The Gunflint Cabin
John Henricksson
Beaver's Pond Press
7104 Ohms Lane, Suite 101, Edina, MN 55439
9781592982196, $14.95 www.BeaversPondPress.com 1-952-829-8818
Award-winning author John Henricksson presents The Gunflint Cabin: A Northwoods Memoir, a memoir hodgepodge drawn from his daily life for 28 years. The Gunflint Cabin tells of encounters with wildlife, foraging for berries, creative outhouse designs, baking bread, making repairs to the water system, the continual upkeep of cabin property, and much more. An afterword deserves special note for its reference to two events that have the potential to drastically change the region: natural disasters of wind and wildfire, and perhaps more deadly, a new wave of affluence that threatens to remold the wild country into "Suburbia North". A wonderfully immersive, true tale of the ups and downs of a simpler life. Also highly recommended are Henricksson's previous two Gunflint region books, "A Wild Neighborhood" and "Gunflint: The Trail, The People, The Stories".
The Library Science Shelf
Helping Homeschoolers in the Library
Adrienne Furness
ALA Editions
50 East Huron St., Chicago, IL 60611
9780838909553, $35.00 www.alastore.ala.org 1-866-746-7252
Author Adrienne Furness (Children and Family Services Librarian, Webster Public Library) draws upon her extensive work with homeschoolers in a variety of settings to present Helping Homeschoolers in the Library, a straightforward guide for library professionals to helping homeschooling parents who use public libraries as their primary resource for learning materials. Chapters focus on the practicalities of helping homsechoolers, and cover the different homeschooling and unschooling movements; a thorough discussion of the resources that best serve homeschooling populations; ideas for programs and social opportunities the library can offer; annotated lists of recommended readings and online resources; and much more. A thoroughly useful guide that extends beyond common stereotypes to fill a growing need nationwide.
Virtual Reference On A Budget
Teresa Dalston & Michael Pullin, editors
Linworth Books
c/o Linworth Publishing, Inc.
3650 Olentangy River Road, Suite 250, Columbus, OH 43214
1586832875, $39.95, www.linworth.com
Nowhere has the phenomena of the Internet made as enduring an impact as on the storage and retrieval of information. This is particularly true for libraries, be they public, academic, corporate, governmental, or private. Collaboratively compiled and deftly co-edited by information science experts Teresa Dalston and Michael Pullin, "Virtual Reference On A Budget: Case Studies" is a 216-page compendium of 'user friendly' instruction on creating a virtual reference service in libraries by taking full advantage of Internet and World Wide Web resources without the necessity for purchasing expensive hardware and software. Of special note are the practical and easily accessible resources available to library media specialists for persuading their library boards and library administrators on the value, importance, and utility of a 'virtual' reference service for their staff members and their patrons. A superbly organized and presented manual for K-12 library media and technology specialists, readers will learn how to provide virtual reference services to special and diverse patron populations such as hearing-impaired students, the elderly, student researchers, and others. Profusely illustrated with tables and figures, "Virtual Reference On A Budget" is an essential and strongly recommended addition to academic library "Library Science" reference collections, and an enduringly useful reference for practicing librarians seeking to maximize advantages in behalf of their library patrons and staff members with respect to what the Internet has to offer (and how best to access it) within the context of a library setting.
Practical Research Methods for Librarians and Information Professionals
Susan E. Beck and Kate Manuel
Neal-Schuman Publishers
100 William Street, Suite 2004, New York, NY 10038-4512
9781555705916, $65.00 www.neal-schuman.com 1-866-672-6657
Libraries, be they public, academic, corporate, governmental, or personal, are essential resources for building and maintaining a literate, prosperous, and successful community. In the newest addition to the Neal-Schuman roster of superbly presented 'how to' manuals in the field of Library Science, author Susan E. Beck (with 20 years of experience as an academic librarian), challenges librarians to wear the Researcher hat. "Practical Research Methods for Librarians and Information Professionals" is a guide to assist librarians to become more than what they are, walking them step by step through the research process, choosing topics, creating hypotheses, and as such. It outlines everything a librarian would need to know to be an effective and efficient researcher. Highly recommended for any library science collection and for the librarians themselves.
Senior High Core Collection
Raymond Barber and Patrice Bartell
H.W. Wilson
950 University Avenue, Bronx, NY 10452
9780824210861, $245.00 www.hwwilson.com 1-800-367-6770
Now in its seventeenth updated edition, Senior High Core Collection (formerly "Senior High School Library Catalog") lists more than six thousand recommended fiction and nonfiction books for high school students, along with review sources and other professional aids especially for librarians and school media specialists. Listings are alphabetic by both title and author, and contain basic information such as each books publisher, publication date, price, recommended grades, ISBN, and a brief summary of its contents. A separate "Author, Title, Subject, and Analytical Index" enhances the user's ability to quickly find ideal library content. Updated annually with supplements recommending recently published materials, Senior High Core Collection is an indispensable tool enthusiastically recommended for senior high librarians.
The Writing/Publishing Shelf
Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up
Martha Engber
Central Avenue Press
2132-A Central SE #144, Albuquerque, NM 87106
9780971534483, $13.95, www.centralavepress.com
A good story without good characters is an impossibility. Characters are the people that the audience relates to, that the audience connects with to get themselves involved in the story. "Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up: A Thorough Primer for Writers of Fiction and Nonfiction" is a guide for writers to develop these characters to be the best they can be, by evaluating the character piece by piece. To make them truly great, author and freelance writer says, a character needs to be consistent, believable, and admirable. "Growing Great Characters From the Ground Up: A Thorough Primer for Writers of Fiction and Nonfiction" is highly recommended for any aspiring writer to be and for community library writing/publishing shelves.
The Slippery Art Of Book Reviewing
Mayra Calvani & Anne K. Edwards
Twilight Times Books
PO Box 3340, Kingsport, TN 37664
9781933353227, $16.95 www.twilighttimes.com
As long as books have been published there have been those who have felt the need to comment on them. We call such folks 'reviewers'. These literary critics can be self-appointed volunteers, freelance professionals, employed journalists and academicians whose commentaries about what is being written and published is a part of their job. Reviewers (much like the authors and publishers whose work they pass judgments upon) come in three basic categories: The Good; The Bad; and The Mediocre. There really hasn't been a 'how to' guide of any appreciable length or substance to explain the role of a book reviewer, how to become established as a credible reviewer of books, or how to create and operative a book review business. That is, there really hasn't been such an instructional manual until the publication of Mayra Calvani and Anne K. Edwards collaborative work titled "The Slippery Art Of Book Reviewing". Following an informative foreword by James A. Cox (best known within the publishing industry as the Editor-in-Chief of the Midwest Book Review), "The Slippery Art Of Book Reviewing" is divided into three major sections: 'The Art of Reviewing' which lays out in considerable detail the actual 'nuts and bolts' of what a book review actually is, how to go about reviewing books, and the basics of creating a professional reputation and maintaining a successful book review operation; 'The Influence of Book Reviews' which focuses upon the relationship of book reviews to libraries, bookstores, publishers, authors, publicists, book clubs, and readers; and 'Resources' which provides advice and extensive lists of resources for book reviews as they relate to print publications, academia, online review sites, and more. ""The Slippery Art Of Book Reviewing" concludes with providing a 'Sample of a Press Release'. Offering a wealth of practical, experience-tested advice, commentary, technical information, techniques, and resources, "The Slippery Art Of Book Reviewing" should be considered mandatory reading for novice and aspiring book reviewers, as well as having a great deal of enduring value as a reference for even the more experienced reviewer. Additionally, "The Slippery Art Of Book Reviewing" will provide to be informed and informative reading about the book review process for authors, publishers, publicists, booksellers, librarians, and the general reading public.
A Beginning, A Muddle, and an End
Avi
Harcourt
525 B Street Suite 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495
9780152055554, $14.95, www.harcourtbooks.com
Write what you know - it's a common proverb told to all writers. "A Beginning, A Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing" is a guide designed for all ages to help writers get off on the right foot in creating excellent writing, writing that people will want to read, and how to avoid the common pitfalls that so many writers tend to fall into. Composed in the form of a short fictional story that children writers will be able to relate too, and enhanced with beautiful illustrations by Tricia Tusa, "A beginning, a Muddle, and an End: The Right Way to Write Writing" is highly recommended for writers of all ages and for community library children's fiction sections as a strange bridge between picture books, chapter books, and non fiction.
Webster's All-In-One Dictionary & Thesaurus
Merriam-Webster
Federal Street Press
25-13 Old Kings Highway North, #277, Darien, CT 06820
9781596950467, $12.98, www.federalstreetpress.com 1-877-886-2830
Every reader, author, and publisher needs a good reference collection of dictionaries and thesaurus. But often space is limited to house a large collection of language reference works. "Webster's All-In-One Dictionary & Thesaurus" is ideal and recommended for a limited reference shelf space as it combines under one cover 67,000 clearly written dictionary definitions with 140,000 synonyms and antonyms. Thesaurus entry follows dictionary entry and is printed in a contrasting color making for a thoroughly 'user friendly' rapid look-up reference. Fully integrated, "Webster's All-In-One Dictionary & Thesaurus" is a 768-page hardcover compendium fully in compliance with Merriam-Webster standards. Also very highly recommended as inexpensive additions to personal, school, and community library language reference collections are Merriam-Webster's "Webster's Contemporary School & Office Thesaurus" (9781596950481, $7.98); "Webster's Contemporary School & Office Dictionary" (9781596950474, $7.98); and "Webster's New Explorer Vocabulary Skill Builder" (9781596950450, $9.98).
The National Writers Association Guide to Writing for Beginners
Sandy Whelchel
Rowman & Littlefield Education
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, Maryland 20706
9781578866854, $24.95, www.rowmaneducation.com
Anyone can be a writer. In fact, it's particularly hard to get through the public school system without at one time or another doing some form of creative writing. "The National Writers Association Guide to Writing for Beginners: A How-To Reference for Plot, Dialogue, Nonfiction, Internet Publishing, and More" is simply a guide to getting ones mind going for the process, broken into short, bite sized chunks of information easy to digest for people wanting to get themselves writing once more and how to do it well on a technical level, while serving as an introduction to the writing business as a whole complete with a wade in copyright laws. "The National Writers Association Guide to Writing for Beginners: A How-To Reference for Plot, Dialogue, Nonfiction, Internet Publishing, and More" is highly recommended for any aspiring writer just starting out and for community library collections catering to them.
The Write Type
Karen E. Peterson, Ph. D
Adams Media
57 Littlefield Street, Avon, MA 02322
9781598694703, $12.95, www.adamsmedia.com
Committed or Conflicted? Organized or Chaotic? Lunch Hour or Log Cabin? What kind of writer is one, really? "The Write Type: Discover Your True Writer's Identity and Create a Customized Writing Plan" is a guide to help writers identify with who they are as a writer by going over preferred writing conditions such as mood, organization, deadlines, solitude, order, and other aspects of ones writing that may not be obvious to everyone. "The Write Type: Discover Your True Writer's Identity and Create a Customized Writing Plan" is highly recommended for any writer who can't seem to find the right groove or mood to really start cooking, and for community library shelves dedicated to writers. Also highly recommended from Adams Media in the subject, "Time to Write: No excuses. No distractions. No more blank pages" (9781598694383, $12.95) by Kelly L. Stone.
I Don't Want to be a Pirate - Writer, Maybe
Robert S. Swiatek
Aventine Press
1023 4th Avenue #102, San Diego, CA 92101
1593305281, $12.50, www.bobcooks.com
A different kind of thief that isn't heard about too often - the ones in the book business. "I Don't Want to be a Pirate - Writer, Maybe" is Author Robert S. Swiatek's account of his adventures with a certainly treacherous industry of books. Covering all the joys, disappointments and hemorrhoids that he as a writer has had to deal with during his career, while still keeping a positive and upbeat demeanor about it all and encouraging aspiring writers not to give up and keep up their efforts. "I Don't Want to be a Pirate- Writer, Maybe" is highly recommended for would be writers and a must have for community library collections catering to them.
Rewrite
Paul Chitlik
Michael Wiese Productions
3940 Laurel Canyon Blvd., #1111, Studio City, CA, 91604
9781932907391, $16.95, www.mwp.com
It took Thomas Edison over one hundred tries to perfect the light bulb. Perfection - It's very unlikely for one to have perfection on their first try, and screen writing is no different. "Rewrite: A Step-by-Step Guide to Strengthen Structure, Characters, and Drama in Your Screenplay" is a manual for screenwriters that already have their screenplay written - but want to do everything they can to make it flat out the very best it can be. Seeking to improve your writing by improving the little aspects, as the little details can be invaluable in selling a story. "Writing is Rewriting". "Rewrite: A Step-by-Step Guide to Strengthen Structure, Characters, and Drama in Your Screenplay" is highly recommended for any screenwriter who wants to hammer out all of the kinks in their screenplay for community library collections catering to writers.
Keep It Real
Lee Gutkind, editor
W.W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, N.Y. 10110
9780393065619, $22.95, www.wwnorton.com
Who says that non-fiction has to be just the facts and nothing else? "Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction" is a guide for writers who are set to write nonfiction but want to do it with some flare, by taking the concepts of fiction - scene, dialogue, metaphor, suspense, and applies them to reality, as a way of telling the truth in the way it happened. Explaining the genre as a whole, sifting through facts to find the best story, points of view, libel fears, immersion, and so many more concepts are covered, making "Keep It Real: Everything You Need to Know About Researching and Writing Creative Nonfiction" highly recommended for anyone who wants to dive into this field.
Writers on the Job
Thomas E. Kennedy & Walter Cummins
Hopewell Publications
P.O. Box 11, Titusville, NJ 08560-0011
9781933435213, $15.95, http://www.hopepubs.com
Writing is not a job that pays well at entry level. In fact, it's not a job that pays at all for most - "Writers on the Job: Tales of the Non-Writing Life" has twenty writers telling their stories of working the grind - something familiar to many in the entertainment industry of waiting tables to get their big break. Twenty writers tell their stories of how they get along while submitting their stories, novels, and essays abroad, sure to be an inspiration to many trying to hack their way through the craft. "Writers on the Job: Tales of the Non-Writing Life" is highly recommended to any writer just starting out, and for community library writing/publishing collections with a focus on memoirs.
From Brainstorm to Bestseller
Marsha Haigh Arend
Rollaway Bay Publications, Inc.
6334 South Racine Circle, Centennial, Colorado 80111-6404
9780974317625, $9.95 www.rollawaybay.com
Writing is a literary skill. Publishing is an entrepreneurial task. Aspiring authors wanting their books read by as wide an audience as possible, must acquire an expertise in both areas. Written by entrepreneur, consultant, and public speaker Marsha Haigh Arend, From Brainstorm to Bestseller: A Step-by-Step Guide to Writing and Publishing Your First Book is a solidly practical guide to putting together a fiction or nonfiction book, polishing it, and getting one's feet wet in the complex world of publishing. Chapters discuss how to revise and edit like a professional, conventional publishing wisdom, the importance of learning good speaking skills (did you think you wouldn't have to speak in public if you were a writer? Think again!) and much more. Though From Brainstorm to Bestseller endorses the publish-on-demand option, it does not disparage other options and offers guidelines in selecting the right publisher for one's needs. An excellent primer for aspiring book writers.
The Voice of the Muse
Mark David Gerson
Light Lines Media
223 N. Guadalupe St. Unit 171, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501
9780979547553, $17.00, www.lightlinesmedia.com
The Award winning author of The Moonquest, Mark David Gerson, now imparts his wisdom to help aspiring writers become more than that in "The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write". Promoting various and varied techniques to assist would-be authors to help get their ideas down effectively on paper, "The Voice of the Muse: Answering the Call to Write" suggests tips to create fascinating worlds and characters that people will love to read about and want to see more of. "The Voice of the Muse" is highly recommended to wanna-be writers everywhere and for community library writing/publishing shelves.
As-I-Learn Poetry
Terrence Clark Wilson
Outskirts Press, Inc.
10940 South Parker Road, #515, Parker, CO 80134
9781432717711, $8.95 www.outskirtspress.com 1-888-672-6657
It is said that everyone has at least one good novel in them, but "As-I-Learn Poetry: or I Can Write and So Can You - A Spiritual Approach" believes it can apply to poetry as well. Although filled with grand, elaborate poetry throughout, "As-I-Learn Poetry: or I Can Write and So Can You - A Spiritual Approach" acts as a guide to make the reader a better writer, whether it be for poetry or pose, explaining vital life lessons and knowledge that should be available to all. Highly recommended to both poetry and writing shelves alike, and for any aspiring poet or writer who needs some extra advice for their craft.
The Art of Plotting
Linda J. Cowgill
Lone Eagle
c/o Watson-Guptill Publications
770 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9781580650700, $18.95 www.watsonguptill.com
Plot is the meat and main course of any and all fiction scripts script regardless of film genres - without a good plot, it takes a miracle to have a good movie. "The Art of Plotting: Add Emotion, Suspense, and Depth to your Screenplay" covers all you need to know to make your plot the best it can be, explaining the complex principles, advice on integrating characterization and exposition to make the story more compelling, how to spot and overcome common plot problems, and demonstrate how plot can enhance everything else about your screenplay. "The Art of Plotting: Add Emotion, Suspense, and Depth to your Screenplay" is enthusiastically recommended to aspiring screen writers everywhere and deserves a place on any community library's Writing and/or Film Studies instructional reference collection.
The Fine Print Of Self-Publishing
Mark Levine
Bridgeway Books
c/o Bascom Hill Publishing Group
213 Third Avenue North, Suite 471, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781933538563, $16.95, www.book-publishers-compared.com
There is a memorable scene in the western movie "The Magnificent Seven" where Eli Wallach (playing the role of a Mexican bandit chief) leans over his saddle and says to Yul Brenner (playing the role of a mercenary gunfighter hired to protect a small Mexican village) that with respect to the villagers, "If God did not want them sheared, he would not have made them sheep!". I've often thought that all to often this was the kind of business ethic that many self-publishing or POD (print-on-demand) companies had toward their author clients. Now whenever I'm asked for my advice on POD companies, I'm going to give them the urgent recommendation that they read Mark Levine's "The Fine Print Of Self-Publishing: The Contracts & Services Of 48 Self-Publishing Companies -- Analyzed, Ranked & Exposed" from cover to cover. The focus is upon that all important contract between an author and a publishing company that is willing to take the author's manuscript and turn the authors manuscript into a published book -- for a fee. This handy, 'reader friendly' and 'user friendly' manual is packed from beginning to end with exactly the kind of publishing contract information needed to avoid being cheated, to insure getting what's expected, and to make the capital investment as wisely as possible in terms of selecting the vendor who will provide the best publishing services possible for those authors who cannot get their work published by traditional publishers and/or who do not (or cannot) simply publish themselves. Of special note is Chapter 9 "Publishers To Avoid". The key is the contract -- with all its component parts and fine print. Before signing a publishing contract with any POD company, read Mark Levine's "The Fine Print Of Self-Publishing", it could save you money, anxiety, and disappointment, while increasing your chances for success, sales, and fulfilled expectations.
A History of the Frankfurt Book Fair
Peter Weidhaas, author
C.M. Gossage and W.A. Wright, translators
The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
9781550027440, $40.00 www.dundurn.com
Book fairs have been an important part of the publishing industry since the days of Gutenberg and the invention of movable type. Recognized as the Mecca for all who are connected to the book publishing industry, the Frankfurt Book Fair is over five hundred years old. "A History of the Frankfurt Book Fair" looks to cover all of its history, as covered by the director of the event for a quarter of a century, and author of "A History of the Frankfurt Book Fair", Peter Weidhaas. Fascinating, expertly written, and full of anecdotes and insights, "A History of the Frankfurt Book Fair" is strongly recommended as a core addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library collections, as well as the for non-specialist general reader seeking to learn more about the origin of the model that all modern book fairs follow.
The Library DVD Shelf
7 Ways to Block a Cyberbully
Learning ZoneXPress
PO Box 1022, Owatonna, MN 55060
1571756337, $79.95 1-888-455-7003
Designed for viewers from grade 6 to adult, 7 Ways to Block a Cyberbully is an educational DVD to cyber self-defense in the modern world of the Internet, social networking sites, text messaging and cell phones. 7 Ways to Block a Cyberbully outlines seven different and practical strategies to deal with cyberbullying: understanding the e-bully, protecting one's passwords, guarding personal information, using protective software, cutting off communications as needed, avoiding the trap of revenge, and telling someone responsible. A bonus section "Cyberbully: The Adult Role" further discusses seven ways that parents and educators can work together to stop cyberbullying. Teaching materials are included in this invaluable and timely addition to modern homeroom curriculums. 20 minutes, closed-captioned.
Florence: Cradle of the Renaissance
V.I.E.W. Video
34 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010
0803020511, $14.98 www.view.com
Part of the Museum City Series, Florence: Cradle of the Renaissance is an amazing DVD tour of Italy's cultural center, known for being the epicenter of a cultural rebirth in art, architecture, and philosophy during the 15th century. Taking the viewer on a tour of Florence's most well-known masterpieces, including Michelangelo's David, The Bapistry Doors, Giotto's Bell Tower, the Pazzi Chapel, the Medici and Uffizi palaces, and the Birth of Venus, Florence: Cradle of the Renaissance celebrates both great art and landmark history. A Florence museum guide rounds out this unforgettable voyage, especially recommended for armchair travelers, and surely the next best thing to flying to Florence to see its great treasures in person. 33 minutes, digitally mastered audio & video.
Snake Yoga
Le'ema Kathleen Graham
Goddess Work
c/o Wendy Brickman (publicity)
Brickman@brickmanmarketing.com
leema@snakepriestess.com
9780980043907, $24.95 www.snakeyoga.com
Snake priestess, visionary sacred dancer, and certified yoga teacher of 25 years' experience Le'ema Kathleen Graham presents Snake Yoga: Sacred Feminine Wisdom, a guided tour to practicing the Yin-style Snake Yoga that promotes intuitive intelligence, energy, serenity, and focus. Designed to be accessible to beginners and experienced yoga practitioners alike, Snake Yoga teaches deep relaxation, conscious breathing to release tension, and quiet in the mind, as well as undulating floor poses, back bends, and inversions that promote a strong and supple spine. An isolated music score, interview with Graham, and a supplementary Snake Yoga booklet round out this wonderful and invigorating addition to personal yoga DVD libraries. 65 min.
Makeup Assignment
BVM Productions
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
DVD, $29.95, www.makeupassignment.com
Expert makeup artist Monique Powers presents Makeup Assignment: Apply, Blend, Create, a DVD makeover instructional for women of all ages and ethnicities. Offering tips, tricks, and techniques such as how to conceal blemishes and dark circles, how to correctly apply eye shadow and eyeliner, create fuller lips, apply false eyelashes, and more, Makeup Assignment blends step-by-step instructions with straightforward video demonstration. The result is expert guidance to quickly and easily creating one's own beautiful look while streamlining one's makeup routine. Highly recommended for any woman interested in mastering simple techniques for looking her best. 47 minutes.
Pat Boone Presents For My Country: The History of the National Guard
MagicPlay Entertainment
28494 Westinghouse Pl., Suite 313, Santa Clarita, CA 91355-0930
411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
DVD, $19.99, http://www.magicplay-ent.com
Music icon Pat Boone narrates For My Country: The History of the National Guard, a patriotic documentary on DVD chronicling the impact that America's national guard has had upon its history. Created in tribute to the men and women who have dedicated their time, effort, and very lives to protecting the nation, For My Country includes exclusive interviews with soldiers and their families, behind-the-scenes footage, and a bonus music CD in addition to the DVD itself. A respectful historical tribute commemorating all who have served in the National Guard, past and present. 50 minutes.
Building Green
Kevin Contreras, host
WGBH Boston Video
c/o SSA Public Relations
16027 Ventura Boulevard, Suite 206, Encino, CA 91436
9781593758332, $49.95, www.ssapr.com
Host Kevin Contreras invites viewers to witness the creation of his eco-friendly dream home in Building Green, a thinpack DVD set of the show originally shown on public television. Each stage of the construction process introduces the viewer to new easy, cost-effective, and health-promoting ways to go green, dispelling myths about environmentally-conscious lifestyles. From guidance on straw bale construction to the benefits of breathable paints, blue jean insulation, and much more, Building Green includes numerous guest visits from experts in the field offering hands-on instruction and the latest green tips, tricks, and techniques. Highly recommended for anyone interested in lightening the footprint their home leaves on the planet. 3 DVDs, 325 minutes.
The Unknown Soldier
Michael Verhoeven
First Run Features
630 Ninth Avenue, Suite 1213, New York, NY 10036
DVD, $24.95, www.firstrunfeatures.com 1-800-229-8575
The horrific crimes of the Waffen SS and Gestapo of Germany's Nazi regime are well known, but ordinary German soldiers are usually seen as mere pawns in the genocide. The Unknown Soldier is a DVD documentary of Germany's controversial Wehrmacht Exhibition, which reveals a contrary and gruesome truth about war crimes committed by ordinary enlisted German troops. Though nationalist and far right groups protested the Wehrmacht Exhibition, alleging it to be slander, Director Michael Verhoeven interviewed historians, experts, soldiers, and eyewitnesses as well as traveling to the killing fields of the Eastern Front to create an unflinching look at the cold truth. Bonus materials include an archival photo gallery and a World War II film trailer gallery. The result is a much-needed addition to public library collections and World War II DVD documentary shelves. 97 minutes, black-and-white and color, German with English subtitles.
The Order of the Alchemists
Philip Gardiner
Reality Films
PO Box 91, Foresthill, CA 95631
$24.95 www.reality-entertainment.com www.real2can.com
The Order of the Alchemists: The Knights of Malta and Cagliostro is a DVD uncovering the mysterious history of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, as well as the various occult and nefarious forces at work behind them. An order contemporary with the Knights Templar yet much less well known, the Knights of Malta and Cagliostro battled against the Ottoman forces and was later embroiled in the alchemical domain of the Grand Master. Who were these Knights, who gave them their authority, and what was their role in world history? Highlighted by computer-generated reconstructions and exclusive footage filmed in the Order's Sacra Infirmeria, among other historic European locations, The Order of the Alchemists is a singularly fascinating look into an ancient group's dedication to the twin arts of war and metaphysical studies.
Tony Robinson's Cunning Night Out!
Tony Robinson
Acorn Media Group
801 Roeder Road, Suite 700, Silver Spring, MD 20910
AM-8033, $24.99 www.acornmedia.com
Tony Robinson's Cunning Night Out! is the uproariously funny DVD of a stand-up comedy performance by British television actor Tony Robinson, perhaps best known for his role of Baldrick in the hilarious British sitcom "Black Adder", and his infamous refrain, "I have a cunning plan!" Tony Robinson gives the snigger-inducing scoop on everything from the secrets hidden within common surnames (many last names indicate that our ancestors worked horrible jobs, such as "Kellogg", which can be traced back to hog butchering), to the creation of the "Maid Marian" television show (ostensibly a children's program but so popular that one college closed its bar when "Maid Marian" aired), to when Robinson worked with John Wayne and was literally pushed into a river of liquid filth as part of the shoot. Fans of "Black Adder" will not be disappointed; he gives plenty of hysterical anecdotes from the series, including one particularly raunchy "Black Adder" joke that never aired (because the actress was too mortified and refused to say the line)! Truly a laugh-out-loud viewing experience, seasoned with just a dash of history for personal enrichment, highly recommended for comedy lovers everywhere and a "must-have" for "Black Adder" fans. 83 minutes, widescreen, color.
The Moscow Sax Quintet
V.I.E.W. Video
34 East 23rd Street, New York, NY 10010
0803023189, $19.98 www.view.com 212-674-5550
The Moscow Sax Quintet: The Jazznost Tour is a DVD presentation of one of the finest Jazz groups in the world, a group consisting of five saxophonists and a rhythm section. The song selections present are "In the Mood", "Yardbird Suite", "Parker's Mood", "Four Brothers", "Your Eyes", "I Got Rhythm", "Smashing Thirds", "Smooth Sailing", "Donna Lee", "Waltz for Debbie", "Crazy Rhythm", "Michelle" and "Flight of the Bumble Bee". DVD bonus features include a picture gallery and an "About the Moscow Sax Quintet" section. Featuring Dolby stereo audio and remastered audio & video, The Moscow Sax Quintet perfectly captures this amazing professional group's American performance, and is especially recommended for jazz enthusiasts. 62 minutes, color.
The Martial Arts Shelf
Secrets of Sinawali
Joseph Simonet and Addy Hernandez
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
805966053530, $59.95 www.paladin-press.com 1-800-392-2400
Certified martial arts instructors Joseph Simonet and Addy Hernandez present Secrets of Sinawali, an instructional DVD designed to teach viewers the moves of Sinawali, a.k.a. double-stick training, the cornerstone of Filipino martial arts. Techniques designed to hone striking power, speed, and the ability to quickly identify and incapacitate vulnerable targets on an opponent's body are taught through step-by-step instruction and twenty-seven Sinawali drills. Instruction in modifying these drills to half-beat strikes, reverse-grip strikes, and extended combinations and variations of basic movements further round out fascinating production (intended for informational purposes only)! 1 DVD, 157 minutes.
Gracie Jiu-Jitsu
Grand Master Helio Gracie
Gracie Publications, Inc.
1951 West Carson Street, Torrance, CA 90501
0975941119, $70.00, www.graciepublications.com
Rorion Gracie created the "Ultimate Fighting Championship"event in 1993. This no-holds-barred tournament pitted all the different martial arts styles and traditions against each other in free form combat of no rules and no time limits. This iconoclastic approach created a furor within the martial arts community and from this unique approach arose one particular martial arts as being superior to all the others. It was called 'Gracie Jiu-Jitsu'. This unique approach to the martial arts in all of the associated moves of both defense and offence are thoroughly illustrated with step-by-step photographs in "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu", a 275-page compendium of instruction that is enhanced with the inclusion of Grand Master Helio Gracie's life story, his teaching principles, and the 'Gracie Diet'. As thoroughly 'user friendly' as it is Informed and informative, "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu" is strongly recommended for personal, academic, and community library Martial Arts reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
The Library CD Music Shelf
Dances of Resistance
Babylon Circus
Mr. Bongo Records
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
PO Box 1788, Bloomington, Indiana 47402-1788
CD, $11.99 www.rockpaperscissors.biz
Dances of Resistance is the latest album by Babylon Circus, a group of French ska/reggae/punk music artists known for their wild stage antics, whose musical performance blends elements of Balkan Gypsy music, the works of great French singers, and even a touch reminiscent of Bob Marley. Featuring a distinctively jubilant effusion of sound, Dances of Resistance addresses social and political issues as well; much of their music has a subtler meaning lurking under the celebratory surface. A wonderfully enthusiastic album, highly recommended for international music CD and public library collections. The tracks are Contra La Guerra: Greava General!, Dances of Resistance, No Competition, Circus, De la Misque et du Bruit, Mr. Clown, J'aurais Bien Voulu, Interlude Barbare, Musical Terrorism Act, Warlord, Parade Acoustique, Sailor's Wife, La Caravane, Lost in the Jungle, L'huile Sur le Feu, Petite Caravane Barbare, My Friend, and "guest ghost track" A la Foire Sur un Air de Carovalse.
Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac
Ahn Trio
Sony BMG Music Entertainment
550 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10022-3211
c/o The Creative Company (publicity)
123 South Broad Street, Mankato, MN 56001
88697-27208-2, $16.97, 1-800-445-6209 www.sonybmgmasterworks.com
The Korean-born, Julliard-trained Ahn sisters (violinist Angella, pianist Lucia and cellist Marcia) present Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac, an album that revitalizes common conceptions 21st century classical music with its unique blend of old and new. Incorporating elements of new age, jazz, pop, folk, minimalism, lounge, hip-hop and more into traditional styles, their latest album Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac transcends barriers as a refreshingly unique creation. The track list (including eight brand-new recordings) is "Dies Irie", "Magic Hour", "My Funny Valentine", "Lullaby for my Favorite Insomniac", "Big My Secret", "All I Want", "Heart Asks Pleasure First", "Dream", "Oblivion", "Song on the Land", "This Is Not America", "Solitary Singer", "Lullaby for My Favorite Insomniac (Tao of Sound Remix)", "Song on the Land (DJ Spooky Remix)", "This Is Not America (Superdrive - This Is America Mix)", and "My Funny Valentine (Ra.D - My Funny Baby Mix)". The club remix tracks especially stand out since they are the result of international sound designers working their magic with some of the Ahn sisters' most popular tunes. A rousing tour de force of classical music like never heard before.
Long Way Home
Don Immel
Elemental Music
c/o The Creative Company (publicity)
123 South Broad Street, Mankato, MN 56001
DTI 1001, $15.00, 1-800-445-6209
Don Immel's debut solo album Long Way Home reveals his talent as one of the best trombonists in the world, equally at home playing jazz, classical, pop and more. In Long Way Home, the trombone is brought back into the foreground as a lead instrument, whether in smooth jazz or soft techno complemented by electronica (now known as the chill music genre). The soul-stirring tracks are "Long Way Home" (3:57), "Fool's Full Quiver" (4:29), "See the Memo" (5:05), "Whole Lotta" (5:21), "Still in Love" (4:46), "Lemonade Alchemy" (4:45), "Leaving Paradise" (4:18), "Dualife" (6:08), "Charm Offensive" (3:46), and "Last Dance" (3:01). A joyful music experience especially recommended for anyone interested in discovering the full soundscape capabilities of the trombone for themselves.
The Audiobook Shelf
Beyond the White House
Jimmy Carter, author
Tom Stechschulte and Barbara Caruso
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road, Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781428195097, $77.75 www.recordedbooks.com 1-800-638-1304
Pulitzer Prize winner and former President Jimmy Carter presents his memoir/retrospective on twenty-five years of humanitarian work in Beyond the White House: Waging Peace, Fighting Disease, Building Hope, now available in an unabridged audiobook on CD with tracks every three minutes for easy bookmarking. Narrated by Tom Stechschulte and Barbara Caruso, Beyond the White House tells of Carter's travels to distant, often war-torn lands from Haiti to Ethiopia on missions of peacekeeping, as well as his efforts to combat disease. Though told in Carter's plain-spoken, folksy manner, Beyond the White House not only illuminates his world-spanning efforts to do good, but also challenges the listener to think and act in ways that promote responsible worldwide social ethics. Highly recommended. 7 CDs, 7 3/4 hours.
The Outsider's Edge
Brent D. Taylor, author
Adrian Mulraney, narrator
Bolinda Publishing, Inc.
48 Oxford Woods, Falmouth, ME 04105-3401
9781921415173, $118.95 www.bolinda.com 1-888-235-2019
The Outsider's Edge: The Making of Self-Made Billionaires is an unabridged audiobook analysis of seventeen modern billionaires who earned their fortune under their own power, including Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, George Soros, Steve Jobs, Ralph Lauren, George Lucas, Steven Spielberg, Oprah Winfrey, and more. Close study reveals a remarkable common personality trait - all seventeen are outsiders, whose advantage comes from marching to their own drummer outside of the lockstep synchronicity of everyone else. Combining that unique quality with determination, intelligence, and ambition proved to be their catalyst to wealth. Read aloud by voice artist Adrian Mulraney, The Outsider's Edge is an excellent motivational audiobook that encourages the listener to hone his or her individual strengths. 12 CDs, 13 hours 40 minutes.
The Invisible
Andrew Britton, author
J. Charles, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887, Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781423307495, $39.95 www.brillianceaudio.com 1-800-854-7859
Performed by professional theater, radio, television, and film veteran J. Charles, The Invisible is an unabridged audiobook of suspense. Following covert counterterrorism operative Ryan Kealey, The Invisible is set amid record-breaking tensions between Pakistan and India. When an ambush near Islamabad causes the secretary of state disappears, Kealey must team up with British-born analyst Naomi Kharmai - but Kharmai appears to be gradually losing personal stability the closer Kealey gets to his target! A gripping saga of deceit and betrayal, with nuclear tensions in the balance. 13 CDs, approximately 15 hours.
The Native American Shelf
While God Was Hidden
Loren Dean Boutin
North Star Press of St. Cloud
PO Box 451, St. Cloud, MN 56302-0451
9780878392728, $14.95 www.northstarpress.com 1-888-820-1636
Like Christianity, Native American spirituality is not monolithic, but, while based on certain universal concepts of morality and ethics, it is as diverse and variable as the tribes and tribal traditions that comprise the varied Native American tribal cultures. A psychologist who has extensively worked as a volunteer with the Mankato Wacipi in Minnesota for many years, Loren Dean Boutin became a kind of 'reluctant convert' to concepts and practices embodied within Native American spiritual traditions and practices. His experiences with the Native American people he has encountered, worked with, and came to respect is represented within the pages that comprise "While God Was Hidden: A Spiritual Evolution". This articulate, deftly written, engagingly anecdotal, and candidly biographical account is as informed and informative as it is inspired and inspiring. Especially recommended reading for students of Native American culture, "While God Was Hidden" is a seminal and valued contribution to personal, academic, and community library Religion & Spirituality as well as Contemporary Native American Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.
In the Shadow of the Eagle
Donna M. Loring
Tilbury House, Publishers
8 Mechanic Street, Gardiner, Maine 04345
9780884483021, $20.00 www.tilburyhouse.com 1-800-582-1899
Maine is the only American state to have tribal representatives seated in its legislative body, a practice that originated in the 1820s. The representatives from the Penobscot Nation and the Passamquoddy Tribe don't have the power to vote, but they do serve on committees and may chair study committees. Author Donna Loring served as a representative of the Penobscot Nation; In the Shadow of the Eagle: A Tribal Representative in Maine is the story of her fight to have her voice heard. She was deeply involved in issues such as the drive to change offensive names; the teaching of Native American history in Maine schools; casinos and racinos; and the interpretation of sovereign rights for tribes. Written in first-person perspective, In the Shadow of the Eagle tells Loring's story of her tireless job from the beginning of 2000 to the spring of 2002, interspersed with a handful of black-and-white photographs. Highly recommended, especially for Native American studies shelves. "I find that most people who are against a casino are well-to-do or are against it for moral reasons. In Kittery, for instance, they are often people from out of state who have moved to Maine to retire or who are wealthy and have moved to Maine to be left alone... Maine people who are poor or who have lost their jobs are more willing to consider the casino alternative."
Aboriginal Architecture: Living Architecture
Mushkeg Productions with the National Film Board of Canada
Bullfrog Films, Inc.
PO Box 149, Oley, PA 19547
0772212090, $295.00 www.bullfrogfilms.com 1-800-543-3764
Aboriginal Architecture: Living Architecture is an educational DVD that examines the wondrous diversity of North American Native architecture - both through history and with regard to its ramifications upon modern-day construction. Offering a virtual tour of seven Aboriginal communities (Pueblo, Mohawk, Inuit, Crow, Navajo, Coast Salish and Haida), Aboriginal Architecture portrays native design concepts not as a dead, abandoned art form, but as a living, breathing source of inspiration and practicality for architecture in the present day. Modern Aboriginal architects drawing upon the ancient precepts present their stories and revelations, in this wonderfully enriching documentary. Aboriginal Architecture: Living Architecture is especially recommended for classroom viewing by students in grades seven to twelve as well as adult, particularly those engaged in architectural or Native American studies. 93 minutes, closed captioned, color.
The Cookbook Shelf
Savannah Classic Desserts
Janice Shay
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589805460, $15.95 www.pelicanpub.com 1-800-843-1724
The American South is famous for its regional cuisine. Beautifully enhanced throughout with the color photography of Deborah Whitlaw Llewellyn, "Savannah Classic Desserts: Recipes From Favorite Restaurants" is an outstanding collection of recipes by Janice Shay (who combines a history lesson on some of the most popular restaurants and cafes in Savannah, Georgia), with signature dishes that superbly reflect the diversity, culinary traditions, and gourmet qualities of the desserts served. These are desserts that are as 'kitchen cook friendly' to prepare as they are palate pleasing and appetite satisfying to consume. Ranging from a Red Velvet Cake (Susan Mason Catering); to a Peach and blackberry Cobbler (North Beach Grill); to Southern Comfort Peach Bread Pudding, with Vanilla Ice Cream & Southern Comfort Creme Anglaise (Firefly Cafe); to Sugar & Spice Pecans (River Street Sweets), "Savannah Classic Deserts" clearly lives up to the promise of its title and is enthusiastically recommended for personal and community library cookbook collections!
Trattoria Grappolo
Leonardo Curti & James O. Fraioli
Gibbs Smith, Publisher
PO Box 667, Layton UT 84041
9781423602156, $29.95 www.gibbs-smith.com 1-800-748-5439
Simply stated, Italian cuisine is regionally diverse, ranges from the simple to the sophisticated, and is popular world-wide. "Trattoria Grappolo: Simple Recipes For Traditional Italian Cuisine" is a superb collection of illustrated recipes compiled by master of Italian cuisine Leonardo Curti (Executive chef and co-proprietor of the Trattoria Grappolo bistro in Santa Ynez, California), with the assistance of professional writer, photographer, and restauranteur James O. Fraioli. The 'kitchen cook friendly' recipes comprising "Trattoria Grappolo" are paired with wines from more than seventy-five participating wineries. The result is a superb blending of Italian food and wine culinary traditions. From Fiori di Zucca Ripieni (Stuffed Zucchini Blossoms); Coppette di Pesce alla San Pietro (Tropical Seafood Salad); and Pizza Prosciutto Crudo e Carciofi (Pizza with Prosciutto and artichoke); to Penne con Funghi Salsiccia (Penne Pasta with Mushrooms and Sausage); Petto di Pollo alla Salvia (Sauteed Chicken with Milk, Sage and Garlic); and Crostata di Mele con Gelato di Vaniglia (Warm Caramelized Apple Tart with Vanilla Gelato), "Trattoria Grappolo" is a welcome and prestigious addition to any personal, professional, or community library cookbook collection.
Gluten Free And Easy
Robyn Russell
Sellers Publishing
81 West Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
9781569069967, $16.95 www.makefun.com 1-800-625-3386
Food allergies such as those with respect to gluten are a serious matter. Fortunately for those who must avoid gluten there are cookbooks offering wonderfully tasty dishes that are suitable for every dining occasion be it a family breakfast or an intimate supper. Among the best of these is "Gluten Free And Easy", a beautifully illustrated compilation of ninety recipes for baked goods, sups, salads, main dishes and more. Enhanced with a kitchen-tested, gluten-free flour recipes that is as dependable as it is easy, "Gluten Free And Easy" also features an enduring list of essential pantry items for kitchen cooks preparing gluten free menus. Herself someone with celiac disease who must therefore avoid gluten in her diet, Robyn Russell has devoted years to the development and testing of gluten-free recipes. Therefore she brings considerable experience and expertise to the entirety of her recipe collection which ranges from an Apple and Raspberry Quick Bread; to a Quinoa, Eggplant, and Chickpea Salad; to Thai-style Chicken Balls; to a Chocolate and Coffee Layer Cake. "Gluten Free And Easy" offers gluten-free gourmet quality recipes guaranteed to please any palate and satisfy any appetite!
Regional Greek Cooking
Dean Karayanis & Catherine Karayanis
Hippocrene Books, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780781811460, $24.95 www.hippocrenebooks.com
Greek cuisine and culinary traditions are far more diverse than the gyros, spinach pies, and baklava desserts that Americans have learned to enjoy. Experienced experts in Greek cooking, the husband and wife team of Dean and Catherine Karayanis has compiled more than 220 thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' Greek dishes that reflect diverse regions of key regions of mainland Greece and the many Greek island. Greek culinary traditions reflect the influences of North Africa's Arabic populations, to Sephardic Jews of Spain, and all the Mediterranean countries that Greek sailing ships did commerce with. Of special note are the recipes for Greek drinks entailing regional wines, ouzos, micro-brewed beers, teas, coffees, and more. Enhanced with glossaries of Greek cooking terms, wine terms, and ingredients essential to authentic Greek dishes, the recipes themselves range from Slices of Park Filled with Plums in Dark Sauce; Pumpkin Pie with Myzithra Cheese; and Coconut-Ouzo Syrup Cake; to Aphrodite Stuffed Squid; Pontian Tart with a Yogurt and Nigella Crust; Roast Lamb from Rhodes; and Corfiot Pudding with Apples. Superbly organized and presented, "Regional Greek Cooking" is a seminal addition to personal, professional, and community library ethnic cookbook reference collections.
The International Studies Shelf
The New European Union
Steve Wood and Wolfgang Quaisser
Lynne Rienner Publishers
1800 30th Street, Suite 314, Boulder, CO 80301
9781588265531, $22.00 www.rienner.com
Ever since the introduction of the Euro, Europe has been becoming more integrated with each other than ever. "The New European Union: Confronting the Challenges of Integration" explores all the consequences, beneficial and harmful, be it political, economic, or strategic, of the continuing unification of Europe. Authors Steve Wood (a political and international studies lecturer at Flinders University) and Wolfgang Quaisser (senior researcher at the Osteuropa Institute) offer their relevant expertise to make "The New European Union: Confronting the Challenges of Integration" a vital acquisition for any community library international studies shelf.
Imagined Homes
Hans Werner
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887557019, $29.95 www.umanitoba.ca/uofmpress 1-800-565-9523
While immigration is usually considered to be moving from a country of origin to a foreign nation, it can also refer to ethnic populations returning from their present country to the one from which their ancestors had originated in an earlier migration. Such was the case for groups of ethnic Germans located within the borders of the Soviet Union who, during the years of the Cold War, migrated out of the Soviet Union, some to Canada during the late 1940s and early 1950s, some to West Germany during the early 1970s. This is the subject of a seminal study by academician Hans Werner (Professor of History, University of Winnipeg) who found that those ethnic Germans settling in Winnipeg, Canada expected to have to learn a new language, adjust to different customs, and generally assimilate into an society and culture unlike that with which they had drown up. Professor Werner then contrasts this group's expectations and experiences with those of the later group of ethnic Germans from the Soviet Union who settled in Bielefeld, Germany, thinking that they were essentially 'coming home' to a culture, language, and society within which they would quickly and easily assimilate. Drawing upon illustrative oral accounts and writings from members of each of these groups of emigres, "Imagined Homes: Soviet German Immigrants In Two Cities" is a seminal sociological study employing a cross-cultural comparative framework that also encompasses the factors of how the receiving societies viewed the new arrivals, the impact of secularization, evolving sexual mores, and media revolutions influenced the perceptions of all sectors of the receiving communities, and how these factors impacted the two diverse immigrant experiences. A superbly crafted and deftly presented study, "Imagined Homes" is especially recommended reading for students of 20th Canadian History, 20th Century German History, and Immigration Studies, as well as a valued addition to academic library 20th Century Sociological Studies reference collections.
The Shaping of Foreign Policy
Harold Karan Jacobson & William Zimmerman (Editors)
Aldine Transaction
c/o Transaction Publishers
35 Berrue Circle, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854-8042
9780202309958, $24.95, www.transactionpub.com
With all the international turmoil and conflict that occurs in today's world, at some point you have to ask how exactly are these foreign policy decisions made? "The Shaping of Foreign Policy", in a new edition, hopes to answer those questions. With seven essays covering all of the basics of foreign policy - systematic, governmental, societal, idiosyncratic, and more. With examples illustrated such as the tense Soviet Union- United States of America relations and contributions by highly respected and noted diplomat Henry A. Kissinger, it really and thoroughly covers anything a non-specialized general interest reader would want to know, while being scholarly and academic enough for any college community library international studies collection.
Costa Rica: A Global Studies Handbook
Meg Tyler Mitchell and Scott Pentzer
ABC-CLIO
PO Box 1911, Santa Barbara, CA 93116-1911
9781851099924, $55.00 www.abc-clio.com 1-800-368-6868
Part of the Global Studies: Latin America & The Caribbean series, Costa Rica: A Global Studies Handbook is a solid educational text written for students, travelers, businesspeople, and anyone interested in gaining a better understanding of this beautiful nation. Costa Rica: A Global Studies Handbook is divided into a narrative section (which relates the history of the land along with information about its politics, institutions, society, and culture) and a reference section (which has a timeline of key events in Costa Rican history, a listing of significant Costa Rican organizations, and entries of key Costa Rican historical figures, places, and events). An annotated bibliography and an index round out this down-to-earth, highly readable primer.
The Psychology Shelf
Dieting, Overweight, and Obesity
Wolfgang Stroebe
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002-4242
9781433803352, $59.95 www.apa.org/books 1-800-368-5777
Will Power can only do so much - there's a point where temptation can break people. "Dieting, Overweight, and Obesity: Self-Regulation in a Food-Rich Environment" examines why self-regulation is such a difficult thing for so many people in America and the World. The World Health Organization has declared Obesity a global epidemic and author Wolfgang Stroebe, a professor of social psychology, explores the idea that the major obstacle for dieting is the desire to enjoy good, tasty food, and that being around so much of it is what is fueling the epidemic. "Dieting, Overweight, and Obesity: Self-Regulation in a Food-Rich Environment" is highly recommended to psychology shelves and health shelves alike for the dual take on the nuances of America and the world's growing waistline and obesity problem.
Treating Stress and Anxiety
Lillian Nejad Ph.D. and Katerina Volny BSc
Crown House Publishing
6 Townbridge Drive, Suite 5, Bethel, CT, 06810-2858
9781845900779, $44.95 www.CHPUS.com 1-877-925-1213
Treating Stress and Anxiety: A Practitioner's Guide to Evidence-Based Approaches is a guide for clinicians and therapists to evidence-based cognitive behavioral techniques that can help reduce patients' stress and anxiety, as well as enhance their overall quality of life. Chapters discuss basic emotional health maintenance (including watching one's diet, engaging in regular exercise, getting sufficient sleep, and properly managing time), relaxation and breathing exercises, confronting fears, tips for managing persistent harmful thoughts, preventing relapses, and much more. "When an individual is particularly vulnerable or experiencing severe ongoing stress, they may often be in crisis. When in a crisis state, it is very difficult to maintain work towards longer term goals and to try new and challenging tasks. It can be helpful to develop a list of simple and effective strategies to alleviate distress in times of crisis, and therefore minimise the impact of ongoing crises... It is wise to consider attempting several distress management strategies when confronted with a crisis. It may also be helpful to involve supportive people and relevant agencies when planning for crisis management." Included with the text is a CD-ROM of useful client handouts and worksheets. A superb, easy-to-follow, highly practical manual for treatment professionals.
The Health/Medicine Shelf
The Illusion of Certainty
Erik Rifkin, Ph.D. and Edward Bouwer, Ph.D.
The Humana Press
999 Riverview Drive, Suite 208, Totowa, NJ 07512
9780387485706, $29.95 springer.com
Empowering people to make well informed decisions about their health is the goal of Dr. Erik Rifkin & Dr. Edward Bouwer in their new book "The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks." Risk Characterization Theater is a unique graphic which informs the reader with an objective view of the pros and cons of each treatment in simple terms that anyone can understand. "The Illusion of Certainty: Health Benefits and Risks" is highly recommended to medical and health community library collections alike and to anyone who may have to be making some risky decisions on their own health in the future.
Age Well!
Robert Palmer, M.D. with Eileen Beal
Cleveland Clinic Press
9500 Euclid Avenue, NA32, Cleveland, OH 44195
9781596240421, $14.95 www.clevelandclinicpress.com 1-216-444-1158
It's never too early to begin planning for the rest of your life, claims "Age Well: A Cleveland Clinic Guide". Offering great advice on assuring life stays the way the reader wants it by giving them guidelines on a plan for optimal aging - by explaining the biological, physiological and psychological processes and then plotting out solutions. It lays out the myths and realities of aging, tips on senior sexuality, making sense of aging senses, and how to care for care givers in an elderly state. "Age Well!: A Cleveland Clinic Guide" is highly recommended for readers slowly approaching the second half of their lives or for community library health sections in general.
The Advanced Mediterranean Diet
Steve Parker, M.D.
Vanguard Press
PO Box 1198, Highley, AZ 85236
9780979128479, $17.95 www.vanguardpress.us 1-480-695-3192
Obesity is an epidemic plaguing America, the rates outright doubling in the past 25 years. "The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer" presents the reader with proven 'Mediterranean Diet' - said to prolong life and reduce rates of chronic disease. It is not a diet for bland tastes either, trumping a focus on many things - whole grains, nuts, fruits, fish, wine, and much more. Dr. Steve Parker has nearly a quarter of a century of experience in practicing medicine, and has had a focus on effective weight loss strategies. Enhanced with indexes, bibliographies, quick and easy recipes, and more, "The Advanced Mediterranean Diet: Lose Weight, Feel Better, Live Longer" is highly recommended to anyone trying to get themselves into better shape and community library health collections.
Forever Hellos, Hard Good-Byes
Axel Dahlberg and Janis Russell Love
Free Spirit Publishing
217 Fifth Avenue North, Suite 200, Minneapolis, MN 55401-1299
9781575422725, $14.95 www.freespirit.com 1-866-703-7322
Real children with real personalities who just happen to be in the worst times of their lives - "Forever Hellos, Hard Good-Byes: Inspiration, Wit, & Wisdom from Courageous Kids Facing Life-Threatening Illness" will bring you their stories to help the rest of us deal with related cases that all too often appear in our own lives. These are stories told by the kids themselves, living with the hard truth of their conditions and not just pitying themselves while dealing with the difficult problems of revealing their conditions to their friends, dealing with day to day life, their families, among other issues. "Forever Hellos, Hard Good-Byes: Inspiration, Wit, & Wisdom from Courageous Kids Facing Life-Threatening Illness" is heartily recommended for self-help shelves everywhere, for set of simply heartwarming tales.
I've Got This Friend Who...
Anna Radev, editor
Hazelden Foundation
PO Box 11, Center City, MN 55012-0011
9781592854585, $14.95 www.hazelden.org 1-800-328-9000
Written by teens for teens, I've Got This Friend Who... Advice for Teens and Their Friends on Alcohol, Drugs, Eating Disorders, Risky Behavior, and More lives up to its title. The creation of KidsPeace, an international charity that has worked for 125 years to help kids and teenagers avoid and overcome crises, I've Got This Friend Who... is written in straightforward dialogue format - essentially a frank and honest conversation. "Considering cigarettes or chew a reward and treat after working hard or doing well at school or at work and making time to take a break and treat yourself is a dead giveaway [of addiction]. If you aren't addicted, you wouldn't treat yourself that way. You might go to a movie or have a piece of cake instead." Chapters cover topics such as illegal drugs, eating disorders, self-injury behavior (a.k.a. "cutting"), unprotected sex, and much more. The teens speaking out in I've Got This Friend Who... know what they're talking about - they back up their honest insights with cold, hard facts, definitions, and lists of medical problems associated with risky behavior. Additional tips for teens struggling to cope, from what to say when being pressured to smoke to the do's and don'ts of how to react if one learns a friend is self-injuring, round out this solid straight-talk guide. A "must-have" for school and public libraries especially.
A Woman's Guide to Urinary Incontinence
Rene Genadry, M.D. and Jacek L. Mostwin, M.D. D.Phil.
The Johns Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801887338, $15.95 www.press.jhu.edu 1-800-537-5487
Urinary incontinence plagues millions of women, especially those who have birthed children, are post menopausal, or have simply passed the age of forty. "A Woman's Guide to Urinary Incontinence" encourages women not to suffer in silence, to find the right doctor, to be an active partner in their health care and more to help fight the condition. The wisdom and expertise of Rene Genadry, M.D. (an associate professor of gynecology and obstetrics at John Hopkins at Green Spring) and Jacek L. Mostwin M.D. D.Phil. (a professor of urology at the John Hopkins School of Medicine) "A Woman's Guide to urinary Incontinence" is friendly, accessible, and packed cover to cover with invaluable information, and should most definitely be read by any woman who may potentially suffer from this ailment, and the highest recommendation to medical library collections.
From Belly Fat to Belly Flat
C.W. Randolph M.D.
Health Communications Inc.
3201 S. W. 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
9780757306785, $16.95, www.hcbooks.com
Middle age is dreaded by many as all too often people can't seem to lose that little extra weight that comes with achieving the age 40+. "From Belly Fat to Belly Flat: How Hormones Are Adding Inches to Your Waistline and Subtracting Years from Your Life" will explain exactly why this happens to so many people, and more importantly, how to remedy it. It has less to do with carbs and calories says C.W. Randolph, a physician who has treated more than 100,000 women for their hormonal imbalance issues over the year, and more to do with hormones. "From Belly Fat to Belly Flat: How Hormones Are Adding Inches to Your Waistline and Subtracting Years from Your Life" will teach readers how to self-diagnose their estrogen dominance problems, everyday culprits that will mess with your hormones, and vitamins that support and hinder your hormonal balance. "From Belly Fat to Belly Flat: How Hormones Are Adding Inches to Your Waistline and Subtracting Years From Your Life" is highly recommended to women approaching middle age everywhere and for community library health shelves.
Vegetables & Fruits
Thomas S. C. Li
CRC Press
6000 Broken Sound Parkway, NW Suite 300, Boca Raton, FL, 33487
1420068717, $129.95, www.crcpress.com
Diabetes and heart disease ravage America as major causes of premature and preventable death in the modern era. A diet higher in fruits and vegetables is a major way to combat these ailments. "Vegetables & Fruits: Nutritional and Therapeutic" acts as the nutritional facts label for all that produce that most of the time goes without one. Plant life in general should comprise most of the healthy modern human diet due to the vitamins and nutrients they present in every serving. "Vegetables & Fruits: Nutritional and Therapeutic" lists over 200 fruits and vegetables with a highly complete listing outlining each piece of produce's protein, minerals, flavonoid contents and more- quite literally everything and anything one would wish to know. Enhanced with appendixes and an index, "Vegetables & Fruits: Nutritional and Therapeutic" has a highest recommendation for community library health shelves catering to nutritionists.
A Woman's Guide to Men's Health
Abraham Harvey Kryger, MD, DMD
RDR Books
1487 Glen Avenue, Muskegon, MI 49441
9781571431561, $17.95 www.rdrbooks.com
Written by board-certified Family Practitioner Abraham Harvey Kryger, MD, DMD, A Woman's Guide to Men's Health: What You Need to Know About Male Health, Happiness, Vigor and Sexuality goes beyond its title - though it definitely contains everything a woman needs to know about men's health, it is also an invaluable primer to help men take care of their health as well. Too few people of either gender are fully aware of the direct connection between male hormones and male well-being, including mood, energy, physical strength, assertiveness, passion, weight, sleep, memory, and sex drive. A Woman's Guide to Men's Health discusses practical and delicate subjects in plain terms, from the importance of getting a hormone checkup to testosterone's role in sex and penis size, to myths about anabolic steroids and testosterone, and much more. Accessible to readers of all backgrounds, A Woman's Guide to Men's Health is a much-needed supplement to personal health libraries, and enthusiastically recommended for public library collections as well.
The Political Science Shelf
Democracy and the Police
David Alan Sklansky
Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804755641, $24.95 www.sup.org
Democratic policing and police state, two terms so commonly used in society - but what exactly do they mean? "Democracy and the Police" is a scholarly text seeking to inform the masses about the relationship between the two concepts of democracy and police, going over changing conceptions and linking the downfall of democratic pluralism and the shift away from the postwar model of law enforcement. Enhanced with an index and appendixes, "Democracy in the Police" is Highly recommended for law and political science shelves in community libraries everywhere.
Congress Behaving Badly
Sunil Ahuja
Praeger Publishers
c/o Greenwood Publishing Group
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780275998684, $44.95 www.praeger.com
Congress Behaving Badly: The Rise of Partisanship and Incivility and the Death of Public Trust examines a very real problem affecting modern American politics: the rise of partisan rancor and mistrust, as expressed through incivility (or even downright rudeness) on Capitol Hill since the 1980s. Associate Professor of Political Science Sunil Ahuja explores a number of the most shocking examples of this abrasive and hostile style, as engaged in by Gingrich, Burton, and Pelosi in the House, and by Boxer, Santorum, and Lott in the Senate. Contrasting this harsh "new style" of congressional decorum against the more civil "old style" embodied by such leaders as Foley, Hamilton, and Michel in the House, as well as Dirksen, Mansfield, and Moynihan in the Senate, Congress Behaving Badly focuses on six causes of this modern spike in partisanship. Among the culprits are political redistricting and the renewed imposition of party discipline; the increased influence of antagonistic special-interest groups; the adversarial format peddled by 24-hour news cycles; the increased use of short-term consultants; the proliferating use of "wedge issues"; and the decline of social interaction among opposing members. Ahuja proposes measures necessary to restore order and civility to Congress before the hostile fallout inflicts greater damage to the people's trust; his recommendations include the reapportioning of legislative districts; restrictions on the influence of consultants, media, or interest groups; and the regularization of social interaction among congressional opponents. A plain-spoken examination of a serious problem in American representative democracy, highly recommended - especially for anyone serving or considering service in a public office.
The Essential Rosa Luxemburg
Rosa Luxemburg, author
Helen Scott, editor
Haymarket Books
PO Box 180165, Chicago, IL 60618
9781931859363, $12.00 www.haymarketbooks.org 1-773-583-7884
Rosa Luxemburg was a visionary socialist in Germany during the early twentieth century, who insisted that ordinary working people could fight and win battles for not only improvements in their daily working conditions, but also the struggle to create a society based on justice and equality. The Essential Rosa Luxemburg: Reform or Revolution and The Mass Strike presents the full text of Rosa Luxemburg's classics "Reform or Revolution" and "The Mass Strike", enhanced with extensive explanatory notes, appendices, and introductions. The two most pivotal concepts discussed are the questions of whether capitalism can be reformed and refined into a system of justice, and what efforts are most needed to bring about such a transformation? "Producers' cooperatives can survive within capitalist economy only if they manage to suppress, by means of some detour, the capitalist-controlled contradiction between the mode of production and the mode of exchange. And they can accomplish this only by removing themselves artificially from the influence of the laws of free competition. And they can succeed in doing the last only when they assure themselves beforehand of a constant circle of consumers, that is, when they assure themselves of a constant market." A treasure of political science history, offering valuable insights that transcend its time.
The Constitution of England
Jean Louis De Lolme, author
David Lieberman, editor
Liberty Fund, Inc.
8335 Allison Pointe Trail, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46250-1684
9780865974654, $12.00 www.libertyfund.org 1-800-955-8335
The grandfather of our very own American constitution, "The Constitution of England" is one of the most vital political treatises to come out of Enlightenment Era England, and the subject of "The Constitution of England", important book on political liberty. Although originally written in French (and published in Amsterdam) by Jean Louis De Lolme, it has been edited and enhanced with an introduction by David Lieberman in this new edition for modern American history. Sure to be fuel for many, many debates and discussion, "The Constitution of England" is enthusiastically recommended to politics and American history library shelves, and any non-specialist general interest reader who simply wants a greater understanding of our own constitution.
The Official Handbook of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy
Mark W. Smith
Regnery Publishing, Inc.
One Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20001
9781596980495, $14.95 www.regnery.com 1-800-338-4550
As always, The Official Handbook of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy undeniably lives up to its title. Now in an updated 2008 Presidential Election Edition, The Official Handbook of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy remains a solid block of strategies for debating with the extreme liberal left. Chapters attack and destroy the arguments supporting such left-wing causes as amnesty for illegal immigrants, giving constitutional rights to terrorism suspects, hysteria over global warming, unilaterally giving up in Iraq, using the Fairness Doctrine to censor conservative talk radio, "inside job" 9/11 conspiracy theories, same-sex marriage, and more. Liberals will also want to read The Official Handbook of the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy, the better to understand and anticipate the counter-arguments that are coming, and moderates are sure to chuckle at Smith's tongue-in-cheek take on the issues regardless of personal political preference! "...welfare hurts the exact people it is meant to help. By paying people to remain unemployed and giving extra subsidies to non-working parents who had additional children, between the 1960s and the 1990s welfare policies perpetuated poverty by removing the incentive to work while adding to exploding rates of illegitimacy. Since Congress approved comprehensive welfare reform in 1996, however, we've seen dramatic improvements in child poverty and illegitimacy rates. What a surprise - when the government stops paying people to be unemployed and to have kids out of wedlock, people find more jobs and have less out-of-wedlock children. Who could have predicted that?"
The Mythology/Folklore Shelf
Lao Folktales
Wajuppa Tossa with Kongdeuane Nettavong, authors
Margaret Read MacDonald, editor
Libraries Unlimited
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9781591583455, $40.00 www.greenwood.com www.lu.com
Part of the World Folklore Series, Lao Folktales collects classic fairy tales, legends, and parables of the people of Laos, garnered through interviews with storytellers as well as studies of old chronicles and palm-leaf manuscripts. More than 50 tales from creation myths to animal tales, Buddhist Jataka, moral stories, trickster tales, ghost stories, riddles, legends, and more fill this wonderfully rich and exciting volume. Enhanced with supplementary material such as a brief introduction into to Lao geography and history, as well as notes on tale sources and motifs, Lao Folktales is an undeniably worthy addition to public library, college library, and private folklore collections everywhere.
The Architecture Shelf
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Homes Through American History
Melissa Wells Duffes, William Burns, & Olivia Graf, authors
Thomas W. Paradis, general editor
Greenwood Publishing Group
88 Post Road West, Westport, CT 06881
9780313337475, $399.95 www.greenwood.com 1-800-225-5800
The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Homes Through American History is a four-volume encyclopedia set that lives up to its title, offering an in-depth tour of domestic architecture in America from 1492 to the present day. It should be noted that colonial homes onward are the prime focus; early Native American architecture is left for other books to cover. Chapters discuss the available building materials and manufacturing techniques from era to era, historical innovations in architecture, home layouts and designs common to each era, furniture and decoration motifs typical of the time, landscaping and outbuildings that complemented the homes, and much more. Black-and-white photographs and a handful of color plates enhance this thoughtful text, accessible to students, lay readers, and architecture historians alike. Enthusiastically recommended for college library collections due to its winning combination of extensive research, fine detail, and immersive narrative flow, The Greenwood Encyclopedia of Homes Through American History is a "must-read" for anyone researching its subject, regardless of professional background.
McGraw-Hill's Construction Codes & Inspection Handbook
Gil L. Taylor
Craftsman Book Company
6058 Corte del Cedro, Carlsbad, CA 92009
9780071468251, $59.95 www.craftsman-book.com 1-800-829-8123
Every building from the simplest shack to the grandest home to the most complex of office buildings must be built according to applicable municipal codes and pass municipal code inspectors. "McGraw-Hill's Construction Codes & Inspection Handbook" by construction expert and ICC-certified inspector Gil Taylor is a complete, single-volume textbook that will enable every building project to be in full compliance with all relevant building codes. Enhanced with more than 500 charts, tables, calculations, and checklists, "McGraw-Hill's Construction Codes & Inspection Handbook" offers clear, concise explanations that demystify and explain often complex building codes. Also provided are procedures and job-critical tools for every phase and aspect of construction to insure design quality and code compliant sitework, concrete, masonry, carpentry, structural steel, doors and windows, finishes, thermal and moisture protection, piping systems, mechanics, electrical, and OSHA requirements. "McGraw-Hill's Construction Codes & Inspection Handbook" covers the International Building Code; National Electrical Code; International Plumbing Code; International Zoning Code; and so much more. Of special note is the practical commentary and attention given to issues of safety, contractor payment, claims, inspectors' daily reports, labor enforcement; storage of materials, and project turnover. "McGraw-Hill's Construction Codes & Inspection Handbook" is an indispensable and confidently recommended addition to professional, technical college, and academic library Architectural Studies and Construction reference collections.
Defensive Estimating
William Asdal
National Association of Home Builders
1201 15th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20005-2800
9780867186208, $29.95, www.builderbooks.com
It's happened before - a builder puts out an estimate to add a new addition to a home. The buyer agrees, and the builder gets to work. The money set aside from the estimate drains quickly, and the builder soon is faced with either talking to the customer and telling him the estimate was wrong- making the builder seem like he's greedy and potentially killing the chance of a return client - or sucking it up and taking the hit out of their money to keep the customer happy. "Defensive Estimating: Protecting Your Profits" is a guide to help residential builders and remodelers avoid this situation by being better at estimating their costs so it doesn't eat into their profits and the customer remains happy. It contains tips on examining your business's finances, on bewaring of carelessness, and defending your estimate to your customers. "Defensive Estimating: Protecting Your Profits" is highly recommended for community library collections on business with an especial recommendation to carpenters.
The Christian Studies Shelf
The Christian East & the Rise of the Papacy
John Meyendorff
St. Vladimir's Seminary Press
575 Scarsdale, Road, Crestwood, NY 10707-1699
9780881410570, $26.00 www.svspress.com 1-800-204-2665
During the middle ages the Christian church increased in political power and cultural authority. "The Christian East & The Rise of the Papacy: The Church AD 1071-1453" is the fourth volume of the acclaimed 'The Church in History' series, and covers such topics as the reformation of the papacy, the crusades, scholasticism and its impacts on the Eastern Orthodox church. Also exploring theological and spiritual trends that helped the Byzantine Commonwealth maintain its identity even as the empire itself crumbled. An informed and informative work, "The Christian East & The Rise of the Papacy: The Church AD 1071-1453" is very highly recommended to any Religious Studies shelf, as well as the non-specialist general interest reader who wishes to learn more about the history of the Christian Church.
Sermons for Advent and the Christmas Season
Bernard of Clairvaux
Cistercian Publications
c/o The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780879074517, $24.95 www.litpress.org 1-800-858-5450
Saint Bernard of Clairvaux has been called the voice of conscience and dominated the Catholic church for nearly thirty years. "Bernard of Clairvaux: Sermons for Advent and the Christmas Season" is a compilation of his sermons, a definite but highly complex message he wished to convey to the world: that the Word of the gospel wishes to be reincarnated in the reader by being read, that the gospel lives on in the words, and that reading the word will grant one personal recognition of the true divine nature of the word. Translated from the original Latin by Irene Edmonds, Wendy Mary Beckett, & Conrad Greenia; edited by John Leinenweber with an introduction by Wim Verbaal, "Bernard of Clairvaux: Sermons for Advent and The Christmas Season" is highly recommended to community library religious study shelves or anyone seeking a renewal of faith.
And the Bride Wore White
Dannah Gresh
Moody Press
820 North Lasalle Drive, Chicago, IL 60610
9780802483447, $13.99 www.moody.edu 1-800-621-5111
Traditionally, the bride's white gown was reserved only to the truly pure - those who were not were supposed to wear a gown of another color. In a brand new "Celebration Edition", Dannah Gresh continues to touch the lives of hundred of thousand of young women in "And The Bride Wore White: Seven Secrets to Sexual Purity"". Written in a warm yet revealing style, Gresh talks about her own horrible experiences dealing with sinful relationships, challenges and other temptations. Giving God's advice, any Christian woman would do well to pick up "And The Bride Wore White" and it would be good addition to community library sexuality shelves.
The Face of Christ in Sonora
James S. Griffith & Francisco Javier Manzo Taylor
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
9781933855066, $15.95 www.rionuevo.com
The Life of Christ is celebrated throughout the world, but no two regions do it the same. "The Face of Christ in Sonora" shows that we can even learn about the culture around it in observing the way that they worship, as shown with the turbulent, yet rich history and culture of the Mexican state of Sonora. Written in both English and Spanish for maximum accessibility, "The Face of Christ in Sonora" is highly recommended for both religious and world history community library shelves- and for anyone who wants to see pictures of how another culture celebrates something so familiar to us.
Emonetry
Larry Burns
Pleasant Word
c/o Winepress Publishing Group
1730 Railroad Street, Enumclaw, WA 98022
141410698X, $26.99 www.winepressgroup.com
"A spoonful of poems helps the wounded heart smile". "Emonetry: A Mellow Place" is a book packed covered to cover with comforting words to help one's injured spirit heal its wounds. Author Larry Burns, a victim of child abuse and a cancer survivor, knows pain and has been lucky enough to know how to relieve it as well through the word of God. Burns now uses his poetry to spread God's word, in hopes that it too can heal the hurt that inhabits all of us. "Emonetry: A Mellow Place" is a pick for any poetry shelf, any Christianity shelf, or just a pick for someone who needs a pick me up when life has beat them down so much.
Bouquets
Bruce Hamsher
Herald Press
616 Walnut Avenue, Scottsdale, PA 15683-1999
9780836194074, $11.99 www.heraldpress.com 1-800-759-4447
You aren't going to instantly convert anyone to the word of Jesus Christ by simply walking up and outright preaching to them. "Bouquets: Intentional Relationships in Making Disciples" by Bruce Hamsher speaks eloquently and practically of making relationships with others for the purpose of down the line bringing their soul to Christ. It urges people to patiently cultivate those relationships, and it is enhanced with a study guide. Recommended for Christian studies shelves and for anyone seeking to spread the word of Christ further.
Tempted to Leave the Cross
Ernest R. Flores
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015244, $14.00 www.judsonpress.com 1-800-458-3766
Who is Christianity about, anyway? That is the question asked by "Tempted to Leave The Cross: Renewing the Call to Discipleship", a look at the cross of Jesus and what it represents in modern Christianity. Pastor Ernest R. Flores wants readers to evaluate their beliefs and actions, and to value the high price Jesus paid for our salvation. Calling for Christians to replace self-care, self-fulfillment, and self-satisfaction with sacrifice, self-denial and faithfulness, "Tempted to Leave The Cross: Renewing the Call to Discipleship" is highly recommended to anyone with a crisis of faith, and to any community libraries catering to Christian readership.
Your Forgotten Self
David Robert Ord
Namaste Publishing
PO Box 62084, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6J 4A3
Hampton Roads Publishing Company (dist.)
1125 Stoney Ridge Road, Charlottesville, VA 22902
9781897238332, $17.95 www.hrpub.com 1-800-766-8009
Christians as a whole yearn to be more like Jesus. For the so called 'peace that passes understanding' and the 'joy unspeakable.' "Your Forgotten Self: Mirrored in Jesus The Christ" holds that they have it wrong. The reason? They think of Jesus as different from themselves. Author and teacher of religion for over twenty years David Robert Ford (who has had a fascination about Jesus since elementary school) believes that to be a true believer you must see yourself mirrored in Jesus Christ - to have faith is to understand yourself much like Jesus did. "Your Forgotten Self: Mirrored in Jesus The Christ" is enthusiastically recommended to Christian studies shelves and to anyone who wishes to be like more Jesus - and wants to realize that goal is closer than they could imagine.
More Than a Dream
G. R. Kearney
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
9780829425765, $22.95 www.LoyolaBooks.org 1-800-621-1008
Building a school, building a future - it's what Chicago Jesuits sought to do when they built a new college prep school for the children of Hispanic working poor. "More Than a Dream: The Cristo Rey Story" is an inspiring tale of an improbable success story of keeping ones faith to keep going despite the innumerable barriers one faces in such an a situation. Author G. R. Kearney should know, as he works as a teacher and a coach at the Cristo Rey Jesuit High School as part of their Jesuit Alumni Volunteer program which Kearney himself helped found. "It's a story that needed to be told," says Kearney. "More Than a Dream: The Cristo Rey Story" would be a grand addition to both Christian and Educational community library collections and for any reader who would seek to learn how exactly this school rose up almost nothing, and how it seeks to help others do the same.
Fighting with the Bible
Donn Morgan
Seabury Books
c/o Church Publishing
445 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9781596270589, $14.00 www.churchpublishing.org 1-800-242-1918
The bible can be one of the most dividing things in all of the Christian faith - which is ironic since it's meant to bring people together. "Fighting with the Bible: Why Scriptures Divide Us and How It Can Bring Us Together" seeks to examine this strange practice among Christians to battle each other over the word of God examining the issue piece by piece and seeking out solutions to bring Christians closer together using the book that is meant to do so instead of driving them apart. The scholarly credentials of Donn Morgan, the president and dean of Old Testament at the Church Divinity School of the Pacific, lend his words power and wisdom. Any biblical study group needs "Fighting with the Bible: Why Scriptures Divide Us and How It Can Bring Us Together" and it also heartily recommended to Christian studies community library shelves.
Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective
Fred Sanders & Klaus Issler
B&H Publishing Group
127 Ninth Avenue North, MSN 114, Nashville, TN, 37234
9780805444223, $24.99, www.BHPublishingGroup.com
A scholarly and informed look at Jesus's place in theological circles, "Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective" is a completely through, informed and informative look at the messiah of the Christian religion's place in the trinity packed with expertly written essays and brilliantly composed treatises throughout and rebuking the false dichotomy. Enhanced with an index and appendixes, "Jesus in Trinitarian Perspective" is very highly recommended reading, especially for theological studies circles and for anyone who wants a more scholarly look at the Christ.
Christian Educators' Guide To Evaluating And Developing Curriculum
Nancy Ferguson
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015237, $17.00 www.judsonpress.com 1-800-458-3766
Often parents faced with the secularism, violence, and substandard public school turns to the parochial school as a viable alternative for their child. Christian parochial school alternatives are an important part of most church education ministries and face major challenges with respect to selecting curriculum materials consistent with a particular congregation's theology and understanding of how Christian faith is inculcated into the lives and hearts of children. Specific to assisting congregations with that task is "Christian Educators' Guide To Evaluating And Developing Curriculum" by Nancy Ferguson (an ordained minister and certified Christian educator in the Presbyterian Church) that is designed to facilitate forming and teaching Christian school curriculums through the use of guidelines to evaluate purchased curriculum resources; write curriculum resources appropriate to congregational priorities; and adapt purchased curriculum materials suitable for congregational requirements and set goals. "Christian Educators' Guide To Evaluating And Developing Curriculum" covers the articulation of goals and purposes with regard to educational ministry; identifies the Six Key Elements of a successful Christian education program and using those elements to evaluate curriculum resources; develop scope and sequence for writing resources; and training teachers to utilize curriculum materials to their students benefit. Enhanced with reproducible worksheets, a list of resource providers, and with additional worksheets available for download from the Judson Press website at www.judsonpress.com, "Christian Educators' Guide To Evaluating And Developing Curriculum" is an ideal, 'user friendly', and very highly recommended Christian education curriculum development instructional guide.
The Music Shelf
A Student's Guide to Music History
R.J. Stove
ISI Books
PO Box 4431, Wilmington, DE 19807-0431
9781933859415, $8.00 www.isibooks.org 1-800-526-7022
Music is as old as humanity itself, and to some, just may be older than that. "A Student's Guide to Music History" covers from the early middle ages and onwards, focusing on classical music's development since then. Origins of the Plainchant, differences between secular and sacred music, and origins of opera are all covered, as are intriguing portraits of many famous composers such as Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, and Strauss among others. Any one with interest in the great strides of classical music over the centuries should look into "A Student's Guide to Music History", which should be in every community library music collection.
The Money/Finance Shelf
The Complete Guide to Writing Effective & Award-Winning Grants
Dianne Harris
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1210 S.W. 23rd Place, Ocala, FL 34474-7014
9781601380463, $29.95 www.atlantic-pub.com 1-800-814-1132
Millions of dollars in grant money floats around today waiting to be claimed. "The Complete Guide: To Writing Effective & Award Winning Grants" seeks to help you lay claim to some of that money, a gift to help your organization, whatever it may be, flourish and succeed. To get that money is not an easy process, and "The Complete Guide: To Writing Effective & Award Winning Grants" will help you write the effective proposal you need to get a hold of the thousands of dollars you also need. Highly recommended to small businesses, researchers, or anyone who may need to write a grant proposal, and should have a place on all money/business community library shelves. Comes with a companion CD-Rom.
The American History Shelf
Benedict Arnold's Army
Arthur S. Lefkowitz
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Casemate (distributor)
1016 Warrior Road, Suite C, Drexel Hill, PA 19026
www.casematepublishing.com
9781932714036, $32.95 www.savasbeatie.com
Benedict Arnold is viewed by most as simply a traitor to the American Revolution, but in fact he was one of the most complex and intriguing people in history. "Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada During the Revolutionary War" follows the traitor's exploits before his infamous act, focusing on his invasion of Canada. He was dubbed the "American Hannibal" by his contemporaries due to his amazing exploits and acts during his less infamous time on the side of the Americans. "Benedict Arnold's Army: The 1775 American Invasion of Canada During the Revolutionary War" is highly recommended to American History shelves and anyone who would want to learn more about this enigmatic figure of American history.
The Mormon Church on Trial
Michael Harold Paulos, editor
Signature Books
564 West 400 North, Salt Lake City, UT 84116-3411
9781560851523, $49.95 www.signaturebooks.com 1-800-356-5687
Originally published along with other government business in four volumes spanning over three thousand pages, The Mormon Church on Trial: Transcripts of the Reed Smoot Hearings is an abridged, annotated, one-volume collection designed to make the Reed Smoot hearings (1904-06) accessible to readers of all backgrounds. The Reed Smoot hearings were, of course, a turning point in this history of the Latter-Day Saints Church (commonly called the Mormon Church). Reed Smoot was the first Mormon to be elected to the U.S. Senate; his election proved that Mormons could be enticed to abandon the Democratic Party and vote for the (widely hated) Republicans. Smoot himself was a modernist, seeking to bring his faith into the American mainstream with more emphasis on business and less on theology. In turn-of-the-century Utah, he was also unusual in that he was a monogamist. The Senate committee hearings were held to block Senator-elect Smoot from his position - hearings that were to unearth many a skeleton in the closets of Utah politics and the Mormon Church. Among the many ecclesiastical leaders subpoenaed to testify were Joseph F. Smith, then president and prophet of the Mormon Church. Perhaps the most far-reaching fallout of the hearings was the renewed pressure on the Church to abandon polygamy, and take action against any of its members who entered into a new polygamous marriage regardless of their rank. An excellent primary source of American history, made thoroughly readable due to the extensive annotations (including even a few political cartoons of the era), enthusiastically recommended for public and college libraries.
The Art of Conversation
George Liston Seay
Peter J. Bean, editor
Woodrow Wilson Center Press
One Woodrow Wilson Plaza, 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. N.W., Washington, D.C. 20004-3027
The Johns Hopkins University Press (distributor)
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801887840, $19.95 www.press.jhu.edu 1-800-537-5487
Candid, personal revelations are just two of the things said of the weekly radio and television series 'dialogue', held weekly from the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars in Washington D.C. "The Art of Conversation: Dialogue at the Woodrow Wilson Center" is a compilation of twenty four favorite interviews presented in a neat, easy to read text format. The interviews cover various figures such as Robert McNamara, President Chissano, Bill Bradley and many, many more. Highly recommended to American history collections in general and any one who enjoys prime information right from the people themselves.
Bonds of Affection
Matthew S. Holland
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589011830, $26.95 www.press.georgetown.edu 1-800-246-9606
One of the hallmarks of true greatness of character is that of philanthropy. Be it the 'widow's mite' or the millionaire's largess. "Let All Your Things be Done with Charity". "Bonds of Affection : Civic Charity and the Making of America - Winthrop, Jefferson, and Lincoln" follows three great men and how their acts of charity shaped our country as it is today for the better. Author Matthew S. Holland, an assistant professor at the Department of Political Science at Brigham Young University highlights the brilliant and compassionate statesmanship of the three men and brings them into a new light. Highly recommended for both American history and political science shelves as an optimistic and heartwarming look at politics for a change.
Crooked River Country
David Braly
WSU Press
PO Box 645910, Pullman, WA 99164-5910
9780874222937, $24.95 www.wsupress.wsu.edu 1-800-354-7360
In the early nineteenth century, Chief Paulina proved to be the fiercest human enemy the early settlers of the west ever encountered killing unknown amounts of them, just one of the many stories from the Oregon of the old west. "Crooked River County: Wranglers, Rogues, and Barons" is a non-fiction tale of Oregon's wild past focusing on twenty eight years starting with 1825. Reading like fiction, author David Braly insists it's a true story, and the wild exploits and actions one will read about are just crazy enough to be just that. Thoroughly researched, scholarly, but still intriguing straight through, "Crooked River County: Wranglers, Rogues, and Barons" is enthusiastically recommended to anyone with an interest in the old west, and deserves a spot on community library American history shelves.
The Fiction Shelf
Summer of Joy
Ann H. Gabhart
Revell
6030 East Fulton, Ada, MI 49301
9780800731700, $12.99, www.revellbooks.com
A small Kentucky town on the verge of joy may collapse into the verge of chaos. "Summer of Joy" is the story of David Brooke, a man trying to find the courage to pop the question to his longtime lover, and his small Kentuckian hometown. The past is returning to bite David in the rear, drama and chaos coming with it in this deftly written and intriguing story by accomplished author Ann. H. Gabhart. Highly recommended to fiction and romance shelves everywhere.
A Mapmaker's Dream
James Cowan
Shambhala Publications, Inc.
Horticulture Hall,
300 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston, MA 02115
9781590305201, $11.95, www.shambhala.com
The world is more than just a collection of continents and nations, as map maker Fra Mauro discovers in "A Mapmaker's Dream: The Meditations of Fra Mauro, Cartographer to the Court of Venice". Desiring to create the first map of the entire Earth, he sends out a call for information about the strange and far corners of the world. What he gets is more than objective words of what is at every bit of longitude and latitude. Highly recommended for historical fiction enthusiasts and deserving of a place on every community library fiction shelf.
Planet of the Dates
Paul McComas
The Permanent Press
4170 Noyac Road, Sag Harbor, NY 11963
9781579621605, $28.00 www.thepermanentpress.com
There's no shortage of smarmy coming of age tales with the cliche events we all know. "Planet of the Dates" is not exactly one of those books. Following young Phil, a sci-fi geek of sorts who enters into a believable story filled with entertaining characters and realistic outcomes when Phil is faced with more than one romantic possibility. Brilliant writing from first page to last that should keep the book in the readers hands the entire time, "Planet of the Dates" is enthusiastically recommended to both science fiction buffs and romance fans everywhere -- and especially for community library contemporary fiction collections.
The Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Try Tracking!
Carolyn A. Krause
Dogwise Publishing
PO Box 2778, Wenatchee, WA 98807-2778
9781929242184, $12.95 www.dogwisepublishing.com 1-800-776-2665
Our canine companions have been blessed with a scent of smell that some say is a thousand times greater than our own. "Try Tracking: The Puppy Tracking Primer" will teach you how to get the most out of your puppy's excellent nose, and to refine its natural instincts, to increase the bond between you and your pet. Tracking is fun for both you and your dog, improve both of your fitnesses, and you'll gain respect to just how your dog works. The methods put forth are said to be able to work with any age of dog from seven weeks of age to elderly canines, and for that, "Try Tracking!: The Puppy Tracking Primer" is enthusiastically recommended for dog owners everywhere and community library collections dealing with canine obedience and training.
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With
Clarice Rutherford and David H. Neil
Alpine Publications, Inc.
38262 Linman Road, Crawford, CO 81415
1577790855, $19.95 (DVD only) / $22.95 (DVD & book), www.alpinepub.com 1-800-777-7257
How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With is an instructional DVD to properly caring for and training a new puppy 8 weeks to 5 months old. From providing health care and socialization, to basic housetraining, teaching simple commands, giving appropriate praise and discipline, and much more, How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With walks the viewer step-by-step with vividly clear demonstrations. Ideal for young people as well as adults, How to Raise a Puppy You Can Live With is enthusiastically recommended especially for anyone considering getting their first puppy. 42 min.
Return Of The Eagle
Greg Breining
The Lyons Press
246 Goose Lane, Guilford, CT 06437
978076274790, $19.95 www.lyonspress.com 1-800-836-0510
Even though it is an American national symbol, the eagle was in grave danger of extinction due to such problems as habit erosion and contamination. Environmental and animal protection laws were instituted to conserve and reestablish the eagle over the past three decades. Now in a newly revised and updated edition, "Return Of The Eagle: How American Saved Its National Symbol" by Greg Breining documents the successful reestablishment of the Eagle population in an informed and informative text that is superbly illustrated by full color photography throughout. Of special note is the extensive and alphabetically organized (by state) 'Directory of Bald Eagle Viewing Sites" that concludes this outstanding 125-page compendium celebrating the beauty and ecological importance of America's preeminent political symbol. "Return Of The Eagle" should be a part of every school and community library's Pets & Wildlife reference collection, as well as environmental and wildlife restoration supplemental reading list.
The Sociology Shelf
The Other Game
Phil Dahl-Bredine & Stephen Hicken
Orbis Books
PO Box 308, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570757808, $19.00 www.orbisbooks.com 1-800-258-5838
There is much to learn from other cultures. We can look at them and then examine ourselves to see what's really important. "The Other Game: Lessons from How Life Is Played In Mexican Villages" is an historical survey focusing upon villages that have existed for thousands of years, and a look at their inhabitants and their way of life. Alternatives to our culture are presented to make a better future for ourselves, and while it is far from being a romantic view of the past and in the Mexican villages, it is simply meant to offer another option for life. Recommended for religion and social issue community library collection shelves, and those who seek to learn about how others live day to day.
Nowtopia
Chris Carlsson
AK Press
674-A 23rd Street, Oakland, CA 94612-1163
9781904859772, $18.95 www.akpress.org
In the 1800s, Anatomists were shamed for their practices of dissecting the human body for a greater understanding of how it works - they were on the fringes of society but now, nearly two hundred years later, we hail the greatness of their work in the medical community. Great scientific advances on the fringes of society, as "Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant Lot Gardeners are Inventing the Future Today" tells us how even in the modern day, those who we may shun as outcasts may in the future be the bringers of exciting new technology and concepts. "Nowtopia" outlines how many people no longer identify themselves by what they do for a living, by the labor they do willingly for hours on their non-work time and how that will change the future. "Nowtopia: How Pirate Programmers, Outlaw Bicyclists, and Vacant Lot Gardeners are Inventing the Future Today" is highly recommended to any social issues community library shelf and for anyone who wants to get a glimpse of the future in an unlikely place.
The Needlecraft Shelf
Once Upon A Quilt
Margret Aldrich
Voyageur Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760333075, $19.95 www.quasidepublishinggropu.com 1-800-458-0454
The handmade quilt of yesteryear was the perfect combination of beauty and utility. "Once Upon A Quilt: A Scrapbook Of Quilting Past And Present" is compiled and edited by quilting and needlecraft expert Margret Aldrich who has collected under one cover a series of stories told by the quilts themselves and the diverse materials they were made from. Superbly illustrated with full color reproductions of the quilts, vintage advertising, pattern booklets, and some period paintings, as well as featuring some duo-tone historic photographs of quilt makers, "Once Upon A Quilt" is a wonderful compendium of anecdotes, essays, and memoirs about quilts, quilting, and quilt history that are as informed and informative as they are engaging and entertaining. An ideal and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal and community library Needlecraft reference collections, "Once Upon A Quilt" is especially recommended reading for quilting enthusiasts of all ages.
Creepy Cute Crochet
Christen Haden
Quirk Books
215 Church Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Chronicle Books (distributor)
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9781594742323, $14.95 www.chroniclebooks.com 1-800-722-6657
Ever wanted to hail Cthulhu in crochet form? "Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More!" will let you do just that. The art form of amigururmi - Japanese inspired crochet and knit stuffed dolls has already been flooded with cute kittens and pandas. "Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More!" looks to change that going for crochet with a bit more of an edge granting you the directions for the title ideas plus Vikings, vampires, aliens, and yes, even the lord of madness Cthulhu himself. With over 25 unique patterns, "Creepy Cute Crochet: Zombies, Ninjas, Robots, and More!" is highly recommended for needlecraft community library collections and any needleworker who has grown a bit weary of crocheting the same old patterns and wants something a little more offbeat and different for a change.
The Literary Shelf
The Body In Flannery O'Connor's Fiction
Donald E. Hardy
University of South Carolina Press
718 Devine Street, Columbia, SC 29208
9781570036989, $39.95 www.sc.edu/uscpress 1-800-768-2500
It is not enough to simply read great literature, we must also think about what it is we've read -- and ponder not only what the author has written, but the why and the how of the writing if we are to derive maximum value from our efforts and time spent with that particular body of work and that particular author. Such is the case with "The Body In Flannery O'Connor's Fiction: Computational Technique And Linguistic Voice" by Donald E. Hardy (Professor of English, University of Nevada - Reno). Using as the basis for his extensive analytic treatise, Professor Hardy draws upon three major essays he had written (and for the purpose of this book, re-written to make it a comprehensive and organized text) to present an innovative thesis with respect to O'Connor's use of grammatical voice and physical bodies in the texts of her novels. Combining computational and linguistic methodologies, Professor Hardy illustrates and highlights O'Connor's use of the body and its parts in her literary explorations of the sacramental and the grotesque. The result is a seminal literary analysis of impeccable interpretive scholarship. "The Body In Flannery O'Connor's Fiction" is a welcome addition to academic library reference collections in general, and an important contribution to the utilization of linguistic terminology and concepts for an interpretive approach to the humanities in particular.
Boy in Darkness and Other Stories
Mervyn Peake, author
Sebastian Peake, editor
Peter Owen Publishers
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9780720613063, $25.95 www.dufoureditions.com 1-800-869-5677
Boy in Darkness and Other Stories assembles works of fiction by author Mervyn Peake (1911-1968), who is perhaps best known for his trilogy of Titus novels set in the decaying castle of Gormenghast. The novella "Boy in Darkness" was originally conceived during that trilogy, and features an unnamed fourteen-year-old boy, most likely Titus Groan himself, in a dream-like adventure that stretches beyond his rigidly ritualistic home. As he wanders a bleak landscape, he is captured by the malevolent Goat and Hyena, the henchmen of an implacable evil seeking to steal his soul. The five other tales in the anthology are resurrected after being out of print for many years; they range from a grim ghost story to tongue-in-cheek character studies. They are "The Weird Journey", "I Bought a Palm-tree", "The Connoisseurs ", "Danse Macabre", and "Same Time, Same Place". Further enhancing this collection are a selection of original drawings and paintings by the author, most in black-and-white but a very few in color. A treasury of classic literature, highly recommended for personal reading lists as well as public and college library collections.
The Theatre/Cinema Shelf
Italian Locations
Noa Steimatsky
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
9780816650880, $22.50 www.upress.umn.edu
Noa Steimatsky (associate professor of film studies and art history, Yale University) presents Italian Locations: Reinhabiting the Past in Postwar Cinema, a thoughtful examination of how fascism and World War II forever changed Italy, as reflected through the works of four Italian filmmakers. From the documentary work of Michelangelo Antonioni on the River Po to the creations of Pier Paolo Pasolini, Roberto Rossellini, and Luchino Visconti, Italian Locations is fraught with works that defined a sense of place - a place transformed and reconstructed in the wake of destruction. A handful of black-and-white photographs illustrate this thoughtful analysis, especially recommended for college library shelves and students of historical Italian cinema.
The Metaphysical Studies Shelf
From Light Into Darkness
Stephen S. Mehler
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
1931882495, $16.95 www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com
From Light Into Darkness: The Evolution of Religion in Ancient Egypt continues the spiritual and metaphysical offerings of Egyptian wisdom keeper Abd'El Hakim Awyan, as conveyed to the reader through the pen of author and independent Egyptologist Stephen S. Mehler. Chapters muse upon the roots of monotheism - the driving tenet that there is only one God present in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - in ancient Egypt, and offer a groundbreaking new interpretation of how religion may have evolved in prehistoric and dynastic Khemit (Egypt). Further ruminations upon the teachings of King Akhenaten and the "real" Moses, the genuine identity of the Hyksos, Akhenaten's connections to the Exodus, Judaism, and the Rosicrucian order, and much more are sure to fascinate the reader. Most revolutionary of all, is the revelation of how the spiritual teachings of ancient Khemitians will one day form the foundation of a forthcoming new cycle of consciousness, dubbed The Awakening. An inspirational, and spiritually revolutionary testimony.
Soul Centered Astrology
Alan Oken
Ibis Press
c/o Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9780892541348, $22.95 www.redwheelweiser.com www.nicolashayes.com www.alanoken.com
Written by astrological consultant and founder of The Wisdom School Alan Oken, Soul Centered Astrology: A Key to Your Expanding Self is a straightforward sourcebook of esoteric astrology. With roots in Theosophical philosophy and the Ancient Wisdom Teachings, Soul Centered Astrology offers a dynamic way to interpret one's horoscope that reveals the "soul's path" to enlightenment and contentment. Soul Centered Astrology reaches beyond the common lore of birth signs and natal chart interpretation, discussing esoteric astrology principles such as the spiritual importance of the ascendant; the path of incarnation revealed within cardinal, fixed, and mutable crosses; and more. "Cancer is a watery sign, but the Crab inhabits both land and sea. It comes forth from the collective matrix of the ocean, gains its nourishment from her plants and creatures, yet keeps a strong relationship to the sandy beach. The Cancer individual is just the same. Intimately in tune with the forces of psychic currents which play in and out of her reality, the Crab nonetheless reaches out to the earth for its security and breath." Astrological charts and diagrams illustrate this in-depth handbook for astrologers of all skill and experience levels.
The Poetry Shelf
Dear Regime
Roger Sedarat
Ohio University Press
19 Circle Drive, Athens, OH 45701
9780821417751, $12.95 www.ohiou.edu/oupress 1-800-621-2736
The publishing of poetry is and always should be the hallmark of the academic press. Such is the case with the Ohio University Press who has now made available to the reading public "Dear Regime", a collection of award winning verse by Roger Sedarat (Assistant Professor of English, Borough of Manhattan community College, City University of new York). Sedarat is the recipient of scholarships to the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference and the St. Botolph Society poetry grant. His poetry has appeared in such prestigious journals as the 'New England Review', the 'Atlanta Review', and 'Poet Love'. Focusing his poetic skills upon themes and subjects associated with or arising from the culture of Iran, "Dear Regime" will aptly serve to introduce a whole new generation of readers to an articulate body of free verse and prose poetry that is as superbly crafted as it is memorable in both theme and substance. 'Picnic': Tea is to saffron as kneeling on the rug/is to a history of kings on the road/erecting tents, roasting lambs, etc.//Back in the city, who will free the prisoner/is to the guard as what is written/on papyrus is to ink.//When Haji goes to the park the ants arrive,/drawing a line from their mound/to the basket of fresh fruit and cutlet.//The ants are to analogies as cutlet/is to rhetoric. The exponential burden of laboring/bits of ground meat on tiny red bodies//thus makes a text worth eating./This is the story of Haji's hunger/read in the mountains on an April day.//It may indeed prove delightful/to put one's bare feet in a cold spring/after such an arduous climb.//Yet in the final analysis, it is only a test/of his verbal strength to view the city from the country/and try not to compare.
Contrariwise
Susan Terris
Time Being Books
10411 Clayton Road, St. Louis, Missouri 63131
9781568091150, $15.95 www.amazon.com
Life & Richness - even amid loss and pain is what Susan Terris preaches in her thirteenth book of poetry "Contrariwise". It's an exploration of Lewis Caroll and his immortal character of Alice, a whimsical meditation that weaves her life, memories, and experiences into this wonderful, passionate book of poetry. Highly recommended to poetry lovers and poetry collections everywhere. Wild Oats: Katydid, cricket, beetle/grasshopper in wild oats - / melody of midsummer's night.//And in the air/a calligraphy of midges/male and female/a green-black/stylized cloud/scrolled over stagnant water/whining and whining/a high pitched, monotone refrain.
Stroke
Sidney Wade
Persea Books
853 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780892553372, $14.00, www.perseabooks.com
An accomplished and prolific poet, Sidney Wade is back once more with her fifth collection of poetry titled "Stroke". Brilliant and cunning political and social commentaries, Wade's poems demonstrate a keen and expert hand at work with the English language, combining emotions for a delicious smorgasbord of excellent writing. Highly recommended for community libraries everywhere and for all poetry lovers. Stroke of Genius: windfall/ display/ of/ art// playing/ a/ signal/ part// flaying/ the/ heart/ of/ indignant/ enigma.
From Me to You
U.A. Fanthorpe & R.V. Bailey (authors), Nick Wadley (illustrator)
Enitharmon Press
c/o Dufour Editions, Inc.
P.O. Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425-0007
9781904634553, $24.95, www.dufoureditions.com
With love, the sky is the limit. "From Me to You: Love Poems" is a poetry anthology from U.A. Fanthorpe and R.V. Bailey who hold that every day is important - not just holidays such as Christmas and Valentine's day. They focus on love, giving readers touching, brilliant and heartwarming poems through out all of these pages with charming illustrations by Nick Wadley giving the book an especially nice touch. Highly recommended for poetry fans everywhere and for community library poetry collections. The Mineral
