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The Bookwatch

Volume 2, Number 2 February 2007 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Cookbook Shelf American History Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Science Shelf Literary Studies Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Fiction Shelf
Poetry Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf International Studies Shelf
Architecture Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Business Shelf
Journalism Shelf Human Sexuality Shelf Parenting Shelf
Interior Design Shelf Criminology Shelf Computer Shelf
Art Shelf Biography Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Billboards of the Past
Randy & Sharon Littlefield
Schiffer Books
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
0764324802 $29.95 www.schifferbooks.com

Striking billboard ads from 1945 through 1967 are presented in over four hundred color photos to celebrate all kinds of cultural memories of the past, from political ads to products ranging from Coke to cigarettes. Real billboards were stored in their boxes for decades before being assembled and photographed for Billboards of the Past: a price guide of values rounds out supporting collector's tips on assembling, displaying and storing such vintage billboards. Specialty collectors with a focus on American popular culture memorabilia must add this to their libraries!

The Red Baron's Last Flight
Norman Franks and Alan Bennett
Grub Street Publishing
4 Rainham Close, London SW11 6SS UK
1904943330 $19.95 www.grubstreet.co.uk www.amazon.com

This completely updated edition of one of the unsolved mysteries of military aviation covers the last flight of the Red Baron, and uses the final crash scene and analysis by the author, a leading aviation expert, and a pilot to explore and support eyewitness observations. Any collection strong in either aviation history or World War II events must have this: it holds newly discovered eyewitness accounts and further backs evidence.

Native Ground Books & Music
109 Bell Road, Asheville, NC 28805-1521
www.nativeground.com 1-800-752-2656

Wayne Erbsen has two outstanding collections of frontier songs and folklore that are as entertaining as they are nostalgic tributes to the now legendary western frontier. "Cowboy Songs, Lingo 'n Lore" (BGB0-400, $5.95) features a compendium of old-time cowboy wisdom, thirty authentic cowboy songs, twenty-five colorful cowboy insults, and a heap of fascinating cowboy lore. Native Ground Books & Music also offers as a companion to the book a superb recording which is available in either cassette (NG400, $9.95) or CD (NG-CD-400, $14.95) formats. "Outlaw Ballads, legends & Lore (NGB-500, $5.95) showcases authentic ballads, stories, insults, frontier etiquette, art, poetry, wisdom, and tall tales in celebration of such legendary bad men as Sam Bass, Jesse James, Billy the Kid, Cole Younger, John Hardy, and more. Also available is a recording of celebratory songs in cassette (NG500, $9.95) or CD (NG-CD-500, $14.95) formats.

AACC International
c/o APS Press
3340 Pilot Knob Road, St. Paul, MN 55121
www.shopapspress.org

Three college-level references are top picks agricultural and food management libraries need to own. Jerry W. Heaps edits INSECT MANAGEMENT FOR FOOD STORAGE AND PROCESSING, 2ND EDITION (1891127462, $169.00), a wide-ranging survey which includes facility inspections, biological control, insect-resistant packaging methods, and more. Charts, articles and black and white photos explain all the options and challenges the food industry faces and is key to understanding these control requirements and methods. Frank M. Dugan's THE IDENTIFICATION OF FUNGI: AN ILLUSTRATED INTRODUCTION WITH KEYS, GLOSSARY, AND GUIDE TO LITERATURE (0890543364, $65.00) offers a spiral-bound workbook suitable for college-level classrooms investigating the subject. Descriptions of plant pathogens, parasites, and descriptions are very specific and will aid students working in the field. Gail Schumann and Cleora J. D'Arcy's ESSENTIAL PLANT PATHOLOGY (0890543429, $79.95) represents a collaborative effort between two plant pathology experts who join knowledge and forces to create a comprehensive manual explaining why plant pathology is important and how it operates. From initial diagnosis of plant pathogens to descriptions of different manifestations of plant diseases and their importance, each chapter concludes with review questions and references, making it perfect assigned reading for college-level courses.


The Cookbook Shelf

West Coast Cooking
Greg Atkinson
Sasquatch Books
119 N. Main Street, #400, Seattle, WA 98104
1570614725 $35.00 www.sasquatchbooks.com

From wild salmon from Alaska to Washington apples and mushrooms, chef and food writer Greg Atkinson explores the entire length of the West Coast and its culinary specialties, providing cookbook that is part history and part recipe collection. Here are nearly four hundred dishes, from Grilled Tuna Steaks with Papaya Lime to Chicken Enchiladas – many offering personal reflections, culinary insight, and the author's gift for description. Don't expect the flowery color photos so many cookbooks hold – do expect the flowery language so many leave out. Any West Coast cookbook collection – indeed, any who love regional cookbooks – will love WEST COAST COOKING.

The Best of America's Test Kitchen
Editors, America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Brookline, MA 02245
1933615095 $35.00 www.americastestkitchen.com

The TV show America's Test Kitchen has received much acclaim for its step-by-step tested recipe presentations which guarantee success even for novice cooks, so it's no surprise that The Best of America's Test Kitchen would gain our highest recommendation for cooks who want to be virtually guaranteed quality results from recipes. Here for 2007 are the prior year's best recipes, equipment reviews and tastings, pairing black and white and color photos throughout with secrets of obtaining foolproof results, whether you're using a slow cooker, making pie pastry, or producing 'dirty rice'. Notes on what makes the recipe recommended and special preparation keys guarantee positive results.

Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted
Mo'Nique with Sherri McGee McCovey
Amistad
c/o HarperCollins
10 E 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
0061121053 $26.95 www.amistadbooks.com

Mo'Nique maintains that being a large woman is a joy, so "Skinny Cooks Can't Be Trusted" turns out to be a predictable celebration of what foods make the large woman large. Her fondest food memories – such as a mother's stuffed fish that blew up in the oven – are accompanied by cooking tips, easy recipes, black and white photos (and a centerfold of color) and culinary options certain to intrigue and delight a wide audience of fans. A fun, whimsical set of recipes ties to themes and will intrigue a wide audience of kitchen cooks and homestyle chefs – especially those with an affection for Mo'Nique's style.

Ligurian Kitchen
Laura Giannatempo
Hippocrene Books Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, New York NY 10016
0781811716 $29.00 www.hippocrenebooks.com

Laura Giannatempo's LIGURIAN KITCHEN: RECIPES AND TALES FROM THE ITALIAN RIVIERA is the fifth and newest title in the Hippocrene Books regional Italian cookbook series and narrows the focus to the Ligurian region, blending photos by Michael Piazza with the author's memories of her home. Liguria is a narrow strip of coastal land in northwest Italy: recipes there are filled with dishes you won't find in your usual Italian cookbook – such as Herb Ravioli with Walnut Cream Sauce – and are accompanied by sidebars of information and history. A centerfold of color photos adds inspiration but it's really the unique dishes and stories which stand out in a cookbook that is enthusiastically recommended for any dedicated Italian cuisine collection.

Kosher By Design, Short on Time
Susie Fishbein
Artscroll
c/o Mesorah Publications Inc
4401 – 2nd Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232
157819072X $34.99 www.artscroll.com

Kosher cuisine can be as easy to prepare as it is delicious to consume. Susie Fishbein's KOSHER BY DESIGN, SHORT ON TIME packs in over a hundred new recipes paired with color photos for each and represents the fourth in the Kosher By Design series. The ideas here are presented in her national cooking demonstrations and show how even the busiest modern cook can keep kosher and experiment with international influences from Asia to the Middle East. It's a kosher cookbook like none other and provides an outstanding international focus to savory kosher dish preparations.

Ganong: a Sweet History of Chocolate
David Folster
Goose Lane
330-500 Beaverbrook Court, Fredericton NB Canada E3B 5X4
0864924801 $24.95 www.gooselane.com

The Ganong family is famous for its Delecto brand of chocolate, which propelled the company into being a leading candy maker: here's a history of the family business and its specialties, surveying the two Canadians who opened a grocery store and set out to invent their own trademark brands of chocolates, turning their family venture into a world-wide company. A focus on marketing techniques will reveal the basics of promotion to cooks who like inventing new productions, while the addition of vintage and colorful illustrations enhances a lively survey key to understanding chocolate-making history as a whole. Libraries will find it an excellent display choice.

La Paella
Jeff Koehler
Chronicle Books
85 – 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94105
0811852512 $18.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

Jeff koehler's recipes comprising LA PAELLA: DELICIOUSLY AUTHENTIC RICE DISHES FROM SPAIN'S MEDITERRANEAN COAST requires access to fresh seafood for success. That said, this is a culinary recipe collection that packs in paella rice/seafood dishes on nearly every page – and adds a few non-seafood dishes from rabbit to pork to boot – making for an excellent survey of the varied tastes of paella. Color photos of Spanish dishes and finished paellas liberally pepper a survey which lends to beginner use: dedicated gourmet club members and community libraries strong in ethnic cookbooks will find it a very appealing addition to their collections.

Flavors of Portugal
Tania Gomes
Thunder Bay Press
5880 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, Ca 92121
1592233961 www.thunderbaybooks.com

The author gathered Portuguese recipes from family and friends for her Flavors of Portugal, so the book holds many surprises you won't discover in competing Portuguese cookbooks. Color photos pack a survey that also includes both cultural notes and insights on recipe origins and oddities. Dishes such as Traditional Oven-Roasted Sardines and Shrimp Rissoles make the most of seafood, so access to a good fresh seafood market is essential. Readers with such access will find this a very inviting guide to not just the cuisine of Portugal, but its culture.

The Plumpjack Cookbook
Jeff Morgan
Rodale Press
400 South 10th Street, Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
1594863210 $35.00 www.rodalestore.com

"The Plumpjack Cookbook: Great Meals for Good Living" gathers dishes from the Plumpjack Winery's cafe, renowned in San Francisco and in California's wine country areas – and provides specialties home cooks can easily duplicate. An opening history of PlumpJack covers its origins and development and moves quickly to some 80 recipes ranging from Gnocci with Fresh Basil Pesto to Rosemary Roast Chicken with New Potatoes and Carrots. Color photos pair well with these dishes in a collection which will especially appeal to California cooks in general and fans of PlumpJack in particular.


The American History Shelf

Vineyard Confidential
Holly Nadler
Down East Books
Box 679, Camden, ME 04843-0679
0892726873 $14.95 www.downeast.com

Any with connections to Martha's Vineyard must have VINEYARD CONFIDENTIAL: 350 YEARS OF SCANDALS, ECCENTRICS, AND STRANGE OCCURRENCES. The author is an Island resident and gossip who shares fun anecdotes, tidbits of local history and color, and funny stories of both celebrities and island oddities alike. Maine libraries will find it a popular leisure read, Martha's Vineyard residents with an affection for their home's local color will love it, as will general readers with an interest in the quirky side of American history.

City at the Water's Edge
Betsy McCully
Rivergate Books
c/o Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
0813539153 $24.95 http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu 1-800-446-9323

CITY AT THE WATER'S EDGE: A NATURAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK is a top pick for two audiences: any collection strong in New York City representation, and both college and specialty holdings strong in urban natural history and ecology topics. The author's a long-time urban dweller who argues that NYC has a rich natural history underlying its human history – and her 20+ years of nature exploration lends to chapters covering these natural areas. From an early New York region before Ellis Island immigrants to Manhattan's geological riches, CITY AT THE WATER'S EDGE makes for lively, involving reading.

Pretty Things
Lix Goldwyn
Regan Publishers
10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067-4120
0060889446 $39.95 www.harpercollins.com

If the book title sounds familiar, it's because Liz Goldwyn's HBO documentary of the same name aired in July 2005 to much acclaim, covering the history of American burlesque. If you think you've seen it all in the show, think again: the book holds much more! Here are personal stories, career overviews, and biographies of some of the most talented genre stars. Burlesque history comes alive here as in no other collection, making PRETTY THINGS a 'must' for any holding strong in American arts history, from general-interest to college-level libraries.

University of Alaska Press
Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
www.uaf.edu/uapress

Two excellent guides are recommended picks for college-level collections strong in Alaska history and culture. Preston Jones' EMPIRE'S EDGE: AMERICAN SOCIETY IN NOME, ALASKA 1898-1934 (1889963895, $19.95) tells of a region 150 miles from the Arctic Circle which weathered many obstacles –p from the largest gold strikes in the world to war, epidemics, floods, fires and more. The gold strike brought ordinary 'lower 48' residents to a new home – and many daunting new challenges: EMPIRE'S EDGE traces their transitions and changes. Mary E. Hitchcock's TWO WOMEN IN THE KLONDIKE (1889963968, $16.95) was originally published in 1899 and tells of how two socialites survived the North. While it's a memoir, its lively writing and insights come with all the drama of fiction as it tells how the author heard of the discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1898, leaving privileged city life for Alaska to find her own fortune. She brought with her the basics of civilization – including a portable bowling alley, an ice cream maker, a Great Dane and a full-sized circus tent: hers is a lively, compelling saga indeed.

Boise, Idaho 1882-1910
Carol Lynn MacGregor
Mountain Press Publishing Company
Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
0878425225 $24.00 www.mountainpresspublishing.com

Most western U.S. cities developed, predictably, along rail lines: so how did Boise, Idaho survive when it was bypassed by major rail lines? Any collection that includes a strong section on Idaho history and culture must have this examination, Boise, Idaho 1882-1910: Prosperity in Isolation, which covers Boise's origins, growth, and evolution. It's concurrently a unique study of how cities in general buck the trend to grow under seemingly isolated conditions – and how they evolve their own unique culture and ethnic makeup without such contact. Urban studies holdings at the college level will find it a winning acquisition.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Dangerous Sea Life
Edwin S. Iversen & Renate H. Skinner
Pineapple Press, Inc.
PO Box 3889, Sarasota, FL 34230-3889
156164370X, $12.95 www.pineapple.com 1-800-746-3275

The collaborative work of Edwin S. Iversen (Professor of Marine Science at the University of Miami Rosentiel School of Marine and Atomospheric Science for 37 years) and Renate H. Skinner (who earned her Ph.D in biological oceanography as a student of Dr. Iversen and ultimately became a district biologist for the State of Florida in Key Largo), "Dangerous Sea Life Of The West Atlantic, Caribbean, And Cult Of Mexico" is a compendium of toxic and otherwise dangerous sea creatures, each of which is superbly illustrated with color photography. These dangerous creatures are organized into sections showcasing species that bit, species that sting, species dangerous to eat, pest that harm swimmers, toxic mucus-secreting species, fish beak and processing injuries, and a very special section on human/animal interactions at modern tourist attractions such as Sea World. "Dangerous Sea Life" is an essential, strongly recommended reference, not just because of its identifications and descriptions, but also because is services as a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide to accident prevention and first aid when coming into contact with them. Anyone who uses the waters of the West Atlantic, the Caribbean, and/or the Gulf of Mexico for recreational, professional, or educational purposes should obtain and keep handy their very own copy of "Dangerous Sea Life".

Tales From The Thebaide
Peter C.H. Pritchard
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
157524277X, $44.50 www.krieger-publishing.com 1-800-724-0025

Peter Pritchard is a well known authority on the biology and conservation of turtles and tortoises. He has established a permanent field station for turtle conservation in northwestern Guyana and since 1998 has been the Director of the Chelonian Research Institute in Oviedo, Florida. Currently he is also serving as an Adjunct Professor of biology at Florida Atlantic university and the University of Central Florida. In "Tales From The Thebaide: Reflections Of A Turtleman", Professor Pritchard has compiled a series of his scientific essays, stories of personal adventures, autobiographical vignettes and philosophy musings. Professor Pritchard's accounts of his travels around the world researching and working with shelled reptiles is as fascinating as it is informative. Writing with impeccable scholarship and a genuine knack for storytelling, Professor Pritchard has created a seminal work that is confidently recommended reading for both academia and the non-specialist general reader with an interest in turtles, tortoises, and a scientific life of adventure, discovery, and accomplishment.

The Songbirds Bible
Noble S. Proctor Ph.D.
Ronnie Sellers Productions
81 West Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
1569065969 $19.95 www.rsvp.com

An essential birdwatcher reference manual, THE SONGBIRDS BIBLE: A VISUAL DICTIONARY OF 100 OF THE MOST POPULAR SONGBIRDS IN NORTH AMERICA comes with a free cd of birdsong, large-size bird paintings capturing each bird's coloring and plumage, and tips on origin, behavior, feeding and more. Small maps show distribution areas at a glance while sidebars of song notes and behavior and habitat make for quick at-a-glance information. Invaluable tips on how to attract each bird make for an especially revealing survey.

Endangered
George C. McGavin
Firefly
Box 1338, Ellicott Station, Buffalo, NY 14205
1554071836 $35.00 www.fireflybooks.com

ENDANGERED: WILDLIFE ON THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION by George C. McGaven is the kind of book which has dual appeal: to public libraries seeking an eye-catching overview for general-interest patrons, and to high school and college-level libraries interested in debating the progress and effects of extinction. McGavin is the Acting Curator of Entomology at Oxford University's Museum of Natural History and has researched the world on the topic – so drawing upon his considerable expertise, ENDANGERED is more than a simple rehash of extinction theory as he deftly examines the different types and scales of extinctions and their consequences.

Animals of the Ocean: In Particular the Giant Squid
Mark Wasserman and Irene Ng, Designers
McSweeny's Publishing
1932416390 $18.00 www.mcsweenys.net

OK, now you may think that ANIMALS OF THE OCEAN: IN PARTICULAR THE GIANT SQUID is to be a serious scientific treatise – or, given its slim appearance, that it's to be directed to younger audiences. Neither is true – with great British wit, irony, and tongue-in-cheek humor, The Haggis-On-Whey World of Unbelievable Brilliance packs in zany squid and science references and neo-science observations suitable for any fan of Monty Python British humor. So why isn't this reviewed in our Humor Shelf area? Because any involved in zoology can't miss it: it's unique, funny and makes fun of scientific method in general – using a format and presentation which seems to provide facts disguised as humor. Very highly recommended for both science and humor collections at either the college or public library lending levels.


The Science Shelf

Universe
Heather Couper
Thunder Bay Press
5880 Oberlin Drive, San Diego, CA 92121-4794
1592236995 $34.95 www.thunderbaybooks.com

Over 250 images, many beamed from the Hubble and recent space missions, accompanies a science survey text by Heather Couper, an expert on astronomy and space, to probe the secrets of black holes, stars, and the universe. UNIVERSE: STUNNING SATELLITE IMAGERY FROM OUTER SPACE accompanies each full-page color representation with science and astronomy notes – some condensed, some accompanied by in-depth feature articles – making it a top pick for both college-level holdings strong in astronomy and public libraries seeking contemporary books packing in attractive photos. UNIVERSE is an ideal addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library reference collections on Astronomy.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Robert E. Howard
Leon Nielsen
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
0786426462, $39.95 www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187

Robert E. Howard was the man who launched the fantasy literature sub-genre popularly known as 'Sword & Sorcery'. He was a prolific author of pulp magazine stories of the 1930s including westerns, detective yarns, sports stories, and more. He is perhaps best remembered today for his Conan the Cimmerian novels where he created such a popular character that long after his death, his literary estate would licence other authors to finish his manuscripts and story ideas left uncompleted by his suicide brought on by the death of his mother to whom he was devoted. Indeed, his first hardcover book was posthumously published in 1937 – one year after his death and is included in Leon Nielsen's "Robert E. Howard: A collector's Descriptive Bibliography, With Biography". Illustrated with black-and-white reproductions of cover art associated with the publication of his stories, "Robert E. Howard" is a 'must' for both academic library American Literature reference collections, and the dedicated legions of Robert E. Howard fans and an ideal way for those new to his work to create reading lists for themselves of both his well-known and more obscure writings.


The Philosophy Shelf

Interrogating The Real
Slavoj Zizek
The Continuum Publishing Group
c/o T&T Clark and Reference
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
0826489737, $16.95 www.continuumbooks.com 1-800-561-7704

The first collection in a series of essays by Slavoj Zizek, who is a Professor of Cultural Studies at the University of Ljubljana, Slovena and Visiting Professor at the New School for Social Research, New York and one of the leading contemporary cultural critics of the 20th century. A critically important acquisition for academic library Philosophy collections and student reading lists, this first volume of Professor Zizek's work is divided into three principle sections: 'Lacanian Orientations'; 'Philosophy Traversed by Psychoanalysis'; and 'The Fantasy of Ideology'. Enhanced with a glossary, an index, and an 'Author's Afterword: Why Hegel is a Lacanian', "Interrogating The Real" showcases impeccable scholarship and clearly documents Professor Zizek as an original and insightful philosopher in his own right.

A Thoughtful Profession
James Campbell
Open Court Publishing Company
140 S. Dearborn, Suite 1450, Chicago, IL 60603
0812696026 $49.95 www.opencourtbooks.com

A THOUGHTFUL PROFESSION: THE EARLY YEARS OF THE AMERICAN PHILOSOPHICAL ASSOCIATION by James Campbell offers a new examination of the heyday of American philosophy and as such is a top pick not just for college-level holdings, but many a high school strong in introductory philosophy courses. It focuses on two early philosophical associations which merged into what we now know as the American Philosophical Association, and considers not just their evolution and impact, but the philosophers of their major thinker/members: Mary Whilton Calkins, James Edwin Creighton, and James Hayden Tufts, among many others. Informed and informative reading, A THOUGHTFUL PROFESSION is a unique and welcome contribution to personal, academic, and community library History of Philosophy reference collections and reading lists.

Vineyard Confidential
Holly Nadler
Down East Books
Box 679, Camden, ME 04843-0679
0892726873 $14.95 www.downeast.com

Any with connections to Martha's Vineyard must have VINEYARD CONFIDENTIAL: 350 YEARS OF SCANDALS, ECCENTRICS, AND STRANGE OCCURRENCES. The author is an Island resident and gossip who shares fun anecdotes, tidbits of local history and color, and funny stories of both celebrities and island oddities alike. Maine libraries will find it a popular leisure read, Martha's Vineyard residents with an affection for their home's local color will love it, as will general readers with an interest in the quirky side of American history.

City at the Water's Edge
Betsy McCully
Rivergate Books
c/o Rutgers University Press
100 Joyce Kilmer Avenue, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8099
0813539143 $24.95 http://rutgerspress.rutgers.edu 1-800-446-9323

CITY AT THE WATER'S EDGE: A NATURAL HISTORY OF NEW YORK is a top pick for two audiences: any collection strong in New York City representation, and both college and specialty holdings strong in urban natural history and ecology topics. The author's a long-time urban dweller who argues that NYC has a rich natural history underlying its human history – and her 20+ years of nature exploration lends to chapters covering these natural areas. From an early New York region before Ellis Island immigrants to Manhattan's geological riches, CITY AT THE WATER'S EDGE makes for lively, involving reading.

Pretty Things
Lix Goldwyn
Regan Publishers
10100 Santa Monica Boulevard, 10th Floor, Los Angeles, CA 90067-4120
0060889446 $39.95 www.harpercollins.com

If the book title sounds familiar, it's because Liz Goldwyn's HBO documentary of the same name aired in July 2005 to much acclaim, covering the history of American burlesque. If you think you've seen it all in the show, think again: the book holds much more! Here are personal stories, career overviews, and biographies of some of the most talented genre stars. Burlesque history comes alive here as in no other collection, making PRETTY THINGS a 'must' for any holding strong in American arts history, from general-interest to college-level libraries.

University of Alaska Press
Box 756240, Fairbanks, AK 99775-6240
www.uaf.edu/uapress

Two excellent guides are recommended picks for college-level collections strong in Alaska history and culture. Preston Jones' EMPIRE'S EDGE: AMERICAN SOCIETY IN NOME, ALASKA 1898-1934 (1889963895, $19.95) tells of a region 150 miles from the Arctic Circle which weathered many obstacles –p from the largest gold strikes in the world to war, epidemics, floods, fires and more. The gold strike brought ordinary 'lower 48' residents to a new home – and many daunting new challenges: EMPIRE'S EDGE traces their transitions and changes. Mary E. Hitchcock's TWO WOMEN IN THE KLONDIKE (1889963968, $16.95) was originally published in 1899 and tells of how two socialites survived the North. While it's a memoir, its lively writing and insights come with all the drama of fiction as it tells how the author heard of the discovery of gold in the Klondike in 1898, leaving privileged city life for Alaska to find her own fortune. She brought with her the basics of civilization – including a portable bowling alley, an ice cream maker, a Great Dane and a full-sized circus tent: hers is a lively, compelling saga indeed.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Crochet Hats!
Candi Jensen
Storey Publishing
210 MassMoCa Way, North Adams, MA 01247
1580176321 $14.95 www.storey.com

CROCHET HATS is an inspiring beginner's guide which features beads, metallics, and other materials to dress up the usual crochet hat effort. Here are invaluable tips from everything from a ski hat or baby cap to a sun hat. Clear instructions perfect for beginners include finished hat measurement, yarn, hooks and other supplies, sidebars of detail on methods such as decreasing, and charts. Any personal or community library lending collection strong in crochet for beginners will love Candi Jensen's CROCHET HATS.

Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
$24.95 Each www.creativehomeowner.com 1-800-631-7795

Two outstanding beginner's guides pair contemporary, attractive projects with step-by-step, photo-enhanced directions. COMPLETE KNITTING TECHNIQUES & PROJECTS (1580112919) tells how to knit 25 unique garments, accessories and items for the home, packing in nearly two hundred color photos and diagrams. Its lay-flat binding and clear explanations of common knitting abbreviations lends particularly well to newcomer use, as does COMPLETE CROCHET TECHNIQUES & PROJECTS (1580112943), which features 25 projects from a capelet and tank top to a poncho and beaded bag. Both are outstanding recommendations which are far easier for newcomers than most: both libraries and home collections will want them.

Kids Learn to Knit
Lucinda Guy & Francois Hall
Trafalgar Square Publishing
Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053
1570763356 $14.95 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

Parents of five-to-ten-year-olds will find this an excellent basic guide to knitting which pairs very easy directions and kid-friendly patterns with lesson plans. Kids learn knitting in stages, with many fun projects to test new skills – and will also learn special techniques from sewing up seams to placing buttons. An excellent learner's guide for the very young.

Simply Baby
Debbie Bliss
Trafalgar Square Press
Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053
1570763348 $19.95 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

Beginning knitters will find appealing this selection of some twenty hand knits from children's knitwear designer Debbie Bliss, who provides easy projects, an introduction to all the knitting basics, and color photos of kids wearing the knitted projects. A child's first two years are covered in this lovely presentation of ideas.

Machine Embroidery Wild & Wacky
Linda Turner Griepentrog & Rebecca Kemp Brent
Krause Publications
700 East State Street, Iola, WI 54990-0001
0896892778 $29.99 www.fwpublications.com

If you own an embroidery machine and want to get the most from it, Machine Embroidery Wild & Wacky is for you: it's a cut above the usual stitching guide and offers up some twenty projects for wood, metal, paper, canvas and plastic surfaces, pairs them with a cd-rom of designs, and adds in step-by-step instructions for using multiple needles and adding other embellishments. The purpose is to explore the wide range of opportunities available to machine embroidery users: it does an outstanding job of moving beyond the realm of the usual, opening new worlds to machine users just starting to experiment with possibilities.


The Fiction Shelf

Sarah's Girls
Lenore McComas Coberly
Swallow Press
c/o Ohio University Press
10 Circle Drive, The Ridges, Athens, OH 45701
0804010951, $14.95, www.ohiou.edu/oupress 1-800-621-2736

"Sarah's Girls: A Chronicle Of Big Ugly Creek" is a fictionalized story based on the author's family who lived in a remote Appalachian community at the turn of the last century. This is a compelling account of ordinary lives, dreams and hardships endured over the years and decades of the 20th century by Madge, Pearl, Ida, and Edna who were the daughters of Sarah and Philip Hager, and who are cared for after their mother's death by their Aunt Lena. More than a 'coming of age' tale, "Sarah's Girls" evokes lives lived in a yesteryear community and although a work of fiction, is one of those compelling and superbly crafted novels that reveals deeper truths about the human condition than most biographies. Also available in a hardcover edition (0804010934, $26.95), "Sarah's Girls" is highly recommended reading and would make an enduringly popular addition to community library American fiction collections.


The Poetry Shelf

Against Which
Ross Gay
CavanKerry Press
6 Horizon Road, No. 2901, Fort lee, NJ 07024
University Press of New England, distibutor
37 Lafayette Street, Lebanon, NH 03766-1446
1933880007, $16.00 www.upne.com 1-800-421-1561

The newest addition to the CavanKerry Press 'New Poetry' series, "Against Which" showcases the poetic talent and highly original voice of Ross Gay as he explores such painful issues as physical brutality, carnality, violent loss, the transcendence of death, and grim aspects of human experience. His is a poetry that slams the attention of the reader with considerable force wrought with linguistic eloquence. The result is verse that lingers in the mind as such thoughtful and thought-provokingly illustrated images inevitably will. 'Leaving New Orleans': I'm leaving a city where the living and dead mix,/ when the dank summer air's reek is more ghost/than any town needs. The plane knifing through/night. I met someone here whose eyes drip/with the scars of some slaughter, the echo/whispering. There's a pain you can't even begin/to know. And 33,000 feet down, a human galaxy's/mute burn.

Desire Never Leaves
Tim Lilburn
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
0889205140, $14.95 www.wlupress.wlu.ca

Selected and with an accompanying introduction by Alison Calder (winner of the Bronwen Wallace memorial Award for Poetry in 2004, co-editor of 'History, Literature, and the Writing of the Canadian Prairies, and an instructor at the University of Manitoba), "Desire Never Leaves: The Poetry Of Tim Lilburn" showcases a unique and accomplished voice Canadian poetry. Tim Lilburn's verse reflect a contemplative and questioning approach to humanity's relationship with nature, as well as the relationship of the artist to the Divine. "Desire Never Leaves" is a welcome and strongly recommended introduction to one of Canada's best poets. 'In The Hills, Watching': Among the nerved grass, thrones,/dominions of grass, in chokecherry dewlapped hills,/hills buffalo-shouldered with shag of pulsed heat, meek hills,/sandhills of rose-hip and aster, in the philanthropic silence/the frail piston of all,/in hill heat, lying down in the nearness of deer./All knowing darkens as it builds./The grass is a mirror that clouds as the bright land goes in./You stay in the night, you squat in the hills in the cave of night. Wait./Above, luminous rubble, torn webs of radio signals./Below, stone scrapers, neck bone of a deer, salt beds./The world is ending.

I-Robot
Jason Christie
EDGE Science Fiction & Fantasy Publishing
PO Box 1714, Calgary, Alberta, Canada, T2P 2L7
1894063244, $19.95 www.bookshorts.com 1-800-387-9776

"I-Robot" is a fascinating and entertaining collection of poetry about robots and their relationships to humans. This unique compilation provides superbly crafted verse that takes on issues that are the subject of many a SciFi novel, film, and television episode. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, "I-Robot" is especially recommended to anyone who has every contemplated the role of robots and artificial intelligence in our lives and in our culture, now and in the future. 'Scary Robot Lullaby': Go to sleep. Go to sleep. Go to sleep little/robot and dream rotten dreams of rotten flesh/that will never, ever be yours. Close your eyes,/close your eyes, imagine you have closed/your eyes. There's an end to the sentence./Power down. Softly, power down. Of being/a robot. Of being a robot no more can be said/than sleep is a natural state. Pretend sleep is a natural state. Shhhh. Now go to sleep.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

On Buddhism
Keiji Nishitani
State University of New York Press
State University Plaza, Albany, NY 12246-0001
0791467864, $16.95 www.sunypress.edu 1-800-666-2211

"On Buddhism" is a compilation of a series of lectures by Keiji Nihitani (1900-1990) who was a major Buddhist scholar and a seminal representative of the Kyoto School of Japanese philosophy. These lectures were originally delivered in the 1970s. Now expertly translated by the joint efforts of Seisaku Yamamoto (Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Kyoto University, Japan) and Robert E. Carter (Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Trent University, Canada), and enhanced with an informative introduction by Professor Carter and a foreword by Jan Van Bragt, "On Buddhism" is a work of impeccable and superbly accessible scholarship, making it a seminal, influential, and enthusiastically recommended contribution to personal, academic, and community library Buddhist Studies and Eastern Philosophy reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Snow Lion Publications
Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
www.snowlionpub.com

Rob Preece's THE PSYCHOLOGY OF BUDDHIST TANTRA (1559392630, $18.95) clarifies tantric practice, showing how an understanding of the forces of fear and aggression may be channeled into creative expression and love. This blend of psychology and Buddhist principles allows readers to overcome common boundaries between Eastern philosophy and Western results-driven psychology, offering chapters based on Buddhist tantric strategies to keep results centered on life experience as well as spiritual purpose. The result is an outstanding melding of two often different philosophies. Kyabje Zong Rinpoche's CHOD IN THE GANDEN TRADITION (1559392614, $18.95) is edited by David Molk and provides an excellent survey of one of the finest Tibetan masters of our times, who surveys techniques for working with basic fears and uses stories as well as strategies to outline common problems. Stories come from the Ganden Oral Lineage masters and describe applications of practices: any collection strong in Tibetan Buddhist principles must have this.


The International Studies Shelf

How States Fight Terrorism
Doron Zimmermann & Andreas Wenger, editors
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 - 30th Street, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301
1588264534, $55.00 www.rienner.com

The war on terrorism is a global war the most of the western nations and their allies, waged against a spiderweb of non-state insurgency groups, their allies, supporters, enablers, and networks. Compiled, organized and co-edited by Doron Zimmermann (Senior Researcher for the Political Violence Movements and Integrated Risk Analysis projects at the Center for Security Studies at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology) and Andreas Wenger )Professor of International Security Policy and Director of the Center for Security Studies at ETH Zurich), "How States Fight Terrorism: Policy Dynamics In The West" focuses upon how national governments are struggling to cope with the complex threat of mass-casualty terrorist attacks carried out by armed groups driven by ideological and/or religious motivations. Beginning with the informed and informative essay co-authored by Zimmermann and Wenger, 'New Perspectives on National Counterterrorism Policy', there are two major sections survey the dynamics of counterterrorism policy in Europe and North America with principle attention given to Britain, Germany, Norway, Canada, and the United States. Of particular note are the two contributions making up the fourth section: 'Israel's Counterterrorism' and 'Combating Al-Qaida and Associated Groups'. "How States Fight Terrorism concludes with another thoughtful and thought provoking essay by Zimmermann and Wenger: 'Toward Efficiency and Legitimacy'. An extended bibliography for further studies, a list of the various contributors, and an extensive index, combine to make "How States Fight Terrorism" a core addition to governmental, institutional, academic, and community library International Studies collections in general, and Anti-Terrorism Studies reading lists in particular.


The Architecture Shelf

Vizcaya
Witold Rybczynski & Laurie Olin
University of Pennsylvania Press
3905 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104-4112
0812239512, $34.95 www.upenn.edu/pennpress 1-800-537-5487

An impressive architectural achievement of the Gilded Age when country manors and their gardens were a conspicuous documentation of personal wealth and power by their owners, the Miami estate of Vizcaya was the equal to such famous contemporary structures as the Bilmore and the San Simeon. The collaborative work of Witold Rybczynski (Martin and Margy Meyerson Professor of Urbanism, University of Pennsylvania) and Laurie Olin (Practice Professor of Landscape Architecture, University of Pennsylvania), Vizcaya: An American Villa And Its Makers" is the complete story of how this magnificent building came to be constructed, landscaped, and utilized as a 180-acre estate on Biscayne Bay complete with lagoons, canals, citrus groves, a farm village, a yacht harbor, and a 40-room Baroque mansion. Enhanced with a wealth of seventy color and 96 b/w illustrations, "Vizcaya" is an informed and informative body of impeccable scholarship presenting a seminal study that is very strongly recommended as an addition to professional, academic, and community library American Architectural History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Return of Sacred Architecture
Herbert Bangs, M.A.rch
Inner Traditions
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
1594771324 $24.95 www.InnerTraditions.com

Both architecture and spirituality collections will relish Return of Sacred Architecture: The Golden Ratio and the End of Modernism: it contrasts and modern religious architectural structure with the grand monuments of the past, revealing how modern dysfunctional buildings bring out the worst in humanity and how ancestral masterworks focus on the best. Architecture once was closer to expressing the sacred between man and cosmos: THE RETURN OF SACRED ARCHITECTURE focuses on the elements of this expression and is especially recommended for any college-level architectural library.

Merrell
49 West 24th Street, 8th Floor, New York NY 10010
www.merrellpublishers.com

Andreas von Einsiedel and Johanna Thornycroft's DREAM HOMES: 100 INSPIRATIONAL INTERIORS (1858943493, $24.95) offers architectural libraries a sourcebook of modern interiors from around the world, pairing some 800 color illustrations by interiors photographer von Einsiedel with a written history and notes by Johanna Thornycroft. The result is perfect for any working in home decor: a fine ideabook packed with alternatives and inspiration. Edward Denison, Guang Yu Ren and Naigzy Gebremedhin's ASMARA: AFRICA'S SECRET MODERNIST CITY (1858943825, $39.95) examines the nature and architectural innovations of a city which holds one of the highest concentrations of Modernist architecture in the world. Experts with detailed knowledge of the city survey many of the structures, add notes from previously unpublished archival material, and include original photography not to be seen elsewhere. A 'must' for any college-level collection strong in architecture and modern urban landscapes.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Maelstrom
Anne McCaffrey & Elizabeth Ann Scarborough
DelRey Books
c/o Ballantine Books
1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036
9780345470041 $23.95 www.delreybooks.com

Readers of the former CHANGELINGS who enjoyed the authors' return to the sentient planet Petaybeee will also want MAELSTROM, the ongoing saga which tells of a planet's formation of a new island to harbor a group of new refugees. Murel and Ronan decide to persuade the refugees to take shelter on the island – and face conflicts between two very different beings that could turn the resettlement rescue plans to disaster. Excellent, fast-paced action marks a story hard to put down: fans of either McCaffrey, Scarborough or their previous books on the topic will all be enthusiastic readers of MAELSTROM.

BL Publishing
1525 Hulse Road, Unit 1, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742
www.blacklibrary.com

These new Warhammer titles are excellent pick for science fiction libraries strong in military sci fi and fantasy: they offer up some riveting plots in an involving universe. William King's GOTREK & FELIC: THE SECOND OMNIBUS (1844164179, $10.99) bundles DRAGONSLAYER, BEASTSLAYER and VAMPIRESLAYER under one cover, telling of a poet Felix Jaeger who finds himself in an unlikely alliance with a dwarf Gotrek to witness his death and compose an epic poem about it. His position as a fugitive and his new alliance will bring him further into contact with new dangers. Ben Covnter's THE SOUL DRINKERS OMNIBUS (1844164160, $10.99) packs in action surrounding the Soul Drinkers: genetically engineered superhumans who have served the Emperor for thousands of years but retain their singular goal of retrieving an ancient relic. It's delightful to see the three novels – SOUL DRINKER, THE BLEEDING CHALICE and CRIMSON TEARS under one convenient cover. Anthony Reynolds' MARK OF CHAOS (1844163962, $7.99) offers Warhammer fans a saga of war and the story of a young commander who must retain his honor by tracking down and destroying a dangerous enemy leader. The attention to detail and military action is superb and any library strong in military science fiction will want these. Steven Savile's INHERITANCE (1884162915, $7.99) is first in a trilogy which tells of vampire counts in a cursed land, who rise to power within a human empire virtually unnoticed. His rule in Sylvania will unleash a new world of undead rule unless some human is brave enough to challenge his rise. Nathan Long's ORCSLAYER (1844163911, $7.99) proves a Gotrek and Felix novel as it tells of orcs ruling over a forgotten corner of a kingdom. Gotrek's agreement to help a dwarf prince win over the orcs will result in terrible confrontations and a journey with many discoveries. Fans of fantasy will find fast-paced, driving action in both books to set them apart from anything else, and public lending collections will find them popular picks.

Sagramanda
Alan Dean Foster
PYR
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
1591024889 $25.00 www.prysf.com

Set in Sagramanda, the city of a hundred million, SAGRAMANDA tells of one Taneer, a scientist who has stolen his company's secret project code and is now on the run. There's a host of individuals for and against him; from a beautiful woman from an 'untouchable' class to a traditional father who would kill him out of shame, and a corporation who will do anything to get the code. A unique blend of thriller and science fiction evolves, set in an India of the far future and providing science fiction fans with satisfying adventure.


The Business Shelf

Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019
www.amacombooks.org

Joseph T. Sinclair's EBAY BUSINESS THE SMART WAY: MAXIMIZE YOUR PROFITS ON THE WEB'S #1 AUCTION SITE, 3rd Edition (0814473946 $24.95) is for sellers who've already gotten their feet wet but need to learn more. It provides all the basics, has been updated and expanded to explore the site's latest developments affecting both newcomers and veteran sellers, and focuses on how to sell products for maximum profit. Its extensive review of these changes makes it a top pick for any public or school library including online sales handbooks in the collection, and stands out from others on the topic which are less comprehensive in scope. Eric Garland's FUTURE INC: HOW BUSINESSES CAN ANTICIPATE AND PROFIT FROM WHAT'S NEXT (0814497864, $24.95) tells how companies spend millions to turn future predictions and uncertainties into reality, charting the courses such professionals take to become proactive, reveal new business trends, and benefit from future predictions. Here is the key to in-house development of future ideas, offering the tools professionals use to analyze what things will look like years ahead. It's a 'must' for company leaders looking to get ahead. Also a 'must' for managers is Gini Graham Scott, Ph.D.'s A SURVIVAL GUIDE TO MANAGING EMPLOYEES FROM HELL (081447408X, $15.00), telling how to handle a typical problem employee. Humor blends with practical, life-tested advice for handling different types of employee issues, from the clueless incompetent to the party-time performer who can't seem to separate work from fun. Case histories blend with advice and techniques from the field in a manual key to any level manager's success.

Talking Your Way to the Top
Gretchen S. Hirsch
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-9827
1591024617 www.prometheusbooks.com

TALKING YOUR WAY TO THE TOP: BUSINESS ENGLISH THAT WORKS is for any involved in the business world, whether they be workers, managers, or CEOs. It provides the rudiments of English skills, from handling job interviews and company meetings to asking for more responsibilities and giving speeches. From avoiding 'wretched verbs' to not choosing the wrong word, real-world examples are specific and many a businessperson will readily recognize themselves in the examples.

Ethics in the Workplace
Craig E. Johnson
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
1412905397 $39.95 www.sagepub.com

Ethics in the Workplace: Tools and Tactics for Organizational Transformation is for any middle-management business executive who seeks an interdisciplinary text considering ethical change agents and their work – and for any college-level course on the subject. It uses ethical research results from social science, psychology, social psychology and more and provides modern case studies based on recent events. Plenty of room here for in-depth classroom discussion and debate.


The Journalism Shelf

Practical Journalism: How to Write News
Helen Sissons
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
0761949275 $37.95 www.sagepublications.com

Beginning journalists who seek straightforward advice on how to write in the digital age need Practical Journalism: How to Write News – and any college-level holding strong in journalism also will find it a strong reference. It covers the foundations of writing for different mediums, surveys the skills needed to achieve a broad range of talents, and uses interviews with dozens of working journalists to lend insights and tips on the profession. Many a college-level teacher will also find Practical Journalism an important assignment suitable for study and discussion.


The Human Sexuality Shelf

Asian Aphrodisiacs
Jerry Hopkins
Periplus
c/o Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
0794603963 $16.95 www.periplus.com

ASIAN APHRODISIACS: FROM BANGKOK TO BEIJING – THE SEARCH FOR THE ULTIMATE TURN-ON by Jerry Hopkins could well have been featured in our Travel Shelf section but is certain to reach a much wider audience of non-specialist, general-interest readers; especially if academic and community libraries use it as part of a display. Lotions, potions, sex toys and methods are covered in a lively first-person account of the author's travels to Asia and survey of aphrodisiacs – a funny, lively coverage and a welcome addition to Human Sexuality supplemental reading lists.


The Parenting Shelf

500 Great Books for Teens
Anita Sivley
Houghton Mifflin Company
222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA 02116
0618612963 $26.00 www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com

Any shopping for a book to give to a teen reader will welcome 500 Great Books for Teens, a guide to some of the newest in the young adult publishing world. Silvey is one of the nation's foremost authorities on books for teens, has interviewed teen readers across the country, and emphasizes here books published in the past five years. It's an excellent librarian's or parents' pick; especially considering how many books on 'best of pick for teens' focus on those over published over ten years ago.

Beyond Babar
Sandra L. Beckett & Maria Nikolajeva, Editors
Sacrecrow Press
4501 Forbes Boulevard Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
0810854155 www.scarecrowpress.com

BEYOND BABAR: THE EUROPEAN TRADITION IN CHILDREN'S LITERATURE is a top pick for children's librarians or any teacher or parent regularly working with kids. Essays examine eleven of the most celebrated European children's novels and provides both a basic introduction to each author and a literary survey for librarians, professors and teachers. Just because it's scholarly shouldn't mean parents miss it, either: two professors of language and literature do a fine job of probing elements of the English-language dominance, from elements of modernism for kids to evolving toy and fairy tale themes in children's literature. A top pick, especially for college-level children's literature studies collections.

Special Needs and Early Years
Kate Wall
Paul Chapman Publishing/Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
1412929490 www.paulchapmanpublishing.co.uk

Following the very successful first edition is an updated second edition of Special Needs and Early Years: A Practitioner's Guide – a reference which offers the latest early years initiatives and legislation along with leading examples of good practice and handling parents of children with special needs. This isn't a parent's pick so much as a set of guidelines and recommendations for professionals working with such children and their families – and students at the college level.


The Interior Design Shelf

Decorating Is Fun!
Dorothy Draper
Pointed Leaf Press
1100 Madison Avenue Suite 3A, New York NY 10028
0977787516 $35.00 www.pointedleafpress.com

This isn't another book about the history of decorating nor even how to design an interior, but a focus on how to have a good time decorating – which sets DECORATING IS FUN! HOW TO BE YOUR OWN DECORATOR apart as much today as when it originally appeared in 1939 on the even of the second world war. The title's been out of print for over sixty years and is reissued here with its original illustrations, making for a serious and informative title any serious home decoration library needs.

New Upholstery
Nicole Fulton & Stuart Weston
Sterling Publishing Company Inc.
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016-8810
1840008563 $24.95 www.sterlingpub.com

NEW UPHOLSTERY is just what it says: a blend of old and new approaches that adds unusual modern fabrics and textures to craft a modern look to chairs. Readers learn the basics of upholstery skills with an eye to incorporating these modern designs into period pieces and modern furniture alike, making for an inspiring collection of details. Another big plus: step-by-step color photos every step of the way. Both home decorators and libraries strong in interior decoration will find this a unique approach.

Chinese Style: Living in Beauty and Prosperity
Sunamita Lim
Gibbs M. Smith, Publisher
P.O. Box 667, Layton, UT 84041
1423600215 $39.95 www.gibbs-smith.com

Chinese Style: Living in Beauty and Prosperity hold lovely illustrations to demonstrate the possibilities of redecorating an entire home or a single room in a Chinese fashion. Think 'China' and you'll think of silk, tea, porcelain and lacquer furniture: these and other elements can be combined with modern styles for maximum impact. Home interior design collections will find this focus a popular reference.


The Criminology Shelf

Fall
Ron Franscell
New Herizon Press
Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
0882822799 $24.95 www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

FALL: THE RAPE AND MURDER OF INNOCENCE IN A SMALL TOWN tells of a Casper, Wyoming crime involving two girls who were raped, tortured and thrown off a bridge. The citizens struggled with the crime in all its ramifications, and FALL traces this struggle, comes from a journalist who was a teen neighbor to both girls at the time of the crime, and who revisits the scene here 30 years later to explore the crime's ongoing impact upon the town. A 'must' for any lending library strong in true crime exposes.


The Computer Shelf

Build Your Own ASP.Net 2.0 Web Site Using C# & VB
Cristian Darie & Zak Ruyvalcaba
Sitepoint
424 Smith Street, Collingwood, VIC Australia 3066
0975240285 $44.95 www.sitepoint.com

Examples, insights, and even code samples pack a reference for programmers working in C# and VB in an updated second edition to a popular step-by-step guide. Here's all the information you need to get up and running with ASP.NET, from how to build a first web site to applying the free code samples within to more advanced projects. It's a top pick programmers – especially newcomers to ASP.NET - won't want to be without.

O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
www.oreilly.com

A range of users are possible for Seyed M.N. Tahaghoghi & Hugh E. Williams's handbook Learning MySQL (0596008643 $44.99), from those running a business or keeping membership records to others who are involved in software design. LEARNING MYSQL covers all the basics in introductory chapters – then moves ahead to more advanced uses of SQL, from configuring MySQL for better security to advanced querying. The open source database offers plenty of advanced capabilities but without a book like LEARNING MYSQL, much of these would be lost: all levels need the tutorials herein which guarantee nothing is lost in the cracks. Andrew Cumming & Gordon Russell's SQL HACKS: TIPS & TOOLS FOR DIGGING INTO YOUR DATA (0596527993, $29.99) is for SQL programmers who want advanced tips on how to sort or pull info from a database. Its 100 hacks go beyond the usual sort choices to cover such advanced topics as how to send SQL commands to a database from the command line, how to solve problems using SQL and how to manage users and audit SQL changes. An essential pick advanced SQL users need. Jennifer Vesperman's ESSENTIAL CVS 2nd Edition (0596527039, $44.99) is a complete reference and guide to managing large numbers of documents. Any company which faces repeated modifications and updates of documents knows the challenge of keeping track of changing versions: CVS makes this job a snap, and ESSENTIAL CVS simplifies the process with a quickstart guide, advanced coverage for technical management programming from release tagging to branching, and a quick reference card for ongoing use. Computer collections will find it a winning pick. C.J. Date's THE RELATIONAL DATABASE (0596572985, $14.99) may appear small in stature but its information is invaluable, offering a basic guide defining the meaning of database-related terms in a quick reference of some 600 terms. Offered up in a pocket size, it provides easy at-a-glance definitions perfect for quick consultation. Paul DuBois' MY SQL COOKBOOK, 2nd EDITION (059652708X, $49.99) isn't your usual guide to applications development: it IS a 'bible' of applications routines that helps designers move beyond problems they experience in the MySQL environment. This latest edition covers MySQL 5.0 and offers 'recipes' explaining how and why the code works to encourage more detailed learning rather than quick fixes alone. From accessing data from multiple tables to storing images and displaying them in web pages, any serious MySQL programmer or computer reference library needs this reference. Peter Morville & Louis Rosenfeld's INFORMATION ARCHITECTURE FOR THE WORLD WIDE WEB, 3RD EDITION (0596527349, $39.99) provides a newly updated edition to cover emerging technologies for both newcomers and web designers alike. Here are the basic tools, techniques and insights which cover implementation, blueprints and design, backed by short essays exploring the evolving world of information architecture. It's an excellent choice for any web workers who would keep up with web evolution and how it changes.

PHP and MYSQL By Example
Elie Quigley with Marko Gargenta
Prentice Hall
75 Arlington Street #300, Boston, MA 02116
0131875086 $49.99 www.prenhallprofessional.com

If you're a newcomer to PHP 5 and MYSQL and lack programming or database background, that shouldn't keep you from benefitting from PHP and MYSQL By Example, which assumes no prior knowledge and starts from ground zero in instructions. Its 'by example' system is the key to success, with chapters offering diagrams, charts, and plenty of visual examples. Computer libraries strong in PHP5 or MYSQL need this.

CMMI, 2nd Edition
Mary Beth Chrissis, Mike Konrad & Sandy Shrum
Addison-Wesley
75 Arlington Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
0321279670 $69.99 www.awprofessional.com

CMMI translates to Capability Maturity Model Integration and describes a set of recommended practices for developing and maintaining products throughout their life cycle, not just at the beginning. Its components include a basic overview of structure and idea, then a survey of the goals and practices of the 22 process areas comprising CMMI. The authors are part of a team central to CMMI development, so their technical combined knowledge offers advanced college-level computer holdings an invaluable reference.


The Art Shelf

Adam Van Doren
Avis Berman and Richard J. Boyle
Hudson Hills Press
P.O. Box 205, Manchester, VT 05254-9911
1555952720 $50.00 www.hudsonhills.com

The monograph ADAM VAN DOREN belongs in any college-level art library strong in watercolor painting representation: it spans twenty years of his works and surveys his watercolor talents and architectural representations, adding essays surveying his life and inspirations. Its lovely full-page paintings of Paris, Venice and Rome includes notes on techniques and papers and is a top pick that watercolor artists will find an inspiration.

Pomegranate
Box 808022, Petaluma, CA 94975-8022
www.pomegranate.com

THE ART OF ROBERT BATEMAN (9780764937651, $45.00) appears in its 25th anniversary edition to include text by Ramsay Derry and an introduction by noted ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson himself as it provides a stunning blend of full-page color wildlife images and accompanying artist profile. This was the artist's first book and cemented his career: its re-appearance is perfect for collections who either don't have the original or find their lending copies worn. Julie L. McGee's DAVID C. DRISKELL: ARTIST AND SCHOLAR (9780764937477, $45.00) is the first detailed monograph of an artist whose works have been exhibited and collected by major galleries and museums, but who until now has received little written acclaim. Almost two hundred color and black and white images include personal photos of Driskell and his works and tie together all aspects of his paintings, drawings and collages, providing an illuminating survey of the modern artist's many talents. Rich in biographical background and image alike, DAVID C. DRISKELL: ARTIST AND SCHOLAR is a pick any college-level art library will want.


The Biography Shelf

Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell
Karen DeYoung
Alfred Knopf
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
1400041708 $28.95 www.aaknopf.com

First as a commander in the military and then as secretary of state, Colin Powell proved time and gain his prowess as a leader – just as Soldier: The Life of Colin Powell proves its prowess as an excellent biographical review of the man and his life. It's the first full biography covering Powell's entire life, comes from a Washington Post journalist, and covers his childhood and rise through the ranks of Washington power, considering social issues and personal struggles alike. Any with an interest in Powell will want this; public lending and military libraries in particular will find it a popular patron choice.

Viktor Frankl: A Life Worth Living
Anna S. Redsand
Clarion Books
215 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10003
0618723439 $19.00 www.clarionbooks.com

Clarion Books is a children's book publisher so rarely do their titles ever appear in our adult issues – but Viktor Frankl: A Life Worth Living is a young adult read too important to be limited to the children's section alone, and many an adult will appreciate this survey of his achievement. A prison in the Nazi camps during the war, Frankl's development of logotherapy – a form of psychotherapy encouraging patients to look to the future rather than reliving traumas of the past – was to serve as a key to recovery and finding meaning in lives destroyed during the war. His biography is a powerful blend of Holocaust images, history, and facts, and makes for an outstanding coverage not to be missed by any age.

The Last Explorer
Simon Nasht
Arcade Publishing
1559708255 $27.50 www.arcadepub.com

THE LAST EXPLORER: HUBERT WILKINS, HERO OF THE GREAT AGE OF POLAR EXPLORATION tells of the most successful explorer in history: a self-taught farm boy from the Australian outback who became a cameraman, reporter, pilot, spy and adventurer. His surveys were captured on camera, he helped map the Canadian Arctic, and his amazing life has only not received much in-depth coverage in past because he avoided publicity. Author Simon Nasht discovered Wilkins' journals, records and photos and used them to recreate his life and achievements: any library interested in adventure biography will welcome this vivid account.

William's Princess
Robert Jobson
John Blake/Trafalgar Square, Distributors
N. Pomfret, VA 05053
1844543153 $24.95 www.trafalgarsquarebooks.com

WILLIAM'S PRINCESS: THE TRUE STORY OF THE ROMANCE THAT WILL CHANGE THE MONARCHY is a pick for any who love the British Royal Family and want to know the latest. Such an audience may already be aware of Prince William's love life; but WILLIAM'S PRINCESS delves deeper into the romance and what it will mean for the monarchy overall, and is a satisfying exclusive account of how it happened. Public libraries will find it a popular leisure lend.

King of Infinite Space
Siobhan Roberts
Walker & Company
175 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
0802714994 $27.95 www.walkerbooks.com

KING OF INFINITE SPACE: DONALD COXETER, THE MAN WHO SAVED GEOMETRY could also have been reviewed in our Science Shelf area but is featured here among recommended biographies as being so much more than just a math read alone. Coxeter turned geometry from a dry science into an intellectual survey with links to civilization's evolution: the evolution of his theories and applications is traced in a blend of biography and math insights perfect for any interested in an unconventional scientist's genius. A lively format blends math insights with biography and makes for a recommended pick for general-interest libraries and schools strong in math theory alike.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent
Esther & Jerry Hicks
Hay House
Box 5100, Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
1401906958 $24.95 www.hayhouse.com

"The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent: Living the Art of Allowing" presents the teachings of the Non-Physical entity Abraham, linking these teachings with the idea of balancing energy as opposed to setting goals and focusing on long-term achievement. By undertaking the process of achieving goals through balance over action, "The Amazing Power of Deliberate Intent" offers a new pathway to success – and a new definition of such. Life should be an ongoing journey of joy – and this book offers a key to getting there, perfect for readers of spiritual living.

Dragonlore: From the Archives of the Grey School of Wizardry
Ash 'LeopardDancer' DeKirk
New Page Books
Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1564148688 $14.99 www.newpagebooks.com

There are legends of dragons all around us – and they appear in fantasy novels and games as well as movies: any fan of dragons will be thus delighted with DRAGONLORE, which examines the details of every species of dragon, gathers myths under one cover, and considers the impact and presence of dragons in popular culture. Black and white illustrations pepper an excellent overview that is a pick for any dragon fan, and any collection strong in fantasy.

Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality
Dean Radin
Paraview Pocket Books
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
1416516778 $14.00 www.simonsays.com

Entangled Minds: Extrasensory Experiences in a Quantum Reality links science and psyche, drawing some important links between mind, body and the nature of reality. Einstein viewed entanglement as a 'spooky action at a distance', considering how objects could be connected through time and space long after initial interaction takes place – psychic abilities could demonstrate a similar 'entanglement' of minds, and Radin demonstrates here how scientific evidence supports such a possibility.


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