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Internet Bookwatch

Volume 13, Number 11 November 2003 Home | IBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Islamic Studies Shelf Artbook Shelf
Poetry Shelf Computer Shelf Architecture Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Military Shelf Criminology Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Human Sexuality Shelf Language Studies Shelf
American History Shelf International Studies Shelf Science Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Political Science Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Self-Help Shelf Sports Shelf
Fishing Shelf Photography Shelf Interior Design Shelf
Musicbook Shelf Library Science Shelf Jobs/Careers Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
Fantasy/SciFi Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Travel Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Gardening Shelf Education Shelf
Literary Shelf World History Shelf Martial Arts Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Fiction Shelf Railroading Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Audiobook Shelf Woodworking Shelf
Writing/Publishing Shelf Gaming Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf
Native American Shelf Nautical Shelf Business Shelf
Biography Shelf Civil War Shelf Philosophy Shelf
Buddhist Studies Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Shadow Club
Roberto Casati
Knopf
1745 Broadway, New York NY 10019
0375407278 $24.00 www.amazon.com

Roberto Casati's Shadow Club about shadows goes far beyond their usual definitions to probe shadow's legends, influence on myth and religious beliefs, and changing scientific concepts of the shadow both on Earth and in space. Shadow Club is very highly recommended as an intriguing blend of history, science and anthropology which presents unusual insights into shadows and their lasting impact on mankind.

Ivan R. Dee
1332 North Halsted Street
Chicago, IL 60622-2632
1-800-462-6420 www.amazon.com

Peter Temes Just War (1566635349, $25.00) provides a critical history of the kind of thinking which leads to wars based on ethics and principles. Temes asks why there should be moral principles of war in the first place, and provides pointed criticism of the history and thinking surrounding a Just War morality. Roger Kimball's Lives Of The Mind (5241, $16.95) offers a critical survey of the use and abuse of intelligence from Hegel to Wodehouse, offering a special focus of how intelligence can be used and abused. From Plutarch and Kierkegaard to Russell, Kimball examines Western intellectual and artistic progress. Roger Kimball's Art's Prospect (1566635098, $26.00) is recommended for art libraries, providing a scholarly assessment of the avant-garde's assault on tradition in contemporary art culture. His survey of what is/becomes 'cutting edge' in the art world and his critical view of established trends provides a new view of the most critical art movements being less flagrant in style and approach. Richard Schickel's Woody Allen: A Life In Film (5284, $22.50) provides a rare interview about the range of his works, presenting the complete four-hour interview between Allen and critic Schickel rather than a portion of it, which became a program for TCM. Fans of Allen's works and life will find this a 'must', packed with rare autobiographical insights.

The Little Big Book For Brides
Katrina Fried & Lena Tabori
Welcome Enterprises Inc.
6 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
0941807258 $24.95 1-212-989-3200

Collaboratively compiled and organized by Katrina Fried and Lena Tabori, The Little Big Book For Brides is filled with advice, traditions, stories, activities, poetry, essays, recipes, and some just plain humor about and concerning brides everywhere. A fun book to read through, nicely illustrated from cover to cover in full color, and projecting it's own unique brand of whimsy, The Little Big Book For Brides is the perfect gift for the bridal shower as well as being an enthusiastically recommended read for its enjoyment and introduction to American marriage customs.

The New Economy Of Nature
Gretchen C. Daily & Katherine Ellison
Island Press
1718 Connecticut Ave., N.W., #300, Washington, DC 20009-1148
www.islandpress.org
1559631546 $15.00 1-800-828-1302

The New Economy Of Nature: The Quest To Make Conservation Profitable is both a business and environmental book. Gretchen C. Daily and Katherine Ellison study the ways that human self-interest can be harnessed to protect Mother Earth, as pure philanthropy combined with government regulations simply are not enough by themselves to stand against naked human greed and unchecked commercial exploitation. From crises in biodiversity, to issues of the stratosphere, The New Economy Of Nature cogently draws upon ideas, examples, and situations worldwide to lend hope for the cause of financially motivated conservation. The New Economy Of Nature is an important contribution to Environmental Studies and highly recommended reading for anyone seeking to operating a successful commercial venture through making conservation profitable.

101 Female Uses For Pink Duct Tape
Jessica Anderson & Jolene Hodson
Kelly Frankenberg, illustrator
Beaver's Pond Press
5125 Danen's Drive, Edina, MN 55439
www.pink-duct-tape.com
1592980155 $9.95 BeaversPondPress.com

The creatively collaborative effort of Jessica Anderson and Jolene Hodson, 101 Female Uses For Pink Duct Tape is a humorous joke book of sprightly verse and silly illustrations by Kelly Frankenberg of inventive uses for pink duct tape. Written purely as a lark, offering an extra chuckle to men and women everywhere, suggestions include whimsical ideas such as "It's easy to pick up that last bit of dust. / If in pink duct tape you place all your trust. / To make your floor-cleaning chores a breeze, / Duct tape foam pads to comfort sore knees."

Mountain Press
PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
1-800-234-5308 www.amazon.com

Stephen Harris' Fire Mountains Of The West (087842220X, $18.00) provides a fascinating geologic history of the Cascade and Mono Lake volcanoes of California. One might anticipate a technical discourse involving many geological facts: think again: this title provides an unusually lively, engaging dialogue which assumes no prior scientific background. From specific hazards of volcanoes to keys to viewing inactive volcanoes, this is an important guide. David Alt's Glacial Lake Missoula And Its Humongous Floods (0878424156, $15.00) presents geologist's view of how a huge Ice Age lake drained suddenly not once, but repeatedly. The resultant creation of rivers and waterways and dramatic changes to the landscape make for an involving, important guide. Ian Lange's Ice Age Mammals Of North America (0878424032, $20.00) provides a guide to the big, harry ice age mammals which roamed North America. New information coming from DNA analysis is changing our knowledge of these creatures: this book covers their history and the global migration patterns of ice age mammals around the world as the continents changed.

Cowboy Gear
David Stoecklein
Dober Hill Ltd.
PO Box 856, Ketchum, ID 83340
0922029113 $60.00 www.amazonc.om

This visual display is a lavish coffee table book suitable for any cowboy enthusiast: it gathers photos of early cowboys and their equipment, focusing on the gear and the finest products made. Cowboy Gear will prove startling in several ways: not only is the overall variety of gear a highlight, but many of the photos are in color for the first time. Cowboy Gear comes from a collector and a rancher whose work is exceptional.

Arboretum America
Diana Beresford-Kroeger
University of Michigan Press
PO Box 1104, Ann Arbor, MI 48106-1104
0472068512 $24.95 press.umich.edu

In Arboretum America: A Philosophy Of The Forest, botanist, medical researcher, and agricultural expert, Diana Beresford-Kroeger celebrates a diversity of trees and plants including how they can counteract the effects of pollution and global warming; which native plants complement the "bioplan"; how to plan them with ideas and tips; the medicinal uses trees and plants have had from the inception of aboriginal cultures down to the modern day, and so much more. Inviting, full-color photography by Christian H. Kroeger and an informative Foreword by Edward O. Wilson nicely embellish this informed and informative presentation which vibrantly reflects the Diana Beresford-Kroeger's love of nature and enduring passion for scientific inquisition. Arboretum America is an especially recommended addition to Ecological Studies reference collections and Botanical Studies supplemental reading lists.

The Chronology Of Genesis
Neil Zimmerer
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com
1931882223 $16.95 1-815-253-6390

Ably written by lifelong student of Sumerian history Neil Zimmerer, The Chronology Of Genesis: A Complete History Of The Nefilim deftly explores the creation of the universe, evolution, the history of Sumerian Nefilim kings, their dynasties, and their enduring legacy for the modern day. A fascinating and at times iconoclastic historical chronology of the lives and reigns of great and not-so-great rulers, The Chronology Of Genesis is enthusiastically recommended reading, especially to students of Metaphysical Studies, Alternative Archaeology, and Antiquarian History.

Packers By The Numbers
John Maxymuk
Prairie Oak Press
c/o Trails Media Group
PO Box 317, Black Earth, WI 53515
www.trailsbooks.com
1879483904 $19.95 1-800-236-8088

Divided into 99 chapters, one for each number, Packers By The Numbers: Jersey Numbers And The Players Who Wore Them by John Maxymuk specifically profiles famous players of the Wisconsin Green Bay Packer football team as arranged by the assigned numbers on their football jerseys. Concise yet packed from cover to cover with information and statistics, Packers By The Numbers is an engaging, easy-to-pick-up reference which is most especially recommended for dedicated Packers fans!

Vinegar
Vicki Lansky
Book Peddlers
15245 Minnetonka Boulevard, Minnetonka, MN 55345
0916773531 $8.95 1-800-255-3379

In Vinegar, Vicki Lansky (a contributing editor to "Family Circle" magazine) provides homemakers with a complete and comprehensive household reference to the uses of vinegar as a home remedy, diet aid, stain remover, condiment, odor eater, grooming aid, preservative, cleaner, recipe ingredient, and more. Lansky reveals the history of this versatile kitchen ingredient along with such invaluable advice as to how to make basic vinegar, how long it can be safely stored, and how to make flavored vinegars. There is even information about vinegar museums and science tricks involving vinegar and suitable for kids to perform. Vinegar is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to family and community library reference collections.

Once And Future Myths
Phil Cousineau
Conari Press/Red Wheel/Weiser
368 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
www.redwheelweiser.com
1573248649 $17.95 1-800-423-7087

Once And Future Myths: The Power Of Ancient Stories In Our Lives by Phil Cousineau is an absorbing treatise on the importance of myths - whether as ancient legends, history, or the tales repeated in modern movies and popular culture. These timeless stories reflect and shape the lives of those who tell and enjoy them, and striving to understand them is a path to better examining and understanding oneself. A thoughtful and eruditely written account, Once And Future Myths is especially recommended reading for students of mythology, personal growth, and the universality of the human condition.

Taking Care Of Mom & Dad
Mike Rust
Silver Lake Publishing
2025 Hyperion Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90027
www.silverlakepub.com
1563437406 $17.95 1-888-663-3091

Taking Care Of Mom & Dad: The Money, Politics And Emotions That Come With Supporting Your Parents is a straightforward guide by actuary and retirement issues expert Mike Rust on dealing with the diverse and inherent financial and emotional issues of supporting elderly parents by adult children. In an era when Social Security and Medicare can no longer be relied upon, Taking Care Of Mom & Dad covers the critically import issues of getting the best health insurance; organizing pension benefits; investing parental money safely and efficiently; using living wills, powers of attorney, and trusts; long-term care options; coping with family turmoil, and more. Taking Care Of Mom & Dad is fundamentally important reading for anyone charged with the responsibility of assisting their parents or other aging adult family members with respect to their financial, insurance, medical, legal, and long-term needs.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Crossroads To Islam
Yehuda Nevo & Judith Koren
Prometheus Books
59 John Glenn Dr., Amherst NY 14228
1591020832 $32.00 1-800-421-0351

Crossroads To Islam is an informed and informative survey of the origins of the Arab religion and state is an important addition to the literature on Arab-American history: it's written by an archaeologist who spent months in the field as well as conducting research, and provides a fine multifaceted survey of the findings of recent important excavations. Anticipate a controversial new view of the origins of the Arab state.

Islam In The Digital Age
Gary Bunt
Stylus Publishing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
0745320988 $24.95 1-800-232-0223

E-jihad, online Fatwas and other cyber Islamic environments are surveyed in quite a different critical study of Islam online. Islam In The Digital Age is the first comprehensive analysis of Muslims and Islam on the Internet to appear after 9/11: Islam In The Digital Age identifies issues and radical concepts of e-jihad, describes its different forms in the online environment ranging from on-line activism to hacking, and discusses religious insights into Islam on the Net. An important survey of Islam online.


The Artbook Shelf

Julian Schnabel
Julian Schnabel
Harry N. Abrams, Inc.
100 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
0810946335 $75.00 1-800-759-0190

Julian Schnabel is an extraordinary 368-page "coffee table" artbook featuring and showcasing the dramatic works of American artist Julian Schnabel flawlessly reproduced in vivid color. Brush strokes and raw painted color come alive with simple yet bold form, producing imagery that stays firmly in one's mind, in this superb presentation devoted entirely to Schnabel's art itself as beyond two pages of introduction there is no text present at all, save for (at the end of the book), a "Selected Exhibition History"; a "Selected Bibliography"; an comprehensive "Artwork Index" listing the titles of the artwork comprising this quite exceptional and highly recommended compendium.

Flowers
Erika Just
Watson Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
0823018539 $24.95 1-800-451-1741

Flowers: Wonders Of Nature In Watercolor is a full-color, how-to guide by Erika Just and expressly recommended to aspiring artists which to reveal and reproduce the beauty of flowers through the medium of watercolor. From establishing a color scheme; to building layers of color, contrast, and detail; to adding quality finishing touches, all instructions are superbly illustrated with captivating artworks. Flowers: Wonders Of Nature In Watercolor is a first-rate and thoroughly "user friendly" guide for watercolor artists of all skill and experience levels.

Kamoro Art
Dirk Smidt, Editor
KIT Publishers
PO Box 95001, The Netherlands
9068322680 $39.50 www.kit.nl/publishers

Kamoro Art: Tradition And Innovation In A New Guinea Culture will find its place in any art history collection with special focus on primitive tribes and peoples in general and Asia in particular, covering the neglected art of the Kamoro peoples living in Papua. Major pieces from the collection of the Rijksmuseum voor Volkenkunde supplements other pieces from other Netherlands holdings to provide a comprehensive visual coverage accompanied by a fine essay on major ceremonies by Jan Pouwer and other contributions.

Exploring Electric Kiln Techniques
Sumi von Dassow, editor
The American Ceramic Society
735 Ceramic Place, Westerville OH 43081
1574981609 $28.95 www.ceramics.org

Expertly compiled and edited by Elaine M. Levin, Exploring Electric Kiln Techniques is a compendium of thematically coordinated articles drawn from the pages of "Ceramics Monthly" over a twenty-five year period and which are focused upon the work and experience of ceramic artists who use an electric kiln in the process of their art and craft. Disseminating knowledge about clay bodies, glazes, decorating, and form, offering technical specifications for porcelain and glaze recipes, and enhanced with an abundance of superb full-color photography, Exploring Electric Kiln Techniques is especially appropriate reading for students and practitioners of the ceramic art, as well as art connoisseurs and collectors. Also very highly recommended is a companion volume based upon "Ceramics Monthly" magazine articles and edited by Sumi von Dassow: Movers & Shakers In American Ceramics: Defining Twentieth Century Ceramics (157498165X, $28.95).

Guston In Time
Ross Feld
Counterpoint
387 Park Ave. South, NY NY 1006
1582432848 $25.00 1-800-242-7737

Figurative painter Guston's life was vibrant; he was a muralist, then an abstract expressionist, and finally a figurative artists. Here friend and novelist Feld, Guston's friend, interprets his works and his friendship with Guston, adding many personal insights and embellishments from the friendship which will lead artists to a fuller appreciation of his life. A recommended pick for Guston fans who want an insightful biography/memoir.

The Art Of The Russian Matryoshka
Rett Ertl & Rick Hibberd
Vernissage Press
2200 Central Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
www.vernissagepress.com
0972502718 $40.00 1-888-849-8697

The detailed and collaborative work of Rett Ertl and Rick Hibberd, The Art Of The Russian Matryoshka is a unique and distinctive artbook devoted to the classic Russian toy consisting of dolls that fit inside one another. 330 full-color photographs illustrate and showcase rare and vintage matryoshka, while the narrative text covers the history of this device as well as the steps of its creation today. The Art Of The Russian Matryoshka is especially recommended for toy collectors and a welcome contribution Russian Cultural Studies collections.

Belarski: Pulp Art Masters
John P. Gunnison
Adventure House
914 Laredo Rd., Silver Spring, MD 20901
www.adventurehouse.com
1886937761 $20.00 1-301-754-1589

Compiled and edited by John P. Gunnison, Belarski: Pulp Art Masters is an superbly organized and presented artbook showcasing the distinctive work of Rudolph Belarski, a commercial artist best known for his action-packed, eye-catching covers of (in)famous "pulp" magazines. Numerous covers presented in full-color, each with a very brief yet insightful caption concerning the scene, hallmark this eye-catching collection especially recommended for fans of the uniquely captivating appeal of pulp magazine art of a yesteryear American popular culture.

Symbols In Art
Serge Polakoff
Harmony 2000, Inc.
1725 Ocean Front Walk, Suite 805, Santa Monica, CA 90401
www.harmony2000.com
0972654925 $49.95 1-310-656-8842

Symbols In Art: The Hidden Keys To Love, Balance, And Renewal by Serge Polakoff adroitly combines full-color artwork (including many classical pieces), with an erudite and learned discourse concerning the meaning and power of symbols. Very highly recommended reading, especially for students of art, art history, and graphic design, Symbols In Art is superbly articulated with four symbols associated with the classical four elements of earth, water, air, and fire, the informed and informative text accessibly explores hypothetical, emotional, and evocative issues embracing the soul of humanity and the expression of that soul through artistic creations.


The Poetry Shelf

All My Moonshine
Gwen Ellis
Venton/Intellect/ISBS, dist.
5824 N.E. Hassalo Street, Portland, OR 97213-3644
www.intellectbooks.com/venton
1841508713 $19.95 1-800-944-6190

All My Moonshine showcases author Gwen Ellis' hearty, 'Wiltshire Dialect'-flavored poetry from "Moonshine," "More Moonshine," and "More And More Moonshine" between the covers of one volume. Spiced with humor and history, and including the addition of twenty new poems, these engaging verses have a unique vibrancy of color and character. Edward Slow: And though, Alas, the folk have gone/Who spoke that way, their names live on/Down through the space of time,/So we are proud of Edward Slow,/Who wrote a Century ago/Our Dialect in Rhyme.

In The Room Of Never Grieve
Anne Waldman
Coffee House Press
27 No 4th St #400 Minneapolis MN 55401
1566891450 $30.00 coffeehousepress.org

In The Room Of Never Grieve: New And Selected Poems 1985-2003 collects and showcases the works of American poet and educator Anne Waldman, offers the reader her highly recommended verse enhanced with notes, commentary, and personal reminiscences. An accompanying audio CD containing live performances of selected classic verses emphasizing the human condition, dialogue, everyday life and the craving to reach beyond the mundane. Crack in the World: I see the crack in the world / My body thinks it, sees the gaping crack in the world / My body does it for me to see / Blood flowing through the body crack / Body, send your rivers to the moon...

Mouth Of Fire, Breath Of Dreams
Samma Negus
N. Sholes Foundation Press
c/o Paul M. Kelly Publishing Consultant
438 Livinston Rd, West Mifflin PA 15122
0970746709 $19.95 mouthoffire.com

Samma Negus' Mouth Of Fire, Breath Of Dreams presents the poetry and art of a nun who blends emotion and prayer with unforgettable black-and-white images. Mouth Of Fire, Breath Of Dreams is recommended as being a profound and captivating, poetic and visual, enduring tribute to an abiding faith. The Knife/A Meditation: Lord!/Amid holocaust,/you have wrought of my mind and soul/living crystal,/where I receive and hold you,/and let you pass through me,/and - to drive darkness -/carry you burning/in the center of my being.


The Computer Shelf

C++ In A Nutshell
Ray Lischner
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
059600298X $39.95 www.oreilly.com

C++ In A Nutshell by Ray Lischner is a thorough and expert reference to the C++ programming language, its runtime library, the C++ preprocessor, and more, all conforming to the ISO/IEC 14882 standard plus Technical Corrigendum 1. Including syntax diagrams, information on usage, concise examples for all C++ statements and keywords in its first half, and with a second half devoted entirely to C++ runtime library reference (organized by header file), C++ In A Nutshell is a "must-have" quick lookup guide for C++ programmers everywhere.

Que Publishing
201 W. 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290
www.mcp.com www.amazon.com

Now in a fully updated and expanded fourth edition, Upgrading And Repairing Networks (0789728176, $59.99, 1248 pages) is the collaborative effort of computer network experts Scott Mueller and Terry Ogletree and specifically designed for users of all experience levels. Readers will swiftly learn the basics of network repair and the networking world. Included are real world, in-depth, accessible explanations of how the protocols, architectures and hardware used in a network operate and how to repair them when they don't. Upgrading and Repairing Networks starts with the fundamentals and methodically works through more advanced concepts. An accompanying CD contains a wealth of troubleshooting tools, including a virtual library of networking and PC troubleshooting and repair books from Que Publishing. Special Edition Using Microsoft CRM (0789728826, $49.99, 552 pages) by Microsoft expert Laura Brown is an invaluable introduction ideal for with shows sales, service, and business development specialists with respect to just how to manage small businesses with the sophisticated technology that, until now, has been largely reserved for large corporations with copiously funded resources. Based on Laura Brown's real-world experience building CRM systems, Special Edition Using Microsoft CRM provides all of the expert advice that any MS CRM user would need.

Sams Publishing
201 W. 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290
www.mcp.com www.amazon.com

The HTTP Developer's Handbook (0672324547, $39.99) by HTTP expert Chris Shiflett will prove to be an invaluable instructional working reference for Web developers of all experience levels by providing a thoroughly "user friendly" understanding of underlying protocols and thereby remove unnecessary dependencies upon specific tool sets in the creation and maintenance of superior Web applications as well as facilitating adaptions to the involved technologies. HTTP has become an essential topic because the Web's importance has created an army of people creatively leveraging the Web for their specific needs. By making standards information more available to the common developer, standards compliance becomes more widespread and common, something that the industry needs. This book will easily become the standard reference for the Internet's most dominant protocol. ASP.NET Data Web Controls Kick Start (0672325012, $39.99) by professional web master Scott Mitchell showcases the more advanced features of data Web controls. These controls (typically quite simple to use with respect to simple data display) are able to accomplish a great deal more than merely present data. ASP.NET Data Web Controls Kick Start will quickly prove to be an indispensable reference for every ASP.NET developer from the novice amateur to the seasoned professional.

Graphics Interface Proceedings 2003
Torsten Moller & Colin Ware
A. K. Peters Ltd.
63 South Ave., Natick, MA 01760-4626
1568812078 $70.00 www.akpeters.com

Collaboratively compiled by program chairs Torsten Moller and Colin Ware, Graphics Interface Proceedings 2003 presents thirty-six essays from a variety of learned authors concerning original research and results in the fields of human-computer interaction and computer graphics. A highly detailed, scientific, technical, and mathematical anthology intended for advanced students and professionals, Graphics Interface 2003 covers issues of modeling, hardware methods, rendering, multimedia, deformable models, and more. Graphics Interface Proceedings 2003 is highly recommended as an excellent cutting-edge resource in the rapidly advancing field of human/computer communications.

Macromedia Flash For Windows & Macintosh
Katherine Ulrich
Peachpit Press, Inc.
1249 Eighth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
www.peachpit.com
0201794810 $24.99 1-800-283-9444

Macromedia Flash For Windows & Macintosh by Katherine Ulrich (a specialist in graphics, publishing, and multimedia software) is a 613-page visual quickstart guide, intended for beginning through intermediate level users, and which combines pictures with concise easy-to-understand instructions and examples for swiftly assimilating the basics of how to use Macromedia Flash MX. An expertly written and highly accessible teach-yourself book, easy to grasp and follow, Macromedia Flash For Windows & Macintosh is a welcome and invaluable addition to any Macromedia Flash MX user's reference shelf.

Osborne/McGraw-Hill
2100 Powell St., Emeryville, CA 94608
1-800-722-4726 www.amazon.com

Crystal Reports Professional Results (0072229519; 352 pages; $29.99), by George Peckis a superbly organized and very highly recommended resource which provides a wealth of tips, ticks, and techniques on the creation and presentation of expert quality reports and complex, interactive analysis documentation both on and off the Web. George Peckis is particular adept at explaining just how to develop and design reports, make maps, tables, and charts, extract and present data from SQL databases, download ready-to-use sample report templates, and so much more. Now in an updated and expanded second edition, Incident Response & Computer Forensics (007222696X; 544 pages; $49.99) is the collaborative effort of FBI insiders Chris Prosise & Kevin Mandia who offers an expert presentation of the legal, procedural, and technical steps of incident response and computer forensics. Included are new chapters on forensic analysis and remediation, and real-world case studies. Incident Response & Computer Forensics is recommended as a revealing and authoritative instructional reference dedicated to showing users of all levels of experience just how to counteract and defend against contemporary computer hack attacks.

IP Storage Networking
Gary Orenstein
Addison-Wesley Professional
75 Arlington Street, Suite 300, Boston, MA 02116
0321159608 $44.99 awprofessional.com

Expertly written by IP storage expert Gary Orenstein especially for IP-based storage professionals in the business community, IP Storage Networking is an in-depth, comprehensive, superbly organized guide covering current options and future trends of enterprise storage; new storage strategies such as disaster recovery and operational agility; outsourcing storage and managing storage-related SLAs; maximizing ROI on enterprise storage investments, and more. Practical language, charts and diagrams, examples, recommendations, and more fill this useful, insightful, and confidently recommended instructional reference from cover to cover.

UML For Java Programmers
Robert C. Martin
Prentice Hall Press
Addison-Wesley, dist.
240 Frisch Court, Paramus, NJ 07652
www.phptr.com
0131428489 $39.99 1-800-631-8571

UML For Java Programmers by computer expert and consultant Robert C. Martin is a first-rate guidebook to UML especially as a useful tool for Java developers. Shining the spotlight on the UML 1&2 features most relevant to writing better Java code, and ignoring those UML features that have nothing to offer Java, UML For Java Programmers is packed from cover to cover with problem-solving examples, down-to-earth wisdom, tips, tricks, techniques and so much more. UML For Java Programmers is very highly recommended -- especially for Java programmers who are new to UML.

Code Generation In Action
Jack Herrington
Manning Publications Company
109 Vincent Ave., Lynbrook, NY 11563
1930110979 $44.95 www.manning.com

Expertly written by Jack Herrington (a software developer of twenty years' experience), Code Generation In Action is a competent and "user friendly" guidebook and self-teaching tool to the art and science of building and using programs to write (or assist in the writing of) other programs. Avoiding common mistakes to generate high-quality code free of errors, and especially to create quick and easy code for the most repetitive or "gruntwork" tasks of a programming project are the core features of this invaluable and highly commended resource and reference which informatively covers code generation basics, CG techniques, patterns of CG design, how to deploy generators, numerous examples of generators, and so much more.

C++ For Game Programmers
Noel Llopis
Charles River Media
20 Downer Ave, #3, Hingham, MA 02043
1584502274 $49.95 1-800-382-8505

C++ For Game Programmers by Noel Llopis (a software engineer for Day 1 Studios), is a programmer's guide written especially to address the unique problems of applying C++, the primary computer language for writing games, as well as presenting the art and science of creating a game with smooth interface and gameplay. Focusing on useful ideas and concepts more than source code for game projects, and inspecting the workings of C++ computer games from a game development perspective, C++ For Game Programmers is highly recommended as a "must-have" instructional reference for anyone casually or seriously interested in writing computer games. An accompanying CD-ROM contains source code for fully functional example programs.

Network Security Principles And Practices
Saadat Malik
Cisco Press
201 W. 103rd St., Indianapolis, IN 46290
1587050250 $55.00 www.ciscopress.com

Written by Saadat Malik (the CCIE engineer who wrote the CCIE Security lab exam and helped instigate the CCIE Security written exam), Network Security Principles And Practices is a textbook-style instructional, reference, and resource for professionals responsible for virtual private networks and the protection of valuable information. Individual chapters comprehensively address the various dimensions of network security including device security, secure routing, secure LAN switching, firewalls, intrusion detection, service provider security, and much more. An expert, 774-page guide, Network Security Principles And Practices is filled from cover to cover with working library of technical information, theory, and examples in practice.

The Photoshop Book For Digital Photographers
Scott Kelby
New Riders
201 W. 103rd St. Indianapolis, IN 46290
0735712360 $39.99 www.newriders.com

The Photoshop Book For Digital Photographers by Scott Kelby (Editor of Photoshop User Magazine) is an excellent how-to guide written for professionals while being thoroughly accessible to the non-specialist general user wanting to learn advance concepts with respect to the art and science of digital photography. Taking the refreshing approach of explicitly showing step-by-step instructions for techniques that professional digital photographers use, The Photoshop Book For Digital Photographers is a handy informational and visual resource packed from cover to cover with examples and full-color photographs that superbly illustrate its sample techniques. Simply put, The Photoshop Book For Digital Photographers is a "must-have" instructional reference for digital photographers regardless of their levels of expertise or experience.

Pro Tools For Video, Film, And Multimedia
Ashley Shepherd
Muska & Lipman Publishing
2645 Erie Ave, #41, Cincinnati OH 45208
www.muskalipman.com
159200069X $29.99 1-800-332-7450

A practical and "user-friendly" introduction to Pro Tools, whether by itself or in conjunction with compatible softwares such as QuickTime, Pro Tools For Video, Film, And Multimedia by Ashley Shepherd is an excellent and very nicely organized guide to the features of Pro Tools software, including how to make optimal use of it when working on the phases of a multimedia soundtrack project. Meticulous and down-to-earth examples and suggestions make Pro Tools For Video, Film, And Multimedia a first-rate and highly recommended guide for music engineers making the transition into multimedia, as well as independent filmmakers doing their post-production in-house; web designers adding audio content to their web pages; musicians composing for film, TV, or the Internet.


The Architecture Shelf

Beach Houses: Andrew Geller
Alastair Gordon
Princeton Architectural Press
37 East 7th St., New York NY 10003
1568983212 $40.00 1-800-722-6657

Architect Andrew Geller's quirky and unusual beach houses built in the 1950s and 1960s are profiled in Beach Houses: Andrew Geller, a fine title surveying these whimsical vacation homes. Geller built dozens of houses on modest budgets, along the East Coast: Beach Houses: Andrew Geller combines black and white sketches and photos with color photos and a running discussion of Geller's artistic and practical challenges. An appealing architectural survey.

Southwestern Ornamentation & Design
Anne Taylor, Ph.D.
Sunstone Press
PO Box 2321, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2321
0865340692 $17.95 1-800-243-5644

In Southwestern Ornamentation & Design: The Architecture Of John Gaw Meem, Anne Taylor (Distinguished Professor, School of Architecture and Planning Education, University of New Mexico), offers a direct and knowledgeable analytical survey of one of New Mexico's most renowned architects. Black-and-white photographs drawn from the archives of the Meem Room in Zimmerman Library at the University of New Mexico help present John Meem's bold and visionary ideas to offer inspiration in their own right. Southwestern Ornamentation & Design is a very highly recommended addition to professional and academic Architectural Studies collections.

Dover Publications
31 . 2nd St., Mineola, NY 11501
1-800-223-3130 www.amazon.com

Dover Publications offers selected works in the form of reprints of architectural titles which should not be missed: packaged in affordable paperback, they will enrich any personal, professional, or academic library and enable it to replace aging volumes with contemporary appearing reprints. For example, Batty Langley and Thomas Langley's Gothic Architecture (0486426149, $12.95) reprints a 1742 treatise on Gothic works, offering over 60 plates engraved by Thomas and portraying columns, windows, mantels, and other architectural features. For contemporary architectural considerations, choose either Atlas Portland Cement's Concrete Country Residences (0486427331, $18.95), offering photos and floor plans of turn-of-the-century homes; or Palliser, Palliser & Co.'s New Cottage Homes 1887 (048628-168, $14.95), featuring a survey of 1,500 drawings of plans and perspectives for these homes, based on originals, for architectural historians interested in residential structures.

A House On The Water
Robert W. Knight
The Taunton Press
63 South Main St, Newtown, CT 06470
www.taunton.com
1561586072 $34.95 1-800-477-8727

A House On The Water: Inspiration For Living At The Water's Edge by Robert W. Knight is a truly grandiose and memorably beautiful tour of twenty-four outstanding homes, each dwelling presented complete with full color photographs and thoughtful commentary guides to the dimensions, practicalities, and plain and simple beauty of living next to water. An inspirational guide for anyone who has dreamed of rising every morning to the tranquility of a lakeside, A House On The Water is a wonderful book for simple browsing and a very highly recommended addition to academic and community Architectural Studies collections.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

True Vipers
David Mallow, et al.
Krieger Publishing Company
PO Box 9542, Melbourne, FL 32902-9542
0894648772 $79.50 1-800-724-0025

Collaboratively written by biologist David Mallow, ecologist and environmental scientist David Ludwig, and herpetologist Goran Nilson, True Vipers: Natural History And Toxinology Of Old World Vipers is a professional, detailed, and extensive reference concerning the nine genera and their species of the family Viperidae - colloquially known as Old World vipers. An inset section of color plates illustrates this practical and authoritative guide offering exhaustive species descriptions, as well as information on taxonomy, distribution, habitat, feeding, behavior, reproduction, and information about the venoms of these amazing reptiles. An excellent and well-organized resource, True Vipers is an essential addition to any professional or academic Herpetology Studies reference collection. Also very highly recommended from the Krieger Publishing Company is C.H. Curran and Carl Kauffeled's Snakes And Their Ways (157524229X, $39.50).

Legacies Of The Turf
Edward L. Bowen
Eclipse Press
1736 Alexandria Drive, Lexington, Kentucky 40504
www.exclusivelyequine.com
1581501021 $29.95 1-800-582-5604

In Legacies Of The Turf: A Century Of Great Thoroughbred Breeders (Vol. 1), racing historian and expert Edward L. Bown presents the stories of some of the greatest Thoroughbred race horses in history and the often charismatic, powerful, or quirky individuals who supported them. Capitalists, philanthropists, and women working with the bloodlines of champion steeds soon learned that the stellar a few sires and dams dominated racing circuit, and true rivalries between both humans and horses, on and off the race field permeate this fascinating, nicely illustrated, and highly recommended horse racing chronicle.

More Wildlife On Your Land
Neil F. Payne
Barberie Publications
PO Box 212, Plover, WI 54467
0971163405 $19.95 npayne@uswp.edu

More Wildlife On Your Land: A Guide For Private Landowners by Neil F. Payne (Professor Emeritus of Wildlife, University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point) is a practical and thoroughly "user friendly" instructional guide to changing property and habitat in order to attract more wildlife, including songbirds and deer. From restoring woodlots, pastures, prairies, riparian areas, wetlands, and ponds; to raising crops and wildlife while controlling grazing; to building watering devices and fences; to constructing and locating birdhouses and bat houses; to controlling nuisance wildlife; to deriving income from wildlife; to applying for financial assistance, and much, much more, More Wildlife On Your Land is a highly accessible and practical guide recommended for property owners and dedicated wildlife enthusiasts.

Your New Dog
Susan McCullough
Capital Books, Inc.
22841 Quicksilver Dr, Sterling, VA 20166
www.capital-books.com
1931868182 $14.95 1-800-758-3756

Award-winning writer and pet expert Susan McCullough draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in Your New Dog: An Expert Answers Your Every Question. A first-rate introduction to nuances of acquiring a canine family pet, ranging from how to know if one is ready for a new dog, to dealing with health issues, feeding, grooming, and exercising one's new pet, house training, and more, Your New Dog is highly recommended as a superb primer for its candid canine wisdom, direct and simple instructions, and the showcasing of a true love for animals.


The Military Shelf

Eye Of The Tiger
John Edmund Delezen
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
0786416564 $29.95 1-800-253-2187

Eye Of The Tiger is the personal memoir of John Edmund Delezen (a United States Marine from the Third Force Recon Company) relating his experiences while in service during the Vietnam War. In the course of a year and a half, Delezen was stricken with malaria, wounded by a grenade, hit by a bullet, saw friends die, witnessed horrible acts of brutality, endured hunger, pain, and worse, in a deadly war which was to become renowned for the suffering it inflicted upon the minds and bodies of its participants. A disturbingly powerful and impressionable recollection, Eye Of The Tiger is a welcome and appreciated contribution to the growing library of Vietnam era military memoirs.

Under The Guns Of The Kaiser's Aces
Norman Franks & Hal Giblin
Grub Street/Casemate Publishers
2114 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
1904010024 $37.95 1-610-853-9131

Expertly compiled and co-written by World War I history experts Norman Franks and Hal Giblin, Under The Guns Of The Kaiser's Aces: Bohme, Muller, Von Tutschek And Wolff - The Complete Record Of Their Victories And Victims, is an exhaustive profile of four distinguished German aces of World War One, which informatively examines their personal and professional lives, including the aerial combat deeds that earned them the "Blue Max" (Germany's highest award for bravery in action). Under The Guns Of The Kaiser's Aces also includes the lives of the Allied airmen these German Aces fought and downed, and as well as their own deaths incurred by battling against the Royal Flying Corps. Black-and-white photographs, a wealth of details, painstaking research, and revealing insights from two true experts on the WWI and WW II air wars mark Under The Guns Of The Kaiser's Aces As a fascinating read for military aviation enthusiasts, as well as a major and significant contribution for World War I Military History reference collections.

Only The Dead Came Home
Andy O'Meara, Jr.
Elderberry Press
1393 Old Homestead Drive, 2nd floor, Oakland, OR 97462-9506
1930859481 $19.95 elderberrypress.com

Only The Dead Came Home: Vietnam's Hidden Casualties is the personal testimony of Andy O'Meara, Jr., who served as a major with the 1st Cavalry Regiment (ARVN), and the 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment (US). O'Meara was decorated five times for valor. Only The Dead Came Home focuses as much upon the struggle to resume a normal life as it does upon the stress of war itself. Only The Dead Came Home offers a candidly personalized accounting of the life-altering scars that post-traumatic stress disorder can leave upon the rest of combat soldier's life. A sober, severe, and open account, Only The Dead Came Home is informative, empathetic, highly recommended reading.


The Criminology Shelf

Victims Of Dead Man Walking
Michael Varnado & D.P. Smith
Pelican Publishing
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053
1589801563 $22.00 1-800-843-1724

The brutal rape and murder of Faith Hathaway went beyond even the usual violent crime: her killer was captured, tried, and sentenced to death, yet his story lived on not only in their minds but in the public's eye with the making of the book Dead Man Walking, contesting the death penalty, and with the movie. In the course of arguing over justice, the story of Faith has almost been forgotten: here two detectives provide a vivid eyewitness account of the investigation into her murder. Verado was only twenty-five when he discovered her body, and it was a scene he would never forget. This account returns the focus to the victim, her life, and her family.


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Collectible Doll Fashions: 1970s
Carmen Varricchio
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Rd, Atglen, PA 19310
0764318063 $29.95 schifferbooks.com

Expertly compiled by Carmen Varricchio, Collectible Doll Fashions: 1970s is an invaluable and reliable catalogue and price guide to doll clothing outfits of the 1970's. Full color photographs and suggested modern-day prices and values for collectible doll clothing (especially if still in its original packaging) make for a collector's guide which is as enjoyable to simply page through as it is easy to consult for quick lookup. No serious collector or professional dealer should be without their own personal reference copy of Collectible Doll Fashions: 1970s.


The Human Sexuality Shelf

Bawdy Language
Lawrence Paros
Kvetch Press
11230 Champagne Port Lane, NE, Kirkland, WA 98034
0967200539 $16.95 bawdylanguage.com

Compiled and organized by educator and professional writer Lawrence Paros, Bawdy Language is a compendium of street-talk, history, poetry, drama, and more, come together in order to create a lexicon of colorful, quaint, euphemistic, and often raunchy terms with which to liven any discussion of sexual matters. Bawdy Language is recommended for being a tongue-in-cheek and highly amusing (yet quite practical) guide to talking dirty while avoiding unpolished obscenity and retaining the respect of one's peers and both genders.

The Love Almanac
Katrina Fried & Lena Tabori
Welcome Books
6 West 18th Street, 3rd fl, NY, NY 10011
0941807916 $24.95 welcomebooks.biz

The collaborative effort of Katrina Fried and Lena Tabori, The Love Almanac is a 240-page compendium of stories, essays, poetry, letters, recipes, crafts, trivia, games, and more with a special focus on human love and passion. From excerpts taken from classic works such as Shakespeare writings; to practical advice on how to pop a proposal; to the casting of a love spell; to finding the best dating services, games and compatibility tests, The Love Almanac is a veritable smorgasbord of entertainment and insight, lavishly illustrated in full color throughout, and very highly recommended for anyone in love -- or otherwise involved with matters of the human heart.


The Language Studies Shelf

Greek Readings For Review
Adolf Kaegi & James A. Kleist
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1000 Brown St, #101 Wauconda IL 60084
0865165491 $29.00 www.bolchazy.com

The collaborative effort of the late Greek language experts and educators Adolf Kaegi and James A. Kleist, Greek Readings For Review: First Lessons In Greek is a classic text for study of the classical Greek language, which first published in 1902 as a complement to "Kaegi's Greek Grammar." Each individual reading lesson is specifically designed to review subject matter from Kaegi's Greek Grammar, as well as providing drills on single words and increasingly complex sentences. Additionally, Greek Readers For Review features English-to-Greek translation exercises, and optional connected-paragraph readings to fill the pages of this excellent and enduring popular resource for students coming to grips with the intricacies of ancient Greek -- and a "user friendly" classroom resource that has rightfully passed the test of time.


The American History Shelf

Minding The South
John Shelton Reed
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Blvd, Columbia, MO 65201
0826214908 $24.95 1-800-828-1894

Informatively written by John Shelton Reed (educator, social scientist, and the author and/or editor of thirteen books about the American South), Minding The South is a wonderful celebration of the American South and its culture -- a regional society which has resisted being assimilated by the mainstream United States in order to keep its own distinctive personality. From the search for objectivity among common pitfalls in remembering Southern history especially before and during the civil war; to profiles of talented Southerners who have devoted themselves to everything from rock and roll to designing silver jewelry, Minding The South is a splendid and enduring tribute to American Southern culture and custom.

The Human Tradition In America 1865 To The Present
Charles W. Calhoun, editor
Scholarly Resources Inc.
104 Greenhill Avenue, Wilmington, DC 19805-1897
0842051295 $22.95 1-800-772-8937

Compiled and edited by Charles W. Calhoun (Department of History, East Carolina University), The Human Tradition In America 1865 To The Present is the second half of a two-part text created for a U.S. history survey course, and gathers biographical essays drawn from assorted volumes in SR Books' in their outstanding "Human Tradition in America" series. Brief biographical sketches of ordinary Americans reveal history through daily life to students, in this engaging, reflective, and intellectually stimulating source which is highly recommended as an American History Studies curriculum supplement.


The International Studies Shelf

Democracy Indian Style
Anton Pelinka
Transaction Books
390 Campus Drive, Somerset, NJ 08873
0765801868 $49.95 1-888-999-6778

Expertly translated into English by Renee Schell, Democracy Indian Style: Subhas Chandra Bose And The Creation Of India's Political Culture by Anton Pelinka (Professor of Political Science, University of Innsbruck) knowledgeably explores the workings of the modern East Indian political system by focusing upon the life of one man, Subhas Chandra Bose, and his profound impact upon India's governmental system. A scholarly, extensively researched, accessibly presentation, Democracy Indian Style centers upon the roots of Indian democracy, (including what it means to be a pluralistic democracy), and is recommended especially for International Studies, Indian History, and Political Science library reference collections.

Beyond Tiananmen
Robert L. Suettinger
Brookings Institution Press
1775 Massachusetts Avenue, N.W., Washington, DC 20036-2188
www.brookings.edu
0815782063 $39.95 1-800-275-1447

Beyond Tiananmen: The Politics Of U.S.-China Relations 1989-2000 by Robert L. Suettinger (Nonresident Senior Fellow in the Foreign Policy Studies Program and an Affiliated Fellow of the Center for Northeast Asian Policy Studies at the Brookings Institution) is a superbly presented analytical survey and history of Sino-American relations since the suppressive massacre that took place when the People's Liberation Army of China obeyed its orders to retake Beijing's landmark Tiananmen square from student demonstrators "at any cost". Beyond Tiananmen deftly examines the often confused interrelation between our two nations that trade so much, yet so often seem so hostile to one another, and warning against the dangers should that antipathy continue unchecked by mutual understanding. Beyond Tiananmen is a timely, welcome, and very highly recommended contribution to International Studies in general and U.S.-China Relations during the final decade of the 20th Century in particular.


The Science Shelf

Signals And Systems
Steven T. Karris
Orchard Publications
39510 Paseo Padre Parkway, Suite 315, Fremont, CA 94538
www.orchardpublications.com
0970951167 $64.95 1-510-792-6077

Now in an expanded and updated second edition, Signals And Systems With MATLAB Applications by electrical engineer and educator Steven T. Karris is an invaluable textbook and resource especially written and organized for students of electrical engineering. An easy-to-learn-from text, with practical MATLAB applications to use and drive the theory home, Signals And Systems authoritatively covers a wide selection of mathematical and engineering topics in seasoned and technical detail, including delta functions, the laplace transformation, fourier series, analog and digital filters, and much more. Signals And Systems is a confidently recommended advanced instructional resource especially for dedicated students or veteran electrical engineers looking to brush up their basic skills.

The Cambridge Encyclopedia Of Space
Fernand Verger, et al.
Cambridge University Press
40 West 20th Street, NY, NY 10011-4211
www.cambridge.org
0521773008 $50.00 1-800-872-7423

The collaborative work of Fernand Verger (Professor Emeritus of Geography at L'Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris), Isabelle Sourbes-Verger (National Center for Scientific Research and the Foundation for Strategic Research, Paris), and Raymond Ghirardi (Cartographic Engineer, CNRS), and Xavier Pasco (Associate Professor, Universite de Marne la Vallee, Pasco), The Cambridge Encyclopedia Of Space is a globally-themed, wonderfully illustrated resource compendium of man's perspective and occupation of space. Ranging from the vast variety of satellites (including telecommunication, navigation, and military ones), to the workings of the space shuttle, to budgets and space activity around the world, The Cambridge Encyclopedia Of Space superbly covers both the mysteries of science and the workings of national politics to present a combined wealth of information for ideal for nonspecialist general readers of all backgrounds. Simply put, no school or community library Astronomy & Space Science collection can be considered complete without the inclusion of The Cambridge Encyclopedia Of Space.

The Telecommunications Illustrated Dictionary
Julie K. Petersen
CRC Press
2000 NW Corporate Boulevard, Boca Raton, FL 33431-9868
084931173X $69.95 1-800-272-7737

Now in its updated and expanded edition, The Telecommunications Illustrated Dictionary compiled by Julie K. Petersen is a straightforward and comprehensive reference featuring brief yet informative entries defining common terms in the telecommunications industry, from "aircraft earth station" and "backhaul broadcasting" to "high/low tariff", "rural service area", "wire speed" and much more. Informative appendices and a comprehensive index round out the clear and easy-to-understand information artfully organized in The Telecommunications Illustrated Dictionary. A concise, fact-filled, 1073-page reference, recommended for telecommunications students and professionals alike, The Telecommunications Industry Illustrated Dictionary is an invaluable and highly recommended addition to academic and professional library reference collections.

Encyclopedia Of Agricultural, Food, And Biological Engineering
Dennis R. Heldman, editor
Marcel Dekker, Inc.
Cimarron Road, Monticello, NY 12701
0824709381 $395.00 www.dekker.com

Competently compiled and edited by the experienced and credentialed Dennis R. Heldman (an informed expert whose professional titles include Director of the Cooperative Research Development Program at the Center for Advanced Food Technology), the Marcel Dekker edition of the Encyclopedia Of Agricultural, Food, And Biological Engineering is an exhaustive, in-depth and professionally thorough resource. Informed and informative entries cover everything from aerobic reactions to convective heat transfer in foods to soil dynamics, water vapor properties and much more. The Encyclopedia Of Agricultural, Food, And Biological Engineering is confidently recommended as being an exhaustive, clearly written, meticulously detailed, 1184-page consulting library reference for students and professionals alike in the complex and rapidly evolving realm of agriculture, food science, and biological/genetic engineering.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Spend Your Way To Wealth
Mike Schiano
Allworth Press
10 East 23rd St., #210, NY, NY 10010
1581152728 $16.95 1-800-491-2808

Spend Your Way To Wealth by Mike Schiano is an effective "how to" guide to living a more extravagant lifestyle on less - through judiciously monitoring personal shopping for the specific purpose of saving money on the essentials. From paying less on mortgage interest; to avoiding dealer markups on a new car; to getting the best deals from the internet; to taking advantage of buying clubs; to negotiating prices with salespeople, and so much more, Spend Your Way To Wealth is a satisfying, practical, "user friendly" instructional manual to skillfully stretching the dollars while living well.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

Folktales On Stage
Aaron Shepard
Shepard Publications
5858 Pacific Coast Hwy, #18, Redondo Beach, CA 90277
0938497200 $15.00 1-310-373-8667

Compiled and written by author and actor Aaron Shepard, Folktales On Stage: Scripts For Reader's Theater collects theater scripts designed for young readers and adapted from the folktale retellings. Each of Shepard's script is quite brief (only a few pages in length), and intended for aspiring young actors ages 8 to 15 and appropriate for a range of reading levels. All of the scripts comprising Folktales On Stage may be freely copied, shared, and performed for educational and/or non-commercial purposes. A superb resource for schools, libraries, and youth-friendly community theater organizations, Folktales On Stage is a welcome and highly recommended addition to school and community theater collections.


The Political Science Shelf

Governor Reagan: His Rise To Power
Lou Cannon
Public Affairs
250 West 57th St., #1321, NY, NY 10107
1586480308 $30.00 1-877-782-1234

Ronald Reagan was a middle-aged movie actor and former TV host in 1964 when he gave a televised speech for nominee Barry Goldwater which was to change the course of his career. The fallout from that speech: a newfound buildup of political alliances and influences which was to take him from political amateurism to the Presidency. A fine biography of the progress of Reagan's political career.

Poverty Of Welfare
Michael Tanner
Cato Institute
1000 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001-5403
1930865414 $15.00 1-800-767-1241

The 1996 Welfare Reform Act was the most important change in federal welfare policy in 30 years, but in Poverty Of Welfare, Michael Tanner ably argues that we still have a long way to go. Millions are still dependent on welfare, and Tanner proposes a two-pronged approach to release regulation and taxation on the economy and use private charities to aid the needy. Poverty Of Welfare is an important survey of how to continue to revamp the welfare mentality and system.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Contested Holiness
Rivka Gonen
KTAV Publishing House
900 Jefferson Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030
0881257990 $19.95 1-201-963-9524

Contested Holiness: Jewish, Muslim And Christian Perspectives On The Temple Mount In Jerusalem by Rivka Gonen (formerly Senior Curator of the Department of Jewish Ethnography at the Israel Museum, Jerusalem, and a participant in the Temple Mount Excavations) is a straightforward survey and history enhanced with modern-day perspectives on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Presenting Christian, Muslim, and Jewish viewpoints on this highly disputed and universally identified holy site, Contested Holiness studies events of history, philosophies of thought, and the political debate as well as the sad reality of violence as varying groups continue striving to pray upon the Temple Mount, while others consider it a service to both ancient Jewish tradition (which considers the grounds of the Temple Mount itself forbidden to Jews), as well as the public peace, to restrict worship upon the Temple Mount. Also available in a hardcover edition (0881257982, $29.50), Contested Holiness is an enthusiastically recommended, easy-to-understand, and informatively thoughtful examination of a complex social and religious issue.

Priest
Michael S. Rose
Sophia Institute Press
PO Box 5284, Manchester, NH 03108
1928832717 $14.95 1-800-888-9344

In Priest, Michael S. Rose compiles true stories from ten faithful Roman Catholic priests, each of whom share the virtues of a commitment to God, a love for Christ, and a solemn duty to the Church and their flock. Their individual personalities, temperaments, and services in the vocation of the priesthood vary, yet their shared dedication is universal in this heartwarming treatise which is especially recommended reading for anyone considering entering the priesthood.

Cleansing The Doors Of Perception
Huston Smith
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street, Boulder, CO 80302
www.sentientpublications.com
1591810086 $14.95 www.amazon.com

A Highly recommended addition to Metaphysical Religious Studies, Cleansing The Doors Of Perception: The Religious Significance Of Entheogenic Plants And Chemicals is the work of philosopher and religion scholar Huston Smith and presents an informative survey and analysis of psychedelic and entheogenic drugs, including their usage to connect human beings with the divine. History, theology, philosophy, psychology, and personal experience fill the pages of this provocative yet insightful and non-judgmental survey of man's use of chemicals in a dedicated quest to expand both mind and spirit.

Darwin's Proof
Cornelius G. Hunter
Brazos/Baker Book House
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516
1587430568 $17.99 bakerbooks.com

Written by Cornelius G. Hunter (a researcher in molecular biophysics), Darwin's Proof: The Triumph Of Religion Over Science is a critical and intelligent dissection of the scientific, philosophical, and theological weaknesses in Darwin's theory of evolution. Studying traditional fundamentalist arguments against evolution, surveying the scientific evidence in favor of evolution, examining the "Intelligent Design" theory, and more, Darwin's Proof offers the reader an astutely reasoned Christian scrutiny of a complex and controversial issue. Also very highly recommended reading in this subject area is Thomas Woodward's Doubts About Darwin: A History Of Intelligent Design (0801064430, $19.99).

Revelation And The Fall Of Judea
Maurice A. Williams
Xlibris Corporation
436 Walnut Street, 11th floor, Philadelphia, PA 19106
1401068049 $21.99 xlibris.com

Revelation And The Fall Of Judea: A Comparison Of Chapters 4 Through 16 To Historical Events Of A.D. 276 Through 135 by Maurice A. Williams is an insightful, point-by-point analysis of thirteen chapters in the New Testament Book of Revelation, comparing it closely with the key events of Israelite and Judean history. Written in terms completely accessible to readers of all denominational and educational backgrounds, Revelation And The Fall Of Judea is a welcome and highly recommended contribution to religious studies, and one that especially connects Revelation to the recorded words of John the Baptist.

Pilgrimages Of Europe
Janson Media
88 Semmens Rd, Harrington Park NJ 07640
VHS $24.95 each www.janson.com

"Pilgrimages Of Europe" is a new and outstanding video series from Janson Media which is comprised of superbly produced documentaries showcasing twelve specific pilgrimages hallowed by generations of Christians throughout the expanse of western Europe. Each of these full color, 30-minute, video travelogues provides the specific spiritual, cultural, and historical background for a given pilgrimage site. The filming is wonderfully enhanced with the testaments of contemporary pilgrims traveling the sometimes centuries old routes and who find themselves able to stand upon holy ground and pray at revered shrines. The individual pilgrimages comprising this memorable, informative, and enthusiastically recommended series are Croagh Patrick: Ireland (#20160); Kalwaria Zebrzydowska: Poland (#201-61); Iona: Scotland (#20162); Medjugorje: Bosnia (#20163); Kevelaer: Germany (#20164); Amsterdam: The Netherlands (#20165); Scherpenheuvel: Bel-gium (#20166); Santiago De Compostela: Spain (#20168); El Rocio: Spain (#20169); Les Saintes Maries De La Mer: France (#20171); Fatima: Portugal (#20167); and Lourdes: France (#20171).

Why The Mystics Matter Now
Frederick Bauerschmidt
Sorin Books
Box 1006, Notre Dame, IN 46556-1006
1893732711 $12.95 sorinbooks.com

Compiled and written by Frederick Bauerschmidt (Associate Professor of Theology, Loyola College, Maryland), Why The Mystics Matter Now is an introductory primer showcasing the wisdom of Christian mystic spirituality. Invitingly simple yet keenly insightful commentaries respecting seven great Christian mystics down through history, induct the readers into the art of opening their own minds and souls to God. An excellent introduction to better understanding mysticism, Why The Mystics Matter Now features Thomas Merton, Therese of Lisieux, Hildegard of Bingen, Julian of Norwich, Meister Eckhart, Ignatius of Loyola, and Catherine of Siena.

Reaching The World In Our Own Backyard
Rajendra K. Pillai
WaterBrook Press
Creative Resources (publicity)
2375 Telstar Drive, Suite 160, Colorado Springs, CO 80920
1578566010 $14.99 waterbrookpress.com

Reaching The World In Our Own Backyard by Rajendra K. Pillai is a guidebook for spreading the Christian faith to Americans whose native cultures may be unfamiliar -- particularly those of Muslim and Hindu backgrounds. From overcoming personal biases; to the do's and don'ts for handling culturally sensitive issues; to starting a ministry dedicated to internationals in within one's own Christian community, Reaching The World In Our Own Backyard is an excellent primer and one which is particularly mindful of human considerations that need to be taken into account when doing Christian outreach work.

Positively Dangerous
Frank Mercadante
Saint Mary's Press
c/o Christian Brothers Publications
702 Terrace Heights, Winona, MN 55987
0884897907 $9.95 www.smp.org

Insightfully written by Frank Mercadante (whose experience in youth ministry training extends to being the executive director of the not-for-profit corporation Cultivation Ministries), Positively Dangerous is ideal means to help spread the passion of faith among teenagers today. Stressing love for God, love for one another, authenticity, integrity, and making the most of evangelistic opportunities, Positively Dangerous is an enthusiastic guide incorporating mentoring, peer training, and small-class activities. Ideal as a manual for adults working with youth, Positively Dangerous is especially recommended reading for young people seeking to embracing and sharing the Good News within the context of the Catholic community.

The Historical Atlas Of Eastern And Western Christian Monasticism
Juan Maria Laboa, et al.
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
0814627781 $99.95 1-800-858-5450

The Historical Atlas Of Eastern And Western Christian Monasticism is an eloquently and beautifully presented guide and survey of the monastic way of life practiced by religious men and women for millennia. An easy-to-follow narrative history of Christian monasticism is accompanied and enhanced with the inclusion of extensive full-color photographs exploring the lives and faiths of extraordinary individuals. A fascinating overview, The Historical Atlas Of Eastern And Western Christian Monasticism is enthusiastically recommended for Christian readers of all denominational backgrounds who have an interest in what it meant in the past, and means in the present, to literally and completely dedicate one's life to God.


The Self-Help Shelf

I Wasn't Ready To Say Goodbye
Brook Noel with Pamela D. Blair Ph.D.
Champion Press Ltd.
4308 Blueberry Road, Fredonia, WI 53021
1891400509 $18.95 championpress.com

I Wasn't Ready To Say Goodbye is a fact-filled resource and a consumable, self-help oriented, interactive companion workbook designed to assist the reader in coming to terms with the sudden death of a loved one. From getting through the first few weeks; to helping children cope; to special challenges that sudden and unexpected widowhood can bring; to the support groups and resources to be found locally, regionally, and nationally; to getting past grief blocks, and more, I Wasn't Ready To Say Goodbye is very highly recommended reading and can prove essential to successfully facilitating the grieving process and eventually moving on with our lives after the death of a loved one.

Mindful Forgiveness
Doug Geiger
General Store Publishing House
PO Box 28, 1694B Burnstown Road, Burnstown, Ontario, Canada K0J 1G0
1894263847 $19.95 1-800-465-6072

Mindful Forgiveness: Experiencing The Love Factor by teacher, workshop facilitator, and public speaker Doug Geiger is a self-help guide specific to utilizing the powerful tool of forgiveness in conflict resolution and emotional restoration. Rather than settle for "a little happiness", Mindful Forgiveness teaches the reader to address stress, physical pain, shame, and anger with the catalyst for inner transformation and spiritual growth. An upbeat and encouraging self-development tool, Mindful Forgiveness is completely "reader friendly" and highly recommended for anyone struggle with guilt and fear arising from flawed relationship skills and false belief systems.


The Sports Shelf

Tyrone Willingham
Fred Mitchell
Sports Publishing
804 North Neil St, Champaign, IL 61820
www.SportsPublishingLLC.com
1582616728 $24.95 1-877-807-6034

Tyrone Willingham: The Meaning Of Victory is a straightforward, informative biography by sportswriter Fred Mitchell of the justifiably famous athlete and coach Tyrone Willingham, whose service to Notre Dame as head coach (the first African-American head coach in Notre Dame's history) showed the world collegiate football just what his team could do. Bright, full color photographs add a vibrant touch to this straightforward telling of a truly remarkable leader's life and career.


The Fishing Shelf

Fly-Fishing For Trophy Trout
Brent Curtice
Frank Amato Publications
PO Box 82112, Portland, OR 97282
1571882987 $19.95 amatobooks.com

Informatively and expertly written by Brent Curtice (a fisherman and teacher of over twenty years' experience), Fly-Fishing For Trophy Trout: A Complete Guide For The Beginning Fly-Fisher is an inclusive and instructional guidebook for beginning fly-fishers. Offering straightforward information about trout habitat, species, food sources, recommended equipment, and fishing techniques to use from tying knots to reading the water, Fly-Fishing For Trophy Trout is enhanced throughout with full-color illustrations and easy-to-follow diagrams in support of thoroughly detailed instructional information. Fly-Fishing For Trophy Trout is especially recommended reading for novice anglers and has much of value for even the more seasoned trout fisherman seeking to improve their performance in catching trophy quality trout in stream or lake. Frank Amato Publications is the premier publisher of books for anglers and offers a wealth of intrucitonal titles on techniques for fishing rivers and lakes for all manner of game fish, but especially trout. Dedicated fishermen are encouraged to send for the free Frank Amato Publications catalog for full listing of their numerous and very highly recommended titles.


The Photography Shelf

Gardenscapes
Verlyn Klinkenborg & Lynn Geesaman
Aperture
20 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010-4463
www.aperture.org
1931788200 $40.00 1-800-929-2323

Gardenscapes presents seventy-one impressively memorable photographs by Lynn Gessaman showcasing natural scenes, gardens, and rural landscapes. These stunning visual images are not simply colored versions of black-and-white monographs, but vibrant expressions of world and place that seems to blur the line between reality and the forests of the imagination. A breathtaking visual delight, with informatively enhanced essays complementing the sheer, stunning beauty of these timeless images, Gardenscapes is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Photography collections.

Northeastern Wilds
Stephen Gorman
AMC Books
Five Joy Street, Boston, MA 02108
1929173431 $21.95 1-800-262-4455

A finalist for the 2003 Independent Publisher Award, Stephen Gorman's Northeastern Wilds: Journeys Of Discovery In The Northern Forest is a stunning tour of adventure and wonder amidst remote woodland beauty. Captivating photographs of natural beauty and unique words of wisdom, memory, and appreciation for nature's bounty distinguish this very highly recommended informative and simply beautiful pictorial "great outdoors" northeastern tour.

The Basic Book Of Photography
Tom Grimm & Michele Grimm
Plume/Penguin Putnam Inc.
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
0452284252 $22.00 1-800-847-5515

Now in an updated edition for 2004 that covers the latest advances in film and digital photography, The Basic Book Of Photography is a comprehensive handbook for photographers ranging from novice to experienced. From indoor and outdoor lighting techniques, to using the Internet to promote and enjoy one's photographs, to different ways to process one's own pictures, 395 black-and-white illustrations, and so much more, The Basic Book Of Photography is the collaborative effort of Tom Grimm and Michele Grimm and a thoroughly excellent resource which is confidently recommended to novice and professional photographers alike.

NYC Life Going On
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Ave, Syracuse, NY 13210
0815681380 $24.95 1-800-365-8929

Compiled by the staff of the Syracuse University Press and specifically dedicated to the men, women and children of New York City on 9/11/02, NYC Life Going On is a moving photographic testimony of daily life and common joys, problems, sorrows, and challenges in New York City one year after the devastating September 11th attacks. Almost no captions distract from the full-color pictures, which vividly and eloquently speak for themselves, evoking a universal characterization of humanity's can-do spirit. NYC Life Going On is a very highly recommended addition to personal and community library Photo Journalism collections and a welcome visually oriented memorial tribute to a city and a people dealing with and recovering from a horrific and unexpected experience.

Come And See
Linda Schaefer
DC Press
2445 River Tree Circle, Sanford FL 32771
1932021086 $29.95

Come And See: A Photojournalist's Journey Into The World Of Mother Teresa by Linda Schaefer (the last professional photographer granted personal written permission by Mother Teresa to photograph that sainted lady's work) is a warm and heart-touching visual showcase, lavishly illustrated with full color photographs of that hallowed Roman Catholic nun and the destitute and desperate people she spent her life striving to help. A thoughtful text contemplates the stirring captured images in this reverent, respectful, and joyful tribute.


The Interior Design Shelf

Bathrooms: Plan, Remodel, Build
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
www.creativehomeowner.com
1580111386 $19.95 1-800-631-7795

Bathrooms: Plan, Remodel, Build is a superbly organized and presented, 256 page, state-of-the-art "how-to" guide for contemporary bathrooms and is wonderfully enhanced with more than five hundred full-color photographs to illustrate 55 step-by-step projects and offer a "do-it-yourself" wealth of ideas for bathroom designs, including utilizing space for maximum effect, selecting the right fixtures, and a great deal more. An excellent sourcebook for design ideas as well as hands-on problem solving, Bathrooms: Plan, Remodel, Build is the perfect addition to personal, professional, and community library Interior Design and Home Remodeling reference collections.


The Musicbook Shelf

The Ukulele: A Visual History
Jim Beloff
Backbeat Books
600 Harrison St, San Francisco, CA 94107
0879307587 $24.95 backbeatbooks.com

Now in a revised and expanded edition, The Ukulele: A Visual History by Jim Beloff is the fascinating and informative saga of this widespread and popular musical instrument. From the history and spread of the Ukulele since its origin in Portugal, to the great ukulele players, to the sagas of businesses that manufacture ukuleles, to the ukulele's impact on musical culture worldwide, and more, The Ukulele is simply packed from cover to cover with full color photographs. The Ukulele: A Visual History is a most enjoyable learning experience for anyone curious about this unique and popular instrument.

Encyclopedia Of National Anthems
Xing Hang, editor
Scarecrow Press
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
www.scarecrowpress.com
0810848473 $125.00 1-800-462-6420

Professionally compiled and skillfully edited by Xing Hang (Eastern Studies Scholar at the University of Georgia), the Encyclopedia Of National Anthems is a straightforward, 704-page resource listing the national anthems of all of the nations from around the world. Each listing consists of a very brief historical background and facts concerning that particular nation, the anthem's lyrics both in the original language and in an English translation, as well as a sheet music-style rendition of the anthem itself. A superbly researched and solid reference, the Encyclopedia Of National Anthems is a unique and very welcome contribution to academic and community library World Music reference collections.

The Story Of Christian Music
Andrew Wilson-Dickson
Fortress Press
100 5th St, #700, Minneapolis, MN 55402
0800634748 $25.00 fortresspress.com

In The Story Of Christian Music: From Gregorian Chants To Black Gospel, Andrew Wilson-Dickson (Principal Lecturer, Welsh College of Music and Drama, Cardiff, Wales) has developed a superbly illustrated informational guide to all the major traditions of Christian music in worship, ranging from the Gregorian chants of antiquity, to the developments in Christian music during the Renaissance and Reformation eras, to the development of English congregational music, to the distinctive sounds of American Black Gospel music, 20th Century Christian rock, and more. Full-color photographs and artworks, musical scores, and down-to-earth narration chronicling events in faith and history fill the pages of this excellent guide which is as recommended for casual browsers, as it is to those with an academic or professional interest in the history and evolution of Christian music.

This Old Guitar
Margret Aldrich & Michael Dregni, eds.
Voyageur Press
123 North Second Street, Stillwater MN 55082-0338
0896586316 $29.95 1-800-888-9653

Collaboratively compiled and jointly edited by music historians and experts Margret Aldrich and Michael Dregni, This Old Guitar: Making Music And Memories From Country To Jazz, Blues To Rock collects together informatively diverse stories drawn from respected music journalists and historians, which are superbly enhanced with a profusion of black-and-white and color photographs celebrating how the guitar influenced American music and popular culture. Sidebar quotes from famous musicians such as Jimi Hendrix, B. B. King, Pete Townshend and others add a particularly lively touch. An engaging tribute to guitars and the music they have played throughout the century, This Old Guitar is a welcome addition to academic and community library Music History collections, as well as a superb gift book for guitar music enthusiasts of any age or musical background!

DaCapo Press
11 Cambridge Ctr, Cambridge, MA 02142
1-800-242-7737 www.amazon.com

Matt Gronening's Best Music Writing 2003 (0306812363, $16.95) compiles the fourth, latest volume in the series. From a surprising survey of Morissey's most devoted fans heterosexual Latinos to the real roots of Detroit rhythm n blues music, this is packed with important insights and fun memoirs musicians will relish. Musicians will also enjoy David Ritz's Faith In Time (0306812290 $16.95), a survey of the life of Jimmy Scott. Orphaned as a teen and suffering from a syndrome which kept his voice unnaturally high, he toured with Lionel Hampton in the 1940s and achieved a career breakthrough twenty years later then went back to being an orderly and shipping clerk. Faith In Time recounts his rise and fall, providing a gripping biography which reads like a novel with its action and insights.

The American Blues Guitar
Rick Batey
Hal Leonard Corporation
7777 West Bluemound Road, Milwaukee, WI 53213
063402759X $27.95 1-800-637-2852

In The American Blues Guitar: An Illustrated History, musician, journalist, and guitar specialist Rick Batey combines eye-catching color illustrations with an upbeat, involving narration on how the Blues have evolved as an American musical evocation through its unique expression on the guitar. However, the greater part of this informative historical guide is devoted to specific information concerning individual models and types of guitars themselves, as well as some of the more famous singers who played them. The American Blues Guitars is a recommended addition to personal and academic American Music History reference collections and reading lists as being a superbly organized, presented, and involving analytical survey of how the guitar has changed and evolved.


The Library Science Shelf

Information Representation And Retrieval In The Digital Age
Heting Chu
Information Today, Inc.
143 Old Marlton Pike, Medford, NJ 08055
www.infotoday.com
1573871729 $44.50 1-800-300-9868

Information Representation And Retrieval In The Digital Age by Heting Chu (Associate Professor, Palmer School of Library and Information Science, Long Island University), is a scholarly study of the history, development, and science of information representation and retrieval from the turn of the 20th century to the modern day. Studying means of indexing, summarizing, issues of language in information retrieval, query representation, user dimensions including the cognitive model, artificial intelligence in information representation and retrieval, and much more, Information Representation And Retrieval In The Digital Age is a first-rate resource for dedicated students and current practitioners of information technology, an invaluable addition to academic Library Science reference collections and curriculum reading lists.

Teaching And Marketing Electronic Information Programs
Donald A. Barclay
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 Varick Street, NY, NY 10013-1506
1555704700 $59.95 neal-schuman.com

A welcome addition to academic and professional Library Science reference collections, Teaching And Marketing Electronic Information Programs by Donald A. Barclay (Assistant university Librarian for Public Service, University of California - Merced), is a very practical guide to instructing students in the diverse electronic era skills they will need for succeeding within the rapidly evolving twenty-first century information and communication technologies. From useful and ready-to-go PowerPoint presentations, to improving one's own teaching skills, to designing and equipping an effective electronic classroom, Teaching And Marketing Electronic Information Programs is a first-rate, "user friendly", and highly recommended instructional resource. An accompanying CD-ROM contains downloadable and customizable versions of the PowerPoint presentations.


The Jobs/Careers Shelf

America's Top Internet Job Sites
Ron Krannich & Caryl Krannich
Impact Publications
1570232105 $19.95 1-703-361-7300

Over a thousand great websites for savvy job seekers are featured in a title which examines employment websites from the perspective of job seekers. From using search engines and exploring gateway employment sites to networking and mentoring and accessing Usenet newsgroups, America's Top Internet Job Sites is packed with important information.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Use-It-Up Cookbook
Catherine Kitcho
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Park Drive, Nashville, TN 37211
1581823665 $16.95 1-888-439-2665

Catherine Kitcho is the former owner of the Five Star Kitchens catering company and a culinary expert whose recipes and food articles have been published both online and in food oriented magazines. She draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in The Use-It-Up Cookbook: Creative Recipes For The Frugal Cook to show delicious examples what can be done with such refrigerator debris as half-used cans of tomato past, half cartoons of milk, leftover salsa, and vegetables on the verge of being discarded. This unique cookbook is organized by ingredient for ready accessibility to recipes that match what you find in your own refrigerator. Enhanced with blank "recipe cards" printed on the pages so that you can jot down your own variations on left-over based dishes of your own, The Use-It-Up Cookbook offers 25 chapters that range from Buttermilk, Olives, and Orange Juice, to Celery, Cheese, and Lemons. This is one cookbook that can be confidently recommended money-saving, budget stretching, and palate pleasing!

Wyoming Cook Book
Karin Wade
Golden West Publishers
4113 N. Longview, Phoenix, AZ 85014
1885590334 $6.95 1-800-658-5830

In Wyoming Cook Book, Karin Wade has compiled and organized a collection of western recipes, beef recipes, pioneer recipes, wild game recipes, and home made pastries, as well as recipes featuring fresh garden produce, fruit, and fish. There's even Wyoming trivia to promote the perfect cookbook browsing experience. From Wyoming Tortilla Soup; Doris' Chicken Enchiladas; Cavalli's Chili; and Wyoming Teriyaki Beef; to Pan Fried Rocky Mountain Tout with Lemon Butter Sauce; Wyoming Brewery Spent-Grain Bread; Hamburger Pot Pie with Onion Pie Crust; and Camper's-Style Venison, the Wyoming Cook Book offers more than 130 savory, easy to prepare, kitchen friendly, Wyoming-style recipes for all occasions.

Life's Little Apple Cookbook
Joan Bestwick
Avery Color Studios
511 "D" Avenue, Gwinn, MI 49841
1892384221 $11.95 1-800-722-9925

The fifth and latest entry in the outstanding "Life's Little Cookbook" series from Avery Color Studios, Life's Little Apple Cookbook by Joan Bestwick showcases 101 recipes showcasing the culinary diversity of the apple. From Apple Cider Dip; Peanut Butter Apple Salad; Applesauce Glazed Ham; and Apple Pancakes; to Scotch Apple Pie; Honey Applesauce Cake; Apple Souffle; and Apple Pudding, Life's Little Apple Cookbook is an impressive memorial tribute to one of America's most enduringly popular and versatile fruits.

The Jewish Kitchen
Clarissa Hyman, author
Peter Cassidy, photographer
Interlink Publishing Group
46 Crosby St., Northampton, MA 01060
1566565197 $29.95 interlinkbooks.com

Compiled and organized by Clarissa Hyman (the 2002 Glenfiddich Food Writer of the Year), The Jewish Kitchen: Recipes And Stories From Around The World is more than just another ethnic cookbook, The Jewish Kitchen emphasizes full-color photographs and extended stories showcasing globe spanning Jewish cuisine, tradition, and culture. From Classic Cheesecake; Moroccan Chicken with Dates; and Persian Jeweled Rice with Chicken; to Iraqi Beet Kubba; Rubens Family Potato Chermslach; and Old-Fashioned Sweet Carrot Kugel, The Jewish Kitchen offers a culinary wealth of traditional and succulent faire.

Cooking With The Firehouse Chef
Keith Young
Berkley Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
155788417X $24.95 www.penguin.com

Award-winning chef Keith Young presents recipes that feed firefighters of New York, in Cooking With The Firehouse Chef. From Garlic Bread with Gorgonzola Cream Sauce; Butternut Bisque; Steak Salad; and Parmesan-Crusted Pork Chops; to Pan-Seared Tuna; Broccoli and Corn Succotash; Grandma's Irish Soda Bread; and John Sineno's Famous No-Bake Rice Pudding, easily prepared dishes with expressive taste fill the pages of this working man's recipe collection, which is embellished with black-and-white photographs and narrative asides concerning the firefighters who daily dedicate their lives to their home city's protection.

Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Favorites
Meredith Books
1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50336
0696217147 $24.95 1-800-678-8091

Full-color illustrations, straightforward instructions, and a brief sidebar with trivia tidbits for the featured recipes, Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Favorites presents an outstanding collection of favorite recipes published in one of America's most popular culinary magazines that has sustained its enviable position from 1928 to the present day. From Spareribs Cantonese; Hickory Nut Macaroons; and Spaghetti Pie; to Cauliflower-Crab Chowder; Root Vegetable and Bean Soup; and Pulled Pork with Root Beer Barbecue Sauce, Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen Favorites is a simply superb guide to creating popular mealtime treats.

The Twelve Days Of Christmas Cookbook
Ruth Moorman & Lalla Williams
Quail Ridge Press
PO Box 123, Brandon, MS 39043
0937552003 $5.95 1-800-864-1082

The Twelve Days Of Christmas Cookbook is an enduring popular holiday cookbook that is now in its eleventh printing and showcasing recipes particularly appropriate for celebrating the religious festival dining celebrations during Christmas Day and the eleven days that follow it and are traditionally considered as "party days" in Christian countries and communities. Each specific day begins with a complete dinner for either dinner or luncheon. A handy Index offers ready access to each and any of these classic recipes so that the experienced kitchen cook can "mix and match" beverages, breads, desserts, hors d'oeuvres, salads, entrees, and even prepare vegetarian mealtime celebrations. A very highly recommended addition to any family cookbook collection, there is an especially useful feature in the form of a comb binding that allows The Twelve Days Of Christmas Cookbook to lay flat upon the kitchen counter.

Savor The Spirit
The Alabama Society United States Daughters of 1812
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0971762406 $22.95 www.frpbooks.com

Savor The Spirit: Heritage Recipes Passed Down Through The Years offers recipes from the members of The Alabama Society United States Daughters of 1812, who provide historical insight into recipes that have historical associations with such key figures as George Washington, John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, James Madison, and Andrew Jackson. These are dishes ranging from 1784 to 1815 and are arranged into sections titled: First Courses (The Early years 1784-1788); Main Dishes (The Washington Years 1789-1796); Staff of Life (The Adams Years 1797-1800); Heritage Side Dishes (The Jefferson Years 1801-1808); Just Desserts (The War Years 1809-1815); and The Legacy (Mrs. Dee Wallace Ward, Jr. Tea Presidents' Buffet). From Martha Washington's Baked Indian Pudding; Santa Fe Soup; Auntie's Refrigerator Potato Rolls; and Cornmeal Dumplings; to Grandmother's Ice Cream; Williamsburg Pound Cake; Almond Chicken Tea Sandwiches; and President Monroe's Quaking Jelly, Savor The Spirt is a culinary testament to the enduring popularity of an American cuisine.

A Taste Of The Good Life
Saint Thomas Heart Institute
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0965524310 $17.95 www.frpbooks.com

A Taste Of The Good Life From The Heart Of The Mediterranean is a compilation of "heart healthy" recipes tested and approved by the Saint Thomas Heart Institute. This compendium is comprised of tasty traditional dishes that are low-cholesterol, low-fat versions of popular Mediterranean lifestyle meals. Additionally, A Taste Of The Good Life is enhanced with nutritional information necessary to keeping track of, calory, and sodium intake. From Eggplant Parmigiana; Streusel Fig Muffins; Greek Salad with Broiled Shrimp; and Chicken Cacciatore with Fettucini; to Pan-Roasted Pork Loin with Leeks; North African Lamb and Potato Kabobs; Wild Mushroom and Barley Risotto; and Honey-Roasted Pears with Sweet Yogurt Cream, A Taste Of The Good Life is a showcase of superbly crafted recipes that would grace any dining occasion. Incidently, all proceeds from the sale of A Taste Of The Good Life will be used to fund the Cardiac Health and Rehabilitation Department's Patient Education Fund which is used to teach others how to live long and heart-healthy lives.

Austin Entertains
The Junior League Of Austin
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0960590609 $28.95 www.frpbooks.com

The combined effort of The Junior League of Austin, Texas, Austin Entertains is a simply sumptuous cookbook featuring and showcasing Texas flavors, recipes, and delicacies. Ranging from Fried Venison with Cream Gravy; Mango Cabbage Slaw; Tomato Tart; and Grand Mariner Ricotta Cheesecake; to Crown Pork Roast with Wild Rice Stuffing; Pecan Lace Baskets; Fiesta Chicken Salad with Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette; and Chocolate Fudge Terrine with Creme Anglaise and Raspberry Puree, Austin Entertains offers "kitchen friendly" directions and a zest for hearty southern styles guaranteed to please even the most discerning palate.

Colorado Collage
The Junior League of Denver
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0960394648 $27.95 www.frpbooks.com

Colorado Collage is a 397-page compendium showcasing more than 500 recipes and illustrated with photography celebrating the individual dishes and the ingredients with which they are composed. The recipes were contributed by members of The Junior League of Denver and reveal an abundance of tastes, species, and extraordinary culinary combinations that are as palate pleasing and appetite satisfying as they are kitchen cook friendly and meal time enjoyable. From Chilled Minted Pea Soup; Cream Cheese Crepes with Apricot Sauce; Stuffed Spinach Feta Bread; and Tuna with Mango Avocado Salsa; to Veal Chops in Caper Cream; Oaxacan Chicken with Avocado Lime Sauce; Confetti Beans with Jalapeno; White Chocolate Mousse in Cookie Cups, Colorado Collage will prove to be a major addition to any gourmet cookbook collection.

As Always
Norma Fleming Murray
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0972231102 $24.95 www.frpbooks.com

As Always: Recipes And Remembrances From Norma's is a tribute cookbook honoring the memory of Norma Fleming Murray's husband Patrick and the culinary history of their Pensacola Florida restaurant "Norma's Cafe" that developed a justifiably solid reputation for serving good food and having appreciative customers. From Mexican Fiesta Salad; Norma's Seafood Gumbo; Beef Burgundy Stew; and Sour Cream Chicken; to Curried Pumpkin Soup; Norma's Poppy Seed Bread; Sausage Pinwheels; and Fresh Fruit Cobbler, As Always is a collection of "down home" cooking and a welcome contribution to cookbook collections everywhere.

The Wild Wild West
The Junior League of Odessa, Texas
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
096125081X $19.95 www.frpbooks.com

The Wild Wild West: Cuisine From The Land Of Cactus & Cowboys is a veritable showcase of Texas-style cooking. Featuring recipes contributed by members of The Junior League of Odessa, Texas, this 278-page "family friendly" cookbook collection ranges from Lone Star Fondue; Indian Tea; Caldillo (Mexican Stew); and Texas' Best Chick-N-Dumplings; to Campfire Corn; Fake Fried Chicken; Lone Star Spiced and Smoked Ribs; and Cow Patty Nut Clusters, The Wild Wild West offers robust fare for any and all occasions from weekday family dining to special celebratory get-togethers with family, friends, and neighbors.

Downtown Savannah Style
The Junior League of Savannah
FRP Books
2451 Atrium Way, Nashville, TN 37214
0961341114 $14.95 www.frpbooks.com

Featuring recipes contributed by members of The Junior League of Savannah, Downtown Savannah Style is an impressive cookbook that celebrates the food, relaxation, and warmth of Georgia. Embracing the art of fine dining, elegant entertainment, and a cherished culinary tradition these recipes are balanced with an emphasis on fresh ingredients, resulting in a lighter, healthier fare. Downtown Savannah Style is a splendid bite of Southern savory culture. The mouth-watering mealtime treats range from Carrots in Vermouth; Tomato Pie in Biscuit Crust; Strawberry and Almond Bread; and Red Peppers with Corn; to Georgia Peach Bran Muffins; Chatham Rib-Eye Roast; Cilantro Pesto Toast; and Bread Pudding with Whiskey Sauce.

Cellaring Wine
Jeff Cox
Storey Books
210 Mass MoCA Way, North Adams, MA 01247
1580174744 $18.95 storeybooks.com

Cellaring Wine: Managing Your Wine Collection...To Perfection by Jeff Cox (Contributing Editor to"The Wine News" and Senior editor of"Global Vintage Quarterly") is a practical and authoritative "how-to" guidebook for the serious wine collector who cares about storing premium wines under the best possible conditions. Individual chapters deftly address the basics of how wine ages; selecting vintages of wine to store; how to construct and equip a wine cellar; record keeping; evaluating fine wines, and more. A thoughtful, easy-to-follow, and explicit guide Cellaring Wine is confidently recommended for dedicated and aspiring wine connoisseurs.

Hippocrene Books
171 Madison Ave., New York NY 10016
1-718-454-2366 www.amazon.com

Two outstanding new collections add to the ever-expanding focus on international cuisines with titles which are unique in their offerings. There are very few Laotion cookbooks on the market, making Penn Hongthong's Simple Laotian Cooking (0781809630, $24.95) a welcome addition. Almost two hundred recipes offer traditional dishes which surprisingly use ingredients readily accessible in American markets, so cooks will have no problem preparing Pork with Cauliflower or Green Curry Beef. Suharshini Sene Viratne's Exotic Tastes Of Sri Lanka (0781809665, $24.95) presents exotic dishes ranging from Traditional Hoppers (coconut-infused crepes) to Ash Plaintain Curry and Mango Fantasy. Neither book holds much in the way of pictures, but the easy recipes don't need much embellishment and the coverages are welcomed rarities in a cookbook genre which holds surprisingly little in either area.

Claud Mann's TBS Superstation Dinner & A Movie Cookbook
Claud Mann
Andrews & McMeel
4520 Main St., Kansas City, MO 64111
0740739573 $21.95 1-800-851-8923

Chef Claud Mann has turned cinematic cuisine into a television art form on his popular TBS Superstation weekly program, "Dinner & A Movie". Now with Claud Mann's TBS Superstation Dinner & A Movie Cookbook, he has brought together 100 of his favorite recipes in this third edition of an enduringly popular cookbook. From Beetlejuice - Dearly Departed Sole; Sleepless in Seattle - An Eclair to Remember; and U.S. Marshals - We always Get Our Manicotti; to Ferris Bueller's Day Off - Can't Go To School, I Falafel; Tootsie - What's Under Your Skirt Steak; and Conspiracy Theory - It's All In Your Headcheese, the individual recipes are served up with an on-air wit and an in-kitchen wisdom. If you like to combine watching movies with great do-it-yourself cooking, then Claud Mann's TBS Superstation Dinner & A Movie Cookbook is the one for you!

The Everything Chinese Cookbook
Rhonda Lauret Parkinson
Adams Media Corporation
57 Littlefield Street, 2nd floor, Avon, MA 02322
1580629547 $14.95 1-800-872-5627

In The Everything Chinese Cookbook, Chinese cuisine expert Rhonda Lauret Parkinson has developed a truly "user friendly" specialty cookbook which is ideal for the novice kitchen cook wanting to prepare and serve traditional Chinese dishes as part of a family dining experience. With an informed and informative introductory chapter on getting started with respect to Chinese cooking, individual chapters are devoted to dipping sauces, appetizers, soups and salads, rice and noodles, beef dishes, pork entrees, chicken and other poultry, tofu and eggs, fish and other seafood, Chinese vegetables; desserts and snacks. An ideal introduction into the kitchen mechanics of preparing popular Chinese dishes, The Everything Chinese Cookbook is further enhanced with two appendices: "Putting It All Together" and "Glossary of Asian Ingredient". The Everything Chinese Cookbook will take even the most amateur kitchen cook and show how to deliver expertly prepared and palate pleasing Chinese fare for ordinary daily dining or those special celebratory dinners with a true Chinese flair and expertise.

All American Desserts
Judith M. Fertig
Harvard Common Press
535 Albany Street, Boston, MA 02118
1558321918 $18.95 1-888-657-3755

Compiled and organized by culinary columnist Judith M. Fertig, All American Desserts is a hearty, sweet-toothed, highly recommended collection of 400 favorite dessert recipes from across America's culinary landscape. In addition to clear ingredients and instructions, tidbits of culinary history behind some of America's favorite treats round out this mouth-watering compilation of recipes from Quilt Country Pumpkin Brownies; Secret Lemon Pie; Strawberry Agua Fresca; and Maryland Fresh Coconut Cake; to Rustic Brioche Galettes with Apricots and Almonds; Plum and Port Mousse; Swedish Sour Cream Dessert Crepes with Golden Raspberries; and White Chocolate Ice Cream.

Celebrate The Seasons
Maurine Humphris & Patricia Hemming
Cedar Fort
925 North Main St, Springville, UT 84663
1555176623 $16.95 1-801-489-4084

The collaborative work of Utah-based home economics experts Maurine R. Humphris and Patricia F. Hemming, Celebrate The Seasons: Traditions & Recipes combines entertaining menus and delicious recipes with family friendly activities augmenting successful and memorable get-togethers with family and friends. A veritable compendium of ideas and suggestions for making every holiday gathering a truly memorable event, Celebrate The Seasons is additionally enhanced an Appendix, an Index, as well as a special section on household cleaning tips and hints and a chapter on etiquette called "To Do or Not to Do: A Guide to Gracious Living". Celebrate The Seasons is a very highly recommended addition to personal and community library "Family Living" cookbook and reference collections.

Bittersweet
Alice Medrich
Artisan
708 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
1579651607 $35.00 1-800-722-7202

Bitter Sweet: Recipes And Tales From A Life In Chocolate is far more than a run-of-the-mill chocolate-themed recipe book, even though it does feature 150 mouth-watering, easy-to-prepare chocolate treats. Bittersweet also showcases chocolate expert Alice Medrich's skills and experiences as the owner of the California pastry shop "Cocolat" in the fine art and joyous craft of preparing chocolate. Anecdotes and remembrances aplenty pepper the explicit instructions for creating singularly memorable desserts which range from Homemade Chocolate Chunks; Classic Ganache Truffles; Sarah Bernhardt Chocolate Glaze; and Marble Cheesecake; to Bittersweet Hot Fudge Sauce; Buckwheat Cocoa Crepes with Honey; Sicilian Chocolate Gelato; and Black-Bottom Pecan Praline Bars. No dedicated chocolate lover's cookbook collection can be considered complete without the addition of Alice Medrich's Bittersweet.

Covered In Honey
Mani Niall
Rodale Press, Inc.
400 South Tenth Street, Emmaus, PA 18098-0099
1579548083 $19.95 www.rodale.com

Enhanced with fifty wonderful illustrations, Covered In Honey: The Amazing Flavors Of Varietal Honey features chapters on Baking with Honey; Breads and Savory Baking; Appetizers and Salads; Entrees, Marinades, and Sauces; Candy, Sweets, and Grown-Up Kid's Stuff; and Deserts. Chef Mani Niall reveals new and delightful culinary uses for honey and mixes food history with honey lore along with more than one hundred superbly crafted recipes showcasing this unusually versatile ingredient. From Honeybuns; Gingerbread Hermits; and Parmesan Biscuits with Sage, Sage Honey, and Kalamata Olives, to Seared Portobello Mushrooms over Grilled Radicchio with Buckwheat Honey and Manchego Cheese; New Mexican Layered Enchiladas with Red Chile and Mesquite Honey Sauce; and Lime Pavlova with Fresh Fruit and Leatherwood Honey, Covered In Honey is a compendium of honey-loving culinary enchantments and a unique addition to any dedicated cookbook collection.

Jenny Bristow Cooks For The Seasons
Jenny Bristow
The Blackstaff Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
0856407380 $23.95 1-800-869-5677

Jenny Bristow Cooks For The Seasons: Spring And Summer is a compendium of fresh, colorful recipes thematically appropriate for the spring and summer culinary seasons. Popular television cooking celebrity Jenny Bristow provides recipes for traditional foods with a new twist as well as fare that is regionally or ethnically exotic. Of special interest is the section entirely dedicated to Easter Day mealtime celebration and includes Warm Salad of Asparagus, Rack of Lamb, Roasted Red Currant Sauce, New World Spiced Roast Potatoes, Medley of Spring Vegetables, Pea and Garlic Puree, Layered Chocolate Cake, and Vanilla Mousse with Spring Rhubarb. Enhanced with full-color illustrations, great tips and recipes for eating alfresco, and offering delicious summer drinks with a hint of the exotic to them, Jenny Bristow Cooks For The Seasons: Spring And Summer is a welcome addition to any kitchen cookbook collection. Also very highly recommended is the companion cookbook, Jenny Bristow Cooks For The Seasons: Autumn And Winter.

Creative Coastal Cooking
Terry Ward Libby
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
0892726105 $19.95 1-800-685-7962

Creative Coastal Cooking by food and restaurant design writer Terry Ward Libby presents a series of high quality recipes drawn from twelve different contemporary Maine restaurants. Selected for their distinctive flavor, these dishes range from Cold Cucumber and Avocado Soup; Mushroom Bread Pudding; and Braised Short Ribs of Beef; to Myrtle's Buttermilk Pie, Pine Nut Parmesan Crusted Chicken Breasts; and Indian Pudding, to offer delightful taste sensations straight from the experience and wisdom of some of the best of Maine's culinary professionals.

The Diabetes Snack Munch Nibble Nosh Book
Ruth Glick
American Diabetes Association
1701 N Beauregard Alexandria VA 22311
1580401775 $14.95 www.diabetes.org

Now in an expanded second edition, Ruth Glick's The Diabetes Snack Munch Nibble Nosh Book enables people with diabetes to have nutritious, delicious, "diabetes friendly" snacks between mealtimes and at celebratory occasions. With twenty-five new and flavorful recipes added to those of the ground breaking first edition, The Diabetes Snack Munch Nible Nosh Book features recipes for one or two people (as well as for parties and crowds); snack ideas for hard to please kids and adults; nutritional analyses, prep times, and exchanges for each showcased recipes. As is appropriate for a diabetes diet, all of the recipes are low in both fat and sodium and are kitchen-tested, portion sized to aid blood sugar control and weight loss, and approved by diabetes and dietitians experts. If you or a family member is having to deal with diabetes or seeking to prevent the onset of diabetes, then The Diabetes Snack Munch Nible Nosh Book will prove a welcome addition to your personal and/or family cookbook collection!

More, Please! Macaroni & Cheese
Deanna Keahey and Steve Kilner
Plexcentric Publishing
130 Cora Court, Walnut Creek, CA 94597
0972500804 $15.95 plexcentric.com

The Collaborative effort of Deanna Keahey and Steve Kilner, More, Please! Macaroni & Cheese presents 111 delicious dishes suitable for the whole family. An easy-to-follow chart at the beginning enables the browser to determine at a glance which recipes are vegetarian, which can be prepared with boxed macaroni, which are good for leftovers, and more. Full-color illustrations, easy-to-follow instructions, and a smattering of humorous cartoons distinguish this first-rate cookbook for macaroni and cheese lovers everywhere. If your family members are Mac & Cheese fans, then More, Please! Macaroni & Cheese is the perfect addition to your kitchen cookbook collection!

Bear Cookin'
P.J. Gray & Stanley Hunter
Harrington Park Press
c/o The Haworth Press, Inc.
10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904
1560234261 $12.95 1-800-429-6784

The collaborative effort of P.J. Gray and Stanley Hunter, Bear Cookin': The Original Guide To Bear Comfort Foods is expertly organized into six major sections: Lip Smackin' Snackin'; Woofy Breakfast; Hearty Sides; Come-And-Get-It Entrees; Bear Meat; and Beyond The Honeypot. With easy-to-follow recipes ranging from Cheese on Rye Pizzas; Hobo Hash; and Cabin Fever Soup; to Spaghetti Carbonara; Husbear Burgers; and Banana Split Cake, Bear Cookin' is a wonderful compendium of palate pleasing, appetite satisfying, kitchen cook friendly recipes.

Chocolate French
TCB Cafe Publishing
PO Box 471706, San Francisco CA 94147
0967489849 $19.95 cafeandre.com

French chocolate is very special in the world of chocolate enthusiasts. Now famous chefs specializing in French and ranging from Belgium, Switzerland, and Australia, to Quebec, Martinique, and Paris, offer fifty recipes dedicated to the use and utilization of French chocolate. From Chocolate Tartlet with Coffee Cream; Chocolate Mousse Charlotte; Bouchon Chocolate Tart; and Lamb with Dark Chocolate Sauce; to White Chocolate Bread Pudding with White Chocolate Kahlua Sauce; Chocolat Chaud with Creamy Melted Bars of Dark Chocolate; Chocolate French Toast; and Couscous Sucre with Honey, Raisins and Cacao, Chocolate French is an elegant and highly recommended addition to the cookbook collections of dedicated chocolate lovers everywhere!

Taste Life! Organic Recipes
Leslie Cerier
Vital Health Publishing
PO Box 152, Ridgefield, CT 06877
1890612162 $13.95 1-877-VIT-BOOK

Expertly compiled and edited by organic chef, caterer, lecturer, teacher, and writer Leslie Cerier, Taste Life! Organic Recipes is a specialty cookbook intended specifically for health-conscious people who prefer organic food for ecological, nutritional, and/or aesthetic reasons. Taste Life! features a compendium of delectable, easy-to-follow recipes ranging from Heart-Warming Sweet Potato Pancakes; Stuffed Artichokes; Carob Fudge Brownies; and Japanese Breaded Tofu with Red Pepper Lemon Sauce; to Vegetarian Chili; Cream of Spring Greens Soup; Carob Fudge Brownies; and Happy Monkey Banana Pie. Explicit instructions complete with tips on such matters as how to roast corn or peppers make Taste Life! a truly excellent cookbook and especially recommended for those just learning how to prepare organic foods for their mealtime menus.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Collection Of Classic Quilts
Lynette Jensen
Landauer Corporation
12251 Maffitt Road, Cumming, IA 50061
1890621501 $29.95 1-800-557-2144

In Collection Of Classic Quilts: Quilting Inspirations For The Home, quilting expert Lynette Jensen gathers together under one cover 26 classical "Thimbleberries" (R) quit designs and presents them with meticulous instructions and full color photographs especially suited for anyone seeking inspiration for their own quilted creations. Written for quilters of all skill and experience levels, Collection Of Classic Quilts is very highly recommended for dedicated needlecraft enthusiasts.

Quilt Savvy: Hand Quilting
Virginia "Rusty" Hedrick
American Quilters Society
PO Box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
1574328255 $21.95 www.aqsquilt.com

Quilt Savvy: Hand Quilting focuses on hand quilting and provides an exceptional reference for any embarking on a hand quilting project. The focus here is on getting started and practicing quilting basics: a handy fold-out, lie-flat format will appeal to quilters while many practical tips includes the author's own years of experience and shortcuts to make quilting easier ("I always found it difficult to tie the traditional quilter's knot. Instead, I use my own method, which follows")

Weekend Knitting
Melanie Falick
Stewart, Tabori & Chang, Inc.
115 West 18th Street, NY, NY 10011
1584792914 $24.95 1-212-519-1200

Compiled by knitting expert Melanie Falick, Weekend Knitting: 50 Unique Projects And Ideas is an enjoyable and informative sourcebook specifically recommended for knitting hobbyists looking to craft gifts for everyday use, ranging from pillow pairs to simple ponchos to children's socks and dolls. Explicit step-by-step instructions and bright color photographs distinguish Weekend Knitting as an explicit, easy-to-follow visual guide. Weekend Knitting is a perfect addition to any personal knitting reference shelf or community library needlecraft collection.

The Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book
Margaret Klein Wilson
The Countryman Press
PO Box 478, Woodstock, VT 05091
088150579X $29.95 1-800-245-4151

A production of knitting expert Margaret Klein Wilson and the Green Mountain Spinnery, The Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book: Contemporary And Classic Patterns collects under one cover thirty of the most popular knitting designs drawn from the famous Green Mountain Spinnery of Vermont. Color photographs and meticulous instructions teach the aspiring knitter how to pour her (or his!) all into a snug, warm, and eye-catching creations. The Green Mountain Spinnery Knitting Book is a superb addition to any personal or community library needlecraft instructional reference collection.

Hunter Star Quilts Beyond
Jan Krentz
C&T Publishing
PO Box 1456, Lafayette, CA 94549
1571202102 $26.95 1-800-284-1114

The Hunter Star is an old-fashioned quilting block, but in Hunter Star Quilts Beyond, quilting expert Jan Krentz has developed six new ways to build upon the blocks to obtain a fresh, new look. This gathers quilt projects which can be either pieced or quick-fused. Template piecing, strip piecing, and fusible web are all discussed as options, while the chapters cover using the Hunter Star as a block or in log cabin settings. An inspirational presentation packed with color photo examples.

Embroidery Stitch Bible
Betty Barnden
Krause Publications
700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001
0873495101 $29.99 1-800-258-0929

Embroiders usually have their favorite stitches and may learn new ones from fellow embroiderers, but Betty Barnden's Embroidery Stitch Bible is an important reference for those wishing to improve their technique. Over 200 embroidery stitches, from basic cross stitch and chains to laid work, are arranged according to use and illustrated with both photos and diagrams. This means that Embroidery Stitch Bible can be used as both a reference for quick consultation and as a guide to learning new stitches. The close-up color examples and both written and visual surveys are excellent and easy to follow.

Happy Endings
Mimi Dietrich
Martingale & Company
20205 144th Ave. NE, Woodinville, WA 98072-8478
1564775003 $19.95 1-800-426-3126

This revised, updated edition of a classic quilter's bible covers dozens of creative ways of finishing the edges of a quilt, from easy to advanced. From handling quilt backings and battings to new ideas for borders, Happy Endings is filled with many approaches and ideas some new, some traditional. An excellent quilter's reference for all levels.

Making Ribbon Leis 2
Coryn Tanaka & May Masaki
The Bess Press
3565 Harding Ave, Honolulu, HI 96816
1573061700 $9.95 1-800-910-2377

With a spiral binding allowing it to lay flat for easy reference, Making Ribbon Leis 2 by Coryn Tanaka and May Masaki is a simple, hands-on guide to creating colorful and festive leis just as are often used for celebration in Hawaii. Step-by-step instructions and color photographs mark this easy-to-follow, fun-to-do, one-of-a-kind, do-it-yourself, and enthusiastically recommended, instructional reference.

Folk Bags
Vicki Square
Interweave Press
201 East Fourth St, Loveland, CO 80537
193149925X $21.95 1-800-645-3675

Folk Bags: 30 Knitting Patterns & Tales From Around The World by knitting expert Vicki Square includes contemporary interpretations of 30 traditional designs drawn from the folk art of 23 countries, including Nepal, Tibet, Japan, Ecuador, and Guatemala. Expertly clear instructions, full-color photographs, and easy-to-follow language make Folk Bags a superb guidebook for anyone looking to expand upon their knitting skills and wishing to create beautiful, useful needlecraft items with a distinctively international flavor.

Nebraska Quilts & Quiltmakers
Patricia Cox Crews & Ronald C. Naugle
University of Nebraska Press
233 North 8th St, Lincoln NE 68588-0255
0803263465 $35.00 1-800-755-1105

Featuring full-color photographs of 103 original quilts, all drawn from the Nebraska Quilt Project survey, Nebraska Quilts & Quiltmakers by Patricia Cox Crews (Professor of Textiles, Clothing, And Design, University of Nebraska-Lincoln) and Ronald C. Naugle (Professor of History, Nebraska Wesleyan University) is a dazzling 245-page showcase of great quilts ranging from the 1800's to the modern day, and from stylized repeating decorations, to applique patchworks, to stunning art visions crafted from needlecrafted fabric. Accompanying each presented quilt is a brief biography of its quiltmaker and a history of the quilt, such as one of a pioneer woman who struggled to protect her children and keep them alive under harsh conditions. Nebraska Quilts & Quiltmakers is a very highly recommended and inspirational resource for dedicated quilters of all levels experience and expertise.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Discovery Of Atlantis
Robert Sarmast
Origin Press
PO Box 151117, San Rafael, CA 94915
www.OriginPress.com
1579830129 $22.00 1-888-267-4446

Discovery Of Atlantis: The Startling Case For The Island Of Cyprus is a fascinating revelation in search of the mystery of fabled Atlantis. Author Robert Sarmast (a Los Angeles based independent researcher and mythologist) combines 50 physical details from Plato's famous narrative with facts about the eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus to persuasively pinpoint the legendary land and capital city of Atlantean culture. Point-by-point observations and black-and-white illustrations provocatively drive home the hypothesis in this superb and iconoclastic account that is recommended reading for anyone curious about the saga of Atlantis. Also very highly recommended is the associated website www.DiscoveryofAtlantis.com where dedicated Atlantis enthusiasts will find Robert Sarmast's full-color maps, 3D models, animation files, and Atlantean research updates.

Sacred Stones Of The Goddess
Galen Gillotte
Llewellyn Publications
PO Box 64383, St. Paul, MN 55164-0383
0738704008 $15.95 llewellyn.com

Knowledgeably written by Galen Gillotte (a "Solitary Wiccan" who draws upon her twenty years of experience and expertise), Sacred Stones Of The Goddess: Using Earth Energies For Magical Living offers prose and invocations, guides for incorporating crystals and semiprecious stones into talismanic magic, meditations and prayers to the Goddess. Expressly written for Wiccan and New Age Magick practitioners of all skill and experience levels, Sacred Stones Of The Goddess is deeply spiritual, and quite transcendent in its message. Of special interest are the easy to follow instructions for assembling and utilizing personalized thirteen-stone divination set and instructions for crating and Wiccan prayer beads for communion with the Goddess. Sacred Stones Of The Goddess is an informed and informative contribution to New Age Metaphysical Studies collections in general, and Wiccan oriented "Goddess Worship" reference shelves in particular.

Destiny/Inner Traditions
One Park St., Rochester, VT 05767
1-800-246-8648 www.amazon.com

Caitlin Matthews' Malbon And The Guardians Of Celtic Britain (0892819200, $14.95) presents a revised, updated edition covering the Mabinogion, a text offering ancient hero myths of Celtic Britain. This reader's companion reveals encoded secrets, recreates these stories for modern audiences, and discusses patterns of early British and Celtic spirituality. Jean Markale's Templar Treasure At Gisors (1577319723, $18.00) delves into Celtic, Medieval and British history alike as it surveys the enigma of the treasure lost after the demise of the Knights Templar. The spiritual and historical mysteries of the Knights Templar will fascinate a wide audience in this engrossing survey. Jon C. Hughes' Celtic Planet Magic (1577319-243, $19.95) is the first working guide to the creation and applicant of plant-based compounds for ritual, magical and healing purposes based on Drudic tradition. These ancient rites have utilized a gentle alchemy to convert plant essences into compounds used in magic rituals and goals: this guide to the principles and applications of Drudic plant magic will especially intrigue students of Celtic and Wiccan lore.

Tarot Card Combinations
Dorothy Kelly
Weiser Books
368 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210
1578632935 $22.95 redwheelweiser.com

Tarot Card Combinations by Australian tarot expert Dorothy Kelly is an informed and informative guidebook to interpreting the mystical tarot cards, including basic tarot definitions and layouts, as well as advanced information concerning the nuances of how cards relate to and interconnect with one another in revealing the whole of their meaning. Simply illustrated and demonstrated using the Waite tarot deck, and enhanced with explanations for hundreds of combinations of 2, 3, 4, or even 5 cards, Tarot Card Combinations is a superb and strongly recommended resource for any tarot practitioner whether novice or expert.

Book Of Lies
Richard Metzger
The Disinformation Company, Ltd.
163 Third Avenue, #108, NY, NY 10003
097139427X $24.95 www.disinfo.com

Expertly compiled by Richard Metzer (a co-founder of The Disinformation Company Ltd.), the Book Of Lies: The Disinformation Guide To Magick And The Occult is an informative and invaluable guide to magick and the occult and presents a wide and diverse variety of essays contributed by learned authors covering everything from chemognosis to secret societies, occult war, H. P. Lovecraft's dark insights, and much, much more. The contributions compiled within the Book Of Lies brings together what the finest and most widely noted occult practitioners have to say about life, faith, and the mysteries that have all too often been usurped by charlatans and mountebanks.

New World Library
14 Pamaron Way, Novato, CA 94949
1-800-972-6657 www.amazon.com

Two new titles provide fine insights into New Age beliefs and mythology alike. Wanda Burch's She Who Dreams (1577314263, $14.95) explores healing through dreamwork,telling of a life strengthened and death postponed through use of knowledge of the dream world. Burch uses her experiences to tell others how to use their dreams as foundations for change and creativity. Joseph Campbell's The Hero's Journey (1577314042, $24.95) is reprinted in a new centennial edition including a new preface by Phil Cousineau. Insights into mythologist Campbell's life and works are revealed in a book where Joseph analyzes his own achievements. Both are highly recommended picks.

New Pages/Career Press
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
1-800-227-3371 www.amazon.com

Two fine new titles present important coverages by A.J. Drew, which are not to be missed by students and readers of Wiccan beliefs. Drew's A Wiccan Bible (1564146669, $19.99) takes the reader through the three stage journey of life; from creation and self-dedication to handfasting, handparting and aging. Myths and science blend with overviews of rituals, magic formulas, and history to present a well-rounded coverage of Wiccan beliefs. Drew provides an important introduction to Charles Leland's classic Aradia Or The Gospel Of The Witches (1564146790, $10.99), an exploration of Italian witchcraft. Leland originally sought to contact practicing Italian witches: his contact with one Maddelena led to his understanding of witches in an 1800s world. A fine, classic presentation enriched by Drew's understanding.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Holy Land
Robert Zubrin
Polaris Books
11111 W. 8th Avenue, Unit A, Lakewood, CO 80215
0974144304 $14.95 polarisbooks.net

Robert Zubrin's The Holy Land is a dramatic science-fiction saga of a relatively tolerant, galaxy-spanning empire and the brutally resistant segments of fundamentalist Earth who find their "pagan" presence intolerable. Violence rears its ugly head, yet Earth is hopelessly outmatched should it attempt to go to war with the empire - attempting to protect "the holy land" could result utter destruction and devastation for all humanity. The Holy Land is a tense and original story of the collective dark side of human nature.

Extremes
Kristine Kathryn Rusch
ROC Books
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
0451459342 $6.50 www.amazon.com

Combine a detective story revolving around a detective who always gets the worst assignments and a fellow investigator who is just feeling his way after buying the business of investigating and you have an engrossing story revolving around a murderous scientist's dangerous experiment during a moon race. The Moon's Extreme Marathon is an event which draws thousands and the perfect setting for a dangerous scientist's ongoing experiment with human lives. It's up to two renegade investigators to stop her in this engrossing story.

Stars
Janis Ian & Mike Resnick
DAW Books
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
0756401771 $23.95 www.amazon.com

Stars deserves ongoing mention as an extraordinary collection of science fiction inspired by the music of folk singer Janis Ian. Janis invited respected authors in the genre to contribute works influenced by her songs: the result is an unexpected, wonderful collection of original stories based on her music, but no prior familiarity with Ian is required in order to enjoy these varied tales.

Mockymen
Ian Watson
Golden Gryphon Press
3002 Perkins Road, Urbana, IL 61802
www.goldengryphon.com
1930846215 $26.95 1-217-840-0672

Mockymen is a science fiction saga by Ian Watson that stretches from the roots of Nazi atrocities to alien visitation in the year 2010, and which seems to promote cooperation between species on the surface -- yet has more sinister implications, such as the introduction of the drug Bliss (a chemical that renders a tiny percentage of its users stupefied zombies that the aliens can use as puppet bodies). It's one woman's determination to find the shocking truth behind the aliens that leads to an odyssey of murder and intrigue in this involving, original, and very highly recommended science fiction thriller.

Baen Books
PO Box 1403, Riverdale, NY 10471
1-800-223-2336 www.amazon.com

Etic Flint and K.D. Wentworth's Course Of Empire (0743471547, $22.00) tells of an Earth shackled under alien control. Humanity is about to fight back thanks to a young prince and a young human brought up among Earth's occupiers. Politics and conflicts between empires on a cosmic scale keep this a fast-paced thriller. David Weber and Eric Flint's Crown Of Slaves (0743471482, $25.00) begins a new series in Honor Harrington's world and will especially please prior fans of the 'Honorverse' stories. Here a restive kingdom dissatisfied with a new regime faces changes when a desperate queen sends a private mission to diffuse the situation. Add espionage and an agent's involvement and you have a politically charged plot which won't quit. Marion Zimmer Bradley's fans will thrill with The Fall Of Atlantis (0743471571, $22.00), presenting a fantasy centered around the realm and its demise. Guardians of powerful natural forces are pitted against black sorcerers who practice under their noses and in the middle are the daughters of a priest who are trapped in a web of sorcery. Fine characterization keeps this a noteworthy, moving fantasy.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Leave Me By Dying
Rosemary Aubert
Bridge Works Publishing
PO Box 1798, Bridgehampton, NY 11932
1882593731 $23.95 1-800-462-6420

Written by professional criminologist Rosemary Aubert, Leave Me By Dying is the fourth mystery in the series featuring Ellis Portal, a disgraced former judge turned private sleuth. Delving into Ellis' past, it opens in 1965 when Ellis is a law student. A mysterious body of a woman who died under circumstances no one can figure out, disappears from the city morgue. A dark and sinister web surrounds the death and the cover-up, and a villain to test a young woman's mettle emerges in this chilling saga. Rosemary Aubert is a craftsman like storyteller and Leave Me By Dying demonstrates and documents her ability to command the reader's rapt attention from first page to last.

Poisoned Pen Press
6062 East First Avenue, #103, Scottsdale, AZ 95251
1-800-421-3976 www.amazon.com

Two fine mysteries provide moving plots and unusual stories which are perfect for fans of the genre. Justin Scott's Frostline (1590580621, $24.95) tells of a real estate agent, an ex-diplomat, and intrigue. Add a quarrel over land, an explosion at a lavish party, and a long-held grudge and you have a riveting and changing plot. Ann Parker's Silver Lies (1590580729, $24.95) has it all : greed, lust, deception, a 1879 Rocky Mountain boomtown setting, and a precious-metals assayer found murdered. It's a healthy mix of powerful characters and a realistic setting and circumstances, which just doesn't quit.

Letter From Home
Carolyn Hart
Berkeley Prime Crime
375 Hudson, New York NY 10014
0425191796 $22.95 www.amazon.com

The scene: small-town Oklahoma. The character: a world-renowed journalist who goes back to her roots. The problem: a small town murder which prompts speculation and the return of Gretchen to her roots to find out just what happened to a girl who had everything. Fine characterization keeps the plot of Letter From Home quite lively from beginning to end.


The Travel Shelf

New Year In Cuba
Mary Gardner Lowell, author
Karen Robert, editor
Northeastern University Press
PO Box 116, Boston, MA 02117
1555535585 $17.95 1-800-666-2211

Ably edited for a contemporary readership by Karen Robert, New Year In Cuba: Mary Gardner Lowell's Travel Diary, 1831-1832 recounts the journey of a twenty-nine year old wife, her young son, and her husband on a journey to the island nation of Cuba. Mary Gardner Lowell's astute observations are peppered with gossip, humor, criticism, scandal, and stories of arrogance and danger. New Year In Cuba is highly recommended as being an engaging and vivid transport through time and space in a yesteryear travelogue adventure.

Traveling Curmudgeon
Jon Winokur, Editor
Sasquatch Books
119 S. Main St. #400, Seattle, WA 98104
1570613893 $16.95 1-800-775-0817

Anecdotes, quotes, and excess baggage accompany this jaded view of travel experience. From general words of wisdom ("If you can't see water, don't order fish.") to specifics about countries such as France ("Ever want to slap an entire country?"), Traveling Curmudgeon is impressively packed with insights and humor.

Heart Of A Stranger
Margaret Laurence
University of Alberta Press
Ring House 2, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, T6G 2E1
0888644078 $29.95 www.uap.ualberta.ca

Edited and with an Introduction by Nora Foster Stovel for this University of Albert Press edition, Heart Of A Stranger was originally published in 1976, and is an absorbing travelogue of Margaret Laurence's one-woman global journey, a world spanning travel adventure which brought her new perspectives both on faraway lands such as Africa as well as her cherished home of Canada. Containing threads of autobiography and life journey, as well as fascinating views of diverse cultures, Heart Of A Stranger is a most memorable and enjoyable read which is especially recommended to the attention of travelogue enthusiasts.

Northland Publishing
PO Box 1389, Flagstaff, AZ 86002
1-800-346-3257 www.amazon.com

Two beautiful coffee table travel books are recommended visual tours. Kathleen Bryant's Sedona (0873588185, $9.95) covers the southwest region's beauty, with full-page color photos accompanying step-by-step driving routes and written descriptions. Add history and discussions of cultural insights and you have a lovely gift edition. It's much the same with Virginie Boone's Napa Valley And Sonoma (087-3588401, $12.95), providing a warm visual reviews of wine-making countryside accompanied by insights on wine-making, vineyards, cuisine and other local specialties. Both are visual treats for both destination and armchair travelers.

1,000 Places To See Before You Die
Patricia Schultz
Workman Publishing Company
708 Broadway, New York NY 10003
0761104844 $18.95 www.amazon.com

1,000 Places To See Before You Die chooses the best 1,000 places guaranteed to offer the most to adventure travelers, from grand hotels and wildlife preserves to castles, hidden islands, and more. An organization by country makes it easy to tailor a memorable trip around a given destination, while small black and white photos and clear overviews of attractions make for easy planning.

Travel Security Sourcebook
Chad Kimball, Editor
Omnigraphics
615 Griswold St., Detroit, MI 48226
0780806174 $68.00 1-800-234-1340

In Travel Security Sourcebook, consumers can access basic information about security issues related to travel. One might not expect that a weighty reference could form from such a topic, but there's a lot to discuss, from safety in airports and on planes to preparing for emergencies while traveling abroad, protecting money and avoiding health risks, and traveling with the elderly and children. An excellent survey of the issues involved in travel safety.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Living With Hearing Loss
Marcia B. Dugan
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
156368134X $11.95 1-800-621-2736

Marcia B. Dugan is a hearing-impaired person who has formerly served as a president and currently a member of the Board of Directors of Self Help for Hard of Hearing People. In Living With Hearing Loss, Dugan provides the reader with a straightforward guidebook and reference to day-to-day life and adaptation to hearing loss. From recognizing the early signs of hearing loss, to information concerning types of hearing loss, hearing aids, cochlear implants, tinnitus, speech reading, strategies and techniques for dealing with common situations and more, Living With Hearing Loss is a "user-friendly" resource and a "must-read" for anyone coping with hearing loss in themselves or a loved one.

Sleep
J. Paul Caldwell, MD
Firefly
4 Daybreak Lane, Westport, CT 06880
1552977889 $14.95 1-800-387-5085

What factors influence sleep? What are the effects of shift work, yet lag, and common sleep disorders, and how can they be overcome? Dr. J. Paul Caldwell's Sleep covers the science of sleep as well as the common disorders which prevent it. Case studies, diagrams and sidebars of information accompany a review of facts.

Posture Alignment
Paul D'Arezzo, M.D.
Marcellina Mountain Press
Box 6781, Colorado Springs, CO 80934
0972907904 $19.95 posturealignment.com

Certified emergency physician Paul D'Arezzo MD draws upon his many years of expertise and experience in Posture Alignment: The Missing Link In Health And Fitness, a self-help and fitness guide for improving the reader's posture to combat muscle or join pain and maintain maximum function and activity as one ages. Highly recommended reading for anyone having posture-based health problems, the simple exercises to correct and maintain personal posture, presented with medical knowledge and insight coached in easy-to-follow lay reader's terms fill the pages of this superb supplemental resource for healthy living.

A Guide To Understanding Dietary Supplements
Shawn M. Talbott, Ph.D.
The Haworth Press, Inc.
10 Alice Street, Binghamton, NY 13904
0789014564 $34.95 HaworthPress.com

Knowledgeably written by an sports nutrition and performance expert Shawn M. Talbott, A Guide To Understanding Dietary Supplements is an efficiently organized, clearly written, 713-page survey of more than 140 dietary supplements, critically evaluating which ones work and which ones don't. Summarizing the claims, theory, scientific report, safety, value, and dosage of each common supplement, A Guide To Understanding Dietary Supplements is an excellent consulting resource for physicians, pharmacists, and for interested non-specialist general readers with an interest in dietary supplements for health and fitness.

Stop Arthritis
Alan Schlines
Virtualbookworm.com Publishing Inc.
PO Box 9949, College Station, TX 77842
1589394267 $14.95 stoparthritisnow.com

Stop Arthritis: How I Defeated It Naturally is the true story of one man's defiance of traditional medical treatment for incurable arthritis. Abandoning his medication, Alan Schlines sought to improve his personal lifestyle by eating healthier foods, learning detoxification techniques, learning the wisdom of natural health care professionals and more. In the process Alan became arthritis pain-free and stayed that way for over 10 years. Highly recommended for its insights into improving overall health, Stop Arthritis is especially recommended reading for anyone who suffers from this common ailment which is shared by an estimated 70 million Americans.


The Gardening Shelf

Roses: A Celebration
Wayne Winterrowd, Editor
North Point Press
19 Union Square West, NY NY 10003
0865476616 $30.00 www.amazon.com

What attraction do roses have that other flowers lack? Editor Wayne Winterrowd posed this question to over thirty eminent fellow gardeners, gathering their insights and responses in Roses: A Celebration, an impressive and informative collection of essays which tell of special roses and the horticultural decisions which went into the special enjoyment of roses over other flowers. The perfect gift for that rose enthusiast who already has all the basic gardening guides.

Timber Press
133 SW 2nd Ave #450 Portland OR 97204
1-800-327-5680 www.amazon.com

Betsy Clebsch's New Book Of Salvias (0881925608, $29.95) is a winner: it discusses the varied plants notable for their drought tolerance and beautiful flowers, and expands upon a prior edition in adding over fifty new species and cultivars. An alphabetical arrangement makes it easy for the gardener to locate the hybrid and species and includes botanical descriptions, habitat and blooming information, and background history. Gardeners in the Pacific Northwest have a fine revised, updated edition of April Pettinger and Brenda Costanzo's Native Plants In The Coastal Garden (0881925829, $19.95) to enjoy: when first published in 1996, its focus on native plants was revolutionary and filled a need for basic information: this new edition includes updated facts. From using native plants in new ways to locating nurseries and designing a native garden, this is packed with fine material.

Top 100 Star Plants
Rachel de Thame
Trafalgar Square
PO Box 257, Howe Hill Road, North Pomfret, VT 05053-0257
0563534672 $35.00 1-800-423-4525

Too many catalogs and choices make it difficult for the gardener to hone the available options to a few plants: Top 100 Star Plants presents the author's personal selection of her top one hundred plants suitable for a range of gardening situations. Plants are chosen from a broad cross-section of planting styles and garden needs, organized into twelve categories, and illustrated with photos and suggestions for complimentary pairing. The result is a visually pleasing, lovely title practical for beginning gardeners in particular.


The Education Shelf

Simulations And The Future Of Learning
Clark Aldrich
Pfeiffer/John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
111 River St., Hoboken, NJ 07030-5773
0787969621 $50.00 1-800-225-5945

Knowledgeably written by Clark Aldrich (the international team leader that created SimuLearn's Virtual Leader "concept car" of e-learning), Simulations And The Future Of Learning: An Innovative (And Perhaps Revolutionary) Approach To e-Learning is an enriching resource for classrooms and businesses wanting to prepare for and operate within our modern technological age. Individual chapters accessibly address using systems to effectively and logically model reality; the philosophical and technical realties; the crucial essence of leadership itself, and more. A thought-provoking supplement for teachers, trainers, and students determined to embrace all the tools the twenty-first century has to offer the art and science of education.

Survival Kit For New Teachers
Dyan M. Hershman
Emma S. McDonald, M. Ed.
Inspiring Teachers Publishing Inc.
2510 Meadowridge Dr, Garland TX 75044
0966714555 $36.95 inspiringteachers.com

The collaborative effort of educators Dyan M. Hershman and Emma S. McDonald, Survival Kit For New Teachers is an expert, advice-packed, 416-page compendium filled from cover to cover with tips, tricks and techniques for the novice K-12 classroom instructor concerning everything from landing a teaching job; to undercutting classroom discipline problems before they turn ugly; developing a reliable method for grading students and recording those grades; adapting to and incorporating technology in the classroom, and a great deal more. A point-by-point and extremely practical resource, Survival Kit For New Teachers is easy to read, easy to use, and one of the most important additions any Teacher College librarian could make in behalf of graduating students with their newly acquired teaching certificates who are to be soon confronted with the real world experiences of teaching children in today's public and private school systems.

Test Better, Teach Better
W. James Popham
ASCD
1703 North Beauregard Street, Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
0871206676 $24.95 1-800-933-2723

Test Better, Teach Better: The Instructional Role Of Assessment is an informative guideline by W. James Popham (Professor Emeritus, UCLA Graduate School of Education and Information Studies) to using test data to improve classroom instructor's ability to educate children and prepare them for the future. From the often-misused value of standardized achievement tests; to applying tests judiciously in order to clarify one's curriculum; to minimizing bias and taking it into account, and more, Test Better, Teach Better is enthusiastically recommended reading for classroom educators dedicated to utilizing every means at their disposal to improve the academic abilities of their students regardless of the subject matter being taught. Also highly recommended is the Association For Supervision And Curriculum Development website at www.ascd.org

Choosing The Right College
Jeremy Beer, editor-in-chief
ISI Books
Box 4431, Wilmington, DE 19807-0431
1882926986 $27.00 www.isibooks.org

Now in a significantly expanded and thoroughly updated 2004 edition, Choosing The Right College offers a no-frills series of honest assessments of the academic curriculum, political atmosphere, and campus life of both public and private universities throughout America. Offering solid advice on the best departments, professors, and courses to pursue, as well as guidelines on the right questions to ask during campus visits, researched statistics, and body of extremely practical advice, Choosing The Right College is a "must-read" for any prospective college student (and the parents) debating where to embark on his or her future academic future.


The Literary Shelf

Seasons: One Woman's Journey
Dorine Rivers
River City Publishing
330 Adair Drive, Richland, WA 99352
0972832297 $14.95 1-509-627-8990

Seasons: One Woman's Journey is a warmly and beautifully illustrated novellette by Dorine Rivers, and written in a free-verse poetic style. Full-color yet somewhat abstract illustrations add vibrancy to the central tale of adapting to unexpected changes and new intersections in one's life. A most insightful reflection on human choices. She lies in the stillness of a late spring night,/a young woman in an old lady's body./Her blanket is warm like bathwater/wrapping her comfortably./Sleep drifts/in and out,/in and out,/breathing erratically....

Hopkins Variations
Joaquin Kuhn & Joseph J. Feeney, S.J.
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Ave., Philadelphia, PA 19131
0916101398 $37.00 sju.edu/sjupress/

Compiled and edited by Joaquin Kuhn (St. Michael's College, University of Toronto) and Joseph J. Feeney, S.J. (Saint Joseph's University , Philadelphia), Hopkins Variations: Standing Round A Waterfall is a scholarly celebration of the work of Gerard Manley Hopkins, a poet who languished unknown until his death in 1889, and yet who today is considered one of Victorian England's finest crafters of verse. Brief yet insightful essays are contributed by an impressive collection of authors and concerns diverse physical, intellectual, personal, and Godly responses to Hopkins' work. Hopkins Variations is a work of impeccable collective scholarship and is highly recommended for academic library collections.


The World History Shelf

The Mediterranean In History
David Abulafia
Getty Trust Publications
1200 Getty Center Drive, #500, Los Angeles, CA 90049-1682
0892367253 $50.00 www.getty.edu

David Abulafia (Professor of Mediterranean History, University of Cambridge, England) draws upon his academic expertise to compile and edit The Mediterranean In History, an extensive survey of learned articles focusing upon the changing events that shaped the lands about the "Great Sea", including the birth of Western Civilization, the rivalries of empires, the life-or-death struggles ancient eras, and the phenomena of modern globalization throughout the region. Full-color illustrations add an eye-catching touch to the informative and thoroughly "reader friendly" text. A superb resource for personal enrichment and an acclaimed contribution to both academic and community library World History reference shelves, The Mediterranean In History would make an excellent selection choice for Memorial Library acquisitions.

The Death Of Kings
Michael Evans
Hambledon and London/Palgrave
175 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10010
www.palgrave-usa.com
1852852682 $29.95 1-212-982-3900

The Death Of Kings: Royal Deaths In Medieval England by Michael Evans (Medieval History, Christ Church College, Canterbury, England) is an extensive, scholarly, and highly accessible account of all that is know about the deaths of medieval royalty, whether natural, by accident, or by murder. Demonstrating how writers of the era (and later) drew upon such deaths and gave them symbolic qualities that transcended the events of history, The Death Of Kings is a welcome and recommended addition to Medieval History Studies in general, and British Monarchial History collections in particular.

The World Guide 2003-2004
New Internationalist Publications
55 Rectory Rd., Oxford, OX4 1BW, UK
0954049977 $39.95 www.newint.org

This alternative reference to countries of the world provides the latest updated information on over two hundred forty countries, including global and national maps, illustrated graphs and statistics, and in-depth descriptions of important global issues ranging form education and economics to human welfare. The at-a-glance format of this information-packed reference makes it a choice pick for libraries seeking modern geographic coverages.

Britain, France, And The Financing Of The First World War
Martin Horn
McGill-Queen's University Press
3430 McTavish Street, Montreal, QC, Canada, H3A 1X9
0773522948 $22.95 1-800-387-0141

Britain, France, And The Financing Of The First World War is a scholarly study by Martin Horn (Associate Professor in the Department of History, McMaster University) of the flow of money during the First World War. Professor McMaster demonstrates how the financial ability to arm and feed vast armies was crucial to the Allied victory, and that Britain and France fought not only to win and survive, but to bolster and preserve financial strength on an international scale. A meticulously researched and persuasively presented study, Britain, France, And The Financing Of The First World War is a seminal study and a welcome addition to academic library collections.

The Wilson Chronology Of Human Rights
David Levinson
H.W. Wilson Company
950 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452
0824209729 $100.00 1-800-367-6770

Exhaustively compiled and expertly edited by cultural anthropologist David Levinson, The Wilson Chronology Of Human Rights: A Record Of The Human Striving For Freedom From Ancient Times To The Present is presents several thousand entries recording the extended and extensive history human struggles for civil rights, religious freedom, and the developing political and personal rights for women, children, gays, indigenous peoples, the disabled, and refugees around the world seeking to live out their lives with dignity. An extensive index allows for easy reference of this moving chronicle of humankind's slow struggle toward a greater good. No university or community library Human Rights reference collection can be considered comprehensive without the inclusion of David Levinson's The Wilson Chronology Of Human Rights!

The Crusades: A Reader
S. J. Allen & Emilie Amt, editors
Broadview Press
3576 California Road, Orchard Park, NY 14127
broadviewpress.com
1551115379 $29.95 1-705-743-8990

Collaboratively compiled and expertly edited by S. J. Allen (Department of History and Political Science, Hood College, Frederick, Maryland) and Emilie Amt (Hildegarde Pilgram Professor of History, Hood College, Frederick, Maryland), The Crusades: A Reader is a comprehensive, 430-page selection of translated sources ranging in content from the eleventh to the early sixteenth centuries. From Christian and Muslim theories of just warfare; to the logistics of the Crusades; and perspectives on historical events from Latin, Arabian, Byzantine, and Jewish points of view, The Crusades: A Reader is a welcome and scholarly addition to European Historical Studies academic library reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Seven Myths Of The Spanish Conquest
Matthew Restall
Oxford University Press
198 Madison Ave., NY, NY 10016-4314
www.oup-usa.org
0195160770 $28.00 1-800-451-7556

Seven Myths Of The Spanish Conquest by Matthew Restall (Associate Professor of Latin American History, Women's Studies, and Anthropology, and Director of Latin American Studies, Pennsylvania State University) presents an informed and informative survey of the events of war, dominance, and assimilation associated with the Spanish conquest of the New World and which have all too often been misinterpreted or skewed down through the ages. Underscoring seven key myths and the misconceptions and fallacies surrounding them, Seven Myths Of The Spanish Conquest unravels oversimplified and all too commonly held precepts to show the Spanish Conquest as a far more tangled and complex web of events and motives than popular memory or the remnants of high school textbooks convey.


The Martial Arts Shelf

YMAA/NBN, dist.
4354 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
1-800-669-8892 www.amazon.com

Two new martial arts titles from this publisher provide fans of the genre with fine reading. F.J. Chu's Martial Way And Its Virtues (1886969698, $15.95) provides a classical version of the martial arts, presenting an invitation to understanding how martial arts go beyond personal combat skills to become a way of absorbing concepts of conduct and honor. Paul Dillon's Liuhebafa Five Character Secrets (1886-969728, $18.95) examines the origins of water boxing, presenting a history which covers both techniques and evolution of a method which was one of the last to be taught outside of China. From breathing methods to methods of preparation for battle, this is packed with insights.

The Complete Jujitsuan
W. H. Garrud
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
www.paladin-press.com
1581604211 $15.00 1-800-392-2400

Now back in print for a new generation of martial arts students, The Complete Jujitsuan by martial arts expert W. H. Garrud was one of the first books in English about the Japanese grappling art. Originally published in 1914, The Complete Jujitsuan combines clear prose and black-and-white photographs to instruct the viewer in useful self-defense techniques, breakfalls, offering tips on training safely, as well as some considerable insights on jujitsu vs. boxing. A fascinating introduction to grappling and throwing arts that has withstood the test of time, The Complete Jujitsuan would hold a welcome and honored place in any personal, professional, or community library Martial Arts instructional reference collection.


The Social Issues Shelf

NetSlaves 2.0
Bill Lessard & Steve Baldwin
Allworth Press
10 E. 23rd St. #510, NY, NY 10010
1581152841 $19.95 1-800-491-2808

The dot.com rise and fall has been examined numerous times from the standpoint of economic impact; but its human cost has been left behind. What became of American tech industry workers in the fallout of the industry? NetSlaves 2.0 considers the lasting impact of the Internet demise on the workers, their aspirations, and others.

Are Italians White?
Jennifer Guglielmo & Salvatore Salerno
Routledge
29 W. 35th St., New York NY 10001
0415934516 $19.95 1-800-634-7064

How is race defined and categorized in this country? Various contributors here focus on the Italian American experience as a showcase for discussing racism, stereotyping, and differences between ethnic groups in America. The focus on Italian American experiences will reach a wide audience, from college-level students in classes on social issues to Italian Americans interested in their history.

Covert Action: The Roots Of Terrorism
Ellen Ray & William H. Schaap, editors
Ocean Press
PO Box 1186, Old Chelsea Station, New York, NY 10113
1876175842 $19.95 www.cbsd.com

Collaboratively compiled and edited by Ellen Ray and William H. Schaap (founding editors of "CovertAction Quarterly), Covert Action: The Roots Of Terrorism collects key articles from CovertAction Quarterly magazine, the better to assemble a background to the terrorist attacks of September 11th and strive to understand the current "war on terrorism". Ranging from assassination and death squads to narcotrafficking and regime change, individual insights emerge from a wide variety of learned authors who sharply and concisely bring to light turmoil abroad and at home in this highly recommended and informative resource for non-specialist general readers with an interest the currently "War on Terrorism" being pursued by the American government and its allies.

Sweatshop USA
Daniel Bender & Richard Greenwald, eds.
Routledge
29 West 35th St., NY, NY 10001-2299
www.routledge-ny.com
041593561X $24.95 1-800-634-7064

Collaborative compiled and edited by Daniel E. Bender (University of Waterloo, Canada) and Richard A. Greenwald (United States Merchant Marine Academy), Sweatshop USA: The American Sweatshop In Historical And Global Perspective is a close and meticulous study of the evolving meaning of the term "sweatshop" and the prevalence of such ruthless and ultimately destructive employment practices worldwide which now continues into the opening decade of the twenty-first century. A scholarly and thoroughly impressive anthology of writings by a series learned authors surveying and analyzing sweatshop migrations, resistance to sweatshops, and the dangers they pose to physical and moral health of the workers, Sweatshop USA is a "must-read" -- not just for social activists and labor reformers, but for all Americans seeking to understand the history of a continuing blight upon the American corporate community, American labor organizations, and the American consumer.


The Fiction Shelf

The Heretic
Lewis Weinstein
Terrace Books
c/o The University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Madison, WI 53711
www.wisc.edu/wisconsinpress
0299187942 $17.95 1-800-621-2736

The Heretic is a superbly written debut novel of political intrigue by Lewis Weinstein that adds a definitively human touch to the terrible ills of history and religious persecution. Depicting a family of Jews living in Seville on the eve of the Spanish Inquisition of the 15th century, The Heretic is a thoughtful and thought-provoking historical story of the abuse of power and tests of faith that were anything but. The Heretic clear documents Lewis Weinstein as a master storyteller and will leave the reader looking eagerly toward his next literary effort.

Purple Hibiscus
Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill
Box 2225, Chapel Hill, NC 27515-2225
1565123875 $23.95 1-800-722-7202

Written by 2003 O. Henry Prize winner Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (who grew up in Nigeria), Purple Hibiscus is the gripping and literate novel of a privileged Nigerian family. A fifteen-year-old girl and her brother enjoy the trappings of wealth yet suffer under the strictness of their fanatically religious and controlling father. When a military coup threatens to destroy the country, turmoil, sacrifice, and danger promote desperation in this engrossing tale of coming of age. Purple Hibiscus is an enthusiastically recommended addition for all community library fiction collections.

Vernal Promises
Jack Harrell
Signature Books
564 W. 400 N., Salt Lake City, UT 84116
1560851716 $18.95 1-800-356-5687

Vernal Promises by Jack Harrell is an impressive work of Mormon literature that speaks of an ordinary man who sees everything positive as coming with a cost. Jacob Dennison is beset by mixed morals at every turn, his test of faith is to follow his one inner voice, even though the cost could push him to the brink of ruin and take a greater toll than he imagined possible. A compelling narrative about complicated choices, Vernal Promises is an impressive novel and documents Jack Harrell as a master storyteller able to grasp the attention and interest of his reader from first page to last.

The Wave And Other Stories
Caren Gussoff
Serpent's Tail
255 W 108th St, Suite 9D1 NY NY 10025
1852424591 $14.00 1-917-493-3601

The Wave And Other Stories is an anthology of a novella (The Wave) and ten original short stories by Caren Gussof about characters marginalized, disempowered, and forced to fight back to understand, protect, or avenge themselves. Dark, streetwise, and haunting in its brief yet impressionable vignettes. The short stories include Stealing Purses; Surface Reading; Spark; Astronaut; Unpretty; Bruce Lee; The Deepest Dive; Djinni; Love Story; and Sight Unseen. The Wave And Other Stories clearly documents Caren Gussof as a gifted writer who combines imagination and originality with insight and empathy.

The Margaret-Ghost
Barbara Novak
George Braziller, Inc.
171 Madison Ave., #1108, NY, NY 10016
0807615242 $19.95 1-800-233-4830

The Margaret-Ghost by novelist Barbara Novak is an engaging and original story about the lives of two women, one of whom happens to be the research subject of the other. 19th century Europe and 20th century Boston are twin settings in this reflective and complex novel chronicling the search for love, the travails of male-female relationships, and the question of whether certain patterns of behavior can transcend time. The Margaret-Ghost is superb reading and would make a welcome and popular addition to the community library fiction shelf.

Pandemic
J. A. Lourenco
The Writer's Collective
780 Reservoir Ave #243, Cranston RI 02910
193213381X $14.95 www.amazon.com

A small group of terrorists have developed and unleashed a deadly virus that rapidly plunges the world into fear and chaos as emergency governmental systems fail to cope. Global catastrophe threatens the very survival of society. Pandemic is a superbly written fiction that could be soon be the stuff of newspaper headlines!

Border Wolves
Walt Coburn
Five Star Books
295 Kennedy Memorial Drive, Waterville, ME 04901
0786237988 $25.95 1-800-223-1244

Border Wolves collects under one cover three of author Walt Coburn's western novellas: "The Block K Rides Tonight" (which was filmed as "The Return of Wild Bill"); "Rusty Rides Alone" (which was filmed as a movie of the same name); and the title piece, "Border Wolves" (set just after the war long the border with Mexico and encompassing the deadly realm of whiskey smuggling). Gritty, sometimes violent, but always captivating tales come alive with the undeniable spirit and enthusiasm of the Old West under the pen of a consummate and talented writer.


The Railroading Shelf

Wired For Success
Charles V. Mutschler
Washington State University Press
Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
0874222524 $31.95 1-800-354-7360

Informatively written by historian, archivist and educator Charles Mutschler, Wired For Success: The Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway, 1892-1985 is the exciting and enthusiastically recommended story of the Butte, Anaconda & Pacific Railway, how it became a pioneer electric railway system, and the impact it had on America from the late 1800's to the modern day. Black-and-white photographs combine with narrative description so real it transports the reader into a bygone era of railroading history.

Union Pacific Big Boy Collection
Pentrex
PO Box 94911, Pasadena, CA 94911-4911
www.pentrex.com
1563421054 $39.95 1-800-950-9333

Union Pacific Big Boy Collection is a grand DVD superbly showcasing the great "Big Boy" Union Pacific locomotives, and features a newly discovered resource of 35 mm film never before available to the public. A timeless visual tribute for railroad buffs, memorializing trains so gigantic they made the earth shake, Union Pacific Big Boy Collection includes cab ride footage as well as the option of watching with or without narration complement. This is fine gift for railroad enthusiasts everywhere. Also very highly recommended are the newly released DVD editions of Daylight Freedom Special (1563421135, $29.95) and B&O Odyssey: Volume 2 (1563420929, $29.95).

Railscapes
Jim Fredrickson
WSU Press
Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
wsupress.wsu.edu
0874222710 $29.95 1-800-354-7360

Railscapes: A Northern Pacific Brasspounder's Album is a photographic and reminiscent tribute by noted regional photographer and railroad expert Jim Fredrickson in honor of more than six decades of American railroading. Black-and-white images are arranged thematically in order to best showcase a vast variety of trains, and the insightful commentary of Fredrickson offers considerable insights on the past, present, and future of America's railways. Very highly recommended for railroad photography buffs, Railscapes is also available in a hardcover edition (0874222729, $45.00).

HO Scale Model Railroading
Jeff Wilson
Kalmbach Publishing Company
PO Box 1612, Waukesha, WI 53187
0890245754 $19.95 1-800-533-6644

HO Scale Model Railroading: Getting Started In The Hobby is an easy-to-use guide by model railroading expert Jeff Wilson specifically for beginners about to embark upon the joys and travails of setting up and running a model railroad. Full color illustrations, practical advice on everything from selecting the right tools, to wiring and train control, to creating realistic scenery, to special track plans and reverse loops, fill the pages of this superbly useful guide highly recommended for novice model railroading enthusiasts.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Excel Saga: Volume 1
Rikdo Koshi
Viz Communications Inc.
655 Bryant St., San Francisco, CA 94107
156931988X $9.95 1-800-394-3042

Excel Saga: Volume 1 begins the original manga (Japanese graphic novel) series so popular, it has been adapted into the outrageous, high-action, bizarre yet exciting and hilarious parody anime "Excel Saga." Though the original storyline bears only a cursory resemblance to the different-genre-parodied-every-episode anime, the personalities of the main characters shine through. There is Excel the enthusiastically upbeat and fanatical albeit notably klutzy loyal fighting minion, Hyatt the genteel and soft-spoken yet frail and sickly to the point of coughing up blood loyal minion, Menshi the adorable stray dog that Excel has adopted as "emergency rations," and Lord Il Palazzo the dreamy and forward-thinking would-be male dictator who is far too proud to acknowledge that his secret organization bent on world conquest operates out of a basement with a chain-pull flush toilet, and consists of himself, two delusional young women and a fluffy dog. Massive property destruction, fistfights, hilarity, personal memories rewritten in one's own self-interest, and a side look at the travails of three eternally poor and date-less male neighbors result. A funny and action-filled read for manga and comedy fans.

Graphic Classics: Bram Stoker
Eureka Productions
8778 Oak Grove Road, Mount Horeb, WI 53572
0971246475 $9.95 graphicclassics.com

Graphic Classics: Bram Stoker presents illustrated novel adaptations of classic tales of terror by Bram Stoker, best known for his classic novel "Dracula." Stark black-and-white imagery by a variety of different artists (Hunt Emerson, Rico Schacherl, J.B. Bonivert, Evert Geradts) adds a stringent and often visually provocative touch to these spine-chilling and narrations which are especially recommended to the attention of Bram Stoker fans and Horror Fiction enthusiasts.

Happy Halloween, Li'l Santa
Lewis Trondheim & Thierry Robin
Isabelle Busschaert, colors
NBM Press
555 8th Avenue, #1202, NY, NY 10018
1561633615 $14.95 nbmpublishing.com

Happy Halloween, Li'l Santa is a most delightful, original, and lively graphic novel storybook recommended for kids from 8 to 80 and that spins out it's holiday tale entirely in pictures. Each page is divided into sixteen panels that wordlessly move the adventure along, as Li'l Santa wanders into one scrape after another and befriends creatures such as The Abominable Snowman. An energetic, upbeat, and thoroughly entertaining "picture-tale", Happy Halloween, Li'l Santa is the collaborative effort of author Lewis Trondheim, illustrator Thierry Robin, and colorist Isabelle Busschaert.

The Wipeout
Francesca Ghermandi
Fantagraphic Books
7563 Lake City Way, NE, Seattle, WA 98115
1560975253 $19.95 1-800-657-1100

The Wipeout by Francesca Ghermandi is a bizarrely surreal allegorical graphic novel about bitter cross-purposes, manipulations, selfish desires, and overwhelmingly guilt-ridden nightmares. An ordinary worker becomes the victim of omens and nightmares in which he dreams of murder, and paranoia wracks him beyond the limits of sanity, yet he is being manipulated by a far more ruthless presence in this twisted parable. Highly recommended reading and drawn with exaggerated caricatures that resemble simple shapes more than human beings, The Wipeout includes adult language and subject matter within the context of visual and conceptual metaphor.


The Audiobook Shelf

Jedi Quest: The Trail Of The Jedi
Jude Watson
Listening Library, Inc.
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
0807208329 $18.00 1-800-726-0600

Jedi Quest: The Trail Of The Jedi is an unabridged part of the expanding library audiobooks to the delight of legions of Star Wars fans. Anakin Skywalker was made a padowan (apprentice) to the Jedi Knighthood by Qui-Gon Jinn. But with the death of Qui-Gon Jinn, Anakin Skywalker is taken under the tutelage of Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi -- who fears he may not be able to succeed at being as good a Jedi Master for young Anakin Skywalker as was Qui-Gon Jinn. This is the background to an adventure that includes striving to survive a squad ruthless and competitive bounty hunters seeking to ensnare the Jedi's while on a training exercise with their colleagues on a strange planet far from help. Jonathan Davis superbly narrates Jude Watson's original story and provides not only 2 hours and 38 minutes of "theater of the mind" style quality science fiction entertainment, but adds substantially to the growing body of lore and legend that comprises the Star Wars universe. Also enthusiastically recommended is another superbly recorded, fully unabridged, Star Wars audio book written by Jude Watson and narrated by Jonathan Davis: Jedi Quest: The Way Of The Apprentice (0-807208299, $18.00, 3 hours, 16 minutes).

The Dragon And The Raven
G. A. Henty
Tantor Media, Inc.
931 Negocio, Suite F, San Clemente, CA 92673
1400100380 $39.00 www.tantor.com

Set in the era of Viking onslaught and with the lives of a nation and a people at stake, a young and untried Saxon king must battle to protect his land in The Dragon And The Raven by G. A. Henty is an unabridged, adventurous and exciting audio CD novel blending European history with masterful storytelling. This unabridged presentation ably narrated by John Bollen fairly pulses with excitement as the twining plot unfolds. (7 CDS, 7 hours and 19 minutes)

The Adventures Of Superman
Radio Spirits
PO Box 321, Cedar Knolls, NJ 07927
www.radiospirits.com
1570196311 $19.98 1-800-833-4248

"The Adventures Of Superman" was a truly classic "kids show" radio show drama from the 1940s, featuring three of DC Comics' most enduring heroes: Superman, Batman, and Robin. An exciting 11-part serial about an imposter who kidnaps Batman and steals his identity in order to undercut American aid to a postwar Europe, The Adventures Of Superman: Batman's Great Mystery tells of the Man of Steel's alliance with the Boy Wonder to discover the truth, find Batman, and set things right. An exciting and highly recommended audio presentation. 3 CDS, 3 hours.

Mustang Man
Louis L'Amour
Random House Audio Books
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
www.randomhouse.com/audio
0739304526 $25.95 1-800-726-0600

Mustang Man is the unabridged audiobook presentation of a novel of Old West in the era of gold rush fever, written by the popularly cherished, award-winning author Louis L'Amour. A part of The Sacketts series, this is the story of a man who lives by his own moral code, and finds himself caught in a crossfire between a rightful heiress, her jealous relations, and a remorseless killer. An exciting and dramatic tale of the lengths to which greed can drive human beings, Mustang Man is vividly narrated by Terrence Mann and a "must" for all who are fans of classic Louis L'Amour westerns. (5 hours, 3 cassettes).

Billy Budd, Sailor
Herman Melville
Naxos AudioBooks
416 Mary Lindsay Polk Drive, Suite 509, Franklin, TN 37067
www.naxosaudiobooks.com
9626343001 $19.98 1-877-629-6723

Read and performed by veteran actor William Roberts, Billy Budd, Sailor is the unabridged audiobook presentation of Herman Melvilles maritme classic of a sailor "pressed" into service on the HMS Indomitable during the Napoleonic Wars. Despite his popularity among the crew, Billy experiences ruthless treatment from the ship's master-at-arms, and so follows horrible tragedy. A compelling and vivacious rendition, Billy Bud, Sailor is a recommended addition to personal and community library audiobook collections. 3 CDs, 3 hours and 35 minutes.

The Sky-Liners
Louis L'Amour
Books On Tape, Inc.
Box 25122, Santa Ana, CA 92799-5122
www.library.booksontape.com
0736695850 $32.00 1-800-541-5525

The Sky-Liners is a gripping western audiobook by the celebrated author Louis L'Amour, about brave gunfighters from the Sackett clan who have their work cut out for them simply surviving against the deadliest and most expensive hired enemies. An exciting saga of danger dramatically narrated by Jason Culp, The Sky-Liners fully engage the listener in the thrill of combat, the taking of personal risks, and the determination to persevere no matter what. A "must" for all Louis L'Amour fans, as well as an ideal acquisition choice for community library audiobook collections, The Sky-Liners is a complete and unabridged, with four 1 hour cassettes in a sturdy book-size plastic shell casing.

The Kingslayer
L. Ron Hubbard
Galaxy Press
7051 Hollywood Blvd., Suite 200, Hollywood, CA 90028
www.galaxypress.com
1592121683 $25.00 1-323-466-7815

Set in the year 3975, The Kingslayer is an unabridged, brilliant science-fiction audiobook by the immensely popular author L. Ron Hubbard. Kit Kellan is a young genius who finds himself compelled to uncover the secrets of single, evil man whose power holds the galaxy in thrall. An exciting and shocking saga which is dramatically presented as a true "theatre of the mind" experience with its multi-cast performance, The Kingslayer is an unabridged and technically flawless production. (3 CDs, 2 hours)

Flying Colors
Tim Lefens
Blackstone Audio Books
PO Box 969, Ashland, OR 97520
www.blackstoneaudio.com
078619393X $48.00 1-800-729-2665

Very nicely narrated by Grover Gardner, Flying Colors is a passionate and unabridged audiobook CD presenting a true story regarding the power and creative expression of art. Author Tim Lefens is also the founder of A.R.T. (Artistic Realization Techniques) and helped to create breakthrough techniques to help physically challenged students express and improve themselves. Filled with heart-touching anecdotes of inner strength and rising to exceed expectations, Flying Colors is an enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library audiobook CD collections (7 hours, 6 compact discs, 7 hours)

The Science Of Enlightenment
Shinzen Young
Sounds True Audio
413 South Arthur Avenue, Louisville, CO 80027
1564555356 $99.00 1-800-333-9185

American-born meditation teacher and professor Shinzen Young presents The Science Of Enlightenment, a 12-tape audio instructional course embracing traditional teachings, scientific insights, practical instruction, and more. Demonstrating how enlightenment practices work, and ranging from the Zen koan, to guided meditation, to dualist and non-dualist paths, to breathing guidelines, schools of Buddhism, Taoist thought, Jewish mystical practices, the quest to define enlightenment, and so much more, The Science Of Enlightenment is a warmly narrated, superbly presented, flawlessly recorded resource which features six complete and guided meditation sessions, as well as offering listeners a wealth of wisdom on selecting the meditation practice that best suits their own particular temperament.


The Woodworking Shelf

Architectural Patterns For Woodcarvers
Kurt Koch
Fox Chapel Publishing Company
1970 Broad Street North, East Petersburg, PA 17520
1565231945 $17.95 1-800-457-9112

In Architectural Patterns For Woodcarvers, woodworking expert Kurt Koch offers 63 classic patterns especially designed for adding aesthetic detail to furniture and architectural woodwork. A very brief introduction to architectural carving techniques supplements the bulk of this 67-page resource, which is devoted to patterns presented in a precise style, and which can easily be transferred to the wood itself. Both top and side profiles for each pattern offers good detail and depth in this excellent and highly recommended instructional resource for amateur and professional woodworkers alike.

The Complete Table Saw Book
Chris Marshall & Mark Johanson
Landauer Corporation
www.landauercorp.com
12251 Maffitt Road, Cumming, IA 50061
1890621668 $27.95 1-800-557-2144

The competent and collaborative effort of expert woodworkers Chris Marshall and Mark Johanson, The Complete Table Saw Book: Step-by-Step Illustrated Guide To Essential Table Saw Skills, Techniques, Tools And Tips is an excellent methodically presented, do-it-yourself manual to the art and craft of joinery techniques, table saw jigs, woodworking with sheet goods, and more. Enhanced with full color illustrations on almost every page, superbly showcasing an in-depth text, and a narrative tone that communicates clearly with experts and novices alike, The Complete Table Saw Book is a "must-have" for anyone who, as a hobby or a career, needs to master the versatile uses of this woodworker's tool.

Harvesting Urban Timber
Sam Sherrill
Linden Publishing Company
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721
www.lindenpub.com
0941936716 $25.95 1-800-345-4447

Harvesting Urban Timber: A Complete Guide by woodworking expert Sam Sherrill is a no-nonsense guide for local businesses, woodworkers, and city governments concerning the facts and how-to's of making the most of urban trees, rather then simply sending them directly to landfills when they must be removed. Color illustrations, anecdotes considering real situations where harvesting urban timber was absolutely necessary such as the outbreak of Dutch Elm disease in Minnesota, step-by-step instructions and much more make Harvesting Urban Timber a "must-have" resource for local policy makers responsible for this urban issue. It should be noted that Sherrill brings a particular expertise to this unique subject and is currently forming Harvesting Urban Timber organizations throughout the United States with the full support of the USDA Forest Service.


The Writing/Publishing Shelf

Publishing
Harold T. Miller
Fulcrum Publishing
16100 Table Mountain Parkway, #300, Golden, Colorado 80403
1555914071 $27.95 fulcrum-books.com

Publishing: A Leap From Mind To Mind by Harold T. Miller (President and Chairman of the Houghton Mifflin Company) tells the true and complex story of the independent publishing firm of Houghton Mifflin from the years of World War II up through 1990. From Houghton Mifflin's recruitment of expert authors; to develop cutting-edge textbooks of the finest possible learning programs; to Houghton Mifflin's work in developing solid standardized tests for aptitude measurement; to ongoing business nuances of an ever changing and always competitive market place, Publishing: A Leap From Mind To Mind is an involving real-life saga arising from the publishing industry and highly recommended reading.

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published
Sheree Bykofsky & Jennifer Basye Sander
Alpha Books
201 West 103rd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46290
1592571212 $18.95 idiotsguide.com

Now in its third edition The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published by literary agent Sheree Bykofsky and book publishing expert Jennifer Basye Sander, is a handy and thoroughly "user friendly" guide drawn from their years of practical experience in the business of writing and publishing. Instructing aspiring authors in the proper manner to draft a professional query letter, land a book contract, publicize themselves and their work, cope with the ever-changing circumstances of bookstores and inventory, and so much more, The Complete Idiot's Guide To Getting Published is a superbly organized, easy-to-follow instructional and advisory resource worthy of the highest possible recommendation and a "must read" for anyone wanting to become a published author in their own right.

The Marshall Plan For Getting Your Novel Published
Evan Marshall
Writer's Digest Books/F&W, dist.
4700 East Galbraith Road, Cincinnati, Ohio 45236
158297196X $21.99 writersdigest.com

In The Marshall Plan For Getting Your Novel Published: 90 Strategies And Techniques For Selling Your Fiction, successful literary agent Evan Marshall draws upon his more than of 30 years' publishing experience and expertise to offer a wealth of practical, "real world" advice to penning professional quality fiction, including different writing modes to reflect action, dialogue, summary, background, or feelings, as well as the principles to keep in mind when submitting one's work, telling a good publishing offer from a bad one, taking full advantage of the services of an editor, and more. Highly recommended for beginning writers seeking to have their novels and short story collections profitably published, The Marshall Plan For Getting Your Novel Published should be in the Writing & Publishing reference collections of all university and community libraries.

The Successful Writer's Handbook
Patricia L. Fry
Matilija Press
PMB 123, 323 E. Matilija St., Suite 110, Ojai, CA 93023
0961264276 $15.95 matilijapress.com

The Successful Writer's Handbook collects writing articles by author Patricia Fry, which answer questions that fellow writers have asked her over the past 30 years of her professional writing career. Ranging from how to overcome writer's block; to applying particular writing talents to a niche market; to self-publishing and marketing one's own book, and a great deal more, The Successful Writer's Handbook is a superb supplementary resource which is simply packed from cover to cover with solid, practical, "real world" advice for aspiring writers seeking to have their work published and be able to make a career out of their books and articles.

The Book On Writing
Paula LaRocque
Marion Street Press, Inc.
PO Box 2249, Oak Park, IL 60304
0966517695 $18.95 1-866-443-7987

Professional writing coach, consultant, award-winning journalist and assistant managing editor at "The Dallas Morning News" from 1981 to 2001, Paula LaRocque offers her impressive expertise in The Book On Writing: The Ultimate Guide To Writing Well. Individual chapters informatively detail just how to make prose more accessible by eliminating pretensions, unneeded euphemisms, and overly long dependent phrases, as well as strengthening storytelling skills, debunking the myths of writing mechanics, and more, The Book On Writing is an excellent and highly recommended guide to clarity of thought and printed word.

Ghost-Writing For Fun & Profit
Eva Shaw, Ph.D.
Writeriffic Publishing Group
PO Box 524, Carlsbad, CA 92018
097057584X $12.95 www.writeriffic.com

Now in an expanded and updated second edition, Ghost-Writing For Fun & Profit by professional ghost writer Eva Shaw is a straightforward instructional guide to pursuing a financially rewarding career in ghostwriting (writing books for, and in collaboration with, someone else -- and not have your own name and contribution credited). Ghost-Writing For Fun & Profit covers how to attract clients, capture their styles of narration, negotiate legal matters, multi-task projects, creating and selling ghosted proposals and synopses, and a great deal more. An excellent guide filled with tips for success, Ghost-Writing For Fun & Profit is an essential reference for anyone wanting to engage in this specialized area of writing and publishing.

The Screenplay Workbook
Jeremy Robinson & Tom Mungovan
Lone Eagle Publishing Company
1024 North Orange Drive, Hollywood, CA 90038-2318
www.hcdonline.com
1580650538 $18.95 1-800-815-0503

Co-written by Jeremy Robinson and Tom Mungovan (a pair of experienced and knowledgeable screenplay writers who currently have two of their own projects currently in pre-production), The Screenplay Workbook: The Writing Before The Writing is a superbly "user friendly" instruction manual to all aspects of writing in the strict screenplay format. In place of an overabundance of instructions and dialogue, The Screenplay Workbook keeps its narrative advice brief and to the point, as well as packing its pages with character development worksheets, character arc worksheets, scene worksheets, plot structure worksheets, and more. The Screenplay Workbook is confidently recommended as an especially useful guide for novice and aspiring screenplay writers looking for organizational and creative tools to craft projects that will succeed in being produced for a viewing public.


The Gaming Shelf

Chess Software User's Guide
Byron Jacobs, et al.
Everyman Chess
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437-0480
1857442849 $19.95 everymanchess.com

The collaborative effort of computer chess experts Byron Jacobs, Jacob Aagaard, and John Emms, Chess Software User's Guide is a unique chess guide written especially for those who use computer software to practice their playing skills, store and replay games from data, analyze their game-related strengths and weaknesses, and much more. Individual chapters discuss taking advantage of software to learn a new opening more easily; training one's gaming skill; and broadening one's playing styles to learn more about oneself and one's opponents. Black-and-white diagrams and photographs round out this practical and forward-thinking instructional manual for playing computerized chess. Send for the free Everyman Chess catalog for a complete and up-to-date listing of all of their superb chess titles.

All About Mancala
Sue Hanson & Jon Hanson
Happy Viking Crafts
1001 Sunrise Circle, Mahomet, IL 61853-3536
0974017507 $17.95 1-217-586-2497

All About Mancala: Its History And How To Play by gaming enthusiasts Sue and Jon Hanson is a fun and highly accessible resource and instructional guide to the strategy game of Mancala, colloquially known as "The African equivalent of chess" due to its ancient origins (dating back to Egypt in 1500 BC) and its strategy and complexity. Combining the lore of Mancala's history and culture with straightforward instructions for over 100 different ways to play, All About Mancala is very highly recommended for avid board game players seeking to learn something different, challenging, and fascinating!

Dragonlance Campaign Settings
Margaret Weis et al.
Wizards Of The Coast, Inc.
PO Box 707, Renton, WA 98057-0707
0786930861 $39.95 1-800-821-8028

The collaborative effort of role gaming experts Margaret Weis, Don Perrin, Jamie Chambers, Christopher Coyle, Dragonlance Campaign Settings is an extensive and detailed role-playing game resource designed especially for players familiar with the Dragonlance campaign setting -- a war-torn world where good and evil dragons and their kindred clash, along with their human and nonhuman allies caught up in the storms of conflict. An extensive history and chronology, unique spells, information crucial to generating player characters and NPCs of various races, a basic bestiary, sample ecologies, and so much more, distinguish this excellent and highly recommended role gaming resource.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

In My Father's Bakery
Marvin Korman
Red Rock Press
459 Columbus Ave., #114, NY, NY 10024
0971437246 $22.00 redrockpress.com

In My Father's Bakery: A Bronx Memoir by Marvin Korman is a relaxed, impressionable memoir of the Depression and war years, focusing on the lives of a family of individuals, their friends, and their neighbors. Korman reveals just what it was like to grow up in a Jewish family, personally discover the ups and downs of life, and a great deal more. An engagingly told autobiographical remembrance with full tribute to the hardworking souls that persevered at their jobs day in, day out, In My Father's Bakery is welcome and rewarding reading.

The Seven Species
Matt Biers-Ariel & Tama Goodman
UAHC Press
633 Third Avenue, NY, NY 10017-6778
www.uahcpress.com
0807408522 $19.95 1-888-489-8242

Written by educator Matt Biers-Ariel, The Seven Species: Stories And Recipes Inspired By The Foods Of The Bible is a remarkable compilation of stories and recipes based on seven species mentioned in Deuteronomy 8:7-8, namely: wheat, barley, vines, figs, pomegranates, olive trees, and honey. Colorful illustrations by Tama Goodman nicely enhance this firm celebration of Judaic heritage which is confidently recommended as being a distinguished, informative, and joyful anthology of applied Jewish culture and belief.

This Jewish Life
Debra B. Darvick
Eakin Press
Drawer 90159, Austin, TX 78709-0159
1571687297 $19.95 eakinpress.com

Ably compiled by Debra B. Darvick, This Jewish Life: Stories Of Discovery, Connection, And Joy is an impressive anthology of inspirational true tales structured about Jewish holidays and landmark days. Drawing the reader into the everyday lives and faith of ordinary Jews, and offering a close and informative look at modern-day problems (both physical and spiritual) and the courage of spirit arising from Jewish faith, culture, and perspectives needed to address them, this Jewish Life is a welcome contribution to Judaic Studies reading lists for Jews and Gentiles alike.

Love Your Neighbor And Yourself
Elliot N. Dorff
Jewish Publication Society
2100 Arch Street, 2nd floor, Philadelphia PA 19103-1399
0827607598 $34.95 1-800-234-3151

Love Your Neighbor And Yourself: A Jewish Approach To Modern Personal Ethics, by Conservative Rabbi Elliot N. Dorff which surveys both Jewish tradition and modern schools of Judaic thought to suggest ways in which to positively address moral challenges. A serious work wrestling with diverse complex issues, and stressing the importance of striving to accept and yet rise above the base impulses of human nature, Love Your Neighbor And Yourself is a welcome addition to Judaic Studies as being a compendium of thoughtful and thought-provoking reading on the subject of personal ethics in the contemporary world.


The Native American Shelf

Encyclopedia Of American Indian Contributions To The World
Emory Dean Keoke
Kay Marie Porterfield
Facts On File, Inc.
132 West 31st St, 17th fl, NY, NY 10001
0816040524 $65.00 1-800-322-8755

The collaborative effort of Emory Dean Keoke (multicultural relations and communications consultant and enrolled member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe) and Kay Marie Porterfield (journalist for the "Indian Country Today, the largest Native American owned weekly newspaper in America), Encyclopedia Of American Indian Contributions To The World: 15,000 Years Of Inventions And Innovations is an exciting resource covering the rich and varied histories of Native American tribes and their precontact discoveries and postcontact influences. From the anatomical knowledge of the Mesoamerican cultures at AD 1100; to Native American contributions to agriculture, medicine and pharmacology; to hammocks of forest cultures; to the American Indian influence on Tabasco sauce, and so much more, the Encyclopedia Of American Indian Contributions To The World is an absorbing, 384-page reference offering information and insights into the complexities of Native American cultural history, interaction and social evolution. A highly recommended resource for students of Native American history and culture, the Encyclopedia Of American Indian Contributions To The World is an essential and core addition to academic and community library Native American Studies collections.

Chipeta
Cynthia S. Becker & P. David Smith
Western Reflections Publishing Co.
219 Main Street, Montrose, CO 81401
www.westernreflectionspub.com
1890437794 $16.95 www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of Cynthia S. Becker and P. David Smith, Chipeta: Queen Of The Utes is the simply fascinating biography of the wife of Ute Chief Ouray, and who was to become as well-known as her famous husband. Regarded in stature as a "queen" by both whites and Utes, Chipeta outlived her husband by nearly half a century, adopted many orphaned children (she could not have children of her own), and remained a strong, caring individual in spite of difficult times. Offering a unique glimpse of the woes of the Utes as a tribe, as well as the particular challenges Chipeta and her husband faced at the turn of the century, Chipeta: Queen Of The Utes is an inspirational account of personal character and a welcome contribution to Native American Studies.

Sheheke: Mandan Indian Diplomat
Tracy Potter
Farcountry Press
PO Box 5630, Helena, MT 59604
www.farcountrypress.com
1560372532 $15.95 1-800-654-1105

Sheheke: Mandan Indian Diplomat By Tracy Potter (Executive Directory, Fort Abraham Lincoln Foundation, with the responsibility of administering interpretation of the On-a-Slant Mandan Indian Village) is an impressively informative biography recognizing the role that the Mandan Chief Sheheke played in Lewis and Clark's trailblazing expedition. A meticulously researched accounting, memorializing the often-overlooked contribution of a unique Native American and offering a welcomed and much appreciated additional perspective to the growing body of literature and historical reference materials concerning Lewis and Clark's famous voyage, Sheheke is an exceptionally well written contribution to the growing body of Native American History reference and Native American Biographical resource publications.

Bright Star In A Shadowy Sky
Patrick McGrath & Terence McGrath
Dorrance Publishing
701 Smithfield Street, 3rd Floor, Pittsburgh, PA 15222-3906
0805951253 $25.00 1-800-788-7654

This biography tells the story of Indian Bob Johnson, a one-quarter Cherokee who became a baseball star in the first half of the 20th century. He learned how to avoid the pitfalls that trapped older brother Roy, and proved a loyal player for the Philadelphia Athletics. Commentary from fans and players as well as reporters supplement photos and in-depth research on this deserving Native American baseball player.

Hopi Silver
Margaret Nickelson Wright
University of New Mexico Press
1720 Lomas Blvd. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87131-0001
0826333826 $14.95 1-800-249-7737

Back in print is Hopi Silver: The History And Hallmarks Of Hopi Silversmithing, a revised classic covering the history and hallmarks of Hopi silversmithing. This classic appeared over twenty years ago and was updated in 1998 to include 80 new artisans: it not only reveals the history of past and contemporary Hopi silversmithers, but it provides an important reference of unique hallmarks used by other 300 Hopi silversmiths, including designs, silversmith name and clan, and years he or she began their work. Add color photos and you have a memorable coverage.

Tlingit: Their Art And Culture
David Hancock
Hancock House Publishers
1431 Harrison Ave, Blaine, WA 98230
0888395302 $9.95 1-800-938-1114

A superb addition to personal, academic, and community library Native American Studies reference collections, black-and-white as well as color photographs wonderfully illustrate Tlingit: Their Art And Culture, a captivating survey by David Hancock of the Native Americans of Alaska, Yukon and British Columbia. From village life and ceremonies; to the potlatch festivals; to shamanism; to marriage and burial customs; to woodcarving and fabric art forms, Tlingit: Their Art And Culture offers a concise and informative introduction to Tlingit artifacts, nuances, and rituals of Northwestern Native American life and society.

Home Before The Raven Caws
Richard D. Feldman
Guild Press/Emmis Books
40 Monument Circle, Indianapolis, IN 46204
1578601266 $15.95 1-800-913-9563

In Home Before The Raven Caws: The Mystery Of Indiana's Alaskan Totem Pole, Richard D. Feldman ably recounts the history of the Golden Hill totem pole of Indianapolis to its origin in Alaska. History, extensive research, black-and-white and color photographs, and a tale of Native American craftsmanship, heritage, conflict, and trade make for an inviting tour through a specialized aspect of Native American history. Home Before The Raven Caws is a welcome contribution to the growing library of Native American Cultural History reference and resource materials.


The Nautical Shelf

The Silent Landscape
Richard Corfield
Joseph Henry Press
500 Fifth St, NW, Washington, DC 20001
0309089042 $24.95 www.jhpress.org

The Silent Landscape: The Scientific Voyage Of HMS Challenger by Oxford University based earth scientist and science writer Richard Corfield is the true and inherently fascinating story of one boat's 1872 journey and mission to map and sample the ocean floor. This was the first nautical voyage dedicated exclusively to oceanic science. Traversing three and a half years and 69,000 nautical miles, the members of the expedition suffered from suffocating tropical heat to extreme arctic cold. The HMS Challenger and its crew endured hardships and made history in its seminal and ground breaking contributions to human knowledge. A most amazing and engaging true story, The Silent Landscape is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended contribution to academic 19th Century Science History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

How To Design A Boat
John Teale
Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade St, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
www.sheridanhouse.com
1574091573 $19.95 1-888-743-7425

Now in its third edition, How To Design A Boat is a straightforward guide written by John Teale, a professional designer of cruising yachts, fast powerboats, motor cruisers, and commercial craft. Black-and-white sketches and diagrams illustrate points in this technical and engineering resource delineating necessary measurements, mathematics, and theory required to create a seaworthy craft. How To Design A Boat is an important asset to any personal or professional Nautical Library reference collection.

Boat Watching
Edmund W. Jupp
Intellect Books
ISBS, 5804 NE Hassalo Street, Portland, Oregon 97213-3644
1841508098 $19.95 intellectbooks.com

Boat Watching by engineer, educator, and world traveler Edmund W. Jupp is a compilation of thoughtful observations and meditations on the beauty, practicality, form, and function of boats. Intended for (and highly recommended to) casual readers who seek to reflect upon the value and use of boats and related matters, Boat Watching mixes wistful insight with a love of all things nautical.


The Business Shelf

Get Slightly Famous
Steven Van Yoder
Bay Tree Publishing
721 Creston Road, Berkeley, CA 94708
0972002111 $16.95

Get Slightly Famous: Become A Celebrity In Your Field And Attract More Business With Less Effort by Steven Van Yoder is a unique and instructional business guide to becoming famous within the context of the business world and thereby attracting clientele and increasing revenues through sheer visibility. A wealth of tips, tricks, and techniques for acquiring and consistently holding media attention; using speaking engagements to become noticed by a targeted market; harvesting the full potential of the Internet; creating ancillary "info-products" to build public awareness, and a great deal more, Get Slightly Famous is excellent, profitable, and highly recommended supplemental reading for businesspeople and marketers on all scales and theaters of commerce.

Project Retrospectives
Norman L. Kerth
Dorset House Publishing
353 West 12th Street, NY, NY 10014
0932633447 $39.45 dorsethouse.com

Norman L. Kerth is a professional with twenty years' experience in leading project retrospectives. In Project Retrospectives: A Handbook For Team Reviews, Kerth draws upon his extensive body of experience and expertise to crate an excellent and thoroughly "reader friendly" guidebook showcasing the process of reviewing, and revealing how to learn from the successes and failures of completed business projects. Case studies, preparing for a retrospective, leading a postmortem, and the skills for best learning and sharing knowledge gained from past ventures fill the pages of this down-to-earth and highly accessible guide which is especially recommended to those charged with the responsibility of improving corporate departmental and project team performances.


The Biography Shelf

Bonnie And Clyde
James R. Knight & Jonathan Davis
Eakin Press
Drawer 90159, Austin, TX 78709-0159
1571687947 $29.95 eakinpress.com

Bonnie And Clyde: A Twenty-First Century Update by James R. Knight (with the assistance of Jonathan Davis) offers a new look at the historical research gathered to date concerning what is arguably America's most famous outlaw couple. Eyewitness accounts not seen elsewhere are the star highlight of this thought-provoking and strongly recommended historical biography, which includes black-and-white photographs and a tell-it-like-it-really-was narrative tone.

My First Forty Cars
Nelson Bolan
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
0786416246 $25.00 1-800-253-2187

My First Forty Cars: An Automotive Memoir is a nostalgic reflection by Nelson Bolan of each of the forty cars he has held title to, ranging from a 1929 Chevrolet purchased for $100 to commemorate his brother's safe return from World War II, to a handy 1983 Dodge. Black-and-white photographs and a brief yet insightful reminiscence concerning each car model fill this engaging and uniquely personal memoir which is especially recommended reading for car enthusiasts.

For Love Of Lois
Edward Bliss, Jr.
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
www.fordhampress.com
0823222659 $22.00 1-800-247-6553

For Love Of Lois is an intimate memoir written by journalist and educator Edward Bliss Jr., the husband of Lois Bliss whose last five years with his beloved wife were marked in memory by her slow succumbing to Alzheimer's disease. A powerful and intensely personal story of loss, learning to treasure the little moments, and taking things day by day, For Love Of Lois is a heart-touching and unforgettable personal tale which is especially recommended reading for anyone having to deal with the onset of Alzheimer within their own circle of family and friends.

Arthur Miller: His Life And Work
Martin Gottfried
Da Capo Press/Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
0306812142 $30.00 1-800-242-7737

Expertly written by award-winning drama critic and biographer Martin Gottfried, Arthur Miller: His Life And Work is the exhaustive and superbly presented biography of the award winning American playwright, and knowledgeably examines his life and his theatrical creations in close detail. A wealth of information and insight into one man's life and his timeless, century-defining plays set Arthur Miller: His Life And Work quite apart among notable and worthy biographies. No academic or community library American Theater History or American Biography collection can be complete without the inclusion of Arthur Miller: His Life And Work.

Alberto Giacometti
Laurie Wilson
Yale University Press
Jane Wesman Public Relations (publicity)
Box 209040, New Haven, CT 06520-9040
0300090374 $40.00 1-800-987-7323

Laurie Wilson (Clinical Associate Professor of Psychiatry, NYU Medical Center, New York Center) has written the definitive biography of the skilled and talented artist Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, And The Man. Tracing Giacometti's roots from his imaginative childhood the traumas in his early life, to surviving the hardships of world wars, and the effects of his life experiences on the nature, theme, and interplay of his art, Alberto Giacometti: Myth, Magic, And The Man offers a excellent wealth of documented insights into the creation and message behind one man's great art. Alberto Giacometti is a meticulous, scholarly, seminal body of work which is especially recommended for academic library collections.

Vlad The Impaler
M. J. Trow
Sutton Publishing Limited
260 Fifth Avnue, New York, NY 10001
www.suttonpublishing.co.uk
0750929650 $22.95 1-800-462-6420

Expertly presented by crime writer and historian M. J. Trow, Vlad The Impaler: In Search Of The Real Dracula is an impressively researched, meticulously detailed, and superbly written study of the life of the ruthless historical figure whose memory and legend became the inspiration for the enduring legend of a blood-drinking, undead fiend. Yet there was a great deal more to this controversial prince (as vicious as he was), than what his legends say - he was, in historical fact, "more sinned against than sinning". Vlad had to contend with avenging the murders of his family, defending his nation-state from brutal enemies who took every pain to destroy his reputation, and who eventually became a defeated martyr, captured by the Hungarian King Corvinus. Vlad The Impaler is very highly recommended reading and a welcome addition to community library biography collections.

From A Mother's Heart
Jalaja Narayanan
Vite Publishing (BookMasters, dist)
800 Turnpike Street, Suite 300, North Andover, MA 01845
www.vitepublishinginc.com
0970654103 $32.95 1-978-557-0705

Candidly written by Jalaja Narayanan (the mother of an autistic son who has lived with her son for over two decades), From A Mother's Heart: A Journal Of Survival, Challenge, Hope is a compelling and informative personal memoir about the unpredictability of autism and the daily challenge of coping. Conflicting emotions, grueling challenges, and an critical message to other families having to deal with the medical and psychiatric condition of autism that they are not alone in their trials mark this recommended autobiography.

Jack Dempsy
Randy Roberts
University of Illinois Press
1325 South Oak Street, Champaign, IL 61820-6975
0252071484 $19.95 1-800-545-4703

Jack Dempsy: The Manassa Mauler by Randy Roberts (Professor of History, Purdue University) is a solidly written biography of the famous Heavyweight Champion of the World who held that title from 1919 to 1926. From Jack Dempsy's childhood and his rough-and-tumble beginning of a boxing career at 16; to his rise to the top -- and eventual defeat; to his retirement from boxing in 1940 with sixty-four victories (forty-nine of them by knockout), and more, Jack Dempsy: The Manassa Mauler is an excellent and very highly recommended contribution to Professional Boxing History, and a "must read" biography for dedicated fans of "the sweet science".

Korea's Sleeping Ghosts
Lt. Lee H. Miller
Word Association Publishers
205 5th Avenue, Tarentum, PA 15084
1932205500 $24.95 wordassociation.com

Korea's Sleeping Ghosts: A True Story Of Heartache, Humor, And Heroism offers the autobiographical experiences of author Lee H. Miller's struggle in the Korean War which saw a young American lieutenant sent to a far off land, endure front line combat hardships and horrors, form enduring battlefield friendships of some 40 years ago. From the bloody days of near overwhelming combat endured in a civil war that was to claim more than four million lives (including 36,000 Americans) Korea's Sleeping Ghosts is evocative, memorable, introspective, enduring, and a highly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library 20th Century Military Biography collections and reading lists.

Bette Davis
Barbara Leaming
Cooper Square Press
200 Park Avenue South, Suite 1109, New York, NY 10003
www.coopersquarepress.com
081541286X $16.00 1-800-462-6420

Theater and film professor Barbara Leaming presents Bette Davis, the informative biography of one of the most well-known actresses of the twentieth century. Leaming draws upon Bette Davis' private diaries, scrapbooks, unpublished letters, and the testimonies of friends, lovers, fellow actors, family members, as well as others who knew this truly great and complex lady. Covering both the highs and lows of her life, including her troubled marriages, and her legal battles with Warner Bros., Bette Davis is an absorbing biographical case study of a complex woman and her enduring contributions to classic American cinema.

Shakespeare
Michael Wood
Basic Books
11 Cambridge Ctr., Cambridge MA 02142
www.basicbooks.com
0465092640 $29.95 1-800-242-7737

Shakespeare by author, filmmaker, and television producer Michael Wood is a biography of the man who is justifiable considered to be the greatest playwright in the literary history of the English language. Wood delves into the archival evidence to reconstitute as accurate as possible a picture of the Elizabethan England in which William Shakespeare lived, and bringing together insights into the live and work of this gifted man, including his family, his sources of inspiration, his personal attitude on social issues, and more. Enhanced throughout with illustrations, Shakespeare is a superbly written, definitively researched, and thoroughly involving, and enthusiastically recommended biographical study.


The Civil War Shelf

"All Cut To Pieces And Gone To Hell"
Mark K. Christ, editor
August House Inc.
PO Box 3223, Little Rock, AR 72203
0874837367 $23.95 1-800-284-8784

Expertly compiled and painstakingly edited by Civil War expert Mark K. Christ, "All Cut To Pieces And Gone To Hell" carefully examines an April 18, 1864 massacre of black Union soldiers by Confederate troops. Distilling the role race relations played in the conflict, and why the usual rules of engagement were ignored in favor of wholesale bloodshed, "All Cut To Pieces And Gone To Hell" uses a variety of Civil War historical resources to expertly piece together a truly human understanding of a particular aspect of civil war history.

With Blood & Fire
Michael R. Bradley
Burd Street Press/White Mane
Box 708, Shippensburg, PA 17257-0708
1572493232 $17.95 www.amazon.com

A very strongly recommended addition to personal, academic, and community library Civil War Studies collections, With Blood & Fire: Life Behind Union Lines In Middle Tennessee, 1863-65 by Civil War expert Michael R. Bradley is a brutal and candid accounting of the devastating toll Union occupation took upon Middle Tennesee. Graphic in its detail of murder, robbery, looting, sexual assault, and more, With Blood & Fire is an expertly researched, deftly written, presentation of the hardships of war and scars that could not fully heal.

The Hoofs And Guns Of The Storm
Arnie Bernstein
Lake Claremont Press
4650 No. Rockwell St, Chicago, IL 60625
1893121062 $15.95 1-773-583-7800

The Hoofs And Guns Of The Storm: Chicago's Civil War Connections by Arnie Bernstein is an exciting compilation of history and trivia concerning Chicago's role in the American Civil War. Historical maps, and region-by-region analysis of different facets of Chicago and its connection to both President Abraham Lincoln and the Civil War itself make The Hoofs And Guns Of The Storm a fascinating trip through time and a unique contribution to the growing library of Civil War Studies reference materials.


The Philosophy Shelf

A Conceptual Understanding Of Beauty
Aron Katsenelinboigen
The Edwin Mellen Press
PO Box 450, Lewiston, NY 14092-0450
0773467181 $119.95 1-716-754-2788

A Conceptual Understanding Of Beauty, by University of Pennsylvania professor Aron Katsenelinboigen presents a scholarly and meticulous examination of what beauty truly is, how it is commonly categorized whether in analytical or other terms, empirical evidence, and much more. An erudite discourse for advanced students in Philosophy and enhanced for academia with a Glossary, Bibliography, and Index, A Conceptual Understanding Of Beauty delves into the core essence of what this popular ideal truly means with uniquely insightful literary skill and insightful revelation.

Beach Blanket Atheism
Edward P. Tolley, Jr.
SterlingHouse Publisher, Inc.
7436 Washington Av Pittsburgh PA 15218
158501043X $12.95 1-516-944-6470

Beach Blanket Atheism: The Beginner's Guide For The Non-Believer by Edward P. Tolley, Jr. combines insightful humor and a sharp logic to addressing diverse myths and questions about atheism -- one of the most misunderstood and often anathematized philosophical positions. Drawing heavily upon quotations from scholars to flesh out the concepts of skepticism, agnosticism, rationalism, and other frames of mind related to atheism, Beach Blanket Atheism is a thoughtfully written and very highly accessible guide to a better understanding the concept of atheism.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

The Handbook Of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols
Robert Beer
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
300 Massachusetts Av, Boston, MA 02115
1590301005 $18.95 shambhala.com

The Handbook Of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols by Robert Beer (who has studied and practice Tibetan thanga painting for more than thirty years) is a straightforward reference guide to the meaningful symbolism of sacred Tibetan art. Black-and-white illustrations depict all the major Buddhist symbols and motifs, while the text offers depth and interpretation behind the meaning and usage of each. The Handbook Of Tibetan Buddhist Symbols is enthusiastically recommended for inclusion into Buddhist Studies and especially informative for connoisseurs of Tibetan art.

Snow Lion Publications
PO Box 6483, Ithaca, NY 14851
1-800-950-0313 www.amazon.com

B. Alan Wallace's Buddhism With An Attitude (1559392002, $16.95) provides a different type of examination of Buddhist practice which goes beyond meditation advice to focus on the attitudes which typically need adjusting in the search for spiritual harmony. Common Western beliefs which vie with Buddhist attitudes and goals are examined in chapters which tell how to cultivate a special Buddhist awareness. The Dali Lama's classic Stages Of Meditation (1559391979, $16.95) provides the most extensive explanation His Holiness has given on classic meditation. From exercises to develop compassion to common prerequisites for meditative reflection, this provides a fine survey of classic approaches.

News From True Cultivators
Bhikshus Heng Sure & Heng Chau
Buddhist Text Translation Society
1777 Murchison Dr Burlingame CA 94010
0881394254 $13.95 1-831-883-1725

Informatively compiled by Bhikshus Heng Sure and Heng Chau, News From True Cultivators: Letters To The Venerable Abbot Hua collects together under one cover diverse observations of the Buddhist faith, ranging from insightful anecdotes; to encounters with those who do not understand Buddhism or who try to convert monks walking down the street; to the eternal quest to disassociate from selfish desires that drive humanity as a whole to do terrible things. A multifaceted and insightful look into how a Buddhist faith and the quest for harmony can shape one's life and understanding, News From True Cultivators is an impressive and recommended contribution to the growing library of Buddhist Studies literature.

The only immortality human beings can have is to live a life so distinguished, or so important, or so unusual that someone, somewhere, at sometime, will write books about them that other people will want to read.


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


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