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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 2, Number 4 April 2003 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fiction Shelf Biography Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Social Issues Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Poetry Shelf Travel Shelf
Business Shelf Fantasy/Sci-Fi Shelf Parenting Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Disappearance Of The Universe
Gary R. Renard
Fearless Books
1678 Shattuck Avenue, #319, Berkeley, Ca 94709
0965680959, $20.00, www.fearlessbooks.com

The Disappearance Of The Universe: Straight Talk About Illusions, Past Lives, Religion, Sex, Politics, And The Miracles of Forgiveness by Gary R. Renard is a spiritual collection of extraordinary conversations between the author and two mysterious "ascended masters" who have revealed secrets of existence and the true power of forgiveness. A impressively detailed, a 368-page spiritual and metaphysical examination of the essence of life and what it means to live fully, The Disappearance Of The Universe is welcome and recommended addition to Metaphysical Studies reading lists.

The Elements Of Moral Philosophy With A Bief Account Of The Nature, Progress, And Origin Of Philosophy
David Forduce (Thomas D. Kenned, Editor)
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, Suite 300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1684
0865973903, $12.00 (pb); 086597389X, $20.00 (hc), 1-800-955-8335

First written in eighteenth century, The Elements Of Moral Philosophy by David Forduce is a dramatic text embodying man's moral facilities, social obligations, human duty to God, and much more. A profound writing that has passed the test of centuries to offer relevant wisdom in the field of philosophy, this new edition is edited and features an introduction by Thomas D. Kennedy (Associate Professor of Philosophy, Valparaiso University). The Elements Of Moral Philosophy is core addition to Philosophy Studies reference collections.

@ The Entry Level
Michael Ball
Pure Play Press
8731 Vine Valley Drive, Glencrest Hills, CA 91352
0972156607, $15.95, 1-818-768-1710, www.careerfreshman.com

@ The Entry Level: On Survival, Success, & Your Calling As A Young Professional by Michael Ball (Founder and CEO of Career Freshman Company, an organization dedicated to helping young professionals discover success, passion, and fulfillment in their work) is a superbly presented survival guide specifically for business students and recent graduates looking to further their career in the corporate world. Practical advice on everything from changing one's major; to the basics of branding; to surviving office politics; to balancing responsibilities, @ The Entry Level is a strongly recommended supplementary resource, especially for those who are just entering the turbulent hierarchy of business and coming to terms with corporate middle management.

Shakespeare And The Tudor Rose
Elisabeth Sears
Meadow Geese Press
PO Box 345, Marshfield Hills, MA 02051
0966556445, $21.95, www.MeadowGeesePress.com

Shakespeare And The Tudor Rose by Elisabeth Sears is an iconoclastic look at a very special aspect of English history and literature alike. Sears articulately advances the "Prince Tudor Theory" - the speculation that the so-called "Virgin Queen" Elizabeth I in fact had a child by Edward de Vere, who was 17th Earl of Oxford and the true author of the classic plays traditionally attributed to William Shakespeare. The Queen's heir allegedly found his birthright to the throne blocked by ministers, so that James VI of Scotland ultimately succeeded in rulership and changed history. An involving presentation, backed by meticulous evidence and intriguing speculation, Shakespeare And The Tudor Rose is thought-provoking and highly recommended reading.

The Magical Master Snowman And The Black Dragon
Josephine Chaudoin Harrison
Granville Island Publishing
RR#1 L59, Bowen Island, BC, Canada, V0N 1G0
1894694120, $14.95, www.granvilleislandpublishing.com

Written and illustrated by Josephine Chaudoin Harrison, The Magical Master Snowman And The Black Dragon is an original, absorbing and imaginative fairytale, deftly broaching the subject of a child's death and the destiny of the soul. Enchanting black-and-white crosshatch illustrations as well as an inset selection of color plates enhance this moving parable which is highly recommended reading and appropriate for all ages.

Questions And Answers For Deep South Gardeners
Nellie Neal
B.B. Mackey Books
PO Box 475, Wayne, PA 19087
189344306X, $12.95, www.mackeybooks.com

Questions And Answers For Deep South Gardeners a practical garden troubleshooting book, compiled from real questions called into author and gardening expert Nellie Neal on the SuperTalk MS Radio Network. Advice, tips, tricks, techniques, plant care and vermin control strategies and more fill this enjoyable, informative, and do-it-yourself useful guide for dedicated gardeners and horticulturalists in the southern states.

The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide
Elizabeth Lluch & Alex Lluch
WeddingSolutions.com
c/o National Book Network
4270 Boston Way, Lanham, MD 20706
1887169326 $19.95, 1-800-462-6420

The collaborative effort of Elizabeth Lluch & Alex Lluch, The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide is a superbly organized and handily accessible wedding planner. Subject tabs, no-nonsense instructions and recommendations, color photographs, practical advice, enduring traditions, and more fill the pages of this useful and highly recommended guide which is specially crafted with a spiral binding to lay flat for easy reference. If there is a wedding in your future, then get yourself a personal copy of The Ultimate Wedding Planning Guide!

The Paintings Of E. M. Saniga
Abraham A. Davidson
Rutledge Books, Inc.
107 Mill Plain Road, Suite 302, Danbury, CT 06811
1582441383, $29.95, 1-800-278-8533, www.amazon.com

The Paintings Of E. M. Saniga is a deftly written work of sophisticated artistic criticism by Abraham A. Davidson (Professor of Art History, Tyler School of Art, Temple University). Black-and-white as well as color photographs of E. M. Saniga are presented side-by-side with objective and insightful assessments of the works, their subjects, and their deeper meanings in this strongly recommended analysis intended for the serious art connoisseur and dedicated student of American art history.

World Coup
Marlo Melamed
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut Street, 11th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1401071910, $22.99, www.xlibris.com, www.amazon.com

World Coup: When Nuclear War Begins, The World Leaders Are Powerless is a gripping novel by political observer and novelist Marlo Melamed of a rising worldwide tension which escalates into a global panic, and then a seemingly unstoppable nuclear war. Only a few extraordinary individuals have a chance of succeeding where world leaders have failed, and bringing human civilization back from the brink of a nuclear Armageddon. An involving, tersely written thriller, World Coup is one of those riveting novels which are so easy to pick up and so hard to put down!

Advice From The Attic
Monica Dale
Hatpin Press
3734 Cross Bow Ct., Ellicott City, MD 21042
0970141637 $12.95 1-410-461-3449

Advice From The Attic: Perilous Pearls Of Wisdom On Beauty, Charm, And Etiquette is a lighthearted guide of advice for women, compiled by Monica Dale who has assembled a variety of authentic excerpts from the 19th and 20th centuries. Emphatically not a practical resource for contemporary women, Advice From The Attic is intended for amusement and humor, as it preserves memories of the extreme lengths of what society used to expect and demand from women scarcely a few generations ago. Eyebrow-raising articles include "The Dangers of Bobbed Hair"; "Banishing Slang from the Vocabulary"; "The Charm of Hiding Intelligence"; and many more. A fascinating window through time into the social attitudes of the past, Advice From The Attic is unabashedly funny, often surprising, and truly fascinating reading from cover to cover.

You Will Find a Way
Corbin L. Cherry
HGG Publishers
245 Morningsun Ave., Mill Valley, CA 94941
0972149716 $22.00 1-415-388-8221

You Will Find A Way: The Inner Spirit of Golf by Corbin L. Cherry embraces the mind, body, and spirit of golf, delving into the soulful benefits of enjoying a truly beloved pastime. Challenge, sportsmanship, the joy of connecting with friends on the course and much more fill this emotional and passionate tribute. You Will Find A Way is impressive and highly recommended reading for anyone who has ever held walked out upon the green and sought that perfect golfing experience.

Nature Exposed To Our Method of Questioning
Amy Ione
The Diatrope Press
2161 Shattuck Avenue, Suite 234, Berkeley, CA 94704-1313
097253301X $24.50 www.diatrope.com

Now in it's second edition, Nature Exposed to Our Method Of Questioning by Amy Ione is a thoughtful and thought-provoking, philosophical study focused around questions such as "How do premodern, modern, and postmodern perspectives in art, religion, philosophy, and science interpenetrate?" Emphasizing the benefits of open models rather than explanatory models to better understand reality, Nature Exposed To Our Method Of Questioning is a thoughtful, literate, intricate, and articulate presentation. Nature Exposed To Our Method Of Questioning is an impressive and original contribution to Science History, Philosophy, and Religious Studies reading lists.

Women Who Lived And Loved North Of 60
Toni Graeme
Trafford Publishing
Suite 6E, 2333 Government St., Victora, BC V8T 4P4, Canada
1552124495 $11.67 1-888-232-4444 www.trafford.com

Women Who Lived and Loved North of 60 by Toni Graeme is a collection of brief yet inspirational and evocative anecdotes drawn from a wide variety of women who call the upper latitudes of Canada home. Describing what it is like to work and survive in a frequently cold land during the twentieth century, and offering unforgettable glimpses into the joys and travails of a simple life, Women Who Lived And Loved North Of 60 is a captivating read , as well as being a unique and highly recommended contribution to personal and academic Women's Studies collections.

Handguns And Freedom
Joe Pierre
Writers Club Press
c/o iUniverse, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
059526056X $12.95 www.iuniverse.com

Handguns And Freedom by Joe Pierre is both a practical guide to selecting a handgun for self-defense (and using it responsibly), and a sharply announced wake-up-call arguing persuasively for the importance of preserving the second amendment and taking a stand against overzealous gun control efforts. An astutely written and passionate combination of basic primer and heartfelt oratory, Handguns And Freedom is very highly recommended reading for all gun owners and gun policy advocates.


The Fiction Shelf

Saugus To The Sea
Bill Brown
Smart Cookie Publishing
#4 - 2017 West 15th Avenue, Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6J 2L4
0968974406, $12.95, www.webspotter.com/smartcookie

Saugus To The Sea is a remarkable debut novel by Bill Brown and set amidst the underground counter-culture of Los Angeles. Billy Brown is an ordinary man who finds himself increasingly sucked into an extraordinary web of events ranging from a network of antique underground sprinklers to a bizarre cabal of Arbor Day anarchists who have their ruthless sights set on Hollywood Boulevard. Establishing Bill Brown as an original writer of considerable talent, Saugus To The Sea is recommended as a tongue-in-cheek and wild-side ride of a conspiracy-theory read.

The Losers' Club
Richard Perez
Ludlow Press
PO Box 2612, New York, NY 10009-9998
0971341591, $12.95, www.ludlowpress.com

Winner of the Breakthrough Fiction Award, The Losers' Club by Richard Perez is set in New York City in the mid 90's. Martin Sierra is an aspiring Don Juan with inclinations toward writing as a career encounters Nikki, his dream woman. But Nikki is someone who is impossible to win in romance, yet she is quick to become his close friend and confidant. Comedy, inept adventure, and close relationships under the pallor of doom form the heart of this engaging, original, and highly entertaining novel.

The Dry Well
Dawn Lyons
Accolade Books
4204 Turtle Crossing, Niceville, FL 32578
0972555803, $16.95, www.dawnlyons.com

Half of author Dawn Lyon's proceeds from the sales of The Dry Well will be used to help rape victims -- an additional reason to pick up and read The Dry Well, alongside its poignant characterization and haunting journey through trauma and recovery. A single mother suffers unspeakable harm when her son is away from the summer, and repercussions cause her mental anguish and delusions, threatening to destroy her life. A powerful and compelling narrative, The Dry Well is to be commended for its emphasis of the power of hope and strength within each us.

Acts Of Love On Indigo Road
Jonis Agee
Coffee House Press
27 North Fourth Street, Minneapolis, MN 55401
1566891388, $16.95, 1-800-283-3572

Acts Of Love On Indigo Road is an anthology of new and selected short stories by acclaimed author Jonis Agee that poignantly epitomize small-town life, and dealing with daily trials while striving for something more. Humble yet involving narratives fill the pages of this emotional and evocative collection. Acts Of Love On Indigo Road is an impressive and extraordinary anthology which is a "must read" for Jonis Agee fans and admirers.

Those Who Give
Rosemary Cania Maio
1st Books Library
2595 West Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404-2782
1403333602, $40.95, 1-800-839-8640, www.1stbooks.com

Set in a public high school in upstate New York, starting in the year 1980, Those Who Give is an involving and complex saga about the human condition, as Alyssa Matthews, Jean Tevarro, and Bonnie Mason are caught up in the conflicts between greed and ethics, love and the fear of heartbreak. With a wicked string of irony running through turbulent passions, Those Who Give is commended as being a deftly written and sharply insightful novel, as author Rosemary Cania Maio combines tragedy with comedy, history with prophecy, celebration with indictment, and epic storytelling with memorably identifiable characters.

Sealing Fate
David P. Warren
Option-3 Publishing
c/o Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists
2525 West Anderson Lane, Suite 540, Austin, TX 78757
0972453205, $9.95, 1-512-478-2028, www.bookpros.com

Sealing Fate is a deftly written and attention gripping novel by David P. Warren about a successful married attorney who has just been newly elected to Congress. Yet in a moment of weakness Brian Madsen shares a passionate affair with a beautiful campaign staffer... who then becomes utterly obsessed with him. Blackmail, murder, and deadly peril threaten from all sides in this chilling "fatal attraction" style thrill ride.

North Star Bay
Richard Thompson
Knox Jones Enterprises
PO Box 6672, Ellicott City, MD 21042
0967561337, $20.00, www.amazon.com

North Star Bay is an exciting novel by Richard Thompson which is set in 1968 when a clandestine clash takes place between diverse nations over lost megatonage H-Bombs, one of which has survived in the sea near Greenland. A fast-paced, action-packed thriller about deadly scuffles and desperate machinations, acts of heroism and terrible tragedy, North Star Bay is a compelling read from beginning to end.

Louisiana Breakdown
Lucius Shepard
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 East Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802-7730
1930846142, $21.95, 1-800-888-4741, www.goldengryphon.com, www.amazon.com

Louisiana Breakdown is an impressively written and thoroughly entertaining novel by Lucius Shepard that blends superstition and lore with faith, potions, and machinations. When a new figure arrives in a small Louisiana because his BMW breaks down, he becomes caught up in the town's tradition of appointing a ten-year-old Midsummer Queen every twenty years. A dark fantasy, Louisiana Breakdown is commended as an imaginative and thought-provoking tale of the fantastic.

Dawn Of The Transcendence
D. Mikels
Vantage Press, Inc.
516 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
0533139759 $19.95 1-212-736-1767 www.amazon.com

Dawn Of The Transcendence by D. Mikels is a novel of a nameless young man's enigmatic journey through both mundane and mystical planes. His journey encompasses experience and understanding beyond the limited range his mind as ever encountered, with unexpected revelations about the true strengths and foibles of human nature. A uniquely written and captivating saga, Dawn Of The Transcendence is original, thoughtful, and thought-provoking reading.

The Death of Thomas Merton
Paul Hourihan
Vedantic Shores Press
PO Box 493100, Redding, CA 96049
1931816018 $13.95 www.VedanticShoresPress.com

The Death Of Thomas Merton by Paul Hourihan is a novelization of the last day in the life of the famous Catholic monk and writer Thomas Merton, who in December 1968 suffered an terrible, accidental demise while attending a monastic conference in Thailand in 1968. Reinterpreting Merton's character, studying his spirituality and beliefs, and perusing the question of why God would allow him to die, The Death of Thomas Merton is a profound and thoughtful testimony and speculation which is very highly recommended reading both as a work of fact-based fiction and as a thoughtfully speculative portrayal of Thomas Merton in terms of his life and his thought.

Broken Gourds
Beresford McLean
TFG Press
331 W. 57th Street, #465, New York, NY 10019
0972001751 $15.95 1-212-399-1961 www.thefloatinggallery.com

Set in a small Jamaican farming village, Broken Gourds by Beresford McLean is the deftly written and engaging story of a lowly healer, who seeks to empower the suffering yet who learns the hard way that with power comes immense temptation and the seven deadly sins. The eternal struggle of human nature and man at war with himself is exquisitely captured in this exotic yet empathetic tale.

Miriam
Jack Jacobson
Starbound Books
610 East Delano Street, Suite 104, Tucson, AZ 85705
1587360624 $13.95 1-888-934-0888 www.starboundbooks.com

Miriam is the story of a young girl in a rugged land which is under the oppressive domination of the Roman Empire. Her promise will change the world. Author Jack Jacobson has crafted a powerful story of iron will, fateful decision, deadly violence and retribution. Highly recommended reading, Miriam truly captivates and enthralls the readers total attention down to the very last page.

Men Made for War
J. R. Gathings
Adjutant Press
PO Box 8221, Wilmington, Delaware 19803
0971768609 $9.95 www.adjutantpress.com

Men Made For War is a determined and gripping novel by Vietnam veteran J. R. Gathings that fully and vividly captures the courage, frustrations, and life-gripping terror of hazardous service in the Vietnam War. Men Made For War is a gripping story that crystallizes the yearning to go back, to return to find what happened to fallen comrades and to the members of a smuggling ring that was uncovered 30 years ago. Gripping and hard to put down, Men Made For War is highly recommended action/adventure/suspense reading.

Aindreas the Messenger
Gerald McDaniel
VanMeter Publishing
PO Box 1268, Jeffersonville, IN 47131
0967366712 $14.95 www.vanmeterpublishing.com

Aindreas The Messenger: Louisville, Kentucky 1855 by Gerald McDaniel is the debut publication of VanMeter Publishing and the first volume of a planned four volume series. Aindreas is an Irish-Catholic boy who with the help of angelic Mr. Knight and the heroic dog Konig, tends to his dying mother and befriends a slave family. Illustrated with occasional historic period drawings, Aindreas The Messenger is a deftly written, highly recommended novel, just exactly the kind that is so easy to pick up and so difficult to put down. Readers will look eagerly forward to the other books comprising the series: Aindreas: The Scribe 1865; Aindreas: The Odyssey 1876-1892; and Aindreas: The Dissenter 1918.

Kirchborn
Kent C. Gilmore
Golden Hills Press
PO Box 425, Creston, CA 93432
0966705602 $24.95 www.kirchborn.com

Kirchborn by Kent C. Gilmore is a dark novel about an insidious international terrorist organization called "Kirchborn" that infiltrates its tendrils into prestigious corporations. Bret Roemer is a young New York attorney who finds himself falling in love with a beautiful woman named Claire, and getting caught in the crossroads of murder and domination as he must solve the enigma of Kirchborn, at terrible personal cost. Captivating and delightfully deceptive reading, Kirchborn is highly recommended for personal and community library contemporary fiction shelves.

The Song My Soul Remembers
Jo Williams
Coastal Villages Press
2614 Boundary Street, Beaufort, SC 29906
1882943147 $19.95 www.coastal-villages.com

The Song My Soul Remembers by Jo Williams is a compelling novel about love, happiness, grief, and the journey through womanhood. Mayeve is a young woman living in the fifties in a small Southern town who ekes her way amidst stone-walled, stiff-upper-lip neighbors, until a star-crossed love affair with the Champ (a black youth) changes her life forever. Years later, Eve meets a young attorney with an unspeakable secret, and together they search for love and rebuilding beyond the memories of the painful past. The Song My Soul Remembers is recommended as an especially poignant and heartfelt tale.

Life And Times Of Ellemar Why
Vladimir Chernozemsky
Triumvirate Publications
One On One (publicity)
497 West Avenue 44, Los Angeles, CA 90065-3917
0970997558 $24.95 1-818-340-0175

Life And Times Of Ellemar Why by Vladimir Chernozemsky is an original and unusual novel set in Istanbul in the late fifties. Ellemar Why is a young actor escaping Communist Bulgaria becomes drawn into a dissolving mesh of fantastic events, adventure, and realities askew to his own. Drawn into a battle against elusive netherworld evil, Ellemar must fight for the sake of history and the future as well as his own survival in this haunting and involving saga. An experience author of 43 plays, movie scripts and novels, Life And Times Of Ellemar Why continues to document Vladimir Chernozemsky's exceptional literary talent.


The Biography Shelf

Within Reach
Michael Copeland & Debra Copeland
Xulon Press
11350 Random Hills Road, Suite 800, Fairfax, VA 22030
1591603919, $13.99 (pb); 1591603927, $23.99 (hc); 1-866-909-2665, www.XulonPress.com

Within Reach: An Inspirational Journey into the Life, Legacy and Influence of Billy Barty is a remarkable testimony, memorial, and treasure trove of admiration for Billy Barty, the Hollywood film actor whose most enduring legacy is perhaps his co-founding of the organization "The Little People of America". Compiled and written by Michael Copeland (one of Billy Barty's nephews) and his wife Debra Copeland, Within Reach is a compendium of anecdotes from a wide range of famous people who remember and reminisce about Billy Barty. Within Reach is suggested reading for all Billy Barty fans. Also highly recommended is the Billy Barty website at www.billybarty.com

Jimmy Carter's Hometown: People Of Plains
Duane Hutchinson
Foundation Books
PO Box 22828, Lincoln, NE 68542-2828
0934988412, $19.95, www.foundationbooks.com

Former President Jimmy Carter himself provides the foreword to Jimmy Carter's Hometown: People Of Plains. Duane Hutchinson has compiled an extraordinary set of conversations with a variety of down-to-earth individuals who grew up with Jimmy Carter and includes his family, friends, classmates, and fellows in the community, as well as diverse views from local historians. A highly enjoyable book filled with illuminating conversations about the people who knew the former President when he was just an ordinary friend, Jimmy Carter's Hometown: People Of Plains is "must" reading for all friends, fans, and admirers of one of the hardest working, most beloved, sincerely admired and internationally respected of the post-World War II "ex-presidents" of the United States.

The Book Of Omens
Jon Jacobs
Spiral Staircase Publishing
54 N.E. 43rd Street, Miami, FL 33137
0972452958, $19.95, www.amazon.com

The Book Of Omens: The Magical True Adventures Of A Self-Made Movie Star is the amazing autobiography of Jon Jacobs, a British-born actor who followed his own dreams to stardom and who has appeared in (or directed) over two dozen feature films. Jon's marvelous life and his deep belief in omens as signals from the universe itself to guide him to his ultimate destiny, mark this original, attention engaging, and reader enriching narrative. Enhanced with the inclusion of a 105-minute DVD of the movie "Lucinda's Spell", The Book Of Omens is truly exceptional and confidently recommended.

Star In The East
Roland Vernon
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
0971078688, $16.95, www.sentientpublications.com

Star In The East: Krishnamurti, The Invention Of A Messiah is a thoughtful and informative biography of Krishnamurti, a most remarkable man who was raised from childhood as the Theosophical Society's "messiah" and anticipated spiritual savior of the world. Examining the young Krishnamurti's tutelage, his maturity and and personal strivings, Star In The East fully captures the heart and soul of a truly extraordinary and dedicated individual.

The Evolution Of The Nation of Islam
Jesus Muhammad-Ali
JMA Publishing
4631 South Lake Park Avenue, Suite 207-D, Chicago IL 60653
0972519203 $9.95 www.jmamasterprints.com

The Evolution Of The Nation Of Islam: The Story Of The Honorable Elijah Muhammad is a compelling and informative biography written by the grandson of the famous, charismatic, founder and leader of the Nation of Islam, the well-known African-American religious movement. Presenting an up-close and very personal view by the family of Elijah Muhammad's strengths and foibles, The Evolution Of The Nation Of Islam offers a vivid and memorable picture of this controversial and influential twentieth century African-American religious figure.

Gilly: A Humble Crusader
Howard Roberts and Barbara Munson
Two Pillars Press
22588 Westview Avenue, Golden, CO 80401
096487542X $20.00 1-303-526-9095

Gilly: A Humble Crusader is the intrinsically interesting biography of Gilbert Roberts, an ordinary man who set out to accomplish a happy life for himself and his family. Just as Gilbert reached his fifties (in 1955), he happened to visit a Navajo Indian reservation and witness terrible starvation. Gilbert Roberts then spent the rest of his life striving to help these Native Americans. Co-authored by Gilbert Roberts' son Howard Roberts, Gilly: A Humble Crusader is an especially recommended and poignantly thoughtful look at life, the bonds of family, of love, of social obligation, and personal dedication.

Baba Jan's Chronicles
Dr. M. Kabir Younoszai
Millennial Mind Publishing
325 East 2400 South, Salt Lake City, Utah 84115
1589821114 $22.00 www.american-book.com

Baba Jan's Chronicles: The Life of a Twentieth Century Afghan is the insightful and memorable biography of Baba Jan, the well-known and much-loved patriarch of an Afghan family, known to most people as General Sahib. His life and its intersection with the complex political climate and terrible wars that Afghan has suffered is remembered in detail in this moving and respectful memorial.

The Inspired Heart
Jerry Wennstrom
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
0971078696 $18.95 www.sentientpublications.com

Autobiographically written by Jerry Wennstrom, The Inspired Heart: An Artist's Journey Of Transformation is the story of an artist's journey in search of truth. In 1979, New York artist Jerry Wennstrom destroyed his own paintings, gave away his money and possessions, and sought to purge his personal identity, and in the process, open himself to wonder. This remarkable artist's memoir is enhanced with black-and-white photographs and a 16-page inset section of full-color plates showcasing a series of magnificent interactive box art. The Inspired Heart is a unique and quite remarkable contribution to 20th Century Art History reading lists.

The Right Thing
Cmdr. Scott Waddle (Ret.) with Ken Abraham
Integrity Publishers
c/o Integrity Media, Inc.
5250 Virginia Way, Suite 110, Brentwood, TN 37027
1591450365 $21.99 www.integritypublishers.com

The Right Thing is a firsthand account written (with the assistance of Ken Abraham) by Scott Waddle, the captain of the nuclear submarine USS Greeneville, which in February 2001 collided with a Japanese fishing boat resulting in a tragic loss of life. Rather than conceal or deny his role in the deaths of nine people, Waddle took the witness stand to speak directly to the truth about what happened that fateful day. This compelling memoir presents Waddle's story in personal detail, while also offering an invaluable glimpse into naval life -- as well as taking a cold look at hard choices that must be taken by those in command.

Dear Donna It's only 45 Hours from Bien Hoa
Douglas Neralich
1st Books Library
2595 West Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404-2782
0759691193 $22.95 1-800-839-8640 www.1stbooks.com

Dear Donna It's only 45 Hours from Bien Hoa by Douglas Neralich is the gut-wrenching personal account of his year in Vietnam. An elementary school teacher turned Army medic, Douglas was only twenty-two when called to serve his country as part of the 36th Engineer Battalion, stations at Vinh Long, in Vietnam in 1970. The vignettes presented are both gripping and horrifying, sometimes gentle, sometimes cruel, and taken altogether form an unforgettable picture of the war in this engaging memoir. Enhanced with occasional pencil sketches, Dear Donna It's only 45 Hours from Bien Hoa is a welcome and recommended contribution to Vietnam Military History collections and reading lists.

Bertie And Me: Kids On A Ranch
Billie Lee Snyder Thornburg
The Old 101 Press
2202 Leota Drive, North Platte, NE 69101
0972161309 $18.95 1-308-534-0144 www.theold101press.com

Bertie And Me: Kids On A Ranch by Billie Lee Snyder Thornburg is the inherently fascinating narrative of a true 1900's pioneer. Capturing the humble joys and sorrows of growing up on a Nebraska Sandhill Ranch, these autobiographical and anecdotal tales add fresh color and wonder into such routine and daily activities such as trapping muskrats, milking cows, and the remarkable day when "Mama Goes To Vote" because women had just received the right to vote in Nebraska. Captivating and nigh-impossible to put down, Bertie And Me: Kids On A Ranch is a superbly written memoir and very highly recommended reading!

Memoirs Of An American Housewife In Japan
Pauline Hager
Infinity Publishing.com
519 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 19041-1413
0741407477 $14.95 1-877-289-2665 www.buybooksontheweb.com

Memoirs Of An American Housewife In Japan is the true autobiographical story of Pauline Hager, an amazing American woman, who had to adjust to the completely different culture of Japan when her husband had to work there on a multinational project. Living in housing especially designed for Westerners, and surrounded by friendly neighbors from all over the world, Pauline met the challenges of accepting new ways and of coping with language barriers, strict yet unfamiliar rules of etiquette, and much, much more. Memoirs Of An American Housewife In Japan is highly recommended, deftly written reading -- especially for anyone who finds themselves having to cope with being a stranger in a strange land!


The Self-Help Shelf

Knowing Yourself
Virginia Schroeder Burnham
Sundial Publications
c/o Sunstone Press
PO Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321
0865341516, $14.95, 1-800-243-5644, www.amazon.com

Written by medical research consultant Virginia Burham in collaboration with psychiatrist William H. Hampton), Knowing Yourself is a self-help book that focuses on learning more about oneself, and using that knowledge and wisdom to improve both one's own lot and that of others. Individual chapters address distinctions in the self between men and women; aspects of sexuality; the workings of the brain; the makeup of personality, and more. A fascinating and involving read that embraces the classic wisdom of Socrates himself when he said, "Know thyself, for once we know ourselves, we may learn how to care for ourselves, but otherwise we never shall.", Knowing Yourself is an especially commended addition to Self-Help/Self-Improvement reading lists.

Bringing Out The Best In Others
Thomas K. Connellan
Bard Press
5275 McCormick Mountain Drive, Austin, TX 78734
188516758X, $19.95, www.bardpress.com

A superb addition to any personal self-help, self-improvement reading list, Bringing Out The Best In Others: 3 Keys For Business Leaders, Educators, Coaches, And Parents by Thomas K. Connellan presents three useful keys to bringing out peak achievement and performance in the people we live and work with. A highly accessible and motivational guide for parents, coaches, business leaders, volunteer organization coordinators and much more, Bringing Out The Best In Others offers solid, upbeat advice and is not to be missed!

The Purpose Of Life
B. N. Stevens
Eloidean Publishing Company
41 The Esplanade, Mudjimba, Queensland, Australia, 4564
0957979606, $TBA, (07) 5448-8905, stevensbn@bigpond.com

The Purpose Of Life: A Dictionary Of Human Behaviour by B.N. Stevens is a unique and original reference filled with alphabetical listings that range from Aberrant Behavior, Adolescence, and Adultery, to Xenophobia and Zoology. Each individual entry has a description (usually a couple paragraphs long), that succinctly captures the specific trait in terms of genetically motivated and survival-oriented behavior. A scientifically-minded resource for better understanding what has made humans tick over the process of their evolution, The Purpose Of Life is commended to individual and professional self-help, self-improvement, and counseling assistance reference collections and reading lists.

Women Taking Charge
Paula Leslie, LCSW, BCD
Essential Life Strategies
415 Cambridge Avenue, Suite 22, Palo Alto, CA 94306
0972330607 $18.95 www.ELStrategies.com

Women Taking Charge: 5 Steps to Succeed In Life And Work by psychotherapist and organizational consultant Paula Leslie is a straightforward self-help book written for women seeking to identify and control their anger, and who wish to making the best of bad news, and channel their vigor into a chosen career path. Sound advice, self-test exercises, encouragement and more fill this useful and highly recommended guide to personal and emotional success.

Sisters And Brothers All These Years
Lillian S. Hawthorne
VanderWyk & Burnham
PO Box 2789, Acton, Massachusetts 01720
www.VandB.com
1889242195 $9.95 1-800-789-7916

Sisters And Brothers All These Years: Taking Another Look At The Longest Relationship In Your Life by clinical social worker and educator Lillian S. Hawthorne is an inspirational "self-help guide" which is especially recommended for the non-specialist general reader seeking to understand and cherish the bond between siblings. Individual chapters offer a wealth of anecdotes, wisdom, and advice specific to childhood and adult sibling relationships; the profound power of love; and a great deal more. Sisters And Brothers All These Years is an invaluable and appreciated contribution to Family & Relationship Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

How To Read How-To and Self-Help Books
Janne Ruokonen
Rivion Publishing
PO Box 220275, Chicago, IL 60622
095435060X $27.95 www.amazon.com

How To Read How-To And Self-Help Books by psychologist and management consultant Janne Ruokonen is a simple and practical guide to getting the best use out of personal development books, tapes, and seminars. With informative tips for avoiding myths about self-help, cogent advice against pitfalls that block one's ability to absorb wisdom, illustrative anecdotes, "real world" solid techniques for achieving consistent improvement, How To Read How-To And Self-Help Books is very highly recommended for the non-specialist general reader and a superb addition to any personal or community library self-help reference shelf.

The Lazy Way To Success
Fred Gratzon, author & Lawrence Sheaff, illustrator
Soma Press
PO Box 1134, Fairfield, Iowa 52556
0972046402 $27.95 www.lazyway.net

The Lazy Way To Success: How To Do Nothing And Accomplish Everything, is a uniquely insightful self-help book, illustrated with humorous caricatures, and which presents a very strong message -- frantically working yourself to fragments is not the way to success and happiness. Instead, self-improvement and self-enhancement arises from using our mind, from choosing carefully the work that needs to be done, from seeking solutions at a subtler level than the problem, and from avoiding the insanity of unnecessary work at all costs. Featuring a wisdom that is reminiscent of (and in some ways similar to) Taoism, The Lazy Way To Success is a very highly recommended self-help guide.


The Social Issues Shelf

Citizenship: The 100 Questions
Thomas Esparza, Jr. and Esther LaMadrid-Esparza
Star Light Press
La Madrid Building, 1811 S. First St., Austin, TX 78704
1879817268 $9.95 www.starlightpress.com

Now in a fully updated third edition (and based on Immigration and Naturalization Service forms and tests), Citizenship: The 100 Questions is a complete, 64-page, English/Spanish study guide to United States history and government. A matching audio cassette accompanies this simple, practical resource. Packed from cover to cover with essential, basic information that all American citizens, both natural and naturalized, should know, Citizenship: The 100 Questions is specifically and especially recommended for anyone studying to pass their American citizenship examination.

Tales From The Trenches
Len Wood and Joe Baker
The Training Shoppe
4228 Palos Verdes Drive East Rancho, Palos Verdes, CA 90275
0963437496 $44.95 www.trainingshoppe.com

Collaboratively written by former city managers Len Wood and Joe Baker, Tales From The Trenches: Achievements, Blunders And Challenges In Local Government Management is a grand collection of great achievements and ridiculous blunders in local government. Innovations, challenges, and good intentions that went horribly wrong, pack the pages of this involving and highly readable guide which is especially recommended reading for all voters, and which will provide particularly meaningful to those with a personal and/or professional interest in local politics.

The Ethics of Touch
Ben E. Benjamin, Ph.D. and Cherie Sohnen-Moe
Sohnen-Moe Associates, Inc.
3906 W. Ina Rd. #200-367, Tucson, AZ 85741-2295
1882908406 $28.00 1-800-786-4774 www.sohnen-moe.com

A truly "hands-on" practitioner's guide to creating a professional organized, efficiently operated, safe and enduring touch therapy practice, The Ethics of Touch is the collaborative effort on professional therapist ethics by touch therapy expert Ben E. Benjamin (Chairperson, AMTA Council of Schools Professional and Sexual Ethics Task Force) and international workshop provider and small business coach Cherie Sohnen-Moe. All the common dilemmas confronting touch therapy practitioners are identified and addressed. Reflective exercises and questions enable the reader to personalize each chapter with the subject matter organized into sections focused on "Ethical Principles", "Boundaries", "Dynamics of Effective Communication", "Dual Relationships", "Sex, Touch and Intimacy", "Ethical Practice Management", "Business Ethics", "Special Considerations in Cases of Trauma", and "Supervision". Enhanced with appendices providing "Forms", "Specialized Protocols", and "Codes of Ethics", The Ethics Of Touch is strongly recommended reading for anyone engaging in any form of therapy with patients or clients that necessitates personal touch as part of the treatment regimen.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Home Allergies: Don't Let Your Home Make You Sick
William E. Walsh, M.D.
Adult & Child Allergy Publications, Inc.
University Park Medical Building, Suite 450, St. Paul, MN 55104-3729
0963154419, $12.95, 651-645-8182 (phone), 651-649-3509 (fax)

Written specifically for the non-specialist general reader, Home Allergies: Don't Let Your Home Make You Sick by Mayo Clinic trained and board-certified allergist Dr. William E. Walsh is a very practical guide to improving the air quality of one's home in order to reduce or eliminate allergies. From choose and properly maintaining the right devices to circulate household air, to coping with pets in the home, to special precautions to the bedroom where the average person spends 1/3 of his or her life (usually sleeping), Home Allergies is a positive and useful handbook recommended for allergy sufferers everywhere.

Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness
David Frank & Bernard Mooney
Crown House Publishing Limited
4 Berkeley Street, Norwalk, CT 06850
1899836748, $37.95, 1-203-852-9504, www.amazon.com

Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness is a serious and thoughtful discussion of the healing benefits of hypnosis in the treatment of life-threatening and chronic diseases. Written by leading figures in the British Association for the Person Centered Approach David Frank and Bernard Mooney, Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness carefully and considerately examines therapeutic hypnosis for matters such as childbirth, pain relief, stammering, asthma, chronic fatigue syndrome, emotional health, and more. Hypnosis & Counselling In The Treatment Of Chronic Illness is an intelligent and articulate study of this branch of alternative medicine that is suitable for professionals in the field as well as interested non-specialist general readers.

Misinformed Consent
Lise Cloutier-Steele
Next Decade, Inc.
39 Old Farmstead Road, Chester, NJ 07930-2732
0970090862 $16.95 www.nextdecade.com

Now in a newly revised edition, Misinformed Consent: Women's Stories About Unnecessary Hysterectomy by Lise Cloutier-Steele is a powerful and articulately written presentation of the pitfalls, traumas, and harm that come to women from having their uterus surgically removed - a procedure that happens to approximately one-third of all North American women by the age of sixty. Sometimes hysterectomy may be necessary, but it is a drastic medical procedure that may result in physical, sexual, and psychological damage. Misinformed Consent informatively examines alternatives to the procedure, as well as offering the stories of women who underwent it in their own words. If you or a loved one are considering a hysterectomy, give a careful reading to Misinformed Consent.

Help For The Caring
Brenda Parris Sibley
Writers Club Press
c/o iUniverse.com
5220 S. 16th, Ste. 200, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595253563 $11.95 www.iuniverse.com

Expertly compiled by Brenda Parris Sibley, Help For The Caring is an impressively organized bibliography and filmography gathering and presenting information about literary biographies, poetry, fiction, and instructional and dramatic movies focused on the subject of Alzheimer's disease and taking care of those stricken with it. An exemplary resource, packed with descriptions, web sites, and more, and with its bibliographic entries sorted into several main categories according to subject matter, Help For The Caring is a very highly recommended resource for anyone charged with the personal or professional responsibility of caring for Alzheimer's family members or patients.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

On The Mother Lagoon: Fly Fishing And The Spiritual Journey
Kathy Sparrow
Wish Publishing
PO Box 10337, Terre Haute, IN 47801
1930546629, $16.95, www.wishpublishing.com

On The Mother Lagoon: Fly Fishing And The Spiritual Journey by Katy Sparrow combines her "one woman" adventure in learning how to fly fish on the Lower Laguna Madre of south Texas, with meditations on women's psychology and spirituality. With practical tips on how to choose the best rod, fly, and line, techniques for reading the water and wading stealthily, as well as thoughtful ponderings on embracing life and the joy of the catch, On The Mother Lagoon brings together a blended and highly recommended treatise on the love of fishing and the human desire to look beyond oneself.

Natural Urges
ChrisTina Leimer
Twisted Tree Press
PO Box 17816, Seattle, WA 98107
0971795002 $15.00 www.twistedtreepress.com

Natural Urges is an inspirational guide by ChrisTina Leimer to letting one's own spirit have free reign in daily life, the better to understand oneself and others. An emotional and thoughtful read about aligning one's energy with that of surrounding life, deeply sensitive and evocative, Natural Urges is a warmly recommended and thoroughly "reader friendly" addition to personal spirituality resource reading lists.


The Poetry Shelf

R. I. P.: A Poetic Sequence
Louis Phillips
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22, Livingston, AL 35470
1931982058, $12.00, www.uwa.edu, www.amazon.com

R. I. P.: A Poetic Sequence is a marvelous collection of poetry by Louis Phillips about Washington Irving's famous literary figure of Rip Van Winkle, the man who fell asleep for an age and awoke into a time he could barely comprehend. R.I.P.: A Poetic Sequence is soulful and recommended examination of the human spirit, of belonging, and of the yearning for something more from life. "But what freedom cd I have, / Being asleep all the time? / Ask me what I have learned, / I reply: The gods are no further away / Than the closing of my eyelids."

Adrift On Blinding Light
Paul Pines
Ikon Inc.
151 First Avenue, #46, New York, NY 10003
0945368062, $9.95, ikoninc@aol.com

Adrift On Blinding Light showcases the poetry of Paul Pines from 1970 to the present. Beginning with "Ossabaw Island Dream" which is set on a Georgia barrier island, continuing the "The Cry of Merlin", which is a meditation on poetry and its archetypal sources; and concluding with "Dragon Smoke" which weaves domestic dramas of family life in suburban Glans Falls with excursions to Ottawa and the Canadian Gatineau, Adrift On Blinding Light is an intensely personal record of the poet's evolution and transformation over three decades of time. We both wear diving gear.../she in a bikini./I follow her around deck/but lose her in a companionway./Did she swim off?/Did the hull-plates open/and she shoot out of my dream/like a torpedo?//Fragments of her after-image/on East 5th Street:/shop girls emerging/from 8 o'clock doorways/refreshed by dreamless sleep.//I want them./I want them all/around me like tendrils,/to confuse their limbs with mine.

Good Heart
Deborah Keenan
Milkweed Editions
1011 Washington Avenue South, #300, Minneapolis, MN 55415-1246
1571314156, !4.95, 1-800-520-6455, www.milkweed.com

Good Heart is a unique collection of free-verse poetry by Deborah Keenan who deals with mature themes, wistful longing for what is lost, the eternal beacon of hope, cherished memories, and more. Good Heart is recommended as being an evocatively written and lyrically moving work. Butterfly Weed: I love this flower, how it lifts/Above the fielded meadow grass,/Sounds in dry soil, wants/No rain, needs no rain.//From the milkweed family/You makes no milk, a flower/Not made to tend anything.//How I nursed my hatred/Of orange for years, how I loathed/The yellow milkwort for being/Orange, the jack-o-lanterns/Haunting the city steps.//Then the butterfly weed/Bloomed in the first meadow I knew/And the orange blossoms touched/Something in me, touched my hatred,/My easy ways with judgment,//And I let my love for the flower/Be a small victory against all/I've hated carelessly/With great attention and pride.

There's A Dog In The Heavens!
Martin Elster
Hats Off Books
610 East Delano Street, Suite 104, Tucson, AZ 85705
1587361531, $17.95, www.hatsoffbooks.com

There's A Dog In The Heavens! A Universe of Canine Verse is a joyful collection of engaging short poems by Martin Elster celebrating canine companions everywhere, from mutts to purebreds to foxes and wolves. A round of lyrical fun especially recommended for dog lovers everywhere. Use Your Head: Your puppy's like a two-year-old:/An explorer, inquisitive, bold./If she chews up your stuff/Try not to be rough/And don't punish her, hit her, or scold.//Just buy her some dog toys instead/So she won't go and chew your bedspread./If she does, don't yell "No!"/Say "Off!" and then show/Her a brand new stuffed toy -- use your head!

Classic Kwanzaa Poems
JohnnieRenee Nelson
House Of Nia
4014 Calmoor Street, National City, CA 91950
0962320552, $12.00, 1-619-479-4425, www.amazon.com

Classic Kwanzaa Poems is an engaging collection of brief, free-verse poetry by poet and educator JohnnieRenne Nelson celebrating the Kwanzaa holiday, love, memory, tradition, and endurance. A deeply spiritual book, this is a body of original verse which is highly recommended for those who cherish and celebrate Kwanzaa. The Seven Days Of Kwanzaa: The seven days of Kwanzaa/are the best days of the year/they're filled with love and laughter/with lessons and with cheer.//Our house is filled with symbols/decorated in the Kwanzaa colors/of black, red and green/a mat, candles, corn and fruit/make up the Kwanzaa scene.//Our hearts are filled with pride/as we celebrate our own/and have faith in a more fruitful tomorrow/from the Kwanzaa seeds we've sown.

Sisters Of The Circle: One Woman's Journey To Wholeness
Carol Haefner
Stories For Life, LLC
PO Box 682, Batavia, OH 45103
0972382348, $14.95, 1-513-503-3467, www.amazon.com

Carol Haefner's Sisters Of The Circle: One Woman's Journey To Wholeness is an emotional and highly recommended collection of compelling free-verse poetry, embracing the power of courage, survival, and ongoing steps in the journey of life. God (2/21/02): When I think of you/I draw a blank//I try to pray/but I don't think I know how//The formula prayers I was taught in school/never touched my heart/and now seem just as cold and/lifeless as I feel//Can you answer the prayer I don't know how to pray?

The Latest Winter
Maggie Nelson
Hanging Loose Press
231 Wyckoff Street, Brooklyn, NY 11217
1931236216, $13.00, www.hangingloosepress.com, www.amazon.com

The Latest Winter is a haunting collection of free-verse poetry by Maggie Nelson which covers a diversity of topics ranging from mundane life, to celebrations, to thoughts cut mid-stream by the September 11th attacks. These brief yet emotional lyrics convey the author's impressive poetic talents and personal convictions. "Strange spring weather in the middle of winter. / A man opens fire / atop the Empire State; / the mail brings a skeleton of a leaf / from my lover. / The leaf is so quiet and fragile, / can't pin it to the wall with a tack; / it would tear the leaf asunder."


The Travel Shelf

You Are Here Traveling with JohnnyJet.com
Eric Leebow with John E. DiScala
Yahbooks Publishing
30799 Pintetree Road, #356, Cleveland, OH 44124
097139914X, $14.95, www.yahbooks.com

The collaborative effort of Eric Leebow and John E. DiScala, You Are Here Traveling with JohnnyJet.com: The Ultimate Internet Travel Guide is a solidly presented, 570-page guide to making use of the Internet for researching ideal vacation spots, shopping for the right hotel or rented car, conserving one's finances, and a great deal more. More than 3,000 expertly selected web sites, travel bargains, tips, and more pack the pages of this all-around serviceable reference. If you are contemplating any kind of trip at home or abroad, whether for business or for pleasure, then get yourself a copy of You Are Here Traveling with JohnnyJet.com!

Adventure Travel In The Third World
Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin
Paladin Press
Gunbarrel Tech Center, 7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, Colorado 80301
1581603819 $20.00 www.paladin-press.com

Collaboratively written by Jeff Randall and Mike Perrin, Adventure Travel In The Third World is an extremely practical guide to preserving personal health and safety when traveling to remote and sometimes hostile destinations in underdeveloped and developing countries. From tips to avoiding theft or violence, to practical precautions to take with drinking water as protection against disease, and much, much more, Adventure Travel in the Third World truly lives up to it's subtle "Everything You Need to Know to Survive in Remote and Hostile Destination". Adventure Travel In The Third World is an absolute "must-read" for anyone who planning to visit these exotic, often beautiful, yet sometimes dangerous areas of the world.

The Single Parent Travel Handbook
Brenda Elwell
GlobalBrenda Publishing, LLC
755 9th St. 2nd fl., Secaucus, NJ 07094-3321
0972362703 $17.95 www.GlobalBrenda.com

The Single Parent Travel Handbook by Brenda Elwell is an expressly practical travel guide for single parents and shows them how to plan ahead, pack, take care of documents and vaccinations, as well as providing them with suggestions for fun activities, anecdotes from single moms and single dads, and much, much more. The Single Parent Travel Handbook is a warmhearted, "reader friendly", and earnestly recommended guidebook devoted to the special concerns and problems associated with single parent travel.


The Business Shelf

Dr. Peeling's Principes of Management
Nic Peeling
Doreset House Publishing
353 West 12th Street, New York, NY 10014
0932633544, $35.45, 1-800-342-6657, www.dorsethouse.com

Dr. Peeling's Principles of Management: Practical Advice For The Front-Line Manager by Nic Peeling is a practical survival guide for the tenacious transition of learning how to become a manager. Ranging from practical advice on determining salaries; to handling key team members, under-performing team members, and low-value, high-maintenance team members; to various project management styles and roles; and more, Dr. Peeling's Principles of Management is a sound and "reader friendly" primer which is particularly recommended for the novice manager.

Showdown At Changsha
John Alley
Bond Publishing
75487 Riviera Drive, Indian Wells, CA 92210
097263990X, $14.95, 1-760-779-8966, www.amazon.com

Showdown At Changsha: A Story Of Perilous Business Negotiations In China is a plainly told memoir of Tulsa Oklahoma businessman John Alley's trip to the People's Republic of China. Caught in a remote village and forcibly pressured by his "hosts" to sign a contract that would ruin his company, John Alley's own survival was quite literally at stake. A chilling true story of danger, political and business machinations, and inner courage, Showdown At Changsha should be read by any businessman, vacationer, or student contemplating a trip to mainland China.

Red Zone Marketing
Maribeth Kuzmeski
Facts On Demand Press
c/o Rocks-Dehart Public Relations
811 Boyd Avenue, Suite 101, Pittsburgh, PA 15238
1889150347, $17.95, 1-800-929-3811, www.pub.com

Red Zone Marketing: A Playbook For Winning All The Business You Want by marketing consultant and business owner Maribeth Kuzmeski is a sensible and imaginative guide to raking in business using the SCORE system including specific niche positioning; creating a client experience; deriving opportunities from obstacles; "referral responsibility"; and Extra Point! The sports metaphors add an exciting highlight to this solidly presented marketing primer that offers novice entrepreneurs useful and applicably practical tips, tricks, and techniques ranging from direct mail, to newsletters, video, and utilizing the electronic superhighway to commercial advantage.

The Brand Called You
Peter Montoya with Tim Vandehey
Personal Branding Press
1540 South Lyon Street, Santa Ana, CA 92705
0967450659, $24.95, 1-888-730-5300, www.petermontoya.com

The Brand Called You: The Ultimate Brand-Building And Business Development handbook To Transform Anyone Into An Indispensable Personal Brand is a solid guide to building a personal relationship with customers and selling oneself even more strongly than one's product or company. Peter Montoya (Founder and President of the advertising agency Peter Montoya Inc.) offers a compendium of tips, tricks, and personal branding techniques from creating a quality personal website; to taking advantage of networking and referrals; to using a catchy personal logo; to writing a one-year branding and marketing plan, and so much more. The Brand Called You is an excellent and commended resource for getting ahead of the game.

Business Buyer's Handbook
Jim Calkins
Oak Tree Publishing
915 West Foothill Blvd, Suite C-411, Claremont, CA 91711-3556
1892343029, $39.95, 1-909-625-4101, www.amazon.com

Business Buyer's Handbook by business broker and consultant Jim Calkins is a practical and resourceful guide to buying and operating a commercial business for profit. From ways to carefully scout a business entity in order to avoid ripoffs; to the facts on understanding financial statements and ratios; to creative financing techniques and how-to instructions for one's first day owning a new company, Business Buyer's Handbook is the ultimate consumer shopping entrepreneurial guide. If you are considering the purchase of an existent enterprise, then first give a very careful reading to the Business Buyer's Handbook!


The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Shelf

A.D. 62: Pompeii
Rebecca East
iUniverse.com, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
059526882X, $16.95, www.iuniverse.com

A.D. 62: Pompeii is an engaging time-travel novel about a twenty-first century woman who is sent to first century Pompeii when a time travel experiment fails to work as planned. Adopted into a wealthy family as a house slave, Miranda manages to improve her lot through telling stories, yet the master's wife becomes jealous and plots vengeance against her. Superbly written, A.D. 62: Pompeii is a compelling and imaginative saga of romance, adaptation, and adventure.

Return Of The Ancients
Russ Rock
Iceni Books
610 East Delano Street, Suite 104, Tucson, AZ 85705
158736154X, $19.95, 1-888-934-0888, www.icenibooks.com

Russ Rock's Return Of The Ancients is a original science fiction saga about one being who enters on a journey across the cosmos to find the place that has become legend and secret to his people - the planet Earth. Thoroughly entertaining and highly recommended for science fiction enthusiasts, Return of The Ancients involves a bridge between worlds, races, and disparate mysteries forming the core of this exciting and interpretive tale.

Immortality Machine
Paul Kieniewicz
Aventine Press
45 East Flower Street, Suite 236, Chula Vista, CA 91910-7631
1593300069, $14.95, www.aventinepress.com

Paul Kieniewicz's Immortality Machine is a thrilling science fiction adventure about two men who seek immortality itself on an alien world. Yet intrigue, bloodshed, and violent androids cross their ever darkening path, and the secret of living forever may be more than human sanity can handle. Immortality Machine is recommended to science fiction enthusiasts and fans as a fascinating, imaginative, and attention riveting story.


The Parenting Shelf

Covering Home
Jack Petrash
Robins Lane Press
c/o Gryphon House
PO Box 207, Beltsville, MD 20704
1589040139, $8.95, 1-800-638-0928, www.amazon.com

Covering Home: Lessons On The Art Of Fathering From The Game Of Baseball is a unique parenting book specifically written by Jack Petrash for fathers. The rich cultural sport and pastime of baseball proves ideal for transmitting life lessons and metaphors that are appropriate for instilling knowledge, wisdom and good habits in young people. A practical and meaningful book that presents solid lessons for fathering a child such as "preparing for the season of a lifetime", "being an all-star", "avoiding the blooper reel", "working from both sides of the plate", and "developing well-rounded players". Covering Home is reader friendly reading with it's easy-to-grasp terms and especially commended for men how find themselves parenting under the burdens of career stress, hectic scheduling, to much travel and too little free time.

Family Fusion
Janie Jarvis & Richard Jarvis
Lorica Publishing
PO Box 767486, Roswell, Ga 30076
0966511115, $18.95, 1-866-203-6039, www.amazon.com

The collaboration of Janie and Richard Jarvis, Family Fusion: Bonding, Sharing And Learning In A Hostile World is a thoughtful and well written advisory book for parents which focuses upon the importance of bonding with our children, teaching them, creating family traditions from simple mealtime to family events, and so much more. A practical and thought-provoking guide to staying in touch with one's children and helping to prepare them in every way to meet life's challenges, Family Fusion is sound and commended reading.

Succeeding As A Super Busy Parent
Natalie R. Gahrmann
Infinity Publishing.com
Author Services (publicity)
519 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 194041-1413
0741413167, $14.95, www.amazon.com

Parenting and self-improvement consultant and workshop provider Natalie Gahrmann's Succeeding As A Super Busy Parent: 79 Practical Tips For Balancing Life, Love, Kids, And Career is a handy guide to the art and science of better organizing personal time while balancing the many and diverse responsibilities of being a parent. From learning to say a firm "no" to superfluous requests; to remembering to protect personal health and physical well-being; to creating family time in the midst of bustle, Succeeding As A Super Busy Parent is a handy and highly recommended guide, especially for new and inexperienced parents trying to cope with the demands of professional responsibilities and family life.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Insurance Secrets Revealed
Rodger Nelson
Trebor & Taylor Publishing Co., Inc.
PO Box 145, Flossmoor, IL 60422-0145
0972104801 $13.95 www.insurancesecretsrevealed.com

Insurance Secrets Revealed by award-winning insurance agent and expert Rodger Nelson is a highly practical guide filled from cover to cover with money-saving advice that the insurance companies themselves will never voluntarily reveal to prospective policy holders. Individual chapters cogently address pertinent issues ranging from insurance with respect to the threat of terrorism; untold "secrets" of life insurance; solid tips for protecting a business through insurance; insuring against threats to personal finances stemming from the Internet; and much, much more. Insurance Secrets Revealed is strongly recommended supplementary reading for personal and corporate insurance buyers everywhere.

The Money Tree: Risk Free Options Trading
Ronald Groenke & Wade Keller
Keller Publishing
590 Fieldstone Drive, Marco Island, FL 34145
0967412811, $19.95, 1-800-631-1952, www.KellerPublishing.com

The collaboration of stock options expert Ronald Groenke and former CPA Wade Keller, The Money Tree: Risk Free Options Trading is a "reader friendly" guide to using sound judgement and restraint in trading that allows even the most novice money manager to balance risk with reward. Individual chapters cogently address how to build a prospect list, getting the most out of a personal investment advisor, how to buy limits and buy ranks, and a great deal more. The Money Tree is commended to the non-specialist general reader as an extraordinarily useful and savvy resource which offering dependable frameworks to protecting and exploiting financial assets.


James A. Cox
Editor-in-Chief
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com


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