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Library Bookwatch

Volume 2, Number 9 September 2007 Home | LBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Library Science Shelf Crafts Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Education Shelf Military Shelf
International Studies Shelf Photography Shelf Psychology Shelf
Business Shelf Biography Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Theatre/Cinema Shelf Library DVD Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Poetry Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf World History Shelf
Nautical Shelf Travel Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Parenting Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Civil War Shelf American History Shelf Native American Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Humor Shelf Genealogy Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Environmental Studies Shelf Political Science Shelf
Fiction Shelf Architecture Shelf Sports Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Computer Shelf Literary Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Footsteps on the Ice
M.L. Paine, editor
Stuart D. Paine, author
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826217417, $34.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894

Footsteps on the Ice: The Antarctic Diaries of Stuart D. Paine, Second Byrd Expedition is a compilation of the journal entries written by Stuart D. Paine during his participation as a dog driver, radio operator, and navigator on the fifty-six-man expedition in the Antarctic during 1933, well-known for concluding in Byrd's dramatic rescue from Bolling Advance Weather Base 115 miles inland. Paine's diaries are the only published contemporary account written by a member of the Second Expedition; his words are presented with black-and-white photographs and extensive footnotes by his daughter, M.L. Paine. A singularly amazing, up-close and personal chronicle of the quest to explore and map part of Antarctica for the first time, an effort that resulted in covering more than fourteen hundred miles of territory in eighty-eight days. A bibliography and index round out this absorbing day-by-day account.

The Richness of Life: The Essential Stephen Jay Gould
Steven Rose, Editor
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393064988, $35.00 www.wwnorton.com

Stephen Jay Gould is a leading scientist of modern times deemed a 'Living Legend' by Congress in 2000, and his THE RICHNESS OF LIFE offers up a collection of the range of his writings, from his most famous essays and selections from his many major books to speeches and articles. It's an entertaining mix of science and social observation and while its appearance is weighty, even general-interest library holdings will find it holds strong appeal, especially to patrons who like scientific reflections tailored for lay audiences.

Salt Lake Impressions
Scott T. Smith & Stephen Trimble
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
1560374594, $9.95 www.farcountrypress.com 1-800-821-3874

A superbly compiled and presented collection of captioned and full color photographic images by Scott T. Smith and Stephen Trimble, "Salt Lake Impressions" is a visual celebration of Salt Lake City, the capital city of Utah, and the surrounding countryside that includes the Great Salt Lake basin and the surround Wasatch mountains. This compendium of engaging images includes elements of area's city architecture, natural landscapes, people and places. A remarkable photographic album of sights, many of which rise to the level of visual art, browsing through the pages of "Salt Lake Impressions" is the next best thing to actually being there. Also very highly recommended from Farcountry Press is another in their 'impressions' series: "Santa Fe Impressions" (978156037451, $9.95).

Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley CA 94710
www.nolo.com

Anyone paying rent, and any public library catering to renters, needs Attorney Janet Portman and Marcia Stewart's 5th updated edition of EVERY TENANT'S LEGAL GUIDE (141330625X, $29.99): it is the only book to provide legal details for handling not just landlords, but roommates and other tenants. From getting drug dealers out of the building to handling asbestos, getting a landlord to make repairs, and putting a roommate situation on a solid legal foundation, EVERY TENANT'S LEGAL GUIDE is an essential reference which should be part of any general public lending library collection. Ditto Attorney Stephen Fishman's THE COPYRIGHT HANDBOOK: WHAT EVERY WRITER NEEDS TO KNOW (1413305334, $39.99), here appearing in its 9th updated edition to reflect the latest law and copyright regulations. Internet works are covered here, as blogs: a cd-rom provides over thirty updated legal and copyright forms, while chapters handle how to avoid infringement, handle infringers, and get permission to use copyrighted work. Attorney Liz Weiman Hanks' THE BUSY FAMILY'S GUIDE TO ESTATE PLANNING: 10 STEPS TO PEACE OF MIND (1413306349, $24.99) is a pick for libraries strong in family patrons and business: it covers basic estate planning for families, from choosing a guardian for children and determining how much life insurance a family needs to learning about powers of attorney and working with a lawyer. An accompanying cd-rom holds fifteen forms, including a simple will, and worksheets to track decisions and progress. The 12th edition of Attorney Joseph Matthews with Dorothy Matthews Berman's SOCIAL SECURITY, MEDICARE & GOVERNMENT PENSIONS: GET THE MOST OUT OF YOUR RETIREMENT AND MEDICAL BENEFITS (1413305768, $29.99) provides the latest instructions on getting the most from Medicare, social security and government and veterans benefits. From uncovering benefits and when and how to claim them to qualifying for programs and combining them, this provides an outstanding, basic reference suitable for any public library. Ilona Bray, Alayna Schroeder and Marcia Stewart's NOLO'S ESSENTIAL GUIDE TO BUYING YOUR FIRST HOME (1413306284, $24.99) is also a standard reference which combines the savvy of buying a first home with legal tips designed to clarify common obstacles to the process. From deciding between a house, condo or coop to getting inspections, insurance, and negotiating with sellers, this is a top pick blending the real-world stories of over twenty first-time home buyer with insights from a team of real estate pros including attorneys, a home inspector, a neighborhood researcher, a mortgage specialist and more. This team approach sets the Nolo guide far above most authored by real estate agents alone. Peri H. Pakroo, J.D.'s STARTING & BUILDING A NONPROFIT: A PRACTICAL GUIDE (1413305784, $29.99) appears in its second updated edition to provide business collections concerned with nonprofit status with a specific survey of how to create an overall effective nonprofit organization. From hiring and training staff and handling fundraising campaigns to obtaining insurance and marketing your organization, it's a winner. All are top public library reference picks.

Think Tank Directory
Government Research Service
PO Box 2067, Topeka, KS 66603-2067
9781879929425, $135.00 www.thinktankdirectory.com 1-800-346-6898

As the policy role of political parties and government agencies has diminished, think tanks have been created to fill the void. In today's political climate is likely to be the think tank that highlight's public policy problems and suggest solutions. Now in a newly expanded and updated second edition, the "Think Tank Directory" continues to be a premiere reference guide to independent nonprofit public policy research organizations or 'think tanks'. Profiling more than 1,100 independent think tanks (of which some 500 were not in the first edition published ten years ago) "Think Tank Directory" is organized alphabetically with each entry including the organization's mission statement; website address; chief executive officer; alternate and former names; board members; the year it was established; research policy areas; titles of recent and representative studies, books or reports; types of funding sources; methods of operation; number of staff members; approximate budget size; mailing address, telephone and fax numbers; and email addresses. "Think Tank Directory" is enhanced with the inclusion of indexes for alternate names, budget categories, geographic locations, public policy areas, and subsidiary organizations. A comprehensive, informative, 'user friendly', 414-page compendium, "Think Tank Directory" is an essential, cornerstone addition to personal, professional, community, academic, and governmental library reference collections.

Intellectual Property
Aaron Schwabach
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781598840452, $55.00 www.abc-clio.com 1-800-368-6868

Part of the Contemporary World Issues series, Intellectual Property is an in-depth, no-nonsense reference handbook to the politics, law, and government procedures pertaining to intellectual property. Chapters cover the history of intellectual property as a concept, worldwide perspectives, a chronology, reproductions of key documents such as different copyright and patent laws, a directory of organizations concerning intellectual property, recommended resources, and much more. A solidly written, accessible and useful guide strongly recommended for anyone considering a career in intellectual property realms from writing to inventing.


The Library Science Shelf

A Day in the Life
Priscilla K. Shontz & Richard A. Murray, editors
Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9781591583646, $45.00 www.lu.com

A Day in the Life: Career Options in Library and Information Science is an omnibus anthology of ninety-five essays by diverse authors. Focusing primarily upon the many different types of library science jobs available, from working for school libraries or special libraries to library vendors, positions in publishing, and nontraditional careers such as "personal librarian" or "independent information professional", A Day in the Life is a first-rate resource for library and information science students, prospective information professionals, new librarians, and anyone considering a career change. An index for quick reference rounds out this broad-ranged anthology steeped in the professional field experience of its many contributors.

Adult Learners Welcome Here
Marguerite Crowley Weibel
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555705787, $75.00 www.neal-schuman.com 1-866-672-6657

Expert educator and librarian Marguerite Crowley Weibel presents Adult Learners Welcome Here: A Handbook for Librarians and Literacy Teachers, a thoughtful guide for librarians and teachers across America to combating the current literacy crisis - both among native English speakers who have poor reading skills due to inadequacies in education, family difficulties, or learning disabilities, and among immigrants for whom English is a second language. Chapters cover what the library can offer to spread literacy, ideal books for adult literacy students in a diversity of subjects from photograph to poetry to nonfiction and electronic references, and how to build a library literacy coalition to reach out to the community at large. Sample lessons enhance this experience-based, highly practical "must-have" handbook for libraries everywhere.

Managing Your Library Construction Project
Richard C. McCarthy, AIA
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9780838909317, List $58.00; Member $52.20 www.alastore.ala.org

Richard C. McCarthy is a principal with Burnridge Cassell Associates where he serves as a library architect and leads BCA's library design team. He has built, remodeled, and renovated numerous libraries and is a confirmed expert in this specialized field. In "Managing Your Library Construction Project: A Step-by-Step Guide", McCarthy draws upon his many years of experience and expertise to create an informed and informative guide for librarians and library board members charged with the responsibility of building, remodeling, or renovating a library for their community or school. "Managing Your Library Construction Project" clearly lays out who does what and by when; what the responsibilities are for everyone concerned; when and how the deliverables get enumerated; how to create a realistic budget for new library construction; and even how to incorporate 'green' design factors to make libraries as environmentally friendly as possible in their construction and subsequent operation. Enhanced with checklists and sample construction documents, and covering every aspect of library construction from initial plans, to working with architects, to evaluating processes and results, "Managing Your Library Construction Project" should be considered a 'must read' for library directors, staff members, administrators, board members, and trustees before undertaking a library construction project of any size.


The Crafts Shelf

Kalmbach Publishing Company
P.O. Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.kalmbach.com

Irina Miech's MORE METAL CLAY FOR BEADERS (9780871162427, $21.95) offers beginners a fine set of projects for working with metal clay to create unique jewelry. With its clear step-by-step directions and color photos, the author shows how to make unique components for beaded necklaces and jewelry, teaching how to work with metal clay and offering a foundation title which builds on experience to attract intermediate metal clay artists as well. BeadStyle's BEADING INSPIRATION: HOW TO USE COLOR IN JEWELRY DESIGN (9780871162465, $19.95) uses projects to teach the basics of blending colors in jewelry designs. From new approaches to working with color to six new designs accompanied by step-by-step directions and color photos, this is a top pick for any lending library appealing to jewelry crafters. Both titles offer unique, appealing projects and easy formats to appeal to a wide audience.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Mystic Faerie Tarot
Linda Ravenscroft
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
9780738709215, $24.95 www.llewellyn.com 1-800-843-6666

Lovely watercolor art by fantasy artist Linda Ravenscroft pairs with a fine tarot guide by tarot author Barbara Moore to provide a fine set of cards revolving around faerie-themed spreads. Each spread comes with a 'faerie tale' for each suite, while an introduction and quick reference offers beginners easy access. It's not recommended for library lending but is a perfect set for New Age seers and any tarot user seeking a different approach.


The Education Shelf

Brain-Friendly Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom
Judy Willis M.D.
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416605393, $25.95 www.ascd.org 1-800-933-2723

Board-certified neurologist and middle school teacher Judy Willis presents Brain-Friendly Strategies for the Inclusion Classroom: Insights From a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher, a guide to teaching strategies designed to engage and stimulate all students, and be of especial help to students with learning disabilities. Chapters cover tips, tricks, and techniques for teaching students attention disorders; review and test preparation strategies ideal for a diversity of learners; the theory of multiple intelligence brains; and much more. An invaluable reference and resource for teachers of all grades.

Super Smart Science
Colleen Kessler
Prufrock Press
PO Box 8813, Waco, TX 76714-8813
9781593632137, $17.95 www.prufrock.com 1-800-998-2208

Colleen Kessler, an intervention specialist for students in grades 2-3, shares her wisdom and experience in Super Smart Science: 180 Days to Warm-Ups and Challenging Activities, a compendium of activities and science experiments meant to stir students' interest and expand their scientific knowledge. Each day's suggestions opens with an inspirational "thought for the day" quote, followed by a cool fact. The rest of the recommendation can take the form of a sample activity kids can do with everyday materials, or a teaser story problem with a solution. "Teaser: Why don't you feel or see a mosquito bite until after it starts itching? Solution: The mosquito bites by inserting her lancets into the capillary beds beneath the skin, and drinks by lubricating her mouth with saliva. The saliva acts as an anesthetic and contains an anticoagulant that causes an allergic reaction in humans - hence the bump and redness." Recommended activities include making a simple compass, having students try to be "human stopwatches" to see how good they are at estimating time, to making raisins "dance" on carbonated water since the carbon dioxide in the water tends to collect on their uneven surfaces. Highly recommended as an adaptable, easy-to-use supplement to elementary school science instruction.

Building Language Throughout The Year
John Lybolt, et al.
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781557667809, $49.95 www.brookespublishing.com 1-800-638-3775

The Leap Learning Systems team-effort of John Lybolt (Director of Research), Catherine Gottfred (Found and President), language specialists Jennifer Armstrong and Kristin Evans Techmanski, "Building Language Throughout The Year: The Preschool Early Literacy Curriculum" is specifically designed to assist Head Start teachers in developing classroom programs for children ages 3 to 5 promoting early literacy through encouraging the development and exercise of reading skills which are an essential foundation for lifelong academic success. Teachers will learn how to deliver curriculum content effectively; engage children through structure and unstructured activities (including dramatic play, art, and music) reinforcing new words and concepts; address the needs of children from low-resource backgrounds; conform their curriculums to the Head Start Outcomes framework; utilize existing programs and inexpensive supplies already on hand; and encourage parents to continue the learning at home with reader-friendly sheets that explain what their children are learning (including easy activities for encouraging literacy development in the home as well as the classroom). With respect developing Head Start appropriate programs for teaching basic literacy skills to preschoolers, "Building Language Throughout The Year" will prove to be useful, practical, effective, effective, and time-saving.

Learning From Young Children in the Classroom
Daniel R. Meier & Barbara Henderson
Teachers College Press
1234 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10027
9780807747674, $27.95 www.tcpress.com 1-800-575-6566

Associate Professors of Elementary Education Daniel Meier and Barbara Henderson present Learning From Young Children in the Classroom: The Art and Science of Teacher Research, a thorough introduction to carrying out high-quality teacher research in early childhood settings. Chapters describe original research projects by teachers who worked with infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and primary-aged children. Learning From Young Children in the Classroom covers a host of specific strategies and "how-to" instructions for getting one's own teacher research project or collaborative group off the ground; recommendations for identifying a research question and addressing issues of data collection, analysis, and dissemination; an assortment of references and an index; and much more. "Once early educators see inquiry as key to teaching, they can find ways to sharpen that process of questioning and generating new knowledge." A first-rate get-started guide for teachers ready to learn from their young subjects even while they teach.

Write Away!
Arnold Cheyney
Good Year Books
PO Box 91858, Tucson, AZ 85752-1858
9781596470873, $19.95 www.goodyearbooks.com 1-888-511-1530

Specifically written and designed for teach creative writing skills to children ages 9 to 12, "Write Away!: 140 Writing Prompts For Grades 4-6" by retired academician Arnold Cheyney (who was twice honored with the Outstanding Teacher Award) fully complies with NCTE standards for classroom curriculum. Each writing prompt can be easily incorporated into any writing program. The prompts present activities that children can readily engage with and reinforce such fundamental writing skills as punctuation, parts of speech, grammar, and usage. Of special note is the section that provides opportunities for children to explore the poetics of creative writing including such forms as the cinquain, haiku, tanka, limerick, and many other forms of poetry. The activities range from writing an advice column, to book & film reviews, to a television program script, to cartoon dialogue, and more. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Write Away!" is a very strongly recommended and consumable supplement to public school, private school, and home schooling writing instruction curriculums.

Eyewitness to the Past
Joan Brodsky Schur
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571104977, $20.00 www.stenhouse.com 1-800-988-9812

Written by Joan Brodsky Schur, an American History and English teacher of over twenty-five years' experience, Eyewitness to the Past: Strategies for Teaching American History in Grades 5-12 is an aid for middle, junior high, and high school history teachers. Chapters examine six types of primary sources: diaries, travelogues, letters, news articles, election speeches, and scrapbooks. Interactive strategies for teachers to help students compare and contrast the innate properties of each, as well as create their own works and written arguments, distinguish Eyewitness to the Past. Recommended rubrics and supplementary resources round out this useful supplement. "Another way to help students sort out fact from its embellishment is to carefully watch a PBS or History Channel documentary. We might be looking at a photograph of Frederick Douglass and then a slave cabin like the one he grew up in, but not his actual cabin. Documentaries rarely clarify this issue. When do these substitutions further our understanding of history, and when do they distort history? This is a question worthy of discussion as students bring creativity to their scrapbooks."

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwinpress.com

TEACHING LEADERSHIP: IMPROVING TEACHING AND LEARNING FROM INSIDE THE CLASSROOM by Elaine L. Wilmore (9781412949057, $27.95) comes from an education expert who examines classroom teachers' influences as leaders of students – and the changing classroom leadership capacity. It's based on ISLLC standards and blends insights on leadership and school reform programs to provide teachers with insights on how to improve teaching, student learning, and professional stature in the community. Perfect for either practicing teachers or college-level education collections. The same audience will find a series of teaching and learning guides offers short but precise insights into different aspects of the learning process. R. Bruce Williams' COOPERATIVE LEARNING: A STANDARD FOR HIGH ACHIEVEMENT (0970166559, $18.95) comes from a leader who builds leadership groups in planning and team building, and who has mediated interactive sessions for teacher teams. COOPERATIVE LEARNING is his strategy to improve student achievement and provides a four-part scheme to refine cooperative learning in K-College classroom settings. His HIGHER ORDER THINKING SKILLS: CHALLENGING ALL STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE (0971733252, $22.95) provides another 'Nutshell' book covering relevance, richness, relatedness, rigor and recursiveness – a framework created to illustrate instruction in criticism thinking and analytical skills. Grades K-12 teachers receive a content-oriented survey essential to improving techniques. His MULTIPLE INTELLIGENCES FOR DIFFERENTIATED LEARNING (097173321x, $19.95) offers insights on key points for differentiating learning, discussing MI concepts and moving from concept to applications in classroom settings, through curriculum, instruction and assessment adjustments. Robin Fogarty and Brian M. Pete's A LOOK AT TRANSFER: SEVEN STRATEGIES THAT WORK (0971733260, $18.95) examines six different levels of the teacher question 'Can I use this in my classroom?', considering classroom content both within and outside the classroom setting and how transferring ideas and experiences into teaching affects student and teacher alike. Their THE ADULT LEARNER: SOME THINGS WE KNOW (0974741639, $19.95) covers the differing needs and methods of adult learning settings, from instructional preferences to what motivates on-going training. Any teacher who would design effective training for adults – in any kind of teaching setting, not just standard adult education – needs THE ADULT LEARNER. Professional educators and non-specialist general readers with an interest in education issues, curriculums, and guides are encouraged to visit the Corwin Press website at www.corwinpress.com for a complete listing of all of their titles.


The Military Shelf

House To House
David Bellavia
The Free Press
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781416574712, $26.00 www.simonsays.com 1-800-223-2336

On November 10, 2004, Staff Sargent David Bellavia was one of the American infantry making a direct assault on the Iraqi town of Fallujah, engaging tens of thousands of insurgent fighters in street by street, house by house, close-quarters combat. American media coverage was somewhat misleading as it focused on aerial assaults and high tech artillery attacks. Most of the fighting that took place was direct, direct, brutal, and lethal. This was combat that tested and revealed the strength, character, courage, and training of America's fighting men and women. A nominee for the Medal of Honor and the Distinguished Service Cross, Bellavia gives his readers a candidly detailed, informed and informative account of a sustained and vicious battles -- including his own ordeal of going into an explosives rigged house on a solo mission and finding himself face-to-face with six fanatical insurgents, all of whom he eventually killed, including one in a mortal, primal, hand-to-hand, personal fight to the death. "House To House" is a gripping battlefield memoir, but also provides the reader with analytical insights into the fanaticism and character of the insurgent opposition, and the hatred that enters into the heart of a soldier when fighting for his life and the lives of his comrades in arms. "House To House" is strongly recommended for academic and community library collections, and for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in what it is like to be in combat in Iraqi today.

Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South Suite 806, New York NY 10016
www.ospreypublishing.com

Mark Stille's IMPERIAL JAPANESE NAVY SUBMARINES 1941-45 (9781846030901, $15.95) analyzes the Japanese submarine fleet from 1941-45 for specialty military collections strong in military equipment surveys. The Japanese force should have been effective, but failed in many ways: color plates and analysis describes the technical advances fostered by the Imperial Japanese Navy – and why they failed against all odds. Steven J. Zaloga's THE ATLANTIC WALL (1): FRANCE (9781846031298, $16.95) analyzes the German Atlantic Wall's ambitious fortification efforts during World War II, making it another strong recommendation for detailed military and World War II collections. Structures in France are the sole focus here, with illustrations and diagrams charting their effectiveness and construction. Rene Chartreand's THE CANADIAN CORPS IN WORLD WAR I (9781846031861, $15.95) describes the organization, lists its units and achievements, and charts strategies and battles alike. While it's likely to prove a specialty acquisition for U.S. collections, any military library strong in world military forces needs this. Norman Franks' SE 5/5A ACES OF WORLD WAR 1 (9781846031809, $20.95) joins others in Osprey's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series to chart the Royal Aircraft Factory and its famous unit No. 56 during World War 1. Collections strong in either military history of the era or aviation history will find it packed with over a hundred photos, nearly forty new color art works, and detailed biographies of all pilots. Martin Marix Evans' NASEBY 1645: THE TRIUMPH OF THE NEW MODEL ARMY (9781846030789, $18.95) uses first-hand accounts to chart a 1645 battle at Naseby, exploring the origins of the battle, strategies on both sides, and the emergence of lasting tactics. Archaeological and documentary evidence pieces together the battles in a fine pick for military libraries specializing in ancient battles. Also recommended for such an audience is Timothy Dawson's BYZANTINE INFANTRYMAN: EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE C.900-1204 (9781846031052, $17.95). The Byzantine Army was built on a belief system emphasizing overwhelming force and infantrymen were trained on fighting in formation. Dawson is an expert researcher on the topic and here chronicles a typical infantryman's daily experiences and engagements.


The International Studies Shelf

Humanitarian Diplomacy
Larry Minear & Hazel Smith, editors
United Nations Publications
2 United Nations Plaza, Room DC2-853, Dept. CO44, New York, NY 10017
9789280811346, $37.00 1-800-253-9646

Humanitarian Diplomacy: Practitioners and Their Craft is an anthology of essays by fourteen senior humanitarian practitioners concerning humanitarian professionals who brave the front lines of internal armed conflicts to aid civilians in dire need. Spanning settings ranging from the Balkans and Nepal to Somalia, East Timor, 1970s Cambodia, 1980s Lebanon, and modern engagements in Columbia and Iraq, the essays include "Protecting Palestinian Refugees: The UNRWA Experience", "Nurturing humanitarian space in Sudan", "The Balkans: The limits of humanitarian action", and much more. A thoughtful, in-depth commentary on the response to atrocity and what can be done to improve and refine the life-saving art that is humanitarian diplomacy. Highly recommended.

Istanbul: City of a Hundred Names
Alex Webb and Orhan Pamuk
Aperture Foundation
547 West 27th St., 4th Floor, New York NY 10001
9781597110341, $50.00 www.aperture.org

Alex Webb's photographs reflect a powerful set of images revolving around Istanbul's culture and peoples, and is a top pick for any collection strong in the region's history and culture, from art libraries to general-interest collections. Both traditional and contemporary culture come to life in a volume which reveals Istanbul's attractions as a rich urban cultural center. A powerful set of full-page, full-color images goes far beyond the usual city focus to capture Istanbul's crossroads cultures.

America and Europe After 9/11 and Iraq: The Great Divide
Sarwar A. Kashmeri
Praeger Publishing
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275993019, $44.95 www.praeger.com

The alliance between Europe and America is dead, commentator Sarwar Kashmeri maintains: it can't be fixed, and it must be renegotiated: that's the message of a title which considers different foreign policy priorities between the U.S. and Europe since 9/11, and divisions which grow ever greater as the years go by. America's trouble is that it's using Cold War strategies which are outdated in trying to handle changing European Union priorities – and America and Europe After 9/11 and Iraq: The Great Divide charts these differences and offers foreign policy ideas which vastly revamp the relationships between the U.S. and the Union. Perfect for college-level libraries strong in international politics.


The Photography Shelf

Fandomania: Characters & Cosplay
Elena Dorfman & Carla McCormick
Aperture
547 West 27th Street, New York NY 10013
9781497110358, $35.00 www.aperture.org

From women strangely dressed for a futuristic ball to goth-type ornate and eye-catching displays, Elena Dorfman's photos offer up unique oddities in fashion and expression, with color pages packing in images of striking contemporary characters. Use of black backgrounds on every page allows color and images to fairly leap off the page. It's a 'must' for any college-level art library strong in modern fashion or modern fashion photography and captures a unique worldview of a goth fashion style not to be seen elsewhere.

Face of Fashion
Susan Bright & Vince Aletti
Aperture
547 West 27th Street, New York NY 10013
9781597110396, $60.00 www.aperture.org

The contemporary fashion portrait is the focus in FACE OF FASHION, which brings together paintings made for the fine arts yet embodying fashion styles, standards, and art. The array of photographers whose works appear here all have a distinct, unique style within fashion photography, making FACE OF FASHION an excellent juxtaposition of varying approaches and styles and a top pick for any college-level art or fashion library. Full-page color images blend with essays and writings about the photographer's approach and the fashion and art worlds.


The Psychology Shelf

Feeling the Words
Mauro Mancia
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780415390972, $33.95 www.routledge.com 1-800-634-7064

Mauro Mancia (Professor Emeritus of Neuropsychology, University of Milan, Italy) presents Feeling the Words: Neuropsychoanalytic Understanding of Memory and the Unconscious, an extensive review, discussion, and history of psychoanalytical concepts. From the most recent insights of neuroscience and infant development research, to the interpretation of dreams, to the nature of mental pain and the dynamics of the Oedipus complex and much more fill this distinguished evaluation of the connections between memory and the unconscious. Feeling the Words especially focuses upon how to use psychoanalytical knowledge to best tailor one's treatment of individual patients, and is especially recommended for psychologists seeking to broaden their horizons with regard to various treatment possibilities. A scholarly text geared especially to professionals and experts in the field.

Coping with Infuriating, Mean, Critical People
Nina W. Brown
Praeger Publishers
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0275989844, $39.95 www.praeger.com

Narcissistic behaviors displayed by those in power, friends and lovers affect everyone and are prevalent throughout society, which is why Coping with Infuriating, Mean, Critical People is so important and explains a destructive mental pattern which takes hold and affects many. Methods to help victims of this behavior are provided and come from a scholar/professor in Educational Leadership and Counseling, covering everything from indifference to others and emotional intimacy challenges to projection, protection and conquering loneliness. An outstanding guide surveys both victims and survivors as well as the narcissistic personality, this book is a pick for not only college-level holdings strong in psychology and sociology, but for general-interest library collections as well.

Case Studies in Emotion-Focused Treatment of Depression
Jeanne C. Watson Ph.D., Rhonda N. Goldman Ph.D., & Leslie S. Greenberg Ph.D.
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781591479291, $59.95 www.apa.org/books 1-800-368-5777

Psychology experts Jeanne C. Watson, Rhonda N. Goldman, and Leslie S. Greenberg combine their wisdom in Case Studies in Emotion-Focused Treatment of Depression: A Comparison of Good and Poor Outcome is an inside look at how emotion-focused therapy, or EFT, can be used in the treatment of depression. Six in-depth case studies are featured - three with a good outcome, and three with a poor outcome. Session-by-session descriptions of the therapy process, including sample dialogue transcripts and post-session evaluations, allow for the reader to fully analyze instances in which EFT succeeded or failed. An excellent resource especially recommended for professionals in the field.


The Business Shelf

Flipping Confidential
Kirsten Kemp
Wiley Publishing
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780470068359, , $19.95 www.wiley.com/business

Kristen Kemp is host of the TV show PROPERTY LADDER and here provides first-time investors with insider's tips on how to buy cheap, fix fast, and sell high – popularly known as 'flipping' properties. From beginning with little savings or free time to locating great leads, financing, good agents and contractors, and more, FLIPPING CONFIDENTIAL: THE SECRETS OF RENOVATING PROPERTY FOR PROFIT IN ANY MARKET provides a toolbox of facts couched in an easy question/answer format and segregated into chapters by topic, making it easy for novice investors to follow. Any library strong in financial planning or real estate investing should have this.

Start & Run A Consulting Business
Douglas Gray
Self-Counsel Press Inc.
1704 North State Street, Bellingham, WA 98225
9781551807379, $17.95 www.self-counsel.com 1-800-663-3007

Now in a fully updated seventh edition, "Start & Run A Consulting Business" by Douglas Gray is the perfect step-by-step instruction guide for setting up and operating a profitable consultation business. All of the relevant issues are addressed including self-assessment and skill level, identifying market opportunities, relevant governmental regulations and laws, selecting business and professional advisers, preparing a business plan, setting fees and billing clients, taking advantage of tax laws, avoiding professional liability and preventing losses, writing proposals, even how to effectively hire sub-consultants. Enhanced with an accompanying CD-ROM that includes samples and worksheets, "Start & Run A Consulting Business" is the ideal and thoroughly user-friendly 'how to' manual for anyone contemplating starting up their own consultation service.

IT Risk
George Westerman & Richard Hunter
Publicity Department
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422106662, $35.00 www.HBSPress.org 1-800-668-6780

"IT Risk: Turning Business Threats Into Competitive Advantage" by George Westerman (Research Scientist in the Center for Information Systems Research at the MIT Sloan School of Management) and Richard Hunter (Group Vice President and Gartner Fellow in Gartner Executive Programs, a division of Gartner, Inc.) addresses the liabilities that information technology can have for a high-tech manufacturer's ability to conduct the business of buying and selling. Identifying the four categories of IT risk (Availability; Access; Accuracy; and Agility). These areas of risk are something that can only be managed and minimized, not eliminated. "IT Risk" provides business managers with the tools and disciplines necessary for successful IT risk management. Of special note are the numerous organizational examples of successful IT risk management. "IT Risk" should be on the supplemental reading list of every MBA program, and high priority reading for corporate managers charged with the responsibility of conducting business in the age of the internet.

Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!
Marvin Weisbord & Sandra Janoff, Ph.D.
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576754252, $19.95 www.bkconnection.com 1-800-929-2929

Don't Just Do Something, Stand There!: Ten Principles for Leading Meetings That Matter is a practical guide to organizing and leading productive business meetings. Rather than fruitlessly try to change someone's behavior, Don't Just Do Something, Stand There! emphasizes the importance of changing the conditions under which people interact. Packed with techniques for helping people discover common ground, apply dissent to positive and productive use, and promote responsibility through action in oneself and others, Don't Just Do Something, Stand There! is both insightful and inspirational. "Act when you hear people make statements so emotionally charged that they put themselves at risk of being isolated or labeled... Sometimes people jump in to challenge the statement, putting the speaker on the defensive. The temptation is to let the antagonists have it out while everybody watches.... You can do better. What is needed now is neither confrontation nor a search for 'truth'. Rather, you need to head off the split so that people keep working. The best way to do that is to get an informal subgroup for the risk taker... Usually we discover they have a spectrum of frustrations. Speakers see that they are not alone. Frustration is OK. Confrontation is avoided. Everyone has new information on where others stand. The group moves on." An absolute "must-read" for business leaders, human resource personnel, and group managers of all fields.


The Biography Shelf

I've Heard the Vultures Singing
Lucia Perillo
Trinity University Press
One Thirty Place, San Antonio, TX 78212-7200
9781595340313, $24.95

Former park ranger and award-winning poet Lucia Perillo presents I've Heard the Vultures Singing: Field Notes on Poetry, Illness, and Nature, a memoir of the ups and downs in her life. When Lucia was in her thirties, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis; I've Heard the Vultures Singing recounts the difficulty of coming to terms with losing the ability to walk. She had to give up some of her favorite outdoor activities, such as hiking and skiing, and learn to enjoy the wilderness with lowered expectations, as well as how to apply her poetry to access and experience the wilderness. A thoughtful, reflective, autobiographical narrative about adapting to severe change, highly recommended.

From Trotsky to Godel
Anita Burdman Feferman
A K Peters, Ltd.
888 Worcester Street, Suite 230, Wellesley, MA 02482
9781568811482, $24.95 www.akpeters.com

From Trotsky to Godel: The Life of Jean van Heijenoort is the true-life biography of a man in a prime position to observe twentieth-century turmoil. He served as a secretary and bodyguard to Leon Trotsky, and was intellectually and politically passionate; in his maturity, he contributed greatly to the realm of abstract philosophical logic. From Trotsky to Godel draws heavily upon interviews with van Heijenoort himself, as well as his friends, family, and colleagues. Enthusiastically recommended for anyone interested in following van Heijenoort's challenging life, and also for students of Trotsky seeking to round out their perspectives on the man and his writings.

White House Chef
Walter Scheib and Andrew Friedman
Wiley Publishers
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
9780471798422, , $24.95 www.wiley.com

Walter Scheib provides stories and recipes of some eleven years as White House chef under Presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, so anticipate a collection which is far more than your usual cookbook – and which will appeal to collections strong in culinary history and presidential trivia. Scheib was hired by Hillary Clinton in 1994 to become White House chef and faced taking an outdated kitchen focused on traditional French cuisine and making it a showcase for modern American foods. His memoir embraces some eleven years of culinary history at the White House under two different administrations and pairs original recipes with accounts of Presidential family encounters, making for both lively vignettes and fine recipes.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Turim
Michael A. Sahmidman, Editor
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
9780881259599, $30.00 www.ktav.com

"Turim: Studies in Jewish History and Literature Presented to Dr. Bernard Lander, Volume One" is the first of two scholarly essays in Jewish Studies presented by academics in honor of one Dr Bernard Lander, founder and present of Touro College, and provides essays on Jewish culture, history, and religious commentary which are key to any college-level collection strong in Jewish ethics and law. Chapters are heavy in footnoted references to source materials and analyze many different aspects of Jewish culture and philosophy for academics at the college level.

The Cambridge Companion to The Talmud and Rabbinic Literature
Charlotte Elisheva Fonrobert & Martin S. Jaffee, editors
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
9780521605083, $24.99 www.cambridge.org 1-800-872-7423

The Cambridge Companion to The Talmud and Rabbinic Literature is a scholarly volume of essays by an assembly of learned authors assembled especially to introduce students to historical, cultural, hermeneutical issues relevant to the study and interpretation of rabbinic literature. Individual essays include "Rabbinic Authorship as a Collective Enterprise", "Jewish Visionary Tradition in Rabbinic Literature", "Rabbinic Historiography and Representations of the Past", "Hellenism in Jewish Babylonia", and much more. A contemplative, philosophical, and methodical cross-examination highly recommended for Judaic studies shelves, college students, independent scholars, and intermediate to advanced self-study.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

An Introduction to The Art of Theatre
Marsh Cassady
Meriwether Publishing
Box 7710, Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7710
1566081173, , $24.95 www.meriwether.com

Fifteen chapters are presented in three parts surveying the structure, production and history of different types of theatre, making An Introduction to The Art of Theatre an excellent guide not only for high school students new to theatre arts, but to any general-interest collection seeking an easy introductory text. From memorizing lines to understanding the business of theatre productions, this introduction provides aspiring drama students and aspiring producers with a basic foundation for understanding the theatre arts and is a key tool to understanding theatre's past, present and future.

At the Zenith of the Empire
Stewart Lemoine
NeWest Press
201-8540-109 Street, Edmonton, Alberta, T6G 1E6, Canada
9781897126158, $14.95 www.newestpress.com

Playwright teacher and artistic director of the Edmonton Theatre Company Stewart Lemoine has crafted a brilliant play, At the Zenith of the Empire. Set in 1913, when well-known tragedienne Sarah Bernhardt traveled to Edmonton, Alberta to perform in the final act of Alexandre Dumas' "The Lady of the Camellias", At the Zenith of the Empire is a saga inspired by "Fallen Empires", John Orrell's famous history of Edmonton's early theatre scene. Narrated by "The Divine Sarah" herself, At the Zenith of Empire imagines theatre in a time of yore with flair and color, steeped in emotion and heavy with the history of timeless landmarks such as Ada Boulevard and the Groat Ravine. A play by a theatre lover and artist, for fellow theatre lovers.


The Library DVD Shelf

Chancer
Acorn Media Group
801 Roeder Road, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD 20910
AMP-9403, $59.99 www.acornmedia.com 1-888-870-8047

Sacked from an investment bank after one dodgy deal too many, Stephen Crane is a con artist with a dark personal secret who finds himself struggling to save a family sports car company while fending off corporate takeovers by vengeful associates in the elaborate British television production of "Chancer". Award-winning actor Clive Owen stars along with a stellar cast in this totally engaging, flawlessly produced, roller-coaster of a mini-series that is enhanced with original music composed by Grammy-winner Jan Hammer. Love, sex, money, loyalty, and all the elements that make for a brilliant adult soap opera are expertly packaged into a four volume DVD boxed set comprising all thirteen episodes with a total running time of 650 minutes, as well as a production photo galley and cast filmographies. Very highly recommended, "Chancer" is certain to be a popular addition to personal and community library DVD collections.

DOG the Bounty Hunter: Best of Season 2
A & E Television Networks
PO Box 2284, South Burlington, VT 05407-2284
0767098064, $19.95 www.aetv.com 1-888-646-3476

BEST OF SEASON 2 represents reality TV personality Dog's personally selected eight favorite episodes from his second season and provides more powerful stories from the chronicles of Hawaiian bail bondsman family man Dog's experiences. Duane 'Dog' Chapman and his family have more amazing adventures catching bail jumpers here, and BEST OF SEASON 2 is thus a pick not only for old fans who want to relive the highlights, but for newcomers to the reality TV show.

The Seasons of Fitness
Sue West
Synergy Video
DVD $24.99 www.synergyvideoseries.com

Intermediate-level exercisers receive a workout video which blends the conditioning features of ballet and Pilates with the stretches of yoga and classical dance, coming from a certified Pilates instructor who is also a yoga student and teacher of classical ballet. The result's a workout which is not only involving and intermediate in level, but has the added unusual advantage of being filmed in the beauty of Canyon Lands, Utah and other natural areas. An excellent, appealing pick.

The Anti-Aging Method
Carol Argo
Anti-Aging Methods
4696 Browndeer lane, Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275
DVD, $18.00 www.antiagingmethod.com

THE ANTI-AGING METHOD packs in three workout options, from a nearly-hour-long total workout of yoga, dance, tai chi and pilates to help improve posture, balance and more. Learn to move with the help of a trainer who travels worldwide training instructors at workouts and spas, and who blends east and west concepts for all fitness levels.

Prevention Fitness Systems DVDs
Rodale Press, Inc.
400 South Tenth Street, Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
www.rodale.com www.preventionfitness.com

Two excellent dvds in the series offer excellent insights into fitness. Chris Freytag's FIGHT CELLULITE AST (9780766229624, $14.95) tells how to lose weight and burn fat fast, and provides a two-part routine tackling common female trouble areas like hips, butts and thighs. The workout is specifically designed to thwart cellulite and provides a high-energy cardio workout. Lara Hudson's SLIM, STRONG, AND FIRM (9780766229297, $14.95) provides a Pilates/dance based workout of two 30-minute programs designed by the experts at Prevention magazine. Ballet too is used and the instructor provides excellent step-by-step techniques. Both are top picks for any workout library or individual collection.

Pilates for Sex: Volume 1
Pilates in the City
DVD $24.95 www.pilatesforsex.com www.amazon.com

This is the first Pilates DVD to offer an exercise program specifically tailored to developing the pelvic floor muscles: as such, it offers up an excellent, solid set of exercises with a specific focus and purpose in mind, and will appeal to any library featuring either Pilates or sexual health how-to titles.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Faint Praise
Gail Pool
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard, Columbia, MO 65201
9780826217288, $19.95 www.umsystem.edu/upress 1-800-828-1894

Informed and informative, "Faint Praise: The Plight Of Book Reviewing In America" by Gail Pool (a freelance journalist, reviewer, and review editor based in Cambridge, Massachusetts) is an impressively insightful, deftly written, accessibly articulate, expertly knowledgeable, and decidedly analytical survey of the multifaceted and complex world of book reviewing today. Getting a book reviewed can result in prestige for authors and their publishers, improved sales, and a raised public awareness of a particular title struggling for attention against thousands of competing books. They can also bury worthy and literate titles in a sea of inane and flawed books that are published by the tens of thousands every month. "Faint Press" provides a descriptive and comprehensive introduction to the institution of book reviewing, including such issues as why bad reviewing happens despite good intentions, why so many intelligent bibliophiles, knowledgeable readers, and gifted authors can fail at the art, craft, science, and business of writing book reviews. "Faint Praise" takes the reader behind the scenes and shows how books are chosen for review, the context in which book reviewing takes place, including a book review culture that is shows little interest in literature, a surprising antipathy toward criticism, and a vulnerability to the 'seduction of praise'. It's a sad fact of contemporary publishing that reviews so often degenerate into unmerited hype. Very highly recommended for both academic and community library Literary Studies collections, "Faint Praise" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone aspiring to become a book reviewer, and is especially valuable reading for authors, publishers, academicians, and the general reading public.

Breathe Life Into Your Life Story
Dawn and Morris Thurston
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, Utah 84116
9781560850946, $22.95 www.signaturebooks.com

Writing teacher Dawn Thurston and award-winning ancestral biographer Morris Thurston present Breathe Life Into Your Life Story: How to Write a Story People Will Want to Read, a no-nonsense guide to crafting an engaging autobiography. memoir or personal history. Chapters cover how to write at the gut level and reveal one's feelings, what to do and not do when writing about specific places, connecting the events of one's life to history, using suspense and conflict to draw the reader further in, and much more. A wealth of "learn-by-doing" exercises round out this excellent self-improvement guide highly recommended for would-be biographers, and also packed with valuable tips, trips and techniques for aspiring writers of fields.

How To Publish Your Children's Book
Liza N. Burby
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
9780757000362, $17.95 www.squareonepublishers.com 1-877-900-2665

Books for children preschool through young adult has always been a substantial part of the publishing industry. It is also one a volatile and competitive market that can be confusing and difficult for the novice author and inexperienced publisher. "How To Publish Your Children's Book" by award-winning author and former children's book editor Liza N. Burby is a comprehensive and thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction guide that will prove an invaluable reference for anyone aspiring to publish (or be published) and market a book for children regardless of its genre or the intended age category of its targeted readership. "How To Publish Your Children's Book" covers such diverse but essential issues as creating effective submission packages, how authors can identify the best publisher for their particular title, learn to avoid common problems encountered in publishing, understand and benefit from publishing contracts, accessing and utilizing publisher resources, the growing phenomena of electronic publishing such as eBooks, maximizing results while minimizing time, cost and effort, and so much more. Enhanced with the addition of a glossary, a resource list, and an index, "How To Publish Your Children's Book" is essential reading for anyone contemplating publishing a children's book whether it is through an established press, and independent publisher, or as a self-published project.

The Glimmer Train
Susan Burmeister-Brown & Linda B. Swanson-Davies, editors
Writer's Digest Press
c/o F&W Publications, Inc.
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990
9781582974477, $19.99 www.fwpublications.com 1-800-726-9966

Adroitly co-edited by Susan Burmeister-Brown and Linda B. Swanson-Davies, "The Glimmer Train: Guide To Writing Fiction - Inspiration And Discipline" is a compact, 444-page compendium of contributions by professional authors and writers on the subject of their personal and philosophical approaches to writing for a living. The second volume of the acclaimed 'Glimmer Train Guide to Writing Fiction' series from Writer's Digest Press, "Inspiration And Discipline" focuses upon the more private aspects of a writer's life including family, friends, the incorporation of autobiographical material into their literary work, the responsibilities associated with writing professionally, the artistic nature of a writer's vocation, and so much more. From dealing with writer's block, to writing as therapy, to how reading shapes writing,, "Inspiration And Discipline" is engaging and informative, as it is thoughtful and thought-provoking. Anyone aspiring to write professionally should take the time to read (and re-read) "The Glimmer Train: Guide To Writing Fiction - Inspiration And Discipline".

Line By Line
Claire Kehrwald Cook
Houghton Mifflin Company
215 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10003
0395393914, $12.00 www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com 1-800-225-3362

Based upon the Modern Language Association guidelines, Claire Kehrwald Cooks' instructive 'how to' manual for aspiring authors, "Line By Line: How To Edit Your Own Writing" completely demystifies the process of self-editing, a vital aspect of honing, polishing, and otherwise preparing a manuscript for publication. All the relevant issues are addressed including basic grammar; pruning unnecessary words and phrases; balancing related sentence elements; making subjects and verbs agree; using pronouns accurately; the correct usage of punctuation marks; and avoiding the 'questionable usage' of words and phrases. A welcome and core addition to personal and professional writing reference collections, "Line By Line" is especially recommended reading for aspiring writers, published professionals, business managers and government officials needing to communicate with clarity, advertising and public relations professionals, scholars and students, as well as technical and science writers.

The Heart And Craft Of Lifestory Writing
Sharon M. Lippincott
Lighthouse Point Press
100 First Avenue, Suite 525, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
9780979299803, $16.95 www.lighthousepointpress.com

"The Heart And Craft Of Lifestory Writing: How To Transform Memories Into Meaningful Stories" by Sharon M. Lippincott is an expertly written, 'reader friendly', specialized instruction guide that is especially recommended reading for anyone aspiring to write their memoirs and autobiographies. It is also an excellent 'how to' reference for authors who are writing biographies based upon the reminiscences and anecdotal stories of their subjects and others such as family members, friends and associates. All the proper writing tools are covered, as well as such vitally important issues as clearly identifying the overall purpose of the life-story, a personal plan of action adapted to the writer's workstyle preference and personality, stimulating the recall of memories, editing, and preparing the final manuscript for publication. A superbly written, organized, and presented instructional manual, "The Heart And Craft Of Lifestory Writing" especially commended to the attention of anyone who would like to record their own life story for the benefit of their posterity, as well as the general reading public.

Cite It Right
Tom Fox, et al.
SourceAid
1284 'A' Main Street, Osterville, MA 02655
Independent Publishers Group (distributor)
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.ipgbook.com 1-800-888-4741
9780977195701, $26.99 www.sourceaid.com

Now in an expanded and updated third edition, "Cite It Right: The SourceAid Guide To Citation, Research, And Avoiding Plagiarism" is the team effort of research experts Tom Fox, Julia Mary Johnson, and Sara Jane Keller. The publisher, SourceAid LLC is a provider of citation management software and reference materials. "Cite It Right" provides practical advice and clear explanations of every stage in the research process; current citation guidelines of the four major writing styles (Modern Language Association, American Psychological Association, Chicago Manual of Style, and Council of Science Editors); citation formats (including citing from online sources); and cogent information about plagiarism and recent news stories highlighting the disastrous consequences of improper citation and outright plagiarism. An in-depth and thoroughly 'user friendly' citation guide for writing, researching, and citing sources involving all manner of disciplines, "Cite It Right" is informed, informative, and an absolutely essential addition to an author or publisher reference collection for any kind of material from simple articles and essays, to journal pieces and published books.

The New Writer's Handbook 2007
Philip Martin
Scarletta Press
10 South Fifth Street, Suite 1105, Minneapolis, MN 55402
9780976520160, $16.95 www.scarlettapress.com 1-877-687-2324

Expertly compiled and deftly edited by Philip Marin, "The New Writer's Handbook 2007: A Practical Anthology Of Best Advice For Your Craft & Career" is a compendium of sixty practical, insightful, informed and informative articles that aspiring writers of fiction and novice authors of nonfiction will find to be invaluable as they approach the craft and business of being professional authors. The contributors are experienced, successful, and range from award winners, to writing instructors, to working journalists, to editors, to literary bloggers, to best-selling authors. A critically important and strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library Writing/Publishing reference collections, "The New Writer's Handbook 2007" covers general writing techniques and marketing tips, as well as specific book project pitching tips and models for writing career success.

Book Marketing De-Mystified
Bruce Batchelor
Agio Publishing House
151 Howe Street, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8V 4K5
9781897435007, $14.95 www.agiopublishing.com

It often comes as a shock when newly published authors discover that they must bear most of the burden of marketing their books to the general reading public -- even if they are fortunate enough to be published by one of the major New York publishing firms like Random House, Simon & Schuster or Penguin-Putnam. For self-published authors that marketing responsibility is completely theirs. Most authors are aware of the many 'how to' books that are available to them for the purpose of helping them master the craft of writing, There are also instruction books on turning raw manuscripts into finished books. What is not so obvious is that there are a number of excellent instructional guides for authors on how to market their books after they have been published. One of the best of these marketing manuals is "Book Marketing De-Mystified" by Bruce Batchelor, the man who founded Trafford (Canadian based and one of the larger POD companies servicing North America) and is widely acknowledged as the creator of the print-on-demand (POD) publishing process that has shattered the book publishing monopoly of the traditional publishing firms by allowing anyone to easily become their own publisher. This 167-page compendium of practical advice offers an especially 'user friendly' introduction to the art and science of book marketing because of its conversational style, it comprehensive coverage of book marketing issues, and Bruce Batchelor's unique perspective. It should be noted that the Midwest Book Review is positively cited (page 120) as a resource for authors and independent publishers. "Book Marketing De-Mystified" is especially useful in terms of its discussion of where to sell books, price/value setting, personal sales, paid advertising, sales promotions, publicity and public relations. Simply stated, every author and every small press publisher needs to have a competent marketing plan -- and Bruce Batchelor's "Book Marketing De-Mystified" specifically and effectively addresses that need.

Writing For Life
John D. Bessler
Bottlecap Books
514 North Third Street, Suite 105, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780979271809, $24.95 www.bottlecapbooks.com

In "Writing For Life: The Craft Of Writing for Everyday Living", two-time Minnesota Book Award finalist John D. Bessler succinctly demystifies the writing process by breaking down and illustrating each step of the process from pre-writing preparation to final publication. "Writing For Life" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction guide covering all of the tools and expertise needed to improve anyone's writing skills and abilities. Informed and informative, "Writing For Life" is also engaging and even inspiring. With extensive notes and a helpful bibliography, "Writing For Life" is skillfully written, comprehensive, practical, and especially recommended for anyone who has an aversion to writing, as well as those seeking to improve the quality of their own written work.

Red Hot Internet Publicity
Penny C. Sansevieri
Morgan James Publishing
1225 Franklin Avenue, Suite 325, Garden City, NY 1693
Author Marketing Experts (publicity)
PO Box 421156, San Diego, CA 92142
9781600370939, $18.95 www.morganjamespublishing.com 1-800-485-4943

Author, publicist, and publishing workshop instructor Penny C. Sansevieri is a book marketing specialist who draws upon her more than fifteen years of experience and expertise as a freelance publicist and marketing expert to write "Red Hot Internet Publicity: An Insider's Guide To Marketing Your Book On The Internet". Simply stated, this is the perfect introduction and resource guide for authors who find themselves having to shoulder the burden of publicizing, promoting, and marketing their book. Penny specifically focuses on the use of the internet as a multifaceted book marketing tool. She clearly lays out what needs to be done to develop a website that attracts visitors and then shows how to translate those visits into sales. Because authors are usually working under significant financial constraints, the emphasis is on those internet promotion techniques that are free for the asking. For example, Penny shows just how to develop and conduct an internet 'book tour' from the comfort of your own home. "Red Hot Internet Publicity" offers numerous and practical tips and techniques for networking effectively on the internet, including how to acquire print media as a part of your internet book marketing campaign. Aspiring authors and small press publishers will also learn how to expand their professional platforms to sell more books, while creating marketing campaigns that are long term and bottom-line productive. Of special note is the section devoted to blogging as a marketing tool, the phenomena of podcasting, the role of email newsletters, ebooks, and Amazon.com. "Red Hot Internet Publicity" is especially valuable for those new to book marketing for its bibliography, its lists of website resources, and what Penny has to say about publishing trends. While no self-published author or small press publisher should fail to give a careful reading of "Red Hot Internet Publicity", this outstanding and thoroughly 'user friend' internet book marketing reference is also an ideal and highly recommended instruction manual for aspiring freelance publicists entering the competitive and specialized field of marketing books.

Every Nonprofit's Guide To Publishing
Cheryl Woodard & Lucia Hwang
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781413306583, $29.99 www.nolo.com 1-800-955-4775

A critically important aspect of every successful nonprofit organization or association is their newsletter, magazine, and/or website. Cheryl Woodard is a publishing business consultant and co-founder of 'PC Magazine', 'PC World', and 'MacWorld'. Lucia Hwang is an award-winning investigative reporter who, since 2004, has worked as the editor for the magazine of a nonprofit association. In "Every Nonprofit's Guide To Publishing: Creating Newsletters, Magazines & Websites People Will Read" these two professional and experienced women have collaborated to create a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual for non-specialist general readers have find themselves with the responsibility of using their nonprofit organization or association's publication in print or online to raise money, attract and retain members, and increase awareness for their cause with respect to the general public, as well as targeted groups with the populace. Offering a wealth of practical, applicable, step-by-step ideas, suggestions, techniques, and processes, "Every Nonprofit's Guide To Publishing" (which includes an accompanying CD-Rom) covers crafting a mission statement and goals for the publication or website, establishing and adhering to a sound budget, consistently producing high-quality content, designing and printing the publication, creating a compelling website, as well as developing marketing and advertising strategies to support the publication or website. Simply stated, every local, state, regional, national, or international nonprofit organization, regardless of its cause, concerns, or focus, should have a copy of Cheryl Woodard and Lucia Hwang's "Every Nonprofit's Guide To Publishing" on their reference shelf. Also very highly recommended is Cheryl Woodard's earlier title from Nolo Press, "Starting & Running A Successful Newsletter Or Magazine".


The Poetry Shelf

My Father Says Grace
Donald Platt
The University of Arkansas Press
201 Ozark Avenue, Fayetteville, AR 72701
9781557288370, $16.00 www.uapress.com 1-800-626-0090

Some of the finest poetry ever written has its origin in the common human experience of coping with adversity. The poetry by Donald Platt comprising "My Father Says Grace" draws for its inspiration and subject matter struggling with such issues as a father's stroke and dementia, a mother-in-law's cancer, a brother's Down syndrome, as well as lesser matters of loss that are universal to us all. Platt's deftly crafted free verse poetry is rooted in an ultimate but clear-headed optimism as his lyrics deal with illness, loss, grief, aging, and death. "My Father Says Grace" is a remarkable body of work and strongly recommended reading -- especially for anyone struggle with similar issues of their own. 'Mirage': Because my mother's eyes have been failing from gradually progre4ssing/glaucoma, she doesn't see the dust that shrouds//all the mirrors in her house/with its fine gray veil. I look into the two hazy oval mirrors/that gaze down//over my parents' double dresser from their frames/of bird's eye/maple. Sunk deep in their silver shallows,//a woman combs her wavy auburn hair and rubs cold cream into/her smooth//cheeks, which will slowly erode to old age's arroyos, waiting/for the winter/rains to fill and flood the dry washes. A man adjusts//his loud tie,/carefully tightening its noose. He kisses her neck and hands her/from behind his back//a prink rose freaked with yellow, which she puts in a bud vase/before the mirrors, where//its wilting flame become doubled, then gutters. Two brothers sneak//into their parents'/ bedroom and jump up and down on the forbidden bed/in weightless//ecstasy. The boy I once was stands naked and holds up his mother's/hand mirror/to the larger mirrors, so that he can see what his back and buttocks//look like,/ the secret cleft, those two globes like the flesh of a flushed, silvery/peach. We are//dust on the surface of an old mirror. What hand will wipe it clean/and clear/to reveal ourselves, ripples rising from the black asphalt's heat?

Only On This Planet
John Grabper
Parallel Press
372 Memorial Library, 728 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
9781893311923, $10.00, http://parallelpress.library.wisc.edu 1-800-636-0071

Comprised of thirty poems by John Graber, "Only On This Planet" is the newest addition to the Parallel Press Chapbook series and a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library poetry collections, showcases the free verse skills of a poet of undeniable talent, originality, and ability. 'August Garden': Enough feminine licorice air/exults from a single row of basil/to canopy half the garden.//Alongside, even the heavy-handed dill/is overcome and has to rely on its flashy/star-burst flower to catch the eye/and send the tongue searching its memory/for the exact place on the lower lip where/astringency was left after teeth split the seed.//The surrounding disheveled bed of tomato vines/looks like a refuse of a broken fast/except for its galaxy of exhausted suns/remaining rich on the storm-pressed ground.//This is a good place for well-worked/love to walk, carefully placing his feet.

Through A Gate Of Trees
Susan Jackson
CarvanKerry Press
6 Horizon Road, No. 2901, Fort Lee, NJ 07024
University Press of New England (distributor)
1 Court Street, Suite 250, Lebanon, NH 03766-1358
1933880023, $16.00 1-800-421-1561 cavankerry@optonline.net

The debut collection of poetry by Susan Jackson, "Through A Gate Of Trees" is an impressive collection of poetry distinguished by an unusually keen perceptiveness, vivid word imagery, and engaging wit. Here are poems of a living intensity that will engage poetry enthusiasts of all preferences and literary backgrounds from beginning to end. 'Noctiluca for Peter': You come back with the children/for the first time since she died./New creases around your eyes,/you remember everything,/remember Contadora,/how she knelt on deck/cleaning the amberjack we caught/trawling, scales shimmering in the sun/as she flung them onto the wood;/the day we anchored off Saboga,/swimming in the shoals you found/a field of red starfish, almost too late/we saw the sharks, their triangle fins/black, circling in on us.

Doresey's Real Poetry For Seniors
Ed L. Dorsey
Noble House
c/o American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
9781561679607, $14.95 www.americanliterarypress.com 1-800-873-2003

The poetry of Ed L. Dorsey personal anthology "Doresey's Real Poetry For Seniors" is characterized by themes involving spirituality, nature, growing older, present society and the effects of change. His lyrical verse employs superb rhyming enhanced with a strong meter. Superbly crafted metrical verse is a hallmark of Dorsey's poetry and will be greatly and especially appreciated by those who enjoy poetry in a classical tradition nowadays all to often ignored in the cacophony of free verse and so called 'prose poems'. 'Looking for the Bloom': I tucked the tiny seed beneath the soil/and dreamed one day I'd see flowers sweet;/I coddled the little sprouts with care and toil/and looked for Spring's bright eye to bring the treat;//I watched them as they grew; no flower showed,/I wondered if all nurture was for naught;/Then one morn a spark from out my window glowed;/the oft-repeated miracle was wrought.//The bud to newborn blossom such joy brings,/All hope my heart had pulled now played on strings.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Listening from the Heart of Silence
John J. Pendergast & G. Kenneth Bradford, editors
Paragon House
1925 Oakcrest Avenue, Suite 7, St. Paul 55113
9781557788627, $19.95 www.paragonhouse.com

Volume two in the Natural Wisdom & Psychotherapy series, Listening from the Heart of Silence is an anthology of essays by learned authors that apply the spiritual insights of Zen, Tibetan Dzogchen, Advaita Vedanta, and other sources of wisdom to modern psychotherapy. Individual essays include "Listening and Speaking from No-Mind", "Nondual Wisdom and Body-Based Therapy", "Walking the Talk: The Principles and Practices of Embodied Spirituality", and much more. A thoughtful demonstration of the positive benefits of nondual spiritual realization. "Moments of self being 'gone' often become noticeable to practitioners of certain kinds of meditation. This is the case especially in Buddhist meditative practice. The dissolution of the self then becomes the desires goal of practice. The practitioner, hoping to 'go into' nonduality, 'gets into' trying to dissolve the self instead. But the self cannot dissolve itself. It cannot really even allow itself to dissolve, for that, too, sets up a duality between the one doing the allowing and the state that is supposed to be achieved by doing it. Notice how 'allowing' can be a mental attitude that fixates the self.

The Bhagavad Gita
Eknath Easwaran
Nilgiri Press
PO Box 256, Tomales, CA 94971
9781586380199, $10.95 1-800-475-2369

Expertly and accessibly translated into English by teacher Eknath Easwaran (1910-1999), The Bhagavad Gita, or "The Song of the Lord" is the classic East Indian Hindu scripture, which begins on a battlefield upon which the anguished warrior Arjuna questions his spiritual guide, Sri Krishna, about the most crucial matters of life and death. Easwaran's translation of The Bhagavad Gita retains a lyrical, poetic flow, and is supplemented by a foreword, an introduction, and notes on the meanings of the original Sanskrit terms, and a glossary. An invaluable religious studies and reference text, which belongs side by side on religious studies shelves along with annotated copies of the Bible, the Koran, and other core spiritual scripture.


The World History Shelf

The Women Incendiaries
Edith Thomas, author
James and Starr Atkinson, translators
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781931859462, $16.00 www.haymarketbooks.org 1-773-583-7884

Originally published in 1963 and translated into English in 1966, The Women Incendiaries: The Inspiring Story of the Women of Paris Commune Who Took Up Arms in the Fight for Liberty and Equality is now in a new paperback edition. The Women Incendiaries a historical analysis of the role women played during the Paris commune of 1871. In the spring of 1871, the workers of Paris claimed and held the city for two months. They elected a municipal council of workers and soldiers to govern in the interests of all workers; the Commune swiftly issued decrees ranging from an enforced limit on the highest salary for any employee of the Commune to an established separation of church and state. The Women Incendiaries especially focuses upon the true story of Louise Michel, who was eventually arrested, put on trial, and sentenced to exile. Yet when she returned to Paris in 1880, ten thousand workers gathered to greet her. The Women Incendiaries paints a vivid picture of turbulent era, and is a welcome classic for international history shelves.

Time, Space, and Women's Lives in Early Modern Europe
Anne Jacobson Schuttle, Thomas Kuehn, & Silvana Seidel Menchi
Truman State University Press
100 East Normal Street, Kirksville, MO 63501-4221
9780943549903, $34.95 http://tsup.truman.edu 1-800-916-6802

Time, Space, and Women's Lives in Early Modern Europe is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning how women's life experiences changed in early modern Europe (roughly the 1300's through the 1800's), though these changes were different according to region and social class. The writings also reveal that the private areas in women's lives were not enclosed in an isolated bubble from the public spaces in which men circulated. Individual essays include "Women's History and Social History: Are Structures Necessary?", "Daughters, Mothers, Wives, and Widows: Women as Legal Persons", "The Dimensions of the Cloister: Enclosure, Constraint, and Protection in Seventeenth-Century Italy", "Eighteenth-Century Marriage Contracts: Linking Legal and Gender History", and much more. A welcome contribution to women's studies and European history shelves alike.


The Nautical Shelf

Handbook of Marine Surveying
Thomas Ask
Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092493, $49.50 www.sheridanhouse.com 1-888-743-7425

Now in an updated second edition, Handbook of Marine Surveying is a guide for both students and professionals of marine surveying. as well as boatyard operators and boat owners with an interest in the field. Illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs, Handbook of Marine Surveying covers how to inspect and judge the quality of all aspects of a boat - from discerning signs of fatigue, buckling, or corrosion to the pros and cons of the wood, plastic, or metals in a boat's composition, to overseeing hulls, propellers, engine systems, and mechanical systems, to evaluating safety equipment and much more. Recommended techniques are described in detail, and a survey checklist as well as in-depth notes round this solid guide. Human lives depend upon the marine surveyor's expert determination of a boat's seaworthiness - making Handbook of Marine Surveying literally priceless and an absolute "must-have".


The Travel Shelf

The Philadelphia Inquirerer's Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia
Edward Colimore
Camino Books
PO Box 59026, Philadelphia, PA 19102
9781933822037, $16.95 www.caminobooks.com

Journalist Edward Colimore presents The Philadelphia Inquirerer's Walking Tours of Historic Philadelphia is a compilation of twelve walking tours through different Philadelphia city neighborhoods, ideal for history buffs and tourists, and armchair travelers alike. Black-and-white photographs and easy-to-follow maps guide the reader to historic sites, recommended restaurants, one-time homes of famous people, and much more, all listing the daily hours of each attraction. An easy-to-use, top-quality walking tour guide. highly recommended.

A Guide to North Carolina's Wineries
Joseph Mills and Danielle Tarmey
John F. Blair
1406 Plaza Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103
9780895873422, $16.95 www.blairpub.com

Now in an updated second edition, A Guide to North Carolina's Wineries profiles 64 different North Carolina wineries along with wine lists, directions, contact information, schedules, and fee information. Black-and-white photographs as well as descriptive histories of the wineries convey the conviction and dedication of the winemakers who run them. An easy-to-use, enthusiastically recommended guide for wine lovers residing in on traveling to the North Carolina area.

50 Hikes In & Around Tuscany
Jeff Taylor
The Countryman Press
PO Box 478, Woodstock, VT 05091
9780881507348, $16.95 www.countrymanpress.com1-800-245-4151

Ecologist, educator, and avid hiker who has traversed thousands of miles Jeff Taylor presents 50 Hikes In & Around Tuscany: Hiking the Mountains, Forests, Coast & Historic Sites of Wild Tuscany and Beyond, a combination hiking and travel guide to Italy's gorgeous Tuscan region. The fifty hikes featured cover Tuscan Hill Country, the mountains of the Alpi Apuane, the Cinque Terre and Ligurian Coast, the Northern and Central Apennines, and much more. Yet 50 Hikes In & Around Tuscany is supplemented with far more than information than simply descriptions, maps, and black-and-white photographs of hiking trails; also covered are the best times to visit, how to drive and travel around Italy, local customs, lodging establishments for overnight hikes, a list of useful English-Italian translations and navigating terms, insights into the region's natural history, flora, and fauna, and much more. Enthusiastically recommended for any hiker planning to visit the Tuscan area.

Cafe Indiana
Joanne Raetz Stuttgen
Terrace Books
c/o University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
9780299224943, $19.95 www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress 1-800-621-2736

Joanne Raetz Stuttgen is a folklorist and the author of "Cafe Wisconsin" and co-author of "Cafe Wisconsin Cookbook". "Cafe Indiana: A Guide To Indiana's Down-Home Cafes" is her latest compilation and a superbly presented guide to Indian's hometown mom-and-pop restaurants in celebration of small-town Midwest culture. A perfect travel guide for anyone seeking authentic local cuisine, "Cafe Indiana" is organized into sections showcasing home-town cafes in the North; West; East; Central; South Central; and South regions of Indiana. Each entry includes directions, address, phone numbers, hours, and a descriptive and personable anecdote. Combining recommendations with cultural insights, "Cafe Indiana" is a must for anyone traveling through the state and looking for something good to eat and an intrinsically interesting place in which to have their breakfast, lunch, or dinner.

Hillside Letters A to Z
Evelyn Corning
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, Montana 59806
9780878425310, $20.00 www.mountain-press.com 1-800-234-5308

Profusely illustrated with color photography, "Hillside Letters A to Z: A Guide To hometown Landmarks" by Evelyn Corning is a visual travel guide and history of sixty iconic images associated with selected villages, towns, and cities across fourteen western states. From those giant letters on a mountain slope above a town, to iconic memorials honoring historical incidents in American history, the reader is treated to a tour that is as entertaining as it is informative about those curious letters that are carved and/or painted above their associated communities. Very highly recommended for curious travelers making their way through America by car or plane, and enhanced with a list of more than four hundred other known U.S. hillside letters and a map showing letter sites nationwide, "Hillside Letters A to Z" is as informative as it is entertaining as it explores the origins, customs and controversies associated with those sometimes mysterious but always fascinating community icons representing their schools and towns.


The Christian Studies Shelf

The Stories of the Old Testament
Jim Campbell
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
9780829424706, $14.95 www.LoyolaBooks.org 1-800-621-1008

Theologian Jim Campbell presents The Stories of the Old Testament: A Catholic's Guide, a guide for Catholic readers to the central texts, stories, and figures of the Old Testament. One hundred carefully chosen readings from the Old Testament are discussed at length. "When Job's friends tell Job that he is refusing to admit his wickedness, Job replies that his complaint is bitter: he has not made the violence that stalks the earth. Job's friends ask how anyone can stand in a right relationship with God. Job replies that God's ways are a mystery no one can fathom. What is fascinating about the dialogue is that Job's friends seem so sure that they know the answers to Job's dilemma. They do not for an instant consider Job's side of the story or ask questions of either Job or God. Without questioning or listening hearts, they cannot begin their own journey into the heart of God." A candid and insightful discussion, highly recommended for self-study or as a supplementary resource for bible study groups.

Introduction to the Bible
Stephen J. Binz
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814617007, $8.95 www.litpress.org 1-800-858-5450

Catholic biblical scholar, speaker, and counselor Stephen J. Binz presents Introduction to the Bible: A Catholic Guide to Studying Scripture. A brief yet solid primer covering how the Bible came to be, how to choose a Bible translation, how to interpret the Bible in accordance with the Catholic tradition, and how to grasp the most benefit from Bible study. "Whether discerning what the text meant or what it means, the constant factor in all the meaning discovered in Scripture is the community of faith. It is the community of faith from which the text was formed, it is the community of faith that accepted the text into its Sacred Scriptures, and it is the community of faith that continues to receive the text and be formed by it today. Biblical meaning is found in the way the church comes to understand the Bible more and more fully in its life, liturgy, and theology." Highly recommended for Catholics new to the enlightening labor of love that is Biblical and scriptural study.

Positively Dangerous
Frank Mercadante
Saint Mary's Press
702 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987-1318
9780884897903, $9.95 www.smp.org

Positively Dangerous: Live Loud, Be Real, Change the World is a book written especially to promote the Catholic Christian faith in teenagers, by offering sound advice for youth ministers grounded in the years of wisdom and experience of author Frank Mercadante, the executive director of a not-for-profit corporation devoted to supporting Christian adult and teen leaders (Cultivation Ministries). Chapters discuss how to promote and grow love for god and one another, with authenticity and integrity, and make the most of evangelistic opportunities. The concept described as "positively dangerous" is a beneficial state for people of faith to strive for - in this circumstance, "positively dangerous" defines one who has taken being a disciple of Christ to heart, and actively applies the teachings of their faith to all aspects of their life, including the importance of spreading the Good News. "Nothing is positively dangerous about us if we are not sharing with others our relationship with Jesus. We may intrigue others by our love for God and for people. They may be drawn to us because of our authenticity, even respect us because of our integrity. But without effectively communicating the Gospel and inviting others to experience what we have, we are not positively dangerous." Questions for reflection and discussion round out this charged guidebook ideal for youth ministers of all skill and experience levels.

Wizards, Wardrobes And Wookies
Connie Neal
InterVarsity Press
430 East Plaza Drive, Westmont, IL 60559
9780830833665, $15.00 www.ivpress.com 1-800-843-9487

Author, speaker, and expert on the intersection between Christianity and popular culture Connie Neal presents Wizards, Wardrobes and Wookies: Navigating Good and Evil in Harry Potter, Narnia and Star Wars, an examination of two popular fantasy epics and one popular space opera, and what they say to Christian readers today. Harry Potter, Narnia, and Star Wars are all inspirational tales of courage and heroism, drawing the reader to imagine himself or herself in the fantastic world. Neal examines specific adventures from the three sagas, true stories from Scripture, and experiences from her own life in order to show the path toward victory - though we don't have Obi-Wan Kenobi or Dumbledore to help us, we do have a divine Everlasting Helper who is always with us. Wizards, Wardrobes, and Wookies embraces the positive aspect of uplifting popular culture stories, and how their lessons can reinforce the Christian faith, and is recommended reading especially for youth pastors seeking to better connect with their subjects through shared media.

Gifts of Self-Esteem
Dr. Mary Jane Woodger
Brigham Young University
c/o Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, UT 84663
9781599550206, $14.99 www.cedarfort.com 1-800-759-2665

Dr. Mary Jane Woodger (associate professor of Church history and doctrine, Brigham Young University) presents Gifts of Self-Esteem: Obtaining Spiritual Gifts and Strengthening Self-Perception, a guide to finding happiness through one's own spiritual gifts, especially the trinity of faith, hope, and love. Drawing upon the examples of prophets Moroni, Paul, and Joseph Smith, all of whom received revelations and taught that self-esteem comes from spiritual growth, Gifts of Self-Esteem is a deeply reverent and spiritual testimony. Though written from the perspective of a devout Church of Latter-Day Saints (Mormon) author, Gifts of Self-Esteem offers wisdom that transcends all branches of the Christian faith.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

On the Nature of Food Allergy
Paul J. Hannaway M.D.
Lighthouse Press
c/o KSB Promotions
55 Honey Creek, NE , Ada, MI 49301
9780962179938, $19.95 www.amazon.com

On the Nature of Food Allergy: A Complete Handbook on Food Allergy for Patients, Parents, Restaurant Personnel, Child-Care Providers, Educators, School Nurses, Dieticians and Health-Care Providers is an in-depth reference and resource accessible to readers of all backgrounds. Chapters cover the lethal allergy of anaphylaxis and its treatment, and allergies to cow's milk, hen's eggs, peanuts and legumes, tree nuts, seeds and spices, seafood, fruits and vegetables, rare allergies, reactions to food additives, which restaurants are the most risky, and more. Of especial interest is the extended coverage on both sides of sensitive debates as to whether to ban peanuts and tree nuts from schools or public places, whether it's beneficial or harmful for pregnant or breastfeeding mothers to avoid common allergen foods. Highly recommended.

Changing the Course of Autism
Bryan Jepson, M.D. with Jane Johnson
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
Alice B Acheson, Publicity/Marketing Specialist
9781591810612, $18.95 www.sentientpublications.com 1-303-443-2188

Board-certified emergency medical doctor and parent of an autism spectrum child Bryan Jepson, M.D. presents Changing the Course of Autism: A Scientific Approach for Parents and Physicians, a scientific scrutiny that re-examines commonly held beliefs about autism spectrum disorder, along with Jane Johnson, whose expertise lies in the field of researching and treating autism in children. Changing the Course of Autism takes the bold stance that autism is not solely caused by genetic factors, but rather a combination of genetic and environmental factors - an abundance of toxicity in the environment combined with autistic individuals' reduced ability or inability to detoxify. The sudden epidemic of autism in today's society (1 in 150 children has been diagnosed) underscores that environmental factors must be at work, since a disease that is solely genetic is not likely to produce a similar surge. Chapters further explore possible environmental causes of autism, and ways to treat autism and help children recover. Written in plain terms for parents, caretakers, and medical personnel alike, Changing the Course of Autism is an absolute must-read for new or expecting parents with a history of autism, or who wish to prepare themselves to defend their child from an onslaught of environmental toxins in today's unfortunately polluted world. Highly recommended.


The Parenting Shelf

Brain Food
Vicki Guercia Caruana & Kelly Guercia Hammer
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781590771006, $15.95 www.rlpgbooks.com 1-800-462-6420

Brain Food: Recipes for Success in School, Sports, and Life is more than a cookbook - it's a guide for parents to helping kids eat balanced diets of good nutrition. A blend of solid parenting advice and the latest nutritional science, Brain Food offers guidelines for preparing food for children of all ages, what attitudes to expect children to have toward food and how to instill healthy eating habits, recommended recipes for all three meals and sample meal plans, and much more. The suggested recipes include delicacies ranging from "Cereal Trail Mix" to "Cheese Spinach Noodles", "Barbecue Turkey Sloppy Joes", and "Peanut Ginger Pasta Salad." Each recipe also lists its prep time, and basic nutrition information concerning calories, fat calories, and percentages of fat, protein, and carbohydrates per serving. Highly recommended, especially in today's age of rampant child obesity and media glorification of unhealthy foods.

Nurturing Adoptions
Deborah D. Gray
Perspectives Press, Inc.
PO Box 90318, Indianapolis, IN 46290
9780944934333, $26.95

Clinical social worker Deborah D. Gray applies her extensive experience counseling adopted children to Nurturing Adoptions: Creating Resilience After Neglect and Trauma, an in-depth examination of both domestic and international adoptions. Written especially to aid professionals working with adoptive families in the twenty-first century, Nurturing Adoptions covers the especial difficulties involved in helping children, from infants to early teens. Chapters discuss the effects of early life neglect and trauma on brain development, how to build attachment, the role of the child welfare or social worker, how to structure careers and practices, and much more. Numerous case studies illuminate this straightforward and accessible resource. "When parents lose sight of normal childhood development, expecting much more than developmental progress allows, there is trouble ahead. The set-up for the child is that the parents will always be disappointed and displeased. The child can never feel like a wanted and accepted child." A "must-have" for social workers, counselors, psychotherapists, and other professionals involved in helping adoptive families adjust.

Baby Concerts
Childish Records
c/o Waldmania!
130 Maywood Drive, San Francisco, CA 94127
www.babyconcerts.com www.amazon.com

The creation of Kenneth Kaganovitch (a long time album producer for Capitol Records), 'Baby Concerts' is a superb series of music CDs for infants and toddlers in a 'concert' format creating a sense of beginning, middle, and conclusion complete with musical elements of contrast, unity, balance, and proportion. Flawlessly recorded, the 'Baby Concert' series includes "Prenatal and Newborn Concert" ($14.95); "Infant Concert" ($14.95); "Crawling Baby Concert" ($14.95); Toddler Concert" ($14.95); "Bedtime Concert" ($14.95); a 3-CD "New Baby Gift Box" ($39.95); a 4-CD "Deluxe Gift Box" ($49.95); and the newest addition to this outstanding series, "Baby Concerts" ($39.95) which is a 3-CD Spanish language box set that includes 'Prenatal y Recien Nacido'; 'Infantil'; and 'L Hora De Domir". Every one of the 'Baby Concert' productions is enthusiastically recommended for families, daycare centers, and preschools. It should be noted that a portion of the proceeds from 'Baby Concert' sales is donated to SOS Children's Village to help care for orphaned and abandoned children in 134 countries around the world.


The Social Issues Shelf

Impacts of Border Enforcement on Mexican Migration
Wayne A. Cornelius & Jessa M. Lewis, editors
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301
9780970283870, $22.00 www.rienner.com

Impacts of Border Enforcement on Mexican Migration: The View From Sending Communities is an anthology of essays by learned authors concerning the thorny issue of illegal immigration in America along the US-Mexico border, and how American border control activities have affected the behavior of migrants and potential migrants in Mexico. Of especial interest is that America's current policy of mere deterrence through sporadic, concentrated border guarding simply isn't achieving its intended goal; instead, undocumented immigrants are increasingly braving the unguarded territory amid no-man's-land, resulting in deadly toll of lives; others pay exorbitant fees to "coyotes" or professional people-smugglers; and more illegal immigrants than ever choose to stay indefinitely once present in America rather than return home, knowing how difficult and dangerous it would be to return. Individual essays in Impacts of Border Enforcement on Mexican Migration further scrutinize details, from "U.S. Settlement Behavior and Labor Market Participation" to "Gender Differences". An up-to-date, expertly researched close study, and an absolute "must-read" for any policymaker or governmental figure dealing with this tangled and difficult issue.


The Civil War Shelf

My Dear Friend
Alva Benjamin Spencer, author
Clyde G. Wiggins, III, editor
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue, Macon, GA 31207-0001
9780881460575, $29.95 www.mupress.org 1-800-634-2378

My Dear Friend: The Civil War Letters of Alva Benjamin Spencer 3rd Georgia Regiment Company C is a collection of civil war correspondence by Alva B. Spencer, a man who accepted the Baptist faith at a young age, graduated from Mercer University in Georgia, and enlisted as a Confederate private in the American Civil War. My Dear Friend is not only an up-close and personal look at the Civil War up to the surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, but also a love story - the letters are penned specifically to Alva's beloved "Maggie" at home. An entrancing, and at times heart-rending chronicle.


The American History Shelf

The Black Hawk War of 1832
Patrick J. Jung
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806138114, $29.95 www.oupress.com 1-800-627-7377

Patrick J. Jung (Assistant Professor of History, Milwaukee School of Engineering) presents The Black Hawk War of 1832, an in-depth examination of the last Indian war that was fought in present-day Wisconsin and Illinois. Volume ten in the Campaigns and Commanders series, The Black Hawk War of 1812 covers the war from rumors preceding its inception to the major battles of the storm, and calm that settled after it. A handful of black-and-white maps and illustrations grace this chronicle, written in plain terms to be accessible to scholars and non-specialist general readers alike
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Wish You Were Here
Steven C. Brisson
Michigan State University Press
Suite 25, Manly Miles Building
1405 South Harrison Road, East Lansing, MI 48823-5202
0911872795, $12.95 www.msupress.msu.edu

Compiled and with commentary by Steven C. Brisson, "Wish Your Were Here: An Album Of Vintage Mackinac Postcards" is a superbly organized and presented collection of historic postcard color and duo-tone postcards of Mackinac Island. The images range from steamships, docks and harbor views; to main street vistas, churches and cottages, to island hotels, and so much more. Enhanced with a bibliography, a list of acknowledgments, an index, and an appendix (Publisher Information and Dates of the Cards), "Wish You Were Here" is a very highly entertaining, as well as informative and nostalgic post card collection that is especially recommended to Mackinac Island enthusiasts and amateur historians as a perfect memorial tribute to a colorful island's past grandeur.

At The Heart Of Texas
Richard B. McCaslin
Texas State Historical Association
2/306 Sid Richardson Hall, University Station, Austin TX 78712
Texas A&M University Press (distributor)
Drawer C , College Station, TX 77843-4354
9780876112168, $39.95 www.uts.cc.utexas.edu 1-800-826-8911

Featuring an informative foreword by J. P. Bryan, "At The Heart Of Texas: 100 Years Of The Texas State Historical Association, 1897-1997" by Richard B. McCaslin is a definitive history of the institution dedicated to discovering, collecting, preserving, and publishing historical material pertaining to Texas. Founded on March 2, 1897, the Texas State Historical Association has been instrumental in saving material relevant to the history of Texas that would otherwise have been lost to future generations of scholars and appreciative citizens. A professor of history at the University of North Texas and a Fellow of the Texas State Historical Association, Richard McCaslin brings a special expertise to his text that he has enhanced with the inclusion of sidebar vignettes, and an epilogue bringing the history up to date, illustrations, appendices, a bibliography, and an index. A seminal work of scholarship in its own right, "At The Heart Of Texas" is a core addition to Texas state history collections and could well serve as a template for other state historical associations in developing histories of their own.


The Native American Shelf

Ruling Pine Ridge
Akim D. Reinhardt
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896726017, $34.95 www.ttup.ttu.edu 1-800-832-4042

"Ruling Pine Ridge: Oglala Lakota Politics From The IRA To Wounded Knee" by "Akim D. Reinhardt (Associate Professor of History, Towson University, Maryland) draws upon oral histories, council records, and reservation newspapers to provide an historical survey and analysis of the Oglala Lakota reservation in South Dakota during the mid-twentieth century when it was evolving from being directly run by the federal government , to indirect colonialism under the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA), to the 1973 occupation and siege of Wounded Knee as the culmination of dissatisfaction with how reservation autonomy was being hampered by the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs. Professor Reinhardt amply supports his thesis that the siege was not simply a political stunt of the American Indian Movement, but a genuine grassroots protest that was developing over the previous forty years. A work of impeccable and detailed scholarly research (some of which had never been previously accessed by historians), that should be a part of every university library's Native American Studies reference collection, "Ruling Pine Ridge" is a seminal study that is an academically impressive, substantively informative, and thoughtfully insightful.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Dark Angel
Raymond Haigh
Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
9781846177088, $32.50 www.ulverscroftusa.com 1-800-955-9659

Dark Angel is a fast-paced, large-print novel of suspense. Set in the near future of England, in which the nation is driven apart by terrorists, riots, and plague, a single biochemist holds documents implicating the government in an unspeakable crime. Now the biochemist, his wife, and their child are missing. Government agent Samantha Quest searches for them, but she is trapped in a race against time, hunted by a mysterious assailant who leaves death in his wake. A gripping and fearsome tale of the modern day teetering on the edge of dystopia.


The Humor Shelf

Mission Accomplished
Khalil Bendib
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060-1804
9781566566919, $17.95 www.interlinkbooks.com

Award-winning cartoonist Khalil Bendib, whose work is seen in over 1,700 newspapers across North America, presents Mission Accomplished, a collection of his sharp-edged political cartoons lampooning greed, hypocrisy, arrogance, moral ineptitude, and worse, both in America and abroad. An American Muslim, Khalil Bendib does not shy away from tackling issues ranging from terrorism to globalization to militarism, genocide, underfunded infrastructure at home, and much more. Especially harsh criticism is leveled at the ruthless excesses of Zionism, America's ill-planned Iraq occupation and the chaos in its wake, and corporate welfare heaped upon thieving institutions such as Haliburton. Most cartoons are in black-and-white; a few are in color. One particularly telling cartoon shows an empty gasoline pump labeled "Uncle Sam Gas, $2.85 per Gallon" and cars lined up for miles to fuel at a gasoline pump labeled "Death to America Osama Gas Only, $2 a Gallon". At once both sidesplittingly funny and bitterly insightful into the paradox of human greed that keeps America stymied in failure, Mission Accomplished is highly recommended.


The Genealogy Shelf

Getting Started In Genealogy Online
William Dollarhide
Genealogical Publishing Company
3600 Clipper Mill Road, Suite 260, Baltimore, MD 21211
0806317701, $12.95 www.genealogical.com 1-800-296-6687

The information technology represented by the internet has impacted every aspect of American life and that most assuredly includes genealogical research. Simply stated, "Getting Started In Genealogy Online" by genealogist William Dollarhide is the perfect introduction for the novice genealogist to utilizing the internet for their genealogical research. Thoroughly 'user friendly', "Getting Started In Genealogy Online" is a succinct and deftly written 64-page compendium that will enable even the most rank beginner to quickly trace their family tree. Reducing online genealogical research to its elemental basics, "Getting Started In Genealogy Online" will prove to be an invaluable resource for the more experienced genealogist as well as it will enable them to create and/or access an online database in which to place the names and web addresses of all essential record repositories. From a seven step process for getting started, to instruction on finding book titles, genealogy websites, lineage-linked sites, utilizing the National Archives, Regional Archives, and other facilities, to genealogical software and GEDCOM Utility, "Getting Started In Genealogy Online" is an ideal instructional reference. Of special note are the sections devoted to state genealogy resource centers, 'Research Help for the Addicted', and 'Master Forms' (Family Data Sheet; Pedigree Chart; Family Group Sheet). In this day and age, "Getting Started In Genealogy Online" should be a part of the personal reference library of every aspiring and practicing genealogist.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

A Thousand Deaths
George Alec Effinger
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802
9781930846470, $24.95 www.goldengryphon.com

A Thousand Deaths is the re-release of a selection of stories by Hugo and Nebula award finalist George Alec Effinger (1947-2002), featuring a new introduction by multiple Hugo Award-winning author Mike Resnick and an afterword by Andrew Fox, an author and one of Effinger's former writing students. The tales presented are the novel "The Wolves of Memory" and the short stories "Fatal Disk Error", "In the Wings", "From the Desk Of", "The Wicked Old Witch", "Mango Red Goes to War", "The Thing from the Slush", and "Posterity". "The Wolves of Memory" sets the tone with a dystopic Earth whose governing body, the "Representatives", have given up control to computers that are growing more and more intelligent and self-aware. The central computer assigns hero Sandor Courane three jobs, and when his lack of skill washes him out of all three, he's sentenced to live out his days on Planet D, a place fellow computer-rejected residents call "Home". But when a terrible diseases threatens Home, he must embark on a one-man odyssey to wrest the secrets of a cure from the computer's emotionless grasp. An enthusiastically recommended collection for science fiction aficionados everywhere.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems
Robert W. Adler
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Avenue, N.W., Suite 300, Washington, DC 20009-1148
9781597260572, $70.00 www.islandpress.org 1-800-828-1302

Professor Robert W. Adler presents Restoring Colorado River Ecosystems: A Troubled Sense of Immensity, an examination of the devastating toll humankind has inflicted upon the Colorado River and its ecosystem, and what can be done to help restore nature's balance. From the detrimental effects of dams and whether dams should be modified or removed, to problems that stem from blocking the movement of fish or sediment and concentrating pollutants, to the legal dimensions of attempts to protect the ecosystem, and much more, Restoring Colorado Ecosystems is the culmination of extensive research and thoughtful analysis, and highly recommend for environmental studies shelves.

Toxic Burn
Thomas Shevory
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
9780816648535, $19.95 www.upress.umn.edu

Thomas Shevory (Professor of Politics, Ithaca College) presents Toxic Burn: The Grassroots Struggle Against the WTI Incinerator, the environmental true story of East Liverpool, Ohio, which has suffered from a massive hazardous waste incinerator located in the eastern Ohio River Valley since 1993. The incinerator burns 60,000 tons of hazardous waste each year, has encountered dozens of accidents, and is only 100 yards away from an elementary school. Toxic Burn tells of the grass-roots movement against the incinerator. Interviews with key members of the movement, copies of official documents, and more spell out how the incinerator came to be, and the obstacles and victories that the counter-movement faced. An in-depth case study of how ordinary people are a necessary counterbalance to the power of corporations, and how new environmental models devoted to protecting the life and health of those at greatest risk is desperately needed.

Red Roots, Green Shoots
Virginia Brodine
International Publishers
239 West 23rd Street, New York, NY 10011
9780717807314, $10.00 www.amazon.com

Red Roots, Green Shoots is written as a pro-environmental text from a Marxist perspective, yet most of the ideas it proposes for preserving the environment and therefore the health of the people who live in it are sound general principles - though author Virginia Brodine considers them unlikely to be implemented unless working-class globalism arises to counter imperialist globalism. Chapters discuss how "free trade" without sufficient environmental provisions has extremely deleterious results; how grassroots support is needed to defend nature more effectively; why the practice of sending pollution to the poorest communities has to stop; and much more. "It is time we took the 'jobs vs. environment' issue out of the bosses' hands. How? With a jobs program that would create environmentally sound jobs across this country, and specific jobs programs that would be implemented in tandem with a shift to environmentally friendly technology, plus public works jobs to cleanup the problems left behind by past assaults on nature." Those who question Marxist principles should not shy away from Red Roots, Green Shoots as the environmental questions and solutions it proposes should not be overlooked. Highly recommended.


The Political Science Shelf

The Matador's Cape
Stephen Holmes, Ph.D.
Cambridge University Press
32 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10013-2473
9780521875165, $30 www.cambridge.org 1-800-872-7423

New York University School of Law research director Stephen Holmes presents The Matador's Cape: America's Reckless Response to Terror, a scholarly examination of the failures, mismanagement, and worse rampant in the Bush-Cheney administration's response to the September 11th attacks, especially the deleterious ramifications of the war in Iraq. The Matador's Cape strongly condemns acts of terror and genocide, yet examines with equal suspicion the Bush-Cheney's administration's insistence in sequestering its intelligence and decision-making process from the public - and therefore from any solid opportunity to vette or cross-check its ideologically driven conclusions, with disastrous results. Also discussed is the significant yet by no means unilateral role of religious fundamentalism in propagating terrorism, the impact of rising birthrates in the Islamic world contrasted with falling birthrates in the Western world, the harmful and psychologically twisted effects of the Bush-Cheney administrations embrace of torture, and much more. A measured, well-reasoned and deftly persuasive treatise about the need for an immediate reexamination of America's current administration and foreign policy. Highly recommended.

Pretensions to Empire
Lewis Lapham
The New Press
38 Green Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10013
9781595581129, $24.95 www.thenewpress.com 1-800-233-4830

Award-winning essay writer and editor emeritus of "Harper's Magazine" Lewis Lapham presents Pretensions to Empire: Notes on the Criminal Folly of the Bush Administration, a stinging indictment of the Bush-Cheney administration from its first days in Washington up to the present. Chronicling the presidency's abuses of power, and drawing upon the lessons of history to provide an ominous background to current events, Pretensions to Empire dissects the government's shameful incompetence in the wake of Hurricane Katrina; the copious, unwarranted domestic spying authorized by the president; and above all, the jingoism and pretensions to empire that prompted the administration's war in Iraq on shoddy intelligence. The resounding, passionate message is that the nation can no longer afford to tolerate George W. Bush or his cronies. Whether one agrees or disagrees with the author, his reasoning is compelling, measured, and completely accessible to readers of all backgrounds.


The Fiction Shelf

Discipline
Paco Ahlgren
Greenleaf Book Group Press
c/o Booth Media Group, Inc.
2248 Lagoon View Drive, Cardiff, CA 92007
9780979084201, $24.95 www.boothmedia.com

Financial analyst and world traveler Paco Ahlgren presents Discipline, a grim and suspenseful novel about Douglas Cole, a man who is at once being hunted and protected, all without his knowledge. Terrible visions haunt him, and tragedy has driven apart his life. Locked in a battle of psyches with a merciless unknown foe, Douglas' choices will ultimately determine the past, present, and future of humanity itself. Tautly written, Discipline straddles the boundaries of reality and quantum physics. Highly recommended.

Return of the Native
Jonathan Butler
Breakwater Books Limited
PO Box 2188, 100 Water Street, St. Johns, NL A1C 6E6
9781550812305, $16.00 www.breakwaterbooks.com

Newfoundland native Jonathan Butler presents Return of the Native, a novel about a a would-be historical scholar who retires from the Toronto big city life to Newfoundland, seeking the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be a hero for his people and help free "The Republic". But when he seeks to ply his trade, he discovers to his dismay the allotment of liberties, biases, and argumentative quagmires that permeate historical scholarship. Part comedic satire, part commentary on the vagaries of politics, Return of the Native is as intellectually intriguing as it is chuckle-worthy.

The Walk
William deBuys
Trinity University Press
c/o Meryl Zegarek Public Relations, Inc.
255 West 108 Street, Suite 9D1, New York, NY 10025
9781595340276, $22.95 www.trinity.edu/tupress

Pulitzer Prize finalist William deBuys presents The Walk, a novel of the beauty of nature, and how it aids one man in the rediscovery of hope after the end of a long marriage and the death of a close friend. Set in the more secluded regions of New Mexico, The Walk particularly reflects upon the noble spirit of horses; equines literally and figuratively play a crucial role in the protagonist's long journey to healing. Written in a contemplative style reminiscent of Thoreau, The Walk is a moving expression of love of the land and its natural creatures.


The Architecture Shelf

The Architecture Reader
A. Krista Sykes, editor
George Braziller, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, Suite 1105, New York, NY 10016
9780807615799, $35.00 www.georgebraziller.com 1-800-233-4830

Knowledgeably compiled and expertly edited by Krista Sykes (Managing Editor of the 'Journal of 'Society of Architectural Historians'), "The Architecture Reader: Essential Writings From Vitruvius to The Present" is an impressively presented anthology of commentaries encompassing two thousand years of building history. A work of seminal and articulate scholarship, forty key texts drawn from architects of international reputation address key and continuing issues with respect to architecture and design -- including the role of the architect and the relationship of architecture to nature, art, and science. A very strongly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library Architectural Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists, "The Architecture Reader" combines historical and contemporary perspectives that are as informed and informative as they are thoughtful and thought-provoking.


The Sports Shelf

Gold Glove Baseball
Charlie Greene, editor
Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9780736062633, $19.95 www.HumanKinetics.com 1-800-747-4457

Expertly edited and organized by Charlie Greene (now retired but formerly the baseball coach for Miami-Dade Community College with a career record of 1,047-548 and a member of the American Baseball Coaches Association Hall of Fame), "Gold Glove Baseball" is an illustrated instruction guide for aspiring ball players with an emphasis on position skills, team tactics, practice drills, and signals. In addition to Charlie Greene, the contributors include an all-star line up of college and university baseball coaches: Bob Bennet (1,302-759-4); Ed Flaherty (594-2550-3); Davey Johnson (hired as a consultant to the team general manager of the Washington nations in June 2006); Ken Knutson (461-295-2); Carroll Land (Director of Athletics at Point Loma Nazarene University); Mike Maack (Head Coach of the new Plano Blue Sox); Rich Maloney (Head Baseball Coach at the University of Michigan); Jim Penders (Head Baseball Coach for the University of Connecticut); Sam Piraro (the winningest baseball coach in the history of San Jose State University); Steve Smith (Head Coach of Baylor University's baseball program); Scott Stricklin (Head Baseball Coach at Kent State University); and Jerry Weinstein (831-208-12). A thoroughly 'user friendly' manual, "Gold Glove Baseball" will prove to be an invaluable reference for college and university athletic department reference collections. Also very highly recommended are two other titles from Human Kinetics: Vern & Gambet's "Athletic Development" (9780736051002, $19.95) and Curran's "Coaching Baseball Successfully" (9780736065207, $19.95).


The Self-Help Shelf

After 50 It's Up To Us
George H. Schofield
The Clarity Group, Inc.
PO Box 470966, San Francisco, CA 94147-0966
Cate Cummings Publicity & Promotion Group
7601 East 93rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64138-4206
9780979038242, $14.95 www.clarity-group.com

By 2015 some 77 million Americans will be fifty to sixty-nine years old and represent the first (and largest) generation in history to be so long lived and have to deal with the promises and problems of such an extended live span. In "After 50 It's Up To Us: Developing The Skills And Agility We'll Need", George H. Schofield presents the results of his own researches on the subject, which include numerous in-depth interviews with Americans in the 50 to 97 age bracket. The result is an articulate presentation offering invaluable insights and an accessible wisdom to the mind-opening possibilities of what an extended life span can offer senior citizens today. "After 50 It's Up To Us" stresses that planning is essential; the pace of change is accelerating; nobody's life happens entirely according to plan; thriving beyond the age of 50 requires development and application special abilities; agility in dealing with changes is a necessity; situations and companions can change as we age -- often without prior warning; aging cannot be ignored; mastering the skills of coping with and benefiting from the aging process is an essential and life-long necessity; living successfully beyond the age of 50 must be a customized plan specific to oneself. Of special note are Schofield's ten tips when negotiating through the unchartered territory of an extended life span. Simply stated, "After 50 It's Up To Us" should be considered mandatory reading for all seniors, and an important acquisition for community library Self Help/Self Improvement reference collections.

Appearance is Everything
Steve Jeffes
Sterling House Publishers
440 Friday Road, Department T-101, Pittsburgh, PA 15209
9781563150883, $19.95 www.sterlinghousepublisher.com 1-888-542-2665

Appearance is Everything: The Hidden Truth Regarding Your Appearance & Appearance Discrimination is a tell-it-like-it-is guide to the truth about appearance discrimination. The 80/20 rule applies in full force to the dating world - at some point in their lives, the most attractive 20% of the population will be pursued as potential mates by the other 80%! Better-looking individuals will automatically be presumed to be more competent, wealthier, more enthusiastic and likeable than unattractive individuals - although time and experience will allow human beings to evaluate first impressions based on other factors such as personality or objective evidence of competence, not everyone will allot that time and experience if their first impression of appearance is too negative! Appearance is Everything not only dissects the appearance stereotypes, generalizing them into common and recurring "laws" of social behavior; it also gives valuable guidelines for improving one's appearance (from physical fitness to dressing well to remembering to smile) and therefore improving the impression one makes on others. However, Appearance is Everything is not about being shallow - far from it, author Steve Jeffes stresses that the most important factor is to respect and have confidence in oneself, and to teach self-respect and self-confidence to one's children. Of especial interest is Jeffes' warnings for the common dating traps that beset individuals who are non-average appearance-wise; highly attractive people can be so sought after they may have a hard time finding a partner who truly cares about them rather than their appearance (and also remaining in a faithful and stable relationship with such a partner), while unattractive people are more likely to "settle" for incompatible mates rather than chance being alone. Appearance is Everything is a "must-read" insight for how human society really works, and how to best adjust while retaining one's dignity and self-respect. Highly recommended.


The Computer Shelf

Murach's ADO.NET 2.0 Database Programming with VB 2005
Anne Boehm
Mike Murach & Associates
3484 West Gettysburg, #101, Fresno, CA 93722
9781890774431, $52.50 www.murach.com 1-800-221-5528

Featuring twenty-five complete database applications that demonstrate best programming practices, "Murach's ADO.NET 2.0 Database Programming with VB 2005" is a superbly written, informative presented, confidently recommended introduction and instruction manual specifically designed to teach Visual Basic developers how to use Visual Studies 2005 and ADO.NET 2.0 to develop database applications according to professional standards of development and performance. Visual Basic developers will learn how to use the 2.0 data sources feature, how to build 3-layer applications that consists of presentation, business, and database classes, how to use time-saving ASP.NET 2.0 data controls, and so much more. "Murach's ADO.NET 2.0 Database Programming with VB 2005" is a thoroughly 'user friendly', 784-page compendium that is presented in accordance with the high standards associated with the distinctive Murach style of training which has consistently characterized their computer software instruction manuals for the last three decades.


The Literary Shelf

World Authors 2000-2005
Jennifer Curry, et al.
H.W. Wilson Company
950 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452
9780824210779, $170.00 www.hwwilson.com 1-800-367-6770

Knowledgeably compiled and co-edited by the team of Jennifer Curry, David Ramm, Mari Rich, and Albert Rolls, "World Authors 2000-2005" is the newest addition to the 'Wilson Authors' series. This 800-page compendium of biographical profiles of more than 200 novelists, poets, dramatists, essayists, scientists, biographers, and other authors whose books were published between 2000 and 2005 is a core addition to academic library Literary Studies reference collections. Completely up-to-date and presented alphabetically, these professionally researched accounts include the featured writer's background and formative experience, as well as listing their literary achievements. The profiles also include critical responses to the authors' works and offers suggested reading lists and bibliographies. A photograph of the author accompanies many of the entries. A work of impressive and detailed scholarship, "World Authors 2000-2005" is an invaluable and indispensable literary reference work for academia, as well as the general reading public.


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Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
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http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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