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California Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 3 March 2013 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Economic Studies Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Biography Shelf Education Shelf
Business Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Fiction Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Self-Help Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Photography Shelf
International Studies Shelf American History Shelf World History Shelf
Military Shelf Social Issues Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Journalism Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Gardening Shelf Agriculture Shelf
Computer Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Political Science Shelf
Music Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Technology Shelf
Science Shelf Art Shelf Sports Shelf
DVD Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Travel Shelf
Terrorism Studies Shelf Psychology Shelf California Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Israeli Security Warrior Training
Garret Machine
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
9781610041805, $22.00, www.paladin-press.com

Israeli Security Warrior Training shares the skills and knowledge the author learned as a security warrior for the Israeli Ministry of Defense, offering a manual covering urban, tactical, and security operations and the basics of building a security team. From recognizing the signs of an ambush to conducting undercover security, handling a bomb threat, and dealing with a hostage situation, it comes packed with specific information tailored to producing a step above a security agent. The skillset of a 'warrior' is quite different - and can be critical in emergency situations. Any library building a collection geared to security concerns, military operations or survival will find this is packed with important specifics.

Pattern Book of Upholstery
David Michael Wood
Bauer and Dean Publishers
P.O. Box 98
Times Square Station, NY, NY 10108
9780983863274, $95.00, www.baueranddean.com

Pattern Book of Upholstery is first in a series of pictorial references inspired by the 18th-century English pattern book, offering a visual sourcebook key to any who are serious about upholstery. It packs in classic upholstery models form traditional to modern, offers extensive hand-drown illustrations by artist Anara Mambetova-Finkelstein, and includes all kinds of upholstery projects, from sofas and armchair to dining chairs and benches. The drawings in black pen are close-up and feature intricate details, scale and information professionals will easily use, while accompanying description provides discussions of upholstery that come from years of designing and fabricating upholstery. Appendices are loaded with practical references including a visual dictionary, while discussions cover everything from yardage needs to measuring furniture and understanding the pros and cons of typical fabrics used in upholstery. If only one guide to upholstery were to be chosen for a collection, it should be Pattern Book of Upholstery: there's simply nothing like it on the market.

USMLE Step 2 CK, second edition
Conrad Fischer, MD
Kaplan Publishing
1 Liberty Plaza, 24th floor, New York, NY 10006
9781609787608, $44.99, www.kaplanpublishing.com

MASTER THE BOARDS: USMLE STEP 2 CK appears in its second updated edition to offer test-takers a targeted review process in color, and is packed with sidebars of information, a logical step-by-step approach to patient care, and tips for understanding incorrect answers and exam questions. The targeted review imparts everything needed to excel on the exam and is packed with information including disease topics that survey the best tests for diagnosis and the best treatment options. A 'must' for any serious medical test library!

On the Map
Simon Garfield
Gotham Books
c/o Penguin Publishing USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592407798, $27.50, www.penguin.com

ON THE MAP: A MIND-EXPANDING EXPLORATION OF THE WAY THE WORLD LOOKS discusses cartography in a different way, considering how maps hold keys to humanity itself. It provides a history of the map's evolution with a concurrent survey of how maps define our position in the world, exploring ways that maps relate to our history and humanity itself. Maps link past to present, define dreams, and affect daily lives whether you're traveling or at home: ON THE MAP provides a powerful assessment of maps and their underlying influences and meaning in a lively discussion perfect for travel, cartography, history, and general lending collections alike.

The Critical Pulse
Jeffrey J. Williams and Heather Steffen
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231161152, $27.50, www.cup.columbia.edu

The Critical Pulse: Thirty-Six Credos by Contemporary Critics offers college-level readers an anthology of essays written by some of the leading social and cultural critics of our times, and deserves a place in any humanities or literary criticism collection. Essays consider literature, politics, and the humanities in general as they consider the changing role and nature of criticism and its audience. All incorporate the critics' personal experiences as examples, and all provide personal and moving accounts of critical experiences, making this a perfect pick for any literary or cultural criticism collection.


The Economic Studies Shelf

Enough is Enough
Rob Dietz and Dan O'Neill
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609948054, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

Enough is Enough: Building a Sustainable Economy in a World of Finite Resources offers a close inspection of connections between how world economics operate and the societal and economic damage it causes, considering how economic structures impact lives and what we can do about it. The solution here is to focus on economic growth as the cause of these issues - and to change our goals from ever-increasing growth to better management of resources. The idea here is to build a stable 'steady-state economy', and chapters describe this economic model and how it might be achieved. Any collection strong in connections between economics and social issues will find this a powerful addition reflecting on the roots of social discontent around the world.



The Health/Medicine Shelf

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems
Matthew McKay, PhD
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608822898, $39.95, www.newharbinger.com

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy for Interpersonal Problems: Using Mindfulness, Acceptance, and Schema Awareness to Change Interpersonal Behaviors includes a complete ACT protocol for interpersonal problems, and is a recommendation for psychologists working with clients who repeatedly fall into the same negative patterns in their relationships with the world. Chapters consider the basics of overcoming values-based behaviors in relationships, packing in worksheets of information and covering all the basics of ACT therapy processes. Psychologists already familiar with these techniques will find this a life application worthy of in-depth reading and repeat reference.

Make Your Brain Smarter
Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD with Shelly Kirkland
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451665475, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

MAKE YOUR BRAIN SMARTER: INCREASE YOUR BRAIN'S CREATIVITY, ENERGY, AND FOCUS teaches nine basic habits to keep a brain fit and includes tests and exercises to improve problem-solving and higher-brain functions. From using puzzles to retain better cognitive abilities affecting decision-making and judgment processes to understanding the right exercises for promoting this function, cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Chapman uses the latest brain research to help readers exercises their brains for optimal operation. Any self-help collection will find this a popular lend.

Domestic Violence Sourcebook, fourth edition
Sandra J. Judd, Editor
Omnigraphics, Inc.
PO Box 31-1640, Detroit, MI 48231
9780780812611, $85.00, www.omnigraphics.com

The fourth updated edition of Domestic Violence Sourcebook offers information to victims and those involved, and updates all information contained in previous editions. From facts about different kinds of domestic violence to the latest statistics covering abuse in specific populations, intervening in domestic violence, emergency help, and managing emergency situations, this includes a glossary of terms, directories of resources for further information, and all the legal, psychological, social and health concerns involved in a domestic violence situation. General collections will consider this a key reference.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

CEQA Deskbook, third edition
Ronald E. Bass, et al.
Solano Press Books
PO Box 773, Point Arena, CA 95468
9780923956486, $75.00, www.solano.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded third edition, the "CEQA Deskbook" continues to be an authoritative, comprehensive, step-by-step guide for insuring compliance with the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). The collaborative effort of senior regulatory specialist Ronald E. Bass, ICF environmental counselor Kennith M. Bogdan, and ICF senior environmental planner Terry Rivasplata, the "CEQA Deskbook" is a superbly presented, 398 page compendium providing background information on CEQA, creating environmental impact reports, agency decisionmaking with respect to CEQA compliance, CEQA litigation, and a great deal more. Illustrated, featuring 'info blocks', charts, and illustrations, the "CEQA Deskbook" is authoritative and a critically essential guide for corporate, NGO, governmental, and academic library Environmental Studies reference collections focused upon California's complex environmental quality laws and statutes.


The Biography Shelf

My Crazy Beautiful Life
Ke$ha
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781476704166, $22.99, www.simonandschuster.com

My Crazy Beautiful Life provides a fine visual autobiography telling of author Ke$ha (yes, it's spelled with a dollar sign in the middle - making for intriguing shelving challenges) and her evolution from being the worst waitress in Los Angeles to singing for people around the world. It's a survey of the realities of her life on the road, packs in lovely color photos on every page, and is accompanied by personal reflections, experiences, and insights throughout. Any fan of the musician and her music will relish this intimate portrait.

Alone on the Ice
David Roberts
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393240160, $27.95, www.wwnorton.com

Alone on the Ice: The Greatest Survival Story in the History of Exploration provides a fine survey of the harrowing travels of Douglas Mawson's Australian Antarctic Expedition - a lesser-known odyssey of survival that rivals the better-known tragic journeys or Shackleton. Mawson survived against nearly impossible conditions and odds, and this account tells of his life, from his early interest in exploration and expertise in mineralogy to his first expedition with Shackleton and his own travels with the purpose of exploring a 2,000 mile stretch of Antarctica that had previously gone unexplored. Tragedy claimed men's lives and nearly all their food: the struggle for survival which ensued makes for riveting true-adventure reading, perfect for any general lending collection where patrons enjoy real-world stories of survival.

Empress of Fashion
Amanda Mackenzie Stuart
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
0061691747, $35.00, www.harpercollins.com

EMPRESS OF FASHION: A LIFE OF DIANA VREELAND provides a lively biography of a woman hired to Harper's Bazaar in 1936 when few women of her social status worked; there to foster a sense of style that was to bring Parisian creations to New York's fashion industry. This biography was written with the cooperation of Vreeland's estate and family, uses her private diaries for enlightenment, and succeeds in placing her life and achievements in the realm of evolving American trend-setting styles. The result is a compelling read of interest two those involved in fashion and those outside of it: a survey that charts her journey through American fashion history and reveals her lively associations with some famous personalities of her times. Any general library or fashion arts collection will find it an accessible, popular lend.

Dinner with Churchill
Cita Stelzer
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor
New York, NY 10004
9781605984018, $27.95, www.pegasusbooks.us

Dinner with Churchill is a riveting biography highly recommended for any political studies and biography holding, and provides new insights into Churchill's life and personality. Through a focus on food and dining, it covers the dinners at which Churchill presided, the important political connections which occurred at these events, and how he used dinner meetings to foster his political objectives and help change the world. The result is a powerful collection of vignettes and analysis highly recommended for any holding looking for an in-depth study of Churchill's political approach.


The Education Shelf

High-Impact Instruction
Jim Knight
Corwin Press, Inc.
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781412981774, $39.95, www.corwin.com

HIGH-IMPACT INSTRUCTION: A FRAMEWORK FOR GREAT TEACHING offers teachers important keys to achievement by showing how to assess which teaching strategies are high-impact. All kinds of educators, from teachers to coaches and principals, will find this packed with keys to planning content and its delivery, then assessing its results. From reviews of basic instructional practices to how to shape an entire classroom culture, this offers checklists, a bibliography, online resources, and keys for overall school improvement, and is a stunning guide for any educator's collection.

Bullying Hurts
Lester L. Laminack and Reba M. Wadsworth
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
9780325043562, $20.00, www.heinemann.com

BULLYING HURTS: TEACHING KINDNESS THROUGH READ ALOUDS AND GUIDED CONVERSATIONS is an anti-bullying guide any teacher will want to consider, and offers a focus on how the familiar read aloud structure can be used to neutralize bullying behaviors and encourage community. Punishing a bully isn't enough: true education lies in modifying behaviors through example, and this title helps teachers guide students toward understanding bullying behaviors. Five recommended read alouds and lessons supporting them make this a fine guide encouraging cooperative community spirit, and is recommended for any teacher education collection.

Foundations of Responsive Caregiving
Jean Barbre, EdD
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540856, $34.95, www.redleafpress.org

Foundations of Responsive Caregiving: Infants, Toddlers, and Twos helps educators provide children with high-quality care, showing how to apply child development theories to educational pursuits, how to develop responsive caregiving geared to a child's overall development, and how to incorporate play with educational pursuits. Early childhood teachers receive a wealth of activities in a guide filled with sidebars on everything from what caregivers can do to encourage the process to observation and assessment for particular levels of development. A fine addition for any early childhood collection.

The Early Intervention Teaming Handbook
M'Lisa L. Shelden and Dathan D. Rush
Paul H. Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624, Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598570854, $34.95, www.brookespublishing.com

The Early Intervention Teaming Handbook: The Primary Service Provider Approach is packed with case studies, transcripts from team meetings, and keys to establishing a team that works together well, and provides a fine survey of child-focussed team efforts. Activity-based approaches to scheduling promote child learning while chapters discuss coordination specifics, effective team meetings, and how best to use a primary service provider. Any education collection will find this packed with important field-tested examples.

Teach Beyond Your Reach, second edition
Robin Neidorf
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike
Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781937290016, $29.95, www.infotoday.com

The second updated edition of Teach Beyond Your Reach: An Instructor's Guide to Developing and Running Successful Distance Learning Classes, Workshops, Training Sessions and More represents a significant undertaking as it provides a curriculum-focused approach for educators seeking to developing training sessions and quality courses. Best practices and examples from real-world courses and course development provide teachers, consultants and managers with solid ideas for instigating a distance learning program. From issues commonly involved to building on core content with activities, this is a 'must' for any educator's library.

Reading With Meaning, second edition
Debbie Miller
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B
Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109552, $25.00, www.stenhouse.com

Reading With Meaning appears in its second updated edition to provide the basics of teaching comprehension in the primary grades, and is a pick for any interested in developing a new strategy for teaching comprehension. It's been ten years since the first edition in which the author detailed her own classroom experiences: this second updated edition expands on her approach and provides new titles that will engage students, current picture books for reading aloud, and refinished strategies for encouraging new readers. Any early childhood educator's collection will benefit from her approach to building not just reading, but active and improved comprehension skills.


The Business Shelf

The Better Mousetrap
Simon Pont
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749466213, $19.95, www.koganpage.com

The Better Mousetrap: Brand Invention in a Media Democracy belongs in business and media collections alike and considers brand advertising strategies of some leading companies around the world, and how their brands were challenged by the rise of digital media. New ideas on branding, advertising and media development in modern times accompany discussions of changed business structures and goals, includes black and white photos and figures throughout, and considers brand communication models for success. Any business looking to re-assess or re-create its media branding style will find this a useful guide, packed with tips and insights.

Hungry Start-Up Strategy
Peter S. Cohan
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609945282, $27.95, www.bkconnection.com

Hungry Start-Up Strategy: Creating New Ventures with Limited Resources and Unlimited Vision is for any start-up company interested in understanding the six key start-up choices that differentiate small ventures from larger ones. From setting goals and picking markets to building effective teams, each choice is paired with a decision-making approach and case studies of what entrepreneurs have done to promote their businesses. The result is a powerful survey, highly recommended for any who would begin their own business venture on a shoestring, and who would understand the basic keys to success in such an environment.

Leading Change
John P. Kotter
Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
9781422186435, $28.00, www.hbr.org/books

If LEADING CHANGE sounds familiar, that's because it was first published in 1996, when world business structures and changes were just beginning. His discussion rode the wave of these changes and remains even more relevant today, in a world where change is the rule rather than the exception. This edition provides an eight-step process for managing such change with positive results, providing keys to a process successful organizations have used to transform their identities and products. From how top performers succeed and fail during the process to making change initiatives work, this is a far-reading read any serious business holding must have.

Service Failure
Jeff Toister
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814431993, $17.95, www.amacombooks.org

SERVICE FAILURE: THE REAL REASON EMPLOYEES STRUGGLE WITH CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WHAT YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT comes from a customer service consultant pinpoints the company policies that reinforce poor customer service perceptions and processes, and helps reader/managers rethink their customer service operations by considering the policies themselves. Chapters offer real-world scenarios analyzing what is driving negative behavior patterns and how to resolve the underlying issues that lead to poor customer service perceptions. A fine, top recommendation for any business manager's reading list.

Networking is Dead
Melissa G. Wilson & Larry Mohl
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856021, $12.95, www.benbellabooks.com

Networking is Dead: Making Connections That Matter argues that despite being in a more connected world, the quality of relationships and connections often remains in question. It's all about quality, not quantity: Networking is Dead explores this concept, considering basic networking misconceptions and providing different approaches to building better mutually beneficial relationships in the world. It's written as a business fable, using the fictional format to reinforce ideas of networking business savvy, and is a pick for any business holding.

Rebooting Work
Maynard Webb and Carlye Adler
Jossey-Bass/Wiley
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9781118226155, $27.95, www.josseybass.com

Rebooting Work: Transform How You Work in the Age of Entrepreneurship offers a fine formula for success that blends a belief in working hard and aiming for achievement with his understanding of the latest technology. The focus is on how to use that technology to create better jobs and more balanced lives. Rebooting Work defines this process and the four different mindsets that revolve around work ethics. It identifies a shift in these processes and offers business leaders and employees alike solid ideas for using technology to become more productive while preserving free time. A fine guide for business libraries where individuals would cultivate the maximum business achievement.

How to Make Partner and Still Have a Life
Heather Townsend and Jo Larbie
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100
Philadelphia, PA 19102
9780749466558, $44.95, www.koganpage.com

How to Make Partner and Still Have a Life is a key for any business library appealing to aspiring professionals, and offers a 'route map' to making it to the top, from making career choices that build a definite path to overcoming hurdles in making partner. It also tells how to get promoted, and how to retain a life outside of work during the process. From overt and covert 'rules of the game' to making definitive steps in climbing one's career ladder, this covers everything from getting the most from a mentor to stopping meetings that waste time and identifying priorities. The result is a powerful set of specifics any aspiring businessman will appreciate.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Dead in the Water
Dana Stabenow
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781464200830, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

Dead in the Water provides the third Kate Shugak novel blending mystery and adventure, and is set in a stark Alaska rural community in the far north in October, where two crewmen of a crabbing boat are missing and presumed dead. The area offers many possibilities for murder or accident - but Kate suspects foul play, and finds herself working undercover as a crab fisherman to reveal the truth. With its action-packed text and powerful survey of Alaska politics and social life, this is a fine mystery filled with satisfying twists and turns, not to be missed!

Mr. Monk Gets Even
Lee Goldberg
Obsidian Mystery
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451239150, $23.95, www.penguin.com

MR. MONK GETS EVEN offers another original mystery novel to add to the ever-expanding line of Mr. Monk sagas. It's the fifteenth in the series and here tells of a stumbling block as a man Monk has identified in a string of accidental deaths and suicides is killed. Add to that the escape of one of his prisoners - with one Captain Stottlemeyer as an accomplice - and detective Monk is faced with a series of personal and professional challenges that test not only his skills, but his entire belief system. Collections seeing prior popularity with the charismatic detective that is Mr. Monk will want to add this latest, which does not disappoint.

Found Guilty at Five
Ann Purser
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780425252826, $24.95, www.penguin.com

Found Guilty at Five provides a fine Lois Meade mystery, the fifth in the series which features an updated working-class Miss Marple-type character, and here tells of a daughter's wedding, a mysterious cellist who goes missing, and a string of murders which may have just increased by one. Fans of British mysteries, in particular, will appreciate the flavor, tone and setting of FOUND GUILTY AT FIVE. The string of musical thefts creates a satisfying plot with many unexpected moments: perfect for avid mystery readers.

By the Balls, 15th anniversary edition
Jim Pasoe & Tom Fassbender
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 10009
9781617751592, $16.95, www.akashicbooks.com

By the Balls: The Complete Collection celebrates the 15th anniversary edition of the Bowling Alley Murder Mystery and introduces the character of detective Ben Drake to new readers. It includes the main bowling alley murder mystery story that created the crime fiction house Ugly Town, arrives in a special 15th anniversary edition package to include the two underground cult novels and two new short stories, and is a recommended pick for short story fans who enjoy the classic Hammett and Raymond Chandler genres. Detective Ben Drake loves small cigars and big fights - and women in trouble. His adventures and puzzling cases involve many instances of criminal angst in this riveting account, perfect for fans of hardboiled detective reading.

The Stonecutter
Camilla Lackberg
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451621860, $15.99, www.simonandschuster.com

The Stonecutter provides a fine novel featuring the third installment in her series, and is especially recommended for prior fans who will avidly follow the ongoing story of Patrik and his girlfriend Erica, a crime-solving duo who celebrate their first child even as a suspicious drowning claims the young daughter of one of their close friends. An investigation into a rural fishing village unearths a long-held, close-kept secret that if revealed could tear the town apart; for generations have worked hard to prevent discovery. Fans of solid detective fiction will find this an involving read.


The Fiction Shelf

Contents May Have Shifted
Pam Houston
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393343489, $14.95, www.wwnorton.com

Pam Houston's short stories have been chosen for many acclaimed roundups and the Pushcart Prize, so prior readers of her shorts will find much to appreciate here in her new novel which provides a personal survey of fictional character Pam and her life. At the heart of the story is a crumbling relationship and many long-distance journeys: as Pam travels the world she finds herself navigating relationships near and far, searching for love and a center to her wandering life. Readers who enjoy depth and strong characterization in their novels will find this a winning story powered by a compelling protagonist's voyage of self-discovery.

The Man Who Turned Both Cheeks
Gillian Royes
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451627435, $15.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The Man Who Turned Both Cheeks: A Novel provides a sequel to her debut novel The Goat Woman of Largo Bay and returns to the tiny fishing village which is in turmoil following Hurricane Albert. Shad Myers, the town's unofficial law enforcer, is determined to rescue his town - but even on its path to rebuilding he finds new challenges in the form of economic battles and outsiders who would inject their own special interests into the better interests of the town's reconstruction progress. Heated encounters and danger turns Largo Bay into a hotbed of controversy in this riveting thriller, especially recommended for prior fans of the Goat Woman.


The Audiobook Shelf

Two Graves
Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781614134223, $39.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

TWO GRAVES receives a fine narration by Rene Auberjonois who has numerous TV acting credits to his name, and whose voice brings to life the vivid action drama centering around FBI Special Agent Aloysius Pendergast, who discovers that his wife - who was murdered in an accident - is actually alive. Just as they are reunited she is abducted, setting in motion a chain of events that lead him on a desperate chase to rescue her - and leads him into a larger plot involving a serial killer on the loose. The result is an engrossing and lively survey, highly recommended for any audio holding strong in action, intrigue, mystery and adventure.

Barack Obama
Anthony Painter
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781743140734, $14.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Barack Obama: The Movement for Change provides a powerful reading by Nicholas Bell, who brings to life a strong survey of a visionary President determined to change American history. This chronicles the movement that swept him to the White House and focuses not just on Obama's candidacy and Presidential terms, but the people who participated in his campaign and who hold a new vision for a changed America. Any who would understand Obama and the social and political changes he promises will find this an avid listen, brought to life in audio.

Dream New Dreams
Jai Pausch
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307990198, $35.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

Dream New Dreams: Reimagining My Life After Loss deserves repeated, ongoing mention as a powerful account made even more powerful by the voice of Amanda Carlin, whose voice brings to life a powerful memoir by the wife of Randy Pausch, who wrote his bestselling novel while battling pancreatic cancer. This shares Jai's romance, her changed life from wife to caregiver, and how she copied with her own grief while helping her family. It's a gripping listen, hard to put down!


The Self-Help Shelf

The Happy Life
David Malouf
Pantheon
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307907714, $19.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

What are we really seeking when we look for happiness? In our modern world privileged nations have eliminated much poverty and illness - yet we still feel unfulfilled and turn to church, yoga, drugs and other therapies. THE HAPPY LIFE uses a blend of mythology, history, philosophy and art to consider the changing human perception of happiness throughout history around the world, from creation myths of early Greece to the modern pursuit of happiness. Chapters consider the forces that drive and define human happiness, and consider its place in 21st century culture. A top pick for any general-interest inspirational collection!

Know Yourself, Forget Yourself
Marc Lesser
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608680818, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: Five Truths That Will transform Your Work, Relationships, and Everyday Life offers a collection of truths from an executive coach and Zen teacher who shows that understanding and embracing life's confusions and contradictions can actually lead to more joy. He provides tools for embracing five basic contradictions common to life, draws some important connections between understanding the success, and clarifies the central Buddhist path to awakening and achievement that results when paradoxes are understood and embraced. The result is a powerful book about expanding emotional skills: a fine pick for any self-help or inspirational collection.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Paper Piecing Quilts of Praise
Jaynette Huff
Martingale
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604681688, $26.99, www.shopmartingale.com

Paper Piecing Quilts of Praise: Patterns Inspired by Beloved Hymns packs in some 18 pieced blocks celebrating a range of hymns, from Amazing Grace to Shepherd's Crossing, and is a powerful recommendation for any spiritual quilter's collection. Here are Christian hymns illustrated by quilt patterns - some with words embellished into the quilt, others whose images stand alone. From wall hangings to particular religious holidays and celebrations, this is a strong recommendation for Christian quilters looking to blend belief with quilting efforts.

Log Cabin Quilts: The Basics & Beyond
Janet Houts and Jean An Wright
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A
Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726289, $27.95, www.landauerpub.com

Log Cabin Quilts: The Basics & Beyond covers modern and classic quilt designs in the Log Cabin tradition and provides a new book on how to reproduce the basic Log Cabin block design. From sizing and fabric charts to templates and diagrams for assembly, this offers keys to learning the patterns that go into a Log Cabin quilt, and comes from an author who designs quilts for several textile companies. A fine guide for quilter's collection!

BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern
Nora Abousteit and Jamie Lau
Potter Craft
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780307586759, $29.99, www.randomhouse.com

BurdaStyle Sewing Vintage Modern provides a fine sewing resource for creating vintage-inspired pieces, and encourages the finer art of using modern materials to create a vintage style. Five master patterns hold numerous opportunities to customize, while sewers looking to create a retro look will find this packed with wardrobe and accessory ideas. Easy directions accompany a complete course in vintage fashion with patterns and sewing tips throughout, making this a top recommendation for all levels of sewing and especially for those who have been thrilled with the prior BurdaStyle title.

The Vintage Pattern Selector
Jo Barnfield
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438001029, $24.99, www.barronseduc.com

With its CD of some 15 digital patterns and its focus on locating and using retro styles, THE VINTAGE PATTERN SELECTOR blends modern styles with retro basics and offers plenty of techniques and advice for adapting old-style patterns to personal use. Learn how to mix and match patterns, use printable patterns on the CD, and create playsuits, utility coats, support garments and others from the 1930s, 40s and 50s and beyond with a guide that packs in illustrations and absorbing projects that provide intriguing 'then and now' photos explaining adaptations. Highly recommended, this should be in the sewing libraries of any who would use retro patterns for modern results.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Called to Lead
Anthony B. Robinson and Robert W. Wall
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802867407, $25.00, www.eerdmans.com

Called to Lead: Paul's Letters to Timothy for a New Day continues the discussion from the authors' previous Called to Be Church: The Book of Acts for a New Day, and comes from the collaboration of a biblical scholar and a pastoral leader who use 1 and 2 Timothy as a foundation for congregational change. Each chapter interprets the text of 1 and 2 Timothy as Scripture and then follows with discussion for modern church leaders. Any Christian collection catering to church leaders will find this an inspiring blend of Biblical research and encouragement.

Outrageous Courage
Kris Vallotton & Jason Vallotton
Chosen
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 E Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
9780800795542, $13.99, www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

Outrageous Courage: What God Can Do with raw Obedience & Radical Faith is the story of Tracy Evans and her life, recounted to her closed friends, and provides a gripping account of a life devoted to impacting lives for Christ. From treating rebel guerrillas while captive on an Asian island to caring for 900 HIV-positive orphans, her story is filled with adventure, religious faith, and examples of unquestioning love and obedience, and will prove a powerful inspirational pick for any Christian collection.

Your Beautiful Purpose
Susie Larson
Bethany House
c/o Baker Publishing Group
6030 E Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
9780764210662, $13.99, www.bakerpublishinggroup.com

YOUR BEAUTIFUL PURPOSE shows women how to embrace God's call for their lives, uses the author's own experiences to show readers how to overcome insecurities and obstacles, and is packed with biblical insights and stories in a guide for religious women who want to learn how to better live a spiritual life. It's a call to action that invites women to lead more purposeful lives, and comes from a radio talk show host who leads by example. Christian readers will find this inspiring.

History of the Catholic Church
James Hitchcock
Ignatius Press
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586176648, $29.95, www.ignatius.com

History of the Catholic Church: From the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennium provides a powerful survey by a leading commentator on the Catholic Church In America and a longtime professor of history, and follows the birth of Jesus and the Catholic Church from saints and the rise and fall of empires to the evolution of Catholic thinking and the holy lives of believers. This combination of human history and concurrent Catholic evolution makes for a powerful presentation packed with Church history. Another big plus: the entire history includes single-word references in the margins, making it easy to locate discussions by topic ranging from 'spiritual searching' and 'witchcraft' to 'Jesuit Moral Theology'. Liberally peppered with footnotes, this is a powerful survey!

The Unfolding Mystery of the Divine Name
Michael P. Knowles
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830839858, $22.50, www.ivpress.com

The Unfolding Mystery of the Divine Name considers how to discover and understand God's divine name, and blends Scripture and theology to consider a language of God. From understanding God's character through language to Biblical quotes and teachings from the author's theology background, this analysis is packed with the author's experiences teaching this material, and provides students of Scripture with an interfaith Christian dialogue that focuses on agreements about God's character. Any scholarly Christian collection will find this an astute, important analysis.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The Art of Pilgrimage, 15th anniversary edition
Phil Cousineau
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781573245937, $19.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

The Art of Pilgrimage: The Seeker's Guide to Making Travel Sacred defines and updates a classic reference that appears in its 15th anniversary edition to include a new preface by the author along with many new additions, and is a pick for new age and spirituality holdings alike. Stories blend with myths and quotes from famous travelers to provide accounts of modern pilgrims and journeys of discovery, with guided meditations encouraging would-be travelers to identify their own spiritual journeys beyond the usual goals of diversion and escape. Every journey can be sacred if spiritual goals are built into it: where most books simply talk about the idea, this book focuses on the 'how to' piece.

In Freedom We Trust
Edward M. Buckner and Michael E. Buckner
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616146443, $18.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

IN FREEDOM WE TRUST: AN ATHEIST GUIDE TO RELIGIOUS LIBERTY considers related issues from two centuries-long debates over religion and secularism in America, and uses an atheistic point of view to argue that everyone - including evangelical Christians - needs a secular America and separation of church and state. Chapters supporting this basic premise consider social freedoms, political and religious influences, and the value of secular schooling, offering analysis of social issues and offering key dates related to the history of secular America. The result is a powerful survey recommended for spirituality and social issues readers alike.


The Photography Shelf

The Photograph: Composition and Color Design, second edition
Harald Mante
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538064, $49.95, www.rockynook.com

The second updated edition of The Photograph: Composition and Color Design comes from a German teacher who here explores the basic principles of line, shape, color and composition, covering techniques to enhance photos and support their basic themes. Any interested in photography from hobby photographers to neo-professionals will benefit from this series of lessons, illustrated with over seven hundred images from the author's own works and including well over a hundred diagrams charting the process. This new edition has been completely revised and updated, includes sixty new images, and adds new chapters on analyzing shapes and colors and using the square image format. Any photography 'how-to' library will find this a key acquisition.

Posing for Portrait and Glamour Photography
Joe Farace
Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
9781608955480, $39.95, www.amherstmedia.com

Posing for Portrait and Glamour Photography: Techniques for Digital Photographers teaches the basics of designing more effective poses for glamour photos, and provides a fine basic survey demonstrating techniques for creating compelling poses and shapes. From working with models and non-models alike to choosing hardware and creating poses using props, this is packed with color examples throughout in an exceptional presentation for any collection catering to neo-professional photographers.

The Great Picture
Lucy Lippard, Tyler Stallings & Dawn Hassett
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953737, $75.00, www.hudsonhills.com

Collections strong in arts and photography history will find The Great Picture: Making the World's Largest Photograph a powerful history of a photography that is literally three stories high by eleven stories wide, made by using a shuttered southern California F-18 jet hanger transformed into an enormous camera obscura. Six major photographers aided by some 400 artists and helpers produced the image: a huge panoramic image of the California desert. The Legacy Project was unveiled in 2006 and has been exhibited only twice since, making THE GREAT PICTURE an outstanding tribute for any who would understand the project and its making. Very highly recommended, its oversized presentation holds a treasure trove of images and insights not to be missed.

The Photoshop Elements 11 Book for Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby and Matt Kloskowski
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321884831, $49.99, www.newriders.com

The Photoshop Elements 11 Book for Digital Photographers provides an Elements book for neo-professional digital photographers, showing exactly what to do to achieve results. Chapters focus on which settings to use, when to use them, and what the results are, teaching techniques professionals use and providing secrets on everything from modifying photos and using layers to using Camera Raw for processing RAW photos and JPEGs like. From daily photos to special effects, this teaches all the basics, from reorganizing to touching up and taking photos, and is a hands-on oriented 'must' for any who would receive instruction based on exactly how to take and manipulate photos. Black and white and color examples throughout lend to a winner.

Adobe Premiere Elements 11 Classroom in a Book
Adobe Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321883728, $49.99, www.adobepress.com

Adobe Premiere Elements 11 Classroom in a Book provides a basic primer on learning Adobe Premiere Elements 11, and is a recommendation for any who would learn the software quickly. Some 13 lessons are packed into a guide that covers all the basics and accompanies them with tips and techniques to getting up to speed with the program. They are designed for use in either start-to-finish courses or as at-a-glance references for those who prefer to consult the book when stuck: all that's needed is the software and this volume, to create a solid course.

Shooting in Sh*tty Light
Lindsay Adler and Erik Valind
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321862693, $34.99, www.peachpit.com

Shooting in Sh*tty Light covers the top ten worst photography lighting situations and how to conquer them, comes from two professional photographers, and presents practical solutions explaining why one option would be better than another. Most books focus on lighting strategies but this answers the basic dilemma of what to do when lighting is terrible, showing how to hone techniques that can address a range of typical bad lighting scenarios. The result is a title packed with examples, solutions, and an explanation style that doesn't require extensive knowledge of photography to prove successful. A recommended pick for any newcomer to photography.


The International Studies Shelf

Southeast Asia Past and Present, seventh edition
D.R. SarDesai
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813348377, $47.00, www.westviewpress.com

The seventh updated edition of Southeast Asia Past and Present provides a balanced review of the history of the entire region from ancient to modern times, covering traditional history and modern challenges as it surveys the lands and peoples of different countries and their interactions. High school to college-level students receive introductions which set the background for understanding the events, and will appreciate having an edition that's been completely updated to include current events from the 2012 elections in Myanmar to the new prime minister of Thailand, and how the nations are involved in different concerns in the region. A chronological approach combines with themes to provide a well-rounded survey highly recommended for supplemental reading for any studying the cultures and history of the region.


The American History Shelf

Flush Times & Fever Dreams
Joshua D. Rothman
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA, 30602-4901
9780820333267, $29.95, www.ugapress.org

Flush Times & Fever Dreams: A Story of Capitalism and Slavery in the Age of Jackson provides college-level American history readers with a specific examination from a master storyteller who digs up stories of those who made, missed and lost fortunes in the rural South in the 1800s. From the story of one Virgin who successfully pursued a thief accused of stealing two slaves, to the evolution of slave thieves in other areas and the evolving face of capitalistic endeavors during the times, this offers a vivid portrait of American Southwest history and is a solid pick for any history holding seeking lively scholarship.


The World History Shelf

All Standing
Kathryn Miles
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451610130, $26.00, www.simonandschuster.com

ALL STANDING: THE REMARKABLE STORY OF THE JEANIE JOHNSTON, THE LEGENDARY IRISH FAMINE SHIP recounts the dramatic story of The Jeanie Johnston, which ran between Ireland and North America during the height of the Irish Famine. Unlike other 'coffin ships' of the times which suffered from plague and crowding, this ship successfully accomplished eleven voyages to North America. Perhaps this is why that ship was chosen for recreation at a cost of over L20 million and many world efforts to commemorate the new millennium. This history of the ship follows the life of baby boy Nicholas Reilly, born on the ship's maiden voyage, and his passengers and crew. Newspaper accounts, rare archival documents, and history recounts the story of the ship and her achievements in a tribute perfect for nautical or general-interest collections.


The Military Shelf

Bolt Action: Armies of Germany
Warwick Kinrade
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781780960883, $24.95, www.osprey.com

Bolt Action: Armies of Germany is for players of Bolt Action wargaming and holds all the details needed to thwart the military forces of Germany. From army lists that allow buildups for any year of the war to descriptions of costs, damage value of equipment, and special rules regulating their use, this Bolt Action guide will be of special interest to any serious player.

Phantom Menace or Looming Danger?
Kathleen M. Vogel
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421407432, $30.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Phantom Menace or Looming Danger? A New Framework for Assessing Bioweapons Threats should be in any political science and military collection and provides a powerful argument for a major shift in how bioweapons threats are assessed. From a focus on the social and political basis for technological threats to the advancement of Soviet anthrax weapons, Iraqi mobile bioweapons labs, and more, this offers a unique and different framework for analysis for students of security issues, and provides a strong series of arguments that military and political science collections alike will appreciate.


The Social Issues Shelf

The Revolution of Everyday Life
Raoul Vaneigem
PM Press
PO Box 23912, Oakland, CA 94623
9781604866780, $20.00, www.pmpress.org

The Revolution of Everyday Life is a scholarly blend of politics, social observation, history and philosophy and is a recommended pick for any college-level collection strong in these subjects. It considers the alienating aspects of modern daily life in consumer society and the factors which lead to this alienation, from the call to sacrifice to false needs, social roles, and the replacement of God by monetary interests. It considers the drive for creativity, poetry and spontaneity that exist despite these alienating forces in society, and offers a vision of how isolation may be thwarted. Donald Nicholson-Smith's completely new translation highlights the two different ideas of the Situationist International movement and brings to life one side of this argument from two books published in 1967 just prior to the upheavals in France. Also recommended for collections strong in the history and driving philosophies of modern France.

Wounds That Will Not Heal
Russell K. Nieli
Encounter Books
900 Broadway, Suite 601, New York, NY 10003
9781594035821, $29.95, www.encounterbooks.com

Wounds That Will Not Heal: Affirmative Action and Our Continuing Racial Divide is a recommendation for a range of college-level collections, from those strong in political science to others covering social science and racial issues, and holds a dialogue on racial preference policies over the decades. The latest social science research on these policies conducted over the last twenty years serves as a foundation for examining the key claims of preference policy supporters. From genetic inclinations to favor specific groups to civic circumstances surrounding favoritism, this lays in a course of action and is a powerful examination of affirmative action and its discontents.

Alone Together
Sherry Turkle
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780465031467, $16.99, www.basicbooks.com

ALONE TOGETHER: WHY WE EXPECT MORE FROM TECHNOLOGY AND LESS FROM EACH OTHER provides a fine survey from a psychologist who examines how digital technology has changed our relationships to the world and each other. Research results spanning some fifteen years consider how personal computers and devices have changed not only our use of systems, but our ability to interact with one another. The digital age has changed our interpersonal relationships and even fostered a different kind of solitude amidst the opportunities of increased connections. ALONE TOGETHER provides astute analysis of this condition and offers insights and solutions to resolving it in a recommendation for any general collection and many college social issues holdings.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Massive Black V. 2
Kemp Remillard and Ronnie Gramazio
Ballistic Publishing
134 Gilbert Street
Adelaide, South Australia, Australia
9781921002854, $65.00, www.BallisticPublishing.com

Massive Black V. 2 belongs in computer, digital arts and film collections alike, and comes from the archives of an artist-owned cooperative that contributes artwork, animation and illustration to the entertainment and advertising industries. The efforts of this studio have resulted in some of the most notable contributions to TV, games and movies in the field, which were celebrated in a previous collection and continue to be celebrated here. From Starhawk and Void Star to Sega games and Hasbro products, this provides a fine collection of images throughout and links the studio's exceptional output to some of the finest and most memorable images on screen and in gaming fields. A wide range of collections will find this an exceptional addition, packed with colorful insights into some of the major creators of our times.


The Journalism Shelf

Beware of Limbo Dancers
Roy Reed
University of Arkansas Press
McIlroy House, 201 Ozark Avenue
Fayetteville, AR 72701
9781557289889, $34.95, www.uapress.com

Beware of Limbo Dancers: A Correspondent's Adventures with the New York Times provides a witty memoir from a native Arkansan who became a reporter for the Times, and covers his newspaper career and evolution. He joined the Times in 1965 - and witnessed first-hand Alabama's key civil rights moments as he reported and commented on social change in the South and the early days of Nixon. Any collection strong in civil rights issues, news reporting history, or Southern culture will find this a key observation of one of the most volatile periods of our times, and the challenges of reporters in capturing it all.

Gay Press, Gay Power
Tracy Baim, Editor
Prairie Avenue Productions
c/o Windy City Media Group
5315 N. Clark St. #192, Chicago, IL 60640
9781480080522, $25.00, www.windycitymediagroup.com

Gay Press, Gay Power: The Growth of LGBT Community Newspapers in America comes from the editor and publisher of Chicago's gay publication Windy City Times, and provides a fine survey of the history and evolution of gay print media. Essays, interviews, and news clips and images from mainstream and early gay publications are included in this survey which moves from a history of discrimination against gays to the rise of gay and lesbian publications across the country. The resulting analysis is a powerful media history highly recommended for media studies and gay history collections alike, packed with accounts that document the movement of gay media in this country.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Andromeda's Fall
William C. Dietz
Ace Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780425256251, $25.95, www.penguin.com

Andromeda's Fall: A Novel of the Legion of the Damned is first in a planned prequel trilogy and is set hundreds of years in the future, where humanity has gone to the stars, discovered aliens, established an empire - and where one Lady Catherine leads a pampered life until a power grab places her on the run - with Legion recruit Andromeda determined to bring down her successor. This powerful saga of the early Legion will appeal to newcomers and old fans alike, offering the usual swift action and high drama perfect for any science fiction collection.

Tiger By the Tail
John Ringo & Ryan Sear
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781451638561, $25.00, www.baen.com

Tiger By the Tail follows Mike Harmon and his Keldara team from Hong Kong to Thailand and beyond as they find themselves chasing pirates for fun until classified materials revealing a top-secret technology are found among the loot. Now it's a game turned into a deadly struggle for survival as Harmon immerses himself in local politics, intrigue, and the threat of a high technology that will change the world if it's unleashed. TIGER BY THE TAIL follows Ringo's previous characters and imparts the same swift action and engrossing high drama that has permeated his prior science fiction adventures. Fans of military and political sci fi in general and Harmon in particular will find this an engrossing winner.

The Dog in the Dark
Barb & J.C. Hendee
Roc
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451464934, $26.95, www.penguin.com

The Dog in the Dark is a novel of the Noble Dean and provides a new addition to the series, opening after the escape of Magiere, Leesil and dog Chap from the city of Calm Seatt. They are still on a journey to find one of five devices sought by the Ancient Enemy and have on their side a host of talented elfs and otherworldly creatures as they sail into adventure, with Magiere struggling with her dhampir nature. It's fantasy at its best, and will appeal to prior fans as well as newcomers who enjoy a vivid fantasy adventure.

The Explorers
James Smythe
Harper Voyageur
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062229410, $14.99, www.harpercollins.com

Fans of Arthur C. Clarke will appreciate the tone and theme of a novel which reads remarkably like a Clarke classic, with many different twists. It's set in a tiny spaceship where a group of explorers represents the first manned mission to deep space. The crew awakens to find their captain has died in his safety pod - and that he's only the first in a series of puzzling deaths that will threaten the mission and leave one space explorer facing the expanse of the universe on his own.

A Memory of Light
Robert Jordan and Brandon Sanderson
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765325952, $34.99, www.tor-forge.com

A Memory of Light provides Book Fourteen - the final volume - of the Wheel of Time series and is a 'must' for the avid followers who have read the other compelling books. Here the rules of nations gather to a battle that will determine the future of humanity - for the Wheel is turning and the Last Battle is set to determine the world's end. Creator Robert Jordan died in 2007, but this final volume comes from the notes, scenes and an outline left behind by him when he died, is enhanced by consultation with his widow, who edited all of his books, and is polished by seasoned fantasy writer Brandon Sanderson. The result is a top pick for any science fiction and fantasy collection seeing enthusiasm for Robert Jordon's prior works.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Haunted Richmond II
Pamela K. Kinney
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764339646, $19.99, www.schifferbooks.com

Any fan of true 'haunt' stories and supernatural settings will find HAUNTED RICHMOND II provides a satisfying survey recounting tales of dead colonists, Civil War soldiers, and other places steeped in history and ghostly legends. One might not expect Bigfoot or a sea serpent in Richmond; but in fact paranormal Richmond doesn't lack for oddities - and this book provides lively stories of haunts divided handily by county for those who would visit and see for themselves. Black and white photos accompany fun discussions of ghostly encounters perfect for any collection strong in regional haunts.

The Reality and Spirituality of Life in the Universe
Marshall Vian Summers
New Knowledge Library
c/o The Society for the New Message from God
P.O. Box 1724, Boulder, CO 80306
9781884238499, $17.95, www.newmessage.org

The Reality and Spirituality of Life in the Universe comes from a modern prophet who has spent some thirty years exploring the spirituality of life beyond our world. His results reveal divine wisdom, a greater 'community' of which Earth is a part, and offers different ideas on the processes of creation and evolution in the universe. The resulting powerful portal to the wider meaning of spiritual evolution is a 'must' for any new age reader looking to apply concepts to greater perceptions than local perspectives can offer.

The Lightworker's Source
Sahvanna Arienta
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601631886, $15.99, www.newpagebooks.com

The Lightworker's Source: An Enlightening Guide to Awaken the Power Within defines a 'lightworker' as someone who uses their light energy to counter negativity on earth. A 'lightworker' can be an ordinary person, from an artist or accountant to anybody in the world: they speak for those who have no voice and their contributions elevate and change lives. Arienta's decades of experience as a psychic medium and intuitive advisor lends to a fine survey of these people, their work, and how any can lead a heart-centered life. New age collections will find this a winner!

The Reality of ESP
Russell Targ
Quest Books
c/o The Theosophical Publishing House
PO Box 270, Wheaton, IL 60189-0270
9780835608848, $17.95, www.questbooks.net

It's hard to neatly peg this book and certainly libraries shouldn't be quick to limit its audience to new age readers alone; for Russell Targ is a physicist who here offers proof of psychic abilities. For decades Targ has produced significant scientific research on the nature of consciousness, showing how the mind can function without limits in space and time. This book synthesizes much of his research in parapsychology into a format general non-scientist readers can easily understand, documenting NASA's program for an ESP-teaching machine, the history of remote viewing equipment, and discussing models for parapsychology studies and their findings. The result offers convincing evidence in a fine survey highly recommended for science as well as new age collections.

True Refuge
Tara Brach, PhD
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780553807622, $26.00, www.bantamdell.com

True Refuge: Finding Peace and Freedom in Your Own Awakened Heart considers how life's challenges, from dangerous illness to changing relationships, causes reactions of fear, resets old patterns, and triggers old strategies that sometimes don't serve well for positive changes. Beneath fear and pain is a silent awareness capable of much love: clinical psychologist Tara Brach calls this our 'true refuge' which is in all of us, and devotes her book to finding this sanctuary when challenges hit. Recommended for new age and Buddhist spirituality collections alike, this points the way to real healing as well as increasing capacity for happiness and live, and uses a blend of guided meditations and inspirational stories to point the way to techniques that are consistently helpful in life. Its many spiritual and psychological insights make for a highly recommended guide.

A Blueprint for Your Castle in the Clouds
Barbara Sophia Tammes
Conari Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9781573245814, $19.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

A Blueprint for Your Castle in the Clouds: Make the Inside of Your Head Your Favorite Place to Be provides a guide designed to help lighten life by offering over twenty 'rooms' to create new opportunities. Accompanied by the author's four-color illustrations, this includes blueprints for a 'mental spa', 'hall of tears' for crying, a room where intuition is to be trusted when facing a dilemma, and more. Every room in this magical Castle has special meaning and insights - and this inspirational guide offers keys to accessing the magic. Inspirational and new age collections alike will find the exercises and explanations uplifting and easy.


The Cookbook Shelf

Manly Meals and Mom's Home Cooking
Jessamyn Neuhaus
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street
Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421405841, $30.00, www.press.jhu.edu

Manly Meals and Mom's Home Cooking: Cookbooks and Gender in Modern America is a pick for any American history or culinary collection and analyzes the tone and content of American cookbooks published between the 1790s and the 1960s. The focus is on the assumptions about gender and domesticity inherent in the recipes: from how patriotism evolved in American home cooking arenas to the promotion of variety meats and the idea that men uniformly like particular kinds of foods, this is a fascinating history that delves into the world of home cooking, cookbooks, and changing perceptions about males and females in food production, and is recommended for any college-level American history or culinary arts program.

For the Love of Hops
Stan Hieronymus
Brewers Publications
P.O. Box 1679, Boulder, CO 80306
9781938469015, $19.95, www.brewersassociation.org

For the Love of Hops: The Practical Guide to Aroma, Bitterness and the Culture of Hops offers a new addition to the Brewing Elements series for home brewers of all levels of experience, explaining the nature of hops, their origins, and how brewers can use them more effectively. Expect no light collection of recipes alone: this delves into brewing chemistry, hop properties, the role farmers play in hop production, and supplement sixteen recipes from around the world with an exploration of hop quality. Any who would learn the basics of brewing should start here.

A Baker's Field Guide to Doughnuts
Dede Wilson
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
9781558327887, $14.95, www.harvardcommonpress.om

A Baker's Field Guide to Doughnuts packs in over sixty recipes that cover all kinds of doughnut options and uses step-by-step instructions easy enough for newcomers to doughnut-making. From cider doughnuts and old-fashioned buttermilk creations to embellishing with a variety of frostings and filling ingredients, this pairs traditional doughnuts with new creations and combinations to entice any doughnut cook and fan, making this an excellent basic pick for any aspiring baker's library.

Skinny Smoothies
Shell Harris and Elizabeth Johnson
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738216003, $16.00, www.dacapopress.com

SKINNY SMOOTHIES: 101 DELICIOUS DRINKS THAT HELP YOU DETOX AND LOSE WEIGHT packs in low-calorie recipes and keys to smoothies which aren't loaded with fats and sugars. From specific health benefits of the fruits, vegetables and herbs in the smoothies to a week-long menu and keys to incorporating these smoothies into an overall detox program, this is for any who would use the smoothie format to improve health.

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook, revised edition
America's Test Kitchen
www.americastestkitchentv.com
9781936493326, $39.95, www.amazon.com

The Complete America's Test Kitchen TV Show Cookbook provides a strong collection of every recipe from the TV show, including product ratings and behind-the-scenes coverage. This revised edition includes all 13 seasons (even 2013!) and pairs the overview with recipes and discussions of how the test kitchen concept operates and what's involved in developing recipes. Nearly fifty pages of shopping discussion covers ingredients and equipment, while assessments of superior brands makes this a winning addition to any cook's collection.

The Daily Cookie
Anna Ginsberg
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449420703, $24.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

The Daily Cookie: 365 Tempting Treats for the Sweetest year of Your Life provides a cookie a day for all year round, comes from an award-winning baker, and provides recipes to celebrate special occasions. Recipes include color photos of each cookie, anecdotes, tips and more and provide dishes for all skill levels, including no-bake cookies and even a cookie that requires only four ingredients. The result is a cookie cookbook packed with flavor and ideas perfect for any collection.

Where Chefs Eat
Joe Warwick, Editor
Phaidon Press
180 Varick Street, 14th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780714865416, $19.95, www.phaidon.com

WHERE CHEFS EAT; A GUIDE TO CHEFS' FAVORITE RESTAURANTS provides a fine international restaurant guidebook featuring over 2,000 restaurants of all kinds personally recommended by chefs - some 400 of the world's top chefs, to be specific. Over six hundred pages offer assessments of everything from classy high-end establishments to neighborhood eateries and even hot dog stands. Each restaurant assessment includes a quick review of hours, reservation policy, and style of cooking, then a paragraph of information which includes history and special notes. Add in small line maps and black and white illustrations throughout and you have a fun, lively collection highly recommended for any travel or culinary history collection.

Maine Home Cooking
Sandra L. Oliver
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9781608931804, $29.95, www.downeast.com

Maine Home Cooking: 175 Recipes from Down East Kitchens provides a lovely guide by a food historian and writer who has collected recipes from her weekly Bangor Daily News Column and from Maine cooks. Recipes pair with advice, use fresh local ingredients easily found in Maine and non-Maine kitchens alike, and feature such dishes as Pumpkin Waffles, Tourtiere (a cinnamon-enhanced ground pork pie) and Salmon and Peas. The result is a top pick of unique dishes recommended for fans of Maine cooking or any fan of regional American fare.


The Gardening Shelf

1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die
Rae Spencer-Jones, General Editor
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764165719, $35.00, www.barronseduc.com

1001 Gardens You Must See Before You Die is a recommendation for home and garden and travel collections alike, surveying the world's must stunning gardens and what sets them apart from any others. Color photos - both full-page and smaller - pack a guide that surveys these gardens, their contents, and their special features in an updated edition packed with botanical information. The gardens featured here flourish in the Americas, Europe, Asia, Africa and Australia and provide lovely floral displays. Any involved gardener who wants an idea of gardening offerings, places to visit, and gardening options will find this a riveting collection of the world's best.

50 Ways to Kill a Slug
Sarah Ford, author/illustrator
KJA-artists.com, illustrators
Hamlyn
www.hamlyn.com
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780600625131, $6.95, www.octopusbooksusa.com

50 Ways to Kill a Slug: Serious & Silly Ways to Kill or Outwit the Garden's Number One Enemy provides a fun and intriguing survey blending humor with over fifty ways of attacking the garden slug. These ways vary from impractical to tested and effective methods of slugicide, with cartoons accompanying often-hilarious tips for preventing slugs, putting up barriers to occupation, setting traps, using baits, and handling organic and biologic killing routines alike. Gardeners well versed in who typically wins in a battle with a slug will find this a pointed, hilarious observation perfect for reference and fun.


The Agriculture Shelf

Farms With a Future
Rebecca Thistlethwaite
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781603584388, $29.95, www.chelseagreen.com

Farms With a Future: Creating and Growing a Sustainable Farm Business is for any who dream of getting into small market farming, or who have an existing farm that they wish to turn into the 'profit' range. The author and her husband were both experienced farmers when they took a one-year sabbatical and traveled through the U.S. to live and work alongside innovative farmers around the country. The lessons they absorbed from the experience included what does and doesn't work, and are synthesized here is a guide that covers everything from design and building systems to locating cost savings and avoiding large debt. The business approach to farming fostered here offers plenty of economic and social focus that is a refreshing alternative to most 'how to farm' guides that focuses on agricultural production alone, making this a special recommendation for any collection strong in small-scale agricultural pursuits.

Reinventing the Chicken Coop
Kevin McElroy and Matthew Wolpe
Storey Publications
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781603249801, $19.95, www.storey.com

Any who keep backyard chickens should consider this a step beyond your usual 'how to build a chicken coop' manual. It offers a new collection of some fourteen modern designs for chicks and chickens, offering a whimsical and innovative focus that pairs function with artistry. Each coop comes with step-by-step construction instructions, color photos and diagrams, and each holds artistic value designed for different styles and looks. The result is an outstanding survey highly recommended for any who keep poultry and want more creative ideas for housing them.

The Thinking Beekeeper
Christy Hemenway
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717206, $24.95, www.newsociety.com

The Thinking Beekeeper: A Guide to Natural Beekeeping in Top Bar Hives offers a complete guide to keeping bees in top bar hives, and provides an economical and simple do-it-yourself guide for any interested in employing the top bar system. The focus is on creating chemical-free colonies, better safety, and a discussion that includes everything from buying a ready-made top bar hive and locating bees to inspections, troubleshooting, overwintering, and more. Black and white photos throughout and sidebars of information make for a powerful recommendation for any home and garden reader.


The Computer Shelf

The Web Designer's Roadmap
Giovanni Difeterici
Sitepoint
PO Box 1115, Collingwood VIC 3066, Australia
9780987247841, $39.95, www.sitepoint.com

Any web designer who would become more efficient at the process will find this offers a fine survey of ideas for better web design, from considering the pros and cons of designing mobile sites to solutions for design pattern challenges, learning from other industries, and understanding conceptual design basics and how they apply to web standards. Packed with color examples, screen shots and references throughout, this is a fine 'must' for any who would understand the logical progression of web design basics, and apply them in real-world scenarios.

Murach's Javascript and jQuery
Zak Ruvalcaba and Mike Murach
Mike Murach & Associates
4340 North Knoll Avenue
Fresno, CA 93722
9781890774707, $54.50, www.murach.com

Any computer programmer training for using jQuery to create web pages will want this new title, written just for developers who want to create better web interfaces. The code in jQuery is really JavaScript, so this book delves into details about the links between the two and how to take a jQuery routine to the next level. From the basics of JavaScript to how to move into using jQuery like a pro, this book provides the foundation instruction needed to understand connections between the two and how to enhance web pages with numerous features. The result is a fine guide which, as with other Murach guides, employs a "paired pages" format with one page providing a reference summary for quick review of syntax, screen shots and guidelines while the facing page provides a tutorial. Use it for at-a-glance reference or for step-by-step study: either way, it's a 'must' for any web developer who would use jQuery to its maximum potential.

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi
Matt Richardson & Shawn Wallace
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449344214, $14.99, www.oreilly.com

Getting Started with Raspberry Pi tells how to make the most of a, $35 computer the size of a credit card, and offers a step-by-step guide to the educational possibilities of the Raspberry Pi and all its abilities. From creating Internet-connected projects with multimedia to learning Linux, using the Pygame framework, and blending USB webcams and peripherals into projects, this covers the hardware, software, and operations of the Raspberry Pi and offers code and instruction specific to its many possibilities. Any beginner needs this resource!

jQuery, jQuery UI, and jQuery Mobile
Adriaan de Jonge and Phil Dutson
Addison Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321822086, $39.99, www.informit.com/aw

jQuery, jQuery UI, and jQuery Mobile: Recipes and Examples is a top recommendation for any serious programming reference collection and provides a practical 'cookbook' packed with solutions to make the most of all types of jQuery applications. Over a hundred downloadable examples come with explanations of code and how to adapt it, and pairs real-world code examples with in-depth reviews of how jQuery code is applied. Any who know HTML, CSS and basic JavaScript will find this a powerful and easily-accessible survey of everything from advanced UI widgets to building mobile sites using jQuery Mobile library. Very highly recommended as a reference basic!

Core Java V. 1 - Fundamentals, ninth edition
Cay S. Horstmann & Gary Cornell
Prentice Hall Professional
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780137081899, $59.99, www.informit.com/coreseries

The ninth updated edition of Core Java V. 1 - Fundamentals is a 'must' for any serious Java programmer's collection and has been fully updated to cover Java SE 7 language changes. Serious programmers receive over 900 pages of reference, including a tutorial of key Java language and library features that includes tested code examples that are easily absorbed and support the best modern practices using Java techniques. The latest Java SE 7 core language enhancements are covered, all the code's been updated for these enhancements, and descriptions include basic Java concepts in the course of relating the code to common applications. From swing-based user interface components to generic programming and graphics, collections and event handling and interface features, this is a 'must' for any serious Java reference library and those looking for a clear update on the Java SE 7 code.

iPad Mini for Dummies
Edward C. Baig and Bob "Dr. Mac" LeVitus
For Dummies
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118583876, $24.99, www.wiley.com

iPad Mini for Dummies provides a handy guide for getting the most from an iPad mini, and offers keys to editing, sharing photos, finding apps and games, and more. All the basics for getting up and running and navigating the system are accompanied by color photo examples throughout, with step-by-step instructions lending to at-a-glance details and screenshots eliminating any question of confusion. The inclusion of color throughout accompanying tips and tricks makes this a fine guide for setting up and following through on the iPad mini environment, while the keys to creating successful routines create solid user habits that will guide newcomers throughout the entire process of handling the iPad Mini. Highly recommended!

Python Scripting for ArcGIS
Paul A. Zandbergen
ESRI Press
380 New York Street
Redlands, CA 92378-8100
9781589482821, $79.95, www.esri.com

Python Scripting for ArcGIS includes exercises and data on a DVD and offers a simple introduction to Python scripting, a basic tool for GIS professionals interested in automating workflows and functions with Python. Experienced ArcGIS users and students interested in Python scripting don't need prior programming backgrounds: each chapter provides a foundation of detail, offers an exercise on the DVD, and includes a free 180-day trial of ArcGIS 10.1 for desktop. From working with paths and modules to working with geometries, debugging, and handling geoprocessing routines, this provides specific code and step-by-step instruction to streamline the entire process. Any collection strong in ArcGIS functions and applications will find this focus on Python to be specific and key to user success.

Mac Kung Fu, second edition
Keir Thomas
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325
Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781937785079, $39.00, www.pragprog.com

The second updated edition of Mac Kung Fu represents a major revision and expansion of a best-seller, and belongs in the collections of any programming reference collection strong in OS X Mountain Lion references. From using secret settings to new Lion tools from iCloud to Calendar, this teaches the basics, then shows how to customize and modify the OS X interface. The basics of using email, testing hardware, working with movies and photos, and more are covered in a guide that peppers black and white screenshots and sidebars of information along with over 400 tips and tricks for Apple OS X. A fine pick for any Mac programmer and reference holdings catering to them!

Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours, fifth edition
Phil Ballard and Michael Moncur
Sams
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780672336089, $34.99, www.informit.com/sams

Sams Teach Yourself JavaScript in 24 Hours appears in its fifth updated edition to cover JavaScript 1.8+, Ajax, and jQuery and packs in step-by-step instructions that build lessons based on real-world applications in business surroundings. Each chapter comes with quizzes and exercises to test and reinforce knowledge, and each include tips on how to avoid common pitfalls, use recommended shortcuts, and more. Screen shots and plenty of code accompany the examples of the latest JavaScript best practices, making this a recommended pick for either home self-learning or classroom assignment.

HTML5 Canvas and CSS3 Graphics Primer
Oswald Campesato
Mercury Learning
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420346, $39.95, www.merclearning.com

HTML5 Canvas and CSS3 Graphics Primer covers the two graphics programs and shows how CSS3 can use the power of SVG, and is a pick for programmers with some prior knowledge of CSS/HTML/JavaScript. Numerous graphic techniques are revealed along with code examples and illustrations that teach web and SVG developers to apply colors, change 2D shapes and JPG files, create animations, and more. A DVD contains all the source code in the book, and all the color graphics. Any collection catering to web programmers and graphics programmers will find this a specific, clear coverage packed with important details key to learning GTML5 Canvas and CSS3 Graphics.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Encyclopedia of the Commemorative Coins of the United States
Anthony J. Swiatek
KWS Publishers
c/o Independent Publishers Group
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
9780981773674, $150.00, www.kwspub.com

Encyclopedia of the Commemorative Coins of the United States: History, Art, Investment & Collection of America's Memorial Coinage is quite simply a 'must' acquisition for any interested in U.S. coin collecting. Over six hundred color photos of coins and other memorabilia come form a past president of the esteemed American Numismatic Association in a title that provides a history for each coin, analysis of modern collecting facts, and discusses counterfeit coins, minting errors, and all kinds of coin history and production. The result is an extensively-researched survey that any avid coin collector will find packed with important details.

United States Currency, fifth edition
Kenneth Bressett
Whitman Publishing
4001 Helton Drive
Florence, Alabama, 35630
9780794836627, $19.95, www.whitman.com

United States Currency appears in its fifth updated edition, is packed with hundreds of color images, and provides a history of paper money in the U.S. from the 1800s to modern times. Here are black and white and color illustrations of large-size, small-size and Fractional Currency notes that list every series, include the latest market prices in up to seven collectible grades, and includes basic collector details on grading, specializing, and more. From World War II issues and uncut sheets to specialty items, this provides hobbyists with all the basics for starting their own collection with an easy pricing guide perfect for any interested in collecting money.


The Political Science Shelf

The Public Policy Theory Primer, second edition
Kevin B. Smith and Christopher W. Larimer
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813347493, $37.00, www.westviewpress.com

The second updated edition of The Public Policy Theory Primer provides a comprehensive survey of the changing world of policy science, and is a key acquisition for graduate students and students working with public policy theory and issues. Several major theories are discussed here, along with keys for uniting the field as a whole. Discussion includes controversies, debates, rationalist and other approaches, the evolving field of implementation studies, and more, and provides a descriptive framework for contrasting public policy issues and theories. Any college-level student need this multidisciplinary survey.

Takeover
Donald T. Critchlow and W.J. Rorabaugh
ISI Books
3901 Centerville Road
Wilmington, DE 19807-1938
1610170598, $29.95, www.isibooks.org

Takeover: How the Left's Quest for Social Justice Corrupted Liberalism provides a survey of how liberals got to be the way they are today, and comes from two historians who analyze the Obama administration's agenda and how it reflects changes in the liberal party as a whole. TAKEOVER offers revisionist history that considers differences between liberals of the 1960s with modern progressive thinking - and considers the social and political changes that contributed to this movement. Any social or political issues shelf needs this survey!

Going to Tehran
Flynt Leverett and Hillary Mann Leverett
Metropolitan Books
c/o Henry Holt & Company
175 - 5th Avenue, Suite 400
NY, NY 10010-7725
9780805094190, $32.00, www.hholt.com

GOING TO TEHRAN: WHY THE UNITED STATES MUST COME TO TERMS WITH THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC OF IRAN charts the growing inclination of the U.S. and Iran to turn to military solutions to many political problems, and comes from a renowned Middle East analyst team who argue that Iran has become the most important country in the region. The U.S. will lose its strategic advantage there unless it alters its perception of and approach to Iran, the authors maintain - and they have served at the National Security Council and as foreign policy analysts under the Bush and Clinton administrations, so they have years of experience to back their contentions. Any who would understand the evolving scenarios of the Middle East and Iran's place in it must have this thought-provoking, in-depth analysis.


The Music Shelf

Turning the Tune
Adam Kaul
Berghahn Books
20 Jay Street, Suite 512, Brooklyn, NY 11201
9780857458087, $27.00, www.berghahnbooks.com

Turning the Tune: Traditional Music, Tourism, and Social Change in an Irish Village belongs in any collection strong in Irish culture, music, and economics and provides college-level readers with an engaging study using the form of music to consider Irish culture and tourism. This study of social change within the context of Irish music provides a scholarly study of interest to anthropology and global issues collections alike, surveying the social structure of Irish culture and the impact and reflection of its musical traditions. Any scholarly collection will find this engrossing!

Prisoner of Southern Rock
Michael Buffalo Smith
Mercer University Press
1400 Coleman Avenue
Macon, GA 31207-0001
9780881463811, $27.00, www.mupress.org

Prisoner of Southern Rock: A Memoir chronicles the unlikely story of a Southern boy's rise from near poverty to a respected Southern music historian specializing in Southern Rock, and provides a concurrent blend of memoir and Southern Rock history in a title recommended for any rock music holding or collection strong in Southern culture. Stories of Smith's personal life and challenges accompany stories of his friendships with bands from The Allman Brothers to Charlie Daniels and Molly Hatchet. Rare photos, quotes from Southern Rock musicians, and a list of some 100 key moments in Southern rock history bring the era and its key peoples to life.

The Holy or the Broken
Alan Light
Atria Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781451657845, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

The Holy or the Broken: Leonard Cohen, Jeff Buckley & the Unlikely Ascent of "Hallelujah" provides the powerful story of one of the most performed rock songs in history, which has permeated movies and music circles, has been the subject of tribute videos and telethons, and has been covered by hundreds of artists. Songwriter Leonard Cohen wrote "Hallelujah" for an album rejected by his longtime record label: ten years later Jeff Buckley used the song in his first album, which moved quickly into the annuals of obscurity on his death just a few years later. Despite these daunting starts "Hallelujah" rose to achieve unprecedented fame, and music journalist Alan Light here follows its inspirational journey, in the process revealing how great songs evolve. Any music history collection needs this.

The Song in You
LaDonna Gatlin, CSP, CPAE & Mike Marino, PhD
Health Communications Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757316227, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

The Song in You: Finding Your Voice, Redefining Your Life comes from the sister of Larry Gatlin & The Gatlin Brothers, and offers a message of hope, healing, and musical potentials in a book that shares the choice she made to put her family first. LaDonna believes everyone has to find their own voice - and this encouraging "how to" title uses the seven notes of the music scale to provide emotional and spiritual insights as well as music and performance insights. The result blends religion, spiritual reflection, self-help and music insights in a title recommended for a wide range of collections.

Songs That Saved Your Life
Simon Goddard
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781162583, $14.95, www.titanbooks.com

Songs That Saved Your Life: The Art of the Smiths 1982-1987 offers an encyclopedia of the entire Smiths' extensive discography, offers an analysis, and provides an updated edition entirely revised by Simon Goddard and including interviews and insights from original band members and their producers and contemporaries. Stories behind every song track include unreleased outtakes and provides a fine history of the group's UK television, radio and concert appearances. The Smiths became popular in the U.S. as well - and this survey offers extensive insider details perfect for prior fans and music collections strong in rock music history and UK culture.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery
Alasdair Hotston Moore and Rosa Angela Ragni, Editors
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781405190015, $89.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell

Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery is a reference recommended for any veterinary collection and offers details on the clinical treatment of small animals from pre-operative through post-operative care. Chapters provide vets and assistants with specifics on how to perform rigid endoscopic investigations, providing a focus on dogs and cats and including color clinical photos throughout. Experts discuss the surgeries, counter indications and complications, and treatment options in a powerful survey highly recommended for any veterinary clinician's reference library.


The Technology Shelf

Microwave Transmission Line Circuits
William Thomas Joines and William Devereux Palmer
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608075690, $129.00, www.artechhouse.com

Microwave Transmission Line Circuits is a pick for any professional engineering reference library and offers engineers a basic survey of the properties of planar transmission lines for integrated circuits, including matrix and computer-aided methods for analysis and design. Chapters cover input, output, and signal stability and distortion processes, considers the interface between lumped-element circuits and distributed element circuits, and comes packed with over five hundred equations and a hundred black and white diagrams and illustrations supporting them. The result is a solid reference engineers will turn to again and again.


The Science Shelf

Mad Science
Randy Alfred, Editor
Little, Brown & Company
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9780316208192, $19.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

MAD SCIENCE: EINSTEIN'S FRIDGE, DEWAR'S FLASK, MACH'S SPEED, AND 362 OTHER INVENTIONS AND DISCOVERIES THAT MADE OUR WORLD provides a fine history of the objects ands inventions that shape our lives and features 366 anecdotes from the author's popular blog This Day in Tech. From the accidental creation of plastic to the first personal computer mouse, this offers a series of lively essays celebrating tech history and providing anniversaries for each day of the year. A fascinating brain teaser history, perfect for science-oriented readers!

The Universe Within
Neil Shubin
Pantheon
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307378439, $25.95, www.pantheonbooks.com

The Universe Within: Discovering the Common History of Rocks, Planets, and People comes from a popular science writer who provides a strong answer to a scientific mystery considering how astronomical events millions of years old created the human species. Connections between human anatomy, ancient structures, and evolutionary processes show how the entire universe's history is reflected in our bodies, from molecules to organs - and how the evolution of the cosmos itself has affected human life on earth. A fine series of scientific connections follows, perfect for lay readers and general-interest science holdings.


The Art Shelf

Alive Character Design
Haitao Su and Vincent Zaho
Cypi Press
79 College Road, Harrow Middlesex
HA1 1BD, United Kingdom
9780956288073, $29.95, www.cypi.co.uk

Alive Character Design provides a fine survey of Haitao Su's work in character design: some twenty years in the field which has resulted in nine basic categories of work. This volume examines these categories which range from male and female characters, monsters and animals, and others, considering their underlying makeup, the methods and techniques of character design, basic methods of anatomy, learning to use subtraction, different animal statures, and much more. The step-by-step all-color drawings allow readers to easily see how characters evolve and the process by which they are defined, making this a top pick for any artist working in character design, animation, or film.

Paradise in Brazil
Joaquim Nabuco
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342448, $50.00, www.schifferbooks.com

PARADISE IN BRAZIL is a fine collection of startling and stunning images from a Brazilian who works with top ad agencies and fashion brands: his collection captures women from different regions of Brazil, adds quotes from Brazilian artists and poets about their nation, and focus on fashion and the female form. Full-page color photos bring this approach to life, creating an outstanding gathering of color photos of women posing, playing, or involved in activities of all kinds. It's a pick for fashion and photography holdings alike, compliments Joaquim Nabuco prior (and popular!) Brazilian women photo book, and offers plenty of inspiration for fellow photographers of the female form.

The Lost Carving
David Esterly
Viking Books
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780670023806, $27.95, www.penguin.com

THE LOST CARVING: A JOURNEY TO THE HEART OF MAKING follows the experience of woodcarver author David Esterly, who was called to replace a Gibbons 17th century carving destroyed in a fire. This account of his experience blends a memoir with insights into carving and art in the process of recounting how he reproduced the lovely piece from just a blurry glass plate photograph. His ability to reproduce a piece by a carver so renowned that one art historian declared that the secret of his carving expertise was forever lost makes for a powerful story of experimentation, discovery, and change. Readers will find this an exquisite survey, highly recommended for general-interest and arts collections alike.

The Bird in Art
Caroline Bugler
Merrell Publishers
38 High Avenue, 4th floor
Nyack, New York 10960
9781858945682, $59.95, www.merrell.com

The Bird in Art provides a major new study of bird art throughout history, pairing over two hundred bird art examples in full color with discussions of both famous and lesser known illustrations and their artistic influence. Pages packed with colorful art offer detailed discussions of the works and their creators, placing them in the history of bird art production and creating a solid collection packaged in an oversized pictorial suitable for arts and natural history holdings alike. Both ancient and modern bird art is presented, themed chapters focus on different kinds of birds and group them in image sets that lend to contrast and understanding, and the result is simply outstanding.

Midnight to the Boom
Susan S. Bean
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500238936, $50.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Midnight to the Boom: Painting in India after Independence documents a revolutionary art movement in India that began with the country's declaration of independence in 1947 and continued through three generations, radically changing the nature and course of India's arts. Midnight to the Boom is the first in-depth study of this movement, considering the artistic challenge of a changed political environment and how painters freed from a dominant structure began to explore their culture and talents. The result is a combination of India history and its art community's changes, highly recommended for both arts and Indian history collections alike.

The Female Gaze
Glenn Adamson, et.al.
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953898, $60.00, www.hudsonhills.com

The Female Gaze: Women Artists Making Their World offers a detailed catalog of the holdings at The Alter Collection of Art by Women, collection of some four hundred works by modern female artists. The Linda Lee Alter Collection donation comprises some 500 sculptures, paintings, photos and drawings, and began in the 1980s when Ms. Alter realized that female artists lacked the visibility of their male contemporaries. Her decision to assemble a broad spectrum of art works featuring a diverse collection of art by women was made with an eye to its eventual exhibition and housing in a museum. This catalog is packed with highlights from the exhibition, rounded out with new essays on these American women artists that accompany a fine survey highly recommended for any serious arts or women's studies collection.


The Sports Shelf

Mastering Snowboarding
Hannah Teter and Tawnya Schultz
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
9781450410649, $24.95, www.humankinetics.com

Mastering Snowboarding comes from an Olympic gold medalist and X Games champion who joins forces with an expert snowboard writer to cover the techniques used by professionals. This does survey the basics of snowboarding, from basic equipment and selection to customizing a board, but it's the advanced tricks and secrets from pros that make MASTERING SNOWBOARDING stand out from your usual snow sports title Color photos accompany charts, instructions, and keys to advanced snowboard usage in this highly recommended reference for any winter sports holding.


The DVD Shelf

Merrithew Entertainment
2200 Yonge Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario M4S 2C6, Canada
$15.95 each, www.merrithew.com

Three new fitness DVDs for home use provide keys to health and training, and are recommended for home or professional studio use alike. POWER & STAMINA: MEDICINE BALL INTERVAL TRAINING V. 2 (9781553603511) provides a full-body workout using the medicine ball and provides sequences designed to teach basic form and how to maintain it throughout the workout. Five basic principles accompany workouts with music only and teach medicine ball routines any can modify for their own use. ZEN-GA: POWER & STRENGTH (9781553603665) is a dance-oriented exercise routine designed to calm the mind and hone the body, and provides a mat-based routine that uses meditative motion and a focus on core stability. Instructor PJ O'Clair is a Master Instructor Trainer who imparts the basics of the routine. BASIC PILATES VOLUME 2 (9781553603702) builds on the basics introduced in Volume 1 with a workout designed to take pilates exercisers to the next level. Instructor Moira Merrithew has spent over two decades developing exercises and here the routines provide specific keys to achievement. All are highly recommended picks for home or professional studio use, teaching step-by-step basics for success.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan
Tor
c/o Tor/Forge Books
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780765331632, $24.99, www.tor-forge.com

The Eye of the World provides the third volume in Jordan's popular 'Wheel of Time' series, this in graphic novel format. It was originally released in individual comic installments and here collects issues thirteen to eighteen featuring all-color art by Marcio Fiorito and Francis Nuguit, with Chuck Dixon providing the script based on the original series. Here Rand and his friends continue their journeys with friends as they split into three groups while trying to escape dangerous enemies. Separated by circumstances, the band faces a dangerous journey indeed in this dramatic graphic novel, recommended for teens to adult readers.

Triple Shot, Double-Pump, No Whip Zits
Jerry Scott and Jim Borgman
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449423100, $16.99, www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Triple Shot, Double-Pump, No Whip Zits provides a fine collection of Zits comics, with half the book in full color, offering another fun collection of laughs and insights from the jaded teen Zits and his family. Parents and teens will find this comic strip an attraction and while it may appear in one's local paper, having the larger-sized color comics under one cover assures that none are missed. There are numerous other Zits collections on the market, and this one gathers the latest illustrations, making it a top recommendation for any comics and cartoons collection as well as general-interest libraries.


The Travel Shelf

Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands, 16th edition
Nancy & Simon Scott
Cruising Guide Publications
1130 Pinehurst Road, Suite B, Dunedin, FL 34698
9780944428955, $32.95, www.cruisingguides.com

Cruising Guide to the Virgin Islands appears in its 16th updated edition to provide a complete guide to not just cruising, but diving and water sports opportunities in the Virgin Islands, and is a take-along 'must' for any planning a boat-oriented voyage there. This edition has been completely updated to include new photos, the latest information on anchorages and conditions represented in color charts, a newly designed planning chart, and coverage of both the U.S. and British Virgin Islands. The result is a travel planner for both planning ahead and consulting while in the region, filled with practical information every cruiser needs to know.

Swimming with Dolphins, Tracking Gorillas
Ian Wood
Bradt Guides
1st Floor IDC House, The Vale
Chalfont St Peter, Bucks, England, SL9 9RZ
9781841624044, $24.99, www.bradtguides.com

Swimming with Dolphins, Tracking Gorillas: How to Have the World's Best Wildlife Encounters tells when, where and how to enjoy a wildlife experience and focuses on the best ethical opportunities available around the world. Where other books pick a travel destination and add wildlife into the list of opportunities, this differs in its approach, encouraging adventure travel and wildlife encounters as the key to a travel experience. From encountering Komodo Dragons in the wild to watching hippos or trekking in search of birds or insects, this guide features the animal, describes an experience, then outlines where in the world such may be found, and the nature of an encounter or sighting. It's a top pick for wildlife fans who want to plan a holiday around an active adventure involving animals!


The Terrorism Studies Shelf

Terrorism and Homeland Security, eighth edition
Jonathan R. White
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place
Stamford, CT 06902
9781285061962, $128.95, www.cengage.com

The eighth updated edition of Terrorism and Homeland Security provides college-level readers with a textbook paired with a special InfoTrac collection of journal articles and reference materials matched to the book, and is filled with key to understanding conflicts in different parts of the world. From the organization and financing of terrorist activities to understanding local and regional issues sparking terrorism and understanding the forms terrorism takes, this is a 'must' for any collection strong in homeland security issues and history.


The Psychology Shelf

Making Habits, Breaking Habits
Jeremy Dean
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738215983, $26.00, www.dacapopress.com

Making Habits, Breaking Habits: Why We Do Things, Why We Don't, and How to Make Any Change Stick comes from a psychologist who considers the latest brain research involved in analyzing habits and routines, and provides a lively discussion for general-interest readers seeking to understand how habits are formed, promoted, or changed. A witty and informative approach makes this a survey all readers can readily digest, filled with examples from real life and accompanying the latest thinking on habits and their influences. Any general collection strong in popular psychology will find this an appealing pick.

The Red Book: A Reader's Edition
C.G. Jung
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393089080, $39.95, www.wwnorton.com

The Red Book: A Reader's Edition is edited and introduced by Sonu Shamdasani, translated by Mark Kyburz, John Peck and Sonu Shamdasani, and provides a facsimile edition of Jung's later works in an edition which is portable and reflects the format and literary insights of Jung's later works, originally published for the first time in 2009. Sonu Shamdasani's introductory essay accompanies a powerful insight which synthesizes philosophy, art, psychology and literature and represents the work where Jung first developed his theories of the archetypes, collective unconscious, and more. Any holding strong in Jungian psychology will find this a singularly key pick for understanding the evolution of his theory of psychoanalysis, and will find this accessible reader's edition offers a wider audience access to Jungian theory and its processes.


The California Shelf

Oil and Water
Terry Dressler
Fithian Press
PO Box 2790, McKinleyville, CA 95519
9781564745378, $14.95, www.danielpublishing.com

There is plenty to be risked in pursuit of fame or legend. "Oil and Water" is a collection of short fiction from Terry Dressler who presents fifteen stories set on the California coast, reflecting on the lives of the people who wander this coast for many reasons, from surfers to entrepreneurs. "Oil and Water" is a choice addition to any short fiction collection, especially those with a focus on California.


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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