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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 7, Number 5 May 2008 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Fiction Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Self-Help Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Parenting Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Business Shelf
Sports Shelf International Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf
Biography Shelf Humor Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Political Science Shelf Christian Studies Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Military Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Education Shelf Travel Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf Literary Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Women's Studies Shelf Language Studies Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Music Shelf Economics Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Desert Island Wine
Miles Lambert-Gocs
Ambeli Press
1008 Settlement Drive, Williamsburg, VA 23188
The Wine Appreciation Guide (distribution)
360 Swift Avenue, South San Francisco, CA 94080
9781934259016, $14.95 www.wineappreciation.com

A new and lighter approach for the aspiring wine connoisseur, "Desert Island Wine" promises to give wine lovers a laugh while continuing to give them everything they seek in a wine book. Claiming 'interviews' with Dionysus, Greek god of wine; Socrates and his view of Quality Recognition Deficiency syndrome, and Captain Ahab's opinions on wine with whale steak. Wine lovers should enjoy these humorous pages, no matter their level of expertise in this sub-culture. "Desert Island Wine" is highly recommended for wine fanatics everywhere and could find a place on both humor and wine library shelves abroad.


The Fiction Shelf

Twisted Obsession
Mark Kearney
Realm of Insanity Press
P.O. Box 3285, Chester, VA 23831
9780979499821, $14.95, www.realmofinsanitypress.com

It isn't how it is in the movies. Cops don't go around shooting people causing massive explosions and high body counts in their wakes - in fact killing someone can be a very traumatic experience for many police officers. "Twisted Obsession" is the story of one these cops, veteran and highly celebrated officer Jay Mundie, kills a man and is completely justified in his actions. Not wanting to burden the department with the psychological baggage, he pushes himself further... with disastrous mental results. "Twisted Obsession" is a deftly written and intriguing psychological thriller, and a must for any fan and community library fiction collections with a focus on police thrillers.

Out from Egyptland
Linda Thomas
The Light Designs Book Publishers
PO Box 505, Ashland, VA 2300
9780979613050, $17.95, www.kingdompublishing.org

Freedom is all that young eighteen-year-old Abigail James wants - and she illegally flees her master to make it so. "Out From Egyptland" is her story of escaping her past and adjusting to a new life in the northern states. In this coming of age story, Abigail witnesses the formation of the first all-black regiment for the Union Army as civil war forms on the horizon, and has to deal with the racial conflicts with her octoroon lover and more. A deftly written page turner of a tale, "Out From Egyptland" is highly recommended for community library historical fiction collections.

Out of Darkness
Alicia Petersen
Journey Forth
c/o BJU Press
bjupinfo@bjupress.com
9781591668220, $8.99, www.bjupress.com

Elhanan's mother is dying, but there may just be hope for him yet. "Out of Darkness" is the story of his discovery of the Messiah and his skepticism of it all. Using his blind friend Amplias, Elhanan seeks to find out if the rumors of this Messiah's miracles are true or just falsities like he has seen of so may others. Highly recommended to Christians who want a bit of spirituality in their fiction and for community library fiction shelves everywhere.

Lies & Liberation
Barbara Berot
bb@barbaraberot.com
Streetcar Books
c/o Smith Publicity
2 Split Rock Drive, Ste. 12, Cherry Hill, NJ 08003
9780974889917, $19.95, www.barbaraberot.com

The only thing keeping them together - the complex and diverse web of lies and falsehoods has begun to unravel. "Lies & Liberation: The Rape of Europa" is the tale of Andrew's failing marriage and his endless lust and need to be with the woman he so wished he had married in the first place - Annie. The two decide that no matter what stands in their way they must go through to overcome the odds - and there are odds in there way - to be together. A thrilling story of romance that captivates from first page to last, "Lies & Liberation: The Rape of Europa" is highly recommended for romance fans everywhere and for community library fiction collections.

Dream Helper
Willard Thompson
Rincon Publishing
P.O. Box 50235, Santa Barbara, CA 93150
9780979755200, $16.95, www.rinconpublishing.com

Fearing for her life, forcing yourself into submission..."Dream Helper: A Novel of Early California" tells of a young Native woman who in desperation submits to captivity under Franciscan priests in Santa Barbara California, long before the region was even a state of the Union. Cayatu must overcome it all to reunite herself with her love, and to preserve her old way of life in spite of the Spaniards who care not about her people. "Dream Helper: A Novel of Early California" is a captivating novel from first page to last and a must for historical fiction enthusiasts with an interest in the old west.

The River Rats
Hank Racer
High Pitched Hum Publishing
321 15th Street North, Jacksonville, Florida, 32250
9781934666104, $9.99, www.highpitchedhum.net

To back one up through thick and thin, to help one against insurmountable odds- that's what friends are for. "The River Rats" is the tale of six of these friends and their dog who must deal with the sudden emergence of the biggest mystery to hit there town in an incredibly long time. In order to figure out this enigma, they must make river rescues, join the circus, and other seemingly unrelated acts to get through this tale with themselves and their friendships intact. "The River Rats" is deftly written and a highly recommended story for community library fiction collections.

Ravenwolf
Kelley Heckart
Earthling Press
2458 Cherry Street, Dubuque, IA 52001
9781587496561, $15.95, www.awe-struck.net

Ambiorix is split across many directions in being a husband and father, a task more difficult than it seems. "Ravenwolf" is his tale of how he rejoins the Roman army to protect his family, as his wife deals with ghosts of the past reemerging - and she must deal with the gods - as Ambiorix is faced with having to go through the underworld itself and possibly surrendering his own soul in order to save the love of his life. A captivating and riveting fantasy novel which crosses over into romance, "Ravenwolf" is a must have for fantasy and romance fans everywhere, and is a top pick for community library science fiction and fantasy collections.

Abigail In Gangland
Ray Reece
La Ventana Budapest
c/o Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists
2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
9781933538587, $12.95 www.phenixpublicity.com

Novels require three fundamental elements if they are to be worth the time it takes to read them: Memorable Characters; Unexpected but thoroughly plausible plot twists; and Attention to Detail. "Abigail In Gangland" by Ray Reece complies with each one of these basic requirements of good fiction. Luke thrasher is a working artist who returns home to Fort Wade, Texas after a thirty year career in Manhattan to care for his ailing and senile Aunt Abby. The problem is that Aunt Abby lives in the middle of an Hispanic gang controlled area of the city. Luke inevitable runs afoul of the Latin Blads when he falls in love with the mother of one of the principle gang members. Complicating things further is a multi-million dollar inheritance and a pervasive sense of cultural oppression. As an author, Reece has managed to deftly blend urban mayhem with contemporary social issues. The result is a novel that is highly recommended, highly rewarding reading and a popular addition to any community library collection or personal reading list.

Maria, Me, & Animals
Stedman Carr
Bouncing Ball Books
P.O. Box 6509, Spring Hill, FL, 34611
1934138045, $24.95, www.bouncingballbooks.com

A doctor of veterinary medicine for almost a half of a century brings readers his debut novel in "Maria, Me, & Animals." J. Devaux must deal with a mysterious murder of one of his friends, while dealing with the re-emergence of his once spurned high school sweet heart and the possibility of a second chance with her, all while pushing forward his veterinary career. A deftly written and researched novel taking readers through Cajun Country and contrasts it with Tampa Bay, it's quite the debut novel for Carr. "Maria, Me, & Animals" is highly recommended, especially for fiction enthusiasts who double as animal lovers.

An Eagle Unchained
James R. Olson
Erian Press
234 Quitman Street, Pittsburgh, TX 75686
9780980071603, $19.95, www.erianpress.com

The Government has spun out of control - everything that is feared in the modern day just grows worse and worse as the days go by - "An Eagle Unchained" is a story of one man and his associates standing up to the oppression that's destroying their country. Business man Ted Hale announces his candidacy for the Presidency in a last ditch effort - at first, his opponents view him as a non issue, but soon Hale gains momentum, and there seems to be methods set in motion to eliminate Hale's potential. "An Eagle Unchained" is a deftly written account of America falling into a dystopia - and that there is still potential for them to recover even at its worst, as an optimistic turn of events. A top pick for fiction libraries everywhere.

Courage to Heal
Paul Bernstein, MD
Sunbelt Publications, Inc.
PO Box 191126, San Diego, CA 92159-1126
9780932653857, $14.95 www.sunbeltbooks.com

A Young Surgeon joins forces with the twentieth century's boldest industrialist in "Courage to Heal". Paul Bernstein, MD lends his medical expertise to his this medical thriller novel set in the Great Depression of one determined doctor to provide the best medical care he could in the face of a paranoid government. Enthralling from the first page to the last, it's highly recommended for fiction fans in general and any community library fiction shelves.

The Lonely Crosses
Richard Lory
Arctic Road Publishing
195 Arctic Road NW, Puposky, Minnesota 56667
9780979089008, $14.95 www.ArcticRoadPublishing.com

Richard Bede had spent 10 years of his life for saving the life of his only daughter- months after regaining his freedom, life doesn't seem to get any better as he finds a murdered native girl while jogging through the wilderness. "The Lonely Crosses" is a thriller that will grab you and not let you go until it's over and leave you wanting more. It spirals into a maze of mystery and emotions which makes "The Lonely Crosses" a pick for fiction fans who just want a good novel with a positive message- an ideal choice for community library fiction collections.

Now You're One Of Us
Asa Nonami, author
Michael Volek & Mitsuko Volek, translators
Vertical
1185 Ave. of the Americas 32nd Floor, New York, NY 10036
9781934287033, $14.95 www.vertical-inc.com

Four generations, eight in-laws, all under one roof. Unsettling at best, but they seem sweet and caring for newlywed Noriko, moving in with them for the first time in "Now You're One of Us". Noriko's first impressions are deceiving, however, as she slowly begins to unravel the Shito family's deep dark secrets - charming eccentricities turn sinister in nature as Noriko's life suddenly begins to fill with drugs, incest, and murder. Noriko finds out the awful reality of marital compromise. "Now You're One of Us" is greatly recommended to thriller fans and fiction libraries in general as a tale that grabs you and simply refuses to let go until the final page.

Corpse of Freedom
Dax & Lloyd Garner
Books on Fire
8018 North 55th Avenue, Glendale, AZ 85302
9780977918690, $14.95, www.booksonfire.com

"Inside an Empire of Mediocrity, the spirit of rebellion is reborn" - "Corpse of Freedom" is initially a story of friendship, following a teenager named Ryan and his befriending of Jeffery Neil. The only problem is that Jeffery Neil is dead and Ryan only knows about him through the online blog that Jeffery left behind. "Corpse of Freedom" follows Ryan and his adventures spiraling out of that, partially believing that the corpse has cursed him while he tries to escape the black hole of his hometown, as he's hunted by a strange tough guy and the area is swarmed with cops. "Corpse of Freedom" is an offbeat, entertaining, will make the reader think, making it highly recommended to fiction shelves everywhere and anyone looking for a different sort of story.

Visible Signs
Heather Tosteson
Wising Up Press
P.O. Box 2122, Decatur, GA, 30031-2122
9780979655203, $20.00, www.universaltable.org

A ten year old girl must save herself and her twelve year old pregnant sister in Visible Signs, a conflict-filled novel set in Guatemala. The two native girls meet with a group of older American women who bring their own conflicts to the table and the new circle of friends seek aid from one another in this touching and spiritual story of cultural gaps closed to celebrate human nature. Deftly written and executed, "Visible Signs" is highly recommended to women's fiction shelves and for anyone who seeks a heartwarming story.

Cranberry Lake
Jo Ann De Matteo
Jades A Jewel Publications
c/o Bookability, Inc.
PO Box 843, Elk Rapids, MI 49629
9780979594304, $23.95

Twenty one envelopes in a secret panel of an old prohibition desk. In "Cranberry Lake: The Desk's Secret Panel", Juliette Dobbs finds a series of letters between two lovers from over seventy years ago between two lonely lovers - a desperate farm girl and an insurance man whose letters reveal their story and their story reveals a mystery of Juliette's own. A fine blend of historical fiction and romance, "Cranberry Lake: The Desk's Secret Panel" is enthralling and won't be easy to put down, making it highly recommended for fiction lovers everywhere, and for any community library collection pandering to romance or historical fiction.

Prelude to Glory
Michael J. Gilhuly, M.D. J.D. and Marilyn Gilhuly
Stroud & Hall Publishers
PO Box 27210, Macon, Georgia 31221
9780974537689, $25.00 www.stroudhall.com

"No Man In the Wrong Can Stand Up to a Man in the right who just keeps on a-comin" - The creed of The Texas Ranger. "Prelude to Glory: The Life and Times Of A Texas Ranger" follows Leroy Wiley, a young Texas ranger, serving in the rough years during the pre-civil war era. Balancing his life and duty, Leroy has to deal with disputes between ranchers, a murdered sheriff, ambushes, escorted prisoners, near death situations, Apache war parties and so much more. "Prelude to Glory: The Life and Times of A Texas Ranger" is enthusiastically recommended to old western fiction fans and fiction fans in general, and worthy of a spot on any community library fiction shelf.

Born with a Beard
Ted Ringer
Wonderful World Publishing
P.O. Box 20785, Boulder, CO, 80308
978097779500, $14.95, www.wonderfulworldpublishing.com

A baby is born with a beard, and the story of his infancy from his eyes is in "Born with a Beard". Author Ted Ringer takes a look at families from the infant's perspective and in the process generates brilliant satire with his excellently compiled prose. Although not a picturebook, the illustrations of George Peters add a certain unmeasurable charm. The story is strong without them, but improved by their presence nonetheless. "Born with a Beard" is highly recommended for anyone looking for some light reading from a unique perspective, and for community library fiction collections.

Rock of Refuge
Donna Westover Gallup
Cladach Publishing
P.O. Box 336144, Greeley, CO 80633
9780975961971, $11.99, www.cladach.com

Book Two of the Mysterious Ways series is here as a follow up to "White as Snow", "Rock of Refuge" is as an exciting followup as the original. Following Charlie as he continues to learn about himself and his trust in God, getting hit with a bout of restlessness, leading him to ride towards Denver, where on his journey he learns about honor and trust. A deftly written and excellently researched novel that readers are sure to love, it's highly recommended to western fans everywhere and deserves a place on community library fiction shelves.

South Florida Spin
Virginia Aronson
World Audience, Inc.
303 Park Avenue South, #1440, New York, NY, 10010-3657
9781934209899, $15.99, www.worldaudience.org

You Remind Me of Me, Winter of the Songbird, What Would Jesus Drink?, Everything Must Go, and more are the engaging tales that outline this offbeat and entertaining collection of short stories in "South Florida Spin", the debut fiction collection of Virginia Aronson -- and what a debut she makes. Highly intriguing and entertaining from the first page to the last, Aronson will touch your heart and make you laugh all the same with her edgy yet authentic prose. Highly recommended to fiction collections everywhere and for people who just want bursts of great writings in short bursts, "South Florida Spin" can't be missed.

The Prosperous Peasant
Tim Clark & Mark Cunningham
Ideogram
4110 SE Hawthorne Boulevard, Number 322, Portland, Oregon, 97214-5246
9780980002607, $14.95, www.ideogram.us

'The Five Secrets of fortune and fulfillment are as ancient as mankind itself - and each already lies concealed within your own minds" - "The Prosperous Peasant: Five Secrets of Fortune & Fulfillment from the Samurai's Temple School" is the story of a small insignificant peasant, who in the golden age of the Japanese Samurai, was not much more that. He breaks the social caste, and trains under one of the masters to learn his skills and the five secrets that he has only heard legends about. "The Prosperous Peasant: Five Secrets of Fortune & Fulfillment from the Samurai's Temple School" is deftly composed and highly recommended for fans of samurai-era Japan and community library fiction collections with a focus on historical fiction history.

Jesus in Love at the Cross
Kitteredge Cherry
AndrogynePress
1700 Shattuck Ave. #81, Berkeley, CA 94709
1933993421, $18.95, www.androgynepress.com

A heretical concept to some to even suggest it - but for many it's a way to keep touch with a faith where so many of their fellow believers condemn them for the way they were born. "Jesus in Love at the Cross" examines this strange question and asks, "What if Jesus were bisexual?", a sequel to Cherry's previous novel on the subject, Jesus in Love. Using the idea that Jesus's ideas had modern queer sensibilities and mental ideas, "Jesus in Love at the Cross" is a brilliantly written novel sure to open the eyes of whoever sets theirs upon it, and highly recommended for community library gay fiction shelves.

Forbidden Fortune
Danny Alvin Chambers
Bella Wood Press
1016 W. Poplar Ave., Ste 106-188, Collierville TN 38017
9780979998102, $19.95, www.bellawoodpress.com

Louis Mattour, Frenchman and quartermaster for the famed Lewis and Clark Expedition across the wilderness of the Louisiana Purchase in early nineteenth century, traded with Indians for gold, then hid in it in a cave before vanishing without a trace - or so the legend goes. "Forbidden Fortune: The Legend of the Frenchman's Gold" is the story of how several people, a century and a half after, pursue the mysterious Frenchman's loot, even after people mysteriously vanish searching for it. It's the 1980s, and one stranger rolling into town believes he has the secret for finding the treasure of Mattour - can he find it, or does he wind up like the many who failed before him? "Forbidden Fortune: The Legend of the Frenchman's Gold" is a deftly written adventure story not much like any other - highly recommended for community library fiction collections and anyone looking for a good adventure novel.

Terror in Disguise
Cherif Sidaili
Hexagonblue
PO Box 1790, Issaquah, WA 98027
9780972995825, $12.95, www.hexagonblue.com

Not everyone wishes to taste the cocktail that the concepts of greed, manipulation, and lust for power create - Nacer and Karim sure don't. "Terror in Disguise" is the tale of the two as the dark world of terror attempts to drag them into it, with its fundamentalism, zealots, and pressure. A fictional yet all too real account, "Terror in Disguise" is an insight into the ideology and forces that keep pushing people into the act. "Terror in Disguise" is a deftly written, highly recommended novel for community library fiction shelves with a focus on modern issues.

Abigail in Gangland
Ray Reece
La Ventana Budapest
1023 Budapest, Besci ut 4
9784730909, $12.95, www.laventanabudapest.hu

A whirlwind of chaos, deception, violence and gang warfare are just a few of the elements that make up the novel "Abigail in Gangland". Luke returns to his run down neighborhood in Texas after three decades of being a New York Artist. He searches for love and finds that the personals may have not bee the best idea as many of them are a bit too much on the homicidal side. He deals with all this while dealing with a shifty attorney who holds the key to his inheritance from his Aunt Abigail. "Abigail in Gangland" is highly recommended for being a hard hitting offbeat story that isn't shy in anyway - highly recommended for community library fiction shelves.

What So Proudly We Hailed
Blaine Staat
Linear Wave Publishing
P.O. Box 177, Liberty, KY 42539-01777
9780976719618, $12.95, www.linearwavepublishing.com

The Patriot Act - one of the few things some Americans fear as the start of a downward spiral in giving away their freedoms and liberty that the country was founded on - what if they were right? "What So Proudly We Hailed" is a look into a hypothetical 2027 where America has fallen into what some modern day political spectators fear for their beloved nation. Slavery, or just about the closest thing to it you can get without being slavery is what the order of the day is, as the government now controls every aspect of every American's life- but in this cloud of hopelessness, can one man rise to the cause and deliver freedom back to the rightfully free? "What So Proudly We Hailed" is a highly recommended, deftly written piece of speculative fiction that doubles as a warning of sorts for modern Americans - it needs a place on every community library fiction shelf.

Isabelle's Appetite
Georgia Jones
Lady Press
16964 Columbia River Drive, Sonora, CA 95370-9111
1889409375, $13.95, http://www.ladybugbooks.com

Everyone has those days - where life spirals downwards and all in all just seems to have it out for you. Sometimes you need some indulgence to keep yourself sane. "Isabella's Appetite" follows one woman's dive into a particularly horrible day where the only hand hold she can find to avoid plummeting into the abyss is food. Memories call themselves up, about her husband, her children, mother, sister, and many others - and food to keep her stable as she sorts her mind through all this chaos. Deftly written with a greatly realistic character, "Isabella's Appetite" is highly recommended for community library fiction collections with a focus on chick lit.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Peter Paul
Stokely Gittens
Stonewalker Publishing
PO Box 1912, Windermere, FL 34786
9780979832901, $16.95, www.sgittens.com

The dark side of stem cell research and cloning - Peter Paul is a genetic hybrid of human and cheetah. "Peter Paul: The Chase Begins" is his story, of how a government project is horribly botched and leads to Peter's strange cat-man condition. With only one friend to call his own, Peter must evade government agents bent on catching him, using the Navy Seals, Marines, and CIA agents alike to bring Peter into their control. "Peter Paul: The Chase Begins" is a highly recommended for anyone who wants a thrilling action story with some modern day implications and issues and for community library science fiction collections.

The Silk Palace
Colin Harvey
Swimming Kangaroo Books
1907 Green Apple Lane, Arlington, TX 76014
9781934041420, $17.99, www.swimmingkangaroo.com

Pranks mean different things to different people - the prankster may mean no harm or offense, and do it for the fun of it - but the prankee may react much more differently than intended - and it may be a danger to the prankster's life. "The Silk Palace" is a tale of this, in a unique, rich, yet realistic and believable fantasy world excellently written by veteran novelist Colin Harvey. The young woman must now evade her doom and set things right, making "The Silk Palace" highly recommended to community library science fiction & fantasy collections.

Lachlei
M.H. Bonham
Dragon Moon Press
PO Box 1714, Calgary, Alberta, Canada T2P 2L7, Canada
9781896944692, $19.95, www.dragonmoonpress.com

The god of death and annihilator of the human race walks among them. "Lachlei" is the story of a queen who faces off against clan led by the god of death, and faced with the daunting task of defeating him and avenging her husband. The emergence of a god of warriors to counter act the god of death makes the odds more interesting, as Lachlei finds herself the focus of two gods, both who want to do vastly different things to her. "Lachlei" is a deftly written and intriguing fantasy novel from first page to last and a pick for fantasy collections everywhere.

The Soulstealer War
W.L. Hoffman
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 W. 86th Street, Suite H, Indianapolis, IN, 46268
9781598585391, $15.95, www.dogearpublishing.net www.SoulstealerWar.com

Kenneth McNary just wanted a hike on an Appalachian Trail. Nice, peaceful hike, maybe find some inspiration as he did so. "The Soulstealer War: The First Mother's Fire" tells of when he doesn't find either of those and instead is thrust into another world and told by some sentience that he must unite the world's denizens for an upcoming war where there are major consequences for every life lost. Forced to deal with this strange new world and the need to learn to adapt quickly, Kenneth must do all he can to survive- and heeding that call may be the only way he can pull that off. "The Soulstealer War: The First Mother's Fire" is highly recommended for community library fantasy collections and for fantasy lovers in general, who should hope for further installments of the series.

Crows on the Cross
Kristy Tallman
Realms of Insanity Press
P.O. Box 3285, Chester, VA 23831
9780979499845, $15.95, www.realmsofinsanitypress.com

One thousand miles apart. Already quite the daunting task separating two lovers from one another. "Crows on the Cross" is their tale of them trying to find one another once more - but in their way are the ghosts and memories of their pasts, and as they try to draw closer and closer to one another, more horrors and revelations are unveiled to keep them from the bliss of each other's arms. "Crows on the Cross" is a deftly written psychological thriller sure to make the hair on the back of the reader's neck stand up with its engaging plot and intriguing characters. "Crows on the Cross" is highly recommended for community library horror collections.

Smart Pills For Dummies
Tony Teora
Double Dragon Publishing
P.O. Box 54016, I-5762 Highway 7 East, Markham, Ontario L3P 7Y4 Canada
1554045231, $16.99, www.double-dragon-publishing.com

Han, Luke, Buzz, those are the names of space heroes who save the universe. Markus, Squeaky, Snoop? Not so much. "Smart Pills for Dummies" is the story of how the fate of the universe is left to the captain of a quirky time traveling crew, a mobster who seriously botched attempted insurance fraud, and a dog. Squeaky's insurance fraud accident somehow sets the universe on the course for destruction, and now he and his unlikely allies must do something about it or be destroyed with the universe. "Smart Pills for Dummies" is highly recommended for community library science fiction collections and for anyone who wants the save the universe plot with a healthy dose of humor introduced into it.

Whispers Across Time
J. Robert Whittle and Joyce Sandilands
Whitlands Publishing
4444 Trenblay Drive, Victoria, BC, Canada, V8N 4W5
9780968506196, $19.95, www.bestsellingbooks.ca

J. Robert Whittle, bestselling author, is back once more with his eighth novel alongside his wife, support, and co-author Joyce Sandilands. "Whispers Across Time" follows Oliver Ryan, a reporter who strangely finds himself thrown through time - the past, future, present, anywhere in this excellently written time-travel tale, with a good deal of romance stirred in for good measure just to throw Ryan's life further out of whack. "Whispers Across Time" is highly recommended for community library romance shelves with a possible side interest to sci-fi and historical fiction readers.

Mercury Champagne
Dan Goodrich
Erie Harbor Productions
223 W. Cornell Avenue, Suite B Pontiac, MI 48340-2725
9780971782846, $10.00, www.erieharbor.com

The moment between moments that you don't even notice - In "Mercury Champagne", Ed Derringer finds out exactly what those moments mean as he's pursed by an amnesiac self-proclaimed Assurance Agent called John Stanford through a strange world along a winter highway found on the north end of reality. Faced with his own reality, the world's greatest hitchhiker and his only means of survival seemingly being his cigarettes and whiskey, "Mercury Champagne" is certainly a trip into the mildly absurd and riveting the entire time the reader is trying to figure out what's going on. Highly recommended to community library fiction shelves.

Howard S. Smith's I, Robot
Howard S. Smith, author
Kathy Harestad, illustrator
Robot Binaries & Press
704 Spadina Avenue #445, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2S9 Canada
9781894689052, $29.95 www.RobotPress.net

Nuclear North Korea extorts Japan, terrorist rockets rain down on Israel. "I, Robot" is not a retelling of Isaac Asimov's science fiction classic, but a different metaphor entirely, as Tokyo Police Inspector Suzuki Haruto rigidly follows his own internal rules - much like Asimov's own robots. Haruto stumbles upon a massive arms deal and ultimately falls into a situation, clouded by his love, where he will either save our world or destroy it. "I, Robot" is deftly written and will grab you from first page to last while holding links to Asimov's tale. "I, Robot" is highly recommended for science fiction fans and community library collections for the genre.

Teatro Grottesco
Thomas Ligotti
Mythos Books
351 Lake Road, Poplar Bluff, MO 63901-2177
0978991176, $35.00, www.mythosbooks.com

Horror fantasy fiction is an enduring popular genre in publishing, movies, and television shows. A five-time recipient of awards for his horror fiction (including the International Horror Guild and Bram Stoker awards), novelist Thomas Ligotti is one of the most influential writers working today in a tradition that began with Edgar Allan Poe and reached true literary acclaim with such luminaries as H. P. Lovecraft. "Teatro Grottesco" is a compilation of Ligotti's short stories arranged in three major sections: Derangements (Purity; The Town Manager; Sideshow, and Other Stories; The Clown Puppet; The Red Tower); Deformations (My Case for Retributive Action; Our Temporary Supervisor; In a Foreign Town, In a Foreign Land); and The Damaged and the Diseased (Gas Station Carnivals; The Bungalow House; Severini; The Shadow, the Darkness; and the title piece, Teatro Grottesco). Documenting Ligotti with a seminal and imaginative talent for the macabre, the stories are vividly written, darkly engaging, and truly memorable enactments within the reader's 'theater of the mind'. "Teatro Grottesco" is highly recommended for horror fantasy enthusiasts.

The New Weird
Ann & Jeff Vandermeer, editors
Tachyon Publications
1459 18th Street #139, San Francisco #139
9781892391551, $14.95, www.tachyonpublications.com

A look at the darker side of the world with horrifying rituals, insane festivals and more disturbing imagery are to be found in this exciting new short story collection - "The New Weird". Featuring stories by acclaimed authors Clive Barker and Michael Moorcock among a dozen other authors of various level's of experience of fame, "The New Weird" is a collection set on pushing the envelope on what society defines as weird and terrifying - all written in exceptional prose and sure to send some shivers down the spines of readers. "The New Weird" is a highly recommended anthology for anyone who wants a sample of what the next generation of horror, science fiction, and fantasy will bring forth.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Three Deuces Down
Keith Donnelly
Court Street Press
P.O. Box 1588, Montgomery, AL 36102
9781588382276, $24.95, www.newsouthbooks.com

The things you do on a whim out of boredom - Successful Wall Street broker Donald Youngblood returns to his hometown and gets a Private Investigator license due. "Three Deuces Down" is his tale of getting started and doing a few meaningless cases, and then finding himself summoned by a rich and powerful man who wants him to find his missing daughter and her husband. Easy enough, but the ghosts of Donald's past begin to catch up with him as his girlfriend, the cops, hitmen, and a mob boss all start to come after him. Donald does his best to stay one step in front of them all in "Three Deuces Down", and is highly recommended for mystery lovers everywhere.

The Muted Mermaid
Del Staecker
Cable Publishing
14090 E Keinenen Rd, Brule WI 54820
9780979949463, $24.95, www.cablepublishing.com

Finding a body is never the end of a vacation that anyone wants in their life. That's exactly what happens to Ledge Trabue though. "The Muted Mermaid" tells of a tale where the Nashville police rule the young woman's mysterious death - a suicide. For Trabue, it was too quick, and things get stranger when the deceased's father accuse him of his daughter's murder. Trabue has to clear the fog that completely surrounds the city to find the truth - and expose the corrupt forces of the town. "The Muted Mermaid" is highly recommended for community library mystery collections and for anyone who wants a good detective story.

Lethal Encounters
Charlotte Molette Barge
Wheat Mark
610 East Delano Street, Suite 104, Tucson, Arizona 85705
9781587369681, $20.95, www.wheatmark.com

Mob ties...two bodies...and a bizarre method of execution. In "Lethal Encounters", a car mysteriously rushing against the flow of traffic during the daily rush hour on the way home from work - and both Sean Smith and Charles Washington are run off the road - one meets their demise, the other is critically injured. The person to blame for it all vanishes into the night and leaves the police to initially call it neglectful thrill seeking - but revelation of one of the victims' mob ties leads them to believe that this was all intentional - murder. "Lethal Encounters" is highly recommended for community library fiction shelves with a focus on mysteries.

A Story of Bad
Edward M. Krauss
Global Authors Publications
783 South Sixth Street, Columbus, Ohio 43215
9780979808746, $16.95, ekek783@sbcglobal.net

The relationship between the police and the media has always been a strange one, but it turning romantic certainly raises some questions. "A Story of Bad" is the tale of a cop and reporter entering into a controversial romance, where they both try to stay loyal to each other and their employers while respecting business ethics and trying to both solve and cover the murder mystery that brought them together in the first place as other chaos erupts all around the them. "A Story of Bad" is a highly recommended and deftly composed mystery and romance blend, for fans of either.


The Self-Help Shelf

A Peace of My Mind
Diane M. Berry, MSW, LCSW, JD with Terry J. Berry, MSW, LCSW
Blue Waters Publications, LLC
PO Box 411, Manitowoc, WI 54221-0411
9780974207858, $15.95 www.bluewaterspublications.com

Anger is a double edged sword which can help or hinder us depending on how we use it. "A Peace of My Mind: A Therapist's Guide to Handling Anger and Other Difficult Emotions" is an easily accessible and user-friendly self-help manual that will help readers learn to handle difficult and painful emotions that help you keep control of yourself, why cool off time helps us so much, and some relationship skills to help you and your partner live a happier life together - and there's even more than that. "A Peace of My Mind: A Therapist's Guide to Handling Anger and other Difficult Emotions" is an inspired and inspiring tome that can help its readers a great deal. Both Self-Help and Psychology community library shelves should have this guide.

Get It Right This Time
Amy Schoen, MBA, CPCC
Heartmind Connection, LLC
10423 Englishman Drive, Rockville, MD 20852
9780979513015, $12.95, www.heartmindconnection.com

It's something the vast majority of everyone in life ends up with at some point- the break up after a long, hard relationship, and the succeeding depression that follows as you try to pick up the pieces and start anew. "Get It Right This Time: How to Find and Keep Your Ideal Romantic Relationship" is a guidebook to prevent you from going through that heart wrenching turmoil once more. Advice on starting over again, how to stay optimistic, clear away roadblocks, online dating, and so much more is looked at objectively in its hopes to help readers find their soul mate. "Get It Right: How to Find and Keep Your Ideal Romantic Relationship" is highly recommended to anyone who wants to find the one but has been battered and beaten in their journey to find them - and for community library relationship collections.

365 Days to Enlightenment
Ayamanatara
Hunt Press
2008 Bedford Street, Los Angeles, California, 90034
9780615160351, $19.95, www.huntpress.com

No matter what religion you follow you can create a better, more conscious connection with the Divine. "365 Days to Enlightenment: Daily Reflections for Spiritual Growth & Progress". Author and self-proclaimed multi-denominational Shaman Ayamanatara lays out a day by day year long guide for all levels of seeker to help them along their path and to feel more comfortable in life. Attacking topics such as Abundance and Listening to one's intuition, "365 Days to Enlightenment: Daily Reflections for Spiritual Growth & Progress" is highly recommended to community library self-help shelves and for anyone seeking a more clear conscious.

The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living
Corrie Woods
Morgan James Publishing, LLC
1225 Franklin Ave. Ste. 325, Garden City, NY 11530-1693
9781600373954, $14.95 www.MorganJamesPublishing.com 1-800-485-4943

Regardless of gender, life is so often spelled out as "how it ought to be" -- but it is rarely as expected when experienced on a daily basis. "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living: Practical Steps for Living a Big, Bold, Beautiful Life!" is just what its title implies. Most people don't even know where to start, and "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living" will show them and launch you into a more interesting and intriguing life with no limits or "how it ought to be" sayings, just tips on getting into your life, hearing your true calling, overcoming obstacles to your happiness, and live your life fearing nothing and regretting less. "The Woman's Field Guide to Exceptional Living: Practical Steps for Living a Big, Bold, Beautiful Life!" is very highly recommended to women everywhere and for self-help and women's studies community library shelves.

Chuck It
Chuck Nechtem
Jane Street Press
744 Broad Street, 14th Fl., Newark, NJ 07102
9780979915000, $21.95 www.chuckitbook.com

From a novice to a world class innovator, Chuck Nechtem is a huge success story, and in "Chuck It: The Revolutionary Path to Success and Happiness" he tells his story and how you can learn from him about communication, perseverance, growth, and more. Not strictly including stories about his success, he touches upon the tough times in life and how they helped him grow as a person and business man. "Chuck It: The Revolutionary Path to Success and Happiness" is enthusiastically recommended for all business people in need of an uplifting tale.

Let's Talk Intuition
Darlene Pitts
Inspiration & Intuition, Inc.
PO Box 397, Smyrna, GA 30081-0397
9780978558901, $14.95 www.inspirationandintuition.com

Intuition is using a combination of your senses and mind to gain a better understanding of the world, and more importantly, the people around you. "Let's Talk Intuition: 101 Powerful Insights to Transform Your Life Today and Forever" delves deeper into this concept to give you a better understanding of your own intuition, and how to use it to a better degree, teaching you to use it to improve your finances, your personal relationships, your hobbies and why you do some of the things you do in general. Enthusiastically recommended for self help shelves with a good cross over into psychology, and for anyone in general who wants to learn how get a greater grasp of this concept that inhabits us all.

Finding It Again
Kenn Shapiro
February Press, LLC
c/o Abby Kraus PR
1036 N. Dearborn #802, Chicago, IL 60610
9780980115109, $23.00

Love isn't easy to find - it can be viewed as even harder once you're past the big four-zero. "Finding It Again: The Truth about Love After 40" is a journal of advice for the middle aged who have suddenly found themselves available after perhaps decades of marriage. True stories of your everyday man looking for love, dealing with blind dates, internet dating, or other avenues of testing the waters of love, author Kenn Shapiro tells story that many should easily relate to and have experienced themselves, while encouraging people simply not to give up on that search, no matter how hopeless it may seem. General readers in Shapiro's shoes and self-help shelves everywhere should pick up "Finding It Again: The Truth about Love After 40".

The Science of Opportunity
Howard I. Melamed
Global Opportunities
12453 NW 44th Street, Coral Springs, FL 33065
9781887542654, $18.95, www.sciopps.com

Luck is an abstract concept that just doesn't make any logical sense. But do those who seem to be 'lucky' have some sort of secret to their fortune? "The Science of Opportunity: Being in the Right Place at the Right Time" believes so and is here to give a run down on how readers can be the so called 'lucky' ones as well. Stating that luck is all about taking the opportunities when they appear, and finding those opportunities so you can take them, it spells out that all you need to be one of the 'lucky' ones is available to everyone who's willing to put forth effort to get there. "The Science of Opportunity: Being in the Right Place at the Right Time" is highly recommended for community library self-help collections and for anyone who thinks they are down on their 'luck'.

Three Good Things
Erika K. Oliver
In the Affirmative Publishing
c/o Erika K. Oliver (author)
9780979902512, $12.95, www.erikaoliver.com

Being happier with ones life does not have to prove that difficult - something is bound to be going right, and if one focuses on that, it doesn't seem so bad. It's the negatives that bring stress into people's lives, and "Three Good Things: Happiness Every Day, No Matter What!" is a through and uplifting guide to help one find those positives and focus on ones life. An optimistic outlook on life can decrease stress, boost ones confidence, boost their productivity, and even spread the happiness as if it were a contagious disease - something people want to catch. "Three Good Things: Happiness Every Day, No Matter What!" is a must have for community library self-help shelves and for anyone who wants to look on the brighter side of life.

Zoom Power
Monica Carter Tagore
KWS
PO Box 52482, Shreveport, LA 71135
9780971843622, $13.95, www.knowledgewealthseries.com

Living the life that one actually wants is something that's actually possible for a lot of people - they just need to be set on the right path to figure it out. "Zoom Power: Your Key to Hitting Your Personal, Business, and Financial Targets" is a comprehensive guide to help people find that path and get moving towards the life they dream about. Boasting advice on how to create a plan using proven formulas, setting clear goals, and keeping ones chin up when life beats them down, the advice is solid and clear, and this well written guide is sure to help those who are willing to help themselves. "Zoom Power: Your Key to Hitting Your Personal, Business, and Financial Targets" is a highly recommended for those seeking to get there lives on track and for community library self-help collections.

Get a Life!
Reggie McNeal
B&H Publishing Group
127 Ninth Avenue North, MSN 114, Nashville, TN, 37234
9780805442991, $16.99, www.BHPublishinggroup.com

People are the top, A-list global superstar in their own lives says prolific self-help author Reggie McNeal - In "Get a Life!: It IS All About You", McNeal states God had every individual person in mind when he made each of them- and encourages readers to examine themselves to improve their lives by asking daily simple questions such as - Why am I here? What's really important? What am I good at? What do I need to learn? "Get a Life!: It IS All About You" is highly recommended for anyone who wants to improve themselves with a book with a mild Christian focus. A must for Christian and self-help community library collections.

The Forgiveness Myth
Gary Egeberg & Wayne Raiter
Original Pathways Press
6701 Penn Ave. S., Richfield, MN 55423
SJ Miller Communications (publicist)
10 Turning Mill Lane, Randolph, MA 02368
9780979440007, $15.95, www.originalpathways.com

Forgiveness - to bury the proverbial hatchet with someone who has seriously wronged you in the past. Many say it's the best way to start to heal strained relationships. "The Forgiveness Myth: How to Heal Your Hurts, Move on And Be Happy Again When You Can't - or Won't - Forgive" disagrees with this notion and states that refusal to forgive is something that's healthy and happens to many people - and that forgiveness isn't guaranteed to work anyway. Instead it outlines situations where forgiveness would actually be a bad idea, and outlines alternatives to heal your emotions and to focus on yourself rather than the one who has wronged you - and how to forgive yourself for not forgiving others. "The Forgiveness Myth: How to Heal Your Hurts, Move on And Be Happy Again When You Can't - or Won't - Forgive" is a top pick for self-help collections and anyone who is torn inside due to their spite for another.

Gathered Together
Tilda Norberg
Upper Room Books
P.O. Box 340004, Nashville, TN 37203-0004
9780835899161, $15.00, www.upperrooom.org

Symbolism means a lot - on actual value, it seems so worthless, yet it can change someone's life in the process. "Gathered Together: Creating Personal Liturgies for Healing and Transformation" is a guide to doing these little things in ones own life to help themselves be a more complete person and get them through the frustrations of day to day life. Liturgies are typically something done by Christian churches, but one can use the concept for their personal life as well. "Gathered Together: Creating Personal Liturgies for Healing and Transformation" is highly recommended reading for anyone who needs that little boost in life and for community library self-help collections.

Clutter, Chaos, & the Cure
Rosemary Chieppo
Kiwi Publishing
PO Box 3852, Woodbridge, CT 06525
9780980056419, $9.95, www.kiwipublishing.com

Everyone knows of that one female relative who is the walking definition of the term packrat - closets and basements full of useless items, and whenever they need something useful they can't find it. "Clutter, Chaos, & the Cure: or Why You never Misplace Your Toothbrush" is here to help, promoting great advice on eliminating ones excessiveness to streamline their belongings and their life, and how to prevent the problems from going and reemerging once more. "Clutter, Chaos, & the Cure: Or Why You Never Misplace Your Toothbrush" is highly recommended for any packrat or recovering case and for community library self-help collections.

Open Your Heart with Gardens
Carolyn Haley
Dream Time Publishing
6860 Gulfport Avenue South Suite 950 South Pasadena, FL 33707
9781601660121, $14.95, www.dreamtimepublishing.com

Growing your own garden, raising the plants to maturity and then enjoying the spoils of your long, hard, arduous labors can create quite the sense of accomplishment in you - it can almost be explained as enlightening. "Open Your Heart with Gardens: Mastering Life Through Love of Plants" is here to help those who seek this sense of accomplishment and enlightenment achieve those very feelings using the hobby of gardening. Promoting tips on how you can benefit from gardens emotionally even if it isn't your own, the unusual quirks of gardening, and the other benefits the garden can promote for its' gardeners. "Open Your Heart with Gardens: Mastering Life Through Love of Plants" is highly recommended for both self-help and gardening community library collections, and for any amateur gardener hoping to get something intangible yet invaluable out of their gardens.

Lean on Me
Lorraine Kember
L Kember Publications
P.O. Box 70, Beechboro, Western Austrailia, 6063
0646499696, $24.50 AU / $22.47 US, www.lean-on-me.net

It's what some people dread more than getting cancer themselves - that one of their closest love ones, be it a spouse, mother, child, or sibling come down with the horrible ailment as you must care for them, and watch them wither away, barely resembling what you knew and loved. "Lean On Me: Cancer Through a Carer's Eyes" is Lorraine Kember's ordeal of dealing with just this type of torment and agony of life as she reflects on her time caring for her husband Brian, the pain from his diagnosis to his death. It is not strictly depressing however, as Kember does find hope in it all, and seeks to spread that message. "Lean on Me: Cancer Through a Carer's Eyes" is highly recommended for anyone with a relative who has been struck with this horrible type of ailment and for community library self-help shelves.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Empowered Patient
Dr. Julia A. Hallisy
Bold Spirit Press
595 Buckingham Way #305, San Francisco, CA 94132
9780615177915, $25.95, www.theempoweredpatient.com

With the disarray of today's health care system, one must be ever vigilant, even when they are the one battling a crippling illness themselves, to fight for their health care rights. "The Empowered Patient: Hundreds of Life-Saving Facts, Action Steps, and Strategies you Need to Know" is a torch to shine light onto the deep, dark, and treacherous corners of health care, and ones right's when they are considered invalid and under care. Granting numerous tips such as how to avoid hospital acquired infections, making sure one's doctor is the best doctor he can be, frightening medical errors, and other simple things one can do to stay safe in a hospital - a phrase which in a perfect world should be redundant. "The Empowered Patient: Hundreds of Life-Saving Facts, Action Steps, and Strategies you Need to Know" is highly recommended to community library health shelves, and for anyone who thinks they may end up in this position.

White Coat Wisdom
Stephen J. Busalacchi
Apollo's Voice
PO Box 628044, Middleton, WI 53562-8044
9780979422201, $34.95, www.whitecoatwisdom.com

Anyone who wishes to legally call themselves a health care professional must spend years upon years in medical school and college - certainly these people pick up information the general public never hears about. "White Coat Wisdom" is a through and complete compilation of these little tidbits of advice and knowledge to help you maintain peak physical health - and tips on maintaining peak psychological help as well, covering both tips on disease prevention and achieving greater satisfaction in life. "White Coat Wisdom" is packed cover to cover with what its title promotes, and is highly recommended for those reasons.

Hippocrates Lifeforce
Brian R. Clement, PhD
Healthy Living Publications
P.O. Box 99, Summertown, TN, 38483
9781570672040, $24.95, www.hippocratesinstitute.org

As time advances on, old habits and ways of keeping one happy and healthy seem to be debunked or revealed to do just the opposite of that. Medical Science can do more than just say the old ways are wrong though - they can show people the right way to turn lives around for longer and healthier lives. "Hippocrates Lifeforce: Superior Health and Longevity" is a complete and comprehensive guide covering every aspect of a solid and healthy diet - even offering advice on how certain foods can hasten the healing process when one is sick or injured in certain ways. A comprehensive guide from first page to last, "Hippocrates Lifeforce: Superior Health and Longevity" is highly recommended for anyone looking to get healthier just by changing their eating habits and for community library health collections.

The 3:00 PM Secret
Debra Anne Ross Lawrence
Glacier Dog Publishing
645 G. Street Suite 100-685, Anchorage, Alaska 99501
9780979745904, $15.95, www.glacierdogpublishing.com

So many have tried to lose weight. So many have driven themselves to extremes to accomplish that very goal, only to lose hope when results don't happen. "The 3:00 PM Secret:: Live Slim and Strong Live Your Dreams" is here to restore hope to a broad audience - an audience of everyone who has tried and failed to make that life changing move to lose weight. Author Debra Anne Ross Lawrence states that after three months of following her stated 3:00 PM secret, readers will be able to live the lifestyle they've always wanted easily following the novel way of eating that "The 3:00 PM Secret: Live Slim and Strong Live Your Dreams" promotes, making it highly recommended for community library health collections and for anyone who wants to give dropping that spare tire another go.

The APO E Gene Diet
Pamela McDonald, FA, WHCNP, PNP, FNP
Elite Books
c/o Russel Public Communications
7290 E. Broadway Boulevard, Suite 142, Tucson, AZ 85710
9781600700385, $27.95, www.russelpublic.com

Not your typical diet book, "The APO E Gene Diet: A breakthrough in changing cholesterol, weight, heart, and Alzheimer's disease using the body's own genes" presents an examination of the APO E Gene, the gene responsible for cholesterol, Alzheimer's, heart and vascular disease, weight, and other chronic illnesses. Featuring the latest information available, Author and health care professional Pamela McDonald speaks of genotypes and how to make appropriate decisions based on that and other acts in order to bring readers into a better state of health and get them in shape. "The APO E Gene Diet" is highly recommended to community library health shelves, and for anyone looking into getting in shape when everything else has apparently failed.

Nutrition by the Numbers
Christopher E. Ramsden, M.D.
Applied Nutritional Biochemistry, LLC
1136 Bellewood Square, Atlanta, GA 30338-4047
9780979651502, $18.95 www.NQI.com

Every single day of their existence, Americans are attacked by health claims all over the place, and it may not be clear what they mean. "Nutrition by the Numbers: Optimize your health with the NQI"questions whether all these claims of "whole grain", "low cholesterol" and "low-fat" - among others - really mean anything to your long term health, or are just there to confuse the customer into a purchase they do not need. "Nutrition by the Numbers: Optimize your Health with the NQI" will help consumers become better and more well informed shoppers by taking everything into account - even what is typically left off the nutrition labels. "Nutrition by the Numbers" is heartily recommended to any reader who worries about his or her health and for any library collection catering to health and nutrition.

Getting Into Your Pants
Dr. Leslie Van Romer
Advantage
PO Box 272, Charleston, SC 29402
PR/PR (publicist)
PO Box 617553, Orlando, FL 32861
9781599320724, $18.99 www.prpr.net

One can't put forth their B game when they are attempting to lose those pounds - one needs to put forth total effort or it simply is not going to work. "Getting Into Your Pants: Add 10+10 for Life!" is a deftly composed and easy to follow dieting guide to help anyone start to shed those pounds - and unlike most fad diets, it promotes a change that will push readers to not lose them for a few months but to keep them off for their entire lives, avoiding the up and down hilly slope so many advertised diet plans promote. "Getting Into Your Pants: Add 10+10 for Life!" is highly recommended for community library collections dedicated to health and weight loss and for anyone who, as the title says, wants to get into those pants.


The Parenting Shelf

Living Passages For The Whole Family
Shea Darian
Gilead Press
4151 W. Augusta Ave, Phoenix, AZ 85051
9780967571324, $21.95, www.gileadpress.net

As one ages towards adulthood, each passing year comes with great changes, each passing year marks new rights, privileges, and responsibilities. "Living Passages for the Whole Family: Celebrating Rites of Passage from Birth to Adulthood" is a year by year examination of peoples' traditional rites of passage such as birthdays, bar'mitzvahs and secular versions of festivals such as that. Over twenty ideas to celebrate ones child marching toward adulthood with thirty songs to celebrate with, along with invaluable and sage wisdom and advice for parents who don't want to let go, among other information. "Living Passages for the Whole Family: Celebrating Rites of Passage from Birth to Adulthood" is highly recommended for community library collections focusing on parenting.

The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting
Dan Doyle with Deborah Doermann Burch
Hall of Fame Press
3045 Kingstown Road, PO Box 1710, Kingston, Rhode Island 028810-1710
9780977624010, $39.95, www.internationalsport.com

Child Athletes need a brand of special care to be the best they can be - and "The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting" is here to help parents do the best that they can for their young athletes so they get the most they can out of their hobbies. Covering youth sports of all ages - from little league baseball to college football, nothing is left uncovered. Providing advice on encouraging ones children, and giving them the little extra special things they need in their adolescence to do well in youth sports, "The Encyclopedia of Sports Parenting" is essential for any parent of a potential sports mega star.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Did Man Create God?
David E. Comings, MD
Hope Press
PO Box 188 Duarte, CA 91009
9781878267733, $29.95, www.hopepress.com

Religion plays a huge part of everyone's lives, irregardless of if they attend a church, synagogue, or mosque - but is it interfering too much with the sensible thought of the world? "Did Man Create God?: Is Your Spiritual Brain At Peace with Your Thinking Brain?" believes so, but keeps a spiritual stance throughout its questioning of the world's faith - stating that spirituality is a hard wired part of the brain of humanity. An objective look at religion as a whole, it tackles all concerns and issues with religion such as fundamentalism and barriers to social progress. "Did Man Create God?: Is Your Spiritual Brain at Peace with Your Thinking Brain?" is highly recommended for community library collections dedicated to religious studies of all sorts.

The Critical Questions...and More
Bill Thomas
CSS Publishing Company
517 S Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804
9780788025242, $15.95, www.csspub.com

The annual Catholic tradition of Lent is suppose to be a yearly period for one to reflect their relationship with God. "The Critical Questions...and More: Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies" is here to help readers better look at themselves in this annual holy time leading up the celebration of the resurrection. Split into three separate yet equal parts of Critical Questions, Who Do You Say He Is?, and I Saw Jesus, "The Critical Questions...and More: Three Pre-Easter Bible Studies" is a scholarly and deftly researched compilation of religious questions and highly recommended for community library religious collections.

Revolutionary Spirits
Gary Kowalski
Blue Bridge
c/o United Tribes Media Inc.
240 West 35th Street, Suite 500, New York, NY 10001
Meryl Zegarek Public Relations, Inc. (publicity)
255 West 108 Street, Suite 9D1, New York, NY 10025
9781933346090, $22.00 www.bluebridgebooks.com

Revolutionary Spirits: The Enlightened Faith of America's Founding Fathers reveals the truth about the religious and spiritual sides of America's founders, many of whom had belief systems that were much more complicated than the mainstream Christianity of the era. Thomas Jefferson performed mathematical calculations to disprove the alleged great flood of Noah's era; James Madison researched the theory that life evolved through natural causes without divine assistance; George Washington deliberately refrained from using the word "God" in his public statements; and Benjamin Franklin created his own private liturgy, to provide just a few examples. Dispelling myths about what the founders believed, Revolutionary Spirits explores their faiths in Nature's God and their quest for inspiration in Creation rather than through traditional religious dogma. A fascinating portrait of Franklin, Washington, Paine, Adams, Jefferson and Madison that sheds light on their efforts as religious reformers and freethinkers, a side to them often overlooked in history's study of them as political rebels. Highly recommended.

Eastern Wisdom For Your Soul
Richard A. Singer Jr.
Dreamriver Press
12 Franklin Avenue, Flourtown, PA 19031-2006
Page Turner Publicity
340 Randolph St., Ste. 1007, Chicago, IL 60601
9780979790805, $16.95, www.dreamriverpress.com

Happiness is something many people strive for - that contentment makes everything they do eventually worth it. "Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul" examines what really makes people happy, and places it under a scope using eastern philosophy and psychology to help them attain a more complete and fulfilling life every day, to help them fight off the stresses that so drive them insane. Explaining some simple but invaluable truths of the universe, "Eastern Wisdom for Your Soul" is deftly compiled and highly recommended for community library spirituality collections and for anyone seeking piece of mind.

Growing Up in an Amish-Jewish Cult
Patricia Hochstetler
Baker Trittin Press
P.O. Box 277, Winona Lake, IN, 46590
9780978731649, $12.95, www.baketrittinpress.com

No one plans to join a cult, reminds Author Patricia Hochstetler, who tells us her story in "Growing Up in an Amish-Jewish Cult: Book One: Delusion". People seek to be closer to God, and to bring their family with them as to protect them from damnation. And all too often, power hungry manipulators take advantage of this - and that is how cults are formed. Told from a child's perspective, the story of "Growing Up in an Amish-Jewish Cult: Book One: Delusion" is especially heart-wrenching as the simplest questions with the simplest answers such as "Why Can't I play with a doll?" goes unanswered. "Growing Up in an Amish-Jewish Cult: Book One: Delusion" is highly recommended to any who want to learn about the phenomenon of cults and for autobiographical community library collections everywhere.


The Business Shelf

Spiritual Capitalism
Peter Ressler & Monika Mitchell Ressler
Chillmark Books
243 Fifth Avenue, #227, New York, NY 10016
0976198428, $16.95, www.chillmarkbooks.com

The little moves one makes while running a business have far more implications than they seem, claims "Spiritual Capitalism: How 9/11 Gave Us Nine Spiritual Lesson of Work and Business". Promoting a new philosophy for businesses of "Responsibility of the Fittest", the author pair suggest that money no longer be the main thing that drives so many businesses when they have more than enough to survive already, and that some spirituality in there work can be incredibly rewarding emotionally replacing shallow greed with fulfilling honor. "Spiritual Capitalism: How 9/11 Gave Us Nine Spiritual Lessons of Work and Business" is a must have for any business man feeling there work leaving them hollow and unfulfilled in life and for community library spirituality shelves.

Taxes for Online Sellers
Simon Elisha
Gingersnap Books
c/o Artistic Spaces Publishing
PO Box 330703, Murfreesboro, TN 37127-7541
9780979632808, $19.95 www.taxesforonlinesellers.com

A disclaimer at the beginning of Taxes for Online Sellers: A How-To Guide for Individuals on Federal Tax for Internet Sales warns that if legal advice is required, the competent professional help should be sought. That being said, Taxes for Online Sellers is an excellently researched guide to how American tax laws work with regard to online sales, whether or not one is considered a business, which income must be reported, what records of online sales are necessary to keep, how to keep track of one's income, inventory, and expenses, taking depreciation into account, specific big-ticket sale items such as business equipment and vehicles, and much more. An extensive appendix listing a wide assortment of reproducible tax forms, a glossary, and an index round out this enthusiastically recommended primer for anyone considering or engaging in online sales on amazon, ebay, or their own website.

Lead Like a Pirate!
Christopher Novak
CornerStone Leadership Institute
PO Box 764087, Dallas, TX 75376
9780979800917, $14.95

Leading like a pirate isn't just about peg legs, eye patches and scurvy, and "Lead Like a Pirate!: Leadership Secrets of the Pirates of St. Croix" will explain how such a strange concept at first could be the best thing that could happen to its reader's business, and perhaps its reader as well. Emphasizing team work that can make a valuable worker from even the most unkempt and seemingly useless employee, "Lead Like a Pirate!: Leadership Secrets of the Pirates of St. Croix" is a charming and highly recommended self-help and business book that simply uses a fun pirate theme to get its valuable message across.

Effective Techniques for Dealing with Highly Resistant Clients
Clifton W. Mitchell, Ph.D.
CWM Publishing
3328 Berkshire Circle, Johnson City, Tennessee 37604
9780976065616, $34.95 www.cliftonmitchell.com

All Businesses have them - those difficult clients who come in and only seem to make the day seem to drag out longer and longer. "Effective Techniques for Dealing with Highly Resistant Clients, 2nd Edition" will lay out everything the reader need to know to deal with these formerly dreaded but valuable people. Written with practicality in mind, it teaches readers nine common errors therapists make that foster resistance, use the inherent power of language to create movement, the problem of over questioning, managing difficult responses, dealing with awkward silences and specific techniques to manage it all. Recommended for both business management and industrial psychology community library shelves.

Step into the Spotlight
Tsufit
Beach View Books
8171 Yonge St. Suite 148, Thornhill, ON L3T 2C6, Canada
9780978191306, $19.95, www.stepintothespotlight.com

Getting noticed is the first thing one needs to do before they do anything - because if it's done when no one is watching, there is no point to it in the first place. "Step Into the Spotlight!: A Guide to Getting Noticed" is a guide for businesses to help their brands get into the public eye, because knowing of your product's existence is literally half the battle. "All Business is Show Business" is a claim stated on the books cover, and it's all too true. A take on all of advertising with thoroughly researched advice, "Step into the Spotlight: A Guide to Getting Noticed" is highly recommended for anyone in charge of a new product and for community library business shelves.

The Leadership Integrity Challenge
Edward E. Morler, MBA, PhD
Sanai Publishing
1140 Brockman Dr, Sonoma, CA 95476
0976864320, $24.95, www.sanaipublishing.com

The huge scandal involving Enron in the past decade led to a huge concern involving the integrity of America's corporate leadership. "The Leadership Integrity Challenge: Assessing and Facilitating Emotional Maturity" is an outline to measure the integrity and corporate maturity of potential big wigs of huge corporations using concepts such as psychology, organizational theory, religion, chaos theory, among other numerous factors in this through researched, informed and informative guide. "The Leadership Integrity Challenge: Assessing and Facilitating Emotional Maturity" is highly recommended for business shelves focusing on ethics and for anyone in charge of promoting employees to positions of power.

Expert Product Management
Brian Lawley
HappyAbout.Info
20660 Stevens Creek Blvd. Suite 210, Cupertino, CA, 95014
1600050794, $19.95, www.happyabout.info

Marketing of your product is easily the most important part of its success - it has been the telling of success and failure all too many times. "Expert Product Management: Advanced Techniques, Tips & Strategies for Product Management, & Product Marketing" is here to teach people with new products how to make it as successful as humanly possible. Enhanced with countless charts and graphs throughout and packed cover to cover with invaluable information, "Expert Product Management: Advanced Techniques, Tips, & Strategies for Product Management, & Product Marketing" is highly recommended for anyone in charge of a product's success for community library business shelves.

It All Starts With You
Mary Kay Whitaker & Ron Whitaker
Xcelogic, Inc.
200 E. Loch Lloyd Parkway, Kansas City, MO 64012
0980215803, $29.95, www.xcelogic.com

The only thing better than solving a problem is stopping the problem before it ever starts, and since time travel is not a possibility, pre-emptive action is needed. "It All Starts With You: The Power of Pre-Emptive Leadership" is a guide for businesses to run their companies better by addressing three of the biggest modern challenges in today's companies such as integrating cultures, new corporate cultures, and most importantly morphing their employees into respectable and productive leaders. "It All Starts With You: The Power of Pre-Emptive Leadership" is highly recommended to community library collections on business practices and performance.

Aligning Incentives, Information, and Choice
Wendy D. Lynch Ph.D & Harold H. Gardner, MD
Health as Human Capital Foundation
1800 Carey Avenue, Suite 300, Cheyenne, WY 82001
9780980070200, $19.95, www.hhcfoundation.org

The incentive - it's not really an order. People can ignore them if they please - but why would they? "Aligning Incentives, Information, and Choice: How to Optimize Health and Human Capital Performance" is a through and scholarly examination of these incentives and how they are affecting society and society's health as a whole. Incentives steer human behavior in strange ways even if they aren't completely aware of their effects. "Aligning Incentives, Information, and Choice: How to Optimize Health and Human Capital Performance" is highly recommended to community library health collections and anyone who wants a deeper look into this strange trend.

How To Sell
Jeff Savage
Buckeye Publishing
c/o Progressive Book Marketing
progressiveoa@earthlink.net
9780974384429, $19.95, www.millionairebyforty.com

The marketing and selling of goods and services is the foundation of a thriving capitalist economy. In "How To Sell: 100 Secrets To Sales Success, Plus The 35 Gold Rules Of Selling", author Jeff Savage draws upon his more than twenty-five years as a successful salesman and mentor to sales staffs to succinctly compile maxims and commentaries on the philosophies and strategies he has employed to become a multimillionaire and able to engage in philanthropic enterprises on a major scale. In a thoroughly 'reader friendly' format that poses one specific piece of advice per page, "How To Sell" covers a wide diversity of issues ranging from attitudes, passion, time management, and client relations, to communication, money management, availability, lifestyle choices, and more. Of special note are 'The 35 Golden Rules of Selling' which, when adhered to, can transform an ordinary sales career into an extraordinary success. As Jeff Savage has written -- 50. 'You are in the Service Business': If you think for a minute that you are not in the service business, you are dead wrong. You will fail miserably if you believe you are in this profession only to make sales. In reality, your sales will be based on how well you service your clients. "How To Sell" is critically important and enthusiastically recommended reading for anyone contemplating a career in sales, or who is currently engaged with any form of marketing or sales.


The Sports Shelf

Ripley's Believe It Or Not: Baseball Oddities & Trivia
Tim O'Brien
Ripley Publishing
7576 Kingspoint Parkway, Suite 188, Orlando, FL 32819
9781893951297, $10.88, www.ripleys.com

A baseball hit 400 feet has twice the destructive energy as a bullet fired from a .8 calibur pistol. That, and other strange and unusual facts can be found in "Ripley's Believe It Or Not!: Baseball Oddities & Trivia: A Journey Through the Weird, Wacky, and Absolutely True World of Baseball". Packed cover to cover with charming drawings by John Granziano, "Ripley's Believe It or Not: Baseball Oddities & Trivia: A Journey Through the Weird, Wacky, and Absolutely True World of Baseball" is over a hundred pages of interesting and intriguing facts and notes of interest. Highly recommended for baseball fans or anyone who just likes weird, bizarre information - it also should be considered as a lighter edition to any community library collection focuses on sports or baseball.

The Franchise
Terry Pluto and Brian Windhorst
Gray & Company, Publishers
1588 E. 40th Street, Cleveland, OH, 44103
9781598510287, $19.95, www.grayco.com

A superstar player like Lebron James doesn't come along too often in the world of the National Basketball Association, "The Franchise: Lebron James and the remaking of the Cleveland Cavaliers" is the tale of who is viewed as the second coming of Michael Jordan and how he is changing the NBA everyday he plays. Award winning team of sports writers in Terry Pluto and Brian Windhorst write this story of how James brought the struggling basketball Franchise from obscurity to prominence and how Lebron James is doing more than carrying the Cleveland Cavaliers - how he is carrying the entire NBA on his shoulders. "The Franchise: Lebron James and the Remaking of the Cleveland Cavaliers" is highly recommended to sports fans and analysts who want a wide ranging look at today's NBA.

Bicycle Journeys with Jerry
Jerry Dusterhoff
Acyclist Publishing
1503 West Creek Loop, Round Rock, TX, 78681
9780979949005, $19.95, www.acyclistpublishing.com

Bicycling is a fun exciting hobby that can do wonders to get people in shape and save on gas money with rising fuel costs - among other benefits. "Bicycle Journeys with Jerry: Recreational Cyclist Recounts Experiences from Vermont to the Pyrenees" follows author and serious cyclist Jerry Dusterhoff as he speaks on one of those other benefits - adventure, as he recounts his tales of cycling across the country, including once covering the entire nation in less than two months of bicycling. "Bicycle Journeys with Jerry: Recreational Cyclist Recounts Experiences from Vermont to the Pyrenees" is a deftly composed encouragement to anyone hoping to do more with their bicycle and is highly recommended to community library collections focusing on sports and bicycling.

Coaching Your Tennis Champion
David Minihan
Mansion Grove House
P.O. Box 201734, Austin, TX 78720-1734
9781932421156, $26.95, www.mansiongrovehouse.com

Tennis is a widely celebrated sport the world over and has numerous physical and psychological benefits for its players. "Coaching Your Tennis Champion: The Progressive Plan for Success" is a guide for those who would coach children of any age to become the very best tennis player they can be. Covering day by day plans, drills, rules, strategies and so much more that every aspiring tennis star would love to learn. "Coaching Your Tennis Champion: The Progressive Plan for Success" is highly recommended for community library sports collections and for any who want to teach their tennis students right.

The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita
Rudolph Alvarado
Caballo Press of Ann Arbor
24 Frank Lloyd Wright Drive, PO Box 415, Ann Arbor, Michigan 48106-0445
9780615187570, $27.95 www.voiceofsantaanita.com

The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez: The Voice of Santa Anita is the biography of Joe Hernandez, a Mexican-American who because well-known as thoroughbred horse racing's greatest race caller, in an era when most Mexicans and Mexican-Americans were being repatriated to Mexico because of the Great Depression. Revealing the lengths to which Joe Hernandez went to fit in such a heavily Anglo-American environment, as well as the legacy of his impact on thoroughbred racing, The Untold Story of Joe Hernandez is a singularly fascinating behind-the-scenes glimpse at a crucial turning point in an American sport's history. "Uncertain of the loyalty of Japanese and Japanese-Americans residing in the United States, on February 19, 1942, President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed Executive Order 9066 authorizing the evacuation from the West Coast of all persons of Japanese ancestry. To house Japanese living in California, the military established twelve assembly centers in the state where individuals were housed while awaiting relocation to camps in the interior of the country. Santa Anita became one of those camps." An accompanying audio CD of recordings of Joe Hernandez's famous racing calls, including a bonus track of Joe's last call, rounds out this amazingly detailed account of not only Hernandez's life, but of a pivotal period in thoroughbred racing history.


The International Studies Shelf

Sunset Tales from the New Iraq
Al Kentway
Akom Publishing House
244 Madison Avenue, Suite 745, New York, NY 10016
9780979913433, $26.95, www.akompublishinghouse.com

America only tends to hear one side of the story about what goes on in Iraq - but there is another side to the story - multiple other sides of the story. "Sunset Tales from the New Iraq" tells the tales of those other perspectives that Americans rarely hear about in the news media. Stories from soldiers, stories from extremist Islamic zealots, prisoners in detention centers, and scandalous leaders. "Sunset Tales from the New Iraq" is a deftly compiled and brilliant look at Iraq, and a must have for anyone who wants a fresh perspective on the conflict, also for community library military collections focusing on current issues.

It's All Chinese to Me
Pierre Ostrowski and Gwen Penner, authors
Gwen Penner, illustrator
All Out Press
Box 1127, Ste. Anne, Manitoba R5H 1C1
9780978440947, $17.95 www.alloutpress.com

It's All Chinese to Me: An Illustrated Overview of Culture and Etiquette in China is a straight-talk, no-nonsense introduction to basic Chinese culture and rules for politeness. The simple, cartoony, black-and-white illustrations help drive home these absolute "must-know" lessons for tourists and business travelers - especially anyone responsible for business negotiations! The advice ranges from common faux pas to avoid (never give clocks or cut flowers as a gift - they symbolize approaching mortal death), to the titanic importance of allowing others to "save face" (never rebuke a Chinese person in public!), to how one should behave when invited to another's house (guests should always leave a little food on their plates - too much left suggests that the food was bad, and a clean plate suggests that the hosts have not fed the guest properly) and much more. It's All Chinese to Me offers a balanced view of China's cultural strengths and weaknesses, and should be required reading for international travelers. Highly recommended.


The Poetry Shelf

Woman on the Terrace
Moon Chung-Hee
White Pine Press
P.O. Box 236, Buffalo, New York 14201
9781893996861, $15.00, www.whitepine.org

An anthology of poetry that doubles as a memoir or autobiography of sorts, "Woman On The Terrace" is author and poet Moon Chung-Lee's reflections on her own experiences. Deftly written and compiled with plenty of reflections to everything that would affect a married Asian woman's life- cooking pots, shopping, sacrifice, it doesn't leave out what any reader would know - rain, wind, fields, mortality all painted in the vivid imagery of fine lyrical words. "Woman on The Terrace" is highly recommended to poetry lovers everywhere and for community library poetry shelves. Husband: Neither my father nor my brother/he's the man standing somewhere in between./Someone who is closest, yet so remote./When I'm suffering from insomnia/I'm inclined to ask for his advice - / oops! Anything but that! / So I silently turn away from him in bed./ Sometimes my enemy, / other times, the only man on earth/ who holds my children so dear. / So I make dinner for him again, / this man I've dined with so many times,/ this man who taught me how to fight.

Practice
Dan Bellm
Sixteen Rivers Press
P.O. Box 640663, San Francisco, CA 94164-0663
9780976764250, $15.00, www.sixteenriverspress.com

Now with two books of poetry under his belt, poet Dan Bellm returns once more with his third anthology of poetry "Practice". Deftly written and touching poetry with a focus on humanity and a evaluation of the bible that does not go into either the positive or negative extremes of either leaning, which captivates the reader with every page. "Practice" is highly recommended to community library poetry collections and any who want poetry with a humanist touch. Anointing: a strangeness/not to be//rubbed away the/sulfurous//earth heat of/the water the ache//& pressure of/waking up a//wellspring fallen into//willingly not/to be drowned//saved by nature impermanent//in arrangement as/the shaken//earth but to/come up from//the water as/someone new.

Breaking the Drought
Stephen Levine
Larson Publications
4936 NYS Route 414, Burdett, NY 14818
9780943914480, $15.00 www.larsonpublications.com

Stephen Devine has sold over a million books of poetry, all of them seeking to help people with the healing and grieving process and his newest book of poetry, "Breaking The Drought: Visions of Grace" is no different. It grants fans the same creative intuition and poetic sensibility that Levine has become so known and loved for, as he channels his original muse as he opens his heart and invites all to enter. Highly recommended to both poetry lovers and community library poetry collections where it is sure to be a hit. A pinched nerve: A pinched nerve/at the root of the fingers/tried to pick up/more than it could handle/but in the pain/without reserve or wish/to be otherwise/the light./Ah there! Christ in the palm of your hand.

Boethius, Fortune's Prisoner
James Harpur (Translator)
Anvil Press Poetry
Neptune House, 70 Royal Hill, London SE10 8RF
9780856464034, $15.95, www.anvilpresspoetry.com

An aristocrat and scholar in a time where neither were too much smiled upon, Boethius let his voice be heard for generations after, a millennium and a half later. "Boethius, Fortune's Prisoner: The Poems of Boethius's The Consolation of Philosophy" is the ancient man's book of poetry, translated into today's language by classically trained poet in his own right, James Harpur. Boethius speaks on justice, the nature of good and evil, fortune, and ponders free will. "Boethius, Fortune's Prisoner: The Poems of Boethius's The Consolation of Philosophy" is highly recommended to community library poetry collections and for any who want a look into the past which is gazing right back at them. Light Returns: Night scattered, the sense of darkness went,/My eyes regained their power, just as when//Northwesterlies build clouds up into mountains,/Skies blacken, the atmosphere grows dim,//The Sun's wiped out, the stars have not appeared/And night pulls down its curtain everywhere;//Then if the north wind rushes from its cave/In Thrace, beats back the dark, unlocks the day//The sun so suddenly, so brilliantly bright/Now blinds our squinting eyes with dazzling.

Wild Strawberries
Eric Greinke
Presa Press
PO Box 792, Rockford, Michigan 49341
9780980008111, $15.00 www.presapress.com

The true mark of art is making people think - and poet Eric Greinke does just that. "Wild Strawberries" a quick compact dose of solid, effective poetry. His variety should keep the book fresh from the front cover to the back cover. Recommended to poetry lovers everywhere and to any comprehensive poetry community library. Crop Damage: In Nova Scotia/We risked our lives/Running with outlaws/Across the landscapes/Beset by hailstones/Lips smacking/On Thoughts of fresh tomatoes//The property damage/the ducks, the cattle,/The wounded horses/Grass beaten down/Dance postponed/While desperate fields wept/Red with wounded tomatoes.

Light in Hand
Daniel Tobin, editor
Quale Press
93 Main Street, Suite 2, Florence, MA 01062
9780979299919, $15.00 www.quale.com

Simply a compilation of the best early poems by poet, editor, and crusader of social justice in the early twentieth century Lola Ridge, "Light in Hand: Selected Early Poems of Lola Ridge" takes a selected few from her first three volumes of poetry: "The Ghetto and other Poems" "Sun-Up and Other Poems" and "Red Flag". Rich poems with a blend of political sensibility and deep spiritual belief make this a great read from start to finish. Highly recommended for poetry lovers and a great starter to community libraries in need of material by this grand author. The Fiddler: In a little Hungarian cafe/Men and women are drinking/Yellow wine in tall goblets//Through the milky haze of smoke/The fiddler, under-sized, blond/Leans to his violin/As to the breast of a woman/Red hair kindles to fire/On the black of his coat-sleeve/Where his white thin hand/Trembles and dives/Like a sliver of moonlight/When wind has broken the water.

On Freeing Myself from a Full Nelson Hold and Other Sonnets
Paul Bussan
PSB Publishing
PO Box 645, Cheshire, CT 06410
9780972688413, $29.95 www.psbpublishing.com

Wide ranging variety abound speaking of everything from the death of Lord Nelson to the complex theories of Albert Einstein, Paul Bussan's follow up to the acclaimed "A Rage of Intelligence", "On Freeing Myself from a Full Nelson Hold and other sonnets" is just as good as his first, offering variance for poetry lovers to chew on, crafting vivid imagery and lyrical goodness from page to page- which will grip the reader from the first and hold them there until the very last one. "On Freeing Myself from a Full Nelson Hold and other sonnets" is enthusiastically recommended for those who enjoyed "A Rage of Intelligence" as well as poetry fanatics everywhere, and for community library poetry shelves abroad.

Bird Scarer
Glenn Sheldon
Cervena Barva Press
PO Box 440357, West Somerville, MA 02144-3222
9780615171678, $14.00 www.cervenabarvapress.com

Expansively and prolific poet Glenn Sheldon has now released his first comprehensive collection of poetry called "Bird Scarer". Filled cover to cover with incredible, lucid, and stunningly well written metaphors, Sheldon's voice is lyrical and enchanting and will keep you reading all the way through. "Bird Scarer" is highly recommended to poetry collections everywhere and for any poetry lover looking for a good set of their preferred literary meal. Evasive Summer: My young, drugged neighbors jump/into their above-ground pool after the bars//have given up the driest of ghosts./It's the Fall of Troy as puppet-//theater, a lost suitcases found that/holds a scandalous diary, a plush//theater of skin, moonlight and noise/They flirt, splash and touch each//other's scars. Is Earth the only/planet where dreams can harm?

Dog Watch
Valerie Lawson
Ragged Sky
270 Griggs Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540
9781933974019, $10.00

Valerie Lawson makes her solo poetry debut in "Dog Watch", a labor of intensive love from a poet who put hours upon hours into this anthology, and has won awards from the Cambridge Poetry Awards, Best Poetry Troupe from Doc Brown's Traveling Poetry Show, and has traveled to Europe to study and improve her craft, and all of this shows in her anthology "Dog Watch". Vivid, lucid imagery jumps off every page and strikes you with its wonderful, lyrical verse. Highly recommended to poetry lovers everywhere, "Dog Watch" should find itself alongside all great contemporary poetry collections. Groundhog Day: Snapping Turtle/buried deep/in frozen mud/stretches, flexes claws/dreams reptilian dreams//Ice/hydraulic winter skin/lifts imperceptibly/then relaxes/Alveoli lace work at pond's edge tightens its grip//We wait.

In Chambers
Richard Krech
Sunnyoutside
P.O. Box 911, Buffalo, New York, 14207
9781934513040, $10.00, www.sunnyoutside.com

Law and poetry....two things one never thought would be seen together now are in a delightful combination in Richard Krech's "In Chambers: The Bodhisattva of the Public Defender's Office". A charming blend of excellent lyrical poetry and a touch of legal philosophy, promoting the rights, freedom, and dignity of everyone whether they be on the defense or the plaintiff. "In Chambers: The Bodhisattva of the Public Defender's Office" is a highly recommended to poetry collections who seek a little something different for a change. Life on Appeal: One Heartbeat at a time/we keep going forward/toward the ultimate verdict//Live your life the best you can/there is little likelihood/of success on appeal.

In Mi'kmaq Country
Alice M. Azure
Albatross Press
c/o Alice Azure
2313 Holiday Lane, Maryville, IL 62062
9780966337112, $15.00

An incredibly diverse and varied upbringing brought author Alice M. Azure into adulthood, and this prolifically published poet shows her varied experiences in her debut anthology of poetry and short stories in "In Mi'kmaq Country: Selected Poems & Stories". A brilliant writer throughout in both prose and poetry, her imagery is always vivid and always pulls at your emotions while entertaining you at the same time. "In Mi'kmaq Country: Selected Poems & Stories" is a must have for lovers of both formats and for community library poetry collections. Mi'kmaq Haiku: Kejimkoojik/cliffs old sweet fern petroglyph/still keeping us calm.

Under That Silky Roof
Elizabeth Robinson
Burning Deck
71 Elmgrove Avenue, Providence, R. I. 02906
1886224714, $14.00, www.burningdeck.com

A new collection of poems from seasoned poet Elizabeth Robinson is now available in the anthology "Under That Silky Roof" from Burning Deck. A focus on the day to day life of a domestic housewife - the companionship, fecundity, its sacrifices, its losses and the abstractness of it all. A deftly written and composed book of poetry, "Under that Silky Roof" is highly recommended to community library poetry collections. Gesture: And why now/raking through hair/feathers for aerial structure//fingering the minimal gauge//A bird in the hand/tame as an egg,/but redundant//figure whose winged digits plummet//this soothing gasp://twigs, let-down,/hope's trickery.

The Moving Waters
Mara Jane Ryals
Kitsune Books
PO Box 1154, Crawfordville, FL 32326-1154
9780979270048, $14.00, www.kitsunebooks.com

An award winning author of poetry, and both fiction and non-fiction Mary Jane Ryals returns with another fine anthology of poetry in "The Moving Waters". With subjects ranging from family to the far more sensual subjects, speaking of her experiences from the more common to readers setting of Florida to more exotic locations such as Vietnam and Mexico, "The Moving Waters" is sure to have something for everyone with its deftly composed lyrical verse, a must have for community library poetry collections and for poetry lovers everywhere. In the Night From the 16th Floor Apartment: The moon floats over the city./ How it Flatters the lights below!/ Silly human lights,/Colors of a mango, the sky,/The sea. They emit, they imitate. /The moon sings the patient/wind melody of gypsies.

Clear All the Rest of the Way
Warren Woessner
The Backwaters Press
3502 N 52nd Street, Omaha 52nd Street, Omaha, NE 68104-3506
9780979393440, $16.00, www.thebackwaterspress.homestead.com

A modern day renaissance man - an attorney, a chemist, but "Clear All the Rest of the Way" focuses on Warren Woessner's creative side, as his first anthology dedicated strictly to his own brilliant poetry, although he is prolifically in many other books of poetry, sharing them with other poets. His first solo work is nothing to be sneezed at, it's in fact quite the opposite, as Woessner speaks from his heart and his writing shows his emotions and displays them vividly. Greetings: Please help an old man/give a quarter or more to help/buy my medicine/You will have a good holiday/ & a happy new year/Merry Xmas.


The Biography Shelf

Office Upstairs
Charles H. Banov, MD
History Press
18 Percy Street, Charleston, South Carolina, 29403-5341
9781596293700, $34.99, www.historypress.net

A southern Jew ends up being responsible for saving so many lives over the better half of a century in "Office Upstairs: A Doctor's Journey". Covering the life story of Charles H. Banov who has served as a soldier as well as his dominant profession as a doctor. A deftly written personal account of working up from a fledgling medical school student to a respected international physician who's life seems like it's enough just being that- but there is so much more to his story. "Office Upstairs: A Doctor's Journey" is highly recommended to both memoir and health shelves, and for any general reader who wants a look into the life of one of the finest doctors in the world.

The Break-Up Diet
Annette Fix
Womyn Books
c/o Orange Curtain Publishing
P.O. Box 496, Dana Point, CA 92629-0496
9781934518397, $16.95, www.thebreak-updiet.com

Not everything always goes as you plan, as Annette Fix will explain in "The Break Up Diet", a memoir after her life when her pro-golfer boyfriend dumped her. Describing the title concept as the diet one goes on to make one more appealing to the shallow end of the dating pool, "The Break Up Diet" is Annette's story of her working as an exotic dancer to bankroll her writing career and to support her preteen son, a story many single mothers will surely relate to as she balances her dreams and the hassles of being a mother. "The Break-Up Diet" is highly recommended for memoir shelves and for any women in need of an uplifting tale of someone in a predicament not so different from their own.

Five Island Diaries
Martha McCarty
Spartan Dress
1800 West 39th Street, Kansas City, Missouri, 64111
0972911499, $15.00, www.fiveislanddiaries.com

Love is not something that once you find it, you get to keep it forever without question. "Five Island Diaries: Stories of Love, Lost and Found" is a tale of why, a lively memoir of author and professional woman Martha McCarty's life with humor and wit, tragedy and loss, but with a focus on love and how McCarty struggles to find it and keep it after losing it once before. "Five Island Diaries: Stories of Love, Lost and Found" is highly recommended as a touching and heart wrenching yet still hopeful tale, for community library memoir collections and for anyone who needs a similar heart to read about.

Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue?
Peggy Sue Gerron & Glenda Cameron
Togi Entertainment
56 Expressway Place, 5601 NW 72nd St. Ste 342
9780980008500, $26.95, www.togientertainment.com

When rock and roll artists sing about women - it's nine times out of ten not actually about one specific woman - but that one time out of ten, one has to wonder who these songs are about and how they inspired the artist. "Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue: A Memoir by Buddy Holly's Peggy Sue" is the story of the famous artist who was taken from the world far too soon and the subject of one his most famous songs - Peggy Sue. She speaks candidly and with total truth about her relationship with Buddy Holly and sets all the rumors and myths surrounding them and their respective spouses to rest. "Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue: A Memoir by Buddy Holly's Peggy Sue" is highly recommended for Buddy Holly fanatics and community library memoir collections with a focus on music.

Chris: A Memoir
Joe Marziotti
Old Soldier Publishing
P.O Box 346, Washington, Texas 77880
0976416735, $14.95, www.addisont23@earthlink.net

They say one of the greatest tragedies of the world is when a father outlives his son. "Chris: A Memoir" is how Joe Marziotti copes with this tragedy as his son spent the last three years of his life battling the horrible disease leukemia. Reflecting on his son's life but remembering to keep his spirit alive by not being strictly morbid and remembering the good times, "Chris: A Memoir" is a deftly written and composed memoir, and a must for any parent in a sadly similar situation and seeking a proverbial shoulder to cry on.

Legends of the Plastic Chairs
Patricia Curtis
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 W. 86th Street, Ste H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
9781598584639, $19.95, www.dogearpublishing.net

Sometimes the sum of your life hits you in the most random of places. For Patricia Curtis, it was sitting in a plastic chair gazing out into the Pacific Ocean, and it compelled her to write her life's story in "Legends of the Plastic Chairs". Reflecting on her life and with the encouraging suggestion that any type of dysfunction can eventually be overcome and turned into a happy and successful life, and that conquering ones emotional scars can be an exciting and relieving experience. With a strange cast of characters infesting her life, "Legend of the Plastic Chairs" is highly recommended to community library memoir shelves and to anyone who wants a view of another's life in overcoming the odds.

Willow in a Storm
James Peter Taylor & Kathleen Murphy-Taylor
Scarletta Press
10 South Fifth Street, Suite 1105, Minneapolis, MN 55402
9780976520153, $14.95, www.scarlettapress.com

Once in awhile, the rehabilitation system does work - but never without cost. "Willow in a Storm" is the story of James Peter Taylor in its entirety. A man whose life started off well enough, once a star sports star as a child his life quickly fell into turmoil as a psychological backlash against his childhood abuse. His life spirals into an unintentional murder of a banker, which lands him in prison for forty years - a life sentence where he was set to die there. And he almost did, twice, one of those attempts leaving him blind. Somehow, he survives, finds inspiration, and makes a better person of himself. He's paroled, and now reveals his life story and all the turbulence and triumph that spilled from it. "Willow in a Storm" is a conflicting yet enthralling life story from the first page to the last, and is highly recommended for community library memoir shelves.

Stolen Fields
Jean Boggio
Colerith Press
175 Dickey Mill Road, Belmont, ME, 04952
9780979933042, $15.95, www.colerithpress.com

The family farm, providing sustenance and income for their legacy and kin for generations upon generation - is no more. "Stolen Fields: A Story of Eminent Domain and the Death of the American Dream" is the story of author Jean Boggio and her ancestors and their former farm on Neville Island in Pennsylvania. A somber and somewhat depressing story about losing ones livelihood to circumstances beyond their control - the construction of a munitions factory for World War I, claimed by the government by eminent domain. It becomes more tragically pointless as the factory is simply never built and the land is auctioned off to the highest bidder, Boggio's family helpless against a financial juggernaut of Carnegie steel. Not completely living in the depressive past, Boggio tells the tale of her family moving on and doing what they can to succeed in life. "Stolen Fields: A Story of Eminent Domain and the Death of the American Dream" is highly recommended for any biography collection and for anyone who wants a look at the shadier practices of the government against its own citizens.


The Humor Shelf

A Psycho's Guide to Dating Women
John Megara
Play Dead Publishing
PO Box 08014, Fort Myers, Florida 33908
9780979382970, $19.95 www.psychosguide.com

At last, the raving sociopaths of the world are saved! "A Psycho's Guide to Dating Women" is a satirical guide written in the same vein as the famous 'Dummies' and 'Complete Idiot's' moving the target audience from the confused to the completely bonkers. Author John Megara creates a hilarious perspective and "A Psycho's Guide to Dating Women" is highly recommended for any humor collection - and for sociopaths as well - 'because crazy people need love too.'

Long Time No Spree
Stan Davis, author
Dick Maccabe, illustrator
Advocate House
c/o A Cappela Publishing
PO Box 3691, Sarasota, Florida 34230-3691
9780977913923, $14.95 www.acappela.com

Humor is said to trigger the part of the brain that makes you feel good- that makes you happy. "Long Time No Spree" is a small compact way of getting that part of your brain going. Author Stan Davis goes semi-autobiographical as he lampoons his own quest to lose weight, a growing issue in America today, but despite the partial seriousness of the matter, Davis keeps you laughing from front to back as you may just relate with the struggles he puts forth and the problems that he and many of his readers struggle to overcome in the desire to keep a good figure. Highly recommended to community library humor collections and any reader who just wants a good hearty laugh.

I'll be Sober in the Morning
Chris Lamb (editor)
Frontline Press
555-B Rutledge Avenue, Charleston, SC 29403
9780972382946, $15.00, http://www.frontlineltd.com

Upon stumbling in on a nude Winston Churchill as he was a guest in the white house, Churchill said to Franklin Delanor Roosevelt "The Prime Minister of Britain has nothing to hide from the President of the United States." - "I'll Be Sober In the Morning: Great Political Comebacks, Put downs, & Ripostes" shows that some of the most powerful men in the world have also have been some of the most sharp-witted. Filled cover to cover with countless retorts and hilarious vocal burns, and charmingly illustrated by Steve Stegalin, "I'll Be Sober In the Morning: Great Political Comebacks, Put downs, & Ripostes" is highly recommended to humor shelves everywhere with a nod to political studies shelves.

Evil Super-Villains Need Love, Too...
Steve Sommers
Golgrex Books
c/o Steve Sommers
N1363 566th Street, Menomonia, WI 54751
978979873706, $12.95

A two page essay on why the toilet seat should be kept down at all times - just one of the many offbeat short bursts of entertaining writing you'll find in "Evil Super-Villains Need Love, Too... And Other Important Wisdom". Covering a wide variety of strange and confusing subjects most people encounter in their day to day lives but never really think about, topics such as Bovine Resorts, French Pirates, and how Judas was really the best disciple that Jesus could have asked for. "Evil Super-Villains Need Love, Too... And Other Important Wisdom" is highly recommended for community library humor shelves and for anyone who just wants to be imparted with some sensible nonsensical ramblings of a hilarious writer.


The Social Issues Shelf

Gangs, Prisons, Parole
Bobby Delgado
Crown Oak Press
c/o Harvest Time Ministries
P.O. Box 1146, Palestine, TX 75802
9781604770223, $23.99, dorothy1227@embargmail.com

A voice rarely heard speaking on the subject speaks out on America's prison systems - a prisoner himself. "Gangs, Prisons, Parole: The Politics Behind Them" is his message, and surprisingly, it isn't what you'd expect from a Texas convict. Speaking intellectually, he states that America has ignored its 'War on Gangs', and states that gangs do more damage financially each year than foreign terrorists. Why doesn't America do more about it? The reformed prisoner and Ex-gang leader in his own right also speaks on the current problems of the Texas prison system, with an eye corrupt figures and those who guard them. "Gangs, Prisons, Parole: The Politics Behind Them" is highly recommended for community library collections on social issues and for anyone who wants a closer eye look on one of America's forgotten problems.


The Political Science Shelf

The People's Guide to the United States Constitution
Dave Kluge
Action Publishing
PO Box 391, Glendale CA 91209
9781888045222, $14.00, www.actionpublishing.com

The Constitution - perhaps America's most important document. But what does it actually all mean to the modern, every day America? "The People's Guide to the United States Constitution" is a through and comprehensive guide put in the common terms that everyone can understand, free of the spin artists that readers so often see on political news programs. Presenting the original text of the document and then giving a complete run down to what it really means, it's a must for anyone who wishes to truly understand the United States Constitution. "The People's Guide to the United States Constitution" is a top pick for community library collections dealing with politics and easy to use guides.

What The Hell is A Liberal?
David Truskoff
Sidney T. Black Publishing
9 Sutton Drive, North Granby, CT 06060
9781436311779, $19.99, www.erols.com/suttonbear

Somehow over the past 30 years America's right-wing neo-cons have managed to make 'liberal' a political dirty word. They've somehow made 'liberal' synonymous with notions of being un-American, elitist, and morally unsound. It's a classic example of the Big Lie, of Orwellian-style 'double-speak'. Now finally, in a series of articulate essays, that neo-con Big Lie has been successfully and persuasively debunked by David Truskoff in "What The Hell is A Liberal?". Of special note is Truskoff's cogent essay 'Who Owns the American Congress'. These essays are particularly timely in view of the current presidential campaigns and should be considered a 'must read' for anyone who supports progressive solutions to our chronic problems of involvement in foreign wars, dilapidated infrastructures, faltering economy, failing schools, broken health care systems, the shrinking middle-class, and the growing chasm between the rich and the poor. Now at long last we have a book that we can simply hand out the next time someone asks what a liberal believes in, stands for, represents, or aspires to, thanks to David Truskoff!


The Christian Studies Shelf

Jesus Reconsidered
Bernard Brandon Scott
Polebridge Press
PO Box 7268, Santa Rosa, CA 95407
9781598150025, $18.00 www.polebridgepress.com 1-877-523-3545

"Our stories are eroding under the acids of historical criticism. We must retell our stories. And there is one epic story that has Jesus in it." In "Jesus Reconsidered: Scholarship in the Public Eye", pioneering biblical scholars put their reputations and careers on the line going public with what had been common knowledge among biblical scholars for over a century. "Jesus Reconsidered: Scholarship in the Public Eye" also covers the collaborators quest and their questions that drive the Jesus Seminar, a group with unique but factually driven ideas of who Christians hold as the son of God. "Jesus Reconsidered: Scholarship in the Public Eye" is enthusiastically recommended for community library religious shelves and anyone who would seek to learn more about the real Jesus Christ.

Successful Small Groups
Teena M. Stewart
Beacon Hill Press
PO Box 419527, Kansas City, MO 64141
9780834123373, $15.99 1-888-521-6963

Some people simply work better in small groups - why should worship be any different? "Successful Small Groups: From Concept to Practice" is a complete guide for anyone who is seeking to make a successful small-group ministry granting its readers the information and skills they need to run their program as if they were a seasoned veteran. The guide encompasses methods for training, mentoring, and equipping your ministry's leaders, innovative teaching techniques, ways to keep your groups energized and fun- among other invaluable tips. The founder of Dream Builders Ministry in Motion, Teena Stewart serves as author of "Successful Small Groups: From Concept to Practice", lending it her grand expertise. Any small group that wants to stay strong needs "Successful Small Groups: From Concept to Practice."

Macedonia, Indiana
Brad Thompson
Zionsville Presbyterian Church
36 Monahan Road, Zionsville, IN 46077
9780979904103, $20.00, bthompson@ebglaw.com

Author Brad Thompson's crisis of faith came with looking at the newspaper every morning, saddening him and making him deny God's existence. To restore his faith, he set forth with his black and white camera and began to take photos to illustrate Glenn McDonald's essay "Where is your Macedonia?". "Macedonia, Indiana: Looking for God's Purpose Close to Home" is the tale of his travels through his home state and getting to know hundreds of people both like and unlike himself, even visiting a place where he was skeptical of going - prison. "Macedonia, Indiana: Looking for God's Purpose Closet to Home" is highly recommended as a life changing journey written to help readers find themselves spiritually.

Maximum Security: The True Meaning of Freedom
Alan Gompers
Burns Park Publishers
PO Box 4239, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
9780977228621, $24.95 www.burnsparkpublishers.com

Making & losing millions upon millions of dollars, Alan Gompers has led an enthralling life - "Maximum Security: The True Meaning of Freedom" leads him to seek and somehow find freedom in the one place in modern society where the lot of us view it to be denied - a maximum security prison, where Gompers had been doing time for a drug dealing offense. Following his life, you see how he ended up where he is and how he finds what he truly wanted all along. "Maximum Security: The True Meaning of Freedom is enthusiastically recommended as both an autobiographical account of a mans turbulent life and for Christian studies community library collections.

On Common Ground
Vincent DiGirolamo
Celestine Publishing
9660 Falls of Neuse Road, Suite 138, #146, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27615
9780978681531, $19.95, www.celestinepublishing.com

The fundamental and definitive definition of what a Christian is - that is the question of "On Common Ground: Bridging the Mormon and Evangelical Divide". Taking a new and refreshing approach, "On Common Ground: Bridging the Mormon and Evangelical Divide" states that a Christian is simply a good person who follow the word of God and believe in the teachings of Jesus Christ. Condemning the petty and insignificant divisions that divide Christians, "On Common Ground: Bridging the Mormon and Evangelical Divide" is highly recommended for Christian studies shelves and for Christians everywhere who want a better understanding of the so-called other sides.

VisionalLife
Jeff Calloway
Cold Tree Press
214 Overlook Court, Suite 253, Brentwood, Tennessee 37027
9781583852408, $11.95, www.coldtreepress.com

Why do some people have no vision for the future? How does one get God's vision? "VisionalLife: The Pursuit of God's Passion" is not about the far future - it's about the here and now and how that affects your future. It's not about combing ones plans with God's or Jesus's - it's about giving up one's plans and dedicating ones life to living God's passion. Deftly written by pastor and family man Jeff Calloway, "VisionalLife: The Pursuit of God's Passion" is highly recommended to community library Christian studies shelves and those Christians who need a refresher on their direction in life.

Surprised by Canon Law
Pete Vere & Michael Trueman
Servant Books
28 W. Liberty St. Cincinnati, OH, 45202
9780867167498, $12.99, www.catalog.americancatholic.org

How does the canon law of the catholic church apply in today's world - how does it apply to everyday American Catholics? The second volume of "Surprised by Canon Law: More Questions Catholics Ask About Canon Law" believes it may be more than most believe. Seeking to inform Catholics more about the religion that they may have lost touch with, informing them on various topics like elections to papacy and sainthood, excommunication, funerals, and more. "Surprised by Canon Law: More Questions Ask About Canon Law" is highly recommended to Catholics everywhere and for community library collections on religion with a focus on Catholicism.

Soul Physicians
Robert W. Kellermen, Ph. D
BMH Books
P.O. Box 544, Winona Lake, IN 46590
9780884692553, $39.99, www.bmhbooks.com

The bible speaks of many subjects, but could it also hold the keys to ones health? "Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction" believes so, and uses the good book to channel the Great Physician, also known by Christians as God, using his words as healing. Covering the Trinity, Creation, Fall, Redemption, Glorification, and Sanctification and how they all apply to ones physical and mental health on Earth, "Soul Physicians: A Theology of Soul Care and Spiritual Direction" is highly recommended to community library Christian studies collections.

A Cry From the Cross
Robert D. Cornwall
CSS Publishing Company
517 S. Main Street, Lima, Ohio 45804
9780788025068, $8.95, www.csspub.com

Good Friday - the anniversary of the crucifixion and death of Jesus Christ around two thousand years ago. A solemn day for most Christians, "A Cry From the Cross: Sermons on the Seven Last Words of Christ" is here to help pastors and ministers create successful and relevant sermons on this day, granting fuel and material for sermons on Christ's final days and a look into his words. Although meant for religious leaders, "A Cry From the Cross: Sermons on the Seven Last Words of Christ" is highly recommended for any reader who wants a better understanding of Christ's final days and community library Christian studies collections.


The American History Shelf

Remarkable Stories Of The Lincoln Assassination
Michael Kanazawich
Colecraft Industries
9780 Mt. Carmel Road, Orrtanna, PA 17353
0977712567, $9.95, www.colecraftbooks.com

The assassination of Abraham Lincoln was a traumatizing event to his legions of supporters, a bitter triumph for his many detractors, opened up the southern states to a repressive 'Reconstruction Era' that would have an adverse impact which would last for generations, and became a part of the transformation of an American president into an American legend. While it is commonly known that it was John Wilkes Booth who shot Abraham Lincoln at Ford's Theater while watching a production of 'Our American Cousin', there are a great many minor stories associated with this tragic event that are obscure and relatively unknown to the general public. Michael Kanazawich (a Licensed Battlefield Guide at the Gettysburg National Military Park) has compiled several of these ancillary stories together in his 102-page compendium of "Remarkable Stories Of The Lincoln Assassination". Readers will learn of a gypsy who forecast a terrible end to the life of John Wilkes Booth; of an individual who claimed to by John Wilkes Booth and was mummified and put on display at carnivals; a young boy's eye-witness account of the hanging of Lincoln conspirators. Readers will learn about the conspirators Mary Surratt, Edman Spangler, Dr. Mudd, George and John Atzerod; and Lewis Payne. Accounts of the trial, the day of execution, and the aftermath of the assassination are also presented. Enhanced with anecdotes and endnotes, "Remarkable Stories Of The Lincoln Assassination" is a seminal work that would be appropriate for personal, historical society, and academic library American History reference collections in general, and Lincoln Studies supplemental reading lists in particular.

Hearsay from Heaven and Hades
TJ Fisher
Morgana Press
828 Royal Street, #514, New Orleans, LA 70116
9780977351435, $25.00, www.morganapress.com

New Orleans is one of America's most intriguing and enigmatic cities. "Hearsay from Heaven and Hades: New Orleans Secrets of Sinners and Saints" is a guide to the countless secrets that cover the city in shadow for its entire existence of over three hundred years. New Orleans is a huge mixture of traditions- the pirates of the seas, the Christian influences, the Haitian VooDoo influences, The Cajun Country influences, the event of Mardi Gras, and so much more. "Hearsay from Heaven and Hades: New Orleans Secrets of Sinners and Saints" is a deftly compiled guide to the many, many eccentricities of this city and is highly recommended for anyone who would learn more of New Orleans.


The World History Shelf

Maid of Heaven
Ben D. Kennedy
RLK Press
P.O. Box 34664, Louisville, KY, 40232
0975265628, $8.99, www.maidofheaven.com

Everyone knows of the general legend of Joan of Arc - a young and illiterate girl hears voices from God and leads France against the invading English. "Maid of Heaven: The Story of Saint Joan of Arc", however, tells the complete and through story of a sixteen year old girl who rose up to stand against insurmountable odds. Nonfiction, but written and reads like fiction, "Maid of Heaven: The Story of Saint Joan of Arc" is expertly composed and highly recommended to world history shelves and for anyone who wants a complete understanding of this enigmatic teenage girl who was anything but.

In God's Hands
Ellen von zur Muehlen
Warren Publishing Inc.
19722 One Norman Boulevard, Suite 220-244, Cornelius, NC, 28031
9781886057371, $26.95, www.warrenpublishing.net

The Baltic German Nobility, partly responsible for bringing Christianity into the region, was a major target in the various populist and political uprisings that took place in the early twentieth century. In God's Hands: A Nobleman's Struggle for Survival in War and Revolution" follows one noblewoman, Ellen von Samson-Himmelstjerna von zur Muehlen, as she deals with these turbulent times coming from a powerful family before the Bolshevik Revolution, to fleeing the burning ruins of Nazi Germany towards America. Having only her spirit and will to guide her, Muehlen tells a gripping and enthralling tale from the first page to the last. Highly recommended to community library history & biography shelves, and to any reader who wants a tale from the waning days of European nobility.

Lives of Quiet Inspiration
Joe Zentis
Green Street Press
3638 Longview Road, Hermitage, PA 16148
9780980025804, $13.95, www.greenstreetpress.com

Just because their names never appeared in the history books, just because they've never received credit, just because they're just like everyone else - doesn't meant they aren't vital to our history. "Lives of Quiet Inspiration" is the story of the types of people who broke their backs to bring America out of the great depression, the Americans who assembled the shells for use in World War II, the single mothers who raised a dozen kids alone because their husbands were stuck in a trench somewhere in Germany. The unsung heroes finally get sung in "Lives of Quiet Inspiration", highly recommended for community library history collections.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Backwards
Nanci L. Danison
AP Lee & Company
P.O. Box 340292, Columbus, OH 43234
9781934482001, $23.95, apleeco@sbcglobal.net

Near death experiences - a subject of controversy. Are they merely hallucinations ones body creates for them as they are about to die? Or is there something more waiting for us on the other side? "Backwards: Returning to Our Source for Answers" is an examination of this phenomena in which it's questioned thoroughly with an educational eye, with a focus on the case of a true story of a big time lawyer being on the brink, and him having a face to face communication with the Source of all knowledge - God. "Backwards: Returning to Our Source for Answers" is deftly written and researched, and highly recommended for community library metaphysical studies shelves.


The Military Shelf

War Wings
Phillips W. Stewart
PMS Press
PO Box 1496, Crestview, FL 32536
9780979324345, $24.95, www.pmspress.com

A truly unique work of seminal research, "War Wings: A Guide To The World War I Aviation Documentary Motion Pictures held In The U.S. National Archives" is an impressive contribution to Military Studies; Aviation Studies; and Motion Picture History Studies reference collections. A member of the American Aviation Historical Society, the League of World War I Aviation Historians; and the Military Writers Society of America; Phil Stewart has applied his considerable research skills to amass a body of information with respect to identifying and listing more than 2,5000 individual sciences of filmed aerial action that took place in the skies of the European theatre during World War I as military aircraft evolved from crude observation platforms to attack vehicles for airborne as well as land-based targets. Additionally, hundreds of other filmed action scenes are summarized for the benefit of the reader. The state of movie making technology was one of using cumbersome wooden boxes with crude brass-encased glass lenses, metal hand cranks, and ungainly tripods. The results were to range from the mundane to the spectacular. There are scenes of pilot training, airplane manufacturing, and post-Armistice testing of enemy planes. The time frame involved ranges from 1917 to 1919. "War Wings" must be considered as an indispensable resource for scholars, aviation history enthusiasts, World War I buffs, and students of the history of motion picture technology. With an informed and informative listing of historical film footage arranged in chapters focusing on the training of airmen, the building of the planes, transporting aircraft to the European theatre of war, the A.E.F. over France; other combatant (including German aviators), and a roster of 'The B List films', academic librarians and museum curators should consider "War Wings" as a core addition to their reference collections.

The Mesopotamia Mess
Jack Bernstein
InterLingua Publishing
423 S. Pacific Coast Hwy, #208, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
9781602990173, $14.99, www.themesopotamiamess.com

The American involvement in Iraq has rightfully been described as a huge mess of epic proportions by the press on this side of the world. "The Mesopotamia Mess: The British Invasion of Iraq in 1914" is an examination of how complicated messes for liberating forces going into Iraq is nothing new - and how the Americans have learned just about nothing making the move into Iraq from their allied British invader's history. Stating point by point every lesson that should have been picked up by the Americans before diving into the mess of Iraq, it's a somewhat saddening story of history repeating itself. "The Mesopotamia Mess: The British Invasion of Iraq in 1914" is highly recommended for anyone who desires a better understanding of the present through the past, and for community library military collections.

A General's Spiritual Journey
Lt. Gen Hal Moore (Ret.)
Wild Goose Ministries
c/o The B&B Media Group, Inc. (publicity)
109 South Main Street Corsicana, TX 75110
9780615178714, $10.95, www.tbbmedia.com

Co-Author of the New York Times #1 Best Seller "We Were Soldiers Once...and Young" is more into the life of Lieutenant General Hal Moore, as told and observed by his faithful driver. "A General's Spiritual Journey" is his life story, covering his eventful life from emerging from West Point, miraculously surviving both the Korean and Vietnam wars, alongside keeping inside him what always mattered the most to him - his holy relationship with God. "A General's Spiritual Journey" is a deftly written and intriguing biography, highly recommended for community library biography collections with a crossover to Christian and Military interest groups.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Farmer And The Grill
Shannon Hayes
Left to Write Press
270 Rossman Valley Road, Richmondville, NY 12149
9780979439100, $17.95 www.grassfedcooking.com

The fine art of grilling can raise any dish to the level of true gourmet cuisine. That is the purpose and promise of Shannon Hayes' 'The Farmer And The Grill: A Guide To Grilling, Barbecuing And Spit-Roasting Grassfed Meat". An impressive and thoroughly 'cook friendly' collect5ion of recipes covering all cuts of pasture-raised beef, lamb, pork and poultry, "The Farmer And The Grill" also includes step-by-step instructions for creating home-made herb rubs, marinades and barbecue sauces. Of special note is the advice and guidelines for sustainable, environmentally friendly outdoor cooking, principles for accommodating the natural variation in grassfed and pastured meats, and practical tips for selecting and working with pasture-based farmers. There are even tips on Argentine-style asado cooking! Along with recipes ranging from Rosemary Studded Spit-Roasted Beef; Mushroom and Olive Burgers; Grilled Steaks in a cilantro-Olive Paste; and a Java-Cinnamon Spice Rub; to Tamari Ginger Buckwheat Noodles; Rotisseried leg of Lamb Stuffed with Apricots and Cherries; Smoked Country Ribs Jerk Style; and Curried Chicken Salad, "The Farmer And The Grill" offers terrific suggestions for having fun in the kitchen while preparing nutritional and 'planet friendly' meals for friends and family. "The Farmer And The Grill" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library cookbook collections.


The Education Shelf

Jules on Schools
Julia M. Williams, Ph. D
Clover Valley Press, LLC
6286 Homestead Rd., Duluth, MN 55604
9780979488320, $18.95, www.clovervalleypress.com

Helping to raise half a dozen children and a professor education at the University of Minnesota Duluth, Julia Williams is well versed and exposed to the educational systems of America. "Jules on Schools: Teaching, Learning, and Everything in Between" is her informed and informative examination of today's schools and both what's right and wrong with the system of today, and detailed advice on how America needs to go about fixing what's wrong. In the form of short, easy to digest essays that inspire both a sense of urgency while still being heartful and witty. "Jules on Schools: Teaching, Learning, and Everything in Between" is highly recommended as a one-woman examination of today's schools, and deserves a place in every community library education collection.

Verbal Math Lesson Level 1
Michael Levin, M.D. and Charan Langton, M.S.
Mountcastle Company
1 Annabel Lane, Suite 214, San Ramon, CA 94526
9780913063095, $12.95 www.mountcastleshop.com

Intended for young people ages four to seven (grades K-1), Verbal Math Lesson Level 1: Step-by-Step Math without Pencil or Paper is a guide that parents and educators can use to help bright young people learn math with quizzes and word problems - and no writing! Developed by a pediatrician, Verbal Math Lesson Level 1 uses age-appropriate lessons to teach simple and efficient mental shortcuts. A great way to help one's child get a good head start for later grades. Also highly recommended is the second volume in the series, Verbal Math Lesson Level 2 (9780913063125, $12.95), ideal for children ages 7-8 (grades 1-2).


The Travel Shelf

The Empty Carousel
Scott T. Mueller
Millkot Publishing & Marketing
PO Box 0314, Longwood, FL 32752-0314
9780979120909, $12.95, www.TheEmptyCarousel.com

Traveling across the country or around the world hasn't been this difficult since the days of covered wagons and tall masted sailing ships. At least back then it was easier to keep track of your luggage! Focusing specifically on the subject of travel luggage, "The Empty Carousel: A Consumer's Guide to Checked And Carry-on Luggage by Scott T. Mueller is an indispensable travel guide for airline passengers traveling today's airlines in an era where there is an average of 10,000 lost luggage pieces each day in the USA alone! In just ten compact chapters of tips, trick, techniques, and practical advice, readers will learn what they must do to insure the safety and retrievability of their luggage with respect to baggage check-in and proper identification; luggage and locks; preparations for packing; luggage damage and insurance coverage; luggage thieves; domestic vs. international compensation for lost or damaged luggage; luggage security at the airport carousel; where luggage goes when it disappears; filing luggage claims with an airline; and 'Make the Best of Your Travel Experience'. Informed and informative, "The Empty Carousel" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone traveling today's airlines, foreign or domestic!

It's In The Bag
Barbara DesChamps
Chateau Publishing
PO Box 2401, Nevada City, CA 95959
9780971052529, $13.95 www.chateaupublishing.com

Could your wardrobe be sabotaging your career? "It's in The Bag: Your Custom Business and Travel Wardrobe" believes so. "It's in The Bag: Your Custom Business and Travel Wardrobe" will help you give yourself a more impressive and professional travel wardrobe to avoid fashion faux pas and to make great first impressions. Best personal colors, styles, easy-care wardrobes, short notice preparation, and so much more can be found. "It's In The Bag: Your Custom Business and Travel Wardrobe" is recommended to any business person or traveler who would hope to dress to impress.

Smiling at the World
Joyce Major
Alegro Books
Seattle, Washington (info@alegropublishing.com)
9780979974007, $12.95,www.alegropublishing.com

A year around the world, visiting countless nations, helping countless people and animals, and picking up countless odd-jobs - makes most readers past years seem tame and unexciting. "Smiling at the World: A Woman's Passionate Yearlong Quest for Adventure and Love" is author Joyce Major's account of leaving a successful career and comfortable life to go around the world alone, calling her act 'volun-tourism' and doing everything she could to help the planet while swimming in an ocean of new experiences. "Smiling at the World: A Woman's Passionate Yearlong Quest for Adventure and Love" is highly recommended to armchair travelers who want a fresh travelogue and for community library travel and memoir shelves.

Mysterious World: Ireland
Ian Middleton & Douglas Elwell, authors
Ian Middleton, photography; Jim Fitzpatrick, illustrations
Mysterious World Press
2S104 Avondale, Lombard, IL 60148
9780976082736, $29.95 www.mysteriousworld.com

If you've ever wanted to know almost everything about the oddities of Ireland- its people, its places, its myths, its legends, look no further. "Mysterious World: Ireland" is nearly 800 full color pages filled with photos and information cover to cover on almost every myth and legend about the small nation. Killer dwarfs and devious leprechauns fill an epic journey to uncover anything and everything enigmatic about the small island. Enthusiastically recommended for armchair travelers and anyone who's planning on going to Ireland and wants to see something a bit weird, "Mysterious World: Ireland" is for you, and should more than earn its spot on any travel shelf in community libraries.

Footprint: Northeast India
David Stott & Vanessa Betts
Footprint
6 Riverside Court, Lower Bristol Road, Bath, BA2 3DZ UK
www.footprintbooks.com
9781906098179, $23.95 discover@footprintbooks.com

Northeast India is a diverse, colorful, intriguing and extensive locale, and "Footprint: Northeast India" covers everything you'd want to know about the location. From the highest mountains of the Himalayan mountains, to the sights and indigenous peoples, to the birthplace of Buddhism and the world's most expensive tea. "Footprint: Northeast India" is a superbly organized, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' 350-page travel guide packed from cover to cover with full color photos and great information, making it very highly recommended for all who have an interest in the region and needs a place on every personal and community library travel guide reference shelf.

North Carolina State Parks
Ida Phillips Lynch & Bill Pendergraft
Niche Publishing LLC
P.O. Box 9928, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-9928
9780979459108, $14.95, www.nichepress.com

North Carolina has well over fifty natural and recreational areas, and "North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide" is here to guide readers through its expansive wilderness to get the most out of their visits - there may even be something here for native North Carolinians that they haven't seen before. Covering every activity it can - hiking, camping, birding, boating, and more - "North Carolina State Parks: A Niche Guide" is a highly recommended guide with over one hundred full color pages, filled cover to cover with invaluable information. It's a pick for armchair travelers and real world travelers a like, and an essential addition to community library travel & nature collections.

Along Florida's Expressways
Dave Hunter
Mile Oak Publishing Inc.
Suite 81, 20 Mineola Road East, Mississauga, ON Canada L5G 4N9
KSB Promotions (publicity)
55 Honey Creek, NE, Ada, MI 49301
9781896819365, $24.95 www.amazon.com

Florida is an enduringly popular tourist destination state. The newly updated second edition of "Along Florida's Expressways" by Dave Hunter is an ideal trip planning guide. Promoting local road knowledge, what everyday Floridians use to get around while accompanying the usual road maps and attractions with entertaining anecdotes and information turning the long tedious drives into thrilling and pleasurable trips through the Sunshine state. Spiral bound with nearly 200 full color pages enhanced with appendixes and glossaries, "Along Florida's Expressways 2nd
Edition" is recommended to armchair and real world traveler alike.

Teddy's Travels: America's National Parks
Tedrick de Bear & Trefoni Michael Rizzi
TdB Press, LLC
PO Box 6348, Altadena, CA 91003
KSB Promotions (publicity)
55 Honey Creek, NE, Ada, MI 49301
9780974049403, $19.95, www.tedystravels.com

Travel can broaden the life experiences of children every bit as much as it does adults. "Teddy's Travels: America's National Parks" was specifically designed for use with children ages 6 through 14 and with its special wire binding allowing the travel guide to be laid out flat, travel authors Tedrick de Bear and Trefoni Michael Rizzi have created an informed and informative resource that will involve children in planning and appreciating visits to virtually all of America's national parks. Each park is identified with a map and a succinct descriptive commentary showcasing its high points. The Parks are organized regionally: North Atlantic Region; Mid-Atlantic Region; National Capital Region; Southeast Region; Midwest Region; Southwest Region; Rocky Mountain Region; Western Region; and Pacific Northwest Regon. Additionally, 'Special Interest Parks' are grouped into National Military Parks; national Historic Sites; National Rivers; National Seashores; and 'Off the Beaten Trail. Enhanced with pages for note taking and scrapbooking, "Teddy's Travels: America's National Parks" is ideal and recommended for families with children who anticipate vacationing in any of America's numerous national parks.

Sacred Places Around the World
Brad Olsen
Consortium of Collective Consciousness Publishing
1560 Howard Street, San Francisco, CA 94103
1888729104, $17.95 www.cccpublishing.com

Now in an updated second edition, Sacred Places Around the World: 108 Destinations is a wondrous compilation of one hundred and eight locations that have helped shape the spiritual foundation of humanity. From the Great Pyramid and the Sphinx, to the Silk Road in China, the Himalayas in Bhutan, Temples of Angkor in Cambodia, Easter Island in Chile, Chaco Canyon in New Mexico, Knossos in Greece and much more, each location features a brief yet vivid description and history, as well as recommendations for getting there. Black-and-white and a handful of color illustrations embellish this emotionally moving guide, ideal for spiritual seekers choosing a pilgrimage and armchair travelers alike. Also highly recommended are Sacred Places North America (1888729090, $17.95), Sacred Places Europe (1888729120, $19.95), and Sacred Places of Goddess (1888729112, $19.95).

Camping Europe
Carol Mickelsen
Affordable Travel Press
Box 3296, Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
9780917120206, $24.95, www.campingeuropeguide.com

An inexpensive and unique way to see Europe, Car Camping may just be the way to see Europe for many readers. "Camping Europe: Includes Scandinavia, Central, and Eastern Europe" promotes Car Camping as the ideal way to see all the sights of Europe. Unbound by the beaten path of most travelers, one can use car camping to see all the beautiful natural sights of the continent, share experiences with the countryside locals and not just the big city tourist areas, and the ability to bring your bikes from home, saving money in the process. "Camping Europe" is a complete and total guide to the continent, leaving no region out unlike many books about Europe which only cover the western half. Highly recommended to travelers seeking a unique experience and to community library travel shelves alike.

Exploring Costa Rica 2008/9
Writers & photographers of The Tico Times
The Tico Times S.A.
SJO 717 PO Box 025331, Miami, FL 33102-5331
9789968746113, $15.95 www.ticotimes.net info@ticotimes.net

Now in its sixteenth edition, Exploring Costa Rica 2008/9 is the up-to-date repository of need-to-know travel and cultural information assembled by the staff and contributors of The Tico Times, Central America's leading English-language newspaper. Written by people who live and work in Costa Rica, Exploring Costa Rica 2008/9 is brimming with solid information, from laws that anyone contemplating retirement in Costa Rica must know to common real estate pitfalls to the best restaurants and hotels, recommended activities, and much more, categorized primarily by geographical zone and secondarily by price range. Colorful maps and photographs and an easy-to-use index round out this "must-have" for anyone looking to get the most out of a Costa Rican visit. Also highly recommended is The Tico Times' bilingual English/Spanish "Restaurant Guide to Costa Rica" (996874610X, $9.95).


The Money/Finance Shelf

The Secrets of Money
Braun Mincher
Braun Media, LLC
2649 E. Mulberry, Suite 10, Fort Collins, CO 80524
9780979700309, $21.95 www.BraunMincher.com

People as a whole go through life woefully uneducated about how to manage their money. "The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy" seeks to teach readers what they are never taught by their schools or their parents - basic financial literacy. Promoted as a guide that can help anyone manage their money better at any age, "The Secrets of Money: A Guide for Everyone on Practical Financial Literacy" lives up to that promise and more, filled with over four hundred pages of invaluable information. Recommended to almost everyone, but especially so to personal finance community library collections where it is sure to be a popular lend.

Let Your Dough Ri$e
Sal Gorge & Maureen Cain
Let Your Dough Rise
5485 Wiles Road, Suite 406, Coconut Creek, FL 33073
9780967543413, $19.95, www.letyourdoughrise.com

Women, on average, seem to get paid less either by wage or salary - and "Let Your Dough Ri$e: A Woman's Financial Recipe Book and Other Sage Advice" is here to make that salary stretch, to give you guidelines to save more of it and plan for a better future. Speaking on experience, author Maureen Cain gives cautionary anecdotes of her own mistakes with her money, and then optimistic advice on how she turned that around. Tips for dealing with credit card debt, retirement, right investments, raises, and how women in minorities can be at higher risk for poverty. "Let Your Dough Ri$e: A Woman's Financial Recipe Book and Other Sage Advice" is highly recommended to community library personal finance shelves and any women who are on the ropes financially.

Whistle Blowing
Joel D. Hesch, Esq.
Goshen Press
3540 Ridgecroft Drive, Lynchburg, VA 24503
9780977260201, $15.95, www.howtoreportfraud.com

Nearly two million dollars could be waiting for anyone who has the intestinal fortitude to be something that should be first nature to all of us - being a good citizen. "Whistle Blowing: A Guide to Government Reward Programs" outlines how the government has set forth a trio of programs that offer an average of $1.75 million dollars as a reward for reporting fraud against the government or something such as tax evasion. The process, however, is a difficult one, and "Whistle Blowing: A Guide to Government Reward Programs" is here to guide readers through the process so they can properly help the country and make themselves rich in the process. "Whistle Blowing: A Guide to Government Reward Programs" is highly recommended to community library finance collections and for any citizen who wants to get rewarded for their good deeds for a change.

Greed, Fraud, & Ignorance
Richard Bitner
LTV Media
7308 Vanguard Court, Colleyville, TX 76034
9780981457406, $19.95, www.lendingsanity.com

The Housing Crisis is far worse than people think explains decade-and-a-half veteran of the mortgage industry Richard Bitner in his book "Greed, Fraud, & Ignorance: A Subprime Insider's Look at the Mortgage Collapse". Exposing all of the inner workings of this industry and how almost 75% of brokers are misleading or flat out fraud lying to both lenders and borrowers, how they inflate home prices to ridiculous amounts, and more. He also outlines a solution that could fix every level of the industry for the better to clear out the corruption that has taken root. "Greed, Fraud, & Ignorance: A Subprime Insider's Look at the Mortgage Collapse" is highly recommended to anyone who's about to take a dive into a mortgage or is in one and may think their broker is up to something unsavory.

The Credit Game
Kyjione Lee Jack
Keydman Publishing
PO Box 1163, Moreno Valley, CA 92556
9780979689307, $10.00

Author Kyjione Lee Jack has over eleven years of financial experience working for one of California's premier credit unions. In The Credit Game: A Young Adult's Guide to Successfully Building and Understanding Credit, he shares everything about credit that young people absolutely have to know to start out on the right foot. Chapters discuss exactly what a credit report is, the different types of credit, the definition of bad credit, how to get credit in a tight credit market, solid fundamentals vital to building good credit, and much more. "...establishing good credit is a choice. Just like establishing good health, or good relationships with your family & friends. You can never completely control the events that take place around you, but you can always choose to control your response to those events. Take the time to be well informed of every policy and procedure inherent to the lending process." A sample blueprint for building good credit from scratch is suggested; it includes such measures as eventually taking out a second credit card but never using the second card, both to build credit history and to inspire the first card to compete by offering more favorable terms. Written in plan, honest terms, The Credit Game is highly recommended not only to young adults, but also to anyone, young or old, in need of a solid primer on building and maintaining good credit.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

They Teach That in College!?
Andrew Morkes (editor)
College & Career Press
P.O. Box 300484, Chicago, IL 60630
0974525170, $22.95, www.collegeandcareerpress.com

Dance Therapy, Fashion Design, Golf Course Management, Toy Design..."They Teach That in College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 95 Interesting College Majors" is just what the title says - an introspective on strange, interesting, bizarre, and fully legitimate college majors which could lead readers into a brand new and interesting careers. The second edition of this title adds forty new majors, including new course listings, potential information, interviews, and so much more. "They Teach That In College!?: A Resource Guide to More Than 95 Interesting College Majors" is highly recommended for community library collections on careers, and for anyone who is looking for a new job and wants something outside the usual.


The Literary Shelf

Emily Ate The Wind
Peter Conners
Marick Press
15120 Kercheval Avenue, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230
9780971267640, $14.95, www.marickpress.com

There are some works of literature that simply don't fit within the usual categories of genre fiction but stand alone as seminal and unique. Such is the case of "Emily Ate The Wind" by Peter Connors. Told in a series of vignettes, love letters, questions and answer formats, newspaper clippings, short stories, and prose poems, "Emily Ate The Wind showcases a series of drinkers, gamblers, lifelong friends and frustrated lovers whose lives intersect at The Bar. Peter Conners tells these stories with a deft skill that ranges from gritty realism to an almost surreal lyricism as the characters mature from childhood to adulthood, experiencing marriage, war, loyalty and betrayal. Of special note are the entries "Some Thoughts about Money'; 'Headlines from Tomorrow'; and 'The Regular and the New Bouncer'. "Emily Ate The Wind" is a complex, occasionally iconoclastic, sometimes heartfelt, and always engaging work of sophisticated storytelling that is highly recommended for readers who appreciate sophistication and originality.

El Zarco
Ignacio Manuel Altamirano
Lumen Books
40 Camino Cielo, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87506
9780930829612, $17.00, www.lumenbooks.org

A classic piece of literature from 19th century Mexico, "El Zarco: The Blue-Eyed Bandit" by Ignacio Manuel Altamirano is deftly, accurately, and faithfully translated from Spanish to English by Ronald Christ. The story is a classic melodrama, although with some roots in reality. While it is fiction, it does speak to the issues of the time, as Altamirano was one of the first Mexican writers to attack the concept of racism in a literary situation. As a story, it's as gripping as some of the best, keeping you reading from the first page to the last, making "El Zarco: The Blue-Eyed Bandit" highly recommended to community library world fiction collections.

Big Brown Bag
Mark D'Anna
Ex Machina Press
PO Box 11180, Glendale, CA 91226
9780977276356, $11.99, www.exmachinapress.com

Santa, Vanity, Dead Celebrities, Ghosts, War Veterans, fascination with waiters, and unwitting and unwanted pregnancy cures - just some of the variance degrees of weird and not-weirdness one will find in "Big Brown Bag", the short story collection debut of author Mark D'Anna. Packed cover to cover with intriguing tales and thrilling characters makes it an exciting debut for D'Anna indeed. "Big Brown Bag" is highly recommended to fans of short story collections, especially those with a bit of an offbeat tone and for community library fiction collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

My Doggie Says...
Fred M. Haney
Marion Venture Publishing
217 Palos Verdes Blvs., #106, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
0978551508, $12.95, www.mydoggiesays.com

Just because they don't have the gift of speech does not mean animals - dogs in particular - are incapable of communication with humans. "My Doggie Says...: Messages from Jamie" is a guide to communicating with your pets using the author's beloved golden retriever Jamie as the basis of study. Dogs can 'talk' and 'ask' to humans in innumerous ways of non-verbal communication - and having a healthy relationship with ones pooch depends on correctly understanding all these unspoken cues that dogs transmit. "My Dog Says...: Messages from Jamie" is a deftly researched and compiled advice book, and highly recommended to pet lovers and community library collections focusing on pets and canine care.


The Women's Studies Shelf

When Love Hurts
Jill Cory & Karen McAndless-Davis
Womankind Press
1316 Seventh Street, New Westminster, BC V3M 2K1
9780968601617, $19.95, www.womankind.ca

He'll change, It's only a phase, He only does it because he loves me - the words of so many women in abusive relationships. Why do so many women stay in them, even when the abuse gets flat out criminal, why do so many continue this behavior- viewed as completely irrational by the people looking into the relationship from the outside? "When Love Hurts: A Woman's Guide to Understanding Abuse in Relationships" is an exploration of this baffling question to help women - What's wrong, Why does it happen, Am I at fault, Why do I stay, among others - and invaluable advice to help get out of these terrible situations that no one deserves to be in. Highly recommended to women who feel they are in this predicament, and community library collections on women's studies.


The Language Studies Shelf

Understanding Chinese Characters By Their Ancestral Forms
Ping-gam Go
Simplex Publications
575 Larkspur Plaza, Suite 4, Larkspur, CA 94939
0962311375, $15.95 www.simplexpublications.com

Being able to converse in the language of another country or domestic ethnic enclaves in our own, being able to read everything from street signs to restaurant menus, is an indispensable ability whether visiting for business or for pleasure. This is especially true for the growing numbers of business travelers and vacationers going to China, one of the largest and most diverse nations of the world. Now in a newly updated, expanded, and illustrated fourth edition, "Understanding Chinese Characters By Their Ancestral Forms" author and linguist Ping-gam Go provides a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide to deciphering Chinese characters commonly encountered when visiting San Francisco's China Town or Downtown Beijing. Of special note are the sections providing a 288 common character dictionary; advice about flash cards; and the chapter devoted to 'What's on the Menu? - Characters seen on the Menu'. Also very highly recommended for the tourist, business traveler, or student of the Chinese language is a companion volume by Ping-gam Go, "What Character Is That? An Easy-Access Dictionary Of 5,000 Chinese Characters (0962311359, $21.95)


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Man Against Nature
Gordon Chism
Avenue Design, Inc.
P.O. Box 512, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
9780615156866, $16.95, kc@avenue-design.com

The cave man minds of humanity are destroying the Earth, claims "Man Against Nature: Why Are We Damaging Our Biosphere?". A look at how our old instincts, millions of years old, are self-destructively causing humans to destroy their world. Not just modern inventions are pointed out as problematic says author and environmentalist Gordon Chism, even ancient techniques such as herding and agriculture are pointed out in what makes humans the world-destroying animals that they are. Even more scarily, "Man Against Nature: Why Are We Damaging Our Biosphere" acknowledges why people know there is a problem and why they do so little to stop ourselves, and on the other hand, "Man Against Nature: Why Are We Damaging Our Biosphere" offers hope that humanity can stop its tendencies and overpower their caveman instincts in this highly recommended and written for non-specialized general interest readers treatise. Any Environmental studies shelf needs "Man Against Nature: Why Are We Damaging Our Biosphere" among its collections.


The Music Shelf

The Bardic Handbook
Kevan Manwaring
Gothic Image Publications
PO Box 2568 Glastonbury, Somerset BA6 8XR England
publications@gothicimage.co.uk
0906362679, $23.95 www.gothicimage.co.uk

Traditionally, bards are depicted as travelers who spread stories and music to each town they stop by, a sort of traveling entertainer. "The Bardic Handbook: The Complete Manual for the Twenty-First Century Bard" promises to set you on the bardic path in the modern age, seeking to improve your public speaking skills, enchant audiences with poetry, storytelling, and songs, while celebrating your community and cultural handbook. An Easy to follow twelve month self-study program will inspire and uplift you, making "The Bardic Handbook: The Complete Manual for the Twenty-First Century Bard" recommended for anyone who wants to better themselves as a whole and community library self-help and music collections.


The Economics Shelf

How to Structure a Successful Economy
Rashid Kaddoura
The Sharks Book Publications
2518 Roblar Lane, Santa Clare, CA 95051
9780615141800, $70.00

Now any country can have a successful economy. "How To Structure a Successful Economy" is a groundbreaking new book where author and freelance researcher & inventor Rashid Kaddoura presents ideas for any nation - be it a small third world nation to a massive economical juggernaut such as the United States - to vastly improve their economy. Going after important issues such as halting government corruption, monitoring currency production, reducing poverty, unemployment, among other vital issues. "How to Structure a Successful Economy" is an essential read for professional economists, governmental agency economic policy makers, and recommended for the Economic Reference Shelf of both academic library and economic 'think tank' organizations.


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


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