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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 23, Number 5 May 2013 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Art Shelf Humor Shelf
Psychology Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Business Shelf
Poetry Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Islamic Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Computer Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Memoir Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf Crafts Shelf Photography Shelf
Education Shelf Cookbook Shelf Sports Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Library CD Shelf
Library DVD Shelf Gardening Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Genealogy Shelf Interior Design Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Military Shelf Travel Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Judicial Studies Shelf Music Shelf
Political Science Shelf Terrorism Studies Shelf Science Shelf
Botany Shelf Money/Finance Shelf African-American Studies Shelf
Relationship Shelf Anthropology Shelf Economic Studies Shelf
Agriculture Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Criminology Shelf
Library Science Shelf International Studies Shelf Large Print Shelf
Native American Studies Shelf Mathematics Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Architecture Shelf Mythology Shelf Reference Shelf
Wisconsin Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Reforming the Postal Sector in the Face of Electronic Competition
Michael A. Crew and Paul R. Kleindorfer
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9780857935793 $185.00 www.e-elgar.com

Originating in a selection of papers first offered at the 20th Conference on Postal and Delivery Economics in Brighton, UK, Reforming the Postal Sector in the Face of Electronic Competition is a must-read for anyone who has to deal with the grim reality that the United States and European postal services currently face - that competition from e-mail, social media, etc. has drastically reduced revenue. How can a wide-ranging, universal coverage delivery service remain financially solvent when its electronic competition is "free"? A diversity of experts and professionals scrutinize different facets of the conundrum in "Segmentation and nonlinear pricing in the postal sector", "Optimization of the United States postal retail network by applying GIS and econometric tools", "The proposed reform of EU rules on public procurement: a postal sector perspective", "Dynamic letter volume models: how does an economic downturn affect substitution propensities?" and much more. Charts, graphs, and references pepper this excellent and desperately needed effort to scrutinize a very real problem of an insolvent post office - the collapse of which would hurt society's poorest and most needy citizens (the ones who cannot afford the computers/cell phones/internet service to do all their correspondence and banking online). Highly recommended.

The Chinese Information War
Dennis F. Poindexter
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780786472710, $40.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com

Information is becoming the most vital thing to superpower dominance in the modern age. "The Chinese Information War: Espionage, Cyberwar, Communications Control, and Related Threats to United States Interests" analyzes the potential of a cyberwar between the United States and China, discussing the potential concerns over this conflict and how America must come to more completely understand its place in defending its interests in cyberspace. Curious and insightful about a conflict that is already under way, "The Chinese Information War" is a strong addition to current events and international issues collections, recommended.

Underground Engineering For Sustainable Urban Development
National Research Council of the National Academies
PO Box 741500
Atlanta, GA 30374-1500
9780309278249, $59.00, www.nap.edu

Space seems a luxury for many, so the underground may prove even more appealing. "Underground Engineering for Sustainable Urban Development" discusses the importance of underground engineering in modern urban planning. Chapters elaborate on understanding underground infrastructure, the risks that building like this can pose, sustaining, expanding, and keeping the project healthy and moving from countless angles. Comprehensive in its approach, "Underground Engineering for Sustainable Urban Development" is a core addition to any urban planning and management reference collection, enthusiastically recommended.

Mediator's Handbook, fourth edition
Jennifer Beer & Caroline C. Packard with Eileen Stief
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717220, $29.95, www.newsociety.com

The fourth updated, revised edition of Mediator's Handbook provides a winning resource to businesses, training programs and more and has been extensively revised to reflect the latest practices and research on the topic of mediation. From first contact with parties to tailoring a resolution to any conflicts, MEDIATOR'S HANDBOOK packs in the basics on concepts, skills, and approaches mediators need to know to reach decisions and support cooperative efforts. Sidebars of information cover everything from drafting agreements to directing conversations, and provide all the basics mediators need to know to produce a positive, effective outcome from a session. A 'must' for any who would practice the finer art of mediation between opposing sides.

The Bonobo and the Atheist
Frans de Waal
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393073775, $27.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates comes from a primatologist who argues that human morality comes from within - and uses his observations of chimps and bonobos to reinforce his concept. New evidence for the roots of ethical behavior patterns come from primate studies and are presented in a title that blends stories of his observations with philosophical and spiritual analysis. The result is a fine, positive interpretation of the evolutionary process which succeeds in analyzing science without putting down religion as a whole. Any science or spirituality holding will welcome this thoughtful discussion.

The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook, fourth edition
Randolph Hock
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike
Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781937290023, $24.95, www.infotoday.com

The fourth updated edition of The Extreme Searcher's Internet Handbook: A Guide for the Serious Searcher is a recommendation for readers who already have the basic skills of conducing an Internet search, but who want to go the next level. It comes from an award-winning writer and internet trainer who covers all the search strategies and tools for major internet content, from directories and portals to social networks. Tips for using Web 2.0 resources will appeal to advanced web searchers in particular, including librarians and teachers who need to conduct better searches to find what they need. A 'must' for any computer and general reference collection.

Surviving Wildfire
Linda Masterson
PixyJack Press
PO Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
9781936555154, $16.95, www.pixyjackpress.com

Surviving Wildfire: Get Prepared Stay Alive Rebuild Your Life offers a guide to any homeowner worried about wildfire dangers to their home, and comes from an author and researcher who escaped with only her life when her home burned to the ground in a wildfire in 2011. This book is all about survival on better levels, teaching homeowners how to be better prepared, how to stay alive during the fire, and how to rebuild if it does strike.

Badass: Ultimate Deathmatch
Ben Thompson
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062112347, $16.99, www.harpercollins.com

Badass: Ultimate Deathmatch: Skull-Crushing True Stories of the Most Hardcore Duels, Showdowns, Fistfights, Last Stands, Suicide Charges, and Military Engagements of All Time is difficult to categorize: any library strong in military topics, sports, and history will find it a solid collection of descriptions of warriors who fought under all kinds of circumstances. The format is designed to blend entertainment value with history, depicting some 40 different battles organized by time period and accompanied by vivid graphics. The result is a fine collection perfect for general libraries and any interested in an unusually vivid historical approach.

Entertaining Elephants
Susan Nance
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421408293, $55.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Entertaining Elephants: Animal Agency and the Business of the American Circus provides an important history that will appeal to entertainment and natural history holdings alike, analyzing the history and evolving career of the circus elephant. Elephant behavior analysis blends with a narrowed focus studying elephants as actors in the American circus between 1800 and 1940, providing the first account of animals that uses research on animal welfare to re-interpret historical record. Chapters offer new insights on interactions between animal performers and people, and provide in-depth analysis that college-level audiences in particular will find enlightening. Any collection strong in animal rights and history will find this a revealing survey.

Where's Meriden?
Hiram M. Drache
Hobar Publications
c/o Finney Company
8075 - 215th Street West
Lakeville, MN 55044
9780913163474 $29.95 www.finneyco.com

Where's Meriden? The Demise of Small Town U.S.A. is a fascinating examination of the history and economy of author Hiram M. Drache's home town of Meriden, Minnesota from 1855 to the modern day. Although there is a fair amount of information about ordinary people, as well as Drache's own family, the primary focus traces an evolving pattern in American agriculture. A century ago, small towns like Meriden existed to serve small farmers and agricultural communities. As agricultural technology improved, farming required less labor, and food prices became cheaper. Over time this drastically reduced the number of agricultural jobs available, and priced inefficient small farmers out of the market as more efficient industrialized agriculture took over. Thus, small towns like Meriden were no longer useful, as nearly all the agricultural farmers and workers they once served moved to (or commuted to) the cities, where the jobs were. Where's Meridan? does not pass judgment on those who lament the loss of the rural way of life, but does point out that America's need for cheap food made these transformations effectively inevitable. An absorbing, accessible chronicle that remembers the human element of rural American history yet doesn't miss the forest for its trees, Where's Meriden? is highly recommended.

Fit for a Frankenstein
Paul McComas & Greg Starrett
Walkabout Publishing
PO Box 151
Kansasville, WI 53139
www.walkaboutpublishing.com
9781482622331 $8.99 www.amazon.com

Award-winning author Paul McComas and debut co-author Greg Starrett have prepared a fresh, funny, and highly recommended novella. Suitable for readers of all ages, Fit for a Frankenstein is a rambunctious riff on classic 1940's horror movies. Ygor is an expert body snatcher capable of surviving a hanging, and his friend Frankenstein inspires fear wherever the two of them go. When they come to a small alpine town, they find themselves at odds with local tailor Klaus Hauptschmidt and his ebullient teenage daughter Gretl. A monstrously wild adventure ensues!

The Way North
Ron Riekki, editor
Wayne State University Press
The Leonard N. Simons Building
4809 Woodward Avenue
Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814338650, $18.95, http://wsupress.wayne.edu

The upper peninsula of Michigan has crafted its own culture, independent from the rest of the state. "The Way North: Collected Upper Peninsula New Works" is a collection of poetry and fiction from authors who call that northern peninsula of the state home, sharing their own insight and introspection throughout on the unique nature of this sub-state. "The Way North" is a powerful and much recommended addition to literary compilations focusing on the Midwest.

Everyday Las Vegas
Rex J. Rowley
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166
Reno, NV, 89557-0166
9780874179057, $39.95, www.unpress.nevada.edu

Las Vegas is more than a flashy tourist trap... for some, it's home. "Everyday Las Vegas: Local Life in a Tourist Town" discusses the lives of the people who choose to live in Sin City, growing up there, raising families with the bright lights and casinos not too far away. Touching on the many topics that people might not realize are a major focus for those who live in the town, offering a social and economic insight into the lives of the people who call the town home, "Everyday Las Vegas" is a fascinating and much recommended addition to history and social issues collections, and for those who want another perspective on the city.


The Art Shelf

Carpets from Islamic Lands
Friedrich Spuhler
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500970430 $31.95 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Brilliantly illustrated with full-color photography on almost every page (including some of carpets that have never before had printed reproductions), Carpets from Islamic Lands is the third volume in a series cataloguing the al-Sabah Collection in Kuwait. Over forty carpets embodying the rich artistic history of Egypt, Turkey, Persia, the Caucasus and India. The text goes well beyond thumbnail captions, delving into the histories behind particular patterns and designs. Carpets from Islamic Lands is an artbook treasure, highly recommended especially for college library collections.

Fabric Surface Design
Cheryl Rezendes, author
Storey Publishing
210 MASS MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603428118 $29.95 www.storey.com

"Fabric Surface Design" is a beautiful craft text for fabric designers and enhancers. Here are specific instructions illustrated with color photographs for fabric painting, stamping, rubbing, stenciling, silk-screening, soy wax and flour resists, image transfer, marbling crayons and colored pencils, batik, nature prints, and monotype printing, plus further suggestions to inspire fiber artists to explore new techniques and mediums. Additional instructions for using fabric paints instead of dyes are provided. An emphasis on innovation and use of layering techniques to achieve complex and pleasing results is featured, as well as a chapter on choosing colors informed by color theory. "Fabric Surface Design" is a treasure trove of ideas for the novice or experienced fabric designer/textile artist.

Yue Minjun
Francois Jullien and Ouyang Jianghe
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500970485 $45.00 www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Featuring text in both French and English, Yue Minjun is an artbook showcasing the prodigious Chinese artist, considered a founder of the "Cynical Realism" art movement that followed the violent suppression of the 1989 student demonstrations in Tiananmen Square. Yue Minjun's striking to the edge of notorious art style involves laughing male figures, usually twisted self-portraits or multiplied through repetition, often distorted into bizarre poses or staged in faux executions scenes. The result is disturbing, at times evoking the uncanny valley, and a biting satire of modern Chinese society. A wealth of Yue Minjun's sketches, drawings, and full-color painting are showcased, alongside an extensive and nuanced interview. An absolute "must-read" for anyone seeking to better understand this offbeat yet influential artist, ideal for college library collections.

Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971-2012
Wendy Steiner, essayist
Hudson Hills Press
PO Box 205
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953768, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Boaz Vaadia (born November 13, 1951 in Gat Rimon, Israel) is an accomplished figurative art sculptor best known for working with bluestone slate. In 2009, Vaadia installed the large sculpture "Asa & Yehoshafat - 2000 - Bronze, Bluestone, Boulder" in Independence Park, Tel Aviv, Israel. The piece was donated to the city by a private donor as part of the Tel Aviv Centennial Celebration. In 2004, Vaadia installed the large sculpture "Asaf and Yo'ah - 2000 - Bluestone, Boulder" at the Time Warner Center in New York City. In 1995, Vaadia's sculpture "Zur With Dog - 1989 - Bronze, Bluestone" was selected from the Norton Museum of Art in Florida and shown in the Twentieth Century American Sculpture exhibit in the White House Rose Garden. Enhanced with the inclusion of an informed and informative essay on the artist and his work by Wendy Steiner, "Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971-2012" is a 284 page coffee table art book compendium showcasing Vaadia's sculptures in full color and with captions. An impressive body of work beautifully reproduced by Hudson Hills Press, "Boaz Vaadia: Sculpture 1971-2012" is a highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Modern Art and Sculpture reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Phaidon Focus Series
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor
New York, NY 10014
$22.95 each www.phaidon.com

Phaidon Press continues its tradition of eye-opening, unforgettable visual art books with the Phaidon Focus Series, a reader-friendly collection of books profiling modern (post-WW II) artists. Designed to be well-rounded introductions, each book features both black-and-white and full-color illustrations of the selected artist's works on practically every other page, as well as accessible, in-depth text about the artist's life, creative processes, and contributions. Titled after the artists they survey, the first six volumes of this exceptional series are "Andy Warhol" (9780714861586) by Joseph D. Ketner II, "David Smith" (9780714861562) by Joan Pachner, "Anselm Kiefer" (9780714861432) by Matthew Biro, "Robert Rauschenberg" (9780714861517) by Catherine Craft, "Francis Bacon" (9780714861333) by Martin Hammer, and "Brice Marden" (9780714861449) by Eileen Costello. Another six titles about Joseph Beuys, Jasper Johns, Henri Matisse, Georgia O'Keeffe, Jackson Pollock and Cindy Sherman are forthcoming in this superb and accessible series, worthy of the highest recommendation especially for public and college library Art History shelves.

Creative Freedom
Maggie Price
North Light Books
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
9781440320989, $26.99, www.artistsnetwork.com

CREATIVE FREEDOM: 52 ART IDEAS, PROJECTS AND EXERCISES TO OVERCOME YOUR CREATIVITY BLOCK tells how to get started in art and how to become unstuck. Over fifty strategies for getting out of an artistic rut and trying something new make for a fine guide synthesizing the experiences of over twenty artists who have successfully achieved new freedom and expression. Each approach is illustrated with a step-by-step painting demonstration and teaches the basics of creating outside the box, from painting with your other hand to limiting your palette and achieving abstract results from landscape detail paintings. The result is a recommended exercise guide for any 'stuck' artist and for artists' libraries looking for inspirational guides with concrete exercises.

Mignonette Yin Cheng
Marvin Eisenberg, et.al.
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953577, $60.00, www.hudsonhillspress.com

Mignonette Yin Cheng's works have been widely displayed and presented in numerous private and public collections, so it's a pleasure to see a catalog devoted entirely to her works. Her watercolors and art combines Eastern and Western perspectives in an array of themes and subjects, with oil and collages complimenting her watercolors. She passed away in 2009 but her work lives on and continues to gain recognition, and this catalog belongs in the collection of any serious art library, offering large-size color photos capturing the range and extent of her talents.

Flowers in Art
Cindy Ann Coldiron
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342394, $29.99, www.schifferbooks.com

FLOWERS IN ART: CONTEMPORARY INTERNATIONAL ARTISTS provides a lively collection of floral artists and designers - some fifty - around the world, and includes photography, botanical drawings, glass and wood work, and all kinds of mediums. Any who love flowers or flower art will find this packed with striking images - and even better, with in-dept commentary from each flower artist on how they perceive, create and enjoy flower art. From artistic vision to emotional responses, this surveys all aspects of the inspiration and creation process and serves as a fine guide for any working with flower art pieces, appreciating the range of flower art being produced today, or planning an interior design featuring flower art pieces.

Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com

Vine Hemingson's THE TATTOO PROJECT: BODY. ART. IMAGE (9780764342455, $45.00) provides the final results of works by some 11 art photographers who shot portraits of some 100 heavily tattooed individuals. Photographer Vince Hemingson fostered the event which placed models and photographers in a workshop for a multiple-day shoot that produced thousands of photos: this packs in over 200 images and provides an amazing variety of tattoo art - but also profiles different photographer perspectives in capturing this art. The result is a powerful survey that will interest a wide variety of collections, from tattoo art libraries to those interested in photographic art and tattoo subjects. Chris Coppola and Frederic Claquin's TATTOOISME (9780764342981, $39.99) gathers the works of nearly forty internationally acclaimed tattoo artists under one cover, discusses their devotion to an art and styles which move beyond traditional boundaries, and packs in well over three hundred images of tattoo art. It's packed with inspiration and includes portraits of the artists themselves, and is a solid pick for any definitive tattoo art collection.

Carrying on Irregardless
Peter Morin, Martine J. Reid, Mike Robinson, authors
Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art
c/o Harbour Publishing
Po Box 219, Madeira Park, BC, V0N 2H0
9780981234120 $24.95 www.harbourpublishing.com

"Carrying on Irregardless: Humour in Contemporary Northwest Coast Art" is a marvelous book summarizing the first art exhibition to focus on humour in Northwest Coast First Nations art, mounted at the Bill Reid Gallery of Northwest Coast Art in Vancouver. Included are over 100 spectacular and wildly funny color photographs of artwork by 28 highly respected Northwest Coast artists. There are some hilarious moments in this unusual art book, including the cover artwork titled "Things Are Looking Native, Natives Are Looking Whiter (a split black and white photograph showing half a young Native American woman with a squash blossom hairstyle and half showing Carrie Fisher as Princess Leia in Star Wars, wearing a squash blossom hairstyle)," by Nicholas Galanin, giclee, 2012. One of the reviewer's favorites is "Breakfast Series," by Sonny Assu, a mixed media artwork digitally printed on a foam core representing cereal boxes with Native American-transformed art and titles, such as Frosted Treaty Flakes, or Salmon Loops, Lucky Beads, or Bannock Pops. Here are some seriously ironic yucks for those who are awake and paying attention. To help the reader appreciate the full impact of this unusual art form and expression, there are three essays by esteemed Northwest Coast art critics: "Another One Bites the Dust" by Peter Morin, "The Irony of Things: Humour in Contemporary Northwest Coast Art" by Marine Reid, and "Northwest Coast Humour: Informing Our Struggle in the World" by Mike Robinson. In addition, there are brief artist biographical profiles of 24 contributing Native American artists at the end of the book. However, this is not a book that needs to be overexplained. If the reader relaxes, the inner meaning of each artwork is unavoidable and brilliant.


The Humor Shelf

Tails Don't Lie
Adrian Raeside
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
9781550175998 $12.95 www.harbourpublishing.com

Tail Don't Lie is an uproarious, full-color collection of canine-themed comic strips by editorial cartoonist and dog lover Adrian Raeside. Mixed-breed Koko, pure breed Sakura, their loving (if sometimes exasperated) owners, and more friends engage in foibles that show how dogs rescue humans just as often as humans rescue dogs. "'Did you do anything for your mom on Mother's Day, Koko?' 'I sure did! Every Mother's Day, I'd bring my mom a dog biscuit in bed.' 'We're so much alike, eh boy?' 'But I bet you didn't scarf down the card when your mom's back was turned.'" Tails Don't Lie also has some choice words denounce those who negligently leave their pets locked in a hot car for "only a few minutes" (it only takes a few minutes in a hot car for a dog or a child to get fatal heatstroke), or are otherwise cruel to animals. Highly recommended, especially as a gift for canine aficionados!


The Psychology Shelf

Beyond Significance Testing
Rex B. Kline
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433812781, $59.95, www.apa.org/books

Behavioral studies often carry many difficulties. "Beyond Significance Testing: Statistical Reform in The Behavioral Sciences" is a scholarly discussion of significance testing from author Dr. Rex B. Kline who touches on these topics and the biases that ma be inherent within them. Offering an informed and well sourced breakdown of his arguments, analyzing models, taking notes on the effects of certain drugs, and much more. "Beyond Significance Testing" is a core addition to any psychological studies collections in community or college library collections.

Wild Mind
Bill Plotkin
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way
Novato, CA 94949
9781608681785, $17.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

The human mind is a curious and hard to understand thing. "Wild Mind: A Field Guide to The Human Psyche" discusses how to better understand the psyche and find our own potential for our spirituality and happiness. Bill Plotkin looks to our nature and environment in trying to understand why we do the things we do and try to better piece ourselves together through it all. "Wild Mind" is a strong addition to general psychology and spirituality collections, highly recommended.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Complete Knitting Skills
Debbie Tomkies, author
Barron's Educational Series, inc.
250 Wireless Blvd., Hauppage, NY 11788
9781438001715 $24.99 www.barronseduc.com

"Complete Knitting Skills" is a knitter's guide book of 27 online teaching clips from Online Movie Book Guides, an educational series. Readers can either use handy color photograph guides to a sampler of knitting stitches and skills or they can follow Web links to view free how-to movies, or they can scan the codes with a smartphone to watch instant playback of demonstrations. A compact sampler of knitting skills, "Complete Knitting Skills" gives good instructions for different ways to make best use of the text and online resources. Chapters on equipment and yarn, getting started, finishing, taking it to the next level, advanced knitting techniques, knitting SOS (fixing and avoiding errors), and the knitting community are colorfully illustrated and clearly presented. A must-have text for a new knitter, "Complete Knitting Skills" will help to bring a new generation of knitters to their coming of age with a full arsenal of acquired knitting skills.

Crafty Canine Projects
Moya Hu
AQS Publishing
c/o American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604600346, $19.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

Crafty Canine Projects offers some 11 easy projects that can be completed in a day or less and which revolve around dogs. From a reversible raincoat to a bean bag bed or dog-walking equipment, this projects fun sewing projects that are directed to dog owners and to those who like creating useful accessories for them, and provides a range of pet products where color photos supplement easy directions. Highly recommended!

C&T Publishing
1651 Challenge Drive
Concord, CA 94520-5206
www.ctpub.com

Carol Doak's CREATIVE COMBINATIONS: STUNNING BLOCKS & BORDERS FROM A SINGLE UNIT (9781607055648, $29.95) tells how to use rectangle units to maximum advantage, showing how one rectangle unit works in both blocks and borders with full-size paper-piecing patterns. Patterns on an accompanying CD provide flexibility to change the size of quilt or to design a personal pattern, while keys to cutting make for a powerful set of versatile quilting skills perfect for any who would gain the most from quilting rectangle manipulation. Amy Walsh and Janine Burke's IN LOVE WITH SQUARES AND RECTANGLES (9781607056430, $21.95) provides ten fun quilt projects and easy piecing and construction directions that focus on squares, rectangles and strips and teach how to alter a pattern by resizing blocks and changing colors. The result is a quilting guide that moves beyond more projects to teach some basics, supported by the project but applicable to any quilting endeavor.

Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE
Bothell, WA 98011
www.martingale-pub.com

Rebecca Silbaugh's SEAMINGLY SCRAPPY: GET THE LOOK YOU LOVE WITH FAT QUARTERS AND PRECUTS (9781604682458, $16.99) comes from a popular blogger and designer of scrappy quilts, and focuses on easy methods for assembly from precuts and fat quarters. From selecting reproduction prints to using modern fabrics, this teaches the basics in a format that pairs a full-color photo of the completed quilt with facing pages of step-by-step assembly. With its many different patterns and approaches, this is a top recommendation for any looking for an easy method of using fat quarters in quilting projects. Debby Kratovil's PAPER PIECING PERFECT POINTS: 13 FABULOUS QUILT PATTERNS (9781604882236, $27.99) tells how to move beyond squares and give a quilt sharp points using striking paper pieced designs and updated variations on classics. From Mariner's Compass and Flying Geese to using large-sized blocks, this provides a range of paper-pieced works that are solid winners for any quilter looking to move to the next step. Donna Lynn Thomas' PATCHWORK PALETTE: NO-FAIL COLOR PLANS FOR CAPTIVATING QUILTS (9781604681437, $26.99) shows how to create vivid designs using three easy methods for choosing fabrics. Some thirteen multi-fabric quilts are created in a fine guide that outlines three principles of fabric selection - hue, value, and scale of print - and shows how to create matching blocks using these values. The result is a fine collection of color plans quilters will find useful and specific.

American Quilters Society
PO Box 3290
Paducah, KY 42002-3290
www.AmericanQuilter.com

Sumiko Minei's FOUNDATION-PIECED DOUBLE WEDDING RING QUILTS (9781604600308, $19.95) is translated by Ayu Ohta and provides an easy step-by-step series of photos that demonstrate the author's own Top Pressed Piecing method, which allows you to see what you're sewing on foundation paper without flipping. 11 gallery quilts can be used 'as is' or as inspiration, with yardage charts for 8 variations accompanying a wide range of designs. Three continuous line quilting designs with many ingredients for variation and customization complete a package that will delight any looking to make a wedding quilt, and collections catering to avid quilters. Willa Baranowski's REDWORK FOR QUILTERS (9781604600667, $12.95) provides an easy 31-page pamphlet/booklet offering over fifty redwork patterns that can be stitched in different colors. Penny squares are quick and easy forms for quilters; especially for beginners: this booklet comes packed with all the full-page patterns needed. Helen Squire's QUILTING DESIGNS FOR SASHING, BLOCKS & BORDERS (9781604600780, $12.95) packs in some 30 quilting patterns and placement diagrams to help quilters learn how to fold patterns to make perfect border designs. Some 31 pages hold full-page simple patterns quilters can easily use to produce key border pieces with professional, polished results. Pat Yamin's SIMPLE SUPER ONE-PATCH QUILTS (9781604600681, $12.95) focuses on scrappy quilt blocks grouped by ease of piecing - ten easy, seven medium in difficulty - and provide a wide range of quilting options. Sample quilts and full-size templates make their construction easy in a strong recommendation for any quilter. Robert DeCarli's HILL & VALLEY LOG CABINS (9781604600537, $24.95) provides a fine selection of Log Cabin quilts that use the traditional Log Cabin block in a different style. Robert DeCarli teaches the basics of using multiple Curved Log Cabin block inserts for designs, teaching variations and offering complete instructions for some 13 quilting projects from wallhangings to full-sized quilts. Bea Oglesby's WILDFLOWER APPLIQUE AND EMBROIDERY (9781604600810, $12.95) provides some 14 wildflower patterns that can be adapted to all kinds of needlework projects, describes each flower's characteristics, and shows how to sew 12" blocks for single use or combinations in projects ranging from place mats to wallhangings. Patterns are accompanied by color photos and easy step-by-step instruction in a manner beginners, especially, will find revealing. Trish Bowman's EASY MEMORABILIA QUILTS (9781604600568, $24.95) shows how to incorporate ties, t-shirts and photos into a memory quilt project for family or friends, and offers layouts ranging from wallhangings to bed quilts. From T-shirt quilts to blending in photos, this is a fine pick for any quilter's collection. All are fast, easy picks beginners especially will find useful!

The Needlecraft Style Directory
Sarah Whittle
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438001036, $24.99, www.barronseduc.com

The Needlecraft Style Directory: A Visual Reference of Over 50 Needlecraft Styles and the Stitches That Go With Them provides needleworkers with full-color, close-up illustrations packed with stitches. Accompanying these pictures is an introduction covering methods and uses of the stitch, discussions of fabrics, threads and needles, and a concluding line on related stitches and techniques that can be considered. The result is a 'bible' of stitchery that goes beyond teaching technique to address the underlying purposes of applications and use - a fine style directory highly recommended for both beginners and advanced needleworkers who want to consider all the options and alternatives.

Scraps Plus One!
Joan Ford
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
9781600855191, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Quilting is a traditional, practical, and artistic form of needlecraft that continues to enjoy a huge and enduring popularity. Compiled and presented by quilting expert Joan Ford, "ScrapTherapy (R) Scraps Plus One!: New Patterns to Quilt Through Your Stash with Ease" is a superbly illustrated, 208 page compendium showcasing twenty major quilt making projects utilizing all manner of fabric scraps. The first major section is replete with practical advice on getting started, selecting, shaping, and sorting fabric scraps, piecing the quilt, and more. The second major section showcasing individual quilt making projects that even the most novice of beginners can follow thanks to the clarity of the step-by-step directions afforded by the author. Enhanced with two appendices (Quiltmaking Basics & Quiltmaking 101: Machine Quilting), a Glossary, a Metric Equivalents chart, and an Index, "ScrapTherapy (R) Scraps Plus One!: New Patterns to Quilt Through Your Stash with Ease" is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library Needlecraft reference collections and Quilt making supplemental reading lists.

Crochet Cool
Tanya Bernard, author
Angel Gray, photographer
Sellers Publishing
161 John Roberts Road
South Portland, Maine 04106
9781416208921 $19.95 www.sellerspublishing.com

"Crochet Cool: Fun Designs for Kids Ages 1-6, 20 Cool Patterns for Boys and Girls" is a fun collection of patterns and instructions for clothing and accessories for all seasons. These pattern designs for both sexes come with complete instructions, materials list, difficulty key, and size range. Hence we have a Star Stitch Sundress, for girls, surfer shorts for boys, a chevron poncho, and a Toasty Tot Beanie and Scarf . Charming color photographs accompany all patterns, along with specific materials and color numbers. One stunning project that charms wearers of both sexes is the Houndstooth Fedora, which is sure to result in delighted modeling by the lucky child who is the designated recipient. "Crochet Cool" is full of crochet projects in bright, modern colors with universal appeal.

Crochet One-Skein Wonders
Judith Durant & Edie Eckman, editors
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612120423 $18.95 www.storey.com

Featuring step-by-step instructions, easy-to-follow diagrams, and a wealth of full-color photography, Crochet One-Skein Wonders lives up to its title with 100 crochet patterns categorized by fiber weight, designed expressly to transform one's extra skeins into creative delights suitable for everyday use or gift-giving. Coasters, scarves, purses, fingerless gloves, hats, cowls and capes, doll clothes, tea cozies and more fill this elegant, creative, and practical-minded project guide. Highly recommended for intermediate to advanced crocheters (the reader's familiarity with the basics of crochet is presumed).

Fabulous Feathers & Fillers
Sue Nickels, author
American Quitter's Society
P.O. Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002
9781604600605 $24.95 www.americanquilter.com

"Fabulous Feathers & Fillers: Design & Machine Quilting Techniques" is a fascinating how-to craft book about designing feathers and other motifs in machine quilting stitching patterns, usually shown on solid color fabrics, to display the quilting design. Chapters are presented on Supplies, Designing Feathers, Machine Quilting Feathers, Machine Quilting Fillers, Quilting the Quilt - Start to Finish, and Feather Patterns and Projects. The last chapter has patterns and instructions for 10 projects plus a border quilting pattern and a pattern for a 1/4 inch crosshatch grid. This surprisingly complex fabric art form is carefully displayed, dissected, and demonstrated in elegant completed projects and lovely color photos.alongside clear black and white pattern diagrams. "Fabulous Feathers and Fillers" is a specific how to book that will find an appreciative, ambitious audience.

Easy Openwork Knit Tops
Kennita Tully, author
Annie's Knitting
306 East Parr Road, Berne, IN 46711
9781596357419 $15.95 AnniesCatalog.com

"Easy Openwork Knit Tops" is a collection of 5 openwork projects complete with instructions and diagrammed patterns that feature drape and texture flattering to women in all sizes. Here are five lovely stylish shrugs, sheer vests and coverups, titled Star Mesh, Sheer Comfort, Garter Ease, and Captivating Mesh Duo, a sleeveless undersweater and overjacket. All patterns begin with a sidebar listing skill level, sizes, finished measurements, and materials needed, followed by step by step instructions and pattern notes. Several display photos of each sweater project are exquisitely displayed. This is a collection of treats for the intermediate skilled knitter.


The Business Shelf

The Easy Guide To Internet Marketing
Scott Bourquin
The Bourquin Group
1135 Terminal Way, #106
Reno, NV, 89502
780988389236, $11.99, www.bourquingroup.com

Today almost every business must have an internet aspect to the marketing strategy if they are to be successful in competing for customers and clients. "The Easy Guide To Internet Marketing" is a 162 page instructional compendium that will enable an entrepreneur or business manager to gain an invaluable perspective on their competition; better understand their customers and clients, provide better solutions at a lower cost, achieve higher profitability, spot great marketing innovations and applications, identify bad marketing efforts, stay focused on targeted customers and clients, and even create a free sales force from that same customer/client base. Informed, informative, superbly presented, and thoroughly 'user friendly', "The Easy Guide To Internet Marketing" is highly recommended as an enduringly valuable instructional reference and resource for anyone engaging in marketing goods or services through the internet.

Start Your Own Home Business After 50
Robert W. Bly
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary
Fresno, CA 93721
9781610351317, $16.95, www.quilldriverbooks.com

You're never too old to start a new endeavor. "Start Your Own Home Business After 50: How to Survive, Thrive, and Earn the Income You Deserve" is a business advisory from Robert W. Bly to encourage readers to realize their own entrepreneurial goals and dreams and bringing it all together for business success even as you enter the second half of your life, and break away from the wage life. "Start Your Own Home Business After 50" is a must for business and inspirational collections, not to be missed.

HBR's 10 Must Reads
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way
Boston, MA 02163
9781422189894, $24.95, http://hbr.org/books

When it comes down to it, the decisions we make ultimately determine our success and failure. "HBR's 10 Must Reads: On Making Smart Decisions" is a collection of ten articles about decision making in business and management as the people at the Harvard Business School Press advise readers on how to better piece together their leadership, evaluate risks, and know when to act drastically, and more effectively measure one's risks and rewards. "HBR's 10 Must Reads" is an invaluable and much recommended resource, not to be missed. Also consider "HBR's 10 Must Reads: On Innovation" (9781422189856, $24.95), exploring the importance of innovation for business success.

Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Problem Solving
M. Afzalur Rahim, editor
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle
Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
www.transactionpub.com
9781412851732, $59.95, www.amazon.com

Ably compiled and deftly edited by M. Afzalur Rahim, "Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Problem Solving" is the sixteenth title in Transaction Publishers' outstanding series 'Current Topics in Management' series. Also available in a Kindle edition (B00BPUH0NY, $47.96), this 206 page compendium is comprised of nine informed and informative academic researched based articles, three in-depth book reviews, and an extended bibliography (Books Received). Of special note is 'Communicating in the 21st-Century Workplace' by the team of Kenneth J. Levine, Suzie Allard, and Carol Tenopir. "Social Intelligence, Leadership, and Problem Solving" is a seminal body of impeccable scholarship and a very highly recommended acquisition for corporate and academic library Business Management Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Fundamentals of Sport Marketing, fourth edition
Brenda G. Pitts and David K. Stotlar
Fitness Information Technology
West Virginia University
262 Coliseum, WVU-PE, PO Box 6116
Morgantown, WV 26506-6116
9781935412403 $79.00 www.fitinfotech.com

Now in an updated fourth edition, Fundamentals of Sport Marketing is an educational textbook created especially for aspiring business professionals with a keen interest in sports marketing. Chapters discuss sport marketing research, marketing information systems, pricing strategies specific to the sport business industry, distribution channels and decisions in the sport business, media relations in sport, social media in sport marketing, and much more. A handful of easy-to-follow flowcharts and tables enhance this excellent introduction, suitable as a classroom text or for self-study. "Many teams have found that consumers 'cherry pick' the games that have giveaway items... this defeats the purpose of the promotion (selling more tickets)... One method that solves this problem is to provide coupons for season ticket holders to use for item redemption at the stadium's customer service booth. An interesting side benefit is that oftentimes fans in the stadium may ask 'Where did you get that?' and the response is 'I am a season ticket holder.'" Highly recommended.

It's the Way You Say It, second edition
Carol A. Fleming, PhD
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609947439, $18.95, www.bkconnection.com

The second updated edition of It's the Way You Say It: Becoming Articulate, Well-Spoken and Clear is a recommendation for business and personal growth holdings alike, and offers a series of exercises for understanding how others hear you and using nonverbal cues to strengthen a message. From conquering stage fright to communication issues in the workplace, whether through voice mails or in interviews, makes for a fine guide discussing all kinds of speech issues and how to become a better speaker. Tone, pitch, and more identify common pitfalls - such as group situations - and provide concrete insights on their origins and how to overcome them. Highly recommended for any who want to improve their communication skills!

Working with Bitches
Meredith Fuller
Da Capo Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738216584, $14.99, www.dacapopress.com

WORKING WITH BITCHES: IDENTIFY THE EIGHT TYPES OF OFFICE MEAN GIRLS AND RISE ABOVE WORKPLACE NASTINESS comes from a psychologist who shows how mean girls at the office can erode the creativity and achievements of even successful co-workers. It identifies some eight types of mean girls at work, their characteristics, and how to understand what motivates their behaviors and how to protect self and peers from them. The results can be applied to women in any workplace situation and provides a powerful survey highly recommended for any woman in business and for business collections catering to them.

Just Business
John Gerard Ruggie
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393062885, $24.95, www.wwnorton.com

JUST BUSINESS: MULTINATIONAL CORPORATIONS AND HUMAN RIGHTS tackles the subject of human rights abuses by multinational corporations, and stems from the author's research on such abuses committed around the world. Charged by the Secretary general of the United Nations to identify such abuses and find solutions, John Gerard Ruggie and his team of researchers documented abusive corporate practices in almost every country of the world - and created a set of U.N. human rights standards for business. His account of how he tackled a problem where others had failed makes for a hard-hitting analysis highly recommended for any business collection; particularly those involved in international business efforts.

Personality Power
Shoya Zichy and Ann Bidou
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814421239, $16.95, www.amacombooks.com

PERSONALITY POWER: DISCOVER YOUR UNIQUE PROFILE - AND UNLOCK YOUR POTENTIAL FOR BREAKTHROUGH SUCCESS shares a simple and proven system to help all workers define their strengths and find satisfaction in either their present job or a career change. It presents a system used by professionals worldwide in team building, employee performance and conflict resolution scenarios - but it's also a system that translates well to personal interactions. The research of behavior pioneers forms the foundation for a program that teaches all kinds of personalities specific strategies for leveraging work-related strengths and making for a smoother workplace environment. The result is a fine assessment of personality types and how to make the most of them.

Motivation
Brian Tracy
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
9780814433119 $9.95 www.amacombooks.org

Part of the "Brian Tracy Success Library", Motivation is a pocket-sized hardcover guide written especially for managers, and packed with tips, tricks, and techniques for encouraging one's workers to deliver their best performance. Chapters address how to apply the Pareto principle, the value of brainstorming, identifying and countering common demotivators (notably "fear of failure" and "fear of rejection"), management by objectives, and much more. "The self-image of employees is greatly influenced by the way they are treated by their managers and the executives of the company. If they are respected by the organization's leaders, they will view themselves in a more positive way and, as a result, perform at higher levels." Quick to browse yet brimming with a lifetime's worth of wisdom, Motivation is highly recommended.

The Gen Y Handbook
Diane E. Spiegel
Select Books
1 Union Square West, Suite 909
New York, NY 10003
9781590799567, $15.95, www.selectbooks.com

The new generation has whole new ways of communicating. "The Gen Y Handbook: Applying Relationship Leadership to Engage Millennials" discusses how today's business leadership can try to reach out and understand the modern internet generation, know what they seek, what they worry about, and how to gain an understanding of them and realize their potentials and talent. "The Gen Y Handbook" is a must for business leadership collections.

Lean Analytics
Alistair Croll & Benjamin Yoskovitz
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449335670, $29.99, www.oreilly.com

Quick and to the point business practices are key to an agile business. "Lean Analytics: Use Data to Build a Better Startup Faster" is a guide to making a quicker and more excellent business guide designed at making a more effective startup business plan by quickly analyzing data, build better business ventures, and humor through it all. "Lean Analytics" is a strong addition to business reference collections and improving one's business for the long and short term, highly recommended.

The CIO Paradox
Martha Heller
Bibliomotion
33 Manchester Road, Brookline, MA 02446
9781937134273, $34.95, www.bibliomotion.com

Technology is increasingly important in every single business. "The CIO Paradox: Battling the Contradictions of IT Leadership" explores the concept the Chief Information Officer and his role in the corporate leadership. Martha Heller discusses the growing presence of technology departments for many big businesses and corporations and how their presence screws with common corporate ideas about how things should be ran. Drawing on her over decade of experience in IT fields, Heller offers practical advice and wisdom for better management of IT. "The CIO Paradox" is a must for any business management and reference collection dealing with technology.

Decide
David Wethey
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749466299, $19.95, www.koganpageusa.com

Good decisions are what we want, but don't make often enough. "Decide: Better Ways of Making Better Decisions" is a motivational read from David Wethey who provides practical insight on the act of decision making, and how to take the ideas he suggests and make them well for any situation, whether it be everyday life or making good business decisions for an entire company. Insightful and inspirational, "Decide" is a strongly recommended pick for self-help and motivational collections, not to be missed.

Interpretive Planning for Museums
Marcella Wells, Barbara Butler, and Judith Koke
Left Coast Press, Inc.
1630 North Main Street, #400
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
9781611321579, $26.95, www.LCoastPress.com

Museums sell no products directly, so keeping them afloat may prove quite a bit more troublesome. "Interpretive Planning for Museums: Integrating Visitor Perspectives in Decision Making" is a museum business management guide discussing how to best have museum flourish and succeed, staying financially secure at the same time while still delivering the educational experience that a museum should seek to provide. "Interpretive Planning for Museums" is a must for any museum curator and administrator's reference collection for better business practices, highly recommended.

Speaking Up
Frederick Gilbert
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948962, $24.95, www.bkconnection.com

In the bureaucracy of business, it's easy to be lost in the shuffle. "Speaking Up: Surviving Executive Presentations" is a guide for those who want to encourage those in middle management to let their voices be heard in the volatile business world, get noticed, and make a difference in the company's success by embracing a higher level of leadership. "Speaking Up" is a must for inspirational collections focusing on business and career success.


The Poetry Shelf

Greenhouses, Lighthouses
Tung-Hui Hu
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556594069 $16.00 www.coppercanyonpress.org

A "Lannan Literary Selection" chosen for its exceptional quality, Greenhouses, Lighthouses is the third poetry collection by Tung-Hui Hu. Experimenting with a variety of formats, from spacious free-verse to stream-of-consciousness narrative, even interludes of prose, Greenhouses, Lighthouses is rich with double meanings and intellectual speculation. Highly recommended, especially for connoisseurs of inventive and introspective poetry. "Year of Following People": She tells me: I was dead weight on the street. / I couldn't move without other people. / That year, I learned to be pulled forward. / To swing my hips and walk and to limp. // She tells me A car followed me in winter. / I moved a block and stopped and / it did, too, keeping its distance, as if each of us were looking for a missing person, dragging the river of gasoline and snow."

Selected Translations
W.S. Merwin
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556594090 $40.00 www.coppercanyonpress.org

Selected Translations is a collection of poetry by an incredible diversity of authors worldwide, smoothly translated into English by two-time Pulitzer winner and 2010-11 U.S. Poet Laureate W.S. Merwin. The result is an absorbing, experience that resonates with a multitude of cultural viewpoints and traditions, spanning centuries of human history. An astonishing tour de force of profound yet essentially timeless poetry, Selected Translations is especially recommended for public library collections and poetry lovers everywhere. "Muso Soseki": For years I dug in the earth / trying to discover the blue sky / deeper and deeper I tunnelled / until one night / I made stones and tiles fly into the air / with no effort I broke the bone of the void.

Skinned
Antjie Krog
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street
New York, NY 10013
9781609804633, $23.95, www.sevenstories.com

South Africa has seen much, and a poet's words can try to dissect and understand these pursuits. "Skinned" is a collection of poetry from renown South African poet Antjie Krog, who has gained renown for her work in both Afrikaans and English, earning many awards for her insights into the culture of the world and everything else around her. With plenty of insight, "Skinned" is an absolute must for international poetry collections, not to be missed.

Landscape with Yellow Birds
Jose Angel Valente
Archipelago Books
232 3rd St. #A111
Brooklyn, NY 11215
9781935744801, $18.00, www.archipelagobooks.org

Revered among Spain's literary community, Jose Angel Valente is a treasure for international poets. "Landscape with Yellow Birds" is a compilation of poetry form Valente, deftly translated from the original Spanish by Thomas Christensen who captures his verse excellent foe English readers. For anyone with a fascination for international poetry through the years, "Landscape with Yellow Birds" is a strong addition to any poetry collection.

Fearing Water
Marjorie Saiser
Parallel Press
372 Memorial Library
728 State Street
Madison, WI 53575
9781934795477 $10.00 http://parallelpress.library.wisc.edu

Fearing Water is a chapbook of free-verse poetry in which poet Marjorie Saiser reflects upon the obstacles to overcome in the evolution a parent-child relationship. From the mother taking care of the child, to the passage of time until the adult child has become the caretaker of the parent, Fearing Water is a journey that appeals to the intimately familiar challenges and troubles of readers of all walks of life. Emotional and poignant, Fearing Water plumbs the depths without reservation. "I Didn't Know I Loved": I didn't know I loved her big hands / slicing iceberg lettuce / with a thick-bladed knife. // Her thumb hooked over the lip of the shallow melmac bowl / she carried to the table. // Embarrassing low-class no-class entrees / like her swiss steak, / her bean soup in a kettle.

Club Icarus
Matt W. Miller
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415049, $12.95, www.unt.edu/untpress

Poetry can sing the world to us if we so let it. "Club Icarus" is a collection of poetry from award winning poet Matt W. Miller who takes life and presents its song and bring new life to the medium of wordplay. "Club Icarus" is well worth adding to any contemporary poetry collection, much recommended. "The Beauty of a Nail": hangs on it being/unseen as when/it suspends a/painting or some/caught on camera/moment on a plain wall/or the way within/the wall it holds up/the house, the pipes,/the unrolled insulation or even/when somewhat seen/as when it holds a man/up to a martyrdom-/always it is the tool,/not the meaning.

Elegy Owed
Bob Hicok
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556594366, $22.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

Trying to capture the essence of a world that doesn't make sense can prove hard. "Elegy Owed" is a collection of offbeat poetry from Bob Hicok as he explores the enticing nature of the world touching on his views of the world and his attempts to understand it with mixed results. "Elegy Owed" is an enticing addition to humorous and contemporary poetry collections. "Making Do": Out here, no one would know/If I set the bit of human jaw I found under the house/on the grass above a dress, a flowered dress I stretch to the full length of wind and walk away, giving memory/some privacy./A dress that appeared one morning/after a storm, beside the woman who'd been wearing it,/who asked if this was her life or some other window/being opened, and left before I could answer,/almost as if I'm making her and this poem and my past/up as I go, to help me feel nothing//goes to waste, not even waste.

In Someone Else's House
Christian Barter
BkMk Press
c/o University of Missouri-Kansas City
5101 Rockhill Road
Kansas City, MO 64110
9781886157859, $13.95, www.spdbooks.org

Where we may be invited by don't belong. "In Someone Else's House" is a collection of poetry from Christian Barter, who presents stories of life and honesty along the way, presenting an honest and insightful spin on it. "In Someone Else's House" is a must for contemporary poetry collections, very much recommended. "Providence": That painting is a map/with people living on it./That symphony is a set of instructions/with geraniums/growing from the clefts./That architecture is a luke-warm ribcage/woven together with tiny songs.//That poem is an argument/fluttering in the midst of a migration.//That belief is a roof/with starlight shining through its perforations.

Four Elemental Bodies
Claude Royet-Journoud
Burning Deck
71 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence, RI 02906
9781936194131, $20.00, www.spdbooks.org

Language is used for communication, but we can always develop new ways of communication. "Four Elemental Bodies" is a collection of poetry from French poet Claude Royet-Journoud, deftly translated by Keith Waldrop, who revolutionizes language and touches on new concepts of communicating his points. "Four Elemental Bodies" is a core addition to any international and unique poetry collection, highly recommended.

South x South
Charles Hood
Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19
Athens, OH 45701
9780821420386, $16.95, www.ohioswallow.com

Living in an extreme world leaves us to gain a whole new appreciation for the world. "South x South" is a collection of poetry and memoir from Charles Hood, who touches on his journeys to the south pole and finding a different way of viewing the world. "South x South" is insightful with its own brand of humor, much recommended. "Arrival Forms": Field notes on Satan in Antarctica: When he walks past a turned-off TV,/it glows blue. Like a penguin's, his tongue is stiff, barbed. When/stirred by more than usual lust, Stan shuffles and brays. Crinkled/jazz eyes, red as grief. On the landing card the airport/under profession, he always writes in a small neat hand//as in the astronomical sense, I am a singularity.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Dragonology
Marketing Department
Candlewick Press
99 Dover Street
Somerville, MA 02144
ologyworld.com
9780763623296 $19.99 www.candlewick.com

Dragon lovers everywhere will adore Dragonology: The Complete Book of Dragons, a suprisingly inexpensive yet visually stunning giftbook crafted with love and care. The pages are beautifully illustrated in full color and feature numerous lift-the-flap sections, removable papers, or touchable dragon scales(!). As a result Dragonology is a little too delicate for very young children, or the wear and tear of public library shelves. Older children and adult dragon fans are sure to enjoy this fanciful imagining of what it might have been like to scientifically study dragons, perhaps in the Middle Ages or the Renaissance. Some tips for the care of hatchling dragons include, "Keep iron and flint objects away from [dragon] chicks, or live in a fireproof house. Do not release young dragons into the sewerage system of a large city. Mind your lanuage around chicks - they may repeat what you say over and over in front of visitors. It is not recommended to leave children and hungry dragons alone. Hide all shiny or valuable objects." A present to be treasured any day of the year, Dragonology is highly recommended, as are other titles in the "Ology" series of wonderously illustrated, quasi-interactive books, including "Egyptology,", "Wizardology", "Illusionology", "Pirateology", "Mythology", "Monsterology", "Spyology", "Oceanology", "Vampireology", and "Alienology".

Reaper's Legacy
Tim Lebbon
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147679, $17.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

A vicious attack almost wipes London off the map... and it may as well have to some. "Reaper's Legacy" is book two of Tim Lebbon's Toxic City series, featuring a destroyed London and its survivors who go beyond what is normally expected of humans. With roaming soldiers threatening the survivors, Jack and his few friends struggle to survive as a man called reaper bears down on him and the other refugees. "Reaper's Legacy" is a strong addition to those with a love of modern flavored science fiction and fantasy, recommended.

The Crystal Scepter
C. S. Lakin
Living Ink Books
c/o AMG Publishers
6815 Shallowford Road
Chattanooga, TN 37421
9780899578934, $14.99, www.AMGPublishers.com

The call of prophecy is a tough one to shake. "The Crystal Scepter" is a fantasy from C. S. Lakin tells of the world of Elysiel. A final curse destines a young man to rescue the scepter from the keeper. Facing his long journey as a hero to fulfill the prophecy, Perthin must find allies and the relics he needs to live up to the destiny thrust upon him and finds prophecies are easier declared that fulfilled. "The Crystal Scepter" is a fun read for fantasy fans, highly recommended.

Without a Summer
Mary Robinette Kowal
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9780765334152, $24.99, www.tor-forge.com

Finding love can feel so difficult when the weight of the world bears down on your shoulders. "Without a Summer" is a blend of fantasy and romance from Mary Robinette Kowal who provides tells of a true magic world not too unlike our own. Jane and Vincent return from Belgium and find that their country is struggling. As they face the weight of their romance on their world, "Without a Summer" is an enticing read with plenty of twists and turns, a must for fans of Kowal's work, highly recommended.

I Left My Haunt in San Francisco
Mark Everett Stone
Camel Press
PO Box 70515, Seattle, WA 98227
9781603819275, $15.95, www.camelpress.com

Humanity has enough demons lurking among it, we don't need those from hell too. "I Left My Haunt in San Francisco" is a supernatural thriller as Kal Hakela as he finds that San Francisco may well be under attack from certain enemies, and its main protector isn't the most appreciative to Kal's efforts. A riveting fantasy with plenty of twists and turns, "I Left My Haunt in San Francisco" is a strong addition to general fiction collections, not to be missed.

The Raven's Warrior
Vincent Pratchett
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480
Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594392580, $14.95, www.ymaa.com

When fate determines your death, one goes through anything to defy it. "The Raven's Warrior" is a novel of ancient fantasy, set amongst the time of the Celts. A dying warrior is saved, only to be enslaved and be shipped far from hold, to the ownership of wizards and witches. As death looms for him again, his heroism will take him past slavery and lead for him to become legend himself. "The Raven's Warrior" is an excellent pick for fans of the low fantasy genre, enthusiastically recommended.

Firebrand
Gillian Philip
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765333223, $28.99, www.tor-forge.com

FIREBRAND offers the first novel in Gillian Philip's 'Rebel Angel' series for the first time to U.S. readers, presenting the world of the Sithe - a faery folk whose peaceful existence faces exposure to the outside world. The Veil is designed to protect their world from humans, but it's degenerating - and there are those who believe it's time humans learned about their world. Add in murder, betrayal, and the politics of queens and warrior factions and you have a powerful fantasy filled with satisfying mystery and challenges: perfect for fantasy and even mystery collections.

Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Robert J. Sawyer's RED PLANET BLUES: MURDER ON THE MEAN STREETS OF MARS (9780425256824, $25.95) combines a P.I. detective story with science fiction and creates an unusual noir mystery setting - on colonized Mars. Here Alex is the only one operating investigations on the planet; but New Klondike is barely civilized and a variety of cases come his way - including that of a decades-old murder of two prospectors who first found evidence of ancient life on Mars. The result is a fine mystery packed with unexpected twists and turns set against the backdrop of the Red Planet, a move that should satisfy mystery and science fiction fans alike! Sarah Pinborough's A MATTER OF BLOOD: THE FORGOTTEN GODS: BOOK ONE (978042528460, $16.00) comes from a British author of dark fantasy and horror and provides the first in a projected trilogy that blends hardboiled detective mystery with dark fantasy. A London homicide detective becomes immersed in an ancient battle between fallen angels in a near-future London where police survive on bribes and murders run rampant. Three puzzling cases leads to a dangerous killer and a hidden society that knows too much about investigator Cass in this fine and moving saga, recommended for mystery and urban fantasy collections alike.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Go To Joseph
Michael O'Neill McGrath
World Library Publications
3708 River Road, Suite 400
Franklin Park, IL 60131
9781584596196 $39.95 www.wlpmusicl.com

"Go To Joseph" is the third title in a trilogy of art and spirituality books centered on the Holy Family (Christian) by the artist. (Earlier two titles are "Blessed Art Thou" and "At the Name of Jesus"). "Go To Joseph" presents over 20 stunning paintings of Joseph and family accompanied by inspiring and illuminating narrative, song and verse by a variety of authors, including Jim Knipper, Jack Jezreel, John Fiester, Alan J. Hommerding, Kevin Moran, Ed Bolduc, Todd Scribner, Bob Mullen, Christopher Pramuk, Ronald Landfair, Chris Haw, Michael McCue, Bishop Joseph Galante, Joe Coppola, Diego Berrio, and Patrick Markey. When the faithful need a tender father's ear, they are invited to go to Joseph. Joseph has become known as a model husband, father, working man, companion of the sick, patron of the dying and patron of the Universal Church. In the pages of this amazing book will be found prayers in the form of both illuminated art works and heartfelt prayers. Each painting is credited for its original commission and present home. This incredible collection of images and reflections will provide holy inspiration and also reassurance to all who peruse it.

Illustrated Bible Dictionary
Stephen M. Miller
Barbour Publishing
P.O. Box 719
Uhrichsville, OH 44683
9781602606906, $19.99, www.barbourbooks.com

Called by some the greatest story ever told, the Bible's stories sound well in the ears of many. "Illustrated Bible Dictionary" is a guide to the Bible heavily using photography and artwork discussing the many topics touched on in the Bible and the countless characters who tell its story. Thorough in its analysis and completely in full color from cover to cover, "Illustrated Bible Dictionary" is an absolute must for anyone who wants a Bible reference that's not a boring textbook.

On Liturgical Asceticism
David W. Fagerberg
The Catholic University of America Press
240 Leahy Hall, 620 Michigan Avenue, NE
Washington, DC 20064
97808132211175, $29.95, www.cuapress.cua.edu

Poverty is a plague on the world, and Christ sought to suffer with them while alleviating their pain. "On Liturgical Asceticism" discusses the theological place of asceticism in Christianity, and how it should be integrated from the Eastern Orthodox faith into the Western churches, and encouraging its virtues to the Christian faith as a whole. Insightful and curious, as well as scholarly argued and researched all throughout by Associate Professor of Theology at Notre Dame David W. Fagerberg, "On Liturgical Asceticism" is a strong addition to Christian and religious studies collections, highly recommended.

10 Things Pope Francis Wants You to Know
John L. Allen
Liguori
1 Liguori Drive, Liguori, MO 53057-9999
9780764824371, $3.99, www.amazon.com

A new pope with new ideas about how the papacy should be done. "10 Things Pope Francis Wants You to Know" discusses the new papacy of Pope Francis, who has sought to change many new things about how the Papacy and the Catholic Church is viewed throughout the world. John L. Allen, senior Vatican analyst for CNN, seeks to present this knowledge for those curious about the new pope. "10 Things Pope Francis Wants You To Know" is a strong addition to Catholic and Christian collections, recommended.

Fearless Church Fundraising
Charles LaFond
Morehouse Publishing
4775 Linglestown Road, Harrisburg, PA 17112
9780819228635, $26.00, www.churchpublishing.org

Money is essential to get anything done. "Fearless Church Fundraising: The Practical and Spiritual Approach to Stewardship" is an advisory for church leaders on how to more effectively fund raise for their organization, staying true to their principals, and doing good in the process. With well researched and practical advice through it all, "Fearless Church Fundraising" is an absolute must for research collections, highly recommended.

The Story of Scripture
Robert L. Plummer
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
9780825443152, $8.99, www.kregelpublications.com

The origins of the Christian Bible are of much concern to skeptics and Christians alike. "The Story of Scripture: How We Got Our Bible and Why We Can Trust It" is Robert L. Plummer's Christian driven take on the origins of the Christian Bible and its incalculable value to the modern-day faithful. "The Story of Scripture" is a worthy addition to Christian studies collections, recommended. Also from Robert Plummer is "Understanding the Bible: A Guide to Reading and Enjoying Scripture" (9780825443169, $8.99), which discusses how to gain a better and more comprehensive appreciation for the Bible.

Falling in Love with God
Bob Hostetler
Leafwood Publishers
c/o Abilene Christian University Press
1626 Campus Court, Abilene, TX 79601
9780891123743, $14.99, www.leafwoodpublishers.com

A unique relationship with God is something that we all seek to relish from life. "Falling in Love with God" is a faith driven memoir from Bob Hosteler who shares his own experiences in building that powerful bond with God, and what that deep and personal affair with the creator can carry out into our life as, "Falling in Love with God" is a strongly recommended addition to Christian living collections and inspirational collections.

The End of Suffering
Joseph F. Girzone
Orbis Books
PO Box 308
Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781626980259, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Life has suffering and it is inspired to find a way to halt that suffering. "The End of Suffering" is a Christian spiritual and self-help read from Joseph F. Girzone as he shares stories of being the shepherd of life and tending to the flock of life, meeting their needs, and spreading the message of Christ in the process. Comforting and insightful, "The End of Suffering" is a strong addition to Christian collections, highly recommended.

Partnering with the King
John L. Hiigel
Paraclete Press
PO Box 1568
Orleans, MA 02653
9781557259974, $16.99, www.paracletepress.com

Following the words of Christ is easier said than done. "Partnering with the King": Study the Gospel of Matthew & Become a Disciple of Jesus" is an inspirational Christian spirituality guide from John L. Hiigel, presenting thirty-one passages to help readers assert themselves as disciples of Christ and worthy of spreading his message. "Partnering with the King" is a must for any Christian spirituality collection focused on renewing and empowering our faith, highly recommended.

One Bible, Many Versions
Dave Brunn
InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 605151426
9780830827152, $16.00, www.ivpress.com

The Bible has been translated and retranslated into countless languages over the past two millenia. "One Bible, Many Versions: Are All Translations Created Equal?" discusses Bible translations and how to better compare them when looking for the most faithful translation. Comparing, contrasting... and even debating the value of multiple translations of the Holy Bible, "One Bible, Many Versions" is a fascinating study of translation and how it can apply to faith.

C.S. Lewis: A Life
Alister Mcgrath
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414339351, $24.99, www.tyndale.com

While readers of C.S. Lewis might assume a biography would cover his literature, this account comes form an eminent theologian and focuses on Lewis' spiritual life and conversion - and therefore is a definitive survey of Lewis' conversion and faith, recommended for spirituality holdings above all else. Dr. McGrath is the only scholar to analyze the entire collection of Lewis's letters and archives: his survey us a powerful biography combining elements of spiritual and literary analysis, and is a special pick for any Christian collection.

Dissident for Life
Koenraad De Wolf
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802867438, $28.00, www.eerdmans.com

DISSIDENT FOR LIFE: ALEXANDER OGORODNIKOV AND THE STRUGGLE FOR RELIGIOUS FREEDOM IN RUSSIA provides a fine account of Koenraad De Wolf, who in the 1970s organized thousands of religious Christians in a secret underground group called the Christian Seminar - in the Soviet Union, a notoriously repressive atheist society. When the KGB found out he was sent to the Gulag where he spent nine years - but refused to give up on his convictions and faith. This account considers Ogorodnikov's life and work and provides a fine history of the overall struggles for religious freedom in Russia.

InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 605151426
www.ivpacademic.com

Ron Highfield's GOD, FREEDOM & HUMAN DIGNITY: EMBRACING A GOD-CENTERED IDENTITY IN A ME-CENTERED CULTURE (9780830827114, $22.00) considers the idea of ownership by a Creator and whether mastery over humans diminishes dignity, providing a common theme in Western thought that fears God threatens human freedom of choice and, ultimately, dignity. It comes from a professor of religion who considers the historic development of Western philosophy and religion, and offers guidance on how Christian faith directs us to the triune God who isn't competing with his creations, but providing things humans can't do for themselves. From keeping false hopes from blossoming to communicating the Christian faith to all, this explores the philosophical and spiritual world of Christian faith and is a solid pick for any scholarly Christian collection; particularly those strong in philosophical examination. Ian Paul and David Wenham's PREACHING THE NEW TESTAMENT (9780830839902, $26.00) is a scholarly survey pastors will find inspirational and revealing, bringing together some of the finest New Testament scholars in a collection that considers key issues in preaching from the Gospels to the epistles to Revelation. Contributors select special topics from these narratives, analyze the act of preaching and interpretation, and provides reviews of best practices and pastoral principles. The result is a specific and satisfying collection of considerations useful for any preaching the New Testament.

Orbis Books
PO Box 308
Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
www.orbisbooks.com

Joan Chittister's FOR EVERYTHING A SEASON (9781626980198, $18.00) uses the famous verses of Ecclesiastes to reflect on themes tied to changing seasons of our lives, drawing connections between human fulfillment and happiness and values gained from life and from God's gifts. Joan Chittister is a member of the Benedictine Sisters of Erie, Pennsylvania and has lectured on justice, modern spirituality and women's rights: her perspectives tie to scripture and here provide powerful meditations on Old Testament values and Christian thinking. Bill DeMello's ANTHONY DEMELLO: THE HAPPY WANDERER (9781626980204, $25.00) tells of an Indian Jesuit who died in 1987 and was a powerful spiritual teacher, using books and retreats to achieve a world-wide following. His younger brother provides a fine biography that traces Anthony's journey from his early life in India to his blended approach to Christian spirituality that embraced eastern and western traditions. Any spirituality holding see prior interest in DeMello's life and works will find this a great addition to the collection.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Muslim Identities
Aaron W. Hughes
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231161473, $29.50, http://cup.columbia.edu

What is the psyche of the everyday Muslim in today's world? "Muslim Identities: An Introduction to Islam" seeks to explore the history and culture of Islam, and how it leads up to the modern state of the faith. A level handed approach that seeks to more comprehensively explain the faith and what it means to the people behind it, "Muslim Identities" is a scholarly and informed study of how to best understand the people of Islam, and the struggles it continues to face internally and externally.


The Fiction Shelf

Once in the Saddle
L. P. Holmes
Gale
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902
9781432826291, $25.95, www.cengage.com

What we leave behind us doesn't stay behind for long. "Once in the Saddle" is a novel of the west, as Wade Stagmire walks away from his old life to find work in Castle City. But when he finds some people doing gruesome things to the cattle and with rustlers all about, he has to use his old ways to find justice and bring peace to himself. "Once in the Saddle" is a riveting read of Western fiction for those who can't get enough of cowboy legends, highly recommended.

Of Blood and Brothers
E. Michael Helms
Koehler Books
5 Penn Plaza, 23rd Floor
c/o Morgan James Publishing
New York, NY 10001
9781938467516, $16.95, www.koehlerbooks.com

Brother against brother turned out to be more common than many would believe throughout the American Civil War. "Of Blood and Brothers: A Novel of the Civil War" tells the first part of the story of the Malburn brothers Daniel and Elijah. From the prelude to the war, the battle itself, and what it did to the brothers after the conflict, "Of Blood and Brothers" is a strong addition to historical fiction collections focusing on the American Civil War, much recommended.

The Great Wild West
Jeff Appelquist
Beaver's Pond Press
7108 Ohms Lane
Edina, MN 55439
9781592989935, $27.99, www.BeaversPondPress.com

We can go to war with the world around us, but the toughest conflict is always our ourself. "The Great Wild West: An American Journey" is a novel from Jeff Appelquist following the highly storied life of Jedediah Magnus West, a veteran of multiple conflicts, who has faced business success and failure all around the world, but when he finally returns home, he has to cope with his own pain and the pain of those so very close to him. "The Great Wild West" is an enticing and exciting read that should prove hard to put down.

The Home Jar
Nancy Zafris
Switchgrass Books
Northern Illinois University Press
2280 Bethany Road
DeKalb, IL 60115
978087580806884, $16.95, www.niupress.niu.edu

Our world is made up of endless little odd situations. "The Home Jar" is a collection of short fiction from Nancy Zafris who presents an assortment of stories about scattered people in many occupations and purposes, finding their journey faced with even stranger situations and learning things they never thought possible from it all. With plenty of humor and frank irony, "The Home Jar" is a strong addition to contemporary short fiction collections, highly recommended.

Seaside Harmony
Evangeline Kelley
Guideposts
16 East 34th Street, new York, NY 10016
9780824932466, $13.99, www.guideposts.org

The charm of the past often can come with the mystery of the past. "Seaside Harmony" is a Christian novel following Caroline Marris and her sisters as they find their mother's favorite Inn in aging and forgotten condition, and seek to restore it. But in the process they find the lost history of the inn, and must learn to work together to solve it and find so much more in their lives than they ever thought possible. "Seaside Harmony" is an enticing delve into charming contemporary fiction and the allure of the quiet inn.

Black Flame
Gerelchimeg Blackcrane
Groundwood Books
c/o Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
110 Spadina Avenue, Suite 801
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5V 2K4
9781554981359, $15.95, www.groundwoodbooks.com

Far from home, we seek to only return to its comfort. "Black Flame" is a novel following a Tibetan Mastiff, Kelsang, who is brought to the streets of Lhasa to struggle to survive only to find refuge with an aging painter. Taken from his home again, Kelsang struggles against those who would take him for his rare nature to find something being home. "Black Flame" is an adventurous read that will charm dog lovers everywhere, highly recommended.

The Blue Note
Eve Winter
Regent Press
2747 Regent Street, Berkeley, CA 94705
9781587902338, $18.00, www.regentpress.net

The world of technology offers a whole new world for those curious about the world at large. "The Blue Note: Electronic Erotica" is a twist on the work of romance from Eve Winter is a collection of thoughts and ideas from Eve Winter who presents her own twist of searching for love, presenting a dual story of pursuing love offline and online and throughout the world around us. "The Blue Note" is an enticing twist of romance, highly recommended reading.

His to Command
Opal Carew
St. Martin's Griffin
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9780312674632, $14.99, www.stmartins.com

To surrender entirely is a secret desire some keep. "His to Command" is a romance of high society from Opal Carew, who follows successful businesswoman Kate, who is determined to empower her world under Matthew Pearce enters her life and brings her deepest darkest secrets. Twisting with themes of domination and submission all throughout, "His to Command" is a riveting read that should prove so very hard to put down, highly recommended.

Dancing With Trouble
Omotunde E. G. Johnson
Langdon Street Press
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781935204763, $16.99, www.langdonstreetpress.com

Africa is a troubled continent with many of its states in turmoil. "Dancing with Trouble" is a novel focused on a fictional African nation that shares so many of the problems with the modern region. As an immigrant who left the country for America returns, he sees his homeland in utter disarray and looks for how he can personally help and try to bring his homeland into the modern century... if it can even be saved. "Dancing With Trouble" is a much recommended and choice pick for general fiction collections, very much recommended reading.

The Andalucian Friend
Alexander Soderberg
Crown
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780770436056, $26.00, www.crownpublishing.com

A life quiet can be made loud with the introduction of a single element. "The Andalucian Friend" tells of Sophie, a young mother alone, but living a content life with no thrills. When Hector Guzman enters her world, she's attracted to him, and the minefield of a life of crime and violence that comes with him makes her question it. But Sophie can't force herself to flee... even against all common sense, with her own fate in the balance. "The Andalucian Friend" is riveting blend of thriller and romance that will keep the pages turning all the way through.

Grave Consequences
Lisa T. Bergren
David C. Cook
4050 Lee Vance View
Colorado Springs, CO 80918
9781434764324, $14.99, www.davidccook.com

There is rarely a choice we can make that doesn't have a heavy weight. "Grave Consequences" follows Cora Kensington, having the time of her life as she sees Europe with her family. But love strikes her where it may hurt her the most, and anywhere she turns she is going to bring pain to someone... and the choices are daunting. "Grave Consequences" is a riveting tale of historical romance, a treasure and highly recommended.

A Place to Belong
Lauraine Snelling
Bethany House Publishers
c/o Baker Publishing Group
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55438
9780764204173, $14.99, www.bethanyhouse.com

So often, love is not listed as a vital ingredient to marriage. "A Place to Belong" is a historical novel, as Cassie Lockwood struggles with her life on her future husband's ranch. As she drifts away from her fiance, who is dedicated to the idea of love but nothing seems to be sparking... and even his eyes seem to be elsewhere. She realizes a bit of excitement in her life is what she needs, no matter the cost. "A Place to Belong" is a riveting read of romance and fiction, much recommended reading.

Wolves of the North
Harry Sidebottom
The Overlook Press
141 Wooster Street
New York, NY 10012
9781590207833, $26.95, www.overlookpress.com

As Rome struggles to keep the empire together, pressures push it apart. "Wolves of the North: Warrior of Rome" is a historical adventure following Ballista, a legionnaire charged with combating the Heruli, the feared tribes preventing the Roman expansion northwards. With renown for author Harry Sidebottom's dedication to historical accuracy, "Wolves of the North" is a riveting adventure of historical fiction, an absolute must for any one in love with the classical period of Ancient Rome.

Sinners and The Sea
Rebecca Kanner
Howard Books
c/o Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781451695236, $22.99, www.simonandschuster.com

To be scorned from the world... and to have a second chance at the world. "Sinners and the Sea" is a story of Biblical fiction about Noah's wife, who in the Bible does not bear much story herself. Author Rebecca Kanner uses the popular Christian legend to tell her story, of a woman spurned from her village, finding comfort under Noah, and her own personal struggles to find peace with her sons and the coming calamity. An intriguing read, "Sinners and the Sea" is riveting Biblical fiction, an absolute must for fans of the genre.


The Computer Shelf

Getting to Know ArcGIS for Desktop, third edition
Michael Law & Amy Collins
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589483088 $84.95 www.esri.com/esripress

Now in its third updated edition featuring new topics about online resources and raster data, as well as new exercises and learning tools, Getting to Know ArcGIS for Desktop is an excellent text for classroom instruction or personal use. Full-color computer screenshots on almost every page illustrate this hands-on, practical-minded guide to using the ArcGIS for Desktop software show maps and data, as well as make queries and analyses of data. An accompanying trial disc of ArcGIS for Desktop software (requires a Windows operating system and certain minimum computer specifications) rounds out this detailed pedagogical guide, designed to teach readers by having them undertake straightforward activities with numbered step-by-step instructions. "By default, ArcMap does not put labels on top of each other. This means that, depending on the scale and the part of the map you are looking at, some features in a layer may not be labeled. If you want to be sure every feature in a layer is labeled, you can tell ArcMap to place overlapping labels." An absolute "must-have" for anyone who needs to master ArcGIS for Desktop quickly!

Hacking 7 Exposed
Stuart McClure, CNE, CCSE, et.al.
McGraw-Hill
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor
New York, NY 10121-2298
9780071780285, $50.00, www.mhprofessional.com

Hacking 7 Exposed: Network Security Secrets & Solutions provides a fine survey teaching network administrators how to bolster their security tactics, and uses case studies to present a hacker's latest devious methods and remedies to these attacks. From web-based meta-exploits and plugging holes in VoIP to the latest iPhone and Android attacks and how to detect and thwart rootkits, Trojans and more, this covers all the latest methods of attack and locking down a network system, and covers a wide range of considerations. Any collection appealing to network security professionals will find this a winning addition!

O'Reilly & Associates
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
www.oreilly.com

Matt Garrish & Markus Gylling's EPUB 3 BEST PRACTICES (9781449329143, $29.99) teaches how to use EPUB 3 to take ebooks to a new level and includes best practices and keys to electronic publishing. It's written by industry experts who here provide a wide array of keys to using EPUB 3's production features, including scripting and code tips along with assessments of the digital publishing industry as a whole. From learning layout and publishing techniques to using interactive elements to make content pop, this tells how to not only create more effective ebooks, but how to best work with their distribution channels for maximum exposure. Any epublisher or programmer working with EPUB3 needs this guide to superior approaches. J.D. Biersdorfer and David Pogue's iPOD: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449316198, $21.99) appears in an 11th updated edition covering all iPods and iTunes 11, and packs in details on using all the features of different iPod generations. From loading the iPod with music and photos to downloading and organizing a collection, sending email and handling the Nano's new screen, this is simply packed with ideas for making the most of all iPod and iTunes devices to date, and is a manual no owner should be without. David Pogue's WINDOWS 8: THE MISSING MANUAL (9781449314033, $39.99) packs in keys to the Windows 8 operating system, the most radical redesign in Microsoft's history, and offers all the basics needed to navigate the new system, understand its many new features, and use the software effectively. From coverage of each feature and how it interacts with email, the Web and other common elements to black and white screen shots throughout covering everything from voice recognition and protecting a home wireless network to sharing music and controlling accounts, this defines potentially puzzling phrases and commands, links Windows 8 to daily functions, and clearly explains all the differences between this and other Windows incarnations, making it a 'must have' reference for any new Windows 8 user. Windows 8 users who want depth and tips for going beyond daily usage will appreciate Preston Gralla's WINDOWS 8 HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR UNLOCKING THE POWER OF TABLETS AND DESKTOPS (9781449325756, $24.99). This shows how to make a variety of modifications to the Windows 8 environment, how to lock screens and hack native apps, and how to improve everything from basic performance to multimedia applications. Any who would move to advanced Windows 8 improvements will find this a clear winner!


The Self-Help Shelf

Overcoming Perfectionism
Ann W. Smith
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757317200, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

Perfect is often unobtainable, and chasing it can prove futile. "Overcoming Perfectionism: Finding the Key to Balance & Self-Acceptance" is a guide to staving off the curse of being a perfectionist as Ann W. Smith encourages readers to come to term with their drive for perfection, and realizing the penalties of submerging oneself too fully in these stressful habits. "Overcoming Perfectionism" is insightful and much recommended reading for those coping with their own problems of perfection and the many problems that can spin out from there.

Activate Your Goodness
Shari Arison
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100
Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401937973, $14.95, www.hayhouse.com

Making the world a better place is often its own reward. "Activate Your Goodness: Transforming the World Through Doing Good" is an inspirational read from Shari Arison, who encourages readers to embrace their inner goodness and find their drive to a better life by doing good things for those around us, the community, and the environment. "Activate Your Goodness" is a powerful read for personal inspiration collections, highly recommended.

Let Me Tell You a Story
James O'Keefe with Josh O'Keefe
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449407773, $19.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Good health is attainable for those with the drive to reach for it and succeed. "Let Me Tell You a Story: Inspirational Stories for Health, Happiness, and a Sexy Waist" is a collection of inspirational stories of those who have strove for success, telling their story of better understanding their own push for better health and wellness in their own ways. From stories of finding a diet that works for them, exercise that tones the body, and more, "Let Me Tell You a Story" is an inspirational read designed to give readers that extra bit of motivation for life and living.


The Memoir Shelf

My Greek Drama
Gianna Angelpoulos
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869
Austin, TX 78709
9781608325818, $26.95, www.greenleafbookgroup.com

Greece has faced many challenges in recent years, and many seek to restore its worthiness of its heritage. "My Greek Drama" is a memoir from Gianna Angelpoulos, a Greek patriot who is strongly troubled be her country's recent economic and political struggles and has done much in public service and was vital in bringing the Olympic games to the country in 2004. An insightful and personal story of modern Greece, "My Greek Drama" is an enticing and much recommended addition to international biography collections, highly recommended.

Rugged Mercy
Robert Wright
Washington State University Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874223149, $26.95, www.wsupress.wsu.edu

The call of the doctor is a noble one, but to risk one's own life consistently is an act of heroism. "Rugged Mercy" is the story of Robert H. Wright, a doctor of Idaho who throughout the regions many rough winters gained a reputation for daring to cross the frontier west to help those in need. His grandson, who carries on his name, seeks to tell his stories of daring and adventure through this tough time where emergency medical care almost guaranteed death. "Rugged Mercy" is an exciting read of true adventure, highly recommended.

My Great Grandfather Was Stonewall Jackson, volume 1
David Jonathan Sawyer
Biographical Publishing Company
95 Sycamore Drive
Prospect, CT 06712-1493
192988284X, $19.00, www.amazon.com

Even as generations past, hatred lives on. "My Great Grandfather Was Stonewall Jackson: The Story of a Negro Boy Growing Up in the Segregated South" is an autobiographical novel from David Jonathan Sawyer who shares his journey of growing up in the deeply racist south, and how he took pride in his ancestral ties to the Confederate general as strength to help him through his toughest times. "My Great Grandfather Was Stonewall Jackson" is a strong pick to historical blends of memoir and novel, recommended. Also consider volume 2, "Stonewalling in the Shadow of a Legend" (1929882858, $19.00), continuing his story.

The Turk who Loved Apples
Matt Gross
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306821158, $15.99, www.perseusbooksgroup.com

The world is a huge place, and coming to understand it all is a curiosity in itself. "The Turk Who Loved Apples: And Other Tales of Losing My Way Around the World" is a memoir of world travel from Matt Gross, who shares his life's journeys and the constant stories he sees, meeting farmers, other travelers, and his strange ways of getting around through the world with humor and a lot of life. "The Turk who Loved Apples" is a poignant and riveting read for travel memoir collections, much recommended.

Polka King
Jimmy Sturr
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, STE 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856342, $24.95, www.benbellabooks.com

Respect in your field is sometimes all you seek. "Polka King: The Life and Times of Polka Music's Living Legend" is the memoir of Polka star Jimmy Sturr, who recounts his long career where has claimed Grammys and countless television appearances. Sharing his stories of world travel, unusual anecdotes, and plenty of humor, as well as the insight into the genre of Polka, "Polka King" is a strong addition to any musical history or autobiography collection, highly recommended.

Beyond the Bear
Dan Bigley & Debra McKinney
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane
Guilford, CT 06437
9780762784554, $22.95, www.lyonspress.com

Bear attacks seem like a crazy nightmare, but they do happen and it can be life changing. "Beyond the Bear: How I Learned to Live and Love Again After Being Blinded by a Bear" is a memoir from Dan Bigley with Debra McKinney, as he shares his story of a vicious attack from a grizzly bear and the attacks that left him seriously injured and without the ability to see. A long road to recovery which will never be full, "Beyond the Bear" is an insightful read of coping with the tragedy of life and living life to the fullest in spite of it all.

Once Upon a Gypsy Moon
Micheal Hurly
Center Street
c/o Hachette Publishing Group
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017-0010
9781455529339, $19.99, www.centerstreet.com

When we're on the ropes in life, sometimes all we need out of life is a single desperate gambit. "Once Upon a Gypsy Moon" is a memoir from Michael Hurley, who recounts when life pushed him up against the wall and how an impulsive trip allowing him to sail around the world gave him a whole new perspective on life and living in the process. Sharing his journey and what he has learned and with an inspiring message on the power of adventure, "Once Upon a Gypsy Moon" is an excellent addition to memoir and inspirational collections.

Nine Lives
Brandon Baltzley
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Publishing USA
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781592407910, $26.00, www.us.penguingroup.com

Sometimes we have many passions, all intertwining with one another for one weird cocktail of a life. "Nine Lives: A Chef's Journey From Chaos to Control" is a memoir from Brandon Baltzley who shares his unique journey through life. A love of cooking starting early on, he found his primary calling very young... and an interest in music made him a very non-standard cook, far from the image of the poofy hats and white shirts. But such wandering passions gave him demons, and those demons almost claimed his life many times. A riveting, hard to put down story of a life, "Nine Lives" is a must for memoir and biography collections, enthusiastically recommended.

The Girl Got Up
Rachel M. Srubas
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814634493, $16.95, www.litpress.org

To rise again after apparent death is to have a second chance. "The Girl Got Up: A Cruciform Memoir" is a faith-driven memoir from Rachel M. Srubas who tells her story, drawing her own story of resurrection, finding her place in life as a woman, as a Christian, while being completely honest and realistic about what she has seen. "The Girl Got Up" is a strong addition to Christian studies and memoir collections, highly recommended.


The Social Issues Shelf

Orphan Justice
Johnny Carr
B&H Publishing Group
127 Ninth Avenue North
Nashville, TN 37234-0143
9781433677984, $14.99, www.bhpublishinggroup.com

Adoption takes commitment not everyone can easily adopt. "Orphan Justice: How to Care for Orphans Beyond Adopting" looks into the Christian perspectives on orphaned children, and what people can do when adoption isn't possible. Worldwide, countless children suffer without aid, and Johnny Carr presents ideas on what they can do to help these children through political movements all the way up to adoption itself. "Orphan Justice" is a must for social issues and Christian studies collections, highly recommended.

Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com, www.basicbooks.com

Donna Freitas's THE END OF SEX: HOW HOOKUP CULTURE IS LEAVING A GENERATION UNHAPPY, SEXUALLY UNFULFILLED AND CONFUSED ABOUT INTIMACY (9780465002153, $25.99) builds on the author's previous survey of U.S. college students from public, private and religious schools alike and reveals that over forty percent of college women and men regret hooking up. Unhappy with their sexual experiences, they still feel social pressure to participate sexually and reject old-fashioned dating routines. This title identifies the issues and offers alternatives for students and parents, discussing abstinence, how to go out on a more meaningful date, and how to get past the expectations of the hookup culture mentality. The result is a powerful exploration of sexuality in modern culture and student life, recommended for any college-level sociology collection. Peter Blair Henry's TURNAROUND: THIRD WORLD LESSONS FOR FIRST WORLD GROWTH (9780465031894, $26.99) reveals three things needed for a prosperous future: discipline, clarity and trust, and considers traditional measures of policy effectiveness and how to learn from foreign struggles. His analysis of which policy reforms succeed economically around the world makes for a fine analysis of social position and political and economic 'solutions' to problems, providing policymakers and ordinary citizens with insights on lessons learned from Third World experiences. A range of collections will welcome this approach; from social science and political studies holdings to those interested in international economics.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Under Budapest
Ailsa Kay
Goose Lane Editions
500 Beverbrook Court, Suite 330
Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 5X4
9780864926814, $19.95, www.gooselane.com

Decades have passed and much has changed, but history still runs deep. "Under Budapest" is a novel of Hungarian history. Following Tibor, a man who travels to his ancestral land of Budapest, and finds himself in the throws of the land left behind, finding long lost family, and the deep history the city holds. Digging deep into a mystery, author Alisa Kay speaks for the Hungarian people in ways may never knew possible. "Under Budapest" is a fine modern thriller, much recommended.

Desperado
Manuel Ramos
Arte Publico Press
University of Houston
4902 Gulf Fwy, Bldg 19, Rm 100
Houston, TX 77204-2004
9781558857704, $17.95, www.artepublicopress.com

A dead buddy, an artifact and a world of crime..."Desperado" follows Gus Corral as he finds himself immersed by all sides when he offers to help a friend. With the friend dead, author Manuel Ramos tells Gus's story trying to channel the old fashioned noir stories of old where no one can be trusted and trying to find the motivation that lurk all around us. "Desperado" is an enticing addition to contemporary mystery and fiction collections.

The Night Detectives
Jon Talton
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464201325, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

A murder case is hard to pin down, especially when the people hiring you can't be trusted. "The Night Detectives" follows deputy David Mapstone as he tries to determine if the police's assessment of Grace Hunter's death is correct. They call it a suicide, but a person claiming to be her brother claims otherwise. Chasing the case across the Southwest, he finds a tangled web of money and corruption everywhere he turns. "The Night Detectives" is a mystery and thriller with no shortage of twists and turns, much recommended.

Darkness Before Dawn
Ace Collins
Abingdon Press
PO Box 801
Nashville, TN 37202
9781426714672, $14.99, www.abingdonpress.com

Justice has different definitions for everyone. "Darkness Before Dawn" is a Christian-driven novel from Ace Collins, telling the story of Meg Richard's, who is pregnant when she loses her husband to a young drunk driver. Faced with the weight of single motherhood, and denied justice for her loss, she is lured by a different sort of retribution, and the dark path that beckons. "Darkness Before Dawn" is a strong addition to Christian fiction and suspense collections, highly recommended.

The Forbidden Book
Joscelyn Godwin & Guido Mina Di Sospiro
The Disinformation Company
220 East 23rd Street, Suite 500
New York, NY 10010
9781938875014, $24.95, www.disinfo.com

The flares and conflicts of faith can lead to much in the way of murder. "The Forbidden Book" is a Biblical thriller from Joscelyn Godwin & Guido Mina Di Sospiro, presents a murder mystery that digs into the deep and esoteric nature of Islam and Western civilization, a worldwide adventure that explores the conflicts of faith and how they can easily drive people to kill, and the metaphysical aspects that may seep into our souls. "The Forbidden Book" is an exciting thriller for fans of the genre, highly recommended.

Date Certain
Reuben Eisenstein
Fithian Press
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
9781564745392, $12.95, www.danielpublishing.com

We all live on a clock, but knowing that timer can put us on the ropes. "Date Certain" is a novel following Benjamin Stone, a physician who is struck with the sudden knowledge of when he is to die. Struggling with this knowledge, his other touches of precognition gives him terror... and the opportunity to do something about the mysteries around him. "Date Certain" is a riveting blend of paranormal mystery, very much recommended reading.

Yesterday's Echo
Matt Coyle
Oceanview Publishing
595 Bay Isles Road, 120-G
Longboat Key, FL 34228
9781608090761, $26.95, www.oceanviewpub.com

Forgiveness is hard to achieve... especially when forgiving oneself. "Yesterday's Echo" is a thriller following troubled Rick Cahill, who can't forgive himself for his wife's death, and no one else seems to forgive him either. When a new woman presents herself in his life, and asks for his help, one part wants him to flee, undeserving; another part seeks redemption. But the biggest obstacle might not be another murderer, but instead his own demons tearing him apart. "Yesterday's Echo" is an excellent thriller, hard to put down all the way through.

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103
Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

Bruce MacBain's THE BULL SLAYER (9781464201080, $24.95) provides a fine Plinius Secundus mystery and tells of a frontier province filled with a hatred of Rome, a barbarian god whose followers include a murder, and a faith healer who knows everyone's secrets. Pliny, newly appointed governor of Bithynia, discovers a Roman official murdered and becomes involved in a host of dangerous encounters as he tries to uncover the truth about the murder and those behind the intense rebellion over Rome. The result is an ancient world mystery replete with history, satisfying twists and turns of plot, and strong characterization. K.J. Larsen's SOME LIKE IT HOT (9781464200960, $24.95) provides a fine mystery and revolves around PI Cat DeLuca, who sees an old friend opening a competing detective agency with just enough knowledge to land him in trouble. Billy learned his basic skills from Humphrey Bogart, but his eye for danger is impeccable and Cat finds herself draw into his world, where a stolen pair of valuable diamond earrings and murder is enhanced by a client being pursued by men who want her dead. Soon Cat finds her involvement entering a too-personal level in this gripping mystery, perfect for any mystery holding.

Encounters of Sherlock Holmes
George Mann, Editor
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781160039, $14.95, www.titanbooks.com

Encounters of Sherlock Holmes provides a new collection of Sherlock encounters, edited by George Mann, and is a recommendation for any who would enjoy different cases and perspectives by some of the major modern writers of horror and steampunk, from Guy Adams to James Lovegrove. These are original short stories collected and edited by Mann and offering a fine survey all written with the intriguing blend of investigative action and touches of supernatural and otherworldly results. Any Sherlock Holmes fan will eagerly absorb these new cases which remain true to the Holmes style of investigation.

Her Brother's Keeper
Sara Hoskinson Frommer
Perseverance Press
c/o Daniel & Daniel, Publishers
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
9781564745255, $15.95, www.danielpublishing.com

Her Brother's Keeper tells of Joan Spencer, who finds challenges in handling a temperamental conductor of the symphony orchestra she plays for, in a daughter's upcoming wedding with her future mother-in-law-from-hell, and in a murder that rocks her world and casts her policeman-husband's mother as a suspect. With all these pans in the fire, it's up to Joan to solve mysteries and volatile relationships alike in a thrilling recommendation for any mystery holding.

The Woman From Paris
Santa Montefiore
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 12th floor
New York, NY 10020
9781451676686, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The Woman From Paris opens with a bang: the aristocratic Frampton family's patriarch dies suddenly and a stranger who attends the funeral is filled with shocking information that rocks the family. The old estate has long contained many secrets which now threaten to involve all concerned - not the least of which is death, romance, and the claims of a young woman who is the dead Lord's illegitimate daughter - and an heir. Determined to expose Phaedra as a fraud, the wife of Lord Frampton's second son sets out to discover the truth; a journey that will take her around Europe and to the heart of the mystery. A fine story emerges with many powerful characters to recommend it to any fan of romance or mystery.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

In the Presence of Angels Emmanuel Swedenborg
Andrea R. Garrison, author
Swedenborg Foundation Press
320 North Church Street
West Chester, PA 19380
9780877853503 $11.95 www.swedenborg.com

"In the Presence of Angels: Reflections on Mattie Pearl and Emmanuel Swedenborg" is an exploration of an end life spiritual journey, experienced by the author with the passing of her mother. Her awareness of the presence of angels increased her faith and comforted her in the loss of her mother, Mattie Pearl. She delivers an inspirational message to all that reanimates faith in an existence beyond the physical. There is family history, details about "The Crossing Over of Mattie Pearl (previous title of earlier publication)," and further exploration on the writings and life of Emmanuel Swedenborg, theologian. Gentle lyrical narrative meditations are enhanced by black and white photos and illustrations throughout "In the Presence of Angels." This small book will provide much food for thought and an enlargement of our concept of life, death and a hopeful afterlife.

Faith in the Public Square
Rowan Williams
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781408187586, $29.95, www.bloomsbury.com

In the spectrum of theology, Anglican bishop Rowan Williams is weighed with controversy. "Faith in the Public Square" is the man's own direct arguments to the many riveting questions that so often consume our minds in the debate of faith and religion, and its place in modern society where faiths grow ever more varied in the public light. With additional ideas on the Christian faith and the role of Christians in their own lives and society as a whole, "Faith in the Public Square" is an excellent addition to any religious, Christian studies, or theological social issues collection, a core addition to community and college library collections.

Made in the Margins
Hjamil A. Martinez-Vazquez
Baylor University Press
One Bear Place, #97363
Waco, TX 76798-7363
9781602581999, $39.95, www.baylorpress.com

Eurocentrism is strong in America, and the stories of many of its citizens go ignored. "Made in the Margins: Latina/o Constructions of US Religious History" focuses on the Latin American element in the history of faith in America, and criticizes traditional history writing for often forgetting the important elements of the Latin side of the story. Discussing the important elements and how to bring them into the mainstream discussion, "Made in the Margins" is a must for religious and Latin studies collections.

The Good Book: A Humanist Bible
A.C. Grayling
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9780802778376, $20.00, www.bloomsbury.com

The Good Book: A Humanist Bible is intended to blend the wisdom of philosophers, poets and writers while using the structure of the traditional Bible as its format, and it provides a lively and intriguing humanist alternative to the Holy Bible that any Christian will want to consider. Some thousands of authoritative texts have edited and assembled in the manner of the Bible and provides a powerful coverage. The stories and approaches are wonderfully sharp and literary, and will appeal to Bible readers, philosophers, and fans of literature alike.

The Outsider Test for Faith
John W. Loftus
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616147372, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

THE OUTSIDER TEST FOR FAITH: HOW TO KNOW WHICH RELIGION IS TRUE comes from a former minister turned atheist who thinks we'd all be better for viewing religion with a healthy dose of skepticism. His thought leads to his "outsider test for faith", a process which applies the same skepticism to our own beliefs as we do to those of other faiths. Chapters explore how belief systems form, how they are tested, and how religion evolved, all with an eye to teaching the basics of informed skeptical thinking and applying it to any religious perspective. The result is a fine pick recommended for any spirituality collection, offering the fundamentals of skeptical inquiry.

Changing Reality
Serge Kahili King
Quest Books
c/o The Theosophical Publishing House
PO Box 270
Wheaton, IL 60189-0270
9780835609111, $16.95, www.questbooks.net

If your reality seems burdensome, why not alter it? "Changing Reality: Huna Practices to Create Life You Want" is a spiritual read from Serge Kahili King who presents a twisting idea of spirituality and shamanism, taking traditional Hawaiian faith ideas and offering them for wider understanding and ideas. "Changing Reality" is a strong addition to spirituality and reference collections and for those seeking a new take, highly recommended.

Conversation: The Sacred Art
Diane M. Millis
Skylight Paths Publishing
Sunset Farms Offices, Route 4
PO Box 237
Woodstock, VT 05091
9781594734748, $16.99, www.skylightpaths.com

Speaking does volumes to others and the self. "Conservation: The Sacred Art: Practicing Presence in an Age of Distraction" is an inspirational and spiritual read from Diane M. Millis who advises readers on how to better connect with others with the power of speech and listening in return. Attention, self-awareness, and other ideas can lead to more meaningful interpersonal relationships. "Conservation" is a strong addition to spirituality and reference collections, not to be missed.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Secret Practices of the Sufi Freemasons
Baron Rudolf von Sebottendorff
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street
Rochester, VT 05767
9781594774683, $14.95, www.innertraditions.com

Free Masonry and the metaphysical nature behind it isn't strictly a western concept. "Secret Practices of the Sufi Freemasons: The Islamic Teachings at the Heart of Alchemy" explores the original writing by Baron Rudolf von Sebottendorff, who wrote of Oriental freemasonry, and its ties to the Islamic Holy book the Qur'an. Touching on the spiritual ideas that lie beneath it, its relation to alchemy, and many other topics, "Secret Practices of the Sufi Freemasons" is a fascinating read for anyone curious about the old ways of the occult in history.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Wisdom of the Kadam Masters
Thupten Jinpa
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
9781614290544, $16.95, www.wisdompubs.org

Wisdom comes in many forms, but ultimately, the goal is to realize it. "Wisdom of the Kadam Masters" is a modern translation of the Buddhist classic as Thupten Jinpa, renown English translator of Buddhist literature, as he presents this renown insights of this Tibetan classic for English readers. For readers of Buddhist literature, "Wisdom of the Kadam Masters" is a strongly recommended addition to Buddhist Studies and spirituality collections.

A Straight Road with 99 Curves
Gregory Shepherd
Stone Bridge Press
PO Box 8208
Berkeley, CA 94707
9781611720112, $14.95, www.stonebridge.com

Buddhism often offers much insight on our spirits and ideals for life. "A Straight Road with 99 Curves: Coming of Age on the Path to Zen" is a spiritual memoir from Gregory Shepherd as he tells his story of traveling the world and piecing together his own ideas of the world, traveling, find his own place, finding his calling, and breaking from the traditional path to enlightenment. "A Straight Road with 99 Curves" is a must for spiritual and Buddhist memoir collections, highly recommended.


The Crafts Shelf

Costume Jewelry
Elvira Lopez del Prado Rivas
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764341496, $29.99, www.schifferbooks.com

COSTUME JEWELRY covers the basic techniques of creating costume jewelry and uses step-by-step color photos throughout to demonstrate these basics. From producing a crisscross necklace or a felt flower brooch to working with beads, dyeing, stringing, and working with wire, this covers a wide range of materials and approaches which lie within the 'costume jewelry' definition. Chapters also include a history of costume jewelry development, covering all the tools and materials needed to produce a range of satisfying designs and successful, fashionable pieces. The result is a top recommendation for any looking for a guide on different styles and types of jewelry under the general 'costume jewelry' umbrella, paired with specific tips on how to construct them.

Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street N.
East Petersburg, PA 17520
www.foxchapelpublishing.com

Lora S. Irish's ART & CRAFT OF PYROGRAPHY: DRAWING WITH FIRE ON LEATHER GOURDS, CLOTH, PAPER, AND WOOD (9781565234789, $19.95) provides crafters with a fine collection of tips and techniques on detailed pyrography crafts usage, and includes a range of media and tips on shading, using color, working with different mediums, and producing texture and specific results. From the basics of pyrography systems to tools and applications, this is packed with color photo examples throughout along with step-by-step patterns - some 43 in all - for projects. Newcomers and old hands at using pyrography will find this a top pick for learning and applying new skills, while crafts collections will want to include it for its rare, specific insights. Rich Rousseau's MAKING WOODEN FISHING LURES (9781565234468, $19.95) provides sports collections and craft holdings with a fine basic handbook on making your own fishing lures. It includes fish-tested, proven designs from the award-winning carver and fisherman author, teaching the basics of not only crafting lures, but catching freshwater and saltwater fish with them. Explanations of the different lures include keys to carving and painting them so they catch even crafty fish. Sports as well as crafts holdings will find this an excellent choice!

Kalmbach Books
c/o Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com

Patricia Kimle's EXPLORING CANEWORK IN POLYMER CLAY (9780871164506, $21.95) features polymer clay basics and provides illustrated step-by-step instructions for all skill levels, making for a fine pick for any jewelry-making or crafts holding. Here are cane tutorials for all kinds of polymer clay cane, with a gallery of finished jewelry designed by the author accompanying vivid patterns and ideas for blending and constructing all kinds of pieces. The approaches and combinations are unique to Patricia Kimle's style, so you won't find them duplicated elsewhere. This fact makes Exploring Canework in Polymer Clay a unique acquisition and recommended for any collection. The publishers of Bead Style Magazine present MULTISTRAND JEWELRY: SECRETS FOR SUCCESS (9780871164513, $17.95), packed with projects and designs for creating multi-dimensional, multistrand jewelry. Nearly thirty of the best such projects from Bead Style Magazine plus for brand new projects are detailed from different designers who share their tips for success. Techniques, tools and materials are loaded into sections packed with photos and advice from those who have much experience with multistrand jewelry making. The result is a fine coverage for any who would improve upon skills or learn basic techniques.

Crystal Play
Anna Elizabeth Draeger
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
www.kalmbachbooks.com
9780871164766, $21.95, www.amazon.com

Making jewelry is an enduringly popular hobby for tens of thousands of people from all walks of life. Jewelry designer Anna Elizabeth Draeger draws upon her years of experience and expertise in "Crystal Play: Fun & Fabulous Designs for Stitched Jewelry", a profusely illustrated, 112 page instruction book showcasing 25 imaginative designs for bracelets and accessories. Each design features a complete materials list and 'user friendly' step-by-step directions. Enhanced with practical and insightful tips on color and design, "Crystal Play: Fun & Fabulous Designs for Stitched Jewelry" also features a 'basic review' section addressing fundamental techniques. Fun, practical, imaginative, "Crystal Play: Fun & Fabulous Designs for Stitched Jewelry" is very highly recommended for personal and community library Hobby & Crafts reference collections.

Bewitching Bead & Wire Jewelry
Lark Books
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
9781454707561, $26.95, www.larkcrafts.com

Charming beads and jewelry can make many a wondrous jewelry and many a fun project. "Bewitching Bead & Wire Jewelry: Easy Techniques for 40 Irresistible Projects" is a do it yourself jewelry guide from Lark Books who provide full color guides and illustrations on getting the most out of one's artistic endeavors and creating wondrous and fun projects with easy techniques even beginners can get a hold of and flourish in their lives. "Bewitching Bead & Wire Jewelry" is a much recommended addition to any crafts collection, not to be missed.


The Photography Shelf

A Photojournalist's Field Guide
Stacy Pearsall
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321896612 $39.99 www.peachpit.com

Author Stacy Pearsall brings her years of experience as a professional photographer in both combat and domestic proceedings in A Photojournalist's Field Guide, a no-nonsense career kickstarter for aspiring or practicing photojournalists. From how to prepare for survival (and taking care of one's equipment) in rugged or dangerous conditions, to tips, tricks and techniques for capturing a shot in just the right way, to earning a respectable living at home in tough economic times, A Photojournalist's Field Guide is an absolute must-have. "Be sure to protect your lenses with a high-quality UV filter. As photojournalists, we expose our equipment to multiple hazards, from flying projectiles to dust and debris. Instead of allowing our expensive glass elements to take the brunt of the scratches, why not let a much cheaper filter take the hit?" Illustrated with striking full-color photographs throughout, A Photojournalist's Field Guide is highly recommended, especially for public and vocational school library collections.

The Last Layer
Bonny Pierce Lhotka
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.thelastlayerbook.com
9780321905406 $49.99 www.newriders.com

Co-founder of the digital artist collaborative "Digital Atelier" Bonny Pierce Lhotka presents The Last Layer: New Methods in Digital Printing for Photography, Fine Art, and Mixed Media, an in-depth guide to adding original touches to a final print to create a look that cannot be copied digitally. Means for crafting modern-day renditions of anthotypes, cyanotypes, tintypes, and daguerreotypes are discussed, as well as ways to blend these historical techniques with modern images to recreate the appearance of times past. No exorbitantly expensive (or physically hazardous!) substances are required for the methodologies in The Last Layer, which primarily rely upon a desktop inkjet printer that uses pigment inks. Full-color illustrations on almost every page illuminate the tips, tricks, and techniques for The Last Layer, making it a joy for connoisseurs of photographic art to browse as well as an excellent hands-on resource for intermediate to advanced digital artists. Highly recommended.

Plug in with onOne Software
Nicole S. Young
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321862785, $39.99, www.peachpit.com

Plug in with onOne Software: A Photographer's Guide to Vision and Creative Expression provides the only book to coverall the products in onOne Software's perfect Photo Suite 7 and provides aspiring photographers with professional Nicole S. Young's demonstrations of all techniques. Color photos throughout capture everything from using Perfect Layers to work outside of Photoshop to using the latest Perfect B&W to apply black and white properties to photographs. The result is a lovely survey packed with photo examples and step-by-step coverage so detailed that it leaves nothing to guess at.

Master Posing Guide, second edition
J.D. Wacker
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
9781608955206, $29.95, www.amherstmedia.com

Master Posing Guide for Portrait Photographers: A Complete Guide to Posing Singles, Couples, and Groups teaches how to build a relationship with a subject for optimum posing, how to get the pose without stress, and how to avoid common mistakes and cover common appearance issues. From working with props to posing in a studio or on location, keys to success are packed with color photo examples throughout, making this a solid reference for any aspiring professional.

Portrait Of Boulder
Steve Mohlenkamp, photographer
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
9781560375401, $26.95, www.amazon.com

"Portrait of Boulder" by photographer Steve Mohlenkamp is a 120 page compilation of full color photography showcasing the people and images of Denver, Colorado. Each full color image is informatively captioned. Enhanced with a succinct Foreword by Silvia Pettem, "Portrait of Boulder" is a delight to simply browse through and is an especially recommended acquisition for Denver's academic and community libraries -- as well as an enduringly popular memento for visitors and native denizens alike!

Images of America Fort Missoula
Tate Jones
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd.
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
9780738599557, $21.99, www.arcadiapublishing.com

Montana has a bigger role to play in America's military history than most realize. "Images of America Fort Missoula" is a collection of photography and history of Fort Missoula in Montana, offering its many roles throughout the fort's history from its press westward, to its dark role in World War II, to its modern place as the Million Dollar Post. "Images of America Fort Missoula" is filled cover to cover with black and white photography, very much recommended reading, not to be missed.

The Scots
Tiffany Alvarado McKenna
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500290781, $21.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

A new technology lead to a chance to capture history as it happened. "The Scots: A Photohistory" analyzes the history of the Scottish people during this early time of photography. Capturing the Scottish people and their triumph throughout the middle of the nineteenth century and into the early twentieth, all of this photographs prove endlessly fascinating with a historical explanation and outlook all throughout. "The Scots" is a must for those seeking a photography book with a strong focus on Scottish history.


The Education Shelf

Challenging Exceptionally Bright Children in Early Childhood Classrooms
Ann Gadzikowski
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, Saint Paul, MN 55117
9781605541167 $34.95 www.redleafpress.org

"Challenging Exceptionally Bright Children in Early Childhood Classrooms" is copublished by Redleaf Press and the National Association for the Education of Young Children, or NAEYC. It presents suggestions for assessment, differentiation, conversation and connection, and classroom strategies for encouraging sustained development of exceptionally bright children in early education. Special chapters offer different classroom strategies for early readers, advanced mathematicians, young scientists, and supporting overall social- emotional development. In addition, there are further ideas for working with parents, families, and caretakers of exceptionally bright children. An excellent tool for preschool educators, "Challenging Exceptionally Bright Children in Early Childhood Classrooms" also contains a full list of recommended resources for teachers, including online information, books, and organizations. There are also resource recommendations for parents and families of exceptionally bright children. For a vast array of approaches, techniques, and learning models, this text is a versatile, creative collaboration of learning strategies sure to benefit the education efforts of the exceptionally bright.

Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century
Paul Manna & Patrick McGuinn, editors
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W.
Washington, DC 20036-2188
9780815723943, $32.95, www.brookings.edu

The American education system is in need of reform, no debate needed there. "Education Governance for the Twenty-First Century: Overcoming the Structural Barriers to School Reform" discusses the laundry list of problems that lie within the American education system. Placing the blame on a decentralized educational goal filled with bureaucracy and countless inefficiencies all along, Paul Manna & Patrick McGuinn bring together many thinkers who analyze this problems and how they can be improved for America's educational future. A vital and strongly recommended read, "Education Governance for the Twenty First Century" belongs in every educational studies and reference collection.

Powerful Techniques for Teaching Adults
Stephen D. Brookfield
Jossey-Bass/Wiley
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118017005, $40.00, www.josseybass.com

Teaching adults is a whole new world versus teaching children and teenagers. "Powerful Techniques for Teaching Adults" is an educator's guide aimed at better understanding how to more completely teach adults and reaching out to minds which are less open to being melded. From the complicated power dynamics, the importance of thinking critically, working with your students, and much more, "Powerful Techniques for Teaching Adults" is an invaluable reference for any educator or educational administrator who often deals with the complicated world of adult education, very much recommended reading.

Common Core Standards
John Kendall
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416614661, $27.95, www.ascd.org

There are basics of education that all other education is often built on top of. "Common Core Standards: For Elementary Grades 3-5 Math & English Language Arts" discusses the common educational concepts for educational standards in the second half of the elementary school years, and preparing them for the vital and formative middle school educational processes. "Common Core Standards" is a core addition to modern educational studies collections for educators and education administrators, highly recommended.

Self-Driven Learning
Larry Ferlazzo
Eye On Education
6 Depot Way West
Larchmont, NY 10538
9781596672390, $29.95, www.eyeoneducation.com

When a student learns of their own free-will, that's inspiration that can't be beat. "Self-Driven Learning: Teaching Strategies for Student Motivation" is a guide for educators in trying to inspire students desire to learn by empowering their own wishes for learning and education, encouraging personal desire and responsibility as well as working with other students. Presenting a new way to teach that can solve the always difficult problem of student encouragement, "Self-Driven Learning" is a must for educational collections, highly recommended. Also from Eye on Education is "The Principal as Instructional Leader: A Practical Handbook" (9781596672390, $34.95) exploring the role of the principal in inspiring better education through their students, and "The 6 Keys to Teacher Engagement: Unlocking the Doors to Top Teacher Performance" (9781596672383, $29.95), which focuses on inspiring teachers themselves to rise to a higher level of success.

Identifying & Assessing Students with Emotional Disturbance
Terry J. Tibbetts
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624
Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598572711, $44.95, www.brookespublishing.com

Emotional problems make it all too hard to focus on academic endeavors. "Identifying & Assessing Students with Emotional Disturbance" discusses the importance of emotional support when it comes to improving academic performance for students. Touching on the difference between social issues with a student and emotional disturbance, identifying these problems, legal issues that come with outlining these problems, and how to help teachers understand these problems, "Identifying & Assessing Students with Emotional Disturbance" is a critical addition to educational studies and psychology collections, highly recommended.

Your Complete Guide to College Success
Donald J. Foss
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE
Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433812965 $29.95 www.apa.org/books

Your Complete Guide to College Success: How to Study Smart, Achieve Your Goals, and Enjoy Campus Life is an absolute must-have for any college-bound adult. Chapters teach the basics of time management, strategic reading, preparing for tests, meet the challenge of mathematics courses, common pitfalls to avoid in campus life, and much more. "I recommend that you pick your exercise with the long term in mind. Look around; no one plays football after age 30 unless they are paid enormous sums of money to do so - and then they can't walk a few years later... consider using your university recreation center to learn or improve a lifetime sport - tennis, handball, squash, hiking or jogging, mountain biking, etc. Lessons are usually free or very inexpensive." A practical, no-nonsense resource that backs up its advice with a wealth of references, Your Complete Guide to College Success is enthusiastically recommended especially as a gift to aspiring high school graduates!

Let's Be Scientists!
Nancy N. Heilbronner
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813
Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781618210241, $24.95, www.prufrock.com

A little bit of science can help us so much throughout our life. "Let's Be Scientists!: Authentic Learning in the Science Classroom" is a reference for teachers that encourages scientific themed learning in the classroom, talking over the many aspects of the scientific method that may be applicable to many subjects. Encouraging critical thinking, debate, experimentation, labs, and much more, "Let's Be Scientists!" is a must addition to many an education collection focused on science and learning.

Word Nerds
Brenda J. Overturf, Leslie H. Montgomery, & Margot Holmes Smith
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109545, $20.00, www.stenhouse.com

A better vocabulary is more useful than many believe. "Word Nerds: Teaching All Students to Learn and Love Vocabulary" discusses the furtherance of vocabulary in many schools, with a focus on high poverty areas where vocabulary teaching games, activities, and encouragement of reading writing is making a difference that teaches a love of language. With plenty of insight on how to better teaching vocabulary and language arts in these tougher to teach areas, "Word Nerds" is a strong addition to any education and educator's reference collection, highly recommended.

Digital Storytelling in the Classroom, second edition
Jason B. Ohler
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452268255, $36.00, www.corwinpress.com

Stories are an invaluable tool for sharing and teaching. "Digital Storytelling in the Classroom: New Media Pathways to Literacy, Learning, and Creativity" discusses digital storytelling and its effective methods for education from Jason B. Ohler, who suggests many ways to use new media, exploring how it can work and how to better teach readers through these methods through interactivity and other elements exclusive to digital media. "Digital Storytelling in the Classroom" is a strong addition to educational studies collections.

The Kindness Curriculum
Judith Anne Rice
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605541242, $24.95, www.redleafpress.org

It's never too early to learn good will. "The Kindness Curriculum: Stop Bullying Before It Starts" discusses what early childhood educators can do to inspire better habits and friendship among their students, trying to root out the early symptoms of bullying and inspire them to encourage support, feeling better about themselves and encouraging better feelings in others as well. "The Kindness Curriculum" is a powerful read and addition to education collections focusing on counseling and early childhood.

Apprenticeship in Literacy, second edition
Linda J. Dorn and Tammy Jones
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109668, www.stenhousepub.com

The second updated edition of Apprenticeship in Literacy: Transitions Across Reading and Writing, K-4 offers coverage of the seven principles of appprenticeship learning and shows teachers how to put these principles into place in a working classroom. From assisted writing and word study lessons to blending literacy objectives with overall curriculum, this new edition includes the latest, updated research on early learning, promoting self-regulated learners, and blending information texts into an overall literacy program. The result is a solid reference for any interested in literacy development in early education settings.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

Shelley B. Wepner and Changing Suburbs Institute's Changing Suburbs', CHANGING STUDENTS: HELPING SCHOOL LEADERS FACE THE CHALLENGES (9781452203911, $31.00) offers assessments of how to improve student achievement by developing a plan of action that incorporates cultural considerations with university and community goals of inclusion and professional development. Chapters assess effective teaching methods in the suburban environment, considering collaborative techniques, building trust, implementing programs with diverse student populations in mind, and changing a school's culture. The result is a top recommendation for any teacher working in a suburban educational environment. The third updated edition of Alan M. Blankstein's classic FAILURE IS AN OPTION: 6 PRINCIPLES THAT ADVANCE STUDENT ACHIEVEMENT IN HIGHLY EFFECTIVE SCHOOLS (9781455268279, $34.95) provides an extensive update to a classic used by thousands of educators to create schools that incorporate the Common Core requirements. New case studies and new tested techniques are presented, along with strategies for engagement and keys to understanding RTI and Common Core engagements at all levels. The new tools, forms and video segments also appear on a companion website to compliment a vastly revamped classic sure to gain extensive attention and recommendation for any educator's reference library.

Heinemann
PO Box 6926
Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
www.heinemann.com

Tanny McGregor's GENRE CONNECTIONS: LESSONS TO LAUNCH LITERARY AND NONFICTION TEXTS (9780325033969, $21.25) focuses on sensory-driven lessons where everyday objects and encounters help readers make discoveries connected to seven commonly taught genres, and provides lessons adaptable to any genre. These are launching sequences designed to engage struggling readers and provide accessibility: chapters gather ideas on how to introduce students to these genres, and how to construct lessons that offer insights on all. Highly recommended for any educator working with genre education. James E. Fredericksen's GET IT DONE! WRITING AND ANALYZING INFORMATIONAL TEXTS TO MAKE THINGS HAPPEN (9780325042916, $34.38) provides a fine survey examining informational texts and the Common Core State Standards for writing, and is intended to provide instruction of lasting value so that once kids leave school they'll have the skills to compose effectively. Chapters provide teachers with all the informational texts needed to impart these skills, offering strategies that include naming and listing, describing, defining, classifying and more. From getting to the point in a summary to composing final drafts of process descriptions, this is packed with step-by-step teaching examples key to any teacher's successful approach. Gretchen Owocki's THE COMMON CORE WRITING BOOK K-5 (9780325048055, $36.88) provides a fine workbook supporting K-5 teachers in the effort to provide differentiated instruction linking to the ten writing standards, and is a pick for any teacher looking for keys to enacting common core standards. A clear description of what each standard requires accompanies 'decision trees' of instructional planning and strategies that involve students throughout the process. From photo documentaries for different grades to mini lessons and keeping class records, this is a powerful guide for any educator's collection.

Free to Learn
Peter Gray
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
978046502992, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

FREE TO LEARN: WHY UNLEASHING THE INSTINCT TO PLAY WILL MAKE OUR CHILDREN HAPPIER, MORE SELF-RELIANT, AND BETTER STUDENTS FOR LIFE comes from a developmental psychologist who encourages adults to allow kids to take charge of their own early education process. Evidence is growing to support the idea of free play and self-directed learning in opposition to the many programs that seek to define learning parameters, and chapters supporting this process here teach adults how to achieve this atmosphere of permission. The model of the mixed play group encourages children to develop socially and intellectually: discussions range from connections between play and this development process to what hunter-gatherer societies can teach us about raising kids. Any adult involved in early learning should consider this, and any collection appealing to educators or parents will want this!


The Cookbook Shelf

The Passionate Vegetable
Suzanne Landry
Health Inspired Publishing
PO Box 1093, Ventura, CA 93002
9780985190804, $29.95, www.healthinspiredpublishing.com

Vegetables are a core part of our diet and health, and they don't have to be bland. "The Passionate Vegetable: Health Inspired Recipes to Revitalize Your Life for Vegetarians or Meat Lovers" is a health and cookbook expanding the potential of the fresh vegetable in recipes, showing how to get the most out of these healthful vegetables and enjoying them to the fullest in our lives. With recipes with vegetables as the star such as stuffed peppers, to playing supporting roles with chicken soup recipes and Chinese Fried rice, "The Passionate Vegetable" is filled with full color photography throughout, and makes for a choice and much recommended addition to cookbook collections.

The China Study Cookbook
Leanne Campbell
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
www.benbellabooks.com
9781937856755, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated throughout with full color photography of finished dishes, "The China Study Cookbook" by Leanne Campbell is a 208 page compendium showcasing more than 120 delicious, nutritious, whole-food, plant-based recipes that include breads and muffins, breakfast dishes, appetizers and salads, soups, sandwiches, entrees, side dishes, and desserts. Of special note are the opening sections of "The China Study Cookbook" on 'Raising Children to Consume a Plant-Based Diet'; 'Transitioning to a Plant-Based Diet'; and 'Chef's Tools'. Thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' and enhanced with appendices offering Metric Conversions, Dietary Symbols, and a comprehensive Index, "The China Study Cookbook" will prove to be a welcome and enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library Cookbook collections.

Ice Cream
Eliq Maranik
H. F. Ullmann
c/o 60 Cycle Media Relations LLC
38 High Avenue, Nyack NY 10960
www.ullmann-publishing.com
9783848003600, $19.99, www.amazon.com

One of the most popular and ubiquitous desserts is ice cream in all its flavors and permutations. Ice cream enthusiast Eliq Maranik has compiled "Ice Cream", a superbly illustrated, 160 page compendium of recipes showcasing the versatility and variety of ice creams. Beginning with an informed and informative history of ice cream, followed by a comprehensive section devoted to Homemade Ice Cream, followed by sections devoted to The Components of Ice Cream; Equipment, and Ice-Cream Guide, and Ice Cream Tasting. "Ice Cream" then concludes with a roster of different kinds of ice cream ranging from Vanilla, to Caramel, to Coconut, to Mango, and more! Then come the sections devoted to Sorbets, Granitas, and Ice Pops. Of special note is the concluding section feature Extras including ice cream toppings and sauces. A joy to simply browse through, "Ice Cream" is a 'must' for dedicated ice cream enthusiasts everywhere!

The Traveling Soup Pot, A Savory Journey Through Many Lands
Mary Chamberlin, author
Foreword by Michel A. Escoffier
Mary Chamberlin Cookbooks
2750 Carmel Knolls Dr., Carmel, CA 93923
9781935530275 $35.00 www.TravelingSoupPot.com

"The Traveling Soup Pot" is a master's collection of delectable international soup recipes inspired and influenced by Chef Mary Chamberlin, along with her husband, Captain Roy Chamberlin and the legendary Michel Escoffier, descendant of Auguste Escoffier, also known as "the King of Chefs and the Chef of Kings." Here are over 100 imaginative soup recipes from global sources, arranged by area of origin. We have Mock Bird's nest Soup from China, Alan Wong's Red & Yellow Tomato Soup from Hawaii, Chicken Mulligatawny Soup from India, Portuguese Fish Stew, Swedish Soup with Dumplings, Lobster Bisque and Crabmeat & Brie Soup from France, Chilled Vichyssoise from England, Irish Stew, Leek & Potato Soup from Wales, chilled soups, Island soups, Mexicali Tortilla Soup, and finally Clam Chowder New California style, and many more from the American continent and others of hybrid or mixed origins. Recipes are divided into chapters based on origin, or type, such as chilled soups. An interesting 10th chapter offers "From Hobo to Must Go Soups," a combination of upscale versions of Hobo Stew, Mulligan Stew, and leftover miracle worker soup. Standard measurements and clear, step by step instructions make these fabulous soups accessible to all. A bit of culinary history is woven into each recipe, fascinating details that make the experience of offering of "The Traveling Soup Pot" all the more savory. Here indeed are fabulous gourmet and comfort food classic soups for every taste and budget. This edition is also spectacularly presented, with a special illustration of a Ford Tri-Motor airplane from the Roaring 20's on the cover, carrying a wandering, giant covered soup pot! Colored photos also decorate the chapters and further inspire the gourmet soup chef, amateur or not.

Mac N' Cheese To the Rescue
Kristen Kuchar
Ulysses Press
P.O. Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703
9781612431680 $12.95 www.ulyssespress.com

Classic boxed macaroni and cheese mixes are the standard for Western comfort food, from childhood, through college and young adulthood into old age. "Mac N' Cheese To the Rescue: 101 Recipes to Spice Up Everyone's Favorite Boxed Comfort Food" is a great collection of multiple varieties of nourishing, tasty dishes that can be created starting from one humble boxed mix of pasta and powdered cheese sauce. In the introduction, the author tells of three different kinds of Macaroni and cheese mixes used in these tasty recipes: They include Regular Mac N' Cheese, deluxe Mac N' Cheese, and Microwavable Mac N' Cheese. Basic preparation instructions for each type of mac n" cheese are given, non specific to any one particular brand name. Following are 8 chapters of over 100 recipes that feature a mac n' cheese packaged mix. Chapter categories vary from Breakfast and Snacks and Appetizers to Vegetarian, Poultry and Fish, and Beef, Lamb and Pork. Some of the imaginative entree titles are Carbonara Mac, Carolina Pulled Pork, Vegetarian's Fiesta, Santa Fe Pepper Pasta, Mini Mac Burgers, Good Morning Mac N' Cheese, and Oktoberfest Casserole. Recipes are simple, using ordinary grocery store stocked ingredients, with step by step instructions. An example of the economy of effort is Superbowl Mac which simply combines prepared boxed mac n' cheese, shredded cooked chicken, chopped celery, Gorgonzola cheese, and prepared buffalo sauce. Presto, you have a Superbowl favorite delicacy transformed into a handy, tasty meal in a bowl. Another favorite for vegetable lovers is Spinach Artichoke Mac, which adds canned or frozen artichoke hearts, spinach and roasted red peppers to prepared mac n' cheese, plus jarred Alfredo sauce, Asiago and Parmesan cheeses, and seasonings. Delicious transformations are achieved with only a few added tasty touches. "Mac N' Cheese To the Rescue" is a lovely gift to the college bound graduate, the parent of a young family, or the thrifty single adult who cooks just a little. It is a truly versatile sampler that helps to reinvent and jazz up a basic beloved food.

OMG that's Paleo?
Juli Bauer, author
Scribe Publishing Company
29488 Woodward, Suite 426, Royal Oak, MI 48073
9780985956240 $24.99 www.scribe-publishing.com

"OMG that's Paleo?: 100 Recipes That Will Make You Say "OMG"" is a creative collection of fabulous recipes arranged in categories including Poultry, Beef, Pork, Fish/Seafood, Slow Cooker, Sweet & Savory Breakfasts, Baked Goods, 5-Ingredient Meals, Side Dishes, Snacks, and Desserts. Whether or not you agree with Ms. Bauer's Paleo food theory, there is no doubt these are some delicious and healthy, easy, creative recipes. For example, how about Blackberry Glazed Grilled Pork Chops? Or Grilled Swordfish with Peach and Avocado Salsa? For breakfast, try Caramelized Onion Frittata, or Blueberry Waffels with Blueberry Maple Compote. Using the slow cooker, try Pork Green Chile, Mushroom Gravy Slow Cooked Rump Roast, or Pumpkin Seed Salsa Chicken Stew. A favorite chapter is 5-Ingredient Meals, offering Slow Cooked Salsa Chicken, Bangers and Mash, and Savory Steak and Mushrooms. For Side Dishes we have Bacon Pecan Brussels Sprouts, or Apple and Jicama Salad. For Snacks there are recipes for Pumpkin Granola, smoked Salmon Deviled Eggs, and Herb Carrot Fries with Roasted Garlic Dip. There are even desserts, such as Chocolate Coffee Caramel Bars, Swett Potato Brownies with Vanilla Bean Ice Cream and Caramel Cheesecake Bars. "OMG That's Paleo?" can open your senses to a whole new palate and healthful eating style. There are also creative answers to such questions as how do you eat a no bun lifestyle? Answer: substitute plantains. For those who have adventurous palates, or those who simply would like to try a healthy change in cooking, Recipes are no-nonsense, step by step, use standard measurements, and recognizable ingredients. "OMG That's Paleo?" offers a great jumping off point.

Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet
Erica Kerwien
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440
Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612431741, $15.95, www.ulyssespress.com

Trying to balance carbs perfectly is often a curious struggle for many. "Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet" is a health-driven cookbook from Erica Kerwien who shares her recipes designed for making the most of a specific diet designed for perfectly balancing the carbohydrates for their diet that might require more comprehensive measuring. With full color photos and recipes for every preference of taste and diet, "Cooking for the Specific Carbohydrate Diet" is an excellent addition to general cookbook collections, highly recommended.

The Betty Crocker Big Book of Cakes
General Mills editorial staff
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
9781118364031 $19.99 www.BettyCrocker.com

"The Betty Crocker Big Book of Cakes" is a classic contemporary cake sampler. Providing inspired, easy to prepare cakes in 200 recipes embellished with over 100 full color photographs of finished cakes, "The Betty Crocker Big Book of Cakes" is a dazzling rainbow of selections, complete with a special section with illustrations that shows how to bake, assemble, ice, and decorate cakes. Cakes are divided into basic cakes, one-layer cakes, tube and loaf cakes, fancy layer cakes, rolled, pudding, and upside-down cakes and cheesecakes, party decorated cakes, and tiny cakes. Some stunning recipe examples are Banana-Cinnamon Cake, Caramel Snickerdoodle Cake, Grasshopper Cake, Heavenly Almond-Apricot Layer Cake, Peanut Butter Silk Cake, Chocolate Tiramisu Cake, Key Lime Coconut Cream Cake, Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Cupcakes, and Caramel Cappucino Cheesecake. For extra spice there is Chipotle Devil's Food Mini Cupcakes and Zinfandel Wine Cupcakes. Extra fun is packed into small servings in Mini Royal Fruitcakes and Espresso Petits Fours, not to mention Chocolate-Almond Cheesecake Bites. Standard measurements are used, with a metric conversion guide at the end. With streamlined instructions, nutritional information, plus extra instruction pages on baking, frosting, and decorating cakes, there is nothing left out except the heavenly aroma of your chosen cake baking project. "The Big Book of Cakes" from Betty Crocker is a signature collection that lives up to the established reputation for attainable excellence in home kitchens.

Cocktails
Eliq Maranik
H. F. Ullmann
c/o 60 Cycle Media Relations LLC
38 High Avenue, Nyack NY 10960
www.ullmann-publishing.com
9783848002849, $19.99, www.amazon.com

The cocktail party is an American social tradition. Now even the most novice of cocktail party hosts or hostesses can provide their guests with an amazing variety of cocktails thanks to "Cocktails: Fancy & Delicious Recipes For All Tastes", a superbly illustrated, 160 page compendium of knowledgeably compiled by cocktail expert Eliq Maranik. Beginning with essential instructions on getting started (including equipment and utensils, terminology, ingredients for the home bar, glassware, and mixing/serving techniques), "Cocktails: Fancy & Delicious Recipes For All Tastes" showcases basic cocktail recipes, then goes on with instructions for frozen cocktails, shots and shooters, long drinks, hot drinks and after-dinner cocktails, and even non-alcoholic cocktails ideal for designated drivers and teetotalers. Of special note is the section providing a Cocktail Recipe Index for spirits and for liqueurs. Thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Cocktails: Fancy & Delicious Recipes For All Tastes" is very highly recommended for personal and community library reference collections.

Dutch Oven
Carsten Bothe
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342189, $29.99, www.schifferbooks.com

DUTCH OVEN: CAST-IRON COOKING OVER AN OPEN FIRE takes the Dutch oven pot beyond stovetop applications and places its talents where it began: over an open flame. Over 100 recipes from roasts and casseroles to baked bread and desserts are illustrated with color photos throughout, while specific tips on temperature regulation, cleaning and care of the Dutch oven pot, and how to use the oven on a grill, open fire, and more make for a thorough exploration of all the different uses and dishes the Dutch oven lends to. With its gorgeous color photos on every page, this is a top recommendation for cooks looking for a better understanding of the Dutch oven's use over an open flame.

Kyle Books
67 - 69 Whitfield Street
London, England, W1T 4HF
www.kylebooks.com

Ruth Joseph & Simon Round's JEWISH TRADITIONAL COOKING: OVER 150 NOSTALGIC & CONTEMPORARY JEWISH RECIPES (9781906868888, $29.95) comes from two food writers who explore traditional dishes created by generations of Ashkenazi and Sephardi mothers for family meals, and pairs inviting color photos with a fine history and survey of Jewish cuisine as a whole. From chapters on soups and main courses to Passover specialties, this packs in a lovely collection of Jewish favorites from around the world and is a top pick for any who would represent Jewish cooking in their collection! Maria Elia's FULL OF FLAVOR: HOW TO CREATE LIKE A CHEF (9781906868581, $27.95) is packed with details on how a chef creates and works with flavor, and provides a book based around 18 of her favorite ingredients. Chapters show how to adapt recipes to suit seasonal ingredients or one's palate, offering some 100 recipes and variations such as Herb and Pink Peppercorn Salmon with Pea Sauce and Summer Vegetables or Butternut Squash Falafal. Her focus on substitutions and flavor combinations does more than provide a fine recipe collection peppered with color photos: it informs cooks how to make the most of seasonal ingredients.


The Sports Shelf

Kinetic Anatomy, third edition
Robert S. Behnke
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076
Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450510557, $74.00, www.HumanKinetics.com

The human body is a highly complex and developed machine. "Kinetic Anatomy" is the third revised and updated edition on the studies of how the human body moves. Muscles, bones, joints, and much more compose the human body, and the countless ways it bends, curves, and comes together in its own ways throughout. Chapters discuss gross motor control, movement, joints, the passage of blood and nerves through the body, a focus on how the head reacts to movement, and the spine that runs through all of it. "Kinetic Anatomy" is complete, comprehensive, scholarly, and presented with full color photography and illustrations all throughout, an absolute must for any anatomical studies collection in community and college libraries.

All the Babe's Men
Eldon L. Ham
Claire Noble
Potomac Books, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166-2012
97815979382, $29.95, www.potomacbooksinc.com

The big score, perhaps sealing victory. "All the Babe's Men: Baseball's Greatest Home Run Seasons and How They Changed America" discusses the place of the home run, not just in the game of baseball but how it has taken its place in America's culture and psyche. From the evolution of the game of baseball which put so much focus on the big time home run hitters and the problems it has wrought, author Eldon L. Ham also touches on home run society in American life. "All the Babe's Men" is a strongly recommended addition to sports history collections with a side focus on sociology.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe, Volume 1, fourth edition
Tom Pomplun, editor
Graphic Classics
c/o Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Road
Mount Horeb, WI 59572
9780982563007 $12.95 www.graphicclassics.com

Now in a revised fourth edition with forty new pages, Graphic Classics: Edgar Allan Poe, Volume 1 is a black-and-white graphic novel anthology adapting almost a dozen Poe's classic short stories and poems. (Poe is well-known in English literature as the inventor of the gothic short story and the detective story, as well as a founder of the horror genre). A multitude of talented comic artists bring these vivid and sometimes gruesome tales to life, each in their own unique style. This volume features "The Pit and the Pendulum", "William Wilson", "The Tell-Tale Heart", "The Black Cat", "Never Bet the Devil Your Head", "The Cask of Amontillado", "The Fall of the House of Usher", "The Premature Burial", "The Imp of the Perverse", "The Raven", and "Annabel Lee". More of Poe's adapted works are in the separate graphic novels "Horror Classics: Graphic Classics Volume Ten" (9780974664811, $9.95) and "Gothic Classics: Graphic Classics Volume Fourteen" (9780978791902, $11.95). All are highly recommended for high school and public library collections, as an excellent way to introduce readers to Poe's macabre literary legacy.

Plugged In
Keith Veronese
TwoMorrows Publishing
10407 Bedfordtown Drive
Raleigh, NC 27614
9781605490472 $16.95 www.twomorrows.com

Plugged In: Comics Professionals Working in the Video Game Industry is an anthology of brief yet enlightening interviews with comic professionals (especially writers) who have been called upon to apply their storytelling skills in video gaming. From Trent Kaniuga (CreeD) and his years working on Blizzard Entertainment's wildly popular game Diablo III, Elliot Maggin's candid discussion of early Atari, and much more, Plugged In is equally fascinating to comic book fans, video game enthusiasts, and anyone interested in tips, tricks, and insights about working in the field. A wealth of black-and-white photographs of key pop culture comics, games, and game screenshots round out this fascinating anthology! "The money, day-to-day, is much better in video games, though, but I've also found the bar for quality is much lower. That is, I had to clean up a lot of truly lousy writing in video games, where to even break in the door in mainstream comics the quality bar is far, far higher."

Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry
Dave Roman
www.yaytime.com
First Second Books
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9781596436213 $9.99 www.firstsecondbooks.com

Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry is an off-the-wall wacky black-and-white graphic novel of sci-fi silliness. The charm of the exuberant, loosely anime-inspired art lies in its simplicity. At the futuristic space academy, young recruit Hakata Soy has to deal with an ill-tempered roommate, an attractive yet hot-headed Fireball champion, and the depredations of a horrifying, heart-eating, shape-shifting monster! Fortunately, most people in Astronaut Academy have an extra heart or two to spare, but running completely out of hearts is as good as Game Over! How can the Academy's students protect their hearts from a greedy fiend with a talent for mimicking the person one adores the most? Despite its fiendish villain, Astronaut Academy: Re-Entry is a family-friendly adventure, filled with laugh-out-loud humor for readers of all ages. "'What is going on here? Looks romantic! You guys know the rules. No falling in love on school property. We're gonna have to send you to detention! Your hearts will be safer in there than out here.' 'A space hero sentenced to detention? How can this be?!'"


The Audiobook Shelf

The Spark
Kristine Barnett, author
Kathe Mazur, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780449009628 $40.00 www.randomhouse.com

The Spark is an unabridged audiobook rendition of author Kristine Barnett's true-life story of raising her autistic son, as well as working with other autism spectrum children. Kristine's son Jacob is a unique and exceptional individual - hidden beneath his autism is a genius mind and a photographic memory. At age nine he began work on an astrophysics theory with the potential to earn a Nobel Prize, and at age twelve he became a paid researcher in quantum physics. But Jake's gifts were almost lost because the conventional means of educating "special needs" children were completely wrong for him. Boredom and frustration caused him to retreat within himself. Kristine realized that waiting was not an option - if she did not act quickly she'd lose Jake entirely to his inner world. Her inspiration was to defy the advice of professionals, and focus on what captured Jake's interest and what he could do, rather than force him to do things that bored him or went against his nature. Emphasizing strengths rather than weaknesses also proved useful in aiding other autistic or mentally retarded children. At the same time, Kristine had to contend with economic hardship (particularly when her husband lost his job during the Great Recession), health problems, and the needs of Jake's siblings. Captivating and inspirational, The Spark is highly recommended not only for public library audiobook collections, but also for parents, educators, and professionals who work with autistic or mentally disabled children. 9 CDs, 10 1/2 hours.

The Kalevala
Translated and read by Keith Bosley
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843797142 $73.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Expert Finnish translator and Corresponding Member of the Finnish Literature Society Keith Bosley presents The Kalevala, an unabridged audiobook of myths and folklore from Finland. Bosley reads aloud the his personal translation of the classic text, originally compiled by Elias Lonnrot in the 19th century. Kalevala is quite different from the legends of other Nordic nations in that its fabled heroes apply magic more often than violence to solve their challenges. A storytelling treasury embodying some 2000 years' worth of Finnish tradition, culture, and heritage in a thoroughly accessible format, The Kalevala is highly recommended especially for public and college library audiobook collections. 12 CDs, 13 hours 23 min.

Ancient Greek Philosophy: An Introduction
Compiled by Tom Griffith and Hugh Griffith
Read by Bruce Alexander, Oliver Ford Davies, Crawford Logan and cast
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
$41.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Ancient Greek Philosophy: An Introduction (6 CDs, 7 hours 16 min.) is a listener-friendly audiobook anthology of the fundamentals of ancient Greek philosophy - ideas destined to profoundly shape Western culture up to the modern day. From the Socratic method, to the concept of Stoicism, to early means of rational enquiry, Ancient Greek Philosophy not only collects the ideas of Greece's greatest minds, but also provides an accessible commentary to help listeners from all walks of life better understand the ideas in both theory and application. The multi-person performance Ancient Greek Philosophy truly brings venerable ideas to life! Ancient Greek Philosophy is enthusiastically recommended especially for public and college library audiobook collections. Also worthy of the highest praise is Hugh Griffith's "Aristotle: An Introduction" ($28.98, 4 CDs, 5 hours 1 min.), which explores the teachings of the immortal Greek philosopher Aristotle in his classic texts "Ethics" and "Politics".

Vanity Fair
William Makepeace Thackeray, author
Georgina Sutton, narrator
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28
Franklin, TN 37064
9781843797067 $137.98 www.naxosaudiobooks.com

Vanity Fair is the unabridged audiobook rendition of Thackeray's classic historical novel, set during the era of Napoleon's final defeat at Waterloo. Amelia Sedley is the daughter of a wealthy merchant, and her protective mother guides her search for a suitable husband, but the events of history are destined to obliterate her family fortune. Meanwhile Becky Sharp, an orphan, has only her wits and her self-reliance to the point of ruthlessness. An extraordinary masterpiece of characterization brought to vivid life by the voice of veteran theater actress Georgina Sutton, Vanity Fair is a treasure for public library audiobook collections and a high-class gift for audiobook lovers! 25 CDs, 32 hours 17 min.

Laughter Therapy
Hosted by Peter Sagal
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781622310388 $22.95 www.highbridgeaudio.com

Peter Sagal hosts Laughter Therapy: A Comedy Collection for the Chronically Serious is an audio CD anthology of vignettes from some of the funniest comedians ever to appear on National Public Radio. Featuring Mel Brooks, Drew Carey, Stephen Colbert, Mo Rocca, Phyllis Diller, Joan Rivers, and more, Laughter Therapy is the perfect doldrums antidote and a wonderful giftbook! Highly recommended. 2 CDs, 2 hours.

Halo Silentium
Greg Bear
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427229083, $29.99, www.macmillanaudio.com

The universe hangs in the balance if knowledge is not found. "Halo Silentium: The Forerunner Saga" is the third book in Greg Bear's series based on the popular science fiction first person shooter series. The librarian and the Ur-Didact, two souls amongst cosmic forces that care not but for the destruction of the Flood. For fans of the lore behind the series, "Halo Silentium" is presented here as an audiobook branching over six CDSs, unabridged with a run time of 7.5 hours, well worth considering for science fiction audiobook fans.

Total Control
David Baldacci
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
9781619696235, $29.98, www.HachetteAudio.com

Power always tempts, grabbing from all sides. "Total Control" is the audiobook version of the breakneck political thriller from David Baldacci as he tells the story of Sidney Archer dealing with the sudden disappearance of her husband in a plane crash and the betrayal that seems to be lurking for her at every single corner. Read by Jonathan Marosz, "Total Control" is acclaimed and very much recommended reading. 17 hours across 14 CDs.

Fly Away
Kristin Hannah, author
Susan Ericksen, narrator
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781427212665 $39.99 www.macmillanaudio.com

Fly Away (13 CDs, 16 hours) is a haunting, unabridged audiobook about the bonds between women - as best friends, and as mother and daughter. When Tully Hart's closest, lifelong friend Kate Ryan dies, she tries to keep her deathbed promise to Kate, by looking after Kate's sixteen-year-old daughter Marah Ryan. But Marah Ryan is severely grief-stricken, and turns to a young man who is entangled with a dangerous crowd. Tully's own mother, Dorothy, harbors a terrible secret from her past, yet only by confessing can she become the mother that Tully needs - and perhaps teach Tully to be the surrogate mother that Marah needs. Deep, complex characters populate this emotional novel, ideal for public library audiobook collections, and enhanced with a reading group guide read by the author. Also highly recommended is the unabridged audiobook "Secrets from the Past" (9 CDs, 11.5 hours) by Barbara Taylor Bradford, about photojournalist famous for covering Middle East wars who discovers that her late father's archives hold stunning secrets of jealousy, betrayal, passion, and glimpses into both the brightest and darkest sides of humanity.

Rush
Maya Banks, author
Adam Paul, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781469280233 $19.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Intended strictly for mature audiences, Rush: Book One of the Breathless Trilogy is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of tense and sensual novel. Gabe is one of the wealthiest and most powerful men there is, yet his desires are kindled when he sees Mia, the beautiful woman that his best friend's little sister has grown up to be. His attraction is heavily reciprocated, and what begins as a torrid sexual affair gradually evolves into something stronger. But their new relationship hangs by a thread, vulnerable to rumors and betrayal! Rush is afire with passion, and a choice pick for connoisseurs of steamy love stories. 10 CDs, 11 hours 18 min.

Sleight of Hand
Phillip Margolin, author
Jonathan Davis, narrator
Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062265043 $34.99 www.harpercollins.com

Superbly performed by Jonathan Davis, Sleight of Hand is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a suspenseful mystery by former criminal defense attorney and Distinguished Northwest Writer Award winner Phillip Margolin. The plot involved a labyrinthine setup, to frame a millionaire for the murder of his young wife - a woman who signed a prenuptial agreement that guaranteed her twenty million dollars for ten years of fidelity, and disappeared shortly before the couple's tenth anniversary. Private investigator Dana Cutler is locked in a battle of wills with ruthless defense attorney, professional hit man, and sexual predator Charles Benedict in this electrifying case. Justice hangs in the balance in this riveting novel, also available as a downloadable audiobook, or in print and ebook formats. 7 CDs, 8 hours.

The Old Turk's Load
Gregory Gibson, author
R.C. Bray, narrator
The Mysterious Press
c/o Grove/Atlantic, Inc.
841 Broadway, 4th floor
New York, NY 10003
9781622310104 $29.95 www.groveatlantic.com

The debut crime novel of author and "Bookman's Log" book trade blogger Gregory Gibson, The Old Turk's Load is quick-paced saga set during the Newark riots of 1967. A stash of high-octane heroine has seemingly disappeared; cops, criminals, and everyone in between is frantically searching for five million dollars' worth of drugs, in an escalating and deadly chase. Richard Mundi, a disaffected Manhattan real estate developer, is at the center of the crisis - he hopes to use the ill-gotten capital to revive his business empire, but his rebellious lesbian daughter, a Hell's Kitchen private eye barfly, an all-but-suicidal postal clerk with throat cancer, two closeted gay hoodlums, and more off-the-wall wild characters have other ideas! A thrilling period piece, The Old Turk's Load is a welcome addition to both private and public library audiobook collections with an emphasis on high action. 5 CDs, 6 hours.

Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
www.tantor.com

Tantor Media continues its grand tradition of offering superbly performed, unabridged audiobook adaptations of popular titles. BBC foreign correspondent Kim Ghattas' "The Secretary: A Journey with Hillary Clinton from Beirut to the Heart of American Power" (9781452612188, $49.99, 12 CDs, 15 hours) is a biographical examination of Hillary Clinton during her years as Secretary of State for the administration of President Barack Obama. Yet "The Secretary" reaches beyond the static events and crises that have beset Clinton, examining broader issues about America's place in the world, and the true extent of its power. A bonus, exclusive interview with Kim Ghattas is included! Beth Kery's "Because You Are Mine" (9781452611594, $39.99, 9 CDs, 11.5 hours) is a sensual romance with mature themes, about a forbidden yet undeniable love. Spicy and surprising, "Because You Are Mine" lulls the reader into a realm of passion that will not be denied. Erika Robuck's "Hemingway's Girl: A Novel" (9781452612065, $39.99, 8 CDs) is a historical novel set in Key West during the Great Depression. While struggling to support her family, the impoverished Mariella Bennet finds herself inextricably drawn to two men - the notoriously excessive, tempestuous, and famous writer Hemingway, and World War I veteran Gavin Murray, who works to build the Overseas Highway. Tense and dramatic, "Hemingway's Girl" thrives with vivid characterization and real-life dilemmas. Carrie Vaughn's "Kitty Rocks the House" (9781452608495, $39.99, 6 CDs, 7.5 hours) is part of the popular Kitty Norville fantasy-thriller series. A rival werewolf in Denver challenges Kitty's authority. Kitty's pack might schism at the worst possible time, as the machinations of the manipulative vampire Roman and his Long Game begin to close in. Wild and exciting, "Kitty Rocks the House" is a choice pick for fans of the modern monster genre! Ruth Downie's "Semper Fidelis: A Novel of the Roman Empire" (9781452611808, $39.99, 8 CDs, 9.5 hours) is a blend of historical novel and intrigue-laden mystery. Ruso and his barbarian wife Tilla are the only one brave enough to investigate the rash of injuries and deaths occurring in Britannia's imperial army. Could the decorated centurion Geminus be the one responsible for the grisly fates of his own soldiers? Ruso and Tilla must uncover the truth quickly, for Hadrian is soon coming to visit! All five audiobooks are superb picks for leisure listening or library collections.

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

Robin Maxwell's JANE: THE WOMAN WHO LOVED TARZAN (9781455884933, $29.99) deserves ongoing recommendation for any who want an alternate, lively view of the Tarzan legend, and receives a sterling performance by Suzan Crowley as it tells of one Jane Porter, who in 1905 England is the only female student in the University's medical program. Her dreams of traveling the world in search of fossils leads to an expedition into West Africa - and an encounter with a legend, that will lead to romance. A powerful, highly recommended saga evolves and comes to life in audio! Oliver Potzsch's THE BEGGAR KING (9781455867218, $19.99) receives a fine performance by Grover Gardner, whose voice brings to life the evocative story of one Jakob Kuisl, the hangman of a 1662 village in the Alps who arrives in town to find his sister murdered. When the city constable discovers Kuisl along the corpse, he's immediately deemed guilty - and becomes involved in a struggle for freedom and challenges to the hangman code of ethics. This offers the third installment in the best-selling series 'Hangman's Daughter' and is a 'must' for collections seeing interest in the prior books.

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

Carl Weber's THE MAN IN 3B (9781619693074, $29.98) provides a fine story read by Mike Ray, Shay Moore, King Parker, A. Jai Simone and D. Michelle and assumes the feel of a radio drama as it tells of Darryl, a new move-in at a Queens apartment building who has everyone interested in his style and manner. A host of neighbors begin to come to Darryl for advice - and as conflicts begin to emerge a murder changes everything. Now everybody is suspect - and all find their lives dangerously entwined in this strong drama recommended for any novel listener. Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman's TOP DOG: THE SCIENCE OF WINNING AND LOSING (9781611130126, $29.98) uses science to consider the hidden influence on great achievements, blending business, science, and personal advice in a powerful survey for any who would excel in any endeavor, whether it be sports, relationships, business or more. Biochemical influences on achievement are analyzed in a title focusing on how to identify your own competitive style, making this a top recommendation for any who would understand the underlying influences on getting ahead in life.

Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Rita Moreno's RITA MORENO: A MEMOIR (9781611761399, $29.95) is narrated by the author who provides a solid and evocative voice relating her journey from her Puerto Rican childhood to becoming a Hollywood legend - and the only Hispanic to win an Oscar, Grammy, Tony and two Emmys. From her early journey to America to her discovery of singing and acting talents and her Broadway debut by age thirteen, this provides an account of her life, her professional evolution, and her struggles to break Hollywood's gender and racial barriers. A powerful and inspiring listen for any interested in personal success stories! Clive Cussler and Justin Scott's THE STRIKER (9781611761320, $39.95) receives a fine narration by veteran Scott Brick, an actor who has appeared in numerous productions and who here lends a smooth and seasoned voice to the vivid story of Isaac Bell, an employee of a detective agency who has been hired to hunt for radical unionist saboteurs in local coal mines. A terrible accident leads to the revelation that something bigger is at stake in this gripping thriller, highly recommended for any mystery holding. John Le Carre's THE RUSSIA HOUSE (9781611760958, $39.95) is narrated by successful British actor Michael Jayston, who lends a seasoned and smooth voice to this evocative thriller about a lovely Russian woman, a mysterious manuscript, and a publisher who finds himself in the middle of a game influenced by British, American and Russian forces on all sides. Publisher Blair's trip to Moscow to investigate the truth of the manuscript will change all their lives in this suspenseful and engrossing saga, highly recommended for any audio collection strong in thrillers. A SMALL TOWN IN GERMANY by John Le Carre (9781611760965, $39.95) receives a fine reading by Michael Jayston, a fine British actor who has numerous films to his credit and who here brings to life the story of a British embassy in Bonn struggling with anti-British factions in Germany. The Crown is seeking to avoid a scandal so when Leo Harting vanishes with a case full of confidential files, London will do anything to minimize the damage - even if it means the thief must die. A powerful saga emerges, perfect for any audio collection strong in thrillers.

Raising Cubby
John Elder Robison
Random House Audio
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307881359, $40.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

Author John Elder Robison narrates his own account of raising a son. Diagnosed with Asperger's syndrome at the age of forty, his approach to raising a child took the form of logic puzzles and jokes. Despite his unconventional approach to child-rearing, his child was raised not only safely but with a different perspective on life, adventure, and interactions with the world. By the time he was seventeen Cubby had become a brilliant chemist - and his endeavors making military-grade explosives were so successful that federal agents decided he was a terrorist. At that point father and son both had some changes to make - and RAISING CUBBY tells of these changes and offers a powerful account of a father and son's journey together. Any listener interested in Asperger's accounts will find this a powerful story.


The Library CD Shelf

Awakening the Fire
R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$13.99 www.canyonrecords.com

Grammy nominees R. Carlos Nakai and Will Clipman present Awakening the Fire, a beautiful, instrumental music CD fusing the Native American flute with rhythms hearkening to African, Native American, and Asian tradition. Moving and spiritual, Awakening the Fire is a superb choice to play while meditating, or seeking balance both within and beyond the physical realm. Highly recommended. The tracks are "Oasis" (5:52), "Kindling the Essence" (6:17), "Endless Journey" (6:40), "First Morning" (6:53), "Portal" (6:05), "Shaman's Trance" (6:08), "Caldera" (6:40), "Standing Stones" (6:02), "The Fountain" (5:46), and "Convergence" (4:47).

Roots, Shoots & Leaves
More Like Trees
BBE Records
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
$15.49 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Roots, Shoots & Leaves is the debut album of London-based acoustic band More Like Trees, known for their inventive music style that they dub "Strum & Bass". The tracks of Roots, Shoots & Leaves approximately trace the group's development and evolution together. A lively mix of flamenco, drum and bass, classical, hip hop, folk, and more, Roots, Shoots & Leaves bounds with the energy and emotion of vivacious adventure. The tracks are "Trees", "Chilly Water", "The Night", "Wickless Frickness", "Lady Lay", "For Sure", "Modern Urban Day Hippie", "Pieces", "Rubin", "Cake", "All Red", "Down to the River" and "Once".

Rabbits' Motel
Woody Pines
Privately Published
c/o Hearth Music PR
www.hearthmusic.com
$TBA CD / $7.00 Digital www.woodypines.com

Despite the cartoon rabbits on its cover, Rabbits' Motel isn't expressly a children's album, but rather a set of original songs drawn from America's roots and cultural heritage. From the spark uniting a hobo and his beloved bride, to dreams of a better future, to the shattering pain of heartbreak, Rabbits' Motel infuses the flavor of the countryside into its evocative music. The tracks are "Like I Do" (2:09), "Railroad Vine" (2:34), "Train That Carried My Gal From Town" (2:45), "Who Told You" (2:31), "Heart Breaker" (3:37), "Love the Way My Baby" (4:10), "Hobo and his Bride" (4:57), "Keep Your Hands Off Her" (2:46), "Addicted to Blood" (1:56), and "Close Your Eyes and Dream" (2:13).

Funkincense
CSC Funk Band
Electric Cowbell Records
www.electric-cowbell.com
$TBA CD / $7.92 MP3 www.amazon.com

Funkincense lives up to its title as a brief but lively album of heady funk music. The soulful strains quickly induce the listener to follow the groove of the beat, in this riotous, rapturous jam. A must-have for true-blue funkadelic fans! The tracks are "Catcher's Mitt" (4:14), "Funkincense" (4:05), "Make Your Mind Up" (3:13), "Choom Gang" (5:53), "You Say" (4:44), "Ticket to Cabo" (3:38), "Klip Winger" (6:17), and "Versace Nachos" (4:46). Also highly recommended is the emotionally moving Electric Cowbell album "Prudence" ($18.93 CD / $5.94 MP3, 38 min.) consisting of six toe-tapping Afropop songs by the vivacious Cheick Hamala Diabate.


The Library DVD Shelf

Beyond Hate
Bill Moyers
Athena Learning
c/o Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598289244 $34.99 www.acornonline.com

Originally shown on PBS, Beyond Hate is a DVD documentary hosted by Emmy and Peabody-winning career journalist Bill Moyers, about the negative emotion of hatred and the devastating toll it has taken on humanity throughout the centuries, as seen in anti-Semitism, homophobia, misogyny, sectarianism, and more. But what are the true origins of hatred? How has it affected the evolution of human society, and why does it persist as a universal experience? Does hatred ever do anything for people, rather than to them? Moyers travels across the world, from Jerusalem to South Central Los Angeles to the "Anatomy of Hate" conference in Norway, and more. He also speaks to those who have dedicated their lives to transcending hate, including Elie Wiesel, Nelson Mandela, Jimmy Carter, Myrlie Evers-Williams, and Vaclav Havel, among others. Bonus materials include a "Facing Hate" program with Elie Wiesel and Bill Moyers, and a 12-page viewer's guide. Beyond Hate is highly recommended especially for public and college library DVD collections, though viewers should be forewarned that there is some coarse language and violence, simply due to the nature of the human phenomena being studied. 87 min. plus 58 min. bonus program, full screen, SDH subtitles.

Loot: The Plundered Heritage
Robert Schyberg, executive producer, director & writer
Arlen F. Chase & Diane Z. Chase, archaeological directors
Left Coast Press, Inc.
1630 North Main Street, #400
Walnut Creek, CA 94596
9781611322613 $84.95 www.LCoastPress.com

Part of the "Archaeological Methods and Practice" educational film series, Loot: The Plundered Heritage is a brief yet disturbing documentary on DVD, about the harm that trade with Western museums and collectors has inflicted upon the heritage of pre-Columbian peoples. From a striking look at the looted tombs of Caracol, Belize - where valuable information about the Mayans may well have been permanently lost - to the testimonies of art dealers, collectors, museum curators, and government ministers, Loot is an unforgettable lesson in ethics as well as the high cost of human carelessness. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library collections as well as archaeology courses. (In addition to private home use, closed-circuit viewing of Loot: The Plundered Heritage for educational purposes is permitted for colleges, universities, and schools). 26 min.

Leonie
Starring Emily Mortimer
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
9781569943670 $26.95 www.montereymedia.com

Also available via digital download or video-on-demand, Leonie is an inspirational DVD movie based on the true story of Leonie Gilmour (played by Emily Mortimer), the strong-willed mother of acclaimed twentieth century Japanese-American artist Isamu Noguchi. Though Leonie lived at the turn of the century, a time when women were restricted heavily in America and even more so in Japan, she defied and adapted to the constraints of life. Working for the famous Japanese poet Yone Noguchi, their relationship evolved into a love affair, but he refused to marry her when she became pregnant. Though she followed Yone to Japan for a time, she remained a hardworking single mother in an era when such women faced enormous societal disapproval in both America and Japan. Above all, she cherished and nurtured the brilliant artistic talent of her son Isamu. The vivid portrait of a resilient woman and compassionate mother, Leonie is inspiring, involving, and highly recommended. Bonus features include a "Making of Leonie" segment, and an interview with the director (the interview is in Japanese). 103 min., rated PG-13.

Tokyo Waka
A film by John Haptas & Kristine Samuelson
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1937772446 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com

Featuring a wealth of personal testimonies (in Japanese audio with English subtitles) Tokyo Waka is a poetic DVD about the precarious balance between the 13 million citizens of Japan's capital of Tokyo, and over 20,000 crows. A population boom in the crows has prompted the people of Tokyo to trap them, destroy nests, and secure their trash. But crows are notoriously intelligent and adaptive, and have thwarted efforts to reduce their dominance. Tokyo Waka reflects on the uneasy stalemate in the ongoing conflict between man and crow - a Buddhist priest notes that the garbage that feeds the birds is the remnants of desire; a gardener notes that nature itself is persistent and hardy; a homeless woman helps form a community in her tent village; and the owner of an ornamental carp notes that the crow that ate his beautiful fish was only trying to survive. Tokyo Waka raises more questions than answers, yet portrays a captivating glimpse into the secret lives of crows and people alike. Highly recommended. 63 & 53 min. versions on one DVD, English SDH captions.

Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth
Frauke Sandig & Eric Black
Bullfrog Films
PO Box 149, Poley, PA 19547
1937772454, $295.00, www.bullfrogfilms.com

The Mayan culture may not be around today, but their spirit remains. "Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth" is a DVD documentary that seeks to speak to the conservation of the planet, protection of the environment by looking at the Mayan lifestyle and the strong reverence for nature and standing against the wanton destruction of the environment as they know it. "Heart of Sky, Heart of Earth" is strongly recommended viewing for those with a concern about the environment and seeking more perspectives. Color, 98 minutes, Subtitles for English, Spanish, French.

Doc Martin Special Collection
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
$124.99 www.acornonline.com

Doc Martin Special Collection: Series 1-5 + The Movies is the definitive, "must-have" DVD set for fans of British medical drama-comedy. Doc Martin is ill-tempered, set in his ways, and has a caustic attitude, but he's the only doctor available to the (themselves somewhat eccentric) residents of a seaside town. The doctor's abrasive personality is redeemed only by his skill at medicine! This special collection features all five complete series of this award-winning and often sidesplitting show, plus two feature-length movies that portray the character in a slightly different interpretation as Dr. Martin Bamford, a stubborn obstetrician attempting to sort out his marriage and career in a remote location! It should be noted that the Doc Martin Special Collection is meant for more mature viewers due to partial nudity, graphic medical scenes, and sexual situations. Bonus materials include 62 min. of behind-the-scenes glimpses, photo galleries, cast trivia, and cast filmographies. 13 DVDs, 33 hours plus bonus, widescreen, SDH subtitles. Also highly recommended for connoisseurs of popular and beloved British television is three-time Emmy nominee "The Scarlet Pimpernel" (9781598289312, $29.99, 136 min., full screen, SDH subtitles), a superbly acted and presented adaptation of the classic novel about the bloody French Revolution, and the principled young Englishman who risks his life to rescue some of France's despised aristocrats from certain death.

Augustine: A Voice for All Generations
Hosted by Mike Aqualina
Vision Video
P.O. Box 540
Worcester, PA 19490
$19.99 www.visionvideo.com

Augustine: A Voice for All Generations is a DVD documentary about Augustine of Hippo (354-430), a great Christian saint and theologian whose writings, including "The City of God", "On the Trinity", and "The Confessions" have had enormous influence on the Christian faith and therefore also general Western Civilization. But Augustine himself was not always a devout Christian; in his younger years, he sought money and power, and lived with a concubine. The story of his transformational conversion is an eye-opening tale of looking beyond the self to discover the wonders of God and His creation. An extraordinary glimpse into the life of a pious man and the fourth century world he lived in, Augustine: A Voice for All Generations is highly recommended, especially for public and church library collections. 55 minutes, English and Spanish languages and subtitles.

Holistic Orcharding with Michael Phillips
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603583961 $49.95 www.chelseagreen.com

Orchard expert Michael Phillips presents Holistic Orcharding, a guide on DVD for amateur and professional orchardists alike. The focus is upon using holistic orcharding techniques that promote healthy trees and delicious fruit while avoiding harmful and expensive pesticides. Phillips covers how to enhance natural diversity and defenses, including beneficial insects, appropriate companion plants, birds, wildlife, and even microscopic fungi that work together to form an ecosystem within the orchard. Essentially, Holistic Orcharding is about harnessing the power of nature rather than fight tooth and claw against it. Holistic Orcharding also takes the viewer on a year-long journey through Phillips' orchard, with easy-to-follow demonstrations of horticultural grafting and pruning. A "must-see" for fruit tree or orchard owners all skill and experience levels! 5 hours.

Choral Vocal Technique
Sabine Horstmann
GIA Publications
7404 South Mason Avenue
Chicago, IL 60638
78514709015, $24.95, www.giamusic.com

Good vocal performance takes much practice to attain a proper level of mastery. "Choral Vocal Technique: Evoking Sound: The Choral Warm Up" discusses the techniques of Frauke Haaseman and her teachings for vocal technique, carried on by Sabine Horstmann as her primary student. Discussing how to develop these techniques for choirs, vocal ranges, and much more. An invaluable reference and resource for vocal teachers or those who are trying to hone their own personal technique, "Choral Vocal Technique" is a must for musical and educational DVD collections.

A Fine Romance
Judi Dench & Michael Williams
Acorn Media Group
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 620
Silver Spring, MD 20910-3403
9781598289282, $59.99, www.acornonline.com

Romance rarely makes sense. "A Fine Romance" is a compilation of this British comedy set around true life couple Judi Dench and Michael Williams as they explore this unusual romance that lingers on between them in classic and quirky British comedy, winning many awards. For fans of the genre, the entire series is compiled over 4 discs and with subtitles for the hearing impaired. "A Fine Romance" is strongly recommended for DVD collections with an international flavor.

Captivated
Media Talk 101
PO Box 540, Worcester, PA 19490
727985014968, $19.95, www.visionvideo.com

There's far more media in today's world than any one person can consume. "Captivated: Finding Freedom in a Media Captive Culture" discusses the overabundance of distractions and medias in today's culture. Television, movies, video games, internet, they all surround us in what may be a virtual prison. The documentary hopes to explore the concept without condemning modern technology and encouraging viewers to come to understand how submerged we are. "Captivated" is a strong addition to social issues DVD collections, not to be missed. Color, 107 minutes. Also from Vision Media in DVDs is "Weaving Life: The Life and Death of Peacemaker" (727985015071, $19.95) discussing the works of ten humanitarian workers who worked towards a better Afghanistan before tragic assassinations took them. Color, 58 minutes. "African Christianity Rising" (72798515095, $29.99) tells of the surge of presence that Christianity is finding on the African continent and what this means for the society as a whole, containing two parts, Ghana and Zimbabwe. Color, 150 minutes. "Briars in the Cottonpatch: The Story of Koinonia Farm" (727985014913, $19.95) tells the tale of an integrated community in Southwest Georgia that flourished despite the threats that surrounded them before the rise of the Civil Rights Era. Color, 57 minutes.


The Gardening Shelf

Just Ask Wim!
Wim Vander Zalm
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219
Madeira Park, BC, Canada, V0N 2H0
9781550175875, $26.95, www.harbourpublishing.com

Gardening is a great hobby, but can often feel daunting for many people to get into. "Just Ask Wim!: Down-to-Earth Gardening Answers" is a to the point gardening book from Wim Vander Zalm who seeks to share his experience and wisdom in the field with full color photography all throughout. With practical advice and an easy to follow writing style, there's advice for planting, pest management, building a colorful garden, and much more. "Just Ask Wim!" is a must have for gardening collections for those just starting out but want an experienced gardener's color in their yard.

Garden Railway Basics
Kevin Strong
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890248355, $19.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

A railway in the garden can be a very strong appeal to those who want a new appeal in their gardens beyond gnomes. "Garden Railway Basics: From Concept to Construction to Upkeep" discusses how to better build and maintain a garden railway system. From making a good blueprint and plan for one's ambitions, getting everything working, and letting it endure the elements for years to come, "Garden Railway Basics" contains plenty of full color photography and advice, a vital addition to any gardening or railroading hobbyist collection.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Writing the Science Fiction Film
Robert Grant
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931361, $26.95, www.mwp.com

A new world of wonder and adventure is what is offered with science fiction. "Writing the Science Fiction Film" is a guide for filmmakers who want to best understand the ins and outs of what makes a sci-fi film great by studying the classics. With black and white film stills all throughout to illustrate the concepts. With a focus on world building and keeping the movie flowing with it instead of in spite of it, how to blend in tropes well, "Writing the Science Fiction Film" is a strong addition to writing and publishing collections, highly recommended.

Writing the 10-Minute Play
Glenn Alterman
Limelight Editions
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
9781557838483, $19.99, www.halleonard.com

A short episode can tell quite the story. "Writing the 10-Minute Play" is a guide for those who want to produce these short episodes of fiction to be acted quickly and efficiently, and tell the story they seek. With plenty of examples and solid advice for general success in theatrical production... "Writing the 10-Minute Play" is a strong addition to any collection for writing collections focusing on stage acting, highly recommended.

1100 Words You Need to Know, sixth edition
Murray Bromberg and Melvin Gordon
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438001661 $13.99 www.barronseduc.com

Now in its sixth edition with the addition of "The lighter touch 100" (silly one-line jokes using these words that every English speaker should know), 1100 Words You Need to Know remains as invaluable today as it was when first published 45 years ago. Organized in a day-by-day, week-by-week format, 1100 Words You Need to Know is a consumable book offering simple exercises to practice and enhance one's enriched vocabulary. A choice pick for high school students preparing for the SAT or ACT, college students looking to broaden their command of English, writers of all backgrounds, or those who are honing their command of English as a second language, 1100 Words You Need to Know is enthusiastically recommended!


The Genealogy Shelf

Easy Family History, second edition
David Annal
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315
New York, NY 10010
9781408175705, $15.95, www.bloomsbury.com

Our family history doesn't have to be a needle in a haystack search. Now in its second edition, "Easy Family History" is a guide for those who want to get started plotting out their genealogy and family tree. Focusing on doing so through the ample archives of the UK with plenty of public records to dig through and piece together one's history and tips from the professionals, "Easy Family History" is a strong addition to any genealogy reference collection, highly recommended.


Interior Design Shelf

Mike Holmes Kitchens & Bathrooms
Mike Holmes
Time Home Entertainment
c/o Goodman Media International
750 Seventh Avenue, 28th floor, NY, NY 10019
9781603209670, $21.95, www.amazon.com

Because of his widely popular television program in which he and his crew would come in a fix other building contractors egregious mistakes, Mike Holmes is perhaps the most trusted building contractor in the United States and Canada. Now he has produced a superbly illustrated, 256 page compendium showcasing extraordinary ideas and concepts for building and/or remodeling kitchens and bathrooms. More than just a collection of wonderfully visualized ideas, "Mike Holmes Kitchens & Bathrooms" has created a genuine instruction manual beginning with a chapter on 'Getting Started', followed invaluable chapters on hiring and working with building contractors, having environmentally friendly results, and a great deal more. Enhanced with the inclusion of a useful glossary and index, "Mike Holmes Kitchens & Bathrooms" is ideal for the novice homeowner and should be considered a high value addition to personal, professional, and community library Interior Design & Construction reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The American History Shelf

1863 Lincoln's Pivotal Year
Harold Holzer & Sara Vaughn Gabbard, editors
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809332465, $32.95, www.siupress.com

With the conflict of the Civil War in full blast, 1863 was an important turning point. "1863: Lincoln's Pivotal Year" explores this year in the presidency of Abraham Lincoln, the year that he released the Emancipation Proclamation, among other events through the year, with major events in the Civil War, the famous Gettysburg Address among other events. Ten scholars come together and offer an educated breakdown of this year for Lincoln in many avenues. "1863" is an important addition to history collections focusing on the American Civil War.

In the Kingdom of the Sick
Laurie Edwards
Walker & Company
175 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9780802718013, $26.00, www.walkerbooks.com

To not be fully well is to be weak in American culture. "In the Kingdom of the Sick: A Social History of Chronic Illness in America" discusses the nearly third of the American population suffering from some form of Chronic illness and the shame they often carry for their illnesses, and often are blamed for their own illness, even if their fault is not possibly their own. Speaking out about the rights of people who have these many disorders, the problems they face, and the root of the American culture that often crucifies these individuals, "In the Kingdom of the Sick" is an insightful and eye opening take on the impacts of health on sociology in the United States.


The World History Shelf

The Newfoundland Diaspora
Jennifer Bowering Delisle
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
9781554588947, $42.99, wlupress.wlu.ca

Newfoundland has been facing many people leaving the province over time. "The Newfoundland Diaspora: Mapping the Literature of Out-Migration" analyzes the diaspora of Newfoundland since the halting of the cod industry twenty years ago. This has lead to Newfies abandoning their homeland, and Jennifer Bowering Delisle analyzes the impact this had had on Canadian culture as these once isolated people have blended more strongly with the rest of the country. "The Newfoundland Diaspora" is a strong addition to Canadian studies collections, very much recommended reading.

Crisis of Governance in Maya Guatemala
John P. Hawkins, James H. McDonald, & Walter Randolph Adams
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive
Norman, OK 73069
9780806143453, $19.95, www.oupress.com

As a country struggles to survive, its people struggle even more. "Crisis of Governance in Maya Guatemala: Indigenous Responses to a Failing State" discusses the modern issues facing the nation of Guatemala in spite of the end of its decades long civil war in 1996, and how the decades since have hardly been an easy time, the tough economy, and how forgotten communities form their own bit of self-government through it all. "Crisis of Governance in Maya Guatemala" is a strong addition to social and international issues collections, highly recommended.

Richard II and the English Royal Treasure
Jenny Stratford
Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9781843833789, $130.00, www.boydellandbrewer.com

The treasures of a king are always impressive. "Richard II and the English Royal Treasure" is a complete and comprehensive study of the countless treasures of the fourteenth century King and the riches that were gathered from and financed the hundred years war. Deep and detailed history touches on the many figures in his quest for greater wealth with comprehensive descriptions of particular treasures, there sources, and their fates. "Richard II and the English Royal Treasure" is a scholarly and comprehensive text, a must for any community and college reference collection focusing on English history.

A History of Ireland in 100 Objects
Fintan O'Toole
Royal Irish Academy
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
www.100objects.ie
9781908996152 $50.00 www.isbs.com

Punctuated with a striking full-color, full-page photograph of each entry, A History of Ireland in 100 Objects is not a standard history book, but rather a museum-like portrayal of items carefully selected for their gravitas in representing a crucial snapshot of Irish history. The exhibits range from a bell believed to have once belonged to Saint Patrick, to coins from the 1280s and 1460, to a decommissioned AK-47 rife from 2005 (one of many deadly weapons put "beyond use", paving the way for historic power-sharing between Sinn Fein and the Democratic Unionist Party, and a possible pathway out of the seemingly endless bloodshed that has been "The Troubles" of Northern Ireland). Thoughtfully written and thoroughly accessible to readers of all backgrounds, A History of Ireland in 100 Objects is both a fascinating browse and a repository of historical highlights made tangible, highly recommended.

One Day in December
Nancy Stout
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W
New York, NY 10001
9781583673171, $28.95, www.monthlyreview.org

It wasn't all guns and glory that brought Cuba its revolution. "One Day in December: Celia Sanchez and the Cuban Revolution" tells the story of one of the minds behind the period, who is often ignored by history. Telling her life story and taking records from Official Cuban archives, Nancy Stout provides a comprehensive biography of Sanchez and her work during and after the Cuban revolution. "One Day in December" is a strong addition to women's studies and international history collections.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Managing Forests As Complex Adaptive Systems
Christian Messier, et al.
Earthscan
c/o Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Fl. #8
NY, NY 10017-9209
www.routledge.com
9780415519779, $149.00, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to outstanding The Earthscan Forest Library series from Routlege, "Managing Forests as Complex Adaptive Systems: Building Resilience to the Challenge of Global Change" is a 368 page compendium comprised of fourteen informed and informative articles by professionals in the field of forest management. Compiled and edited by the team of Christian Messier (Scientific Director of the Institute of Temperate Forest Sciences, Universite du Quebec, Canada); Klaus J. Puettman (Edmund Hayes Professor in Silviculture Alternatives in the Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society, Oregon State University, USA); and K. David Coates (Senior Research Silviculturist with the Ministry of Natural Resource Operations, Smithers Canada), "Managing Forests As Complex Adaptive Systems" is organized into three major sections: Setting the Stage; Complexity and Complex Adaptive Systems in Different Forest Biomes; Management Under the Complex Adaptive System and Resilience Paradigm. Enhanced with figures and tables throughout, as well as a comprehensive Index, "Managing Forests As Complex Adaptive Systems" offers a seminal body of scholarship in forest management issues and concerns and is highly recommended for academic library Environmental Studies reference collections in general, and Forest Management Studies supplemental reading lists in particular.

Secret Voices From the Forest
Laura J. Merrill, author/illustrator
Myth & Magic Publishing
P.O. Box 612, Taos, NM 87571
978098429903 $28.95 www.laurajmerrilltreetalker.com

"Secret Voices From the Forest: Thoughts and Dreams of North American Trees, Volume One: The West" is a beautiful book of collaborative, creative nonfiction, first in a series about North American Trees. A multi-faceted approach describes the voice, function, and beauty of each tree or family of trees chosen to represent North American trees of the west Twelve sections in four chapters present the Coastal Redwood, Pacific Madrone, Old Growth Forest, California Sycamore, Mexican Elder, California Bay Laurel, Incense Cedar, Mountain Mahogany, Sequoia, Quaking Aspen, Bristlecone Pine, and Gambrel Oak/ Western Serviceberry tree groups. Each section contains an initial portrait, reflections, chronicles, a list of companions with beautiful colored illustrations, a quality meditated upon (by the tree), a poem by Brian Mitchell about the message of the tree, and some facts about the tree's companions. "Secret Voices of the Forest" is predicated upon the belief that trees may be regarded as wise, sentient beings, almost guardians of life upon Gaia. It is of inestimable value to humans to listen to the messages from trees. To this end, each tree is studied carefully in its original natural setting, with careful observation of its particular nature and habitual natural companions. Filled with fascinating detail about the creatures and plants who accompany these sentient trees, "Secret Voices From the Forest" takes the reader beyond skepticism to a hallowed place where deeper wisdom may be accessed with care. Reading "Secret Voices From the Forest" is indeed a treat to be savored slowly, always enhanced by its charming decorative page borders and delicate illustrations, particularly illuminated by the dedicated poems accompanying each tree type. it is surely an honor to be allowed to learn to seek understanding of these ancient voices from our forever friends, the trees.

Global Forest Governance
Rowena Macguire
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9780857936066 $160.00 www.e-elgar.com

Global Forest Governance: Legal Concepts and Policy Trends is an exhaustively researched, in-depth presentation of the legal underpinnings and governmental requirements for sustainable management of forests. Chapters discuss the critical elements needed for effective regulation (justice, property, sovereignty, and governance); regulation of forest resources by the World Bank; the legal requirements of forestry markets; sample court cases concerning disputes over forest resources; and much more. "When land that contains forest ecosystems is converted and is used for another purpose (for example, agricultural or rural development), there is a net loss of carbon stored on the land. This is because most other land use sequesters less carbon than forest ecosystems. If the previous forest site is cleared and burned, most of the stored carbon will be released back into the atmosphere." In the modern era of climate change, Global Forest Governance is extremely timely, relevant, and valuable for its wealth of information about the value of preserving forests in spite of economic and legal obstacles, as well as the role of national governments to step in and preserve forests when most of the benefits for doing so are classified as positive externalities (aspects that do not charge individuals any cost for the good things they bring, such as carbon sequestration). Highly recommended, especially for college library collections, environmentalists, professionals in forestry management, or as a reference for legal experts fielding environmental matters.

Conservation Planning
F. Lance Craighead and Charles L. Convis Jr.
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589482630 $119.95 www.esri.com/esripress

Conservation Planning: Shaping the Future is an anthology of writings from a broad variety of ecology scientists about using the latest research and technology to develop effective and sustainable conservation plans for land management. Chapters include "Scale and conservation planning", "Selecting species as targets for conservation planning", "Identification and mapping of habitat cores", "Conservation planning to ensure viability of populations and metapopulations", and much more. A handful of color charts and graphs illustrate this scholarly and modestly technical repository of cutting-edge ideas, enthusiastically recommended especially for college and professional reference shelves with a focus on environmental conservation. "Most biological processes are complex and difficult to fully understand... Eath biological process is unique, and so is each spatial modeling tool... Generally, it is a good practice to apply a series of different models when exploring a biological process. With each model application, a deeper understanding of the biological process is gained, and more informed decisions can be made.

To Conserve Unimpaired
Robert B. Keiter
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650
Washington, DC 20036
9781597266604, $35.00, www.islandpress.org

National parks are all too often taken for granted. "To Conserve Unimpaired: The Evolution of the National Park Idea" discusses the history and future of the national park and how parks have turned from nature preserves to tourist attractions, and the struggle to balance these ideas and where their future lies. Touching on heritage, new strategies for conservation being developed and much more, "To Conserve Unimpaired" is a strong addition any environmental studies and law collection, enthusiastically recommended.


The Biography Shelf

Mountains Beyond Mountains
Tracy Kidder
Delacorte Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780385743181, $16.99, www.randomhouse.com

Medical science has made huge strides for better health and fighting disease, but often the diseases continue to exist in the poorest parts of the world. "Mountains Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Dr. Paul Farmer, A Man Who Would Cure the World" tells the story of Farmer, a doctor who sought to travel to the poorest parts of the world and bring the knowledge of medicine there and improve the quality of life to all those there. Written by Pulitzer prize winning author Tracy Kidder, "Mountains Beyond Mountains" is a strong addition to true stories and inspirational collections of people who work to make a difference in the world.

Francis
Andrea Tornielli
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339
Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586178529, $19.95, www.ignatius.com

To take the church down a new path is no means an easy path. "Francis: Pope of a New World" explores the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who ascended to the papacy and took the name after St. Francis of Assisi, and doing his part to try to help the Church right its path into the twenty first century, where disillusionment with the Church seems to be at an all time high. His story is one of trying to return to poverty, and caring for the poor. "Francis" is a strong addition to Catholic and Christian studies collections, highly recommended.

C. S. Lewis
Alister McGrath
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive
Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414339351, $24.99, www.tyndale.com

C. S. Lewis is a literary legend, still studied heavily in the modern day. "C. S. Lewis: Eccentric Genius, Reluctant Prophet" is a biography of the Narnia writing individual, who is often a source of controversy, and how biographer Alister McGrath holds him as a prophet, foretelling many of the ideas and thoughts that have came with the modern day, decades after he has passed on. "C. S. Lewis" is a must for anyone who seeks more perspective on this man and his literature, highly recommended.

Samuel Roth
Jay A. Getzman
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044170, $74.95, www.upf.com

Obscenity has shifted and changed over the years. "Samuel Roth: Infamous Modernist" analyzes the work of a man who reveled in modernity, Samuel Roth. Throughout his time, he clashed with the standards of decency in the publishing world, his works deemed so obscene that they didn't fall under his contemporary copyright laws, leading him into a clash with the publishing houses as well as his peers in the field of writing. Exploring the history of literary censorship throughout the middle of the twentieth century, and the story of a conflicted man, "Samuel Roth" is a vital addition to literary history and biography collections, recommended.

Judy Garland
Anne Edwards
Taylor Trade Publishing
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200
Lanham, MD 20706
9781589797871, $17.95, www.rowman.com

People are complex creatures, and often so very difficult to understand. "Judy Garland" is a biography of the famed Hollywood starlet, as Anne Edwards seeks to show a more complete picture of a woman who struggled to serve her family, sought other artistic endeavors such as poetry, in spite of her own demons which Edwards holds get all too much attention when discussing Garland. "Judy Garland" is an enticing addition to biography collections focusing on the Golden Age of Hollywood.

Between Torture and Resistance
Oscar Lopez Rivera
PM Press
PO Box 23912
Oakland, CA 94623
9781604866858, $15.95, www.pmpress.org

Political prisoners are still taken by the United States, and for what? "Between Torture and Resistance" is the story of Oscar Lopez Rivera, a Puerto Rican leader and activist who has been held behind bars since 1981 and is scheduled for release in 2027. Telling how he got into activism and the difference he made, and how this led to his incarceration, "Between Torture and Resistance" is a strong addition to biography and American issues collections, highly recommended.

Song Without Words
Gerald Shea
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306821936, $25.99, www.dacapopress.com

SONG WITHOUT WORDS; DISCOVERING MY DEAFNESS HALFWAY THROUGH LIFE offers a moving story of how a childhood illness left the author with partial hearing loss which went undiagnosed for decades. He could only hear low frequency sounds but assumed everyone heard the same and had to take meaning from sound. Thus he translated 'nonwords' for much of his life, excelled through school, worked his way through Yale and Columbia Law School, and became a partner in a New York law firm - all before his condition became diagnosed - at age thirty-four. This is a powerful testimony to the possibilities of hearing disorders and adaptations to disability, and is a 'must' for not only health but general-interest collections who will find Shea's story positively riveting.


The Military Shelf

The New Zealand Wars
Ian Knight
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781780962771, $17.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

For the lands of New Zealand, the ambitions of the British Empire clashed with the desire of keeping control of one's home. "The New Zealand Wars 1820-72" seeks to explore the long standing conflict between the native Maori people and the British settlers who sought to colonize their land. The Maori were quick to adapt to modern warfare, but were divided. Filled with color illustrations as well as black and white photography, "The New Zealand Wars" is a must for any international military history collection, highly recommended. Also from Osprey Publishing is "The New Zealand Expeditionary Force in World War II" (9781780961118, $17.95) discusses the contributions of New Zealand to the British Empire's efforts in World War II.

Operation Damocles
Roger Howard
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605984384, $27.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

The Nazis had many great technological minds, and they didn't just fade away when the Third Reich crumbled. "Operation Damocles: Israel's Secret War Against Hitler's Scientists, 1951-1967" tells of the technological secret war between Egypt and Israel that had a huge role from former Nazi scientists who were recruited by Egypt and the conflict that went on deeply behind the scenes and the espionage that flared between both parties. "Operation Damocles" is a strong addition to world history collections, highly recommended.

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Osprey's CLASSIFIED: SPECIAL OPERATIONS MISSIONS 1940-2010 (9781849087735, $24.95) provides a fine survey of special forces units and their operations, covers the strikes and strategies of different forces in different nations, and offers the latest companion for Force on Force, allowing wargamers full access to creating Special Operations scenarios. From historical scenarios to generic backgrounds, wargamers receive an in-depth review of missions and objectives in an outstanding guide recommended especially for Force on Force wargame players. Chris McNab's THE FALL OF EBEN EMAEL: BELGIUM 1940 (9781780962610, $18.95) provides a fine survey of one of the greatest raids in history: the fall of a seemingly invincible fortress, Eben Emael, on the Belgian border. It was largely underground, had numerous bunkers, and was surrounded by heavily armed gun turrets protecting the bridges Germans had to cross. Conventional tactics were impossible - so a force of paratroopers were deployed by glider. Blow-by-blow discussions of tactics and the operation's movements make this a solid addition to any military strategy holding. Byron E. Hukee's USAF AND VNAF A-1 SKYRAIDER UNITS OF THE VIETNAM WAR (9781780960685, $22.95) joins others in Osprey's military aircraft history series and belongs in any military or aviation history collection, considering the evolution of the USAF Skyraider units and the VNAF models that saw action in Vietnam. Missions, interactions with enemies, and first-person accounts from those who flew them makes for a vivid account of combat history, paired with vintage black and white and color photos throughout. Leroy Thompson's THE M1903 SPRINGFIELD RIFLE (9781780960111, $18.95) provides a fine focus on the late 1800s rifle used to overturn US troops' firepower disadvantage during World War I, and recounts the development of a rifle famed for its accuracy and used as a sniping weapon during the Korean War. Specially commissioned artwork accompanies veterans' recollections of the rifle and supplements a history documenting its military action and many successes, making this a 'must' for military and firearms holdings alike. Martyn Chorlton's HAWKER HURRICANE MK I-V (9781780966021, $18.95) charts the evolution and impact of the Hurricane, which became the fighter plane of choice in North Africa and the Far East during World War II. It charts the rise and experiences of Hurricane squadrons, their battles, and the evolution of the craft itself, providing many vintage black and white photos throughout. Any World War II collection or aviation library will find this a winning title! Such collections will also relish Gordon L. Rottman's WORLD WAR II TACTICAL CAMOUFLAGE TECHNIQUES (9781780962740, $18.95), which pairs vintage black and white photos with color illustrations by Peter Dennis in the course of exploring military camouflage history. Detailed artwork and history considers US, British, German and Soviet practices, and offers a fine focus on camouflage techniques and their evolution. Dmitriy Khazanov and Aleksander Medved's PE-2 GUIARDS UNITS OF WORLD WAR 2 (9781780960654, $22.95) provides military and aviation libraries with a fine survey of the most numerous Soviet bomber of World War II, and is a strong collection of images and history of a fighter which entered service in 1940 and ended production in late 1945, with over 10,000 planes in service. Extensive history covers pilots and planes alike, linking key battles to the Pe-2 efforts during the war.


The Travel Shelf

Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street
Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Simon Richmond, et.al.'s KOREA (9781741048315, $26.99) includes coverage of North Korea, comes loaded with over a hundred small maps, and is a take-along tote and travel planner highly recommended for any planning a journey to the country. Itineraries of historical sights, activities and places to eat accompany insights into the culture and special attractions of Korea, with discussions of its demilitarized zone and other areas including the latest information. From hiking opportunities to inner city attractions, this is a fine recommendation for any planning a visit to Korea! Ryan Ver Berkmoes, et.al.'s DISCOVER SWITZERLAND (9781743215272, $23.99) surveys the highlights of the country and is a 'must' travel planner for any looking to journey there. From highlights of attractions and itineraries to streamline the trip to small maps of the streets of cities in Switzerland and discussions of local foods and culture, this is packed with color photos throughout and a clear survey of Switzerland's many possibilities! Lonely Planet's COOKS, CLOWNS AND COWBOYS: 101 SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES TO DISCOVER ON YOUR TRAVELS (9781743210215, $19.99) provides all kinds of amazing connections between travel and learning new skills. For a sampling of the trips profiled here - imagine learning new horse handling skills in Mongolia, learning to design fabric in India, or taking a calligraphy course in China. Plenty of visuals pack a guide that clearly outlines time frame, cost, outcome - and how to determine if a skillset or trip suits you. It's packed with ideas for making the most of any travel experience - by doing, not just seeing - and is a fun pick for any travel library. Ireland's Best Trips: 34 Amazing Road Trips (9781742209869, $24.99) by Fionn Davenport, et.al. chronicles some outstanding Irish road journeys and is a top pick for any who want to use scenic drives as a method of exploring Ireland's byways and culture. From Dublin and Eastern Ireland to Cork and Southwest Ireland, this offers everything from two-day getaways to longer trips, comes packed with regional tips and attractions, and includes everything needed to plan a satisfying getaway throughout the country. ITALY'S BEST TRIPS: 38 AMAZING ROAD TRIPS by Paula Hardy, et.al. (9781742209876, $24.99) achieves the same for Italy, combining small maps and many color sidebars of information with keys to eating, sleeping, and seeing the most in the country.

Moon Handbooks
1700 - 4th Street
Berkeley, CA 94710
www.moon.com

These new Moon editions offer destination-oriented travelers exceptional surveys packed with information, from small city and area line maps to specifics on where to eat, sleep and visit in each country, and are fine picks for any travel collection appealing to travel planners gathering their own independent information. Ben Westwood's GALAPAGOS ISLANDS: TRIP OF A LIFETIME (9781598809756, $12.99) accompanies Westwood's broader Ecuador title but narrows the focus to just the Galapagos - and there's so much to know that travelers will appreciate this focus. From how long it will take and where to stop along the way to the best tours, this covers it all. Suzanne Van Atten's SAN JUAN, VIEQUES AND CULEBRA (9781612385020, $16.99) offers suggestions on how to plan a trip to Puerto Rico, covering the best destinations and adding the experiences of author Suzanne Van Atten. From mountain biking to the best tours, this holds it all. Her broader PUERTO RICO (9781612383385, $16.99) covers more of the island as a whole, offering insights for any who would visit the entire area and understand Puerto Rico's many cultural and natural wonders. All are solid picks for any destination-bound travel planner.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Eating Disorders Information For Teens, third edition
Elizabeth Bellenir, editor
Omnigraphics
155 W. Congress, Suite 200
Detroit, Michigan 48226
www.omnigraphics.com www.amazon.com
9780780812697 list price $69.00, school/library price $62.00

Now in an updated and expanded third edition, "Eating Disorders Information For Teens" is part of the popular Teen Health Series whose time is now. This text and series is aimed towards an informed audience of teens and adult teachers, parents, and caretakers. Parts and groups of chapters are offered on Eating Disorders and Their Risk Factors, Understanding Eating and Body Image Disorders, Medical Consequences and Co-Occurring Concerns, Diagnosing and Treating Eating Disorders, Maintaining Healthy Eating and Fitness Habits, and If You Need More Information. The last section offers specific resource directories with more information about eating disorders and related areas, while the previous five sections contain the bulk of factual information about the continuum of eating disorders and related areas of concern. A brisk no-nonsense style of narrative delivers desired information efficiently, and shaded (gray) sidebars present added information of particular interest on specific topics or concerns. "Eating Disorders Information For Teens" is a valuable source of accurate medical information about the many facets of diagnosing, treating, and preventing recurrence of eating disorders for teens. Its intended audience is perhaps more likely the teenage female, but also extends to the male audience as well. "Eating Disorders for Teens" contains good and sufficient information about the psychosocial aspects of these disorders and the desired treatment strategies for healing them.

The Complete Illustrated Birthing Companion
Amanda French, M.D., et al.
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
100 Cummings Center, Suite 406-L
Beverly, MA 01915
9781592335336 $21.99 www.fairwindspress.com

"The Complete Illustrated Birthing Companion" by the team of Amanda French, M.D.,Susan Thomforde, C.N.M., Jeanne Faulkner, R.N., and Dana Rousmaniere, is aptly subtitled "A Step-By-Step Guide to Creating the Best Birthing Plan for a Safe, Less Painful, and Successful Delivery for You and Your Baby." Its intent is to give organized, informed summaries of major options for birthing plans. As such it outlines the complete process for eight different birthing plans, including: unmedicated vaginal birth at home. unmedicated vaginal birth at a birth center, unmedicated vaginal birth in a hospital, epidural vaginal birth in a hospital, induction of labor in a hospital, vaginal birth after Cesarean (VBAC), planned cesarean birth in a hospital, and unplanned cesarean birth in a hospital. The comprehensive narrative presents information on many birthing options, pros and cons, and suggestions for preparing for different styles of birth and labor. A special chapter is devoted to managing the pain of labor, including many suggestions for a labor toolkit. This chapter (and the rest) is filled with attractive color photos of women experiencing labor and delivery, in different positions and using different pain management techniques. Finally there is a chapter on the creation of a birth plan including what to consider if things do not go according to plan. The appendix includes a Tri by Tri guide with specific observations for each week of pregnancy regarding what's happening and preparing for the baby's birth. Helpful illustrations and informative sidebars plus a complete listing of resources complete the package. "The Complete Illustrated Birthing Companion" is a useful companion to today's pregnant women, helping her to make informed, wise decisions about her birthing plan.

The Clinician's Guide to Exposure Therapies for Anxiety Spectrum Disorders
Timothy A. Sisemore, PhD
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608821525, $49.95, www.newharbinger.com

The Clinician's Guide to Exposure Therapies for Anxiety Spectrum Disorders is a recommendation for any psychology collection and provides a survey of the benefits of exposure therapy as an effective tool for treating anxiety spectrum disorders. There are problems that occur from such treatment which in the past has limited its consideration: this book shows clinicians how to overcome these problems which range from client unwillingness to an overall lack of understanding of how the treatment works, offering specific exposure exercises for fears and phobias and tips to helping clients overcome obstacles to success. Any psychology holding needs this.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Pets, People, and Pragmatism
Erin McKenna
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823251155, $26.00, www.fordhampress.com

The relationship between people and their pets is a curious one. "Pets, People, and Pragmatism" discusses the relationship between human beings and their animal companions, hoping to gain a more complete understanding of this unique relationship, while taking a scientific look at animal abuse and the ethics behind it when human being use these animals for far more than some companionship. Insightful and appealing reading that presents many curious questions on the concepts of human nature, "Pets, People, and Pragmatism" is a strongly recommended addition to pets and sociology collections, highly recommended.

E. B. White on Dogs
Martha White
Tilbury House, Publishers
103 Brunswick Ave.
Gardiner, ME 04345
9780884483410, $22.95, www.tilburyhouse.com

A love for our furry companion can take us far in our lives and entertain our many interests along the way. "E. B. White on Dogs" collects the famed Charlotte's Web author's works on his favorite canines, taking his notes on essays, poetry, stories, and his correspondence with friends and family. With plenty of humor and much to appreciate for fans of White on his work, "E. B. White on Dogs" is a strong addition to any pet lovers or literary studies collection, very much recommended.

Geckos: The Animal Answer Guide
Aaron M. Bauer
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421408538, $26.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Geckos: The Animal Answer Guide provides an in-depth survey of the biology, natural history and diversity of geckos, and comes from a lizard biologist and gecko expert who explores their world using science study paired with color photos. Geckos is written with non-experts in mind but will reach all sides with its powerful survey of how geckos live. Along with a bibliography and a list of all known species, this book includes a question-and-answer format that addresses such basics as how they survive winter, why they shed their skins, and why they can make good pets. The result is a fine multi-faceted discussion accessible to a wide audience of general-interest readers and science students alike.

Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street
Malden, MA 02148
www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Molly Varga, et.al., Editors' BSAVA MANUAL OF EXOTIC PET AND WILDLIFE NURSING (9781905319350, $109.99) discusses the nursing requirements of less familiar species, which are very different from the usual requirements for cats and dogs, and pairs color photos throughout with discussions of birds, reptiles, and exotic mammals. From monitoring fluid intake and nursing hospitalized patients to formulas for post-surgery diets and how to administer drugs for exotic species, this does a fine job of contrasting the special needs of exotics with the usual domestic animal maintenance routine, offering color sidebars of at-a-glance reference information and covering everything from diagnostic imaging to laboratory techniques. Any veterinary reference library should have this key to exotic species management. Gary England's DOG BREEDING, WHELPING AND PUPPY CARE (9780470673133, $49.99) provides a fine and practical guide to canine reproduction for any veterinary professional, student, or dog breeder, and offers a simple format with clear black and white and color charts, diagrams and photos throughout. Gary England is himself a veterinarian specializing in animal reproduction and has worked with dogs for 25 years: his clinical experience blends with his published works to make for an important wide-ranging consideration of normal and abnormal reproduction and techniques, and is a pick for any veterinary collection. Also highly recommended for such a holding is Marc Vandevelde, et.al.'s VETERINARY NEUROPATHOLOGY (9780470670569, $99.99) introduces the basics of veterinary neuropathology for pathologists, neurologists and any involved in diagnostic imaging, providing readers with tips on how to handle neuropathological problems. From the basics of neuroanatomy and techniques to recognition of major lesion patterns, this book covers specific diseases and provides pathologists with information to support diagnostics for small and large domestic species alike. Add color gross, histological and MRI images and you have a key reference any veterinary collection must have.


The Judicial Studies Shelf

A Shifting Empire
Uma Suthersanen and Ysolde Gendreau, editors
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9781781003084 $115.00 www.e-elgar.com

A Shifting Empire: 100 Years of the Copyright Act 1911 is an anthology of essays by a diversity of scholarly authors, examining how the 1911 Copyright Act, also known as the "Imperial Copyright Act", completely transformed copyright law in the United Kingdom and its empire, directly influencing copyright law's evolution in Australia, Israel, India, Singapore, South Africa, and New Zealand. The result is a modern history of how the first global "common law copyright system" transformed the world; of particular interest are the queries of how ethical the 1911 Copyright Act is in the context of indigenous laws. An excellent resource for historians and legal scholars, as well as an instructive text for policy-makers and international copyright associations, A Shifting Empire is enthusiastically recommended especially for college libraries and reference collections with a focus on copyright law.

Murder at the Supreme Court
Martin Clancy and Tim O'Brien
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146498, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

MURDER AT THE SUPREME COURT: LETHAL CRIMES AND LANDMARK CASES considers Supreme Court cases and behind-the-scenes secrets that surround their deliberations, and use landmark capital punishment and lethal crimes cases to examine all kinds of true-life cases. From cases that made the law to issues of capital punishment and humane methods of execution, this offers an in-depth collection of human stories that illuminate the legal issues beyond each circumstance. This is a pick for law libraries and any interested in legal cases, and is accessible by general interest readers as well.


The Music Shelf

Piano Teaching Skills
Elaine Andrus Watts, author
Biographical Publishing Company
95 Sycamore Drive
Prospect, Connecticut 06712
9781929882874 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Written by a very experienced, highly qualified piano pedagogue to assist one of her students in their own piano teaching journey of discovery, "Piano Teaching Skills, A Complete Guide for Piano Teachers" is a compact but complete guidebook to piano pedagogy from teaching beginners to preparing advanced piano students for performance and subsequent piano-related careers. Twenty chapters cover topics including the art of teaching, training students to play by ear and transpose, developing proficient piano technique, how to teach music reading, how to teach sight singing as part of ear training, musical terminology, curriculum and repertoire guides, musical expression and interpretation, pedal technique, how to incorporate music history, musical ornamentation, transposition and modulation, improvisation and composition, and finally, helping students enjoy music and value instruments and books, recital etiquette, and the home studio. There is even a chapter on how to prevent piano practice injuries. All this information is succinctly presented in an 80 page (paperback) guidebook that will prove invaluable to the beginning and more experienced teacher, as well as the self motivated (young adult) performer. An excellent overview of current piano teaching tenets, "Piano Teaching Skills" is sure to be a successful ticket to a long chronology of satisfied students and piano performers.

In the Heights: The Complete Book and Lyrics of the Broadway Musical
Music and Lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Book by Quiara Alegria Hudes
Conceived by Lin-Manuel Miranda
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard
33 Plymouth St., Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042
9781476674647 $16.99 www.applausebooks.com

"In the Heights" is the complete book and lyrics of the multiple award-winning 21st century Broadway musical, meant for reading enjoyment. This fascinating excursion into a vivid panoply of life in the barrio of Washington Heights, Manhattan, "a tight knit community where the coffee from the corner bodega is light and sweet, the windows are always open, and the breeze carries the rhythm of three generations of music." This famous and sassy musical production premiered on Broadway at the Richard Rodgers Theater march 9, 2008, and ran for 1,184 performances, gathering two Drama Desk Awards, a Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album, winning 4 2008 Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Score, and a nomination for the 2009 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. To help recreate the vibrancy of the original production, eight full color pages of original cast members in performance are included. Here for further enjoyment is the full book and lyrics "In the Heights" to be savored by theater lovers everywhere.

Hitmaker
Tommy Mottola with Cal Fussman
Grand Central Publishing
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, 16th Floor, New York, NY 10017
9780446585187, $27.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

HITMAKER: THE MAN AND HIS MUSIC tells of author Tommy Mottola's work with some of the top musicians of modern music, from Michael Jackson and Carly Simon to Diana Ross and Billy Joel. Mottola was one of the most powerful and successful music executives in the industry, but until now his story hasn't been told. Here he combines autobiography with music history, telling how a street kid became a music executive, running the largest music label in the country. With its many insights into how the music industry operates, this is a 'must' for any serious contemporary music collection.

Official Truth, 101 Proof
Rex Brown with Mark Eglinton
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306821370, $26.00, www.dacapopress.com

Official Truth, 101 Proof: The Inside Story of Pantera examines the volatile relationship between vocalist Phil Anselmo and the Abbott brothers, their lifestyle of drugs and alcohol and clubs, and the murder of lead guitarist Darrell in 2004. Ten years after their breakup Pantera remains one of ht most influential heavy metal bands ever - and this book provides important behind-the-scenes examinations by a member who joined the group in 1982. His insider's insights are invaluable towards understanding the group's relationships, stormy moments, and dynamic music - and will prove a vivid, satisfying read to any fan of heavy metal music in general and Pantera in particular.

Rock 'n' Roll Lens
Jimmy Steinfeldt
Point Shoot Press
9780985584221, $50.00, www.jimmysteinfeldt.com

Rock 'n' Roll Lens: 30 years of Music Photography and Stories is no light photo collection: it represents decades of work in the photography business with a focus on music that has led author/photographer Steinfeldt to work with major musicians from Miles Davis to Rod Stewart. This catalog profiles both his art and the music world, appears in an oversized edition, and provides full-page color shots of each musician with a facing page explaining the history of each shot. As a self-taught live-action photographer, his works appeared in SPIN magazine, Rolling Stone magazine, and more. Having his photos under one cover in full-page presentations is magnificent; but having his notes on each shot makes for an extraordinary chronicle holding many insights. For example, his ZZ Top shot: "They were one of the first if not the first band I photographed. It was the El Loco tour, and I had no idea how to photograph concerts at that time, but over the years I would photograph them many times." Very highly recommended for music and photography collections alike!


The Political Science Shelf

The Secretary
Kim Ghattas
Times Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, Suite 400
New York, NY 10010-7725
9780805095111, $27.00, www.henryholt.com

THE SECRETARY: A JOURNEY WITH HILLARY CLINTON FROM BEIRUT TO THE HEART OF AMERICAN POWER comes from a BBC foreign correspondent who for four years had rare access to Hillary Clinton and her journeys around the world, and who documents Clinton's roles in the course of providing an intimate portrait of her work as secretary of state. At once an autobiography of a Lebanese woman who became a top international journalist and a coverage of Clinton's politics and challenges, this follows Hillary's change from a popular American politician to a high-level diplomat, and considers her evolving relationships and world-changing decisions. Any who would better understand Clinton or the role of Secretary of State will find this a top title!

Ike & Dick
Jeffrey Frank
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl.
New York, NY 10020
9781416587019, $30.00, www.simonandschuster.com

IKE & DICK: PORTRAIT OF A STRANGE POLITICAL MARRIAGE will appeal to political studies, American history and biography collections alike, comes from a former New Yorker editor and journalist, and provides an analysis of the complex relationship between two oddly matched presidents - one applauded, one hated. Their relationship lasted nearly two decades, changed the culture of American politics during the Cold War and beyond, and continued into the 1960s. The inspection of the political pairing of the two makes for a fine set of political and social insights.


The Terrorism Studies Shelf

Fountainhead of Jihad
Vahid Brown and Don Rassler
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Avenue
New York, NY 10016-4314
9780199327980, $35.00, www.oup.com/us

FOUNTAINHEAD OF JIHAD: THE HAQQANI NEXUS, 1973-2012 uses a wide range of previously unstudied primary sources in several languages to consider the actions of the Haqqani network, which has operated at the center of Islamist militancy for decades, supporting the development of jihadi organizations around the world. New evidence documents this network's influence in the evolution of the global jihadi movement, and provides important insights that refutes popular notions of the history of al-Qaeda's development and growth. Any college-level collection strong in analyzing Islamic terrorism's roots must have this key survey.

Lone Wolf Terrorism
Jeffrey D. Sinmon
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146467, $26.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

LONE WOLF TERRORISM: UNDERSTANDING THE GROWING THREAT comes from an internationally renowned terrorism expert who presents the first in-depth treatment of the issue, and who considers the motivations and backgrounds of lone-wolf terrorists. From how the Internet has fostered this style of terrorism to the innovative strategies being developed to identify and present this type of terrorism, this is packed with insights using the author's decades of experience studying terrorism, and is a 'must' for any studying the topic.


The Science Shelf

Introducing Meteorology
Jon Shonk
Dunedin Academic Press Ltd.
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
9781780460024 $19.95 www.isbs.com

Featuring full-color diagrams and photography on practically every other page, Introducing Meteorology: A Guide to Weather lives up to its title as a reader-friendly primer to the science of weather observation. Accessible to students and curious amateurs, Introducing Meteorology covers the anatomy of the atmosphere, how air circulation affects climate, how terrible storms and hurricanes form, and much more. "If clouds that are already precipitating arrive at a mountain range, the result of the forced ascent is an increase in condensation rate and marked intensification of the rain. This process is referred to as orographic enhancement, and can bring vast amounts of rain to upland areas." An easy-to-use glossary rounds out this excellent and enlightening resource, highly recommended especially for undergraduate college and public library collections.

Marine Nutraceuticals
Se-Kwon Kim
CRC Press
Suite 300
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466513518, $169.95, www.crcpress.com

Beneath the sea there lies untapped potential for betterment of humanity. "Marine Nutraceuticals: Prospects and Perspectives" is a collection of scholarly essays as experts on marine biology offer educated insights on the applications of these studies for medicine in countless arrays. Chapters analyze the fauna of the sea floor and touches on the many properties that discuss the applications for human wellness and nutrition. From the beneficial aspects of seaweed, to the helpful enzymes that lie beneath the ocean, Professor Se-Kwon Kim leads a staff of highly educated thinkers to offer a complete and comprehensive discussion of what can be drawn from the sea floor for countless purposes. "Marine Nutraceuticals" is a scholarly and core addition to community and college library collections focusing on biology and oceanology, enthusiastically recommended.

Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com, www.basicbooks.com

Leonard Susskind and George Hrabovsky's THE THEORETICAL MINIMUM: WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW TO START DOING PHYSICS (9780465028115, $26.99) comes from a citizen scientist and a famous theoretical physicist who offer the average reader a basic course on physics and associated math that differs from the usual college method of learning science. Lessons take classical mechanics and tech it in a new fashion that is accessible and entertaining, offering discussions that provide readers with the knowledge and skills to understand advanced concepts. The result defines and teaches classical physics and provides cutting edge information and research in a way general readers without science backgrounds can readily absorb. Thus any general-interest holding, as well as science collections at high school levels and above, will appreciate this survey. Leila Schneps and Coralie Colmez's MATH ON TRIAL: HOW NUMBERS GET USED AND ABUSED IN THE COURTROOM (9780465032921, $26.99) belongs in the collection of any school strong in either mathematics or legal issues, and documents how the misuse of math in ten courtroom trials resulted in the miscarriage of justice. It comes from two mathematicians who use cases ranging from the late nineteenth century to modern times to consider how math error actually changed the course of justice. Any who want to consider the use of math in everyday legal matters will find this a powerful account making the case for better math education and its importance in everyday life beyond simple calculations in business.


The Botany Shelf

Toxic Plants of North America, second edition
George E. Burrows & Ronald J. Tyrl
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9780813820347, $299.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Toxic Plants of North America appears in its second updated edition to provide a powerful up-to-date reference for wild and cultivated toxic plants on the North American continent, and expands coverage of human and wildlife intoxications. Over 2,700 new citations identify previously unknown toxicants and provide all the technical details, while information on plant morphology and disease clinical signs brings together a range of ideas and approaches blending information sources for small and exotic animal practices. While this is a special recommendation for veterinary reference libraries, it also is a pick for a range of other collections from health and home and garden to nature and the outdoors. Over 1,000 images feature the plants, with information outlining principal toxicants and providing a glossary of toxicological and botanical terms. This is simply an outstanding reference: there's nothing as well-detailed or in-depth on the market, making it a unique and powerful pick for any reference collection interested in toxic plants.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Accounting for Non-Accountants, ninth edition
David Horner
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749465971 $40.98 www.koganpageusa.com

Now in an ninth edition for 2013 updated with the latest information on accounting standards and taxation issues, Accounting for Non-Accountants is the definitive handbook for business professionals and managers who do not have a background in finance. Chapters outline the basics of financial recordkeeping (including single-entry and double-entry bookkeeping, daybooks and ledgers, and more), income statements, the format and content of a balance sheet, marginal costing and decision making, budgeting, capital investment and appraisal, an introduction to limited companies, accounting standards, and much more. Numerous examples help clarify the guidelines, and review questions (with solutions!) ideal for self-teaching and hands-on practice help the reader practice what he or she has learned. Accounting for Non-Accountants is an absolute must-have for any small business owner who doesn't have their own accountant on staff, and highly recommended for everyone else who isn't a financial expert!

Shock Markets
Alexander Webb & Robert I. Webb
FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
978132337953, $49.99, www.ftpress.com

Like a good gambler, stock brokers have to know when to keep it steady in uncertain times. "Shock Markets: Trading Lessons for Volatile Times" explores the modern market with ups and downs quicker than ever before, and how traders must adapt to these lightning speed markets and know where to find trends and jump on them before it becomes a fad minutes later. With plenty of traditional, practical advice as well as trying some things that are very new, "Shock Markets" is an enticing addition to modern finance and trading collections, highly recommended.


The African-American Studies Shelf

Black Americans in the 21st Century
Doug Saint Carter
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145
Berkeley, CA 94709
9780966942521, $19.95, www.heydaybooks.com

Divisiveness in society only leads to many more problems in the future. "Black Americans in the 21st Century: Integrating or Segregating" analyzes Black America in the years since the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, and how author Doug Saint Carter still views the troubles of modern Black America and why unity between all races is still a hard road to achieve. "Black Americans in the 21st Century" has much to consider for America's future and racial issues, highly recommended.

Where Did Our Love Go
Gil L. Robertson, editor
Bolden
c/o Agate Publishing
1328 Greenleaf Street
Evanston, IL 60202
9781932841701, $16.00, www.agatepublishing.com

A bond for a lifetime is precious, but grows ever more rare. "Where Did Our Love Go: Love and Relationships in the African-American Community" is a collection of essays from many writers coming together and discussing the struggles of many African Americans finding the bonds of marriage that hang together for a lifetime. Analyzing the trouble in black America and what may be leading to fractured families all over America, "Where Did Our Love Go" is an enticing and much recommended addition to black studies and social studies collections.


The Relationship Shelf

Loving Someone with Anxiety
Kate N. Thieda
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781608826117, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

Anxiety can be overwhelming, but a helpful hand can keep us calm. "Loving Someone with Anxiety: Understanding & Helping Your Partner" is a guide for those who want more completely connect with their loved ones who may be coping with this very common social disorder. With advice and practical wisdom on being supportive, helping them overcome common problems, and using the process to form stronger bonds with one another. "Loving Someone with Anxiety" is a strong addition to relationship and self-help collections, highly recommended.


The Anthropology Shelf

Paleopathology at the Origins of Agriculture
Mark Nathan Cohen and George J. Armelagos, editors
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813044897 $39.95 www.upf.com

Originating in an 1982 Conference on Paleopathology and Socioeconomic Change at the Origins of Agriculture in Pittsburgh, New York, Paleopathology at the Origins of Agriculture is a widely cited resource on bio-archaeological literature. Now this foundational volume is back in print and available in paperback. Its diversity of scientific contributors scrutinized data with a focus on North America, but also including populations in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe, and South America. The central question addressed was: how did humanity's transition from foraging to agriculture affect human health and nutrition? Health indicators ranging from mortality to physical trauma, degenerative bone conditions, isotopes, and dental pathology are evaluated in this "must-have" core resource for college and university library Anthropology and Archaeology shelves.

Blood & Kinship
Christopher H. Johnson, Bernhard Jussen, David Warren Sabean, Simon Teuscher
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512
Brooklyn, NY 11201
9780857457493, $95.00, www.berghahnbooks.com

Has family and kinship always met the same thing throughout our history? "Blood & Kinship: Matter for Metaphor From Ancient Rome to the Present" is a collection of scholarly essays on history and anthropology looking at the foundations of western culture and history. Exploring the concept of blood and daring to take a very different perspective on the ideas of blood, many academic and scholarly minds come together to bring many fresh perspectives on these cultures. Tracing thousands of years of history and culture and offering an interesting twist of ideas throughout, "Blood & Kinship" is an excellent and highly recommended addition to history and anthropology community and college library collections.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Spectacular Speculation
Urs Staheli, author
Eric Savoth, translator
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road
Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804771320 $27.95 www.sup.org

Spectacular Speculation: Thrills, the Economy, and Popular Discourse is a historical and sociological study of how financial speculation was described and reported in the years between 1870 and 1930. Evidence sorted by Luhmann, Foucault, Simmel, and Deleuze reveals that journalism about financial speculation a century ago was rocky at best. The modern language to discuss it was not yet in common use, and the vocabulary applied to discuss the idea bordered on salacious. Speculation was equated with gambling; financial markets compared to female seducers; and warnings were rampant against "degenerate" behavior or uncontrollable crowds. The history of how society came to view, describe, and understand economic speculation remains critically relevant today, when speculation played a pivotal role in the 2008 housing market crash and the fallout that is still ongoing. Spectacular Speculation is therefore a welcome and highly recommended addition to world history and economic studies shelves.

Internal Market Economics
Dean Meyer
NDMA Publishing
3B Kenosia Avenue
Danbury, CT 06810-7305
www.ndma.com/resources/ndma.htm
9781892606310, $28.00, www.amazon.com

In "Internal Market Economics: Practical Resource-Governance Processes Based On Principles We All Believe In", author Dean Meyer draws upon his years of experience and expertise to deftly write a compelling 396 page compendium on just how entrepreneurs and managers can utilize market economic concepts to advance their organizational goals and strategies through the judicious application of basic principles with respect to governance and decision making. Practical, insightful, informed, informative, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Internal Market Economics" is thoroughly 'reader friendly' in precept and presentation, making it highly recommended and especially appropriate for personal, professional, corporate, academic, and community library reference collections.

Financing Our Foodshed
Carol Peppe Hewitt
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717237, $17.95, www.newsociety.com

Money is the lifeblood of every endeavor. "Financing Our Foodshed: Growing Local Food with Slow Money" discusses the economic aspect of those who want to encourage a local diet and the struggles of getting such growing projects off the ground when the numbers don't add up. Encouraging micro loans and building local food economies, with plenty of practical advice on building these projects and keeping them going, "Financing Our Foodshed" is a strong pick for any advocate of local agriculture, highly recommended.

The Climate Bonus
Alison Smith
Routledge
711 - 3rd Avenue, Floor 8
New York, NY 10017-9209
9781849713412, $59.95, www.routledge.com

Saving the environment doesn't require a massive short term investment. "The Climate Bonus: Co-Benefits of Climate Policy" discusses how the move towards a more sustainable world does not have to incur massive costs that many people are convinced that they believe it does. Highlighting the many benefits of a carbon reduction policy in both financial and otherwise terms and encouraging more complete adherence to good environmental policy in ways that can make it sound more appealing from a business sense, "The Climate Bonus" is a powerful and very much recommended addition to environmental and economics collections, not to be missed.

Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court
Northampton, MA 01060-3815
www.e-elgar.com

Edward Elgar Publishing continues its tradition of excellence in academic-level research with four rigorously researched, detailed, and enlightening new texts. Alberto Brugnoli and Alessandro Colombo edit "Government, Governance and Welfare Reform: Structural Changes and Subsidiarity in Italy and Britain" (9781848444775, $110.00), a gathering of scholarly essays about welfare reforms and changes in both Britain and Italy. A surprising conclusion emerges from years of data - that government at the sub-national level (rather than the national level) plays an increasingly critical role in designing, implementing, and keeping track of governmental services. Tyrone S. Pitsis, Ace Simpson, and Erlend Dehlin edit "Handbook of Organizational and Managerial Innovation" (9781849802574, $225.00), a collection of ideas from academics and professionals worldwide about the latest improvements in efficient organization and management. Of particular interest is the revelation of how managerial innovation is fueled by findings in multiple academic disciplines (including psychology, philosophy, and economics) as well as the hands-on experience of managers and workers. Yun-Chien Chang's "Private Property and Takings Compensation: Theoretical Framework and Empirical Analysis" (9780857935274, $110.00) examines the process of government seizure of and reimbursement for private property, drawing upon examples from both New York and Taiwan. Drawing upon both prior research and cutting-edge data, Private Property and Takings Compensation offers an evaluation of assorted compensation strategies (including "zero", "current value", "fair market value", "economic value", and "project value" compensation) that should prove invaluable particularly to government policymakers and litigators. Peter C.Y. Chow edits "Economic Integration Across the Taiwan Strait: Global Perspectives" (9780857939722, $135.00), a critical analysis of economic issues affecting the relationship between Taiwan and China, from trade agreements to foreign direct investment, outsourcing, integration of banking and financial markets, and much more, founded heavily on current, original research. Ejan Mackaay's "Law and Economics for Civil Law Systems" (9781848443099, $220.00) is a scholarly text ideal for intermediate to advanced students in civil law. A comprehensive overview of the fundamental principles of law and economics, designed to complement the manner in which law is taught in civil law countries, makes Law and Economics for Civil Law Systems a choice pick for serious-minded students, and superbly bridges two separate academic disciplines. All four volumes are exceptional additions to college, university, and reference library collections.


The Agriculture Shelf

Growing Resistance
Emily Eaton
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College
Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887557446, $31.95, www.uofmpress.ca

Genetic modification of organisms has introduced many curiosities into the nature of law. "Growing Resistance: Canadian Farmers and the Politics of Genetically Modified Wheat" explores the growing concern among many in Canadian agriculture about the growing presence of Monsanto and their GM crops, and their threat against independent farmers throughout the country as well as environmental concerns. "Growing Resistance" is a must for any collection focused on politics in agriculture, highly recommended.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Travels and Tales of Miriam Green Ellis
Miriam Green Ellis
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
9780888646262, $34.95, www.uap.ualberta.ca

Throughout history, there are stories and those who share those stories. "Travels and Tales of Miriam Green Ellis" compiles the work of lesser known feminist writer Miriam Green Ellis, who gained her own bit of fame in Alberta's history for her writings on her focused topics and focus on Western Canada. Editor Patricia Demers compiles a solid makes "Travels and Tales of Miriam Green Ellis" a much recommended pick for social issues and women's studies collections with a focus on Canada.


The Criminology Shelf

Crime In The United States: 2013
Shana Hertz Hattis
Bernan Press
4611-F Assembly Drive
Lanham, MD 20706-4391
www.bernanpress.com
9781598886221, $105.00, www.amazon.com

One of the lesser known tasks of the Federal Bureau of Investigation is the nation-wide collection of crime statistics. Often the public perception of the frequency and nature of criminal activity (fed by a 24-hour news cycle and often spun by politicians to advance their political agendas) is not in line with actual crime statistics as reported by city, county, state, tribal, and federal law enforcement agencies. Compiled from official records by Shana Hertz Hattis and now in its seventh edition, "Crime In The United States: 2013" is a 615 page compendium that is comprised of reported criminal offenses known to police including murder, rape, robbery, and assault. Other reported criminal activities as property crimes which includes burglary, car theft, larceny, and arson. Also featured are the statistics concerning crime clearances, persons arrested, police employees, and hate crimes. "Crime In The United States: 2013" is a strongly recommended core addition to professional, governmental, academic, and community library Criminology reference collections.


The Library Science Shelf

Preserving Archives, second edition
Helen Forde and Jonathan Rhys-Lewis
Facet Publishing
9781856048231 $95.00 www.facetpublishing.co.uk

Now in an updated second edition, Preserving Archives is a solidly practical, in-depth reference and resource about preserving archival material, from caring for paper to managing digital preservation. Chapters examine how to safeguard the contents of an archival building, risk and disaster management, how to efficiently move archives and effectively exhibit them, pest control programs, training volunteers, and much more. An absolute "must-have" for librarians, curators, museums, and volunteer societies, Preserving Archives is worthy of the highest recommendation, as this is one book with the potential to protect and preserve uncountably many written resources! "If the problem has been identified as mice, rats, squirrels or other rodents it will be necessary to call in an expert exterminator to trap them in a manner which is safe for staff and the archival materials. Explain your concerns and ensure that poisons - which might result in corpses lying in inaccessible areas - are not used."

50+ Library Services
Diantha Dow Schull
ALA Editions
50 East Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838911198 $55.00 print / $44.00 Kindle

50+ Library Services: Innovation in Action is a resource of solid information about library programs and services designed especially for older adults ages fifty and up (the title is not intended to be a numerical tally of library services, although a litany of useful examples is present). Sample events and grant-funded projects are presented in an accessible style that breaks down the components of each offering - what it is, its goal, its features, and partners/funding for the event. Of particular interest is the chapter "Information Technology and Social Media", discussing the 50+ generation's interaction (or lack thereof) with evolving communication tools. Alternating between valuable programs to integrate into a public library's open public curriculum, and chapters discussing trends and common issues concerning library programming for older adults, 50+ Library Services is an invaluable tool for public libraries everywhere as the Baby Boomers age. Also by ALA Editions and highly recommended for library professionals are the fourth edition of "Staff Development: A Practical Guide" (9780838911495, $55.00), an anthology of tips, tricks, and techniques for effective personnel management; and "Marketing Your Library's Electronic Resources" (9781555708894, $60.00), part of Neal-Schuman's "How-To-Do-It-Manual for Librarians" series, teaching the reader how to swiftly and decisively get the word out about a public library's digital and electronic offerings.

Serving At-Risk Teens
Angela Craig & Chantell L. McDowell
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004
New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555707606, $54.00, www.neal-schuman.com

Some people need help and knowledge more than ever. "Serving At-Risk Teens: Proven Strategies and Programs for Bridging the Gap" is an educational and library science guide aimed at reaching out to troubled youths who may be homeless, incarcerated, or other difficult situations and how to help them improve their education and in virtue, improve their future. With specific advice on how to reach out to these teens, why it proves important, the diverse crowd, collecting resources aimed at this group, using technology, and many other topics are discussed comprehensively. "Serving At-Risk Teens" is an invaluable addition to library science collections, enthusiastically recommended. Also from the American Library Association is "From Children's Literature to Readers Theatre" (9780838910498, $36.00), discussing how to use theatre plays to encourage youth literacy and enthusiasm for reading.

Handbook of Indexing Techniques
Linda K. Fetters
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike
Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573874618, $28.00, www.infotoday.com

Unorganized information is far from efficient. "Handbook of Indexing Techniques: A Guide for Beginning Indexers" is a scholarly guide to the ins and outs of mastering information management, or more simply, indexing. Linda K. Fetters presents a complete and comprehensive guide using her nearly three decades of experience on the topic and expanding knowledge, complete with additional chapters on expanding the digital output for these topics. "Handbook of Indexing Techniques" is a must for any information manager who wants to understand the best ways of getting everything into easy access situations.


The International Studies Shelf

Becoming Plural
Richard Boggs
Garnet Publishing
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
9781859642979, $60.00, www.amazon.com

The Sudan (officially the Republic of the Sudan) is an Arab state in North Africa and the Middle East bordered by Egypt to the north, the Red Sea to the northeast, Eritrea and Ethiopia to the east, South Sudan to the south, the Central African Republic to the southwest, Chad to the west and Libya to the northwest. Internally, the Nile divides the country into eastern and western halves. The population of Sudan is a combination of indigenous inhabitants of the Nile Valley and descendants of migrants from the Arabian Peninsula. The overwhelming majority of the population today adhere to Islam. "Becoming Plural: A Tale of Two Sudans" by Richard Boggs is a 232 page compendium dedicated to describing a nation that has been torn by war these past few decades, the practical result of which was to divide the Sudan into two ethnic-based countries. Boss's informed and informative text is enhanced with a profusion of full color photographs of the land and the people, making it highly recommended for academic library Sudanese Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Race and Immigration in the New Ireland
Julieann Veronica Ulin, Heather Edwards, & Sean O'Brien
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall
Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268027773, $35.00, www.undpress.nd.edu

The world is changing, and many countries are coping with these many sweeping changes in their own way. "Race and Immigration in the New Ireland" analyzes modern Ireland's struggles with the issues of immigration, looking at both halves of the Irish nation and their unique approaches to these critical issues that grow ever more intriguing and important. From women's issues, religious concerns, the place of language, and the presence of racism, "Race and Immigration in the New Ireland" is a strongly recommended addition to social and international issues collections, highly recommended.


The Large Print Shelf

The Canon of Maverick Brands
Frank Bonham
Sagebrush
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780753190074, $29.99, www.ulverscroftusa.com

The old west left plenty of opportunity for the ambitious cattlemen and those who would bend what they thought of the law. "The Canon of Maverick Brands" is a collection of three novellas set in the sweeping old western period with plenty of thrills and the time of lawlessness and discovery. Containing The title story of a man trying to restore his family ranch, 'The Mustanger' following a search across the prairie for stolen horses and the intrigue of Spanish California. "The Canon of Maverick Brands" is a riveting addition to western fiction collections, highly recommended.

Funeral Sites
Jessica Mann
Magna Large Print Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9780750536592 $35.50 www.ulverscroftusa.com

Printed in an easy-to-read large font size, Funeral Sites is a dark myster-thriller in which cosmopolitan socialite Rosamund investigates the mysterious Swiss Alps climbing accident that caused the death of her sister Phoebe, and uncovers far more than she bargained for. Phoebe's husband Aiden has a sinister secret buried twenty years in the past, one that he will go to any brutal lengths to cover up. Could he be involved in Phoebe's death? And can Rosamund survive long enough to find out, when Aiden sets a small legion of thugs on her trail? Tense and riveting to the very end, Funeral Sites is highly recommended, especially for public library Large Print collections.


The Native American Studies Shelf

Hopi Kachinas: History, Legends, and Art
Ron Pecina & Bob Pecina, authors
Schiffer Books
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764344299 $49.99 www.schifferbooks.com

"Hopi Kachinas: History, Legends, and Art" is an extended background and history of the Hopi kachina dolls and the Hopi Katsina cult filled with color photographs of carved wooden kachina dolls and other artworks by contemporary Hopi artists. Included are thumbnail sketches of many of the famous Hop artists, particularly in Chapter 12: Documentarians. Many beautiful photographs of Hopi pottery and coiled baskets are also shown in exquisite detail. Due to a custom and tradition of intense privacy and respect of the sacred, much of the history and lore of the Hopi kachinas is little known by members of the dominant culture. Perhaps part of the mission of "Hopi Kachinas" to is further educate all regarding this highly stylized, culturally connected evolved Native American art expression. Certainly the audience of appreciation is growing for this art form and expression. All narrative chapters and photo notes and descriptions are very valuable, and seem to be written in a respectful way. Further, the pervasive sense of humor of Neil David and many other of the Kachina carvers is unmistakable. "Hopi Kachinas" is filled with illuminating Hopi history, myths and legends, traditions, and artistic representations of the deities and entities represented by the Hopi kachinas. All this is presented from the viewpoint of two visiting art appreciators, from the dominant culture, who are privileged to share this amazing glimpse of Hopi Kachina creation and lore.


The Mathematics Shelf

Essentials of Mathematical Statistics
Brian Albright
Jones & Bartlett Publishers
40 Tall Pine Drive
Sudbury, MA 01776
9781449685348 $175.95 www.jbpub.com

Featuring a wealth of examples and over 700 exercises, Essentials of Mathematical Statistics is a textbook created especially for introductory probability and statistics courses for mid to higher level mathematics and science majors. Chapters cover both conceptual and theoretical understanding of discrete and continuous random variables, hypothesis testing, simple regression, nonparametric statistics, and more. Appendices include detailed proofs of selected theorems, and the basics of using software such as Minitab, R, Excel, or TI-83/84 Calculators when working with statistical problems. A complete solution manual, PowerPoint lecture outlines, and a Test Bank are available to instructors, but do not come with the Essentials of Mathematical Statistics student textbook. Essentials of Mathematical Statistics is an excellent choice for college and university mathematics libraries, and a choice pick as a core text for classroom learning.


The Language Studies Shelf

A Cicero Reader
James M. May
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
www.bolchazy.com
9780865167131, $19.00, www.amazon.com

One of the true pleasures of becoming fluent in Latin is being able to enjoy the writing speeches and writings of Marcius Tullius Cicero in his own language. A gifted orator, statesman, and philosopher, Cicero was a contemporary of such luminaries as Julius Caesar, Pompey, Crassus, marc Antony, and Octavian during the final years of the Roman Republic and witness to the events that were to give rise to the Roman Empire. "A Cicero Reader: Selections from Five Essays and Four Speeches, With Five Letters" by James M. May (Professor of Classics, St. Olaf College, Northfield, Minnesota) is a superbly presented, 136 page compendium that begins with an introduction to Cicero's life, accomplishments, and world. Comprised of 605 lines of unadapted Latin text selected from eleven of Cicero's orations and writings, "A Cicero Reader" is augmented for the student informative notes, a complete vocabulary, suggested readings, a chronological appendix, two maps, and an illustration. An excellent curriculum supplemental resource, "A Cicero Reader" is very highly recommended for personal and academic library Latin Language instructional reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Architecture Shelf

Maya Architecture
Kenneth Treister
University Press of Florida
University of Florida
15 Northwest 15th Street
Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
www.upf.com
9780813042466, $34.95, www.amazon.com

"Maya Architecture: Temples in the Sky" by architect and photographer KenneithTreister is a superbly reproduced, 240 page compendium descriptively showcasing Mayan temple constructions and how those distinctive buildings incorporated form, function, sculpture and art that inspired a roster of American architects that includes the legendary Frank Lloyd Wright. A seminal body of impressive detail and full color photography, "Maya Architecture: Temples in the Sky" is informed, informative, and strongly recommended for personal, professional, and academic library Mayan Studies, as well as Architectural History Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Mythology Shelf

Dragonslayers
Joseph A. McCullough
Osprey Adventures Books
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9781780967301 $17.95 print / $9.39 Kindle

Featuring classic artworks reproduced black-and-white or full color on virtually every other page, Dragonslayers from Beowulf to St. George is a compendium of plain-English retellings of the legendary exploits of dragon-killers throughout human myth and history. From Hercules' task of destroying Ladon, the Hundred-headed Dragon, to Beowulf, St. George, John Lambton and the Lambton Worm, and even some exotic foreign legends such as that of the Native American hero Manabozho and the Fiery Serpents, Dragonslayers tells of sixteen mythological heroes, some of widespread fame, others (such as the Russian dragonslayer Dobrynya Nikitich) celebrated by their native cultures yet little-known worldwide. Entertaining and a joy to page through, Dragonslayers is a choice pick for personal browsing or public library mythology shelves. Also highly recommended are other books in Osprey's "Myths and Legends" series, including Neil Smith's "Jason and the Argonauts" (9781780967226, $17.95 print / $9.39 Kindle), a faithful examination of the legendary quest for the Golden Fleece in the context of history and (sometimes discongruous) classical sources, and David McIntee's "The War of Horus and Set" (9781780969022, $17.95 print / $9.99 Kindle), an amazing exploration into the classic clash of opposing gods in Egyptian mythology.


The Reference Shelf

America's Ranking Among Nations
Michael D. Dulberger
Bernan Press
4611-F Assembly Drive
Lanham, MD 20706-4391
9781598886030 $65.00 www.bernanpress.com

America's Ranking Among Nations: A Global Perspective of the United States in Graphic Detail lives up to its title with full-color, easy-to-read charts and graphs on almost every page, accompanied by text spelling out the finer details. All the information is collected from the public databases of U.S. federal agencies or vetted international sources. The reference material has been gathered expressly to reveal America's standing among the nations of the world in a diversity of areas, from education to infant mortality, currency exchange rates, recoverable natural resources and much more. Highly recommended, especially for public and college library reference shelves.


The Wisconsin Shelf

Travel Wild Wisconsin
Candice Gaukel Andrews
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, 3rd Floor, Madison, WI 53711
9780299291648 $24.95 www.uwpress.wisc.edu

"Travel Wild Wisconsin: A Seasonal Guide to Wildlife Encounters in Natural Places" has been aptly described as "a year-long scavenger hunt through the seasons in search of Wisconsin's most interesting creatures!" Beginning with a wildlife treasure map of Wisconsin showing where to seek and sight loons, sandhill cranes, gray wolves, monarch butterflies, tundra swans, sturgeon, greater prairie chickens, saw-whet owls, whooping cranes, American bison, Canada geese, and bald eagles, "Travel Wild Wisconsin" offers multiple desirable observation destinations organized by season and by months of the year into fifteen chapters. Black and white photo illustrations and maps and diagrams add to the guidebook narrative. This creative travel nature guide could be subtitled "Where the Wild Things Are (in Wisconsin)," or maybe "True Life Encounters," hearkening back to the 50's Disney true lie adventures. Here are some great nature sightings and observation projects and proposals for interested Wisconsin wildlife explorers and nature lovers. An added feature is the Appendix: How to Help Wildlife in Wisconsin. This very important, respectful treatise on linking with our natural habitat and fellow creatures is sure to appeal to green Wisconsin lovers everywhere.

Ox Herding in Wisconsin
Richard Quinney
Borderland Books
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
9780983517429, $20.00, www.uwpress.wisc.edu

Who knew you could learn so much by moving cattle? "Ox Herding in Wisconsin" is a blend of daybook, parable, and memoir from Richard Quinney who touches on the Buddhist nature of his life and finding his way to a more spiritual divination of life through the act. Connecting the seemingly unrelated ideas with a good deal of humor about life and living, "Ox Herding in Wisconsin" is a choice read of wit and wisdom, highly recommended.

The Best Specimen of a Tyrant
Thomas Doherty
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House
119 West Park Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609381462, $20.00, www.uiowapress.org

Mental health has come so far in the past hundred years. "The Best Specimen of a Tyrant: The Ambitious Dr. Abraham Van Norstrand and the Wisconsin Insane Hospital" discusses the foundation of Wisconsin's first mental hospital, headed by Norstrand after he returned home to the state after earning a sour reputation during the Civil War. Telling the story of the man as well as the first few mental hospitals, "The Best Specimen of a Tyrant" is a strong addition to general and mental health history collections, highly recommended.


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


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