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The Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 11 November 2014 Home | BW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Language Studies Shelf Autism Shelf
Education Shelf Business Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Cookbook Shelf Archaeology Shelf
Science Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Music Shelf Photography Shelf Travel Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Sports Shelf Fashion Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf Biography Shelf
2015 Calendar Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Iowa State Fair
Kurt Ullrich
University of Iowa Press
119 West Park Road, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609382780, $25.00, www.uiowapress.org

The Iowa State Fair covers the Midwest experience in general through Iowa's state fair, and combines black and white photos with discussion of the Fair's experiences and animals. From Big Wheel races to fair queen contests, horses and pigs to prize-winning produce, and Iowa's best ear of corn, this is a lovely collection of winning images of Iowa's best party, and is highly recommended for any interested in the state and its agricultural base.


The Language Studies Shelf

Signs and Wonders
Tracy Ann Morse
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563686016, $45.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu

Signs and Wonders: Religious Rhetoric and the Preservation of Sign Language is recommended for any collection strong in Deaf community issues, and focuses on the role of religion in the development and history of the American Deaf community. It's a semi-scholarly treatment that traces the frequent use of religious rhetoric by Deaf members to support sign language, and it analyzes Gallaudet's use of religious references in his speeches and presentations, considers different religious perspectives of the manualist and oralist trains of thought surrounding sign language, and examines this rhetoric in churches and other places deaf people congregate. The result is an intriguing survey packed with insights on sign language's underlying influences, especially recommended for college-level readers.


The Autism Shelf

The Wonderful World of Work
Jeannette Purkis
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
9781849059190, $29.95, www.jkp.com

The Wonderful World of Work: A Workbook for Aperteens is recommended here for its step-by-step examination of different aspects of employment which begin at Step One: why would you even want a job? Each chapter considers a different aspect of employment that covers all the basis, from what to put on a resume when you have no work experience to how to handle job interviews. It's reviewed here so that parents and educators don't miss the invaluable opportunity to use this guidebook as a starting point for helping Asperger teens enter the workplace: it's a treasure trove linking Asperger syndrome habits and concerns with the wider requirements of daily living.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, Inc.
400 Market Street, Suite 400
Philadelphia, PA 19106
www.jkp.com

Brenda Dater's PARENTING WITHOUT PANIC: A POCKET SUPPORT GROUP FOR PARENTS OF CHILDREN AND TEENS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM (ASPERGER'S SYNDROME) (9781849059411, $19.95) provides parents with exercises and advice that address top concerns over Asperger's, and is based on her experience as a support group leader and parent of a child on the spectrum. It covers everything for what to do immediately following diagnosis to behaviors, holidays and friendships, homework, and how parents can raise a healthy Asperger's child while looking after their own mental health needs. The result is a solid survey filled with supportive information paired with recommendations parents can easily follow. Bill Nason's THE AUTISM DISCUSSION PAGE: ON THE CORE CHALLENGES OF AUTISM (9781849059947, $24.95) provides a fine survey of the overall core challenges associated with autism, and synthesizes information into a series of approaches for supporting children with these conditions. It's based on posts from an online community page, is arranged by subject for quick reference, and provides a basic survey of common coping methods and autism experiences in the world. Bill Nason's THE AUTISM DISCUSSION PAGE: ON ANXIETY, BEHAVIOR, SCHOOL, AND PARENTING STRATEGIES: A TOOLBOX FOR HELPING CHILDREN WITH AUTISM FEEL SAFE, ACCEPTED, AND COMPETENT (97817849059954, $24.95) provides a fine survey of some key areas of stress in handling and raising autistic children, and is directed to parents who want to hone techniques that help their children feel safe and accepted. Teaching and mentoring techniques for such children offer daily living strategies that work, based on posts from the online community page and arranged by subject for easy reference. From promoting independence and understanding the links between emotion and learning to addressing self-injurious behaviors and destructive patterns, this provides parents with a wealth of ideas for improving an autistic children's life and approach to it.


The Education Shelf

Proven Programs in Education: Science, Technology & Mathematics (STEM)
Robert E. Slavin, Editor
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781483351266, $25.95, www.corwin.com

Proven Programs in Education: Science, Technology & Mathematics (STEM) adds to the 'Proven Programs in Education' series, providing edited, updated selections of top articles - here covering the STEM process. From best practices which have been validated by research to an international perspective unusual in an educational compilation, this offers a wealth of sources suitable for STEM teachers and their classrooms; all backed by evidence-based practices, not theory. What's not to like?

Doing the Right Thing for Children
Maurice Sykes
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605542966, $24.95, www.redleafpress.org

Doing the Right Thing for Children: Eight Qualities of Leadership is for educators who want to absorb eight core leadership values and apply them to the education of young children, and it uses stories of successful applications to challenge educators to become leaders in early childhood education. It teaches the skills and habits of such leadership and shows how to use it in either classroom or individual teaching pursuits, and it uses the author's years of coaching leaders to discuss important connections between leaders and the education process as a whole. The result is applied coaching at its best, and a 'must' for educators!

Creative Play the Steiner Waldorf Way
Christopher Clouder & Janni Nicol
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781856753517, $14.99, www.octopuspublishing.com

Creative Play the Steiner Waldorf Way: Expertise and Toy Projects for your 2-4-year-old provides advice for parents on how to develop a child's creativity through creative play, showing how to let a child develop according to the Steiner theory, which helps them evolve holistically. Each chapter discusses a different piece of a child's development process, summarizing the Steiner theory and how it connects to this process. Tips on how to make some 20 toys from natural materials and how to incorporate them into a child's play makes for a fine survey highly recommended for crafts and education collections alike, as well as gatherings for parents and educators.


The Business Shelf

Own Your Future
Paul B. Brown with Charles F. Kiefer and Leonard A. Schlesinger
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780814434093, $22.00, www.amacombooks.org

OWN YOUR FUTURE: HOW TO THINK LIKE AN ENTREPRENEUR AND THRIVE IN AN UNPREDICTABLE ECONOMY is based on extensive research and interviews with hundreds of serial entrepreneurs who have begun two or more successful companies, and offers a model all business owners of any size enterprise can use: Act. Learn. Build. Repeat. While these may seem like basic directions, they actually pinpoint the thinking processes of successful ventures, and provide a logical understanding of the basic elements of successfully-applied business logic. Any looking to incorporate the flexibility of creative thinking into an organizational structure will find the ideals sound, the applications specific, and the techniques important for any entrepreneurial venture.

Overfished Ocean Strategy
Nadya Zhexembayeva, Ph.D.
Berrett-Koehler Publishers
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609949648, $27.95, www.bkconnection.com

Overfished Ocean Strategy: How Powering Up Innovation Can Help to Save a Resource-Deprived World discusses how businesses need to make resource scarcity of prime importance to survive long term. Managers are invited to eschew the throwaway mentality in favor of longer-ranging consideration of resource allocation and management. Chapters show how this new economy is focusing on reducing costs over spending, and display five basic principles for innovating under such conditions. From finding value in discarded by-products to changing habits for resource conservation, this packs in plenty of details key to both conservation and better business practices.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Simple Shape Quilts
Katheryn Russi & Rose Schutte
American Quilters Society Publishing
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604601398, $24.95, www.americanquilter.com

Simple Shape Quilts uses four simple shapes to build innovative modern quilt designs, making for a perfect pick for beginners new to quilting. Here are simple squares, rectangles, and more that are designed for easy beginning success using little more than a standard home sewing machine. The projects have a complicated, professional feel but are designed to be visually attractive and appealing to beginning and advanced quilters alike. The result is a presentation pairing patterns with attractive quilt designs that beginning to intermediate quilters will relish.

That Patchwork Place/Martingale
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
www.shopmartingale.com

Dana Bolyard's IMAGINE QUILTS: 11 PATTERNS FROM EVERYDAY INSPIRATIONS (9781604684094, $22.99) comes from a popular quilt blogger who here offers keys to innovations, providing designs for small wall hangings to full-sized bed quilts. Each is accompanied by step-by-step directions and a focus on unique projects that use colors successfully, help newcomers learn to apply traditional blocks in new ways, and contain fresh variations and inspirations for techniques. With patterns accompanied by full-color quilt photos, this is a top pick for beginning and advanced quilters alike. Myra Harder's NAP AND NOD: 12 ADORABLE BABY QUILTS (9781604683776, $24.99) provides instructions for some 12 baby quilts from designer Myra Harder, who teaches basic techniques and how they apply to a baby quilt. From applique and monogrammed lettering to creating artistic quilts that can be used for baby or for a wall hanging, this provides a range of styles, techniques and fabrics quilters can use to create lovely quilts for tots and babies alike.


The Social Issues Shelf

Hatred, Lies, and Violence in the World of Islam
Raphael Israeli
Transaction Publishers
10 Corporate Place South, Piscataway, NJ 08854
9781412854009, $39.95, www.transactionpub.com

Hatred, Lies, and Violence in the World of Islam comes from one of the leading scholars in the field of Muslim and Middle Eastern studies and here uses original documents - many in local languages - to document the sources of lies and myths regarding Israel and its neighboring nations. It considers how social and religious ideologies and myths spread, it examines political changes and the Islam world, and it considers the evolution and perpetuation of lies and violence in Islam nations. The result is a solid scholarly analysis that belongs in the collections of any college concerned with Middle Eastern or Islamic affairs.


The Cookbook Shelf

Mexican Flavors
Hugh Carpenter & Teri Sandison
Andrews McMeel Publishing
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449453664, $35.00, www.amuniversal.com

MEXICAN FLAVORS: CONTEMPORARY RECIPES FROM CAMP SAN MIGUEL provides an inspirational survey from Hugh Carpenter's cooking school located in an artistic mountain community north of Mexico City, and includes recipes form an American's perspective for Americans who would re-create them at home. Ingredients are thus readily available at any supermarket and feature innovations on classic Mexican cuisine, form a Banana Salsa with Four Variations to Mexican Seafood Risotto and a Kahlua Chocolate Cake with Strawberry Coulis. Pack these innovations with mouth-watering images and you have a fine guide for any interested in innovative Mexican fare.

Provence Food and Wine
Francois Millo and Viktorija Todorovska
Agate
1328 Greenleaf Street, Evanston, IL 60202
9781572841518, $19.95, www.agatepublishing.com

Provence Food and Wine: The Art of Living packs in nearly fifty recipes to accompany photos of the French Provencal countryside, discussing its wines and regional dishes and serving as an introduction to the region's culinary history and traditions. Consider this a mouth-watering pairing of images, cookbook, and wine consideration that offers travelers many resources for visiting and discussions (accompanied by recipes) exploring Provence's cuisine. With its wide-ranging investigations and applications, this is a fine guide for either foodies traveling to France or at-home cooks just beginning to look at Provence dishes.

The Ginger & White Cookbook
Tonia George, Emma Scott, & Nicholas Scott
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845339012, $24.99, www.octopusbooksusa.com

The Ginger & White Cookbook is a fine guide for any interested in good cooking, and presents nearly a hundred recipes from its restaurant in its first cookbook pairing baked goods with main courses. From a Coronation Chicken Sandwich originally created in Britain for Queen Elizabeth's coronation in 1953 and consisting of shred chicken, apricot and ginger chutney, and yogurt to an unusual Cauliflower Soup with Blue Cheese and Chutney, this is packed with unusual flavors and pairings that work well together, and is a recommendation for any cookbook collection.


The Archaeology Shelf

The Great Archaeologists
Brian Fagan, Editor
Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
9780500051818, $50.00, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

The Great Archaeologists considers the history of archaeology and how scientists date relics and discover lost civilizations from evidence, and blends two centuries of research and excavation from around the world into a discussion of objects of the past. Chapters include personal accounts, photos and original drawings which supplement field notes and images, and offer a running history of the men and women explorers who created and contributed to the field of archaeology, making this a pick for science and general-interest readers alike.


The Science Shelf

The Human Age
Diane Ackerman
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393240740, $27.95, www.wwnorton.com

THE HUMAN AGE: THE WORLD SHAPED BY US provides a fine set of questions about how the wilderness, animals, habitats and nature of the world have changed human biology. It comes at the arrival of a new era, when mankind's impacts are moving from local and worldwide levels to planetary and geologic scales, and it considers the extent of humankind's impact on nature and the consequences of its actions. Here is the intersection of ecology, psychology and geology; all wound up in a package packed with insights on mankind's evolutionary impact. Science and philosophy readers will find it particularly accessible.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Wood Sprites
Wen Spencer
Baen Books
PO Box 1188, Wake Forest NC 27588
9781476736716, $25.00, www.baen.com

WOOD SPRITES provides a new sequel to TINKER, and it's recommended that readers pursue the first for a smooth transition before turning to this latest story. (Those who don't will surely find themselves looking to TINKER for another fine read!) Here two gifted students, twins Louise and Jillian, have always felt alone in their world. But they're nine when they discover they have four siblings still in cryogenic storage at a fertility center - embryos slated to be destroyed. When war erupts on Elfhome and riots begin in New York, the twins must hone their powers over science and magic to save not just their world, but everything surrounding it. Solid action and a blending of two universes are cemented by believable, engrossing protagonists in this winning tale.


The Audiobook Shelf

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

Sandra Brown's THE SILKEN WEB (9781476927471, $25.00) is narrated by January LaVoy, whose New York-based voice, stage and TV background meshes perfectly with the story of family connections, romance, and a web of lies that threatens to destroy three individuals and posits some dangerous choices to Kathleen, who must take either family or the love of her life. With its powerful story and engrossing audio version, The Silken Web draws listeners into a web of intrigue and love, and enjoys the best features of LaVoy's evocative, winning voice. It's audio romance at its best. James Patterson's KISS THE GIRLS (9781619694132, $18.00) receives a fine narration by Michael Kramer, who brings to life the involving saga of the second thriller in the Alex Cross series. Familiarity with the first is highly recommended for a smooth segue to this story, where a reporter investigating a series of murders is killed in Lo Angeles and in a seemingly-unrelated mystery cross-country, a lovely medical intern vanishes. Alex Cross doesn't know if he's investigating one murder or two clever killers following the same modus operandi in this riveting murder mystery/thriller. Marcia Clark's THE COMPETITION (9781478927228, $30.00) pairs January LaVoy's evocative voice, seasoned by nears on stage and TV, with the thriller revolving around a L.A. district attorney Rachel Knight, who investigates a terrible high school massacre that has students murdered and others identified as killers. Two women team up to solve a case that just doesn't make sense in this engrossing thriller. Nicholas Sparks's THE BEST OF ME (9781478900719, $20.00) is set in the spring of 1984, when two high school sweethearts fall in love. In typical Romeo and Juliet style, they come from different sides of the tracks and their love defies their small town roots. Predictably, events will tear them apart. Unpredictably, twenty-five years later, events will bring them back together. Pair an evocative story with Sean Pratt's experienced narrative voice and you have a drama that will be widely appreciated by listeners looking for love stories. James Patterson and Michael White team up for PRIVATE DOWN UNDER (9781619698499, $26.00) which tells of Craig Gisto and a team attending a fancy launch party when a stabbed, gunshot Asian man staggers into the event. It's a terrible murder in a wealthy community; but that's only the tip of the iceberg as non-stop action narrated in Michael White's vivid voice creates an audio that's hard to stop listening to!


The Music Shelf

Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Volume One
Ton an Bergeyk
Mel Bay Publications
PO Box 66, Pacific, MO 63069
9780786685950, $26.99, www.melbay.com

Fingerstyle Jazz Guitar Volume One comes with three CDs of instruction which support a fine guide to fingerstyle guitar techniques, and comes from a musician who makes the style effortless. Six jazz pieces are taught through CD and a book of musical notations in different tunings, with each piece teaching a different fingerstyle technique. The result is a recommendation for any who like jazz music and who seek a fingerstyle instructional pairing CD with book.


The Photography Shelf

Thames & Hudson
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

William A. Ewing's LANDMARK: THE FIELDS OF LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPH (9780500544334, $65.00) packs in images by a host of modern landscape photographers to illustrate the expanding field of environmental landscape art. Photographer and curator Ewing has here selected some 240 photos by over 100 photographers which represent an original viewpoint about the environment. Ten themes lend to a coverage of different aspects of nature and landscapes, with artistic and socially conscious photographic representations providing a satisfying blend of art and environmental consciousness. The result is a powerful collection of diverse approaches to landscape photography, highly recommended for photography and arts holdings alike! Kristen Lubben edits MAGNUM CONTACT SHEETS (9780500544310, $75.00), a weighty title that is being published in compact form. Lest one question the meaning of 'compact', it should be noted that the original 2011 edition was 11 1/2" x 13 2/3", while this compact edition is 9 3/4" x 11 3/4". The focus is on how Magnum photographers capture and edit their shots, with discussions supplemented by some 139 contact sheets representing the work of nearly seventy photographers. From press cards and notebooks to publications, these images are accompanied by texts by the photographers or their expert representatives, and represent some of the best images and works of modern times.

Amherst Media
175 Rano Street, Suite 200
Buffalo, NY 14207-2176
www.amherstmedia.com

Kay W. Eskridge's SULTRY, SWEET, OR SASSY: LIGHTING AND POSING FOR BOUDOIR PHOTOGRAPHY (9781608957217, $27.95) shows how to celebrate sensuality and how to capture it on film, and covers both studio posing and work in a client's home. From assessing a client's figure and how it can create thrilling results to using better lighting and understanding the basics of style, this covers everything from silhouettes to wraparound lighting and gives all the basics of arranging a studio shot for maximum exposure. Glenn Rand's and Tim Meyer's SHAPING LIGHT: USE LIGHT MODIFIERS TO CREATE PROFESSIONAL STUDIO AND LOCATION PHOTOGRAPHS (9781608957057, $27.95) deserves ongoing recommendation as a fine blend of light physics and photographic application, and teaches all the basics of tools and techniques photographers can use to shape light and create exceptional results. From light ratios and refinement tools to working with softboxes, umbrellas, and under different lighting conditions, this is a fine basic coverage. Billy Pegram's LIGHT A MODEL: STUDIO AND LOCATION LIGHTING FOR FASHION PHOTOGRAPHY (9781608957095, $27.95) comes from a veteran fashion shooter who reveals many of his tips and techniques for fashion shoots. From modifying light and using its qualities for added results to blending lighting with a commercial or artistic purpose in mind, this provides an excellent survey for any would-be fashion modeler.


The Travel Shelf

Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com

Kerry Christiani's MALLORCA TRAVEL GUIDE (9781742207506, $21.99) is packed with recommendations for journeying around Mallorca, and is especially recommended for independent travelers looking to make the most of outdoor activities and tours outside the beaten path. From wildlife to travel with children, chapters cover where to stay and what to eat and do, include small maps and color-coded sidebars of special regional recommendations, and discuss what is worth seeing. The result is a top pick for any independent traveler planning a journey to Mallorca. Sarah Baxter's THE BEST PLACE TO BE TODAY: 365 Things to Do and the Perfect Day to Do Them (9781743601655, $19.99) offers a year's worth of daily adventures for those who want to travel on an experience basis. These inspirations offer the opportunity for advance planning and cover everything from festivals and sporting events to natural and seasonal phenomena, and they come with eye-catching color photos throughout. At-a-glance information covers the event, country, 'why now', dates or approximate months, and where the event takes place. Most travel books cover a country and include such events along the way; but for those who would plan a trip based on the event itself, this approach can't be beat; especially since it offers the opportunity for long-range planning.

Our World Tour
Mario Dirks
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538361, $44.95, www.rockynook.com

Our World Tour: A Photographic Journey Around the Earth comes from a photographer and tells of the journey he undertook when camera manufacturer Sigma sent him on a year-long assignment to photograph the most beautiful places on earth. He spent some 50 weeks visiting some 77 cities, 48 countries, and 6 continents, and his photos - over three hundred of them - pack a fine account pairing global sights with a travel diary and notes on the photo process. While Our World Tour would seem a pick for travel collections, the addition of many photographic insights makes for an exceptional presentation highly recommended for any involved in photography or travel.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

2015 Writer's Market
Robert Lee Brewer, Editor
Writer's Digest Books
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
9781599638409, $29.99, www.writersdigest.com

The 2015 Writer's Market appears in its 94th annual updated edition - and in case you wondered why can update would be needed, be advised that each edition represents the many changes of policy, editorial needs, and contacts that represent a changing, dynamic writer's market. The focus here is not just on getting published, but getting paid for one's writing. New editorial material covers the changing business of writing and promotions, from pitching an idea to agents and editors and building readers to obtaining freelance writing work through social media. The pay rate chart has been updated, there are lists of professional writing groups and sample query letters, and everything has been updated to reflect the latest information, making this a winning guide for any who want to make a living by writing.


The Literary Studies Shelf

Rebel Souls
Justin Martin
DaCapo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306822261, $27.99, www.dacapopress.com

REBEL SOULS: WALT WHITMAN AND AMERICA'S FIRST BOHEMIANS fills a gap in the literature about Whitman's connection to New York City's Pfaff's Saloon, a basement bar which contributed vastly to his growth as a notable poet. From how his 'circle of Bohemians' developed from this root to how the bar fostered an atmosphere of growth and change, this documents a key social elements in what was to become a literary revolution, and finally places one of Whitman's key influences in proper perspective. No collection covering Whitman's life and development would be complete without this coverage.

The Quotable Stoic
Michael Lipsey
Lost Coast Press
155 Cypress Street, Fort Bragg, CA 95437
9781935448235, $11.95, www.cyprsshouse.com

The Quotable Stoic - A Book of Original Aphorisms provides a concise collection of quotes that represent 'truth condensed into a few words that express much'. Early aphorisms were inscriptions in verse carved into tombstones and more; but they evolved over the centuries into witty, satirical observations of life. Mark Twain excelled in them, as one modern example - and this book organizes a range of aphorisms from over the years into categories, giving them new life and fun. From chapters on manners and attitudes, to wealth and vanity, these are fine literary pieces that deserve a place in literature and general-interest holdings alike.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Orbis Books
Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545-0302
www.orbisbooks.com

Terrence J. Rynne's JESUS CHRIST PEACEMAKER (9781626980976, $25.00) considers the nonviolence of Jesus and its teachings to church and world alike, and uses the Gospels to consider the evolving image of Jesus as Peacemaker. More than an assessment of the morals involved, this considers how God calls people to a life of nonviolence and peace, how Jesus symbolized these beliefs and laid the foundation for nonviolent responses to a violent world, and why politics and Christianity meet when discussing Jesus's real purposes. The result is a powerful survey highly recommended for any Christian or social issues collection. Veronica Mary Rolf's JULIAN'S GOSPEL: ILLUMINATING THE LIFE & REVELATIONS OF JULIAN OF NORWICH (9781626980945, $30.00) provides a fine biography reconstructing the life of Julian of Norwich, a 14th-century mystic, and blends history, theology and cultural insights to portray a Julian who spoke not only to peoples of his times, but whose words continue to offer inspirational and religious insight to modern Christians. Collections strong in women's issues and Christian life and history will find this an absorbing study on many levels, combining fascinating early Christian historical insights with a focus on their meaning for modern audiences. The result is a survey highly recommended for any Christian collection strong in scholarly yet accessible writings.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush
Susan Wittig Albert
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor, New York, NY 10014
9780425260609, $25.95, www.penguin.com

The Darling Dahlias and the Silver Dollar Bush returns to the small town of Darling, Alabama in the 1930s where the women of a garden club are facing the local bank's sudden closure in 1933. Everything is tough; but hardest of all is a plan hatched by business leaders to print a new form of temporary money to keep the town afloat: a plan that backfires when the first printing vanishes. A host of events steeped in satisfying small town interrelationships and intrigue makes for a lovely mystery.


The Sports Shelf

Human Kinetics Publishers, Inc.
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61820-5076
www.humankinetics.com

Reed Ferber & Shari Macdonald's RUNNING MECHANICS AND GAIT ANALYSIS (9781450424394, $45.00) is dedicated to injury prevention and covers almost three hundred peer-reviewed scientific manuscripts and clinical research related to gait and injury in athletes. College-level readers interested in athletic biomechanics and assessing and preventing common injuries will find this detailed analysis of running biomechanics directed to professionals working with overuse injuries. A video library features some 33 clips and is available for additional reference, while real-world clinical examples help health professionals and coaches alike apply the latest information to their own work with runners. Charles M. Tipton edits HISTORY OF EXERCISE PHYSIOLOGY (9780736083690, $119.00), a reference for exercise physiology researchers and practitioners that compiles a comprehensive text gathering primary ideas and work done in exercise physiology for hundreds of years. It integrates ideas of biological and physiology research with the overall goals and objectives of exercise, focuses on significant contributions, and pairs illustrations and photos with discussions that offer visual and written approaches to the field. It packs in tables, charts, bibliographic references, and plenty of detail and it's filled with important insights for any who want to better understand the technical relationship between exercise and the body's functioning, making it a pick for sports and health collections alike.


The Fashion Shelf

Fashion Prints in the Age of Louis XIV
Kathryn Norberg and Sandra Rosenbaum, Editors
Texas Tech University Press
PO Box 41037, Lubbock, TX 79409-1037
9780896728578, $45.95, www.ttupress.org

Fashion Prints in the Age of Louis XIV: Interpreting the Art of Elegance is recommended for college-level arts collections strong in fashion history, and examines the attire of men and women in Paris between 1678 and 1710: an era replete with high fashion examples. Usually such prints are presented for their visual impact and aren't accompanied by in-depth history or critical review: not so here, in a book which blends art history, costume history, French culture, and more to explore what these prints represent about 17th century fashion culture. Over a hundred illustrations accompany one of the most in-depth coverages in print, offering a pairing of colorful pictures and fashion observations key to any arts history holding.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Timothy Leary: The Harvard Years
James Penner, Editor
Bear Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781620552353, $19.95, www.innertraditions.com

Timothy Leary: The Harvard Years offers a new collection of Leary's research from 1960 to 1965; a period of time when LSD could be legally researched. It collects rare articles form Leary's days as a Harvard professor of psychology, includes writings from the Harvard psilocybin Project and other experiments, and represent the heyday of early psychedelic researchers and their approaches to the spiritual, religious and therapeutic applications of LSD. The result is a fine collection that publishes not only his works of the times, but a selection of controversial articles published after his dismissal from Harvard, making for a powerful gathering of influential pieces recommended for any studying Leary's works.

Llewellyn Worldwide, LTD.
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125
www.llewellyn.com

Bridget Benson's WE WALK BESIDE YOU ALWAYS: COMFORTING MESSAGES FROM YOUR LOVED ONES IN THE AFTERLIFE (9780738737492, $14.99) comes from an Irish medium who here shares true stories of the afterlife and spirit connections, and use her own experiences and those of her clients to consider a wide range of afterlife possibilities, from those of children and animals to experiences of those who have taken their own lives. With its haunting discussions of connections after death, this is a survey new age readers will find specific and thought-provoking. Alexandra Chauran's CLAIRVOYANCE FOR BEGINNERS: EASY TECHNIQUES TO ENHANCE YOUR PSYCHIC VISION (9780738739151, $13.99) covers the steps needed to move from clairvoyant beginner to expert, and provides an instructional that shows how to get started and how to enhance clairvoyance with eyes open or closed. From meditation and conscious dreaming to psychometry, omens, visions and more, this includes symbol dictionary and discussion of the ethics involved in clairvoyance even as it reviews the basics for developing one's talents.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

My Dog's Journal
Michael Powell
Spruce
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781846014758, $12.99, www.octopuspublishing.com

MY DOG'S JOURNAL: PUPPY MILESTONES... TRAINING TACTICS... DOGGY IQ AND MORE includes UK illustrator Gemma Correll's fun drawings and provides an activity album that will serve as a personal record of one's dog. It blends the journal format with a training manual and scrapbook, includes advice on how to keep a dog healthy, and adds activities ranging from dog games and makeovers to video ideas to capture his fun moments. Add blank pages for a dog's photos and you have a fun, appealing collection.

The Little Book of Corgi Charm
Trevor Davies
Spruce
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
9781845014765, $9.99, www.octopuspublishing.com

The Little Book of Corgi Charm: Words of Cheer from the World's Smiliest Dog gathers fifty corgi dog photos and pairs them with positive sayings and fun observations representing the 'corgi philosophy'. It's intended as part inspirational gift book and part celebration of the corgi breed, and will make a fun gift for any corgi owner; especially those who like engaging animal pictures.


The Biography Shelf

W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10110
www.wwnorton.com

Two fine explorations of American history are provided in these paperback reprints of two classics by Joseph P. Lash, originally published in the early 1970s: ELEANOR AND FRANKLIN (9780393349757, $17.95 print / $9.99 Kindle) and ELEANOR: THE YEARS ALONE (9780393349764, $15.95 print / $9.99 Kindle). The author encountered Eleanor Roosevelt when he was a student and political activist: from their encounter sprung an association that lasted for decades as a professional friendship. His two discussions uses letters and papers in the presidential library in New York to follow Eleanor's life; from her beginning as an orphan and the evolution of a relationship with Franklin to her transition to a public role and political figure and, finally, her years after Franklin's death. While the volumes stand powerfully on their own, they are especially valuable works when considered as a set for either biography or American history collections.


The 2015 Calendar Shelf

AQS 2015 Wall Calendar
American Quilter's Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781604601589, $12.95, www.americanquilter.com

AQS 2015 Wall Calendar pairs a vivid monthly picture of an outstanding quilt production with the usual wall calendar format replete with fill-in squares for easy dates and inspirational images, and is a pick for any quilter who wants a new inspiration per month. These thirteen quilts are award winners from the annual American Quilter's Society quiltweek contest in Kentucky, so they are exceptional representations of a quilter's advanced achievements.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
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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