Danes In Wisconsin
Frederick Hale
Wisconsin Historical Society Press
University of Wisconsin, dist.
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53706
www.wisconsinhistory.org/publications
0870203665 $9.95 1-800-621-2736
Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Danes In Wisconsin is a brief history of Danish immigrants and their contribution to Wisconsin settlement and history during the 1800's. Vintage black-and-white photographs illustrate this fascinating introduction, written for lay readers, to how Danish settlers lived and how they struggled to preserve their culture. New to revised and expanded addition are the letters of Andrew Frederickson, written over a forty-year span, which succinctly capture the personal experiences of a Dane who made a new life for himself in Wisconsin. A brief yet savory and entertaining tidbit of Wisconsin history, especially recommended as a gift or souvenir book.
Tales From The Wisconsin Badgers
Justin Doherty
Sports Publishing
804 North Neil St., Champaign, IL 61820
www.SportsPublishingLLC.com
1582614083 $19.95 1-877-807-6034
Tales From The Wisconsin Badgers by Justin Doherty (Director of Athletic communications, University of Wisconsin) is a compilation of anecdotes, personal recollections, and original research that provides the reader with glimpses of what makes Wisconsin Badgers football both unique and inherently interesting. Doherty surveys the entire history of the Badger football program from its humble beginnings through the glory years of head coach Barry Alvarez. Along the way readers are treated to the bizarre tale of "Kangaroo Kicker" Pat O'Dea, the mysterious discovery of a long-forgotten trophy of one of college football's longest rivalries in a Camp Randall storeroom nearly 50 years after its disappearance, a 23-game winless streak finally broken with a victory over archrival Iowa in 1969, and dozens of other humorous, poignant, and memorable stories about the Wisconsin Badgers. Drawing upon personal interviews with more than two dozen players, coaches, and staff members, Tales From The Wisconsin Badgers is a "must read" sports team history for all Badger fans and an essential acquisition for Wisconsin's community libraries for future generations of Badger football enthusiasts!
The Golden Age Of Handbuilt Bicycles
Jan Heine, author
Jean-Pierre Praderes, photographer
Vintage Bicycle Press
140 Lakeside Ave., Suite C, Seattle, WA 98122
www.vintagebicyclepress.com
0976546000 $60.00 www.amazon.com
Jan Heine (the Editor of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly magazine) presents The Golden Age Of Handbuilt Bicycles, a lavishly illustrated and beautifully presented showcase of classic bicycles created with exquisite craftsmanship, and strict attention to detail and practicality alike. Featuring full-color photography by Jean-Pierre Praderes throughout, The Golden Age Of Handbuilt Bicycles offers a very brief commentary about the features and special distinctions of each brand of bicycle, from the Schulz (1935-1937) to the Rene Herse (1946-1947) to the Caminargent (1951) and many more. Each individual bicycle type has approximately two to four pages of superb color photography, including in-close shots, as well as a handful of vintage black-and-white photos of the bikes being used by people pepper this elaborate compendium especially recommended for collectors and hobby enthusiasts. The Golden Age Of Handbuilt Bicycles is very highly recommended for cycling enthusiasts.
Things No Longer There
Susan Krieger
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711
www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress
0299208648 $19.95 1-800-621-2736
These are personal stories of the author Susan Krieger's slow loss of sight and provides ten brief reflections and one novella-length drama which follows Susan's birdwatching in a New Mexico desert, learning to use a white cane, and final enjoyment of life's visions before losing her sight. Outer landscapes may change, but inner vision persists - and Susan Krieger faces disability and a changed life with renewed vision. Things No Longer There is very highly recommended reading.
Front Of The Class
Brad Cohen & Lisa Wysocky
VanderWyk & Burnham
PO Box 2789, Acton, MA 01720-6789
1889242241 $22.95 www.VandB.com
Tourette Syndrome is a neurological disorder causing uncontrollable motor or vocal tics such as blinking, jerking, throat clearing, and "barking" noises. About ten percent of Tourette Syndrome sufferers have the type of verbal tick that vocalizes foul languages. Today about 100,000 people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with full-blown Tourette syndrome. Back the early 1980s, when seven-year-old Brad Cohen developed Tourette Syndrome, the condition was almost unknown and always misunderstood. Brad was taunted, ridiculed, and even physically attacked through his elementary, junior high and high school years because of his condition. Other children, teachers, and sometimes even his own family members found it difficult to be around him. Even now, as an adult in 2005, Brad still gets kicked out of some restaurants and theaters, despite carrying his Americans with Disabilities Act card. Front Of The Class: How Tourette Syndrome Made Me The Teacher I Never Had is the autobiographical story of how Brad was able deal with his condition and become an educator and motivational speaker. Included are twenty-three motivational tips on living with any disability. Strongly recommended reading, especially for anyone similarly afflicted, Front Of The Class is the remarkable story of a remarkable man who learned to deal with a marked and all too remarkable affliction.
The Story Of The Irish Pub
Cian Molloy
Dufour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
www.dufoureditions.com
1904148131 $29.95 1-800-869-5677
Any Irish reader interested in Irish history will want to turn to Cian Molloy's The Story Of The Irish Pub, an intoxicating history of family-owned pubs in Ireland and a key to understanding Irish history and culture that blends profiles of over 100 such pubs with a history of the licensed trade across Ireland. While black and white photos and plenty of maps lend to The Story Of The Irish Pub's "take along" importance for a trip to the 'old country'. Armchair readers will find much to delight their eye in The Story Of The Irish Pub..
Nolo Press
950 Parker St., Berkeley, Ca 94710
Two essential references should be on the shelf of any public library: they provide invaluable information for a wide range of audiences. The 12th edition of How To File For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy (141330-1797, $29.99) by Attorneys Stephen Elias, Albin Renauer and Robin Leonard doesn't just explain Chapter 7 and the other bankruptcy options and their effects on credit and lives: it includes all the forms and step-by-step details needed to file for Chapter 7 bankruptcy. From associated problems such as stopping creditor calls and harassment to fending off wage garnishments, collections, and more; How To File For Chapter 7 Bankruptcy provides important keys to moving on and starting over. The 11th edition of Attorney Anthony Mancuso's How To Form A Nonprofit Corporation In California (1413303722, $49.99) includes all the forms on cd-rom and easy instructions which are keys to creating a do-it-yourself nonprofit entity without a lawyer's fees. From filing articles and bylaws to preparing meeting minutes, the latest rules are discussed for California organizations. Both are outstanding, important references.
We Know What You Want
Martin Howard
Disinformation
163 - 3rd Avenue, #108, NY NY 10003
1932857052 $13.95 www.disinfo.com
Corporations and governments are sharing some of the same tactics to manipulate consumer attitudes and perceptions, and it's time to understand the roots of these messages in We Know What You Want: How They Change Your Mind. From retail sales to media, events, and virtual reality, case studies spotlight 'trend' origins, influences, and underlying goals in a thought-provoking, often frightening, clear set of examples and discussions. A 'must read' for any interested in business, marketing, consumerism and beyond.
What Does Al-Qaeda Want?
Robert O. Marlin IV
Terra Nova/North Atlantic Books
PO Box 12327, Berkeley, CA 94712
www.northatlanticbooks.com
1556435487 $9.95 1-800-337-2665
President Bush says al-Qaeda has attacked because of their hatred of freedom and democracy - but the average Islamic peoples' real grievances are what rallies support for the group, more than an overall ideology. What Does Al-Qaeda Want? Unedited Communiques offers text of taped messages, decrees, and interviews with bin Laden and other al-Qaeda leaders in an effort to use primary sources to define more clearly al-Qaeda's objectives and concerns. What Does Al-Qaeda Want? is a 'must' for anyone who would gain informed, unedited perspectives on al-Qaeda and its purposes.
Backyard Catapults
Bill Wilson
Loompanics Unlimited
PO Box 1107, Port Townsend, WA 98368
1559502460 $10.00 loompanics.com
Bill Wilson is no newcomer to catapults - nor to writing about them. His first book on the topic provided many insights: Backyard Catapults: How To Built Your Own offers even more, from photos of the building process updated by more recent plans and ideas to catapult websites and contests around the country. Packed with black and white photos and diagrams, Backyard Catapults is a must for any interested in the topic.
The King's English
Betsy Burton
Gibbs Smith
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
www.gibbs-smith.com
1586856871 $24.95 1-800-748-5439
While The King's English: Adventures Of An Independent Bookseller might seem to be about one small bookstore's experiences, it's actually much more: a lively survey of books, the love of reading, encounters with famous authors, and handling customers at the retail level. Blend in accounts of novelists and book signing events with book lists and social and political issues surrounding the literary and publishing worlds and you have far more than an autobiography.
Opium
Collin R. Shearing
Mercury Books
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Dr., Dulles, VA 20166
www.internationalpubmarket.com
190466850X $25.00 1-800-758-3756
Opium has held a mixed history in human affairs, moving from being a gift to humanity to being viewed as the addictive scourge of mankind. Opium: A Journey Through Time is a lovely documentation of these transitions, going back five thousand years to consider its origins in human affairs, to modern times. Gorgeous color illustrations pack Shearing's journey, providing a strong artistic accent to the story of opium's pros and cons.
The Ferguson Tractor Story
Stuart Gibbard
Old Pond/Diamond Farm Book Pub.
PO Box 537, Bailey Settlement Road, Alexandria Bay, NY 13607
1903366089 $36.03 diamondfarm.com
There's a new interest in tractors and farm equipment history and fitting right in with this growing interest in Stuart Gibbard's The Ferguson Tractor Story, an outstanding history pairing vintage black and white and more modern color photos with a clear survey of the Ferguson tractor's invention, evolution and development over the years. Prototypes, variations on designs, and even models which existed only on paper are packed into a colorful, lively coverage which should easily reach beyond the specialized enthusiast market it's intended for.
Mark Batty Publisher
6050 Boulevard East, #2H, West New York, NJ 07093
www.markbattypublisher.com
There are over 177 miles of man-made tunnels and old quarries under the streets of Paris - and they aren't completely abandoned in modern times, but have become a focus for urban culture and art. For over 300 years visitors have chosen these tunnels to comment on events above ground: Caroline Archer & Alexandre Parre's Paris Underground (0972424075) charts both old and new material over the decades, providing an important survey of the history leading to the evolution of an 'underground alternative gallery'. Packed with images and examples, Paris Underground is an essential guide for any who would fully understand ALL the art of Paris. Nicole Recchia's Warning (0972563695) gathers wordless warning signs from common sources, organizing 'Death and Disaster' chapters by fire, crushing, falling and others, and adding a 'truly bizarre' section for those which fit nowhere else. Having the graphic warning labels side by side allows for some intriguing comparisons of design styles in this unique guide to contemporary disaster prevention.
State Trends
Morgan Quinto Press
PO Box 1656, Lawrence, KS 66044-8656
0740109472 $59.95 morganquinto.com
College collections and public library reference holdings which get traffic in business research will want to make sure the latest 2nd updated edition of State Trends: Measuring Change In The 50 United States is on the reference shelf. From details on how much a college education has increased over the past 20 years to women in the workforce and health insurance standards, State Trends contrasts a new set of trends in the areas of employment, education, social welfare, and much more, measuring trends for 40 key quality of life factors. An excellent statistical compilation.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Arthritis Relief
Dr. Jwing-Ming Yang
YMAA Publications
4354 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
www.ymaa.com
1594390339 $16.95 1-800-669-8892
Written by a Chinese martial arts and Qigong instructor who has trained and practiced since 1961, Arthritis Relief: Chinese Qigong For Healing And Prevention is now in an updated third edition with revised instructions for performing its suggested exercises. Presented as a complement to Western medicine, which is more proficient at relieving pain and inflammation than promoting full healing, Arthritis Relief demonstrates Qigong exercises and massage/acupressure techniques designed to rebuild the strength of one's joints, as well as an overview of arthritis itself and the dietary, genetic, and other factors that cause it. Black-and-white photographs demonstrate the recommended exercises and body movements. Though it cannot replace a visit to one's physician, Arthritis Relief is a welcome, easy-to-follow supplement especially for those suffering from arthritis and who want to do something more about it than just taking medicine.
The Best Friends' Guide To Getting Fit
Kim Murphy and Kris Carpenter
Capital Books Inc.
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
www.capital-books.com
1933102004 $18.95 1-800-758-3756
Two out of shape friends used their friendship as the basis for establishing a consistent exercise routine - and you and a chosen friend can follow in their footsteps with their Best Friends' Guide To Getting Fit. From setting mutual fitness goals and establishing a routine to overcoming illness, injuries and even boredom and lack of discipline, certified personal trainers Murphy and Carpenter provide a wealth of inspirational tips.
W.W. Norton & Company
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com
Dr. Richard Rappaport's study of the discovery of the nerve synapse Nerve Endings (0393060195, $23.95) also presents the story of two doctors who shared the Nobel Prize in Medicine in 1906 yet were separated by geographical and psychological differences. The parallel lives and discoveries of Santiago Ramon y Cajal and Camillo Golgi provides an intriguing survey of two men whose similar discoveries and investigative processes led to the science of neurosurgery and better understanding of neurological diseases. An intriguing survey of parallel lives and very different perspectives. Cecilia M. Mikalac, MD's Money And Outpatient Psychiatry: Practice Guidelines From Accounting To Ethics (0393704408, $45.00) covers many issues not usually revealed in grad school, which all practitioners need to know. Billing, accounting and business management concerns are translated into money management basics for psychiatric practices of all types, from practicing psychologists to social workers and nurses, covering such important topics as how to assess an office or practice's financial foundations, plan for private practice's ups and downs, and handling legal and ethical challenges along the way. The second section covering insurance concerns, managed care, drug companies, kickbacks and more is where the meat of the book lies, really delving into the daily concerns a private practice an expect to encounter. MD's Money And Outpatient Psychiatry is a 'must' for any clinician or practice in psychiatry.
The Xeno Chronicles
G. Wayne Miller
Public Affairs
250 West 57th St., #1321, NY, NY 10107
www.perseusbooks.com
1586482424 $26.00 1-877-782-1234
G. Wayne Miller's The Xeno Chronicles: Two Years On The Frontier Of Medicine Inside Harvard's Transplant Research Lab focuses on Dr. David Sachs, a pioneer in immunology who has made many contributions in the field of organ transplants. His real passion lies in xenotransplantion: using animal parts to treat and replace human parts, and The Xeno Chronicles here examines his decades of work and the genetically engineered, cloned pig Goldie designed for organs which are not rejected by recipients. From limits of research money and time to moral and ethical concerns, The Xeno Chronicles does an excellent job of keeping a fast pace and a scientific eye on Dr. Sachs' promise and progress.
Burn Unit
Barbara Ravage
Da Capo Press
11 Cambridge Ctr, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooks.com
0306814196 $16.95 1-800-242-7737
It's grueling work caring for victims who wind up in a burn unit: work author Barbara Ravage examines as she follows the Mass General health team working in the hospital's burn unit. Here are touching stories of victims severely burned, medical teams which care for them through a difficult recovery process, and insights into the latest advances in rehabilitation and treatment. The many case histories personalize the entire experience.
Dangerous Doses
Katherine Eban
Harcourt
15 East 26th St., New York NY 10010
www.harcourtbooks.com
0151010501 $25.00 1-800-543-1918
If it's a medical investigative thriller - true life - which is needed, look no further than Katherine Eban's Dangerous Doses: How Counterfeiters Are Contaminating America's Drug Supply. Stolen, counterfeit and compromised medicines are making their way into a poorly regulated American distribution system, Eban maintains. Her exploration of investigations into drug counterfeiters makes for powerful first-hand reporting as she follows a team of dedicated investigators trying to stem the flow.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Secret History Of Freemasonry
Paul Naudon
Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
159477028X $16.95 1-800-246-8648
The hidden history of freemasons from Rome to modern times is revealed in a survey which traces modern freemasonry back to colleges of artisans in ancient Rome, and their organization evolution to the Arab turuqs, brotherhoods of builders created under the Knights Templar. Spiritual, social and cultural history blend in a survey which examines both Freemason history and spiritual concepts and how they changed from early to modern times. The Secret History Of Freemasonry: Its Origins And Connection To The Knights Templar provides fascinating and informative chapters covering everything from cooperative masonry associations to speculative masonry rituals.
Tarot Workbook
Juliet Sharman-Burke
Red Wheel/Weiser
368 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.redwheelweiser.com
1859061435 $14.95 1-800-423-7087
Utilizing the classic Sharman-Caselli tarot deck, practicing analytic psychotherapist and astrologist Juliet Sharman-Burke draws upon her considerable expertise to provide a thoroughly "user friendly" guide and consumable workbook that will enable even the most novice metaphysical student to learn how they can read tarot cards. Black-and-white illustrations of each card, along with a summary of the card's implications and a section of lines for the reader to write down reflections comprise the majority of the down-to-basics fortune telling book. Charts laying out sample Tarot spreads and color pictures of the Sharman-Caselli tarot deck on the paperback dust jacket round out this highly accessible and easy-to-use guide.
Ghost Hunter's Guide To The San Francisco Bay Area
Jeff Dwyer
Pelican Publishers
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
www.pelicanpub.com
1589802896 $14.95 1-800-843-1724
If it's ghostly encounters which attract you and a visit to San Francisco is in your future, take a look at Jeff Dwyer's Ghost Hunter's Guide To The San Francisco Bay Area: it's a highlight of a hundred haunted spots in and around the city, all accessible to the public, where you can search out your own haunts. Anecdotes of sightings accompany checklists and details on available tours. Addresses and phones, and black and white photos of each haunted place, are included. Dwyer is a native of northern California and personal, extensive research has resulted in a winner.
Llewellyn
PO Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164
www.llewellyn.com
In 1994 author Annie Wilder and her children moved into a 100-year-old house in a Mississippi town: a spooky mansion which indeed proved to be haunted. House Of Spirits And Whispers (0738707775, $12.95) covers a decade's worth of the family's ghostly encounters and supernatural events and provides the gripping, true story of how a family lived with a haunted house. Konstantinos' Nocturnicon: Calling Dark Forces And Powers (0738708-321, $14.95) provides a guide to the dark side, using diverse source materials to present both ancient magick and religions and modern techniques for working with dark forces. This isn't just a historical survey: the techniques presented herein have proven to be more effective for the author than other forms of magick practiced over fifteen years: any practitioner of magick will find it intriguing. Ellen Dugan's Autumn Equinox: The Enchantment Of Mabon (0738706248, $14.95) tells of the Autumn Equinox celebration and its importance to Mabon's balance and plenty. Rituals, spells, recipes and customs to celebrate the Equinox blends folklore and myths with magick and divination rituals and even some seasonal crafts and treat recipes, providing a wide-ranging and positive view of how celebration rituals can be gathered and solidified. Patrick Dunn's Postmodern Magic: The Art Of Magic In The Information Age (0738706639, $14.95) offers a different perspective on magic, using an information paradigm to help readers assess beliefs and create their own magical language, entities and tools. From astral travel to predictions, new practitioners receive a fine set of updated magic tools. J.F. O'Neill's Foundations Of Magic: Techniques & Spells That Work (0738707430, $16.95) provides beginners with a guide to making magic - and it doesn't even require belief to work. This secular spell book gathers techniques from both magic and modern psychology, blending the two to create everyday spells which require psychological preparation to work. From editing old memories to locating true love and luck in lie, the combination of psychology and magic makes for a powerful force.
New Page Books
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
www.newpagebooks.com
Plenty of magic books speak of witch's brews, but too few go into the specifics of their construction. New age Wiccan practitioners just starting out will thus welcome Patricia Telesco's Kitchen Witch's Guide To Brews And Potions (1564147908 $15.99), which offers spice-infused recipes for all kinds of potions. You needn't look for exotic ingredients, either: symbolic beverages contain juices and ordinary grocery-store fare. Susan G. Shumsky's Exploring Auras: Cleansing And Strengthening Your Energy Field (1564-148025, $14.99) goes beyond most New Age discussions of auras and their identification to address how to improve one's aura and energy. If you wish more energy, clarity and peace through such a process and believe that healing an aura can release troubling vibrations and free psychic energy, then the instructional lessons of Exploring Auras empowers and is the book for you.
The American History Shelf
Mile High Mile Deep
Richard K. O'Malley
Clark City Press
PO Box 1358, Livingston MT 59047
0944439543 $TBA clarkcitypress.com
Any who would understand history and life in Butte, Montana during the 1920s simply must have Mile High Mile Deep: it's more than just one man's memory; it's a solid first-hand observational account of life in early Butte, Montana. O'Malley was born in Portland but moved to Butte when he was eight, working the mines then becoming a respected journalist. His Mile High Deep is a strong memory which includes almost forty photos from the collections of the World Museum of Mining and the Butte-Silver Bow public Archives, blending local history with art to produce an outstanding account which fits as easily into the 'art' category as it does 'early Americana'.
Great West Books
PO Box 1028, Lafayette, CA 94549
www.greatwestbooks.com
Great West Books focuses on Northern California, distributing selected products from very small presses and providing some exceptional local histories which just wouldn't be seen otherwise. For example, Nilda Rego's Days Gone By In Contra Costa County, CA: Volume 1 (1889652-016, $15.95) and Volume 2 (1889652024, $15.95): these aren't your usual tourist destination guides, but fine memoirs which pack in stories of people and events in the early days of a San Francisco Bay Area county which rarely receives its own attention. Volume 1 covers people and events up to the 1930s; Volume 2 presents more stories and events to the 1950s. Nilda Rego was a newspaper reporter most of her life, working for many years on a local Contra Costa newspaper column of weekly local history. Hers is an outstanding set which provides ongoing reference and memories of days gone by to any with an interest in Contra Costa history. Malcolm E. Barker compiles and edits San Francisco Memoirs 1835-1851: Eyewitness Accounts Of The Birth Of A City (0930235-045, $16.95), gathering eyewitness accounts from hundreds of journals, letters and out of print books by people who lived in early San Francisco. Essays and commentary by Barker link the 44 narratives and present smooth transitions between. William Kostura's Russian Hill: The Summit 1853-1906 (0965640000, $17.95) provides a neighborhood history, following a unique set of families who rebuilt a neighborhood destroyed by an earthquake. Diaries, letters, memoirs, family photo albums and more provide a unique tribute to Russian Hill's residents and long history.
To The Flag
Richard J. Ellis
University Press of Kansas
2502 Westbrooke Circle, Lawrence, KS 66045-4444
www.kansaspress.ku.edu
0700613722 $29.95 1-785-864-4155
With new challenges to the Pledge of Allegiance taking place in modern times, it's important to understand the origins of the Pledge, and To The Flag: The Unlikely History Of The Pledge Of Allegiance provides this background, examining its original writing in 1892 and various challenges to its authority and style up to present times. From the schoolhouse flag movement and first use of the Pledge to its modern meaning to new immigrants, To The Flag should be on the shelves of any high school or public library strong in American history.
1491
Charles C. Mann
Alfred A. Knopf
1745 Broadway, 17th fl, NY, NY 10019
www.aaknopf.com
140004006X $30.00 1-800-726-0600
If you think you know American history, especially its early origins, think again: 1491: New Revelations Of The Mericas Before Columbus will challenge everything you've ever known about pre-Columbus America. New archaeological evidence has proven some of America's most strongly-held beliefs wrong: that in 1491 America was more populated than Europe, even boasting cities larger than any in Europe at the time; that the earliest Western Hemisphere cities were thriving before Egyptians built the pyramids, and that Native Americans transformed the land before Europeans even arrived. So much for 'pristine wilderness'. And so much for traditional history: 1491 defies it - and is a 'must' for any history buff.
Red Atom
Paul R. Josephson
University of Pittsburgh Press
3400 Forbes Ave., Pittsburgh, PA 15260
www.pitt.edu
0822958813 $19.95 1-800-666-2211
An extensive review of Soviet-era archives contributes many previously unconsidered facts to Red Atom: Russia's Nuclear Power Program From Stalin To Today. In the 1950s it was the Russian dream to produce efficient, cheap nuclear energy: thirty years later Chernobyl changed the world. The history of the Soviet's use of nuclear power, its projects, and its setback after Chernobyl make for an intriguing history of a scientific and social disaster in the making.
The Dream Life
J. Hoberman
The New Press
38 Greene Street, New York NY 10013
www.thenewpress.com
1565849787 $19.95 1-800-233-4830
Here's a new cultural history of the Sixties - through the eye of the camera as it considers the social and political impact of movies and theater of the times. Using key Hollywood productions from Shampoo to Bonnie and Clyde, senior film critic at the Village Voice Hoberman provides a lively reconstruction of the politics behind the films, examining with actors and subjects with a critic's eye for detail. A fine history evolves which uses the film world as a reflection of cultural change.
The Sky's The Limit
Steven Gaines
Little, Brown
1271 Avenue of Americas, NY NY 10020
www.twbookmark.com
0316608513 $26.95 1-800-759-0190
New York real estate is sizzling hot, holding some of the most expensive condos and offices in the country: Author/editor Steven Gaines reveals the behind-the-scenes deals and influences of big-ticket properties in Manhattan in The Sky's The Limit: Passion And Property In Manhattan. From secret rules of co-op boards which limit who can buy and live in their establishments to elite buildings which have turned away some of the biggest celebrities, this is a fascinating history of Manhattan real estate - fascinating even for those with no New York connections.
The Landmarks Of New York
Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel
Monacelli Press
611 Broadway, Suite 309, NY, NY 10012
1580931545 $65.00 monacellipress.com
If it's one weighty, definitive library reference you need to New York City's landmarks, make it Landmarks Of New York: An Illustrated Record Of The City's Historic Buildings: its scope and format can't be beat. Art and architectural libraries as well as New York City specialty collections will welcome documentation of over 1,100 buildings which have earned landmark status over the past forty years. A chronological arrangement guides readers through a wealth of building styles and types, from farmhouses and churches to mansions, with black and white photos of each accompanying descriptions, comments on style and design, listings of architects involved in the building's construction and redesign over the decades, and style descriptions. A 'must' for any serious architectural or New York history collection.
Ramona Memories
Dydia DeLyser
University of Minnesota Press
111 - 3rd Avenue South, #290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
0816645728 $18.95 upress.umn.edu
The heroine of Helen Hunt Jackson's 1884 novel Ramona started a trend of Ramona namings of landmarks which became part of many a tourist's journey to Southern California at the time. Surprisingly, Ramona Memories: Tourism And The Shaping Of Southern California is the first study to consider the influence of Jackson's fictional character and setting on the real world of Southern California. DeLyser examines the myth of Ramona in the regional tourist history, the establishment of attractions by fans of the novel, and tells of numerous Ramona enthusiasts who took elements of the novel and made them a part of their lives.
Arcadia Publishing
580 Howard, #302, San Francisco CA 94105
$19.99 each www.arcadiapublishing.com
The Bay Area regional history titles published by Arcadia, part of their broader 'Images of America' regional histories, are simply marvelous: each book comes packed with vintage photos which form the foundation of local city and neighborhood coverages which are simply unavailable elsewhere. The detail is explicit and unusual, as in Richard Brandi's San Francisco's West Portal Neighborhoods (073-8529974), covering the adjacent neighborhoods of West Portal, Forest Hill and St. Francis Wood: areas of San Francisco well off the usual beaten tourist track. Author Brandi is himself a West Portal resident, and uses his knowledge to compliment a wonderful gathering of vintage images depicting the area's many changes. Each picture is clearly identified, dated, and provided appropriate historical background. Dr. William Lipsky's San Francisco's Panama-Pacific International Exposition (0738530093) is the item of choice if you wish to recreate the 1915 celebration of the opening of the Panama Canal in San Francisco. San Francisco historian Lipsky has written several others on the city: this gorgeous gathering of Pan-Pacific photos and memorabilia captures the relics and reminders of the great event which lasted 10 months and covered nearly the entire Marina District. Again, there's nothing quite like this available - packed with vintage photos and history. Look to the south of San Francisco and you'll find U.R. Sharma's Morgan Hill (073852977X), produced in conjunction with the Morgan Hill Historical Society and packed with images of a bygone era. Settled in the southern Santa Clara Valley by one Martin Murphy Sr. in 1945, Morgan Hill evolved from a family ranch to a popular rail stop, then a desirable suburb. Vast changes have turned Morgan Hill into a city: black and white photos tells of quite a different past. Look further south and you'll find Gary s. Breschini, Mona Gudgel and Trudy Haversat's Early Salinas (0738529931), the story of a central California town named for the saltwater slough that seeped in from MontereyBay. Salinas made its money on its farm produce, yet mountains isolated it from neighboring development. The authors, both archaeologists and teachers, are recognized authorities on Salinas and draw on the Monterey County Historical Society's vast holdings to present a thorough overview. Kent Seavey and the Heritage Society of Pacific Grove's Pacific Grove (0738529648) comes from the former curator of the California Historical Society who teaches architectural history at a nearby college: black and white photos document vintage homes, old commercial areas of the city, and local weddings and celebrations. These are treasures for any who live near these areas, are from these areas, or hold a special affection for local color and neighborhood coverages.
The Military Shelf
Commandos: Operation Chariot
Jon Cooksey
Pen & Sword/Casemate Publishers
2114 Darby Rd., Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishing.com
1844151166 $24.99 1-610-853-9131
The latest addition to the outstanding "Elite Forces Operations" series, Commandos: Operation Chariot - The Raid On St. Nazaire by Jon Cooksey is the riveting and detailed story of a bold plan in March 1942 by the Allies to mount a large-scale commando raid on the Normandie dry dock at St. Nazaire which was in the grip of German occupation for the past two years. A heavy price in dead, wounded and captured was the cost of this vital mission which also saw the awarding of more than eighty decorations, including five VCS, bearing witness to the ferocity and courage of the commandos who took on an entrenched and powerful forces. No personal or academic library World War II European Theater military history collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of Commandos: Operation Chariot - The Raid On St. Nazaire.
U.S. Armor Camouflage And Markings World War II
Jim Mesko
Squadron/Signal Publications
1115 Crowley Dr., Carrollton, TX 75011
0897474929 $TBA, www.squadron.com
U.S. Armor Camouflage And Markings World War II is an informative photo-documentary of markings and camouflage of American vehicles during the second world war. Illustrated with copious black-and-white photographs on every page and a handful of color images, U.S. Armor Camouflage And Markings World War II provides captions to each photograph along with brief essays and tables, such as a table that breaks down the meaning of different digits in registration numbers and bumper codes. A brief, fact-filled guide valuable both as visual reference and as a fascinating glimpse into a piece of military history for lay readers.
SAS And Elite Forces
Bruce Quarrie
The Lyons Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
www.LyonsPress.com
1592287093 $24.95 1-800-836-0510
Over a hundred photos and special diagrams packs SAS And Elite Forces: The Elite Military Units Of The World, recounting the story of the special military forces of today, their origins, equipment, training, and roles. Military history readers receive thorough coverage on the relationship between special forces and the regular armies of which they are members, along with chapters which explores what it takes to be an elite forces member. From Nato forces and Warsaw Pact forces to other nations of the world, SAS And Elite Forces is a fine overview.
The Geeks Of War
John Edwards
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0814408524 $24.00 amacombooks.org
Military technologies of modern times may be viewed as primitive tomorrow: that's the message of The Greeks Of War: The Secretive Labs And Brilliant Minds Behind Tomorrow's Warfare Technologies. New military techniques are born in not just government labs, but private and academic labs as well: author Edwards gained access to individuals at these institutions and conducted interviews with the scientists, analysts and program directors involved in battlefield technology. From how weapons are developed to other lines of wartime technology, Geeks Of War offers fine analysis of the next generation of weapons and communications systems.
Strikes
Ross E. Harlan
Oklahoma Cavanal Publishers
2639 North Eagle Lane, Oklahoma City, OK 73127-1166
www.okcavanal-publish.com
0976646323 $24.95 1-405-789-0268
Ross E. Harlan served as an Intelligence Officer and Executive Officer in the 323rd Bomb Group during the European campaigns against the German forces during the bitter years of conflict during World War II. Harlan's personal eye-witness story begins in the summer of 1942 at MacDill Field, Tampa, Florida where the pilots first learned to master their temperamental B-26 bombers. Over water flights began during a frigid winter at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, then the air group was assigned to England for final training, eventually operating in the European Theater of Operations from three Royal Air Force Bases (Horham, Earls Colne, Beaulieu). Their first combat mission against an important marshalling rail yard at Abbeville in occupied France was a success. During their first six months of air combat, the 323rd Bomb Group flew 69 missions, dropping 2,1666 tons of bombs, and suffered their first losses. The Group provided essential cover on D-Day, and with the invasion of France, moved their base of operations to the Continent in August of 1944, becoming more active than ever, undertaking 43 missions in the single month of March 1945 targeting railroads, marshalling years, oil storage dumps, airfields, ordinance depots, and contributing to the rapid advance of ground troops across France and Belgium toward Germany. A Lt. Colonel, Ross Harlan's informed and informative text is nicely supplemented with news clippings, military documents, obituaries, and a lengthy, revealing letter by one of his special friends who was an outstanding combat pilot in the Group. Strikes: 323rd Bomb Group In World War II is a welcome and invaluable contribution to the growing field of World War II memoirs and autobiographies.
The Business Shelf
The Company We Keep
John Abrams
Chelsea Green Publishing
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
1931498733 $27.50 1-800-639-4099
Short-term profits needn't be the sole indication of business health, as the co-founder of a thirty-year-old, employee-owned design company on Martha's Vineyard demonstrates in The Company We Keep: Reinventing Small Business For People, Community, And Place. Abrams here explores how business can be used as a force for cultural and social change in a community, setting forth eight foundation principles of change which define his South Mountain Company's work and vision and how they were achieved. Chapters survey a range of issues, from encouraging workplace democracy and balancing multiple bottom lines to practicing community-supportive business techniques and redefining measures of success. An exceptional, insightful guide for socially conscious businesses.
The Travel Shelf
Vanishing British Columbia
Michael Kluckner
University of Washington Press
Box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
0295984937 $39.95 1-206-543-4050
Even as the face of British Columbia is changing, artist Michael Kluckner is capturing a vanishing region in watercolors, as best he can. Vanishing British Columbia uses words and images to examine ethnic sites and diverse roadside towns and worlds. Historic towns, houses, railways, and more are given strong social and historical treatment in a moving tribute to a vanishing world.
Adelaide & South Australia
Sarah Farfor, George Dunfield, Jill Kirby
Lonely Planet
150 Linden Street, Oakland, Ca 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
1740592204 $21.99 1-800-275-8555
There's a lot to do in South Australia: so much that it deserves a book of its own separate from just a generic travel guide to the entire country - and Adelaide & South Australia serves just this purpose, allowing the visitor to focus on the region's many offerings. Excellent small maps accompany clear descriptions of accommodations, eating, sightseeing, and natural wonders. With its information-packed pages, it's a 'must' for any destination-oriented traveler planning a visit to the region; especially for those seeking more depth than the usual Australia-wide coverage can offer.
Collectors Press
PO Box 230986, Portland, OR 97281
1-800-423-1848 www.collectorspress.com
Two fun state-by-state coverages of offbeat and unusual destination choices by travel guide expert Andrew F. Wood will appeal to vacationers seeking something truly different. Road Trip America (188-8054743, $14.95) celebrates unusual roadside attractions across the country, from the bizarre Unusual Collections and Miniature Towns of Louisiana which houses a 22-foot 'bassigator' to a bed and breakfast located in a tree house in Oregon. Motel America: A State-By-State Tour Guide To Nostalgic Stopovers (1888054913, $14.95) features old-time classic hotels from America's nearly-forgotten years. Colorful ads and contemporary color photos blend with whimsical descriptions of motel attributes and owner personalities. Both are fun collections of pieces of yesterday which have been caught in a time warp, to be presented to modern travelers.
Backroads Of Southern California
David M. Wyman
Voyageur Press
123 North, 2nd Street, Stillwater, MN 55082-5002
www.voyageurpress.com
089658058X $19.95 1-800-888-9653
David M. Wyman is a professional photographer and freelance writer based in Los Angeles, and has published articles and photos about his local area in many places: his Backroads Of Southern California: Your Guide To Southern California's Most Scenic Backroad Adventures blends color photos with maps and insights into Southern California scenes not normally featured in competing, more mainstream travel guides. From the railroad legacy of the Tehachapi Mountains to a little-taken exit to the lovely, less urban See Canyon Road, this is a 'must' for any Southern California visitor who would explore the back roads.
The Gardening Shelf
Waterfalls & Fountains For Your Garden Pond
Terry Anne Barber
T.F.H.
1 TFH Plaza, Neptune City, NJ 07753
www.tfh.com
0793834511 $9.95 1-800-631-2188
From a history of fountains and garden fountain design to installation procedures and creating auxiliary streams and water courses, The Super Simple Guide To Waterfalls & Fountains For Your Garden Pond comes packed with ideas for building the right type of pond, then maintaining it. The inclusion of plenty of photos and drawings and step-by-step review of options makes for an exceptionally easy translation from book to finished project.
Southern African Wild Flowers
John Manning & Colin Patterson-Jones
Struik/International Pub. Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
www.internationalpubmarket.com
1770070176 $10.95 1-800-758-3756
Southern African Wild Flowers: Jewels Of The Veld is a coffee table book that presents the reader with a stunningly visual survey of the diverse landscapes of windflowers that South Africa has to offer. Each individual chapter focuses upon a specific region, highlighting and showcasing the most beautiful, interesting, and unusual plants occurring there. Beginning at the Zambezi River, this "book bound expedition" continues through the splendors of the Cape fynbos, then northwards, to conclude with the parched "thirstlands" of the west. The gorgeous full-color images by botanical photographer Colin Patterson-Jones is the perfect complement to research botanist's John Manning informed and informative text about the plants, their origins, their interactions with other living organisms, and their remarkable adaptations to sometimes hostile environments. Southern African Wild Flowers is especially commended to the attention of botanists, horticulturalists, landscapers, and adventurous gardeners!
The Computer Shelf
Blackberry In A Snap
Michael Morrison
Sams Publishing/Pearson Technology
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.samspublishing.com
0672326701 $24.99 1-800-428-5331
How can you tune your new Blackberry wireless to get advanced jobs completed, such as synchronizing data with your PC, managing appointments and tasks, and turning on the firewall? It helps to have Blackberry In A Snap, which covers the BlackBerry 7100 series and offers a teach-yourself workbook format lending to tweaking and do-it-yourself programming. From downloading ring tones to using Bluetooth, Blackberry In A Snap makes BlackBerry a snap to program and integrate with existing systems.
Que Publishing/Pearson Technology
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
1-800-428-5331 www.quepublishing.com
With so many computer books on the market it's not surprising that many duplicate between topics; but what IS surprising is to see two which stand relatively alone. Carla Rose, photographer and Photoshop author, tells how to scan photos to supplement scrapbook efforts in Scrapbooking With Adobe Photoshop Elements 3 (0789734117, $24.99). There are chapters on resizing and cropping photos, colorizing black and white photos, creating panoramic views or collages, and more. The focus on typical scrapbooking needs lends an element of specialized focus to this blend of digital and traditional scrapbooking techniques. Bill Jelen and Michael Alexander's Pivot Table Data Crunching (0789734354, $29.99) focuses entirely on using pivot tables: an advanced, powerful Excel feature rarely given its very own coverage. A pivot table will help summarize 50,000 rows of data in 30 seconds with a few clicks: Pivot Table Data Crunching covers all the options and basics, applying formulas and techniques to real-world business needs such as creating summary reports and filtering customers or topics by productivity. Both are excellent guides.
Cisco Router Firewall Security
Richard Deal
Cisco Press
201 W. 103rd St, Indianapolis, IN 46290
1587051753 $60.00 ciscopress.com
In Cisco Router Firewall Security, computer security expert Richard Deal provides truly indepth, step-by-step coverage on just how to configure a Cisco router to secure access to it. Cisco Router Firewall Security deftly explains how to use IOS routers as a firewall solution for protecting a data network from outsiders, especially hackers. Each part of Cisco Router Firewall Security addresses a specific type of technology or security issue and covers the IOS features both old and new that can be used to implement each security feature. Cisco Router Firewall Security is an indispensable instructional reference.
Charles River Media
10 Downer Ave., Hingham, MA 02043
www.charlesriver.com
Charles River's technical, weighty guides are powerful picks. John R. Vacca's Computer Forensics: Computer Crime Scene Investigation 2nd Edition (1584503890, $49.95), for example, comes from a computer security official with NASA who packs in over 800 pages of detail on how hackers and criminals use computers as weapons. An updated book/cd package provides an overview of computer forensics, from information security issues to how computer crimes are investigated. Exercises, case studies, and crime examples make Computer Forensics a practical manual. Danny Kodieck's Mathematics And Physics For Programmers (158450-3300, $49.95) uses game development to present math and physics concepts, includes a companion CD-ROM with simulations and even source code, and uses pseudo-code to illustrate topics. These approaches make Mathematics And Physics For Programmers much more accessible than most, lending practical value and applications-oriented approaches to math formulas and physics. Steve Rabin edits Introduction To Game Development (1584503777, $69.95), a weighty text based on the curriculum guidelines of the IGDA and the first to examine all aspects of the theory and applications of game development and design. It lends to use either as the classroom text or as supplemental college-level reading: a comprehensive overview accompanied by a detailed CD-ROM holding all animations, documents and demos referenced in the text makes for a very detailed presentation packed with tutorials and source code, while almost thirty leading industry game developers and programmers contribute technical chapters. A highly recommended pick, indeed. Herbert H. Thompson and Scott G. Chase's Software Vulnerability Guide (1584503580, $49.95) comes from a security director and a security architect, drawing upon their combined expertise to consider techniques developers need to use to produce secure code in modern software. Developers and testers receive both tools and assessments of tools designed to help recognize and prevent common vulnerabilties in source code. Commentary and code examples pack a guide which includes a CD-ROM with source code and many tools described within. The second edition of M. Tim Jones' AI Application Programming (1584504218, $59.95) also joins the 'Programming Series' of technical guides to cover the latest AI concepts, from neural networks and intelligent agents to search algorithms and rules-based logic systems. The CD-ROM included contains all commented source-code in C, supplementing introductory discussions.
Any interested in computer databases in general and relationship theory in particular will find C.J. Date's Database In Depth: Relational Theory For Practitioners (0596100124 $29.95) to be the perfect meld between theory and real-world applications. Relational models have little to do with relating tables: they are multidimensional and multifaceted, and different designs offer different options and opportunities. Users working with real-world database situations will find they shouldn't be without Database In Depth. Andrew Davison's Killer Game Programming In Java (0596007302, $44.95) is another reference no game programmer should be without: there's been a traditional lack of support for Java high-end graphics and documentation, which Killer Game Programming In Java deftly remedies. No list coverage, this 968-page tome is an extensive reference covering modern gaming requirements from sprite coding, laths, and more. Even networked games, and 2D and 3D games alike, are revealed in this 'killer' reference, a 'must' for the serious game programmer. Ken Bluttman's Access Hacks: Tips & Tools For Wrangling Your Data (0596009240, $24.95) is for database users migrating to Microsoft Access. Learn how to improve Access by customizing its features, how to use expressions and wildcards to aid in the sorting progress, and how to write code using Access's advanced features.
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
The Urban Treasure Hunter
Michael Chaplan
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Rd., Garden City, NY 11040
www.squareonepublishers.com
0757000908 $18.95 1-877-900-2665
Every city holds some hidden treasures, from old coins to hidden money caches and antiques some may see as 'junk. Michael Chaplan is an 'urban treasure hunter' who has a background in anthropology and has pursued treasure hunting for over twenty years. His intriguing guide covers everything from tools and tricks of the trade to how to turn a treasure hunter's hobby into extra income. From reading an archaeological site report to viewing a city park with a new eye to locating treasure, Urban Treasure Hunter: A Practical Handbook For Beginners tells it all.
KP Books
700 East State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
www.fwpubs.com
KP Publications (formerly Krause Publications) regularly publishes exceptional antiques and collectibles references, choosing popular yet specific topics so that collectors have narrow references geared to their special interests. You have to be an Elvis collector, for example, to enjoy the pocket-sized tote edited by Paul Kennedy, Warman's Elvis Field Guide (0896-891364, $12.99): this take-it-along pocket or purse guide covers every type of Elvis record music collectible, from 45s to LPs, but over half the book provides an accompanying, important history of Elvis' film and music career, complete with many color photos. This fact makes Warman's Elvis Field Guide a collector's item in and of itself and a 'must' for any Elvis fan. Kyle Husfloen edits Antique Trader Stoneware And Blue & White Pottery Price Guide (0896891356, $19.99), a guide to the glazed crocks, jugs and urns used for food storage in the late 1800s and early 1900s. This full-color reference gathers some 1,000 color photos of the stoneware and include references to manufacturer's marks and current prices in its some 1,5000 listings, making it an essential guide for any collecting the stoneware. General collectors who haunt garage sales and flea markets will want to keep the latest, 39th edition of Warman's Antiques & Collectibles Price Guide (0873499905, $21.99), edited by Warman's editor Ellen T. Schroy, in their cars or close at hand. Now sporting almost 1,800 color photos, this updated edition offers the latest prices and descriptions for over 50,000 items, ranging from furniture and military collectibles to pottery and puzzles. With its many small color photos and descriptions, it brings excellent organization across the board to a range of antiques and collectibles. Coin collectors will surely already know Krause's weighty coin catalogs: the 33rd edition of the 2006 Standard Catalog Of World Coins is now on the market (0873499875, $55.00), and it packs in the price guides in well over 2,000 pages. No color here, but the coins don't need color representation, and there are black and white photos throughout. But this is more than a weighty ID guide: various charts, explanations of grading terminology which affects coin values so greatly, conversion charts for dates, a mint index, and much more pack in updated values with historical notes and pages of reference detail.
Antoinette Marlins has many other gemstone guides to her name and is an expect on gem identification and sales, making Jewelry & Gems At Auction: The Definitive Guide To Buying & Selling At The Auction House & On Internet Auction Sites a 'must' for any serious collector. From distinguishing auction buying techniques from other types of gem purchasing to bidding on different types of gems, understanding jewelry periods and designs, and avoiding common auction pitfalls, Jewelry & Gems At Auction is simply packed with valuable tips.
Schiffer Publishers
4880 Lower Valley Rd., Atglen, PA 19310
www.schifferbooks.com
These detailed references are essential working price guides for an collector working in the genre, offering exceptionally high-quality color photos and discussions. Hubert & Clara McHugh's Goebel Salt & Pepper Shakers (0764322281, $29.95) narrows the focus to those shakers produced by Goebel of Germany from the 1920s through the 1980s. Nearly 600 photos display the shakers while discussions of artists, identification numbers, manufacture dates and current values help collectors identify and price Goebel sets. Wendy Mullen's The Comprehensive Guide To Chocolate Molds: Objects Of Art & Artist's Tools (0764322788, $49.95) more than just a collector's price guide, Wendy Mullen, chocolate maker for 15 years, delves into the history of antique chocolate molds and their design and production, packing over 1300 photos of such antiques with discussions of all kinds of molds. Topped by an interview with the great-granddaughter of one of the best German mold specialists in history, Anton Reiche, The Comprehensive Guide To Chocolate Molds is unparalleled in depth and detail: there's simply nothing like it on the market, past or present. Dona Z. Meilach's Teapots: Makers & Collectors (0764322141, $49.95) covers all the new teapots from whimsical and non-functional works of art to practical and collectible teapots. Much more than a price guide alone, however, Teapots: Makers & Collectors packs in hundreds of full-page color photos and discussions of unique designs, materials, crafts. Artists in 14 countries are represented in a review which produces both a history and a guide for contemporary collectors.
Collector Books
PO Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
www.collectorbooks.com
Collector Books publishes a host of specialty references which hold broad appeal for both novice and neo-professional collectors alike. B.J. Summers' Pocket Guide To Coca-Cola Identifications Current Values, 5th Edition (1574324667, $12.95) packs in the latest updated values to notable Coke collectibles, from china and toys to calendars and signs. Judith Scoggin Gridley, Joan Reed Kiplinger and Jessie Gridley McClure's Vintage Fabrics - Identification & Value Guide (1574324-802, $19.95) focuses on all kinds of fabric, from cotton and linens to silk and wool. Especially invaluable are tips on 'what to look for/what to avoid', which outline common fabric problems which affect their value. The 24th edition of the to-seller Schroeder Antiques Price Guide (1574324780, $14.95) holds the latest updated prices in a thick guide consisting of listings by almost 400 experts in their fields. From games and maps to Red Wing pottery, a handy A-Z encyclopedic listing makes it easy to quickly locate collectibles - important in a guide listing over 50,000 of them. Bob and Sharon Huxford's Collector's Encyclopedia Of Fiesta, 10th Edition (1574324373, $24.95) packs in the color photos as it describes the latest values and collectable status of Fiesta and other colored dinnerware. From new Fiesta settings and pieces to Riviera and other ware, newspaper ads, and more, this encyclopedia is 'everything Fiesta', going beyond any other. Gene & Cathy Florence's Florences' Ovenware From The 192os To The Present Identification & Value Guide (1574324497, $24.95) packs in brands from Pyrex and Federal to Jeannette. Bright color photos, side bars of prices for different sizes, original packaging where available, and discussions of patterns, box sets and more make Florences' Ovenware a 'must' for any collector. Kyle Coroneos' The Complete Guide To Corning Ware & Visions Cookware (1574324683, $19.95) provides a price guide packed with color photos of Corning's lines of cookware. Some may not believe such relatively modern lines are already collectible pieces: just look at the prices to discover many pieces are already 'out of print' and collectible. Jo Cunningham's Collector's Encyclopedia Of American Dinnerware: Identification And Values (1574324292, $29.95) proved so useful it appears in a second updated edition to reflect the latest prices and pieces for collectors. Pieces are arranged by company but have large, bright color photos for easy identification. Neila and Tom Bredehoft and Jo & Bob Sanford's Glass Toothpick Holders Identifcation & Values (15-7432456X, $29.95) also appears in its second, updated edition to cover glass toothpick holders from a wide range of manufacturers. Color photos and the latest prices make identification and valuing very easy. All are excellent references. Brad Lockwood's The Case Cutlery Dynasty Texted XX (15743234632, $19.95) focuses on the Case family, sharing family stories of a cutlery dynasty which made their fortune developing and selling American cutlery. This may diverge from Collector Books' usual focus on price guides, but it's a welcome and exciting diversion providing a rare history into a family whose name has come to be associated with knives since the Civil War. Adding black and white vintage photos throughout, The Case Cutlery Dynasty Tested XX is essential historical background reading for any avid collector
Hobby House Press
1 Corporate Dr., Grantsville, MD 21536
www.hobbyhouse.com
For something different in the world of reference collectibles, try to fine references which offer lasting value. Jan Foulke's 16th Blue Book Dolls & Values (087588-6671, $19.95) enjoys lovely photos by Howard Foulke as it provides a valuable doll price guide updated in its 16th edition to cover manufacturers of bisque, china, wax, wood, cloth and more dolls from the 19th and early 20th centuries. An index of mold numbers and manufacturer and doll name lends easy access to a color photo-filled back which includes maker's marks for each manufacturer. Sanjiv Purba and Sandy Sicilia's Comic Related Collectibles: Survival & Price Guide (0875886-558, $19.95) provides a companion to the first price guide and continues to examine collectible toys, oddities and others based on comic book characters. Action figures, spy rings, drinking glasses and more are covered with an eye to not just values, but proper storage techniques, where to buy and sell them, and more. The Definitive Guide To Collecting Black Dolls by Debbie Behan Garrett (0875886531, $27.95) provides the first and only black dolls book completely published in full color to cover both vintage and modern black dolls. Whether they be cloth, rubber, or wood or plastic, this one-stop collector's guide covers them all, pairing a handy price guide with tips on buying and selling.
The Criminology Shelf
Profilers
Jon H. Campbell & Don DeNevi, Eds
Prometheus Publications
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
1591022665 $26.00 1-800-421-0351
The concept of criminal profiling, once alien to the ordinary American, is today a part of our daily lives thanks to television shows and news programs, and Profilers: Leading Investigators Take You Inside The Criminal Mind compiles articles from fifteen internationally recognized homicide investigators, many of whom have contributed some of the basics to the art of profiling criminals. From dealing with hostage situations and murder to creating psychological profiles and geographic profiles, Profilers provides plenty of inside detail and will appeal not only to fans of true crime and murder mysteries, but those involved in law enforcement at many levels.
The Literary Shelf
The Way Into Narnia
Peter J. Schakel
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
255 Jefferson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49503
www.eerdmans.com
0802829848 $14.00, 1-800-253-7521
Professor of English and internationally respected student of C.S. Lewis' work Peter Schakel presents The Way Into Narnia, a guide written especially for first-time readers of Lewis' beloved classics of children's literature. Suggesting that the best way to enter Narnia is to read the Chronicles of Narnia as fairy tales, The Way Into Narnia walks the reader through each of the seven books and concludes the tour with a section of annotations meant to clarify unfamiliar words and unusual written passages. Especially recommended for lay readers and beginning literature scholars seeking greater familiarity with the series, The Way Into Narnia is a highly recommended supplement for getting the most out of Lewis' immortal stories.
Discourses On Love, Marriage, And Transgression In Medieval And Early Modern Literature
Albrecht Classen, editor
Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
086698321X $40.00, 1-480-727-6503
Discourses On Love, Marriage, And Transgression In Medieval And Early Modern Literature is a collection of scholarly essays by learned authors discussing an extensive variation of period literary perspectives toward friendship, marriage, adultery, domestic violence, individual happiness, the breaking of promises and vows, the destructive side of sexuality, and more. Individual essays include "Accusations of Gay and Straight Sexual Transgression", "Caucer's Vows and How They Break: Transgression in The Manciple's Tale", and "Constructing New Women in Early Modern English Literature". Each topic is dissected from a multiplicity of literary, historical, and social viewpoints. A uniquely vivid and daring examination of love, sex, and culture as reflected in medieval writing.
Victorian Fantasy
Stephen Prickett
Baylor University Press
PO Box 97363, Waco, TX 76798
www.baylorpress.com
1932792309 $39.95 1-800-710-3217
Now in a second significantly revised and expanded edition, Victorian Fantasy is a discourse of the writing that flourished in direct response to the social and intellectual constrictions of "Victorianism". Author and library director Stephen Prickett explores how Victorian writers used nonrealistic techniques such as nonsense, dreams, visions, and fantastic world settings, to extend understanding of this world. Focusing on six writers - Lear, Carroll, Kingsley, MacDonald, Kipling, and Nesbit, Victorian Fantasy traces how their work developed, how they influenced one another, and how their fantasy came to question the rigid ideology of Victorian society. A thoughtful and measured analysis of literature's voice in period history.
What A Book Can Do
Priscilla Coit Murphy
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
www.umpress.usmass.edu
1558494766 $34.95 1-800-488-1144
In 1962 the appearance of naturalist Rachel Carson's Silent Spring not only sparked debate on pesticide and ecology issues; it helped change the nature and effectiveness of preservation efforts around the world. It first appeared as a magazine serialization, but its book version really reached out to larger audiences. Priscilla Coit Murphy's What A Book Can Do: The Publication And Reception Of Silent Spring isn't just another analysis of the book itself: it's a review of the publishing history of the Houghton Mifflion edition and the prior New Yorker serialization, incorporating the views of her editors as well as Carson herself - and her opponents. An exceptional history which is strongly recommended for any reader of Silent Spring.
The 8:55 To Baghdad
Andrew Eames
The Overlook Press
141 Wooster St., New York NY 10012
www.overlookny.com
158567673X $25.95 1-800-743-1312
While not a mystery, dedicated fans of Agatha Christie's works won't want to miss Andrew Eames' The 8:55 To Baghdad: From London To Iraq On The Trail Of Agatha Christie: it's the perfect nonfiction accompaniment for Christie fans. In 1928 Christie was a thirty-something single mother who changed her mind from taking a Caribbean holiday and instead proceeded to Iraq. Eames followed her journeys, taking his own trip from London to Baghdad and describing the places and events which appeared in her fiction. What emerges blends a travelogue with insights into Christie's stories and should delight both armchair travelers and Agatha fans alike.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Author Law A-Z
Sallie Randolph, et al.
Capital Books, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Dr, Sterling, VA 20166
www.capital-books.com
1931868263 $21.95, 1-800-758-3756
The latest installment in the "A-Z Legal Series" from Capital Books, Author Law A-Z: A Desktop Guide To Writers' Rights And Responsibilities packs the collective wisdom of author-lawyers Sallie Randolph, Stacy Davis, Anthony Elia and Karen Dustman into plain terms for lay readers - and writers! Author Law A-Z is organized like an encyclopedia, with A-Z entries of common legal and writing industry terms or issues that every author should know, from "abridgement" and "acceptable manuscript" to "young adult books" and "Zapruder film", which denotes a landmark legal case about film rights concerning the home video film that accidentally documented the assassination of JFK. In addition to the entries, numerous tips, tricks, techniques, and warnings for the aspiring author in a legally complex world, from a sample demand letter (as written to a vanity print-on-demand publisher masquerading as a traditional publisher) to a sample complaint for copyright infringement, advice for what to say when one's editor calls, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for spot research or simple cover-to-cover reading in order to grasp valuable basic lessons of the writing and publishing business.
The 2006 updated Writer's Markets have hit the stands, and whether you're a library catering to would-be authors and writers or a writer needing constant reference for new jobs, they are 'must' purchases both individually and collectively, representing industry-standard writer's guides which will receive repeated value and attention throughout the year. The weighty 2006 Writer's Market (1582973946, $29.99) appears in its 85th annual edition, completely revised and updated to include over 600 new listings for book publishers, magazines, trade journals and more. Not only do new listings expand the size, but exclusive interviews with agents and publishing professionals add value to listings which include small and large press listings for paying sources. For more clearly defined sources, choose either the 2006 Poet's Market (1582974004, $24.99), holding over 200 new listings to its 1,800 listings for presses, journals, workshops and contests, the 2006 Novel & Short Story Writer's Market (1582973970, $24.99), with its 200 new listings, or the 2006 Children's Writer's And Illustrator's Market (15829734020, $24.99), appearing in its 18th updated edition featuring over 800 listings total. And don't forget the 2006 Guide To Literary Agents (1582973997, $24.99), with over 500 listings to its 15th revised edition covering all kinds of agencies, agents, and special promoter contacts. All are cornerstones of any serious collection.
Book Typography
Ari Rafaeli
Oak Knoll Press
310 Delaware St., New Castle, DE 19720
www.oakknoll.com
1584561572 $34.95, 1-800-996-2556
Intended as an instructional particularly for publishers and anyone involved in typographical work, Book Typography is a no-nonsense, informative tour of the definitions, history, and current usage of various typefaces, styles, spacing techniques and much more. A wealth of notes elaborate upon the text, as it walks the reader through such topics as "The school of close spacing", "Mise-en-page etc.", and much more. A handful of black and white illustrations, sample typefaces, and sample pages showcase the ideas and techniques discussed. An excellent introduction and well-rounded resource to the print technology of typography.
Whether you're a satirical writer or produce outright comedy, there's a market for funny writing, from humorous articles to sketches. Article writers will relish Gedne Perrett, himself one of the top comedy writers going, in Damn! That's Funny! which tells not just how to 'write funny', but how to market one's humor to the right audience. Understand what you want to say, how to best say it, and how to sell it effectively in this guide to producing and publishing outstanding humor.
Self-Publishing Fiction: From Manuscript To Bookstore And Beyond is a step-by-step guide to publishing one's novel with no more than a manuscript, a computer, and some hard work - mountains of money not required! Simple instructions to transform one's manuscript into a printer-ready format, design a cover, select a printer, obtain ISBN and Library of Congress numbers, register copyright, get one's book reviewed and get onto bookstore shelves, maximize on-line sales, and much more fill this extremely practical how-to guide. Packed cover-to-cover with "hands-on" information offering straight talk to difficult problems, from how to approach Barnes & Noble and other big bookstore chains to how to get picked up by a distributor, Self-Publishing Fiction is an enthusiastically recommended "must-have" for anyone determined to present a story to the reading public without breaking the bank.
Turning Your Life's Stories Into A Literary Memoir
Peggy Lang & Robert Goodman
Silver Threads
3830 Valley Centre Drive, PMB 102, San Diego, CA 92130
1893067041 $12.95 www.amazon.com
Turning Your Life's Stories Into A Literary Memoir: A Memoir People Actually Want To Read is a straightforward "how-to" guide to skillfully preserving one's memories in book form. Emphasizing writing tips, tricks, and techniques that will absorb readers into what you have to say, chapters cover the definition of a memoir, literary techniques in story structure, craft and style to add one's unique imprint to writing, common pitfalls with dialogue, sentence construction, or background research, how to spark one's memories, and more guide the reader to write in a professional manner. A final chapter walks lay people through the simplest basics of how to get published, whether self-publishing, e-book, online publishing, private publishing, or traditional publishing. A short and simple guide that effectively covers the basics of memoir writing and publishing.
The Needlecraft Shelf
The Art Of Knitting
Francoise Tellier-Loumagne
Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Ave., New York NY 10110
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
0500285578 $39.95 1-800-233-4830
An unusual organization by fabric types, from knits to openwork and ribbed fabric, offers the first clue that The Art Of Knitting: Inspirational Stitches, Textures And Surfaces is not your average knitter's project handbook. Another clue: over 600 color illustrations along with hundreds of diagrams to gather representative samples of hundreds of ways of working with different types of wools. Patterns serve as the point here, encouraging knitters to move beyond to experiment with techniques based on the nature of the fabric. Stitches are matched to textile properties and different yarns encourage unique yarn combinations and knitting techniques. Even the most experienced knitter will find plenty of new concepts to learn in The Art Of Knitting.
Dating Fabrics
Eileen Jahnke Trestain
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
1574328832 $25.95 www.aqsquilt.com
Fabric collectors as well as practicing quilters will surely relish Dating Fabrics 2: A Color Guide 1950-2000: for here are many keys to fabric origins, discussions of quilting and clothing trends, actual size prints to aid in accurate identification, grouped by date, color and style, and much more. Blending a history with photos which are easily compared to fabrics through lay-flat spiral binding and a hardcover edge for easy filing, Dating Fabrics 2 is the fabric collector's essential reference.
Picture Your World With Applique
Margaret Cusack
Watson Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
www.watsonguptill.com
0823016412 $19.95 1-800-451-1741
Creating still lifes in quilts is becoming more recognized as a fine quilt art and Margaret Cusack's Picture Your World In Applique: Creating Unique Images With Fabric is the place to turn to for instruction. Use memories and pictures from life and transform them into lovely appliqued pictures with a guide to creating machine-stitched applique from realistic scenes. From selecting pictures to cutting and stitching fabrics, Picture Your World In Applique covers all the moves.
Sterling Publishing
387 Park Ave South, NY NY 10016-8810
www.sterlingpub.com
Fan makers now have a range of lace-making techniques and a profile of over seventy fans, with 20 patterns for making them, in Ann Coller's Lace Fans (0713-489316 $21.95), which provides a narrowed focus on an unusual type of fan construction. Add a history of these fans, a discussion of different styles of lace fans, and insights on designs and patterns, and you have an invaluable and unique sourcebook packed with both patterns and color photos. Constance Howard's The Constance Howard Book Of Stitches (071-3489383, $19.95) comes from embroiderer Howard, who uses her extensive embroidery knowledge to present an original approach to stitch. A few simple steps can provide new textures, patterns and effects, just from changing scale or pacing. This joins the 'Batsford Classic Embroidery' series, presenting the work of a woman who was a primary force in bring embroidery to the fashion and art world. Black and white stitch examples pack an intriguing guide.
Can the basic sweater pattern be changed into gorgeous, quick-knit garments which are fun to wear? Yes: especially if they can be transformed through different yarn types and pattern stitches, as in Perfectly Brilliant Knits. Lovely pullovers, tunics, and even the usually-dull cardigan sweater can be changed radically through pattern and yarn choice: these knits are anything but ordinary.
The Nautical Shelf
Lost On The Ocean Floor
John Christopher Fine
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Anapolis, MD 21402
www.navalinstitute.org
159114275X $29.95 1-800-233-8764
Photojournalist-scuba diver John Christopher Fine has explored and documented the sunken fleets of the world for most of his adult life, and his adventures and maritime expert lends to an exciting review of some of his best finds in Lost On The Ocean Floor: Diving The World's Ghost Ships. From ancient shipwreck legends to more modern luxury liner remains, Lost On The Ocean Floor blends history and adventure in stories hard to put down.
Viking Press
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
www.penguin.com
Kristoffer A. Garin's Devils On The Deep Blue Sea: The Dreams, Schemes And Showdowns That Built America's Cruise-ship Empires (0670034185, $24.95) provides a lively survey of cruise shipping, from its inception to its near-demise in the 1950s, and its rebirth as a floating luxury hotel in modern times. The story of an ill-conceived venture which became a rich industry makes for an intriguing story of business change, controversies, and adaptation. The result is a varied history of business, marketing strategies, consumer travel trends, and much more, making Devils On The Deep Blue Sea a fine, intriguing read not easily pegged. Rebecca Solnit's A Field Guide To Getting Lost (0670034215, $21.95) discusses experience and getting lost in the everyday, examining how people move from cities to wilderness, how they search for sense of self in an uncertain life, and how her own explorations in the world have changed her life. At once an autobiography and introspective examination, A Field Guide To Getting Lost surveys connections, ancestry, history, and modern culture in a personal odyssey of exploration.
58 Degrees North
Hugo Kugiua
Bloomsbury
175 - 5th Avenue, #300, NY, NY 10010
1582342865 $24.95 bloomsbury.com
In 2001 an industrial fishing trawler went down in the Arctic and sank so quickly there was no time for the crew to even call for help. All aboard were killed - leaving behind no trace of the cause, no witnesses, and a mystery involving a rapid sinking under calm seas. Journalist Hugo Kugiya's investigation is as much a probe of the modern fishing industry's controversial operations as it is a review of the disaster itself, making 58 Degrees North: The Mysterious Sinking Of The Arctic Rose an adventure in politics and survival alike. Absorbing and well detailed.
Sheridan House
145 Palisade St., Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
www.sheridanhouse.com
Author Tom Cunliffe has run his own gaffers all over the world, and his Hand, Reef & Steer: Traditional Sialing Skills For Classic Boats (1574092030, $24.95) is one of the best guides to handling the classic sailboat. From handling sails and adjusting for heavy and light air sailing to different types of sails and their special requirements, Hand, Reef And Steer is packed with specific advice based on decades of experience. John C. Payne's Understanding Boat Corrosion, Lightning Protection And Interference (1574091-999, $13.95) comes from an authority on marine electrical systems and electronics and provides an in-depth coverage of corrosion, how to avoid it, and how to protect your boat. From basic tips to improve grounding to sidestrike protection, plenty of easy discussions and practical tips apply. Peter Hahne's Sail Trim: Theory And Practice (1574091980, $19.95) tells how to understand sail trim tactics under all kinds of wind conditions and rig types. From sail cloth and the right trim for different sails to obtaining maximum efficiency from a sail, color photos pepper a simple introduction to all kinds of sails.
Picture History Of The Andrea Doria
William H. Miller, Jr.
Dover Publications
31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, NY 11501
www.doverpublications.com
0486439283 $18.95 1-800-223-3130
In 1956 one of the most luxurious 20th century pleasure ship collided with the Stockholm off New England and sank. Maritime expert Bill Miller's pictorial history presents nearly two hundred rare vintage black and white photos of the interior of the ship and the ship in port, along with its twin the Cristoforo Colombo and other similar luxury liners. The result's a striking and memorable visual tribute to some of the greatest ships in history, with plenty of text revealing background history.
High Seas High Risk
Pat Wastell Norris
Harbour Publishing
PO Box 219, Maderia Park, BC Canada, V0N 2HO
www.harbourpublishing.com
1550173456 $24.95 www.amazon.com
In December 1955 the stormy rescue of a disabled freighter by the Victoria, BC salvage tug Sudbury made headlines around the world: a feat which was to repeat year after year as the Sudbury and Sudbury II made dramatic rescues through typhoons and shipwrecks alike. High Seas, High Risk is the saga of the two salvage tugs which became famous for risky deep-sea rescues and long-distance towing; in the processing telling of an owner who began with nothing and turned two little tugs into a challenging, successful business. True life adventure at its best.
The Philosophy Shelf
Responsibility And Judgment
Hannah Arendt
Schocken/Random House
1745 Broadway, 17th fl, NY, NY 10019
www.schocken.com
0805211624 $16.00, 1-800-726-0600
Responsibility And Judgment is a collection of previously unpublished writings from the last decade of the life of editor and World War II survivor Hannah Arendt (1906-1975). Chapters wrestle with complex moral issues and philosophical questions both in general and in relation to specific events such as judicial trials of World War II criminals and the repercussions that America's failed war effort in Vietnam had on the nation's policies and psyche. Written in clear, no-nonsense terms, Responsibility And Judgment is as accessible to lay readers as it is to philosophers, and offers its insights free from the constraints of political ideology. Highly recommended.
Gestures Of Ethical Life
David Michael Kleinberg-Levin
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
0804750882 $24.95, www.sup.org
Gestures Of Ethical Life: Reading Holderlin's Question Of Measure After Heidegger is a scholarly, serious-minded philosophical dialogue with texts by historical thinkers including Plato, Holderlin, Heidegger, Marx, Levinas, and more about the question of evaluating right and wrong, good and bad, ethics and justice. Professor of Philosophy David Kleinberg-Levin argues persuasively that the question of the appropriate measure and calculation for ethics and justice, and even the question of whether an appropriate measure and calculation for ethics and justice is possible, has become increasingly urgent in the modern world pressured by globalization and steadily advancing technology. An in-depth consideration of the normative problematic of measure, and its potential for use, misuse, manipulation, and social cohesiveness in a diverse world.
Movies And The Meaning Of Life
Kimberly A. Blessing & Paul J. Tudico
Open Court
PO Box 300, Peru, IL 61354
www.opencourtbooks.com
0812695755 $17.95 1-800-815-2280
Open Court's titles specialize in and emphasize philosophy and Movies And The Meaning Of Life: Philosophers Take On Hollywood keeps with the strong intent of linking philosophical concepts to everyday popular culture. The meaning of life is the most basic of questions, and many a movie director has examined such meaning in their films. Movies And The Meaning Of Life contrasts these modern films of recent years and tackles topics ranging from how films help define identity and reality to how they illustrate interpersonal interactions. An excellent achievement.
The Railroading Shelf
Tourist Trains 2005
Empire State Railway Museum
Kalmbach Books
PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www/kalmbach.com/books
0871162148 $17.95 1-800-533-6644
Are you a train fan who wants to locate tourist railroads and plan museum vacations around them? Then you couldn't go wrong with the latest edition of Tourist Trains. The Empire State Railway Museum has been publishing this guide for many years now: it's satisfying to see its pages growing, here providing over 500 rail-related attractions open to the public. Learn about the rides, hours, fees, directions - and even get coupons for discounts on tickets. If you're a rail fan, Tourist Trains is a 'must', updated annually to reflect much new information.
The Self-Help Shelf
The Memory Prescription
Gary Small, MD with Gigi Vorgan
Hyperion
77 W. 66th St., 11th Flr, NY, NY 10023
www.hyperionbooks.com
0786888776 $16.95 1-800-759-0190
How can brain function be improved to contribute to improved memory? Dr. Gary Small provides a surprisingly simple 14-day plan to keep memory alive in The Memory Prescription: Dr. Gary Small's 14-Day Plan To Keep Your Brain And Body Young. Try the questionnaire which helps you rate memory function, or try some of the mental exercises. There's plenty of room for changing and customizing Dr. Small's plan -- an important key to improving individual needs.
The Sports Shelf
Green, Gold, And Proud
Bart Starr and Bill VanLannen, authors
Curt Knoke, photographer
Triumph Books
542 South Dearborn Street, Suite 750, Chicago, IL 60605
1572437588 $29.95 triumphbooks.com
Designed and photographed by relatives of Mel Knoke, the first inductee into the Packers Hall of Fame, Green, Gold, And Proud: Portraits, Stories, And Traditions Of The Greatest Fans In The World is a stunning photo documentary of and tribute to fans of Wisconsin's football team, the Green Bay Packers. Exploring the enthusiasm of fans who come to the Packers' training camp and summer practices, and filled with candid essays and testimonials as well as gorgeous full- page color photography of fans at home or dressed up in pro-Packers regalia, Green, Gold, and Proud is unquestionably a labor of love, revealing the bonds of excitement and enthusiasm that come from cheering the efforts of a beloved home state team. An accompanying 80-minute DVD chronicles the history of Lambeau Field, sharing the players, games, coaches, and moments that have marked the Packer's path to victory. A visually appealing giftbook, perfect for Packers fans.
Pro Football Prospectus 2005
Aaron Schatz & Footballoutsiders.com
Workman
708 Broadway, NY, NY 10003-9555
www.workman.com
0761140190 $18.95 1-800-722-7202
Any avid football fan will want to have Profootball Prospectus 2005: Statistics, Analysis, And Insight For The Information Age. From team and player ratings which correct for situation and opponent to a statistical set of tools to compare players and teams, exclusive predictions from pros, and essays on past seasons, Profootball Prospectus is packed with charts of facts and insights on players and teams. A 'must' for any with more than a casual interest in football.
The Hidden Language Of Baseball
Paul Dickson
Walker & Company
104 - 5th Avenue, New York, NY 10011
www.walkerbooks.com
0802777198 $12.00 1-800-289-2553
During any given nine-inning baseball game over a thousand silent instructions are given between players and from umpires to coaches. You've seen the hand signals - now understand their meaning in the first examination of their history, evolution and methods. Baseball games are surveyed past and present to gain a fine chronology of player signals.
The Juice
Will Carroll & William L. Carroll, Ed.D.
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622
www.ivanrdee.com
156663668X $24.95 1-800-462-6420
Steroids and sports are in the news more and more, especially in baseball: despite the news, few coverages examine how steroids and other performance-enhancing drugs work and how they affect athletes and players. Will Carroll is an acknowledged authority on baseball medicine, and his coverage in The Juice explores legal supplements, illegal drugs, baseball law and performance standards alike. A 'must' for any involved in the sport's finer issues.
The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade
Richard Layman, editor
Vince Emery Productions
Box 460279, San Francisco, CA 94146
0972589864 $19.95 emerybooks.com
Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a tribute to the novel by Dashiell Hammett featuring the hardboiled detective Sam Spade and his involvement in the doomed quest for a mysterious artifact, as well as the three film noir movies based from it including the classic that made Humphrey Bogart a star. Chapters tell of Hammett's days as a detective, his publication in pulps, the making of the classic novel, critical views of the movies, the reverberations of The Maltese Falcon in popular culture, and much more. Illustrated with black-and-white photographs, selections of Hammett's pre-publication material, copies of news articles and other primary sources, and much more, Discovering The Maltese Falcon And Sam Spade is a "must-read" for mystery movie trivia buffs and anyone else curious about the history behind a legendary "hard boiled PI" adventure story.
Thomson Course Technology
25 Thomson Drive, Boston, MA 02210
www.course.ptr.com
Jeffrey P. Fisher and Harlan Hogan's Voice Actor's Guide To Home Recording (193114043X, $24.95) is for any who would be a voiceover actor - and any who would set up a personal recording studio to achieve this goal. Basic production techniques are a 'must' key to producing effective, successful in-house demos, and can lead to auditioning from home and working with clients around the world. Author Jeffrey P. Fisher provides audio/video and media production services professionally, while his co-author Harlan Hogan has over 30 years' experience as a voiceover actor: together their experiences cover everything from integrating a personal computer into the home recording set-up to using the Internet to make and market professional-quality home recordings. Very highly recommended: The Voice Actor's Guide To Home Recording is the next level above several publications which just cover 'do you want to be a voiceover actor', offering the nuts and bolts missing from these titles. David Gibson and Maestro Curtis' The Art Of Producing: How To Produce An Audio Project (1931140448, $29.95) is the first book to standardize a specific production process for a music project from beginning to end, using step-by-step procedures for production, whether it be for a band, group or record company project. Author David Gibson has been producing groups in major 24-track studios since 1982, while Maestero Curtis has worked with numerous artists and produced projects with his own band. Their combined backgrounds provide the most detailed production techniques and latest technology discussions in print, making The Art Of Producing is clearly to be considered as a 'must' for all aspiring musicians.
Video Hound's Golden Movie Retriever 2006
Jim Craddock, Editor
Thomson Gale
27500 Drake Road, Farmington Hills, MI 48331-3535
www.thomson.com
0787689793 $24.95 www.gale.com
You're not holding the usual movie review overview of the top name productions when you purchase Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever: you're holding a weighty guide packing in over 27,000 movie review into some 1600 pages including appendices such as an Awards Index, listings of specials and comedy, and more. The numerous extensive cross-references and indexes make Videohound's Golden Movie Retriever 2006: The Complete Guide To Movies On Videocassette And DVD the best of show, hands-down.
The Business Of Show Business
Cynthia Brian
Starstyle Publications
PO Box 422, Moraga, CA 94566
0972114009 $19.95 www.star-style.com
Want to be an actor, but don't know how to break into the business with the right approach? You can't go wrong with - and shouldn't go without - Cynthia Brian's The Business Of Show Business: A Comprehensive Career Guide For Actors And Models. The author has a background in producing, directing, acting, hosting and consulting, and has coached kids and adults alike. From learning what kinds of jobs are out there to learning about agents, auditioning, rules for child actors and working on the side, this is the 'insider's' guide to the industry which should be in the hands and on the minds of any aspiring model or actor before they compete in the show business world.
The Creatures Of Farscape
Joe Nazzaro
Reynolds & Hearn/Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com
1903111854 $45.00 1-800-423-4525
You have to have been a fan of the science fiction TV series Farscape, from England, to appreciate Joe Nazarro's fine Creatures Of Farscape; Inside Jim Henson's Creature Shop. With that prerequisite met, prepare for an outstanding survey which goes beyond the scenes of the TV series, showing how the many monsters of the show were created. Captivating scenes from each of the show's seasons profile monsters and their making in a vivid series of full-page color displays accompanied by written descriptions of each creature's premise.
The Hunting/Fishing Shelf
Fluke: An Angler's Guide
Bob Sampson
Burford Books
PO Box 388, Short Hills, NJ 07078
1580801285 $16.95 burfordbooks.com
Author/fisherman Bob Sampson has spent over thirty years targeting inshore game fish and draws from his extensive experience and expertise in Fluke: An Angler's Guide to provide a invaluable guide to the fluke which covers everything from appropriate gear and finding the fish to developing strategies for catching fluke, considering different baits, and drift fishing. Nothing is omitted here - not even how to cook and store it after the catch.
Floating & Fishing Oregon's Wilderness River Canyons
Melinda Allan
Frank Amato Publishing
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
1571883215 $24.95 amatobooks.com
Oregon holds some of the finest wilderness river canyons in the world - and floating them is really the only way to thoroughly see them. That's why Floating & Fishing Oregon's Wilderness River Canyons is so important to planning such a trip: maps, river logs, and recommendations pack a guide which covers everything from low and high waters and class ratings and descriptions to vivid descriptions of shoreline scenery and each river's points of interest. From places to hike along the way to rapids, eddies and waves, each river receives explicit condition descriptions, color photos, maps, and recommendations. A 'must' for planning any serious Oregon river journey.
The Music Shelf
Making Music Your Business
Tracy Truly, Atty
Sphinx Publishing/Sourcebooks
Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
www.sphinxlegal.com
1572484861 $18.95 sourcebooks.com
Music and giving performances is one thing, but making money doing it is something else again: you need more than talent to be successful, and Making Music Your Business: A Practical Guide To Making Money Doing What You Love covers all the business basics of the industry. Here are topics not usually given much treatment in more general business or music books, from how to use a booking agent and public original music to finding a manager, performing on tour, and selling your own cds. The business of publishing, signing contracts, protecting copyright - all is covered under one cover.
Totally Guitar: The Definitive Guide
Tony Bacon & Dave Hunter
Thunders Bay Press/Advantage
5880 Oberlain Dr., San Diego, Ca 92121
www.advmkt.com
1592231993 $29.98 1-800-788-3123
Considering its weight and depth, Totally Guitar: The Definitive Guide is a bargain even at nearly thirty dollars. For one thing, there are over 2,000 photos, 1,000 playing tips and 250 select chords packed into an oversized hardcover of over 600 pages. The focus isn't just on improving guitar style and technique across all genres: it provides stories of memorable bands and guitarists, provides tips on maintaining the instrument, packs in an illustrated glossary of guitar terminology, and is filled with color photos and numerous references on every page. If you're a serious guitarist - or know of one - then Totally Guitar is the item of choice.
Music Radio
Jim Cox
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson, NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
0786420472 $55.00 1-800-253-2187
Before the invention of 'talk radio' music was the cornerstone of radio programming - and Jim Cox's Music Radio: The Great Performers And Programs Of The 1920s Through Early 1960s documents the presence and importance of musical programming through all the genres and station focuses. Major series as well as artists are explored in detail, with many less-popular shows and performers included. Sections cover the classics, the disc jockeys who played the music and chose the sound, house bands, sacred singers, and much more. Each section provides a detailed historical overview, mention of major influences and personalities, and insights into music evolution from and influence on radio shows.
The Plain And Simple Guide To Music Publishing
Randall D. Wixen
Hal Leonard Corp.
19 West 21st Street, #201, NY, NY 10010
www.halleonard.com
0634090542 $18.95 1-800-637-2852
Music copyright is an important thing to protect - and also happens to be one of the least understood areas of the industry, though it holds potential for big profits and large losses if it isn't handled right. The Plain And Simple Guide To Music Publishing: What You Need To Know About Protecting, And Profiting From, Music Copyrights narrows the focus to music publishing and comes from an author who has administered publishing rights for hundreds of artists and companies, earning them big-ticket money in the process. Readers learn about the inner workings of the music industry, pitfalls and promises, licensing, co-writing and more. Musician Tom Petty provides an introduction recounting his own tale of woe for not paying enough attention to this essential area.
The Cookbook Shelf
Living In The Raw Gourmet
Rose Lee Calabro
The Book Publishing Company
PO Box 99, Summertown, TN 38483
1570671761 $19.95, 1-800-695-2241
Living In The Raw Gourmet is a cookbook whose recipes truly live up to the promise of its cover photography. This compendium of raw food recipes by Rose Lee Calabro is a truly multiethnic selection of truly innovative and healthy dining from salads to desserts. From breakfast cereals and porridges, to nut milks and fruit smoothies, to breads, crackers and scones, to appetizers, soups and pates, featuring more than forty salads and a dozen salad dressings, as well as showcasing cakes, candies, cookies, pies, tortes, brownies and puddings, Living In The Raw Gourmet will enable even the most novice kitchen cook to prepare safe, nutritious, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, "kitchen preparation friendly" meals for all dining occasions. Enhanced with tips about setting up a living and raw food kitchen, the basics of soaking and sprouting, food dehydration, and maintaining a raw food diet, Calabro also provides an extended recommendation reading and resource guide that will prove invaluable. Living In The Raw Gourmet is a unique and highly prized addition to any kitchen cookbook collection!
The Mexican Mama's Kitchen
Sofia Larrinua-Craxton
Thunder Bay Press
c/o Advantage Publishers Group
5880 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121
www.thunderbaybooks.com
1592234224 $12.95 1-800-788-3123
A welcome contribution to the "Mama's Kitchen" series, The Mexican Mama's Kitchen: Authentic Homestyle Recipes combines classic and time-tested home recipes with the motherly tips and advice of an experienced cook, such as "When deseeding chilies, be as careful as possible. Try to wear rubber gloves and avoid rubbing your eyes" and "To make vanilla sugar, add one vanilla pod to 2 cups sugar. Set aside for 3 weeks and then mix. Use to sweeten hot drinks as a sugar alternative." Recipes such as Bricklayer-Style Eggs, Green Rice, Black Burner Beans, Mexican Hot Chocolate and many more are presented not only with methodical instructions, but also a brief introduction describing how the recipe has been used in families for generations. A handful of color photographs illustrate The Mexican Mama's Kitchen, a very highly recommended and easy-to-use family cookbook.
It's Hard To Believe With No Salt, No Sugar
El Hughes
Author House
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403-5161
www.authorhouse.com
1420862790 $15.50 1-800-280-7715
El Hughes comes from a southern cooking tradition where flavor is paramount. Then her husband was diagnosed with diabetes and heart problems necessitating a radical change of cooking strategies and mealtime menus. The need was for nutritious dishes that would taste good, but not include either salt or sugar as ingredients. The result is It's Hard To Believe With No Salt, No Sugar, a culinary compendium of "kitchen cook friendly" dishes that range from Strawberries & Cream; to Shrimp & Pasta; to Orka & Tomatoes; to Stuffed Turkey Burgers; to Banana Pudding. The recipes are laid out plain and simple for even the most novice kitchen chef to follow accurately and successfully. This "no frills" cookbook is enthusiastically recommended for anyone having to deal with diabetes and heart-health issues in their family dining -- and would make an ideal curriculum supplement choice for highschool or homeschool cooking classes.
Simply Bill
Bill Granger
Whitecap Books, Ltd.
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
www.whitecap.ca
1552856992 $29.95 1-888-980-9852
Simply Bill is a thoroughly "kitchen cook friendly" compendium of recipes showcasing the dishes of self-taught Australian chef Bill Granger, who is also known for his popular and worldwide distributed cooking show "Bill's Food". From Tomato Basil Salad to Berry Butterfly Cakes, Thyme-Roasted Almonds, Roast Beef Wrapped in Prosciutto, and so many more. Each of these outstanding dishes offer a unique palatability and culinary signature sure to generate appeal particularly at fine dining occasions. Full color photography on every page complements the thorough instructions and serving tips.
The Veggie Queen
Jill Nussinow, MS, RD
Vegetarian Connection Press
Box 6042, Santa Rosa, CA 95406-0042
0976708507 $19.95 theveggiequeen.com
The Veggie Queen: Vegetables Get The Royal Treatment showcases more than a hundred seasonal recipes for healthy, appetite satisfying, palate pleasing, vegetarian dining for all occasions. A culinary educator, a Registered Dietitian, and a dedicated expert in vegetarian cuisine, Jill Nussinow divides her recipes into chapters for Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter. Then continues with two more recipe chapters for "Anytime at All", "Pressure's On - In a Good Way". Featuring terrific dishes that range from Potato and Watercress Soup with Sorrel Cream; Italian Bread Salad; and Red Peppers Stuffed with Quinoa, Squash and Sunflower Seeds; to Spicy Greens Salad with Baked Tofu and Roasted Shiitake Mushrooms; Orange Scented Beet Salad; Garlic Parsley Mashed Potatoes; and Chickpeas Italiano, The Veggie Queen is also enhanced for the kitchen cook with a Glossary of Food Times, a list of Sources, and a "user friendly" Index. No vegetarian cookbook collection would be complete without the inclusion of The Veggie Queen!
The Food Of Italy
Sophie Braimbridge & Jo Glynn, authors
Chris L. Jones, photographer
Whitecap Books, Ltd.
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
www.whitecap.ca
1552856771 $34.95 1-888-980-9852
The Food Of Italy: A Journey For Food Lovers is a beautiful, coffee-table sized cookbook featuring sumptuous dishes that characterize the regional flavors of Italy. Stunning full-color photography, many images taking up a full page, revel in the visual appeal of tasty Italian dishes such as Wild Mushroom Bruschetta, Grilled Mackerel, Spicy Lamb Casserole, Calzone, Spaghetti Alla Puttanesca, Panforte, and so many more. The recipes explicitly walk the reader through the steps to perfectly prepare a repast pleasing to the palate. Highly recommended for anyone wishing to add a dose of Italian flavor to the kitchen.
The Cookware Cookbook
Jamee Ruth
Chronicle Books
85 - 2nd St., 6th Floor, San Francisco CA 94105
www.chroniclebooks.com
0811842363 $10.95 1-800-722-6657
Author Jamee Ruth's expertise in cookware pairs with lovely color photos by Leigh Beisch to cover the various shapes, sizes and uses for cookware and how they differ from each other in The Cookware Cookbook. From specialty pans like a fish poacher to recipes which teach readers how to choose between pots and pans, The Cookware Cookbook starts with the pan and produces a recipe to fit, demonstrating its use. The Cookware Cookbook is the perfect choice for the new cook just learning about cookware options and uses, and would be a welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection.
The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook
Jyl Steinback
Meredith
1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309
www.meredithbooks.com
0696223252 $19.95 1-800-678-8091
There are plenty of competing slow cooker cookbooks on the market, so what makes The Busy Mom's Slow Cooker Cookbook: More Than 320 Low-calorie, Low-Fat Dishes so special? One factor is the focus on producing one-pot meals the entire family will like, which are nutritious. The lay-flat plastic binding lends to cooking yet has spine lettering for easy shelving. And the dishes themselves blend pantry ingredients for quick preparation with scratch cooking for the best flavor, as in Apple-Cinnamon Pork Chops which blends canned apple pie filling with cinnamon, lemon juice, and chicken broth. Even vegetarian main courses are featured. Very highly recommended above most others: no pictures but with such simple recipes photos aren't at all needed.
The Peppers Cookbook
Jean Andrews
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336, Denton TX 76203-1336
1574411934 $21.95 unt.edu/untpress
Jean Andrews has numerous cookbooks to her name and has held positions in the American Institute of wine & Food and the Intl Association of Culinary Professionals: her Peppers Cookbook thus comes from a chili pepper specialist who has produced earlier pepper histories and here gathers over 200 recipes for peppers. This isn't just a gathering from her prior books, either: new recipes are featured as well as the best of old ones, from appetizers to main dishes and even desserts. No photos - but the clear directions don't need 'em.
Garlic & Oil
Carol Helstosky
Berg Publishers
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1859738907 $29.95 www.amazon.com
With all the Italian culinary books on the market today, it's surprising to note Garlic And Oil: Food And Politics In Italy is the first comprehensive history of food habits in modern Italy. A review of the history from the mid-19th century to modern times argues politics radically changed the Italian diet and cuisine, from a boring, unchanging habit to become the subject of fiery political debates and government intervention. Source material includes writings of scientists, economists, politicians, consumers and more, lending a lively scholarly tone to a fascinating review of the evolution of modern Italian eating.
Wine Appreciation Guild
360 Swift Avenue, Unit 34, South San Francisco, CA 94080
www.wineappreciation.com
Going beyond the usual wine appreciation guide are two outstanding, different wine explorations for avid wine consumers. The new edition of chemist David Bird's Understanding Wine Technology: The Science Of Wine Explained (1891267914, $39.95) includes a foreword by Hugh Johnson as it describes the science of wine in simple terms. Recent scientific advances prompted this new edition, which covers the science and chemistry of the entire winemaking process from start to finish from grapes to filtration to end product. Mahesh Kumar, BA, ACMA, ATT, CMC, MBA, DipIc's Wine Investment For Portfolio Diversification (1891267841, $45.00) focuses on investing in fine wines, showing how to use an interest in fine wine collecting to hedge a shaky market. Analysis by London accountant Kumar reveals fine wine is also a fine diversification tool for investment and that investors can expect a higher rate of return relative to investment risk. Wine enthusiasts will be pleased to learn from this.
The Photography Shelf
A Glimpse Of Old China
China Books & Periodicals, Inc.
360 Swift Avenue, Suite 48, South San Francisco, CA 94080
www.chinabooks.com
7800242978 $89.95 1-800-818-2017
A Glimpse Of Old China is a unique, bilingual collection of black-and-white historical photographs capturing daily life in Old China, ranging from the mid-nineteenth to the mid-twentieth centuries. Captions for each photo in English and Chinese succinctly date and place the images within their context. Historical sites, festivals, images from the military, industry, traffic, clothing of the period, health care practices, and so much more fill the pages of this valuable resource showcasing a timeless visual history. A Glimpse Of Old China is a truly impressive and enthusiastically recommended photography collection offering up a fully palpable sense of Chinese history, tradition, and culture.
Photography: The Art Of Composition
Bert Krages
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd Ave, Suite 510, NY, NY 10010
www.allworth.com
1581154097 $24.95 1-800-491-2808
Where is the 'art' in photography when the typical discussion revolves around technical camera operation? It's right here, in photographer/attorney Bert Krages' Photography: The Art Of Composition, which should be required reading for any photography student. Krages uses the same methods used to teach fine arts to draw important connections between photography and art, providing a group of some sixty exercises which teach readers how to perceive points, lines, shapes and more through the camera's eye.
Digital Portrait Photography Of Teens And Seniors
Patrick Rice
Amherst Media
PO Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com
1584281626 $34.95 1-800-622-3278
Learn how to capture unique portraits of either teens and seniors, how to marketing images to them, and how to maximize the features of both teens and seniors through Digital Portrait Photography Of Teens And Seniors which covers everything from personalizing the photo shoot for the client to making the most of promoting this specialized path in portrait photography. From shooting in studio or outdoor locations to accepting input from clients and posing teens and seniors, Rice's many solid tips are based on his own experience.
Augustus F. Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-20
Augustus F. Sherman
Aperture
20 East 23rd Street, New York NY 10010
www.aperture.org
193178860X $40.00 1-800-929-2323
Augustus F. Sherman worked as a clerk with the Immigration Bureau of Ellis Island, photographing over two hundred families, groups and individuals as they passed through customs. Augustus F. Sherman: Ellis Island Portraits 1905-20 represents the first published collection of his work, featuring a hundred of his best photos of peoples from cultures around the world. A historical essay by Peter Mesenholler places the period of time and photos in perspective, providing both a critical analysis of Sherman's work and this collection, and lending important background to the portraits. An outstanding presentation of historical portrait photography.
Peachpit/Adobe Press
1249 - 8th St., Berkeley, CA 94710
www.peachpit.com
Peachpit's computer titles have strong following in the computer and photography worlds, and some recent arrivals strengthen their collection with new, important focuses on photography which any serious public library or specialty computer/photography collection will consider 'musts'. Ben Willmore's Adobe Photoshop CS2 Studio Techniques (0321321-898, $50.00) provides a guide to mastering the basics of the Photoshop photography enhancement program. From the most basic tools of the program and how they can manipulate photos and effectively edit images to more advanced, creative explorations of blending, enhancing and colorizing images, this has been updated for the latest Photoshop CS2 and covers all the new features of a program which has come to be regarded as the industry standard in computer photo editing. Use it in conjunction with Dave Cross's The Photoshop CS2 Help Desk Book (0321337042, $34.99), written by a Photoshop seminar provider who gathers the most common questions under one cover. From what to do when things don't work, from re-setting to re-installing, to checklists for troubleshooting, customization options, and common image problems, become your own 'help desk' with Dave Cross' 'help desk in a book'. Dan Margulis' Photoshop Lab Color: The Canyon Conundrum And Other Adventures In The Most Powerful Colorspace (0321356780, $49.99) explores the least-discussed tool of the program, Photoshop LAB. An overview of LAB surveys areas in which it excels along with areas in which it fails, considering the program's applications, pros, and cons. From creating more effective masks with A and B channels to making big changes in color and creating both lifelife and fantastic results, Photoshop Lab Color is a recommended pick for any advanced Photoshop photographer.
The drawings comprising Future Retro: Selected From The Jean S. And Frederic A. Sharf Collection consider a fine era of American auto design: the 1940s through the 1960s, when the focus was on futuristic vehicles from Detroit. Over fifty color drawings - many seeing print here for the first time, so don't anticipate repeat performances - capture futuristic, retro and sometimes downright odd vehicles pack a presentation inspired by an exhibition currently on view at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston. All the drawings are from the collection of Jean S. and Frederic A. Sharf, are presented in full-page color, and capture some of the ground-breaking dreams of auto design of the era. A 'must' for car fans and students of Americana.
The Dance Shelf
Round About The Ballet
William Cubberley & Joseph Carman
Limelight Editions
512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 53213
www.limelighteditions.com
0879103116 $29.95 www.amazon.com
The stars of top New York City ballet companies have been selected by dance photography Roy Round for profile in Round About The Ballet, a visual treat and an effort to capture the movements and artistry of ballet in photo book format. But Round About The Ballet isn't just visuals alone: interviews with the dancers probe their achievements, lives, and dancing challenges alike, covering such diverse topics as how ballet competitions have changed their lives, how associations with particular companies have influenced their dancing styles, and both physical and psychological dancing challenges. A 'must' for any serious dancer, especially for fans of ballet.
The Homeowner's Shelf
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com
Two excellent homeowner's project handbooks are fine references for home designers who would add final finishing touches to an outdoors project. Pat Sagui's Landscaping With Stone (1580111122, $19.95) tells how to blend natural stone as a part of a landscape, whether it be a walkway, patio, garden walls or water stepping stones for a shallow stream. Packed with color photos throughout, Sagui's title tells how to build, use mortar, set rock and stones, and more. Creative Homeowner's Decks: Plan, Design, Build (1580111483, $19.95) tells how to design a deck based on both modern design trends and project needs. Over sixty step-by-step photos shows how to plan the design, use tools and materials properly, and how to add stairs, railings and more to a finished desk. Tips on decay-resistant designs and proper foundations are particularly well presented.
Going Solar
Tomm Stanley
Stonefield Publishing
c/o Chelsea Green Publishing Company
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
www.chelseagreen.com
0476010829 $29.95 1-800-639-4099
Modern pioneering solar designers are the profile of Tomm Stanley's Going Solar: Understanding And Using The Warmth In Sunlight: a survey of these designers' achievements and grasp of science in solar energy design. Here are the explanations behind how and why solar devices work, helping readers understand how the technology might be applied for everyday use. As a simple introduction to the topic, Going Solar is a recommended pick.
Sunset Books
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025-3691
1-800-643-8030 www.sunset.com
Three fine home makeover designs are recommended picks for any who would transform a home for style and efficiency alike. Before & After Kitchen Makeovers (0376013427, $16.95) features forty renovations which use before/after photos to display the entire transformation. This isn't just a pictorial comparison guide, however: short explanations highlight particular challenges, goals, floor plan options, and more. Perfect for considering a home kitchen project changing the entire look and functionality of the room - as is Work Surfaces And Countertops (0376-018070, $14.95), which narrows the focus to countertops and work surf
