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California Bookwatch

Volume 7, Number 8 August 2012 Home | CALBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Philosophy Shelf Mathematics Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Egyptology Shelf Art Shelf
Fashion Shelf Photography Shelf Education Shelf
Travel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Business Shelf Women's Studies Shelf
Music Shelf Gardening Shelf Cookbook Shelf
Computer Shelf Railroading Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Science Shelf Social Issues Shelf Military Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Psychology Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf Fiction Shelf
Mystery/Suspense Shelf Political Science Shelf Sports Shelf
Biography Shelf Library DVD Shelf Autism Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf California Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

Ratline
Peter Levenda
Ibis Press
c/o Red Wheel Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7
Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9780892541706, $26.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

RATLINE: SOVIET SPIES, NAZI PRIESTS AND THE DISAPPEARANCE OF ADOLF HITLER offers a fine survey documenting how thousands of Nazi war criminals - possibly Hitler himself -escaped justice and fled to other countries. It tells of Soviet spies and a network of Catholic monasteries and safe houses known as "the ratline" and documents evidence of a Nazi escape route that led from Europe to Argentina and over to Asia. From newly declassified files to a German diary found on a remote Indonesian island, this reveals the long-secret history of Ratline, and is a pick for any history holding.

The Complete Illustrated Manual of Handgun Skills
Robert Compbell
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760341056, $27.99, www.zenithpress.com

The Complete Illustrated Manual of Handgun Skills comes from a former peace officer with over twenty years experience, and provides an illustrated guide to handguns that introduces readers to all the basics. From choosing a first gun to competitive shooting, hunting and marksmanship, this covers safety, maintenance, shooting and accessories alike, and is packed with illustrations to compliment decades of handgun experience. Any handgun owner should have this in their arsenal!

Why Peace Fails
Charles T. Call
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589018945, $32.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

WHY PEACE FAILS: THE CAUSES AND PREVENTION OF CIVIL WAR RECURRENCE counters the popular argument that poverty, weak states and competition over researches are the major causes of civil war recurrences, and identifies political inclusion as the real underlying influences. Fifteen cases of renewed civil wars around the world are used to support his theory on why peace fails, offering a social, political and military analysis of the underlying causes of peace's failure. The inclusion of former opponents in postwar governance plays a major role in sustaining peace after civil war: this survey should not be missed by military or political collections alike.

Women, Gender, and Terrorism
Laura Sjoberg and Caron E. Gentry, Editors
University of Georgia Press
330 Research Drive
Athens, GA 30602-4901
9780820340388, $24.95, www.ugapress.org

Women, Gender, and Terrorism: STUDIES IN SECURITY AND INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS appeared some months ago but deserves ongoing praise and recommendation for its ground-breaking survey pairing case studies and first-person interviews with feminist analysis to consider the motivations, strategies and impact of female militants around the world. It offers a fine assessment of women's roles in war, terrorism and world military struggles, and features leading experts in the field who provide a fine wide-reaching survey that refutes common stereotypes of women's involvement in social movements. Highly recommended for any college-level collection strong in women's political studies.

Kinfolk V. 3
Kinfolk Magazine
Weldon Owen
415 Jackson Street
San Francisco, CA 94111
www.weldonowen.com
9781616283889, $18.00, www.kinfolkmag.com

KINFOLK V. 3: A GUIDE FOR SMALL GATHERINGS is all about community and connections and documents the preparations for different styles of small gatherings that take into account natural biorhythms and family interactions. Articles cover everything from setting mood to setting table, and come from a wide range of perspectives, from caterers and professionals helping out to family members interacting. A gorgeous presentation, highly recommended for any family-oriented collection.

The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty
Dan Ariely
Harper
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062183590, $26.99, www.harpercollins.com

The (Honest) Truth About Dishonesty: How We Lie to Everyone - Especially Ourselves exposes the constant challenges to honesty that we confront daily - and the choices that often compromise honesty and ethics alike. It uses research, insights, and personal investigations to uncover why we cheat, what causes dishonest behaviors, and how we can curb them, and it covers the social and cultural changes that arise from inherent dishonesty. From temptations to actions around us, this covers all the influences on honesty and dishonesty alike, and is a pick for any general lending library.

Ghost-Watching American Modernity
Maria del Pilar Blanco
Fordham University Press
University Box L, 2546 Belmont Avenue
Bronx, NY 10458
9780823242146, $45.00, www.fordham.edu

Ghost-Watching American Modernity: Haunting, Landscape, and the Hemispheric Imagination considers how different landscapes come to be represented as haunted sites, and uses texts from Spanish America and the U.S. in the process of seeking to understand the localization of ghostly legends. Classic and popular literature by Henry James and others lends a scholarly and detailed set of insights to this consideration of place and the evolution of haunting legends, making this a powerful, recommended pick for a range of libraries, from new age to literary and historical holdings alike.

Face Forward
Michele Howe Clarke
Morgan James Publishing
4410 E Claiborne Square, Suite 334
Hampton VA 23666-2071
9781600379604, $19.95, www.morganjamespublishing.com

FACE FORWARD: MEETING CHALLENGES HEAD ON IN TIMES OF TROUBLE comes from a cancer thriver who uses her experience from cancer diagnosis to recovery to show readers how to take back control and live with more purpose. It's a positive set of keys to making the most of daily life by moving past fears and letting go of negative thinking patterns, and provides solid chapters on building positive energy and making changes. Any general lending collection and especially those concerned with inspirational presentations will find this a winner.

Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry
Glenn Drowns
Storey
210 Mass MoCa Way
North Adams, MA 01247
07891620003, $19.95, www.storey.com

Storey's Guide to Raising Poultry provides a revised, expanded text updating details on poultry for any seeking to raise birds in a natural manner. From detailed information on heritage breeds to improved management systems and updated health information, this offers tips for commercial and home breeders alike, and covers the basis of raising chickens, turkeys, waterfowl, and game birds. A 'must' for any interested in poultry management, this covers all the basics and much advanced detail for any seeking to raise game birds.

LEGO Heavy Weapons
Jack Streat
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street
San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
9781593274122, $24.95, www.noststarch.com

LEGO HEAVY WEAPONS: BUILD LEGO VERSIONS OF FOUR OF THE WORLD'S MOST IMPRESSIVE GUNS offers specific building instructions for four impressive 1:1-scale LEGO replicas of world firearms: a Desert Eagle handgun with blowback action, three brick-shooters, and a pump-action SPAS 12 combat shotgun. Readers may recognize these models from popular media, and will find this a fun guide from a seasoned LEGO weapons replica builder - who is only 17 years old. A fine, fun guide for any interested in LEGO crafts.


The Philosophy Shelf

Neil Gaiman and Philosophy
Tracy L. Bealer, Rachel Luria, Wayne Yuen, Editors
Open Court
70 East Lake Street #300, Chicago IL 60601
9780812697650, $19.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Neil Gaiman and Philosophy: Gods Gone Wild! Offers another addition to the series linking popular culture with philosophy, and provides the works of some fourteen philosophers who examine different philosophical implications and applications of Gaiman's fantasy and fiction. From the different worlds of Coraline to the presence of the 'ageless' in many of his works, this is a pick for philosophy collections and those strong in Neil Gaiman's works, alike!


The Mathematics Shelf

The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra
Shin Takahashi, et.al.
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco CA 94103
9781593274139, $24.95, www.nostarch.com

The Manga Guide to Linear Algebra offers the latest in the 'Manga' guides and helps math and computer science students understand liner algebra. It uses the story of a university student and her tutor to present the basic concepts of linear algebra, offering a manga-based illustrated mode to explain the basic concepts and applications of the science. The black and white comics explain the linear algebra basics and provide charts, diagrams, and equations perfect for linear algebra students.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Last Call at the Oasis
Karl Weber, Editor
Public Affairs
250 West 57th St., Suite 1321
New York NY 10107
9781568489786, $15.99, www.publicaffairsbooks.com

Last Call at the Oasis: The Global Water Crisis and Where We Go From Here: A Participant Media Guide provides a fine tie-in to the feature documentary on the looming global water crisis and is based on a forthcoming film by an Academy Award-winning director certain to gain much attention. It covers water regulation, emerging conflicts over water supplies in both America and around the globe, and considers that 'water wars' may soon threaten world peace. A powerful set of writings from water quality managers and internationally-recognized water experts makes for a powerful survey recommended for a range of holdings, from political issues shelves to collections strong in international affairs and resource management.


The Egyptology Shelf

Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners
Bill Manley
Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780500290286, $16.95, www.thamesandhudsonusa.com

Egyptian Hieroglyphs for Complete Beginners represents the first guide to reading hieroglyphs that begins with Egyptian monuments, and assumes no prior knowledge from the reader. There is no other step-by-step key to reading Egyptian hieroglyphs that appears to such an audience: texts are based on artifacts from coffins to scarabs from museums around the world, are explained fully, and offer both photos and line drawings for added emphasis. Highly recommended for any who would learn basic hieroglyphs.


The Art Shelf

Portfolio Design, fourth edition
Harold Linton
W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393732535, $45.00, www.wwnorton.com

The fourth updated edition of Portfolio Design updates what has become a standard reference for students and young professionals in architecture and interior design who want to make a good impression for undergraduate and grad school admissions or jobs. It provides the basics of how to assemble a portfolio that will highlight a student's talents and covers everything from basic layout design and binding systems to print versus digital presentations and how to promote one's portfolio on the internet. The result is a solid, recommended survey that should be in any architecture or interior design student's reference collection, promising lasting value for a range of endeavors.

Outside the Box
David Scott
Pointed Leaf Press
136 Baxter Street, New York, NY 10013
9780983388951, $65.00, www.pointedleafpress.com

OUTSIDE THE BOX is simply a 'must' for any artistic interior design holding, and features full-page color photos (by photographer Antoine Bootz) of designer David Scott's remarkable creations. Here are antiques-enhanced interiors that combine modern with old-style flair, offering spaces customized for the interests of his clients. This profiles David Scott's work but also provides plenty of inspiration for any who would understand the basics of customized interior design practices, making this a must for a wide audience, from architects and designers to homeowners.

Amy Golden: Art in a Hairshirt
Edited by Robert Kushner
Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953423, $19.95, www.hudsonhillspress.com

Amy Golden: Art in a Hairshirt is a 'must' for any arts collection strong in art criticism. It gathers Amy Goldin's hard-hitting art insights from 1964-1978 - some thirty of them - and pairs them with equally hard-hitting insights from fellow art critics and art historians. Golden's essays appeared in a range of works from Art Journal to New American Review, and provide critical insights into the changing world of art form and function. It's a powerful collection that offers an important window on the world of changing art, and is a top pick for any arts holding.

Successful Drawing
Andrew Loomis
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9780857687616, $39.95, www.titanbooks.com

Successful Drawing comes from an illustrator long applauded for his artistic talents, and provides the third book in Titan's program of facsimile reprints. For over sixty years SUCCESSFUL DRAWING has covered all techniques needed to master three-dimensional drawing, and everything from scale to capturing light are surveyed in chapters packed with illustration examples and easy step-by-step applications. It's a witty and specific 'course in a book' recommended for any who would master the finer points of illustration.


The Fashion Shelf

Fashion Design Course: Accessories
Jane Schaffer & Sue Saunders
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard, Hauppauge, NY 11788
9780764147548, $24.99, www.barronseduc.com

Fashion Design Course: Accessories covers design principles, construction techniques and basic professional practices for aspiring designers, and provides a fine review of the fashion design process as it relates to accessories and footwear design. It explains the basic fashion principles all students need to know, offering chapters dedicated to hats, handbags, and footwear and including coverage of trade fairs and courses for further insights. Color photos throughout accompany facts on everything from creating an accessory to understanding basic design principles.


The Photography Shelf

Photoshop CS6: The Missing Manual
Lesa Snider
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449316150, $49.99, www.oreilly.com

Any photographer seeking a basic guide to Photoshop CS6 will find this 'missing manual' a 'must' reference that covers everything from the program's most basic functions to its most advanced applications. Tips and practical advice are accompanied by color screen shots throughout and sidebars of special information, making it easy to use the book as an at-a-glance reference for difficult moments learning the program. From draining and adding color to making selections and using composition methods, this assumes no prior knowledge of either Photoshop or photography, and is a top reference for any new to Photoshop CS6, as well as those seeking refresher tips or detailed information.

Secrets of ProShow Experts
Paul Schmidt
Course Technology
c/o Cengage Learning, Inc.
200 First Stamford Place, Stamford, CT 06902
9781133595052, $39.99, www.courseptr.com

Secrets of ProShow Experts is for any photographer who would learn how to create a superior slide show, and provides a fine survey that discusses the technique of making great slide shows. While it's based on ProShow 5, it can apply to any slide show and is packed with tips and tricks and examples on the companion DVD - which also includes trial versions of ProShow. Color screen shots accompany chapters filled with details on everything from manipulating source material to handling multiple images. Highly recommended for any photography collection!

The iPad for Photographers
Jeff Carlson
Peachpit Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321820181, $24.99, www.peachpit.com

The iPad for Photographers: Master the Newest Tool in Your Camera Bag is for novices to pro photographers and teaches the basics of importing and copying photos, organizing and rating images, and editing photos using various image adjustment tools for the iPad. It's packed with clever ideas for using iPads in sync with the camera - even including triggering the camera flash remotely and using the screen as a fill flash. There are advanced techniques not see in other iPad references, specific to photographers, and accompanied by color screen shots throughout for maximum effect. Very highly recommended: a 'must' for any photographer who would add iPad's strengths to their success!

Up On the Roof
Alex MacLean
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
9781616890506, $50.00, www.papress.com

Up On the Roof: New York's Hidden Skyline Spaces provides a powerful survey from an architect-turned photographer and pilot who has documented the country from the air for over thirty years. Recommended for New York history, architecture, and urban photography holdings alike, this is packed with rare images of the topsides of the City from pools and tennis courts to gardens, water towers and more, and provides a powerful testimony to the city's expanded urban spaces. The color photos are complimented by an oversized presentation that captures their full impact.

Beyond Point-and-Shoot
Darrell Young
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781933952956, $29.95, www.rockynook.com

Beyond Point-and-Shoot: Learning to Use a Digital SLR or Interchangeable-Lens Camera offers all the basics that are key to using a digital SLR camera and teaches the basics of getting the most out of a camera's exposure modes and lens types. From using various exposure modes and handling different image formats to using the histogram for better pictures and handling balance and depth, this assumes little to know knowledge of photographic terms and techniques, and helps newcomers get the most from their SLR acquisitions.


The Education Shelf

Let Them Play
Jeff A. Johnson and Denita Dinger
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court, St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605540535, $34.95, www.redleafpress.org

LET THEM PLAY: AN EARLY LEARNING (UN)CURRICULUM is all about letting kids experience the learning power of play and belongs in any early education collection where teachers are interested in making the most of kids' impulses to play. It comes from an educator who runs a family child care program and has over twenty years of early childhood experience, and a co-writer who has been a child care provider for over ten years. Together these two put together a play-oriented program for teachers who want to trust kids to learn through the play process, offering keys to successful physical and emotional climates that foster success.

Mapping Comprehensive Units to the ELA Common Core Standards K-5
Kathy Tuchman Glass
Corwin Press
2455 Teller Road
Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781452217307, www.corwin.com

Mapping Comprehensive Units to the ELA Common Core Standards K-5 shows teachers how to translate the Standards into a curriculum, and is a 'must' for any educator's collection. It comes from a teacher who offers curriculum designers the key points of the ELA standards and shows how to design curriculum units around them, discussing each of the core standards, reviewing the benefits, and including reproducible templates and examples throughout. All the forms, exercises and rubrics are included to help teachers and administrators alike write meaningful curriculum.

What They Didn't Teach You in Graduate School, second edition
Paul Gray and David E. Drew
Kumarian Press, Inc.
c/o Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive
Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9781579226442, $17.95, www.styluspub.com

The second updated edition of What They Didn't Teach You in Graduate School: 299 Helpful Hints for Success in Your Academic Career includes a hundred new tips and keys to success in obtaining a PhD, and covers everything from the underlying rules of academic life to the dissertation process, job hunting, and dealing with students. From those who are students to those who have just landed their first faculty position but still strive for their PhDs, this is packed with clear directions and insights not to be missed!

The Best 300 Professors
The Princeton Review
c/o Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
9780375427589, $19.99, www.princetonreview.com

The Best 300 Professors: From the #1 Professor Rating Site, RateMyProfessors.com profiles outstanding professors at over a hundred colleges. All won high praise from their undergrad audiences class after class, year after year, in a range of fields from Ancient Studies to Sport Management. The profile is arranged by academic fields and offers more than 60 fields. Within each field, the profiles are presented alphabetically by professor names. Profiles of their colleges round out the information, perfect for any college-bound student.

Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay
Kimberly Hill Campbell & Kristi Latimer
Stenhouse
Box 11020, Portland, ME 04104-7020
9781571108524, $22.50, www.stenhouse.com

Beyond the Five-Paragraph Essay covers the history and effectiveness of the five-paragraph essay as a teaching tool, and shows that research does not support the five-paragraph formula. In fact, the formula actually restricts creativity by emphasizing structure over content. BEYOND THE FIVE-PARAGRAPH ESSAY corrects this, showing students how to move beyond formula writing to unlock their creative potentials. It provides keys to producing creative writing outside the formula box, and is a fine primer for any educator's collection.

The Special Educator's Toolkit
Cindy Golden
Paul H. Brookes Publishing
Box 10624, Baltimore MD 21285-0624
9781598570977, $39.95, www.brookespublishing.com

The Special Educator's Toolkit provides teachers with a toolkit for whole-classroom education applications and provides a book/CD combination to help teachers learn the author's own popular OMAC (Organization and Management of All Classrooms) system. Chapters offer teachers guidance on managing daily work from determining student needs and designing materials around them to building relationships with classroom support staff and parents alike. Examples and tips come from real-world scenarios and show how concepts apply to results in this fine toolkit packed with insights for any special educator. Highly recommended for first-year teachers and seasoned professionals alike!


The Travel Shelf

Western USA
Amy C. Balfour
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781742205915, $22.99, www.lonelyplanet.com

Those of us who live in the western U.S. might wonder at the need for a guidebook focus on the area: isn't information readily available everywhere? Well not packaged in a handy take-along-tote format, not containing the very latest, person-tested advice for accommodations, restaurants and places to go both on and off the beaten path, and not for a format that lends equally well to browsing or at-a-glance quick reference. That's why WESTERN USA belongs in the collections and hands of any reader planning a trip 'out west', no matter what the budget!

Eat London 2: All About Food
Peter Prescott & Terence Conran
Conran Octopus
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781840915839, $24.99, www.octopus.co.uk

Eat London 2: All About Food provides a personal view of London's food culture and comes from a team of authors who cover all the different trends and hot eateries that make up modern London, a city once noted for its bad food. There's been a revolution in the U.K.: one consisting of cafe and restaurant changes, and this charts London's transformation into one of the most important food destinations in the world. This completely revised, updated edition provides new entries highlighting some of the best of London's bakeries, butchers, cafes and more. A 'must' for any foodie who would make the most of a visit to London!


The Audiobook Shelf

Service
Marcus Luttrell with James D. Hornfischer
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781611134162, $29.98, www.hachetteaudio.com

SERVICE: A NAVY SEAL AT WAR receives a powerful narrative by Kevin T. Collins, a New York actor and director who has made his name off Broadway and on television, and whose dramatic voice spices the powerful story of Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell, who returned form Afghanistan a broken man. Many had given their lives to save him - and he was left wondering why he and others had been willing to sacrifice everything for their nation. SERVICE follows the author back to Iraq where he undertakes a mission to one of the most dangerous areas in the world, and where he reflects on his calling and contributions. A powerful recommendation for any military or general lending library.

The Tools
Phil Stutz & Barry Michels
Random House Audio
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 8th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780307987685, $35.00, www.randomhouseaudio.com

THE TOOLS: TRANSFORM YOUR PROBLEMS INTO COURAGE, CONFIDENCE, AND CREATIVITY offers a solution to traditional therapies that focus on the past, offering tools that allow patients to use today's problems as levers to access their unconscious abilities and powers. Transformation suddenly takes place not in past revelations but present-day action, and THE TOOLS offers a set of approaches based on the authors' empowering practices. Narrated by the joint authors themselves, this offers groundbreaking insights!

Dorchester Terrace
Anne Perry
Brilliance Audio
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781423372424, $29.99, www.brillianceaudio.com

Dorchester Terrace is performed by Michael Page and provides a fine Charlotte and Thomas Pitt novel revolving around a plot to blow up connections on the Dover-London rail line - on which an Austrian duke is soon to travel. Why would someone kill an entire trainload for one lowly duke? It's up to Charlotte and Thomas to find out before disaster strikes - and having the entire effort on audio, spiced by Michael Page's moving voice, is a treat, indeed!

Guy Noir and the Straight Skinny
Garrison Keillor with Tim Russell and Sue Scott
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611746785, $29.95, www.highbridgeaudio.com

Guy Noir and the Straight Skinny brings mystery to new levels in a dramatized performance for audio featuring radio private eye Guy Noir. Here he's facing old gangster Joey Roast Beef who wants to know Guy's latest scheme. In fact gangsters and police plus more want to know as Guy faces them while he and Noami pursue riches with a powerful new weight loss program. A fine caper of romance and intrigue receives a powerful radio dramatization perfect for any general lending library!


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Dreaming Yourself Awake
B. Alan Wallace
Shambhala Publications Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston MA 02115
9781590309575, $17.95, www.shambhala.com

DREAMING YOURSELF AWAKE: LUCID DREAMING AND TIBETAN DREAM YOGA FOR INSIGHT AND TRANSFORMATION offers a fine survey on the art of lucid dreaming, which is the ability to alter your own dream reality any way you like by becoming aware of dreaming whilst in the midst of dreaming. It tells how to use lucid dreaming beyond entertainment to solve problems and increase knowledge, and offers keys to gaining insights from lucid dreaming experiences. The result is a powerful survey recommended for any new age collection.

Pointing Out the Dharmakaya
Khenchen Thrangu
Snow Lion Publications
c/o Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Avenue
Boston, MA 02115-4544
9781559393881, $19.95, www.snowlionpub.com

Pointing Out the Dharmakaya is for any collection strong in Buddhist thought and offers explorations by Khenchen Thrangu Rinpoche. The purpose is to help Western practitioners understand elements of Buddhist beliefs, and this book discusses meditation, the nature of the mind in stillness, and more. Question and answer interviews with Thrangu accompany essays and insights perfect for any Buddhist belief collection.

The Big Book of Reincarnation
Roy Steman
Hierophant Publishing
c/o Red Wheel Weiser
65 Parker St., Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9780981877167, $18.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

The Big Book of Reincarnation: Examining the Evidence That We Have All Lived Before comes from a self-described 'skeptical believer' who uses his skills as a professional journalist to examine and compare the best-documented case studies of reincarnation from around the world. Leading theories come from different cultures and different worlds, from Tibet to Louisiana and to a classroom in Lebanon where every child recalls his/her past lives. It offers a comprehensive overview in a powerful recommendation for any new age and many a general-interest collection interested in reincarnation's facts, fallacies, and issues.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Exposing Myths About Christianity
Jeffrey Burton Russell
IVP Books
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400
Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830834662, $18.00, www.ivpress.com

Exposing Myths About Christianity comes from a historian who considers a range of misperceptions and myths surrounding Christianity, and covers everything form the new atheist and critics who maintain that Christianity is an outdated concept to the idea that Christianity is a superstition or that the Christian God killed his own son. Each myth receives point-by-point debate along with footnotes and references in a study perfect for any Christian collection.

The Wisdom of His Compassion
Joseph F. Girzone
Orbis Books
Box 302, Maryknoll NY 10545
9781570759710, $20.00, www.orbisbooks.com

The Wisdom of His Compassion provides Christians with a fine collection of meditations and inspirations, and is a perfect pick for any Christian library. It offers lovely meditations on the teachings of Jesus and connects them to life experiences and attitudes, making for a fine gathering of sayings suitable for all audiences.

Woman-Killing in Juarez
Rafael Luevino
Orbis Books
Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545
9781570759680, $24.00, www.orbisbooks.com

Woman-Killing in Juarez uses narrative theology to explore the killing of over 500 women since 1993 in Juarez, uses this atrocity to examine religious implications of God's love in the face of violence. The first three chapters explore the events and their political evolution; the remaining chapters focus on connections between atrocities and God's will, providing Christian readers with assessments of church attitudes and modern theological approaches to human suffering. It's a powerful survey especially recommended for scholarly Christian history holdings.

Being Good
Michael W. Austin & R. Douglas Geivett
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802865656, $26.00, www.eerdmans.com

BEING GOOD: CHRISTIAN VIRTUES FOR EVERYDAY LIFE is written by a group of younger scholars who are experts in theology and philosophy and explores eleven virtues ranging from open-mindedness and wisdom to contentment, courage, compassion and humility. The authors believe that embodying Christ's values should be at the heart of Christian living, and they offer chapters headed by these virtues to discuss each and offer food for thought. Any Christian collection needs this!

That's Why I'm Here
Chris Spielman
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310336143, $24.99, www.zondervan.com

In 1998 author and ESPN football analyst faced one of the toughest encounters of his life when his wife was diagnosed with stage four breast cancer and embarked on an eleven-year fight against it. His biography is a love story, a testimony to courage and struggle, and a survey packed with spiritual insights in the process of the battle. Stefanie lost her fight in 2009: since then the author has raised their four children alone, dedicated his life to fighting cancer, and has not lost his faith. THAT'S WHY I'M HERE is a positive, inspirational account of what it means to be a winner, and deserves a place in any spirituality collection.


The Business Shelf

Click Millionaires
Scott Fox
Amacom
1601 Broadway, New York NY 10019-7420
9780814431917, $22.00, www.amacombooks.org

CLICK MILLIONAIRES: WORK LESS, LIVE MORE WITH AN INTERNET BUSINESS YOU LOVE features stories of entrepreneurs who have made their riches on the internet - and are leading better personal lives because of it. It tells how to earn a solid income in a niche business that lasts - and it promotes the flexible hours and ability to work from home - or anywhere - that is one of the hallmarks of a successful internet enterprise. In addition to inspirational true-life accounts, expect a practical survey not just of building web traffic, but assessing the many online tools and opportunities for building a solid business. General-interest AND business holdings alike should consider this a 'must'!

Being Buddha at Work
Franz Metcalf and BJ Gallagher
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781609942922, $14.95, www.bk-life.com

BEING BUDDHA AT WORK: 108 ANCIENT TRUTHS ON CHANGE, STRESS, MONEY & SUCCESS is for any who would combine Buddhist thinking with business pursuits, and comes from a Buddhist scholar and a workplace expert who combine their knowledge to show how Buddha's advice relates to the workplace environment. It's a fine survey that links Buddha's answers to common workplace scenarios, offering insights that are both enlightened and practical. It's also a fine 'life guide' for any seeking to practice Buddhist beliefs throughout their home and work worlds, which makes it a pick for spirituality and business holdings alike!

Meta Products
Wimer Hazenberg & Menno Huisman
BIS Publishers
Het Sieraad, Postjesweg 1
1057 DT Amsterdam, The Netherlands
9789063692513, $39.00, www.bispublishers.nl

META PRODUCTS is a 'must' for business collections strong in trend-setting products and approaches, and surveys the rise of the 'Internet of Things' - in which consumer products connect to the web and communicate with each other, creating a whole new consumer environment. Artificial intelligence is moving to the next level of the business world - and those watching trends will find META PRODUCTS a fine assessment of the new technologies blurring the barriers between Internet and physical offerings. META PRODUCTS offers tools for rethinking design specs with this new milieu in mind, and is a pick for arts and business collections alike!

Delivering Happiness
Tony Hsieh
Business Plus
c/o Hachette Book Group
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017-0010
9780446563048, $23.99, www.hachettebookgroup.com

DELIVERING HAPPINESS: A PATH TO PROFITS, PASSION, AND PURPOSE comes from the CEO of Zappos.com, and reviews some surprising standard operating procedures at Zappos - including paying new employees, $2K to quit, and making company culture the first priority in the business plan. Zappos is an online retailer that's doing over, $1 billion gross in sales annually: here CEO Hsieh shares the lessons he's learned throughout his multifaceted business career - lessons that have lead to the very successful Zappos culture and model. Highly recommended for any business collection!

100 Things Every Presenter Needs to Know About People
Susan M. Weinschenk, PhD
New Riders
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321821249, $34.99, www.newriders.com

100 Things Every Presenter Needs to Know About People teaches how to increase the effectiveness of presentations by considering what holds attention during a presentation, how to choose the best media to use, and what makes a presentation have slick content. From how people react to voice and posture to how they respond to messages and what motivates people to take action, this probes how people listen, decide and react and offers many concrete keys to building skills and improving delivery. Any business holding should consider this a welcome, specific edition!


The Women's Studies Shelf

Vital Voices
Alyse Nelson
Jossey-Bass
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9781118184776, $27.95, www.josseybass.com

Vital Voices: The Power of Women Leading Change Around the World provides a powerful survey of the powerful global progress of women, and is a 'must' for any women's issues collection. It tells how the organization Vital Voices was founded, its work in bringing together women who want to effect change in their lives and governments, and comes from the CEO of Vital Voices, who has spearheaded the group that equips women with management and business skills needed for change. Interviews with global leaders and Vital Voices participants rounds out the organization's history and focuses on the lives of women and the transformational opportunities of leadership. No social issues or women's issues holding should be without this blend of inspiration and 'how to'!


The Music Shelf

Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll
Marc Dolan
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393081350, $29.95, www.wwnorton.com

Bruce Springsteen and the Promise of Rock 'n' Roll is a 'must' biography for any rock music collection in general and followers of Bruce Springsteen specifically. It provides a solid survey of his life, from his childhood in a household where his father didn't care for rock music and forbade heat and electricity after 10PM to a mother who encouraged him to play guitar and helped him succeed against all odds. Springsteen's evolution as a songwriter and his evolution as a performer lends to a multifaceted, hard-hitting biography that's difficult to put down - and perfect for any rock music fan looking for insight and inspiration.

Will You take Me As I Am
Michelle Mercer
Backbeat Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
33 Plymouth Street, Suite 302
Montclair, NJ 07042-2677
www.halleonard.com
9781617130281, $19.99, www.backbeatbooks.com

Any fan of folk musician Joni Mitchell will find her biography compelling, offering solid insights into one of the most influential artists of our times. Michelle Mercer had extensive conversations with Mitchell and learned about the evolution of her key albums during her 'blue period'. These autobiographical works lasted through the mid-1970s and this memoir blends criticism, biography, and interviews to provide in-depth keys to understanding Mitchell's lyrics, life and works. Any popular music holding will find this a key acquisition.

Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust
Ken Scott & Bobby Owsinski
Alfred Music Publishing
0739078585, $24.99, www.alfred.com

Abbey Road to Ziggy Stardust is an amazing history suitable for any popular music collection and covers the influence of recording engineer and producer Ken Scott, who worked on many classic rock songs of the 20th century and who has earned many awards for his productions, including Gold, Platinum and Diamond record sales awards, multiple Grammy nominations, and more. ABBEY ROAD TO ZIGGY STARDUST shares Scott's own memories of working with some of the greatest musicians of our times, and offers candid stories of behind-the-scenes encounters paired with rare black and white photos and plenty of technical details. The result is an outstanding history unique in its depth and insights.

Diamond in the Rough
Shawn Colvin
William Morrow
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780061759598, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com

Diamond in the Rough: A Memoir offers up a captivating autobiography of a popular folk musician who learned to play the guitar at the age of ten, and got her first big break in 1997 twenty years later. In the meantime she came of age moving from her small town South Dakota roots to the bar scene in Texas and on to world fame. Her memoir examines the experiences behind her music, recounts meeting numerous heroes in the music world, and provides a candid story of her struggles with addiction and depression, always turning to her music for comfort. It's a powerful memoir that is highly recommended for any popular music and many an autobiography collection.


The Gardening Shelf

Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com, www.octopusbooks.co.uk

Guy Barter's GROWING VEGETABLES & HERBS (97811845336431, $19.99) provides a new, practical guide to the practice of growing your own food and comes from the Royal Horticultural Society's top vegetable grower. Over 20 years of experience lends to his tips on growing some 70 of the most popular vegetables and herbs from seeds, from incorporating the latest organic methods to harvesting the most from one's garden. Also included are new crops, such as Asian greens and gourmet micro-greens used in restaurants. Geoff Hodges works with Rosemary Ward in PROPAGATION TECHNIQUES (9781845336424, $19.99), a survey that offers step-by-step instructions on how to successfully propagate all kinds of plants. From handling climbers and collecting tree seeds to breaking the dormancy of sweet trees, this packs in a range of instructions on cutting, dividing, sowing and grafting, details the latest best practices for particular plants, and is packed with color illustrations and photography. Geoff Hodge's PRUNING & TRAINING (9781845336777, $19.99) offers a unique pruning directory for quick reference that covers all the basics of pruning common plants, and is a pick for any gardener's reference library. Color step-by-step drawings and photos make each technique easy to follow and helps gardeners maintain a range of plants, from roses and fruit trees to climbers. Rosemary Ward's GARDEN PROBLEM SOLVER (9781845336769, $19.99) identifies nearly three hundred common garden pests and offers a range of treatments, from chemical and biological to natural solutions, to keeping them in check. The basics of combating pests and diseases in the garden are covered in a fine survey that tells how to make the most of a garden - and how to keep unwelcome pests at bay. All are top picks for any gardener's collection!

The Vertical Garden
Patrick Blanc
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393733792, $65.00, www.wwnorton.com

The Vertical Garden: From Nature to the City comes from the inventor of the concept of the urban 'vertical garden': one who has traveled the world creating natural gardens that flourish on walls, cliffs, house and business exteriors, and more. It's a compendium of his finest creations, and an architectural and botanical wonder perfect for gardening and architecture holdings alike. An oversized presentation allows for full-page color images of Patrick Blanc's best creations - over four hundred of them - while discussion of the changing urban landscape and the importance and applications of vertical gardens makes for an outstanding social and ecological survey. A 'must' for any collection strong in urban botany applications, this explores a rare pioneer's creations and creates an eye-catching, winning title that will appeal across the board to all types of readers.


The Cookbook Shelf

Everyday Gluten-Free Slow Cooking
Kimberly Mayone & Kitty Broihier, MS, RD
Sterling Publishing Company
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016-8810
9781402785535, $22.95, www.sterlingpublishing.com

Everyday Gluten-Free Slow Cooking packs in over 140 recipes for gluten-free dishes and is a recommendation for fans of slow cooking who require gluten-free options. The main dishes, though recommended, usually aren't hard to complete gluten-free, so it's the chapters on breakfast specialties and desserts - which ordinarily are packed with gluten - which shine, with alternatives such as Almond Granola with Dates and Coconut, Caramel Apple Crisp made with gluten-free oatmeal cookies, and an intriguing Layered Buffalo Chicken Dip.

The Book of Burger
Rachel Ray
Atria Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451659696, $24.99, www.simonandschuster.com

The Book of Burger is packed with color photos paired with recipes from chefs who have taken trophies at several burger competitions for years, offering the winning approaches of such notable names as Bobby Flay, Katie Lee, and more. It pairs recipes with essays on meat quality and handling and includes Ray's own custom blend of meat for beef burgers, along with many instructions on how to cook them. Any who believe that the lowly burger is a limited affair needs this book: it's packed with flavor combinations and approaches to meats which are unique and inviting - and perfect for any general lending collection.

Cornelia Guest's Simple Pleasures
Cornelia Guest
Weinstein Books
345 Hudson Street, 13th floor
New York, NY 10014
9781602861626, $32.50, www.weinsteinbooks.com

Cornelia Guest's Simple Pleasures: Healthy Seasonal Cooking and Easy Entertaining is for any who would cook and entertain and offers an arrangement by season to pair with recipes for all courses including beverages and desserts. The focus on fresh fruits and vegetables, quick dishes and color photos throughout will invite even newcomers to try such dishes as a summery Green Gazpacho and Fall Cinnamon Muffins.

Grace's Sweet Life
Grace Massa Langlois
Ulysses Press
PO Box 3440, Berkeley CA 94703-3440
9781612430249, $17.95, www.ulyssespress.com

GRACE'S SWEET LIFE packs in Italian dessert recipes and color photos and is a 'must' for any who seek a specific guide to Italian sweets. From cannoli and tiramisu to White Chocolate Mousse with Blueberry Compote Parfait, this is packed with delicious dishes that sound complicated but are easily produced, with the recipe broken down into one-two-three steps. Even novice bakers are assured of foolproof results in this delicious compendium of traditional Italian treats, recommended for general dessert and Italian ethic cuisine collections alike.

New Orleans Classic Brunches
Kit Wohl
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street
Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589808409, $16.95, www.pelicanpub.com

NEW ORLEANS CLASSIC BRUNCHES gathers dishes from the city's legendary restaurants and chefs, and provides a range of delights for any interested in the city's best cooking. From Huckleberry Pancakes to Fried Chicken & Waffles, these dishes come from elegant establishments and seasoned chefs and are accompanied by tips and techniques adapted to the nonprofessional cook reader. All recipes have been home-kitchen tested and are surprisingly easy to make despite their elegant-sounding names and unusual approaches, making for a top recommendation for any collection strong in regional American cookbooks in general and Louisiana cuisine in particular.

Sunday Brunch
Betty Rosbottom
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9780452105352, $19.95, www.chroniclebooks.com

SUNDAY BRUNCH: SIMPLE, DELICIOUS RECIPES FOR LEISURELY MORNINGS pairs lovely color photos by Susie Cushner with brunch dishes that range from pastries and egg dishes to adaptations of favorite dishes. Don't expect to find anything ordinary and mundane here: SUNDAY BRUNCH packs in 50 recipes for all kinds of eggs, from sautes to flans - and pairs these with waffles, popovers and much more. A fine guide for any looking for new, different breakfast ideas!

Smoking Meat
Jeff Phillips
Whitecap Books
9781770500389, $29.95, www.whitecap.ca

Smoking Meat: The Ultimate How-To Guide for Smoking All Kinds of Meat and Fish provides a basic guide to smoking meats, from finding, setting up and modifying a smoker to building and maintaining a fire, buying equipment, and keep food safe during the smoking process. It's packed with recipes for chicken, ribs, sausages and more and even includes specialty items such as frogs' legs and meatloaf. No collection should be without this fine photo-filled primer covering all kinds of smoking possibilities.

Fresh
Ruth Tal & Jennifer Houston
John Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9780470677964, $24.95, www.wiley.com

Fresh: New Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes from the Award-winning Fresh Restaurants comes from the popular Fresh Restaurant's treasure trove of winning dishes and is a pick for any who have either enjoyed the establishment or who are looking for fresh new vegetarian cookery ideas. Here are some 150 dishes from the restaurant's head chef and co-owner, offering dishes replete with flavor, easy assembly, and ingredients that can be located in any grocery. The unusual combination of vegetarian and vegan dishes assures that the easy dishes will appeal to a wide audience, making it a strong pick for any general-interest collection.

150 Best Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes
Camilla V. Saulsbury
Robert Rose Inc.
120 Eglinton Avenue East, Suite 800
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4P 1E2
9780778802914, $19.95, www.robertrose.ca

150 Best Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes deserves ongoing mention and recommendation as an outstanding selection of muffin recipes for the gluten-free dieter in mind, and provides a set of recipes that will appeal to gluten-free eater and general reader alike - making it perfect for families. The muffins (such as Sour Cream Peach Muffins and Indian Spice Coconut Muffins) are different, easy to make and include a gluten-free ingredients glossary and a list of kitchen equipment, too, making this a fine pick for newcomers to muffin cookery. Highly recommended for any wanting to tackle the biggest barrier to gluten-free cooking: breads and muffins.

A Feast of Ice & Fire
Chelsea Monroe-Cassel & Sariann Lehrer
Bantam Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor, New York, NY 10019
9780345534491, $35.00, www.bantamdell.com

A FEAST OF ICE & FIRE: THE OFFICIAL COMPANION COOKBOOK is a special recommendation for any collection seeing popularity with George R.R. Martin's best-selling fantasy 'A Game of Thrones', and makes for the perfect tie-in with its mouthwatering dishes mentioned throughout the series. It comes from fans and amateur chefs with an online project website named after the inn which appears often in Martin's series, and here in book form provides easily-followed recipes based on the novel's adventures. From Beef and Bacon Pie and Honeyed Chicken to Blueberry Tarts and Almond Crusted Trout, this is packed with tested dishes and even holds a guide to dining and entertaining in the style of Martin's Seven Kingdoms. It stands alone well as a cookbook but is especially recommended for collections seeing strong interest in A GAME OF THRONES.


The Computer Shelf

iPad Secrets
Darren Murph
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street
Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118247365, $29.99, www.wiley.com

IPAD SECRETS: DO WHAT YOU NEVER THOUGHT POSSIBLE WITH YOUR IPAD covers iPad, iPad2, and 3rd generation iPad, and covers a range of topics most ipad books don't touch. From knowing which apps and accessories are worth the money to understanding streaming tools, iTunes, how the iCloud operates, and tapping into Bluetooth operations, this covers a range of ideas and insights and is a fine survey for any iPad owner who wants to move to the next level of iPad operations.

Node Up and Running
Tom Hughes-Croucher & Mike Wilson
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449398583, $34.99, www.oreilly.com

Node Up and Running tells how to produce scalable server-side code with JavaScript and is a 'must' for any collection catering to web programmers. It is written by a core contributor to this open source framework and explains how Node's single-thread approach supports a number of simultaneous connections across multiple servers, teaching how to share code between browser and server. From how Node supports data storage and database to using helper APIs, this is a 'must' for programmers looking to move to the next step.

Murach's MySQL
Joel Murach
Murach and Associates
4340 N. Knoll, Fresno CA 93722
9781890774684, $54.50, www.murach.com

Murach's MySQL tells how to work with relational databases and SQL and offers a workbook of daily exercises designed to help users design and create a database using SQL coding and commands. From using transactions to maintain data integrity to using foreign keys and indexes, this covers all the basics and provides a focus not just on beginning processes, but the routines that help take SQL skills to the next level. Charts, exercises, and large type, easy explanations make this the training and reference SQL manual of choice.

Inside Windows Debugging
Tarik Soulami
Microsoft Press
c/o O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
www.oreilly.com
9780735662780, $39.99, www.microsoft.com

INSIDE WINDOWS DEBUGGING: PRACTICAL DEBUGGING AND TRACING STRATEGIES teaches how to use Windows debuggers throughout the software development cycle, and teaches the basics of understanding how Windows debuggers work. From using expert tricks in the process to analyzing interactions between code and operating system, this is packed with basics and examples of problems, common applications, and troubleshooting, and is a 'must' for any involved in Windows debugging.

PHP & MYSQL Novice to Ninja, fifth edition
Kevin Yank
Sitepoint
1829 Market Street, Suite 202
San Francisco CA 94103
9780987153081, $39.95, www.sitepoint.com

PHP & MYSQL Novice to Ninja offers a simple way of teaching yourself PHP & MYSQL, and provides a hands-on guide in its fifth updated edition teaching the basics of using PHP and best practices in database design using MySQL. From tutorials with easy examples to PHP coding and OOP basics, this offers details on building working content management systems and is a 'must' for any developer who would gain additional skills.

Seven Databases in Seven Weeks
Eric Redmond and Jim R. Wilson
Pragmatic Programmers
P.O. Box 293325
Lewisville, TX 75029-3325
9781934356920, $35.00, www.pragprog.com

Seven Databases in Seven Weeks: A Guide to Modern Databases and the noSQL Movement is edited by Jacquelyn Carter and offers a tour of some of the best open source databases today, from Redis to Riak and CouchDB. Each database receives details including real-world data problem solving and cross-comparisons that teach the differences between the applications and their tools. The result is a digest of the seven top open source databases on the market, keys to understanding their limitations and strengths, and solid advice on picking the ones that are best for a given project. A 'must' for any serious programmer's collection!

Essential Skills for the Agile Developer
Allan Shalloway, et.al.
Addison-Wesley
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780321543738, $44.99, www.awprofessional.com

Essential Skills for the Agile Developer: A Guide to Better Programming and Design is a 'must' for any collection strong in agile developer concepts, and is written by four professionals of Net Objectives who provide their real-world experiences helping professionals transition to an agile working environment. Chapters consider such concerns as over- and under-design, knowing how and when to apply inheritance, mastering best practices for software design and application, and more. They also analyze the keys to successful agile practices and offer insights into how to measure these keys in a powerful presentation recommended for any software programmer's holding strong in agile development.

My Xbox
Bill Loguidice and Christina T. Loguidice
QUE
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780789748966, $24.99, www.quepublishing.com

My Xbox: Xbox 360, Kinect, and Xbox LIVE provides step-by-step instructions that links callouts to Xbox photos to offer newcomers instructions on setting up the whole system, from the Xbox 360 to the Kinect sensor, headset and storage. Then it shows how to network the Xbox using wireless or wired connections, how to create an avatar and personalize the Xbox, and how to get the most from the Kinect system of motion control. A fine guide for any Xbox user.

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Web Designer
Neil Tortorella
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd Street, Suite 510
New York, NY 10010
1581158599, $19.95, www.allworth.com

Starting Your Career as a Freelance Web Designer is a recommended pick for any computer worker who would draft and follow a solid business plan for becoming a freelance web designer, and is a recommendation designed to save time, money and effort in the process. Any who want to build a freelance business will find this packed with tips on everything from marketing and promotion to making presentations and handling sales. With its business-specific and computer-specific business details, this is a 'must' for any planning a career as a freelance web designer.

Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Expression Web 4 in 24 Hours, second edition
Morten Rand-Hendriksen
Sams
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780672335907, $29.99, www.informit.com/samsteachyourself

Sams Teach Yourself Microsoft Expression Web 4 in 24 Hours appears in its second edition updated for Service Pack 2, HTML5, CSS3 and jQuery, and provides 24 sessions of one hour to less teaching how to build the latest websites using Microsoft Expression Web 4 and the other components. A step-by-step process teachers the web development process and the basics of designing and building web sites that are easy to manage and update, and includes quizzes and exercises at the end of each chapter. A fine guide for any web design library!

ZBrush Professional Tips & Techniques
Paul Gaboury
Sybex
c/o Wiley-Blackwell
10475 Crosspoint Boulevard
Indianapolis, IN 46256
www.wiley.com
9781118077805, $49.99, www.sybex.com

Any artist seeking guidelines for using ZBrush's magic will find this comes from one of the creators of ZBrush and is packed with keys based on teaching professionals and clients such as Pixar and Disney how to use ZBrush. This provides a color, step-by-step guide imparting his own ideas and secrets as well as insights from some of the most renowned ZBrush artists in the world. From creating custom brushes and techniques for posing and sculpting to manipulating scan data and learning professional approaches, this how-to guide is a 'must' for any who would get up to speed using the ZBrush environment.

Mutilingual Natural Language Processing Applications
Daniel M. Bikel and Imed Zitouni, Editors
IBM Press Books
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780137151448, $125.00, www.ibmpressbooks.com

Mutilingual Natural Language Processing Applications: From Theory to Practice is the first single-source guide to building accurate multilingual NLP systems, and is edited by two leading experts who offer discussions and real-world solutions to blending problems. It covers this core concepts of modern multilingual natural language processing, considers its special challenges and translation methods and issues, and offers new contributions from leading IBM researchers. Answers to key questions about processing creating speech recognition systems are provided in this top pick for any advanced computer collection!


The Railroading Shelf

Rebuilding a Layout from A-Z
Pelle K. Soeborg
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890248171, $21.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Rebuilding a Layout from A-Z provides important tips on how to build a better layout the second time around, and is a 'must' for any model railroader seeking specifics on redoing layouts. It covers the complete construction process and uses lessons the author learned from building his previous layout to cover all the details, from track to scenery and backdrops. From adding a roadbed to making a photographic backdrop, this focus on quality layout planning is a 'must' for any model railroad buff.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Elegant Quilts, Country Charm
Leonie Bateman and Deirdre Bond-Abel
Martingale & Company
19021 Avenue NE, Bothell, WA 98011
9781604680768, $26.99, www.shopmartingale.com

Elegant Quilts, Country Charm: Applique Designs in Cotton and Wool is an outstanding reference for any needlework collection and covers the basics of using wool applique to add texture and color to quilts and other projects. Wool doesn't fray and it holds many other attributes: this teaches the basics of choosing from 11 traditional projects and offers a sampling of applications from pillows to quilts. Highly recommended for any needlework library, it's packed with photos and step-by-step directions!

Vogue Knitting Stitchionary
Vogue Knitting Magazine
Sixth&Spring Books
161 Avenue of the Americas, Suite 1301
New York, NY 10013
9781936096237, $19.95, www.sixthandspringbooks.com

Vogue Knitting Stitchionary provides the first volume in a stitch reference series and covers knit and purl techniques in depth, making for a fine reference for any knitter's collection. Over 250 stitch patterns come from Vogue's archives and include four chapters thematically arranged by stitch patterns, while the step-by-step instructions are for novices and experts alike. These are easily-followed directions packed with color embellishments, and is a top pick for any needlework collection catering to those new to knitting and knitting stitches.

Knitting Everyday Finery
Mel Clark
Trafalgar Square Press
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road
North Pomfret, VT 05033
9781570765278, $24.95, www.trafalgarbooks.com

KNITTING EVERYDAY FINERY: PRACTICAL DESIGNS FOR DRESSING UP IN LITTLE WAYS provides color photos paired with easy directions for knitted hats, scarves, mittens, and all kinds of embellishments designed to style accents. It includes full-page patterns, directions on finished measurements, and directions for notions, yarn and needles alike, and is a fine presentation for any who would knit easy dress-up accents.


The Science Shelf

Experiment Eleven
Peter Pringle
Walker & Company
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9780802717740, $26.00, www.walkerbooks.com

EXPERIMENT ELEVEN: DARK SECRETS BEHIND THE DISCOVERY OF A WONDER DRUG is the first book to provide an in-depth history of wonder drug Streptomycin, its disputed Nobel Prize, and the events that changed scientific and pharmaceutical history. This much-lauded drug was the first cure for tuberculosis - but came at the cost of a professor taking credit for the work of a student. EXPERIMENT ELEVEN reads with the high drama of a novel but is pure fact, and thus is accessible for science, health and general lending libraries alike!

From Here to Infinity
Martin Rees
W.W. Norton
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780393063073, $23.95, www.wwnorton.com

FROM HERE TO INFINITY: A VISION FOR THE FUTURE OF SCIENCE comes form an astrophysicist and thinker who considers how scientists and laypeople can work together to solve world problems. It uses examples of how scientists extend their work and passion by working as communicators, presenting their findings directly to the public; and it admonishes ordinary people to better understand the foundations of science so they can more easily distinguish between rhetoric and legitimate research. Highly recommended for general interest and science holdings alike!

The Ethics of Cosmology
John C. Caiazza
Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, NJ 08854-8042
9781412842792, $34.95, www.transaction-pub.com

The Ethics of Cosmology: Natural Right and the Rediscovery of Design deserves ongoing recommendation as a powerful survey connecting new scientific cosmology with new ethical views of the universe, and is a pick for any college-level collection strong in astronomy or philosophy. It moral law and the concept of 'natural right', and considers issues of design, providence, and scientific explanations of the cosmos. With the whirlwind of changes affecting astronomy, THE ETHICS OF COSMOLOGY remains a stationary point of reference, and will prove of lasting value.

Evolving
Daniel J. Fairbanks
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616145651, $19.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

EVOLVING: THE HUMAN EFFECT AND WHY IT MATTERS comes from a research geneticist who argues that understanding evolution has never mattered more in human history. Health, food production and more depend on such a knowledge - and evolutionary science allows us to tackle illness in humans, plants and animals like. Evolutionary science also offers insights into population growth and impact, and offers us a better understanding of our place in the universe. Science holdings will find this a fine argument.

Secret Lives of Ants
Jae Choe
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 N. Charles St., Baltimore MD 21218
9781421404288, $34.95, www.press.jhu.edu

Secret Lives of Ants covers ant behaviors and is a fine survey of how ants divide jobs and work together. There's little discussion of physiology and a lot of discussion of the cooperative routines of ants, making this a fine natural history pick for beginners who want basic insights into how ant colonies operate. From high school to adult readers, the basic primer offers lively discussion suitable to general audiences, making it an attraction for school as well as general lending libraries.

The Epigenetics Revolution
Nessa Carey
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street
New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231161169, $16.95, www.cup.columbia/edu

The Epigenetics Revolution: How Modern Biology Is Rewriting Our Understanding of Genetics, Disease, and Inheritance comes from a leading epigenetics researcher who provides important connections between the field's arguments and discoveries and its applications. From why tortoiseshell cats are always female to how our bodies age, the twenty-year-old field of epigenetics holds many applications to human and animal worlds alike, and this survey of its revolutionary ideas highlights its basic findings, innovations, and applications.

The Language of Life
James Lull and Eduardo Neiva
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive
Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616145798, $19.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

THE LANGUAGE OF LIFE: HOW COMMUNICATION DRIVES HUMAN EVOLUTION offers a unique cultural message and addresses communication and its evolution in the species. The biological and social development of culture are considered in light of the evolution of communication in a title that introduces a new subdiscipline - evolutionary communication - and considers the basics for technological and social change alike. A 'must' for any linguistics, biology or social sciences collection!


The Social Issues Shelf

Rastafari in the New Millennium
Michael Barnett, Editor
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110
Syracuse, NY 13244-5290
www.syracuseuniversitypress.syr.edu
9780815632832, $39.95

College-level readers with an interest in Rastafari culture and history will relish Rastafari in the New Millennium: A Rastafari Reader, collecting scholarly writings that follows the theological and political impact and ideals of the Rastafari movement around the world. It provides a range of perspectives with essays that discuss social and religious issues of concern to Rastafaris. Essays add original new research to the field and are a 'must' for any serious college-level social issues collection.

Interop
John Palfrey and URS Gasser
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465021970, $28.99, www.basicbooks.com

INTEROP: THE PROMISE AND PERILS OF HIGHLY INTERCONNECTED SYSTEMS comes from technology experts who spent the last decade studying the proliferation of communications and information technologies, and who are experts in how digital technology affects societies around the world. This probes the integration of technology, society, organizations and individuals and provides a hard-hitting assessment of how systems do - and don't - work together. Chapters are packed with the theory of interop - the art of working together - and offers much new food for thought in the course of an analysis recommended for college-level and general collections alike.

Mightier Than the Sword, third edition
Rodger Streitmatter
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
9780813346304, $38.00, www.westviewpress.com

The third updated edition of MIGHTIER THAN THE SWORD: HOW THE NEWS MEDIA HAVE SHAPED AMERICAN HISTORY uses an original approach to cover landmark events in US history that were shaped by the news media, with this edition featuring a new chapter on the Obama campaign and presidency, the rise of social media, and the influence of new online news sources. It's a 'must' for any college-level journalism student, and provides a fine set of key insights into news ethics and influences.

Owning Our Future
Marjorie Kelly
Berrett-Koehler Publishers Inc.
235 Montgomery Street, Suite 650
San Francisco, CA 94104-2916
9781605093109, $19.95, www.bkconnection.com

OWNING OUR FUTURE: THE EMERGING OWNERSHIP REVOLUTION - JOURNEYS TO A GENERATIVE ECONOMY identifies new forms of business ownership which the author calls 'generative': a flexible organizational structure intended to live for many generations. These designs may hold the key to changing civilization itself, creating small flexible cores of business and economic pursuit. This is why OWNING OUR FUTURE is reviewed here, and not in The Business Shelf: it holds a powerful message based on reports from community-owned facilities around the world, and is a top inspirational recommendation for a wide audience!

Bunch of Amateurs
Jack Hitt
Crown
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 17th floor
New York, NY 10019
www.crownpublishing.com
9780307393753, $26.00, www.randomhouse.com

BUNCH OF AMATEURS: A SEARCH FOR THE AMERICAN CHARACTER provides a powerful and lively social analysis of what drives inventors to pursue their passions, what inspires amateurs to pursue their dreams, and what drives Americans to success. It's packed with stories to document the American spirit in action, selecting stories ranging from the pursuit of natural history and amateur garage tinkering to a space obsessive about to develop the next generation of telescopes - from his mobile home. It's a powerful survey of the enterprising American spirit, and is not to be missed by any general lending library seeking an inspirational account of discovery and invention.

Days of Destruction Days of Revolt
Chris Hedges and Joe Sacco
Nation Books
387 Park Avenue South
New York NY 10016
9781568586434, $28.00, www.nationbooks.org

Days of Destruction Days of Revolt comes from a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and an American Book Award-winning graphic artist who offer an expose of how corporate greed and government have contributed to economic decay in the U.S. unparalleled in any other era. It considers the moral and social costs of unregulated corporate capitalism and considers the Occupy movement, and blends investigative reporting with graphic narrative to focus on five segments of the story, from an Indian reservation in South Dakota that lives in poverty and addiction to Camden, New Jersey: the poorest urban area in the country. A powerful social and political exploration, this is not to be missed by any collection strong in U.S. politics and social issues.

Acculturated
Naomi Schaefer Riley & Christine Rosen
Templeton Press
300 Conshohocken State Road Suite 550
West Conshohocken, PA 19428
9781599473727, $25.95, www.templetonpress.com

ACCULTURATED; 23 SAVVY WRITERS FIND HIDDEN VIRTUE IN REALITY TV, CHICK LIT, VIDEO GAMES, AND OTHER PILLARS OF POP CULTURE offers essays considering the myths, habits, practices and peculiarities of our times, offering stories that consider the imbedded lessons of daily life. Contributors include not only renowned cultural critics but those who have created TV and Internet culture: all tasked with judging the ultimate longevity and value of cultural narratives they've created. Any college-level collection strong in cultural analysis will consider this a lively, insightful survey.

Culturematic
Grant McCracken
Harvard Business Review Press
c/o Harvard Business School Press
60 Harvard Way, Boston, MA 02163
97814221433922, $28.00, www.hbr.org/books

CULTUREMATIC is a powerful pick for business and cultural and social issues holdings alike and shows how cultural and social trends tie into groundbreaking business pursuits and ideas that create successful, revolutionary and evolutionary processes and products. It comes from an anthropologist who describes the 'little machine' for making culture (the culturematic) that fires on ingenuity and start up small but scale up quickly. Traditional producers of culture, from authors and filmmakers to newspapers and publishers, will find this a fine assessment of the trends and processes that have lead to groundbreaking cultural revolutions in modern times.

Share or Die
Malcolm Harris with Neal Gorenflo
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189
Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865717107, $14.95, www.newsociety.com

SHARE OR DIE: VOICES OF THE GET LOST GENERATION IN THE AGE OF CRISIS belongs in any social science collection where activism is a key topic, and provides a call to action revolving not just around resource depletion or vanishing jobs, but to finding common practices needed to build a meaningful life. Nearly 40 essays, personal narratives, cartoons and how-tos provide a fine guide to navigating the new economy based on collaboration and cooperation instead of competition, and is a fine pick for any collection strong in social activism and community planning.

Visit Sunny Chernobyl
Andrew Blackwell
Rodale Press
733 Third Avenue, New York, NY 10017
9781605294452, $25.99, www.rodalebooks.com

VISIT SUNNY CHERNOBYL AND OTHER ADVENTURES IN THE WORLD'S MOST POLLUTED PLACES provides a fun blend of travelogue and social issues in which the author embarks on different destinations: through the most polluted places on Earth. First-person accounts blend satire with analysis in an observational survey of topics ranging from deforestation in the Amazon to travels on India's most polluted river and sailing through the Great Pacific Garbage Patch on the ocean. A powerful, hard-hitting expose, this belongs in travel and world issues collections alike! Plenty of books cover polluted areas of the world - but few others treat it like a travel experience.

So Rich, So Poor
Peter Edelman
New Press
38 Greene St., 4th Floor, New York NY 10013
9781595587855, $24.95, www.thenewpress.com

SO RICH, SO POOR: WHY IT'S SO HARD TO END POVERTY IN AMERICA comes from an author who has spent over forty years working to reduce poverty in America, from his time in the U.S. Senate documenting poverty across the country to his appointment to the Clinton administration's Department of Human Services. He resigned to protest Clinton's signing of the welfare law in 1996 and continued his work in battling poverty: SO RICH, SO POOR documents his work, the underlying influences on poverty, and the efforts of various presidents over the decades to tackle the issues. It offers a direct assessment and plan that blends public policy and private action, criminal justice reforms, and more, and is a fine pick for any social issues collection!


The Military Shelf

The ME 262 Stormbird
Colin D. Heaton and Anne-Marie Lewis
Zenith Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760342633, $30.00, www.zenithpress.com

The ME 262 Stormbird comes from the pilots who flew and fought in the first jet-powered aircraft that first saw combat in 1944, to much acclaim. It offers a historical review of how the Stormbird evolved, how it changed lives, and receives details told largely in the words of the German aces who flew it. The Stormbird held much potential - including an opportunity to force cancellation of the Allied daylight bombing offensive - and it vastly exceeded the capabilities of Allied aircraft of the times. This gripping historical survey is a 'must' for military and aviation holdings alike!

Battleground Prussia
Prit Buttar
Osprey Publishing
4402 - 23rd Street, Suite 219
Long Island City, NY 11101-5058
9781849087902, $15.95, www.ospreypublishing.com

BATTLEGROUND PRUSSIA: THE ASSAULT ON GERMANY'S EASTERN FRONT 1944-45 documents the months between the arrival of the Red Amy on German soil and the final collapse of Hitler's regime: a time that saw some of the greatest, most desperate battles of the war. This book documents these struggles in clear detail, documenting the battles of soldiers and the involvements of civilians and bringing campaigns to life through previously unseen testimony and strategic analysis reporting documenting the horror and suffering. Military libraries will find this a powerful testimony of the 1944-45 assault's final bloody outcomes.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual
Lee Brimmicombe-Wood
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781161319, $19.95, www.titanbooks.com

Aliens: Colonial Marines Technical Manual examines the technology of the film and is packed with previously-unpublished diagrams, technical schematics and plans, and the weaponry of ALIENS. The Colonial Marines are used to winning - but on a tiny colony planet they lost... .this 'technical manual' offers analysis of the equipment and organization of America's interstellar force, is packed with new diagrams and technical schematics, and examines the weaponry and machines of the USCMC and those using them. A powerful recommended pick for film, science fiction and wargaming collections alike!

The Eye of the World
Robert Jordan
TOR Books
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010
9780765334336, $15.99, www.tor.com

The Eye of the World offers a paperback version of the first novel in Robert Jordan's 'The Wheel of Time' fantasy series, and is a top pick for any who want to go back to the beginning of the saga, when five young people embark upon the adventure of a lifetime. New cover art draws readers into the foundation of the fantasy, which has the young protagonists undertaking an amazing journey that will affect not just their lives, but generations. A top pick for any science fiction collection strong in epic fantasy presentations.

Silence
Michelle Sagara
DAW Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780756407421, $17.99, www.dawbooks.com

SILENCE: BOOK ONE OF THE QUEEN OF THE DEAD is intended for young adults but reviewed here for its fast-paced action and complex plot that will attract many an adult science fiction fan. Teen Ema is trying to cope with the death of her boyfriend and has taken to visiting the graveyard at night, when a spooky encounter changes her life. She learns she can speak with the dead and see and touch them - and that when she touches them, those around her can also see. But where others with the talent would use the energy to work magic, Emma chooses to help the ghosts escape their trap - and faces many powerful enemies as the result of her choice. A fast-paced, well-drawn novel keeps readers guess throughout.

Blue Remembered Earth
Alastair Reynolds
Ace
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780441020713, $26.95, www.penguin.com

BLUE REMEMBERED EARTH represents the first book in an epic that traces generations of one family across over ten thousand years of future history as they move beyond the solar system and contribute to the birth of a galactic society. In this future over a hundred years from now the journey begins in a universe where Africa is a world power, crime and disease have been eliminated, and colonies cover the solar system. In this world Geoffrey wants to be left alone to conduct elephant studies - but his powerful family sends him into space to preserve the family name, where he will make discovers that will change his world and that of the entire human race. A gripping saga emerges, perfect for any science fiction collection!

Live and Let Drood
Simon R. Green
ROC Books
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451464521, $25.95, www.penguin.com

LIVE AND LET DROOD provides a fine 'Secret Histories' novel, the sixth in the author's Secret History series, and continues the story of one Eddie, a member of an ancient family that protects the world against supernatural and magical threats. This series was originally supposed to be a trilogy, but became so popular that Green continued to write additional books. Here Eddie's entire family has been banished to another dimension, leaving him the only one to uncover the clues to their exile. A powerful story evolves, especially recommended for collections seeing interest in the other 'Secret Histories' titles.


The Psychology Shelf

Healing the Angry Brain
Ronald Potter-Efron, MSW, PhD
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608821334, $16.95, www.newharbinger.com

Healing the Angry Brain is written by an anger management expert who teaches how to take control of emotions by rewiring your brain for greater patience and perspective. It's a scientific approach to anger management that tells how anger pathways in the brain are forged - and how they can be undone. Keys to changing these damaging brain patterns make for a powerful survey recommended for any general-interest or health lending library.

Rainy Brain, Sunny Brain
Elaine Fox
Basic Books
Publicity Department
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465019458, $27.99, www.basicbooks.com

Rainy Brain, Sunny Brain: How to Retrain Your Brain to Overcome Pessimism and Achieve a More Positive Outlook comes from a pioneering neuroscientist and psychologist who has researched the ways in which people interpret their world. It reveals that the brain has up and down circuits - and documents the research gleaned over the past two decades that consider what can strengthen and weaken human responses to pleasure and fear. Brain imaging technologies and other techniques offer measurement of attention, confirmation, and more and reveal keys to understanding the roots of optimism and pessimism - revealed here, along with programs for positive change.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

The Living Heart in the 21st Century
Michael E. DeBakey, MD & Antonio M. Gotto Jr, MD, DPhil
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2119
9781616145637, $20.00, www.prometheusbooks.com

The Living Heart in the 21st Century offers a fine guide on common conditions affecting the heart and comes from two experts who have played key roles in the field of heart health. It has been completely revised and updated to reflect the latest research, and presents the latest guidelines on reducing cardiovascular risk, clearly explaining the scientific basis for heart-healthy recommendations. A top pick for any consumer health collection!

Paleoista
Nell Stephenson
Touchstone Books
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451662924, $23.00, www.simonandschuster.com

PALEOISTA: GAIN ENERGY, GET LEAN, AND FEEL FABULOUS WITH THE DIET YOU WERE BORN TO EAT comes from a nutritional consultant and collaborator on The Paleo Diet Cookbook who offers fresh new insights into the gluten-free, non-dairy Paleo idea. The premise is simple: to stick to the foods human beings were born to consume as hunter-gatherers, avoiding processed foods such as grains, legumes, dairy products, sugar and more. The ultimate Paleoista is a successful, fit, healthy woman in this coverage, which takes the 'caveman' out of 'Paleo' and offers clear strategies for women interested in a diet that reduces time in the kitchen, time in the grocery store, and time spent working off the pounds.

7 Keys to Lifelong Sexual Vitality
Drs. Brian and Anna Maria Clement
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
9781608680924, $15.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

7 Keys to Lifelong Sexual Vitality: The Hippocrates Institute Guide to Sex, Health, and Happiness tells of The Clements, a married couple who codirect the Hippocrates Health Institute in Florida and who believe sexual energy is a universal fuel of life. Healthy sex is one of nature's best medicines and reduces depression, anger and stress - it even improves memory. This offers a holistic approach to explaining how sex is connected to a person's physical and mental health - and blend physiology with psychology in considering the benefits of sexual intimacy and seven keys to understanding personal sexuality and its expression. A fine primer for any collection strong in human sexuality.

The Patient Survival Guide
Dr. Maryanne McGuckin with Toni L. Goldfarb
Demos Medical Publishing
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, NY, NY 10036
9781936303311, $16.95, www.demoshealth.com

The Patient Survival Guide: 8 Simple Solutions to Prevent Hospital- and Healthcare-Associated Infections provides all the basics to avoiding problems in hospital and healthcare settings. Besides preventative options, this includes keys on how to identify an infected IV site, questions to ask health care professions, when to say 'no' to urinary catheters, and much more. From preventing pneumonia to asking the right questions, this surveys the entire hospital process, identifies common areas where trouble begins, and empowers patients towards better health care decisions, and should be in any consumer-oriented health reference collection.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Ethics of Reality TV
Wendy N. Wyatt and Kristie Bunton, Editors
Continuum
c/o Continuum International Publishing Group
80 Maiden Lane, Suite 704, New York, NY 10038
9781441189035, $29.95, www.continuumbooks.com

The Ethics of Reality TV investigates issues and themes ranging from deception and privacy to community building to explore the ways in which reality TV may help and harm society. Leading scholars in the area of media ethics analyze key issues and the genre as a whole, providing film and media students with a powerful analysis that discusses ethical dangers inherent in the reality TV format as a whole. Media students at the college level will find this an involving, astute analysis.

Cut by Cut, second edition
Gael Chandler
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd. #1111
Studio City, CA 91604
9781615930906, $36.95, www.mwp.com

The second updated edition of CUT BY CUT: EDITING YOUR FILM OR VIDEO covers the latest post-production process to film by following a film editor's entire journey from receiving film product to editing it for YouTube, Blu-Ray, TV, film or tape, and is a must for any who would understand all the ramifications of different media and editing processes. The basics of making cuts, producing overlaps and cheat shots, and tackling sound editing are covered with all the different formats and their requirements in mind. Also included are details on handling cut requirements for different genres, making CUT BY CUT an exceptional survey highly recommended for any film collection. The practical applications and assessments offer the latest trends and information, and can't be beat!

Prometheus: The Art of the Film
Mark Salisbury
Titan Books
144 Southwark Street, London SE1 OUP, UK
9781781161098, $39.95, www.titanbooks.com

Ridley Scott made a ground-breaking movie, ALIEN, that decades ago sparked controversy and redefined the genre of science fiction film. He's back with PROMETHEUS, where a team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on earth - and to its possible demise. Prometheus: The Art of the Film focuses on the movie's epic production and is packed with design art - including a selection of Scott's own hand-drown storyboards - along with behind-the-scenes photos and insights on the film's making. Packed with amazing images and insights, it's a powerful survey highly recommended for any science fiction or film collection!


The Comix/Graphic Novel Shelf

The Superhero Book
Gina Misiroglu
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road #414, Canton MI 48187-2075
9781578593750, $24.95, www.visibleink.com

THE SUPERHERO BOOK: THE ULTIMATE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF COMIC-BOOK ICONS AND HOLLYWOOD HEROES provides an in-depth guide to all comic characters from the Golden and Silver Ages to the Modern Ages, covering Wolverine, Green Lantern, Superman, and more, and is a 'must' collection of stories and descriptions analyzing and contrasting yesterday's and today's superheroes. Many comic book analyses focus on one era or one publishing house: THE SUPERHERO BOOK stands apart in its focus on Marvel, DC and Dark Horse plus small independent comic publishers. It packs in color illustrations plus classic comic-book covers and is a 'must' for any comics history collection.

The Graphic Canon: Volume 1
Edited by Russ Kick
Seven Stories Press
140 Watts Street, New York NY 10013
9781609803766, $34.95, www.sevenstories.com

The Graphic Canon: Volume 1 provides the first volume in a trilogy that joins classic literature and graphic novel artists alike, packing over 130 illustrators and 200 literary works over three volumes. This first volume covers The Epic of Gilgamesh to Shakespeare and more, covering literary giants through the end of the 1700s and offering renditions of The Arabian Nights, The Divine Comedy, Paradise Lost and more. Graphic novel holdings will consider this a 'must'.

Servant of the Bones
Anne Rice
IDW Publishing
5080 Santa Fe St., San Diego CA 92109
9781613771730, $24.99, www.idwpublishing.com

Servant of the Bones brings one of Anne Rice's creations to the graphic novel format and is a fine pick for any collection interested in graphic novel renditions of either Rice's works or literature in general. It offers a fine story already powerfully filled with magic and elements of intrigue and danger, and pairs Anne Rice and Mariah McCourt's efforts with those of illustrators Renae DeLiz and Ray Dillon. The result is a fine and hard-hitting graphic novel which improves upon Servant of the Bones and is a pick for any graphic novel library!

Darkroom: A Memoir in Black & White
Lila Quintero Weaver
University of Alabama Press
Box 870380, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0380
9780817357146, $24.95, www.uapress.ua.edu

Darkroom: A Memoir in Black & White provides a lively story of the author's instruction in visual arts and provides her observations of the South during the Civil Rights era: all told in a series of black and white graphic novel format pictures that sees the world through images. It focuses on Alabama's civil rights issues and immigration and comes from the viewpoint of a Latina girl who came from Argentina to Marion, Alabama, and blends drawings and dialogue in a powerful educational assessment of her life and times. Any graphic novel or civil rights holding will find this a powerful survey.


The Fiction Shelf

Wicked City
Alaya Johnson
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10010-7848
0312565488, $25.99, www.stmartins.com

Readers of the prior MOONSHINE and newcomers alike will find WICKED CITY a fine vampire novel revolving around the blood-based intoxicant Faust and Zephyr Hollis, who is involved in trying to ban the intoxicant - which places her in direct conflict with the mayor, who has a vested interest in legalizing it. When dozens of vampires begin dying from Faust, it's up to Zephyr to discover whether they are being poisoned - and to save her own reputation, on the line after an anonymous tip to the police seems to point to her as the murderer. A fine, tense story evolves in a fast-paced vampire novel packed with twists and turns and perfect for collections seeing enthusiasm for vampire tales.

Trauma Plan
Candace Calvert
Tyndale House Publishers
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414361116, $12.99, www.tyndalehouse.com

TRAUMA PLAN tells of a former nurse who longs to return to ER work after a brutal assault leaves her physically damaged - and her path to get back there takes her to a volunteer position at a controversial free medical clinic. Community efforts are seeking to close his clinic, and Dr. Jack Travis is hoping his new former nurse's powerful family name will thwart his enemies. What begins as an adversarial relationship involves into something more as clinic politics heat up in this powerful survey.

The Watchers
Jon Steele
Blue Rider Press
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780399158742, $26.95, www.penguin.com

THE WATCHERS offers up the first book in the Angelus Trilogy and provides a fine original thriller that blends suspense with history and fantasy. Set in Switzerland, it follows three allies who wage a battle against evil - and who have different visions of what they wish their future to be. A war correspondent who taps unique vision, a shadowy watcher who calls the hour from a bell tower and communes with spirits, and a high-priced call girl who caters to the rich are drawn together as violence and murders begin to rock their world. The centuries-old cathedral that draws them all serves as the foundation for a battle between good and evil in this supernatural fiction tale, packed with satisfying twists and turns.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Berkeley Publishing Group
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
www.penguin.com

Elizabeth Bailey's THE DEATHLY PORTENT (9780425245675, $15.00) is set in the small village of Witherley, facing the aftermath of a violent murder. The town believes a witch is behind it, and soon a witch hunt begins that spins out of control. It's up to bride and lady Ottilia to uncover the truth before one murder leads to injustice in this fine Lady Fan mystery, recommended for prior readers and newcomers alike. Stephanie Jaye Evans' FAITHFUL UNTO DEATH (9780425247730, $15.00) provides a satisfying 'Sugar Land' mystery in a debut that tells of a former college football player turned minister in Sugar Land, Texas, who handles the spiritual problems of his flock. Now he's being called upon to handle murder - something he has no interest in solving. As circumstances draw him ever deeper into the mystery, including the fact that the murdered man's son is now dating his daughter, Bear finds himself on a dangerous collision course with death in this riveting story.

Fashion Faux Paw
Judi McCoy
Obsidian Mystery
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780451236272, $7.99, www.penguin.com

FASHION FAUX PAW is the sixth book in Judy McCoy's best-selling series and takes place at a fashion show, where Ellie is in charge of the dogs' modeling outfits. When a designer drops dead from peanut poisoning, Ellie suspects foul play and embarks on an investigation that takes her into the underworld of the fashion industry itself. A fine, tense thriller keeps even the most seasoned of mystery fans reading to the unexpected conclusion.

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes
Marcus Sakey
NAL
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9780451236920, $15.00, www.nal.com

The Two Deaths of Daniel Hayes opens with a man waking up alone and half-drowned on an abandoned beach, with no memory of who he is. Inside a nearby unlocked car he finds clothes that fit perfectly and information on one Daniel Hayes - but is he Daniel, or someone else? His search for answers dovetails with the world's search for him, that leads to a mysterious woman and possible answers in this gripping thriller.

Target: Tinos
Jeffrey Siger
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
9781590589762, $24.95, www.poisonedpenpress.com

TARGET: TINOS provides a fine Chief Inspector Kaldis novel that opens with a bang: two charred bodies turn up on Tinos surrounded by fragments of a burned Greek flag, and turns out to be the bodies of gypsies. It's up to Kaldis, head of Greece's special crimes division, to juggle both his upcoming wedding and a dangerous case that introduces him to some surprising characters on the Aegean island of Tinos, where Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholics coexist. Delightful Greek history and culture permeate a satisfying, wonderful mystery.

Cast On, Kill Off
Maggie Sefton
Berkeley Prime Crime
c/o Penguin Group (USA)
375 Hudson Street, 4th floor
New York, NY 10014
9780425247594, $25.95, www.penguin.com

CAST ON, KILL OFF blends recipes and a knitting pattern with a fine new knitting mystery, the latest release in the author's popular knitting mystery series. Here Kelly's friend and fellow knitter is about to get married - until the seamstress is found dead. That's all a good wedding needs: murder before the nuptials! It's up to Kelly and her knitting group to help Megan and solve the case, creating a fast-paced and well-moving mystery filled with tension and satisfying twists of plot.


The Political Science Shelf

As Texas Goes... .
Gail Collins
Liveright Publishing
c/o W. W. Norton & Company
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780871404077, $25.95, www.wwnorton.com

AS TEXAS GOES... HOW THE LONE STAR STATE HIJACKED THE AMERICAN AGENDA focuses on the national agenda for the last decades, and shows how the election process has basically been owned by the Texans. The source of Texas's political power combines victimhood and brash bragging about Texas's strengths and abilities - and often leads the nation in controversy and political clout. Chapters document Texas sentiment, involvement in the national political process, and more, and make for an outstanding survey for any general-interest or political collection.

Introduction to Homeland Security
Keith Gregory Logan and James D. Ramsay, Editors
Westview Press
2465 Central Avenue, Boulder CO 80301
9780813345987, $42.00, www.westviewpress.com

Introduction to Homeland Security comes from a range of expert contributors who provide varied discussions in homeland security studies, from emergency management and terrorism to law and public policy and public health. These original essays describe the entire scope of the homeland security arena today, using academic and real-world observations and interactions to focus on the political concerns of homeland security policy in the modern world. Any college-level collection strong in criminal justice and political issues needs this.

Words Like Loaded Pistols
Sam Leith
Basic Books
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780465031054, $26.99, www.basicbooks.com

Words Like Loaded Pistols: Rhetoric from Aristotle to Obama comes from a journalist and rhetoric enthusiast who here outlines and identifies the basics of rhetoric, discussing its importance in social and political circles and analyzing philosophers, politicians, and public figures who have used rhetoric to their own devices. It provides a history of rhetoric usage, its basic appeals, and offers examples of recorded rhetoric through the ages, analyzing invention, arrangement, style, memory and delivery and their influence on audiences. Recommended for political science and linguistics collections alike, WORDS LIKE LOADED PISTOLS is a hard-hitting survey for modern times.

A Nation of Wusses
Ed Rendell
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
9781118279052, $25.95, www.wiley.com

A Nation of Wusses: How America's Leaders Lost the Guts to Make Us Great comes from former Pennsylvania governor Ed Rendell, who explains why American leaders rarely ask for sacrifice for the greater good - and avoid making such sacrifices themselves. He pinpoints politicians who only see their own benefit in the job, and documents the evolution of a people who have moved from making sacrifices and working hard to one in which sacrifice is deemed a negative thought. From Ed Rendell's rise in Pennsylvania politics to his encounter with other politicians, this provides a powerful survey suitable for any political collection.


The Sports Shelf

On Par
Bill Pennington
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
215 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10003
9780547548449, $26.00, www.hmhbooks.com

ON PAR: THE EVERYDAY GOLFER'S SURVIVAL GUIDE comes from an award-winning sports columnist who adds a funny tone to his assessment of the sport. He's consulted the world's leading golf instructors, caddies, and bartenders, has played golf with Tiger Woods and other notables, and even has considered the advice of economists and psychologists alike to provide an unusually well-rounded view of the sport, from equipment and rules to the psychology of golfing and the game itself. Any who aspire to golf or who do golf will find this is part reflection, part instructional guide, and does a lot to capture the sentiments and approach of the game.

The Art of Running Faster
Julian Goater & Don Melvin
Human Kinetics
Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736095501, $19.95, www.humankinetics.com

The Art of Running Faster: Improve Technique, Training and Performance challenges stereotypes and removes doubts about the running and training process, teaching how to overcome the obstacles that hinder running. From customizing a training program to develop running strength and speed to syncing conventional training methods with individual body requirements and style, this offers runners a concrete program for better performance, and is a pick for any running collection.

Story of the Yankees
Dave Anderson, Editor
Black Dog & Leventhal Publishers
151 West 19th Street, New York, NY 10011
www.workman.com
9781579129071, $29.95, www.bdlev.com

THE NEW YORK TIMES STORY OF THE YANKEES offers over 350 articles to commemorate the team's best accomplishments and features stories reported by The New York Times that range from 1903 to modern times, and is a vivid reflective pick for any avid Yankees follower. Some of the greatest moments and figures of Yankees history is presented backed by the professional coverage and choices of the Times, making this not only a one-of-a-kind collection, but an authoritative reference 'must' for any baseball history holding.


The Biography Shelf

Calamity Jane
James D. McLaird
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806142517, $19.95, www.oupress.com

CALAMITY JANE; THE WOMAN AND THE LEGEND offers a fine biography of Martha Canary the woman known as Calamity Jane, and tells of how the alcoholic prostitute became a Wild West heroine. Myths and realities are explored in a historical survey that follows Canary's ride with Wild Bill Hickok, her involvement in military expeditions, and her engrossing adventures until her death at age 47. Since many of these exploits have been exaggerated or invented, it's satisfying to see a realistic portrait that comes from newspaper research and eyewitness accounts showing what kind of woman Canary really was. An outstanding historical biography, recommended for any American history holding!

Biting the Moon
Joannec S. Frye
Syracuse University Press
621 Skytop Road, Suite 110
Syracuse, NY 13244-5290
9780815609698, $27.95, www.syr.edu

BITING THE MOON: A MEMOIR OF FEMINISM AND MOTHERHOOD tells of a second-year doctoral student from a Midwestern family who marries a German professor ten years her senior, moving her from a sheltered world to one with new demands from a domineering husband. Her experience with motherhood, a completed education, and her new desire for freedom from her husband leads her to escape with her two young children - and BITING THE MOON recounts her evolution toward independence and a successful career that incorporates her motherhood into the equation. A powerful story, this is a pick for autobiography and feminist holdings alike.

The Man in the Rockefeller Suit
Mark Seal
Plume
c/o Penguin Group USA
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780452298033, $16.00, www.penguin.com

The Man in the Rockefeller Suit: The Astonishing Rise and Spectacular fall of a Serial Imposter appears in paperback to draw new audiences into the true story of the shape-shifting con man known as 'Clark Rockefeller', arrested in 2008 but a mysterious figure until this expose. New material on the con artist's murder trial reflects nearly two years of interviews with nearly two hundred people who knew the man. Any collection strong in biography in general and true crime in particular will find this packed with insights on a grand deception - some thirty years of it.

Genius of Place
Justin Martin
Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780306818813, $30.00, www.dacapopress.com

GENIUS OF PLACE: THE LIFE OF FREDERICK LAW OLMSTED explores a man who has a reputation as a landscape architect, but is actually much more: a reformer and journalist, he championed the abolitionist cause to Northern and British audiences of the 1850s and 50s, and fostered civil rights as well as the creation of public spaces that preserved nature. From his stormy family relationships to his social and political impact on the country, GENIUS OF PLACE provides a powerful survey recommended for any biography collection.


The Library DVD Shelf

John Mellencamp: It's About You
MPI Media Group
16101 South 108th Avenue
Orland Park, IL 60462
0788614541, $29.98, www.mpihomevideo.com

John Mellencamp: It's About You provides fans of the musician John Mellencamp with a personal film by Kurt and Ian Markus, and covers a career spanning over 25 years. This isn't a recap: the movie's co-directors, photographer Kurt Marcus and his son Ian, traveled with Mellencamp on his 2009 concert tour with Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson, and film the writing and recording of his 2010 album NO BETTER THAN THIS. They shot in Super 8 to provide a visual reflection of Mellencamp's Americana music, and provide a lovely 'you are there' portrait of Mellencamp's music, inspiration, and perspective.

Dr. Who & Sarah Jane DVDs
BBC America
www.bbcamerica.com

Three new DVD sets are top picks for science fiction fans in general and Dr. Who followers alike, offering fine home editions that leave off commercials and offer many added bonuses. The Patrick Troughton years 1966-69 of Dr. Who are reflected in the 2-disc set DOCTOR WHO: THE SEEDS OF DEATH SPECIAL EDITION (0780671015, $34.98), presenting the Second Doctor and his companions who discover the Ice Warriors have hijacked T-Mat, the transport system, and intend on claiming the entire planet. Extinction of the world is at the head of a powerful story, digitally re-mastered to include audio commentary with the actors and director, featurettes, and other bonuses. The Peter Davison years from 1982-84 are profiled in the two-disc set DOCTOR WHO: RESURRECTION OF THE DALEKS SPECIAL EDITION (0780671031, $34.98), in which the Fifth Doctor and his companions are forced into 1984 London, where the Doctor faces his most devious enemy the Daleks. More audio commentary and interviews with actors accompany an alternate 4-part version of the story in this powerful saga. The fifth season of THE SARAH JANE ADVENTURES (0780694910, $19.98) provides the satisfying spin-off's final season and follows the adventures of Sarah and her young friends, who team up with The Doctor to explore mysteries. This series is geared more to young adult followers than adult, but any avid fan of The Doctor hungry for more will find this packed with adventure and filled with bonus features, including a tribute to the now-deceased Sarah Jane (Elisabeth Sladen). All are outstanding DVD recommendations for Doctor Who fans and wannabes!

BBC America
www.bbcamerica.com

The complete Season 18 of TOP GEAR (0780695232, $24.98) provides the complete season as seen on BBC America and BBC Canada, includes the India Special, and follows the hosts as they drive supercars across Italy, make a movie car chase, and more. It's a fun romp through the world of fast cars, unique cars, and car culture; and will be a fine recommendation for any who love car shows in general and TOP GEAR in particular. This includes bonuses of a welcome introduction to the season and behind-the-scenes featurettes of drivers and cars. CIVILIZATION; THE WEST AND THE REST with Niall Ferguson (0780692543, $34.98) provides a fine documentary series by a host named by TIME as one of their top 100 most influential people, and investigates the influences of the West and Christianity. It considers the rise and possible fall of the West and discusses science, democracy and the work ethic in a striking set of considerations perfect for fans of world history.


The Autism Shelf

Loving Someone with Asperger's Syndrome
Cindy N. Ariel, PhD
New Harbinger
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781608820771, $18.95, www.newharbinger.com

Loving Someone with Asperger's Syndrome provides a fine self-help title directed to those in a relationship with an Asperger's Syndrome individual, and offers tools that help with understanding the condition and working around it. The tools help build intimacy and improve communications, and are accompanied by assessments and exercises for both partners in the couple, making for a fine pick for any health collection.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Collect Contemporary: Jewelry
Joanna Hardy
Thames & Hudson
500 - 5th Avenue, New York NY 10110
9780500288559, $21.95, www.thames.wwnorton.com

Collect Contemporary: Jewelry is packed with over two hundred color illustrations and considers how new collectors can assess and make smart picks to a jewelry collection. It covers the basic process with the novice in mind, from studying the works of different jewelry designers and their materials to buying, storing, and cleaning jewelry. Some forty jewelry artists appear here in a guide that covers their training, techniques, and sources of inspiration in a fine guide that comes from a professional jewelry designer and is edited by Malcolm Cossons, who edits Sotheby's monthly magazine.

2012 North American Coins & Prices
David C. Harper, Editor
Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
www.krausebooks.com
9781440217258, $19.99, www.shopnumismaster.com

The 21st edition of 2012 North American Coins & Prices: A Guide to U.S., Canadian and Mexican Coins pairs small but detailed black and white photos with the latest prices and new con prices for nearly 47,000 individual coin listings, making for a definitive reference for any serious coin collector. Price updates reflect the volatile changes in the prices of gold and silver bullion coins, there have been extensive additions to listings for Canadian coins, and market prices for collector coins from all countries pack a key reference.


The California Shelf

Grave Matters
Tony Platt
Heyday Books
Box 9145, Berkeley CA 94709
9781597141628, $18.95, www.heydaybooks.com

GRAVE MATTERS: EXCAVATING CALIFORNIA'S BURIED PAST provides a fine history of native remains in California and follows Tony Platt, who began his survey with his son's funeral at a sleepy seaside village in Humboldt County, once the center of a native tribe. Platt's journey around the world sought to answer how a place of beauty could also be associated with a horrible past, and GRAVE MATTERS centers around the Yurok people and the movement to repatriate remains and reclaim ancient rights. It deserves ongoing mention and recommendation for California and Native American holdings alike.

Arcadia Publishing
Publicity Department
Arcadia Publishing
420 Wando Park Blvd., Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
www.arcadiapublishing.com

Martha Sharrer Michael's CANYON COUNTRY (9780738589046, $21.99) joins others in the 'Images of America' series and considers the history of a community located in northern Los Angeles County in the Santa Clarita Valley. Canyon Country was once the ancestral home of the Tataviam people who were the area's first inhabitants: this historical survey offers vintage photos and a history of Canyon Country over 1,500 years, and is a fine addition to any Southern California collection. Jerry Whitehead III's TUOLUMNE CITY (9780738589183, $21.99) comes from a fifth-generation resident of Tuolumne City whose roots go back to its beginnings, and pairs the history of the neighborhoods of the city with historic photos from the Tuolumne City memorial Museum and its volunteers. Any with an interest in California's Gold Rush heritage will find this packed with eye-opening historical facts and photos, suitable for any California history holding.

Picacho and the Cargo Muchachos
San Diego Association of Geologists
Sunbelt Publications
1256 Fayette Street, El Cajon, CA 92020
9780916251208, $29.95, www.sunbeltbooks.com

Picacho and the Cargo Muchachos: Gold, Guns, and Geology of Eastern Imperial County, California is a special pick for Southern California collections and any interested in the geology of the California desert. It focuses on an area that's a drive of less than three easy hours from San Diego, guarded by the Quechan People for thousands of years and now accessible via graded dirt roads and 4WD trails. Any reader interested in the general area or in California' geology in particular will find Picacho and the Cargo Muchachos a wonderful and lively survey packed with regional lore, science, and geologic and Native American history.


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

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


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