Wisconsin Impressions
Darryl R. Beers, photographer
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.montanamagazine.com
1560373784 $9.95 1-800-654-1105
Darryl R. Beers is an accomplished photographer whose expert work has been published in books and calendars over the past several years. In Wisconsin Impressions, Beers turns his artist's eye and camera's lens on images throughout the Badger State, showcasing some of Wisconsin's natural and man-made attractions ranging from wilderness, to rural, to "stand alone" objects of architecture and artifact. The result is a compendium of wonderful "pictures in time" surveying the diversity and beauty of Wisconsin, its habitat, and its people. A perfect choice as a gift memento for tourists, travelers, and native citizens, Wisconsin community library should be without at least one copy of Darryl Beers' Wisconsin Impressions!
Midwest Marvels
Eric Dregni
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
0816642907 $17.95 upress.umn.edu
Midwest Marvels: Roadside Attractions Across Iowa, Minnesota, The Dakotas, And Wisconsin by freelance writer Eric Dregni is a handy 437-page travel guide to many of the munificent and iconic roadside attractions scattered along the highways and byways of five midwestern states. Lavished throughout with black and white photos of strange scenic wonders, Midwest Marvels is a type of entertaining curiosity tour featuring a text which is illustrated with photographs and down home folk tales. All of the attractions are real and actually exist, albeit sometimes hard to believe (Og the Gorilla, King Kong of the Prairie?). Midwest Marvels is well researched, as for example, the chapter on Peanuts Park, in St. Paul, Minnesota which has a thumbnail sketch of the famous comic artist, born in St. Paul, containing little known facts about Charles Schulz's history of leaving the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 1950 for greener pastures when it decided his weekly fee of $10 was "too much for simple drawings (p. 149)." Midwest Marvels is filled with the quirky, wild, wacky landmarks of the Upper Midwest. From the Mustard Museum in Mount Horeb, Wisconsin, to the Effigy Mounds of Marquette, Iowa, Midwest Marvels presents useful information about attractive features, history, locations, hours, prices of admission, and local colour stories. It is well worth the price to the traveler unfamiliar with what the five-state Upper Midwest area has to offer the curious passerby.
Wisconsin Starwatch
Mike Lynch
Voyageur Press
PO Box 338, Stillwter, MN 55082
0896587231 $24.95 voyageurpress.com
An informationally impressive, hardcover, spiral bound, profusely illustrated, "user friendly", 160-page observer's manual, Wisconsin Starwatch: The Essential Guide To Our Night Sky by astronomy expert Mike Lynch is the ultimate instructional guide to Wisconsin's starry night sky through every season of the year. After an informative introduction "Make the Stars Your Old Friends", Wisconsin Starwatch goes on to introduce "Quantitative Meditation", explain that a star is, what constellations are, how stars move, the use of star maps, the Moon and planets, telescopes, the Northern Constellations, and has individual chapters devoted to Wisconsin night sky constellations for autumn, winter, spring, and summer. Enhanced with a "Planet Locator", a list of "Brightest Stars in Wisconsin", resources for the amateur Wisconsin astronomer, and twelve monthly star maps, Wisconsin Starwatch is an indispensable addition to any and all Wisconsin astronomy reference collections.
Animal Origami Adventure
Dover Publications
31 East Second St., Mineola, NY 11501
www.doverpublications.com
0486439232 $14.95 1-516-294-7000
Animal Origami Adventure is an activity kit that contains three separate instruction books for do-it-yourself origami projects and 96 sheets of origami paper which is more than sufficient to accomplish each of the entertaining constructions following the illustrated step-by-step to make them. The origami shapes range from wild animals, to sea creatures, to birds and insects. Animal Origami Adventure offers hours and hours of wholesome, fun, and creative entertainment for the whole family and is especially recommended for rainy day activities for children. Also very highly recommended are two other inexpensive and "user friendly" activity kits from Dover Publications: Magic: Astounding Magic (0486440656, $19.95) and Dinosaur Activity Kit (0486446794, $19.95).
Drones, Clones And Alpha Babes
Diana M.A. Relke
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, N.W., Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
www.uofcpress.com
1552381641 $29.95 1-800-565-3770
Diana M.A. Relke is a founding member and professor in the Department of Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Saskatchewan where she teaches courses in feminist theory, science fiction, and popular culture. In Drones, Clones And Alpha Babes: Retrofitting Star Trek's Humanism, Post-9/11, Professor Relke examines the popular Star Trek franchise and its impact upon popular culture media, revealing how the Star Trek narrative stories have influenced cultural values in the United States, including American sociopolitical and sociocultural landscapes pre- and post-9/11. A work of articulate and seminal scholarship which is thoroughly accessible to be academia and non-specialist general readers, Drones, Clones And Alpha Babes will prove to be of immense interest to students of popular culture in general, and Star Trek fans in particular.
Black Earth And Ivory Tower
Zachary Michael Jack, editor
University of South Carolina Press
1600 Hampton Street, 5th floor, Columbia, SC 29208
157003611X $24.95 1-800-768-2500
Compiled, organized and edited by Zachary Michael Jack (Assistant Professor of English, North Central College, Naperville, Illinois), Black Earth And Ivory Tower: New American Essays From Farm And Classroom is a compendium of articulate, informed and thoughtful commentaries on modern farming, teaching new generations of time-honored agrarian values, and critical accounts of shifting national priorities as America continues the trend of expanding urbanization and declining small farm agriculture. Professor Jack brings a special insight and sensitivity to the issues addressed having been raised on an Iowa farm that his family first settled in the early 1860s. Also available in hardcover (1570035881, $59.95), Black Earth And Ivory Tower is a highly recommended addition to community and academic library Agricultural Studies, Farm Life Studies, and Social Issues reference collections.
Clearings In The Forest
Nathan Harter
Purdue University Press
509 Harrison St, West Lafayette IN 47907
1557533814 $29.95 thepress.purdue.edu
Clearings In The Forest: On The Study Of Leadership by Nathan Harter (Associate Professor of Organizational Leadership, Purdue University) employs the metaphor of a forest to discuss the philosophical aspects of analysis and synthesis with respect to the meaning and practice of leadership in human activity. Professor Nathan Harter clarifies what is meant by the term "leadership studies" in "Experience-Theory-Symbol" to mean leadership as image, the ethics of leadership, "webs of influence", and so much more. Enhanced with notes, references and an index, Clearings In The Forest is an impeccable and seminal work of articulate scholarship and a welcome addition to personal and academic library Leadership Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
The Flower Shop
Leonard Koren
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208, Berkeley, Ca 94707
1933330007 $19.95 www.amazon.com
For a warm and intimate portrait of a flower shop's evolution look at The Flower Shop: Charm, Grace, Beauty, Tenderness In A Commercial Context. Black and white and brown-sepia photos follow the location, setup, selection, behavior and more in a title that reads with the drama of a novel filled with impressions and insights.
The Wizard of Oz Catalog
Fraser A. Sherman
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
0786417927 $45.00 1-800-253-2187
L. Frank Baum's Wizard Of Oz has created 39 official sequels, over a hundred unofficial sequels, nearly 40 films, and much more: so any collector seeking a comprehensive guide to all Wizard products must have The Wizard Of Oz Catalog to keep track of all the formats and take-offs. All forty Oz books in the original series, related books, films, videos, comics, radio shows and more are cataloged in entries which cover performers, plots, and more. No price guides, but this is intended as a catalog of Oz products.
Thomson Course Technology
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
www.courseptr.com
If you're seeking step-by-step instruction for dancing or drawing, look no further than Thomson's two excellent guides. Shawn and Joanna Trautman's Picture Yourself Dancing: Step By Step Instruction For Ballroom, Country, Latin And More (1598632469, $34.99) pairs a 75-minute DVD instructional video with written word for added punch. The authors have been dancing together since 2001: Picture Yourself Dancing breaks dances into segments, offers reinforcing drills for practicing each piece, and includes color photos throughout. Les Pardew's Everyone Should Draw (1598632566, $24.99) provides a color introduction to the basic skills needed to draw. Pardew is a working professional artist with years of personal and professional entertainment industry experience: Everyone Should Draw provides all the basics of composition and technique and needs no prior skills to enjoy.
You Cannot Get There From Here
Walter Matras
American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
www.americanliterarypress.com
1561679232 $12.95 www.amazon.com
A blend of science and philosophy is tool and die design engineer and manufacturing engineer Walter Matras' insights in You Cannot Get There From Here, a reflection on the wonders of the universe and the argument that some wonders are impossible. From the limits of space travel leading to more care on Earth to priorities in spending to account for Earth-conscious actions, You Cannot Get There From Here offers commentary on space travel and the future of mankind as a whole.
Mountains So Sublime
Terry Abraham
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive, NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
1552381811 $29.95 www.uofcpress.com
Early British travelers described the Rocky Mountains as sublime and fantastic, bringing back tales of their glory which would inspire a century of visitors: explorers, artist, sportsmen, missionaries and more. Their unpublished and published accounts provide source material for Mountains So Sublime: 19th Century British Travellers And The Lure Of The Rocky Mountain West, which gathers their observations and surveys into a history of a vanished West. Vintage black and white illustrations compliment accounts, quotes and reflections from Kipling, Sir Richard Burton and many more. Mountains So Sublime brings to life the glory of a bygone world – and especially the first impressions of those who looked upon it.
The Self-Help Shelf
Self Hypnosis
Dr. Bruce Goldberg
New Page Books
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1564148858 $16.99 newpagebooks.com
Overcome habits, phobias and other problems using self-hypnosis and this book, which advocates a 20-minute daily program of self-hypnosis using one's own recordings to ‘reprogram' subconscious behaviors. Dr. Bruce Goldberg maintains all hypnosis is really self-hypnosis: he's worked with over 14,000 patients since 1974 and in the revised edition of Self Hypnosis: Easy Ways To Hypnotize Your Problems Away he includes a guided set of exercises on CD as reinforcers.
The Biography Shelf
A Daredevil & Two Boards
Gregor Ziemer
Hunter Halverson Press
115 West Main Street, 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703
www.hunterhlversonpress.com
097441431X $15.95 1-608-255-8678
On a hot July day in 1922, Ralph Samuelson convinced his brother Ben to pull him up out of the wasters of the Mississippi River and into sports history. With two pine boards strapped to his feet, 18-year-old Lake Pepin fisherman and sports enthusiast Samuelson invented water skiing and launched both a sport and an industry. Biographer and historian Gregor Ziemer tells the true and hitherto unknown story of this small town Minnesota boy and his contribution to the rise of water skiing as one of the most popular and widespread forms of water recreation. A Daredevil & Two Boards: Ralph Samuelson, The Lake Pepin Pioneer Who Invented Water Skiing is as entertaining as it is informative, and a "must read" for anyone who has ever strapped on a pair of waterskis and held on for dear life to the tow rope of a motorboat while swiftly skimming over the surface of a lake or river!
Julius Rosenwald
Peter M. Ascoli
Indiana University Press
601 N. Morton St, Bloomington, IN 47404
Danzig Communications (publicity)
321 West 78th St., #2A, NY, NY 10024
http://iupress.indiana.edu
0253347416 $35.00 1-800-842-6796
Julius Rosenwald: The Man Who Built Sears, Roebuck And Advanced The Cause Of Black Education In The American South by Peter M. Ascoli (an academician and the grandson of Julius Rosenwald) is the definitive biography of Rosenwald, a pioneer not only in transforming Sears, Roebuck into the greatest mail-order firm in the world, but also in philanthropy. He helped build more than 5,300 schools in the American South, among other efforts to improve the lives of his fellow citizens such as the Rosenwald Fund. Exhaustively researched and packed cover to cover with minute detail, Julius Rosenwald is highly recommended reading given its author's considerable accomplishments in business and humanitarian spheres alike.
Nightmare's Fairy Tale
Gerd Korman
University Of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, 3rd Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress
0299210804 $19.95 1-800-621-2736
Nightmare's Fairy Tale: A Young Refugee's Home Fronts by Gerd Korman (Professor Emeritus of American History at Cornell University's School of Industrial and Labor Relations) is the personal and eye-opening story of a young man and his broken family's escape to the refuge of America only months before the beginning of the second world war. As a detailed auto-biographical account of Korman's childhood through a Kindertransport near Warsaw, deportation from Hamburg, a temporary stay with an Anglican family and the reunification of his family and Jewish homage in New York. Very highly recommended for its vivid depiction of unseen historical afflictions, Nightmare's Fairy Tale is an ideal addition for the reading lists of non-specialist general reading fans with an intrigue for historical, Judaic, and World War II memoirs.
The Education Shelf
School Crisis Survival Guide
Suni Petersen & Ronald L. Straub
Jossey-Bass/John Wiley & Sons
989 Market St., San Francisco CA 94103
0876288069 $29.95 josseybass.com
School Crisis Survival Guide by mental health counselor Suni Petersen and Ronald L. Straub provides hundreds of guidelines, strategies, and working plans for counselors and teachers to help students in grades K-12 to deal with any manner of crisis or tragedy from personal loss, tragic accidents, and terminally ill classmates, to incidents of suicide, violence, and natural disasters. School Crisis Survival Guide address why every school needs a crisis plan and how to form a crisis team; provides step-by-step instructions for developing and administering a crisis plan custom designed to fit a schools particular need, ranging from setting up a student counseling program to dealing with media, to preparing memorial services; offers in-depth information on the impact of crisis and death on faculty and students of all ages, and the necessity of dealing with "Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder"; lists a wide variety of individual and group activities for all age groups with respect to the different stages of traumatic reaction; and even presents specific ways for handling such common yet unpredictable events as suicide, and the associated trauma and grief that violence, death, and natural disaster will leave in their wake. No public or private grade school, junior high, or high school counseling department can afford to be without their own reference copy of School Crisis Survival Guide.
Dynamic Art Projects For Children
Denise M. Logan
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2159, Glenview, IL 6025-6159
www.crystalproductions.com
CP1990 $24.95 1-800-255-8629
Dynamic Art Projects For Children is a compendium of art projects compiled by Denise M. Logan for the use of classroom teachers in grades 1 through 6 who are seeking an enhanced curriculum to engage their students in creative activities that will be as enjoyable as they are skill building. Each art project comes with step-by-step photo guidelines to supply a clear and methodical instruction resulting in a successful outcome for the student while using familiar materials in new and interestingly creative ways. Each outstanding and "kid friendly" project is a lesson that includes references to concepts and topics that connect diverse subjects including imagination, art elements and principles, manual skills, art appreciation, history, culture, and related academics such as science, math, and literature. Dynamic Art Projects For Children is also highly recommended for home-schooling parents seeking to augment the quality and diversity their educational efforts.
Secondary Education
Jerry Wellington
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016
www.routledge.com
0415344042 $26.95 1-800-634-7064
Secondary Education: The Key Concepts by Jerry Wellington (Professor of Education at the University of Sheffield) is an informed, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking guide through the controversies, theories, and practices central to secondary education in modern American society. Knowledgeably compiling documentation focused upon the education issues of assessment, citizenship, curriculum, e-learning, exclusion, learning theories, and work experience, Secondary Education offers teachers, administrators, policy makers, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in education and the modern schooling system, a detailed compendium of information drawn from academic research studies pertaining to the contemporary history and state of secondary schooling. A work of impressive, seminal scholarship, Secondary Education is very highly recommended for academic library "Education Studies" reference collections and student teacher supplemental reading lists.
Learning Under The Influence Of Language And Literature
Lester Laminack & Reba Wadsworth
Heinemann Publishing Group
Box 7247-7011, Philadelphia, PA 19170
www.heinemann.com
0325008221 $25.00 1-800-225-5800
Expertly co-authored by Lester L. Laminack (Professor Emeritus of Literacy Education, Western Carolina University) and Reba M. Wadsworth (Elementary Principal, Woodmeade Elementary School, Decatur, Alabama), Learning Under the Influence of Language and Literature: Making The Most Of Read-Alouds Across The Day is a simply wonderful, 234-page collection of aptly summarized, endlessly exciting, valuable literary contributions that teach best when to read aloud in a classroom setting. It is also a creative textbook that centers its mission on ways to teach by reading aloud as a part of an instructional curriculum. There are many specific suggestions and numerous clear benefits to be gained from the use of these suggested and tested approaches. As an educator's tool, Learning Under The Influence Of Language And Literature is first rate. It could also be useful to other types of educators, such as librarians and homeschooling parents, in their book choices. The title page of Learning Under The Influence Of Language And Literature informs the reader that is a reference compilation that "includes 400 recommended titles with annotations". By addressing standards in the curriculum, enriching vocabulary, modeling fluent reading, and enticing children to read independently, Learning Under The Influence Of Language And Literature is truly useful to any classroom educator of elementary age children. Even more important, it underlines the value of daily experience of the rich joys of reading aloud.
Using Powerpoint In The Classroom
Dusti Howell, et.al.
Corwin/Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
1412927986 $19.95 corwinpress.com
This updated second edition of a teacher's winning classic offers both PC and Mac-compatible screenshots and instructions for the newest version of Powerpoint to cover all the basics of effective presentation design and delivery. With Using Powerpoint In The Classroom, classroom teachers can learn to create more effective PowerPoint presentations with a reference which links Powerpoint attributes to classroom objectives. Chapters offer step-by-step examples taken from real classrooms to illustrate the process.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Sleeping Policemen
Dale Bailey & Jack Slay, Jr.
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802
193084641X $24.95 goldengryphon.com
One night's events change five lives in a story which tells of a pedestrian run down in the night, who holds a mysterious key leading Nick to a video depicting a missing teen's rape and murder. A mystery and murder evolves into repeated confrontations with and visions of death as Nick and his friends find their lives unraveling in this suspenseful story of close encounters with the other side of human nature in Sleeping Policemen.
The Computer Shelf
Firewall Fundamentals
Wes Noonan & Ido Dubrawsky
Cisco Press
800 E 96th St., Indianapolis, IN 46240
1587052210 $55.00 www.ciscopress.com
Firewalls have gone from a luxury to a necessity in the computer world, and today a thorough understanding of their function and setup is required reading for any serious networker, programmer, or computer operator. Firewall Fundamentals: An Introduction To Network And Computer Firewall Security addresses all issues, providing a through introduction to firewalls, how they protect, up to more advanced TCP/IP protocols and firewall configuration for Linux and other systems. From application proxy firewalls to security policies and rules, Firewall Fundamentals holds it all.
Any learner who likes visual displays rather than wordy explanations will find one of the best Excel tutorials in print in the all-color A-Z reference Excel 2003 Visual Encyclopedia. Screenshots, sidebars of color-coded ‘did you know?' tips and tricks, and options cover step-by-step instructions primarily visual in nature. Any learning Excel will find it one of the best guides available, leaving little to guesswork.
Game Programmer's Guide To Torque
Edward F. Maurina III
GG Press/AK Peters
888 Worcester Street, #230, Wellesley, MA 02482
1568812841 $59.00 www.akpeters.com
Any game programmer working with the Torque game engine must have The Game Programmer's Guide To Torque: it teaches everything needed to design your own game, using experiences of game makers and industry veterans well versed in Torque technology. A Torque Game engine demo is included on an accompanying cd while step-by-step examples tell how to use it. Its focus on all the basics makes for an exceptional coverage for all levels of game programmer.
Charles River Media/Thomson
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
www.charlesriver.com
Max Fomitchev's Enterprise Application Development With Visual C++ 2005 (1584503920, $49.95) comes from a Moscow Ph.D. and covers the best practices for coding and C++ development. Plenty of practical real-life examples pepper instruction on how to use compilers, enhance and change database applications, and more. The fundamentals of successful coding and application development practices are imparted along with coverage of the latest Visual C++ 2005 features, making this a top reference for applications developers. Manu Konchady's Text Mining Application Programming (1584504609, $59.95) is a detailed in-depth survey for any software programmer interested in learning how to mine the data available on the Web and from internal networks alike. From a review of text data and its characteristics and location to later chapters on navigating the Web for data and building spiders to crawl the Web, developers will find a knowledge of Perl useful – but not necessary – to understand the basics and features of an excellent data mining introduction. Glen Rhodes' Macromedia Flash Professional 8 Game Development (1584504870, $49.95) is for those who have the basics down and want to learn to produce professional-quality games. The latest enhancements to Flash are taught to programmers and web developers who want to get up and running quickly. From producing fast 3D effects to the hidden powers of Flash Pro 8, this book provides methods for understanding advanced techniques and getting up to speed: indispensable for game developers. David Kalwick's Animating Facial Features & Expressions 2nd Edition (1584504749, $49.95) completely updates the prior title on the topic to include the latest tools and resources. It's written for 3D artists and designers with an entire focus on one of the most difficult aspects of programming effectively: animating expressions. With two new chapters on using 2DS Max and Maya and new coverage of other hot programs, developers are assured of the latest techniques and tricks.
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol CA 95472
www.oreilly.com
Ted Wallingford's VoIP Hacks: Tips & Tools For Internet Telephony (0596101333, $29.95) covers the hack potential of VoIP technology, providing dozens of projects for building a VoIP network, customizing hardware and software, and using devices. Users with some basic background who love to customize will be especially delighted. Mike Danseglio & Robbie Allen's Windows Server 2003 Security Cookbook (0596007531, $49.95) is for the IT pro and systems administrator concerned with Windows security. Windows 2003 is much more secure than prior versions but you have to know how to set it up properly – and that's where Windows Server 2003 Security Cookbook comes in, offering recipes and formulas sorted by task domain or system service for quick and easy access. Many topics here are more advanced coverages not seen in competing titles, such as auditing and event log usage. Joe Richards, Robbie Allen and Alistair G. Lowe-Norris' Active Directory, 3rd Edition (0596101732, $49.99) is also for Windows administrators who may know all to well about the problems it's brought to prior versions of windows. This edition considers the Directory for Windows 2000, 2003 and its updates, considering the overall pros and cons of Active Directory, common tips and traps, and more. Yes, you can use Microsoft's documentation for many similar answers; but here they are arranged in a more logical manner and provide more candid assessments to help users upgrade or understand options.
Creative Suite 2
Sandee Cohen & Steve Werner
Peachpit Press
1249 – 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0321334124 $49.99 www.peachpit.com
Creative Suite packs in many powerful programs: Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat and GoLive: to understand how they work both individually and as a unit, Real World Creative Suite 2: Industrial-Strength Production Techniques teaches all the basics. Learn how to maintain consistency between applications, how to use special effects to maximum efficiency, how to work with style, colors and layers, and more with a title which focuses on seamless integration of processes for professional results.
Object-Oriented PHP
Peter Lavin
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro, #250, San Francisco CA 94107
1593270771 $29.95 www.nostarch.com
The latest version of PHP is covered here in a title which teaches how to create your own code classes, customize and improve them, employ PHP to autogenerate code documentation and much more. Any with a working knowledge of PHP who want to move behind the basics to take full advantage of the latest version must have Object-Oriented PHP: Concepts, Techniques And Code: it encourages sequential learning through chapters which provide basic building blocks of experience and real-world applications. A top pick.
Net Crimes & Misdemeanors
J.A. Hitchcock
Information Today
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
0910965722 $24.95 www.infotoday.com
This revised, expanded second edition of Net Crimes & Misdemeanors: Outmaneuvering Web Spammers, Stalkers, And Con Artists comes from a cybercrime expert who provides easy, efficient methods for handling a wide range of online attacks. Himself a one-time victim of cyberstalking, Hitchcock became a victim's advocate and so doesn't come from a programmer's background. Her coverage therefore is most accessible to the lay consumer – the most likely victim of such crimes – and offers insights and tips on preventing everything from identity theft to internet dating, newsgroup problems and more.
The Travel Shelf
Minnesota: On-the-Road
John Radzilowski
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby St., Northampton, MA 01060
1566565677 $20.00 interlinkbooks.com
John Radzilowski is a Minnesota native, writer and historian. He therefore brings a special expertise to Minnesota: On-the-Road, a panoramic survey of the cultural, historical, and geographic aspects of a surprisingly multi-ethnic upper midwest state which always ranked high with respect to the environmental, the economic well-being of its citizens, the arts, health, and education. Along with a lively account of Minnesota's history, Minnesota: On-the-Road is enhanced for the traveller with full-color and black/white archival and contemporary photographs and maps; a chronology of major events; "infobits" such as state symbols, songs, etc.; literary extracts; visitor resources and "must-see" sights; cultural highlights and special events; and a select bibliography. Minnesota: On-the-Road is recommended for on-site visitors and armchair travellers alike!
Backroads Of Michigan
Robert W. Domm
Voyageur Press
380 Jackson St, #200, St. Paul, MN 55101
www.mbipublishing.com
076032574X $19.95 1-800-458-0454
Beautifully illustrated with a wealth of color and black-and-white photographs, Backroads Of Michigan: Your Guide To Michigan's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures is a guide to touring the most breathtaking and scenic natural venues to be found in the Great Lake State. Backroads Of Michigan is a fairly large trade paperback, not meant to be carried in a pocket, purse or small backpack; yet its size also allows the fine detail in its illustrations to shine through, and its typeface is easy to read without a magnifying glass. The chapters are arranged by Michigan subsection, and cover everything from historical sites to river valleys to prime spots for beachcombing to state parks ideal for viewing wildflowers and much more, with maps and general directions. The text is written in a leisurely style that is as engaging to browse for pleasure as it is filled with practical information. Enthusiastically recommended for Michigan tourists and residents interested in the state's most wondrous sights, and also for armchair travelers.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Breakthrough Astrology
Joyce Levine
Red Wheel/Weiser
368 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.redwheelweiser.com
1578633575 $21.95 1-800-423-7087
Written by a professional "astrologer's astrologer" of more than thirty years' experience, Breakthrough Astrology: Transform Yourself And Your World is a solid introduction to psychological astrology. Based on thousands of years' worth of tradition and research, Breakthrough Astrology presents processes resembling the Myers-Briggs Personality Indicator, describing at length what each of the planets' influence represents in a person's character: for example, Venus represents "Love Nature" while Saturn influences "Work Ethic". An excellent do-it-yourself guide to understanding star signs and what they say about us.
Shamanic Journeying
Sandra Ingerman
Sounds True
PO Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306-8010
www.soundstrue.com
1591791510 $19.95 1-800-333-9185
Enhanced with the inclusion of an accompanying 60-minute CD "Drumming for Three Shamanic Journeys", Shamanic Journeying: A Beginner's Guide is a definitive manual for students of what is known in metaphysical studies as "shamanic journeying". Shamanic journeying may be undertaken for purposes of divination, for personal healing, to meet one's power animal or guide, and for many other mystic and/or metaphysical purposes. Author, therapist and counselor Sandra Ingerman provides a clear description of ritual procedures and expectations for those who wish to learn to journey. She suggests that journeyers consider forming a journey group that meets regularly, perhaps twice a month, that will evolve into a community. She offers good advice to journeyers, such as the caution to not compare information received with other group members, to not "brag", and to not compete. She also cautions the journeyer not to journey unprepared, and not to listen to the CD of drumming enclosed while driving. These practical applications and suggestions are an invaluable part of Shamanic Journeying. Ingerman teaches that in shamanic traditions, the shaman who "brags" is perceived as being foolish and losing power. She states: "Shamanic journeying is an incredible tool to receive healing and guidance in our lives...You are embraced by the love of the universe and the helping spirits. Open your heart to the love, wisdom, and healing they have to share. In doing this, you can not only change your own life, but the changes in consciousness we can achieve together through shamanic journeying can transform the world as well (p. 79)."
The Military Shelf
Old Glory Stories
Cole C. Kingseed
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
www.navalinstitute.org
159114440X $36.95 1-800-233-8764
Written by a thirty-year U.S. Army veteran, Old Glory Stories: American Combat Leadership In World War II is a compilation of true stories of valor and especially leadership. The first part of Old Glory Stories focuses on the American generals of WW II; the second examines junior leaders, dubbed "warriors" by the author, who fought German and Japanese armies on the front lines. By exploring American leadership in both the grand picture and gritty detail, Old Glory Stories offers a comprehensive view of the qualities that surfaced when they were most needed from the greatest generation.
War Through The Hole Of A Donut
Angela Petesch
Hunter Halverson Press
115 West Main Street, 2nd floor, Madison, WI 53703
www.hunterhlversonpress.com
0974414328 $15.95 1-608-255-8678
War Through The Hole Of A Donut is the story of Angela Petesch who during the years of World War II was an American Red Cross Worker who served hot coffee and free donuts to American service men and women at home and abroad. Before the war Angela was a feature writer for the "Chicago Tribune" and employed her writing skills in a series of letters she sent home. Her family saved those letters and eventually compiled them into a manuscript for a book. The manuscript was discovered by Hunter Halverson while visiting the Red Cross Museum in Washington DC and got the family's permission to publish Angela's correspondence into a book that makes available the story of a Red Cross Worker's field activities as she followed American GIs through some of the war's most defining moments offering today's readers a unique perspective in a series of articulate, even eloquent observations. A unique, intimate and invaluable contribution to the growing library of World War II memoirs and biographies, War Through The Hole Of A Donut is highly recommended as being a terrific read from first page to last.
Encyclopedia Of The American Armed Forces
Alan Axelrod
Facts On File, Inc.
132 West 31st St., 17th fl, NY, NY 10001
www.factsonfile.com
0816047006 $175.00 1-800-322-8755
Almost 1,200 entries in Encyclopedia Of The American Armed Forces cover everything from history, command organization, and famous heroes to equipment, weapons, uniforms, traditions, and special American military terminology. A two-volume set with entries organized in simple A-Z format, Encyclopedia Of The American Armed Forces is accessible, information-packed, and practical for high school students, college and public libraries, and personal reference collections. Historical consultant Alan Axelrod applies personal objectivity and expert research into this easy-to-use primer and reference source.
The Gardening Shelf
Perennials In The Landscape
Don Marquardt
A.C. Burke & Company
2554 Lincoln Blvd., #1058, Marina Del Rey, CA 90291-5082
DVD $49.95 www.acburke.com
Perennials In The Landscape is the fourth in a multi-part instruction series on residential landscaping specifically designed for gardening enthusiasts, vocational education students, homeowners, and entry-level employees on the subject of landscape design basics. Hosted by educator and landscape architecture expert Don Marquardt, this 38-minute, full-color, instructional DVD covers just what perennial plants are, their popularity, crating a practical garden design, and methodical instructions on installing and maintaining a new perennial board. Also very highly recommended for personal and community library Gardening & Landscaping reference collections are the other titles in this superbly produced and presented DVD series: An Introduction To Landscape Design; Landscape Plant Selection, Soil Preparation & Planting; and Lawns In The Landscapes. All of these four titles are available in DVD or VHS formats and are $49.95 each.
Organic Gardening In Cold Climates
Sandra Perrin
Mountain Press Publishing Company
www.mountain-press.com
0878424512 $12.00 1-800-234-5308
In this newly revised and expanded edition of Organic Gardening In Cold Climates, gardening expert Sandra Perrin draws upon her more than thirty years of experience gardening year-round in Montana to teach aspiring gardeners in the upper states of the U.S. and the provinces of Canada how to adapt to cold weather and early frosts when raising their garden vegetables. There are special sections devoted to "companion planting", season extenders, composting, natural pest and disease control, and "French Intensive Gardening". Every aspect of gardening in a northern climate is clearly addressed from planning the garden, to preparing the soil, to planting, to tending what has been planted, and harvesting. Enhanced with chapters devoted to fruit and vegetable seeds, growing herbs in a garden setting,, gardening and therapy, a listing of seed companies, and a bibliography of useful literature, Organic Gardening In Cold Climates is the perfect instructional reference for the novice gardener in a colder climate.
Wild Orchids Of The Canadian Maritimes And Northern Great Lakes Region
Paul Martin Brown & Stan Folsom
University Press of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
www.upf.com
0813029112 $29.95 1-800-226-3822
The collaborative effort of author Paul Martin Brown and artist Stan Folsom, Wild Orchids Of The Canadian Maritimes And Northern Great Lakes Region is an excellent identification guide for lay readers and botanists alike. Featuring entries for more than 60 native species, Wild Orchids offers multiple full-color photographs for each, which is particularly useful for species that come in different colors, as multiple common colors for a given species are represented. The text each flower's name, range, distinguishing features, habitat, flowering period, and more. In addition to the photograph-filled identification section, there is a section that explains in depth how and where to find all of the different species. Durable, water-resistant binding and an index for quick and easy reference make Wild Orchids a premier guide for taking on the trail. Enthusiastically recommended for orchid lovers of all walks of life.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Lessons: The Craft of Acting
Tom Isbell
Meriwether Publishing Ltd.
Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933
www.meriwether.com
1566081114 $19.95 1-800-937-5297
Lessons: The Craft Of Acting is a practical actor's 199-page handbook by Tom Isbell, a professional actor/director with impeccable credentials. Isbell has acted in film, TV and theatre productions with the best; he also is an Associate Professor of Drama at the University of Minnesota/Duluth. Not too surprisingly, he is also a hunk. And even more important, he is an excellent writer who is passionately committed to teaching the craft of acting. As suggested by the title, Lessons: The Craft Of Acting is divided into 100 specific and succinct lessons, covering the areas of fundamentals, classes and rehearsals, performance, and final lessons. Isbell quotes his favorite authors for inspiration, including John Barrymore and John F. Kennedy. What leaps out at the reader is the sparse and lean presentation of each page. Readers are definitely encouraged to experience Isbell's instructions as creatively as possible. There are many practical bits of acting techniques and exercises, but perhaps the most striking quote of the book comes towards the end, in the "Epilogue: A Call to Arms": As Albert Einstein wrote, 'Try not to become a person of success, but rather to become a person of value.' It's time for actors to take back the theatre, to rescue it from the stultifying, passionless commerce driven machine it has so often become. It is your choice. It is your responsibility. No pressure, but the future of the theatre rests with you. 'I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities,' John Kennedy once wrote, 'we too will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politic, but for our contribution to the human spirit.' That's what a true actor brings to the world: a contribution to the human spirit. Good luck. And break legs (pages195-6)." With Lessons: The Craft Of Acting, Tom Isbell has written so much more than just another actor's manual. Its pages snap and crackle with fire, intensity and inspiration.
The Guthrie Theater
Peg Guilfoyle
Nodin Press
530 North Third Street, Suite 120, Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.guthrietheaterbook.com
1932472398 $37.95 www.amazon.com
The Guthrie Theater: Images, History, And Inside Stories is a simply fabulous, 240-page collection of memories, anecdotes, history, and breathtaking full page photos of past productions at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Founded in 1963 with world famous director Tyrone Guthrie at the helm, Guthrie theater productions have continued to amaze and astound the theater audiences of Minnesota ever since. Author Peg Guilfoyle was Guthrie's stage manager and production manager for almost ten years, and she has had access to the Guthrie archives through research and collaboration with Sheila Livingston, executive editor of the Guthrie. The result is a vivid tapestry of threads drawn from many of the fabulous productions and casts, crews, and companies at the Guthrie over the past forty plus years. The book comes at a turning point in the Guthrie's fabled history, for the theater has relocated and rebuilt at a new location on the Mississippi, due to growth and an excess of "riches" in the form of production needs. Due to its miraculous and star-studded history, the Guthrie has an intensely loyal following. It is only natural that the past be celebrated, not mourned, and that the fresh beginning represented by the new theater be blessed by such a tribute as this book of wondrous details emerging from its past. As an aside, I was a high school graduate in Monticello, Minnesota in 1963 when the Guthrie first opened. My mother took me to every production, proudly. I remember the critics' remarks about classic theater in Minneapolis needing to have a 'baseball' mentality to succeed. The Guthrie stunned them all into submission. The first production of "Hamlet," with Zoe Caldwell, George Grizzard, Hume Cronyn, Jessica Tandy, and Sir Tyrone himself directing, all were a fabulous experience in genuine live, classic theater in a beautiful modern setting. I believe it is fair to say they found the Minnesota audiences to be warm, welcoming, appreciative, and hungry for culture. For all who love theater and especially for hose who have been lucky enough to have any experience at all with the Guthrie, The Guthrie Theater is a treasure trove of a book and a welcome addition to personal and academic library Theatre History collections.
They'll Never Put That On the Air
Allen Neuwirth
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd St. #510, New York NY 10010
1581154178 $19.95 www.allworth.com
American television has evolved over the years and censorship has changed the nature of what is acceptable and what is un-televised: They'll Never Put That On The Air: An Oral History Of Taboo-Breaking TV Comedy comes from writer/director Neuwirth's fascination with television content from the 1960s to modern times, and comes packed with firsthand accounts from TV comedy writers and creators who tell their behind-the-scenes stories. An engrossing blend of television history and oral history provides a fine survey for any interested in just how TV comedy has changed.
Staging The Pastoral
Maria Galli Stampino
Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
0866983236 $46.00 1-480-727-6503
Staging The Pastoral: Tasso's Aminta And The Emergence Of Modern Western Theater is a scholarly study of two performances of Torquato Tasso's pastoral play Aminta, which took place fifty years apart (1574 and 1628). Micro-reconstructions of these staging help reveal how the inception of Western theater was far less linear and simplistic than one might think. Author Maria Stampino (Associate Professor of Italian and French, University of Miami) performed extensive archival research and offers English-speaking readers numerous documents never previously translated. A highly technical dissertation especially recommended for students and scholars of theater, performance, and cultural history, as well as college libraries.
Hitting Your Mark
Steve Carlson
Michael Wiese Productions
11288 Ventura Blvd., Suite 621, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
1932907122 $22.95 1-800-833-5738
Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, Hitting Your Mark: Making A Life - And A Living - As A Film Actor is a 266-page, hard-hitting, factual, complete reference and how-to book for the aspiring media actor. Hitting Your Mark should be required reading for all would-be film actors. All imaginable Actors' 101 questions are dealt with up front, and some that are tough to imagine. Author Steve Carlson has drawn on his thirty eight years of experience TV and films to create an excellent textbook for actors. Because it is a second edition, it is divided into Book one, which deals with introductions to the basics of camera, set, and stage, technical areas, marks and blocking, camera awareness, working to 'please' the camera, love scenes, editing, teleprompter and cue cards, light and sound, and unique situations and positions, plus auditions on camera. Book Two contains more information about the actual life and experiences of a media actor and the requirements and expectations that make a professional actor successful, or at least, likely to be rehired. The author refers to learning that all production is a team effort, to developing professional POV, or point of view, by which he means "Attitude." Attitude can be all-important in determining an actor's level of success and even whether or not they will enjoy their success. The following statement sums up much of what the author believes: "A seasoned professional uses his experience to anticipate problems before they occur and help others on the set who may not be as comfortable as they (p. 191)." Carlson goes on to cover readiness, competing, success and failure, finances (or show busine$$), life off the set, and wrap-up. Some of his closing Thoughts to Live By are priceless: "Do not act like a 'star... Be good and true to the people who are being good to you... Keep your word...Keep your personal life as simple as possible...Keep good care of money matters...Never be in a position where you 'have' to have this part. Do not borrow money from anyone except the bank and even then, only in dire necessity or when buying a house. (After your career is off and running.) Don't ask, or even permit, someone to do for you what you wouldn't do for them...No one was ever hired out of pity and never will be. You have to be good to play this game (pp. 259-260)." Hitting Your Mark is an actor's friend. It does not pretend to be an actor's teacher, that will be experience, but it provides the information to allow an actor to make the most of his or her experience.
The Genealogy Shelf
The 1850 Census Of Georgia Slave Owners
Jack F. Cox, compiler
Clearfield Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
www.genealogical.com
0806348372 $31.50 1-800-296-6687
The 1850 Census Of Georgia Slave Owners compiled by Jack F. Cox is a straightforward genealogical reference listing an 1850 census compiled for each of the 93 counties of Georgia at the time. Alphabetized by the last name of each given slaveowner or overseer, The 1850 Census Of Georgia Slave Owners states nothing more than the owner's name, their county, and the number of slaves owned in each entry. A one-page introduction is the only other material in this no-frills primary source.
German-English Genealogical Dictionary
Ernest Thode
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, #260, Baltimore, MD 21211
www.genealogical.com
0806313420 $29.95 1-800-296-6687
Expertly compiled by Ernest Thode and originally published in 1992, this new edition of German-English Genealogical Dictionary is comprised of thousands of German terms defined as single words, symbols, and succinct phrases specifically selected on their relevance to genealogical research. These are words and terms found in German church records, civil registration records, family correspondence, genealogical journals, ships' passenger lists, as well as emigration records. Utilizing German-English Genealogical Dictionary, a simply outstanding and highly recommended translation resource, aspiring American genealogists will be able to decipher and interpret any German document in the course of the genealogical inquiries.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Author! Screenwriter!
Peter Miller
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
1593375530 $14.95 adamsmedia.com
Author! Screenwriter! How To Succeed As A Writer In New York And Hollywood by Peter Miller (an active literary and film manager for more than thirty years) is for writers who want to enjoy success as both a screenwriter and author, teaching the aspiring writer how to turn a book into a Hollywood script and back. Chapters from the President of a film management and media agency represent the only book which teaches writers how to customize their proposals for both literary and film markets.
The Fine Print Of Self-Publishing
Mark Levine
Bridgeway Books
212 - 3rd Avenue North, Suite 471, Minneapolis, MN 55401
www.book-publishers-compared.com
1933538562 $16.95 1-612-455-2290
Two related phenomena are principally responsible for the tremendous growth in the numbers of self-published authors flooding the marketplace with their titles: the personal computer with word processing software and the rise of the publish-on-demand (POD) companies. Now Mark Levine (President of Click Industries, Led), an e-commerce company with 19 web sites that provide produces and services to small business entrepreneurs, writers, musicians, and artists) draws upon his impressive expertise, experience and research to create a kind of "Consumer Report" style evaluation of 48 self-publishing companies and the services they provide (for a fee) to aspiring authors wanting to turn their manuscripts into books. The Fine Print Of Self-Publishing analyses and ranks the contracts and services of 48 different POD companies and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of taking a POD approach to self-publishing. Special attention is paid to publishing contracts, but the true value of this handy little compendium of practical information are the chapters devoted to: "Outstanding Self-Publishing Companies"; "Some Pretty Good Self-Publishing Companies"; "Publishers Who Are Just Okay"; and perhaps the most valuable chapter -- "Publishers To Avoid". No aspiring author contemplating signing up with a POD should ever put pen to contract paper without first carefully reading Mark Levine's The Fine Print Of Self-Publishing.
Perfecting Your Prose
Gary Michael Smith
Chatgris Press
Box 15092, New Orleans, LA 70175-5092
193055401X $14.95 chatgrispress.com
Every author who has ever put pen to paper (or in this day and age, their fingers to computer keyboard) knows they have room for improvement when it comes to expressing themselves. Perfecting Your Prose: A Guide To Improved Writing by writer, editor, educator and consultant Gary Michael Smith addresses the diverse grammar and writing issues of diction, description, the syntax of the well constructed sentence, and the orderly flow of the essay. Perfecting Your Prose covers style mechanics guidelines fully applicable to both nonfiction and fiction writing, and is an utterly invaluable self-teaching tool for high school and college students as well as aspiring and professional writers. Also very highly recommended is Gary Michael Smith's Writing For Magazines & Trade Journals: Finding Them, Writing For Them, Getting Paid By Them (Chatgris Press, 1930554036, $14.95).
How To Start And Run A Writers' Critique Group
Carol J. Amato
Stargazer Publishing Company
P.O Box 77002, Corona, CA 92877-0100
orders@stargazerpub.com
0971375682 $14.95 1-800-606-7895
How To Start And Run A Writers' Critique Group by Carol J. Amato offers accessible and practical answers to the questions and problems that beset beginning, intermediate, and experienced writers who could benefit from the critiques, observations and advice of their peers in a small group setting, but don't have ready access to one. It gives helpful organizational suggestions and information to anyone hoping to start a writers' critique group. In so doing, such groups offers the chance for writers from novice beginners to seasoned professionals to improve their skills and writing through a voluntary professional association with others engaged in writing for fun or profit. The benefits of carefully planning such a group are multiple and easily accessible to the aspiring writers, including particular attention to the issues of critiquing manuscripts, dealing with difficult members, formal organization steps, sponsoring related events, and getting publicity. There is a very handy appendix with sample forms, including suggested critique group rules (small or large groups), a critique group checklist, and corporation bylaws. In sum, How To Start And Run A Writers' Critique Group is an invaluable, 119-page tool to those writers (regardless of their preferred genre) who are in search of peer feedback and self-improvement in the execution of their chosen craft.
Self-Publishing Manual
Dan Poynter
Para Publishing
Box 8206, Santa Barbara, CA 93118-8206
1568601344 $19.95 parapublishing.com
Self-Publishing Manual: How To Write, Print And Sell Your Own Book helped promote a whole new world of self-published titles when it appeared nearly thirty years ago: this new 15th edition completely revises details, adding new text and showing how to build a book, promote it, bypass publishers, and work with short-term book printers. An ongoing recommendation; particularly since the update reflects major changes in the industry. It should also be noted that the Midwest Book Review is given a positive recommendation in this "how to" manual.
The Music Shelf
The John Adams Reader
Thomas May
Amadeus Press
512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
1574671324 $27.95 amadeuspress.com
The John Adams Reader presents an anthology of writings by a wide variety of authors about one of the most frequently performed American composers in the realm of classical music. Friends and collaborators of John Adams, including director Peter Sellers, conductor Robert Spano, performers Emanuel Ax and Dawn Upshaw, and friend Ingram Marshall, as well as extensive interviews with John Adams himself, allow for a thorough tour of his personality, his musical works, collaborators and interpreters, his critical reception, controversies about his work and his political views, and much more. As accessible to lay readers as it is to advanced music students and practitioners, The John Adams Reader is a "must-read" portrait for anyone striving to better understand both the artist and his musical art, presenting the compiled wit and charm of expert musicians.
A Guide To The Crooked Road
Joe Wilson
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Dr., Winston-Salem NC 27103
www.blairpub.com
0895873273 $19.95 1-800-222-9796
The "Crooked Road" is what people used to call the stretch of the 253 mile long U.S. Highway 58 that crosses through Virginia's Blue Ridge Mountain country as it connects the Virginia Piedmont with the Cumberland Mountains. It is also known as Virginia's "Heritage Music Trail", an officially designated driving route that leads to some of the best traditional mountain music in the country. In A Guide To The Crooked Road: Virginia's Heritage Music Trail, music historian, folklorist Joe Wilson (who is also Chairman of the National Council for the Traditional Arts and producer of forty-one large-scale music festivals in eleven states) introduces music lovers to a tour of ten Virginian counties providing a traveler's guide to the area's distinctive musical attractions, as well as opportunities to enjoy local crafts, outdoor recreation, lodging and dining while doing so. An accompanying CD showcases fifty-three example of the region's Old-Time, Bluegrass, Piedmont Blues, Anglo-American ballads, and Appalachian Gospel Music showcases pieces that range from "Baptist Shout" (Frank Jenkins, 1927) to"Taking the Crooked Road Home (Sammy Shelor, Linda Lay, David Lay, 2006). A welcome addition to American Music History reference collections, A Guide To The Crooked Road is also a wonderfully organized and presented traveler's reference and planning guide.
Top 1000 Hits Of The Rock Era
Joel Whitburn
Hal Leonard Corporation
PO Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI 53213
1423409191 $14.95 halleonard.com
The blend of color photos with statistics here is simply wonderful, surpassing other ‘top hits' compilations by providing a full color photos of each hit's original 45 RPM picture sleeve or ad, supplementing the Billboard chart details. The rock era covered is from 1955-2005: fifty years of top music, with nine small photos to each page enhancing the countdown listings. Any music fan will quickly consider Top 1000 Hits Of The Rock Era a top pick.
Two full-length BIS Records CDs accompany an introductory guide in David Hurwitz's Shostakovich Symphonies And Concertos (1574671316 $22.95), which enhances the ‘Unlocking the Masters' series. From structural analysis of particular movements and atmosphere to step-by-step descriptions and analysis of development choices, listeners are treated to a fine movement-by-movement analysis which delves into the intricacies of classical style in general and Shostakovich's choices in particular. Thomas May's The John Adams Reader: Essential Writings On An American Composer (1574671324, 27.95) provides music library holdings with essays by leading musical critics who examine the popular living classical American composer's works, direction, and influences. These are interviews and critical assessments alike, including Mr. May's interview with John Adams and a piece on Adams' early days in San Francisco. The blend of interviews with scholarly assessments allows for a fine detailed, in-depth approach to Adams' works and perspective and is a ‘must' for any serious classical music library.
This Business of Songwriting
Jason Blume
Billboard Books/Watson Guptil
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
0823077594 $24.95 watsonguptill.com
This Business Of Songwriting: A Practical Guide To Doing Business As A Songwriter is a complete, 288-page instruction manual for the aspiring songwriter. Author Jason Blume has logged twenty plus years of professional experience in song writing and publishing, and he shares that experience in This Business Of Songwriting from first page to last. It is crucial for the songwriter to understand that it is not enough to be able to write great songs, or even to learn to write great songs. There are a plethora of practical business skills and music publishing details that can make the difference between success and failure as a songwriter. This Business Of Songwriting steps up to the plate and fully delivers. It has whole chapters dedicated to grasping the basics of music publishing, choosing (and being chosen by) a publisher, staff writing, understanding music publishing agreements (which can be quite complex), self publishing your work, exploiting your copyrights, co-publishing your work, operating as a performing songwriter, and understanding copyright administration agreements. Three additional sections deal with how songs generate income, how to protect your songs,, and maximizing your chances for success. Each section contains two to five chapters detailing information that is crucial to the songwriter who is "in the business." As in many other fields, the key is a combination of organization, persistence, realistic expectations, and determined follow-through on good ideas. A Final Note from Blume contains valuable nuggets of encouragement to students of songwriting: "In the years that I've taught songwriting I've been privileged to watch some of my students attain their goals and live their dreams - but I've not seen it accomplished without dedication and hard work...I know that success is possible, despite how it might sometimes feel. Take advantage of the educational and networking opportunities provided by classes, workshops, camps, and other music industry events; hone your skills by seeking professional feedback, studying the craft, and rewriting your work; learn about the business of songwriting; and most importantly, enjoy the ride (p. 310)."
Blue Monday
Rick Coleman
Da Capo Press
11 Cambridge Ctr, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306814919 $26.95 dacapopress.com
In 1956 a black and white newsreel film displayed a haunting piano player: it was Fats Domino – and Rick Coleman's Blue Monday: Fats Domino And The Lost Dawn Of Rock N Roll opens with this scene, revealing the story behind a man given little credit for fostering the birth of rock n roll. Media commonly attributes this birth to Elvis Presley, but it was Domino who fostered the rhythm and blues style which came before it and set the foundation for a music revolution. His personal life, achievements, and philosophy is presented in a biography notable for its ability to provide plenty of insights on a reclusive personality's life and times.
The Photography Shelf
Arctic Wings
Stephen Brown, Ph.D., editor
The Mountaineers Books
1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134-1161
0898869757 $39.95 1-800-553-4453
Arctic Wings: Birds Of The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge is a stunningly beautiful nature photography book. From robins feeding their young, to migratory flocks in flight, to raptors and water birds, the variety of the arctic's feathered denizens is superbly captured in these full-color images. An introduction and several essays offer insight into the complexity and majesty of the arctic ecosystem and the role that birds play, but the majority of Arctic Wings is devoted to breathtaking photography. An accompanying CD of arctic refuge birdsongs is included.
America's 100th Meridian
Monte Hartman
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
0896725618 $39.905 www.ttup.ttu.edu
Featuring an informative essay by William Kittredge, and comprising a wealth of color photography and a "reader friendly" text by Monte Hartman, America's 100th Meridian: A Plains Journey is an astounding coffee-table book tour, and the fruit of six journeys along the two-thousand-mile line that divides East from West. The highlight of America's 100th Meridian is the full-color photography of everything from railroad crossings to windblown fields, farm animals, roadside shrines, panoramic sunsets and much more. The text summarizes of history in America's heartlands through the decades, from the Ice Age to the modern day, and the resulting impacts upon the landscape and the local populace. A truly splendid and pristine memory, capturing timeless moments and locations with purely professional quality. Highly recommended especially for photography buffs and armchair travelers.
Candida Hofer Libraries
Umberto Eco, essay
Schirmer/Mosel/Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, NY, NY 10003
3829601867 $99.95 schirmer-mosel.com
137 color plates distinguish Candida Hofer Libraries, beautifully capturing seats of knowledge around the world from the Pierpont Morgan Library in New York to the Bibliotheque nationale de France in Paris, the Villa Medici in Rome and others. Aside from a brief introduction, no essays intersperse the eye-catching plates, each of which takes up a whole page with a blank page opposite in a two-page spread. The snapshot images speak for themselves in this captivating compilation highly recommended for bibliophile's coffee tables and photography shelves.
David Campany's essay provides a historian/photographer's background and perspective while critic Jan Tumlir's interview adds more depth to compliment the photo gathering of John Divola's Three Acts (1931788952, $50.00). Divola created these bodies of work over the course of the 1970s, pulling together the themes of Vandalism, LAX NAZ and Zuma created in condemned neighborhoods, urban settings, and through interplays between artist and subject. Destruction and change are documented in vivid black and white photos. Mary Panzer and Christian Coujolle provide the essays to compliment Things Are They Are: Photojournalism In Context Since 1955 (1597110140, $75.00), a survey of photojournalism which divides presentations by 10-year eras and provides a strong documentary history through over a hundred features shot and published around the world. Each story appears in context of its newspaper or magazine appearance, as seen by its first readers: having them all under one cover provides a unique world presentation and focus unavailable elsewhere and allows for juxtaposition of landmark presentations which set the standard for photographic and journalistic excellence. Janet Koplos provides an introductory essay for Teun Hocks (1931788782, $40.00), a gathering of photos by Hocks representing the first English-language volume devoted to the Dutch photographer's works. Full-page color images of untitled works display works which blend painting with photography and which present single scene stories often open to viewer interpretation. Bold colors, startling reflective themes and introspective art: you can't ask for more.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Total Core Fitness
Kathy Corey
Barron's
250 Wireless Rd., Hauppauge, NY 11788
0764133217 $16.99 barronseduc.com
Many books promote fitness programs and such programs wax and wane; but a core fitness program should be followed for life – and that's what Total Core Fitness: Stronger, Leaner, And Fitter To The Core advocates. This follows not a single structure but draws from regimens from yoga and Pilates to weight training to provide exercises that can be used at any age. The idea is to build and follow a quality program for life – and Total Core Fitness is designed to be this core program.
Rodale Press
400 S. Tenth St, Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
www.rodale.com
Philosophy, cultural and social issues and health matters blend in Peter Singer & Jim Mason's The Way We Eat: Why Our Food Choices Matter (157954889X, $25.95) which is hard to easily peg, but which answers all kinds of questions on the motivating forces behind the American diet and the ultimate cost of these forces. Chapters by an ethicist and an environmental writer survey the meals of three typical American families with differing tastes and shopping habits, using their contrast to survey wider issues of working conditions, environmental degradation, health and more. The conclusion offers five basic principles consumers can use to make better food choices to improve not just health, but the environment. The Biggest Loser: The Weight-Loss Program To Transform Your Body, Health And Life (1594863849, $18.95) comes from the Biggest Loser Experts, cast, and Maggie Greenwood-Robinson, Ph.D. and provides the popular NBC-TV show's insights on how overweight contestants teamed with celebrity trainers to shape up. Millions have seen the changes and show: in book form you'll have easier access to the plans designed by the show's medical experts, along with recipes, to make the most of the trainer tips. A 12-week fat-blasting program pairs with tips and motivators along with participant insights and experiences making for far more than your usual weight loss title.
Brain, Heal Thyself
Madonna Siles
Hampton Roads
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
1571744762 $16.95 www.hrpub.com
Brain, Heal Thyself: A Caregiver's New Approach To Recovery From Stroke, Aneurysm, And Traumatic Brain Injuries is one of the most important self-help books on the market. The author's good friend experienced a near-fatal brain aneurysm and recovered: her title blends memoir and medical insights and will appeal to any caregiver who wants a blend of ‘how to' and biography.
Outliving Heart Disease
Richard A. Stein, MD
Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York NY 10017
1557045941 $24.95 newmarketpress.com
If you think Outliving Heart Disease: The 10 New Rules For Prevention And Treatment re-hashes old information, think again: cardiologist Richard Stein observes too many new studies, reports, and conflicting details and cuts to the chase in providing clear, easy insights on what constitutes risk and how to alleviate it. From recognizing symptoms of an impending attack to assessing risk present and future and undertaking a health program to alleviate it, Outliving Heart Disease clarifies information.
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10110
1-800-233-4830 www.wwnorton.com
Joseph Palombo's Nonverbal Learning Disabilities: A Clinical Perspective (039-3704785 $37.50) covers a disorder which impairs a person's ability to perceive and understand nonverbal signs. This lack of perception affects everything from behavior patterns and social interactions to personality and affects individuals across all realms of life. Current neurobehavioral research draws together the latest findings on NLD in a book that serves as both an overview of the condition and as a guide to therapies and development. F. Scott Kraly's Brain Science And Psychological Disorders: Therapy, Psychotropic Drugs, And The Brain (0393704653, $23.95) explains how brain chemistry affects behavior, explaining the complex possibilities of neurobiology and drug therapies to explore what happens in the brain of one suffering a debilitating psychological disorder. While it all sounds like readers would need a degree to understand the basics, the beauty of Brain Science And Psychological Disorders is that no advanced knowledge is needed, allowing general- interest audiences a survey of the advantages and disadvantages of drug vs. talk therapies in light of neurological realities.
Postmortem
Stefan Timmermans
University of Chicago Press
1427 E. 60th St., Chicago, IL 60637-2954
0226803988 $30.00 press.uchicago.edu
Postmortem: How Medical Examiners Explain Suspicious Deaths offers what few competitors can: a close-up look into just how medical examiners work. The author spent three years shadowing examiners to understand how they probe questionable deaths, and Postmortem covers not just the physical but the legal, social and moral issues faced by the industry. From issues of objectivity in the face of subjective evidence to influences in headline cases, Postmortem is a title not just for the general public, but especially for the college- level medical collection.
Action Plan For High Cholesterol
J. Larry Durstine
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736054405 $17.95 www.hkusa.com
Part of the outstanding "ACSM Action Plan For Health" series, Larry Durstine's Action Plan For High Cholesterol: Your Guide To Preventing Plaque And Maintaining A Healthier Heart is to be particularly commended for its "reader friendly" text providing practical, methodical, effective, and proven cholesterol-controlling exercise program that is far superior to the usual fad diets or too-true-to-be-true reduce weight at any cost shortcuts. Readers will discover how to determine which type of exercise (or combination of exercises) is best for them including how frequent and intense their workouts should be. Readers will also discover which cholesterol control medicines might be best for them, as well as how they can change their lifestyle to reduce (or even eliminate) their intake of cholesterol medications. Developed in cooperation with the American College of Sports Medicine, Action Plan For High Cholesterol is especially recommended for anyone having to deal with rising cholesterol levels and health concerns.
Cerebral Palsy
Freeman Miller& Steven J. Bachrach
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St, Baltimore, MD 21218
0801883555 $18.95 www.press.jhu.edu
Co-authored by medical doctors Freeman Miller and Steven Bachrach, Cerebral Palsy: A Complete Guide For Caregiving, 2nd Edition is a ‘must' for any family struggling with CP care: it provides parents with answers ranging form understanding areas of involvement and basic care issues to understanding medical terminology commonly used. An A-Z encyclopedia helps define these terms, diagnoses and procedures, while discussions delve into regulations, assessments of condition, and the latest research. The wealth of details are organized logically and parents will find it easy to navigate, making it an item of choice above others.
The Art Shelf
The Prints Of John Himmelfarb
Michael Bonsteel & Linda K. Kramer
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911
1555952453 $50.00 www.amazon.com
Deftly co-authored and compiled by Michael Bonsteel (writer and critic from Himmelfarb's Chicago) and Linda Konheim Kramer (Executive Director of the Nancy Graves Foundation), both of whom contribute highly informative essay commentaries, The Prints Of John Himmelfarb: A Catalogue Raisonne 1967-2004 is a conceptual collection of the artistic works of John Himmelfarb since his career beginning in the year 1967. Introducing the reader to the many particular and individual artistic pieces of the great artist, The Prints Of John Himmelfarb informs of the entire career of Himmelfarb, from its earliest development to the current. The Prints Of John Himmelfarb is very strongly recommended to all students of his art, students of modern art, and those wishing for a knowledgeable perspective of the artists life, career, inspirations, and biographical history. Enhanced with extensive Editor's Notes; a Chronology; a roster of Public Collections, Exhibitions, Public Projects; Visiting Artist and Awards; a Selected Bibliography; an Index of Works; Publishers, Printers, Locations, along with Acknowledgments and Photo Credits, The Prints Of John Himmelfarb is a core addition to personnel, professional, and academic collections.
Lorna Simpson
Okwui Enwezor
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
115 West 18th Street, NY, NY 10011
www.abramsbooks.com
0810955482 $45.00 1-800-759-0190
Organized by the American Federation of the Arts, Lorna Simpson is a 20-year gallery and retrospective of contemporary artist Lorna Simpson's photographic and text works. Unafraid to delve into themes of race, sexuality, and loss, Simpson's striking imagery of the human figure, often cropped, speaks directly to the viewer. Black-and- white and color photographs give the reader the next best thing to a tour of a gallery of Simpson's art, and the brief text passages include commentary on Simpson's creations and a conversation with the artist. Lorna Simpson is an excellent contribution to personal, academic, and community library photographic and artbook collections.
Enhanced with some 400 color illustrations and photographs, Absolute Wilson: The Biography showcases the life and work of avant-garde visionary, artist and stage designer Robert Wilson. Documentarian, filmmaker, and producer Katharina Otto-Bernstein was provided with complete access to Wilson and traces his career from his Texas childhood to his present-day studio at the Watermill Center on Long Island. Absolute Wilson reveals the artist's creative process, his unconventional techniques, how he chooses his collaborators (documenting their often turbulent relationships), and Wilson's famous "think Tank". Enhanced with interviews with family members, friends and colleagues ranging from Philip Glass and David Byrne to Susan Sontag and John Rockwell, Absolute Wilson is a definitively informed and informative, 288-page introduction to one of the most influential and talented men working in the arts today.
Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane
Margarita Cappock, editor
Merrell Publishers
49 West 24th Street, 8th fl, NY, NY 10010
www.merrellpublishers.com
1858943337 $24.95 www.amazon.com
Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane tells of Hugh Lane, who began his career in the arts as an apprentice painting restorer, became a London art dealer, and eventually amassed a collection of art which led to Ireland's most famous public art collections. Lane died in 1915 and sparked a long ownership dispute over his collection, eventually shared by two cities: Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane offers a guide to the collection, with color reproductions on nearly every page. A fine tribute to Hugh Lane's achievements.
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
KP Books/F&W
700 E. State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
www.fwpubs.com
Kyle Kusfloen and Madeleine Kirsh edit Antique Trader Vintage Clothing Price Guide (0896893707, $24.99), a review of fashions of the past 200 years from Victorian times to 1980. Here are over 1,500 color listings with the latest prices, providing a fine compendium of visual and value detail for any collector. The 24th official edition of Colin Bruce II and Thomas Michael's 2007 Standard Catalog Of World Coins 1901-2000 (0896893650, $55.00) offers collectors a fine desk reference which prices up to five grades of condition as it includes details on design, history, weights and more. This isn't a take-along tote but a weighty desk reference that packs over 2,000 pages of detail under its covers – including small black and white photos of coins. Serious collectors and researchers alike can't afford to be without it. David Doyle's compact reference book Warman's Lionel Train Field Guide 1945-69 (0896892999, $12.99) may look small, but it's meant for take-it-along consultation, whether it be travel to a flea market, model train show, or garage sale. Its pocket size lends to just such practical consultation and packs in hundreds of locomotives, flatcars, specialty car and cabooses, adding over five hundred color photos to over 2,000 listings of cars and accessories. Value ranges for various conditions are color coded for easy lookup.
The Incredible Pulps
Frank M. Robinson, Introduction
Collectors Press
PO Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281
1933112166 $14.95 collectorspress.com
There are so many places The Incredible Pulps: A Gallery Of Fiction Magazine Art could have been featured: in our art section for fans of magazine art, in our literary section for readers of magazine fiction – but it's featured here for the added interest collectors will have. Full-page color photos pack a small collection which sometimes holds several covers per page. While there are no accompanying values, the reproductions are stunningly rich in color and any with an interest in pulps will find it a worthy reference indeed.
Collector Books
PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
www.collectorbooks.com
Collectors of dolls in general and Shirley Temple memorabilia in particular will relish The Complete Guide To Shirley Temple Dolls Collectibles Identification & Value Guide (1574325051, $29.95): for here are pages packed not only with color photos of the dolls, but their accessories as well. From defining condition and fixing up the dolls to profiting from look-alike models and understanding values, Shirley Temple Dolls is a collector's ‘must'. Gene & Cathy Florence's Glass Candlesticks Of The Depression Era, Volume 2: Identification And Value (1574324950, $24.95) provides a secondary volume of addition candles collected since the author's first volume, presenting the same easy organization by maker and the fine color photos which lend to quick identification. From patterns and color notes to sizes and valuation, Glass Candlesticks, Volume 2 is a pick any owner of Volume 1 needs.
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Honen the Buddhist Saint
Joseph A. Fitzgerald, editor
World Wisdom
1501 E Hillside Dr Bloomington IN 47401
1933316136 $19.95 worldwisdom.com
The latest volume in the Spiritual Masters: East and West series, Honen the Buddhist Saint is a condensed, English-translated version of the biography of Honen Shonin (1133-1212), originally published in 1925. Black-and-white photographs of classical Japanese artwork illustrates this respectful chronicle of a Japanese Buddhist saint, who devoted himself to the spiritual path of Pure Land Buddhism. Covering Honen's life, teachings, famous sayings, followers, and final years, Honen the Buddhist Saint offers a crystal-clear picture of his life and teachings especially for lay readers who might struggle with the sheer length and technical details of the original multi-volume edition. Highly recommended for students, scholars and practitioners of Buddhism.
The Wisdom Of Imperfection
Rob Preece
Snow Lion Publications
Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14850
1559392525 $16.95 snowlionpub.com
Any practicing Buddhist will relish The Wisdom Of Imperfection: The Challenge Of Individuation In Buddhist Life. It offers Westerners the opportunity to link psychotherapy and Buddhism for added impact and results than either alone could achieve, with chapters drawing important connections between spiritual enlightenment and mental health. From understanding emotions and pathology to linking these to the Buddhist path, The Wisdom Of Imperfection offers a new path.
The Audiobook Shelf
Twelve Angry Men
Reginald Rose
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Boulevard, Venice, CA 90291
www.latw.org
1580813348 $24.95 1-800-708-8863
Twelve Angry Men is a full-cast audiobook production, featuring a complete theatrical play about twelve jurors who heatedly debate the future of a 19-year-old boy who allegedly killed his own father. A seemingly simple case turns complex, bringing forth hidden emotions and prejudice in the ordinary men chosen for the jury. Completely faithful to the original play and skillfully directed by John de Lancie, Twelve Angry Men is benefitted by a superb cast and flawless technical production values, and is a very highly recommended and simply riveting audio drama. An interview with playwright Reginald Rose's wife rounds out this highly recommended addition to personal and library audiobook shelves. 2 CDs, 85 minutes.
Purity Of Blood
Arturo Perez-Reverte
Books On Tape
400 Hahn Road, Westminster, MD 21157
1415926514 $63.00 booksontape.com
Featuring four flawlessly recorded audio cassettes for a total running time of six hours and thirty minutes, this complete and unabridged edition of Purity Of Blood is written by Arturo Perez-Reverte and superbly narrated by Simon Vance. This is the second in a series of thrilling adventure story featuring the life and times Captain Alatriste, a courageous swordsman-for-hire in the age of the Spanish Inquisition. Listeners will follow Alatriste through an epic tale of his involvement in an attempted rescue of a young woman from the lechery of a corrupt priest which plunges Alatriste and his young companion directly into the terrors of the Inquisition where all hope seems lost. Also available in a CD format ($81.00, 6 CDS), Purity Of Blood is enthusiastically recommended for community library audiobook collections and is a "must" for those following Perez-Reverte's superbly crafted Captain Alatriste swashbuckling adventure series.
The Rider Of Lost Creek
Louis L'Amour
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
www.BlackstoneAudio.com
078617076X $36.00 1-800-729-2665
Dynamically narrated by Jim Gough, The Rider Of Lost Creek is an unabridged audiobook presentation of celebrated author Louis L'Amour's western novel about a gunman who owes his life to man whose claim on a watering hole is disputed by two wealthy, feuding cattle ranchers. The drama comes alive through Austin native Jim Gough's engrossing presentation, and L'Amour's painstaking attention to detail and realism shine through as always, creating a vivid glimpse of struggle and survival on the harsh frontier. The tension stays high from the beginning to the very end. 4 CDs, 4 1/2 hours, tracks every 3 minutes for easy bookmarking.
Highbridge
33 S. 6th Street, Minneapolis, MN 55402
www.highbridgeaudio.com
Samuel Pepys' Pepys' Diary (1598870262 $29.95) is an outstanding classic which comes to life in audio cd format, narrated by Kenneth Branagh whose background in film and direction lend to a vivid narrative indeed. Pepys' classic has lasted centuries because it records in vivid descriptions the bygone world of 17th-century London life: this vivid written word in turn translates well into audio and brings a rich history to life. Norman Maclean's A River Runs Through It (1598870335, $24.95) blends religion, fly-fishing and memoir as it comes to life in audio under the compelling voice of Ivan Doig. It was a hit novel – but this 4-disc cd collection includes new bonus material, making it a pick even for prior readers, who will discover new loveliness in the audio version. Mystery listeners will love Sherlock Holmes: A Baker Street Dozen (1598870297, $26.95), which has been fully dramatized by a cast for maximum effect. Like an old radio show the action comes to life in these twelve episodes which sparkle with special effects and life.
King Solomon's Mines
Sir Henry Rider Haggard
Naxos AudioBooks
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9626343540 $21.98 1-877-629-6723
Set in nineteenth century Africa, King Solomon's Mines by Sir Henry Rider Haggard is an adventure novel about an expedition searching for the legendary lost mines of King Solomon. Three dauntless men face off against big game, the ruthless King Twala of Kukuanaland, the king's crafty henchwoman Gagoola, and more. Like all Naxos audiobooks, King Solomon's Mines blends the exciting saga with classical music. Narrator Bill Homewood applies his expertise in radio, television, film, and stage to this dramatic presentation. 3 CDs, 3 hour 50 min.
Random House Audio
1745 Broadway, NY, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com/audio
Catherine Ryan Hyde's Love In The Present Tense (073933283X, $29.95) receives three narrators who add high drama and action to the story of one Pearl, who mistrusts people and who lives a reclusive secret life with her five-year-old son, until one day she vanishes. Her son's relationship with his newfound father figure Mitch develops even as Mitch faces having to give up the boy to a two-parent home. Robert Baer's Blow The House Down (0739332392, $29.95) receives veteran John Rubinstein's Broadway acting background which lends high verbal drama to an intriguing story of a veteran CIA officer obsessed with the murder of his mentor. His investigation will lead to an Iranian math genius turned terrorist and a host of puzzles leading to murder in this gripping thriller. Stephen Harrigan's Challenger Park (0739325183, $29.95) receives Sam Freed's involving voice, also benefitting from a Broadway background and a talent for lending drama to plot. Here a female astronaut married to another astronaut is determined to excel in the space program, finding her marriage deteriorating even as she nears her goals. When she's in space and perhaps has left Earth forever, only then does she have cause to reflect on her choices. Dean Koontz's The Husband (0739332872, $44.95) receives Holter Graham's recording talents (he's done numerous other audios, so it may be familiar to avid listeners) and tells of a wife kidnapped and a husband facing her ransom. What would you do for love – kill? The Husband is facing a nightmare which will test his very character. Philip K. Dick's A Scanner Darkly (073932392X, $34.95) enjoys Paul Giamatti's excellent vocal talents as it probes links between cops and criminals. Bob deals a lethally addictive drug, and Fred is the police agent assigned to bust him. In the course of cat-and-mouse plays the drug is ingested and Fred finds himself split into two different entities. Random has fine nonfiction, too: John M. Gottman Ph.D. and Julie Schwartz Gottman, Ph.D. with Joan DeClaire's 10 Lessons To Transform Your Marriage (0739332376, $27.95) offer a formula for predicting whether marriage will succeed or fail – and for fixing it. Based on their successful prediction formula the husband-wife team developed intervention methods to address these common issues – and 10 Lessons To Transform Your Marriage holds these insights.
Penton Audio
1958 Kellogg Ave., Carlsbad, CA 92008
www.penton.com
Jeffrey Young and William Simon's iCon (159125602X, $18.95) provides a three audio-cd package to focus on Steve Jobs in an unauthorized biography of the founder of Apple Computer. Narration by the author Jeffrey Young provides a fine and detailed review of how Jobs changed modern culture with his computer and the iPod, creating revolutionary products from scratch. Deborah Weir's Timing The Market: How To Profit In The Stock Market Using The Yield Curve, Market Sentiment, And Cultural Indicators (159-1255724, $18.95) receives Anna Fields' warm reading as it tells how to understand the relationship between the stock market and interest rates. Weir is President of Wealth Strategies which does marketing for money managers and hedge funds, so she's in a fine position to impart the reasons for her success. Christopher Byron reads his own Martha Inc: The Incredible Story Of Martha Stewart Living (159-1255651, $18.95), a story of how Stewart not only became rich and famous, but how she recreated her image in the process. Martha Inc. probes the story of Martha's motivation for success and how she turned lack into a billion dollar business. All are fine financial tools which shine in audio presentations.
90 Second Cellphone Chillin' Theater
Meatball Fulton
ZBS Foundation
174 North River Rd, Ft Edward, NJ 12828
www.zbs.org
1931654301 $20.00 1-800-662-3345
90 Second Cellphone Chillin' Theater is a devilish audiobook collection of short stories so short they could be coined vignettes. Ranging in tone from the bizarre, to the offensive, to the whimsical, to the demonic, 90 Second Cellphone Chillin' Theater offers delicate bites of how one's life could be so much worse, and encourages the listener to laugh at the misfortunes that selfish mortals bring upon themselves - at least, in the spare moments to be found in a fast-paced modern life. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone with a wicked sense of humor. 2 CDs.
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1-800-854-7859 brillianceaudio.com
Fern Michaels' The Jury (1597375683, $19.95) receives Laurel Merlington's seasoned veteran voice which spices a story of the Sisterhood, dedicated to sharing experiences and righting wrongs. Paula's long suffered from an abusive marriage with a powerful power-broker Washington husband. The Sisterhood will teach him power isn't control in this warm story of courage and struggle. Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson join in Peter And The Shadow Thieves (159737458x, $29.95), an action-packed adventure powered by Jim Dale, a narrator who knows how to inject the drama into the audio word. It comes from the bestseller Peter And The Starcatchers, providing a sequel which tells of another journey, this across London where Peter and Tinker Bell discover a dark creature intent on recovering missing starstuff in search of power. Jonathan King's Eye Of Vengeance (1423313488, $26.95) receives Mel Foster's lively and vigorous reading as it tells of a journalist who attracts the attention of a killer. Nick Mullins is a veteran crime reporter, but even his skills are tested by not only single fatherhood and career problems, but a killer's death which evokes another's discovery. Romance on audio is alive and well, too, as evidenced by some fine new releases. Nora Roberts' Angels Fall (1423-306546, $26.95) receives veteran narrator Joyce Bean's smooth and fine rendition and tells of one Reece, the sole survivor of a brutal crime who has been on the run and settles in Angels Fist Wyoming, only to view a possible murder in progress. Johanna Lindsey's Captive Of My Desires (1596002344, $26.95) enjoys veteran Laural Merlington's fine voice and tells of an American rogue who meets the spirited daughter of a pirate. A search for an estranged father, who has become a pirate, leads Gabrielle on a world-wide journey and eventual search for a husband. Linda Lael Miller's The Man From Stone Creek (1423321502, $24.95) receives Buck Schirner's excellent and smooth voice accompanying the story of two people determined never to live, who meet only to find romance involves three. Laurel K. Hamilton's latest "Anita Blake, Vampire Hunter" novel Danse Macabre (1596000414, $29.95) is narrated by Cynthia Holloway and needs no prior introduction to the other Blake predecessors to prove involving. Anita's latest dilemma: she may be pregnant, and her concern overrules much interest in vampire politics and intrigue as she faces the possibilities of who the father is. Catherine Coulter's The Courtship (1597378275, $26.95) receives Anne Flosnik's compelling voice as it tells of Heatherington and Helen, who track down a mystical treasure. Fans of Coulter will recognize the characters from other books; but no prior familiarity is needed by newcomers in order to appreciate the blend of romance and intrigue. Cecily von Ziegesar created the ‘It Girl' novels, of which the latest one, Notorious (1423317092, $26.95), receives a lively, outstanding reading by veteran Joyce Bean. Jenny's rooming with two of the most popular girls in school and dreams of becoming a sophisticated debutante – but her rival Tinsley's back and determined to cause trouble. Four girls are competing for the title of ‘It girl', but only one can succeed… James Patterson edits the collection Thriller: Stories To Keep You Up All Night (1423321758, $39.95), which is the first collection of thriller-only stores under one cover. Some of North America's best authors are represented, and adding to the audio pleasure are readings by some top audio narrator veterans as well, such as Joyce Bean, Dick Hill, Laural Merlington and others. An outstanding display of talents make for a top listen for any who love thrillers. W.E.B. Griffin's The Saboteurs (1423319648, $39.95) joins others in his ‘Men at War' series, co-written by William Butterworth IV and featuring veteran David Colacci's excellent voice. Men of the Office of Strategic Forces again face battle questions probing possible sabotage as Allied forces secretly prepare to invade Sicily then Italy during the war. An excellent military thriller evolves. John Updike's Terrorist (1423318692, $26.95) receives Christopher Lane's provocative voice to bring to life the story of a disillusioned young man driven to become a terrorist. The paths of his life and the eventual hatching of a plot makes for a realistic tale. Jayne Ann Krentz writes as Jayne Castle in Ghost Hunter (1423308247, $24.95), brought to life in audio by veteran narrator Laural Merlington and telling of a powerful ghost hunter and romance. Guilt secrets threaten career and marriage alike in a fine tale of intrigue, disappearances, and a supernatural blend of ghost myths and mystery. All are excellent listens and top picks.
A Boy Of Good Breeding
Miriam Toews
BTC Audio Books/Goose Lane Editions
469 King Street, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 1E5
www.gooselane.com
086492464X $24.95 1-888-926-8377
Winner of the McNally Robinson Book of the Year award and ably narrated by Ruth McIntosh, A Boy Of Good Breeding by Miriam Toews is an abridged audiobook set in a small Canadian town - a town so small that the Mayor schemes to keep the population at an even 1,500 to win a contest for being the smallest town in the nation. Young mother Knute and her four-year-old daughter have returned to town to escape the havoc of the big city, but when the mayor enlists Knute for his schemes, she must figure out how to keep the town population down when folks keep getting married, having babies, and more. The return of Knute's old boyfriend Max further complicates issues in this charming, down-home folksy story, originally broadcast on CBC radio. 3 CDs, 4 hours.
Tantor Media
114 Mill Rock Road East, Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com
Steve Hockensmith's Holmes On The Range (1400102251, $34.99) receives a powerful narration by William Dufris, whose award-winning voice lends a strong boost to a mystery set in 1893 and revolving around two ranch hands hired at a secretive cattle spread. Their penchant for Sherlock Holmes tales leads to their own style of investigation as results come in and threats heighten tensions. Susan Shapiro Barash's Tripping The Prom Queen: The Truth About Women And Rivalry (1400102006, $29.99) receives Shelly Frasier's warm and revealing voice which has lent power and vision to over 30 audio productions as well as film and theatre projects. Here's the first detailed look at women's rivalry based on original research and interviews with over 500 women at all social levels: a seminal and groundbreaking work which explores bad behavior's origins and purposes.
The Islamic Studies Shelf
Warrant For Terror
Shmuel Bar
Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Frobes #200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowmanlittlefield.com
0742551202 $21.95 www.amazon.com
Plenty has been written about Islamist terrorism, but these writings can't explain why other groups who have even more to complain about haven't developed such religiously-based terrorist ideologies. Warrant For Terror: The Fatwas Of Radical Islam And The Duty To Jihad narrows its focus to the fatwas, legal opinions declaring whether a given act under Islam is permitted, forbidden or obligatory. From how Islamic law operates to how it determines the duty to jihad, Warrant For Terror offers many insights.
The International Studies Shelf
Che: A Memoir By Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro, author
David Deutschmann, editor
Ocean Press
PO Box 1186, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113-1186
192088825X $16.95 oceanbooks.com.au
Now in a new edition which includes Fidel Castro's speech on the return of Che's remains to Cuba 30 years after his assassination in Bolivia in 1967, Che: A Memoir By Fidel Castro is a classic political memoir and biography of revolutionary and intellectual Che Guevara. Che: A Memoir By Fidel Castro is not structured like a standard biography; chapters jump back and forth through time, reflecting on key events in Che's political life, his implacable struggle for transformation, his martyrdom, and his legacy. An inset section of black-and-white photographic plates round out this unique appraisal of a complex revolutionary figure (whose impact continues to inspire men and woman to political resistance and activism long after his own death), as seen through the eyes of a national leader who admires him. Students of Che's live and work would be well advised to visit the Ocean Press website for a complete listing of all their Che Guevara related titles.
Between Equal Rights
China Mieville
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
www.haymarketbooks.org
1931859337 $18.00 1-773-583-7884
Between Equal Rights: A Marxist Theory Of International Law by China Mieville is a sharp and deftly presented leftist critique of international law from the sixteenth century to the present day. Decrying the complicity of legal norms with the violence inflicted by empires and colonization, Between Equal Rights weighs Marxism against mercantile colonialism, sovereignty, the fine line between imposing imperial will and "police actions", and much more. A philosophical discussion intended for intermediate to advanced students of political, legal, and social theory, Between Equal Rights offers a fierce dissection of the weaknesses, cruelties and blind spots of the status quo, and is highly recommended and relevant reading for students of contemporary International Studies with respect to the issues of international law and the current "war on terrorism" being waged by the United States government and its allies.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Our Earth's Changing Land
Helmut Geist, editor
Greenwood Publishing
PO Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0313327041 $225.00 greenwood.com
Earth's environment faces all kinds of challenges over the next century; from the erosion of biodiversity and changes in climate to the ongoing impact of an expanding human population. Other studies have covered these issues in bits, pieces, and in depth: Our Earth's Changing Land: An Encyclopedia Of Land-Use And Land Cover Change covers all these developments as they relate to land use and life needs. Chapters survey not just land use patterns past, present and future, but draw important connections between changing human needs, changing earth conditions, and what scientists and organizations studying these trends predict for the future. Add discussions of the politics and economics involved and you have a hard-hitting 2-volume set perfect for college-level collections offering resources on environmental or land use issues alike.
Encyclopedia Of Terrorist, Natural, And Man-Made Disasters
Michael I. Greenberg, MD, MPH
Jones and Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive, Sudbury, MA 01776
076 3737828 $44.95 www.jbpub.com
Expertly compiled and organized by Michael I. Greenberg (Professor of Public Health and Emergency Medicine, Drexel University College of Medicine, Medical College Hospital, Department of Emergency Medicine, Division of Toxicology), Encyclopedia Of Terrorist, Natural, And Man-Made Disasters covers all major toxicological incidents whether they were the result of human activity or unassisted products of nature. This encyclopedic approach to documenting occurrences with hazardous material in a single index is unique and describes incidents that can be traced through history. Each specific event has been extensively researched and reference citations are included. Featuring more than 1200 entries, Encyclopedia Of Terrorist, Natural, And Man-Made Disasters is enhanced with the inclusion of a CD-Rom, making it an indispensable reference and a welcome addition to professional and academic library collections on environmental contamination.
An Inconvenient Truth
Al Gore
Rodale Press
733 – 3rd Avenue, NY, NY 10017-3204
1594865671 $21.95 rodalestore.com
The long-held notion that climate change happens very slowly is starting to change as the public grows to realize it's happening quickly – and has, as Gore maintains, become a planetary emergency not being addressed. An Inconvenient Truth: The Planetary Emergency Of Global Warming And What We Can Do About It defines, charts and discusses this emergency providing hard-hitting chapters of evidence and scientific fact. From turning points in realization and experience and evidence to discussions of changes, An Inconvenient Truth is a ‘must' read for any concerned about the environment.
The Railroading Shelf
Union Pacific: Volumes 1 & 2
Maury Klein
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, #290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
www.upress.umn.edu
0816644594 & 0816644608 $24.95/each
The weighty two-volume set covering the history of the Union Pacific won't be for every general collection – but it will be a ‘must' for any serious transportation history holding and particularly for any collection solid in railroad history. Union Pacific: Volume 1 covers the period from 1862-1893, chronicling the surveys, falling outs, standoffs, and interrelationships which faced struggle to build up the Union Pacific dream. Vintage black and white photos liberally pepper a dramatic account of obstacles and achievements alike: it's amazing the Union Pacific got off the ground and grew, given its many hurdles detailed here. Union Pacific: Volume II covers 1894-1969, after the financial panic of 1893, which pushed it to the edges of bankruptcy. Here the focus is on changing rules, regulations, and transportation needs and methods of Americans. Chapters document takeovers, government subsidy, and the individuals who fostered railroad changes. Don't separate these volumes for a collection: together they form a thorough coverage, and should not be split up.
The Needlecraft Shelf
First-Time Quiltmaking
Becky Johnston
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A, Urbandale, IA 50322
www.landauercorp.com
1890621978 $21.95 1-800-557-2144
First-Time Quiltmaking: Learning To Quilt In Six Easy Lessons by Becky Johnston is an excellent "get-started" book. No prior experience is assumed by lessons that walk the beginner through preparing the fabric, sewing accurate seams, assembling the quilt top, making the quilt sandwich, and finishing the quilt. Full-color photographs and numerous step-by-step diagrams add a visual touch to this easy-to-use guide, spiral-bound to lay flat for easy reference while quilting. Highly recommended for anyone interested in learning the creative craft of quilting.
Complete Guide To Embroidery Stitches
Reader's Digest Press
260 Madison Avenue, NY, NY 10016
0762106581 $22.95 www.rd.com
Nearly three hundred stitches from feather to drawn-thread stitches and beadwork receive visual embellishment and step-by-step illustration in the fine Complete Guide To Embroidery Stitches, a compendium divided into five main sections to cover embroidery on fabric, smocking, canvas work and more. From color value applications to step-by-step easy directions, each step receives visual drawings and hints for applications.
The Social Issues Shelf
The Great Turning
David Korten
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
1887208070 $27.95 bkconnection.com
The Great Turning: From Empire To Earth Community by social activist and author David C. Korten provides a detailed and articulate argument that the organization of society through hierarchy and violence, or "Empire" as Korten calls it, is promoting not only wealth for the few and misery for the many, but the potential extinction of humankind. The Great Turning proposes that Empire is not the inevitable natural order; drawing upon evolutionary theory, developmental psychology, and religious teachings, Korten proposes that "Earth Community" - ordering human society in an egalitarian way based on democratic principles of partnership - is indeed possible. The Great Turning outlines means by which human beings can take action for the future of the planet, and for themselves. Also highly recommended is Korten's previous expose, When Corporations Rule The World.
Unplugged
William H. Colby
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814408826 $24.95 amacombooks.org
The right-to-die debate is once again tackled; this time by a lawyer who represented Nancy Cruzan in the first right- to-die case heard by the Supreme Court. While Nancy Cruzan's struggles were chronicled in a prior book by Colby, Unplugged: Reclaiming Our Right To Die In America offers a broader perspective on the topic, moving beyond Cruzan's struggle to offer answers to legal, ethical, medical and personal issues involved in the debate. Court records, interviews and the authors' own experiences lend to the discussion of current laws, proposed changes, and their effects on society.
The Library Science Shelf
Evaluating The Impact Of Your Library
Sharon Markless & David Streatfield
Facet Publishing
c/o Neal-Schuman Publishing
100 William Street, #2004, NY NY 10038
1856044882 $99.95 neal-schuman.com
One of the on-going tasks of any corporate, academic, or community library is to track and collected information on their collections and services usages by their patrons. Library science educator and consultant Sharon Markless has collaborated with research, training and consulting expert David Streatfield to present Evaluating The Impact Of Your Library to assist librarians in designing and soliciting user assessments for service improvements. They explain how librarians can best develop clear goals and objectives for their library's services; identify success criteria and impact indicators against which projects will be evaluated; identify, gather and interpret evidence in support of goals and objectives; and employ findings for future decision-making and benchmarking with respect to library services. Enhanced with "user friendly" advice for creating questionnaires, interviewing respondents, and conducting focus groups, Evaluating The Impact Of Your Library is replete with illustrative "real world" examples and simple checklists, forms and statements, and will equip any librarian with what they will need to address their own service impact questions. Every librarian, no matter how large or small, specialized or generalized their library, should give careful attention to Sharon Markless and David Streatfield's superbly organized and presented textbook and reference.
Sacred Stacks
Nancy Kalikow Maxwell
American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
0838909175 $32.00 www.ala.org
Sacred Stacks: The Higher Purpose Of Libraries And Librarianship is a 168-page exploration and analysis of the importance of librarianship today. Nancy Kalikow Maxwell (Administrator, Miami Dad College North Campus Library) draws upon more than 30 years of professional experience and expertise to argue persuasively that libraries and librarians have an underlying significant meaning and diverse contributions to society. Included among these responsibilities are the promotion of the community, to uplift society, to bestow immortality, to preserve and transmit culture, to organize chaos, and finally, to provide "sacred space" for a democratic and secular culture. Long ago libraries were frequently held in trust by members of religious orders. Some of that sacred trust still permeates the stacks, according to Maxwell. Sacred Stacks is a tribute to the libraries' long honored ability to provide sacred secular space. Filled with pertinent, widely drawn quotation, Sacred Stacks is both a tribute to librarians and a manifesto to them. The author exhorts librarians to speak out, demand libraries as spiritual, sacred space to demand space for books, to remember the spirituality of books, to demand libraries serve as communal space, to balance libraries' public and private functions, to trumpet their ability to uplift individuals and society, to control chaos, and to remember that they transmit culture and immortality. Sacred Stacks will draw many parallels between secular and sacred learning. For those who accept the paradigm, Sacred Stacks is an inspiration long awaited. For those who are uncomfortable with some of the author's premises, Sacred Stacks is still commanding readings.
The Language Studies Shelf
Webster's New Explorer Encyclopedic Dictionary
Merriam-Webster Editors
Federal Street Press
25-13 Old Kings Highway North, #277, Darien, CT 06820
www.federalstreetpress.com
1596950072 $39.95 1-888-346-8632
Compiled and organized by the editorial staff of Merriam-Webster, one of America's premier publishers of dictionaries and library reference works, Webster's New Explorer Encyclopedic Dictionary features a brand new edition updated for 2006, with 330,000 words and definitions, more than 1,300 new words, and over 1,000 illustrations, all in one omnibus hardcover volume of 2200+ pages. Occasional "word history" sidebars also appear, explaining the origins of such common terms as "cynic" (derived from the name of an ancient school of Greek philosophers). An introductory section of explanatory notes, and a supplementary summary of how to use English punctuation rounds out this "must-have" resource for writers, students, and libraries. Highly recommended as the definitive guide to words of the English language.
The Art Of The Aeneid
William S. Anderson
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers, Inc.
1000 Brown Street, Unit 101, Wauconda, IL 60084
086516598X $13.00 www.bolchazy.com
Now in its second edition, The Art Of The Aeneid is Professor William S. Anderson's 138-page analytic introduction to Vergil's epic saga "Aeneid", and a "useful start on Rome's finest poem". Professor Anderson (Emeritus Professor of Latin at the University of California at Berkeley), has taught Latin previously at Yale and published informative works on Horace, Vergil, Roman comedy and satire, and Ovid's "Metamorphoses." Beginning with a map tracing the wanderings of Aeneas, The Art Of The Aeneid continues in eight chapters to analyze twelve books of the "Aeneid", provide background on Vergil and epic style, and offer illumination on Latin-English translation and Vergil's style. Two invaluable appendices include a chronology of Vergil's life and works in historical context and a list of resources for further reading, followed by extensive notes to the chapters and an index. The Art Of The Aeneid provides the reader with an excellent critical summary of Vergil's "Aeneid" and its poetic art. Professor Anderson provides a justified framework to well -reasoned conclusions about the intent of Vergil in presenting certain details as he does. An added attraction of this paperback edition is its lovely full color cover illustration by Thom Kapheim. The Art Of The Aeneid is a fine scholar's resource and can also be enjoyed by any appreciator of the Latin classics and would prove a core addition to academic library Latin Studies reference collections. Also very highly recommended for students of Latin are three other Bolchazy-Cardduci titles: A Horace Workbook (0865165742, $20.00), Catullus Expanded Edition (0865166-03X, $39.00), and Vergil Vocabulary Cards For AP Selectio (0865166102, $22.00)
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Lights Of The Spirit
Gwendolyn Etter-Lewis
Richard W. Thomas, editors
Baha'i Publishing
415 Linden Avenue, Wilmette, IL 600091
www.BahaiBooksUSA.com
1931847266 $17.00 1-847-425-7964
Lights Of The Spirit: Historical Portraits Of Black Baha'is In North America, 1898-2000 is a seminal, 338 page historical work containing studies and biographical material on extraordinary African Americans actively developing the Baha'i faith. Originating in Iran in 1844, the Baha'i faith is an independent world religion that holds racial equality as a central lynch pin of their faith. In the words of prophet founder Baha'u'llah's son, Abdu'l-Baha, colored people are comparable to the black pupil of the eye surrounded by the white. In this black pupil you see the reflection of that which is before it, and through it the light of the spirit shineth forth (preface). Information about Sadie Oglesby, Alain Locke, Dorothy Champ, Coralie Franklin Cook and George William Cooke, Dizzy Gillespie, Elsie Austin, Louis Turner, and Robert Turner is presented along with many other pioneers of the Black Baha'i movement in North America. The editors, both Baha'i scholars, bring many diverse pieces of the puzzle together for the first time. Included are twenty separate chapters of informed and informative information, including some essays on racial history and the rise of the Baha'i religion in North America, some of which are more world-directed in tone, plus some categorized as family histories, including portraits of Sadie Rebecca Johnson Ellis, Mary Brown Martin, and other heroines of the faith. One particularly fascination chapter is titled "Black Roses in Canada's Mosaic: Four Decades of Black History", BY W. C. van den Hoonaard and Lynn Echevarria. Lights Of The Spirit provides meticulous data about Black women in Canada who promulgated the Baha'i faith. Lights Of The Spirit is an important first key to the ongoing development of ethical religious consciousness and the fundamental need for racial equality and an excellent read earning high praise and recommendation to students of religion, sociology, and all who live and teach racial equality.
Where's Wilber At?
Brad Reynolds
Paragon House
1925 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 7, St. Paul, MN 55113-2619
1557788464 $19.95 paragonhouse.com
The "Wilber" in question is Ken Wilber, a philosopher and metaphysical theorist whose "Theory of Everything" incorporates a vast range of disciplines and research and whose "Integral Vision" is defined as being an "all-quadrant, all-level" approach to studying the integration of the body, mind, soul, and spirit wit self, culture and nature. Where's Wilber At?: Ken Wilber's Integral Vision In The New Millennium by Brad Reynolds lays out the basic essentials philosophy students and non-specialist general readers will need to follow Wilber's continual theoretical expansion and their pragmatic application, Wilber's current public outreach, his complex metatheory, and how this integral approach is capable of uniting modern science with ancient mysticism. Where's Wilber At? is especially recommended reading for students of New Age Spirituality and metaphysical philosophy.
Essene Book Of Everyday Virtues
Kenneth Hanson
Council Oak Books Ltd.
2105 East 15th Street, Suite B, Tulsa, OK 74104
www.counciloakbooks.com
1571781900 $14.95 1-800-247-8850
In the Essene Book Of Everyday Virtues: Spiritual Wisdom From The Dead Sea Scrolls, Kenneth Hanson (Judaic Studies, University of Central Florida, Orlando) draws upon the writings of the Essenes (or Sons of Light as they called themselves) discovered in Israel in 1947. These writings consisted of 38 books of the Hebrew Bible (the oldest known copies in the world) as well as apocryphal material, original rule books for community living, psalms, and books of prophesy, and are the basis (along with accounts by Josephus (an ancient Jewish historian) and contemporary archaeological discoveries), and are the legacies from which Professor Hanson has developed a kind of ethical handbook for contemporary readers. With an emphasis on community, simplicity, learning and perseverance which were hallmarks of the ancients, the Essene Book Of Everyday Virtues underscores how in these present times, so many centuries later, what those long-lost ascetics, scholars, visionaries, and holy men have to offer us in achieving lives of spiritual wealth and abundance today. Essene Book Of Everyday Virtues is a wonderfully fascinating and informatively engaging read that can be confidently recommended to modern readers of all denominations and faiths seeking to enhance their personal spiritual growth while liv
