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Small Press Bookwatch

Volume 7, Number 1 January 2008 Home | SPBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Biography Shelf Gardening Shelf
Business Shelf Fiction Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Literary Shelf Money/Finance Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Social Issues Shelf Science Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Poetry Shelf Sports Shelf
American History Shelf Art Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Parenting Shelf Criminology Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Real Estate Shelf Travel Shelf Children's Shelf


Reviewer's Choice

Ana's Arrow
Riley Evans
Storywright Books
607 Broadway, PO Box 408, Concordia, KS 66901
9780974146225, $13.95 www.anasarrow.com

Ana's Arrow is a most unusual crime novel, as the reader can participate directly in the conclusion of the tale, by casting their registered vote for the protagonist's guilt or innocence at the anasarrow.com website! When a young priest is found murdered with an arrow through the neck, attorney Tom Spaulding is brought under suspicion for the crime due to his connections to the murder weapon. At first Spaulding protests his innocence; then gradually, he learns through a shared dream that his lover Ana Frye is the vengeful incarnation of the Goddess Diana. Did ancient powers compel Spaulding to kill? Or could Spaulding have committed a crime of passion, because Ana and the priest had an affair? Spaulding suffers the manipulations of his enemies, brutal treatment in jail, and struggles for justice and redemption. It is ultimately the reader who must weigh guilt, innocence, truth and lies within Spaulding's testimony, in this uniquely interactive novel.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Mysterious Marrow Magic
Joanne Bachman
Lifevest Publishing
4901 East Dry Creek Road, #120, Centennial, CO 80122
1598794566, $12.99 www.lifevestpublishing.com

Use a real life example, "Mysterious Marrow Magic: A Donor's Story" by JoAnne Bachman reveals to the reader the physical and emotional journey of an anonymous bone marrow donor and enables the reader to understand and appreciate the personal side of a medical procedure, including the steps, the methods, and the mysteries of a bone marrow donation. Enhanced with color photograph that fully supports the narrative story, "Mysterious Marrow Magic" is an ideal 35-page book that is especially recommended for community library Health & Medicine reference collections, and to the attention of anyone considering providing becoming a bone marrow donor for a family member, a friend, or a stranger in need.

The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle
Donna Kay & Maribeth Stephens
Big Think Media
c/o IMC Writing, LLC
500 North 63rd Street, Seattle, WA 98103-5624
9780978810818, $14.95 www.completediabeteslifestyle.com

When Donna Kay was diagnosed with Typ 2 Diabetes at the age of 35, she could not find an upbeat book that would help her deal with her condition emotionally as well as medically. Reading the literature extensively, conversing with healthcare professional, and having no family history of diabetes, Donna Kay (with the help of Maribeth Stephen, an experienced healthcare writer) decided to write that missing book for the benefit of others who, like her, would find themselves unexpectedly having to deal with Type 2 Diabetes and all of the life-changing consequences of that diagnosis. The result is "The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle", a work of humor, practical advice, mind-body wisdom, and motivational strategies for dealing with diabetes. Written specifically for the non-specialist general reader, "The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle " will enable anyone to create an individualized diabetes management plan and feel self-empowered to deal with making those enduring changes that are fundamental to enjoying a better life. Strongly recommended for community library Health & Medicine reference collections, "The Complete Diabetes Lifestyle " is especially valuable reading for anyone having diabetes and needing to deal with its emotional as well as medical demands.

The Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders
Marcia Herrin & Nancy Matsumoto
Gurze Books
PO Box 2238, Carlsbad, CA 92018
9780936077031, $18.95 www.gurze.net 1-800-756-7533

Childhood and adolescent eating disorders are as complex as they are wide spread among the youth of today. Now parents have a practical, comprehensive, effective, and 'user friendly' instruction manual on how they can help their children to overcome (and even avoid) any category of eating disorder through a home-based recovery with "The Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders: Supporting Self-Esteem, Healthy Eating, & Positive Body Image At Home" by Marcia Herrin (Founder of the Dartmoth College Eating Disorder Prevention, Education and Treatment Programs) and writer/author Nancy Matsumoto. This newly updated and expanded second edition of "The Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders" includes four chapters devoted to the Maudsley approach, the highly successful, parent-assisted method for normalizing eating behavior. Of special note is the first-person account by the mother of one anorexic child who describes her daughter's recovery using the techniques developed by Dr. Herrin. Other sections of "The Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders" focus on family communications, the medical consequences of eating disorders, advice for siblings, relapse prevention, food plans, and boys who are at risk for an eating disorder. Informed and informative, "The Parent's Guide To Eating Disorders" is a very strongly recommended addition to family and community library Health & Medicine reference collections in general, and Eating Disorder supplemental reading lists in particular.

Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, And Stimulants
David W. Tanton
Soaring Heights Press
PO Box 2138, Jasper, OR 97438
9780977270323, $24.95 www.drtanton.com

It's not often that the author of a book is willing to guarantee his reader's total satisfaction with a one year unconditional money back guarantee. But that's just the case with David W. Tanton and "Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, And Stimulants: Dangerous Drugs On Trial". Tanton provides a major expose of the dangerous aspects of legal pharmaceuticals, all of which are approved for children and adults -- but not by the Food & Drug Adminstration. Tanton identifies some 374 different mental conditions that were given definition to justify the use of Prozac, Paxil, Zoloft, Celexa, Wellbutrin, Zyban, Remeron, Serzone, Effexor, Buspar, Risperdal, Zyprexa, Seroquel, Geodon, Depakote, and Adderall. The often encountered side-effects of these commonly proscribed drugs includes unpreditable physical reactions, undesirable personality changes, bipolar disorders, even an increase in the risk of suicide. These drugs have also been associated with the development of cancer, diabetes, obesity, brain damage, heart attack, arthritis, chronic fatigue, and even the loss of critical nutrients in the human body. Of special note is the proofs provided by Tanton that these dangerous drugs are simply not necessary in the treatment of the many human ailments they are being touted for by the pharmaceutical industry. Iconic and documented, "Antidepressants, Antipsychotics, And Stimulants" is particularly recommended reading for medical professionals, as well as non-specialist general readers with an interest in mental health, physical medicine, and the pharmaceutical industry.

!Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition
M. H. Graham
Megusta Publishing
PO Box 26274, Wauwatosa, WI 53226
9780979144011, $9.95 www.ahorahablo.com

English-deficient, Spanish-speaking patients are to be found in every community clinic and public hospital emergency room in the country. Now there is "!Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition", a handy, pocket-sized bi-lingual language guide specifically designed for health-care professionals needing to communicate with Spanish-speaking patients about their medical needs. Included in this superbly organized guide is an extensive vocabulary for almost any medical situation including general health issues, emergency situations, cardiology, obstetrics, dental services, vision, pharmaceuticals, and a great deal more. Medical and health professionals will be able to utilize !Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition" to develop fluency and a proper accent with each word being presented with its phonetic key based on English pronunciation. With its simple steps for communicating with Spanish-speaking patients about medical and health matters, "!Ahora Hablo! Medical Edition" will prove to be an indispensable, invaluable resource for all concerned.


The Biography Shelf

Facing the Sunshine
Sara Jane Thornton
Soaring Wings Press
12 Martin Avenue, Salem, NH 03079
Blessingway Authors' Services (publicity)
134 East Lupita Road, Sante Fe, NM 87505
9780976369462, $19.95

Facing the Sunshine: A Young Woman's Emergence From the Shadows of Sexual Abuse and Anorexia is the true-life memoir of author Sarah Jane Thornton, whose childhood was savaged by the specter of sexual abuse. At age sixteen, she fled home and began to systematically starve herself, which nearly killed her; hospitalized for two years after a suicide attempt at age twenty-one, she was subjected to seclusion, shock therapy, restraint with medication, and other questionable treatments. It was psychotherapy that gradually succeeded in helping her, along with self-empowering interactions and her own inner strength. Surpassing expectations, she earned her own right to be discharged, and as an adult found it possible to live with her father and former abuser, discovering the healing power of forgiveness and looking toward a better future. A powerful and ultimately inspirational tale of learning to enjoy and cherish life despite years of suffering past.

Blue Skies, No Fences
Lynne Cheney
Threshold Editions
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781416532880, $26.00 www.simonsays.com

Blue Skies, No Fences: A Memoir of Childhood and Family captures the reminiscences of Lynne Cheney, the wife of Vice President Dick Cheney and blends them with true tales of American dreams. Offering a spotlight on the small Wyoming prairie town of Casper, Blue Skies, No Fences tells of exuberant young girls, boys who hunted and fished, and strong-willed family women. Of especial interest is the glimpse through the lens of time of a young daredevil of the Alcova Dam spillway/impromptu water slide who would grow up to be the man Lynne married. A handful of black-and-white photographs dot this nostalgic and loving tribute to Lynne's family, the havens of small town life, and the America of yesteryear.

Starting at Sea Level
Terry Noble
Foggy River Books, Inc.
PO Box 520, McLeod, MT 59052
9780979360305, $24.95 www.foggyriverbooks.com www.startingatsealevel.com

Former veterinarian Terry Noble presents Starting at Sea Level, a true-life memoir of growing up in the 1950s, when a violent one-hundred-year conflict over who could have Chesapeake Bay's oysters was still going strong. As a young man, the author was determined to make a better life for himself than the harsh way of the waterman; supported by his mother and positive-minded mentors, he worked to transform his dream into reality despite thieves, setbacks, and injury. From rambunctious boyhood adventures to insights on the natural history of crabs and oysters, ordinary high school life, and learning how to make sick animals well, Starting at Sea Level is an engaging tale of gradually earning personal satisfaction and happiness, highly recommended.

Hooligan
Douglas Thayer
Zarahemla Books
869 East 2680 North Provo, UT 84604
9780978797157, $14.95 www.zarahemlabooks.com

Hooligan: A Mormon Boyhood is the memoir of author Douglas Thayer, a.k.a. "Mormon Hemingway", who grew up in Utah Valley during the Great Depression and World War II. Brimming with nostalgia for an era when life was simpler, and boyhood was filled with mysteries, delights, and dreams, Hooligan is a cheerful tale of adventure and surprisingly ingenious pastimes. "The best material for a hand grenade was the dust from a vacuum cleaner, wrapped in toilet paper and tied with a string. The idea was to hit the enemy on the head so the hand grenade exploded and blinded him temporarily. This was hard, but it could be done. The effect was well worth the effort." Recommended for a pleasant and leisurely stroll down memory lane.

Journey From The Han River
Ok Soon Schroeder
Mystic Publishers
850 South Boulder Highway, Suite 436, Henderson, NV 89015
9780972784085, $15.95 www.mysticpublishers.com

"Journey From The Han River" is the autobiography of a woman who has endured incredible hardship in her native Korea, and ultimately achieved a good life in America. Ok Soon 'Sue' Schroeder was born in a small Korean village. Growing up in Japanese-occupied Korea during World War II, Sue was tricked into a life of slavery before her tenth birthday. Surviving the war and its aftermath, she went from slavery into the traditional servant status of a Korean wife. Then the Korean war broke out and her village changed hands several times during that brutal and brutalizing conflict. She narrowly escaped a gang rape to lead her fellow villagers in carving a cow from a frozen river to stave off dying from hunger. Raising a son while dealing with family issues and endemic poverty, Sue's very life was threatened by the Communists. Falling in love with an American soldier who leaves her, then joining another American soldier who takes her back to his home in Ohio in the 1960s, Sue encountered a life that included politics, love triangles, sadness, and joy. Very highly recommended reading, "Journey From The Han River" is a riveting, candid, superbly narrated account of a remarkable life -- the kind of personal sage of which block-buster movies are made.

The Blind Doctor
Rosalind Perlman
Blue Point Books
PO Box 91347, Santa Barbara, CA 93190
9781883423131, $19.95 www.bluepointbooks.com

The Blind Doctor: The Jacob Bolotin Story is the true-life story of Jacob Bolotin, born blind to impoverished Jewish parents in Chicago in 1888. Determined to be of service to others, Bolotin had a dream of becoming a doctor. He sold brushes and typewriters door-to-door to raise money, earned his passage through the Chicago College of Medicine, graduated with honors at twenty-four, and keenly trained his senses of touch and hearing to earn himself a name as one of the top heart and lung specialists in the city. Bolotin raised awareness about the plight of the blind, and the need to treat people with disabilities as productive citizens; he even started one of first blind Boy Scout troops in the United States. Though he died at the young age of thirty-six, Jacob Bolotin's exemplary life and his determination to overcome phenomenal challenges makes for inspirational and unforgettable reading.

Will Rogers, Performer
Richard J. Maturi & Mary Buckingham Maturi
21st Century Publishers
1320 Curt Gowdy Drive, Cheyenne, WY 82009
9780960729883, $24.95 www.triplecrownwinnerearlsande.com

Before his untimely death in a 1935 Alaskan plane crash, Will Rogers was an entertainer and political commentator. His homespun cowboy act (he literarily did rope tricks to entertain his audience while engaging in a patter of conversation mixing jokes with acute observation) launched him into the public eye. He would go on to star in successful comedy movies and be something of an over the airwaves during the golden age of radio. Now in the pages of "Will Rogers, Performer", a profusely illustrated biography by Richard and Mary Maturi, a whole new generation can become acquainted with the Will Roger's legacy of wit and wisdom as his professional career as one of America's most popular and thoughtful entertainers. It may prove surprising how universal and enduring Roger's comments are more than seventy years later. "Once a man holds public office he is absolutely no good for honest work." Simply stated, "Will Rogers, Performer" is very highly recommended reading and the next best thing to visiting the Will Rogers Memorial Museum in Claremore, Oklahoma!

My Life of Turmoil
Larry Wenig
Epigraph Books
27 Lamoree Road, Rhinebeck, NY 12572
9780978942793, $27.95 www.epigraphs.com

My Life of Turmoil: A Jewish Immigrant's Story and Warning is the autobiography of Holocaust survivor Larry Wenig, whose trials did not end with the close of World War II - he endured hardships at the hands of the Soviet Communists in a Siberian gulag, and survived living in a Uzbekistan mud hut followed by an Austrian Displaced Persons camp, arriving in the United states at age 22, weak, nearly penniless, and knowing no English. His determination to rise above the odds, and his willingness to put in long hours of work while studying at night school led him to achieve his dream of becoming a lawyer. My Life of Turmoil blends resolute determination with the wonder of falling in love and marrying an exceptional woman - yet beyond the biographical narrative is a deeper purpose. Wenig writes to warn readers about the global threat of anti-Semitism and Islamofascism, from the perspective of one who has witnessed hatred, intolerance, and genocide carried to their most horrifying extremes. Highly recommended reading.

Mister Ed and Me and More!
Alan Young
Geordie Press
1112 Montana Avenue, #706, Santa Monica, CA 90403-1603
9780979740404, $19.95 www.mister-ed.tv

Mister Ed and Me and More! is the autobiography of actor Alan Young, perhaps most famous for his sitcom role as Wilbur Post, co-starring with the "talking" horse Mr. Ed. Born in England, raised in Canada, yet often playing the role of "the all-American boy", Young tells of his youth, his friendships with Hollywood elite, his movie career, and much more. A dollop of tongue-in-cheek humor as well as an assortment of vintage black-and-white photographs rounds out this genial memoir. Especially recommended for fans of Alan Young - or Mr. Ed!


The Gardening Shelf

A Year on the Garden Path
Carolyn Herriot
Earthfuture Publications
395 Conway Road, Victoria, BC Canada V9E 2B9
9780973805802, $19.95 www.earthfuture.com

Now in an updated second edition, A Year on the Garden Path: A 52-Week Organic Gardening Guide is a practical walkthrough to creating healthy landscapes and food gardens organically. Packed cover to cover with great gardening tips and recipes, A Year on the Garden Path covers everything from soil building to maintaining a healthy green lawn, nontoxic antidotes to gardening problems, pruning, seed saving, plant propagation, and much more. Black-and-white photographs throughout enhance this step-by-step guide, filled with both general advice and suggestions specific to individual plant species.

Florida Gardening
Monica Moran Brandies
B. B. Mackey Books
PO Box 475, Wayne PA 19087
1893443094, $19.95 www.mackeybooks.com

Now in an updated and expanded second edition, "Florida Gardening: The New Comer's Survival Manual" by Florida gardening expert Monica Moran Brandies is the ideal instruction manual for newcomers to the Florida landscape and who want to enjoy the benefits of home gardening. "Florida Gardening" will help aspiring gardeners to deal with Florida's sandbox-type soil, upside-down gardening year, muggy climate, and insects. Informed and informative, there are individual chapters dealing specifically with preparing for Floridian gardening generally, avoiding expensive mistakes, Florida plant material, exotic and common flowers, shrubs, trees, vegetables, fruits, container gardening, soil improvements, native and eco-friendly plants, and so much more. Written with flair, humor, and expertise, "Florida Gardening" should be considered as a prime and primary instruction guide for anyone wanting to create a lawn or grow garden anywhere in Florida.


The Business Shelf

Self Marketing Power
Jeff Beals
Keynote Publishing
PO Box 540663, Omaha, NE 68154
Concierge Marketing, Inc. (publicity)
13518 'L' Street, Omaha, NE 68137
9780979743801, $19.95 www.selfmarketingpower.com

Real estate executive and radio talk show host Jeff Beals provides real-world examples and entertainingly illustrative anecdotal stories in "Self Marketing Power: Branding Yourself As A Business Of One" to provide aspiring entrepreneurs with a kind of do-it-yourself instruction manual and guide for building a personal brand name recognition targeted at specific personal audiences. Beals maintains that the entrepreneur must think employ the kinds of promotion for business success that a politician utilizes to elected to office. Beals shows how to establish name recognition and become a 'celebrity' inside your own sphere of influence; get tangible results from networking efforts; exploit current employment to create self-marketing benefits; and become a kind of 'superstar' within the context of your own particular profession. Of special note is what Beals has to say about developing an expertise and become a sought-after speaker, consultant, and source for news stories. "Self Marketing Power" is exceptionally valuable reading for anyone seeking to establish their own reputation and success within their own particular business arena.

All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy
Curt Finch
Journeyx, Inc
9011 Mountain Ridge Drive, Suite 200, Austin, TX 78759
9781430323839, $16.99

All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy: Valuing Time as a Business Resource lives up to its title with a wealth of tips, tricks and techniques for business decision-makers to efficiently manage company time. From choosing the right time tracking software and negotiating with the appropriate vendors, to automating payroll and billing, to staying in step with government regulations and much more, All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy walks the reader through solutions to time-wasting problems large and small. Highly recommended, especially for service organizations; since time is money, All Your Money Won't Another Minute Buy quite literally pays for itself.

Ally Relations
Anthony O. Putman
Burns Park Publishers
PO Box 4239, Ann Arbor, MI 48106
9780977228607, $24.95

Author Anthony O. Putman has spent over thirty years helping the leaders of service businesses seize a competitive advantage in the marketplace. Ally Relations: The Key to Sustained Success for Your Service Business distills his wisdom for service business leaders with a solid base of clientele. In today's modern world, providing excellent service is no longer enough to set one's business apart; "your most valuable asset is the inclination of your market to buy from you instead of your equally qualified competitors". Whether it's called "goodwill", "customer loyalty", or "sustainable competitive advantage", this quality is crucial. Ally Relations stress that while it's impossible to differentiate the service one provides from that of equally qualified competitors, the relationship between service business and customer can be differentiated, and skillfully honing these relationships is the key to success. From learning how to construct give-and-take dialogues with allies rather than drill them with interview questions, to learning how to listen effectively, Ally Relations is a step-by-step primer to changing how one perceives and interacts with clients in order to cultivate positive relationships and repeat business. Highly recommended for service industry leaders everywhere, whether the business they lead is a one-man show or a big corporation.

How To Start A Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant Service
Victoria Ring
Graphico Publishing
1601 West Fifth Avenue, Suite 123, Columbus, OH 43121-2303
0976159171, $79.99 www.graphicopublishing.com

In "How To Start A Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant Service", certified paralegal Victoria Ring draws upon her years of experience and expertise in having developed an online service business drafting bankruptcy petitions for attorneys nationwide. She then went on to train others in how to draft well-detailed bankruptcy petitions so they could build their own successful businesses. Clearly, deftly, and comprehensively written in 'user friendly', step-by-step detail, the reader can use "How To Start A Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant Service" to start their own virtual bankruptcy service, working out of their own home, and whether or not they have any prior legal experience. Of special note are the additional services available from Victoria Ring including her website at http://www.713training.com, 'The Bankruptcy Club' which provides a weekly tips e-letter, ongoing support through weekly teleconferences, access to previous teleconference, and discounts on all future purchases -- including seminars. "How To Start A Virtual Bankruptcy Assistant Service" is especially recommended to the attention of anyone seeking to establish their own entrepreneurial home-based business in the growing bankruptcy assistance industry.

We: The Ideal Customer Relationship
Steve Yastrow
SelectBooks
c/o MM Book Publicity
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274, Nashville, TN 37203
9781590791219, $21.95 www.selectbooks.com

In "We: The Ideal Customer Relationship", marketing and branding consultant Steve Yastrow (who through his consulting firm Yastrow Marketing has services such clients as the McDonald's Corporation, the Cayman islands Department of Tourism, Wyndham Hotels & Resorts, and Jenny Craig International) lays out a persuasive case for the necessity of a business (regardless of their product or service) differentiating themselves from their competition in the eyes of their targeted consumer demographics. Yastrow maintains that the best way to do that is to build strong relationships based on having the customer consider the business in terms of 'we' rather than 'us and them'. Backing up his argument with practical, 'how to' information and instruction, Yastrow has written a thoroughly 'user friendly' guide that is solid, practical, accessible, exceptionally well written and organized, and very highly recommended (and profitable) reading for entrepreneurs, company executives, and corporate managers.


The Fiction Shelf

Foreign and Domestic
Michael Mannske
Radius 7 Pressworks
3500 Vicksburg Lane, #320, Plymouth, MN 55447-888
9780979675904, $20.99 www.radius7.com

Written by a former Air Force fighter pilot, Foreign and Domestic: Campaign II - Battle for the Middle States is a dark, suspenseful novel set in a near future where the United Nations has become the world's next superpower and the president has turned traitor against his own country. When the UN invades America, an army of patriots rises up in rebellion, seeking to repel the invaders and the remove the president who invited them. Ex-Air Force pilot John "Spiderman" Trent and his band of Sovereign Forces is harassed at every turn, and his wife is targeted for internment; he is one of many called upon to sacrifice all for home, family, and the dream of a struggling nation. A thrilling political and military novel that resists being put down until the last page is turned.

Jennifer's Plan
Don Meyer
Cold Tree Press
Nashville, Tennessee
9781583851999, $23.95 www.coldtreepress.com

A riveting novel from first page to last, "Jennifer's Plan" by Don Meyer is the story of Jennifer Cerriety and Harold Seaweather, two people who find themselves caught up in desperate struggle for survival and its aftermath in a harrowing encounter with Big Jim Colbert and his boys. Even having survived her ordeal, there may be no justice -- unless Jennifer calls in the only man she knows who might be able to do something about what's happened. Original, superbly crafted, replete with memorable characters and even more memorable events, "Jennifer's Plan" is a masterpiece of narrative storytelling and a highly recommended addition to community library collections and supplemental reading lists.

Quieting the Storm
Shelley Parsons
Bedside Books
PO Box 65624, Salt Lake City, UT 65624
9781589823815, $22.00

Quieting the Storm is a novel told from the point of view young Quiet, of the middle of three sisters from Louisiana, who is heartbroken by the death of her elder sister - the only person she ever loved. Quiet runs away to New York to escape her dysfunctional family, but the bonds eventually lead her back to her childhood home. A poignant novel of personal trial, coming of age, self-discovery, love, and the priceless gift of true friendship, reflecting the importance of learning to recognize and forgive the foibles of human nature. Highly recommended.

Snapshot
Ryan O'Reilly
Black Oak Press
2831 S. Ingram Mill Rd., Springfield, MO 65804
9780979412806, $14.95

Author Ryan O'Reilly very loosely based Snapshot on his own life experiences as a former worker drone of corporate America, and the burnout that caused him to leave his job behind to work for a touring band. In Snapshot, the twenty-something protagonist opts to quit the rat race and hit the road to find his dreams. Embarking on a motorcycle-borne journey of self-discovery, he lives as a vagabond searching for enlightenment, experiences modern counterculture, and befriends a fellow wanderer. It's not the destination that matters as much as the journey itself, in this unforgettable personal saga.

A Grave Breach
James Macomber
Oceanview Publishing
c/o Maryglenn McCombs Publicist
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274, Nashville, TN 37203
9781933515076, $24.95 www.oceanviewpub.com

Studded with a cast of memorable characters, "A Grave Breach" is an international legal thriller by James Macomber, a true master of this popular action/adventure/suspense genre. John Cann is asked to defend someone charged with war crimes by his trusted friend, mentor and colleague Arthur Matsen. Then there is Janie Reston, a young American college girl savagely brutalized left for dead because of her connection to Cann. The girl is under threat by Nathan Fredrich, an unscrupulous psychiatrist intent on exploiting her horrendous ordeal to capitalize on his questionable theories concerning repressed memories. With a complex and engaging plot involving diverse post-war legal, moral, and ethical dilemmas in Europe, compounded by strong emotional ties and vulnerabilities among the principle characters, "A Grave Breach" is a compelling, superbly crafted, totally engaging read from beginning to end that can be wholeheartedly recommended for personal reading lists and community library fiction collections.

Macedonia Passage
Wright Gres
RiverHouse Books
1100 Deen Landing Road, Baxley, GA 30474
9780978953508, $24.95 www.theriverhousebooks.com

Tugboat captain, sailor, and boat racer Wright Gres presents Macedonia Passage: Dangerous Cargo, an engaging modern-day adventure on the seas, mixed with Balkan politics and a touch of romance. When Captain Frank Brown signs on to join the crew of Belle Tata in a transatlantic crossing from a Caribbean island, he has no idea what he's about to get into. The schooner's former captain and cook have vanished under mysterious circumstances; a perilous cargo is stashed within the yacht's bilges; and one problem after another plagues the voyage. When Brown reaches the Mediterranean, he finds himself caught in a crossroads of authorities and conspirators. Turkish intelligence gets involved, in the person of the comely yet mysterious agent Nevser Akkaya Chase. Together, she and Brown must untangle the mystery, figure out who they can trust, and fight for their lives in this high seas blend of danger, courage, and intrigue.

Renaissance
Larry M. Mason
Bluewater Press, LLC
2220 CR 210 W, Ste. 108, #132, Jacksonville, FL 32559
11108 9th Avenue, Pleasant Praire, WI 53143
9780972770798, $15.95 www.bluewaterpress.com

Book One in a new historical fiction series, Renaissance is a novel set in Florence, Italy under the rule of Medici during the height of the Renaissance. Following protagonist Lorenzo Demarco across a rich life marked by loves and losses, and careers ranging from soldier and officer to interpreter, statesman, painter, and writer, Renaissance is saturated with fine detail and appreciation for high culture. A vivid, sweeping glimpse into a past century gone but not forgotten.

Skin Deep
Jamie Cortland
Crystal Dreams Publishing
W1227 East Country Rd. A, Berlin, WI 54923
9781591460978, $10.00 www.weslynn.com

Award-winning author Jamie Cortland presents Skin Deep, a dark tale of suspense following a divorced single mother's involvement with the wrong man. Evelyn Valentino brushes off the warnings of her friends and family not to rush too quickly into her new relationship with an exciting stranger, but bit by bit the gloss crumbles away and the madness driving her new paramour is revealed. Her ex-husband Thomas still loves her and pleads with her to end the destructive relationship before it is too late, but escape is easier said than done. Taut, chilling, and nail-biting suspenseful to the very end.

Locked In
Mike Esposito
Durban House Publishing
7502 Greenville Avenue, Suite 500, Dallas, TX 75231
9781930754980, $15.95

Locked In is a suspenseful novel about medical malpractice law and the depths of human depravity. Radiologist Dr. John Armstrong colludes with his college roommate to systematically defraud insurance companies; their scheme is successful at first, but greed drives the group he created to commit more and more egregious fraud. Armstrong tries to break free of his own creation without losing all he's ever had, an increasingly difficult proposition as the harrowing saga races to its climax. An enthralling web of deception that keeps the reader guessing right up to the end.

Law of the Desert
Louis L'Amour, author
Jon Tuska, editor
Center Point
PO Box 1, Thorndike, ME 04986
9781602850231, $29.95 www.centerpointlargeprint.com

Louis L'Amour isn't just an award-winning author - his iconic narratives earned the Special National Gold Medal by the U.S. Congress for lifetime literary achievement. Law of the Desert is a medley of L'Amour's classic western short stories, now in a large print edition by Center Point. The classic American frontier tales of good, evil, and lawlessness in Law of the Desert are "The Black Rock Coffin Makers", "Grub Line Rider", "Desert Death Song", "One Last Gun Notch", "Ride, You Tonto Raiders", "War Party", and "Law of the Desert". An introduction by Jon Tuska rounds out this salt-of-the-earth compilation, highly recommended for public library collections.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

I, Witness
Daniel Clark
Villa Press
PO Box 4841, Englewood, CO 80155-4841
9780979463709, $14.95 www.villapress.com

Written by former Jehovah's Witness Daniel Clark, I, Witness: The Shocking Insider's Story of Jehovah's Witnesses is the shocking true-life story of a devout member of the Watchtower Society who became disillusioned with the church teachings after observing corruption, dysfunctional manipulation, and cultlike abuse of power throughout his entire life. He and his family were virtually held prisoner by the demands of the organization. A true tale of growing up in a world of brainwashing, violence and ruthless religious indoctrination, I, Witness is a sobering revelation of the darkness within corrupted religion.

Notre Dame
Ruth L. Miller Ph.D.
Wise Women Press
2850 NW Cedar Hills Blvd, #65, Beverton, OR 97005
9780945385103, $24.95 www.wisewomanpress.com

New Thought minister Ruth L. Miller, Ph.D. presents Notre Dame: Mary Magdalene & the Divine Feminine in Our Lives & Culture, a thoughtful discussion of the history of religious heritage in western culture from a feminist point of view. Chapters contemplate Mary Magdalene's role in the birth of Christianity, including historical evidence that she played a tremendous role in spreading the nascent faith despite the modern Roman church's overwhelming emphasis on Paul's texts. The place that Mary, Mother of God occupies in the hearts of the faithful worldwide, from ancient history through the modern day, is also discussed at length. A refreshing alternative to the more common, male-centric view of Christianity's history, Notre Dame is a deeply respectful and reverent text chronicling the divine feminine within the modern way of life. Highly recommended for college library and women's studies shelves.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Restored Christianity
Donna E. Lane, Ph.D. & Hayden J. Lane, M.A.
Inkwater Press
6750 SW Franklin Street, Suite A, Portland, OR 97223-2542
9781592992966, $20.95

Christian counselor Dr. Donna Lane and her son Hayden Lane (a specialist in ancient history) present Restored Christianity, a historical analysis grounded on Paul's letters that calls for men and women of faith to pay heed to the fundamental teachings of Jesus Christ. Questioning the modern-day church, and highlighting the value of forming a personal relationship with God, Restored Christianity spotlights the value of historical understanding as well as a rational approach to faith. "I cannot listen to a voice that is not present within me. Thus, before there can be behavior change, there must first be belief. I must receive the gift of the presence of the Holy Spirit in my heart. No amount of effort on my part to make behavioral changes is going to create a "Holy-Spirit equivalent" in me. Highly recommended as an enriching, spiritual guide to rethinking one's understanding of faith, Jesus Christ's teachings, and worship in the light of the Holy Spirit.

A Whole New World
John Blackwell
Morgan James Publishing
1225 Franklin Ave., Suite 32, Garden City, NY 11530-1693
9781600371585, $13.95 www.morganjamespublishing.com

Written by the Reverend Dr. John Blackwell, A Whole New World: The Gospel of Mark is a consumable book for devout Christians to use as they study the Gospel of Mark, and strive to transform their understanding of Christ's goodness and transformational gifts to humanity. Chapters lead the reader through an eye-opening process of becoming more aware of God's power in all aspects of the world, and broadening one's understanding of God's presence. Periodic questions for reflection, followed by blank lines upon which the reader can write his or her thoughts, distinguish this passionate self-help guide for strengthening Christian faith. "I hope I am justified in saying that Mark's Passion was the single story that began to teach me to learn to see. I intend this as an important claim, but a modest one nevertheless. I am under no illusion that I see it all, that I know it all, or that I ever will." Highly recommended for Christian readers.

Could It Be This Simple?
Timothy R. Jennings, M.D.
Autumn House Publishing
c/o Phenix & Phenix Literary Publicists
2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
9780812704358, $15.99 www.amazon.com

Could It Be This Simple? A Biblical Model For Healing the Mind is a Christian self-help book that frames inner conflict with destructive thoughts emotions as part of the larger battle between Christ and Satan, for our hearts and minds. Author and psychiatrist Timothy R. Jennings, M.D. tells of God's original ideal for the human mind, and His glorious plan to restore His children, as well as revealing Satan's insidious schemes to undo God's plan to heal the mind. "Faith is the hand that reaches out and takes hold of the hand of God. As such, faith is integral for healing of the mind... While feelings can accompany faith, they never determine it... Spiritualism, on the other hand, is a counterfeit to genuine faith and, as we have already noted, involves the pursuit of knowledge without the use of reason or the investigation of evidence... Miraculous signs and wonders do not establish faith, because they can be counterfeited." A self-help guide steeped in reverence for God and lauding the positive qualities in the human soul.


The Literary Shelf

Kenneth Burke On Shakespeare
Scott L. Newstok, editor
Parlor Press
816 Robinson Street, West Lafayette, IN 47906
9781602350021, $32.00 www.parlorpress.com

An iconoclastic American intellectual, the late Kenneth Burke (1897-1993) was an exceptional and prolific literary critic whose writings and commentaries were respected -- even by those who occasionally disagreed with either his assumptions and conclusions. In the pages of "Kenneth Burke On Shakespeare", academician Scott L. Newstok (Assistant Professor of English, Gustavus Adolphus College, and Andrew W. Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellow at Yale University) has gathered together under one cover all of Burke's Shakespeare literary criticism (including previously unpublished notes and lectures) that had such wide-spread influence on his contemporaries. Drawn from a profusion of sources, including literary magazines, academic journals, Newstok has accomplished a truly impressive task of research and recovery. The result is a compendium of analytical commentaries on Shakespearean dramas and comedies. Enhanced with the inclusion of an appendix (Additional References to Shakespeare in Burke's Writings), extensive notes, and 'Index of Works by Shakespeare', and a general index, "Kenneth Burke On Shakespeare" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to academic library Shakespearean Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Money/Finance Shelf

US Taxation of Foreign Income
Gary Clyde Hufbauer & Ariel Assa
Peterson Institute
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW Washington DC 20036-1903
9780881324051, $26.95 www.petersoninstitute.org

Seasoned expert in international economics Gary Clyde Hufbauer and former tax attorney Ariel Assa present US Taxation of Foreign Income, a serious-minded and scholarly look at America's current tax policy toward international firms. Taking the stand that the current US tax system is highly unfavorable to international firms, and therefore weighing down US leadership of the global economy, US Taxation of Foreign Income discusses the policy's flaws and ways it can be improved. In particular, a change toward a territorial system is recommended, with the goal of encouraging multinational enterprises to locate both headquarters activities and high-technology production in the United States. Another suggestion involves a new take on taxing royalty and fee income earned abroad, so that high-technology production in the United States is not as heavily penalized as compared to production abroad. Most expansive of all is the proposal that the United States take a stand in crafting a cooperative international system that would reduce the surreptitious under reporting of foreign portfolio income. The authors estimate that these proposed tax reforms will literally pay for themselves, allowing more tax revenue to be garnered than the present system and possibly opening the door for other forms of business tax relief. A studious, heavily researched assessment, highly recommended especially for anyone involved in crafting American tax policy.


The Self-Help Shelf

Stop Thinking, Start Living, and Begin Celebrating Every Moment
Michael A. Nardi, a.k.a. The Renaissance M.A.N.
Renaissance Publishing
255 Warwick Road, Elverson, PA 19520
9780979701702, $14.95 www.liveandcelebrate.com

Stop Thinking, Start Living, and Begin Celebrating Every Moment is a self-help guide to achieving greater happiness in one's life through transformations of the mind, body, and spirit. The revelation revolves around "seven pillars of strength": meditation, learning, improving the quality of life around yourself, spirituality, running, creativity, and yoga. The result emphasizes both physical and mental wellness and vitality. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate such matters as proper meditation poses in this thoughtful, straightforward guide to savoring the joy of life itself.

High Way From Hell
Moonstone Star White
Spirit Wind Publishing
c/o MM Book Publicity
2817 West End Avenue, Suite 126-274, Nashville, IN 37203
9780979279706, $23.95 www.spirtwindpublishing.com 1-877-832-4400

Also available in a paperback edition (9780979279713, $14.95), "High Way From Hell: Using Emotion to Fan The Fire Of Enlightenment" by writer, poet, and mystic visionary Moonstone Star White is a compendium of insights, advice, and information that is both personal and universal. Within its pages, readers will embark upon a voyage of guided self-discovery, become aware of new and useful perspectives, and experience a renewed zest and appreciation for life. Thoughtful and thought-provoking, inspired and inspiring, deftly articulate, intellectually engaging, and spiritually rewarding, "High Way From Hell" is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal Self-Help and Self-Improvement reference collections and personal reading lists.

Winning is a Choice
Paul Meier, M.D. and Jim Hiskey
Veritas Communications
PO Box 761, Sandpoint, ID 83864
9781414312804, $16.99 www.veritasincorporated.com

Professional golfer Jim Hiskey and psychiatrist Paul Meier combine their life experience in Winning is a Choice: How the Champions Do It, and How We Can Too, an inspirational true-life compilation of what it truly takes to succeed and overcome obstacles. From revealing how fear of failure drastically impedes one's ability to perform at the highest level, to recounting true-life stories of overcoming adversity from Tiger Woods on the golf course to ordinary individuals such as Rachel, a survivor of multiple sexual assaults. Each chapter's tales encapsulate a defining aspect of champions, from "Champions Choose to Accept Help from Others" to "Champions Choose to Get Up and Move On", and "Champions Choose to Concentrate". An inspirational testimony of the values of perseverance, positive thinking, and the importance of resisting the all-too-common craving for instant gratification.

Anxiety Rescue
Kathryn Tristan
Dancing Eagle Press
PO Box 3945, Chesterfield, MO 63006
9780979001307, $14.95 www.dancingeaglepress.com

Author Kathryn Tristan seeks to share her simple yet effective strategies for dealing with irrational anxiety and panic in Anxiety Rescue: Simple Strategies to Stop Fear from Ruling Your Life. Written in plain terms for readers of all backgrounds, Anxiety Rescue discusses how to change one's outlook for the better - from "possibilizing" instead of "terribilizing", to shedding unproductive blame-anger-guilt, to embracing the exploratory side of one's spirit, and much more. A quick list of tips for dealing with anxiety attacks, such as slowly saying "I am safe and I am fine. All is well," to controlled breathing, eating a healthy snack to offset low blood sugar, or moving one's shoulders to offset tension, rounds out this handy and useful resource of experience-tested strategies.


The Social Issues Shelf

And Now for the Good News...
Sue Ray
Moment Point
PO Box 920287, Needham, MA 02492
9781930491137, $14.95 www.momentpoint.com

And Now for the Good News... is a nonfiction testimony presented to counterbalance the seemingly unending torrent of dismal news that pours from television, newspaper, and internet sources day in and day out. Good news ranges from a major new study (the 2005 Human Security Report) revealing that political violence has sharply declined worldwide since the early 1990s, to the record high life expectancy rate found in the U.S. (77.9 years), to a decline in illegal drug use among U.S. teens (down 23.3% in the last five years with reductions in every drug, including alcohol and cigarettes), and much more. An intellectually, emotionally and spiritually uplifting testimony featuring meticulously documented sources, highly recommended as an antidote to CNN depression.

Wake Up, America!
Peter Feaman
Arbor Books
19 Spear Road, Suite 301, Ramsey, NJ 07446
9780979515200, $19.95 www.wakeupamerica.com

Trial attorney Peter Feaman presents Wake Up, America!, a harsh indictment of the global threat of Islamofascism. Wake Up, America! does not condemn all Muslims, nor moderate Muslims who speak out against the crimes perpetrated by Islamofascists, but rather the radical Islamofascism that fosters riots, cold-blooded murder on religious pretexts, intolerance, and ethnic or sectarian genocide. "Tolerance is cultural suicide when it is a one-way street", Feaman points out, criticizing radical Islam's strict and murderous crackdowns against other faiths even as it seeks to exploit the limits of American religious freedom. Chapters cover the massive demographic changes in Europe, where European birthrates have been falling since World War II and Muslim immigration and birthrates have been skyrocketing; threats that Iran's leader has made against Israel's continued existence; how Islamofascists recruit new members from American prisons; America's and the Bush Administration's failure to identify Islamofascism as the enemy or counter the American dependence on foreign oil that helps fund Islamofascism, and much more. A sober and serious-minded examination of the global threat Islamofascim poses.


The Science Shelf

Hurricanes And The Middle Atlantic States
Rick Schwartz
Blue Diamond Books
6516 China Grove Court, Alexandria, VA 22310
9780978628000, $32.95 www.bluediamondbooks.com

Researched, compiled and written by hurricane historian Rick Schwartz, "Hurricanes And The Middle Atlantic States: A Surprising History, Jamestown To The Present" chronicles four hundred years of the Middle Atlantic region's significant tropical cyclones beginning with the experiences of the Jamestown settlers and continuing down to the present day. A unique and exhaustively researched study, "Hurricanes And The Middle Atlantic States" features a substantial chronology profiling all of the Mid-Atlantic hurricanes and major storms, examines the patterns and characteristics of the region's tropical cyclones, and provides a sound basis for comparison, planning and preparation with respect to Mid-Atlantic hurricanes. Of special note is a forecasting history chapter offering insights into past progress and current knowledge about predicting hurricanes. Ideal for weather and meteorology students, "Hurricanes And The Middle Atlantic States" is especially recommended for non-specialist general readers with an interest in hurricanes and climate-changed influences on storm behavior, frequency, and intensity. Enhanced with an extensive glossary, a bibliography, and a geographically oriented index, as well as track maps and some 200 black-and-white photographs, "Hurricanes And The Middle Atlantic States" is confidently recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Weather & Meteorology reference collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

Caroleena's Tuscan Kitchen
Caroleena Faggioli Barrow
Aji Publishing
PO Box 2207, Chapel Hill, NC 27525
0979478111, $14.95 www.AjiBooks.com www.Caroleena.com

Caroleena went to Italy at the age of 20, married an Italian count, and spent the next 10 years eating in restaurants in Florence and the Italian countryside. At first she was unable to little more than scramble an egg. But through that amazing culinary decade she learned to make superb Tuscan cuisine from the chefs in whose restaurants she dined. Now in "Caroleena's Tuscan Kitchen: Culinary Confessions Of An American Contessa", she has compiled an impressive series of recipes covering an entire Tuscan meal from 'first bite to last sip'. Along with the recipes are practical tips and anecdotal stories illustrating the culinary significance of each dish. Beginning with a three-part introduction (Eating the Italian Way; A Typical Italian Meal; Herbs, Spices, Odori, and Staples), the recipes are arranged into chapters as Anipasto (appetizers), Ragu, Salsa, Sugo (sauces); Primo Piatto (first dish); Zuppa (soup); Secondo Piatto (second dish); Contorni (side dishes); Insalata (salad); Formaggio (cheese); Frutta (fruit); and concludes with Tuscan Red Wines. From such delicacies as Crostini ai Fegatini di Pollo (Chicken Liver on Toasted Bread), to such principle fare as Involtini di Vitello (Veal Cutlet Roll-ups with Cheese and Zucchini); to delicacies like Carciofi alla Romana (Fresh Artichokes - Roman Style), "Caroleena's Tuscan Kitchen" is the perfect culinary guide to creating authentic, delicious, family-friendly, and truly memorable Tuscan dining experiences.


The Poetry Shelf

Words Collected on the Road to Silence
Margaret Coyle
One Body Books
PO Box 53257, Indianapolis, IN 46253
9780978946807, $30.00 www.onebodyinc.com

Words Collected on the Road to Silence: Messages to Me is a unique anthology of free-verse poetry and prose passages, combining author Margaret Coyle's prayers with stunning, full-color photography of her dance performed in tune with the poetry's meaning. The result is a celebration of life, love, and physical as well as a cerebral expression. "Messages to Me": A feeling / a thought / flies by on a word. / A thought / a circumstance / a sound that you heard. / From Me to Myself / with One Voice given / I call and it is my Holy Self who answers. / With messages to myself I reach for you / and unwavering Love is the sound coming through. / Why would I stay where I don't belong? / With messages to myself / I call myself home.

Fever
Ron Koertge
Red Hen Press
PO Box 3537, Granada Hills, CA 91394
9781597090162, $18.95 www.redhen.org

Fever is a collection of original, free-verse poetry set in ordinary American locations, following run-of-the-mill people - yet revealing the amazing, the secret, the mystic, and even the divine elements lurking just underneath the surface. Ranging the gamut from sarcasm to sympathy, the verse weaves wonders of vividly evoked place and perception. "Stanza in Italian Means Room": Even the foyer is attractive, with its / blue tile and enchanted mirror. // Who wouldn't like that leather couch, / long as an alexandrine. // Or the dining room with its canary / and heavily packed armoire. // The kitchen is perfect, especially / the mangled sweater by the toaster. // I even like the laundry room: those / Maytags, that almost mounted trout.

How Else to Love the World
Myrna Stone
Browser Books
2195 Fillmore Street, San Francisco, CA 94115
9780977221226, $14.00

Award-winning poet Myrna Stone presents How Else to Love the World, an anthology of original free-verse poetry in forms ranging from stanzas to stream-of-consciousness near- prose. At times sensual in its celebration of desire, at times burning with ambition and vivacious joy, at times revealing the darker side of yielding to impulses, How Else to Love the World is a most deliciously nuanced offering from cover to cover. "Yes": Flatterer, / little arbiter / of assent / and admission, you cross our lips / with a sycophantic lisp / that Eve heard first / from the mouth / of the trickster, / that maw of tongue / and jaw, of japery / and spleen, into which / she looked just once / perceiving nothing / of consequence.


The Sports Shelf

Andre Agassi
Alexandre De Chambure
ICCS
PO Box 661932, Los Angeles, CA 90066
9780979231704, $24.99 www.agassithebook.com

Andre Agassi: Through the Eyes of a Fan is a memoir of tennis coach, player, and longtime fan Alexandre De Chambure. The French-born Chambure weaves a tale of two athletes: himself as a talented young tennis player, and expert tennis professional Andre Agassi. Surveying Agassi's amazing career and his jaw-dropping 870 wins, as well as the drive to succeed that fueled his professional passion, Andre Agassi: Through the Eyes of a Fan is narrative written by a tennis fan, for tennis fans, celebrating one of tennis' greatest players.

Generation A's Fans
Don Marquez, Sr.
Union City Press
2465 Shield Drive, Union City, CA 94587
9780979331206, $15.50

Part memoir, part history of a sports legend, Generations A's Fans: A Family's Long Love Affair with One of Baseballs Best Teams is the tale of the Oakland A's and the Marquez/Martinez family, as told by Don Marquez, Sr. The author was intimately familiar with the ballpark, and every member of his family had a tale to tell about the A's. Generation A's Fans speaks of major events from when Jose Canseco struck out 175 times in 1986 to when the team made a breakthrough win in the 2006 playoffs. A heartwarming tale of sports fandom and family togetherness, illustrated with black-and-white photographs and often told directly in the words of individual Marquez/Martinez family members.

Make Your Golf Dream A Reality
Lou Hays
Hays Publishing
c/o Atlas Books
30 Amberwood Parkway, Ashland, OH 44805
9781880673775, $13.95 www.atlasbooks.com 1-800-BOOKLOG

Lou Hays took up golf at the age of 52 and some three years latter became a low single-digit handicapper. In "Make Your Golf Dream A Reality" Hays points out that for most mid- and high-handicap golfers, achieving the perfect swing is not the only key to success on the golf course. Hays deftly identifies typical high-handicapper errors and then provides a practical and effective step-by-step system for overcoming these 'score-killing' faults. Golfers aspiring to improve their performance will learn how to pinpoint and correct their individual playing weaknesses as Hays walks them thru an accurate game analysis offering explicit shot-saving remedies that will result in lower scores and an enhanced satisfaction. Simply stated, "Make Your Golf Dream A Reality" is one of the most effective and user-friendly instruction guides available for anyone of any age who aspires to improve their performance (and scores) on the golf links.


The American History Shelf

Wonders On Ice
Moira F. Harris
Pogo Press
8075 - 215th Street West, Lakeville, MN 55044
9781880654354, $17.95 www.pogopress.com

Minnesota has enjoyed ice skating and ice shows for the past 150 years. There is a particular fondness for figure skating which has led the construction of ice rinks, the founding of figure skating clubs, and an enduring enthusiasm for local, national, and world figure skating competitions. Now there is "Wonders On Ice", a superbly researched and profusely illustrated history of figure skating in Minnesota by skating enthusiast Moira F. Harris. In addition to providing an historical overview, readers will also become informed concerning the basic needs of the figure skater, skating clubs they can join, ice rinks they can visit, as well as what it's like to figure skate in front of crowds and in competitions. Of special note is the chapter on 'The Learning Curve: Teachers, Coaches, and Judges'. Enhanced with an appendix listing Minnesota State Champions, and an extensive bibliography, "Wonders On Ice" is especially recommended reading for anyone who has ever wanted to strap on a pair of ice skates and take advantage of what Minnesota -- and figure skating -- has to offer!

Rise of the Cajun Mariners
Woody Falgoux
Stockard James, LLC
c/o Stephanie Barko Literary Publicist
16100 Crystal Hills, Austin, TX 78737
9780979292002, $26.95 www.stockardjames.com

Rise of the Cajun Mariners: The Race for Big Oil is an up-close and personal glimpse into the cutthroat history of the oilfield boat business, which was born in Louisiana's bayou country and pioneered by Cajuns. From the inception of the island marine oilfield in the late 1930s and early 1940s, to the boom and bust cycles of subsequent decades to the present, Rise of the Cajun Mariners traces the ingenuity, determination, and rapid modernization of a worldwide industry. Peppered with true-life anecdotes of oilfield life, by oilfielders themselves, Rise of the Cajun Mariners is a one-of-a-kind glimpse into the lives touched by the industry as well as the industry itself.


The Art Shelf

Innocence Abroad
Windsor Joe Innis
Mellon Limited
innocenceabroad@ShinwonAgency.com
9788996006510, $65.00 www.shinwonagency.com

Based in Seoul, Korea, Mellon Limited is an Asia-related publisher and distributor with offices in Beijing China and Seattle, Washington. Their newest release is "Innocence Abroad: The Girls Of Coatepec", an impressive art book showcasing the work of international artist Windsor Joe Innis with 222 color plates of his paintings and 48 black-and-white photographs of his subjects. Enhanced with a critical essay by academician and art historian Donald Kuspit (State University of New York), and a biography by Jeff Fishel (American University), "Innocence Abroad" features Innis' work while he spent a two-year sojourn in an isolated plantation town in the coffee jungles deep in the mountains of Veracruz, Mexico. His subject matter were young girls who he deemed innocent as they had no contact with the influences of a modern society through such influences as television. Unique, fascinating, thoughtful and thought-provoking, "Innocence Abroad" is a superbly presented art study that is enthusiastically recommended for personal, professional, and academic library Art History reference collections.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

On Air
Jack Broady
BVI
2115 Grand Ave., San Bernardino, CA 92407
9780979738005, $16.95 www.bvi.com

Written by 17-year veteran of radio broadcasting Jack Broady, On Air: The Guidebook to Starting a Career as a Radio Personality lives up to its title, succinctly covering everything an aspiring radio personality needs to know. From four straightforward, realistic methods for landing one's first job at a radio station, to the most valuable rules of radio, industry lingo explained, tips for performing one's best, and much more, On Air is an absolute "must-read" for any and every would-be radio professional. "Here is the secret that has started countless careers for on air personalities and is the first lesson in 'paying your dues.' YOU MUST BE WILLING TO WORK FOR FREE. This is the only sure way to gain instant employment with no experience. It is very difficult to get your first job at a radio station if you are not willing to make this sacrifice." Highly recommended.


The Parenting Shelf

Got the Baby Where's the Manual?!?
Joanne Baum, Ph.D.
Respectful Parenting
30752 Southview Drive, Suite 120, Evergreen, CO 80439
9780978591403, $19.95 www.respectfulparenting.com

Winner of the National IPPY Gold medal for parenting books (an award created and hosted by "Independent Publisher" magazine), Got the Baby Where's the Manual?!? Respectful Parenting from Birth Through the Terrific Twos is a solid guide to braving the transition from couple to family, and looking after one's child for the first two years of life. Chapters discuss how to be kind yet set limits, raising a child with healthy self-esteem, common misperceptions and parenting myths to watch out for, and much more. Therapist, educator, and writer Dr. Joanne Baum pays specific attention to matters that may catch unwary new parents by surprise, such as the necessity of learning to sleep when a new baby sleeps or allowing the house to become a little messier than it used to be. Also discussed are the decision of whether to nurse and how to go about it, how to tell whether behavioral oddities in one's child are a worrisome enough to warrant visiting an expert, how to tackle the challenge of co-parenting, steps to take keep an unhappy situation from degenerating into divorce, steps to take if divorce is unavoidable, and much more. Got the Baby Where's the Manual?!? is written for new parents of every walk of life, including married and unmarried couples, straight and gay couples, or single parents of either gender, and is an absolute "must-read" for mothers-to-be and fathers-to-be everywhere.


The Criminology Shelf

Top 10 Crimes
Tony Newsom
Carrington Books
PO Box 451399, Los Angeles, CA 90045
9780978714307, $14.99 www.top10crimes.com

Written by Los Angeles police officer Tony Newsom, Top 10 Crimes: Don't Be the Next Victim is a "must-read" guide for anyone and everyone in today's modern world. Chapters teach the reader what makes predators tick and how to avoid being targeted by criminals. Safety tips range to not parking or walking in darkened areas, to never opening the door to a stranger (always check through the peephole first, talk through the door to tell a stranger to leave, and call 911 if they don't), to never moping in public places (domestic violence perpetrators, among other undesirables, are more likely to accost women who project meekness and insecurity), and always be leery of giving out personal information or developing friendships too quickly. It's especially valuable to teach safe behavior to one's neighbors and associates, both children and adults, to promote a safer community. Due to its life-saving advice, Top 10 Crimes is highly recommended for public library collections as well as for private reading.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Solstice
Ulises Silva
Tragical Mirth Publishing
PO Box 99123, Troy, MI 48099-9123
9780979451300, $13.95 www.verytragicalmirth.com

What would you do if you knew the world would end next week? Solstice is a fantastic novel set in the present day, except that behind the busy scenes, individuals known as Scribes have a gift that makes whatever they write come true. A group of Editors, operating beyond the law, ruthlessly watch over the scribes. Io is most skilled Editor of all, yet she must face her greatest test when an inexplicable message forecasting the world's end with its next solstice appears all over the globe, spreading confusion, fear, mass murder, and riots. Io tracks the message to its source, a Scribe named Nadie, yet as her nightmare scenario unfolds the unleashed catastrophes themselves contain a hidden secret. Is it Nadie's plan to write the extinction of humanity, or is there another hidden motive? And could there be a link between Nadie and Io's past? A riveting, original saga.


The Real Estate Shelf

Your Castle
Charles A. Herman
Bookstand Publishing
305 Vineyard Towncenter, Suite 280, Morgan Hill, CA 95037
9781589092389, $15.95 www.ebookstand.com

Author Charles A. Herman had thirty-two years of professional experience in the housing industry when he opted to construct his dream home - yet he was systematically defrauded when his builders constructed a defective house, and he was denied legal recourse at every turn despite three years of attempts. Your Castle: Dream Home or Nightmare? is born of Herman's bitter personal experience and careful investigation. Chapters walk the reader through step-by-step instructions to determine whether buying, building, or renting a home is best for them; what to expect at each stage of the buying or building process; how to calculate their personal budget; and above all, crucial steps that a prospective home owner must take to ensure that their own interests are safeguarded. One of the most critical protective measures to undertake is to hire (at the very least) an attorney, a buyer's realtor (that is, a realtor who works directly for you rather than a realtor who works for the seller), a licensed house inspector, and a house appraiser, and let them do their jobs - never sign anything without their approval, no matter what threats are made! Any attorney, appraiser, etc. not directly and personally hired by the home buyer are likely to be beholden to the seller/mortgage company/bank. At best, these beholden individuals will not look out for the buyer's interests; at worst, they will collude to defraud the buyer. A home is the most expensive purchase the majority of Americans will make, and being defrauded - or simply failing to anticipate expenses - can cost everything one owns. Your Castle is an absolute "must-have", packed cover to cover with practical wisdom not found in most real estate guides, and should be required reading for anyone considering buying or building a home for any reason.


The Travel Shelf

The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia
Margarete Hurn
Modra Publishing
9334 Shawn Avenue, San Diego, CA 92123
9780979030031, $16.95 www.modra-publishing.com

Written by Margarete Hurn, an American who has lived and worked in Slovakia for more than five years, The Foreigner's Guide to Living in Slovakia is a straightforward guide for travelers visiting this European nation for a few weeks or a few years. Chapters offer a brief overview of the Slovak people and their culture, legal matters such as applying for a visa or extended-stay permit, social and business customs, basics in adjusting to the local food and public transportation, recreational activities available, Slovak etiquette in both business and social circles, and much more. An absolute "must-have" for anyone preparing to visit Slovakia.

Drive I-95
Stan Posner & Sandra Phillips-Posner
Travel Smart
c/o KSB Promotions
55 Honey Creek, NE, Ada, MI 49301
9781894979887, $23.95 www.drivei95.com

Now in a fully updated fourth edition, "Drive I-95" continues to be the premier guidebook for the more than 42,500,000 people who drive to Florida every year down Interstate 95. It accurately charts all 552 exits on I-95 from Boston to Miami. It is also a wealth of information about food options, motels, radar traps, radio stations, 24-hour mechanics (a unique feature not found in other travel guides) ATM machines, shopping recommendations, and even some of the best golf courses to be found along the route. With anecdotal stories such as the Ava Gardner Museum in Smithfield, North Carolina having been started with a kiss, to a listing of motel chain 800 numbers, to so much more, "Drive I-95" continues to be the premier and confidently recommended travel guide for anyone driving up or down I-95!


The Children's Shelf

The King and the Fire Chanter
Arran Wend
Antiquity Publishing
127 McLaughlin Avenue, #15, Los Angeles, CA 9006
9780979328404, $15.95

Arran Wend is in fact a composite name, as The King and the Fire Chanter: Book One of The Runes of Medarya is written by a thirteen-year-old and his family. Their collaboration has resulted in a blend of fantasy, myth, humor, history, literary references, and pure adventure sure to appeal to young adults and seasoned fantasy lovers alike. Ten-year-old Mia and her quiet older brother Shane appear to be normal Southern Californian kids, but are they really? Their mysterious connection to the archeological site of Medarya will lead them on a journey of discovery to learn who they really are. They must cooperate with mythological creatures to overcome the threats of fierce and monstrous foes, and defy the cruel plots of an ancient mage who has set a trap to ensnare them. The mage has left a trail of riddles that they must solve quickly before they and their new world are destroyed forever, in this absorbing, family-friendly high fantasy epic.

Gunner's Run
Rick Barry
BJU Press
bjupinfo@bjupress.com
9781591667612, $7.99 www.bjupress.com

Set during World War II, Gunner's Run is a novel for Christian young adults following nineteen-year-old Jim Yoder. The call of duty takes Jim far away from his home, his nation, and his attractive friend Margo, thrusting him into mortal peril in Nazi Europe. To survive, Jim must learn to trust the God that he used to disbelieve. Rife with historical detail, Gunner's Run brings both history and faith alive and is especially recommended for church reading lists for young members.

The King of Amphiboly
Lucretia Cole
Vantage Press Inc.
419 Park Avenue South, 18th floor, New York, NY 10016
9780533155866, $18.95 www.vantagepress.com 1-212-736-1767

The King of Amphiboly is a delight for readers of all ages, from young adults to elderly children! Framed as a classic fable, The King of Amphiboly is particularly notable for its lighthearted and playful use of language. Twin princesses, Iris and Echo, question why they're not permitted to simply fall in love like girls of less elevated station. They chafe at always being made to dress a certain way or speak a certain tone, and defy their parents. Other nobles wrest their way into castle politics, while soothsayer Nob Nolly, The Fitch of the Fearful Forest, carefully watches over villagers, meadows, forests, and castle denizens alike. An imaginative fantasy adventure written with a taste for tongue-twisting phrases and wrap-around-your-head ideas. Highly recommended for young adult library collections and private perusal by fantasy lovers of all walks of life.


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


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