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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 6, Number 2 February 2011 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Interior Design Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Science/Technology Shelf Religion/Spirituality Shelf Pets/Wildlife Shelf
Self-Help Shelf Christian Studies Shelf Economics Shelf
Business Shelf Art Shelf Photography Shelf
Islamic Studies Shelf Military Shelf Biography Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Education Shelf Gardening Shelf
Martial Arts Shelf Poetry Shelf Travel Shelf
Environmental Studies Shelf Fiction Shelf Needlecraft Shelf
Language Studies Shelf American History Shelf Crafts Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Psychology Shelf Criminology Shelf
Architecture Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Health/Medicine Shelf
Parenting Shelf Sports Shelf Fantasy/SciFi Shelf
World History Shelf Music Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf
International Studies Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Let Me Tell You About Wine
Oz Clarke
Sterling Epicure
c/o Sterling Publishing
387 Park Avenue South, New York, NY 10016-8610
9781402771231, $19.95, www.sterlingpublishing.com

Wine has evolved past being a widely drank and historical beverage. "Let Me Tell You About Wine: A Beginner's Guide to Understanding and Enjoying Wine" explains the details that one needs to know about the complexities of wine tasting and why it has gained such a following in today's world. Wine has been tweaked and customized that there is a wine for almost any dish and any food for it to accompany, and Oz Clarke explains everything one needs to know about the art of wine. With plenty of charts, graphs, information, and full color photography, "Let Me Tell You About Wine" is a choice pick and very highly recommended read for anyone who wants to know wine better.

The Potential of Poetry
Eric Greinke
Presa Press
PO Box 792, Rockford, MI 49341
9780983125112, $11.95, www.presapress.com

Poetry's presence in the mainstream has been waning in recent years, but there is still much in its purpose. "The Potential of Poetry" is a collection of essays from Eric Greinke, discuss the role and purpose of poetry in today's world as an art form and in the world as whole. Simple and profound work with plenty to muse on literature and art in general, "The Potential of Poetry" is a choice addition to literary studies collections.


The Interior Design Shelf

Arts & Crafts Houses
Steven Paul Whitsitt & Tina Skinner
Schiffer Publishing
4880 Lower Valley Road, Atglen, PA 19310
9780764336706, $45.00, www.schifferbooks.com

Arts & Crafts can meet interior design and they meet together quite well. "Arts & Crafts Houses" is a photograph tour of sixteen houses which have embraced the handmade style in much of their aesthetic. In full color, this book is designed to inspire other handcrafts to take the sights they see within and apply it to their homes to create their own elements of their own, unlike any found elsewhere. "Arts & Crafts Houses" is a fascinating coffee table book and will bring much in the way of inspiration.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

Best of the Britcoms
Garry Berman
Taylor Trade
c/o Rowman & Littlefield
4501 Forbes Boulevard, Suite 200, Lanham, MD 20706
9781589795662, $16.95, www.rlpgtrade.com

There is a different sort of humor that Brits don't share with some Americans, but for those who understand it, looking to the other side of the pond makes for quite the entertainment. "Best of the Britcoms: From Fawlty Towers to the Office" looks at the best one can expect from British Television. Tracing each of the shows, stating their premise, their stars, how many episodes, and more, Garry Berman lets his love of British television ring true. "Best of the Britcoms" is a must for anyone who wants to get into British comedy and its unique humor.

Hitchcock's British Films, second edition
Maurice Yacowar
Wayne State University Press
4809 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48201-1309
9780814334942, $24.95, www.wsupress.wayne.edu

California isn't the sole place where films are born. "Hitchcock's British Films" is a study of Hitchcock's earlier work on a film by film basis showing how his style and brilliance developed early in his career and how he earned a bit of notoriety and fame in his native England before becoming a film icon in America. "Hitchcock's British Films" is a choice pick for fans of his work looking for a more comprehensive study of the first parts of his career. Also recommended in the subject of Film from Wayne State University Press is "The Collapse of The Conventional: German Film and Its Politics at the Turn of the Twenty-First Century" (9780814333778, $39.95) which studies the ever changing social attitudes in the conflicted Germany and how its native films reflect this.


The Science/Technology Shelf

Mixing Races
Paul Lawrence Farber
John Hopkins University Press
2715 North Charles Street, Baltimore, MD 21218-4363
9780801898136, $19.95, www.press.jhu.edu

One hundred years ago, it was viewed as heresy for a person of English descent to marry a person of German descent. Now, no one seems to bat an eye to a mixture of white, black, Asian, and whatever couples. "Mixing Races: From Scientific Racism to Modern Evolutionary Ideas" analyzes the shift opinions in both the scientific community as well as the social community on the attitudes towards race. Once it was scientifically believed that a mix raced child would face genetic problems, to the modern era where evolution seems to decree that race mixing will promote a better species. "Mixing Races" is a fascinating look at how evolutionary science has changed alongside social beliefs.

Designing Interfaces
Jenifer Tidwell
O'Reilly
1005 Gravenstein Highway North, Sebastopol, CA 95472
9781449379704, $49.99, www.oreilly.com

A good interface can be the deciding factor to if someone can use your program or if they return it. "Designing Interfaces: Patterns for Effective Interaction Design" is a technological design guide from Jennifer Tidwell as she gives readers a comprehensive course in what a user interface should be. UIs need to communicate what the program can do well to the user and teach them everything they need to know to make the most of their program. Tidwell explains how the eye catches some things before others, and designers need to understand this to make a more effective user interface. With plenty of tips and tricks and clarifying what's a good UI from a bad UI, "Designing Interfaces" is a sage and very useful guidebook sure to assist design students excellently.

Design and Implementation of Reliable and High Performance Software Systems
Yuri K. Shestopaloff
AKVY Press
142 Kennard Ave, North York, NY ON M3H 4M5
9780981380049, $39.95, www.shestopaloff.ca

It's not as simple as making one gear of the greater machine work; it's about making it so it all works. "Design and Implementation of Reliable and High Performance Software Systems" is a design guide from Yuri K. Shestopaloff and AKVY press as Yuri gives many examples of how to make technology work greater with one another and businesses. More than ever, keeping the machine running can prove difficult with all of these interdependent systems, and Shestopaloff explains well throughout the book. "Design and Implementation of Reliable and High Performance Software Systems" is a thoughtful and insightful resource, well to be at hand for any software designer.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

The God Tube
James Lawler
Open Court
70 East Lake Street, Suite 300, Chicago, IL 60601
9780812696486, $25.95, www.opencourtbooks.com

Faith has its own strong place in entertainment, whether we are realizing it or not. "The God Tube: Uncovering the Hidden Spiritual Message in Pop Culture" delves into religion and faith in the wider picture of entertainment. Everything from simple comedies to the Simpsons, to the overall meaning of the force, and more, James Lawler hopes to fully explore the meaning and greater message that dwell in our mind numbing entertainment. "The God Tube" is thoughtful and endlessly intriguing, highly recommended.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Changing Problem Behavior
James O'Heare
BehaveTech Publishing
c/o Dogwise Publishing
403 S Mission St. Wenatchee, WA 98801
9780973836967, $26.95, www.behavetech.com

Understanding the mind of an animal is key to training it. "Changing Problem Behavior: A Systematic & Comprehensive Approach To Behavior Change Project Management" is a veterinary psychology manual from James O'Heare, detailing analytical approach to training behaviors out of animals that is causing issues for the owner and pet union. With the fundamentals that can apply to all species, O'Heare provides a solid and very highly recommended guide for those who must train animals. "Changing Problem Behavior" is a core addition to any veterinary psychology collection.


The Self-Help Shelf

Opportunism
Shraga F. Biran
Farrar, Straus, Giroux
18 West 18th Street, New York, NY 10011
9780374175788, $25.00, www.fsgbooks.com

Taking advantage of things isn't an easy way to success; it's making the most of what has happened. "Opportunism: How to Change the World - One Idea at a Time" is a guide to creating those opportunities in life and to create a revolution of their own, be it of ideas or economy or something else. Too often it has been frowned upon that the opportunist swoops in to prosper, Shraga F. Biran urges people to shy away from such an idea and comes with plenty of wisdom maintaining his position. "Opportunism" is full of wisdom on opportunity, recommended reading.

Teen Esteem
Pat Palmer
Impact Publishers
PO Box 6016, Atascadero, CA 93423-6016
9781886230873, $11.95, www.impactpublishers.com

The weight of the world comes crashing down on your shoulders as soon as those hormones start to stir. "Teen Esteem: A Self-Direction Manual for Young Adults" is a guide aimed at teens for confronting this new wave of pressure in their life and meeting it head on. Answering questions about sexuality, substance abuse, interpersonal relations and the internet, and much more, "Teen Esteem" is a thoughtful guide and excellent gift for anyone about to join the ranks of teenagerdom.

Lucid Dreaming
Robert Waggoner
Moment Point Press
PO Box 920287, Needham, MA 02492
Red Wheel, Weiser, Conari (distributor)
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781930491144, $18.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

The subconscious can tell people much about themselves. "Lucid Dreaming: Gateway to the Inner Self" is a guide to the lucid dream and how anyone can access it. Lucid dreaming is a state of being 'awake' in one's own dreams, to have a conscious awareness of what exactly your mind is trying to tell you and what you could really want out of your life. Thoughtful, useful, and a fascinating window to quite the experience, "Lucid Dreaming" is a must for anyone who wants to experiment with the practice.


The Christian Studies Shelf

On This Day in Christian History
Robert J. Morgan
Thomas Nelson
PO Box 141000, Nashville, TN 37214
9780785231899, $12.99, www.thomasnelson.com

In two thousand years, a baby by faith's standard, Christianity has amassed quite the history. "On This Day in Christian History: 365 Amazing and Inspiring Stories About Saints, Martyrs, and Heroes" looks at the history of Christianity and breaks down the history into 365 chunks, one for each day of the year. Endlessly fascinating, discussing the more well known and obscure facets of history, "On This Day in Christian History" is a fun and choice pick, not to be missed.

The Healing Christ
Robert Winterhalter
Ozark Mountain Publishing
PO Box 754, Huntsville, AR 72740
9781886940697, $14.00, www.ozarkmt.com

The healing nature of Christ is a central principle of the faith. "The Healing Christ" discusses Christ's healing power and the nature that connects this and its metaphysical nature. Drawing on the many stories of his healing, Robert Winterhalter states that through these stories, one can learn that healing isn't for Christ alone, that we all have this power as well. "The Healing Christ" is a thoughtful read for Christian and metaphysical readers.

A Maryknoll Book of Inspiration
Michael Leach & Doris Goodnough
Orbis Books
PO Box 302, Maryknoll, NY 10545-0302
9781570759017, $25.00, www.orbisbooks.com

There can be days where there is no love in the world. "A Maryknoll Book of Inspiration: Readings for Every Day of the Year" is a book of affirmations from an assortment of writers as they provide a collection of wisdom designed to be soaked in daily. "A Maryknoll Book of Inspiration" is a choice collection for anyone who seeks a bit of spiritual upheaval to help them keep their chin up and remember the good things about life through the worst of it.

Explore Your Bible
Barbour
1810 Barbour Drive, PO Box 819, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
9781602608337, $1.99, www.barbourbooks.com

The Bible is by no means a short book, and most publishers haven't seemed to embrace the index format. "Explore Your Bible: 199 Bible Topics with References" serves as an index for readers to quickly assist readers in finding what the Bible has to say on various topics, arranged alphabetically. "Explore Your Bible" is a useful resource, very highly recommended.

A Carpenter's View of the Bible
Charlie March
Pleasant Word
c/o Wine Press
PO Box 428, Enumclaw, WA 98022
9781414117638, $17.99, www.winepresspublishing.com

A carpenter takes after God in their drive to create. "A Carpenter's View of the Bible" are musings of Charlie March, as he draws a connection between Biblical narrative and the way of the carpenter. With a bit of humor and drawing on many Biblical stories and their connection to Carpentry, Charlie March speaks on everything from the ark to the Tower of Babel. "A Carpenter's View of the Bible" is thoughtful and recommended reading.

The KJV Study Bible
Barbour
P.O. Box 719, Uhrichsville, OH 44683
9781616260361, $19.99, www.barbourbooks.com

Perhaps the most important book in western civilization, The Bible is well worth studying. "The KJV Study Bible" is a study guide for the most famous English translation of the bible, The King James Version. Discussing the history of this version's creation, with plenty of notes to explain the cultural gap that has formed throughout the centuries, and encouraging readers to do their own study, "The KJV Study Bible" is a strong pick for any student of Christianity who wants more comprehensive understanding of the Holy Bible.

A Way to Pray
Matthew Henry
The Banner of Truth Trust
PO Box 621, Carlisle, PA 17013
9781848710870, $24.00, www.banneroftruth.co.uk

The Holy Bible is not just something to look towards for guidance, it can empower the daily prayer. "A Way to Pray" is a guidebook for Christians who want to use scripture more effectively in their work. First published by Matthew Henry three hundred years ago, O. Palmer Robertson has updated it for the modern day to help Christians blend its principles into their faith. "A Way to Pray" is a fine pick for Christians and a driven and spiritual read.

Remember the Poor
Bruce W. Longenecker
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
2140 Oak Industrial Drive NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802863737, $25.00, www.eerdmans.com

All too often Christians forget about caring for the poor as one of their virtues. "Remember the Poor: Paul, Poverty, and the Greco-Roman World" looks the disciple Paul and his relation to the economic conditions of Rome in his day, and the vital role that the poor played in Early Christianity. A work of Christian economics, author Bruce Longenecker offers challenge to both economics and theologians with his studies. "Remember the Poor" is an engaging and highly recommended read for history, economics, and Christianity collections.

This Sacred Moment
Albert Haase
IVP
PO Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426
9780830835430, $15.00, www.ivpress.com

Divinity doesn't mean you have to be a superstar. "This Sacred Moment: Becoming Holy Right Where You Are" is an inspirational guide for Christians on becoming holy and living a life more worthy of the title. Encouraging readers to follow Christ's path, author Albert Haase gives simple and profound inspiration to finding your way in his footsteps and with memoirs of others who have chosen his path. "This Sacred Moment" is a charming and driven read for those who want a bit of divinity in their own lives.

Untold Sisters
Electa Arenal & Stacey Schlau, editors
University of New Mexico Press
MSC05 3185, 1 University of New Mexico, AL, NM 87131-0001
9780826347381, $35.00, www.unmpress.com

What drives a woman to devote herself wholly to God? "Untold Sisters: Hispanic Nuns in Their Own works" is a study of these nuns in order to gain a greater understanding of convent life in Latin America and Spain. Presented in both languages, blending them throughout, editors Electa Arenal and Stacey Schlau present a compendium of information that should educate and enlighten on the subject. With photographs reproducing relative artwork throughout, bibliographies, and more, "Untold Sisters" is a vital addition to any Christian or Hispanic driven history collection, enthusiastically recommended.

Daily Reflections for Lent
Robert F. Morneau
Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500, Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814633090, $2.00, www.litpress.org

The time of Lent is meant to be a time of spiritual reassessment for Catholics. "Daily Reflections for Lent" is a short collection of thoughts, affirmations, and wisdom for Catholics to absorb during the spiritual time of Lent to help them assess their place as a Christian. "Daily Reflections for Lent" is a strong pick for those who have much to ponder for the upcoming season of Lent.

Reboot
Peggy Kendall
Judson Press
PO Box 851, Valley Forge, PA 19482-0851
9780817015657, $14.00, www.judsonpress.com

The world grows smaller, and new ideas whiz all over the planet. "Reboot: Refreshing Your Faith in a High-Tech World" is a guide to being a Christian in today's world when the stories of the Bible seem like the furthest thing from modern reality. With plenty of thought for keeping God relevant in today's world including keeping in touch with other Christians and applications of technology for faith, "Reboot" is a fine read and very highly recommended for any technology-minded Christian.

How to Rise Above Abuse
June Hunt
Harvest House Publishers
990 Owen Loop North, Eugene, Oregon 97402-9173
9780736923330, $14.99, www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Abuse can wreck lives and derail dreams. "How to Rise Above Abuse: Victory for Victims of Five Types of Abuse" is an inspirational Christian guide to help readers to overcome the challenges of abuse in their lives. From the tragedy of childhood sexual abuse to being a battered spouse, all of these shatter your lives and make it seem like it's impossible to put one's life back together. With a bit of faith, June Hunt wants to reassure readers that the impossible is possible. "How to Rise Above Abuse" is thoughtful and a choice pick for victims of abuse.


The Economics Shelf

The Political Economy of Taxation
Paola Profeta & Simona Sacabrosetti
Edward Elgar
9 Dewey Court, Northampton, MA 01060
9781848440715, $105.00, www.e-elgar.com

Taxation is the main source of income for governments, but too much crushes the people they are trying to govern. "The Political Economy of Taxation: Lessons from Developing Countries" discusses the importance of balancing taxation in developing countries where the government needs the money the most but the people aren't in the best position to be providing that money. Drawing on studies from Asia and Latin America where many countries are quickly becoming international economic powers, as well as Europe where the European Union has shifted the way the continent's economy works. Providing light to a subject that is not often enough discussed, "The Political Economy of Taxation" packed cover to cover with thoughtful information, and a core addition to any international economic studies collection.


The Business Shelf

Money Games
David M. Carter
Stanford Business Books
c/o Stanford University Press
1450 Page Mill Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304-1124
9780804759557, $29.95, www.sup.org

Sports hasn't just been for the good of the game for a long time. "Money Games: Profiting from the Convergence of Sports and Entertainment" looks at the financial mating of Sports and Entertainment in the name of business and profits. Drawing on many examples in today's culture and explaining how it all works, and just how much business is behind today's sports, "Money Games" proves to be an excellent read for the future business man diving into the realm of sports or those simply curious about the methods behind March Madness.


The Art Shelf

One Hundred Portraits
Barry Moser
Godine
PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452
9781567923667, $35.00, www.godine.com

A good portrait speaks louder than a simple picture of a person, it speaks soul. "One Hundred Portraits" is a collection of woodcuts by Barry Moser, who has embraced the woodcut as his artistic method. He looked through history and draws on old drawings, paintings, photographs to demonstrate a grasp of what one can do with wood. Thoughtful and driven labor, "One Hundred Portraits" is well worth considering as a coffee table book or as a solid addition to any community library art collection.

Elements of Art and Principles of Design
Geral F. Brommer, consultant
Crystal Productions
PO Box 2159, 1812 Johns Drive, Glenview, IL 60025
9781562906658, $19.95

What is the story behind the many design decisions that we all so often fall back to, even when we don't realize it? "Elements of Art and Principles of Design: Hands-On Activities, Full-Color Reproductions, Descriptions of Each Concept" discusses the many ideas behind modern design and art, showing how these elements come together in artistic works and how to understand them better to use in one's own work. With worksheets and plenty of activities, "Elements of Art and Principles of Design" is a fine resource for art teachers and their students.

Art of Our Time
Patricia McDonnell & Emily Stamey
University of Washington Press
PO box 50096, Seattle, WA 98145-5096
9780295990255, $29.95, www.washington.edu

The past hundred years have constantly redefined the term of art. "Art of Our Time: Selections From the Ulrich Museum of Art, Wichita State University" looks at the past one hundred years of art. Drawing on fifty seven works from the museum's holdings to tell the history of international art, taking pieces from around the world, and showing them here in full color with narration of their purpose and meaning. "Art of Our Time" is a fine collection of artwork, a choice pick for coffee table book or art book collections in general.

You Can Draw in 30 Days
Mark Kistler
Da Capo
c/o Perseus Book Group
11 Cambridge Center, Cambridge, MA 02142
9780738212418, $19.00, www.dacapopress.com

Artists are made, not born. "You Can Draw in 30 Days: The Fun, Easy Way, to Learn to Draw in One Month or Less" is a guide to unlocking the artist that waits in us all, as famous art instructor Mark Kistler, host of Mark Kistler's Imagination Station, as he helps readers get started in learning the basics on how to draw, and to advance beyond that to using their drawing as another aspect of artistic expression. "You Can Draw in 30 Days" is a must for anyone who wants to pursue art but doesn't know where to start.

A History of American Tonalism
David A. Cleveland
Hudson Hill
PO Box 205, 3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
9781555953027, $85.00, www.hudsonhills.com

At the turn of the century, American art shifted with its culture. "A History of American Tonalism 1880-1920" is an art history guide tracing this period of artistic style where color was used in graduality to apply an emotion and mood to the art, reflecting on the culture of the time, defying the rapid change of the world, clashing with the previous style of art in the decades leading to the period. Looking at the work of some of the greatest artists of the period and reflecting how they changed the discipline, "A History of American Tonalism" is a fine coffee table book and study of American art history.


The Photography Shelf

Carnivals of the World
Marcelo Bendahan
Maestro Books
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9789080939684, $50.00

A true carnival is a celebration unlike anywhere else in the world. "Carnivals of the World" is a colorful and lush photography book with photographs by Marcelo Bendahan as he explores the elaborate beauty of these carnivals throughout the world, focusing on the most popular pre-Lent carnivals such as Mardi Gras in New Orleans. Something truly magnificent to see in person, much of the feeling of awe remains in these photographs. "Carnivals of the World" is an excellent choice for coffee table book, highly recommended.

Paddle North
Greg Breining
Minnesota Historical Society Press
345 Kellogg Boulevard West, St. Paul, MN 55102
9780873517782, $29.95, www.laynekennedy.com

For some, the best way to experience nature is to meet it head on. "Paddle North: Canoeing the Boundary Waters-Quetico Wilderness" is a combination memoir and nature photography guide from Greg Breining with photographs from Layne Kennedy. Breining discusses the boundary waters, the line of rivers and creeks that split the United States and Canada. Discussing not only the river, but the forests surrounding, there is a focus on this natural beauty that the two nations share and how throughout natural and human history, it is ever changing. "Paddle North" is a thoughtful nature book, well worth considering for any nature lover.

Australasian Nature Photography
South Australian Museum
Csiro Publishing
c/o Stylus Publishing
22883 Quicksilver Drive, Sterling, VA 20166-2012
9780643101166, $33.95, www.styluspub.com

Through ice and tropics, the southern Pacific and Indian ocean region holds some of the most intriguing bits of nature in the world. "Australasian Nature Photography" is a collection of the full array of nature that covers the region, as the South Australian museum presents full color photos of icy regions, deserts, forests, grasslands, and their wildlife and fauna exemplifying the massive range of topography that the region offers. "Australasian Nature Photography" is beautiful and is a choice pick for anyone seeking nature photography.


The Islamic Studies Shelf

Universal Dimensions of Islam
Patrick Laude
World Wisdom
1501 E. Hillside Dr., Bloomington, IN 47401
9781935493570, $23.95, www.worldwisdom.com

Understanding is the key to a more peaceful planet. "Universal Dimensions of Islam: Studies in Comparative Religion" serves as a fascinating look into Islam as many writers delve into their own studies of faith, and how Islam and its culture can serve as a bridge connecting it to other faiths for a more understanding world. Insightful and enlightening, "Universal Dimensions of Islam" is a solid addition for any Islamic studies collection focusing on scholarly discussions of the Muslim faith.

Pearls from Arabia
Mohammed Mahfoodh Al Ardhi
Berkshire Academic Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781907784026, $19.95, www.isbs.com

Good sense and wisdom transcends history, far beyond any faith or creed. "Pearls from Arabia" looks at the spirit and wisdom of the Prophet Mohammed. Designed as not a religious book but instead a unique study of Mohammed's words as inspiration and light for the modern life of man, "Pearls from Arabia" is something well worth reading for its simple yet complex philosophy on life and its challenges.


The Military Shelf

China, The United States, and 21st-Century Sea Power
Andrew S. Erickson, Lyle J. Goldstein, and Nan Li
Naval Institute Press
291 Wood Road, Annapolis, MD 21402
9781591142430, $49.95, www.nip.org

The United States is far from the only superpower any longer. "China, the United States, and 21st-Century Sea Power: Defining a Maritime Security Partnership" looks into the importance and vitality of despite the growing rivalry between America and China, that working together in matters of naval and maritime security is the best route possible for the two countries to ensure peace for both of their interests. A fourth in a series analyzing the growing power of China's navy, "China, the United States, and 21st-Century Sea Power" is a fine and very highly recommended read, not to be missed.


The Biography Shelf

Ordinary Things
Christopher Pratt
Breakwater
PO Box 2188, 100 Water Street, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada, A1C 6E6
9781550812640, $18.95, www.breakwaterbooks.com

It's how one deals with the ordinary that can make one extraordinary. "Ordinary Things: A Different Kind of Voyage" is a collection of personal memoirs from artist Christopher Pratt as he discusses life as an artist and living life in Newfoundland. With poignancy and much wit and thought, Pratt's journal will prove highly entertaining and very thoughtful reading. "Ordinary Things" is a fine pick for any memoir collection.

Sunnyside Sal
Anton Krueger
Deep South
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9780958491563, $24.95, www.isbs.com

Liberation and the changing times bring all sorts of new experience to those of the old ways. "Sunnyside Sal" is a memoir of Anton Krueger, a South African man who looks at the world rapidly change around him and reacts in a variety of ways. A fascinating read of the changing times, Krueger admits to taking liberties with some of his experiences for a better story, but that all ends up adding to the appeal of "Sunnyside Sal".

Passport Through Darkness
Kimberly L. Smith
David C. Cook
c/o Cook Communications
4050 Lee Vance View, Colorado Springs, CO 80918
The B&B Media Group (publicity)
ajennings@tbbmedia.com
9781434702128, $14.99, www.davidccook.com

With faith as her shield, she tried to stand against the worst atrocities mankind still committed. "Passport Through Darkness: A True Story of Danger and Second Chances" follows Kimberly Smith as she is faced with modern day slavery in the darkest depths of the modern world. Her story is frightening and depressing in its honesty and how through the awfulness, her faith in God allowed her to press on and try to make a difference. "Passport Through Darkness" is a riveting pick, and very highly recommended.

The Women Behind the Roses
Tilley & Andrew Govanstone
Rosenberg
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781877058936, $49.95, www.isbs.com

Alister Clark has the title of the most famous Rosarian in Australia's history. "The Women Behind the Roses" looks deeper into his personal project of naming his roses after real individuals. Tilley & Andrew Govanstone trace the history of the women behind the roses, offering a short biography on each of them, including details on the rose dedicated to them. With a focus on Alister Clark himself and black and white photographs spread throughout the book to help the story of the women, "The Women Behind the Roses" is a unique study of the rosa genus of flowers as well as the women of early twentieth century Australia.

Jihad Al-Kuffar
Michael A. Rome
Dorrance Publishing
701 Smithfield Street, Pittsburgh, PA 15222
9781434907929, $28.00, www.dorrancebookstore.com

Why do terrorists so quickly resort to destruction and violence? "Jihad Al-Kuffar" tells how Michael Rome came across a CD containing documents that are meant to spur people to violence for their causes such as suicide bombings, murder, and other acts of terror. Hoping to gain insight into why this has been the weapon of choice for these individuals and the weight of their grievances, "Jihad Al-Kuffar" is a choice and thoughtful read on today's war on terror, and terror's counterattack.


The Social Issues Shelf

Major League Winners
Mark S. Rosentraub
CRC Press
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9781439801598, $61.95, www.crcpress.com

Sports are a spectacle that can not only provide entertainment, but much needed economic relief. "Major League Winners: Using Sports and Cultural Centers as Tools for Economic Development" discusses the power that sports and other large gathering places have in helping economic recovery and development. Using the successes of many sports teams in how they help their town blossom and succeed, Mark S. Rosentraub says that these benefits are not a one way street, and that both the sports franchise and the city that hosts them must work together, and how they can avoid the pitfalls and failures that he discussed in his previous book, 'Major League Losers'. Written with much experience, "Major League Winners" will enlighten those to the strong power that private and public partnership can bring to all those involved.

The Food Revolution
John Robbins
Red Wheel, Conari, Weiser
65 Parker Street, Suite 7, Newburyport, MA 01950
9781573244879, $19.95, www.redwheelweiser.com

A diet is about just improving your health, it can make a difference in our world. "The Food Revolution: How your Diet Can Help Save Your Life and Our World" is a 10th anniversary reprinting and update of the famed 2001 book on food politics. Discussing the impact of the American lifestyle and diet on the world, urging people to shift towards a more animal free diet for their own health and for the health of the world, it comes with a very pro-vegan and vegetarian message. "The Food Revolution" is a fine pick and very highly recommended reading.

Agriculture and Food in Crisis
Fred Magdoff & Brian Tokar
Monthly Review Press
146 West 29th Street, Suite 6W, New York, NY 10001
9781583672266, $18.95, www.monthlyreview.org

Can the world sustain itself with the demands of its population? "Agriculture and Food in Crisis: Conflict, Resistance, and Renewal" discusses this important problem facing the world. The advancements in food production have not been able to meet the demands of the world's rapidly expanding population. Discussing the problem the world faces in the future, a serious crisis that needs to be answered, "Agriculture and Food in Crisis" asks and answers many questions, and proves to be a thoughtful and very highly recommended read.

unPlanned
Abby Hohnson
Tyndale House
351 Executive Drive, Carol Stream, IL 60188
9781414339399, $22.99

Certain events can radically change your world view. "unPlanned" is a memoir from Abby Johnson telling of how she shifted her view on abortion. Formerly a leader of a Planned Parenthood clinic, she left her position after assisting in an abortion procedure for the first time and became firmly a part of the pro-life camp. Encouraging those on the fence in the debate and even those staunchly pro-choice to consider her story, "unPlanned" is an intriguing addition to social issues and memoir collections.

Twelve Angry Men
Lani Guinier
The New Press
38 Greene Street, New York, NY 10013
9781595585387, $24.95

Even with America's first black president, racial profiling still reigns strong. "Twelve Angry Men: True Stories of Being a Black Man in America Today" draws on the crisis surrounding Henry Louis Gates, Jr. and how it revealed to many Americans a very real reality, where many black men, regardless of their status or own culture, find themselves demonized. From attorneys unable to walk in their own home, being arrested for visiting family, and more, "Twelve Angry Men" analyzes a sad reality that still lives on in modern America.


The Education Shelf

Reading for Meaning
Harvey F. Silver, Susan C. Morris, & Victor Klein
ASCD
1703 N. Beauregard St., Alexandria, VA 22311-1714
9781416611325, $20.95, www.ascd.org

If you're left without understanding, there is no point in reading in the first place. "Reading for Meaning: How to Build Student's Comprehension, Reasoning, and Problem-Solving Skills" is a guide for educators who want to push and promote reading comprehension in their classrooms and the related solutions that come along with it. With simple advice on how to get the students more involved and thinking during the entire reading process from before hand to reflecting on the work, "Reading for Meaning" is a core addition to any educational resource collection.

Teaching as a Moral Practice
Peter C. Murell Jr. & Collaborators
Harvard Education Press
8 Story Street, Cambridge, MA 02138
9781934742785, $29.95, www.harvardeducationpress.org

There is something to be said of the role of the educator. "Teaching as a Moral Practice: Defining, Developing, and assessing professional dispositions in teacher education" analyzes the importance of imparting ethics and morality in the teaching practice, adding a philosophical angle to education, focusing on the practice of teachers teaching teachers. "Teaching as a Moral Practice" is a scholarly and thoughtful analysis of the responsibility of the teacher, a top pick for college library education collections.

Setting Up Classroom Spaces That Support Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders
Susan Kabot & Christine Reeve
AAPC
PO Box 23173, Shawnee Mission, KS 66283-0173
9781934575680, $26.95, www.asperger.net

Working with autism demands a different approach. "Setting Up Classroom Spaces that Support Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders" is a guide for educators who want to best set up their classrooms to enable their autistic students to attain the best education possible. With a checklist of easy things to do, supplies that are needed, and much more, Susan Kabot and Christine Reeve give no shortage of wisdom on how to make the most of the classroom. "Setting Up Classroom Spaces that Support Students with Autism Spectrum Disorders" is a strong resource for teachers and educational administrators. Also from AAPC is "Practical Solutions for Stabilizing Students with Classic Autism to Be Ready to Learn: Getting to Go!" (9781934575758, $21.95), a guide to helping these troubled students succeed when their disorder works against them.


The Gardening Shelf

Fast, Fresh Garden Edibles
Jane Courtier
Creative Homeowner
24 Park Way, Upper Saddle River, NJ 07458
9781580115124, $14.95, www.creativehomeowner.com

Your garden can be more than pretty, it can save on your grocery bill. "Fast, Fresh Garden Edibles: Quick Crops for Small Spaces" is a guide to turning one's garden into a place where edible crops can be grown. With a wide assortment of full color photos, Jane Courtier equips readers with everything they need to know to succeed with their gardens, from knowing what they can support with their space and climate to how to know when it's time to harvest. "Fast, Fresh Garden Edibles" is a must for anyone who wants their own natural, homegrown vegetables.

The Sustainable Rose Garden
Pat Shanley, Peter Kukielski, & Gene Waering, editors
Newbury Books
908 Darby Road, Havertown, PA 19083
9781935149163, $34.95

Roses, with their bright colors and sweet smell, have earned a special place among floral enthusiasts. "The Sustainable Rose Garden" is a collection of essays written by rosarians for fellow rose lovers. Speaking on the sustainability of roses and their surprising impact on the environment, there is much to ponder about how roses can be improved for their future. With nearly forty contributors, "The Sustainable Rose Garden" is a read that is very much recommended for the environmentally conscious rose lover.


The Martial Arts Shelf

Kurikara
John Maki Evans
Blue Snake Books
c/o North Atlantic Books
PO Box 12327, Berkeley, CA 94704
9781583942444, $16.95, www.bluesnakebooks.com

The sword was the weapon of choice for the warrior class in Japan for centuries, and may disciplines were founded. "Kurikara: The Sword and the Serpent" analyzes the basic principles that unite these principles of sword fighting, which have heavy emphasis in many faiths of the time, such as Mikkyo and Shugendo. These principles will prove intriguing to many a fan of swordsmanship, as author John Maki Evans, who traveled to Japan and was one of the first foreigners to train under master Nakamura Taisaburo. Drawing on his own experience as well as history, "Kurikara" is a fascinating read with plenty of black and white photographs spread throughout.


The Poetry Shelf

The Secret Admirer
Kyle Flak
Adastra Press
16 Reservation Road, Easthampton, MA 01027
9780982249581, $16.00

Poetry is simply another way of telling a story. "The Secret Admirer" is a chapbook of poetry from Kyle Flak as he uses his own love of word play to tell many a unique tale. Fun and hard to put down, "The Secret Admirer" is not to be missed. "Attic": Remember the attic?/There were eight hundred Halloween masks/up there. And a drum kit./Also: I kissed you square on/the nose for some reason. You, who taught me/how to ride a horse. I could happily/comb your brown hair all winter long/on that funky orange couch we/used to use for hearing rooftop/raindrops. It was classic./And dusty. I wouldn't go up there/alone. Missing you is my/only hobby.

Seizing the Sun and Moon
Louis Daniel Brodsky
Time Being Books
10411 Clayton Road, Suites 201-203, Saint Louis, MO 63113
9781568091365, $15.95, www.timebeing.com

Watching one's child grow into an adult is one of the most prideful and rewarding experiences one can have. "Seizing the Sun and Moon: Volume Three of the Seasons of Youth" is the third collection of poetry from Louis Daniel Brodsky as he reflects on the youth of her daughter and her young life coming to terms with what she will become. Sure to entice many a parent and poetry lover, "Seizing the Sun and Moon" is not to be missed. "Fire": They turn in a fire,/Neither gyrfalcons loosed, on the air,/By an impassioned Yeats/Hoping to see words mate,/Give birth to brilliant trilling,/Nor artful phoenixes/relying on feathered intellection//But, rather, my two precious children,/Whose twin scintillas/form a graceful, soaring shape/Against a blazing sun./They're both Noah's dove,/Which ignites my brain, with revelation./I'm the breeze that fans their fire.

Prophesying the Past
Noel King
Salmon Poetry
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781907056468, $19.95, www.salmonpoetry.com

Through much life and time, there is much to ponder. "Prophesying the Past" is a collection of poetry from Noel King, as he speaks on the subjects of times past with poignancy and thought to his poetry. "Prophesying the Past" is a worthwhile addition to any poetry collection. "Sisters at the Airport": throw arms around the years/spent on the family farm./visitor sister presents a package,/resident sister buys tea/and butters with tears/her mother's home-made brown bread,/fresh from Ireland.

Silver Roses
Rachel Wetzsteon
Persea Books
853 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780892553648, $16.50, www.perseabooks.com

Some things are simply too good to be true. "Silver Roses" is a collection of poetry from Rachel Wetzsteon, author of three previous volumes as she brings her own blend of philosophy and skepticism to the table as she appreciates the life around her. Smart and riveting verse, "Silver Roses" is not a volume to be missed. "Gold Leaves": Someone ought to write about(I thought/and therefore do) stage three of alchemy:/not inauspicious metal turned into/a gilded page, but that same page turned back/to basics when you step outside for air/and feel a radiance that was not there/the day before, your sidewalks lined with gold.

The Book of Emblems
Matthew Ladd
Wayweiser
c/o DuFour Editions
PO Box 7, Chester Springs, PA 19425
9781904130437, $15.95, www.dufoureditions.com

The most fascinating thing to the mind is the mind itself. "The Book of Emblems" is a collection of poetry from Matthew Ladd, as he provides his own musings and way with words on the mind and its pursuits of consciousness in its life. Offering much to think about with his poetry, drawing its titles to the devotional titles of centuries ago, "The Book of Emblems" is a grade-A poetry collection. "Coelcanth": Is it such a crime to stop writing?/We all could burn our manuscripts/and not once dwell on their absence./The world would be free of poets/Then I would be at liberty/to sit all day at the kitchen table/carving toys for my children.

Transistor Rodeo
Jon Wilkins
The University of Utah Press
295 South 1500 East, Suite 5400, Salt Lake City, UT 84112
9781607810025, $12.95, www.uofupress.com

Some poets have a drive for creativity and inspiration. "Transistor Rodeo" is a collection of award winning poetry from Joe Wilkin, a professor formerly at the University of Utah with a particular way for how the world rolls on in spite of our problems. "Transistor Rodeo" is a fun and thought provoking read, highly recommended. "The Parable of the Napkin": I walked over to you sassy/as a waitress you were/tall as a triple scoop of french//vanilla remembering what my mother told me about/women/What does she need/that only you can provide?//I brought you a napkin saying/ it's hot you'll be wanting this


The Travel Shelf

Route 66
Voyageur Press
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300, Minneapolis, MN 55401
9780760338858, $30.00, www.voyageurpress.com

As America grew, Route 66 evolved from a pile of asphalt into a legend all its own. "Greetings from Route 66: The Ultimate Road Trip Back Through Time Along America's Main Street" is a photography and history book detailing the many attractions and sections of the heyday of Route 66, the highway that allowed Americans to travel from the east and west on their own power in their own cars, something that only decades for, was a multiple month affair and was quite dangerous. But the danger was gone, replaced by a road that made the journey just as fun as the destination. "Greetings from Route 66" is a fascinating and fun read, presented in full color and is enthusiastically recommended.

1000 Sacred Places
Christoph Engels
H. F. Ullman
info@ullman-publishing.com
60 Cycle Meida, 38 High Ave #1, Nyack, NY 10960
9783833154805, $29.95, www.ullman-publishing.com

The places held Sacred to the world are usually held sacred for good reason. "1000 Sacred Places: The World's Most Extraordinary Spiritual Sites" is a guide to the most awe-inspiring religious sites around the world. Many of these sites, even to a non-believer, are sites with a certain historical and artistic majesty, worth seeing in one's lifetime. From cathedrals to massive sculptures to relics of the distant past, "1000 Sacred Places" is in full color with plenty of insight and information, making it a very highly recommended travel guide.


The Environmental Studies Shelf

Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change
Peter Calthorpe
Island Press
Suite 300, 1718 Connecticut Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20009
9781597267205, $35.00, www.urbanismclimatechange.org

In much of the world, most of a country's population now lives in cities. "Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change" discusses the role of cities in the climate change debate. Peter Calthorpe states that in order for America and other nation's lifestyle to continue with the minimum of environmental impact, we must embrace new methods and new technologies and presents plans for the world up to the year 2050. Drawing on his expertise as an architect, he states our best hope is through designing our own future. "Urbanism in the Age of Climate Change" is a thoughtful and enlightening read, enthusiastically recommended.

Advancing the Science of Climate Change
National Research Council
500 Fifth Street, NW, Lockbox 285, Washington, DC 20055
9780309145886, $49.95, www.national-academies.org

Climate change is one of the most hotly debated topics in today's science. The National Research Council has placed out a series of books discussing the issue with extra focus on each of the major topics involved. "Advancing the Science of Climate Change" (9780309145886, $49.95) focuses on the importance of advancing science in the continuing research into global warming. With government intervention growing, scientific research is more vital than ever. "Informing an Effective Response to Climate Change" (9780309145947, $49.95) focuses on reporting the facts that have been found on the issue and making it so that the people and politicians are well informed and are fully understanding of the issue at hand. "Limiting the Magnitude for Future Climate Change" (9780309145978, $49.95) analyzes what can be done to reduce the impact that climate change will have on our society and our world. Reducing the impact will be the first step in reacting to the climate change which cannot be stopped. "Adapting to the Impacts of Climate Change" (9780309145916, $49.95) is a guide elaborating further on how America can change to meet what climate change has wrought for the country. Managing resources and protecting the people and infrastructure of society are the goals within. The series as a whole provides highly scholarly insight on the dilemma and how to answer it, making each core additions to any environmental studies community or college library collection.


The Fiction Shelf

The Sleepwalker
Margarita Karapanou
Clockroot Books
c/o Interlink
46 Crosby Street, Northampton, MA 01060
9781566568388, $16.00, www.clockrootbooks.com

To save a world not worth saving, God may not put up his peak effort. "The Sleepwalker" is a quirky novel where Manolis, who may be the new messiah, is put on a Greek island populated by a wide array of characters who are faced with both their own brilliance and failure of life. With plenty to ponder as well as laugh at, "The Sleepwalker" should prove a novel that is very hard to put down.

The Good-Bye Angel
Ignacio De Loyola Brandao
Dalkey Archive
1805 S. Wright Street, MC-011, Champaign, IL 61820
9781564785947, $14.95, www.dalkeyarchive.com

There are constant conflicts to stand out yet blend in. "The Good-Bye Angel" is a novel from Brazilian author Ignacio De Loyola Brandao, translated from the Portuguese by Clifford E. Landers. Telling the story of the city of Arealva, and the conflict of the community against itself, Brandao tells a story of the drive of people for themselves and their own desires versus the city as a whole, where everyone ends up wronged in some way. "The Good-Bye Angel" is a fascinating dystopian novel, highly recommended.

Paradise Lost
Steven L. Layne
Pelican
1000 Burmaster Street, Gretna, LO 70053
9781589805903, $15.99, www.pelicanpub.com

It's almost like he was a whole new person. "Paradise Lost" is a follow up to author Steven L. Layne's previous novel 'This Side of Paradise'. Chase Maxfield returns to his high school, changing from the somewhat loser-ish individual into a hunky jock. Former most popular kid Troy Barrett faces this new intrusion with shock and curiosity, as the change seems unsettling to him. When the dead start to reappear, nothing is as it seems. "Paradise Lost" is a fun read for young adult science fiction and fantasy readers, highly recommended.

Stone Upon Stone
Wieslaw Mysliwski
Archipelago
232 Third Street #A111 Brooklyn, NY 11215
9780982624623, $20.00, www.archipelagobooks.org

No man is the same person for their entire life. "Stone Upon Stone" is a translation, excellently done from the original Polish by Bill Johnston, of a post war tale. Wieslaw Mysliwski brings his character Szymek Pietruszka to life and tells his story of life and the changes he faces. Szymek, through his many careers and lives, tries to maintain his intelligence and wisdom through it all. "Stone Upon Stone" is a riveting and moving piece of international literature, an excellent addition to any literary fiction collection.

Cute Eats Cute
C. B Murphy
North Star Press of St. Cloud, Inc.
PO Box 451, St. Cloud Minnesota, 56302
9780878393657, $14.95, www.northstarpress.com

There's no such thing as perfect, and the sooner it's realized the better. "Cute Eats Cute" tells the story of one Sam, teenager of the Midwest as he realizes the truth of the world around him. Caught up in a swarm of new age and environmentalism, he learns about people and what it means to be human, and to take it in all the better. A fun coming of age tale, "Cute Eats Cute" will have young adult readers struggling to put it down.

Wingshooters
Nina Revoyr
Akashic Books
PO Box 1456, New York, NY 10009
9781936070862, $23.95, www.akashicbooks.com

It's shocking that the simple color of one's skin can mean so much. "Wingshooters" follows Michelle, daughter of a Japanese and White couple who move into an all white town in Wisconsin. Ostracized by the town for being half-Asian, she secludes herself with little friends except for her grandfather, who hates the marriage of his American son and her Asian mother. When a black family moves into town, the racial tensions reach higher as injustice quickly enters the equation. "Wingshooters" is a riveting novel small town racial tensions, enthusiastically recommended.

One for Hell
Jada M. Davis
Stark House
2200 O Street, Eureka, CA 95501
9781933586304, $19.95, www.starkhousepress.com

When corruption runs deep, there is little limit to potential for cruelty. "One for Hell" tells the story of a man who comes to a Texan oil town, finds himself with a badge. As the town sinks into corruption, the man uses it to do what he deems fun, even if that is murder. A fun read of classic noir and mystery, "One for Hell" is a choice pick for readers looking for something pulpy.

Thera
Zeruya Shalev
Toby
PO Box 8531, New Milford, CT 06776
9781592642663, $24.95, www.tobypress.com

Building someone out of the ruins of the past is something that must always be done. "Thera" follows closing in on middle age archaeologist Ella Miller as she struggles with her professional discoveries as she deals with her personal challenges. As her marriage falls apart and she looks for love anew, she finds her new lover is far from perfect, the wounds of her old marriage are still strong, and her son she can't fully understand. From these shambles, she finds he must build something that works. "Thera" is a fine pick and a read that will be relevant to many women piecing together their own lives.

Face Off
Maureen Ulrich
Coteau Books
2517 Victoria Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, S4P 0T2
9781550504521, $12.95, www.coteaubooks.com

So much can be weighed on one wrong moment. "Face Off" is the story of young fifteen year old Jessie as she faces the rough task of being a teenager. While everything seems to go the young hockey player's way in most aspects of life, she soon finds that one wrong move can shatter her pristine life. "Face Off" is a charming tale that will relate with many teens.

The Listening Tree
Celia Barker Lottirdge
Fitzhenry & Whiteside
311 Washington Street, Brighton, MA 02135
9781554550524, $11.95, www.fitzhenry.ca

You can't hide from the world all your life. "The Listening Tree" follows young Ellen as she moves into the city and hides behind a tree, watching the world go by rather than participate in it. But she soon finds she must break her vow of silence, or bad things will happen to those who don't deserve it. A riveting read of coming out to face the world as a child who doesn't want to, "The Listening Tree" is very highly recommended.

Looking for the King
David C. Downing
Ignatius
PO Box 1339, Fort Collins, CO 80522
9781586175146, $19.95

The search for truth unites many of the greatest mind. "Looking for the King" follows the Inklings, a circle of scholars that contains some of the greatest authors of the twentieth century. In 1940, two American students of Oxford find themselves searching for the items that would connect legend and reality, evidence of King Arthur and the spear that pierced Christ on the cross. Through their studies and search, they find much on the legend of Camelot and what lies in the human spirit. "Looking for the King" is a riveting novel with solid connections to Tolkien and C. S. Lewis, a very highly recommended read.

Murder & Mayhem at Old Bunbury
Clive Endive Ogive IV
Dog Ear Publishing
4010 W. 86th Street, Ste H, Indianapolis, IN 46268
9781608446827, $25.00

Being exclusive from the rest of the world isn't the best idea when you have murderers in your ranks. "Murder & Mayhem at Old Bunbury" tells the story of exclusive private club owner Clive Endive Ogive IV, providing his usual blend of humor in high society and the many faces of deception that lurks everywhere around it. "Murder & Mayhem at the Old Bunbury" is an offbeat and fun read, a choice pick.

Stars Collide
Janice Thompson
Revell Books
c/o Baker House Books
PO Box 6287, Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800733452, $14.99, www.revellbooks.com

It's easy to act like you love someone when you truly do. "Stars Collide" is a unique spin on romance as Kat Jennings and Scott Murphy, two co-stars in a hot television sitcom, find their onscreen romance becoming very real. As the secret gets out about their wedding on television and in real life, they soon find their secret love far too public. A fun novel of love, paparazzi, and family, "Stars Collide" is a read that won't be easily put down.

The Suspicious Spouse
Keith Jones
Salvo Press
17850 SW Bryan Way, Beaverton, OR 97007
9781609770075, $15.95, www.salvopress.com

Two identities can prove a very useful trick to have. "The Suspicious Spouse" follows Christopher Jenson, a cross-dresser with a sharp mind. He offers loss prevention services as both Christopher and Christina, and soon finds himself wrapped into a murder mystery and finds that he'll need to keep crossing that line in order to save a life from a violent death. "The Suspicious Spouse" is an intriguing novel with an even more intriguing protagonist, recommended. Also from Salvo Press is "Memory Leak" (9781609770136, $13.95) by Trevor Schmidt, a psychological thriller that asks many questions of present and future society.

Sherlock Holmes and the Ghosts of Bly
Donald Thomas
Pegasus Books
80 Broad Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10004
9781605981345, $25.00, www.pegasusbooks.us

Sherlock Holmes is a mystery icon, and many new authors have taken Arthur Conan Doyle's characters in many new paths. "Sherlock Holmes and the Ghosts of Bly: And Other New Adventures of the Great Detective" takes the Victorian detective into new mysteries, this time headed by Donald Thomas. As Holmes now faces things beyond the mundane, as Thomas places him at odds with the occult and the paranormal, challenging his normal reasoning. An exciting and riveting read that takes Holmes in a fun direction, "Sherlock Holmes and the Ghosts of Bly" is sure to please mystery and supernatural fiction readers alike.

Nocturne
Syrie James
Vanguard Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
387 Park Avenue South, 12th Floor, New York, NY 10016
9781593156282, $19.95, www.vangaurdrpess.com

Secrets will always come out, and they can spoil the most perfect of things. "Nocturne: A Haunting Story of Forbidden Love" tells of the tragedy of Nicole Whitcomb's brush with near death. Rescued from a snowstorm that blew her off the road, she finds that her savior, Michael Tyler is everything she ever dreamed of in a man, but what she doesn't know will change everything. "Nocturne" is a gripping romantic thriller that won't let go until the story is done, highly recommended.

The Radleys
Matt Haig
Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020
9781439194010, $25.00, www.simonandschuster.com

To battle one's own nature is a challenge few are up to the challenge to face. "The Radleys" tells of a family in crisis. Parents Peter and Helen have been suppressing their vampiric urges in hopes for a better life for their children, but when the truth begins to emerge to their children who do not know of their true nature, their family begins to fall apart. A fascinating novel that seeks the question of family with a twist of vampirism, "The Radleys" is quite the read and shouldn't be missed.

The Bell Ringers
Henry Porter
Grove Press
841 Broadway, New York, NY 10003
9780802145260, $14.95, www.groveatlantic.com

There are things more important and valuable than money to have dumped on you. "The Bell Ringers" tells the story of the burden of knowledge one Kate receives when she inherits her former lover's estate, and the knowledge that comes with it. One woman must face an England that is being consumed by control, and she finds that is up to her to bring freedom back to England from the dark path it has went down. "The Bell Ringers" is an exciting thriller that should prove hard to put down.

The Jaguar Prophecies
Phyllis Gunderson
Bonneville Books
c/o Cedar Fort
2373 W. 700 S., Springville, UT 84663
9781599554624, $14.99, www.cedarfort.com

It's hard to be a messenger with a message even you don't fully understand. "The Jaguar Prophecies" tells the story of Matt Howard, a girl attending a Mayan festival who learns of an unusual prophecy tied to the ancient people. She must warn the world before it's too late, but it isn't the easiest thing in the world to make them listen. "The Jaguar Prophecies" is an exciting thriller of the supernatural, that should prove hard to put down.


The Needlecraft Shelf

International Sun Bonnet Sue
Debra Kimball
American Quilter's Society
PO box 3290, Paducah, KY 42002-3290
9781574326796, $24.95, www.AmericanQuilter.com

Why limit your design to simple bonnets? "International Sun Bonnet Sue" is a guide for quilters who want to put some international flavor when using the famous and favored quilt character Sun Bonnet Sue and spreading some international flavor into your projects. With plenty of ideas to form your own projects with plenty of templates and patterns, "International Sun Bonnet Sue" is a choice pick for any quilter who is seeking new ways to brighten up their fabrics.

Circle of Nine
Janet Houts & Jean Ann Wright
Landauer Publishing,
3100 101st St. Ste A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9780982558690, $24.95, www.landauercorp.com

With plenty of thought and innovation, quilts can be quite the outlet for creative expression. "Circle of Nine: 24 Stunning and Creative Quilts, One Unique Quilt Setting" is a guide for using the thoughtful templates devised by Janet Honts and Jean Ann Wright to create one's own completely unique and beautiful quilt design. The setting should prove very useful, and the pair provide plenty of ideas. For any quilter looking for inspiration for their next projects, "Circle of Nine" is a solid and top pick that shouldn't be missed.


The Language Studies Shelf

A Livy Reader
Mary Jaeger
Bolchazy-Carducci Publishers
1570 Baskin Road, Mundelein, IL 60060
9780865166806, $19.00, www.bolchazy.com

The best way to understand the Roman period is to understand its literature. "A Livy Reader: Selections from Ab Urbe Condita" is a scholarly examination of Livy and his work, to give a view of the Roman world as a whole. Serving as a study guide to better understand Latin, "A Livy Reader" is an excellent pick for any student of the Latin language and culture. Also from Bolchazy-Carducci for Latin studies is "A Suetonius Reader: Selections from the Lives of the Caesars and the Life of Horace" focusing on the work of another writer of the classical times and how to better understand his works.


The American History Shelf

Tracing the Santa Fe Trail
Ronald J. Dulle
Mountain Press
1301 South Third Street West, PO Box 2399, Missoula, MT 59806
9780878425716, $22.00, www.mountain-press.com

Mexico, a new nation at the time, drew much attention and adoration even from Americans. "Tracing the Santa Fe Trail: Today's Views, Yesterday's Voices" looks back at the historical presence of the Santa Fe Trail, as the young city drew influence from two nations and developed into a very unique country unlike anywhere else. With plenty of full color photos and scholarly discussion of this historic period, "Tracing the Santa Fe Trail" is a fine addition to any history collection and a fine pick for photography collections as well.

Notebook on Shipwrecks
H. Richard Moale
Heritage Books
100 Railroad Ave., #104, Westminster, MD 21157
9780788451713, $45.00, www.heritagebooks.com

The Chesapeake Bay has given Maryland untold prosperity, but as it gives, it also spoils with its cruelty. "Notebook on Shipwrecks: Chesapeake Bay 1800-1977" follows nearly two hundred years of the Bay's wrath, as H. Richard Moale puts forth decades of work as he compiles shipwrecks in chronological and alphabetical order, listing to his research all that is known about lost ships that have occurred throughout the region. An intriguing text with additional research notes for those who wish to do research of their own, "Notebook on Shipwrecks" is a labor of love from Moale, highly recommended.


The Crafts Shelf

Pro Pinstripe Techniques
East Coast Artie
Art Kulture
PO Box 223, Stillwater, MN 55082
9781929133925, $27.95, www.wolfpub.com

Pinstripes aren't just some red lines, there's a lot more available to those with the artistic drive to make it more than that. "Pro Pinstripe Techniques" is a guide to pin-striping and how to make something truly fun and magnificent with it. East Coast Artie, a pinstripe artist with decades of experience brings his artistic expertise and advice from other individuals such as Nub or Orange County Choppers, and plenty of advice on making simple yet excellent designs for everyone. "Pro Pinstripe Techniques" is a must for anyone who wants to add pinstripes to their stuff to add their own brand of pizzazz.


The Cookbook Shelf

1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes
Dave DeWitt
Surrey Books
c/o Agate
1328 Greenleaf St. Evanston, IL 60202
9781572841130, $19.95, www.agatepublishing.com

The love of spice is something quite universal. "1,001 Best Hot and Spicy Recipes: Delicious, Easy-to-Make, Recipes from Around the Globe" is a guide to those who are looking for the best hot and spicy dishes from all over the planet. With the amount of dishes covering an assortment of of types from vegetarian to meat dishes, to beverages, desserts, and much more. For anyone looking for a wide array dishes with vastly different flavor with the united purpose of spice, "1,001 best Hot and Spicy Recipes" is a wonderful and very highly recommended pick.

The Golden Book of Desserts
Carla Bardi and Rachel Lane
Barrons
250 Wireless Boulevard, Happauge, NY 11788
9780764163616, $29.99, www.barronseduc.com

Dessert is your most joyful meal of the day, so don't screw it up. "The Golden Book of Desserts" is a collection of nearly three hundred recipes that can turn dessert into a sweet afterthought to something to truly look forward to. The entire book is presented in full color, with photos of each of the dishes as well as step-by-step instructions even novice cooks should be able to grasp. There is no shortage of the range of the dishes, from pies and cobblers to ice creams to puddings and custards, "The Golden Book of Desserts" is a choice and grand pick for anyone who wants to take their dessert time to the next level.

The Kitchen Classroom
Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer
Woodbine House
6510 Bells Mill Rd., Bethesda, MD 20817
9781606130100, $29.95, www.woodbinehouse.com

Cooking is not only a useful skill; it's fun and has educational qualities. "The Kitchen Classroom: 32 Visual GFCF Recipes to Boost Developmental Skills" is a collection of recipes from Gabrielle Kaplan-Mayer, as she illustrates an guides younger chefs to be through simple yet delectable recipes that can be done by children with developmental disabilities and their teachers and parents. From healthy fruity smoothies, to grilled cheese sandwiches, to sweets like carob coconut cookies, and even meat dishes like chicken saute, "The Kitchen Classroom" ranks recipes by difficulty and is the perfect pick for parents, teachers, and children with learning disabilities who want to use the kitchen well.

Tartine Bread
Chad Robertson
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street, San Francisco, CA 94107
9780811870412, $40.00, www.chroniclebooks.com

Bread is more than a companion to a meal, it can very well be the meal itself. "Tartine Bread" is a cookbook that focuses on the bread of the Tartine Bakery in San Francisco. With plenty of tips and tricks, Chad Robertson gives readers everything they need to know to make exquisite bread all their own, far and beyond what they have come to expect out of it. These recipes are highly useful and very versatile, accompanied by full color photography by Eric Wolfinger. Sandwiches, soups, pizza, and much more, "Tartine Bread" is a fascinating pick and is very highly recommended for those who want more out of their breads.

Out of Kentucky Kitchens
Marion Flexner
The University Press of Kentucky
663 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40508-4008
9780813193489, $19.95, www.kentuckypress.com

With a certain soul like no place else, Kentucky has plenty to offer for good cooking. "Out of Kentucky Kitchens" is a cookbook from Marion Flexner outlining the very best of Kentucky's cooking with a wide assortment of recipes that range from delicious deserts, sauces, meats, breads, and so much more. With plenty of building blocks for a solid and excellent meal with recipes detailing the components of a fine pie or bread, "Out of Kentucky Kitchens" is an excellent and very highly recommended pick for cookbook collections.


The Psychology Shelf

Emotion-Focused Therapy
Leslie S. Greenberg
American Psychological Association
750 First Street, NE, Washington, DC 20002
9781433808579, $24.95, www.apa.org

Emotions are a reflection of the mind and psyche. "Emotion-Focused Therapy" is an entry into the American Psychological Association's 'Theories of Psychotherapy Series', this time focusing on emotion based therapy , explaining its purpose, history, how it works and how to execute it. Enhanced with plenty of information on the practice and the series in general, "Emotion-Focused Therapy" is an excellent entry into any psychotherapist's collection as well as any community and library psychology collection.


The Criminology Shelf

The Color of Night
L.C. Timmerman & John H. Timmerman
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669, Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882823225, $24.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Some evil needs proper punishment. "The Color of Night: A Young Mother, a Missing Child, and a Cold-Blooded Killer" is the tragic story of Rachel Timmerman, told by her father and uncle. Two days before being scheduled to testify against a man who had raped her, she was abducted and found dead a month later with her baby daughter missing. A true story, the authors offer this story to strengthen their stance on the Federal Death Penalty act. "The Color of Night" is a sad yet true story, fueled by the hope that one horrible act can push the law to make a difference.


The Architecture Shelf

Walls
Gunter Mader & Elke Zimmermann
W. W. Norton
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110
9780393732948, $40.00, www.wwnorton.com

Walls can limit your design, but for those with focus, that are simply a part of them. "Walls: Elements of Garden and Landscape Architecture" is an architecture and design guide that analyzes wall in the artistic pursuit of creating a garden or landscape that uses these barriers and limits to their fullest, instead of cursing them as hindrances. Full color photos throughout discuss the walls, breaking down how to use different types of materials, and coming with plenty of inspiration, "Walls" is a must for any designer who is looking for advice for their next project.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

Boone and Crockett Club's 27th Big Game Awards
Boone and Crockett Club
250 Station Drive, Missoula, MT 59801-2753
9780940864719, $22.95, www.booneandcrockettclub.com

The hunt has left many American's lives, yet many keep the spirit alive. "Boone and Crockett Club's 27th Big Game Awards 2007-2009" is a collection of hunting stories from many dedicated hunters as they share stories of their kills and their record breaking game. With plenty of black and white photos spread throughout, "Boone and Crockett Club's 27th Big Game Awards 2007-2009" is a must for any hunting enthusiast who wants to read about the biggest and the best.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Allergies and Asthma, second edition
Michael J. Welch
American Academy of Pediatrics
141 Northwest Point Blvd, Elk Grove Village, IL 60007-1098
9781581104455, $14.95, www.healthychildren.org

When faced with allergies and asthma, they shouldn't stop a kid from being a kid. "Allergies and Asthma: What Every Parent Needs to Know" is a guide for parents to help their children who face respiratory problems live their lives to the fullest. With tips on detecting if a problem exists, preventing attacks, choosing the right medication and treatments, and what to be aware of in certain situations, "Allergies and Asthma" is a sage guide and powerful resource for the parent who wants their child to live to their fullest.

Sandplay Therapy
Grace L. Hong
Routledge
270 Madison Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780415570527, $36.95, www.routledgemetnalhealth.com

There's more to sandplay than messing around in the sand. "Sandplay Therapy: Research and Practice" delves into what Sandplay is, explaining its value to psychotherapy and its connection to the Jungian discipline of psychology. Grace L. Hong draws on both her history in America and Taiwan to provide a contrasting perspective on the practice and what it can teach psychologists. A study of symbols and the subconscious, "Sandplay Therapy" is a core addition to any psychological studies community or college library collection, or for those who want to study this practice of psychotherapy.

Psychedelic Healing
Neal M. Goldsmith
Healing Arts Press
c/o Inner Traditions
1 Park Street, Rochester, VT 05767
9781594772504, $16.95, www.healingartspress.com

Psychedelics are quickly dismissed as the use of stoners and druggies, but could their be unseen medicinal benefit? "Psychedelic Healing: The Promise of Entheogens for Psychotherapy and Spiritual Development" explores the therapeutic potential of psychedelics in a medical situation. Banned after the sixties, new research is showing that these drugs could help fight addictions to other drugs, fight post traumatic disorder, and other mental problems. An analysis that looks deep into history as well as the true medical effects of the drug, "Psychedelic Healing" is a fascinating analysis into a taboo avenue of medicine.

Encyclopedia Of Sports Medicine
Lyle J. Micheli, M.D., editor
Sage Publications
2455 Teller Road, Thousand Oaks, CA 91320-2218
www.sagepub.com
9781412961158, $999.95, www.amazon.com

Exhaustively compiled and knowledgeably edited by Lyle J. Micheli (O'Donnell Family Professor of Orthopaedic Medicine, Director of the Boston Children's Hospital Sports Medicine Division, and a Harvard Medical School clinical professor of orthopaedic surgery) the "Encyclopedia Of Sports Medicine" is a four-volume, 1880 page, illustrated compendium covering every aspect and facet of contemporary sports medicine superbly presented in accessible, 'user friendly', alphabetically organized fashion. Showcasing state-of-the-art research, the "Encyclopedia Of Sports Medicine" should be considered an essential, core addition to general academic, medical school, community, and professional sports medicine practitioner reference collections. It should also be noted that the "Encyclopedia Of Sports Medicine" is also available in an electronic format (9781412961168, $1,245.00).

Influenza and Public Health
Tamara Giles-Vernick and Susan Craddock
Earthscan
c/o Stylus Publishing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781844078967, $99.99, www.earthscan.co.uk

The Influenza epidemics of the past century taught the world much about the spread of illness. "Influenza and Public Health: Learning from Past Pandemics" is a scholarly study of pandemics throughout the world, which prove to be a threat to millions and perhaps with the rate of population growth, billions of people around the world. With each outbreak, we learn more about how people react to the disease and how to stop these outbreaks before they become truly serious illnesses. Studying each of these outbreaks, readers will learn from the Spanish Flu of 1918 to fears of the bird flu and swine flu in the past decade. With many scholars coming together with their own studies, "Influenza and Public Health" is a core addition to any history or health studies collection, enthusiastically recommended.

Tai Chi Ball Qigong
Yang, Jwing-Ming
YMAA Publication
PO Box 480, Wolfeboro, NH 03894
9781594391996, $24.95, wwww.ymaa.com

Tai Chi offers much focus and meditation, but a simple ball added to the exercise has more benefits than one would think. "Tai Chi Ball Qigong: For Health and Martial Arts" is a guide to using Tai Chi Ball Qigong, the art of using a ball to enhance and magnify the practice. With at first a history of Tai Chi and Ball Qigong, world renown Martial arts scholar Yang, Jwing-Ming outlines the differing practices with Ball Qigong, and how to make the most of it in your practice and routine. "Tai Chi Ball Qigong" is a must for any Tai chi enthusiast and practitioner.

What Nurses Know...Diabetes
Rita Girouard Mertig
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036-8002
9781932603989, $16.95, www.demoshealth.com

Diabetes requires significant lifestyle shifts. "What Nurses Know...Diabetes: The Answers You Need from the People You Trust" is a guide to living with diabetes with tips from a registered nurse for over four decades as she provides a thoughtful break down of everything one needs to know to minimize the impact of diabetes and lead to a healthier life in spite of it. A strong resource with a glossary and plenty of wisdom from healthcare professionals, "What Nurses Know...Diabetes" is a highly recommended guide, not to be missed by those who fear Diabetes or have been recently diagnosed. Also recommended from Demos Health, "Winning the Battle Against Prostate Cancer" (9781936303038, $18.95) is an advisory guide for those who have been diagnosed with prostate cancer and want to fight it the best they can, from noted urologist Dr. Gerald Chodak.

Eating the Moment
Pavel G. Somov
New Harbinger Publications
5674 Shattuck Avenue, Oakland, CA 94609
9781572245433, $15.95, www.newharbinger.com

The mind is the first tool against overeating. "Eating the Moment: 141 Mindful Practices to Overcome Eating One Meal at a Time" is a guide to combat mindless eating, which author Pavel G. Somov believes is a major contributor to poor health and obesity. Comfort foods, bored eating, snacking when not hungry, and much more, "Eating the Moment" is a guide designed to help readers combat these practices by helping the mind be the first defense to the idle mouth.

Methods in Medical Ethics
Jeremy Sugarman & Daniel P. Sulmasy
Georgetown University Press
3240 Prospect Street, NW, Washington, DC 20007
9781589017016, $39.95, www.press.georgetown.edu

As medicine advances further and further with technology, ethics remains a hot topic. "Methods in Medical Ethics" is a collection of musings and essays from an assortment of medical professionals from various schools of medical thought in their pursuit of a more thoughtful and correct practice. Privacy concerns are of more concern than ever in today's medical field, but often these concerns are challenged by increasing need for specialization and today's further reaching information databases. Additionally, concerns of professional conduct and pursuit of profit in today's more business like facilities, the pursuit of experimentation when it comes to new techniques and drugs, and much more are discussed. "Methods in Medical Ethics" is a thoughtful read for any professional who finds the line between right and wrong increasingly blurred in their pursuits.


The Parenting Shelf

Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me?
Rebecca Griffin
ACER
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9780864318787, $44.95, www.isbs.com

Parenting is a job rougher than anyone ever expects. "Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me?: COllective Wisdom on Creating a Family from Conception to Birth and Beyond" discusses the many elements of raising children from the desire to conceive and the challenges that come along with it, to the relationships with the spouse, to the grand challenges of child rearing. Not drawn from experts, the tales are drawn from real parents letting out their real experiences. "Why Didn't Anyone Tell Me?" is a fine collection of wit and wisdom from those who have taken on the job of parenting and lived to regret it and still find pride.

When Big Issues Happen to Little Girls
Erin A. Munroe
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 SW 15th Street, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442-8190
9780757315329, $14.95, www.hcibooks.com

No one stays a child forever. "When Big Issues Happen to Little Girls: How to Prepare, React, and Manage Your Emotions, So You Can Best Support Your Daughter" is a guide for parents to understanding the challenges of their own child coming into age and how to best manage these issues pertaining to sexuality, adulthood, substance abuse, and how to remember to let one's child be a child in this massive and scary world. "When Big Issues Happen to Little Girls" is a thoughtful and driven read with plenty of wisdom, highly recommended.


The Sports Shelf

Contemporary Sport Management
Paul M. Pedersen & Collaborators
Human Kinetics
PO Box 5076, Champaign, IL 61825-5076
9780736081672, $89.00, www.humankinetics.com

Sports have long gone past being just a game. "Contemporary Sport Management" is a business guide to looking at the business side of sports, describing everything that one needs to know about how to successfully manage a sports team or organization, covering the details with great accuracy, ranging from sociological, psychological, legal, and other aspects of the debate completely and comprehensively. This newer addition puts a greater focus on youth and community sports, assessing the extra elements that come when using sports as a benevolent organization. Arranged well with plenty of useful indexes and resources reader available, as well as access to an online study guide, "Contemporary Sport Management" is an excellent and enthusiastically recommended addition to sports and business collections in community and college libraries.


The Fantasy/SciFi Shelf

The Purging of Kadillus
Gav Thorpe
Black Library
1525 Hulse Road, Unit 1, Point Pleasant, NJ 08742
9781844168972, $11.99, www.blacklibrary.com

Surrounded, sometimes all a marine can do is make them pay for his death. "The Purging of Kadillus" is another entry into the Space Marine Battles Series of novels set in the Warhammer universe. Sergenat Aquila of the Ravenwing is surrounded by Ork forces with little hope for survival. Facing certain death, he must do everything he can, and that just might not be enough. "The Purging of Kadillus" is an exciting fantasy and science fiction read, highly recommended.

Blood of the Rose
Kate Pearce
Signet Eclipse
c/o Penguin Group
375 Hudson Street, New York, NY 10014
9780451232489, $6.99, www.penguin.com

With all the spurned love that the Tudors reaped, it certainly attracted more than one breed of bloodsucker. "Blood of the Rose" is an entry into the Tudor Vampire chronicles, an alternate take on history where the Tudor family finds itself in clash with the vampires that seek to usurp England from the royal family. The Llewellyns, a family of vampire hunters, find themselves the Tudor's allies in their constant war. Anne Boleyn, wife of Henry the VIII might very well be an agent of Rosalind Llewellyn's eternal enemy. In the hunt to find out has cursed the king, Rosalind might be writing her own chapter in this history. "Blood of the Rose" is an exciting and fun take on history, highly recommended.

The Nascenza Conspiracy
V. Briceland
Flux
2143 Wooddale Drive, Woodbury, MN 55125-2989
9780738718941, $9.95, www.fluxnow.com

A prince and pauper tale gone horribly wrong. "The Nascenza Conspiracy" is the third novel in the Cassaforte Chronicles as depressed son of a ruling family Petro Divetri swaps places with his good friend, and finds his friend kidnapped for ransom, a fate that was meant to be him. With ambitious palace guard Emilia at his side, Petro must quickly set things right and defeat the rebels that threaten his homeland. "The Nascenza Conspiracy" is a riveting fantasy that is fast paced and won't let go.

Codename Prague
D Harlan Wilson
Raw Dog Screaming Press
2802 Farris Lane, Bowie, MD 20715
9781935738053, $14.95, www.rawdogscreaming.com

When technology lurks everywhere, it's all too easy to come out missing a few limbs. "Codename Prague" follows Vincent Prague, assassin and special agent of the Ministry of Applied Pressure. After his latest hit, he finds himself with more attention than he wants, and in the city of Prague, he has to tread lightly in a world where technology has gone way too far and Vincent only has his mind to save himself, with a few toys of course. Blending spy fiction with science fiction, "Codename Prague" is a fun read that should prove hard to put down.


The World History Shelf

Time on the Ocean
Theo Dorgan
New Island
920 NE 58th Ave. Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781848400757, $17.99, www.newisland.ie

Theo Dorgan knows the south seas well, and has seen much of his life pass him there. "Time on the Ocean: A Voyage from Cape Horn to Cape Town" is a memoir of the Southern Oceans as he reflects on his life and unusual relationship with the oceans around South Africa, including his deep family history and his journeys throughout the Ocean and its islands. With plenty of thought and history, "Time on the Ocean" is a fine read and is a very highly recommended pick.

Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution
Paul Raffield
Hart Publishing
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 NE 58th Ave., Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213-3786
9781841139210, $70.00, www.isbs.com

The law of Renaissance England was never written down, but it doesn't mean it wasn't observed and ignored when needed. "Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution: Late Elizabethan Politics and the Theatre of Law" is an analysis of Elizabethan English Law through six of the works of Shakespeare. The playhouses of the time served as a forum for political discourse through satire and analysis in subtle ways. This era did much to form the basis for English law that still hangs on to this very day. "Shakespeare's Imaginary Constitution" is a fascinating read of how art influences life and life reflects back on to art.

Narrating War and Peace in Africa
Toyin Falola
University of Rochester Press
668 Mt. Hope Avenue, Rochester, NY 14620-2731
9781580463300, $80.00, www.urpress.com

Africa has been a place of constant conflict in the past century. "Narrating War and Peace in Africa" is a collection of well researched essays and other writings that discuss the paths of a broken Africa, beaten and worn down from centuries of colonialism as the people try to move on from their tribal society into a new era. Through it all, tribal habits die hard and Africa finds itself under constant fire, with many regions adapting quicker than others. Looking at major events and the progression of civil rights, "Narrating War and peace in Africa" is a scholarly and expert analysis from many different voices on the subject, both from the outside looking in and the inside looking out. A core addition to history and international issues collections for community and college libraries.

Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History: Five Volume Set
William H. McNeill, et al.
Berkshire Publishing Group
120-122 Castle Street, Great Barrington, MA 01230-1506
www.berkshirepublishing.com
9780974309101, $575.00, www.amazon.com

An impressive and exhaustive collaboration of authors and editors William H. McNeill, David Christian, Jerry Bentley, and Jerry H. Bentley, the "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History" is a five volume, 2220 page compendium offering 538 informed and informative articles descriptively laying out the high points of human history from traceable human origins down to the present day. Replete with sidebars. Of special note is the 'Reader's Guide' showcasing 34 subject categories. Backgrounded with meticulous research and insightful commentaries, the "Berkshire Encyclopedia Of World History" is enthusiastically recommended as a core library reference for both academic and community library World History reference collections.


The Music Shelf

Nine Choices
Jonathan Silverman
University of Massachusetts Press
PO Box 429, Amherst, MA 01004
9781558498273, $26.95, www.umpress.umass.edu

Johnny Cash has far surpassed being another folk singer, he's become a legend of music. "Nine Choices: Johnny Cash and American Culture" traces the Man in Black's constant struggles through his career, a storm of rising mainstream success, his own personal demons, and the world that was rapidly changing faster than he could understand it. But through it all, his music and his thought allowed him to grasp his legendary status, and "Nine Choices" explores his legend thoroughly.

A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers
Will Friedwald
Pantheon
c/o Random House
1745 Broadway, New York, NY 10019
9780375421495, $45.00, www.pantheonbooks.com

It takes more than talent to get big, it take s a force of personality that draws people's interest in you. "A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers" delves deeply into the lives and careers of the biggest jazz and pop singers of the twentieth century, with his own research, thought and style. Each entry reads like a unique story all its own and proves to be an engaging read from one entry to the next. A heartfelt dedication to the pillars of American popular music as well as those who have pioneered its brother genres with entries on Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Hank Williams, among others, "A Biographical Guide to the Great Jazz and Pop Singers" is an excellent and very highly recommended addition to any musical studies collection.

The Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide 2011
Alan Greenwood & Gil Hembree
Hal Leonard
7777 W. Bluemond Road, PO Box 13819, Milwaukee, WI, 53213
9781884883224, $29.95, www.appraisevintage.com

A music instrument itself is not simply a tool, but another part of your expression. Some choose to do so with a piece of history. "The Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide 2011" is a guide from Vintage Guitar Magazine, focusing on the best of classic instruments that surround the traditions of rock and guitar driven music that has been the focus of the past century. Discussing everything from amplifiers, acoustic and electric guitars, basses, and other relatives of the guitar, "The Official Vintage Guitar Price Guide" is an absolute must for any would be connoisseur of these classic instruments.


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Kivas of Heaven
Gary A. David
Adventures Unlimited Press
PO Box 74, Kempton, IL 60946
9781935487098, $19.95, www.adventuresunlimitedpress.com

The spiritual nature of the Hopi people have yet to be lost. "The Kivas of Heaven" discusses the metaphysical nature of the Native Americans of the American Southwest, as Gary A. David discusses the tenants of these faiths and rituals and their place in the bigger picture of the world. With an intriguing thought and plenty to fascinate the student of the metaphysical, "The Kivas of Heaven" is a choice read with plenty to ponder.


The International Studies Shelf

Witness to Transformation
Stephan Haggard and Marcus Noland
Peterson Institute for International Economics
1750 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20036-1903
9780881324389, $23.95, www.piie.com

Stories from North Korea are almost far too cruel to be true. "Witness to Transformation: Refugee Insights Into North Korea" analyzes the growing amount of people who are escaping the North Korean regime and the harsh challenges that face them in their attempts to find a new life. Drawn off heavy research from China, South Korea, other Asian Countries and America, this study provides quite the insight on refugee life for North Koreans. "Witness to Transformation" is a vital read for those concerned about international human rights and the conflict of the Koreas.


James A. Cox, Editor-in-Chief
Diane C. Donovan, Editor
Midwest Book Review
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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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