Return to home
page Book Reviews, Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers
Home / Small Press Bookwatch

Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 5, Number 6 June 2006 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Science Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Fiction Shelf Business Shelf Military Shelf
Education Shelf Sports Shelf Biography Shelf
Parenting Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf Poetry Shelf
Metaphysical Shelf Islamic Studies Shelf Humor Shelf
Travel Shelf Environmental Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Music Shelf Political Science Shelf Women's Issues Shelf
Language Studies Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Psychology Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf American History Shelf
Criminology Shelf Computer Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Dating 101
Deanna Frazier
Brown Book Publishing Group
17815 Windflower Way, Suite 106, Dallas, TX 75252
1933285184 $14.95 1-972-977-2317 www.theuniversityofdating.com

Dating 101: The Second, Third or Fourth Time Around by Deanna Frazier (founder of The University of Dating) addresses the complexities of every aspect associated with the difficult game of dating. Guiding her readers through the entire process of being single and facing a potential date, Dating 101 emphasizes that a date is merely a date, noting that many Americans over forty-five are single, discusses the overwhelming presence of players in modern day, shows how to get back into the dating game, teaches how to make dating effective and fun, and provides an intelligent approach to finding just the right person. A "must read" for single men and women seeking to have a viable social life, Dating 101 is very strongly recommended reading, especially for those who are dissatisfied with their "single-hood status" and are losing out in the dating game.

Savage Breast
Tim Ward
O Books/John Hunt Publishing
c/o National Book Network, dist.
15200 NBN Way, Blue Ridge Summit, PA 17214
1905047584 $19.95 www.o-books.net

Savage Breast: One Man's Search For The Goddess by Tim Ward is the inherently fascinating story of his three year journey to rediscover the lost connection with the Goddess of the ancient Europeans and her relationship to the male psyche. Deftly documenting an emerging appreciation for, and understanding of, the historical impact of a diminished prominence of the Goddess (many of whose attributes were to be subsumed in the Christian cult of the Virgin Mary), Savage Breast expertly covers diverse female deities including such goddesses as Aphrodite, Artemis of Ephesus, Demeter, Hera, Hekate, and others. An impressive and original work, Savage Breast is very highly recommended for its relevance to the study of polytheism, the role of the goddess in a patriarchal culture, and the evolutionary demise of Goddess worship in western culture.

The Secrets To Masterful Meetings
Michael Wilkinson
Leadership Strategies Publishing
4200 Perimeter Park South, #207, Atlanta, GA 30341
Spotlight Publicity (publicity)
2169 Pond Circle, Lincoln, NE 68512
0972245804 $16.95 www.amazon.com

The Secrets To Masterful Meetings: Ignite A Meetings Revolution! by Michael Wilkinson (Marketing Director of Leadership Strategies) is an informed and informative introduction to the art and science of meeting coordination, presentation, and communicative success. Guiding readers through every aspect of properly organizing and conducting an effective meeting, The Secrets To Masterful Meetings covers such issues and elements as timeliness, purpose or subject, conflict resolution, proper identification of particularly prominent individuals, exclusion of certain categories of individuals, resolution of critical issues, and reaching decisions. The Secrets To Masterful Meetings is very strongly recommended for all social club, governmental administrators, and business managers, executives, and consultants charged with the responsibility of organizing and/or conducting a meeting of any size and for any purpose.

Walk On Water
Leonard G. Horowitz
Tetrahedron
206 North 4th Avenue, Sandpoint, ID 83864
0923550372 $23.95 www.tetrahedron.org

Walk On Water by Leonard G. Horowitz is a remarkable guide to the constructive fundamentals of life. Offering readers an informative perspective on such issues as the "Perfect Circle of Sound" and how the Creator is using it to promote healing for the self in loving service; proof of a "Love frequency" and how to use it; evidence that DNA microscopically mirrors the double helix wave form of the cosmos; the "Miracle frequency" for manifesting matter, and so much more, Walk On Water knowledgeably compiles a complete and thorough explanation of the many phenomenal intricacies of life, and also addresses the profoundly simple meaning of life for optimal and active living. Walk On Water is very highly recommended for anyone searching for a comprehensive and complete guide to the holistic perception of life, love, divinity, the universe.

On A Planet Sailing West
Linda Clarke
Blue Candle Adventures
2790 Countryside Boulevard, #1, Clearwater, FL 33761
0976802902 $15.00 www.jlblue.com

On A Planet Sailing West: The First Book Of Ravings by environmentalist, yogi, professor of philosophy and educator Linda Clarke is a superbly presented and descriptive narrative inquiry into the "nature of nature". Informatively presented and completely accessibly for the non-specialist general reader, On A Planet Sailing West carries us through a kind of journey into meaning of life, our relationship to nature, and a philosophical interpretation of beauty and life defined as engagingly offered by Linda Clarke who draws upon insights provided through her studies of philosophy, Buddhism, Native American cultures, and environmental ethics. On A Planet Sailing West is very highly recommended for naturalists, environmentalists, and ordinary readers who will come away with a genuine appreciation for Clarke's personal, engaging, and almost memoir-like narrative style.

The Electric Mirror On The Pharos Lighthouse And Other Ancient Lighting
Larry Brian Radka
The Einhorn Press
1314 Oak Street, Parkersburg, WV 26101
0965754588 $19.95

Painstakingly compiled and deftly edited by Larry Brian Radka, The Electric Mirror On The Pharos Lighthouse And Other Ancient Lighting offers an original, informative, and profusely illustrated in-depth study of the incredible lighthouse constructed by Sostras of Cnidos, as well as a serving as a complete reference to a multitude of many other outstanding electrical lighting accomplishments down through history. Guiding readers through a thoroughly documented history of lighting and towers ranging from the Eiffel Tower and its search lights, to the remarkable Washington Monument (the worlds tallest masonry structure unsupported by steel), The Electric Mirror On The Pharos Lighthouse And Other Ancient Lighting provides readers with an engaging and unique compendium of specialized information. The Electric Mirror On The Pharos Lighthouse And Other Ancient Lighting is very strongly recommended reading, both for its thoughtful analysis and its concise presentation focused upon a history of previously little known facts about the creation and use of lighthouses and lighted towers.

A Message From Jackie
Michael Weinberger
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
1591810434 $15.95 1-303-443-2188 www.sentientpublications.com

A Message From Jackie: A Spiritual Journey Of Love, Death, And Hope by Michael Weinberger is an insightful and engaging story of one woman's remarkable love for her husband -- and he for her. Deftly guiding readers through the life of Jackie Weinberger and the memorable story of Michael Weinberger's devotion to his amazing wife, A Message From Jackie tells of a happy and fulfilling marriage shared by the two of them, and the profound lessons Michael learned throughout his time with Jackie, and her untimely death. A vivid and endearing telling of a truly beautiful love and life shared between two extraordinary souls, A Message From Jackie is very highly recommended and ultimately inspired reading.


The Science Shelf

Coming To Life
Christiane Nuesslein-Volhard
Kales Press
7031 Columbine Drive, Carlsbad, CA 92011
0967007674 $29.95 www.kalespress.com

Coming To Life: How Genes Drive Development by Nobel Laureate Christiane Nuesslein-Volhard is the study (in remarkable detail) of developmental biology. Offering a ground breaking analysis of the microscopic progression of fertilization and embryonic research, Coming To Life features collective observations and studies providing readers with a coherent explanation for the complex formation of life forms arising from the minute simplicity of egg cells, as well as other fascinating discoveries detailing the scientific conclusions surrounding the phenomena of life and its development. Coming To Life is very highly recommended for all students of biology for its knowledgeable and "reader friendly" presentation of the intricate concept of life-formation.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

Bullying Bosses
Robert Mueller
Privately Published
PO B 410238, San Francisco, CA 94141
0976829304 $17.50 www.bullyingbosses.com

Bullying Bosses: A Survivor's Guide (How To Transcend The Illusion Of The Interpersonal) by Robert Mueller is a remarkable introduction to the complex world of counter-balancing the relationship between oppressed employees and their oppressive bosses. Logically analyzing the psychology of the belligerent and hostile superiors, Bullying Bosses offers readers a means for analyzing and responding to an employer's bullying behavior. Robert Mueller covers such issues as who challenges employees, support in the workplace, building a case against the boss that management can respect, collecting potent data, identifying patterns, crafting a simple strategic plan, grow beyond workplace turmoil into a clarity, strength and grace. Bullying Bosses is very strongly recommended for all readers searching for a "user-friendly" guide in dealing with the difficulties involved in poor employee-to-boss relationships.


The Fiction Shelf

Malcolm And Jack
Ted Pelton
Spuytenduyvil
42 St. John's Place, Brooklyn, NY 11217
1933132094 $14.00 spuytenduyvil.com

The debut novel of by Ted Pelton, Malcolm And Jack And Other Famous American Criminals is an intriguing merger of fact and fiction portraying the pop culture lives of Malcolm X and Jack Kerouac in the form of an "alternative history". Intricately detailing the short-lived friendship between two high-school drop-outs, Malcolm And Jack opens readers to the reality of the post-war fifties and the pretentious mentality of Americans as the era neared revolution. An original, superbly crafted, imaginative novel, Malcolm And Jack is very strongly recommended as an engaging (albeit fictitious) tale in which several of America's great historical icons meet and mingle with one-another.

Thirst
Dania Deschamps
White Bull Publishing
PO Box 1698, Ada, Oklahoma 74821
0976908506 $14.00 www.whitebullpublishingco.com

Written by a litigation attorney who has traveled the world, Thirst is a dark novel about female lawyer Dominique Olivet, who has come to Key West, an island with close ties among its native people, a place where Catholicism has deep roots. Assigned to defend a medical student accused of sexually assaulting a pregnant woman and slashing her throat, Dominique will become deeply involved in a blood-soaked case surrounding a serial killer, which will ultimately threaten her identity as she is forced to look true evil in the eye. A spine-chilling story of suspense.

Les Triples
Daniel Plucinski
Shaffer Publishing
Frampton Hall, Frostburg State University, Frostburg, MD 21532
0976759810 $24.00 www.frostburg.edu

Les Triples by Daniel Plucinski (Tenured Professor of Business Law at Frostburg State University in Maryland) is the captivating tale of Mary Jane, a determined young woman full of both spirit and dreams, and her pursuit of those dreams. Engaging readers with the brilliant young woman's remarkable perspective of life and her unique ideals, Les Triples creates a plot in which Mary Jane decides to live a life of polygamy and a highly educated and somewhat philosophical interpretation of marriage and socially set paradigms. Les Triples is very strongly recommended as a subversive and intricate novel deftly detailing the intricate issues surrounding monogamy and progressive society for its rare and knowledgeable interpretation of modern society in whole and the underdeveloped system and education of marriage.

A Time For Glory: 1861
R. B. Greenwalt
Blue/Gray Press
611 Frederick Road, #201, Baltimore, MD 21228
0977658201 $24.95 www.bluegraypress.com

A Time For Glory: 1861 by R. B. Greenwalt is an intriguing, albeit fictional, account of the American Civil War and the lives of soldier and civilians caught up in that tumultuous time. Following the life of Joshua Campbell through his experience with the Confederate army through battle, leadership, a soldier life and love, A Time For Glory: 1861 then carries readers over to the life and experiences of Elihu Hawthorne, a Massachusetts Congressman affected by the radical vision of the republican party, and a perpetual fear of capture by the enemy. An original, well crafted, and entertaining novel showcasing quite diverse perspectives of Civil War combatants, A Time For Glory: 1861 is especially commended to readers and would make a popular addition to community library collections.

The God Symposium
Edward Draugelis
HotHouse Press
760 Cushing Highway, Cohasset, MA 02025
0975524518 $24.00 www.hothousepress.com

Joe Cameron, a oil millionaire, launches an effort to discover whether or not such a thing as God truly exists. Gathering an elite group of scholars, religious leaders, scientists, and theorists for the debate of God, The God Symposium carries readers through Cameron's engaging and insightful symposium as intellects drawn from throughout the world only to be faced with the threat of ruined reputations, and even murder. A remarkable and concise intermingling of philosophy, theology, science, and religion with a memorable cast of characters and carefully crafted plot, The God Symposium by Edward Draugelis is an evocatively original, engagingly written and entertaining novel from beginning to end.

An Earth Filled Stare
Joseph D. Lavelle
Early Morning Press
PO Box 361121, Indianapolis, IN 46236
0976848708 $13.95 1-888-663-8194 www.earlymorningpress.com

An Earth Filled Stare by Joseph D. Lavelle is the engaging story of Claudius Sears, a retired sergeant of the army, and his desperate attempts to leave the memories of civil war behind him. Claudius joins a party of pioneers who are attacked along the Kansas-Missouri border, drawing him back into the bloodshed and killing fields of the "War Between the States". As he strives against a soul-crushing sense of responsibility, Claudies comes to realize the necessity and responsibility to protect others regardless of his own safety or desires to avoid more killing. An Earth Filled Stare is very strongly recommended as an entertaining, fast-paced, superbly written action/adventure novel that is especially perfect reading for Civil War buffs.

Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again
Morton L. Kurland
Lazy K Press
33 Lafayette Drive, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270
097715890X $19.95 www.lazykpress.com

Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again by Morton L. Kurland is the engaging novel based on America's twenty-sixth president and his hired investigator, Alexander Falconer. Deftly intertwining true historical happenings and a remarkable entertaining albeit fictional story, Theodore Roosevelt Rides Again tells the tale of Falconer in his investigation of the "Rough Riders" charge up San Juan Hill as the Roosevelt is accused of a nefarious role in the battle. Murder by murder Falconer and his newly found assistant, Gaby Irish delve deeper into the plot. The result is a original and entertaining novel to be given high praise, and recommendation as a superbly crafted work of historical fiction.

Shadow Realities
Herb Haslam
Windspur Press
PO Box 50396, Midland, TX 79710
9780972491549 $15.00 www.windspur.com

Shadow Realities by Herb Haslam is a compelling novel of Knowland Weaver, the brilliant and passionate love of Maia, and the devastating effects of their love affairs disclosure. Intricately revealing of this highly engaging and intimate tale of Knowland's spiritual and psychological struggles as his world quickly falls down around him, Shadow Realities carries its readers through an ever-thickening plot as the journal of the sixteenth-century explorer, Cabeza de Vaca mysteriously interrelates with the story line. Shadow Realities is very highly recommended as an entertaining, original and superbly crafted story of love, courage, despair, passion, and ultimate insight.

Refuge
Dot Jackson
Novello Festival Press
310 North Tyron Street, Charlotte, NC 28202
0976096358 $24.95 www.novellopress.org

Refuge by Dot Jackson is an engaging novel depicting the spontaneous escape of Mary Seneca Steele with her children from the life of unhappiness in the South. Captivating as it carries readers through the intimate tale of discovery of self, life, and family, Refuge brings Mary to the family she had never known in the mountain cove and birch forest where she connects with Ben Aron, her cousin, Panama, her aunt, and enters a love affair which results in several tragic and intricately plotted events. Exceptionally well written, Refuge is very strongly recommended for the readers seeking a vivid tale of love, intimacy, fate, and an evocative mystery.

Straight Jacket
Richard E. Sall
Booksurge
5341 Dorchester Road, Suite 16, North Charleston, SC 29418
1419630547 $16.99 www.amazon.com

Straight Jacket by Richard E. Sall is the story of thirty-two-year-old medical student Joe Grady in his pursuit of certification as a surgeon in his hospital residency. Written with flair and in a satirical manner, Straight Jacket carries its readers through the an increasingly engaging plot in which Grady must complete ten major cases within thirty days or fail in his efforts to secure certification. This series of tasks is further complicated by the hospital nurses who are in the process being unionized. The hospital is beyond busy, and now somebody is going around killing patients! Then to convolute things even further, there is Grady's discovery of a new love in the form of Linda -- a nurse with a dangerously demented mother. Original, lively, and clearly documenting Richard Sall as a talented storyteller, Straight Jacket is very highly recommended reading and certain to be a popular addition to any personal reading list or community library fiction collection.

Vital Force
Trevor Scott
Salvo Press
PO Box 7396, Beaverton, OR 97007
1930486596 $14.95 www.salvopress.com

The fourth title in the Jake Adams series of international thrillers by Trevor Scott, Vital Force is the riveting novel of rapidly paced, non-stop, action adventure. This time Jake is called upon to secure America's greatest defense from Russia's new missile which has been shot down by the Americans using the Airborne Laser system. This international incident swiftly brings Adams to China where he must battle with double agents, the Chinese Army, and his own mind to determine his true enemies and protect his countries defense. The stuff of which block-buster movies are made, Vital Force is very highly recommended for reading for those who enjoy a well crafted spy-thriller story.

Double Daggers
James R. Clifford
Dan River Press
PO Box 298, Thomaston, MA 04861
0897542177 $16.95 www.jrclifford.com

Double Daggers by James R. Clifford is about four men separated in time but united in their ambitions to possess the Ides of March coin minted by Brutus in celebration of Julius Caesar's death: Marcus Brutus himself, a crusading knight of medieval Europe, an SS lieutenant of Hitler's, and a modern day Wall Street trader. Creatively presenting the devilish intentions and pursuits of the four lead characters and their intertwining fates of the four books, Double Daggers is a riveting historical interpretation of the great mythical powers of the legendary Roman coin. Benefitting from the author's historical research and vividly acute concepts drawn from the rule of the Roman, Crusading, Nazi, and modern eras, Double Daggers is very strongly recommended as a complex, superbly crafted, thoroughly entertaining novel from beginning to end.

Crescent Veil
Judith Sanders
Booksurge
Author Marketing Experts (publicity)
PO Box 421156, San Diego, CA 92142
1419618806 $19.99 www.amarketingexpert.com

An engaging contemporary novel by Judith Sanders, Crescent Veil is an account of the former Major General Tariq Saeed's discovery of the biological and chemical weapons left behind by Saddam and overlooked by the American government. General Saeed is determined to use these weapons of mass destruction to destroy America in retaliation for Saddam's downfall. Remarkably presenting the ideals of the Iraqi General Saeed and his vision of war and prosperity, Crescent Veil diligently carries readers through the many questionable happenings had America truly missed the realities of Iraq's contained biological war foundations. Crescent Veil is very strongly recommended for all readers searching for an outstanding and creative interpretative novel of an hostile Iraqi perspective of America's removal of power that is a mandate we see present in today's anti-American, fundamentalist, guerrilla warfare oriented Islam.

Feathers Fur And Fins
Douglas Hilt
Trafford Publishing
6E-233 Government Street, Victoria, BC, Canada V8T 4P4
1412052742 $19.00 www.trafford.com

Feathers Fur And Fins: A Trio Of Unusual Animal Stories by academician Douglas Hilt is a trilogy of imaginative and creative tales about a cockatoo, a coyote, and a dolphin. The first of the three is the story of Bikkia's journey through captivity and the learning of the English language in determination of reuniting with her mate in The Moluccan Manuscript. Down To Earth is the story of a mysterious coyote who retains supernatural powers as he evades the hunters seeking him. Beyond All Barriers is the intimate narrative of a dolphin and fisherman who's bond carries readers through tears and laughter as an exceptionally moving story. Feathers Fur And Fins vividly captures the life and love of three animals and is a very highly recommended collection for all animal lovers and environmentalists searching for a unique and worldly (albeit it fictional) perspective from our feathered, finned, and furry friends.

Storms
Maria Fernandez Snitzer
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
Avalon Marketing & Communications (publicity)
1193, 392nd Road, Utica, NE 68456
0595358896 $15.95 www.amazon.com www.iuniverse.com

Storms by Maria Fernandez Snitzer is the intriguing novel of Elise and her family who live in a small bayou town near New Orleans and directly in the path of a fearsome hurricane. Vividly carrying readers through an story of the family's struggle for safety and their very lives, Storms depicts their adventurous efforts for survival as the world around them collapses into the terrors of the storm. Storms is very highly recommended reading as a remarkably well crafted and engaging tale of one families anxious preparation and survival through a terrifying and horrific ordeal that could have well been ripped from America's news headlines as we approach still another hurricane season.

Petosky Stones
Lois Wells Santalo
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595348580 $18.95 www.amazon.com www.iuniverse.com

Set in the time of World War II, Petosky Stones by Lois Wells Santalo is the remarkable story of newly married Delia Eloise Kingley and her confrontation with Bradley, the man that she married but doesn't love, but who treats her exceptionally well. Petosky Stones carries readers through this exceptionally well crafted novel of Delia's struggle with her mother and friends who cannot understand her unhappiness and are unsupportive of her intentions to divorce a good man. Petosky Stones is very highly recommended for all readers searching for an intimately thoughtful and ultimately thought-provoking story of love, truth, and deceptive dilemma, and a storytelling author in Lois Santalo, whose entertaining narrative style is especially notable for her deft manipulation of the English language to engage the readers total attention from first page to last.

Young British Slacker
Andrew Osmond
Minnow Press
66 Harwoods Road, Watford, Herts, England, WD18 7RE
0953944840 $8.99

Featuring a handful of sketchy illustrations in black-and-white, Young British Slacker is an unusual novel written in second person - always addressing the reader, i.e. "You will never be the best. It is to your credit that you have accepted this fact... Ambition is bad. Admit it. It was a relief to give up the dream." Describing at length the drudgery of a day in a cubicle with almost appalling vividity, Young British Slacker compels the reader's attention with its unique writing style and tactile-perfect realism in its capture of the stream-of-consciousness thoughts and emotions of a wage slave. An eye-opening novel, definitely written to the beat of a different drummer.

The Girl
Meridel Le Sueur
West End Press
PO Box 27334, Albuquerque, NM 87125
0975348655 $13.95

Now in a second revised edition, The Girl is a novel by fiery female writer Meridel le Sueur (1900-1996), who survived a blacklist during the McCarthy era of the 1950s and a rediscovery of her work in the 1970s. Her most recognized novel is The Girl, a story about a pregnant young woman struggling to survive the Great Depression after the sudden death of her lover. She finds the determination to continue with the help of female friends, in this strong saga of mutual support. Based on true stories related to the author by female survivors of the Depression, The Girl is a profound literary and feminist classic, now with a new introduction by English professor Linda Ray Pratt. Highly recommended.

Seven By Seven
B. J. Bourg et al
Wolfmont publishing
PO Box 205, Ranger, GA 30734
0977840207 $13.95 www.wolfmont.com

Expertly compiled and edited by Tony Burton, Seven By Seven: Seven Deadly Tales Of The Seven Deadly Sins By Seven Deadly Authors is a 194-page anthology of 49 "flash fiction" pieces contributed by seven gifted writers, each of whose succinct and polished stories feature one of the seven deadly sins. Showcasing works pertaining to Lust, Gluttony, Sloth, Greed, Wrath, Envy, and Pride, each represented by the literary and storytelling skills of B.J. Bourg, Kimberly Brown, Deborah Elliott-Upton, John M. Floyd, Sunny Frazier, Gary Hoffman, and Frank Zafiro. Brief but memorable stories that will linger in the mind and imagination, Seven By Seven is enthusiastically recommended reading.

Don't Let All The Pretty Days Get By
Bruce Hoppe
Back-To-One Books
2442 Cerrillos Road, Suite 164, Santa Fe, NM 87505
097776110X $12.95 www.backtoonebooks.com

Don't Let All The Pretty Days Get By, by novelist Bruce Hoppe, is the entertaining story of Teddy Gibbs in her career ending move from LA to her family's ranch in New Mexico for the purpose of taking care of her mother during a severe illness. Swiftly carrying readers through a humourous depiction of the many various marginalized communities of the twenty-first century west, Don't Let All The Pretty Days Get By creatively carries Teddy through her alliance with an unexpected and memorable cast of characters in order to save the cause of her family farm and expose the disturbing truths of the rural area to the local government. An original, entertaining, and nicely crafted novel, Don't Let All The Pretty Days Get By is very strongly recommended as a fast-paced work deftly depicting the diversity that now comprises the modern American West.

The Triangle
Gart A. Wilson
Great Reading Books
2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
1933538317 $19.95 www.g-wilson.com

The Triangle by Gary A. Wilson is the inherently fascinating story of Ari Wing Commander Major Robert Tucker and his relentless struggle with the mysteries of the Bermuda Triangle. Assigned to prevent the threat of a "dirty bomb" being released onto America's land, The Triangle carries readers through an action/adventure yarn showcasing Tucker and his men's riveting tale of teamwork, courage, and bravery as they strive to defeat the unknown enemy lurking within the Bermuda Triangle. The Triangle is very highly recommended for those readers with an interest in both the military and the supernatural as a creatively original, skillfully intertwined, engaging crafted and timeless novel.

A King In Spite Of Himself
Alan Macleod
VBW Publishing
PO Box 9949, College Station, TX 77842
1589398025 $14.95 www.virtualbookworm.com

An impressive work of historical fiction set in England 1202 AD, A King In Spite Of Himself by Alan Macleod is the riveting story of King John and the rescue of Eleanor of Aquitaine (John's mother), by Roger de Clare and William Marshall, Earle of Pembroke. As the English King John must contend with the French King Phillip, A King In Spite Of Himself carries its readers through the relentless pursuits of Marshal and his aide Roger de Clare as their story involves them in a plot that could end in civil war, the captivity of Arthur, the nephew of John, and a quagmire of courtly intrigue with its lethal twists and turns. A King In Spite Of Himself is very strongly recommended to readers with an interest in the Medieval Europe for its descriptive narrative and historically accurate background.

Mayan Equinox
Keith Jones
Salvo Press
PO Box 7396, Beaverton, OR 97007
1930486618 $15.95 www.salvopress.com

Mayan Equinox by novelist Keith Jones is the deftly crafted story of Russel Palmer, a Los Angeles-based professor whose field of study specialized in Central American Civilizations, and his pursuit to end the murders and human sacrifices based on Mayan calendars. Deftly intertwining the themes of ancient Mayan beliefs and calendars telling of the world's end on December 27, 2012, and a struggle to discover the key to prolonging the span of the world, Mayan Equinox reveals Palmer's determination as he must deal with skeptical policemen while haunted by a dark secret from his own past. A riveting and original novel from beginning to end, Mayan Equinox is very highly recommended reading, especially for mystery buffs with an interest in the historical culture of the Central American Mayans.

Hide And Seek
Sandy Whelchel
Ravenhawk Books
7739 East Broadway Boulevard, #95, Tucson, AZ 85710
1893660087 $33.00 www.amazon.com

Hide And Seek by novelist Sandy Whelchel is the engaging and entertaining story of Frank Lee and his persistent new love, Tiffanie Westerland, when Frank is blamed for the loss of an Alaskan oil rig called the Gypsum 13 and the members of its crew. As the plot progresses, Hide And Seek rivets reader's attention as Tiffanie braves the raging and relentless Alaskan cold in order to seek out and investigate the lost rig and obtain justice for the innocent Frank. A very nicely crafted novel, Hide And Seek is fast-paced and replete with unpredictable plot twists from first page to last, documenting Sandy Whelchel as a mastery storyteller in her own right.

Reluctant Goddess
Dharma Windham
Infinity Publishing
1094 New Dehaven Street, #100, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2713
The Barrett Company (publicity)
12021 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 600, Los Angeles, CA 90025
0741430924 $22.95 www.infinitypublishing.com

Reluctant Goddess: Kleopatra And The Stolen Throne by Dharma Windham is a novel of Kleopatra who was in her youth when her father's throne was stolen by her brother and a group of hostile Egyptian priests and court counselor. Kleopatra's narrow escape provides an experience giving her a passion for saving her deteriorating country from its inept and exploitative overlords. Deftly intertwining real places, people, and occurrences of the era, Reluctant Goddess swiftly carries readers through countless twists and turns of fortune as the aspiring young queen must escape from hired assassins and survive the relentless efforts toward her demise with only the faith of the Gods to provide her with inspiration to reclaim her birth-right name as Queen of Egypt. Skillfully written, Reluctant Goddess is very strongly recommended as a romanticized story of one of the last of the Greek Pharaohs of Egypt -- the young queen Kleopatra.

Mohr
Frederick Reuss
Unbridled Books
200 North 9th Street, Suite A, Columbia, MO 65201
1932961178 $25.95 www.unbridledbooks.com

Frederick Reuss' Mohr: A Novel is the engagingly entertaining tale of Jewish author, playwright, and medical doctor, Max Mohr and his decision to embark upon a voyage to the far shores of Shanghai. The journey presents many unforeseen difficulties resulting in the necessity for a series of relentless struggles. But Max is determined to leave his wife and family in order to distance himself from the ravages of war in Europe for what he perceive will be a quiet life in a beautiful China, all the while his expedition is unwittingly leading himself directly into the heart of a war in China Mohr is very highly recommended reading as an original story of one man's most intimate struggle with himself and the family he leaves behind for what turns out to be an unexpected future.

The Seeker In Forever
Alan Fox
StoryFocus Communications
1110 Second Avenue, New York, NY 10022
0976227606 $17.95 www.storyfocus.com

A kind of political comedy, The Seeker In Forever by Alan Fox is the story of two young lovers undertaking the difficult and challenging task of changing the world. Taking creative focus on a young man and woman, The Seeker In Forever carries readers through their rather original approach to creating a better world as they struggle with authoritative politicians, as well as the vested interests and philosophical perspectives of a series of characters. Readers will be introduced to the concept of "sound chasers," an eccentric sort of storyteller who searches out the secret principles of great showmanship behavior and then takes those bits of "hidden wisdom" and tries to apply them in the real world. A highly recommended addition to any fiction shelf, The Seeker In Forever is to be given high praise for an originality and cleverness that is as entertaining as it is thought-provoking.

The Adventures Of Guy
Norm Cowie
Draumr Publishing
PO Box 428, Columbia, MD 21045
1933157089 $16.95 www.normcowie.com

Norm Cowie's debut novel, The Adventures Of Guy: Written By A Guy (Probably), is the creative and hilarious story of Guy and his roommates Thurman and Knob (as well as Amazon), who in their quest to save Guy's little brother from his evil captors think they will find great worth in the mind of a small boy. Satirical and endlessly hilarious, The Adventures Of Guy introduces readers to a creatively positioned philosophy and analytical metaphor of human nature. Norm Cowie is a truly skilled and engaging storyteller whose novel, The Adventures Of Guy, is very strongly recommended as a profound, funny, and persistently entertaining read from first page to last.

Saraceno
Djelloul Marbrook
Open Book Press
PO Box 659, Lanoka Harbor, NJ 08734
0973946504 $27.95 www.prbythebook.com

Djelloul Marbrook quasi-autobiographical novel Saraceno is the story of Billy Salviati, a young and attractive hit-man for the mob and possesses a notable gift for friendship. A fascinating read, Saraceno reveals the origins of Billy's mob nickname, Saraceno, bestowed upon him by the mafia don, John Altobene, and which may be taken as a compliment while retaining unique connotations. Not just another run-of-the-mill mafia novel, Saraceno is very strongly recommended as a remarkable crafted tale that will have a particular appeal for readers who appreciate the unique tale of a Mafia thug's transformation under the influence of an elderly woman who herself was once a slave-assistant to the infamous Josef Mengele in the Auschwitz concentration camp, and survived to mentor her hit-man protege in New York.

Micah's Child
Diane Lang & Michael Buchanan
Dragonon
135 Pebble Trail, Alpharetta, GA 30004
0976339854 $17.95 www.dragonon.com

Co-authored by Diane Lang and Michael Buchanan, Micah's Child is the story of Micah, a man struggling to rid himself of his destructive past, and his newly found friend, Catherine, a teacher-socialite. Effortlessly carrying readers through a deftly woven tale, Micah's Child follows the growing attraction which the two experience for one-another, and the trials presenting them in their lives, through memory, love, discovery, and the creation of an enduring bond. For its creative and vivid narrative style and attention to intimate details, Micah's Child is very highly recommended reading and documents authors Diane Lang and Michael Buchanan as skillful collaborators and mutually gifted storytellers.

First Class Ticket
Ann Marie Zakos
Magnum Veritas Publishing
PO Box 355, Elk Grove Village, IL 60009
0976452332 $14.95 www.annmariezakos.com

A simply wonderful read, First Class Ticket by Ann Marie Zakos is the story of three college students who gradually discover life's "nine truths". Delving deeply into an exploration of how to draw energy from near by to gain strength, use the third eye as a spiritual guide, learn how to change perspectives to see life in a magical way, observe culture within the proper historical context and learn life's ultimate purpose, and build inner strength through contemplation and meditation to bring about lifelong transformation, First Class Ticket is entertaining, thoughtful and thought-provoking recommended as an insightful and inherently fascinating narrative that intertwines seemingly inexplicable coincides with life enhancing discoveries and personal revelations that everyone of us possess the entire university within our own being, that our human bodies are mirror images of the earth, and there is an inner peace within us all, and also within us is the true key to loving and being loved.


The Business Shelf

Conflict Is For The Birds!
Gayle Wiebe Oudeh & Nabil Oudeh
CCR International Publishing
151 Tansley Drive, Box 424, Carp, Ontario, Canada, K0A 1L0
097316462X $19.95 www.ccrinternational.com

Co-authored by Gayle Wiebe Oudeh and Nabil Oudeh (both of whom are senior consultants for the Centre for Conflict Resolution, an Ottawa-based consulting firm specializing in conflict management and training) , Conflict Is For The Birds!: Understanding Your Conflict Management Style is an informed introduction and instructional reference for analyzing workplace conflicts and dealing productively and cautiously through the process of conflict resolution. Mapping out an easy-to-follow guide through conflict management, Conflict Is For The Birds! offers readers a complete and thorough approach for dealing with all manner of conflict scenarios utilizing a helpful and distinctive images of the woodpecker, the parakeet, the ostrich, the owl, and the hummingbird, along with their various strengths and tactics based upon their individual mentalities. Exceptionally "reader friendly", Conflict Is For The Birds! is very strongly recommended for all managers and supervisors, as well as anyone else, in need of a comprehensive and accessible guide through troubling encounters, disputes, or differences.

Trust Loops In Leadership
Paul Ludwick
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
059535520X $11.95 www.iuniverse.com

Trust Loops In Leadership: A Primer On Synergy For The Learning Manager by organizational development consultant Paul Ludwick is an informative introduction and instructional guide to successfully managing a cooperative company team. Exploring the foundations of Ludwick's management strategies, Trust Loops In Leadership deftly carries readers through to establishing and maintaining a workplace confluent in communication and teamwork. For a more productive and trusting workplace, Trust Loops In Leadership is very strongly recommended reading for all departmental managers, team supervisors, and corporate executives.

Bhagavad Gita On Effective Leadership
Pujan Roka
iUniverse
2021 Pine Lake Road, Suite 100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595370403 $16.95 www.iuniverse.com

Bhagavad Gita On Effective Leadership: Timeless Wisdom For Leaders by Pujan Roka (Program Manager, Sprint Corporation) is a fascinating and informative introduction to effective business management decision making based upon the ancient and enduring wisdom of the Hindu holy scriptures known as the Bhagavad Gita. Providing concise guidance based upon the inspirational ideals of these ancient scriptures, the Bhagavad Gita On Effective Leadership educates western readers with a comprehensive and "user-friendly" understanding of the most effective approaches to management and leadership issues in the modern world of today. Exceptionally well written and organized for a western readership, the Bhagavad Gita On Effective Leadership is very strongly recommended reading for business managers, corporate executives, and governmental policy makers for its truly remarkable analysis of the Bhagavad Gita and its contained philosophies as applied to the roles and responsibilities of contemporary leaders and managers.

The Art Of Original Thinking
Jan Phillips
Ninth Element Press
6215 Ferris Square, Suite 210, San Diego, CA 92121
0977421309 $24.95 www.9thelementgroup.com

The Art Of Original Thinking: The Making Of A Thought Leader by author and public speaker Jan Phillips showcases Phillips' impressively persuasive theory of "people, profits, and planet". Guiding readers to a comprehension and appreciation of the connection between inspired living and original thinking, The Art Of Original Thinking offers an accessible and thoroughly "reader friendly" introduction to the process and relationship of profit to innovative business practices expressed through choice and decision making based upon clear-thinking and the value of ethics and goal-driven procedures in business. In this age of Enron debacles and WorldCom chicanery, The Art Of Original Thinking is very highly recommended reading for all business executives, managers, consultants, and business theory students for its comprehensive presentation how to effect beneficial and principled changes to the art of doing business.

How To Evaluate And Profit From A Business Opportunity
Art Consoli
IE Publishing Company
PO Box 6243, Scottsdale, AZ 85261
0977765601 $22.95 www.artconsoli.com

How To Evaluate And Profit From A Business Opportunity: An Entrepreneur's Guide by entrepreneurial expert Art Consoli is an introductory "how to" manual for taking profitable and lawful advantage of business opportunities that become available from time to time in any community. Studying the intricacies of self-created business, How To Evaluate And Profit From A Business Opportunity aptly describes the process involved in entrepreneurial pursuits, while offering an invaluable reference for logical and practical decision making in terms of business opportunity development and exploitation. How To Evaluate And Profit From A Business Opportunity is very highly recommended reading, especially for novice entrepreneurs searching for a new and progressive career and business opportunities.


The Military Shelf

Valiant Young Men
Bryce D. Gibby
Perlycross Publishers
2711 Centerville Road, Suite 120, OMB 5544, Wilmington, DE 19808
0974174327 $29.95 www.amazon.com

Valiant Young Men: Heroes In Flight by Bryce D. Gibby is the story of three young men, Eddie Rickenbacker, Jimmy Hall, And Antoine de Saint-Exupery, and their collective conquests in the many air battles of World War I. Introducing a more in-depth biographical study of the three individuals lives and their influence on military aviation, Valiant Young Men carries the reader through the history of battles both won and lost, as well as the remarkable heroism and determination shown by Jimmy Hall, Eddie Rickenbacker, and Antoine de Sant-Exupery. A welcome and valued addition to personal, academic, and community library Military History and Aviation History collections, Valiant Young Men is very highly recommended for all military buffs and non-specialist general readers who have an interest in the dog-fighting pilots of the days of military flight and airborne combat.

Finding The Lost Battalion
Robert J. Laplander
Lulu Press
PO Box 2344, Napa, CA 94558
1411676564 $25.00 www.lulu.com

Finding The Lost Battalion: Beyond The Rumors, Myths And Legends Of America's Famous WWI Epic by Robert J. Laplander is the extraordinary World War I story of a group of allied soldiers who found themselves cut off by German forces and had to hold one against over whelming odds until they could be rescued. The troops were never really "lost" in the sense that no one knew where they were, but they were without communications and their superiors did not know if they were alive or dead. Deftly compiling previous studies and in-depth documentation of the "Lost Battalion", author Robert J. Laplander comprehensively explores the recorded stories in a truly epic struggle from beginning to end. An invaluable and appreciated contribution to the growing library of World War I military histories, Finding The Lost Battalion is very highly recommended reading for military buffs wanting a factual understanding and true appreciation of the incident that made the men of the Lost Battalion legendary in military annals.


The Education Shelf

How To Create A Magical College Life
Morris Taylor
Talisman Training Associates
PO Box 524, Round Lake Beach, IL 60073
0977921905 $12.95 www.amazon.com

How To Create A Magical College Life: Twenty-Five Strategies For Better Grades, Healthier Relationships, And Super Self-Confidence! by Morris Taylor is a "reader friendly" introductory guide to pursuing a successful college career and life. Reflecting a series of informed and informative strategies for improving memory, changing self-image, impressing professors, goal-setting, effectively managing time, improving personal relationships, forming a mastermind group, and more, How To Create A Magical College Life deftly offers a "window" into what college life can be like. For its concise and in-depth grasp of college life , How To Create A Magical College Life is very highly recommended reading for all high-school students who aspire to a college education.


The Sports Shelf

Honus Wagner On His Life And Baseball
William R. Cobb
Sports Media Group
c/o Press Box Publicity (publicity)
2500 South State Street, Ann Arbor, MI 48104
1587263084 $24.95 www.pressboxpublicity.com

Honus Wagner On His Life And Baseball deftly edited by William R. Cobb is an intriguing tale of Honus Wagner's remarkable career in baseball where he was known as "The Flying Dutchman". Following Honus from the beginning of his career in 1897, Honus Wagner On His Life And Baseball informatively carries readers through an epic true life tale of how he became one of the greatest baseball players of his day, playing seventeen consecutive seasons, and retaining a .300 batting average the whole time. Honus Wagner On His Life And Baseball is very highly recommended for all baseball enthusiasts and those intrigued by the accomplished life of baseball legend Honus Wagner.


The Biography Shelf

Buckskin Bessie
Monica James
Buckskin Press
7704 West John Cabot Road, Glendale, AZ 85308
0977371107 $14.95 www.buckskinpress.com

Buckskin Bessie: Her Lost Letters by Monica James is the remarkable collection of correspondence by the renowned Bessie "Montana Bess" Herberg, and her life with the 101 Ranch Real Wild West Show. Presenting readers with a complete collection of years of letters and writing from the fifteen year lover and companion of one the most powerful "Wild West" showmen of the early 1900's, Joe Miller, Buckskin Bessie substantially contributes to an understanding and appreciation of Buckskin Bessie's life of travel, entertainment, and iconoclastic high adventure. Profusely illustrated throughout, Buckskin Bessie is very highly recommended reading and a popular addition to community library 19th Century American Popular Culture and Biography collections.

Winning the Drug War at Home
Kathy Pride
Living Ink Books
c/o AMG Publishers
6815 Shallowford Road, Chattanooga, Tennessee 37421
0899570828 $14.99

Winning the Drug War at Home is the autobiography of a Christian mother who catches her seventeen-year-old son using marijuana. Set over a sixteen-month period, Winning the Drug War at Home follows the sentencing of the drug- abusing son to a therapeutic wilderness program in Utah, culminating with his departure for college. Excerpts of letters that the son wrote while in Utah offer the perspective of the teenager, in addition to the point of view of the parents in the main narration. Winning the Drug War at Home reflects the author's devout faith in God, and her struggles wrestling with a family crisis; a testament of the healing powers of faith, family support, and love unfolds.

News Junkie
Jason Leopold
Process Book
c/o Booth Media Group
1386 Nightshade Road, Carlsbad, CA 92009
0976082241 $16.00 www.boothmedia.com

News Junkie is the engaging memoir and personally revealing story of Jason Leopold and his willingness to risk an unhealthy and destructive life in exchange as an investigative reporter. An incredible autobiography of a genuinely hazardous career that came to involve selling drugs and stolen goods, News Junkie carries readers through the riveting true-life tale of a reporter's daily job dedicated to exposing corporate-crooks and politician, facing his own illegal behavior brought about by his own felonious behavior, his pressing need for regaining personal sobriety, and the impact upon his emotional well being of what he had been continuously confronted with while in the pursuit of his profession. With its superbly presented candor, News Junkie is very highly recommended reading both as a memoir offering unique insights into the mind and life of an investigative journalist, and as a "slice of life" window into the stories and personalities behind headline stories of corruption and crime.

A Wealth Of Family
Thomas Brooks
Alpha Multimedia, Inc.
PO Box 722034, Houston, TX 77272
0977462935 $17.95 www.alphamultimedia.com

A Wealth Of Family: An Adopted Son's International Quest For Heritage, Reunion, And Enrichment by Thomas Brooks is the compelling autobiographical account of the life of the author, and his struggle toward a reunion with his biological family. The candid memoir of his painful childhood in the ghettos of inner-city Pittsburgh, A Wealth Of Family tells of Brook's rediscovery of his Lithuanian mother in London, along with British siblings he had not previously been aware of, and an equally remarkable reunion with his father in Nairobi, Kenya, along with his extended family there. A Wealth Of Family is very highly recommended as the inspiring autobiography of one man and his determination to discovery his own biological roots.

The Recipe
Annette M. Council
NP Press
PO Box 4713, Chapel Hill, NC 27515
097739591X $24.95 1-919-259-2481 www.annettecouncil.com

The Recipe, Have A Seat At Our Table by Annette M. Council is autobiographical story her life, pursuits, and accomplishment. A candid memoir of her struggles with family and the pursuit of her most fulfilling successes, The Recipe offers readers a compelling perspective on the life and the goals we set for ourselves as Annette council lays out the story of her restaurant enterprise (starting out with a capital investment of just $64) went on to flourish and prosper for more than twenty-five years. The Recipe is a vividly presented and very strongly recommended read as the inspiring story of one African American woman's success against the odds due to her passion, and persistence despite inevitable hardship and loss.

Tripping
B. H. Friedman
Provincetown Arts Press
650 Commercial Street, Provincetown, MA 02657
0944854486 $20.00 www.provincetownarts.org

Tripping: A Memoir by B. H. Friedman is a remarkably account of the life and times of Dr. Timothy Leary, including his accomplishments and influence with an active coterie of students, teachers, and artists during the freewheeling decade of the 1960's. Vividly offering an exclusive perspective of the world in sixties, Tripping details Leary's progressive discoveries and passion for LSD, cannabis, mushrooms, and other psychologically altering substances as part of his controversial views with respect to the liberation of life, love, beauty, society, and the "journey of peace". A "must read" for anyone with an interest in Timothy Leary's life and thought, Tripping is very strongly recommended as a one-of-a-kind memoir which documents of his life story.

A Bird Shall Carry The Voice
Leigh Farris
Trafford Publishing
6E-2333 Government Street, Victoria, BC, Canada V8T 4P4
1412043921 $29.95 www.amazon.com

A Bird Shall Carry The Voice is the narrative biographical account of Leigh Farris' unusual life lived out in the company of a bird. Deftly authored with a remarkably philosophical perspective and Farris provides his reader with an interpretation of his life and times with a truly holistic outlook. A Bird Shall Carry The Voice swiftly carries readers through an edition of a life diligently lived as a humanitarian, a musician, and an educated mind. An entertaining and engaging biography of an extraordinary twenty-five years of experiences, insights, humor and tragedy, A Bird Shall Carry The Voice is very strongly recommended reading which is both thoughtful and thought-provoking.

Tantalizing Quest 04240
John Collings
BAGM Ministries
PO Box 293, Burlington, IA 52601
0977757404 $15.95 bagm@danviletelco.net

Tantalizing Quest 04240 by singer, actor and dancer John Collings is the entertaining, engaging, informative, and occasionally inspiring autobiography of John Collings. Noting his many outstanding contributions to the entertainment industry nationwide, Tantalizing Quest 04240 offers an insightful perspective on televangelism in general and the machinations of the disgraced televangelist Jim Bakker in particular, as Collins carries his readers through the intriguing accomplishments and endeavors associated with his difficult pursuit of stardom. Tantalizing Quest 04240 is very highly recommended reading for its remarkably candid narrative telling of one man's extraordinary life.

When Jolson Was King
Richard Grudens
Celebrity Profiles Publishing
PO Box 344, Stony Brook, NY 11790
0976387727 $25.00 1-631-862-8555

When Jolson Was King: Sittin' On Top Of The World by musical historian and biographer Richard Grudens is the engaging life story of the life and remarkable rise to fame of world famous actor, singer and entertainer Al Jolson. When Jolson Was King showcases Jolson's wonderful career, including his personal and professional relationships with Bob Hope, Bing Crosby, Patty Andrews, Jack Benny, George Jessel and so many more figures in the Hollywood of his day. When Jolson Was King is very strongly recommended reading for its complete and entertaining coverage of Al Jolson's inspiring life, and a welcome addition to personal, academic, and community library Theatre/Cinema Studies reference and biography collections.


The Parenting Shelf

The Life Of Teenagers
Keith G. Wright
Aint No Joke Books
101 NW 100th Street, Miami Shores, Florida 33150
0977834204 $19.95 www.aintnojoke.com

The Life Of Teenagers: "Ain't No Joke": Living A Courageous Childhood In A Unforgiving World by Keith G. Wright is an informative introduction to the many difficulties of adolescent childhood in modern society. Studying the foundations of living amidst the repeatedly critical and often harsh emotional conditions which so many young people face daily, The Life Of Teenagers offers and informed analysis of everyday details relevant to teenagers addressing the challenges of youth and inspiring young readers to make the most of their adolescence. Particularly appropriate for parents to bring to the attention of their adolescent children, The Life Of Teenagers is very strongly recommended as a comprehensive and engaging guide for young readers to understand both that they are not alone, and that their life may be complete, even amidst the terrifying struggles of their evolving identity.

The Book For Guys Who Don't Want Kids
Scott Kelby
Fair Shake Press
c/o Event Management Services (publicity)
1127 Grove Street, Clearwater, FL 33755
0321334280 $11.99 www.fairshakepress.com

The Book For Guys Who Don't Want Kids: How To Get Past The Fear Of Fatherhood by Scott Kelby is an exceptionally well written, insightful and engaging introduction to the joys and satisfaction of fatherhood. Providing readers with an invaluable observations on the nature and rewards of fatherhood, as well as the psychological conundrum faced when having no interest in children, The Book For Guys Who Don't Want Kids is very strongly recommended reading for all happily married men who are, as yet, are reluctant to assume the role and responsibilities of fatherhood.

The Character Clock
C.R. Partridge
Trafford Publications
7538 -- 34th Avenue NW, Ballard, WA 98117
1412071674 $19.50 www.amazon.com

The Character Clock: Countdown For Your Child To Character Development Or Character Disorder by developmental psychologist C. R. Partridge is an insightfully informative introduction to the physical and emotional maturing of children and the gradual, inevitable loss of the general childish tenancies. Providing an in-depth analysis and study of immaturity relating to certain character disorders and their roots in excessive comfort, control, and misapplied power, The Character Clock explains to parents and caregivers how immature behavior can become destructive, baby behavior can become addictive, particular cases of disorderly children have only their parents to face for explanation. A welcome addition to personal and community library parenting reference collections and reading lists, Dr. Partridge's The Character Clock is very strongly recommended for all concerned parents searching for an informative explanation of their child's progressive mentality and psychological state as teenage life approaches and puberty affects behavior with destructive results for almost ten percent of children.

Life As A Mommy
Cathy Spigarelli
Dog Ear Publishing
c/o Life as a Mommy
PO Box 108, Zionsville, IN 46077
1598581244 $15.95 www.cathyspig.com

Life As A Mommy: Insight, Advice, And Ponderings Of A Typical Mom by Cathy Spigarelli is an informed and practical introduction to the developmental art of motherhood and parenting. Deftly analyzing every notable aspect of caring for a child, Life As A Mommy offers readers a creative presentation of 365 entries, each knowledgeably adding fun and innovative wisdom to practical motherhood. Life As A Mommy is very strongly recommended for all parents, particularly new mothers, searching for an all-around helpful, "reader friendly" guide through the often difficult and all to commonly encountered issues of motherhood.

The Parent Process
James E. Spicer
Privately Published
13144 Park Blvd, Unit B, Seminole, FL 33776
0977220109 $19.99 www.theparentprocess.com

An ordained minister and clinical psychologist, James E. Spicer draws upon more than 40 years of experience and expertise in working with troubled children in The Parent Process: Enabling Self-Directed Wholeness to offer parents effective approaches to helping their children with behavioral issues and making a proper assessment of their disciplinary treatments. The Parent Process surveys thirteen areas of personality development in children along with a simple 1 to 10 scale which allows a parent to pinpoint where their child is developmentally, and provides a framework for working with the child to mature appropriately. Embodying a great deal of material that would be of special interest to teachers, caretakers, and medical professionals working with children, The Parent Process is especially recommended for parents as a "reader friendly" basis from which to work out a proper identification and assessment of their child's troubles and develop effective approach to dealing with them.

Top 20 Teens
Paul Bernabei, et al.
Top 20 Press
1873 Stanford Avenue, St. Paul, MN 55105
The Jenkins Group (publicity)
400 West Front Street, Suite 4A, Traverse City, MI 49684
0974284300 $20.00 www.top20training.com

Expertly co-authored by a team of students, parents and educators that included Paul Bernabei, Tom Cody, Mary Cole, Michael Cole, and Willow Sweeny, this newly revised and expanded second edition of Top 20 Teens: Discovering The Best-Kept Thinking, Learning And Communicating Secrets Of Successful Teenagers is an informed and informative introduction to an effective approach for teenagers to create satisfying, successful, creative lives for themselves. Guiding readers through an in-depth study of such issues as retaining positive relationships between friends and family members, good health, and doing well in school (with the inclusion of extracurricular activities), Top 20 Teens is an engaging interpretation of adolescent emotional progression, growth, development, and living out the ideals of adulthood while making a difference with their peers. As an effective guide to becoming a productive young-adult and getting where teenagers want in their lives, Top 20 Teens is very highly recommended reading for parents, teachers, social workers, guidance counselors, and teen readers.

Surviving Bullies Workbook
Dickon Pownall-Gray
Willoughby & Lamont Publications
42 Lords Highway, Weston, CT 06883
1411676491 $14.99 www.landrydesign.com

Specifically designed for use with children ages 11 through 16 (grades 6-10), Surviving Bullies Workbook: Skills To Help Protect You From Bullying by Dickon Pownall-Gray is an informative, thoroughly researched, step-by-step instruction guide and workbook to dealing with and overcoming the painful childhood experience of being bullied by others. Revealing the root causes involved with bullying, Surviving Bullies Workbook demystifies bullies while offering exercises for escaping from the isolation trap, rebuilding personal confidence, developing an antidote to the effects of bullying, developing the skills and opportunities for making new friends, and building new social networks -- all in a compelling and "user-friendly" format which is very strongly recommended for all children struggling with the difficult troubles of bullies and their parents who are searching for an inspirational education on the truths of the matter. Now that horrific incidents of violence have brought to public view the consequences of unrestrained bullying in our public schools, Surviving Bullies Workbook is especially relevant and should be a part of every community's overall strategy for dealing with bullies and bullying.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Experiences Of An Ornithologist Along The Highways And Byways Of Bolivia
Melbourne Armstrong Carriker, Jr.
Author House
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403
1420882902 $13.50 www.authorhouse.com

Experiences Of An Ornithologist Along The Highways And Byways Of Bolivia: Collecting Birds In An Isolated, Magnificent Land In The Nineteen Thirties is the outstanding autobiographical story of ornithologist Melbourne Armstrong Carriker, Jr. and his three expeditions in Bolivia back in the 1930's. Vividly detailed with an informed grasp of the South American terrain and with the poignant authorship of first hand observation, Experiences Of An Ornithologist Along The Highways And Byways Of Bolivia remarkably depicts a riveting tale of survival, disobedience, hardships, will-power, the unexpected, and the courage to explore. Experiences Of An Ornithologist Along The Highways And Byways Of Bolivia is very strongly recommended reading as an epic true-life tale of one man's extraordinary personal and professional accomplishments.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Map Your Financial Future
Patrick Lyons
Lyons Den Press
PO Box 1341, Durham, NC 27702-1341
1411686772 $14.95 www.PatrickALyons.com

Map Your Financial Future: Starting The Right Path In Your Teens And Twenties by financial investment professional Patrick A. Lyons explains the developmental process of financial structure for young people concerned successful building and protecting their financial future. Addressing such important issues as the comprehensive constructs of developing a budget with room for fun; pumping up savings; mastering credit; avoiding bankruptcy and identity theft; catching onto scams; finding and pursuing dream jobs; launching a business; and eventual retirement, Financial Future provides an in-depth and practical perspective to achieving a life-long strategy for a productive and prosperous life. Financial Future is very highly recommended reading, especially for all young men and women searching for an informed and "user friendly" guide to financial stability and prosperity.

How To Save Money And Organize Your Finances
Me'Shae Brooks-Rolling
Author House
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403
142591618X $20.00 www.authorhouse.com

How To Save Money And Organize Your Finances: Tales Of An Urban Consumer by Me'Shea Brooks-Rolling is an informative, introductory guide to achieving economic stability in personal finances and making the best use of available funds in an urban setting through the establishment of a personal budget. Analyzing and organizing the common spending patterns for such expenditures as lunch, transportation, shopping, etc., How To Save Money And Organize Your Finances offers readers an expert perspective and an authoritative study on how to effectively save money, establish a liveable personal budget, become financially organized complete with record keeping of expenditures, eliminate and avoiding credit card debt, obtain a personal credit report for free, prevent identity theft, prepare to become a homeowner, redirect money that is unnecessarily spent on the unnecessary for the sake of more meaningful and important things, set up a small business, and so much more. How To Save Money And Organize Your Finances is very strongly recommended for any city dweller with a minimal or debt-restricted income as a practical, applicable collection of tactics and strategies for developing and maintaining a structured and secure financial basis for themselves and their loved ones.

A Dictionary Of Accounting And Auditing
Guy Lynn
Xlibris Corporation
International Plaza II, Suite 340, Philadelphia, PA 19113
0974418447 $29.50 www.xlibris.com

A Dictionary Of Accounting And Auditing: 10,000 + Accounting And Auditing Terms Currently Used In The USA, UK, Canada, And Australia by Guy Lynn is a comprehensive, 423-page reference dictionary of financially oriented terms, words, phrases, acronyms, and more. Providing detailed descriptions for each alphabetically listed entry, A Dictionary Of Accounting And Auditing contains more than ten thousand such words and phrases as liquidation, deleverage, reasonable benefit limit. A core edition to professional, academic, and community library reference collections, A Dictionary Of Accounting And Auditing is very strongly recommended for students and practitioners in the fields of auditing, accounting, banking, as well as both corporate and governmental fiscal policy making.

Are You Financially Checkmate?
Tom Graneau, Sr.
Publish Writers Inc.
PO Box 2384, Tecemcula, CA 92593
0971151709 $21.99 www.publishwriters.com

Are You Financially Checkmate?: You Live In An Economic Culture Designed To Keep You Broke. Discover How To Take Control And Free Yourself From Financial Bondage by financial management counselor, educator, and training provider Tom Graneau, Sr. is a remarkably informative study of the cultural disposition contributing to poverty and offers its readers a comprehensive understanding of just how anyone might progressively create a more productive and financially secure situation of themselves and their dependents. Introducing readers to a complete and thorough grasp of financial equity and income, Are You Financially Checkmate? deftly compiles an extensive documentation of how economics and financial strategies work. Are You Financially Checkmate? is confidently recommended for anyone searching for financial tactics and strategies for economic self-empowerment.


The Self-Help Shelf

Forever Cool
Sherrie Mathieson
Thompson Peak Publishing
9290 East Thompson Peak Parkway, #211, Scottsdale, AZ 85255
0977457001 $22.95 www.sherriemathieson.com

Forever Cool: How To Achieve Ageless, Youthful And Modern Personal Style by Sherrie Mathieson is an informed and documented analysis of the generally terrible fashion sense of the Baby Boomer generation. Introducing readers to an easy-to-follow and fun-to-read definition of fashion and age-appropriate dressing styles, Forever Cool enables Baby Boomers to reinvent their looks and balance their changing physiques with their particular lifestyle. As a comprehensive statement and a progressive guideline for appropriate and stylistic dress, Forever Cool is very strongly recommended reading for fashion and style conscious members of Baby Boomer generation.

Bernadette's Pages
Bernadette Rose Smith
Enlightened Ink
PO Box 2849, Covington, GA 30015
0977799018 $16.95 www.enlightenedink.com

Bernadette's Pages: An Intimate Crossroad by Bernadette Rose Smith is the insightful and deeply personal account of an incredible journey through love, loss, and self-discovery. Bernadette's Pages guides its readers through the hardship and heart break of losing love and having to collect ones-self through the pain and confrontational intricacies of a flawed relationship. With her vividly written and inherently wise descriptive narrative of first-hand compromise, Bernadette's Pages is very strongly recommended reading, especially for those who are experiencing a love lost, are searching for a breakthrough of self and life, are hoping to find life again on their own terms, and thereafter progress to the emotional rewards of a positive and healthy relationship.

The Complete Being
Tami Brady
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
1932690204 $17.95 www.lovinghealing.com

The Complete Being: Finding And Loving The Real You by Tami Brady (Dean of the School of Religion and Spirituality, Suite University) is a thoughtful and thought-provoking guide to dealing with those upsetting occurrences with which we are often faced as a result of the realities of stressful living. Addressing issues relevant to the mental, spiritual, emotional, and physical aspects of daily life, The Complete Being offers a measured and sage understanding of such issues as being caught up in a depressive and unhappy life, and creating a comprehensive understanding of what happiness in its purest form really is. A welcome and "reader friendly" addition to any self-help, self-improvement reading list or library reference shelf collections, The Complete Being is very strongly recommended, especially for those who are chronically unhappy or persistently unsatisfied by the everyday tedium surrounding their life and supersession their most deeply rooted ambitions.

Letting Go Of Stuff
Darren L. Johnson
InsideOut Learning
PO Box 281048, Nashville, TN 37218
0965230724 $12.95 1-615-248-2400 www.insideoutlearning.com

Very highly recommended, Letting Go Of Stuff: Powerful Secrets To Simplify Your Life by life coach and inspirational speaker Darren L. Johnson is a notable contribution for all readers wishing for practical guide to self discovery and truly living a simple but satisfying life. Letting Go Of Stuff offers complete insight into the intricate workings of mind and mentality when facing many of our daily issues and the easiest, most fulfilling approaches to letting that which does not matter drop entirely. Letting Go Of Stuff is a superbly written, thorough, and inspiring guide to the wisdom required for the "good life", the problems of habitual tendencies, the value of love, the daily drama of life, the influence of attitude, prioritizing the challenges of careers, and so much more.

Climb Every Obstacle
Anita Jefferson
Real Word Publications
PO Box 91461, Nocross, GA 30093-1461
0974308803 $19.95 www.anitajefferson.com

A welcome addition to any self-help, self improvement reading list, Climb Every Obstacle: Eliminate Your Limits by Anita Jefferson is an informative guide to overcoming over one-hundred featured obstacles to self fulfillment and how our surroundings inevitably arise to confront us in the world of today. Featuring a illustrative definitions and a wealth of helpful quotes for each subject covered, Climb Every Obstacle is a complete reference for discovering the intricacies of self and the value of introspection. Climb Every Obstacle is very strongly recommended for all readers not quite happy with themselves and looking to become a more worthy, open-minded, and favorable person with an enhanced appreciation of what life has to offer them.

Say It, See It, Be It
Arlene Rosenberg
Book Marketing Solutions LLC
10300 E Leelanau Court, Traverse City, MI 49684
0974134570 $19.95 1-231-929-1999 www.bookmarketingsolutions.com

Say It, See It, Be It: How Visions And Affirmations Will Change Your Life by Arlene Rosenberg is about self empowerment and personal growth through the use of dedicated affirmations and life-enhancing personal visions. Introducing an easy-to-follow and informative explanation of "inner genius", self-esteem, success and security, as well as just how to retain an extraordinary personal and professional life, Say It, See It, Be It is a thoroughly "reader friendly" guide to becoming more successful and satisfied with every aspect of your personal and professional life. A welcome addition to any personal self-help or self-improvement reading list, Say It, See It, Be It is very highly recommended reading.

Recipe For Success
Emma S. Etuk
Edima International Publishers
1923 Berry Lane, Forestville, MD 20747
1881293076 $14.95 www.edima1.com

Recipe For Success: The Twenty-One Indispensable Things That Can Help YOU Succeed In Life by author, professional historian, and motivational speaker Emma S. Etuk is an informative compendium of information and observational study discerning the most productive approach to securing and leading a successful life. Authoritatively guiding readers through the ideas and ideals of a progressive mentality, Recipe For Success offers a "reader friendly" interpretation analyzing and detailing the essentials (and variations) of what constitutes success and the many attributes necessary for becoming a complete success in life including such factors as planning, purpose, vision, time management, good health, single-mindedness, persistence, learning from mistakes, loving others, and so much more. Recipe For Success is very strongly recommended as the insightful and informative introduction to the fine art of living in happiness and contentment while adhering to a customized "road map" to personally defined success.

Directing Life
Robert L. Peck et al
The Personal Development Center
82 Bush Hill Road, Lebanon, CT 06249
0917828119 $14.95 www.newleaf-dist.com

Collaboratively authored by the team of Robert L. Peck, Leslie M. Cassinari, and Christine S. Gavlick, Directing Life: The Hidden Power Of Quickening, Gnosis, Union And Love offers readers a kind of "rediscovery" of the artful inner-powers contributing to the mental, emotional and physical gestalt of every enlightened individual. Acknowledging the value of physical stimulation (particularly of the lower abdomen previously declared heretical by traditional Christian dogmas), Directing Life guides readers through a spectrum of Greek, Roman, Persian, Dionysian, and Tantric practices for an overall healthier and progressive body and mind cohesion. Thoroughly accessible to the non-specialist general reader, Directing Life is very highly recommended for those in search of for an understanding of how we may acquire an enhanced inner well being of our composite psyche and soma.

The Divine Declaration
W. Jane Robinson
Infinite Endeavors Publishing Company
PO Box 1236, Oxford, GA 30054
Cate Cummings (publicity)
7601 East 93rd Street, Kansas City, MO 64138
0976092107 $14.95 www.thedivinedeclaration.com

The Divine Declaration: Awaken Your Divine Inner Power Your Life Depends On It by W. Jane Robinson introduces the process of directly engaging our divine inheritance and inner powers. Expertly guiding readers through a conceptual and comprehensive understanding of the complex workings of a complete self-discovery, The Divine Declaration offers an indispensable, accessible knowledge of how to recognize divine inner power and why it is so important; what might restrain such powers; how to find purpose in life and in dreams; how to change thoughts and life; techniques to help the expansion, growth and strength of our inner power, and so much more. The Divine Declaration is very strongly recommended for all who are searching for a "user-friendly" instructive guide to developing their life's most productive and insightful progression through accessing their own inner resources.

Expanding The Boundaries Of Self
Oliver H. Jobson
Global Publishing Associates
2860 Somerset Drive, Suite 215, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33311
0976498804 $23.95 www.gpaonline.com

Expanding The Boundaries Of Self: Beyond The Limit Of Traditional Thought, Discovering The Magic Within by Oliver H. Jobson is a remarkable and impressive introduction to the spiritual path of enlightenment and full awakening. Deftly guiding readers with an easy-to-follow, comprehensive, perceptive, and practical study, Expanding The Boundaries Of Self provides an extensive the non-specialist general reader with an improved understanding of life and the journey of mankind. With a thoughtful and thought-provoking set of theoretics, and an engaging description of personal development in a world of mindless acceptance, Expanding The Boundaries Of Self is very strongly recommended as a pathway to enlightenment for those who are dedicated to improving themselves by tapping into their own inner resources.

Sailing Through Life
Paul E. Feld
Professional Effectiveness Systems, Inc.
3288 Page Avenue, #412, Virginia Beach, VA 2341
0976696215 $16.95 1-757-573-5374 www.sailingthroughbusiness.com

Paul E. Feld's semi-autobiographical novel, Sailing Through Life, is the story of a young man' involvement with a retired sea captain. Sailing is the metaphor in which wisdom and living ideals exemplified in an intimate and insightful relationship between the two. An engagingly written 'coming of age, Sailing Through Life carries its readers along with an original and affirmative tale of the young man's youthful enthusiasm. Sailing Through Life is very highly recommended reading which is thoughtful, thought-provoking, occasionally inspiring, and always entertaining.

The Sacred Balance
David Suzuki
GreyStone Books
2323 Quebec Street, Suite 201, Vancouver, BC, Canada V5T 4S7
1550549634 $16.95 www.greystonebooks.com

The Sacred Balance: Rediscovering Our Place In Nature by David Suzuki offers a conceptual understanding of the human condition and an ecologically sustainable, satisfying and honorable way of life in the world enveloping us all in this day and age. Providing readers with a complete grasp of nature and its most fulfilling values, The Sacred Balance intuitively presents a new direction with which one might rightfully prosper in balance with nature and one's surroundings. As a unique and concise interpretive understanding of nature and each individual's placement amidst an ever-growing and progressing nature, The Sacred Balance is very strongly recommended as a life changing, life enhancing read.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Your Inner Estrogen
Pat Camillo
Allwise Publishing Inc.
1965 Broadway, #16J, New York, NY 10023
0975543202 $19.95 www.allwise.com

Your Inner Estrogen: An Individualized Natural Approach To Understanding And Balancing Your Hormones Before And After Menopause by menopause expert Pat Camillo (a Certified Nurse Practitioner with more than 30 years of experience in both Women's Health and Gerontology) is a clearly written guide to controlling hormonal differentials involved in the menopausal process of female aging. Addressing such issues as how to reduce hot flashes, increase libido, improve sleep, enhance mood, monitor risks for uterine and breast cancer, and identify risk for osteoporosis, Your Inner Estrogen deftly compiles knowledgeable deductions of general and frequent occurrences in menopausal women. and is especially recommended reading for women nearing or experiencing menopause.

Heavy Lettuce
Johnny T. Flynn
Sunset Avenue Publishers
1551 Judah Street, San Francisco, CA 94122
0976352516 $14.95 www.heavylettuce.com

In Heavy Lettuce: Adventures Of A Journeyman Dieter, author Johnny T. Flynn draws upon a fifteen year struggle with respect to losing weight, and offers a humorous approach to understanding and dealing with the complex issues associated with dieting. Presenting "user-friendly" observational advice about simple weight-loss tactics, Heavy Lettuce provides the reader with a practical and strategic approach to dieting by addressing such relevant issues as responsible food choices, motivation for the long run, self analysis of eating behaviors, thinking outside of the box for variable strategies, winning the psychological struggles of dieting without therapy, creating a self-supportive system, exercising at a comfortable pace, and resisting the temptations of holiday seasonal meals and foods. Heavy Lettuce is very highly recommended -- especially for anyone in need of an intelligible, accurate, "reader friendly" book one dieting and weight-loss.

Riding The Infertility Roller Coaster
Iris Waichler
Wyatt-MacKenzie Publishing, Inc.
15115, Hwy 36, Deadwood, OR 97430
1932279229 $17.95 wymacpublishing.com

In Riding The Infertility Roller Coaster: A Guide To Educate And Inspire, Iris Waichler draws upon her years of experience as a medical social worker to address the difficult emotional and physical health issues surrounding issue of infertility. Deftly providing readers through a sensitive understanding of the variety of infertility causes affecting men and women, Riding The Infertility Roller Coaster covers the issues of menopause, disclosure infertility and conception, parenting after infertility, how to find a doctor or lawyer, the psychology of infertility treatment, becoming a couple again, and the choice of a childless marriage. Riding The Infertility Roller Coaster is very strongly recommended for couples searching for a comprehensive grasp of infertility issues and is a complete guide to overcoming the inevitable hardships that dealing with infertility will inevitably encumber.

Dr. Susan's Girls-Only Weight Loss Guide
Dr. Susan S. Bartell
Parent Positive Press
446 Willis Ave., #118, Williston Park, NY 11596
097215020X $14.95 1-877-885-2665 www.girlsonlyweightloss.com

Dr. Susan's Girls-Only Weight Loss Guide: The Easy, Fun Way to Look and Feel Good! is a guide written especially for female teens that does not promote a fad diet, but rather permanent lifestyle changes to help one stay in better health. From avoiding family patterns that predispose one to fat, to breaking the control that emotions have over one's eating, to easy and fun exercises that are good for the body and easy to get into using as a routine, Dr. Susan's Girls-Only Weight Loss Guide presents basic, solid advice broken down point-by-point for easy absorption. Highly recommended especially for any girl concerned by the rampant obesity epidemic in America.


The Poetry Shelf

Shorts
John Lehman
Zelda Wilde Publishing
315 Water Street, Cambridge, WI 53523
0974172820 $11.95 www.amazon.com

Shorts: One-Hundred-And-One Brief Poems Of Wonder And Surprise is an eclectic anthology of the succinct poetry and imaginative prose of John Lehman. Organized a "best-yet" collection of his poetry, Shorts offers his readers an "unseen insight" into an extraordinary mind and talent. A Chinese Puzzle: My first wife was artistic, self-assured and short:/the second, slender, more spontaneous and warm./Perhaps at different ages I needed different things:/"young man, lacking confidence, seeks an articulate/voice" became "failing businessman desires a sweet/embrace." But, that's unfair to both. No, it's more like/someone eating take-out food by himself who's been/given two fortune cookies, instead of one. "You will/succeed beyond your wildest dreams," says the first/while the other warns, "All things are subject to drastic/change." Does this mean, I'll find success and give it/up, or happiness is just a u-turn away? The answer is/as puzzling as two women, so different, who I've loved/or the sun shining in the rain.

The Moment's Equation
Vern Rutsala
The Ashland Poetry Press
c/o Ashland College
401 College Avenue, Ashland, OH 44805
0912592540 $12.95 www.ashland.edu

The Moment's Equation is an exquisite collection of poetical rhetoric from the philosophical mind of Vern Rutsala. Engagingly producing an invasive and practical approach to living and being amidst the modern realities, The Moment's Equation deftly maneuvers and manipulates the English language. Run Sheep Run: There may be no road back,/those days going bright/and vague like overexposed/photos, then dimming/into some impenetrable ink/of the past. But we must try./And somehow it drifts into being./It was a wide field, above it/the log house with rough floors,/a blue checked cloth/on the long table, a stove/like a battleship, a steam/from black iron pots of vast/and bubbling nourishment./All of us, so many nephews/and nieces, so many sisters/and brothers, divided into/teams on the wide field./And at the command we all/ran with ecstatic fear from/one side to the other--/Run Sheep Run!--through/twilight again and again until/the dark called us in/to eat from the huge iron pots/and then fall into sleep in fields/of swirling grass white as wool.

St. Paul's Chapel And Selected Shorter Poems
J. Chester Johnson
Brunswick Books
1386 Lawrenceville Plank Road, Lawrenceville, VA 23868
1556182112 $19.95 www.brunswickbooks.com

Showcasing the poetry of J. Chester Johnson, St. Paul's Chapel And Selected Shorter Poems, demonstrates his unique style in reflecting observations of life and the divine mystery. Radicals: It's OK,/If not laude,/To infect/To disinfect.//Intumesce/A thin process/By pretext/To context.//With work to suggest/And work to protest,/From side to side,/A narrow ride,//As reformers shift into an extreme/To elaborate toward another theme --/Coursing through the next triumphant mist/To assemble where counting doesn't exist.

Awakening The Other Side
Michelle Hanna
In Time Publications
PO Box 190537, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33319
0976285703 $12.95 1-954-599-4425 www.intimepublications.com

Awakening The Other Side: Poems And Art Illustrations is an evocative collection of distinctive poetry by Michelle Hanna. Awakening The Other Side envelopes its readers for an evermore engaging and timeless emotional focus on love, death, and the guidance of soul. Stand Still: I stand still as the worlds swirl/Time elapsed and I walked on particles passed through atoms/Penetrated into another dimension/Watching this world carry on as usual/Artificial highs, zombies flooded my eyes/Mother Nature cried in a whisper/But busy ears do not hear/Like a fly buzzing on a hot summer's day/Being a nuisance pulling away like a distraction/Even though my eyelids fell to rest/I still did see/Whose eyes did I look through?/Maybe I stood there looking from eternity

Shark's Tooth
Marc Elihu Hofstadter
Regent Press
6020-A Adeline, Oakland, CA 94608
1587900912 $12.95 www.regentpres.net

Shark's Tooth is a remarkable poetry collection drawn from the lyrical works of Marc Elihu Hofstadter whose focus is the manifold elements of the human condition. Shark's Tooth intricately details the philosophical perspective existence and reprise of the mind and tangible embodiment of the spirit. Looking Forward (for David): What does it matter that we die?/Everything dies--/poppies, antelope, dinosaurs,/mountain peaks, planetoids, black holes--/even the universe may die./If everything that is/expires, maybe death itself will be cancelled/and things will reverse themselves--/nebulae and glaciers/and sycamores and crickets/streaming back, grinning,/greeting each other--/"Of course I remember you!"/Maybe the whole thing will go/back to a new Bang/so that my main moment--/the one when I met you--/will be yet to come.

The Silence Before Dawn
Henry Martin
Lulu Press
1411686802 $11.95 www.lulu.com/henrymartin

An eighty page compilation of 54 original and impressively thoughtful poems organized into four primary categories (Relationships, Thoughts, Confessions, and Surreal), The Silence Before Dawn showcases Henry Martin in this debut sampling of his work drawn from his poetry written over the past decade. Why did You?: So why did you give us birth?/in the darkness of the nights/the dungeon locked, I awake alone/The screams of the beaten/as if an animal squeals/through the bars in my doors/all the way into my ears/At daybreak when sunup/freezing shower/shut, objection/a punch in the face/a streak of blood creeping/on the floor like a childhood memory/I am ducking, curling into myself/So why have you give us birth?/And don't pretend/that no one knows.

Chopin's Piano
Charles Ades Fishman
Time Being Books
10411 Clayton Road, Suite 201-203, St. Louis, MS 63131
1568091044 $15.95 www.timebeing.com

Chopin's Piano is collection of poetry drawn from the work of Charles Ades Fishman. The poetry comprising Chopin's Piano offers eye-opening lyrical narratives on themes of war, destruction, beauty, and hope. Dust Of Jerusalem: Your feet on the old stones of Jerusalem/felt heat rising from the earth/as if the flames of history/licked just beneath the surface//Something incendiary pushed tremors upward/so that meaning could not be denied//You tried to move forward into the future/but were pulled to your knees/which also felt the fire that reached/for the sky and beyond the sky//from the dark power at the center:/you were in Jerusalem//where each stone burns/to tell its story where each molecule/of dust brims with a radiance/that scalds.

GPA Continues
Lorenzo McClain
Lulu
3131 RDU Center Drive, Suite 210, Morrisville, NC 27560
9781411683396 $21.75 www.lulu.com

GPA Continues: The Great One Dispoetry Vol. 2) is a delightful compendium of the artistic and analytical poetry of "the Great One" -- Lorenzo McClain. Challenging the everyday mind with its mundane concerns and habits, GPA Continues presents a descriptive analysis of love, death, psychology, the mind, beauty, loss, and the grand picture of life. Mommy's Weirdest: Mom doesn't really know how weird her child can be,/Mom may think her son has a split personality,/Maybe I suffer from SAS or some form of ADD,/Were there times where mom wanted to give up on me?/I assume the answer will never be revealed,/The way my mom feels is kept in an unbreakable jar with a "do not/open" seal,/Me an my mom have survived many downfalls together and/individually,/I've told mom my personal opinions because I knew she was the only/one I knew who would listen,/If god should be my first thoughts; then mom definitely gets the/honorable mention,/So when others might say I am weird,/Mom doesn't pay them any attention,/That's why I can still smile from ear to ear…//I love you mom./GPA

A Kind Of Yellow
Patricia Lee Lewis
Patchwork Farm Press
292 Chesterfield Road, Westhampton, MA 01027
0976842106 $12.00 www.writingretreats.org

A Kind Of Yellow is a collection of poetry from the timeless and skillfully provocative creativity of Patricia Lee Lewis. A Kind Of Yellow whispers its free-flowing verses and word imagery through the mind of its readers with a distinctively lyrical style unique to Patricia's undeniably talent. Not Red: The field stood/in its light, shimmering/from root and leaf. This/is how it was, he slammed/the dash board and the car screamed/through cactus thorns. This moon/had known the women/of the thousand fires, breasts/and heavy bellies burned/by blame. This is how it was,/this no-blood moon, in her sixteenth/year, in a shimmering pasture, on a summer night.

Halfway Decent Sinners
Michael Cleary
Custom Words
PO Box 541106, Cincinnati, OH 45254
1933456191 $17.00 www.custom-words.com

Halfway Decent Sinners is a remarkable collection of memorable poetry drawn from the work of Michael Cleary. Intuitively mapping out the truths and perceptive realities of life through skillfully constructed word images, rhythms, and patterns, Halfway Decent Sinners deftly maneuvers the English language through pragmatic principles human attributes in a world of undeniable truths and restrictive social boundaries. Ex-Jock On Faith, Free Throws, Follow-Through: I believe/what the mind conceives/before the body acts/determines the aftermath./Freeze the last motion./Command grace with your will./Love the flight of the ball.//I believe/the ball knows/when the body knows/what to do after/the ball is gone./The heart's work is not done./The ending has only begun.

Journey To The Lost City
Jonathan Aaron
Ausable Press
1045 Westgate Drive, Saint Paul, MN 55114
1931337306 $14.00 www.ausablepress.org

Journey To The Lost City is an impressive compendium of memorable poetry drawn from the work of Jonathan Aaron. Characterized by a glorious sense of the mind and self, Journey To The Lost City documents the vividly acute mind and voice of Aaron. This Little System: of branch twigs a few dead leaves/still cling to, along with three or four/shreds of sun-stiffened paper, a bit of string/occasionally a weather-faded ribbon, feels//prickly, oddly solid, yet ready to float/from your hand. Lidded--roofed--it might be/a box or a tiny house meant for nothing/bigger than a bird or a mouse. Don't ask me//why at night it emits a fitful glow,/abrupt flashes, periodic spokes of light./What do I know? Someone insides' up late//reading or snooping with a flashlight. Or signaling/that long, low, darkened ship lying in/close to shore, doubtless up to no good.

Articulated Emotions
Harry C. Smith
Publish America
PO Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705-0151
1413794076 $17.95 www.harrycsmith.com www.amazon.com

Articulated Emotions is an engaging collection showcasing the impressive poetic talents Harry C. Smith. Hallmarked by a spiritual and engagingly intimate imagery and subject matter, this is a poetry that illustrates and exemplifies the human heart, human experience, and human yearning. Just A Visitor: We are just a visitor, in this world, not in this world to stay./Just as sure as we came to this world, we will leave this/world one day.//Our lives are destined from the beginning, all the way until/the end./When God decides to take us, the battle to stay, in this world,/we can't win.//God has already decided our destiny; when it is time. He'll/let us know./You may ask how we know these things, the Bible tells us so.//My advice to you, is to be Christ like, and praise his holy/name./When things are not going your way, remember, nothing/remains the same.//We think some people will live forever, but this is just not true./All of us are visitors in this world, and we're just passing/through.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Healing Power Of Seashells
Daya Sarai Chocron
Findhorn Press
1 Union Square West, Suite 201, New York, NY 10003
184409068X $15.95 www.lanternbooks.com

Beautifully illustrated throughout, The Healing Power Of Seashells by Daya Sarai Chocron is an informative introduction to the remarkable composition and healing properties of the natural and beautiful seashell. Offering readers a complete understanding of the mineral composite of seashells and its significance in healing a variety of human illnesses, The Healing Power Of Seashells draws upon the metaphysical wisdom of shamanic cultures and their use of these sturdy "gifts of the sea" and their exceptional healing abilities. A unique addition to Alternative Medicine and Metaphysical Studies reference collections, The Healing Power Of Seashells is very highly recommended for its unique and concise presentation of Daya Chocron's inspired perspective of the medicinal benefits of seashells.

Numerology For Relationships
Vera Kaikobad
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 West 86th Street, Suite H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
http://www.astrologycompatibilityreports.com
1598581414 $29.99 1-866-823-9613

Numerology For Relationships: A Guide To Birth Numbers by Vera Kaikobad is a knowledgeable and "reader friendly" guide to the complexities and application of numerology for determining the prospects and compatibility of specific personal relationships. Numerology For Relationships provides an ideal understanding of various relevant particulars such as whether or not a boyfriend is husband material; if the number 3 male is just like the number 3 female; if varying planetary houses control or contribute to attitude, personality or perception as to which birth numbers are the most passionate, and a great many more engaging discoveries and insights available through the process of numerology. A welcome addition to Metaphysical Studies reference collections, Numerology For Relationships is very strongly recommended for all readers with an interest in the intricate art of numerology as applied to personal relationships.

Blessed
Carole Chapman
SunTopaz
PO Box 123, Foster, VA 23056
0975469126 $16.95 www.suntopaz.com

Blessed: A Quest For Atlantis In Egypt Leads To Apparitions Of The Virgin Mary by Carole Chapman is the inherently fascinating story one woman's exploration of the Egyptian landscape in attempt to confirm her memories of Atlantis but resulted instead with the unexpected but quite remarkable vision of the Virgin Mary, Blessed offers readers an assurance of the Virgin Mary's powerful ability to bring about peace, as well as touching upon the Copts (who are direct descendants of the ancient Egyptians who were converted to Christianity in the first decades after the death and resurrection of the Christ), as well as the significance of certain artifacts left by ancient Mayans and paintings in the Pharaoh's tombs. Blessed is very strongly recommended for studies of Metaphysics and Christian Mysticism.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Sacred Freedom
Haneef Oliver
Westpoint Publishing
2541 Ashland Road, Mansfield, OH 44905
0977699609 $13.95 www.bookmasters.com

Sacred Freedom: Western Liberalist Ideologies In The Light Of Islam by Haneef Oliver is about conflict between Western attitudes and Islamic thought as manifested in the illusive ideologies of the democratic constructs of Western philosophy. Introducing a fascinating examination of atheism, humanism, pluralism, democracy and secularism, Sacred Freedom thoroughly grasps the wisdom of the Islamic faith and its way of life through many quotes from the Koran, as well as an extensive progression through the pluralistic and material world of the west. A welcome addition to the reading lists for students of Islam, Philosophy, Sociology, Middle Eastern Politics and Culture, Sacred Freedom is a very strongly recommended and informative addition to academic and community library Islamic Studies reference collections.


The Humor Shelf

Embrace the Pun!
Barry Corbett
Corbett Features
2 Courthouse Lane, Suite 14F, Chelmsford, MA 01824
0976229420 $9.95 www.corbettfeatures.com

Embrace the Pun! is an anthology of one-panel black-and-white cartoons by savvy online cartoonist Barry Corbett. Using the author's gifts for original wit and wordplay, Embrace the Pun! mocks everything from serial killers to news events to sports and common TV cliches, with special emphasis on unique and original gags - for example, in one cartoon labeled "America's New Underclass" a disheveled man sits at a street corner begging for change by holding up a sign that reads "STILL ON DIAL-UP". A cross-section of chuckle-inducing fun.


The Travel Shelf

Hike Your Own Hike
Francis Tapon
Sonic Trek Press
315 Pepper Avenue, Burlingame, CA 94010
0976581205 $24.95 www.sonictrek.com

Hike Your Own Hike: Seven Life Lessons From Backpacking Across America by Francis Tapon is an inspiring and entertaining travelogue of the one-hundred-and-eleven day walk through 2,168 miles of one of America's most intriguing areas. Expertly authored for a vivid and intimate detailing of Tapon's travels, Hike Your Own Hike enlightens readers to the exclusively awe-inspiring journey through the Appalachian Mountains in both discovery of land, self, and the lighter side of life. Hike Your Own Hike is very strongly recommended for all readers searching for an engaging tale of remarkable encouragement, creative entertainment, and informative endeavors, particularly ideal reading for novice hikers aspiring to take on the Appalachian Trail themselves.

Awol On The Appalachian Trail
David Miller
Wingspan Press
PO Box 2085, Livermore, CA, 94551
www.wingspanpress.com www.awolonthetrail.com
1595940561 $15.95 1-866-735-3782

Awol On The Appalachian Trail by David Miller is the personal story of the author's 146 day, backpacking hike along the entire length of the Appalachian Trail in 2003, averaging more than 17 miles a day from beginning to end. Awol On The Appalachian Trail offers readers an intimate grasp and vivid portrayal of the pure beauty and inspiring landscape of the Appalachian mountains and valleys. Whether an armchair traveler or an active outdoor enthusiasts, Awol On The Appalachian Trail is very highly recommended reading as a first-hand narrative of an incredible journey spanning the entire length of the Appalachian country.

Travel Guide To The World
Susan Kimmel
Corystevens Publishing
15350 NE Sandy Boulevard, Portland, OR 97230
0942893069 $16.95 www.corystevens.com

Travel Guide To The World: Providing The Essentials To Get You The Best Value And Most From Your Travel Experience by Master Cruise Counselor Susan Kimmel is an outstanding introduction and general guide for exploring the world through travel. Providing readers with an extensive guide for properly identifying the intricacies of a situational environment, and the most inexpensive and innovative techniques of economic travel through bartering, low-cost lodgings, budget airlines, bargain cruises, inexpensive trains, economical meals, and so much more, Travel Guide To The World explores the opportune ideas for taking road trips and vacations anywhere around the globe while getting the best value for the traveler's dollar at all times and under ever circumstance. Specifically designed as a "take along" reference book, Travel Guide To The World is very highly recommended for all readers who frequently travel or vacationing abroad for its invaluable, practical, money-saving advice.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

A Handbook For Stream Enhancement And Stewardship
The Izaak Walton League of America
The McDonald & Woodward Publishing Company
431-B E College Street, Granville, OH 43023
093992398X $34.95 www.mwpubco.com

A Handbook For Stream Enhancement And Stewardship from the Izaak Walton League of America is an excellent study of conservationist activities in dynamically aiding the restoration, enhancement, and environmental maintenance of rivers and streams. Deftly providing readers with a conceptual grasp of the "stewardship" responsibilities of various groups, organizations, individuals, companies, communities, and government planning agencies, A Handbook For Stream Enhancement And Stewardship informatively presents a ideas and expertise with which to actively make a difference in maintaining and enhancing rivers and streams for purposes of the flora and fauna dependent upon them, as well as the critically important role of the stream with respect to watershed dynamics. A core addition to personal, professional, environmental activists, academic, and community library Environmental Studies reference collections, A Handbook For Stream Enhancement And Stewardship is very strongly recommended as an expert informational resource for environmental and waterway restoration and conservation.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Separated
Troon Harrison
Brown Barn Books
119 Kettle Creek Road, Weston, CT 06883
0976812614 $12.95 www.brownbarnbooks.com

The Separated: The First Tale Of Terre by Troon Harrison is the story of young Vita, Giovanni, and Marina in the magical realm of Verde, and the merciless power of the evil Lord Maldici. Readers will follow the three adventurers as their destined pursuits ultimately draw them into the chambers of the malignant dark evils of Maldici and his daughter. A skillfully crafted novel of fantasy action/adventure, The Separated is very highly recommended for its creative and magical world and tangible vivid descriptions of battles of faith and revolution.

Sojourn
Jana G. Oliver
Dragon Moon Press
PO Box 1126, Norcross, GA 30091
1896944302 $19.95 www.janaoliver.com

Jana G. Oliver's unique time travel novel, Sojourn is the adventure story of Jacynda Lassiter, a Time Rover sent on a mission to London in the year of 1888 to prevent a missing 'tourist' from disturbing and changing history. Featuring a deftly intertwining plot populated mysterious and dangerous shape-shifters, Irish anarchists edging closer to attacks on the Crown, and the murderous Jack The Ripper, Sojourn is a riveting tale of Lassiter's persistent struggle to save the time line necessary for the continued existence her own world of 2057, or perish in her failure to protect it. An original and well crafted story, Sojourn is very highly recommended reading for Sci-Fi buffs and clearly document Jana G. Oliver as a gifted storyteller and a master of the genre.

The Feast Of Catchville
Scott F. Falkner
Stone Garden Publishing
3851 Cottonwood Drive, Danville, CA 94506
1600760112 $6.99 www.stonegarden.net

The Feast Of Catchville by Scott F. Falkner is a grippingly written horror novella depicting the tale of Seth and Anne Landon who become involved with a peculiar and rustic hotel in northern Wisconsin as it becomes the site of terrifying happenings. Carrying readers from late March of 2007 to the end of November of 2008, The Feast Of Catchville tells of a macabre adventure consuming the lives of Seth, Anne, and their beloved friend, Maggie, who is the owner of the hotel and diner where they first discovered the mystery. Documenting author Scott Falkner as an original and talented writer, The Feast Of Catchville is very highly recommended reading, especially for horror fantasy buffs as an original and engaging tale of three intertwined lives.

Star Corps
Kevin A. Richard
First Books Library/Author House
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403
1410706729 $19.95 www.authorhouse.com

Star Corps: Book One by Kevin A. Richards is the first volume in a series of action/adventure science fiction novels featuring Devin Phase and an intricate futuristic universe in which a hell-bent collection of merciless aliens demand control of the human galaxy as they consume everything in their path -- including Devin's own planet. As the group of mercenaries called Star Corps gathers to defeat the ruthless aliens known as the Locuta, Star Corps carries its readers through the engaging tale of deceit, espionage, persistence, love, and glory as politics and jealousy-driven decisions bring Devin's galaxy through an endlessly fascinating set of twists and turns from first page to last. Star Corps Book One is very highly recommended to all science fiction fans as a high-paced sci-fi thriller.

Perikles Publishing
PO Box 5367, Naperville, IL 60567
www.dropas.com

The first volume of "The Dropas" trilogy, Breaking Through The Walls (0967257115, $11.95) by Scott R. Etters continues the courageous saga of two brothers Scott and Timm, and their assistant Pockets, in a determined attempt to create a public education in a troubled world of the future. Taking place a mere six years after history's most devastating war, Breaking Through The Walls carries its readers through haunting memories, hardships, unexpected obstacles, a cast of memorable characters, all set in the future of a world recovering from a war that wiped out nearly two-billion people. A promising treaty and the brothers' relentless efforts to aide their people in the fight to bring down the evil Lord Ozone make for an engaging read from first page to last. Transcendental Journey (0967257123, $19.95) is the second volume of the trilogy and thoughtfully entertaining reading as Scott, Timm, Pockets, and their friends must once again unite to expel evil forces once again threatening darkness and destruction in the aftermath of Lord Ozone's original defeat. Fate Of Eternity (096725714X, $TBA) is the concluding volume to "The Dropas" trilogy as presents our heroes with a powerful new enemy in the form of Arton and his powerful army seeking to destroy Athena and her beloved paradise. The answer may be the existence of a soul in Dropa that can overcome this new menace. Scott R. Etters is a gifted storyteller who in "The Dropas" trilogy has created and original, complex, and thoroughly entertaining world of high adventure that will prove ideal reading for even the most demanding fantasy buff.


The Music Shelf

Finding Robert Johnson
Gene Roebuck
Earmark Publishing
PO Box 3857, Virginia Beach, VA 23454
0976446219 $24.95 1-757-496-9600 www.earmarkpublishing.com

Finding Robert Johnson: The Official Guide To The CrossGuitar Method And Secret Devil Tuning by Gene Roebuck (who spent several years deciphering the music of Robert Johnson) is a remarkable combination of biography and analytical study of this amazing musician's unique style of guitar tuning. Introducing readers to the Robert Johnson's personal history (and whether or not he really did sell his soul to the devil in exchange for his unorthodox playing technique), Finding Robert Johnson provides an informed presentation of Delta-Blues Open G Tuning method which has influenced guitarists ever since. Finding Robert Johnson is very strongly recommended, especially for Johnson's fans and aspiring guitarists seeking to master the Delta-blues guitar style.


The Political Science Shelf

Progressive Logic
William J. Kelleher
Empathetic Science Institute
PO Box 912, La Canada Flintridge, CA 91011
0977371719 $14.95 www.empatheticscience.org

Progressive Logic: Framing A Unified Theory Of Values For Progressives by William J. Kelleher is an outstanding guide offering a logical approach to progressive political thought and activism. Introducing a series of comprehensive concepts of political civics and cultural morality, Progressive Logic offers the non-specialist general reader with a complete and thorough understanding of an idealistic "natural order of values" in which political progression is constructively rooted in the confluence of variations of progressive values. An informed and thought-provoking, pocket-sized book which is ideally suited for students of political science and philosophy, Progressive Logic is very strongly recommended reading.


The Women's Issues Shelf

Men At Work
Wendy Straker
Polka Dot Press
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
159337495X $14.95 adamsmedia.com

Men At Work: A Job-By-Job Search For Mr. Right by Wendy Straker offers an intriguing analysis of men based upon using their careers as an effective guide to pinpointing their desirability for women seeking satisfying relationships and even matrimony. Offering an analysis of various job positions and career-oriented implications, Men At Work will help women assessing prospective men, picking apart and excluding the unworthy and unworkable, thereby avoiding the heart-breaking process of blind chance in figuring out certain the pros and cons of certain male "breeds" through a random process of hit and miss. Providing a wealth of insightful tips throughout, Men At Work addresses every particular of the male gender in a woman's search for the elusive "Mr. Right".

Women Are Our Only Hope
Anthony DiGiorgio
Author House
1663 Liberty Drive, Suite 200, Bloomington, IN 47403
1420884689 $11.49 www.amazon.com www.authorhouse.com

Women Are Our Only Hope: (Because Men Have Proven To Be Unfit To Lead Us by Anthony DiGiorgio is a documented analytical treatise concluding that the harsh terms under which women in many countries are required to live out there daily lives is counter-productive and preventing the advancement of the societies in which they live. Women Are Our Only Hope asserts that this ubiquitously unfair treatment of women must subside, and cogently addresses such issues as homosexuality, abortion, family issues, the death penalty, equality, and so much more. A valued contribution to Women's Studies supplemental reading lists and academic reference library collections, Women Are Our Only Hope is very strongly recommended reading, especially for all non-specialist general readers searching for a concise treatise on the societal constraints worldwide oppressing the female gender and offering a productive analysis of effective resolutions to cultural discrimination against women.


The Language Studies Shelf

Body Idioms And More
Mary Pare
Privately Published
PO Box 349, Verdugo City, CA 91046
0977392805 $17.00 www.bodyidioms.com

The newly revised and updated second edition of Body Idioms And More: For Learners Of English by Mary Pare is an informative guide through the many intricacies involved in explanation of the phrases, terms, idioms, synonyms, and expressions expressed through the use of body parts, functions, and mannerisms. Providing an in-depth and "user-friendly" reference through such sayings as "lose face", "foam at the mouth", and "spine-tingling", Body Idioms And More deftly compiles the fascinating aspects of the English language and a linguistic wealth of its colloquial and vernacular facets. Body Idioms And More is very strongly recommended for students of the English language and its many idioms.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Lone Star State Of Death
Bobbi Ann Chukran
Limestone Ledge Press
15005 Apple Springs Hollow, Leander, TX 78641
0944577504 $16.95 www.bobbichukran.com

Lone Star State Of Death by Bobbi Ann Chukran is the intriguing tale of journalist Samantha Slater in her new move to a small town in Texas and immediate assignment to cover a local murder mystery. When Samantha's boss, George Stanley, is suspiciously killed by a runaway horse, Lone Star State Of Death takes swift turns through an increasingly thickening plot as the mystery surrounding recent happenings, envelope Sam's life in the intricacies of finding the truth. Lone Star State Of Death is very highly recommended reading for mystery buffs with a preference to murder mysteries featuring an inventive tale of deceit, thrills, and colorful characters.

Framed
Tonino Benacquista
Bitter Lemon Press
c/o Meryl Zegarek Public Relations
255 W 108th Street, Suite 9D1, New York, NY 10025
1904738168 $13.95 www.bitterlemonpress.com

Tonino Benacquista's new mystery novel Framed is the riveting story of Antoine, a daytime picture hanger for some of Paris' most fashionable and renounced art galleries, and his pursuit of an art-thief who had attacked him in one of the more fashionable art galleries in the City of Lights. Brilliantly carrying readers through a fascinating tale of mystery and intrigue with an engaging and often humorous narrative of Antoine's amateur investigation, Framed follows his life as two people are found dead in the course of his investigation with one of the deceased having been a prime suspect! Introducing the reader to a world of art fraud and avarice, Framed is very strongly recommended as thoroughly entertaining, darkly humorous, deliberately iconoclastic, and simply brilliantly from beginning to end.

The Blood Knot
John Galligan
Bleak House Books
953 East Johnson Street, Madison, WI 53703
1932557121 $23.95 www.bleakhousebooks.com

The Blood Knot by John Galligan is the engagingly entertaining story of a young, devoted fly fisherman named 'The Dog', and his survival in the Wisconsin town of Avalanche. As the Dog's exploratory quest for the greatest fly fishing brings him to the spiteful people of Kussmaul County and a the biting of a beaver thought to be rabid, The Blood Knot tactfully and vividly carries readers through page-after-page of an evermore gripping and intriguing mystery novel as the Dog finds yet another dead body, and even more peculiar, an outcast Amish woman high on crystal-meth. A superbly crafted mystery, The Blood Knot is very highly recommended reading as a man who's only intentions are peacefully fly fishing in country finds himself enveloped in peculiar happenings and a genuine "who done it" conundrum.

Wither, Thou Ghost
Marv Gold
Privately Published
3901 Ashford Street, San Diego, CA 92111
193031308X $TBA 1-858-560-6206

Marv Gold's chapbook novelette, Wither, Thou Ghost is a supernatural mystery featuring Sherlock Holmes and offers a new take on Jack the Ripper, the perpetrator of London's 1888 Whitechapel murders. Wither, Thou Ghost offers an increasingly intricate plot featuring the ghosts of the great detective and his assistant Dr. John Watson, who one hundred years later is finally able track down and identify the flaunting, homicidal ghost. But there's a problem, how to communicate what has been discovered when, as a spirit, Holmes has no ability to communicate with the living? A thoroughly entertaining and original read, Wither, Thou Ghost is very strongly recommended for mystery buffs, horror fantasy fans, and anyone who has ever enjoyed Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes stories.


The Psychology Shelf

The Face Of Consciousness
Patrick Donovan & Herb Joiner-Bey
Lucky Press, LLC
126 S Maple Street, Lancaster, OH 43130
0977630013 $24.95 www.luckypress.com

Expertly co-authored by naturopathic physician Patrick Donovan and Herb Joiner-Bey (clinician, educator and author in fields of therapeutic nutrition, botanical medicine, and classical homeopathy) The Face Of Consciousness: A Guide To Self-Identity And Healing is an introduction to consciousness and its manifestations. The authors draw upon modern and insightful perspectives of consciousness and its manifestation as life through the synthesis of the principles of biological and physical sciences, psychology, philosophy, mythology and alternative schools of thought, The Face Of Consciousness offers readers theoretical ideas and ideals concerning reality and human existence. The Face Of Consciousness is especially recommended reading for non-specialist general readers interested in the phenomena and psychology of human consciousness.


The Interior Design Shelf

Matt And Shari Great Weekend Projects
Shari Hiller & Matt Fox
Dynamic Resource Group
306 East Parr Road, Berne, IN 46711
159635108X $19.95 www.hgtv.com

Matt And Shari Great Weekend Projects by Shari Hiller and Matt Fox is an impressive compendium of fun ideas and easy-to-follow instructions for the innovative, do-it-yourself interior design projects. Showcasing a wonderful diversity of projects specially intended to upgrade the comfort, utility, and esthetics of home environment, Matt And Shari Great Weekend Projects offers readers signature shop, sewing, and accessory project ideas that can confidently be accomplished in a single weekend. Matt And Shari Great Weekend Projects is very strongly recommended for anyone wanting to create a more attractive and fulfilling home for themselves and their loved ones.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Exploring Mormon Thought
Blake T. Ostler
Greg Kofford Books
PO Box 1362, Draper, UT 84020
1589580958 $34.95 www.koffordbooks.com

Exploring Mormon Thought: The Problems Of Theism And The Love Of God by Blake T. Ostler is an informative detailing of the philosophical interpretation of Mormonism and the understanding that in a relationship with God, if God loves us and respects our dignity as individuals, God must then leave us freedom to choose to have a saving relationship with the deity. Introducing readers to a concise presented conceptual interpretation of grace and the traditional views encountered in the strictly structured premises of the Mormon religion, Exploring Mormon Thought offers an intellectually engaging and theologically progressive construct for debates, discussion groups study the theology of the Mormon religion. Exploring Mormon Thought is very strongly recommended reading for students of the Mormon faith, scriptures, and theology.


The American History Shelf

More Offbeat Kentuckians
Keven McQueen
McClanahan Publishing House
PO Box 100, Kuttawa, KY 42055
0913383902 $19.95 www.kybooks.com

Featuring occasional illustrations by his twin brother Kyle McQueen, More Offbeat Kentuckians written by Keven McQueen is a hilarious collection of stories and lore of the great oddities and peculiar intricacies of Kentucky. Deftly presenting each tale in a unique and captivating manner, More Offbeat Kentuckians follows the stories of a series of eccentric individuals and colorful happenings sprinkled throughout the history of Kentucky. More Offbeat Kentuckians is very highly recommended for all readers as a humorous compendium of bewildering, laugh-invoking, and down-right odd tales and stories from the bluegrass state of Kentucky.


The Criminology Shelf

Cain's Redemption
Dennis Shere
Northfield Publishing
215 West Locust Street, Chicago, IL 60610
1881273245 $13.99 www.amazon.com

Cain's Redemption: A Story Of Hope And Transformation In America's Bloodiest Prison by Dennis Shere is the remarkable story of Burl Cain's inspiring struggle to provide a kinder, safer, more creative and beneficial environment the Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola, once infamous for being the bloodiest prison in America. Carrying readers through the fascinating true story of Cain's persistence and perseverance, Cain's Redemption describes the remarkably relentless efforts to engender an atmosphere of reform and cooperation for both prisoners and guards which was to ultimate result in substantially improving the entire prison. Cain's Redemption is very strongly recommended reading, especially for students of penology, prison system administrators, prisoner rights advocates, social justice activists, and incarcerated prisoners.


The Computer Shelf

Computer Secrets I Taught My Mom
Michael Shannon
SmartGuy Press
60-B W Terra Cotta Avenue, PMB 214, Crystal Lake, IL 60014
0977310507 $18.00 www.smartguypress.com

Computer Secrets I Taught My Mom by computer and information technology expert Michael Shannon is an informed and informative introduction to the world of computers and the internet. Deftly guiding readers from novice status to develop master operator skills, Computer Secrets I Taught My Mom offers a complete lesson plan that begins with selecting just the right computer for you, and then goes on to reveal the secrets of effectively using a personal computer including what software to use, how to save significant money with careful selection of hardware and software, everything you need to know about getting online and using the internet to its fullest capacity, how to send e-mail, how to web surf and finding free information on any subject or for any purpose, how to prevent common problems and how to fix them when they inevitably occur with key stroke simplicity, how pressing two keys can fix any error or mistake, how to protect the computer from the latest hi-tech spyware, adware, spam, and hackers, Enhanced with the inclusion of an in-depth analysis of Microsoft's newest operating system, Windows XP, Computer Secrets I Taught My Mom is very highly recommended for anyone of any age needing a "first time" introduction to using the computer to take advantage of the limitless possibilities that modern computing and internet usage have to offer.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Roadmap To Stardom
Rif K. Haffer
Ameera Publishing Company
415 Herondo Street, #379, Hermosa Beach, CA 90254-5522
0971545138 $17.95 www.ameerapublishing.com

Roadmap To Stardom: How To Break Into Acting In Hollywood by Rif K. Haffer is an informative introduction to the professional world of Hollywood filmmaking and how to secure work as an actor. Deftly compiling a comprehensive and "user-friendly" body of practical advice and "insider information" on becoming an actor for any project from small independent productions to big budget studio projects, Roadmap To Stardom offers aspiring actors sound and essential information on such aspects of the industry as TV, film, features, shorts, commercials, industrial films, union, and non-union productions following. Based upon the authors personal experience and seasoned expertise, Roadmap To Stardom is very highly recommended reading for anyone aspiring to a career as a screen actor and searching for practical and "user friendly" guide to getting started in their chosen career.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design