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Wisconsin Bookwatch

Volume 9, Number 6 June 2014 Home | WBW Index

Table of Contents

Reviewer's Choice Business Shelf Christian Studies Shelf
Judaic Studies Shelf Poetry Shelf Fiction Shelf
Needlecraft Shelf Art Shelf Woodworking Shelf
Cookbook Shelf Biography Shelf Memoir Shelf
Education Shelf Music Shelf Humor Shelf
Antiques/Collectibles Shelf Holocaust Studies Shelf Civil War Shelf
Hobby Shelf Metaphysical Studies Shelf Automotive Shelf
Crafts Shelf Audiobook Shelf Music CD Shelf
DVD Shelf Blu-ray Shelf Large Print Shelf
American History Shelf Wisconsin Shelf  


Reviewer's Choice

If There's Squash Bugs in Heaven, I Ain't Staying
Stacia Spragg-Braude, photographer
Museum of New Mexico Press
PO Box 2087, Santa Fe, NM 87504-2087
www.mnmpress.org
9780890135839, $29.95, www.amazon.com

"If There's Squash Bugs in Heaven, I Ain't Staying: Learning to Make the Perfect Pie, Sing When You Need to and Find the Way Home With Farmer Evelyn" by Stacia Spragg-Braude is an occasionally illustrated, 199 page biography of Evelyn Curtis Losack who was born on her family's 150-year-old farm some 85 years ago in Corrales, New Mexico. This is the homespun history of a woman with an obvious and welcome knack for storytelling. This is a a compendium of delightfully candid and highly entertaining personal stories of Losack's life and work through the seasons of the year and the seasons of her life. Of special note are two photographs. A black-and-white of Losack on a tractor at the age of 15, and on the opposing page, a full color photography of Losack atop a tractor at the age of 80. An extraordinary, original, and thoroughly enjoyable read, "If There's Squash Bugs in Heaven, I Ain't Staying" is very highly recommended and would make an enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

The Meadow
Barney Wilczak
Frances Lincoln Limited Publishers
c/o Quarto Publishing Group USA
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
www.quartous.com
9780711232723, $29.95, www.amazon.com

A meadow is a field habitat vegetated by primarily grass and other non-woody plants (grassland). Meadows have ecological importance because their open, sunny areas attract and support flora and fauna that couldn't thrive in other conditions. Meadows may be naturally occurring or artificially created from cleared shrub or woodland. They often host a multitude of wildlife, providing areas for courtship displays, nesting, gathering food or sometimes sheltering if the vegetation is high enough. Many meadows support a wide array of wildflowers, which makes them of utmost importance to insects like bees, pollination, and hence the entire ecosystem. In agriculture, a meadow is grassland which is not regularly grazed by domestic livestock, but rather allowed to grow unchecked in order to produce hay. Especially in the United Kingdom and Ireland, the term meadow is commonly used in its original sense to mean a hay meadow, signifying grassland mown annually in the summer for making hay. "The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons" by nature photographer Barney Wilczak is a beautifully illustrated, 128 page compendium of stunning full color photographs showcasing the flora and fauna of a British meadow. A delight to simply browse through one glorious image at a time, "The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons" is superbly organized into chapters showcasing spring flowers, birds and their habitats, orchids, invertebrates, even seeds and fruits. Of special note are the chapters dedicated to 'Maintenance' and 'How You Can Help'. Very highly recommended reading, "The Meadow: An English Meadow Through the Seasons" would make a enduringly popular addition to community library collections.

Eating On The Run
Fred Demara
Paladin Press
7077 Winchester Circle, Boulder, CO 80301
www.paladin-press.com
9781610047630, $15.00, www.amazon.com

Compiled with commentary by Fred Demara, "Eating on the Run: Survival Foraging for Plants, Grasses, Nuts, and Berries" is a superbly organized and presented 144 page compendium of edible plants that grow wild and can readily be gathered in their proper seasons. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photography, "Eating on the Run: Survival Foraging for Plants, Grasses, Nuts, and Berries" is an ideal survivalist manual that is impressively 'user friendly'. Highly recommended for personal, family, and community library collections, "Eating on the Run: Survival Foraging for Plants, Grasses, Nuts, and Berries" would also prove to be a useful instructional guide for hunters, fishermen, and outdoor recreational enthusiasts.


The Business Shelf

Employee Benefits Design and Planning
Bashker D. Biswas
Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300
Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133481334 $29.99 www.pearsoned.com

Compensation consultant Dr. Bashker D. Biswas (Associate Professor in the College of Business, DeVry University) presents Employee Benefits Design and Planning: A Guide to Understanding Accounting, Finance, and Tax Implications, a guide to key principles that for financing, funding, compliance, legalities, and recordkeeping involving employee benefits - an issue that can be responsible for as much as 30% of personnel costs. Chapters discuss specific issues with healthcare benefits (taking the Affordable Care Act into account); risk benefits including life insurance, sick-leave, and disability; retirement plans; equity-based employee benefit plans; ancillary benefits; cost containment; and much more. Employee Benefits Design and Planning is deliberately accessible to readers of all backgrounds, offering point-by-point definitions of common terminology, as well as individual types of benefit plans. A bibliography and an index round out this excellent reference and resource especially for accountants, human resources personnel, and small business owners who often have to put on these "hats" in the course of their career.

The Standout Business Plan
Vaughan Evans and Brian Tracy
Amacom Books
1601 Broadway
New York, NY 10019
9780814434116 $19.95 www.amacombooks.org

Professional consultant Vaughan Evans and business speaker Brian Tracy present The Standout Business Plan: Make It Irresistible - and Get the Funds You Need for Your Startup or Growing Business, an invaluable resource especially for entrepreneurs and small business leaders. Chapters discuss how to identify target customers, size up and prepare for competition, apply strategies, evaluate forecasts and resources, and much more. An emphasis on "out-of-the-box" thinking and approaches distinguishes The Standout Business Plan, which peppers its concepts with illustrative examples from real-life businesses. "Typically, the earlier the stage in the investment cycle, the more crucial management is. The right managers are more important to the backer in seed capital (for the very early "proof of concept" stages of a business) than venture capital (for the early, high-risk, high-growth years of a business), and more important in venture capital than development capital (for growth businesses with an established track record)." Highly recommended.

The Leader's Guide To Managing People
Mike Brent & Fiona Elsa Dent
FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
www.ftpress.com
9780273779452, $34.99, www.amazon.com

"The Leader's Guide to Managing People: How to Use Soft Skills to Get Hard Results" by the team of executive leadership experts Mike Brent and Fiona Elsa Dent is a 264 page compendium comprised of practical advice illustrated with real-world case study examples and do-your-self exercises to teach managerial skills that will become life-long skill-set assets. "The Leader's Guide To Managing People" shows how to build a positive reputation as a manager, take personal control of a career, develop coaching skills, increasing personal influence on others, motivate people, improve importance, deal with inevitable conflicts, manage change, and a great deal more. Essential, "The Leader's Guide To Managing People" is an instruction manual on becoming a leader and is especially recommended reading for anyone aspiring to or engaged in a managerial responsibility. It should be noted that "The Leader's Guide To Managing People" is also available in a Kindle edition ($14.29).


The Christian Studies Shelf

Persons In Relation
Najib George Awad
Fortress Press
P.O. Box 1209, Minneapolis, MN 55440-1209
http://fortresspress.com
9781451480375, $39.00, www.amazon.com

Ontology is the philosophical study of the nature of being, becoming, existence, or reality, as well as the basic categories of being and their relations. Traditionally listed as a part of the major branch of philosophy known as metaphysics, ontology deals with questions concerning what entities exist or can be said to exist, and how such entities can be grouped, related within a hierarchy, and subdivided according to similarities and differences. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity defines God as three consubstantial persons, expressions, or hypostases: the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit; "one God in three persons". The three persons are distinct, yet are one "substance, essence or nature". In this context, a "nature" is what one is, while a "person" is who one is. "Persons in Relation: An Essay on the Trinity and Ontology" by Najib George Awad (Associate Professor of Christian Theology, Hartford Seminary, Connecticut) is a 272 page compendium presenting an erudite and informative analysis deftly organized into three major sections: The Roots: Theology and the Question of Self in Modernity; The Challenge: Trinitarian Theology and/in Postmodernity; The Proposal: Trinitarian Theology and Postmodernity: In Correlation?. Of special note is Professor Awad's 'Conclusion: When Theology Stands in History. Enhanced with the inclusion of an extensive Bibliography, as well as indexes of Names and Subjects, "Persons in Relation: An Essay on the Trinity and Ontology" is a seminal work of theological scholarship and very highly recommended for seminary and academic library Christian Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists. It should be noted that "Persons in Relation: An Essay on the Trinity and Ontology" is also available in a Kindle edition ($22.49).

Music As Cultural Mission
Anna Harwell Celenza & Anthony R. DelDonna
Saint Joseph's University Press
5600 City Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19131-1395
9780916101800, $65.00, www.sjupress.com

The Society of Jesus is a Christian male religious congregation of the Catholic Church. The members are called Jesuits. The society is engaged in evangelization and apostolic ministry in 112 nations on six continents. Jesuits work in education (founding schools, colleges, universities and seminaries), intellectual research, and cultural pursuits. Jesuits also give retreats, minister in hospitals and parishes and promote social justice and ecumenical dialogue. Among the tools utilized by Jesuits in pursuit of their evangelical responsibilities is music. "Music As Cultural Mission: Explorations Of Jesuit Practices In Italy And North America" is the ninth volume of the outstanding Saint Joseph's University Press series 'Early Modern Catholicism and the Visual Arts'. Ably co-edited by Anna Harwell Celenza and Anthony R. DelDonna, this 229 page compendium is composed of an informative introduction (The Jesuits and Music), followed by ten scholarly articles organized into two major sections: 'The Jesuit Cultural Mission in Early Modern Italy' and 'The Jesuit Cultural Mission in North America'. Enhanced with the inclusion of 33 full color and black-white images, an extensive Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "Music As Cultural Mission: Explorations Of Jesuit Practices In Italy And North America" is a seminal body of extraordinary work and very highly recommended -- especially for academic library Jesuit History and Musicology Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Mercy in the City
Kerry Weber
Loyola Press
3441 North Ashland Avenue, Chicago, IL 60657
www.LoyolaBooks.org
DeChant Hughes Public Relations
9780829438925, $13.95, www.amazon.com

"Mercy in the City" by Kerry Weber has to have one of the all time great subtitles: 'How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job'. This 160 page compendium is comprised of Kerry Weber (who is managing editor of the national Catholic magazine 'America' and a lay volunteer with the Sister of Mercy where she has made a yearly pledge to live a life of helping others through participation in the community, prayer, and the pursuit of justice for those otherwise unable to attain it for themselves. Drawing from her personal live experiences to provide 'real world' illustrative examples of Jesus' commission to his followers to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, shelter the homeless, visit the sick and the imprisoned, and to bury the dead. There is a renewed spirit of service sweeping through the Catholic Church under the leadership of Pope Francis -- and "Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job" is a simply wonderful expression of how to go about carrying out that commission to service in the contemporary world of today. Highly recommended reading for Christians of all denominational affiliations, it should be noted that "Mercy in the City: How to Feed the Hungry, Give Drink to the Thirsty, Visit the Imprisoned, and Keep Your Day Job" is also available in a Kindle edition ($9.39).


The Judaic Studies Shelf

Crafting the 613 Commandments
Albert D. Friedberg
Academic Studies Press
28 Montfern Avenue, Brighton, MA 02135
www.academicstudiespress.com
9781618113870, $34.00, www.amazon.com

Mosheh ben Maimon (also known as Moses Maimonides) was a preeminent medieval Spanish, Sephardic Jewish philosopher, astronomer and one of the most prolific and influential Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages. He was born in Cordoba (present-day Spain), Almoravid Empire on Passover Eve, 1138, and died in Egypt on December 12, 1204. He is believed to be buried in Tiberias. The Maimonides Heritage Center was established to commemorate his legacy. He was a rabbi, physician, and philosopher in Morocco and Egypt. Although his writings on Jewish law and ethics were met with acclaim and gratitude from most Jews, even as far off as Iraq and Yemen, and he rose to be the revered head of the Jewish community in Egypt, there were also vociferous critics of some of his writings, particularly in Spain. Nevertheless, he was posthumously acknowledged to be one of the foremost rabbinical arbiters and philosophers in Jewish history, his copious work comprising a cornerstone of Jewish scholarship. His fourteen-volume Mishneh Torah still carries significant canonical authority as a codification of Talmudic law. Rabbinic tradition has it that 613 commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai, but it does not specify those included in the enumeration. Maimonides methodically and artfully crafts a list of 613 commandments in a work that serves as a prolegomenon to the Mishneh Torah. "Crafting the 613 Commandments" by Albert D. Friedberg (a medieval Jewish literature scholar and expert on the work of Maimonides) is a 400 page compendium comprised of an informative Introduction and analytical scholarship with respect to Maimonides work on the enumeration, classification and formulation of the Scriptural commandments. Enhanced with the inclusion of a thirty-seven page bibliography, a Citations Index, and an Index of Names, "Crafting the 613 Commandments" is an extraordinary and seminal work that is a critically important and highly recommended contribution to academic library Judaic Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.

Mussar Yoga
Edith Brotman
Jewish Lights Publishing
PO Box 237, Woodstock, VT 05091
www.jewishlights.com
9781580237840, $18.99, www.amazon.com

Yoga are the physical, mental, and spiritual practices or disciplines which aim at transforming body and mind. The term denotes a variety of schools, practices and goals in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The term yoga is derived from the literal meaning of "yoking together" a span of horses or oxen, but came to be applied to the "yoking" of mind and body. "Mussar Yoga: Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul" offers a unique Judaic approach to yoga. This nicely illustrated, 224 page instruction manual will enable the reader to 'explore the physical dimension of ethical behaviors and attitudes such as humility, generosity, enthusiasm, and gratitude through yoga poses and the yogic practice of breath work. Extraordinarily well written and presented, "Mussar Yoga: Blending an Ancient Jewish Spiritual Practice with Yoga to Transform Body and Soul" is thoroughly 'user friendly' and enhanced with the inclusion of four pages of Notes, a Glossary, and a roster of Resources, making it very highly recommended for personal use and community library collections alike.


The Poetry Shelf

The White Clock: Poems
Owen Marshall
Otago University Press
c/o International Specialized Book Services
920 Northeast 58th Avenue, Suite 300, Portland, OR 97213
www.isbs.com
9781877578632, $25.00, www.amazon.com

The poetry of Owen Marshall is 'steeped in the Classics, history, and literature, and yet is alive with the vivid particulars of damp duffle-coats and hot-air balloons, beer and bicycles, willows and skylarks, kauri gum and limestone tunnels'. Erudite, insightful, observant, wry, and above all -- memorable, "The White Clock: Poems" is a 94 page compendium showcasing a truly gifted poet who is a master of free verse and highly recommended reading. 'Hanging In': I have a sneaking admiration for the buggers who persist / when the cautious and the canny have decided to desist. / They hang on in there after others see the cause as lost. / They're in it to the bitter end, no matter what the cost.

The British Poetry Of WWI
Candace E. Barnes, editor
Florida Academic Press
PO Box 357425, Gainesville, FL 32635
www.Florida-Academic-Press.com
9781890357467, $29.95 (PB), $8.95 (Kindle), www.amazon.com

Now published by the Florida Academic Press in a Centennial Edition, "The British Poetry Of WWI" is a 188 page compendium comprised of poetry and verse written by members of the British military serving in the horrific battlefields of World War I. Expertly compiled and edited into an outstanding anthology by Candace Elmquist Barnes, these are timeless and time lost expressions of the human experience and the horrors of warfare. Still appropriate and germane to a contemporary world where wars and rumors of wars are the daily fare of nightly news broadcasts, "The British Poetry Of WWI" is very highly recommended reading and a core addition to community and academic library poetry collections. 'To Germany': You are blind like us. Your hurt no man designed, / And no man claimed the conquest of your land. / But gropers both through fields of thought confined / We stumble and we do not understand / You only saw your future bigly planned, / And we, the tapering paths of our own mind, / And in each other's dearest ways we stand / And hiss and hate. And the blind fight the blind. // When it is peace, then we may view again / With new-won eyes each other's truer form / And wonder. Grown more loving-kind and warm / We'll grasp firm hands and laugh at the old pain, / When it is peace. But until peace, the storm / The darkness and the thunder and the rain.


The Fiction Shelf

Nothing In Her Way / River Girl
Charles Williams
Stark House Press
1315 H Street, Eureka, CA 95501
www.starkhousepress.com
9781933588632, $19.95, www.amazon.com

Noir fiction is a literary genre closely related to hardboiled detective mystery genre with a distinction that the protagonist is not a detective, but instead either a victim, a suspect, or a perpetrator. Other common characteristics include the self-destructive qualities of the protagonist. A typical protagonist of the noir fiction is dealing with the legal, political or other system that is no less corrupt than the perpetrator by whom the protagonist is either victimized and/or has to victimize others on a daily basis, leading to lose-lose situation. Charles Williams (1909 - 1975) was a master of the noir fiction genre, with several of his paperback stories being used as the basis for Hollywood films. Now to the benefit of a whole new generation of appreciative readers, the Stark House Press has reissued a two-in-one featuring two classic Charles Williams stories under one cover. "Nothing In Her Way" is a complex story of two con artists. "River Girl" is a 'backwoods thriller' about a man who falls for the wrong woman. Solid entertainment, "Nothing In Her Way / River Girl" is highly recommended and entertaining reading. Of special note is inclusion of a Charles Williams bibliography that provides a complete and chronologically organized listing of both his novels and his short stories.

The Phantom Lover
Jim Algie
Tuttle Publishing
364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, VT 05759-9436
www.tuttlepublishing.com
9780804843881, $16.95, www.amazon.com

"The Phantom Lover and Other Thrilling Tales of Thailand" by Thailand based travel writer Jim Algie is a 320 page compendium comprised of nine deftly written short stories that are offer the reader extraordinary excursions into the horrific and macabre with a special Thailand twist. The stories include The Death Kiss of a King Cobra Show; Flashpoints in Asia; Wet Nightmares; The Legendary Nobody; Obituary for the Khaosan Road Outlaws and Imposters; Life and Death Sentences; The Vicious Little Monk; Tsunami; and the title piece, The Phantom Lover. An engaging entertainment from first page to last, "The Phantom Lover" is highly recommended to fans of the horror genre. It should noted that "The Phantom Love" is also available in a Kindle edition ($10.59).


The Needlecraft Shelf

Sewing School Basics
Jane Bolsover
CICO Books
c/o Ryland Peters & Small
519 Broadway, 5th floor, New York, NY 10012
www.rylandpeters.com
9781782490890, $24.95, www.amazon.com

Where in previous generations girls were taught to sew by their mothers, contemporary American society with a majority of mothers now working out of the home those sewing skills are no longer handed down within the home. That's why Jane Bolsover's instruction manual, "Sewing School Basics" is needed to enable a new generation of women (and men!) to master the basic skills of sewing by hand and by sewing machine. This profusely illustrated, 160 page compendium is comprised of twelve structured 'workshops' that will provide thoroughly 'user friendly' how-to instruction ranging from simple hand embroidery to complete dressmaking. Enhanced with the inclusion of a pull-out section with full-size paper patterns for a jeans-style skirt, an apron, a child's sun dress, a sleeveless dress, a pleated skirt, a baby's smocked dress, a detachable collar, a bean bag, and a doorstop, "Sewing School Basics" is enthusiastically recommended for anyone aspiring to master the art and craft of sewing. Also very highly recommended is Jane Bolsover's earlier instruction manual, "Sewing Machine Basics: A Step-by-step Course for First-Time Stitchers" (Cima Books, 9781907030734, $24.95, 160pp).

Quilting-on-the-Go: Taking It Further
Carolyn Forster
Landauer Corporation
3100 NW 101st Street, Suite A
Urbandale, Iowa 50322
9781935726500 $27.95 www.landauercorp.com

Quilting-on-the-Go: Taking It Further draws upon the time-friendly technique of creating large quilts by breaking them down into more manageable sections, as originally revealed in author Carolyn Forster's previous book titled Quilting-on-the-Go (9781935726050), and takes the methodology to the next level. Topics covered include how to make blocks in multiple sizes, break down borders and sashings/frames into smaller pieces that can be created anywhere, and how to join independent pieces into a beautiful whole. Eleven projects in a variety of sizes from 6" to 25 1/2", step-by-step instructions clearly illustrated with full-color photographs and diagrams, and a user-friendly introduction make Quilting-on-the-Go: Taking It Further a choice pick for any quilter seeking to refine their skill and working knowledge!

Cuddly Knitted Animals
Caprice Birker
Search Press USA
1338 Ross Street
Petaluma, CA 94954-1117
9781844489251 $19.95 www.searchpressusa.com

Cuddly Knitted Animals is a step-by-step guide to making handcrafted knitted toy animals suitable for gentle play or lighthearted inspiration. Charts, round-by-round instructions, and full-color photographs as well as a thorough knitters' introduction, make Cuddly Knitted Animals accessible to all skill and experience levels. A wonderful way to create distinctive and memorable handcrafted gifts, Cuddly Knitted Animals is highly recommended as a supplement to knitters' pattern and guide collections!


The Art Shelf

Tattoo Lettering Bible
Superior Tattoo
Wolfgang Publications
c/o CarTech Inc.
39966 Grand Avenue, North Branch, MN 55056
www.cartechbooks.com
9781935828921, $27.95, www.amazon.com

A tattoo is a form of body modification, made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment and is a custom and practice reaching back into antiquity. Expertly compiled by Superior Tattoo, "Tattoo Lettering Bible" is a 128 page compendium comprised of 300 photos providing full color examples of the variety and diversity of tattoo lettering and lettering designs. A unique, almost encyclopedically illustrated reference, "Tattoo Lettering Bible" is especially recommended browsing for anyone contemplating obtaining tattoos of there own and should be a part of every professional tattoo parlor's reference collection.


The Woodworking Shelf

Handmade Furniture
Rafael Nathan
Linden Publishing
2006 South Mary, Fresno, CA 93721-9875
www.woodworkerslibrary.com
9781610352109, $19.95, www.amazon.com

In "Handmade Furniture: 21 Classic Woodworking Projects to Build for Your Home", author Rafael Nathan draws upon his many years of experience and expertise as a professional furniture maker to provide avid do-it-yourself woodworkers with twenty-one beautiful wooden furniture projects ranging from trays and service tables, to tables, cabinets, storage and boxes. Beautifully and profusely illustrated in full color throughout, each individual project comes with complete step-by-step instructions that are thoroughly 'user friendly' and will enable even the most novice of wood workers to turn out elegantly impressive handmade items that would grace any domestic setting and 'last a lifetime'! Superbly organized and presented, "Handmade Furniture: 21 Classic Woodworking Projects to Build for Your Home" is truly extraordinary and highly recommended for personal, professional, and community library do-it-yourself woodworking instructional reference collections.


The Cookbook Shelf

The Homemade Flour Cookbook
Erin Alderson
Fair Winds Press
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 300
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1721
9781592336005 $24.99 www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com

The Homemade Flour Cookbook lives up to its title as a resource especially for cooks of all skill and experience levels who choose to benefit from grinding their own flour. Homemade flour fresher, allows for a wider variety of flavors and options, free from preservatives, and surprisingly easy to make with the right tools. The Homemade Flour Cookbook covers at length many different types of flour, from gluten-free grain flour (including flour from teff, brown rice, amaranth, millet, quinoa, and more), to legume flour, nut/seed flour, and of course flour from traditional grains. Full-color photographs illustrate many of the sample recipes, as well as the step-by-step guidelines for creating usable flour from an extreme variety of plant sources. A "must-have" for any aspiring baker interested in learning about culinary creations beyond standard wheat flour!

Dutch Oven Pies: Sweet & Savory
Matt Pelton
Hobble Creek Press
c/o Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South
Springville, Utah 84663
9781462112647 $12.99 www.cedarfort.com

Matt Pelton, who has repeatedly won the International Dutch Oven Society World Championship Cook-off, shares the secrets of his finest pastries in Dutch Oven Pies: Sweet & Savory, a treasury for enthusiasts of traditional Dutch Oven cooking and pie lovers everywhere. Packed with advice for crafting pie crusts and step-by-step Dutch Oven baking techniques, Dutch Oven Pies: Sweet & Savory features recipes such as Italian Quiche, Cheesy Broccoli Custard Pie, Two-Layer Pumpkin Pie, German Chocolate Pie, and much more. A handful of black-and-white photographs enhance this easy-to-use resource of sumptuous dinner and dessert delights!

Keep Calm and Bake Cake
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449451042 $8.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Also available as an ebook, Keep Calm and Bake Cake is a pocket-sized, hardcover compendium of 70 kitchen-tested cake and dessert recipes, embellished with charming and delightful cake-centric quotes from famous people throughout history. "Where there is cake, there is hope. And there is always cake. -Dean Koontz". The recipes include delights such as Chocolate Filigree Cake, Honey and Yogurt Muffins, Pumpkin Teacake with Spiced Raisins, Christmas Pudding, Raspberry and Vanilla Custard Tart, and much more. Keep Calm and Bake Cake makes a wonderful mini-giftbook especially for pastry connoisseurs and gourmets!

Marshmallows
Tim Kinnaird
Barron's
250 Wireless Boulevard
Hauppauge, NY 11788
9781438004235 $17.99 www.barronseduc.com

Lavishly illustrated with full-color photography of its fluffy delights on every page, Marshmallows: 100 Mouthwatering Marshmallow Treats lives up to its title with a medley of easy-to-prepare, standout desserts. Recipes include Apple Betty Marshmallows, Marshmallowtini, Chocolate Orange Melted Marshmallow Fondue, Baked S'mores, Lemon Marshmallow Meringue Pie, and much more. Cooks of all skill and experience levels will learn how to enjoy a beloved favorite confection in utterly scrumptious new ways!

Ms. American Pie
Beth M. Howard
Race Point Publishing
c/o Quayside Publishing Group
400 First Avenue North, Suite 400
Minneapolis, MN 55401-1722
9781937994686 $28.00 www.quaysidepublishinggroup.com

Ms. American Pie: Buttery Good Pie Recipes and Bold Tales from the American Gothic House is a distinctive pie cookbook from author Beth Howard, who has made pies at California's Malibu Kitchen for celebrities, owns the famous American Gothic house in Iowa, and runs the "Pitchfork Pie Stand" from the house's parlor every summer. She offers recipes for the best of the best American pies, as well as words of encouragement - anyone can learn how to create and share delicious pies that bring people together, or even heal wounded hearts. Full color photographs and personal vignettes embellish the easy-to-follow recipes for basic pie dough (and step-by-step instructions for forming pie latticework with it), Cinnamon Pie, Strawberry Rhubarb Pie, S'More Pie, Pumpkin Pie with Gingersnap Crust, Classic New York Cheesecake, and much more. A "must-have" for dessert enthusiasts!

Cooking with Fire
Paula Marcoux
Storey Publishing
210 Mass MoCA Way
North Adams, MA 01247
9781612121581 $19.95 www.storey.com

Food historian Paula Marcoux presents Cooking with Fire: From Roasting on a Spit to Baking in a Tannur, Rediscovered Techniques and Recipes That Capture the Flavors of Wood-Fired Cooking, a gorgeous compendium of authentic wood-fired cooking techniques and recipes, adapted for modern-day use. From simple roasting on a stick to barbecue, griddles, wood-fired ovens, and more, Cooking with Fire lives up to its title with delicious recipes and safety-conscious, step-by-step instructions as well as exhaustively detailed, user-friendly guides to suggested tools and techniques. A "must-have" for anyone interested in taking their baked, broiled, and roasted recipes to the next level! Sample dishes include Protohistoric Multigrain Flatbread, Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, Cajun Shrimp, Pide (made from leftover pizza dough, cheese, and eggs), Roasted Tomatoes, and much more.

Almonds Every Which Way
Brooke McLay
Lifelong Books
c/o Da Capo Press
c/o Perseus Book Group
250 W. 57th St., Suite 1500
New York, NY 10107
www.perseusbooksgroup.com
9780738217383 $18.99 www.dacapopress.com

Almonds Every Which Way: More than 150 Healthy & Delicious Almond Milk, Almond Flour, and Almond Butter Recipes lives up to its title for almond connoisseurs. To the kitchen basics of lactose-free almond milk and gluten-free almond flour mix, to recipes suitable for all times of day (Lacy Almond Crepes, Pumpkin-Almond Donut Muffins, Coconut-Almond Green Smoothie, Almond Butter Chicken Salad, Chilled Strawberry Almond Soup, Almond-Crusted Salmon, and much more), Almonds Every Which Way is an excellent, user-friendly recipe resource. Highly recommended for almond lovers everywhere!

The Ginger & White Cookbook
Tonia George, Emma Scott, & Nicholas Scott
Octopus Publishing
236 Park Avenue
New York NY 10017
9781845339012 $24.99 www.octopusbooksusa.com

The Ginger & White Cookbook features over 90 recipes from the popular Ginger & White cafes, known for their artful food and British themes. Accessible instructions paired with full-color, full-page photography of virtually every dish makes The Ginger & White Cookbook a joy to browse and use. Dishes include Fruity Crumble Muffins, Chorizo & Slow-roasted Tomato Omelet, Ham Hock Potato Cakes, Warm Red Rice & Chicken Salad with Green Beans & Dates, Ginger & White Carrot Cake, and much more. Anyone who doesn't live close enough to Ginger & White cafe to regularly enjoy their widely beloved delicacies will especially relish being able to create these sumptuous staples at home!

Orwashers Artisan Bread
Keith Cohen
Race Point Publishing
c/o Dalyn Miller Public Relations
9781937994426, $30.00, www.amazon.com

Bread is a staple food prepared from a dough of flour and water, usually by baking. Throughout recorded history it has been popular around the world and is one of humanity's oldest foods, having been of importance since the dawn of agriculture. There are indefinitely many combinations and proportions of types of flour and other ingredients, and also of radically different traditional recipes and modes of preparation of bread. As a result one finds wide varieties of types, shapes, sizes, and textures of breads in various regions. Bread may be leavened by many different processes ranging from reliance on naturally occurring microbes (for example in sourdough recipes) to high-pressure artificial aeration during preparation and/or baking. However, some products simply are left unleavened, either for preference, or for traditional or religious reasons. Many non-cereal ingredients may be included, ranging from fruits and nuts to various fats. Commercial bread in particular commonly contains additives, some of them non-nutritional, to improve flavor, texture, color, or shelf life. An artisan bread is one that has been made by a culinary artist and intended for a discerning clientele and not as a mass market offering. "Orwashers Artisan Bread: 100 Years of Techniques and Recipes" is a beautifully illustrated, 224 page compendium that provides a history of Orwashers, a century old New York artisan bakery that continues to have a dedicated customer base. Also included are original recipes for a variety of artisan breads (including wine and beer breads), as well as techniques for making bread from artisan starters. An impressive and instructive cookbook manual, "Orwashers Artisan Bread" is very highly recommended for personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections.

Sweet & Unique Cupcake Toppers
Lynlee North Beckett
Cedar Fort, Inc.
2373 West 700 South, Springville, Utah 84663
www.cedarfort.com
9781462113668, $22.99, www.amazon.com

A profusely and beautifully illustrated, 264 page compendium of kitchen cook friendly recipes, ideas, and instructions, "Sweet & Unique Cupcake Toppers" will enable even the most novice of cupcake makers to turn out culinary gems in the form of delightful and delicious cupcakes suitable for every party or celebratory event. Of special note are the chapters dedicated to Fondant Basics; Fondant Coloring & Painting; Fondant Cutters & Tools. There is even a chapter providing indispensable advice on displaying, packaging and shipping cupcakes! Packed with fondant tutorials, practical tips, and innovative tricks of cupcake topping enhancements, "Sweet & Unique Cupcake Toppers" is very highly recommended for personal, family, and professional collections, and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library cookbook shelves!

Shahla's Kitchen
Shahla Niazi
Brown Books Publishing Group
16250 Knoll Trail Drive, Suite 205
Dallas, TX 75248-2871
www.brownbooks.com
9781612541501, $22.95, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated with full color photography throughout, "Shahla's Kitchen: Cooking With Fire and Ice - Recipes for Balanced Energy and Healthy Living" includes palate pleasing, appetite satisfying and good health inducing recipes each beginning with a succinct introductory commentary. The 'kitchen friendly' recipes range from Spinach and Avocado Omelet, Rice Noodle Salad, Saffron Rice with Vegetarian Cutlet,to Meatballs and Mashed Potatoes, Grilled Chicken with Tomatoes, Herbed Greek Yogurt, Shrimp Kebabs, Seafood Spaghetti with Fresh Dill; and, Baklava Cake. A sheer delight to simply browse through, "Shahla's Kitchen: Cooking With Fire and Ice - Recipes for Balanced Energy and Healthy Living" will prove to be an enduring and popular addition to personal, family, and community library cookbook collections!

Kentucky Sweets
Sarah C. Baird
The History Press
645 Meeting Street, Suite 200, Charleston, SC 29403
www.historypress.net
9781626193772, $21.99, www.amazon.com

Beautifully illustrated with full color photography, "Kentucky Sweets: Bourbon Balls, Spoonbread & Mile High Pie" is a 192 page compendium of superbly delicious and kitchen cook friendly recipes compiled by Sarah C. Baird. Enhanced throughout with informative commentaries, the recipes range from Appalachian Stack Cake; Cornmeal Cookies with Apple Cider Glaze; Hummingbird Cake; and Mint Julip Brownies; to Brandy Milk Punch; Black Walnut Fudge; Slow Cooker Apple Butter; and Brown Sugar Oatmeal Hickory Cookies. Of special note are the wealth of culinary Tips & Tricks. A delight to browse through and offering a cornucopia of palate pleasing desserts and sweet snacks, "Kentucky Sweets: Bourbon Balls, Spoonbread & Mile High Pie" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to personal, professional, family, and community library cookbook collections!


The Biography Shelf

Helen Rubinstein
Michele Fitoussi
Gallic Books
c/o Meryl Zegarek Public Relations
9781908313461, $15.95, www.gallicbooks.com

The eldest of eight daughters born to a Jewish couple, Helena Rubinstein (born Chaya Rubinstein, December 25, 1870 - April 1, 1965), was a Polish-born American business magnate. A cosmetics entrepreneur she was the founder and eponym of company Helena Rubinstein, Incorporated, which made her one of the world's richest women. "Helena Rubinstein: The Woman Who Invented Beauty" by Michele Fitoussi is an impressively detailed, deftly written, 404 page biography of one of the most influential women of her time. This is a riveting story of a young woman who refused an arranged marriage, struggled to make her way without family support, hit upon making face cream for Australian women, succeeded as a business women in a man's world, and did not allow lovers, husbands, or motherhood stand in the way of her commercial success and cultural authority. "Helena Rubinstein: The Woman Who Invented Beauty" is informed, informative, insightful, entertaining, and highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library biography collections.

Joan Davis
David C. Tucker
McFarland & Company
PO Box 611, Jefferson NC 28640
www.mcfarlandpub.com
9780786477845, $39.95, www.amazon.com

Joan Davis (June 29, 1907 - May 22, 1961) was an American comedic actress whose career spanned vaudeville, film, radio and television. Remembered best for the 1950s television comedy 'I Married Joan', Davis had a successful earlier career as a B-movie actress and a leading star of 1940s radio comedy. "Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy" by David C. Tucker is a 232 page compendium that includes her biography of her life, and a filmography, a radiography, and a videography of her work. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white period photography, extensive Notes, a two page Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy" is highly recommended for academic library Cinematic History and 20th Century American Biography reference collections. It should be noted that "Joan Davis: America's Queen of Film, Radio and Television Comedy" is also available in a Kindle edition ($13.99).

Abraham Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography
Jan de Bruijn
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49505
www.eerdmans.com
9780802869661, $40.00, www.amazon.com

Abraham Kuijper (29 October 1837 - 8 November 1920), generally known as Abraham Kuyper, was a Dutch politician, journalist, statesman and theologian. He founded the Anti-Revolutionary Party and was prime minister of the Netherlands between 1901 and 1905. Profusely illustrated throughout with duotone images as well as black-and-white period photographs, "Abraham Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography" by Jan de Bruijn (Professor of Political History, Free University of Amsterdam) is a 432 page compendium providing a detailed, documented, insightful biography of one of the most theologically and politically influential men of his generation in the Netherlands. Ably translated into English for an American readership by Dagmare Houniet, "Abraham Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography" is enhanced with the inclusion of a roster of Literary Resources, a listing of Sources of Photographic Material, and a comprehensive Index. A work of seminal scholarship, "Abraham Kuyper: A Pictorial Biography" is informed, informative, and highly recommended -- especially for academic library Biographical Studies reference collections.


The Memoir Shelf

Lifting My Voice: A Memoir
Barbara Hendricks
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613748527, $22.95, www.amazon.com

Barbara Hendricks (born November 20, 1948) is an African-American operatic soprano and concert singer. Hendricks has lived in Europe since 1977, and in Switzerland in Basel since 1985. She is a also citizen of Sweden by marriage. "Lifting My Voice: A Memoir" is a 496 page compendium in which Hendrick's recounts her life and her work. Of special note is her involvement with respect to human rights issues. Enhanced with the inclusion of a complete discography of her recordings and a comprehensive Index, "Lifting My Voice: A Memoir" is highly recommended reading for her legions of fans and will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community and academic library American Biography collections. It should be noted that "Lifting My Voice: A Memoir" is also available in a Kindle edition ($12.99).

A Dancer in the Revolution
Howard Eugene Johnson with Wendy Johnson
Empire State Editions
c/o Fordham University Press
2546 Belmont Avenue, University Box L
Bronx, NY 10458-5172
9780823256532 $29.95 www.fordhampress.com

A Dancer in the Revolution: Stretch Johnson, Harlem Communist at the Cotton Club is the memoir of Howard Eugene Johnson (1915-2000), also known as "Stretch" Johnson because of his 6' 5" height. Stretch was a tap dancer and social activist; he was a member of the N.A.A.C.P. since age 15, and served among the Buffalo Soldiers during World War II, earning two purple hearts. He joined the Young Communist League of Harlem in 1940, in part motivated by horrific lynchings taking place in the American South, but he left the Communist Party USA in the late 1950s along with many other members, in response to Khrushchev's testimony about Stalin. In addition to recounting Stretch's efforts for social justice, A Dancer in the Revolution is also open about sexual issues - including the "homoerotic tourism" that was a part of 1930's Harlem nightlife. A handful of vintage black-and-white photographic plates illustrate this extraordinary glimpse into a cultural nexus of writers, artists, performers, and activists, over the decades. Highly recommended.


The Education Shelf

Own Your Own Education!
Megan Stone
Pearson FT Press
c/o Pearson Technology Group
801 East 96th Street, #300, Indianapolis, IN 46240-3759
9780133573176, $24.99, www.amazon.com

No single factor to success in life is more important than education. Indeed, an education is much too important to leave up to the judgement and uncontested control of others. "Own Your Education!: A Student's Guide to Greater Success in School (and Life)" by education specialist Megan Stone is a 160 page compendium that will enable anyone to increase their motivation to succeed in school by taking charge of the decisions and make personally selected choices involved in shaping the nature and content of their education. Basically, "Own Your Education!" is a thoroughly 'user friendly' instruction manual on how to take ownership over one's education in all and every aspect. Informed and informative, "Own Your Education!" is highly recommended reading for students, for their families, for education policy makers, and would prove to be an enduringly valued and popular addition to community and academic library Educational Studies reference collections and supplemental reading lists.


The Music Shelf

Leonard Cohen On Leonard Cohen
Jeff Burger, editor
Chicago Review Press
814 North Franklin Street, Chicago, IL 60610
www.chicagoreviewpress.com
9781613747582, $29.95, www.amazon.com

Leonard Norman Cohen, CC GOQ (born 21 September 1934) is a Canadian singer-songwriter, musician, poet, and novelist. His work has explored religion, politics, isolation, sexuality, and personal relationships. Cohen has been inducted into the American Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and both the Canadian Music Hall of Fame and the Canadian Songwriters Hall of Fame. He is also a Companion of the Order of Canada, the nation's highest civilian honour. In 2011, Cohen received a Prince of Asturias Award for literature. The latest addition to the outstanding series 'Musicians in Their Own Words' from the Chicago Review Press, "Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters" is a substantial 624 page compendium comprised of chronologically presented interviews and descriptive meetings with Cohen over some five decades. Informed, informative, enhanced with eight pages of photographs, a bibliography of Leonard Cohen's published writings, and a useful index, "Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters" wonderfully showcases the life and work of one of the most culturally influential men of the second half of the 20th Century. Very highly recommended for community library collections, and a 'must read' for Cohen's legions of fans, it should be noted that "Leonard Cohen on Leonard Cohen: Interviews and Encounters" is also available in a paperback edition (Omnibus Press, 9781783055678, $20.98) and a Kindle edition ($11.99).


The Humor Shelf

Pearls Falls Fast
Stephan Pastis
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street
Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
9781449446598 $18.99 www.andrewsmcmeel.com

Former attorney turned award-winning cartoonist Stephan Pastis presents Pearls Falls Fast, the latest treasury of two years' worth of "Pearls Before Swine" newspaper comic strips, including Sunday strips in full color. Pastis' love of convoluted puns, anthropomorphic animal antics, narrative self-insertion, and pushing the envelope of what newspapers will allow (several of Pastis' strips created controversy over everything from his portrayal of guns to his alleged intolerance of cyclists and polka music) shines through. Pearls Falls Fast also features Pastis' own commentary on most of his strips - from their unique inspirations, to the letters-to-the-newspaper kerfuffle they sometimes generated, to his own art errors, and sardonic side thoughts. "''Do you think each of us has free will?' 'No. Only some of us.' 'Why do you say that?' 'Because not everyone bought the DVD.' 'Free Will, not Free Willy.' 'Oh, great. Is that some boring re-make?' [Commentary: 'I need to start making movie references that are not twenty years old.']" Pearls Falls Fast is guilty-pleasure-funny from cover to cover, enthusiastically recommended as a giftbook for anyone would could use a good laugh.

It's One Thing After Another
Lynn Johnston
Andrews & McMeel
1130 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO 64106-2109
www.andrewsmcmeel.com
9781449437176, $22.99, www.amazon.com

The latest in a long line of wonderful anthology collections of Lynn Johnston's newspaper comic strip 'For Better or For Worse', "It's One Thing After Another!: For Better or For Worse 4th Treasury" is a 216 page compendium that is comprised of the hilarious family based humorous comic strip in 1985. But what makes this hardcover anthology truly stand out is artist and storyteller Lynn Johnston's personal commentaries that provide a simply outstanding frame of reference for the ideas and characters that comprised her comedic artistry. "It's One Thing After Another!: For Better or For Worse 4th Treasury" will prove to be an enduringly popular addition to community library humor collections and should be considered 'must' reading for Lynn Johnston's legions of appreciative fans! It should be noted that "It's One Thing After Another!: For Better or For Worse 4th Treasury" is also available in a Kindle edition ($7.69).


The Antiques/Collectibles Shelf

Mantiques: A Manly Guide To Cool Stuff
Eric Bradley
Krause Publications
c/o F+W Media
700 East State Street, Iola WI 54945
www.krausebooks.com
9781440239861, $26.99, www.amazon.com

Compiled with descriptive commentary by Eric Bradley, "Mantiques: A Manly Guide To Cool Stuff" is a 176 page, profusely illustrated compendium of antiques and collectibles with a special appeal to men. From vintage barware, to entertainment memorabilia, to surfing collectibles, to guns and knives, to sports collectibles, to video games, and a great deal more, "Mantiques: A Manly Guide To Cool Stuff" is a delight to simply browse through. Guaranteed to be an enduringly popular addition to community library collections, "Mantiques: A Manly Guide To Cool Stuff" is very highly recommended to the attention of every man who has ever had a personal collection of any kind that the women in his life simply didn't understand what the attraction was!


The Holocaust Studies Shelf

Buchenwald: Hell On A Hilltop
Flint Whitlock
Cable Publishing
14090 East Keinenen Road, Burle, WI 54820
www.cablepublishing.com
9781934980729, $25.95, www.amazon.com

Buchenwald concentration camp was a World War II German Nazi concentration camp established on the Ettersberg (Etter Mountain) near Weimar, Germany, in July 1937. It was one of the first and the largest of the concentration camps on German soil, following Dachau's opening just over four years earlier. Prisoners from all over Europe and the Soviet Union - Jews, non-Jewish Poles and other Slavs, the mentally ill and physically-disabled from birth defects, religious and political prisoners, Roma and Sinti, Freemasons, Jehovah's Witnesses, criminals, homosexuals, and prisoners of war - worked primarily as forced labor in local armaments factories. From 1945 to 1950, the camp was used by the Soviet occupation authorities as an internment camp, known as NKVD special camp number 2. Today the remains of Buchenwald serve as a memorial and permanent exhibition and museum. The third volume in the outstanding Cable Publishing 'The Buchenwald Trilogy', Flint Whitlock's "Buchenwald: Hell On A Hilltop" is a 374 page compendium that provides a detailed history of this infamous death camp from it's horrific origins to its current use as a kind of cultural and historic memorial. Enhanced with occasional black-and-white historical photos, a double-page map of the camp, Source Notes, an extensive Bibliography, and a comprehensive Index, "Buchenwald: Hell On A Hilltop" is an extraordinary and important contribution to community and academic library Holocaust Studies and 20th Century European History collections. It should be noted that "Buchenwald: Hell On A Hilltop" is also available in both a paperback edition (9781934980736, $18.95) and a Kindle edition ($9.95).


The Civil War Shelf

The Notorious Isaac Earl and His Scouts
Gordon L. Olson
Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company
2140 Oak Industrial Drive, NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49505
9780802868015 $22.00 www.eerdmans.com

City historian emeritus Gordon L. Olson presents The Notorious Isaac Earl and His Scouts: Union Soldiers, Prisoners, Spies, an extraordinary study of a counterguerrilla unit of Union soldiers, led by Isaac Earl, a bold lieutenant from Wisconsin. Their story shines a spotlight on the Civil War's "irregular warfare", including its evolution of guerrilla tactics. Black-and-white photographs and artworks, appendices, a bibliography, and an index enhance this extensive, inclusive study of Earl's "special scouts", highly recommended for both public and college library Civil War collections.

So You Think You Know Gettysburg? Volume 2
James and Suzanne Gindlesperger
John F. Blair, Publisher
1406 Plaza Drive
Winston-Salem, NC 27103
9780895876201 $19.95 www.blairpub.com

So You Think You Know Gettysburg? Volume 2 is the follow-up volume to the award-winning book "So You Think You Know Gettysburg? The Stories Behind the Monuments and the Men Who Fought One of America's Most Epic Battles". Like its predecessor, volume 2 elaborates on the true stories behind the brave soldiers honored with monuments upon America's most famous Civil War battlefield. Full-color photographs of the individual monuments are paired with each vignette; the tales range from darkly ironic to outright tragic, and reflect the self-sacrificing bravery of those who served in the deadly battle. So You Think You Know Gettysburg? Volume 2 is a choice pick for military history buffs, anyone curious about lesser-known Civil War stories, and armchair travelers who would pay their silent respects to fallen Civil War heroes. Highly recommended!


The Hobby Shelf

The DCC Guide, second edition
Don Fiehmann
Kalmbach Books
21027 Crossroads Circle
Waukesha, WI 53187-1612
9781627001038 $19.99 www.kalmbachbooks.com

Featuring full-color photography on virtually ever page, The DCC Guide is an in-depth resource for model railroad hobbyists that especially focuses upon Digital Command Control (DCC) systems, which allow operators to control their trains independently, without using electrical blocks. Chapters discuss how DCC systems evolved, decoder programming, how to choose a DCC system, installing speakers and sound decoders, and much more. The updated second edition includes new content such as how to utilize Java Model Railroad Interface technology and software, how to operate a DCC-equipped layout through one's smartphone or tablet, updated information on program decoders and downloadable sounds, and updated product and manufacturer listings. Serious hobbyists will find The DCC Guide extremely useful, thorough, and practical minded!


The Metaphysical Studies Shelf

The Voodoo Doll Spellbook
Denise Alvaradd
Red Wheel/Weiser/Conari
665 Third Street
San Francisco, CA 94107
9781578635542 $21.95 www.redwheelweiser.com

The Voodoo Doll Spellbook: A Compendium of Recent and Contemporary Spells and Rituals is a serious-minded guide based on New Orleans voodoo and hoodoo traditions, as well as incorporating spellwork from ancient Egypt, Chaldea, Greece, Africa, Europe, and author Denise Alvaradd's own grimoires. Individual incantations range from spells for self-improvement, protection, good luck, and love charms, to aggressive spells that will make a couple quarrel, bind or curse an enemy, or sway a person's opinion to one's personal direction. Methodical descriptions of rituals, reproductions of chants, and guides for crafting effective hex dolls make The Voodoo Doll Spellbook readily accessible to readers of all backgrounds - but like any other form of power, Voodoo is a dangerous force, and should be utilized only with the greatest respect, caution, and need. Highly recommended especially for metaphysical collections with a focus on magic.


The Automotive Shelf

Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon
Peter Brock
Brock Racing Enterprises, LLC
c/o Jenkins Group Inc. (publicity)
1129 Woodmere, Suite B, Traverse City, MI 49686
9780989537209 $69.95 www.bookpublishing.com

Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon is a coffee-table book tribute to the Corvette Sting Ray automobile, first created in 1963. Its sleek, aerodynamic shape and its controversial "split window" made it immediately recognizable among all Corvette models before or since. Corvette Sting Ray: Genesis of an American Icon features both vintage black-and-white and a wealth of full-color photography to supplement the text tracing the Sting Ray's origins in detail, its production, usage, and legacy for both fans and automobile industry as a whole. Corvette Sting Ray is an amazing and enlightening tour of a cherished piece of automotive history, especially recommended as a giftbook for avid connoisseurs!


The Crafts Shelf

Sticky Fingers
Sophie Maletsky
Zest Books
35 Stillman Street, Suite 121
San Francisco, CA 94107
9781936976546 $16.99 www.zestbooks.net

Sticky Fingers: DIY Duct Tape Projects is a hands-on guide to crafting a wide array of practical projects, suitable for gifts or personal use. With simple, inexpensive materials such as colored duct tape, duct tape fabric, fold-over strips, etc. and tools such as scissors and dry-erase markers, it's possible to handcraft everything from wallets and purses to desk organizers, checkerboards, earring trees (a colorful stand to hold earrings), lanyards, and much more. Step-by-step instructions, an estimated difficulty level and required time for each project, and full-color photographs on every page make Sticky Fingers a snap to use for hobbyists of all ages and backgrounds, including young adults!


The Audiobook Shelf

The King
J.R. Ward, author
Jim Frangione, narrator
Recorded Books, LLC
270 Skip Jack Road
Prince Frederick, MD 20678
9781470397784 $123.75 www.recordedbooks.com

Also available as a digital audiobook, The King: A Novel of the Black Dagger Brotherhood is the unabridged audio rendition of J.R. Ward's fantasy about the dark side of royal blood. Wrath, son of Wrath, is the last pure-blooded vampire known to exist in the world. For an uncountably long time, he has resisted his father's station as King; at last, with the support of his mate Beth Randall, he reluctantly assumes the throne. Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown, and the toll from war with the Lessening Society mounts, as does the lurking threat of the Band of Bastards. Further complicating the intrigue is Beth's desire for a child - when Wrath rebuffs her, a rift begins to grow between them. A sweeping saga of hard choices and their terrible repercussions, The King is highly recommended. 19 CDs, 22.5 hours.

It Takes a Witch
Heather Blake, author
Coleen Marlo, narrator
Tantor Media, Inc.
2 Business Park Road, Unit 2
Old Saybrook, CT 06475
9781494500603 $39.99 www.tantor.com

It Takes a Witch is the unabridged audiobook rendition of the first title in Heather Blake's "Wishcraft Mystery" series, which seamlessly blends elements of fantasy and criminal drama. Darcy Merriweather and her sister Harper first learn about their magical powers to grant people's wishes from their vivacious aunt Velma. But when they move to Velma's magic-themed tourist town, they discover a terrible murder. Velma's sweetheart Skylar was spotted next to the deceased victim, and he's known to have a motive, but Velma refuses to believe that he's the murderer. Could Skylar be innocent, or at least, not guilty of murder most foul? When Harper is distracted by a head-over-heels crush, Darcy takes it upon herself to uncover the truth, in this sleuth and sorcery adventure! 7 CDs, 8.5 hours.


The Music CD Shelf

Singing in Tongues
Eccodek, featuring Jah Youssouf
Produced by Andrew McPherson
www.eccodek.com
Black Swan Sounds
c/o Press Junkie PR
9901 Brodie Lane, Suite 160, PMB 221, Austin, TX 78748
www.pressjunkiepr.com
$14.69 CD / $8.91 MP3 www.amazon.com

The sixth album from Canadian global fusion band Eccodek, Singing in Tongues reverberates with African rhythm and storytelling, spiced with electronica. Mali's Jah Youssouf supplies vocal stylings and instrumental performance, lending an exceptional, original flair to bridge music and culture of lands ranging from Mali to Turkey to the Middle East and South Asia. An extraordinary meeting of exceptional talents, Singing in Tongues is highly recommended, especially for international music collections. The tracks are "Village in me", "In confidence (ft. Onkar Singh)", "Singing in tongues", "My primitive heart (ft. MC Yogi)", "Money tree (ft. Onkar Singh)", "The end begins (ft. Meral Mert)", "In my tribe", "The big man (ft. Meral Mert)", and "Permission to speak".


The DVD Shelf

Luther: His Life, His Path, His Legacy
FilmTel, Inc.
c/o Vision Video (distribution)
P.O. Box 540
Worcester, PA 19490
$19.99 www.visionvideo.com

Luther: His Life, His Path, His Legacy is a documentary about Martin Luther, reformer and founder of the Protestant movement; his life's work forever changed the religion of Christianity. Following Luther's actions, as well as reflecting on the locations that have been inextricably linked with his name, Luther: His Life, His Path, His Legacy incorporates dramatic footage from the 2003 theatrical film "Luther", interviews with biographical and theological experts, and an interview with actor Joseph Fiennes, who played the role of Luther in the 2003 film. Luther: His Life, His Path, His Legacy is an excellent work especially recommended for church library DVD collections.

MD Fitness: The Doctor's Workout
Anne Talbot-Kleeman, RN and Tom Kleeman, MD
Privately Published
c/o 411 Video Information (publicity)
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
www.411videoinfo.com
$24.99 www.thedoctorsworkout.com

Registered nurse and certified fitness professional Anne Talbot-Kleeman and orthopedic surgeon Tom Kleeman present Fitness: The Doctor's Workout, a 3-disc DVD set offering a full-body exercise program for men and women of any age or fitness levels, featuring strength, cardio, and interval training. Although MD Fitness is accessible to viewers of all backgrounds, those over 40 will find it particularly invaluable as a low-impact, user-friendly workout routine that doesn't require an excess of expensive equipment. The three DVDs (approximately 40 min. each) offer three workout intensity levels; Level One is suitable for those who may have limited mobility, and one to three pound weights plus a workout mat are recommended; Level Two suggests 3 to 5 pound weights, and Level Three is designed for use with 5 to 8 pound weights. MD Fitness is highly recommended not only for personal fitness collections and private use, but also for public library DVD and senior citizen center DVD shelves.

Natalie Jill's REV4
Natalie Jill Fitness
nataliejillfitness.com
c/o 411 Video Information
PO Box 1223, Pebble Beach, CA 93953
$19.95 www.411videoinfo.com

Natalie Jill's REV4 is a fitness DVD consisting of four, increasingly intense ten-minute workouts, none of which require any equipment at all! Fitness trainer Natalie Jill (creator of the 7 Day Jump Start and 4 Week Jump Start programs) guides the viewer through scientifically designed workouts; together, the four segments exercise the whole body. The segments are REV1 Full Body, REV2 Lower Body, REV3 Upper Body, and REV4 Core Crusher. A warm-up and cool-down, as well as bonus material of Natalie's own personal training routine, round out this excellent, user-friendly fitness tool! 50 min., widescreen.

Shiva Rea Meditations
Shiva Rea
Acacia
8515 Georgia Avenue, Suite 650, Silver Spring, MD 20910
c/o RLJ Entertainment (publicity)
9781621722588 $19.99 www.acacialifestyle.com

Shiva Rea Meditations is an anthology on DVD, collecting relaxing meditation exercises from yoga master Shiva Rea's award-winning DVD series (including the previously released programs "Daily Energy", "More Daily Energy", "A.M. Energy", "Fluid Power", "Yogini", "Yoga Trance Dance", "Radiant Heart Yoga", and "Yoga in Greece"). Beautiful scenery from locations such as the Greek island of Santorini and New Mexico's White Sands National Park provides a wonderful backdrop, as Shiva guides the viewer through basic breathing, mental focus, mudra (hand gestures), and mantra techniques. The segments can be mixed or matched; a 15-minute "Flow Meditation" bonus segment rounds out this wonderful DVD, perfect for revitalizing oneself in the morning, or for fostering serenity after a long day. 107 min. plus bonus, widescreen.


The Blu-ray Shelf

Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Series 2
Based on the novels by Kerry Greenwood
Acorn Media
c/o RLJ Entertainment
9781621722083 $59.99 www.acornonline.com

Also available on DVD (4 DVDs, $59.99), Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Series 2 is a Blu-ray anthology of British crime drama based on the popular novels by Kerry Greenwood. Miss Phryne Fisher (expertly played by Essie Davis) is a most atypical private detective in 190s Melbourne. With the assistance of her maid, Dorothy "Dot" Williams (Ashleigh Cummings), she pursues her cases from the elite upper crust to the darkest dens of disrepute. Detective Inspector Jack Robinson (Nathan Page) and Constable Hugh Collins (Hugo Johnstone-Burt) assist her at times, and benefit from her keen instincts and insight in the criminal mind. Series 2 promos, behind-the-scenes clips, a photo gallery and more round out this this "must-have" for connoisseurs of the genre! 13 episodes on 3 Blu-ray discs, 727 min. plus bonus, 1080i (bonus 480i), 16:9 aspect ratio, SDH subtitles.


The Large Print Shelf

Three Rode Together
Steve Hayes & David Whitehad
Linford Western Library
c/o Ulverscroft Large Print (USA), Inc.
PO Box 1230, West Seneca, NY 14224-1230
www.ulverscroftusa.com
9781444818864, $20.99, www.amazon.com

This large print edition of a terrifically well written action/adventure western is the story of Arizona cowboy Jesse Glover who is charged with President Ulysses Grant to try and make peace between the white miners and soldiers of Fort Bowie and the Apaches led by Cochise and Geronimo. With a great many plot twists and turns, along with such memorable characters as a White Mountain Apache girl named Morning Star, a corrupt Indian Agent, a military commander to whom the only good Apache is a dead Apache, and Sam, a once enslaved Zulu warrior adopted by the Apache, "Three Rode Together" is a riveting read from beginning to end and highly recommended for personal reading lists and community library western fiction collections.


The American History Shelf

Small Town America in World War II
Ronald E. Marcello
University of North Texas Press
PO Box 311336
Denton, TX 76203-1336
9781574415513 $24.95 www.unt.edu/untpress

Small Town America in World War II: War Stories from Wrightsville, Pennsylvania gathers oral histories from civilians and veterans impacted by the America's efforts to mobilize and participate in World War II. The interviews are organized by the subjects' connections to salient locations - the home front; the North African-Italian, European, and Pacific theatres; stateside military service; and the occupation of Germany. The candid personal testimonies offer a unique glimpse to the challenges, horrors, and realities of war. "We infantrymen never had any hint about grand strategy. I never knew much of anything. They'd say, 'Go up [there]! There're Germans up [there]. And we'd go. You know, the company commander would say, 'We're going [here]' and things like that. They'd tell the platoon leader, and he'd tell the sergeant: 'We're going to do [this].'" Small Town America in World War II is a welcome addition to public and college library oral history shelves, highly recommended.


The Wisconsin Shelf

Field Guide To Wisconsin Streams
Michael A. Miller, Katie Songer, & Ron Dolen
University of Wisconsin Press
1930 Monroe Street, Third Floor, Madison, WI 53711-2059
www.uwpress.wisc.edu
9780299294540, $29.95, www.amazon.com

The collaborative work of Michael A. Miller (Stream Ecologist, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources), with environmental scientists Katie Songer, and Ron Dolen, "Field Guide to Wisconsin Streams: Plants, Fishes, Invertebrates, Amphibians, and Reptiles" is a beautifully and profusely illustrated, 336 page compendium providing a superbly organized and presented identification manual for more than 130 plants and 120 fish common to Wisconsin, as well as 8 crayfishes, 50 mussels, 10 amphibians, 17 reptiles, 70 families of insects, and a number of Wisconsin's other commonly found invertebrates. Enhanced with the inclusion of 735 full color illustrations, 467 drawings, 357 maps, a four page list of References, a Glossary, and an Index, "Field Guide to Wisconsin Streams: Plants, Fishes, Invertebrates, Amphibians, and Reptiles" is the perfect portable reference and is very highly recommended for Wisconsin's nature lovers and outdoor enthusiasts, as well as an indispensable core addition to Wisconsin's school and community library reference collections.


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


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