 |
Book
Reviews,
Book Lover Resources, Advice for Writers and Publishers |
| Home / Internet
Bookwatch |
Internet Bookwatch
Table of Contents
Reviewer's Choice
Once I Too Had Wings
Emma Bell Miles, author
Steven Cox, editor
Ohio University Press
215 Columbus Road, Suite 101, Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821420874, $28.95, www.amazon.com
Emma Bell Miles (1879 - 1919) was a writer, poet, and artist whose works capture the essence of
the natural world and the culture of Southern Appalachia. Edited and with an informative
introduction by Appalachian history expert Steven Cox (who is the head of Special Collections
and Archives in the Lupton Library at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga) "Once I Too
Had Wings: The Journals of Emma Bell Miles, 1908 - 1918" is a 352 page compendium
comprised of the journal entries that read with an elegant prose as she descriptively documents
ordinary and difficult life in the Appalachian mountain country (especially for women) and
Miles' struggles with tuberculosis. Enhanced with an instructive foreword by Elizabeth S. d.
Engelhardt, an Epilogue, a nine page section of Notes, and a useful Index, "Once I Too Had
Wings: The Journals of Emma Bell Miles, 1908 - 1918" will prove to be a welcome and much
appreciated addition to academic library Appalachian Studies, Women's Studies, and American
Biography collections. It should be noted that "Once I Too Had Wings: The Journals of Emma
Bell Miles, 1908 - 1918" is also available in both a hardcover (9780821420867, $59.95) and a
Kindle edition ($13.79).
Living A Land Ethic
Stephen A. Laubach
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299298746, $19.95, www.amazon.com
Aldo Leopold (January 11, 1887 - April 21, 1948) was an American author, scientist, ecologist,
forester, and environmentalist. A professor at the University of Wisconsin, Leopold was
influential in the development of modern environmental ethics and in the movement for
wilderness conservation. His ethics of nature and wildlife preservation had a profound impact on
the environmental movement, with his ecocentric or holistic ethics regarding land. He
emphasized biodiversity and ecology and was a founder of the science of wildlife management.
In 1935, during a severe and prolonged drought, Aldo Leopold purchased an abandoned farm
along the Wisconsin River near Baraboo, Wisconsin. The Leopold family used this depleted farm
as a place to experiment with strategies and techniques for restoring environmental health to an
ailing piece of previously exploited farmland. "Living a Land Ethic: A History of Cooperative
Conservation on the Leopold Memorial Reserve" by environmentalist Stephen A. Laubach (Earth
Partnership Program, University of Wisconsin-Madison Arboretum) is a 154 page history of how
Leopold's experimental farm evolved into a 1,600-acre reserve, becoming the Leopold Memorial
Reserve in 1967 and a part of his monumental conservationist and land management legacy.
Illustrated with black-and-white period photography, "Living a Land Ethic: A History of
Cooperative Conservation on the Leopold Memorial Reserve" is very highly recommended
reading and should be available in every Wisconsin community library and a seminal
contribution to academic library Environmental History collection. It should be noted that
"Living a Land Ethic: A History of Cooperative Conservation on the Leopold Memorial Reserve"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.95).
North Brother Island
Christopher Payne, Randall Mason, Robert Sullivan
Empire State Editions
c/o Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue
University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
9780823257713, $39.95, www.empirestateeditions.com
North Brother Island: The Last Unknown Place in New York City is difficult to categorize: put it
in 'photography' and New York City fans might miss it; place it in 'arts' and those looking for
visual travel books might pass it buy. Suffice it to say this is simply a lovely recommendation for
any interested in landscape photography in general, New York City in particular, and one of the
City's last remaining wilderness areas. It's a gorgeous discussion of the North Brother Island that
promises to educate and amaze even City natives, providing a colorful survey suitable for
general-interest and avid City history followers alike.
Deaf Students and the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis
Peter V. Paul, Ye Wang, and Cheri Williams
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563685842, $85.00, www.gupress.gallaudet.edu
Deaf Students and the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis: Understanding Language and Literacy
Development is a college-level recommendation for any working with deaf and hard of hearing
students, and uses the latest research to link deaf student language and learning skills with
hearing student strategies. It presents the Qualitative Similarity Hypothesis to describe this
process, documents its theory and research findings, and provides important educational insights
for any working with deaf students. It's a technical study recommended for both educators and
any who would understand the basics of how deaf students learn and acquire literacy skills in the
world of the hearing.
Living On The Edge
F. J. Bohan
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
www.paladin-press.com
9781610047609, $16.00, www.amazon.com
As the world descends into chaos, the survivalist movement grows every larger. "Living on the
Edge: A Family's Journey to Self-Sufficiency" is the story of one family's decision to live a year
of self-sufficiency and frugality and existing 'off the grid'. From creating power for a tent and
then a cabin with a combination of solar panels, car batteries, generators, and oil; to heating and
cooking with a woodstove; finding ways to earn money in an insular and impoverished rural area;
securing water in a desert for a family of six and their animals; erecting fences for privacy and
security; raising chickens, goats and ducks for food; avoiding bears, bobcats, skunks, and other
unwanted critters; to home schooling the kids, "Living on the Edge: A Family's Journey to
Self-Sufficiency" is both an absorbing personal account and an instruction manual. Exceptionally
well written from first page to last, "Living on the Edge: A Family's Journey to Self-Sufficiency"
is very highly recommended reading, would make an enduringly popular addition to community
library collections, and is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
A Handmade Life
William S. Coperthwaite, author
Peter Forbes, photographer
Chelsea Green Publishing Company
85 North Main Street, Suite 120
White River Junction, VT 05001
9781933392479 $25.00 www.chelseagreen.com
Part memoir, part crafter's reflection, and part philosophy, A Handmade Life: In Search of
Simplicity is by teacher, builder, designer, and writer William S. Coperthwaite examines the
possibilities of simplifying one's life. Living on a homestead on Maine's north coast, he explores
the message of individuals as Henry David Thoreau, Emily Dickinson, and Helen and Scott
Nearing. "The trap we are in is that we want to emulate the rich. Their factories produce for us,
and we are their buyers, the consumers. If we refused to buy junk, they would have to produce
better quality... We now have a class of people living according to a consumption pattern that
exceeds that of the monarchs of previous centuries and that is rapidly devouring the world's finite
resources." A handful of color photographs of beautiful Maine scenery intersperse these
thoughtful and inspirational writings on how to improve the quality of one's life by freeing
oneself from endless consumerism and clutter, and focusing more on community, spirituality,
handcrafts, the joys of the outdoors, and helping others in their hour of greatest need. Highly
recommended.
The Environmental Studies Shelf
Keeping The Wild
George Wuerthner, Eileen Crist, Tom Butler
Island Press
2000 M St NW Suite 650, Washington, DC 20036
www.islandpress.org
9781610915588, $24.95, www.amazon.com
Collaborative compiled by the editorial team of George Wuerthner (Ecological Projects Director,
Foundation for Deep Ecology), Eileen Crist (Department of Science and Technology in Society,
Virginia Tech), and Tom Butler (Board President of the Northeast Wilderness Trust), "Keeping
the Wild: Against the Domestication of Earth" is a 248 page compendium comprised of
twenty-two major articles by experts in the field of environmental studies and conservation. Of
special note are Tom Butler's introduction (Lives Not Our Own) and Kathleen Dean Moore's
epilogue (The Road To Cape Perpetua). Enhanced with extensive Notes and a comprehensive
Index, "Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication of Earth" is a seminal body of impressive
scholarship throughout and a very highly recommended addition to personal, community, and
academic library Environmental Studies and Conservation Studies reference collections and
supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Keeping the Wild: Against the Domestication
of Earth" is also available in a Kindle edition ($6.15).
At Pyramid Lake
Bernard Mergen
University of Nevada Press
Mail Stop 0166
Reno, NV, 89557-0166
9780874179392 $26.95 www.unpress.nevada.edu
At Pyramid Lake chronicles the history of Pyramid Lake, one of the largest lakes in the Great
Basin desert oasis. Pyramid Lake existed for thousands of years before explorer John Fremont
discovered it in 1844; it served as a spiritual and survival resource for the native Paiute, who
depended upon the cui-ui fish (which is unique to the lake and now an endangered species). As
ranchers and farmers settled the land, native peoples and farmers who needed the water to raise
cattle had conflicting interests, which came to a head in the Paiute War of 1860. The lake's
continued existence was in jeopardy for a time; but tribal claims, court decisions, and the rise of
the environmental movement preserved it. At Pyramid Lake is more than an environmental and
legal history, however; it's also a cultural history, chronicling how the lake has drawn artists,
poets, sport fishermen, tourists, Hollywood filmmakers, and more to its shores. A list of
references and an index round out this thoughtful account, highly recommended especially for
public library shelves.
The Science Shelf
Origin And Evolution Of Eukaryotes
Patrick J. Keeling & Eugene V. Koonin, editors
Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Press
500 Sunnyside Boulevard, Woodbury NY 11797-2924
www.cshlpress.com
9781621820284, $135.00, www.amazon.com
A eukaryote is any organism whose cells contain a nucleus and other structures (organelles)
enclosed within membranes. Eukaryotes are formally the taxon Eukarya or Eukaryota. The
defining membrane-bound structure that sets eukaryotic cells apart from prokaryotic cells is the
nucleus, or nuclear envelope, within which the genetic material is contained. The presence of a
nucleus gives eukaryotes their name (which comes from the Greek eu, "well" and karyon, "nut"
or "kernel"). Most eukaryotic cells also contain other membrane-bound organelles such as
mitochondria or the Golgi apparatus. In addition, plants and algae contain chloroplasts. Many
unicellular organisms are eukaryotes, such as protozoa. All multicellular organisms are
eukaryotes, including animals, plants and fungi. The newest addition to the 'Cold Spring Harbor
Perspectives in Biology' series, by the collaborative editorial team of Patrick J. Keeling
(Canadian Institute for Advanced research, University of British Columbia) and Eugene V.
Koonin (National Center for Biotechnology Information, National Library of Medicine, National
Institutes of Health), "Origin And Evolution Of Eukaryotes" is a 416 page compendium
comprised of twenty-three seminal papers of outstanding scholarship ranging from 'Symbiosis as
a General Principle in Eukaryotic Evolution' by Angela E. Douglas; to 'Paleobiological
Perspectives on Early Eukaryotic Evolution' by Andrew H. Knoll, to 'Origins of Eukaryotic
Sexual Reproduction' Ursula Goodenought and Josephy Heitman; to 'Bacterial Influences on
Animal Origins' by Rosanna a. Alegado and Nicole King. Enhanced with a comprehensive Index,
"Origin And Evolution Of Eukaryotes" is a body of extraordinary scholarship and will prove to
be an invaluable addition to academic library reference Cytology and Molecular Biology
reference collections.
Roadside Geology Of Utah, second edition
Felicie Williams, Lucy Chronic, Halka Chronic
Mountain Press Publishing Company
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
www.mountain-press.com
9780878426188, $26.00, www.amazon.com
Utah became the 45th state admitted to the Union on January 4, 1896. Utah is the 13th-largest,
the 33rd-most populous, and the 10th-least-densely populated of the 50 United States. Utah has a
population of about 2.9 million, approximately 80% of whom live along the Wasatch Front,
centering on Salt Lake City, leaving vast expanses of the state nearly uninhabited. Utah is
bordered by Colorado to the east, Wyoming to the northeast, Idaho to the north, Arizona to the
south, and Nevada to the west. It also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast. The
collaborative work of geologists Felicie Williams, Lucy Chronic, and Halka Chronic "Roadside
Geology Of Utah" is now in a completely updated and expanded second edition. This informed
and informative, profusely illustrated, 416 page compendium provides a detailed presentation of
the varied geology of the state with all of its canyons, arches, breaks, mountain ranges, and desert
basins. Very highly recommended for academic library Geology Studies reference collections,
"Roadside Geology Of Utah" would also serve well as a supplemental travel guide for anyone
touring the Utah landscape.
The Religion/Spirituality Shelf
Spiritual Guidance Across Religions
Rev. John R. Mabry, PhD, editor
Skylight Paths Publishing
Sunset Farms Offices, Route 4
PO Box 237
Woodstock, VT 05091
9781594735462 $50.00 www.skylightpaths.com
Spiritual Guidance Across Religions: A Sourcebook for Spiritual Directors & Other
Professionals Providing Counsel to People of Differing Faith Traditions lives up to its title as a
solid reference for chaplains, ministers, counselors, and anyone else tasked with providing
interfaith spiritual guidance. Contributions from a vast array of experts in different belief
traditions discuss core concepts to remember when offering counsel to individuals who believe in
everything from Native religions to faiths originating in China, India, or the Middle East,
different Christian denominations, and more. The plurality of faiths in today's America makes
Spiritual Guidance Across Religions absolutely invaluable, worthy of the highest
recommendation for spiritual directors and professionals in the field.
The Christian Studies Shelf
Why Church History Matters
Robert F. Rea
IVP Academic
c/o InterVarsity Press
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 605151426
www.ivpress.com
9780830828197, $20.00, www.amazon.com
A tradition is a belief or behavior passed down within a group or society with symbolic meaning
or special significance with origins in the past. Common examples include holidays or
impractical but socially meaningful clothes (like lawyer wigs or military officer spurs).
Traditions can persist and evolve for thousands of years. The word "tradition" itself derives from
the Latin tradere or traderer literally meaning to transmit, to hand over, to give for safekeeping.
While it is commonly assumed that traditions have ancient history, many traditions have been
invented on purpose, whether that be political or cultural, over short periods of time. "Why
Church History Matters: An Invitation to Love and Learn from Our Past" by Robert F. Rea
(Professor of Church History, Lincoln Christian University, Lincoln, Illinois) is a 235 page
compendium that presents perspectives (past and present) on what a tradition is with respect to
the Christian church and Christian identity. A work of impressively presented theological and
historical scholarship, "Why Church History Matters: An Invitation to Love and Learn from Our
Past" is enhanced with the inclusion of 'Recommended Resources for Ministry'; twenty-four
pages of Notes; a Name and Subject Index, and a Scripture Index, making it an essential and
valued addition to pastoral, community, and academic library Christian Studies reference
collections and supplemental reading lists.
Lent and Easter Wisdom From St. Augustine
Agnes Cunningham, SSCM
Liguori Publications
www.liguori.org
9780764820311, $11.99, www.amazon.com
Lent is a solemn religious observance in the liturgical calendar of many Christian denominations
that begins on Ash Wednesday and covers a period of approximately six weeks before Easter
Day. The traditional purpose of Lent is the preparation of the believer through prayer, penance,
repentance of sins, almsgiving, atonement and self-denial. Augustine of Hippo (13 November
354 - 28 August 430), also known as Saint Augustine was an early Christian theologian and
philosopher whose writings were very influential in the development of Western Christianity and
Western philosophy. Compiled by academician and Christian scholar Agnes Cunningham, "Lent
and Easter Wisdom From St. Augustine" is a 128 page compendium of scriptures, prayers, and
St. Augustine's commentaries, all focused on the subject of Lent, its meaning and readings, along
with readings suitable for Easter celebrations within the Christian community. Very highly
recommended reading for clergy and lay readers alike.
The Church Of Mercy
Pope Francis
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.LoyolaBooks.org
9780829441703, $16.95, www.amazon.com
After decades of being mired in what seemed like never ending scandals and internal disputes
over issues ranging from the dealing with the ever worsening shortage of qualified priests and the
role of nuns, to ecclesiastical pedophilia and Catholic banking practices, the church was in dire
need of a man like Pope Francis. Still another evidence of this reform minded prelate is his latest
book, "The Church of Mercy", a 168 page compendium comprised of his speeches, homilies, and
papers presented during the first year of his papacy. Inspired and inspiring, thoughtful and
thought-provoking, "The Church Of Mercy" should be considered mandatory reading for
Catholics and is very highly recommended to the attention of non-Catholics as well. It can only
be hoped that "The Church of Mercy" will be followed by similar collections year by year as
Pope Francis continues in his much needed ministry. It should be noted that "The Church of
Mercy" is also available in a hardcover edition (9780829441680, $22.95), a Kindle edition
($9.99); and in an MP3 CD edition ($15.76).
Crossway Books
1300 Crescent Street, Wheaton, IL 60187
www.crossway.org
Carolyn Mahaney and Nicole Whitacre's TRUE BEAUTY (9781433540349, $15.99) comes from
a mother and daughter who consider the truths in God's Word as they pertain to beauty, and
encourages women to focus on the beauty of godliness over pop culture fads and perceptions.
Chapters consider how beauty reflects the sentiments of godliness, provide quotes from the Bible
to encourage faith, and provide supportive insights into the nature of 'true beauty' over cultural
perception. The result is a fine survey for women who would re-consider the nature of beauty in
modern society. C. William Pollard's THE TIDES OF LIFE: LEARNING TO LEAD AND
SERVE AS YOU NAVIGATE THE CURRENTS OF LIFE (9781433541728, $24.99) is all
about life choices, faith, and callings from God, and processes that change as we age. From the
responsibilities of leadership and work to responding to callings from God, this is a reflective
blend of autobiography and spiritual insight and is a fine recommendation for any concerned
about incorporating faith into daily living.
The Judaic Studies Shelf
Turning Judaism Outwards
Rabbi Chaim Milller
Kol Menachem
827 Montgomery Street, Brooklyn, NY 11213
www.kolmenachem.com
9781934152362, $34.99, www.amazon.com
Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson (April 5, 1902 OS - June 12, 1994 NS), known as the
Lubavitcher Rebbe or just the Rebbe was a prominent Hasidic rabbi who was the seventh and last
Rebbe (Hasidic leader) of the Chabad-Lubavitch movement. He was fifth in a direct paternal line
to the third Chabad-Lubavitch Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneersohn. In January 1951, a year
after the death of his father-in-law, Rabbi Yosef Yitzchok Schneersohn, he assumed the
leadership of the Lubavitch movement. He led the movement until his death in 1994, greatly
expanding its worldwide activities and founding a worldwide network of institutions to spread
traditional religious practices among the Jewish people. These institutions include schools,
kindergartens, synagogues and Chabad houses. He successfully built a network of more than
3,600 institutions in over 70 countries and 1000 cities around the world. During his lifetime,
some of his followers considered him to be the Jewish Messiah, but Rabbi Schneerson mildly
discouraged such talk. He was recognized as a contributor to Jewish continuity and religious
thought, and recognized by both the Orthodox and Reform movements, as the pioneer of Jewish
outreach. "Turning Judaism Outwards: A Biography of the Rebbe, Menachem Mendel
Schneerson" by Rabbi Chaim Miller is a 592 page, impressively detailed, chronologically
organized and deftly written account of the life and accomplishments of one of the most
influential Rabbis of the 20th Century. Enhanced with the inclusion of a twelve page
bibliography of cited works, ninety-six pages of notes, and a comprehensive index, "Turning
Judaism Outwards: A Biography of the Rebbe, Menachem Mendel Schneerson" is very highly
recommended reading and a critically important contribution to academic library Judaic Studies
and 20th Century Jewish Biography reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Numbers
Rabbi Francis Nataf
Urim Publications
c/o Lambda Publishers
527 Empire Boulevard
Brooklyn, New York 11225
9789655241549 $21.95 www.UrimPublications.com
Rabbi Francis Nataf presents Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Numbers, continuing his
close scrutiny of the first five books of the Bible. The Book of Numbers contains parables about
individuals, the greater community, religious leadership, abuse of authority, communication, and
much more. Accessible to readers of all background seeking to better study and understand the
Bible, Redeeming Relevance in the Book of Numbers is thought-provoking, insightful, and
highly recommended for personal or scholarly religious study. "...the Torah took risks in
presenting a pagan story right in the middle of one of its five books. It risked giving legitimacy to
Bil'am's pagan ways... But the Torah is not afraid of the truths that rival claims possess; it would
rather give us limited exposure to these claims so that we can better defend ourselves against
them. Ignorance may be bliss, but it is not an effective strategy in the long term."
The Buddhist Studies Shelf
Wake Up and Laugh
Zen Master Daehaeng
Wisdom Publications
199 Elm Street
Somerville, MA 02144
9781614291220 $16.95 www.wisdompubs.org
Wake Up and Laugh: The Dharma Teachings of Zen Master Daehaeng is an anthology of
Dharma talks given by Daehaeng Kun Sunim, including question-and-answer sessions with
students. "Questioner 7: Who created Buddha? / Kun Sunim: All sentient beings did. /
Questioner 7: It's often said that 'I' doesn't exist, but if that's true, then what is this that's speaking
to you now? Kun Sunim: It's said that 'I' doesn't exist because in all the things we do there's no
trace of a fixed and unchanging 'I.' When you came here, did you carry you past footsteps with
you? You just walked over here; there wasn't some fixed consciousness involved in each step.
Speaking is like this too, isn't it? Nothing is fixed or unchanging." A brief glossary and an index
enhance this surprisingly accessible collection. Wake Up and Laugh is a choice pick not just for
students and practitioners of Buddhism, but also for anyone curious to learn more about Zen
philosophy. Highly recommended.
The Living Buddha
Daisaku Ikeda
Middleway Press
c/o SGI-USA
606 Wilshire Blvd., Santa Monica, CA 90401
9780977924523, $14.95, www.amazon.com
Daisaku Ikeda (born January 2, 1928, Japan) is the founder and current president of Soka Gakkai
International (SGI), the international offshoot of Soka Gakkai, a Nichiren Buddhist lay
association which has, by its own account, more than 12 million members. Part of the 'Soka
Gakkai History of Buddhism' series, "The Living Buddha: An Interpretive Biography" by
Daisaku Ikeda is ably translated into English for an American readership by Burton Watson. This
150 page compendium provides a biographical portrait of Gautama Buddha (who is also known
as Siddhartha Gautama or simply the Buddha). Gautama Budda was a sage on whose teachings
Buddhism was founded. He was born in the Shakya republic in the Himalayan foothills sometime
between the sixth and fourth centuries and taught primarily in northeastern India. His teachings
and precepts went on to become one of the major philosophies of the world and stands alongside
Judaism, Christianity, and Islam as a spiritual framework for how life should be lived. Very
highly recommended reading for students of Buddhism, as well as community and academic
library Buddhist Studies reference collections, "The Living Buddha: An Interpretive Biography"
is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.69).
The Architecture Shelf
Cool Spaces!
Stephen Chung
ORO Editions
c/o ActarBirkhauser Distribution
151 Grand Street, 5th floor, New York, NY 10013
www.actar-d.com
9781941806333, $24.95, www.amazon.com
Based on Stephen Chung's weekly television show, "Cool Spaces!: The Best New Architecture"
by Stephen Chung and Sun Joo Kim is a profusely illustrated, 120 page compendium showcasing
outstanding architectural examples of art spaces, library spaces, performance spaces, and healing
spaces. Of special note is the inclusion of Robert ivy's 'The Case for Cool Spaces'. A masterpiece
of targeted architecturally focused commentary, "Cool Spaces!: The Best New Architecture" is
informed, informative, thoughtful, and thought-provoking, making it a highly recommended
addition to professional, community, and academic library Architectural Studies reference
collections and supplemental reading lists.
The Cookbook Shelf
Salad Samurai
Terry Hope Romero
Lifelong Books / Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738214870, $19.99, www.amazon.com
Overall and on average, most Americans don't eat enough salads. That unhappy fact is one of the
contributing factors to the current obesity epidemic. When asked why, the typical response is that
salads are uninteresting compared to fast food restaurant menus and microwave ready-to-eat
meals. That's why "Salad Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-to-Make Salads You
Don't Have to Be Vegan to Love" will prove to be an invaluable, 'kitchen cook friendly' addition
to all personal, family, and community library cookbook collections. Beautifully illustrated
throughout, this 192 page compendium of outstanding salad recipes compiled by Terry Hope
Romero offers dishes ranging from a Pepperoni Tempeh Pizza Salad; to an Italian Wedding
Farro Salad; to Grilled Goji Seitan Salad; to a Strawberry Spinach Salad with Orange Poppy
Seed Dressing; to 96 other palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, wonderfully nutritious salads. Of
special note is are the recipes for a variety of dressings. Especially recommended for parents of
children reluctant to eat a salad and for anyone trying to establish healthy eating habits, "Salad
Samurai: 100 Cutting-Edge, Ultra-Hearty, Easy-to-Make Salads You Don't Have to Be Vegan to
Love" will prove to be an enduringly popular culinary reference.
Summer Favorites
Monica Musetti-Carlin & Mary Elizabeth Roarke
Hatherleigh Press
c/o The Hatherleigh Foundation
62545 State Highway 10, Hobart, NY 13788
www.hatherleighpress.com
9781578263844, $12.50, www.amazon.com
Showcasing more than one hundred summer grilling and outdoor cooking recipes, "Summer
Favorites: Country Comfort" is a 208 page compendium that is enhanced with the inclusion of
basic tips for grilling all types of meats and vegetables, lists of essentials to stock in the kitchen
that will enable the timely preparation for quick and delicious summer meals, as well as a
customized meal and menu planner. The thoroughly 'user friendly' recipes range from
Whole-Wheat Peaches-and-Cream Muffins; Grilled Fig, Brie, and Prosciutto Pizza; Elegant
Watermelon Salad; Homemade Ginger Ale; and Tandori Chicken; to Thai Peanut Noodles;
Mexican Shrimp Cocktail; New York Strip Steaks with Avocado Butter and Charred Corn Salsa;
and Strawberries Napoleon. "Summer Favorites: Country Comfort" is an extraordinary collection
that is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community library cookbook
collections.
Best Green Drinks Ever
Katrine Van Wyk
The Countryman Press
43 Lincoln Corners Way/P.O. Box 748
Woodstock, Vermont 05091
www.countrymanpress.com
9781581572278, $14.95, www.amazon.com
Anyone with a blender can convert vegetables into a healthy, nutritious, and tasty liquid beverage
-- especially if they have Katrine Van Wyk's "Best Green Drinks Ever: Boost Your Juice with
Protein, Antioxidants and More". This beautifully illustrated, 200 page compendium showcases
thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for turning veggies into a drinkable form that is
especially ideal for anyone with limited time due to a hectic personal schedule. Replete with 'tips
and tricks', anyone can now sneak frozen spinach into a berry smoothie so palate pleasing that the
spinach goes unnoticed. Another little benefit is freezing a week's worth of juice into ice cube
trays for easy fixings anytime. Still another bit of advice is adding a scoop of whey protein
powder for an extra 20 grams of protein in a veggie-based drink. Ideal for vegetarians and
non-vegetarians alike, "Best Green Drinks Ever: Boost Your Juice with Protein, Antioxidants
and More" is highly recommended for personal and community library collections alike. It
should be noted that "Best Green Drinks Ever: Boost Your Juice with Protein, Antioxidants and
More" is also available in a Kindle edition ($8.52).
The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book
Sarah Davies & Kristy Taylor
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
www.lyonspress.com
9780762793297, $19.95, www.amazon.com
Nothing is so American as the hamburger. Nothing is so 21st Century American as the veggie
burger. Compiled by the mother-daughter team of Sarah Davies and Kristy Taylor (co-owners of
The Naked Kitchen web site), "The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book: Delicious Plant-Based
Burgers, Fries, Sides, and More" is a 240 page compendium packed from cover to cover with
beautifully illustrated, kitchen cook friendly, palate pleasing, appetite satisfying vegetarian dishes
that would grace any dining occasion. Beginning with the fundamentals on 'going organic',
burgers basics, storage and reheating, beans and rice, stocking the pantry, and answers to
frequently asked questions, "The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book: Delicious Plant-Based
Burgers, Fries, Sides, and More" goes on to showcase a profusion of recipes for bean burgers,
vegetable burgers, burger buns, condiments and toppings, sides and salads, and beverages. Of
special note is the 'Beyond Burgers' covering a variety of mouth watering recipes for everything
from a Potato Breakfast Hash; and a Nacho Cheese Taco Salads; to Stuffed Eggplant, and Asian
Lettuce Wraps. An outstanding cornucopia of meal planning ideas that is also available in a
Kindle edition ($10.49), "The Naked Kitchen Veggie Burger Book: Delicious Plant-Based
Burgers, Fries, Sides, and More" is an extraordinary and highly recommended addition to
personal, family, and community library Vegetarian Cookbook collections.
Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit
Dane Huckelbridge
William Morrow & Company
c/o HarperCollins Publishers
10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022-5299
www.williammorrow.com
9780062241399, $25.99, www.harpercollins.com
Bourbon: A History of the American Spirit provides a fine biography of bourbon and traces its
roots to Christopher Columbus and the use of its primary ingredient, corn. It was Jamestown
settlers, tired of waiting for supplies of Scotch and whiskey from England, who experimented
with distilling corn-based whiskey, and the influence of Scots-Irish immigrants who changed and
perfected bourbon's recipe and brought it out West to new audiences. The result is a powerful
story that brings out the full flavor and influences of bourbon, recommended for any food and
wine library.
Cooking with Fire
Paula Marcoux
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121581, $19.95, www.storey.com
COOKING WITH FIRE offers a fine review of techniques and flavors of fire cooking, and packs
in over 100 recipes for preparing meats to beverages over the flames. Live-fire cooking crosses
cultures, culinary traditions, and societies; this book teaches students the basics of handling life
fire and food over it, covering spits and skewers, grills, pots and pans, and how to make the most
of recipes tailored for them. The result is a fine survey of wood-fired cooking more well-rounded
than your average grilling cookbook, and highly recommended for cooks seeking something
more.
Cast Iron Cooking for Vegetarians
Joanna Pruess
Skyhorse Publishing, Inc.
307 West 36th Street, 11th Floor, New York, NY 10018
9781629143248, $14.95, www.skyhorsepublishing.com
Cast Iron Cooking for Vegetarians features color photos by Battman as it reviews a selection of
classic dishes and new recipes with vegetarians in mind, and makes for a fine introduction to
using cast iron to create meals. From Mom's Mac and Cheese to Zucchini Pancakes, dishes range
from sweet to savory and cover all meals and courses, from breakfast to main dishes and dessert.
Cast iron cookware holds many benefits and this presents a wealth of new ideas for vegetarians
who have long watched meat preparation in cast iron cookware.
It's All Greek to Me
Debbie Matenopoulos with Peter Capozzi
BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Suite 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781939529930, $29.95, www.benbellabooks.com
It's All Greek to Me: Transform Your Health the Mediterranean Way with My Family's
Century-Old Recipes comes from an author who grew up in a traditional Greek household. When
she began eating a standard American diet she found herself gaining weight and losing energy;
back on her native Greek diet, she regained her stamina. So this shares some 120 of her family's
traditional Greek dishes, adds healthy adaptations, and will appeal to any who either love Greek
food or want dishes that promote healthy living. Lovely color photos round out the offerings: it's
the focus on better, low-fat Greek eating options for traditional dishes that makes this a special
recommendation!
Mississippi Current Cookbook
Regina Charboneau, author
Julia Reed, Foreword
Ben Fink, photographer
Lyons Press
c/o Globe Pequot Press
P.O. Box 480, Guilford, Connecticut 06437
9780762793747, $39.95, www.LyonsPress.com
"Mississippi Current Cookbook: A Culinary Journey Down America's Greatest River" is a
fabulous river-regional culinary tour of the varied celebrated tastes of specialty dishes from
different parts of the vast length of the Mississippi and surrounding areas. Chapters divide the
Mississippi into three distinct regions: the Upper Mississippi River Region or Headwaters, from
St. Paul, Minnesota to Quincy, Ill.; the Middle Mississippi River Region, or Twain Country,
(from Hannibal, Missouri, to the confluence with the Arkansas River, and The Lower
Mississippi, from Beale Street to the Bayou, or Memphis, Tenn., to the Gulf of Mexico.
Although there are many distinctive regional dishes associated with parts of each area, the author
clarifies that menus and dishes from different regions can be mixed or matched. Every chapter
presents a variety of different entertainment oriented menus, from casual to formal with many
tempting steps and stops in between. A plethora of tantalizing color photos of completed recipes
and menu specialty ingredients adorns each chapter. From Mississippi pi Mud Cookies to
Crawfish Boiled with Sea Salt and Dill Crowns, with Mock Turtle Soup and Peppadew Pimento
Cheese on Fried Green Tomatoes, these recipes celebrate Mississippi regional ingredients with
lashings of Southern hospitality. Chef Regina Charboneau has an exquisite cuisine style all her
own, which definitely helps to take these unusual but traditional-style recipes to a whole new
level of excitement. For example, who can resist the idea of Deviled Eggs with Crabmeat and
Wasabi Caviar? Or how about Smoked Catfish Tamales with Jalapeno Green Salsa? Chef
Charboneau is the culinary director of the American Queen, a luxury paddlewheel boat that offers
travel experiences on the Mississippi River, and has many other accomplishments that revolve
around distinguished epicurean experiences, particularly with Southern accents. "Mississippi
Current Cookbook" is further enhanced with five or more pages of Techniques and Basics,
including recipes for Oven-Smoked Tomatoes, Preserved Lemon Vinaigrette, and Herbsaint
Hollandaise, and a handy Source Guide for special ingredients. "Mississippi Current Cookbook"
is an indulgent experience, a guilty pleasure that deserves to be savored and shared with
friends.
Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook
Dan Whalen
Page Street Publishing Company
27 Congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
The Trina Kaye Organization (publicity)
9781624140112, $19.99, www.amazon.com
Dan Whalen writes the influential culinary blog 'The Food in My Beard' and has published more
than 700 recipes. Now he has produced "Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook: Taking
Your Favorite Foods and Stuffing Them to Make New, Different and Delicious Meals", a
beautifully illustrated, 208 page compendium of thoroughly 'kitchen cook recipes' that range from
Cobb Summer Rolls; Parmesan Truffle French Fry Stuffed Burger; Mac and Cheese Chile
Rellenos; and Jalapeno Popper Dog; to Vietnamese Burritos; Chicken Tikka Masala Ravioli;
Pork Stuffed Tofu with Noodles; and Pasta Salad Stuffed Tomatoes. Of special note is the recipe
for Turducken that will make 20 servings for a special dining occasion. Of great value for the
novice kitchen chef is the section dedicated to Basics and a comprehensive Index. "Stuffed: The
Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook: Taking Your Favorite Foods and Stuffing Them to Make
New, Different and Delicious Meals" will prove to be a popular addition to any personal,
professional, family, or community library cookbook collection. It should also be noted that
"Stuffed: The Ultimate Comfort Food Cookbook: Taking Your Favorite Foods and Stuffing
Them to Make New, Different and Delicious Meals" is also available in a Kindle edition
($8.89).
Hidden Surprise Cakes
Angela Drake
Love Food
c/o Parragon Inc.
440 Park Avenue South, 13th Floor, NY, NY 10016
www.parragon.com/lovefood
9781472352248, $9.99, www.amazon.com
A 'surprise cake' is a cake that has some kind of filling or pattern within it that won't be revealed
until the cake is cut and served. "Hidden Surprise Cakes" by Angela Drake is an 80 page
compendium showcasing thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes for twenty different surprise
cakes. Ranging from a Rainbow Cake, to a Hidden Hearts Cake, to a Tropical Sunrise Cake, to a
Pinata Party Cake, these are confections and desserts that will make any dining occasion very
special and memorable. Of special note are the recipes for a Birthday Surprise Giant Cupcake
and a Christmas Tree Wreath Cake. Unique and truly exceptional, "Hidden Surprise Cakes" will
prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, family, and community
library cookbook collections.
The Magic of JELL-O
Imagine Publishing
c/o Charlesbridge Publishing
85 Main Street
Watertown, MA 02472
9781623540272 $14.95 www.imaginebks.com
The Magic of JELL-O: 100 All-Time Favorite Recipes lives up to its title as a compendium of
tasty dessert treats that can be quickly and easily made with the popular JELL-O (R) brand
gelatin, or pudding. From Alaskan Pudding Pies (a tasty cookie sandwich treat) to Layered Fruit
Dessert, Cherry Topped Eggnog Ring, Lemon Cheese Pie and more, The Magic of JELL-O is
filled with celebratory delights that will appeal to confection connoisseurs of all ages. An
excellent addition to any dessert cookbook library!
Death By Burrito
Shay Ola
Mitchell Beazley
c/o Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue, New York NY 10017
www.octopusbooksusa.com
9781845339036, $19.99, www.amazon.com
Compiled by Shay Ola (founder of The Rebel Dining Society, a creative food events company
dedicated to fine dining, "Death by Burrito: Mexican Street Food To Die For" is a beautifully
illustrated, 160 page compendium showcasing some of the best Mexican cuisine that any
ordinary American kitchen cook can produce just by following the step-by-step recipe directions.
The dishes range from Gordita Sliders; Tamales; Baja Fish Tacos; and Carne Asada Burritos; to
Baked Hominey; Chicharron with Gooseberry Compote; Drunken Beans; and Candied Pumpkin
Ice Cream. Of special note and value to the novice are the clear instructions on the basics of
making a burrito, an entire section on Cocktails, and twelve different recipes for salsas and
moles. "Death by Burrito: Mexican Street Food To Die For" is a highly recommended, core
addition to personal, professional, family, and community library Ethnic Cookbook reference
collections.
Revolutionary Pizza
Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau
Page Street Publishing
27 Congress Street, Suite 103, Salem, MA 01970
The Trina Kaye Organization (publicity)
9781624140501, $19.99, www.amazon.com
Pizza is an oven-baked flat bread typically topped with a tomato sauce, cheese and various
toppings. The modern pizza was invented in Naples, Italy, and the dish has since become popular
in many parts of the world. Many varieties of pizza exist worldwide, along with several dish
variants based upon pizza. Pizza is cooked in various types of ovens, and a diverse variety of
ingredients and toppings are utilized. Compiled by Dimitri Syrkin-Nikolau (founder of Chicago's
Dimo's Pizza), "Revolutionary Pizza: Bold Pies that Will Change Your Life...and Dinner" is an
impressively illustrated, 160 page compendium showcasing the versatility and variety of pizzas
that, by following the clear, step-by-step recipe instructions provided, and enable even the most
novice of kitchen cooks to turn out world class pizzas of all kinds. The pizzas range from The
BBQ Porkabella; Skyline Chili; Jamaican Jerk Chicken; and Italian Beef; to Gyro; The Stoner
Kid; Cheesy Potato; and Pumpkin Pie. Of special note are the recipes for a Spinach and Bean
Quesadilla; Quacamole Burrito; and Chilaquiles. Also available in a Kindle edition ($8.89),
"Revolutionary Pizza: Bold Pies that Will Change Your Life...and Dinner" is an exceptional and
outstanding addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections.
The Cast Iron Gourmet
Matt Pelton
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781599553702, $18.99, www.amazon.com
Hardcover and spiral bound so as to durably and accessibly lay flat upon a kitchen table or
counter while following recipe directions, "The Cast Iron Gourmet" by culinary expert Matt
Pelton is a profusely illustrated, 152 page compendium of information and recipes for preparing
dishes using a Dutch Oven. Every aspect is covered including buying, seasoning, cleaning, and
storing a Dutch Oven. Not to be missed is the chapter dedicated to tools for and cooking
techniques with a Dutch Oven. There are Dutch Oven recipes for breakfasts, breads, soups,
stews, chilies, main courses, side dishes, and even desserts. From Matt's Cinnamon Rolls; Apple
Cinnamon Bread; Chicken Taco Soup; to Jambalaya; Cheesy Veggies; and Strawberry Rhubarb
Pie, all of the recipes comprising this outstanding and highly recommended addition to personal
and community library cookbook collections are as palate pleasing and appetite satisfying as they
are kitchen cook friendly and menu planning inspirational.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Dazzling Diamond Quilts
Carolyn S. Vagts, editor
Annie's
PO Box 808, Big Sandy, TX 75755
www.AnniesWSL.com
9781573674966, $14.95, www.amazon.com
A quilt is a type of blanket, traditionally composed of three layers of fiber: a woven cloth top, a
layer of batting or wadding, and a woven back, combined using the technique of quilting. A quilt
is distinguishable from other types of blanket because it is pieced together with several pieces of
cloth. "Dazzling Diamond Quilts" compiled and edited by quilting expert Carolyn S. Vagts is a
fully illustrated manual comprised of ten do-it-yourself diamond quilt needlecraft projects that
are so well presented that even the most novice of quilters will be able to turn out quality quilts
that are as practical as they are beautiful. Featuring 'tear out' patterns, "Dazzling Diamond Quilts"
is not appropriate for community library needlecraft collections, but it is ideal and
enthusiastically recommended for personal quilting instructional reference collections.
The Computer Shelf
Build An Awesome PC: 2014 Edition
Mike Riley
Pragmatic Programmers
2831 Eldorado Parkway, #103-381
Frisco, TX 75033-7438
www.pragprog.com
9781941222171, $17.00, www.amazon.com
A personal computer (PC) is a general-purpose computer, whose size, capabilities and original
sale price makes it useful for individuals, and which is intended to be operated directly by an
end-user with no intervening computer operator. "Build an Awesome PC: Easy Steps to
Construct the Machine You Need" by computer expert Mike Riley is a 130 page instruction
manual that will enable anyone to build their own personal computer while having fun and
saving the expense of buying a new computer 'off the shelf'. Easy-to-follow instructions and
plenty of photos shows how to assemble a personal computer from start to finish, all while
carefully pointing out areas of interest and best practices for each major component used.
Practical, comprehensive, and thoroughly 'user friendly' from beginning to end, "Build An
Awesome PC" is highly recommended for personal and community library instructional
reference collections.
Improving the Test Process
Graham Bath and Erik van Veenendaal
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor, Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781933952826, $49.95, www.rockynook.com
Improving the Test Process: Implementing Improvement and Change - a Study Guide for the
ISTQB Expert Level Module covers the syllabus for the "Improving the Test Process" module of
the International Software Testing Qualifications Board, and provides a detailed survey of how
the test improvement process works and what's involved in the improvement assessment effort.
Chapters can be used in preparation for taking the ISTQB expert level exam and as a guide for
test professionals looking to improve their skills, and provide review questions to accompany
chapter explanations, real-world examples, key definitions, and more.
Penetration Testing
Georgia Weidman
No Starch Press
38 Ringold Street, San Francisco, CO 94103-4403
www.nostarch.com
9781593275648, $49.95, www.amazon.com
In the computer security context, a hacker is someone who seeks and exploits weaknesses in a
computer system or computer network. Hackers may be motivated by a multitude of reasons,
such as profit, protest, challenge or enjoyment. The security of computerized information storage
is of paramount concern for individuals, companies, and government agencies. One of the best
ways to defend against hackers is to test computer security by attempting to penetrate it.
"Penetration Testing: A Hands-On Introduction to Hacking" is a 528 page instruction manual on
how to do just that by learning how to crack passwords and wireless network keys with
brute-forcing and wordlists; test we applications for vulnerabilities, use the Metasploit
Framework to launch exploits and write Metasploit modules; automate social-engineering
attacks; bypas antivirus software, turn access to one machine into total control of the enterprise in
the post-exploitation phase. Also available in a Kindle edition ($28.56), "Penetration Testing: A
Hands-On Introduction to Hacking" is a complete and comprehensive manual that should be a
part of every computer security instructional reference collection.
The Large Print Shelf
Riders Of The Shadowlands
H. A. DeRosso
Golden West Large Print Books
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781842629512, $29.99, 312pp, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Riders Of The Shadowlands" is a 312 page anthology comprised of ten outstanding
tales of the old wild west. These stories of hard men in a hard land include: Killer; The Ways of
Vengeance; Fear in the Saddle; The Return of the Arapaho Kid; Witch; Dark Purpose; The
Happy Death; Bad Blood; Endless Trail; and the title piece, Riders Of The Shadowlands. Author
H. A. DeRosso has a demonstrable talent for crafting memorable characters and deftly woven
plots with surprising twists and turns that will keep his appreciative readers riveted attention
from beginning to end. This large print edition is especially and highly recommended for
community library Large Print fiction collections in general, and fans of stories about the
American western frontier in particular.
The Crafts Shelf
Basic Metal Jewelry Techniques
Carles Codina
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764343674, $24.99, www.schifferbooks.com
Basic Metal Jewelry Techniques is a 'must' for any who would begin learning metal
jewelry-making, and pairs an explanation of metallurgy and basic formulas with tips on
soldering, sanding, and more. Step-by-step photos and drawings accompany these explanations
and provide all the latest practices relating to creating jewelry, offering applications for nearly
any project. The result is a fine 'classroom in a book' for any who would learn metal jewelry
techniques!
Finding Style
Irina Miech
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle, Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
www.kalmbachbooks.com
9781627000581, $21.99, www.amazon.com
A fund (and potential profitable!) hobby is making jewelry in your own home and in your spare
time. "Finding Style: How to Use Today's Versatile Jewelry-Making Components" by jewelry
crafts expert Irina Miech is a fully illustrated, 96 page instruction guide for twenty-seven
do-it-yourself projects making use of new jewelry-making products, including two-part rivets,
filigree bezels, flat leather, locking crimps, texture hammers, and stamps. Informed, informative,
and thoroughly 'user friendly', "Finding Style: How to Use Today's Versatile Jewelry-Making
Components" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to any dedicated jewelry making
hobbyist's reference shelf and would make an invaluable addition to community library Crafts &
Hobbies collection.
The Humor Shelf
Aging With Attitude
Pauline Witchurch & Evelyn Beilenson
Peter Pauper Press, Inc.
202 Mamaroneck Avenue, White Plains, NY 10601
www.peterpauper.com
9781593599768, $9.95, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of Pauline Witchurch and Evelyn Beilenson, "Aging With Attitude:
Better Than Dying With Dignity" is an 88 page compendium comprised of some of the best
'laugh out loud' witticisms showcasing senior citizen responses to life. One of my favorites is
'The upside of senility...getting to embarrass your children.' Presented as full color cartoons with
the saying on the left and the cartoon drawing on the right, "Aging With Attitude: Better Than
Dying With Dignity" is a very highly recommended entertainment and would prove to be an
enduringly popular addition to personal and community library collections!
Warning! This Product Contains Nuttiness
Sam Venable
The University of Tennessee Press
293 Communications Building
Knoxville, TN 37996-0325
www.utpress.org
9781621900061, $24.95, www.amazon.com
Synopsis: "Warning! This Product Contains Nuttiness: A Fun Look at the Bizarre World in
Which We Live" is a 312 page compilation comprised of 139 newspaper columns by Sam
Venable in which he offers insightful and witty commentary on the foibles of human nature, and
an impressive diversity of subjects drawn from the environmental, social, political, cultural, and
peculiarities of modern life. Armed with a genuine talent for pointing out that the 'emperor has
no clothes', "Warning! This Product Contains Nuttiness" documents Sam Venable as a modern
day Will Rogers and is very highly recommended and entertaining reading and will prove to be
an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.
The Biography Shelf
Richard III, revised edition
Desmond Seward
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
www.pegasusbooks.us
9781605985756, $27.95, www.amazon.com
Richard III (2 October 1452 - 22 August 1485) was King of England for two years, from 1483
until his death in 1485 in the Battle of Bosworth Field. He was the last king of the House of York
and the last of the Plantagenet dynasty. His defeat at Bosworth Field, the last decisive battle of
the Wars of the Roses, symbolizes the end of the Middle Ages in England. "Richard III:
England's Black Legend" by Desmond Seward is a 336 page biography of one of England's most
notorious monarchs. This new edition has been revised and expanded to include a new preface by
Seward to include the archaeological discovery of King Richard's burial site. An impressively
detailed and deftly written historical work that is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.99),
"Richard III: England's Black Legend" is informed and informative, making it a highly prized and
recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Historical Biography
collections and British History supplemental studies reading lists.
Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare (1295-1360)
Jennifer Ward, editor
Suffolk Records Society / Boydell Press
c/o Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843838913, $60.00, www.amazon.com
Elizabeth de Clare (16 September 1295 - 4 November 1360) was the heiress to the lordships of
Clare, Suffolk in England and Usk in Wales. She was the youngest of the three daughters of
Gilbert de Clare, 6th Earl of Hertford and Joan of Acre, and sister of Gilbert de Clare, who later
succeeded as the 7th Earl. Born in Acre, she is commonly referred to as Elizabeth de Burgh, due
to her first marriage to John de Burgh. Her two successive husbands were Theobald II de Verdun
(of the Butler family) and Roger D'Amory. Compiled, translated, and edited by medieval history
Jennifer Ward, "Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare (1295-1360)" is a 222 page compendium
comprised of a chronologically organized and presented record of financial expenditures
beginning Elizabeth de Burgh and Clare accounts during the Autumn of 1326, to9 The Wardrobe
and Household Account (1339-40). This is followed by accounting details for Clare Castel; Food
Hospitality and Travel; Estates and Lordship; as well as Patronage and Influence. Of special
interest is 'The Will of Elizabeth de Brugh, 1355) that concludes the primary texts. Enhanced
with four major illustrations, an appendix, a glossary, and index of people and places, and an
index of subjects, "Elizabeth de Burgh, Lady of Clare (1295-1360)" is an impressive work of
seminal scholarship and an important contribution to academic library Medieval Studies
reference collections.
Blessed Experiences
James E. Clyburn
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208
www.sc.edu/uscpress
9781611173376, $34.95, www.amazon.com
James Enos "Jim" Clyburn (born July 21, 1940) is the U.S. Representative for South Carolina's
6th congressional district, serving since 1993, and the Assistant Democratic Leader since 2011.
He was previously House Majority Whip, serving in that post from 2007 to 2011. He is a
member of the Democratic Party. The district includes Florence, Sumter and large portions of
Columbia and Charleston. "Blessed Experiences: Genuinely Southern, Proudly Black" is the
autobiography of a remarkable politician who candidly tells the story of how he rose from
humble beginnings in Sumter, South Carolina, during the Jim Crow-era, to become the third
highest-ranking Democrat in the House of Representatives, U.S. Congressman. James E. Clyburn
has led an extraordinary life as revealed in "Blessed Experiences", where he tells in his own
inspirational words how an African American boy with no advantages in a time of strict racial
segregation in the American South was able to 'beat the odds' and achieve personal and
professional success. Inspired and inspiring, "Blessed Experiences" is informative reading and
highly recommended for both community and academic library Black Studies and American
Biography collections. It should be noted that "Blessed Experiences" is also available in a Kindle
edition ($21.69).
The Travel Shelf
Discover USA
Regis St. Louis, et al.
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
www.lonelyplanet.com
9781742205847, $28.99, www.amazon.com
A cornucopia of 'where to go, what to see, what to do' information for vacationing in America,
"Discover USA" is a profusely illustrated, 512 page, compact compendium showcasing the 'must
see' highlights of the most interesting places America has to offer. An invaluable guide for
setting up itineraries for everything from a day trip to a full blown vacation, "Discover USA" is
thoroughly 'user friendly', informed and informative that has drawn upon local experts who know
there own area's offerings for sightseeing travelers. From where to eat, what to do, where to go,
and how to get there, "Discover USA" is a complete resource under one cover. Of special note
for novice travelers is the "How to Use This Book" instructive advisory and a comprehensive
Index. "Discover USA" is enthusiastically recommended for personal, family, and community
library travel guide reference collections.
The Graphic Novel Shelf
The Return of Zita the Spacegirl
Ben Hatke
First Second
175 5th Avenue
New York, NY 10010
9781626720589 $18.99 www.firstsecondbooks.com
The Return of Zita the Spacegirl is the third full-color, full-length graphic novel about the high-stakes adventure of Zita the Spacegirl. Seeking to liberate her friend Mouse, Zita has been captured by the enigmatic ruler of Dungeon World, a hidden prison planet controlled by hostile forces! Sentenced to the dungeons for the "crime" of saving the world of Lumponia from the carnivorous Star Hearts (which are apparently an "endangered species"), Zita is bereft of her technology, but not her wits - or her will to save everyone she can! Zita can't stand up to the rulers of gigantic space prison all by herself; help comes from the strangest of places, including a mysterious, blue-cowled figure - who is this shadow, and why does it seem to know Zita better than she knows herself? Action, bravery, and empathy characterize this high-stakes adventure for readers of all ages who love science fiction and courageous heroines. Highly recommended, as are the previous graphic novels "Zita the Spacegirl" and "Legends of Zita the Spacegirl".
Battle Royale: Angels' Border
Koushun Takami, author
Mioko Ohnishi and Youhei Oguma, illustrators
Viz Media LLC
1355 Market Street, Ste 200
San Francisco CA 94103
9781421571683 $12.99 www.viz.com
Nearly a decade before "The Hunger Games", there was the novel Battle Royale, about a dark,
alternate-timeline Japan where the autocratic government spreads fear among its own people by
kidnapping junior high students and pitting them against each other in a brutal, publicly televised
deathmatch, from which there can be only one survivor - at most. This wildly successful horror
story struck a chord deep in readers' hearts worldwide, and has been adapted into movie and
graphic novel formats. Battle Royale: Angels' Border is a black-and-white, manga (Japanese
graphic novel) side-story to the original Battle Royale saga. The pages are presented right-to-left
so that they can be read "unflipped", as the artists originally created them. While the deadly
"experiment" rages, Yukie Utsumi and her female friends lock themselves in a lighthouse,
hoping against hope for a way to survive together. As time passes, the death toll mounts, and
paranoia begins feed upon each of the desperate girls. Memories of everyday life under a strict,
oppressive government - the friendships formed in spite of constant "secret police" spying,
government detentions, ambiguous "suicides", and the faintest whispers of possible resistance -
interweave with the murderous present in this unforgettable "must-read" for anyone captivated
(or terrified!) by Battle Royale. Highly recommended. Due to extreme violence and subtle
references to lesbianism, Battle Royale: Angels' Border is not appropriate for young children; it's
for older teen or adult readers.
The Audiobook Shelf
To Marry an English Lord
Gail MacColl and Carol McD. Wallace, authors
Kate Reading, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494501464 $39.99 www.tantor.com
Well-known as an inspiration for the popular television series "Downton Abbey", To Marry an
English Lord: Tales of Wealth and Marriage, Sex and Snobbery is the unabridged audiobook
rendition of an extraordinary anthology of true stories about wealthy American heiresses who
married debt-ridden yet highly prestigious and titled British aristocrats, in the post-Civil War era.
While the incentive for the grooms in such unions is obvious (money), the motivations for the
women are not as transparent - especially given America's history of fighting for independence
from royalist Britain. The disadvantages to marrying an English lord could mean a loveless or
distant relationship punctuated by the lord's marital affairs, being surrounded by stifling classism,
neglect, and having to live in a drafty, uncomfortable castle. And yet the appeal of the idea
continued through the generations... To Marry an English Lord is a fascinating glimpse of human
nature and American fascination with British aristocracy, highly recommended. 8 CDs, 9
hours.
The Vicar Of Wakefield
Oliver Goldsmith
Naxos of America, Inc.
1810 Columbia Avenue, Suite 28, Franklin, TN 37064
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9781843797777, $41.98, www.amazon.com
Oliver Goldsmith (10 November 1730 - 4 April 1774) was an Irish novelist, playwright and poet,
who is best known for his novel The Vicar of Wakefield (1766), his pastoral poem The Deserted
Village (1770), and his plays The Good-Natur'd Man (1768) and She Stoops to Conquer (1771,
first performed in 1773). A true classic tragicomedy regaling the 18th century experiences of
Doctor Primrose and his family, "The Vicar Of Wakefield" is now available as an unabridged
audio book that is expertly narrated by professional stage actor Nicholas Farrell. With flawless
technical production values, the 6 CD edition has a running time of 7 hours, 1 minute, and 30
seconds. A superbly enacted performance that does full justice to a British literary treasure, the
Naxos edition of "The Vicar Of Wakefield" is unreservedly recommended for personal,
highschool, community, and university library audio book collections.
China Dolls
Lisa See, author
www.lisasee.com
Jodi Long, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780385394154 $45.00 www.randomhouseaudio.com
Brought to life through the performance of award-winning actress Jodie Long, China Dolls is the
unabridged audiobook adaptation of the novel by bestselling author Lisa See (named 2001
National Woman of the Year by The Organization of Chinese American Women). In 1938 San
Francisco, the World's Fair is preparing to open, yet a deadly war rages overseas. Three young
women, each from drastically different backgrounds, meet by chance at a high-class nightclub.
Grace Lee is an American-born Chinese girl who yearns to dance; Helen Fong feels all by
smothered by her traditional parents and extended family in Chinatown; and Ruby Tom makes no
secret of her lofty ambitions. Their friendship is a source of strength that enables each of them to
pursue her own dream, but after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, paranoia, suspicion, and
betrayal threaten to undermine all they've ever hoped for. Poignant, moving, and powerful, China
Dolls is highly recommended for both personal and public library audiobook collections. 12 CDs,
15 hours.
Kiss and Tell
Fern Michaels, author
Laural Merlington, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781480566255 $29.99 www.brillianceaudio.com
Kiss and Tell is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of a novel in the "Sisterhood" series.
Elements of mystery and intrigue abound as Myra Rutledge and her best friend Annie de Silva
discover whispers of shady dealings. Anonymous emails steer them toward a potential scheme in
the works at a local assisted living facility. Emanuel Mackline is the financial big dog behind the
gigantic complex, but there's a dark side to his wealth - a Ponzi scheme on the verge of collapse!
Myra and Annie recognize the situation demands more justice than the law of the land can
deliver, but they'll need help oppose a remorseless billionaire! Exciting to the end, Kiss and Tell
is sure to prove a popular lending library pick. 8 CDs, 9 hours 28 min.
For All Time
Jude Deveraux, author
Kirsten Potter, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780385367592 $40.00 www.randomhouseaudio.com
The unabridged audiobook version of the second novel in the "Nantucket Brides" trilogy, For All
Time is a story where love strikes as swiftly as a magic spell. Toby Wyndam has a special gift;
she can distinguish Graydon from his identical twin brother. Could she be his true love,
according to Graydon's family lore? Yet as heir to the Lanconian throne, Graydon is duty-bound
to marry a noblewoman. Graydon resists this arrangement, asking Toby to help him hide on
Nantucket for a week; in exchange, he offers to assist her with planning novelist Victoria
Madsen's elaborate wedding. Can the mysterious power of Nantucket itself bend the inflexible
rules that conspire to keep Toby and Graydon apart? Tender, charming, and delightful, For All
Time is highly recommended. 10 CDs, 11 1/2 hours.
Have a Nice Guilt Trip
Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella
Read by the authors
www.scottoline.com
www.francescaserritella.com
Macmillan Audio
175 Fifth Avenue, Suite 315, New York, NY 10010
9781427232939 $29.99 www.macmillanaudio.com
Have a Nice Guilt Trip is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the mother-daughter dual
memoir by Lisa Scottoline and Francesca Serritella, touching upon suburban life, family-fostered
guilt, puppies, dating, (the listener is left to judge whether the puppies or the dates are easier to
train) and much more. Warm and charming, Have a Nice Guilt Trip embodies the lasting love of
the bond between mother and daughter... and perhaps stirs a little reminder to call home every
once in a while! Highly recommended. 6 CDs, 6.5 hours.
Ghost Ship
Clive Cussler and Graham Brown, authors
Scott Brick, narrator
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611762594 $39.95 http://us.penguingroup.com
Bestselling thriller author Clive Cussler (whose work with the real-life NUMA has discovered
more than sixty long-lost ships) and Graham Brown present Ghost Ship, the unabridged
audiobook adaptation of a new novel in an action-packed series featuring Kurt Austin and the
daring NUMA team. In Ghost Ship, Kurt suffers an injury while trying to rescue the passengers
of a sinking yacht. When he comes to, Kurt cannot trust his own, disjointed memories of the
experience. Was the yacht abandoned, or did he see a friend drown? Kurt's search for the truth
leads him dangerously close to an international human trafficking ring! Exciting from beginning
to end, Ghost Ship will not disappoint fans of the genre or fans of Cussler's keen attention to
detail. 10 CDs, 12.5 hours.
The Clockwork Century: Boneshaker
Cherie Priest, author
Colleen Delany, director
Graphic Audio
https://graphicaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
9781628510584, $19.99, www.graphicaudio.net
A terrific 'steam punk' science fiction story by an extraordinarily talented and original author,
"The Clockwork Century: Boneshaker" by Cherie Preist is brought vividly to life within a kind of
'theatre of the mind' listening experience under the professional direction of Colleen Delany and
a talented cast of more than a dozen actors. Deftly incorporating a range of digital sound effects
and musical underpinnings, "The Clockwork Century: Boneshaker" is set in an alternate history
where the American Civil War is still ranging after eight years and the once promising town of
Seattle, Washington has been blighted with a poisonous gas breached into the city by an
infamous machine tunneling underneath it. The gas kills some and produces a ravenous walking
dead with others. A giant wall was hastily built around it to keep the gas and the 'Rotters' inside
the city's confines. But there are still humans left in there too. A young man named Zeke finds his
way into this forbidden and lethal city in search of the truth about his father and his grandfather.
His mother follows with the help of the rogue captain of a Zeppelin. High adventure, plot twists,
a peculiar survival communities underground, an infamous scientist, must all be negotiated if
long hidden truths are to be revealed. Clearly, Graphic Audio is a premier producer of technically
flawless productions. "The Clockwork Century: Boneshaker" is enthusiastically recommended
for science fiction enthusiasts and community library audio book collections.
Nekropolis: Meet Matt Richter, Private Eye Zombie
Tim Waggoner, author
Ken Jackson, director
Graphic Audio
https://graphicaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
9781628510157, $19.99, www.graphicaudio.net
The slogan used by GraphicAudio is 'a movie in your mind'. This superb production of Tim
Waggoner's fantasy novel, "Nekropolis: Meet Matt Richter, Private Eye Zombie" provides the
listener with a true 'theatre of the mind' experience from beginning to end. Matthew Richter (a
zombie private investigator who is slowly decaying), teams up with Devona (a half-woman,
half-vampire hybrid), in order to find a potent artifact before it can be used to destroy the balance
of power in Nekropolis -- created in another dimension to serve as a refuge for Earth's vampires,
ghouls, witches, wizards, demons, devils, ghosts, and pretty much anything and everything that
ever went 'bump in the night'. This technically flawless, 8 hour, 7 CD, theatrical production
includes a gifted cast of twenty-five, digital sound effects, and cinematic style music. A truly
extraordinary entertainment, "Nekropolis: Meet Matt Richter, Private Eye Zombie" is very highly
recommended and would make an enduringly popular addition to personal and community
library audio book collections.
Magical Cats Mystery series
Sofie Kelly, author
Cassandra Campbell, narrator
Books on Tape
c/o Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
$45.00 each www.booksontape.com
Three unabridged audiobook adaptations of Magical Cats Mystery series will enrapture
ailurophiles and mystery lovers alike. In "Curiosity Thrilled the Cat" (9780553399349, 9 CDs, 10
1/2 hours), small-town librarian Kathleen Paulson adopts two cats into her home, and is surprised
to learn that her new pets have a supernatural affinity, in addition to their love of catnip. Their
quasi-magical powers may be just what she needs to save her reputation and protect her town,
when the specter of murder arises! In "Copycat Killing" (9780553399400, 8 CDs, 10 hours), a
sudden rainstorm almost destroys the local artists' co-op - and one controversial mask-maker
drowns in his basement. Paulson works with attractive detective Marcus Gordon, as well as her
magically observant cats, to uncover the killer! In "Sleight of Paw" (9780553399370, 9 CDs, 10
1/2 hours), Kathleen makes it her personal mission to find out who murdered an old woman
beloved by virtually the entire town. Finding a cold-blooded killer can be dangerous work; it's
fortunate that she has help of both the human and feline persuasion! All three are excellent
choices for fans of the genre, and sure to be popular public library picks.
The Ultimates: Against All Enemies
Alex Irvine, author
Richard Rohan, director
Graphic Audio
https://graphicaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/requests/new
9781628510270, $19.99, www.graphicaudio.net
The Marvel Universe of superheros and supervillains is brought to life with "The Ultimates:
Against All Enemies", a technically flawless production that features a talented cast, original
theme music, and digital sound effects. Alex Irvine's story has Captain America, Iron Man Tony
Stark, Shield Director Nick Fury, Hank 'Giant Man' Pym, Thor, and other members of the
Avengers, pitted against shape shifting aliens bent on the destruction of the human race. "The
Ultimates: Against All Enemies" is a 'must' for the legions of dedicated Marvel fans and creates a
truly memorable, genuine, and thoroughly entertaining 'theatre of the mind' experience from
beginning to end. This 5 CD, 6 hour, science fiction action/adventure isn't just a simple audio
book -- it is a fully fleshed out radio play and would prove to be a much appreciated addition to
any school or community library audio collection.
Hangman
Stephan Talty, author
David H. Lawrence XVII, narrator
Books on Tape
c/o Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780804191470 $22.50 www.randomhouseaudio.com
Performed by veteran television and film actor David H. Lawrence XVII, Hangman is the
unabridged audiobook of a dark thriller about the return of a serial child killer. Homicide cop
Abbie Kearney knows the story behind a cruel serial killer who targeted teenage girls, but she
never expected to be the one trying to track him down after a prison break. As the body count
rises, could breaking the boundaries of the law be the only way to ensure justice? Hangman is
gruesome, suspenseful, and chilling to the very end. 9 CDs, 10 1/2 hours.
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10017
www.hachetteaudio.com
Robin Roberts with Veronica Chambers's EVERYBODY'S GOT SOMETHING
(9781478979630, $30.00) provides a powerful memoir of the host of Good Morning America,
and tells of Robin's journey in her life and what lessons she's learned from overcoming breast
cancer, a rare blood disorder, and family tragedy. Her account teaches viewers that everyone has
something to give - and shows, through her life, how to arrive at this point. Hers is a passionate,
involving story highly recommended for any who want inspirational living to come to life in
audio. Biz Stone's THINGS A LITTLE BIRD TOLD ME: CONFESSIONS OF THE CREATIVE
MIND (9781478927754, $35.00) comes from the co-founder of Twitter and discusses how to
hone and use creativity, based on his own experiences in life and on his career, and makes for a
fine survey of social media in general and one high-powered businessman's founding of a
world-class company. His personal stories from his early life, his career at Google and Twitter,
and his knowledge about opportunity, creativity and change are unparalleled and give business
readers an excellent feel for principles that can be applied to the modern business environment.
The result is a highly recommended pick for any business collection! James Patterson and
Maxine Paetro's UNLUCKY 13 (9781611130553, $35.00) receives a vivid reading by January
LaVoy and tells of the Women's Murder Club, which is being stalked, ironically, by a killer. San
Francisco detective Lindsay Boxer loves her life as a new mother, but a photo of a killer from her
past changes her world and poses many new problems in this gripping thriller, recommended for
murder mystery fans. T.D. Jakes' INSTINCT: THE POWER TO UNLEASH YOUR INBORN
DRIVE (9781478927174, $30.00) is narrated by Ezra Knight, a talented film and stage actor, and
covers the process of following your heart and instincts and understanding inner wisdom and its
power. Discussions center around unlocking the strengths of instinct and recognizing its drive,
and come from an influential black leader who here provides inspirational motivation for positive
change. Anthony DeStefano's A TRAVEL GUIDE TO LIFE: TRANSFORMING YOURSELF
FROM HEAD TO SOUL (9781619696594, $25.00) is read by the author, who lends a smooth
voice to a fun story of happiness and fulfillment and spiritual living. From connecting mind and
body to making life-changing decisions, this shows how heaven and achievement can be attained
here on Earth, and offers an encouraging spiritual survey that comes to life in audio! Jeffrey
Deaver's THE SKIN COLLECTOR (9781478927145, $40.00) provides a fine Lincoln Rhyme
novel narrated by Eddardo Ballerini, whose vivid voice brings to life a thriller sequel to THE
BONE COLLECTOR, a serial killer who terrorized New York over a decade ago. Once again
Lincoln and Amelia Sachs are involved in a puzzling case and a race against time and death
itself. Action is well-detailed, drama and characterization come to life in audio, and this story is a
highly recommended pick for both prior fans of BONE COLLECTOR and newcomers to Lincoln
Rhyme.
The Library CD Shelf
Sketches from an Island
Mark Barrott
International Feel Recordings
c/o The Creative Service Company (publicity)
4360 Emerald Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
www.thecreativeservicecompany.com
www.sketchesfromanisland.com
$19.47 CD / $7.92 MP3 www.amazon.com
Inspired by the musician Mark Barrott's home island of Ibiza off the coast of Spain, Sketches
from an Island Vol's 1 & 2 is an album of relaxing, beautiful songs to soothe the spirit. Gentle
dance beats, smoothly flowing melodies, and the sounds of birds form a warm, mellow listening
experience perfect for easing stress and expanding one's imagination. A timeless, original
treasury, Sketches from an Island makes a wonderful gift for any occasion. The tracks are "Baby
Come Home", "Dr. Nimm's Garden of Intrigue & Delight", "Go Berri Be Happy", "Essene",
"Formentera Headspace Blues (Pts. 1 & 2)", "Deep Water", "Island Life", "Back to the Sea", and
"Sacred Islands".
Que Venga La Vida
Monica Giraldo
www.monicagiraldo.com
Polen
www.polenrecords.com
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
Que Venga La Vida ("Let Life Come") is a Spanish-language guitar and voice album by
Columbian musician Monica Giraldo, with instrumental assistance from various other
performers. Giraldo studied in the U.S., earning a degree in voice, songwriting, and performance,
which she has since used to realize her talent and vision for Columbian music. Que Venga La
Vida is an album of songs she created for festivals, songs that put a new spen on beloved
Columbian musical traditions, and songs that speak from the heart about the joys of life itself.
Highly recommended, especially for world music collections. The tracks are "Tal vez", "Gran
intento", "Molinos de viento", "Asi lo canto yo", "Deja", "Dulce boca", "Lejos esta el final",
"Para volver a bailar", "Otro momento", and "Un gusto estar aqui".
Radio Flor
Cascada de Flores
www.cascadadeflores.com
Ita Music
c/o Rock Paper Scissors
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
California-based acoustic Latin ensemble Cascada de Flores presents Radio Flor, a
Spanish-language music album that embraces Mexican and Cuban music traditions. Many songs
in Radio Flor are performances of beloved Mexican and Cuban hits from the first half of the
twentieth century, such as the 1933 Cuban bolero "Como Fue". A nostalgic re-visiting of
cherished musical treasures, spiced with Cascada de Flores' unique style and boundless
enthusiasm, Radio Flor is highly recommended. The tracks are "Sintonia" (0:41), "La
Chuparrosa" (6:36), "La Calandria" (3:28), "Claveles" (5:36), "La Hora Azul" (0:24), "La Gloria
Eres Tu" (5:05), "With A Song In My Heart" (7:22), "Jardinero De Amor" (5:13), "Estrella
Solitaria" (6:19), "El Dandy" (0:19), "Maria Cristina" (5:35), "Marla" (6:04), "Collar De Perlas"
(4:18), "El Butaquito" (4:48), "Salsas El Brujo" (0:12), "El Cachuatero" (4:50), "Como Fue"
(4:41), and "Campanitas" (0:13).
The Island of Dr Electrico
The Bombay Royale
Hope Street Recordings
www.hopestreetrecordings.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$17.99 CD / $7.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
The second album by Melbourne-based, Bollywood-inspired ensemble The Bombay Royale, The
Island of Dr Electrico is a blend of exotic music and adventurous storytelling. Songs tell of the
overgrown, tropical island of Dr Electrico, a monstrous mad scientist who performs black
experiments on kidnapped victims. Two protagonists struggle to survive the nightmare: The
Tiger and The Mysterious Lady. Vocals, saxophone, trumpet, trombone, synthesizer, guitar, and
intense percussion bring the terrible adventure to vivid life, in this unforgettable music
experience, in kindred storytelling sprit to (although not quite the same musical genre as) the
Styx album "Kilroy Was Here". The tracks are "Ankhiyan", "Wild Stallion Mountain",
"Khubsoorat Bewafa", "Henna Henna", "Tere Bina", "Hooghly Night Patrol", "(Give Me Back
My) Bunty Bunty", "Gyara 59", "The Bombay Twist", "The Island of Dr Electrico", "Falcon's
Landing", and "The River".
Classic African American Songsters
Smithsonian Folkways
www.folkways.si.edu
c/o Shore Fire Media (publicity)
http://shorefire.com
$11.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
Classic African American Songsters is an album of 21 classic musical tracks from the
Smithsonian Folkways archives, including four previously unreleased, showcasing the timeless
talent of famous African-American musicians. As much a treasury of history as it is a thoroughly
engaging, rhythmic tour of styles ranging from ragtime and country to Tin Pan Alley, blues and
its hybrids, string band, and more, Classic African American Songsters is unforgettable. Highly
recommended, especially for public library music collections. The tracks are "Bring It On Down
To My House" (2:02, Warner Williams with Jay Summerour), "Talking Blues" (2:26, Pink
Anderson), "Nobody's Business (If I Do)" (3:15, John Jackson), "Alabama Bound" (2:17, Little
Brother Montgomery), "Pallet On The Floor" (3:09, Brownie McGhee), "Chicken, You Can't
Roost Too High For Me" (3:16, Bill Williams), "My Hula Love" (2:16, Lead Belly), "Candy
Man" (2:32, Reverend Gary Davis), "Going Down The Road Feeling Bad" (3:32, John Cephas
and Phil Wiggins), "Froggy Went A-Courting" (4:10, Peg Leg Sam), "Monday Morning Blues"
(5:52, Mississippi John Hurt), "The Boys Of Your Uncle Sam" (2:03, Pink Anderson), "Raise A
Ruckus Tonight" (2:49, Brownie McGhee), "Reno Factory" (2:09, Marvin Foddrell), "Don't Let
Your Deal Go Down" (3:07, John Jackson), "Honeysuckle Rose" (2:05, Warner Williams with
Jay Summerour), "Bill Bailey" (1:55, Big Bill Broonzy), "When The Roses Bloom Again" (2:05,
Bill Williams), "Straighten Up And Fly Right" (3:14, Peg Leg Sam), "Careless Love" (2:33,
Snooks Eaglin), and "They Cut Down The Old Pine Tree" (2:20, Martin, Bogan, and
Armstrong).
Precious Child: Love Songs & Lullabies
Darryl Tookes and Joe Beck
MGP Records
c/o Waldmania! (publicity)
130 Maywood Drive, San Francisco, CA 94127
$12.98 www.mckennagroupproductions.com
Multiple Grammy-nominated guitarist/composer Joe Beck and vocalist/composer/pianist Darryl
Tookes present Precious Child: Love Songs & Lullabies, a music CD consisting of both
traditional childhood songs and original works, celebrating the universal bond of parent and
child. A treasury that will stir the hearts of listeners of all ages, Precious Child is gentle, wistful,
and pure in its quiet beauty. Highly recommended, especially for family gift-giving. The tracks
are "Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" (4:39), "Daddy's Girl" (3:34), "The Nursery Rhyme Song"
(3:29), "Only a Matter of Time" (3:55), "Precious Child" (3:28), "Daddy's Always Here" (2:30),
"Rock A Bye Baby" (3:21), "Little One" (3:12), "I Love You Too Much" (5:00), and "Bye Bye
Lullaby/Brahms' Lullaby" (2:47). 35 min. 57 sec.
Current Affairs
RUNA
www.runamusic.com
Hearth Music
14879 6th Ave. NE, Shoreline, WA 98155
www.hearthmusic.com
$15.00 CD / $9.99 download cdbaby.com
Award-winning Irish-American band RUNA presents Current Affairs, an album drawn from
working-class folk songs, salacious family history, Celtic tradition, and the ties that bind culture
across continents. A balance between traditional elements and creative experimentation, Current
Affairs is especially recommended for world music collections and fans of modernized Irish and
Celtic audio. The tracks are "The Banks Are Made of Marble" (3:09), "The Wife Of Usher's
Well" (4:46), "The Hunter Set" (5:55), "Henry Lee" (3:25), "Black River" (3:53), "Aoidh Na
Dean Cadal Idir" (5:14), "The False Knight Upon The Road" (4:38), "Ain't No Grave" (4:34),
"Who Will Sing Me Lullabies" (3:20), "The Ruthless Wife" (4:59), "Land Of Sunshine Set"
(5:46), "Rarie's Hill" (4:18), and "The Last Trip Home" (5:06).
Aphasia
Grey Filastine
Post World Industries
www.postworldindustries.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
$TBA www.pressjunkiepr.com
Aphasia is an album of electronic music by talented artist Grey Filastine. Harmonic vocals blend
with the software-enhanced pitch and rhythm, creating an extraordinary experience that strives to
reach beyond sensory sound. The songs of Aphasia form the core of Filastine's audiovisual
mapping performance, as debuting at France's largest Festival, Les Vieilles Charrues. Aphasia is
especially recommended for music lovers yearning to experience something uniquely different!
The tracks are "Requiem 432", "Sixty Cycle Drum", "Murka", and "Drone Silences."
Spiraling, Ascending with Prayer
Louie Gonnie
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$14.98 www.canyonrecords.com
Louie Gonnie is a singer of the Dine people (also known as "Navajo"), raised amid the songs and
prayers of the Native American Church. Gonnie's talent shines through in his latest album,
Spiraling, Ascending with Prayer, an anthology of spiritual and introspective songs. Listeners of
all faiths and backgrounds can draw inspiration from the heartfelt love, guidance,
encouragement, and reverence in this beautiful, timeless music. Highly recommended. The tracks
are "Into the Spectrum" (12:20), "Upon Tranquil Waters" (9:07), "Listlessness of Winter Skies"
(9:12), "Ethereal Accolades" (11:51), "Council of the Fallen" (8:42), "Tears in the Sky" (12:14),
"May Your Dreams Always Come True" (3:02), and Nagamowin" (3:05).
Kihta Wasoh Wapakwani
Cree Confederation
Canyon Records Productions
3131 West Clarendon Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85017
$14.98 www.canyonrecords.com
Kihta Wasoh Wapakwani showcases the Cree Confederation's vocals, drumming, and vibrant
performance rooted in authentic Native American Pow-Wow tradition. Cree Confederation is
especially known for their balance of classic Plains singing with dynamic inflection and word
songs that take inspiration from contemporary styles. An energetic, pulse-pounding album, Kihta
Wasoh Wapakwani is highly recommended. The tracks are "Beautiful Flower" (4:14), "Mewasin
Oma" (3:37), "Good Medicine Horse" (2:59), "Short and Petite" (Side-Step, 1:52), "The Bucks"
(3:30), "Twin Cities Love" (2:35), "Battle River Style" (2:41), "Bradley's Sweet Sensation"
(4:33), "The Rose Part 2" (Side-Step, 2:07), "Jive Turkey" (3:28), "Makaoo" (3:19), "Owass
Stick" (3:28), "Onion Lake First Nation" (3:17), "The Gambler" (4:21) and "Sid the Kid"
(2:56).
La Rumba SoYo
Ricardo Lemvo & Makina Loca
Cumbancha
413 Carpenter Road, Charlotte, VT 05445
www.cumbancha.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$13.98 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
Los Angeles-based singer Ricardo Lemvo and the band Makina Loca present La Rumba SoYo, a
multinational album featuring music recorded in four different nations (U.S., Canada, France and
Angola), offering a free-wheeling blend of African (Congolese) and Cuban music. Some of the
songs are their take on traditional folk tunes; others are original creative expressions, not
necessarily beholden to any one language (one song, "Dikulusu" is in three languages:
Portuguese, Kikongo and Kimbundu). The result is a multicultural blast from beginning to end!
The tracks are "Santo Antonio Do Zaire" (4:08), "Dikulusu" (4:49), "Rumba SoYo" (4:52), "Kari
Kuyeye" (4:55), "E Moyo" (4:50), "Padre George" (4:45), "Bolero Medley VF" (5:52), "El
Caburnacho" (4:30), "Simone CM" (4:45), "Tudia Tunua" (4:37), and "Samba Luku Samba
(Rumba Remix)" (4:20).
Amor Planeta
Pacifika
Six Degrees Records
PO Box 411347, San Francisco, CA 94141-1347
www.sixdegreesrecords.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$14.94 CD / $5.00 MP3 www.amazon.com
The third album by global fusion band Pacifika, Amor Planeta ("Love Planet") celebrates the joys
of everyday life - from the bonds of friendship, to heartfelt love, to the sweetness of dreams. The
Spanish-language songs brim with unleashed exuberance and wonder, accompanies by lively
trumpet and percussion performances. Amor Planet is an energizing listening experiences, sure to
enliven even the dreariest day! The tracks are "Corre Ya" (5:17), "Yo Te Amo" (2:43), "Satelites"
(4:19), "So Much Here" (3:32), "Panamericana" (3:23), "Sal Y Brisa" (4:37), "Suenos" (4:48),
"Las Bellezas" (5:09), "Bring It" (4:40), "Soledad" (4:03).
Long Road
Christopher Vrenios, a.k.a. "Christos DC"
www.christosdc.com
Honest Music
www.honestmusicdc.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$22.27 CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com
Reggae artists Christopher Vrenois ("Christos DC") presents Long Road, an original album about
the winding course of life, and how important it is to remember and help others while traveling
this long road. A shadow of jazz and downtempo permeates through the soulful lyrics, which
embody emotional fortitude and respect. Long Road's uplifting message transcends genres to
speak freely to all listeners; highly recommended. The tracks are "Just Talk to Me ft. Kenyatta
Hill", "Lovely Lady", "Same Old Sing Along", "Another Day", "Living in the Past", "Circles ft.
Hugh Hall", "So Hard To Say", "10,000 Miles From Home", "Vasilikos ft. Anastasios Vrenios",
"True Love", "Long Road", "Helpless", "Did You Really Get It?" and "Keep On Pushing".
Disco e Progresso
Da Cruz
Boom Jah Records
c/o Press Junkie PR (publicity)
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221
Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$27.40 CD / $12.49 MP3 www.amazon.com
Disco e Progresso is a double-CD album by Da Cruz, the four-piece band featuring celebrated
Brazilian singer Mariana Da Cruz. A joyous outpouring, Disco e Progresso fuses elements of
disco, funk, dancehall, kuduro, new weave, breakbeat, samba and more into a singularly
exuberant escapade. Highly recommended, especially for international music collections! The
Bright Side tracks are "Bola da Discoteca" (3:59), "Nascer Livre" (3:27), "Din Din", (3:21),
"Cansado de Sao Paulo" (3:57), "Tudo Flui" (3:23), "Rolar a Bola" (4:06), "Boa" (3:05),
"Amanha se foi" (3:59), "Passageiros da meia Noite" (3:26), "Doralina" (3:38), and "Campari
Soda" (3:42). The Dark Side tracks are "Aonde vai" (3:46), "Criancas da Revolta" (4:40), "Cala a
Boca" (3:44), "Menino mau" (4:28), "Atras do Carnaval" (4:17), "A Verdade" (3:51), "Sai"
(4:04), "Quase natural" (3:58), "Atras da Lua" (4:30), and "Din Din (Da Cruz Remix)"
(4:14).
The Library DVD Shelf
A Will for the Woods
A film by Amy Browne, Jeremy Kaplan, Tony Hale, & Brian Wilson
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
1941545041 $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com
Licensed for public performance, A Will for the Woods is a DVD documentary about the "green
burial" movement, which may become as crucial as any other effort to preserve the environment
as human populations continue to grow. Some common funeral practices are known to be toxic,
wasteful, designed to preserve the corpse at the expense of the biosphere. Is there a way that one's
final resting place can benefit the Earth instead? Musician and psychiatrist Clark Wang decides
to find out, investigating a social movement devoted to using burial to conserve and restore
natural areas, perhaps even save a tract of forest. The potential for the end of life's cycle to
promote conservation and renewal is profound, in this ultimately life-affirming portrayal. Highly
recommended. 93 minutes, SDH captions.
San Antonio Missions
Bennet Watt HD Productions, Inc.
13021 - 244 Avenue SE
Issaquah, WA 98027
9781604901764 $24.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com
Part of the excellent Discoveries... America National Parks DVD series San Antonio Missions &
The Alamo, Presidio La Bahia (Goliad) & El Camino Real, Texas is a striking tour of historic
sites, shown in gorgeous high definition and enhanced with insightful historic commentary.
Locations covered include the (in)famous Alamo, where the heroic stand and sacrifice of fierce
defenders became a courageous symbol of independence and liberty; Goliad, site of the Goliad
Massacre (a systematic execution of Republic of Texas soldier-prisoners, by the orders of
then-President of Mexico Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna); and the frontier development site El
Camino Real. Stone restoration efforts and a view of San Antonio Riverwalk round out
captivating tour, easily the next best thing to witnessing these historic sites in person. Highly
recommended, especially for public library DVD shelves. 50 min.
Anna Karenina
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621722571 $59.99 www.acornonline.com
Anna Karenina is the BBC adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's classic novel, first aired on "Masterpiece
Theatre" in 1977. Set in 1870s Imperial Russia, Anna Karenina is about the human quest for
happiness against all odds. Anna (played by Nicola Pagett) is a young, beautiful woman trapped
in a loveless marriage to a much older man, Karenin (Eric Porter). When she meets the suave
cavalry officer Count Vronsky (Stuart Wilson), her life is never the same again - but can the rigid
demands of society ever be resisted, much less swayed? Unfolding over the course of ten
full-length episodes, Anna Karenina is an Emmy nominee for Outstanding Limited Series,
exploring all the story lines and characters of Tolstoy's epic saga in depth. Highly recommended,
especially for public library DVD collections. 10 episodes on 3 DVDs, 539 min., SDH subtitles,
full screen.
Peter Brook: The Tightrope
A film by Simon Brook
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$27.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Peter Brook: The Tightrope is a documentary about the instructional techniques of one of the
world's most widely respected directors of contemporary theater. To help stage actors refine their
performances, Peter Brook has created an exercise dubbed "The Tightrope", and refined it over
decades of use. His son Simon Brook has created this expose of how The Tightrope works in
practice, fostering a new appreciation for the lengths that actors train themselves to create a truly
convincing performance. Bonus materials include interviews of the actors and a photo gallery.
Peter Brook: The Tightrope is fascinating to view in its own right, and an excellent resource for
any theater director or coach interested in utilizing Brook's techniques. Highly recommended. 83
min, subtitles in English, French and Spanish.
Forget Me Not
A film by David Sieveking
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149
Oley, PA 19547
$295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com
Licensed for public performance, Forget Me Not: Losing Memory - Finding Love is a personal
documentary in which filmmaker David Sieveking shows the daily life and care of his mother
Gretel, who has Alzheimer's disease. Forget Me Not shows both the pain of caring for a loved
one who is losing her memories, and the joy of an opportunity to reconnect with close family.
Forget Me Not is as much about the celebration of a long and eventful life as it is about the
tragedy of mental decline; vivid, unforgettable, and highly recommended. 83 min., German with
English subtitles.
Tiny: A Story About Living Small
A film by Merete Mueller and Christopher Smith
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213
New York, NY 10036
$24.95 www.firstrunfeatures.com
Tiny: A Story About Living Small is a documentary about six people living in ultra-small homes,
some no bigger than a parking space, often built on wheels to bypass building codes or zoning
restrictions. These "tiny homes" have the benefits of simplifying one's life, reducing impact on
the environment, and saving money. Tiny examines the design innovations that make these
homes liveable, and the personal stories of the occupants who choose to eschew material
consumerism and "live small." Bonus material includes an interview with the filmmakers, a
behind-the-scenes segment, and bonus scenes with shorts. An intriguing, thought-provoking
documentary, highly recommended especially for public library collections. 62 min.,
closed-captioned.
In the Footsteps of St. Paul
David Suchet
Athena
c/o Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621722168 $29.99 www.acornonline.com
David Suchet (well-known for his starring role in productions of Agatha Christie's Poirot) hosts
In the Footsteps of St. Paul, a documentary quest to better understand one of early Christianity's
most notable figures - St. Paul the apostle. St. Paul was controversial in his own time; today he is
remembered as a former persecutor of Christians who converted to the faith through a divine
miracle, and was crucial in transforming it from a small Jewish sect into a world-wide faith. St.
Paul is believed to have traveled 10,000 miles by foot across the Roman Empire, let alone sea
travel; Suchet seeks to retrace St. Paul's journey, and learn more about the man behind the
missionary by talking to archaeologists, scholars, clerics, and local citizens. As enlightening as it
is fascinating, In the Footsteps of St. Paul is highly recommended. 2 episodes, 108 min.,
widescreen, SDH subtitles.
Drones in My Backyard
a film by Alan Snitow
Snitow-Kaufman Productions
c/o Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
194154505X $150.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com
Licensed for public performance, Drones in My Backyard is a brief, wry DVD inspired by the
day a drone appeared in filmmaker Alan Snitow's backyard, hovering over his head. Not so much
a documentary as is a free-form meditation and reflection on the role of drones in war,
surveillance, and perhaps everyday life (if that day in Snitow's backyard becomes a more
widespread occurrence). An unforgettable short film that beautifully captures an increasingly
surreal aspect of the twenty-first century, Drones in My Backyard is highly recommended. 13
min., SDH captions.
The Yoga of Awakening: Body-Mind Flow
Seane Corn
Sounds True
PO Box 8010
Boulder, CO 80306
9781622031252 $24.95 SoundsTrue.com
Volume one of a three-volume training series, The Yoga of Awakening: Body-Mind Flow is a
two-DVD set that instructs the viewer in foundational Vinyasa flow yoga practices, and shows
how to use yoga for stability, relaxation, balance, and greater connection between the mind and
the body. Both DVDs can be used either at the beginner level or for a full-strength advanced
workout. An excellent way to learn the discipline of yoga to enhance both physical and spiritual
well-being, The Yoga of Awakening: Body-Mind Flow is highly recommended. 2 DVDs, 3 hours
13 min.
The Automotive Shelf
Hot Rod Gallery
Pat Ganahl
CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
www.cartechbooks.com
9781613251157, $39.95, www.amazon.com
Hot rods are typically old, classic American cars with large engines modified for linear speed.
Roadsters were the cars of choice because they were light, were easy to modify, and could be
bought for a low price. The term became commonplace in the 1930s or 1940s as the name of a
car that had been "hopped up" by modifying the engine in various ways to achieve higher
performance. "Hot Rod Gallery: A Nostalgic Look at Hot Rodding's Golden Years: 1930-1960"
by automotive expert Pat Ganahl is a 192 page compendium showcasing the history of the hot
road. Enhanced with 357 photos and an informed commentary, this thirty year history of a
particular genre of automotive excitement is very highly recommended for car enthusiasts and
community library collections.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm
Stephen Harrod Buhner
Bear & Company
c/o Inner Traditions International, Ltd.
One Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781591431350, $26.00, www.bearandcompanybooks.com
Plant Intelligence and the Imaginal Realm is for nature, new science and new age readers alike,
and is based on the premise that all life-forms on Earth possess intelligence, language, and a
sense of identity as well as the capacity to dream - including plants. His book considers how to
understand the meanings and communications of such a world, examining the ecology of
invasive plants, bacterial resistance, and more; and he places human beings in perspective in such
a world, re-connecting humans to nature and offering a new way of perceiving the natural world.
While science collections should also have this, it likely will be the new age reader who will get
the most from this approach.
UFOs: God's Chariots?
Ted Peters
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12 Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601633187, $16.99, www.newpagebooks.com
UFOs: God's Chariots? Spirituality, Ancient Aliens, and Religious Yearnings in the Age of
Extra-terrestrials provides fine research into how UFOs can reveal underlying cultural meanings,
and considers their spiritual dimensions as it considers the origins, purposes, and spiritual source
of UFOs. It also presents for the first time the results of The Peters ETI Religious Crisis Survey,
which tested the idea that if contact occurs with intelligent alien life, our historic religious
perceptions will collapse. This powerful blend of theology and new age examination makes for a
thought-provoking survey any spirituality collection should have!
Whispers Of Love
Angela Hartfield, author
Josephine Wall, artist
Blue Angel Publishing
c/o U.S. Games Systems, Inc.
179 Ludlow Street, Stamford, CT 06902
www.usgamesinc.com
9781572817661, $21.95, www.amazon.com
In classical antiquity, an oracle was a person or agency considered to interface wise counsel or
prophetic predictions or precognition of the future, inspired by the gods. As such it is a form of
divination. The word oracle comes from the Latin verb orare "to speak" and properly refers to the
priest or priestess uttering the prediction. Oracles were thought to be portals through which the
gods spoke directly to people. In this sense they were different from seers who interpreted signs
sent by the gods through bird signs, animal entrails, and other various methods. Now available
for a new generation of metaphysical studies students and practitioners of oracular divination is
the beautifully illustrated, highly recommended, 50 card deck called "Whispers Of Love".
Enhanced for the novice with an informative guidebook, these cards are suitable for doing
readings on specific questions, relationship issues, and everyday guidance.
The Business Shelf
Digital Branding
Daniel Rowles
Kogan Page USA
1518 Walnut Street, Suite 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19102
www.koganpageusa.com
9780749469955, $29.95, www.amazon.com
In today's computerized and digitalized world of commerce, digital branding is vital to corporate
success in a highly competitive marketplace. Social media has become a critically important
aspect of advertising and promotion and requires professional expertise in its development,
implementation, and goal oriented evaluations. "Digital Branding: A Complete Step-by-Step
Guide to Strategy, Tactics and Measurement" by digital branding and marketing expert Daniel
Rowles is a 232 page instruction manual the provides a step-by-step, practical framework for
brand planning, channel selection and measuring the effectiveness of brand campaigns. "Digital
Branding" covers content marketing, social media, search optimization, web analytics, and more.
Of special note is the use of real illustrative world case studies, the inclusion of a guide to free
and paid tools to help measure the ROI from various online channels, and practical examples of
social guidelines, process and policy. "Digital Branding" is a seminal guide that should be
considered a mandatory study for anyone charged with corporate responsibilities for advertising
and promoting their company's services and/or products. It should also be noted that "Digital
Branding: A Complete Step-by-Step Guide to Strategy, Tactics and Measurement" is also
available in a Kindle edition ($16.17).
Lean Customer Development
Cindy Alverez
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N., Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
www.oreilly.com
9781449356354, $24.99, www.amazon.com
It's long been accepted that to succeed as an entrepreneur it is necessary to 'find a need and then
fill it'. But how to you identify a product or service and the customer base for that product or
service? "Lean Customer Development: Building Products Your Customers Will Buy" by
product manager Cindy Alverz (Director of user Experience and Product Design for the
Microsoft company Yammer) is a thoroughly 'user friendly', 240 page compendium that is
basically a complete course of 'how to' instruction under a single cover. Readers will learn how to
validate or invalidate a hypothesis by talking to the right people; learn how to conduct successful
customer interviews play-by-play; become able to detect a customer's behaviors, pain points, and
constraints; turn interview insights into Minimum Viable Products to validate what customers
will use and buy; and adapt customer development strategies for large companies, conservative
industries, and existing products. Exceptionally well written, informed and informative, ""Lean
Customer Development: Building Products Your Customers Will Buy" is strongly recommended
for personal, professional, corporate, community, and academic library instructional Business
Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that ""Lean
Customer Development: Building Products Your Customers Will Buy" is also available in a
Kindle edition ($11.49).
Shopper Marketing
Daniel J. Flint, et al.
FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.pearsoned.com
9780133481426, $149.00, www.amazon.com
Shopper marketing is a business term that means properly understanding how consumers behave
as shoppers, in different channels and formats, and applying this information to the benefit of all
stakeholders -- brands, consumers, retailers and customers. Shopper marketing is not limited to
in-store marketing activities. Shopper marketing must be part of an overall integrated marketing
approach that considers the opportunities to drive consumption and identifies the shopper that
would need to purchase a brand to enable that consumption. These shoppers need to be
understood in terms of how well they interpret the needs of the consumer, what their own needs
as a shopper are, where they are likely to shop, in which stores they can be influenced in, and
what in-store activity influences them. Shopper marketing requires supply chain partners to
smoothly integrate complex sets of marketing and sales tools, in order to engage shoppers, build
brand equity, and persuade shoppers when they move into "shopping mode." Internally, it also
demands deeper coordination of Research & Development, marketing innovation, operations,
logistics, and distribution. It isn't easy, but it offers remarkable, proven results that are virtually
unobtainable any other way. The collaborative work of Daniel J. Flint (Professor of Business,
Department of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, University of Tennessee, Knoxville),
Chris Hoyt (President of Hoyt & Company), and Nancy Swift (shopper marketing strategist and
consultant), "Shopper Marketing: Profiting from the Place Where Suppliers, Brand
Manufacturers, and Retailers Connect" is a 320 page manual that is a complete and
extraordinarily well presented instruction course. Of special note is the chapter on 'What Do
Academics Actually Do and How Do They Think?'. Each individual chapter is enhanced with an
Endnotes section. Very highly recommended for professional, business, corporate, and academic
Business Studies reference collections, it should be noted that "Shopper Marketing: Profiting
from the Place Where Suppliers, Brand Manufacturers, and Retailers Connect" is also available
in a Kindle edition ($85.49).
The American History Shelf
The Horrell Wars
David Johnson
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415506 $24.95 www.unt.edu/untpress
The Horrell Wars: Feuding in Texas and New Mexico is a close study of the lawless Horrell
brothers of Lampasas, Texas, focusing on the years after the Civil War. History has largely
painted them as brigands, cattle rustlers, and cold-blooded murderers. While the brothers and
their associates have a great deal of innocent blood on their hands, The Horrell Wars reveals a
level of complexity skimmed over in other references - the brothers were frequently (but not
always!) clashing with equally murderous individuals or families. During their infamous "race
war" against Mexican-American settlers, they survived a merciless plot instigated by a priest to
burn their entire family alive, including women and children; then, they engaged in the horrific
slaughter of innocent Mexican-American civilians during a dance celebration. A saga of
violence, savagery, and the dark side of human nature, The Horrell Wars is enthralling to
scholars and lay readers alike.
'Light Horse Harry' Lee In the War for Independence
Jim Piccuch & John Beakes
Nautical & Aviation Publishing Company
845A Lowcountry Blvd., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464
www.nauticalandaviation.com
9781877853739, $28.95, 268pp, www.amazon.com
Henry Lee III (January 29, 1756 - March 25, 1818), also known as Light-Horse Harry Lee, was
an early American patriot who served as the ninth Governor of Virginia and as the Virginia
Representative to the United States Congress. During the American Revolution, Lee served as a
cavalry officer in the Continental Army and earned the nickname "Light-Horse Harry". It is
interesting to note that 'Light Horse Harry' Lee was also the father of Confederate general Robert
E. Lee. Co-authored by Jim Piccuch (Associate Professor of History, Kennesaw State University,
Georgia) and military historian John Beakes, "'Light Horse Harry' Lee In the War for
Independence" is a 268 page descriptive history of Lee's impressive involvement in the various
battles during American Revolution. Of special note is the concluding chapter on 'Lee's Life
After the War' where we learn that he was a pauper when he died. However, he was cared for,
then buried by General Nathanael Greene's daughter on her father's plantation in Georgia. Then
he was later reburied with his son, Robert E. Lee, at Lexington, Virginia. An impressive and
informative account, "'Light Horse Harry' Lee In the War for Independence" is very highly
recommended reading and an invaluable addition to both community and academic library
American Revolutionary War collections.
American Carnage
Jerome A. Greene
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
9780806144481, $34.95, www.oupress.com
AMERICAN CARNAGE: WOUNDED KNEE, 1890 follows the evolution of tensions between
troops and Native Americans that boiled over at Wounded Knee Creek, and is recommended for
Native American and American history holdings alike. It comes from a specialist on the Indian
wars who explores why the disaster happened and how it evolved into a massacre, and uses a
wealth of resources from previously unknown testimonies to documented events to examine
whether Wounded Knee was premeditated, whether revenge entered into the massacre, and the
efforts of Lakota survivors and their descendants to gain recognition for their losses. The result is
a powerful history highly recommended for any collection strong in military or Native American
affairs.
Home Fires
Sean Patrick Adams
Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9781421413570, $22.95, www.press.jhu.edu
HOME FIRES: HOW AMERICANS KEPT WARM IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY
provides a narrow focus on home heating over the nineteenth century and how changes in
systems and technology ultimately resulted in social transformation. It covers the business of
selling home heating products and choices, it reviews the challenge of dwindling firewood
supplies and the changes this brought to the industry and American homes, and it provides a
scholarly yet lively coverage that considers the ideas and variations of the hearth in American
homes. Any collection strong in American business development and social history will find this
specific and involving!
Farms, Factories, and Families
Anthony V. Riccio
Excelsior Editions
c/o State University of New York Press
State University Plaza
Albany, NY 12246-0001
9781438452319 $29.95 www.sunypress.edu
Farms, Factories, and Families: Italian American Women of Connecticut explores the cultural
history and ongoing contributions of Italian-American working women in the state of
Connecticut. Some farmed; some started their own businesses; some worked alongside men in
factories and sweatshops, and many contributed to organizing labor unions. From Connecticut's
pioneer days to the turn of the twentieth century, to when World War II required more women
then ever to serve on the production lines while the men went off to war, Farms, Factories, and
Families balances societal trends with individual voices and personal testimonies, such as "In
those days, there were no restrictions on the men with the women. Some had ten, twelve kids,
and they made sure they kept their wives pregnant. That was their lifestyle, not that they
necessarily wanted big families. Wives carried children for twelve, fourteen years. And that was
common... That's how the man lived, not like today where we plan children." A handful of
vintage black-and-white photographs complement this welcome contribution to Connecticut
history shelves.
...So Help Me God
Michael B. Costanzo
History Publishing Company, LLC
PO Box 700, 15 Heyhoe Woods Road
Palisades, New York 10964-0700
9781933909950 $18.95 www.historypublishingco.com
...So Help Me God: A History of American Inaugural Bibles is a unique history that scrutinizes
the inaugurations of all of America's Presidents, and the Bibles used therein, from founding
father George Washington to Barack Obama. "In 1967, Reagan was inaugurated Governor of
California. He took his oath of office as soon as possible to get his predecessor, Edmund Brown,
out of office. No other Governor of California had exercised this option before, and many believe
it was because of the Reagan's belief in astrology, particularly Mrs. Reagan's." A thoroughly
researched account, accessible to readers of all backgrounds, ...So Help Me God is an
extraordinary publication, shedding light on a little-studied aspect of key moments of American
history.
The World History Shelf
Peace after the Final Battle
John Dorney
New Island
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR, 97213
www.isbs.com
9781848402720, $29.99, www.amazon.com
In Irish history, the revolutionary period was the period in the 1910s and early 1920s when Irish
nationalist opinion shifted from the Home Rule-supporting Irish Parliamentary Party to the
republican Sinn Fein movement. There were several waves of civil unrest linked to
republicanism, Ulster loyalism, and trade unionism, leading to the Partition of Ireland into
Northern Ireland and the Irish Free State. The "Irish Revolution" has no universally agreed
limiting dates. In a narrow sense, it may mean the period from the Easter Rising of 1916 to the
ceasefire of the Irish War of Independence in June 1921; later generations of Irish nationalists
regarded the physical force republicanism of these years with approbation. The early years of the
Free State, founded by the winners of the Irish Civil War against those who held out for a full
republic, have been described as a counter revolution. "'Peace after the Final Battle': The Story of
the Irish Revolution 1912-1924" by John Dorney is a 384 page compendium providing an
informed and informative chronologically organized and presented history of the conflict
including the major personalities, conflicts, and politics involved. Exceptionally well written and
presented, "'Peace after the Final Battle': The Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924" is
enhanced with the inclusion of a forty page Bibliography and a comprehensive Index, making it
an ideal and highly recommended addition to both community and academic library 20th Century
Irish History reference collections, as well as the to the attention of non-specialist general readers
with an interest in the Irish Revolution. It should be noted that "'Peace after the Final Battle': The
Story of the Irish Revolution 1912-1924" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.99).
Cold War: An International History
Carole Fink
Westview Press
c/o Perseus Book Grop
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500, New York, NY 10107
9780813347590, $30.00, www.westviewpress.com
Cold War: An International History is recommended for any college-level collection looking to
include global perspectives on the Cold War between the US and USSR, and provides insights
on key events and the major political, economic and social impact of the Cold War. New insights
provide new viewpoints based on the latest scholarship, while examinations of perspectives from
Africa, Asia and Latin America provide well-rounded assessments you simply won't find
elsewhere. The result is an excellent collection of observations and analysis highly recommended
for any college-level collection.
The Political Science Shelf
Twilight of Abundance
David Archibald
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20001
9781621571582 $27.99 www.regnery.com
Twilight of Abundance: Why Life in the 21st Century Will Be Nasty, Brutish, and Short is a red
alert about challenges that could result in widespread famine and death in the next several
decades. Chapters discuss why the concept of "peak oil" is quite real, and fracking has only
delayed the problem of energy scarcity; why world population growth will potentially overwhelm
food supplies; the dangers of incoming climate change and weather-related disaster (emphasizing
that despite current arguments over "global warming", the Earth is actually due for another ice
age in the near future), and why the populous, authoritarian state of China may be driven to start
a war with the United States. The reader may disagree with some of the proposed
countermeasures to protect America against lean times ahead, such as fostering the undeveloped
nuclear technology of thorium molten-salt reactors, or going to war with Iran in order to put
China on the defensive (given how America's wars tend to consume its limited resources, from
tax dollars to human lives, this latter tactic is especially questionable from a strategic perspective,
let alone an ethical/moral perspective), but the underlying warning - that today's era of peace and
prosperity is ending simply due to the inescapable laws of supply of demand - needs to be heeded
immediately.
The Hunting/Fishing Shelf
A Life Lived Outdoors
George Smith
Islandport Press
P.O. Box 10, Yarmouth, Maine 04096
9781934031599, $16.95, www.islandportpress.com
A Life Lived Outdoors: Reflections of a Maine Sportsman provides a collection of hand-picked
essays by George Smith, a popular Maine outdoors writer, and offers a wealth of humor and
outdoors reflections especially recommended for the Maine sportsman. From hunting and fishing
to watching nature, this pairs philosophical with sports and outdoors insights; all packaged in a
lively read accessible to any outdoors sports enthusiast and especially to Maine readers.
Float-Fishing for Salmon & Steelhead
Terry J. Wiest
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112
Portland, OR 97282
9781571885159 $15.95 www.amatobooks.com
Terry J. Wiest, a fisher of salmon and steelhead with over 38 years of experience and author of
countless published fishing articles, distills his expertise in Float-Fishing for Salmon &
Steelhead, a practical-minded guide for float-fishers of all skill and experience levels. Striking,
full-color photography illustrates Wiest's many tips, tricks, and techniques, from recommended
knots with clear diagrams, to advice for optimal bait and location selection, to advanced
strategies for reeling in the big catch! An easy-to-use index rounds out this sport fishermen's
treasury.
The Music Shelf
Here Comes the Night
Joel Selvin
Counterpoint Press
1919 Fifth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710-1916
9781619023024, $25.00, www.counterpointpress.com
HERE COMES THE NIGHT: THE DARK SOUL OF BERT BERNS AND THE DIRTY
BUSINESS OF RHYTHM AND BLUES is a 'must' for any music collection strong in music
history and insider politics, and charts both the rise of rhythm and blues as a music genre in the
early 1960s and the tragic story of a songwriter and record producer, Bert Berns. Berns thrived
under Atlantic Records, he worked with some of the greatest musicians of his times form Burt
Bacharach to Carole King, and in seven years he became a top producer of R&B music. Today
his name is barely recognized. HERE COMES THE NIGHT remedies this lack, charting the
politics and confrontations he faced during his brief career. Berns died at age thirty-eight just
when he was seeing success: his story shouldn't be forgotten - and with the publication of HERE
COMES THE NIGHT, it isn't!
Sing Us A Song, Piano Woman
Adrienne Trier-Bieniek
Scarecrow Press Inc.
c/o Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780810885509, $35.00, www.rowman.com
Any music history or women's studies library will be interested in acquiring SING US A SONG,
PIANO WOMAN: FEMALE FANS AND THE MUSIC OF TORI AMOS. It explores now only
Tori's music, but how female fans bond with feminist musicians; and it examines and analyzes
her lyrics and music with an eye to blending in issues of gender and activism. Social studies
classes will appreciate the focus on cultural stereotypes and how Amos represented a type of fan
that went beyond the image of the screaming teen to analyze more intellectual lyrics. The focus
on women's emotions and a more mature musical style makes for a powerful survey
recommended for any college-level collection looking for more than light biography.
The Woodworking Shelf
Civil War Woodworking, Volume II
A.J. Hamler
Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary
Fresno, CA 93721-9875
9781610351966 $24.95 www.woodworkerslibrary.com
Civil War Woodworking, Volume II is a hands-on resource designed especially to help
woodworkers create authentic replicas of Civil War-era furniture and wooden camp gear. Such
items will be especially useful to Civil War reenactors, but anyone interested in practical items
that embody a little bit of America's history will enjoy the featured projects, from shipping crates
to folding camp stools and tables to noisy "battle rattles" and more. Exhaustive, step-by-step
instructions and full-color photography on almost every page (except for the black-and-white
Civil War era-images of objects that inspire these projects) distinguish this woodworker's
treasury. Also highly recommended is Hamler's previous hobbyist guide, "Civil War
Woodworking: 17 Authentic Projects for Woodworkers and Reenactors" (9781933502281,
$24.95).
The Memoir Shelf
Grief Sucks... But Love Bears All Things
Gayle Taylor Davis
Quill Driver Books
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
9781610351959 $12.95 www.quilldriverbooks.com
Grief Sucks... But Love Bears All Things is a memoir recounting author Gayle Taylor Davis'
struggle with tremendous grief, after her beloved husband of 32 years, and the father of her two
children, died of a heart attack. Davis reveals the darkest moments of her grief, from days of
crying to grim thoughts of suicide. Yet Grief Sucks... is ultimately an affirmation that recovery is
possible from the most terrible of pain, how a seemingly mortal wound can slowly heal. Passages
of her poetry intersperse her story of loss and the long, hard journey to acceptance, in this
unforgettable and personal true-life story.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
Dealing with Diabetes Burnout
Ginger Vieira
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, NY, NY 10036
www.demoshealth.com
9781936303595, $18.95, www.amazon.com
Diabetes mellitus (DM) also known as simply diabetes, is a group of metabolic diseases in which
there are high blood sugar levels over a prolonged period. This high blood sugar produces the
symptoms of frequent urination, increased thirst, and increased hunger. Untreated, diabetes can
cause many complications. Acute complications include diabetic ketoacidosis and nonketotic
hyperosmolar coma. Serious long-term complications include heart disease, stroke, kidney
failure, foot ulcers and damage to the eyes. For those having to deal with a condition of diabetes,
the daily efforts of taking blood sugar readings, adhering to proper diets and exercise, losing
weight, etc. can be difficult to keep up with. But that kind of failure can and will result in horrific
health problems directly related to uncontrolled or untreated diabetes. "Dealing with Diabetes
Burnout: How to Recharge and Get Back on Track When You Feel Frustrated and Overwhelmed
Living with Diabetes" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone and everyone having
to deal with being a diabetic. Author and diabetic Ginger Vieira (and the Editorial Director at
DiabetesDaily.com) has written an instructive and practical manual for maintaining and enduring
a diabetes management necessitated life. Practical, with a much appreciated touch of humor,
"Dealing with Diabetes Burnout: How to Recharge and Get Back on Track When You Feel
Frustrated and Overwhelmed Living with Diabetes" needs to be a part of every community
library's Health & Medicine collection.
Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach, second edition
Houchi Dung
CRC Press
6000 NW Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487
9781466581920, $129.95, www.crcpress.com
Acupuncture: An Anatomical Approach appears in its second updated edition to provide a key
reference for any medicine collection or practitioner concerned with the therapy and applications
of acupuncture. It presents a scientific, anatomically-based approach to acupuncture and
discusses acupuncture points, pain measurement and management, and clinical applications from
easy cases to challenging. Health professionals will find here all the basics needed to understand
how acupuncture works and its possibilities, especially for relieving chronic and acute pain.
The Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Elmore Leonard: Four Novels of the 1970s
Gregg Sutter, editor
The Library of America
14 East 60th Street, New York, NY 10022
www.loa.org
9781598533057, $35.00, www.amazon.com
The late Elmore John Leonard, Jr. (October 11, 1925 - August 20, 2013) was an American
novelist and screenwriter. His earliest novels, published in the 1950s, were Westerns, but
Leonard went on to specialize in crime fiction and suspense thrillers, many of which have been
adapted into motion pictures. Now The Library of America has brought out Leonard's best
examples of crime fiction novels under one cover with "Elmore Leonard: Four Novels of the
1970s". This 800 page, hardcover volume is comprised of Fifty-Two Pickup; Swag; Unknown
Man No. 89; and The Switch. Enhanced with the inclusion of a chronology of Leonard's life
(prepared with materials drawn from his own personal archive), Notes on the Text, and Notes on
each of the four novels, "Elmore Leonard: Four Novels of the 1970s" is an ideal and highly
recommended addition to both community and academic library 20the Century American Fiction
collections.
Poisoned Pen Press
6962 E. First Ave., #103, Scottsdale, AZ 85251
www.poisonedpenpress.com
Vicki Delany's UNDER COLD STONE (9781464202339, $24.95) provides a fine new Constable
Molly Smith novel and tells of a Rocky Mountain vacation gone awry. Instead of exploring their
relationship the unlikely couple finds themselves facing down bullies in a chance encounter, then
becoming immersed in an estranged son's disappearance and possible involvement in a murder.
As the plot becomes gripping and tense, the protagonists find romance and professionalism tested
to the core in this fine murder mystery. Sandra Parshall's POISONED GROUND
(9781464202247, $24.95) provides an involving Rachel Goddard mystery in which a powerful
development company divides a small town. Veterinarian Rachel is one of those who opposes the
development, and sides with locals reluctant to sell their land. When a beloved couple who refuse
to sell out is murdered, Rachel finds herself more than involved in the dangerous outcome of a
political bid for power that's gone over the line. Both are exceptional reads, perfect for mystery
collections.
The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf
Blue Book of Airguns, eleventh edition
Dr. Robert D. Beeman and John B. Allen
Blue Book Publications
195 Technology, Irvine, CA 92618
9781936120529, $29.95, www.bluebook.com
The eleventh updated edition of Blue Book of Airguns is edited by S.P. Fjestad and provides the
most current information on airguns, and the latest values. It's the only publication to include
modern airguns along with hundreds of vintage airguns that date back to the late 18th century,
and provides coverage of the most popular and vintage makes to include good-size black and
white images and the latest values. The result is a reference that includes a color Photo
Percentage Grading System to help gun owners assess airgun condition factors. A 'must' for any
gun owner or collector who specializes in airguns.
Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.shopnumismaster.com
George S. Cuhaj, Editor's 20th updated edition of STANDARD CATALOG OF WORLD
PAPER MONEY: MODERN ISSUES (9781440240379, $70.00) provides a weighty, definitive
catalog of world paper money from 1961 to modern times, and packs in over 13,000 small black
and white illustrations as it covers the latest prices and collector notes on the topic. Some 21,000
variety listings of world bank notes include values in two conditions and comes from a network
of some 80 international paper money collectors, dealers and researchers who have worked with
the author to insure accuracy. As such, it's a 'must' for any who want an authoritative reference on
world issues and their collectability. Also highly recommended is Antique Trader's seventh
edition of POTTERY & PORCELAIN CERAMICS PRICE GUIDE (9781440239700, $27.99),
packed with good-quality, good-sized color photos on every page as it showcases ceramics from
all eras and around the world. Values accompany history in a guide tailored to serve collectors,
dealers, and any who enjoy ceramics, and features over 1,500 color images and descriptions
along with maker marks and other technical details. A 'must' for any interested in pottery and
porcelain collecting!
The Technology Shelf
Understanding Quartz Crystals and Oscillators
Ramon M. Cerda
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608071180, $179.00, www.artechhouse.com
Understanding Quartz Crystals and Oscillators is a specific, technical guide for engineering
collections strong in oscillation design, and provides assessments of various varieties of crystal
oscillators along with MathCad and Genesys simulations. Microwave engineers will find it filled
with charts, diagrams, math, and discussions of everything from performance claims to phase
noise and jitter, resonation, and frequency multiplication techniques. The result is a solid
reference for any advanced microwave engineering reference library.
Printed MIMO Antenna Engineering
Mohammad S. Sharawi
Artech House
685 Canton Street, Norwood, MA 02062
9781608076819, $149.00, www.artechhouse.com
Printed MIMO Antenna Engineering is for any interested in wireless communications
technology, and offers a resource specific to printed MIMO antenna system design. Printed
antennas are used in mobile and handheld terminals and are easy to fabricate: engineers will
appreciate this reference's in-depth design examples and detailed illustrations, along with its
review of applications that depend on printed MIMO antennas and designs. From antenna
fundamentals to equations, discussions of single- and multi-band antenna systems, and electronic
theory, this is a top reference highly recommended for any engineering collection.
The Parenting Shelf
101 Tips for Parents of Children with Autism
Arnold Miller and Theresa Smith
Jessica Kingsley Publishers
400 Market Street, Suite 400, Philadelphia, PA 19106
97811849059602, $19.95, www.jkp.com
101 Tips for Parents of Children with Autism: Effective Solutions for Everyday Challenges is
based on the principles of the Miller Method and is packed with tips for addressing an autistic
child's behavioral challenges over the years. Parents will find this a specific approach that is
based on the latest research surrounding autistic children's sensory and cognitive differences, and
provides routines and actions that center around common causes of distress and their
management. Any parent who has struggled with an autistic child's seemingly endless conduct
issues will find this a real winner!
The Military Shelf
Brandywine
Michael C. Harris
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527
El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
9781611211627 $34.95 www.savasbeatie.com
Also available as an ebook (9781611211634), Brandywine: A Military History of the Battle that
Lost Philadelphia but Saved America, September 11, 1777 is an in-depth study and analysis of
the strategic, political, and tactical elements of the largest battle of the American Revolution. It is
the story of many brave Americans who took a defiant stand against General Sir William Howe,
including a young George Washington. Though the Americans were pushed back, and
Philadelphia eventually fell to the British, the Americans' ferocity and valor kept their forces
from being decimated, and their trial by fire proved that the fledgling nation could fight on even
terms with a long-established empire. Accessible to military historians and lay readers alike,
Brandywine is highly recommended especially for public and college library collections.
Osprey Publishing
4301 21st St, Suite 220B
Long Island City, NY 11101
www.ospreypublishing.com
Lindsay Powell's ROMAN SOLDIER VERSUS GERMANIC WARRIOR (9781472803498,
$18.95) is a recommendation for any interested in early military warfare and history, and covers
the fighting methods and combat performance of the Roman soldiers and their Germanic
opponents in the 1st century AD. Military history holdings strong in early works will find this
packs in battle analysis, first-hand accounts, strategic maps and more. Andy Nunez's
WILDERNESS AND SPOTSYLVANIA 1864: GRANT VERSUS LEE IN THE EAST
(9781472801470, $21.95) provides a fine, in-depth account of one of the defining campaigns of
the Civil War in the East which took place in May 1864, and provides step-by-step information
on the engagement. Vivid drawings and discussions of strategies and campaign tactics
accompany vintage black and white photos and illustrations by Peter Dennis in a solid reference
for any military history holding. Donald Nijboer's SPITFIRE V VS. C.202 FOLGORE: MALTA
1942 (9781782003564, $18.95) provides a fine account of the Malta battles of World War II,
providing a fine survey of legendary aircraft fighters and battles and pairing specific accounts of
battles with vintage black and white photos and color illustrations throughout. Collections strong
in either military history or aircraft will find this an outstanding read. Kari Stenman and
Christian-Jacques Ehrengardt's MORANE-SAULNIER MS.406 ACES (9781782003410,
$22.95) is also a recommendation for aircraft history military holdings, and provides an account
of the pilots who flew the Morane-Saulnier MS.406, a French fighter phased out in early 1940.
First-hand accounts of battles, equipment specs, and photos and color drawings provides a fine
survey of how the Morane was used to war's end, and provides a comprehensive history
recommended for any military history holding.
The Veterinary Studies Shelf
Focused Ultrasound Techniques for the Small Animal Practitioner
Gregory R. Lisciandro, Editor
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781118369593, $99.99, www.wiley.com/wiley-blackwell
Focused Ultrasound Techniques for the Small Animal Practitioner is a guide to blending
ultrasound exams into the diagnosis process in a typical vet's office, and is highly recommended
for any practice looking to begin performing these techniques. Chapters provide all the basics to
begin using these focused point-of-care exams for diagnostics and monitoring, and cover the
basics of FAST exams and how to develop the ultrasound skills needed. Experts in the field write
articles, access is provided to a companion website of video clips, and black and white
radiographic images pack a solid coverage highly recommended for any vet's practice and many a
student technician.
BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Radiography and Radiology: A Foundation Manual
Andrew Holloway and Fraser McConnell, Editors
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781905319442, $129.99, www.wiley-blackwell.com
BSAVA Manual of Canine and Feline Radiography and Radiology: A Foundation Manual should
be in every veterinary reference collection and provides a replacement for the classic BSAVA
MANUAL OF SMALL ANIMAL DIAGNOSTIC IMAGING as an introduction for veterinary
students and nurses. High-quality radiographic reproductions accompany keys to their
interpretation, while illustrations cover positioning the canine or feline for optimum results.
From equipment and basic principles of radiography to different imaging approaches, this is a
'must' for any practicing vet or assistant.
Veterinary Technician's Handbook of Laboratory Procedures
Brianne Bellwood and Melissa Andrasik-Catton
Wiley-Blackwell
350 Main Street, Malden, MA 02148
9781118341933, $49.99, www.wiley-blackwell.com
Veterinary Technician's Handbook of Laboratory Procedures provides an excellent, quick
reference to conducting common lab tests, is organized for quick clinical reference, and covers
everything from equipment and quality control to procedures. Step-by-step discussions include
common errors and tips for foolproof results, while over 200 color photos of everything from
parasites to techniques in obtaining samples makes it a snap to follow directions and reproduce
techniques. A 'must' for any practicing technician's reference library.
The Sports Shelf
Federico Grisone's "The Rules of Riding"
Elizabeth MacKenzie Toby, editor & translator
Federica Brunori Deigan, translator
ACMRS
Arizona State University
PO Box 874402, Tempe, AZ 85287-4402
http://acmrs.org/publications
9780866985055, $75.00, www.amazon.com
Federico Grisone was a Neapolitan nobleman and one of the first masters of dressage and courtly
riding. Referred to in his time as the "father of the art of equitation", he wrote "The Rules of
Riding", which was first book on this subject to be published in early modern Europe. Grisone
was admired and respected in his lifetime, and considered a great master of his time. His training
methods profoundly influenced the training of horses in his day. Today his methods are
criticized, particularly outside Italy, for their sometimes harsh treatment of the horse. "Federico
Grisone's "The Rules of Riding": An Edited Translation of the First Renaissance Treatise on
Classical Horsemanship" is a 628 page, edited translation into English for the benefit a new
generation Renaissance Studies scholars. An extraordinary work of meticulous scholarship
throughout, of special note is the inclusion of a glossary, a 'Selected Bibliography and Census of
Editions of the Ordini', and an index for this highly recommended and valued addition academic
library collections.
Black Noon
Art Garner
Thomas Dunne Books
c/o St. Martin's Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781250017772, $27.99, www.thomasdunnebooks.com
Black Noon: The Year They Stopped the Indy 500 charts a horrific car race accident in which
seven cars crashed in a fiery wreck, killing two drivers. How the sport recovered from one of its
greatest disasters and the events that changed and ended lives makes for a fast-paced,
hard-driving story that brings the history and past world of the Indy 500 to life. Highly
recommended for any auto racing and sports history fan!
The Education Shelf
Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards
James W. Pellegrino, Mark R. Wilson, Judith A. Koenig, and Alexandra S. Beatty, editors
National Academies Press
500 Fifth Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9780309289511 $49.95 www.nap.edu
Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards is a resource designed to aid
K-12 science educators in understanding and incorporating the Next Generation Science
Standards, released in 2013. The purpose of the Next Generation Science Standards is to
establish the core ideas and practices in science that students are expected to learn over the
course of elementary to high school education. New assessments that take this curriculum into
account need to be formulated. Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science
Standards suggests type of assessment tasks that will be required, as guidance to assessment
developers, state-level education leaders, and educators themselves. Chapters examine the
assessment design and validation process, assessment in the classroom or via monitoring, and
impediments to the creation and implementation of a successful assessment system. Candid,
practical, and in-depth, Developing Assessments for the Next Generation Science Standards is an
invaluable repository of wisdom and highly recommended.
The Differentiated Classroom, second edition
Carol Ann Tomlinson
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street
Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416618607 $29.95 www.ascd.org
Now in an updated second edition that takes into account more than 15 years of implementation
feedback from a wide variety of schools, The Differentiated Classroom: Responding to the Needs
of All Learners is a professional-quality guide to "differentiated instruction" - teaching that
accommodates the variable needs of different types of students in a single classroom. Some
students may be learning English as a second language; some may have learning disabilities; and
some simply find a given subject easier to grasp than others. How can a teacher help the
struggling learners rise to their highest potential, keep the brightest students from being bored
with the curriculum, and best prepare the class as a whole for the challenges of the twenty-first
century? Chapters explore how to create a learning environment that supports differentiated
instruction, instructional strategies ideal for differentiation, vital curriculum underpinnings as a
basis for differentiation, and much more. "Early on, you may want to ask some students to work
on an anchor activity and others to work on a different task that also requires no conversation or
collaboration. This introduces the idea that students won't always do the same work. You create
an atmosphere that's conducive to individual focus, and you emphasize attending to one's own
work rather than focusing on what someone else does." In today's modern world of changing
educational needs, The Differentiated Classroom is more valuable than than ever. Highly
recommended.
Let's Talk About Math
Donna Kotsopoulos & Joanne Lee
Brookes Publishing Company
PO Box 10624
Baltimore, MD 21285-0624
9781598575897 $29.95 www.brookespublishing.com
Expert educational professors Donna Kotsopoulos, Ph.D. and Joanne Lee, Ph.D. present Let's
Talk About Math: The LittleCounters(R) Approach to Building Early Math Skills, a guide for
parents and teachers to help infants and young children (ages 0-5) learn math basics by working
simple counting and other concepts into everyday play and activities. Incorporating the authors'
experiences in the popular LittleCounters(R) workshops, Let's Talk About Math teaches the
reader about the mathematical thinking and abilities of young children, how to approach
purposeful, play-based learning, incorporating subtle mathematical lessons into such everyday
activities as mealtime, bedtime, simple chores, and grooming, and much more. An excellent
resource for nursery school educators, caretakers, even parents and babysitters, Let's Talk About
Math is highly recommended.
Subjects Matter, second edition
Harvey 'Smoke' Daniels & Steven Zemelman
Heinemann
PO Box 6926, Portsmouth, NH 03802-6926
www.heinemann.com
9780325050836, $38.75, www.amazon.com
Now in a newly updated and expanded second edition, "Subjects Matter: Exceeding Standards
Through Powerful Content-Area Reading" by the team of education experts Harvey 'Smoke'
Daniels and Steven Zemelman is a 336 page compendium comprised of ten chapters focused on
the critical importance of 'content' for motivating children to become proficient and effective
readers. From 'The Core Purposes of Reading'; 'How Smart Readers Think'; and 'Why Textbooks
Are Not Enough'; to 'Inquiry Units'; Help for Struggling Students'; and 'Recommendations from
Reading Research', this is a superbly written and presented instruction manual for classroom
teachers and would prove to be of immense value to concerned and dedicated home-schooling
parents. Offering 26 proven teaching strategies that meet and even exceed national standards;
practical 'how-to' suggestions for engaging young readers through the utilization of 'real-world
reading; how to get the most value out of 'boring' textbooks; the role of student collaboration in
the learning process; and specifics for helping struggling students. Very highly recommended,
"Subjects Matter: Exceeding Standards Through Powerful Content-Area Reading" should be a
part of every academic library's Education Instruction reference collection.
The Special Artist's Handbook, second edition
Susan Rodriguez
Crystal Productions
1812 Johns Drive
Glenview, IL 60025-1581
9781562907082 $34.95 www.crystalproductions.com
Spiral-bound for ease of use, The Special Artist's Handbook is an educational resource filled with
over 50 art projects, each with step-by-step instructions, suitable for art classrooms that teach
autistic, learning-disabled, physically challenged, or sensory impaired children. From creating
colorfully patterned paper mittens and hats, to watercolor paintings made to the sound of music,
to creating art from X-rays, simple weaving, and more, The Special Artist's Handbook is a superb
cache of inexpensive, hands-on activities that will prove especially valuable to elementary art
teachers. Highly recommended.
STEP into Storytime
Saroj Nadkarni Ghoting and Kathy Fling Klatt
ALA Editions
50 East Huron St.
Chicago, IL 60611
9780838912225 www.alastore.ala.org
Early literacy experts Ghoting and Klatt present STEP into Storytime: Using StoryTime Effective
Practice to Strengthen the Development of Newborns to Five-Year-Olds is an in-depth handbook
to using storytime to promote cognitive development in very young children. Chapters feature
over 30 ready-to-use storytime activities, along with extension activities; discussions of how
storytime materials and activities promote language and literacy development; tips, tricks, and
techniques for preparation and performance; lists of additional resources; and much more. A
"must-have" for children's librarians and nursery school teachers and caregivers, STEP into
Storytime is a professional-quality resource distilling decades of education and experimentation
into a throughly accessible "best practices" compendium. Highly recommended!
Connecting Animals and Children In Early Childhood
Patty Born Selly
Redleaf Press
10 Yorkton Court
St. Paul, MN 55117-1065
9781605541563 $24.95 www.redleafpress.org
Patty Born Selly (executive director of the National Center for STEM Elementary Education, St.
Catherine University of St. Paul) presents Connecting Animals and Children In Early Childhood,
a resource fo taking advantage of children's natural fascination with animals to foster educational
opportunities. Even if live animals are not allowed in one's educational setting, there are still
ways in which connecting with animals can improve cognitive and social-emotional
development. "In determining where a favorite animal lives, go beyond simply 'the zoo.' If a child
chooses an animal that doesn't live in your region, say, a zebra, research and find out together
where zebras really live. Perhaps post a large world map, and help the children locate the regions
in which their animal is found. Invite the children to write or draw a story about the place you
researched, or an animal that lives there." Color photography and an index enhance this
hands-on, idea-packed resource, especially recommended for preschool and elementary school
teachers as well as homeschoolers.
The Daily 5, second edition
Gail Boushey & Joan Moser
Stenhouse Publishers
477 Congress Street, Suite 4B, Portland, ME 04101-3451
9781571109743, $24.00, www.stenhouse.com
THE DAILY 5: FOSTERING LITERACY INDEPENDENCE IN THE ELEMENTARY
GRADES appears in its second updated edition to consider the core literacy components that any
teacher can use to increase student learning independence, and is a pick any education collection
will savor. The Daily 5 is all about showing teachers how to spend less time managing
classrooms and more time actually teaching by helping students develop independence and
accountability: chapters offer lesson plans, case histories, and specific steps for each component
of The Daily 5. A fine 'must' for any educator's collection!
The Criminology Shelf
The Mob and the City: The Hidden History of How the Mafia Captured New York
C. Alexander Hortis
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228-2197
9781616149239, $24.95, www.prometheusbooks.com
The Mob and the City: The Hidden History of How the Mafia Captured New York offers the first
full-length book devoted to uncovering the hidden history of how the Mafia came to dominate
organized crime in New York City from the 1930s to the 1950s, and is based on the
author/attorney's in-depth research of archives and secret files obtained through the Freedom of
Information Act. Chapters move far beyond usual dramatic accounts of mob encounters to prove
how economics affected Mafia families and their interactions, why Sicilian gangs topped
criminal efforts, and more. The introduction of new facts based on newly-released primary
sources makes this a treasure trove of detail on the Mafia's rise to power in New York City,
highly recommended for any definitive City history collection.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Sound Design
David Sonnenschein
Michael Wiese Productions
12400 Ventura Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA 91604
www.mwp.com
9780941188265, $19.95, www.amazon.com
David Sonnenschein is an award-winning Sound Designer who has directed feature films and
teaches vibrational healing and sound design. In "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of
Music, Voice and Sound Effects in Cinema", Sonnenschein draws upon his many years of
experience and expertise to write a 250 page instruction manual and guide that covers ever aspect
of the use of music, sound effects, and the human voice in the creation of memorable and
effective cinema. "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and Sound Effects in
Cinema" should be considered as mandatory reading for anyone charged with the responsibility
of creating a feature film or documentary. Very highly recommended for professional, technical
college, and university film school instructional reference collections and curriculum
supplements, it should be noted that "Sound Design: The Expressive Power of Music, Voice and
Sound Effects in Cinema" is also available in a library binding edition (9781615932023, $34.95,
272pp) and a Kindle edition ($11.57).
Detecting Canada
Jeannette Sloniowki & Marilyn Rose, editors
Wilfrid Laurier University Press
Wilfrid Laurier University
Waterloo, Ontario, Canada, N2L 3C5
wlupress.wlu.ca
9781554589265, $39.99, www.amazon.com
Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Jeannette Sloniowki (Associate Professor of English,
Brock University) and Marilyn Rose (Professor of English, Brock University), "Detecting
Canada: Essays on Canadian Crime Fiction, Television, and Film" is the newest addition to the
Wilfrid Laurier University Press 'Film & Media Studies' series. This 290 page compendium is
comprised of twelve seminal studies organized into three major sections: History and Theory;
Essays on Fiction; Essays on Television. Each a standard of meticulous and original scholarship,
the articles themselves range from David Skene-Melvin's 'Canadian Crime Writing in English'; to
Brian Johnson's 'Canadian Psycho: Genre, Nation, and Colonial Violence in Michael Slade's
Gothic RCMP Procedurals'; to Patricia Gruben's 'Mounties and Metaphysics in Canadian Film
and Television'. A valued and unique contribution, "Detecting Canada: Essays on Canadian
Crime Fiction, Television, and Film" is very highly recommended for academic library Film &
Media Studies reference collections in general, and Canadian Contemporary Popular Cultural
Studies supplemental reading lists in particular.
The Biology Shelf
The Handy Biology Answer Book, second edition
Patricia Barnes-Svarney & Thomas E. Svarney
Visible Ink Press
43311 Joy Road, #414, Canton, MI 48187-2075
KT Public Relations (publicity)
9781578594900, $21.95, www.amazon.com
The collaborative work of science writer Patricia Barnes-Svarney and scientist Thomas E.
Svarney, "The Handy Biology Answer Book" is now in a fully updated and expanded second
edition. This 500 page compendium covers a wide variety of biological topics ranging from stem
cells, super bugs, and genetically modified food, to gene therapy, DNA profiling, and cloning, to
botany, zoology, and sex. Of special note are the chapters focusing on Plant Diversity; Aquatic
and Land Animal Diversity; Environment and Ecology; and Biology in the Laboratory. Enhanced
with the inclusion of an extensive Glossary, six pages of a bibliography (Further Readings), and a
comprehensive Index, "The Handy Biology Answer Book" is especially recommended for school
and community library Biological Studies reference collections, and would be ideal for
non-specialist general readers with an interest in learning more about biology and the human
condition.
The Art Shelf
The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito
Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt, editor
Judy de Bustamante, organizer
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131
www.sjupress.com
9780916101695, $75.00, www.amazon.com
The collaborative effort of art historian Suzanne L. Stratton-Pruitt and Quito art project organizer
Judy de Bustamante, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito" is a bilingual (English/Spanish),
beautifully illustrated, 336 page, coffee table book comprised of contributions from six experts in
Colonial Quito art which are ably translated into English for an American readership by Blanca
Serrano Ortiz de Solorzano. The sixth volume in the outstanding Saint Joseph's University Press
'Early Modern Catholicism and the Visual Arts' series, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito"
showcases the painters of Quito in the Kingdom of new Granada in South America during the
Spanish colonial period ranging from the 16th to the 19th century. The informed and informative
commentary is enhanced with the inclusion of 231 superbly reproduced paintings in full color. A
seminal work of truly exceptional scholarship, "The Art of Painting in Colonial Quito" is very
highly recommended as a seminal addition to academic library Art History reference collections
and would make an ideal choice as community library Memorial Fund acquisition.
The Library Science Shelf
Organizing Exhibitions
Freda Matassa
Facet Publishing
7 Ridgmount Street
London, England, WC1E 7AE
9781856049450 $99.95 www.facetpublishing.co.uk
International lecturer Freda Matassa (former Head of Collections Management at the Tate)
presents Organizing Exhibitions: A Handbook for Museums, Libraries and Archives, an in-depth
reference and resource for museum staff, librarians, and archivists. Chapters discuss how to take
space, audience, and budgetary constraints into account; offer point-by-point checklists for each
stage of creating the exhibit; outline concerns for opening day; highlight specific issues for an
exhibit on tour; and much more. "...An emergency is anything that poses a threat to the objects in
the exhibition. This could range from a power failure to a theft or an act of vandalism. It is
important to draw up a risk assessment and a contingency plan and to make sure that everyone in
the organization understands what to do... Lenders may ask to see a copy of your emergency plan
before agreeing to the loan. Having an emergency plan is a condition of some indemnities and
insurers. It also lends credibility to the organization and demonstrates professional practice."
Organizing Exhibitions is a "must-have" for aspiring and practicing professionals, and highly
recommended.
The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services
Heather Booth & Karen Jensen, editors
ALA Editions
c/o American Library Association
50 East Huron Street, Chicago, IL 60611
www.alastore.ala.org
9780838912249, $58.00, www.amazon.com
Whether for school work, personal entertainment, or simply expanding their interests, libraries
are exceptional resources for adolescent readers. Compiled by the editorial team of teen services
librarians Heather Booth (Chicago, Illinois) and Karen Jensen (Grand Prairie, Texas), "The
Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services" is a 224 page compendium comprised of instructive
articles by experts and organized eight major sections: Who Are Teens?; Who Are We?; Teen
Services; Programming; Collections; Marketing; Involvement; and Issues. Of special note are the
inclusion of four appendices: A Sample Teen Services Plan; Your Teen Volunteer Plan; Your
Teen-Driven Program Plan; and Marketing Resources: A Guide with Annotations. Informed and
informative, "The Whole Library Handbook: Teen Services" is a 'must read' for any library staff
member charged with the responsibility of providing services to their adolescent patrons. Also
very highly recommended is the American Library Association's "Booklist's 1000 Best Young
Adult Books Since 2000" (9780836911501, $60.00, 343pp), newly compiled and edited by
Gillian Engberg and Ian Chipman.
The Economic Studies Shelf
Big Picture Economics
Joel L. Naroff & Ron Scherer
Wiley
c/o Wiley Professional Trade Group
111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030-5774
www.wiley.com
9780470641811, $34.95, www.amazon.com
Economics is the social science that studies the behavior of individuals, households, and
organizations (called economic actors, players, or agents), when they manage or use scarce
resources, which have alternative uses, to achieve desired ends. Agents are assumed to act
rationally, have multiple desirable ends in sight, limited resources to obtain these ends, a set of
stable preferences, a definite overall guiding objective, and the capability of making a choice.
There exists an economic problem, subject to study by economic science, when a decision
(choice) is made by one or more resource-controlling players to attain the best possible outcome
under bounded rational conditions. In other words, resource-controlling agents maximize value
subject to the constraints imposed by the information the agents have, their cognitive limitations,
and the finite amount of time they have to make and execute a decision. Economic science
centers on the activities of the economic agents that comprise society. They are the focus of
economic analysis. Co-authored by professional economic forecaster Joel L. Naroff and veteran
economic journalist Ron Scherer, "Big Picture Economics: How to Navigate the New Global
Economy" is a 256 page compendium that provides a basic course of instruction that will prove
to be especially useful for the non-specialist general reader with an interest in understanding
economics and a desire to improve their own financial standing and the performance of their
financial investments. Very highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library
Economic Studies collections, it should be noted that "Big Picture Economics: How to Navigate
the New Global Economy" is also available in a Kindle edition ($16.99).
The Law/Justice Shelf
Every Landlord's Legal Guide, twelfth edition
Marcia Stewart, Ralph Warner, Janet Portman
Nolo Press
950 Parker Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.nolo.com
9781413320169, $44.99, www.amazon.com
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, land or real estate which is rented
or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant (also a lessee or renter). When a
juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner.
The term landlady may be used for female owners, and lessor applies to both genders. Being a
landlord requires compliance with local and state laws governing the rental of properties -
including tenants rights. "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" is an informed, informative,
authoritative, 488 page compendium covering the legal aspects of leases, deposits,
anti-discrimination, repairs, rent withholding, disclosures, terminations, evictions for renting or
leasing properties in every state of the country. Of special value for novice and inexperienced
landlords are the provision of legal forms and checklists. Thoroughly 'user friendly' throughout,
this fully updated twelfth edition comes with downloadable forms and free legal updates at
www.nolo.com along with hundreds of valuable articles and FAQs, as well as profiles of
landlord-tenant lawyers for every area of the country. Highly recommended and ideal for the
non-specialist general reader, "Every Landlord's Legal Guide" will prove to be an enduringly
popular addition to professional and community library collections. It should also be noted that
"Every Landlord's Legal Guide" is also available in a Kindle edition ($25.99).
Essentials of Nursing Law and Ethics, second edition
Susan J. Westrick
Jones & Bartlett Learning
5 Wall Street, Burlington, MA 01803
www.jblearning.com
9781284030204, $75.78, www.amazon.com
Now in a fully updated and significantly expanded second edition, "Essentials of Nursing Law
and Ethics" by nurse educator, attorney, and consultant Susan J. Westrick is a 388 page textbook
focusing specifically on the legal aspects of the practice of nursing. New to this second addition
is the inclusion of QSEN concepts and IOM recommendations; patient advocacy involving
quality, safety, and whistleblowing; professional boundaries and social media; environmental
health and safety; challenges around staffing; additional coverage on medication error reduction;
ethical considerations and the ANA 'Code of Ethics for Nurses'. A deftly and accessible written
and organized instruction manual that includes an interactive glossary of legal terms; scholarly
references within each chapter, and NCLEX style review questions, "Essentials of Nursing Law
and Ethics" is a complete and throughly 'student friendly' manual that is strongly recommended
for Nursing School curriculums and academic library Health & Medicine reference
collections.
The Martial Arts Shelf
Simplified Tai Chi Chuan
Lian, Shou-Yu and Wu, Wen-Ching
YMAA Publications
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894-0480
www.ymaa.com
9781594392788, $16.95, www.amazon.com
T'ai chi ch'uan or taijiquan, often shortened to t'ai chi, taiji or tai chi in English usage, is an
internal Chinese martial art practiced for both its defense training and its health benefits. It is also
typically practiced for a variety of other personal reasons: its hard and soft martial art technique,
demonstration competitions, and longevity. As a result, a multitude of training forms exist, both
traditional and modern, which correspond to those aims. Some of t'ai chi ch'uan's training forms
are especially known for being practiced with what most people would categorize as slow
movement. Today, t'ai chi ch'uan has spread worldwide. Most modern styles of t'ai chi ch'uan
trace their development to at least one of the five traditional schools: Chen, Yang, Wu (Hao),
Wu, and Sun. Medical research has found evidence that t'ai chi is helpful for improving balance
and for general psychological health, and that it is associated with general health benefits in older
people. Now revised into a new and more user-friendly design, "Simplified Tai Chi Chuan: 24
Postures with Applications & Standard 48 Postures" is an illustrated, 240 page instruction
manual that will help the novice tai chi practitioner understand the theories underlying basic tai
chi concepts; learn warm-up exercises for safe tai chi exercises; and master the fundamentals of
tai chi movements. Of special note are the inclusion of foot diagrams and movement descriptive
black-and-white photo illustrations. A thoroughly 'user friendly' and comprehensive training
manual, "Simplified Tai Chi Chuan: 24 Postures with Applications & Standard 48 Postures" is a
very highly recommended addition to personal, dojo, and community library instructional
reference collections.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
My Cat Has Arthritis - but lives life to the full!
Gill Carrick
Hubble & Hattie
9781845846183 $15.95 www.hubbleandhattie.com
Illustrated with full-color photography throughout, My Cat Has Arthritis - but lives life to the
full! is a guide especially for pet owners whose beloved feline companions may be suffering from
arthritis. Chapters discuss how to identify signs of arthritis in one's pet, treatments and quality of
life actions ranging from simply elevating the food and water bowls (so the cat can reach them
with less joint pain) to dietary recommendations and supplements, physiotherapy, hydrotherapy
(the photo of a lifejacket-wearing cat exercising on a water treadmill is adorable!) and more. "As
cats have an inherently low thirst drive, the water they take in from food is vital. Studies have
shown that when a cat eats canned food coupled with having access to a water bowl, he'll
consume double the amount of water compared to if he had a dry food diet." Highly
recommended for its practical, veterinary science-backed, no-nonsense advice.
The Literary Studies Shelf
Women in Game of Thrones: Power, Conformity and Resistance
Valerie Estelle Frankel, author
McFarland & Co., Inc.
Box 611, Jefferson, North Carolina 28640
9781476615547, $35.00, www.mcfarlandpub.com
"Women in Game of Thrones" is a powerful feminist review of the use of female characters and
roles in the popular televised series based on the books by George R. R. Martin, "Game of
Thrones." Without doubt this multi-faceted imaginary world of Westeros presents women in a
dazzling array of conflicting and conflicted roles of power The question perhaps most central to
Frankel's critical work is "is the show problematic or empowering (in its treatment of women and
gender based reactions) (p. 184)?" The author concludes both qualities are heavily present, with
perhaps a preponderance of reflexive feminist role models or an artificial limitation of choices
for strong female characters of this or any era. After presenting a balanced view of both the
sexual violence and a more gender balanced world view, as well as fan generated reactions to
both tendencies quoted from blogs and other sources, Frankel suggests as an alternative world
view of gender balanced characters and power, "Readers interested in adult fantasy novels with
clever women from all ages and backgrounds should seek out works by Marion Zimmer Bradley,
Andre Norton, Juliet Marillier, Anne Bishop, and more (p. 183)." Regardless, "Women in Game
of Thrones" pays full homage to the complex vision and plot mastering mind of its creator,
George R. R. Martin. "Women in Game of Thrones" will be a popular, though relentlessly
incisive and seriously analytic academic work of literary criticism to all lovers of excellent adult
fantasy fiction.
James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
278 Orchard Drive
Oregon, WI 53575-1129
phone: 1-608-835-7937
e-mail: mbr@execpc.com
e-mail: mwbookrevw@aol.com
http://www.midwestbookreview.com
Copyright ©2001
Site design by Williams Writing, Editing &
Design