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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 12, Number 11 November 2002 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Women's Studies Shelf American History Shelf
Metaphysical Shelf Musicbook Shelf Gardening Shelf
Artbook Shelf Philosophy Shelf Psychology Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Computer Shelf Travel Shelf
Military Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Business Shelf Railroading Shelf Fiction Shelf
Library Video Shelf Cookbook Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Library CD Shelf Photography Shelf
Poetry Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Literary Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Genealogy Shelf Humor Shelf
Parenting Shelf Education Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Gaming Shelf Interior Design Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Architecture Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf Criminology Shelf
Environmental Shelf Woodworking Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Biography Shelf Martial Arts Shelf
Library Science Shelf Native American Shelf Civil War Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design
Alisa de Jong-Stout & Hannah Sigur
Timber Press
133 S.W. 2nd Avenue, #450, Portland, OR 97204-9743
088192539X $39.95 1-800-327-5680

Master Guide to the Art of Floral Design presents a fine survey culminating over thirty years' experience in consulting, teaching, and creating custom floral designs, and provides a bright now set of insights and tips on creating floral arrangements which can be used for everything from competitions to weddings. Color and black and white photos blend with plenty of techniques and insights.

Smokin' Rockets
Patrick Luccanio & Gary Coville
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
078641233X $35.00 1-800-253-2187

How have science and technology been celebrated in American film, radio and TV from 1945-1962? Smokin' Rockets examines science and science fiction worlds in American culture from a scholarly standpoint; up to the Cuban missile crisis. Shifts in themes and presentation are studied in chapters that link social and political changes to trends in science fiction.

MFA Publications
465 Huntington Ave., Boston, MA 02115
1-800-338-2665 www.amazon.com

There have been other biographies of DuChamp on the market: Alice Goldfarb Marquis's Marcel Duchamp: Bachelor Stripped Bare (087846644-4 $37.50) differs from competitors in presenting a more balanced portrait and represents over twenty years of research on the author's part. It's the first to present a psychological portrait of the man's nuances, blending personal relationships with insights into his major achievements. First-hand interviews and research into unpublished sources lends an exceptional tone and presentation. George Shackelford and Fronia Wissman's Impressions Of Light (0878466479, $35.00) provides a lavish overview of masterworks with a special focus on French landscape artists. The oversized presentation and full-color reproductions accent coverages of both artists and major works, with an eye to revealing nuances in Impressionist uses of light. A major achivement.

Guide To Identity Theft Prevention
Johnny May, CPP
1st Books Library
2595 West Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404-2782
0759647631 $17.95 www.1stbooks.com

How does identity theft happen, and how can it be prevented? Guide To Identity Theft Prevention covers both personal and business protection and outlines what to do if you're a victim of this rapidly-growing crime. From victim survey data to template letters of dispute, this provides an important guide for any consumer.

Stress-Related Disorders Sourcebook
Joyce Brennfleck Shannon
Omnigraphics
PO Box 625, Holmes, PA 19043
0780805607 $78.00 1-800-234-1340

Stress-Related Disorders Sourcebook is a compendium of basic consumer information about stress-related disorders. Ranging from early warning signs of stress based physical and emotional disorders, to stress caused at home and at work and its effects on the body are all revealed in this informative guide. Chapters survey everything from health risks to management techniques and come packed with resources for further reference and study.

Cybertypes
Lisa Nakamura
Routledge
29 West 35th Street, NY, NY 10001-2299
0415938376 $18.95 1-800-634-7064

Cyberspace makes fluid the identification process and can allow for anonymity and even a kind of liberation from race, age, and gender restrictions. Author Lisa Nakamura argues that racial stereotypes are hardwired even in online interactions, with web directories narrowing racial categories and anonymity associated with white. Cybertypes is a simply fascinating examination of how racial ideas changed in the online environment.

Poets On The Peaks
John Suiter
Counterpoint Publishers
Box 65793, Washington, DC 20035-5693
1582431485 $40.00 1-800-242-7737

Writer-photographer Suiter provides a literary portrait of Beat era poets Gary Snyder, Philip Whalen, and Jack Kerouac in Poets On The Peaks, which centers around their early experiences as fire lookouts in the 1950s. As such, Poets On The Peaks provides a hard book to easily categorize: it covers beautiful Cascade Mountain scenes and peaks, fire lookouts, and literature and biography alike. The writings of these three juxtapose nicely with the photos and images, making this a recommended gift choice for the holiday season.

Toward A Meaningful Life
Simon Jacobson
William Morrow & Company
10 E. 53rd St., New York NY 10022
0060511907 $22.95 1-800-242-7737

Simon Jacobson's Toward A Meaningful Life is a true classic which pairs spiritual and intellectual concepts with advice and perceptions of everyday life: while its roots are in Judaism, its advice and insights will appeal to a wide audience and may be used as a self-help approach to finding wisdom in a chaotic modern life.

History Of Massage
Robert Noah Calvert
Healing Arts/Inner Traditions
PO Box 388, Rochester, VT 05767
089218816 $24.95 1-800-246-8648

Robert Noah Calvert's History Of Massage is an informative and illustrated history covers massage techniques and rituals from around the world through the ages, from its ongoing medical use as a therapy and curative to the varying techniques for addressing different illnesses and needs. A fascinating coverage of the evolution of massage techniques.

Walker & Company
435 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
1-800-289-2553

Three new titles provide very different, intriguing histories. John Steele Gordon's Thread Across The Ocean (0802713645, $26.00) covers the transatlantic cable and its revolutionary communication and engineering challenges. The quest to lay the cable took twelve years, millions of dollars, and overwhelming technical problems: this provides a lively history of the struggle. Tom Standage's The Turk (0802713912, $24.00) provides a lively coverage of the famous 18th-century chess-playing machine devised on a dare. The Turk enjoyed an 80-year career across Europe and America and baffled spectators who were challenged to consider if a machine could indeed think. A fun, revealing account of a little-known story. Marq de Villiers and Sheila Hirtle's Sahara (0802713726, $27.00) provides an unusual natural history of a region common viewed as empty except for desert. From the birth of the greatest desert in the world to its natural history and wildlife, this is a startling, revealing account of a desert's life. All are appealing reads, both for study and for leisure.

Bathtub Yoga Relaxation Book
Marjorie Jaffe & Barbara Isenberg
Healthy Living Publications.
c/o Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
1570671281 $19.95 1-888-260-8458

Collaboratively written by health and fitness experts Marjorie Jaffe and Barbara Isenberg, The Bathtub Yoga Relaxation Book: Yoga In The Bath For Energy, Vitality & Pleasure is a useful and "user friendly" guide for the non-specialist general reader to enjoying yoga in the bath for increased flexibility, vitality, meditation, relaxation, and fun. Simple stretches and poses, as well as basic breathing exercises, are fully discussed and illustrated with full-color photographs in this straightforward and very clear introductory guide to the joy of yoga relaxation and invigoration.

Marlowe & Company
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
161 William St., 16th Fl., NY NY 10038
1-800-788-3123 www.amazon.com

Two new Inside' books explore the peoples and major issues of very different Middle Eastern nations. Inside Islam (1569245681, $15.95) is edited by John Miller and Aaron Kenedi and provides fourteen accessible, insightful essays by many of the world's prominent writers and historians, each of whom address the subject of Islam and its beliefs. The authors also edit Inside Israel (1569245568, $15.95): finished books were not seen but the same general gist is followed. Both are essential to an understanding of the region's sentiments and conflicts and are especially recommended for young adult readers.

Hot Biscuits
Max Evans & Candy Moulton, Eds.
University of New Mexico Press
1720 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131-1591
082632889X $24.95 1-800-249-7737

Hot Biscuits is a very highly entertaining and recommended anthology of 18 original stories about the ranching West by both men and women provide a fine Western flavor and diversity, from a story of cowpokes who wrangle bargain horses to Dick Hyson's story of cowboys, truth, and a good yarn. Chatty, revealing, and filled with twists and turns are these old-fashioned Westerns.

Milwaukee
Todd Dacquisto
Prairie Oak Press/Trails Media Group
PO Box 317, Black Earth, WI 53515
1931599149 $21.95 1-800-236-8088

Milwaukee by Wisconsin photographer Todd Dacquisto is a gorgeous, full-color montage visual celebration of urban life and joy in Wisconsin's largest metropolis. Very few captions and almost no text interrupt these pristine, clear, and memorably beautiful images. Milwaukee is a highly recommended as a souvenir book for anyone looking to celebrate their fond memories of this great Wisconsin city.

Helping Your Aging Parent
William J. Grote
Boomer Books
PO Box 2899, Vista, CA 92083
0971737304 $19.95 1-760-295-4498

Helping Your Aging Parent: A Step-By-Step Guide by William J. Grote is a superbly organized and highly accessible instructional reference and guide to determining when an aging parent needs help, to what extent one should step in and take charge, and presents easy-to-follow instructions and recommendations for the non-specialist general reader needing to navigating the legal and emotional maze of setting up trusts, power of attorney, finding the best and most affordable housing, surviving hospitalization, coping with mental disorders, nursing homes, and much more. An included CD-ROM contains 27 forms and checklists to help one sort through the book's information and put its advice to practical use. Helping Your Aging Parent is very highly recommended for anyone faced with the necessity of assisting their aged mother or father cope with the medical, emotional, financial, legal, and physical problems of old age.

The People Came First
Jerry Apps
Epsilon Sigma Phi Foundation
601 Extension Building, 432 N. Lake St., Madison, WI 53706-1498
http://www1.uwex.edu/ces/pubs/order.cfm
1930596154 $18.95 1-608-263-1096

The People Came First: A History Of Wisconsin Cooperative Extension by Wisconsin author and historian Jerry Apps tells the impressive story of the Cooperative Extension Society, an organization committed to making Wisconsin a better state in which to live. Individual chapters historically survey agricultural education in Wisconsin over the past 150 years, and the Cooperative Extension's role in using science, market forces, positive examples, and especially education, to help the next generation of big and small farmers get started. The People Came First is an essential, core addition for all of Wisconsin's academic and community library Wisconsin History collections.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Power Games
Kay Douglas & Kim McFregor
Women's Press/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
0704344742 $16.95 1-800-423-4525

Power Games comprises a colection of interviews with more than fifty women contributing informative descriptions of common gender relevant power struggles and how to express one's personal power appropriately. Chapters examine the roots of hurtful behavior patterns and show how to transform both children and adult patterns.

Inside Iran: Women's Lives
Jane Howard
Mage Publishers
1032 29th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
0934211728 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Foreign correspondent Jane Howard made her home in Iran for five years and raised her two children there: these experiences brought a more personal set of insights into the lives of everyday Iranian women, explored here. From tea in a nomad's tent to presidential places, Inside Iran: Women's Lives provides a different image of Iranian women than most books would offer, going beyond the veil to explore how they work outside the home, drive, and even become politicians. A fascinating report.

Expat
Christina Henry de Tessan, editor
Seal Press
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
161 William St., 16th Fl., NY, NY 10038
1580050700 $16.95 1-800-788-3123

Compiled and edited by Christian Henry de Tessan, Expat: Women's True Tales Of Life Abroad is an engaging and impressive collection of true stories about women who have lived in diverse nations around the world, and learned firsthand the delicate balance between keeping true to oneself while accommodating the ways of a different culture. Life in Mexico, Borneo, Japan, Egypt, England, Croatian, the Mediterranean, and more is brought to life from unforgettable perspectives in this original, fascinating, very highly recommended anthology.

Pregnant Woman's Companion
Christine D'Amico, MA
Attitude Press
Box 16095, Minneapolis, MN 55416
0971663106 $14.95 www.amazon.com

Christine D'Amcio's Pregnant Woman's Companion isn't just another overview of pregnancy's monthly transition points: it is written by a personal coach and midwife and offers nine strategies to help mothers through pregnancy into parenthood. From reducing worries about a changing body and changing relationships with family to understanding a new set of priorities, Pregnant Woman's Companion packs in details.

100 More Things
You Don't Need A Man For!
Alison Jenkins
Laurel Glen Publishers
5880 Oberlin Dr, San Diego, CA 92121
1571458255 $21.95 1-800-788-3123

100 More Things You Don't Need A Man For! by home improvement expert Alison Jenkins is a highly practical, "user friendly", exterior home and yard maintenance guide written especially for women, and useful for anyone who is unfamiliar with the basics of handling power tools, patching exterior walls, weatherproofing wooden garden furniture, and so much more. Practical instructions, full-color illustrations and diagrams, easy-to-understand terminology, and a touch of humor make 100 More Things You Don't Need A Man For! a superbly presented and highly recommended guide for any do-it-yourself homeowner -- regardless of gender!


The American History Shelf

Immortal Summer
Mary J. Straw Cook, editor
Museum of New Mexico Press
PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504
0890134030 $24.95 1-800-249-7737

Compiled, edited and Annotated by Mary J. Straw Cook, Immortal Summer: A Victorian Woman's Travels In The Southwest is a collection of letters and black-and-white photographs by Amelia Hollenback, a Victorian woman who had the opportunity to see 1897 America with her own eyes. With extensive contextual annotation, Immortal Summer is a vivid, superbly organized and presented primary source which takes in what American life, land and people were really like more than a century ago. One curious note: Author and historian Mary Cook lives in Santa Fe in the very house that Amelia Hollenback commissioned John Gaw Meem to build in 1932!

Una Storia Segreta
Lawrence DiStasi, editor
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
1890771406 $21.95 heydaybooks.com

Una Storia Segreta: The Secret History Of Italian American Evacuation And Internment During World War II by researcher and historian Lawrence DiStasi is a shocking and revealing look into a little-known incident of 20th Century American history: Italian-American internments during World War II. Wartime law restricted the freedoms and demanded identity cards of 600,000 Italian "resident aliens"; some 10,000 of these along the West Coast were forcibly relocated; and 250 were imprisoned in military camps for up to two years. Even some naturalized Italian-American citizens were required to abandon their homes and businesses because the military deemed them too dangerous to reside in "strategic areas." Worst of all, these offenses were entirely ignored after the war's end, completely eclipsed by the similarly reprehensible internment that the government forced upon a much greater number of Japanese-Americans. Una Storia Segreta is an important and long overdue contribution to American World War II history shelves, for it sheds light on a topic chronically overlooked in traditional American history education and reading lists.

General History Of Oregon
Charles H. Carey
Binford & Mort, Publishers
2505 S.E. 11th Ave., Portland, OR 97242
083230221X $35.00 1-503-884-4960

Now in its third edition, General History of Oregon by Charles H. Carey is an exhaustive, complete-in-one-volume, 916 page history of the Oregon Territory. An impressive, definitive, meticulously researched history ranging from the days of Spanish explorers in the New World to the opening years of Oregon's statehood, General History Of Oregon is a classic repository of knowledge, informed and informative reading, and highly recommended for academic American History reference shelves and supplemental reading lists.

The Shirley Letters
Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe
Marlene Smith-Baranzini, editor
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
1890771007 $13.95 heydaybooks.com

Edited with an Introduction by Marlene Smith-Baranzini, The Shirley Letters: From The California Mines 1851-1852 by Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe presents the contemporary reader with vivid first-person accounts of what it was like to live in the midst of the great California gold rush. Written in the form of letters by a doctor's wife who lived through the thick and thin of boisterous events, The Shirley Letters encompass mob violence, summary justice, a duel to the death, a rowdy July 4th celebration, and much, much more. A first-rate primary source, The Shirley Letters offers especial insight to American history and is highly recommended for both personal reading lists and academic reference collections.

Massacres Of The Mountains
J. P. Dunn, Jr.
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Rd, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055
0811728137 $21.95 stackpolebooks.com

Launching what promises to be a memorably impressive series titled "Frontier Classics" from Stackpole Books, Massacres Of The Mountains: A History Of The Indian Wars Of The Far West 1815-1875 by J.P. Dunn, Jr. is an acclaimed and scholarly military study which was originally published in 1886. This new, affordable, 816 page, paperback edition features an new introduction by Western Historian David Dary and presents a meticulous and extensive accounting of Indian-white conflict in western America. As informative today as it was a hundred years ago, and enhanced with 160 b/w illustrations, Massacres Of The Mountains is a strongly recommended acquisition for personal and academic American History and Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Bad & The Beautiful
Sam Kashner & Jennifer MacNair
W. W. Norton & Company
500 5th Ave., New York NY 10110
0393043215 $26.95 1-800-233-4830

Bad & The Beautiful is a fascinating and informative history of Hollywood in the 1950s which offers a vivid inside portrait of sex and power games, from the rise of tabloid journalism to the rise of legendary film icons. The authors focus as much on cultural trends and perceptions of stars and Hollywood as upon the films and creations that kept it in the limelight of American culture and innovation.

Children's Voices From The Trail
Rosemary Gudmundson Palmer
Arthur H. Clark Company
PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214-0707
0870623133 $39.50 1-800-842-9286

Children's Voices From The Trail: Narratives Of The Platte River Road by Rosemary Gudmundson Palmer is an astute collection and interpretation of primary sources, especially letters and journals, of young people who set forth with their parents upon the pioneer trails west and who wrote about their lives. Offering eye-opening insight into what it was really like to grow up in the 1800's frontier, beset by both natural and human enemies, Children's Voices From The Trail is a superb contribution to academic American History Studies reference collections and highly recommended for the non-specialist reader with an interest in the real life conditions of growing up in the American West.

Crisis in the Southwest
Richard Bruce Winders
Scholarly Resources
104 Greenhill Avenue, Wilmington, DE 19805-1897
0842028013 $17.95 scholarly.com

The latest addition to the outstanding Scholarly Resources "The American Crisis Series", historian and civil war expert Richard Bruce Winders' Crisis In The Southwest: The United States, Mexico, And The Struggle Over Texas is a thoroughly "reader friendly" historical study clearly laying out facts, battles, and the profound impact the conflicts had upon history of Mexico, the European powers of the day, and the emergence of the Republic of Texas, eventually culminating in the role Texas was to play in shaping the events that were to ultimately result in the American Civil War. Black-and-white maps and illustrations enhance the carefully researched text, which presents life-and-death struggles in direct and simple language accessible for readers of all backgrounds.

Song Of The City
Nathaniel Popkin
Four Walls Eight Windows
39 West 14th Street, NY, NY 10011
156858203X $24.95 www.4w8w.com

Song Of The City: An Intimate History Of The American Urban Landscape by Philadelphia planner and activist Nathaniel Popkin, is a highly recommended, anecdotal history of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the second half of the twentieth century. Using varied stories drawn from the lives of individual people to accurately reflect and bring to life this urban American community during its years of late 20th Century evolution, Song Of The City embodies the quintessential human experience which, taken as a whole, comprise the "soul" of the city.

After The Smoke Clears
Steve Mellon
University of Pittsburgh Press
300 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15260
0822941902 $29.00 1-800-666-2211

After The Smoke Clears: Struggling To Get By in Rustbelt America by Steve Mellon (a journalist and staff photographer for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette) is an informed and moving chronicle of the rise and fall of the steel and mining industry in America. A tale of the communities surrounding the employment bounty of the steel mills, and the struggle to survive when the closure of this employment bounty left a void in people's ability to support themselves, After The Smoke Clears is a compelling and highly recommended saga of twentieth-century American history enhanced with black-and-white photography.

100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History
Rick Laezman
Bluewood Books/The Siyeh Group, Inc.
PO Box 689, San Mateo, CA 94401
0912517476 $7.95 1-650-548-0754

100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History by Rick Laezman is a remarkable collection of informative biographical capsule portraits introducing one hundred Hispanic men and women whose lives profoundly affected America. From the governor of Spanish Louisiana who secretly aided the Americans during the Revolutionary War, to the entrepreneur who made the Coca-Cola company a sensational success, 100 Hispanic-Americans Who Shaped American History is an amazing and eclectic collection of fascinating figures, each of whom is given a one-page biographical summary enhanced a black-and-white photograph or artistic portrait.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Adventures Among Spiritual Intelligences
Timothy Wyllie
Wisdom Editions
1122 Grant Ave., #C, Novato CA 94945
1931254168 $16.95 1-888-267-4446

Adventures Among Spiritual Intelligences: Angles, Aliens, Dolphins & Shamans by Timothy Wyllie is an original collection of amazing metaphysical adventure stories, exploring telepathic experiences with angels, dolphins, and humans around the globe; planetary mysteries; and the essence of extraterrestrial intelligence. Adventures Among Spiritual Intelligences is highly recommended reading for students of metaphysics and spirituality as an eye-opening, mind expanding series of accounts revealing mysteries as yet unplumbed by modern science.


The Musicbook Shelf

Jump And The Net Will Appear
Robin Crow
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1577312309 $20.00 1-800-972-6657

Author Robin Crow worked twenty years to be a musician, achieving many goals through grueling tour schedules and years on the road yet he had little to show from decades of work but unhappiness. In his autobiography, Jump And The Net Will Appear, Crow tells how he turned his life around from that of a struggling musician to a successful recording artist, then an entrepreneur using many of the same tools for success. An inspiring, lively read.

The Timpani
Edmund A. Bowles
Pendragon Press
RR 1, Box 159 Ferry Road, Stuyvesant, NY 12173-9720
0945193858 $96.00 1-518-325-6100

The Timpani: A History In Pictures And Documents by expert musicologist and iconographer Edmund A. Bowles, is a fascinating, comprehensive, and informative compendium enhanced historical documents, more than 400 black-and-white photographs, years of meticulous research, making it an enduring legacy concerning the history of orchestral timpani musical instruments and instrumentation. Some narrative and informational text offers an overview of the history and evolution of the timpani, but The Timpani largely consists of musical scores, artworks, and the text of primary sources presented "as is" for the reader's judgement. A seminal contribution to academic Music History reference collections, The Timpani is strongly recommended as a core reference title.

The Light Crust Doughboys Are On The Air
John Mark Dempsey
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton, TX 76203-1336
1574411519 $29.95 1-800-826-8911

The Light Crust Doughboys Are On The Air: Celebrating Seventy Years Of Texas Music by John Mark Dempsey (a native Texan and Assistant Professor of Broadcast Journalism, University of North Texas) is an enjoyable and informative study of The Light Crust Doughboys band and their Texas music, which was broadcast in the "golden era" of radio. Their long-lived radio show lasted from 1930 to 1952, and their particular brand of gospel music was nominated for the Grammys in 1998, 1999, 2001, and 2002. An enjoyable, fact-filled, enthusiastically recommended blend of biographical background and cogent musical assessment of this evolving group, The Light Crust Doughboys Are On The Air is enhanced with a music CD featuring 30 of the band's most popular and beloved songs.

Cuban Music
Maya Roy
Markus Wiener Publishers
231 Nassau Street, Princeton, NJ 08542
1558762825 $22.95 markuswiener.com

Ably translated into English by Denise Asfar and Gabriel Asfar, Cuban Music: From Son And Rumba To The Buena Vista Social Club And Timaba Cubana by Cuban music expert Maya Roy is an information packed history of Cuba's musical heritage. Individual chapters address ritual music, the rumba, "carnival" celebration music, music since the revolution, and a great deal more in this broad-reaching, nicely organized survey of the unique and lively musical voice of a nation. A superb addition to any personal or academic "World Music History" reference collection or supplemental reading list, Maya Roy's Cuban Music is also available in hardcover (1558762817; $49.95).


The Gardening Shelf

The Intuitive Gardener
Marilyn Raff
Fulcrum Publishing
16100 Table Mountain Parkway, #300, Golden, Colorado 80403
155591442X $24.95 1-800-992-2908

The Intuitive Gardener: Finding Creative Freedom In The Garden by gardening expert Marilyn Raff is an impressively "user friendly" guide to imagining and creating the garden of one's dreams. Raff accessibly teaches the reader how to follow intuition rather than be captive to overused and stale rules. Individual chapters cover creative raising of roses, grasses, plants for shady sites, and a great more. Vibrant color photographs add a visual appeal to the extensive text. The Intuitive Gardener is a welcome and invaluable addition to any personal reading list or professional gardening reference collection.

The Gardens At Filoli
Christopher McMahon, photographer
Timmy Gallagher, author
Pomegranate Artbooks
PO Box 6099, Rohnert Park, CA 94927
1566409934 $24.95 1-800-227-1428

The Gardens At Filoli is a superbly presented, full-color, 128 page photographic survey of the beautiful gardens comprising the 654-acre Filoli estate about thirty miles south of San Francisco, California. The lush and varied greenery, ranging from weeping cherry trees in full bloom to Japanese maples and hydrangeas offering fall color contrast, make The Gardens At Filoli a splendid treat for the eyes of any landscape gardening enthusiast. Timmy Gallagher's text and captions fully showcase Christopher McMahon's breathtakingly beautiful photography in a work that would grace any gardening connoisseur's reference shelf collection.

Southern Appalachian Wildflowers
Barbara Medina & Victor Medina
Falcon Guide/The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
0762711353 $24.95 1-800-962-0973

Collaboratively compiled and written by wildflower experts Barbara Medina and Victor Medina, Southern Appalachian Wildflowers is an exquisitely beautiful and very practical volume illustrated with a color photograph of each spotlighted variety of wildflower. The photographs enhance a straightforward and informative text description with information on blooming seasons, habitat, and useful comments. If you are a wildflower enthusiast planning an excursion through the southern Appalachian countryside, or wanting to select and grow any of these plants in your own garden or horticultural green house, then you will find Barbara and Victor Medina's Southern Appalachian Wildflowers to be an excellent, illustrative, and well organized field guide.


The Artbook Shelf

Stencil Graffiti
Tristan Manco
Thames & Hudson
500 5th Ave., New York NY 10110
0500283427 $19.95 1-800-233-4830

In Stencil Graffiti, Tristan Manco profiles over four hundred of the most creative examples of stencil graffiti, choosing from urban examples around the world. From a legendary Parisian stenciler to works of art created on walls, Stencil Graffiti is packed with colorful examples and biographies.

The History Of Art In Pictures
Gilles Plazy
MetroBooks
c/o Friedman/Fairfax Publishers
230 Fifth Ave., Suite 700, NY, NY 10001
1586633317 $9.98 1-800-367-9692

The History Of Art In Pictures by art critic Gilles Plazy is a gorgeous, full-color presentation offering an informative overview of the history of Western art focusing on an astounding visual gallery of classic works and artifacts. Brief captions supplement the lavish illustrations in this straightforward yet aesthetically enchanting tour. The History Of Art In Pictures is very highly recommended as an inexpensive but invaluable addition to any personal, school, and community library art history collection.

Peter Gourfain
Russell Panczenko
The University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe St., 3rd Floor, Madison, WI 53711
0932900798 $24.95 1-800-621-2736

Enhanced with an informative essay by Lucy R. Lippard, Peter Gourfain: Clay, Wood, Bronze, And Works On Paper by features Russell Panczenko's interview with Peter Gourfain and is a remarkable photographic showcase of the unique and extrinsic drawings and sculptures of that minimalist expert. Some of the images are in color, but most photographs are black-and-white in this extensive and recommended collection in celebration of Peter Gourfain's artistic achievements and contributions as exhibited at the Elvehjem Museum of Madison, Wisconsin.

Frank Paul Sauerwein
Michael R. Grauer, et al.
Rio Grande Press
Glorieta, New Mexico 87535
0971867607 $149.95 www.amazon.com

In a stunning edition limited to only 500 copies, Frank Paul Sauerwein is the result of a collaborative effort by Michael R. Grauer (Rio Grande Trust), Elaine Maher Harrison (Rio Grande Press), and Steve Holmes (Burro Alley) and provides the reader with a vividly enhanced biography and analysis of Frank Paul Sauerwein, a master painter of the American Southwest who lived from 1871-1910. Sauerwein's brief life, brilliant career, and untimely death are explored in this extensive study of his work, which also showcases his memorable artworks in full color. The powerful, earthen tones and Sauerwein's human and realistic portrayal of Native American subjects in his art mark this limited edition volume as an unforgettable biography and a strongly recommended addition to American Art History reference collections.

The Poetry Of Everyday Life
Ronni Baer
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
0878466452 $24.95 www.mfa.org

The Poetry Of Everyday Life: Dutch Painting In Boston By 17th Century Dutch And Felmish by art specialist Ronni Baer (Mrs. Russell W. Baker Senior Curator of Painting in the Art of Europe at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston) was produced to accompany the exhibition currently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts showcasing and celebrating the longstanding relationship between the Boston gentry and the 17th Century Dutch masters. The Dutch painting style of the times was visually both physical and moral -- traits that had a strong appeal for the early Bostonian upper classes and reflects a surprising collection of works that have rarely, if ever, been seen by the general public. Collectors have lent their prized paintings to the exhibition and made them available for reproduction and expert commentary in The Poetry Of Everyday Life. Here are masterworks by Rembrandt, van der Heyden, van Ruisdael, and many others making The Poetry Of Everyday Life an invaluable addition to any personal Art History collection. Highly recommended for school and community libraries, The Poetry Of Everyday Life is also available in a hardcover edition (0878466312, $40.00).

Drama In The Desert
Holly Kreuter, et. al.
Raised Barn Press
722 Page St. #2, San Francisco, CA 94117
0972178902 $45.00 desertdrama.com

Based on the images of Holly Kreuter, Drama In The Desert: The Sights And Sounds Of Burning Man is a book and DVD set collecting full-color visuals and personal memories drawn from the harsh desert of Black Rock City, Nevada. Capturing the sometimes quizzical, sometimes cruel, sometimes dramatic art and documentary efforts of seventy contributors, Drama In The Desert is strongly recommended as an eclectic, unique, and vibrant experience impressing its fiery artistic message upon the reader's spirit.


The Philosophy Shelf

Ghost In The Universe
Taner Edis
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst, NY 14228
1573929778 $29.00 1-800-421-0351

Is there a God which exists beyond the boundaries of nature? In Ghost In The Universe, physicist Taner Edis informatively examines what we're learned about our world, which would seem to support or refute ideas of metaphysical explanation. He postulates that complexity, intelligence, and even religious experience ultimately emerge from the material world, arguing that nautralism lends a better explanation of the workings of the world. An intriguing discussion.

Did Somebody Say Totalitarianism?
Slavoj Zizek
Verso
180 Varick Street, NY, NY 10014-4606
1859844251 $18.00 versobooks.com

Did Somebody Say Totalitarianism?: Five Interventions in the (Mis)use of a Notion is an intensely searching evaluation and analysis of precisely what totalitarianism is, and how the term has been misused -- particularly in twentieth century political science and philosophical discussions. Individual chapter sections address diverse, unusual, and controversial topics such as "The radical ambiguity of Stalinism"; "A plea for material creationism"; and "The Pope versus the Dalai Lama". Deviously written by Slavoj Zizek (Senior Researcher, Institute for Social Studies, Ljublijana) to unweave conundrums about the cross-purpose classification of totalitarian power and governance, Did Somebody Say Totalitarianism? is a complex, thought-provoking philosophical accounting and a highly recommended addition to academic Political Science and Philosophy Studies departmental reference collections and reading lists.

Western Historical Thinking
Jorn Rusen, editor
Berghahn Books
604 West 115th Street, NY, NY 10025
157181454X $22.50 1-800-540-8663

Western Historical Thinking: An Intercultural Debate, compiled and edited by European historian and academician Jorn Rusen presents a scholarly examination of the philosophical question: "What is history?" Theses of Western historical thinking, conflicting perspectives, and a search for common ground amidst worldwide events, permeate this engaging, sophisticated and scrupulous study, which includes contributions about historical thinking from Chinese, African, and East Indian points of view as compared and contrasted with those of the West. Western Historical Thinking is a strongly recommended, introspective and thoughtful compilation which would enhanced any personal or academic Philosophy or History collection.


The Psychology Shelf

Learning From Our Mistakes
Patrick Casement
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
1572308176 $25.00 1-800-365-7006

Learning From Our Mistakes: Beyond Dogma In Psychoanalysis And Psychotherapy by practicing psychoanalyst and therapist Patrick Casement is a practical-minded look at mistakes commonly encountered in a mental healing profession, as well as what can be done to avoid them, and how to minimize or mitigate their damage. Anecdotes, issues of technique, and practical-minded reflections round out this informed and informative treatise which is especially recommended for those members of the psychotherapist community who have the needs of their patients foremost in mind.

Mind, Stress, & Emotions
Gene Wallenstein, Ph.D.
Commonwealth Press
Box 151701, San Diego, CA 92175-1701
0972060731 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Mind, Stress & Emotions: The New Science Of Mood by Gene Wallenstein (Neuroscience expert and Adjunct Professor, University of California - San Diego) provides the reader with an informative survey of all of the recent discoveries in brain science, immunology, and stress research, as well as new treatment strategies for mood and anxiety disorders. A well-rounded and thought-provoking examination of the science of human moods, written with technical descriptions yet phrased to accommodate and teach a non-specialist general reader about the workings of the brain, Mind, Stress & Emotions is strongly recommended for Psychology Studies reading lists and academic reference collections as an unusually informative, educational, and accessible survey.

Animus And Anima In Fairy Tales
Marie-Louise von Franz, author
Daryl Sharp, editor
Inner City Books
Box 1271, Station Q, Toronto, ON M4T 2P4, Canada
189457401X $16.00 1-416-927-0355

Written by Marie-Louise von Franz (a colleague of Jung who worked closely with him for nearly thirty years), and capably edited by Daryl Sharp for contemporary readers, Animus And Anima In Fairy Tales is a classic Jungian analysis of the contrasexual complexes (animus and anima) as found in fairy tales, and what these say about the human mindset and human behavior. A profound, philosophical, college-level dissection of deep-seated motivational concepts in a powerful form of literature, Animus And Anima In Fairy Tales is a welcome and recommended addition to Jungian Psychology Studies reading list or reference collection.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Antique Biedermeier Furniture
Rudolf Pressler, et al.
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
0764316486 $39.95 schifferbooks.com

Collaboratively compiled, organized, and written by antique furniture experts Rudolf Pressler, Stefan Dobner, and Wolfgang Eller, Antique Biedermeier Furniture is extensively showcases a wide and impressive variety of decorative and functional antique Biedermeier furnishings, illustrated with black-and-white photographs, and complemented with a price guide for antique dealers and collectors. A brief section of color photographs adds a vibrant touch to an informed and informative introduction offering background history on these remarkable pieces, as well as advice on their proper care and maintenance. The principle text offers illustrative photos of individual furnishings accompanied by a one-paragraph description. Antique Biedermeier Furniture is a simply superb and "user friendly" reference for dedicated collectors.

Tiffany Desk Treasures
George A. Kemeny & Donald Miller
Hudson Hills Press
1133 Broadway, Suite 1301, New York, NY 10010-8001
1555952178 $50.00 1-212-929-9051

Collaboratively compiled and written by Tiffany experts and appraisers George A. Kemeny and Donald Miller, Tiffany Desk Treasures: A Collector's Guide is an informed and informative history of the wealthy American artist Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) and his especially crafted desk sets, as produced by Tiffany Studios and Tiffany Furnaces between the late 1890s and 1933. Full-color photographs showcase memorable works of art, while the "reader friendly" text accessibly describes the pieces' histories and subtle nuances of their creations. A superbly organized and presented history for Tiffany antique collectors (it also includes a Catalogue Raisonne of Tiffany Studies and Tiffany Furnaces Desk Accessories), as well as a gorgeous book for connoisseurs of fine art to simply page through, Tiffany Desk Treasures is far more inexpensive than (and the next best thing to) owning a personal Tiffany collection.

Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
1-800-626-5420 www.amazon.com

This publisher's many solid reference guides continues to amaze, producing updated editions and color-packed books which aid in both pricing and identification. The fifth edition of Patrick and Joyce Olds' Barbie Doll Years (1-57432-271-0, $19.95) is updated for collectors who need the latest prices: values of dolls and accessories lie at the heart of a book that lists dolls alphabetically along with outfits, collections and accessories. Felicia Browell's Breyer Animal Collector's Guide (296-6, $19.95) appears in its third edition to update prices and information on this collectible set of toys. Carol Stover's Small Dolls Of The 40s & 50s (275-3, $29.95) excels in its guide to small dolls ranging from baby dolls and toddlers to look-alikes and British dolls. Included here are histories of makers, dolls, and the evolution of small doll sets. Florence's Big Book Of Salt & Pepper Shakers (257-5, $24.95) holds color photos of appliance sets, animals, crystal and glass virtually every type of shaker one could imagine. Vintage Quilts by Bobbie Aug, et.al. (285-0, $24.95) covers not only identification and values, but collecting, dating and preserving vintage quilts. Gene Florence continues with his glassware expertise in Elegant Glassware Of The Depression Era (298-2, $24.95), appearing in its 10th edition to update prices and details on Cambridge, Fostoria, and other glass company productions. For an all-in-one pricing reference, try the 21st edition of Schoreder's Antiques Price Guide (1-57432-310-5, $14.95): what it lacks in color pictures is more than made up for in a format cramming in values for over 50,000 antiques and collectibles.

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

David Harper edits 2003 North American Coins And Prices (0873494776, $17.95), which appears in its updated 12th edition to provide the latest values for both US and Mexican coins. Use the coin-sized black and white, clear photos to aid in identification purposes, then enjoy the latest pricing available to help organize, categorize and value a collection. Roy Ritchie and Ron Stewart's Standard Knife Collector's Guide (087349280X, $14.95) also appears in its updated fourth edition, including clear black and white photos and drawings of knives, discussions of their makers and history, and the latest value guide. Both are essential for libraries keeping up on the ever-changing collector's market.


The Computer Shelf

The XSL Companion
Neil Bradley
Addison-Wesley
75 Arlington St., #300, Boston, MA 02116
0201770830 $39.99 www.awl.com

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, The XSL Companion by ISL expert Neil Bradley covers all the features of the new XSLT language standard, which has been established as an addendum to the XML language expressly for transformation needs. Sections cover transformations using XSLT, XPath expressions, formatting with XSL, and a host of useful references. Written especially for the experienced XSL programmer looking to catch up with the latest evolution of this versatile and useful language, The XSL Companion offers step-by-step instructions, sample code, numerous examples and more to help the reader quickly and easily integrate new concepts into a fluid and dynamic program creation medium. Also highly recommended for personal and professional computer reference collections are Neil Bradley's The Concise SGML Companion (0201419998; $34.99) and The XML Companion: 3rd Edition (0201770598; $44.99).

Andrew Glassner's Other Notebook
Andrew Glassner
A K Peters, Ltd.
63 South Avenue, Natick, MA 01760
1568811713 $45.00 www.akpeters.com

Andrew Glassner's Other Notebook: Further Recreations in Computer Graphics by computer graphics researcher and expert Andrew Glassner is an inspiring, thought-provoking, full-color, visual, mathematical, and tutorial tour of some of the artistic achievements that modern computers are capable of. Individual chapters address programming functions and commands to craft remarkable images of soap bubbles, Celtic knotwork, recreate special lighting and camera techniques, transform sounds into shapes, and much more. Andrew Glassner's Other Notebook is a very highly recommended supplementary resource for budding computer artists, hobbyists, students, and professional designers seeking to create unique and memorable computer graphics.

Learning Visual Basic.NET Through Applications
Clayton E. Crooks II
Charles River Media, Inc.
20 Downer Avenue, Suite 3, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043
1584502428 $49.95 charlesriver.com

Learning Visual Basic.NET Through Applicationsby Clayton E. Crooks II (a partner in Advanced Information Systems, a consulting company specializing in custom hardware and software solutions) is a straightforward companion reference and instructive guide to learning how to program in Visual Basic.NET while developing applications such as MP3 players, encryption programs, DirectX 8.1, word processors and much more. Easy-to-follow chapters cover an introduction to the VB.NET language, math and random functions, strings, error handling, and progress to more complex topics like Windows form applications drawing with VB.NET, and Microsoft Agent. Screenshots, sample code, and step-by-step instructions make Learning Visual Basic.NET Through Applications a superb supplement to any course in VB.NET, or even an excellent self-taught course. An accompanying CD-ROM offers numerous tools, figures, and source code for every project in the book - almost everything except for VB.NET itself is on it. Learning Visual Basic.NET Through Applications is very highly recommended to anyone needing to quickly and efficiently learn or deepen their understanding and utilization of VB.NET.

Special Edition Using Adobe Photoshop 7
Peter Bauer & Jeff Foster
Que Publishing
c/o Pearson Technology Group
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290-1097
0789727609 $49.99 www.mcp.com

Adobe Photoshop is simply the best image-editing software currently available and is the choice of preference for millions of graphic artists worldwide. Its breadth of features and raw power to manipulate any type of image has made it the recognized standard. New graphic artists need to learn Photoshop, while established professionals need to keep their skill sets current with every new revision. Collaboratively written by Adopbe Photoshop experts Peter Bauer and Jeff Foster, Special Edition Using Adobe Photoshop 7 includes all the new features of Photoshop 7 including: Macintosh OS X compliances (native mode and carbonized); an integrated image management system; an improved painting engine for both PC and Mac versions; a more advanced web workflow capability; and added editing features. User Level: Intermediate-to-Advanced, 1008 pages.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill
2600 Tenth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
1-800-722-4726

Three new and outstanding Osborne titles are invaluable additions to personal and professional computer instructional reference collections. Readers can develop powerful XML-based wireless applications using Mikael Hillborg's Wireless XML Developer's Guide (0072195363; 544 pages; $49.99) as their professional resource. Packed with ready-to-use code that can be customized and plugged into mobile applications, this advanced developer's guide is a must-have for building robust wireless Internet applications. Jeffry Houser's ColdFusion 5: A Beginner's Guide (0072191090; 550 pages; $29.99) is an this easy-to-follow guide to ColdFusion. The reader will learn how to successfully and effectively navigate in this rapid development environment. From design, to dynamic content creation, to deployment, all aspects of ColdFusion 5 are fully and cogently covered. ASP.NET: The Complete Reference (0072195134; 1,008 pages; $49.99) by Robert Standefer III provides a comprehensive wealth of information on all seven built-in .NET Framework namespaces--plus plenty of other useful information for developers, including relevant topics like security, Web services, database development, application deployment, and more.

The Flash Animator
Sandro Corsaro
New Riders
201 W 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290
0735712824 $49.99 www.newriders.com

The Flash Animator by Sandro Corsaro teaches traditional animation techniques to create broadcast-quality Flash animations and illustrates point-by-point how to use traditional animation concepts in Flash. The accompanying CD included with the highly recommended instructional and reference book contains all of the example files used in the text, plus a collection of exclusive SWF files. The range of topics covered varies from simple ball bounces to complex character design, sound, and optimization issues. Unlike a traditional animation book, The Flash Animator illustrates both the concept of the animation and explains point-by-point its optimal use in Flash.

HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide
Chuck Musciano & Bill Kennedy
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
059600382X $39.95 1-800-998-9938

Now in a completely updated and significantly expanded fifth edition, HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide by webmasters Chuck Musciano and Bill Kennedy is a straightforward, user-friendly reference to designing practical, eye-catching web pages for either business or personal websites. HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide is enhanced with screenshots, sample code, easy-to-understand instructions and more, tutoring the reader in HTML basics ranging from lists and images, to cascading style sheets, forms, frames, and executable content. HTML & XHTML: The Definitive Guide truly lives up to its title as being a solid introduction to the basics, and very highly recommended for beginning HTML and XHTML users.

Murach's CICS Desk Reference
Raul Menendez and Doug Lowe
Mike Murach & Associates, Inc.
2560 West Shaw Lane, Suite 101, Fresno, CA 93711-2765
1890774170 $49.50 1-800-221-5528

Collaboratively written by CICS programmer and expert Raul Menendez with the assistance of Doug Lowe, Murach's CICS Desk Reference is a solid and accessible resource for CICS/COBOL programmers. Individual chapters cover useful programming guidelines for creating and debugging readable, well-formatted code; syntax and option descriptions for 121 CICS commands; Basic Mapping Support macros; CICS program development aids for working with VSAM files, using RDO, using Master Terminal Transaction, and more. A "user friendly", information-packed resource filled cover to cover with sample code, examples, tips, tricks, and techniques, Murach's CICS Desk Reference is an excellent and recommended guide written especially for experienced CICS/COBOL programmers looking to save time and headaches when they need to look up reliable information quickly.

Database Programming With Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET
F. Scott Barker
Sams Publishing
201 W 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290
0672322471 $39.99 www.mcp.com

The topic combination of VB.NET and ADO.NET is unbeatable. VB.NET is the most popular language in which to code. And, every developer needs to understand ADO.NET to allow data to be accessed from a Web site. In Database Programming With Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET: Tips, Tutorials, And Code, professional developers will be shown numerous code examples that will illustrate how to program database driven applications within the .NET Framework. Database Programming with Visual Basic .NET and ADO.NET is aimed at both established and new VB Developers. Important topics covered include: Visual Studio development environment, ASP.NET applications, Windows Forms application, using VB.NET with ADO.NET, complex queries, security, COM interop., and application deployment. User Level: Intermediate, 544 pages.

Creating Motion Graphics With After Effects
Trish Meyer & Chris Meyer
CMP Books
600 Harrison St., San Francisco CA 94107
1578201144 $54.95 1-800-500-6875

Now in an updated and expanded second edition which covers version 5.5, Creating Motion Graphics with After Effects Volume 1: The Essentials is an eye-opening, full-color reference and tutorial written for Adobe "After Effects" users of all skill and experience levels. "Learner friendly" step-by-step tutorials effectively teach the reader how to exploit the animation capabilities of the software from layering, to learning how to represent motion paths and velocity, to masking, track mattes, and lighting in three dimensions, and more. A superb "how-to" self-teaching and highly recommended reference for aspiring computer artists and digital video makers, Creating Motion Graphics With After Effects is accompanied with a CD-ROM containing a completed user-oriented and accessible tutorial enhanced with hundreds of movies, stills, objects and audio clips, as well as the tryout version of Adobe After Effects 5.5 for the Macintosh or Windows.


The Travel Shelf

Cheap Sleeps Europe
Katie Wood
Robson Books/Parkwest Publications
451 Communipaw Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07304
186105307X $15.00 parkwestpubs.com

Now in a new and completely updated edition, Cheap Sleeps Europe is a thick, 614-page compendium of more than 10,000 affordable lodgings all over the European continent, from Austria to Finland, Turkey, the United Kingdom and more. From tips on book a bed in advance, to detailed information about hotels, to warnings of trouble spots, Cheap Sleeps Europe is a truly "user friendly" and highly recommended take-along guide for European business travelers and vacationers on a budget.

Small Town Minnesota A To Z
Tony Andersen
Afton Historical Society Press
PO Box 100, Afton, MN 55001
1890434256 $24.95 aftonpress.com

Small Town Minnesota A To Z by Minnesota native Tony Andersen is an engaging and nostalgic look at a wide variety of small-town communities in Minnesota from Argyle to Zumbro Falls. Most of these distinctive Minnesota communities have fewer than 1,000 people. Full-color photographs and an engaging text written with wry humor and replete with candid, anecdotal stories of conversations and adventures with small-town folk make Small Town Minnesota A To Z an engaging and refreshing tribute to an outstanding Midwestern state, as well as a less crowded, less hyper, and less pressure-intense way of life.

Ulysses Press
Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703-3440
1-800-377-2542 www.amazon.com

Three excellent new Hidden' editions provide destination-bound travelers with practical information on everything from local scenic drives to weekend getaways and camping. Richard Harris' Hidden Southwest (1569752842, $19.95) appears in its sixth edition to provide selective recommendations and reviews of all kinds of Southwest vacation opportunities. From a narrow-guage train to an unusual redwood lodging to skiing and seeing abandoned relics, this covers all points of interest. Richard Harris' Hidden Colorado (1569752907, $15.95) appears in an updated fourth edition to re-visit little-known locales and vacation spots in all Colorado areas. Hidden Idaho (1569752869, $14.95) also appears in its fourth updated edition to cover everything from skiing to wildlife viewing. These are highly recommended take-along totes that offer candid assessments of establishments and sightseeing opportunities.

No Place For A Lady
Barbara Hodgson
Greystone Books
c/o Douglas & McIntyre Ltd.
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V5T 4S7
1550549383 $36.95 greystonebooks.com

No Place For A Lady: Tales Of Adventurous Women Travellers by book designer and author Barbara Hodgson is an exciting anthology of true stories drawn from the experiences and adventures of the eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth century women travelers who (very much counter to the gender sterotypes of their day) traversed the world. Filled with maps, artwork, and photographs (many of them in color), No Place For A Lady is a truly fascinating read and a study of real-life adventurous women which is enthusiastically recommended for personal reading lists and academic Women's Studies reference collections.

Seven Perfect Days In Colorado
Bill Ginnodo & Celia Ginnodo
Pride Publications, Inc.
4 North Wilshire Lane, Arlington Hights, IL 60004
0965658716 $9.95 pridepublications.com

Seven Perfect Days In Colorado: A Guided Driving Tour by Bill and Celia Ginnodo is a informed and informative, thoroughly "user friendly", and highly recommended day-by-day planner for developing an itinerary to explore the highlights of the state of Colorado which are readily accessible by automobile or RV. From admiring the beauty and ecosystem of the Rockies, to visiting a real ghost town, to visiting the museum of Denver, Seven Perfect Days In Colorado provides the invaluable and time-saving blueprint for a vacation excursion that will be as fun as it is educational!

Art-Sites Paris
Fronia W. Simpson, editor
art-SITES
894 Waller St., San Francisco, CA 94117
193187400X $19.95 www.art-sites.com

Deftly edited by Fronia W. Simpson, Art-Sites Paris: Art, Architecture, Design is a superbly written and presented guide to the art and architecture to be seen while traveling among the many beauties of Paris. Subdivided by geographical region into numerous entries with the addresses and history of noteworthy sites, and enhanced throughout with black-and-white photography including 15 detail maps and city tour routes, Art-Sites Paris is an extensive, comprehensive, sophisticated, and thoroughly "user friendly" guide sure to keep the dedicated art and architecture lover busy sightseeing throughout an extended tour. If you intend on visiting Paris, begin your travel planning with Art-Sites Paris!

52 Great Florida Golf Getaways
Ed Schmidt Jr.
Pineapple Press, Inc.
PO Box 3889, Sarasota, FL 34230
1561642606 $14.95 pineapplepress.com

52 Great Florida Golf Getaways by Florida golfing expert Ed Schmidt Jr. is a handy, "user friendly" guide to some of Florida's most vibrant, well-run, and enjoyable golf courses. Yet the golf courses selected are particularly special in that each one of them has access to numerous other recreational opportunities nearby - boutiques, water parks, museums, kids' activities, sailing, tennis, fishing, and more - for the non-golfers in the family. Straightforward descriptions, contact information, and black-and-white photographs form the heart of this solid reference which is especially recommended for mixed golfer and non-golfer families in the Florida area. If you are golfer and taking a trip to Florida, begin your itinerary planning with a thorough browsing through Ed Schmidt's 52 Great Florida Golf Getaways!

Hunter Publishing
130 Campus Dr., Edison, NJ 08818
1-800-255-0343 www.amazon.com

Two new travel guides are excellent resources for planning a trip. Bruce and June Conord's Costa Rica (1588432904, $17.95) appears in its fourth edition to update information on rainforest tours, historic sights, and places to stay and eat in the country. Black and white and some color photos pack pages of advice, which include information and maps. Ed & Lynn Readicker-Henderson's updated and expanded fourth edition of Inside Passage & Coastal Alaska (1588432882, $17.95) covers the coastal transport system and points of interest along the way, covering communities which cannot be reached by auto. Tips on activities and side-trips are especially valuable in a guide that covers Alaska's finest points of interest.

The Other Orlando
Kelly Monaghan
The Intrepid Traveler
KSB Promotions (publicity)
PO Box 531, Branford, CT 06405
1887140417 $16.95 intrepidtraveler.com

There is a great deal more to Orlando, Florida than the Disney World! Now in a revised, updated, and expanded, 400 page second edition, The Other Orlando: What To Do When You've Done Disney And Universal by Kelly Monaghan is a useful and "user friendly" vacation and travel guide to the Orlando, Florida area that focuses on all of the many other tourist attractions with things to do and see. From the attractions at Gatorland, to experiencing the mystique of Splendid China, to a galaxy-spanning view of the Universe at the Kennedy Space Center, The Other Orlando offers exciting, and extensively detailed examples of fun attractions, complete with comprehensive contact, website, and scheduling information. If you are planning a personal, family, or business trip to Orlando, Florida, begin compiling your itinerary by browsing through Kelly Monaghan's The Other Orlando!


The Military Shelf

Arabs At War
Kenneth M. Pollack
University of Nebraska Press
233 N. 8th St., Lincoln, NE 68588-0255
0803237332 $49.95 1-800-755-1105

Accessibly written by Kenneth M. Pollack (a former Persian Gulf military analyst for the CIA), Arabs At War: Military Effectiveness 1948-1991 is a straightforward and comprehensive "power history" of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Libya, Saudi Arabia, and Syria during the post-World War II epoch. Studying in meticulous detail the often difficult evolution of Arab militaries in terms of how they learned from their past experiences and conflicts, the frame of mind that permeates the military strategy of these nations today, and much, much more, Arabs At War is a seminal and sobering contribution to contemporary Military Studies and Middle East Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Images Of Kursk
Nik Cornish
Brassey's, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
1574885766 $19.95 1-800-775-2518

Filled from cover to cover with black-and-white photographs, Images Of Kursk: History's Greatest Tank Battle, July 1943 by Nik Cornish is a gritty, compellingly accurate, point-by-point dissection of the pivotal tank battle of World War II, between Russian and German forces from beginning to end. Vivid details, sobering statistics, and personal eye-witness testimonies enhance the text of this unforgettable and very highly recommended study of a crucial piece of World War II military history.

Xin Loi, Viet Nam
Al Sever
Quiet Storm Publishing
PO Box 1666, Martinsburg, WV 25402
http://www.quietstormbooks.com
0971429626 $25.95 1-361-992-5587

Xin Loi, Viet Nam: Memoir Of The War Over Viet Nam is the personal testimony of Al Sever, a Vietnam veteran who served thirty-one months as a crew member on various military helicopters during the Viet Nam conflict. Absolute, graphic, unvarnished truth of what it was like to survive day by day in a war-torn land far away from home fills the pages of this gut-wrenching, honest, and open account. Xin Loi, Viet Nam is a very highly recommended addition to the growing library of Viet Nam War era personal memoirs, participant biographies, and military histories.

Pilot From The Prairie
Edgar J. Allen
Hara Publishing
PO Box 19732, Seattle, WA 98109
1883697581 $13.95 www.amazon.com

Pilot From The Prairie is the personal memoir of Edgar Allen, a World War II bomber pilot. Edgar memorably relates the danger and horror of war, and the critical importance of courage and keeping one's cool to survive in the midst of dangerously lethal situations. A raw and vivid account that pulls no punches and makes the reader feel what it was really like to survive the thick of devastating war, Pilot From The Prairie is a welcome and highly recommended contribution to the growing library of World War II autobiographical accounts -- which is all the more appreciated as that generation of men and women leaves us through the inevitable passage of the years.

Battle Of Alamein
John Bierman & Colin Smith
Viking Press
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
0670030406 $32.95 1-800-847-5515

The Battle of Alamein stands out as one of the great triumphs of the Allied forces, where the Egyptian railway stop became a center of a showdown between German commander Rommel and British general Montgomery. In Battle Of Alamein the authors re-create this pivotal World War II engagment, from events which led up to it to its aftermath, providing new insights on advisors on both sides. A riveting story.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Health Of Your Dog
John Bower & David Youngs
Alpine Publications, Inc.
2456 E. 9th Street, Loveland, CO 80537
0931866456 $24.95 1-800-777-7257

Specifically written to be accessible to the lay pet owner by experienced veterinarians John Bower and David Youngs, The Health Of Your Dog is a solid and reliable guide to taking optimum care of a canine companion. From house training a puppy, to dealing with behavior problems, keeping an eye out for symptoms of diseases and veterinary care options, The Health Of Your Dog is an extremely practical reference for dog owners everywhere and a highly recommended addition to community library Pets & Wildlife reference collections.

Solving The Mysteries Of Breed Type
Richard Beauchamp
Doral Publishing, Inc.
2501 W. Behrend Drive, Suite 43, Phoenix, AZ 85027-4148
0944875890 $24.95 www.doralpub.com

Solving The Mysteries Of Breed Type by Richard Beauchamp (syndicated columnist, dog show judge, and former publisher of "Kennel Review" magazine) is a straightforward and detailed instructional guide for aspiring dog breeders, and novice dog show judges, and purebreed connoisseurs aspiring to acquire a degree of professionalism, about discerning the subtle distinctions of breed type. Individual chapters competently address what to look for in various physical characteristics, from coat and head shape to silhouette and movement. Black-and-white photographs enhance the meticulous text descriptions in this succinctly written resource which should be considered a core reference title for personal, professional, and community library collections.

The Dolphins Of Hilton Head
Cara M. Gubbins
University of South Carolina Press
937 Assembly Street, 8th Floor, Columbia, SC 29208
1570034583 $12.95 1-800-768-2500

The Dolphins Of Hilton Head: Their Natural History by ecologist and conservation biologist Cara M. Gubbins is an informed and informative introduction to the fascinating life and world of dolphins, studying their feeding, socializing, communication, and much, much more. Black-and-white photographs enhance the adventurous and detailed, "reader friendly" text, making The Dolphins Of Hilton Head a truly exciting account which is most especially recommended for marine wildlife students in general, and dolphin enthusiasts in particular.

Aquarium Plants
Christel Kasselmann
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
1575240912 $84.50 1-800-724-0025

Painstakingly translated from the original German edition, Christel Kasselmann's Aquarium Plants is a meticulous, comprehensive, and practical resource describing a wide variety of common plant species used for private aquariums. Aquarium Plants comprises an informed and informative overview of factors necessary to the proper care of such plants and detailed, one-page studies of individual plant varieties that include etymology, distribution, description, special care instructions, ecology and more of each plant variety, as well as full-color photographs that vividly portray the plants. Aquarium Plants is a reliable and excellent reference which is especially recommended to dedicated aquarium hobbyists.

The Complete Chicken
Pam Percy
Voyageur Press, Inc.
PO Box 338, Stillwater, MN 55082
0896585573 $29.95 1-800-837-2210

The Complete Chicken: An Entertaining History Of Chickens by Pam Percy (who has been raising chickens as a hobby since 1986 on her five-acre property near Milwaukee, Wisconsin) is a fascinating and detailed history of chickens in recorded human history, ranging from their domestication and use as egg layers and a source of food, to popular culture features such as the animated movie "Chicken Run." Full-color illustrations and photographs, famous chicken-themed quotes, and a solid body of fascinating information mark The Complete Chicken as a fascinating, bird-themed history which is a "must read" for chicken fanciers and fans.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Out Of The Inferno
Mrs. Rachel Altein
Kehot Publication Society
291 Kingston Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11213
0826606830 $29.00

Out Of The Inferno charts the efforts that went into the rescue of Rabbi Yosef Schneersohn, during which six months of lobbying with countless political figures led to the eventual rescue of the Rebe from World War II Europe. Here are letters, memoranda, and documents detailing the efforts to rescue a revered man and his trial, which continued even after his journey away from Europe.

Escape Or Die
Ina R. Friedman
Yellow Moon Press
PO Box 1316, Cambridge, MA 02238
0938756346 $12.95 1-617-776-2230

Escape Or Die: True Stories Of Young People Who Survived The Holocaust by Ina R. Friedman is a compelling collection of stories about how twelve young men and women (all of whom were under the age of 20 at the time) were able to save themselves from perishing in the Nazi holocaust of World War II and its immediate aftermath from 1933 to 1948. These biographical episodes are drawn from ten countries and are replete with courage, endurance, ingenuity, and luck against all the odds. There is Robert, age 11, who suffered the deprivations and dangers of the Warsaw Ghetto and the death camps of Auschwitz and Dachau; Mayra who spent the first six years of her life hiding out from soldiers in a series of cellars; Pieter, imprisoned as a spy at the age of 18; Manny, who at 14 witnessed his family and home destroyed during the infamous incident of Crystal Night; and more. Each story is accompanied by historical notes on each narrator's homeland. A highly recommended and welcome addition to Holocaust Studies collections, Escape Or Die is a tribute to the ultimate triumph of the human spirit in general, and their incredible survival in particular, despite the unspeakably horrific conditions that led to the deaths of millions all around these twelve boys and girls. Also very strongly recommended titles for Holocaust Studies reference collections are Ina Friedman's two other works: Flying Against The Wind: The Story Of A Young Woman Who Defied The Nazis (Lodgepole Press, 1886721009, $11.95) and The Other Victims: First Person Stories Of Non-Jews Persecuted By The Nazis (Houghton Mifflin, 0395745152, $6.95).

Surviving The Nazis, Exile And Siberia
Edith Sekules
Vallentine Mitchell/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo Street, Portland, OR 97213-3644
0853033889 $17.45 1-800-944-6190

In 1916, Edith Sekules was born into a Jewish family as part of an established and flouring Viennese community of almost 200,000 Jews. Today that same community is numbered at only a few thousands. Most of those with whom Edith grew up with were slaughtered in the holocaust of World War II. In 1938, together with her husband Kurt and her four month old daughter, Edith escaped to Estonia. There they eked out a living until 1941 when they were labeled "enemy aliens" and interned in Siberia by the Russians. In Surviving The Nazis, Exile And Siberia, Edith reveals in candid and vivid detail what her life of confinement was like, and how only their good health and optimism enabled the family to survive in harsh conditions. This is a story of a seven year exile spend in the theater of war, three camps, and a 3,350-mile journey home. After the way Edith helped to create a knitwear company in Northern Ireland and she went on to world-wide success in that endeavor. Surviving The Nazis, Exile And Siberia is more than just another indictment of holocaust era atrocity -- it is also a testament to the endurance and resilience of the human spirit, and that the greatest revenge against those who do us wrong, and the finest memorial we can provide to those who did not survive, is to go on ourselves and live a full, rewarding, compassionate life.

One People, Two Worlds
Ammiel Hirsch & Yosef Reinman
Schocken Books
299 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10171
0805241914 $26.00 1-800-726-0600

One People, Two Worlds: A Reform Rabbi And An Orthodox Rabbi Explore The Issues That Divide Them is a candid but respectful mutual exploration and exchange of ideas between Reform Rabbi Ammiel Hirsch and Orthodox Rabbi Yosef Reinman. Virtually every divisive issue upon which Orthodox and Reform Jews differ is vigerously debated, from the role of women and the value of secular culture, to the existence of a Supreme Being and differing beliefs about Israel. Though the disagreements are sharp, these two very different Rabbis have a deep respect and liking for one another in this thought-provoking and very welcome contribution to Judaic Studies reading lists.

The Rituals & Practices Of Jewish Life
Rabbi Kerry M. Olitzky
Rabbi Daniel Judson
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
1580231691 $18.95 jewishlights.com

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Rabbis Kerry Olitzky and Daniel Judson, The Rituals & Practices Of Jewish Life: A Handbook For Personal Spiritual Renewal is a straightforward and practical instructional guide to the origin, manner, and modern-day practice of ten areas of Jewish ritual: Upon Rising and Going to Bed; Covering the Head; Blessings throughout the Day; Daily Prayer; Tefillin; Tallit and Tallit Katan; Talmud Torah; The Continuum of Kashrut; Mikvah; and Entering Shabbot. Enhanced with an informative foreword by Vanessa L. Ochs, and illustrations by Joel Moskowitz, The Rituals & Practices Of Jewish Life is a useful and "user friendly", easy-to-follow, step-by-step, guidebook which is most especially recommended for readers who may have little to no understanding of the proper ritual performance and what it means, yet who want to incorporate more of the Jewish traditions into their daily lives.

The Jewish World In Stamps
Ronald L. Eisenberg
Schreiber Publishing, Inc.
51 Monroe Street, Suite 101, Rockville, MD 20850
http://www.schreiberpublishing.com
1887563768 $36.00 www.amazon.com

The Jewish World In Stamps: 4000 Years Of Jewish Civilization On Postage Stamps by Ronald L. Eisenberg is an amazing, full-color, 288 page volume that meticulously reproduces postage stamps portraying events and people throughout the whole of Jewish history. The Jewish World In Stamps ranges from biblical stories such as the tale of Esther, to the Diaspora, to rise of Zionism and establishment of the state of Israel, to Jewish traditions and values, to World Jewish Communities, to modern-day Jewish entertainers such as Groucho Marx. Succinct entries flesh out the background detail on the individual or story represented by each stamp, and the color illustrations are the next best thing to having an international stamp collection of one's own. The Jewish World In Stamps is an exciting and seminal work that makes both the world of stamp collecting and Jewish history itself come alive.

Franz Kafka
Sara Loeb
University Press of America
4720 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
0761821414 $42.00 1-800-462-6420

Franz Kafka: A Question Of Jewish Identity by Sara Loeb (inter-disciplinary researcher and expert on Western culture, Central European Judaism, and Holocaust Literature) is a meticulously presented, in-depth focus on the life, philosophy, and Jewish identity of the renowned author Franz Kafka. An extensive and scholarly study that contemplates Kafka's friendship with Max Brod, reflections on the Diaspora, assimilation vs. self-hatred among Jews, and much, much more, Franz Kafka: A Question Of Jewish Identity is highly recommended for students of Kafka's writings as an unusually thoughtful, albeit sometimes technical account of the man, his life, thought, and work.


The Business Shelf

Venture Management Handbook
Cliff Conneighton
VentureBooks
53 Depot Road, Hollis, NH 03049
0972167102 $29.95 venturebooks.biz

Venture Management Handbook: An Entrepreneur's Practical Guide To Stock, Finance And Contracts by entrepreneur Cliff Conneighton's is a clearly written, nicely organized, experienced based, informative instructional guide to the often complex and confusing subject of financing business ventures. Conneighton's Venture Management Handbook is a very highly recommended, complete-in-one-volume, "user friendly" reference.

Marketing To American Latinos
M. Isabel Valdes
Paramount Market Publishing, Inc.
301 S. Geneva St, #109, Ithaca, NY 14850
0967143926 $54.95 1-888-787-8100

Marketing To American Latinos: A Guide To The In-Culture Approach, Part 2 by Hispanic marketing pioneer M. Isabel Valdes is a solidly presented, up-to-date, business oriented examination and analysis of the Hispanic-American consumer market. From studying diversity, geographic distribution, and buying power of Hispanic households to advertising strategies that target the hearts, minds, and wallets of Hispanic consumers, to digital marketing and an "integrated in-culture" strategy, Marketing to American Latinos is an extensively researched reference written especially for big and small businesses alike. Also highly recommended is Valdes' predecessor volume, Marketing to American Latinos: A Guide To The In-Culture Approach, Part I (0967143934; $54.95).

John Carver On Board Leadership
John Carver
Jossey-Bass
989 Market St., San Francisco, CA 94103
0787958441 $40.00 josseybass.com

John Carver On Board Leadership is a collection of articles that demonstrate the Policy Governance (R) model in board leadership, as written by its creator, John Carver, a man who has over twenty years of experience working with a variety of corporation boards. Addressing how to use the model of governance to improve communication and overall effectiveness, the role of committees, means for resolving disagreements, and much, much more, John Carver On Board Leadership is a solidly written, reader accessible, and effectively useful title recommended for anyone charged with the often difficult and complicated task of coordinating or leading a governing board.

Amacom
1-800-250-5308

Two important new titles provide valuable information. Gayle Backstrom's I'd Rather Be Working (0-8144-7115-3, $14.95) covers financial self-support for those with chronic illness: a subject seldom touched upon in the business world. From analyzing limitations and changed directions in business life to improving skills, or understanding a changed employment situation, this is not to be missed. Craig Settles' Wireless, Inc. (0-8144-0725-0, $29.95) provides an in-depth business guide to how wireless technology can be integrated into existing business strategies. From using mobile technologies for new and advanced communication channels with customers to saving money, this tells managers how to make informed business decisions by understanding the opportunities wireless technologies brings to the business world.

Building A Successful Consulting Practice
Patricia Pulliam Phillips, editor
ASTD
Box 1443, Alexandria, VA 22313-2043
1562863312 $49.95 www.astd.org

The newest title in the outstanding ASTD "In Action" series, Building A Successful Consulting Practice is an impressive and informative collection of twelve case studies, each of which offers invaluable advice and keen insight to anyone interested in launching a consulting firm. Each of the studies focuses on lessons learned from that particular case example. Building A Successful Consulting Practice is an excellent supplementary resource for determined entrepreneurs aspiring to make their mark in the competitive world of professional consultation.


The Railroading Shelf

California Challenger
Pentrex
PO Box 94911, Pasadena, CA 91109
1563420856 $29.95 1-800-950-9333

Steam on the main line of the Challenger 3985 vintage style train with the aid of a survey that follows the route of the train through desert and small towns. California Challenger is the largest operating steam locomotive in the world and Pentrex's coverage of its history and freight action will delight train fans who enjoy California scenery as an added plus.

Basic Model Railroad Benchwork
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Publishing Co.
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187
0890246157 $18.95 1-800-533-6644

Basic Model Railroad Benchwork: The Complete Photo Guide by model railroading expert Jeff Wilson, is thoroughly "user friendly", step-by-step guide illustrated with numerous full-color photographs on building the foundation and layout for a model railroad hobbyist. From choosing the proper tools and using them with the utmost regard to safety, to meticulously measuring and crafting a sturdy benchwork (perhaps mounted on the wall to save space), to crafting smoothly integrated backdrops and more, Basic Model Railroad Benchwork is a highly recommended "how-to" book for devoted woodworkers and model railroading enthusiasts.

Those Magnificent Trains 2003 Datebook
Cedco Publishing Company
100 Pelican Way, San Rafael, CA 94901
0768357217 $12.99 www.cedco.com

Charles Ditlefsen's Those Magnificent Trains 2003 Datebook is a spiral-bound, medium-sized calendar and appointment book combination for January through December of 2003. Featuring full-color, superbly composed photographs of a variety of classic trains on almost every page spread, Those Magnificent Trains is highly functional planner, and a simply joy for railroad enthusiasts to just page through. Also very highly recommended for railroading enthusiasts is Charles Ditlefsen's Those Magnificent Trains 2003 Desk Calendar (0768357764, $12.99).


The Fiction Shelf

Van Gogh's Room At Arles
Stanley Elkin
Dalkey Archive Press
ISU Campus Box 8905, Normal, IL 61790
1564782808 $14.95 dalkeyarchive.com

Van Gogh's Room At Arles is a collection of three original novellas by Stanley Elkin. A wheelchair-bound professor is overwhelmed by a student party that catapults to extravagant heights; a commoner suddenly becomes enmeshed in the world of royalty when Prince Larry of Wales falls for her; and a community college professor overshadowed by Van Gogh embarks on a quest for his own identity. The three involving, surprise-filled tales comprising Van Gogh's Room At Arles admirably showcases the work of a true literary master of tragedy and comedy.

Liam's Going
Michael Joyce
McPherson & Company
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12402
0929701666 $22.00 1-800-613-8219

Liam's Going by Michael Joyce is a deftly written novel about a young man named Liam who is about to go off to college. Yet his departure has repercussions on the strained marriage of his parents, each of whom must confront different pulls and separate loves in their lives. Liam's Going is a introspective, thoughtful, and ultimately emotionally rewarding story. Also highly recommended is Michael Joyce's early novel, The War Outside Ireland (Tinkers Dam Press, 0943608015, $9.95).

Past Tense
Bob Levy
Sunstone Press
Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321
0865343411 $24.95 sunstonepress.com

Past Tense by novelist Bob Levy is the gripping story of Adam Baldwin, a successful seven term United States Senator and his party's front runner for President -- and who is accused of committing murder in his younger years. Joe O'Riley is a retired chief of police who was once a high school classmate of the senator, and feels compelled to investigate a cold trail of deceit. Joe is lured in a race against time to prevent the nation from possibly electing a murderer as its President. Past Tense is a well crafted, exciting and suspenseful tale. Also highly recommended is Levy's suspense novel Broken Hearts (0865343128; $24.95).

John Daniel & Company
PO Box 21922, Santa Barbara, CA 93121
1-800-662-8351

Two new and superbly crafted novels are recommended picks, offering unusual contemporary protagonists and plots which are anything but canned. Ann McLaughlin's House On Q Street (1880284596, $14.95) tells of a family which moves to Washington in 1942 when war is preoccupying the country. A ten-year-old's coming of age in this time of conflict is recounted in a moving story of change both personal and political. Paul McComas' Unplugged (188028460X, $14.95) tells of an aging rocker who decides to depart from the music world, setting out for parts unknown and ending up in South Dakota. Her search for solitude and healing may unexpectedly lead to a career she can't shake in this moving story.

Miniatures
Norah Labiner
Coffee House Press
27 North 4th Street, #400, Minneapolis, MN 55401
1566891361 $23.00 1-800-283-3572

Fern Jacobi is young and on a journey through Ireland when she meets two famous American expatriots who befriend her. In the course of her work for them as a housecleaner, Fern comes to uncover the mystery surrounding a dead wife and a house filled with secrets in Miniatures, a compelling story of discovery and coming of age.

Labyrinth
Mark Sullivan
Atria Books
1230 Ave. of the Americas, NY NY 10020
0743439805 $25.00 www.amazon.com

If it's gripping fast action you like paired with the terror of a dangerous cave exploration, choose Mark Sullivan's Labyrinth, a riveting story which deserves ongoing recommendation. A professional caving family's survival is put to the test when a madman and a band of escaped felons takes them on a caving journey to uncover a dangerous object. Strong psychological profiles keep the action fast-paced.

Nerves Of The Heart
Lucy Ferriss
University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building, Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
1572331852 $27.50 1-865-974-3321

Nerves Of The Heart is a smoothly crafted novel by Lucy Ferriss about a painful drama involving two families. When a young girl dies with her father in a traffic accident, the bereaved mother acquiesces to transplanting her daughter's heart to save a nine-year-old boy. Hope for renewal, grief over great loss, and the challenges of a daily medication routine that the young boy's parents must oversee to ensure that the heart isn't rejected mark Nerves Of The Heart as a poignant, memorable, and highly recommended story arising from the friction of family love and the struggle to survive.

Crusader
Max Brand
Five Star Books
295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901
0786235330 $25.95 1-800-223-1244

Crusader by legendary western author Max Brand is a superbly written western novel about Harry Camden, a man lured into the fighting ring, where his powerful punch could earn his greedy manager a fortune. But the trappings and luxuries of civilization weighed heavily on a prizefighter accustomed to life in the wilderness, and precipitate his slow decay into alcohol and crime. This destructive spiral culminates in Harry's theft of the stallion Crusader, a horse so wild that only the greatest fighter of a man can ride him. Crusader is highly recommended as an enthralling western written in the spirit of the times and the genre -- and a "must" for all Max Brand fans!

The Wished-For Country
Wayne Karlin
Curbstone Press
321 Jackson St., Willimantic, CT 06226
1880684896 $16.95 www.curbstone.org

The Wished-For Country is an original and inherently interesting novel by Wayne Karlin which is set in Maryland during early Colonial times, and opens in the year 1634. The interwoven tales of a carpenter, an indentured servant, an African slave and a Piscataway Indian who was kidnapped to England as a child blend in this evocative and masterful recreation of what it was like to live in the New World centuries past. The Wished-For Country is a superbly written, thoroughly engaging, and highly recommended historical novel.

The Tablets Of Ararat
C. J. Illinik
Kregel Publications
PO Box 2607, Grand Rapids, MI 49501
0825429080 $12.99 1-800-733-2607

The Tablets Of Ararat is an original novel by C. J. Illinik and based upon a fascinating premise: What if Noah, the ark-builder of Biblical history, left behind a record of his life and work that survived to the modern day? Arianna is an American archaeologist who discovers ancient tablets in Turkey. Her find could create overwhelming potential repercussions for traditional Judeo/Christian faiths and doctrines. Arianna soon finds herself at a crossroads, with a possible romance on one side, and on the other, a lethal danger from men determined to exploit both her and the tablets. The Tablets Of Ararat is an unique and original, superbly written, thoroughly fascinating, thought provoking, and enthusiastically recommended drama.

Sealed In Stone
Toni Mariani
City Lights Books
261 Columbus Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94133
0872863883 $10.95 www.citylights.com

Expertly translated from the original Italian by Arthur K. Bierman, Sealed In Stone is the English-language rendition of Anno 1424, a haunting and dramatic novel by Toni Maraini. Set during the Hundred Years' War and based on the historical figure of Alix la Bourgotte, Sealed In Stone is the story of a young Parisian recluse who lives within a cell located in the wall of the Cemetery of the Holy Innocents and observes a boisterous, turbulent, and dangerous world of thieves, scoundrels, rebels, intellectuals, heretics, and pilgrims. Enhanced with an introduction by Alberto Moaravia, Sealed In Stone is very strongly recommended, literate and dramatic story of love, passion, and death amidst a bygone world of violence and change.


The Library Video Shelf

Chair Dancing
Jodi Stolove
Chair Dancing
411 Video Information (publicity)
2658 Del Mar Heights Del Mar CA 92014
0963093967 $14.95 chairdancing.com

Chair Dancing: More...Sit Down & Tone Up is a 32 minute, "user friendly" exercise video specifically designed for those viewers who are unable to participate in conventional exercise. Developed by exercise enthusiast Jodi Stolove while recovering from a broken foot, Chair Dancing offers safe, effective exercises for stimulating bone growth, improving posture, decreasing body fat, and improving both balance and mobility. Also highly recommended are: Chair Dancing Through The Decades: Seated Aerobics For Ages 5 To 95 ($19.95, 48 minutes) and Chair Yoga: Stretching & Relaxation From The Comfort Of Your Chair ($19.95, 45 minutes).

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

Two outstanding educational videos from Bullfrog Films would make very welcome additions to any school or community library collection. Boys Will Be Men is a fascinating look at how boys grow up in America, what makes them violent, what hurts them, and how to help them. The best thing about this video is that we hear not only from experts but also from the boys themselves. This new documentary offers some real solutions for the problems young males face today. Thomas Berry: The Great Story is the story of a pioneer in the field of spirituality and ecology. Thomas Berry has created a quiet revolution. Berry sees his life work as waking us up to the sacred story of creation. He calls us "mad" for the way we are despoiling our home, our planet, its beauty, and its living systems. Berry urges us to change our ways and reminds us that "we are not a collection of objects but a communion of subjects." In poetic language, he leads us into the ecstasy of union with the divine beauty of creation.

Universal Studios Home Video
10 Universal City Plaza, Suite 700
Universal City, CA 91608

Two outstanding "widescreen" DVDs from Universal Studios are essential additions to the film collections of all John Wayne fans. The War Wagon (#20298, $24.98) has the Duke teaming up with Kirk Douglas in a lively western. Wayne plays the part of a rancher who was robbed of his ranch and his liberty by a crooked cattle baron. Wayne and a small band of characters that include Keenan Wynn, Howard Keel, and Robert Walker must capture a heavily protected transport stagecoach which is shipping a fortune in gold, but that is also equipped with a gattling gun! Rooster Cogburn (#20170, $24.98) finds John Wayne teamed up with Katharine Hepburn in this wonderful story of an over-the-hill lawman in pursuit of a ruthless and murderous gang of thieves who have murdered Hepburn's father. This outstanding film (and one of Wayne's last efforts before his death) is a sequel to True Grit and offers the viewer one of his very best characters in a riveting tale of the Old West. Both DVDs offer filmographies of the major players and directors, along with Spanish and French alternative sound tracks. No personal or community library home video collection of western movies can be considered complete without the inclusion of The War Wagon and Rooster Cogburn!


The Cookbook Shelf

Valentina's Four Seasons Cookbook
Valentina Harris
Cassell/Trafalgar Square Publsihing
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
0304353884 $24.95 1-800-423-4525

Valentina's Four Seasons Cookbook is Italian food served up with a difference: it is aimed at busy people who don't have time to spend hours in the kitchen, yet who want authentic Italian dishes. Color photos of both Italy and finished dishes enhance recipes which range from Chicken Breasts with Sun-Dried Tomatoes to Anchovy-Caper and Olive-Stuffed Peppers. Delicious meals in half the time the usual Italian cookbook takes!

The New Eat Yourself Think Like I Did! Low Carb Cookbook
Nancy Moshier, RN
Nancy's Cookbooks, Inc./NBN, dist.
PO Box 338, Garrison, MN 56450
0970102909 $15.99 1-800-462-6420

Nancy Moshier draws upon both her personal experience in losing 102 pounds, as well as her professional expertise as a registered nurse, in assembling the reader-friendly advice and kitchen-friendly recipes comprising The New Eat Yourself Think Like I Did! Low Carb Cookbook. From Smoked Sausage Appetizers; Spice Doughnut Holes; Oyster Stew; and Sun Dried Tomato Mushroom Vinaigrette Salad Dressing; to Pizza Roll Meatloaf; Broiled Halibut with Citrus Dill Butter; Sauteed Sesame Asparagus; and Cherry Cinnamon Dessert, The New Eat Yourself Think Like I Did! Low Carb Cookbook showcases a culinary wealth of savory, sensible, delicious, and dieting appropriate dishes that would grace any table and contribute to any weight control regimen. Also very highly and enthusiastically recommended for sugar free, low carb dieters is Nancy Moshier's Eat Yourself Thin With Fabulous Desserts (0970102917, $13.99).

Physiology Of Taste
Jean BrillatSavarin
Dover Publications
31 E. 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501
0486422534 $12.95 1-800-223-3130

Physiology Of Taste is an unabridged photomechnical reproduction of a classic 1925 edition and should be on the shelves of any serious and dedicated gourmet cook. Physiology Of Taste provides a timeless discussion of French food and cooking written in 1825 by a master at both culinary insight and writing. Whimsical reflection mixes with serious food insights in a most satisfying manner.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Inside The Rainbow
Eugene Goheen
Booklocker.com
PO Box 1605, Spring Valley, CA 91979
1591131626 $13.95 www.amazon.com

Great Escape is the story of a future world in which US energy shortages spark a human mutation begins with a bang and doesn't let up: "I had to watch with my own eyes as my brother disintegrated into something not human." Different voices document not only the mutation but the changing nature of reality in an energy-shorted world. Fascinating and hard to put down.

The Annotated Chronicles
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman
Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707
0786918705 $27.95 www.wizards.com

The Annotated Chronicles reprints the first Dragonlance fantasy trilogy collaboratively written by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman, and includes: Dragons of Autumn Twilight; Dragons of Winter Night; and Dragons of Spring Dawning. The Annotated Chronicles is enhanced with meticulous annotations and black-and-white illustrations. Enriching inside notes by numerous writers and game designers who contributed to the Dungeons & Dragons role-playing universe of Dragonlance add a special touch of "insider's insight" to an exceptionally popular saga that launched one of the most popular shared worlds of fantasy literature and role gaming. Very highly recommended for Dragonlance fans; the extensive annotations make this a must-read for Dragonlance enthusiasts even if he or she already owns an earlier individual copies of this truly classic trilogy.

Bilbo's Last Song
J.R.R. Tolkien
Alfred A. Knopf
280 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
0375823735 $12.95 1-800-726-0600

Don't expect a full-length story of Middle-Earth in J.R.R. Tolkien's Bilbo's Last Song, but a rather lovely illustrated poetry/song piece considered to be Tolkien's epilogue to Lord of the Rings. Pauline Baynes provides the gorgeous, delicate color drawings in this short but beautiful little gift item.

Bronwyn: Silk & Steel
Ron Miller
Timberwolf Press, Inc.
202 N. Allen Street, #A, Allen, TX 75013
1587520664 $14.95 timberwolfpress.com

The second volume in the four-book fantasy epic featuring the heroic Princess Bronwyn, Bronwyn: Silk & Steel by Ron Miller is an exciting, reader involving tale of a strong-willed heroine and her reliable band of allies. Outcast from her own kingdom, Bronwyn and her companions must undertake a long journey, confront unknown races, and evade the spies and bounty hunters of her evil mortal enemies in this enthralling saga. Also very highly recommended is the first volume of Bronwyn's saga, Bronwyn: Palaces & Prisons (1587520591; $14.95).

Baen Books
PO Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
1-800-223-2336 www.amazon.com

Leo Frankowski's Conrad's Time Machine: A Prequel To The Adventures Of Conrad Stargard (0743435575, $24.00) is spirited science fiction drama for any who enjoy a blend of swashbuckling on-the-road type action and a good time machine story. Factor in a healthy dose of humor and you have a solid read which offers a new twist on the time machine story. Jerry Pournelle and S.M. Stirling's The Prince (0743435567, $28.00) provides the complete saga of "Falkenberg's Legion" under one cover. It's the 21st century, the Soviet-American alliance has kept the peace both on arth and in space, but now it's dying and nations are arming for war. This story originally appeared in four parts as Falkenberg's Legion, Prince Of Mercenaries, Go Tell The Spartans and Prince Of Sparta: having this interconnected complex story under one cover contributes to an excellent read.

Martians And Madness
Frederic Brown
NESFA
P.O. Box 809, Framingham, MA 01701
1886778175 $29.00 nesfapress.com

Martians And Madness is the second of a two-volume set gathering all of Frederic Brown's fine science fiction writings, and holds the complete novels What Mad Universe, Martins Go Home, Rogue In Space, Lights In The Sky Are Stars and The Mind Thing plus the two novelettes Gateway To Darkness and Gateway To Glory, which were rewritten to become "Rogue In Space". Brown's satire, drama, and solid plots shine forth to invite both newcomers and prior fans.

City Of Saints & Madmen
Jeff VanderMeer
Cosmos Books/Wildside Press
PO Box 36503, Canton, OH 44735
0966896882; $40.00 cosmos-books.com

Along side the River Moth, a city called Ambergris rose. Founded on the blood of its original inhabitants shed in its making and evolution, and steeped for centuries in the aftermath of a calamitous struggle, the cruelly beautiful and complex metropolis of Ambergris is a place of artists and composers, thieves and murders. Enhanced with an introduction by Michael Moorcock, City Of Saints And Madmen: The Book Of Ambergris, is a bizarre, eclectic, and unique science fiction narrative enhanced with appendices of "reference" documents, written by Jeff VanderMeer, a mysterious, reclusive, and brilliantly talented author. The unpredictable twists and turns, fantastic setting, and exciting narrative make City Of Saints And Madmen: The Book Of Ambergris an engrossing read for those seeking something fresh and different by way of a literary experience. Highly recommended for a sophisticated readership, City Of Saints And Madmen: The Book Of Ambergris is also available in a paperback edition (Wildside Press, 1587154366, $15.00).

Great Escape
Ian Watson
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 Perkins Rd., Urbana, IL 61802
1930846096 $23.95 www.amazon.com

Ian Watson's fine collection of stories comprising Great Escape, deserves repeat mention as an excellent example of his unusual literary style. Science fiction and fantasy blends wonderfully in a presentation of diverse topics; from a Hell where angels decide to invade Heaven, to nuclear blackmail. It's the strong characters and their unexpected twists and turns which bring this to life and make for an exciting, diverse collection. Highly recommended.

L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future, Volume XVIII
Algis Budrys, editor
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
1592120520 $7.99 galaxy-press.com

Before he went on to invent Cybernetics, L. Ron Hubbard was a prominent author of science fiction and eventually launched annual collections of science fiction and fantasy drawn from the best and the brightest in the field. The newest addition to the L. Ron Hubbard "Writers Of The Future" series is volume 18, ably compiled and edited by long time science fiction expert Algis Budrys and highly recommended reading for any fantasy fan and science fiction enthusiast. Included in this outstanding anthology are: The Dragon Cave (Drew Morby); The Haunted Seed (Ray Roberts); Rewind (David D. Levine); Windseekers (Nnedi Okorafor); Magic Out Of A Hat (L. Ron Hubbard); Lost On The Road (Ari Goelman); Graveyard Tea (Susan Fry); Carry The God (Lee Battersby); A Few Tips On The Craft Of Illustration (H. R. Van Dongen); Memoria Technica (Leon J. West); Free Fall (Tom Brennan); All Winter Long (Jae Brim); The Art Of Creation (Carl Frederick); Advice To The New Writer (Andre Norton); The Road To Levenshir (Patrick Rothfuss); Eating, Drinking, Walking (Dylan Otto Krider); Origami Cranes (Seppo Kurki); A New Anthology (Tim Powers); Worlds Apart (Woody O. Carsky-Wilson); Prague 47 (Joel Best); and What Became Of The King (Aimee C. Amodeo). L. Ron Hubbard Presents Writers Of The Future, Volume XVIII concludes with "The Year In Contests" by Algis Budrys and "Contest Information".

Houghton Mifflin
222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116
1-800-225-3362 www.amazon.com

Two excellent books on Tolkien and his art will reach new audiences with insights and lively color. Tom Shippey's J.R.R. Tolkien: Author Of The Century (0618257594, $13.00) considers the Lord of the Rings as a linguistic and cultural marvel, providing some unique analyses of the roots of evil in Tolkien's world and providing a rich accompaniment to the author's Middle Earth world. Familiarity with Lord of the Rings will lend an appreciation to this literary commentary on his myth and world. Tolkien expert Douglas Anderson provides The Annotated Hobbit (0618134700, $28.00) in a revised, expanded edition packed with references to Old English, definitions of puzzling terms, and cross-references to Tolkien's other works. The result will please any who have enjoyed the original Hobbit and who want to re-look at the text with new, specific interpretations at hand.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

How Still We See Thee Lie
Allana Martin, et al.
Worldwide Library
225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, ON, Canada, M3B 3K9
0373264372 $6.99 www.amazon.com

How Still We See Thee Lie is a true treat for mystery buffs. Four outstanding writers are anthologized with stories themed to the Christmas holidays -- but well worth reading any time of the year! In Allana Martin's "The Christmas Bonus", a stranger hands Texana Jones a suitcase full of money and she finds herself caught up in a deadly feud between the feds and the drug smugglers. In Tom Mitcheltree's "A Merry Little Christmas", Paul Fischer must do some sleuthing to find out way Adam Shipper, whom the whole town knew to be a good and saintly man, was murdered, or else this could be Paul's last Christmas on Earth! In Connie Shelton's "Holidays Can Be Murder", Charlie Parker has a friend who seemingly wants to find the dead body of her mother-in-law under the Christmas tree -- and does! In Elizabeth Gunn's "Too Many Santas", Jake Hines is called to investigate the disappearance of a child only to find himself dealing with way to many department store Santas -- one of which is deadly.

Berkley Prime Crime
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
1-800-847-5515 www.amazon.com

Two excellent new titles by tried, tested authors are highly recommended picks. Margaret Coel's Shadow Dancer (0-425-18640-7, $22.95) tells of a missionary in danger of losing his charter when a young man disappears and a friend becomes a prime suspect. Father John is willing to help her and draws some frightening connections between the murder and an ancient religion's resurrection. Solid characterization and subplots keep this mystery on the move. Miriam Grace Monfredo's Children Of Cain (18641-5, $22.95) follows others in the series, bringing both historical events and mystery to life. Bronwen Llyr is heading for the Union lines, only to find herself in the middle of Robert E. Lee's offensive. War threatens all she believes in and thwarts romance and ambition alike in this moving account of a young woman caught in the middle of conflict.


The Library CD Music Shelf

Canyon Records
3131 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
1-800-268-1141

Five new Native American cds from this specialty publisher provide new generations and all peoples with strong tribal music. Eli Secody's Following Generation Navajo Prayer Songs will appeal to listeners of solo voice/chant productions, captivating listeners with a set of Navajo prayers sung in the tradition of the Native American church. Thomas Duran Jr.'s Life Giver provides a very basic set of Peyote songs, accompanied by rattle and water drum also associated with the Native American Church and bringing an extra percussive element to the religious music. Blackstone's Around The Horn presents live pow-wow songs recorded at Coeur D'Alene, a lively collection of celebrations and dances which captures and music and feel of the pow-wow experience. Also powerful is Tha Tribe's Winter Storm, also presenting live pow-wow songs from a contemporary Native viewpoint. The singing style is quite unique and vigorous, blending both traditional and modern Native music. Southern Cree's Drum For Life provides the Montana drum group's pow-wow music. Singing and exceptionally strong drumming styles set this group's music apart. All are excellent choices for seekers of authentic Native music.

Through The Round Window
Eamonn Coyne
Compass Records
117 - 30th Avenue South, Nashville, TN 37212
7-4345-2 $17.98 compassrecords.com

Through The Round Window debuts and showcases the remarkable talents of Irish tenor banjo player Eamonn Coyne. Assisted by flautist Michael McGoldrick, Tommy Peoples, and Jerry Donahue. The selections comprising this enthusiastically recommended CD collection include: Connaught Jigs (3:00); Whistling Reels (3:38); Mazurka & Jigs (4:48); Western Swing (4:38); Mary J (3:53); Tommy & Jerry (5:02); Hendon Road (3:32); Nine String Susannah (4:26); Walpoles Pipes (3:17); Highlands (2:59); Long Roads (3:26); Ash Plant (2:55); There and Back Again (2:34); and The Wet Ones (4:11).


The Photography Shelf

Mother Earth
Judith Boice, editor
Sierra Club Books
85 Second St., San Francisco, CA 94105
1578050650 $24.95 1-800-726-0600

Now in a revised tenth-anniversary edition and edited by writer, photographer, naturopathic physician, and acupuncturist Judith Boice, Mother Earth Through The Eyes Of Women Photographers And Writers is a full-color compendium of stunningly beautiful photographs truly capturing the impressive and memorable splendor of the natural world, alongside brief yet moving essays and poems written in reverence of the earth's bounty. A vivid celebration of life itself, Mother Earth Through The Eyes Of Women Photographers And Writers is a especially attractive coffee table book and a fine addition to any nature lover's personal collection.

Business Of Studio Photography
Edward R. Lilley
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd t. #510, New York NY 10010
158115254X $21.95 1-800-491-2808

Any interested in studio photography as a business will find Edward Lilley's Business Of Studio Photography to be an important guide to building a studio photography venture from the ground up. From choosing a location and equipping it to pricing work and catering to the wedding, portrait or commercial markets, Business Of Studio Photography provides an excellent blend of business savvy and specifics tuned to the studio photography world.


The Poetry Shelf

The Girl Who Married The Reindeer
Eilean Ni Chuilleanain
Wake Forest University Press
PO Box 7333, Winston-Salem, NC 27109
1930630077 $18.95 1-336-758-5448

The first-person poetry revealed in The Girl Who Married The Reindeer presents lively reflections and insights blended with striking imagry, as in Inheriting the Books: They've come and made their camp/Within sight, within slingshot range/A circle of bulked shapes/Dark inside like wagons.) A bright, shining light in the sea of poetry chapbooks and books on the market.

Selected Poems: 1950-2000
Nathaniel Tarn
Wesleyan University Press
110 Mount Vernon Street, Middletown, CT 06459-0433
0819565423 $19.95 1-800-421-1561

Founding Editor of Cape Editions and the Cape Goliard Press, Nathaniel Tarn has published more than twenty-five books and his writings have ben translated into over a dozen languages. Selected Poems: 1950-2000 is a 347 page retrospective compilation of his verse drawing from his Random House, Penguin, New Directions, and Black Sparrow anthologies and collections, as well as from more limited and small press editions which are mostly out of print. A major innovator in American poetry and ethnopoetics, Selected Poems: 1950-2000 documents Nathaniel Tarn as a major American poet and a welcome addition to any personal or academic poetry collection. The Curtains: The leaves are coming down/the walls of my life/are not more solid//I hear the leaves coming down/at night they make the noise of footsteps/or the kisses of children/they fall like a curtain/between the leaves/bits of a sky we try to remember//"There was in that man/had he been left unshaken by his stars/a happy disposition"//On the other side of the curtain/the fathomless country lies about us/the farms/sitting like loaves among the fields/the animals/at home in their own breaths/needing no byres/and birds never a roost//We have seen it/we know it by heart/men of no season//I shall build on nothing/on nothing build my house/out of the iron nail remorselessly/hammered into the ground of this dead year//the nail so bald so cold/out of humiliation and the grinding feet/on nothing build my house/and when the leaves are fallen/and hammering is done/the curtains of the house will have been hung//Through which we glimpse/the place we shall inhabit/full void that memory

Dwellings Of Doom
Julius Balbin
The Edwin Mellen Press
Box 450, Lewiston, NY 14092-0450
0773427902 $14.95 1-716-754-2788

Dwellings Of Doom (Damnejoj) showcases the poetry of Julius Balbin who, along with his family in Cracow Poland, suffered confinement in the Jewish Ghetto of Cracow in 1939, the death of his mother in a Nazi gas chamber, and with his father, was kept in four Nazi concentration camps until liberated by American troops on May 5, 1945. Balbin went on in the post-war years to work as a translator, researcher, and professor of foreign languages. Dwellings Of Doom is dedicated to the memory of Balbin's mother, martyred by the Germans in the Nazi death camp of Belzec on October 28, 1942. Salts And Tears: After having survived/Cracow's ghetto/and the slave labor camp of Plaszow/we arrive din Wieliczka/to work in the largest salt mines/in Europe.//Every morning/we leave our barracks/under the escort of SS guards and kapos/and having reached the mines/we board huge elevators/slowly descending/to the lowest shafts.//The SS stay above/guarding the entrances./They fear/going down with us.//We are accompanied/by Polish miners/showing us through/the labyrinthine paths/in the darkness./Many share their bread/and even sausage with us.//In the darkness/it is easy to recall the recent past--/the Plazsow camp/the ghetto...//For the first time/since our enslavement/we are able to still our hunger./For the first time/in the darkness of the shaft/we meet the ghosts of/our dear ones/urging us/not to give up.//It is very cold here/and everything tastes of salt--/especially our tears/moistening the miner's bread. (Translated by Charlz Rizzuto, 1978).

The Devil's Workshop
Demetria Martinez
The University of Arizona Press
355 South Euclid Avenue, Suite 103, Tucson, AZ 85719
0816521972 $14.95 1-800-426-3797

The Devil's Workshop is a collection of brief yet emotionally memorable free-verse poems by novelist and poet Demetria Martinez. Poignant and memorable, reaching out to people, The Devil's Workshop is a compendium of verse which embraces both the light and the dark of humanity. Today I was told that the words/'War is bad'/Make for/Bad poetry./ OK./Then consider/This poem/Dispensable,/Depleted/As uranium,/A poor poem,/A colored poem.

The White Fire Of Time
Ellen Hinsey
Wesleyan University Press
110 Mt. Vernon St, Middletown CT 06459
0819565571 $12.95 1-800-421-1561

The White Fire Of Time is a collection of original, free-verse poems by Ellen Hinsey (who teaches writing and literature at the Skidmore College program in Paris and the Ecole Polytechnique) about endurance, consciousness, the earth itself and emotional respite in the face of merciless eternity. A thought-provoking and introspective anthology. Under the thunderous silence, under the shadow/Of a Word, in terror or indifference, or in slow advancement,/Each body moving along the horizon of days,/Each in its own motion, each compelled by the temporal axis.

Leviathan With A Hook
Kimberly Johnson
Persea Books
853 Broadway, #604, NY, NY 10003
0892552824 $23.00 1-800-233-4830

Leviathan With A Hook is the debut collection showcasing the poetry of Kimberly Johnson. Drawing upon her scholarship in 16th and 17th century poetry, Johnson writes a lucid and energetic verse noted for a unique musical form and literary vision that will fully engage and reward her reader's attention. Pater Noster: This garden is a betrayal. It has nothing/to do with me--the brooding columbine,/anemones measuring the wind, the rose/involved, roes interrupted//not in their browse through roes of indigo./Cardinals hinge on air, draw flight/in a thread of scarlet. Fishpools gaze/at clouds, full of clouds//like fish and fish like clouds, golden/in sunlight, finning the doubled blue./The wallflower flings pale kisses at the sky./The silver maple flaps its silver at any passerby.

Surely As Birds Fly
H. L. Hix
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
1931112053 $14.95 1-800-916-6802

Surely as Birds Fly is a collection of uniquely inspired free-verse poetry by H. L. Hix. From laments written on behalf of various body parts to the dark contemplations in the second section under the general heading "Thistle, Clover, Rape", Surely As Birds Fly offers a voice apart from the crowd, blending elements of sexuality, sadism, grief, and a navigation of the human soul. Among Trees And Stones: Souls wince. They glow in mist./Constant to their suffering, they hide themselves/in circadian rhythm, hoping only, like dry leaves/at autumn's end, to fall quietly to the grass./Still, the will cannot be wholly sacrificed:/periodically in the dark mist two souls/blunder into each other's burning footprints/calling god as their sole witness.

The Time, The Hour, The Time, The Hour, The Solitariness Of The Place
Louis Phillips
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama
Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
0942979877 $11.00 www.uwa.edu

Louis Phillips is an accomplished and seasoned poet who writes his verse with great wit and a keen sense of the human condition. The Time, The Hour, The Solitariness Of The Place is his latest collection showcases a poet who uses words and paper the way an artist uses paint and canvas to evoke a recognition and reflection within the mind's eye of the reader. Cantrip: Sleep lively now/While I mortal weave/About your breathing/Hush now sounds,/Your world displaced/Where now the night/Imprints & now/The wind. Breathe/Yourself thru/This forest of sighs,/Gorgeous the moon/Pranking round hollow,/Now to awake./The spell is broken/& yes you are free.

Bellocq's Ophelia
Natasha Trethewey
Graywolf Press
2402 University Avenue, Suite 203, Saint Paul, MN 55114
1555973590 $14.00 1-651-641-007

Bellocq's Ophelia by Natasha Trethewey is a complete novel told in a series of verses inspired by the early 1900 E. J. Bellocq photographs of prostitutes in the red-light district of new Orleans. Bellocq's Ophelia is the imaginative and original tale of a woman who's brothel Madame tells her to act like statue on display for the male patrons of the establishment. Bellocq - April 1911: There comes a quiet man now to my room--/Papa Bellocq, his camera on his back./He wants nothing, he says, but to take me/as I would arrange myself, fully clothed--/a brooch at my throat, my white hat angled/just so--or not, the smooth map of my flesh/awash in afternoon light. In my rom/everything's a prop for his composition--/brass spittoon in the corner, the silver/mirror, brush and comb of my toilette./I try to pose as I think he would like--shy/at first, then bolder. I'm not so foolish/that I don't know this photograph we make/will bear the stamp of his name, not mine.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Rowan Junior
Kim Hargreaves
Rowan
Green Lane Mill, Holmfirth
W. Yorkshire, England, HD9 2DX
0954094956 $19.95 www.amazon.com

Over thirty modern knitting designs for babies and kids up to age twelve are included in Rowan Junior: Over Thirty Five Knitting Designs For Babies And Children Up To Twelve Years, a project-oriented knitter's guide which covers everything from hats and scarves to garments. Add the artistic and colorful photography of children modeling these creations and you have a practical guide packed with inspiration and instructions.

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

Two new project guides are recommended picks for quilters. Diane Gaudynski's "user friendly" Guide To Machine Quilting (1574327968, $24.95) provides tips and techniques for all skills levels, answering common questions about machine quilting and providing tips and shortcuts. Different styles, marking techniques, and finishing tips accompany the proejcts. Barbara Dieges' A Thread Runs Through It (1574327933, $19.95) focuses on stitches used in quilting, using a number of traditional pieced quilt and applique projects to demonstrate these stitches. Add insights into 1800s quilter's lives and you have a satsifying blend of stories, quilting history, and projects.

That Dorky Homemade Look
Lisa Boyer
Good Books
PO Box 419, Intercourse, PA 17534-0419
1561483516 $9.95 www.goodbks.com

That Dorky Homemade Look: Quilting Lesso