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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 8, Number 2 February 2013 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Computer Shelf American History Shelf
World History Shelf Fiction Shelf Poetry Shelf
Christian Studies Shelf Judaic Studies Shelf Self-Help Shelf
Social Issues Shelf Wine/Beer Shelf Mystery/Suspense Shelf
Art Shelf Photography Shelf Buddhist Studies Shelf
Religion/Spirituality Shelf Psychology Shelf Criminology Shelf
Music Shelf Hunting/Fishing Shelf Hobby Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Literary Studies Shelf Education Shelf
Money/Finance Shelf Memoir Shelf Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf
Biography Shelf Travel Shelf Audiobook Shelf
Music CD Shelf DVD Shelf Crafts Shelf
Pets/Wildlife Shelf Humor Shelf Civil War Shelf
Health/Medicine Shelf Needlecraft Shelf Large Print Shelf
Military Shelf    


Reviewer's Choice

Impossible to Please
Neil J. Lavender & Alan A. Cavaiola
New Harbinger Press
5674 Shattuck Avenue
Oakland, CA 94609
9781608823482, $69.95, www.newharbinger.com

People can be so difficult to manage in our lives, but they are so vital to us. "Impossible to Please: How to Deal with Perfectionist Coworkers, Controlling Spouses, and Other Incredibly Critical People" is a guide for those who want to shoulder the tough avenue of interpersonal relationships and hold that burden more effectively. Psychologist and counselor team Neil J. Lavender and Alan Cavaiola advise readers to piece together their lives and cope more effectively. "Impossible to Please" is a wise and recommended addition to self-help collections.

The Midwest Farmer's Daughter
Zachary Michael Jack
Purdue University Press
1207 South Campus Courts, Bldg. E
West Lafayette, IN 47907
9781557536198, $21.95, www.thepress.purdue.edu

The Farmer's daughter has come to represent many things. "The Midwest Farmer's Daughter: In Search of an American Icon" explores agrarian women of the Midwest has changed from the sweet innocent girls of the past into a force of its own, as they take over the farm and dominate it for the future, pursuing new careers with the advent of the internet, and sharing their story to the whole world. "The Midwest Farmer's Daughter" is a must for any American cultural study collection, highly recommended.

The Time of The Goats
Luan Starova
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor
Madison, WI 53711-2059
978029920948, $24.95, uwpress.wisc.edu

Goats were the life blood of many, but when desperate times call for radical changes, it makes the future uncertain. "The Time of The Goats" is a novel set amongst the aftermath of World War II for many Balkan states struggling with the struggles of the era and the pressures of the growing Soviet state looming new them. Skopje, a small Yugoslavian town faces a hunger crisis, and outlaws the keeping of goats, which upsets those who have tended to them for generations. "The Time of the Goats" is the second entry in Luan Starova's Balkan historical novel series, much recommended.


The Computer Shelf

Windows 8
Mike Halsey
O'Reilly & Associates, Inc.
1005 Gravenstein, Hwy N.
Sebastopol, CA 95472-2811
9781449326647, $9.99, www.oreilly.com

Windows 8 seeks to revolutionize the way people compute. "Windows 8: Out of the Box" is a comprehensive guide on how to get the most out of Microsoft's new operating system which takes notes in the recent advances of user interface and computing on many different levels. From getting the most out of the system's quirks, using the new advances to the fullest, its media capabilities and much more, "Windows 8" out of the box is a must for any technology collection focusing on instructional advice.

Murach's JavaScript and jQuery
Zak Ruvalcaba & Mike Murach
4340 North Knoll Avenue
Fresno, CA 93722
www.murach.com
9781890774707, $54.50, www.amazon.com

jQuery is a free, open-source, that makes using JavaScript programming significantly easier. Indeed, more than 5,000 most-visited web sites utilizes jQuery making it one of the technologies that anyone charged with the responsibility of designing a web site needs to be familiar with. Co-written by JavaScript and jQuery experts Zak Ruvalcaba and Mike Murach, "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" is an ideal, 628 page instruction manual that is as comprehensive as it is 'user friendly'. Beginning with six chapters of instructive introduction to JavaScript essentials, "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" goes on to cover jQuery essentials, jQuery UI essentials; and jQuery Modile essentials. Going methodically through "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" chapter by chapter, even the most novice computer programmer will end with the acquisition of professional competency and skill levels. Simply stated, "Murach's JavaScript and jQuery" will prove an invaluable addition to professional and academic library Computer Science reference collections and should be considered mandatory reading for web site designers and JavaScript users.

Autocad 2013
M. Hamad
Mercury Learning and Information
c/o International Publishers Marketing
22841 Quicksilver Drive
Dulles, VA 20166
9781936420407, $39.95, www.internationalpubmarket.com

For construction, exact specification and detail is required. "Autocad 2013: Beginning and Intermediate" is a complete and comprehensive guide behind the popular design and drafting software and how to use it to its fullest, including advice for those who want to teach themselves how to better use the software. With a DVD with additional resources to help teach the program as well as lessons for the novice AutoCAD user, "AutoCAD 2013" is a must for anyone who uses computer assisted drafting and is upgrading to the latest version.


The American History Shelf

First Timers and Old Timers
Kenneth L. Untiedt, editor
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574414714, $41.95, www.unt.edu/untpress

As people call an area home, legends build. "First Timers and Old Timers: The Texas Folklore Society Fire Burns On" is about the society that has taken itself to focus on the collection of Texas's history and lore, focusing on the tales that make up the Southwestern United States storied history. From rough beginnings of the territory's early days, to musical legends, to modern reverence of the past, "First Timers and Old Timers" is an insightful addition to any local history and folklore collection, highly recommended.


The World History Shelf

Smoke Signals
Jim Poling Sr.
Dundurn Press
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459706408, $24.99, www.amazon.com

Tobacco: any of several plants belonging to the genus Nicotiana, of the nightshade family, especially one of those species, as N. tabacum, whose leaves are prepared for smoking or chewing or as snuff; the prepared leaves, as used in cigarettes, cigars, and pipes; any product or products made from such leaves; any of various similar plants of other genera. Today tobacco is considered by a majority of the American population as a harmfully addictive and potentially lethal substance. The manufactures of tobacco products are considered to be 'merchants of death'. But it was not always so. "Smoke Signals: The Native Takeback of North America's Tobacco Industry" by Jim Poling is a 256 page compendium laying out the history of tobacco from its origins in the Andes mountains of South America, through it introduction to Europe as a medical drug for everything from soothing the nerves to curing cancer, to its function as a revenue source for governments, to the medical research revealing its malignant properties to the human body. Of special note is the information about the use of tobacco in ancient and contemporary Native American cultures and traditions. Informed, informative, superbly researched and deftly written, "Smoke Signals: The Native Takeback of North America's Tobacco Industry" is highly instructive reading and an especially recommended addition to both community and academic library collections.


The Fiction Shelf

Dog Eat Dog
Niq Mhlongo
Ohio University Press
The Ridges, Building 19
Athens, OH 45701
www.ohioswallow.com
9780821419946, $18.95, www.amazon.com

The newest addition to the outstanding 'Modern African Writing Series' from the Ohio University Press, "Dog Eat Dog" by Niq Mhlongo is a 222 page novel set in 1994 and offering insights into Soweto, South Africa's pivotal kwait (the South African hip-hop generation). Dingmanzi Makhedama Njomane is a college student who spends his days partying, avoiding classes, and living in a time of South Africa's first democratic elections, the spread of AIDS. All this is further complicated by personal financial problems that may force him out of school altogether. Deftly written with vividly outlined characters against a dynamically portrayed backdrop of truly turbulent times, "Dog Eat Dog" is a riveting novel from beginning to end and will serve well to introduced American readers to a genuine South African literary talent of the first order.

The Last Season
Roy MacGregor
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459706866, $21.99, www.amazon.com

Growing up in Northerin Ontario, professional hockey seemed like the only way to avoid a life of abject poverty for Felix Batterinski. Playing for the Philadelphia Flyers as an 'enforcer' on the ice, Felix found that success and the money that went with it. But success on the ice doesn't last forever -- not when you are in your 30s with hungry young players coming against game after game after game. The next effort Felix makes is to be a Canadian player-coach for a Finnish team. But still more problems arise to attack his reputation, his status, and his future. "The Last Season" is a superbly crafted 384 page novel that will prove to be a truly riveting read for anyone with an interest in the rise and fall of sports heroes, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library fiction collections.

Make It, Take It
Rus Bradburd
Cinco Puntos Press
701 Texas
El Paso, Texas 79901
9781935955436, $14.95, www.cincopuntos.com

The road to the big leagues is littered with many others on the same road and failing. "Make It, Take It" is a novel set amongst the world of college basketball and the corruption and greed that leis underneath it. Rus Bradburd, a college basketball coach of fourteen seasons uses his extensive experience to dramatically analyze what a player faces in their efforts to get to the top, an effort that often takes more than hard work alone. "Make It, Take It" is a strong pick for literary fiction collections with a focus on the world of sports.

Earplugs
Bram Riddlebarger
Livingston Press
University of West Alabama, Station 22
Livingston, AL 35470
9781604891041, $16.95, www.livingstonpress.uwa.edu

Small town America takes the changes of life and living so very differently than the rest of the world. "Earplugs" is a novel of an Appalachian town facing sweeping changes to the small town and dealing with the quirky ways the people face this shift of history. "Earplugs" is an enticing read with a unique brand of humor that shouldn't be overlooked, highly recommended.

Little Wolves
Thomas Maltman
Soho Press
853 Broadway
New York, NY 10003
9781616951900, $25.00, www.sohopress.com

The nature of a small town is everyone knowing one the other's business. "Little Wolves" is a novel set in a small Minnesota town, and the stories that are intertwining through the town. Crimes are committed, loss is endured, people return to the town they left behind after so many years. Taking elements from lore and legend of Norse mythology for quite the original read, "Little Wolves" is a fine and enticing addition to literary fiction collections, not to be missed.

Choices of the Heart
Laurie Alice Eakes
Revell
c/o Baker Publishing Group
PO Box 6287
Grand Rapids, MI 49516-6287
9780800719869, $14.99, www.bakerbooks.com

Everywhere we turn, violence may be waiting for us. "Choices of the Heart" is a historical romance following Esther Cherrett, a woman of a family of midwives, chased from her home by conflict. But fleeing from one conflict may have sent her into another conflict, and worse still, love may wait on both sides of this deadly family feud. "Choices of the Heart" is a riveting romance of facing the harsh decisions and the consequences of that decision.


The Poetry Shelf

Incarnadine
Mary Szybist
Graywolf Press
250 Third Avenue North, Suite 600
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781555976354, $15.00, www.graywolfpress.org

We all seek to be closer to divinity, and those efforts are fully human. "Incarnadine" is a collection of poetry from Mary Szybist who presents a story through verse of finding our way through the world for better or for ill. "Incardine" is a worthy pick for many a poetry collection, recommended. "Do Not Desire Me, Imagine Me": As Corpse/Loosened, bare, profusely female,/the pulse in my thigh/unthreaded --//As Hair/Clear of furies, of flowers,/the shade of dry paste//As Skull/Fissured:/an unlit chandelier//As dirt/The ants sift through/and soften//And with no fingertips, imagine//As Dust/You can hang the air on me.

Meme
Susan Wheeler
University of Iowa Press
100 Kuhl House
119 West Park Road
Iowa City, IA 52242-1000
9781609381271, $18.00, www.uiowapress.org

Language has many twists and speaks much about our culture. "Meme" is a collection of poetry from Susan Wheeler who touches on the memory, the essence of life and culture, exploring it with a fresh and twist of knowledge and recollection of recent history. "Meme" is a strong addition to any contemporary poetry collection, very much recommended. A sample: Speaking of your better half,/You can be ugly and stupid as long as your shaft is big./Be date bait for your mate./Fried oysters ain't a euphemism./Just get in there and see what pops up.//Okay, go your merry way./What's her beef?/What?

In the Absence of Clocks
Jacob Shores-Arguello
Southern Illinois University Press
1915 University Press Drive
SIUC Mail Code 6806
Carbondale, IL 62901
9780809331031, $15.95, www.siupress.com

What may divide us may not be for reasons we fully understand. "In the Absence of Clocks" is a collection of poetry from Jacob Shores-Arguello, a poet of the world who offers his insights to the vast world as we know it and how to bridge those gaps. "In the Absence of Clocks" is a choice pick for modern poetry collections. "Secret Police": Masha has seen them envelop the moon./Do not ask what the crows have done.

Sailing Through Cassiopeia
Dan Gerber
Copper Canyon Press
PO Box 271
Port Townsend, WA 98368
9781556594083, $16.00, www.coppercanyonpress.org

With much world travel and seven previous volumes, "Sailing Through Cassiopeia" is a collection of poetry from Dan Gerber, who uses his knowledge of the world, its literature, and its practices to craft compelling and insightful verse. "Sailing Through Cassiopeia" is a strong addition to any fine poetry collection looking at modern masters. "Rookies": These two young crows, still/learning to be crows,/don't quite yet know enough to fly away when I come close./They sit on the fence with their/mouths half-open,/making cacks on their way to a caw.


The Christian Studies Shelf

Looking Toward The Priesthood
Msgr. Charles Hugo Doyle
Roman Catholic Books
PO Box 2286, Fort Collins, CO 80522-2286
9781934888292, $19.75, www.booksforcatholics.com

There is a critical and chronic shortage of Roman Catholic priests in the United States today. That is why the church is making renewed efforts to assist young men in determining if they have a vocation for the priesthood. Subtitled 'The nature, dignity, necessity and signs of the priestly calling', Msgr. Charles Hugo Doyle draws from his many years of experience and expertise in the priesthood to write "Looking Toward The Priesthood", a 106 page compendium packed cover to cover with cogent and deftly presented information, advice, counsel, example, and insights that will well serve anyone contemplating entering the priesthood to serve God and the membership of the church. Simply stated, "Looking Toward The Priesthood" should be considered mandatory reading for anyone considering the priesthood of the Roman Catholic faith.

Concordia Commentary: 1-3 John
Bruce G. Schuchard
Concordia Publishing House
3558 South Jefferson Avenue
Saint Louis, MO 63118-3968
www.cph.org
9780758614438, $49.99, www.amazon.com

The Concordia Commentary Series: A Theological Exposition of Sacred Scripture is specifically intended to enable pastors and other teachers of Christianity instruct with informed insight, reasoned clarity, and dedicated faithfulness to the divine intent of the biblical text. The newest addition to this outstanding series is "1-3 John" by Bruce G. Schuchard (Professor of Exegetical Theology and Dean of Advanced Studies, Concordia Seminary, St. Louis, Missouri) and is an 800 page compendium that focuses upon the New Testament writings of John. Analytical, insightful, thoughtful, informed and informative, "1-3 John" is an impressive theological work that is enhanced with the inclusion of a bibliography, as well as indexes of Subjects and Passages, making it especially recommended for both clergy and non-clerical students and study groups of the New Testament.

The Wealth of the Poor
Larry M. James
Abilene Christian University Press
1628 Campus Court, Abilene, TX 79601
9780891123804, $24.99, www.abilenechristianuniversitypress.com

Good sense and practice can bring success to the business world, why not the force of good? "The Wealth of the Poor: How Valuing Every Neighbor Restores Hope in Our Cities" is an inspirational Christian tale of how Minister Larry James took the task of working in the poorest neighborhoods in Dallas, and forming the community needed to bridge and expand a small food pantry to better distribute food to those in need throughout the country. "The Wealth of the Poor" has much to ponder and uplift for those who want to apply the principles to their own efforts of food pantries and charity.

Holy Week
Michelle Verkuilen
The Liturgical Press
St. John's Abbey, PO Box 7500
Collegeville, MN 56321-7500
9780814835551, $6.95, www.litpress.org

Leading up to the holy holiday of Easter, there are dedications and celebrations of faith. "Holy Week: Celebrating the Eucharist" is a collection of scripture presented in both English and Spanish focusing on the scripture surrounding this holiday that brings Lent to an end and entices the following glory of Easter. "Holy Week" is a must for Catholic religious collections for its comprehensive focus on these events, recommended.

The Emotionally Healthy Woman
Geri Scazzero
Zondervan Publishing House
5300 Patterson Avenue, S.E.
Grand Rapids, MI 49530
9780310320012, $14.99, www.zondervan.com

There are many things that drain our soul, and remaining with them is not healthy. "The Emotionally Healthy Woman: Eight Things You Have to Quit to Change Your Life" is a Christian inspirational guide as Geri Scazzero advises women to realize the errors in one's life and stop them before they ruin your life. From being true to yourself and others, fixing the things that make you unhappy, and diffusing bad habits, among other issues, "The Emotionally Health Woman" has plenty of sage advice for life and living, a must for self-help and Christian living collections.

Sports & Christianity
Kevin Lixey & Collaborators, editors
Catholic University of America Press
620 Michigan Avenue NE
Washington DC 20064
9780813219936, $24.95, http://cuspress.cua.edu

Play has evolved into a worldwide phenomena of sport. "Sports & Christianity" explores the concept of sport through the eyes of the Catholic faith, and how sports and Christianity have increasingly become intertwined, and how to make the games live up to the standards of the Christian faith more completely. "Sports & Christianity" presents works that Popes and other high Catholics have wrote, making for an insightful and recommended addition to Catholicism and Sports history collections.

Healing the Gospel
Derek Flood
Cascade Books
c/o Wipf & Stock
199 W. 8th Ave., Suite 3, Eugene, OR 97401
9781620321621, $17.00, www.wipfandstock.com

Christianity is a faith of dualities. "Healing the Gospel: A Radical Vision for Grace, Justice, and the Cross" explores the ideas of justice and retribution from a profoundly Christian perspective, as Derek Flood presents an interesting twist of faith, denouncing retribution, and emphasizing the words of Christ that encouraged the love of one's enemies. "Healing the Gospel" is a strong addition to any Christian collection, highly recommended.

Our Daily Bread
Discovery House Publishers
P.O. Box 3566
Grand Rapids, MI 49501
9781572937338, $13.99, www.dhp.org

A bit of dedication to our life and our faith can carry us further. "Our Daily Bread" is a year-long book from Discovery House, touching on many pieces of scripture to help advise readers learn about what they seek out of their lives through faith, and asking the readers to ponder how the scripture impacts their being. "Our Daily Bread" is a must for Christian faith-driven collections, enthusiastically recommended.


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Talking About Intimacy & Sexuality
Dr. Yocheved Debow
KTAV Publishing House
930 Newark Avenue
Jersey City, NJ 07306-6316
9781602802209, $26.95, www.ktav.com

They're going to learn it from somewhere, and it may not be what you want them to hear. "Talking About Intimacy & Sexuality: A Guide for Orthodox Jewish Parents" is a parenting guide aiming on the discussion of approaching the topic through the perspective of traditional Jewish faith. Encouraging a sensible approach to the topic that parents of any faith usually seek to stray away from, Dr. Yocheved Debow offers much to ponder on reaching on to your kids. "Talking About Intimacy & Sexuality" is a must for Judaic studies and parenting collections.


The Self-Help Shelf

Rewire Your Brain for Love
Marsha Lucas
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100
Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401931612, $19.95, www.hayhouse.com

Spite and hate are easy traps to fall into. "Rewire Your Brain for Love: Creating Vibrant Relationships Using the Science of Mindfulness" is an inspirational reference from Marsha Lucas as she advises readers to piece together their psyche and push themselves to connect with others around them more effectively. Taking notes from the aspects of neuroscience, Lucas's PhD degree, she takes notes of how we manipulate ourselves for the worse, and suggests how we can do it for the better. "Rewire Your Brain for Love" is an insightful and recommended addition to any motivational or self-help collection.

Archetypes
Caroline Myss
Hay House, Inc.
PO Box 5100
Carlsbad, CA 92018-5100
9781401941086, $24.95, www.hayhouse.com

When we understand who we are, finding happiness comes much easier. "Archetypes" is an inspirational read from Caroline Myss, who seeks to help people define themselves, find where they belong and realize that we are not one thing, we are many things making up the many faces of our life as we push ourselves forward. "Archetypes" is a must for inspirational collections, a must for those who want to understand that we are all complex, unique human beings in our own ways.


The Social Issues Shelf

Applications in Recreation & Leisure, fourth edition
Kathleen A. Cordes
Sagamore Publishing Company
1807 North Federal Drive
Urbana, IL 61801
9781571677006, $74.95, www.sagamorepub.com

Leisure is more necessary to the human psyche than most believe. "Applications in Recreation & Leisure: For Today and the Future" explores the purpose of leisure as a human need and its place in our psyche and psychology. Detailing the right to recreation as a fundamental human right, it discusses such a right and how it is observed throughout the world, and the implications of class and society on the topics of leisure. Detailing of the history of leisure through the years, the philosophy behind the idea of its place as a human right, and offering discussion topics for the classroom, "Applications in Recreation and Leisure" is a scholarly and much recommended addition to community and college education and social issues collections, enthusiastically recommended.

The Watchman's Rattle
Rebecca D. Costa
Vanguard Press
c/o Perseus Books Group
Eleven Cambridge Center
Cambridge, MA 02142
9781593156862, $15.99, www.vanguardpressbooks.com

Biologically, human beings are the same as they were tens of thousands of years ago. "The Watchman's Rattle: A Radical New Theory of Collapse" looks to the evolutionary roots of many of the world's problems, claiming that we may write off a problem as a social or political one, there may be roots in our genetic coding preventing us from getting over a hump, leading to stagnant progress. Advocating a different approach to the world's many crises, "The Watchman's Rattle" is a must for science and social issues studies collections, enthusiastically recommended.


The Wine/Beer Shelf

The Complete Guide to Brewing Your Own Beer at Home
Richard Helweg
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue
Ocala, FL 34471
9781601386014 $24.95 www.atlantic-pub.com

The Complete Guide to Brewing Your Own Beer at Home: Everything you Need to Know Explained Simply lives up to its title with a wealth of user-friendly instructions concerning the art and craft of brewing at home. Written for prospective brewmasters of all skill and experience levels, chapters cover common necessary ingredients and equipment, how to steep grains, adding malt extract and hops, measuring the OG (Original Gravity), pitching the yeast, fermentation, and much more. Additional spotlights on partial mash recipes, and advanced brewing techniques such as all-grain recipes, and lengthy lists of resources round out this absolute "must-have" for anyone eager to get started creating their own signature beers! "You might notice that your beer is clear at room temperature, but when it is chilled, it develops a haze. Proteins and tannins that clump together when beer is chilled cause this haze. In most cases, this haze has no effect at all on the taste of the beer... The best thing you can do to fight chill haze is to boil the beer as hard as possible during the boiling stage and then to chill it as quickly as possible after the boil is complete."

Wineocology
Caitlin Stansbury
Skirt!
c/o The Globe Pequot Press
246 Goose Lane, Suite 200
Guilford, CT 06437
9780762779017, $18.95, www.globepequot.com

A good wine can bring the best out of an experience. "Wineocology: Uncork The Power of Your Palate With Sensory Secrets From Hollywood's Sommelier" is a guide to better wine appreciation, as Caitlin Stansbury advises readers on how to embrace the test of good wine for anyone, embracing the taste fragrances and so much more that surrounds them. "Wineocology" is a must for anyone who wants to better understand the allure of good wine.


The Mystery/Suspense Shelf

Courting Murder
Bill Hopkins
Southeast Missouri State University
1 University Plaza, MS 2650
Cape Girardeau, MO 63701
9780983050438, $15.00, www.semo.edu

When a ruthless killer is on the loose, one can't idle and wait for someone else to find the answers. "Courting Murder" is a mystery from Bill Hopkins, a judge who uses his vast legal experience to tell the story of Judge Rosswell Carew, who finds two bodies disposed of on a river bank. Turning to unusual sources for answers, the Judge seeks to help the case along lest more lives be unjustly taken. "Courting Murder" is a riveting read that will prove hard to put down, recommended.

The Ragnarok Conspiracy
Erec Stebbins
Seventh Street Books
59 John Glenn Drive, Amherst, NY 14228
9781616147129, $15.95, www.seventhstreetbooks.com

Hate begets more hate, as it spreads through the world. "The Ragnarok Conspiracy" is an international thriller following FBI Agent John Savas as he is faced with the rising tensions throughout the world, terrorist acts being carried out between the Western World and the Islamic world. But there may be more to it than some loose cannons causing international instability, something pulling the strings behind the scenes for their own purposes. "The Ragnarok Conspiracy" is an enticing and much recommended addition to thriller collections, much recommended. Also from Seventh Street Books Mystery and thrillers, "Fear of Beauty" (9781616147020, $15.95) surrounding an attack on a young boy and the resolve of his mother to get justice in a war-torn Afghanistan.

Midnight Catch
Norman Gilliland
NEMO Productions
PO Box 260079, Madison, WI 53726-0079
9780971509351, $21.95, www.sandmansions.com

Strange things happen in a small town, and the truth can't be hidden forever. "Midnight Catch" is a mystery set in the woods of Florida, telling of three individuals working their way through the region, all with different intents and goals, but will come together for better or worse in their ultimate goals. Set in the backdrop of 1929 Florida, "Midnight Catch" tells a riveting story that will be hard to put down, highly recommended.


The Art Shelf

The Female Gaze
Robert Cozzolion, editor
Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
c/o Hudson Hills Press
3556 Main Street, Manchester, VT 05254
www.hudsonhills.com
9781555953898, $60.00, www.amazon.com

Although men (historically speaking) have dominated the galleries and the museums of the art world, women artists have contributed truly extraordinary works to the artistic legacy of the world. This has been demonstrated beyond question by Philadelphia-based collector Linda Lee Alter who decided in the 1980s to focus her acquisitions upon art created by women. The result is now a collection housed with the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts (PAFA) which showcases almost 500 object crafted and created by the most influential women artists of the past fifty years. "The Female Gaze: Women Artists Making Their World" is a 272 page compendium compiled and edited by Robert Cozzolion (Curator of Modern Art at PAFA) beautifully showcasing full page reproductions of representative art works. Each full color reproduction is accompanied by a description that includes the artist, the title of the piece, year of its creation, type of media (e.g. oil on canvas) used, and size dimensions. Enhanced with informed and informative background articles contributed by Diane Burko, Anna Havemann, Janine Mileaf, Melanie Anne Herzog, Anna Chave, and others, "The Female Gaze" also includes a checklist of the Linda Lee Alter collection, a selected bibliography, a list of the contributors and their credentials, and an art/photography credits roster. A significant and seminal body of work, "The Female Gaze" is an especially recommended addition to personal, community, and academic library Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Ian Wallace: At The Intersection Of Painting And Photography
Kathleen Ritter & Daina Augaitis, editors
Black Dog Publishing
10a Acton Street, London, England, WC1X 9NG
www.blackdogonline.com
9781907317576, $59.95, www.amazon.com

Ian Wallace, (born 1943 in Shoreham, England) is a Canadian artist, living and working in Vancouver, British Columbia. Wallace has been an influential figure in the development of an internationally acknowledged photographic and conceptual art practice in Vancouver since 1965. On December 30th, 2012, the Governor-General of Canada (His Excellency the Right Honourable David Johnston), announced than Ian Wallace had been appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada. Collaboratively compiled and co-edited by Katheen Ritter and Daina Augaitis, "Ian Wallace: At The Intersection Of Painting And Photography" is a profusely illustrated, 352 page compendium showcasing the work Ian Wallace. Of special note is the 'Ian Wallace: An Annotated Chronology' prepared by Grant Arnold. Enhanced with informed and informative background articles contributed Christine Poggi, Jessica Morgan, and others, "Ian Wallace" also features an extensive bibliography, a 'List of Works', and notes on the contributors. An impressive and seminal introduction to the work of a truly gifted contemporary artist, "Ian Wallace: At The Intersection Of Painting And Photography" is very highly recommended, especially for academic library Contemporary Canadian Art History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Book Ends
Robert & Donna Seecof
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764341687, $39.99, www.schifferbooks.com

There's a bit of style and fun that can be found even in the simplest of home accessories. "Book Ends: Objects Of Art and Fashion" is a guide to arts and crafts that one can enjoy as book ends. Looking through history, Robert & Donna Seecof compile the history of this simple object and how many craftsman and artists through the years have used it as a way to craft imagery that is classical, religious, historical, and even cues from pop culture. With a price guide and full color photography throughout, "Book Ends" is a must for any collector of arts and crafts, much recommended.

Out of the Wood
Rosemary Kilbourn
The Porcupine's Quill
68 Main Street, PO Box 160
Erin, ON Canada N0B IT0
9780889843462, $27.95, www.porcupinesquill.ca

While wood engraving is not as prominent as it once was, but its classical style is still used to day to create beautiful images. "Out of the Wood" is a collection of art and thought from Rosemary Kilbourn who seeks to capture images with her engravings, focusing on nature and the countryside of her Canadian home. "Out of the Wood" is a much recommended addition to art collections, highly recommended.


The Photography Shelf

Britten In Pictures
Lucy Walker
Boydell & Brewer Inc
668 Mount Hope Avenue
Rochester, NY 14620-2731
www.boydellandbrewer.com
9781843837497, $34.95, www.amazon.com

Edward Benjamin Britten, Baron Britten (22 November 1913 - 4 December 1976) was an English composer, conductor, and pianist. He was one of the central figures of twentieth-century British classical music, and wrote music in several classical genres and styles, from film scores to opera. His best known works include 'Peter Grimes' and 'The Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra'. "Britten In Pictures" by Lucy Walker (Director of Learning and Development, Britten-Pears Foundation, Suffolk, England) is a 288 page, chronologically organized, photo album showcasing Britten's life and work. A unique and highly recommended body of captioned images, "Britten In Pictures" will be of special interest to his legions of fans and students of his life and accomplishments. It should also be noted that there is a web site dedicated to the Brittan-Pears Foundation at http://www.brittenpears.org which will also prove to be of value and interest with respect to his musical and cultural legacy.

On Wall Street
David Anderson
George F. Thompson Publishing
c/o International Publishers Marketing
PO Box 605, Herndon, VA 20172-0605
9781938086007, $50.00, www.gftbooks.com

An architectural shift left Manhattan with an unusual blend of buildings. "On Wall Street: Architectural Photographs of Lower Manhattan 1980-2000" is a collection of black and white photography from David Anderson, snapping photos on the aftermath of the new construction past the 1970s, offering a snapshot of the twilight of the twentieth century with soulful black and white photography, capturing the details of these buildings. "On Wall Street" is a must for historical and architectural photography collections, highly recommended.

The Digital Zone System
Robert Fisher
Rocky Nook
802 East Cota Street, 3rd Floor
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
9781937538132, $39.95, www.rockynook.com

A picture's lighting can do much in improving its quality. "The Digital Zone System: Taking Control From Capture to Print" is a photography how-to guide from Robert Fisher as he suggests how best using digital editing software to control the lighting in one's photography, using the titular system to maximize the purposes. With full color screen shots and photography spread all throughout, "The Digital Zone System" is a must for any photographer who wants to make the most out of their photos.

Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images
Jack Watson
Atlantic Publishing Group, Inc.
1405 S.W. 6th Avenue, Ocala, FL 34471
www.atlantic-pub.com
9781601389022, $39.95, www.amazon.com

The female form has long been a favored subject for artists and photographers. "Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images: From Nudes to Fashion" showcases the work of award winning photographer Jack Watson in a superbly organized and presented 128 page compendium that includes both black-and-white as well as full color images. Of special note are those images that are presented in both formats so that differences can be readily seen and appreciated. Enhanced with the inclusion of an accompanying CD, "Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images: From Nudes to Fashion" will prove to be especially useful as an instructional guide for those familiar with basic Photoshop software. A seminal work of impressive skills and perceptions, "Jack Watson's Complete Guide to Creating Black and White Female Glamour Images: From Nudes to Fashion" is a very highly recommended addition to personal, professional, and academic library American Photography reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Buddhist Studies Shelf

Kum Nye Dancing
Tarthang Tulku
Dharma Publishing
Ratna Ling
35788 Hauser Bridge Road
Cazadero, CA 95421
9780898000061 $25.00 www.dharmapublishing.com

Tarthang Tulku, a Tibetan lama and one of few surviving instructors to have completed formal, traditional training in Tibet prior to 1959, presents Kum Nye Dancing: Introducing the Mind to the Treasures the Body Offers, a step-by-step guide to seventy-six completely new Kum Nye postures and dance movements. Kum Nye Dancing does not show the traditional Kum Nye postures, but rather original, physical choreography based on Tulku's memories of the exercises that lamas used to prepare for sacred ritual movements (commonly known as "lama dancing"). The positions and postures are meant to help the practitioner become more aware of their body's energy, and revitalize the body's consciousness. Each set of movements is explicitly shown on a two page - the left page has a detailed text description, while the right page features multiple, full-color photographs of the movements performed. One does not have to be a practicing Buddhist to benefit from the invigorating activity of Kum Nye Dancing, though the introduction describes at length how the activity can aid mind-body interplay on both physical and spiritual levels. Highly recommended for Buddhist Studies shelves and Dance shelves alike!

A Handful of Quiet
Thich Nhat Hanh
Parallax Press
2236 B Sixth Street, Berkeley, CA 94710
9781937006211, $14.95, www.parallax.org

A bit of introspection can help us at any age. "A Handful of Quiet" is a guide to meditation and thought from Thich Nhat Hanh, who advises parents to help their children learn the arts of meditation and use it for a more harmonious bond between parent and student. With much to consider and colorful illustrations, "A Handful of Quiet" is a sound read about drawing much from a simple pebble.


The Religion/Spirituality Shelf

Loving Work
Mike Hayes
Orbis Books
PO Box 308
Maryknoll, NY 10545-0308
9781570759888, $16.00, www.orbisbooks.com

To love one's daily life is the first key to happiness. "Loving Work: A Spiritual Guide to Finding the Work We Love and Bringing Love to the Work We Do" is a spiritual and faithful read from Mike Hayes, who offers a modern and down to earth read on life and living in today's society. With a driven and faith based inspiration, Mike Hayes encourages people to find their purpose, make sure it brings them joy, so they can spread joy to the world themselves. "Loving Work" is a must for spirituality and reference collections, highly recommended.

Instant Healing
Susan Shumsky, DD
New Page Books
c/o Career Press Inc.
220 West Parkway, Unit 12
Pompton Plains, NJ 07444
9781601632395 $15.99 www.newpagebooks.com

Instant Healing offers 243 affirmations and prayers designed to promote emotional and spiritual well-being. The prayers are all non-denominational, and there are simple instructions for using them to soothe turmoil and suffering. Some are designed to help the individual overcome the day-to-day challenges of specific pressing problems, such as overeating or alcoholism. All are filled with love and devotion for God, and encourage reflection on the wonder that is divine grace. For example, "This prayer will help you affirm your freedom as a perfect divine spiritual being. 'I AM not this body. I AM free. / I AM as God created me to be. / I AM free, pure, full, and perfect, / Infinitely loved and loving, whole and complete. / I AM filled and surrounded with divine love. / I AM filled and surrounded with divine light. / Thank you, God, and SO IT IS.'" Highly recommended especially for spiritual self-help collections and reading lists, as well as personal use.

Know Yourself, Forget Yourself
Marc Lesser
New World Library
14 Pamaron Way
Novato, CA 94949
9781608680818, $14.95, www.newworldlibrary.com

The self holds the keys to many of our life's questions, we just need to be able to fully explore ourselves. "Know Yourself, Forget Yourself: Five Truths to Transform Your Work, Relationships, and Everyday Life" is a philosophical and spiritual guide from Marc Lesser, who presents parables for readers to consider in their lives, as they find power in themselves and change what they need to find their happiness for themselves and others. "Know Yourself, Forget Yourself" is a must for inspirational and philosophical spirituality collections, highly recommended.

The Four Passages of the Heart
Sara Wiseman
NorlightsPress.com
672 State Road 458
Bedford, IN 47421
9781935254720, $15.95, www.norlightspress.com

The nastiness in our lives shouldn't be left to linger. "The Four Passages of the Heart: 365 Daily Illuminations to Transform Your Life" is a collection of spiritual inspiration from Sara Wiseman as she presents the simple wisdom of life and how to better hold it closer to us with a certain understanding to be applied. Focusing on four progressive openings of pain, compassion, connection, and love, "The Four Passages of the Heart" is a must for those who want to open up their hearts and minds to life's grace.

Divine Intuition
Lynn A. Robinson
Jossey-Bass/Wiley
989 Market Street, 5th floor
San Francisco, CA 94103-1741
9781118131275, $19.95, www.josseybass.com

There is a gift of wisdom in us all and we need to use it well to find success in our lives. "Divine Intuition: Your Inner Guide to Purpose, Peace, and Prosperity" is a guide that encourages readers to tap into their innate intuition, and use it to find their way through life. Drawing on her own experiences with life, with emphasis on learning how to visualize and work toward positive goals, "Divine Intuition" is a powerful and much recommended addition to any inspirational spirituality collection.


The Psychology Shelf

The Fear & Anxiety Solution
Friedemann Schaub
Sounds True
413 South Arthur Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
9781604078565, $17.95, www.soundstrue.com

Our own minds stop up from many things alone. "The Fear & Anxiety Solution: A Breakthrough Process for Healing and Empowerment with Your Subconscious Mind" is an inspirational read from Friedemann Schaub, who offers his insights on dealing with the stress and fear that we all face throughout our everyday lives, and how to conquer them for our own ideas for better success, realizing the power of the conscious and subconscious mind in our actions. "The Fear & Anxiety Solution" is wise and much recommended addition to motivational collections, not to be missed.


The Criminology Shelf

As She Lay Sleeping
Mark Pryor
New Horizon Press
PO Box 669
Far Hills, NJ 07931
9780882824284, $24.95, www.newhorizonpressbooks.com

Some cruel crimes are almost gotten away with. "As She Lay Sleeping" tells the tragic story of a brutal attack on a woman, shattering her skull and leading her to a slow death over two weeks. With little evidence the crime seemed destined to remain cold, but prosecutor Mark Pryor wanted to find justice even in the face of no evidence. Following the case and how the dots were connected, "As She Lay Sleeping" is a strong addition to any criminology or true crime collection, recommended.


The Music Shelf

Play Me Something Quick and Devilish
Howard Wight Marshall
University of Missouri Press
2910 LeMone Boulevard
Columbia, MO 65201
9780826219947, $29.95, www.umsystem.edu/upress

The fiddle has been a bedrock for much of Southern folk music for the past few centuries. "Play Me Something Quick and Devilish: Old-Time Fiddlers in Missouri" analyzes the history of the fiddle and Missouri music, looking at the culture behind them, the many European and African influences that spurred and altered these disciplines, and how this folk music grew into other genres such as Jazz. A history of music and a history of Missouri, "Play Me Something Quick and Devilish" is a must for music history collections, very much recommended.


The Hunting/Fishing Shelf

The Comprehensive Guide to Tracking
Cleve Cheney
Safari Press, Inc.
15621 Chemical Lane, Bldg. B
Huntington Beach, CA 92649
9781571574275, $34.95, www.safaripress.com

If you want to see animals, you have to find them first. "The Comprehensive Guide to Tracking" is a guide for those who want to be able to track down their desired animals using only their wits and being in the area where the animals call home. A full color guide to identifying tracks, droppings, and other indicators of an animals presence, Cleve Cheney uses his vast experience to educate readers. "The Comprehensive Guide to Tracking" is an absolute must for anyone who loves nature and wants to get more out of their personal expeditions.


The Hobby Shelf

Detailing Projects for Freight Cars & Locomotives
Pelle K. Soeborg
Kalmbach Publishing Company
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53186
9780890249437, $19.95, www.kalmbachbooks.com

Realism is a major aspect in getting the most out of a model railroading display. "Detailing Projects for Freight Cars & Locomotives" is a guide to getting the most out of the details in railroad modeling projects by using painting skills. Emulating the decay and rust that all trains have no matter how well they have been maintained, the load trains bear, the look of old paint and much more, "Detailing Projects for Freight Cars & Locomotives" is presented in full color and is a must for any railroading hobbyist, highly recommended.


The Cookbook Shelf

Food Lover's Guide to the World
Lonely Planet Publications
150 Linden Street, Oakland CA 94607
9781743210208 $39.99 www.lonelyplanet.com

Food Lover's Guide to the World is a 'must' for any inspired by world travels or ethnic cuisines, pairing guides to finding local dishes in cities around the world with cultural tips for food etiquette and recipe contributions by food lovers. Color photos abound in wide-ranging discussions of world food, regional specialties, and local food trends, while dishes are not only packed with flavor and represent the real cultures of their areas, but are easy for any to reproduce at home. The blend of in-depth history and culture and observations of worldwide food specialties and trends makes this a 'must' for culinary and travel holdings alike!

Dutch-Oven
Carsten Bothe
Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
4880 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
9780764342189 $29.99 www.schifferbooks.com

Featuring beautiful, full-color photography and high-quality paper throughout, Dutch-Oven: Cast-Iron Cooking Over an Open Fire is a user-friendly, in-depth guide to this popular method of cooking that has become a treasured part of American cuisine since the glory days of the Wild West. Step-by-step instructions on how to select the proper equipment, set the cooking temperature, and even bake over an open flame fill this solid guide, suitable for cooks of all skill and experience levels. The heart of the cookbook is over one hundred mouth-watering recipes, including "Veal Fricassee in a Pot", "Wild Boar and Bean Soup", "Lentils with Noodles", "Dutch Oven Potatoes", "Cowboy Sourdough Rolls" and much more. An absolute "must-have" for anyone who wants to experience cooking Dutch-Oven style! "If you would like to cook on a campfire, we recommend that you produce the heat in a fire and continually remove the embers for cooking... A small coal shovel is handy for this. With a folding spade, you take too much sand, which gets shoveled onto the lid of the pot."

Global Feast
Afife Skafi Harris & Beryl Lee
Otago University Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300
Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com
9781877578298, $39.99, www.amazon.com

The collaborative effort of culinary experts Afife Skafi Harris, "A Global Feast: Traditional Meals in a New Homeland" is a 176 page illustrated compilation of exotic recipes drawn from nineteen nations from around the world as showcased by individual migrants who brought with them a 'taste of home'. The recipes range from a Lebanese 'Atayif' (Stuffed Dessert Pancakes); to an Afganhi 'Firni' (Cardamon-flavoured Milk Pudding); to a Greek 'Yemista Piperyes' (Stuffed Peppers); to a Japanese 'Nikujaga' (Meat and Potato Stew). Of special note is the section 'An International Pantry' that provides definitions for the culinary terms found in this compilation of international recipes. Offering more than one hundred step-by-step recipes that will satisfy any appetite, please any palate, and prove exotically suitable for any and all dining occasions, "Global Feast" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

Mac & Cheese, Please!
Laura Werlin
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449426460 $16.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Mac & Cheese, Please! 50 Super Cheesy Recipes is an unusual specialty cookbook featuring a medley of delightful ways to turn ordinary macaroni and cheese into gourmet-worthy delights! Plain-terms instructions and full-color photographs reveal how to transform macaroni and cheese plus other common ingredients into such delectable delicacies such as "Zesty Kale Two Ways and Fontina Mac & Cheese", "Sauce-and-Meatballs Mac & Cheese with Burrata", "Huevos Rancheros Mac & Cheese", and much more. An assortment of tips, tricks, and techniques specific to creating inventive twists on mac & cheese - such as which types of cheese melt or just soften, the extra taste of cooking pasta in salted water (not salting it after it's cooked!), and much more. "You can, of course, adapt almost any of the recipes in the book to be gluten-free by substituting the pasta and bread crumbs with gluten-free products, and using cornstarch, amaranth flour, or gluten-free all-purpose flour in place of the wheat flour." Mac & Cheese, Please! is a "must-have" for anyone who enjoys creative spins on this popular favorite dish!

Relish
Lucy Knisley
First Second
c/o Roaring Brook Press
175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
9781596436237, $17.99, www.firstsecondbooks.com

Cooking is an adventure which can lead to either great food, or...an experience. "Relish: My Life in the Kitchen" is a blend of graphic novel and cookbook as Lucy Knisley shares her kitchen journeys trying to gain a mastery of how to make the kitchen work for her, the pressures of being the daughter of a chef and the compulsions it brings to succeed. With recipes presented alongside her stories with colorful art, "Relish" is a very different cookbook and very much considering for those who have had their own long journey in the culinary world.

Easy Nutritious Recipes for the Parish Hall or the Family Table
Collected by Members of the Episcopal Church Medical Trust
Morehouse Publishing
445 fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10016
9780819227607 $14.00 www.churchpublishing.org

Here at last is a healthy collection of solid church standard recipes, collected from volunteers of the Episcopal Church Medical Trust. Some recipes have been enhanced by expert nutritional tweaking. Categories of recipes include Breakfast, Lunch, Appetizers, Side Dishes, Dinner, Desserts, Coffee Hour, and Potluck. Recipes are presented with ingredients in standard measurements, and nutritional information including calories per serving, carbs, fat and protein. Appropriate prayers and graces begin each section, and instructions are simply explained in paragraph form. Some stellar offerings are Mediterranean Wrap, Maple Mustard Salad Dressing, Barley-Apricot Salad with Roasted Hazelnuts, Multi-Grain Pancakes, Barbecued Tofu, Baked Salmon a la Nancy, Native American Pumpkin Bread, and St. timothy's Coffee Cake (lightened with Splenda instead of sugar and fat-free sour cream). A favorite recipe is bound to appeal to the senses with pleasant review and consideration.

Slow Cooking All Year Round
JoAnn & Vickie, co editors
Gooseberry Patch
2500 Farmers Dr., #110, Columbus, OH 43235
9781620930113 $16.95 www.gooseberrypatch.com

"Slow Cooking All Year Round" is another Gooseberry Patch cookbook, this one a collection of over 225 slow cooker recipes and "time saving tips for every season." Divided into four chapters for four seasons, "Slow Cooking All Year Round" begins with Warming Winter Dishes, transitioning into Simply speedy Springtime, then to Slow & Easy Summer, and finally slipping into Hearty Harvest Favorites. Recipes are submitted by readers of the series, tested by Gooseberry Patch staff, and assembled for delightful reading, cooking and consumption. Some examples are Jammin' Jambalaya and Cranberry Meatballs, from winter dishes, Slow Cooker Irish Stew and Penn Dutch Ham Potpie and from spring recipes, Veggie Stuffed Burritos and Summer Berry Cobbler from summer recipes, and Rockin' Ribs and Creamy Butternut Squash Soup from fall favorites recipes. Pull out your hardest working kitchen appliance and put it to work cooking nutritious meals in a pot for your family, while enjoying a surfeit of seasonal produce with "Slow Cooking All Year Round," a plastic spiral bound honey of a home cookbook. Also recommended from Gooseberry Patch is "Weeknight Dinners" (9781620930083, $16.95).


The Literary Studies Shelf

Shadowhunters and Downworlders
Cassandra Clare
SmartPop
c/o BenBella Books
10300 N. Central Expressway, Ste 400
Dallas, TX 75204
9781937856229, $12.95, www.benbellabooks.com

What causes a novel to gain such a fan following? "Shadowhunters and Downworlders: A Mortal Instruments Reader" is a literary companion to Cassandra Clare's Mortal Instruments series, offering an enticing exploration of the series as many writers bring together their views on the series and what it means to them and their lives. "Shadowhunters and Downworlders" is a must for fans of the series and to those who want to understand what the stories are all about, highly recommended.


The Education Shelf

The Alchemy of Teaching
Jeremiah Conway
Sentient Publications
1113 Spruce Street
Boulder, CO 80302
9781591811817, $15.95, www.sentientpublications.com

Learning helps us realize so much in our lives. "The Alchemy of Teaching" approaches the concepts of teaching in a philosophical sense, touching on the nature of teaching and the exchange of knowledge that comes between teachers and students and the value of education in creating more rounded individuals on many levels. "The Alchemy of Teaching" is well worth considering for education collections with a strong nod to philosophy, highly recommended.


The Money/Finance Shelf

Pocket Your Dollars
Carrie Rocha
Bethany House Publishers
11400 Hampshire Avenue South
Minneapolis, MN 55438
9780764210877 $13.99 www.bethanyhouse.com

Pocket Your Dollars: 5 Attitude Changes That Will Help You Pay Down Debt, Avoid Financial Stress, & Keep More of What You Make lives up to its title with practical advice and strategies for getting out of debt. Becoming and staying debt-free for life requires more than just budgeting; having the proper psychological mindset is vital to changing one's financial habits for the better. The five harmful attitudes that need to be countered are "if only I had more money", "I deserve a treat" (i.e. shopping as pure gratification), "it won't happen to me" (not planning for sudden expenses, such as car maintenance or dentistry), "I'll fake it 'til I make it" (a.k.a. "keeping up with the Joneses), and "I can't afford it" (self-deprivation to the point of misery does no more good than over-indulgence). One of the valuable positive strategies offered is the "debt snowball plan", in which one makes the minimum required payment on all debts but applies all extra money to the smallest debt first, regardless of interest rate. When the smallest debt is paid off, its minimum payment is added to the minimum payment of the next smallest debt, creating a "snowball" effect. "Psychologists have proven the effectiveness of this debt snowball plan... They discovered that consumers have 'debt account aversion'. That's a fancy name for the sense of being overwhelmed with lots of loans from many different lenders." In these tough economic times, Pocket Your Dollars should be required reading not only for anyone struggling to cope with incurred debt, but also young people starting out on their own, who can benefit from its wisdom and proactive mindsets to guard against emotional pitfalls (especially when student loans are involved). Highly recommended!

Ready for Pretirement
Kris Miller
Morgan James Publishing
4410 E Claiborne Square, Suite 334
Hampton VA 23666-2071
9781614481256, $19.95, www.morganjamespublishing.com

Money to be free of the burden of worry is everyone's dream. "Ready for Pretirement: 3 Secrets for Safe Money and a Fabulous Future" is a guide to planning for one's future and health in the long term, as Kris Miller advises readers to start planning for their future early on and reaping the rewards as that time starts to rapidly approach them in their life. "Ready for Pretirement" is a must for personal finance advisory collections, highly recommended.


The Memoir Shelf

'Til the Streetlights Came On
Daniel J. Porter
Langdon Street Press
212 3rd Avenue North, Suite 290
Minneapolis, MN 55401
9781938296161, $14.95, www.langdonstreetpress.com

In youth, we are always learning from the world around us. "'Til the Streetlights Came On: Lessons Learned From Neighborhood Games" is a memoir reflecting back on the simple nature of childhood and life's lessons that came from playing on those old summer days, and how they impacted and molded us for decades into the future. Enticing and poignant, "'Til the Streetlights Came On" is a strong addition to many a memoir collection, highly recommended.


The Theatre/Cinema/TV Shelf

The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation
Charles Solomon
Chronicle Books
680 Second Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
9781452110912 $45.00 www.chroniclebooks.com

The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation: Celebrating Fifty Years of Television Specials is a wonderful coffee-table book offering a one-of-a-kind, behind-the-scenes look into the creation of popular animated films based on the beloved Peanuts newspaper comic strip. From the earliest animated specials in the '50s and '60s, the shows each decade thereafter, including ones created after Peanuts comic creator Charles Schulz's passing, The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation offers the inside scoop on the people who worked tireless to remain faithful to Schulz's vision in a whole new medium. For example, one insight behind the show "She's a Good Skate, Charlie Brown" is "Because Schulz insisted that all the skating moves be animated correctly, the artists worked from live-action footage of three professional skaters, including Schulz's daughter Amy." Above all, The Art and Making of Peanuts Animation lives up to its title with a grand treasure trove of art - rough drawings, storyboards, production cels in full color, vintage studio photographs, and much more, on almost every page. Highly recommended, especially as a giftbook for fans of the classic Peanuts strips and shows.

James Bond FAQ
Tom Demichael
Applause Books
c/o Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group
19 West 21st Street, Suite 201
New York, NY 10010
9781557838568 $22.99 www.halleonard.com

James Bond FAQ: All That's Left To Know About Everyone's Favorite Superspy lives up to its title as a resource for all things Bond on the silver screen - and the television screen! Each of the actors who has taken turns playing Bond is covered, as are those who played memorable women and villains, directors and producers, musicians, and of course Ian Fleming, the novelist who created a modern Hollywood legend. A handful of black-and-white photographs intersperse this thoroughly accessible reference and resource, which makes a perfect companion to the classic and ongoing movie series!

Farmscape
Mary Swander, editor
Ice Cube Press, LLC
205 N Front Street
North Liberty, Iowa 52317
9781888160680 $16.95 www.IceCubePress.com

A labor of love and collaboration by multiple scriptwriters, Farmscape: The Changing Rural Environment is a realism-centered play about the drastic changes to farming in the Midwest, drawn directly from the life experiences of real people - some who learned to accept the transformations, and others who are resentful about the relentless rise of agribusiness, a goliath with the potential to trample small farmers in its path. Although Farmscape is meant to be performed, it works well as an involving read, complemented by roughly eighty pages of material about how the play came to be, backstory on modern Midwestern agriculture, and true tales from the contributors. Highly recommended. "We make better money sitting on the value of those farms in the bank than we ever could farming them. It just makes sense - which don't make sense. Make good money for doing nothing, but work like hell and be lucky to make a cent."


The Biography Shelf

More Than Birds
Val Shushkewich
c/o The Dundurn Group
3 Church Street, Suite 500
Toronto, Ontario, Canada, M5E 1M2
www.dundurn.com
9781459705586, $27.99, www.amazon.com

"More Than Birds: Adventurous Lives of North American Naturalists" by Val Shushkewich is a 296 page compendium that offers a unique approach to North American natural history by showcasing the life histories, accomplishments, and contributions of twenty-two pivotally important naturalists. Chronologically organized and presented, "More Than Birds" begins with Alexander Wilson (1766-1813); John James Audubon (1785-1851); and Thomas Nuttall (1786-1859); and concludes with Robert Bateman (1930-); Kenn Kaufman (1954-); and David Allen Sibley (1961-). Nicely organized into six major sections (Early North-American Naturalists; The Smithsonian Collections and Classification; For the Love of Birds; Ornithology as a Science and the Need for Protection; Thirst for Knowledge; Conservation and Preservation of Species), "More Than Birds" is enhanced with extensive Notes, a Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index. Expert, erudite, and informative, "More Than Birds" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, community, and academic library Natural History reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Beverly Garland: Her Life and Career
Deborah Del Vecchio
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611
Jefferson NC 28640
9780781465019 $40.00 www.mcfarlandpub.com

A smattering of vintage black-and-white photographs intersperse Beverly Garland: Her Life and Career, an eye-opening life story of "Television's First Lady" Beverly Garland (1926-2008). Adored as a star especially in the western and science fiction genres, Garland had starring or recurring roles in such popular shows as "Decoy" (where she played the first policewoman on television), "My Three Sons", and "Scarecrow and Mrs. King". She also made more than 55 feature and made-for-television movies, including enduring niche classics such as "It Conqured the World" and "The Alligator People". A contemporary of legendary stars like Sinatra, Bogart, and Bing Crosby, Beverly Garland was an exceptionally hard worker, who adapted to the long hours her career demanded and always gave her best performance. Beverly Garland: Her Life and Career draws heavily upon interviews, frequently quoting Garland's own words. Television credits, a filmography, a list of made-for-TV credits, and extensive notes round out this "must-read" for fans of this talented woman's stellar work!


The Travel Shelf

A Guide to London's Classic Cafes and Fish & Chip Shops
Black Dog Publishing
387 Park Ave. S, Fl 12
New York, NY 10016-8810
c/o Perseus Distribution
193 Edwards Drive
Jackson, TN 38301-7716
9781907317699 $14.95 www.blackdogonline.com

Beautifully illustrated with a dazzling array of full-color photography throughout, A Guide to London's Classic Cafes and Fish & Chip Shops is a compact showcase created for both London locals and tourists, featuring the most enduringly beloved of London's casual eateries. The address, telephone number, and a one-page history and featured description of each cafe complements the many striking images of inviting locales and their down-to-earth food. The next best thing to visiting London and enjoying a meal at its venerable cafes in person, A Guide to London's Classic Cafes and Fish & Chip Shops is especially recommended for armchair travelers.


The Audiobook Shelf

The Icarus Deception
Seth Godin, author and narrator
www.SethGodin.com
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780835366670 $40.00 www.randomhouse.com

The Icarus Deception is a self-help audiobook read by author, business blogger, and founder/CEO of Squidoo.com Seth Godin. Offering a strong message about the willingness to be bold in the face of a changing economy, take risks, and treat one's work as art, The Icarus Deception reveals how always sticking to the safe path can put one on a long-term downward spiral. In the current global economy, meeting ever-rising challenges and reinventing oneself and one's efforts as needed is the norm; to work like an artist means to apply one's creativity and inner resolution to every challenge. Inspirational and challenging, The Icarus Deception encourages the listener to fly higher and farther, the better to make a lasting difference. Highly recommended. 6 CDs, 7 hours.

The Hot Country
Robert Olen Butler, author
Ray Chase, narrator
Highbridge Audio Books
201 Sixth Street SE, Suite 220
Minneapolis, MN 55414
9781611749571 $34.95 www.highbridgeaudio.com

The Hot Country: A Christopher Marlowe Cobb Thriller is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the first crime novel from Pulitzer Prize-winning author Robert Olen Butler. Christopher "Kit" Marlowe Cobb is a war correspondent for an American newspaper; in 1914, he dares to venture into Mexico and report on an unfolding civil war as well as the American invasion of Vera Cruz and the turmoil over the presidency of Victoriano Huerta, The Jackal. While on his dangerous assignment, he falls in love with a stunningly beautiful Mexican woman - but she has her own deep, dark secrets! Ensnared in a web of cross-purpose espionage, Cobb may end up contributing to the news rather than just writing it - whether as a pivotal individual amid a plot that could change the future of two contents, or as yet another casualty of war! Excitement and intrigue abound in this choice pick for public library audiobook collections and enthusiasts of mystery and suspense. 9 CDs, 10 3/4 hours.

The Tin Horse
Janice Steinberg, author
Kate McGregor-Stewart, narrator
Random House Audio Books
c/o The Random House Publishing Group
1745 Broadway, 5th floor
New York, NY 10019
9780385359474 $45.00 www.randomhouse.com

The Tin Horse is the unabridged audiobook version of an intriguing novel by award-winning journalist Janice Steinberg. In the heady 1930s, two twin sisters feuded, each cherishing wildly different dreams for her own future. Elaine Greenstein dreamed of going to college, while the rambunctuous Barbara longed to become a Hollywood star. In 1939, both girls turned eighteen, and the impulsive Barbara abandoned her family, leaving behind only a note. Sixty years later, Elaine is preparing to move to a retirement community when she comes across a potential clue to Barbara's whereabouts. A powerful story about the connections between sisters, mothers, and daughters, The Tin Horse is empathic, thought-provoking, and highly recommended. 13 CDs, 15 1/2 hours.

Private Berlin
James Patterson & Mark Sullivan, authors
Ari Fliakos and January LaVoy, narrators
Hachette Audio
237 Park Avenue
New York, NY 10017
9781611130485 $34.98 www.HachetteAudio.com

Talented actors Ari Fliakos and January LaVoy bring to life the audiobook adaptation of Private Berlin, an edge-of-one's-seat thriller set amid the dark circles of Berlin. The most talented agent of Berlin's top investigative firm has vanished, and his passionate ex is determined to find him. Her search will lead her to pry into the affairs of three wealthy and potentially dangerous individuals - a billionaire who might have been cheating on his wife, a soccer star alleged to throw games, and a nightclub owner who could be a puppet of the Russian mob! Treachery, secrets, violence and sex saturate this intense, high-octane mystery by Edgar-award winning author James Patterson and Mike Sullivan.

Odd Interlude
Dean Koontz, author
David Aaron Baker, narrator
Brilliance Corporation
PO Box 887
Grand Haven, MI 49417
9781469248646 $14.99 www.brillianceaudio.com

Formerly serialized as an ebook, Dean Koontz's suspenseful thriller Odd Interlude is now available for the first time as a complete and unabridged audiobook on CD. When Odd Thomas and his friends stay the night at a remote Pacific coast rest stop, featuring the basic amenities of a service station, a diner, and rustic motel rooms, they quickly discover that they're in far over their heads! A secretive yet lethal menace reaches out to claim new victims, in this tautly written adventure, brought to harrowing life by David Aaron Baker's superb performance. A bargain-priced pick for fans of tense mysteries, Odd Interlude is highly recommended especially for public library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 6 hours 38 min.

The Round House
Louise Erdrich, author
Gary Farmer, narrator
Harper Audio
10 East 53rd Street
New York, NY 10022-5299
9780062273857 $24.99 www.harpercollins.com

Award-winning and Pulitzer-finalist author Louise Erdrich presents The Round House, an unabridged audiobook rendition of her novel about the search for justice in an unjust world. In 1988, a woman living on an Indian reservation in North Dakota suffers a terrible attack. She is so traumatized that she refuses to speak of what happened to the police, her tribal judge husband, or her thirteen-year-old son; crushing depression leaves her unable to even get out of bed. While her husband fights a losing struggle to help her or see justice done, her son tries to understand what happened and what can be done about it. With the help of three friends, the boy comes to the Round House, a sacred location to the Ojibwe, but that is only the first step of their journey. A story of complex realities, both physical and spiritual, The Round House is thought-provoking, and resonates with the universal human drive to discover the truth. Highly recommended.

Collateral Damage
Stuart Woods
Penguin Audio
c/o The Penguin Publishing Group
375 Hudson Street
New York, NY 10014
9781611761405 $29.95 http://us.penguingroup.com

Collateral Damage: A Stone Barrington Novel is the unabridged audiobook adaptation of Edgar Award-winning author Stuart Woods' thrilling saga featuring expert investigator Stone Barrington. Brought to life by the superb performance of celebrity stage and film actor Tony Roberts (whose credits include "Serpico" and "Play It Again, Sam"), Collateral Damage tells of how Stone's friend and former lover Holly Barker, now an assistant director at the CIA, gets Stone involved in a morass of international intelligence wars and power grabs, with the explosive (literally!) machinations of a vengeful mastermind lurking beneath it all. A fast-paced thriller from beginning to end, Collateral Damage is a choice pick for hard-boiled mystery fans and public library audiobook collections. 6 CDs, 7 1/2 hours.


The Music CD Shelf

Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks
Lula Lounge Records Canada
1585 Dundas St. W.
Toronto, ON Canada M6J-1T9
c/o Rock Paper Scissors (publicity)
511 West 4th Street, Suite 2
Bloomington, IN 47404
www.rockpaperscissors.biz
$17.72 www.amazon.com

Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks is an anthology Latin dance tracks from a variety of performing artists who recognize Lula Lounge as ground zero of Toronto's breakout Latin music scene. Nigerian salsa queen Lady Son, jazz maestro Luis Mario Ochoa, and Juno-winning Afro-Latin pianist Hilario Duran are just a few of the artists who contribute their energetic tracks to this medley of music history in the making. (A portion of the proceeds from Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks CD sales will also be donated to the Canadian Charity Dancing With Parkinson's; www.dancingwithparkinsons.com is their website.) Lula Lounge: Essential Tracks is a lively treasure that fans who love Latin dance music are sure to enjoy, from the first note to the last! The tracks are "La Crisis" by Roberto Linares Brown, "La Molotera" by Jorge Maza & Tipica Toronto, "Guaguanco" by Changui Habana, "Latinos" by Yani Borrell, "El Sonero Llego" by Cache, "La Fiesta" by Luis Mario Ochoa, "Pa Ti Dj" by Roberto Lineares Brown", "Cantame Sonera" by Lady Son, "Oye Rumberito" by Puentes Brothers, "Aprovechame" by Son Ache, "Cuando Me Toca A Mi" by Hilario Duran, "Ron Con Ron" by Jane Bunnett, "Que Equivocao" by Telmary, "Toronto Tiene Su Cosa" by Alberto Alberto, and "Mi Mambo Pide Campana" by Luisito Orbegoso & Moda Eterna.

One Hundred
DJ Sun
Soular Productions
soulargrooves.com
c/o Press Junkie PR
PO Box 156914
San Francisco, CA 94115
$TBA CD / $8.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

One Hundred is a collaborative album between Houston nightlife performer/"Soular Grooves" radio show star DJ Sun and numerous associates, including project engineer and three-time Grammy winner Tim Ruiz. A heady, get-up-and-dance offering that represents a lifetime of enthusiasm for genres ranging from funk and soul to jazz, disco, hip-hop, and even the breakout new style of "trip hop". The result is a strong performance brimming with vivacious energy, highly recommended for its rousing enthusiasm! The tracks are "Tomorrow", "Bus", "Break", "Sensation", "Stinger", "Heart Seed Feat (Leah Alvarez)", "One", "Ten Feat (Jessica Zweback)", "Interlude - Magical", "Monday Drive", "F Train to Church", "Brown Brother Feat Tim Ruiz", "Seconds", "Marksonthekeys Feat (Mark Sound)", "Break Remix Feat (Meghan Hendley)", "Fun", "Dubai", "Life", and bonus track "Heart Seed Feat (Lea Alvarez, Martin Perna)".

Deva Premal's Healing Mantras
Sonam Dorjee, Passang Gyamtso, Gelek Gonpo, and Tenzin Jigme
Sounds True Audio
413 South Arthur Avenue
Louisville, CO 80027
www.soundstrue.com
$24.80 CD / $14.99 MP3 www.amazon.com

Deva Premal's Healing Mantras is an audio CD recording of seventeen Hindu and Tibetan Buddhist chants, each repeated 108 times in accordance with ancient traditions. German-born musician Deva Premal has selected each chant for incorporation into a daily spiritual practice. Gyuto monks Sonam Dorjee, Passang Gyamtso, Gelek Gonpo, and Tenzin Jigme feature prominently in this soothing, spiritually uplifting chants, designed to foster healing and serenity. Highly recommended especially for those searching for atmospheric background audio created especially to promote peace and compassion. 2 CDs, 2 hours 3 min.


The DVD Shelf

The Golden Age of Toy Trains 1945-1966
A McComas/Stachler Production
TM Books & Video
PO Box 9228
Michigan City, IN 46361
9781936890347 $14.99 www.tmbv.com

The Golden Age of Toy Trains 1945-1966 (65 min.) is a DVD tour of the memorable toy trains created by Lionel and American Flyer (also Marx and Kusan) during the late 40's and 50's. Filled with treasured toy train collections and full-color catalog images, The Golden Age of Toy Trains 1945-1966 evokes nostalgia for when owning these replicas was every boy's birthday dream! Also highly recommended for model railroading enthusiasts is Tinplate Legends in Action 4 (9781936890361, $14.99, 60 min.) an incredible DVD tour of the gigantic model railroading layouts of three devoted hobbyists, featuring both Standard and O gauge miniature trains.


The Crafts Shelf

Bead One, Pray Too
Kimberly Winston
Morehouse Publishing
c/o Church Publishing Incorporated
1637 Beechwood Ave #1
Louisville KY 40204
9780819222763 $28.00 www.churchpublishing.org

Interspersed with the occasional full-color photograph, Bead One, Pray Too: A Guide to Making and Using Prayer Beads describes not only how to craft one's own rosaries and prayer beads, but also how to create heartfelt prayers to use with them. A deeply spiritual guide, Bead One, Pray Too is suitable for novice to intermediate beaders, covering the basics of selecting appropriate beads, easy-to-learn beading knots with black-and-white diagrams, and much more. Equal emphasis is placed upon thinking carefully about how the beads are to be used, whether in personal prayer or as a gift. When planning to give handmade prayer beads to another, Bead One Pray Too encourages the crafter to consider, "...giving someone a set of prayer beads unasked could be taken as rather presumptuous. The intended recipient might think you don't think he or she is devout enough, or has a relationship with God that isn't what it should be. These are judgments no one can or should make - and judgments no one should be on the receiving end of... Of course, there are plenty of people who would love to have prayer beads and would use them unreservedly." Bead One, Pray Too is a thoughtful, practical, and soulful how-to book, highly recommended especially for Christian crafters.


The Pets/Wildlife Shelf

Fierce Beauty
Bhagavan "Doc" Antle, author
Tim Flach and Barry Bland, photographers
Earth Aware Editions
c/o Mandala Publishing
PO Box 3088
San Rafael, CA 94912
www.mandalapublishing.com www.earthawareeditions.com
9781601090614 $50.00 www.rarespeciesfund.org

Fierce Beauty: Preserving the World of Wild Cats is a heart-stoppingly beautiful coffee-table book pairing striking photography of big cats with thoroughly accessible writings about human efforts to conserve their populations - from captive breeding programs to wild habitat protection. Occasional classic quotes by the notable authors and public figures about great cats also intersperse the gorgeous images. Photographs of tigers and tiger cubs feature prominently, including images of white tigers; other great cats featured include the liger (a tiger/lion crossbreed), leopard, panther, cheetah, lion, lynx, ocelot and puma. The captivating full-color, full-page photography of these great beasts at rest and in motion truly distinguishes this exceptional showcase, highly recommended especially as a giftbook for anyone who loves great cats, or who wants to learn more about efforts to preserve their numbers for future generations.


The Humor Shelf

Teddy Bears of the Rich & Famous
Mark Leigh & Barney Leigh
Accent Press
The Old School, Upper High Street
Bedlinog, Mid Glamorgan, CF46 6RY
c/o SCB Distributors
15608 South New Century Drive
Gardena, CA 90248-2129
www.scbdistributors.com
9781907016363 $8.95 www.accentpress.co.uk

Teddy Bears of the Rich & Famous is a small, whimsical book featuring full-color photographs of posed teddy bears evoking pop culture understanding of a wide assortment of well-known individuals. For example, "Steven Spielberg's bear" is pictured drifting above a shark and the word "PAWS" in a hilarious parody of the classic "JAWS" movie poster, and "Hugh Hefner's bear" is dressed up with a black bow-tie and a pair of bunny ears. Even some fictional characters' bears are represented! Teddy Bears of the Rich & Famous is tongue-in-cheek visual fun, and makes a delightful giftbook especially for teddy bear fans and collectors.

Bad Graffiti
Scott Hocking
Publicity Department
Black Dog Publishing
10a Acton Street
London, England, WC1X 9NG
9781907317828 $14.95 www.blackdogonline.com

Bad Graffiti lives up to its title as a full-color, photographic immortalization of some of the most vulgar, coarse, silly, or even obscene spray-painted vandalism to be unceremoniously discovered. There is no commentary other than a single page of introduction; the only text paired with each image is a few words summarizing or transliterating a given piece of graffiti. Bad Graffiti is not for the prudish, and definitely "not safe for work", as the images within include crudely-drawn human genitalia, cursing, and even misogyny. An eye-opening "gag gift" for the graffiti-curious, Bad Graffiti is quite a unique experience, and mostly likely much safer for the reader to page through than he or she would be visiting the streets strewn with horrible graffiti in person!


The Civil War Shelf

Our Storied Civil War
Richard Wheeler
Aperture
547 West 27th Street, 4th Floor
New York, NY 10001
9780985002602 $16.99 www.aperture.org

Historian and World War II veteran Richard Wheeler presents Our Storied Civil War, an accessible and thoroughly readable account of the American Civil War that assembles a medley of anecdotes, personal testimonies, and writings from firsthand witnesses into a smoothly flowing whole. "A woman said to Major Nichols: 'It is terrible, sir! All my slaves have left me. My plantation is broken up. I have but little money. I shall have to work or starve.' Unable to feel sympathy for the sufferer, Nichols responded, 'Well, madam, I really wouldn't advise you to starve. What would be the matter with your working?' She replied, 'I have never worked in my entire life!' Another woman who found all of her wealth swept away moaned to the major: 'I really fear, sir that I shall have to submit to the disgrace of giving lessons in music.' Said Nichols: 'I hope so, madam!'" Our Storied Civil War paints and involving, quintessentially human picture of the war that divided America, and is enthusiastically recommended especially for public library history collections.


The Health/Medicine Shelf

Yoga and Fertility
Jill Mahrlig Petigara, E-RYT, MA and Lynn Jensen, E-RYT, RPYT, MBA
Demos Health
11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor
New York, NY 10036
9781936303328 $21.95 www.demoshealth.com

Yoga and Fertility: A Journey to Health and Healing is a guide to the physical fitness practice of yoga written especially for women who are trying to become pregnant. Black-and-white photographs on practically every page demonstrate recommended poses to promote flexibility and improve muscle tone. Routines ideal for the first half of a woman's menstrual cycle, the second half of the cycle, and additional situations such as conscious breathing practice and overall lifestyle changes for fertility support are covered. In addition to careful, detailed setup and movement instructions for each yoga pose, Yoga and Fertility also features a brief "Why Do This?" addendum for each pose. For example, the explanation appended to the guide to the side angle pose is, "Side angle pose tones the pelvic organs and can also help with menstrual problems. It creates length and space in the torso, nourishing the organs and glands." Yoga and Fertility is not a substitute for professional medical treatment for infertility issues, but is highly recommended as a valuable supplementary resource for women trying to conceive (and stay fit)!


The Needlecraft Shelf

Quilts
Sandi Fox
University of Oklahoma Press
2800 Venture Drive, Norman, OK 73069
www.oupress.com
9780971918405, $40.00, www.amazon.com

Quilts are one of those utilitarian needlecraft creations that can also have strong artistic and esthetic elements to them. "Quilts: California Bound, California Made, 1840-1940" compiled with descriptive commentary by needlecraft expert Sandi Fox (former Collection Curator of Quilts at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art) is a 208 page, beautifully illustrated compendium of quilts, some of which were brought to a pioneer era of California on the backs of mules and horses, in covered wagons, by ship and by train, and those originating in California as memorials to friends and family, in memoriam, to record events, or celebrate their new surroundings. The accompanying commentaries draw for contemporary letters, diaries, and historical records, as well as stories of the women who made these quilt masterpieces. "Quilts: California Bound, California Made, 1840-1940" is a unique and seminal celebration of California quilts that is informed, informative, and highly recommended for personal, community, and academic library Needlecraft and Cloth Art reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Log Cabin Quilts
Janet Houts and Jean Ann Wright, authors
Landauer Publishing
3100 101st St., Ste. A, Urbandale, IA 50322
9781935726289 $27.95 www.landauerpub.com

"Log Cabin Quilts: The Basics & Beyond, Classic to Contemporary" is a striking collection of creative ideas and instructions for piecing the basic Log Cabin quilt block, Courthouse block and Half Log Cabin block, to create seven classic Log Cabin quilt variations plus twelve more contemporary Log Cabin block settings. Beautiful color photographs taken in Madison County, Iowa, illustrate step by step instructions plus display beautiful finished quilts. Instructions are furnished for cutting the pieces, making the quilt, block assembly, quilt assembly, quilt assembly, border assembly, and finishing the quilt. Yardage requirements for different quilt projects are listed in handy tables in the chapter titled Building Blocks for Log Cabin Quilts. An introductory chapter gives Log Cabin quilt history, while a concluding chapter encourages the quilter in what is called Log Cabin Block Play. For a beautifully inspiring, practical manual on creative interpretations of the Log Cabin Quilt art form, "Log Cabin Quilts the Basics & Beyond" fills the ticket.


The Large Print Shelf

The Road Beneath Me
Jessica Blair
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print, Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750536318, $35.50, www.amazon.com

When Kate Swan's father demands that she marry a man she despises, she refuses and is cast out of her comfortable home in Whitby. Meanwhile in Shetland, Malcolm McFadden, disagrees with his father's plan to clear the crofters from his land. He proposes to defy convention by marrying crofter's daughter Rowena Murray, but she hesitates and Malcolm leaves Shetland on his own. When he and Kate meet, they are instantly attracted to each other, but while Kate fulfils her obligations to her new employer, Malcolm receives the news he has long dreaded. The Highland Clearances have begun, and old loyalties draw him back to Shetland. "The Road Beneath Me" by Jessica Blair is a deftly written romance that will hold the readers rapt and entertained attention from first page to last. The large print format makes it an ideal and highly recommended addition to community library Large Print fiction collections.

Song For A Butterfly
Margaret Kaine
Magna Large Print
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print Inc.
PO Box 1230
West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9780750536424, $35.50, www.amazon.com

From a chrysalis to a butterfly... When young paintress Megan Cresswell is left penniless in 1950, her choice is stark - struggle to pay the bills or find a husband. Choosing independence over a mother-in-law from hell, she takes an extra job with the wealthy Celia Bevington and discovers a different world to the one in the pottery factory, one of refinement and snobbery. The mystery of her inherited silver hairbrush reveals a shocking and tragic family secret - then Megan faces a heart-wrenching decision. She has found a deep love that could transform her life, but can she find the courage to follow her heart? "The Road Beneath Me" showcases author Margaret Kaine as a master storyteller in the romance genre whose characters are fully developed and whose literary abilities to engage her readers rapt attention are well defined. The result is an engaging and rewarding read that is whole heartedly recommended for community library Large Print fiction collections and personal reading lists.


The Military Shelf

The Guerrilla Factory
Tony Schwalm
The Free Press
c/o Simon & Schuster
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
9781451623604, $26.00, www.simonsays.com

Everyone knows the rules of war, and sometimes those rules have to be bent or even broken. "The Guerrilla Factory: The Making of Special Forces Officers, the Green Berets" seeks to explain the US Army's Special Forces unit and the intense selection process that often goes with choosing those who will undertake guerrilla warfare, deep behind enemy lines which calls for intense physical and mental training on many levels. Telling his own story of entering the unit, Tony Schwalm offers insight into the lives of the U.S. Special Forces, highly recommended.


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


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