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California Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 12 December 2014 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Biography Shelf Writing/Publishing Shelf
Literary Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Criminology Shelf Political Science Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Military Shelf Computer Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Business Shelf Crafts Shelf
Architecture Shelf Art Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Music Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Library Science Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Sports Shelf
Education Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Travel Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Photography Shelf
Science Shelf Women's Studies Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Fiction Shelf Nautical Shelf LGBT Shelf
Automotive Shelf Gun Shelf California Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

A Deadly Wandering
Matt Richtel
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062284068, $28.99, www.harpercollins.com

A Deadly Wandering: A Tale of Redemption in the Age of Attention blends scientific investigation with psychology as it considers the events surrounding a 2006 Utah college student, who killed two rocket scientists while texting and driving. What followed the tragedy was a chain of events centering on distracted driving and its affects on life, offering a story of the victims, law enforcement agencies, the driver, and more. It considers the impact of technology on our lives, it examines the drive for social connections, and it considers how the human brain processes information. The wide-ranging approach makes this a pick beyond the usual science or psychology collections, reaching well into the general-interest reader's audience.

Managing Fire in the Urban Wildland Interface
Kenneth Blonski, et.al.
Solano Press Books
PO Box 773, Point Arena, CA 95468
978923956967, $85.00, www.solanopress.com

Managing Fire in the Urban Wildland Interface provides a fine guide collecting solutions and strategies for managing fire near urban areas, and is designed to be a reference covering codes, laws, and providing case studies and source material on urban fire management. It uses best practices from California experience but isn't limited to California alone: its lessons and references will appeal to users in state, federal and local agency positions and makes for a solid reference packed with resources and articles any involved in fire prevention or management will find invaluable.

Modernizing American Land Records
Earl F. Epstein & Bernard J. Niemann Jr.
ESRI Press
380 New York Street, Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589483040, $24.99, www.esri.com/esripress

Modernizing American Land Records: Order Upon Chaos presents the history of American land use concepts, management and record-keeping systems, and proposes the design of a modern system that reflects the latest technology and management practices. With its discussions tying in traditional views of American land record-keeping systems with the new challenges of modern perspectives, this provides a wide-ranging survey recommended for any collection strong in geographic systems, land management systems, and trends in government maintenance of public records and research. The result is recommended for political studies and research management collections alike.

Uncle John's Canoramic Bathroom Reader
Bathroom Readers' Institute
PO Box 1117, Ashland, OR 97520
9781626861749, $19.95, www.bathroomreader.com

Uncle John's Canoramic Bathroom Reader is a fine blend of humor and trivia reference book, and appears in a new 27th edition packed with fun references to the oddest facts on Earth. From attacking trees and how to outsmart pickpockets while on vacation to odd taxidermy approaches and futurists whose profession it is to worry about the future, this offers fun ideas and bathroom oddities perfect for any who enjoy easy, fun stories and trivia facts.


The Biography Shelf

Becoming Belafonte
Judith E. Smith
University of Texas Press
PO Box 7819, Austin, TX 78713-7819
9780393729148, $35.00, www.utexaspress.com

Becoming Belafonte: Black Artist, Public Radical comes with over thirty black and white photos and a discussion centering around a poor black boy who grew up in Depression-era Harlem to become the fist black performer to gain artistic control over the representation of Afro-Americans in the media. Belafonte's work and achievements broke rules, making him not only a popular entertainer but a champion of civil rights for his people and other performers. Surprisingly, this is the first book to provide a full-length study of his story against the backdrop of American race relations and black media history. Don't expect a quick biographical sketch: this is a full-fledged survey that blends biographical elements with issues of social and civil rights history and changes, and is especially recommended for social and political science collections at the college level.

David Wilkerson
Gary Wilkerson with R.S.B. Sawyer
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E., Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310326274, $22.99, www.zondervan.com

David Wilkerson: The Cross, the Switchblade, and the Man Who Believed tells the story of a nondenominational, street-level missionary of the slums who faced down criminals, drugs and violence and brought his vision of God to the streets. He bucked secular and church systems to reach populations few churches could handle and he brought the church into the streets and onto the home turfs of gangs in his quest to bring religion to those who needed it most. His book The Cross and the Switchblade chronicled the conversion of one gang leader and sold over 16 million copies around the world: this powerful survey by his son offers rare and personal perspectives on Wilkerson's living example and is a powerful pick for biography and spirituality holdings alike.

Lady Parts
Andrea Martin
HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062387288, $27.99, www.harpercollins.com

LADY PARTS shares fun and laughter from entertainer and comedian author Andrea Martin's life, and offers her autobiography here for the first time as she reviews her life in show business and her experiences on and off-stage, with family, friends, and fans alike. This takes the form of vignettes that shine: each reflects on her experiences, her influences of the times, and the things she enjoys for work or for pleasure.

Surrender to Joy
Suzanne Falter
Love & Happiness Publishing
9780991124800, $9.95, www.amazon.com

Surrender to Joy: My Year of Love, Letting Go and Forgiveness tells of how the author's 22-year-old daughter collapsed suddenly from cardiac arrest, and died six days later. It's about those six days, during which a spiritual journey was undertaken that left her mother with both grief and joy. These are the essays about this journey into the divine and offers an inspirational autobiography perfect for any facing down their own grief and looking for spiritual insights to be gained from loss.

Queen of Domination: My Secret Life
Dr. Charlayne Grench
Bryce Cullen Publications
P.O. Box 731, Alpine NJ 07620
9781935752516, $15.95, www.brycecullen.com

Surprisingly, this is one of the few non-fiction accounts of female sexuality designed to blend autobiography with sexual insight as it exposes the world of a woman whose mission to study sexual desires and behaviors blends with her own risque sexual choices and taboo approach to sex. Accused of slavery and prostitution, fueled by the idea of dominant women performing acts Dr. Grench initially couldn't imagine, this is an exploration of the world of the dominatrix and blends an erotic survey with her own experiences. Not every library will accept this book: those that do will find it unique in its candid discussions of a little-known world.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Screenwriting for Neurotics
Scott Winfield Sublett
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609382766, $24.00, www.uiowapress.org

Screenwriting for Neurotics: A Beginner's Guide to Writing a Feature-Length Screenplay from Start to Finish provides writers with all the tools needed to produce a successful feature-length screenplay and offers step-by-step assessments that include keys of how to begin and how to produce a successful result. Beginners new to the screenwriting process receive a fine survey that reviews successful writing techniques and how they are applied in films, using examples from well-known classic and modern films alike. It's all about finishing off a polished script - and this is the one place to begin that covers all the bases.

Writing the Story Within
Chip Richards
Blue Angel Publishing
80 Glen Tower Drive, Glen Waverley, VIC, Australia 3150
97800738743158, $19.95, www.blueangelonline.com

Any aspiring writer who wants to use their experience to produce engaging stories in any format, whether they be a novel, children's book, travel blog or short saga, will find Writing the Story Within an important key to tapping the untold riches of one's life and creating characters and descriptions that nearly write themselves. From expanding connections to stories that reflect one's life and beliefs to creatively honing a structure that moves beyond written word to bring these tales to screen, this is an outstanding writer's guide that gets to the point of exactly how to make the leap between experience and written word, and is highly recommended for any would-be writer who has a story to tell.

Plot Perfect
Paula Munier
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
9781599638140, $17.99, www.writersdigest.com

PLOT PERFECT: HOW TO BUILD UNFORGETTABLE STORIES SCENE BY SCENE is a recommended pick for any who want to understand the underlying influence on creating a memorable plot, and why some plots are better than others. It teaches the rudiments of arranging scenes for better impact, layering a storyline, developing dialogue and tone to support the plot structure, and handling changing themes. The result is a step-by-step approach to understanding a plot's direction: a powerful survey for any writer who wants to hone skills to a fine art.


The Literary Shelf

Lines of Vision
Janet McLean, Editor
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500517567, $35.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Lines of Vision: Irish Writers on Art is published to celebrate some 150 years of the national Gallery of Ireland, and provides an illustrated anthology gathering work by Irish novelists, playwrights and poets who have selected pictures from the gallery's collection to explore ideas about Irish culture and place. It's unusual to have a Thames and Hudson art book featured in our literary section, but this book could also have been featured under Arts or cultural concerns: such is the extent of its wide-ranging writings by literary authors who provide verse and text examining Irish art. The result is a powerful examination, highly recommended for any collection strong in Irish cultural exploration.

Censors at Work
Robert Darnton
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780393242294, $27.95, www.wwnorton.com

Censors at Work: How States Shaped Literature offers an unusual focus on how censorship shaped literary expression over the years, beginning with 18th century France, where censors, authors and booksellers had to deal with royal influences on the process, and continuing to various nations in modern times. From how the British Raj operated a vast surveillance program in India that included monitoring its literary contents to censorship under communism and how it was negotiated in political circles, chapters use particular instances of censorship through the ages to trace both its different incarnations and its lasting influence on how literature was conceived, produced, and marketed. The result is a wider-ranging survey than most books on the topic, embracing the political influences on literary production that have shaped today's modern literary milieu.

Reading Revolution
Ashwin Desai
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608482728, $19.00, www.haymarketbooks.org

READING REVOLUTION: SHAKESPEARE ON ROBBEN ISLAND could also have been featured in our 'social issues' section for its focus on how prisoners at Robben Island in South Africa managed to smuggle political literature disguised as religious texts into their cells, but it's considered here for its focus on how Shakespeare's works held inspiration and hope for a community imprisoned by powerful political forces. It exposes the power of Shakespeare's works beyond literary circles and draws important connections between these writings and their translation in modern times. Discussions of literature move far beyond Shakespeare and so color photos and autobiographical reflections of prisoners pair with discussions of literature as a whole and the South African political milieu in particular to make for an exceptional survey of the revolutionary power of the written word.

The Republic of Imagination
Azar Nafish
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670026067, $28.95, www.penguin.com

THE REPUBLIC OF IMAGINATION: AMERICA IN THREE BOOKS is a key connection between the literary world and those of history students, and offers a follow up to Nafisi's acclaimed best-selling survey READING LOLITA IN TEHRAN, which told the story of how she taught American literature to Iranian students. Here is a book with a twist on the original theme, for Americans, considering what it means to be an American and how its values are reflected in American literature. Memoir blends with examples of her favorite novels - Twain's HUCKLEBERRY FINN, Lewis's BABBITT, McCuller's THE HEART IS A LONELY HUNTER and Baldwin's ANOTHER COUNTRY - and uses autobiography and social and political examination to consider the foundations of America's fictional landscape. The result is a powerful choice for history, autobiography, and literature readers alike.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Sex and the Spiritual Teacher
Scott Edelstein
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street, Somerville, MA 02144
9780861715961, $16.95, www.wisdompbs.org

Sex and the Spiritual Teacher blends spirituality and psychology as well as overall health and considers sexual transgressions between spiritual teachers and their students. It considers the transgression, its moral and ethical message, how to understand the paradox of male/female interactions in the realm of spiritual counseling and relationships, and scenarios in which students seduce teachers as well as visa versa. With its consideration of all the different factors that lead to such scenarios, this provides teacher and student with much food for thought - and much advance warning.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Radical Spirituality
Jason Storbakken
Orbis Books
Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
9781626981034, $25.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Radical Spirituality: Repentance, Resistance, Revolution blends autobiography, scriptural references, politics and a different kind of religious manifesto for Christians who seek different interpretations of the message of Jesus. Storbakken's take is that Christians should be considering a more radical form of discipleship: one that operates more effectively on the margins of society and belief, and one which links to a new world emerging from old Christian paths. The result is a powerful survey that will especially appeal to any Christian looking for a different purpose for enacting and living a religious life.

Finding Church
Wayne Jacobsen
Trailview Media
c/o Lifestream Ministries
1560-1 Newbury Rd #313, Newbury Park, CA 91320
978098394152, $11.99, www.findingchurch.com

FINDING CHURCH: WHAT IF THERE REALLY IS SOMETHING MORE? examines the Church of God and comes from a believer who has researched New Testament and community programs alike in his search for how God and the church reaches into lives. His discussion promotes the idea of a church as a living temple that moves from individual beliefs to worldwide community interactions, with chapters drawing important links between modern living and opportunities to recognize Jesus's hand in everyday events. The result is a discussion that will interest any with a wider view of church perspective.

Heirs to a Forgotten Kingdom
Gerard Russell
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465030569, $28.99, www.basicbooks.com

Heirs to a Forgotten Kingdom: Journeys into the Disappearing Religions of the Middle East comes from a former British and U.S. diplomat who here provides a portrait of a number of vanishing religions, from the Yazidis in Iraq and the Zoroastrians of Iran to the Lebanese Druze, to name just a few. Some worship Lucifer as a peacock, all are religious and ethnic minorities who have lived in the Middle East for thousands of years, and all represent ancient civilizations that are all but unknown outside of the Middle East. Any collection strong in Middle East history or religions needs this.

Doing Business God's Way
Santiago Rivera
Willpower Press
9780990561507, $14.99, www.willpowerpress.com

Doing Business God's Way teaches business owners how to create or expand their businesses using belief as one of the guideposts, and is recommended for Christian businessmen, in particular, who want to use their religion to build business strength. The focus here is on using God as the primary business partner, and this approach reflects some 20 years in the healthcare industry as a leader helping professionals integrate belief with profession. Chapters teach how and why doing business 'God's way' works, and provide a wealth of insights business readers will find specific and useful.

Churchless
Barna Group
Tyndale Momentum
c/o Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
www.tyndale.com
9781414387093, $17.99, www.tyndale.com

CHURCHLESS: UNDERSTANDING TODAY'S UNCHURCHED AND HOW TO CONNECT WITH THEM examines what causes people to stay away from church, what makes them feel engaged, and how churchless people have different reasons for not going than in the past. It comes from a team of authors who use the new Barna Group research records to fuel new debates on modern culture and church involvements with society, and it tells how to turn these insights into action to reach out to churchless friends. The result is a powerful and involving examination of the basic concept of connecting church to people: a 'must' for any working within the church to expand its reach.

The Drama of Living
David F. Ford
Brazos
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
www.bakerpublishinggroup.com
9781587433245, $19.99, www.brazospress.com

The Drama of Living: Becoming Wise in the Spirit explains how we can live wisely in modern times, incorporating God and wisdom within the trappings of daily living, and explores how spirituality is affected by drama, relationships, and life's challenges. The response is to exercise imagination and judgment: this sequel to THE SHAPE OF LIVING from theologian david Ford offers further insights on how to stay centered on God and the spirit in a world of distraction and challenge. Discussion questions make for a survey recommended for any spiritual thinker.

Walking God's Earth
David Cloutier
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814637098, $16.95, www.litpress.org

Walking God's Earth: The Environment and Catholic Faith considers how the Catholic tradition relates to environmental concerns and how 'finding our place' in God's order also involves dealing with questions of fuel, food, dwelling places and more elements of daily living. The environment of the heart and soul are linked to other elements of God's creation and the holy ways involved in truly living a life of faith, with chapters covering the importance of connecting faith to environment. The result is a hard-hitting, involving account recommended for any Catholic reader.

Christianity is Not Great
John W. Loftus, Editor
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
www.prometheusbooks.com
9781616149567, $20.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

CHRISTIANITY IS NOT GREAT: HOW FAITH FAILS considers the problematic aspects of Christian belief and examine how belief can be accepted and fostered or denied, examining the political, scientific, social and moral decisions that are based on Christian perspectives and considering the three most common Christian responses to nonbelievers. Chapters by various contributors examine history and problems inherent in Christian beliefs, and make for a scholarly yet accessible treatment that's especially recommended for Christian collections appealing to lay and scholarly readers alike.


The Criminology Shelf

The Skeleton Crew
Deborah Halber
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 12th floor, New York, NY 10020
9781451657586, $25.00, www.simonandchuster.com

The Skeleton Crew: How Amateur Sleuths Are Solving America's Coldest Cases tells how unidentified victims and unsolved crimes long overlooked by law enforcement officials who gave up are being resurrected by a new breed of Sherlock Holmes-type investigators - civilians who love to tackle cold cases. Web sleuths are a growing phenomenon, actually solve cases long put to rest, and go where law enforcement doesn't have the time, manpower or savvy. They use online clues to ferret out identification on missing persons for little financial reward or recognition - usually online forums are their only connections. This fascinating coverage of their work will delight any who harbor a secret passion for online investigations, and is a highly recommended, unique documentation of a growing phenomenon.

Chasing 120
Monte Wolverton
Plain Truth Ministries
9781889973159, $5.99 (Kindle), www.ptm.com

CHASING 120: A STORY OF FOOD, FAITH, FRAUD AND THE PURSUIT OF LONGEVITY considers the success of the Wellness 120 program, a biblically-based promise of 120 healthy years for any who purchase specific nutritional products, and tells of preacher Dr. Tyler Beknap who promoted this fad. Many of his supplements are actually based on genetically modified plants he developed - and when their son suffered brain damage from one of the modified foods, their empire shattered. An easy read makes for an eye-opening expose of religious fervor and tragedy.


The Political Science Shelf

The Responsive City
Stephen Goldsmith and Susan Crawford
Jossey-Bass
c/o Wiley Trade Publishing Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com/business
9781118910900, $35.00, www.josseybass.com

Local and state governments are being tapped to solve real problems for their constituents with increasingly limited resources and taxes, but part of the problem is how local government operates and communicates with its citizens. The Responsive City: Engaging Communities Through Data-Smart Governance outlines the nature of this problem, how the emergence of new technologies have empowered local leaders to explore new avenues of communication and operations, and provides a powerful resource for public officials, civic leaders and others who want to use this new technology to structure and run a more effective government. The result is a powerful course in effective response, recommended for any political studies collection or for leaders already involved in local or state government.

Firing Back
Todd Akin
WND Books
P.O. Box 1627, Medford, OR 97501
9781936488209, $25.95, www.wnd.com

FIRING BACK: TAKING ON THE PARTY BOSSES AND MEDIA ELITE TO PROTECT OUR FAITH AND FREEDOM comes from a respected member of the House of Representatives whose reputation has been tarnished as of late, and whose political career become mired in accusations and ridicule. FIRING BACK is his response, recounting his conflicts with Republican operatives and the liberal press alike, the evolution of a party war that caused ongoing conflict, and his battles with a legislature that has proved increasingly hostile to conservatives. The result is both a personal defense and an analysis of paths that are politically challenging in modern circles, and makes for a powerful survey recommended for any political reader.

Shadow Government
Tom Engelhardt
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608463657, $15.95, www.haymarketbooks.org

SHADOW GOVERNMENT: SURVEILLANCE, SECRET WARS, AND A GLOBAL SECURITY STATE IN A SINGLE-SUPERPOWER WORLD explores what happens when a national security state becomes a global security one, fighting secret wars that make the chief in charge a virtual assassin, and is a pick for any political studies collection. It's about how secrets and government surveillance works, their ultimate cost, and how the political and social process is affected by surveillance and it assesses new definitions of war and international clashes against this backdrop of secrecy. With its wide-ranging assessment of these global systems, SHADOW GOVERNMENT provides a hard-hitting discussion recommended for any political science reader.

The Obama Effect
Seth K. Goldman and Diana C. Mutz
Russell Sage Foundation
112 East 64th Street, New York, NY 10065
9780871545725, $32.50, www.russellsage.org

The Obama Effect: How the 2008 Campaign Changed White Racial Attitudes is based on a series of national surveys tracking the 2008 election, and offers a study that probes the differences between white and black individuals in America and how Obama's campaign ultimately succeeded against all prejudice. It offers evidence that white racial prejudice toward blacks declined during the campaign, and it assesses the aftermath of Obama's election, which is only slowly continuing to change hearts and minds. The result is a powerful account that offers new assessments of the relationship between mass media and American racial attitudes in general and Obama's campaign and office, in particular.

The Fragmentation of Global Climate Governance
Harro Van Asselt
Edward Elgar Publishing
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060-3815
9781782544975, $145.00, www.e-elgar.com

The Fragmentation of Global Climate Governance: Consequences and Management of regime Interactions joins others in the 'New Horizons in Environmental and Energy Law' series, and offers college-level and scholarly readers a survey examining regime interactions between international climate issues and clean technology, biodiversity and international trade. It considers the consequences of interactions, provides a critical review of legal and political issues and attempts to mitigate conflicts between regimes in climate change circles, and considers how institutional fragmentation change governance. The result is a technical analysis that takes into account the literature on institutional interactions and international law, and how different management issues affect issues in climate change approaches.

What Diplomats Do
Brian Barder
Rowman & Littlefield
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781442226357, $44.00, www.rowman.com

What Diplomats Do: The Life and Work of Diplomats describes the various stages of a diplomat's career using a fictional figure and following him from his application to join the international diplomatic service through different domestic and foreign posts. This approach offers a chapter-by-chapter study based on the author's thirty-year experience as a diplomat, Ambassador, and High Commissioner and is packed with lively case history descriptions that hones in on exactly what a diplomat's skills and processes are. The result is a powerful survey that clearly outlines the routines and job of a diplomat at home and abroad.


The Cookbook Shelf

Chocolate at Home
Will Torrent
Ryland Peters & Small
519 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10012
9781849755733, $27.95, www.rylandpeters.com

Chocolate at Home provides a series of step-by-step recipes for making and working with chocolate, pairs these with lovely full-page photos by Jonathan Gregson, and creates a powerful survey blending some 80 illustrated recipes with specific guidelines for understanding how to work with and make chocolate treats. Chapters cover everything from cookies and candies to drinks, ice cream and more, and range from easy to complicated fare. The result is a wider-ranging chocolate cookbook than most, perfect for any involved in the finer art of handling and working with chocolate.

Books That Cook
Jennifer Cognard-Black and Melissa A. Goldthwaite
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10003
9781479830213, $30.00, www.nyupress.org

Books That Cook: The Making of a Literary Meal is arranged like a cookbook but offers up a gathering of American literary works written on the theme of food: thus, it will appeal to cooks and fans of culinary literature alike. Each section blends poetry, prose, and essays and includes a recipe or two, and each offers solid literary reflections from James Beard, M.F.K. Fisher, Alice Waters, and more. Review of major cookbooks that changed the culinary world, from the Boston Cooking-School Cookbook to the Chez Panisse Menu Cookbook, are included along with notes and reflections on culinary history. The result is a solid reference and a lively literary read for any cookbook collection and for literature readers who love food.

Shroom
Becky Selengut
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449448264, $35.00, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

SHROOM: MIND-BENDINGLY GOOD RECIPES FOR CULTIVATED AND WILD MUSHROOMS provides recipes for 15 different mushroom recipes commonly found in stores and restaurants, and covers all the basics of working with mushrooms. From 15 species-specific chapters on mushroom cookery to cooking directions for novices and experienced mushroom cooks alike, this includes all kinds of tips for cleaning, storing, preparing and using mushrooms and adds plenty of international spices into the mix. With its lively and colorful arrangement and variety of dishes, this is a pick for any with access to mushrooms who want details on how to make the most of them.

Red Velvet Lover's Cookbook
Deborah Harroun
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
978155832841, $17.95, www.harvardcommonpress.com

Red Velvet Lover's Cookbook: Best-Ever Recipes for Everything Red Velvet, with More than 50 Scrumptious Sweets and Treats is the only cookbook on the market to take the traditional Red Velvet Cake recipe and move it to another level, offering adaptations on the theme that range from cookies to cheesecakes and beyond. Color photos throughout accompany such dishes as Truffles, Baked Doughnuts with Cream Cheese Frosting, and more. By expanding the possibilities of the Red Velvet base, Harroun has created refreshingly different fare for any with a sweet tooth and an affection for Red Velvet's unique flavor and consistency.

Comfort Food
Jamie Oliver
Ecco Press
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062305619, $34.99, www.eccobooks.com

COMFORT FOOD: THE ULTIMATE WEEKEND COOKBOOK is all about comfort food for weekend fare, not for everyday cooking, and profiles special dishes that lend to holidays and celebrations. From Jelly Brownies to a hearty Ultimate Black Daal and Crab Linguine, color photos on facing pages accompany dishes designed for entertaining 8-10, and represent fare that pairs the comfort theme of inviting, hearty dishes with the entertainment requirements of weekend gatherings. The result is an inviting collection packed with dishes any home cook will find easy to duplicate and appealing to feature.

Cooking with Ancient Grains
Maria Baez Kijac
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
9781440579561, $19.99, www.adamsmedia.com

Cooking with Ancient Grains: 75 Delicious Recipes for Quinoa, Amaranth, Chia, and Kaniwa provides a fine survey pairing surprisingly simple recipes with grain cookery: all that's needed by the cook is access to grains such as quinoa, chia and others, and the rest falls into place. Here are dishes such as a spicy Eggplant and Chia Spread, Cornbread with Quinoa Flour and Cheese, Chia Fresca drink and much more. Any interested in an introduction to these grains will find this a fine start, packed with color photos and easy recipes!

The Complete Coconut Cookbook
Camilla V. Saulsbury
Robert Rose
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778804888, $24.95, www.robertrose.ca

The Complete Coconut Cookbook discusses the health benefits of using coconut in cooking and provides a range of recipes that uses products from oils and flours to milk and sugar, providing a cookbook packed with salads, soups, desserts, and more. Full color images accompany recipes from Coconut Shortbread and Strawberry Coconut Mousse to a Moroccan Sweet Potato, Butter Bean and coconut Tagine. The result is an appealing collection of diverse approaches to using coconut, and an inviting gathering recommended for any who want to use more coconut in their cookery.

Food, Family & Tradition
Lynn Kirsche Shapiro
The Cherry Press
c/o Trina Kaye Organization
9780989847902, $35.00, www.thecherrypress.com

Food, Family & Tradition: Hungarian Kosher Family Recipes and Remembrances packs in over 150 original, new recipes labeled diary, meat, or parve for readers who keep Kosher, adds color photos throughout, and include preparation methods updated for modern kitchens. Recipes are accompanied by memories of food and family, covering Jewish life in Eastern Europe before the Holocaust and testifying to the strength of survivors and food. With such dishes as Boiled Tongue with a garlicky sauce, Parve Mashed Potatoes, and a classic family recipe for Famous Chicken Soup, this is a 'must' for any interested in either Jewish or Eastern European cookery.

Heritage
Sean Brock
Artisan Books
c/o Workman Publishing Company
225 Varick Street, New York, NY 10014-4381
9781579654634, $40.00, www.artisanbooks.com

HERITAGE comes from the award-winning chef of a notable South Carolina restaurant and another in Nashville, and shares the stories and recipes behind the author's passion for preserving heritage foods. The book's arrangement is unique: it's organized by place, from garden vegetables and yard animals to seafood from ocean and creeks, and each chapter opens with a profile of a farmer or foodie who has contributed to the author's sense of how flavors are preserved in good food. Each discussion also includes a selection of dishes he cooks at home and in his restaurants. Pair these with color photos - some 150 in all - and you have a celebration of heritage cooking that will please and excite any home cook.

My Little French Kitchen
Rachel Khoo
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452133076, $35.00, www.chroniclebooks.com

My Little French Kitchen: Over 100 Recipes from the Mountains, Market Squares, and Shores of France comes from an author who adopted France as her own country, and who here combines a travelogue of her journeys through France with discussions of its regional dishes. It's an exploration of people, places and home cooking as much as French cuisine: as such, it should be considered not just as another French cookbook, but as one more enlightening about the French people and their habits. Khoo journeyed around the country from mountains to valleys, wine-making areas to beaches - and so her recipes come from a diverse range of atmospheres. The result is a satisfyingly diverse, engrossing read that takes the 'cookbook' genre and moves it a step up.

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook
America's Test Kitchen
Deborah Broide
9781936493937, $45.00, www.americanstestkitchen.com

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook offers a newly revised edition covering all 115 seasons including 2104 of the hit TV series, packing in nearly a thousand tested recipes to accompany discussions of techniques and cooking tips. From Cream Cheese Brownies and Grilled Fish Tacos to Chicken Parmesan, discussions revolve around the TV show test kitchen process and teach what really happens in the process of developing and testing 'foolproof' dishes. Any interested in cooking in general and the America's Test Kitchen TV show in particular will welcome this survey.

Broccoli, Love & Dark Chocolate
Liz Pearson
Whitecap Books
314 West Cordova St., Suite 210
Vancouver, BC, Canada, V6B 1E8
9781770502116, $29.95, www.whitecap.ca

Broccoli, Love & Dark Chocolate: Because Good, Love and Life Should Be Delicious combines the science of nutrition and the concept of 'superfoods' that are extra healthy with recipes that are designed to address health goals and approaches that are designed to support concepts of sharing and joy. One doesn't usually associate broccoli with such a mix; but then, there are many pleasing surprises here that link selected fruits and vegetables - and chocolate - with healthy results. From common food myths and misunderstandings to nutritious recipes and accompanying lessons on living a better life, this is an appealing, fun book as well as a winning recipe collection.

Dishing Up New Mexico
Dave DeWitt
Storey Publications
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781612122502, $19.95, www.storey.com

Dishing Up New Mexico covers the state's cuisine and culture alike, offers the seventh in Storey Publishing's 'Dishing Up' series, and covers the farms, restaurants, and historical settings of New Mexico's farm-to-table movement. This is a satisfying blend of traditional, local, and innovative dishes that all hold some unique connections to New Mexico, with foods including such dishes as Grilled Green Chile Cheese Tamales with Avocado Cream and World's Best Lamb Chili. The result is a collection of satisfying, appealing dishes that will appeal even to those who have not had much prior familiarity with New Mexican food.

Best Food Writing 2014
Holly Hughes, Editor
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738217918, $15.99, www.dacapopress.com

Best Food Writing 2014 offers the latest addition to the series and gathers outstanding culinary prose from the previous year's blogs, books, magazines and newspapers. These are entertaining and absorbing food reads with widely diverse themes and approaches: all that's required in order to successfully imbibe is affection for food and reading about food history, culture, and preparation. Expect literary pieces that are superior works: well written, absorbing, and often hilarious and fun. Any food fan will love the collection.

The Lusty Vegan
Ayinde Howell and Zoe Eisenberg
Vegan Heritage Press
P.O. Box 628, Woodstock, VA 22664-0628
0985466294, $21.95, www.veganheritagepress.com

Vegan enthusiasts who want a cookbook directed to sharing with non-vegans will find much to like about THE LUSTY VEGAN, which offers dishes everyone will relish. The question of how to handle a meal when one person is a vegan and one is not is tackled in chapters that offer tips for couples and would-be couples, providing recipes attractive to both. Color photos on many pages compliment dishes such as a Braised Tempeh Salad with Chimichurri Dressing, Miso-Vermuth Braised Druken Bok Choy and Moroccan Tempeh Chermoula, while chapters offer such intriguing headings as 'Meet the Omnis', 'Cohabitation' (for main dishes), and 'Breakup Food' (dessert). With its sense of humor and fun explorations, The Lusty Vegan is a 'must' for couples looking to meld not just their lives, but their diets.


The Self-Help Shelf

The Real Brass Ring
Dianne Bischoff James
Turning Stone Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781618520555, $19.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

The Real Brass Ring: Change Your Life Course Now discusses a 'midlife reboot' that happened to the author after consulting with a famous psychic. That meeting forced her to re-examine every part of her traditional life, even though she already 'had it all' - career, family, and social status. At the age of forty she crafted a 'midlife reboot' and battled with the aftermath of divorce, depression, and more: this recounts this process and will serve as inspirational reading for any others who think about changing course mid-life and ultimately creating a better direction.

Right Recovery for You
Marilyn M. Bradford, MSSW, MED, CFMW
Access Consciousness Publishing
www.accessconsciousnesspublishing.com
9781939261472, $35.00, www.amazon.com

Right Recovery for You: Empowering You to Move Beyond Any Addictive or Compulsive Behavior isn't about presenting a system and inviting readers to link their behaviors into a renovation process: it's about reviewing the tools, techniques and processes that individuals and pick and choose to address their own issues with addiction, and it discusses the mechanics of how to life a life free of addictive or compulsive behaviors. Chapters offer frameworks for considering judgments, what's right and wrong about addictive qualities, and even delve into past live scenarios as they relate to addiction. From how people with addictions find themselves in abusive situations to why these patterns evolve in the first place, this is a recovery book that doesn't proffer a singular approach, but offers a range of insights and approaches to freedom. It's up to the reader to choose what path best works for them.

College Basic Training
Susan Jensen
Swan Fitness Publishing
9780990578925, $19.95, www.swanfitcoach.com

College Basic Training: Strengthen Your Mind and Body to Leap Any College Hurdle provides practical tips for young women, comes from a fitness trainer, and discusses how to manage sleep, nutrition, exercise and overall health that even includes sex and drugs. Chapters directed to young college women advocate mindful eating habits, eating healthy in dorms and outside on one's own, staying fit through simple exercise routines, and more. By directing advice to college women, this book goes where few others attempt, creating the kind of training program that fits easily into a college student's life. It should be on the reading lists of any heading off to school or moving away from home for the first time.

Well Seasoned
Rebecca Webb Wilson
Inspire on Purpose Publishing
The Tower on Lake Carolyn
909 Lake Carolyn Parkway, Irving, TX 75039
9780989800860, $25.00, www.inspireonpurpose.com

WELL SEASONED: SAVORING LIFE'S LESSONS pairs lovely color photos with essays and comes from a nature photographer who here tests her hand at inspirational writing - and succeeds. Her seasonal reflections pair the best of photos and poetry and include quotes and insights on gratitude for seasonal reflection. From a time of year devoted to balancing family and work to how life questions are solved, this is a top approach for any looking for visual reinforcement of inspirational thoughts.

How to Design a Life Worth Smiling About
Darryl Davis
McGraw-Hill Professional
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
9780071819862, $25.00, www.mhprofessional.com

How to Design a Life Worth Smiling About: Developing Success in Business and in Life comes from a motivational speaker and success coach who shares his program for making changes to improve one's quality of life and purpose, and is based on a blend of brain science and psychology. Chapters help readers identify and thwart negative thought processes, take responsibility for one's life and choices, and locate and connect with positive people to make for a constructive series of pointers on how best to proceed through life's challenges.

Your Hidden Riches
Janet and Chris Attwood with Sylva Dvorak, PhD
Harmony Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780385348553, $25.00, www.harmonybooks.com

Your Hidden Riches: Unleashing the Power of Ritual to Create a Life of Meaning and Purpose explain how readers can use the power of rituals to uncover their life design and a virtual treasure trove of riches, and point out what while successful people use such rituals, they often don't talk about them. Rituals are tools that can be used in positive negative ways, but here they form the basis of an approach that reduces negativity and exposes a wealth of possibilities in the process. Readers open to incorporating purposeful rituals into their lives will find this a fine exploration of the processes involved.


The Military Shelf

The Worth of War
Benjamin Ginsberg
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616149505, $24.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Worth of War isn't a celebration of war and its benefits, but it does examine in detail some side facets of war that actually include social benefits. Ginsberg argues that war in fact is the real test of rationality and achievement, and that societies who are able to assess their enemies usually not only survive but benefit from warfare. History also reveals the technological benefits that come from war, and the economic development and progress that usually accompanies military action. Still - it's not a glorification of conflict; just a in-depth assessment of war's often-overlooked possibilities, making for an intriguing guide for any political studies and military history reader.

Spitfire Aces of Northwest Europe 1944-45
Andre Thomas
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
9781782003380, $22.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

Spitfire Aces of Northwest Europe 1944-45 joins others in the publisher's 'Aircraft of the Aces' series and provides a fine focus on the RAF's most successful fighter plane. By 1944 it had experienced numerous modifications and upgrades and enjoyed longevity enhanced by design improvements and battle gear. The Spitfires led the assault of the Luftwaffe and this documents the events, pilots, and planes who helped to win the conflict, blending first-hand accounts with vintage photos and a smaller selection of color illustrations.


The Computer Shelf

Automate with Grunt
Brian P. Hogan
Pragmatic Programmers
2831 Eldorado Parkway, #103-381, Frisco, TX 75033-7438
9781941222119, $17.00, www.pragprog.com

Automate with Grunt: The Build Tool for JavaScript is edited by Susannah Davidson Pfalzer and provides a short tutorial on Grunt and its capabilities: so short that it takes only 66 pages of information. These pages come packed with code examples, discussions of real-world situations, and keys to using Grunt on workflows, for multitasking applications, and for error-checking. The result is perfect for programmers who already have Java backgrounds and just want specific details on using Grunt for fine-tuning.

Microsoft Word/Excel 2013 Pocket Primer
Theodor Richardson
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
c/o Books International Inc. (publicity)
9781938549892, $29.95, www.merclearning.com

Microsoft Word/Excel 2013 Pocket Primer joins others in the 'Pocket Primer' series and provides an overview of the major concepts involved in using Word and Excel's 2013 versions. But it's not just a written exploration: an accompanying tutorial video offers applications as it gives directions for both Windows and Mac users and reviews the basics of how Word and Excel work on and off the Cloud environment. From advanced word processing features to developing worksheets and graphics from Excel, this is a quick-start self-learning program highly recommended for any newcomer to Word or Excel.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Magician's Land
Lev Grossman
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781611782679, $39.95, www.penguin.com

The Magician's Land is narrated by mark Bramhall, whose off-Broadway and international reputation in film and television lends a smooth and evocative voice to the conclusion of the 'Magicians' trilogy. It's recommended that listeners have prior familiarity with the other books in order to appreciate the riveting end to the saga, which revolves around Quentin, who has been cast out of his childhood magical dream world and returns full circle to the Brakebills Prep College of magic, only to encounter new problems when the barriers separating Fillory from the barbarians beings to fail. The result is a thriller spiced with strong protagonists well versed in magic and with their own focus on secrets and purposeful paths in life - a listen that is a powerful recommendation for any interested the conclusion of Quentin's journey.

Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouseaudio.com

Christian Rudder's DATACLYSM: WHO WE ARE (9780553397499, $35.00) explores the evolving world of online lives and considers how personal data can be used to not only spy on and market to the general public, but to ultimately define who we are. There are many surprises in his story, from how Facebook 'likes' can predict a user's intelligence and interests to how Google Search, Twitter, and others are changing the nature of personal expression. Kaleo Griffith's film and television work lends to a fine narration that brings to life the essential elements of a key survey of how data is not only predicting our lives, but changing them. TOM CLANCY'S SUPPORT AND DEFEND (9780553551945, $50.00) actually isn't by Clancy: it's based on a Clancy concept and written by Mark Greaney - Clancy died in 2013. This story follows an FBI agent and nephew of President Ryan as he faces down a terrorist attack and continues to recover from the death of his brother. Scott Brick's seasoned voice and his film, TV and radio performances lend to a fine reading that sparks excitement over a team of Iranian terrorists and dangerous encounters in a vivid tale that comes to life in audio.

Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*CK
Amy Alkon
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480575455, $19.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Good Manners for Nice People Who Sometimes Say F*CK is performed by Carrington MacDuffie and draws important connections between bad behavior patterns and the expanding world. It shows how to avoid being one of the rude while still standing up to others who are, it modernizes Miss Manners to address such urban matters as how to politely keep dog owners from letting their pets defile a lawn, and it surveys wider questions of etiquette and power in a society where rudeness has taken over. The result is a listen that is filled with specific advice on how to navigate the stormy waters of confrontation and change - with grace.

Good Leaders Ask Great Questions
John C. Maxwell
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781478924326, $30.00, www.hachetteaudio.com

Good Leaders Ask Great Questions: Your Foundation for Successful Leadership is narrated by the author and provides a fine survey of how to ask the right questions to become the best leader. It comes from a leadership authority who teaches the basics of asking questions to get better results, and covers everything from the right time for a successful leader to move to a new position to how to position people into an inner circle for maximum effectiveness. In audio, this information comes to life!


The Business Shelf

Internal Communications
Liam FitzPatrick, Klavs Valskov, Pamela Mounter
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749469320, $29.95, www.koganpage.com

Internal Communications: A Manual for Practitioners provides a practical approach to developing an internal communications strategy for an organization, and explores how to get a message to staff during times of crisis. It comes from the authors' experiences as consultants and private, public and nonprofit sectors and shows how an organization can assess communication channels, decide which ones to use, and how they can support changes for them. The result is a powerful assessment of tools and their applications, recommended for any business pursuit.

Zero to One
Peter Thiel with Blake Masters
Crown Business
c/o Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
www.crownpublishing.com
9780804139298, $27.00, www.crownbusiness.com

Zero to One: Notes on Startups, or How to Build the Future is a specific guide on how to create a startup, and goes beyond most such guides to narrow the focus on the steps this involves. Author Peter Thiel co-founded PayPal and Palantir and has been involved in other successful startups: his book considers politics, finance, globalization, why small and medium-sized businesses don't use the tools that big businesses take for granted, how to use equity as a business tool, and much more. There's a wealth of information here that simply isn't in other business guides, making this a standout and a key business book acquisition for any interested in startups and the differences between small and big business operations.

Let's Stop Meeting Like This
Dick and Emily Axelrod
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
1333 Broadway, Suite 1000, Oakland CA, 94612
9781626560819, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

Let's Stop Meeting Like This: Tools to Save Time and Get More Done offers up a formula for a new kind of meeting: one which uses principles of engaging, attention-getting activities and approaches to turn meetings from dull shop talk to exciting events participants look forward to. It outlines a system that can transform the meeting concept, showing how to design a meeting and how to assure that it's productive. Any business manager looking for a basic guide to better meetings will find this filled not with idealistic surveys, but with specific approaches.

Leading the Life You Want
Stewart D. Friedman
Harvard Business Review Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422189412, $26.00, www.hbr.org/books

Leading the Life You Want: Skills for Integrating Work and Life explores the idea of a 'full life' and how metaphors for and perceptions of work/life balances are often misguided. Instead, Friedman maintains, the idea that 'work' competes with living ignores other facets of a balanced life that enter into the bigger picture, and he provides a new goal of integrating all these areas instead of favoring one over another. This book expands concepts presented in his best-selling TOTAL LEADERSHIP and uses decades of research and teachings to explore the definition of harmony between work and other pursuits and how to recognize and achieve real balance. No business collection should be without it.

Cyber Threat!
MacDonnell Ulsch
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
978111883634, $50.00, www.wiley.com/go/business

Cyber Threat! How to Manage the Growing Risk of Cyber Attacks tells how to minimize corporate risk and protect one's brand, and explains how relying on outdated security strategies or public policy is a dangerous approach for any size business. It explores the true nature of cyber threats, their changing risks, and how to identify common risk factors businesses typically overlook - including threats from within an organization. Plenty of examples consider how security breaches happen, why they go undetected for years at a time, and how organizations can assess risk and manage a brand. Any size business with any degree of computer systems and security concerns needs this clear exploration.

Pitching and Closing
Alexander Taub and Ellen DaSilva
McGraw-Hill Professional
1221 Avenue of the Americas, 45th Floor, New York, NY 10020
9780071822374, $26.00, www.mhprofessional.com

Pitching and Closing: Everything You Need to Know About Business Development, Partnerships, and Making Deals That Matter comes from the CEO and founder of Socialrank and the Twitter business operations of Ellen DaSilva, who join forces to consider how professionals working on a business startup can better master the skills needed to develop new company products, networks, and sourcing deals. From creating strategic business alliances to understanding why people approve or disapprove of different approaches, this offers specifics on how to make better partnership arrangements, and is a 'must' for any business professional and new company manager.

Fearless Leadership
Carey D. Lohrenz
Greenleaf Book Group Press
PO Box 91869, Austin, TX 78709
www.greenleafbookgroup.com
9781626341135, $24.95, www.gbgpress.com

Fearless Leadership: High-Performance Lessons from the Flight Deck comes from an aviation pioneer who flew F-14s and early on learned basic lessons in aviation that cross over well into the business field. Since leaving the Navy she's brought these lessons to top business leaders and managers - and here covers the three basics of business fearlessness: courage, tenacity, and integrity. Chapters explore exactly how these concepts apply in the business arena, considering team efforts, resiliency and flexibility in hard times, and how to make the most of a leadership role. The result is a powerful survey fueled by real life business and military insights and recommended for any collection catering to managers or leaders.

Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords, fourth edition
Perry Marshall, et.al.
Entrepreneur Press
c/o The McGraw Hill Companies
Two Penn Plaza, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10121-2298
9781599185422, $24.95, www.entrepreneurpress.com

The fourth updated edition of Ultimate Guide to Google AdWords teaches the basics of how to double one's website traffic, build a profitable ad campaign from scratch, and use Google Shopping Campaigns and Google Analytics, among others. It's all about using Google's various tools to quickly double website visibility. From basic tools and how to apply them to building an aggressive campaign to increase visibility using three ad networks, this is packed with methods for marketing and is a 'must' for any who would learn the best methods of using Google AdWords.

Becoming Generation Flux
Miles Anthony Smith, MBA
Privately Published
9780988405332, $16.95, www.milesanthonysmith.com

Becoming Generation Flux: Why Traditional Career Planning is dead: How to be Agile, Adapt to Ambiguity, & Develop Resilience is all about conducting a job search that incorporates past efforts and goals, present career development paths, and future prospects and intentions, and offers a different kind of employment guide that links the shift in job hunting trends to why traditional career planning is all but over. Chapters survey how to adapt, become flexible, and most of all, how to handle job market changes.


The Crafts Shelf

Watercolour Landscapes Step-by-Step
Geoff Kersey, et.al.
Search Press USA
1338 Ross Street, Petaluma, CA 94954-1117
www.searchpressusa.com
9781782210849, $19.95, www.searchpress.com

Watercolour Landscapes Step-by-Step provides a comprehensive guide to painting landscapes in watercolor and uses the expertise of six artists who demonstrate a range of techniques and styles. Instructions show how to paint nature scenes and buildings alike, while some 300 step-by-step photos create a book even newcomers to the medium will find specific and useful. From sketching out a drawing to working with perspective, wax and spatter methods, and more, this illustrates all the possibilities of using watercolor methods in a fine pick newcomers will appreciate.

The LEGO Neighborhood Book
Brian Lyles
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593275716, $19.95, www.nostarch.com

Any who would create realistic LEGO buildings and towns will find The LEGO Neighborhood Book a fine key to creating buildings with intricate details such as facades and columns, and will appreciate the step-by-step instructions for creating four multistory buildings, the mini-builds for accompanying scenery and embellishments, and more. Discussions of the design process and tips for getting started with LEGO building invite newcomers to participate, while the focus on how to create intricately-detailed buildings will delight those who have the basics down and want to move forward. Packed with color photo examples, this is a 'must' for any LEGO builder.

The Paper Hat Book
Alyn Carlson
Quarry Books
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9781592539406, $19.99, www.qbookshop.com

The Paper Hat Book: Super Hats for Super Kids will reach adults and kids alike with its array of hat projects suitable for costumes or dress-up. Here are some twenty paper hat projects, all of which can be created from shopping bags, newspapers, comics, magazines and more. They come from a designer who creates hats suitable for birthdays, play, and other purposes, and offer a range of fun opportunities for easy family crafting.


The Architecture Shelf

Rosemary Beach
Richard Sexton
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
978158904036, $35.00, www.pelicanpub.com

Rosemary Beach is a designed community reflecting the European Colonial architecture of the West Indies, New Orleans and St. Augustine blended with city planning and architectural designs from around the world. It holds pocket parks, urban environments balanced by small open spaces, and a series of alleyways between major streets that keeps cars off the Rosemary Beach streetscape. Blend these objectives with a drive to incorporate a new urban standard of style that juxtaposes artistic architectural style with practical living and you have a guide that's packed with full-page color photos and discussions of just why the Rosemary Beach development is so remarkable. Any collection strong in architectural heritage will find this an important survey.

Building Taliesin
Ron McCrea
Wisconsin Historical Society
816 State Street, Madison, WI 53575
9780870206061, $35.00, www.wisconsinhistory.org

Building Taliesin: Frank Lloyd Wright's Home of Love and Loss provides a new collection of photos (both vintage and full color contemporary shots) in the course of charting a history that begins early on in Wright's career, with a decision to build a masterpiece home that ends with fire, murder, and moving on. It offers views of the building before disaster struck, it follows Wright's triumphs in 1913 and how his architectural reputation was growing, and most of all, it follows the evolution of a dream house that ended in disaster.


The Art Shelf

The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles, eighth edition
Phyllis G. Tortora and Ingrid Johnson
Bloomsbury Press
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781609015350, $210.00, www.bloomsbury.com

The eighth updated edition of The Fairchild Books Dictionary of Textiles is a top reference for any arts or crafts collection, and packs in the latest information about the textiles industry to include industry uses, terminology, the latest details on trademarked products, over 14,000 definitions of fibers, fabrics, and regulations affecting textile materials, and more. This is an in-depth, updated study that packs in almost 500 illustrations surrounding the manufacturing processes and use of textile products, and synthesizes a wealth of industry reference material key to textile use and management. Highly recommended for any college-level reference collection strong in textiles.

Comfort Zone
Trudy Dujardin
Pointed Leaf Press
136 Baxter Street, Suite 1C, New York, NY 10013
9781938461170, $75.00, www.pointedleafpress.com

COMFORT ZONE: CREATING THE ECO-ELEGANT INTERIOR is a top pick for any interior design library and teaches how to incorporate elements of nature and the outdoors into an interior design project. It also comes with an unexpected bonus: smart phone users can use the five-layer app with a tablet or phone to find updated information, which keeps the book contents current. COMFORT ZONE isn't talking about a design trend, but incorporating elements of ecological thinking into an overall interior design concept. Its oversized presentation comes packed with color photos throughout illustrating the foundations of this approach, providing readers with excellent starting points for blending artistic insights into ecological home design. Other books touch on some of these concepts, but few others offer the details and in-depth approach to COMFORT ZONE.

Cosplay World
Brian Ashcraft and Luke Plunkett
Prestel Publishing
900 Broadway, Suite 603, New York, NY 10003
www.prestel-usa.com
9783791349251, $29.95, www.prestel.com

Cosplay World is, in a nutshell, about dressup and costume play - but not among children. It offers images of adult costume play from around the world and documents a global phenomenon known as 'cosplay' interviewing well-known cosplay stars and documenting cosplay's history and modern incarnation. Some 200 photographs documenting everything from 1970s costumes to advanced materials and fantasy players provides a well-rounded examination that will prove a top read for any just beginning to delve into the art and history of cosplay.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Reef Guide
Dennis King & Valda Fraser
Struik
9781775840183, $28.95, www.randomstruik.co.za

The Reef Guide: Fishes, Corals, Nudibranchs & Other Invertebrates covers the East and South coasts of Southern Africa, and documents some 800 reef creatures to be found in this area. It follows up on King's two earlier books and comes packed with color photos for quick, easy identification, detailed descriptions of each species, and keys to identifying fish families. The focus on Southern Africa may appear narrow, but the contents and approach may be applied to the entire East Coast of Africa and other surrounding areas, and will make for a reference invaluable to divers and any interested in sea creatures and their natural history.

Do As I Do
Claudia Fugazza
Dogwise Publishing
403 South Mission Street, Wenatchee WA 98801
9781617811487, $21.95, www.dogwisepublishing.com

DO AS I DO: USING SOCIAL LEARNING TO TRAIN DOGS includes a DVD and is recommended for any who would train dogs using 'social learning' processes. European trainers have found that dogs can imitate people: using this information, dogs can be taught new behaviors using the 'Do As I Do' principle. From beginning with a known behavior and teaching a dog to observe and perform it to creating a closer bond between trainer and animal, this pairs color photo examples with fine surveys of dog behavior patterns and how they can work to a trainer's benefit, making for a top book for animal trainers.


The Music Shelf

Joni Mitchell In Her Own Words
Malka Marom
ECW Press
2120 Queen Street East, Suite 200
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4E 1E2
9781770411326, $29.95, www.ecwpress.com

Joni Mitchell In Her Own Words represents an intriguing conversation between singer, musician and journalist author Malka Marom and folk singer Joni Mitchell. The two first met in a coffeehouse in 1966 and their chance meeting would lead to a second in 1973, when Marom interviewed Mitchell for her radio show. The friendship that blossomed thereafter embraced over forty years and the presentation here reflects Mitchell's evolution as an artist, discussing song lyrics, life experiences, and including photos from Marom's personal collection and a selection of Mitchell's paintings. Any who would gain special insights into Mitchell's influences will find this an involving, engrossing story.

Art & Science of Sound Recording: The Book
Alan Parsons and Julian Colbeck
Hal Leonard
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing
33 Plymouth St, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042
9781458443199, $49.99, www.halleonardbooks.com

Art & Science of Sound Recording: The Book examines the producer and artist's personal approaches to sound recording, and offers up more technical background information, diagrams, and course notes on each of the 24 topics presented in his award-winning DVD set. This book form proves that the book is not dead, but is an opportunity to expand and enhance the DVD reference. Videos of necessity incorporate elements of entertainment and visual attraction: this book is for any who would return to the solid information time and again, and is packed with a blend of color pictures and in-depth technical discussions, along with Parsons' career background and anecdotes.

A Six String History of America
Jay M. Pilzer
American History Press
404 Locust Street, Staunton Virginia
9781939995032, $16.95, www.Americanhistorypress.com

A Six String History of America reflects the author's years of experience as a history professor and guitar dealer, and here provides a fine discussion of the history of the guitar in America. This is no ordinary focus on either the making of the guitar or famous players, but a solid link between American history events and how guitars played roles in American culture. From how the popularity of American steamboats and railroads helped guitar sales to how guitar dealers were affected by the concept of installment buying after the Great Depression, this is a solid focus that cultivates a historical perspective others miss.

Excess All Areas
Sue Richmond
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302, Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781617135965, $29.99, www.backbeatbooks.com

EXCESS ALL AREAS: A LIGHTHEARTED LOOK AT THE DEMANDS AND IDIOSYNCRASIES OF ROCK ICONS ON TOUR considers the world of the band contract 'rider' - a shopping list of items requested by a band which forms some of its contract with a concert venue. These requests can be as simple as certain food or as extreme as van Halen's demand that all the brown M&Ms be removed from the bowl in their dressing room. Rock groups and those who are touring on the road are explored by the author, who considers fun stories, strange requests, and colorful stories and pairs these with colorful illustrations for some 100 featured riders. The result is a fun, revealing expose perfect for music readers.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis, third edition
Tammi L. Shlotzhauer, M.D.
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421414270, $19.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis appears in its third updated edition to describe new findings about causes and treatments of rheumatoid arthritis, from risk factors and triggers to lifestyle and diet modifications. It surveys the influence of stress, covers the latest new biologic disease-modifying drugs, and includes insights on treatment options and how to consider their pros and cons. Any who have rheumatoid arthritis - particularly those who haven't kept up on the latest changes in its treatment - will find this a powerful guide, highly recommended for any health reference collection.

Depression: Understanding the Black Dog
Stephanie Sorrell
Psyche Books
c/o National Book Network
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.nbnbooks.com
9781782791652, $11.95, www.psyche-books.com

Depression: Understanding the Black Dog comes from an author who has suffered from major depression all of her life, and has learned to work with it. At only a little over 80 pages, we're not talking a tome here: instead, it's a personal story that documents different levels of depression, chronicles its major impact on lifestyles and lives of all concerned, and focuses not on treatment options so much as survival skills. From what to do when medication works and how to stay on it to the 'value' in the 'black dog' of depression, this short book packs in revelations that will prove eye-opening to any sufferer of depression, and is a pick for any collection strong in self-help psychology.

Ageless Nation
Michael G. Zey
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412853804, $29.95, www.transactionpub.com

AGELESS NATION: THE QUEST FOR SUPERLONGEVITY AND PHYSICAL PERFECTION provides a new introduction by the author and foresees a world in which medical and genetic advances will not just expand life spans, but enhance the human body and mind as well. Numerous medical breakthroughs just beginning are promising this redefinition of humanity, from cloning and nanotechnology to new drugs to fight diseases. As these treatments are incorporated into our lives, they hold potential for changing the nature of the human body, promoting longevity beyond belief, and creating an 'ageless nation' with its promises and detriments.

Code Blue
Rahul Jandial and Danielle D. Jandial
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781576262535, $49.95, www.crcpress.com

Code Blue: Beside Procedures and Critical Information offers an invaluable single resource to a healthcare professional's emergency care knowledge, and provides a format that fits easily in a lab coat pocket and an organization that lists needed supplies, techniques, and procedures. An ACLS section pinpoint cardiopulmonary emergencies while postprocedure checks and an appendix of data on lab values and equations provides at-a-glance reference. Healthcare pros will find this a powerful reference and easy to keep close at hand.

Why Did She Jump?
Joan E. Childs, LCSW
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757316975, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

Why Did She Jump? My Daughter's Battle with Bipolar Disorder offers a mother's view of her daughter's suicide and provides a blend of autobiography and health title as it surveys how the family became immersed in her daughter's mental illness - even with daughter and mother being trained psychotherapists. With this background one would believe that Pam could have been saved, but her troubled world never fully resolved and in the end it was her daughter's delusions that drove her to death. This book is powerful, coming from a professional, and documents the 'before and after' story with poignant, professional and personal emotion. No psychology collection should be without it.

The Heal Your Gut Cookbook
Hilary Boynton and Mary G. Brackett
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603585613, $29.95, www.chelseagreen.com

The Heal Your Gut Cookbook: Nutrient-Dense Recipes for Intestinal Health Using the GAPS Diet could have been featured in our cookbook section, but is recommended here because its special diet and recipes were developed by a British MD whose focus is the key cooking techniques and ingredients that form the basis of a GAPS diet that affects orders as wide-ranging as ADD/ADHD, addictions, and depression. Chapters meld health concerns with nutritional and dietary information and show how to work with common ingredients, from culturing raw dairy to soaking nuts, to create foods that restore the balance between beneficial and pathogenic intestinal bacteria. It's quite simply a 'must' for any who would learn how to foster better intestinal health through modified foods and recipes.


The American History Shelf

New Orleans: A Pictorial History
Leonard V. Huber
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781455619658, $23.95, www.pelicanpub.com

New Orleans: A Pictorial History packs in over a thousand rare photos, prints, sketches and maps of the city gathered from public and private libraries in the U.S. and abroad, and provides an invaluable survey highly recommended for any interested in the city's evolution. Paired with these images are stories of notable residents, tales of scandals and even duels, and accounts that place the progress of the City's people and places squarely in the hands of its colorful characters. The result is a pictorial and cultural observation that will delight any with a special interest in the evolution and background that makes up New Orleans.


The World History Shelf

The Collapse
Mary Elise Sarotte
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465064946, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

THE COLLAPSE: THE ACCIDENTAL OPENING OF THE BERLIN WALL takes place twenty-five years ago, when the Berlin Wall unexpectedly opened in 1989 to let in crowds from both sides. Border officials ignored the passage; but contrary to myth, political leaders in East Berlin didn't plan to open the Wall: it evolved from a series of accidents and minor mistakes. Evidence from archives in multiple countries and languages are used, along with interviews with key participants, to arrive at the heart of how decisions made by revolutionaries and politicians alike led to the fall of the Wall. From internal fights to failures to communicate, this covers all the underlying facets of the Wall's social and political impact and is a pick for any history collection and for readers interested in German politics and events.

How to Be a Victorian
Ruth Goodman
Liveright Publishing
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780871404855, $29.95, www.wwnorton.com

HOW TO BE A VICTORIAN: A DAWN-TO-DUSK GUIDE TO VICTORIAN LIFE comes from an English social historian who considers the daily life of the Victorian, from food and wine to different styles and dangerous working conditions, and uses extensive research from letters and diaries to novels and advertisements to immerse readers in Victorian-era lifestyles and choices. This isn't just a dry history of the times: it's a portrait of how the upper- and middle-class residents lived their lives, and discusses everything from Victorian social environment to cultural oddities and challenges. The result is a powerful survey highly recommended for any with a special interest in Victorian-era life.

Totalitarianism, Globalization, Colonialism
Harry Redner
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412853972, $44.95, www.transactionpub.com

Totalitarianism, Globalization, Colonialism: The Destruction of Civilization Since 1914 covers a hundred-year span in which civilizations were destroyed around the world. In Europe the primary culprit was totalitarianism, in America it was globalization, and in the non-Western world it started off with colonialism and then evolved into these other pathways. Redner examines each of these trends and how they led to the destruction of regimes and worlds, considering the contradictory evolution of beliefs, values and political systems and how they inevitably lead to destruction. The result is a powerful history that not only documents how civilizations fall, but the elements that lead to similar patterns throughout history: perfect for college-level history students.

Masters of Mankind
Noam Chomsky
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781608463633, $12.95, www.haymarketbooks.com

Masters of Mankind: Essays and Lectures 1969-2013 gathers essays from Chromsky, many of which appear in book form for the first time, and explores the nature of state power and the myths of power and privilege in societies. Philosophy, history, and social issues combine in a reasoned voice that considers foreign policy, world political issues, and mankind's relationship to the historical structures he creates. The result is a scholarly survey recommended for any history or social issues collection, as well as for political science students or followers of Chomsky's other works.

Digging for Richard III
Mike Pitts
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500252000, $29.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Digging for Richard III: The Search for the Lost King comes from a British archaeologist and journalist who here uses a five-act story to chart Richard III's reign, demise, and rediscovery after years of study, and offers the first complete saga of a quest for Richard III's remains and the truth about one of the most disputed monarchs in British history. Its blend of archaeology and history makes for a vivid survey of the events of Richard III's reign and his death, and will move neatly beyond readers of archaeological science into the realm of British history.


The Library Science Shelf

The Embedded Librarian's Cookbook
Kaijsa Calkins and Cassandra Kvenild, Editors
Association of College and Research Libraries
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838986936, $48.00, www.ala.org/acri

The Embedded Librarian's Cookbook profiles strategies for embedding librarians and library services throughout higher education, and uses case studies and project reports to survey college and university approaches to the embedding process. As chapters cover the techniques involved in linking varied groups of patrons and their research processes, they cover the techniques, approaches and results of embedded librarians and demonstrate how they become key partners in shaping curriculum and classroom goals beyond the usual library setting. All this takes the form of a 'cookbook' that reads much like a recipe ("Nutrition Information", "Ingredients and Equipment", "Allergy Warnings") but with specific comments ("Embedded librarianship in this manner is quite time-consuming - more so if a large class is involved."). The result is lively, easy to follow, and will involve library professionals in a different approach.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Perfect Quilts for Precut Fabrics
That Patchwork Place
Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604684131, $28.99, www.shopmartingale.com

Perfect Quilts for Precut Fabrics: 64 Patterns for Fat Quarters, Charm Squares, Jelly Rolls, and Layer Cakes provides fine patterns by designers ranging from Kim Brackett and Connie Tesene to Mary Jacobson and more, and teaches the basics of making the most of fat quarters, eighths, and different sizes of squares and strips. Chapters cover materials, cutting, and making the basic quilt while finishing touches such as adding borders are paired with tips on how to make the most of precut applications. Quilters who have a bundle of such fabrics and who want to pair projects with new skills will find this the perfect starting point.

Holiday Hats for Babies
Debby Ware
The Taunton Press
63 South Main Street, Newtown, CT 06470
9781627101028, $22.95, www.taunton.com

Holiday Hats for Babies: Caps, Berets & Beanies to Knit for Every Occasion tells how to knit baby hats and provides over twenty patterns for year-long celebration. Full-page color photos accompany clear directions, information on sizing and yarn, and more, making for a perfect project guide for any contemplating holiday projects for a baby.

Knitting on Top of the World
Nicky Epstein
Epstein Books
c/o Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301, New York, NY 10013
9781936096756, $19.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Knitting on Top of the World: The Global Guide to Traditions, Techniques and Design comes from a top knitting designer who here reviews world traditions and offers some 50 new designs honed from them. From the origin and use of classic knitting techniques from Fair Isle to Aran to how these patterns are re-combined to produce original designs, this is packed with specific discussions of world knitting patterns and their evolution, and accompanies step-by-step projects and color photos that leave nothing to wonder. The result is a global focus that combines the best of traditional and innovative knitting style; perfect for knitters looking for something more!

Crochet for Baby All Year
Tammy Hildebrand
Stackpole Books
5067 Ritter Road, Mechanicsburg, PA 17055-6921
9780811713245, $21.95, www.stackpolebooks.com

Crochet for Baby All Year: Easy-to-Make Outfits for Every Month packs in seasonal outfits that crocheters can easily make for babies, offering some 20 original patterns for boys and girls that feature everything from hats and sweaters to summer rompers and sundresses. From initial pattern to finishing touches, this packs in a range of crochet projects and is a winning pick for any crocheter who wants artistic and fun projects.

Weave Knit Wear
Judith Shangold
XRX Books
P. O. Box 965, Sioux Falls, SD 57101-0965
9781933064291, $28.95, www.knittinguniverse.com

Weave Knit Wear: Simply Fabulous Clothing and Accessories for Rigid-Heddle (and other) Weavers doesn't require expensive equipment or special threads: directions for some thirty projects instead require just the most basic loom - which can even be portable and small - and the easiest of yarns in order to produce shawls, sweaters, and garments that require a minimum of hand sewing and knitting. It comes from a weaver and yarn shop owner who teaches the basics in an easy guide packed with appealing color photos. So if you've hesitated to approach weaving and knitting with the idea that it's too difficult or requires too much specialized equipment, this book provides an alternative and is the perfect starting place to learn the basics.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Underground Girls of Kabul
Jenny Nordberg
Crown
c/o Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307952493, $25.00, www.crownpublishing.com

The Underground Girls of Kabul: In Search of a Hidden Resistance in Afghanistan investigates the secret practice in which parents raise daughters as sons and present them as such to the outside world to lend them safety and protection in a society that represses women. As such, it's a powerful survey by a journalist who considers the phenomenon and whose articles broke the news to the world in 2010. Her book begins with discussion of a female politician in Kabul married to an abusive man, with four children to care for. The reporter learned that one of the children was not a younger brother, but a girl - and that the deception helped raise family status as well as protect the child from prejudice. But what will happen when puberty hits and that boy grows into 'his' female heritage? This is a hard-hitting story of what it means to be female in Afghanistan, and belongs on the shelves of any women's issues or Middle East history holding.

Arthur Ashe: Tennis and Justice in the Civil Rights Era
Eric Allen Hall
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421413945, $34.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Arthur Ashe: Tennis and Justice in the Civil Rights Era is more than the story of black tennis star Ashe: it documents how he overcame racial and class barriers in a sport dominated by elite white players to reach the top echelons of competition in the 1960s and 70s, and considers his concurrent evolution as an activist who saw the American society shift from civil rights issues to a black freedom movement that would affect his sports choices. Ashe didn't neatly fit into any political party or cause; even the black cause: this book's focus on the sport of tennis and Ashe's personal and political evolution brings the times alive and provides a unique focus on trends and influences of the civil rights movement and its wide-reaching effects. It belongs in biography and social issues collections alike.

Thunder in the Mountains
Craig K. Collins
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
9781493003853, $24.95, www.lyonspress.com

Thunder in the Mountains: A Portrait of American Gun Culture combines a memoir with an exploration of American historical decisions that have led to our modern-day preoccupation with guns, and offers a discussion that is more than either a history or memoir. It considers the culture of the gun, from its use in Indian encounters and in war to the pioneer experience in the West; but it actually starts with a hunting trip the author took with his fathers and brother in the early 70s when he was accidentally shot in the leg with a high-powered deer rifle at age 13. The blend of personal story and social exploration creates an accessible, involving survey like no other.

Losing Patience
James Peinkofer, LCSW
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882824789, $15.95, www.newhorizonpress.com

LOSING PATIENCE: THE PROBLEMS, ALARMS AND PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES OF SHAKEN BABY SYNDROME describes the signs and symptoms that result from violently shaking an infant: a practice that can result in handicaps and death, and also covers the past and recent cases of this kind of child abuse as it explores which infants are in danger and what a risky adult caregiver looks like. From the signs of impending danger to symptoms of SBS, this is about identifying and preventing the event, and will reach beyond health collections into social issues holdings with its discussions.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

A New Curtain Opens
Richard P. Matthews
Revitalizing Ministries
9780979810640, $19.84, www.revitalizingministries.com

A New Curtain Opens discusses enlightenment and advocates an intriguing concept: that animals are connected and protected, and are trying to help humans connect to that enlightened state. Chapters discuss the end of an old path and a completely new way of living, revealing how individuals can connect to the greatness already within them. It's about visions and end days, new beginnings, and the notion that enlightenment possibilities exist within everyone - even (perhaps especially) creatures that walk among us. Accounts of journeys both physical and spiritual in search of these paths makes for an intriguing blend of new age, travelogue, and spiritual reflection that will appeal to any interested in new age thought.

The Buddha from Babylon
Harvey Kraft
Select Books
87 Walker Street, Suite B1, New York City, NY 10013
9781590791431, $19.95, www.selectbooks.com

The Buddha from Babylon: The Lost History and Cosmic Vision of Siddhartha Guatama tells of the sudden death of the Persian Emperor in 522 BCE - a mystery that remains to this day. The author's take is that during the incident that led to the Emperor's death, Siddhartha may have been a leader of Babylon's Magi, an interfaith order that was purged when the price Siddhartha headed back east. All this could have led to the creation of Buddhism as a pacifist movement, in response. New evidence is packed into a historical examination that is a special recommendation for any interested in Buddhist history and beliefs, and a new viewpoint of how Buddhism evolved.

The Spiritual Power of Empathy
Cyndi Dale
Llewellyn Worldwide
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
9780738737997, $16.99, www.llewellyn.com

The Spiritual Power of Empathy: Develop Your Intuitive Gifts for Compassionate Connection is for any new age reader interested in psychic development and fostering innate empathic abilities, and allows readers to pursue their own psychic connections through a better understanding of what empathy is and how it works. From developing deeper spiritual connections with loved ones to filtering information and understanding the drawbacks of empathic abilities, this is packed with tips and techniques perfect for any who would hone their own blossoming abilities.

The Andreasson Affair
Raymond E. Fowler
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12, Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601633460, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com

The Andreasson Affair: The True Story of a Close Encounter of the Fourth Kind is alien abduction writing at its best, and offers one of the best-documented cases by the subject of an intensive 12-month investigation. It represents one of the most detailed descriptions of any UFO abduction because much of the testimony was given under hypnosis, there was extensive lie detector testing of witnesses, and an in-depth analysis of not only the evidence surrounding this case, but its contrast with other reports. The Betty Andreasson affair has been documented elsewhere; but not in such depth and detail; making this a definitive, important account.

The End of Days
Zecharia Sitchin
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
www.innertraditions.com
9781591432005, $24.00, www.bearandcompanybooks.com

THE END OF DAYS: ARMAGEDDON AND PROPHECIES OF THE RETURN provides the seventh book of The Earth Chronicles and is the concluding volume of a series begun in 1976 with The 12th Planet, which revealed the Sumerian civilization and its record of early extraterrestrials who gave mankind civilization and religion. This concluding volume required some thirty years of additional research, but provides new evidence of a predetermined cyclical Celestial Time. Any New Age reader - especially those with prior familiarity with the other books in the series, who have long awaited this finale, will find it an eye-opening presentation.

The Energies of Love
Donna Eden & David Feinstein
Jeremy P. Tarcher
c/o Penguin Group, USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014-3657
www.tarcherbooks.com
9781585429493, $27.95, www.penguin.com

The Energies of Love: Using Energy Medicine to Keep Your Relationship Thriving comes from the authors of the classic best-seller ENERGY MEDICINE and here shows how such medicine can specifically help heal a relationship. It uses their experience counseling couples in workshops plus their own relationship as husband and wife to consider how to identify energetic stress styles, interact with one's partner to support each other and better sync energy patterns, and how to change the future by not repeating the past. Any interested in energetic healing and applied insights will find this a winning survey.


The Sports Shelf

Mastering Running
Cathy Utzschneider
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450459723, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

Mastering Running offers a fine survey on how to run faster and stronger while avoiding injuries, and teaches the basics of optimal performance. It comes from an accomplished runner and coach who shows how to evaluate and refine running routines, how to prevent common age-related injuries, and how to undertake training programs for the mile, half marathon, and more. With its inclusion of specific strategies for improving time and results, Mastering Running is a powerful survey highly recommended for any training for any kind of running goal.


The Education Shelf

Preparing Your Campus for Veterans' Success
Bruce C. Kelley, Justin M. Smith, Ernetta L. Fox
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781579228637, $29.95, www.styluspub.com

Preparing Your Campus for Veterans' Success: An Integrated Approach to Facilitating the Transition and Persistence of Our Military Students includes input from special contributor Holly Wheeler and is directed to college and university administrators who work in classrooms, student affairs departments, and admissions or faculty development. In short, anyone who comes in contact with student veterans needs this book. It considers collaborative approaches in the process of addressing special veteran needs, it represents results from the University of South Dakotas Fides program, and it covers everything from understanding the psychological aftermath of deployment to typical learner characteristics and problems. No higher education program should be without this specific guide, which deftly navigates many landmines.

Going Beyond Google Again
Jane Devine and Francine Egger-Sider
Neal-Schuman
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
9781555708986, $72.00, www.alastore.ala.org

Going Beyond Google Again: Strategies for using and Teaching the Invisible Web focuses on how to make students better researchers, and considers the methods for achieving a range of goals. The focus is on locating and using the 'invisible web' and its resources; chapters focus on methods of locating resource-rich places not typically found in a usual Google web search, and updates resources profiled in the previous Going Beyond Google. From how apps can expand the 'invisible web' to introducing students to databases and how they are located and used, Going Beyond Google Again discusses tools, techniques, and processes of applying them and is a 'must' for any who would show students how to take better advantage of the Internet's capabilities.

Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard
Sameer Hinduja and Justin W. Patel
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781483349930, $34.00, www.corwin.com

Bullying Beyond the Schoolyard: Preventing and Responding to Cyberbullying should be in the collection of any teacher educator serious about addressing cyberbullying, which happens when teens and technology join forces for the wrong purposes. Harassment, humiliation and hate can be done anywhere and this survey uses the authors' own research to outline the issue, the causes and consequences of online attacks, and recent legal rulings relating to cyberbullying. From discussions of school personnel and policies to how parents and law enforcement can work together to respond properly to cyberbullying, this is a powerful survey considering all the ramifications of cyberbullying among teens.

Loose Parts
Lisa Daley and Miriam Beloglovsky
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605542744, $29.95, www.redleafpress.org

Loose Parts: Inspiring Play in Young Children is a recommendation for any early childhood educator and defines 'loose parts' as being natural or synthetic materials children can use to move, manipulate, and control during play. Hundreds of photos survey a wide range of 'loose parts' to illustrate how they work in a play environment and the overall concepts they can provide for foundation learning. With only a little effort, educators can incorporate these 'loose parts' into their own teaching: this shows how, and is a pick for any who would help a child develop creative approaches to life.

A Whole New Engineer
David E. Goldberg, Mark Somerville, Catherine Whitney
Threejoy Associates
P.O. Box 699, Douglas, MI 49406
9780986080005, $27.95, www.bigbeacon.org

A Whole New Engineer: The Coming Revolution in Engineering Education is a powerful survey of the past, present and future of engineering education in this country, and is a 'must' for any who would understand the coming revolution in engineering. Stories are used to examine the trends and influences on this strange new environment, with discussions specific to creating educational experiences aligned with 21st century goals providing teachers and engineers with specific ideas of what change involves. It's as much about changing perception and status quo as it is about the mechanics of engineering education, making for a 'must' for any studying the art and science of engineering.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Stories We Tell
Mike Cosper
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
9781433537080, $15.99, www.crossway.org

The Stories We Tell: How TV and Movies Long for and Echo the Truth focuses on a cultural obsession with media and its content, drawing important connections between entertainment and an addiction to stories, and considers all genres from reality shows to horror as it examines the stories, myths, and their compelling attraction. But this isn't just media coverage: it searches for - and finds - God's truth in the matter and draws connections between these stories and spiritual reflection and revelation. The result is a powerful collection packed with social, media and spiritual insights that's recommended for spirituality and media collections alike.

Animation Rules!
Steve Hickner
Brigantine Media
http://brigantinemedia.com/contact.php
9781938406386, $14.95, www.brigantinemedia.com

Animation Rules! 52 Ways to Achieve Creative Success comes from a successful author who has worked in the field of animation for well over thirty years, is a director at DreamWorks, and who here shares his career advice based on his insider experience. While this could have been featured in our business section as a guide for any who seek a career in animation, it's reviewed here for its special interest to any involved in the film industry. It uses numerous examples from his background as a storyboard artist, producer and film director and blends these industry-specific insights into keys to understanding the basics of working with an animation team, making a pitch to a business, or improving skills. This takes the form of 52 weeks of tips: follow these, and you're 'in'!

As You Wish
Cary Elwes with Joe Layden
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
978147676023, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

AS YOU WISH: INCONCEIVABLE TALES FROM THE MAKING OF THE PRINCESS BRIDE coincides with the 25th anniversary of the movie The Princess Bride, and provides an insider's view of making the film. Here are behind-the-scenes stories surrounding the film, answering many common fan questions and sharing memories from those who were involved in its making. Cary Elwes is an English actor who starred as Westley in the movie, so he's in the perfect position to provide all the insider details lacking in any other discussion of the film. Years after its making The Princess Bride receives attention and interest - and so will this in-depth survey of how it all was done.

The Television Will Be Revolutionized, second edition
Amanda D. Lotz
New York University Press
838 Broadway, 3rd floor, New York, NY 10003
9781479865253, $25.00, www.nyupress.org

This revised, second edition of a definitive media examination of the nature and changing role of the television in American lives offers insights on the latest technologies that are changing the way television delivers content to audiences, considering how the processes have not led to the demise of television so much as its evolution. Chapters consider the trends, history, and social influences that are changing the face of television, addressing adjustments brought about by broadband TV, tablets and internet viewing habits, smartphones, and more. From different viewer experiences to different producer approaches, this is a solid reference highly recommended for any media collection.

Television on the Wild, Wild Web
Marx H. Pyle
Michael Weise Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
9781615931996, $22.95, www.mwp.com

Television on the Wild, Wild Web provides a powerful reference directed for creators of film and video who acknowledge that rules for production and distribution are changing thanks to web TV. Chapters outline how this approach offers new opportunities to break into the television industry, showing how to fund, film, and market an indie production based on creating a successful web series and knowing how these new rules operate. The result is a powerful, practical resource that covers everything from creation to funding and marketing, opening up new worlds for those who would break into television in a whole new way.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Witch With No Name
Kim Harrison
Harper Voyageur
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780061957956, $26.99, www.harpervoyageurbooks.com

The Witch With No Name provides the final book in the 'Hollows' series: as such, it's especially recommended for prior fans who have under their belts some ten years and thirteen adventures. Rachel Morgan has come a long way in her life, evolving from an ordinary worker to a powerful woman who faces down vampires, banshees, witches and more. What further adventures could possibly challenge her new skill set? Plenty: challenged here to save her best friend Ivy's soul and the rest of the living vampires, she wards off new dangers that may prove the greatest of all. The result is a powerful conclusion to a long-held successful series that will engross any who like a combination of powerful female protagonists, witchcraft, and supernatural smack-downs!

A Call to Duty
David Weber and Timothy Zahn
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476736846, $25.00, www.baen.com

A Call to Duty provides a new Honorverse novel, is Book 1 of Manticore Ascendant, and tells of a boy raised in a chaotic home environment by a neglectful mother who longs for order. He's ripe for the Royal Manticoran Navy, which provides him with structure - but life there is tough and he faces an assignment to the Star Kingdom of Manticore, an isolated nation which is rebuilding its world - with or without Navy help. Vying factions place Manticore at the heart of an evolving conflict - and place Travis in a position of making some of the most difficult decisions of his young life. The result is an engrossing military sci-fi drama that will engross a wide audience.

Damage Time
Colin Harvey
Angry Robot
c/o Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B, Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
9780857660640, $7.99, www.angryrobotbooks.com

Damage Time is set in 2050, when the USA has just been sold to the highest bidders. Detective Pete shah is a Memory Association Specialist: this means he reads the last thoughts of murder victims - until he, himself, is arrested for murder. This is a dangerous move; for the secrets he's kept in the course of his job could change the world - and they're about to come to light. A riveting story and fast-paced blend of mystery and sci-fi make for an involving read.


The Travel Shelf

The World
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781743600658, $29.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

THE WORLD packs in an A-Z reference of facts about different countries that includes a map, inspirational images, and highlights about different nations ranging from equatorial Guinea and Ireland's top experiences to the little-visited, little-known wonders of Paraguay and the diverse cultures of Guatemala. This is the item of choice for any who would take a trip around the world: it uses the same acclaimed Lonely Planet format covering all the basics of where to go, what to do, and what to see and overlays the practical advice with world-hopping focuses on the best destinations and each country's unique attributes. If it's just one (thick) book that holds it all that's desired - THE WORLD is the independent traveler's items of choice.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass
Mary Beth Beuke
Skyhorse Publishing
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781628737806, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

The Ultimate Guide to Sea Glass is the only book on the topic that will be needed and comes from a lifetime collector who shares her twenty-some years of beachcombing to show how to understand, collect, identify and use sea glass. From understanding glass colors and possible origins to the history of sea glass from history and modern collectors and how they are used, this blends a coffee-table presentation with full-page color art with a lovely, artistic discussion that will appeal to artists, nature buffs and collectors alike. The result is a highly recommended guide for any sea glass enthusiast.

Cash in Your Coins, second edition
Beth Deisher
Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive, Florence, Alabama, 35630
9780794842383, $9.95, www.whitman.com

The second updated edition of CASH IN YOUR COINS: SELLING THE RARE COINS YOU'VE INHERITED is not directed to coin collectors, but to general readers who have inherited a collection of old coins and knows nothing about valuing and selling them. It comes from a journalist and the retired editor of Coin World and uses some 30 years of experience to explain how to identify a collection, value it, and how to sell the collection either in part or as a whole. Chapters cover all the basics of understanding everything from dealers to taxes while this update holds 16 more pages than the first edition and updates case studies and taxes. The result is a pick not just for beginning collectors, but for any who have inherited a possible fortune in coins, but don't know what to do with them.


The Photography Shelf

Fashion Photography Next
Magdalene Keaney
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500544358, $45.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Fashion Photography Next documents over thirty new fashion photographers around the world whose works are pushing the limits of traditional fashion photography presentation - but many of their names may not seem familiar to followers of fashion or photography. Jacob Sutton, Harley Weir, Tang Walsh, and more represent the cutting edge, next-generation approach of young designers, and their fashion photos are early indicators of the next phase of fashion approaches; so any collection strong in either fashion or photography will welcome this avant garde collection!


The Science Shelf

The Large Haldron Collider
Don Lincoln
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421413518, $29.95, www.press.jhu.edu

The Large Haldron Collider picks up where author Don Lincoln left off in The Quantum Frontier, offering another insider's account of the LHC's operational history and the accident that shut down the Large Haldron Collider only nine days after its 2008 startup after a massive explosion vaporized large sections of the conductor. Physics blends with some amazing stories of the Higgs Boson and other details in a powerful scientific survey packed with insights that are both scientifically detailed and widely accessible to general-interest readers.

Move Your DNA
Katy Bowman, M.S.
Propriometrics Press
PO Box 482, Carlsborg, WA 98324
9780989653947, $24.95, www.propriometricspress.com

What happens when you take animals out of their natural surroundings and stick them into offices, cars and confining quarters? Biomechanics scientist Bowman here tackles a wider perspective and approach than exercise and human health, considering how modern humans are not moving in ways nature intended, are instead repeating movements with little true variation, and are suffering from health issues as a result. Her book refutes many popular routines for regaining health as it considers the importance of 'natural movement' that reaches into cellular health levels, linking that to modern lifestyles and why even exercise routines often work against us. From why standing is as bad as sitting to barefoot running's woes, this is a powerful, thought-provoking 'must' for any collection strong in not just health routines, but in health science.


The Women's Studies Shelf

Women Healers of the World
Holly Bellebuono
Helios Press
c/o Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781629145691, $24.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com

Women Healers of the World: The Traditions, History, and Geography of Herbal Medicine is a pick for health, fitness, and women's issues collections alike and documents the rise of herbal medicine and remedies as it pertains to women who promote these herbs. It comes from a herbalist who moves far beyond the usual herbal guide to consider the works of female healers from around the world, and it uses these women's words to explore their particular approaches - as in the case of Isla Burgess, a New Zealand healer working with the Maori tribal nations. Add a pictorial approach that packs in full-page color photos into an oversized presentation and you add a travelogue to a wide-ranging herbalist guide that will attract audiences from several genres.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Gossamer Ghost
Laura Childs
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780425266663, $25.95, www.penguin.com

Gossamer Ghost provides another fine 'scrapbooking mystery' addition to the series: this time Carmela's Halloween in New Orleans is marred by the death of a local antiques dealer, which sends her on a mission of investigation that challenges her skills, her scrapbooking shop, and her perceptions about the paranormal. When an investigation into mysterious sounds in a neighboring antique shops sends a body into her arms, now it becomes personal - and carries Carmela into an investigation that involves a priceless relic and danger. Newcomers to the series as well as old fans will find this an absorbing, revealing mystery!


The Fiction Shelf

The Cross or the Swastika
S.J. Tagliareni
American History Press
404 Locust Street, Staunton Virginia
9781939995025, $22.95, www.americanhistorypress.com

The Cross or the Swastika is no casual read, but a complex historical review set during the Second World War. It considers how and why humans accept inhuman behaviors, it explores world leaders and their choices and perceptions, and it considers secret conversations, church involvements, political and social subterfuge, and plots and politics involved in the role of the church in these matters. It uses the novel format to explore this history and these influences, and as such presents an unusually complex blend of history, spiritual and social reflection than most novels provide.

Spark
John Twelve Hawks
Doubleday & Company
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com
9780385538671, $25.95, www.doubleday.com

Spark: A Novel comes from a best-selling author who paints a new thriller picture: this one revolving around a hired assassin whose job is to neutralize problems deemed unacceptable by the corporation. Jacob suffers from Cotard's syndrome - a condition that causes people to believe they are dead - and thus is the perfect assassin, as he thinks he has no emotion or morals and can do anything - until his role of ruthless, logical precision is shaken. SPARK recounts this change and is a powerful, involving story thriller readers will relish.

A Life Unbroken
K.M. Hewitt
K.M. Hewitt Books
http://kathyhewitt.wix.com/kmhewittbooks
9781499160819, $14.95, www.amazon.com

26-year-old doctor Alexandra McKay seems to have everything: a successful career as a plant scientist, a happy home with a pet, a romance with a god man: her life is finally coming together - and, it's about to be torn asunder when she becomes the only witness to a terrible accident at a secret biological weapons lab. The accident could affect millions: despite this, there's pressure to keep it a secret - and to take down the only witness who can expose it. Alex vanishes while on assignment in South America, as a result: six years later she's back, undercover, and hungering for revenge and answers - and to take back her life. This thriller is seat-of-your-pants reading and a highly recommended pick for any who want an engrossing, changing saga.

Day of Wrath
William R. Forstchen
Spectrum Literary Agency, Inc.
320 Central Park West, Suite 1-D, New York, NY 10025
www.spectrumliteraryagency.com
9781625781536, $6.99, www.amazon.com

Day of Wrath comes from an expert in military history who provides a fictional story about a horrifying terrorist attack: a story based on an Islamic terrorist attack against a Russian school in 2004 which killed three hundred children. It opens as another day in a parent's life; but when it's over, schools across the U.S. will become targets in a deadly game. In a single day the terrorist group ISIS slaughters schoolchildren and attacks highways across the country. It's too realistic - and therefore is a highly involving, frightening story that thriller readers won't want to miss. The action and drama are exquisitely woven into a story based on headline news and real possibility.

Deadline
John Sandford
Putnam
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780399162374, $27.95, www.penguin.com

Fans of Virgil Flowers are in for a treat; for here's another thriller seven years after Sandford brought the character to life as a supporting figure in his Prey series. In southeast Minnesota a school board meeting is ended with mention that the rest of the meeting will be closed to discuss secret issues: issues that debate whether they can authorize the killing of a local reporter. Virgil Flowers is looking into a simple dognapping case when he gets dragged into a powerful murder story, here. As events unfold, sinister plans and death become even more compelling draws for Flowers, who struggles to solve a mystery that threatens to envelop him in danger. Mystery readers will find this an absorbing survey.

Tokyo Kill
Barry Lancet
Simon and Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, 14th fl., New York, NY 10020
9781451691726, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

Tokyo Kill provides a fine Jim Brodie thriller, the second in a new series, and tells of the antiques dealer/P.I.'s involvement in yet another case; this time in Tokyo, where a vacation turns into a search for rare ink paintings. When an elderly veteran begs for his protection and Brodie finds an easy job turns challenging and dangerous, a series of encounters brings international forces into play in a deadly game of espionage, politics, and treachery with a long history. A powerful saga evolves, recommended for prior fans and newcomers alike!


The Nautical Shelf

Man & The Sea
Wayne R. O'Neil
Privately Published
9780978530525, $29.00, www.manandthesea.com

Man & The Sea: Shipwrecks of Southwest Washington and Northwest Oregon 1792-1949 comes from the former owner and editor of the Chinook Observer in Washington. His father, who took over the newspaper's publishing in 1937, served in the Coast Guard in World War II and when he began working at the paper, started a life-long collection of stories and photos of shipwrecks and eyewitness accounts of accidents. He had shipwreck book in mind decades ago; but Man & The Sea was not to see the light of day until after his passing in 1997, when his daughter expanded on contributions by a reporter who wrote a weekly Man & The Sea column in the 1970s. His daughter's efforts lead to this powerful history pairing vintage illustrations and photos with accounts of the wrecks and their history, making for a unique, invaluable account that adds essential details to Northwest nautical history.


The LGBT Shelf

Speaking Out
Rachelle Lee Smith
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781629630410, $14.95, www.pmpress.com

Speaking Out: Queer Youth in Focus provides a fine photographic essay that explores experiences from a diverse group of young people ages fourteen to early twenties who identify as gay, bisexual, transgender or other. Each youth is photographed against a blank canvas with their personal thoughts handwritten onto the final photo: some sixty-five photos were produced using this method in a period of ten years. The result is more than a photographic essay and more than a survey of gay topics overall, but provides a specific focus on youth and their concerns and place within the LGBTQ community. The result is a title for and by youth - but also for any who work and live with them. It's reviewed here (rather than in our Children's Bookwatch issue) so any adults won't miss it.


The Automotive Shelf

Lost Hot Rods II
Pat Ganahl
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
9781934709931, $34.95, www.cartechbooks.com

Lost Hot Rods II: More Remarkable Stories of How They Were Found documents vintage hot rods and custom and competition cars that have somehow survived decades and often years of neglect to be restored and brought back to life, and it comes from an author whose prior book on the subject expands with this new addition. New cars, photos, and true stories of their trials and tribulations are presented in this companion volume which offers an outstanding display of vintage hot rods for any collector or auto fan. Recommended especially for prior enthusiasts who want further cars and details on their history and restoration.


The Gun Shelf

The Ammo Encyclopedia, fifth edition
Michael Bussard
Blue Book Publications
8009 34th Avenue South, Suite 250, Minneapolis, MN 55425
9781936120550, $34.95, www.bluebookofgunvalues.com

The fifth updated edition of The Ammo Encyclopedia covers all Rimfire and Centerfire cartridges, plus shotshells, and has been completely updated to include over 1,000 pages and 100 chapters. An enlarged index, cartridge profiles and drawings, ballistic charts, and new historical images and charts make this quite an extensive revamp, which means that the information is invaluable for any who would look for the latest ammo specs and details.


The California Shelf

California Coast from the Air
Gary Griggs and Deepika Shrestha Ross
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878426126, $28.00, www.mountain-press.com

California Coast from the Air comes from the California Coastal Records Project and offers a fine aerial photographic record of the coastline using some 150 of the best photos in a collection of over 80,000 images. Oceanographer Gary Griggs and architect Deepika Shrestha Ross provide captions that discuss the changing geography and human impact on the coastline, while the county arrangement from north to south, paired with shaded relief maps, make for a survey rich in historical and geographic data. No California collection should be without this intriguing approach to California's geography.

Chiefs and Challengers, second edition
George Harwood Phillips
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806144900, $26.95, www.oupress.com

The second updated edition of Chiefs and Challengers: Indian Resistance and Cooperation in Southern California, 1769-1906 comes from a historian who detailed the mistreatment of Indians and documented Indian-white interactions from both sides in his original book. This new edition describes these Southern California cultures and provides an intriguing history of the effects of American colonization, pointing out that because there was no geographical frontier in California separating Indians from whites, their interactions varied immensely throughout California. Native American history and California history holdings alike should have this!

Empress San Francisco
Abigail M. Markwyn
University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th Street, Lincoln, Nebraska, 68588-0255
9780803243842, $35.00, www.nebraskapress.unl.edu

Empress San Francisco explores the Pacific Rim and California at the time of the PPIE in 1915, and provides view of San Francisco's local political and social world as it interacted with the wider world to organize its big fair. Organizers found themselves juggling politics, international groups, local labor unions, and neighborhood associations alike as they struggled with the concept, representation and enactment of San Francisco's biggest celebration. The PPIE reflected social and political tensions and conflicts of pre-World War I California and represented a new San Francisco image much as a debutante coming out at a ball: this book offers a fresh consideration that focuses on the social and political climate of the Fair, and is essential to any study of early San Francisco in general and the PPIE in particular.

Sunbelt Publications
1256 Fayette Street, El Cajon, CA 92020
www.sunbeltbooks.com

Two new surveys packed with natural history information specific to California are top picks for any California collection, highly recommended for their unique approaches and information. Jennifer Bauer Morton edits COAST TO CACTUS: GEOLOGY AND TECTONICS SAN DIEGO TO SALTON TROUGH, CALIFORNIA (9781941384060, $35.00), a survey published in conjunction with the 2014 Field Trip of the San Diego Association of Geologists in 2014. This volume covers the traverse across the San Diego region's mountains and explores coastal attractions familiar to millions. From mining issues and earthquakes to engineering and geological observation, this is a powerful pick for any collection strong in geological in general and California in particular. Wolf Berger, PhD's COAST TO CREST AND BEYOND: ACROSS SAN DIEGO COUNTY BY CAR ALONG THE SAN DIEGUITO RIVER (9780916251536, $12.95) is a travel guide recommended for any who would traverse the county, and covers everything from wildflowers and geology to gorges, lakes, botany, and an even a local aquarium. Any interested in Southern California's wildlife and environment will find this a road trip of another nature, packed with fine observations that will encourage any regional traveler interested in the area's nature and identifying the plants and creatures that inhabit it.


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

Diane C. Donovan, Editor & Senior Reviewer
12424 Mill Street, Petaluma, CA 94952
phone: 1-707-795-4629
e-mail: donovan@sonic.net


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