long Lane, Middletown, CT 06459
www.wesleyan.edu/wespress
0819567841 $24.95 1-800-421-1561

Another Future: Poetry And Art In Postmodern Twilight is an anthology of critical essays about contemporary poetry, art, culture, and politics by independent scholar and poet Alan Gilbert. Divided into three sections, "Considering How Material Documents Can Be", "Territories and Other Forms of Knowing", and "Meaning Politics Without Regrets", Another Future questions the social context of modern poetry and charters a discourse for thinking about contemporary culture in terms beyond post-modernism. A scrutiny so meticulous as to resemble a documentary, Another Future is especially recommended reading for students of modern poetry.

Book Savvy
Cynthia Lee Katona
Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Forbes Blvd., Lanham MD 20706
0810854341 $30.00 scarecrowpress.com

Book Savvy by English literature enthusiast and teacher Cynthia Katona (Ohlone College, Fremont, California) draws upon her thirty-one years of experience teaching introductory literature to college freshmen to instruct students and non-specialist general readers with a basic and in-depth analysis which educates them on how to read and enjoy literature as an integral part of their intellectual life. Especially recommended reading for entering college student, Book Savvy provides a unique and especially helpful strategies for conquering the most difficult, however intriguing literature most frequently assigned. Offering eleven persuasive reasons to make reading a natural part of both their academic nd nonacademic lives, Book Savvy should be a part of every academic and university library collection.

The Moral Of The Story
Bobby & Sherry Norfolk
August House
PO Box 3233, Little Rock, AK 72203
0874837987 $24.95 augusthouse.com

The Moral Of The Story by Bobby and Sherry Norfolk offers an insightful understanding of the meanings and intent of children's stories and their actual effects on children. Introducing the reader to an overall analysis and instructional use, The Moral Of The Story proceeds with stories drawing from many ancient sources, and the moral and intended message associated with each of them. The Moral Of The Story is an excellent collection of interesting and helpful stories, certain to become a children's favorite, all while teaching them invaluable lessons about life and its truths.

Faulkner's Artistic Vision
Ryuichi Yamaguchi
Fairleigh Dickinson University Press
2010 Eastpark Blvd., Cranbury, NJ 08512
0838640141 $52.50 www.fdu.edu

To be given high praise for both its scholarship and non-specialist general reader accessibility, Faulkner's Artistic Vision: The Bizarre And The Terrible by Ryuichi Yamaguchi (Aichi University of Washington) is an engaging and intriguing instant classic on William Faulkner and his work. Exploring the intricate mind of author William Faulkner and his outstanding collection of literary works of seemingly opposing genres, Faulkner's Artistic Vision informs the reader of what realities lay behind his great writings, his reasoning for such works, and the writer's intellectual premises and influential backings. A welcome and appreciated addition to academic library collections and American Literary Studies supplemental reading lists, Faulkner's Artistic Vision is very highly recommended for its strong message and previously unspoken truths to all students of seminal literary biographical studies.


The Language Studies Shelf

Latina Mythica
Bonnie A. Catto
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1000 Brown Street, Unit 101, Wauconda, IL 60084
0865165998 $24.00 www.bolchazy.com

Enhanced with illustrations from Christopher J. White, Latina Mythica by Bonnie A Catto (Professor of Classics, Assumption College, Worcester, Massachusetts) is a highly accurate collection of classic Roman Mythology excerpts in Latin. Inclusive of grammar and comprehension questions, discussion questions, cultural in-fluences of each myth in art, music, ballet, and literature, ten original black and white illustrations, map of place names mentioned in the myths, genealogical charts, list of ancient sources cited, bibliography, and an end vocabulary, Latina Mythica is a superb learning tool, and very strongly recommended for all students of the Latin language, as well as Roman culture and myth. Also strongly commended to Latin Studies collections is Professor Catto's earlier work, Lucretius: Selections From De Rerum Natura.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Dark Age
Mark Voger
TwoMorrows
10407 Bedfordtown Drive, Realeigh, NC 27614
1893905535 $19.95 twomorrows.com

Enhanced with the photography of Kathy Vogleson, The Dark Age: Grim, Great & Gimmicky Post-Modern Comics by Mark Voger offers a cornucopia of information on writers and illustrators of comics and graphic novels in a kind of "film noir" tradition. Hallmarked by dynamic artforms and story lines of graphically portrayed blood and violence, these comics and graphic novels originated as adult (or at least older adolescent readers) counter-culture alternatives to the more sedate and "politically correct" mainstream comics. The Dark Age is an inherently fascinating historical survey of this increasingly popular storytelling artform that has since established itself firmly enough to spawn film and movie adaptations. The Dark Age is strongly recommended reading for comic and graphic novel buffs with an interest in the history and growth of this particular segment of illustrated literature.


The Political Science Shelf

Civic Education And Culture
Bradley C.S. Watson
ISI Books
PO Box 4431, Wilmington, DE 19807
1932236619 $25.00 www.isibooks.org

Ably compiled and deftly edited by C.S. Watson, Civic Education And Culture is an impressive collection of insightful writings on the societal understandings and constructs which are created as result of what teachings are allowed to shape national, worldly or local paradigms. As an intellectual study with the premise of collective social views and ideals, Civic Education And Culture is a compendium of informative and constructive documentation drawn from numerous well known authors, recognized scholars and accomplished philosophers regarding the observations made within the strictures of a modern society's actualities and truths as opposed to its ideals and desires. Civic Education And Culture is very strongly recommended to all students of sociology, economics, political science, and contemporary American history.

How To Stage A Military Coup
David Hebditch & Ken Connor
MBI Distribution Services
c/o Stackpole Books
380 Jackson St, #200, St. Paul, MN 55101
1853676403 $29.95 mbipublishing.com

How To Stage A Military Coup: From Planning To Execution by David Hebditch and Ken Connor is an interesting and thought-provoking exploration of the military empowerment of obtaining placement in government through the exercise of military force or the threat of such force. Introducing the reader to a detailed and in-depth understanding (which Connor has had first hand experience) of the act known as a military coup or coup d'etat, How To Stage A Military Coup is an outstanding and unique study of what may frequently be used against various unstable governments throughout the world. How To Stage A Military Coup is particularly recommended to students of politics, international studies, and the utilization of military power with a role in establishing and/or overthrowing governments.


The Nautical Shelf

Northern Harbors & Small Ports
Alan Sorum
University of Alaska Fairbanks
PO Box 275, Valdez, Alaska 99686
1566121027 $20.00 alaskaseagrant.org

Northern Harbors & Small Ports by harbor master and port director Alan Sorum (Valdez, Alaska) is an informed and informative documentation of the day-to-day operation and long-term maintenance of the harbors of the northern regions of Alaska. Introducing the reader to techniques, maintenance, repair, materials, structures, hazardous materials, utilities, harbor economics, and safety from the knowledgeable perspective of Valdez Alaska's harbor master, Northern Harbors & Small Ports acts as an excellent and reliable reference. A seminal contribution to professional, corporate, and academic library Nautical Studies reference collections, Northern Harbors & Small Ports is confidently recommended to all readers with an interest in harbor-economics, as well as those seeking a greater understanding of all that it means to make their living in harbor-based operations.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Financial Intelligence
Karen Berman & Joe Knight
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
1591397642 $24.95 www.hbspress.org

Financial Intelligence: A Manager's Guide To Knowing What The Numbers Really Mean by Karen Berman and Joe Knight (owners of the Los Angeles-based Business Literacy institute) with management expert John Case is an innovative and "user friendly" instructional guide to proper and intelligible management of finances and business oriented decision making. Financial Intelligence is an impressive compendium of guidelines and information including the basics of financial measurement, reading income statements, balancing sheets, cash flow statements, separating hard data from the assumptions and estimates, the mechanics of analysis, calculating ratios, return on investment, working on capital, knowing the difference between cash and profit, financial literacy and transparency and how to recognize how the two can boost performance. Financial Intelligence is very strongly recommended to all business managers, both the novice and the experienced, as everyone has something to learn.

The Millionaire Maker
Loral Langemeier
McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, NY, NY 10121-2298
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com
0071466150 $24.95 www.amazon.com

Loral Langmeier is a financial strategist and coach who herself is a team-made multi-millionaire who has reached thousands yearly with her tips: her The Millionaire Maker: Act, Think And Make Money The Way The Wealthy Do provides tips on acquiring wealth and the knowledge to build it, providing the same financial insights and savvy millionaires have used to achieve success. Chapters discuss financial control, debt management and manipulation, forecasting, setting up business entities and more as they survey the road to independence and financial wealth.

The Frugal Senior
Rich Gray
Quill Driver Books
1554 Commerce Ave, Sanger, CA 93657
1884956491 $12.95 quilldriverbooks.com

The Frugal Senior: Hundreds Of Ways To Stretch A Dollar by Rich Gray is an innovative and quite "user friendly" guide to understanding and applying the short-cuts, manipulations, and practicalities of working with very little money to obtain personal financial and lifestyle goals. Introducing the reader to a humorous format of the every in and out of resourcefulness and situational remedies and availability utilization, The Frugal Senior is an excellent reference for the aging "frugal" lifestyle in essence and hopes of truly stretching the every dollar, and is very highly recommended to all readers (regardless of their ages or economic circumstances) who are searching for answers to their financial problems and plans.


The Gardening Shelf

Why We Garden
Jim Nollman
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
www.sentientpublications.com
1591810256 $17.95 1-303-443-2188

Why We Garden: Cultivating A Sense Of Place by artist, essayist, and environmental activist Jim Nollman offers an inspired and inspiring perspective as he writes about the art and ideals of gardening, including cogent observations with respect to psychological and personal reasons for gardening. Uniquely guiding the reader through an intimate respect of "green thumb" activities, Why We Garden addresses the popular and wide spread hobby of gardening with an able grasp and understanding of its therapeutic and consoling attributes, as well as its aesthetic connection developed between gardener and garden. Why We Garden is to be given high praise, and very strong recommendation reading for anyone contemplating or engaged in gardening as a recreational hobby or as a personal lifestyle.

Tulips
Richard Wilford
Timber Press
133 SW Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland, OR 97204-3070
0881927635 $34.95 timberpress.com

Tulips: Species And Hybrids For The Gardener by Richard Wilford (Collections Manager, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, England) is a beautifully illustrated, comprehensively knowledgeable, professionally informative, in-depth introduction to the many varying species of the delicate and powerful flower -- the tulip. Tulips: Species And Hybrids For The Gardener as an expert analysis and informative study of the many beautiful types and spectrum of this universally popular flower. Tulips: Species And Hybrids For The Gardener covers the care, placement, intricacies of individual species, color, history, and so much more. is recommended to all readers with an interest growing tulips and in need of the ultimate guide to their numerous variations.


The International Studies Shelf

Intimate Ties, Bitter Struggles
Alan McPherson
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
1574888757 $45.00 www.booksintl.com

Intimate Ties, Bitter Struggles: The United States And Latin America Since 1945 by Alan McPherson (Associate Professor of History at Howard University where he specialized in U.S. foreign relations) is an intricate understanding of the United States relationship with Latin America countries over the course of the past sixty years. Introducing the reader to a comprehensive overview and a professional understanding of the hardships and debates in ethical, ideological, political, economic, and power fueled diplomatic and neighboring struggles, Intimate Ties, Bitter Struggles enlightens all interested readers to the lesser known behalf of American and Latin American perspectives, pursuits, and occurrences drawn from the past six decades of American international involvement. Intimate Ties, Bitter Struggles is very highly recommended to all students of foreign relations, ecology, diplomacy, historical understandings and occurrences between America and its relationship with its southern neighbors.


The Self-Help Shelf

Work Less, Live More
Bob Clyatt
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkely, CA 94710
1413302009 $17.99 www.nolo.com

Work Less, Live More: The New Way To Retire Early by first time author and part time equity advisor Bob Clyatt is an informed and informative guide to finding the right career for anybody age twenty and up, even those already retired. Work Less, Live More offers a plethora of relaxed solutions to the melancholy and tedium of everyday hard work, with clever techniques for finding a suitable early semi-retirement plan. Very highly recommended for everybody seeking an alternative to their currently dissatisfactory career and better, more fulfilling lives. Work Less, Live More is an ideal read.

A Life In The Balance
Kathleen Hall
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814473342 $21.95 amacombooks.org

Kathleen Hall found great success in her life but had yet to identify a real purpose and meaning to it: her survey of relationships between mind, body and spirit results in a guide which blends in teachings from the world's great spiritual thinkers with insights on health and lasting happiness. Chapters discuss how to create and foster calm and serenity in daily life, use exercise to restore health and energy, and understand the impact of food choices on mental and physical well-being.

Secrets Of A Strong Marriage
Frank & Mary Alice Minirth
Cook Communications Ministries
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
0781442931 $13.99 cookministies.com

Secrets Of A Strong Marriage: 99 Time-tested Truths To Make Your Love Last A Lifetime by Frank Minirth (President, Minirth Clinic, Richardson, Texas), and his wife Mary Alice Minirth, is deftly written and presented introduction into the qualitiesm condition, and tactics successful couples have used in order to keep the marriages strong, vibrant, and successful. Filled from first page to last with a wealth of invaluable insights and information, Secrets Of A Strong Marriage will provide a great deal of food for thought to those seeking to enhance and fortify their own marital bonds. Secrets Of A Strong Marriage is very strongly recommended to all readers, but most especially newlyweds as they embark upon their mutual quest for a life-long and loving relationship.


The Native American Shelf

Learning To Write "Indian"
Amelia V. Katanski
University of Oklahoma Press
4100 28th Avenue, NW, Norman, OK 73069
0806137193 $24.95 www.oupress.com

Learning To Write "Indian": The Boarding-School Experience And American Indian Literature by Amelia V. Katanski (Marlene Crandell Francis Assistant Professor of English at Kalamazoo College in Michigan) is a historically accurate documentation of the forced assimilation of the Native American youth during the transition into the twentieth-century. As Learning To Write "Indian" investigates and deftly examines the hardships and pains that the American Indians were faced with, having to attend schools which denied them their families and tribes, their languages and religions, their culture. An invaluable contribution to Native American Studies, Learning To Write "Indian" is very strongly recommended to any American historian or enthusiast, students of the American Indian culture, and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in American history.

The Americas Might Have Been
Julian Granberry
The University of Alabama Press
PO Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487
0817351825 $55.00 uapress.ua.com

A work of detailed and painstaking scholarship, The Americas Might Have Been: Native American Social Systems Through Time by Julian Granberry (Language Coordinator with Native American Language Services in Florida) is an in-depth study of the Native American populations and their positions of power before during, and after the arrival of Christopher Columbus and the Europeans in 1492. As an informative and scholarly analytical survey of the many Native American nations ranging from the southern, central, and northern America, The Americas Might Have Been covers the Mayan, Incan, and Iroquois Confederacy, as well as the Eskimo, Taino Arawak, Navajo, Pueblo, Aztec nations, and others, providing an impressive account of the many Native American national social systems. The Americas Might Have Been is especially recommended to all students of the Native American history, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest anthropology, linguistics, and ethnohistory, and pre-Columbian American History.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Performing Set
Andrew B. Harris
The University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
1574412124 $37.95 unt.edu/untpress

The Performing Set: The Broadway Designs Of William And Jean Eckart by Andrew B. Harris (formerly Chair of the Theatre Departments of Columbia University, Texas Christian University, and Southern Methodist University) is an eclectic and intrinsically interesting interpretation and collection of the works and influence of two outstanding visionaries and the mutual understanding the two of them shared. Introducing the reader to the wonderful background worlds of Hollywood and New York's Broadway, The Performing Set creates an interesting and informative format for all readers. The Performing Set is most especially recommended to film and theatre students, as well as to those who appreciate behind the scenes perspectives of the big screen, and aspire to creating theatrical sets of their own.

Sean Penn
Richard T. Kelly
Cannongate/Grove-Atlantic
Publishers Group West, dist.
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
1841957399 $15.00 groveatlantic.com

Sean Penn: His Life And Times - The Authorized Biography by journalist Richard T. Kelly is a fascinating biographical survey and "window" into the career and personal life of the accomplished actor and director Sean Penn. Exclusively documented and informatively written, Sean Penn: His Life And Times explores many interesting intricacies of the friendships, career moves, family and landmarks of Sean Penn's life, including interviews from his colleagues and friends Jack Nicholson, Dennis Hopper, Woody Allen, Susan Sarandon, Bono, Christopher Walken, Angelica Huston, and many more recognized and praised individuals. Very highly recommended reading for all Sean Penn fans, as well as Hollywood film buffs interested in behind-the-scenes realities of the Hollywood film industry. Sean Penn.

From Soupy to Nuts!
Tim Kiska
Momentum Books
117 West 3rd St., Royal Oak, MI 48067
1879094703 $24.95 momentumbooks.com

You need to be a fan of Detroit television or TV history to enjoy the specialized From Soupy To Nuts! A History Of Detroit Television, but such an audience will relish this cruise through Detroit television shows and background. Black and white photos accompany spotlight biographies on some of the most famous show personalities of the past, from Robin Seymour, host of 'Swingin Time', to news show personalities such as American Black Journal. A recommended specialty pick for broadcasting and Detroit-specific collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Autumn Of The Phantoms
Yasmina Khadra
Toby Press
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776
1592641431 $12.95 www.tobypress.com

Autumn Of The Phantoms by Yasmina Khadra is the enthralling tale of an Algerian policeman-turned-detective and writer who, as a result of his latest book, losses his well established job. Main character, Brahim Llob, after publishing his latest book, is confronted with his peers condemnation and consideration of his dishonor, causing his visit to his hometown which results in an attack from GIA commando. Autumn Of The Phantoms is a page-turning complex and educational novel, mixing truths of the harsh realities faced in Algeria and quasi-autobiographical for the exiled author. Highly recommended, Autumn Of The Phantoms is an excellent addition to all mystery buff reading lists.


The Biography Shelf

Ol' Man River
William D. Bowell
Afton Historical Society Press
PO Box 100, Afton, MN 55001
1890434698 $32.00 aftonpress.com

Ol' Man River: Memoirs Of A Riverboat Captain by Captain William D. Bowell is the intriguing autobiography an influential, energetic, charismatic, inspired and inspiring man. Readers will follow Bowell through the Great Depression, D-Day and the Battle of the Bulge, publishing marketing for Holiday Inn, Oldsmobile, Greyhound, United Airlines and more well known American companies, as well as creating a national catalog for discount merchandisers. All followed by a lifetime of captaining the Padelford Packet Boat Company which he founded in the year in 1970. Ol' Man River is an encouraging story of a man who truly made a difference, highly recommended to the non-specialist general reader, especially those captured by adventurous and true tales.

Yalla! (Lets Go!)
Alejandro Modena & Coling Ingram
Robert D. Reed Publishers
PO Box 1992, Bandon, Oregon 97411
1931741646 $24.95 rdrpublishers.com

Yalla! A Wandering Jew Survives Palestine, Cuba, Jamaica And America is the persistently engaging biographical account of Alejandro Modena. Having fled from Palestine to Cuba, Yalla! follows Modena through his new life in Cuba as the young man contracts a dread disease, meets and denies the scriptural assistance of Ernest Hemingway, discovers his wife and childhood friend is secretly Catholic instead of Jewish and has fled to a convent, saves his father from suicide in Jamaica, and many more entertaining and enthralling stories. As an often comedic and highly intimate tale of one man's complex and survivalist life, Yalla! is a very highly recommended as a truly definitive, personally candid, and uniquely captivating biography.

Ramblin' Man
Ed Cray
W.W. Norton & Company, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
0393327361 $17.95 1-800-233-4830

With a forward by Studs Terkel, Ramblin' Man: The Life And Times Of Woody Guthrie is an in-depth biography of patriot, political radical, and musician Woody Guthrie, as told by Ed Cray, the first biographer granted access to the Woody Guthrie Archive. An independent-minded and influential figure, marked as a subversive by the FBI and haunted by the mental illness that affected his mother, Guthrie continued his influential work in both politics and music until Huntington's disease ended his efforts at the all too young age of forty-two. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this extensively researched and highly immersive life story.

Descartes: A Biography
Desmond M. Clarke
Cambridge University Press
40 W 20th St, 7th fl, NY, NY 10011-4211
www.cambridge.org
0521823013 $40.00 1-800-872-7423

Philosophy professor Desmond Clarke presents Descartes: A Biography, an exhaustively in-depth accounting of the life of mathematician, theologian, and philosopher Rene Descartes. Obscure during his life, yet famous after his death, Descartes was a crucial contributor to the Scientific Revolution, and even tried to prove the existence of God, though his contemporaries considered those attempts questionable at best. He is immortalized today in the name of the Cartesian coordinate system, and the transformation of thought he helped usher has left repercussions up to the modern day. Descartes: A Biography examines both Descartes' personal life and his great discoveries and achievements, and is highly recommended for library and biography shelves.

The Prince Of Mathematics
M. B. W. Tent
AK Peters
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
1568812612 $27.95 www.akpeters.com

The Prince Of Mathematics: Carl Friedrich Gauss, knowledgeably and engagingly written by mathematics teacher M. B. W. Tent, is an in-depth and intricate story of the amazing life of a revolutionary mathematician. Based upon stories told by Gauss, The Prince Of Mathematics reveals an intimate and vivid account of an 18th century's mathematician's life. The Prince Of Mathematics is an accurate and true understanding of a man who in his time was a prolific contributor to the science of mathematics. For its educational and informative content, The Prince Of Mathematics is very highly recommended reading to all mathematics history enthusiasts, as well as those in study of cultural paradigm oriented biographical study.

The Imperfect Spy
Andy J. Byers
Vandamere Press
PO Box 149, St. Petersburg, FL 33731
0918339669 $24.95 vandamere.com

The Imperfect Spy: The Inside Story Of A Convicted Spy by Andy J. Byers is the incredible biography of the life of one of the Soviet Unions greatest spies during the Cold War. Having suffered through refugee camps at a young age, George Trofimoff miraculously made his way to America. As his citizenship progressed, so did his position the in American intelligence community, giving him ideal placement for an eventual career in espionage for the Soviet Union. Very strongly recommended reading for its highly intriguing content and perfectly twisting plot, The Imperfect Spy is the perfect addition to all Cold War Studies collections for historians, students, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in espionage and the Cold War conflict.

A Brave Boy And A Good Soldier
Maty Margaret McAllen Amberson
The Texas State Historical Association
University Station D0901, Austin, TX 78712
0876112300 $12.95 www.tsha.utexas.edu

A Brave Boy And A Good Soldier: John C. C. Hill And The Texas Expedition To Mier by author Mary Margaret McAllen Amberson is the engaging biography of one boy and his journey into manhood as a fighting for his state. As a thirteen year-old in 1842, John Christopher Columbus Hill began fighting for Texas in the collective expedition for Mier, Tamulipas, Mexico, and during the battle, managed to kill at least twelve Mexican Soldiers. This battle eventually lead to his capture and imprisonment by Santa Anna who agreed with Hill to release his father and brother from prison under the condition that John stayed behind to become Santa Anna's adopted son. Knowledgeably written and deftly told in a tactful and descriptive manner, A Brave Boy And A Good Soldier is the engaging tale of all of remarkable life, holding an appeal readers of all ages. A Brave Boy And A Good Soldier is a very highly recommended addition Texas and Mexico history and biography collections.

To be a successful writer you must have something to say and then skill enough to engage, inform, persuade, or simply entertain your readers to their satisfaction with what you've written. It's surprising how many contemporary authors, essayists and poets have forgotten this simple truth.


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