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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 12, Number 5 May 2002 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Language Studies Shelf American History Shelf
Archaeology Shelf Social Issues Shelf Military Shelf
Computer Shelf Parenting Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Business Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Library Video/DVD Shelf
Musicbook Shelf Railroading Shelf Library CD Music Shelf
Political Science Shelf Native American Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Travel Shelf Gardening Shelf Artbook Shelf
Fiction Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Civil War Studies Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Literary Shelf Photography Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Sports/Athletics Shelf Biography Shelf
Psychology Shelf Architecture Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Gaming Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Astronomy Shelf
Jobs/Careers Shelf Interior Design Shelf Poetry Shelf
Education Shelf International Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Women's Studies Shelf Genealogy Shelf Martial Arts Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf    



Reviewer's Choice

Hiking Wisconsin
Eric Hansen
Falcon Guides
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
0762711728 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Wisconsin borders two of the Great Lakes and the Mississippi River. It is home to hardwood and evergreen forests, a superb system of lakes and streams, and a wealth of municipal, county, state, and national parks. In Hiking Wisconsin, Eric Hansen (who hiked over 800 miles of Wisconsin trails while working on this guide) showcases the best outdoor hiking trails available to the general public. Each hiking trail entry features hike descriptions, difficulty ratings, and trail lengths. Hiking Wisconsin is enhanced with "user friendly" maps, clear directions, information on camping, seasonal access, and trail restrictions. Hiking Wisconsin is the perfect "take along" guidebook whether you plan to be gone for an afternoon or a weekend or a week. If you are anticipating an outdoor excursion somewhere in the Badger State, then begin your planning by securing and browsing through a copy of Eric Hansen's Hiking Wisconsin!

100 Books That Shaped World History
Miriam Raftery
Bluewood Books
P.O. Box 689, San Mateo, CA 94401
0912517484 $7.95 www.amazon.com

The latest in the compact, trivia-filled, exciting and entertaining 100 series, 100 Books That Shaped World History is a chronologically organized listing of books, both fiction and non-fiction, that changed the way people thought about the world, ranging from the "Epic of Gilgamesh" of antiquity to Thomas Paine's "Common Sense" to Betty Friedan's "The Feminine Mystique." Each book has a one-page section devoted to it, as well as a black-and-white photograph of the cover or of the author if available. An amazing tour through time and the history of human ideas, 100 Books That Shaped World History is a superbly organized list and highly recommended for reading club selection processes and anyone wanting to educate themselves with respect to the seminal and ground-breaking ideas comprising the foundation for contemporary society and civilized human history.

Kaleidoscope Artistry
Cozy Baker
C&T Publishing
1651 Challenge Dr., Concord, CA 94520
1571201351 $34.95 www.amazon.com

Collector Baker provides not just a collection of images, but a survey of new kaleidoscope artists and their techniques. Over 300 color photos of kaleidoscopes accompany profiles of their designers. A gorgeous display of kaleidoscopes and their changing forms.

The Freemasons
Jasper Ridley
Arcade
141 Fifth Avenue, 8th Fl., NY, NY 10010
1-55970-601-5 $27.95 1-800-759-0190

The Freemasons have been a secret brotherhood for centuries, with roots in the Knights Templar and history shrouded in mystery. Ridley helps separate truth from legend as she traces Freemasonry from its originals to modern times. The individual chapters provide intriguing insights into major historical figures purported to be Freemason members.

John Wayne
Jane Pattie
Western Classics
c/o Phenix & Phenix
2525 West Anderson Lane, Suite 540
Austin, TX 78757
0967053404 $75.00 1-888-338-8851

Enhanced with a foreword by actress Maureen O'Hara, and graced with an informative text by Jane Pattie, John Wayne: There Rode A Legend is a gorgeous, superbly illustrated coffee table book showcasing the life, career, movies, deeds, and memories of the world famous actor John Wayne, best known for his many classic American West movies. Filled with both color photographs and black-and-white television and movie stills from before the firm establishment of color TV, John Wayne: There Rode A Legend is a remarkable tour of and tribute to the actor's life and work, from the 30's to the 60's. Of special note are the highlights that reveal John Wayne's humanitarian legacy, from when he had a gravely ill Navajo girl flown to a hospital 100 miles away on his personal plane to the creation of the John Wayne Cancer Institute years after the great actor's death from stomach cancer. John Wayne: There Rode A Legend is beyond compare and enthusiastically recommended for Western film buffs and the legions of fans of a truly unique actor and his enduring work.

Time Traveler
Michael Novacek
Farrar Straus Giroux
19 Union Square West, NY, NY 10003
0374278806 $26.00 www.amazon.com

Michael Novacek's Time Traveler is an undeniably an excellent and informative survey of the scientific search for ancient mammal and dinosaur remains around the world. Chapters include plenty of paleontology but also capture the scientist author's excitement as he participates in digs which reveal new information about these early creatures.



The Language Studies Shelf

1001 Most Useful French Words
Marcella Buxbaum
Dover Publications
31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501
0-486-41944-4 $2.00 1-800-223-3130

1001 Most Useful French Words is a slim and highly recommended collection of useful French words will delight students of French and those seeking a stronger, more in-depth vocabulary. Over 1,000 frequently-used French words and phrases are included, with a separate section featuring common words arranged by category. The perfect language primer.

Penton Overseas
2470 Impala Dr. Carlsbad CA 92008-7226
1-800-748-5804

Two fine Global Access language courses for those with intermediate skills already will appeal to listeners who like the idea of advancing their language skills while they drive. Spanish (1-56015-502-7) and French (505-1) each cover advanced skills in vocabulary, pronunciation, grammar and conversion techniques, offering six hours of audio on four 90-minute tapes, plus text listening guides. These are designed for use without a textbook however: as such, they are excellent learning tools for the busy businessman or driver who wants to receive a brush-up or education while in the car.



The American History Shelf

Crisis In The Southwest
Richard Bruce Winders
Scholarly Resources
104 Greenhill Ave, Wilmington DE 19805
0-8420-2801-3 $17.95 1-800-772-8937

Readers of American history in general and Southwest events in particular will find Crisis In The Southwest, a survey of the US/Mexican struggle over Texas, to be clear and well done. The logic and events of the Mexican War and Texas Revolution come clear with a story which covers both ideologies and underlying roots of conflict.

Whispers On The Color Line
Gary Fine & Patricia Turner
University of California Press
2120 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
0520209885 $27.50 www.amazon.com

Drawing upon more than twenty years of study and analysis, by Gary Fine (Professor of Sociology, Northwestern University) and Patricia Turner (Vice-Provost of Undergraduate Studies and Professor of African American and African Studies, University of California, Davis) Whispers On The Color Line: Rumor And Race In America is a superbly presented, collaborative treatise on narrative folklore prevelent in contemporary American society in the form of legends and stories informally circulated among the general public, and which have served to confuse and reinforce misinformation regarding a wide range of social issues. These are tales traveling mostly by word-of-mouth and focusing a diversity of subjects ranging from alleged governmental conspiracies, to possible food tampering, to the foibles of celebrities. An impressive, seminal, and scholarly work, Whispers On The Color Line addresses how these gossip ladened tales reflect attitudes that blacks and whites have about each other, and how such stories serve a pervasive social purpose of "expressing the inexpressible. Whispers On The Color Line is a ground breaking work and highly recommended for Contemporary Sociology, Social Anthropology, African-American Studies, and American Popular Culture Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Oswald's Trigger Films
John Loken
Falcon Books
Box 7203, Ann Arbor, MI 48107-7203
0964889730 $7.95 www.amazon.com

Deftly written about the assassination of American President John F. Kennedy, Oswald's Trigger Films holds to the belief that a lone assassin murdered America's beloved leader... and makes the case three movies dealing with presidential assassinations influenced the gunman and killer Oswald. These three movies, "The Manchurian Candidate" (1962), "We Were Strangers" (1949), and "Suddenly" (1954) are examined in detail and their impact on Oswald's disturbed mind is carefully discussed. John Loken's Oswald's Trigger Films offers a fascinating, unique, and somewhat disturbing analysis that will be of immense interest to students the Kennedy Assassination and its aftermath.

Born Free And Equal
Ansel Adams
Spotted Dog Press
P.O. Box 1721, Bishop, CA 93515-1721
1893343057 $45.00 www.amazon.com

Born Free And Equal: The Story Of Loyal Japanese Americans is an impressive combination of historic photographs and writings about the Japanese-Americans who were imprisoned in Manzanar, one of ten such relocation camps, as a result of wartime fears regarding possible sabotage by members of the Japanese and Nisei (American-born men and women of Japanese ancestry) living along the American west coast. During the era of World War II, virtually all the American people of Japanese descent in the states of California, Oregon and Washington (most of them citizens), were interned in relocation camps scattered through the Midwest. Born Free And Equal captures memories of this prison community and how the families in it lived in broad, sweeping, black-and-white photographs. Born Free And Equal is a powerful, highly recommended, historically factual book, accurately capturing with poetic realism a dark and controversial aspect of America's WW II effort, which, along with such horrors as the European Holocaust and the Japanese atrocities in the Far East, must never be forgotten.

The Madonna Of 115th Street
Robert A. Orsi
Yale University Press
Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040
0300091354 $17.95 www.amazon.com

In The Madonna Of 115th Street, Robert A. Orsi (Charles Warren Professor of American Religious History, Harvard University) offers a seminal and ground breaking study of faith and community in New York City's Italian Harlem. The focus of this treatise is the annual Catholic festival called "Madonna of 115th Street" and how it has both influenced and reflects the lives of the men and women of the neighborhood. The Madonna Of 115th Street reveals a compelling perspective on how religion plays out in the everyday lives and experiences of American Catholics and the formation of a distinctive immigrant community. This Yale "Nota Bene" paperback edition is highly recommended reading and enhanced with a new introduction by Orsi outlining the changes that Italian Harlem has undergone in recent years and the significant shifts that have occurred in the field of American religious history.

Ranching West Of The 100th Meridian
Richard L. Knight, et al.
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Ave., N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009
1559638273 $25.00 www.amazon.com

Collaborative edited by Richard Knight, Wendell Gilgert, and Ed Martson, Ranching West Of The 100th Meridian: Culture, Ecology And Economics is an impressive and informative anthology of articulate essays by a wide variety of learned and experienced authors, focusing on assorted aspects of the ranch life in western America, and how ranching affects surrounding communities and the nation as a whole. Charts, graphs and a handful of black/white photographs illustrate this serious-minded and intriguing study. From Ranching: An Old Way Of Life In The New West (Paul F. Starrs); to Perceptions Of Ranching: Public Views, Personal Reflections (Mark Brunson & George Wallace); to Re-Creating The West One Decision At A Time (Allan Savory); to Saving The Family Ranch: New Directions (Ben Alexander & Luther Propst), the seventeen essays comprising Ranching West Of The 100th Meridian are compelling, challenging, superbly presented, highly recommended reading.

No More Silence
Larry A. Sneed
University of North Texas Press
Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
1574411489 $24.95 www.amazon.com

No More Silence: An Oral History Of The Assassination Of President Kennedy by Larry A. Sneed is a solid primary reference of a shattering event that changed America forever. The personal testimonies of eyewitnesses, policemen, and people involved in the transfer of Oswald fill this solid reference book that adds the weight of human emotion and perspective to shelves of historical analysis. A "must" for Kennedy assassination conspiracy buffs, No More Silence is a unique, uncensored, and very highly recommended reading.

The Bureau And The Mole
David A. Vise
Atlantic Monthly Press
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
0871138344 $25.00 www.amazon.com

The Bureau And The Mole: The Unmasking Of Robert Philip Hanssen, The Most Dangerous Double Agent In FBI History by "Washington Post" journalist and Pulitzer Prize winner David A. Vise is an compelling inside look at the gripping true story of Robert Philip Hanssen, the American Federal Bureau of Investigation agent who sold U.S. intelligence and secrets to Moscow, and of Louis J. Freeh, the FBI director who finally caught him. Deceit, machinations, secret deals, FBI blunders, and more are presented in this incredible and fascinating tale of Cold War espionage, and one so twisted that it seems like something expected only from the movies. A dark, insidious, yet utterly compelling book, The Bureau And The Mole is highly recommended reading.

New Homes For Old
Sophonisba P. Brteckinridge
Transaction Publishers
Rutgers - The State University , 35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854
076580607X $29.95 1-888-999-6778

The new edition of New Homes For Old by Sophonisba P. Breckinridge (1866-1948) is enhanced with an informative introduction by Steven J. Diner (Professor and Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Rutgers University) is an amazing, exhaustive history of American immigrants, focusing in detail on how they lived, cared for their children, coped with cultural shock, made an economic living and much more. Covering immigration from all over the world, from the Ukraine to Italy to Sweden, New Homes For Old is a fascinating qualitative study of family life as well as cultural and economic adaptation. Highly recommended reading for students of Gender Studies, Ethnic History, Progressive Era social research, and the history of social work in America.

The Lost Journals Of Charles S. Armstrong
Christian J. Buys
Western Reflections Publishing Co.
P.O. Box 1647, Montrose, CO 81402
1890437662 $16.95 www.amazon.com

The Lost Journals Of Charles S. Armstrong: From Arkport, New York To Aspen Colorado 1867-1894 is a remarkable primary source of the history of Western America. These journals chronicle the life and times of Charles S. Armstrong, a man who was one of thousands of fortune-seekers who ventured into Colorado in the 1880s. Armstrong was one of the Aspen-area's first pioneers who build a cabin, prospected for minerals, grew vegetables, fished and trapped, and much more. Offered with an editor's overview giving historical context, the journals are presented as-is day by day, with some ordinary days featuring only a line or two and others meriting vivid, descriptive paragraphs. The Lost Journals Of Charles S. Armstrong offers uniquely personal view of American life more than a hundred years gone.



The Archaeology Shelf

Giza: The Truth
Ian Lawton & Chris Ogilvie-Herald
Invisible Cities Press
Elizabeth Caulder (publicity)
50 State St., Montpelier, VT 05602
1931229139 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Giza: The Truth is an impressive, "reader friendly", and collaborative effort by ancient civilizations enthusiast Ian Lawton and Chris Ogilvie-Herald (organizer of "The Giza Debate", a London-based, two-day, international conference), to reveal the people, politics and history related to one of the world's most famous archaeological sites -- the Giza pyramid of ancient Egypt. Lawton and Ogilvie-Herald also provide the reader with an amazing reconstruction of what life in ancient Egypt must have been like, by extrapolating from the latest archaeological discoveries and a vast body of Egyptology reference data. Giza: The Truth is a truly amazing book, and strongly recommended reading for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest regarding Egyptology in general, and the Giza pyramid in particular.



The Social Issues Shelf

For Better And For Worse
Greg Duncan & Lindsay Chase-Lansdale
Russell Sage Foundation
112 E. 64th St., New York NY 10021
0871542455 $42.50 1-800-688-2877

The articles comprising For Better And For Worse cover welfare reform and the well-being of children and families as they examine the system since the 1996 welfare reform bill took place, blending a political history of welfare legislation with a close look at how politics translates to social change. Individual chapters pinpoint the types of reforms which have worked and are an important contribution to tody's ongoing national debate on welfare reform issues and consequences.

The Pig And The Skyscraper
Marco d'Eramo
Verso
180 Varick St., NY, NY 10014-4606
1859846246 $30.00 www.amazon.com

Ably translated into English by Graeme Thomson, The Pig And The Skyscraper, Chicago: A History Of Our Future by Marco d'Eramo is a serious-minded and acutely insightful social analysis of Chicago as the penultimate example of the modern metropolis. From Chicago's humble origins to its towering rise in world prestige to the churning capitalism that keeps it running, The Pig and the Skyscraper looks closely at America's famous windy city and pulls no punches regarding the dark side of urban sprawl. A fascinating, in-depth account, The Pig And The Skyscraper is especially recommended reading for students of Urban Studies and the historical, contemporary, and future development of metropolitan Chicago.

Everything You Know Is Wrong
Russ Kick, editor
The Disinformation Company
163 Third Ave., Suite 108, NY, NY 10003
0971394202 $24.95 www.disinfo.com

Aptly edited by Russ Kick, Everything You Know Is Wrong: The Disinformation Guide To Secrets And Lies is simply impossible to put down as it lays bare the cold, hard details of social, cultural and political events and assertions that typical media coverage at best gloss over, and at worst outright lie about. From a scathing essay rebutting Thomas Friedman's book "The Lexus and the Olive Tree: Understanding Globalization" to the pervasive threat of Mad Cow disease in the U.S. to Ford's and Kissinger's tacit approval of Indonesian brutality in East Timor to the pervasive enmity modern Judeo-Christian religion has against women's rights, Everything You Know Is Wrong is packed cover to cover with disturbing yet thoroughly researched alternative viewpoints guaranteed to make the reader sit up, think, and take notice of the deceit that drenches daily life. Everything You Know is highly recommended reading for those who want to know how the world really works.



The Military Shelf

Chemical And Biological Warfare
Eric Croddy, et.al.
Copernicus Books
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
0387950761 $27.50 copernicusbooks.com

Chemical And Biological Warfare analyzes the key issues related to chemical and biological warfare, detailing known chemical and biological agents, how they may be used in weaponry, and the possibilities of their use in modern conflicts. Readers seeking a technical survey of proliferation and basic concepts of chemical and biological weaponry receive more in-depth information here than in many titles.

Teenage Soldier
Roger E. Campbell
Army and Navy Publishing Company
234 Main Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana
0970736304 $26.00 teenagesoldier.com

Roger E. Campbell's Teenage Soldier is an unforgettable, vividly narrated, first-person account of a young soldier who served with the American 79th Division on the grim battlefields of the European Theater during World War II (from the June 1944 Allied invasion of Normandy through May 1945 and the surrender of Germany). Ranging from his experiences with the rigors of basic training to the brutal realities of being wounded in battle, facing the challenge of missions of Intelligence and Reconnaissance, and a personal account of what life in Europe was like during and after the war, Teenage Soldier is a powerful book and a close, very real glimpse into a chapter of history from one brave fighter's point of view. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs and written with justifiably deserved pride combined with sober reflections of half a century gone by, Teenage Soldier is a highly recommended and welcome addition to the growing body of World War II military autobiographies and memoirs.

Secrecy Wars
Philip Melanson
Brassey's Inc.
Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
1-57488-324-0 $27.50 1-877-782-1234

National security, privacy, and the public's right to knowledge are the major issues covered in Secrecy Wars, a view of the US government's secrecy system and how the Freedom of Information Act operates. Details from formerly classified files blend with surveys of government resistance to releasing public information to make for a thought-provoking presentation which is a highly recommended addition to American Political Science and Military Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

The Clyde At War
Brian D. Osborne & Ronald Armstrong
Birlinn Limited/Casemate, dist.
2114 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
1841581879 $40.00 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by Brian D. Osborne and Ronald Armstrong, The Clyde At War is a compelling, informative look at the River Clyde, which was a pivotal setting for British forces in both WW I and WW II. Hosting major British air bases and ports of vital significance to the Allied cause, The River Clyde saw both great heroism and terrible tragedy during the dark days of the two world wars. A remarkable and memorable book of military history, The Clyde At War features a wealth of black-and-white photographs enhancing the story of soldiers and civilians who lived, struggled, and died near the river Clyde.

Encyclopedia Of The Korean War
Spencer C. Tucker, editor
Checkmark Books/Facts On File
132 West 31st St., New York, NY 10001
0816046824 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Encyclopedia Of The Korean War: A Political, Social, And Military History is deftly edited by Spencer C. Tucker and presents the reader with a thorough, comprehensive, in-depth, and deeply researched compendium of knowledge over the Korean conflict often referred to as "The Forgotten War." Entries are listed in A to Z format; black-and-white photographs sparsely illustrate the detailed, matter-of fact text. Strongly recommended for school and community library military history collections, the Encyclopedia Of The Korean War is a superbly presented reference for looking up details concerning people, places, weapons, politics, military actions and much more about this pivotal Asian conflict.

Germs
Judith Miller, et.al.
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, NY NY 10020
0-684-87158-0 $27.00 1-800-223-2336

In the past decade the government has realized the U.S. is defenseless against the possibilities of germ weaponry, despite its leadership role in science and technology. This uses hundreds of interviews with scientists, intelligence officers and government officials to examine how new bio-defenders' are dealing with the possibility of biological weapons. The history of such research and realizations is fascinating.

American Volunteers In The RAF 1937-1943
Tony Holmes
Classic Publications
c/o Specialty Press
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
1903223164 $24.95 specialitypress.com

American Volunteers In The RAF 1937-1943 is the first volume in an impressive "American Eagles" series of books about American fighter pilots and the aircraft they flew in Europe during the Second World War. A comprehensive text brought to life with black-and-white photographs of history as well as modern-day color illustrations fill this amazing compendium of individual sagas, aerial dogfights, military strategy, human involvement and patriotism transcending national borders and much more. A first-rate showcase of a fascinating segment of aviation history, American Volunteers In The RAF 1937-1943 is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library World War II military history collections.



The Computer Shelf

Java Design
Kirk Knoernschild
Pearson Education
201 W. 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290
0201750449 $39.99 www.amazon.com

Java Design: Objects, UML, And Process by software is consultant and Java expert Kirk Knoernschild a comprehensive computer programmer's reference for the creation of high quality, useful, reusable, and long-lasting software designs. Individual chapters cover the basics of UML, modeling strategies, analyzing problems, designing subsystems and much more. Java Design: Objects, UML, And Process is a superbly organized and presented reference for programmers who has mastered the basics of Java and are ready to broaden their applied skills and expertise in the robust, highly practical, and increasingly popular computer language of Java.

Internet User's Handbook 2002
Mark P. Ater and Betty Ater
McFarland & Company
Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
0786413263 $22.50 1-800-253-2187

Internet User's Handbook 2002 by internet experts Mark and Betty Ater is a handy, practical, user-friendly guide to people of all ages and skill levels to the ever-changing informational resource and misinformation minefield that is the Internet. Individual chapters accessibly address the basics of getting an Internet Service Provider, do's and don'ts on the net, using a credit card online, online leisure activities and much more. Black-and-white computer screenshots enhance this simple yet highly useful, strongly recommended guidebook.

The Book Of VMware
Brian Ward
No Starch Press
555 De Haro Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94107
1886411727 $39.95 www.amazon.com

The Book of VMware: The Complete Guide To VMware Workstation by Linux expert Brian Ward is a comprehensive guide to making the most of the VMware Workstation product. Individual chapters cogently address the VMware virtual machine from its floppy drives and serial ports to its USB interface and peripherals, how to install, configure, and operate VMware, Windows, Linux, and other guest operating systems, network file transfer, troubleshooting and much more. The Book Of VMware is a truly excellent and useful resource for the dedicated programmer wanting to implement and utilize VMware.

Murach's OS/390 And z/OS JCL
Raul Menendez and Doug Lowe
Mike Murach and Associates
2560 West Shaw Lane, Suite 101, Fresno, CA 93711-2765
1890774146 $62.50 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by experienced professional programmers Raul Menendez and Doug Lowe, Murach's OS/390 And z/OS JCL is a comprehensive, and exhaustive tutorial, reference, in the form and formate of a complete and effective guide to understanding the JCL used to run programs on an IBM system. From the basics of JCL operating system code, to writing code in JCL yourself, to mastering time-saving features, tape data sets, and much more, Murach's OS/390 And z/OS JCL is a thorough, step-by-step book that guides anyone with even the most cursory experience in operating systems down the most effortless path. Sample programs and meticulously presented ideas help clarify the solid computer science foundation of this essential, core reference for anyone who needs to concern themselves with the ins and outs of JCL. Murach's OS/390 And z/OS JCL is a highly recommended and reliable tutorial that will aptly serve the user as a continuing reference work.

Embedded Linux
Craig Hollabaugh, Ph.D.
Addison Wesley
75 Arlington St., #300, Boston, MA 02116
0672322269 $49.99 www.amazon.com

Embedded Linux: Hardware, Software, And Interfacing by Linux computer expert Craig Hollabuagh is a straightforward, comprehensive guide to the development and use of interfacing applications on Linux. Individual chapters address how to boot Linux, debugging with gdb, parallel port interfacing, USB interfacing, memory I/O interfacing, synchronous serial communication interfacing, system integration and much more. Tips, tricks, techniques, tables and selections of code round out this useful, complete, highly recommended reference for serious Linux programmers.

Windows Forms Programming With C#
Erik Brown
Manning Publications Co.
209 Bruce Park Avenue, Greenwich, CT 06830
1930110286 $49.95 www.amazon.com

Windows Forms Programming With C# by software developer and Windows applications expert Erik Brown is a comprehensive, straightforward, "user friendly" guide to writing programs in the .NET environment using object-oriented sets of classes. Various chapters address getting started with Windows Forms and Virtual Studio .NET, a wide variety of forms from menus and toolbars to data binding, document interfaces and more. Of special note are the commentaries regarding owner-drawn list boxes; list and tree views; multiple document interfaces; data grids and data binding; "drag and drop"; and the implementation of reusable libraries, auto-filled combo boxes, keyboard and mouse processing, printing and print previewing, and embedded web browsers. Tables and black-and-white screenshots help make the offered code and suggestions as clear as possible in this solid and useful reference for C# users.

System Performance Tuning
Gian-Paolo Musumeci & Mike Loukides
O'Reilly & Associates
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
059600284X $39.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, System Performance Tuning by Gian-Paolo D. Musumeci (Research Engineer, Performance and Availability Engineering Group, Sun Microsystems) and Mike Loukides (Editor, O'Reilly & Associates) is a comprehensive, "user friendly", technical sourcebook, guide, and reference for UNIX system administrators who seek optimum speed and overall performance. Tacking complex problems for which there are no simple solutions, individual chapters address workflow management, disk arrays, code tuning, and much more. A first-class resource, System Performance Tuning is an invaluable and highly recommended tutorial and continuing reference work.



The Parenting Shelf

It's All Good Hair
Michele N-K Collison
Amistad
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd St., New York, NY 10022
0060934875 $12.95 www.amazon.com

It's All Good Hair: The Guide To Styling And Grooming Black Children's Hair by veteran journalism and hairdressing expert Michele Collison is a practical, no-nonsense, but "user friendly" guide for parents, hairdressers, and anyone charged with the responsibility of giving a black child a good-looking and practical hairdo. Straightforward instructions for twists, cornrows, Zulu knots, extensions, and more embellish this useful guide, which discusses both boys' and girls' hair and offers a wealth of information and resources. Black-and-white photographs aptly illustrate this unique and solidly useful guide.

The Successful Child
William Sears, MD & Martha Sears, RN
Little, Brown, and Company
1271 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0316778117 $27.95 www.amazon.com

The Successful Child: What Parents Can Do To Help Kids Turn Out Well by pediatric experts William and Martha Sears is a compendium of practical advice, sound methodology, useful practices, informative anecdotes, and much more, all designed to help ordinary parents raise extraordinary healthy and well-adjusted children. From doing one's best to encourage good sibling relationships to teaching responsibility and morality, to effectively demonstrating self-esteem, kindness, and manners, The Successful Child is excellent and thought-provoking reading for parents everywhere and a highly recommended addition to personal and community library "parenting skills development" and "child rearing" reference collections.

A Different Kind Of Boy
Daniel Mont
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
Pigtail Public Relations (publicity)
325 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, PA 19106
1843107155 $17.95 www.amazon.com

A Different Kind Of Boy: A Father's Memoir About Raising A Gifted Child with Autism is the personal memoir of Daniel Mont, the father of an autistic boy. Daniel's fourth grade son Alex has difficulty interacting with the world and other people, is prone to anxiety, and has no real friends. But Alex is an amazing child prodigy in math, and one of seven fourth graders in the United States to ace the National Math Olympiad. A Different Kind Of Boy is a heartfelt, candid, and ultimately inspiring tale of the struggle of a father to teach his gifted child the awareness the boy needs to survive and connect with others, while making the most of his prodigious talents. A Different Kind Of Boy is highly recommended reading for any parent of an autistic or specially gifted child.

Getting The Most Out Of Diabetes Camp
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
1580401422 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Getting The Most Out Of Diabetes Camp: A Guide For Parents And Kids published by the American Diabetes Association is a practical, useful, authoritative guide for the parents of diabetic children considering a summer vacation option that can teach young people with diabetes about fun, independence, and the importance of taking proper care of themselves. Getting The Most Out Of Diabetes Camp is a superbly presented and unique preparatory guide covering everything from telling when a child is ready for camp to the application process and packing, to dealing with homesickness and evaluating the experiences of camp. Getting The Most Out Of Diabetes Camp is an absolute "must-read" for every parent who is seriously considering diabetes camp for his or her child, as well as surprisingly applicable as well for parents who are considering sending their non-diabetic child's siblings to more ordinary camps.

The Ultimate Survival Guide For The Single Father
Thomas Hoerner
Harbinger Press
2711 Buford Rd., PMB 383, Richmond, VA 23235
0967473640 $12.95 www.amazon.com

The Ultimate Survival Guide For The Single Father is a straightforward, no-nonsense guidebook for single dads of all backgrounds struggling to meet the challenge of raising a child. Individual chapters address a wide range of issues and concerns from coping with divorce and separation, to dealing with domestic chores, to cooking nutritious meals fast and easy, to taking care of one's health and financial matters, to balancing home responsibilities with a career, and much more. Packed cover to cover with a compendium of useful information for men of any age or background suddenly having the total responsibility for rearing a child thrust upon them, The Ultimate Survival Guide For The Single Father will prove an invaluable resource for successfully raising that child without burning out or otherwise losing your mind!



The Health/Medicine Shelf

Transplantation Sourcebook
Joyce Shannon, Editor
Omnigraphics
615 Griswold, Detroit, MI 48226
0780803221 $78.00 www.amazon.com

Transplant procedures are currently performed using over 25 different organs and tissues. The Transplantation Sourcebook gathers the latest information on solid organ and tissue transplantation, from the preparations and procedures themselves to financial and rehabilitation concerns. Another fine basic reference which provides important keys to understanding.

W.W. Norton & Company
500 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110

Two very different titles are recommended picks. Karen Brennan's Being With Rachel (0-393-01961-6, $23.95) tells of a family's changes when a 25-year-old daughter is gravely injured in a motorcycle accident. Her mother's account of her daughter's slow recovery, determination to walk again, and lasting brain injuries makes for a moving story of rebirth and courage. Steven Vogel's Prime Mover (02126-2, $25.95) provides a natural history of muscles and how they work, from exploring artificial and natural muscles in other creatures and in man's creations to understanding the power and limitations of the human muscle. Biomechanics comes alive in a discussion blending science, health, history, and mechanical insights.

All About Joints
Irwin Siegel, MD
Demos
386 Park Avenue South #201, New York NY 10016
1888799560 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Dr. Irwin Siegel's All About Joints is a 'maintenance guide' covering all the joints of the body, from wrists to knees and ankles. Any who want to understand normal functioning of the joints and treatments of common ailments and injuries will find All About Joints to be an excellent, "reader friendly" basic coverage which combines an understanding of anatomy with insights on the latest treatments. Diagnosis and prevention are also included in this fine and very highly recommended survey.

Boomers Really Can Put Old On Hold
Barbara Morris, R. Ph.
Image F/X Publications
P.O. Box 937, Escondido, CA 92033-0937
0966784219 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Barbara Morris' Boomers Really Can Put Old On Hold is a practical, energetic, and health oriented book dedicated to the proposition that anyone can extend their life and improving the quality of their "golden years". Written especially for Baby Boomers, this excellent catalogue of tips, tricks and techniques covers not only keeping oneself in good health but also retirement plans and solid information resources. Written by a fresh and vibrant 72-year-old woman (check the author's photograph and you'll be amazed someone that venerable can look and feel so good!), Boomers Really Can Put Old On Hold is highly recommended reading for all ages!

Bounce Back Into Shape After Baby
Caroline C. Creager
Executive Physical Therapy
P.O. Box 1319, Berthoud, CO 80513
0964115352 $24.95 www.amazon.com

Bounce Back Into Shape After Baby by physical therapist and exercise specialist Caroline C. Creager (Founder and CEO, Executive Physical Therapy, Inc., Berthoud, Colorado) is an energetic, authoritative health and workout guide designed specifically for new mothers. Individual chapters address exercise guidelines for mothers recovering from vaginal delivery, Cesarean delivery recovery, techniques for managing Cesarean scar tissue, ways to strengthen weakened abdominal muscles, balancing exercise with breast feeding, the value of working out on a ball, fitting exercise into a busy schedule and much more. Bounce Back Into Shape After Baby is a superbly presented and "user friendly" health and exercise guidebook and especially recommended for young mothers who may feel overwhelmed but don't want to neglect their physical well-being.



The Business Shelf

Lessons From Leadership Failures
Denis Orme
1stBooks Library
2511 West 3rd St., Bloomington IN 47404
0759651779 $29.80 www.amazon.com

Lessons From Leadership Failures: The Greenfields Approach by management consultant and business start-up expert Denis Orme is an amazing, superbly presented, informative and practical book offering case histories, anecdotal evidence, and cogent advice for making the most of one's business regardless of the produce or service being offered to the marketplace. From the crucial importance of watching one's budget to encouraging teamwork and most importantly, learning from the mistakes of others rather than making the same mistakes all over again, Lessons From Leadership Failures is an encouraging book and excellent guide for the novice entrepreneur or corporate executive wanting to lead their enterprise to an enduring commercial success.

Webs of Innovation
Alexander Loudon
FT.com
c/o Pearson Education
128 Long Acre, London, WC2E 9AN
http://www.websofinnovation.com
0273656465 $27.00 www.amazon.com

Webs Of Innovation by Internet expert and global business consultant Alexander Loudon is a clearly forward-looking and progressive book about the future of business in the age of the Internet. A practical-minded approach to taking advantage of globalization and changing technology is the hallmark of this adventurous tour through the evolution of the Internet, the process of acquiring corporate venture capital, and generally gearing one's enterprise to make the most of today's changing and highly interdependent markets. Anecdotes and examples pepper this exciting and useful guide to taking charge of one's entrepreneurial destiny. Webs Of Innovation is highly recommended reading for entrepreneurs wanting to utilize the Internet and the World Wide Web in their mercantile and corporate ventures.

Primer Of Public Relations Research
Don W. Stacks
Guilford Press
72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012
1572307269 $35.00 www.amazon.com

Primer Of Public Relations Research by Don W. Stacks (Professor and Director of the Program in Advertising and Public Relations, University of Miami School of Communication) is a comprehensive survey of research methods used by Public Relations professionals in all walks of business. Individual chapters cover both formal and informal research methodology, from simple case studies to experiments, statistical reasoning, and computer analysis. Erudite, heavily researched, first rate reading, Professor Stacks' Primer Of Public Relations Research is strongly recommended reading for students of seeking degrees or enhancing their expertise in the fields of Business Management, Corporate Public Relations, and Human Resource Management.

Smart Marketing
Stan Rosenzweig
Emery Publishing Company
800 Summer Street, Suite 340, Stamford, CT 06901
1586520024 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Smart Marketing by successful business owner, consultant and trainer Stan Rosenzweig is a reader friendly, "how to" business book about the sales and marketing tactics employed by America's most successful businesses. From techniques to remedy ineffective advertising to budget-conscious strategies for achieving marketing objectives to the importance and power of branding, Smart Marketing offers a world-class tour of tips, tricks, and techniques to earn more sales for your time and effort. A solid, practical guide filled with wisdom, humor, and illustrative examples, Smart Marketing is especially recommended for readers charged with sales and marketing responsibilities within their company or corporation.

Building A Project-Driven Enterprise
Ronald Mascitelli
Technology Perspectives
P.O. Box 8539, Northridge, CA 91327
0966269713 $39.95 www.amazon.com

Building A Project-Driven Enterprise: How to Slash Waste and Boost Profits Through Lean Project Management by project management expert and Certified Management Consultant Ronald Mascitelli is a no-nonsense, go-getter book offering straightforward, "user friendly" advice on how to best minimize costs and maximize performance in project management. From twelve different ways to simplify and improve decision-making processes to step-by-step methodology for reducing wasted effort, Building a Project-Driven Enterprise paints a broad canvas of useful and thought-provoking ways to succeed in today's driven business world. Enhanced with extensive Notes, References, and an Index, Building A Project-Driven Enterprise is highly recommended reading for anyone wanting to achieve both efficiency and high standards of excellence in their particular entrepreneurial or corporate project.

The Solutions Focus
Paul Z. Jackson & Mark McKergow
Nicholas Brealey Publishing
1163 East Ogden Avenue, Suite 705, Naperville, IL 60563-8535
1857882709 $24.95 www.amazon.com

The Solutions Focus: The Simple Way To Positive Change, collaboratively written by business management consultants Paul Z. Jackson and Mark McKergow, is a powerful, "reader friendly" guide that focuses entirely on a pragmatic approach to modern business dilemmas. From making use of proper organization, to the importance of teamwork to a simple and useful focus technique to get to the heart of any problem in short order, The Solutions Focus is very strongly recommended as a dynamic, practical, and straightforward guide to streamlining efficiency and improving business sense.

How To Write & Prepare Training Materials, 2nd Edition
Nancy Stimson
Kogan Page
c/o Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterlings, VA 20166-2012
0749437235 $24.95 www.amazon.com

Written by training and human resources professional Nancy Stimson, and now updated and expanded in its second edition, How to Write & Prepare Training Materials continues to be an indispensable, core reference and guide expressly written for managers and trainers seeking to create materials that maximize communication and understanding. With a wealth of useful information on copyright matters, data protection, basic editing and punctuation, tables, visuals, and much more, How To Write & Prepare Training Materials is a superbly presented and highly recommended reference for anyone charged with the responsibility of creating effective educational aids for any business of any size or scope.

The 3-Dimensional Business Voice
Joni Wilson
Blue Loon Press
Box 15660, San Diego, CA 92115-5660
0966988310 $15.95 www.amazon.com

The 3-Dimensional Business Voice: The Voice Of Command! by Joni Wilson is a dynamic, practical, "user friendly" guide to cultivating an attention-getting voice and attitude, in order to enhance one's communication skills and become a master of the questions and answer format. A superb self-improvement reference for speakers in all careers and all walks of business, The 3-Dimensional Business Voice is a powerful, accessible "how to" manual on how to get people to hear what it is you want to say -- and do what you tell them to do.

Terrorism And Business
Dean C. Alexander & Yonah Alexander
Transnational Publishers
410 Saw Mill River Road, Ardsley, NY 10502
1571052461 $18.95 www.amazon.com

Terrorism And Business: The Impact Of September 11, 2001 is a serious study that focuses upon the reaction of corporate America, U.S. labor, and the U.S. government to the September 11 attacks. From economic impact to financial markets and broad-ranging effects at local, state, and national levels, Terrorism And Business provides the reader with a solid analysis of present and future repercussions as well as changes to the shape of business in America. A powerful, in-depth study Terrorism And Business is an especially timely and recommended read for those with a keen interest in modern economics and the impact of national and international terrorism upon the global marketplace.

Pick & Shovel Marketing
Lynette R. Hawkins
Beyond Marketing Group
PO Box 11344, Winston-Salem NC 27116
www.beyondmarketinggroup.com
0970417403 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Pick & Shovel Marketing: How To Attract, Sell, And Keep Customers Cheaply by national speaker and marketing professional Lynette Hawkins is a superbly presented "how to" business guide written specifically to the tasks of targeting the right customers, getting the most out of one's advertising dollars, keeping customers happy, and earning repeat business in the long run. Filled with a wealth of practical tips, tricks, and techniques to earning the recurring business that a business needs for commercial viability and profitability, Pick & Shovel Marketing is strongly recommended reading for business owners, corporate managers, and venture capital entrepreneurs.

Techno-Selling
Bob Boog
THS International
Elizabeth Caulder (publicity)
Box 221283, Newhall, CA 91322-1283
0966613058 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Bob Boog's Techno-Selling: Cutting-Edge Tips, Tricks & Tools, Plus Humorous Blunders To Avoid For Anyone Involved In Any Kind Of Sales is a superbly presented, reader-friendly guide for sellers of all experience levels who want to start using the resources of the World Wide Web and the Internet to quickly and easily market products and/or services to buyers across the nation and around the world. From creating an online office to anecdotes of cyberspace-do's and cyberspace-don'ts, Techno Selling is an excellent and highly recommended introduction to the manifold rewards and pitfalls related to making the Internet work for you!

Net Know-How
Jim Romeo
Aegis Publishing Group
796 Aquidneck Ave., Newport, RI 02842
1890154245 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Jim Romeo's Net Know-How: Surviving the Bloodbath - Straight Talk From 25 Internet Entrepreneurs is an engaging and informative selection of twenty-five true stories on the theme of starting up an Internet business, as told by people who did it. The creators of experience.com, collages.net, carepackages.com and more share their stories, including what they expected, the surprises that caught them unawares, and the shrewd thinking and careful preparations that kept them going when other dot-com companies failed. Net Know-How is a first-rate book of anecdotal business wisdom, and highly recommended for anyone considering launching or working for a dot-com company!

Reversing The Ostrich Approach To Diversity
A. S. Tolbert, Ph.D.
Nasus Publishing
1509 Irving Lane, Minneapolis MN 55337
0967029139 $11.95 successideas.com

Reversing The Ostrich Approach To Diversity by business and workplace development consultant A. S. Tolbert is a practical, effective guide centering on five easy-to-understand concepts to help incorporate diversity into one's business in order to improve the bottom line. From the long-term disadvantages of walking on eggshells to productive means of resolving conflict to improving one's instincts, interpersonal skills, and making oneself more presentable for promotion, Reversing the Ostrich Approach to Diversity is an impressive and fully accessible guide which ought to be required reading for anyone employed in or managing an ethnically or culturally diverse workplace!

In The News
William Wray Carney
The University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 2E1
0888643829 $24.95 www.amazon.com

In The News: The Practice Of Media Relations In Canada by experienced journalist and lecturer William Wray Carney is a solidly informative treatise about public relations with the media - in particular the Canadian media, but the vital advice and sound information, such as the principle of "Good Communications Cannot Override Bad Judgement" apply directly to public relations workers everywhere. Grounded solidly in research and personal experience, yet written in a straightforward, direct style particularly suitable for introducing novices to public relations while offering new tips, tricks, and techniques for veteran PR workers, In The News is a first-rate and highly recommended guidebook to the art, craft and science of media relations.



The Judaic Studies Shelf

Jews And Medicine
Frank Heynick
KTAV Publishing House
900 Jefferson St., Hoboken, NJ 07030
0881257737 $39.50 1-201-963-0102

Jews And Medicine: An Epic Saga by academician and lecturer Frank Heynick is a vast and comprehensive history of the scientific and medical accomplishments discovered by Jewish doctors and researchers throughout medical history, from the classical medicine of Maimonides to the germ theory of Cohn to Freudian psychoanalysis. An amazing and informative volume, Heynick discusses college-level medical theories with careful explanations written for readers of all medical backgrounds, from the non-specialist general reader with an interest in Judaic Studies, to advanced scholars in the field of Medical History. Jews And Medicine is a simply fascinating distillation of the evolution of medical science across the centuries and the lengths to which Jewish people have advanced the knowledge and skill to help sick and injured human beings.

Our Immoral Soul
Rabbi Nilton Bonder
Shambhala Publications
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
1570628823 $21.95 www.amazon.com

Our Immoral Soul: A Manifesto Of Spiritual Disobedience by Rabbi Nilton Bonder (leader of one of Brazil's largest Jewish congregations) is a fascinating and informative treatise about a special logic peculiar to the soul and the balance between the "immoral soul" and the "moral animal" of psychology and evolution. Rabbi Bonder received his training at the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City, and in Our Immoral Soul he adroitly tackles a range of relevant issues such as the many types of self and spiritual betrayal, to the essence of the self with insight, wisdom, and devoted learning. A compelling and persuasive treatise, Our Immoral Soul is a strongly recommended addition to Judaic Studies supplemental reading lists and reference collections.

Creating A Judaism Without Religion
S. Daniel Breslauer
University Press of America
c/o Rowman & Littlefield
4270 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
076182104X $48.00 www.amazon.com

In Creating A Judaism Without Religion: A Postmodern Jewish Possibility, Daniel Breslauer explores the contemporary phenomena of a Jewish identity that is divorced from traditional concepts of "religion" as the sole source of Jewishness. Challenging, articulate, and occasionally iconoclastic chapters include Creative Betrayal: Hasidism, Israeli Writers, and Martin Buber; Jewish Studies, Disciples of the Besht, and Responses to the Holocaust; A Possibility for Deconstruction of Revelation: The case of Eugene B. Borowitz; Visions of the Messiah in Poetry, Theology, and Mysticism; Jewish Culture as Experiments in Variety: Some Reflections on Hayyim Nahman Bialik and Cultural Zionism; Anthropological Betrayal: Bialik and the Jewish Book; Bialik, Agnon, and Ben Yehuda: Hebrew and the Individual's Spiritual Quest; Negotiation as Theology: Reflections on Stories by I.L. Peretz, S.Y. Agnon, and Martin Buber; Considerations of Eisik Ben Yekel of Crakow, Some Stories of I.L. Peretz, and the Meaning of Circumcision; and The Limits of Covenant Theology, Instructive Poems by Ilan Sheinfeld, and the Subversive in Peretz. A welcome and recommended addition to Judaic Studies reading lists and academic reference collections, Creating A Judaism Without Religion is enhanced with an extensive bibliography and an exhaustive index.

Passion, Vitality, And Foment
Lamontte M. Luker
Trinity Press
4775 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112
1563383535 $32.00 www.amazon.com

Deftly edited by Lamontte M. Luker (Professor of Hebrew Scriptures, Lutheran Theological Southern Seminary, Columbia, South Carolina), Passion, Vitality, And Foment: The Dynamics Of Second Temple Judaism is a fascinating and informative selection of original essays by learned contributors about religious advances that occurred during the period of Judaic history commonly referred to as the post-exilic (586 B.C. to 210 C.E..) "Second Temple". From the advent of the Sabbath and synagogues to the origin of traditions and developments in spirituality, Passion, Vitality and Foment plumbs the extensive theological evolution of the Jewish faith since ancient times. Passion, Vitality, And Foment is a seminal and highly recommended contribution to Judaic Studies and Old Testament Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Jeremiah's Promise
Rabbi Kenneth Roseman
UAHC Press
633 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017-6778
0807407879 $8.95 www.uahcpress.com

Written by Kenneth Roseman, a rabbi with a Ph.D. in American Jewish History, Jeremiah's Promise: An Adventure In Modern Israel is a remarkable book for young adult Jewish readers. It presents Jewish history in a format that allows young people to direct their own adventure. Putting the reader in the role of a Polish Jew who has survived the horrors of the Nazi reign, Jeremiah's Promise presents the reader with a choice for the future; the decision the reader makes prompts him or her to turn to a given page and read the outcome of the decision, and then make another choice, repeating the process until reaching one of the multiple endings. Different readers will enjoy very different adventures, all centering upon the theme of the journey to Israel, coming to a better understanding of the Jewish faith, and adjusting to the new surroundings of life in Palestine. An engaging, entertaining, and informative book recommended for readers of all ages.

For Solo Violin
Aldo Zargani
Paul Dry Books
117 South 17th Street, Suite 1102, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
0967967538 $15.95 pauldrybooks.com

For Solo Violin: A Jewish Childhood In Fascist Italy is the memoir of Aldo Zargani, a man who survived being a Jewish child in northern Italy during the brutal era of 1938-1945, when the Fascists and Nazis held sway and a deliberate, well orchestrated campaign of genocide was underway. Told from a vantage point of fifty years later, For Solo Violin recalls the wonder of childhood mixed with shocking events of war and murder in this deeply moving, personal account. For Solo Violin is a clear autobiographical testament, recommended for Judaic Studies supplemental reading lists, and a welcome addition to the growing library of Holocaust literature.



The Library Video/DVD Shelf

Bullfrog Films, Inc.
Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1-800-543-3764 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Bullfrog Films is the premier producer of documentary videos for school and community library collections. Four of their latest efforts continue to document the variety and scope of the Bullfrog Films video catalog. Marcelo Alvarez: In Search Of Gardel ($250.00, 55 minutes, Niv Fichman) focuses on how the Argentinean tenor Marcelo Alvarez sought inspiration for his own musical performances from the work of Carlos Gardel, a deceased tango singer. Helen Nearing: Conscious Living/Conscious Dying ($250.00, 55 minutes, Polly Bennell and Andrea Sarris) provides an informed and informed biographical examination of the lives and deaths of homesteading authors Helen Nearing and Scott Nearing. Here's My Question: Where Does My Garbage Go? ($195.00, $26 minutes, Ellen Hovde and Muffie Meyer) is a superb presented documentary teaching young viewers about the processes of waste management and recycling. Save Our Land, Save Our Towns ($25.00, $57 minutes, Dirk Eitzen) is a compelling examination of the causes and effects of suburban sprawl, along with thoughtful recommendations and effective solutions for curbing the environmental and social consequences of this high profile issue. The technical qualities of these strongly recommended videos is consistently excellent and they are especially appropriate for class curriculum supplementation.

The Rifleman Box Set #1
MPI Home Video
16101 South 108th Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60462
DVD7603 $49.98 mpihomevideo.com

The Rifleman was the popular television western series starring Chuck Connors as Lucas McCain, a widower who raised his son (Johnny Crawford) on a ranch in New Mexico in the late 1880s. Every episode portrayed an old fashioned sense of morality, courage, and justice as Lucas McCain was called upon to defend the local town, his ranch, his son, and a number of ordinary men and women who were threatened by the villains and outlaws of the Old West. Lucas signature weapon was a specially modified rifle that could should bullets faster, with more accuracy and at a greater distance than any of the bad guys. Now in a four-volume boxed set containing more than nine hours of these memorable black & white western adventure series from television's early days, The Rifleman Box Set #1 is an enthusiastically recommended addition to community library Video and DVD collections, as well as a popular choice for nostalgia buffs with found memories for one of the more wholesome and "family values" oriented shows of television's "Golden Age".

St. Clare Of Assisi
Vision Video
PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490-0540
#4550 $19.99 1-800-523-0226

St. Clare Of Assisi And The Poor Clares is a superbly produced and narrated, full color, 70 minute video documentary in two parts. The principal part of the video focuses on the extraordinary and influential life and work of the female Christian mystic and follower of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Clare of Assisi provided a unique and ground breaking contribution to the work undertaken by St. Francis and the fledgling Franciscan movement. This is followed by "Poor Clares: A Hidden Presence" and reveals that more than twenty thousand woman today follow the example and continue the work of St. Clare in monasteries and convents around the world. Very highly recommended viewing, St. Clare Of Assisi is enhanced with medieval harmonies and exquisite photography of the sacred places in and around Assisi that characterize the life of this fascinating, influential, self-effacing woman who chose to live a life of prayer and dedication in accordance with the most self-less and self-sacrificing precepts of Christianity.

WWII In Color: The British Story
Goldhil Home Media International
411 Video Information (publicity)
137 East Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 207, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
1585659347 $24.95 1-800-250-8760

WWII In Color: The British Story is a unique documentary showcasing the British experience in World War II through the means of color photography and film. The latest addition to the outstanding Goldhil Home Media (Digital Collector's Edition) this DVD presents truly amazing color war footage, as well as letters and diaries, and enhanced for the viewer with Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, timelines, British WWII wall posters, and "Bonus Footage". WWII In Color: The British Story is a superbly presented and very welcome addition to any community library or military buff's World War II reference collection.



The Musicbook Shelf

Avant Rock
Bill Martin
Open Court Publishing Company
332 S. Michigan Ave. #1100, Chicago, IL 60604-4434
0-8126-9500-3 $19.9 opencourtbooks.com

At first glance the term "avant-garde rock" may be a contradiction in terms, but upon further reflection it provides an umbrella term for trends which emerged through the cultural and political upheavals of the 1960s. From Yoko Ono to King Crimson and beyond, Professor Martin's Avant Rock cogently analyzes both artists and groups, offering new insights into the emerging styles of this musical genre.

Danny Boy
Malachy McCourt
Running Press
125 S. 22nd St., Philadelphia, PA 19103
0-7624-1124-4 $18.95 1-800-345-5359

The legend of the beloved Irish ballad is revealed in Malachy McCourt's Danny Boy, a seminal title probing its roots and underlying meaning. McCourt extensively traveled throughout Ireland interviewing musicologists, historians, celebrities and Irish icons in the course of his investigation. In Danny Boy, Irish folklore and history spice an exciting contribution to music history and appreciation.

Jazz Cultures
David Ake
University of California Press
2120 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
0520228898 $18.95 www.amazon.com

In Jazz Cultures, David Ake (Assistant Professor of Music, University of Nevada, Reno) presents an informative and engaging history of the only authentically American contribution to world music -- Jazz. Professor Ake draws upon his expertise as a professional pianist and composer to present an impressively "reader friendly" historical survey of how jazz musicians and their audiences evolved an understanding and appreciation for this unique music which reflected the roots of the Black American subculture, went on to cross over into the dominant white popular culture, and go on to eventually achieve a world wide acclaim. Of special interest are Ake's commentaries on the concept of a "jazz standard" in the decade of the 1990s and how jazz history has never been a linear evolvement of musical styles, but a potpourri of disparate (and sometimes conflicting) creations, compositions, attitudes, performers and performances. Also available in hardcover (0520228871, $50.00), Jazz Cultures is strongly recommended reading for both students of American Music History and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the development of this complex and original American musical tradition with its sometimes subtle, sometimes profound influences on 20th Century American popular culture.

Louisiana Music
Rick Koster
Da Capo Press
11 Cambridge Ctr, Cambridge, MA 02142
0-306-81003-4 $16.50 1-800-242-7737

Rick Koster's Louisiana Music is the first and only guide to the variety of musicians in this southern American state: others have focused on specific styles (Creole, Cajun, Zydeco) but Louisiana Music considers the past and present of jazz, rock, gospel and other styles of both urban and lesser-known areas, including the Mardi Gras Indian tribes. Louisiana Music is a must' for avid fans of Louisiana music.



The Railroading Shelf

Riding The Rails
William C. Herow
Roundabout Publications
P.O. Box 19235, Lenexa, KS 66285
1885464266 $12.95 1-800-455-2207

Now in an updated second edition, Riding The Rails: Tourist Guide To America's Scenic Train Rides is a straightforward, "user friendly" guidebook to 151 scenic train rides in 44 states. Each train rides is featured in a concise one-page description format that informs the reader where the ride is, its street address, telephone number and associated web URL, the price, schedule, and special holiday events. Riding The Rails is quick and easy reference for anyone in America who enjoys a good train ride for fun, and a highly recommended addition to any dedicated train buff's American railroading reference collection.

Steel Weels Rolling
J. Parker Lamb
The Boston Mills Press
132 Main St., Erin, ON, Canada N0B 1T0
1550463314 $45.00 www.amazon.com

The second volume in the Boston Mills Press "Masters of Railroad Photography", Steel Wheels Rolling: A Personal Journey Of Railroad Photography by railroading expert and photographer J. Parker Lamp is a simply fascinating collection of black-and-white photographs of railroad successes over the course of five decades. From pictures of the last of the American Midwest steam engines through the arrival of the diesel engine and much more, Steel Wheels Rolling captures mass transit history in America in unforgettable impressions. Very brief text captions round out this gorgeous showcase of exceptional railroad photography. Also very highly recommended is the first titles in the "Masters of Railroad Photography" series, Ted Benson's One Track Mind: Photographic Essays On Western Railroading (1550462733, $45.00).

Rails Under The Mighty Hudson
Brian J. Cudahy
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Ave., Bronx, NY 10458
0823221903 $20.00 www.amazon.com

Rails Under The Mighty Hudson: The Story Of The Hudson Tubes, The Pennsy Tunnels, And Manhattan Transfer by author and transportation expert Brian J. Cudahy is the true history of the construction of railway tunnels linking New Jersey and New York. Black-and-white photographs enrich this meticulous, thorough accounting of a turn-of-the-century engineering marvel that helped transform America into the modern engine of transportation and mass production that it is today. Rails Under The Mighty Hudson is a meticulously researched and deftly written addition to any personal, academic, and community library railroad history reference collections.

Guide To Tourist Railroads And Museums 2002
Kalmbach Publishing Company
PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
0890244278 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Now in its 37th Annual Edition, the Kalmbach Guide To Tourist Railroads And Museums 2002 (drawn from "Trains" and "Classic Trains" magazines) continues to be the definite "bible" for railroad enthusiasts, modelers, collectors and operators for planning their railroading themed vacations. Guide To Tourist Railroads And Museums 2002 also offers a wealth of information on steam engines and diesels, railroad lines, and trolley cars available for riding. Also included are a number of displays (including model railroads) accessible to the general public. Site descriptions include operating schedules, locations, phone numbers, photos, accommodations, special events and directions. The Guide To Tourist Railroads And Museums 2002 is enhanced with coupons for savings on entrance fees and tickets! If you are a railroad buff looking for that perfect vacation, begin your planning with the Guide To Tourist Railroads And Museums 2002!



The Library CD Music Shelf

Voice
Neal Schon
The Higher Octave Music Group
PO Box 5106, Oxnard, CA 93031
HOMCD 10418 $17.98 amazon.com

In Voice, guitarist Neal Schon offers a series of superb performances showcasing ten numbers with his impressive, unforgettable artistry. The pieces comprises this outstanding collection include Caruso (5:40); Hero (4:19); I Do It For You (5:52); Killing Me Softly (5:03); From This Moment On (5:07); Why (4:53); I Can't Make You Love Me (4:44); Con Te Partiro (4:11); My Heart Will Go On (4:11); and A Song For You (4:12).

Fado em Mim
Mariza
Rock Paper Scissors
5340 Old State Road, 37 South, Bloomington, IN 47401
TSQD 9026 $16.98 www.amazon.com

I don't speak a word of Portuguese. But with Mariza's Fado Em Mim I don't have to. Her voice and music speak in a universal language that reaches into the heart, mind and soul of the listener with a perfectly understood clarity. Fad em Mim comprises six class Fados and six original compositions, each and every one of which evokes and conjures an emotional response that is ranges across a full complement feeling. Fado Em Mim is the perfect vehicle for introducing a most remarkable, memorable talent to an appreciative American audience.

Voice Of The Turtle
Titanic Records
Tara Publications
Box 707, Owings Mills, MD 21117
SF-VOT-20D $15.98 jewishmusic.com

Voice Of The Turtle: Balkan Vistas - Spanish Dreams showcases the Judaic music of Bulgaria and Yugoslavia. It is a unique music that sometimes reflects signs of an ancient Turkish influence. A welcome addition to the growing library of authentic, regional, Sephardic/Spanish music, Voice Of The Turtle is comprised of flawlessly recorded versions of La yave de Espanya (3:27); Estaz caza (1;57); Durme, durme (4:11); La dolor de la prensesa (4:38); Pregoneroz (3:12); Andarletto (4:32); Aman dermankik (3:09) el Koron de Loz mochachoz (2:30); Chici bunichi (1;37); Dame Paraz (1:24); Ija mia (3:45); Ken es akeyo de la meniana (3:30); Abashando de la Skalera (3:07); La Sirena (4:33); Nochez, nochez (2:35); A la una (6:30); Kwando Moshe (3:00; Yo le mandi (2:00; Si veriash a la rana (1:55); and Halilem (2:16). Total Time 65:02. Also very highly recommended for Sephardic CD music libraries are Bridges Of Song: Music Of The Spanish Jews Of Morocco (SF-VOT-25D, $15.98); Mazal Bueno: A Portrait In Song Of The Spanish Jews (SF-WEW-10-D, $15.98); as well as The Art Of Judeo-spanish Song (SF-ALH-05-D $15.98).

Mesa Sunrise
John Huling
Red Feather Music
c/o Paras Recordings
826 South Victory Blvd., Burbank, CA 91502
RFP-1012 $16.98 www.amazon.com

Mesa Sunrise: The Essential John Huling musically showcases the natural beauty of the mesas and canyons located in today's southwestern national parks and celebrates the spirit of the ancient Anasazi civilization that once dwelt in them. Through the utilization of Native American flutes and drums blended with digitally recorded sounds of nature make Mesa Sunrise a welcome and valued addition to any Native American music collection. The individual pieces comprising this outstanding collection include Sunrise at East Mesa (4:54); Wupatki (4:38); Breath of the Mountain (5:57); Earth (5:14); Nightfall on Hoskinni (5:53); Night of the Mockingbird (2:43); Forgotten Plateaus (3:21); Nightfall on the Mesa (4:40); Sacred Rituals (3:48); and Lost Canyons (6:05). Also very highly recommended for personal, academic, and community library Native American CD music collections is Gary Stroutsos' Echoes Of Canyon De Chelly (RFP-7008, $16.98).



The Political Science Shelf

Electronic Democracy
Graeme Browning
Information Today
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford NJ 08055
0910965498 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, Electronic Democracy: Using The Internet To Transform American Politics by Graeme Browning (Editorial Director, Internet Policy Institute and Associate Editor for "Federal Computer Week", a key publication for technology news in the federal government) is a fascinating, authoritative, and informative guide to politics on the Internet. The issues and topics covered range from using the World Wide Web for grassroots organization to making one's email to Congress count, to the history and future of online voting and polling, to online campaign resources and projections for the future. Electronic Democracy is a compelling and very highly recommended read for motivated political citizens who want to better understand the profound impacts that the technology of today and tomorrow has upon our nation's government of, by, and for the people!



The Native American Shelf

Great Cruelties Have Been Reported
Richard Flint
Southern Methodist University
Texas A&M University Press, dist.
PO Bos 750414, Dallas, TX 75275-0415
0870744607 $45.00 www.amazon.com

Great Cruelties Have Been Reported: The 1544 Investigation Of The Coronado Expedition by historian Richard Flint is a superbly presented, scholarly, detailed historical analysis of not just the Spanish Coronado Expedition into the New World, but also the official investigation by Spanish officials after the Coronado Expedition's two-year duration. Focusing on the primary sources of the extensive documents recording this official investigation, Great Cruelties Have Been Reported unflinchingly surveys and reports the clash between worlds and cultures, the Spanish conquistadors and the Native American peoples. Great Cruelties Have Been Reported is a solid, exhaustively researched, well reasoned, and smoothly written account which is strongly recommended for both academic and community library history collections.

Newe Hupia
Beverly Crum, et al.
Utah State University Press
7800 Old Main Hill, Logan, UT 84322
0874214130 $24.95 www.amazon.com

A collaborative effort by Beverly Crum, Earl Crum, and Jon P. Dayly, Newe Hupia: Shoshoni Poetry Songs is a unique and seminal collection of poetry and songs both in the Native American Shoshoni language and in English translation. An introduction and commentary about the poems, as well as a vast glossary of Shoshoni terms and their English meanings offers meaningful context for these timeless and eternal verses of the heart and soul. Newe Hupia also comes with an audio CD containing superbly recorded performances of the songs by Earl and Beverly Crum, resulting in a unique literary and audio experience that is very highly recommended, ground breaking contribution to Native American Studies music and cultural reference collections.

Faces In The Forest
Michael D. Blackstock
McGill-Queen's University Press
3430 McTavish Street, Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 1X9
0773522565 $44.95 www.amazon.com

Faces In The Forest: First Nations Art Created On Living Trees by Michael D. Blackstock (Aboriginal Affairs manager, Ministry of Forests, British Columbia, Canada) is an impressive and scholarly presentation of a unique form of Native American art carved into living trees. The text carefully details the history and significance of this special art form, and black-and-white photographs present examples carefully delineated with extensive research. A fascinating and informative read, Faces In The Forest is a very highly recommended contribution to Native American Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Navajo Spoons
Cindra Kline
Museum of New Mexico Press
P.O. Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504
0890133913 $27.50 www.amazon.com

Navajo Spoons: Indian Artistry And The Souvenir Trade, 1880s-1940s by Native American artifact and antiquities dealer Cindra Kline is an informative and attractive combination history and art that tells and showcases the story of some truly fine silverware created in an era when the railroad helped open up and streamline travel and trade with the American West. The cross-cultural elegance of Navajo silverware is amazingly displayed in the beautiful, full-color photographs of Navajo Spoons, while the "reader friendly" text offers deep insight into these artifacts and the people who created them. A superb artbook especially for those who enjoy fine silverwork, Navajo Spoons is a recommended addition to Native American Studies supplemental reading lists and reference collections, as well as an invaluable single volume introduction for collectors and dealers of Navajo silverwork.



The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Perfect Match
Anistatia Miller & Jared Brown
Schocken Books/Ramdom House
280 Park Avenue, 8th fl., NY, NY 10017
0805211292 $15.95 1-800-726-0600

Perfect Match: Discovering Your Soulmate by ISAR-certified professional astrologer Anistatia Miller, and her co-author husband Jared Brown is a comprehensive, "user friendly" manual to utilizing astrological wisdom drawn from Chinese, Hindu, Judaic, Celtic, and Western matchmakers when seeking divine guidance from the stars in personal relationships. Written in straightforward, ordinary language accessible to non-specialist general readers and astrology users of all experience levels, Perfect Match is an amazing astrological reference filled with a seemingly endless fount of metaphysical knowledge and lore.

Kaleidoscope
Elisabeth Keely Wilson
Brookside Press
111 Brookside Place, Danville, CA 94526
0970103808 $18.95 www.amazon.com

Kaleidoscope: Artistic Techniques For The Creative Soul by Elisabeth Keely Wilson is an inspirational book that blends beautiful, full-color artwork and innovative, brief, almost poetic commentaries about metaphysical and spiritual thoughts to guide the reader on an uplifting and transforming journey of personal insights and intimate revelations. Nurturing the creative spark that resides within, the bold, abstract yet vivid paintings have an especially profound impact in this superb presented volume of imagery, simple mental exercises, meditations to help transcend creative block in any literary or artistic medium. Kaleidoscope is highly recommended for students of metaphysics, spirituality, and the use of art for generating self-introspection.

Spirit Allies
Christopher Penczak
Red Wheel/Weiser Books
368 Congress St., Boston, MA 02210
1578632145 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Spirit Allies: Meet Your Team From The Other Side by practicing witch, Reiki Master and Essence Consultant Christopher Penczak is a thoroughly reader friendly and informative instructional guide to the metaphysical art of communicating with spiritual entities beyond the veil of ordinary life. Focusing on using connections to the spirit world to empower oneself and improve one's life, Spirit Allies is an engrossing and amazing volume, written in a straightforward, easy-to-understand style accessible to all readers regardless of their experience with metaphysics. A motivational and seminal work, Spirit Allies is highly recommended reading for students of metaphysics, parapsychology, and occult studies.



The Travel Shelf

The Official Guide To American Historic Inns
Deborah Edwards Sakach
American Historic Inns, Inc.
Box 669, Dana Point, CA 92629-0669
1888050098 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated eighth edition, travel expert Deborah Sakach's The Official Guide To American Historic Inns: Bed & Breakfasts And Country Inns continues to be is a grand and enthusiastically recommended reference for tourists and travelers throughout America seeking to experience the unique and memory-making Bed & Breakfast and historic Country Inns. Covering 2,400 lodging coast to coast, and in every state of the union, The Official Guide To American Historic Inns lists each inn and B&B with its address, phone number, fax if available, email if available, brief historic description, price, credit cards accepted, luxuries available (such as cable or a swimming pool), and more. If you are planning a trip around your state or anywhere in the country, begin your planning by browsing through this superb catalogue which is certain to feature an historic inn to please you and make your stay truly memorable.

Oregon's Best Wildflower Hikes
George Wuerthner
Westcliffe Publishers
Box 1261, Englewood, CO 80150-1261
1565793919 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Filled cover to cover with 115 beautiful color photography of flowers, trails, and natural splendor, Oregon's Best Wildflower Hikes: Northwest Region is an amazing and informative guide showcasing 51 day hikes for prime wildflower viewing of such stunning visual beauty that it is a wonder for both avid hikers and armchair travelers alike. Specific hiking paths through Columbia Gorge, Cascade Ranger, Willamette Valley and more are presented with 52 "user friendly" maps and 52 plant life profiles in this superbly presented guidebook which is especially recommended for flower and nature lovers who yearn to enjoy all that Oregon's Northwest Region has to offer. If you are planning a field trip or outdoor vacation in the northwest region of Oregon, begin with browsing the pages of George Wuerthner's Oregon's Best Wildflower Hikes!

A Guide To The Allegheny National Forest
Tom Dwyer
Trailside Publishing
c/o Penn State University Press
820 North University Drive, University Park, PA 16802-1003
0966604504 $12.95 www.amazon.com

Written by Tom Dwyer, A Guide To The Allegheny National Forest is a marvelous pocket reference packed with history, detailed commentaries, maps, area-specific information and much more concerning this grand, 513,000 acre historic forest that makes Pennsylvania truly sylvan. Of especial note are the many hiking trail descriptions in this concise, easy-to-read, straightforward and friendly guide. If you are planning a vacation, hike, or just a plain day off to enjoy the beauty of the Allegheny National Forest, you should consult A Guide To The Allegheny National Forest without delay!

Wild Rivers
Neville Peat & Brian Patrick
University of Otago Press/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo St., Portland OR 97213
1877276154 $49.95 www.amazon.com

Wild Rivers: Discovering The Natural History Of The Central South Island by Dimedin-based New Zealand guidebook writer and nature photographer Neville Peat and Brian Patrick (entomologist, botanist, and Otago Museum general manager) is a gorgeous, 142 page volume filled from cover to cover with full-color nature photography showcasing the Central South Island of New Zealand. The informative and reader friendly text reveals a wondrous journey through the history of rock, unique ecosystems, and illustrates wide variety of natural settings from coast to icy mountaintops. Wild Rivers is a beautiful and fascinating book, and as close as any reader can get to the natural wonder of New Zealand short of actually going there!

Internet Travel Planner
Michael Shapiro
The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
0762705795 $18.95 1-800-243-0495

Learn how to save time and money through a guide which shows how to use the Internet to locate the best travel bargains and save money. Internet Travel Planner goes beyond pinpointing the latest sites: it tells how to join online discussion forums, how to gain access to newspapers and reviews, and how to use online resources to create your very own custom made traveler's guidebook.

It's In The Bag
Barbara DesChamps
Chateau Publishing
PO Box 2401, Nevada City, CA 95959
0971052506 $11.95 chateaupublishing.com

It's In The Bag: The Complete Guide To Lightweight Travel by experienced and seasoned overseas traveler Barbara DesChamps is a simple, straightforward, practical, and extremely useful book to fine art of traveling light without foregoing essentials. From simple shower and laundry kits to paperwork on the move and choosing the right luggage for you, It's In The Bag is a first-rate, highly recommended primer for all travelers. If you are planning an extended trip abroad, beginning by reading Barbara DesChamps' It's In The Bag!

Chilkoot
Allan Ingelson, et.al.
University of Calgary Press
2500 University Drive NW, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2N 1N4
1889963542 $24.95 1-800-565-3770

Chilkoot is a trail guide that will appeal to outdoor adventurers with a love of Alaska and Canada. It covers the famed Chilkoot Trail which straddles the American-Canadian border. From a history of the trail to details on its management and ecotourism, Chilkoot provides an excellent account of special interest to Alaskan and Canadian outdoors travelers.

The Treasures And Pleasures Of Vietnam And Cambodia
Ron Krannich & Caryl Krannich
Impact Publications
9104 Manassas Drive, Suite N., Manassas Park, VA 20111-5211
1570231567 $16.95 www.amazon.com

The Treasures And Pleasures Of Vietnam And Cambodia: Best Of The Best In Travel And Shopping is an amazing, "user friendly" touring, travel, and shopping guide. Individual chapters focus upon the marvels of Vietnamese and Cambodian cities, as well as adventure-of-a-lifetime guidelines for smart traveling and shopping. Filled with sensible advice, maps, addresses, tips, great places to go and an easy index, The Treasures and Pleasures of Vietnam and Cambodia covers everything short of being a primer in the native language. Highly recommended for anyone planning a trip to these exotic and beautiful lands, The Treasures And Pleasures Of Vietnam And Cambodia is a "must" for getting the most out of a business or vacation trip to these exotic lands.

Alternative Travel Directory
Transitions Abroad Magazine Editors
Transitions Abroad Publishing
Box 1300, Amherst, MA 01004-1300
1886732108 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Now in an updated and expanded seventh edition, Alternative Travel Directory: The Complete Guide To Traveling, Studying & Living Overseas is an amazing, time and effort saving guide to the available resources for worldwide travel. The Alternative Travel Directory is a highly recommended travel planning resource whether one seeks an international ticket for the family, to accommodate disabilities, to study, or to learn a language. Personal anecdotes round out a wealth of programs one can contact with the advantages, disadvantages, and travel costs associated with each program. An invaluable, authoritative and "user friendly" resource for international travelers who want to investigate their full range of options.

Along The Trail With Lewis And Clark
Barbara Fifer & Vicky Soderberg
Farcountry Press
P.O. Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
1560371889 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition that includes the portion of the quest east of the Mississippi River, Barbara Fifer and Vicky Soderberg's Along The Trail With Lewis And Clark is detailed travel and tourist guide to recreating the path first blazed by these justly famous 18th Century American explorers. Approved by the National Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Council, and packed with maps by Joseph Mussulman, hotel listings, and a detailed text recounting the historical journey of the famous explorers, Along The Trail With Lewis And Clark is a memorable "keepsake" book and the perfect planning guide for vacationers seeking to follow in the footsteps of this famous expedition of exploration!



The Gardening Shelf

Home Garden Hydroponics
Larry Duren
1stBooks Library
2511 W. 3rd St., Bloomington, IN 47404
0759642575 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Home Garden Hydroponics by hydroponic gardening hobbyist Larry Duren is a straightforward, reader friendly presentation of a gardening form that has been around since ancient history and one that holds great promise to feed the ever-burgeoning human population in the future. Individual chapters address the basics of how to create a hydroponic garden, including proper growing media, seeds, nutrient delivery, and much more. Home Garden Hydroponics is very highly recommended reading for gardeners of all experience levels from the first time novice to the experienced horticulturalist wanting to experiment in their own backyards with the fun and functionality of a hydroponic garden of their own.

Landscape With Roses
Jeff Cox
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
1561583820 $27.95 www.amazon.com

This isn't your usual all-encompassing guide to rose varieties: instead it tells how to incorporate the rose bush into a variety of landscaping goals; from walkways and arbors to container gardening. Tips on choosing and growing the newer, hardier, low-maintenance breeds blend with those on how to arrange roses in conjunction with shrubs and other perennials for maximum effect.

Natural Gardening For Birds
Julie Zickefoose & Bird Watcher's Digest
Rodale Press
400 S. 10th St., Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
087596883X $16.95 www.amazon.com

Gardeners who want their gardens to appear as a welcome mat for birds will find Natural Gardening For Birds provides basic tips on how to lay out a garden rich with food, water, and shelter for birds. Especially intriguing are the various charts showing the bird-friendly features of specific types of regional plants ranging from hedgerows to wildflowers, and making it easy for even novice gardeners to pair desired birds with desired gardens.

Botanica's Gardening Encyclopedia
Susan Page, Managing Editor
Laurel Glen Publishing
5880 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121
1571455809 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Filled from cover to cover with beautiful, full-color photographs, Botanica's Gardening Encyclopedia is an invaluable, indispensable, "user friendly", 1,008-page core reference work listing 2,000 plants and designed for the serious gardener or horticulturalist in search of just the right look for the garden or landscaping project. From flowers and shrubs to trees, lawns, cacti, ferns, and more, an immense variety of plants is listed, pictured, and described with a presentation of basic botanical facts and need-to-know information about growing each. A highly recommended reference for gardeners and plant lovers everywhere, Botanica's Gardening Encyclopedia should be found on the gardening reference shelf of every personal and community library collection.

A Garden Of Love & Healing
Marsha Olson
Fairview Press
2450 Riverside Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55454
1577491114 $18.95 www.amazon.com

A Garden Of Love & Healing: Living Tributs To Those We Have Loved And Lost by grief counselor and experienced landscape/garden designer is not a traditional gardening guide, but rather a book for experienced gardeners who wish to create and dedicate their growing in the memory of a loved one. From choosing plants with the right traditional meaning to embracing the healing spirit of nature, A Garden Of Love & Healing is a gentle, thoughtful, unique, highly recommended guide to celebrating beloved memories through the art of nurturing and growing plant life.

Making Gardens Works Of Art
Keeyla Meadows
Sasquatch Books
615 Second Ave, #260, Seattle WA 98104
1570613079 $21.95 www.amazon.com

Making Gardens Works Of Art by award-winning landscaping and gardening expert Keeyla Meadows is a beautifully illustrated guide to creating living, growing, breathing artworks of greenery in one's own backyard or greenhouse. Packed with vibrant color photographs showcasing some truly splendid and stunning examples of gardening artistry, Making Gardens Works Of Art Is a superbly practical, informative, and delightful book for devoted horticulturalists seeking to turn their traditional gardens into thriving, blooming, living works of botanical art.

The Critter Control Handbook
Dan Hershey
Voyageur Press
P.O. Box 338, Stillwater, MN 55082
0896585883 $15.95 www.amazon.com

The Critter Control Handbook: Pro Secrets For Stopping Sneaky Squirrels & Other Crafty Critters In Their Tracks by Dan "The Critter Man" Hershey is the testimony of an expert with 20 years of experience as a licensed Nuisance Wildlife Control Officer. Individual chapters address how to identify a creature control problem, evaluating whether or not a contractor is necessary, and a wide variety of means to keep animals at bay from fencing and repellents to lethal traps and hunting. Of particular interest is the lengthy and informative section devoted to a long list of pest animals ranging from bees and wasps to squirrels and woodchucks. If you have a problem with nuisance creatures, The Critter Control Handbook is a "must" to learn about practical, effective (and sometimes surprising) solutions!

The City Gardener's Handbook
Linda Yang
Storey Books
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
1580174493 $19.95 www.storey.com

The City Gardener's Handbook: The Definitive Guide To Small-Space Gardening by gardening columnist and expert Linda Yang is a true garden-lover's guide to raising one's choice of plants in an urban or other limited-size environment. Intended for gardeners of all experience and skill levels from neophyte to expert, The City Gardener's Handbook addresses how to find or buy the best plants for a city environment, managing one's garden through the four seasons, dealing with plant parasites and pests, and much more. Gorgeous insert sections with color plates of flourishing city gardens highlight the straightforward text and useful black-and-white diagrams. The City Gardener's Handbook will prove an invaluable addition to any personal, professional, or community library gardening reference collection.



The Artbook Shelf

Cezanne: The Self-Portraits
Steven Platzman
University of California Press
2120 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94720
0520232917 $50.00 www.amazon.com

Especially acclaimed for his memorable images, still lifes, and landscapes, Paul Cezanne was one of the most influential of the European artists in the early modernism movement. In Cezanne: The Self-Portraits, independent art historian Steven Platzman carefully and meticulously analyzes the stylistic development of Cezanne's self-portraits as a means of understanding how the artist saw himself, how he perceived others, and how he positions himself both in art communities and avant-garde society of mid-nineteenth century France. Platzman provides a new and compelling explanation for Cezanne's experiments with impressionism and the creation of his own far more personal and idiosyncratic style. With Platzman's informative, challenging, accessible text superbly being superbly presented and enhanced with 111 black-and-white, and 82 full color illustrations, Cezanne: The Self-Portraits is a welcome and invaluable contribution to personal, professional, and academic Art History collections in general, and Cezanne enthusiasts in particular.

Stencil Graffiti
Tristan Manco
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110
0500283427 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Presented by graphic artist and director of Tijuana Design Tristan Manco (Bristol, United Kingdom), Stencil Graffiti is a vibrant artbook showcasing unique, original, sometimes provocative, always eye-catching expressions of spray-paint and stencil graffiti. Some introductory essays help familiarize the non-specialist general reader with various settings and graffiti artists, but the majority of this superbly presented book is given over to extensive photographs of the artwork itself. A few mature themes present themselves in this book filled cover to cover with unforgettable imagery. Stencil Graffiti is an enthusiastically recommended addition to art school and community library contemporary art history collections.

The Holy Cow And Other Animals
Pratapaditya Pal & Betty Seid
The Art Institute Of Chicago
111 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL 60603
0865591962 $19.95 1-312-443-3533

The Holy Cow And Other Animals: Selection Of Indian Paintings From The Art Institute Of Chicago showcases forty-eight beautiful, impressive, full color illustrations in a unique celebration of animal imagery drawn from illuminated manuscript, royal albums, and pilgrimage souvenirs originating on the Indian subcontinent between 1400 and 1900. The images selected enhance an informed and informative essay by Pratapaditya Pal, a renowned scholar and visiting curator of Indian Himalayan, and Southeast Asian art at the Art Institute of Chicago, with additional contributions by Betty Seid, Exhibition Coordinator and Researcher in the Department of Asian Art at the Chicago based institute. The Holy Cow And Other Animals is highly recommended for students of Indian art history and a valued addition to academic reference collections.

Earth Transformed
Wu Tung
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115
0-87846-477-8 $40.00 1-800-338-2665

Almost eighty objects covering 5,000 years of art history are featured in this roundup of Chinese ceramics in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. Not only are the objects discussed in depth and presented in full color, but a timeline, sidebars of facts, kiln maps and other detailed information makes for a treasure-trove of insight and knowledge.

GaiaStar Mandalas
Bonnie Bell & David Todd
Pomegranate Communications
Box 6099, Rohnert Park, CA 94927
0764917390 $24.95 www.amazon.com

GaiaStar Mandalas: Ecstatic Visions Of The Living Earth by print artists Bonnie Bell and David Todd is a simply beautiful, full-color artbook showcasing gorgeous natural Mandalas celebrating the beauty and harmony of our mother planet. Although there is a brief text introduction, the majority of GaiaStar Mandalas is given over entirely to breathtaking color photographs of superbly presented art. The rich, vibrant color and texture patterns inspired by a multitude of cultural traditions are most impressive in this wondrous and unique gallery.

Rudy Autio
Louana M. Lackey
The American Ceramic Society
Box 6136, Westerville, OH 43086-6136
1574981447 $65.00 www.ceramics.org

Rudy Autio by ceramics historian Louana M. Lackey (Research Scholar in Ceramics, Maryland Institute College of Art) is an impressive showcasing of accomplished postmodern artist Rudy Autio and his work. Half of the book is devoted to an informative biography of Rudy Autio and a discussion of his work as an important and influential ceramic artist. The second half is a remarkable selection of full color plates featuring Autio's stoneware, most of which feature abstract human forms with alternating vivid and dark color highlights, juxtaposed in unique positions. A superb case study of three-dimensional works of modern art and the man who created them, Rudy Autio is a welcome and recommended addition to professional and academic art history collections in general, and ceramic art references in particular.



The Fiction Shelf

Open Range
Zane Grey
Five Star Books
295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901
0786232609 $25.95 www.amazon.com

Zane Grey's Open Range is a colorful, action/adventure western novel of a youth on his journey to manhood. Set in the rugged open range of the old American Southwest, our strong-hearted hero finds himself pitted against an unscrupulous family, and only a valley filled with prized wild horses can tip the balance against them and for him. Open Range is enthusiastically recommended reading for the legions of Zane Grey fans.

A Flash of Emerald
J. M. Taylor
Blue Eagle Press
23745 Oakside Blvd, Lutz FL 33549-6904
1879043084 $14.99 www.amazon.com

J. M. Taylor's A Flash Of Emerald is a gripping action/adventure novel of Harry Stoner, a military man who has come home to a personal battle in the dark underside of Tampa's Ybor City and the Florida Keys. International arms dealers and murderous terrorists jockey for possession of a stolen nuclear weapon in this suspense-filled story that simply cannot be put down from first page to last. Attention Hollywood, Flash Of Emerald is the stuff of which great action/adventure movies are made!

Quietus
Vivian Schilling
Hannover House
163 Amsterdam Ave., NY, NY 10023
0963784617 $24.95 www.amazon.com

Award winning author Vivian Schilling's novel Quietus is a bold and terrifying tale of suspense as survivors of a deadly crash awaken in a hospital with untrustworthy memories and uncertain futures. As if they had somehow cheated Death, and Death stalked them, waiting to reclaim its mortal due. A tense, involving, complex, deftly written and highly recommended saga about unraveling the defenses of the human mind one by one, Quietus is aptly titled after the moment of release from life, and haunting to the very end.

Janus Deception
John F. Bayer
Broadman & Holman Publishers
127 Ninth Avenue, North, Nashville, TN 37234
0-80542-439-3 $12.99 1-800-251-3225

Readers seeking a fast-paced thriller with a different flavor will relish Janus Deception, a story of international intrigue and a chemical weapons program gone awry. When Commander Jake discovers mysteries surrounding a sick soldier's murder, he teams up with beautiful agent Kaci to probe the depths of a program which has caused the death of an entire Mexican village, and which threatens the world. Fast action and unpredictable twists make this hard to put down.



The Needlecraft Shelf

Clever Knits
Kristine Clever
Martingale & Company
20205 - 144th Avenue, NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
1-56477-414-7 $27.95 1-800-426-3126

In Clever Knits, Kristine Clever's focus is on knitting for kids, and these projects provide original looks for kids, from a party dress and tunics to sweatshirts. Patterns are designed to be easy and provide styles kids will find acceptable.

American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290

Two excellent and different guides provide crafts workers with practical projects. Gwen Marston's Fabric Picture Books (1-57432-785-2, $15.95) tells how to make an applique gift book, pieced bird book, or family photo book. Color photos pack pages filled with enticing projects. Connie Kauffman's Piecefully Amish (786-0, $16.95) uses Amish designs for small quilt projects, including full-size templates and quilting patterns. These are easy to use, and fun.

The Elements Of Design
Loan Oei and Cecile De Kegel
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Ave., New York, NY 10110
0500283397 $24.95 www.amazon.com

The Elements Of Design: Rediscovering Colors, Textures, Forms And Shapes is a joint-project by Amsterdam exhibitions curator Loan Oei and Antwerp based Decile De Kegel, a graduate in textile design and weaving expert. The heart of Elements Of Design lies not in words, for it contains precious few of those, but rather in the stunning, full-color, full-page photographs that fill it cover to cover. Each photograph presents a different, majestic juxtaposition of colors, shapes, patterns, and fascinating medleys in this inspirational book created specifically to motivate artists and designers everywhere. An amazing treat for the eyes and especially recommended for personal and professional fabric-based art and needlecraft reference collections, Elements Of Design is a beautiful and varied book sure to open one's eyes to brand new possibilities for artistic creation.



The Civil War Studies Shelf

The Struggle For The Heartland
Stephen D. Engle
University of Nebraska Press
233 N. 8th St.,, Lincoln, NE, 68588-0255
0803218184 $34.95 www.amazon.com

Struggle For The Heartland: The Campaigns From Fort Henry To Corinth by Stephen D. Engle (Professor of History, Florida Atlantic University) relates the Civil War campaign that began in early 1862 with Union penetration under General Ulysses S. Grant into the Confederate held west that culminated with the Northern capture of the Southern defended town of Corinth, Mississippi. Historian Stephen Engle also examines how prewar economic relations formed in this region, how relationships between locality and loyalty were developed and expressed, the commanders on both sides of the conflict, as well as other civil and military authorities. Engle also describes the campaigns' significance within the larger theater of war and the post-war era of Reconstruction. The Struggle For The Heartland is an informed and informative contribution to Civil War Studies and an enthusiastically recommended contribution to academic reference collections, as well as Civil War buff reading lists.

To Appomattox
Burke Davis
Burford Books
P.O. Box 388, Short Hills, NJ 07078
1580800971 $18.95 www.amazon.com

To Appomattox by Civil War expert Burke Davis is an expertly researched, historically grounded, deftly written retelling of the last nine days of the Civil War. Narrating history in the fluid style of a novel, yet as accurate as records and all sources of information can allow, To Appomattox characterizes General Lee, his troops, and a nation weary of war in a vivid, dramatic, engaging, manner. To Appomattox is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Civil War Studies reference collections.

The Civil War Book Of Lists
Donald Cartmell
New Page Books
P.O. Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1564145042 $17.99 www.amazon.com

Compiled and written by civil war buff Donald Cartmell, The Civil War Book Of Lists is a singularly fascinating compendium of literally thousands of true facts about the deadliest war in American history in terms of fatalities and injuries. From a list of five famous female spies to the five most frequent court-martial offenses to 17 rules for Civil War Reenactors, The Civil War Book Of Lists is filled cover to cover with amazing details. The Civil War Books Of Lists is strongly recommended reading for Civil War Studies supplemental reading lists, academic reference collections, and American history buffs.

Secret Yankees
Thomas G. Dyer
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD 21218
0801868157 $16.50 jhupbooks.com

Secret Yankees: The Union Circle In Confederate America by Thomas G. Dyer (Professor of Higher Education and History, University of Georgia) is a superbly presented historical study of pro-Union sympathizers in Atlanta, Georgia. These are Civil War participants who have been largely overlooked and ignored in both traditional civil war studies texts and popular culture movies such as "Gone With the Wind." Dramatic and personal, with special emphasis on the life and struggles of Vermont native and Unionist Cyrena Stone, Secret Yankees is an incredible insight into a little-known aspect of America's deadliest war. Secret Yankees is a seminal and significant contribution to the growing library of Civil War literature and highly recommended for Civil War Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

In The Footsteps Of Stonewall Jackson
Clint Johnson
John F. Blair
1406 Plaza Dr, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
0895872447 $12.95 www.blairpub.com

In The Footsteps Of Stonewall Jackson by Civil War Re-enactor and history buff Clint Johnson is a unique character study of the famous Civil War general Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson, one of the most pivotal military strategists and leaders in history. Following the trail of Jackson's life from the church where he was baptized to the museum that holds the stuffed hide of his war horse to the grave of the Confederate officer who ordered the volley that fatally wounded Jackson, In The Footsteps Of Stonewall Jackson is a singularly impressive tour de force as enjoyable for armchair travelers as it is for tourists who want to actively seek out more about this fascinating man's life and the role he played in America's bloodiest conflict.

Lee At Chattanooga
Dennis P. McIntire
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
158182257X $16.95 www.amazon.com

Civil War expert Dennis McIntire's Lee At Chattanooga: A Novel Of What Might Have Been is a fascinating "what if" alternate history novel about Robert E. Lee and Braxton Bragg. Lee At Chattanooga is an intriguing and imaginative exploration of the perennial question: what if it had been Lee who was involved in the Chattanooga campaign? A heavily researched and fascinatingly explored scenario unfolds in the resulting intricate chronicle, Lee at Chattanooga. Dennis McIntire's makes his characters come alive and this unusual story unfold with such compelling realism that he has created a work of historical fiction which totally engages the reader from first page to last -- and makes Lee At Chattanooga a "must read" for all dedicated Civil War buffs.

The Language Of The Civil War
John D. Wright
Oryx Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
1573561355 $62.50 www.amazon.com

The Language Of The Civil War compiled by journalist John D. Wright is an impressive reference (accessibly organized in the style of a dictionary) of slang, nicknames, military jargon, idioms, colloquialisms, and other words that originated in or were commonly used during era the American Civil War. Meticulous in its comprehensive attention to detail, The Language Of The Civil War is an essential addition to Civil War reference collections, and sheds considerable linguistic comprehension and background on the language and terminology endemic to virtually all primary sources and first-person accounts of America's bloodiest war. In addition to being invaluable for academia in general and Civil War buffs in particular, The Language Of The Civil War is also an ideal resource for writers of historical fiction set in the Civil War era and seeking authenticity and realism in their work.

The 14th U.s. Infantry Regiment In The American Civil War
C. Russell Hunley, editor
Burd Street Press
c/o White Mane Publishing Company
Box 152, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0152
157249090X $9.95 www.amazon.com

Capably edited by C. Russell Hunley, and enhanced with an extensive bibliography and a comprehensive index, The 14th U.s. Infantry Regiment In The American Civil War: John Young Letters is Volume 14 in the Civil War Heritage Series, and a powerful primary source that gives profound insight to what life was like serving as a noncommissioned officer. From the daily camp routine to traumatic battlefield violence that included looting houses and shooting the wounded after Fredericksburg this is a powerful, personal, intensely vivid account which is strongly recommended for Civil War Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.



The Cookbook Shelf

Fish For Thought: An Eco-Cookbook
Living Oceans Society
Arsenal Pulp Press
103 - 1014 Homer Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 2W9
1551520818 $17.95 www.amazon.com

The Living Ocean Society is a non-profit organization based in Sointula, British Columbia, Canada, and is committed to the preservation of marine biological diversity and the creation of sustainable fisheries. Fish For Thought: An Eco-Cookbook is both a fund raising project for the society and a volume of delicious recipes showcasing an enormous diversity of edible, sea-borne delectables for the dining table that only responsible fishing practices will enable us to enjoy for generations to come. From Leslie Langvist's Clam Fritters; Bradley Cleases's Grilled Wild Sockeye Salmon; and The Cameron Family's Halibut Stew; to Kim Stockwood's Cod au Gratin; Gordie Sampson's Shrimp Curry; and Sooke Harbour House's Crab Consomme, Fish For Thought: An Eco-Cookbook is a superbly presented and enthusiastically recommended recipe collection enhanced with thumbnail biographical descriptions of the contributors and a profusion of black-and-white illustrations.

Vegetarian Comfort Food
Jennifer Warren
Whitecap Books
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
155285261X $19.95 www.amazon.com

Vegetarian Comfort Food: Meals Like Mom Makes, Without The Meat by cookbook collector and culinary expert Jennifer Warren is a mouth-watering compendium of delicious vegetarian recipes to satisfy the palate and soothe the soul. The recipes are arranged in individual chapters on Breakfasts & Brunches, Sandwiches, Soups, Salads, Dressings, Dips & Sauces, Main Courses, Vegetables, Side Dishes, and Desserts. From Tofu Scramble; Maple Syrup Vinaigrette; and Indian-Spiced Lentil Stew; to Meatless Meatballs; Rhubarb Upside-Down Cake; and Bananas Jennifer, the sheer variety of offerings showcased in Vegetarian Comfort Food, guarantees something to please everyone of a discerning palate and lively appetite.

Stuffed
Patricia Volk
Alfred A. Knopf
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
0-375-41106-2 $23.00 1-800-726-0600

Patricia Volk's family has long been involved with food: her great-grandfather brought pastrami to the New World, her uncle was the first man to blend scallions with cream cheese, and her grandfather Morgan's restaurants were major hangouts. Stuffed is at once a family autobiography and a focus on the author's family's long-time involvement with culinary history in America, and makes for lively reading by any interested in food.

The Pea & Lentil Cookbook
Randall Duckworth, editor
USA Dry Pea & Lentil Council
2780 West Pullman Road, Moscow, ID 83843-4024
0970043600 $24.95 www.pea-lentil.com

The Pea & Lentil Cookbook is a unique, 240 page compendium of delicious, nutritious, satisfying recipes showcased with beautiful color photography and enhanced with easy, basic cooking instructions, nutrition and health facts, mail-order sources, descriptions of the different pea and lentil varieties, and more. From Cheddar-Pea Dip; Lentil-Stuffed Mushrooms; Chicken and Chickpea Salad with Walnut-Cilantro Vinaigrette; and Lentil Bisque Magnifique; to Hungarian Split Pea Soup; Lamb Shanks with Savory Lentils; Winter Squash Channa Dal; and Butterscotch Lentil Cookies, The Pea & Lentil Cookbook is an outstanding collection of dishes that would grace any table and embellish any menu.

Splendor In The Bluegrass
Junior League of Louisville
c/o FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0961333014 $29.95 www.frpbooks.com

Beautifully enhanced with full page color photography, Splendor In The Bluegrass is a compendium of delicious, nutritious, mouth-watering recipes superbly presented with complete ingredient lists and easy-to-follow instructions for their preparation. From Goat Cheese Tartlets; Pan-Roasted Prawn Salad; Potato Pancakes with Apple Rings; and Korbel Champagne Chicken; to Fillet of Red Snapper Roquefort; Caramelized Onion Pudding; Scalloped Pineapple; and Cranberry Pie, Splendor In The Bluegrass is as much fun to browse through as it is inspiring to cook from!

Sicilian Gentleman's Cookbook
Don Baratta
Firefly Books Ltd.
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
1-55209-632-7 $19.95 1-800-387-5085

The recipes comprising Sicilian Gentleman's Cookbook were gleaned from the author's Sicilian background and provide over 150 dishes from pasta dishes combining meats and vegetables with stews, sauces, and soups. All come embellished not with color photos, but with the author's insights into Sicilian culture and culinary styles.

Essential Eating, A Cookbook
Janie Quinn
Azure Moon Publishing
PO Box 771, Waverly, PA 18471
0967984351 $24.95 www.amazon.com

In Essential Eating, A Cookbook: Discover How To Eat, Not Diet, organic gardener and whole foods cooking expert Janie Quinn offers 350 recipes for easy-to-digest dishes that are "body friendly" and health enhancing. Of special interest are Quinn's commentaries on "The Essential Eating Philosophy" and the nature of essential cooking, organic foods, weekly menu development, cooking tips, and much, much more. From Cashew Milk; Cold-Pressed Coffee; Hazelnut Butter Sandwich; Sprouted Bean and Tomato Bisque; and Spaghetti Squash with Asparagus; to Chicken Avocado Soup; Mushroom-Crusted Quiche; Sweet Potato Fries; Maple Taffy; and Quinoa Flake Cookies, Essential Eating, A Cookbook is a practical and highly recommended compendium for the health conscious kitchen cook.

Harvard Common Press
535 Albany St., Boston, MA 02118

Two excellent, unusual cookbooks are top picks from this publisher. Jennifer Felicia Abadi's Fistful Of Lentils (1-55832-218-3, $24.95) provides Syrian-Jewish recipes from her grandmother's kitchen, blending family anecdotes and stories of Syrian-Jewish history and culture with dishes the author grew up with. From Chicken with Prunes and Honey to an unusual Syrian Meat Chili-Stew, this is packed with appeal. Robin Robertson's Vegetarian Meat & Potatoes Cookbook (205-1, $16.95) includes salads, soups and desserts but is especially notable for its major focus on hearty meat-free main courses such as stews, casseroles, pot pies, and dishes which lie at the heart of vegetarian diets. Inspirations from other cultures from India to Italy enhance original creations.



The Literary Shelf

The World That Is The Book
Aliki Varvogli
Liverpool University Press/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo St., Portland OR 97213
0853236879 $59.95 www.amazon.com

The World That Is The Book: Paul Auster's Fiction by Aliki Varvogli (Lecturer in English and American Literature, University of Dundee) is a thorough study of the fictional works of Paul Auster, including "The New York Trilogy," "Timbuktu," and much more. A scholarly, college-level study of the long-lasting meaning behind Auster's classic works, The World That Is The Book recognizes and pays respect to the sources Auster used to challenge the traditional uses of the written word and the role of literary genre. The World That Is The Book is very highly recommended reading for those who seek to better appreciate Paul Auster's literary work.

Letters To J. D. Salinger
Chris Kubica & Will Hochman, editors
The University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe St., Madison, WI 53711
0299178005 $24.95 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively edited by Chris Kubica (operator of the jdsalinger.com website) and Will Hochman (Assistant Professor of English, Southern Connecticut State University) Letters To J. D. Salinger is a remarkable compendium over more than one hundred and fifty personal letters addressed to J. D. Salinger, the renowned American author of the timeless classic "The Catcher in the Rye." The diverse impressions and emotions of people from all walks of life who were influenced by Salinger's literary masterpiece makes for a rewarding reading with insight into the depths of the power truly great writing can have upon a human generation. Letters To J. D. Salinger is a unique and highly recommended reading for the legions of J. D. Salinger enthusiasts.

The Essential Euripides
Robert Emmet Meagher
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1000 Brown Street, Unit 101, Wauconda, IL 60084
0865165130 $19.95 www.amazon.com

The Essential Euripides: Dancing in Dark Times by Robert Emmet Meagher (Professor of Humanities, School of Humanities, Arts, and Cultural Studies, Hampshire College, Amherst, Massachusetts) is an exhaustive, 555 page monograph and anthology specifically written to help modern-day readers and theater lovers better understand the classic works of Euripides, who is perhaps the most accessible of the ancient Greek playwrights that we know of today. Superbly translated by Professor Meagher (who also proffers an extremely extensive and meaningful commentaries throughout), The Essential Euripides is an absolute "must-read" for serious students of ancient Greek drama in general, and the works of Euripides in particular, as well as an essential, core addition to academic reference collections.



The Photography Shelf

Joan Almond: The Past In The Present
Roberto Tejada
St. Ann's Press
c/o Davidson & Choy Publicity
4311 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 202, Los Angeles, CA 90010
0967174481 $65.00 www.amazon.com

Enhanced with a brief but informative introduction by Karen Sinsheimer and Roberto Tejada's insightful essay, Joan Almond: The Past In The Present showcases an amazing and impressive photographic journey by documentary photographer Joan Almond through the Islamic desert communities of North Africa, Egypt, and the Middle East in a outstanding anthology of images featuring ordinary village people and daily life in a profound black-and-white photography that fully captures the spirit of a land and its people. Brief thoughts and a short essay or two are interspersed between the lengthy sections of captivating photographs. An extraordinary look at the human culture and the daily quest to survive and prosper, Joan Almond: The Past In The Present is a very highly recommended and enduring contribution to personal, professional, and academic collections.



The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

The Encyclopedia Of Pepsi-Cola Collectibles
Bob Stoddard
Krause Publications
700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
0873493818 $34.95 www.amazon.com

The Encyclopedia Of Pepsi-Cola Collectibles is an amazing resource for collectors and dealers. Nearly the entire book is devoted to full color photographs of everything ever made by or associated with Pepsi-Cola, from slogans and trademarks to containers, cardboard inserts, cans, bottles, caps, a wide array of merchandise and much more. Offer a wealth of historical and background information on the Pepsi-Cola bottling company, along with authoritative and reliable price estimates for Pepsi-Cola collectibles, The Encyclopedia Of Pepsi-Cola Collectibles is a superbly presented and essential guide for the dedicated Pepsi-Cola enthusiasts!

Victorian Decor
Martin May
Schiffer
4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310
0-7643-1457-2 $59.95 schifferbooks.com

An unusual blend of decoration and collecting guide is revealed in Victorian Decor, a beautifully presented title which surveys home furnishings of the late 19th century. From stained glass windows and art glass to match holders and poster art, Victorian period antiques are highlighted in full color. Assessments of item practicality and style round out the excellent background history and values guide.

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

Two new collector's guides provide avid collectors with references packed with color photos and history, along with all-important updated values. Mary Frank Gaston's English China (1-57432-249-4, $29.95) provides identification and values for enamel, oriental themes, and other decorative themed china works. The color photos prove an invaluable aid in the identification process. Bill Roberts and Rob Pavey's Heddon Legacy (251-6, $29.95) gathers a century of classic wooden Heddon fishing lures, but it's much more than an identification guide. This covers the Heddon lure legacy from its accidental birth to its marketing, advertising, and changes. Color photos of the lures accompany details on fishing which avid fishermen as well as collectors will find inviting.

Second-Hand Style
cRis Dupouy
Harry N. Abrams
100 Fifth Ave., New York NY 10011
0810912260 $29.95 1-800-759-0190

Second-Hand Style: Finding And Renewing Antique Treasures by Paris-based professional jewelry designer cRis Dupouy (whose work has been commissioned by such noted patrons as the Musee de l'Opera and the Musee des Arts Decoratifs, as well as many Parisian fashion designers) is an unexpectedly beautiful and varied photographic journey of the wonders that can be accomplished by cleaning out one's attic and sprucing up the hidden treasures within. Some directions are included for readers who wish to make similar creations to the wonders depicted within, but the true joy of Second-Hand Style lies in its brilliant, full-color photography of some truly splendid and inspirational creations. Second-Hand Style is a heartily recommended addition to personal, professional, and community library reference collections.



The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

What Your Animals Tell Me
Dr. Monica Diedrich
Two Paws Up Press
P.O. Box 6107, Anaheim, CA 92816-6107
0971381208 $16.95 www.amazon.com

What Your Animals Tell Me by teacher, speaker, and consultant Monica Diedrich is the personal testimony and selection of 50 case stories from a professional pet communicator, whose job it is to understand what the psychology and emotions of dogs and cats, what they are trying to say to their human companions, as well as their unconditional love for their caretakers. What Your Animals Tell Me also deals with the spiritual issue of what happens to beloved animals after they die. A heartwarming book, What Your Animals Tell Me is especially recommended reading for men and women wanting only the very best for their animal companions.

Fish Skulls
William K. Gregory
Krieger Publishing Company
Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
1575242141 $79.50 1-800-724-0035

Originally published by the American Philosophical Society in 1933, this new Krieger Publishing Company edition of William K. Gregory's Fish Skulls is a seminal, scholarly, detailed work devoted to ichthyology, or the scientific study of the evolution of fish. The thorough and extensive text, heightened by the black-and-white diagrams of numerous sample fish skulls, analyze the composition and contrasts in fish bone structure in minute detail. A college-level reference that has justly survived the test of time due to its meticulous accuracy, Fish Skulls is an essential, core volume for any professional or academic Marine Evolution Studies or Ichthyology Studies reference collection.

All About Lizards
Robert G. Sprackland, Jr.
T.F.H. Publications
One T.F.H. Plaza, 3rd & Union Ave, Neptune City NJ 07753
0876667647 $11.95 www.amazon.com

Profusely enhanced with a wealth of black-and-white and color photographs, reptile expert Robert Sprackland's All About Lizards is a straightforward, "reader friendly" guide to a variety of lizard species. From lizard habits, adaptations, and behavior in general to specific information on numerous lizard species from geckoes to iguanas and gila monsters, All About Lizards is a fascinating and highly recommended introduction that is strongly recommended for personal, school, and community library "Pets and Wildlife" reference collections.

BSAVA Manual Of Exotic Pets
Anna Meredith & Sharon Redrobe, editors
Iowa State Press
2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300
0905214471 $99.99 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly revised, expanded and updated fourth edition, BSAVA Manual Of Exotic Pets is the British Small Animal Veterinary Associations is comprehensive and indispensable reference to the biology, care, treatment, medical problems, special features, and more of raising a broad selection of unique and unusual pets ranging from guinea pigs and rabbits to fancy pigs, birds of prey, lizards, ornamental fish, invertebrates and more. A superbly presented, "user friendly" compendium of sound and reliable information for any aspiring pet owner seeking for something more unusual and noteworthy than the typical cat or dog, the BSAVA Manual Of Exotic Pets is a highly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections.

Rescue Rover!
Marie K. Whelan
HoundHut Press
Box 20062, San Jose, CA 95160-0062
0967538106 $16.95 www.houndhut.com

Drawing upon her experience with Greyhound Friends For Life and Companion Animal Rescue Effort (CARE), as well as the Greyhound Protection Alliance, Marie K. Whelan's Rescue Rover! 101 Ways You Can Help Abandoned Dogs is a humanitarian book, offering a wide variety of easy, simple, and useful ways to help unfortunate and abandoned dogs. From shopping for cruelty-free products to donating 30 minutes of one's time at the animal shelter, Rescue Rover! covers simple changes and tasks that anyone can perform to make the world a better place for our canine friends. A highly recommended, "user friendly" resource, Rescue Rover! also lists contact information for a great many canine clubs in states all across the U.S. and is also available in hardcover (0967538114, $21.95)

Feeding Your Dog For Life
Diane Morgan
Doral Publishing
10451 Palmeras Drive, Suite 225 West, Sun City, AZ 85373-2011
0944875793 $24.95 www.doralpub.com

Feeding Your Dog For Life: The Real Facts About Proper Nutrition by canine care expert Diane Morgan is a thoughtful, "reader friendly" guide to the benefits of proper canine nutrition, a controversial field among dog owners. Offering instructions and recipes for creating a home-prepared diet that is nutritionally balanced and customized for a dog's age, breed, activity level, and health, Feeding Your Dog For Life is a superb guide for devoted dog lovers seeking the best nutrition possible for their particular animal companion at ever stage of growth and development.

Uncommon Friends
Julie Adams Church
HJ Kramer Book
P.O. Box 1082, Tiburon, CA 94920
0915811960 $12.95 www.amazon.com

Uncommon Friends: Celebrating The Human-Animal Bond is a gentle memoir of the love shared between an animal lover and her four-legged canine and feline friends. In Uncommon Friends, Julie Adams Church reflects both on the joy of living pets and the memory of loved animals passed on. The result of these insightful commentaries and nostalgic reminisces is a moving, compelling testimony that will strike a kindred reflection in fellow animal lovers.

Protect Your Pet
Ann N. Martin
NewSage Press
P.O. Box 607, Troutdale, OR 97060-0607
0939165422 $13.95 newsagepress.com

Protect Your Pet: More Shocking Facts by pet care consultant Ann N. Martin is a sobering compendium of things the pet food industry doesn't want people to know. From the tenuous state of pet food regulations to the latest on mad cow disease and pet food, Protect Your Pet offers a severe criticism of what goes into your beloved animal companion's bowl, and what you can do about it. Other chapters address hazards such as over-vaccination, cancer in animals, human cruelty against animals, and other concerns in this first-rate, highly recommended information resource for true pet lovers.

Farm Animals
Jeanie Peck-Whiting
Fox Mtn Publishing
P.O. Box 1516, Tonasket, WA 98855
www.foxmtnpublishing.com
0971617406 $18.95 www.amazon.com

Farm Animals: Your Guide To Raising Livestock by animal husbandry expert Jeanie Peck-Whiting is a no-nonsense guide filled with hard information on the care, feeding, and breeding of cows, pigs, goats, rabbits, ducks, or chickens. From what records a small farmer should keep to milking goats to animal first aid, Farm Animals covers almost everything imaginable in direct, straightforward language understandable to farmers of all experience levels. A first-rate, salt-of-the-earth guide, Farm Animals is also highly recommended for students in 4-H programs.



The Writing/Publishing Shelf

The Grammar Bible
Michael Strumpf & Auriel Douglas
Knowledgeopolis
1902 Westwood Blvd., Suite 201, Los Angeles, CA 900254614
1891968009 $24.95 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by Michael Strumpf (Professor of English, Moorpark College and founder of "The National Grammar Hot Line" and West Coast editor and writer Auriel Douglas, The Grammar Bible: Everything You Always Wanted To Know About Grammar But Didn't Know Who (Whom) To Ask is a thoroughly comprehensive, superbly presented reference and guide to the use of English grammar, designed and written to be accessible and "user friendly" for readers of all educational backgrounds and skill levels. From an in-depth tutorial to parts of speech to deconstructing sentences to rules of punctuation, The Grammar Bible is an exhaustive and authoritative linguistic rule book, written in a lively, appealing, easy-to-read style and is an especially recommended reference for writers.

2002 Guide To Literary Agents
Rachel Vater, editor
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F&W Publications, Inc.
1507 Dana Ave. Cincinnati, OH 45207
1582970750 $22.29 www.amazon.com

An indispensable, superbly presented professional resource and reference for authors seeking representation to assist them in their work becoming published, the 2002 Guide To Literary Agents offers up-to-date, reliable, descriptive information. This compendium of independent publicists, literary agencies, and script agents is also enhanced with cogent, practical advise on workshops, conferences, contests, awards, and how to pitch a manuscript with samples of "real-life" query letters. Each agent and agency listing includes whom to contact; essential submission information; the best ways to approach them; their particular areas of expertise; as well as insider advice and professional commentaries. If you seek to become a published author, begin learning how to market both yourself and your work to an agent who can then best represent you and what you have to offer to the highly competitive publishing industry.

Do The Write Thing
Kwame Alexander with Nina Foxx
Manisy Willows Books
Phenix & Phenix (publicity)
701 Capitol of Texas Highway, Box 1202, Building C, Austin, TX 78746
0967895960 $17.95 www.amazon.com

Do The Write Thing: 7 Steps To Publishing Success by Kwame Alexander and Nina Foxx is a solid, "user friendly" guide to the process of writing, editing, publishing, printing, marketing, and selling a self-published or small press title, whether it's poetry, nonfiction, or the next Great American Novel. Written in an accessible language easily understandable by readers of all backgrounds and experience levels in the writing and publishing domain, Do The Write Thing is a first-rate primer and soundly recommended to everyone with serious thoughts about presenting their book to the world! Especially designed for the aspiring author seeking publication for their work, Do The Write Thing is an useful and welcome addition to personal and professional reference collections on writing and publishing.

Publication Production Using PageMaker
Gordon Woolf
The Worsley Press/FAP Books Inc.
PO Box 540, Gainesville, FL 32602-0540
1875750177 $34.95 www.amazon.com

Publication Production Using PageMaker by editor and publishing expert Gorden Woolf is a solid, practical, comprehensive, user friendly, "how-to" guide for using the Adobe PageMaker 7 software application to create professional appearing and aesthetically pleasing newspapers, newsletters, magazines, periodicals, chapbooks, pamphlets, and other formatted publications. From making the most to templates and style tags to applying scripts, plug-ins, graphic art, and more, Publication Production Using PageMaker is packed with basic information and creative tips, tricks, and techniques. Black-and-white computer screenshots illustrate the step-by-step instructions, and a special feature of the book includes access to a helpful website and email advice service. Of special interest is the timesaving and stress relieving advice on organizing workflow, and the recommendations for avoiding the need for repetitive tasking through the utilization of PageMaker functions. Publication Production Using PageMaker is a very highly recommended addition and welcome addition the PageMaker reference shelf for the aspiring publisher.



The Audiobook Shelf

Heartsongs Collection
Mattie J.T. Stepanek
Hyperion
77 West 66th Street, NY, NY 10023-6298
0-7868-6953-4 $12.98 1-800-759-0190

The eleven-year-old author has prior writings and audios about his feelings of life and his struggles with a rare form of muscular dystrophy: this collection is filled with inspiration and reflections and will attract a wide audience of listeners.

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

Brilliance seldom disappoints in its monthly offerings of exciting, diverse audios representing the latest in drama, and this month's selection seems especially strong. Steven Coonts' Saucer (1-59086-080-2, $19.95) receives Dick Hill's smooth veteran voice as it tells of a seismic survey worker's discovery of a flying saucer Robert Andrews' Murder Of Promise (996-1, $19.95) receives David Daoust's compelling voice as it tells of dot-com greed and deadly computer games resulting in murder. Tension comes to life in Joe Weber's Dancing With The Dragon (956-0, $24.95), again enjoying Dick Hill's swift and calm voice which brings quiet tension to the story of intelligence specialists and former military pilots who investigate a mid-air plane collision. Tami Hoag's Night Sins (637-5, $24.95) receives veteran Joyce Bean's experienced and passionate voice as it tells of a small town facing a young boy's disappearance. J.D. Robb's Reunion In Death (687-1, $24.95) benefits form Susan Ericksen's smooth and compelling voice as it tells of a birthday bash which brings a killer from the past as an unwelcome attendant. Stephen White's Warning Signs (362-7, $24.95) pairs Dick Hill's warm experience with the suspense story of a controversial DA's brutal slaying in Colorado. Michael Raleigh's IN The Castle Of The Flynns (059-4, $24.95) pairs classically trained actor Patrick Lawlor's clear and smooth voice with the story of an eight-year-old facing the sudden death of his parents. An extended family must work hard to heal his life in this compelling story. Johanna Lindsey's Pursuit (016-0, $19.95) receives Michael Page's experienced and smooth voice as it tells of a Scottish girl's romance with a man involved in a feud. All are absorbing leisure listens, highly recommended for discriminating audio listeners.

Savvy Networker
Ron & Caryl Krannich
Listen & Live Audio
Box 817, Roseland, NJ 07068
1-885408-77-3 $16.95 1-800-653-9400

Learn the secrets of real networking the kind which lands great jobs using this title, which tells what kind of communication skills serve to contribute to such networking. From prospecting networking possibilities to conducting informational interviews, Savvy Networker is pakced with keys on how to break into the 'hidden job market'.

Time Warner Audiobooks
1271 Avenue of Americas, NY NY 10020
1-800-759-0190

Four fine new audios provide excellent action and drama. Russell Roberts' 10 Days To A Sharper Memory (1-58621-264-8, $18.95) reflects the Princeton Language Institute's tips on how to boost memory power. Remember names, details and facts with an efficient memory system using the steps in this how-to guide. Latifa's My Forbidden Face (6989-5, $25.98) tells of a life growing up under the Taliban's rule. Teen Latifa was a prisoner in her own home once the Taliban took Kabul: here she tells her story, with narrator Editha Bryuchta bringing her account to life. James Patterson's Second Chance (232-X, $25.98) appears in abridged cassette format to provide the second thriller in the Women's Murder Club series. Melissa Leo and Jeremy Piven share and dramatize the reading of San Francisco murders and a women's club's investigations. Second Chance also appears unabridged on cd (235-4, $39.98), also featuring the shared narration by Melissa Leo and Jeremy Piven which dramatizes the powerful high points of the story. Highly recommended.

Dead Wrong
William X. Kienzle
Books on Tape
Box 7900, Newport Beach, CA 92658
0736680861 $64.00 1-800-959-8273

William X. Kienzle is one of the most talented and popular authors working in the mystery genre today. Dead Wrong: A Father Koesler Mystery is a classic Kienzle tale and centers on Father Robert Koesler's investigation into the 30-year-old murder of a young woman awaiting a marriage proposal. Scandal between family, business, and the Church loom in this dark tale, riddled with twists and hidden motivations. Dead Wrong is very capably narrated by Edward Holland in this superbly recorded, highly recommended, complete and unabridged audiobook edition. (8 one-hour cassettes).

Audio Partners Publishing
1133 High Street, Auburn, CA 95603
www.audiopartners.com

Three outstanding titles are recommended picks from this publisher's new releases. Ellis Peters' Confession Of Brother Haluin (1-57279-257-5, $27.95) receives Stephen Thorne's fine voice as it presents another unabridged chronicle the 15th in the Brother Cadfael series of medieval mysteries. Here a deathbed confession of murder and betrayal is turned into a journey of redemption when the sick Brother recovers and sets on a journey to absolve his sins. Agatha Christie's Murder Is Announced (258-3, $29.95) enjoys Rosemary Leach's fine smooth voice as it presents a Miss Marple mystery revolving around an advertisement for murder. When the ad comes too true, it's up to Miss Marple to found out why. F. Scott Fitzgerald's Great Gatsby (256-7, $27.95) appears unabridged in a 4-cd set with Alexander Scourby providing a powerful reading. Gatsby's illusions and his facing of reality makes for an even more moving account in audio than in print format. All are excellent listens.

The American Soul
Jacob Needleman
Audio Literature
370 West San Bruno, San Bruno, CA 94066
1574535161 $25.00 1-800-383-0174

The American Soul: Rediscovering The Wisdom Of The Founders is an impressive compendium of timeless truths deeply embedded withing the founding vision of the United States of America. Here presented are the key ideals underlying democracy, individual liberty, freedom of conscience, and a human wisdom freed from religious dogmas and philosophical imperialisms which have proved essential to the success of the uniquely American perspectives on government, community, and the worth of the individual citizen. Read by the author Jacob Needleman, and additional enhanced with the narrations of Gabriello de Cuir, Stefan Rudnicki, M.E. Willis, and William Windom, The American Soul is whole heartedly recommended to students of American History, Political Science, and Philosophy. (Running Time: 3 hours).

Highbridge Audio
1000 Westgate Dr., St. Paul, MN 55114
1-800-847-5515

These exciting new audio packages will thrill listeners with outstanding selections. The original American production of Tolkien's Hobbit (1-56511-672-0, $29.95) competes well with the BBC production and appears on 4 compact discs to bring alive the introductory adventure involving hobbits and one hobbit who hates to leave the comforts of home for adventures in the wider world. Tolkien's trilogy Fellowship Of The Ring (667-4, $19.95), Two Towers (668-2) and Return Of The King (669-0, $19.95 each) also appear on cd to dramatize the Lord of the Rings fantasy adventure trilogy. The appearance of all books in audio cd format will attract new audiences to the involving tales. Ann-Marie MacDonald's Fall On Your Knees (691-7, $34.95) tells of the Piper family, steeped in secrets facing one major secret which could destroy them. Four sisters face the family threats in this revealing story powered by Nikki James' moving rendition. Ayn Rand's Anthem (547-3, $18.95) appears complete and unabridged with a smooth reading by Paul Meier adding to this story of individual spirit and drive, a hallmark of Rand's philosophy. Dennis Smith's Report From Engine Co. 82 (680-1, $18.95) receives Lloyd James' smooth account as it captures the drama of fellow fire fighters who respond to fires and life-threatening disasters. Brian Hicks and Schuyler Kropf's Raising The Hunley (534-1, $29.95) provides an absorbing, real story of the recovery of a lost Confederate submarine. Harry Chase brings high drama alive as the history and fate of the submarine are revealed. Three radio broadcast collections are highly recommended picks: Old Time Radio Novels (568-0) presents radio dramatizations of classics Maltese Falcon, Grapes Of Wrath, Scarlet Pimpernel, and Rebecca; Radio Dramas (578-3) presents African Queen, Glass Menagerie, It's A Wonderful Life and Miracle On 34th Street, and Radio Westerns includes Lone Ranger, Shane, Treasure Of Sierra Madre and Six Shooter: all deserving of ongoing recommendation. All are exceptional audios.

Blackstone Audio Books
Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
1-800-729-2665

These unabridged audio cds are exceptional presentations which will attract a wide audience with their convenience and drama. In MP3 format is Susan Howatch's Rich Are Different (0-7861-9403-0, $29.95), narrated by Nadia May who brings to life this story of a sensual Englishwoman whose ambitions become entwined with those of a rich American banking family. Richard O'Dea's Touch Of Evil (9638-6, $32.00) benefits from Edward Lewis' spirited voice as it tells of a rough/compassionate type of detective who uses his knowledge of crime and the human psyche to solve mysteries and murders. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Tales For A Winter's Night (9648-3, $48.00) excels in a dark, sinister undertone cultivated by the voice of William Sutherland as brings together eight Doyle mystery classics which originally appeared in Strand magazine around the turn of the century. Joseph F. Girzone's Joshua: The Homecoming (9641-6, $40.00) receives Raymond Todd's smooth voice as it tells of a quiet, solitary man named Joshua who visits the tiny town of Auburn with a new, contemporary message from God. A warm spiritual account for modern times. Stuart M. Kaminsky's You Bet Your Life (9637-8, $40.00) fares well when paired with the revealing voice of Tom Parker: it brings alive the story of a 1940s Hollywood PI who tries to solve crime while battling the flu. All are excellent leisure choices appropriate for library lending and individual listening.

Dream Tending
Stephen Aizenstat, Ph.D.
Sounds True
P.O. Box 8010, Boulder, CO 80306
1564558088 $59.95 www.amazon.com

Dream Tending: Techniques For Uncovering The Hidden Intelligence Of Your Dreams by clinical psychologist Stephen Aizensta is a remarkable audiobook format course of instruction specifically designed to teach the listener how to better understand and improve one's dreams, from transforming nightmares into positive dreams to a background on how the human psyche interacts with dreams to instructional sessions for tending one's dreams and interpreting their meaning. A remarkable, aptly narrated and first-rate audiobook presentation for making the most of all the hours of one's life, whether spent awake or asleep, Dream Tending is especially recommended for anyone wanting to improve their ability to interpret the meanings of the dreams and incorporate the informative value of their dreams into the circumstances and opportunities of their waking life.

The Colonial Radio Theatre On The Air
PO Box 416, North Reading, MA 01864
1-800-481-8453 www.colonialradio.com

The hallmark of these superbly presented radio drama performances from The Colonial Radio Theatre On The Air is the blending of dramatic scripts by Jerry Robbins with a talented cast, enhanced with music and sound effects. The entire series of these magnificent productions would enhance any personal or community library audiobook collection and include: The Plimoth Adventure Voyage Of Mayflower (Act 1: Merchant Adventurers; Act 2: The Voyage); Battle Road: The Epic Sage Of April 19, 1775 (Side 1: The Alarm; Side 2: The War Begins); Bunker Hill (Act 1: Elbow Room; Act 2: The Blood of England); The Alamo (Act 1: The Key To Texas; Act 2: No Regrets); Gettysburg: The Complete Radio Drama (running time 210 minutes); and the double volume Little Big Horn (running time 70 minutes) and The Bozeman Trail (running time 44 minutes). Each of these superb radio dramas presents the listener with a true "theater of the mind" experience and are meticulously accurate with respect to the historical events and personalities presented.

Lost In Yonkers
Neil Simon
L.A. Theatre Works
681 Venice Blvd., Venice, CA 90291
1580812120 $22.95 1-800-708-8863

One of Neil Simon's classic dramas, Lost In Yonkers is set in 1942 Yonkers, New York and centers on Jay and Arty, two boys (ages 13 and 16) who must spend one year with their rather austere and quite demanding grandmother while war rages in Europe. Here is a family of memorable and eccentric characters that can be identified within most families and assortments of kinfolk. The Los Angles Theatre Works cast under the direction of John Rubinstein does full justice in this radio play adaptation of Neil Simon's Pultizer Prize and Tony Award-winning play. This superbly recorded audiobook edition of Lost In Yonkers is very highly recommended to the legions of Neil Simon enthusiasts and fans.

The Killing Cards
Lou Campanozzi
Americana Publishing, Inc.
303 San Mateo NE, Suite 104A, Alburquerque, NM 87108
1588070336 $25.00 1-888-883-8203

In Lou Campanozzi's The Killing Cards, a serial killer is stalking the city. Methodically selecting his victims according to the symbolism of their names, this ruthless murderer marks his success by leaving a "calling card" on each body, beginning with the Ten of Spades, then the Jack of Spades, then the Queen of Spades. Homicide detective Lieutenant Amato must work against the odds to identify this killer before he can crown his lethal spree with an Ace of Spades in this deadly and bizarre game. Lou Campanozzi's debut mystery is deftly narrated by film and television veteran Alan Zimmerman who does full justice to a compelling suspense thriller in this highly recommended audiobook adaptation. (Running Time: 360 minutes).

The Marrow Of Tradition
Charles Waddell Chesnutt
MasterBuy AudioBooks
PO Box 183, New York, NY 10009
0964559307 $24.95 1-212-217-0977

Masterfully narrated by Michael Collins, the historical novel, The Marrow Of Tradition, by Charles Waddell Chesnutt is set in the 1898 North Carolina city of Wellington, presenting a kind of microcosm of the ante-bellum south where a town has gone mad with racial hatreds, and roiling confrontations between southern "redeemers" and the now free black community. The first African-American novelist to achieve national recognition for his work, Charles Waddell Chesnutt is able to take us back into a time of family tragedy, death, lynch law, and endemic racial violence that would scar the worlds of both whites and blacks for generations to come. The Marrow Of Tradition is a compelling, engaging story of characters and events that grips the listener's total attention from beginning to end. (Running Time: 3:30 hours)

Oasis Audio
289 S. Main Place, Carol Stream IL 60188
1-800-323-2500

Three fine new audios promise to reach a wide audience. Kevin Bowen's Wil's Bones (1-58926-067-0, $17.99) is narrated by the author and tells of an archaeologist who believes he's found the bones of Jesus. The president decides to cover up his find, but Wil is determined to go public with the discovery against all odds in this political thriller. Learn Incorporated's Voice Mail Secrets (055-4, $12.99) is packed with practical tips on how to make a positive telephone impression. Learn to leave effective messages, make messages more precise, and tailor responses for voicemail using this practical guide. Patricia Wilson's Living In Excellence (077-X, $17.99) provides the seminar expert's tips to taking charge of life and identifying the four guideposts which tell if one is moving in the right direction. Ten simple plans are presented to create and foster excellence in life. All three titles are recommended picks.

Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street, NY, NY 10022-5299
1-800-242-7737

Four new publications from this audio publisher provide fine accounts which will appeal to listeners. Chuck Logan's Absolute Zero (0-06-008342-5, $25.95) receives J.K. Simmons' spirited rendition as it tells of an undercover cop's dangerous world and a comotose man who knows the dark truth. A trail of manipulation and revenge endangers many in this mystery. Richard Ford's Multitude Of Sins (008132-5, $34.95) appears unabridged, with the author's on reading enhancing this story of connections between men and women and lives linked and changed across the country. An excellent collection of short stories, packed with rich power. The Collected Recordings Of Neal Pollack (001168-8, $21.95) includes rare recordings from 1936 of Pollack's collaboration with Doc Thompson, whom he murdered; and his complete basement poetry sessions from the Beat era. Anticipate a zany blend of poetry, music, and interview in a title hard to readily classify. Dylan Thomas' Caedmon Collection (52662-2, $39.95) celebrates the noted poet and author with a collection of his readings of poetry, prose, and his final play. The latter recording is the only one in existence with Thomas in the cast, completing and rounding out the fine range of literary works here.

Bronx Primitive
Kate Simon
Jewish Contemporary Classics
600 Palisade Avenue, Suite 3, Englewood Cliffs, NJ 07632
1893079082 $39.95 1-877-522-8273

Bronx Primitive: Portraits In A Childhood is Kate Simon's superbly presented autobiographical story of a Jewish immigrant girl's coming-of-age experiences in New York in the opening decades of the 20th Century. The harsh realities of 1916 New York City for the Jewish immigrant community in general, and Kate Simon in particular, are wonderfully expressed with a flowing narrative showcasing a young girls dreams, hopes, and possibilities. Enhanced with an informative introduction by actress Bea Arthur, and magnificently narrated by Barbara Rosenblat, this complete and unabridged audiobook edition of Kate Simon's Bronx Primitive is a welcome and highly recommended addition to personal, community library, Women's Studies, 20th Century American History, and Judaic Studies audiobook collections. (Running Time: 9 hours).



The Sports/Athletics Shelf

Inside Women's College Basketball
Richard Kent, editor
Taylor Trade Publishing
4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
0878332782 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly revised, expanded, and updated edition, Inside Women's College Basketball: Anatomy Of Two Seasons is a candid and revealing behind-the-scenes look written by five reporters who followed the sport for most of the 1990s. From the intense campus politics of recruiting to the shrewd wisdom of head coaches to the talent of star players and the amazing 1999-2000 national championship, Inside Women's College Basketball is a fascinating read and especially recommended for devoted followers and fans of the sport.

Alpine Achievement
Lori J. Batcheller
1stBooks Library
2511 West 3rd St., Bloomington IN 47404
0759684545 $14.50 www.amazon.com

Alpine Achievement: A Chronicle Of The United States Disabled Ski Team by Lori Batcheller is the first book to thoroughly chronicle the history and sport of disabled alpine skiing. From the inception of this activity in Europe after World War II down to the present day, and with an especial focus on how the U.S. Disabled Ski Team triumphed over their disabilities to become high-caliber athletes, Alpine Achievement is as much a story of hope, success, and making the most of oneself as it is a story of sport on snowy slopes. Alpine Achievement is highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in skiing in general, and disability rehabilitation/athletic competition in particular.



The Biography Shelf

Jackie Wilson
Tony Douglas
Mainstream/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, North Pomfret, VT 05053
1-84018-413-2 $24.95 1-800-423-4525

Singer Jackie Wilson was one of the finest singing talents of the century, but he suffered from chronic addictions and his career was controlled by the Mob. This biography of his life, work and achievements chronicles the accomplishments of a man who was buried in a paupers grave, yet at his peak achieved 24 top 40 hits in the U.S. An involving coverage of a talented yet tormented performer.

The Turtle Lady
Evelyn Sizemore
Republic of Texas Press
2320 Los Rios Blvd., Plano, TX 75074
1556228961 $16.95 www.amazon.com

The Turtle Lady: Ila Fox Loetscher Of South Padre is the life story of a truly remarkable woman who, after the death of her husband, devoted herself to preserving the sea turtle Lepidochelys kempii (Kemp's ridley), from extinction. A superb biographical portrait of a woman who was a pioneer aviator, through her marriage and tragic widowhood, to her years as a devoted environmentalist and animal lover, The Turtle Lady is not to be missed. This is an engaging depiction of a truly remarkable and selfless life. The Turtle Lady is especially recommended reading for wildlife and environmental protection activists.

The Dance Of The Rose And The Nightingale
Nesta Ramazani
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Syracuse, NY 13244
081560727X $26.95 www.amazon.com

Nesta Ramazani's The Dance Of The Rose And The Nightingale is the personal testimony of a young woman who grew up in Iran during the 1940s, the daughter of an English Christian mother and an Iranian Zoroastrian father. Reflecting a personal viewpoint of the meeting of different faiths, as well as the daily difficulties Iran experienced as its government tried to compel its traditional society and culture to modernize, The Dance Of The Rose And The Nightingale is a captivating, autobiographical life story and especially recommended reading for students of 20th Century Iranian history.

Crossroads On Nebraska Ave.
Keith Marr
Noble House
8019 Belair Rd, #10 Baltimore MD 21236
1561677124 $15.95 www.amazon.com

Crossroads On Nebraska Ave. is the autobiography of Keith Marr, a humble American whose pivotal life experiences arising from his job, his marriage, his religious experience, and his education in music, all took place at a special Tampa, Florida crossroad in the 1950s. That was the location of 60001 North Nebraska Avenue and the site of Publix Super Market #21. A warm, thoughtful, personable, engaging account of a life well lived, faith in Jesus Christ, and the joy of cowboy music, Crossroads On Nebraska Ave. is highly recommended reading.

Northern Memories
Jerry Harju
North Harbor Publishing
528 East Arch St., Marquette, MI 49855
0967020573 $12.95 www.jerryharju.com

Northern Memories: More High-Spirited Tales Of "Growing Up North" by Jerry Harju is the latest in a series of nostalgic and humorous autiobiographical memories about life, family and community in the snow country of Upper Michigan. Set in the 1930s and 40s, among a family that was short on money but didn't let that get in the way of having fun, Northern Memories is a wondrous look at daily life over half a century ago, with wry humor, enduring sentiment and a deep reverence for snow-covered homeland. Also very highly recommended are Jerry Harju's three previous volumes of personal memoirs: Northern Reflections (North Harbor Publishing, 0967020514), Northern D'Lights (North Harbor Publishing, 0932212816), and Northern Passages (Avery Color Studios, 0932212867).

Abigail Adams
Edith B. Gelles
Routledge
29 West 35th Street, NY, NY 10001
0415939453 $19.95 routledge-ny.com

Abigail Adams: A Writing Life by Edith B. Gelles (Senior Scholar, Institute for Research on Women and Gender, Stanford University) is a careful, articulate, scholarly analysis of the literary and historical work of Abigail Adams, the wife of John Adams and mother of John Quincy Adams. Half biography, half literary criticism, Abigail Adams: A Writing Life studies Mrs. Adams' letters as literature and looks at her correspondence in-depth. A marvelous portrayal of a unique woman in America's history, Abigail Adams: A Writing Life is highly recommended for Women's Studies and American Literary Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.



The Psychology Shelf

Infant Research And Adult Treatment
Beatrice Beebe & Frank M. Lachmann
The Analytic Press
101 West Street, Hillsdale, NJ 07642
0881632457 $47.50 analyticpress.com

Infant Research And Adult Treatment: Co-constructing Interactions by Beatrice Beebe (Associate Clinical Professor of Psychology in Psychiatry, New York State Psychiatric Institute, Columbia University) and Frank M. Lachmann (Clinical Assistant Professor, New York University Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis) is a scholarly, meticulous and comprehensive summary of the authors extensive and longer term efforts to research and better understand the psychology of parent-infant bonds and the thought processes of infants. Applying their work to current psychoanalytic treatments of adult patients, a body of original research that traces psychological problems all the way back to pre-verbal childhood days, Infant Research And Adult Treatment is both a reference and a treatment guide, which is confidently recommended for academic psychology/psychiatry reference libraries, as well as supplemental reading lists or for students, researchers, and practitioners with a professional interest in contemporary psychoanalytic research.

The Secret Artist
Lesley Chamberlain
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts St., New York, NY 10013
158322260X $24.95 www.amazon.com

The Secret Artist: A Close Reading Of Sigmund Freud by journalist and educator Lesley Chamberlain is a deep and perceptive study of the written works of Sigmund Freud, considered to be the founder of modern psychotherapy. In an effort to help readers better understand the mind of Freud, The Secret Artist closely dissects his writings with intense attention to detail. A thoughtful, scholarly, erudite, informative work, The Secret Artist is very highly recommended reading for students of Freud's pioneering work, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an interest in the history of psychotherapy.

Helping Schoolchildren Cope With Anger
Jim Larson & John E. Lochman
The Guildford Press
72 Spring St., New York, NY 10012
1572307285 $30.00 www.amazon.com

Helping Schoolchildren Cope with Anger: A Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention by Jim Larson (Professor of Psychology and Director of the School Psychology Program, University of Wisconsin - Whitewater) and John Lochman (Professor and Saxon Chairholder in clinical Psychology, University of Alabama, and Adjunct Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Duke University Medical Center) is a straightfoward, solution-oriented guide to dealing with chronic aggression in young students, particularly those ranging in age from 8 to 12 years. This invaluable, accessible work is based upon the latest studies and findings on childhood aggression, and presents the principles behind the authors' own approaches to teaching young folks how to cope with anger, along with session-by-session guidelines, and a great deal more, Helping Schoolchildren Cope with Anger is a first-rate supplement to professional help for disturbed children and highly recommended for professional and academic reference collections in the field of anger management studies.

The Anger Solution Card Game
ChildsWork/ChildsPlay
c/o Guidance Channel Company
135 Dupont Street, Plainview, NY 11803
No ISBN $19.95 1-800-962-1141

Designed specifically to teach children ages 7-12 constructive, effective approaches to resolving anger without resorting to violence, The Anger Solution Card Game is instructive, productive, "child friendly", and fun. The object is for two to four players to resolve anger-inciting situations within a 20 to 30 minute play period. Players get chips for rsolving anger situations positively, and the player with the most chips wins. The Anger Solution Card Game is especially recommended for use in couseling sessions, as a classroom activity, and as a reinforcement tool for concerned parents at home.

Freud's Women
Lisa Appignanesi & John Forrester
Other Press LLC
307 Seventh Ave., #1807, NY, NY 10001
1892746948 $16.00 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by Lisa Appignanesi and John Forrester, Freud's Women: Family, Patients, Followers is an exhaustive, in-depth look at the women involved in the life and work of Sigmund Freud, who is often thought of as the father of modern psychology. Freud's many female patients, followers, and family members are surveyed and discussed in an informative blend of biography, history, and study of the founding of psychoanalysis. An exhaustively researched and detailed book, Freud's Women is very highly recommended for the History of Psychoanalysis academic reference collections, and Freudian Psychology supplement reading lists.



The Architecture Shelf

Contemporary World Architecture
Hugh Pearman
Phaidon Press
7195 Grayson Road, Harrisburg PA 17111
0714842036 $59.95 www.amazon.com

In the pages of Contemporary World Architecture, London-based writer, lecturer and architectural expert Hugh Pearman presents an immense and wonderfully illustrated study of architecture drawn from nations around the globe. Filled cover to cover with gorgeous color photography and erudite commentary on thirteen separate categories of buildings, Contemporary World Architecture is as much an architectural art appreciation reference as it is a practical study of the design, sturdiness, and aesthetics of architectural construction styles transcending cultures. An amazing, eye-catching, 511 page volume that incorporates shelter, history, building mechanics and more into a studious whole, Contemporary World Architecture is strongly recommended for professional and academic architectural reference collections as being an impressive and seminal work of detailed architectural information and enduring appreciation.



The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Tying Flies The Paraloop Way
Ian Moutter
The Countryman Press
P.O. Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091
0881505544 $35.00 www.amazon.com

Tying Flies The Paraloop Way by certified professional fishing instructor and fly tying expert Ian Moutter is an extraordinary how-to book packed with close-up, full-color photographs to help instruct the reader in the codified steps of tying flies in the new paraloop method. Step-by-step directions cover paraloop tying with dries, wet flies, spinners, and more as well as tips, tricks and techniques for fishing with these new flies. Tying Flies The Paraloop Way is a first-class reference and a welcome guide for the novice angler as well as for the seasoned fishing enthusiasts with an interest in trying a new, exciting, and fun way to bag the best and tastiest fish.

One Man's River
O. Warren Smith
Bayfield Street Publishing
116 1/2 East 5th St., Washburn, WI 54891
0967068347 $25.00 www.amazon.com

Far more than an ordinary fly fishing how-to book, One Man's River by the late O. Warren Smith (a minister and writer who spent most of his life plying the literal and spiritual waters of Wisconsin) combines practical fly-fishing methodology with the "heart-meaning" of angling. Offering a calm, insightful, experienced techniques to fish both as recreation and meditation, One Man's River is as much about communing with the soul of nature as it is about how to catch a flavorful fish dinner. Warren Smith's One Man's River is deeply satisfying reading and very highly recommended to anyone who has ever sought or experienced what fly-fishing and the essence of angling has to offer the human mind and soul.



The Gaming Shelf

Rifts Adventure Guide
Kevin Siembieda, et al.
Palladium Books
12455 Universal Drive, Taylor, MI 48180
1574570722 $21.95 palladiumbooks.com

The Rifts Adventure Guide is a core reference for aspiring and experienced adventurers in the world of role-playing games within the context of the Palladium gaming universe. This outstanding roleplay compendium is filled with over 150 adventure hooks, a basic guideline to creating, plotting, and every necessary to running an engaging RPG scenario. Although written for the Rifts multiverse, which blends aspects of both science fiction and technology, Rifts Adventure Guide contains a wealth of scenarios, principles, and fascinating characters that can be adapted to any RPG campaign. Enthusiastically recommended, especially for role gamers who are just beginning to acquaint themselves with the excitement and endless possibilities of the Rifts multiverse, the Rifts Adventure Guide holds to the highest standards of game play.

American Casino Guide
Steve Bourie
Casino Vacations
P.O. Box 703, Dania, FL 33004
188376811X $14.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated 2002 edition, the American Casino Guide is a superbly presented and highly recommended reference for both casual casino visitors and people with a yearning to learn more about the games and their odds. From a comparison of the house edge in different casino games to a brief study and focus upon individual games such as slot clubs, slot machines, video poker, blackjack, craps, roulette, and much more, to a state-by-state listing of the best casinos, American Casino Guide has it all. The 2002 edition pays for itself not only in terms of strategies to improve one's gaming skills, but also in more than $1000 worth of valuable casino coupons that can be clipped out of the book itself! If you are planning a visit to the gaming tables of Atlantic City or Las Vegas, begin with the 2002 edition of the American Casino Guide!



The Money/Finance Shelf

Saving Your Way To Success
Justin P. Ertelt
1stBooks Library
2511 West 3rd St., Bloomington IN 47404
158820099X $15.54 www.amazon.com

Justin Ertelt's Saving Your Way To Success is a very practical, "user friendly" guide to the art, craft, and science of saving money. The informative text is adroitly written for readers of all experience levels, from teenagers saving for college to workers nearing retirement age. From conserving money on needs and luxuries, to teaching fiscal responsibility to one's children, to budgeting one's time, to coping with debt and putting success in life first and foremost on one's list of goals, Saving Your Way To Success is a useful, motivational, no-nonsense book and highly recommended to anyone wanting to enhance their money management skills and secure their personal financial goals.

Be "Money Smart" In Real Estate, Investments, And Insurance
Robert J. Davis
21st Century Financial Publishing Corp.
P.O. Box 30159, Mesa, AZ 85275-0159
0970233906 $24.95 1-480-832-9930

Be "Money Smart" In Real Estate, Investments, And Insurance: Your Road Map to Wealth by financial expert and businessman Robert J. Davis is an extremely practical, "user friendly" guide to managing your money to the fullest. From saving thousands on house or condo deals, to avoiding long-term leases that threaten financial security, to weighing the value of "financial advisory services", to wisely investing with the ultimate goal of retiring in wealth and comfort, Be "Money Smart" In Real Estate, Investments, And Insurance is a substantial, accessible guide that teaches basic principles to readers of all experience levels in money management matters. Before choosing where to invest your hard-earned money, give a good, solid, careful reading of Be "Money Smart" In Real Estate, Investments, And Insurance.

Affordable Paradise
H. Skip Thomsen
Oregon Woodworks
P.O. Box 231091, Portland, OR 97281
0962596094 $12.95 www.amazon.com

Affordable Paradise: The Secrets Of An Affordable Life In Hawaii by long-time Hawaiian resident Skip Thomsen is a practical, straightforward book about living economically day-to-day in one of the most beautiful and sunny of America's 50 states. From finding a serviceable house for less than $100,000 to work and retirement opportunities, Affordable Paradise is an indispensable reference to consult for anyone seriously considering a move to Hawaii for the best of what island living has to offer, yet needing to live within budgetary constraints.

The Retirement Catch-Up Guide
Ellen Hoffman
Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, NY, NY 10017
1557045186 $14.95 www.amazon.com

The Retirement Catch-Up Guide: 54 Real-Life Lessons To Boost Your Future Resources Now! by journalist and financial expert Ellen Hoffman is a solid anthology of anecdotes, strategies, and useful advice for planning for one's retirement no matter how late in the game one is getting a good start at putting a little extra away. From learning good saving skills to making the most of a home equity to downsizing extravagant expenses in one's daily life, The Retirement Catch-Up Guide is a superbly presented resource for financial retirement planning and highly recommended for anyone contemplating retirement -- especially in this day and age with an uncertain future for the American government's Social Security program!

Wills Guide For America
Robert C. Waters, attorney
Self Counsel Press
1704 N. State St., Bellingham, WA 98225
155180283X $16.95 www.amazon.com

Designed and written for the non-specialist general reader by attorney Robert C. Waters, the Wills Guide For America is a first-rate and "user friendly" reference to planning one's own will according to proper American legal guidelines and procedures. Expressly developed for the layman by a seasoned and experienced professional, the Wills Guide For America covers the basics of estate administration, the naming an executor, the nature of trust funds, as well as featuring a step-by-step walk through of the entire process of creating a legal will, and much more. Highly recommended for every American who hasn't made a will yet, and the Wills Guide For America is a superbly crafted "how to" book to read carefully and employed confidently in creating one's own personal will and testament for the proper and lawful disposition of personal possessions, estates and legacies.

Life Insurance Made E-Z
The Silver Lake Editors
Silver Lake Publishing
2025 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
1563825112 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by The Silver Lake Editors, Life Insurance Made E-Z is a simple, practical, "user friendly" guide for people of all experience levels in financial matters. Written in unambiguous, easy-to-understand language for the non-specialist general reader, Life Insurance Made E-Z explains exactly what life insurance is, why it is useful, the difference between universal, variable, and group policies, tax issues, how coverage is priced, and much more. Anyone who is contemplating the purchase or revision of life insurance is wholeheartedly recommended Life Insurance Made E-Z; even a casual perusal of its solid advice can prevent many a financial headache!

101 Tax Saving Ideas
Randy Gardner & Julie Welch
Wealth Builders Press, LLC
800 West 47th Street, Suite 430, Kansas City, MO 64112
0963973452 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a sixth edition fully updated to include coverage of all aspects of the new federal tax laws, 101 Tax Saving Ideas is an expertly written, solid, detailed, reliable guide filled from cover to cover with tips, tricks, and techniques for reducing one's annual taxable income. From taking advantage of itemized deductions, investments, exemptions, fringe benefit plans and more, 101 Tax Saving Ideas is a first-rate contender written for non-specialist general readers of all levels of experience with the IRS reports and forms. Reading 101 Tax Saving Ideas offers year-round insights in financial planning - it's never too early or too late to start thinking about next year's taxes!



The Astronomy Shelf

The Cambridge Photographic Guide To The Planets
F. W. Taylor
Cambridge University Press
40 West 20th St., NY, NY 10011-4211
0521781833 $50.00 www.amazon.com

The Cambridge Photographic Guide To The Planets by Fred Taylor (Halley Professor of Physics, University of Oxford, and Distinguished Visiting Scientist, Earth and Space Sciences Division, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology) is a truly gorgeous book filled from cover to cover with full color astronomical photographs taken of planets, moons, and other heavenly bodies in our solar system. The descriptive text is scholarly, yet completely accessible to non-specialist general readers of a wide variety of educational backgrounds. The Cambridge Photographic Guide To The Planets is a splendid volume for anyone wanting to learn more about the celestial objects that are neighbor to Mother Earth, and would make a prized and appreciated addition to any personal, professional, academic, or community library astronomy collection.



The Jobs/Careers Shelf

How To Get A Job And Keep It
Susan Morem
Ferguson Publishing Company
200 West Jackson Boulevard, Suite 700, Chicago, IL 60606
0894343513 $16.95 www.amazon.com

How To Get A Job And Keep It is an in-depth career guide by career and workplace expert Susan Morem (president of the training and consulting firm Premier Presentation, Inc.) to finding the best job for one's talents and doing well in the workplace. From tips, tricks, and techniques to preparing a resume, applying for jobs and presenting oneself at interviews, to emulating the useful habits of successful people, improving communication skills and learning to properly handle customer service, How To Get A Job And Keep It offers a wealth of "user friendly" advice and is an excellent primer for career hunters regardless of background or experience levels in securing employment.

A View From The Tub
Millie Szerman
Stairwell Press
409 North Pacific Coast Highway, #900, Redondo Beach, CA 90277-2870
096724837X $17.95 stairwellpress.com

A View From The Tub: An Inspiring And Practical Guide To Working From Home by home-based public relations and marketing expert and consultant Millie Szerman is an excellent, candid, "user friendly" guide to operating a home-based business. From determining whether you have the self-discipline needed to work from home, to the tangled yet practical issues of licenses and finance, to tips, tricks, and techniques to keep one's business running smoothly to evaluating one's business with an unbiased eye, A View From The Tub is packed full of directly applicable wisdom for anyone who is operating or considering a home-based career. If you are contemplating your own home-based business, regardless of its product or service, you would profit enormously from reading Millie Szerman's A View From The Tub!

Careers In Private Security
Leigh Wade
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
158160309-6 $20.00 paladin-press.com

In writing Careers In Private Security: How To Get Started, How To Get Ahead, Security expert Leigh Wade draws upon his more than 30 years of practical experience and insight in working all manner of armed and unarmed private security positions. Strongly recommended reading crafted to be accessible to the non-specialist general reader, Careers In Private Security surveys a complete spectrum of positions in the security field ranging from the hierarchy of private security jobs beginning with the unarmed fixed-post positions, up through the ranks of armed guards, bouncers, corrections officers, armed couriers, bodyguard, and concluding with the newest positions of field-computer/information security specialists. Careers In Private Security offers reliable advice and instruction on how to find security jobs, what kind of training can be expected, the pros and cons of each type of security position, and what goes on in a typical security employee workday. If you aspire to enter the security job field, or wish to work yourself "up the ranks", then give a careful, considered reading of Leigh Wade's Careers In Private Security.

Cool Women, Hot Jobs
Tina Schwager & Michele Schuerger
Free Spirit
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
1575421097 $15.95 www.freespirit.com

Collaboratively written by Tina Schwager and Michele Schuerger, Cool Women, Hot Jobs... And How You Can Go For It, Too! is an superbly presented anthology of interviews with women in a wide variety of exciting and fun careers, ranging from choreography and planning weddings, to dolphin training, working for the FBI, writing, fashion design, serving as a fighter pilot, and many more. An upbeat, motivational book of limitless possibilities, Cool Women, Hot Jobs is very highly recommended for young women seeking to enter the workforce, and will prove a popular addition to both school and community Jobs/Careers reference collections.

Health Care Professionals Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired
Deborah Kendrick
AFB Press
c/o American Foundation for the Blind
11 Penn Plaza, Suite 300, New York, NY 10001
0891283889 $21.95 www.amazon.com

The newest edition to the AFB Press "Jobs That Matter" series, Health Care Professionals Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired is a straightforward career guide that compiles essays and job descriptions from a biomedical engineer, a massage therapist, a clinical psychologist, a radiology darkroom technician and much more. An excellent career guide, Health Care Professionals Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired is recommended for those who are sighted, sight impaired, or complete sightless. Also very highly recommended for school and community library "jobs/careers" reference collections are the other two titles in this outstanding series: Business Owners Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired (0891283242) and Teachers Who Are Blind Or Visually Impaired (0891283064).

Win Win Career Negotiations
Peter J. Goodman
Gut Instinct Press
1505 27th Street NW, Suite 3, Washington, DC 20007
0971390746 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Peter Goodman's Win Win Career Negotiations: All You Need To Know About Negotiating Your Employment Agreement is a dynamic and extremely practical guide to understanding and applying useful negotiation tactics when seeking employment regardless of the size or nature of the business or corporation being approached. Individual chapters address basic negotiation skills, interviews, settling issues about salary, stock options, benefits, severance packages, annual reviews and more. Offering the real-life experiences of successful executives as positive examples, Win Win Career Negotiations is a "must" for serious-minded job seekers determined to get the most out of their career opportunities!

Promoting Yourself
Hal Lancaster
Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave of the Americas, NY, NY 10020
0743213637 $24.00 1-800-456-6798

Promoting Yourself: 52 Lessons For Getting To The Top...And Staying There by journalist and columnist Hal Lancaster (The Wall Street Journal) is a solid business book packed with a wealth of practical tips, trips, and techniques to surviving office politics and new bosses, making oneself look good for promotion, improving one's negotiation and communication skills, and much more. A highly practical and sensible book for dedicated workers looking to earn a higher position in their chosen field, Promoting Yourself is especially recommended for the non-specialist general reader and a welcome contribution to community library Jobs/Careers reference collections.

Becoming a Social Worker
Manfred J. Melcher
White Hat Communications
Box 5390, Harrisburg, PA 17110-0390
1929109075 $17.95 www.amazon.com

Becoming A Social Worker is author and practicing social worker Manfred Melcher's personal account of his experiences in earning his certification as a master's social work student. Part memoir, part serious career study, Becoming a Social Worker offers the nuances of reflection in learning this demanding service profession, and encourages the reader to write down his or her own reflections and observations while following the path. Becoming A Social Worker is very highly recommended reading for anyone considering a career in social work, and a welcome addition to school and community library Jobs/Careers reference collections.

The Book Of U.S. Government Jobs
Dennis V. Damp
Bookhaven Press
249 Field Club Circle, Mckees Rocks, PA 15136
0943641217 $21.95 www.amazon.com

Now in a newly updated and expanded 8th edition, The Book Of U.S. Government Jobs: Where They Are, What's Available, & How To Get One by governmental employment resources expert Dennis V. Damp is a thorough, comprehensive, reliable reference for anyone considering a possible career in governmental public service. Individual chapters address the basics of governmental employment, and the processes of being interviewed and taking civil service exams, as well as jobs specifically for military veterans, overseas employment, the U.S. Postal service, law enforcement jobs and much more. An exhaustive reference with appendixes of contact lists for federal agencies, a straightforward checklist for job hunters, and much more, The Book Of U.S. Government Jobs is an essential, core guide suitable for government job seekers of all backgrounds and recommended for school guidance office, community job-center, and public library reference collections.



The Interior Design Shelf

Tile
Jill Herbers
Artisan
708 Broadway, NY, NY 10003-9555
1579652093 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Enhanced with the photography of Roy Wright, Tile is a gorgeous full-color book about tiles and their uses for both practicality and art throughout the centuries. From ancient tiles to the immense modern variety and applications of tiles in kitchens, bathrooms, walls, and outdoor ceramics today, Tile contains just about everything there is to know about the art and wonder of tiles. A fine reference work by architectural writer and interior design expert Jill Herbers and enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library collections, Tile will make any reader reconsider the beauty and wonder of a seemingly ordinary part of interior design.

Bar And Club Design
Bethan Ryder
Abbeville Press Publishers
22 Cortlandt St., New York, NY 10007
0789207532 $65.00 www.amazon.com

Bar And Club Design by London-based interior design and leisure expert Bethan Ryder is a simply gorgeous, amazing, and occasionally inspiring showcase of countless possibilities to create the perfect ambience for bars and clubs that feature drinking and dancing. Stunning color photography captures an eclectic variety of differing layouts covering internal moods from relaxed to energetic to post-modern. Supplemented by an exhaustive and informative text, as well as artistic perspectives and simple layout diagrams, Bar And Club Design is a superb and strongly recommended reference and a first-class source book for commercial interior designers and club owners seeking remodeling ideas.

Exotic Style
Sara Bliss
Rockport Publishers
33 Commercial St., Gloucester MA 01930
1564968626 $35.00 www.amazon.com

Exotic Style: Decorating Ideas From Around The World by freelance journalist Sara Bliss is an amazing, full-color photographic showcase of an incredible diversity of picturesque living atmospheres created from cultures and styles found around the world. The text addresses each new concept drawn from a different corner of the globe, and how it can be applied to create varied yet memorable results. There are design ideas, tips, and examples fro bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, outdoor rooms, patios and pools. Exotic Style is very highly recommended reading for interior designers of all experience levels ranging from the amateur do-it-yourselfer rearranging the look of their home or apartment, to the professional in search of inspiration for commissioned domestic interior designs.

The Center Of Attention
Ron Morgan
Half Full Press
1814 Franklin Street, #820, Oakland, CA 94612
1887137238 $49.95 www.amazon.com

Aside from a brief text forward, The Center Of Attention is a splendor-filled book that eschews mere words and devotes itself entirely to photographs of eye-catching and heart-stopping tablescapes using flowers, vegetables, and other plant themes as created by master floral designer Ron Morgan. Powerfully enhanced with a wealth of full-color photographs by Pamela J. (works of art in and of themselves), The Center Of Attention fully captures Morgan's beautiful floral design masterpieces ranging in a wide variety of moods from fresh spring morning to somber candlelight evening. The Center Of Attention is enthusiastically recommended for serious and dedicated students of floral design, as well as the non-specialist general reader with an appreciation of skilled and artistic flower arrangements.



The Poetry Shelf

Spirit Cabinet
David Wojahn
University of Pittsburgh Press
Eureka Building, 5th floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15260
0822957760 $12.95 www.amazon.com

Spirit Cabinet is a selection of intense poetry as a lens through which spirits of the other world may speak. Powerful, transcendent, insightful free verse by David Wojahn about contact across the border of life and death fill this haunting, sometimes bleak, sometimes miraculous volume from first page to last. And The Unclean Spirits Went Out Of The Man And Entered Into Swine (Mark 5:13): Terrible to dwell within the body of a man/who squats in his own shit among the tombs./Terrible his raiment, hair matted wild. Terrible the man/who wails his sorrow, scuttling in the grime/& littler of necropolis bone. O better instead to scurry/on these cloven feet, our tusks ashimmer,/better even this trance, this slither toward the sea,/the cliff where we hurl ourselves upon the breakers,/For we had tired of the ways of men & sought again/the Temple of the Four-Legged Thing, nave of sow-teat,/altar of snout & tusk, sacrament of bristle-hair, of penis bone/& musk gland. Here was our repose. But this God we bargained with,/as Gods will do, had tricked us all. & to the precipice we came./We the exiled, We the betrayed. We whose name is Legion.

Arcady
Donald Revell
Wesleyan University Press
110 Mt. Vernon Street, Middletown, CT 06459
0819564745 $12.95 wesleyan.edu/wespress

Arcady is a unique anthology of brief, free-verse poetry by Donald Revell that borrows inspiration from Charles Ives and Henry David Thoreau to create an American feel to its style, which mourns death yet embraces the natural splendor of the deserts of the Spring Mountains of Nevada. A moving, thoughtful selection that leads the reader to ponder and open oneself to what lies beyond death and grief. Nature A Corner For Me: Nature a corner for me/There will be no room/For my portrait//Besides I have seen/Enough people and horses/And extraordinary fish//.To dream like this/Was worth the trouble/Getting here//My other ideas/Seem premature/Like ghosts now//The most beautiful star/Is crossing me



The Education Shelf

From Emotions To Advocacy
Pam Wright & Pete Wright
Harbor House Law Press
P.O. Box 480, Hartfield, VA 23071
1892320088 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Collaboratively written by psychotherapist Pam Wright and attorney Pete Wright, From Emotions To Advocacy: The Special Education Survival Guide is an introduction and "how to" reference book written especially for parents and advocates of children with disabilities, regardless of the level of personal familiarity with the bureaucratic and legal maze of achieving the best possible learning environment. Filled with tips, tricks, and techniques as well as an immense wealth of resources, from Internet sites about learning disabilities to advocacy organizations to worksheets, forms, and sample letters to guide one's written communication. A superb reference, From Emotions To Advocacy is very highly recommended reading for all parents of children in need of some form of adapted or special education services, and should be found and available in all community library Parenting reference collections.

Homeschooling The Child With ADD
Lenore Colacion Hayes
Prima Publishing
3000 Lava Ridge Court, Roseville, CA 95661
0761535691 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Homeschooling The Child With ADD (Or Other Special Needs): Your Complete Guide To Successfully Homeschooling The Child With Learning Differences by experienced homeschooler and education specialist Lenore Colacion Hayes (Co-Director, BayShore School, California) is a comprehensive and thoroughly "parent friendly" guide to educating young children in the family home who have Attention Deficit Disorder, ADHD, learning disabilities, or other special learning needs. Individual chapters address the manifold tasks of transforming the non-specialist, concerned parent into an effective teacher, adapting special programs homeschooling needs, working with a learning challenged child of any age, much more. Homeschooling The Child With ADD (Or Other Special Needs) is a unique, very highly recommended, and most welcome addition to the growing library of homeschooling literature.

The Social And Emotional Development Of Gifted Children
Maureen Neihart, et al.
Prufrock Press
P.O. Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
1882664779 $29.95 1-800-998-2208

The Social And Emotional Development Of Gifted Children: What Do We Know? is a selection of erudite essays by a wide range of educated and experienced authors about the challenges of teaching gifted children, dealing with peer pressure, counseling needs, depression, attention deficit disorder, and much more. The essays are grouped into four thematic sections: Issues Deriving From Student Advancement Compared with Age Peers; Common Areas of Psychological Response; Gifted Children and Youth with Special Needs; Promising Practices and Interventions and Recommendations for Future Action. An eclectic and fascinating spectrum of issues pertaining to gifted children are given careful scrutiny in this serious, broad-minded and first-rate book which is highly recommended reading for teachers of gifted children everywhere.

Democratic Schools For Our Democracy
Dr. Mary B. Lane
Writers Club Press/iUniverse
5220 S. 16th St., #200, Lincoln, NE 68512
059519303X $15.95 www.amazon.com

Democratic Schools For Our Democracy by experienced educator Mary B. Lane (with the assistance of writer Quentin Baker) is an inspiring, thoughtful, experience-based compendium of suggestions regarding a variety of ways to open and improve America's educational system to teach children to be independent, political, and to better think for themselves about the tough choices facing the nation's future. From new means of teaching to effectively managing group discussions, Democratic Schools For Our Democracy is a highly recommended treatise about empowering young people and improving the school system's methods from the ground up.

Environmental Education
Joe E. Heimlich
Phi Delta Kappa Educational Foundation
Box 789, Bloomington, IN 47402-0789
0873678346 $TBA 1-800-766-1156

Environmental Education: A Resource Handbook is a collection of 40 "info sheets" developed by the Environmental Education and Training Partnership by the Ohio State University Extension and the OSU School of Natural Resources. From defining environmental education to integrating environmental education into classical and formal education and models that can be used for teaching, Environmental Education is a first-class sourcebook for teachers and home schoolers seeking to better incorporate a succinct knowledge of the planet, how it works, and how humans affect it into the environmental education curriculum.

Rhetoric Versus Reality
Brian P. Gill, et al.
RAND
Box 2138, Santa Monica, CA 90407-2138
0833027654 $15.00 www.rand.org

Collaboratively written by Brian P. Gill, P. Michael Timpane, Karen E. Ross, and Dominic J. Brewer, Rhetoric Versus Reality: What We Know And What We Need To Know About Vouchers And Charter Schools is a straight-on, analytical, thoroughly serious study on the politically hot issue of school vouchers and charter schools in America today. From examples of voucher and charter systems currently in practice, to their effectiveness on academic achievement and existing empirical evidence on the results of school choice and more, Rhetoric Versus Reality covers almost every aspect of this critical issue in a dispassionate, fact-filled and thorough manner. This is highly recommended reading for parents, educators, and lawmakers wanting to learn more about these complex and heavily debated options for America's school systems.

Teaching Conflict Resolution With The Rainbow Kids Program
Barbara Porro
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
087120598X $24.95 www.amazon.com

Teaching Conflict Resolution With The Rainbow Kids Program by education consultant and school staff developer Barbara Porro is a straightforward, user friendly, "how to" guide to implementing a program specially created to teach young students respect for the classroom and for one another. Using "sunny" and "cloudy" metaphors to convey human emotions, the Rainbow Kids story and program is a direct, easy-to-understand approach to help young people better learn the fundamental arts of self-control and cooperation with others. Teaching Conflict Resolution With The Rainbow Kids Program is a highly recommended contribution to teacher training supplement reading lists and academic curriculum development reference collections.

Writing Through Childhood
Shelley Harwayne
Heinemann/Reed Elsevier
361 Hanover St., Portsmouth, NH 03801
0325002908 $25.00 www.amazon.com

Writing Through Childhood: Rethinking Process And Product by Shelley Harwayne (Co-Director, Teachers College Writing Project; Founding Principal, Manhattan New School; and Superintendent of District #2) challenges modern conceptions on how to best teach writing and writing workshops to children. Drawing upon her ten-year experience as the principal of a school, and someone who personally watched children grow as writers from kindergarten through sixth grade, Writing Through Childhood is filled cover to cover with memories, samples, astute observations, and serious, personal experience of helping children learn to express and improve themselves. A fascinating read and highly recommended for both writing teachers of grade-school children.

Please Don't Call My Mother!
John Lazares & Coleen Armstrong
Parenting Press
P.O. Box 75267, Seattle, WA 98125
1884734618 $11.95 ParentingPress.com

Now in a newly revised and updated edition, Please Don't Call My Mother!: How Parents And Schools Can Team Up To Get Kids Back On Track by school administrator John Lazares and classroom teacher Coleen Armstrong is a straightforward treatise describing how parents and teachers can cooperate to help bring misbehaving kids back into good graces. From setting up parental interventions when necessary to guidelines for school principals, Please Don't Call My Mother! is packed with solid information, sometimes presented in concise point-by-point format, sometimes in question-and-answer format. Please, Don't Call My Mother! is a first-rate tip book for helping unruly kids.

Differentiated Instructional Strategies
Gayle H. Gregory & Carolyn Chapman
Corwin Press/Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks CA 91320
0761945512 $27.95 www.amazon.com

Differentiated Instructional Strategies: One Size Doesn't Fit All by educators and education specialists Gayle H. Gregory and Carolyn Chapman is an informative, "user friendly" guide specially written for classroom teachers, in order to introduce them to the method of differentiated instruction that involves carefully adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to the specific and individual learning needs of each student in the diverse classroom of a plural society. Individual chapters address the importance of creating a climate conducive to learning, effective curriculum approaches, assessing one's students and much more. A practical, persuasive, and useful guide, Differentiated Instructional Strategies is highly recommended reading for classroom educators and a seminal contribution to Teacher Education supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

In-Power! In-Love! In-Joy!
Mimi Greek & Suzanne Smith Tillman
Lighten-up Publishing
16245 North 16th Street, Phoenix, AZ 85022
097042972X $24.95 1-877-213-6900

Collaboratively written by classroom educators Mimi Greek and Suzanne Smith Tillman, In-Power! In-Love! In-Joy! is the first book in the interactive "MasterMind DreamMaker" series. Filled with simple, vibrant color illustrations, In-Power! In-Love! In-Joy! offers pages of fun and "user friendly" educational activities that parents and teachers can take advantage of to enable children to build independence, self-reliance, self-esteem, and life-long learning habits in their inquisitive young minds. A highly positive and motivational book meant to be shared between adults and young people, In-Power! In-Love! In-Joy! is a highly recommended supplement for classroom curriculums and homeschool instructional activities.

Some Of My Best Friends Are Books
Judith Wynn Halsted
Great Potential Press
P.O. Box 5057, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
0910707510 $26.00 giftedbooks.com

Now in a revised and updated second edition, Some Of My Best Friends Are Books: Guiding Gifted Readers From Preschool To High School by educator, librarian, counselor and parent Judith Wynn Halsted is a down-to-earth, imminently practical, thoroughly helpful guide for parents, teachers, librarians, counselors, tutors, and anyone else who works with young people excelling in literary skills and talents. Individual chapters address finding the right books that challenge and enrich a child's joy of reading the most; how books can stimulate emotional and intellectual development; the value of reading guidance such as reading aloud to young children; and much more. Enhanced with an annotated bibliography of almost three hundred books on promoting intellectual and emotional development in children preschool through twelfth grade, Some Of My Best Friends Are Books is highly recommended especially for those teachers, homeschooling parents, and other care givers who are dealing with boys and girls of above average intellect and scholastic promise.



The International Studies Shelf

War On America
James R. Mancham
Paragon House
2700 University Avenue West, St. Paul, MN 55114
1557788154 $12.95 www.amazon.com

Written by James R. Mancham (the founding President of the Republic of Seychelles, a small island nation in the Pacific), War On America: Seen From The Indian Ocean is a cold, hard, factual look at American foreign policy and its ramifications since the 1960s, from this island nation's point of view. Covering events up to and including the September 11 terrorist attacks, War On America is a straightforward, candid, outside perspective that reveals the sometimes arbitrary and self-serving aspect of America's view toward the world, and its repercussions. Informed and informative, War On America is strongly recommended as a very insightful book and important, timely reading for students of contemporary international studies in general, and the non-specialist general reader wanting background information on how we as a nation became embroiled in a long term war upon "stateless" terrorism.

The Heart Of The War In Columbia
Constanza Ardila Galvis
Kumarian Press
1294 Blue Hills Avenue, Bloomfield, CT 06002
1899365427 $22.95 www.amazon.com

The Heart Of The War In Columbia by exiled Columbian journalist Constanza Ardila Galvis is a serious, sober look at the depths of human conflict in that very troubled Latin American country. Unequivocally characterizing the clash between the government and the guerrilla forces as the longest-running civil war in Latin America, The Heart Of War In Columbia examines the root causes of this deadly strife, the toll it takes upon people, and yet projects the enduring hope for the a better, peaceful future, one that stretches beyond the injustice of the present into a national comity for the generations to come. The Heart Of The War In Colombia is very highly recommended reading for students of contemporary Latin American studies in general, and the nation of Columbia in particular.

Russia Under Yeltsin And Putin
Boris Kagarlitsky
Pluto Press
22883 Quicksilver Dr, Sterling, VA 20166
074531502X $24.95 www.amazon.com

Ably translated into English by Renfrey Clarke, Russia Under Yeltsin And Putin by Boris Kagarlitsky (Senior Research Fellow, Institute for Comparative Political Studies, Russian Academy of Sciences) is a compelling contemporary political analysis of the radical changes that have reshaped the former Soviet Union during the last twenty years. From the influence of "Westernism" to the twilight of the "Second Republic" and the uncertain future of Putin's new government, Russia Under Yeltsin And Putin is a fascinating study, and highly recommended for Russian Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.



The Self-Help Shelf

A Random Walk
John G. Minichielli
Lonestar Publishing
6411 Birch Lane, Suite 101, Lantana, FL 33462
0971776709 $14.95 arandomwalk.com

John Minichielli's A Random Walk: Towards Health, Happiness, Sexual Awareness And Spiritual Enlightenment is a "reader friendly" self-help blend of the benefits of science and the rewards of spirituality in the journey toward gaining more satisfaction out of life. From maintaining health in mind and body to the quest for true, personal happiness and finding meaning in daily joy, A Random Walk is an insightful, occasionally inspiring, very highly recommended guide to self-improvement which is filled with thoughtful observations and motivational advice from cover to cover.

Inspired By Miracles
Dan Joseph
Quiet Mind Publishing
P.O. Box 4024, Greenwich, CT 06831
0971626707 $12.00 www.amazon.com

Inspired By Miracles by technology trainer and business communications consultant Dan Joseph is a book of "spiritual psychotherapy" inspired by the principles of "A Course in Miracles" and focuses on three primary themes: miracles, relationships, and inner guidance. A gentle, encouraging, and reader friendly self-help book about opening oneself to the wondrous mysteries of life and learning to see so-called ordinary things in a new light that reveals the grandeur in the everyday, Inspired By Miracles is uplifting, rewarding, strongly recommended for spirituality enhancement, self-improvement oriented, and strongly recommended for personal improvement reading lists and reference collections.

Give To Your Heart's Content Without Giving Yourself Away
Linda R. Harper
Innisfree Press
136 Roumfort Rd, Philadelphia, PA 19119
1880913526 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Give To Your Heart's Content Without Giving Yourself Away by clinical psychologist and workshop leader Linda R. Harper is a practical-minded, "user friendly" book specifically written for volunteers, caregivers, and workers in social services. Focusing on how giving affects one personally, and finding balance between sacrifice and a healthy, well-adjusted life, Give To Your Heart's Content Without Giving Yourself Away is a powerful testimony and guide to enriching one's life without becoming a martyr, and very highly recommended for the non-specialist general reader undertaking a responsibility for the well-being of another individual as a caregiver or volunteer.

How To Live Happily Ever After
Marilee McLeod
Xulon Press
11350 Random Hills Road, Suite 800, Fairfax, VA 22030
1931232776 $14.99 www.amazon.com

How To Live Happily Ever After: A Guide For Successful Living by Marilee McLeod is an inspirational guidebook to personal growth, finding a career that is both emotionally and financially rewarding, how to stay connected with one's child, and how to best find meaning and wonder in one's life. Written by a devout Christian mother (and grandmother of five), How To Live Happily Ever After focuses on overcoming one's weaknesses, the importance of self-discipline and moral values, and the strength that comes from faith in God. A profound, spiritual, and well written self-improvement book, How To Live Happily Ever After ranges from the four necessary steps too any form of personal growth, to learning experiences that colleges offer beyond class course work, to the four most valuable gifts any parent can give their child, to finding the courage to work through the death of a loved one, and much, much more. If you only have the time and energy to read one self-help, self-improvement book, then make it Marilee McLeod's How To Live Happily Ever After.

The Total Man
D. J. Brown
Picasso Publications, Inc.
10548-115 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T5H 3K6
http://www.picassopublications.com
1552790401 $10.95 1-877-250-2665

Of marital self-help guidebooks and "how to" relationship improvement manuals there seems no end -- and if you've read one of them you've read them all. All, that is, except for Donna Brown's The Total Man, a superbly written parody that is as helpful as it is laugh-out-loud funny! With her undeniable flair for satire, Brown packs an impressive quantity (and quality) of helpful insights and practical advice that is all the more effective for being presented in a totally "reader friendly" format. If you are in a marriage or a relationship that seems to need working on, begin your pre-repair strategies by reading The Total Man!



The Women's Studies Shelf

Common Threads
Diane S. Kaimann
Baywood Publishing Company
c/o Adventures In Media
4927 Bridgeville Lane, Spring TX 77388
0895032643 $38.95 www.amazon.com

It was when Diane Kaimann's husband died unexpectedly while scuba-diving in Hawaii that she was compelled to deal with the devastating condition of widowhood and began the sometimes painful, sometimes surprising, and ultimately rewarding process of reshaping her life. Common Threads: Nine Widows' Journeys Through Love, Loss, And Healing is a tremendously powerful book based upon her own experiences and those of eight other women having to adapt and overcome the grief and deal with the inevitable and sometimes traumatic life changes that come from losing a beloved spouse. Personal testimonies are the highlight of this profound, sincere, insightful, and ultimately inspiring book about sadness, and hope, and learning how to remember love. A treasure of emotional wisdom and insight, Common Threads is highly recommended, invaluable reading for anyone faced with the loss of a spouse and the necessity of working through their grief and reweaving the fabric of their life.

I Gotta Crow
Jill Hackett
The Writer/Kalmbach Publishing
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187
0871161931 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Jill Hackett's I Gotta Crow: Women, Voice, And Writing, is a book about women writers finding the voice within and letting it out onto the page. The first section deals with useful guidelines for finding one's voice and conveying it; the second consists of personal interviews with an eclectic variety of female authors who discuss the nature and implications of the voice in their work. An excellent survey of the soul of women's writing, I Gotta Crow is a strongly recommended addition to personal and academic "Women's Studies" and "Writing Skills Development" supplemental reading lists and reference collections.

Repossessing The World
Helen M. Buss
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
75 University Avenue West, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada N2L 3C5
088920408X $39.95 www.amazon.com

Repossessing The World: Reading Memoirs By Contemporary Women by Helen M. Buss (Professor of English, University of Calgary) is an eclectic anthology literary criticism of diverse memoirs of a variety of modern women. From analytic insight into "The Woman Warrior" by Maxine Hong Kingston to a thoughtful, scholarly discussion of the memoirs written by women as studied in modern academics, Repossessing The World is a fascinating, seminal, challenging, and at times iconoclastic, college-level discourse of the hidden depths in writing by female authors and highly recommended for serious students of women's studies and contemporary literary criticism.

Girl Gets World
Tamara Dorris, MA, CHT
Writers Club Press/iUniverse.com, Inc.
5220 South 16th Street, #200, Lincoln, NE 68512-1274
0595187935 $13.95 www.amazon.com

Tamara Dorris' Girl Gets World: Becoming A Better You is a practical self-help book for women who are ready to achieve more success in their lives. Individual chapters address the importance of prioritizing health over beauty, finding balance in one's personal and professional lives, understanding exactly what success means to you in order to better focus on attaining your goals, and more. A vibrant, enthusiastic, and candid guide, Girl Gets World is strongly recommended reading for any woman of any age or background life experiences wanting to advance themselves in their chosen areas of opportunity or responsibility, as well as generally improving the qualities and satisfactions of their personal and professional lives.



The Genealogy Shelf

Pocket Guide To Irish Genealogy
Brian Mitchell
Clearfield Company
200 East Eager St., Baltimore, MD 21202
0806351225 $12.95 1-410-625-9004

Now in an updated second edition, genealogist Brian Mitchell's Pocket Guide To Irish Genealogy is a slim yet information-packed volume of information on reference sources to tracing ancestry in Ireland, including the 1901 and 1911 census to school registers, registry of deeds, estate records and much more. Of special note is the section dealing with Irish Genealogy and the Internet, and its guide to some of the most useful sites. A highly recommended, "user friendly" primer for beginning genealogists who wish to trace Irish ancestry, Brian Mitchell's Pocket Guide To Irish Genealogy also has much to commend it to experienced genealogists in need of a refresher for work with Irish genealogical research assignments.



The Martial Arts Shelf

Tai Chi Secrets Of The Wu Style
Dr. Yang, Jwing-Ming
YMAA Publication Center
4354 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
1886969175 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Tai Chi Secrets Of The Wu Style is a selection of carefully translated wisdom concerning secrets of the ancient Tai Chi martial art of self defense, personal fitness, and balance. Passages are shown in their original Chinese characters, then rendered into English with a careful and detailed explanation of the nuances of their meaning. Highly recommended for Tai Chi devotees who seek a greater understanding of this martial art, Tai Chi Secrets Of The Wu Style is a welcome and invaluable addition to any personal martial arts reading list or reference collection.



The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Garland Of Mahamudra Practices
Khenchen Konchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche
Snow Lion Publications
P.O. Box 6843, Ithaca, NY 14851
1559391731 $16.95 www.amazon.com

The Garland Of Mahamudra Practices by Khenchen Kongchog Gyaltshen Rinpoche (found of the Tibetan Meditation Center, Frederick, Maryland) is a practical text of instructions and guidance for students who seek to follow the path of Mahamudra, or the Great Seal, a means of personal, spiritual enlightenment as taught by the Buddha and passed down among exemplary disciples Tilopa, Naropa, Marpa, Milarepa, and Gampopa to create a five-fold path encompassing enlightened motivation, deity yoga, guru yoga, mahamudra and proper dedication. Expertly translated into English by Katherine Rogers, The Garland Of Mahamudra Practices is a text of wisdom transcending generations, and a very highly recommended addition to Buddhist studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference collections.

Mind Over Matter
Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing
2910 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94702
0898003229 $16.95 1-800-873-4276

Mind Over Matter: Reflections On Buddhism In The West by Buddhist monk Tarthang Tulku focuses upon Tibetan Buddhism in the world today, both inside and outside the borders of Tibet. Mind Over Matter addresses the question of how the Dharma can benefit our lives today, the purpose and meaning of Dharma, its transforming wisdom, and much more in this thoughtful, carefully worded selection of ponderings and evaluations on the way of the Buddha. An intriguing perspective on Tibetan Buddhism in the modern-day world, which is greatly changed from the world of the Buddha himself, Mind Over Matter is a welcome contribution the growing body of Buddhist literature and enthusiastically recommended reading for all students of Buddhist philosophy and practices.

It is necessary for the establishment of tyranny over the minds of men to first burn the books of freedom, and then destroy those who read them.


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