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

The Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 7 July 2014 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Mystery/Suspense Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Music Shelf Cookbook Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Computer Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Technology Shelf Parenting Shelf
Military Shelf Veterinary Studies Shelf Sports Shelf
Hunting/Fishing Shelf Education Shelf Crafts Shelf
American History Shelf World History Shelf Criminology Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

North Brother Island
Christopher Payne, Randall Mason, Robert Sullivan
Empire State Editions
c/o Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823257713, $39.95, www.empirestateeditions.com

North Brother Island: The Last Unknown Place in New York City is difficult to categorize: put it in 'photography' and New York City fans might miss it; place it in 'arts' and those looking for visual travel books might pass it buy. Suffice it to say this is simply a lovely recommendation for any interested in landscape photography in general, New York City in particular, and one of the City's last remaining wilderness areas. It's a gorgeous discussion of the North Brother Island that promises to educate and amaze even City natives, providing a colorful survey suitable for general-interest and avid City history followers alike.

Deaf Students and the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis
Peter V. Paul, Ye Wang, and Cheri Williams
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563685842, $85.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

Deaf Students and the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis: Understanding Language and Literacy Development is a college-level recommendation for any working with deaf and hard of hearing students, and uses the latest research to link deaf student language and learning skills with hearing student strategies. It presents the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis to describe this process, documents its theory and research findings, and provides important educational insights for any working with deaf students. It's a technical study recommended for both educators and any who would understand the basics of how deaf students learn and acquire literacy skills in the world of the hearing.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com

Vicki Delany's UNDER COLD STONE (9781464202339, $24.95) provides a fine new Constable Molly Smith novel and tells of a Rocky Mountain vacation gone awry. Instead of exploring their relationship the unlikely couple finds themselves facing down bullies in a chance encounter, then becoming immersed in an estranged son's disappearance and possible involvement in a murder. As the plot becomes gripping and tense, the protagonists find romance and professionalism tested to the core in this fine murder mystery. Sandra Parshall's POISONED GROUND (9781464202247, $24.95) provides an involving Rachel Goddard mystery in which a powerful development company divides a small town. Veterinarian Rachel is one of those who opposes the development, and sides with locals reluctant to sell their land. When a beloved couple who refuse to sell out is murdered, Rachel finds herself more than involved in the dangerous outcome of a political bid for power that's gone over the line. Both are exceptional reads, perfect for mystery collections.


The Audiobook Shelf

Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com

Robin Roberts with Veronica Chambers's EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHING (9781478979630, $30.00) provides a powerful memoir of the host of Good Morning America, and tells of Robin's journey in her life and what lessons she's learned from overcoming breast cancer, a rare blood disorder, and family tragedy. Her account teaches viewers that everyone has something to give - and shows, through her life, how to arrive at this point. Hers is a passionate, involving story highly recommended for any who want inspirational living to come to life in audio. Biz Stone's THINGS A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME: CONFESSIONS OF THE CREATIVE MIND (9781478927754, $35.00) comes from the co-founder of Twitter and discusses how to hone and use creativity, based on his own experiences in life and on his career, and makes for a fine survey of social media in general and one high-powered businessman's founding of a world-class company. His personal stories from his early life, his career at Google and Twitter, and his knowledge about opportunity, creativity and change are unparalleled and give business readers an excellent feel for principles that can be applied to the modern business environment. The result is a highly recommended pick for any business collection! James Patterson and Maxine Paetro's UNLUCKY 13 (9781611130553, $35.00) receives a vivid reading by January LaVoy and tells of the Women's Murder Club, which is being stalked, ironically, by a killer. San Francisco detective Lindsay Boxer loves her life as a new mother, but a photo of a killer from her past changes her world and poses many new problems in this gripping thriller, recommended for murder mystery fans. T.D. Jakes' INSTINCT: THE POWER TO UNLEASH YOUR INBORN DRIVE (9781478927174, $30.00) is narrated by Ezra Knight, a talented film and stage actor, and covers the process of following your heart and instincts and understanding inner wisdom and its power. Discussions center around unlocking the strengths of instinct and recognizing its drive, and come from an influential black leader who here provides inspirational motivation for positive change. Anthony DeStefano's A TRAVEL GUIDE TO LIFE: TRANSFORMING YOURSELF FROM HEAD TO SOUL (9781619696594, $25.00) is read by the author, who lends a smooth voice to a fun story of happiness and fulfillment and spiritual living. From connecting mind and body to making life-changing decisions, this shows how heaven and achievement can be attained here on Earth, and offers an encouraging spiritual survey that comes to life in audio! Jeffrey Deaver's THE SKIN COLLECTOR (9781478927145, $40.00) provides a fine Lincoln Rhyme novel narrated by Eddardo Ballerini, whose vivid voice brings to life a thriller sequel to THE BONE COLLECTOR, a serial killer who terrorized New York over a decade ago. Once again Lincoln and Amelia Sachs are involved in a puzzling case and a race against time and death itself. Action is well-detailed, drama and characterization come to life in audio, and this story is a highly recommended pick for both prior fans of BONE COLLECTOR and newcomers to Lincoln Rhyme.


The Music Shelf

Here Comes the Night
Joel Selvin
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
9781619023024, $25.00, www.counterpointpress.com

HERE COMES THE NIGHT: THE DARK SOUL OF BERT BERNS AND THE DIRTY BUSINESS OF RHYTHM AND BLUES is a 'must' for any music collection strong in music history and insider politics, and charts both the rise of rhythm and blues as a music genre in the early 1960s and the tragic story of a songwriter and record producer, Bert Berns. Berns thrived under Atlantic Records, he worked with some of the greatest musicians of his times form Burt Bacharach to Carole King, and in seven years he became a top producer of R&B music. Today his name is barely recognized. HERE COMES THE NIGHT remedies this lack, charting the politics and confrontations he faced during his brief career. Berns died at age thirty-eight just when he was seeing success: his story shouldn't be forgotten - and with the publication of HERE COMES THE NIGHT, it isn't!

Sing Us A Song, Piano Woman
Adrienne Trier-Bieniek
Scarecrow Press Inc.
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780810885509, $35.00, www.rowman.com

Any music history or women's studies library will be interested in acquiring SING US A SONG, PIANO WOMAN: FEMALE FANS AND THE MUSIC OF TORI AMOS. It explores now only Tori's music, but how female fans bond with feminist musicians; and it examines and analyzes her lyrics and music with an eye to blending in issues of gender and activism. Social studies classes will appreciate the focus on cultural stereotypes and how Amos represented a type of fan that went beyond the image of the screaming teen to analyze more intellectual lyrics. The focus on women's emotions and a more mature musical style makes for a powerful survey recommended for any college-level collection looking for more than light biography.


The Cookbook Shelf

Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit
Dane Huckelbridge
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062241399, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit provides a fine biography of bourbon and traces its roots to Christopher Columbus and the use of its primary ingredient, corn. It was Jamestown settlers, tired of waiting for supplies of Scotch and whiskey from England, who experimented with distilling corn-based whiskey, and the influence of Scots-Irish immigrants who changed and perfected bourbon's recipe and brought it out West to new audiences. The result is a powerful story that brings out the full flavor and influences of bourbon, recommended for any food and wine library.

Cooking with Fire
Paula Marcoux
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121581, $19.95, www.storey.com

COOKING WITH FIRE offers a fine review of techniques and flavors of fire cooking, and packs in over 100 recipes for preparing meats to beverages over the flames. Live-fire cooking crosses cultures, culinary traditions, and societies; this book teaches students the basics of handling life fire and food over it, covering spits and skewers, grills, pots and pans, and how to make the most of recipes tailored for them. The result is a fine survey of wood-fired cooking more well-rounded than your average grilling cookbook, and highly recommended for cooks seeking something more.

Cast Iron Cooking for Vegetarians
Joanna Pruess
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781629143248, $14.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Cast Iron Cooking for Vegetarians features color photos by Battman as it reviews a selection of classic dishes and new recipes with vegetarians in mind, and makes for a fine introduction to using cast iron to create meals. From Mom's Mac and Cheese to Zucchini Pancakes, dishes range from sweet to savory and cover all meals and courses, from breakfast to main dishes and dessert. Cast iron cookware holds many benefits and this presents a wealth of new ideas for vegetarians who have long watched meat preparation in cast iron cookware.

It's All Greek to Me
Debbie Matenopoulos with Peter Capozzi
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781939529930, $29.95, www.benbellabooks.com

It's All Greek to Me: Transform Your Health the Mediterranean Way with My Family's Century-Old Recipes comes from an author who grew up in a traditional Greek household. When she began eating a standard American diet she found herself gaining weight and losing energy; back on her native Greek diet, she regained her stamina. So this shares some 120 of her family's traditional Greek dishes, adds healthy adaptations, and will appeal to any who either love Greek food or want dishes that promote healthy living. Lovely color photos round out the offerings: it's the focus on better, low-fat Greek eating options for traditional dishes that makes this a special recommendation!


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach, second edition
Houchi Dung
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466581920, $129.95, www.crcpress.com

Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach appears in its second updated edition to provide a key reference for any medicine collection or practitioner concerned with the therapy and applications of acupuncture. It presents a scientific, anatomically-based approach to acupuncture and discusses acupuncture points, pain measurement and management, and clinical applications from easy cases to challenging. Health professionals will find here all the basics needed to understand how acupuncture works and its possibilities, especially for relieving chronic and acute pain.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
www.crossway.org

Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre's TRUE BEAUTY (9781433540349, $15.99) comes from a mother and daughter who consider the truths in God's Word as they pertain to beauty, and encourages women to focus on the beauty of godliness over pop culture fads and perceptions. Chapters consider how beauty reflects the sentiments of godliness, provide quotes from the Bible to encourage faith, and provide supportive insights into the nature of 'true beauty' over cultural perception. The result is a fine survey for women who would re-consider the nature of beauty in modern society. C. William Pollard's THE TIDES OF LIFE: LEARNING TO LEAD AND SERVE AS YOU NAVIGATE THE CURRENTS OF LIFE (9781433541728, $24.99) is all about life choices, faith, and callings from God, and processes that change as we age. From the responsibilities of leadership and work to responding to callings from God, this is a reflective blend of autobiography and spiritual insight and is a fine recommendation for any concerned about incorporating faith into daily living.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Blue Book of Airguns, eleventh edition
Dr. Robert D. Beeman and John B. Allen
Blue Book Publications
195 Technology, Irvine, CA 92618
9781936120529, $29.95, www.bluebook.com

The eleventh updated edition of Blue Book of Airguns is edited by S.P. Fjestad and provides the most current information on airguns, and the latest values. It's the only publication to include modern airguns along with hundreds of vintage airguns that date back to the late 18th century, and provides coverage of the most popular and vintage makes to include good-size black and white images and the latest values. The result is a reference that includes a color Photo Percentage Grading System to help gun owners assess airgun condition factors. A 'must' for any gun owner or collector who specializes in airguns.

Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.shopnumismaster.com

George S. Cuhaj, Editor's 20th updated edition of STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD PAPER MONEY: MODERN ISSUES (9781440240379, $70.00) provides a weighty, definitive catalog of world paper money from 1961 to modern times, and packs in over 13,000 small black and white illustrations as it covers the latest prices and collector notes on the topic. Some 21,000 variety listings of world bank notes include values in two conditions and comes from a network of some 80 international paper money collectors, dealers and researchers who have worked with the author to insure accuracy. As such, it's a 'must' for any who want an authoritative reference on world issues and their collectability. Also highly recommended is Antique Trader's seventh edition of POTTERY & PORCELAIN CERAMICS PRICE GUIDE (9781440239700, $27.99), packed with good-quality, good-sized color photos on every page as it showcases ceramics from all eras and around the world. Values accompany history in a guide tailored to serve collectors, dealers, and any who enjoy ceramics, and features over 1,500 color images and descriptions along with maker marks and other technical details. A 'must' for any interested in pottery and porcelain collecting!


The Computer Shelf

Improving the Test Process
Graham Bath and Erik van Veenendaal
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781933952826, $49.95, www.rockynook.com

Improving the Test Process: Implementing Improvement and Change - a Study Guide for the ISTQB Expert Level Module covers the syllabus for the "Improving the Test Process" module of the International Software Testing Qualifications Board, and provides a detailed survey of how the test improvement process works and what's involved in the improvement assessment effort. Chapters can be used in preparation for taking the ISTQB expert level exam and as a guide for test professionals looking to improve their skills, and provide review questions to accompany chapter explanations, real-world examples, key definitions, and more.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm
Stephen Harrod Buhner
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781591431350, $26.00, www.bearandcompanybooks.com

Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm is for nature, new science and new age readers alike, and is based on the premise that all life-forms on Earth possess intelligence, language, and a sense of identity as well as the capacity to dream - including plants. His book considers how to understand the meanings and communications of such a world, examining the ecology of invasive plants, bacterial resistance, and more; and he places human beings in perspective in such a world, re-connecting humans to nature and offering a new way of perceiving the natural world. While science collections should also have this, it likely will be the new age reader who will get the most from this approach.

UFOs: God's Chariots?
Ted Peters
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12 Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601633187, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com

UFOs: God's Chariots? Spirituality, Ancient Aliens, and Religious Yearnings in the Age of Extra-terrestrials provides fine research into how UFOs can reveal underlying cultural meanings, and considers their spiritual dimensions as it considers the origins, purposes, and spiritual source of UFOs. It also presents for the first time the results of The Peters ETI Religious Crisis Survey, which tested the idea that if contact occurs with intelligent alien life, our historic religious perceptions will collapse. This powerful blend of theology and new age examination makes for a thought-provoking survey any spirituality collection should have!


The Technology Shelf

Understanding Quartz Crystals and Oscillators
Ramon M. Cerda
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608071180, $179.00, www.artechhouse.com

Understanding Quartz Crystals and Oscillators is a specific, technical guide for engineering collections strong in oscillation design, and provides assessments of various varieties of crystal oscillators along with MathCad and Genesys simulations. Microwave engineers will find it filled with charts, diagrams, math, and discussions of everything from performance claims to phase noise and jitter, resonation, and frequency multiplication techniques. The result is a solid reference for any advanced microwave engineering reference library.

Printed MIMO Antenna Engineering
Mohammad S. Sharawi
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608076819, $149.00, www.artechhouse.com

Printed MIMO Antenna Engineering is for any interested in wireless communications technology, and offers a resource specific to printed MIMO antenna system design. Printed antennas are used in mobile and handheld terminals and are easy to fabricate: engineers will appreciate this reference's in-depth design examples and detailed illustrations, along with its review of applications that depend on printed MIMO antennas and designs. From antenna fundamentals to equations, discussions of single- and multi-band antenna systems, and electronic theory, this is a top reference highly recommended for any engineering collection.


The Parenting Shelf

101 Tips for Parents of Children with Autism
Arnold Miller and Theresa Smith
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
97811849059602, $19.95, www.jkp.com

101 Tips for Parents of Children with Autism: Effective Solutions for Everyday Challenges is based on the principles of the Miller Method and is packed with tips for addressing an autistic child's behavioral challenges over the years. Parents will find this a specific approach that is based on the latest research surrounding autistic children's sensory and cognitive differences, and provides routines and actions that center around common causes of distress and their management. Any parent who has struggled with an autistic child's seemingly endless conduct issues will find this a real winner!


The Military Shelf

Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com

Lindsay Powell's ROMAN SOLDIER VERSUS GERMANIC WARRIOR (9781472803498, $18.95) is a recommendation for any interested in early military warfare and history, and covers the fighting methods and combat performance of the Roman soldiers and their Germanic opponents in the 1st century AD. Military history holdings strong in early works will find this packs in battle analysis, first-hand accounts, strategic maps and more. Andy Nunez's WILDERNESS AND SPOTSYLVANIA 1864: GRANT VERSUS LEE IN THE EAST (9781472801470, $21.95) provides a fine, in-depth account of one of the defining campaigns of the Civil War in the East which took place in May 1864, and provides step-by-step information on the engagement. Vivid drawings and discussions of strategies and campaign tactics accompany vintage black and white photos and illustrations by Peter Dennis in a solid reference for any military history holding. Donald Nijboer's SPITFIRE V VS. C.202 FOLGORE: MALTA 1942 (9781782003564, $18.95) provides a fine account of the Malta battles of World War II, providing a fine survey of legendary aircraft fighters and battles and pairing specific accounts of battles with vintage black and white photos and color illustrations throughout. Collections strong in either military history or aircraft will find this an outstanding read. Kari Stenman and Christian-Jacques Ehrengardt's MORANE-SAULNIER MS.406 ACES (9781782003410, $22.95) is also a recommendation for aircraft history military holdings, and provides an account of the pilots who flew the Morane-Saulnier MS.406, a French fighter phased out in early 1940. First-hand accounts of battles, equipment specs, and photos and color drawings provides a fine survey of how the Morane was used to war's end, and provides a comprehensive history recommended for any military history holding.


The Veterinary Studies Shelf

Focused Ultrasound Techniques for the Small Animal Practitioner
Gregory R. Lisciandro, Editor
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781118369593, $99.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Focused Ultrasound Techniques for the Small Animal Practitioner is a guide to blending ultrasound exams into the diagnosis process in a typical vet's office, and is highly recommended for any practice looking to begin performing these techniques. Chapters provide all the basics to begin using these focused point-of-care exams for diagnostics and monitoring, and cover the basics of FAST exams and how to develop the ultrasound skills needed. Experts in the field write articles, access is provided to a companion website of video clips, and black and white radiographic images pack a solid coverage highly recommended for any vet's practice and many a student technician.

BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Radiography and Radiology: A Foundation Manual
Andrew Holloway and Fraser McConnell, Editors
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781905319442, $129.99, www.wiley-blackwell.com

BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Radiography and Radiology: A Foundation Manual should be in every veterinary reference collection and provides a replacement for the classic BSAVA MANUAL OF SMALL ANIMAL DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING as an introduction for veterinary students and nurses. High-quality radiographic reproductions accompany keys to their interpretation, while illustrations cover positioning the canine or feline for optimum results. From equipment and basic principles of radiography to different imaging approaches, this is a 'must' for any practicing vet or assistant.

Veterinary Technician's Handbook of Laboratory Procedures
Brianne Bellwood and Melissa Andrasik-Catton
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781118341933, $49.99, www.wiley-blackwell.com

Veterinary Technician's Handbook of Laboratory Procedures provides an excellent, quick reference to conducting common lab tests, is organized for quick clinical reference, and covers everything from equipment and quality control to procedures. Step-by-step discussions include common errors and tips for foolproof results, while over 200 color photos of everything from parasites to techniques in obtaining samples makes it a snap to follow directions and reproduce techniques. A 'must' for any practicing technician's reference library.


The Sports Shelf

Black Noon
Art Garner
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250017772, $27.99, www.thomasdunnebooks.com

Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500 charts a horrific car race accident in which seven cars crashed in a fiery wreck, killing two drivers. How the sport recovered from one of its greatest disasters and the events that changed and ended lives makes for a fast-paced, hard-driving story that brings the history and past world of the Indy 500 to life. Highly recommended for any auto racing and sports history fan!


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

A Life Lived Outdoors
George Smith
Islandport Press
P.O. Box 10, Yarmouth, Maine 04096
9781934031599, $16.95, www.islandportpress.com

A Life Lived Outdoors: Reflections of a Maine Sportsman provides a collection of hand-picked essays by George Smith, a popular Maine outdoors writer, and offers a wealth of humor and outdoors reflections especially recommended for the Maine sportsman. From hunting and fishing to watching nature, this pairs philosophical with sports and outdoors insights; all packaged in a lively read accessible to any outdoors sports enthusiast and especially to Maine readers.


The Education Shelf

The Daily 5, second edition
Gail Boushey & Joan Moser
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109743, $24.00, www.stenhouse.com

THE DAILY 5: FOSTERING LITERACY INDEPENDENCE IN THE ELEMENTARY GRADES appears in its second updated edition to consider the core literacy components that any teacher can use to increase student learning independence, and is a pick any education collection will savor. The Daily 5 is all about showing teachers how to spend less time managing classrooms and more time actually teaching by helping students develop independence and accountability: chapters offer lesson plans, case histories, and specific steps for each component of The Daily 5. A fine 'must' for any educator's collection!


The Crafts Shelf

Basic Metal Jewelry Techniques
Carles Codina
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764343674, $24.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Basic Metal Jewelry Techniques is a 'must' for any who would begin learning metal jewelry-making, and pairs an explanation of metallurgy and basic formulas with tips on soldering, sanding, and more. Step-by-step photos and drawings accompany these explanations and provide all the latest practices relating to creating jewelry, offering applications for nearly any project. The result is a fine 'classroom in a book' for any who would learn metal jewelry techniques!


The American History Shelf

American Carnage
Jerome A. Greene
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806144481, $34.95, www.oupress.com

AMERICAN CARNAGE: WOUNDED KNEE, 1890 follows the evolution of tensions between troops and Native Americans that boiled over at Wounded Knee Creek, and is recommended for Native American and American history holdings alike. It comes from a specialist on the Indian wars who explores why the disaster happened and how it evolved into a massacre, and uses a wealth of resources from previously unknown testimonies to documented events to examine whether Wounded Knee was premeditated, whether revenge entered into the massacre, and the efforts of Lakota survivors and their descendants to gain recognition for their losses. The result is a powerful history highly recommended for any collection strong in military or Native American affairs.

Home Fires
Sean Patrick Adams
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421413570, $22.95, www.press.jhu.edu

HOME FIRES: HOW AMERICANS KEPT WARM IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY provides a narrow focus on home heating over the nineteenth century and how changes in systems and technology ultimately resulted in social transformation. It covers the business of selling home heating products and choices, it reviews the challenge of dwindling firewood supplies and the changes this brought to the industry and American homes, and it provides a scholarly yet lively coverage that considers the ideas and variations of the hearth in American homes. Any collection strong in American business development and social history will find this specific and involving!


The World History Shelf

Cold War: An International History
Carole Fink
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Grop
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9780813347590, $30.00, www.westviewpress.com

Cold War: An International History is recommended for any college-level collection looking to include global perspectives on the Cold War between the US and USSR, and provides insights on key events and the major political, economic and social impact of the Cold War. New insights provide new viewpoints based on the latest scholarship, while examinations of perspectives from Africa, Asia and Latin America provide well-rounded assessments you simply won't find elsewhere. The result is an excellent collection of observations and analysis highly recommended for any college-level collection.


The Criminology Shelf

The Mob and the City: The Hidden History of How the Mafia Captured New York
C. Alexander Hortis
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616149239, $24.95, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Mob and the City: The Hidden History of How the Mafia Captured New York offers the first full-length book devoted to uncovering the hidden history of how the Mafia came to dominate organized crime in New York City from the 1930s to the 1950s, and is based on the author/attorney's in-depth research of archives and secret files obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. Chapters move far beyond usual dramatic accounts of mob encounters to prove how economics affected Mafia families and their interactions, why Sicilian gangs topped criminal efforts, and more. The introduction of new facts based on newly-released primary sources makes this a treasure trove of detail on the Mafia's rise to power in New York City, highly recommended for any definitive City history collection.


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


Copyright ©2001

Site design by Williams Writing, Editing & Design