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The Bookwatch

Volume 10, Number 9 September 2015 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Education Shelf Technology Shelf
Gun Shelf Audiobook Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Biography Shelf
Parenting Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf
Economic Studies Shelf International Studies Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Fashion Shelf Homeowner's Shelf Gardening Shelf
Crafts Shelf World History Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Military Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Flight 232
Laurence Gonzales
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393351262 $16.95 www.wwnorton.com

Flight 232: A Story of Disaster and Survival tells of a plane disaster in 1989 that led a commuter plan to crash on a runway in Iowa, and offers a moment-by-moment set of details recreating events both in the air and on the ground. Exhaustive research and extensive interviews with everyone from air traffic controllers to rescue workers and the pilots reveals all facets of the crash. Expect high drama and a 'you are there' experience from how the facts are recreated: also expect a gripping story of a crash that actually ended in survival. Any interested in aviation history and experiences will find Flight 232 a winning, engrossing read.


The Education Shelf

The Comfort of Little Things
Holly Elissa Bruno
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605544090 $24.95 www.redleafpress.org

The Comfort of Little Things: An Educator's Guide to Second Chances blends a discussion about leadership with one of educational development, shares the author's personal story and blends it with advice from the educational and neuroscience fields, and offers research-backed stories and examples paired with reflection questions to consider how to integrate spiritual and professional ideals with an educator's growth and teaching process. This might seem like a lot to include under one cover; but the fact that Holly Elissa Bruno's approach is so wide-ranging makes it a surprisingly easy read, perfect for busy educators who want a pointed yet accessible survey.

Vocabularians
Brenda J. Overturf
Stenhouse Publishers
480 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781625310163 $21.00 www.stenhouse.com

Vocabularians: Integrated Word Study in the Middle Grades expands upon concepts introduced in Word Nerds, updating practices for middle grade students and providing keys to teachers who want to build word networks suitable to academic vocabulary development. From teaching students how to use context and decipher words to using reference materials more effectively, Vocabularians is a treasure trove of insights that takes the latest research into the classroom to pair it with applications and approaches that have been proven to work. The result is a teacher's guide that encourages fluency, exploring word nuances and the basics of how better vocabulary is built and reinforced.

Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.corwin.com

Jessica Djabrayan Hannigan and Linda Hauser's The PBIS Tier One Handbook: A Practical Approach to Implementing the Champion Model (9781483375571, $25.00) provides a research-based framework for modifying student behaviors beyond the usual punishment model, and comes from leaders in PBIS implementation who show how to create the kind of school atmosphere that supports all students' efforts to achieve in social and academic circles alike. After providing evidence that this program has been applied and proven to work in a variety of educational settings, a step-by-step framework for implementation is given with specific models, directions, and development techniques educators will find important; especially as they are backed with success stories from teachers and administrators alike. The result blends case study success stories with specific processes for implementing changes: perfect for educators ready to take the next step. Elaine L. Wilmore's Making the Principal TExES Exam Real: Competency-Based Case Studies with Practice Questions (9781483366739, $25.95) provides a companion sequel to the best-seller that covers preparation techniques, and comes from an author whose books have helped educators succeed on TExES exams. It provides an introductory overview, but the real meat of the title lies in the case studies that support student preparation for the exam, incorporating graphics to illustrate complex ideas and pairing such case studies with discussions of different competencies tested on the exam. As a supportive handbook for educators who will take this test, it's packed with invaluable information. Margery B. Ginsberg's Excited to Learn: Motivation and Culturally Responsive Teaching (9781452259536, $32.95) is for teachers who want to use a student's natural curiosity to fuel curriculum requirements, and pairs some fifty strategies designed to enhance a student's emotional foundations and provide a model for motivational planning. Templates, tools and more accompany discussions of diverse classrooms and pack in information for teaching in these environments. From questions designed to facilitate student critical thinking processes to establishing inclusion through activities, this is a 'must' for any teacher working in a culturally diverse classroom setting. Julie R. Smith and Raymond L. Smith's Evaluating Instructional Leadership: Recognized Practices for Success (9781483366722, $25.00) identifies the major problems in the process of evaluating teachers and examines models, issues, and solutions using data that holds a clear connection to the new ISLLC Standards. School leaders receive interactive tools and self-assessments, mid-year evaluation forms, professional growth plans, and more in the form of task listings, discussions, charts, and summaries of practice theories. The result is a solid recommendation for any school leader involved in the evaluation process.


The Technology Shelf

Microwave Radar and Radiometric Remote Sensing
Fawwaz T. Ulaby and David G. Long
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9780472119356 $199.00 www.artechhouse.com

Microwave Radar and Radiometric Remote Sensing is a weighty, authoritative reference that should be in any collection referenced by engineers and professionals working in microwave technology, and provides a blend of theoretical models, system design, and applications of active and passive microwave remote sensing systems. In addition to reviewing and presenting technical details, it includes some fifty MATLAB-based computer codes and supports these with an interactive book website which includes modules based on theoretical and empirical models. Algorithms and charts for beam efficiency, coherent and noncoherent scattering, the applications of microwave graphs and radar sensing devotes to forestry, snow and other projects necessitating measurement and analysis, and discussions that blend these formulas with concrete objectives makes for a solid and detailed reference engineers will find specific and useful.


The Gun Shelf

Blue Book of Gun Values, 36th edition
S.P. Fjestad
Blue Book Publications Inc.
8009 - 34th Avenue S., Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55425
9781936120604 $54.95 www.bluebookofgunvalues.com

Blue Book of Gun Values appears in its thirty-sixth edition and continues to make for an outstanding reference for gun collectors and firearms enthusiasts, covering the new 2015 makes and models, updating values on discontinued antiques, and representing major pricing updates for all models. Over two thousand pages covers some 1,500 gun manufacturers and trademarks, while the section on serialization has been expanded to include more dates. The result is an essential reference that represents so much updated information as to render prior editions obsolete, making this a requirement for any involved in valuing firearms.


The Audiobook Shelf

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

Elin Hilderbrand's The Rumor (9781478954682, $35.00) represents author Elin Hilderbrand's fifteenth novel and is enhanced by an unabridged recording narrated by Kathleen McInerney, Erin Bennett and Rick Zieff who voices lend a drama feel to the story of best friends and a perfect summer on Nantucket. Madeline and Grace have perfect marriages, families and lives - but one summer, all this changes. Rumors abound, the perfect women may have bitten off more than they can chew, and gossip could prove their downfall. A vivid multi-voiced narration lends to a powerfully involving audio version that's gripping and dramatic. James Patterson and Howard Roughan's Truth or Die (9781478927952, $35.00) offers an unabridged reading by Audie Award winning narrator Edoardo Ballerini, includes an excerpt from Alert, and tells of Trevor, whose girlfriend's investigation may threaten their happiness together. Trevor is seeking a peaceful life, but Claire's story will bring them both into a shocking secret that two dangerous, competing sides are vying to control. Suddenly their world is complicated, and it may take a teen genius to help. In audio format Truth or Die becomes an even more gripping thriller, saturated with high drama, vivid narrative style, and an approach that brings the written word to life. Benjamin Percy's The Dead Lands (9781478953104, $35.00) is narrated by Holter Graham, who has performed numerous award-winning audio reads, and begins over a hundred years ago, when the flu mutated and millions died. That's just the starting point for a post-apocalyptic thriller that takes this setting and builds the story of a walled city, a rider who reports on a changed outside world and a new threat, and a small group who leaves security on a mission across America's dangerous heartland in search of something different. A powerful saga enlivened by audio, this is a top recommendation for any who want the feel of a thriller with the tension of an apocalyptic world.


The Cookbook Shelf

Honey & Co.: The Cookbook
Itamar Srulovich & Sarit Packer
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachettebookgroup.com
9780376284301 $35.00 www.littlebrown.com

Honey & Co.: The Cookbook provides a delicious selection of Middle Eastern recipes from a husband-and-wife team who operated as head chef and pastry chef at a top London restaurant before opening their own establishment, Honey & Co., in 2012. Recipes include appetizers and dips, salads, and dishes that reflect the cuisines of North Africa and many different Middle Eastern national traditions, embellishing standards with innovations. Thus, the traditional tabbouleh dish can appear either as Crunchy Root Vegetable Tabbouleh for Winter, with celeriac, carrots, radishes and traditional spices or a Green Tabbouleh Salad for Spring, replete with onions, parsley, mint and cucumber. The result is a delicious gathering recommended for any home cook with an affection for Middle East cuisine, all spiced with full-page color photos of completed fare.

Deliciously Dairy Free
Lesley Waters
Hamlyn
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780600630951 $29.99 www.octopusbooksusa.com

Deliciously Dairy Free: Fresh & Simple Lactose-Free Recipes for Healthy Eating Every Day provides over a hundred lactose-free recipes for dishes that are normally forbidden fare for the lactose intolerant. Picture a pizza with no dairy, cakes and baked goods, even Mac and Cheese: now modify these classics with dairy-free milk, creams, and even cheeses. Dishes aren't just standard American fare, either, but include such international favors as a tagine from Morocco, a classic French quiche, and Smoky Quesadilla Melts. The result does more than modify recipes: it provides keys to using new products that cooks can expand to other dairy-free endeavors.

Stoner Mug Cakes
Dane Noon
Spruce
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781846014987 $9.99 www.octopusbooksusa.com

25 recipes for quick, easy, 'weed cakes' that can be made in the microwave come with two prerequisites: an access to marijuana and an interest in cooking with it. Those with such inclination will find this offers insights on a topic too rarely covered: how to produce delicious baked cakes in mugs, using marijuana as a key ingredient. Cakes range from muffins made with fresh beet juice to coffee cakes, jammy sandwich-style cakes, and more. Each cake includes measurements for adding 'cannabutter flavor' which requires little in the way of skills, but some knowledge about the different sativa plants (explained in an introductory section). The result is a pick for any marijuana-friendly baker.

The Complete Guide to Drying Foods at Home
Terri Paajanen
Atlantic Publishing Group
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781620230053 $14.99 www.amazon.com

The Complete Guide to Drying Foods at Home provides a fine survey of the methods involved in drying not just the usual fruits, but vegetables, meats, herbs and even dairy products, and pairs instructions to using a food dehydrator with alternatives that range from ovens to the sun. From basic equipment to recipes for using the dried ingredients, this covers a range of techniques and options and is a recommendation for cooks who would make the most of their harvest or better preserve their ingredients.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Complete Photo Guide to Crochet
Deborah Burger
Creative Publishing International
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
33 Commercial Street, Gloucester, MA 01930
www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com
9781589238558 $24.99 www.craftside.net

Kids who look for easy step-by-step photos for crochet (and many an adult beginner) will find Complete Photo Guide to Crochet the perfect starting place for success, teaching the basics of selecting and using hooks and yarn to produce finished results. It comes from a veteran who has produced numerous other crochet guides but who here provides a focus parents can use with their kids in language tailored for grade-school age levels. With its kid-oriented projects, clear explanations, good-sized color photos and approach, this is the item of choice for parents who would teach their kids crocheting basics.

Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Rebecca Silbaugh's Seems Like Scrappy : The Look You Love with Fat Quarters and Precuts (9781604685855 $22.99) provides quilt crafters with a fine blend of scrappy appearance and the convenience of using precuts over scraps, and comes from a designer whose top quilting book, Seemingly Scrappy, attracted a wide audience. This sequel provides more projects and a broader collection of precut fabrics in ideas that include hexagons, don't require a fabric stash for success, and which offers tips on mixing textures and colors. Full-page photos of completed projects accompany smaller step-by-step color photos for cutting, piecing, and producing the projects. Gudrun Erla's Learn to Quilt-As-You-Go: 14 Projects You Can Finish Fast (9781604684596, $24.99) provides a fast method of completing quilting projects and provides step-by-step guidance to moving beyond straight-line piecing by presenting new approaches to the basic quilt-as-you-go technique that includes strips, triangles, and a semblance of curves. From choosing materials and cutting and marking projects to sewing by number and adding inserts, This is packed with ideas for runners, bed quilts, and all kinds of quilting projects large and small and expands on the quilter's toolbox. Both are picks for those with some quilting experience who want to expand their skills.


The Martial Arts Shelf

The Mind Inside Tai Chi
Henry Zhuang
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
9781594393334 $16.95 www.ymaa.com

The Mind Inside Tai Chi provides a fine martial arts guide that takes some thirty years of the author's tai chi chuan practices and shares his insights on how tai chi led to better balance, more strength, and other positive aspects in his life. Simply doing tai chi is not enough: its real value lies in learning how to connect tai chi's routines with physical and mental shifts for optimum performance and overall benefit. The result is a powerful survey that will delight tai chi newcomers and seasoned users alike.


The Biography Shelf

Brando's Smile
Susan L. Mizruchi
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393351200 $16.95 www.wwnorton.com

Brando's Smile: His Life, Thought, and Work provides a fine biographical survey of Marlon Brando's career, beginning with his 1943 arrival in Manhattan, a Nebraskan boy with a knack for mimicry, and following his transformation into not just a respected actor, but an iconic film figure. This is no rehash of familiar material: author Mizruchi had the support of the Brando Estate and a number of private collectors to examine his 4,000-volume library collection and a number of private sources not available to the public. Thus, readers can expect chapters that focus on explaining seemingly-contradictory or confusing aspects of Brando's psyche, making it an invaluable pick recommended for film, biography, and prior Brando fans alike.


The Parenting Shelf

The Overparenting Epidemic
George S. Glass, MD, and David Tabatsky
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781628737301 $24.95 www.skyhorsepublishing.com

The Overparenting Epidemic: Why Helicopter Parenting is Bad for Your Kids... And Dangerous for You, Too! discusses overprotective, invasive and competitive parenting tactics and presents studies on the first generation of overparented children who are becoming adults right now. This generation has been bombarded with too much advice, parents who have erased too many obstacles to make their lives easier, and as a result are narcissistic, entitled, and unable to cope with daily life. The ultimate result is a big increase in depression and stress, and modern parents are advised to change their strategies lest this be passed on to future generations. Chapters blend scientific and psychological research with a discussion of this epidemic and its lasting results, making for a powerful read any parent should consider.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Initiatory Path in Fairy Tales
Bernard Roger
Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781620554036 $19.95 www.innertraditions.com

The Initiatory Path in Fairy Tales: The Alchemical Secrets of Mother Goose joins literary analysis with spiritual concerns in exploring the stories gathered by the Brothers Grimm, Perrault and others, showing how hermetic ideas of alchemy and magic are embedded in fairy tale classics. While some of these are obvious, there are many subtler examples explored here, as in the tales attributed to the figure of "Mother Goose" an esoteric symbol which holds many underlying secrets and hermetic references. This focus on analyzing the original versions of the tales over their modern adaptations makes for an absorbing account highly recommended for any literary and new age reader.

Awaken Your Third Eye
Dr. Susan Shumsky
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601633637 $15.99 www.newpagebooks.com

Awaken Your Third Eye: How Accessing Your Sixth Sense Can Help You Find Knowledge, Illumination, and Intuition teaches methods for using the third eye to develop extra senses, and pairs insights into divine guidance and personal powers with a lively survey about the role of the third eye in daily life. Chapters define the qualities of one's 'third eye', discuss how it can be opened and what happens when it does, and provides methods for awakening and developing the extra sensory perceptions of the third eye. The result is a powerful exploration that new age collections will relish.

Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.healingartspress.com

Robert Henderson's Emotion and Healing in the Energy Body: A Handbook of Subtle Energies in Massage and Yoga (9781620554272 $19.99) provides a spirituality and energy medicine guide that relates physical body ailments to psychic conditions, exploring the eight types of energy that affect physical and mental states. These energies are drawn in by the chakras, and thus can be linked to physical and emotional stress alike. Chapters use thirty physical ailments to explore their energetic connections and how reactions by the physical body can affect many states of being. From energy blockages and sexual energy to healing opportunities from yoga and massage, this is a satisfying survey unifying physical, psychic and mental health concerns. Joscelyn Godwin selects the works for The John Michell Reader: Writings and Rants of a Radical Traditionalist (9781620554159, $19.95), and features the works of a countercultural 1960s icon who speaks of fairies, UFOs, Jesus, and society alike. Over a hundred of his essays from his monthly column in The Oldie covers all facets of history, philosophy, wisdom and more, often presenting controversial viewpoints peppered with esoteric wisdom and lessons surrounding the Divine. The result is a scholarly gathering recommended for any interested in new age philosophical and social commentary in general and John Michell in particular. Claude Lecouteux's Demons and Spirits of the Land: Ancestral Lore and Practices (9781620553992, $18.95) explores pagan rituals, medieval stories, and folk traditions to consider the presence of spirits and entities that inhabited the land before modern civilization exiled them into distant lands, and is a specific account of land spirits that have existed since ancient times. It considers the myths of spirits in the wilderness, reveals how beliefs and awareness of these spirits have changed over the centuries, and it shows how concern about these spirits should be part of modern thinking. Michael Baigent's Astrology in Ancient Mesopotamia (9781591432210, $18.00) uses translations of the Nineveh library tablets and other ancient materials to consider how Babylonian science and modern astrology are connected. His is a historical exploration of how astrology evolved to become a discipline since then, tracing the evolution and dissemination of knowledge through lands from Mesopotamia to Europe and beyond. The result is a powerful survey that should be added into any serious astrology collection.


The Self-Help Shelf

Time to Think Guides
Nancy Kline
Cassell Illustrated
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com

Two new 'Time to Think' guides advocate better listening skills, thought processes, and communication and are directed to any self-improvement reader who would absorb the author's system of the 'Thinking Environment', a collection of ten behaviors that serve as a model for more effective human interaction. Time to Think: Listening to Ignite the Human Mind (9780706377453, $12.99) advocates a renewed value in human minds and achievement processes and discusses how to encourage independent thinking and creative problem-solving processes. From solving business problems to applying these techniques to personal life challenges, it covers a range of possibilities in vignettes that can be readily absorbed and applied to different scenarios. Living with Time to Think: The Goddaughter Letters (9781844087957, $12.99) builds on this approach by using letters to the author's three granddaughters to consider basics questions of how to live well, develop purpose in one's life, and experience happiness. From "deciding today not to interrupt anyone ever gain" to "it's all right to feel happy, even if others in the world are sad", these admonitions apply theory and concept to daily experience and, taking the form of written letters to others, provide special insights into the process of self-improvement and eventual transformation. New age and self-help collections will welcome these discussions.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Ultima
Stephen Baxter
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451467720 $26.95 www.penguin.com

Ultima tells of alien artifacts found on a planet, which allow humans to step across light-years of space in an instant - but the real test lies in not just learning how to use the artifacts, but discovering their place in the world. Proxima introduced many amazing ideas: Ultima continues the process, taking the theme of space exploration and applying them further to what happens when exploration unfolds new technology and new realities about the universe. In the end this wisdom will change humanity and revise mankind's place in the universe - perhaps even threaten it by awakening a superior power previously not focused on mankind's presence. Baxter's ability to combine hard science fiction with philosophical angles contributes to a fine read which stands well on its own but truly shines when read in conjunction with Proxima.

Voyage of the Basilisk
Marie Brennan
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765331984 $25.99 www.tor-forge.com

Voyage of the Basilisk: A Memoir by Lady Trent represents another installment in a fantasy series that includes dragons, alternative technology, and a rollicking good read set in a world that is both familiar and strangely alien to early 19th century Earth. Lady Trent is a feisty female who takes on dragons and adventure alike, but her curiosity may ultimately prove her downfall. One needn't have prior familiarity with the series in order to appreciate and relish her adventures, here: the only prerequisite is an affection for mystery-tinged fantasy and a rollicking good read.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Little Pretty Things
Lori Rader-Day
Seventh Street Books
c/o Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
9781633880047 $15.95 www.seventhstreetbooks.com

Little Pretty Things tells of Juliet, who is used to losing as she's lost every track team race to her best friend and, ten years later, is still behind. Juliet has long been jealous of Maddy - but when she finds herself the chief suspect after Maddy is murdered, she is forced to investigate not only her competitor's death, but the real secrets in her life and the costs of her success. Little Pretty Things is an engrossing novel that takes the background of a murder mystery and evolves events to a gripping saga of psychological suspense and underlying motivation.


The Fiction Shelf

The Love She Left Behind
Amanda Coe
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393245493 $25.95 www.wwnorton.com

The Love She Left Behind provides a comic exploration of a dysfunctional family, is set in Britain in 1983, and tells of a sexy playwright who marries Sara, who has abandoned her own children for love. Now it's thirty years later and Sara's death leaves Patrick alone when her now-adult children, filled with questions and troubled minds, comes to tap Patrick for answers. A fun and pointed saga evolves; perfect for those who like their novels edge and with more than a touch of ironic observation and angst.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Quantum Economics
Amit Goswami, PhD
Rainbow Ridge Books
c/o Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
9781937907341 $17.95 www.squareonepublishers.com

Quantum Economics: Unleashing the Power of an Economics of Consciousness is written for business people and consumers who want a wide-ranging discussion of issues of business ethics and creativity in the quest to build a better capitalism system, and it discusses practical applications of current technologies and systems to propose jobs that add value and meaning to life; not just provide economic compensation. This comes from a retired professor of theoretical physics - a surprising source for a business-oriented perspective, and offers a blend of brain science and research findings, political principles, and discussions of a new paradigm in 'quantum economics of consciousness'. The result is a delightful recommendation for any business reader seeking more value to the traditional capitalistic model.

The Economics of Outsourcing
Leslie P. Willcocks and Mary C. Lacity
Edward Elgar Publishing
P.O. Box 960, Herndon, VA 20172-0960
9781783471805 $440.00 www.e-elgar.com

The Economics of Outsourcing: The International Library of Critical Writings in Economics 297 provides college-level students of business and economics with a weighty yet solid set of critical economic writings that narrow their topic to the major issues involved in outsourcing and offshoring work for countries and business establishments alike. An interdisciplinary approach pairs theory with analysis, using case history examples from around the world to consider the intersection of information systems, business strategy theories, and economic policies alike. Exceptionally small print is complimented by charts, graphs and visuals to pack some 788 pages with specific information and data on outsourcing, making for a powerful blend of data and critical analysis that college-level readers will find important.


The International Studies Shelf

Neighborly Adversaries, third edition
Michael J. LaRosa and Frank O. Mora, Editors
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781442226463 $39.00 www.rowman.com

Neighborly Adversaries: Readings in U.S.-Latin American Relations is recommended for college-level students of Latin America political issues, and appears in a newly updated third edition to gather works reviewing the nature of, challenges to, and emergence of major issues in U.S-Latin American policies. Students receive a wide range of analytical surveys and perspectives on attitudes in both nations, presenting a blend of historical background and political analysis designed to lend perspective on current events. The first edition appeared in 1999: this third updated edition adds new sections, reflects the latest scholarship in the field, and is a 'must' for any college-level political science student reviewing Latin American politics.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Introduction to Research and Medical Literature, fourth edition
J. Glenn Forister and J. Dennis Blessing
Jones & Bartlett Learning
5 Wall Street. Burlington, MA 01803
9781284034646 $69.95 www.jblearning.com

Introduction to Research and Medical Literature appears in its fourth updated edition to provide an in-depth text for medical professionals on medical literature, and has been completely revised based on reader feedback. It adds new chapters of statistics, includes new material on qualitative research and regulating human research subjects, and packs in charts, graphs, tables, and more. From putting surveys together and compiling research results to handling qualitative inquiry methods and gathering data for prospective studies, this approach pairs detailed descriptions of research processes and options with the standards and latest research readers need to put together solid results. It's especially recommended as a classroom text for college-level health students learning the processes and challenges of researching medical literature.

The Thrill of Krill
Dennis Goodman, MD
Square One Publishers
115 Herricks Road, Garden City Park, NY 11040
9780757004186 $15.95 www.squareonepublishing.com

The Thrill of Krill: What You Should Know About Krill Oil is written by a cardiologist and provides the first book to discuss why krill oil is a superior supplement. More than a discussion of krill oil's benefits, it goes on to discuss how nutritional fats work in general, why krill oil's unique structure allows the human body to more readily use it, and how to improve health and treat a range of common health conditions. The in-depth reviews of different classes of drugs and supplements and how they work makes for a powerful survey recommended for any general-interest reader considering different nutritional approaches to better health.


The Fashion Shelf

'Icons of Style' series
The Daily Street
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
$20.00 Each

The 'Icons of Style' series focuses on men's street style, each book taking one street style and narrowing the focus to its history. Denim (9781845339968, $20.00), for example, gathers some fifty denim designs in a visual history that traces the evolution of denim from its overall orientation that made its name to how it evolved into a fashion style that changed over the decades. T-Shirts (9781845339975, $20.00) provides some 100 years of t-shirt history and gathers some eye-catching designs, from the original US navy plain white tee to the evolution of cutting-edge global designs and styles. Sneakers (9781845339951, $20.00) surveys the sport shoe industry from the earliest sneakers to the latest renditions, covering classic footwear from Nike Air to Adidas in more modern times. The result is a set of interconnected books that are vivid and packed with color photos on every page to bring fashion history to life.


The Homeowner's Shelf

How to Solar Power Your Home, second edition
Martha Maeda's
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781620230060, $14.99, www.atlantic-pub.com

Four new books provide home and garden readers with revised new second editions containing specifics and new information on home and garden topics, and are recommended picks for any who would get the latest basic information. Martha Maeda's How to Solar Power Your Home: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply is for any homeowner beginning the process of researching solar energy and home power systems, and covers all the basics, from assessing personal energy use and requirements to understanding how solar power works, the cost of acquiring and maintaining equipment, and how this power source differs from traditional sources. Numerous individuals who have installed solar power in their homes have been interviewed for this book, which goes beyond other 'how to' guides to explore the personal process of retrofitting.


The Gardening Shelf

Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com

Two gardening guides are highly recommended for any gardener seeking specifics. Cherie H. Everhart's The Complete Guide to Growing Tomatoes: Everything You Need to Know Explained Simply - Including Heirloom Tomatoes (9781620230014, $14.99) covers everything, from choosing seeds and getting plants to sprout to maintaining a tomato garden, watering, pruning, and harvesting tomatoes. The special section on heirloom tomatoes makes for a fine addition to a gardening guide that blends basic tips with case studies and resources for getting better crops. Wendy Vincent's The Complete Guide to Working With Worms: Using the Gardener's Best Friend for Organic Gardening and Composting (9781620230107, $14.99) advocates composting as it surveys the latest methods involved in composting with worms. Supplies, setup, conditions suitable for composing and worm maintenance, and more provide all the techniques needed to maintain a vermiform compost and use it in the garden. All are excellent home guides suitable for any home and garden library.

Southern Rocky Mountain Wildflowers
Leigh Robertson
Falcon Guides
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.rowman.com
9780762784783 $19.95 www.falcon.com

Southern Rocky Mountain Wildflowers provides a comprehensive and in-depth survey of the wildflowers of the Southern rocky mountain region, is published with the Rocky Mountain Conservancy, and offers full color small photos and descriptions of some 200 plants, organized by color and family. Readers learn about each plant's bloom season, ecology, characteristics, and how to identify them. The field guide may be used in several ways: by travelers with a special interest in the region's wildflowers, by gardeners interested in wildflower properties and their natural history, and by botanists who will find it a solid introduction to the region's wildflowers and their identification.


The Crafts Shelf

Traditional Japanese Origami Kit
Nick Robinson
Rock Point
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781631061288 $15.99 www.rockpointpub.com

Traditional Japanese Origami Kit is designed for paper folding newcomers who want an easy step-by-step introduction to origami art, and pairs a 64-page instruction book with some 70 pieces of illustrated origami paper - everything needed to put origami together. There are numerous origami how-to books on the market, but this is actually a package, and will especially appeal to newcomers who want everything in one place, paper and all. Its appearance also lends perfectly to gift-giving, making it a recommendation for bookstores looking for something eye-catching and different for their book displays.

Charm Love Friendship Bracelets
Sherri Haab
Quarry
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781631590436 $22.99 www.craftside.net

Charm Love Friendship Bracelets: 35 Unique Designs with Polymer Clay, Macrame, Knotting, and Braiding excels in not only clear color photos, but better-than-average close-up shots of step-by-step processes as it explores the world of creating charm bracelets using techniques with ethnic origins. Readers interested in the topic will find it blends a number of jewelry-making approaches with a discussion of basic supplies, project steps, how to incorporate polymer beads into the jewelry design, and how to make charms using molds and different knotting techniques. The wide range of styles and approaches offers readers a satisfying diverse set of skills and descriptions perfect for those who already like charm bracelets and want the insights on how to put them together.

The Complete Guide to Creating Oils, Soaps, Creams, and Herbal Gels for Your Mind and Body
Marlene Jones
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
9781620230084 $14.99 www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Creating Oils, Soaps, Creams, and Herbal Gels for Your Mind and Body: 101 Natural Body Care Recipes appears in a revised second edition to cover the process of creating one's own soaps, creams, gels and more for healthier results, and teaches the basics of how to buy and use essential oils and apply them to recipes that can be used not just for the body, but for cleaning the home and creating special perfumes. Chapters excel in a wider range of applications than competing books offer by utilizing this approach for using natural products, with specifics including equipment, cross-comparison of oils and solutions, recipes, and preparation tips. The result is recommended for any with access to essential oils and interest in using them in homemade preparations.


The World History Shelf

Muslim and Christian Contact in the Middle Ages
Jarbel Rodriguez, Editor
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
9781442600669 $44.95 www.utppublishing.com

Muslim and Christian Contact in the Middle Ages provides college-level readers with a study of the early interactions between Muslims and Christians in medieval times, and gathers together scholarly writings from sources by Byzantine, Jewish, Muslim and Latin Christian authors who consider the specifics of these contacts. The inclusion of multiple reports from widely varying perspectives lends to a survey that encourages a better understanding and differing perceptions of Muslim and Christian relationships and history of the times. From what infidels say about Christians to raids and confrontations, this is the item of choice for any college-level reader seeking an exact contrast between historical facts.


The Christian Studies Shelf

A Still and Quiet Conscience
John A. McCoy
Orbis Books
Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
www.orbisbooks.com
9781626981171 $26.00 www.orbisbooks.com

A Still and Quiet Conscience: A Life of Raymond G. Hunthausen provides a fine biographical survey of the archbishop who challenged the church (as high as the Pop) and politicians (as high as the President) alike, and who adopted a fearless representation of Vatican II ideals. Hunthausen's approach reflected the spirit of Vatican II's ideals and presented the figure of a fearless leader who witnessed for peace, urged tax resistance as an effective protest method, and handled conflicts inside and outside the Vatican with skill. The result is a powerful survey that any Christian collection will appreciate, documenting the processes and ideals of a charismatic leader.


The Military Shelf

Hidden Warships
Nicholas A. Veronico
Zenith Press
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9780760347560 $30.00 www.zenithpress.com

Hidden Warships: Finding World War II's Abandoned, Sunk, and Preserved Warships comes from a naval historian who relates the history, recovery, and preservation process involved in finding combat ships that have sunk, whether they be Japanese subs that attacked Pearl Harbor or the 2006 recent sinking of an aircraft carrier, and documents each vessel's career, sinking, and excavation. While under different hands this could have been more of a discussion of archaeological efforts, its focus on naval history as well as historic sites makes for a survey rich in naval warfare history. These relics are the last remaining evidence of many of the battle results, and Veronico's authoritative yet accessible discussion lends to the book's enjoyment by both naval history buffs and outsiders with relatively little knowledge of events or preservation efforts.


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


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