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Library Bookwatch

Volume 2, Number 8 August 2007 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Jobs/Careers Shelf Business Shelf
Native American Shelf Poetry Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Library Science Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Economics Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf
Education Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Biography Shelf
Fiction Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf Travel Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Gardening Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Sports Shelf Cookbook Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Library DVD Shelf World History Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Library Music CD Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Aviation Shelf Psychology Shelf
Anthropology Shelf Language Studies Shelf Computer Shelf
Photography Shelf Dance Shelf Archaeology Shelf
Art Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

How To Sell Toys and Hobbies on eBay
J. S. McDougall
Entrepreneur Press
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
9781599180069, $12.95 www.entrepreneurpress.com 1-877-833-5524

How To Sell Toys and Hobbies on eBay is a practical, easy-to-use guide for people of all backgrounds seeking to earn money selling on the internet auction website eBay - from individuals looking to make a little cash on toys in the attic to entrepreneurs striving to get a business-at-home off the ground. Chapters cover how to acquire inventory, the nuts and bolts of listing items, marketing strategies, do-it-yourself finances, when to consider hiring help to assist running one's eBay business, and much more. A highly accessible "how-to" guide that quickly pays for itself.

Disguised Weapons
Craig S. Meissner
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
9781581603255, $25.00 www.paladin-press.com 1-800-392-2400

Author Craig S. Meissner draws upon his many years as a New York City police officer in "Disguised Weapons: The Law Enforcement Guide To Covert Guns, Knives, And Other Weapons", a profusely illustrated compendium on the diverse kinds of covert weaponry found on people in the street, prisoners in custody, and favored by those with nefarious intent. There are guns disguised as beepers and cell phones, plastic knives shaped like credit cards, stun guns in the form of pens and flashlights, even blowgun flutes and condom garrotes. Informed and informative, "Disguised Weapons" is a unique compendium of lethal covert weaponry that should be considered a 'must read' for everyone in law enforcement from the cop on the beat, to the private security guard, to the border patrol agent, to airport security personnel, to members of the armed forces in hostile territories, to defense-minded civilians.

Till We Have Built Jerusalem
Philip Bess
ISI Books
PO Box 4431, Wilmington, DE 19807-0431
9781932236965, $28.00 www.isibooks.org 1-800-526-7022

Philip Bess (Professor and Director of Graduate Studies, University of Notre Dame School of Architecture) presents Till We Have Built Jerusalem, a scholarly examination of the relationship between traditional architecture, urbanism, and human flourishing, as well as the types of culture necessary to sustain traditional towns and city neighborhoods. Chapters analyze questionable intellectual assumptions of contemporary architecture, and reveals how the individualist philosophy of modern societies is physically expressed through suburban sprawl, to such an extent that it undercuts urbanism's ability to sustain itself. Till We Have Built Jerusalem concludes that the natural law tradition and communal religion can both provide the needed intellectual and spiritual depth to modern attempts to build new (and revive existing) towns and cities. Urban locales, at their best, help fulfill the human drive for order, beauty, and community, Bess argues, in this fascinating study of old versus new urbanism. Black-and-white and a few color illustrations add a visual touch to this persuasive manifesto of the common links between improving the human condition through better urban architecture and the bonds of shared religion.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Double Outsiders
Jessica Faye Carter, J.D., MBA
JIST Publishing
8902 Otis Avenue, Indianapolis, IN 46216-1033
9781593573867, $16.95 www.jist.com 1-800-648-5478

Jessica Faye Carter is a seasoned and experienced professional in the fields of corporate law and the financial services industry whose experience and expertise form the basis of a superbly written, organized and presented instruction manual designed specifically for women of color who are trying to enter and/or succeed in the corporate world. An invaluable compendium of practical, applicable information, "Double Outsiders: How Women Of Color Can Succeed In Corporate America" identifies and explains the rules of the corporate game and what must be done to advance a career; how to benefit from interviews, insights and strategies as offered by top female minority executives and others who have overcome bias and prejudice in the course of their own careers; how to find and work with a mentor, as well as developing an effective personal network for career advancement and success. "Double Outsiders" is a strongly recommended acquisition for community and academic library Jobs & Careers reference collections, and a 'must read' for any woman of color or minority ethnic group seeking to advance themselves within the corporate business world.


The Business Shelf

Achieve Leadership Genius
Drea Zigarmi, Susan Fowler, Dick Lyles
Financial Times
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780132353762, $25.99 www.ftpress.com 1-800-428-5331

The collaborative work of Drea Zigarmi (founding Associate of The Ken Blanchard Companies and co-creator of the best-of-class developmental leadership model 'Situational Leadership II'), Susan Fowler (creator and lead developer of The Ken Blanchard Companies Situational Self Leadership program), and Dick Lyles (President and CEO of Leadership Legacies, a company that focuses on developing a new generation of leaders), "Achieve Leadership Genius: How You Lead Depends On Who, What, Where, And When You Lead" is an informed and informative instruction manual for men and women charged with the responsibility of leading individuals, teams, organizations, alliances, as well as themselves. Thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Achieve Leadership Genius" lays out the five critically important leadership practices that apply to any leadership scenario regardless of who is to be led, as well as how to handle those unique issues that inevitably will arise in every leadership context and circumstance. An exceptionally well written and organized instructional guide and reference, "Achieve Leadership Genius" is especially recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Business Leadership collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Business Coaching Handbook
Curly Martin
Crown House Publishing
PO Box 2223, Williston, VT 05495-2223
9781845900601, $27.95 www.CHPUS.com 1-877-925-1213

"The Business Coaching Handbook: Everything You Need To Be Your Own Business Coach" by Curly Martin (author, international speaker, and a pioneer of life coaching in Europe) is a complete, superbly written, throughly reader friend, do-it-yourself instruction manual for anyone needing to assess the condition of their business enterprise and figure out how to insure its commercial viability and profitability in today's increasing volatile and competitive marketplace. "The Business Coaching Handbook" covers a compendium of relevant issues ranging from setting goals, investing time for best results, customers, sales leads, marketing, publicity and advertising, socializing, staff management, finances, outsourcing, and succession planning. enhanced with an extensive bibliography, an author resource guide, and an index, "The Business Coaching Handbook" is an invaluable and very practical introduction to improved business management skills and essential reading for anyone contemplating launching their own business, or who is already engaged in the responsibilities of business management and seeking to improve their skills and performance.

Lessons On Leadership
Jack Stahl
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
322 Eighth Avenue, Suite 1702, New York, NY 10001
9780793194742, $22.00 www.kaplanpublishing.com 1-800-223-2336

An experienced and successful CEO of the Coca-Cola company's North American group (who also served as head of their global corporation) for twenty-two years, and later serving for five years as CEO of Revlon, Jack Stahl writes with a very special expertise on the subject of leadership in the management of a business with "Lessons On Leadership: The 7 Fundamental Management Skills For Leaders At All Levels". A gifted writer, Stahl expertly simplifies the complexities of running a business by introducing, explaining, and illustrating seven frameworks that cover many of the situations that are commonly encountered by managers when building up world-class organizations in a volatile and competitive marketplace be it local, regional, national, or international. These frameworks relate to the basic issues of leadership and management; creating a high-capability organization; developing human resources; brand positioning with consumers; customer relationship management; financial strategy and management; and 'influencing people'. "Lessons On Leadership" is strongly recommended reading, especially for business students, employees aspiring to management responsibilities, and managers charged with advancing their company's best interests and bottom-line profitability.

The Certified Quality Process Analyst Handbook
Eldon H. Christensen, Kathleen M. Coombes-Betz, Marilyn S. Stein
Quality Press
PO Box 3005, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005
9780873897099, $63.00 www.asq.org/quality-press 1-800-248-1946

Co-authored by Edon 'Chris' Christensen (president of the management consulting firm Christensen Associates Inc.), Kathleen Coombes-Best (A senior member of ASQ, a deputy regional director and section education chair, and a Certified Manager of Quality/Organizational Excellence), and Marilyn Stein (a senior quality engineer and quality systems coordinator at the Lewiston operations facility of ATK -- a leading provider of advanced weapon and space systems), "The Certified Quality Process Analyst Handbook" was specifically designed to assist readers preparing for Certified Quality Process Analysis certification. The thirty chapters comprising this informed and informative textbook are methodically organized into four major sections: Quality Basics; Problem Solving and Improvement; Data Analysis; and Customer-Supplier Relations. Enhanced with the four appendices ('Quality Process Analyst Body of Knowledge'; 'Areas Under Standard Normal Curve'; 'Control Limit Formulas'; and 'Factors for Control Charts'), "The Certified Quality Process Analyst Handbook" also features extensive end notes, a glossary, references, and an index. Clearly, "The Certified Quality Process Analyst Handbook" is a basic and comprehensive textbook that should be a part of every academic, corporate, and professional Quality Analysis Certification reference collection.

Incorporating Your Business
Michele Cagan
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
9781598690941, $19.95 www.adamsmedia.com 1-800-872-5627

Michele Cagan draws upon her many years of experience and expertise as an accountant, a tax advisor, a small business services planner, and a teacher of accounting and computer skills to community college students and private business owners to write "Incorporating Your Business: From Legal Issues To Tax Concerns, All You Need To Establish And Protect Your Business". The newest addition to the Adams Business series 'Streetwise', this 370-page compendium of instructional advice is impressively 'user friendly' and an ideal introduction for non-specialist general readers aspiring to launch their own company, and will prove an invaluable resource for anyone already engaged in a small business enterprise and needing to insure its viability through effective record keeping and the benefits of incorporation. "Incorporating Your Business" covers all pertinent issues to the subject including where an S corporation or a C corporation would be best for a particular business enterprise; which state and federal regulations will affect a corporation; avoiding the hidden costs associated with incorporating a business; as well as tax planning strategies and required accounting practices when incorporated. Practical, informative, methodical, expertly written and superbly organized, "Incorporating Your Business" should be considered essential reading for anyone contemplating launching their own company or who has an unincorporated business and is considering the possible benefits of incorporation.


The Native American Shelf

Tipis, Tepees, Teepees
Linda A. Holley
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781586855116, $16.95 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439

Former teacher, Native American culture expert and dedicated tipi-maker Linda A. Holley presents Tipis, Tepees, Teepees: History and Design of the Cloth Tipi, an extraordinary history of a cloth dwelling design that has been used in dozens of cultures since the dawn of civilization. Today, tipis can be found in North America, Asia, and Australia, among other places - tipis are naturally durable, weather resistant, and easy to transport, and new synthetic materials help make them adaptable to a wider variety of climates than ever. Tips, Tepees, Teepees covers far more than the history of the tipi; chapters also cover their many styles, how to take proper care of a tipi, how to pitch a tipi, day-to-day life in a tipi, advice on buying a tipi, etc. Numerous black-and-white photographs, a glossary, bibliography, and index round out this one-of-a-kind guide strongly recommended for anyone and everyone curious about tipis.

Footsteps Of The Cherokees
Vicki Rozema
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
9780895873460, $21.95 www.blairpub.com 1-800-222-9796

A photographer having a special interest in Cherokee history, Vicki Rozema's "Footsteps Of The Cherokees: A Guide To The Eastern Homelands Of The Cherokee Nation" is a seminal contribution to the growing body of Native American history in general, and the Cherokee Nation in particular. Traveling more than 4,000 miles and investing about 2500 hours visiting, researching, and photographing the sites associated with Cherokee history throughout southeastern United States, "Footsteps Of The Cherokees" covers Cherokee farmlands, homes, and sacred sides in North Carolina, Tennessee, Alabama, Georgia, South Carolina, and the infamous trek to Oklahoma in 1838 called 'The Trail of Tears', when thousands of Cherokees were forced by the federal government to leave their lands and live on a desolate reservation in an inhospitable western frontier. Some 190 sites are listed and provided with historical perspectives. Enhanced with black-and-white photographs, detailed directions to the sites, their hours of operation, along with entrance fee information, as well as relevant phone numbers, "Footsteps Of The Cherokees" is the perfect travel planner and companion. An impressive and original body of work, "Footsteps Of The Cherokees" is a welcome and very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Native American Studies reference collections.


The Poetry Shelf

Some Heaven
Todd Davis
Michigan State University
1405 South Harrison Road, Suite 25, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
9780870138003, $19.95 www.msupress.msu.edu

Pushcart Prize-nominated poet Todd Davis presents Some Heaven, an anthology of free-verse poetry about growth, change, and the twin powers of compassion and love. Poignant environmental metaphors emerge reflecting a thoughtful sense of wonder of the natural world, and its reflection on humankind. An evocative collection, recommended for seasoned poetry lovers. "First Snow, after September 11th": Last night the wind came strong / from the north, brought black / walnut and maple limbs back / to earth - fence row cluttered / in despair. Across the field / a crow beats his wings / against heavy clouds.


The Social Issues Shelf

Essays on Church, State, and Politics
Christian Thomasius, author
Knud Haakonssen, general editor
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1694
9780865974999, $12.00 www.libertyfund.org 1-800-955-8335

Essays on Church, State, and Politics collects six texts of classic literature by German jurist, philosopher, reformer, and early advocate of separation of church and state, Christian Thomasius (1655-1728). Translated into English for the first time, Essays on Church, State, and Politics argues forcefully for religious tolerance while lauding the role of sovereign power to preserve secular peace. Chapters further discuss natural law, the condition of the universities, the extent and limits of princely power, and the questions of whether heresy and witchcraft should be considered crimes. A powerful advocational text of why the state should withdraw from judging morality yet maintain its right to oversee matters influencing social peace, Essays on Church, State, and Politics is overall as relevant today as it was virtually three hundred years ago.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

World Religions in a Postmodern Age
Henry L. Ruf
Paragon House
1925 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 7, St. Paul, MN 55113-2619
9781557788665, $19.95 www.paragonhouse.com

Philosophy professor and postmodern critic of metaphysics Henry L. Ruf presents World Religions in a Postmodern Age, the latest contribution to the Paragon Issues in Philosophy series. Chapters explore the positive roles of major world religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, Chan/Zen, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam) as well as how difficult and sometimes dangerous truly faithful talk is when so many would ruthlessly abuse religious power and authority to serve their own ends. At its core, World Religions in a Postmodern Age extols the sacred and practical virtues of world religious freedom, and the benefits that such freedom and tolerance bring to human society as a whole. A thoughtful, well-reasoned, and highly recommended contribution to religious philosophy shelves.


The Library Science Shelf

The Newbery and Caldecott Awards, 2007 edition
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611
9780838935675, $19.00 www.alastore.ala.org

The Newbery and Caldecott Awards: A Guide to the Medal and Honor Books is the updated 2007 edition to award-winning children's picturebooks and literature. Each entry lists the book's title, author, illustrator, publisher, and a short summary of the book's contents. Books are listed chronologically, from the 2007 award-winning titles to the award-winning titles of 1922 (Newbery) or 1938 (Caldecott). The Newbery and Caldecott lists are separate; an additional section describes media used in Caldecott picture books. An introduction explaining the criteria and basics of the awards, as well as an index for quick reference, round out this excellent guide for librarians seeking quality titles to add to their children's book collections.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Middle River Murders
Ann Mullen
Afton Ridge Publishing
PO Box 162, Stanardsville, VA 22973
9780972532785, $24.95 www.aftonridge.com

Middle River Murders: A Jesse Watson Mystery is a steady, spine-tingling mystery novel about the hunt for a serial killer who is murdering members of an elite social club. Investigator Billy Blackhawk, aided by Jesse Watson and her mother Minnie, must uncover the truth of the killings, which appear to surround a seemingly sweet and innocent old woman named Daisy Clark. As the body toll mounts, Billy, Jesse and Minnie all have their lives thrown in jeopardy. A keep-'em-guessing whodunnit that draws the reader in and refuses to let go until the last page.


The Economics Shelf

The Benefits of Full Employment
Jared Bernstein and Dean Baker
Economic Policy Institute
Suite 300, East Tower, 1333 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005
1932066047, $13.50 www.eip.org

Expert economists Jared Bernstein and Dean Baker present The Benefits of Full Employment: When Markets Work for People, a thoughtful look at the prosperity that came with the 1990s employment boom. That era revealed that full employment and stable prices could successfully coexist; incomes rose while poverty, welfare rolls, and crime rates fell. Though the full employment of the 1990s ended when the business cycle subsided, The Benefits of Full Employment persuasively argues that the advantages of full employment make it a condition worth striving to attain permanently through national policy. First published in 2003, The Benefits of Full Employment remains as insightful and well-reasoned today as it was four years ago.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Politics Under God
John H. Redekop
Herald Press
616 Walnut Avenue, Scottsdale, PA 15683-1999
9780836193558, $11.99 www.heraldpress.com 1-800-759-4447

Former president of the Evangelical Fellowship of Canada John H. Redekop presents Politics Under God, an examination of church-state relations that explores the challenges Christians face when confronting the possibility of political involvement. Putting forth the commitment that politics is a just environment in which to apply Christian faith and service, Politics Under God proposes that governments should be held accountable to God as well as to secular principles such as justice and fiscal responsibility. Chapters discuss overlapping agendas of church and government, and questions such as "Can morality be legislated?", "Is Christianity Left, Right or Center?", or "How should Christians pray for politicians and governments?". A thoughtful examination of how Christians can stay true to their faith while becoming involved in government, without putting institutions of faith at risk to conflict of interest.

The Best-Ever Christian Baby Name Book
Nick Harrison & Steve Miller
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736919944, $11.99 www.harvesthousepublishers.com 1-800-547-8979

The Best-Ever Christian Baby Name Book: Thousand of Names and Their Meanings is a guide especially for Christian parents, offering thousands of names to choose from, their alternate spellings, and innate meaning. The Best-Ever Christian Baby Name Book deliberately avoids names with a non-Christian connotation (such as names connected to other pantheons or faith traditions) except in those cases when such names are also Biblical names. Thumbnail biographies of famous Christians or humanitarians for whom children can be named dot the entries, and an introductory section guides Christian parents in how to choose a child's name. "Several years ago a friend of mine mentioned that she had always dreamed of having a son named Nick... but when she married a man with the last name of Knack, she knew she had to forever abandon that dream." Highly recommended for expecting Christian parents.

When Necessary Use Words
Mike Pilavachi
Gospel Light
c/o Regal Books
1957 Eastman Avenue, Ventura, CA 93003
9780830738144, $12.99 www.regalbooks.com 1-800-235-3415

Written by Mike Pilavachi, the founder and leader of the Soul Survivor international movement, When Necessary Use Words: Changing Lives Through Worship, Justice and Evangelism is guide to how worship, evangelism, and justice can all be successfully melded into a transcendent whole in one's life. Chapters encourage the reader, preaching the importance of sustaining both physical and higher needs - that giving out food at the church pantry is just as crucial as nourishing people's spiritual hunger. A compassionate and faithful addition to evangelical Christian libraries and personal inspiration shelves.

Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God
Larry Osborn
Multnomah Books
12265 Oracle Boulevard., Suite 200, Colorado Springs, CO 80921
9781590527948, $13.99 www.multnomahbooks.com 1-800-929-0910

Lead pastor of North Coast Church in northern San Diego County Larry Osborne presents Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God: Spirituality for the Rest of Us, an examination of spirituality and The Big Questions for anyone jaded by or distrustful of the dogma of established religions. Chapters explore such themes as "What does it mean to know God?", "How does spiritual growth happen?" or "What does God want?". Contrarian's Guide to Knowing God does not purport to have all the answers, but makes an extraordinarily strong case for the answers it does provide. "Great relationships don't just happen. They take hard work and significant mid-course corrections to stay healthy over the long haul. A relationship with God is no different. While God never needs to grow, makes a mistake, never misunderstands, and never chooses the selfish route, we do. And whenever we get off course, it usually takes some significant changes on our part to get the relationship back on track." An inspirational testimony of "common-sense" Christian spirituality drawing from real-world wisdom as well as the study of scripture.

The Rights of Catholics in the Church
James A. Coriden
Paulist Press
997 MacArthur Boulevard, Mahwah, NJ 07430
9780809144334, $14.95 www.paulistpress.com 1-800-218-1903

Professor of Catholic church law Reverend James A. Coriden presents The Rights of Catholics in the Church, a straightforward basic reference for those seeking to know their rights as Catholics under canon law. Chapters offer an overview of the rights of Catholics in the church, including rights to pastoral care, rights to initiatives and activities, rights connected to one's state in life, rights to formation and education, and rights to due process. A final section outlining the limitations on and defenses of one's rights in the church rounds out this solid, easy-to-follow primer.

Mysteries of the Rosary in Ordinary Life
Teresa Rhodes McGee
Orbis Books
PO Box 302, Maryknoll, New York 10545-0302
9781570756993, $14.00 www.maryknoll.org

Award-winning author and former lay missioner Teresa Rhodes McGee presents Mysteries of the Rosary in Ordinary Life, a gentle spiritual introduction to the Rosary as one of the treasures representing Catholic spirituality. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful delving into God's mysteries both joyous and sorrowful - even pondering the age-old mystery of how terrible suffering and even genocidal massacres can exist in God's world. An appendix instructs readers in how to pray with the Rosary, perfectly contemplating this expression of unshakeable faith in God, Jesus Christ, and Mary, "Queen of Heaven and Earth."


The Parenting Shelf

Living Outside the Box
Barbara Brock
Eastern Washington University Press
705 West 1st Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201
9781597660143, $17.95 1-800-508-9095

Written by recreation management professor Barbara Brock, Living Outside the Box: TV-Free Families Share Their Secrets is a thoughtful analysis and outgrowth of the author's landmark study of hundreds of TV-free families. Living Outside the Box does not focus upon what is wrong with too much TV, but rather the positive benefits of entirely eliminating TV from one's daily life. Chapters offer personal testimony from parents who choose to go TV-free, and how they help their children adjust as well as finding other means to spend their time. A one-of-a-kind look at a draconian yet effective antidote to the intrusively advertisement-saturated aspects of our passive media culture, highly recommended.

Monsters in the Woods
Tim Hauserman
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 166, Reno, NV, 89557-0076
9780874177114, $15.95 1-877-682-6657

Professional wilderness guide and outdoors writer Tim Hauserman presents Monsters in the Woods: Backpacking With Children, a straightforward guide to backpacking and outdoors activities written especially for parents who want to bring their children along - whether the children are infants, toddlers, preteens, or teens. Chapters cover how to prepare for the trip (including what to take and what not to take), safety precautions, how to take care of necessary bodily functions, protecting oneself from bear attacks (since bears are guided by smell, two of the best defenses are to camp a fair distance from where you cook and to use a "bear canister" to guard one's food at night) and much more. Written in plain terms for parents and readers of all backgrounds, Monsters in the Woods is enthusiastically recommended as a "must-have" for outdoor-loving families with children everywhere.


The Education Shelf

Crimes and Mathdemeanors
Leith Hathout
A K Peters, Ltd.
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
9781568812601, $14.95 www.akpeters.com

Crimes and Mathdemeanors is an Encyclopedia Brown-style book of short detective stories for young adults and adults alike - to test their mathematics skills and knowledge! Ravi, the 14-year-old math genius, must apply his knowledge of math and physics and his general cleverness to deduce the answers to riddles, mysteries, and puzzles. Tales rely on trigonometry, probability, combinatorics, and deductive reasoning to uncover the secret of whodunnit in this delightful educational and learning tool. Ideal for high school libraries, classroom use, and for adults who want to keep their math skills sharp!

The 4th Dimension and Beyond
John Eikum
Beaver's Pond Press, Inc.
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 216, Edina, MN 55439-2129
9781592981724, $16.95 www.beaverspondpress.com

Computer scientist and youth team manager for the creative problem-solving program Destination Imagination John Eikum presents The 4th Dimension and Beyond: Imagining Worlds with 0, 1, 2, 3, 4 Dimensions and More, an introduction to the exciting world of math and science. Written to clearly and effective communicate basic mathematical concepts to readers from middle-school age to adult, The 4th Dimension and Beyond applies "out-of-the-box" thinking, analogies, black-and-white pictures, and other devices to clarify and foster interest in mathematics. An excellent supplement for school libraries and basic mathematics reading lists, and also a serviceable primer to the wonders of multiple dimensions for readers of all ages and backgrounds.

Why is Math So Hard for Some Children?
Daniel B. Berch, Ph.D. & Michele M.M. Mazzocco, Ph.D., editors
Brookes Publishing Co.
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781557668646, $49.95 www.brookespublishing.com

Why is Math So Hard for Some Children?: The Natural and Origins of Mathematical Learning Difficulties and Disabilities is a scholarly anthology of essays by learned contributors discussing how to most effectively help students with learning disabilities and difficulties achieve in mathematics. Essays examine the connection between mathematics difficulties and reading difficulties, mathematical development in children with language impairments, neuropsychological factors, so-called "math anxiety", recommended methods of instructional intervention, and much more. Especially recommended for teachers and school administrators, Why is Math So Hard for Some Children? brings together the latest research and field-tested wisdom in an effort to answer its title question and promote improved teaching methodologies. Especially recommended for education shelves.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Getting Our Groove Back
Scott A. Shay
Devora Publishing
c/o Pitspopany Press
40 East 78th Street, Suite 16D, New York, NY 10021
9781932687859, $24.95 www.devorapublishing.com 1-800-232-2931

Written by Scott A. Shay, Chair of UJA-Federation of New York's Commission on Jewish Identity and Renewal, Getting Our Groove Back: How to Energize American Jewry is a straight-on look at the numerous obstacles confronting American Jewry today. Chapters question whether Hebrew schools can ever be made to effectively transmit Jewish identity, why Jews are giving less to Jewish causes and what can be done about it, to the modern erosion. of the American Jewish population due to intermarriages without conversion and declining overall birthrates. "In my view, if we accept zero population growth as desirable - which not all people do - Jews should be exempt from this concern. Contrary to other populations across the world that have grown exponentially, the Jewish population has declined in the past fifty years. Jews still have a great deal of catching up to do, whether it be to restore the population lost during the Holocaust or simply to reach numbers proportionate to the level of population growth internationally and in America." Getting Our Groove Back also stresses that the state of Israel is utterly important to the Jewish identity, and encourages trips to Israel for all Jewish teenagers. A hardcore guide to strengthening the cultural identity and influence of the Jewish tradition among American Jews of all branches of Judaism.


The Biography Shelf

Jackie Cochran
Doris L. Rich
University Press of Florida
University of Florida, 15 Northwest 15th Street, Gainesville, FL 32611-2079
9780813030432, $24.95 www.upf.com 1-800-226-3822

The fourth biography of a woman aviator by journalist Doris Rich, Jackie Cochran: Pilot in the Fastest Lane, an in-depth portrayal of Jackie Cochran, the first woman to break the sound barrier and the first to fly a bomber across the Atlantic. Chapters assimilate previously unpublished information about Cochran's early years and her correspondence with U.S. presidents, Air Force generals, air craft designers, test pilots, and business moguls. An evenhanded portrayal, Jackie Cochran: Pilot in the Fast Lane reveals Cochran's complex talents and characteristics - though seen by some as abrasive, she formed lasting friendships and applied her drive to earn impressive achievements. Also highly recommended is Rich's "Amelia Earhart: A Biography".

Saladin: Hero of Islam
Geoffrey Hindley
Pen & Sword
c/o Casemate
1016 Warrior Road, Suite C, Drexel Hill, PA 19026
9781844154999, $39.95 www.casematepublishing.com 1-610-853-9131

Medieval historian Geoffrey Hindley presents Saladin: Hero of Islam. Originally published in 1976, Saladin: Hero of Islam is now in a new edition, which takes into account the latest scholarship on Saladin's career and also features an updated introduction. Chapters tell how Saladin achieved a swift rise to power through conquest, intrigue, and opportunism; Saladin's tremendous gifts as a battlefield commander and military organizer stemming from his singleness of purpose and virtually unique political skill; and perhaps most unusual for military leaders of his era, Saladin's qualities and ethics that earned him a reputation for chivalry and mercy. Saladin: Hero of Islam does not idolize Saladin, yet actively seeks to understand just why his reputation in the Christian as well as the Muslim world has endured to the present day. Featuring black-and-white plates, Saladin: Hero of Islam is heavily researched yet accessible to lay readers, and highly recommended for library collections and biographical reading lists.


The Fiction Shelf

The Stones Cry Out!
Josue Raul Conte
Airleaf Publishing
35 Industrial Drive, Martinsville, IN 46151
1600021476, $21.95 www.airleaf.com 1-800-342-6068

Author Josue Raul Conte, a former member of the strict Neo-catechumenal Way who became disillusioned with ultraconservative Catholicism and renounced the Way for a more moderate approach, presents the novel The Stones Cry Out! about one man's dream-turned-nightmare experience as a Roman Catholic priest. Protagonist Marco Lamadrid, an evangelical Christian in Latin America, witnesses firsthand the corruption of the Church - not only in the many allegations of sexual abuse that befall it, but also in how the Church handles the accusations. When the Church adopts a policy of paying off all accusers, it invites liars and frauds to make false allegations for more money, in a never-ending vicious circle that tarnishes Marco's reputation when he is personally accused. "'Tell the people in all parishes that we need them to give sacrificially for the poor. Be sure to tell them it is for the poor. Above all, I don't want them to think I am making settlement payments with their money. I want everyone told that they are paid with the insurance company's money.' 'People know that even if it was insurance money, we pay the premiums with their donations.' 'People cannot think that much!'" A powerful novel of abiding faith sorely tested by long-standing institutional corruption.

Dark Birthright
Jeanne Treat
Atlas Books
30 Amberwood Parkway, Ashland, OH 44805
9780972167482, $19.95 www.atlasbooks.com 1-800-537-6727

Scotland in the year 1619 A.D. was a place where healers were hanged as witches, Catholics and Protestants sought to suppress each other, and a child born of unknown parentage is raised by fisher folk as their own son. Young Dughall growing up in a family that emphasized love and morality becomes a healer, displays psychic abilities, and loves village girl. Then one day a cruel and powerful lord claims Dugall as his father and seeks to mold the talented and conscientious Dughall into a copy of himself. The first of a planned trilogy, "Dark Birthright" is the fascinating and deftly written story of a young man's struggle amidst the political turmoil, religious strife, and dangerous highland world of 17th century Scotland. Of special note is the descriptive introduction of the fisher folk and villagers that still worship the Goddess despite the risk of being put to death as witches. "Dark Birthright" is particularly recommended for readers with an interest in well-rendered historical fiction.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

How To Write For A General Audience
Kathleen A. Kendall-Tackett
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
9780979212536, $19.95 www.apa.org/books 1-800-368-5777

Kathleen A. Kendall-Tackett is a health psychologist who has authored more than 130 articles or chapters. She has also authored or edited 15 books and serves on the editorial boards of 'Child Abuse & Neglect; 'the 'Journal of Child Sexual Abuse'; and the 'Journal of Human Lactation'. She draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in "How To Write For A General Audience: A Guide For Academics Who Want to Share Their Knowledge With The World And Have Fun Doing It". This superbly written instructional guide and reference is embedded with Kathleen's keen sense of humor and illustrative personal anecdotes, along with practical information on how academics in any of the sciences or disciplines can communicate their own expertise in articles or books with effective, jargon-free prose. "How To Write For A General Audience" covers such practical considerations as obtaining a publisher, pitching ideas, negotiation writing contracts, dealing with editors, and post-publication promotion. An ideal and thoroughly user friendly 'how to' instructional guide for academics and scientists aspiring to write and publish both within their fields and for the general public, "How To Write For A General Audience" is confidently recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Writing & Publishing reference collections.

How To Write A Screenplay
Mark Evan Schwartz
The Continuum International Publishing Group
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
9780826428172, $15.95 www.continuumbooks.com 1-800-561-7704

Now in a newly revised and significantly expanded edition, "How To Write A Screenplay" by Mark Evan Schwartz is an instructional manual specifically designed to teach aspiring screenwriters how to write a screenplay by reading one. This unique 'how to' guide is literally written and presented in the form of a screenplay. As well as the screenplay itself, Schwartz includes an instructive foreword explaining how to get the most out of the screenplay, the log line, the synopsis, character bios, the treatment, and 'The Pitch". As entertaining and engaging as it is informed and informative, "How To Write A Screenplay" is an impressive, 'reader friendly', professional, practical, instructive, superbly organized and presented 'how to' manual that is very strongly recommended reading for any and all aspiring playwrights and novice screenwriters.

Creative Writing
Colin Bulman
Polity
c/o Blackwell Publishing
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
0745686886, $26.95 www.blackwellpublishing.com 1-800-216-2522

In "Creative Writing: A Guide And Glossary To Fiction Writing", academician and author Colin Bulman draws upon his more than twenty years of experience and expertise teaching creative writing to university students for more than twenty years. Having published a number of both fiction and non-fiction books in the course of his career, Bulman writes with a special authority about the lesser known aspects of creative writing, as well as fictional techniques their proper application in stories and novels. "Creative Writing" defines more than 200 specialized terms and techniques associated with fiction writing (including 'intertextuality', 'anachrony', and 'fabula'); demonstrates how to achieve fictional effects; provides literary example of the described techniques; addresses the characteristics of genre as well as literary fiction; presents basic (but essential) techniques for creative writing that include writing dialogue and using figures of speech; and, unique to an instructional manual for aspiring authors, provides definitions for the major terms used in publishing. Superbly written and organized, "Creative Writing" is as thoroughly engaging and 'reader friendly' as it is informed and informative, making it a very highly recommended addition to any aspiring novelist's technical reference collection.

Landscapes with Figures
Robert Root, editor
University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0255
9780803259836, $21.95 www.nebraskapress.unl.edu 1-800-755-1105

Landscapes with Figures: The Nonfiction of Place is an anthology of essays, memoirs, nature writing, and travel narratives from thirteen different authors, gathered under the central theme of discussing the effect that a sense of place has on one's writing. Each essay is accompanied by a separate commentary by its author, the better to add perspective. Landscapes with Figures is emphatically not a "how to" manual for writers, but rather offers a wealth of insights to relating personal connections to places with one's perceptions and insight into narrative. An excellent source of inspiration for advanced writers seeking to enhance the integrity and authenticity of their settings.


The Travel Shelf

Florida's Living Beaches
Blair and Dawn Witherington
Pineapple Press, Inc.
PO Box 3889, Sarasota, FL 34230-3889
9781561643868, $21.95 www.pineapple.com 1-800-746-3275

Lavishly illustrated with 985 full-color photographs and 431 maps, Florida's Living Beaches: A Guide for the Curious Beachcomber is an amazing catalogue of the many treasures a beachcomber can discover along Florida's 1200 miles of coastline. Printed on high-quality glossy paper with a water-resistant dust jacket, Florida's Living Beaches describes beach features, animals, plants, and minerals at length, as well as items (and pollution!) that are the legacy of humans. Simple diagrams also reveal along which parts of Florida's coast that different individual features can be found. A one-of-a-kind guide enthusiastically recommended for Florida beachcombers and armchair beach-travelers alike.

Washington, DC: City Guide
Becca Blond & Aaron Anderson
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781740597999, $17.99 www.lonelyplanet.com 1-800-275-8555

An easily portable and thoroughly user friendly compendium of invaluable information on America's capital, "Washington, DC: City Guide" offers more than maps, but provides a complete introduction to the city in terms of its nightlife, arts, history, sights, and memorials. Of special note is the section on the 'National Mall'. Whether the traveler is in Washington for business or pleasure, this outstanding and very highly recommended guide offers descriptive recommendations for walking and biking tours, dining establishments, bars, entertainment, activities, shopping, sleeping, and excursions. Enhanced with the inclusion of a directory, an index, and maps, "Washington, DC: City Guide" is the ideal companion when planning a stay in one of the most dynamic of America's major cities.

Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate
Michael D. Yates
Monthly Review Press
122 West 27 Street, New York, NY 10001
9781583671436, $15.95 www.monthlyreview.org 1-800-670-9499

Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate: An Economist's Travelogue is the memoir of economics professor Michael D. Yates, who set off together on a journey across America. As they traveled, they observed sights and human efforts ranging from a program meant to reverse the privatization of national parks and forests to the political economy of California agriculture which relies heavily on migrant workers to pick food, to a savvy look at the job market in Portland. Cheap Motels and a Hot Plate is not a motel or eatery guide for vacationers per se, but rather an assembly of insights sure to intrigue and captivate armchair travelers. A highly enjoyable read from cover to cover.

Moon Handbooks Minnesota, second edition
Tim Bewer
Avalon Travel Publishing
c/o Avalon Publishing Group
1400 - 65th Street, Suite 250 Emeryville, CA 94608
9781566919272, $19.95 www.avalonpub.com 1-800-345-5473

Now in an updated second edition, Moon Handbooks Minnesota is a solid, jam-packed guide for business and pleasure travelers to the Land of 10,000 Lakes. Chapters are filled with thumbnail descriptions of where to shop, sleep, dine, and experience local culture in Minnesota's many different cities and regions. Offering the firsthand perspective and experience of author Tim Brewer, Moon Handbooks Minnesota includes 21 detailed maps, and has a wealth of tips on everything from enjoying the great outdoors to learning about Minnesota history, and even a handy list special annual events visitors won't want to miss. A universally practical "must-have" for any Minnesota-destined traveler.


The Self-Help Shelf

How To Stop Screwing Up
Martha Woodroof
Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc.
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
9781571745361, $15.95 www.hrpub.com

Award-winning National Public Radio broadcast reporter and survivor of hitting rock-bottom Martha Woodroof presents How To Stop Screwing Up: 12 Steps to a Real Life and a Pretty Good Time, a straightforward guide to turning one's life around from a woman who did precisely that. Chapters address how to recognize that one's screwups are causing harm, stop using excuses and speak only the truth, make amends with the people one has harmed, committing oneself to practicing positive principles in everyday life, and more. How To Stop Screwing Up also acknowledges the role of spiritual power beyond oneself in aiding recovery: "I accept that there is an unfathomable power greater than myself that can help me, but I do not have to call this power 'God.'" A profound and helpful life-changing manual to breaking free from destructive patterns.


The Gardening Shelf

Grow Your Own Pharmacy
Linda Gray
Findhorn Press
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
1844090892, $16.95 www.ipgbook.com 1-800-888-4741

"Canadian Garden" magazine writer Linda Gray presents Grow Your Own Pharmacy, a well-rounded guide to growing one's own vegetables, herbs, berries, and fruit trees, along with the basics of essential nutrition in many home-grown plants, recipes, information on edible flowers, and how to use certain medicinal herbs to treat common ailments. Written in plain terms, Grow Your Own Pharmacy is a welcome means to create organic and healthy food within the grounds of one's own home. An easy-to-use "how-to" resource, highly recommended for first-time gardeners and advanced gardening buffs alike.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Lost Continent of Mu
James Churchward
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74 Kempton, IL 60946
9781931882729, $18.00 www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com 1-815-253-6390

Originally published in 1926, The Lost Continent of Mu is a classic text now with a new introduction by David Hatcher Childress. The Lost Continent of Mu theorizes that a now-lost continent once existed in the Pacific, with a thriving human civilization. Author Churchwald presents what he learned from ancient carved tablets, hidden for thousands of years in Hindu temple vaults, and the mysteries locked in their heretofore unintelligible arcane script. The script, allegedly the original language of mankind, told of an advanced worldwide civilization on a continent in the Pacific, which was eventually destroyed by cataclysm. A handful of black-and-white illustrations add a visual touch to this amazing speculation of unexplained wonders.


The Sports Shelf

Wannabe Guide to Golf
Jack Mingo
RDR Books
4456 Piedmont, Oakland, CA 94611
1571430407, $9.95 www.rdrbooks.com

Wannabe Guide to Golf is simple, straightforward primer to the basics of golf. Chapters cover golf's origins, scoring, fundamentals such as how to swing and selecting the proper golf club, putting, navigating hazards, golf etiquette, a liberal sprinkle of golf jokes, and much more. A brief read packed with what everyone one needs to know to feel at home on the course, especially recommended for anyone invited to share their first game of golf with business or personal colleagues.


The Cookbook Shelf

Good Housekeeping Best-Loved Desserts
Rosemary Ellis, et al.
Hearst Books
c/o Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8810
9781588165503, $29.95 www.sterlingpublishing.com 1-800-805-5489

Comprising more than 250 superbly presented recipes for delicious desserts that will please any palate, "Good Housekeeping Best-Loved Desserts" showcases wonderful dishes that range from the classics to exotic delicacies suitable for any and all dining occasions from a midnight snack, to daily family meals, to celebratory events. Profusely illustrated in full color, each recipe features a clearly listed roster of ingredients and methodical, easy-to-follow instructions. From Apricot-Raspberry Rugelach; Chunky Black-and-White Chocolate Bark; Apple Strudel; and Cherries Jubilee; to Maple-Walnut Pie; Orange Liqueur Souffle; Peanut-Butter Cupcakes; and Pineapple Upside-Down Cake, "Good Housekeeping Best-Loved Desserts" is a cornucopia of culinary delights. Of special note is an entire chapter devoted to frostings! Simply stated, if there is only room for one more cookbook on the shelf, make it "Good Housekeeping Best-Loved Desserts"!

The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book
Jessica K. Black, N.D.
Hunter House Publishers
PO Box 2914, Alameda, CA 94501-2914
9780897934855, $14.95 www.hunterhouse.com 1-800-266-5592

Naturopathic physician Jessica K. Black presents The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book, a guide offering 125 recipes, lists of foods to eat and foods to avoid, and a full week of sample menus for summer and winter months. Written especially for individuals attempting to follow an anti-inflammatory diet who have trouble finding recipes to use, The Anti-Inflammation Diet and Recipe Book offers entrees, breakfasts, salads, soups, and desserts that exclude common allergens and inflammation-aggravators such as fried foods, foods with hydrogenated oils, peanuts and peanut products, alcohol, juice, caffeinated teas and sodas, potatoes, tomatoes, wheat products, corn, sugar, pork, citrus fruits and more. Chapters also recommend foods that should be prominently featured in an anti-inflammation diet, such as pineapple (due to its content of bromelain), most fruits and vegetables, garlic, ginger, tumeric, flaxseed oil, and others. An excellent, health-promoting guide especially recommended for anyone coping with arthritis or other inflammatory illnesses.

The Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook
American Diabetes Association
1701 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311
9781580402859, $14.95 http://store.diabetes.org 1-800-ADA-ORDER

One of the most appreciated aspects of the American Diabetes Association is the publishing of cookbooks specifically designed for the needs of diabetics and pre-diabetics who must transition from unhealthy diets to healthy ones. Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "The Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook" continues their outstanding series of culinary compendiums by showcasing more than two hundred delicious, low-fat recipes that are thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' in their preparation (especially when under time constraints for today's busy schedules) while highlighting 'old-fashioned good taste'. Ranging from English Beef Stew; Linguine with Garlic Broccoli Sauce; and Oven-Baked Chicken Tenders; to Grilled Salmon with Dill Sauce; Artichokes Parmesan; and Griddle Corn Cakes, "The Complete Quick & Hearty Diabetic Cookbook" is an enthusiastically recommended compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, diabetes compatible dishes. Another also very highly recommended additions to diabetic friendly cookbook collections from the American Diabetes Association is their new edition of "One Pot Meals For People With Diabetes (9781580402637, $14.95) presenting more than 125 quick and easy recipes for soups, stews, casseroles, and more. Also not to be overlooked in a newly expanded second addition is the American Diabetes Association's "Quick & Easy Diabetic Recipes For One" (9781580402644, $14.95) which in addition to a culinary wealth of delicious dishes, includes helpful tips on meal planning, shopping, food preparation, and food storage for diabetics living on their own.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Competitive Equity
Peter J. Wallison & Robert E. Litan
American Enterprise Institute
1150 - 17th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20036
9780844742526, $20.00 www.aei.org

Financial and economic experts Peter J. Wallison and Robert E. Litan present Competitive Equity: A Better Way to Organize Mutual Funds, a manifesto arguing that the current regulatory structure for mutual funds keeps costs for investors higher than they ought to be. Chapters cover the growth of the mutual fund industry and its competitors, the paradox of mutual fund fees, and the managed investment trust option. Though at times scholarly and technical in nature, Competitive Equity is readily accessible to any reader willing to apply the necessary concentration to understand complex financial matters. Notes and an index rounds out this thoughtful, well-reasoned product of the American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Aremac Project
Gerald M. Weinberg
Dorset House Publishing Co.
353 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014
9780932633705, $23.95 www.dorsethouse.com

Computer industry consultant and award-winning author Gerald M. Weinberg presents The Aremac Project, a thrilling science fiction novel. While a pair of grad students push the boundaries of neuroscience and nanotechnology to create software that takes pictures of a person's memory, a terrorist group has been bombing landmarks in Chicago, attempting to extort millions from the city. In the desperate search for clues, two agents hire the grad students, hoping to apply their experimental discoveries to learn more from a suspect's mind. When a sudden murder stymies their investigation, the investigators and the unique Aremac project become the terrorist's next target! A fast-paced read brimming with raw excitement.


The Library DVD Shelf

Ray Bradbury: An American Icon
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
9781569942994, $19.95, www.montereymedia.com 1-800-424-2593

Ray Bradbury: An American Icon is a DVD biography of Pulitzer Prize Special Citation award winner (among many, many other distinguished awards) Ray Bradbury, a science fiction and fantasy author of immense renown. Ray Bradbury: An American Icon is crammed with personal anecdotes, interviews with his friends and associates, footage of his home, samples from rehearsals at his plays, Bradbury's lecture circuit, clips from the television series "The Ray Bradbury Theater" and much more. A brilliant and captivating journey of the life of a man with a limitless imagination and a one-of-a-kind penchant for making his readers think.

Go Mom Fitness 15 to Fit
Razor Fitness
4401 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 210, Los Angeles, CA 90010
1595523839, $14.99 www.razorfitness.com

Go Mom Fitness 15 to Fit: Patrea's Prenatal Fitness for the Entire Body is an exercise DVD especially intended for pregnant women. Created in conjunction with ob/gyn, physical therapists specializing in Woman's Health, nurses, and pregnant women, Patrea's Prenatal Fitness for the Entire Body is flexibly designed to be useful for the entire pregnancy and postpartum period. Over ninety minutes of exercises covering yoga and gentle stretching, low-intensity Pilates, training to flatten one's belly after delivery, and resistance training for the upper and lower body to increase energy. Additional pregnancy and wellness information round out this enthusiastically recommended fitness DVD for moms-to-be everywhere. 90 minutes, color.

John Paul the Great
Janson Media
88 Semmens Road, Harrington Park, NJ 07640
9781568392923, $24.95 www.janson.com

John Paul the Great: A Pope Who Made History is a DVD documentary about the life of Karol Jozef Wojtyla, better known as John Paul II following his October 1978 election to the papacy. The young man who would become the first Slav pope came of age in Nazi-occupied Poland, answered the call to the priesthood in 1942, and pursued his work under the close scrutiny of Poland's communist regime. His papacy was one of the longest-lasting in the history of the Church, and he garnered an enormous mass appeal during that time, setting new milestones for the position in the process. A touching tribute to a faithful, devoted, and truly exceptional religious figure. 60 minutes, black-and-white.

Steel Toes
Monterey Media Inc.
566 St. Charles Drive, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360-3901
9781569946541, $24.95 www.montereymedia.com 1-800-424-2593

Starring Academy Award nominee David Strathairn and Whistler Film Festival 'Best Actor' award winner Andrew Walker, "Steel Toes" is a film about a Jewish liberal humanist appointed by the court to defend a Neo-Nazi Skinhead on trail for the racially motivated murder of an East Indian immigrant. This is a full color, 90-minute film of intense issues and relationships between such diverse men as they explore their emotional and intellectual differences. The DVD format allows for the addition of features that include 'Meet the film's Creators (David Gow, Perri Gorrara, Michel-Paul Belisle), interviews with David Strathairn and Andrew Walker, a Theatrical Trailer, and Selected Biographies. A superbly performed exploration of racial and religious intolerance in contemporary society, "Steel Toes" is a confidently recommended addition to community library DVD collections as a film of immense social relevance, viewer engagement, and flawless performance.

The Secret World Of Gardens
Susan Fleming, director
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
www.bullfrogfilms.com 1-800-543-3764

"The Secret World Of Gardens" is a series of DVDs from Bullfrog Films that focuses upon what happens in the complex and interdependent world of the vegetable garden. Using macro-lenses and time-lapse photography, we are able to visually explore minute and extraordinary aspects of a common garden that are usually invisible and go unnoticed by gardeners and passers-by. A thirteen part series of 22 minute, full color, DVDs, "The Secret World Of Gardens" volumes include: Life in the Vegetable Garden; Nightlife; Honeybees; Appleachia; Fungi; Sap Sucking Hoppers; Garden Mimics; Vines: A World of Entanglement; Whether the Weather; Weevils; Squirrels; the Old Oak Tree; and Life in a Lawn. This outstanding series is especially recommended for school and community libraries as being of special interest and value for children and adults with an interest in gardening and its flora/fauna ecosystems through all four seasons of the year.

Anchor Bay Entertainment
1699 Stutz Drive, Troy, MI 48084
www.anchorbayentertainment.com

Two exercise DVDs from Anchor Bay are ideal for keeping fit no matter how busy one's schedule. "10 Minute Solution: Tone Trouble Zones" ($16.98, 54 min.) offers five dynamic body band workouts, each of which is only ten minutes in length: Arm & Shoulder Sculpt, Butt & Thigh Blaster, Sleek & Sexy Abs, Total Body Tone Zone, and 10 Minute Stretch for improving flexibility. The body band used for each workout is included with the DVD, and options allow one to customize one's exercise by programming the DVD to play any of the five workouts in any order. Certified group fitness instructor Amy Bento leads the viewer through this economical guide to working on problem areas and staying in shape, ideal for anyone short on time. "10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates" ($14.98, 67 min.) offers five 10-minute workouts designed especially to help pregnant women stay fit and healthy: Pilates for Buns & Thighs, Standing Pilates, Core Pilates, Pilates for Flexibility, and Total Body Pilates. A bonus postnatal workout Flat Belly Fast helps women focus on their deepest abdominal muscles after childbirth. Hosted by Pilates Method Alliance certified Pilates instructor Lizbeth Garcia, "10 Minute Solution: Prenatal Pilates" is ideal for all three trimesters of pregnancy and highly recommended provided that the mother-to-be has approval for the exercise program from her doctor. Both "10 Minute Solution" DVDs are ideal for the personal fitness DVD libraries of busy women.

WGBH Boston Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
16027 Ventura Blvd., Suite 206, Encino, CA 91436
www.amazon.com

Two insightful new episodes of the public television science series NOVA are now available on DVD for the first time, at a most affordable price. "First Flower" (9781593757526, $19.95, 56 min.) tells of the controversy sparked by a fossil of a flower that bloomed during the age of the dinosaurs. Could this find reveal the mysterious origins of the flower itself, and the plethora of flowering plants that flourish today? An amazing botanical detective story. "Cuttlefish: Kings of Camouflage" (9781593757519, $19.95, 56 min.) is the amazing story of the cuttlefish, whose skill at disguise outpaces even the legendary chameleon. Among the cuttlefish's many talents are its ability to hypnotize its prey, impersonate the opposite sex, and kill with blink-and-you'll-miss-it speed. They can transform their skin color, and even their shape, to blend with the background, and have one of the largest brain-to-body ratios among invertebrates. The myriad secrets of the oft-overlooked cuttlefish will astound and amaze in this remarkable undersea documentary. Both DVDs are highly recommended for fans of science and nature programming, and also for public library collections.`

Edens Lost & Found Chicago
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
1594584001, $250.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com 1-800-543-3764

Edens Lost & Found Chicago: City of the Big Shoulders is an educational DVD suitable for young people in grades seven through twelve as well as adults. Revealing the fascinating true story of the ever-changing metropolis of Chicago through the stories of its citizens including volunteers, professionals, students, and community leaders, Edens Lost & Found Chicago offers a positive look at how individuals as well as whole neighborhoods band together to improve their local communities. From the award-winning City Hall Roof Garden and Green Roof Initiative to an outdoor classroom and nature preserve adjacent to the suburban Elgin High School, Edens Lost & Found Chicago is an amazing showcase of how modern-day Chicago is facing up to environmental challenges. A Teacher's Guide and Chicago Action Guide are included among the special features. Also highly recommended are the other DVDs in the Edens Lost & Found series covering Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and Seattle. 57 minutes, color, closed captioned.

Learning ZoneXPress
PO Box 1022, Owatonna, MN 55060
www.learningzoneexpress.com 1-888-455-7003

Two DVDs from Learning ZoneXPress for viewers in ranging in age from grade 4 to adult offer education and the incentive to make a difference. "Community Service: Service Learning: (1571754709, $49.95, 9 minutes) shows students how to assemble a community service project, and the positive aspects of character and change that individuals can motivate in themselves and their fellow human beings. "Look... A Babysitter" (1571753540, $49.95, 13 minutes) teaches about the responsibilities of babysitting - it's a great way to earn extra money, but also a tremendous responsibility. "Look... A Babysitter" shows little baby Grace run the new babysitter through her paces, offering a lighthearted look at the different skills and talents a babysitter needs to cultivate, from child safety to diaper changing. Both DVDs are accessible, cheerful, and enthusiastically recommended for classroom viewing, after-school programs, and school and public library collections.

Travel with Kids Mexico: The Yucatan
Equator Creative Media
PO Box 80646, Phoenix, AZ 85060
DVD, $14.95 www.equatordv.com

Travel with Kids Mexico: The Yucatan is a DVD guide for vacationing families, or anyone who wants to learn about the history, culture, and wildlife of Mexico. Following the cheerful Roberts family as they explore Mexico's Yucatan peninsula, Travel with Kids Mexico: The Yucatan reveals such wonders as Mayan pyramid complexes, Spanish colonial history in cities such as Merida and Valladolid, snorkeling in underground caves, swimming with dolphins and sharks, and much more. In addition to sights and famous places sure to delight armchair travelers, Travel with Kids Mexico: The Yucatan also covers basic tips on vacationing with kids, from what to pack to ideal pre-trip activities to a handy trip planner. Highly recommended for anyone interesting in seeing the Yucatan, whether in person or simply on DVD. 80 minutes, color.

Living Landscapes The World's Most Beautiful Places
HDEnvironments.com
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 (DVD), $24.95 (HD-DVD), www.411videoinfo.com 1-800-798-3463

Filmed in 1080i high definition with 5.1 surround sound, and available in both DVD and HD-DVD format, Living Landscapes The World's Most Beautiful Places earns its title with a glorious visual and audio experience. The cinematography does not disrupt the soothing images and sounds of nature with verbal narration; birds, ocean waves, and calm background music accompanies the breathtakingly beautiful display. A loop feature allows one to play the DVD for pleasant background effect as if hanging an ever-changing picture. Enthusiastically recommended for armchair travelers, and anyone who wants to play a DVD solely to relax and enjoy the wonders of natural creation. 75 minutes, color.

American Muscle Car: Season 1
Tony Messano, narrator
Paul Koenig, editor
MPI Media Group
16101 South 108th Avenue, Orland Park, IL 60462
0788607659, $29.98 www.mpihomevideo.com 1-800-777-2223

American Muscle Car: Season 1 is a documentary DVD profiling and celebrating some of the most influential cars in American history. Each episode is approximately 22 minutes long, and the cars covered are '64 Pontiac GTO, Pontiac GTO Judge, '53-'62 Chevrolet Corvette, Chevrolet Camaro SS 396, '64 Ford Fairlane Thunderbolt, The Shelby Mustang, Buick Gran Sport, Oldmobile 442, Chevrolet Chevelle SS, Chevrolet Impala 409, Plymouth Hemi 'Cuda, Dodge Hemi Challenger, and Chevrolet Nova SS. Expertly narrated by Tony Messano, American Muscle Car: Season 1 is enthusiastically recommended for automobile lovers everywhere. 2 DVDs, approximately 5 hours, color.


The World History Shelf

Equity Cases In The Court Of Exchequer, 1660-1714
W. Hamilton Bryson, editor
Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies
Arizona State University
PO Box 872508, Tempe, AZ 85287-2508
www.asu.edu/clas/acmrs/publications/mrts/catalo.html
MR313, 9780866983587, $89.00 1-480-965-5900

Evolving within the Exchequer Department during the Middle Ages for the purpose of settling legal disputes over the royal revenue, the High Court of Exchequer also began to hear common law disputes between private parties when relevant to the collection of those royal revenues. In the mid-seventeenth century the court extended its jurisdiction to all common law and equity cases. Painstakingly compiled, deftly edited, and superbly presented by William Hamilton Bryson, "Equity Cases In The Court Of Exchequer, 1660-1714" is an compilation of succinct descriptions of the cases brought before the court for adjudication. An impressive 724-page work of seminal and meticulous scholarship, "Equity Cases In The Court Of Exchequer, 1660-1714" is strongly recommended as a core contribution to academic library Medieval Studies, Judicial History Studies, and British History Studies reference collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

When Pigs Fly!
Jane Killion
Dogwise Publishing
PO Box 2778, Wenatchee, WA 98807-2778
9781929242443, $17.95 www.dogwisepublishing.com 1-800-776-2665

Jane Killion knows about dogs. she lives with a houseful of Bull Terriers, she breeds them, she contributes to dog publications, and her home is the place where people gather together with their dogs for training sessions. Now in "When Pigs Fly!: Training Success With Impossible Dogs", Killion draws upon her many years of personal experience and sophisticated expertise to create a dog training manual that is particularly 'user friendly' and appropriate for the non-specialist general reader seeking to train their animal companion when that companion has a non-compliant mind of its own. Killion's key to training success with independent or seemingly incorrigible dogs is to figure out what they find rewarding and then use those rewards to establish and maintain the behavior desired. "When Pigs Fly!" will teach anyone how to make their dog to willing behave for a reward instead of trying to get away with mischief. Simply stated -- if you have a difficult dog who has heretofore resisted training, the you need your own copy of Jane Killion's "When Pigs Fly!: Training Success With Impossible Dogs".


The Judicial Studies Shelf

Federal Justice In Indiana
George W. Geib & Donald B. Kite Sr.
Indiana Historical Society Press
450 West Ohio Street, Indianapolis, IN 46202
9780871952028, $29.95 www.indianahistory.org

Co-authored by lifelong student of Indiana history George W. Geib and judicial expert Donald B. Kite Sr. (a partner with the Indianapolis law firm of Schultz & Pogue, LLP), "Federal Justice In Indiana: The History Of The United States District Court For The Southern District Of Indiana" is a specialized and superbly written history of Southern Indiana's court system from its earliest days as a territorial court to the District Court's current composition. Selections of major cases are incorporated to illustrate the court's evolution (as well as its humanity) making "Federal Justice In Indiana" a unique and impressive resource for law students, history buffs, and non-specialist general readers with an interest in American judicial history. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white photographs, "Federal Justice In Indiana" could well serve as a template for other regional court histories and is very highly recommended for academic and community library Indiana History collection, as well as academic library American Judicial History reference shelves.


The Library Music CD Shelf

Live at the Market Theatre
Hugh Masekela
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
216 West Allen Street, Suite 137, Bloomington, IN 47403
CD, $19.98 www.rockpaperscissors.biz

Live at the Market Theatre is a two-disc music CD album featuring Hugh Masekela, a musician whose creations defy genre classification. Born in South Africa, Masekela spent years in exile from his nation's apartheid-era oppression, returning 17 years ago to help his countrymen and his homeland rebuild. Live at the Market Theatre embodies Masekela's efforts to bolster South African identity and Pan-African nation building. Songs incorporate jazz, Nigerian rhythms, and Afro-Beat. The tracks are Ibala Lam, The Boy's Doin' It, Ashiko, Ha Le Se, Stimela, Lady, Grazing in the Grass, Mandela, Thuma Mina, Up Township, Happy Mama, District Six, Market Place, Khauleza, and Thanayi. Enthusiastically recommended for library music CD collections and international music shelves.

eMotive
Non Profit Music
c/o The Creative Service Company
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
CD, $17.98 www.nonprofitmusic.org www.NewAgeMusic.com

eMotive is a nonprofit music CD; all proceeds from its sales are to be donated to Doctors Without Borders. A compilation album, eMotive offers the original sounds of four Spanish musicians: Jorge Grundman, David "Gnomusy" Caballero, Eduardo Laguillo and Joaquin Taboada. Though all four musicians are primarily keyboardists, each applies a diverse medley of sound and instrumentation; vocals are also intermixed. The result is a New Age album that resonates within the soul as surely as within in the ears. The tracks are Raghupati Raghava (7:06), The Girl With The Stolen Smile - Nanjing, 1937 (5:42), Cliodhna (4:15), Everyday Heroes (5:02), El Jardin De Marta (3:33), Evoking Something Near (3:28), Tears At Bedtime (5:05), Dolmen Ridge (5:35), Gurudeva Hamara (4:58), Memory Holes (6:26), Forgotten Moss (3:07), and Ballerina (4:09). Highly recommended.

Tsimba Itsoka
Oliver Mtukudzi
Heads Up
23309 Commerce Park Road, Cleveland, OH 44122
CD, $18.98 www.headsup.com

Tsimba Itsoka is a music CD by Zimbabwean Afro-pop icon. The album's title means "No foot, no footprint", a phrase that embodies the messages within all of the songs - is your metaphorical footprint a good one that should be followed to a lifetime of responsibility and well-being, or a bad one that will lead to decadence and misery? The lyrics are in Zimbabwean, yet express powerful universal themes, accompanied by soft guitar and steady rhythm. The translated titles of the songs are "Would you like it?", "Wild Animal", "One who talks too much", "Reply", "There's no in-between", "Gambling Card", "Wasting", "No power", "Fame is sticky", "One nut", "They are going to delay", and "Waiting and waiting". The song's themes reflect upon simple social issues, from the need to listen rather than just talk in order to foster true communication, to the harmful attitude young people have of depending on or hoping for inheritance from a dead parent rather than working to build their own lives and fortunes. The booklet that comes with Tsimba Itsoka explains the gist of each song's message for listeners who do not speak Zimbabwean. A welcome addition to multicultural music collections and library CD shelves.

Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85017
www.canyonrecords.com 1-800-268-1141

Canyon Records Productions presents four CD albums celebrating Native American culture. "Northern Cree and Friends Volume 6: Calling All Dancers" ($15.99, 47 min. 55 sec.) continues the proud line of releases from one of North America's best-known pow-wow drum groups, featuring some of Canada's finest round dance singers. A "live" recording of the sounds, jocularity, and vibrancy of one of the largest Round Dance events in Canada. "Blue Scout" ($15.98, 54 min. 12 sec.) is the ninth recording of champions drum group Tha Tribe, and presents original pow-wow songs. Lead singer and songmaker of Tha Tribe, Wayne Silas, Jr., is a multi Nammy (Native American Music Award) nominee, and this album showcases his talent along with other distinguished pow-wow singers in and rich effusion of cultural heritage. "Watch This Dancer!" ($15.98, 42 min. 15 sec.) is the 22nd album of award-nominated drum group Black Lodge, lead by Kenny Scabby Robe and comprised primarily of his twelve sons. Singing and drumming in a tightly focused ensemble distinguish "Watch This Dancer!" and its rendition of intertribal dance celebrations as well as specific dances including chicken dance, fancy dance, grass dance, women's traditional, and round dance. Unlike the previous three albums, "The Color of Morning" ($15.99, 40 min 31 sec.) is not a collection of pow-wow or round dance music. "The Color of Morning" offers the harmonized vocals of Grammy-winning singers Verdell Primeaux and Johnny Mike, along with Mayan flutes and percussion, guitars, and atmospheric sounds. A wondrous, universally appealing musical journey through nature and the delight of the dawn await the listener in this immersive music CD.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B.
Sandra Gulland, author
Louise Pitre, narrator
BTC Audio Books
c/o Goose Lane Editions
500 Beverbrook Court, Suite 330, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 5X4
0864924728, $24.95 www.gooselane.com 1-888-926-8377

Formerly broadcast on CBC Radio, The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. is an audiobook novel of love, broken hearts, and political machinations. Set during the chaos and violence of the French Revolution, The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. looks at the lives of the men and women who mobilized the Revolution while following Josephine B.'s ascent from innocent girlhood to adulthood as one of the most powerful and politically savvy women in history. The first novel in the Josephine B. trilogy, The Many Lives & Secret Sorrows of Josephine B. is expertly narrated by award-winning actress Louise Pitre. Recommended for fans of historical intrigue. 3 CDs, approximately 4 hours, abridged.

It's Not My Fault
Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend
Oasis Audio
289 South Main Place, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781598591835, $22.99 www.oasisaudio.com 1-800-323-2500

It's Not My Fault is a self-help audiobook written by psychologists Dr. Henry Cloud and Dr. John Townsend, about the power of taking responsibility for one's decisions and actions. Applying eight critical principles, heart-touching true stories, and their years of experience, Cloud and Townsend teach the listener how to empower himself or herself and earn progress toward goals in work, relationships, and life itself. An upbeat guide to breaking the self-destructive habit of blame-shifting and false excuses, highly recommended. 6 CDs, 7.6 hours, unabridged.

Last Breath
Mariah Stewart, author
Laural Merlington, narrator
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781423319122, $34.95 www.brillianceaudio.com 1-800-854-7859

Last Breath is a suspenseful murder mystery, written by Mariah Stewart and narrated by professional actor Laural Merlington. When skilled archaeologist Dr. Daria McGowan discovers that priceless artifacts uncovered by her great-grandfather in the Middle East have gone missing, she turns to the FBI for help. Connor Shields, whom she first met two years ago, is assigned to the case. As they search for the stolen artifacts, they find a trial of bodies - unfortunate collectors murdered in a number of brutal and bizarre ways connected to the rituals of an ancient civilization. A mystery that transcends centuries lies at the heart of Last Breath, which remains riveting to the very end. 8 compact discs, approximately 9 hours, unabridged.

A Woman in Charge
Carl Bernstein, author
Robertson Dean, narrator
Books On Tape, Inc.
400 Hahn, Westminister, MD 21157
9781415945612, $129.00 www.booksontape.com 1-800-541-5525

Written by Carl Bernstein, who earned a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting on Watergate, A Woman in Charge is an in-depth portrait of Senator and presidential candidate Hillary Rodham Clinton, in audiobook format. Blending elements of memoir and biography, A Woman in Charge draws upon interviews with roughly two hundred of Hillary's colleagues, friends, and enemies; Bernstein was even permitted access to the record of the 1992 presidential campaign as kept by Hillary's best friend, Diane Blair. A Woman in Charge seeks to provide answers the public wishes to know about Hillary: Who is she? What is her political philosophy? What is to be expected of her? Strongly recommended reading for all eligible voters in the Democratic presidential primaries, not to mention the 2008 presidential election itself. 20 CDs, 24 hours 39 minutes, unabridged.

The Friday Night Knitting Club
Kate Jacobs, author
Carrington MacDuffie, narrator
Blackstone Audiobooks
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
9781433202919, $90.00 www.BlackstoneAudio.com 1-800-729-2665

Featuring tracks every three minutes for easy bookmarking, The Friday Night Knitting Club is the audiobook version of professional editor Kate Jacobs' debut novel, tantalizingly narrated by recording artist Carrington MacDuffie. Once a week, the regulars of Georgia Walker's little yarn shop gather for tips of knitting - and end up learning much more as they swap stories about themselves, their loves, their lives, and virtually everything else. When sudden change shake the women to their cores, they discover they've created not just a knitting club, but a tightly bonded sisterhood. Soon to be turned into a major motion picture starring Julia Roberts, The Friday Night Knitting Club is a one-of-a-kind tale of true camaraderie, highly recommended. 10 CDs, 12 1/2 hours, unabridged.

The Poe Shadow
Matthew Pearl
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
#98296, $113.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304

Edgar Allan Poe died in Baltimore, Maryland in 1849. The popular opinion was that he drank himself to death. But there were unusual aspects about the event. Poe had 'taken the pledge' to avoid alcohol. Poe was found dressed in ill fitting clothing that was not his own. He died possessing a valuable cane sword. When he collapsed in the street he was taken to a room in a nearby inn under the supervision of his cousin but no doctor was sent for. Quentin Clark was an admirer of Poe's writings and the newspaper accounts combined with social gossip of Poe's death compel Quentin to undertake his own investigation into the mystery of Poe's untimely death. Abandoning his friends, family, and business obligations, Quentin goes to Paris, France in search of the real life model for Poe's fictional detective. And so begins a complex mystery that is truly gripping with complexities of remarkable characters, fascinating plot twists, and a tour-de-force performance by author Matthew Pearl. This flawlessly recorded, completely unabridged, and enthusiastically recommended audio cassette edition of "The Poe Shadow" is superbly narrated by Erik Singer and has a total running time of 14.75 hours.

The Mystery of Jaguar Reef
ZBS Foundation
174 North River Road, Fort Edward, NJ 12828
1881137457, $20.00 www.zbs.org 1-800-662-3345

The Mystery of Jaguar Reef is an audiobook on CD once heard on National Public Radio, featuring a full cast production with music by Tim Clark and environments recorded in Belize. When investigator Jack Flanders is on the trail of a mystery involving a drastic personality change, he finds his way to the shores of Belize in Central America, and uncovers a mysterious pirate wreck. Matters shift from odd to downright bizarre as Jack finds himself at the helm of the inexplicable pirate ship - ascending into the tropical night sky and wondering if an alien plot is afoot! Equal measures of wry humor and surreal surroundings distinguish this inventive and colorful adventure. 2 CDs, 2 hours.

That's Smart! How to Improve Learning Habits
Dennis A. Smith
Lions Quarter Publishing
635 165 St. Hammond, IN 46324
CD, $124.95, 1-888-376-2788

That's Smart! How to Improve Learning Habits is an ideal audio CD for classroom use, home schooling, or self-improvement. Geared especially for young people in high school or beginning college, but also useful for adults seeking to brush up on their educational skills, That's Smart! offers tips, tricks, and techniques for memory, mind mapping, speed reading, studying, taking notes, and test taking skills. A three-part section titled "Surviving Sex, Drugs and Rock N' Roll" also address real-life issues and difficult choices facing anyone embarking upon life on their own. CD creator Dennis A. Smith presents his wisdom in a straightforward, easy-to-understand narrative style. Strongly recommended as an invaluable aid to doing well in any type of learning environment. 47 minutes.

Soft Stone Publishing
3674 Barham Boulevard Suite #L315, Los Angeles, CA 90068
www.AskKRS.com 1-323-851-8623

Soft Stone Publishing presents two new additions to its top-quality Inner Mastery Series of soothing meditation audio CDs. "Relax Mind and Body" (9781886198159, $16.95, 37 min.) offers guided mindfulness meditations combined with gentle music to help the listener unblock conscious and unconscious tension. Developed by wellness expert KRS Edstrom, "Relax Mind and Body" is a wonderfully refreshing and revitalizing experience. "Conquer Stress" (9781886198173, $16.95, 37 min.) is also by KRS Edstrom, and applies her mindfulness meditation techniques specifically to counter stress, fear, and anxiety with a well of self-created inner peace and calm. A mind-body workshop integrating music and wisdom, "Conquer Stress" is perfect for unwinding, or preparing oneself to face high-stress challenges. Both meditation CDs do not incorporate religious beliefs, and thus are suitable for listeners of all religious faiths. Highly recommended.


The Aviation Shelf

Air Racing Over Reno
Philip Handleman
Specialty Press
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781580071123, $24.95 www.specialtypress.com 1-800-895-4585

After a fourteen year hiatus, the National Championship Air Races were revived at Reno, Nevada in 1964. This event showcases racing teams who push the envelope of aerodynamic improvements and modify their 2,000 and 3,000 horsepower engines to make their aircraft as fast as possible in competition with the others. The racers are classified into six groups: Formula 1, Biplane, Sport, T-6, Jets, and Unlimiteds. Profusely illustrated with full color photography, "Air Racing over Reno: The World's Fastest Motorsport" by Philip Handleman is the fascinating, deftly written, and informative story of this unique aviation event and very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in aviation.


The Psychology Shelf

Social Psychology
Arie W. Kruglanski & E. Tory Higgins
Guilford Publications, Inc.
72 Spring Street, New York, NY 10012
9781572309180, $160.00 www.guilford.com 1-800-365-7006

Now in a newly revised and expanded second edition, "Social Psychology: Handbook Of Basic Principles" is expertly compiled and deftly edited Aire W. Kruglanski (Department of Psychology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland) and E. Tory Higgins (Department of Psychology, Columbia University, New York, NY). The forty-one informed and informative essays and articles comprising "Social Psychology" are organized into five sections: Biological System; Cognitive Systems; Personal Motivational System; Interpersonal System; Group and Cultural System; and Applications of Social Psychology. Enhanced with a comprehensive Author Index and Subject Index, "Social Psychology" is confidently recommended as a core addition to academic library Social Psychology collections and student supplemental reading lists.


The Anthropology Shelf

Research Methods In Anthropology
H. Russell Bernard
AltaMira Press
1630 North Main Street, #367, Walnut Creek, CA 94596
9780759108684, $99.00 www.altamirapress.com 1-800-462-6420

Now in a newly updated and expanded fourth edition, "Research Methods In Anthropology: Qualitative And Quantitative Approaches" by H. Russell Bernard (Professor of Anthropology, University of Florida) is a basic, comprehensive, 803-page introductory textbook on the research methods used in anthropology today. Written in a thoroughly 'reader friendly' conversational style that combines rigorous scientific methodology with Professor Bernard's wry sense of humor and experienced-based common sense, this new edition of "Research Methods In Anthropology" has an extensive bibliography and copious real-world examples, as well as sections on computer-based interviewing methods, management of electronic field notes, recording equipment and voice recognition software, text analysis, and the collection/analysis of visual materials. Ideal for college level courses in anthropology, "Research Methods In Anthropology" is also to be strongly recommended as accessibly informative for non-specialist general readers with an interest in anthropological research.


The Language Studies Shelf

Accent America! Essentials
Dorothy M. Taguchi
Penton Overseas, Inc.
1958 Kellogg Ave., Carlsbad, CA 92008
9781591258346, $34.95 www.pentonoverseas.com 1-800-748-5804

The most common language problem encountered by non-native speakers when using English is their heavily accented pronunciation of the words. Now with "Accent America! Essentials" non-native speakers can benefit from the exercises on the five audio CDs and the explanations in the accompanying 136-page Guide Book. Non-native speakers will lean why people may misunderstand what they say and what to do to correct their mispronunciations; how to speak English with the proper rhythm and timing, which syllables to stress, and which syllables to shorten; how to avoid speaking too quickly by measuring how fast they speak; how to link words together like native English speakers; and how they can become confident in their adopted language as they improve their pronunciation skills. "Accent America! Essentials" is a critically important and strongly recommended addition to personal, school, and community library ESL (England as a Second Language) instructional resource collection.


The Computer Shelf

Computer Forensics
Robert C. Newman
Auerbach Publications
c/o Taylor & Francis Group
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL 33487
0849305616, $79.95 www.taylorandfrancisgroup.com 1-800-272-7737

"Computer Forensics: Evidence Collection And Management" by Robert C. Newman (Instructor of Information Systems in the College of Information Technology at Georgia Southern University) provides a coherent, systematic, and comprehensive analytical study of cybercrime, E-commerce, and Internet activities that could be used to exploit the Internet, the computers, and the various electronic devices employed by individuals, by government agencies, and by corporations. "Computer Forensics" addresses the many vulnerabilities and threats that are inherent to our computer age and presents the techniques and processes utilized by security personnel, investigators and forensic examiners to successfully identify, retrieve, and protect computer data as forensic evidence for litigation and prosecution. the first part of "Computer Forensics" is dedicated to exploring various crimes, laws, policies, forensic tools, and the information required to understand the underlying concepts of computer forensic investigation. The second part of "Computer Forensics" presents basic information relating to crime scene investigations and management, disk and file structure, laboratory construction and functions, and legal testimony. Of special note are the specific chapters concerning investigations involving computer systems, e-mail, and wireless devices. Presenting more than 200 key terms (with definitions supplied in the Glossary), more than 100 review questions and answers to solidify comprehension, offering optional exercises and cases emphasizing the book's content, two sets of forms with respect to forensic investigation and the procedures used in computer forensic laboratories, and a selected bibliography of special relevance for forensic professionals, "Computer Forensics" is the ideal textbook for college level computer science and information technology courses, as well as non-special general readers with an interest in the subject.


The Photography Shelf

The Essential Africa
Michael Poliza
Te Neues Publishing Company
16 West 22nd Street, New York, NY 10010
9783832791971, $35.00 www.teneues.com 1-800-352-0305

Based in Cape Town, South Africa, Michael Poliza is an adventurer and a pioneer in the use of digital photography. "The Essential Africa" is a beautifully produced and presented compendium of some of his very best photographs showcasing African wildlife in their natural habitats. The 184-page text features introductory comments in German, English, French, Italian, and Spanish, then goes on to presents 85 superbly crafted full color photographs of breath-taking elegance and intimacy. The next best thing to actually being on safari, "The Essential Africa" is highly recommended for armchair travelers and community library Photographic Studies and African Wildlife collections.


The Dance Shelf

At Home in the World
Janet O'Shea
Wesleyan University Press
215 Long Lane, Middletown, CT 06459
9780819568373, $26.95 www.wesleyan.edu/wespress 1-800-421-1561

Dancer and award-winning dance history scholar Janet O'Shea presents At Home in the World: Bharata Natyam on the Global Stage, the fascinating true story of the classical dance form of Bharata Natyam. Widely performed in India and around the world Bharata Natyam underwent choreographic transformations as it moved to the urban concert stage in the 1930s and 40s. Examining these changes in the political context of the time, and comparing them to modifications in present-day Bharata Natyam performance, At Home in the World effectively traces the evolution of this beautiful art form, now known to have over 250 teachers in the United States alone. A handful of black-and-white photographs, a glossary, list of references, and an index round out this in-depth study of how a traditional form of art can blossom into global expression.


The Archaeology Shelf

Early Islamic Syria
Alan Walmsley
Duckworth
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9780715635704, $22.00 www.internationalpubmarket.com www.ducknet.co.uk 1-800-758-3756

Associate professor of Islamic archaeology Alan Walmsley presents Early Islamic Syria: An Archaeological Assessment, a scholarly examination of what archaeology has to tell us about the social history of early Islamic Syria-Palestine, particularly shortly before and up to two centuries after the Islamic expansion (roughly the later sixth to ninth century AD). Chapters recount what the latest research has to say about material culture and society, sites and settlement processes, aspects of daily life such as food or religion and industry, ongoing debates in Islamic archaeology, and much more. Especially recommended for college library and archaeology shelves, Early Islamic Syria blends methodical academic narration with a highly accessible and reader-friendly tone.


The Art Shelf

Anarchy and Art
Allan Antliff
Arsenal Pulp Press
341 Water Street, Suite 200, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 1B8
9781551522180, $23.95 www.arsenalpulp.com

Activist and art critic Allan Antliff presents Anarchy and Art: From the Paris Commune to the Fall of the Berlin Wall, a thoughtful philosophical discussion of art's potential as a conduit to carry messages of revolution and meaningful social change. Focusing on critical moments since the nineteenth century when artists, poets, philosophers, and critics have dared to speak their voice concerning pivotal events, Anarchy and Art complements its text with a number of black-and-white illustrations and a few color plates of provocative works. Anarchy and Art is not a politically neutral examination, reflecting the author's leftist tendencies and commitment to activism, yet its core message about the role of art as a media that can sway hearts and minds resounds fervently in the mind of the reader.


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