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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 2, Number 8 August 2007 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Leadership Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf
Philosophy Shelf Literary Shelf Science Shelf
Photography Shelf Cookbook Shelf Business Shelf
American History Shelf Civil War Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf Social Issues Shelf
Biography Shelf Economics Shelf Parenting Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Martial Arts Shelf Travel Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Nautical Shelf
Fiction Shelf Self-Help Shelf Native American Shelf
International Studies Shelf Art Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Graphic Novel Shelf Theatre/Cinema Shelf Psychology Shelf
Metaphysical Studies Shelf Sports Shelf Military Shelf
Women's Studies Shelf Language Studies Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Homeowner's Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

The Frodo Franchise
Kristin Thompson
University of California Press
2120 Berkeley Way, Berkeley, CA 94704-1012
9780520247741, $29.95 www.ucpress.edu 1-510-642-9737

DVDs can be stamped out in seconds, while VHS tapes are slower to produce because they have to be recorded in real time. Time is money, and so the movie industry's movers and shakers acted decisively to all but eliminate the VHS format - by charging video rental stores exorbitantly high fees for the rights to offer VHS rentals and much lower fees for the rights to offer DVD rentals. Author Kristin Thompson (Honorary Fellow in the Department of Communication Arts, University of Wisconsin-Madison) traces how this and numerous other profit-driven directives have permanently changed the modern film industry in The Frodo Franchise: The Lord of the Rings and Modern Hollywood. Central to The Frodo Franchise is the story of Peter Jackson's celebrated three-film adaptation of "The Lord of the Rings", and the lasting impact it has had on cinematic and entertainment culture. "The Lord of the Rings" was utterly groundbreaking in that it was, from Jackson's initial vision, a commitment to three full-length movies to be released over a short period. Yet the success of the film itself is virtually eclipsed by the immense profits of the franchise label - toys, video games, movie-related books, collectibles, and countless other Lord of the Rings licensed merchandise. The Frodo Franchise examines this franchise phenomenon and its repercussions on modern cinema (where the real money to be made lies in a film that will spawn profitable sequels and merchandise, rather than one-shot stories), with especial attention paid to the construction of "The Lord of the Rings" trailblazer trilogy. Accessible to lay readers and cinema scholars alike, and illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs as well as an inset section of color plates, The Frodo Franchise is an utterly fascinating, completely unbiased behind-the-scenes look at the creation of Jackson's "The Lord of the Rings" movies and their effect on both the body of Tolkien's famous mythology and cinema as a whole. Highly recommended.

Beowulf And Lejre
John D. Niles
Medieval & Renaissance Texts & Studies
Arizona State University, PO Box 872508, Tempe, AZ 85287-2508
9780866983686, $89.00 www.asu.edu/clas/acmrs/publications/mrts/catalo.html

Ably translated into English and knowledgeably annotated throughout by John D. Niles (Frederic G. Cassidy Professor of Humanities at the University of Wisconsin - Madison), "Beowulf And Lejre" is enhanced for modern scholarship with informed and informative contributions by the Roskilde Museum's Tom Christensen (who is the director of archaeological research Excavations at Lejre) and Beowulf expert Marijane Osborn (Professor of English, University of California). Drawing from archeological, historical, and literary sources, "Beowulf And Lejre" is an impressively detailed body of work addressing whether the Old English epic poem 'Beowulf' is merely a literary fantasy born of pre-literate folklore, are grounded in historical fact with a real-world locale. Enhanced with more than 200 illustrations (50 of them in color), "Beowulf And Lejre" provides academia with a wealth of documented information, analysis of recent discoveries, and an exploration of the modern pseudo-scholarly 'myth of Lejre'. A seminal work of exhaustive and painstaking scholarship, "Beowulf And Lejre" is a critically important contribution to Medieval Studies and European Archaeology Studies, as well as being a core addition to academic library reference collections for students with an interest in Scandinavian mythology.

Bicycle Repair
Rob van der Plas
Van der Plas Publications
c/o Cycle Publishing
1282 - 7th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94122
1892495554, $22.95 www.cyclepublishing.com

Rob van der Plas is a San Francisco based mechanical engineer with a lifelong passion for the bicycle. This passion is reflected in this writing of several books about bicycle, as well as articles about bicycles for various trade and consumer cycling periodicals. His technical expertise is such that he has been an expert witness in patent disputes and other legal cases regarding bicycle technology. Profusely illustrated throughout with color photography, "Bicycle Repair: Maintenance & Repair Of The Modern Bicycle" is his newest work and is specifically designed to enable the non-specialist general reader to acquire the ability to maintain and repair all types of bicycles. Fully up-to-date and covering all the latest equipment and accessories (as well as older models of bicycles), "Bicycle Repair" covers some workshop procedures and roadside repairs, as well as preventive maintenance and adjustments of gears, brakes, and suspension. Simply stated, if you own a bicycle of any make or model, then you need your own personal copy of "Bicycle Repair" by Rob van der Plas.

Haunted Lake Huron
Frederick Stonehouse
Lake Superior Port Cities Inc.
PO Box 16417, Duluth, MN 55816-0417
9780942235791, $14.95 www.lakesuperior.com 1-888-244-5253

"Haunted Lake Huron: Lake Myths, Wrecks & Spirits" by author, historian, and National Park Service consultant Frederick Stonehouse is a compilation of supernatural stories and legends about cursed ships, lakeside spirits, lighthouse ghosts, and other mysterious phenomena associated with Lake Huron. From a retired insurance man who realizes he's been sharing long talks with a ghost while sitting on the porch of the 'grand Hotel on Mackinac Island; to a young bride's prophetic nightmare (which her husband, a doctor, ignores) and they, along with twenty-two others on board the ill-fated steamer 'Waubuno' at Collingwood vanish, never to be seen or heard from again; to orange lights shining from some sort of craft hovering just above houses creating a rash of UFO sightings in the Unionville area of Michigan's 'thumb', "Haunted Lake Huron" offers a compendium of fascinating tales -- all delivered with an acerbic writing style and historic sensibility by Frederick Stonehouse which his readers will appreciate. "Haunted Lake Huron" is a welcome and highly recommended addition to academic and community library Regional Folklore collections.

Shooter's Bible
Stoeger Books
17603 Indian Head Highway, Accokeek, MD 20601
9780883173435, $24.95 www.stoegerbooks.com

Stoeger Books is the premier publisher of reference books on rifles and pistols. First published in 1924, and now in it's newly revised and expanded 99th edition, Stoeger Books "Shooter's Bible" continues to be the preferred and comprehensive firearms reference guide covering new products, specifications, and prices on thousands of firearms and related equipment. In addition to informed and informative feature articles, this edition of "Shooter's Bible' covers handguns, rifles, shotguns, black powder, sights and scopes, ammunition, ballistics, and reloading. Superbly organized and profusely illustrated throughout, "Shooter's Bible" continues to be an essential, core addition to personal, professional, academic, and community library firearms reference collections. Also very highly recommended from Stoeger Books for firearms reference collections is the new 30th edition of their "Gun Trader's Guide" (9780883173442, $24.95).


The Leadership Studies Shelf

Toolkit For Organizational Change
Tupper Cawsey & Gene Deszca
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
9781412941068, $54.95 www.sagepub.com 1-800-818-7243

The collaborative work of Tupper Cawsey (Professor of Business, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada) and Gene Deszca (Professor of Business Administration, Wilfrid Laurier University, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada), "Toolkit For Organizational Change" is a thoroughly 'student friendly' and comprehensive introduction to the techniques, methods, and 'tools' for effectively creating and implementing change in an organization. Accomplished academicians and business administration experts, the authors provide insight with practical application to illustrate current theory and conceptual models with respect to modifying organizational structures. Basics in the process of successful organizational change include taking a pragmatic approach to understanding, planning, implementing, and evaluating change; emphasizing the importance of accurately and intelligibly measuring change; and using an integrated organizational change model to effect modifications. The authors employ real-world examples, exercises, and cases to illustrate theory and concepts of organizational change. Each individual chapter is positioned within an organizational change model illustrating connections between the chapters and their assigned topics. Very highly recommended for academic library reference collections and essential reading for students of Organizational Change, Organizational Development, and Organizational Leadership, "Toolkit For Organizational Change" is enhanced with the inclusion of an Instructor's Resource CD that provides PowerPoint slides, additional exercises and case studies, a sample syllabus, and a great deal more.

Leadership
Robert P. Vecchio
University of Notre Dame Press
310 Flanner Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556
9780268043674, $45.00 www.undpress.nd.edu 1-800-621-2736

Now featuring eight new chapters, this expanded second edition of "Leadership: Understanding The Dynamics Of Power And Influence In Organizations" compiled and edited by Robert P. Vecchio (who holds the Franklin D. Schurz Chair in Management at the University of Notre Dame) is a completely up-to-date anthology of key writings on the subject of contemporary leadership in both its functional and dysfunctional aspects. The contributions are grouped around the themes of Introduction and Overview; Power and Influence; Dysfunctional Aspects of Leadership; Models of Leadership; Alternative Views of Leadership; and Emerging Issues. The thirty-five articles and essays comprising this 600-page opus range from 'Concepts of Leadership' by Bernard M. Bass, to 'Managing Your Boss' by John J. Gabarro and John P. Kotter, to 'The Dark Side of Leadership' by Jay A. Conger, to 'Can Leaders Learn to Lead?' by Victor H. Vroom, to 'It's Not Easy Being Green: Jealous and Envy in the Workplace' by Robert P. Vecchio. "Leadership" is a seminal body of work and especially recommended for both its standards of scholarship and its appropriateness for academic library reference collections and the supplemental reading lists of students aspiring to leadership positions in government, business, education, and community organizations.


The Poetry Shelf

The Lyrics
Fanny Howe
Graywolf Press
2402 University Avenue, Suite 203, Saint Paul, MN 55114
9781555974725, $14.00 www.graywolfpress.org 1-651-641-0077

Prizewinning poet Fanny Howe presents The Lyrics, an anthology of free-verse poems embodying the quest for knowledge through movement, while remaining vividly conscious of political and class warfare, and the search for the demarcation line between good and evil in America. A few of the poems embody lengthy concepts and situations; others are briefer, yet all seize the reader's attention with clarity and resounding emphasis. "The Question": So why, then, did you leave the village / Of your childhood? // Why did you opt for a gray and brutalist zone / Devoted to might and money / Unless you wanted some? / Why else? / In the airport restaurants you smell shit, / And in the motel fabrics / Sex and smoke make you gag." A memorable, if at times harshly worded perspective upon the need for social justice in modern culture.


The Philosophy Shelf

The Logos of the Soul, second edition
Evangelos Christou
Spring Publications Inc.
PO Box 230212, New York, NY 10023
9780882145617, $20.00 www.springpub.com

Now in a new second edition with a preface by James Hillman, The Logos of the Soul is a classic philosophical treatise first published posthumously in 1963. Written by a gifted intellectual whose life was tragically cut short, The Logos of the Soul advances a logic for psychotherapy grounded in the concept that rights are based upon the soul. "Science does not specifically affirm the reality of the world; the meaning of such affirmations is a matter for philosophy to settle. Science is quite content to work on the world as that which happens to be at hand. To this purpose it has developed a set of rules and an ethics, which is characterized by its systematic exclusion of everything, which is not pure observation, that is, sensible-perception... The question we, therefore, ask ourselves is not what philosophical meaning we are to give to reality, but the far more relevant yet simple question, what property of the sensible world is it that enables science to consider its world as real?" An insightful delving into the higher questions and their ramifications for the disciplines of both philosophy and psychology.

The Parasite
Michel Serres, author
Lawrence R. Schehr, translator
University of Minnesota Press
111 Third Avenue South, Suite 290, Minneapolis, MN 55401-2520
9780816648818, $19.95 www.upress.umn.edu

Written by history and science professor Michel Serres, and expertly translated from the original French by professor of French Lawrence R. Schehr (no simple feat, as Serres often expressed himself in unusual styles and multilingual puns), The Parasite is an eyebrow-raising treatise that compares how human relations are frequently identical to the relationship between a parasite and the host body. Serres does not decry this situation as universally deleterious; to the contrary, he points out that by being vocal pests, small groups can raise their collective power to influence public dialogue, engendering the diversity and complexity vital to vibrant human thought and culture. "The position of a parasite is to be between. That is why it must be said to be a being or a relation. But the attribute of the parasite... is its specificity. It is not just anything that troubles a passing message. It is not just anyone who is invited to someone's table. A given larva develops only in a certain organism and is carried only by a certain vector." Originally published in 1982, this re-release of a classic philosophical text is highly recommended especially for college library philosophy shelves and scholarly reading lists.


The Literary Shelf

Playing the Hero
Ann Dooley
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
9780802038326, $75.00 www.utppublishing.com 1-800-565-9523

Written by Ann Dooley (associate professor in the Centre for Medieval Studies, University of Toronto) Playing the Hero: Reading the Irish Saga Tain Bo Cuailnge is an in-depth scrutiny of the surviving manuscripts of the great twelfth-century Irish saga, the Tain Bo Cuailnge (Cattle-Raid of Cooley). Arguing that the scribes' work in recording the Tain Bo Cuailnge is both a transmission and a translation, Playing the Hero explores how the historical circumstances of the breadth of the twelfth century impacted the literary creativity of the minds behind this ancient classic. Intended for a scholarly audience, Playing the Hero leaves no stone unturned in its search for nuance and understanding in what Tain Bo Cuailnge can tell modern-day readers of Irish mythology and culture centuries past. Exhaustive notes, a bibliography and an index round out this fine addition to Irish historical literary studies and college library shelves.

Imagining Joyce and Derrida
Peter Mahon
University of Toronto Press
10 St. Mary Street, Suite 700, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M4Y 2W8
9780802092496, $65.00 www.utppublishing.com 1-800-565-9523

Written by Peter Mahon (teacher in the Department of English, University of British Columbia), Imagining Joyce and Derrida: Between Finnegans Wake and Glas is a unique literary study that recommends enhanced study and comprehension of Joyce's literary classics though reading Derrida, and Derrida through reading Joyce. Particular emphasis is given to Joyce's "Finnegans Wake" and Derrida's "Glas" in this close study of the intertextuality of classics. Mahon also touches upon key texts by Vico, Kant, and Heidegger to ground his theories of literary analysis. Imagining Joyce and Derrida is recommended for college as a supplementary resource for advanced students scholars of Joyce's and Derrida's great works.


The Science Shelf

Patagonian Mesozoic Reptiles
Zulma Gasparini, Leonardo Salgado, and Rodolfo A. Coria, editors
Indiana University Press
601 North Morton Street, Bloomington, IN 47404-3797
9780253348579, $49.95 www.iupress.indiana.edu 1-800-842-6796

Edited by professional researchers Zulma Gasparini, Leonardo Salgado, and Rodolfo A. Coria, Patagonian Mesozoic Reptiles is an amazing scientific text revealing the latest findings concerning dinosaurs that lived in the Patagonian region during the Mesozoic era. Numerous black-and-white illustrations and a handful of color plates enliven this scholarly collection of essays by a diverse array of authors. Individual essays cover a wide variety of different reptilians, from crocodyliformes to the birdlike aves to the aquatic plesiosauria. Systematically examining the biology, evolutionary history, and environmental/geological context of its subject, Patagonian Mesozoic Reptiles is a technical yet utterly detailed and cutting-edge testimony, and a welcome addition to prehistoric biology and natural history shelves.


The Photography Shelf

Historic Photos Of Theodore Roosevelt
Stacy A. Cordery
Turner Publishing Company
200 - 4th Avenue North, Suite 950, Nashville, TN 37219
9781596523364, $39.95 www.turnerpublishing.com

Upon the unexpected assassination of William McKinley, Theodore Roosevelt found himself being sworn in as the 26th President of the United States and went on to become one of the most dynamic, charismatic, energetic, and popular president is American political history. "Historic Photos Of Theodore Roosevelt" is a compendium of period black-and-white photos of TR visually documenting his life and exploits as a soldier and explorer, a conservationist and big game hunter, a scientist and writer, a family man, and his time as the governor of New York, his brief term as a vice-president, and as a president. With informative captions given them by Stacy A. Cordery (web bibliographer for the National First Ladies Library in Canton, Ohio) "Historic Photos Of Theodore Roosevelt" is a fittingly pictorial biographic presentation of a remarkable man whose political policies, ideas, and influence are still resonating in American culture today. "Historic Photos Of Theodore Roosevelt" is an impressive body of work and a strongly recommended addition to academic and community library reference collections in the areas of 20th Century American History, Photography, and Biography.

MMV Romani
William Klein
Contrasto Books
c/o General Strategic Marketing
78 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10011
9788889032817, $40.00 www.contrastobooks.com

A friend and colleague of such luminaries as Moravia, Fellini and Pasolini, William Klein is a master of photography and recipient of the Lucie Award for 2005. "MMV Romani" is a compilation of full color photographs of the men and women of Rome. The subjects for Klien's camera lens range from waiters to aristocrats, from lawyers to art dealers, as well as actors, marketplace vendors, truck drivers, rowers. An impressive body of photographic artistry, "MMV Romani" is a welcome and enthusiastically recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library Photographic Studies reference collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Healthy Southwest Table
Janet E. Taylor
Rio Nuevo Publishers
PO Box 5250, Tucson, AZ 85703
9781933855011, $24.95 www.rionuevo.com

Janet Taylor is a culinary expert whose newest cookbook, "The Healthy Southwest Table" showcases a superbly illustrated cornucopia of savory, colorful, palate pleasing and appetite satisfying dishes associated with the American southwest. From Green Tea Cooler; Fresh Fruit Salsa; Flat Enchiladas; and Tangy Tuna Cabbage Salad; to Lemon-Lime Prickly Pear Chicken; Chipotle Barbecue Tofu and Vegetables; Leftover Fish or Chicken Tacos; and Decadent Chocolate Pudding, "The Healthy Southwest Table" features more than one hundred recipes that are as delicious as they are nutritious. The novice kitchen cook will especially appreciate the informative instructional commentaries on roasting, toasting, grilling, and working with tortillas. Further enhanced with 'Highlights of Some Nutritional Studies' and 'Making Smart Food Choices', "The Healthy Southwest Table" is confidently recommended for both personal and community library ethnic and regional cookbook collections.

500 Cookie Recipes
Phillipa Vanstone
Publicity/Marketing Department
Sellers Publishing
c/o Ronnie Sellers Productions
81 West Commercial Street, Portland, ME 04101
9781569065921, $15.95 www.makefun.com 1-800-625-3386

Profusely illustrated throughout with more than two hundred color photographs, Phillipa Vanston's "500 Cookies" is a compendium packed with superbly presented, kitchen-cook-friendly, do-it-yourself recipes for an amazingly extensive variety of baked goodies ideal for snacks, desserts, and celebrations. Each recipe is showcased with a succinct ingredient list combined with clear, step-by-step instructions that will result in perfect cookies every time. Of special note is the beginning section on cookie basics including techniques, equipment, ingredients, cookie types, and useful troubleshooting tips. From classics like Snicker Doodles, Brownies, Macaroons, and Peanut Butter Cookies, to exotic fare such as Florentines, Valentine Heart Cookies, Carnival Bars, and Almond Biscotti. A very strongly recommended addition to personal and community library cookbook collections, "500 Cookie Recipes" is superbly organized and presented -- and especially appropriate for the kitchens of any and all cookie enthusiasts!

Healthy Snacks For Kids
Penny Warner
Nitty Gritty Cookbooks
c/o Bristol Publishing Enterprises, Inc.
2714 McCone Avenue, Hayward, CA 94545
9781558673366, $8.95 www.bristolpublishing.com 1-800-346-4889

Now in a newly revised and expanded edition, Penny Warner's "Healthy Snacks For Kids" showcases more than 120 delicious, nutritious, kid-pleasing, kitchen-cook-friendly recipes, each of which is related to the new FDA approved food pyramid. Presenting background information about the new food pyramid, making children eat healthier, and diverse helpful hints, "Healthy Snacks For Kids" not only features 'Super Snacks' with names like Apple Snow, Jack's Beanstalks, and Zippety Dips, but 'Dynamite Drinks' including Monkey Milkshake, Mooseberry Juice, and Banana Chocolate Froth. The section on 'Frozen Fun' with such concoctions as Frostbit Blizzard, Arctic Oranges, and Frozen Yoggies, is followed by 'Better Breakfast' selections featuring Macaroni Omelet, Coconut Toasties, and Funny Face Pancakes. "Healthy Snacks For Kids" concludes with 'Marvelous Meals' showcasing such easy-to-prepare culinary delights as Apple Pie Sandwich, Veggie Pillows, Popeye Burgers, and Mexican Wieners. Enthusiastically recommended, "Healthy Snacks For Kids" will prove to be a favorite addition to any family's cookbook collection!

Tastes From A Tuscan Kitchen
Diane Nocentini & Madeline Armillotta
Hippocrene Books, Inc.
171 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780781811477, $24.95 www.hippocrenebooks.com 1-212-685-4371

One of the newest additions to the simply outstanding roster of ethnic cookbooks from Hippocrene, "Tastes From A Tuscan Kitchen" is the collaborative effort of Italian culinary experts Diane Nocentrini and Madeline Armilotta who first met in a small village about 16 miles outside of Florence, Tuscany. They decided to co-author a Tuscan cookbook with recipes specifically designed for the American kitchen cook and which would reflect the culinary traditions, flavors, and dishes of the Mediterranean countryside of Tuscany. Showcasing more than 150 recipes that are easy to prepare on short notice, wholesome, nutritious, delicious and particularly suited to daily cooking schedules, the recipes range from appetizers, to soups and salads, to entrees and desserts. Of special note are the chapter of recipes devoted to the use of Eggs and section devoted to Tuscan wines. The recipes feature such tempting fare as Lasagne con Ragu (Meat Lasagne), Costolette di Maiale con Salvia e Chianti (Pork Chops with Sage and Chianti), Frittata di Patate e Verdure (Potato and Vegetable Omelet), Pomodori Ripieni con Riso (Stuffed Tomatoes with Rice), and Semifreddo al Caffe (Coffee Parfait). With the added inclusion of a chart of metric conversions, "Tastes From A Tuscan Kitchen" is a welcome and core addition to any family or community library ethnic cookbook collection.

The Complete Idiot's Guide To Juicing
Ellen Brown
Alpha Books
c/o Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9781592575688, $14.95 www.penguin.com 1-800-847-5515

Turning fruits and vegetables into drinkable juices is a surefire way of making certain we consume five daily services of them to insure good health based on sound nutrition. Ellen Brown's "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Juicing" offers a series of failure-proof juice recipes that can be easily and quickly prepared in the family kitchen with a blender, a food processor, or a juicer. Substitute suggestions for recipes ingredients for those with specific food allergies is also provided. Of special note is the inclusion of sound and practical advice about buying and storing perishable produce. There is even a handy resource listing of fruit and vegetable nutrients. This specialized and thoroughly 'user friendly' compendium of recipes will enable even the most novice kitchen chef to combine juices for more savory flavors, tempt the palate with tropical tastes, enhance the flavors of juices through the infusion of herbs, crate hearty and delicious soups from juicing variations, and even discover how to brew delectable fruit teas. "The Complete Idiot's Guide To Juicing" is a welcome and strongly recommended addition to family and community library cookbook collections.

Sweet Addition Cooking Series
Dannielle Myxter & Jan Marie Johnson
Bennett Watt HD Productions Inc.
13021 - 244th Avenue SE, Issaquah, WA 98027
DVD set, $112.95 www.Bennett-Watt.com 1-800-327-2893

The 'Sweet Addition Cooking Series' consists of six outstanding, 90-minute, technically flawless, full color, step-by-step instructional DVDs, each of which is dedicated to creating particular dishes that are characterized by a very special elegance guaranteed to please any palate and satisfying any appetite. The first four ("Breakfast Pastries", "Classic Desserts", "Cookies & Bars", and "Life's Uncertain, Eat Dessert First!) feature Chef Dannielle Myxter. The last two ("A Few Of Our Favorite Things" and "Simply Salmon" feature Chef Jan Marie Johnson). The simply delicious recipes range from Strawberry Muffins; White Chocolate Raspberry Cheesecake; and White Chocolate Cranberry Oatmeal Cookies; to White Gingerbread Spice Cake with Poached Pears and Vanilla Bean Ice Cream; Sunrise Champagne Cocktail; and Chili Cinnamon Rubbed Salmon with Spicy Cabbage Salad & Mango Salsa. Although each of these thoroughly 'kitchen cook friendly' and enthusiastically recommended DVDs can be obtain individually ($19.95 each), dedicated family cooks, aspiring restaurant chefs, and community libraries should acquire the entire six volume series intact for their culinary reference collections.


The Business Shelf

Sleeping With Your Business Partner
Becky L. Stewart-Gross & Michael J. Gross
Capital Books, Inc.
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166
9781933102436, $16.95 www.capital-books.com 1-800-758-3756

The collaborative work of Becky and Michael Gross, "Sleeping With Your Business Partner: A Communication Toolkit For Couples In Business Together" is the newest title in Capital Books' outstanding 'Capital Career & Personal Development Series', and focuses specifically upon operating a 'Mom & Pop' business enterprise where the husband and wife work together. There are both benefits and detriments to such an arrangement that arise from gender differences, conceptual differences, the need to balance family and work, conflict resolution strategies and techniques, personal and professional communication skills, the demands of teamwork and the necessity of positive attitudes. Superbly written, deftly organized, and thoroughly 'reader friendly', "Sleeping With Your Business Partner" should be considered a 'must read' for anyone thinking about (or already engaged in) a business with their spouse.

High Performance Business Strategy
Ap Eigenhuis & Rob van Dijk
Kogan Page USA
525 South 4th Street, #241, Philadelphia, PA 19147
9780749450137, $70.00 www.koganpage.com 1-800-232-0223

The collaborative work of Ap Eigenhuis (founder of Applico HR Consultancy and a former Senior Vice President, Human Resources, Unilever) and Rob van Dijk (consultant and a manager at the Hay Group), "High performance Business Strategy: Inspiring Success Through Effective Human Resource Management" is specifically written to enable corporate senior management to identify, analyze, and improve staff and business performance. Human Resource directors will learn effective and applicable strategies for maximizing staff performance by creating higher levels of people engagement and commitment; build more effective corporate teams; communicate shared vision and values in a compelling manner; coach for improved management and team performance; and create a corporate climate amenable to organizational success. Through the use of illustrated case studies, as well as the inclusion of a number of practical checklists, "High Performance Business Strategy" is thoroughly a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual that is especially recommended reading for anyone charged with the responsibility for corporate success in an increasingly global and competitive marketplace.

Don't Take The Last Donut
Judith Bowman
Career Press Inc.
PO Box 687, Franklin Lakes, NJ 07417
9781564149299, $19.99 www.careerpress.com 1-800-227-3371

Judith Bowman is the founder of Protocol Consultants International and provides training, seminars, personal coaching, and speaking services for small and mid-sized companies -- as well as Fortune 500 firms. Bowman draws upon her many years of experience and expertise in "Don't Take The Last Donut: New Rules Of Business Etiquette" to provide sound instruction and advice to anyone involved with various aspects of business ranging from contract negotiation to office small talk. From the business lunch to the annual board meeting, there are protocols and normative standards of conduct that must be adhered to in order to insure success. Thoroughly 'reader friendly' and impressively informative, "Don't Take The Last Donut" is a 'must read' for anyone who has ever forgotten a client's name, endured an awkward moment, had to 'work the room', make a positive first impression, or engage in a business meeting with someone from another culture, another country.


The American History Shelf

South Street
Barbara G. Mensch
Columbia University Press
61 West 62nd Street, New York, NY 10023-7015
9780231139328, $29.95 www.columbiaedu/cu/cup 1-800-944-8648

Profusely illustrated with illustrative photos, "South Street" by Barbara G. Mensch is a history of New York City's famous Fullerton Fish Market. Barbara's photography combines nicely with her lively and informative stories of a colorful community of fishmongers who worked together, resisted outside influences of government and corporations, and basically policed themselves. "South Street" concludes with the closure of the docks and the opening of the Seaport mall which was viewed at the time as the result of the expulsion of control by organized crime and the emergence of domination by corporations. A work of impressive scholarship combined with talented narration, "South Street" is enthusiastically recommended for academic and community library American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

The Rangeley And Its Region
Stephen A. Cole
Tilbury House, Publishers
2 Mechanic Street, Gardiner, ME 04345
9780884482956, $30.00 www.tilburyhouse.com 1-800-582-1899

The Rangeley Lakes region of western Main is an area dominated by four big lakes and linked by streams. This lake system more resembles a series of inland seas than simple and connected freshwater lakes. Sporting camps and lodges became numerous and as tourists were able to access the area by carriage, train, and steamboat in ever larger numbers, a local economy evolved that included craftsmen, entrepreneurs, and guides. By the 1870s a double-ended, lightweight, shapely, swift boat was developed and favored by guides. "The Rangeley And Its Region: The Famous Boat And Lakes Of Western Maine" by Stephen A. Cole (director of natural resources and sustainable communities programs at the community development corporation Coastal Enterprises, Inc.) is the detailed and profusely illustrated history of the area along with the technological innovations and cultural changes associated with the distinctive boat included seas added to the thwarts fo keep the craft passenger centered, and a squaring of the stern to accommodate a motor. The hand-crafted Rangeley boat declined with the coming of post-World War II introduction of factory produced aluminum and fiberglass boats. Yet this unique craft continues to be seen plying the waters of the Rangeley Lakes. "The Rangeley And It Region" is a unique and highly recommended regional history that would make a welcome and popular addition to academic and community library collections.

The Sugar Masters
Richard Follett
Louisiana State University Press
P.O. Box 25053, Baton Rouge, LA 70894-5053
9780807132470, $18.95 www.lsu.edu/lsupress 1-800-861-3477

"The Sugar Masters: Planters And Slaves In Louisiana's Cane World, 1820-1860" by Richard Follett (American History Instructor, University of Sussex, England) is an analytical history of the employment of slaves in the sugar cane industry as practiced in Louisiana during the early 19th century. The focus is on labor management practices used to control and exploit a slave-oriented labor system within the contemporary context of capitalism, hierarch, paternalism, and ethics. A seminal contribution to pre-emancipation Louisiana, "The Sugar Masters" is a model of scholarship in terms of the underlying empirical research, as a demographic study, and in expanded our understanding of the social and cultural history of slavery, agricultural, and cultural practices of the era. A very highly recommended addition to academic library collections, "The Sugar Masters" is especially recommended reading for students in the disciplines of Black History, American History, Louisiana History, and American Economic History.

A Song Of Yamhill
Gordon N. Zimmerman
Binford & Mort Publishing
5245 N.E. Elam Young Parkway, Suite C, Hillsboro, OR 97124
0832305596, $24.95 www.binfordandmort.com

It wasn't until the late 1800s that American pioneers scaled the mountains surrounding the Nehalem Valley in western Oregon. They had to penetrate an extensive and dense forest, cross ridges, and follow streams until they could reach the banks of the swiftly flowing Nehalem River and create their settlements. These hardy folk grappled with creating their farms, timber harvests, and fledgling communities as a basis for their visions, hopes and dreams for the future. They and their children and their children's children were 'shaped, taught, and helped' by the land they settled and which grew into becoming the what it is today. Chronologically organized (Pioneer Time 1860-1899; Timber Time 1900-1939; War Time 1940-1979; and Transition Time; 1980-2002", A Song Of Yamhill And Oregon's Northwestern Willamette Valley" is the superbly researched and deftly written history of a remarkable people and the equally remarkable country they were to transform from a wilderness into what it is today. Enhanced with historic illustrations and photos, the inclusion of a Bibliography, and several appendices that include a 'List of Postmasters'; 'McKenney's Pacific Coast Directory 1883-85'; 'Plat of North Yamhill -- 1901 Copy'; and 'The Zimmerman's of Yamhill at Oregon State 1909-1994', "A Song Of Yamhill" is an informed and informative regional history and a welcome addition to academic library American History and Oregon State History reference collections.

A Dictionary Of Iowa Place Names
Tom Savage
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House, Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
1587295318, $19.95 www.uiowapress.org 1-800-621-2736

Compiled and written by Iowa historian Tom Savage, "A Dictionary Of Iowa Place Names" is organized by counties and towns. Of special note is the extended section of place names associated with former Iowan counties, towns and post offices. Presented alphabetically, each place name is provided with the date the county or town was established along with a numerical cross-reference to the source for the information. Each entree is a succinct summary of the origin, derivation, or definition of the name. The section of identified sources is extensive and comprehensive. Offering a wealth of trivia information with respect to the history of Iowan communities (Dubuque is the oldest town having its origins as a mining camp in the 1780s and incorporating in 1841), A work of exhaustive scholarship which could well serve as a template for similar place name directories for other states, "A Dictionary Of Iowa Place Names" is a very highly recommended addition to academic library American History and Iowa History reference collections.

New Mexico In 1876-1887
William D. Dawson
Robert J. Torrez, editor
Rio Grande Books
925 Salamanca NW, Los Ranchos De Albuqeque, NM 87107-5647
9781890689506, $15.95 www.nmsantos.com

Compiled and edited by Robert J. Torrez (State Historian at the New Mexico State Records Center and Archives in Santa Fe from 1987 until his retirement in December 2000), "New Mexico In 1876-1887: A Newspaperman's View" is a collection of travelogs and reports by William D. Dawson when he undertook a series of journeys that took him through New Mexico. He embarked upon the D&RG railroad near Fort Garland, Colorado and traveled through the Mesilla Valley, going west to the mining towns of Silver City and Pinos Altos, New Mexico. His reports were published in 'The Santa Fe Daily New Mexican' and provided his readers with informative eyewitness descriptions of New Mexico's towns, agriculture, wineries, mines, farmers, merchants, vintners, miners, soldiers, Native Americans, outlaws, and pretty girls. "New Mexico In 1876-1887" is a unique contribution to the growing body of literate on the 19th Century American West and is especially recommended for academic library American History reference collections in general, and New Mexico State History reading lists in particular.

Doing The Works Of Abraham
B. Carmon Hardy
The Arthur H. Clark Company
PO Box 14707, Spokane, WA 99214
9780870623448, $39.95 www.ahclark.com 1-800-842-9286

The ninth volume of The Arthur H. Clark Company 'Kingdom in the West: the Mormons and the American Frontier' series, "Doing The Works Of Abraham: Mormon Polygamy, Its Origin, Practice, And Demise" by academician and Mormon historian B. Carmon Hardy (Professor Emeritus of History at California State University, Fullerton) is a history of the peculiar theological doctrine of 'Celestial Marriage' that commanded male members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints under the successive leadership of Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and John Taylor to practice polygamy as a form of sanctified marriage. From its shadowy inception in Nauvoo, Illinois in the 1830s to its public proclamation in 1852, and through almost forty years of conflict with the federal government, polygamy was an honored practice within the Church until the Mormon leadership renounced the practice in 1890 in order to become a state, quell dissent within Church ranks, and deprive their opponents of an effective weapon in argument of what was considered by the broader American society as a scandalous practice. Especially recommended for students of Mormon History in general and the practice of polygamy in particular, "Doing The Works Of Abraham" is an impressive work of meticulous scholarship and a seminal contribution to academic library 19th Century American History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Amirs, Admirals & Desert Sailors
David F. Winkler
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591149620, $34.95 www.navalinstitute.org 1-800-233-8764

Written by naval historian and U.S. Naval Reserve commander David F. Winkler, Amirs, Admirals & Desert Sailors: Bahrain, the U.S. Navy, and the Arabian Gulf the fascinating story of the strategic partnership between the United States and the Middle Eastern nation of Bahrain, who has hosted the U.S. Navy for nearly six decades. Heavily researched, Amirs, Admirals & Desert Sailors gives an overview of the establishment of an American naval presence in Bahrain during the Cold War, repercussions from Arab-Israeli conflicts and the downfall of the Iranian shah, operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, the attack on the USS Cole, and more. Amirs, Admirals & Desert Sailors concludes with the inception of the modern Iraq war in 2003, leaving events after 2003 to be covered by future chronicles. Notes, a bibliography, and an index round out this evenhanded and thoroughly detailed history that takes both Bahraini and American perspectives into full account.


The Civil War Shelf

The Maps Of Gettysburg
Bradley M. Gottfried
Savas Beatie
PO Box 4527, El Dorado Hills, CA 95762
Casemate (distributor)
1016 Warrior Road, Suite C, Drexel Hill, PA 19026
9781932714302, $39.95 www.casematepublishing.com www.savasbeatie.com

"The Maps Of Gettysburg: The Gettysburg Campaign, June 3-July 13, 1863" by academician and civil war historian Bradley M. Gottfried is a unique approach to understanding what is perhaps the single most studied battle of the American Civil War. The intense series of lethal combats comprising the Gettysburg conflict that took place around the town of Gettysburg ranged from corps-sized actions to small-unit engagements began on June 3rd and included cavalry battles, cannonades, foot regiments, and was to prove the turning point of the war which beforehand had favored the Confederates under the leadership of General Robert E. Lee, but afterwards was to have General Lee on the defensive, finally culminating in his surrender at Appomattox. "The Maps Of Gettysburg" includes thirty map sets or 'action-sections' featuring 144 detailed full-page maps that together comprise the entire campaign from beginning to end. These are reproductions of cartographic originals down to the regimental and battery level. Of special note is the accompaniment of the maps are detailed descriptions of the units, personalities, movements, and combat associated with them. The narrative and deftly written text also includes eyewitnesses quotes. "The Maps Of Gettysburg" is a seminal contribution to the growing body of Civil War literature and highly recommended reading for civil war buffs. No academic library can afford not to include "The Maps Of Gettysburg" as part of their American Civil War Studies reference collections.

A South Divided
David C. Downing
Cumberland House Publishing
431 Harding Industrial Dr., Nashville, Tennessee 37211
9781581825879, $22.95 www.cumberlandhouse.com 1-888-439-2665

Civil War historian David C. Downing (Professor of English, Elizabethtown College) presents A South Divided: Portraits of Dissent in the Confederacy, a singularly fascinating look at the men, women, and slaves of the Confederate states who wanted no part of "a rich man's war and a poor man's fight." From public outrage over rising taxes and practices that rich slaveholders used to avoid being called to risk their lives on the front (there was even a "twenty-slave law" passed that protected slaveholders owning twenty or more slaves from the Confederate draft) to Indian tribes caught within and caught up in internecine rivalry to "cave dwellers" who used sophisticated means to evade conscription to those Southerners, particularly slaves, who outright deserted the Confederate army to join ranks with the Union, A South Divided reveals both individual stories and a grand picture of how internal dissent ultimately contributed to the Confederacy's defeat. "If all it takes to win wars is material superiority, then why did the British fail to prevent American independence and why did America fail to achieve its objectives in Vietnam?" A thoroughly engrossing "must-read" contribution to Civil War history shelves.

Chancellorsville And The Germans
Christian B. Keller
Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L, Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823226504, $65.00 www.fordhampress.com 1-800-247-6553

"Chancellorsville And The Germans: Nativism, Ethnicity, And Civil War Memory" by Christian B. Keller (Associate Professor of Military History, U.S. Army Command and General Staff College, Ft. Belvoir, Virginia) is a seminal contribution to the growing library of Civil War literature. The focus in on the decimation of the Union's Eleventh Corps (composed of large numbers of German-speaking volunteers) by General Robert E. Lee's forces at what became known as the Battle of Chancellorsville. Poorly deployed, the unit was overwhelmed by the Confederate calvary and foot troops led by Stonewall Jackson. The unit blamed for the unexpected Northern defeat at Confederate hands. the impact on America's large German immigrant community was nothing short of devastating. Professor Keller draws upon German-language newspapers of the period, soldiers' letters, memoirs, and regimental records to reconstruct the battle and its aftermath from both military and civilian German-American perspectives and in doing so reveals the valor of the German troops. An impressively informative and very highly recommended work of original scholarship, "Chancellorsville And The Germans" traces the effects of the conflict and its aftermath on the dynamics of German immigrant inclusion and assimilation in American life. No academic library American Civil War reference collection can be considered complete or comprehensive without the inclusion of Professor Keller's "Chancellorsville And The Germans". Also very strongly recommended for Civil War reference collections and supplemental reading lists is Professor Keller's earlier work, "Damn Dutch: Pennsylvania Germans at Gettysburg".

Nathan Bedford Forrest
Eddy W. Davison & Daniel Foxx
Pelican Publishing Company
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LA 70053-2246
9781589804159, $35.00 www.pelicanpub.com 1-800-843-1724

The collaborative work of American Civil War experts Eddy W. Davison (Adjunct Professor of History, Ottawa University, Phoenix, Arizona and a member of the Board of Directors of the Scottsdale Civil War Roundtable), and Daniel Fox (Professor Emeritus of History, Ottawa University, Phoenix, Arizona), "Nathan Bedford Forrest: In Search Of The Enigma" is the man almost universally acknowledged as the best cavalry leader the Confederate army had in leading the Seventh Tennessee Cavalry. But in the decades following the civil war, Nathan Bedford Forrest was also the subject of enduring controversy as a man both acclaimed and vilified, respected and hated, and generally difficult to categorize. This new and detailed biography reveals Forrest to be complex, possessing a military genius and a generally tragic figure of his times. The biographers cover his childhood, marriage, life as a businessman who became a self-made millionaire in Memphis, Tennessee, his work as a civic leader, and offers explanation for the alleged massacre at Fort Pillow, Tennessee, his dramatic call for full citizenship for Black Southerners, and his post-civil war involvement with the infamous Ku Klux Klan. A very strongly recommended addition to academic and community library Civil War Studies and American Biography collections, "Nathan Bedford Forrest" is a work of meticulous and detailed scholarship -- and a prized contribution to the growing body of Civil War literature.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

Dragon Queen
Jayel Gibson
Synergy Books
2100 Kramer Lane, Suite 300, Austin, TX 78758
9781933538464, $14.95 www.bookpros.com

Celtic history aficionado Jayel Gibson presents Dragon Queen: An Ancient Mirrors Tale, a high fantasy novel and the prequel to "The Wrekening". When Yavie, born of the Dragon Queen and rightful heir to the throne, awakens from deathly slumber, she discovers a shattered world, and personal betrayal by her lover, her siblings, and even her father. Only she can reunite the seven shattered kingdoms of Aedracmorae; together with her companions, she embarks on a perilous quest to seek the ancient artifacts necessary to fulfill her destiny. Yet dire threats of chaos and shadow are waiting in the wings of the Aedracmorae's resurrection, in this sweeping magical saga of one woman's struggle to set right a land rent asunder. Enthusiastically recommended for connoisseurs of epic fantasy.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Real Estate Investing 101
Earnest Kelley
American Literary Press
8019 Belair Road, Suite 10, Baltimore, MD 21236
9781561679539, $17.95 www.americanliterarypress.com 1-800-873-2003

Written by military veteran and career real estate broker & investor Earnest Kelley, Real Estate Investing 101is a solid primer to the world of real estate investment, for readers of all backgrounds. Chapters cover how to find the right sellers and negotiate a price, obtaining funding, screening tenants, what factors should affect the decision to rent or sell one's property, the nuts and bolts of a home inspection, and much more. "Real estate agents prefer home buyers with cash for down payments, good income, good credit rating. Their vision is getting the job done with as little work as possible. They are not up to understanding creativity in pushing deals forward. They're not very receptive to unusual offers. Without their knowing how you work, if you hand an agent an offer to purchase a property with no down payment, he'll look at you and say 'So you think I'm stupid?'" Appendices and a glossary round out this excellent, plain-terms introductory guide.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Dead Bang
Robert E. Bailey
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781590771099, $21.95 1-800-462-6420

Retired private detective and Shamus-nominated author Robert E. Bailey presents Dead Bang: An Art Hardin Mystery, featuring the return of hard-boiled gumshoe Art Hardin. When an Islamic terrorist group manipulates and unsuspecting friend of the family to smuggle money into the country - and the money vanishes - Art becomes involved in a murderous, terrorist plot of violence and revenge. An nonstop rush of excitement from cover to cover, Dead Bang is especially recommended for fans of two-fisted intrigue.

Missing Link
Joyce Holms
Allison & Busby
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9780749081010, $25.95 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Written by modern Renaissance woman Joyce Holms, whose varied careers range from hotel management to working for an Edinburgh detective agency to raising two children, Missing Link is a wickedly funny Fizz and Buchanan mystery. Tenacious journalist Fizz Fitzgerald receives a surprise when an elderly woman asks Fizz for help in incriminating herself for murder! Fizz's partner Buchanan dismisses the case of a waste of time - but is it really? A perplexing mystery, in which three different people vie for the notoriety of being named a woman's murderer, Missing Link is fast-paced, irreverently funny, and highly recommended for aficionados of tongue-in-cheek mysteries.

Tubby Meets Katrina
Tony Dunbar
NewSouth, Inc.
PO Box 1588, Montgomery, AL 36102
9781588382030, $24.95 www.newsouthbooks.com 1-334-834-3556

Written by attorney and Edgar Allan Poe Award-nominated author Tony Dunbar, Tubby Meets Katrina: A Tubby Dubonnet Mystery is an exciting mystery novel set in New Orleans during the and after the devastating Hurricane Katrina. Lawyer-sleuth Tubby Dubonnet and his family ride out the hurricane itself, but when the levees break and the city floods, they wind up with other refugees in the horrific Convention Center. Tubby's daughter becomes the target of a psychopath who imagines himself to be the human embodiment of the hurricane itself, and Tubby must draw upon his wits and his connections to protect himself and his family, while striving to restore his home and help his beloved city to recover. An up close and personal view of the dangerous times after Katrina hit, and the endemic frustrations permeating the weeks that followed, Tubby Meets Katrina is a modern mystery colored with twists, turns, and real-life travails.


The Social Issues Shelf

LNG
Virginia L. Thorndike
Down East Books
PO Box 679, Camden, ME 04843
9780892727018, $15.95 www.downeastbooks.com 1-800-685-7962

Written by independent researcher Virginia L. Thorndike, LNG: A Level-Headed Look at the Liquefied Natural Gas Controversy is a much-needed contribution to the public repertoire of information concerning possible solutions to and complications of the modern energy crisis. Natural gas provides approximately one quarter of the energy consumed in the United States, yet even though it appears the US will need to import even more in the future, at the present there are only five terminals designed to handle supercold liquefied gas. Are LNG plants a clean and safe source of energy, advantageous to local economies and needed more desperately than ever in today's modern oil shortage and era of turbulence in the Middle East? Or would LNG plants be horrible disasters waiting to happen, and opportune targets for a terrorist strike? What would the practical ramifications be of an LNG facility built within one to ten miles people's homes? LNG dispenses with the rhetoric and scare tactics of both sides, and offers the simple facts about LNG in plain terms for readers of all backgrounds. A handful of black-and-white pictures and an index round out this practical, down-to-earth informational primer, enthusiastically recommended for anyone concerned about the energy crisis in general or the possible construction of more LNG plants in particular.

The Deaf Way II Reader
Harvey Goodstein, editor
Gallaudet University Press
800 Florida Avenue, NE, Washington, DC 20002-3695
9781563682940, $80.00 http://gupress.gallaudet.edu 1-800-621-2736

Edited by Harvey Goodstein, Chair of Deaf Way II, The Deaf Way II Reader: Perspectives from the Second International Conference on Deaf Culture is an in-depth collection of 65 scholarly papers tied to the second international Deaf gathering in 2002 at Washington, DC. Contributors hail from such diverse nations as Brazil, Cyprus, Denmark, Great Britain, Greece, Iran, Ireland, Israel, Japan, Nigeria, Russia, South Africa, Spain, and Thailand, and the topics range from "Deaf Parents with Teenage Children" to "The Status of Deaf People in Developing Countries" to "The Poetics and Politics of Deaf American Literature" and much more. A magnificent and varied compendium of the international knowledge, understanding, and insight into Deaf experience and culture, enthusiastically recommended for college libraries.


The Biography Shelf

Sunshine Always
Paula M. Nelson, editor
South Dakota State Historical Society Press
900 Governors Drive, Pierre, SD 57501
097491956X, $24.95 www.sdshspress.com

Edited for publication by Paula M. Nelson (Professor of History and Chairperson of the Department of social Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Platteville), "Sunshine Always: The Courtship Letters Of Alice Bower And Joseph Gossage Of Dakota Territory" was compiled by Maxwell Van Nuys, Alice Bower Gossage's nephew and the family historian. Alice Bower lived in Vermillion, South Dakota, where she occasionally worked as a typesetter and cared for her younger siblings. Joseph Gossage lived in Rapid City, South Dakota, where he founded the 'Rapid City Journal' -- what would eventually become the second largest newspaper in the state. It was his need for a good typesetter that introduced him to Alice in 1880 and the beginning of their remarkable courtship which was carried out through letters conforming to the strict social formality of the time. The letters provide a unique and engaging 'window in time' into an American yesteryear as we read of their hopes, fears, dreams, and beliefs during a time of dramatic development within the country and their own responses to hard times (including a flood sweeping away Alice Bower's home and Joseph Gossage's struggles to build his newspaper). Here is the riveting, self-described story of two young people whose communications were to lead first to love, and then to marriage. "Sunshine Always" is enthusiastically recommended reading and a welcome contribution to both academic and community library American Biography and American History collections.

The Making of a Nurse
Tilda Shalof
McClelland & Stewart
481 University Avenue, Suite 900, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5G 2E9
9780771080951, $34.99 www.mcclelland.com 1-800-788-1074

The Making of a Nurse is the true-life story of author Tilda Shalof, a caregiver all her life, and an Intensive Care Unit nurse with twenty-five years of experience in Israel, New York, and Canada. She tells stories of overprotective "helicopter parents", so named for their tendency to hover over their children; dealing with patients ranging from gracious to delusional or even violent; to the virtual war between the mother and a girlfriend of a dying hospital patient over his comatose form. An absorbing and revealing look into the day-to-day life of a nurse, as well as the personal travails - including a stint of life on the streets - that beset the author. Highly recommended.

Finding the Jewish Shakespeare
Beth Kaplan
Syracuse University Press
1600 Jamesville Avenue, Syracuse, NY 13210
9780815608844, $24.95 www.SyracuseUniversityPress.syr.edu 1-800-365-8929

Written by actress, writer, and teacher Beth Kaplan, Finding the Jewish Shakespeare: The Life and Legacy of Jacob Gordin is the biography of her great-grandfather, playwright extraordinaire Jacob Gordin. Chapters recount Gordin's emigration from Russia to America, the Golden Age and the colorful characters of Yiddish theater from 1891 to 1910, the birth of Gordin's outstanding masterworks such as "Mirele Efros" and "The Jewish King Lear", and much more. An especial treat for theater history buffs, Finding the Jewish Shakespeare is rich with nuanced detail. A bibliography, index, and partial list of Gordin's plays with original titles round out this enduring tribute to a gifted playwright.

John Stark
Ben Z. Rose
Science Publisher, Inc.
c/o Enfield Distribution Company
234 May Street, PO Box 699, Enfield, NH 03748
9780978912307, $19.95 www.scipub.net

Written by securities analyst and American history buff Ben Z. Rose, John Stark: Maverick General is the true story of John Stark, a brilliant battlefield commander hailing from New Hampshire, whose skill in leading the New England militia was critical in turning the tide of the American Revolutionary War. Chapters chronicle not only Stark's life, but also his character, which was fiercely independent and utterly distrustful of authority. His tactics included unconventional combat, and he applied his extensive knowledge of British military methods to seize victory in key battles. A fascinating, in-depth portrait of a military genius who shares responsibility with George Washington and the Founding Fathers for the birth of America.

Che Guevara
Frank Niess, author
Nathaniel McBride, translator
Haus Publishing
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9781904341994, $15.95 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Historian Frank Niess presents Che Guevara, an in-depth biography of social revolutionary Che Guevara (1928-1967) that separates myth from reality. Expertly translated from the original German by Nathaniel McBride, Che Guevara covers Guevara's upbringing, his involvement in the Cuban Revolution, his desire to spread his ideology to other nations of South America and Africa, and much more, illustrated with vintage black-and-white photographs. "Che Guevara might not have become the revered revolutionary idol he did had he been satisfied with his part in just one, namely the Cuban, revolution... He had hopes of bringing about radical political change in his own country of Argentina, and, as one would expect of a dedicated internationalist and pan-American, he dreamed of a revolution across the entire continent. Following his years of political apprenticeship in Guatemala, he had become convinced that this region would one day become one of the most important arenas of revolutionary struggle." Notes, a chronology and an index round out this in-depth portrait of a charismatic and courageous (if at times ruthless) man who dedicated his life to his beliefs.


The Economics Shelf

Retirement Income
Christian Weller & Edward N. Wolff
Economic Policy Institute
Suite 300, East Tower, 1333 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20005
9781932066203, $11.50 www.epinet.org

Written by Christian Weller (Senior Economist, Center for American Progress) and Edward N. Wolff (professor fo economics, New York University), Retirement Income: The Crucial Role of Social Security is the follow-up to the 2002 study "Retirement Insecurity: The Income Shortfalls Awaiting the Soon-to-Retire". Focusing especially upon the role of Social Security, particularly in the wake of the Bush Administration's 2005 proposals to dismantle the traditional Social Security program, Retirement Income: The Crucial Role of Social Security explores the inequalities of retirement income in the United States, and how women and minorities especially are burdened with the struggle to replace their pre-retirement income. Grounded soundly in facts and statistics, and listing at length the many ways that Social Security has proven superior to private retirement benefits, Retirement Income: The Crucial Role of Social Security is a "must-read" for anyone concerned about the current status and future direction of America's Social Security program.

Tax Evasion and Avoidance
A Joint CATA/GIDD Project
Stylus Publishing, Inc.
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9780955354014, $18.95 www.styluspub.com 1-800-232-0223

Tax Evasion and Avoidance: Strategies and Initiatives Used by CATA Member Countries is a straightforward report of successful strategies and initiatives used by tax administrations worldwide, especially in Commonwealth countries, to prevent, detect, and respond to tax evasion and avoidance. Chapters discuss common economic and societal factors that contribute to tax evasion, and governmental techniques to counter tax evasion such as simplifying/amending tax law, applying penalties for promoters of tax-avoidance schemes, tax amnesties, risk-based audits, random audits, use of "mystery shopping", registering the tax base, voluntary disclosure programs, and much more. "In some cases, taxpayers may not pay their tax on time because of severe personal circumstance or have unintentionally provided incorrect information or made an honest mistake on their tax return. In these situations, if the tax administration came down heavily on the taxpayers with punishments and penalties, the taxpayers are likely to 'rebel' and lose respect for the tax authority - this is likely to have an impact on future compliance behavior as well. It is therefore not surprising that some tax administrations provide taxpayers with the opportunity to voluntarily disclose." An invaluable reference and resource especially for governmental policymakers in the sphere of tax laws, regulations, and procedural implementations.


The Parenting Shelf

My Andrew
Wallis A. Simpson
Autism Asperger Publishing Company
PO Box 23173, Shawnee Mission, KS 66283
9781931282307, $19.95 www.asperger.net 1-877-277-8254

Stay-at-home mother Wallis A. Simpson presents My Andrew: Day-to-Day Living with a Child with an Autism Spectrum Disorder, her day-by-day journal of raising two sons, Andrew and Jesse. Jesse is an ordinary child, but Andrew is a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder (specifically, a high-functioning form of the disorder known as Asperger Syndrome). The entries span from Andrew's infancy to his entrance in the second grade (and Jesse's entrance in fifth grade). Simpson occasionally provides her hindsight comments in brackets to add perspective to the verbatim original journal entries. My Andrew evolves as a heartfelt portrayal of learning to adjust to raising an ASD child, and sharing one's hard-earned wisdom with the child's teachers or other caretakers. An up-close and personal viewpoint, especially recommended as a supplementary resource for anyone responsible for or working with a child with ASD or Asperger Syndrome.

Right from the Start, second edition
Sandra L. Harris, Ph.D. & Mary Jane Weiss, Ph.D., BCBA
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Road, Bethesda, MD 20817
9781890627805, $18.95 www.woodbinehouse.com 1-800-843-7323

Written by autism experts Sandra L. Harris and Mary Jane Weiss, Right from the Start: Behavioral Intervention for Young Children with Autism is a guide for parents and educators to Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA) treatment for children with autism, methods that are ideally implemented as soon as a child has been diagnosed. Now in a revised and expanded second edition, Right from the Start covers the concept of early intensive behavioral intervention; home-based, center-based, and school-based programs; curriculum and teaching programs; choose the right program for one's child; and much more. "Another relatively recent change in the use of ABA methods with children with ASD is in how we handle errors in response. In the past, we sometimes allowed learners to make mistakes several times before we prompted them to give the correct answer. The problem is that children on the autism spectrum have a tendency to repeat errors. (Actually, we all have that tendency, but individuals with autism seem to have an extra vulnerability)... Errorless learning focuses on the prevention and interruption of errors. We try to prevent errors in new tasks by prompting students with physical or verbal help." Highly recommended as a supplementary resource for anyone involved with or responsible for a child with autism spectrum disorder.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

The Better World Handbook, revised edition
Ellis Jones Ph.D., Ross Haenfler Ph.D. & Brett Johnson Ph.D.
New Society Publishers
PO Box 189, Gabriola Island, BC, Canada, V0R 1X0
9780865715752, $18.95 www.newsociety.com 1-800-283-3572

Written by sociology instructors Ellis Jones Ph.D., Ross Haenfler Ph.D. and Brett Johnson Ph.D., The Better World Handbook: Small Changes That Make A Big Difference is a guide for ordinary people to taking steps in their lives that help contribute to big changes for the better worldwide. Chapters cover how to make a difference by choosing the right bank, buying groceries that minimize negative environmental impact, building strong relationships among friends and family, fostering a socially responsible workplace, voting and getting involved in politics, using alternative forms of transportation and reducing driving to use as little gasoline as reasonably possible, how to get involved in an organization espousing a cause one cares about, and much more. Handy quick-reference icons, numerous online resources, extensive notes, a helpful checklist, and an index round out this one-of-a-kind guide to not only improving oneself, but also improving the world at large. Highly recommended.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Sunrise Tai Chi
Ramel Rones
YMAA Publications
4354 Washington Street, Roslindale, MA 02131
9781594390838, $16.95 www.ymaa.com 1-800-669-8892

Martial arts gold medalist Ramel Rones presents Sunrise Tai Chi: Simplified Tai Chi for Health & Longevity, a book ideal as a stand-alone self-teaching guide or as a companion to the "Sunrise Tai Chi" DVD. Chapters offer an overview of the history and underlying principles of Tai Chi Chuan from a modern perspective, describe beneficial breathing styles and exercises, and walk the reader through a number of Tai Chi exercises for exercise, balance, flexibility, and overall health. Illustrated with numerous black-and-white photographs demonstrating different Tai Chi moves, Sunrise Tai Chi is an excellent supplementary resource for anyone seeking to incorporate the benefits of a regular Tai Chi regimen in their lives.


The Travel Shelf

Top Secret Tourism
Harry Helms
Feral House
PO Box 39910, Los Angeles, GA 90039
9781932595239, $14.00 www.feralhouse.com

Top Secret Tourism: Your Travel Guide to Germ Warfare Laboratories, Clandestine Aircraft Bases, and Other Places in the United States You're Not Supposed to Know About is a one-of-a-kind travel and tourist guide. Chapters cover sites in states across America such as China Lake Naval Weapons Center in California, Paducah Gaseous Diffusion Plant in Kentucky, Area 51 in Nevada, Green River Missile Launch Complex in Utah, and many more. Each site has its history discussed at length, with maps and directions; all are government facilities and installations shrouded by secrecy and misinformation. Though none of the information in Top Secret Tourism is from classified sources, the public sources compiling this unusual resource sometimes required an exhaustive amount of digging and searching. Highly recommended for armchair travelers and cross-country drivers looking to see and learn about something far more ominous than a simple hiking trail or historical landmark.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Coping with Pet Loss
Robin Grey
Sheldon Press
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive, Dulles, VA 20166
9780859699624, $13.95 www.internationalpubmarket.com 1-800-758-3756

Written by bereavement counselor and licensed psychotherapist Robin Grey, Coping with Pet Loss is a straightforward guide for readers of all backgrounds to dealing with the loss of a pet. In a sympathetic and compassionate tone, chapters discuss how to help children cope, pet loss late in one's life, issues concerning euthanasia, loss of a service dog, remembering one's pet, how to know when one is ready to get a new pet, and much more. "'Bruno went to the vet's and they said he had to be put to sleep.' This statement is based on what the vet may have said, but it potentially creates anxieties about sleep. What about when you tell your child to go to sleep? This can translate into fears about going to bed or having hospital treatment. It is better to let the vet explain that the pet's life has to be ended to avoid it suffering too much, linking this to behavioral changes in the pet that your child may have noticed in the last few months." Highly recommended for pet owners of all backgrounds.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Living Faith
Curtiss Paul DeYoung
Augsburg Publishers
100 Fifth Street, Suite 700, Minneapolis, MN 55402-1210
9780800638412, $15.00 www.augsburgbooks.com 1-800-328-4648

Written by Christian ethicist Curtiss Paul DeYoung (Professor of Reconciliation Studies, Bethel University at St. Paul, Minnesota) Living Faith: How Faith Inspires Social Justice is a remarkable examination of how religious belief can fuel a lifelong passion dedicated to social justice, as exemplified by Mohandas Gandhi, Aung San Suu Kyi, Malcolm X, and Martin Luther King Jr., among other remarkable figures. Chapters discuss worldview and perception from the margins of society, how mystic faith can push an individual to transcend conventional boundaries, the ethics of stirring people up in a call to revolution, and much more. "The spirit of prophecy shapes the ethics of the revolution. The authenticity of any new society is built on the foundations of the ethics of that revolution." A welcome examination of motivating spiritual principles and moral values that push both leaders and followers to work for social change.

First Comes Love?
John C. Morris
The Pilgrim Press
700 Prospect Avenue, East, Cleveland, OH 44115-1100
9780829817553, $12.00 www.pilgrimpress.com 1-800-654-5129

Written by Episcopal priest John C. Morris, First Comes Love?: The Ever-Changing Face of Marriage is a thoughtful discussion of the history and current status of marriage from the perspective of biblical, European, and North American heritage. Chapters discussed marriage as undertaken for political purposes, marriage for procreation, four revolutionary marriage traditions from allowing slaves to marry to celibacy to equality between woman and men to the concept of lifelong equipment, what makes a marriage valid (mutual consent, consummation, and validation by an outside authority), and much more. Though written from a reverently spiritual perspective, First Comes Love? is more history and chronicle than it is religious treatise, as it astutely notes how human perspectives have changed and evolved throughout the years. The final chapter touches upon the possibility of civil unions between same-gender couples and why such an option might not necessarily be the death knell of marriage itself. "Why should a relationship that clearly manifests faithfulness, commitment, and mutuality be relegated to 'second-class' status just because it is not a legal contract? A couple may not want or need a civil union, but may earnestly desire and deserve to live in 'holy union' with the support of the religious community. Why stand in their way?" A thoughtful, astute, and timely discussion of an age-old human institution.

A Mission in Life
Pastor Gloria Hargrove
Airleaf Publishing
35 Industrial Drive, Martinsville, IN 46151
9781594535277, $11.95 www.airleaf.com 1-800-342-6068

Written by Pastor Gloria Hargrove, A Mission in Life: A Journey to Find my Dream, Part III continues Hargrove's testimonial series. Her writings, insights, life lessons, and true stories revolve around the central tenet, "Believe in the lord, and he shall guide you." Pastor Gloria arranges her words of wisdom in a friendly, first-person narrative style, relating how challenges and obstacles of all sizes can contain within them signs from God. Most striking among the stories told are those of Abbey, a female immigrant from Africa who endured female circumcision and complications from it at a young age, and her troubled relationship with her husband. "About a week later, after all the test results were completed, the gynecologist told Dr. Young that Abbey had only one ovary, and it was damaged. Her other ovaries had been removed and her womb was bent. The doctors concluded that Abbey was unable to bear children, because someone had removed her ovaries and tubes long ago." A profound chronicle of how faith in God, prayer, and the community support of a church can be upstanding comfort and provide both physical and spiritual aid in times of trial.


The Nautical Shelf

Sailing Big on a Small Sailboat, third edition
Jerry Cardwell
Sheridan House Inc.
145 Palisade Street, Dobbs Ferry, NY 10522
9781574092479, $19.95 www.sheridanhouse.com 1-888-743-7425

Now in a new third edition revised and updated by yachting journalist Dieter Loibner, Sailing Big on a Small Sailboat is 20-year sailing veteran Jerry Cardwell's guide to owning and enjoying cruises on an affordable small sailboat according to the basic principle, "You can sail big on a small sailboat far more easily and for much less money than you can sail small on a big sailboat." Chapters offer a basic primer of all aspects of a modest sailboat; how to deal with sailing dangers from physical injury to heavy weather to crew overboard to broken rigging or rudder; what absolute necessities to bring such as distress signals, emergency lights, a global positioning system, and sail repair/rigging tape; how to properly assess the quality of a used boat before spending one's hard-earned money; and much more. Written in a straightforward tone for readers of all backgrounds, Sailing Big on a Small Sailboat is a first-rate primer for anyone interested in tasting the thrill of the waves on a modest budget.


The Fiction Shelf

East Fifth Bliss
Douglas Light
Behler Publications
22365 El Toro Road, #135, Lake Forest, CA 92630
9781933016405, $14.95 www.behlerpublications.com 1-800-830-2913

O. Henry Prize-winning author Douglas Light presents East Fifth Bliss, a novel about Morris Bliss, an ordinary man trapped in the rut of daily life. With no job and no prospects, he lives in a tiny apartment with his father. When Stefani, an eighteen-year-old girl in a Catholic school uniform, enters Morris' life, events start to spiral out of control - his best friend is recruited by ruthless international cartel with its fingers in local sex markets, and his father reveals the startling truth about the death of Morris' mother. Morris must learn to adapt to the tidal changes in his relationships, family, and personal identity to survive. An absorbing modern tale about learning to cope with unexpected adversity.

The Cleveland Indian
Luke Salisbury
Black Heron Press
PO Box 95676, Seattle, WA 98145
9780930773823, $14.95 www.blackheronpress.com

Simply stated, "The Cleveland Indian: The Legend Of King Saturday" by Luke Salisbury is a 'must read' novel for all dedicated baseball fans! The team is the 1897 Cleveland Spiders line-up and the colorful character of King Saturday is modeled on the real-life baseball legend Sockalexis -- a Native American outfielder who gave the Cleveland ball club its name. A blend of schemer, drunk, brawler, killer, con man and hero, King Saturday is also a highly skilled and genuinely talented baseball player. Against the cultural background of American in the 'Gay Nineties', "The Cleveland Indian" is a deftly written novel rich with character, dialogue, and background that make it an unreserved recommendation for personal reading lists and community library collections.

The Raw Shark Texts
Steven Hall
Canongate U.S.
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9781841959115, $24.00 www.canongate.net

The debut novel of author Steven Hall, The Raw Shark Texts is a powerful novel of lost love and identity. When Eric Sanderson wakes up in his house one day with no memory of who or where he is, he finds a note instructing him to visit Dr. Randle, who informs him that amnesia is a symptom of his severe dissociative disorder, which he has periodically suffered from since the death of Clio, the love of his life, during a vacation to the Greek islands. Yet as Eric examines letters left about the house by "the first Eric Sanderson", he gradually uncovers a sinister, utterly different explanation for what is happening all around him. A saga of dark intrigue and one man's effort to escape the remorseless forces closing in on him, as well as the lasting and mournful impact of losing one's great love, The Raw Shark Texts is a compelling read and highly recommended.

The Albanian Affairs
Susana Fortes, author
Leland H. Chambers, translator
McPherson & Company
PO Box 1126, Kingston, NY 12401
9780929701790, $22.00 www.mcphersonco.com 1-800-613-8219

Skillfully translated from the original Spanish by Leland H. Chambers, The Albanian Affairs is a heartrending novel by author Susana Fortes. Runner-up for the Planeta Prize for fiction, one of Spain's most renowned literary competitions, The Albanian Affairs is set in the nation of Albania during Enver Hoxha's tyrannical dictatorship. Within the villa of state hero Zanum Radjik on Tirana's Elbesan road, there squats a house filled with menacing secrets. Zanum's wife is deceased these many years, and his two very different sons, who embark upon vastly different paths of honor. When the elder son, Viktor, brings home a beautiful peasant bride, passion for her threatens to overwhelm the younger sibling Ismail. The Albanian Affairs is at once a steamy tale of forbidden love, a harrowing novel of mental and emotional oppression, and a tragedy in the vein of ancient Greek classics. Highly recommended for modern literature shelves.


The Self-Help Shelf

Manage Your Mind, Master Your Life
Michelle Armstrong
Seven Locks Press
PO Box 25689, Santa Ana, CA 92799
9780977330829, $13.95 www.sevenlockspublishing.com

Author Michelle Armstrong figured out how to turn her life around when she was suffering from an unsatisfying career, depression, and, $60,000 in debt. She reveals her life-changing insights in Manage Your Mind, Master Your Life, a self-help guide to acquiring and applying the proper mindset for self-improvement. The core of Manage Your Mind, Master Your Life teaches the reader the seven success practices of the Mind Management Success System: intend your outcome, mind your values, change your thinking, modify your language, align your beliefs, manage your emotions, and direct your focus. "Have you ever heard the phrase, 'You are what you eat?' Actually, you are what you think. If a person continuously thinks that they are clumsy or forgetful, chances are they probably will be. It is like the old adage, if you think you can, you can; if you think you can't, you can't. Your thinking determines your reality. What you ultimately get in life depends on what you continually think about." Highly recommended as a primer for goal-setting and self-improvement in any field.

How to Make Yourself Happy and Less Remarkably Less Disturbable
Albert Ellis, Ph.D.
Impact Publishers
PO Box 6016, Atascadero, CA 93423-6016
9781886230187, $15.95 www.impactpublishers.com 1-800-246-7228

Psychologist Albert Ellis, colloquially known as the "father" of Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and the "grandfather" of Cognitive Behavior Therapy, presents How to Make Yourself Happy and Less Remarkably Less Disturbable, a self-help guide of tips, tricks, and practical techniques for increasing the happiness and decreasing the worry and trouble in one's life. Chapters cover "self-starting beliefs" to motivate positive personal change, means to identify and dispute one's own self-defeating and irrational beliefs, reinforcement techniques, stimulus control, time-out procedures, and many more ways to get a handle on one's own thoughts and actions. "You definitely have the ability, as a human blessed with constructivist tendencies, to think, feel, and behave less disturbedly... you can do this by working on your thoughts, feelings, and actions, all of which are significantly interrelated." Highly recommended.


The Native American Shelf

Chief Marin
Betty Goerke
Heyday Books
PO Box 9145, Berkeley, CA 94709
9781597140539, $21.95 www.heydaybooks.com 1-510-549-3564

Marin County, California, is named after a Native American tribal chieftain of the Coast Miwok who resisted Spanish colonization at a time when the infamous system of Spanish missions collapsed and California was being rapidly transformed by the Americans. "Chief Marin: Leader, Rebel, And Legend" is a compelling biography of a hitherto obscure figure by anthropologist and archaeologist Betty Goerke who drew upon her seminal research efforts with mission records, ethnographies, the diaries and correspondences of missionaries and explorers, and other source materials. Of special note is the section of thematically relevant photographic illustrations. An enthusiastically recommended addition to academic and community library Native American Studies and American Biography reference collections, "Chief Marin" is a vividly written, informative biography of a remarkable man and his epic struggle to emancipate his people from the Spanish colonial system in an ultimately doomed effort to preserve his people's aboriginal lifestyle.

Like the Sound of a Drum
Peter Kulchyski
University of Manitoba Press
301 St. John's College, Winnipeg, MB, Canada, R3T 2M5
9780887556869, $26.95 www.umanitoba.ca/uofmpress 1-800-565-9523

Written by Peter Kulchyski (professor of Native Studies, University of Manitoba), Like the Sound of a Drum: Aboriginal Cultural Politics in Denendeh and Nunavut is part ethnography, part narrative of the author's travels among Aboriginal communities of Canada. Compiling what Kulchyski learned interviewing elders and Aboriginal politicians, partaking of daily life, and attending community meetings, Like the Sound of a Drum offers an in-depth examination of the modern-day culture and lifestyle of three communities: Fort Simpson and Fort Good Hope in Denendeh, and Pangnirtung in Nunavut. Of especial interest is Kulchyski's examination of how Aboriginal communities strive to maintain political and cultural independence in creative ways, and how they challenge the concept of democracy as it is undertaken in Canada. A fascinating expose, rich in detail from cover to cover and illustrated with a handful of black-and-white photographs.


The International Studies Shelf

Cosmopolitan Desire
Stephen William Foster
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780759110243, $29.95 1-800-462-6420

Written by anthropology instructor Stephen William Foster, Cosmopolitan Desire: Transcultural Dialogues and Antiterrorism in Morocco is a timely close-up look at the interaction of Western and Muslim cultures among the people of Morocco, as fueled by the modern era of globalization. Drawn from the author's many travels to Morocco, and numerous interviews with Moroccans home and abroad, Cosmopolitan Desire examines how urban, secularized Muslims form their identities, how they present themselves to non-Muslim Westerners, modern intercultural problems set amid the backdrop of history, broad psychological and political forces affecting Morocco's complex society, and much more, including cultural aspects pertaining to sexuality. "I wondered if Moroccan men compartmentalized their sexuality just as they compartmentalized 'their' women and regarded sex simply as lust, furtive pleasure, rather than an idiom for expressing affection or articulating relationships. Their machismo ensured that dominance and submission were constant themes between them, as between themselves and women or themselves and foreigners. Their homophobia, distributed differently across the social terrain than in America, was structured by these themes; rather than proscribing sex between men, the proscription was against the submissive, passive, male, an interesting parallel with their misogyny. The sexual object of male desire, whether male or female, was both a site of male pleasure and of male pollution and opprobrium. That ambivalence, I think, fed the play of desire and the homosocial game as well." An intriguing cross-cultural perspective.


The Art Shelf

Egyptian Designs
Catherine Calhoun
Stemmer House Publishers, Inc.
4 White Brook Road, Gilsum, NH 03448
0880450126, $7.95 www.stemmer.com 1-800-345-6665

In "Egyptian Designs", Catherine Calhoun as created a compendium of authentic design motifs drawn from the tomb walls, temples, and artifacts of ancient Egypt which, beginning in the 19th century, have continued to influence contemporary Western art. The images are taken from Egyptian jewelry, paintings, metalwork, and sculpture, as well as everyday domestic objects (so well fashioned as to become objects of artistic elegance in and of themselves). One of the latest additions to the outstanding Stemmer House 'International Design Library' series, "Egyptian Designs" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, academic, and community library Art History & Egyptology Studies reference collections.

Los Angeles Graffitti
Roger Gastman & Sonja Teri
Mark Batty, Publisher
36 West 37th Street, Penthouse, New York, NY 10018
9780979048616, $27.95 www.markbattypublisher.com

Graffiti is as old as human civilization and is to be found scrawled upon the walls of every archaeologically excavated city of antiquity. Today it is to be found on the walls of buildings and other structures in every American city as well. While most graffiti are simple tags or icons or inelegant defacements, some rise to the status of art with their expertly executed images and themes. The collaborative work of Roger Gastman and Sonja Teri, "Los Angeles Graffiti" is a photographic collection of some of the best examples of graffiti art and artistry to grace the sides of buildings, bridges, walls, and other structures in the sprawling metropolis that is Los Angeles, California. "Los Angeles Graffiti" is a unique and recommended addition to academic and community library Contemporary American Art reference collections.


The Needlecraft Shelf

Japanese Temari
Barbara B. Suess
Breckling Press
283 Michigan Street, Elmhurst, IL 60126
1933308125, $24.95 www.brecklingpress.com 1-800-951-7836

The needlework art of Japanese handballs is a craft that goes back centuries. All that is required is a needle and a batch of colorful embroidery threads -- and Barbara Suess' profusely illustrated, step-by-step instruction manual "Japanese Temari: A Colorful Spin On An Ancient Craft". A consummate master of this distinctively Japanese needlecraft, Barbara shares the secrets to creating twenty-five different temari designs -- each one showcased with full color photography. These are needlecraft creations that are perfect 'carry-along projects' that result in appreciated gifts and lovely home-decor interior design accents with a unique Japanese flavor. From ball-prep basics, to simple designs that can be accomplished in a couple of hours, to complex and intricate designs that demonstrate a true mastery of this unusual needlecraft project, "Japanese Temari" is a welcome, unusual, and thoroughly 'user friendly' addition to personal and community library Needlecraft reference collections.


The Graphic Novel Shelf

Penny Arcade 4: Birds Are Weird
Jerry Holkins & Mike Krahulik
Dark Horse Books
10956 SE Main Street, Milwaukie, OR 97222
9781593077730, $12.95 www.darkhorse.com

The fourth, full-color collection of strips from the popular webcomic series Penny Arcade, Birds Are Weird continues the tradition of utterly irreverent, largely video game-themed humor. Due to severe cursing and the occasional phallic reference, Penny Arcade is not a comic for young children or the easily offended; and yet its humor has that irresistible effect. Bonus sketches, short text vignettes and a paragraph of extra commentary for virtually every strip enhance this anthology, offering new insights into Penny Arcade's random madness even for readers who have already seen the strip's archive online. "'Yeah, so I was looking at iPods today. I thought about you.' 'Oh yeah? Pretty great huh?' 'Oh yeah, real good. Then I got it up to the register, came to my senses, and bought a thirty dollar discman instead.' 'Yeah but the iPod doesn't skip.' 'Neither does this. It's cushioned by about three hundred and eighty dollars in cash.'" A sidesplitting collection and great gag gift, especially for the technogeek generation.


The Theatre/Cinema Shelf

An Introduction to the Art of Theatre
Marsh Cassady
Meriwether Publishing
PO Box 7710
Colorado Springs, CO 80933-7710
9781566081177 $26.95 www.meriwether.com

Written by successful playwright and former actor and director Marsh Cassady, An Introduction to The Art of Theatre is a comprehensive text covering all the basics about the past, present, and future of the theatre business. Chapters discuss the roles of the playwright, actor, director, designer, and supporting artists; the business side of theatre; how architecture and space affect a play production; and the rich history of theatre from its earliest beginnings to medieval times to 17th through 21st century theatre. Questions for discussion conclude each chapter, and a handful of black-and-white illustrations round out this solid volume ideal for introductory college courses or independent study.


The Psychology Shelf

The Road to Unity in Psychoanalytic Theory
Leo Rangell, M.D.
Rowman & Littlefield Publishing Group
4501 Forbes Blvd., Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9780765705129, $34.95 1-800-462-6420

Written by Leo Rangell, M.D., former president of both the American and the International Psychoanalytic Associations, The Road to Unity in Psychoanalytic Theory is an examination of how psychoanalytic theory has evolved in the twentieth century. In particular, The Road to Unity in Psychoanalytic Theory asserts that the science driving psychoanalytical theory peaked in the latter third of the twentieth century, and since then theoretical fragmentation has contributed to the decline of the discipline. Chapters discuss problems that lay analysis and medical analysis have caused, muddling psychoanalytic theory's groundwork with insufficient coherence and consistency. "Considering how regularly alternative psychoanalytic theories are built upon ideational fallacies and logical flaws, failing to take into account their continuing relationships to aspects of the previous theory they purportedly accept, it is striking how rare have been attempts at scientific reparation or efforts at retention of consistency and intellectual unity." The Road to Unity in Psychoanalysis is written in fairly technical language, and dares to tackle the truly big questions in psychoanalysis, concerning the most fundamental aspects of the scientific theory underpinning the medical psychology of helping people. Highly recommended, especially for professionals in the field.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

Medicine of Light
Amarananda Bhairavan
Red Wheel/Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950-4600
9780892541263, $18.95 www.redwheelweiser.com 1-800-423-7087

Told primarily through dialogue, Medicine of Light: A Shaman's Journey Through Mystic Space-Time is the reminiscence of experiencing the ancient culture of Goddess worship, and the shamanic training of the author, known as Shambu in his native land. Medicine of Light is grounded in Hinduism, and explores the journey to become initiated into the world of the goddess Kali. Medicine of Light further speaks of preparing to descend into the underworld to rescue a disciple. "When normal persons dream, their dream experience is out of control. They dream all kinds of experiences without much say in the process and wake up with scant and distorted memory of the dream experience. Their dreaming uses up what little awareness they have in a rush, through numerous avenues; much like milk poured into a pot with a hundred holes spews out immediately. That is because their logical mind is not integrated into their dream mind and their self-identity, anchored strongly in their logical mind, is fast asleep. Neither do they have the advantage of access to enormous caches of awareness from their karmic strata, nor have they surrendered to their dream mind. So the little awareness that they gain on a daily basis is spent in a puff." Written in the Tantric spiritual tradition, Medicine of Light is a profound and spiritually moving experience.

An Encyclopedia Of Shamanism
Christina Platt
The Rosen Publishing Group, Inc.
29 East 21st Street, New York, NY 10010
Vol. 1, 9781404210417; Vol. 2, 978140421040; $433.50 www.rosenpub.com 1-800-237-9932

The two-volume edition of "An Encyclopedia Of Shamanism" compiled and written by shamanic expert Christina Platt (Director of the Last mask Center for Shamanic Healing in Portland, Oregon & New York City) is a comprehensive and extensive reference work on every aspect and facet of Shamanism in every culture where it is to be found across the globe. Of special note are the extensive and informed essays on Shamanism; the origins of Shamanism; the origin of the word 'Shaman'; the Shaman; Shamans and non-Shamanic healers; contemporary Shamans; Shamanic rituals and ceremony; the Shaman's trance; Shamans and spirits; and the universe of the Shaman. These superbly presented essays are followed in volume one by succinct entries alphabetized A-M. Volume two features the continuation of succinctly alphabetized entries N-Z; an extensive bibliography for further study; and a very useful index. Thoroughly 'user friendly' for students and non-specialist general readers with an interest in Shamanism and Shamanic healing, "An Encyclopedia Of Shamanism" covers all of the terms, concepts, illuminaries, traditions, ceremonies, rituals, symbols, icons, metaphysical beliefs, and practices associated with Shamanism. A welcome addition to school and community library reference collections, "An Encyclopedia Of Shamanism" would make an ideal Memorial Fund acquisition for any library system.


The Sports Shelf

Berkshire Encyclopedia Of Extreme Sports
Douglas Booth & Holly Thorpe, editors
Berkshire Publishing Group
314 Main Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1615
9780977015955, $125.00 www.berkshirepublishing.com

Collaboratively compiled and deftly co-edited by Douglas Booth and Holly Thorpe (both of whom are faculty members with the Department of Sports and Leisure Studies at the University of Waikato, New Zealand), the "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of Extreme Sports" is impressively organized and includes 42 articles on contemporary extreme sports by knowledgeable contributors including scholars and athletes. There are also 19 essays dealing with the social, political, and media context of extreme sports, 35 biographies of leading extreme sports athletes, as well as 73 sidebars (many written by athletes recounting their own exploits). The "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of Extreme Sports" is enhanced with the inclusion of a comprehensive index, extensive cross-references, and a topical reader's guide. In addition to being an essential acquisition for both school and community library Sports & Athletics reference collections, the "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of Extreme Sports" is especially recommended for students and non-specialist readers of any age who have an interest in any or all of those sports and athletic activities which have come to be called 'extreme'.

The Arrival Of The American League
Warren N. Wilbert
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
9780786430130, $29.95 www.mcfarlandpub.com 1-800-253-2187

The National League dominated American baseball until in 1901 two men, Charles Comisky and Ban Johnson, launched the rival American League to challenge that supremacy. "The Arrival Of The American League: Ban Johnson And The 1901 Challenge to national League Monopoly" by baseball historian Warren N. Wilbert is the definitive history of the circumstances, events, and personalities that brought about the creation of a new professional baseball league. A fascinating and informative read, "The Arrival Of The American League" is a critically important contribution to the history of American baseball and a highly recommended core addition to any personal, academic, or community library Sports History reference collection. McFarland & Company is a premier publisher of baseball history books and a complete listing of their baseball history titles can be found on their website at www.mcfarlandpub.com


The Military Shelf

Nothing Less Than Full Victory
Edward G. Miller
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591144946, $32.95 www.navalinstitute.org 1-800-233-8764

Edward G. Miller is a retired Army logistics officer and department of the Army-designated military history. In "Nothing Less Than Full Victory: Americans At War In Europe, 1944-1945", Miller draws upon his many years of experience, research, and expertise to provide an impressively articulate and informative history of American military involvement in the European Theater of World War II during the last two years of the conflict. Enhanced with the inclusion of a number of historical battle maps, "Nothing Less Than Full Victory" begins with two chapters of background that covers events and preparations from 1940 through 1943, plus a descriptive chapter on 'The Enemy'. The rest of the chapters are arranged chronologically and cover the progress of the war as it took place on European soil. Enhanced with appendices providing a 'Table of Comparative Officer Ranks'; 'The U.S. Armor Problem'; and 'Battle and Non-battle Causalities, June 1944-May 1945', "Nothing Less Than Full Victory" also features a section of extensive Notes, a Glossary, a Bibliography, and an Index. An impressively informed and articulate study, "Nothing Less Than Full Victory" is a welcome and recommended contribution to the expanding library of World War II Military Studies reference and histories.


The Women's Studies Shelf

More Than Petticoats
Julia Peerdehirt
The Globe Pequot Press
PO Box 480, Guilford, CT 06437
9780762743315, $12.95 www.globepequot.com 1-800-243-0495

"More Than Petticoats: Remarkable Michigan Women" by author, storyteller, and history buff Julia Peerdehirt profiles the lives of some truly remarkable and distinguished women. Each of these outstanding and influential women were born prior to 1915 and were key to the development of Michigan as the 26th state of the American union. From Magdelaine la Framboise (1780-1846), a Metis fur trader and entrepreneur who helped to build a community on Macinac Island; to Sara Emma Edmonds (1841-1898) who disguised herself as Frank Thompson and served as a soldier in the Civil War for two years as part of the 2nd Michigan Infantry; to Nancy Harkness Love (1944-1977) who was in her teens when she earned her pilot's license and went on to found the U.S. Army's Women's Auxiliary Ferrying division during World War II. Also featured are the life stories and accomplishments of Sojourner Truth, Laura Smith Haviland, Julie Wheelock Freeman, Sarah Emma Edmonds, Anna Howard Show, Rebecca Shelley, Ana Clemenc, Marguerite Lofti de Angeli, Gwen Frostic, and Rosa Parks. Each biographical profile is arranged in chronological order by birth date. Enhanced with an extensive bibliography, "More Than Petticoats" is a very strongly recommended addition to academic and community library biography collections, as well as student supplemental reading lists for Women's Studies, American History, and Michigan State History.


The Language Studies Shelf

A Little Book Of Latin Love Poetry
John Bruker & Mardah B. C. Weinfield
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1000 Brown Street, Unit 101, Wauconda, IL 60084
9780865166011, $21.00 www.bolchazy.com

Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers is a premier publisher of Latin language instruction materials and literature. One of their latest efforts to produce skill and fluency development in Latin is "A Little Book Of Latin Love Poetry: A Transitional Reader For Catullus, Horace, And Ovid", a collaborative effort by accomplished academicians John Breuker and Mardah B. C. Weinfield. Comprised of selections from six poems by Catullus, three poems by Horace, and two poems by Ovid. All of these poems are provided in authentic Latin. Special features include opposite-page vocabulary and reading helps; thirteen 'Rapid Reviews' with exercises on key points of grammar and syntax; two 'Major Reviews' with drills on infinitives and participles; and a 'Final Unit Review' which encourages re-reading all of the poems in their unmodified form, along with notes on 'Textual Matters' and 'Points to Ponder'. Enhanced with appendices providing timelines for the 3 poets, 'Poetic Devices/Literary Terms, Metrics, Latin Grammar and Syntex, a bibliography, a glossary of proper names, and a full Latin-English vocabulary, "A Little Book Of Latin Love Poetry" is an ideal and thoroughly 'student friendly' supplement to Latin Language instruction curriculums. Also very highly recommended from Bolchazy-Carducci for the student of Latin are "To Be A Roman" (9780865166332, $25.00); "Conversational Latin CD" (9780885166356, $33.00); Catullus Vocabulary Cards" (9780865166530, $19.00); and "Cattulus: LEGAMUS Transitional Reader (9780865166349, $32.00).


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Yoga And Multiple Sclerosis
Loren M. Fishman & Eric L. Small
Demos Medical Publishing
386 Park Avenue South, Suite 201, New York, NY 10016
9781932603170, $21.95 www.demosmedpub.com 1-800-532-8663

The collaborative work of Loren M. Fishman (Assistant Clinical Professor in Rehabilitation at the Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons) and Eric L. Small (an expert yoga instructor who was diagnosed with MS at the age of 22), "Yoga And Multiple Sclerosis" is specifically designed to instruct MS patients in the benefits of yoga exercises which can be tangible beneficial for those afflicted with this neurologic disease. Ideal for the non-specialist general reader, "Yoga And Multiple Sclerosis" describes how yoga works. The text is enhanced with photographs and descriptions of each yoga pose and clearly explains their effects, advantages, and contraindications. Of special value the yoga novice are the 'starter poses' that enable the uninitiated or physically challenged to gently achieve a yoga posture. An important acquisition for personal and community library Health & Medicine instructional reference collections, "Yoga And Multiple Sclerosis" is especially recommended for those who are experiencing symptoms across the MS spectrum (including anyone in a wheelchair or who has limited mobility) and seek to raise their functional abilities and thereby foster both their physical independence and their psychological morale.


The Homeowner's Shelf

Ultimate Guide To Wiring
Fran J. Donegan, Managing Editor
Creative Homeowner Press
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
9781580113502, $21.95 www.creativehomeowner.com 1-800-631-7795

The "Ultimate Guide To Wiring: Complete Home Projects" from Creative Homeowner Press is a compendium of 'how-to' information for do-it-yourself homeowners with respect to household electrical wiring tasks. Step-by-step methodical instructions and diagrams are very nicely illustrated with more than 900 color photographs for a variety of more than 85 specific wiring projects ranging from switches, receptacles and light fixtures, to home automation, outdoor lighting, and networking. Of special value for the novice homeowner are the informative sections on tools, cables, conduits, fixtures, appliances, and code-approved work. Thoroughly 'user friendly', the "Ultimate Guide To Wiring" clearly lives up to the promise of its title and is strongly recommended as a core addition to personal and community library homeowner 'do-it-yourself' instructional reference collections.


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


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