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California Bookwatch

Volume 3, Number 9 September 2008 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Donovan's Picks Judaic Studies Shelf Parenting Shelf
Fashion Shelf Computer Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf Literary Shelf
Audiobook Shelf Interior Design Shelf Architecture Shelf
Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Health/Medical Shelf Business Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Photography Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Science Shelf Social Issues Shelf Military Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Sports Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Fiction Shelf Education Shelf Travel Shelf
Music Shelf Library CD Music Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf


Donovan's Picks

Shells
Philippe Bouchet and Gilles Mermet
Abbeville Press
137 Varick Street, New York NY 10013
9780789209894, $45.00 www.abbeville.com

Both art collections and science libraries will find stunning and beautiful the oversized presentation SHELLS, which pairs Gilles Mermet's photos with Philippe Bouchet's science discussions of malacology. From threats to shells to the importance of museums in preservation, full-page close-up photos of shells. The pairing of art and science works wonderfully and uniquely here, making for a survey far more detailed and wonderful than the usual small handbooks on identification. Very highly recommended.

Legendary John Deere Tractors: A Photographic History
Andrew Morland
Voyageur press
400 First Avenue North Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760332931, $25.95 www.voyageurpress.com

Any rural library or collection strong in equipment history and transportation will find Legendary John Deere Tractors: A Photographic History a popular pick. Over 500 photos in full color accompany a history of the tractor and come from some of the best-known tractor photographers. Every classic model as well as 'new generation' tractors are profiled in a stunning collection of images and descriptions highly recommended for any farm or rural library.

Ecological Design
Nicolas Uphaus and Manuela Roth
TeNeues Publishing
16 West 22nd Street, New York NY 10010
9783832792299, $24.95 www.teneues.com

Ecological products are much in demand, and the focus on renewable raw materials and recyclable goods is becoming key in architectural circles. ECOLOGICAL DESIGN profiles some 60 products that blend good designs for home and business with ecological awareness, making it a fine pick for architectural and design libraries. The color photos packing each page give excellent examples of ecological choices making it a fine reference homeowners will relish.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

KTAV
930 Newark Avenue, Jersey City, NJ 07306
www.ktav.com

In-depth college-level collections strong on Jewish current concerns will welcome yet another volume of David A. Harris's IN THE TRENCHES V. 5 (9781602800298, $24.95), a collection of op-ed articles, speeches, opinion pieces and more containing Harris' weekly national radio commentary as heard on the Osgood File for the past several years. David Harris is a strong American Jewish activist: his speeches from 2006-07 continue to cut to the chase. Stanley J. Schachter's LAUGH FOR GOD'S SAKE: WHERE JEWISH HUMOR AND JEWISH ETHICS MEET (9781602800182, $20.00) provides an analysis of Jewish humor, part of the Jewish historical experience. The author has translated well over a hundred jokes from Yiddish and Hebrew sources, uses these to examine the roots of Jewish humor and ethics, and provides a strong analysis perfect for Jewish collections.


The Parenting Shelf

Nurturing Spirituality in Children
Peggy Joy Jenkins, Ph.D.
Atria
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
158270211X, $15.00 www.beyondwords.com

NURTURING SPIRITUALITY IN CHILDREN provides an important, hands-on approach to helping kids develop spiritual perspectives using simple hands-on projects and play. It was released almost 10 years ago and became a classic resource for parents and teachers alike: this edition holds new drawings, exercises, and hands-on activities using common household materials and simple concepts kids can easily grasp, and will prove a popular pick for any spirituality library and many a general-interest collection.


The Fashion Shelf

Young Asian Fashion Designers
Dora Chan, editor
Daab
9783866540118, $37.95 www.daab-online.com

Full-page color displays of the latest fashions from the hottest, newest Asian designers pack nearly 400 pages surveying the latest trends. YOUNG ASIAN FASHION DESIGNERS is a 'must' pick for cutting-edge college-level arts collections strong in world fashion design. It offers a wealth of images and pairs biographies with fashion industry details – but its primary value lies in these color displays of the latest local trends.

Dressing Modern Frenchwomen
Mary Lynn Stewart
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801888038, $55.00 www.press.jhu.edu

DRESSING MODERN FRENCHWOMEN: MARKETING HAUTE COUTURE, 1919-1939 is a history no college-level fashion collection should be without. It discusses high fashion trends, feminist history, and how the forces combined between the first and second world wars to create the new, modern French woman. The focus on which styles changed, and how, offers many specifics into how fashion trends are created and influenced, and uses thousands of magazine covers, ads, fashion columns and more as supporting evidence to a lively historical survey.


The Computer Shelf

The Software Project Manager's Bridge to Agility
Michele Sliger and Stacia Broderick
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com 1-800-428-5331
0321502752, $39.99 www.pearsontechgroup.com

When software development moves to embrace agility, project managers can struggle over the new approach and their roles. That's where The Software Project Manager's Bridge to Agility comes in, making it a top recommended pick for business and IT technology collections alike. It covers techniques, transition points, learning to trust teams and use agile techniques to reduce risk, and more. Even more essential are chapters on avoiding common mistakes, and coordinating efforts with project management and non-agile teams.

Enterprise Master Data Management
Allen Dreibelbis, et. al.
IBM Press
c/o Pearson Education
801 East 96th Street, 3rd floor, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.awprofessional.com 1-800-428-5331
0132366258, $49.99 www.ibmpressbooks.com

Advanced computer libraries will find ENTERPRISE MASTER DATA MANAGEMENT is the only complete technical primer for MDM planners and implementers and companies moving toward flexible SOA will find it invaluable. It provides MDM technical knowledge for designers, senior IT decision-makers and others, and is written by the IBM data management innovators who are pioneering MDM. From discussions of how MDM and SOA compliment each other to assessing risks, values, and exploring MDM patterns, chapters cover a range of technical data and best practice solutions and are invaluable to any IT collection.

The Ultimate HTML Reference
Ian Lloyd
Sitepoint
2763 West Avenue L, #277, Lancaster, CA, 93536
9780980285888, $44.95 www.reference.sitepoint.com

HTML is the root and powerhouse of every site, and the only language key to every web site's existence. So THE ULTIMATE HTML REFERENCE is also a key source for any who would master HTML programming. One of the world's experts in HTML produces a comprehensive reference on the topic, packing scripting notes with explanations and examples. Any library catering to programmers – and any working Web programmer – as well as many seeking a clear reference introduction need THE ULTIMATE HTML REFERENCE.

The Windows Vista Book
Matt Kloskowski and Kleber Stephenson
Peachpit Press, Inc.
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.peachpit.com 1-800-283-9444
0321509749, $24.99

Other books covering Windows Vista are unnecessarily complicated for your basic user: not so The Windows Vista Book. Each page is a color screen visual which take one topic and provides screenshots and photos for quick reference. Learn how to manage photos, play music, and customize within the Vista environment with a guide that vastly simplifies the entire process. Any computer or general-interest library needs this easy, attractive and logical approach that average, everyday computer users can quickly use.

Games Graphic Programming
Allen Sherrod
Course Technology
25 Thomson Place, Boston, MA 02210
1584505168, $64.99 www.courseptr.com

Any college-level library strong in games or graphic programming needs as a basic, foundation reference Sherrod's GAMES GRAPHIC PROGRAMMING, a weighty, 644 page volume with accompanying cd-rom which offers techniques transferable to any programming language or operating system. From coverage of complex lighting and gaming techniques to the basics of game graphics, shading, and special effects, this comes from a university graduate in the Computer Information Systems program who has himself authored many games and graphics books.

The Book of IMAP
Peer Heinlein and Peer Hartleben
No Starch Press
555 DeHaro, #250, San Francisco CA 94107
9781593271770, $49.95 www.nostarch.com

The IMAP protocol allows clients to access email on remote servers and while it's powerful, it's also complicated. That's why IT pros and libraries catering to them need The Book of IMAP: a reference that offers detailed instructions to IMAP and POP3, the basics governing all modern mail servers and clients. The authors have set up hundreds of mail servers: their advice is invaluable and clear.

Big Book of Apple Hacks
Chris Seibold
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596529821, $34.99 www.oreilly.com

Macintosh equipment users and collections catering to them should consider Big Book of Apple Hacks an essential acquisition key to unlocking the power of the Apple computer. It's a new collection of tips, tricks and hacks which covers all kinds of Mac equipment, from the latest line of iPods and Apple TV to the Mac OS X. From adding devices and customizing settings to step-by-step directions to circumvent Apple controls, it's an exceptional, wonderful collection of possibilities.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Runes for Transformation
Kaedrich Olsen
Weiser Books
65 Parker Street Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781578634255, $16.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

RUNES FOR TRANSFORMATION: USING ANCIENT SYMBOLS TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE blends ancient runic wisdom and modern transformative techniques such as visualization, meditation and hypnotherapy, offering a set of strong connections between runes and modern new age transformative paths. Today's runes are most often used for divination – but Olsen expands their other gifts and presents many of the techniques developed from his own practice. New age libraries will find it thought-provoking.

The Complete Book of Spiritual Astrology
Per Henrick Gullfoss
Llewellyn Worldwide
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738712581, $24.95 www.llewellyn.com

A different take on astrology's possibilities is a survey that shows how the evolution of the soul may be charted according to the planets. The author is a bestselling Norwegian author who is known for his bestselling Your Star Sign: this integration of predictive and psychological astrology offers a practical way of understanding astrology and its uses, and blends spiritual and psychological traditions in a recommended pick for new age libraries.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

The Marine Fish Health Feeding Handbook
Bob Goemans and Lance Ichinotsubo
TFH
One TFH Plaza, Third and Union Avenues, Neptune City NJ 07753
9781890087951, $37.95 www.tfh.com

Beginners and experts alike will find this 'missing manual' covers all the basics of health and feeling challenges to keep a home aquarium active and interesting. From buying and acclimating new fish to keeping fishes healthy, understanding early warning signs of system problems, and treating common diseases, over 100 color photos accompany a fine survey.

An Atlas of Interpretative Radiographic Anatomy of the Dog and Cat, second edition
Arlene Coulson with Noreen Lewis
Blackwell Publishing
2121 State Avenue, Ames, IA 50014-8300
9781405138994 www.blackwell/vet.com

Any small animal practitioner or library catering to vets and students will find this an essential reference to definitive radiographic anatomy of the dog and cat. From projections of plain radiographs to contrast studies, comparisons of images for diagnosis, and more, this updated edition packs in over 50 new figures, new guidance line drawings and tables, and quick reference contents by section. It's a solid reference any professional, college-level vet library needs: very highly recommended as a definitive, cornerstone reference.

Elephants and Ethics: Toward a Morality of Coexistence
Christen Wemmer & Catherine Christen, Editors
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218
9780801888182, $75.00 www.press.jhu.edu

Compiled and co-edited by Christen Wemmer and Catherine Christen, "Elephants and Ethics: Toward a Morality of Coexistence" is a fascinating history of human and elephant interactions that blends science, nature and ethics into a complex and informative discussion powered by an international team of experts who review the history of human-elephant relations and its impact on elephant, human, and the world. Any holding strong in elephant natural history will find it an important review of the world history of the elephant, its use and abuse by humans, and the joined issues of habitat use and impact. A powerful title, "Elephants and Ethics: Toward a Morality of Coexistence" deserves a place in not only college-level natural history libraries, but in collections strong in ecology and ethics.


The Biography Shelf

Short and Sweet
Jerry Maren with Steve Cox
Cumberland House
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581825435, $24.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

Jerry Maren represented the Lollipop Guild in the Wizard of Oz, as a Munchkin on the most popular movie of all time. Here Maren reveals his life and career in Hollywood, examining evolving facets of 20th century culture and life, sharing experiences working among big stars from Lucille Ball to the Marx Brothers, and pairing color and black and white photos with fun memories in SHORT AND SWEET: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE LOLLIPOP MUNCHKIN. Any movie, Hollywood or general-interest lending library holding will find this a bright, popular lend.

Man Killed By Pheasant and Other Kinships
John T. Price
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780306816055, $25.00 www.dacapopress.com

Man Killed By Pheasant and Other Kinships offers the author's journey from an isolated childhood in rural Iowa to a journey to relationships and life in the mountains of Idaho. His description of landscapes and rugged rural environments compliment his surveys of human relationships and lives, enhancing a wonderful account of closeness to nature and people alike.


The Literary Shelf

The Grammar Detective
Gillian Hanson
Continuum
80 Maiden Lane #704, New York NY 10038
9780826498076, $14.95 www.continuum-books.com

THE GRAMMAR DETECTIVE: SOLVING THE MYSTERIES OF BASIC GRAMMAR invites readers to solve a series of short murder mysteries which have been embellished and illustrated with word searches, crosswords and all kinds of supporting puzzles. In this user-friendly mode grammar topics such as nouns, verbs, clauses and more are easily reinforced, making this perfect for different learning levels and for adults seeking a painless way of brushing up on grammar.


The Audiobook Shelf

Made in the U.S.A.
Billie Letts
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
1600242073, $34.98 www.hachetteaudio.com

Cassandra Morris's voice can be heard on radio and TV commercials alike and she's received awards for her work: it deftly and successfully spices MADE IN THE U.S.A., the story of a woman who has avoided attachments to people, places and everything in life during her fifteen years. When she and her sibling are faced with becoming wards of the state or running away, they choose to flee in search of an unknown father. An outstanding story of searching for roots evolves in a compelling audio listen any audio library will relish.

Persuasion IQ
Kurt W. Mortensen
Brilliance Audio
c/o Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
1423364074, $29.95 www.brillianceaudio.com

Jim Bond has produced and hosted arts radio talk shows for over 25 years: his smooth voice lends to a persuasive account from Kurt Mortensen's Persuasion Institute, which discusses persuasion techniques, identifying ten critical skills and techniques for developing each. The focus on how to get what you want is specific and excellent.

Dakota
Martha Grimes
Penguin Audio
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
9780143143017, $39.95 www.penguin.com

Renee Raudman has performed on film, TV and radio alike and her experienced voice lends high drama to this sequel to Grimes' BITING THE MOON, best enjoyed by prior fans of the novel. Here Andi, amnesiac and drifter, is still running from her only memory – of an event in a Santa Fe bed-and-breakfast. In Dakota she gets a new job – and begins to uncover the truth about her work place and its sister facility, which hold keys to her past and some of her darkest nightmares. A riveting story evolves.

The Bone Garden
Tess Gerritsen
Random House Audio
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780739343234, $29.95 www.randomhouseaudio.com

Carolyn McCormick's extensive theater background lends to her involving reading of THE BONE GARDEN, which tells of a horrifying discovery made on the grounds of a new rural home in Massachusetts -–a skull buried in the soil. Murder, history, and fine suspense makes THE BONE GARDEN a real winner with its many unpredictable twists and turns that come alive under audio.


The Interior Design Shelf

John Wiley & Sons
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
www.wiley.com

Two interrelated interior codes handbooks are invaluable picks for any technical library catering to interior designers or architects. The fourth updated edition of Sharon Koomen Harmon, IIDA and AIA Katherine E. Kennon's THE CODES GUIDEBOOK FOR INTERIORS (9780470149416, $85.00) is a 'must' for any in-depth architecture or design reference library. It's the only guide devoted exclusively to codes relating to interiors alone, and explains all standards, federal regulations, maintenance of commercial and residential interiors alike, and more. This edition has been revised, updated and expanded to include many changes and more detailed coverage. Its companion STUDY GUIDE (9780470149409, $35.00) is a supportive student-oriented guide and companion suitable for classroom supplementary reading, with workbook forms for fill-in tests and exams, and sample problems to test knowledge. Both are outstanding references.


The Architecture Shelf

Ecological Houses
Viviana Guastalla, Editor
TeNeues Publishing
16 West 22nd Street, New York NY 10010
9783832792275, $24.95 www.teneues.com

ECOLOGICAL HOUSES offers an international tour of over thirty homes which profile environmental thinking in residential architecture, making this a powerful pick for any collection strong in interior design and architecture, and for homeowners seeking inspiration for renovations or building. Old and new methods for building and living green are covered in a fine series of visual photos of interiors and exteriors perfect for any home or garden library, and for college-level collections strong in architecture.

Loblolly House
Stephen Kieran and James Timberlake
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th Street, New York, NY 10003
9781568987477, $40.00 www.papress.com

LOBLOLLY HOUSE: ELEMENTS OF A NEW ARCHITECTURE features a different award-winning house design: an adjustable double-skin facade situated off the coast of Maryland's Chesapeake Bay. Its integrated systems offer minimal impact to the site's ecosystem, and it's actually more than an experimental model: it's a step towards element-based mass housing and promises much for architectural change. This monograph examines KieranTimberlake Associate's creation and considers its impact on further prototypes of revolutionary design choices.

Crafting Log Homes Solar Style
Rex A. Ewing & LaVonne Ewing
PixyJack Press
Box 149, Masonville, CO 80541
9780977372447, $25.00 www.PixyJackPress.com

A completely revised version of LOGS, WIND AND SUN is presented for any interested in getting off the grid. It's a solid guide to building solar-powered log homes and includes how-to illustrations and photos and profiles of log home owners around America. The authors also hand-craft an off-the-grid log home in the Colorado Rockies: their success is enlightening and inspirational and their challenges clear to any who would follow. Any collection strong in solar or home technology needs this.


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Wind in the Willows
Kenneth Grahame
Papercutz
c/o NBM Publishers
40 Exchange Plaza #1308, New York NY 10005
1597070963, $13.95 www.papercutz.com

Michel Plessix adapts the classic WIND IN THE WILLOWS for graphic novel presentation suitable for libraries, adding to the full-color graphic 'Classics Illustrated Deluxe' series. High school, college and public libraries alike will find popular this book form of a comic classic series which takes classics and adds embellishments and action readers will appreciate. What a fine way of getting reluctant readers to enjoy classic works!

Draw Comics Like a Pro
Al Bigley
Watson-Guptill
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
9780823006793, $19.95 www.watsonguptill.com

Al Bigley is a professional artist and cartoonist whose work has contributed to many organizations, from Disney to Marvel Comics. DRAW COMICS LIKE A PRO: TECHNIQUES FOR CREATING DYNAMIC CHARACTERS, SCENES, AND STORIES thus packs in a working professional's tips on creating pro-quality comics, from depicting characters at unusual angles to give them added dimension to extending panels, adjusting body proportions to reflect character psychology, and more. A top pick for any library catering to would-be graphic novelists or comic book artists.

BluesMan
Rob Vollmar and Pablo G. Callejo
NBM Publishers
40 Exchange Place Suite 1308, New York NY 10005
1561635324, $24.95 www.nbmpublishing.com

This 'twelve-bar' graphic novel is a masterpiece narrative set in the 1920s in the south and focusing on the blues music world through the eyes of two traveling bluesmen who chance upon a blues joint with a possible record contract – until romance and murder interfere. A powerful story of danger, change, and music history evolves in a fine graphic novel drama suitable for any high school to public library graphic novel collection.


The Health/Medical Shelf

Life in the Balance
Thomas Graboys, MD with Peter Zheutlin
Union Square Press
c/o Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
1402753411, $19.95 www.sterlingpublishing.com

Any general-interest library or health collection needs LIFE IN THE BALANCE: A PHYSICIAN'S MEMOIR OF LIFE, LOVE, AND LOSS WITH PARKINSON'S DISEASE AND DEMENTIA. The author is both a doctor and patient, at the peak of his career at age forty-nine when he was diagnosed with an aggressive form of Parkinson's and dementia. His memoir is revealing and insightful – and considers Parkinson's from the rare vantage point of both patient and doctor.

Being A Brain-Wise Therapist
Bonnie Badenoch
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393705546, $29.95 www.wwnorton.com

Neuroscientific discoveries have begun to provide not just cutting-edge data on brain functions, but translate over into changes in psychotherapy and medicine. This book brings interpersonal neurobiology into the counseling arena, reviewing basic principles on brain structure, function, and how this relates to diagnostic approaches. Any college-level collection strong in psychology or medicine needs this, which adds exercises and case histories for more lively coverage.

Exposed
Mark Schapiro
Chelsea Green Publishing
Box 428, White River Junction, VT 05001
9781933392158, $22.95 www.chelseagreen.com

EXPOSED: THE TOXIC CHEMISTRY OF EVERYDAY PRODUCTS AND WHAT'S AT STAKE FOR AMERICAN POWER explores recent changes to the European Union, discusses the worldwide distribution of products the U.S. or the world has deemed dangerous, and surveys how and why the U.S.'s products are equated with serious health hazards. It's an eye-opening, even frightening survey of U.S. health hazards and how they are viewed around the world: a consumer eye-opener that deserves a place in any health library and many a public library, as well as collections strong in international policies and politics.

Lifting Depression
Kelly Lambert, Ph.D.
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
387 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
www.perseusbooksgroup.com 1-800-242-7737
9780465037728, $26.00 www.basicbooks.com

Depression is a devastating condition which immobilizes millions each year: that's why LIFTING DEPRESSION: A NEUROSCIENTIST'S HANDS-ON APPROACH TO ACTIVATING YOUR BRAIN'S HEALING POWER is so wide-ranging and important, recommended for both health libraries and general-interest lending collections alike. New research with rats (whose brains are similar to humans) leads to identification of a circuit in the human brain responsible for negative thinking and depression – and also shows how hands-on physical activities yield rewards and fight depression. Even knitting or gardening works to stimulate the body's own depression-fighting chemicals: LIFTING DEPRESSION is a solid move to individual freedom.

Saving Jack
Jack Willis
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806138954, $16.95 www.oupress.com

SAVING JACK: A MAN'S STRUGGLE WITH BREAST CANCER provides an unusual first-person account of a man's experience of a disease normally associated with women. From being diagnosed to having a mastectomy and chemo, this provides the first book to address the issues of men who suffer from the disease. Health care and public libraries need it.


The Business Shelf

What to Say to a Porcupine
Richard S. Gallagher
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
0814410553, $19.95 www.amacombooks.org

WHAT TO SAY TO A PORCUPINE: 20 HUMOROUS TALES THAT GET TO THE HEART OF GREAT CUSTOMER SERVICE is a fun, easily-read guide which uses the format of Aesop's fables to illustrate basic principles of customer service, from listening to customer needs to adjusting behaviors. The result is a light but pointed read perfect for both business and general lending libraries.

Crunch: Why Do I Feel So Squeezed?
Jared Bernstein
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery #650, San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781576754771, $26.95 www.bkcurrents.com

Economist Jared Bernstein doesn't just tackle the usual college-level economic concerns, but addresses common problems based on dozens of questions he's fielded from common working Americans. CRUNCH thus relates economics to everyday life and concerns, considering ethics, business concerns and links between newspaper headlines and everyday life. CRUNCH thus earns its place not just on the shelves of college-level business libraries, but in the collections of general-interest libraries catering to a public interested in answers to everyday economic dilemmas.

Legal Offshore Tax Havens
Jesse A. Schmitt
Atlantic Publishing
1405 SW 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471-0640
9781601382573, $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

An increasing number of Americans are convinced our country isn't a safe haven for investments or storing money – and they are using offshore tax havens around the world to stash cash. LEGAL OFFSHORE TAX HAVENS will appeal to any general-interest lending library with its tips on how to protect money and remain legal in the process. Chapters cover specific areas and their pros and cons and are written with lay readers in mind.

Business Cases for Info Pros: Here's Why, Here's How
Ulla De Stricker
Information Today Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055-8750
9781573873352, $39.50 www.infotoday.com

Information professionals as well as academic librarians will benefit from this detailed survey of why, when and how a formal business case can become a tool for gaining support for information-based projects. From the psychology of decision-making to identifying and structuring a business case, her advice is accompanied by case studies illustrating different techniques for getting the most from good business ideas. Business collections as well as IT holdings will find it packed with practical, invaluable keys to success.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Quilt Art 2009 Engagement Calendar
Klaudeen Hansen and Annette Baker
American Quilter's Society
Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574329537, $13.95 www.AmericanQuilter.com

Full-page color photos of award-winning quilts along with descriptions of materials and techniques plus judging results accompany facing page weekly calendar details with smaller month-long views, making for a simply lovely engagement calendar gift. Any seeking gifts for busy quilters will find this the perfect pick.

Doublestitch
Erika & Monika Simmons
Interweave Press
201 East 4th Street, Loveland, CO 80537-5655
9781596680630, $21.95 www.interweavebooks.com

DOUBLESTITCH: DESIGNS FOR THE CROCHET FASHIONISTA goes above and beyond most crochet styles and instructions, making it a top pick for any needleworker or library seeking contemporary designs. It tells how to make crochet sexy and fashionable, features crochet wear which can be worn over T-shirts or with jeans, and pairs form-fitting options with color combinations. From halter tops to hoodies, the results are satisfyingly different – and illustrated in full color along with easy step-by-step instructions. Very highly recommended: a unique and refreshingly contemporary application of crochet style.

Little Felted Animals
Marie Noelle Horvath
Watson-Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0823015041, $12.95 www.watsonguptill.com

Create adorable miniature animals with this collection of easy needle-felting techniques and some basic tools, and the instructions of an author who tells how to use wool roving to make fun little animals. Sixteen featured animals from dogs and mice to birds and seals make for fun projects, with color photos showing finished results and pages pairing patterns with easy directions. Needlework collections will find it a fine introduction to the easier potentials of needle punch.

Inspired to Knit
Michele Rose Orne
Interweave Press
201 E. 4th St, Loveland, CO 80537-5655
9781596680418, $24.95 www.interweavebooks.com

Knitting designs begin with inspired changes, and here knitter designer Michele Rose Orne shares her secrets for creating original handknits in her collection of seasonal originals. These take the form of 'workshops' designed to gather ideas, develop colors, and create finished designs from patterns. Avid knitters who already have the basics down will relish the blend of patterns, color photos of completed originals, and tips on how to come up with original take-offs.

On-Point Quilts
Retta Warehime
Martingale & Company
20205 – 144th Avenue NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
9781564778086, $21.95 www.martingale-pub.com

ON-POINT QUILT: DESIGNS ON THE DIAGONAL provides a 45 degree twist on classic blocks, offering ten diagonally set quilt patterns with directions on how to calculate sizes for setting triangles and corners without math or tricky sewing demands. The color photo examples compliment an excellent collection of projects and patterns which any needlework library will find an attractive embellishment on the many traditional block books on the market.

Martingale & Company
20205 – 144th Ave NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
www.martingale-pub.com

Judy Hooworth and Margaret Rolfe's QUILTS ON THE DOUBLE (9781564777782, $26.95) offers dozens of easy strip-pieced quilt projects which tell how to convert one group of strip sets into two quilts. Easy eight-block pieces and fat quarters offer opportunities for literally dozens of designs. Sandy Scoville's STRIPES, STRIPES, STRIPES: KNITS WITH COLOR AND TEXTURE (9781564777973, $24.95) tells how to use two or more yarns to create easy stylish looks. Fifteen projects range from clothing and accessories to home decoration projects, offering color photos and step-by-step techniques. Lori Buhler's QUILTER'S HAPPY HOUR: 11 QUILTS WITH COCKTAIL RECIPES (9781564777676, $24.95) uses machine-stitched applique to create complex curved designs in 11 colorful quilts. Cocktail recipes pair with these designs for added impact. Karla Alexander's BABY WRAPS: QUICK, CUDDLY QUILTS (9781564778390, $19.95) features eight quilt patterns using the author's easy piecing techniques. A range of motifs pairs with tips on designs for shower gifts, toddler birthdays and more, with tips on fabrics and borders enhancing easy projects. Nancy J. Martin's ROLLING ALONG: EASY QUILTS FROM 2 1/2" STRIPS (9781564778413, $24.95) tells how to work with a bundle of Jelly Rolls – prepackaged strips – which here produce 10 traditional quilt designs as examples. Construction methods are geared to quick quilt production and color photos of completed quilts and blocks make for an involving presentation. Terry Martin's WONDER BLOCKS: STACK, CUT, SEW, AND GO (9781564777713, $14.95) tells how to cut in minutes and complete sewing in just a few hours using fat quarters and scraps as quilting foundations. Seven simple blocks can be arranged in numerous ways for striking results, making for a fine beginner's guide. All are excellent additions to any quilting library.


The Photography Shelf

Practical Artistry: Light & Exposure for Digital Photographers
Harold Davis
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
0596529880, $29.99 www.oreilly.com

Modern digital cameras offer lots of sophistication but if you want to produce memorable results, you can't rely on automated exposures alone. Photographer Harold Davis here provides exposure principles to take great photos, supplementing his tips with eye-catching examples created from his own techniques. The photos offer lessons on applied techniques and this is a perfect choice for any library catering to pro or neo-pro digital photographers.

Photographer's Guide to Wedding Album Design and Sales, second edition
Bob Coates
Amherst Media
Box 586, Buffalo, NY 14226
9781584282358, $34.95 www.amherstmedia.com

Albums are the most profitable product offered by wedding photographers, so it's surprising to note that relatively few photo handbooks focus on this aspect of a photographer's business. Bob Coates offers a fine guide to the entire production process, from offering suggestions for enhancing the product to choices photographers make in the design and marketing process. From shooting images with the album in mind to designing creative and customized page layouts, the updated second edition of Photographer's Guide to Wedding Album Design and Sales offers even more tips and is a top pick for any library catering to neo-pro photographers.

It's Beautiful Here, Isn't It…
Luigi Ghirri
Aperture
547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor, New York NY 10001
9781597110587, $55.00 www.aperture.org

Luigi Ghirri is a color photographer who began in the 1970s, presenting some unique views of people, cityscapes, and more. Here Germano Celant provides an essay and William Eggleston a preface to a fine catalog of Ghirri's eclectic, diverse photo choices. Any art library interested in contemporary photographers working in color needs IT'S BEAUTIFUL HERE, ISN'T IT.

Uncovered: Photographs by Thomas Allen
Aperture
547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor, New York NY 10001
9781597110532, $24.95 www.aperture.org

Board books for adult readers are not common presentations, but Uncovered: Photographs by Thomas Allen takes this approach: and it works. A board book collection of photos brings to life heroes and heroines of the pulps, presenting vivid, lasting pictures perfect for any serious art library and many a general-interest collection. His dioramas and stories are visually compelling, spell-binding creations.

Grains of Sand: Nature's Secret Wonder
Dr. Gary Greenberg
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760331989, $20.00 www.voyageurpress.com

All sand may look alike to most, but not to Dr. Gary Greenberg, whose microphotographic techniques outline and differences in each grain of sand. Sand from around the world is presented in a series of photos that reveal differences in colors, textures, sizes and shapes: accompanied by a detailed explanation of how each grain forms, this is a pick not just for art libraries specializing in photography, but for science collections as well.

Eero Saarinen
David G. DeLong & CD. Ford Peatross, Editor
W.W. Norton
500 – 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393732238, $100.00 www.wwnorton.com

Architectural photographer Balthazar Korab's practiced eye and hand lends striking images of the buildings and working methods of one Eero Saarinen, joining other photos of Modernist masterpieces with rare insights into his buildings, design, and models. Photographer Korab left Corbusier in 1954 to work in Saarinen's office, beginning a career of over fifty years as a photographer, so this is more than an outsider's collection: it's an insider's view of Saarinen's work and needs to be in any serious architectural library. A grouping by project and a chronological arrangement further lends to the book's value.


The Cookbook Shelf

Mantra: The Rules of Indulgence
Jehangir Mehta
Ecco
c/o HarperCollins
10 East 53rd Street, New York NY 10022
9780060899851, $34.95 www.eccobooks.com

Chef and author Jehangir Mehta has created memorable desserts and dishes at his new Manhattan food and wine bar Graffiti, and here offers some of his original flavor fusions for readers interested in different variations on themes. From Turmeric Yorkshire Pudding to a Basil Cocktail and Fragrant Fennel Brittle, East meets West in a truly original pairing of tradition and modernity: perfect for collections specializing in international fusion cookbooks.

Yum-O: The Family Cookbook
Rachael Ray
Clarkson Potter Publishers
c/o The Crown Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, #B1, New York, NY 10019-4305
www.crownpublishing.com 1-800-726-0600
9780307407269, $22.50 www.clarksonpotter.com

Family-friendly meals are a feature of YUM-O!, a Rachel Ray guide which offers a blend of familiar favorites and upgraded nutrition information for a generation used to eating fast and convenience foods. From the basics of good eating habits to recipes easy enough to be prepared by older children and teens, YUM-O! is packed from cover to cover with super-easy, user-friendly, nutritious and delicious recipes perfect for any family-oriented library.

Grill Every Day
Diane Morgan
Chronicle Books
680 – 2nd Street, San Francisco CA 94107
9780811852081, $24.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

Perfect for both Summer and Fall fare is GRILL EVERY DAY: 125 FAST-TRACK RECIPES FOR WEEKNIGHTS AT THE GRILL. Where competitors focus on weekend or party grilling, this cookbook presents fast, easy dishes suitable for weeknights and busy working cooks – and includes a wider variety with grilled meats accompanied by vegetable and dessert dishes. From Chili-Peanut Halibut to Grilled Banana Split Sundaes, GRILL EVERY DAY is an inspirational winner, pairing color photos with fine dishes.

Family Cookbook, revised edition
America's Test Kitchen
17 Station Street, Bookline, MA 02445
193361501X, $34.95 www.americastestkitchen.com

Recommended for home cooks who want recipes which work reliably each and every time, the revised updated binder edition of FAMILY COOKBOOK will earn as important a place on a home cook's shelf as Joy of Cooking. It offers lay-flat binding with spine lettering and a durable hardcover, and pairs a practical easy-use format with fail-safe recipes tested over and over by the America's Test Kitchen staff. Where else could you find an 'infallible' cookbook?

Summer on a Plate
Anna Pump and Gen LeRoy
Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of Americas, New York NY 10020
141654285X, $23.00 www.simonsays.com

Summer is a time for lazy weekends and longer days – and cooking should be the same. A catering proprietor provides easy yet unique dishes in SUMMER ON A PLATE: over 100 gourmet dishes for non-fuss, hot-weather meals. From Grilled Beef with Herb Sauce to Warm Tuna Sandwich with Ginger-Lemon Sauce, it's packed with unusual dishes not to be found elsewhere. No color photos – but the easy dishes don't need embellishment to appeal to any cookbook fan or lending library focusing on unique recipe collections.

Pizza on the Grill
Elizabeth Karmel and Bob Blumer
Taunton Press
Box 5506, Newtown, CT 06470-5506
9781600850066, $16.00 www.taunton.com

PIZZA ON THE GRILL: 100 FEISTY FIRE-ROASTED RECIPES FOR PIZZA & MORE covers both traditional pizzas and new creations, and even suggests pizzas for breakfast – such as an Artichoke Benedict Pizza – in a fine pairing of color photos and unique pizza dishes. A Cin-O-Bun Pizza to appeal to a sweet tooth, a Pulled Pork Pizza for the meat fan, or a Thai-inspired pizza – the varieties are endless and the methods surprisingly easy, making this a top pick for any public lending library.

Backstage With Julia: My Years With Julia Child
Nancy Verde Barr
John Wiley
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470276372, $14.95 www.wiley.com

BACKSTAGE WITH JULIA is an insider's account of working with her and comes from Julia Child's Executive Chef and close personal friend for 24 years. Her memoir blends anecdotes and stories with culinary insights, keys to understanding the behind-the-scenes action of culinary TV shows, and more, and is a 'must' for any collection strong in Child or French cooking.

Belly Up to the Bar
J.S. Mitchell
Cumberland House
431 Harding Industrial Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
9781581826364, $14.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com

BELLY UP TO THE BAR: DINING WITH NEW YORK CITY'S CELEBRITY CHEFS WITHOUT RESERVATIONS lists celebrated New York restaurants, hours, and gives a page or so of detailed description on the author's experiences getting into the best restaurants Manhattan can offer – without the notoriously long waits. While this collection is specific to New York and New Yorkers, any library strong in New York travel guides or culinary explorations needs this definitive survey of New York City's best.

The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook
Elinor Klivans
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9780811858045, $16.95 www.chroniclebooks.com

Chocolate chips are the author's passion, and The Essential Chocolate Chip Cookbook comes packed with ideas from bread puddings to cookies, cakes to candies and puddings. Add color photos throughout and recipes that separate mixing from baking time and streamline ingredients and you have a cookbook sure to be popular among chocolate-loving library patrons.


The Science Shelf

Nanophotonic Materials
R.B. Wehrspohn, H.S. Kitzerow, and K. Busch, Editors
Wiley-VCH
c/o John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
www.wiley.com 1-800-225-5945
9783527408580, $230.00 www.wiley-vch.de

German research groups used the work of several pioneers to build ground-breaking research on 2D and 3D photonics crystals as far back as the early 1990s: NANOPHOTONIC MATERIALS focuses on the research project which ensued in 1999, summarizing the work and research results of these groups. College-level collections strong in physics and science will find it an in-depth and scholarly study packed by the editing sills of three advanced professors and teachers. With its charts, in-depth research and explanations, it will prove an invaluable acquisition for specialty holdings.

The Annotated Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions
Edwin A. Abbott
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com 1-800-242-7737
9780465011230, $17.95 www.basicbooks.com

For over a hundred years Edwin Abbott's ANNOTATED FLATLAND has attracted readers interested in both math and satires on Victorian society. This annotated version introduces readers to Flatland, where men are polygons and females are lines, and adds commentary connecting the original text with history, science and culture. The annotated version makes for a contemporary survey that science and general-interest collections alike will find compelling.


The Social Issues Shelf

White Protestant Nation
Allan J. Lichtman
Atlantic Monthly Press
841 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0871139847, $27.50 www.groveatlantic.com

WHITE PROTESTANT NATION: THE RISE OF THE AMERICAN CONSERVATIVE MOVEMENT is a full history of the modern conservative movement from its beginnings in the 1920s to current issues affecting its status and well-being. A political analysis blends with a social history and even analysis of the economic forces shaping the movement, making for a key acquisition for any library strong in either American history or social issues.

Community: The Structure of Belonging
Peter Block
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery #650, San Francisco CA 94104-2916
9781576754870, $26.95 www.bkconnection.com

Most communities are fragmented in their structure and purposes, but communities can emerge from such fragmentation strong and purposeful. How are stronger communities built? COMMUNITY: THE STRUCTURE OF BELONGING tackles this subject, considering shifts in perspective, the impact of leadership choices, and what a healthy community looks like. College-level libraries strong in social science need this survey which considers changing ideas of community structure and the dynamics of transitions.


The Military Shelf

Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan
Leigh Neville
Osprey Publishing
443 Park Avenue South, New York NY 10016
9781846033100, $18.95 www.ospreypublishing.com

Military libraries strong in modern operations need Special Operations Forces in Afghanistan: it's a survey of the Western response to terrorist attacks on the U.S. and describes the results achieved by specific units operating in Afghanistan. From successes to failures, chapters cover strategy, include many rare private photos and use the author's SOF contacts for unusual embellishment.

Thinking Like a Terrorist
Mike German
Potomac Books
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166-2012
9781597970266, $17.95 www.potomacbooks.com

THINKING LIKE A TERRORIST: INSIGHTS OF A FORMER FBI UNDERCOVER AGENT comes from a former FBI counterterrorism agent who contends the main problem is a failure to understand terrorism and what they will do to achieve their goals. When policies are built on fallacies, they become brittle and don't work. Modern terrorists have a blueprint for action – and it's published and available for all to read. THINKING LIKE A TERRORIST surveys these plans and is essential reading for any interested in terrorism issues, and for libraries catering to them whether at the high school, college or public lending library level.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Beyond Tolerance
Gustav Niebuhr
Viking Press
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
9780670019564, $25.95 www.penguin.com

BEYOND TOLERANCE: SEARCHING FOR INTERFAITH UNDERSTANDING IN AMERICA tells of religious tolerance issues in the U.S., renowned for its religiously diverse population. This history of religious freedoms in America will find its place not only in spirituality collections, but in any high school to college-level library strong in American civil liberties and history. Chapters consider religious impact and social connections, offering depth and insights suitable for student debate and study.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Liberating the Bible
Linda M. MacCammon
Orbis Books
Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570757754, $24.00 www.maryknoll.org

LIBERATING THE BIBLE: A GUIDE FOR THE CURIOUS AND PERPLEXED clarifies the nature and purpose of the Bible, providing an ethical guide examining two main stories from both testaments and showing how they reveal God's plan for salvation. Side bars of explanation, study questions, and suggested readings pack a survey a title recommended for any serious Christian collection strong in issues of ethics and Bible study.

Living Beyond the 'End of the World': A Spirituality of Hope
Margaret Swedish
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570757679, $18.00 www.orbisbooks.com

From global warming to the end of natural resources, Religious Task Force coordinator Margaret Swedish poses a fine challenge to people of faith: what kind of human responses will take place to increasing global conflict and challenge? Her survey of spiritual vision and community involvement lend to a fine spirituality of hope and a passion for ethics and shared support, making this an excellent pick for college-level audiences surveying spiritual ethics and world conditions from a Christian perspective.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

20th Century Costume Jewelry 1900-1980, second edition
Katie Joe Aikins with Ronna Lee Aikins
Collector Books
Box 3009, Paducah, KY 42002-3009
9781574325782, $24.95 www.collectorbooks.com

The updated second edition of 20th Century Costume Jewelry 1900-1980 is a winning identification and value guide that deserves a spot in any collection strong costume jewelry history or values. Katie Joe Aikins works with special collaborator Ronna Lee Aikins in an outstanding pairing of color photos, values and detailed descriptions on makers and trends. Any costume jewelry collector will find it invaluable.

A Guide Book of Counterfeit Confederate Currency
George B. Tremmel
Whitman Publishing Inc.
3101 Clairmont Road Suite C, Atlanta, GA 30329
0794822908, $29.95 www.whitmanbooks.com

A Guide Book of Counterfeit Confederate Currency: History, Rarity and Values provides a fine update to the author's original note-by-note, in-depth study and is a top reference for any interested in confederate currency in general, and for any library catering to currency collectors. Two now appendices, expanded historical narratives, three completely new chapters, and market valuations in multiple grades accompany color photo examples throughout.


The Sports Shelf

High Performance Beauty
Christine Dion
Princeton Book Company
614 Route 130, Hightstown, NJ 08520-0831
0871273039, $24.95 www.dancehorizons.com

HIGH PERFORMANCE BEAUTY: MAKEUP & SKIN CARE FOR DANCE CHEER SHOW CHOIR PAGEANTS ICE SKATING is a 'must' for any skating performer, novice or advanced. The author has over two decades of international experience in the beauty industry specializing in fashion makeup for commercials, TV and dance, and has directed modeling schools. Her book pairs a series of 'before' and 'after' photos with step-by-step makeup tips focusing on different options. It's a 'must' for any performer interested in makeup that lasts through routines.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Fishing Soft Baits in Saltwater
Pete Barrett
Burford Books
Box 388, Short Hills, NJ 07078
158080148X, $16.95 www.burfordbooks.com

Fishermen are increasingly using a different style of lure to catch fish: soft-plastic imitations that out-fish traditional lures and baits. Discussion of these new imitations is extensive and covers everything from trolling and casting for all kinds of fish to rigging, offshore techniques, and shrimping. Anglers interested in the latest bait technology need this, as well as any library catering to sports fishermen.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Silver Needle Murder
Laura Childs
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014
9780425219461, $23.95 www.penguin.com

Theodasia Browning and the staff of the Indigo Tea Shop are busy with catering jobs brought on by a local film festival, until a sudden murder changes everything. Suspicion, danger and intrigue permeate the film festival and create an atmosphere of tension in this vivid murder mystery that includes tea time tips and recipes: perfect for mystery lending libraries.

Heavenly Pleasures
Kerry Greenwood
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 East First Avenue #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590584262, $24.95 www.poisonedpenpress.com

Corinna wakes at four every morning to bake bread and leads a happy small town life after a wave of investigative challenges – until she bites into what should be a heavenly piece of chocolate made by a friend only to find it's been filled with chilis. Her search for the food tamperer results in a series of increasingly dangerous encounters challenging her investigative skills and life. Libraries strong in mysteries will find it a winner.

The Dirty Secrets Club
Meg Gardiner
Dutton
375 Hudson Street, New York NY 10014-3658
9780525950660, $24.95 www.penguin.com

Crime fiction fans with a penchant for solid, real settings and involving thrillers will love THE DIRTY SECRETS CLUB, a masterpiece of action, suspense and psychological tension. Here a series of unusual, vivid public murder-suicides has San Francisco – and forensic psychiatrist Jo Beckett – up in arms. When Jo discovers the connections between the flamboyant suicides is an entity called The Dirty Secrets Club, her probes reveal shady motives and the possible exposure of her own long-held, darkest secret by a cult of dangerous madmen. Any collection specializing in crime, mystery or thriller novels needs this.


The Fiction Shelf

The Girl Who Stopped Swimming
Joshilyn Jackson
Grand Central Publishing
237 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9780446579650, $23.99 www.hachettebookgroupusa.com

Laurel hasn't seen a ghost in the thirteen years she and her husband lived in the gated neighborhood of Victorianna. She's kept herself immersed in family and quilting – but when she awakens one day to find a dead girl standing by her bed – the ghost of her daughter's best friend Molly – and it leads her to her murdered body, gossip and a hidden past break into her carefully sheltered world. THE GIRL WHO STOPPED SWIMMING is a moving, absorbing thriller hard to put down, and recommended for any library strong in memorable novels.


The Education Shelf

The Grammar Detective
Gillian Hanson
Contiuum
80 Maiden Lane #704, New York NY 10038
9780826498076 www.continuumbooks.com

There are grammar guides for kids which add spice and life to the dry topic: now enjoy THE GRAMMAR DETECTIVE, which provides a series of short murder mysteries for adults – each illustrated and including further exercises, from word searches to crosswords – to reinforce grammatical skills. It's not only a fun way to learn grammar basics; it's a fine refresher course for adults and also makes an excellent ESL choice for adult learners of English, making it a wide-reaching, recommended pick for both public and school libraries.

Corwin Press
2465 Teller Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320
www.corwinpress.com

The third updated edition of Allan Glatthorn and Jerry Jailall's THE PRINCIPAL AS CURRICULUM LEADER: SHAPING WHAT IS TAUGHT AND TESTED (9781412960359, $25.95) offers a revised edition of a best-selling classic which considers curriculum at the state, local and classroom levels. The latest research adds to an expanded edition including new references, updated information on techniques and educational politics, and new developments in standards. Raymond J. Waller's THE EDUCATOR'S GUIDE TO SOLVING COMMON BEHAVIOR PROBLEMS (9781412957663, $22.95) provides an overview of behavior management with short chapters surveying basic strategies and using anecdotes and classroom examples to support them. From links to real-world situations to easy discussions of how behaviors are learned and then reinforced, this simple handbook should appeal to educators and administrators alike. Robert D. Ramsey's HOW TO SAY THE RIGHT THING EVERY TIME (9781412964081, $33.95) appears in its second updated edition to provide an outstanding survey of how to communicate well with students, staff and the public. From differences in communicating with parents and staff to saying the right things to students on different topics of concern, this is a classic highly recommended for any teacher professional. Bena Kallick and Jeff Colosimo's USING CURRICULUM MAPPING & ASSESSMENT DATA TO IMPROVE LEARNING (9781412927826, $26.95) provides methods for using data from multiple sources to enrich instruction. From how to analyze and revise such data to integrating it into professional dialogue and classroom alike, USING CURRICULUM MAPPING is a key strategy educators will find useful. Edie L. Holcomb's ASKING THE RIGHT QUESTIONS: TOOLS FOR COLLABORATION AND SCHOOL CHANGE, 3RD EDITION (9781412962759, $38.95) is an outstanding blend of practical tips and real-world examples based on collaboration at the district, school and classroom levels. Common issues in effecting change and reviewing improvement ideas are discussed in chapters that also include strategies, examples of real-world change scenarios, and a cd-rom with figures and forms for change. Mary Ann Blank and Cheryl A. Kershaw's MENTORING AS COLLABORATION: LESSONS FROM THE FIELD FOR CLASSROOM, SCHOOL AND DISTRICT LEADERS (9781412962761, $70.95) offers an excellent, in-depth set of strategies for any educator leader, from the basics of building on common goals to implementing a teacher mentoring program, gathering useful data from projects, and more. Leaders will find it an important, specific key to developing more effective collaborative plans between systems and educators, making this a key acquisition education collections must have. Stephen S. Kaagan's 30 REFLECTIVE STAFF DEVELOPMENT EXERCISES FOR EDUCATORS, 2ND EDITION (9781412963039, $25.95) comes from a leadership specialist who provides a practical resource to help educators improve their professional practices for students. From a new introduction and new questions for either individual or group discussion to new sections to help participants move to deeper levels of learning, educators will appreciate the dynamics of the exercises.


The Travel Shelf

The Best Travel Writing 2008
James O'Reilly, Larry Habegegger and Sean O'Reilly, editors
Travelers' Tales
853 Alma Street, Palo Alto, CA 94301
9781932361544, $16.95 www.travelerstales.com

This annual collection of great stories from the road comes from various award-winning writers – including Solas Awards winners – and represents the best in travel literature writing, making it a powerful pick for any library strong in travel writing. THE BEST TRAVEL WRITING 2008: TRUE STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD presents accounts of encounters from villages to mountains, cruisers to African cities, and is simply outstanding, involving reading for any armchair enthusiast.


The Music Shelf

The Words and Music of Prince
James E. Perone
Praeger
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780275994747 $44.95 www.praeger.com

Avid fans of Prince and collections catering to fans of rock music will find this a fine in-depth survey covering the basics of Prince's life works, blending an introductory biography of the artist with an in-depth analysis of all his musical pieces both individually and collectively. The author is a professor of music at the college level: his survey offers an outstanding analysis of Prince's purposes and directions and is a 'must' for any in-depth appreciation of Prince's works.


The Library CD Music Shelf

Cuban Traditional Music
Tito y Son de Cuba
San Pablo Recorders
1627 San Pablo Avenue, Berkeley CA 94702
No ISBN, CD, $10.98

Several months ago my wife and a friend went on a cruise around the San Francisco Bay: she came back raving about a Cuban band that kept them dancing throughout the cruise. When the same band played a gig at Osher Marin a few weeks ago, "we" had to go. The band, Tito y Su Son De Cuba, was as good as she said it was. Bandleader Herberto "Tito" Gonzalez is a relatively recent arrival (2000) from Cuba, where he took lessons from and played with the cream of Cuba's dance and jazz musicians. His music is closer to the sounds Americans heard in the film and on the cd Buena Vista Social Club than it is to New York salsa, but some salsa influence is in evidence. This is logical, since Tito is younger than the oldest of the "Buena Vista" gang, the salsa sound has now entered Cuba. Tito sings in a style reminiscent of Cuban singers of the 1930s, 40s and 50s: not with a pretty voice, but with an authoritative voice. Tito also plays tres: a three-stringed guitar-like instrument similar in size to a ukelele. He picks a mean solo as well as setting a rhythmic pace. As exciting as Tito and his eight-piece group are live, on his cd TITO Y SU SON DE CUBA he has an even fuller sound due to the addition of as many as ten extra musicians and singers, all with years of experience playing Cuban music and salsa. If you want the best in rhumba, guarrcha and especially son (the chief root form of Cuban music), catch Tito at one of his local gigs – and while you're there, pick up his delightful cd. If you can't catch Tito in person, get a copy of this cd and dance at home!


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

When the Tide Rises
David Drake
Baen Books
Box 1043, Riverdale, NY 10471
1416555277, $25.00 www.baen.com

Fans of military science fiction will find WHEN THE TIDE RISES is a gripping, fast-paced story telling of Commander Daniel Leary and his spy friend, who are helping the Bagarian cluster in its rebellion against the alliance. From politics to mutiny and beyond, WHEN THE TIDE RISES is a fast-paced complex of action and adventure, and makes for a fine, involving military science fiction read perfect for collections strong in military science fiction writings.


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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