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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 3 March 2004 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Health/Medicine Shelf Biography Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf Political Science Shelf
Fantasy/Sci-Fi Shelf Metaphysical Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Business Shelf Money/Finance Shelf Environmental Shelf
Poetry Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Egyptology Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Will A Lobotomy Take Away Your "Peace Of Mind?"
William J. Larussa
W. J. Larussa Publishing
BookMasters (publicity)
PO Box 249, Ashland, Ohio 44805
www.atlasbooks.com
0974421804 $19.95 1-800-247-6553

Will A Lobotomy Take Away Your "Peace Of Mind?" And Over 600 Other Questions To Develop Your Ignorance by William J. Larussa is an amusing, 247-page anthology of questions that apply word sophistry for the sake of amusement. Simple, humorous black-and-white cartoons enhance the fun of teasers like "How do you 'walk away' from a bad decision once 'you shoot yourself in the foot'?" and "Why does Jimmy continue to crack corn when no body cares?" A laugh and a half to flip through, Will A Lobotomy Take Away Your "Peace Of Mind?" is a welcome addition to any recreational pastime reading list for anyone with an appreciation of the vagaries of the English language and wordplay!

Los Angeles: Where Anything Is Possible
Larry Brownstein
Brownstein Publishing
PO Box 2240, Culver City, CA 90231
0974263303 $19.95 www.larrybrownstein.com

Los Angeles: Where Anything Is Possible by Larry Brownstein is a marvelous, full-color, photographic showcase of the brilliant diversity of Los Angeles. Celebrations, sunsets, amazing architecture, outlandish costumes and much more fill this dazzling visual tribute. The text is very simple and brief, and offers brief and basic information concerning the festivals and other aspects captured on film. Especially recommended as a souvenir book for vacationers or armchair travelers, Los Angeles: Where Anything Is Possible could well serve as a template for photography celebrations of other major American communities.

Molding Young Athletes
Darrell Erickson
Purington Press
POB 170 Oregon, WI 53575
0974354368 $14.95 www.puringtonpress.com

Ably written by a certified volunteer coach of 10 years' experience, Darrell Erickson's Molding Young Athletes is a practical guide for parents and coaches about balancing fun in youth sports with promoting positive team dynamics, fostering competitive spirit, and helping each team member become motivated and reach his or her full potential. A "user-friendly" guide that warns against modern over-emphasis on winning, and embraces the importance of helping kids learn and grow through sports, Molding Young Athletes should be mandatory reading for anyone who parents or coaches a boy or girl in any form of sports or athletic activity.

Child Friendly Divorce
Diane M. Berry, MSW, LCSW, JD
Blue Waters Publications, LLC
PO Box 411, Manitowoc, WI 54221-0411
0974207845 $17.95 www.bluewaterspublications.com

Authoritatively written by Diane M. Berry (a former family law attorney turned psychotherapist who has personally experienced divorce), Child Friendly Divorce: A Divorce(d) Therapist's Guide To Helping Your Children Thrive is a straightforward examination of the crisis and trauma that divorce brings to children's lives, and what divorcing parents can do to ease the burden. From helping children adjust to long-term difficulties; to forming a co-parenting partnership with the "other parent"; to when and how to introduce children to a new partner, Child Friendly Divorce is a quality guide, practical and intuitively written. If you are considering or involved in a divorce where there are children involved, then you need to give a careful reading to Diane Berry's Child Friendly Divorce.

Beyond Trauma
Victor R. Volkman, editor
Loving Healing Press
5145 Pontiac Trail, Ann Arbor, MI 48105
193269000X $21.95 www.LovingHealing.com

Compiled and edited by Victor R. Volkman, Beyond Trauma: Conversations On Traumatic Incident Reduction is an anthology of engaging essays by learned authors discussing Traumatic Incident Reduction -- a desensitization procedure developed by Frank A. Gerbode, M.D., Gerald French, and others, as a useful aid to help those suffering from trauma-related conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder and many other DSM-IV diagnoses. Straightforward dialogues concerning the treatment methodology, individuals it has helped, methods for incorporating Traumatic Incident Reduction into psychiatric practice, and more fill the pages of this superbly organized and presented survey. Beyond Trauma is a welcome and much appreciated contribution to professional and academic reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Mountain Bike Maintenance And Repair
Thomas Roegner
Cycle Publishing
KSB Promotions (publicity)
1282 7th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
1892495376 $18.95 1-877-353-1207 www.cyclepublishing.com

Mountain Bike Maintenance And Repair by Thomas Roegner is a comprehensive and up-to-date instructional to keeping a mountain bike and equipment in tip-top shape for long trips. A meticulous text is decidedly enhanced by full-color photographs which demonstrate everything from basic cleaning and preventive maintenance; to repairs on the trail side; and overhauls to exact maximum performance from one's equipment. Covering just about every piece of biking equipment imaginable, Mountain Bike Maintenance And Repair is an absolute "must-have" instructional and reference for any dedicated mountain biker.

The Single Dad's Survival Guide
Mike Klumpp
Waterbrook Press
Creative Resource (publicity)
2375 Telstar Drive, Suite 160, Colorado Springs, Colorado 80920
1578566703 $11.99 www.amazon.com

The Single Dad's Survival Guide by Mike Klumpp is a logical and "father friendly" guide emphasizing on how to deal with the practical as well as the emotional issues in the challenges and issues involved with being a single male parent today. From dealing with logistical problems like household management; to protecting one's own mental health while coping with strong-willed young ones; to resources one can contact when ones needs assistance; to overcoming anger, hurt, and fatigue in difficult times, and so much more, The Single Dad's Survival Guide is an absolute "must-read" which offers up a wealth of wisdom directly applicable to all parents regardless of gender or marital status -- for any spouse home alone for a week while the other is on a business trip will grapple with some of the parenting issues and problems discussed herein.

On Green Spring Farm
Michael Straight
Devon Press
820 Miramar Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94707
0934160058 $19.99 1-510-525-2098 www.bluewindpress.com

Green Spring Farm is nine miles south of Washington, DC, and is a colonial era manor house complete with a garden and surrounded by a public park operated by the Fairfax Country Park Authority. Scores of volunteers work with the Green Spring Farm staff and thousands of visitors each year admire the garden and landscaping. On Green Spring Farm: The Life And Times Of One Family In Fairfax County, Virginia 1942-1966 is an impressive and memorable anthology of anecdotal vignettes which based upon original journal entries which aptly portray the true stories of an ordinary family whose history and individual lives had a lasting impact on everyone around them. A number of notable individuals appear in these historical anecdotes ranging from Dean Acheson (Secretary of State); to Ralph Bunche (Nobel Peace Prize winner); to Felix Frankurter (U.S. Supreme Court Justice); to John F. Kennedy (U.S. President); to J.RR. Tolkien (author and academician); among a host of others. A thoroughly heartwarming and eclectic collection, featuring everything from stories of family pets to vacations, illnesses, and eyebrow-raising exploits, On Green Spring Farm is unique, personally rewarding, and very highly recommended reading.

The National Directory To College And University Student Records
BRB Publications, Inc.
206 West Julie Dr., #2, Tempe, AZ 85283
1879792753 $29.95 1-800-929-3811 www.brbpub.com

Compiled and published by BRB Publications, The National Directory To College And University Student Records: Verify Student Attendance, Degree, And Transcript Records At Accredited Post-secondary Schools is an exceptionally well organized and straightforward reference that lists over 4,750 accredited degree-granting post secondary schools -- including Canadian colleges and univ-ersities. Each thumbnail entry instructs the reader on how to confirm attendance or degrees by phone, FAX or mail; how to obtain copies of transcripts; fees for all access methods; search criteria; how many years records are kept, and more. The National Directory To College And University Student Records is recommended as solid catalogue that will significantly facilitate any scholastic achievement and academic records research.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Stress Management Made Simple
Jay Winner, M.D.
Blue Fountain Press
2026 Cliff Drive, Suite 104, Santa Barbara, CA 93109
0974511900 $34.95 www.stressremedy.com

Two accompanying audio CDS offering guided meditation, stretching advice, and relaxation techniques complement Stress Management Made Simple, an excellent antidote to the immense stresses of 21st century life as offered by author, medical doctor, and stress management instructor Jay Winner, M.D. From learning how to manage anger and frustrating, to improving the quality of one's sleep, to simply better enjoying one's day, Stress Management Made Simple is an easy-to-read, "reader friendly", highly recommended addition to Self-Help reading lists , Self-Improvement reference library collections.

The "3 Apple-a-Day" Plan
Tammi Flynn, M.S., R.D. and Jeanne Drury
Get Fit Publishing
PO Box 2226, Wenatchee, WA 98807-2226
0974532002 $29.95 www.3appleplan.com

The knowledgeable collaboration of registered dietitian Tammi Flynn and writer Jeanne Drury, The "3 Apple-a-Day" Plan: Your Foundation For Permanent Fat Loss is a week-by-week nutrition planner offering solid advice and concrete step-by-step guidelines for effective weight and body fat loss. 100 quick and delicious recipes along with a wealth of information, advice, and insights on good nutrition for good health fill the pages of this definitive, upbeat, and highly accessible self-improvement compendium of information and advice.

Cancer: An Integrative Approach
John A. Catanzaro, N.D.
Winepress Publishing
PO Box 428, Enumclaw, WA 98022
1579214991 $19.95 www.winepresspub.com

Now in a significantly revised and substantially updated second edition, Cancer: An Integrative Approach by John A. Catanzaro (naturopathic physician and founder of the Health & Wellness Institute) is a solid, 384-page reference to both conventional and alternative treatments for cancer. Enhanced for the non-specialist general reader with tips, tricks, and techniques for effectively combining conventional and alternative medical treatments, Cancer: An Integrative Approach is written in direct, no-nonsense language, and covers everything from identifying risk factors; to prevention tools; natural medicine; balancing alternative methods so that they do not interfere with conventional treatments; focusing on God to heal one's spirit, and so much more. Cancer: An Integrative Approach is a simply excellent guide and strongly recommended reading for those who seek to battle their cancer on all the diverse fronts of contemporary medical understanding.

Doctor Yourself
Andrew Saul, Ph.D.
Basic Health Publications Inc.
8200 Boulevard East, North Bergen, NJ 07047
1591200334 $19.95 1-201-868-8336

Expertly written by biologist and naturopathic teacher Andrew Saul (who has served as a consulting specialist in natural healing for more than twenty-five years), Doctor Yourself: Natural Healing That Works is a straightforward and "non-specialist reader friendly" guide to organizing one's diet to promote health and nutrition. Promoting nutritional therapy as a preventative and treatment for many diverse ailments, and offering solid advice for adjusting one's diet plan to better live with everything from Diabetes, to PMS, to Parkinson's Disease, Doctor Yourself is a very helpful guidebook which is filled from cover to cover with gems of information that aren't usually discussed in most other nutrition books. It should also be mentioned that Andrew Saul has also developed an impressive website at DoctorYourself.com with additional information on the scientific studies behind the protocols referenced in his book and offers any interested party more than additional 4,000 references.


The Biography Shelf

Fierce Blessing
Wayne Baltz and Terry Baltz
Prairie Divide Productions
PO Box 129, Red Feather Lakes, CO 80545
1884610714 $15.95 1-888-288-4841 www.fierceblessing.com

Co-authored by Wayne and Terry Baltz, Fierce Blessing: A Journey Into Alzheimer's Compassion, And The Joy Of Being is a meaningful memoir about coping with the slow but remorseless progression of Alzheimer's disease in a loved one. Told almost in a day-by-day journal format, Fierce Blessing reveals the personal experience with honesty, depth, and bittersweet love. Highly recommended reading for anyone having to deal with the problems of Alzheimer's in a friend or family member.

Youth Lost In Red Hell
Bela Gogos
Ivy House Publishing Group
c/o Pentland Press
5122 Bur Oak Circle, Raleigh, NC 27612
1571973729 $24.95 www.ivyhousebooks.com

Very highly recommended reading, Bela Gogos' Youth Lost In Red Hell is an autobiography story of survival under the most brutal conditions. Following one young man's service in the Royal Hungarian Air Force, and Bela's horrific ordeal in the mines of Arctic Russia (a nightmare so enduring that only his faith in the Almighty could sustain him), Youth Lost In Red Hell is a gripping and true tale of horrific tragedy and the indomitable human will to survive.

Now, When I Was A Kid...
Dan McGuire
1st Books Library
2595 West Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404-2782
1403383758 $22.95 1-800-839-8640 www.1stbooks.com

Now, When I Was A Kid... is the personal and nostalgic autobiography of Dan McGuire's growing up as a young man in a semi-rural town from the late 1930s to the early 1950s. With "the big city" (Chicago) a streetcar away, the simple small town ease of sharing a peaceful time on the neighborhood porch was to be overshadowed by the terrible threats of World War II and the ensuing Cold War. McGuire tells of a sheltered childhood, and the fun of just being a kid when the heavy responsibilities of adulthood were just around the corner. A wistful and fondly told reminiscence, Now, When I Was A Kid... is a particularly well written and highly recommended memoir of what it was like to grow up in a yesteryear America that will never come again.

Caye To Success
Mati Gomoll
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut Street, 11th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1401090516 $18.95 www.xlibris.com mgomoll@worldnet.att.net

Caye To Success is Matt Gomoll's solid biography of Antonio Lorenzo Vega Sr. of Caye Caulker, Belize. Presented here is the remarkable success story of a Belizean leader who brought himself out of poverty through hard work at sea, his leadership in bringing success to his village, the dramatic twists that deprived him of his career, and his ultimate self-renewal as the manager of a hotel. A positive and optimistic story of can-do entrepreneurial spirit, Caye To Success is an inspiring biography and a highly recommended read.

That's Just How My Spirit Travels
Rosemary Fillmore Rhea
Unity House
1901 NW Blue Parkway, Unity Village, MO 64065-0001
087159286X $14.95 www.unityonline.org

That's Just How My Spirit Travels is the thoughtful and rather personal memoir of Rosemary Fillmore Rhea, the granddaughter of the co-founder of the Unity movement. Reflecting upon growing up in Unity Village and both physical and spiritual travails of life, That's Just How My Spirit Travels is a thoughtful life story that pauses to reflect upon the more profound questions of why are we here, and promotes the inspirational message to tackle life as an adventure.

Full Circle
William L. Buchanan
Baylaurel Press
775 E. Blithedale Ave. #251, Mill Valley, CA 94941-1554
1931093016 $16.95 www.baylaurelpress.com

Full Circle: A Marine Rifle Company In Vietnam by William L. Buchanan is a powerful written and very personal memoir of serving in G Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment in 1966 during the Vietnam war. Jarring, vivid, and unflinching in its presentation of battlefield tension, bloodshed, death, and the wry absurdities of a military life, Full Circle is a gripping and sometimes disturbing testimony charged with the power of unfiltered human experience. Full Circle is very highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to the growing library of Vietnam War biographies, autobiographies, memoirs, and eye-witness accounts.

Chinqua Where?
Fred B. McKinley
Willow Creek Publishing Company
820 Ninth Avenue South, Suite 35, North Myrtle Beach, SC 29582
0972965505 $24.95 1-877-272-1122 www.chinquawhere.com

Chinqua Where? The Spirit Of Rural America, 1947-1955 is a heartfelt collection of short essays and memories about author Fred McKinley's life growing up in rural East Texas during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Life without indoor plumbing, central heating, or running water, and in a place where baths were in washtubs, the children went barefoot in the summer, and when the main forms of entertainment were wandering the woods, listening to a battery operated radio, or watching movies on Sunday afternoon, are all part and parcel of this vivid retelling of rural Texas childhood. A host of vivid impressions make for an unforgettable trip down memory lane and combine to make Chinqua Where? a superbly written and informative autobiography.

The Power Of Honor
Harris Hollin with Adrienne Huston Griffin
Avon Park Press
189 Bradley Place, Suite 1, Palm Beach, FL 33480
0974337110 $27.95 1-561-863-8509 www.avonparkpress.com

The Power Of Honor: An Inspiring American Success Story is the upbeat autobiography of Harris Hollin (written with the assistance of Adrienne Huston Griffin). Harris was an enthusiastically energetic and hard-working Jewish-American who committed his all to military service in the Korean War (during which he received a Bronze Star), and of his business endeavors when back on home soil. Of special note was his founding of the "conquer Fragile X Foundation" which came as the result of his young grandson Matthew having inherited a condition of mental retardation known as "Fragile X". An uplifting success story of a life dedicated to earning achievements, The Power Of Honor is inspiring reading and a very strongly recommended addition to community library American Biography collections.

Liberation
Sarah Mankowski
WordThunder Publications
PO Box 540931, Merritt Island, FL 32954-0931
0974526800 $9.95 www.wordthunder.com/books

Liberation: One Writer's Adventures And Misadventures On The Digital Playground is the true story of Sarah Mankowski, a creative woman born legally blind and erroneously thought to have learning disabilities. Despite obstacles both real and thrust upon her by outside perception, Sarah's creative spark within flourished and blossomed , as she started a publishing company at home using personal computers and riding the upsurge of the digital revolution. Liberation is a highly recommended and involving autobiographical story of making the most of one's talents.

The Last American Sailors
Michael R. Rawlins
iUniverse.com, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595301177 $19.95 www.iuniverse.com

Written by a seaman and officer of extensive experience among over three dozen countries, Michael R. Rawlins' The Last American Sailors: A Wild Ride In The Modern Merchant Marine is a captivating and entertaining memoir that recounts vicious captains, tragedy at sea, the highlights of travel, and a great deal more concerning life as a merchant marine today. A uniquely personal perspective of sea life, challenges, hardships, and rewards, The Last American Sailors would make a welcome addition to any community library American Biography collection.

A Tongue In The Sink
Dennis Fried, Ph.D.
Eiffel Press
PO Box 339, Osprey, FL 34229
096793351X $13.95 www.eiffelpress.net

Dennis Fried's A Tongue In The Sink: The Harrowing Adventures Of A Baby Boomer Childhood is a laugh-out-loud memoir of growing up in a small town in the 1950s about mistrusting today's youth, the seemingly bizarre yet omnipresent electronic technology, the inability to remember whether one's favorite movie stars are dead or alive, and so much more. A Tongue In The Sink is a delightfully chuckle-worthy tour of one man's adaptation to changing eras, and sure to strike a chord in the hearts of his fellow baby boomers.

The Greatest Athlete Of All Time
Ellsworth Vines III
1st Books Library
2595 West Vernal Pike, Bloomington, IN 47404-2782
1410738957 $19.95 1-800-839-8640 www.1stbooks.com

Knowledgeably written by the son of legendary athlete Elly Vines, The Greatest Athlete Of All Time is an anthology of letters and vintage photographs concerning Elly Vines' public life, his sports career, and his private life. A moving compilation that closely portrays Vines the family man as well as Vines' the fierce and proud competitor, The Greatest Athlete Of All Time is an engaging primary source offering an inside look at a truly memorable figure who made his indelible mark on a variety of sports ranging from golf, to tennis, to basketball. If you enjoy a good sports biography, then you will enjoy reading The Greatest Athlete Of All Time!

Left For Dead
Sal Greco
Avanti Associates
PO Box 1133, Wexford, PA 15090-1133
0972555706 $12.95 avanti@nauticom.net

Left For Dead by Sal Greco is the biography of Pittsburgh organized crime figure Joe Bellante, and the assassination attempt (shot in the face by a fellow mobster and left for dead) that turned Joe's life around and set him on the road to the ministry in search of redemption. A clear-cut testimony of the hardships of survival and powerful pressures that mold life for good or ill, Left For Dead is an unusual addition to community library American Biography collections, as well as highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest the culture of American organized crime.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The FBI Murders
Anthony Serena
Aelred Press
9025 Hadley, Overland Park, KS 66212
0972798498 $23.95 www.aelredpress.com

The FBI Murders is an imaginative novel by Anthony Serena that depicts J. Edgar Hoover and the FBI during the Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon administrations like no mystery novel has ever done before. Revolving around a perspective in which Hover was murdered (rather than dying peacefully in his sleep), The FBI Murders is a first rate treat of a "what if" story which is especially recommended for mystery fans who enjoy suspicious interpretations of historical events.

Who Died In Here?
Pat Dennis, editor
Penury Press LLC
PO Box 23058, Richfield, MN 55423
0967634423 $12.95 www.penurypress.com

Compiled and edited by Pat Dennis, Who Died In Here? is a bizarre but thoroughly fun anthology of 25 short stories of mystery, murder, and crime by a wide variety of skilled storytellers... and every whodunit is connected somehow to bathrooms. An eyebrow-raising, tongue in cheek collection for mystery lovers who don't mind a little (or a lot) of bodily humor/irony to round out their leisure reading shelf. The tales are brief yet engaging enough that Who Died In Here? is in fact perfect for reading when one is personally parked upon the "porcelain throne" and in need of light entertainment.

The Best British Mysteries
Maxim Jakubowski, editor
Allison & Busby Limited
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
074900696X $25.95 Allisonandbusby.com

Imaginatively compiled and deftly edited by Maxim Jakubowksi, The Best British Mysteries is an impressive and rivetingly entertaining anthology of chilling mystery and suspense tales drawn from the very cream of British crime writers. An often dark, sometimes demented, but always enthralling compilation of delectably selected tales of mystery and suspense, The Best British Mysteries is a "must read" compendium for dedicated mystery story enthusiasts.

Less Than A Shadow
David Chacko
Foremost Press
7067 Cedar Creek Rd., Cedarburg, WI 53012
0972373772 $12.97 1-262-375-1791 www.ActionTales.com

Less Than A Shadow is a suspenseful murder mystery by David Chacko. It begins with the murder of a prominent journalist in Istanbul and escalates into a drama involving the Turkish Mafia, a lethal hidden secret, and a terrible threat about to change the Middle East forever at a terrible blood price. An exciting novel that combines action with a labyrinth of motives and deadly perpetrators, Less Than A Shadow is very highly recommended reading for mystery/suspense enthusiasts and documents David Chacko as a gifted author who pays particular attention to background detail and character development making both his stories and his characters come alive in the "mind's eye" imagination of the reader.


The Fiction Shelf

Memphis 7.9
Sam Penny
Privately Published
205 Rainbow Drive #10503, Livingston, TX 77399-2005
1588989208 $19.95 www.twopennytravels.com/79

Book 1 of the 7.9 Saga, Memphis 7.9 by Sam Penny is an original novel arising from the inevitable prospect a devastating earthquake that strikes the New Madrid Fault Zone, which is located approximately 45 miles from Memphis, Tennessee. The genesis of Memphis 7.9 comes from author Sam Penny's own projections using FEMA numbers to calculate a scenario of the destruction that will ensue when, not if, such a quake erupts. A dramatic and gripping narrative following the lives and deaths of ordinary people blasted by the wrath of the Earth and would be of especially interest to students of geology and the impact of an earthquake phenomena upon contemporary American society, culture, politics, and economics.

Typhoon Rising
David M. Dibble
Asgard Publishing Company
21185 Tennyson Road, Moreno Valley, CA 92557
0974579009 $16.95 909-276-2518

The debut effort of author David M. Dibble, Typhoon Rising is an action and suspense-filled novel about John Blake, a Naval Intelligence officer who is on the trail of two stolen Mark-48 homing torpedoes. Blake's search leads him to the Japanese Secret Service; where he teams up with the beautiful Kalani undercover, and risks life and limb in opposition to a brutal Asian crime syndicate. A gripping page-turner, Typhoon Rising is enthusiastically recommended reading for fans of the Action/Adventure genre.

A Fistful Of Thorns
Michael A. Crane
Boot Hill Press
2575 Campus Drive, #261, Klamath Falls, Oregon, 97601
0974591408 $14.99 www.doc-holliday.com

Ably written by attorney, former police officer, and western law enforcement expert Michael A. Crane, A Fistful Of Thorns is a superbly crafted novel about the legendary frontier figures Doc Holliday and Kate Elder. Seamy political corruption, power struggles that escalate to ruthless violence, and a powerful evocation of a western frontier yesteryear fill the pages of this riveting and highly recommended saga of the Old West.

Orange
Rowan Lore
Aventine Press, LLC
2208 Cabo Bahia, Chula Vista, CA 91914
1593300913 $13.95 www.aventinepress.com

The debut novel of Rowan Lore, Orange is the intriguing story of Demen, a woman who put all her energy into starting a magazine called "Orange". Eight years later, the magazine is about to achieve national distribution -- yet suddenly Demen is distancing herself from it, and her friends, and seems to prefer losing herself in distractions. A thought-provoking tale of inner conflict and sublimated motives, and which is especially recommended to fans of the romance genre, Orange documents Rowan Lore as an author of considerable originality and a natural born storyteller.

Talk To Me, James Dean
H. Lee Barnes
Stephens Press LLC
PO Box 1600, 1111 West Bonanza Road, Las Vegas, NV 89106
1932173161 $21.95 www.stpehnspress.com

Talk To Me, James Dean: Stories Of The Southwest is an anthology of gripping short stories by H. Lee Barnes that collectively brings to life the desperate drive that pushes teenagers -- especially to the risky edges of survival. A compelling medley of pride, imagined immortality, and the cruel consequences of choices made without the wisdom of age, Talk To Me, James Dean is a vividly presented collection of individual gems which are showcased under one cover and engagingly entertaining, quite thought-provoking, and very highly recommended reading. H. Lee Barnes is one of those rare authors who seems able to touch the minds, invoke the emotions, and stroke the imaginations of his readers with a quite remarkable consistency from beginning to end.

Fayal Roads
Roger Kay
Falconart Media, LLC
1325 East Potter Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53207
0974080411 $15.95 www.fayalroads.com

Quite nicely written by a "life-long water rat" of over fifty years' nautical experience, and based on true historical events, Fayal Roads: A Tale Of Naval Heroism In The War Of 1812 is an exciting novel of a heavily outgunned privateer devastated by a British invasion fleet headed for New Orleans. An thrilling narrative told with an eye for historical detail and the rigors of sea life, Fayal Roads is a highly recommended and entertaining read!

A Game To Play On The Tracks
Lorna Jackson
The Porcupine's Quill
68 Main Street, Erin, Ontario, Canada, N0B 1T0
0889842310 $19.95 1-800-565-9523 www.sentex.net/~pql pql@sentex.net

A Game To Play On The Tracks by Lorna Jackson begins with Arden, a mother who has some very serious problems with alcohol and self-absorption. Arden's struggle to resume her life of country music at the British Columbia bar scene but is faltering. Her husband has a Peter Pan complex and talks in bad poems. When Arden doesn't survive the road, both her husband and son are left behind to make sense of an often insane and unjust world. An engaging and thoughtful read, A Game To Play On The Tracks is a sophisticated, albeit moody, reflection on the inequalities and distant dreams of one human life.

The Bleeding Season
Greg F. Gilune
Delirium Books
PO Box 338, North Webster, IN 46555
1929653565 $50.00 www.deliriumbooks.com

The Bleeding Season by Greg F. Gilune is a unique horror novel about five inseparable best friends. When one of them is struck by a car and killed, things change forever between them all. As they approach their fortieth birthday, another of the friends commits suicide. There is a string of hideous murders, and the three surviving friends must quickly solve the mystery of evil incarnate before the death toll rises to claim their own lives -- or worse! Macabre reading, The Bleeding Season is one of those horror fantasy novels which are so easy to pick up and so hard to put down.

Lizard Dreaming Of Birds
John Gist
High Sierra Books
PO Box 489, Gold Beach, OR 97444
0971548242 $24.95 1-888-666-4478 www.highsierrabooks.com

Very highly recommended reading, Lizard Dreaming Of Birds by John Gist is a profoundly written and engagingly complex novel about the human need to go back to the guidance and rhythms of the earth itself. Following one man on his physical and spiritual trek through the American West and in search of guidance, Lizard Dreaming Of Birds is an impressively transforming narrative of facing severe challenges in search of truth and enlightenment.

In Kithairon's Shadow
Jon Edward Martin
iUniverse.com, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595299067 $15.95 www.iuniverse.com jonjay15@aol.com

Inspired by author Jon Edward Martin's lifelong study of ancient Greece, In Kithairon's Shadow: A Novel Of Ancient Greece And The Persian War is a gripping and deftly written narrative of Xerxes I's aggressive war of imperial domination against Europe which was fiercely waged in 480 B.C. Only a few of the Greek city-states opposed Xerxes seemingly limitless army, and the fate of Western civilization lay in the balance. Enthusiastically recommended for fans of historical fiction, In Kithairon's Shadow is an exciting saga of blood, cunning tactics, and the few who dared to resist the might of an empire.

Business As Usual
David Mazzotta
Franklin Street Books
6750 SW Franklin Street, Suite A, Portland, OR 97223
159299024X $17.95 www.franklinstreetbooks.com

Business As Usual by David Mazzotta is a wry tongue-in-cheek novel of two up and coming corporate stars - who may at first seem overrated for their slimy true characters and resistance to doing actual work, but who just might be well suited and upstanding individuals compared to the mindless company figurehead, the utterly ruthless albeit beautiful vice-president, the blackmailer who doesn't know what he's doing, and others. A chuckle-worthy tale of schemes and office politics spiraling out of control, Business As Usual is highly entertaining reading from start to finish.

Ebony Marshall
Sean Chandler
Branded Black Publishing
PO Box 950781, Okc, Oklahoma 73195
0974691305 $9.95 www.brandedblackpublishing.com

Set shortly after the Civil War, Ebony Marshall by Sean Chandler is story of an escaped slave who served in the Union Army, and then earns a commission to serve as U.S. Marshall and bring justice to wild frontier that is the post-Civil War Indian Territory -- a difficult enough task, further complicated by a hidden enemy from his past who craves revenge. A suspenseful tale featuring a strong-willed hero of iron-clad principles, Ebony Marshal is a thoroughly entertaining read which is enthusiastically recommended for fans of the western adventure genre.

The Rifle Captain
W. Steven Harrell
PublishAmerica
PO Box 151, Frederick, MD 21705-0151
141370607X $19.95 www.publishamerica.com

Based in part on service records of decorated officers from World War I, The Rifle Captain by W. Steven Harrell is a gripping and recommended novel about Stephen Harris, an ordinary history teacher drafted into the United States Army, and commissioned as a captain in a rifle company. Stephen's separation from his young and beautiful wife leads to rumors that she is unfaithful and the paternity of his son is in question. He channels his rage over the perceived betrayal against his German enemies, whom he views as responsible for his separation in the first place. A stark and vivid saga of ruthless bloodshed on the battlefield and tangled internal motives, The Rifle Captain is a sophisticated novel that vividly portrays the hardships of a war-torn family and dangers of combat at the western front during the horrific years of World War I. An accomplished author with a special knack for storytelling, W. Steven Harrell's The Unionist: A Novel Of The Civil War is also very highly recommended reading.

Life Ain't Nothing But A Holey Holy Riddle
John Polodna
Morris Publishing
3212 East Highway 30, Kearney, NE 68847
0974598100 $12.00 1-800-650-7888

Life Ain't Nothing But A Holey Holy Riddle is a humorous novel by John Polodna that wryly examines the practice of Plenary Indulgence in the Catholic Church. Its lighthearted means of dealing with serious subjects and perhaps a slightly askew view of the balance between the world here and the world beyond making for involving and enjoyable reading. Life Ain't Nothing But A Holey Holy Riddle is John Polodna's first venture as a published author -- we can only look forward to more of his work!

One Degree Of Separation
Karin Kallmaker
Bella Books
PO Box 10543, Tallahassee, FL 32302
1931513309 $12.95 1-800-729-4992 www.bellabooks.com

Set in America's Heartland, One Degree Of Separation by Karin Kallmaker is the sometimes wry, sometimes passionate story of lesbian attraction that transcends the pervasive atmosphere of humdrum surroundings. A reference librarian and the not-so-happily married woman she's had a crush on for years make a seemingly unlikely yet surprisingly star-crossed couple who are, perhaps, truly meant for one another in this superbly crafted saga of human sensuality and sensibility.


The Political Science Shelf

West Virginia Tough Boys
F. Keith Davis
Woodland Press
118 Woodland Drive, Chapmanville, WV 25508
0972486720 $29.95 www.woodlandpress.com

An impressive contribution to the annals of 20th Century American Political History, West Virginia Tough Boys: Vote Buying, Fist Fighting, And A President Named JFK by journalist F. Keith Davis is an amazing collection of reminiscences of West Virginia political kingpins and civic leaders during the heady 1960s. Tales of vote-buying, free liquor, fistfights over campaign strategies, and double-take inducing tales directly from the men and women who thrived in JFK's time, West Virginia Tough Boys is so candid it's hard to put down.

Voices From The Underground
Andy O'Meara, Jr.
Red Anvil Press
c/o Elderberry Press
1393 Old Homestead Drive, Second Floor, Oakland, Oregon 97462-9506
1930859929 $19.95 www.elderberrypress.com

Engagingly written by Andy O'Meara, Jr. (a military serviceman decorated five times for valor, and also a survivor of post-traumatic stress disorder), Voices From The Underground: Opinions Forbidden By The Gatekeepers Of The Fourth Estate is an articulate, politically conservative manifesto of strongly held opinions. Speaking out against "politically correct" views, O'Meara assembles brief, piercing, and vociferous critiques concerning immediate issues ranging from "Militant Islam in Saudi Arabia" to "Treachery of the Postmodern Age". Voices From The Underground is a thought-provoking, iconoclastic, thoughtful, and thought-provoking.


The Fantasy/Sci-Fi Shelf

King Of Diamonds
Don Strachan
Penthe Publishing
PO Box 1825, Middletown, CA 95461
0963247573 $14.95 1-800-649-5954

King Of Diamonds by Don Strachan is a loopy, humorous and fun-filled science fiction fable about an All-Star baseball team the Megaglopoulis Mutants, whose members feature a would-be Frisbionic woman, a chorus of frogs, a supernatural mystic on a skateboard, the World's Greatest Ex-Salientologist and more. Threaded with adult humor including a one-of-a-kind sex primer, King Of Diamonds features whimsy and laughs aplenty and is a lighthearted and fantastic adventure for science fiction enthusiasts interested in becoming acquainted with something a little different.

Ethoria's Chronicles
Michael Kostin
ICLS International, Inc.
107 West Sumner, Harvard, IL 60033
0972701249 $24.95 1-815-943-6774

Ethoria's Chronicles Book I: The Shadows Of The Past by Michael Kostin is the first volume of a thoroughly thrilling fantasy saga in which sixteen-year-old Mishuk Loyde is plagued by his nightmarish visions. When Mishuk's father and brother are kidnaped, he must uncover the truth behind his dark premonitions, and set out on a quest, with the help of friends, to meet the local lord Sire Rone, sworn man to the Duke of Bois. Yet all is not what it seems, and neither is the so-called conflict between good and evil in this dramatic and well-written saga. Ethoria's Chronicles documents Michael Kostin as a talented novelist and his readers will look eagerly toward the next volume in this wonderfully entertaining series.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Divine Nature Of Plants
Laura Aversano
Swan Raven & Co.
PO Box 1429, Columbus, NC 28722
5thworld.com/DivineNatureOfPlants
1893183343 $26.00 1-415-459-2573

In The Divine Nature Of Plants: Wisdom Of The Earth Keepers, plant empath and medical and spiritual intuitive Laura Aversano shares her insight into the secrets of plants, the spiritual healing that they share, and lingering spirits of the long-departed benevolent Earth Keepers whose echoes can be felt in sacred places. An extended essay into the power of prayer, dimensions of spiritual healing and essences, and the revealing the gentle physical and spiritual powers of a wide variety of different plants ranging from Angelica and Astragalus, to Violet, Wormwood, Yarrow and more, The Divine Nature Of Plants is confidently recommended as a thoughtful, respectful, and reverent celebration of the immense contributions plants bring to mortal and transcendental existence.

Daimonic Reality
Patrick Harpur
Pine Winds Press
PO Box 720, Ravensdale, WA 98051
0937663093 $28.00 1-888-972-6657

Daimonic Reality: A Field Guide To The Otherworld by Patrick Harpur offers a uniquely holistic and metaphysical perspective concerning otherworldly events such as UFOs, fairies, phantom animals, visions of the Virgin Mary, alien abductions, and more. Presenting the theory of Daimonic Reality, which perceives certain creatures and things to be not literally real (incapable of being unequivocally proven to exist) but rather Daemonically real (always being expressed in one form or another no matter how heavily skeptical opinions proclaim otherwise), Daimonic Reality is a thoughtful and fascinatingly unique look at the realm of the bizarre. Daimonic Reality is a "must read" title for dedicated students of religion, mythology, metaphysics, and paranormal studies.


The Self-Help Shelf

Matters Of Consequence
Copthorne Macdonald
Big Ideas Press
PO Box 2941, Charlottetown, PE Canada C1A 8C5
0968961878 $24.95 1-902-675-2949 www.bigideaspress.com

Matters Of Consequence: Creating A Meaningful Life And A World That Works by Copthrorne Macdonald is a kind of intellectual "self-help" guide to achieving a better understanding and control personal reality. From the arts of predicting and influencing the future; to learning to better understand human mentality; to the complexities of the question of cosmic purpose, and more, Matters Of Consequence is a thoughtful, holistic, far-reaching, "reader friendly" guide to framing self awareness amid the bulwark of personal responsibility. Densely informative, Matters Of consequence is also available in a hard cover edition (096896186X, $39.95) and would make an excellent addition to any personal or community library Philosophy or Human Ecology collection.

Paint The Sky And Dance
Jeri Castronova, Ph.D.
Infinity Publishing.com
519 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 194041-1413
0741414171 $16.95 www.amazon.com

Paint The Sky And Dance: Women And The New Myths reveals the spiritual path to personal growth and evolution for men as well as for women. Author and clinical psychologist Jeri Castronova utilizes rewritten myths and parables to convey effective means for overcoming immense psychological roadblocks. Paint The Sky And Dance is a warmly recommended and inspirational resource for anyone seeking to improve their spiritual and emotional well-being in the world today.

Mary's Way
Michelle Rios Rice Hennelly and R. Kevin Hennelly
Our Lady of Light Publications
PO Box 6323, Santa Fe, NM 87502
0974216259 $16.95 www.OurLadyofLightPublications.com

Visionary and healer Michelle Rios Rice Hennelly teams up with former psychotherapist R. Kevin Hennelly to present Mary's Way: Romantic Love As A Path To God, a revelation of the Divine Mother's wisdom concerning new ways to see ourselves and others in relationships as humanity moves toward the Age of Light. From the sacred energies of love-making; to the power of living a holy life and letting go of all that is not love; to the power that truth and freedom can bring when following the way of the goddess, Mary's Way is a movingly emotional and deeply spiritual revelation for self-improvement and growth.

A Better Life Ahead
Mark Schwartz
Nytext Publishing Co., LLC
PO Box 883, Lockport, NY 14095
0974115606 $19.95 www.ABetterLifeAhead.com

A Better Life Ahead: A Motivational Guide To Living A Better Life by Mark Schwartz is a self-help book to taking control of one's desires and learning how to set out and really try for the career, happiness, and health that everyone deserves. It was his brother's suicide that provided the motivation for Mark Schwartz to write A Better Life Ahead in the hope that others could be thereby persuaded to turn their lives around and avoid his brother's self-inflicted fate. Practical wisdom for dealing with depression, breaking from the past, keeping one's focus, surviving stress and much more fill the pages of this slender (114-pages), direct, meaningful, and strongly recommended self-improvement advice guide.


The Business Shelf

Last Rites Or Turnaround?
James R. Sargeant
Arges Publishing Company
916 Golden Beach Blvd., Venice, FL 34285
0974294209 $19.95 www.jimsargeant.com

Last Rites Or Turnaround? 10 Fundamental Reasons Why Businesses Fail And How To Overcome Them is a simple and handy guide by James R. Sargeant written specifically for aspiring and practicing consultants and business problem solvers. Last Rites Or Turnaround? quite concisely presents ten different basic problems that cause businesses to fail and what to do about each, illustrated with brief case studies. From the problem of "dueling partners" (solution: one partner must own 51% of the business) to the problem of "can't see the strengths for the weaknesses" (solution: make sure people are set to work in the positions that best bring to light their natural talents), Last Rites Or Turnaround? is a superbly presented, point-by-point supplementary resource for personal, professional, and Business School reference shelves and reading lists.

Behind The Mountain
Nick Williams
Durban House Publishing Company, Inc.
7502 Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
193075437X $15.95 www.durbanhouse.com

Written by Nick Williams (a successful businessman of over twenty-five years' experience) with the assistance of Patricia Williams and Katie Thompson, Behind The Mountain: A Corporate Survival Book compiles actual transcribed comments of key individuals faced with difficulties and problems to solve for their corporations. A nicely organized anthology of long lasting wisdom superbly presented in the form of countless bite-sized vignettes, Behind The Mountain offers the reader a genuinely "hands-on" glimpse into the kind of creative thinking and problem solving that contemporary corporations truly require.

Product Idea To Product Success
Matthew Yubas
Broadword Publishing
Author Services (publicity)
166 London Court, Cardiff, NJ 08234
0972552103 $24.95 www.broadword.com

Expertly written by Certified Product Marketing Consultant Matthew Yubas, Product Idea To Product Success: A Complete Step-By-Step Guide To Making Money From Your Idea is a handy financial and business guide to determining if an idea is commercially marketable; protecting rights; getting a competitive advantage; finding investors; making prototypes; establishing pricing strategies, and more. Emphasizing tested methods that work, Product Idea To Product Success is a superb guide for non-specialist general readers looking to profit off their own creativity, up to and including the desire to go into business for themselves.

From Baldrige To The Bottom Line
David W. Hutton
American Society for Quality
PO Box 3005, Milwaukee, WI 53201-3005
0873894731 $38.00 1-800-248-1946

Written by a skilled business consultant David Hutton (who is also the President of his own company -- David Hutton Associates, Inc.), From Baldrige To The Bottom Line: A Road Map For Organizational Change And Improvement is a handy repository of Hutton's experience and wisdom concerning the assessment process, and just how to go about tailoring data-gathering techniques to suit the needs of any company or corporate project. A detailed and in-depth roadmap to discovering which areas need change or improvement and forging ahead to a smoother, more profitable future, From Baldrige To The Bottom Line is recommended for Business School reference libraries and corporate management reading lists.

Surviving The Business Lunch
Carolyn Starry
Infinity Publishing.com
519 West Lancaster Avenue, Haverford, PA 194041-1413
0741416727 $11.95 www.amazon.com www.EtiquetteExpress.com

Ably written by Carolyn Starry (a graduate of the Protocol School of Washington), Surviving The Business Lunch: 25 Tips In 25 Minutes is a very savvy guide to the ethics and professional decorum of a business lunch. From what to do if one's host is tardy; to how to discreetly step away from the table if one must; to handling the coat check, and more, Surviving The Business Lunch is a useful and practical "must-read" for anyone looking to brush up on what manners are expected at any lunch, brunch, breakfast, or dinner where doing business or establishing a networking contact is the reason for sharing a meal.

The 7 Most Powerful Selling Secrets
John Livesay
Palari Publishing
PO Box 9288, Richmond, VA 23227-0288
1928662048 $19.95 www.palaribooks.com

John Livesay is an expert with over 20 years experience in the art and business of sales. In The 7 Most Powerful Selling Secrets, Livesay provides his readers with a solid guide to enhancing their careers in business in general and sales in particular. Focusing on the concentrated wisdom of seven powerful secrets such as "Your thoughts create your reality" and "Focus on your own progress and you will win", The 7 Most Powerful Selling Secrets is an overall upbeat instructional work, and very highly recommended reading for anyone involved in or pursuing a professional career in sales.

The Teamwork Chronicles
Steven H. Carney
Greenleaf Book Group
8227 Washington St., Suite 2, Chagrin Falls, OH 44023
1929774273 $12.95 www.powerofwe.com

The Teamwork Chronicles by Steven H. Carney is a business book filled from cover to cover with a wealth of tips, tricks, and techniques for motivating teamwork in one's company; putting a halt to endless in-house power games and squabbles; and handling inevitable office conflicts professionally. Drawing upon real life cases, The Teamwork Chronicles is a valuable and recommended asset to improving the overall quantity and quality of employee interaction and results.


The Money/Finance Shelf

How Millionaires Stay Rich Forever
J. M. Trippon, CPA
Bretton Woods Press
5959 West Loop So. #510, Bellaire, TX 77401
0972338918 $21.95 www.stayrichforever.com

How Millionaires Stay Rich Forever is a personal finance guide by certified public accountant and financial columnist J. M. Trippon that teaches non-specialist general readers about the financial retirement techniques that the wealthy in our country rely upon to guarantee that their golden years will be free of monetary worries. Based on real case studies and client interviews, How Millionaires Stay Rich Forever is a treasure trove of fiscal knowledge that will directly translate into conserving and enhancing on-going monetary wealth for anyone regardless of their current income level.

Money Ain't Free
Will Marshall
iUniverse.com, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595297781 $15.95 www.iuniverse.com

Expertly and knowledgeably written by Will Marshall (an experienced businessman whose corporate and financial expertise includes twenty years as Treasurer of the 2.5 billion Nalco Chemical Company), Money Ain't Free: The True Cause Of The Crisis In Corporate Responsibility is a hands-on, insider look on the real causes and possible solutions to modern-day crises in corporate fiscal responsibility. Portraying the financial woes of corporations as a far more complex problem than simply the blind greed of a few highly placed individuals, Money Ain't Free is a down-to-earth guide portraying its concepts via example for ease of comprehension. Informed and informative, Money Ain't Free is very highly recommended reading for non-specialist general readers wanting a more complete and comprehensive understanding of the current and continuing crisis in corporate management -- and what can be done about it.

Retire Without Worry
Robert J. Reby
R. J. Reby Foundation, Inc.
83 Wooster Heights Road, Danbury, CT 06810
0974016306 $27.95 www.rjrebyfoundation.org

Written by certified financial planner Robert J. Reby, Retire Without Worry: Simple, Straightforward Answers To Serious Financial Questions is a no-nonsense, "reader friendly" guidebook to diverse money matters ranging from stocks, bonds and funds; to the ABC's of retirement planning, estate planning, taking care of taxes and so much more. An easy-to-follow guide written especially for lay readers in need of sound basic advice, Retire Without Worry is especially recommended reading for members of the baby boom generation who are now finding themselves on the brink of their retirement years and needing to address the pending financial and money management issues and concerns that they will all to soon be called upon to address for themselves and their loved ones.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

You Can Change The World
Ervin Laszlo
Select Books
One Union Square West, Suite 909, New York, NY 10003
159079057X $19.95 www.selectbooks.com

You Can Change The World: The Global Citizen's Handbook For Living On Planet Earth by Ervin Laszlo is a positive guide written for the readership of ordinary people, clearly explaining just how they can make a difference on global issues. From working ways to apply pressure to government, big business, and media; to advocating a grassroots revolution; to the insightful wisdom of Japanese spiritual master Masami Saionji; to the crucial importance of thinking responsibly, and so much more, You Can Change The World truly lives up the promise its ambitious title and is a highly recommended, life-affirming work.

Evolution Of A Columnist
Edward Flattau
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut Street, 11th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1413403549 $24.99 www.xlibris.com

Evolution Of A Columnist is an anthology the published columns, journal entries, poetry and more of Edward Flattau, and span some 40 years ranging from the 1970s down to the modern day. Short pieces (each only a few pages long) reflect the often biting insights of the only nationally syndicated environmental columnist who has been continually writing for newspaper op-ed pages over the past four decades. A strongly dedicated and passionate compilation that reflects the evolution of environmentalism in America despite severe opposition from business interests, Evolution Of A Columnist (also available in a hardcover edition - 1413403557, $34.99) will prove of especially interest for environmental activists and students of journalism.


The Poetry Shelf

Timeless Souls
Rainey Moon
Rainey Moon Publishing
3411 Sylvania Road, Chester, VA 23831
0974794171 $7.99 www.RaineyMoon.com

Timeless Souls: The Poetry Of Rainey Moon collects together under one cover the gentle and inspirational free-verse contemplations of the soul, the world beyond, suffering in everyday life and humankind's dream to escape past mortal chains. Here is revealed a truly compelling and distinctive voice with a powerful message. "An Angel": I have fallen/To the wonders/Of an angel/Who's heart/So pure/Does not know/Of his beauty.

Light Disguise
David Sofield
Copper Beech Press
PO Box 2578, Providence, RI 02906
0914278800 $14.00 1-401-351-1253

Light Disguise is a brief anthology of free-verse poems by David Sofield with an almost narrative quality to them. The depth of visual and emotional perception shines through the philosophical and reflective verse. "Sentences": "Man is the animal that fails- / I posed that, months ago, to you. / Inside my head I am alone, // you answered back, in time. Dovetailed, / fitted stanzaically, these two / heart-stricken lines havenearly grown // into the way we live. Their scale- / at first beyond belief, untrue, / un-idiomed - at last condones...

The Art Of Anguish
Thomas Sanfilip
Iliad Press
PO Box 1202, Des Plaines, IL 60017-1202
0962530611 $14.95 iliadpress@yahoo.com

The Art Of Anguish is a work of brief yet gut-wrenching poetry by Thomas Sanfilip that profoundly reacts to multiple aspects of being in a complex world ruled by forces beyond human comprehension. Inspirational in its stark look at the harsh demands of reality. "Gravida": The answer like a frightened dawn / is a bland element resting miserably in conscience. // Only a single word from my throat, a final thought of a selfless reality.

Foreign Wife Elegy
Yuko Taniguchi
Coffee House Press
27 North 4th Street, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1718
1566891485 $14.00 www.coffeehousepress.org

Yuko Taniguchi, the Japanese-American daughter of a Hiroshima survivor, presents her debut compilation of poetry in Foreign Wife Elegy, a collection of brief yet moving verses about the crossroads and decisions of life itself. Stream-of-consciousness or prose style blocks intersperse with the more familiar style of free verse int his compelling and revealing collection. "Ocean": Late afternoon, we argued / with many words randomly crossing / between us. We couldn't swallow / any of them. // We sat silent on the shore and watched the ocean become / invisible at night; the sound of waves reverberated / and slowly accumulated inside us. We listened until / the waves became a form of forgiveness, intangible, / endless.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

God Is For Everyone
Inspired by Paramhansa Yogananda (As taught to J. Donald Walters)
Crystal Clarity, Publishers
14618 Tyler Foote Road, Nevada City, CA 95959
1565891805 $12.95 1-800-424-1055 www.crystalclarity.com

Non-sectarian and non-dogmatic in its approach to universal faith, God Is For Everyone is a powerful testimony to the rich rewards of a spiritual life. Describing God as an ever-present, ever-conscious force that all can tap into, it offers insight into promoting mutual respect and understanding among the religious traditions of the world. Written for nonspecialist general readers of all theological and religious backgrounds, God Is For Everyone is a life-affirming treatise steeped in the wisdom of Paramhansa Yogananda and his disciple, J. Donald Walters (Swami Kriyananda).

The Mystic Christ
Ethan Walker, III
Devi Press
PO Box 5081, Norman, OK 73070
0972931708 $14.95 1-800-786-0293 www.devipress.com

Very highly recommended reading, The Mystic Christ: The Light Of Non-Duality And The Path Of Love According To The Life And Teachings Of Jesus by Ethan Walker is a passionate and deeply spiritual exploration of embracing the unity of selfless love for God, and following the divine message of Jesus given 2,000 years ago. Casting the uncontrolled ego as the Antichrist, and its self-centeredness as anti-love, The Mystic Christ is stark in its message that the greatest thing wrong with society today is that love has been lost. A thought-provoking and insightfully emphatic exploration of the hard road to spiritual renewal, Walker's seminal work is enhanced with more than 230 scriptural references from the Old and New Testaments, as well as quotations from Buddha, Krishna, Lao Tzu, the Gnostic Gospels, the Koran, and the Jewish Kabbalah.

Psycho Bible
Armando Favazza
Pitchstone Publishing
Charlottesville, Virginia 22901
0972887512 $19.95 www.pitchstonepublishing.com

Knowledgeably written by a world renowned psychiatrist Armando Favazza, Psycho Bible: Behavior, Religion & The Holy Book is a straightforward, no-nonsense look at what the Bible truly says about contemporary and complex issues so relevant for today. From the status of women; to the existence of angels; to abortion, celibacy, marriage, homosexuality, feminism, and so much more, Psycho Bible deftly picks apart the stories told in the biblical texts and presents them in terms nonspecialist general readers can directly grasp. A matter-of-fact presentation, especially recommended as a complement to studying the Bible, Psycho Bible is also available in a hardcover edition (0972887504, $40.00).

Sons Of God Daughters Of Men
Edward F. Malkowski
Bits Of Sunshine Publishing Company
PO Box 3038, Champaign, IL 61826-3038
0974395005 $24.95 www.bitsofsunshine.com info@bitsofsunshine.com

Very highly recommended reading for anyone with an interest in antiquarian history and/or the history of religion, In Sons Of God Daughters Of Men, Edward F. Malkowski pieces together a story of prehistory and the birth of civilization from the myths of Genesis discovered through the revelations of archaeology. Exploring the legends of history and various culture folklore, as well as cities from Biblical times, the search to locate Eden, the evolution of religious and spiritual thought since prehistoric times, and so much more, Sons Of God Daughters Of Men offers a thoughtful and thought-provoking wealth of insights into the gradual process of an increasing cultural sophistication in humankind's attempts to grapple with both real and spiritual dilemmas.

Love: My Search For Truth
Annie, author; Rachelle Rouse, illustrator
Vantage Press Inc.
516 West 34th Street, New York, NY 10001
0533145546 $10.95 1-800-882-3273

Love: My Search For Truth is an inspirational collection of thoughts about love, with occasional references to God. Quite moving in its utter simplicity, Love: My Search For Truth presents its message in a way that evokes pure emotion in its experience. Sample phrases include "Experience love. Experience God."; "Love today. Tomorrow will take care of itself."; and "Love was and is forever. Love - a glorious mystery." Browsing through the pages of Love: My Search For Truth is emotionally inspiring and heart-healing.

The Simple Touch Of Fate
Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka, editors
iUniverse.com, Inc.
2021 Pine Lake Road, #100, Lincoln, NE 68512
0595302831 $16.95 www.iuniverse.com

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Arlene Uslander and Brenda Warneka, The Simple Touch Of Fate: How The Hand Of Fate Touched Our Lives Forever is a rather impressive anthology of true stories revealing inexplicable connections, coincidences, and revelations of the right time and place which have changed people's lives forever. A revealing collection, The Simple Touch Of Fate showcases events that will inspire even the most dogged believer in blind chance to wonder "was this meant to be?"


The Social Issues Shelf

The Perpetual Consequences Of Fear And Violence
Chris Maser
Maisonneuve Press
Independent Publishers Group, dist.
PO Box 2980, Washington, DC 20013-2980
0944624421 $19.95 1-800-888-4741 www.maisonneuvepress.com

The Perpetual Consequences Of Fear And Violence: Rethinking The Future by author, lecturer, conflict resolution facilitator, and social visionary Chris Maser is a moral and ethical response to endemic problems and social issues embedded in contemporary American society ranging from the September 11th attacks; to the widespread phenomena of child abuse as the root cause of human violence; to the problematic issues arising from the rapidly evolving science of genetic engineering upon plants, animals, and even humans; corporate dominance in shaping human political and social milieus, and so much more. A deeply introspective and serious warning of what social ills can bring if left unchecked, The Perpetual Consequences Of Fear And Violence is an impressive and highly recommended addition to personal and academic Philosophy Studies, Social Science Studies, Ecological Studies, Political Science Studies, and Peace Studies library collections and supplemental reading lists.

Soldiers Of God
Jay D. Glass, Ph.D.
Donington Press
National Book Network, dist.
PO Box 22, Corona del Mar, CA 92625-0022
0966053680 $13.95 1-800-462-6420 DoningtonPress@aol.com

Soldiers Of God: Primal Emotions And Religious Terrorists by former academician, neurobiologist, psychologist, and biotechnology expert Jay D. Glass, deftly examines the human motivations that can so bend a person's mind as to make them give up their lives and/or kill for their concept of God. From the anti-anxiety effects of faith; to the religious maskings and sanctioned cravings of violent, rapacious, homicidal behaviors; to wanting to be somebody that motivate human beings to their core, Soldiers Of God is a harsh yet insightful look at the workings of disturbed human minds which is specifically written so as to be of interest to the academic community and fully accessible to the non-specialist general reader. Soldiers Of God is especially recommended reading for students of the Psychology of Religion, and a seminal contribution to International Terrorism Studies reference collections.


The Egyptology Shelf

The Egyptian Pyramid Mystery Is Solved
Margaret Morris
Scribal Arts
16863 Lenore St., Detroit, MI 48219
0972043403 $22.95 www.margaretmorrisbooks.com

The first of a planned two-volume set, The Egyptian Pyramid Mystery Is Solved: The Mysteries by Margaret Morris informatively examines the masonry and engineering feats of Egyptian ancestry, and draws the conclusion that a long-lost technology made possible the great monuments and lasting artifacts of the era. Black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful and skillfully narrated account that peers into truly wondrous human achievements of the era. A welcome and somewhat iconoclastic contribution to Egyptology, readers will be left looking eagerly toward the publication of The Egyptian Pyramid Mystery Is Solved: The Solution, which is the second volume in this outstanding series and planned by author Margaret Morris for publication later in 2004 by Scribal Arts.

Secrets Of The Exodus
Messod Sabbah and Roger Sabbah
Helios Press
10 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010
1581153198 $24.95 www.heliospress.com

The collaborative effort of Messod Sabbah and Roger Sabbah (two French-Jewish researchers, who are themselves descendants of a long line of high-ranking rabbi), Secrets Of The Exodus: The Egyptian Origins Of The Hebrew People presents the boldly stated hypothesis that the ancient Hebrew people described in Exodus were not slaves from another nation, but rather Egyptian followers of that monotheistic pioneer and iconoclast -- Pharaoh Akhenaten. Secrets Of The Exodus deftly examine decades of linguistic and archaeological research that started a tremendous uproar in France when it was first published in 2000. A unique and seminal contribution to Egyptology, Secrets Of The Exodus may contain controversial ideas, but the authors approach them rationally and are well grounded in logical methodology.

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