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MBR Bookwatch

Volume 4, Number 9 September 2005 Home | MBW Index

Table of Contents

Donovan's Bookshelf Harold's Bookshelf Klausner's Bookshelf

Laurel's Bookshelf Shelley's Bookshelf Shirley's Bookshelf

Donovan's Bookshelf
Uncle John's Slightly Irregular Bathroom Reader
Bathroom Readers' Inst.
c/o Advantage Publishers Group
5880 Oberlin Drive, Suite 400, San Diego, CA 94121
1592232701 $16.95 1-800-788-3123 www.advmkt.com

The new 17th edition of a fun bathroom reader packs in trivia, ironies, odd facts, and a healthy dose of humor into a title which ranges from plain gossip to strange science facts. Meant for quick, light bathroom browsing, SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR covers everything from songs and old wills to movies, working dogs, bat bombs and more, SLIGHTLY IRREGULAR, 17TH EDITION proves hard to put down.

The Flourescent Light Glistening Off Your Head
Scott Adams
Andrews McMeel
4520 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111
0740751131 $10.95 www.dilbert.com

It's hard to believe, but this is the 25th Dilbert cartoon collection on the market, presenting new cartoons to toiling cubicle business inhabitants everyone - and those who would understand office culture. From Elbonian call center ironies to visiting customer encounters with feng shui, THE FLOURESCENT LIGHT GLISTENING OFF YOUR HEAD is packed with fun.

Father Still Knows Best
Tripp Whetsell
Citadel Press/Kensington
850 - 3rd Ave., New York NY 10022
0806527129 $9.95 1-800-345-2665 www.kensingtonbooks.com

From Ricky Ricardo of I Love Lucy fame to sayings from The Cosby Show, The Jeffersons, and The Munsters, FATHER STILL KNOWS BEST: THE WIT AND WISDOM OF AMERICA'S FAVORITE TV DADS gathers some excellent and hilarious one-liners from some of the best TV comedy sitcoms on screen. Makes a great gift for any father.

Humor from the Country
Jerry Apps
Guest Cottage/Amherst Press
P.O. Box 848, Woodruff, WI 54568
0896587169 $16.95 1-800-333-8122

Country wit and advice blends with funny stories, sage country advice, and black and white photos in HUMOR FROM THE COUNTRY by storyteller and historian Jerry Apps. From a horse-drawn plow and its lessons to a lively goat which doesn't work out, HUMOR FROM THE COUNTRY's short stories are funny with more than a touch of wisdom and truth.

Innocent Targets
Michael Dorn & Chris Dorn
Safe Havens International, Inc.
PMB #201, 5540 Thomaston Road, Suite F, Macon, Georgia 31220
097412401X $19.95 www.safehavensinternational.org

Beginning with the 1970 murder of nine Israeli school children, father-son school safety analysts Dorn and Dorn examine the history of school-related terrorist attacks in twelve countries, providing an important assessment of school safely, antiterrorism tactics, and social issues alike. Myths are confronted, realities outlined, and insights on the causes and impact of bad information assessed in a survey essential for both parents and students of terrorist issues nad social science.

Firefly Books Ltd.
155 East 34th St. #5B, New York NY 10016
www.fireflybooks.com

These excellent outdoor exploration guides offer beginners outstanding opportunities to understand basic elements of the outdoors. Sky-viewers have to fine titles to choose from: Robin Scagell's revised STARGAZING WITH A TELESCOPE (1554070279, $14.95), which covers all the basics from choosing a telescope and setting it up to becoming an amateur observer and taking astro-images. Supplement this with Scagell's larger NIGHT SKY ATLAS: THE MOON, PLANETS, STARS AND DEEP SKY OBJECTS (1554070260, $29.95): maps by Wil Tirion compliment a book packed with color night sky photos and tips on observing the sky in both northern and southern hemispheres, complete with seasonal charts and detailed constellation maps. If you wish to get closer to the ground, choose A.C. Bishop, A.R. Woolley and W.R. Hamilton's GUIDE TO MINERALS ROCKS AND FOSSILS (1554070546, $19.95): among this new edition's distinguishing features are a completely redesigned, revised text, new introduction sections, and new reference appendices. Amateur collectors as well as specialists will find plenty of information plus a field guide packed with color photo examples. Perhaps it's wildlife which is of interest: if so, make sure Chris G. Earley's WATERFOWL OF EASTERN NORTH AMERICA (1554070570, $19.95) is on your reference shelf, if you live in or plan on visiting the East Coast waterways. Ducks, swans, loons, pelicans - all are displayed in their natural environment, with over 200 color photo displays including handy comparison pages by waterfowl group for quick reference. All are solid picks.

Why Not Every Man?
George and Willene Hendrick
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622
www.ivanrdee.com
1566636450 $14.95 1-800-462-6420

George and Willene Hendrick provide a strong history of civil disobedience by African Americans in WHY NOT EVERY MAN? AFRICAN AMERICANS AND CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE IN THE QUEST FOR THE DREAM. From abolitionist years to opposition to Jim crow and beyond, key events and episodes - including many nearly forgotten - illustrate the issues and trace the origins of the idea of civil disobedience. An excellent history of the idea of civil disobedience evolves within the civil rights framework.

Mental Toughness
Karl Kuehl, et.al.
Ivan R. Dee
1332 N. Halsted St., Chicago, IL 60622
www.ivanrdee.com
1566636175 $24.95 1-800-462-6420

'Mental toughness' is here defined as the art of taking control of your life, whether it be relationships, work, or sports. That being said, this book is about baseball - and also, about more. Yes, MENTAL TOUGHNESS: A CHAMPION'S STATE OF MIND could've been featured in 'Sports' - but it would be a shame to limit its readership to just sports enthusiasts when it has so much to offer the business-minded reader too. So, how to 'get tough'? Use the lessons offered up from the sports world in MENTAL TOUGHNESS and apply them to virtually every aspect of business: it works.

Food and Culture In South America
Jose Rafael Lovera
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0313327521 $49.95 www.greenwood.com

Joining other fine titles in Greenwood's 'Food Culture Around the World' series, FOOD UCLTURE IN SOUTH AMERICA tells of the traditions and culinary history of the primary cultures and groups which make up modern South American countries. Don't expect another recipe collection here: the focus is on culinary history, heritage and geography and provides plenty of food history from analysis of eating out patterns and major foods to a timeline of developments. Especially recommended for college-level collections strong in ethnic and food history.

Artists of World War II
Barbara McCloskey
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0313321531 $59.95 www.greenwood.com

Surprisingly, ARTISTS OF WORLD WAR II is the first global survey of art during the war, and gathers biographies of such artists along with discussions of war-era art trends around the world. Of particular note are discussions which allow readers to compare not only artists' experiences of war in different countries, but their different responses to their experiences, from support of war efforts to criticism. Add discussions of the influence of artists' productions on war and you have an intriguing survey which goes beyond the art world.

The Greenwood Companion to Shakespeare
Joseph Rosenblum, Editor
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0313327793 $299.95 www.greenwood.com

If it's a definitive and comprehensive student's reference you seek to Shakespeare, for either advanced high school through college-level grades, then Greenwood's weighty 4-volume COMPANION TO SHAKESPEARE: A COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE FOR STUDENTS is the item of choice. Overviews of the history, comedy, tragedy and romance writings of Shakespeare offer students scene-by-scene analysis of plots, as well as a general overview summary of each work. Themes, interpretations of meaning, reviews of controversies surrounding each work are provided in clear, scholarly analysis. An exquisite interplay of critical thinking and analysis encourages college-level students to delve into Shakespeare's skills and literary devices.

Chemical Composition of Everyday Products
John Toedt, Darrel Koza, Kathleen Van Cleef-Toedt
Greenwood Press
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
0313325790 $49.95 www.greenwood.com

Both high school and college collections strong in chemistry will want to add this helpful analysis to their collection: over 100 groups of products receive attention to not only chemical composition, but historic product use, functions, and related issues. Ten lab exercises provide students with observation keys, making CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF EVERYDAY PRODUCTS the perfect supplemental text for introductory chemistry courses. Easy to access and understand, relating to everyday materials from soap and cosmetics to baby products what more could one wish for?

China Today
Jing Luo, Editor
Greenwood Press
PO Box 5007, Westport, CT 06881-5007
0313321701 $199.95, 2 Vols., www.greenwood.com

College-level reference holdings will be delighted with the weighty two-volume reference CHINA TODAY: AN ENCYCLOPEDIA OFL IFE IN THE PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC. An A-Z encyclopedic format covers all aspects of modern China, from education and technology to foreign investment, intellectual participation in society, and economics. These aren't just category summary listings: articles on each listing provide depth and detail, from a thorough coverage of history and social issues to a bibliography for further reading.

Greenwood Press
Box 5007 Westport, CT 06881-5007
1-800-225-5800 www.greenwood.com

Janet Long-Solis and Luis Alberto Vargas' FOOD CULTURE IN MEXICO (031332431X, $49.95) provides an excellent review of the ingredients in Mexican food culture and how they evolved, offering a survey of rural and urban eating alike, considering Mexican food's transitions beyond Mexico's borders, and providing an excellent blend of timeline, historical and culture overview, and culinary insights. Recipes aren't neglected either, though the series is more valued for its many culinary insights than for recipes alone. F. Xavier Medina's FOOD CULTURE IN SPAIN (0313328196, $49.95) achieves the same for Spanish cuisine, covering typical dishes and drinks, Spanish wines, the evolution of home and restaurant cooking, and more. Peter Heine's FOOD CULTURE IN THE NEAR EAST, MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA (0313329567, $49.95) provides a discussion of foods of the region, with discussions of ingredients, kitchen set-up, and cultural influences accompanying selected traditional recipes. The blends of social and cultural insights are very well done in this Greenwood Press 'Food Culture Around the World' series.

Digipop
Karim Rashid
Taschen
3828839957 $29.99 www.taschen.com

Computer graphics lend to producing two- and three-dimensional decorative works, and designer Karim Rashid's DIGIPOP project explores these dimensions by theme, showcasing his geometrical patterns both as designs in and of themselves, and in applications from clothing to figures. He's created these designs over a ten-year period: chapters examine the use and application of themes over a broad spectrum of artistic goals.

Japanese Erotic Fantasies
Chris Uhlenbeck, Ellis Tinios, Cecilia Segawa Seigle
Hotei Publishing
CCRI Numbero 1964, 1000 VC Amsterdam, Pays-Bas/Netherlands
9074822665 $95.00 www.hotei-publishing.com

Plenty of books have been written on Japanese woodblock prints of the Edo period - but usually erotic imagery receives short rift, so it's refreshing to see a presentation focusing exclusively on such art. JAPANESE EROTIC FANTASIES: SEXUAL IMAGERY OF THE EDO PERIOD also goes beyond presenting woodblocks and prints: chapters analyze intention, representation, and significant achievements in the Japanese art world. The authors are a Japanese print dealer with a specialty bookstore, an honorary lecturer, and a professor: they bring a scholarly analysis to a book packed with gorgeous color reproductions.

A Pike in the Basement
Simon Loftus
Eland Publishing Ltd.
61 Exmounth Mkt., London EC1R 4QL
0907871240 $18.99 www.travelbooks.co.uk

If it's witty armchair travel you seek, then Simon Loftus' A PIKE IN THE BASEMENT: TALES OF A HUNGRY TRAVELLER is for you. Loftus has a sense of adventure, a love of food and travel, and a nose for trouble, at times. Mouth-watering descriptions of food, people and local color permeate a warm, witty account of some sixteen tales - each of which ends with a local recipe and wine tips. Very highly recommended.

Audio Editions
Auburn, CA 95604
www.audiopartners.com

Four fine new books on cd promise leisure listeners hours of intrigue and listening pleasure. Agatha Christie's WHY DIDN'T THEY ASK EVANS? (1572704551, $29.95) receives Emilia Fox's British voice and acting prowess as it tells of one Bobby Jones, who discovers an injured man and hears his last words before he dies. From then on Bobby himself faces danger as he's forced into an willing investigation into murder. Donna Leon's BLOOD FROM A STONE (1572704683, $31.95) receives veteran David Colacci's smooth and vivid theatrical abilities as it tells of an African street vendor killed just before Christmas. Inspector Brunetti finds the death of a seemingly inconsequential man holds implications for the entire immigrant society in a complex set of plots and patterns of intrigue. Rex Stout's THE FATHER HUNT (1572704594, $27.95) benefits from veteran actor and narrator Michael Prichard's ongoing dramatizations, which are no less powerful here. A young woman determined to learn the identity of her long-last father hires Nero Wolfe and Archie Goodwin to take on the case of his disappearance, only to find she may become a murder victim unless she can solve the puzzle of her heritage first. Robert Littell's LEGENDS (1572704853, $39.95) tells of a discharged CIA agent turned private detective who struggles with his own memory lapses and identity. Grover Gardner's extensive background in audio narration provides tension and exquisite detail to this gripping thriller.

Art of Project management
Scott Berkun
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596007868 $39.95 www.oreilly.com

How can a manager make sure a team is properly motivated and organized to get the job done right? One of the ways is by consulting Scott Berkun's ART OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT. Berkun worked t Microsoft for ten years on various project, working with groups and consulting and teaching development teams. His experience with all kinds of projects and groups lends to discussions which range from shielding a team from distractions and some processes outside the workgroup to using and interpreting research, specifications, and more. From making mistakes to damage control in a project environment, THE ART OF PROJECT MANAGEMENT covers, in depth, many of the common obstacles in a business environment. Very highly recommended indeed.

Your Rights at Work
Richard C. Busse
Sphinx Publishing/Sourcebooks
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
1572485051 $14.95 1-800-432-7444 www.SphinxLegal.com

Take advantage of the workplace rules which are your rights - but understand them, first - in YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK, which answers typical questions ranging from termination and daily workplace environment to surviving discipline and settling disputes in and outside of court. From employer contracts to employee benefits, YOUR RIGHTS AT WORK is a virtual bible of workplace law and its applications.

How to Parent With Your Ex
Brewette McWhorter Sember
Sphinx/Sourcebooks
PO Box 4410, Naperville, IL 60567-4410
1572484799 $12.95 1-800-432-7444 www.SphinxLegal.com

HOW TO PARENT WITH YOUR EX: RESIDENTAL & NON-RESIDENTIAL PARENT holds wide value as it addresses a major social issue: parenting after divorce; and thus is featured here to reach audiences of non-parents and other concerned adults. An unusual 'flip over' format packs two books into one, with the Nonresidential Parent addressing the special concerns of the parent who lives elsewhere, and the Residential Parent addressing the parent who has daily custody of the child. From changing one's relationship with the child upon divorce and overcoming hostility to creating a new partnership with the child's needs the focus, this is a wonderful resource which addresses all the emotional and social conflicts parenting after divorce brings.

A Hero of Our Time
Mikhail Lermontov
Hesperus Press/Trafalgar Square, Dist.
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
184391106X $14.00 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

Talented Pecorin is bored and decides to leave civilization in search of adventure in the wilds of the Southern Caucasus - instead finding further isolation in his life. Poet and novelist Mikhail Lermontov was a leading figure in Russian Romantic literature, and this presents his only novel, a hard-hitting survey of social alienation, published in the early 19th century.

The Legend of Napoleon
Sudhir Hazareesingh
Granta UK/Trafalgar Square, Dist.
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1862076677 $35.00 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

Napoleon's legacy was the modernization and beautification of Paris, but his trials and exile remain more well-known than his contributions. THE LEGEND OF NAPOLEON draws on new archival research material to trace the emergence of the Napoleonic myth and how it fostered ongoing popular affection for the emperor. Chapters examine why the legends surrounding Napoleon continue to this day - and they present plenty of realities based on research.

Making and Manipulating Marionettes
David Currell
Crowood Press/Trafalgar Square Press
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
1861266634 $50.00 1-800-423-4525 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

Relatively few books exist on marionettes, much less highly illustrated and covering both their construction and their use. Enter David Currell's MAKING AND MANIPULATING MARIONETTES, written by a leading puppet theatre authority who was co-founder of the national Puppet Center and its chairman for nearly 20 years. Add a degree in arts and a teaching background and you have the perfect author of choice to explain the particulars of marionette manipulation and construction.

Complicated Shadows
Graeme Thomson
Canongate
14 High St., Edinburgh EH1 1TE
2841956651 L8.99 www.canongate.net

Elvis Costello is one of the most unusual figures in rock, pop and other musical genres, and COMPLICATED SHADOWS: THE LIFE AND MUSIC AND ELVIS COSTELLO is a definitive biographical coverage of the man and his music. Graeme Thomson used interviews from schoolmates, band members, and others to trace the course of Costello's diverse career, and to consider his extensive contributions. From previously unpublished lyrics from Costello's earliest songs to controversial album releases, COMPLICATED SHADOWS presents a full view of the man and his magic, spiced with a centerfold of black and white photos. Highly recommended for any Costello listener.

Fashion, Retailing and A Bygone Era
Isadore Barmash, et.al.
Beard Books
Washington, DC
1587982692 $34.95 222.beardbooks.com

Women's Wear Daily has reflected many years in the fashion industry, with the publication's editors viewing many changes in fashion and retailing over the decades. Seven former editors of Women's Wear Daily join forces to look back at these years, considering changes in fashion, marketing trends, and more. Chapters present first-person insights on being involved in the fashion industry, discussing changes experienced by one of the top industry newspapers and the special challenges faced by each editor's tour of duty. An engaging, vivid survey is created which will interest both lay readers and fashion industry pros alike, providing lively first-person insights.

7 Steps to Leaving the Rat Race
Ajay Ahuja
HowtoBooks
3 Newtec Place, Magdalen Road, Oxford, UK, OX4 1RE
1857039432 9.99 Brit. pounds www.howtobooks.co.uk

Tired of commuting and handling an office environment? Want to change your life? Then read this book, which intends to motivate listeners to leave jobs they hate in favor of work they love. From evaluating one's position and its pros and cons to overcome fear and minimizing fixed cost of living in the early stages, 7 STEPS TO LEAVING THE RAT RACE: FREE YOURSELF FROM THE 9 TO 5 GRIND covers part-time work, self-employment opportunities, and how to live like a pauper during the early stages of change.

Backbeat Books
600 Harrison St., San Francisco CA 94107
www.backbeatbooks.com

Two very different, highly recommended music books are recommended pick for any contemporary music book collection. Will Romano's INCURABLE BLUES: THE TROUBLES & TRIUMPH OF BLUES LEGEND HUBERT SUMLIN (0879308338, $17.95) focuses on Hubert Sumlin, blues guitarist, who overcame cancer and alcoholism to move Chicago blues to new heights. Sumlin was heard on most of Howlin Wolf's Chess recordings, yet has received comparatively little in-depth coverage, even though his style inspired Jimi Henrix, Santana and many other famous names. Interviews with Sumlin himself supplement those with his associates in this vivid history. John Elnarson's MR. TAMBOURINE MAN: LIFE AND LEGACY OF THE BYRDS' GENE CLARK (0879307935, $19.95) is told through recollections of those closest to Clark, the founding member and front man of the Byrds. Clark was a key figure in the rock music movement; yet much of his legacy has been obscured until MR. TAMBOURINE MAN: chapters examine the man's ups and downs in the music world, and his lasting talents.

Da Capo' Press
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.dacapopress.com

Dave Van Ronk and Elijah Wald's THE MAYOR OF MACDOUGAL STREET: A MEMOIR (0306814072, $26.00) provides the memory of Dave Van Ronk, leader of the New York folk revival scene in the 1950s, who died in 2002. He was a singer, guitarist, and pioneer of modern acoustic blues, and was also a major figure on the Village scene, influencing fellow musicians in coffee houses and cafes. From his encounters with fellow folk players to notable contemporaries, THE MAYOR OF MACDOUGAS STREET traces the evolution of a social and musical era. Pat Gilbert's PASSION IS A FASHION: THE REAL STORY OF THE CLASH (030681434X, $18.95) is a lively coverage of the punk group which emerged from London in the 1970s to change the world with their politically-charged rock sound. You'd think there would have been many exposes of this popular group by now, but PASSION IS A FASHION is the first to examine The Clash's ten-year history, using over 70 interviews with key fans, friends and producers and conversations with The Clash members themselves. Whether you relish The Clash or not, if you have any interest in the 1970s sound or punk scene, PASSION IS A FASHION is a 'must'.

R&B: Rhythm & Business
Norman Kelley, Editor
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York NY 10009
1888451688 $15.95 www.akashicbooks.com

Plenty of books have been written about r&b music in the past, but R&B: THE POLITICAL ECONOMY OF BLACK MUSIC is something very different, so don't anticipate the usual lineup of musicians and trends here. Who profits from black musics from gospel to hip hop? Norman Kelley and other journalists and musicians join forces in R&B to consider how black music has been fostered, marketed and distributed in America. The eye on who benefits from these marketing efforts is revealing, as is the exploration of how and why blacks have interacted within the music business.

Sounds of the Silk Road
Mitchell Clark
MFA Publications
465 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115-5523
0878466886 $24.95 1-800-338-2665 www.mfa.org

Any student of Asian music should not be without SOUNDS OF THE SILK ROAD: MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS OF ASIA: it's the first to provide a detailed survey of the history of musical instrument development throughout Asia, drawing on the MFA's collection of Asian instruments as a foundation for examining some fifty key instruments. But, you needn't be a student to enjoy SOUNDS OF THE SILK ROAD's history: general-interest listeners will find plenty to attract here, from the history to color photos of zithers to drums. A simply lovely overview.

Turn the Beat Around
Peter Shapiro
Farrar Straus Giroux
19 Union Square West, New York NY 10003
0571211941 $26.00 1-888-330-8477 www.fsgbooks.com

Fans of disco music who are tired of the music being criticized will welcome music writer Peter Shapiro's celebration of disco in TURN THE BEAT AROUND: THE SECRET HISTORY OF DISCO. Disco was more than the Village People: it was a democracy and a music revolution all at once, celebrating new beats and sexuality: a unique marriage between emerging gay sexual awareness and post-civil rights sentiments. Don't expect just a music history here: plenty of cultural insights pack TURN THE BEAT AROUND to give it a decidedly scholarly bent.

Billy Joel
Hank Bordowitz
Billboard Books/Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0823082504 24.95 1-800-451-1741 www.wgpub.com

Pianist Billy Joel began as a middle-class Long Island NY gang member, working as a boxer and musician to make ends meet - until his 1973 album PIANO MAN shot him to the heights of fame. BILLY JOEL: THE LIFE & TIMES OF AN ANGRY YOUNG MAN follows musician Joel's big moments, his movement from pop to classical composition and on to Broadway, his sordid life, and more. Interviews blend with research to offer a full-faceted portrait of a complex young man's encounters with the changing music industry. An intriguing story of success and change evolves.

The Horse Behavior Problem Solver
Jessica Jahiel
Storey Publications
210 Mass MoCa Way, North Adams, MA 01247
1580175244 $19.95 www.storey.com

Horses have a language and behaviors which are unique, but people can use this to better understand the horse's personality and needs. Here are answers to 101 common horse behavior problems based on this understanding, from handling a head-shy or kicking horse to understanding how and why a horse responds. Author Jessica Jahiel is a lecturer and expert on equine behavior: real-life case studies blend with an easy question/answer format to explain and explore horse reactions.

Complete Idiot's Guide To Designer Dogs
Margaret H. Bonham
Alpha Books/Penguin
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014
159257369X $14.95 1-805-523-9270 www.idiotsguides.com

It's said that dogs which are a cross between two breeds are good buys - but what are their advantages? 'Designer dogs' have some pros and cons which COMPLETE IDIOT'S GUIDE TO DESIGNER DOGS covers, from typical designer breeds to how to choose a breeder and understanding genetic limitations, pros, and cons. From breed characteristics and history to where to best buy a 'designer dog', would-be owners have lots of facts at their fingertips, here.

Your Outta Control Puppy
Teoti Anderson
TFH Publications
One TFH Plaza, Neptune City, NJ 07753
0793829003 $12.95 1-800-631-2188 www.tfh.com

Turn your puppy into a well-behaved pet with a puppy management book by a professional dog trainer, YOUR OUTTA CONTROL PUPPY. A puppy can wreck a household with chewing and bad habits unless an owner can control it: here are unusual step-by-step suggestions for controlling typical puppy misbehaviors from chewing and barking to nipping and jumping. Each chapter of training tips comes with color photos and an overview of what the owner will learn, too. An invaluable guide and perfect gift for that new puppy owner.

The Rally Course Book
Janice Dearth
Alpine Publications
PO Box 7027, Loveland, CO 80537-7027
1577790677 $24.95 1-800-777-7257 www.alpinepub.com

AKC rally exhibitors will find THE RALLY COURSE BOOK: A GUIDE TO AKC RALLY COURSES a perfect introduction to instructor/exhibitor rally courses, from lessons on creating rally courses and turns to using exhibitor sheets Exhibitors, instructors and judges alike will find this key to designing and judging Rally: the AKC signs are accepted AKC Non-Regular Obedience Class Signs from the latest 2004 holdings, while the author's insights - which come from a judge of over 800 handler/dog teams at venues over a four-year period - comes from an expert's point of view. Plenty of charts throughout clarify course modifications and set-up.

The Wild Coast: Volume 1
John Kimantas
Whitecap
351 Lynn Avenue, North Vancouver, BC, Canada, V7J 2C4
1552856488 $24.95 1-888-980-9852 www.whitecap.ca

The coast of Vancouver Island is rugged and wild - and ideal for any who want adventure and wish to venture beyond the usual tourist area of Victoria City, the focus of most Vancouver Island travel guides. Whether it's hiking or kyaking, author John Kimantas explores the outer coast from Part hardy to Esquimalt with Kayakers in mind, presenting all the details on wilderness campsites, coastal ecology and attractions, wildlife, and waters alike. Color photos and maps abound, tips for further exploration pack the pages, and both North and West Vancouver Island receive in-depth attention. If you're planning an outdoors vacation on Vancouver Island - especially one involving kayaks - you simply can't miss THE WILD COAST: VOLUME ONE.

South Africa titles
Struik/International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
1-800-758-3756 www.internationalpubmarket.com

Two outstanding visual celebrations of South Africa are highly recommended picks, particularly as relatively few coffee-table-type titles on the country are available in this country. Elaine Hurford's SOUTH AFRICA: MAGIC LAND (1868257711, $39.95) packs in over 200 photos from the country's top photographers and pairs them with Hurford's text reviewing the country's natural beauty. From giraffes to a windmill and tidal lands, SOUTH AFRICA MAGIC LAND's focus is upon diverse natural areas to expand perceptions of the country's natural beauty - and it succeeds in entrancing readers. Ditto for SOUTH AFRICA: A VISUAL CELEBRATION (1868259579, $49.95), a larger-sized show book gathering more stunning photos from the country's photographers. Both people and natural areas are contrasted in oversized, full-page glory. If only two picture-oriented books on South Africa were chosen for a discriminating collection, it should be these visual displays: the photography is outstanding.

Fulcrum Publishing
16100 Table Mountain Parkway #300, Golden, CO 80403
www.fulcrum-books.com

Two wonderful new guides offer excellent travel coverages for travelers. The third edition of Don & Barbara Laine's THE NEW MEXICO GUIDE: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE LAND OF ENCHANTMENT (1555913180, $14.95) represents years of travel through New Mexico - plus thirty-five years of residency. From cattle drives and state parks to old town attractions and monuments, New Mexico is divided into regions with each given thorough coverage on everything from what to see and local color to where to stay and eat. A wonderful travel planner. VALLEY OF THE DUNES: GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK AND PRESERVE by Bob Rozinski and Wendy Shattil, with text by Audrey DeLella Benedict (155591523X, $19.95) is as much an armchair read as it is a destination guide, providing a photographic tribute to Colorado's San Luis Valley and Great Sand Dunes National Park. Text discusses and describes wildlife while the gorgeous full-page color photos which pack nearly each page provide stunning visual displays.

Countryman Press
PO Box 748, Woodstock, VT 05091
www.countrymanpress.com

Other travel guides on the market cover Maine alone, but few offer the depth of Christina Tree & Nancy English's AN EXPLORER'S GUIDE TO MAINE (0811506680 $19.95), which packs in hundreds of updated web sites in its 12th edition of opinionated reviews of everything from accommodations of all types to dining and sightseeing. From reviews of and advice on seasonal attractions to local history and color and plenty of outdoors areas, AN EXPLORER'S GUIDE TO MAINE is the item of choice for any destination-bound visitor. If it's art towns you like to visit, which hold galleries, museums and festivals as their lure, don't miss John Villani's THE 100 BEST ART TOWNS IN AMERICA: A GUIDE TO GALLERIES, MUSEUMS, FESTIVALS, LODGING AND DINING (0881506419, $19.95). It includes some of Canada in its coverage of small towns which hold special attractions in the arts, from theater to visual arts venues. Discussions include the local art scene's assets and overall artistic atmosphere, reviews of specific venues, and venue hours and locations. Of course, accommodations are featured as well - but the meat lies in the arts venue listings and descriptions, which would be hard to find handily under one cover, elsewhere.

Denali National Park
Carrie Compton, Compiler
W.W. West
20875 Sholes Rd., Bend, OR 97702
0972792198 $5.95

Don't expect the usual hardcover-sized title in DENALI NATIONAL PARK: it's not meant for either coffee table nor take-along tote, but as a mini-book pictorial celebration of Denali's wildlife, holding small color photos and one-line natural history observations. Tom Walker, one of Alaska's leading nature photographers, contributes the lovely color photos to this mini-keepsake.

Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley, CA 94703
www.ulyssespress.com

Four new titles join others in Ulysses' outstanding 'Hidden' travel series of state guides blending vacation with adventure options to appeal to those who want a taste of adventure without the white water. Susan Farewell's HIDDEN MAINE (1569754608, $15.95) juxtaposes lodging and dining tips with hiking and outdoors suggestions, focusing on special attractions unique to Maine, such as a good value fish restaurant located off the beaten path, or special boat tours available in certain areas. HIDDEN MAINE is packed with historic sights, drives and shopping opportunities perfect for Maine visitors. Catherine O'Neal's HIDDEN CAROLINAS (1569754845, $17.95) provides opinionated, recommended reviews of local attractions from folk art to scenic mountain hikes. From small cafes to parks and valleys off the beaten path, HIDDEN CAROLINAS is packed with suggestions for all types of vacationers. Marty Olmstead's HIDDEN TENNESSEE (1569754853, $16.95) surveys local inns, restaurants, and Tennessee attractions, from museums and outdoor opportunities to botanical garden tours, providing visitors with a wide range of touring choices, while Eric Lucas' HIDDEN WASHINGTON (1569754861, $15.99) covers some of the ethnic restaurants and neighborhoods of the state, adding in plenty of local history and color. All lend to use as take-along totes.

In Search of River Phoenix
Barry C. Lawrence
Wordsworth Publishing
PO Box 471, Penngrove, CA 94951
0967249198 $26.95 www.riverphoenix.us

Few books begin their journey to publication with the foundations of Barry C. Lawrence's IN SEARCH OF RIVER PHOENIX: THE TRUTH BEYOND THE MYTH with a dream out of nowhere yet a powerful dream in which the dead actor River Phoenix asked Lawrence to discover the truth about his life led to a years-long, in-depth probe of River's short life and many films: a probe which was to involve Lawrence with River's closest friends, family members, and fellow actors. You don't have to be a River fan to appreciate IN SEARCH OF RIVER PHOENIX: it reads like a novel, with all the drama, action, and yes, even intrigue of fiction - yet Lawrence's goal was to dispel the veil of myths surrounding River's short life, and reveal the realities and facts of his controversial short life and career - and Lawrence achieves this and more in an exciting blend of drama and documentary: classic docu-drama translated to print. Highly recommended.

Applause Books
19 West 21st Street, #201, NY, NY 10010
www.applausepub.com

John Willis has two excellent film and theatre roundups out, which should be considered 'musts' for enthusiasts of film and stage. His SCREEN WORLD: 2004 FILM ANNUAL VOLUME 55 ( 1557835396, $24.95) is co-written with associate editor Barry Monush and packs in the black and white photos as it defines the world of 2004 cinema productions. Photographic stills and film credits accompany biographical notes on selected actors and achievements. THEATRE WORLD VOLUME 59 with Ben Hodges (1557836353, $24.95) covers the 2002-2003 stage season, both off-Broadway and further beyond, offering a statistical and pictorial survey of classic companies' productions. From series productions to professional regional companies, THEATRE WORLD is packed with description.

Manhattan On Film
Chuck Katz
Limelight Editions
512 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
0879103191 $17.95 www.limelighteditions.com

If you're Manhattan-bound with a love of film, don't forget to pack the latest revised, expanded edition of MANHATTAN ON FILM: WALKING TOURS OF HOLLYWOOD'S FABLED FRONT LOT. Here are fourteen walking tours of Manhattan's most famous film locations under one cover, packed in a format which lends to coat pocket as much as purse, and providing street maps, directions, photos from movie shots and a quick-check film index in back. An outstanding walking guide for Manhattan film fans.

The Dolby Era
Gianluca Sergi
Manchester University Press/Palgrave
175 - 5th Avenue, #400, NY, NY 10010
0719070678 $24.95 1-888-330-8477 www.manchesteruniversitypress.co.uk

For a close inspection of film sound evolution in modern Hollywood productions, check out film studies lecturer Gianluca Sergi's THE DOLBY ERA: FILM SOUND IN CONTEMPORARY HOLLYWOOD, part of the 'Inside Popular Film' series. New sound technologies have created new powerful tools for filmmakers, yet few coverages of Hollywood have focused on these tools: THE DOLBY ERA uses historical analysis and interviews with some of the creators of Dolby sound itself to trace the evolution of sound in Hollywood from the early 1970s to modern times.

Newmarket Press
18 East 48th Street, New York NY 10017
www.newmarketpress.com

Fans of Jaws or Douglas Adams will find two specialty publications revealing. Carl Gottlieb's THE JAWS LOG: 30TH ANNIVERSARY EDITION (1557046778, $15.00) remains the only book on how the young Steven Spielberg translated Peter Benchley's best-selling novel into the equally best-selling classic film JAWS. This detail of screenwriter Carl Gottlieb's year-long adventure first appeared in 1975: this 30th anniversary edition provides a keepsake hardcover for the first time, with a new foreword by the author. A real keeper. Robbie Stamp edits THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: THE FILMING OF THE DOUGLAS ADAMS CLASSIC (155704676X, $35.00) presenting the author's friend and executive producer's insights into the making of the film. From handling real sets and creatures to interviews with others involved in the film's production, storyboards, sketches and unique artwork pair with cultural references and insights to make THE HITCHHIKER'S GUIDE TO THE GALAXY: THE FILMING OF THE DOUGLAS ADAMS CLASSIC a fan's dream.

From Alien to the Matrix
Roz Kaveney
I.B. Tauris
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
1850438064 $14.95 www.ibtauris.com

Much has happened in the world of science fiction cinema in the past few decades: the science fiction movie has earned a place in the mainstream, and has replaced the novel as the genre's primary media of choice. FROM ALIEN TO THE MATRIX: READING SCIENCE FICTION FILM offers a guide to science fiction movies large and small, considering plots, performances, cultural influences and genre changes with a critical yet lively eye. From the influence of Asimov on the robot dramas of science fiction to the fostering of comedy in the genre, FROM ALIEN TO THE MATRIX is packed with important insights in a very readable, lively format.

Just Making Movies
Ronald L. Davis
University Press of Mississippi
3825 Ridgewood Road, Jackson, MS 39211-6492
1578066913 $20.00 1-800-737-7788 www.upress.state.ms.us

From the late 1930s to the mid-50s, five big movie studios dominated Hollywood's films, fostering an era of assembly-line production and creating a tier system of screenplay and director connections under long-term contracts. JUST MAKING MOVIES: COMPANY DIRECTORS N THE STUDIO SYSTEM provides interviews with twelve house directors from this era, probing the politics and operations of the big studio film machine. Chapters reflect on director experiences with famous personalities, studio contract experiences, shoot memories, and much more.

The Movie Business
Kelly Charles Crabb
Simon & Schuster
1230 Ave. of Americas, NY, NY 10020
0743253924 $28.00 1-800-223-2336 www.simonandschuster.com

If it's an overview to the various challenges of getting a movie produced which is needed, make it THE MOVIE BUSINESS: THE DEFINITIVE GUIDE TO THE LEGAL AND FINANCIAL SECRETS OF GETTING YOUR MOVIE MADE. Thousands of people have great movie ideas, but there's a logical (and long) path from thought to fruition, which THE MOVIE BUSINESS explores. Chapters cover everything from movie tie-ins to publicity and promotion arms to acquiring a screenplay, financing a production, assembling actors and directors, and assessing expenses at every step of the way. An essential guide for would-be movie producers.

Gurze Books
PO Box 2238, Carlsbad, CA 92018
www.gurze.com

Two important guides to eating disorders are very specific in their insights. Margo Maine, Ph.D.'s second edition of FATHER HUNGER: FATHERS, DAUGFTERS, AND THE PURSUIT OF THINNESS (0936077492, $15.95) is based on ten years of further study conducted since the first edition, and details the origins of 'father hunger' and its effects on the family as a whole. Included here are tips to help fathers and daughters understand their relationship and its influence on the pursuit of food and body image. The fifth edition of Lindsey Hall and Leigh Cohn's BULIMIA: A GUIDE TO RECOVERY (093607731X, $14.95) answers the questions most commonly asked about the condition, adds details from over 400 recovered and recovering bulimics, and offers advice both both bulimics and their families. Included is something many eating disorder guides would have avoided years ago: a three-work program to stop bingeing, offering many ideas based on the root causes of bulimia.

Addicus Books
PO Box 45327, Omaha, NE 68145
www.addicusbooks.com

Three excellent health titles tackle very specific topics and offer consumers advice on subjects usually 'buried' in more general health texts. Paul Ruggieri, MD and Scott Isaacs, MD's A SIMPLE GUIDE TO THYROID DISORDERS FROM DIAGNOSIS TO TREATMENT (1886039631, $14.95) discusses all the basics; from how the thyroid gland works and symptoms of common problems to handling both physical and psychological problems caused by a malfunctioning thyroid. An excellent overview. Dental implants are becoming the treatment of choice for many with ongoing tooth problems, and Thomas Balshi, DDS, et.al.'s A PATIENT'S GUIDE TO DENTAL IMPLANTS (1886039658, $14.95) surveys the benefits of these implants, how they are inserted, possible risks, and how long they last. An excellent review of procedures, options, and results. Jon Mendelsohn, MD, et.al.'s YOUR OCMPLTE UGIDE TO FACIAL COSMETIC SURGERY (1886039704, $19.95) discusses all kinds of facial cosmetic surgery options, from facelifts and nose reshaping to chin implants and wrinkle fillers. From laser to chemical peels, every kind of option is surveyed.

Don't Eat This Book
Morgan Spurlock
Putnam
375 Hudson St., New York NY 10014-3657
0399152601 $21.95 1-800-847-5515 www.penguin.com

Morgan Spurlock's DON'T EAT THIS BOOK: FAST FOOD AND THE SUPERSIZING OF AMERICA is no history or celebration of the fast food industry, but an account of the author's thirty-day diet eating nothing but McDonald's as a reuslt of his ongoing probe into the effects of fast food habitso n American health. Here Spurlock considers the expansion of fast foods into schools and homes, how it's marketed, and how it competes with physical education to create obese children and adults with accompanying physical problems. Interview with experts in 20 US cities reveals research from lawmakers to health experts who share their insights into fast food. Add more than a dose of comedy and you have a winner.

After a Stroke
Cleo Hutton
Demos Medical Publishing
386 Park Avenue South #201, New York NY 10016
1932603115 $16.95 www.demosmedpub.com

From communication to home management and travel, life after a stroke often is vastly changed. For an idea on how to best manage these many changes, choose Cleo Hutton's AFTER A STROKE: 300 TIPS FOR MAKING LIFE EASIER. Hutton, herself a stroke survivor, discusses all kinds of topics from intimacy to recreation and safety: stroke survivors receive numerous practical tips on adjusting the little and big things which make life easier.

Overdosed America
John Abramson, MD
Harper Perennial
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
0060568534 $13.95 1-800-242-7737 www.harperperennial.com

From Celebrex to anti-depressants, the commercialization of medical knowledge is resulting in a country which is increasingly overdosed and over-medicated, and in a medical world where doctors are continuously misled by pharmaceutical companies and biased studies: that's the message of OVERDOSED AMERICA: THE BROKEN PROMISE OF AMERICAN MEDICINE. Chapters present damning evidence in this expose of American medical dangers, which refutes many 'miracle drugs' being touted as cures today.

Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
www.prometheusbooks.com

Eldercare caregivers now have a companion title to Susan Beerman, MS, MSW & Judith Rappaport-Musson, CSA's prior acclaimed ELDERCARE 911: THE CAREGIVER'S COMPLETE HANDBOOK FOR MAKING DECISIONS, in THE ELDERCARE 911 QUESTION AND ANSWER BOOK (1591022932 $20.00). Here are the tested answers to common problems encountered by caregivers, from elders who are time abusers and demanders to handling dementia, juggling work demands with caregiving requirements, and more. Plenty of case histories supplement real-life questions and answers. Consumers seeking a guide to the latest lab tests will welcome Mary C. Ricotta, Ph.D.'s A CONSUMER'S GUIDE TO LABORATORY TESTS (1591022479, $21.00), explaining what the tests men and cutting through common medical jargon in the process. An organization by body system makes it easy to use CONSUMER'S GUIDE TO LABORATORY TESTS to locate typical tests for particular system problems. From how disorders begin and risks of disease to testing procedures and how diagnosis is made from a test, this is one of the most straightforward guides to tests and results interpretation on the market. Marc Zimmer, Ph.D.'s GLOWING GENES: A REVOLUTION IN BIOTECHNOLOGY (1591022533, $28.00) provides the first popular science book on green fluorescent protein, which has existed in one species of jellyfish and was cloned recently to provide a host of new biotech applications. The protein does more than glow: it can kill and image cancer cells, monitor bacterial infections, and light up in the face of pollution. Glowing proteins have important uses in both agricultural and medical industries: GLOWING GENES covers all the potentials of this fascinating new science.

The Great Brain Debate
John E. Dowling
Joseph Henry/National Academies Press
500 - 5th St. NW, Washington, DC 20001
030909223X $24.95 1-888-624-7654 www.jhpress.org

How much of behavior is determined by genes and how much by environment? The debate over nature vs. environment has raged for years, but new research on both developing and aging brains provide new ways of thinking about the issue, as well as new treatments for various mental and aging conditions. THE GREAT BRAIN DEBATE comes from a neuroscience researcher which considers the latest research, issues and findings.

What's the Patient's Code Status?
Dr. Fernando L. Mirarchi
PAER Inc.
PO Box 9397, Erie, PA 16505
1889014583 $12.95 www.event-management.com

Most people want to protect their rights in health, and the Advanced Directives help in this - yet most people aware of them aren't aware of its components or how it's used. Information on code status implementation, Directive pros and cons, a sample that may be used, and details to be addressed when completing an Advanced Directive are part of a guide originally created for the author's own mother. It looks like a pamphlet, but WHAT'' THE PATIENT'S CODE STATUS is so much more: a patient and family reference essential to creating and maintaining an appropriate health directive.

Living Homes
Thomas J. Elpel
HOPS Press LLC
12 Quartz Street, Pony, MT 59747
1892784181 $30.00 www.hopspress.com

Planning a home? Spend more time on planning it and you can have a home which is designed with energy and resource efficiency in mind, which won't be unaffordable either during or after construction. Plenty of books tell how to build a house, or blend in energy-efficient systems. Few cover the process from the design stage on, as does LIVING HOMES: INTEGRATED DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION. From basic water supply and management system choices to building straw bale walls and treating logs and chinking, LIVING HOMES is packed with ideas and options owner/builders will appreciate.

The Houses of Martha's Vineyard
Keith Moskow
Monacelli Press
611 Broadway, #309, New York NY 10012
1580931537 $50.00 www.monacillipress.com

Keith Moskow's THE HOUSES OF MARTHA'S VINEYARD isn't a review of historic structures, but a presentation of over twenty Vineyard houses built in the past twenty years by renowned architects: a diverse set of designs and innovations which are both beautiful and answers to architectural challenges. Color photos of both interiors and exteriors pack every page and provide rich visual accompaniments to descriptions of the architects and their special approaches. A gorgeous keepsake for Martha's Vineyard residents, students of architecture, and architectural library collections alike.

The New Southwest Home
Suzanne Pickett Martinson
Northland Publishing
2900 N. Fort Valley Road, Flagstaff, AZ86001
0873588576 $34.95 1-800-346-3257 www.northlandpub.com

If you wish to build your Southwest dream home a room at a time, do it with Suzanne Pickett Martinson's THE SOUTHWEST HOME: INNOVATIVE IDEAS FOR EVERY ROOM. Here are ideas for Southwest style furniture, art and accessories which use the classic colors and decorating ideas of the Southwest. From elevated fireplaces to rich waterfall-spiced bathroom settings, THE NEW SOUTHWEST HOME will intrigue home designers with fresh new approaches.

Victorian Kitchens & Baths
Franklin & Esther Schmidt
Gibbs Smith
PO Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
1586853023 $39.95 1-800-748-5439 www.gibbs-smith.com

More than just another scrapbook of Victorian d�cor, VICTORIAN KITCHEN AND BATH investigates Victorian styles from historic to modern, surveying the basic design elements which make up Victorian style and displaying, in vivid color photos, how these elements may be incorporated into today's home; from using period Victorian antiques to 'fix' a setting's atmosphere to historically accurate kitchen lighting. Articles probe in depth the elements of Victorian design which will work in the modern home - and what doesn't. This approach creates an excellent practical guide: embellished with numerous color photos examples by the authors, VICTORIAN KITCHENS & BATHS goes beyond most hardware-oriented guides.

Pottery Barn Outdoor Spaces
Christene Barberich
Oxmoor House
80 Willow Road, Menlo Park, CA 94025
0848730550 $24.95 www.oxmoorhouse.com

POTTERY BARN OUTDOOR SPACES: EASY IDEAS AND INSPIRATION FOR CASUAL OUTDOOR LIVING isn't just for rural or suburban homeowners - if you're an urban dweller with only a balcony, you can still find a lot to learn from an entertainment book dedicated to creating lovely outdoor environments and outdoor rooms. Exterior spaces are rarely given their own complete book: this provides easy techniques for converting or decorating porches, garden areas, and more. From simple balcony decors to creating outdoor kitchens, spa areas and patios, OUTDOOR SPACES is packed with colorful photo examples and plenty of ideas.

At Home with Pictures
Paige Gilchrist
Lark Books/Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
1579903606 $27.95 www.larkbooks.com

Photos and art lend personality and style to a home, especially if they're arranged artistically and appropriately to compliment existing d�cor. But how to display family photos in a creative manner? Choose Paige Gilchrift's AT HOME WITH PICTURES: ARRANGING & DISPLAYING PHOTOS, ARTWORK & COLLECTIBLES to learn about classic, traditional or alternative arrangement choices. From choosing appropriate frames and mats to hanging pictures in the more familiar manner, AT HOME WITH PICTURES shows there's a range of options involved.

Amherst Media
PO Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
www.amherstmedia.com

Four new photography guides instruction neo-pro and would-be pro photographers on some of the foundations of achieving and marketing professional-quality work. Jeff Smith's PROFITABLE PORTRAITS: THE PHOTOGRAPHER'S GUIDE TO CREATING PORTRAITS THAT SELL (1584281529, $29.95) tells how to target a client's needs to create a salable portrait. In choosing this focus over that of producing an artistic product, chapters are able to focus on identifying a client's unique tastes, using that knowledge to create demand for work, and making associated decisions from clothing and background choices to lighting and posing. Especially powerful when covering photo repair and retouching. Stephen A. Dantzig, PsyD.'s LIGHTING TECHNQIUES FOR FASHION AND GLAMOUR PHOTOGRAPHY (1584281472, $29.95) focuses on light and its effects on setting mood. Learn how light affects photo quality, how to meter for excellent exposures for either film or digital modes, and how to control image color and lighting through a title which focuses exclusively on fashion photography needs. Next, market your photography skills with Kathleen Hawkins' MARKETING & SELLING TECHNIQUES FOR DIGITAL PORTRAIT PHOTOGRAPHY (1584281634, $34.95), which covers all the basics from identifying a market niche to target photo marketing to advertising effectively, proofing presentation tips, and developing a personal website. Color and black and white photo examples abound. If you're an Adobe Photoshop beginner and just want to learn basic photo touching elements, be sure to pick up Michelle Perkins' BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS: EASY LESSONS FOR RAPID LEARNING AND SUCCESS! (1584281383, $29.95). Chapters review all the basics of how to work with digital images in Elements: from adjusting color and converting images to sepia to using filters, working with layers, and adding artwork to a photo. All are excellent, basic photography references: very highly recommended.

Digital Nature Photography Closeup
Jon Cox
Amphoto Books
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
081743674X $24.95 amphotobooks.com

Macro nature photography is seldom given its very own book, much less digital macro nature photos; so any seeking to learn close-up techniques for flowers, insects and more must have DIGITAL NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY CLOSEUP: it comes packed with in-depth discussions of all macro techniques, color photos examples fill the pages, and details on file formats, Photoshop editing, and more offer macro photographers plenty of tools of the trade. Excellent depth and scope.

The Art of Animation Drawing
Don Bluth
DH Press/Dark Horse Comics
10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukee, OR 97222
1595820086 $14.95 www.dhpressbooks.com

Don Bluth as an animator and artist who has directed such major cartoon productions as All Dogs Go to Heaven and Anastasia: his ART OF ANIMATION DRAWING thus comes from a practicing master, and is packed with specifics on how to design characters, adapt them to script, pair them with voice and music, and more. Lovely black and white and color examples throughout accompany written, specific direction artists will relish.

Edward Hopper's New York
Avis Berman
Pomegranate
775A Southpoint Boulevard, Petaluma, CA 94954-1495
0764931547 $30.00 www.pomegranate.com

Edward Hopper is one of the country's best known painters: he based himself in New York City and depicted the city through the first half of the 20th century. While most of these portraits have appeared in more general Hopper art books, it's refreshing to see in print the first book devoted entirely to his New York paintings alone. Reproductions drawn from galleries around the country includes both color paintings and black and white prints created before he was fully recognized as an artist: with each picture enhanced by artistic insights on the opposite page, any Hopper collection won't be complete without adding EDWARD HOPPER'S NEW YORK.

Western Traditions
Michael Duty & Suzanne Deats
Fresco Fine Art Publications
9812 Nimitz NE #100, Albuquerque, MN 87111
0974102342 $85.00 www.frescobooks.com

WESTERN TRADITIONS: CONTEMPORARY ARTISTS OF THE AMERICAN WEST is an excellent collection examining art of the American West. Michael Duty's essays on the history of painting and sculpture supports the lovely full-page photos and Suzanne Deats' interviews with the artists - all living and working today. Emphasis is upon the evaluation of the art pieces themselves: influences, interpretations of work, and background history place each piece in perspective. If Western American modern art is the focus, WESTERN TRADITIONS should be one of the cornerstones of any serious art library holding.

Automate Your Business Plan
Linda Pinson
OM-IM
13381 White Sand Drive, Tustin, CA 92780
0944205283 $TBA www.business-plan.com

Too many books on business plans are just plain hard to get through: small aspiring business owners must consider pages of instruction, charts, graphs, and sometimes terminology which is not fully explained - and wind up with no business plan in place. For those who would learn while filling in the blank, choose the stand-alone software program AUTOMATE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN: a set of industry-specific customized business plans which can be used to develop realistic financial projections useful for both owners and for loan applications. The software does most of the work - you just fill in the forms to produce plans which are created from pre-formatted files complete with headers, fonts, and print commands. Another plus: AUTOMATE YOUR BUSINESS PLAN can be imported or exported to or from Word and Excel, making it a portable, useful program indeed.

Career Press
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
www.careerpress.com

Career Press's motivation titles for both bosses and workers tackle basic business issues which may be experienced at all levels in the workplace: thus, there's something for everyone on Career Press's business bookshelf. Arthur H. Bell, Ph.D.'s YOU CAN'T TALK TO ME THAT WAY! STOPPING TOXIC LANGUAGE IN THE WORKPLACE (156414822X, $14.99), for example, covers the problems of verbal insults, ridicule and putdowns in the workplace and how they may be ended. There are many motives for verbal attacks in the workplace: chapters consider these motivations and their psychology, who tends to be the target, and how companies can eliminate toxic workplace environments and events. Discussions of legal options are also included. The abuse shoe can also appear on a higher foot, as Gerald M. Groe, Ph.D. explains in WAS YOUR BOSS RAISED BY WOLVES? SURVIVING THE ORGANIZATIONAL FOOD CHAIN (1564148149, $14.99). These are the bosses who are always grumpy and snapping, who attacks peers or new employees, and who views the workplace as turf to defend. Chapters tell how an employee can recognize a boss's territorial problems and how to tackle common issues underlying bad boss behavior. Marisa D'Vari's BUILDING BUZZ: HOW TO REACH AND IMPRESS YOUR TARGET AUDIENCE (1564147797, $14.99) packs insider information into its discussion of media promotions and competitive promotional environments. From how to get interviewed by the print media to developing a news hook the media will relish, BUILDING THE BUZZ covers all aspects of getting attention. Steve Chandler and Scott Richardson's 100 WAYS TO MOTIVATE OTHERS: HOW GREAT LEADERS CAN PRODUCE INSANE RESULTS WITHOUT DRIVING PEOPLE CRAZY (1564147711, $19.99) represents years of successful leadership coaching and training by the authors, a leadership trainer and an attorney. Executives and managers will be the audiences for a title which tells how to motivate others both effectively and gently. From understanding unstable people who wish things to stay the same to understanding concentration, elaxation and impetus to change, 100 WAYS TO MOTIVATE OTHERS is packed with examples. Dr. Paul Powers' WINNING JOB INTERVIEWS (1564147789, $12.99) provides a step-by-step guide to understanding the job interview process, focusing on why the process favors the job hunter and how to use this process to assure success. Learn how to ask and understand key questions, how to reduce interview anxiety, and how to out-prepare others seeking the some job through a guide which covers the basics. Christine Durst and Michael Haaren's THE 2-SECOND COMMUTE (1564147924, $14.99) comes from the founder of the Virtual Assistant industry herself, paired with an ex-Wall Street attorney who was one of her clients and helped her launch Staffcentrix, a leading VA training company, and the International Virtual Assistants Association. These assistants work from home and provide admin support, consulting, and more - all via email, fax and phone. Any who dream of working from home must have THE 2-SECOND COMMUTE as a guidepost to success.

Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery, #650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
www.bkconnection.com

Two excellent, very different guides will appeal to business professionals. Greg LeRoy's THE GREAT AMERICAN JOBS SCAM: CORPORATE TAX DODGING AND THE MYTH OF JOB CREATION (1576753158, $24.95) exposes a scam maintained by the myth of 'job creation' in which big billion-dollar corporations play states and cities against each other to gain lucrative taxpayer subsidies. The myth has revolved around the fact that the payoff for such subsidies lies in job creation and higher wages - but is this true? Greg LeRoy exposes a bait-and-switch scam, naming actual corporate names in a discussion of the rigged corporate development system which promises much but seldom delivers, in exchange for lucrative agreements. State-by-state examples discuss free growth, costs, and vanished benefits of such scams. Truly revealing. Keith Merron's CONSULTING MASTERY: HOW THE BEST MAKE THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE (1576753204, $34.95) goes beyond the usual guide to consultant roles in solving company project problems, discussing how the savvy consultant can actually influence and change company direction in the process. CONSULTING MASTERY seeks to explore and explain the consultant's wider role in the business process, surveying how a consultant can make a difference and reframe a decision-making process. An intriguing guide re-defining the consultant's role in a company.

Warner Business
1271 Avenue of Americas, NY, NY 10020
www.twbookmark.com

John C. Maxwell's contention is simple: "to do well in life, we must first think well." - but follow-through is tougher than ideal and it takes his THINKING FOR A CHANGE: 11 WAYS HIGHLY SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE APPROACH LIFE AND WORK (0446529575 $22.95) to outline just how such thought processes can be altered to take place more effectively. From understanding how to see the bigger picture to focusing thinking and collaborating with others to achieve higher results, THINKING FOR A CHANGE is packed with ideas backed by actual achievements. H. Anthony Medley's SWEATY PALMS: THE NEGLECTED ART OF BEING INTERVIEWED (0446693839, $13.95) is written by a business professional who has conducted thousands of job interviews and made hiring decisions based upon them: as such, it comes from the other side of the desk, providing the interviewer's perspective on what makes or breaks a job interview. From making eye contact and understanding job requirements and strategies to determining how and when to take control of the interview process and understanding interviewer focuses, SWEATY PALMS is the item of choice for all job seekers.

Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
www.hbspress.org

Three new business books offer readers diverse perspectives and approaches to understanding business. From the 'Harvard Business Essentials' series comes POWER, INFLUENCE AND PERSUASION: SELL YOUR IDEAS AND MAKE THINGS HAPPEN (159139631X, $19.95), a compendium of ideas for managers on how to recognize opportunities within the organization to further careers and make things happen. From building credibility through expertise and marketing this expertise to analyzing audience receptivity to ideas, POWER, INFLUENCE AND PERSUASION tells how to achieve goals. Charles O. Rossotti's MANY UNHAPPY RETURNS: ONE MAN'S QUEST TO TURN AROUND THE MOST UNPOPULAR ORGANIZATION IN AMERICA (1591394414, $26.95) focuses on the IRS, and comes from a businessman who became the first business manager to lead the Internal Revenue Service. Rossotti almost single-handledly transformed an aging organizational structure into a modern business model: MANY UNHAPPY RETURNS shows how he reformed the system, and his confrontations with both politicians and IRS officers in the process of change. MADE IN CHINA: WHAT WESTERN MANAGERS CAN LEARN FROM TRAILBLAZING CHINESE ENTREPRENEURS by Donald N. Sull and Yong Wang (1591397154, $35.00) profiles those shaping China, the world's second largest economy. Eight Chinese ventures are profiled with an eye to revealing their success secrets and how they responded to challenges and changes. A set of uniform success approaches and strategies are revealed based on extensive research which shows how the organizations maintained flexibility while address and replacing long-term plans with more fluid adaptations to change. All are excellent business guides.

McGraw-Hill
2 Penn Plaza, NY, NY 10121-2298
www.books.mcgraw-hill.com

With all the news about real estate riches in the daily papers, it's more than evident that a real estate boom is happening not just in a few states, but around the world - and Gary Keller, Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan's THE MILLIONAIRE REAL ESTATE AGENT (0071444041, $19.95) is written for the real estate agent who would turn a basic practice into a successful business. From basic models for high-achieving real estate goals to gaining a million dollars in annual income, THE MILLIONAIRE REAL ESTATE AGENT promotes an understanding of the agent's role, responsibilities, and special abilities and provides basics on everything from organizing and running a staff to the four fundamental models of real estate business. A wider-ranging discussion is presented in Paul A. Laudicina's WORLD OUT OF BALANCE: NAVIGATING GLOBAL RISKS TO SIEZE COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE (0071439188, $27.95), an analysis of new global challenges in competitive advantage. From shrinking deadlines and increased competition to rapid geopolitical changes, corporate leaders and others face quick decision processes in the new global environment requiring a better understanding of new technologies, innovations, and ways of doing business. Turn to WORLD OUT OF BALANCE to learn how your company can stay ahead, face opportunities and threats effectively, and adjust to changing consumer needs: understanding a few crucial keys to success, as outlined by global business director Laudicina, is all it takes.

Career Compass
James A. Winnefeld Sr.
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Rd., Annapolis, MD 21402
1591149630 $24.95 1-800-233-8764 www.navalinstitute.org

Navy members and would-be officers who want to make an upward career of the Navy would do well to consider James A. Winnefeld Sr.'s CAREER COMPASS their 'bible' of success. A thorough explanation of Navy promotion systems and chains of command is covered in chapters which survey every position and how to network to move up the ladder. From the influence of professional military education on promotions to awards, decorations and more, CAREER COMPASS provides a wealth of insider's advice on charting a career through the Navy.

Impact Publishing
9104 Manassas Drive, Suite N, Manassas Park, VA 20111-5211
www.impactpublications.com

Two new job-seeking guides appeal to specialty populations seeking work rather than mainstream job-seekers or college grads, and will be indispensable parts of any job-hunter's collection. Ron and Caryl Krannich, Ph.Ds's AMERICA'S TOP JOBS FOR PEOPLE RE-ENTERING THE WORKPLACE: 85 OPPORTUNITIES FOR JUMP-STARTING YOUR CAREER (1570232261, $19.95) covers the best jobs for someone re-entering the modern job market. There are employers and positions which are particularly accessible to such re-entry job seekers: chapters cover work opportunities in fields ranging from education and entertainment to government, law, transportation, sales and much more, describing each job in terms of employment outlook, nature of work, training requirements and expected earnings. Ex-offenders re-entering the job market also have special needs, as the Krannichs explore in THE EX-OFFENDER'S JOB HUNTING GUIDE: 10 STEPS TO A NEW LIFE IN THE WORK WORLD (1570232369, $17.95). From researching jobs and communities and seeking assistance to writing effective letters, resumes, networking, and selecting appropriate jobs to apply for, EX-OFFENDER'S JOB HUNTING GUIDE shows there is a job for everyone - and how ex-offenders can land a good one.

Diane C. Donovan
West Coast Editor

Harold's Bookshelf
Degunking Linux
Roderick W. Smith
Paraglyph Press, Inc.
4015 N. 78th Street, #115, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
ISBN: 1933097043 $24.99 311 pp.

The newest title in this series from Paraglyph Press, Degunking Linux is another winner. What is degunking? Whether you have just installed a system from scratch or inherited an already running system there are always programs, services, and configuration options that can be removed or changed to clean up your system. By cleaning it up you can get it to work more efficiently and leave it less prone to exploitation by others.

The author does a thorough job of examining most of the common program and configuration items that can clutter up a Linux system. Not just the Linux system itself, the book also examines configuration and of common applications like OpenOffice, Mozilla, and Evolution. There are much more detailed books on removing processes and default configuration options on the market, but they are generally under the heading of security and too advanced for the novice user. On the other hand, this book is written for the novice to intermediate user and really stands head and shoulders above other books for this particular group. In addition this book contains a good section on optimizing your X configuration, which can really improve your graphic performance. Degunking Linux is highly recommended for novice to intermediate users.

The Enthusiastic Employee
David Sirota, Louis A. Mischkind, Michael Irwin Meltzer
Wharton School Publishing
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
ISBN: 0131423304 $26.95 301 pp.

One of the problems common to all businesses is how to build employee loyalty, productivity, and satisfaction. The Enthusiastic Employee examines how you can make a company profitable by creating enthusiastic employees. One of the most interesting parts of the book examines how employees change their attitudes over time from one of excitement and eagerness to please to a lackluster one. They propose that over time managers often kill the enthusiasm of employees and then describe what to do about it.

The authors provide a close examination of motivational factors in the workplace including job security, compensation, respect, a sense of achievement, challenge, feedback, recognition, and feeling you are part of a team. They also examine the problem of changing the corporate culture to implement change. The analysis presented in the book is based on real world knowledge obtained through years of research on millions of employees. For those interested in employee relations The Enthusiastic Employee is highly recommended.

Built for Growth
Arthur Rubinfeld, Collins Hemmingway
Wharton School Publishing
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
ISBN: 0131465740 $25.95 329 pp.

If you are working in the retail industry this book will be of interest to you. In it the authors detail how to start or buy a retail business as well as how to revive a failing one. This is not just another book on retail theories. Arthur Rubinfeld has worked with the likes of Starbucks, Oakley, Gateway, and many other highly successful retailers. Co-author Collins Hemmingway also co-authored Bill Gates' best selling book Business @ the Speed of Thought.

The authors provide a step-by-step process focusing on all aspects of a successful retail business including branding, location, employees, customers, finance, and business planning. The book is well organized and follows the normal business growth model from planning and implementing your first store through expansion to using innovation as a way to grow beyond the limits of your current product line or customer profile. Of course such a book would not be thorough if it didn't include information on pitfalls to avoid and the authors do not disappoint the reader in this area either. With solid advice in how to be a success in your retail business Built for Growth is a recommended read.

I Want My Dinner Now!
Renee Pottle
Hestia's Hearth Publishing and Design
PO Box 7059, Kennewick, WA 99336
ISBN: 0976013711 $12.95 140 pp.

The first 44 pages of this book are pretty much designed for the novice cook. They contain tips, information on safety issues, herbs and spices, common ingredients that may be unfamiliar to you, what a well stocked pantry should include, and similar information. The book is divided into four sections - Fast And Simple, Toss It In The Oven, One Pot Meals, and Using The Appliances. Each of the four sections concentrates on a specific preparation requirement. Fast And Simple contains meals that can be on the table in 35 minutes or less, Toss It In The Oven contains meals you can prepare if you want to put it together and toss it in the oven so you can get other things done. One Pot Meals minimizes dirty dishes. Using The Appliances contains meals prepared with the use of a slow cooker, electric grill, microwave, or rice cooker.

The book contains 85 recipes in total, all of which are designed for the busy family. At the back of the book the author has even included 16 weeks of coordinated meals. If half a can of something is used one day then the rest is used later that week. I Want My Dinner Now is highly recommended for the busy family that still wants home-cooked meals.

Ending Spam
Jonathan A. Zdziarski
No Starch Press, Inc.
555 De Haro Street, Suite 250, San Francisco, CA 94107
ISBN: 1593270526 $39.95 274 pp.

Author Jonathan A. Zdziarski starts this book by giving the reader a history of Spam as well as the historical approaches to fighting Spam. This is followed by a very practical guide for the serious Spam fighter; including details on statistical filtering, tokenization, Markovian discrimination, and Bayesian filtering. Although it is very technical in many respects most readers should be able to comprehend the text if they read carefully. Readers who already understand the basics of filtering and email analysis will find it both easy and educational to read.

The author includes an excellent section on spammer tricks and how they get past fileters as well as what to do about it. This section alone makes the book worth the price. Ending Spam is a highly recommended read for anyone in charge of controlling spam in a corporate environment as well as on their own system.

Firefox & Thunderbird Garage
Chris Hofmann, Marcia Knous, John Hedtke
Prentice Hall/PTR
One Lake Street, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
ISBN: 0131870041 $24.99 271 pp.

When it comes to Internet browser and newsreader software Firefox and Thunderbird are both considered to be one of the best available. Firefox is the browser of choice for me and has been for some time. This book is about getting under the hood and modifying your Firefox and Thunderbird to make them work the way you want them to and make your experience more pleasurable. Just like car enthusiasts will take a stock car and modify it to be their pride and joy, this book explains how to take the stock installation of Firefox and Thunderbird and make them work the way you wish a browser and newsreader would work. Filled with valuable advice and insight, the authors don't waste waste a lot of words trying to explain things you don't really need to know. Basically they point out an item that can be improved, describes how it can work better, and then walks you through how to implement the change. With multiple appendixes that are packed with very valuable information, Firefox & Thunderbird Garage is highly recommended.

Can't Stop the Love
Sherri D. Dyson
SDD Publications
2335 University Parkway, Sarasota, FL
ISBN: 1931600155 $12.95 126 pp.

Author Sherri Dyson uses poetry to share her thoughts and feelings about some of life's most important events and themes including love, children, weddings, saying good-bye, and holidays. She does an excellent job of distilling the most important aspects of these events and at times provides the reader with an excellent and inspirational read. Unfortunately, all of her poetry does not rise up to this same level. At times it seems she reaches in order to get a word to rhyme. Several poems provide three or four excellent lines and build towards a deep sharing of feelings and then have a totally out of context line for the sake of producing a rhyme. An example is the poem on page 25 where it reads in part "I sit here silently wondering where you are. I love you endlessly, you are my shining star." The focus is on her feelings and she does a good job of sharing them but suddenly comes up with "...you are my shining star". This movement from her to the other person completely throws off the flow of sharing her deep longing and does it for the sake of creating a rhyme.

On the other hand there are excellent poems like "Perfect Fit" and "The Battlefield of My Mind" on pages 21 and 52. These are fine examples of her better poetry. Overall, Can't Stop the Love is an average book in which everyone is sure to find a poem or two that speaks to them and is recommended for poetry lovers.

Daily Positives
Edward P. Fiszer, Ed.D.
Cameo Publications, LLC
PO Box 8006, Hilton Head Island, SC 29938
ISBN: 0974414980 $16.95 171 pp.

As a school principal Dr. Fiszer started including positive motivational messages with the morning announcements in his school. The purpose was give the students a positive attitude and the courage to take action when facing challenges in life. This book is a collection of those messages. While they were designed for school-age children, the messages are also valuable as a motivational aide for adults. Daily Positives is highly recommended and a great way to start each day.

The Long 19th Century: European History from 1789 to 1917
Professor: Robert I. Weiner
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Audio CD, DVD, Audio Tape
Lectures: 36

Through this series of lectures Professor Weiner, Professor of History at Lafayette College, introduces the listener to the important people, events, political climate, and other factors of European life from 1789 to 1917. Some of the important periods and people examined include the French Revolution, the Napoleonic Era, the First Industrial Revolution, the Era of Metternich, the Crimean War, Napoleon III, Bismark and the German Empire, the Russian Experience, Industrialization, Socialist Response, Anti-Semitism, France, Bismarckian and Wilhelminian Germany, Austria-Hungary, Italy, Russia, Turkey, the Balkans, and World War I.

Professor Weiner does an excellent job of examining not only the various countries and key people, but also the cultural groups within the country. This is an enlightening view into the lives and thoughts of the peasants, workers, aristocrats, women, and minorities of the various periods. The Long 19th Century: European History from 1789 to 1917 is highly recommended to anyone interested in the political, social, and diplomatic history of Europe.

Books that Have Made History
Professor: J. Rufus Fears
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Audio CD, DVD, Audio Tape
Lectures: 36

This course takes a unique viewpoint on great books by examining those that had a major effect on our society. Professor J. Rufus Fears examines how these books have shaped the minds of great individuals and through them changed the direction of history. Some of the writings examined include Bonhoeffer's Letters and Papers From Prison, Homer's Iliad, Marcus Aurelius's Meditations, the Bhagavad Gita, the Book of Exodus, the Gospel of Mark, the Koran, Gilgamesh, Euripides's Bacchae, Plato's Phaedo, Dante's The Divine Comedy, Shakespeare's Othello and the Moor of Venice, Aeschylus's Prometheus Bound, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn's the Gulag Archipelago, Shakespear's Julius Caesar, George Orwell's 1984, Vergil's Aeneid, Lincoln's Gettysburg Address, Confuscius's The Analects, Plato's Republic, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe's Faust, Henry David Thoreau's Walden, Gibbon's Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and Gandhi's An Autobiography.

Professor Fears, a professor of Classics at the University of Oklahoma, does an excellent job of describing the writings, the settings in which they occurred, and how they challenged the thinking of the period. Books that Have Made History is a highly recommended purchase for anyone interested in the history of social thought and how particular writings changed the direction of our history.

Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition, 2nd Edition
Lecturers: Various Professors
The Teaching Company
4151 Lafayette Center Drive, Suite 100, Chantilly, VA 20151-1232
Format: Audio CD, DVD, Audio Tape
Lectures: 84

Divided into seven major sections this large collection of lectures by five different professors covers every period from the Near Eastern and Mediterranean, Classical, Middle Ages, Renaissance, Neoclassic, and 19th Century, to Modern literature. The section on Near Eastern and Mediterranean Foundations includes lectures on Gilgemesh, Genesis, Deuteronomy, Isaiah, Job, Homer's Iliad and Odyssey, Sappho and Pindar, Aeschylus, Sophocles, and Euripides. The following section on Literature of the Classical World includes the works of Herodotus, Thucydides, Aristophanes, Plato, Menander, Catullus and Horace, Virgil, Ovid, Tacitus, Plutarch, Petronius and Apuleius, The Gospels, and Augustine. Both of these first two sections are presented by professor Elizabeth Vandiver, a professor of Classics at Whitman College.

The third part, Literature of the Middle Ages includes Beowulf, The Song of Roland, El Cid, Tristan and Isolt, The Romance of the Rose, Dante Alighieri, Petrarch, Giovanni Boccaccio, Sir Gwain and the Green Knight, and Chaucer. This portion is presented by professor Thomas F. X. Noble, Director of the Medieval Institute and Professor of History at the University of Notre Dame. He does a particularly good job of presenting Sir Gwain and the Green Knight and Chaucer in a very interesting manner.

The fourth part, Literature of the Renaissance, covers Christine de Pizan, Erasmus, Thomas More, Michel de Montaigne, Francois Rabelais, Christopher Marlowe, William Shakespeare, Lope de Vega, Miguel de Cervantes, John Milton, and Blaise Pascal. These are all presented by professor Ronald B. Herzman, Professor of English at the State University of New York, Genesco.

Part five, Neoclassic Literature and the 18th Century, examines Moliere, Jean Racine, Sister Juana Ines de la Cruz, Daniel Defoe, Alexander Pope, Jonathan Swift, Volatire, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Samuel Johnson, Denis Diderot, William Blake, and Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. This section is done by Professor Susan Sage Heinzelman, Associate Professor of English and Women's and Gender Studies at the University of Texas at Austin. A particularly good lecturer, her treatment of Daniel Defoe, Jonathan Swift, and William Blake is not to be missed.

Parts six and seven, Literature of the 19th Century and Modern Literature, covers the likes of William Wadsworth, Jane Austen, Stendhal, Herman Melville, Walt Whitman, Gustave Flaubert, Charles Dickens, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Leo Tolstoy, Mark Twain, Thomas Hardy, Oscar Wilde, Henry James, Joseph Conrad, William Butler Yeats, Marcel Proust, James Joyce, Franz Kafka, Virginia Woolf, William Faulkner, Bertolt Brecht, Albert Camus, and Samuel Beckett. These sections are both presented by professor James A. W. Hefferman, retired professor of English at Dartmouth College.

If you want to understand some of the best that western literature has to offer I can't think of a better introduction to the authors behind those works than this series of lectures. Great Authors of the Western Literary Tradition, 2nd Edition is highly recommended to anyone wanting to better understand these authors and literary works.

Computer Forensics
John R. Vacca
Charles River Media, Inc.
10 Downer Ave., Hingham, MA 02043
ISBN: 1584503890 $49.95 703 pp.

At 703 pages this is a voluminous work that attempts to cover all the basics of computer forensics and accomplishes that goal. The book does include a CD but it is somewhat disappointing. It contains mostly demo programs that give you only a taste of the product and a few public domain tools that you are likely to have anyway if you do even a modicum of computer security work. The nicest thing about the CD is the inclusion of various checklists to help make sure you follow good forensic procedures. As such the target audience for this book is people who need basic forensic skills and the knowledge to develop an IT security strategy.

The book starts with a solid overview of computer forensics technology and how the field has changed over the last several years. The author does a good job of covering computer evidence issues and the special issues associated with the Windows operating system. This introduction is followed with sections dealing with Internet security, intrusion detection, firewalls, storage area networks security, disaster recovery, public key infrastructure security, wireless network security, satellite encryption, instant messenger, ID management, ID theft, biometrics, and homeland security.

The author also discusses several specific vendor tools that can be used as well as policies that should be used to document and prosecute an attack. This section includes a discussion of appropriate incident responses, evidence collection, forensic analysis, expert witnessing, forensic litigation, and insurance support. While the book provides an excellent base of knowledge to the reader in the area of evidence collection the reader should also be aware that the legal and technical environment changes quickly.

If you believe your computer has been attacked or otherwise need to prove something did or did not occur, this book's shining point is the excellent job it does on evidence collection and preservation. This is an area where many business owners and technical users get into trouble. Incorrectly checking the system for signs of the attack or other illegal information often makes the data unusable in a court of law. You must follow specific procedures to protect the original evidence and work on a copy. All the details of the correct procedure is presented clearly in this book. Computer Forensics is highly recommended.

Harold McFarland
Senior Reviewer

Klausner's Bookshelf
Sex and the Single Witch
Holly Chamberlin, Carly Alexander, and Theresa Alan
Strapless (Kensington)
ISBN: 0758209312 $12.95, 352 pp.

"The Trouble with Witchcraft" by Holly Chamberlin. Unlike her proficient parents who are embarrassed by her inabilities, witch Haven Castle cannot make a spell work properly. Her last effort was a love spell sent at Jared Cragmere, who vanished instead of kissing her. He has returned and is angry at whoever displaced him. Jared and Haven begin to fall in love in spite of the manipulations of Angora Slate. However, Haven fears once he finds out who zapped him he will drop her to the same nowhere she accidentally sent him. "Single White Witch" by Carly Alexander. Etherworld resident Annie Quicksilver is on earth investigating male mortals as part of a series of articles for Ephemera Online. She thinks her boss, warlock Simon is sexy, but too grouchy and alas bossy. Still she keeps measuring her ninety dates against Simon and finds them all lacking. She worries that she could be falling for a warlock, which in her mind means the worst toil and trouble for a witch. "The Witch's Guide to Life" by Theresa Alan. When witch Ariel Watson sees the hunk in the restaurant she orders up a wind that inadvertently blows cake on his hair. Feeling contrite she gives him tickets to attend her opening at the MacLean Gallery. North High School ice hockey coach J.T. Manning arrives and buys one of her paintings. Others follow suit. By doing so he converts the curse that stopped her work from selling into her inability to paint as she only dreams of the hockey hunk. This bewitching trio of amusing paranormal romances will cast a charm spell on readers.

Night after Night
Joan Elizabeth Lloyd
Kensington
ISBN: 0758206801 $14.00, 288 pp.

Marcy Bryant remains shell shocked in Seneca Falls, New York from learning that her twin Jenny is the proprietor and madam of Manhattan's CLUB FANTASY. Unable to understand why her sister would become a prostitute especially since Jenny apparently loves her boyfriend, Marcy decides to write an erotic novel based on what she knows about her sibling's club and similar tales selling at the bookstore. She shows Jenny a short story that her sibling says is excellent, but the first chapter of the novel is horrendous. Jenny insists that for Marcy to write with feeling she must understand her subject. The short story worked because Jenny claims Marcy was the star seeking her first real orgasm. She offers Marcy a chance to come to Club Fantasy, meet everyone and if interested taste "forbidden" fruit. Marcy agrees rationalizing she needs to better understand her sister. At the club, pleasure giver Zack melts Marcy's brain and other body parts. As Marcy begins to appreciate what the body can do with the right partner, she falls in love with the male prostitute, but has no hope that a lion would desire a mouse; Zack reciprocates but assumes a nice woman would never want a relationship with a prostitute. This erotic romantic sequel continues the escapades of the Bryant twins this time Marcy is the sex star of the tale. The story line will remind fans of the Devil and Miss Jones except that Zack is a heavenly hunk teaching the art of lovemaking while receiving lessons in love. Sub-genre fans will gain immense pleasure from this XXX tale, but be aware that your significant other better be handy (pun intended).

Category Five
T.J. MacGregor
Pinnacle
ISBN: 0786016809 $6.99, 384 pp.

Billy Joe Franklin and his girlfriend Crystal DeVries robbed a bank and he absconded with the money, leaving Crystal to take the fall. While waiting to go to trial, she, along with her friend Tia, transferred from the Dade County jail to the one on Tango Key. Billy successfully breaks her and Tia in a daring jailbreak. It looks like his planning will allow them to make a clean getaway until Hurricane Danielle turns into a Category Five storm, worse than even Hurricane Andrew. Bookstore owner and psychic Mira Morales, her daughter Annie and her grandmother are preparing to survive one of the worst hurricanes on record when the escaped convicts and Billy take over the house and make sure the hostages are subdued. Mira's live-n-lover, Shep, an FBI agent, knows about the danger the women face but he is trapped in a cellar and is unable to get out. Mira has to take charge and see that her family is safe until someone can rescue them but when their situation looks hopeless, help comes from a most unexpected source. It is a toss up to Mira which is worse the Category Five hurricane or dealing with the unstable Billy Joe. Both could get her killed and even her psychic powers are not strong enough for her foresee what kind of trauma and tragedy will result from the criminals and the storm. T.J. MacGregor has written a fantastic crime thriller, filled with action and suspense but the true antagonist in CATEGORY FIVE is Hurricane Danielle.

Last Girl Dancing
Holly Lisle
Onyx
ISBN: 0451411978 $6.99

Atlanta Police department Homicide Special Crimes Unit (HSCU) is looking to stop apparently two serial killers working in tangent targeting Perimeter's exotic dancers. HSCU Detective Jim Hennicut recommends to his boss Captain Howard Booker that they ask for "Princess Grace" as he affectionately calls Detective Jess Brubaker to go undercover as she meets the physical requirement of the killer. Jess reluctantly agrees because this might be the break for her to learn what happened to her stripper twin sister Ginny, who thirteen years ago vanished without a trace. Because of regional politics including the FBI, the task force consists of Jess, Jim, his partner, and a martial arts psychic who is not a cop. Jim's friend former Ranger Hank Kamien agrees to help. He and Jess enter the sordid realm of exotic dancing and not long afterward a killer targets the female cop. However, trying to hide their attraction from one another becomes almost as difficult as playing cat and mouse with diabolically clever killers. This is an exciting police procedural romance that takes off at a fabulous pace once Jess goes undercover and never slows down until the final confrontation with the killer. Though the clues as to the culprit's identity are there, fans will be shocked as Holly Lisle does a terrific job with misdirection. The romantic subplot between the undercover duo augments a fine suspense thriller that keeps the audience in a state of high tension throughout the whole tale.

Spoonwood
Ernest Hebert
Hardscrabble Books
University Press of New England
37 Lafayette Street, Lebanon, NH 03766
ISBN: 1584654902 $24.95, 320 pp.

In 1985 on a mountain ledge near Upper Darby, New Hampshire, Freddie Elman reaches his beloved Lilith Salmon only to find her dying from blood loss caused by giving birth all aloneat this isolated wilderness spot. She dies, but leaves behind a son Birch. Bitter and filled with self loathing and guilt for failing and doubting his Lilith, Freddie ignores his infant son turning to drink to dull his pains while his mother cares for her grandson. Freddie becomes concerned when his parents and Lilith's family decide he is unfit and begin making separate cases for custody of Birch as he realizes the child is his only connection to his deceased beloved. He takes Birch with him and flees into the woods and beyond starting a nomadic existence for father and son on the run while those left behind pursue them. It has been about ten years since Ernest Hebert wrote his last Darby novel LIVE FREE OR DIE that included Freddie the trash man's son and Lilith the late Squire's daughter seeing one another. Their relationship as a subplot of that novel devastated the social hierarchy of this New England town. The direct sequel, SPOONWOOD takes the audience further by following the escapades of Freddie, their son Birch and those chasing them. The cozy story line digs deep into New England life from two social strata those with and those without as Mr. Hebert once again entertains yet tells the relevance of the most seemingly minor aspect of the tale including that of a small stone.

Death at a Premium
Valerie Wolzien
Fawcett
ISBN: 0345468090 $6.99, 272 pp.

Just before Memorial Day, building contractor Josie Pigeon and her fianc? lawyer Sam Richardson discuss their Labor Day wedding when she learns that her firm Island Contracting won the bid to renovate Bride's Bed and Breakfast. However, her client also sends his grandson, an undergraduate architectural student Christopher Higgins, to redesign the B&B. Worse than keeping the rookie in line, her associate accidentally hires a man who besides breaking Josie's gender wall is unable to get insurance due to illness. As the crew works on breaking down a wall, they find a corpse behind the plaster. However, the body turns out to have been a mannequin. Later they find a second dummy under the house. Not long afterward they find a third except this time it is a real corpse. The father and son Rodney "Rats" who make up the sheriff's department assumes that one of the crew killed the victim though their preference is to pin the crime on Josie. Not sitting idly around waiting for the Rats to devour her, Josie investigates beyond just her team though some shaky shenanigans over E-Bay items surface. DEATH AT A PREMIUM is a fine amateur sleuth starring a strong intelligent and proactive heroine in a Florida barrier island setting. The cozy like story line starts off breezy with wedding plans, unwanted male help, and buried mannequins, but soon turns into a homicide investigation. Josie is at her best saving her business, solving a murder mystery along with a summer cop (female of course), coping with her teenage son and her future mother-in-law and planning a wedding. This is no different than battling Hurricane Agatha as she did in Murder in the Forecast.

The Little Guide to Your Well-Read Life
Steve Leveen
Levenger Press
420 S Congress Avenue, Delray Beach, FL 33445
ISBN: 1929154178 $17.50

Levenger Press CEO Steve Leveen provides a terrific self help book to assist readers with choosing their material, making the most out of the time they set aside to read, and to not feel guilty when one decides to not finish the book. The keys to this guide are Mr. Leveen's enthusiasm and the practical and easy to follow advice. His suggestions include keeping an updated list of what you want to read and when you can get a copy get it - don't wait until you have time to read that book. He also emphasizes be active which include visiting the prime setting and writing notes inside a book; in honesty his footprint vs. preserving gave this reviewer cardiac arrest; I make notes on stickees (pink for romance; red for mystery, blue for sci fi etc.). This is a fabulous guidebook aimed more at the wannabe reader to leisurely enjoy oneself by getting inside a book. This is similar to how the Potter crowd reads (my opinion the most influential books outside of the bible in decades as it has brought new blood to literature). Mr. Leveen provides a wonderful guide to fully enjoying books for mostly spectators who want to join the game.

A Breath of Snow and Ashes
Diana Gabaldon
Delacorte
ISBN: 0385324162 $28.00

Though officially war has not been declared, blood has fallen in Massachusetts Bay. On Fraser's Ridge, North Carolina Jamie Fraser already knows the outcome of the Revolutionary War because his spouse Claire told him having journeyed from the future to his past knowing the details about the Revolutionary War because she read about it in the American history books. Tension is high so Colonial Governor Tryon asks Jamie, leader of those residing along Fraser Ridge, to help keep the peace there. He is not sure how to respond because Jamie knows that those who support the monarchy will either die or flee in exile yet Jamie still hopes he can avoid bloodshed. There is also the matter of knowing that three plus years from now The Wilmington Gazette December 1776 reports that Jamie and his family died in a fire. Jamie knows that the devil is in the details, but how can a mortal change history even if the events have not yet occurred. Now in 1773 he must take sides knowing that soon people he cares about will die. The latest Gabaldon time travel historical tale is a superb entry because of the dilemmas facing the hero who knows the outcome of the upcoming war and is aware of the deaths of himself and his beloved family yet must make difficult choices. For instance, perhaps he should relocate elsewhere so that the Frasers and others are nowhere near the mid December 1776 inferno, but that also means neglecting his responsibilities. Jamie, Claire, and the others are at their best when knowing what is coming, but sometimes an ethical person must choose a losing perhaps deadly position. Ms. Gabaldon is at her epic best with this powerful saga. The paragraphs above fail to even hint at the vast deep look at North Carolina on the verge of war because it is impossible to describe the scope of this work in a few paragraphs.

Spell of the Highlander
Karen Marie Moning
Delacorte
ISBN: 0385339143 $18.00, 320 pp.

In the ninth century, women have always loved Celtic Druid Lord Cian MacKeltar, who as the only male in his family (his sire died just before his birth) has always been spoiled by the females. Still he enjoys studying Druid tomes as much as bedding the lasses until Samhain "buried" him alive in an underground library sealed for eternity. Over the centuries Cian became a myth although he still lives in a hellish dark mirror prison. While Chicago based archaeology graduate student Jessi St. James plans a post PhD life filled with boyfriends, Lucan Trevayne panics over a break and entry. Someone stole the Dark Mirror amongst other "Unseelie" Hallows artifacts at a time when his tithe is due. Professor Keene asks Jessi to accept a delivery for him. She does and looks at the ancient mirror, but sees a hunk looking back from the glass at her. Cian is freed but knows his powerful and most likely affluent enemy still lives and is coming for him and the mirror. With Jessi at his side to keep the woman he is falling in love with safe, Cian knows he must stop Lucan from regaining what he lost and regain the final fourth Unseelie Hallows object. This exciting romantic fantasy never slows down from the moment that Cian is trapped inside the Dark Mirror until the final confrontation. The story line is action packed (the first paragraph above is only a few pages) as the ninth century warriors battle in the twenty-first century with Lucan having all the advantages expect the love of a good woman. Karen Marie Moning provides a terrific saga.

The Patriots Club
Christopher Reich
Delacorte
ISBN: 0385337280 $26.00

Thirty-two years old Thomas Bolden has come a long way from his youth growing up on the meanest streets of Chicago. Today he is director of the New York investment bank Harrison Weiss and is dating a nice girl Jennifer Dance. However, just minutes after he proposes to Jenny, two thugs kidnap him and take him to a partially constructed office building in Harlem. There, another stranger orders Thomas to tell him everything he knows about Crown and Bobby Stillman if he wants to live. Thomas knows nothing having never heard of either person. He manages to escape. However, his escape has not freed Thomas. He has run afoul of THE PATRIOTS CLUB, a secret group of influential individuals who since the beginning of the republic has insured certain political privileges remain intact. This group needs to eliminate Thomas who knows too much, starting by destroying aspects of his life, as they methodically hunt for him and his fianc?e. This is a terrific thriller that will remind readers of The Firm although THE PATRIOTS CLUB members seem tougher. The story line is action-packed from the moment Thomas meets the muggers and never slows down until the final High Noon confrontation. Though lacking the financial shenanigans that Christopher Reich is known for (see THE DEVIL'S BANKER) fans of a tense somewhat by the numbers suspense tale starring David vs. Goliaths will want to read this solid novel.

Faithless
Karin Slaughter
Delacorte
ISBN: 0385339453 $25.00

Grant County Police Chief Jeffrey Tolliver finds the corpse inside a sealed box with a protruding pipe near Lake Grant. His former wife and current lover medical examiner Dr. Sara Linton does the autopsy on the victim identified as Abigail Bennett. To her horror, Sara realizes that slow suffocation was not the cause of death, but that the culprit poured cyanide down the pipe. They soon learn that Abigail was a member of the Holy Grown soybean farming collective, many of whom are former felons. Upon learning of her murder they react as nothing unique occurred, that poisoning and burying a living person is normal. However, Sara, Jeffrey and detective Lena Adam also make inquiries at the local Church for the Greater Good as they begin to wonder if twisted morality involving fallen sisters and daughters might be involved especially after meeting Minister Thomas Ward and when a second buried body is found. The toughest peach in Georgia (see INDELIBLE and KISSCUT), Sara is actually mellower than usual as this case makes her somewhat introspective reflecting on hiding her relationship with Jeffrey from her family; don't worry the forensics remain grim and gritty. Interestingly as abortion and domestic abuse are raised to an extreme level in the storyline, Lena also ponders her relationship with an abusive mate. Still this is a Slaughter story so that the police procedural plot is the focus in the usual dark grim suspense laden way.

Dragon Blade
Andre Norton & Sasha Miller
Tor
ISBN: 0765307472 $24.95

The Nordon monarchs Ashen NordornQueen and Gaurin NordornKing are looking forward to peace, spending quality time together and with their infant son having recently defeated the Great Foulness ice dragon. However, their tranqulty ends when Ashen finds a letter inside the false bottom of a box containing a gift; the note explains that only the legendary DRAGON BLADE can kill the Mother Ice Dragon. Corageous though wary, Gaurin leaves to find the blade made from the scales of the enemy's deceased mate that will finally end this nightmare. After her sposue left, Ashen disocvers a map that shows where the DRAGON BLADE and the Mother Ice Dragon lair are located. She sets off to catch up to her husband while their land has a new foe, a rogue troll destroying anything in its path. The fourth tale in the Oak, Yew, Ash, and Rowan saga is a fabulous fantasy especially when the exciting story line follows the escapades of the Nordorn rulers. The action is fast-paced and never slows down even when the Troll threat takes fans down a sidebar that is fun to follow by bringing in other favorites from previous books, but also weaves a thread that takes away from the grand adventure. Still fantasy fans will gain immense delight from this fine tale.

A Rumor of Gems
Ellen Steiber
Tor
ISBN: 0312858795 $25.95

The city of Arcato is under some sort of mystical siege. First magical gemstones began appearing with the potency to cast spells. On top of that the ancient port city has become a place teeming with gods and other mythological creatures pretending to be humans only to vent havoc on the locals while time is multiple with varying epochs coexisting in an interactive spiral. As chaos rules the city, human Lucinda de Francesco detests males whether they are god, shapeshifter or mortal as she wants no one to dictate to her how to live and yet she still thirsts for true love. She is especially wary of antiques dealer Sebastian Keane, who obsessively courts her in spite of her acrimonious rejections of him. At the same time; eleven years old Michael Fortunato has apparently become a killer because someone seems to have used the power of a gem to control the lad. Could that have been a God, a rogue shaman like Alasdair or even the sentient miniature dragon gemstone? The weird city and its supernatural cast that includes the thinking gems and most humans are well rounded and solid so that the audience believes in what is going on inside of Arcato. However, the heroine on the other hand pontificates on her life slowing down an exhilarating plot that moves on all cylinders when Lucinda is not musing about the shortcomings. Fans of strange fantasy tales will appreciate this fine story wondering whether the preadolescent is a killer, a victim of a gem, or set up by one of the Gods.

Talyn
Holly Lisle
Tor
ISBN: 0765309939 $27.95

Because of the three century old war with the Eastil Kingdom, the land of Tonk drafts young children to train as soldiers in an everlasting war of magic. These soldiers are patriots who expect to die in combat and believe being killed protecting their country is honorable. However, from outside the war zone, the Feegash arrives forcing the two adversaries to end the hostilities that threaten the tranquility of the world as it constantly spills beyond the borders of the warring nations. The Feegash successfully broker a peace, which leaves a lot of soldiers out of work. This is especially harsh on the veterans who have spent their entire lives training or fighting and expecting to die in battle. Warriors like Talyn are not just unemployed, but mentally unprepared for civilian work. Feegash diplomat Skirmig becomes her lover, but soon Tonk an ex-soldier of Talyn and Eastil diplomatic Captain Gair believe in the threat that the benevolent Feegash plan to annex both disarming countries. These sworn enemies must unite to have any hope against Skirmig, who employs a hideous magic that leaves him in full control. Readers will have to adapt to the changing POV from first to third and back to first within the same passage that allows the audience to see inside the heroes, but sometimes proves difficult to follow. Once fans adjust to the constantly changing POV, they will appreciate Holly Lisle's deep thought-provoking epic fantasy. The keys to the tale are that the international relationships seems genuine when there is open hostility or the Trojan Horse peace that must be dealt with when the heroes work through personal problems as well as their distrust of one another. Only then can they can try to save their respective nations. TALYN is a deep and powerful fantasy saga that readers will treasure.

Pilgrim
Sara Douglass
Tor
ISBN: 0312873751 $27.95, 480 pp.

The Star Gate has been destroyed allowing the TimeKeeper Demons to enter Tencendor. The land is devastated as these killers destroy anything and everything whether the deceased was once human or gods. Their fate is the same as this malevolent horde march unstopped and unstoppable. Watching from what appears to be the last haven from the invincible demons remains a small group of humans and two former gods; each awaits death feeling hopeless. Yet survivors remain struggling to destroy the Timekeeper Demons before they achieve their objective of bringing back to life their abomination of a leader Qeteb. If he returns Tencendor will be a total wasteland. An octet vows to save the soul of their land before the evil adversaries can reclaim the soul of their master. The humans and the once Gods split up in a race to save a beleaguered land from the abyss. This epic fantasy is a terrific tale starring more of an ensemble cast than usually found in the sub-genre. This enhances the feel that the land is about to be run over by dark forces. The collapse of the gate and several other elements bring a science fiction mix that further makes the fantasy rudiments seem genuine. Throw in the metamorphosis of life, death and rebirth inside a strong exhilarating story line and fans will totally enjoy a fabulous Wayfarer Redemption tale that will leave newcomers on a crusade to find previous tales and fans of Sara Douglass euphoric while awaiting the next installment.

Foreigner
Robert J. Sawyer
Tor
ISBN: 0765309726 $13.95

Afsan's Saurian punishment for declaring that the Face of God is a planet that the Qintaglio home sphere orbits as its inner most moon was being blinded. His related theory that their "orb" will be destroyed in about a century is met with mixed results. Those who believe the astronomer ponder how to go off planet when ocean voyages are difficult enough while Afsan negotiates a fee with therapist Mokleb to help him mentally "see" how to overcome his natural irrational behavior and adapting to using his new grown eyes. Meanwhile Afsan's spouse Novato studies an alien spacecraft found in the southwestern Frahtoolah Province. At about the same time that Novato nervously evaluated the craft, her son Toroca, while on geological survey aboard the ocean going Dasheter, meets a second sentient saurian race on a small archipelago. This shakes the Qintaglios more than Afsan's "taking God out of our skies" with a biological blow to the belief they are the superior race of God. These scientific advances, instead of saving the race from the breaking up of their moon, lead to war. This reprint of the final tale of the Qintaglio Ascension is a fabulous science fiction story that makes the saurian races seem real as the audience will obtain a historical, anthropological, and psychological perspective especially of the Qintaglio culture. The three prime well written subplots tie together in a delightful climax. Fans of the series will appreciate the dual first contacts by Novato and Toroca, but especially enjoy Mokleb getting Afsan on the couch to psychoanalyze him so that he can understand the irrationality of the species (move over Freud). It is best read this novel after the first two books in the series to fully savor the saurian culture but FOREIGNER can definitely stand alone.

A Princess of Roumania
Paul Park
Tor
ISBN: 0765310961 $24.95

In the eighteenth century in an alternate world England has been devastated by a tsunami like wave while in central Europe Roumania and Germany battle for control. Sorceress Aegypta Schenck conjures up a magic tome that enables her to hide young Miranda Popescu in our world's Massachusetts to elude the evil black tyranny of Baroness Nicola Ceausescu. She is the hope for the future as the "white tyger" regal descendant. With her niece safe, Aegypta tries to set the stage for her triumphant return. At the same time Ceausescu searches to find and destroy her only rival. When the Baroness abetted by her necromancer elector succeeds, she brings Miranda accompanied by her friends Andromeda and Peter into a realm so unlike what any of them have ever seen before. As Andromaeda is changed into a dog and then a noble and Peter lives up to his sire a warrior from this world, Miranda begins the first slow steps towards the challenge that will decide the destiny of a planet. The key to this delightful fantasy that targets the Harry Potter class is the powerful alternate historical backdrop to Europe that makes the two world scenario seems genuine. Miranda and her allies are terrific younger heroes struggling with the abrupt changes in their lives especially an adversary who wants her eliminated. The Baroness is a vile villain who fans will hiss at. Fantasy fans of all ages will enjoy this fine dual worlds thriller.

Godslayer
Jacqueline Carey
Tor
ISBN: 0765312395 $25.95, 352 pp.

Long ago the world of Urulat was created by the Seven Shapers who made the races in their own images. The eldest brother Haomane did not like what his brother Satoris did with his creation, giving them free will, the ability to think for themselves and the urge to strive so they won't become stagnant and complacent. He ordered his sibling to withdraw his gift and when he refused the Shapers went to war Sundering the world as a by product of battle. Haomane and his siblings live together not seen by their creations while Satoris walks the earth and lives in the fortress he created, the underground realm of Darkhaven. Satoris's ally, the one thousand year old immortal Supreme Commander Lord Tanaros kidnaps the ellyon (elven) Princess Cerelinde and takes her back to Darkhaven. This stops Haomane's prophecy from being fulfilled which would end in Satoris' death. He could permanently destroy any chance of the prophecy being fulfilled by killing the princess but that is something he refuses to do. As Haomane's allies make ready for war Satoris decides that his allies will also fight rather than endure a siege in Darkhaven. Both sides know that whoever wins, the undoing of the Sundering will take place. There are many different sentient species in the world of Urulat and with the Sundering, each race wars against the other just as the Shapers do. Haomane is never seen and uses lies and misdirection to paint his brother as the enemy that must be destroyed. Satoris who was not responsible for the Sundering is an enigmatic and mysterious being who got cast in the role of villain due to his brother's deception. There is a cast of hundreds and it takes careful reading to figure who is the ally of what Shaper. The Godslayer storyline is about the races getting ready for war and Jacqueline Carey demonstrates her talent as fantasist by making the plot exciting and memorable.

The Year's Best Science Fiction and Fantasy for Teens
Edited by Jane Yolen & Patrick Nielsen Hayden
Tor
ISBN: 0765313839 $17.95, 288 pp.

Ten of these eleven enjoyable stories targeting young adults (but older readers will appreciate them too) were initially published in varying publications in 2004; one story "They" by Rudyard Kipling is a century old (interesting to historiographic compare to the modern writers). The stories are mostly fantasy and even the few science fiction contributions like "Sergeant Chip" have a fantasy like feel to them. The authors are a who's who of the genres with each providing a strong effort. Settings vary from Grandma's handbag (think Men in Black II) to the New York Forty-Second Street Public Library to a K-9 point of view on war. Some, as is typical of fantasy, use horror elements to enhance the plot. Each tale is well written and the editors provide the titles of other similar stories that teens would most likely enjoy. An honorable mention list adds to the experience of fostering reading amongst young adults. This is a terrific collection for young and old readers.

Pay the Piper
Jane Yolen and Adam Stemple
Tor
ISBN: 0765311585 $16.95, 176 pp.

Fourteen-year-old Calcephony "Callie" McCallan is a school reporter school in Northampton, Massachusetts. She is excited by her job because this assignment enables her to go back stage while the popular rock 'n' roll band, Brass Rat performs. The only setback is that her parents make her bring her brother Nick with her. After listening to a recording by the group, Callie wonders why her classmates ate making such a fuss over this band. That is she wonders until she meets the dynamic lead singer Peter Gringras. His flute playing mesmerizes all who listen including Callie. However, on Halloween night as the Brass Rat performs, all the children including her kid brother Nick vanish. Callie thinks she knows why the children have been "abducted" and plans to rescue them as she plans to follow the magic flute into the land of faerie to make the piper pay, but she will soon learn how "faerie justice" works. The middle school crowd will enjoy this fine version of the Pied Piper starring a wonderful young heroine who risks her life to save her sibling and the other children from the unknown. As the audience learns the truth, feelings towards Peter the Pied Piper will change although he still committed the abductions. Young readers will enjoy the first rock and roll fairy tale while looking forward to future fantasies from this solid mother-son collaboration.

Chocolate On A Stick
Carole Bellacera
Baycrest Books
http://www.baycrestbooks.com
ISBN: 0972845062 $14.95 257 pp.

Velma and Louie met at the Happy Valley Hope for Retired Citizens in Memphis, Tennessee and fell in love. Even though they are in their seventies, their love life is that of a couple in their twenties. They are very happy together until the day Louie meets her son (owner of the used car lot, Elvis Mobile) his bible thumping wife Loretta and Louie's identical twin daughters Geneva and Genovedene. They inform the duo that the home is being closed and she will live with them while Louie will live in with his daughter. Opposing the arrangements especially without their inputs Louie calls his grandson, rich and famous rock star Gavin who he helped raise. Gavin sends them money and a red corvette to make their getaway. Their families call the police and their plight captures the heart of America who believes their children should leave Velma and Louie alone. On their way to California they ride the rapids, win money in Las Vegas and take a ride on a hot air balloon, evading the police and their family. When the family catches up with the lovebirds, tempers flare and Velma has do something drastic to convince their children they are going to be together. This is a very different type of read than the ones Carole Bellacera has written in past. It is funny yet contains a serious social issue that is addressed. The elderly have rights even though their grown up children might not agree with their choices and the lovebirds prove that they will do whatever is necessary to lead their own lives. CHOCOLATE ON A STICK is a sweet charming geriatric romance.

Chicago Noir
Neal Pollack (Editor)
Akashic
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 10009
ISBN: 1888451890 $14.95 252 pp.

Moving from Brooklyn to Chicago, the latest urban noir anthology provides the audience with eighteen delightful tales that pays homage to the ethnic neighborhoods and to the sports teams (especially the Cubs and their curse). The settings vary from the present to Prohibition to the age when Jazz was king. Each contribution shows the underbelly of the city not anything displayed by Oprah. Each tale is well written and should please fans of mysteries set there though some of the Second City superstars failed to show up like Sara Paretsky. Still this is a sold second entry to what looks like is going to be a long friendship between readers and Akashic set in urban noirs.

Mad About Jack
Gayle Kasper
Five Star
ISBN: 1594142955 $26.95, 233 pp.

Holly Hanford has worked hard to make a success of Hanford Motors that she inherited from her late father. She especially had to overcome the sleazy effort to take over her car sales company by a former employee Adam Stone, who sweet talked her while she was grieving her dad's death. Holly is irate that Wall St. transplant Jack Murdock has opened up Mad Jack Used Autos across the street from her deep in the heart of Texas. Jack employs glitz and gaud to sell vehicles, but she admits his classic red MG is a beauty. Meanwhile Jack is falling in love with his competitor, but though she seems to reciprocate she rejects his advances as she does not trust handsome glib males. He knows he must do the best sale of his life to persuade Holly to one day soon be his wife; if he fails he will leave town with a whipped tail and right now things are not looking good. This is an amusing contemporary romance though late intrigue seems unnecessary except to increase Holly's suspicion that Jack is out to drive her from business through any means possible including sexual and vandalism. The story line is fun as Jack drives Holly crazy, but she does not know him well enough to realize she has all the power. Fans will enjoy this lighthearted romp between two competing car lot owners.

Falling Through the Cracks
Barbara Haynie
Five Star
ISBN: 1594143846 $26.95, 271 pp.

The two surviving Bloom triplets (Rose died at birth), have lived a very good life until Lily tries to kill herself over a boyfriend; deadhead Iris knows she cannot cope because she is so shook up. She flees her relatively happy middle class Colorado home. On the road she meets Oregonian environmental activist Blair Jaeger fleeing a situation that went wrong. They journey together stopping in San Vacio, Mexico for some needed respite. The hotel is a dump so Iris asks elderly ailing American expatriate Henry Whitman if they can rent his other house that he owns since he only uses one. Henry was going to refuse until she notices and comments about his Scrabble board. As they play Scrabble every night, a warm relationship forms until he begins to show signs similar to Lily's. Iris wants to flee out of fear for what Henry might do. She has no one to turn to as Blair is off to his next environmental event and the married doctor that she is half in love with ignores her. She soon realizes she needs to be with kindhearted dying Henry who has given her back her life one tile at a time. FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS is a deep character study that focuses predominately on Henry and Iris as each find a way to live through their warm relationship. The story line enables the audience to comprehend why Iris fled Colorado and is consider

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