Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / Internet Bookwatch

Internet Bookwatch

Volume 12, Number 2 February 2002 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Aviation Shelf Genealogy Shelf
Travel Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Gardening Shelf
Hunting/Fishing Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Gaming Shelf
American History Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Business Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Nature/Environment Shelf
Science Shelf Black Studies Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Civil War Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Literary Shelf Architecture Shelf Photography Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Musicbook Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Cookbook Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Computer Shelf World History Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Self-Help Shelf Psychology Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Poetry Shelf Library Video/DVD Shelf
Biography Shelf Education Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Library CD Music Shelf Military Shelf Women's Studies Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Artbook Shelf Sociology Shelf
International Studies Shelf Philosophy Shelf Archaeology Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Fiction Shelf Martial Arts Shelf
Sports/Athletics Shelf    



Reviewer's Choice

Haunted Wisconsin
Michael Norman & Beth Scott
Trails Books
Box 317, Black Earth, WI 53515-0317
1931599041 $16.95 1-800-236-8088

Wisconsin is best known as the Dairy State and renowned for cheese, recreation, and one of the finest state university systems in the country. What most people might not realize is that Wisconsin is also home to some of the eeriest supernatural events and strangest ghost stories sworn to be true. Indeed, Wisconsin could well be considered as one of the most haunted of the 50 states. All this is documented in newly revised and updated edition of Michael Norman and Beth Scott's Haunted Wisconsin, a classic and superbly presented compendium of true ghost stories and eye-witness accounts of supernatural occurrences. Haunted Wisconsin showcases an aspect of the Badger State that will utterly fascinate Wisconsin history buffs and students of the paranormal.

Build A Catapult In Your Backyard
Bill Wilson
Loompanics Unlimited
Box 1197, Port Townsend, WA 98368
1559502185 $8.00 loompanics.com

Catapults were a warfare technology that goes back to the very beginnings of recorded human history. In Build A Catapult In Your Backyard, author Bill Wilson shows how to actually build one just for fun -- or for practical purposes such as removing rocks from fields. In addition to an informative introduction and history of the catapult, the reader is provided accurate, easy-to-follow instructions on building a catapult, as well as the building of a ballista. The reader is also provided with invaluable information on ammunition and additional resources. Build A Catapult In Your Backyard is a unique and highly recommended work, and would be a welcome addition to any Society for Historical Anachronism club reference collection!

9-11: Emergency Relief
Alternative Comics
503 NW 37th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32609-2204
http://www.indyworld.com/relief
1891867121 $14.95 1-352-373-6336

After the September 11th terrorist attacks on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon, and in the skies over Pennsylvania, some 50 graphic novelists and cartoonist ranging from such legendary names as Will Eisner and Harvey Pekar, to newer talents such as Frank Cho and James Kochalka, came together in a very special project as a way of expressing their grief, patriotism, and support of the American people in the face of naked, lethal, ideologically driven aggression. The result is 9-11: Emergency Relief, a powerful graphic novel. The proceeds will go to benefit the American Red Cross. Simply put, every school and every community library in the country should acquire a copy of 9-11: Emergency Relief for the edification of their students and their patrons.

Once Upon A Christmas
James Dillet Freeman
Unity Books
1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, MO 64065-0001
0871591197 $16.95 1-800-669-0282

Once Upon A Christmas: Stories By James Dillet Freeman is an enchanting anthology of stories for the Christmas season. "Angel With a Broken Wing" is about a young boy's encounter with Mort, the angel of death - and the power of love to save one from the inevitable. Other stories include "The King of Heaven Is Coming Tonight" and "The Woman Who Learned To Love Christmas." Printed in profound bold type, and illustrated with humble yet beautiful color artwork, Once Upon A Christmas is a superbly crafted giftbook meant to be treasured and read aloud for the holidays year after year.

Appearing On TV Shows For Fun, Fame & Fortune
Lee Ellis
Americana Group Publishing
54 Woodridge Drive West , River Falls, WI 54022
0966796152 $29.95 1-715-425-9653

Lee Ellis' Appearing On Tv Shows For Fun, Fame & Fortune: A Guide For Audiences, Contestants & Guests is a very practical guide to entering game shows such as Family Feud and The Price is Right; talk shows such as The Jerry Springer Show or Politically Incorrect; PBS shows such as The Antiques Roadshow; Court TV such as Judge Judy or Reality TV Shows such as Big Brother and Survivor; or being in the audience of popular sitcoms such as Titus and King of Queens. Each of the many individual shows presented has about a two-page writeup, with ticket information, studio information, and clear instructions for becoming part of the show. Highly recommended for anyone with a serious interest in joining a television show audience, especially if the purpose is becoming a contestant!

Lighthouse Adventures
Wes Oleszewski
Avery Color Studios
511 "D" Avenue, Gwinn, MI 49841
1892384019 $16.95 1-800-722-9925

Peppered with numerous black-and-white photographs and sketches, Wes Oleszewski's Lighthouse Adventures: Heroes, Haunts & Havoc On The Great Lakes is an amazing, informative and impressive collection of stories, technical descriptions, wrecked ships, and heroic acts for readers wanting to learn more about the history and service of lighthouses throughout the centuries. All the stories within Lighthouse Adventures are real, and all the brave people chronicled in its pages truly did contribute their part to the history of these fascinating buildings. Lighthouse Adventures enthusiastically recommended reading for all lighthouse buffs and a welcome addition to nautical studies reference collections.

Diamond
Matthew Hart
Walker & Company
435 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-8027-1368-8 $26.00 1-800-289-2553

Matthew Hart's Diamond is an appealing title on many levels, blending geology with a survey of the science and history of the diamond. Hart follows the 'diamond trail' around the world, from a great diamond cutter's works to smugglers and businesspeople. An unusual guide to the heart of an obsession.

Zobmondo!
Randy Horn
Workman Publishing Company
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0-7611-2420-9 $9.95 1-800-722-7202

There are over 400 questions to this little 'book of choices', each containing 'shocking' content meant to inspire discussion and fun. From the ingredients of a can of cat food and whether it's better to eat that or whole lemons to funny quotes from famous personalities, Zobmondo! is a recommended and whimsical title for those with zany humor.

Omnigraphics
Box 625, Holmes, PA 19043
1-800-234-1340

Two excellent references may become outdated in a number of years, but provide complete contact information which will be useful in any public or business library setting. 2002 Toll-Free Phone Book USA (0-7808-0467-8) is edited by Jennifer Perkins and provides a directory of toll-free numbers for businesses and organizations across the nation. Either use the alphabetical section or the classified section by number. Perkins also edits 2002 Fax USA (0466-X), which achieves a similar result for business fax numbers. Both are newly updated in their 6th and 9th editions respectively and will prove important reference library additions.

Fields Of Influence
James Hamilton, editor
Univ. of Birmingham Press/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo Street, Portland, OR 97213-3644
1902459105 $35.00 1-800-944-6190

Ably edited by James Hamilton (University Curator at the University of Birmingham, England), Fields Of Influence: Conjunctions Of Artists And Scientists 1815-1860 is a thoughtful, scholarly, insightfully informative examination of the influence that artists and scientists have had upon each other during a specific era of world history. Black-and-white illustrations bring to clear and appreciative life such artwork as a depiction of the dinosaur Iguanodon, and portraits of various famous scientists and thinkers. A fascinating historical, superbly presented retrospective, Fields Of Influence highly recommended for academicians and the non-specialist general reader with a strong interest in the histories and interactivity of both science and art.

Collectors Press
Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281
1-800-423-1848

Wealthy eccentric Alphonse Zukor produced an illegal underground cabaret mixing erotic women with exotic animals in the late 1800s: David Delamare's Animerotics (1-888054-51-4, $24.95) recreates the cabaret's alluring show cards, using sepia tone paintings to capture these erotic fantasy images. Delamare's art is deftly portrayed in these oversized, full-page photos. Even more lavish is Max Allan Collins' History Of Mystery (53-0, $45.00), which combines an appreciation for pulp detective fiction art covers to insights on the mystery writing genre's many visions; from its pulp fiction to comic books and fiction writings. Fans of either mystery writing or pulp fiction art will relish this lavish display with its color reproductions of covers.

Yale University Press
Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040
1-800-987-7323

Two excellent titles provide very different coverages which art libraries will find solid, lasting references. Walter Liedtke's View Of Delft (0300090536, $75.00) gathers writings on aspects of painting in Delft during 1650-75. It's a very specific title which uses the works of four major artists of the times (Fabritius, Houckgeest, de Hooch and Vermeer) to consider the evolution of their style and times. Ideas on the nature and possibilities of the Delft School provide intriguing insights into Vermeer and his contemporaries. Stephen Bann's Parallel Lines (0-300-08932-5, $50.00) focuses on printmakers and photographers in 19th century France, when practices of printmaking and photography began changing. This considers relationships between painting, printmaking and photography during the period and how new technologies enhanced these mediums.

Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
1-800-722-6657

William Bird Jr's Paint By Number (1-56898-282-8, $18.95) traces the history of a movement which swept across the country and created many a budding novice artist. Chapters provide plenty of color photo examples of a changing industry which recognized an unfulfilled desire in the common man to be an artist. The gorgeous displays and ads for the medium are compelling, even for the non-artist reader. Fresh Dialogue 2 (264-X, $24.95) presents new voices in graphic design art, capturing over 200 color images illustrating graphic arts designs for various products and web sites. Any with an interest in the new, changing graphic arts world will find this a fine coverage of the latest new works. Jonathan Bell's Carchitecture (3-7643-6454-8, $35.00) examines the fall-out from the collision of autos and urban environments, from experimental cars and freeways to parking garages and home environments. Cars and architecture both need to change, and this book maintains its arguments with a series of intriguing color photos and plenty of written insights. The small-statured Counter Culture by Steven Heller and Louise Fili (1568983042, $20.00) may too easily be missed on laden shelves, but is packed with a colorful survey of commercial culture examining how mini-mannequins and other counter displays both created art and appealed to consumer interests. Color photos of these mannequins pack the pages.

Complete Crumb Comics: Volume 15
R. Crumb
Fantagraphic Books
7563 Lake City Way NE, Seattle, WA 98115
1-56097-413-3 $18.95

Fans of Crumb's biting comics of social commentary and raunchy behavior will find this set of comics continues the chronological series covering his complete work. Here Mode O'Day and Her Pals are the feature, covering his cartoons from 1983-85. A centerfold of fine color images provides lively full-page panels; most of the presentation is in classic black and white.

Spy Vs. Spy
Antonio Prohias
Watson Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0-8230-5021-1 $24.95 1-800-451-1741

Spy vs. Spy comic strips have appeared for four decades of MAD Magazine offerings and presents a diabolical set of characters who have attracted a wide audience. Spy Vs. Spy gathers their original exploits under one cover in a 40th-anniversary tribute to the Spies and their creator, blending history and essays with plenty of black and white cartoons. A fine guide to the classic MAD creation.

Helldivers' Rodeo
Humberto Fontova
M. Evans/NBN, dist.
216 E. 49th Street, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10017
0-87131-936-5 $19.95 1-800-462-6420

Helldivers' Rodeo provides an account of some of the most extreme sportsmen in recently history: members of a scuba-diving club which dives from off-shore oil platforms to spear the giant fish around them. The Helldivers dive past 200 feet often, grapple with challenges like the bends and shark attacks, and narrate their hair-raising adventures in a satisfying first-person 'you are there' series of action-packed dialogues. Excellent armchair reading.

Traditional Country Skills
Sheila Buff
The Lyons Press
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1-58574-155-8 $19.95 1-800-836-0510

Readers with a particular interest in farm management and country living will find Traditional Country Skills to be a classic volume of farming equipment and management at the turn of the 20th century, filled with advice for farmers of the time and modern homesteaders alike. A wealth of black and white drawings throughout makes this a pleasure to read.



The Aviation Shelf

Historic Aircraft And Spacecraft
Joshua Stoff
Dover Publications
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501
0486420418 $10.95 1-800-223-3130

"Historic Aircraft and Spacecraft" in the Cradle of Aviation Museum is a remarkable display of museum exhibits. Black-and-white photographs pepper exhaustive and informational entries about relics of aviation history, from noted kite designs to sleek jet models. Historic Aircraft And Spacecraft is very highly recommended for aviation buffs, as well as students of aviation history.

Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15
Yefim Gordon
AeroFax/Specialty Press
11605 Kost Dam Road, North Branch, MN 55056
1857801059 $29.95 1-800-895-4585

In Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15: The Soviet Union's Long-Lived Korean War Fighter, Yefim Gordon provides the military aviation enthusiast with a comprehensive, profusely illustrated, descriptive history of a formidable fighting aircraft that was, in its time, a staple of the Soviet airforce. Schematics, historical photos, and a wealth of detailed aeronautical and design information is provided for all of the various versions and varieties of this combat aircraft. Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 is a welcome and informative addition to any professional, and academic aviation history collection, and a "must" for military aviation buffs.



The Genealogy Shelf

Creativitree
Tony Matthews
Clearfield Company
200 East Eager St., Baltimore, MD 21202
0806351187 $12.95 1-410-625-9004

In Creativitree: Design Ideas For Family Trees, Tony Matthews provides a wealth of tips for the use of clip-art, magazines, photos, stencils, stickers for producing interesting and lively genealogical family tree displays. Written in a completely accessible, folksy style, Matthews advises on what kind of paper to use, markers needed, and all the other supplies that go into crating a frameable family tree. The novice is also gently guided through the mathematics of multiple generations as they should be spaced out in a diagram. There is even an informative section on the merits of handwriting versus printing out the names of family members on a family tree! If you are planning on designing your own family tree, begin by browsing through Tony Matthews' Creativitree!

A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland
Brian Mitchell
Genealogical Publishing Company
1001 North Calvert Street, Baltimore, MD 21202-3879
0806316845 $20.00 1-800-296-6687

Now in a new and expanded second edition, A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland by genealogical expert Brian Mitchell has added maps detailing the location of Roman Catholic parishes in all thirty-two counties of Ireland, and Presbyterian congregations in the nine counties of Northern Ireland. A complete geographical picture of the three major religious dominations in Ireland during the middle years of the 19th century is another newly added feature. An invaluable reference and guide for doing genealogical research for an Irish ancestry, A New Genealogical Atlas Of Ireland continues to be an indispensable, core addition to personal, professional, and genealogical society reference collections.

Genealogist's Companion
Rhonda McClure
Betterway Books
1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207
1-55870-591-0 $18.99 1-800-289-0963

Budding genealogists who want to begin on a family history project should start with Genealogist's Companion, an invaluable, "user friendly" primer, which covers everything from using the Internet for research to blending online research with physical sources and preserving photos and documents electronically. The approach differs from earlier competing titles in offering more of a focus on using the latest technologies to aid in the genealogical search - and in preserving the results.



The Travel Shelf

Chilkoot
Allan Ingelson, et.al.
University of Calgary Press
University of Alaska Press, dist.
Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775
1-889963-54-2 $24.95 1-800-565-3770

Chilkoot is not just a trail book, but a survey of the Chilkoot Trail's region and importance as a border area between Alaska and British Columbia. The authors describe the trail's management practices, users, and history along with a survey of their own experiences on the trail. Color photos accompany a fine survey of the trail's importance to both countries.

Discover Acadia National Park
Jerry and Marcy Monkman
Appalachian Mountain Club Books
5 Joy Street, Boston, MA 02108
1878239929 $16.95 www.outdoors.org

Discover Acadia National Park: A Guide To The Best Hiking, Biking, And Paddling by nature photographers and outdoor enthusiasts Jerry and Marcy Monkman is a comprehensive, informative guide to the scenery, wildlife, trails, trip-times as it showcases the resources and sights of the beautiful Acadia National Park of Maine. Difficulty gradings, maps, and straightforward information make Discover Acadia National Park the perfect guide to learn which hiking trails are best for the interests of every reader. A fold-out hiking and biking map is included in this book enthusiastically recommended for anyone planning an outdoors expedition to this splendor-filled preserve. If you are planning an outdoor adventure in the Acadia National Park, beginning planning your trip by browsing through the pages of Jim and Marcy Monkman's Discover Acadia National Park!

Arizona Getaways For The Incurably Romantic
Pamela Swartz
Cloud Nine Press
Box 14167, Scottsdale, AZ 85267-4167
0970919301 $16.95 arizonagetaways.com

Arizona Getaways For The Incurably Romantic: 45 Sensational Destinations For Lovers is packed by travel author Pamela Swartz with locations, ideas, suggestions, and features to add color to any romantically involved vacation. Filled with listings of top-class hotels and breathtaking natural splendors, Arizona Getaways For The Incurably Romantic makes for a wondrous vacation-planning reference for honeymoon bound newlyweds -- and anyone else seeking a romantic adventure for a weekend or a week!

The Best Of The Hudson Valley & Catskill Mountains
Joanne Michaels & Mary-Margaret Barile
The Countryman Press
P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091
0881504904 $18.00 1-802-457-4826

Now in a fully updated and expanded fourth edition, Joanne Michaels and Mary-Margaret Barile's The Best Of The Hudson Valley & Catskill Mountains is a comprehensive, fact-filled and extremely practical guide to vacationing and travel in these wondrous New York enclaves of cultural diversity. Chapters include in-depth coverage on getting there, family activities, the best places to stay or eat, selective shopping and special events. The Best Of The Hudson Valley & Catskill Mountains is a first-rate compendium for anyone looking forward to enjoying their vacations and travels in the picturesque Hudson Valley or the Catskill Mountains.

Colorado's Thirteeners
Gerry Roach & Jennifer Roach
Fulcrum Publishing
16100 Table Mountain Parkway, #300, Golden, Colorado 80403
1555914195 $19.95 1-800-992-2908

Colorado's Thirteeners: From Hikes To Climbs is a superbly presented, full-color guidebook to Colorado's highest mountains in the 13,800 to 13,999 feet range. Presented for the edification of outdoor enthusiasts, Colorado's Thirteeners includes 59 major peaks in six of Colorado's mountain ranges (Front Range, Tenmile-Mosquito Range, Sawatch Range, Sangre de Cristo Range, Elk Range, San Juan Range); 202 routes to the major peaks (71 routes on 71 additional peaks); 96 trailheads with detailed driving directions; twenty-two different approaches to the remote peaks; distance, elevation gain, difficulty scale, and effort ratings for each route; thirty-three full-color, annotated topographic maps; more than sixty full-color, annotated photographs; and three comprehensive tables of Colorado's highest peaks. If you are planning an outdoor vacation of hiking, climbing, and camping in the mountain country of Colorado, begin your planning with Gerry and Jennifer Roach's Colorado's Thirteeners!

A Family Year Abroad
Chris Westphal
Great Potential Press, Inc.
P.O. Box 5057, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
0910707472 $18.00 1-877-954-4200

A Family Year Abroad: How To Live Outside The Borders is the story of the Westphal family. Chris and Stephanie Westphal wanted to travel, but since they had responsibilities to their children, the only way they could do so was to travel with the whole family. They rented their house, put their bank accounts in safekeeping, and moved to Prague, Czech Republic for a year. A Family Year Abroad is their story, packed with wisdom, experience, tips, and much more on such things as culture shock, foreign schools, traveling with kids and health and safety concerns. A lively, involving book, A Family Year Abroad is much more than just a family memoir, it also offers practical tips on how to successfully live in a foreign country and deal with changes in the family, health and safety concerns, insurance questions, the management of finances, foreign schools, and the inescapable phenomena of culture shock.



The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

The Theatrical Juggernaut
Monroe Mann
Unlimited Publishing
Phenix & Phenix (publicity)
PO BOX 3674, New York, NY 10163
1588320251 $14.99 http://www.unstoppableactors.com

The Theatrical Juggernaut: The Psyche Of The Star by Monroe Mann (founder and president of Unstoppable Actors) is a practical, straightforward, no-nonsense book on the subject of pursing acting as a career. Rather than exhaustively address such standard matters as finding good headshots, creating a monologue, or getting an agent, it focuses intensely on why 99% of aspiring actors never even get noticed, and why the overwhelming majority of aspiring performers are in the wrong line of work. As for the few who are in the right line suited to their talents, The Theatrical Juggernaut explains how the need for an industry "break" to achieve success is a myth, and why everything rests squarely on one's own shoulders. An absolute "must" for anyone seriously considering or pursuing a career in acting.

Directing For Film And Television
Christopher Lukas
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd St. Suite 510, NY, NY 10010
1-58115-201-9 $19.95 1-800-491-2808

Directing is a learnable profession and Christopher Lukas' Directing For Film And Television aims to reveal practical guidelines for the lessons; from reading scripts to overseeing the production. Chapters cover everything from budget considerations and scouting locations to using scenes and set-up shots and shooting the film. Excellent, practical advice.

Costumes For The Stage
Sheila Jackson
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622
1-56131-068-9 $16.95 1-800-462-6420

Costumes For The Stage appears in its second edition to provide a range of actors and students with clear designs for producing costumes on a small budget. From an introduction to clothing styles and history to practical advice for putting together costumes matching different eras, Costumes For The Stage is packed with practical examples and tips on how to adapt and simplify period clothing.



The Gardening Shelf

Gardening With The Goddess
Patricia Telesco
New Page Books/Career Press
P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1564145530 $12.99 newpagebooks.com

Patricia Telesco's Gardening With The Goddess: Creating Gardens Of Spirit And Magic is an informative and practical work combining the pastime of gardening with a spiritual reverence for goddesses, from Amaterasu to Gaia to White Buffalo Woman. The first section consists of primary advice and suggestions for adding the new age spirituality into one's gardening work. The second section is devoted to dozens of goddesses worshipped through human history and how to tailor a garden to the aspects of each one. A thoughtful and well-presented book of new age spirituality in practice, Gardening With The Goddess is an unusual and enthusiastically recommended addition to gardening and metaphsycial studies reading lists and reference collections.

Bulbs For All Seasons
Pierre Gingras
Firefly
Box 61109, Denver, CO 80206
1-55209-587-8 $19.95 1-800-387-5085

Bulbs For All Seasons provides a fine guide to over 200 bulbs from crocuses and tulips to sprekelia. From the characteristics of roots and bulbs to tips on how to buy and propagate them, Bulbs For All Seasons provides an excellent reference and comes packed with color photos for added impact.

Growing From Seed
Karen Platt
Euro American Propagators, LLC
PO Box 289, Bonsall, CA 92003-0289
0952881047 9.99 Brit. pounds 1-888-323-0730

Growing From Seed is a slender (95 pages) gardening guide that presents everything necessary to be able to successfully collect and sow seeds all year round. There are over 2,000 genera listed with separate information on species where ever necessary. After informative introductory sections on abbreviations and seed failure, the reader is introduced to sowing seeds in general, for annuals and biennials, vegetables, in containers, and more. The saving and storage of seeds, as well as issues ranging from seed viability, formation, germination, pollination, hybridization are covered. Enhanced with a glossary and index, Growing From Seed is an invaluable, highly recommended and intelligible guide for anyone planning a garden, creating a lawn, operating a hothouse, or involved with commercial agriculture.

Garden Stone
Barbara Pleasant
Storey Books
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
158017406X $29.95 storeybooks.com

In Garden Stone: Creative Ideas, Practical Projects, And Inspiration For Purely Decorative Uses, gardening expert Barbara Pleasant has produced an impressive compendium of tips, tricks, techniques, suggestion, and original ideas for blending stone, plants, soil, water, and light to create gardens of enduring beauty and inspiration. The informative and practical text is wonderfully illustrated by Dency Kane's 250 full-color photographs of lush gardens and garden stonework taken from gardens throughout North America. More than forty different gardening projects are presented, along with instructional line drawings to complete stone projects in association with highlight plants that are especially effective when used in the company of stone. Garden Stone is a unique and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and professional gardening reference collections.



The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

American Hunting Rifles
Craig Boddington
Safari Press, Inc.
15621 Chemical Lane, Bldg. B, Huntington Beach, CA 92649
1571572236 $24.95 1-800-451-4788

American Hunting Rifles: Their Application In The Field For Practical Shooting is a comprehensive, illustrated compendium surveying all the hunting rifles and calibers required for hunting the diverse game of North America. From great bears of the Arctic, to the diminutive javelina of the Southwest deserts, the profusion and diversity of American wildlife call for a complete spectrum of calibers and hunting expert Craig Boddington covers them all in a thorough, clear, concise text. American Hunting Rifles is strongly recommended reading for anyone regardless of the nature of their intended game, from shooting whitetails on the East Coast or elk in the Rocky Mountains, or waterfowl in the Midwest. The text is enhanced by several sections of photographs, a detailed 24-page index, and outfitter recommendations on both rifles and calibers. Also highly recommended is Craig Boddington's earlier work, Safari Rifles ($37.50) also published by Safari Press.

Hunting And The American Imagination
Daniel Justine Herman
Smithsonian Institution Press
750 Ninth Street NW, Suite 4300, Washington, DC 20560-0950
156098919X $20.95 1-800-782-4612

In Hunting And The American Imagination, Daniel Herman (assistant professor of history, Central Washington University) reveals that American hunting traditions are not based colonial or frontier cultures. In fact, the colonists and frontiersmen defined themselves as farmers and bringers of civilization to the wilds. Hunting was an integral part of frontier life, but was primarily viewed as a matter of subsistence rather than identity. It was in a post frontier era that the mythos of hunting was seized upon in the popular imagination and such democratic legends as those of Daniel Boone, Davy Crockett, Meriwether Lewis, and Native American cultures as the basis for America's sports hunters assuming a mantle of hunting oriented stewardships over the land and the wildlife. From John Smith to Theodore Roosevelt, what emerged in the 20th Century was a rich legacy of imagery and lore that gave rise to today's widely held, middle-class ideas about American hunting rights, privileges, and mores.

Wilderness Survivor's Guide
Stan Hamper
Schroeder Publishing
PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
1574322699 $12.95 collectorbooks.com

Filled with black-and-white sketches depicting its descriptions of types of fishhooks, edible and poisonous plants, techniques for building a fire and much more, Wilderness Survivor's Guide: A Manual Of Basic Survival Techniques is a superbly presented primer to life in the outdoors. Written in easily understandable language accessible to the lay reader Wilderness Survivor's Guide is a treasure trove of fascinating information for campers, hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, and armchair travelers alike.

Tuna
Capt. Bill Smith
Burford Books
Box 388, Short Hills, NJ 07078
1-58080-082-3 $30.00 burfordbooks.com

Anglers who enjoy sports fishing in general and tuna in particular will welcome this practical guide to the sport, which covers tackle and techniques useful for fishing for tuna in all kinds of conditions. Species identification, anchor retrieval methods, and trolling, chunking and chumming tips alike pack this practical guide which includes a color display of tuna paintings by Ron Pittard.



The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Accused By Facet-Eyes
C. B. Don
Sterling Ter Libra
18032-C Lemon Drive, PMB 625, Yorba Linda, CA 92886
0967008468 $18.75 1-714-779-2070

Accused By Facet-Eyes is the memorable science-fiction novel of humanity called to account for their depredations upon planet earth by the insect like Magi Queendom. A fantastic, mind-numbing journey through a world of alien perceptions and multifaceted vision, Accused By Facet-Eyes creates an amazing, captivating world that is unlike our own and yet all too close. C. B. Don is an original and superbly skilled storyteller who blends science fiction, fantasy, and environmental elements into one of those works of speculative fiction so easy to pick up and so difficult to put down.

Behind Time
Lynn Abbey
Ace Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-441-00831-3 $6.50 1-800-847-5515

Emma is struggling to save her mother, who has fallen into a coma, though the use of her psychic powers as she accesses a world which Eleanor introduced her to, which has consumed her mother. As she travels between worlds she becomes increasingly involved in a handsome man's life and in a world frequented by supernatural forces. A haunting, multi-faceted story powered by strong characterization.

Immortal
D. E. Davidson
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut Street, 11th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
0738842583 $16.00 www.xlibris.com

Donald Davidson's Immortal: The Linking Of Souls is an horrific fantasy novel of murder, vengeance, and demonic invasion. When Jeremy Wheeler avenges the brutal murder of his family, he unknowingly facilitates the plot of an immortal demon king to subjugate and rule the world. He must battle and risk all to set things right, else the Earth will be lost in blood and chaos for eternity. A gripping supernatural thriller, Immortal belongs to that class of horror fantasy that is so easy to pick up and so hard to put down!

The Cornelius Quartet
Michael Moorcock
Four Walls Eight Windows
39 West 14th St. #503, NY, NY 10011
1-56858-183-1 $22.00 www.4w8w.com

The Cornelius Quartet provides under one cover the uncensored saga of Jerry Cornelius, a time traveling hero figure whose antics have earned him the title of the first 'cyberpunk hero' in science fiction. These racy tales of an immoral adventurer will hold appeal for a wide audience; especially for newcomers who will find the tales easy to absorb under one cover.

DAW Books
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014

Martin Greenberg and Larry Segriff's Past Imperfect (0-7564-0012-0, $6.99) provides a strong, involving collection of short stories all centered around time travel, paradoxes, and alternative worlds created by time travel. From a scientist with a time machine who finds himself stealing his own invention to visitors who intend to observe the past with an eye to changing it, this gathers some top name writers (Diane Duane, Nina Kiriki Hoffman, and more) and provides original tales. John Marco's Eyes Of God (0047-3, $24.95) tells of a new young king determined to bring peace to his war-torn kingdom. Loyalties, strong friendships, and romance entwine in this well-done story of a fantasy kingdom undergoing change.

ROC
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
1-800-847-5515

Fans of alternative history science fiction stories will delight in S.M. Stirling's Peshwar Lancers (0-451-45848-6, $23.95), set in the mid-1870s and telling of comets which hit earth, change the world's climate, and transform civilization. This tells of one man's pivotal role in changing his world. Perhaps the most captivating science fiction read of recent months is Syne Mitchell's Technogenesis (45864-8, $6.99), which tells of a near-future society connected full-time with one another. When data miner Jasmine becomes disconnected from the network, she uncovers some disturbing truths in this tense thriller which holds many unexpected twists and turns. An exceptional story.



The Gaming Shelf

Land Of The Damned One: Chaos Lands
Bill Coffin
Palladium Books
12455 Universal Dr., Taylor, MI 48180
1574570595 $20.95 palladiumbooks.com

Now in a revised and expanded second edition, Bill Coffin's Land Of The Damned One: Chaos Lands is the latest addition to the growing library of Palladium Books' superb gaming universe. The Gods of Light created the "land of the damned" to seal away from the world the Minions of Darkness that had once been in service to the near mythic Old Ones. To gain entry to these forbidden lands, players must pass over the Northern Mountains, a place beset by demons and monsters, and littered with the bones of those who failed their attempts to cross over peaks higher than Earth's tallest mountain range. Then there is the Great Rift and the Land of the Damned itself. Players are provided with invaluable information on the Northern Mountains and their attendant legends, mysteries, and dangers; The Great Rift which divides the Land of the Damned and leads to the pits of Hades; the Tristine Chronicles and history of the region; more than a dozen new monsters to augment old favorites; more than a dozen new infernal supernatural fiends; as well as more than two hundred adventure hooks and ideas. Land Of The Damned One: Chaos Lands is an enthusiastically recommended contribution to the player reference shelf and a splendidly crafted contribution to the Palladium Megaverse.

Globe Pequot Press
Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
1-800-243-0495

Avid chess players who want to learn new strategies will relish the Everyman Chess titles from Globe Pequot Press. These outlines of routines for winning games. Byron Jacobs and Jonathan Tait's Nimzo-Larsen Attack (1-85744-286-5, $19.95) tells how to start an attack sequence from the very first move, defeating common chess defenses even by masters. Basic elements and choices receive in-depth coverage. Byron Jacobs' French Classical (232-6, $19.95) tells of a strategy which leads to unbalanced positions for both master players and club players. Variations on themes and full coverages of basic elements for both sides are included. The more general Mastering The Endgame by Glenn Flear (233-4) and Angus Dunnington's Mastering The Middlegame (228-8, $19.95 each) are certain to appeal to a wider audience of players who may not be master chess players, but who still want to improve their tactics and positional plays. Chapters for each covers key ideas in strategy for both elements of playing.



The American History Shelf

Tell It To The Future
Francine R. Cefola & Bobbi R. Madry
Golden Quill Press
159 Route 304, Bardonia, N.Y. 10954
0967625688 $16.95 1-845-627-0386

Tell It To The Future: Have I Got A Story For You About The Twentieth Century is a special anthology of short nonfiction historical stories that embody the nature of life in America across the decades of the twentieth century. Collaboratively edited by Francine Ceforla and Bobbi Madry the stories in this superbly presented anthology are written by various authors ranging in age from 18 to 93, and contain a common theme of learning, humanity, and transcendence that carries the emotional momentum of the book all throughout. An enjoyable and memorable collection, Tell It To The Future is a strongly recommended addition to personal, school, and community library American history reading lists and reference collections.

The Mythical West
Richard W. Slatta
ABC-CLIO
130 Cremona Drive, Santa Barbara, CA 93117
1576071510 $75.00 1-800-368-6868

College-level or reference collections strong in Western lore and American history will want to consider The Mythical West: An Encyclopedia Of Legend, Lore, And Popular Culture, a basic and comprehensive reference to the popular myths about the West, from cultural concerns to images of famous figures, Native Americans, and favorite notions about Western culture. Each entry receives a good amount of reference information, with biographies holding many insights.

Nothing To Fear
Hugh Gregory Gallagher
Vandamere Press
Box 17446, Clearwater, FL 33762
0-918339-56-1 $26.95 1-800-551-7776

It's hard to peg the readership of Nothing To Fear, which presents a new photo-biography of FDR: any studying Presidential history and biographies however will appreciate this collection of over a hundred photos and an accompanying narrative meant to shed light on FDR's life and achievements. An unusually lively narrative style makes the information a good read and is recommended for students of 20th Century American history in general, and the Franklin D. Roosevelt presidency in particular.

Log Cabin Pioneers
Wayne Erbsen
Native Ground Music, Inc.
109 Bell Rd., Asheville, NC 28805-1521
1883206367 $12.95 1-800-752-2656

In Log Cabin Pioneers: Stories, Songs & Sayings, author Wayne Erbsen takes the reading along on his personal journey of finding and restoring an historic log cabin. There the reader is treated to authentic pioneers yarns of such log cabine pioneer notables as Davy Crockett and Daniel Boone, as well as tales of bear hunting, moonshine, even advice on how to buy a mule! Then there are the songs sung by our pioneer forebears, and such pioneer staples as house raising, log hewing, husking bees, frontier remedies for ailments, superstitions, romantic advice, and an old-fashion barn dance. The entertaining and informative text is enhanced with 143 vintage photos, along with the words and music to nineteen pioneer era songs. Log Cabin Pioneers is a unique and wonderful addition to any personal, school, or community library American history collection.

Courthouses Of California
Ray McDevitt, et.al
Heyday Books
Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
1-890771-49-X $50.00 heydaybooks.com

Courthouses Of California arrived too late for holiday mention but will enjoy a year-round audience, from library collections specializing in California history to those interested in the state's architecture in general and the rise of California courthouses in particular. The tour is organized by county and covers the entire state, picking the finer of California's older courthouses and providing surveys of its history, restorations, and events which have taken place within its walls. Fine black and white photos throughout.

Las Colinas
Gary N. Bourland
HappyMe Publishing
1450 Preston Forest Square, Suite 203, Dallas, Texas 75230
0960935037 $22.95 www.happyme.com

Las Colinas: The Inside Story Of America's Premier Urban Development is the true story of an incredible private community. Since over 1000 corporations reside in Las Colinas, many people mistakenly believe that it is a city. Las Colinas was in fact financed in the 1970s by millionaire Texas rancher Ben H. Carpenter. The real estate crash of 1986 left the rancher eventually evicted from his former property. The history of Las Colinas is filled with turbulence, debt, an overburdened utility district, and unusual features galore. A most intriguing study and a highly recommended addition to academic and community library 20th Century American history and urban development studies reading lists and reference collections.

Pennsylvania's Covered Bridges
Benjamin D. Evans & June R. Evans
University of Pittsburgh Press
Eureka Bldg., 5th fl., Pittsburgh PA 15260
0822957647 $19.95 1-800-666-2211

Wooden covered bridges are found all over the American northeast. The first covered bridge built in the United States was over the Schuylkill River in Philadelphia, and Pennsylvania still remains the state with the most surviving covered bridges in the country. Now in a completely updated and expanded second edition, Pennsylvania's Covered Bridges: A Complete Guide is the collaborative effort of Benjamin and June Evans. Criss-crossing the length and breadth of Pennsylvania, the authors visited every one of the 221 remaining covered bridges in the summer of 2000, taking new photographs and noting changes that had taken place since 1993 -- the year they published their guidebook's first edition. An indispensable guide for anyone wanting to tour these historical structures, Pennsylvania's Covered Bridges is superbly illustrated with color photographs of each bridge, while the text provides location and historical data, along with a succinct one paragraph description.

Hard Water
Kate Foss-Mollan
Purdue University Press
1207 South Campus Courts - E., West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1207
1557531951 $36.95 1-800-933-9637

Hard Water: Politics And Water Supply In Milwaukee, 1870-1995 by educator and urban studies specialist Kate Foss-Mollan is the documented and historical account of the water supply of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Foss-Mollan blends urban history, technology, biology, research, and political science into a remarkably intriguing and informative saga. From conflicts over supplying poor neighborhoods to partisan debates regarding the necessity of a filtration plant, Hard Water spans over a century with an eye-opening account of the wrangling, machinations, and more all about a seemingly simple drink of water. Very highly recommended for American urban studies reading lists.

Islands Of Maine
Bill Caldwell
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
0892725370 $16.95 1-800-766-1670

What was one day to become the United States of America began with the first European explorers arriving on the islands off the Maine coast in their search for a passage to Cathay and East Indian wealth, and continuing with small European fishing boats arriving to ply the waters off the coast of Maine. In Islands Of Maine: Where America Really Began, the late newspaper columnist Bill Caldwell examines the original Mainers, the Native Americans. Then surveys the first European settlements, founded long before the colony at Jamestown or the arrival of the Mayflower Pilgrims. Rich in lively anecdotes, and ranging from Casco Bay to Penobscot Bay, Caldwell reveals the islands as the first settlers saw them and how these islands transformed into flourishing trade hubs, fishing harbors, and tourist destinations. From the Vikings of a thousand years ago down to life in the 1980s, Islands Of Maine is a fascinating, informative, enthusiastically recommended regional American history.



The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Elements Of Creation, 3rd Edition
Bruce Luther
Biographical Publishing Company
35 Clark Hill Rd Prospect CT 06712-1011
1929882173 $9.50 www.metarev.com

Both a seer and an artist, Bruce Luther's Elements Of Creation is a fascinating and engaging autobiographical memoir, presenting a journey of circles -- of his discovering the cycles that embody life, space, time, thought, and death. Seemingly conflicting choices beckon at every turn, testing the human ability to remember the right path. A soulful and moving metaphysical presentation of the author's own life, Elements Of Creation is highly recommended, challenging, insightful reading.

New Daughters Of The Oracle
Virginia Adair
New Paradigm Books
22783 South State Road 7, Suite 97, Boca Raton, FL 33428
1892138034 $16.95 www.newpara.com

New Daughters Of The Oracle: The Return Of Female Prophetic Power In Our Time is drawn from Virginia Adair's worldwide trip to learn as much as she could about people, especially women, who profess to be psychic. Filled with condensed interviews, exotic practices, and human experience in such varied nations as Italy, England, Hong Kong, Greece, and much more, Highly recommended for women's studies, metaphysical studies, and alternative medicine reading lists and reference collections, New Daughters Of The Oracle is an eye-opening look at the intercultural belief in human psychic powers and those who claim to practice this gift.

In Search Of Lemuria
Mark R. Williams
Golden Era Books
Box 5603, San Mateo, CA 94402-0603
0970696906 $21.95 GoldenEraBooks.com

In Search Of Lemuria: The Lost Pacific Continent In Legend, Myth And Imagination by journalist, editor, and freelance writer Mark Williams is a serious and fascinating look at the lost continent of Lemuria as reflected in the mythologies of Hindus, Australian Aborigines, Polynesians and American Indians. As mystical as Atlantis yet far less well-known, Lemuria's very existence is presented as an open question, and addressed in a thoughtful and well-reasoned discourse. A fascinating and spiritual treatise that embraces metaphysical understanding as well as that of hard science, In Search Of Lemuria is enthusiastically recommended to students of mythology, metaphysics, and paleoarchaeology.

Tutankhamun Prophecies
Maurice Cotterell
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions
Box 388, Rochester, VT 05767-0388
1879181703 $20.00 1-800-246-8648

Tutankhamun Prophecies reveals the sacred secret of the Maya, Egyptians and Freemasons, using the author's background as a scientist and mathematician to decipher the code of the ancients. Knowledge of science and important connections between solar patterns and human destiny helped early groups achieve spiritual enlightenment: this explores these links and how groups have used them.

Egyptian Divinities
Moustafa Gadalla
Tehuti Research Foundation
Box 39406, Greensboro, NC 27438-9406
1931446040 $8.95 www.egypt-tehuti.org

In Egyptian Divinities: The All Who Are The One, historian and Egyptologist Moustafa Gadalla surveys eighty Egyptian gods and goddesses to reveal how they interact to maintain the universe and the human being with the context of an antiquarian Egyptian theology. Westerners will find Gadalla's observations on the Egyptian concepts of monotheism and animal symbolism as fascinating and informative as they are insightful and iconoclastic. Egyptian theology was sophisticated and, in fact, an expression of monotheistic mysticism. A meticulously presented, ground breaking work of impeccable and original scholarship, Egyptian Divinities is enthusiastically recommended reading for students of Egyptology, metaphysics, and the history of monotheistic religion.

Llewellyn Publications
Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
www.llewellyn.com

Four very different new arrivals from this publisher provide a host of fine new topics and considerations for readers of new age spirituality. Gary Cantrell's Wiccan Beliefs & Practices (1-56718-112-0, $14.95) covers the basic tenants of modern Wicca, whether practicing as solitary witch or with a small coven. The book's authored by a Wiccan High Priest and covers ethics, codes, how to develop personal spells and rituals, and the legal protection of Wicca as a religion: all topics seldom covered in competing titles. Maria Kay Simms' A Time For Magick (622-X, $12.95) covers the basics of astrology, planetary signs and how they apply to rituals of spellworking. From hour tables and how to use them to interpreting an astrological calendar, this is packed with insights. Nick Farrell's Making Talismans (0738700045, $14.95) covers both the history of talismans and how to draw, make, and destroy talismans. Included also are how to test a talisman to be certain it works and how to use one to bring about change. Elaine Mercado's Grave's End (0003-7, $12.95) is certain to fascinate beyond new age readers: it provides a true ghost story of the author's personal encounter with a Brooklyn haunted house. Hans Holzer becomes involved as the family uncover the house secrets which have led to the haunting. Fascinating reading on paranormal experiences.



The Social Issues Shelf

Medicare's Midlife Crisis
Sue Blevins
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Ave. NW, Washington DC 20001
1-930865-08-2 $16.95 1-800-767-1241

Proposed Medicare 'reforms' will hurt seniors and consumers alike: Medicare's Midlife Crisis tells how Medicare should be restructured to help reduce the impact of change on those who need it most. Medicare's growth, Blevins argues, has forced seniors into restrictive health choices and has raised issues of privacy. Issues of freedom of choice for seniors come into play as Blevins examples the problems of a single-payer government healthcare system.

The New World Of Welfare
Rebecca M. Blank & Ron Haskins, eds.
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
0815710119 $22.95 1-800-275-1447

In The New World Of Welfare, Rebecca Blank (dean of the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, University of Michigan) and Ron Haskins (senior fellow at the Brookings Institution and a senior consultant at the Annie E. Casey Foundation) effectively collaborate to compile and present an anthology of commentaries by a diverse group of welfare experts, both library and conservative, academic and nonacademic, to examine the political, cultural, and social issues arising from governmental approaches to contemporary welfare reform. The New World Of Welfare is an invaluable and much appreciated contribution to the on-going municipal, state and national debates on efforts to redesign and implement effective welfare and "workfare" programs.

Enemies Within
Robert Alan Goldberg
Yale University Press
Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040
0-300-09000-5 $29.95 1-800-987-7323

This survey of conspiracy ideas in modern America doesn't begin with the usual contention that those who believe in conspiracies are mentally ill: it considers the impact of conspiracy thinking in American life and politics throughout American history, considering the underlying ideas which nurture a belief in diabolical forces. Any studying American society and social influences will find Enemies Within an essential consideration.

Terrorism
Lawrence J. Hogan
Amlex, Inc.
PO Box 3495, Frederick, MD 21705-3495
0965917452 $49.95 1-800-327-4212

Ably edited by Lawrence Hogan, Terrorism: Defensive Strategies For Individuals, Companies And Governments is a sober, serious, and highly analytical survey of the worldwide threat of terrorism, its various manifestations, history, and trends, with numerous indexes focusing on terrorist activity in different locations around the globe. Critical, meticulous, and filled with straight no-nonsense information by knowledgeable contributors, Terrorism is a essential reading for everyone trying to better understand this very real and dangerous threat and a highly recommended acquisition for corporate, governmental and public library reference collections.

Nickel And Dimed
Barbara Ehrenreich
Metropolitan Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
115 West 18th Street, NY, NY 10011
0805063889 $23.00, 1-888-330-8477

Barbara Ehrenrich is an essayist and social critic who determined to reveal what it was like to be a member of the working poor. An estimated 12 million women were pushed into the labor market by welfare reforms in the 1990s. Ehrenreich has done a remarkable and unique work of personal journalism to find out just how such women were going to survive on the wages of the unskilled--at $6 to $7 an hour -- only half of what is considered a living wage. To research her subject she became a waitress in Florida, a cleaning woman and nursing home assistant in Maine, a Wal-Mart clerk in Minnesota. She experienced life as a member of the "working poor" -- right down to the manditory urine test. The result was her debunking of the notion that there would be positive psychological effects in just getting out of the house, as well as such unintended consequences as swiftly rising rents, workers taking as many days off the job as they can, and a chronic infringement of civil liberties as this unskilled and semi-skilled workforce are managed (perhaps it should be mis-managed) by their employers. Written with both wit and candor,Nickel And Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America is a terrific and insightful read. It is also available in paperback.

Breaking Gridlock
Jim Motavalli
Sierra Club Books
85 - 2nd St., San Francisco CA 94105
1-57805-039-1 $23.00 1-800-726-0600

In the face of increasingly long and difficult commutes and rocketing gas prices comes a title which explores not one but a range of viable options for transportation. Introductory chapters examine the state of the U.S. transportation system and introduces the technology and choices which can help re-create systems for the future. Examinations of the nation's most congested suburbs and cities provide critiques and suggested models for future transportation alternatives. An important guide.



The Business Shelf

Good To Great
Jim Collins
HarperBusiness
10 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022-5299
0066620996 $27.50, 1-800-242-7737

Why some companies thrive and others do not is the core theme of Jim Collins' Good To Great: Why Some Companies Make The Leap... And Others Don't. Collins and his team of researchers surveyed 1,435 companies, looking for those that made substantial improvements in their performance over time. They refined their list to eleven corporations (including Fannie Mae, Gillette, Walgreens, and Wells Fargo) and in the process discovered common traits that challenged many of the conventional notions of what goes into the forumula for corporate success. Collins and his associates found that the corporate transition from good to great doesn't require a high-profile CEO, the latest technology, innovative change management, or even a fine-tuned business strategy. At the core of those rare and truly great companies was a corporate culture that rigorously found and promoted disciplined people to think and act in a disciplined manner. Profusely illustrated with dozens of stories and examples from both the great and not so great, Collins offers well-reasoned recommendations for others seeking to achieve excellence in their corporate performance regardless of its size or fields of endeavor. Also available as an in abridged audiocassette and CD formats.

New Office Professional's Handbook
American Heritage Dictionaries Editors
Houghton Mifflin
222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116
0-618-03608-3 $22.00 1-800-225-3362

This fourth updated edition of a classic reflects ongoing changes in technology and business management, providing an important tool for modern offices and home business users alike. From a comprehensive coverage of modern office procedures and Internet resources to advice on conducting meetings and using basic accounting programs, this is packed with practical tips.

Web Savvy For Small Business
Peggi Ridgway
Wordpix Solutions
Box 218, Buena Park, CA 90621-0218
096358362X $15.95 wordpix.com/Savvy

Web Savvy For Small Business by web designer and content writer Peggi Ridgway is a concise, easy-to-read, practical guide to creating a do-it-yourself, professional-quality web site for a small business. From selecting the right web design firm to promoting one's website and page presentation tips, Web Savvy For Small Business is the perfect introduction for any entrepreneur wanting to benefit from cheap and easy internet promotion.

Top 10 Traits Of Silicon Valley Dynamos
Joan Clout-Kruse
Dunhill Publishing
18340 Sonoma Hwy, Sonoma, CA 95476
1931501149 $12.95 http://www.dunhillpublishing.com

Written by an expert on corporate management and self-actualization, Top 10 Traits Of Silicon Valley Dynamos by Joan Clout-Kruse is a collection of turbo-charged stories about the Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and professionals who survived the cutthroat corporate world and achieved a dream to be rightfully proud of. Filled with activities to improve oneself and build confidence, Top 10 Traits Of Silicon Valley Dynamos is an insightful, useful, business "self-help" book, as well as an engaging journal of entrepreneurial success. An energetic and inspiring business book for the Fast World of the twenty-first century!

Fish!
Stephen C. Lundin, et al.
Hyperion
77 West 66th Street, NY, NY 10023-6298
0786866020 $19.95, 1-800-759-0190

A manager's guide to morale boosting in the workplace, Fish! A Remarkable Way To Boost Morale And Improve Results is another excellent management parable by the collaborative team of Stephen C. Lundin, Harry Paul and John Christensen, and draws from the fun-loving fishmongers at Seattle's Pike Place Market for its material. Recently widowed and mother of two, Mary Jane Ramirez is asked to engineer a turnaround of her company's troubled operations department, described as a "toxic energy dump." Most reasonable managerial heads would cut their losses and move on. But Mary Jane takes up the challenge with the help of head fishmonger Lonnie. Fish! (based on a popular corporate education video) was written to help corporate employees find their way creating and maintaining pleasant and productive workplace. Effective motivational management techniques are deftly embedded in an entertaining and engaging read. Also available in large print and audio download formats.

The Death Of 20th Century Selling
Dan Seidman
Sales Autopsy
190 E. Dundee Rd., Barrington, IL 60010
0971291101 $18.95 1-877-613-7355

The Death Of 20th Century Selling: 50 Hilarious Sales Blunders And How You Can Profit From Them is far more than an just another amusing collection of anecdotes about prospective sales gone bad. Expert sales speaker and trainer Dan Seidman describes in fascinating detail how the Information Age has made buyers better educated than ever -- meaning that the old selling techniques from the 1980's and earlier are no longer effective against modern-day executives, who have already experienced strategies like the "Porcupine Close" countless times, and indeed, see what used to be the standard sales practice as manipulative or worse. The Death Of 20th Century Selling analyzes fifty sales blunders with a careful, searching "post-mortem" that dissects exactly what went wrong and how the salesperson might have avoided disaster. In addition, tips on reading body language, structuring a system, and especially dealing with sales partners and co-workers make for an indispensable reference. Written in open, frank, clearly understandable, no-nonsense layman's language, The Death Of 20th Century Selling is an absolute, unequivocal "must-read" for anyone and everyone in the business of sales, and makes for fascinating, uproarious, and utterly addictive reading for just about everyone else.

The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business
Scott W. Ventrella
The Free Press
1230 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0743212371 $24.00 www.simonsays.com

Scott Ventrella's The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business: 10 Traits For Maximum Results was written as an antidote to the gossip, griping, and negative impediments to team effort that undermines productivity and costs U.S. companies about three billion dollars a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When the bottom line suffers from negative thinking, so do all the countless individuals who depend upon the business in question. The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business is a careful, easy to understand guide to adopting a healthy, optimistic attitude for positive action, as well as successful payoffs. From stimulating creativity to fostering an environment of trust, The Power Of Positive Thinking In Business is an excellent reference for increasing workplace productivity, and ultimately, saving a great deal of money.

Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
1-800-250-5308

Sheila Mello's Customer-Centric Product Definition (0-8144-0668-8, $34.95) provides the key to superior product development, telling how to understand customer problems with a product before the item is on the market. This creates a definition strategy for understanding and meeting customer-based demands, showing companies how to create and market products which meet real needs. Lawrence MacGregor Serven's End Of Office Politics As Usual (0664-5, $24.95) provides a strategy for creating a more productive organization, taking the unusual approach of considering the perpetrator's point of view in motives and actions which have undermined efforts of co-workers and companies alike. These cases are becoming more common, and this book shows managers how to identify the conditions under which they blossom. Al Cooke's Seven Steps To A Successful Business Plan (0-8144-0648-3, $90.00) tells how business owners can connect strategic plans to a company's daily operations challenges. There are plenty of books on business planning on the market today; but this tells how to create more realistic plans which involve the entire staff and fit in with the realities of a business's operations.

At Work With Thomas Edison
Blaine McCormick
Entrepreneur Press
2445 McCabe Way Irvine CA 92614-6244
1891984357 $16.95 smallbizbooks.com

At Work With Thomas Edison: 10 Business Lessons From Ame4rica's Greatest Innovator by Blaine McCormick (management professor at the Hankamer School of Business, Baylor University) is a savvy presentation of ten crucial business lessons from America's greatest inventor. A an astute businessman as well as a famed inventor and creator of the world's first research and development (R&D) operation, Thomas Edison's management techniques helped him incorporate over 100 businesses and contain much wisdom to remember in today's modern world. Innovative, inspirational, and motivational reading.

First, Break All the Rules
Marcus Buckingham & Curt Coffman
Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0684852861 $25.00, 1-800-223-2336

Marcus Buckingham and Curt Coffman are consultants for the Gallup organization and, based on 80,000 interviews offer sound and persuasive conclusions about what makes for great managers in First, Break All The Rules: What The World's Greatest Managers Do Differently. They expose the fallacies of standard management thinking and in seven chapters, debunk some dearly held notions about management, such as "treat people as you like to be treated"; "people are capable of almost anything"; and "a manager's role is diminishing in today's economy." Icononclastic, challenging, articulate, innovative, and at times inspiring, First, Break All The Rules is enthusiastically recommended reading for business students, entrpreneurs, managers, corporate officers, and CEOs. It is also available in paperback, and in an abridged Audio Cassete and Audio CD format.

Dearborn Publishers
155 W. Wacker Dr., Chicago, IL 60606
1-800-621-9621

Two fine titles provide excellent advanced business books for CEOs and managers of medium to larger companies. Bette Price and George Ritcheske's True Leaders (0-7931-4826-X, $25.00) explores how exceptional CEOs and company presidents make a different by building people and profits. Chapters show how leadership is taught and achieved and provide plenty of case history examples. John Caslione and Andrew Thomas' Global Manifest Destiny (4502-3, $27.00) tells how to grow a business in an economy which is increasingly including world trade. What constitutes a truly global business operation and how to take advantage of the economic blending of peoples and operations around the world makes for a title which identifies key characteristics of leading global companies.

Bootstrap
Kenneth L. Hess
S-Curve Press
P.O. Box 5038, Carmel, CA 93921
0971187304 $24.95 1-415-383-4878

Kenneth Hess was the founder and President of Banner Blue Software which he took from a raw "bootstrap" startup and build it into an established company with a multimillion dollar annual sales record. Bootstrap: Lessons Learned Building A Successful Company From Scratch is the author's true story of successfully creating his viable business from scratch. Filled with risks, rewards, lessons learned the hard way and the fruits of up-close and personal inspiration, Bootstrap is an inspiring read filled with the wisdom that comes from earned experience. Strongly recommended reading for all entrepreneurs aspiring towards achieving corporate success with their own business enterprises, regardless of services furnished or products produced.

Now, Discover Your Strengths
Marcus Buckingham & Donald O. Clifton
The Free Press
1230 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0743201140 $26.00, 1-800-223-2336

In Now, Discover Your Strengths, readers learn how to identify and develop their skills and talents, as well as those of your employees. Effectively managing behavior, our own as well as that of others, is an extraordinarily complex task, but the mastery of which is an essential prerequiste for success in the workplace. Now, Discover Your Strengths proposes a new and somewhat radical approach as Marcus Buckingham and Donald Clifton place their focus upon the enhancing of people's strengths rather than eliminating their weaknesses. The authors articulately describe thirty-four positive personality themes (included "Achiever", "Developer", "Learner", and "Maximizer") while clearly explaing how to build what they called a "strengths-based organization" through capitalizing on the fact that such traits are already present within ourselves and those we are responsible for which we have a management responsibility. It is also available in abridged Audio Cassette and Audio CD formats.



The Money/Finance Shelf

How Much Is Enough?
Pamela York Klainer
Basic Books
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
0-465-03748-8 $26.00 1-800-242-7737

Relationships to money define how we live our lives, yet often are not fully understood. Pamela Klainer's How Much Is Enough? is the first money book which advocates the need to understand what money means personally, before setting goals to achieve it. Chapters show how to analyze perceptions about money, comfort, and what money will bring.

Sell It By Owner & Save
Michael M. Kloian
How To Publishing
P.O. Box 53, Howard City, MI 49329
0970734603 $19.95 1-888-725-1988

Sell It By Owner & Save is a practical, straightforward guide to selling a home without a broker. Accessibly written by a professional broker in down-to-earth, layman's language, Sell It By Owner & Save covers each step of the sale in clear detail. Sell It By Owner & Save is a superbly presented "how to" primer for anyone who is considering selling their home, whether they want to enlist the aid of a broker or not!

Buying Stocks Is Child's Play
Sandra M. McWhorter
1st Books Library
2511 W. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN 47404
0759631824 $12.42 www.1stbooks.com

In Buying Stocks Is Child's Play, author Sandra McWhorter draws upon her thirty years of experience of teaching investment principles and practices in small group settings to create an easy-to-read, articulate and intelligible primer to the stock market. It's divided into three parts. Part I covers the history of Wall Street and step-by-step instructions to begin investing; part II is about the histories of the most established and famous stocks such as those of McDonald's and Coca-Cola; and part III is filled with definitions, web site addresses and suggested readings for advanced study. Very highly recommended for the non-specialist general reader with little or no previous experience with the stock market, the information in McWhorter's Buying Stocks Is Child's Play must be carefully read through before making the decision to invest sizeable fortunes in a fluctuating market!

Credit Repair
Robin Leonard & Deanne Loonin, Attys.
Nolo Press
950 Parker St., Berkeley, CA 94710
0-87337-759-9 $21.99 www.nolo.com

A bad credit history doesn't necessarily mean being locked out of the credit market, as this 5th edition of Credit Repair demonstrates. Chapters tell how to get out of debt, avoid getting back into debt, and how to clean up a poor credit record, replacing it with a good one. Chapters not only reveal how to repair and regain lost credit; they teach the foundations of good money management skills.

The Winning Portfolio
Paul B. Farrell
Bloomberg Press
P.O. Box 888, Princeton, NJ 08542-0888
1576600718 $15.95 www.bloomberg.com

The Winning Portfolio: Choosing Your 10 Best Mutual Funds is an excellent guide to mutual find investing and ideally suited to the informational and strategic planning needs of the novice investor. Written by CBS MarketWatch's dean of funds Paul Farrell, The Winning Portfolio aptly presents how best to choose between the top 100 mutual funds and create a diversified, solid portfolio that will effectively put your money to work for you. Written in clear, easily understandable language for new investors and long-time market veterans alike, The Winning Portfolio is a must-read for everyone putting a sizeable chunk of their financial well-being into the mutual fund market.

The Road To Wealth
Suze Orman
Riverhead Books
c/o Berkley Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
1573221813 $29.95, 1-800-847-5515

The Road To Wealth: A Comprehensive Guide To Your Money--Everything You Need To Know In Good And Bad Times is an impressive, encyclopedic guide to the all aspects of personal finance and financial planning ranging from advice on managing debt and owning a home, to making investments and establishing a legacy. Suze Orman style is practical, definite, and highly accessible by the non-specialist general reader. The text is layed out to be both a superbly presented and definitive introduction and then to admirably serve as a permanent, "user friendly" reference dealing with common finance concerns ranging from like calculating mortgage payments to determine nursing care reimbursements from Medic, to the pros and cons of retirement plan options. Very highly recommended for personal and public library reference collections, The Road To Wealth is also available in abridged Audio Cassete, Audio CD, and Audio Download formats.



The Nature/Environment Shelf

This Incomparable Land
Thomas J. Lyon
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Ave. S. #300, Minneapolis, MN 55415
1-57131-256-0 $18.95 1-800-520-6455

American nature writing has always attracted and supported strong writers from travelers to literary types. This Incomparable Land provides a history of the genre of nature writing, revising a 1988 book to provide a history of the genre and its changing forms. This takes the form of a blend of overview accompanied by an extensive bibliography of selected and recommended nature writings.

Fire In Sierra Nevada Forests
George E. Gruell
Mountain Press Publishing Company
Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
0-87842-446-6 $20.00 1-800-234-5308

This unusual photographic interpretation of ecological changes brought about by forest fires in the Sierra Nevada since 1849 will provide a guide which should intrigue both California residents and any interested in forestry issues, park management or ecosystems. Chapters use historical photographs to document changes which have taken place over the past 150 years, from early settlements to modern times. Fire In Sierra Nevada Forests will add fuel to debates over prescribed fires and logging issues.

The Chesapeake
John R. Wennersten
Maryland Historical Society Press
201 W. Monument St Baltimore MD 21201
0938420755 $30.00 www.mdhs.org

The Chesapeake: An Environmental Biography by educator and political history expert John Wennersten is the informed story of the Chesapeake Bay (also called the Crown Jewel of Maryland) and the Mid-Atlantic region. From its ice age origins 20,000 years ago to how its modern-day health reflects directly on the health of waters all over the world, The Chesapeake: An Environmental Biography covers all that human science and history have known about this remarkable body of water. Strongly recommended for environmental studies reading lists and reference collections.



The Science Shelf

Corpse
Jessica Snyder Sachs
Perseus Publishing
11 Cambridge Ctr., Cambridge MA 02142
0-7382-0336-X $25.00 1-800-242-7737

The work of forensic pathologists in their attempts to accurately pinpoint causes and times of death are described in a history of forensics which charts the evolution of the science and the works of twelve selected forensic entomologists as they work on their strangest cases. Science, health and history blend in excellent expose of how bodies decay.

Transforming Matter
Trevor H. Levere
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD 21218
0801866103 $17.95 1-800-537-5487

Transforming Matter: A History Of Chemistry From Alchemy To The Buckyball is a college-level discourse on the history of chemistry and will serve as a fine basic introduction for any studying the history of science as a whole. Chapters begin with early alchemy to survey the rise of theories about the elements, the creation of classification systems, and relationships between scientific method and practices. An excellent and highly recommended introduction.



The Black Studies Shelf

A Servant's Journey
Thomas Kilgore Jr. & Jini Kilgore Ross
Judson Press
Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
0817012974 $18.00 1-800-458-3766

A Servant's Journey: The Life And Work Of Thomas Kilgore is the compelling biography of Rv. Thomas Kilgore Jr., an African-American civil rights leader who was deeply involved in organizing the 1963 march on Washington. Among his other noted accomplishments are his service as an advisor to LA mayor Tom Bradley and becoming the first African-American president of American Baptist Churches in the U.S.A. A Servant's Journey is a biography that speaks full testimony to his rich life and his deep and fervent faith in God. Highly recommended reading for students with an interested in the American Civil Rights movement, -- and the life of a truly dedicated man of God.

Black Livingstone
Pagan Kennedy
Viking Press
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-670-03036-8 $24.95 1-800-847-5515

This true-life story of a black adventurer in the 19th century Congo examines the adventures and discoveries of one William Sheppard, an Afro-American missionary who in 1890 sailed to the Belgian Congo and eventually became one of the most controversial human rights activists of his time. An excellent, lively coverage.

Saving Black America
John Yancy Odom, Ph.D.
African American Images
1909 West 95th Street, Chicago, IL 60643
0913543748 $22.95 1-773-445-0322

In Saving Black America: An Economic Plan For Civil Rights, consultant, educator, and civil rights leader John Odom addresses the very real issues of poverty and finance that directly affect millions of African-Americans today. Focusing in turns on the dilemma of whether Civil Rights organizations can accept donations from predominantly white foundations and remain focused on liberation strategies, why and how one third of African-Americans today live below the poverty line and what should be done about it, and much more. An absolute must-read for every American civil rights activist, Saving Black America not only identifies problems, it also offers solutions and blueprints to put in action for a better tomorrow.



The Language Studies Shelf

Southern Tongue
Damon Bonds
Nomad Publishing
PO Box 244722, Anchorage, AK 99524
0970467133 $11.95 www. amazon.com

Southern Tongue: A Dictionary Of Southern Expressions is a compilation of more than 1300 words and expressions commonly used throughout the Southern United States. Each entry is authoritatively defined, including usage examples for clarity and context. The entries are presented alphabetically in a dictionary style format, complete with headers and cross-references. Highly recommended for students of linguistics, tourists, academicians including historians and cultural anthropologists, tourists and travelers through the southern states, as well as novelists and biographers seeking authenticity in their historical or regional dialogues, Southern Tongue offers an in-depth examination at the unique ways in which Southerners choose to express themselves.



The Civil War Studies Shelf

Making Of America: Civil War
Mary Jezer
Bluewood Books
35 S. B Stt., #202, San Mateo, CA 94401
0-912517-50-6 $6.95

Making Of America: Civil War joins others in an outstanding series of blends between history, travelogue and reference guide to cover various aspects of the development of the United States. A section of the book covers parks, historic sites, museums and centers around the Civil War, while chapters survey Civil War events and history in a lively manner.

Black Confederates
Charles Kelly Barrow, et al.
Pelican Publishing Company
P.O. Box 3110, Gretna, LA 70054
1565549376 $17.95 1-800-843-1724

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Charles Kelly Barrow, J. H. Segars, and R. B. Rosenburg, Black Confederates is a scholarly analysis of historical evidence of those black Americans who served the Confederacy during the Civil War. Correspondence, military records, preserved narratives and newspaper accounts present as clear a picture as possible of some seemingly self-contradictory people. Why did they fight, and in some cases, lose their lives for the South in a conflict fought to perpetuate the institution of slavery? This question is carefully scrutinized in a historical work that challenges commonly held precepts and brings to light an oft-overlooked side of America's deadliest war. Black Confederates is a welcome and fascinating addition to Black Studies and Civil War Studies reading lists and reference collections.

Random Acts Of Kindness
David Evans, editor
Broadfoot Publishing Company
1907 Buena Vista Circle, Wilmington, NC 28411-7892
1568373929 424.95 1-910-686-9591

The American Civil War claimed the lives of more Americans that the combined causalities of World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. What is truly remarkable is that in this four year period of carnage and struggle, there were acts of kindness and compassion arising from both sides of the conflict. Random Acts Of Kindness: True Stories Of America's Civil War is an impressive collection of 99 documented stories of caring and compassion both on and off the battlefield. Drawn from printed and manuscript sources, most of these stories are eyewitness accounts written by the soldiers and civilians of both sides of this national conflict. Highly recommended for Civil War reading lists and reference collections, some of the stories are touched with humor, some with reverence and gratitude, and all of them are inspiring and showcase the moral courage and ethical commitments to our selves and others in need that even the horrors of war cannot extinguish.



The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Practicing The Power Of Now
Eckhart Tolle
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1-57731-195-7 $16.00 1-800-972-6657

Meditations, exercises and core teachings for living a better life ar set forth in a series of practices which allows individuals to examine the spiritual sources beyond one's ego. View these pages of advice as an inspirational survey on how to reach a deeper level of spiritual understanding.

Extreme Spirituality
Tolly Burkan
Beyond Words
20827 NW Cornell Road, #500, Hillsboro, OR 97124-9808
1-58270-064-8 $14.95

How can individuals experience a more spiritually-oriented life? By accepting the author's challenge to an extreme spirituality which celebrates possibilities and worth. From overcoming false fears to living in the moment, this isn't about any one religion or movement so much as a changed way of perceiving the world, self, and belief. Extreme Spirituality presents intriguing and thought-provoking exercises.

Meher Baba
Kenneth Lux
Seven Coin Press
P.O. Box 477, Spruce Head, Maine 04859
0970097409 $20.00 sevencoinpress.com

Meher Baba: Avatar Of The Tortoise is, in some ways, the story of how author and clinical psychologist Kenneth Lux came to believe in the spiritual wisdom of Avatar Meher Baba. Chapters cover Meher Baba's life, the nature of Karma and how psychotherapy can be sensitive to it, and much more. A thoughtful, moving account of true faith, Meher Baba is highly recommended reading for students of Eastern philosophy and spirituality in general, and the teachings and life of Meher Baba in particular.

Critical Issues In American Religious History
Robert R. Mathisen
Baylor University Press
Texas A&M University Press, dist.
P.O. Box 97363, Waco, TX 76798
0918954797 $29.95 1-800-826-8911

Critical Issues In American Religious History: A Reader is a chronologically arranged compendium of documents and essays grouped into those relevant to fifteen key issues. Examples of these key issues include "How Religious was the American Revolution?", "How did the factory and the city influence American religion?", and "How did religion in America contribute to the rise of the civil rights movement?" A scholarly, analytical book filled with perspectives and cross-perspectives, Critical Issues In American Religious History is very highly recommended for anyone with a serious interest in learning more about the history of religion in the America experience.

Baptism Of Fire
Samuel Voight
Blue Dolphin Publishing
PO Box 8 Nevada City, CA 95959-0008
157733065X $12.95 1-800-643-0765

Baptism Of Fire: A Guide For Experiencing The Death Of Christ is based on the Samuel Voight's personal experience of a meningitis-induced coma which occurred in 1995 and lasted for twelve days. Voight was taken from knowing what it is like to be completely whole and in perfect communion with God, filled with love, peace, joy, and forgiveness, and then to lose it all on the cross. This was followed by being completely restored, healed, and brought from the tomb. His communication with God was taken to greater heights than ever before. Written in the style of a parable, Baptism Of Fire is mystical, original, compelling story of a spiritual descent into Voight's innermost being. Recommended for students of spirituality and metaphysical studies.

The Bible As It Was
James L. Kugel
Harvard University Press
79 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
0-674-06941-2 $22.95 1-800-448-2242

This informtive study of the Hebrew Bible provides a chapter-by-chapter analysis of some of the most important stories of the Bible, describing how these stories were interpreted by various peoples, how its message was understood at the time, and the origins of modern explanations. An outstanding contrast between past and present interpretative methods.



The Christian Studies Shelf

What Faith Is Not
Mitch Finley
Sheed & Ward
30 Amberwood Pkwy, Ashland OH 44805
1580511031 $12.95 1-800-266-5564

What Faith Is Not is a book that takes a rather different and engaging approach to understanding and appreciating the nature of faith -- by focusing upon what should not be confused with faith. Author Mitch Finley (recipient of numerous awards including ten Catholic Press Association Journalism and Book Awards and an Excellence in Writing Award from the American Society of Journalists and Authors) displays his theological and linguistic skill with his deep, soul-striking presentation of that which gives life and love true substance. What Faith Is Not is especially recommended for Catholic readers, as well as anyone else wresting questions of personal faith within a Christian context.

Christianity: A Global History
David Childester
Harper San Francisco
353 Sacramento St. #500, San Francisco CA 94111-3653
0-06-251770-8 $21.00 1-800-272-7737

From the dark days of the Inquisition to widespread missionary conversion efforts around the world, and the manifold conflicts between the Christian Church and other world religions and movements, David Childester's Christianity: A Global History surveys the rich historical pagent of Christianity, including its changing foundations, and the actions of those who operated within and outside the Church. A lively global survey of events and beliefs.

Are Faith & Science Both Right?
Phillip T. Windolph
Minerva Publishing Co.
1001 Brickell Bay Drive, Suite 2310, Miami, Florida 33131
1930493371 $14.95 minerva-press.co.uk

Phillip Windolph's Are Faith & Science Both Right? is a brand new treatise and interpretation on faith in Jesus Christ, and how that faith should not have to conflict with modern scientific studies. Written by a devout Catholic, who chose to be discharged from the celibate priesthood in order to marry, Are Faith & Science Both Right? is a step toward unity and belief in truth -- that the truth of Science should not be pushed away any more than the truth of Faith should be. Especially recommended for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the reconciliation of Science and Religion.



The Literary Shelf

Lovers' Legends
Andrew Calimach
Haiduk Press
Box 1783, New Rochelle, NY 10802
0-9714686-0-5 $25.00

Lovers' Legends is the first modern work to gather Greek myths of male love and make them available to the non-specialist general reader. Primary sources have been translated for readers of all ages and include well-known myths with a different focus. A fine survey of male love in early writings.

Reading Goethe
Martin Swales and Erika Swales
Camden House
Box 41026, Rochester, NY 14604-4126
1571130950 $59.00 www.boydell.co.uk

The brilliant writtings of Johann Wolfgang von Goethe, arguably the greatest writer in the German language, are the subject of intense and respectful study in Reading Goethe: A Critical Introduction To The Literary Work. Chapters thoroughly explore the creative and destructive energies in Goethe's poetry, narrative fiction, drama, discursive writings, and his perhaps best-known masterpiece, Faust. A superb collaboration by Martin Swales (Professor of German, University College) and Erika Swales (CollegeLecturer in German and Fellow at King's College, Cambridge) Reading Goethe is an invaluable companion reference that belongs on the true literati's bookshelf next to the works of Goethe himself.

Sleeping With Cats
Marge Piercy
Morrow & Company
10 E. 53rd St., NY, NY 10022-5299
0-06-621115-8 $25.95 1-800-242-7737

In Sleeping With Cats, author Marge Piercy's reflections on her life and literature provide a warm series of insights which will appeal to any with a prior affection for her writings. From a strained childhood in Detroit to a series of friendships and failed relationships, chapters consider the effects of her life on her career and goals.

The Signorina And Other Stories
Anna Banti
Modern Language Association
26 Broadway, 3rd Floor, NY, NY 10004
0-87352-792-5 $8.95 www.mla.org

Banti was a notable Italian literary figure from the 1940s until her death in 1985: The Signorina And Other Stories is a collection showcasing five selected short stories, and includes representative examples from across genres and displays her equal talents at science fiction, historical fiction, mystery, and general fiction. An excellent representation of her works and appeal, The Signorina And Other Stories will appeal to newcomers as well as prior fans.

Chelsea House
1974 Sproul Rd, #400 Broomall PA 19008
1-800-848-2665

These titles by Harold Bloom are meant as study guides for students; but many an adult will find them essential for reviewing the works of these major literary figures. Stendhal (0-7910-6351-8, $21.95) covers the novels Red And The Black and Charterhouse Of Parma, focussing on the heros, realism, and settings of his books. Critical insights into passages and presentation will prove invaluable for those producing papers on these works. Edith Wharton (6349-6, $21.95) covers the much-assigned House Of Mirth, Ethan Frome and Custom Of The Country, with notes on passages and technique making this excellent for study. Ken Kesey's classic One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest (6339-9, $36.95) receives its own full-length critical survey with articles providing plenty of scholarship and insights into Kesey's methods and the underlying social and political messages of his novel. Modern readers of E.L. Docotrow's Ragtime (5343-7, $36.95) will find this a lively collection of essays and discussions on one of his most controversial works, with essays examining his unique characterization and approach.

Fantasmas
Rob Johnson, editor
Bilingual Press
c/o Hispanic Research Center
Arizona State University
Box 872702, Tempe, Arizona 85287-2702
1931010021 $14.00 www.asu.edu/brp

Aptly edited by Rob Johnson (teacher of American literature at the University of Texas-Pan American, South Texas Valley) Fantasmas: Supernatural Stories By Mexican American Writers is an impressive and wide-ranging anthology of folklore-style fantasy tales, or cuentos de fantasma. Enhanced with an informative introduction by Kathleen Alcala, as well as being intrinsically shocking, spooky, and rich with cultural and traditional lore, the stories comprising Fantasmas make for truly scary reading on a cold, dark night!

The Greenwich Village Reader
June Skinner Sawyers, editor
Cooper Square Press/NBN, dist.
150 Fifth Avenue, Suite 911, New York, NY 10011
0815411480 $35.00 1-800-462-6420

In The Greenwich Village Reader, editor, freelance writer, and publicist June Sawyers has gathered into a single volume a collection of writings chronicling the Greenwich Village community from the late 1800s down to the present day. Drawn from letters, articles, poems, novel excerpts, and memoirs, here are found more than sixty unique voices commenting on their varied experiences. From Henry James recalling his return to the Village years after writing "Washington Square", to Madison Smartt Bell describing a Washington Square Heroin dealer from the 1980s, the reader is treated to a passing parade of Greenwich Village gentry, bohemians, flappers, poets, immigrants, musicians, radicals, and the occasional wide-eyed visitor. The Greenwich Village Reader is a unique and memorable literary and nostalgic testament in honor of a distinctive, dynamic, evolving community.

Samuel Johnson As Book Reviewer
Brian Hanley
University of Delaware Press
c/o Associated University Press
440 Forsgate Dr., Cranbury, NJ 08512
0874137365 $43.50 1-609-655-4770

Samuel Johnson As Book Reviewer: A Duty To Examine The Labors Of The Learned by Brian Hanley (Associate Professor of English, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado) is a dedicated and thorough critical analysis of the forty-seven book reviews that Samuel Johnson contributed to the Gentleman's Magazine, the Literary Magazine, and the Critical Review. Each review offers new insights into Johnson's literate and questing mind, and the meticulous analyses bear the fruit of painstaking study and framework reference. A new and aptly presented look at the work and character of this notable figure, Samuel Johnson As Book Reviewer is strongly recommended reading for anyone studying the life and times of Samuel Johnson.



The Architecture Shelf

Building A Masterpiece
Franz Schulze
Hudson Hills Press
1133 Broadway, #1301, NY, NY 10010
1555952011 $75.00 1-212-929-4994

In Building A Masterpiece: Milwaukee Art Museum, Franz Schulze (architectural historian, art critic, and professor emeritus at Lake Forest College, Illinois) presents a superbly documented work of architectural triumph as he showcases the world-class Milwaukee Art Museum designed by Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava which joins the original building by Eero Saarinen. Dramatic photography illustrates and documents the new museum structure and enhance Schulze's informative essay as part of an illustrated retrospective of Calatrava's architectural career. Also included are highlights of the museum's encyclopedic collection with each color plate being accompanied by a brief essay of its own. Building A Masterpiece is a welcome and impressive addition to any professional or academic architectural studies reference collection.

American Architecture: A History
Leland M. Roth
Westview Press
5500 Central Ave. Boulder, CO 80301
0-8133-3661-9 $79.95 1-800-242-7737

This extensive survey of American architectural history and styles covers works from pre-historic to modern times, covering the major developments which affected American-built cities and towns over a broad period of time. From evolving regional styles to period architecture and the development of urban landscapes, American Architecture: A History provides chapters packed with analysis and interpretation of American buildings and styles.



The Photography Shelf

The Past In The Present
Joan Almond
St. Ann's Press
Davidson & Choy Publicity
Box 69212, West Holllywood, CA 90069
0967174481 $65.00 stannspress.com

The Past In The Present is a superb collection of photographs taken by Joan Almond and showcasing images as profound as they are human. Portrayed are glimpses of desert village life as lived in such exotic locales as North Africa and India. These duo tone images are as remarkable as they are thought provoking with their focus on the small moments which so fully represent human experiences that are universal and ageless. The Past In The Present is a strongly recommended addition to personal, professional and academic photography reference collections.

Arena Editions
425 Sandoval St., Santa Fe, NM 87501
http://www.arenaeditions.com

Two excellent titles are recommended picks for college-level art library holdings, covering subjects out of the ordinary. Edward Curtis: The Master Prints provides an excellent set of photographic works by Curtis of early Native American peoples. These are works created especially for his 1906 exhibition and create an outstanding set of images. Antonin Kratochvil's Incognito (1-892041-45-6, $60.00) provides the second collection of photos by the artist who turns away from his last Eastern European focus to portray the entertainment industry. His black and white celebrity portraits aren't your usual glamour productions and capture an almost candid feeling of personality. A fine collection.



The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

The Collector's Guide To Cine Cameras
John Wade
Hove Books/Voyageur Press, dist.
123 North Second Street, Stillwater MN 55082-0338
1897802188 $34.95 1-800-888-9653

The Collector's Guide To Cine Cameras by John Wade is a superbly presented guide for avid collectors wanting to pursue their specialized hobby on a reasonable budget. Chapters include a detailed history of cine cameras, close studies of specific cine camera types, and a thorough directory of manufacturers. Black and white photographs throughout depict an amazing variety of cine cameras throughout history. The Collector's Guide To Cine Cameras is a very highly recommended, indispensable guide and reference for anyone with an interest in acquiring or identifying a cine camera.

Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
1-800-626-5420

Any who collect vintage jewelry will find Karen Edeen's Vintage Jewelry (1-57432-262-1, $24.95) a handy guide to noteworthy pieces, with chapters offering not just color photos of the pieces, but showing them on models. Chapters are divided by type of jewelry and cover everything from costume jewelry and Native American pieces to Mexican jewelry. Close-up photos are accompanied by values. Dan collectors have plenty of general values guides to choose from, but few provide the specific focus of David Spurgeon's Celebrity Dolls (243-5, $24.95), which narrows the focus to dolls which are reflections of popular movie and TV stars. Color photos and values are accompanied by some history in this fine guide. Commercial Fish Decoys by Frank Baron (267-2, $29.95) may be just the book to attract that spear fisher who 'has everything'. Many similar books have been written on vintage decoys: this is the first to focus on commercially-made decoys and tools and provides a treasure trove of color photos, values and history. Roselyn Gerson's Estee Lauder Solid Perfume Compact Collection 1967-2001 (276-1, $24.95) holds two to four color photos per page and a fine chronological order as it explores the Estee Lauder collection. A specialty reference which will appeal to collectors of perfume containers.

Krause Publications
700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
1-800-258-0929

This publisher's many works on collecting provide an excellent range of price guides for avid collectors seeking both identification material and prices. Sharon Korbeck's Best Of Barbie (0-87349-261-7, $39.95) goes beyond your usual price guide however, providing a photo journey through over 40 years of Barbie publications and changes. From a winking 'Western' Barbie with black hair to a black Ken with an afro, this is a splendid visual journey any Barbie doll collector will relish, offering something different from the values guides already on the market. The third edition of Vincent Santelmo's Complete Encyclopedia To GI Joe (0-87341-874-3, $27.95) provides the collector with manual to everything associated with the GI Joe action figure. Illustrated listings are mostly in black and white with a centerfold of color photos: new to this guide are listings of the individual equipment packed with all the 1982-200 series issues. ToyShop's Farm Toys (257-9, $29.95) provide a comprehensive farm toy guide, packing in over 5,000 listings and photos for both common and rare models. The black and white photos aid in identification. The 5th edition of Basketball Cards (317-6, $21.95) provides collectors with a checklist of all 150,000 cards and 3,400 sets, including an autograph price guide of players and a graded card price guide. Larry Canale and Tuff Stuff Staff's Baseball Memorabilia Guide (267-6, $24.95) provides photos and prices for hundreds of autographs including those of managers and announcers, along with listings of auctions and other memorabilia from stadiums and giveaways. An essential collector's handbook to all kinds of baseball collectibles. Joe Kertzman edits Knives 2002 (312-5, $22.95), which appears in its 22nd edition to update information on custom blades and collectors. Scrimshaw, high-tech materials, and knifemaker guides are included in this extensive detailing of knives.



The Musicbook Shelf

Behind The Muse
Bill DeMain
Tiny Ripple Books
Box 1533, Cranberry Township PA 16066
0-9675973-2-3 $24.95

Plenty of individual titles cover pop and rock star biographies and works, but Bill DeMain's Behind The Muse provides an unusual compendium of insights on modern songwriters who talk about their works and inspirations, from Dolly Parton and Billy Joel to Jobim and Burt Bachrach and Tori Amos. The diversity of personalities who appear side by side to share their insights makes for an absorbing, unusual title.

The Giants Of Jazz Piano
Robert Doerschuk
Backbeat Books
600 Harrison St., San Francisco CA 94107
0879306564 $29.95 backbeatbooks.com

A bonus 11-track cd comes with this portrait of eighty-eight pioneers and players of jazz piano, from Jelly Roll Morton to Benny Green. Here are insights on lives, techniques, and changing perspectives on jazz piano styles and artistry, enhanced by the author's personal experience as a jazz pianist and his original interviews with many of the players. Avid fans of the genre will find The Giants Of Jazz Piano positively absorbing.

Song & Dance
Sennett
MetroBooks
c/o Friedman/Fairfax Publishers
15 West 26th Street, NY, NY 10010
1-56799-883-6 $59.95 1-800-367-9692

Fans of Broadway musicals will find Song & Dance an outstanding blend of book and music: the book has almost two hundred pages of history detailing the evolution of the Broadway musical from its 19th century roots to modern times. Over a hundred color and black and white photos are included. Music is presented on three compact discs of music packed with examples from different shows, while an accompanying booklet of session notes covers all the tracks. Simply an unbeatable package for any fan of Broadway musical history and events.

Guide To Musicals
Rexton Bunnett, et.al.
Harper UK/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
0-00-712268-3 $16.95 1-800-423-4525

Guide To Musicals is an in-depth history of nearly 200 musicians selects productions from late 19th century works to Mel Brooks' The Producers. Each entry lists composer, lyricist, and major performances. Guide To Musicals is a strongly recommended pick for followers of musicals who want background data and recommended readings.



The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Information Professional's Guide To Career Development Online
Sarah Nesbitt & Rachel S. Gordon
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
1-57387-124-9 $29.50 1-800-300-9868

Internet-connected librarians who want to use the online environment to promote and advance their careers will find this an important guide which covers everything from creating a personal Web page to using electronic resume and online job services. With its chapters appealing to professionals, this offers many advanced tips not seen elsewhere.

Who Moved My Cheese?
Spencer Johnson
G. P. Putnam's Sons
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0399144463 $19.95, 1-800-847-5515

In Who Moved My Cheese?: An Amazing Way To Deal With Change In Your Work And In Your Life, management expert Spencer Johnson offers practical, intelligible, effective techniques for dealing with inevitable workplace changes -- through the means of a parable of two mice and two mouse-sized humans in a maze. Depending upon one's personality and point of view, workplace change can be a boone or a burden. The central them of Who Moved My Cheese? is that once we perceive change as having value, then acceptance will follow. Who Moved My Cheese? is a parable that takes place in a maze. The point of this quickly and easily read, 94 page parable is that we as members of a workforce have to be alert to changes changes as they affect our jobs, our productivity, even our goals, and to be prepared to generate new ways of doing things when the old ways break down under the duress of marketplace factors, especially those that arrive with very little warning. Who Moved My Cheese? is also available in a paperback edition, audiocassette (abridged & unabridged), large print, and on CD-ROM.



The Health/Medicine Shelf

Blood Pressure Book
Stephen Fortmann & Prudence Breitrose
Bull Publishing
Box 1377, Boulder, CO 80306
0-923521-60-7 $14.95

Any concerned about blood pressure will find Blood Pressure Book includes the latest new research and treatment methods, including new approaches to self-help. From effects of exercise, weight and diet to learning stress reduction techniques, this provides excellent insights on the causes and control of high blood pressure.

Abnormal Pap Smears
Lynda Rushing & Nancy Joste, MDs
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228
1573929298 $21.00 1-800-421-0351

Pap smears detect cervical cancer but there's a major difference between different types of abnormal pap smears, from full-blown cancers to results which are atypical yet benign. Abnormal Pap Smears not only helps consumers understand the differences; it also suggests lifestyle changes to reduce the risks of precancers and cancers.

Encyclopedia Of Allergies
Myron Lipkowitz & Tova Navarra
Facts on File
11 Penn Plaza, New York NY 10001
081604404X $66.00 1-800-322-8755

Encyclopedia Of Allergies will make an excellent reference guide not only for health libraries, but public libraries where individuals are regularly consulting books for the latest insights. Encyclopedia Of Allergies appears in its second edition to update to the latest information on the various symptoms and treatments for a variety of allergies, from exercise-induced asthma to childhood allergies.



The Cookbook Shelf

Gourmet Cooking For Free
Bradford Angier
Willow Creek Press
PO Box 147, Minocqua WI 54548
1572234008 $14.95 1-800-850-9453

Originally published in 1970, Bradford Angier's Gourmet Cooking For Free has been brought back into print and showcases more than 300 unique, delicious recipes for the preparation of wild game, fish, and edible wild plants that can be harvest by anyone from nature's natural bounty. From Venison Steaks with Pepper; Pheasant with Water Cress; Broiled Frog Legs; and Porcupine Stew; to Broiled Oysters; Water Cress Sandwiches; Plantain with Vinegar Sauce; and Cold Blackberry Soup; Gourmet Cooking For Free is an outstanding culinary reference and a highly prized addition to any kitchen cookbook shelf!

Curiosities Of Food
Peter Lund Simmonds
Ten Speed Press
Box 7123, Berkeley, CA 94707
1-58008-297-1 $16.95 1-800-841-2665

Curiosities Of Food survey of delicacies of different nations originally appeared in London in 1859 and here charts some obscure and notable foods from around the world for new audiences. It's long been out of print, so modern cooks and food fans will delight in Peter Simmonds' blend of travelogue and observation.

Grandmothers Of Greenbush
Catherine Tripalin Murray
Greenbush...Remembered
1421 Wyldewood Dr., Madison WI 53704
0962634638 $18.95 www.amazon.com

Grandmothers Of Greenbush: Recipes And Memories Of The Old Greenbush Neighborhood 1900-1925 by Catherine Tripalin Murray is a blend of anecdotal history and recipes drawn from the women who lived on a 52-acre plate comprising ten blocks which formed a triangular shaped neighborhood called Greenbush, a Madison, Wisconsin ethnic community. A very nice touch is the inclusion of old b/w photographs of the women, along with a brief biographical description including their birthplace, parentage, siblings, spouse, wedding, and children, accompanied by an anecdotal story of their individual lives. This is paired up with these a recipe drawn from their particular culinary expertise. From Nonna Accardo's Bread; Mama C's Spaghetti Sauce and Meatballs; Salsa Fresca Di Pomidoro a La Puttancesca; and Conchera's Garlic Sauce; to Italian Roast Loin of Pork with Potatoes; Breaded Sirloin Steak; Ida's Delicious Noodle Pudding; and Grandma Urso's Round Steak, Grandmothers Of Greenbush is a unique and memorable collection, a truly fitting culinary tribute, and simply wonderful just browsing through.

Fabulous Lo-Carb Cuisine
Ruth Glick
Light Street Press
PO Box 1233, Columbia, MD 21044-0233
0970629303 $12.95 locarbcook.com

In Fabulous Lo-Carb Cuisine, Ruth Glick presents a culinary wealth of more than a hundred easy to prepare recipes ideal for anyone seeking delicious, nutritious meals that are low in carbohydrates. From Hot Artichoke and Spinach Dip; Broccoli-Cauliflower-Pecan Salad; Asian Steak; and Italian Chicken with Peppers and Onions; to Philly Cheese Steak; Mexican Stuffed Peppers; Almond Coconut Candy; and Hazelnut Truffles, Fabulous Lo-Carb Cuisine offers a diversity of dishes that would grace any meal and satisfy any appetite.

Clean Your Plate
San Antonio Junior Forum
c/o RFP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0961691719 $19.95 www.frpbooks.com

Clean Your Plate: Dishes For Every Occasion showcases a cornucopia of recipes suitable for any occasion, formal or informal, celebratory or ordinary. Drawn from the kitchens and culinary expertise of the members of the San Antonio Junior Forum, there are recipes representing appetizers and beverages, salads and dressings, soups and stews, main dishes, pasta and grains, brunch and breads, vegetables and side dishes, cakes and pies, cookies and desserts, and a special section of recipes called "Something Extra". From Mushrooms Stuffed with Crab and Cheese; Cranberry Apple Salad; No-Peek Turkey Stews; and Sherried Pork Chops with Pears; to Picante Shrimp Rigatoni; Southwest Corn Frittata; Lemon Ribbon Meringue Pie; and Praline Sweet Potatoes, Clean Your Plate is enhanced with color photography and as much fun to browse through as it inspiring to cook from.

Celebrating
Kate Lamont
Fremantle Arts Centre Press/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo Street, Portland, OR 97213-3644
1863683186 $31.95 1-800-944-6190

In her wonderful book, Celebrating, experience cook, caterer, and restauranteur Kate Lamont shares a wealth of colorful, tasty, gourmet recipes ideal for any kine of personal or professional celebratory occasion. From Grilled Parmesan Solenta; Potato, Asparagus and Pea Salad; Lamb Koftas; and Mediterranean-Flavours Stuffed Turkey; to Avocado Crostini; Snapper with Indian Spiced Potatoes; Scallops and Smoked Salmon Lasagne; and Glace Quince and Pistachio Biscotti, Celebrating is collection as impressive as it is mouthwatering. Highly recommended for any kitchen cookbook collection, each easy-to-prepare recipe is wonderfully illustrated in full color photography showing the finished dish.

5 A Day
Elizabeth Pivonka & Barbara Berry
Rodale Press, Inc.
400 South 10th St., Emmaus, PA 18098
1579545289 $24.95 www.rodale.com

5 A Day: The Better Health Cookbook is the collaborative effort of Elizabeth Pivonka (president of the Produce for Better Health Foundation) and Barbara Berry (vice president in charge of the Foundation's programs in education, marketing, communication, and research. On the well documented premise that eating five servings of fruits and vegetables will provide excellent health, this compendium showcasing 150 easy and delicious recipes will form a superb basis for any health conscious, palate pleasing menu. From Sweet Potato Pancakes with Apple-Walnut Topping; Citrus Salad with Raspberry-Vanilla Sauce; and Catfish with Tropical Fruit Salsa; to Artichokes Stuffed with Oriental Noodle Salad; Chicken and Grapefruit Stir-Fry; Watermelon-Blueberry Banana Split, 5 A Day offers wonderful recipes that are thorough "kitchen cook" friendly and certain to become both seasonal and year-round family favorites!

Fondue
Petra Casperak, et.al.
Barron's
250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppage, NY 11788
0-7641-1898-6 $16.95 1-800-645-3476

Almost a hundred fondue recipes go far beyond the usual melted cheese/bread mixture, providing recipes for everything from vegetable and meat fondues to desserts. From a sweet/hot tomato-based dipping sauce for meats and vegetables to oil-based fondues, Fondue covers not only ingredients but what kind of fondue pot is appropriate for some of the dishes.

Bon Appetit Every-Night Cooking
Bon Appetit Editors
Clarkson Potter Publishers
201 East 50th Street, NY, NY 10022
0609609211 $29.95 randomhouse.com

Subtitled "Fast And Fun: A Real-Life To Getting Dinner On The Table", Bon Appetit Every-Night Cooking comprises an impressive collection of 170 easy-to-prepare recipes, highlighted with 20 full-page color photographs and a wealth of ideas, advice, and inspiration for creating memorable meal time experiences. From Mexican-Style Stuffed Potatoes; Baked French Toast with Cardamom and Marmalade; and Seared Shrimp with Warm New Potato Salad; to Baked Penne with Sausage, Zucchini and Fontina; Ziti Casserole with Three Cheeses; and Pan-braised Chicken with Dried Fruits and Olives, Bon Appetit Every-Night Cooking is as much a delight to page through as it is to cook from!

Old-Fashioned Recipes For Modern Cooks
L.B. Cobb
Advance Books Company
Box 630634, Houston, TX 77263-0634
0970622406 $12.00 advancebooks.com

Showcasing more than 175 Southern and Southwestern dishes from a culinary era well before the coming dominance of "fat-free" manias with respect to fine dining, L.B. Cobb's Old-Fashioned Recipes For Modern Cooks: Foods With All The Flavor You Remember In Grandmother's Cooking is as much fun and nostalgia to browse through as it is fun and fulfilling to cook from. Whether for special occasion celebrations or daily family dining, here are recipes to please any palate and satisfy any appetite. From Chicken Baked in Wine; Sweet and Sour Pork Chops; and Quick Spiced Peaches; to Biscuit Gravy, Asparagus Soup; and Buttermilk Pie, Old-Fashioned Recipes For Modern Cooks will quickly prove to be a favorite addition to any kitchen cookbook collection!

Mediterranean Vegetables
Clifford Wright
Harvard Common Press/NBN, dist.
535 Albany St., Boston, Ma 02118
1-55832-196-9 $29.95 1-888-657-3755

Mediterranean vegetables range from eggplant and fava beans to lentils and swiss chard, and Clifford Wright's superbly presented vegetable book provides 200 recipes for using vegetables to maximum advantage. There are no color photos, but the dishes don't need much embellishment: just access to a range of fresh vegetables.

Magic In The Kitchen
Jan Bartelsman
Artisan
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
1-57965-173-9 $50.00 1-800-722-7202

Dutch photographer Bartelsman traveled across America for a year, taking photos and gathering recipes from forty top American chefs. Magic In The Kitchen pairs art with food, adding sometimes whimsical photos of the chefs, their dishes, and their signature recipes. Discriminating fans of recipes which are unique to their creators will find this both visually appealing and delicious.



The Audiobook Shelf

Bram Stoker's Dracula
Scenario Productions
831 Glencairn Avenue, Suite 276, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M6B 2A4
1894003241 $14.99 http://www.scenarioproductions.com

Bram Stoker's Dracula is a wonderful example of CBC's "golden age" of radio play productions. This one hour, full cast, special effects, and music enhanced "theater of the mind" event was staged and recorded in 1949 and starred Lorne Greene as the infamous count, Alan King as Jonathan Harker, and a splendid supporting cast. This Scenario Productions compact disk is time coded for easy reference and a highly recommended addition to personal, school, and community library collections.

Eleanor: Her Secret Journey
Rhoda Lerman
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
1580812023 $19.95 1-800-708-8863

Dramatically narrated by Jean Stapleton, Eleanor: Her Secret Journey is a superb, eighty-minute monologue drawn by Rhoda Lerman from Eleanor Roosevelt's writings. We are introduced to a woman who justifiably became known as the "First Lady of the World" and perfectly captures the duality of a complex personality both in her public activities and her private life. Eleanor: Her Secret Journey is a wonderful addition to any school or community library audiobook collection, and a "must" for those with an admiration for one of the most influential American women of the 20th Century.

Highbridge Company
1000 Wesgate Dr., St. Paul, MN 55114
1-800-847-5515

These new books on cd and books on tape releases promise ongoing excitement to any listener seeking more than a novel for entertainment. Mohandas Gandhi's My Experiments With Truth (1-56511-518-X, $24.95, cd format) provides an abridged reading by Frederick Davidson of the best of Gandhi's reflections on his spiritual journey. Written after his release from prison, this charts his insights on life's experiences and comes to life under Davidson's smooth reading. Stephen Hawking, et.al.'s Theories Of The Universe (515-5, $24.95) provides a cd which surveys many different views of the universe. Julian Lopez-Morillas provides a fine narration which brings to life current astronomer concepts. Bertrand Russell's Religion And Science (519-8, $22.95) provides a 2-cd program narrated by David Case and revealing insights into truth and logic by the philosopher, while Einstein's Relativity (511-2, $22.95) captures the 1916 words of the scientist, with Lopez-Morillas again providing a smooth and absorbing narrative style. On cassette, listen to Michael Treacy and Fred Wiersema's own reading of their Discipline Of Market Leaders (676-9, $21.95), which uses case studies of some well-known companies to explore operating procedures and company discipline; John Edward's One Last Time (618-6, $17.95), providing the psychic medium's story of his experiences with the dead; Bob Nelson's reading of 1001 Ways To Reward Employees (572-4, $18.95), which goes past raises and promotions to tell of other ways of rewarding employees; Jess Oppenheimer's I Love Lucy Behind The Scenes (604-6, $18.95), with Larry Dobkin narrating the story of Oppenheimer's friendship with Lucy and his involvement in her work; and Jhumpa Lahiri's Interpreter Of Maladies (566-X, $24.95), a collection of ironic short stories which address issues of war, peace and Indian culture. Dazzling stories of cultural understanding. All are recommended picks.

Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1-800-854-7859

These exciting new releases are highly recommended picks for any who enjoy solid leisure listening. Nora Roberts' Heaven And Earth (1-58788-226-4, $19.95) receives Sandra Burr's warm and smooth narrative style as it tells of the lives of three powerful New England women and a researcher who awakens the psychic powers of a sheriff's deputy. Roberts writes as J.D. Robb with Rapture In Death (102-0, $24.95), which benefits from Susan Ericksen's smooth style, capturing the drama of three apparent suicides and an investigation into virtual reality games. Don Snyder's Fallen Angel (776-2, $19.95) provides a Christmas tale which arrived too late for feature in December, but which deserves ongoing recommendation between its strong narration by Ian Peakes and its story of a Hollywood agent who returns home to face his past. Terry Goodkind's Pillars Of Creation (938-2, $29.95) presents Volume 7 in the Sword of Truth Series: it's recommended that newcomers be familiar with prior volumes for a smooth transition into this fantasy of a dangerous army and a struggle for conquest, which comes alive under Jim Bond's narrative style. Jim Brown's 24/7 (911-0, $24.95) receives a fine and studied style in the voice of Aaron Fryc, who brings alive the story of a reality show which becomes too real and involves death. His voice succeeds in enlivening the already-tense plot. Terry Brooks' Witches' Brew (381-3, $24.95) receives veteran narrator Dick Hill's solid and smooth style as it tells of a former lawyer's involvement in a magic kingdom and a daughter's danger. War is brewing, and tensions mount in both worlds. Walter Mosley's Futureland (987-0, $24.95) receives Richard Allen's sharp and dramatic style as it tells of life in America a generation from now, where the daily grind is worse and the gap between classes is terrible. Barbara Delinsky's Commitments (583-2, $24.95) enjoys Joyce Bean's smooth and clear style as it tells of a woman who marries wealthily, unwisely, and finds a new potential mate until murder strikes. All are to-notch listens with plenty of drama.

Ground Lions
Lou Campanozzi
Americana Publishing, Inc.
Box 11546, Albuquerque, NM 87192
1588070646 $25.00 1-888-883-8203

Homicide detective Mike "Ace" Amato must figure out who shot down aspiring mob wannabee Danny Martin in a high school parking lot. Amato's investigation leads him into his own family's ties with organized crime, a renewed romance with an old love, and a series of suspects that ranges from the FBI and the Mafia, to his own city's policy department. An impressively crafted mystery thriller and strongly recommend for mystery fans as well as community library audiobook collections, Ground Lions is superbly narrated by David Griffin in a deftly abridged, technically flawless audiobook edition of Lou Campanozzi's gripping, engaging novel of blood, violence, friends, and enemies. (4 cassettes, 360 minutes).

Random House Audio
1540 Broadway, New York NY 10036
1-800-726-0600

Diana Gabaldon's prior fans as well as newcomers will be excited by her Fiery Cross (0-553-52861-0, $29.95), with Geraldine James providing the warm British accent enlivening the story of a 1771 war and a wife's gift of prophecy born of a time traveler. Familiarity with the prior Outlander titles will lend to appreciation of this continuation, but are not required listening to absorb this setting. J.R.R. Tolkien's Fellowship Of The Ring (71477-5, $25.95) provides a full cast abridged dramatization of the first book in the trilogy, with the BBC cast enhancing the tale and bringing alive the main features of the story. A highly recommended introduction shortened for the casual listener. Jonathan Kellerman's Flesh And Blood (41940-3, $25.95) receives John Rubinstein's smooth and experienced voice as it presents another Alex Delaware mystery; this revolving around a beautiful delinquent teen's murder. David Remnick and Henry Finder's Fierce Pajamas (41995-0, $29.95) provides unabridged selections from he New Yorker in a comic collection packed with wit and laughter. Excellent gems.

Jackdaws
Ken Follett
Books On Tape, Inc.
PO Box 7900, Newport Beach, CA 92658
0142800031 $80.00 1-800-541-5525

Ken Follett is a master storyteller. Jackdaws is his tale of Felicity "Flick" Clairet, an officer in the British Special Operations Executive" with a plan to cripple Germany communications before D-Day. When her plan to destroy a German telephone exchange goes awry, she recruits an unusual six member team drawn from SOE rejects, an aristocrat who can shoot, and a couple of prisoners. These odd balls and misfits (including two lesbians and a German transvestite) infiltrate the exchange as cleaning women, and must dismantle it in just six hours. Unfortunately, the Germans are waiting for them. Jackdaws is a ripping good thriller in classic Ken Follett style. This 15 hour long, complete and unabridged audiobook edition from Books On Tape is superbly narrated by Kate Reading. Very highly recommended for all Ken Follett fans and an ideal acquisition for community library audiobook collections.

Listen & Live Audio
Box 817, Roseland, NJ 07068
$16.95 Each 1-800-653-9400

Two excellent accounts on basic survival of unusual life situations by Joshua Piven and David Borgenicht in the Listen & Live Audiop 'Worst-Case Scenario' series receive fine audio readings. Penn Jillett's strong voice brings to life the unusual encounters in Survival Handbook: Travel (1-885408-73-0), which tells how to cross a piranha-infested river, how to treat a scorpion sting, and how to pass a bribe. Survival Handbook (69-2) provides a more general life lesson on how to delivery a baby in a taxi, jump from a moving car, and identify a bomb. Burt Reynolds provides the spice to this latter account. Both make for excellent listening.

Covered Wagon Women 1851
Beverly's Ltd.
11723 North La Tanya Drive, Tucson, AZ 85737
0967188539 $18.00 1-877-208-5169

The latest release in the "Living Voices of the Past" series, Covered Wagon Women 1851 is drawn from the diaries and letters of women who experienced the travails of the wagon trails west in 1851. Edited and compiled by Kenneth L. Holms and used with the permission of the University of Nebraska Press, we are treated to excerpts from the diary of Lucia Williams and the epilogue of Esther Lockhart (superbly narrated by Jane Merrifield-Beecher) describing their trip from Ohio to Oregon. Also featured are excerpts (dramatically narrated by Georgia Goodwin) from the diary of Jean Rio Baker, a Mormon who traveled from Liverpool by Windjammer and to Salt Lake City by Prairie Schooner. Surviving exposure to attacks from Native Americans, the scourge of cholera and smallpox, and the many hardships and deprivations of a pioneer excursion in a covered wagon, Covered Wagon Women 1851 is an outstanding "living history" audio recording and strongly recommended for personal, school, and community library collections.



The Needlecraft Shelf

American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
http://www.aqsquilt.com

Two excellent quilting guides offer a difference to their approach to quilting art. Roberta Benvin's Antique Quilting Designs (1-57432-772-0, $21.95) gathers 100 antique quilting patterns from the mid-1800s, from scalloped wreaths to folk art and traditional quilting designs. While there are color illustrations scattered throughout, the heart of the title lies in its patterns which will enable quilters to reproduce the works. Bonnie Browning's Anybody Can Learn To Quilt (746-1, $22.95) will appeal to novices and teachers alike, introducing a variety of techniques for both hand and machine quilting, along with step-by-step photos demonstrating rotary cutting, piecing, and knotting techniques. Both are excellent introductory texts.



The Computer Shelf

Computer Network Security And Cyber Ethics
Joseph Migga Kizza
McFarland & Company Publishers
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
0786411341 $35.00 1-800-253-2187

Computer Network Security And Cyber Ethics by Joseph Kizza (professor of computer science at the University of Tennessee, Chattanooga, Tennessee) studies the very real and expanding frontier of cybercrime. From the motives for cyber attacks to their costs to society as a whole, crime prevention efforts and the future of cybercrime are all covered in this down-to-earth, serious guide. A thoughtful, informed, and informative look at electronic malice and its consequences, Computer Network Security And Cyber Ethics is highly recommended reading. Also strongly recommended is Joseph Kizza's earlier work, Civilizing The Internet: Global Concerns And Efforts Toward Regulation (0786405392, $35.00)

Freeware Encryption And Security Programs
Michael Chesbro
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
1581602707 $20.00 paladin-press.com

Freeware Encryption And Security Programs: Protecting Your Computer And Your Privacy by Michael Chesbro (senior counterintelligence agent with the U.S. Department of Defense) is an invaluable and "user friendly" guide to several of the most popular and widespread freeware encryption and security programs. Freeware Encryption And Security Programs teaches the reader how to use these programs to encrypt private files, work files, email and more. No programming expertise is necessary; only the desire to put in a little extra effort to confound prying eyes overly inquisitive noses. A first-rate, highly recommended book for anyone fed up with the lack of security on the internet.

The LightWave 6.5/7.0 Project Handbook
Patrik Beck
Charles River Media
20 Downer Ave, #3, Hingham, MA 02043
1584500948 $49.95 1-800-382-8505

NewTek's LightWave is one of the most powerful, multi-platform 3D applications available today. In The LightWave 6.5/7.0 Project Handbook computer animation expert Patrik Beck presents a comprehensive survey of the features and functionality that make LightWave a tool of choice for special effects professionals in the film and television industry. Offering a wealth of in-depth tutorials, the reader is provided with information on all aspects of LightWave including the creation of text and logos, using cameras and lights, modeling, texturing, surfacing, animation, and much, much more. The individual chapters are self-contained making it an ideal instructional for the novice and a continuingly useful reference text for even the more experienced LightWave user. The highly recommended text is accompanied by a CD-ROM which includes a limited-use Demo of NewTek's LightWave 7.0 for Windows, OS9, and OSX; support files and worked-through examples from the tutorials in the book; as well as sample animations and pictures.

The Web Design CD Bookshelf
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
103A Morris St., Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596002718 $79.95 1-800-998-9938

The Web Design CD Bookshelf: Version 1.0 contains six different, complete guides that, taken together, cover everything anyone needs to know about the art of web design. Novice web designers and experienced professionals alike will appreciate being able to quickly look up answers to the most harrowing difficulties at a few clicks of the mouse. The CD-ROM includes the complete text of Web Design in a Nutshell 2nd Edition; HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide 4th Edition; Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide; ActionScript: The Definitive Guide; Information Architecture for the World Wide Web; and Designing Web Audio: RealAudio, MP3, Flash, and Beatnik. Truly the definitive compendium about web design, and the perfect reference for anyone seeking create or improve their own website. The system requirements for The Web Design CD Bookshelf: Version 1.0 are a browser software such as Netscape Communicator or Internet Explorer supporting HTML, and to support the search engine, a Java-enabled browser supporting Java version 1.1.2 or later.

More Exceptional C++
Herb Sutter
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
75 Arlington St., #300, Boston, MA 02116
020170434X $34.99 www.aw.com/cseng

Part of the outstanding Addison-Wesley "C++ In-Depth Series", Herb Sutter's More Exceptional C++: 40 New Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems, And Solutions is the sequel to his popular and "user friendly" Exceptional C++: 47 Engineering Puzzles, Programming Problems, And Solutions (0201615622, $34.99). Filled with forty all-new working strategies and solutions to solve real-world problems, More Exceptional C++ presents its valuable information in problem-and-solution format so that experienced programmers can streamline their code and improve their results. Chapters cover such topics as code optimization and so-called "lazy optimization"; the uses and pitfalls of multiple inheritance; how to properly use auto_ptr and much, much more. A valuable and informative resource for experienced C++ programmers.

Windows XP Unleashed
Paul McFedries
Sams Publishing
c/o Pearson Technology Group
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1097
0672322803 $49.99 pearsonptg.com

Paul guides the advanced reader through nearly every Windows XP topic imaginable giving ideas and solutions practical to typical problems encountered by professionals. Here are a few examples: installations, use, and maintenance, performance tuning, optimizing memory, detailed registry info, pushing hardware profiles to their limits, XP system tools, how to build network bridges between dissimilar operating systems, working with compatibility modes to enable older O/S to interact with XP, device driver rollback, automatic driver update, ensuring perfect printing always, and maximizing XP for the internet, intranet, and security. User Level: Intermediate-Advanced. 1000 pp.

Online Web Design
Kristina Ackley & Hilary Benoit
Impact Publications
9104-N Manassas Dr., Manassas Park, VA 20111-5211
1-57023-166-4 $17.95

Online Web Design is an excellent first book for newcomers to web design and for those who have a little knowledge of the topic but need more skills. Chapters compare good and bad web sites and what makes them so, point out ways to add interest to a web site, and even tackle the basics of content and marketing. From design basics to coding challenges, Online Web Design is filled with important advice.

Upgrading & Troubleshooting Your Mac
Gene Steinberg
Osborne/McGraw Hill
2600 Tenth St., Berkeley, CA 94710
007219359X $29.99 1-800-722-4726

Gene Steinberg's Upgrading & Troubleshooting Your Mac: Mac OS X Edition is a hands-on manual that focuses on both Mac OS X and Mac OS 9.1 and later. It discusses upgrading, preventive maintenance, and troubleshooting. Filled with case histories to illustrate common problems and repair solutions, this book covers a wide range of important issues -- from survival advice for laptops and organizing SCSI chains to overcoming Ethernet difficulties. 612 pages

The Little Red Book Of Adobe LiveMotion
Derek Pell
No Starch Press
555 De Haro St., Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94107
1886411530 $19.95 www.nostarch.com

The Little Red Book Of Adobe LiveMotion: A Radical Guide To Flash Animation, by computer graphics and animation expert Derek Pell, is a complete, practical, "user friendly" reference guide to Adobe's new tool for creating animation for the World Wide Web. Presented in the format of a tongue-and-cheek style parody of Chairman Mao's "Little Red Book", The Little Red Book Of Adobe LiveMotion includes information on how to best use the shapes, styles, and textures in Adobe's Library, how to use Photoshop with LiveMotion to create Flash Animation, how to add and mix audio files to turn your web site into a multisensory experience, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone working with Adobe LiveMotion software, The Little Red Book Of Adobe LiveMotion is as entertaining as it useful.

Special Edition Using Optical Networks
NIIT
Que Publishing
c/o Pearson Technology Group
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1097
0789725819 $54.99 pearsonptg.com

Written from the computer networking perspective, Special Edition Using Optical Networks's foundation is laid upon a comparison of the roles of optical networks in telecommunications to other types of networks, theory behind light propagation, and processes of modulation and demodulation of digital signals. First- and second-generation optical networks, including SONET, WDM, OTDM, and CDMA networks, are described with routing techniques and troubleshooting solutions, as are more recent developments such as multiplexing, cross connects, and core optical switching. A full chapter devoted to managing optical networks covers performance, fault, safety, deploying, and troubleshooting for the enterprise manager. User Level: Beginning-Intermediate. 600 pp.



The World History Shelf

A Concise History Of India
Barbara D. Metcalf & Thomas R. Metcalf
Cambridge University Press, 40 West 20th St., NY, NY 10011-4211
0521639743 $18.95 1-800-872-7423

A Concise History Of India is the collaborative work of Barbara Metcalf (Professor in the Department of History, University of California, Davis) and Thomas Metcalf (Professor of History and Sarah Kailath Professor of India Studies, University of California, Berkeley). Their work focuses on the fundamentally political theme of the imaginative and institutional structures that changed and sustained both the colonial and an independent India. A Concise History Of India documents both the social changes and the rich cultural life that arose from the political structure and evolving social categories and concepts such as "caste", "Hindu", "Muslim", and "India". Earlier chapters cover the period of the Muslim dynasties preceding colonial conquests, and concludes with the dramatic events of the 1990s including economic change, religious nationalism, and India's emergence as a nuclear power. With an informative, scholarly text enhanced with illustrations and quotations taken from historical sources, A Concise History Of India is recommended for academic reading lists and reference collections, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in understanding India's contemporary political and economic relationships with the community of nations in general, and Pakistan in particular.

Cracow
Zdzislaw Zygulski Jr.
Hippocrene Books
171 Madison Ave., New York Ny 10016
0-7818-0837-5 $12.95 1-718-454-2366

The author resides in Cracow and has served as a museum curator and art history professor: he's in a perfect position to provide a panoramic history of this old Polish city from inception to its current state. Black and white photos pepper a survey which considers its history and cultural roots.

A Traveller's History Of Mexico
Kenneth Pearce
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby St., Northampton, MA 01060
1566564026 $14.95 interlinkbooks.com

In A Traveller's History Of Mexico, historian Kenneth Pearce provides the reader with an informative, engaging history that begins the prehistoric life of the region, and continues with the coming of the Olmecs and the Mayans (1150-1000 BC), whose cultures were subsumed into the Aztec empire. The reader is treated to a vivid account of Aztec life and its ultimate demise with the arrival off the Spanish conquistadors. The consequent greed, corruption, and oppression of Spanish colonial rule and the Catholic Church are covered in detail. Pearce then moves on to the 19th Century War of Independence which led to the founding of the Mexican Republic, the brief reign of Emperor Maximilian and the Empress Carlotta, the dashing Santa Anna (who led the siege on the Alamo); revolutionaries Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, and other influential characters that were caught up in Mexico's' often violent power struggles. Highly recommended for personal, school, and community history collections, A Traveller's History Of Mexico concludes with the last 70 years of one-party political domination, recently ending with an election of the opposition, and the contemporary social issues of an expanding population, drugs, pollution, corruption, and an oppressed indigenous population.

A Social History Of The Cloister
Elizabeth Rapley
McGill-Queen's University Press
3430 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 1X9
0773522220 $49.95 1-800-387-0141

A Social History Of The Cloister: Daily Life In The Teaching Monasteries Of The Old Regime is a close look at the lives of women in teaching convents across France through two hundred years. This scholarly assessment by Elizabeth Rapley (adjunct professor of history at the University of Ottawa) looks at all sides of daily life in these religious enclaves, their impact on the surrounding populace. Heavily researched and thoughtfully presented, A Social History Of The Cloister is an excellent, in-depth reference for anyone with a strong interest in this aspect of religious history.

From Polis To Empire
Andrew G. Traver
Greenwood Publishing Group
Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0313309426 $90.00 1-800-225-5800

From Polis To Empire: The Ancient World c. 800 B.C. - A.D. 500 is a dictionary of biographies featuring notable and influential figures of the ancient world. From Alexander the Great to Zoroaster, and including countless lesser-known rulers, mathematicians, historians, and more, From Polis to Empire, deftly edited by Andrew Traver (Assistant Professor of Ancient and Medieval History, Southeastern Louisiana University), not only presents the lives of history's spokespersons but through them, a snapshot of life in the ancient world. An excellent, scholarly reference highly recommended for academic and community library collections, From Polis To Empire is also fascinating for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in antiquity to simply browse through.

They Fight Like Devils
D.A. Kinsley
Sarpedon Publishers
c/o Combined Books
PO Box 307, Conshohocken, PA 19428
1885119763 $27.50 1-800-418-6065

D.A. Kinsley's masterfully written history, They Fight Like Devils: Stories From Lucknow During The Great Indian Mutiny, 1857-58, is a vivid and accurate account of a bloody and ruthless conflict when violent rebellion arose against the British rule in East India. In the city of Lucknow, 3,000 British soldiers and civilians endured a siege of 30,000 mutineers. Surrender was not an option, for another British garrison at Cawnpore had surrendered and been massacred to the last person. Highly recommended for anyone with a strong interest in 19th Century East India history during the era of British rule, They Fight Like Devils is a violent, grim, and compelling look at a turbulent historical conflict.



The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Crepes Of Wrath
Tamar Myers
Signet/NAL
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0-451-20322-4 $5.99 1-800-847-5515

Lizzie may be a bad cook, but when a plate of crepes does her in, Magdalena decides to investigate. She's eager to take charge of the investigation while the local police chief is busy, but soon finds the case involves more than food in this intriguing blend of mystery with culinary and Pennsylvania Dutch roots.

Berkley Prime Crime
275 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
1-800-847-5515

Two fine historical mysteries are recommended picks, providing a healthy dose of action paired with intrigue and realistic background info on the past. Margaret Frazer's Clerk's Tale (0-425-18324-6, $22.95) presents a Dame Frevisse medieval mystery revolving around a man's violent death in a peaceful infirmary garden, and the investigations of Dame Frevisse, who must unravel the causes of his demise. Plenty of medieval era background is included. Michael Kilian's Ironclad Alibi (18325-4, $22.95) provides a Harrison Raines mystery set in civil war times and based on actual events and research. Blend intrigue with romance and add the realistic fact-based background and you have a fast-paced story of the first combat between ironclad ships at Hampton Roads. Both are fine and absorbing.

Basket Case
Carl Hiaasen
Knopf
299 Park Avenue, NY, NY 10171
0-375-41107-0 $25.95 1-800-726-0600

Jack Tagger was once a fine investigative reporter: now he writes obituaries for a Florida newspaper - but his skills aren't wasted yet. When a mysterious cuba accident draws his attention and talents, a deepening case of quicksand and complexities emerges. Tense drama and action throughout a mystery filled with twists and turns.



The Self-Help Shelf

Speak For Yourself
C. Curtis Trent & Charlotte A. Gorman
Nottingham Books
1509 Raintree, Cleburne, TX 76031
0962585610 $9.95 1-817-641-4902

Speak For Yourself: A Handbook On Practical Public Speaking is a "user friendly" how-to guide for speaking in any kind of public function or occasion. Speak For Your self is especially recommended to anyone who finds that they must preside over a meeting, give a platform speech, introduce a speaker, present an award, accept an award, give a committee report, or make extemporaneous remarks. Speak For Yourself is concise (112 pages) and to the point. If you are about to be called upon to speak in public and feel uncomfortable or unprepared, then read Speak For Yourself. It will reduce any performance anxiety and enable you to present yourself as articulate, persuasive, and capable no matter what the occasion.

Life Strategies
Phillip C. McGraw
Hyperion
77 West 66th Street, NY, NY 10023-6298
0786884592 $11.95, 1-800-759-0190

Psychologist Phillip McGraw deftly explains how to define and achieve goals in life and work in Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters. Written in a candid, "tough-love" approach, the reader is offered practical, pull-yourself-up-by-the-bootstraps advice honed by the author's own personal experiences such as McGraw's account of how he helped Oprah Winfrey survive and win the 1998 "Mad Cow" lawsuit in Texas. This is a highly recommended work that will provide invaluable insights for dealing with what life has to offer both on and off the job. Life Strategies: Doing What Works, Doing What Matters is also available in hardcover, large print, abridged Audio Cassete and Audio CD, as well as Audio Download formats.

The Bachelor's Guide To Survival
John Devore
G-Packets Publishing
Box 910279, San Diego, CA 92191-0279
0971321159 $13.95 1-858-523-1112

The Bachelor's Guide To Survival: Secrets Women Never Shared by John Devore is a simple, basic, and practical guide to managing domestic tasks from selecting furniture to cleaning bathrooms and sorting laundry. Many men have relied on mothers and girlfriends to help them with such matters, but a new bachelor starting out on his own needs to know the basics of how to cook, clean, and take care of himself! Despite its name, The Bachelor's Survival Guide is the perfect book for readers of either gender who have less than clear and expert understanding of basic homemaking skills. Enthusiastically recommended reading and a welcome addition to any personal or community library self-help collection!

Succeeding In America
Leticia Gallares-Japzon
TeamCom
3103 Fairland Rd Silver Spring MD 20904
1928791204 $16.95 TeamComBooks.com

Succeeding In America: Lessons From Immigrants Who Achieved The American Dream collects the experiences of successful American Immigrants and infuses their wisdom into sensible, practical advice and go-getting strategies for all Americans everywhere to earn the best life has to offer. Succeeding In America is divided into three main sections: Working and Living in the United States, Achieving Success, and Visiting the United States the First Time. In addition to a detailed introduction to such matters as visas and green cards, each section is packed with critical, direct information immensely useful to immigrants and natural-born citizens alike, such as preparing for job interviews, financial planning and taxes, housing options, and more. Succeeding In America is very highly recommended for both personal reading lists and community library "self help" reference collections.

Hope For the Wounded Heart
Deborah Kalinyak
Day To Day Enterprises
1721 Canoe Creek Road, Oviedo, FL 32766-8533
1890905143 $13.95 1-407-359-9356

Licensed mental health counselor Deborah Kalinyak reveals a path to emotional healing, mental wellness, and spiritual grace in the pages of Hope For the Wounded Heart: Healing Your Emotional Wounds Through Peaceful Living And Spiritual Grace. This is primarily Kalinyak's personal story of how she grew from grief to peace when experiencing an untimely death, saturated with grief and suffering, and dropping her into a depression that only God could lift her from. Hope For the Wounded Heart is enhanced for the reader with "Mental Health and Spiritual Thoughts" sections in each chapter, along with easy exercises which will enable readers to overcome the obstacles within their own lives. A strongly recommended title for anyone suffering from life's many shocks and losses, Hope For the Wounded Heart is as practical, useful, and accessible as it is inspiring, encouraging, healing and transforming.

The Power Of Focus
Jack Canfield, et al.
Health Communications
3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
1558747524 $24.00, 1-800-441-5569

In The Power Of Focus, Jack Canfield, Mark Victor Hansen & Les Hewitt effectively collaborate and combine their seventy-nine years of business expertise to articulate ten powerful principles for setting and achieving personal, business, and financial objectives. A wealth of insights, anecdotes, and stories serve to enhanc their provision of fundamentals such as developing clarity, understanding habits, and learning how to focus on goals. The Power Of Focus is enthusiastically recommended for anyone charged with an entrepreneurial or managerial responsibility in today's highly competitive (and distractive) marketplace. The Power Of Focus is also available in paperback.

The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership
John C. Maxwell
Thomas Nelson Publishers
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
0785274316 $22.00, 1-800-251-4000

John Maxwell's The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership: Follow Them And People Will Follow You is a superbly written guide for those seeking to influence and inspire the men and women who work and live around them. A collection of lively stories about the foibles and successes of Lee Iacocca, Abraham Lincoln, Princess Diana, and Elizabeth Dole are as enaging as they are illustrative regarding core attitudes and visions of corporate and managereial leadership. Witness the example cited of Princess Diana, who even after she was stripped of her title, was still able to lead a global effort toward banning land mines because of her sophisticated ability to influence others. As informative as it is inspiring, The 21 Irrefutable Laws Of Leadership is also available in an abridged Audio Cassette format.

Rainbow Remedies For Life's Stormy Times
Joanne K. Hill
Moorhill Communications
Box 4114, South Bend, IN 46634-4114
0970703201 $19.95 1-866-289-1539

In Rainbow Remedies For Life's Stormy Times, author Joanne Hill shares self-help remedies for surviving and thriving after emotional shocks and hard times. She gained this invaluable insights when twelve members of her family died within a four year span. Readers will find her seven remedies to survive crisis and go on to live a "rainbow" life; a potent formula to heal loss and painful relationships; seven ways to help others without exhausting yourself; a powerful treatment to ease fear and anxiety; and eighteen questions to empower the choices you make. Articulate, inspiring, practical, and totally accessible, Rainbow Remedies For Life's Stormy Times is strongly recommended reading for anyone struggling with the shocks, loss, and disappointments that any of us are at risk for.



The Psychology Shelf

Choosing An Online Therapist
Gary S. Stofle
White Hat Communications
Box 5390, Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390
1929109059 $12.95 socialworker.com

Choosing An Online Therapist: A Step-By-Step Guide To Finding Professional Help On The Web by social worker and chemical dependency counselor Gary S. Stofle is a simple but effective guide to online therapy. Stofle covers what online therapy is about, who it's best for, how to use credentials and other resources to select the best online therapist for one's needs, and how to end therapy when the time is right. Sample online therapy sessions are presented, along with several sample forms and websites. Highly recommended for anyone considering online therapy for themselves or a loved one will find Choosing An Online Therapist to be a fascinating, invaluable guide to a new type of mental health help unique to this modern age.

The Analyst In The Inner City
Neil Altman
The Analytic Press
101 West Street, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
0881631736 $36.00 1-800-927-6579

The Analyst In The Inner City: Race, Class, And Culture Through A Psychoanalytic Lens by Neil Altman (faculty member and supervisor at the New York University Post-doctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis) is an effort to connect racial, cultural, and social-class divisions to the splits that take root in an individual's sense of self. A clearly presented and scholarly analysis of social and clinical theory, The Analyst In The Inner City is a cold, hard look at how people compartmentalize groups of other people who are different, apply stereotypes, and project unwanted or rejected qualities in themselves onto the "foreign", "other", or "not-me" groups. Highly recommended for psychology students and practitioners with a fascinating, disturbing, and intense study of the mind-games human beings play on themselves without ever knowing it.



The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Naked At The Podium
Peter V. T. Kahle & Melanie Workhoven
74th Street Productions
350 North 74th Street, Seattle, Washington 98103
0965570231 $15.95 www.74thstreet.com

Naked At The Podium: The Writer's Guide To Successful Readings is a very practical guide of tips, tricks, and exercises for authors who may not be quite so at home giving a public reading as with the usual day's work of bringing drama to blank sheets of paper. Techniques presented include how to use body language, cure pre-reading jitters, become one's characters, and generally make the reading a memorable promotional event to spread word of one's book. Naked At The Podium is strongly recommended reading for authors seeking to promote their books through public readings at bookstores, libraries, or other venues.

The Peer-Reviewed Journal
Gary Michael Smith
Chatgris Press
Box 15092, New Orleans, LA 70175-5092
0965838072 $35.00 ChatgrisPress.com

Now in a revised and updated third edition, The Peer-Reviewed Journal: A Comprehensive Guide Through The Editorial Process is a practical and informative "how to" guide written specifically to help novice editors-in-chief, managing editors, and editorial office support staff to set up effective and efficient procedures for managing the editorial office of a periodical publication. Writer, editor and author Gary Smith succinctly explains and deftly instructs editors in the process by which scientific, technical, and trade information is reviewed and disseminated. Chapters cover such topic as organizing one's office, managing a database, preparing manuscripts for publication and much, much more. A CD-R disc of forms, letters, and faxes is included to enhanced the value and application of this highly useful and practical guidebook. The Peer-Reviewed Journal is strongly recommended reading for anyone contemplating starting a journal or periodical, as well as those who are engaged in any kind of managerial or editorial responsibility for one.

The Complete Guide To Self-Publishing
Tom Ross & Marilyn Ross
Writer's Digest Books
1507 Dana Ave., Cincinnati, OH 45207
1582970912 $19.99 1-800-289-0963

Now in a fully revised, updated, expanded fourth edition, Tom and Marilyn Ross' The Complete Guide To Self-Publishing continues to be an indispensable, core, "how to" reference covering every aspect of publishing a book. As with previous editions, there are meticulous, comprehensive, step-by-step instructions on every aspect of publishing and marketing a book. The text is enhanced for aspiring self-publishers with informative appendices featuring marketing contacts, government helps, and vendors -- complete with names and addresses. New to this edition is a thoroughly updated and expanded section devoted to electronic publishing (ebooks) and electronic rights. Of special merit are numerous production tips to reduce design and printing costs for the novice publisher; proven sales letter formats, cover designs and catalog sheets; as well as marketing strategies for publicity, advertising ans sales. Anyone considering self-publishing as an option for their manuscript should begin with a careful reading of Tom and Marilyn Ross's The Complete Guide To Self-Publishing. It will save an immense amount of time, money, anxiety, and effort.

The Agent
Arthur M. Klebanoff
Texere
55 East 52nd St., NY, NY 10055
1587991047, $27.95 www.etexere.com

Arthur Klebanoff is one of today's most formidable and well known literary agents and a key figure in a front-page, technology-centric legal battle with publishing giant Random House in a case focusing on the question of who owns the electronic rights to the great books of the 20th Century. In The Agent: Personalities, Politics, And Publishing, Klebanoff vividly recounts all the lessons he's learned as a professional, ranging from his early days in politics to his current position at the center of the book rights corporate and judicial maelstrom. Klebanoff asserts that these days every author is an agent of their own future and shows how to create multiple opportunities for success in a constantly-changing literary marketplace. The Agent is much more than just another publishing tell-all autobiography. It is an insider's report on publishing industry transitions and challenges. Here also is a compelling and informative account of Random House's initial charges of copyright violation and reactions by major publishing players and the first legal case to directly focus on the vital question of who owns electronic rights in book publishing. If you are an author, literary agent, publisher, marketing director, or publicist, then you need to read Arthur Klebanoff's The Agent.



The Poetry Shelf

Cascadilla Creek
Zorika Petic
Kearsarge Mountain Books
PO Box 114, Warner, NH 03278
1930149069 $14.95 1-603-456-3641

Cornell University writer and editor, Zorika Petic's poetry is lyrical, moving, vivid, haunting, and candid as it surveys and comments on the way human beings interact with nature for good and for ill. Another Loss: Night envelops the hills/with drizzle and cold./The angels of day,/who keep the worst thoughts/from us, are asleep./But we're learning from them:/only in our higher mind/are we safe/even for a while./Let the cold drizzle of/loss keep falling./Change governs itself/and has no use for advice./We listen. We learn to/let go of whatever is taken.

Autumn Sonnets
Tom Eagan
Aran Press
1036 S. Fifth Street, Louisville, KY 40203
0966158865 $14.95 1-502-568-6622

Tom Eagan's Autumn Sonnets is a superbly presented compendium of 108 love sonnets with a special emphasis on the pain of unrequited love and the necessity for recovery without abandonment of this basic human condition that has, at one time or another, afflicted or affected us all. #48: I'll be fine. I'll be well. I will recover./Believe me. This isn't the first time/I've been thru hell rejected as a lover./For every time, wish I had a dime./Been rejected by saints and sinners./One of the finest rejected lovers in the biz./There's always been losers and winners:/I specialized. In getting rejected, I'm a real whiz./A talent, you know. Been rejected by the best./And bounced back as good as new 'n how!/You'll never catch me going east or west/stuck on a past love. But just for now,/Dear God, let her call! Let her write!/Help me get through the night!

The Big Roundup
Margo Metegrano, editor
New West Library
Box 330444, San Francisco, CA 94133
0971255032 $21.95 NewWestLibrary.com

The Big Roundup: Classic and Contemporary Poetry from CowboyPoetry.com is a grand and impressive collection of verse about the Old West. Single-paragraph biographies of the many and varied poets help flesh out this flavorful, soul-stirring collection of verse that speaks to the heart. The Big Roundup is an excellent gift idea for anyone who enjoys poetry about the American West, and a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library poetry collections and reading lists. Home From The Winter Range: We gathered the winter range today,/and brought the cattle in./The old cows still were fat as hogs,/but the two year olds were thin./It's sixteen miles of downhill road,/and the cows all know the way./They're tired of eating slough-grass,/and looking forward to some hay.//A cattle drive in January,/aint generally so nice./But today the sun shone brightly,/on our world of snow and ice./An easy day for horse and man,/because, as all cowboys know,/it aint too hard to chase a cow,/some place she wants to go! Mike Puhallo

Wandering Voices
Jack Cole
The Edwin Mellen Press
PO Box 450, Lewiston, NY 14092-0450
077343125X $14.95 1-716-754-2788

Wandering Voices: A Collection Of Verse showcases the poetry and literate skill of master wordsmith Jack Cole. Here is an impressive and memorable body of work drawn from his own imagination and personal life adventures at home and abroad. Nativity: Drive slowly past the old homestead,/or better yet, stop a spell to gaze/up at the window to the west./There, eighty-four years ago/my mother grunted til I took/a bawling breath, saw the light/from an oil lamp,/felt the red/warmth of a potbelly stove./The cord tied and cut, the airway/cleared, Doctor Knapp donned/his greatcoat and strode into/the January night, unhitched/his horse and fell asleep/while Old Faithful took off/for her barn and oats.

The Rim Benders
Lola Haskins
Anhinga Press
P.O. Box 10595, Tallahassee, FL 32302
0938078704 $12.00 www.anhinga.org

The Rim Benders: Poems And Discourses is an impressive selection of moving, evocative, sometimes frightening free verse poems by Lola Haskins, winner of the 1994 Emily Dickinson Prize from the Poetry Society of America. The essence and spirt of Mexican culture is a particularly memorable theme in her work. Under a spreading sky, blue-pink as a wild egg, / a woman makes a bouquet of her life; / baby's breath, alyssum, sweet lobelia, / rosebuds of palest gold.

The Land Of Cockaigne
Ed Ochester
Story Line Press
PO Box 1240, Ashland, OR 97520-0055
1586540076 $12.00 1-541-512-8792

The poetry of Ed Ochester is descriptive, humorous, compassionate, superbly crafted, and will linger in the mind, heart, and imagination of his reader. How To Read It: Every good poem says I love you/I'm sorry you will die/and how we cry at that/how every good specific image/brings us back to the one great thing/we had forgotten: the way at the ocean/on a calm summer afternoon we/look at the bright red sails/and suddenly are dazzled by/endless shimmer and light/burning the great joy of/water, the sodium-lamp/brilliance of each/tiny wave.

Secrets Of The Soul
Latorial Faison
Poetically Speaking Publications
2700 Chalgrove Ln, Charlotte, NC 28216
1931413126 $14.99 1-704-756-0043

Latorial Faison serves as editor for the online poetry website PoeticallySpeaking.net and her own work has been featured in a variety of literary journals, magazines, anthologies, and poetry oriented websites. Secrets Of The Soul is the latest collection of her work designed to share with her readers what it is like to be a female in search of identity and "realness" in a world of rapid changes and evolving circumstance. Serenity: Serenity enters/on wings/as yearning souls/reflect on dreams/and things/of which/lives are/methodically made of.//Serenity is/refreshing/a cool drink for the liar's/thirsting tongue/a cold shower/for the lover sprung/into the beauty of simply being/someone.

Hard Evidence
Timothy Liu
Talisman House
Box 3157, Jersey City, NJ 07303-3157
1584980222 $14.95 1-201-938-0698

Written by Timothy Liu, editor of "Word of Mouth: An Anthology of Gay American Poetry", Hard Evidence is a unique and original collection of free-form verse concerning such matters as finding manifestations of holiness in earthly things, gay sexuality, and the cruel legacy of the virus that causes AIDS. Hard evidence is eye-opening, thought-provoking poetry that flows from page to page, almost as if all part of one grand poem. Binoculars left in the backseat/of your car. Tread marks leading/to a flattened toad with flies/crawling over it. Those pagodas/in the distance somehow made/a difference - joss sticks stuck/in giant urns burnishing in the air.



The Library Video/DVD Shelf

On The Road With Jack Kerouac
Goldhil Home Media International
137 East Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 207, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
158565387X $24.00 1-800-250-8760

On The Road With Jack Kerouac is a superbly presented, 73 minute video documentary on the life and work of Jack Kerouac. Rare documentary footage is enhanced with informative interviews with such Kerouac contemporaries as Allan Ginsberg, Lawrence Ferlinghetti and William Burroughs. On The Road With Jack Kerouac is a "must" for all Jack Kerouac fans, as well as anyone with an interest in the American "beatnik" movement.

Grateful Dead
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
1569942331 $24.95 1-800-424-2593

Grateful Dead: View From The Vault II takes full advantage of its DVD format to provide the viewer with a memorable experience that includes more than ninety minutes of live Grateful Dead concert footage taken from their RFK Stadium performance in Washington, DC, on June 14, 1991. The DVD allows the inclusion of three bonus songs, a venue of memories, a visible lyrics option, a band biography, and a special "Liberty" video. Grateful Dead: View From The Vault II is an impressive, highly recommended addition to the DVD collection of Grateful Dead fans everywhere.

The Orient Express
Bridgestone Multimedia
c/o Alpha Omega Publications
300 North McKemy Avenue, Chandler, AZ 84226-2618
#96113 $14.95 1-800-523-0988

Perhaps the most famed train in the world, The Orient Express connects the great capitals of Western Europe to the Balkans and lands east. This 60 minute, full color video documentary includes rare archival scenes of the "golden age" of the Orient Express; its growth, decline, and fabulous restoration. interviews with staff are blended with scenic footage and presentations on how the Orient Express operates, as well as maintained and supplied. The Orient Express is enthusiastically recommended viewing for railroading buffs and anyone who has ever thrilled to the notion of riding on this exotic train going to far away places.

The U.S. Capitol
Heritage Series, LLC
Steeplechase Entertainment
411 Video Information (publicity)
660 South Figueroa St., Suite 1950, Los Angeles, CA 90017
DVD $29.95 1-213-244-1441

The U.S. Capitol: A Vision In Stone is a superbly presented documentary of Washington, D.C.'s most historical landmarks. Divided into a variety of video chapters, this impressive DVD includes A Vision In Stone (a sixteen minute documentary about the Capitol); Capitol Timeline (a chart of significant events in the building's history); Tour (individual features ranging from the Rotunda to the National Statuary Hall); Art of the Capitol (a gallery of oils, murals, statues and sculptures adorning the capitol); Fascinating Facts (historical survey of twenty-eight specific areas of the U.S. Capitol building); Interview (one hour of insightful and informative interviews with noted Capitol historians and curators). Highly recommended for both school and community library multimedia collections, The U.S. Capitol: A Vision In Stone is also available in a video cassette format ($19.95).

Thunderball
Universal Studios Home Video
10 Universal City Plaza, Suite 700, Universal City, CA 91608
0792826930 $9.94 www.amazon.com

On of the "James Bond 007 Collection", Thunderball features Sean Connery in the roll of that fabulous British secret agent whose counter-espionage adventures now take him up against the evil international criminal conspiracy called SPECTRE. Non-stop, riveting action, enhanced with a bevy of beauties and a fiendish arch-villain all combine to a superb blending of action, romance and suspense, from the opening shots to the spectacular conclusion. Thunderball is a "must" for the legions of James Bond fans, and a very popular addition to personal and community library video collections.

Breast Cancer
Susan Silberstein, narrator
Center for Advancement in Cancer Education
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95, www.beatcancer.org

Breast Cancer: The Diet Connection is a 39 minute video documentary that surveys and reports the latest medical research on the beneficial effects that changes of diet can have in reducing the risk of contracting breast cancer. Ably narrated by Susan Silberstein (Founder and Executive Director of the Center for Advancement in Cancer Education) this informative, "viewer friendly" video sets out simple, easy-to-follow steps that can help prevent breast cancer, and help prevent the recurrence of the disease for those already affected. Breast Cancer is a strongly recommended addition for community and health counseling video collections.

The Morning Star Of Wittenberg
Vision Video
Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540
CAT #4542, $19.99 1-800-523-0226

The Morning Star Of Wittenberg is a 27 minute, full color documentary on the life of Katharina von Bora. A former nun and 16th century entrepreneur, she was also the wife of Martin Luther, who is considered the "father" of the Protestant Reformation. Here presented is an in-depth examination of the life of the woman who helped Luther change the course of Christian history. Ably narrated by Jutta F. Anderson, and featuring expert commentaries by Dr. Kirsi Stjerna (Lutheran Theological Seminary , Gettysburg, Pennsylvania), and Dr. Martin Treu (Curator of the Luther Museum, Wittenberg, Germany), The Morning Star Of Wittenberg is a very highly recommended addition to personal, church, and community library video collections.



The Biography Shelf

St. Ignatius Of Loyola
Peggy A. Sklar
Paulist Press
997 Macarthur Boulevard, Mahwah, New Jersey 07430
0809166887 $7.95 paulistpress.com

St. Ignatius Of Loyola: In God's Service is a simple, direct biography of the soldier, saint, and mystic known as Ignatius of Loyola. Accessibly written by Peggy Sklar (the accomplished director of education for a Jesuit parish) St. Ignatius Of Loyola is an informative and insightful biography that focuses especially upon the saint's duty and service to God. Highly recommended reading, St. Ignatius Of Loyola is a clear, thoughtful portrait enhanced with black-and-white illustrations.

John Bewick
Nigel Tattersfield
Oak Knoll Press
310 Delaware St., New Castle, DE 19720
1584560533 $75.00 1-800-996-2556

John Bewick: Engraver On Wood 1760-1795 is the biography by Nigel Tattersfield, one of the first designer-engravers in England to earn a living almost exclusively by illustrating books. Aptly described as "An Appreciation Of His Life Together With A Catalogue Of His Illustrations And Designs", John Bewick: Engraver On Wood 1760-1795 is fully illustrated with black-and-white reproductions of engravings, and researched with thorough and meticulous attention to detail. Enthusiastically recommended reading for students of 18th Century cultural history, bibliophiles, and the non-specialist general reader who appreciates a well crafted and original biography, John Bewick: Engraver On Wood 1760-1975 is a masterful portrait of one man's life, the art of his craft, and the era and nation in which he lived.

Treasures Found In Passing
Leonard Mann
Morehouse Publishing
P.O. Box 1321, Harrisburg, PA 17015
0819218804 $19.95 1-800-877-0012

Treasures Found In Passing: Inspiration For Life's Golden Years by retired United Methodist Minister the Reverend Dr. Leonard Mann is an engaging memoir composed of vignettes drawn from the long and varied life in service. Introspection on the nature of aging and meditative contemplations of middle age and beyond are the hallmark of this highly philosophical book. Treasures Found In Passing is rewarding, inspiring reading filled with unique insights, and would make an excellent giftbook for a loved one, friend or family member.

Crazy Visitation
Saundra Murray Nettles
The University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive, Suite B-100, Athens, Georgia 30602-4901
0820322997 $22.95 1-800-266-5842

Crazy Visitation: A Chronicle Of Illness And Recovery is the personal story of author Saundra Murray Nettles, who lived with an encroaching brain tumor affecting her memory, personality, mood, and physical well-being for years before its diagnosis and removal. Pieced together through written records and the recollection of others as well as the author's own memory, Crazy Visitation is the story of both sickness and the long road to healing. A deeply moving and uplifting book, Crazy Visitation is emotionally rewarding, highly recommended reading.

The Worlds Of Elie Wiesel
Jack Kolbert
Susquehanna University Press
c/o Associated University Press
440 Forsgate Dr., Cranbury, NJ 08512
1575910500 $38.50 1-609-655-4770

The Worlds Of Elie Wiesel: An Overview Of His Career And His Major Themes is a biography written by Jack Kolbert, a personal friend of world-famous author and Holocaust survivor Elie Wiesel. Focusing on Wiesel's personal struggles against human beings both malevolent and indifferent to malevolence, as well as his trials of faith with regard to a God that permitted the Holocaust, The Worlds Of Elie Wiesel is ultimately a testimony to Wiesel's conviction in the solidarity of the Jewish people. A first-rate companion book to Wiesel's work, The Worlds Of Elie Wiesel is very highly recommended to students of Holocaust Studies, as well as the non-specialist general reader of biographies focusing on influential men who have lived through "interesting times".

Alaska Broker
Edward M. Boyd
Binford & Mort Publishing
5245-C N.E. Elam Young Parkway, Hillsboro, OR 97124
0832304646 $13.95 1-503-844-4960

Alaska Broker is multimillionaire relator Edward Boyd's engaging autobiography spanning his life's story from 1927-1985, and encompassing terrible wars, dreams for the future, dogged pursuit of an honorable career, and much, much more. A highly enjoyable, articulate, and personal narrative, as well as a close look at life in the northernmost state of the United State, Alaska Broker makes for dynamic, entertaining, and highly recommended reading.

Jack: Straight From The Gut
Jack Welch & John A. Byrne
Warner Books
1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0446528382 $29.95, 1-800-759-0190

In Jack: Straight From The Gut, Jack Welch (the recently retired chairman and chief executive of General Electric) tells his personal and professional story with the able assistance of Business Week journalist John Byrne. It was under his leadership that General Electric quite literally reinvented itself throught the integration of new and innovative business practices pretty much across the board. Welch vividly recounts his career with an emphsis on the his management style that materially and directly served to establish GE one of the most successful American corporations of the 20th century. This informative autobiography begins with Welch's childhood in Salem, Massachusetts, then goes on to recount his first job in GE's plastics division, and then his remarkable rise up the GE corporate ladder which culminated in 1981. A very substantial, 496 page read, Jack: Straight From The Gut is wonderfully accessible, insightfully informative, and strongly recommended for business students, corporate managers, and the non-specialist general reader. Jack: Straight From The Gut also available in paperback, as well as an abridged audiobook, and as a down-loadable ebook.

The Gringo's Hawk
Jon Maranon
Kenneth Group Publishing
PO Box 24502, Eugene, Oregon 97402
0967778700 $24.95 kennethgroup.com

The Gringo's Hawk is the personal memoir of a varied and remarkable life. Jon Maranon was an idealistic American who became a landowner on the southwest coast of Costa Rica. Maranon found himself confronted with one crisis after another ranging from chicken hawks, to termites, to adjudicating peasant disputes, to conflicts with other landlords who felt Maranon paid his peasants too much. He fervently battled with Costa Rican government to stop the slow degradation of the environment, and worked with scientists to understand more about the migration patterns of whales. The Gringo's Hawk is the compelling, highly recommended autobiographical story of a unique, candidly presented, and singularly fascinating life.

Van Johnson
Ronald L. Davis
University Press of Mississippi
3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211-6492
1578063779 $28.00 1-800-737-7788

Van Johnson: MGM's Golden Boy is a thoroughly researched biography by Ronald Davis (professor of history, Southern Methodist University, and general editor of the University Press of Mississippi's "Hollywood Legends" series) of the male Hollywood star who first captured the heart and soul of America is his blockbuster war films such as "A Guy Named Joe" and "Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo." Dedicated and professional, always striving to maintain a cheery attitude despite a generally more morose personality, Van Johnson the actor and human being was a memorable Hollywood figure both on and off camera. Van Johnson: MGM's Golden Boy looks at all sides of this silver screen legend and carefully recounts his life with close attention to detail. Highly recommended for film students, movie buffs, and anyone else with an interest in this amazing actor and his cinematic legacy.

Tiger On The Road
Tim Woodward
The Caxton Printers
312 Main Street, Caldwell, ID 83605-3299
0870043331 $14.95 1-800-657-6465

Tiger On The Road: The Story Of Vardis Fisher is the biography of 1930s American author Vardis Fisher -- an erudite, accomplished, and today largely unknown contributor to great American literature. Once known as the "dean of Western novelists", Fisher is a superb novelist whose works have unfortunately been neglected too much and for too long. Illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs, Tiger On The Road is an excellent look into fascinating life and literature. The author of thirty six published works, it can confidently be expected that this outstanding biography of a Rocky Mountain regional author will inspire a resurgence of interest in his timeless, extraordinary, iconoclastic work. His life was as vivid and as dramatic as the plots of his novels. Tiger On The Road is a superbly presented literary biography.



The Education Shelf

Re-Forming Gifted Education
Karen B. Rogers, Ph.D.
Great Potential Press
P.O. Box 5057, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
0910707464 $28.00 giftedbooks.com

Re-Forming Gifted Education: Matching the Program To The Child by Karen Rogers (Professor in the Curriculum and Instruction Department, University of St. Thomas, Minnesota) is a scholarly analysis of a century's worth of research in the educational speciality of educating the gifted and talented, and aptly describes a wide variety of different types of gifted children and choice options for their schooling, as well as determining a child's strengths, interests and learning styles; matching a child to an appropriate curriculum; crafting a comprehensive educational plan; parent/teacher collaboration; and how to locate thematically appropriate websites, special programs and schools, talent searches, contents, and other resources for gifted children. A thoroughly extensive guide for parents and educators that exhaustively explores countless alternatives to best encourage natural talent, skill, and creativity Re-Forming Gifted Education is highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to professional and student teacher reading lists and education department reference collections.

Leadership For Learning
Carl D. Glickman
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
0871205963 $23.95 www.ascd.org

The follow-up book to Developmental Supervision, Carl Glickman's Leadership For Learning: How To Help Teachers Succeed is an excellent and accessible guide packed with practical advice and fascinating insights for educators at all levels, preschool through university. Chapters address such issues as criteria for objectively assessing teacher competence, and methodologies for working closely with teachers. One of the helpful appendix is filled with useful peer coaching forms. With its coverage of structures for classroom assistance, formats for teacher and classroom observation, and approaches to directive, collaborative, and nondirective work with teachers, Leadership For Learning is a first-rate book for educational leadership, supervisors, policy implementers, and school board members.



The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Marine Species And Their Distribution In China's Seas
Zongguo Huang, editor
Junda Lin, translator
Krieger Publishing Company
Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
157524103X $79.50 1-800-724-0025

Originally sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution, Zonnguo Huang's Marine Species And Their Distribution In China's Seas is ably translated into English for a western readership by Junda Lin and presents the work of 132 experts in a comprehensive listing of the distribution and general habitats for more than 20,000 specifies of five kingdoms collected and identified in the coastal waters of China. All of the phylogenic groups from bacteria to mammals originating in this geographic region are identified and described including their scientific names, author(s), distribution, and references(s). The hosts are also listed for species and the index includes all the taxonomic levels. Marine Species And Their Distribution In China's Seas is an invaluable, essential, core reference work for professionals and students in the fields of taxonomy, biogeography, oceanography, as well as conservation, marine, and evolution biologists, and resource managers.

All For Animals
Karen Lee Stevens
Fithian Press
PO Box 1525, Santa Barbara, CA 93102
1564743640 $10.95 1-800-662-8351

All For Animals: Tips And Inspiration For Living A More Compassionate Life by Karen Lee Stevens (founder of All For Animals, a pro-animal organization based in Santa Barbara, California) is a straightforward, detailed, "pet owner friendly" guide to living a life kind to animals. Stevens' informed advice ranges from purchasing household products and cosmetics that have not been animal tested, to spaying and neutering to curb pet overpopulation, to making healthier food choices. All For Animals is a must-read guide and reference for every animal lover, and a very useful consumer information resource for the shopper who wants to know which brand-name companies have a cruelty-free track record.

65 Birdhouses And Bird Feeders
Ronald D. Tarjany
Tarjany Publications
PO Box 8846, Calabasas, CA 91302
0967466849 $9.95 www.tarjany.com

65 Birdhouses And Bird Feeders: For All Bird Lovers To Build offers do-it-yourself birdhouse builders a collection of sixty five birdhouses and bird feeder designs that range from the simple to the complex, the traditional to the innovative. Each design is profusely illustrated with detailed dimensioned drawings and an assembly isometric drawing showing the finished project. Even the most novice woodworker will have no difficulty following the easy and methodical step-by-step instructions to achieve their selected birdhouse project. An additional enhancement for the bird fancier are the requirements shown for many species of birds that are the intended "residents" of these bird houses and bird feeders. If you are considering building a bird house or a bird feeder for your yard or garden, then begin with browsing through Ronald Tarjany's 65 Birdhouses And Bird Feeders!



The Library CD Music Shelf

Angels In The Myst
Sheryl
Araxis 3 Productions
PO Box 31324, Baltimore, MD 21216
ARA 101 $12.99 www.bn.com

Angels In The Myst is a showcase for the undeniable musical talents of Sheryl as she blends her own wonderfully rendered vocals in English and Irish Gaelic with violin, electric cello, and a hand-made walnut harp. The lyrical beauty of her performances are as memorable as they are enjoyable. Featured in the enthusiastically recommended CD album are Purple Flowers; Run with Your Soul; Visage; Danny Boy (in both English and Irish); Journey On Home; My Seoithin Seo; Gentle Maiden; Rainbow; Midnight Dance; If You Think You Do; Kildare Moon/Gealach Cill Dora; Luna Lament; and the title piece, Angels In The Myst.

Musical Heritage Society
1710 Highway 35, Oakhurst, NJ 07755
http://www.musicalheritage.com

Three outstanding new releases from the Musical Heritage Society are superbly recorded and highly recommended for personal, school, and community library CD music collections. British Folksongs (5164629, $16.50) is an effective collaboration of Tommy Reilly (harmonica) and Skaila Kanga (harp) to present a truly impressive instrumental collection of British folk music. The flawlessly recorded selections include Skye Boat Song (4:03); Early One Morning (2:11); Blow the Wind Southerly (2:14); Scarboro' Fair (4:01); Londonderry air (4:04); Drink to Me Only (1:56); Kathleen Mavoureen (2:21); Morning Has Broken (2:33); The Lark in the Clear Air (3:59); Cherry Ripe (2:59); Ash Grove (3:50); David of the White Rock (4:00); Ye Banks and Braes (3:18); Endearing Young Charms (2:46); Dashing Away with the Smoothing Iron (2:02); My Love is Like a Red, Red Rose (4:05); She Moved thro' the Fair (4: 52); The Rising of the Lark (3:17). Total time: 63:45. Mozart: Flute Quartets (5164709, $17.97) showcases the undeniable talent of Sharon Bezaly (flute) backed up by the Sazlburger Solisten (Luz Leskowtiz, violin; Johannes Erkes, viola; Ingemar Brantelid, cello) in wonderfully crafted and technically flawless productions of Mozart's Quarteted in D major, KV 285 (16:03); Quartet in G major, KV 285a (10:52); and Quartet in C major, KV anh.171 (17:53). Total Playing Time: 56:55. Ellington/Dawson Orchestral Works (5164647, $16.50) is a masterful rendition by the Detroit Symphony Orchestra as conducted by Neeme Jarvi of William Levi Dawson's Negro Folk Symphony (28:31); Duke Ellington's Suite from 'The River' (28:47); as well as Ellington's Solitude (3:57) and Harlem (15:49). All three of these outstanding productions are enthusiastically recommended for personal, community library, and music school CD collections.



The Military Shelf

The Everything World War II Book
Donald Vaughan
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
158062572X $12.95 1-800-872-5627

The latest in the Everything series of comprehensive reference books, The Everything World War II Book: People, Places, Battles, And All The Key Events is a "reader friendly" compendium written for all ages, and covers just about everything there is to know about World War II. The war's battles, profiles of the major leaders, military strategies, women's contributions and the War Crimes Trials are just a few of the issues surveyed in clear, easy-to-understand and highly informative language. An excellent basic reference to the war that changed how the world would forever after think of war, The Everything World War II Book is very highly recommended for school and community library American History reference collections.

Wings Of Our Own
P.K. Johnson
Wingspan Publications
P.O. Box 3106, Reston, VA 20190
0970112300 $16.95 1-703-212-0005

Wings of Our Own: Heroes, Happenings & History of Air Force Spouses is an inspirational collection of personal narratives, reminiscences, and biographical anecdotes about the contributions of past and present spouses of American Air Force officers. Different vignettes cover such topics as friendship, history, tradition, and the ultimate sacrifice. By turns emotionally charged, humorous, educational, and inspirations, P.K. Johnson's text is exceptioinally well written making Wings Of Our Own a particularly moving and memorable anthology recommended for 20th Century American history, home front military history, and air force history reading lists and reference collections.



The Women's Studies Shelf

Sex Matters For Women
Sallie Foley, et al.
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012
1572306416 $17.95 1-800-365-7006

Sex Matters For Women: A Complete Guide To Taking Care Of Your Sexual Self is the collaborative effort of certified sex therapists and educators Sallie Foley and Sally A. Kope, and Dennis P. Sugrue (clinical psychology and President of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists). Presenting solid, science-based information on every aspect of human female sexuality, Sex Matters For Women comprehensively covers everything from hormones, anatomy, and body image, to STDs, relationships, and sexual orientation. An essential, informative, authoritative reference, Sex Matters For Women is strongly recommended for reading lists and reference collections in the fields of human sexuality, women's health, and psychology.

Women On Power
Sue J. M. Freeman, et al.
Northeastern University Press
360 Huntington Avenue, 416CP, Boston, MA 02115
1555534783 $20.00 1-800-666-2211

Women On Power: Leadership Redefined aptly edited by the collaborative efforts of Sue J. M. Freeman (Professor of Education and Child Study, Smith College), Susan C. Bourque Esther Booth Wiley Professor of Goverment, Smith College), and Christine M. Shelton (Associate Professor of Exercise and Sport Studies and codirector of the Project on Women and Social Change, Smith College) is an impressive selection of bold essays on the changing role of women in the workplace, politics, business, and more. The issues address range from how has gender affected today's ideas of leadership and power?, to how can mothering be a catalyst to social activism? All of the manifold issues addressed are thoughtfully discussed and grappled with at length in this scholarly work. Women On Power is very highly recommended to Women's Studies reading lists and reference collections.



The Judaic Studies Shelf

The Stories Of I. L. Peretz
I. L. Peretz
Jewish Contemporary Classics
600 Palisade Avenue, Suite 3, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
1893079104 $34.95 1-877-522-8273

Born in Zamoscz, Poland in 1859, Isaac Leib Peretz (justifiably considered to be the "father" of European Yiddish literature) eventually settled in Warsaw in 1890 and became a leader of the movement within the Jewish community to establish and develop Yiddish as a modern, secular, literary language. Superbly narrated by George Guidall and Suzanne Toren, this six hour, four cassette, unabridged audiobook edition showcases Peretz's short stories including "If Not Higher", "Bontsche Shvayg", and "The Tree Gifts". This impressive presentation is enhanced for the listener's enjoyment with an "Afterword" by Ruth R. Wisse. The Stories Of I. L. Peretz is a superb listening experience and a welcome addition to personal and academic literary studies and audiobook collections.

Tara Publications
Box 707, Owings Mills, MD 21117
1-800-827-2400 www.jewishmusic.com

Five outstanding Tara Publication recordings showcase and celebrate Sephardic music. Wings Of Time (SF-LPO-20D, $15.98 is a memorable collection of early Sephardic songs, sun in Ladino by Lauren Pomerantz and musically bridges the Mideastern and Medieval. Under Aegean Moons (SF-VOT-55D, $15.98) wonderfully celebrates the music of the Spanish Jews of Salonika and Rhodes through ballads, passionate laments, coplas, and dances. Morena (SF-GED-40D, $15.98) showcases songs in Judeo-Spanish, as well as Judeo-Arabic, Hebrew, performed in English and French. Tresoros Sephardis (SF-JFR-40D, $15.98) offers a living history of traditional music in the form of twelve songs drawn from the Jewish communities of Spain and performed by Judy Frankel. From The Shores Of The Golden Horn (SF-VOT-35D, $15.98) is the first of the "Paths of Exiles" series and presents the distinctive Sephardic music of Turkey. Each of these five superbly presented collections are technically flawless recordings and enthusiastic recommendations for personal or Judaic studies music collections.

Goodbye, Evil Eye
Gloria DeVidas Kirchheimer
Holmes & Meier
160 Broadway, New York, NY 10038
0841914044 $21.95 1-800-698-7781

In Goodbye, Evil Eye, writer, editor and translator Gloria Kirchheimer has compiled a superb collection of short stories showcasing Sephardic Jewry with its multi-lingual roots stemming from such diverse cultures as the Middle East, Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Spain, and as it manifests itself in the contemporary American experience. Kirchheimer's characters are embedded with superstition, folklore, contradiction, and paradox as they struggle to retain old traditions -- or break free of them! Within these stories are to be found illustrative and engaging experiences of Sephardic women, immigrants, and a diverse Jewish experience within the context of a modern, pluralistic, secular society where there are men, women, and families attempting to perpetuate and adapt emotional, ritualistic, and faith-based traits of an ancient Jewish subculture. Goodbye, Evil Eye is enthusiastically recommended, literate, and insightful reading that will linger in the mind and heart long after the book is closed and laid back upon the shelf.

Alma Rose
Richard newman & Karen Kirtley
Amadeus Press
133 S.W. Second Avenue, Suite 450, Portland OR 97204-3527
1574670514 $29.95 1-800-327-5680

Alma Rose was born to musical royalty in Vienna (the daughter of famed violinist Arnold Rose and niece of Gustav Mahler). She studied with distinction at the Vienna Conservatory and the Vienna State Academy, and consequently enjoyed a very respectable and successful musical career. In 1932 Alma formed a women's orchestra (Vienna Waltzing Girls) and toured throughout Europe. But like so many others of her class and background, she was totally caught off guard by the Nazi onslaught. Courageously assisting her family's flight from the Nazi's antisemitic pogroms, she was nonetheless caught and sent to the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp. There she took a group of terrified and untrained women and transformed them into an orchestra whose music saved them from being summarily gassed by their Nazi captors. Forty women were to survive that horrific place because of their participation in Alma's prisoner orchestra. But Alma herself was to die of illness in the camps before they were able to be liberated by the Allies. A welcome contribution to Holocaust studies, as well as a brilliantly presented biography of a gifted musician, Alma Rose: Vienna To Auschwitz is a memorial to a gifted musician and a testament to Alma's personal struggle to help as many women survive as she could. It is also a damning indictment of the Nazi horror and an effective counter to the pernicious attempts of historical revisionists to suppress both the atrocities and the courage of those dark times.



The Artbook Shelf

Ascending Peculiarity
Edward Gorey
Harcourt
15 East 26th St., New York NY 10010
0-15-100504-4 $35.00 1-800-543-1918

This set of interviews selected and edited by Karen Wilkin are presented here for their importance as a literary autobiography offering many insights on Edward Gorey's personal and artistic life. Few had the opportunity to interview Gorey, making this especially important as a gathering of over twenty conversations with him which began in 1973 and concluded in 1999, shortly before his death. Add reproductions of his art and you have an exceptional guide.

Shaping The Modern
The Art Institute of Chicago
111 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, IL 60603-6110
0865591873 $14.95 1-312-443-3600

Shaping The Modern: American Decorative Arts At The Art Institute Of Chicago 1917-65 is an extraordinary volume showcase this museum's collection of 20th Century American decorative arts. Filled with detailed commentary and sleek photography, both black-and-white and full color, the Art Institute of Chicago's riveting collection of twentieth-century American ceramics, furniture, glass, and metalwork is simply outstanding. The enjoyable and informative essays add further spirit and life to the appealing and practical works of art. A wonderful book for enthusiasts of modern design and a welcome addition to any personal or professional collection.



The Sociology Shelf

Sociology As An Art Form
Robert Nisbet
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854
0765807564 $24.95 1-888-999-6778

Written both for readers new to sociology and those experienced in its study, Sociology As An Art Form shows how the founding sociologists such as Marx, Weber, Durkheim, and Simmel created generalized portraits of whole classes of people as a reflection to the portraits found in the literature of their period. Delving into the links between sociology and art to present an appraised estimate of sociology's contribution to modern culture, Sociology As An Art Form by the late Robert Nisbet (1913-1996), formerly Albert Schweitzer Professor in the Humanities, Columbia University, is an intriguing, scholarly, and enduring study recommended to students with an avid interest in this remarkable branch of the social sciences.



The International Studies Shelf

Where Corruption Lives
Gerald E. Caiden, et al.
Kumarian Press
1294 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, CT 06002
1565491335 $24.95 1-800-289-2664

Ably edited by the collaborative efforts of Gerald E. Caiden, O.P. Dwivedi, and Joseph Jabbra, Where Corruption Lives is an erudite and scholarly collection of perspectives on the evil of corruption in governments worldwide. From the United States to Eastern Europe, South Africa, Post-Mao China and elsewhere, the political systems of nation after nation (and the illnesses within them) are offered up for close scrutiny. Fascinating political reading and recommended for political science and international studies reading lists and reference collections.



The Philosophy Shelf

The Problem Of Evil In Early Modern Philosophy
Elmar J. Kremer & Michael J. Latzer
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, ON, Canada, M4Y 2W8
0802035523 $60.00 1-800-565-9523

The Problem Of Evil In Early Modern Philosophy by the collaborative efforts of Elmar Kremer (Emeritus Professor of Philosophy, University of Toronto) and Michael Latzer (Assistant Professor of Philosophy, Gannon University) is a dark yet fascinating selection of essays concerning the dilemma that evil and cruelty posed to philosophers of the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries. Evaluations of Descartes, Leibniz, Spinoza, Suarez, Malebranche, and Bayle fill out this scholarly, serious, compelling, and in-depth look at the worst in human nature. Highly recommended reading for philosophy students and an invaluable addition to university level philosophy reference collections.

On The Unseriousness Of Human Affairs
James V. Schall
ISI Books
Box 4431, Wilmington, DE 19807-0431
1882926633 $24.95 1-800-526-7022

On The Unseriousness Of Human Affairs by James Schall is an impressive treatise revealing how such sometimes considered "useless" activities such as singing, dancing, playing, and contemplating, are in fact the core and basis for flourishing human culture and society. Indeed, this seemingly unpractical pastimes embody and reflect the very nature of human aspirations and enduring achievements. Schall draws upon such diverse representations as Aristotle, Samuel Johnson, and cartoon character Charlie Brown to document and showcase a significant countercultural message that such pursuits are in the best interest of human society as a whole, and individual men and women in the course of their personal lives. On The Unseriousness Of Human Affairs is an enthusiastically recommended contribution to the study of contemporary philosophy and welcome reading for anyone with an interest in the nature and relevance of the arts to the quality and substance of human life.



The Archaeology Shelf

Hands-On Archaeology
John R. White
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
1882664345 $21.95 1-800-998-2208

Hands-On Archaeology Explore The Mysteries Of History Through Science by archaeologist and educator John White is specifically and effectively designed to be an archaeological manual for the classroom teacher in preparing and implementing a curriculum to teach students about various aspects of archaeological inquiry through a wealth of "hands on" activities, worksheets, readings, and examples. Every facet of the science of archaeology is covered from the formulation of a working hypothesis , to the keeping of field notes and records, to creating a museum display. The fascinating consequence of John White's highly recommended Hands-On Archaeology is that the students will not only learn about the science of archaeology, but in the process they will become functioning archaeologists themselves!

Archaeology And Text
John Moreland
Duckworth Publishing
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22883 Quicksilver Dr., Sterling VA 20166
0715629980 $14.95 1-800-758-3756

In Archaeology And Text, John Moreland informatively challenges traditional assumptions commonly held regarding the relationship between archaeology and history by re-evaluating the role of artifacts and documents in the reconstruction of the historical past. His central argument is that both documents and artifacts must be seen in terms of their efficacy in the past, and in particular, as technologies of power and resistance. This original, innovative, and iconoclastic work is based on recent and on-going research in theoretical archaeology, using a series of case studies ranging from early medieval Europe, early modern North America, and prehistoric Near East to illustrate the ways in which both documents and artifacts were "activated" in the reproduction and transformation of power and identity. Archaeology And Text is a welcome and challenging addition to the growing body of archaeological literature.



The Interior Design Shelf

The Perfect Room
Sarah Lynch & Pip Norris
Rockport Publishers
33 Commercial St, Gloucester, MA 01930
1564967344 $35.00 www.rockpub.com

Filled cover to cover with striking color photographs of beautiful and charming living abodes, The Perfect Room: Professional Secrets For Flawless Style by Sarah Lynch and Pip Norris is both a treat for the eyes and a step-by-step demystification of how to make the ambiance of a room feel "right." The importance of balance, color, texture, lighting and more are all studied in turn, and the calming effects of the whole are plain to see. If you are thinking of changing the look of Your living arrangements, then The Perfect Room is an ideal and very highly recommended primer!



The Fiction Shelf

Lost Hunters
Deanne Devine
The Lighthouse Press
Box 910, Deerfield Beach, FL 33443-0910
0967635438 $18.50 lighthouseeditions.com

Deanne Devine's Lost Hunters is a compelling novel of death, murder, an ancient curse and hidden secrets reaching back two hundred years. With tense action and memorable characters put in grim dilemmas, Lost Hunters is a book not easily put down once begun. A highly recommended, riveting read.

William F. Nolan's Dark Universe
William F. Nolan
Stealth Press
128 East Grant St. Lancaster, PA 17602
1588810356 $29.95 stealthpress.com

William F. Nolan's Dark Universe is a masterfully written and memorable anthology of the dark fiction Nolan has written spanning more than fifty years. Forty-one of Nolan's finest and most disturbing stories guarantee cold, evil feelings and fleeting episodes of paranoia while reading. William F. Nolan's Dark Universe is a first-rate giftbook for fans of horror and suspense, and will well serve to introduce a whole new generation of readers to the work and literary artistry of this master storyteller.

This House Of Women
Paul Scott Malone
Texas Tech University Press
Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79410
0896724581 $27.95 1-800-832-4042

Paul Malone is a native Texas writer and visual artist. This House Of Women is his novel about the courageous heroine Hannah Hayward. She was pregnant at nineteen in 1942 as the man she loved went off to war. We follow her journey to forge a life for herself and her offspring through the decades of Texas history. This House Of Women is a powerfully narrated, stalwart story rife with emotion and full of life. Highly recommended.

Clash of Souls
Nancy Fox
Legacy Publishing
Studio One, 201 Monroe Avenue, Maitland, Florida 32751
0962873373 $19.95 legacy-publishing.com

Clash Of Souls by Nancy Fox is a powerfully written psychological thriller about the electric self-destruction of a well-bred, upper crust family, as the sudden death of a father propels his widow, his son, and matriarch of the family's citrus empire into an emotionally savage conflict. Filled with twisted motives and cutthroat family ties, Clash Of Souls is a truly gripping tale of horrific fascination.

Neverland
R. Scott Leatherwood
Global Quest Publications
Books To Market (publicity)
14903 Knotty Pine Pl., Tampa, FL 33625
0971201129 $15.95 peterpanprequel.com

What happened before Peter Pan met Wendy and her brothers? How did Captain Hook lose his hand? How did the Crocodile come to swallow a ticking clock? Based on the original adventures of Peter Pan by James M. Barrie, Neverland: The Early Adventures Of Peter Pan is a Peter Pan prequel written by R. Scott Leatherwood, in order to answer seventeen questions raised by the original classic and breathe further awe and wonder into the legacy of a timeless story. An enjoyable page-turner guaranteed to evoke fond memories and highly recommended to anyone who has ever dreamed of flying off to a land of adventures where they would never have to grow up.

The Stone Woman
Tariq Ali
Verso
180 Varick Street, NY, NY 10014-4606
1859843646 $12.00 versobooks.com

The Stone Woman: A Novel is the third book of writer and filmmaker Tariq Ali's "Islam Quintet". Emotional, lyrical prose is the hallmark of this superbly crafted novel, which presents daily life under Islam as well as conflict and challenges. Also highly recommended are Tariq Ali's previous two books of the "Islam Quintet", Shadows Of The Pomegranate Tree (0860916766, $15.00) and The Book Of Saladin (1859842313, $15.00).

Just One Kiss
Donna M. Schaff
Five Star Books
PO Box 403, Unity, ME 04988
0786230215 $26.95 1-800-223-1244

Donna Schaff's Just One Kiss is an entertaining romance novel of a man and a woman who simply don't care for each other in the beginning - but with passing time and new challenges, each finds the courage love again. At different times warm, contradictory, or philosophical, Just One Kiss is a thoughtful, passionate, highly recommended presentation of stubborn personalities and heartfelt sentiment.

Shade Of The Maple
Kirk Martin
Cantwell-Hamilton Press
1589 Skeet Club Road, Suite 102, High Point, NC 27265
0971614504 $14.00 1-413-527-8028

Shade Of The Maple is the story of Anna Matthews. A young woman who left the small Vermont town of Green Mountain at the age of eighteen to seek adventure in a wider world. She finds a free-spirited young man with a boundless imagination and who wins her love. But circumstances arise to force them apart. A decade later Anna encounters a series of novels that compel her to confront the disparities within her own marriage. When she seeks out the author she discovers a truth that could change her life forever. Will she settle for her comfortable but ultimately hollow "American Dream", or will she risk everything in pursuit of a dream all her own? Shade Of The Maple is masterfully written and is the impressive, highly recommended debut novel of Kirk Martin.

The Comancheria
Ray Mize
Bald Cypress Press
P.O. Box 640981, Kenner, LA 70064
0970898444 $12.95 1-866-464-0133

Ray Mize's The Comancheria: A Kill Line is a fast-paced, suspenseful novel of the Louisiana underworld and a pair of rugged men's efforts to protect the Texas ranch they call home from the seamy machinations of drug dealers, killers, and worse. Deftly written by a master storyteller and featuring both male and female heroes with brawn and brains, The Comancheria is an exciting read from first page to last!

Wolf's Complete Book of Terror
Leonard Wolf
Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York, NY 10017
1557042144 $16.00 1-800-669-3903

Wolf's Complete Book Of Terror is an anthology of thirty-six classic, spine-chilling horror short stories by such notable authors as Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, H. G. Wells, Ursula K. LeGuin, and many others. The result of the editor's careful selection is a truly terrifying and enduring collection of literate, evocative, and macabre fiction. Highly recommended for horror enthusiasts, especially for those who find latest slasher movie cliches and hack genre fiction tediously repetitive and wish to return to the origin and soul of the genre.

The Redneck Riviera
Richard N. Cote
Corinthian Books
P.O. Box 1898, Mt. Pleasant, SC 29465
1929175175 $24.95 corinthianbooks.com

Richard Cote's The Redneck Riviera is engaging story of a divorced mother from Myrtle Beach, and a booming tourist attraction also known as "The Redneck Riviera" because one can go there "with a dollar and a T-shirt and not change either for a week." The young mother hopes to break free of her white trash past and earn her way into the working middle class, but the sex trade and drug dealing underground conspire to lure her daughter into a seedy hell of despair. A fiery and involving book novel with the travails of the present and hope for the future, The Redneck Riviera is highly recommended reading.

Appalachia
Arnold R. Smith
Hats Off Books
610 East Delano Street, #104, Tucson, AZ 85705
1587360578 $11.95 HatsOffBooks.com

In Appalachia: As I Remember It, author Arnold Smith drew upon his memories of growing up in the hills of southeastern Kentucky in the late 1930s and early 1940s. Appalachia is an engaging story that is by turns interesting, informative, sad, funny, and eminently satisfying reading, a tale of life and family in a post-frontier age among mountain folk with strong traditions of pride in family, a love of freedom, exceptional work ethics, honest, discipline, and faith in the God of their forefathers. Written in a true storytelling fashion, Appalachia is a testament to a people and a way of life that is wonderfully and entertainingly presented from first page to last.



The Martial Arts Shelf

Indomitable Spirits
Irene P. Faass, et al.
PFS Publishing
706 13th Street, Ames, IA 50010
1888223278 $14.95 1-515-233-9211

It has been well understood for centuries that the process of becoming proficient in the martial arts is a life-changing experience both physically, mentally, and emotionally. Irene P. Faass, Joan Stone, and Mike Szymeczuk effectively collaborate in Indomitable Spirits: A Collection Of Martial Arts Essays to examine the lives of twenty-nine ordinary people, of all ages and walks of life, who took up martial arts training and found it to be a venue in which they learned the tenets of courtesy, integrity, perseverance, self-control, and acquired an indomitable spirit to life. A very highly recommended and erudite addition to any martial arts studies collection or reading list, Indomitable Spirits is enhanced with an informative introduction by Master Yong Chin Pak.



The Sports/Athletics Shelf

Running Encyclopedia
Richard Benyo and Joe Henderson
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
0736037349 $24.95 humankinetics.com

Collaboratively compiled and written by Richard Benyo and Joe Henderson, Running Encyclopedia: The Ultimate Source For Today's Runner provides an A to Z listing of all the people, places, things, and ideas that directly or indirectly affect runners and the sport/physical fitness regimen of running today. From age-grading (a system of equalizing runners by age and gender) to Emil Zatopek (arguably the greatest distance runner of all time), the Running Encyclopedia covers just about everything any novice or veteran runner could want to look up. A recommended giftbook for running enthusiasts and a core volume in any personal or professional sports oriented library collection!

Personal Foul
Richard Lieberman
Academy Chicago Publishers
363 West Erie Street, Chicago, IL 60610
0897334892 $25.00 1-800-248-7323

Personal Foul: Coach Joe Moore vs. The University Of Notre Dame by Richard Lieberman is the true story of a volatile lawsuit that coach Joe Moore filed against the University of Notre Dame for age discrimination. From this suit came evidence of pervasive unethical conduct in a university football program that had formerly been given the highest regard. Commanding the reader's full attention, Personal Foul is a compelling and revealing expos‚ into the tangled and often dark complexity of human nature in general, and college football in particular. Highly recommended reading for college football fans in general, and University of Notre Dame alumni in particular.

ESPN: The Uncensored History
Michael Freeman
Taylor Trade Publishing
4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
0878332707 $16.95 1-800-275-8188

ESPN: The Uncensored History by sports journalist Michael Freeman is an eye-opening, bare-all look at the global telecommunications network that since its inception in 1979 as the "Entertainment and Sports Programming Network", has gone on to become virtually synonymous with televised sports. From its relatively humble origins, ESPN has gone on to expand into additional offerings for the dedicated sports enthusiast including ESPN2, ESPN Classic Sports, ESPNews, and ESPN Magazine. Extensively researched, ESPN: The Uncensored History presents a fascinating, candid, revealing story in clear, unambiguous, and highly evocative language. A singularly memorable and compelling "tell-all" book, ESPN: The Uncensored History is strongly recommended reading for all sports buffs.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design